Special Burger Review: Uniburger

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: November 9, 2015
Location: Latin Quarter (Montreal)
BurgerTours Rating: 7.95/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Messy	$6-$10	Fast Food	N/A

Website

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Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Drew's Review

Single Cheeseburger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Bonjour, and welcome to BurgerTours. I like to take this time to say thank you, or merci to the two guys who served us at the Uniburger on Rue Ontario on an early Monday evening. We know we weren't your only customers, but we felt like we were. Anyways, merci and here is the review.

It was a planned trip ever since August that Mark and I were going to travel to Montréal for a few days. And even though our stay was limited, we wanted to fit a special #BurgerTours in. That brings us to Uninurger. It was a decision made by narrowing down the list of Montréal's best burgers. We were left with three choices and from there we just decided that Uniburger was going to be the one to try. For those who aren't familiar, Uniburger is a burger chain with two locations in the Montréal area. After a simple Google search, we got the impression that the burgers looked like a replica of California's In N Out burger chain, so that's what made my final decision.

We arrived just after 5pm on a Monday evening and it was empty. Like, literally. We thought at least it being dinner time there would be someone eating, but alas, it was to our surprise that Mark and I were going to be dining by ourselves. The small burger joint probably sat less than 10 customers and from the outside, it really wasn't that eye appealing because Mark and I walked right past it while we were trying to find it. The interior wasn't that appealing either. The walls were bare and weren’t even bothered to be painted. This to go along with the fact we were dining in an empty restaurant really lowered my expectations of this place.

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

We walked up to the cash register and a guy came up and greeted us and at that moment, probably realized we were from out of town. Mark and I took a glance at the menu and they don't have very many options. They have an original burger named after the burger joint, a cheese burger and a hamburger which, I'm guessing is without the cheese. The only difference was going to be what you top your burger off with. So once again, without realizing, Mark and I ordered the same cheeseburger, with the only difference being the toppings; I went fully loaded and Mark chose a selection.

The meal came together with a combo, with the only choice being French fries. We both chose to get the French fries. It also came alongside a drink; we both chose to get root beer. If you haven't already guessed it, Mark and I have a very similar craving when it comes to most meals. We took a seat at a table along the wall and waited for our order to be called. We both received a number for our order but with nobody else there, and us both getting the same meal, there really wasn't any point in wasting ink on the receipt.

Within a couple of minutes, our orders were ready at the exact same time. I asked Mark if he was SURE we received the right order. We bring the trays back to our table, set it down and make our meals pose for pictures. The first thought I had was that the burger was small, or because we were in Montréal, petite. Even with all the toppings on it, it was lacking size; a size that I imagined would be twice as large when I was reading off the list of available toppings. But no sweat; as I have said before, what lacks in size usually makes up for in flavour. So I was eager to take my first bite.

Golden-Crispy French Fries/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

After the first bite I took, I got the taste of the thick, juicy meat patty with a wide variety of delicious toppings. The lettuce was crunchy, the special sauce was tangy and the melted cheese was gooey and dripping from the sides. The meat was soft and a little undercooked. But with everything on the burger, I really couldn't tell the difference. After a few more bites, the burger was gone but I was craving more. Luckily I still had some fries to munch on. And the fires complemented the burger really well. They were thin-cut natural brown potato fries and were extremely delicious - I didn't need any ketchup of vinegar on them this time.

Overall, Uniburger took a page from In N Out by replicating the tiny burger appearance and introducing it to the French market of Canada. The chef/creator really did a good job in this small little burger chain in Montréal, but maybe within time, there could be a few more locations popping up. Who knows? But for now, Uniburger sits near the top of Montréal's elite burger joints and I'm really glad I got to try their burgers.

