Special Burger Review: Olympus Burger

Photo by Mark Avila

Date Visited: October 8, 2020

Location: Port Hope, ON.

BurgerTours Rating: 9.5/10

 

 

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Clean	$11-$15	Fast Food	Veggie, Gluten Free

Website

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Mark's Review

A few weeks ago some friends and I were on the planning stage of a 3 day multi city road trip around Ontario. We would travel in regions within a 2 hour proximity from Toronto, but far enough to escape the hustle and bustle of the GTA. With the pandemic still going on, and little did we know that select regions would be returning to phase 2 the following week, our timing for this trip was perfect.

This special burger tour was the last stop on our first day, driving around Prince Edward County, and ended in the small town of Port Hope. Only an hour and a half drive from Toronto, this town is home to what is considered as one of the best burger joints in Canada… Olympus Burger! If the name sounds familiar, Olympus Burger was featured on the Food Networks ‘You Gotta Here’. And with that said, we definitely had to eat here!

The Hera Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

They offer a regular dine in/take out menu as well as a secret menu, and if you haven’t figured it out, pay an homage to Greek gods and goddesses. Their menu ranges from burgers, salads, fries, onion rings, poutines, and much more. Apart from their in house sauce they also offer secret sauces: tzatziki, peanut butter, and Nutella.

The 6oz. burger patties are made in house daily, and you can customize them with complimentary toppings with an extra $1 charge per add-on.

If that’s not enough, they host a Burger Contest on Sundays (by appointment) called the Labour of Hercules. It’s a 6oz. Beef patty layered with crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions, jalapeño and habanero peppers, and their secret Olympus Burger Hot Sauce. As a consolation for devouring this beast, you walk away with a free t-shirt and a 10% discount off your next meal.

Now, to the burger. As much as I wanted a burger smothered in peanut butter or Nutella, I decided to keep it simple and go for one of their vegetarian options.

I opted for the Hera- a portobello mushroom cap with mixed greens, with roasted red peppers, and red onions.

First impressions… the flavours complemented each other so well, the portobello cap was soft but not at all chewy. A kick of spice was released by the red onions, and the roasted peppers gave it a sweet and savoury bite. Being my first time having a burger with a portobello cap as its base, I was surprised by how filling a mushroom could be. It was a nice substitution to the traditional beef patty, and I must admit that at one point I thought I was actually eating meat! I would definitely consider this as an alternative when given the chance. Overall, my stomach and burger cravings were satisfied.

As my first (burger) dine in experience since the start of the pandemic, Olympus Burger was an experience worth waiting for. The food and service were exceptional, and even though we were hesitant to dine in the staff were more than welcoming to serve us. During these times where restaurants are struggling to get diners in their seats, Olympus Burger exemplifies the appreciation of welcoming anyone that walks through its doors with open arms.

9.5/10

Burger Review #46: Great Burger Kitchen

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: July 22, 2020 

Location: Leslieville, ON

BurgerTours Rating: 8.25/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Messy	$11-$15	Fast Food	Veggie, Gluten Free

Website

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Drew's Review

How's everyone doing? Good. So you're doing well then? 

It's been nearly six months since restaurants and public places were forced to close down. The ongoing pandemic has taken a toll on many local businesses with some closing for good. Many however are still striving and making the most of it. Everything is slowly starting to reopen again so business can continue with a few new measures for safe social distancing. One of the many joints who had reopened to customers is our next BurgerTour stop. 

For our 58th burger joint, we bring you to Great Burger Kitchen, a local stable on Gerrard St. that specializes in naturally raised beef, low-carb wraps and plenty portions of poutine. Upon deciding our next take-out venture, we posted a poll on our Instagram account to engage our fellow burger enthusiasts in helping us choose our next destination. And with a unanimous favour between the two joints, Great Burger Kitchen came out on top (with a helpful endorsement from themselves). 

We placed an order by calling ahead and was told it was going to be a 30-minute wait. Not a problem. We pulled up right around lunch time and I hopped out of the car to run in to pick up our order. Once inside, a server was taking an order from two gentlemen at the counter ahead of me and right after I entered, another takeout delivery service guy entered and waited on the appropriately marked arrows on the floor. I approached to counter to claim my order and retrieved a plastic bag full of curiosity and wonder. I quickly ran to Mark who was eagerly waiting for me back in the car. 

