Stopped in on an early Saturday morning - no other customers were in there... two kind ladies were working. I ordered a cheeseburger and a coney dog. While it was breakfast time, it was suggested I go to try the burgers. The cheeseburger is like a slider, but a tad bigger on a typical round bun. Simple - smashed patty, onions, cheese, soft bun. It was tasty! I could have eaten 3 or 4. The coney was like a regular sized hot dog with chili and onions. The chili was not thick - fairly loose in fact. I thought it was okay, but the burger was the better of the two. It was very clean and the service was friendly. I'd return and try some breakfast items and more cheeseburgers!! read more

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True sliders Melt in mouth Slip out butt Awesome!!!!! . . . Eighty five characters... read more

I had to hit up another old school Detroit Slider Spot. Bates was delicious! I took a seat at the counter and ordered 2 cheeseburgers and a glass of water. The cheeseburgers here come with grilled onions, pickles on the side, meat and cheese. You can add your own ketchup/mustard. The burgers were incredible! Super soft bun, lots of onions, good beefy flavor! They didn't need any doctoring, honestly. I did add ketchup/mustard to my 2nd cheeseburger. If I didn't eat pizza before, I could have easily ate 5 of these burgers. The lady behind the counter was very friendly and I can see why they have been serving up awesome burgers since 1959! The burgers were bomb! read more

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Burgers are consistent flavor wise and a must try. I like mine with extra grilled onions. Coney's have been hit or miss bun wise. Sometimes they are soft and sometimes they've been hard like they either left the bag open or they were old. They have a $2.75 coney special on Wednesday's. The service can be stellar or it can feel really rushed. I stopped by today for a coney hoping the bun was palatable. The woman working was having a long conversation with people sitting inside and I waited a while before I was acknowledged at the carryout counter. I would have left if there was something else around open. Standard neighborhood coney vibes. You can avoid the lunch rush by ordering online. My order has always been accurate so I appreciate the attentiveness when it comes to packing orders at least. read more

Bates Burgers - 3% convenience fee for card. Rounding of coins. I'm sure you can ask them for the exact total and pay with pennies. - Burgers Near Me - Livonia, Michigan

I love Bates burgers, and I've been going to Bates since the late 60s. When I moved to the area. My friend and I like sitting in the window facing Farmington road and waving to the people who are looking at us. read more

The burgers here are great! They are actually a pretty decent size. I got 2 cheeseburgers and a side of fries and was full! I scarfed my food down too quickly so I forgot to take a picture! It's cute inside, there isn't a ton of seating but you can sit facing Farmington or 5 mile and watch the cars go by. They also do a ton of carry out, which has its own entrance. The AC was pumping in here which made it extra nice on a hot day. They took our order and had our food out real quick, plus they were so nice! read more

All new staff , well at least 4 out of 7, very transactional personalities but effective nonetheless. Here is a picture of my hamburger that I ordered with extra onions, I'd hate to see one that was made normal. When did the hamburger patties go from a silver dollar size to a dime size? read more

Bates Burgers - Burgers Near Me - Livonia, Michigan

Food came out super fast and thank god it did I was on my lunch break and needed to be in and out fast :) taste was perfect, onions caramelized and sweet, cheese was just enough, pop was fountain which is my fav. Service was super fast and ladies were nice. Nice ambiance along the road you can watch all the cars go by as you eat on the bar stools. read more

Bates Burgers - Cheeseburger Coke - Burgers Near Me - Livonia, Michigan

Local staple and a MUST VISIT. The burgers are Sooooooo delicious and fresh. They also have an online deal which includes 6 burgers for $12 and some change. Service is super fast, my order was ready within 15 minutes. It's a super cute little old shop, I had parked in the back and went through the pickup area but I did see they also have seating available to sit down and enjoy. Great place and definitely a place everyone should go and visit. read more

Outrageously expensive and shrink flation I wish they would've kept the integrity up of what their standards were with the quantity of protein beef on the burgers and not being cost, prohibitive. Even the doubles look like so minuscule I was shocked and actually pissed off and felt ripped off. I've been going there since high school so we're talking 50 years even when I moved away and came back to visit. I always visit Bates. read more

Chicago has Portillos. NYC has Juniors. Philly has Geno's or Jim's. And Livonia has Bate's. If you're near Detroit and want an authentic slider or Coney Dog with an old fashioned shake at an old fashioned bar stool, Go straight to Bate's and do not pass Go. You won't be disappointed. read more

