Fat Jaks Restaurant Penrith

By Lisa Nguyen   |   Published 21 August 2024

Does this spot match the hype?

Price Range

$$

Massive spread of burgers, parmigianas, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, loaded fries, and coleslaw

TL; DR | Summary

Huge menu with burgers, parmigiana, and desserts

Better than your average fast-food chain

Vegetarian and vegan friendly

Unlimited soft drink refills

Fat Jaks Review

Disclosure: Best Spots was invited to review Fat Jaks Penrith, however, all reviews are my own and unbiased.

Originally from Melbourne, Fat Jaks burst onto the Penrith dining scene in July 2024 with a grand opening at Nepean Village. They celebrated with exciting special offers and fun giveaways.

The restaurant boasts a spacious layout, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, making it perfect for any group size.

The cool aqua colour scheme (my favourite colour, by the way!) runs throughout the entire space, from the menus to the seating, and even the food packaging.

This colour choice creates a casual yet trendy vibe, while the LED sign adds a touch of retro charm.

Fat Jaks offers a setting that feels both inviting and comfortable, with a stylish edge that truly stands out. It's the kind of place you'd love to hang out in if you're in the area.

Additionally, a cute Fluid Project bear painted in the restaurant's colours brings an extra touch of quirkiness and charm.

Fat Jaks loves entertaining their customers in fun and creative ways. They have a "What Burger Are You?" quiz, a playful way for you to find out which Fat Jaks burger matches your personality. It adds a fun twist to your dining experience.

The Fat Jaks menu is HUGE. There are over 55 savoury items to choose from. They offer everything from burgers and parmigiana to sides and even chicken waffles.

There are also plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, ensuring everyone (including your plant-based friends) can find something delicious to enjoy. That's truly impressive!

On top of this, there are unlimited soft drink refills. A great perk for those who like a lot of soft drink with their meal (like me, as I get thirsty quickly).

As you might expect from their massive menu, Fat Jaks' "saucy selection" is equally impressive. They offer a variety of sauces, from classic favourites to unique creations:

  • Ketchup
  • Smoky BBQ sauce
  • Fat Jak sauce
  • Fat Jak hot sauce
  • Chipotle ketchup
  • Chipotle mayo
  • Truffle mayo
  • Blue cheese sauce
  • Peri peri sauce
  • Gravy
  • Curry sauce
  • Satay sauce
  • Melted cheese sauce

For vegan diners, don't feel excluded with these vegan-friendly sauces:

  • Vegan ketchup
  • Vegan Fat Jak sauce
  • Vegan truffle mayo

But that's not all. Dessert lovers will be thrilled with the selection of loaded doughnut balls, waffles, thick shakes, and milkshakes.

The shakes, in particular, are fantastic - definitely a must try! I enjoyed three shakes in one sitting (though I wouldn't recommend doing the same).

Fat Jaks Menu & Experience

The staff and owners at Fat Jaks are known for their friendly and fun culture, making dining here a delightful experience. However, I can't comment on the regular service, as I visited during an opening event invite.

But here's a rundown of the dishes I tried:

Texas Brisket Fries

The brisket was topped with smoky BBQ sauce, cheese sauce, and spring onions.

It was a bit sweet and dry for my taste. I generally only recommend the brisket if the recipe is improved.

Fat Jak Loaded Fries

These fries were topped with bacon, lettuce, spring onions, and Fat Jak sauce.

They felt more like salad toppings than traditional loaded fries, so I wouldn't recommend them.

Chilli Cheese Loaded Fries

Traditional beef chilli, jalapenos, mustard, cheese sauce, and spring onion feel more like classic loaded fries.

Compared to the Fat Jak Fries, these were more filling and satisfying, making them a good side that pairs perfectly with a burger or parmigiana main.

Seasoned Fries

The fries on their own are pretty solid, with just the right amount of seasoning. Plus, adding dipping sauce takes them to the next level.

Onion Rings

As a huge fan of onion rings, I found these to be spot-on. They have a nice crunch and go well with the tangy chipotle sauce.

Jak Jr Burger

This burger includes a beef patty, bacon, American cheese, lettuce, pickles, and Fat Jak sauce.

A classic choice if you enjoy a beef and bacon burger combination.

Old School Burger

The Old School includes a beef patty, cheese, bacon, egg, caramelised onion, lettuce, tomato, and ketchup.

The beef patty was juicy and tasty, and the caramelised onion added a lovely sweetness. This is the burger if you want an old school beef burger done right.

