ottawa foodies

Am i alone in finding the new jalapeno cheese stuffed burger at Burger King to be surprisingly good?

My 15 year old son knows burgers and he says it beats 5 Guys.

It's a quality patty. You can taste it. No fillers.

Okay, them's some good goddamn burgers. They smell like a burger. They taste like a burger. They get all over your beard like a burger.

Smashing success. My favourite burgers. I hate to say it, but the double-cheese, bacon and double patty World Burger might be a bit too much. Still, fantastic eats.

We tried the food here on Saturday night. The burgers are quite good. My wife had a plain hamburger and I had The Montreal (pictured here) with ham-like smoke meat, Swiss cheese, an onion ring, grainy mustard, and horseradish mayo. Yum! This is just an unpretentious burger with a soft bun and an unseasoned patty--some will love that and others will not. It's really all about the cool toppings.

Ketchup, mustard, and vinegar are available to take to your table.

My kids also enjoyed their jumbo hot dogs!

I'll be honest - I wasn't expecting a lot from World Burger, but came out pleasantly surprised.

The burgers are very similar to Five Guys, but with larger, thicker, less greasy patties. The menu offers a variety of atypical topping choices themed from different cities around the world. For instance, the "Ottawa" has maple mayo, sautéed onions and mushrooms, candied bacon and cheddar cheese.

I opted for a standard bacon cheeseburger, while my girlfriend had the "Sydney" (Onion ring, bacon, egg and Swiss cheese). We shared a standard sized Texas Poutine (poutine with ground beef) as well. The bill came to a very reasonable $22.

The fries were nice and crispy - not burnt or underdone, and the gravy was nice and beefy. A very competent poutine with thicker cut fries to hold up to sitting in gravy.

In the end, I consider World Burger a superior take on the Five Guys burger. It's a nice, "high end" fastfood style burger and I'd rank it as one of the better burger joints in Ottawa that I've tried.

The next time I'm craving a burger in the Nepean area and can't make it out to Hintonburger, I'm hitting up World Burger.

Edit: Their menu is here: yourworldburger.com/

This place definitely gets my vote for best “non-gourmet, fast food-ish” burger (although I am waiting for Baja Burger Shack to re-open for the season so I can try that).

In comparison to other places around town, the burger does not fall apart like the one at Five Guys and is more flavourful than anything available at The Works or Hintonburger. The basket of fries is enormous (more than enough for 2 people) and are not as salty as Five Guys. I wish they would open another location closer to the centre of the city (on second thought maybe that’s not a good idea!)

Our Saturday lunch was great today. Had a Vera burger with cheese and bacon,sauteed onions,tomato,hot peppers,pickels,mustard,ketsup and mayo. Have to say in the top three Ottawa burgers. Would have to side by side Baja and Quinn's to make the decision. Definatly not for the megar appetite. Do not know what I was thinking last visit ordering a double but at least it is offered. Juicy burger today grilled just seconds past medium with a a ever so slight pink inside. Not overly seasoned and most of the toppings came through perfectly especially the pickels. One gripe was the bacon could have been a bit more predominant. Seating was a premium today full up by noon.

just love the taste and texture of these burgers...just don't order a large fry - you'll need a family of 4 to finish them off.

monty nailed it with "it's just a simple, honest burger that's done right."

Our patties were very lightly seasoned so there wasn't much flavour other than the ground beef. This is a burger for true backyard burger lovers (which I admit I am not). They are flame-grilled, which makes for a somewhat burnt gas-BBQ kind of flavour. (I got a crunchy piece of carcinogenic grit in one bite.) The toppings are good, and it's nice to be able to choose them by ticking off boxes on a checklist! The pickle is kosher-style brined, which may be unexpected. I'll skip it next time.

However, the patties are wonderfully moist inside. The Works could learn a thing or two from Vera's Burger Shack!

agreed this is easily one of the best burgers in the city. the bun and toppings are simple, nothing fancy. it's the PATTY that really stands out here. they're grilled to order and incredibly flavourful and juicy.

really it's just a simple, honest, burger that's done right.

recommended!

Dammit RiceLover... now my nice healthy salad lunch is going to taste like sadness.

I want that burger.
I want it.
IN MY FACE.
NOW.
RTF NOW.

Pulled pork on top of a medium rare beef pattie filled with and oozing of St-Albert cheese curds, need I say more? Definitely, one great, juicy burger made with love and all fresh ingredients and St-Albert cheese curds. (Really good value compared to other miniature burgers I have recently had on Wellington St west... )

"I'm not sure why there's all kinds of hype over this burger."

@AD_2: Because for many it's the best burger in the city?

Had my first Art-is-In burger of the season last weekend but alas, no pink for me!

However I did get 200 grams of bodacious burger goodness, cooked medium rare with a customized "we're back from our Mexican holiday" treatment of guacamole, black beans and in-house green salsa made from tomatillos.

