The co-op cooking genre, dominated by titans like Overcooked! and PlateUp!, is crowded. It takes something special to stand out. Restaurats manages to do just that by adding a delightful layer of medieval chaos and putting you in the tiny, scurrying paws of a rat chef. Developed by toR Studio, this game is less about culinary perfection and more about the frantic, hilarious joy of being a rodent trying to run a restaurant for orcs and vampires.
The premise is simple: you and up to three friends (or randoms via online matchmaking) run a medieval eatery. You cook, you serve, and you fight off angry customers with baguettes. It’s a roguelite cooking sim that embraces the mess, and it’s an absolute blast.
“Cook up chaos in this quirky medieval restaurant sim! Embrace the madness of rat chefs serving up unique dishes to mythical creatures. A fun blend of strategy and humor that’s worth a playthrough.”
It’s the perfect “friendslop” game—chaotic enough to be funny, but forgiving enough that you won’t strangle your teammates.
Ratatouille Gone Wrong (In the Best Way)
The charm of Restaurats lies in its execution. You play as a customizable rat with a squeaky voice, running a kitchen that is anything but sanitary. Dropped food on the floor? Pick it up and serve it. “Come on — we’re rats, what did you expect?”
The gameplay loop involves preparing dishes, serving customers, and upgrading your restaurant with new equipment and decor. But unlike its peers, Restaurats leans into RPG and roguelite elements. You earn cards that unlock new recipes or buffs, but you have to be careful—picking a complex recipe too early (like the infamous 5-ingredient soup) can doom your run.
The game also features “wild baguette duels,” where you can smack unruly customers (or your friends) with bread. It’s silly, satisfying, and adds a layer of physical comedy that keeps the energy high.
Gambling, Taxes, and Vampires
The game isn’t just about cooking. Between shifts, you can visit a blackjack table to gamble your earnings away (an oddly addictive side activity that has claimed many a rat’s fortune). You also have to manage the restaurant’s finances, as “daily taxes will eat you ALIVE” if you aren’t careful.
The customers add to the flavor. You serve mythical creatures like orcs and vampires, with unique VIPs like the “VIP Vampire” adding special challenges. The game is constantly throwing curveballs, from surprise health inspections (which you will likely fail) to boss battles that test your kitchen coordination.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅ Hilarious Co-op Chaos: Squeaky voices, baguette fights, and kitchen panic make for great fun. | ❌ XP Bug: Some players report XP not always going to the right person for tasks. |
| ✅ Deep Customization: Tons of outfits and restaurant decor options to unlock. | ❌ Steep Difficulty Spikes: Choosing the wrong recipe card early on can ruin a run. |
| ✅ Fun Side Activities: The blackjack table is a dangerous but fun distraction. | ❌ Daily Taxes: The economy can be punishing if you aren’t efficient. |
| ✅ Less Stressful than Overcooked: Easier to enjoy without ruining friendships. | ❌ Minor Polish Issues: A few bugs and UI quirks (like political hats) need tweaking. |
| ✅ Roguelike Elements: Random cards and events keep each run feeling fresh. |
Restaurats: This is a fantastic addition to the co-op genre. It takes the solid foundation of PlateUp! and adds a heap of personality, humor, and rat-based chaos. It’s accessible, funny, and surprisingly deep with its roguelite progression. If you have a group of friends looking for a new game to shout at each other over, this is it. Just stay away from the blackjack table if you want to keep your restaurant afloat. – Obsidian