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

---

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

---

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

---

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: Delirious Burger Co.

Photo by Mark Avila

Date Visited: November 14, 2017
Location: Hamilton, ON
BurgerTours Rating: 8.1/10

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

Website
 

---

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Drew's Review

We couldn’t have chosen a better burger joint for our second visit to Hamilton. Delirious Burger Co. is a no-frills local burger joint with friendly service, and more important, exceptionally tasty food.

Delirious can be described as “Hamilton's answer to The Burger’s Priest.” What sets Delirious apart from other local burger joints is that they offer American-style burger, cooked on a flat top grill rather than a griddle. Because the burger is cooked on a flat top, what you end up with is a crispy seared crust and a juicy interior.

Before Ben Greco opened Delirious in July of 2013, his wife said he must be “delirious" after telling her he was quitting 15-year-marketing career to open a burger joint in Hamilton.

"I made a big issue of finding something that was primarily unique," he said. "What I came across was a lot of the processed, fast food quality burgers. The burger was either frozen, had fillers, or the fries were also frozen, and it took away from the quality of the products produced." -Hamilton Spectator, July 2013

The small restaurant is tucked away on a side street in the west end of Hamilton. We were lucky we had Google Maps running so we were able to find it. The interior is bright and modern, with grey walls and black accents. Stools line the windows with a wooden counter-top. We arrived in the early evening and only a few diners were sitting when we entered.

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

The menu is small, which is refreshing because some places just offer many unnecessary options, and when all you want is the beef, this is the best option. They offer basic burgers and a stuffed Portobello burger veggie option, and the only side offered, at least when we were there, were fries. We placed our orders and within a few minutes, they were ready. It was fast.

I ordered the Double Bacon Cheeseburger topped with lettuce, red onions, ketchup and mayo. You can pay an extra 50 cents for sautéed onions, sautéed mushrooms or fried jalapenos. The meat was juicy and tender, and the flavour was succulent. The crispiness of the bacon clashed so elegantly with the tenderness of the beef. Every bite was satisfactory in my expectations. The double cheeseburger was just enough to satisfy my hunger and needless to say, I was full.

Double Bacon Cheeseburger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

The fries on the side were outstanding. They were crispy on the outside, mushy in a delicious way on the inside and dusted in sea salt. They also provide you with malt vinegar, if you ask, which makes them even more amazing. Cannot say enough about these fries. Also, if anyone can find a way to fit the word 'fries' into this paragraph a few more times, please let me know.

Delirious Burger Company is a solid addition to the Hamilton burger scene. Their fries are excellent and their burgers among the best within the city limits. You’d be crazy not to try Delirious if you want a tasty burger that’s as quick as fast food (and comparable prices), but made with much higher quality ingredients. I will definitely pay this location a visit next time I find myself in the west end of Hamilton. *Thumbs up emoji*

8.7/10

---

Mark's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

After our first visit to Hamilton, which left a lasting impression to our stomachs... and wallets, we decided to come back and tag our second burger joint in the city. This time we take you to the neighbourhood of Westdale, in East Hamilton, where we visit Delirious.

Delirious has a simple, yet original menu. They don’t have much to offer from a simple beef burger to the whopping Double Bacon Cheeseburger. For those looking for a vegetarian alternative, the Stuffed Portobello Burger sounded quite appetizing as well.

Double Bacon Cheeseburger/Photo by Mark Avila

I decided to try the Double Bacon Cheeseburger with my choice of toppings – lettuce, mustard, pickles, and tomato. I’m always a fan of burger joints that allow you to customize a burger to your liking. It makes the experience more personable and allows you to craft a meal that caters to your taste bud. They don’t offer any meal combos, so the sides and drink were added on as an extra charge.

The beef patty was probably the juiciest I have ever had. The crispiness of the bacon added a nice crunch, while all the other flavours meshed together to create a tangy sensation in my mouth.

Delirious was a traditional burger joint with appetizing burgers. I think this is what makes Delirious different from other joints that decide to go for a traditional route. They add flavour and care when crafting their burgers, which show in presentation and taste. Once again, Hamilton wowed me with an impressive burger experience. When this city has given its best, so far, I can’t wait to see what other burger joints are waiting to be tasted.

7.5/10

Special Burger Review: Hambrgr

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: October 17, 2017
Location: Hamilton, ON
BurgerTours Rating: 9.15/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Excellent	Very Messy	$11-$15	Restaurant, Bar	Veggie, Gluten Free, Patio, Liquor

Website 

---

Drew's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Hambrgr was a place that was on our list for nearly a year. It was a destination that was given to us, like many others, by word of mouth and it was only a matter of time before we found ourselves in downtown Hamilton. On a day trip out of the city, Mark and I decided to drive to Hamilton to dine at Hambrgr.

