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Fat Dawg Cafe is located on the sidewalk, in front of one of the Fairway Drive Home Depot, Roseville, CA location, so when you're shopping for all of your home needs, it's easy to grab one of Jennifer's delicious hot dogs... or maybe even a tri tip sandwich a burrito, or a couple of "street tacos." You'll be rewarded with an amazing meal, and a friendly word and a smile from Jennifer, the friendly chef, and owner of this fine restaurant. As with all restaurant reviews I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: Fat Dawg Cafe is located in front of the Home Depot Stanford Ranch location, on Fairway Drive, in Roseville, CA. The cafe is open every day of the week beginning at 09:00 every morning, and is usually open until 04:00 in the afternoon, unless supplies run out earlier. The restaurant stays open until 05:00 in the afternoon on most Thursdays. It's a little after the 09;00 in the morning opening time on Friday, June 10, 2022 and I've arrived at Fat Dawg Cafe to enjoy a couple of "Regular Dawgs" for my Friday morning breakfast.
Photo: The menu is posted on the front of the restaurant, and offers something for every taste.
Photo: This gentleman was the first customer of the day, as Jennifer had just placed the "Open" sign out, and opened the restaurant for business. You make your selection from the menu, place your order at the "Order" window, and when your order is ready, the chef will open the "Pick Up" window where you get your order. There are a couple of shaded picnic benches next to the restaurant, where you can sit and enjoy your meal, and a convenient trash can for disposal.
Photo: Hot dog chef Jennifer removes a couple of "regular dogs" from the steamer and places them on a couple of "regular" buns, for my "regular" dining pleasure. Next, she'll turn around the refrigerator and garnish my dogs with "everything," as per my request, which includes mustard, diced onion, sauerkraut and diced jalapeņo pepper slices.
Photo: Meet Jennifer, the friendly, talented chef, who prepares delicious "street cuisine" every day of the week at Fat Dawg Cafe, located in Roseville, CA. This lady is amazingly friendly and knows how to make a top-shelf hot dog.
Photo: I'm a lover of hot dogs, as I simply CRAVE them, and Fat Dawg Cafe serves some of the best hot dogs in town. I'm a happy guy, as I hold my mid-Friday morning breakfast of two "Regular Dawgs" with eager hot dog anticipation.
Photo: From the "Fat Dawgs" section of the menu, I ordered two "Regular Dawgs" with "everything" - except ketchup - on them. "Everything" included mustard, diced white onion, sauerkraut and pickled, diced jalapeņo pepper slices. This dog was anything but "regular," as it was simply delicious! I NEVER desecrate a hot dog with ketchup, as I save that foul act for non-believers... A "Regular Dog" starts with a "regular" hot dog, like the kind you buy in a package of eight at your local supermarket. Simply "generic" hot dogs without natural casing, so you're not rewarded with a satisfying "crunch" when you bite into it. The dogs were steamed perfectly, and were juicy, tender and tasty. The "dog" was placed on a fresh, out-of-the-package regular size bun, and as per my request, Jennifer dressed my "Regular Dog" with "everything," which made for an excellent dog. Two of this fine hot dogs did the trick, and made for a delicious breakfast. There is nothing "regular" about a "Regular Dog" at Fat Dawg!
Photo: One of my "Regular Dogs," showing the juicy dog, the fresh bun, along with the mustard, sauerkraut, diced white onion and pickled, diced jalapeņo pepper slices. At $2.75, this dog is not only delicious, but it's a great value!
Photo: Cross section of one dog, after I've taken a couple bites, showing all of the goodness this "Regular Dog" has to offer. Let's go back to Thursday, March 31, 2022 and check out a previous to Fat Dawg Cafe, located in Roseville, CA.
Photo: Exactly three weeks to the day, from my previous visit, I needed to pay a visit to Home Depot, as you know all of the trials and tribulations that occur when you're a homeowner. It was a little after 10:00 in the morning, on Thursday, March 31, 2022, and after purchasing $10.00 of nuts and bolts, it was time to enjoy an amazing bunch at Fat Dawg Cafe, located in front of the Home Depot, Fairway Drive location, in Roseville, CA.
Photo: A posted sign in front of the restaurant advertises a "combo" meal for $6.29... Alright... scroll down and check out my previous visit of exactly three weeks ago when the same meal was priced at $5.11! What??? LETS GO BRANDON!!!!
