The Fat Hippo Underground in Newcastle upon Tyne

George was great very personable friendly and nothing was an issue and food fresh and hot. Food is well priced for being in town too and compared to competitors it’s miles ahead.

When I came in I was greeted by George who was very friendly the food was unbelievable so tasty best burger I had and like a say the staff (George) was spot on great atmosphere would definitely eat here again

Had an amazing meal after the MoRunning half marathon. We were served by George who was amazing craic and a fantastic server. Fantastic bloke and a fantastic place.

George was a lovely bloke who was very accommodating, chatty, and served us and provided our food in quick time! Would come again and I recommend a lot 🖤

George was an amazing host, super friendly and fast service. The food was good and very cheap for competitive city prices

Highly recommend! Food was fantastic and quick, and the service really nice. Location is also great. The entrance is really easy to miss, but not something you want to miss!

Very standard fare of chunky burgers, chicken and lager, no draft bitter though. Suitable venue for lunch with friends

I thought their burger was excellent, probably the best I've had for a long time. The service was good, adding on a late arrival after taking the table order did not faze them with us all eating at the same time. The only thing that I would change is their mayo which could've been a better quality to match their burgers. Thank you.

Great food and service, yes we did have to wait a while but we hadn’t booked and they were pretty busy but got us a table in the bar area. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. Food was really good and just what we were looking for.

Nice place for a casual night out, food was beautiful, best burgers we’ve tasted, reasonably priced, lots of choice, first time we have been and would definitely go back, only downside, the starters were bigger than we anticipated, couldn’t finish them, the waitress brought the main meal before we had even finished these, would ask next time for a delay on the main course coming.

popped in here today for a quick spot of lunch. Burgers are terrific, laid back vibe, friendly staff, highly recommended if you're in the city centre looking for a tasty burger. beer was nice too. will be back.

Came here before a show at the theatre next door. Quick service, helpful and polite staff. Burgers were great with plenty of choice. The hand cut chips could have been cooked a bit more, onion rings less salty and the garlic dip was bizarre but other than that we thoroughly enjoyed it!

Been a few times so food and service we know what to expect, the burgers are great and the staff work hard to give you a pleasant experience. One of our group is Celiac so we also know they feel safe and comfortable with the menu/ kitchen. Tonight was challenging as there was a group of 20 ish males in who were drunk, loud and out of order giving the staff a hard time and being over the top. The staff all gave the group chances to wind it in but to no avail. It resulted in door staff from a nearby bar being asked to help and the group slowly and now quietly left. Mercede and her team handled the scenario professionally and fairly trying to look after their other customers and themselves under intimidation and stress. Well done and the food was just as good as normal.

One of the best burgers you can get in Newcastle. Reasonably priced with quick, friendly service. Decent portions and was included in restaurant week

Came here the other night on recommendation. Staff were welcoming and helpful. The restaurant was clean and had a nice atmosphere. I ordered the American burger which was delicious and reasonably priced.

Wanted to eat here as my sort of food and close to hotel. Just walked up Fri night but no tables for 45mins (845) - fair enough so came back then. Friendly staff, hard to choose off the menu though as so many great options. Chicken buffalo starter was lovely as was loaded waffle fries. Burgers were excellent, would love to come here again

Eaten here on more than one occasion, food is excellent. Only seem to order the pb&j burger as I love it. You have to pay for dips which seems regular practice now, however when our meal came we were asked if we wanted sauce and we got a bottle! Overall I will continue coming back and I would suggest trying it. Only thing to note is the welcoming attitude at times, on some of the visits I have had a great experience from start to finish and some visits this one included, the front of house person was very abrupt, I have left a negative review in the past. Weirdly on this visit we were sent away because we were 20 mins early for a reservation (the restaurant was empty) and then when we came back it was a different person we were then 10 mins late and no bother at all. Weirdly the guy even apologised when we were sited at our table that it was “nothing personal but it’s policy’. I persevered this time around and came back and ate because I love your food but some people won’t.

This place is a must visit, went there last night and had honestly the best burger I’ve ever had, so make sure to try the promo honey burger! Staff were lovely, including our waiter, David, who was very helpful and attentive. Definitely a must visit when on Tyneside

Burgers were greasy, i prefer mines without salad and the meat was nothing special, wife had with salad and felt the same, daughter had the MI5 chicken meal and this was the only thing we all liked, the chicken was soft with nice herbs to it, chips were nice, got a strawberry milkshake thinking this will be special and it wasnt, bland taste and it was like the put ice in the shake, poor.Also had a battered pepper starter and again bland poor taste.The place itself is nice, got a nice welcome and people taking orders were nice, guy taking the plates away didnt have the same attitude just there to do a job feeling.Disappointed with the food especially with the reviews and ratings this gets, was really looking forward to this place but we wont be trying this again.

