Buddy's Burger — Restaurant in Austin

TL/DR - Can I put this at the beginning of a review? Whatever. Get the Double Spicy w Cheese, seasoned fries and a mango lemonade. This is the way.

“What in the world is a Buddy’s Burger and what’s so great about it?” I asked my fellow foodie who wouldn’t shut up about this place. Understanding that no words were going to convince me, he stops, but the words linger on my mind for months. So I slap Buddy’s on my list of restaurants to try on my lil weekend foodcationing in Austin.

I love the menu - small and simple. Easy to make a decision. All burgs made with never frozen 100% angus. I got the whole she-bang: Double Spicy with Cheese (two patties, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato’s, jalapeños, Buddy’s Spicy Smack Sauce), seasoned fries, 24 oz mango lemonade (made with fresh squeezed lemons) and 16 oz Mexican vanilla milkshake.

Mr. Fellow Foodie did not lie. God, this burger was a gift from Him himself. It was exquisite. Heaps of jalapeños that were actually spicy stuffed between juicy, fresh patties. Reminded me of Freddy’s Steakburgers but way, way, WAY better. The fries were delicious, whatever seasoning they got on them is incredible. The lemonade was a sugar bomb, but like, I’m not about feeling guilty over some extra glucose when I’m inhaling a double patty. The mango flavor was so good! On top of that, the milkshake was awesome - thick, creamy and rich. Needless to say, I was absolutely stuffed after eating enough for two (tiny tummy) and I’m a stickler over overeating, but everything was just too. damn. good. to stop.

This is definitely one of the best drive thru burger joints I’ve ever visited, and I’ve eaten lots of burgers from lots of places. Like, A LOT. Buddy’s is one of my top 5’s, and I doubt that’ll be changing anytime soon.

*Excuse the horrendous pics. It’s rather hard to take decent shots at night in a car when...

In 2025, we all face a myriad of choices each day that seem to be increasingly complicated.  Which of the 170 channels am  I going to watch on television?  Which of the 42 Amazon search results do I pick for the charging cord I need for my cell phone?  What am I going to have for dinner off this six-page menu at my local restaurant.

At Buddy's Burgers, they feel your angst, and they have created a menu where you have very little you have to decide when ordering a meal.  They have burgers and fries on the menu. That's it. Do you want a single or double? Do you want it spicy or not? Do you want to make it a meal with fries and a drink?  Do you want seasoning on your fries or not?

My advice as your food consigliere is: go with the double, make it a meal and get seasoning on the fries.  You gotta decide for youraelf if you make it spicy or not.

Buddy's has lemonade fresh-sqeezed, in-store in three flavors - regular, mango and strawberry.  They are all excellent. Try one. You're welcome.

They also have milkshakes, which are a perfect walk-away treat to beat the Texas heat (Mezican vanilla, chocolate, coffee and Oreo).

Their double burgers are really the perfect size for a meal.  You can get a good grip on them and they're not sloppy.  The paddies are fresh beef, never frozen and smashed perfectly. They come with American cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and Buddy's Smack Sauce.

They are also priced to move.  Cheeseburgers are $3.89 (Meal $7.97) Doubles are $5.39 (Meal $9.47).

They do have five bees on tap as well as soda and iced tea, if the lemonade is not your thing. If the double is not enough beef, add a third paddy for an extra $1.50.

Good tasting burgers, good service, and overall good experience. It's just...

After a long day at work, I wanted to treat myself to Buddy Burger — a place I’ve enjoyed a handful of times. I placed an online order at 8:56 PM for two OG burgers (meat, lettuce, extra onion) and two seasoned fries. I usually check my order before leaving, but I was tired and ready to go home.

When I got home “9:10pm”I realized the order was wrong. I called and spoke with the manager, Charlie, who was polite but kept suggesting I come back the next day, even though I had just left. I went back, and the young man at the window was kind and apologetic. Unfortunately, when I checked my order again, it was still wrong.

The second time, a short female employee took my order with an attitude, as if I was the one who messed it up. She repeated my order back to me, but it still came out wrong. By now, it was 10:17 PM and they close at 11. I didn’t want to be “that customer,” but I had to speak up.

On the third attempt, the same employee asked for the burgers from my second bag back — after I had already touched them — which made me uncomfortable. I could tell they simply scraped off the wrong toppings instead of making fresh burgers. At that point, I’d lost my appetite.

The way the economy is, people can’t afford to throw money away on food they didn’t order. I won’t be returning to Buddy Burger, and next time, I’ll ask for a refund instead of...