Fat Dave’s — Restaurant in Washington

Fat Daves is an absolute journey down nostalgia lane. From the, "Been there done that" waitresses to the old sign out front that has weathered to the point where it looks like it's in Chinese characters, it is right out of central casting.

This is not a yuppie joint with hipsters dropping in with skinny jeans and laptops, it is a bastion of long time regulars, waitresses that know your name, and old farts with strong political opinions. I was actually entertained by the old dude who sat at the counter and pontificated loudly about non PC opinions while the long suffering waitress sat next to him nodding and accepting him. There is a lot going on here. Fat Daves is obviously more than just a hash slinging joint, it is a hub of a community, a home away from home.

I found the service exemplary in a way that only comes with a life long commitment to a profession. The waitress serviced my table with a practiced ease and efficiency the the hipper places can only dream of. It's an effortless dance that moves from table to table with grace and confidence.

The split pea soup, which I have not had for more years than I care to admit (longer than many of you have been alive) was perfect and rolled out memories of mother and hearth. The chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and buried in country gravy was, although a heart attack on a platter, perfect. Comforting, filling, and packed with nostalgia. Who wants to live forever anyway?

I will admit, the place is probably not for everybody. It's old school with no pretensions or interest in coming up to date. There is no signature arugula salad, or asian fusion sushi, but I can't wait to try their BLT and I'll bet their omelets are to die for.

I'd love to meet you there for lunch....

Fat daves provides a comforting, relaxed ambiance that you simply do not want to leave-- and you dont have to, they're open 24 hours a day! With a wonderful menu and staff that will make you feel right at home, it is a fantastic place to go and unwind, places like this are few and far between, disappearing everyday. You cannot walk into the hip new "vegan raw all of our food is made of cucumber but tastes like cheesecake" cafe and slip a quarter into a jukebox, sit where you want, be at home with yourself, and remember what was.

Fat Daves offers American comfort food as their "sole" menu component, I must say, this is one of the only places I have been that features two separate types of gravy listed as side dishes on their menu. Most people come for breakfast, but you're missing out if you skip dessert, while their dessert menu is not a mile long, each dish is as delicious as the next, and I believe this section to be an overlooked portion of their menu. The staff is friendly, they will offer you additional food if they suspect anything is wrong with your dish, they are courteous, and generally pleasant. It is difficult to obtain allergen information for Fat Dave's, I believe that when one steps into this diner they are thrown back in time to a period when allergens did not exist and the staff is not very helpful if you request information. Outside of the allergen issue, the only issue is that the name of the diner is Fat Dave's and if you frequent this spot as much as your heart begs you to-- you will almost certainly die of heart disease within a year.. Who needs a heart when you have...

First off, I'll start by saying this place should be a historical landmark for Vancouver. It's been here forever, open 24 hours and attracts a large variety of folks.

The fare is standard American diner, serving breakfast all day. Big variety of omelets and a great chicken fried steak, biscuits and gravy are the BEST IN TOWN - I don't say this lightly, I love my biscuits and gravy and I try it at every place that offers it.

There real treasure of this place, however, is the staff. I've been coming to Dave's for about a decade now, starting when I was a teenager, so it's seen me through a lot of life experiences.

I was young and pregnant when I visited Dave's the first time. We were totally broke, living in a place without a working kitchen (for the time being) and just wanted a hot meal. We ordered a couple simple dishes and a couple sodas. The sodas ended up putting us over our budget after tax, and I was completely mortified. After we counted up our money on the table and realized we were short, I started crying. A waitress (unfortunately I don't remember her name) came over to us, having heard the exchange, and told me that it was okay, she would cover me today, and said she knew we'd come back and square it up sometime and not to worry.

In reality, the difference was only about $2. But this waitress made such a huge impact on me. I've been returning to Dave's ever since. The staff is kind and relaxed. Now I bring my son here and he gets the hot chocolate with whipped cream every time. I'm still sticking with biscuits and gravy (most...