My sister and I came here after a concert yesterday and it was AWESOME!I was able to book the day we went and there were still plenty times available (just not the key times 6:30-7:30pm).We arrived and staff were friendly, the menu was varied and lots of options and the server was helpful when we asked questions about sauces etc. We ordered the cheese/mozzarella balls to share, which was a perfect sharing starter and super delicious. We then both ordered the burger with the Swiss cheese and cheesy bacon fries, again absolutely delicious and portion sizes were great! Another awesome thing is that it’s fantastic value for money. We had the sharing starter, burger and upgraded fries blue two double gins each and it was less than £60! I was genuinely shocked! My only criticism which is a minor one is that some of the naming conventions are a little confusing. For example on the burger I ordered it had “Tobacco onions” on it - I’m very peculiar about onions so ordered it without, but when my sisters arrived it turned out to be crispy onions, which I love! Just a small bug so nothing major! All in all a fantastic must try restaurant that’s great value!

Rarely write reviews but feel some form of recognition is required for fantastic service. We were greeted by David who from start to finish put a smile on our face and was extremely attentive. Helping with suggestions along the way and going above and beyond to deliver a great experience. Top man and great food, will definitely be back!

Took my daughter to Fat Hippo Newcastle for lunch, friendly staff, fantastic service, lovely food, couldn’t eat it all and no problem for them boxing it up to take with us. We are looking forward to coming back. Shout out to our 5* server David, really helpful and funny, you’re a credit to Fat Hippo

Been here a few times and always love it! Great food and friendly staff. I've always been on a Saturday when it's quite busy so would recommend booking. It can also get quite loud so probably not for those with sensory issues. Brilliant vegetarian/vegan options, would recommend!

staff were nosey rude arrogant felt uncomfortable and they were even talking about us won’t be back!

We visited this joint on a recent trip to Newcastle and it's a reasonable feeding station. The burgers are not particularly memorable (Wild Bill Beefburger & The Last Samur-Thigh were our choices) but they're very edible but the chips are really good which is a rarity. Along with the burgers, we had a couple of reasonable beers and paid just over £35 which is great value.In summary, it won't linger long in the memory but it s a reasonable and affordable choice.

I have frequented this restaurant pre and post covid and all through lockdown but it has went massively downhill. Food was okay but wasn’t as good as it used to be. Staff were rude and abrupt and hurried us out of the place. The drinks tasted of dust/damp. This isn’t the first time it has happened either! It’s a shame really but I won’t be back. Their Instagram really hyped up average burgers… they look nothing like the real thing.. just like a McDonald’s. The staff need to learn to not rush people out of the building 40 minutes into their booking :)

Went to fat hippo to celebrate a birthday Our waiter (David) was one of a kind and made the experience really enjoyable, he was so friendly and very funny The food was a joy to eat

Hats off to the marketing team here!! The food was crap! I had the hash browns topped with onions and sauce, the sauce was vinegary, no salt on hash brownsAlso the dirty chips, again sauce meh and vinegary.Also cheese balls, hard chewy uncooked cheese not sure what type, greasy The main event! Wow fair play for selling the worst burger I’ve had! Two thin chewy dry burnt burgers, not much sauce on it, such a serious disappointment!

Don’t really understand the hype of this place. Burgers were pretty average at £12-13 a pop - tried the valentines special and the steak bits were tough and the patty’s themselves were nothing special, had better elsewhere at the same price point. Truffle fries were so heavy on the truffle left no taste for anything else. My vegan friend had ordered the Harlem fake to be given the bloody harrelson, when queried the waiter said they had give them the vegan fake, but their burger was vegan beef, not chicken? Overall underwhelming, meat shack is loads better.

Lovely atmosphere, amazing waiters, and great Vegan options for Starters and Mains. Was disappointed to find out that there weren’t any vegan desserts (despite the fact that there were some during Veganuary). I came with friends and wasn’t able to have any desert and just felt a little left out. Even one Vegan dessert option would be great, it would just be nice to be considered:)

I never ever write a review for anything which should speak to the extremely poor quality of this establishment. Booked a table for Valentine’s Day with my girlfriend, got sat on a miserable little metal table, wedged between the noisy kitchen with staff whistling & yelping like we weren’t in earshot, and a drafty baron fireplace. Whatever, we’re easy going & there’s no need to kick up a fuss since the rest of the place was equally void of atmosphere, as long as the foods good right? We ordered two burgers; exchanging the cheese for a dairy free alternative, and double checking with the waitress that the burgers were 100% dairy free. The burger arrived about the same size and quality as a double cheeseburger from McDonald’s, pathetic quantity of food for almost £12. But then I notice something strange with the cheese, call over the manager to find out I’ve been given a full cheeseburger (which I’m extremely allergic too) to which they initially offered me a discount on the burger!!! Complete disregard for the night of plans their incompetence had ruined since I’d already eaten some of the burger & was about to be incredibly ill. Thank god it wasn’t somebody who was more allergic otherwise it could have been a very serious medical emergency.I refused to pay for the meal & they acted like it was generosity on their part, umm no, should anyone pay to be poisoned? Even if you have no allergies the place is just dire, avoid at all costs.