7.4/10

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Mark's Review

Salut! #BurgerTours is in Montreal! For this special edition, Andrew and I took a three day trip to Montreal, Quebec, where we visited Uniburger, a burger joint claiming to be “Montreal’s Original Burger”.  When we were planning this BurgerTour, we had a list of three burger joints that caught our attention: Uniburger, Burger Royale, and Tablier Rouge. Reading up on Uniburger on various food blogs and web reviews, I was most intrigued that this joint is dubbed as the In-N-Out Burger of Montreal. But, most importantly, we chose Uniburger because we were curious on what made these burgers ‘original’ compared to others in Montreal. There are two locations in Montreal, one in the Quartier des Spectacles (the Entertainment District), and the other in the Cote des Neiges neighbourhood in central Montreal. We decided to visit the location in the Entertainment District mainly because of its close proximity to our hotel. 

Double Bacon Cheese Burger/ Photo by Mark Avila

Browsing through their online menu prior to our visit, I found that the burger options were indeed original. But, I’m pretty sure this wasn’t why Uniburger is known as the original burger joint of Montreal. The options were limited and basic from the Classic Burger to the Classic Double Bacon Cheeseburger.  Making my choice, however, was very clear. I opted for the Double Bacon Cheeseburger combo for a price of $9.99 with a side of fries and your choice of fountain drink or milkshake. The Burger on its own came to a price of $5.99.

We were the only customers at the time we visited which was around 6pm, so the service was fast and sufficient, and our food came out pretty quickly. On a side note, this was the second time that Andrew and I both chose the same burger. The only difference this time was that we chose different toppings. I went simple with my topping choices of lettuce, tomato, relish, and ketchup. It was quite small and basic, but was it ever full of flavour. The patty was one of the most juiciest I’ve ever tasted, and perfectly seasoned. I probably never would have gotten this burger any other way. However, if I had just gotten the burger with just the beef patty and cheddar cheese, I would have been satisfied.

For our first burger experience in Montreal, I was very satisfied and happy with our decision of going to Uniburger.  Even though this was a Double Bacon Cheeseburger like any other, there was originality when it came to taste. The flavours complimented well with one another, and there was no overwhelming flavour that conflicted with my taste buds when taking the first bite. If I’m ever back in Montreal, I will definitely consider visiting Uniburger again!

8.5/10

Burger Review #16: Fatburger

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: September 28, 2015 
Location: Thornhill
BurgerTours Rating: 8.1/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Some Drip	$6-$10	Fast Food	Veggie, Gluten Free, Liquor

Website

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Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Drew's Review

Fatburger is a burger joint that's really needs no introduction. Being an American burger chain, I knew right from the start the burgers were going to be massive. I had one goal in mind and that was to leave this establishment satisfied with a full stomach. And I succeeded.

Old Style Bacon Cheddar Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Fatburger was our third American burger chain and it definitely lived up to my expectations. We decided to go on a muggy, late September day in the middle of the afternoon. It was quite the adventure trying to find the place. It's located north of the city in Thornhill and it is right across the street from Promenade Mall. From the outside, the dine-in restaurant looks narrow, but once you enter through either door from the west or the east, the space opens up. Right in the east entranceway, where we walked in, there is a dining space that has nearly five tables and a table bar along the wall. I was a little shocked because I wasn't expecting a big enough space for this many tables. There were a few guys in there who had just finished placing their orders before us, but to my surprise, it was pretty empty. There were only two employees working behind the counter from what we could see, but maybe at this time of the day, no rush or anything, it only needed the two.

As you walk in, you'll walk down a narrow hall towards the area where you give your order. Along the walls are strips and comics that advertise Fatburger. The walls are painted like a bar or a pub, and each has a really modern look to it. One wall has pictures of the burgers, and various statements that Fatburger claims to be there personalized motto.

Before we go to place our order, the guy behind the counter greets us and then waits as we take some time to read over the menu. I wanted to get something with bacon on it as I was craving it for a few days beforehand. I decided to go with the Old Style Bacon Cheddar burger. The list of toppings that followed sounded like it was going to be a mouthful. Mark and I also agreed to get a milkshake just to shake things up this time around. The gentleman gave us a number and told us to grab a table and when our meal was ready, the waitress will bring it to us. We walk back through the hallway and grab a seat in the corner overlooking the dining area, which made for a pretty good photo-op. Within minutes of placing our order, our milkshakes were brought out, followed by our meals.