Is it obvious how much I like Art-is-In? To quote the diner next to me, "You pay at least twice as much to eat elsewhere and rarely get half the quality."

Agreed, I'd love it pink. But I'm sure they'd accommodate AD_2 if he asked for it to be cooked more.

Kevin grinds his own from striploins youu could probably eat it raw without any problems. Mmmmmmm pink!

I could only dream of the burger I had there having some pink in the middle...

Had the burger today. It was fine, but if this is what everyone is raving about - wow. It was an average burger. The meat tasted fine, although in places it was un(der)cooked and still pink. The cheese was fine, but nothing special. The pickles were good. The tomatoes were fine. The bacon was delicious, but hey, it's bacon. The mustard was bland. The aioli was fine. The bun was very good. No clue why there was a big dollop of guacamole on the plate. Slaw was good. Put it all together and it was decent, but not great (and not terrible either).

The bun shouldn't be the best thing about the burger.

I'm not sure why there's all kinds of hype over this burger. It's an average restaurant burger. The fact that it's cooked at a hyped bakery on a hyped piece of equipment might play into the hype around the burger, or not. I don't know. I do know I can do much much better at home. Too bad though, I really wanted to like it. And for $13.95 it should have been more pleasing.

The berliners are still amazing though.

And the winner is Art-Is-In for best burger in Ottawa. Hands down Kevin has the best burger leaves all other in the dust none even come close to this creation. I was the first today to order a burger the egg was just to temp and you could smell the char coal goodness in the air. The burger melted in your mouth it had such a great texture. It is so great to leave it up to the chef what was to go on it. Cheese bacon mayo lettuce pickles yummm. Kevin came over to say he put his heart and soul into that burger and it showed. We chatted about his technique and the type of beef he grinds in house simply a man on a mission. Well mission accomplished! On our way out I had to go for a close up look at the meat and he was pleased to show me. Wow a nice patty with an ample amount of fat to be rendered down into huge flavor. A burger for the purist no need to mix anything into this just quality meat.

OMG!!! it really IS the best burger EVER. I wish I had taken a photo but I started eating and couldn't stop. From what I know they use the big green egg ..the flavour of the hamburg meat is unreal., followed by maple glazed bacon, cheddar cheese, arugula , seedy mustard, garlic aioli on a cheese bun. at almost $10.00 a pop, you will not be disappointed. Every meal should be this amazing.

This smoked burger is hands down the best burger out there!!!!! THAT IS ALL!!!!

I went there last night and the food was really good. Service was excellent and they will be adding more burgers to the menu. I had onion rings and the blue cheese number. Fab.

Sold on the “Genuine" burger served here (had it the last 2 visits!) – the combination of beef, Grey Owl cheese, bacon and house-made ketchup is fantastic.

It is served with roasted fingerling potatoes and a salad. For $16 this is a great well rounded, filling lunch.

I had my first Hintonburger experience today. I ordered the Armstrong with cheese. It is the 4oz patty. I asked for all the dressings which was tomato, lettuce, onions, hot peppers, mayo, ketchup and mustard. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The patty was juicy and nicely grilled on the outside. The bun was the right size: not too thick, not too thin. Yes, one of the best burgers in town!

The fries were ok. I am not sure about the outside texture. It seems coated with something although I can't tell what. I prefer the Five Guys fries.

I will definitely be back for the burger. I can't believe it took me this long to have one!!!

I've started second guessing my love of Hintonburger, since the last 2 times I've been, the burgers haven't been must-eat-this-immediately, don't-care-if-I-look-like-cookie-monster delicious. They were decently-good, but the fries were definitely mediocre.

Captain Caper's post makes me want to go a few more times to confirm/deny my suspicions, but I've definitely caught myself wanting to venture to Beech St Burger instead, after my first delightful visit.

I guess this is a post that is: to be continued...

THE Hintonburger is still king (in my hood).

(I sometimes think the bun should be up-graded from the foamy one they use .... but when I'm woofing the burger down, that thought quickly disappears.)

Onion rings are the classic chip wagon style.

Nice to mix sriracha hot sauce with ketchup to dip the rings in.

Visited for the second time today and, contrary to my first time, had the scorched, overcooked experience that others have mentioned. :-(

This burger was just plain bad. Some parts were so blackened that the bitterness made me wince and make spitting noises. Unbelievable, considering how amazingly good the other one I had there was! It was my wife's first visit and she was not at all impressed. (quote: "A Big Mac is better than this -- at least it's consistent and the flavours are balanced." -- they had also put way more mustard than ketchup in hers.)

Until they figure out their quality control problems I have no reason to return.