One of the best burgers I have tasted, great sized portions, helpful servers, good price and very central location.

OMG ignore all the negative reviews, the BEST burger I've ever had, ordered the Swiss Tony and it was absolutely delicious, the deep fried cheese balls were sublime and perfect fries!The service was spot on, we were running late and had to change our booking by an hour which was no problem, I can't remember our servers name but he was lovely, highly recommended if you like ur burgers

Food was great, delicious burgerys. The staff couldn’t have been more friendly which really makes a difference. Great central location in town too.

Used to be a regular in the early days, when it was the best burger place in town. Previous couple of visits standards in food & service had fallen a bit. Unfortunately it seems to be getting worse.My most recent visit will probably be my last - service was all over the place, no leadership... had to flag down staff any time i wanted to place an order, and to pay. Fries lukewarm, burger okay. Hardshake was watery, weak and the glass about 70% full.I'm a member of their loyalty scheme, but despite showing my details on the app, staff were unable to find me on their system. The whole experience was slow & poor.Worst part of it all is that I emailed them - twice! - to raise some of these points, as i'm a believer in giving places a chance to respond and make amends, but both emails were ignored showing a complete lack of customer care.They seem to be expanding fast. Sadly it's no longer a great burger joint - just a bang average chain restaurant.

Food was really good quality both starters and mains and service was quick overall a great time and would happily return

Great food, excellent service from incredibly friendly helpful staff, great music. What's not to love?

Honestly loved everything about this place. It's got a great vibe, the food was incredible and the service was outstanding. Could not fault a single thing!

Called here with several family members. We all chose the same burgers, cant remember the name of them but it was Christmas themed, server told us they had no turkey but offered a chicken filling instead. the chips, the burger, the slaw were all impressive quality and its easy to see why this place always seems to be busy.

Really poor experience. Ordered a gluten free burger with fries - my fries came with a rogue waffle fry hidden in them.I thankfully clarified with the waiter before eating the fries, who confirmed that the waffle fries were not gluten free and that it had been included in my portion of fries by accident - this simply isn’t good enough. Had I not not noticed this or assumed they were gluten free I could have been really unwell.Staff apologised and brought me a new portion of fries, but after looking at my burger I saw bacon bits which were on their website allergen menu as containing gluten. I queried this with the waitress who confirmed they changed supplier and were now gluten free, but that they had potentially been fried with gluten containing ingredients, making them unsafe to eat. They offered to remake my burger but by this point most of the party I was with had nearly finished so I asked them to just leave it - I had lost trust in the place anyway.It’s also worth noting that two other members of the party had their orders served incorrectly, with wrong and missing items, though in fairness this was resolved by the staff promptly. For a place that advertises gluten free options, there certainly seemed to be a lot of gluten in my meal. Definitely avoid as the staff and chefs, though apologetic about my experience, seem to have a limited understanding of what gluten free means, and it’s not worth risking your health for a burger.

Seen this place online so had to visit really we’re not disappointed, burgers were so tasty, toppings were top notch, burgers were moist and plenty of flavour. Dirty fries were brilliant too couldn’t fault it. Only disappointed with the fact they had no draught beer. Can’t wait to come back!

Really rude guy on front desk. Heard him get shirty with customers in front because they mixed up the booking time. Then I wanted to order take out. He said "no take out. We are too busy. The kitchens backed up" didn't even give me the option to choose to wait should I want to. Just a flat no. Heard so many good things about the place. But guess now I'll never find out for myself. Basics. First impressions count. Get someone on the front desk who enjoys it.

I’ve been to the Durham and Leeds restaurants plenty of times so we called in here during a day of shopping in newc. Arrived at around 12 on a Thursday and it was very quiet, while we were there it filled up. We shared a starter - trash browns. Mini hash brown balls with bacon bits on top and a cheese sauce at the bottom of the bowl so you can have them dipped in cheese or dry and crispy. Portion size was huge, we shared between 2 and still didn’t finish it!! I 100% recommend theseWe then got 2 of the vegan burgers, we aren’t vegan but wanted to try - I had mine with normal cheese which was nice. Burgers are bloody Harrison and notorious vfc. Bloody harrison gets a 10/10 from my mam. As you can see VFC was enormous!! VFC is not my fav burger from here, it was nice but my favourite is the Harlem fake. When I ate chicken, the hangover 3 was always good too We sat in a tucked away corner with a high table which I thought would be annoying but honestly the burger was a bit drippy so having a tall table was really useful as it meant all the drips were caught and it was easier to eat!!In conclusion I love the hippo, spent about £20 each but with the portion sizes I honestly didn’t feel hungry once for the rest of the day. Staff dead friendly and service was quick too thanks guys xx

We visited fat hippo in Newcastle and it was a lovely clean restaurant, tucked away in the centre of the city. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Food looks great online, but wasn’t as good as it looked. Burgers a bit dryer than expected. Fries were great, tasted just like fresh McDonald’s fries we couldn’t believe how similar they were. Bit over priced for what it is.

