I’ve driven by Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar several times in the last year. They’re at the corner of Atlanta and Spring roads in the Jonquil Center in Smyrna. On this Saturday, as we were roaming about, we ended up in that area around the time for a late lunch. It was a rainy afternoon, so I let my wife out at the door and found a place to park. When I walked in, she had, expertly, circumvented the 15-20 minute wait and grabbed us a couple of spots at the bar.
Until I was looking for the website while working on the post, I didn’t realize they were a multi-state chain. The menu is full of burgers, non-burger sandwiches and salads, along with notepads on the bar (you can see one behind the tea glass in the photo above) where you can build your own burger or salad. We sat downstairs, at the bar and where most of the tables and booths are located. Upstairs is an another bar, with limited table seating and a large outdoor patio – you can see that patio in the first photo. This is, first and foremost, a sports bar (the drinks had a separate menu) – not a bad place to eat on Championship Saturday, with TVs all around. We both decided to build our own burgers.
My beloved chose the 7 oz. beef patty, with bacon and a fried egg and tots. It was served with their bad daddy sauce – a mixture of mayo, barbecue sauce and chipotle.
I chose a bison patty on Texas toast, with house-made American cheese and bacon, with sweet potato fries. Mine was served with another version of their sauce, with ranch and chipotle.
Both burgers were fine, but neither was anything to write home about. It was very much like going to a neighbor’s and having his dad make a burger for you. It wasn’t great – it wasn’t awful. It just was. And the sides were the same: the tots were way too salty and the sweet potato fries didn’t have much flavor. I should have seen the whole outcome coming when I saw the French’s ketchup on the table. Not even Hunt’s (which is a distant second place to real – Heinz – ketchup). Live and learn. I don’t have to be curious about going there any more.
Burgers, Barbecue and Everything Else 
I think Heinz ketchup is just too sweet, so I’d welcome French’s. Are you the blogger who cringes when you see Red Gold Ketchup on a table? Again, it’s actually pretty decent ketchup, plus it’s made with real sugar.
I don’t think I’ve ever written that I cringed at Red Gold, but I may have done it. When I see budget condiments, I wonder what else they skimped on.
Taco Mac, for years had Hunt’s ketchup on the table but Heinz with carry-out. I just got used to asking for packets when I ate there.