This time the salt wasn't in a parmesan shaker, so there's evidence that they do make improvements! :-)

Oh My!! I finally tried one of these and I really think it might be the best burger in Ottawa. Loaded with bacon and a nicely seasoned medium-cooked patty, this is a masterpiece.

Lots of toppings to choose from -- including pickled turnips. Major win there! See the pretty pink pickle peeking from my under my patty? As any shawarma aficionado will tell you, pickled turnips go very well with seasoned beef.

I think the best way to describe it is using what I consider to be the second and third best burgers in town right now. It is like a cross between Vera's Burger Shack's backyard style burger with Baja Burger Shack's wonderfully seasoned and tender patty.

went today to see what all the talk was about.....just ordered the burger so can't comment on the fries.....

took the burger home and opened it up....surprised at two patties, didn't realize when i ordered it....i liked the bun, and the mushrooms and onions however the patties i didn't care for....i was pretty shocked they weren't being cooked on a grill (open flame) - i found it really greasy, like mcdonald's but worse and the patties didn't have seasoning.

i think there are alot better burgers (the butchery, hintonburger, baja burger to name a few), maybe my expectations were too high but i can't shake the grease thing.

i love my burgers crisped on the outside and med rare on the inside and i just don't find you can do that without the open flame.

This is a super juicy burger with quite a bit of flavour. In comparison to the Ottawa food scene, it reminded me most of the Baja Burger Shack product, albeit with way more toppings. The patties were similar -- soft and almost falling apart.

I opted for the full-size (two patty) burger with bacon. I consider cheese to be something that improves a bad burger but does nothing for a good one, and I was giving Five Guys the benefit of the doubt on my first visit. ;-) This thing was as tall as it was wide and I struggled to get my mouth around it. It was sitting in a puddle of juices, meaning eating it was a bit of a chore. Personally, I'd rather throw this thing on a plate and attack it with knife and fork! Definitely not something you can eat in your car, and arguably not even something that should be eaten in public. Hahaha!

Coincidentally, the subset of toppings I had pre-selected based on the online menu exactly matched those included in the "Everything" or "All the Way" options: Mayo, Lettuce, Pickles, Tomatoes, Grilled Onions, Grilled Mushrooms, Ketchup, and Mustard. There are other toppings, but these ones work a fair bit of magic together.

This is a good, juicy burger. It's in the same league as Ottawa's champions: Hintonburger, Vera's Burger Shack, and Baja Burger Shack. I'm tempted to place it second after Hintonburger, but should probably try both products again before making that claim. ASAP! ;-)

This is a solid burger, which is probably a good thing in terms of wide appeal. There's nothing super interesting about it though. $4 on its own, or $7.50 for combo with pop (pictured here). The fries are quite lovely!

The price is a little steep for what amounts to a plain burger. Bacon and cheese would add up to $1.50 extra ($5.50 total). My pricing recommendation, for what it's worth: plain burger for $3.50 and bacon cheeseburger for $4.50. This would make it an obvious choice over fast food places.

However, the length of the lunchtime lineup today suggests that my recommendations should be ignored. :-) Revisit them if the crowds ever start to dwindle at some point.

After-bite burger cross section. You can see that the patty is already starting to disintegrate. Grab a fork and finish it off! The bun was also very soft (and very fresh). Interesting, but again probably not for everyone.

This is Ottawa's moistest burger for sure! It is super juicy and quite well seasoned, almost to the point where the meat is falling apart. The strips of lettuce have a sort of dressing too. All in all, a delicious burger!

There seems to be a lot of stuff mixed in with the ground beef, so burger purists might be offended by it. But if you approach it like a meatloaf sandwich, you will be very pleased.

Thank you Les, for your response. I will drop by again sometime soon and try your burgs & fries again and amend my review accordingly.

The buns are toasted the fries are fresh cut daily and sevice times are normally very fast and friendly. I personally invite feline fan back if you were not satisfied and and I pay for your burger and fries. We take extreme pride in our product and service.. but like anything 100% is a goal never a reality. I am sorry you did not have a satisfactory Baja Burger Shack experience. We genuinely try. Hope to see you soon and ask for Les. Cheers

heading there tonight to see if it's better than vera's in bells corners

We went to today to see if it lived up to it's hype. Don't go if you are in a hurry - service is very slow. The meat on the burger was good, but if you like your bun toasted, you won't get that here. As a result, hot patty on cold bun = lukewarm burger. The fries were so-so. Our favourite place is still Smokey's Fries on Uplands near Hunt Club. Great fries, and their patties are freshly made from the meat they buy from the butcher store in the plaza. Plus, they have all kinds of condiments. They also toast their buns.