Old Style Bacon Cheddar Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Sitting in the basket was the burger I had ordered and a side of fries with ketchup. The burger was massive. The lettuce alone was falling out of the burger. I knew this was going to be a mess, so I stacked up on napkins and went to work. The first bite I got was the beef, lettuce, mustard and small bites of the crispy bacon. It was enough to satisfy my taste buds. I added a little hot sauce for my liking and even though the burger was already stuffed to the roof, the hot sauce made it that more amazing.

Every now and then I would glance over at my chocolate milkshake to see how much I had already gone through and by the the time I had finished eating half of the burger, I was down to my last sip. The fries were gone too as I like to get them out of the way before I finish the burger. The burger was one delicious taste after another. And when I finished it, I was fighting for more. But I was stuffed. The burger was beyond perfection for my liking, and the chocolate milkshake was probably the best one I've had to this day.

Chocolate Milkshake/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

The fries were golden crispy, and fresh. The fries were nothing too special, but nice to have on the side. After we fished out meal, the waitress returns to collect our baskets and asks us if we wanted a cup of ice water. We both agree and she goes back and brings out two cups of ice water for the both of us. I take a sip and this was everything I needed right then and there, in a cup. I don't know what it was about this cup of ice water but it was unlike any other ice water I've drank before. I would give that ice water a definite 10/10 for being exactly what I need after a huge, good tasting burger.

Overall, Fatburger offers an American tradition since 1952 by grilling up some good tasting burgers; not to mention their burgers are always fresh. And although they have a variety of choices on the menu, like alcoholic drinks for example, burgers are what they truly excel in. The service at this location was outstanding and the burgers were delicious. I would highly recommend this burger joint to anyone with a huge appetite. And if it wasn't all the way in Thornhill, I would definitely be here more often.

7.7/10

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Wall Menu/Photo by Mark Avila

 Mark's Review

The New Yorker/Photo by Mark Avila

Who knew it would take us this long to finally visit Fatburger. Well, the fact that it is located in Thornhill, north of Toronto, is probably one of the main reasons. But, being the only location in Ontario, my expectations were quite high. This particular joint was hyped up to me by a friend who lived out of town, and pressured me to try it out when I had the chance. Seeing that this particular visit was my special birthday tour, I took advantage of the opportunity.

*s/o to Andrew for treating me out to this awesome meal*

Seeing the restaurant for the first time, I was a little disappointed at how small the exterior was. I honestly thought it was going to be a cramped space with little to no room for dining. But, never judge a book by its cover. As soon as I walked into the restaurant, I was pleased to see a pretty decent size dining area with their signature burgers plastered on the wall.

After walking up to the counter to place our order, I just stood and stared blankly at the menu for the longest time. I always love a big selection! I finally made my decision with the New Yorker, a specialty burger on their menu for a limited time. I ordered it as a combo with a side of Fries, and a Banana Milkshake. Made with Angus Beef, slow cooked Pastrami, and covered with a thick layer of melted cheddar cheese, this burger is definitely up there with the big boys.

Chocolate and Banana Milkshake/ Photo by Mark Avila

Taking the first bite, the cheddar cheese immediately covered my taste buds. The Angus beef combined with the cheddar cheese made the burger so juicy, and the Pastrami added some extra flavour. But, I must admit, the cheddar cheese totally outdid the Pastrami. It was just a little too much. Even without the Pastrami, I feel the New Yorker would’ve tasted exactly the same. It was a little bit of a letdown. Regardless, I found the New Yorker to be a nice combination of flavour. Definitely a satisfying experience for both my stomach and taste buds.

Fatburger went above and beyond my expectations. From the efficient and quick service to the burger itself, my experience at Fatburger was certainly one to return to. Despite the far distance from where I live, I wouldn’t mind travelling to Thornhill for a satisfying and appetizing meal.

