Very Late Nights at Bandana Burger

By Vanessa Lantos Daly (Spicy Melon)

Oct. 13, 2025 – It’s 3:17 a.m. in Savannah. The streets are foggy, hazy, and half-asleep, and I’m wide awake, trying to cash in a night of insomnia with some writing. Sometimes I get hungry.

Options are limited. Fancy Parker’s again? Maybe… Remember when the Kroger on Victory Drive used to be open 24 hours? I’d go get a pack of Oreos, a banana, some blueberries, and chocolate milk. In my 20s, drunk with fatigue and trying to finish an architectural model without cutting my fingertips off.

But proper made-to-order food in a friendly sit-down restaurant? I remember when the Denny’s on Abercorn Street was open 24 hours. Chocolate milkshakes and breakfast food at 2:47 a.m. I even remember when Walmart was open all night.

Nothing is endless anymore — not the grocery store hours, not the diners, not even the fluorescent and creepy Walmart glow after 4 a.m.

But Savannah still has one late-night gem for the restless and the hungry. There’s a colorful place quietly nestled in Habersham Village while every other business around it sleeps. Bandana Burger stays awake, smiling through the small hours. “Up to the very last minute of opening,” they happily claim.

They’re open until 3 a.m. Monday through Wednesday, and if that’s not late enough, they stay open until 5 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

I met with a very friendly William Laflower, the owner, to explore what motivated them to stay open so late when nobody else does.

“If you come in at 4:59 a.m., we will happily make you a meal.”

Honestly, I would never dream of being the jerk who walks into a restaurant five minutes before closing. Even worse, a minute before closing. I mean, come on. While you’re uttering the words “Are you still serving food?” the clock already says otherwise. But here, they welcome you without judging.

William Laflower. Photo credit Somi Benson

Every other restaurant in the city might serve you with a smile full of venom if you do that. During this past summer, I even explored working for a few places that would close a full 30 minutes before their posted hours if no one was dining.

While I sat at Bandana Burger, William’s brother, Daniel Hoffman, greeted me. He flashed a smile and asked if I needed anything. It was all very friendly… and most of all, extremely colorful.

Hundreds of bandanas adorn the walls. The place smells like amazing burgers and crispy fries; it smells like comfort food, tingling my cravings. It buzzes with playful energy — cozy yet electric. I grab a Where’s Waldo? book and find some Waldos while I wait for William.

Who would love Bandana Burger? I know many do already, but I feel many more could, perhaps because of the little details that make it special: From their long hours to the diversity of their offerings to the family-friendly touches that fill the space.

“Sometimes, the menu looks a bit intimidating to people,” William shares. “We put up what we thought would be the best combinations for the most creative and tasty options.”

There are 14 burgers on the menu, five different types of fries, and tons of sauces. “Most popular sauces include the honey garlic lemon pepper and the buffalo sauce. ‘Honey Must-have’ is a play on words for our amazing honey mustard. We make all the sauces here in the back of the restaurant. We have our own seasoning blends too.”

He continues, “The whole concept and our slogan is ‘Good in every hood,’ which means that we cater to everybody — carnivores, omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. We want everyone to have an option when they come here. In addition, all our burgers can be gluten-free and can also be substituted with a veggie or vegan patty.”

Already intrigued, as someone who did a sober, vegan, and gluten-free three months at the beginning of the year, I listened on.

“We have black bean burgers, Beyond Burgers, Impossible Burgers, and even vegetarian chicken sandwiches, so we cater to as many different taste preferences as we can. We even carry Coke and Pepsi products.” This fully took me aback. Is that even legal? “We told both companies, ‘We will not carry either of your products unless you let us carry both.’”

Chatting with William made me realize the thoughtful process behind their concept.

“About nine years ago I became a vegan. It’s difficult being a vegan in this city, especially if you love eating out. I wanted to cater to the vegan community.”

William is also part owner of the West Broad Bandshell, which has many amazing vegan options too.

“We focus on quality. Fast food doesn’t have to be bad quality. We try to keep our ticket times under 15 minutes.”

I asked about the bandanas. “My grandpa and my dad used to take me to Yankee games when I was a kid in New York City. They would get me the ice cream sundae inside the little plastic caps. It’s a nostalgia element. I was thinking of a way to combine something edible and wearable. The paisleys in our bandanas represent growth. We’ve been growing and evolving since we opened.”

The idea came in 2021. Their first pop-up happened at The Portal downtown in 2023. They also had pop-ups at The Wormhole Bar, where many met William and he began building his following.

As I listened to William tell his story, a lovely little lady strolled along. He motioned to her and introduced me to his grandma, Rosemary.

“My grandma lived about 60 years in Little Italy in the Bronx. When we moved her down here, she came into the kitchen with me and made our marinara. This is the recipe for the marinara that goes with the mozzarella sticks and goes on ‘The Stoner’ burger. It’s a recipe I created with my grandma.”

There are so many thoughtful details intertwined in this place. William’s brother works preparing the food, and his wife, A’Nia — glowing when I met her, about to have their gorgeous baby — is also part of the story. Actively involved, super intelligent but humble about it, and with such lovely energy. I feel like she grounds William, and he’s at the same time energized by her.

Let’s talk about the food and the experience: Those burgers are fire. It’s the closest thing to a high-quality adult happy meal you can get. Each burger comes with chips and a Fruit Roll-Up. You can also add fries for $2 — curly fries, crinkle fries, smiley fries, your pick.

The reason they have five types of fries? William used to manage a Five Guys, he says, laughing. So they’re putting “5 Fries” on the menu. Everything is so lighthearted and playful… I can’t help but feel smitten.

Smiley fries? When have I ever seen smiley-shaped fries on a menu? Never. Sounds like the perfect thing when you’re having a bad day.

The space is colorful and decorated with artwork inspired by characters from other fast-food joints like Ronald McDonald, Wendy’s, and the Hamburglar. Where’s Waldo? books, I Spy books, and Connect 4 games adorn the tables.

William has taken the time to foster local connections with other businesses and believes in promoting and uplifting them. His food photography and brand shots are the work of Somi Benson, owner of Shots by Somi Studios. His signage with multi-font lettering was made by Upcycle Savannah. A local muralist, Sky Benson, painted the sign under their awning.

In addition, they partner with Habitat for Humanity and donate meals to volunteers when they build houses locally. They’re big on getting involved with the community.

“Bandana Burger is an alcohol- and drug-free environment,” William shares. This has cost him some business, with many saying they wish they could order beers with their burgers, but he cheerfully directs customers next door to Colleagues and Lovers to enjoy a drink after their meal.

In return, when Colleagues and Lovers is no longer serving food and you’re tipsy and hungry, this is the perfect spot for some quality bites.

If you’re feeling cozy at home late at night, they’re on Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Savannah Takeout. Sometimes, at those hours, options are very limited. But this one is one of the great ones.

“Savannah has been so amazing to us, and we want to do the same for them. We understand that there aren’t a lot of options open all day and night.”

Find me here having some smiley fries and a Pepsi at 3:51 a.m., writing my next article — still chasing stories under Savannah’s sleepy neon lights.

Love always,

Vanessa

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