The baja burger here won CTV's "Best Burger in Ottawa" popularity contest. It is definitely among the best in Ottawa in my opinion. Freshly made beef patty, cooked perfectly to medium and remained soft and tender in a nice bun with the usual trimmings of lettuce, tomato, red onion and cheese, topped with a creamy baja sauce. This one for me is all about that tender texture; It has a nice juicy mouth feel that is not overpowered by the bun or toppings. Accompanying fries were respectably crisp and tasty. We also enjoyed a peach smoothie.
There are a few different burgers and sandwiches on the menu, along with several tacos and a burrito which will have to wait for the next visit. Great location right on the beach volleyball courts too.

Baja Burger Shack: Tender, freshly made beef patty with cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion and creamy/spicy Baja sauce. This is the one that won CTV's best burger in Ottawa contest and it may well deserve it. The meat was very tender and juicy; melts in your mouth. It's the texture that won me over.

"time to visit to see if it is true."

To paraphrase a classic movie, 'it's the only way to be sure'.

FF made a great point when I commented about a fry buss in Manotick that won a similar contest for best fries(they were not very good)They are also one of the contestants in best burger but didn't win. This place may have many friends that voted for them skewing the results. That said time to visit to see if it is true.

The double-double burger is my favorite. It comes with two good sized 100% lean beef, two slices of bacon, a slice of onion, tomato, lettuce. The condiments on the side and a nice "cornichon". Comes with fries. Deeeelicious!

The #4. A plain burger with 2 grilled cheese with sriracha mayo sandwiches with mayo as buns. The sandwiches were buttery and nice, and added good flavour to the burger. I asked for garlic aioli on the side because I love saucy burgers. I'm glad I did, because I found that the burger itself was missing something (bacon, sauce).

I miss the burger they used to have with the onion strings. It was my true love. I have a picture of it, too.

The lunchtime Dry-Aged Hamburger ($18) is over the top! Loaded up with bacon, cheese, fried onions, and aïoli, it was delicious but almost a little too rich (even for me) with the already juicy perfectly cooked meat patty and the brioche-style bun.

My humbleburgerly opinion is that cheese, aïoli, and brioche buns only make bad burgers better; they do nothing to improve an already great burger. Only bacon can do that.

Faced with the unfair choice of fries OR salad, I opted for both (half-half). There might have been a surcharge for this but my father-in-law picked up the bill so I don't know. The fries were absolutely brilliant — hot, crisp, and salty, with a slight sweet-tang as though they'd been spritzed with malt vinegar.

Other lunch plates looked excellent too. Lunchtime is a wonderful way to experience the joy of Fauna without breaking the bank.

The Hand Pressed Hamburger ($17) is a good option here. Garnishes are clearly inspired by the Big Mac: lettuce, Thousand Island dressing, pickles, red onion. Cheese, mushrooms, and bacon are offered for a surcharge.

Even the light and thin fries are reminiscent of the golden arches. But my comparison to McDonald's is superficial: this flavourful and beefy sandwich is miles ahead of an actual Big Mac.

I'd heard good things about this place so I was excited to try the Craft Burger (sautéed mushrooms, rosemary-garlic mayo, lettuce, tomato). At $8.85 + tax = $10 for just the burger, I had big expectations. The size and visual impact were less than I had hoped for but the flavour and eating experience were absolutely top notch! This is just a really well done unpretentious burger with a delightful beef patty.

It costs $4.15 plus tax to add fries and a soft drink to the burger, making this one of the more expensive meal options in the food court.

I'll definitely return next time I feel like a really good hamburger and I'm eager to try a poutine sometime too.

My partner and I got a pair of Bill's Burgers on a recent visit, and we both thought it was outstanding-- near, if not at the top of our list of Ottawa burgers. Definitely beats out a couple more expensive options elsewhere in town.

Super friendly service and owner, too. Have to make a point to come here more often.

This is certainly one of the best burgers in town. I enjoyed it on a Saturday during brunch service. I think it was $17, which included this wonderful bacon cheeseburger with pickled onions and a tasty sauce, delightfully potato-y salted crispy fries, and a nice assortment of dressed greens.

Huge thumbs up all around. Top notch platter!

Wow what a spectacular hamburger!

I had a bite of my wife's Hamburger and it was quite perfect: super juicy fully-cooked patty, generous fresh lettuce and tomato, mayo, etc. This is miles ahead of what you get at a fast food joint for a similar price!

The picture will have to wait until I get a burger for myself. I've learned not to be stupid enough to get between my wife and her lunch. :D

I can vouch for the burgers here being kind of great! This one was topped with bacon, cheese, chili, a fried egg, and a generous side of poutine. It is aptly named The Cure. All this for $12!

Rare indeed to get this kind of value in the Byward Market.

We were told to check this place out as they allegedly have awesome hamburgers.

First strike, no bacon anywhere on the menu if you can believe that. All kinds of so-called gourmet options (pineapple, black olives, brie, aiola (whatever that is)) but no bacon.

Second strike, the prices, all options from 11.95 to 15.95.

