Big Daddy’s Is Finally Open–UPDATED
Frank Scibelli's new joint Big Daddy's Burger Bar (not to be confused with Stefan Latorre's Daddy's American Grill uptown) is finally open in Dilworth. Scibelli had hoped to have it open last fall, but you know how that goes. It's the first in what looks like a miniwave of gourmet burger joints (The Counter in The Village at SouthPark, and we've heard rumors of one or two more places on the drawing boards).
At Big Daddy's, you can build about any kind of burger you can imagine, and pair it with one of 49 beers (and one root beer) on tap. It opened two weeks ago and has been slammed ever since–par for the course for any Scibelli restaurant (his others are Mama Ricotta's and Cantina 1511). We've noticed a broad mix of customers, including a lot of families in the early evening hours–probably in search of an affordable Dilworth dining option.
UPDATE, Sun Jan 13–Went to Big Daddy's last night. They do have 49 beers, but they aren't all on tap. Actually, they don't have 49 beers, because the first three I asked for, they didn't have. But the place has only been open three weeks, so that can be excused. And, man, the place was packed. We got there around 6:15, hoping to slide in to a table without a wait. No dice. We had a thirty-minute wait while all the families cleared out. But by the time we were seated, the wait had to have been twice that. It's a small place, with only three two-tops. It has a vaguely industrial feel inside, with the main decor being old metal advertising signs and large TVs.Â
But enough about the logistics. What about the burgers? Outstanding. Seriously. They grind their own top-notch beef (not sure if it's Prime or Kobe or whatever), so you can get a burger cooked to your liking. And at six ounces, they're not too big, although you can go up to twelve if you so desire. For toppings, I went with Cabot white cheddar and chipotle ranch. Lettuce, tomato, and onion come on the side, and you get a container of Big Daddy's sauce (a blend of chipotle mayo and barbecue sauce) for fry-dipping. This was a good burger, and I'll be back. Probably for lunch, although I've seen folks waiting outside at the noontime hour as well.
