Bates Hamburgers

I make it a point to eat here every time I’m in the Detroit area. I’ll drive 30 miles out of my way to have a burger here.

Like White Castle but on crack. It comes exactly with the perfect cheeseburger toppings: grilled onions and pickles. You can also ask for ketchup and mustard to complete the perfect cheeseburger. It’s probably one of the best cheeseburgers I’ve put into my mouth. The meat slightly falls apart in a good way and the buns are perfectly toasted/​grilled. Warning though, it’s cash only and small. For some reason they only have chocolate milkshakes.

It’s a must-​visit spot in Livonia.
The burgers are similar to the style of a Five Guys, taste similar, but are half the price.
Milk shakes are great too, but most importantly, the chili cheese fries are fantastic, made with freshly melted cheese over hot chili.
If you’re in Livonia, you probably have nothing else to do anyway.

A Livonia staple! Best sliders, fries and shakes around. I’m looking forward to trying the biscuits and gravy!

How can you go wrong with Bates?! Yummy burgers, crispy fries, and cute décor! Bates is an icon in Livonia! We enjoy a Bates burger every couple of months. You’ve got to try the mix on your burger (ketchup, mustard and pickle juice) — so tasty! They only take cash, so hit the ATM before you arrive (there are 2 across Farmington Road). The girls are always bubbly and nice. It can and does get busy during meal hours.

I’ve been going here since I was little. Only downside is they only take cash or I would go there more often! Awesome burgers!

Wanted to try them out because I’ve read the reviews on Unilocal.Went today for a carry out they have a certain door/​area to order. I ordered 2 double cheeseburgers w/​extra onions & a chili cheese fry. I didn’t know that when you order a double cheese burger it just comes with a bigger patty than the single burgers, not 2 burgers on a bun which is what I wanted. I ordered the fries cause I seen on Unilocal that they serve crinkle cut fries, so I ordered them with chili & cheese. My order online took about 7 mins. The carry out spot was packed w/​people coming left and right. The staff were nice & the service was quick.
The fries were ok… Just that… Ok. The burger was not that good. The meat had no seasoning. I know people say all of the little white & black corner burger spots taste the same, but to me they don’t. I would definitely go to Sonnys burgers on Schoolcraft b4 I go back to Bates. I’m pretty sure I won’t go back, no hard feelings, it’s just that I’ve had better at another place.

I only gave it 4 stars because for this kind of place I just can’t see 5 but it really is a 5 for this kind of place. Confusing I know!
Went on Wednesday, coney day. Had a Bates burger, coney, fries and large chocolate shake.
All were good! Classic burger with onions & pickles, added mustard. Coney was fresh and added mustard to the chili and onions it comes with. Shake is like a Wendy’s, thick.
Place was clean, small but efficient. We were in and out in reasonable time.
I have heard of this place for years, like the Telway or Brays.
If you have not been there you need to check it out!

I sat foodless while others that ordered after me got their food first. I think they hand smash the burgers before giving you them, just to make sure they are even soggier and more disgusting. Their orange sauce isnt anything new or worth trying. McDonald’s makes better burgers… and they’re McDonald’s…smh

If I could do half stars this place would get a 3.5, I just don’t think they are 4 star worthy. Not because they serve sliders — there 4 and 5 star slider places out there for sure. They are good, and will kill any late night craving for grease. But not too late, they close earlier than most slider joints. There’s just something that doesn’t quite hit the mark. I think for me it’s all about the onions… and I’ve had burgers from here that have had onions that had a slight crunch to them. That’s just wrong, the onions should be completely cooked and caramelized. The fries are typical and I aside from burgers and fries I’ve never tried anything else. Bonus: I will say that this is a great spot to hit up during the Livonia Spree — especially during the fireworks — but just be prepared to wait in a longer than usual line.

Yes, this is what I want in a burger. I eat burgers maybe twice a year; okay, three times. It is small, simple, pretty basic. Don’t understand why people want to eat a quarter pound or ¹⁄₃ pound of meat on a bun. It is too much. And the staff moves! None of those fast food lackeys here. Everybody pitches in. Flip them burgers, sizzle them onions! Want to eat in next time with a nice window seat. Or maybe a counter seat — nah, I’ll get tired watching them work so hard.

