(734) 427-3464
33406 Five Mile, Livonia, MI 48154
www.batesburgers.com
If you live, work or play in Southeast Michigan, you’ve probably driven by Bates Hamburgers about eleventy billion times. And guess what? That’s almost the exact number of sliders they’ve served. Bates is a Livonia tradition and a family tradition for owner Laurie Johnston. Her grandfather started it in 1955, and it’s been in the family ever since.
You can tell Bates serves a ton of sliders because there were almost as many people working behind the counter as there were enjoying burgers. Bates was also the only slider restaurant we went to that had bottles of secret sauce on the counter. I’d tell you what’s in it, but I’ve been sworn to secrecy. All I can tell you is that a ton of it ended up on my burgers.
Another thing you get at Bates is a real sense of community. Everyone on both sides of the counter was on a first name basis, and that makes for a great sense of place and a great place to get a slider. So if you’re in the mood for a classic, quality slider, head to Livonia and grab a bag of Bates. Just do me a favor. Save me a couple.