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First time here after hearing about the hype surrounding Bates Burgers as an institution in Livonia. I ordered the fries and cheeseburger. Nothing stood out in terms of taste or quality. The fries aren't crispy. The burgers are small so if you're hungry you'll likely have to order more than one. I couldn't finish my one cheeseburger and fries because the taste wasn't worth the calories. I could hardly taste the cheese and the bun was hard. Service is mediocre and the wait can take a while. I prefer Telway for this type of small takeout burger joint. The price adds up - a guy who picked up his order when I was there paid over $92 for three dozen hamburgers. A typical guy could probably eat three of these small hamburgers before getting full. He could have spent around the same amount of money if he had bought and cooked wagyu hamburgers at home for his party. Bring cash. There is a 3% credit card fee. read more

Bates Burgers - Menu - Burgers Near Me - Livonia, Michigan

This Bates location is a classic white box burger, breakfast, chili and slider restaurant. Good food. Cramped parking. Good service. Cramped parking. read more

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Not sure why people love this place so much. I didn't think it was very good. Cool place for sure from an atmosphere perspective but burgers were not great and fries were just basic fries. I'll say it as "ok". read more

These are the burgers I can never get enough of! Best burgers around. Everything on it is a must! Chili cheese fries are good too, ask for extra cheese ! read more

Great food and service. Love their six pack of burgers, and their all beef coney. I want to come back and try and biscuits and gravy for breakfast. read more

Bates burgers, an old fashioned burger joint established in 1959! With the smell of fresh patties and onions, it's hard to turn away! The locals have been coming here since they were kids! The place is absolutely packed with a convenient pickup window, great for on the go! I decided to get their cheeseburger. Two smash burger patties in between a slice of cheese, loaded with onions! If you like a small staple restaurant, with big flavor and a hint of nostalgia, BATES is the place to go. read more

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These are always known to be the best burgers in town! My only complaint is when we spent 100 dollars + and then they were tight enough to not fill the fries to the top. read more

DO NOT GO HERE!!!!!! If I could give zero stars I would. This might be my first comment EVER. The location says open until 10pm, light was still on that says open. We arrived last night at 930pm to locked doors and staff cleaning the restaurant we tried both doors because maybe they just lock one door for safety at night. The staff proceeded to laugh at our attempts to open the door and made very unbelievable comments that I won't share here. We got frustrated and said we would be complaining. There was a lady who ended up coming outside to confront us to see what we had said and put all of us in a very dangerous situation. With the economy being so bad people should be more aware when people are trying to spend money with their establishments and also consider how dangerous it is to follow customers and taunt and harass them in the parking lot. The owners should be aware of who is running their business. read more

Bates Burgers - Clearly the sign says open. - Burgers Near Me - Livonia, Michigan

The old school vibe of this place really makes for a comfortable experience. Service was quick and nice. Our food was simple, good, and straightforward, which is exactly what you'd want out of this sort of place. Definitely coming back. read more

I returned on 06/09/2024 after a 10-year hiatus. It's still the same as I remembered. Fortunately, the food tastes better than it looks. I went on a Sunday after church and was able to get a stool at the counter. I ordered and paid for a double cheeseburger ($4.42), but it only had 1 patty and 1 slice of cheese inside. The Chili Fries w/Cheese ($3.29) were a HOT MESS, but tasty and fun to eat. The small Chocolate Shake ($3.10) was the highlight of the meal. RICH and FLAVORFUL. Ambiance is NOSTALGIC like the early days of White Castle. They have been going strong in Livonia for 60 years. They won't suffer or go out of business without my patronage. I am not in any hurry to return. read more

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Great tiny burgers at a great price!! Simple ingredients. Will have to come back again!