Been twice now, once with my wife and this time with 3 friends. Both times great, it's casual dining place so very relaxed, we had a few drinks and great food. Never had any issues at all.

Overall we were disappointed in our meal here. Our burgers were fine but nothing better than you can get elsewhere, and the fries were undercooked. Quite expensive for what you get. Service was quick and friendly though.

Visited on Sunday around 1pm, 2 adults and 2 teenage children. We got seated straight away which was good. It did feel slightly claustrophobic and was very noisy. Greeter and servers were friendly enough. Drinks took a while to arrive and food must have taken well over half an hour from ordering. No mention that there were delays with food and no reassurance that it was on it's way. When food arrived it was put on the table and then the server left, they didn't ask if there was anything else we wanted. Chips were warm but we were so hungry by then we didn't say anything. Eventually someone came to ask if everything was alright and we managed to get some ketchup, extra napkins and some drinks. My husband was very happy with his vegan burger and eldest son with his tropic thunder burger however. It was not a relaxing lunch experience, I sadly won't be returning.

From entering, the venue felt extremely chaotic. Servers proceeded to ignore those entering the restaurant and were incapable of asking those entering to stand to one side to wait to be seated. Seemingly no structure was in place. On seating, food was served quickly with no queries as to the preference of burger i.e. served pink or well done. The festive burger was served and the fries were clearly frozen, gravy was store bought and burger quality poor and laden with cranberry. Attended Fat Hippo numerous times over the years and the drop in quality and service has been substantial. An independent burger place I would once recommend has declined to the point that five guys is the only other option in toon. Will not be attending again

We searched two websites who both described this as a child friendly place. We booked a table for 4 adults and a baby. We took the time to specify we needed space for the pram at the table and a high chair. On arrival, down two sets of stairs we found ourselves in a hot, cramped basement that was really busy. A rather flustered greeter told us that all the highchairs were being used but we could put the pram in the office and HOLD our 6 month old until one became available!! To add insult to all this I could see that our booking with specific requirements had been printed off and she referred to it. So making a booking is literally not worth the paper it’s written on. Thanks for the stress of trying to find somewhere to eat in Newcastle city centre with a baby on a Saturday afternoon….Pathetic. Just pathetic.

Fat Hippo is a favourite of ours and we always make sure to visit when in Newcastle or Durham. This visit was no exception. Ordered the Oprah Sin-Free and Bloody Harrelson burgers as we’re both vegetarian, upgrading one portion of chips to dirty fries. Both meals were great and big portions. So nice to find a place that has multiple vegetarian burger options that are better than dry bean burgers! Will definitely be back soon!

Had a burger at craft beer calling in Newcastle today from fat hippo. Would think my husband had asked for world peace the way they reacted when he asked for extra jalapeños. Lovely burger though! Maybe if option of adding extras was available would save confusion from staff and stop customer from feeling very awkward when asking for a simple extra?

Me and partner tried to visit on Saturday evening. We hadn’t booked in advance but it was late on and thought we would try and get a table. We waited in the restaurant for someone to tell us whether a table was available however the staff failed to even acknowledge us despite various different members of staff walking past us multiple times. After 10 minutes of waiting and not even being asked if we had a reservation or being told that a table was unavailable we decided to leave. I’ve eaten at Fat Hippo many times over the years and never had any need to complain but this experience has really made me question whether I would want to return to the restaurant. Such poor customer service, really disappointing.

We were served by the waiter Raz who really made our dining experience better with his attentive service and made us all feel very welcome! He has a friendly approach and personable attitude. We really enjoyed the food and the whole finding experience - we will definitely be visiting again!

We prebooked our table at Fat Hippo as we knew it would be busy on a Saturday night. The booking stated we had our table for 90 minutes. The servers were super friendly and attentive but we were so rushed. The second we finished eating our plates were taken away and the bill was brought over without us asking. We still had drinks to finish when the server came over with the card reader. I understand it was a busy Saturday but we were only 40minutes into our booking- not even halfway through. We didn't have time to look at the bill properly to split it and just panic paid as we were under pressure. It's a shame because the food was good and we would have had a couple of drinks after dinner if asked.