Photo: The menu is posted on the side of the restaurant, near the order counter, and offers exactly what you're looking for during your hardware store shopping expedition. The restaurant works on what I call the "Taqueria Format," as you make your selection from the posted the menu, place your order, and pay for it at the "Order Window," and when your order is ready, your name will be called - if the restaurant is busy - or if business is slow, your order will be brought to you, with a smile. Fat Dawg Cafe isn't a "full service restaurant," so tips aren't expected, but if you enjoy Jennifer's fine food and her friendly company, a tip jar is at the "Order Window" and tips are appreciated, but not expected.
Photo: Super friendly Jennifer, the owner and operator of the restaurant, makes my burrito with a smile, in the very compact kitchen. Jennifer's dad, Craig, opened the business back in 2012, and has since retired, with Jennifer taking over the business last year. Since the cafe is open every day, and Jennifer is the owner/operator, it makes her a very busy lady!
Photo: Chef Jennifer puts the final touches on my delicious "Breakfast Burrito" before wrapping it up, for me to enjoy.
Photo: Meet Jennifer, the owner, operator and chef of Fat Dawg Cafe, who presents my delicious "Breakfast Burrito" to me with a smile, before wrapping it up, for me to enjoy. Jennifer is super friendly, and remembered me, by name, from my previous visit, three weeks ago.
Photo: My "Breakfast Burrito" was cooked and rolled to perfection, and delivered to me, ready to enjoy.
Photo: After Jennifer presented my "Breakfast Burrito" to me, I opened it up, so I could see all of the goodness. Burritos crafted at Fat Dawg Cafe start with bacon, eggs and shredded Cheddar cheese, all wrapped in a large flour tortilla, but you taste will guide your from there, as Jennifer will create your "Breakfast Burrito" just the way you desire. The only limitations, besides your imagination seems to be what additions she has on hand, as the restaurant is quite... shall we say? ... compact? My "additions" were diced onion and bell pepper, along with spices, which seemed to exhaust what the chef seemed to have at her disposal. No problem, as it all worked out to create a delicious breakfast burrito. My burrito began with a large flour tortilla, toasted on the griddle, and stuffed with scrambled eggs, melted cheddar cheese, and, as per my request, diced bell pepper and white onion, with seasoned salt. Not to mention a couple slices of grilled bacon, diced and scrambled with the eggs, pepper, onion and cheese. Jennifer skillfully rolled it all up into a award-winning burrito, and presented it to me with a smile. Breakfast at Fat Dawg's Cafe works!
Photo: I take a bite into the goodness of Jennifer's "Breakfast Burrito" and I'm ready to enjoy! Fat Dawg Cafe offers a couple of picnic tables for your dining pleasure, and during rainy or hot weather, the patio dining is protected by umbrellas. There are propane heaters for your dining comfort during cold weather.
Photo: As I was enjoying my "Breakfast Burrito," Jennifer placed a tri-tip roast on the grill, which was already hot and ready to go. The grill was fired by charcoal and seasoned by oak wood, which grows locally in western Placer County. As an "aside," I had originally planned to dine on "Street Tacos," but at my 10:00 o'clock in the morning arrival, the chef had just fired up the grill, and was preparing the tri-tip for grilling. So a burrito worked for me to enjoy as I waited for the "Street Tacos" to be ready, as cooked on the grill and prepared inside the restaurant, on the griddle.
Photo: One bite into my "Breakfast Burrito" shows all of the goodness this fine burrito offers, including grilled bacon, eggs, Cheddar cheese, diced bell pepper and onion, all rolled into a large, lightly toasted flour tortilla. My amazing "Breakfast Burrito" tasted better with every bite. The menu reads, "$4.95 and up" which I "assume" means that a basic burrito is $4.95, and "additions" will, shall we say, "enhance" the price. "Additions" are limited, as the kitchen is quite compact in size.
Photo: Jennifer opened the pit to give me a look at a tri-tip roast that was grilling, and would be ready for sandwiches and "Street Tacos" in 20 minutes or so. I had planned to enjoy "Street Tacos," but when I arrived at the restaurant, chef Jennifer told me thanks to nearby construction workers, she had sold out of meat for tacos, and was working on another batch, and the meat would be ready for tacos in twenty minutes or so. No worries, as I munched on an amazing "Breakfast Burrito" and enjoyed the beautiful late Thursday morning.