8.5/10

Special Burger Review: Marco's Famous

Photo by Mark Avila

Date Visited: August 25, 2015
Location: Downtown Edmonton
BurgerTours Rating: 8/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Very Good	Some Drip	$6-$10	Fast Food	Veggie

Website

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Review by Mark Avila

The Cowboy/Photo by Mark Avila

Flying out to Edmonton for vacation, I was a little apprehensive to go on this solo tour. But I'm glad that I did. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to find the best of the best, but doing some research I was able to narrow my choices down to three: Rodeo Burger, Marco's Famous, and the Burger Joint. I based my final decision on distance from where I was staying in the West end of the city, if there was a decent selection of burgers, quality, and most importantly customer reviews. Spending a few hours looking through the menu and reading customer reviews of the burger joints listed above, my final choice was Marco's Famous.

Located minutes away from Downtown Edmonton in the small neighborhood Oliver, Marco's Famous is the Burger Tours' joint number sixteen. And the first to be tagged in a solo review. Congratulations!

Browsing through their online menu the night before, I was delighted to see a nice selection of burgers, sandwiches, and wraps. Even though the wraps looked absolutely delectable, I had to stay focus on the task at hand. Quickly looking through the burger section, it wasn't long until I made my decision.

Photo by Mark Avila

Walking into the restaurant that the following day I made no hesitation on ordering 'the Cowboy'. Since I was on vacation, I decided to go all out on this one.
The 'Cowboy' is a Bacon Cheeseburger with Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, Onion Rings, and Barbecue Sauce. I ordered this a combo with a side of fries (other options: onion rings or waffle fries) and a drink (I opted for a Strawberry Milkshake).

Just by the description I was expecting this burger to be huge, but to my surprise it was a fair enough size to be devoured with no problem. Taking my first bite, the barbecue sauce dripped out from the side of my mouth and was oozing with flavor. It wasn't too spicy, but added a nice sweetness to the burger. The Onion Rings were crunchy and not too oily, which I really liked. It was your typical Bacon Cheeseburger, but Marco's Famous definitely took it up a notch by adding extra flavors giving this burger a distinctive taste.

Photo by Mark Avila

My overall at Marco's Famous was quite satisfying. I made it on time before the lunch rush, so I managed to order and receive my food pretty quickly. Along with the quality of service and appetizing meal, I definitely made a good choice by choosing Marco's Famous for this special Burger Tours review. Don't be surprised to see me back during my next visit. Till next time!

8/10

Burger Review #15: Jackson's Burger

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: August 10, 2015
Location: Yonge & Dundas
BurgerTours Rating: 6.1/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Good	Messy	$6-$10	Fast Food	Veggie, Gluten Free

Website

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Drew's Review

The Burgerziki with Onion Rings/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

The one thing about Jackson’s Burger is that they are quite active on social media. Posting images of their burgers to Instagram daily, and updating statuses on Twitter and Facebook constantly is one way to draw customers. And that is the very reason why #BurgerTours stumbled across it.

It was through Instagram where the people at Jackson’s Burger interacted with us and commented on one of our photos, and we felt the need to take it upon them and give their burgers a try. I don’t know about you, but it seemed like they were calling us out.

Screengrab of Instagram comments

We decided to go in early August, right after the lunch rush one day and as we entered the joint at Yonge Street, just south of Gerrard, the place was dead. Literally. The only person we saw was the guy working the grill, who gave us no more than a nod as we walked in. It felt like it was closed or just about to close, even though it was only 2 in the afternoon. During this time, Mark and I were able to glance over the menu and decide what to order.

Jackson’s Burger offers a wide selection of burgers to choose from; signature classic burgers or a unique creation which they call “for international lovers.” Each of the burgers on the International menu seemed very appetizing and quite unique, so I was leaning towards getting one of them. The two that stood out for me were the Burgersake and Burgerziki. The Burgersake had battered cod fish on it and sampled ingredients from Japan, while the Burgerziki had a hand-chopped chicken breast and sampled toppings from Greece. I gave one final look before I had in mind what I was going to order.

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

The guy gave a call to the back and then a server quickly came out to take our orders. I went with the Burgerziki as I wanted to try a burger with tzatziki on it. With a quick purchase, we grabbed a table at the back of the joint and waited for our burgers to be made. Within about ten minutes, the waitress/server comes over to our table with the burgers in hand and hands us our meals. She then offers to get our drinks which were in the Coke fridge this entire time while we were waiting, but it wasn’t too much of a hassle.