Absolutely blown away by the quality of the food. I can honestly say, hand on heart, that the burger I had here was THE very best burger I have had, like anywhere!The service was first class, and Zoe, our waitress, was an absolute darling for looking after us! I could not have wished for a better dining experience had I tried!I don't do compliments lightly as a rule, but I genuinely could not fault this gem of a place!Ken Wiles

Decided to take my son out for his breakfast and my late lunch. Wanted somewhere that was not just a massive anonymous chain, and decided to give Fat Hippo a try. It is discreetly tucked away next to the side of the Theatre Royal off Grey Street. You head down some steps following rather nice smells and are greeted and taken to the table. There is a fairly large menu with the ability to have something smaller before 4pm.All the staff were friendly and helpful. Food excellent and plentiful.(If you are tall, watch your head when going down the stairs!)

If I could rate this place more than excellent then I would. Have been to Newcastle numerous times over the years but never knew this gem existed, and probably wouldn't have found it had I not been looking online for somewhere to eat as it's not a street I would usually walk along when visiting the city.Quirky wee place, though maybe not for the claustrophobic as it's underground! But I think they have outdoor seating so that'd be no issue in good weather I guess. Really well done out interior and comfy seats - got sat next to an old fireplace which just made me want to crawl into it and adopt it as a reading nook.Food wise I could not fault a thing. Ordered the beer battered cheese balls (yuuuum!!) and veggie cheeseburger wachos (to die for...but v v hot!) Would recommend you order extra sour cream for this one, or have an ice cool drink to hand The only thing I would say is we ordered them for two, but the portions are very generous, and we wish we'd just ordered a single as we had some left over that we just could not finish to save ourselves! I also have it on good authority that the Oprah Sin-free (vegan burger) is also very good. It was all good. Could've happily have sampled the entire menu to be honest! Though not sure I would've made it out the door if I tried All in all, really enjoyed the food and the place itself was clean and well spaced out (which is tricky in such a small venue) so felt quite safe. Staff were friendly and attentive too, which is always a good thing! Would highly recommend if delicious food and burgers is your thing..!

Decided to give the fat hippo after it was recommended so booked it for that night. The service was a bit slow and the chef had an accident so took a bit longer for the food to arrive. The food was good but didn't blow me away and they serve them on those silly metal trays with paper on them, just stupid idea because the paper just rips when using a knife and fork, anyway just a wee gripe, will I visit again..... yes I probably would.

Came here for our first night in Newcastle and we Haven’t got a single bad word to say about this place. Service was super quick and food came out piping hot. Me and my partner both agree that we had the best burgers we’ve ever tasted, which were the ‘Stinky Pete’ and the ‘American.’ We’re already planning to come back to Newcastle, and as soon as we do we’re booking here again for sure! I didn’t get any names of the staff, but they were all fab, thanks guys!

We visited the Durham branch and we were greeted instantly by the manager, he was really polite and gave us the table we asked for, he explained menu and covid rules, waitress took our order quickly and checked back on us for extra drinks too, food was yummy and service was lovely, will definitely be back to Durham branch

This used to do the best burgers in newcastle, unfortunately they seem to be struggling at the minute with poor service, long wait times and mediocre burgers.Last time we visited I got a chicken burger which has a small amount of chicken and it was brown meat which seemed really cheap and inedible. Really disappointed and I hope fat hippo gets it’s spark back soon as it was great before.

Haven't been since had to site outside during covid. Booked on line which as rang a few times but phone never answered. Seated promptly and waitress came within 5mins to take drinks and food order..then we waited 50mins for one starter to arrive had to chase up drinks.Then another 40mins for our main meal. Was impossible to get someone's attention for the bill as we were seated in the arches and i can say you are forgotten about when seated in this area. It is also dark and depressing. If the walls were white would make it feel less hemmed in. We weren't asked how meal was. Finally asked for bill and waitress said is card machine needed confirmed yes and was 15min before someone came back.The food was lovely. Shame out service.

The service was extremely slow, it took a long time to be served and even longer to receive the bill. We asked 3 members of staff to have the bill, we then got up to leave and stood at the till for a further 15 minutes before we received the bill. The food was very tasty though it was quite greasy, grease was seen on the papers on the plate. We ordered the waffle nachos, sharer portion was quite small and cold. Not the best experience.

Food was excellent!! Very tasty burgers!!Great selection of options - cater for vegetarians and vegan and gluten free. You won’t be disappointed with the food!Staff were friendly, but the service was slow - once seated we waited a bit too long for our order to be taken. When the server came to ask for drinks we were ready for to order drinks and food as we waited so long. Taking a drinks order more quickly would have been better. Half way through the meal, we asked a staff member for more drinks and condiments, but they didn’t come and we had to ask another member of staff to find out what had happened to them. It was a shame as the food was really good.

