Bates Burgers Keeps Livonia’s Counter-Service Tradition Cooking

A small burger wrapped in plain white paper can make a surprisingly satisfying meal when it comes hot off the griddle with a heap of caramelized onions. At Bates Burgers in Livonia, that is the basic proposition: small, juicy burgers, fast counter service and the sensible option of ordering more than one.

Bates has been serving the area since 1959, and its compact 1950s-style building still looks like a proper burger stop rather than a restaurant trying to imitate one. The stainless steel, vinyl touches and close-set counter stools give the room its own rhythm. You order, find a spot if one is open, and watch the little place keep moving.

It is a longtime local habit for plenty of families, including people who have returned over decades and introduced a new generation to the same small burgers. For a traveler passing through, the modest building can also be an appealing roadside interruption: a quick meal with much more character than a generic drive-through.

The signature order is a small cheeseburger or onion burger, and doubles are available when one patty will not do. Their size is part of the fun. A single burger is easy to handle in theory, but the generous caramelized onions and juices can make it a happily messy little package.

Bates burgers are made fresh to order, and customers can request toppings and dressings to suit their preferences. A fully dressed version may include mustard, pickles and those onions, which are not treated as a minor garnish. They bring sweetness, softness and plenty of griddle-cooked flavor to the bite.

A double cheeseburger is the more substantial choice, sometimes appearing on a larger sesame-seed bun while a single comes on a plain bun. That small variation fits the place well: this is straightforward food, but not food assembled by rote in identical wrappers.

The menu’s modest portions and low-key format make multiples feel natural. Two or three burgers with fries is a more interesting order than trying to turn one oversized sandwich into the whole event. It also makes sharing or sampling around the counter pleasantly uncomplicated.

Crinkle-cut fries belong here. Their ridged, old-fashioned look suits a counter meal built around paper-wrapped burgers, and they give the order a little extra crunch without stealing attention from the griddle.

Coney dogs are another regular choice, especially for someone who wants to stray from burgers without departing from classic diner territory. Bates also lists hot dogs, chiliburgers, homemade chili, chili fries and chili cheese fries, so a burger-and-chili combination is entirely possible.

The chocolate milkshake is a particularly fitting companion to the salty, onion-heavy side of the menu. It is thick, creamy and boldly chocolate-forward rather than a thin afterthought. A couple of burgers, fries and a chocolate shake is a very respectable way to spend a casual lunch.

There are chicken sandwiches and soup as well, plus breakfast offerings and a breakfast special. That range gives the little counter more utility than its burger-first reputation might suggest, while keeping the menu rooted in familiar American short-order food.

Inside, seating is primarily counter stools rather than a collection of conventional tables. The stainless-steel bar and service-window seating keep diners close to the action, which is exactly where an old-school burger counter ought to put them.

The space is compact, so it works most comfortably for one person, a pair or another small group. Large parties will find the setup less accommodating, but the limited seating also helps preserve the informal, come-and-go quality of the place.

Look around the counter and the small rituals become noticeable. Mustard and ketchup are on hand, along with a bottle containing a premixed combination of the two. It is a tiny, wonderfully unfussy detail, the sort of thing that would seem odd in a polished modern burger restaurant and entirely right here.

Bates is quick, but not in the sense of food sitting around waiting for a customer. Orders are commonly prepared and served promptly after they are placed, with staff keeping the process welcoming and efficient.

Customers can order inside, use the walk-up window or call ahead for takeout. For carryout, the burgers may be tucked into white paper and placed in a paper bag, giving the meal the classic portable format it deserves. Take it home, pull out the fries, unwrap a burger, and dinner is handled.

A called-in order may be announced by name when it is ready, allowing customers to wait nearby rather than crowd the counter. The walk-up and takeout options are especially useful when the small interior is full.

Lunch and some dinner periods can be busy, so the window may not always be immediate. The restaurant also has a relatively small free parking lot, and a space can take a little looking during a crowded stretch.

Bates does not need a complicated concept. Its appeal rests in hot burgers from the griddle, caramelized onions that are allowed to be generous, a Coney dog when the mood calls for one, and a counter that still looks at home in the middle of the last century.

Cards are accepted, though tipping has at times been handled in cash. Beyond that, the routine is refreshingly simple: place an order, claim a stool if one is available, or carry a bag of burgers out to the car.