Willie’s Famous Burgers & Fries

Have you really visited Dalton if you haven’t visited Willie’s?

Willie’s is a small burger shack that packs a big punch in the heart of downtown Dalton. Willie and Martha Pagan opened shop in 2007, originally serving BBQ and hotdogs. Their menu has grown to include items like the Vegas Joyride, the Black Widow, and the Batman & Robin. The list is long and creative.

Portion sizes are large and greasy, that’s a feature, not a flaw. Eating at Willie’s is meant to be an experience, one you enjoy occasionally as a treat. Though there are loyal customers that don’t care how much they are clogging their arteries, Willie’s is their go-to spot.

If you are vegan or vegetarian, you aren’t going to find any plant-based burgers here. Mostly because Willie respects you and doesn’t have an extra grill to cook your burgers on. As a vegetarian, I have no problem eating at Willie’s, I simply order whatever looks good and ask them to leave the meat off. They are always happy to oblige.

There can be some sticker shock when folks see the prices at Willie’s. I’ve talked to a few of the staff and learned that not only is the food brought in fresh daily, but Willie’s is a restaurant that actually pays its employees a living wage. The staff are like family. If I knew nothing else about this place, I would find a reason to eat there because of that.

Never fear, high grease or prices aren’t keeping customers away. You can drive by and see lines of cars all the way in the road with cashiers walking to the cars to take their orders. They were voted best burger for a reason. You should drop in and see for yourself.

Happy eating, y’all.

The Buckin’ Burrito

If you live in Dalton, GA and don’t know about the Buckin’ Burrito, what rock have you been hiding under?

Most people I know describe the Buckin’ Burrito as Subway for burritos. They even have a newspaper article framed and hanging on the wall near the restrooms that calls it that.

When you enter the Southwestern style restaurant, you wind your way through the rope and barrels to your burrito builder extraordinaire. You pick your wrap and then start layering everything you want onto the monster burrito. (try to count how many times I use the word burrito in this blog) Beware, those aren’t green bell peppers, they are diced jalapeños and they are buckin’ delicious! I couldn’t help myself.

When you get to the register, don’t forget to grab a cookie. It will come in handy if you accidently got the jalapeños and don’t care for the heat. The salsa station is right next door to the drink station, for your personal salsa tastes. I like that better than everyone having to share the same salsa. People in our family range from mild to hell said it was too hot.

Don’t forget to appreciate the beautiful Southwestern style mural running the entire length of the dining room wall. The only identifying marks I could find on it were SMS ’13. The artist deserves serious credit.

I would advise, unless you just love being in a crowd, you are going to want to visit in the off peak hours. Or have it delivered. According to their signage, they use Doordash and GrubHub. Don’t forget to tip your driver because they are going to have to walk from a distant parking place during peak times and wait for the staff to get time to bring your food out to them.

The food is fresh and tastes great. The environment is casual, with a blend of rodeo and industrial. The music, chef’s kiss, perfect. I could hang out just to listen to the music.

They aren’t a 5 star restaurant and they aren’t trying to be. Buckin’ Burrito is a chill burrito joint that caters to folks that want something other than the typical fast-food fare on their lunch break. Enjoy it for what it is.

Oki Hibachi +

We have visited Oki Hibachi + a few times now, and they have met or exceeded our expectations every time.

Oki Hibachi + is not the kind of hibachi restaurant you sit around and watch a show. All of the cooking takes place inside the kitchen and is delivered to your table. You place your order at the front counter when you enter the establishment.

Teriyaki Chicken

The building in small but not overly crowded. You get your own drinks from a soda fountain in the dining area. At the end of your meal, you return your dinnerware to a window near the kitchen to be washed.

The food is tasty, quick, and customizable. I am a vegetarian, my spouse is not. Everything on their menu can be made vegetarian friendly and is absolutely delicious.

Sweet and Sour Tofu with a side of Mushrooms

We have only ever dined-in, each time we were there, someone came by our table to make sure everything was going well. If you are in the mood for a bit of Asian and would like something between fast food and fine dining, this is the spot for you.

They currently have dine-in, take-out, or delivery via Doordash.