Photo: The first tri-tip roast is ready, and Jennifer is putting a second on the grill, as it's a little after 11:00 in the morning, and the lunch crowd is ready to arrive. The tri-tip roast that is cooked will be sliced, and made into tacos and sandwiches.
Photo: Jennifer cut a chuck of meat off the roast, and diced it to size. While that was happening, she had corn tortillas cooking on the griddle, with melted cheese placed on the tortillas. When the tortillas were grilled and the cheese was melted - maybe a couple minutes - she placed the chopped tri-tip on the tortillas and added fresh cilantro and salsa to complete each taco. As in the tacos that you'll find on the streets of every city and town in Mexico - hence the name "street taco" - each taco included two corn tortillas, which held together well, and added to the amazing meal.
Photo: Chef Jennifer greets me with a smile, after she has just prepared two delicious "Street Tacos" on the grill outside, and the griddle inside, in the kitchen. Jennifer is a friendly person, a charming hostess and an amazing chef. She will treat you like family at this fine restaurant.
Photo: I'm ready to enjoy two "Street Tacos" skillfully prepared at Fat Dawg Cafe. Yes, it's a "selfie" as at this time, chef Jennifer was really busy with other customers, and I didn't want to "bug" fellow diners to take my photo.
Photo: Today's "mission" was actually tacos, but I was delayed, but rewarded with two amazing "Street Tacos," from the "Dawg Gone Good Food" section of the menu, posted on the side of the kitchen. Just like on the streets of Mexico, from where "Street Tacos" derive their name, chef Jennifer grilled small corn tortillas - two per taco - on the propane-fired griddle. As the tortillas were cooking on the griddle, she diced the tri-tip roast, that had been cooked outside, on the charcoal-fired grill. After a couple of minutes heating on the griddle, she sprinkled grated Cheddar cheese onto the tortillas, added the meat, along with diced cilantro and fresh salsa. It was now TACO TIME!!! The corn tortillas were grilled to perfections, stayed together, and added a welcome base to each taco. The "main event" of each taco was the decried, drilled trip tip, and the meat made for the perfect taco filling. Shredded Cheddar cheese, diced cilantro, along with fresh salsa was placed on each taco to complete the goodness. With each bite, I was rewarded with juicy goodness. The "Street Tacos" were small, but they were loaded with goodness, and made for a perfect snack, or for a lunch, on the light side. At $3.50 for two of these delicious little tacos... you can't go wrong! Three weeks ago exactly from today, back on Marrch 10th, I enjoyed my first visit to Fat Dawg Cafe, located at Home Depot, in Roseville, CA.
Photo: Fat Dawg Cafe is located in front of the Fairway Drive location of Home Depot, in Roseville, CA. The restaurant is housed in a small building that features a very compact kitchen. Dining is outdoor, and seating is a couple of picnic tables located just outside the restaurant. During chilly weather, a couple of large propane heaters provide heat for comfortable dining. It's a little before 10:00 in the morning, Thursday, March 10, 2022, and I've arrived at Fat Dawg Cafe to enjoy a dog or two for my very early lunch. I must confess that I've been shopping at this Home Depot location for maybe 20 years, but for some reason, unknown even to me, I neglected to enjoy a meal at the cafe until today.
Photo: The restaurant's motto is "Dawg Gone Good Food," and the menu lists the choices the restaurant offers. Dogs, sandwiches, nachos, street tacos, breakfast... what much more could you ask for from a small, family owned and operated business? The motto of the restaurant is spot-on, as the food is delicious!
Photo: You can enjoy your dog, along with a Coca Cola product, to make it a combo, as the sign advertises, for a "enjoy together" kind of price.
Photo: Jennifer, owns and operates Fat Dawg Cafe, and is truly a "do-it-all" person, as she runs the entire operation by herself. She inherited the business from her father, who opened the cafe shortly after Home Depot opened the Fairway Drive location, back in 1998. Father retired a year or so ago, and Jennifer has been operating the business, by herself, since then. Fat Dawg Cafe is open daily from 09:00 in the morning until 16:00 in the afternoon, but is open an hour later on Thursdays.
Photo: Through the open door on the patio, you can look into the kitchen and watch chef Jennifer prepare the delicious hot dogs. The kitchen is very compact, but seems to be very efficient and organized. Jennifer is truly a master at her craft!
