What do goths, plant-based eaters, music lovers and night-owls have in common?
They’re all showing up to Badd Burgers — the Tower District’s newest late-night gothic burger spot, located within the popular bar and music venue Strummers.
Owned by Tommy Marquez and Ernie Rodriguez, Badd Burgers was born from their extensive background in the food industry and a desire to feed people well.
Badd Burgers, according to Marquez, is the world’s only restaurant with a fully-mirrored plant-based menu, meaning every burger has an identical vegan ‘twin’ made with Impossible plant-based beef.
“Everyone told me that it wouldn’t be possible to do this concept, but I’m like, I don’t know, man. We’re literally selling 50% of our food to vegans,” Marquez said.
Badd Burgers launched in Austin last year with the slogan: ‘fuel evil taste chaos.’
Marquez, a Fresno native who has been working in the food industry since he was 18 years old, said the first pop-up in Texas was so successful they completely sold out of food within two hours.
“I was like, oh man, I think I struck gold on this thing,” Marquez said.
After Badd Burger’s brief stint in Texas, Marquez decided he wanted to move the company home to Fresno.
Badd Burgers had their first pop-up in Fresno at Strummers this June, and it was successful. The eatery opened permanently in the bar’s kitchen in early July.
In the month Badd Burgers has been open, Marquez says the community response has been “great.”
“It’s been very positive,” Marquez said. “We’ve had the goth community support us because we’re a gothic brand. We’ve had the vegans and plant-based, you know, diet people like coming here. They’re our first customers of the day every day.”
Marquez grew up with close friends who were vegan and watched them have to settle for the sparse options on menus. When he was creating the concept for Badd Burgers, these memories stuck with him.
“I just want to feed everybody, I know how it feels to have a vegan friend that just eats like beans,” Marquez said.
All burger sauces and seasonings, like “Badd Blood” spicy ketchup and “The Worst” sweet and spicy seasoning are made in-house and are vegan-friendly.
The Baddy Patty, two seasoned burger patties with Havarti cheese, baby arugula, Badd Blood ketchup, The Gold pickled mustard, pickled red onions and an heirloom tomato slice is offered by Tommy Marquez at Badd Burgers, located in Strummers in the Tower District. Photographed Thursday, July 30, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
To Marquez, it is also important that the beef used at Badd Burgers is never frozen, and that separate equipment, gloves and workspaces are used to prepare the plant-based burgers to avoid cross-contamination.
“I just want to have good quality stuff, if I’m touching it and making it, it’s like a reputation for your brand. It’s reputation as a cook or chef,” Marquez said.
One of Badd Burger’s top sellers, the Heathen, boasts double beef patties, American and havarti cheese, Marquez’s special “Badd Sauce” and pickles.
Marquez’s favorite burger on the menu is inspired by the fictional “Krabby Patty” from the SpongeBob cartoons. The Baddy Patty has arugula, heirloom tomatoes, pickled mustard, and Badd Burger’s signature ketchup.
“When people ask me what’s your best. I’m like, they’re all the best. They’re all what’s your favorite? I was like that one,” Marquez said about The Baddy Patty burger.
Aside from being a chef, Marquez has been a musician since he was 14. He played his first show inside the bar when Stummers was still Starline.
“It’s really important for us to be here,” Marquez said.
As for what’s next for Badd Burgers?
Marquez plans to expand the brands reach by hosting pop-ups in cities including Los Angeles and Visalia, and eventually dreams of becoming a ghost kitchen across the state.
A ghost kitchen is typically a commercial kitchen that businesses can rent for the purpose of making food to then be delivered by food delivery services like Grubhub and UberEats.
But the ultimate plan?
To stay in Stummers permanently.
“I want this to be Badd Burgers HQ,” Marquez said.
Badd Burgers is open Tuesday to Saturday from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. inside Strummers at 833 E. Fern Ave.
Pickled mustard is added over an heirloom tomato slice as Tommy Marquez creates a new burge rorder at Badd Burgers, located in Strummers in the Tower District . Photographed Thursday, July 30, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com 
The vegan version of the Baddy Patty, offered by Tommy Marquez at Badd Burgers, located in Strummers in the Tower District Thursday. Photographed Thursday, July 30, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com 
Tommy Marquez adds pickled red onion to a burger at Badd Burgers, located in Strummers in the Tower District. Photographed Thursday, July 30, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
This story was originally published August 4, 2026 at 12:05 PM.
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Grace Gillio is an intern for The Fresno Bee. She graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, with a degree in journalism and English.