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    Fat Dragon Chinese Kitchen and Bar

    4.1 (757 reviews)
    ModerateChinese, Bars
    Open • 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 4:30 PM - 11:00 PM

    Order Fat Dragon Chinese Kitchen and Bar Takeout or Delivery

    Fat Dragon Chinese Kitchen and Bar Photos

    Business Info

    FAT DRAGON CHINESE KITCHEN AND BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Classy
    Moderate noise

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    They just don't show pride in their food.
    Shawn W.

    Fat Dragon. It sounds like the boss's name of a crime syndicate. Well, I will say that Fat Dragon is most definitely worthy of a visit. I have heard from coworkers that Richmond and Fredericksburg are on a come up in offering great food spots to check out. On a weekend trip heading down I-95 we usually stop at a spot in Richmond and Fat Dragon was the selection. It was Friday night and parking might be a bit tight in this area, but we lucked up and found parking within 100 feet of the building. Score!!!! Starting off this place offers great American Chinese cuisine and to the next level. The bar in this place was different as many Chinese places do not have a bar from my experience. To wet my lips, I ordered a Mandarin Samurai. Yes, I know bar is in the name but was not expecting the crafted concoctions on their menu to be this good. It's a sneaky little drink that tastes so good you will be slamming them back. For appetizers of course I went with the calamari, and the spouse surprisingly went with spicy dumplings (steamed chili dumplings). Both were great. The chili dumplings had a little kick but nothing crazy. The dumplings were packed tight with porky goodness, and I highly recommend you use a fork or stab your chopsticks in because they are hefty. The numb numb pepper steak was the winner of what I should get game I find myself playing all the time. A big thank you to those back their cooking. My steak was a perfect medium rare. They need to teach some higher end steakhouses how to cook a steak. Very flavorful and the amount of steak was more than plentiful. I had leftovers and will let you know that even the next day just throw some noodles on the leftovers, and you are set. More than worthy of your time and money and I can see myself going again if in the area.

    Menu
    Sharon W.

    This was a great dining experience. The food was worthy of telling others about and planning your next trip back, even before you leave. Located in an area with street parking, you better read those signs or come back to a love note on your windshield from the city. The parking enforcement did not come to play! We were able to find parking right down the street and it was perhaps a one minute walk to the door. While reservations aren't required, they do help during the peak periods. We had about a 30 minute wait after giving a name and phone number to be paged when a table was ready. There is a bar and bar seating. A lot of high top tables and some booths. This is a good set up for solo dining, date night and group dining. Thanks Fat Dragon for offering a military discount. The service was attentive and the wait for food was decent. Eric, our server was personable and gave the right amount of attention without being bothersome. I ordered the chili oil dumplings and they were so good. My entree of chicken with rice noodles has a yellow curry flavor profile and was a generous portion for me. It also reheated well. For my adult beverage, the honeycrisp mule was different and I enjoyed it. Seated along the window area, I'm glad it wasn't cold. You are in close proximity to others, but it was good vibes and never an issue. With options to dine in, carry out and on food delivery platforms if you want it brought to you. There are televisions mounted with various sporting events on so you can keep up with your team's progress or lack there of. The bathrooms needed some love. It was pretty dark when we dined but I got old eyes so insert shoulder shrug. I look forward to going back and having the chili-oil dumplings again. The other options on the menu are on my mind and I intend to explore the menu more in the future. I do feel confident telling others to dine here. At the time of this review, there were no surcharges automatically added to your bill. The food and service were on point so tipping generously was a no brainer. Shout out to all the workers there that were so welcoming.

    Lisa B.

    Came here on a whim without first looking at reviews and there's no regret in my decision to dine here . Got fried mushrooms and jalapeño fried rice and man, was it delicious. the spicy level is tailored to your liking. I will definitely be back to try more things in the menu . 9/10

    Menu
    Javell H.

    Yay! I officially LOVE this place. It's usually bustling on the weekends but during the week it's not bad. They have a decent happy hour. My ABSOLUTE favorite thing is their chili dumplings. Not kidding, these are so incredible and worth the hype. On happy hour, they are $7. I got the kung pao chicken today. It wasn't bad but it's not my favorite. I absolutely enjoyed it. It's definitely not really what I expected and I thought it would be spicy. It was not. Still pretty good though, I just found the texture and flavor profile a little off. My friend got the tangerine chicken which she enjoyed. The ambience in here is pretty cute, however it's dimly lit unless you sit by the windows. The customer service was amazing. Always have great service here. I definitely recommend. I love their shrimp and kimchi fried rice, their beef jalapeño fried rice, and numb numb steak. Those are a 10/10

    Golden Prawn
    Rupa B.

