From the outside, Fat Daddy's looks like a southern bayou shack with big French screened porches. Its siding is vertically hung corrugated metal roofing. On the rear side of its asphalt roof, a big rusted stovepipe rises from a small junk-filled screened porch. Two of its original large screened porches, now dining rooms, are sealed inside for climate control. Two of its most popular dishes are the half-pound burgers and sliced-meat plates.

Location

Fat Daddy's is located on the south side of Weslaco, TX, about two-plus-miles south of Freeway-83 on FM 1015 aka South International Blvd. It is a popular stopping point for the Winter Texans heading toward or returning from Progreso, Mexico. Ladies who stop here for lunch during shopping ventures will often get one of the sliced-meat plates, eat part of it, and then take most of it home.

Decor & Style

One enters it through a narrow enclosed porch having two doors. Once inside the central dining room, the wooden walls reveal vehicle license plates from everywhere. Two upper triangular wall peaks hold buffalo and steer skulls, and Native American paraphernalia. Otherwise, it's mostly outdoor light coming through the sealed-in screens. Ceiling fans provide air movement and ventilation.

Most of its four-to-six-seat tables resemble cloth-covered kitchenette sets. Servers bring the folding menus and food orders to the tables. Patrons pay a cashier on their way out. Takeout menus are available there.

Partial menu (kids servings available; all prices/contents subject to change)

Barbeque Plates (substitute items cost extra)

• Sliced meat (brisket, pork, sausage) $8.95
• 2 Meat combo (beef, ribs, sausage, pork) $9.95
• 3 Meat combo (same) $10.95
• Baby back ribs (½-rack) $12.50; (full rack) $22.50

Above plates served w/2-sides (beans, potato salad, or coleslaw) and onions/pickles

• Fajitas (w/beans, potato salad, fries, salad, tortilla or bread) $10.95
• Chicken breast (w/beans, potato salad, onions, pickles, bread) $8.95
• Turkey (w/same) $8.95
• Smoked ham (w/same) $8.95
• Chicken fried steak (w/salad, fries or mashed, Texas toast, gravy) reg $8.75; lrg $10.50
• Chicken fried chicken (w/same) $8.75
• Hamburger steak (w/same) $8.25
• Fish (2 pieces w/salad, fries, beans, Texas toast) $9.95
• Fish basket (2 pieces w/fries) $6.00
• Shrimp (8 w/same)) $10.95
• Shrimp basket (6 w/same) $8.95

Sandwiches (served on Kaiser bun)

• Fajita (w/Swiss cheese, sauteed onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles) $8.95
• Sliced brisket; chopped brisket or pork; sausage (each w/onions, pickles) $6.25 ea
• Sausage wrap (w/bun or tortilla, onions, pickles) $4.25
• Chicken breast (w/lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles) $6.25
• Fat Daddy burger (½-lb w/lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles) $6.50; w/cheese $6.75
• Bacon cheese burger (w/same) $7.50
• Smoked turkey or ham (w/same) $6.75
• Chicken fried steak or chicken $6.95
• Fish $6.50
• Special (w/ham, turkey, bacon, Swiss/American cheese) $9.25
• Grilled cheese on Texas toast $4.25
• Chili dog (w/cheese, onions) $4.25

Above sandwiches served w/1-side (potato salad, coleslaw, or French fries)

• Bowl of chili (w/onions, cheese) $5.75
• Meat by the pound $10-11; baby back rib rack $19.95; BBQ sauce $4.95
• Sides by the pint $3.95; quart $7-7.50
• Salads
• House (lettuce, tomato, cheese, onions, pickles) reg $3.25; lrg $5.25
• Meat enhanced (chicken or turkey breast, chicken strip, fajita) $8.95

Desserts

• Peach or apple cobbler, pecan pie $3.75; w/ice cream $4.75
• Scoop of Blue Bell ice cream $1.75
• Soft-drink float $3.50

Beverages: coffee, tea, soft drinks, draft beer, select beer, wine (glass, cooler, bottle)

Daily specials (while supplies last)

• Mon - pulled pork sandwich w/side $6.00; stuffed baked potato $6.25
• Tue - chicken fried steak or chicken $8.25
• Wed - ribeye steak $15.95; stuffed baked potato $6.25; Fat Daddy Burger $6.50
• Thu - ½-BBQ chicken w/2 sides $8.25; hamburger steak plate $7.95
• Fri - catfish plate (2) $8.95; shrimp plate (6) $9.50; catfish(2)/shrimp(4) combo $11.95
• Sat - Fat Daddy Burger (11-am to 5-pm; w/French fries, tea) $6.50
• Sat night (after 5-pm) - shrimp plate (8) $10.95; ribeye steak (14-oz) $16.95

My wife and I arrived mid-afternoon for a late Saturday lunch. We both had the cheeseburger special and shared a side order of coleslaw. The burger was huge. After adding the lettuce, onion, and tomato to it, we could not get our mouths around it easily. We took angled-bites instead. The fries were typical but good. We barely finished the burger and fries okay, but had to take most of the slaw home. The sides are fairly large. We also noticed a gentleman who could not finish his two-meat BBQ plate.

When ordering the burger special, one needs to take what comes with it (fries/tea) as advertised. Extra sides or substitutes cost more. Yet, the sizeable servings here keep this food shack busy through mid-afternoon. To learn more about the valley and it's attractions, see these websites.

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