Photo: Just outside the restaurant, on the sidewalk, there is a simple, "low tech" charcoal-fired grill, which is used occasionally to grill tri-tip and other fine sandwich choices. Today, the grill wasn't in use.
Photo: Meet Jennifer, the owner, operator and chef at Fat Dawg Cafe, located in Roseville, CA. Jennifer prepared delicious hot dogs, complete with a friendly smile, and treated me like family. Such great hot dogs, served and prepared from such a nice person!
Photo: I'm hungry, as I prepare to take a bite into my "Spicy Cajun Dog" and savor the amazing flavor! Thanks, Jennifer, for taking the photo. After one bite into this delicious dog, I was a happy guy...
Photo: From the "Fat Dawgs" section of the menu, I went with a "Jumbo Quarter Pound Dawg," and along for the ride, a "Spicy Cajun Dawg." Jennifer complimented my taste, as she mentioned the "Cajun Dawg" is her favorite. All dogs are cooked inside the restaurant kitchen, on a hot dog roaster, as per state law... no outside grilled bacon-wrapped hot dogs are allowed under California state law! Oh well... your choice of condiments include mustard, ketchup, dill relish and diced white onion. In my case, I requested my dogs to be dressed with mustard, dill relish and diced onion, as ketchup, when applied to hot dogs, is best left for kids. Both of the dogs were served on a slightly toasted, large, slightly sweet roll, that was thick, flavorful, and held together well, as the "foundation" to enjoy the amazing sausage. The large rolls provided the perfect meat-to-bun ratio, which is crucial to fulfill the enjoyment of a perfect hamburger or hot dog. Fat Dawg Cafe "nailed" this ratio perfectly! Both the "Quarter Pound" and the "Cajun" dogs were large, and I assume a quarter pound each. Both dogs were perfectly grilled, juicy and featured natural casing, so they "snapped" when I bit into them, and I was rewarded with a rush of natural juiciness, which only happens with a quality sausage. The dogs weren't grilled, with grill marks, but roasted, which gave them the texture and flavor of steamed dogs without the mushiness that steaming dogs implants. The "Spicy Cajun" featured a little spice kick to it, but your 80 year-old grandmother shouldn't have a problem with any spice, as the taste was simply juicy and amazing, and the "kick" just added, shall we say... a little "spice in life." Yes... the meat was wonderful, and perfect for my taste. Like the rolls and the dogs, the condiments were fresh, and applied perfectly to the bun. The rolls and the dogs were warm, and the relish, mustard and onion were cold, which made for the perfect hot/cold combination, which sets a superior dog apart from the dog that you'd pay four times as much for at the state fair, or a professional football game. Fat Dawg Cafe "nailed" the dogs, when it came to perfectly integrating the warm buns and sausage with the chilled condiments. Perfect! I loved my "Jumbo" and my "Spicy Cajun" dogs! You can't ask for better dogs, you'll love he price, and the outside, "Home Depot ambiance" makes the dogs even more delicious, as you enjoy your amazing meal, and comtemplate your home improvement needs. Home Depot and Fat Dawg Cafe make for a great combination, and offer amazing one-stop shopping and fine dining!
Photo: My "Jumbo Quarter Pound Dawg," dressed the way I ordered, and served on a fresh, large, chewy bun. This dog is a hot dog lover's dream come true!
Photo: "Spicy Cajun Dawg," complete with mustard, dill relish and diced onion, on the large, fresh roll. The "dawg" is about a quarter pound, and large, juicy, with natural casing, and it "snapped" when I bit into it, for a rewarding "hot dog" taste sensation. The menu advertises the dog as "spicy," and it is, compared to a "plain" hot dog, but it's delicious, zesty, and affords just about the right amount of "Cajun kick" when you bite into it.
Photo: Here's a cross section of a "Jumbo Dawg," showing the amazing mustard, dill relish and diced onion, all wrapped up in a large roll. This made for a perfect hot dog! You'll LOVE Jennifer's delicious hot dogs, as they make an amazing meal, or a great snack as you shop to fill your home improvement needs. While you're visiting, try her "Street Tacos," or maybe a sandwich... You'll love the great meal you enjoy at Fat Dawg Cafe, located in Roseville, CA. Check them out in person, or "friend" this fine restaurant on Facebook. No matter what your pleasure, you'll enjoy great dogs and friendly service! Fat Dawg Cafe Copyright(c) 2022 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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