    About food I give 3*, but cocktails get 5* I had Dragon Ria as cocktail, Superb. Tempura Golden Prawn and even the rice was too ordinary. Still I will not give up hope, will go again and try other food. Service was very good. Ambiance was also good.

    Guangdong Honey BBQ Ribs full rack
    Lena M.

    Fat Dragon has been a local establishment for me ever since I moved here the end of 2019. While I don't go often, I have warm feelings when I think of it. I especially think of how much my friend with celiac enjoys this place. This makes me think they offer a lot of gluten-free options. My fiancé and I decided to dine here Monday night. I think I've only ever done take out. Parking wasn't too hard to find, I was able to get a spot on Blvd in front. It's in Scott's Addition so there is a lot of street parking around. They have a lot of indoor seating available. I love what a safe space this restaurant is. They share this all over the walls. They have two gender neutral single stall restrooms too. We started with the chili steamed dumplings. You have to order these, they're so delicious. The QQ in these dumplings were amazing. And the kick was yummy. I'd order these again in a heartbeat. We decided to share the Guangdong Honey BBQ Ribs full rack. We were only two people so had leftovers. While they were nice, they were just ok. I think we were hoping for more flavors. It was a bit sauce heavy with the veggies drowned in sauce. Otherwise it was good. The people who work here were very kind. I'm excited to come back and try other things on the menu.

    Beer Battered Mushrooms & Canton Spring Roll Shrimp
    Donna O.

    When we initially planned to be here at 3, we didn't realize they closed between lunch and dinner. Someone was nice enough to poke their head out to let me know and we were back in time for dinner service to start. Or server was great. I asked for recommendations for a set drink and since my friend got in before me, he recommended what she'd already ordered. After trying it, I definitely agree on it being a recommendation! The Mandarin Samurai was dangerously fruity and delicious! They do tend towards spicy and whole in not the biggest fan of spicy food in general, the server knew enough to answer questions about how the good was served so I could order food I very much enjoyed. My beer battered mushrooms were enough for a meal unto themselves and the spring rolls were amazing. Since the mushrooms were so plentiful, I had some leftovers I'm looking forward to later. Either the manager or owner came out to check on us while we were eating and we had to compliment everything we'd received as well as it server for his service and recommendations. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place, especially since it's right next door to an amazing tattoo / piercing place, river city tattoo. If you're killing time before an appt, this is a great place to kick back and eat

    Gimlet
    Kathleen D.

    Fat Dragon is a worthy stop for happy hour in Scott's Addition. The vibe is chill and welcoming, a bit loud but nothing crazy. I ordered a gimlet on my most recent visit and it was quiiiite strong. Their food is pretty good too - I've had their fried rice once before. Fast service at the bar as well.

    Kyla Z.

    Excellent service! Great Happy hour deals! We tried every appetizer and I loved the fried eggplant. Try out the sides. The bok choi is yummy, the salad is great. The wonton soup was not as flavorful as I would have liked. But my friends LOVED the choice of cocktails Z

    Steamed Chili Dumplings
    Lara G.

    Rarely do you find a chinese restaurant that is also a bar -- which lends this place a unique vibe. The cocktails were good as was the food. Though if you are someone who craves spicy food the pepper icons next to the menu items are not indicative of high spice. I have a mild spice tolerance and found it barely spicy.

    Stephanie B.

    From start to finish, I loved everything about my experience at Fat Dragon. The space is smaller than I expected, but it works. It gives off a trendy bar vibe with an edge. Now to the food. Hands down, some of the best Chinese I've had. I went with the dumplings and a drink to start. The dumplings were the best I've ever had with a slight kick to it. I tried the pepper steak (and let me be clear, I don't normally order that) because it was highly recommended. This wasn't your typical takeout version. This was elevated, next-level... tender filet mignon pieces, perfectly cooked and full of rich flavor. I was shocked in the best way. I loved every bite. Of course, I had to try an espresso martini (you know that's my go-to), and it did not disappoint. Smooth, bold, and exactly what I needed to start the meal. I sat at both the table and the bar during my visit. The service was great either way, but the bar is definitely where it's at if you can grab a seat. More interaction, better energy, and just a great overall vibe. This place has officially earned a spot on my favorites list. If you haven't been to Fat Dragon yet, do yourself a favor and go. You won't regret it.

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    5 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Food is always fresh and delicious. Every server I've has been professional and friendly

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    Food and drinks are good. Host and service team are always great. Ambiance is fantastic

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    10 months ago

    The food is amazing. Fun and trendy place, Service is good. If you want the real deal this is the place to go! They also have happy hour!

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