Final strike(s), when the plates arrive: processed cheese on the burger. Frozen (not fresh) burger patties typical of fast food joints who charge much less. And dry and tasteless.

The fries were dark, thick, dry, obviously cooked much earlier and reheated possibly several times. These were frozen wedge fries. We asked for freshly cooked ones which came and looked much, much better, but tasted just as bland, with the mushy pseudo-potato centre typical of frozen fries. They were advertised as seasoned, no trace of seasoning on the fries.

They only had packets of ketchup, white vinegar, mayo, so I reached for a bottle on a nearby counter of what I thought was balsamic. Nope, soya sauce(!) (in a balsamic type pourer, on a tray that offered olive oil in an identical bottle). This place was one disaster after another.

The first thing the guy brings when you sit down is a tiny plate of 4 olives, no bread.

The burger,it should be noted can be ordered as beef, or 'lamb-beef' gyros which ended up being (for my girlfriend's order) the frozen rectangular slices of processed gyros meat one finds in bad fast food joints Stateside.

The bun was Durivage supermarket issue, untoasted. My burger was drenched in cold bottle bbq sauce. The side creamy cole slaw, a sad soggy mess.

No draft beer, only bottles of Coors light, RR, Corona, Heineken. Weak. But then, that was obviously not the worst thing about this place.

Worst burger experience in this city for me, and that includes the big US chains. Even more unacceptable that we got slugged almost $15 each for the meal.

Dropped in here to try out their Burger Tuesday event – every Tuesday chef Larkin invents a new burger creation which is offered on that day only.

The night I visited the “everything bagel burger” was on offer – a beef patty on a toasted brioche bun topped with cream cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato, avocado, horseradish and bacon. All burgers are accompanied by a cone of delicious skinny cut fries and a side of mayo.

When the burgers arrived at the table we wondered how we were going to open our mouths wide enough to take a bite (we somehow managed). They were excellent and VERY filling. To find out what the burger will be each Tuesday you can check out @BlackCatOttawa on twitter - they range from traditional to pretty distinctive - vegetarian, bison, turkey, scallop & shrimp.

I think this is an excellent way to experience the fabulous ambience of this elegant restaurant without breaking the bank.

Richard's 8oz Angus Burger is definatly my favourite burger in the city. Cooked medium with traditional topings I have yet to find a better burger in Ottawa.

Enjoyed the lunch burger yesterday. Thick, juicy, tasty seasoned patty, generous ingredients. Their little brown fries are pretty addictive too. A most hearty lunch for $14!

Confession: I haven't eaten a burger in...hmm, probably 8+ years. It's not that I've made a point of avoiding them, we just haven't crossed paths - i.e. maybe I need to get to more barbeques.

Last Thursday, I was here (Bank Street location) with a couple of friends, both burger enthusiasts, for dinner. They often speak of the excellent burgers here. I read the description of the Angry Goat Burger and it also spoke to me: Herbed goat cheese, banana peppers and spicy mayo. I chose the side of salad: a generous amount of mixed greens with grape tomatoes and balsamic & olive oil dressing (on the side) with a bottle of San Pellegrino - they have a nice 500 ml size.
The burger was hugely delicious and perfectly done. So good, I was back Saturday evening with my sister eating the same. Again excellent. Service was friendly, quick and efficient. I really like this place.

Another absolutely perfect burger today! That will be all ...

Absolutely perfect! Served on a scrumptious kaiser bun with pickles, lettuce and onion. Big burger, and very flavourful. Tough to imagine a better burger.

Once again a very wonderful burger!

Had the "Black and Blue" for lunch today, with blue cheese on it. Mmmmmm, stinky cheese! Everything about it was great except I'm not sure if this was the "black" part or not, but the burger was charcoal black on the outside. Luckily it did not taste really burnt so it was still yummy. I'll try it again next time I'm there and hopefully it won't be so charred. Yummy pickle on the side, served with lots of onion and tomato and lettuce.

We've been going here once a month lately and I've had one of the burgers every time. Contrary to what many people say it is possible to screw up hamburgers. Fortunately these guys actually make a really tasty one.

The burgers here are pretty good, certainly better than anything you'd get at a fast food joint, but not spectacular. The first time I had one, it tasted as if made with kafta meat, very savory, but the second time (while the usual cook was out, admitedly) wasn't quite as nice.

The fries are always excellent, though. Fresh, thick and golden brown. Burger platter also comes with a bit of slaw, of the non-mayonaisey variety. Good stuff.

This is the BBQ Bacon Supreme Burger ($8.99) my son ordered. He told me it was good. I am sure that he was hungry after 2-hour non-stop exercise.

Awesome!! Thick, juicy, flavourful with a hint of something extra in the meat, onions and/or garlic. Fresh toppings. Even delivered was great!

