Fette Sau — Restaurant in Philadelphia

A Tale of Two Visits: Fette Sau’s Inconsistent Smokehouse Experience

Tucked away in the heart of Fishtown, Fette Sau is known for its rustic, no-nonsense approach to barbecue—where slow-cooked meats, rich smoke, and bourbon-forward cocktails should create an unforgettable experience. My first visit lived up to that promise, delivering exceptional flavors and a meal worth savoring. My second? Not so much.

On Monday, March 10, 2025, I returned during happy hour, eager to relive that first great impression. Instead, I left with a stark realization: consistency is everything in barbecue, and on this night, Fette Sau missed the mark.

Let’s start with the drink: an Old Fashioned featuring a double shot of Woodford. Or at least, that’s what I was charged for. What arrived was a weak, watered-down concoction that lacked the bold, oaky depth one expects from a well-made Old Fashioned. If this was a double, it certainly didn’t taste like it. At $32, I essentially paid for a glass of cherry, orange, and bitters.

Next, the deviled eggs—an ambitious take with horseradish. They weren’t bad, but they were certainly different. The flavors were interesting, but nothing about them stood out enough to recommend.

Then came the much-anticipated burnt ends—or what was labeled as such. Instead of the deep caramelization and smoky, fatty bark that make burnt ends a barbecue delicacy, I received a pile of shredded meat, drowning in sauce yet still managing to be dry. Whether it was a kitchen misstep or a misunderstanding of what burnt ends should be, the result was disappointing. Worse yet, the meat had a stale, almost old taste that didn’t sit right.

Redemption came in the form of the brisket. Perfectly smoked, tender, and flavorful, this was the kind of barbecue that keeps people coming back. Whether eaten plain or with sauce, it was the undeniable highlight of the meal—a flawless 10/10.

But great brisket alone isn’t enough to override the inconsistencies elsewhere. A top-tier barbecue spot should deliver precision and quality across the board, not just in select dishes.

I don’t like causing a fuss, so I didn’t send anything back or raise an issue with the staff. Instead, I’ll let my experience speak for itself here. Mistakes happen, but in the world of barbecue, where patience and technique define the craft, details matter. Fette Sau has proven it can get it right—I just hope they do...

The food at this place is average at best and VERY overpriced. Expect to spend about $30-$40 PER PERSON. I got half pound of brisket, half pound of ribs, Mac n cheese, and burnt ends baked beans.

The Brisket: Clearly was the star of the show. Great flavors here but no smoke flavor. I didn't see a smoke ring nor did I detect any hint of smoke flavor. Even if you know how to smoke meats, you can still appreciate the brisket here. The food in some of the other reviews has a smoke ring. NONE of my meats had a smoke ring.

The ribs:. Again, no smoke ring (are these guys even using a smoker or are they cooking these meats in an oven? 🤔 Anyway, the ribs were ok. They were very small and very average tasting. Not worth the price, and nothing to write home about.

The Mac n cheese: The Mac n cheese was good and worth the price! Was it stupendous? No. Was it great? Yes! I'd stop in just for a side of Mac n cheese alone. The Mac n cheese gets 4.5 stars alone.

The burnt ends baked beans: One word, YUCK! I don't know if I caught them on a bad day, but after reading the reviews, I was stoked to try them. They were super underwhelming. In fact, they were probably saved from the day before, that's how dry they looked and how bleh they tasted. Half a star for the burnt ends baked beans.

The service: So I walk up to the counter, and there's this guy with glasses on. He never even says hello to me. He looks past me. Mind you, I'm a very nice and polite fellow. I said hello to him and he didn't even look in my direction, he just smiled a fake smile and nodded. The girl to the left had to step in for the save. She was very nice.

This food wasn't even worth taking pics. The final verdict is, I will only come back to try the chicken and the sausage links. Maybe they can be redeemed with those. Anyone who knows anything about smokers and smoking meats will be VERY disappointed with the food here. It's more of a novelty. Stay away if you want good Q. It's one of those places that relies on ambiance and the look of the restaurant to pass...

This is a tough one to rate. Before you head there, realize that you are not waited on like a normal restaurant. Its cafe-style, where you stand in line, order, they give you a tray with your food, and you find a place to sit.

It's an interesting change of pace, and I wouldn't down vote it for trying something new. It would work well for a lunch spot, or if you live in NoLibs/Fishtown and wanted to grab some good food rather quickly. However, my girlfriend and I went there for dinner, and stood in line for a good 30 minutes before getting our food. I'd much rather have waited at a table. On the plus side, they do have a bar next to the line so you can drink while standing.

Onto the food. Its good BBQ. Though El Camino is better. We got some brisket, ribs, pulled pork, and a side or two. Again, It was pretty good, but lacked flavor, so I was loading on the BBQ sauce. They provide 2-3 types depending on what table you get.

The Decor...Its well done. Clean, and creative. The only problem I had with it is how hard they tried to make it hipster. I mean, you're a steven starr restaurant, you can't provide comfortable chairs? I was sitting in a wooden chair, and my girlfriend sat in one of those ceramic blue chairs you would sit on in highschool. Again, they did a really good job of imitating hipster, but that alone is an oxymoron. It just felt too artificial to me.

Service - Well, there is none, so I rated it Good: Mainly because they clean the tables and grab your finished trays pretty quickly. Someone is walking around as well to make sure everything is okay, we were approached once. The bar was easy to get drinks, and they had a decent selection of crafts. There is a water cooler in the back that you can help yourself to, where they provide plates, utensils, and plastic cups.

All in all, it was a good experience. I'd recommend it as long as you understand that the experience isn't going...