What began years ago as a joke between two friends has since become a growing restaurant empire with, as of Aug. 9, a third Westchester location.
John Stubenvoll, who for many years owned Harrison Ale House in Harrison, remembers sitting at the since-closed Hubba’s in Port Chester when he told his friend, half-jokingly, that if he ever opened a restaurant, he’d call it Fat Stu’s in a short-handed reference to his name. Now, that offhanded remark has become a reality. It also became a homage to his friend who passed away.
And now, after opening Fat Stu’s All American Burger in Harrison in 2023 and Port Chester in 2025, he’s on Mamaroneck Avenue in Mamaroneck. This spot is his largest — almost three times the size of the others — but with the same nostalgic Americana décor, the same black and white checkered tables and the same menu, which focuses on burgers, fries, hot dogs, salads, sandwiches and shakes.
Among the options: the Stu burger (cheddar, lettuce, tomato, Fat Stu’s sauce), Bacon Blue (blue cheese and Applewood bacon), Hottie Chicken sandwich (pepper jack and spicy aioli), chicken wings, hot dogs (with various toppings) and shakes featuring Longford’s ice cream. Stubenvoll is particularly proud of the eatery’s proprietary beef blend, so much so that he hopes to venture down the road into retail, selling the burgers in stores.
But beef is only part of the story. Burger options also include turkey, veggie and bean patties along with gluten-free rolls.
Also in the works, most likely debuting in the next few weeks, will be a Skinny Stu’s menu with healthier options including burger bowls and additional salads. Once implemented, it will be at all three locations.
The only difference between this new spot and the other Fat Stu’s is the ode to Mamaroneck history incorporated into the ambiance. Both Stubenvoll and Nicole Gagnon, his business partner in this location, grew up in Westchester (Harrison for him; Rye Neck for her) and did their best to incorporate town memorabilia into the space. That includes a Rye Neck map that shows Harbor Island from the 1800s, a Mamaroneck fire department felt pennant from the 1920s, and lots of fun trivia such as the fact that Mamaroneck inspired Riverdale (of Archie Comic Books fame) and that Ripley’s Believe It Or Not founder Robert Ripley lived in town.
Also included on “Did you know” frames are the facts that actor Fred Gwynne, who portrayed Herman Munster in “The Munsters” lived in Mamaroneck while legendary Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig lived in neighboring Larchmont. Gagnon, a former teacher, even created a town detective challenge and history hunt questionnaire to keep little ones occupied with time machine notes, fill-in-the-missing word trivia and a segment on famous local residents. Most tables also have mini tic-tac-toe boards on them.
The two say they’re still working on decorations and plan to add a sports wall to the back displaying more local memorabilia and news. For now, many of the displayed items come from the leftovers Stubenvoll couldn’t fit into his other places. Those include an old skateboard of his and various old-timey posters spanning genres from Frank Sinatra to a photo of Elvis and Priscilla Presley.
As in the other locales, there are plenty of license plates and nods to America’s past with a “Vote for Women Suffrage” sign, an Amelia Earhart poster (she lived in Harrison), a Marilyn Monroe lunch box and signage for a fallout shelter. There’s also red stripes painted on the wall flag-style along with front page news about the war ending in Europe (from The Democrat), a guitar, a portrait of Lady Liberty, retro Coca Cola displays, a variety of nautical equipment and a vintage Mamaroneck postcard.
The biggest difference, aside from this location’s noticeably larger square footage, is the absence of a penny-filled floor. Stubenvoll said he’d like to add pennies as an accent down the road but with the discontinuation of the penny, he’s not sure the time frame.
Mostly, he’s focused on value and offering people a good time. “People are getting squeezed from all different angles these days,” he said. “We just want families to come here, feel comfortable, have a great meal and walk out on Mamaroneck Avenue and enjoy the night.”
If you go
Address: 157 Mamaroneck Ave., Mamaroneck, 914-315-1524, fatstus.com.
Hours: Noon to 8 p.m. daily for now with expanded hours to come, most likely 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday; to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Menu: Limited offerings for the next two weeks with the full menu to come. Though prices may change, there’s nothing more than $18 with most burgers under $10. Both Mamaroneck and Harrison feature wine and beer while Port Chester does not.
Good to know: Tied into the Fat Stu’s business model is a dedication to Saint Michael’s Angels, a charity Stubenvoll and Gagnon founded to provide financial assistance and care packages to help ease some of the challenges that come from a childhood cancer diagnosis.
Fun fact: This place is super kid-friendly with an arcade game, a host ofboard games and a town detective challenge and history hunt with Mamaroneck trivia. In a nod to the penny floors that grace Fat Stu’s Harrison and Port Chester properties, there’s also a penny jar where the correct guess wins a prize.
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Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @jeannemuchnick or via the lohudfood newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Americana, nostalgia on the menu at new Fat Stu’s in Mamaroneck
Reporting by Jeanne Muchnick, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jeanne Muchnick, Rockland/Westchester Journal News | USA TODAY Network
