Background:
Frank Scibelli, Charlotte restauranteur extraordinaire, opened the first Bad Daddy's on East Boulevard in 2007. In 2015, Scibelli sold the prolific local chain to Colorado-based restaurant group Good Times. There are already a ton in CO, and pretty soon there will likely be locations all over the country. If you have ever visited a Bad Daddy's then you likely are not wondering what all the hype is about--it's freaking delicious! For years, the OG location in Dilworth has been Scallionpancake's favorite place to grab a burger and tots. A few weeks ago, we were invited in to try some of Bad Daddy's finest so we could share them with you all. Read on to check out what we sampled!
Eat This:
Fried Pickles
Served with traditional ranch dressing
Bad Daddy's is known for their fried pickles. They are unusual in that they are long slices instead of chips like you see at most restaurants. The breading is slightly spicy and holds up well on the pickles. We had never tried these, and we loved them! Definitely a new go-to order now.
Nick's Patty Melt
On rye toast with Swiss cheese, grilled onions, mayo, and Dijon mustard
A patty melt is such a classic burger joint order, and this iteration does not disappoint. I ordered mine medium, and it was cooked perfectly--such a pleasant change from most burger places that overcook their patties. What puts this melt over the top is the inclusion of the sweet and savory caramelized onions.
We must take a moment, however, to talk about the side: TOTS. Hands down, Bad Daddy's has the very best tater tots in town. We will come back again and again just for these.
Bad Ass Burger
A massive 10 oz. beef patty with house-made American cheese, buttermilk fried bacon, horseradish mayo, lettuce, tomato, and pickle. Lives up to its name in every way!
The Bad Ass Burger is the ultimate on Bad Daddy's menu. When you have the meat shakes and nothing else will do--you've gotta go Bad Ass. Jason switched out the buttermilk fried bacon for regular bacon because he really is the picture of health. This one simple swap basically makes the order a dry salad, calorie wise. The burger is juicy and savory, and satisfies that craving you get when you need a big fat burger and nothing else will do.
And again: tots = life. If you get the fruit on the side, well, we will need to talk about that, okay?
Oh yeah, and see that Bad Daddy's sauce? Dipping your tots into that goodness just takes everything to a whole 'nother level. Bad Daddy's sauce is made with mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, and a blend of spices. Seriously, so good. I dip my burger in it, the tots, my fork--basically everything in reach.
In addition to their speciality burger options, Bad Daddy's also offers create-your-own burgers, chili, and salads. When I don't feel like going full-on, I like to do a create-your-own salad with a grass-fed burger patty. Another thing I love about Bad Daddy's is that they are one of the few restaurants that offers grass-fed options and unusual protein options like buffalo burgers
Dessert:
We didn't get dessert because we were stuffed. However, Bad Daddy's offers soft serve with toppings that we have had before, and it's fabulous.
Way too full to even think about dessert
Drink:
I love love love the milkshakes at Bad Daddy's! I went with the Oreo shake, because that's a flipping American classic, you know?
If you aren't a five year old like me, Bad Daddy's also offers tons of local draft beers and a full bar.
Oreo Milkshake
Heaven
America's favorite cookie, amiright?
Atmosphere:
We have been to this location in Dilworth, as well as one in Ballantyne. At both locations, the atmosphere is family-friendly and clean. When the weather is nice, we like to sit outside on the patio--there are lots of fans, so it's usually lovely in the Charlotte heat we get 9 months out of the year
Also, one of the best parts of the Dilworth location is the door to nowhere. Seriously, it's half connected to a wall, so instead of going through it, you can just walk right around it. It's a mystery to us, but we like to walk through it instead of around, just in case it turns into a magical door to Narnia someday.
Shady & green patio
Hello. Is it me you're looking for?
Medium Rare Hospitality:
The servers at Bad Daddy's are always polite and efficient. We have never had any issues with service on any of our visits.
View of the bar
Frankie's Notes:
Maybe we would eat more salads if we used Bad Daddy's sauce as a dressing; What if exiting through the door to nowhere made all of the calories from tater tots disappear?; What is it about putting potatoes in a cylinder shape that makes them taste like unicorns prancing through fields of pugs?; How many different ways can you cut a pickle?; Jason and I prefer drinks made from Oreos to drinks made from grain alcohol; Bad Daddy's cured all my meat shakes, and it was glorious.
Disclaimer: This meal was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are our own, and we were not compensated for this review.