Riverdale Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

We arrived back at my place and began digging in. I had gone with the Riverdale burger which is a homemade specialty that the GBK custom made. It came with honey mustard, tomato, lettuce, red onion, homemade GBK sauce and Swiss cheese. The burger was hefty looking. A decent sized patty sitting between two warm soft buns. The fist bite was tasteful. The meat was succulent and juicy. The buns were soft. The toppings harmonized ever so well with the composition of the burger that it didn't even matter if I was eating it upside down or right side up. This was a craftsman's greatest aspiration. One can only dream of creating a small, delicious compact burger, yet still satisfying from first bite to last. 

Not to be outdone, but I also had to try one of their signature poutines, nicknamed after the province, the Ontario Poutine had bits of bacon, onion, cheddar cheese and gravy. It was delicious with every bite and every bite as tasty as the last. Highly recommended. 

Overall I was really satisfied with the burger. The quality was outstanding given the portion size and the manageable price. The food was delicious and I look forward to returning sometime sooner rather than later to try some more homemade specialties. And thanks for the shout out GBK!

8.5/10

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Mark's Review

We are back with another burger tour! Still in the middle of a pandemic, but things are looking good as restaurants slowly welcome diners to dine in once again. Though this might be the case for some, ordering through an app or calling in for take out is still the current norm. We decided to play it safe and called ahead for take out. 

For this tour we posted a poll on Instagram and had our followers choose where we should visit. It was an unanimous vote, and the winner was… Great Burger Kitchen! 

They promote an ethical, healthy, sustainable, and local food culture through locally sourced Ontario Beef Burgers to bring you the finest quality product. Additionally, their fresh cut fries are double fried for extra crispiness extracting its full flavour. 

Voodoo Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

I opted for the Voodoo Burger- a beef patty layered with tomato salsa, chipotle mayo, guacamole, balsamic, fried onion, and lettuce. As a change for this meal, I chose a lettuce bun to hold all these flavours together. 

Taking the first bite… the lettuce bun shredded and everything oozed out like a volcanic eruption. Unless there’s a proper way to eat a burger with a lettuce bun, this meal was just gonna go downhill. I found myself using the lettuce to scoop everything into my mouth.. more or less this was a nacho in burger form. Aside from that struggle, everything tasted fantastic. The beef patty was nicely cooked, and the sauces were a balance of sweet, spicy, salty. 

Overall, a filling and flavourful burger. The lettuce bun was an interesting experience, but I probably would’ve benefited with a regular bun. Definitely would want to check this place out again once more COVID restrictions are lifted. 

8/10

Special Burger Review - In-N-Out

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: February 8, 2019
Location: Los Angeles, CA
BurgerTours Rating: 6.8/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Very Messy	$6-$10	Fast Food	Veggie/Patio/Gluten Free

Website 

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Drews's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

In February of 2019, I flew to Los Angeles for a weekend excursion amongst the city of stars. My trip was mainly for a vacation away from the Toronto winter, but also because I have never experienced the west coast of California before. During my trip, one of the places on my to-do list was In-N-Out. In-N-Out has established itself as one of the top tourist locations in California for its Instagrammable burgers, thick milkshakes and cheap prices. It’s no wonder why when I visited the Sunset Blvd. location in Hollywood on a Friday during lunch, I wasn’t able to find a table. The lineup to place your order was about less than five minutes, however, the wait for your order was nearly half an hour.

One of the most popular menu options is the Animal Style burger and fries combo. I was lucky enough to find a chair close to the counter while I waited for my order. I had also gotten a chocolate milkshake which was the first to be ready. Almost half the store was waiting for their orders. I would say there were probably 20 people before me and many more that came after I had placed my order. Every seat was taken. Every table was covered with food. Every realm of this joint was at capacity. It was like a fire hazard waiting to happen. Anyways, finding a table to sit at was going to be difficult because right after I had placed my order, a packed tour bus pulled up and let out a busload of tourists. Maybe coming to the most popular location in L.A. during the lunch rush on a Friday afternoon wasn’t a smart decision.