Easy to book online and friendly staff. The children’s menu portions were big and the chicken looked great. My husband said his burger was fantastic. I’m vegetarian and ordered vegan which as disappointing it seemed thin and over cooked. Overall I’ve given it four stars from the meet eaters in the family. I wouldn’t recommend if you don’t eat meat.

Loved this place. First visit and would definitely go back. The service was quick and friendly and when we asked if we could move to a little booth that had become available after we were seated, we were accommodated right away. The food was incredible and the cocktails were the best we had had this trip. Gareth served us and another guy (sorry we didnt know his name) and they were both friendly and added to the experience. Thanks guys, we had a great night

Booked a table at 7pm, arrived and the venue was busy and manager sat us down on a random table as he couldn't find the booking tablet.Sat at the table and waited 20 minutes for a drinks order. The waiter came over took the drinks and food order in one order, the starters arrived well before the drinks. When the mains arrived all burgers lacked in sauce, all portions of fries had no seasoning and all burger buns all burned to a crisp.I would asked to speak to a manager but no check back was done during mains until the end, which was too late.What annoyed me most was I need a fork as it was used for the main, when the waiter came over he threw it across the table at me as he was in a rush. When wanting the bill had to wait another 20 minutes till It was finally brought over. Has to be some of the worst service I've ever experienced there, which is a real shame as normally everything is perfect.

Decent variety of burgers to choose from on the menu, so everyone should be able to find something they fancy. Even if you would rather have chicken or even a vegan option. I found the patties a little more gristly that I would have liked, but the flavour was there. Tasty sides and starters too. I'd go back to try a chicken burger next time!

Terrible service and Burger was just OK. We waited for over 70 mins, while there were too many take away flowing through the door. Poorly managed balance. Doesn’t reflect the rating on the restaurant. Stay away

Me & my partner were really looking forward to trying this place as part of my birthday shopping trip but were really let down. it started with our drink order & a member of staff coming to say there was no coffee as someone hadn't turned the machine on that morning & it would take an hour to warm up! We then ended up waiting an hour before getting our food! I asked the waiter after about 30 minutes if our food would be much longer as lots of food had gone out & lots for takeaways but none to our section. He disappeared out the back & then started speaking to people at other tables & saying there was a fifteen minute delay for food but everybody's couldn't be 15 minutes! After about 15 minutes a table of 5 or 6 that had ordered after us got their food & we were told ours was getting plated up but we then waited another 15 minutes! I then discovered my burger had the wrong fillings but couldn't wait again! Only when getting the bill did we get an apology & told that they were short staffed due to covid & given a discount. This is not good enough! Customers should be told earlier on that there is a delay & given the choice to wait or leave. There must have been a point when the kitchen staff knew they couldn't get everything out! I then went to the toilet before leaving & there was no toilet roll! Is anything checked in this place!

Food and service was amazing. Our server Poppy was lovely and really helpful with my allergy. Can’t wait to come back :)

Visited on our first evening in Newcastle. Loved it. Friendly service and amazing food. ‘Best burger ever’ said our 14 year old! Great choice, including for vegetarians. Quite dark eating in but great atmosphere. Would recommend and would definitely go again!

We stumbled across this place late on a Sunday evening and they quickly got us sat down and served The food was gorgeous and I have to say , I’ve not had better burger !! It was spectacular.Great friendly staff , nice food , what more do you want

Went to the Fat Hippo Newcastle with a friend for lunch, and couldn't recommend it enough. Great space and atmosphere, it was our first time visiting.Food was IMMENSE. We had frickles and fried cheese balls for starter, and then shared hangover 3 and Swiss Tony burgers for mains. The food was delicious, struggled to finish it all but we managed!Staff were excellent, great at recommendations re the food, and really attentive without smothering you.We had such a great time we stayed for far longer than planned, and we can't wait to go back!

Had the best burger I've ever had in my life, the host Giuseppe was very friendly and helpful and aldo recommended a really nice beer. We did wait almost 1hr for our food however the place was packed and i can honestly say the food was well worth the wait, burger and chips were soo amazing. Will definitely be back.

Go to place if you wanna eat some burgers. They have 5-6 vegan options which is amazing as I am vegetarian. Burgers were delicious and big enough, they come with fries on the side. I also had milkshake which was good but not exceptional.

Good place if you’re looking for a dirty burger! Yummy food and good drinks. Good deals between 5-6pm too! Very happy with the food and the staff were friendly and attentive. Make sure you’re hungry because it’s a hearty portion you’re about to be served!