Any time I see a big white building like this I know the sliders are gonna be top notch. Bates doesn't do anything completely different from the rest, but I think the food here definitely looks better than some places that make their food a bit sloppy. I also really enjoy their chili cheese fries and hotdogs. It's just good ole' comfort food with fast and dependable service. read more

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Amazing! Drove by after a hockey game and thought the building looked cool - old school 50's hamburger stand. The burgers were great. Slider size burgers on small buns. I didn't get the onions but my daughter did and loved them. The girls working were very friendly and helpful walking us through what we should get. We will come back whenever we're in the area for games or visiting our friend who said he's been eating here for over 59 years. FYI: Get the 6 pack or at least doubles. read more

Love bates!! It's a classic. Their burgers are great and affordable. They've got a good system going. I understand they're a classic, but would love to have a few more options (like the ability to add lettuce, more shake flavors because they only have chocolate). Other than that, it's amazing. Good carryout option and fun to dine in, too. read more

This is the most disgusting place I have ever seen. Should rename the grease pit. I have eaten in this place once and will never ever do it again. The service was decent, but the food was nothing more than a grease pile on a bun. I can't believe anyone eats at this grease pit. read more

Bates burgers are very good . The 9 mile and Middlebelt are fast, service is good. It has seats at the counter and a restroom for customers. The Bates burger on 5 Mile and Farmington has limited seating and No Restroom. read more

Local place which is iconic!! Amazing burgers and shakes! Also try their chili cheese fries. Everything is made fresh and you can sit inside as well to each with limited seating. If you've never been stop in and support this local place! It use to be cash only but they now accept cards and also online ordering. We love it. read more

Bates Burgers - Burgers Near Me - Livonia, Michigan

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This place is excellent! I was there yesterday for the first time and it was amazing. The burgers are very tasty and moderately priced. I will definitely be back. read more

False advertisement: Only the Tuesday price for food is advertised. For example, Bates will only say after you order that the price in view is only Tuesday prices. Misleading advertisements. A honest menus will clarify that the actual price is only for Tuesday. read more

I've been eating their burgers for over 40 years and they are the absolute best. I have been to this one and the one on 10 mile. My favorite is the cheese burger with xtra onions and pickles. read more

I'm a fan of double cheeseburgers that cost $7 to $9 at most fast food places. $11 to $13 at sit down restaurants. Was pleasantly surprised when I got my double cheeseburger for $4.50 at the sit down counter. Came with grilled onions. There were a lot of regulars that stopped by both at takeout and sit down. Will definitely go back. read more

Without a doubt, a Livonia Classic here. I came here the other day for and was very happy with my sliders and fries. Bates has seating inside, but also great for takeout! It's right on the corner of Farmington and 5 mile, so easy access! Usually when I drive past this place I can smell the burgers and that is awesome! Highly recommend if you're in the area and want something quick and yummy! read more

Had an excellent old school diner experience here. Simple breakfast over easy eggs and sausage. The sausage was spicy and had a great taste. Coffee black perfect. Try it out for something different than the norm and of course you can't beat the price. Enjoy read more

It's like they say "Bates burgers are best!" Plus, since I moved away 9 years ago, they now accept credit cards and online orders! That's a win for everyone. read more

Was in the area, so decided to place an online order for pick up. Waited the 30 minutes suggested, before heading there to pick up my order. When I arrived, they had my receipt on file, but no where was my order. I had to wait an additional 15 minutes for them to cook and prep my order. I understand that it was busy, but please have some kind of system to take care of your online and phoned in orders. It defeats the idea of ordering ahead. I could of just walked in and ordered, instead of going through the trouble of ordering online. Will stick with Telway then, I guess. read more

I know you guys get super busy around the holiday season with people coming back into town to enjoy the traditional Bates burger, but you have to teach those two young boys how to cook the traditional burger, flatten out the meat so it's the size of the bun and stop putting RAW onions on the top of the meat and then putting the bun on top that's not how Bates was traditioned They're traditionally cooked onions not raw. Don't try to imitate Miller's bar that place is gone downhill. read more

Old school Detroit gut grenade hamburger joint. The burgers are exactly the same as 50 years ago. Crispy flat top grilled burger or cheeseburger with sliced grilled onions, pickles, mustard and ketchup. I prefer them minus ketchup. Crisp fries. You can dine in at the counter or carry out from the walk up window. I'm be never had a rude server or a bad meal here. read more

These are the best Bates cheeseburgers Old Fashion style! Old Fashion you say? Yep, a double cheeseburger on a single cheeseburger size bun instead of the bigger sesame size bun! Extra crispy fries with a chocolate shake for dipping. A MAZING! read more

Bates Burgers - The best Bates Burgers Old Fashion Style! Old Fashion you say? Yep, it's a double cheeseburger on the single cheeseburger size bun! - Burgers Near Me - Livonia, Michigan

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Pretty quick, but order ahead. Good hamburgers with the onions and cheap. Great hearty fries! Good biscuits and gravy. Good chocolate milkshake read more