I picked up my order shortly after the bus drop-off and walked out the door. I stumbled around the block to a nearby school to eat my lunch. I sat on the steps and unwrapped this fine cuisine and indulged in this renown epicureanism. The burger was huge. The toppings were bulging out and the sauce was just oozing through the paper. The burger was anticipating to be eaten by a hungry individual. The first bite was heavenly. The buns were crisp, the juices were flavourful and the beef was tender, soft and cooked medium rare. The extra spread was delicious. It was like everything I had ever wanted an In-N-Out burger to taste like and more. And then it became addicting. I couldn’t get enough. When I went for the last bite, my hunger was fighting for more. It was sad to see it go by so fast.

Animal Style Cheeseburger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Overall, the burger was everything I was expecting from a glorified hot spot/tourist trap. It wasn’t that extraordinary. I find it to be overly hyped. I’m not gonna lie; to me, it’s a tasty burger. In-N-Out is like an addiction. Once you have it, you can’t stop thinking about it, and you want to go back, but you live all the way on the other side of the continent and then you crave it and crave it until you can actually get your fix. And to all the Californians who dwell in L.A. and the tourists who congregate to its 347 locations across the States, they have this institution at their doorstep. They can acquire their fix easily.

Within a few hours of eating In-N-Out, I walked into a record store and did some browsing. And then my stomach started turning and all of a sudden, I had shit my pants. I don’t know why, I don’t know how, but then I realised why they named it In-N-Out.

6.8/10

Burger Review #44: Wimpy's Diner

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: April 9, 2020
Location: Scarborough, ON
BurgerTours Rating: 5.55/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Good	Very Messy	$11-$15	Fast Food, Diner, Restaurant

Website 

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Drew's Review

We've had many firsts while doing BurgerTours; solo reviews, out-of-town reviews, but I don't think anything will top this review. This review for the first time in the history of BurgerTours, we ordered takeout.

Normally we don't order takeout because we like to pay the restaurant a visit first hand and indulge the dining experience ourselves so we can review it on here afterward. That's not the case right now, nor for the foreseeable future. As part of this odd, new reality, and in the time of social distancing, we've had to conduct our reviewing from the comfort of our own cars. And in this specific case, Mark's. So unfortunately, we won't be able to provide a dining experience at this specific burger joint, and we apologize for doing so, but you'll have to bear with us as we continue to provide reliable write ups and fair ratings for the best burger joints in the GTA. So onto the review.

With little hesitation, and little decision making, we leaned on Wimpy's Diner, a small chain of restaurants in Ontario, where one just happened to be within a 10 minute drive in our neighbourhood of Scarborough. We read over the menu and ordered by placing a call. The order went through and would be ready for pickup in about the 10 minutes it took us to drive there.

Upon arriving, I walked in and the lady behind the counter had our order all ready to go. I checked and made sure everything was there, paid and left. In times of social distancing I saw how quickly and easy it is to get in and get out so little interaction is done. I appreciated that effort and other efforts made by these stores and local restaurants whose businesses are dwindling. They want you to know that their business is still open despite not operating regularly. I applaud them for still continuing to serve the community in these tough times, and we'll all get through it together.

Smoky Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

I reached the car with both items in hand. I had ordered the Smoky burger which came with sautéed mixed peppers, grilled onions, feta cheese and drizzled with smoky chipotle sauce. I opened the box to see a mashup of what appeared to be the sandwich, with the meat hanging out both sides of the bun and the toppings spread out within the box. I was thinking this might as well be a "build your own burger" type of scenario. Eating this in Mark's car wasn't going to be pretty.

I had to dig my fingers underneath the buns (that's what she said), and slowly start putting the burger back together. It was tough but I managed to wrap my hands around it, picked it up and went for a bite. The flavour was exactly smoky but the meat was bland and lacking flavour. The toppings were a nice addition to the burger but the meat felt really undercooked, or even like it wasn't prepared properly. Whatever the reason, I ended up finishing it in a record 20 minutes! The fries on the other hand was what salvaged this meal for me and reminded me of food truck fries - thick, golden and crispy.

Overall, Wimpy's Diner offered us a pleasant meal. I wasn't satisfied overall with the quality of the meat, but the burger in general is a welcome addition to any burger lineup. If quarantine wasn't a thing like it is right now, I would've loved to have dined inside the joint and have the first hand experience. But for these times, we have to compromise. I'm hoping to return again in the future by dining in and maybe perhaps changing my mind about their burgers. Who knows? The world we live in is so uncertain right now.

