It’s called The Fat Cat.

I know, the name may not be appealing, but the place is always poppin’.  Located in Quincy Center, this tiny hidden treasure is a place you definitely don’t want to just drive by.

The Fat Cat has a great vibe that enhances your experience before you’ve even been seated, starting with the old, black front door. Once you enter the restaurant, there are tables set for multiple parties on the right. Toward the back, there is a tiny kitchen filled with staff always on their toes. A mural of a large cat is painted on the brick wall next to the kitchen.

Sometimes the wait for a table is 30-60 minutes, and the restaurant can be loud at times, but the fresh oven-baked bread served with homemade black bean humus and honey butter easily make up for the chatter and the wait.

The servers are kind, down to earth, and always quick. Out of the twenty or so times I’ve eaten there, not once have I had a bad experience.

The restaurant’s urban atmosphere and unique and reasonably-priced dishes always keep me coming back for more.

I usually order the BBQ chicken, one of their most popular entrees. It consists of a grilled chicken breast topped with Manchego—fancy Spanish hard cheese—and cheddar cheese melted over sautéed onions and topped off with house-made BBQ sauce. Side dishes include garlic mashed potatoes and the best broccolini I’ve ever had.

I would give the BBQ chicken dish a 9.5 out of 10. It was delicious, but a bit pricier than some other menu options at $16.

Another house favorite is the half rack of ribs. Priced at just $10 this meal is worth every penny. Along with a gooey half-rack of ribs drenched in house-made BBQ sauce, they throw in a large portion of hand-cut fries and fresh coleslaw. There are no fatty bites; all the meat at The Fat Cat is fresh and slow-cooked.

If you are more of a burger person, I recommend ordering yourself a juicy Fat Cat burger for $8. This meal comes with a side of hand-cut fries and toppings of all types, available for an extra $0.50. I order this meal very often and am never disappointed.

For dessert, you can’t go wrong with the brownie sundae−but make sure you have someone to share it with because this brownie is enormous.  It comes with a warm, thick chocolate brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, pecans, hot fudge and caramel drizzled on top. This dessert is something you don’t want to pass up.

If you want good service, a cool place to go with your friends (or a place to impress a nice young lady or gent on a first date) I recommend choosing The Fat Cat. It won’t let you down.