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Hambrgr was introduced to the Hammer city in October of 2015. Chef Mike Cipollo worked 12 years as a corporate chef with Bier Markt and when the time came to open his first restaurant, he scouted possible locations in and around Hamilton. His plan was to open a “refined casual” restaurant with about 200 seats in about 7,000 square feet, but Cipollo would settle on King William, the heart of downtown Hamilton, a mere 600-square-foot area that sat close to 40 diners. Since then, Hambrgr has made quite the buzz with locals and people like us driving in from Toronto to try their delicious creations.

It was late into the evening when we arrived in Hamilton, so we were expecting it to be pretty busy…and it was. Every seat, every table, was taken. And we were lucky enough to get a small space right up beside the wall on a narrow table. In this joint, clearly, we weren’t dining alone. This place offered an array of qualities I have not experienced in burger joints in Toronto. The décor screamed hipster - It's got wood/metal tables, chalkboard walls, and exposed brick. It reminded me of some of the joints we’ve visited on Queen Street West.

Mark and I took our time to read over the menu before ordering. This was our first time, and the pressure of dining at a top ranked burger joint in Ontario was high and doesn’t come along very often. After a few minutes, we were ready to order. I got the Hamont, a signature burger crafted in house. And from the list of toppings, it sounds like it will quite the taste bud adventure.

The Hamont/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Within a few minutes, our burgers were ready and the platter, that came with a side of fries, arrived in front of our eyes. The burger was tall and the toppings really stood out. The Hamont came loaded with two patties, grilled onions, iceberg lettuce, glazed bacon, American cheese and their homemade Brgr sauce. The first bite had everything I could ask for in a burger. The meat was cooked to perfection, the bacon was magnificent and Brgr sauce was just what it needed to compliment the overall flavour.

The fries on the side were golden brown, and crispy and just the right amount of seasoning for my liking. They also offer poutine and other side options as well if you’re not feeling the desire for French fries.

Overall, Hambrgr was just what I had imagined: friendly staff, a vibrant atmosphere and great tasting burgers. I would strongly recommend this burger joint to all the burger lovers around the world. It takes strong creativity and brilliant minds to pull off what Hambrgr has in recent years. Maybe if it wasn’t an hour drive away, I could see myself eating there more often, but for now, I’m glad that it exists and it was well worth the drive.

8.8/10

---

Mark's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

This special burger tour review takes us an hour and a half drive out of Toronto to the City of Hamilton, where we visit Hambrgr. And no, Hambrgr, is not a typo. This joint first started off in 2015 with hopes to place Hamilton on the burger scene, with “the best damn burger you’ve ever eaten”. Hambrgr likes to keep it simple, but at the same time crafting the best quality burgers from locally sourced ingredients, accompanied by a vast selection of quality draft beer. Hambrgr certainly caught our attention, and we couldn’t wait to see what this Downtown Hamilton burger joint had to offer.

A popular spot for locals to dine in on a Friday night, the restaurant was bustling with diners either enjoying the sports game playing at the bar, or indulging in a meal with friends or family. Our purpose, like always, was the burgers. They offer a decent menu selection with two vegetarian options which caters to those who choose to enjoy a gluten free burger alternative.

The Maui Wowi/Photo by Mark Avila

I opted for the Maui Wowi. It comprises of a ¼ ounce beef patty, layered with spiced pulled pork white cheddar, pineapple jam, a coffee spiked BBQ sauce, and topped with crispy onions. I’ve had fairly large burgers in the past, but this one almost topped the rest. The first bite had me a little confused. All the flavours struck all at once... spicy, sweet, smoky... it was too much for one bite. But, once everything settled, I started to notice that the coffee based BBQ sauce was the dominant flavour in the burger. The kick from the pineapple jam was short and sweet that I even forgot there was pineapple incorporated in the burger. The spiced pulled pork and seasoning from the crispy onions balanced the smokiness from the BBQ sauce, which made the burger more flavourful and enjoyable.

This has got to be one of my favourite burgers that I’ve had in quite some time. The strong flavours solidified into a burger that is guaranteed to satisfy your preferred taste.

Hambrgr did not disappoint from the service, busyness, and the food. This was a perfect introduction to Hamilton’s burger scene, and if others aren’t up to par, then this is definitely the best damn burger I’ve ever eaten!

9.5/10