If you want a big dirty burger then this is the place to be. The flavours that come from the burgers are something else. Unique sauces - in my case - Hoisin & Siracha, who would of though they worked so well together. You will not be left disappointed by the flavours. Staff very attentive but food maybe not the fastest coming but definitely worth the wait!

Breve gita di due giorni a Newcastle, indecisi su dove cenare decidiamo di provare Fat Hippo. (Di martedì sera). Prenotiamo il tavolo alle 20, arriviamo puntuali e 5 minuti dopo un cameriere prende il nostro ordine. Dopodiché, il nulla assoluto. Abbiamo assistito al progressivo peggioramento dell'umore di tutti i presenti ogni qualvolta un cameriere passava con dei piatti in mano, destinati però a tavoli nelle salette adiacenti. Quasi impossibile fermare uno dei camerieri, visto che ci passavano accanto in tutta fretta con lo sguardo basso. Quando, dopo 40 minuti di attesa, riusciamo a chiedere spiegazioni ci viene detto che la cucina è a corto di staff. Ora, non so se in Inghilterra sia diverso, ma qui in Scozia se non avvisi il cliente all'arrivo che ci vorrà più del solito per mangiare, o ti becchi un complaint e offri uno sconto, oppure il tavolo si alza e va via dopo 20 minuti. Quando il cibo è finalmente arrivato, di certo non valeva i 45 minuti di attesa né il prezzo di 12£. Se ne trovano di migliori a prezzi decisamente più bassi.Due ragazzi seduti al tavolo accanto - già lì al nostro arrivo - hanno ricevuto il loro ordine quando noi stavamo andando via.

I wish I could leave a review for Fat Hippo but unfortunately we left before we had an opportunity to eat. We sat for around 15 minutes before our order was taken, an additional 10 minutes for our drinks to arrive. After an hour and a half (and observing several other customers complaining) we decided to pay for our drinks and leave. We are so disappointed in Fat Hippo although this cannot be blamed on the servers (as a waitress myself I understand how hard the job can be) however the organisation and management of the restaurant was nothing short of abysmal. As I said I would love to have had the opportunity to review the food as it looked delicious but unfortunately I cannot and will not be returning for a second chance.

Visited the restaurant for a meal during a friends stag due. Walked in and it’s definitely the type of place we was looking for. Modern underground style restaurant, very busy and lively with good looking food. Great place to start the Stag weekend.We was seated on two tables as per government guidelines at the moment and they was very helpful in getting two tables near each other so it didn’t completely split the group. The restaurant was busy but the staff were quick and attentive to get our drinks order in.the drinks came with a few mistakes which will happen in a large groups however they amended the orders soon enough and got us onto our food order.The menu looked fantastic, it’s been a while since I’ve looked at a menu and literally wanted everything. The food sounded great and they had really unique comedic names for some dishes which I really liked. It set it apart from other restaurants similar.I went for the Peanut butter burger which sounded like a crazy combo. It was absolutely incredible. I would compare it to the moment when Jules takes a big bite out of Brads Kahuna burger on Pulp Fiction… I do love the taste of a good burger… Presentation was great and I do mean it, it was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had.It came with chips and was more than enough didn’t need sides. For a large group of lads on a busy Friday night the staff and service were great. Matched with some really good burgers at a reasonable price too. Thanks for starting the stag on a high note look forward to visiting again.

We chose to eat here, mainly based on the name… So called as it’s what you feel like when you leave.Very friendly staff with pretty quick service.I had beer battered cheese balls, arrived with 5 in the bowl, indulgent, chewy, cheesy deliciousness. Too many for one if your going to have a main after, luckily I’m gutsy.I followed with the PB and Double J burger. A great combo of 2 beef patties, peanut butter, cheese, bacon jam and smoke chilli jelly. A very good burger. The only thing I’d change is the bun, I’m not a fan of brioche, but that’s a personal choice.If you like burgers, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Visited for the first time on a Friday lunchtime. Negatives first. The place was FREEZING. We'd been out in the rain and cold and never warmed up at all the whole time. Bit distracting. The decor was all a bit dark and depressing. The website looked cool and modern and young but once inside it was just all a bit black and brown and rather miserable. Not great when you're also freezing. Positives: staff were great. Friendly and attentive without being overbearing. Place was well organised re covid measures. All explained at the start and clearly being observed in terms of masks and cleaning and provision of hand sanitiser etc. I was a bit surprised at how many tables were occupied....it was more than I expected or hoped and we were very close to the people at the next table but I have to assume within restriction guidance. Food was great....really tasty and big portions and piping hot. Plenty of options and variety and ultimately the food is what we came for. The rest wouldn't out us off returning.

Staff didn't care, shots served in half pint glasses, No draught beer, just warm beer cans.Their own beer tastes like mop bucket water.They would rather serve their deliveroo tickets than look after paying customers inside the venue,Waited 90-mins for food.Couldn't wait to get out of there.