5.6/10

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Mark's Review

During this uncertain time with society coming to an abrupt halt, doing a burger tour seemed debatable. As most establishments are struggling to stay in business, we thought this would be a good opportunity to lend a helping hand to a local burger joint.

Wimpy’s was a place I’ve been wanting to try for a while mainly for its retro 1950’s decor, and noted for their positive (food & service) reviews, I wanted to experience the hype for myself. Starting off as drive in restaurant in 1961, Wimpy’s expanded to a dine in restaurant in 1988 and became a successful franchise ever since.

Unfortunately, due to the spread of Covid-19 all food establishments banned all dine-in service and redirected operations to online ordering or take out. We opted calling in for take-out and drove to the local Wimpy’s location in Scarborough.

I opted for the Philly Cheese Burger- mixed peppers, grilled onions, mozzarella cheese, and BBQ sauce.

The Philly Cheese Burger- Photo by/Mark Avila

I wasn’t expecting much, but it was a monstrosity of a sandwich to take in. Presentation was a little sloppy, and was smothered in cheese! You can never go wrong with too much cheese.

Taking the first bite… I didn’t know where to start. As sloppy as it was, it was pretty delicate to get my teeth around. When I finally got a bite, I was surprised by how bland it tasted. It had decent flavour and was very filling, but other than that I really didn’t care for it at all.

Overall, I was pretty disappointed at the quality and taste of the burger. I was expecting much more, but was presented with something mediocre. Given the circumstance, I wasn’t able to feel the full Wimpy’s experience. I would like to come back and dine in once everything is back to normal, and hopefully have a more pleasant experience.

5.5/10

Special Burger Review: Miner's Daughter

Photo by Mark Avila

Date Visited: March 8, 2020
Location: Whitehorse, Yukon
BurgerTours Rating: 6/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Good	Clean	$15-$25	Restaurant/Lounge	Veggie/Liquor

Website 

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Mark's Review

Leaving behind the spring-like temperatures of Southern Ontario, join me as I travel more than 3,000 kilometres across Canada to Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory. This marks the furthest place we’ve taken BurgerTours, and is the first Territory checked off my travel list.

I did some quick research before hand, and honestly I wasn’t expecting much based on my presumptions of going to a place in the middle of nowhere. But, to my surprise one location garnered more positive reviews than others and was also a local favourite. A popular spot among Whitehorse locals, it was a no brainer that I’d choose the Miner’s Daughter for this burger tour.

Opened in 2011, the Miner’s Daughter is nestled in the heart of downtown Whitehorse, located in the former Capital Hotel where it shares a space with the Dirty Northern. To avoid confusion, the Miner’s Daughter is the restaurant portion and the Dirty Northern serves as a Pub.

The interior was dark and rustic fitting in nicely with the deep freeze blanketing Whitehorse at the time. I came in around 6:30pm, which was right before things started to get busy. I sat myself by the window as all the booths were already taken, and not long after large tourist groups were slowly pouring in for dinner time at this point.

I took a sneak peak of the menu before hand looking for a burger that was new, yet local. They had an array of burger options, but they were either the same or a twist on a burger I’ve had before. There was one, however, that caught my eye… the Wild Alaskan Salmon Burger.

As the name suggests.. this burger comes with a grilled slice of Wild Alaskan Salmon, topped with avocado, tomato, and onions.

The Wild Alaskan Salmon Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

First impressions, as juicy as it looked, the Salmon was a little dry. Though seasoned nicely, there was nothing that popped in its flavour. The onions, tomato, and avocado did give it some kick, but the side salad that accompanied the burger was probably the highlight of this meal.

Overall, the quick service and pleasant environment wasn’t enough to save the underwhelming experience I had at the Miner’s Daughter. I was looking forward to trying the Wild Alaskan Salmon Burger, but it didn’t quite deliver on flavour and authenticity that I’d hoped to experience during this visit. It definitely has some potential, but I would like to see it with more pungent ingredients to make it stand out as a staple dish in the Yukon food scene.

