Fatty Loh Chicken Rice — Restaurant in George Town

I was a little disappointed to be honest. I have heard good things about it but today, the stars were not aligned. Many things came out subpar for me. I was here kinda early and were the only diners at that time. Strangely it took an inordinately long time for my food to arrive.

I ordered the mixed chicken to try both the roasted and steamed / poached chicken. tbf I found them pretty well prepared. Juicy soft meat and deliciously roasted skin. The gravy however was quite average and a little bland. I must say though, the way the chicken was chopped up and deboned does look a little rough.

My other dishes fared sadly worse. The chicken feet even though had a good gelatinous gravy wasn't up to standard. The chicken feet were tough and flavours were unexciting. The pig stomach soup came lukewarm. I fear it looked like yesterday's leftover but I could be wrong. Pig stomach soup is enjoyable hot. Lukewarm is just unacceptable to me.

Yam pork dish was interesting. It definitely is not your standard taste. They tweaked the formula and it's going to be an individual assessment for this dish.

However, I must say that the variety of dishes and food they serve, based on the menu choices are pretty impressive. It's rare to find a chicken shop with this kind of menu options so it's probably worth a visit if you have a big group and love multiple dishes for your meal.

But personally for me, it's just not up to standard. Also the fascination of the chef with carrots was interesting to me. Nearly all the dishes had freshly cut carrot. The taste really didn't gel well...

Fatty Loh Chicken Rice Shop, said to have been established around 1969, is one of Penang’s more well-known names in the chicken rice scene. This was my second visit, and I came during lunch hours with a mix of expectations after reading about its long-standing reputation as well as their michelin guide from 2023-2025.

I ordered the mixed chicken rice – both roasted and steamed – served with fragrant oil rice. I also added BBQ pork and chicken gizzards, and ordered a side of steamed lettuce. The portion size was generous, but I couldn’t help noticing some strange additions – namely, sliced carrots appearing on almost every dish, including the chicken rice. It felt unnecessary and didn’t complement the flavour profile.

The soup that came with the meal was bland and lacked depth. Service-wise, there is room for improvement. My drink order was forgotten, and it took a while before it was eventually served. This signals a need for better staff training and attentiveness, especially during peak hours.

On the ambiance, I noticed the back section of the shop is under renovation, including the toilet, which was hard to find. It’s also worth noting that there are many Chinese deity statues behind the restaurant. While I personally don’t mind, it might be off-putting or confusing for some customers.

Overall, while Fatty Loh has heritage and potential, its current execution – from food presentation to service and amenities – could benefit from some updates and better management. I hope they modernize without losing the essence of...

⚠️ NON HALAL

I had high hopes revisiting Fatty Loh Chicken Rice, especially with its once-glowing reputation and past Michelin mention. Unfortunately, the experience was a major letdown.

The chicken was dry and lacked the juicy, tender texture you’d expect from a shop that once drew long queues. The rice, which should be fragrant and rich with chicken oil, tasted bland and uninspired.

The char siew was even more disappointing—no smokiness, no depth, and barely any flavor. It felt like it had been sitting out too long, with a rubbery texture that made it hard to enjoy.

The service was cold and inattentive. No greeting, no warmth—just rushed, unfriendly, and careless. Not what you’d expect from a supposedly iconic name in Penang food.

Fatty Loh used to be a gem 10–15 years ago. Now? It feels like the name is riding on old fame. The food was below average, definitely not Michelin-worthy, and not worth a revisit.

Not recommended. There are much better options for chicken rice and char siew...