Fat Bob's Smokehouse — Restaurant in Buffalo

Walking into Fat Bob’s Smokehouse feels like arriving at Notre Dame Stadium on a crisp autumn Saturday—electric with tradition, warm with community, and full of that unmistakable sense that something legendary is about to happen. This place isn’t just cooking—it’s running a no-huddle offense of pure BBQ glory. Every dish is a statement. Every bite is a marching band blaring the Victory March.

Let’s kick things off with the brisket, because holy Touchdown Jesus, this meat is divine. Juicy, smoky, and slow-cooked to perfection—it’s the Joe Montana of barbecue: effortless, iconic, and built for greatness. Each slice pulls apart like a dream, with that peppery bark on the outside and tender, melt-in-your-mouth magic on the inside. It doesn’t just hit—it scores, again and again, like it’s playing Navy in November.

And then there’s the mac & cheese—the undisputed All-American of comfort food. This isn’t your average scoop of noodles and cheese. No, this is a golden, bubbling, cast-iron cathedral of dairy glory. Rich, creamy, and built like a championship roster: no weak spots, no shortcuts. It’s the golden dome of the menu. Every bite feels like a 99-yard drive led by Brady Quinn—bold, unrelenting, and absolutely unforgettable.

Now, hold your helmet, because the gumbo comes in hot—spicy, soulful, and packing more depth than a Lou Holtz halftime speech. This isn’t some sideshow. This is a full-blown Cajun symphony, bursting with flavor and seasoned like it knows it's the best player on the field. It’s the Jerome Bettis of the table—heavy, powerful, and downright impossible to stop. One spoonful, and you’re instantly transported to a Mardi Gras tailgate with championship implications.

And yes—the veggies deserve their own highlight reel. Perfectly charred, shockingly flavorful, and carrying their weight like a five-star recruit on day one. These aren’t benchwarmers—they’re the unsung heroes of the lineup. Think Kyle Hamilton: balanced, reliable, and always making the right play. Fat Bob’s doesn’t just throw vegetables on the plate—they coach them up.

Finally, the fries—crisp, golden, and glorious. These fries are the offensive line of the meal: doing the dirty work, holding everything together, and making everyone else look good. Whether you're dunking them in sauce or just admiring their salty perfection, they’re as clutch as a last-second field goal against Michigan.

Bottom line? Fat Bob’s Smokehouse doesn’t just serve food—it serves moments. It’s the kind of place where flavor meets firepower, where smoke equals strategy, and where every dish is a playoff contender. This isn't just BBQ. This is bowl-season-worthy, trophy-hoisting, storm-the-field kind of eating.

Final Score: Fat Bob’s 42 – Your Expectations 0.

GO IRISH. GO BRISKET. GO GET A...

My wife and I have 7 children, so needless to say we don't get out much together! In the rare and precious times that we are able to go out to eat, we almost never deviate from the selection of our short list of favorites. A few nights ago, we decided to go to Mother's on Virginia Pl, even though we weren't really committed, as we had just decided right before we left. As we were pulling up to the restaurant and looking for parking, we noticed Fat Bob's. The only other time I've noticed that restaurant was in passing while walking into Mother's in the past.

This time, we decided to look up the menu; everything looked amazing, so we immediately we decided to try it there instead.

We got the nachos as an appetizer, and a couple sandwiches for the entre (one pulled chicken and one pulled pork, respectively). Let me tell you...the nachos came, and it was one of the most unbelievably excellent things I've ever eaten. It shouldn't even be on the "starter" menu, my wife and I were full to contentment just from the appetizer! I simply could not imagine leaving them to get soggy for later, it would have been utterly criminal. So we decided to basically pack up the rest of our meals for leftovers! I'm telling you, it was UNREAL good. I was repeatedly muttering to myself "you've gotta be kidding me"--out loud-- as a literal involuntary response to how delicious and perfect they were. I was (and am) literally blown away.

The sandwiches (pulled chicken with the carolina sauce) and the pork (with a sweet BBW sauce) were equally as delicious and wonderful.

This is a new top 3 favorite restaurant, and when we go back we will order the same way, planning to only share the appetizer and take the rest home. A TRUE 5 STARS. So excited to have finally discovered this gem and know we have it so...

Date of Visit: Saturday March 25, 2023

We Reserved a table to ensure we got in. Ended up with an earlier reservation as it was busy. Options we're 445 or 7pm and since the show we were seeing starts at 8. had to pick 445

The location is down a very narrow street in the Allentown area. If we hadn't seen this place featured on You gotta eat here, we might not have discovered this cool place. Decor is a very back county bayou bbq shack with barn wood walls. It is dark, with patio lighting. It is a bit loud when busy, with music playing loudly, and the noise was made worse by tables of loud-voiced high-pitched people all trying to speak (yell) over each other.

The server was very busy but friendly and very attentive. Every time she was near our table, she checked in to see if we needed anything.

Order

1. BRISKET with mac & cheese and hush puppies (+ honey and butter which costs extra)
2. Smoked chicken with mac & cheese and cornbread Mac & cheese is made with penne noodles, real cheese sauce and great flavour. It has a pleasant peppery taste. The best part of the meal. The brisket and chicken were both very good. Hush puppies were very tasty if slightly over-fried. Cornbread was like a corn cupcake with no exciting or discernible flavour. They offer four different bbq sauces at the table to complement their meals. Original, Kansas City, Memphis, and Carolina.

The building is on a small, narrow street, and parking may be challenging.

Prices at the restaurant are very reasonable.

Overall impression.. The food is very good. It is not exceptional or outstanding in any way, but it is a very good meal. In fact, the value-to-quality ratio is very good. You will enjoy your meal at Fat...