Joey Fatone's hot dog restaurant at Universal CityWalk Orlando looks nearly ready to serve, with fresh signage, new furniture and a cleaned-up patio signaling that Fat One's Hot Dogs & Italian Ice is close to opening. The former *NSYNC member has not announced an exact date, but the buildout at the former Hot Dog Hall of Fame location suggests the wait is almost over.
According to WDW News Today, the CityWalk space now sports a red, black and white exterior, square patio tables, and starry banners lining posts along the ramp leading up to the restaurant. A starry design now wraps around the ordering counter, and an illuminated menu board hangs above the window. The outlet also noted that a large screen once mounted above the counter has been removed, some of the old stadium-style seating has been taken out, and small tables have been added between the chairs that remain — though those stadium seats could still return before the doors open. A sign featuring Fatone's face has even popped up in a nearby flowerbed, and a crew member was recently spotted cleaning the patio, per the same report.
A September Opening, Fatone Says
Fatone himself addressed the timeline directly. On September 1, he told fans on Instagram that Fat One's would “definitely” open sometime in September, according to Orlando Shine, with his team said to be finalizing a target weekend for the launch. That still leaves the exact day unresolved — the same outlet notes that while visual cues like the cleaned patio and installed signage point to a venue that is virtually complete, Fatone has only promised a September weekend without naming one.
The restaurant, co-owned by Fatone and his longtime manager Joe Mulvihill, is taking over the footprint of Hot Dog Hall of Fame, a baseball-themed quick-service spot that had operated at CityWalk for 12 years before permanently closing on July 19, per Undercover Tourist. Fat One's menu is set to include hot dogs, sides, desserts and drinks, along with its signature Italian ices.
From Mall Kiosk to Food Truck to CityWalk
Fat One's has been a long time coming. Fatone first opened the concept as a quick-service kiosk at The Florida Mall in Orlando back in September 2016, a spot he chose because he used to hang out there as a teenager after moving to Central Florida, the Orlando Sentinel reported at the time. After that kiosk eventually closed, the brand kept going as an Orlando-area food truck starting in 2018, building a regional following for its hot dogs while offering pickups in different neighborhoods depending on the day, according to its website.
The CityWalk location marks the brand's return to a permanent storefront after years on wheels. Fat One's menu is expected to lean on specialty toppings alongside its signature “Brooklyn Flats,” a thick-cut chip and waffle-fry hybrid, plus hot dogs topped with whiskey-infused bacon onion jam and barbecue pulled pork. Several items nod to Fatone's music career, including “The Boybander,” a sampler of five mini hot dogs.
A Homecoming for the Former Theme Park Performer
For Fatone, opening at Universal is something of a full-circle moment. Before joining *NSYNC in 1995, he worked as a theme park performer at Universal Studios Florida, playing “Wolfie” in the resort's Beetlejuice show, according to Flamingo Magazine. It was on that job that he met future bandmate Chris Kirkpatrick. Fatone had moved from Brooklyn to Orlando at age 13 in 1990 and attended Dr. Phillips High School, which sits opposite Universal Orlando, before the group formed in Orlando years later.
The name itself echoes a nickname associated with Fatone: “Phat One.”
Part of a Wider CityWalk Refresh
Alongside Fat One's arrival, Universal CityWalk has announced plans for Five Guys to replace the Whopper Bar, according to Hoodline's earlier report on the CityWalk changes. A Luke Combs' Category 10 venue is planned for CityWalk, with an opening scheduled for late 2027. With the exterior work, menu boards and seating largely in place, Orlando visitors won't have to wait much longer to find out exactly which September weekend Fatone picks for his hometown return.