The hamburgers are very good at Tucson's. I've been there often, and I'd say burgers are the best thing on the menu. The fries seem homemade, too; they're more on the thin side and still have a sliver of skin.

The burger tasted very good: nice char-grilled flavour and a generous but not dry bun. I had the "Surf and Turf" burger (dressed with a creamy shrimp and crab sauce in addition to the 7 oz beef patty). Overall flavour was nice, although the richness made me glad to have chosen the refreshing salad over the fries.

Although the platter tasted good at lunch, it gurgled and cramped a bit in me in the afternoon. I have a sensitive system though -- I'm sure you'd be just fine. ;-)

Threw caution to the wind last time I ate at The Works (Westboro), and ordered my Navan Breakfast (Havarti, chipotle ketchup, caramelized onions, double-smoked bacon) Elk Burger done medium.

As the menu states, I did have to sign a waiver.

But, man, was my burger tasty. Flavourful, juicy, and pink. Like many people, I've had my fair share of tough Works Burgers, so this is one way to get around it.

Were I to get a beef burger, I'd likely request it done medium-well, rather than medium, just in case.

Remember, of course, to use your discretion when ordering your burger anything less than well-done.

I tried the Beverly Hills Lawsuit (fried egg, leaf spinach, havarti cheese & double smoke bacon) this visit and was once again underwhelmed by the dryness of the meat. Even though it's cooked medium-well (quite pink) it is somehow very dry. Maybe the patties are just too thick or maybe the burger needs some kind of sauce. Either way, I found myself having to dip the burger into ketchup to get it down. The only real flavour in the meat is the nice grill-smoke flavour. Patties that are very thick like these should be seasoned! The egg added nothing to the experience and I couldn't taste the cheese. There was a generous amount of spinach (although too stringy for me) and the bacon was tasty.

Wifey enjoyed her Spartacat Special (gouda cheese, crispy bacon & fresh avocado). The avocado was a bit unripe and she didn't mind the dry meat as much as I did.

Here's my story from May 2005: After having had several great meals at the Beechwood location, I visited the Westboro restaurant with a friend who had never tried a Works burger. Service was friendly although uninformed (the waiter told us all of their buns have sesame seeds when in fact none of them do). On a whim, I tried a turkey burger. Bad idea!! I was sick for the following week with salmonella food poisoning -- not a fun time! Both of us remarked that our burgers were tasteless, dry, and quite overpriced. Nothing like the experience I remember from the Beechwood location. I will not be back. (Yes, I should have returned a *pink* turkey burger, but I dismissed it as normal because I'm not a ground meat expert and I know that ground pork is sometimes pink when cooked. The fact is, a burger restaurant should know how to safely cook burgers!)

Like UrbanRoutine I only seem to eat this stuff while on vacation... otherwise I'm not much of a Fast Food Lover. But, there is something about driving down the road with my hand in a take-out bag munching on McD's fries! I too only like their regular burgers, not a fan of their Big Macs etc. But a regular Hamburger or Cheeseburger is a perfect combo of pickles, onion bits, and condiments.

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Snoopy Loopy - Ya crazy as it sounds... but then again McDonald's has had a OF Page McDonald's since April 2007 (Previously only listed Coffee, Bacon & Eggs Breakie, and French Fries).

I think there totally is a place in this world for McDonald's. I have always dug the basic cheeseburger as the perfect road food.

Whenever we head down the 401, lunch is usually two cheeseburgers. They're cheap (less than $3 for two), not super filling, and they're all hot, cheesey and pickle-y. It's hard to argue with that.

It's a weird middle ground, since you figure that everybody knows what a McDonald's hamburger tastes like and either likes it or doesn't.

Me? I see no problem with giving a review of the double cheeseburger. Because it's delicious.

(That having been said, this could lead to a slippery slope of pro-McD's vs. anti-McD's reviews; something that is probably best avoided.)

Are we seriously reviewing burgers at McDonald's? Or is this an ironic post?

The double cheeseburger will always be my go to fast food fix after a night of debauchery on the town.
I know it's crap food... but who cares

These guys easily have the best selection of burgers in the city. Hands-down. And they do them very well!

Their burger selection is in the form of a matrix. Down the left you have about 15 different combinations of toppings with some very wild and original combos like the "Feta Burger" which I had, with feta cheese, salsa and lots of black olives.

Along the top you have your choice of 5 different types of meat : beef, chicken, bison, salmon and one other which I forget. (EDIT: I think it was actually 'Veggie' so they are not all meats). I had the bison.

So you have a choice of about 75 different kinds of burger!!!

Mine was extremely tasty and was served on a bun which looked to possibly be home made. My friend commented that he wouldn't be able to get his burger into his mouth, at which point I squished mine down hard with the palm of my hand. It was still difficult to get in there and I've got a big mouth :-) But that's a good thing - lots of eating! Very well done A&L!

