Fat One’s Hot Dogs & Italian Ice officially opens at Universal CityWalk today, bringing Joey Fatone’s passion project to Universal Orlando.
Ahead of the opening, we were invited to preview the new restaurant, sample several of its signature hot dogs and Italian ice, and chat with Fatone and his longtime manager and business partner, Joe Mulvihill.
For both, opening at CityWalk is a full-circle moment. Fatone and Mulvihill attended nearby Dr. Phillips High School, just across the street from Universal Orlando, and both also worked at Universal Studios Florida during the resort’s early years. Fatone performed as the Wolfman in Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Revue before joining NSYNC.
Fat One’s arrival at CityWalk has been in the works for about two years, per the duo. Several different concepts and locations were considered before ultimately landing in the former Hot Dog Hall of Fame location.
The menu features some pretty unique hot dog combinations. Some may sound a little odd at first, but once you try them, you get the appeal.
Our favorite was The Angelo, a Greek-inspired hot dog with tzatziki, tomatoes, red onion, olive tapenade, feta, and fresh dill on a brioche bun. The dog was inspired by Fatone’s character in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, it’s surprisingly light and refreshing for a hot dog.
As it turns out, it’s Fatone’s favorite, too.
Our other favorite was The Fat One, the restaurant’s signature dog and their version of a loaded chili cheese dog. The footlong is piled high with roasted pork, pepperoni, chili beans, Cheddar cheese sauce, red onion sauce, and fries. It’s definitely on the heavier side, but everything works well together.
Several of the dogs have personal connections to Fatone, including El Fonsi, named after his friend Luis Fonsi and featuring familiar Puerto Rican flavors such as sofrito, mayo-ketchup and potato sticks.
Fatone joked that despite all the crazy concoctions, he’s actually a “plain Jane” when it comes to hot dogs. His palate has expanded as he’s gotten older, but he also mentions that his appearances on various cooking shows helped, too.
And while Fat One’s encourages guests to be daring, you don’t have to order one of the more elaborate creations. Guests can keep it simple with a plain hot dog, and the team will customize orders as best as possible, including gluten-free and vegan options.
Fatone says they haven’t reinvented the hot dog; they’ve just elevated it. “I want people to have an experience when they eat these hot dogs,” he said.
The menu may keep evolving, too. Fatone teased the possibility of seasonal dogs, whether that means bringing back past favorites from previous locations or creating new options inspired by the season.
The restaurant also serves Italian Ice, inspired by Fatone’s childhood in Brooklyn. Six flavors are available, and guests can enjoy them as-is or add liquor as a floater.
Mulvihill joked that it’s always a good idea to make it “dirty.”
Three beers from Crooked Can brewed specifically for Fat One’s will also be available on tap: a lager, IPA, and amber.
For Fatone, Fat One’s remains a passion project and something he genuinely loves, rather than a celebrity “slapping their name on something to make some money.”
Both Fatone and Mulvihill still call Orlando home, and they credit some of Fat One’s success to lessons learned from their early experiences working in the theme park industry. Now, after a decade of Fat One’s, they’re bringing it back to where a lot of their story began.
Menu
The Fat One – Footlong hot dog piled high with roasted pork, pepperoni, chili beans, Cheddar cheese sauce, red onion sauce, fries, soft bun
The Brazilian – Grilled linguica sausage, onion sauce, jalapeño vegan mayo, Cotija, Calabrian honey, red peppers, cilantro, potato sticks, brioche bun
The Angelo – Tzatziki, tomatoes, red onion, olive tapenade, feta, fresh dill, brioche bun
Dirty K-Pop Dog – Korean-inspired hot dog with kimchi slaw, spicy gochujang mayo, scallions, crispy onions, black sesame, brioche bun
To-Ny – Sauerkraut, red onion sauce, signature mustard, brioche bun
El Fonsi – Ham, turkey, Swiss, sofrito, onion jam, mayo-ketchup, potato sticks, brioche bun
The Cubano – Ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, mustard, dill pickles, brioche bun
Johnny’s Pizza – Neapolitan tomato sauce, melted mozzarella, pepperoni, Parmesan-parsley butter, brioche bun
The Vegan – Vegan hot dog, red onion sauce, signature mustard, relish, bun
Italian Ice Flavors – Lemon, Cherry, Mango, Tropical, Cotton Candy, and Blue Raspberry.
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