Ever since the closing of Your Pie in 5 points, there has yet to be a restaurant in its place that has been able to stand the test of time. I get it, rent is expensive, and especially going through COVID, it might be hard to keep a local restaurant afloat. However, it seems like the newest restaurant in 1591 S. Lumpkin street might be here to stay. Baddies Burgers, which was opened by the same person who previously opened Nedzas Waffles, has had its fair share of word around town. I couldn’t sit by and just hear the talk, so me and a couple of my friends had to go see for ourselves. 

While Baddies has been open for a few months now, it was not until recently that they finally installed a sign, bringing tons more attention to the restaurant. When I asked a Baddies employee what they thought about the sign, she explained that she “think[s] it’s really cute and it definitely stands out. It’s good we got a sign because we didn’t have one before, so I feel like it will bring more people in here.” I mean, talk about genius marketing! All jokes aside, I had never even heard of this new restaurant until the sign went up, but now it seems that’s the only food in town worth talking about. 

When you enter the restaurant, you are greeted with a very fun environment; bright colors and disco balls hanging from the ceiling. You are also met with a sign hanging above, showcasing the menu of burgers, fries, banana pudding, and more! However, the pretty sign and the disco balls are not to take away from the real attraction here, so let’s get into it!

While there were plenty of options, we stayed pretty simple with our order. A single burger along with a basket of cajun fries, all thanks to the worker. “The cajun fries [are my favorite]”, she assured me.  “They are just the perfect amount of spicy”. After trying the fries for the first time, Senior Moussa Alserafei exclaimed, “The fries were amazing, it knocked me off my feet to be completely honest. It was something I’ve never tasted before, it was amazing!” Quite honestly, this was a very fair reaction, as I would confidently say they are some of the best cajun fries I’ve ever had. Jack Mullen, a Sophomore at Athens Academy, said that, “the cajun fries had a little spice to them, but [it was] nothing I couldn’t handle”.

While the fries were nothing short of wonderful, what we had really come for was the burger. Served with a thin patty, pickles, cheese, caramelized onions, and Baddies sauce, this burger was most definitely on par with the fries. When Senior James Mullen took a bite, it sure got him excited, and that’s for good reason. “The burger was very juicy, tender, cheesy… the bread was nice and the condiments were good. Very well done. The secret sauce, good lord where do I start. I’d say it was pretty dang good.” 

So if you were on the fence about Baddies, take it from me… it is definitely worth a try. Although I’d love to see the addition of milkshakes to the menu, this place has great food, a good environment, and great employees. It seems their older neighbor, GrindHouse Killer Burgers, might have to watch out as Baddies Burgers comes for the crown.