Went here with some of the family today.

We haven't been to the new flea market since the old one shut down.

It was a lot smaller than before, although I did get what I always get when I went there and that was Archie Comics. I ended up getting 84 of them from an older guy who had boxes full. If I could have afforded it I would've bought all of them.

We saw this place Fritzy's right beside it and they had a sign out in front that said "World's Best Burger".

And from my limited experience, they may be right.

They were very busy so after waiting in line for near on 10 minutes and then waiting for about another 10 more for our food, we were all excited to chow down.

First problem though is, Dad is a vegetarian and they were out of veggie burgers and onion rings! My sister and I laughed, the only two things he would/could eat and they were out!

I have to say this though, after Dad paid for us and walked away the lady gave us a free small fry to give to Dad to make up for the fact they had no veggie burgers or rings. That was nice of them.

The burger was hot, I had to wait a few minutes before I could even bite into it, and when I did it was juicy, flavorful and just really meaty.

It had tomatoes, lettuce, onions, pickles (which I did take off, hate those things!) and ketchup and mustard.

It was really, really good. I'm used to getting burgers from Wendy's (I love their burgers way more than any other fast food joint).

My sister echoed me in saying after that the burger had a really great meaty taste to it. Well cooked and everything.

Too many onions though for my liking, I prefer diced to sliced, but it was still great.

The fries were a bit disappointing actually. Too soft for my liking, I've had better from chip wagons, but not a burger as good as this one.

The seating wasn't too bad for a small place actually. It's weird, it's like a chip wagon but it's on a wooden platform with benches in front and then look on the side and they have two more. For some reason only three of the benches (I think there was six or seven in total) had umbrellas.

We had to sit at one without an umbrella, then when a family left one of the benches with an umbrella we scooted over. Made a huge difference, it was hot out.

As for price, I think it was $8.50 for a combo with a drink and fries. Not too bad.

If we go back to the flea market we'll be eating there again.

Hopefully this time they have veggie burgers and onion rings for Dad.

Their baconcheeseburger is to die for! But it probably isn't the most healthiest choice on the menu IMO. I bought it in a combo and opted for salad instead of fries which was about $8.50 I think (don't quote me). It comes with a drink as well. I put some of my salad in the burger to see what it would taste like but in their original burgers they use green lettuce, not the stuff you're seeing in my picture.

Unfortunately, I already ate my salad before thinking of taking pictures! Next time I go back, I will have to remember to take a picture for you guys :)

SEÑOR JACK'S JALAPEÑO BURGER $12.92

Jalapeño Monterey Jack cheese, jalapeño bacon, jalapeño zucchini relish, tomato, lettuce and chili hot sauce.

Pretty tasty burger. Had a bit of a kick. Not enough of a kick for me though. Made my on condiment by adding a bunch of tobasco to my side of mayo and spreading that on the lettuce tomato side. I meant to ask the deal with the jalapeno bacon is. I mean... how they make it even though I'm guessing it's pre-made somehow I'm still curious. You could definately taste some heat right in the bacon. Bun wasn't super fresh but not as bad as it looks in the photo. Waitress was very attentive. Fries were ok. I'd go back for lunch.

I had the Smokey Jack's Burger and was impressed by how juicy and delicious it was. The meat patty is of high quality and not too thick. The smoked mozza and hickory bacon provided interest. Certainly one of the better burgers I've encountered.

I opted for the Garden Salad to accompany my burger instead of fries and they brought it to me in advance of the burger. It's the way to go if you want to feel great without bloating! One weird thing: no Thousand Island dressing. I went with Ranch.

I was agonising over what to have for a main - the Joe Montferrand was so incredible the other day that it won out in the end so I got another one - only to be disappointed that it was nowhere near the same incredible hamburger I had the other day. There was hardly a hint of mesquite in it. It was still a good burger, but just a bit above average, not mind-blowingly incredible like the other one I'd had.

I think they have some work to do on consistency.

Was flipping through the menu and saw the "Joe Montferrand" burger, and immediately knew before even reading more about it, that I had to order it! How could you not order a Big Joe Mufferaw? C'mon!

Wow! Easily the best hamburger I've had in 10 years, and I'm not an easy win on that front. The bison is raised locally, and fed with draff (spent grain) from the brewery. Symbiosis at its best! It had a wonderful mesquite flavour and was absolutely to die for!

This braised short rib stuffed burger (with caramelized onions, truffle aioli, and baby arugula) was nothing short of fantastic. Better than anything I've had in a pub for sure. It was juicy enough that I had to reach for knife and fork when I was halfway through. $16.

The fries were unexceptional, which made me a little bit sad. But the burger was great!

