Bud’s Cafe and Bar

It’s good for what it is — small town dive bar with cheap cheeseburgers and small bags of potato chips. Bottles and cans of beer. Your food won’t be coming out on a plate. I love getting the onions and pickles in the little side cups so I can load it up with how much of them I prefer. Would I drive out of my way for it? Hm. Not really. Since it’s not too far from home, I’d go back if other people were going and I didn’t feel like changing out of my jeans and sweatshirt. You can bring kids in too. Waitresses are competent and inobtrusive grown women. No one’s going to get crazy.
I’d give it 3.5 stars for being good at what it’s good at, but a lot of people have heard of it and want to go. They think it’s going to be some picturesque saloon with James Beard quality food — it’s not.

Bud’s is a great old time burger joint. The little downtown of Sedalia is really quaint. I could imagine going into Bud’s for a meal 100 years ago. I know, they’ve only been around since 1948, but it has that old west feel. Great burger and a no frills place. A good find, for sure.

Pretty crazy giving a bar a 5 star for a menu of burger, chips, and beer, but I really mean it! My cheeseburger came to me super hot and dripping with cheese. Nothing fancy here. It comes with a little side dish of raw onions and pickles. I don’t even put ketchup on it-​leave it au natural. My bottle of beer came with the classic little glass-​maybe a 4 oz size! The ambiance is the same as it was many years ago-​juke box, a small bar sporting locals, and a few old pictures on the wall. That’s all you get food-​wise. That’s what makes it so special! A juicy burger on a soft, hot bun. No fries-​never ever. Just classic Bud’s style, and I love it! Oh, you can have a double burger.

One of my favorite places to grab a burger. No frills, no sides other than chips and amazing burgers. They have a full bar, wonderful staff and an atmosphere that is true Colorado. I considered not writing this post as I don’t want this place to be over run by foodies but their burger only menu should keep the clientele as is.

We always stop if we are in the area… hungry or not it doesn’t matter. The choice are simple and the service is good. We love Buds and can not say enough good things about it.

One of the most simple places I’ve ever been to and I’ve been back numerous times because of it! So many restaurants overload you with a HUGE menu but when you come to Bud’s… it’s a burger & chips and that’s it! AND the burger is amazing. My coworkers had been talking about it since I moved here in November and when they became one of the accounts I called on… I decided one day I HAD to try the amazing burger and it sure did live up to my expectations! The only thing I will say (and it does warn you on the door!) is make sure you have CASH! (but it’s worth pulling a little cash out for a delicious burger and a cold beer! — you won’t regret it!)

Thank you Paul Gallagher for making a ridiculous situation into a great experience. I will be back. Often. Go Sox! From Brighton Tom Kelley.

Absolutely amazing food. Low cost food in an old school bar setting. Cash only. Menu choice is cheese or not. Single or double. No fries. Plain chips. Simple toppings on the table.

Really good home made burgers for an affordable price. Nothing fancy but the place had a steady flow of customers coming the entire time. Word of mouth brought us here. They offer hamburgers with a side of chips and it’s as simple as that. Don’t expect more. If you do, you won’t enjoy the simple good hamburgers they make.

After a long climb at Devils Head. It’s nice to sit down and have a really good burger. Buds hits it on the nail. Service was excellent, burgers were perfect (as always), music was awesome, and the televisions were entertaining. Reason it didn’t get five stars was because of how cramped it felt in the chairs. I sat next to the door so that was a bigger issue then it would usually be. Otherwise, great experience that I am recommending to anyone who wants a burger.

Cash only… go at an off time like 4:00 on a Sunday. We got right in and found a seat. The bar had only locals seated at it and everyone was friendly. The burgers were really good. So good that both my boys had two. If you have teenagers they may want two singles when they order. Is this the best burger I’ve ever had, no. Is this the BEST BURGER I’VE HAD BASED ON LOCATION AND AMBIANCE! YES!!! The juke box was going, the owner (I think) was stocking 45’s in it. While waiting for the burgers we had Garth Brooks on the box, the train going by with the horn blaring, locals yucking it up at the bar and smiles all around. That’s what makes this place great. If you can’t relate to that then you won’t be happy with your meal. Nothing fancy about it at all. Full bar from what I could see. We just had soda’s and iced tea. Give it a try I think you’ll like it.

