Fat One’s Hot Dogs Opens at Universal CityWalk

Universal CityWalk has a new hot dog spot, and it comes with a genuine Orlando backstory. Fat One’s Hot Dogs and Italian Ice is now open at Universal CityWalk, bringing Joey Fatone’s passion project to Universal Orlando after about two years in the works.

Here’s the full menu, what’s actually worth ordering, and why this location means more to the owners than a typical celebrity restaurant deal.

Quick Summary

• What: Fat One’s Hot Dogs and Italian Ice, now open at Universal CityWalk
• Where: The former Hot Dog Hall of Fame location
• Who: Joey Fatone and business partner Joe Mulvihill
• Menu: Nine specialty hot dogs, six Italian ice flavors, and three Crooked Can beers brewed for the restaurant
• Standouts: The Angelo and The Fat One
• Dietary options: Gluten-free and vegan options, plus plain dogs on request
• In the works for: About two years

The Full-Circle Story

This location isn’t random. Fatone and Mulvihill attended nearby Dr. Phillips High School, just across the street from Universal Orlando, and both 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 landing in the former Hot Dog Hall of Fame space.

Both 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. After a decade of Fat One’s, they’re bringing it back to where a lot of their story began.

What to Order

Early reports point to two fan favorites, The Angelo and The Fat One.

The Angelo is a Greek-inspired dog with tzatziki, tomatoes, red onion, olive tapenade, feta, and fresh dill on a brioche bun. It was inspired by Fatone’s character in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and it’s surprisingly light and refreshing for a hot dog. It’s Fatone’s favorite too.

The Fat One is the restaurant’s signature dog and its 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 on the heavier side, but everything works together.

Several dogs have personal connections to Fatone, including El Fonsi, named after his friend Luis Fonsi and built around familiar Puerto Rican flavors like sofrito, mayo-ketchup, and potato sticks.

The Full Menu

Hot Dogs

• 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
• Blue Raspberry

Italian Ice and Drinks

The Italian ice is inspired by Fatone’s childhood in Brooklyn. Six flavors are available, and you can order 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, a Columbus, Ohio brewery, brewed specifically for Fat One’s are also available on tap: a lager, an IPA, and an amber. It’s an interesting choice of brewery, as the vast majority of Fat One’s include nods to Joey’s past. It’s a small detail, but it would have been nice to see a local Florida brewery.

You Don’t Have to Go Wild

Some of these combinations sound strange on paper. Kimchi slaw and gochujang mayo on a hot dog is not a normal CityWalk order. But while Fat One’s encourages guests to be daring, you don’t have to order one of the more elaborate creations. You can keep it simple with a plain hot dog, and the team will customize orders as best they can, including gluten-free and vegan options.

Fatone says they haven’t reinvented the hot dog, they’ve elevated it. “I want people to have an experience when they eat these hot dogs,” he said.

He also joked that despite all the crazy concoctions, he’s actually a “plain Jane” when it comes to hot dogs. His palate expanded as he got older, helped along by appearances on various cooking shows.

The Menu May Keep Changing

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. This would be a similar approach the park down the street (Disney’s Magic Kingdom) with its iconic hot dog spot, Casey’s Corner.

For a quick-service spot, that’s a real advantage. A rotating item gives you a reason to come back instead of ordering the same thing every trip.

How It Fits Into a CityWalk Night

A few practical notes:

• No park ticket needed. CityWalk is open to everyone, which makes this an easy stop before or after a park day
• It’s quick service. Good for a fast dinner when you don’t want to burn an hour on a sit-down meal
• Share the heavy dogs. The Fat One is a footlong loaded with pork, pepperoni, and fries. One between two people is plenty
• Save room for the ice. The Italian ice is the lighter finish after a heavy dog, and the liquor floater option makes it an adult dessert

For Fatone, this remains a passion project and something he genuinely loves, rather than a celebrity “slapping their name on something to make some money.” Having eaten at plenty of celebrity restaurants that feel exactly like that, the difference here is the specificity. These recipes come from somewhere.

The Bottom Line

Fat One’s Hot Dogs and Italian Ice is open at Universal CityWalk in the former Hot Dog Hall of Fame location, serving nine specialty dogs, six Italian ice flavors, and three Crooked Can beers brewed for the restaurant. It’s definitely worth a try. There’s nothing more iconic than enjoying a hot dog while hanging out at a theme park.

Order The Angelo if you want something lighter and The Fat One if you’re hungry, split the heavy ones, and finish with an Italian ice. No park ticket required.

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Meet the Author: Nate Bishop

I’m a die-hard Disney fan with 38 years of visits under my belt, having stepped into Disney World 120+ times. Proud to be a Disney Annual Passholder, a Vacation Club member since ’92, a Castaway Club Member, and a runDisney enthusiast. Oh, and I’ve graduated from the Disney College of Knowledge. Need Disney insights or planning tips? I’m your guy!