6/10

Special Burger Review: The Celtic Hearth

Date Visited: September 8, 2019
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
BurgerTours Rating: 8.25/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Messy	$11-$15	Restaurant/Pub	Veggie, Liquor

Website 

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Drew's Review

We’ve gotten to travel all around Toronto, dining at some of the best burger joints the city has to offer. We’ve driven as far as Hamilton and Montreal and we even did BurgerTours in Edmonton and Daytona Beach. But for this BurgerTour, we travelled over 3,000 kms to Newfoundland for a very special burger and a very special meal.

Mark and I flew to St. John’s in early September for a trip to visit and experience Newfoundland. For the week, I rented a car and drove from one end of the island to the other and back. While in St. John’s we had decided that we need to do a BurgerTour and I did a quick search to see what there was. We came across two ideal options, but we decided on one thing in unison; we have to try the moose burger.

One of the options we came across was The Celtic Hearth in the downtown core. The one thing that interested both of us was the fact they had the moose burger on the menu. We selected it and drove downtown to park at a nearby parking garage. We entered right around the lunch rush, while some diners were still eating their breakfasts. The place evokes a sense of being in a pub in Ireland. Lots of dark wood, brass and cut-glass partition. The woman behind the bar was very friendly and very helpful with reading out the menu.

But we were here for one thing. Without hesitation, I ordered the Moose Burger which was local, Newfoundland moose meat, mixed with flavourful seasonings in a 6 oz. patty, topped with old cheddar cheese, bacon, crispy onions and in-house made chutney. It had all the right ingredients to make the burger worth while.

Moose Burger/ Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Within minutes, our meals were ready. The burger was nicely presented with a fried pickle speared on top and crisp golden fries on the side. The moose meat was huge and could barely sit between the two buns. The first bite was flavourful and quite the mouthful. The taste of moose meat was moist and a little dry compared to a beef burger but it was grilled perfectly and I savoured every bite.

Overall, the Celtic Hearth really outdid itself. The moose burger was one of the best pieces of meat I’ve eaten to date and I would be totally kidding myself if I said that would be my one and only time I would ever get the chance to eat moose meat. Even if a moose burger isn’t on your wish list, The Celtic Hearth certainly has many different options on the menu from food to drinks. It’s a pub, so we didn’t expect grand cuisine, but we did get decent meals at reasonable prices. I would say that the Celtic Hearth would make my “don't miss it” list for St. John's, Newfoundland.

7.5/10

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Mark's Review

We are back in Eastern Canada where we visit St. John’s, Newfoundland to bring you a taste of local and new flavours in this special burger tour. We bring you to the Celtic Hearth!

This joint houses local and regional ingredients that highlight Newfoundland traditions. The restaurant experience revolves around the idea of fresh food made in the in-house kitchen and bakery. I was looking forward to indulge myself in the best ingredients that Newfoundland had to offer, and their menu surely brought out that expectation.

The Celtic Hearth offers a broad Irish inspired menu with a local twist.

Moose Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

All of their burgers are served on a freshly made bun, with a serving of coleslaw on the side, and topped with a deep fried pickle. Since we were out East, it was a no brainer that I would go for a Moose Burger. Old cheddar cheese, bacon, crispy onions, and in-house chutney served over a thick serving of local Moose meat. I was certainly ready to dig in!

Taking that first bite, I was surprised by the flavours of the patty and how the juices flowed down my tastebuds. I was expecting the Moose meat to be rubbery, but what I tasted was the exact opposite. It was cooked to my liking and was absolutely delicious. No complaints with this burger, just a happy stomach.

Newfoundland did not this disappoint with this offering. A local favourite just became a personal favourite.

9/10

Burger Review #42: Showtime Bistro

Photo by Andrew Hockridge, featuring Mark Avila

Date Visited: July 15, 2019
Location: Armdale
BurgerTours Rating: 8.9/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Very Messy	$11-$15	Diner	Veggie

Website
 

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Drew's Review

Showtime Bistro is a halal gourmet restaurant specializing in burgers, sandwiches and poutine. This was going to be our 5-year anniversary of #BurgerTours, so we were looking for something with class and a fine dining experience, and seeing the word gourmet in the description really made Showtime Bistro stand out.

The ambiance features warm lighting and rich wood paneling, but what sold me was the theme; cinematic. They have TV screens playing classic movies as well as famous quotes adorning the walls. Not to mention most of their burger options revolve around this theme. I guess you could say a touch of Hollywood rounds out the experience at this halal burger joint in Scarborough.