Arabian Nights Burger

The Arabian Nights is made of beef patty, American cheese, beef salami, egg, diced onion, shredded lettuce, chipotle ketchup, pickles, and chipotle mayo.

With all these ingredients, it's a burger that's filling and is likely to be my go-to one at Fat Jaks.

Chicky T Chic Burger

The Chicky T Chic includes buttermilk fried chicken, American cheese, tomato, diced onion, lettuce, and Fat Jak sauce.

This is a solid choice for a fried chicken burger that feels satisfying and not overly greasy.

Spicy Mother Clucker Burger

The Spicy Mother Clucker is a spicy option with buttermilk fried chicken, FJ hot sauce, American cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, and Fat Jak sauce.

I really enjoyed this one, especially the nice spicy kick combined with the fried chicken. I would order it again.

Los Pollos Hermanos Burger

The Los Pollos Hermanos includes buttermilk fried chicken, hash browns, American cheese, beef bacon, shredded lettuce, tomato, chipotle sauce, and Fat Jak sauce.

It's perfect for those who like hash browns in their burgers.

Chilli Chilli Bang Bang Parmigiana

This parmigiana has a nice kick, thanks to the Napoli sauce, traditional beef chilli, jalapenos, and mozzarella. It's a good choice if you're in the mood for a spicy parmi.

Punjabi by Nature Parmigiana

This parmi stands out with curry sauce, Spanish onion, roasted capsicum, chilli, fried onion, coriander, and mozzarella.

It was a surprising hit with the group as the uncommon combination of ingredients added a unique spice kick to the classic parmigiana.

Louisiana Banger Chicken Waffle

A Louisiana-styled waffle featuring buttermilk fried chicken, beef bacon, pickles, chipotle mayo, and maple syrup.

This American classic combo is a delightful blend of sweet and savoury flavours. I'd pick this when I'm in the mood for something that hits sweet and spicy notes.

Oreo-Na-Grande Thick Shake

This shake is topped with chocolate sauce and Oreo crumbs, making it a truly indulgent treat. For the cookies and cream fans, you have to try their Oreo milkshake or thick shake.

Biscoff Broski Thick Shake

My favourite thick shake flavour is the Biscoff Broski thick shake. It's topped with Biscoff cream and crushed Biscoff and has every bit of that delicious Biscoff flavour we love.

Bueno Chocolate Loaded Donut Balls

These doughnuts with crushed Bueno biscuits, hazelnut sauce, and white chocolate sauce are best eaten as fresh as possible.

The texture could be better (i.e. something more like loukoumades), and I'd prefer loukoumades over these. The hazelnut flavour profile from a classic Bueno is also lacking in this dessert.

Golden Gaytime Loaded Donut Balls

This is probably one of the better-executed flavours with crushed biscuits, chocolate sauce, and caramel sauce. While the texture could be improved, it's still a decent choice for dessert lovers.

RECOMMENDED

  • Thickshakes/Milkshakes
  • Onion Rings
  • Chilli Cheese Loaded Fries
  • Old School Burger
  • Punjabi by Nature Parmigiana

Final Words

Fat Jaks is far from your typical fast-food joint. It's a fun restaurant to visit with family and friends and the massive menu means you can visit frequently and try something different every time.

Have you visited Fat Jaks or thought about going since they opened in Melbourne? Feel free to drop a comment below. I'd love to hear about your experience.

Where To Find Fat Jaks Penrith

Address

Hours

  • Monday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
  • Thursday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
  • Friday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Saturday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Sunday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Website

Phone

+61 420 375 975

Instagram

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Lisa Nguyen, the brains behind bestspots.com.au, is a distinguished food blogger endorsed by AGFG. Lisa has become the go-to food blogger for discovering the top-rated restaurants in Sydney. Her blog is all about keeping it real with her reviews. She doesn’t get swayed by fancy ads of what’s popular; she just tells it like it is. Because of this, she’s checked out over 300 restaurants and isn’t stopping there. She wants Best Spots to be the #1 place for finding amazing food in Australia and maybe even beyond someday.

But Lisa’s not just about fancy dinners. She’s on a mission to uncover all the fun and hidden spots around Sydney too. So, if you’re looking for the best places to eat and have a good time in Sydney, bestspots.com.au is the place to start.

2 Comments

  1. Andrew Nguyen (@awks.eats) on 24/08/2024 at

    You had my heart with all the loaded fries, the burgers, and the Donut Balls which to me ends the meal on a high note if l were to dine at Fat Jaks in Penrith.

    • Lisa Nguyen on 10/09/2024 at

      I highly recommend their shakes as well

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