Restaurant review: Bad Daddy's

We checked out one of Seaboard Station's newest restaurants, Bad Daddy's Burger Bar.

Posted 3:30 p.m. Jan 31, 2013 — Updated 6:30 p.m. Jul 13, 2018

Caitlin Zanga

RALEIGH, N.C. — One of Seaboard Station's newest restaurants is Bad Daddy's Burger Bar. There are four other locations, but they're all in Charlotte, so for us in the Triangle, it's a new place. Of course, the Out & About team had to check it out.

The location: Seaboard Station in downtown Raleigh, off Peace Street. The restaurant is visible from the road, right across from Sunflower's (which we reviewed last month).

The restaurant: Inside the restaurant, Bad Daddy's somehow manages to combine industrial decor and comfort. It's spacious and well lit with comfortable booths and modern metal accents. Our general consensus, however, was that it was a little too chilly!

Bad Daddy's specializes in burgers but also serves up salads and a wide range of sides and appetizers. They also have a gluten-free menu.

Our review: For you, the reader, we went all out with this meal: mains, sides and dessert.

Caitlin: I went out of my burger comfort zone and ordered The Frenchie: a turkey burger topped with brie, applewood smoked bacon, grilled apples and garlic mayo. I had never eaten a turkey burger before, but this was flavorful and (maybe) a healthier option. The sweetness of the apples contrasted so well with the mayo and bacon. Ingenious, really. Who puts apples on a burger? My only complaint about The Frenchie was that it was very salty. I saw salt in between the patty and the bottom bun that really didn't need to be added.

My side of sweet potato fries definitely warrants a revisiting of our Five Faves: Sweet Potato Fries post. The sauce was great: tangy and spicy, with just the right amount of kick. And really, I can't say anything bad about our shared peanut butter milkshake (more on that below). I'll be back to try their spiked milkshakes when I'm off the clock!

Kathy: I got Nick’s Patty Melt, which came on rye toast and covered in Dijon mustard, mayo, grilled onions and Swiss cheese. I ordered it medium-well, but really wished that I had gone with well-done because my burger was a little too red for me. Otherwise the sandwich was just OK for me. The Dijon was a little strong so I found myself tasting more mustard than burger. The homemade chips were a great side. Not too salty or greasy. But I really liked the sweet potato fries, especially that sauce they came with! Their tots tasted just like Sonic, so I immediately brought some back to the station for tater tot expert Ken Smith to sample. He loved them! The highlight of the meal for me was dessert! We ordered a Peanut Butter Cup milkshake to split. It was the perfect balance of ice cream and peanut butter. Amazing! I definitely want to go back and will order something different and order a well-done burger so I can get the “medium-well” results that I like.

Lisa: Heading over to my second lunch meeting of the day, I opted to just partake in one of the Bad Daddy’s tempting sides and to share it with my Out & About team. We’re not known for passing up a good order of tots and today was no exception. The “Bad Daddy’s sauce” they were served with reminded me of Chick-fil-A sauce (combination of honey mustard and BBQ?) – tasty. I’m excited to go back hungry and either build my own salad (I believe I counted 59 options from lettuce to salad dressing) or give the black bean burger with a lettuce wrap a try! For dessert, definitely split one of their $5 milkshakes with your table – it’s a great deal at $5.

Tara: I had glanced at the menu before we went to Bad Daddy’s and right away knew what burger I had to try. They have a huge selection and tons of toppings to choose from but there was one particular topping I had heard stories about!

I went with the “Sam I Am” burger, which is a basic burger, only it's topped with American cheese, rosemary ham, pesto and an over easy fried EGG! After one bite I knew I would never be able to eat a burger again without an egg on it, or at least I wouldn't want to!

The burger’s at Bad Daddy’s are not obnoxiously huge but it definitely filled me up. The waitress was very helpful and said with the way they make their burgers (hand-molded, not pressed) they tend to come out less cooked than what you order – so order accordingly. My burger was cooked perfectly (after I ordered it medium instead of medium rare). The egg sinks into the burger making a messy but delicious, one of a kind sandwich. Warning: you will probably have to eat this burger with a fork.

The service: Our server was very helpful and patient while we looked over the menu (there are lots of choices). She recommended ordering your burgers cooked a level up than the way you like it, because the way they cook the burgers tends to make it a little rarer in the middle.

The bill: The burgers come with a side and range from $8 for the basic to $13 for the all-out "Bad Ass Burger." It's more expensive than other burger joints, but we think that's worth it for a house-blended and cooked to order burger.

The verdict: We'll definitely be back to try more of the menu and some of their bar selections. With a casual atmosphere, plenty of TVs and friendly staff, Bad Daddy's is a great place to grab lunch, hang out with friends or watch a game.

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