Giving a look at the burger as I unwrapped the foil, I was alarmed to find the tzatziki dressing and the chicken breast all over the place. In other words, I knew this was going to be a messy meal. So I prepared myself with extra napkins. My first bite I took brought to my attention how similar it was to a chicken gyro or souvalaki. But having it placed between to buns really surprised me. The buns were soft, but nothing special. The meat was chewy but the burger in whole was covered in tzatziki sauce, so it really didn’t allow me to distinguish the flavour of the chicken.

To go along with my Burgerziki, I ordered a side of onion rings to compliment the burger, as I knew Mark had gone with the fries. They were crispy but were lacking flavour. And to be honest, I really didn’t want to finish them.

Overall, Jackson’s Burger didn’t live up to my expectations. I was honestly looking forward to their hand-crafted signature burgers, but I was little dissatisfied when it came to the overall taste of the Burgerziki. Jackson’s Burger has quite the selection of burgers to choose from, but sometimes ingredients that someone thinks should be on a burger doesn’t quite necessarily mean it has to be on a burger. We’ve reached a point in the burger world where quality is greater than quantity and most of the time, less is more. But when a certain place lacks the quality, they fail to meet the requirements of running a well-established burger joint.

That being said, the chicken breast and tzatziki should stay in a gyro and not between two buns. So maybe, if I ever return though, I’ll try their beef burgers and maybe then, my judgement will change.

5.2/10

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Mark's Review

The Burgogie/Photo by Mark Avila

Located just south of Yonge & Gerrard, this burger joint was a total surprise. It's a small joint, but with a lot of character. The interior was plastered with their entire menu from their sandwiches to the burgers. You will definitely not be lost when making your decision.

Browsing through their online menu I was immediately drawn to the 'International Lovers' section. The 'International Lovers' are burgers inspired from different foods from countries around the world. With a pretty decent list of eight countries to choose from (Canada, United States, Japan, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, and Poland), you will definitely enjoy a burger with a 'international' flare. I was torn between the 'Burgersake' or the 'Burogie'. As much as I would have loved to try a Japanese fusion burger on my first visit, it would have to wait for the second. I decided to go for the Burogie.

The Daily Specials/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

'The Burogie', a spinoff from the Polish dumpling, Pierogi, is a burger full of flavour and crunch, but gave mixed reactions. A small burger loaded with lettuce, pickles, sour cream, coleslaw, and potato latkes, you would expect an explosion of flavour right from the first bite, but that was not the case. I was underwhelmed by the lack of flavour from the burger itself. I wasn't expecting it to taste like an actual Pirogi, but I was hoping it would give off a distinctive taste. It tasted like your usual burger with an overpowering taste from the coleslaw. Looking back, the coleslaw was all I could taste. I got no taste from the potato latkes; all I got from it was the crunch.

Overall, it was a decent burger, but I would have liked to have gotten more flavour and that authentic experience of eating a Pirogi. It was definitely a satisfying visit, and this joint is definitely a go to if your in the area. I'll be looking forward to my second visit soon! And maybe I'll give the Burgersake a try next time.

7/10

Burger Review #14: Gangster Burger

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date visited: July 21, 2015 
Location: Queen West (Permanently Closed)
BurgerTours Rating: 7.6/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Some Drip	$6-$10	Fast Food	Veggie

Website

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The Notorious Gangster wall/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Drew's Review

It started out with a tag on Instagram.  

It was mid-July and Mark and I were talking about where to go next. It was an evening when I was randomly scrolling through the BurgerTours Instagram and we had received a notification from Gangster Burger tagging us in a picture with two burgers; the Dillinger and the Pretty Boy Floyd. The caption of the photo said: “Which burger do you prefer?” This was the first time we have ever been noticed in some capacity through social media. I said to Mark, “Maybe we should give Gangster Burger a try…?” Mark agreed.

