‘Bad boys can still come here,’ but longtime Boise restaurant changes name. What’s up?

If you’ve lived in Boise for a decade or two, you’re familiar with the local Bad Boy Burgers brand.

Founded in 1996, it unashamedly pumps out fast food at 815 S. Vista Ave. (the OG location) and at 6875 S. Federal Way. For many years, there’s also been one at 7000 W. Fairview Ave.

But not anymore. The longtime Bad Boy Burgers restaurant on Fairview has changed into — Cowboy Burger?

Don’t sweat it too much, Idaho.

“Bad boys can still come here,” a dude standing next to the counter told me. (Come to think of it, that cool customer reminded me a little of The Dude.)

The menu mostly is unchanged. Even the misspelled “Hawaiin Swiss Burger” combo is still there. Besides an arsenal of hamburgers, there also are breakfast plates, omelets, burritos (including a “roast beef” burrito?), chicken sandwiches, finger steaks, shakes and lots more ... calories.

One obvious difference? There is no Bad Boy Burger. “Cow” has been conspicuously pasted over “Bad” on the former “Bad Boy Burger” listed on the menu above the counter. This magically transforms it into the namesake Cowboy Burger, which costs around $10.

So why did this Bad Boy Burgers location rename itself to become essentially the same place after all these years?

Was there a change in ownership?

Hold your horses! That outrageous question caused a man in charge — who had been friendly moments before — to become visibly annoyed. Being a bad-boy reporter, I had cowboyed up and asked twice after he didn’t tell me the first time. (No luck the second try, either. He refused to share “details.”)

Happy trails, Cowboy Burger. My roughly 60-second investigation abruptly concluded, I picked up my notepad and rode off into the sunset.

This story was originally published July 26, 2023 at 4:00 AM.