Big Daddy’s Fire Grill: A Restaurant With a Split Personality

What do you call a restaurant that has amazing quality food, good prices, a great place to watch sports, a fast food restaurant but at the same time a gourmet sit down restaurant?  You might think it’s a restaurant with a split personality, but folks in Pasadena just call it Big Daddy’s Fire Grill.

“We’re all of that and more,” says Manager Stephanie Constanzo. “People thought we were crazy to open next to In-N-Out Burger, but we are doing very well.”

Now, less than a year old, Big Daddy’s ownership is set to open a second, larger restaurant. This one is directly opposite Huntington Memorial Hospital in the very busy Orangewood Shopping Center.

In December 2011, the original Big Daddy’s opened on Foothill Blvd. and Craig Avenue, directly next door to hamburger heavyweight In-N-Out.

“The first thing that distinguishes us from other restaurants is that we grill all of our meats on an Oak Fire grill,” Constanzo explains. “We use 100 percent oak; no propane, no charcoal. It gives all of our burgers and grilled meats a real smoky flavor that creates this amazing aroma with a taste to match.  Especially after marinating everything overnight, to top it off by grilling that marinated meat on that flame just makes everything so delicious.”

So how did this idea of a new hamburger restaurant get started? What possessed Big Daddy to venture into the restaurant business?

“My Father Dennis used to BBQ these same Daddy Burgers in our backyard.  When I was young I would call them ‘Daddy Burgers’ and our friends and family always told Dennis that he should open a restaurant and share this burger with the rest of the world.  He partnered up with Amer Hanna and Abdo Hanna, and together they created this restaurant that has been a success because they all put their hearts and heads together and I think it’s been an amazing combination.”

“The thing we keep hearing from people is that Big Daddy’s is the best burger they’ve ever had,” she continues. “They’ve never experienced such full flavor from a fast food restaurant before. They get a bold rich flavor from our burgers. People are used to regular, plain hamburger patties.  But we put excitement in our angus beef.”

Big Daddy’s Fire Grill is located at 2122 E. Foothill Blvd. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10:30 a.m. to 12 midnight Friday and Saturday. Visit their website to view their menu at www.bigdaddysfire.com