The Mike Tyson burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

As soon as we entered, shortly after filming our 5-year anniversary Q&A for our YouTube channel, we were greeted and taken to a table. The staff were all very pleasant and offered to give recommendations as this was our very first visit.

After taking a look at the menu, I ordered the Mike Tyson burger. It came with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, a pickle, bacon, fried battered jalapeños, topped with Havarti cheese and Showtime’s signature spicy mayo. I also had to try the Ferrero Rocher milkshake because that alone was something I had to try.

Ferrero Rocher Milkshake/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Within minutes, our orders were ready and brought to us on a patter. The Mike Tyson looked well cooked and very well compact for a gourmet burger. The first bite was delicious and had the right amount of flavour for what I was craving. I liked the fact that the jalapeños actually complemented the taste vs. just burning my mouth like it usually does. You could see the juice as you bite into your burger. You can tell they use good quality meat. However, the bun was so soft that it kept crumbling and it made the whole eating experience a bit messy. I'm sure that can be easily fixed if you ask for your burger bun to be well done.

The Ferrero Rocher milkshake was by far the highlight of my dining experience. That thing was like a satisfying meal in itself. It was very thick and filling, but makes you full of guilt after. I try to avoid dairy as much as possible but this is the only exception because it's that good. I can confidently say that if you have this milkshake, you will want to go back again and again. I'm currently craving it.

Here's the rundown. Showtime Bistro is fantastic and a must-try for those looking for something halal set in a modern cuisine. The cinematic theme they have going really adds to the dining experience. I would go back just to have the Ferrero Rocher milkshake again. The Mike Tyson burger is one of the best halal burgers I think I’ve ever had. Highly recommend everyone to give this restaurant a shot and dine in the spotlight. It’s worth the price and you won’t regret it.

8.7/10

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Mark's Review

We’ve reached another milestone at #BurgerTours, but this one is more momentous. We are 5 years old! I can’t believe how quickly time has flown by, and how many burger joints we’ve tagged across Toronto and Canada. Hopefully, in the next 5 years we will be able to take #BurgerTours abroad and feast on what the world has to offer.

For this milestone tour, we take you to North Toronto where we visit a popular halal bistro that serves crafted burgers, wraps, sandwiches, poutine, and much more.

We visit Showtime Bistro!

The Pineapple Express/Photo by Mark Avila

This joint guarantees 100% halal servings, and has a broad menu ranging from entrees, desserts, milkshakes, and mocktails. But, we were here for one thing... the burgers! They offer a decent burger selection and I opted for the Pineapple Express, a new addition to their menu lineup.

The Pineapple Express is a beef patty burger layered with spicy jerk seasoning, a slice of pineapple and topped with lettuce, tomato, onions, and jerk mayo. On top of that, it was served with big chunks of potato wedges which were nicely cooked and seasoned. I also couldn’t resist an order of the Mango Milkshake.

Taking that first bite I immediately caught the spice and sweetness from the jerk seasoning and mayo, which was a nice balance between the two flavours. Had the pineapple been grilled, that additional sweetness would’ve been a good compliment to the taste of the burger.

Overall, the burger was juicy and perfectly cooked. The portion size was fair, and more than enough to satisfy my stomach.

I was impressed by the service and quality of the food that Showtime had to offer, and is probably one of the top halal joints that I’d visit again. I didn’t have high expectations, but this first visit definitely surpassed it.

9/10

Burger Review #41: Burgers Park

Photo by Andrew Hockridge, featuring Mark Avila

Date Visited: June 21, 2019
Location: Henry Farm
BurgerTours Rating: 8.75/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Very Messy	$11-$15	Fast Food	Veggie, Gluten-free

Website
 

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Drew's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Burgers Park has been on our list for nearly a year, and we could never find the time to make the trip up to the Victoria Park and Sheppard Ave. area. What stood out for me was the conspiracy that the food offered by Burgers Park is eerily similar to that of Shake Shack. Now I’ve never been to Shake Shack before, but by comparing pictures, I can certainly agree there are some similarities.

We arrived in the early afternoon and the place had a few customers dining at the time. This place was clearly going for a park atmosphere, and I think they actually nailed it in terms of providing a quaint area with matching decor to eat and relax a bit. It was spacious enough not to feel too cramped, and lots of bright lighting.

