What does the all-American meal look like to you? For many, you think of juicy burgers, salted fries and a thick chocolate milkshake. But not just any burger, one as big as Texas that’s piled high with add-ons like gooey melting cheese, unique sauces, toppings and a side of crispy fries or tater tots with a house-made dipping sauce. If you’re a vegetarian, your all American meal might be a savory, 100 percent vegan black bean burger topped with a cool slice of Avocado. Both sound like a meal any American would wave the flag over and sing about.

This American dream is just around the corner at Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar. Located at 709 S.E. Greenville Blvd. across from the Greenville Mall next to Publix, it’s easy to get to, there’s plenty of parking and plenty of comfy seats inside. Open since 2017, the décor is upbeat and chill with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The menu features a wide variety of tastes from starters, burgers, chopped salads, sides, non-burgers, and daily features. They also offer draft and craft beer, cocktails, wine and creamy, dreamy hand-spun shakes.

They are committed to sourcing fresh ingredients, wherever possible supporting local farms and food providers. General manager Tommy Melvin is the burger leader here and enjoys the fast paced environment and providing customers with great food and a great experience every time. It’s not just about the food, it’s also about the people. They motto is “at Bad Daddy’s, we think it’s important to be more than just a good restaurant. We need to be good neighbors.” The business also supports and donates to more than 100 charities supporting both local and national organizations throughout the year.

For my Bad Daddy tour I went for one of their popular starters. I always like to try menu items that are unique to each restaurant. So, I tried the Not Your Mama’s Deviled Eggs. They take hard boiled eggs, cut them in half, scoop out the middle and mix that with spices and Bad Daddy’s sauce. Then, they take the egg halves, bread them and lightly fry them, adding the filling back inside and topping them with chopped bacon and sliced jalapeno. The plate has a center pocket filled with a bright and spicy Asian slaw. I was expecting the eggs to be dense like picnic deviled eggs, but they were surprisingly light and flavorful. The inside was creamy and slightly spicy. The dish comes with five deviled eggs and costs $5 — a great price for a filling and tasty protein-packed dish. Some of the other starter items on the menu include fried pickles, loaded nachos, burger sliders, and their popular house-made potato chips just to name a few.

OK, are you ready for a burger? Bad Daddy’s has a large burger menu ranging in price from $9.95-$13.95. They have fun names like the Sam I Am burger with American Cheese, an over-easy egg, rosemary ham, and a fresh pesto sauce. Or maybe you are celebrating and want to dive in to the Bad Ass burger with its 10 ounces of Angus blend beef topped with American cheese, buttermilk fried bacon, horseradish mayo, lettuce, tomato and pickles. These are just a few of the pre-made options.

If you like to make your own, you can complete their easy fillable form and choose the flavors that fit your mood. Choose your patty from traditional Angus beef blend, buttermilk chicken breast, turkey or a black bean burger just to name a few. Choose your bread from a Brioche bun, multigrain bun, rye toast, Texas toast, a gluten-free bun or opt to be bread-free and select the lettuce wrap. Next, pick your favorite cheese from American to Pepper Jack or even Brie, and move on to condiments. They have 22 options from traditional ketchup, Duke’s mayo, pickles, ranch, or go super fancy with poblano pepper mayo, tomato jam, or for your adventurous Elvis wannabes, peanut butter. There is no banana on that list, but I’m sure if you ask, they can make that one happen. Add on additional premium toppings and your signature burger has your name written all over it.

For my burger, I opted for the monthly burger special, the Goat Lady burger. Start with a buttered bun, add a cool layer of fresh spinach on the bottom, the cooked-to-order Angus beef patty, a heaping layer of Goat Lady goat cheese, and spread on some strawberry habanero preserves and layer on crispy jalapeno bacon. The burger was juicy, the cheese soft and creamy, my all-time favorite brand of local goat cheese, and the sweet strawberry running through meeting up with the slightly spicy bacon and it’s a match made in burger heaven. This one cost $10.95

You can pair your burger with all-American sides from sweet potato or hand-cut fries, the popular truffle Parmesan fries, house-made chips, and buffalo or traditional tater tots. For me it was tater tots all the way, dipped in their Bad Daddy’s sauce that was fantastic. Make sure to also pair your burger with a thick hand-spun shake, ranging from a decadent Ghirardelli chocolate to classic strawberry or vanilla, or maybe go fancy with the salted caramel pretzel or maybe the chunky cookies and cream loaded with big, fat chunks of Oreo cookies — all of them rich, smooth and all-American.

Now let’s end on a healthy note with a salad, and not just any salad, a massive hand-chopped salad filled with delectable toppings, or make your own chopped salad by using their easy to complete order form. Choose your favorite greens from romaine, spinach, mixed greens or classic iceberg. Select up to four toppings such as radishes, chick peas, broccoli, black beans, corn and other traditional items like cucumbers and tomatoes.

Next, select your fruit from pineapple to strawberries, then select a crunchy topping. A few choices include walnuts, croutons or maybe my favorite, Wonton strips. Move on to your favorite cheese from shredded cheddar, feta, blue cheese crumbles, or maybe some Swiss or mozzarella. Moving on, add your favorite dressing. Options include avocado ranch, honey mustard, BBQ ranch, or maybe a Greek lemon oregano vinaigrette. Lastly, choose a protein from a grilled chicken breast, tuna burger, buttermilk fried chicken tenders, or maybe a turkey or vegan black bean burger.

I selected a pre-made salad, the Thai chicken salad. It includes romaine lettuce, Napa and red cabbage tossed with edamame, green onions, red peppers, mandarin oranges and dressed with a lime dressing. Three gigantic hand-breaded chicken tenders bathed in a sweet Thai chili sauce are placed atop the salad and the entire bowl is garnished with fat Wonton strips. This was a mile-high bowl of happiness that was almost too pretty to eat. They weren’t kidding when they said that this was giant, it was enough for at least two meals, and the glistening chicken on top was the star. The salad was vibrant and chock full or colorful vegetables from the sweet pepper, citrus bite from the Mandarin oranges, to the tasty edamame beans, and the bright lime dressing that brought it all home. The Thai glazed chicken was super yummy, the breading was light and buttery and literally melted in my mouth when I ate it. The crunchy Wonton strips were the final crunchy bite for this salad that cost $10.05

My trip to burgerville was an enjoyable one, so next time you’re craving something classic but leveled up with flavor, head out to Bad Daddy’s. Don’t forget they also offer a super affordable lunch menu with multiple options for only $10. Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar is open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit their website www.baddaddysburgerbar.com, or call 252-756-5384.