Burgers are awesome! This is truly a diamond in the rough. Nothing better then burger and chips made to order, and the freshest thing possible. I had this as a kid and 10 years lateris every bit as good. Nothing has changed and that is why I love it. Highly recommended!

Cute little dive. Great place to go coming down from Denver or after hiking Devil’s head tower. Great burgers. Burgers and chips are the only thing on the menu.

The other reviewers here have pretty much pegged this place. The GF was craving a cheeseburger so I decided this 20 minute drive would get us out and about on a little adventure and check out the legend that is the ‘Bud’s Burger’.
We both had the double cheeseburger with the chips. They do appear to be microwaved at the end to melt the cheese and it also makes the buns very soft. The double was more than enough to fill us up! The meat was very good and blows away any of the commercial industrial burger dispensaries.
We will probably do it again and order a single.

We were headed to the outlet malls, and needed some quick food. I’ve had many people talk of this bar, as a «must try burger».
I’m a Unilocaler so I was prepared for the menu! Burgers is it! So when I came in I got what I expected. A Burger.
The waitstaff was super friendly and didn’t make me feel strange; when I said «I’d never been here before».
We both got a double with a side of jalapeños and I got sautéed onions. I would just get a single cheeseburger with no onions next time.
It was super hot and fresh. Just a quick filling lunch for $ 20.00 with tip.
We will go back

Bud’s Bar is a pretty cut and dry place. Are you looking for a really good, cheap, basic hamburger/​cheeseburger made with locally sourced meat? Then this place is great. If you are expecting super modern, excessive options, or upscale dining, you will be disappointed. The bar is very well stocked for a bar of its size and standard and the staff very friendly and welcoming.

One of my favorites!!! The burgers are the BEST!!!

Meh, at best.
Burgers were small and cheap chips as a side, but it’s not like they claim it’s more.
Personally wouldn’t go there as a destination, but if it’s all that’s open, there are worse options.

This is a quirky little place that serves burgers and cheeseburgers. Nothin’ else. If you are in the mood for a drive in the country, skip I-​25 and head down Santa Fe to quaint little Sedalia. The burgers are decent, nothing to write home about, but the prices will keep you coming back. Our bill for 1 burger, 1 cheese burger, 2 bags of chips, and 2 beers, was $ 16.00.
Seating is limited but that shouldn’t deter you from checking it out. We had 3 bikers sitting at our table with us.

Yes, I’m a believer.
I had heard all about this place for years and about how it was supposed to have this «amazing» burger but truth be told, up until the moment I tasted it I remained very skeptical. It’s a very grimey, divey old bar located just over the tracks off highway 85 in Sedalia. It’s very small so getting a table or a booth to sit after noon can be difficult with the local regulars hanging around. We stood at the door and settled for some open seats at the bar as soon as they became available.
I’m happy to say the infamous «Bud Burger» does indeed live up to the hype. It basically tasted just like a Krystal burger which I can only get when I go to Florida but it’s pretty much the exact same burger but on a much bigger bun and grilled with real fresh angus beef. Once I had immediately recognized the similarity in taste I pretty much inhaled the burger.
Even the ice tea tasted good. They clean their dispensers so it was fresh and quenched my thirst. My only complaint is that they don’t serve French Fries. Yeah I know, get over it, but «I’m the Potato One.» I love my starchy carbohydrate rich deep fried spuds. It’s encoded in my DNA. As it is, have to settle for a bag of plain Lays potato chips. The burger, at least, makes up for it. The prices are very reasonable too. Bring cash.
So this place is great for an afternoon nosh. I can’t wait to go back. I guess the moral of the story is, never judge a bar by its stool. No, not THAT kind of stool. ;)