The Park Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Upon deciding what to get, the girl behind the counter informed us the milkshake/juices option wasn’t available. I was really dying to try one of their fruit drink options. But then again, this is a burger review and not a juice review. Burgers Park has a small menu; choosing between the burgers didn’t take any time at all. They also offer hot dogs, craft drinks and cookies and gelato for dessert.

I ordered the Park Burger, which came with American Cheese, beefsteak tomato, lettuce, sautéed onions, pickles, and the optional addition of ketchup and mayo. I was a bit surprised by the wait time as it was a little longer than I expected for the few people that were in the restaurant at the time. Despite that, the service was friendly.

The Park Burger was fantastic. The first bite was intense, and screaming to be cherished. The meat was freshly made and cooked to perfection. This is probably why our order took so long. But after consuming a few bites, the burger was very juicy/oily, which we were warned by the waiter not to take the wrapper off the burger. The fries also had a really good seasoning on them and if I had to rank them, I would give them two thumbs up!

Overall, if you're looking for a Shake Shack alternative or just a superb burger from an established burger joint, check out Burgers Park!

8.5/10

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Mark's Review

The Park Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

Burgers Park has been labelled the Canadian “Shake Shack” by some and is said to resemble other international burger joints, so we thought it would be nice to check it out and see if it’s the real deal. At a first glance the interior was very clean, casual, and green. The wood panels, and grass wall and benches created a casual fictitious indoor park atmosphere.

The menu ranges from hot dogs, burgers, milkshakes, smoothies, and craft drinks.

Since we were at Burgers Park, I had to go for the Park Burger. A Cheeseburger made of Angus Beef, seared mustard, lettuce, and tomato. I also wanted to try one of their crafted Fruit Shakes, but they were unfortunately not making it that day which was a little disappointing.

Taking the first bite, the Angus beef was very crisp and had a nice savory flavour. Out of the many Cheeseburgers I’ve had previously, this one is up on my list.

The overall quality was top notch and the flavours complimented each other really well. Since I have yet to try Shake Shack, this definitely was a nice preview and sets the bar high for a future visit.

9/10

Burger Review #40: Hidden Burger

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: January 25, 2019
Location: Financial District
BurgerTours Rating: 7.95/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Very Messy	$11-$15	Fast Food	Veggie

Website
 

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Drew's Review

Cheeseburger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

The one question we had when we selected Hidden Burger was how were we going to find it?

Well, Hidden Burger is not so hidden thanks to the internet. Upon a Google search, Hidden Burger is located somewhere within Brookfield Plaza in the financial district of downtown Toronto. Now all we had to do was walk around and find it. It was like chasing after a rare Charizard.

Once found, Hidden Burger is a small, Archie-themed, cramped little area, with a few bar stools and a table along the wall. Luckily it wasn’t as busy as we were anticipating and the wait was only a few minutes to get our orders. Hidden Burgers offers burgers at a relatively modest size. More than fair for the price, and you'll be full with the large number of fries given - but just be aware that it's at a comparable size to Burger Priest and not the Works.

I decided to go with the cheeseburger. The burger comes with a soft bun (not toasted), burger patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion and a bit of ketchup/mustard. The burger itself was very fresh and obviously made with quality ingredients. The beef patty was well seasoned and perfectly cooked.

Overall, Hidden Burger is a great little spot especially if you like a little bit of a mystery hunt. It’s definitely nothing super fantastic but a good solid burger if you're in the neighborhood or want something better than your typical fast food chain. It was well worth the find and the money spent, and you'll be playing "hide the burger" with your mouth quite quickly once you get a hold of one.

7.4/10

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Mark's Review

Photo by Mark Avila

The Cheeseburger/Photo by Mark Avila

Hidden Burger wasn’t the easiest joints to find. 

Nestled behind Bottom Line Sports Bar inside one of the Towers in Toronto’s Financial District, Hidden Burger serves simple all American style burgers topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and American cheddar cheese. Offering a basic menu consisting of the Veggie Burger, Cheeseburger, and Double Cheeseburger, this joint offers no substitutions. Simply said... you get what you pay for. They also have the “Jughead” Platter, inspired by the Archie Comics, is a 10 cheeseburger platter with added toppings, served with their side of fries and Jalapeno dipping sauce. And did I mention its $100!