This food at this place is terrible. Sure it’s cheap as hell, but the dollar menu at any fast food place beats the hell out of it. Unilocal let me down, leading me to this place. The service was fine and friendly but I have nothing good to say about the food. Burgers are paper thin and may have actually been grease soaked cardboard. Id rather eat a raw potato than their fries. If your family has been going here for 4 generations — keep going! If you’re looking for a new place to check out, keep lookin

For fast food I wasn’t expecting much but wow this place is amazing, the service is very friendly and fast, the burger was amazing and the bun that the burger was on was very fresh. The fries were nice and hot and the chili is outstanding and their is free refills. The vibe of this place is very cool, it still has the 50s outlook to it but it is small but back then what restaurant wasn’t. I really like this place because the food was very inexpensive and worth the money we paid. I will come here again and tell others about this place.

One of the best burger in Livonia. If you like sliders, fries and great shakes.
Cask only but don’t expect to pay a lot… very resonate prices. The carryout is quick but if you have some time grab a seat and step back in time.

Think Hunter House in Birmingham but a lot cheaper. No frills, no gimmicks. Bates has been around since the late fifties. The most recognized joint in the city to get sliders and krinkle fries. Mustard, pickel and grilled onuons come standard on every model. Shakes and malts too. Clean and original. Very, very delicious and very, very bad for you! Minimum seating, be prepared to rub shoulders with a stranger. Parking is brutal. The do a huge carryout business. They are open very late. Inquire about their footlong specials. Ask about their slider specials. White porcelain enamel panelled standalone business right on the corner.

I only eat here about once a year but if you are in the mood for sliders with grilled onions this is the place. The sliders here are simply the best. Had four and order of fries and a regular Coke.
Since I don‘t drink Coke often or eat fries much I enjoyed my 4 sliders, fries and a large Coke as much as a dinner at Ruth Chris! Sat at the window. ate and watched the traffic go by on Farmington RD. gets no better.
Back to the gym the next day.

Not only does Bates have the best sliders around, but they also have surprisingly great breakfast! Everything is cooked on the same carbon steel griddle, from the onions, to the burgers, and, at breakfast, bacon and eggs.
The biscuits and gravy are always good, but the real deal is the breakfast special — two eggs, hash browns, either bacon or sausage (get the bacon), toast, and either coffee or pop for under five bucks.
Can’t go wrong.

Old school deliciousness. Came today for my birthday (I love cheeseburgers) … I was going to go to Five Guys, but then, I remembered a weird looking building on 5 mile and Farmington — I am so glad I tried it out!
Two double cheeses, fries and a Coke. The burgers were just awesome. Simple. Nothing fancy. No special sauce or choice of ingredients — either with grilled onions & pickles or without. Juicy burger, didn’t need condiments at all (although I still go for mustard, because I love it). Cash only, so keep that in mind when going in. Had to make an ATM run before we went.
I shall be coming back to Bates very, very soon.

Tasty Burger, like a local white castle…

Ok. If you’ve never gone to Bates… well. You’re missing out. Do yourself a favor and get a sack of burgers. Get a milkshake. Get fries. Even the chilli cheese fries are awesome. I’ve never tried their coney.

The staff here are so friendly and understanding to newbies. We ordered the cheeseburgers and a large chili fries. It is typical slider — coney style food but the meat was surprisingly juicy! Simple feast requires no fancy and unnecessary garnishes and for that I am thankful. Glad to have this place around the corner so I can literally drop by after church!

Best… Sliders… Ever.
Harold and Kumar should have come here… Just saying.

Great classic old school burgers and fries good anytime of the day service excellent always friendly!!!

I can’t describe (or confess) my love of these burgers. I go there and eat them in secret and at my peril.
Bates is my evil master.

Outstanding burger, great service. Visiting my friend in Livonia. I had to try this place. I was not disappointed. It tastes better than White Castle hamburgers. They use real beef shipped in fresh daily, and they have all beef coney dogs.
If you are looking for a quick bite to eat at a really reasonable price, than look no further than, Bates Burgers!

