Fat Boy Tavern in Korat: Is It the Best Pizza in Isaan?

For expats living in Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima), the search for a good pizza is a recurring mission. Thai food is extraordinary — I eat it most days — but sometimes you want a proper Western meal, and pizza is the benchmark dish. Fat Boy Tavern has established itself as one of the more reliable options in the city for exactly that.

The Setting

Fat Boy Tavern has a classic Western bar and restaurant feel — the kind of unpretentious, comfortable space that expats gravitate toward. Wooden furniture, sports on TV, a bar that is properly stocked, and a menu designed with Western tastes firmly in mind. It is not trying to be a Thai restaurant that also serves pizza — it is a Western establishment that does its thing with conviction.

The clientele is a mix of expats (long-term residents, contractors, English teachers), Thai professionals who enjoy Western food, and the occasional tourist passing through Korat on the way to or from the Khmer temples or the coast.

The Pizza

The pizza at Fat Boy Tavern is, in my experience, one of the more serious attempts at proper pizza in Korat. The key metrics:

• The base: Properly thin and crisp rather than the thick, bready bases that plague many Thai “Western” pizza places. The dough has been fermented adequately.
• The sauce: Tomato-based, with proper seasoning. Not sweet (a common problem in Thailand, where pizza sauce is often adjusted to local palates with added sugar).
• The toppings: Good range, with reasonably quality ingredients. The classics — margherita, pepperoni, meat feast — are executed well.
• The cheese: Proper mozzarella, applied in sufficient quantity and properly melted.

Is it Naples-quality? No. Is it a genuinely satisfying pizza by any reasonable standard? Yes.

Beyond Pizza: The Full Menu

Fat Boy Tavern’s menu extends well beyond pizza. Highlights include:

• Burgers: Solid beef burgers with proper buns. Better than most burger options in the city.
• Ribs: A popular option, slow-cooked and served with BBQ sauce and sides.
• Nachos and starters: Good for sharing over drinks.
• Sandwiches and wraps.

The portions are generous — the “Fat Boy” name is not misleading in this regard.

The Bar

Fat Boy functions as a bar as well as a restaurant, and the bar is properly stocked. Draft beer, imported bottles, spirits — the kind of drinks selection that is not always available in Korat’s more Thai-focused establishments. Happy hour deals are worth knowing about.

On evenings when sports events are on (football, rugby, American sports), the atmosphere picks up significantly.

Practical Details

• Price range: Mid-range by Korat standards, entirely reasonable by Western standards.
• English menu: Yes — no translation apps needed.
• Reservations: Recommended for groups, especially for weekend evenings.

The Expat Food Scene in Korat

Fat Boy Tavern sits within a small but genuine expat dining ecosystem in Korat. A city of its size that is home to a significant expat population (teachers, lawyers, businesspeople, retirees) develops the restaurant infrastructure to support those residents. Fat Boy is one of the anchors of this scene — the kind of place you can reliably come back to.

For more Korat restaurant options, explore the other reviews on this site.

Conclusion

For pizza in Korat, Fat Boy Tavern is my recommendation. It serves the best version of what it does, with genuine effort and consistent quality. For expats craving a Western meal done properly, it reliably delivers. And even if you are more Thai-food-oriented in your Korat dining, the bar alone is worth knowing about.

Useful Legal Resources for Expats in Thailand

• Usufruct Agreement in Thailand
• Divorce in Thailand: Complete Guide
• Social Security in Thailand for Expats
• Same-Sex Marriage in Thailand