I opted for the Cheeseburger. As simple as it was, it was perfectly made. The beef patty was nicely cooked, and the thick slab of cheddar cheese added a nice creamy flavour. There really isn’t much to say, other than that it was a satisfying experience that exceeded my expectations.

8.5/10

Special Burger Review: McCoy Burger Co

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: November 4, 2018
Location: Oshawa, ON
BurgerTours Rating: 5/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Good	Chaos	$11-$15	Fast Food	Veggie

Website
 

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Drew's Review

McCoy Burger Co. was simply just a forethought after reading that our first, desired option, Baldwin Street Burger in Whitby, was closed due to “unforeseen circumstances.” For a chilly day in early November, I didn’t mind driving out to Oshawa to try this burger joint. Within the last few months, I had seen McCoy pop up in a few searches of intended burger joints to try. Seeing they once had a location on Yonge St. in midtown, I didn’t want this one to be “the one that got away.”

We arrived shortly before 2 in the afternoon and we were pretty hungry. McCoy has two locations remaining; one in Ajax and one in Oshawa. The one we drove to was located in a small plaza in North Oshawa and if you’re not paying attention, you may miss it. We walked in to see a small number of people already dining for a late lunch/early dinner. Now because this wasn’t our originally planned joint, we barely did any research about what to order/what to avoid. The girl at the counter seemed kind of indifferent and wasn't to helpful with the menu.

With a quick glance of the menu, I decided to go for the Double Jack burger. It came loaded with two 4.5 oz. of premium Canadian beef on a ciabatta bun with 3 slices of real Monterrey Jack. Onions sautéed in BBQ Sauce and topped with lettuce, tomatoes and McCoy Sauce. Before my first bite, I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew this was going to get messy as sauces were already oozing out of it.

Double Jack/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

The first bite was mouth-watering, but it didn’t last long. It was harder to eat than I anticipated because the ciabatta bun was slowly disappearing before the rest of the burger. The sauce was still oozing out before the rest of the contents started to fall out. I also felt like the world was watching me eat, struggling to wipe up the mess that was escalating before me. I wanted to tap out, but I refused. The clash between the BBQ sauce and special McCoy sauce created a river of liquid that the burger itself could not contain. I was running out of napkins. I could barely taste the Monterrey jack cheese, the exact embodiment of what this burger was named after.

What this burger lacked was the consistency of a natural burger. The ciabatta buns were merely bread slices between two stacks of 4 ½ pounds of meat and a sauce that was waterier than an ice cream on a hot summer day. Along with the texture and no flame broil taste, it was greasy. Really greasy. Like so greasy, it would make Burger Priest seem like a health food staple. There was barely any flavour and maybe the only thing the burger needed was a little salt.

Perhaps my expectations for a place that once operated in midtown Toronto were too high? But maybe there was a good enough explanation as to why it closed up shop in the big city and maintained their east-most joints.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The meat itself was juicy and it was really good quality beef, but felt like it needed a touch of craftsmanship. The Double Jack came across a bit bland for my tastes and I probably wouldn’t get it again.

4/10

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Mark's Review

The Mediterranean/Photo by Mark Avila

This tour was a more spontaneous than usual. Coming home from a weekend north of Toronto, we decided to take a quick detour to Oshawa. Here, we were originally planning on visiting a joint to do a tour, but to our surprise they were closed for a private function. As a backup, we drove a short distance to McCoy Burger Company.

This joint with locations in Ajax and Oshawa, prides in handmade burgers, farmed by Canadian Farmers, and grilled to perfection to provide you with the freshest and juiciest burger.

I opted for the Mediterranean. Local Ontario Spring Lamb on a bed of feta cheese, tomato, tzaziki, and lettuce. This perfectly brings out the flavours of Greece in a single burger.

At a first glance, it was sloppy and not put well together. However, the taste was good enough to save the presentation. The flavours fused together really well, and the taste was not overpowering as I was expecting. The lamb was nicely cooked, and the Tzatziki was definitely a highlight for me. It was a nice blend of citrus and sweetness to balance out the flavour.

It was nothing spectacular, as I was hoping for a good quality burger. But, it was decent enough to satisfy my hunger. Overall, the experience was underwhelming, but I hope to visit again soon for a better burger!

6/10