Zym - I believe it's actually against food law guidelines to cook hamburgers anything less than well-done (unless you sign a waiver like at The Works). At the place I used to work people would sometimes request a rare or medium burger and we would always say flat-out no due to the laws. Anyways, my point is that probably your burger wasn't supposed to be undercooked and the grill person screwed up - next time send it back :)

It was a big burger at a decent price with lots of toppings and a great bun - normally I'd be pretty satisfied. I'm still trying to figure out, though, just what it was that didn't click with this. I think it was undercooked for my liking, and I recall that they did not ask me how I wanted it. I don't mind not being asked as long as they are going to cook it on the safe side of not asking, but cooking something medium or less without asking is just plain wrong and potentially dangerous. This could have been such a great burger if only it had been cooked more!

This time the burger was cooked through -- no pink at all but still very juicy and tasty. I didn't try it but wifey liked it as much as last time. Fries are decent.

Wifey proclaimed this Portobello Swiss to be the best burger she has had in Ottawa -- much better than The Works. I tasted some of the beef and had to agree that flavour and texture were superior to the Works.

The first burger they brought was quite pink/red in the middle (my son almost ate the piece in the photo). We complained and they brought another that was only very slightly pink (more like it is at the Works). This was the one we ate and the one we enjoyed.

So go eat the burger but check that it isn't undercooked!

Ok... The place is a bit 'Blue Collar' ... but when you compare their burger with the one just down the street, at The Works The Works, it comes surprisingly close, but without all the fancy toppings.

Real good burger at a fraction of the cost of a Works burger, and the wait staff will not try and cross (or up) sell you. Think "Would you like extra so and so with that ?" or "What appetizers/dessert would you like today ?". They also promptly deliver the food , so you will not be persuaded to buy another round of drinks.

I met an ex-waitress from that very Works. She told me of a contest they ran amongst the wait staff one month. The non-burger sales were measured and the wait staff with the most cross/up sales (from non-burger sales), wins.

And it all started with McDonald's famous line, "Would you like fries with that ?".



PS: The pic is for illustration purposes only. Kinda like a "Suggested Serving" picture from a frozen food box.

Le montrealais is my favorite burger in this joint.

Cream cheeze, bacon and mushrooms if i remember correctly. (aside from the normal lettuce, tomato, etc.)

The fries are dark and not always crispy but who cares... they come with Mayonaise!!! And we all know that everything is good with ? mayonaise? Right?...

I really have been spoiled by eating here. I have found nary a burger than can compare to the ones at Dick's. Juicy and flavorful, the whole wheat bun, caramelized onion, and charcoal fired beef really come together to make an excellent burger that's very comforting on a cold day.

My friend is a huge fan of their chicken burger. I can't speak for what it tastes like but it's the only thing he will order from Dick's now.

One caveat: If you order bacon on your burger, as I like to, be careful that they actually give it to you. I have had three instances where I paid for bacon and only got a cheeseburger. I have also paid for a cheeseburger and gotten a regular burger. When told about it they have replaced it with no problem. Mistakes happen but it's happened enough that I recommend checking to see if you got what you paid for, especially if you are doing take out. When you get home, it's kinda too late.

Best burger in town, hands down! Had the "Junior" which is a quarter pounder, and big enough to fill me up just right without anything on the side. I also like that the buns are 65% whole wheat. My wife had the Junior as well and really liked it. And at just over 4 bucks even better!

Better than The Works! Close to Chez Lucien... very close. I had the Montreal burger recently - think I should probably get a Rx for Crestor or something - it contained a burger patty, bacon, cream cheese sauteed mushrooms and some aioli. Freakin' good. My burger was cooked medium, thus retaining some good beefy flavour. All in all, it was a taste sensation.

It sounds crazy with all the food available at Tucker's lunchtime buffet - but the burgers are what we go for.

If you don't want to wait for it, you have to get there early. It's a homestyle burger, real meat, thick as my palm and you get to add your own toppings. They use non-healthy fresh white buns, which makes them even more delicious. I use fresh stuff from all the other counters in the buffet to make it special. I use jalapenos from the french fry station, lettuce from the salad buffet, mayo and you can have them add bacon and or cheese as well. With the exception that they will not serve a burger "before it's time", which is where the wait comes in, they are very accomodating - if it's not terribly busy you can grab two at once.

No use going at supper time though, no burgers.

The Mama burger, the Teen Burger with blue cheese and a Buddy burger for my daughter with sides of fries and onion rings. I asked for less salt on my burger and it was flavourful enough. I liked the fries. Not as thin as McD. A little more to chew on.

@zym: Could you provide more detail on where you heard that they grind their own meat on site? I was in for a beer last weekend and when I asked if they grind their own meat in-house I was told no, it is ground by their butcher.

I always try the burgers whereever I go because it is the mark of a truly good establishment if they can make a good one. And wow, they sure have done that here - one of the best burgers I've had in years, hands down. They grind their own meat on site which must have something to do with it.