Old school burgers. Old school building. Take a trip back in time when walk up burger joints were the thing. No frills just delicious. Don’t go here if you’re on a diet. The burgers are great grease filled lil guys.

Bates is the real deal. I have heard about it for years, and finally got the chance to go with some coworkers a couple of weeks ago.
The places is still your classic corner burger joint, straight out of the 50s. A very simple menu, cash only, friendly staff, I can go on and on. I usually get 2 or 3 double cheeseburgers and a large fry. They’re pretty small burgers, but I couldn’t call them a slider since they’re not White Castle small.
I highly recommend this place to anyone who likes a good burger. If you drive a big car, parking can be challenge. There’s a lot another building over to the west of Bates that has roomier parking.

I have heard about Bates from my boyfriend for years. We came from California to visit his family so of course we had to hit up Bates Burgers. Food was great, can’t beat the prices. Tiny little dinner but cute as hell. It was packed so we decided to get our food to go. Funny sign in parking lot says no eating in cars per city ordinance. Never seen that before. We will go here again before we fly home because they are delicious.

This was the final stop on a 3-​stop West Side slider Tour with some fellow Unilocalers. I was already full after eating 4 sliders, onion rings, and fries… but given the fact I’d just had an underwhelming experience at Bates of Farmington Hills (and had heard that this OG location was better), I knew I had to suck it up and risk advanced pulmonary disease to give the Bates name a fair shot. I can’t say my cardiologist would agree with me… but I’m glad I did!
The first thing that struck me about Bates Livonia is how much better the atmosphere and setup was. There was a real communal feeling inside unlike the cramped and corridored feeling of the Farmington Hills location. But infinitely more important was the food quality…
I ordered a single double-​cheeseburger here and it was, in a word, excellent. The quality of the meat and the complementary goopiness of the cheese both impressed me. I also felt the sesame seed bun was a nice touch. Was too full to try any sides (and sadly neither Bates location sells onion rings, my fave) but I will definitely give this place another shot.
For my tastes, Greene’s is better and won the West Side slider battle. But eating here at the OG Bates made me understand why people love Bates. Taste is subjective and I could absolutely see why people would be wild about the food here.

Bates — Man oh man do I love me some Bates.
I love hitting this place up during the Summer when them hunger pangs strike.
I really love it when it gets busy. Lots of fun doing some people watching and do you know what I see, lots of smiles and lots of empty plates.
I love the cheap prices, chili cheese fries, and nice hamburgers. Forget hitting up the fast food joints, this is the best place to be. Everything tastes so fresh and smells so good.
The best thing I love about this place is hitting it up right after going to the Livonia Spree and riding the rides. This is the ideal dream-​like place that I will identify with when I think of a good olé fashioned American Summer Day. Family and friends getting some burgers as a community after a day of thrills, I can not ask for more.
Keep up the great work Bates!!! (Thanks for the extra pickles ;D)

First time here, and I love those cheeseburgers. I ordered 3 cheeseburgers, a side of fries and a large chocolate milkshake — for $ 9.
Fries were bleh — undersalted, plain and just boring. I could imagine they would hold chili and cheese well, though.
Chocolate milkshake was also fine, but probably something I wouldn’t get again.
I’m saving all my room for the burgers next time. Greasy, oniony, melted cheese, crappy bun delicious.
Service was extremely fast for my order, workers were friendly, and the interior was relatively clean for this type of joint.
5-​star on the burgers, downgraded by a star for the other standard stuff.

Seriously, good burgers at that price. Who wouldn’t be a fan? My mom took me here when we were visiting her ‘hometown.’ We were up that way for a different reason and toured the town while we were at it. Now, back to the burgers.
The food was really good. Freshly made and super yummy. We just got a couple of cheeseburgers and small fry to split. That was enough for the two of us. The place is smaller than what I would have ever thought it would be, but that didn’t take away from the food or experience. Service was friendly too. The person working the bar was really nice and willing to talk to us.
Overall, if I am going up to MI again I would want to come here.