Came to the fat hippo many years ago after it was recommended to be. And returning to the Newcastle area had to see if it was the same . Yes still amazing 👍👍 well worth finding thus hiding gem !!!

After a long illness myself and a friend came for lunch.. couldn't be greeted more friendly. Everything in place for covid . Our burgers were amazing still the best I have tasted...the staff member who served sorry didn't get name was a joy. And kepted coming to see how we were.. all the staff member working on Friday were welcoming....well done keep up the good work...

Had a lovely time visiting with my boyfriend and sister, we were served by a lovely girl called Charlotte who was super friendly and helpful! We were sat outside and were all amazed with the wild bill and dirty fries 😍

Freezing cold in there, waited an hour for 2 adult meals and 3 kids meals. 3/5 orders were wrong. No offer of salt or sauce, no one came to check out f everything was ok. Stars were earned because my burger was fit.

Fantastic food, friendly staff and good atmosphere. Can’t recommend their vegan options highly enough, they will even change them to vegetarian with no fuss. Can’t recommend the ‘Trash Browns’ enough.

Really spot on. Gorgeous food and really attentive service. The portions were generous, food was well cooked and the prices were reasonable for what you got. Would definitely return.

Booked a table in advance for an evening meal whilst visiting Newcastle and was very much looking forward to it. However turned out to be quite disappointing - I don't think they had anticipated a busy bank holiday weekend as the availability of some of the menu items weren't available - a couple of the drinks I selected weren't available and neither was the signature "hand cut chips", I was offered fries as an alternative and to be honest they were 2nd place to McDonald's fries, anaemic and bland!Wouldn't recommend based on our experience.

Was very excited for my meal. Food was cold, service was slow. Disappointed as have had pleasant experiences in the past. 2/3 of the waiters we had were nice enough, but one in particular seemed very moody. Couldn’t finish my meal.

Poor service, slow staff and unprofessional attitude do not recommend. Food also cold and burnt. Poor dining experience over all

Our first meal out after the latest Covid lockdown. We turned up without a booking and were told there would be a one hour wait. Unperturbed we went for a drink on Grey Street and returned later.Seating was on one of six or seven tables placed on the street outside the restaurant.My wife and I both went for the Peanut Butter and Jam Burger with Fries and to wash it down a bottle of white wine.The food was superb, just what we have come to expect from this establishment.The bill came to £45 including a tip.Although the table seating is closed due to Covid restrictions you can still use the bathroom.Welcome back Fat Hippo!

Ate here yesterday. Absolutely fantastic vegan choices so nice to see a meat restaurant actually taking the time to have great vegan options normally when I go somewhere there’s one or two things on the menu and it’s usually a salad where no thought has gone in at all. Will return. The staff are very pleasant and accommodating as well.

I have eaten at fat hippo and enjoyed it previously but I ordered from Deliveroo and I feel the quality has decreased since I last ate there. The chips were undercooked and soggy. The American burger was chewy and dry with an unfortunate amount of gristle in. Overall left feeling disappointed and wishing I had ordered from somewhere else.

Ordered a delivery via Deliveroo of one vegetarian and one chicken burger. When they arrived I took a bite of the one labelled as vegetarian, it turned out to be the chicken burger. Rang to complain, no real apology or understanding of how bad this was. Really disappointed and puts me off visiting ever again.

Fat hippo went mobile, ordered online a classic cheese burger with dirty fries, my wife ordered the peanut and butter jelly, flew over into the car park to pick it up, dirty fries?? wasn't so keen, it was just a drizzle of sauce over the top, a few chips in and you basically just have plain un-seasoned fries, was hoping it would be all mixed up together, expecting chips to be all coated, with sauce, cheese, chilli etc, none of that here, my burger was fine, a little to much mustard but nothing to rave about, my wife's was good, better than mine but definitely not worth the money imo.

The fat underground hippo Newcastle have been amazing with me tonight. I am both gluten and dairy intolerant and wanted my takeaway delivered. However, this was only possible on Deliveroo where it didn’t give options to have a gluten free bun or dairy free cheese in exchange. I called the restaurant and explained this and the team couldn’t have helped me more, they told me to put my order through, call them with my order number and they will amend my order which they did with ease. As I have intolerances it is rare that I can have a take away. My food came and it was outstanding, couldn’t thank the team enough.

I went here and my god it was by far the worst bit of food I have ever eaten. The food was so dry and was like trying to cut through a concrete wall. If I could give -5* they’d be lucky to even get that. Had the cheek to ask if I was full. Nearly threw the plate at them it was appalling. I feel sick and will never ever ever return. They need to be shut down for serving that kind of food. The first thing they say it be careful of the slippy floor felt like Gemma Collins on dancing on ice. Disgrace