We decided to go on a Tuesday afternoon and it was an hour after the lunch rush and there was only one other person dining when we arrived at the Queen West location. Right at that moment, I knew we were going to be treated like valued diners. Looking around, there were only three bar stools along the wall. The other wall is a collage of notorious “gangsters”; faces, articles and names of famous criminals. It was a fairly small burger joint and probably the smallest we’ve eaten at to this day.

The Pretty Boy Floyd/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

We were quickly greeted by the gentleman behind the counter and, without hesitation, asked if this was our first time. We responded, “Yes” and he read out the most “notorious” burgers named after their famous Gangster counter-part. One of the burgers listed on the menu was “El Chapo”, named after the infamous Mexican drug lord. Even though this seemed like a really good option to try, Mark and I agreed we were going to order the burgers in the picture we were originally tagged in. I decided to go with the Pretty Boy Floyd. It had lettuce, tomato, ‘gangster goo’ (spicy ketchup), and topped with mac & cheese. Yes, mac & cheese. It sounded like it was going to be a combination of two of my favourite foods.

In addition to getting the burger, we were informed the burger alone wasn’t part of a combo and we had to pay for fries separately. At the time of our meal, there was only Diet Coke in the fridge to drink. It was a little dissatisfying, so we just agreed to get a side of fries each. To go along with the fries, the gentleman gave us four different types of dips for our fries. The first was garlic aioli; the second was nicknamed “blue magic”, and was a secret creation; the third was spicy ketchup aka "Gangster Goo"; and the fourth was jalapeño ranch. (I still question to this day whether he was aware of whom we are or if he just treated us like we were your typical everyday customers.)

Within a few minutes, our burgers were ready and fresh off the grill. I unwrapped the foil and there sat a huge burger with the mac & cheese pouring out of it. It was literally stuffed and looked like it was full of flavour. I could not wait to eat it. I tried to wrap my hands around it, but my first attempt was a failure. I tried a second time and I picked it up and lifted it toward my mouth. The mac & cheese began falling out and I tried to extend my mouth around and take a huge bite. The taste was one big colossus mashup of burger meat meets mac & cheese. It was so good, and so cheesy that I literally ran out of napkins after my first bite. There was also a slight sting to the flavour and that was coming from the spicy ketchup spread nicely on the bun. It was right after that bite I looked over to Mark and said, “We’re going to need drinks after this.”

French Fries with 4 separate dips/Photo by Mark Avila

After a couple of more bites, the burger was gone in a flash. The mac & cheese controlled most of the flavour of the burger. It’s something you don’t normally think to put on a burger but somehow it worked. The spicy ketchup was also a nice addition to the burger and added the extra sting the burger needed. I was surprised because after finishing that burger, I still had a bit of room for the French fries. And there sitting beside the French fries was the four dips we were requested in trying. The first dip, the garlic aioli was a little tangy, and almost tasted as if it would go well with a pizza crust; to bland for my tasting. The second dip was the blue magic and was a little hot and had a little kick to it, but was missing something. The third dip was the spicy ketchup, and because I already had this on my burger, the taste of spicy ketchup was still lingering in my mouth. So maybe, I thought, the fourth dip might be a little surprise. And it was. It was the jalapeño ranch that had the right spiciness and the right amount of flavour that went well with the French fries. I don’t know what it was, but the jalapeño ranch had something that the other dips lacked and that was the right amount of everything.

Overall, despite there not being any drinks to choose from other than Diet Coke, the meal was beyond expectations. The gentleman behind the counter was really friendly and he catered us as if we were special guests. It was beyond exceptional service. In a way, Gangster Burger really surprised me. From the delicious selection of burgers to the gangsters each burger is named after, Gangster Burger sure knows how to bring out the bad side in everyone. And maybe, Toronto doesn’t just need a hero or a priest all the time. Maybe all Toronto needs is a gangster with a good reputation.

7.2/10

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Mark's Review 

The Dillenger/Photo by Mark Avila

Thanks for the shout out Gangster Burger! You called us out and now we're responding with a promising review.

The Gangster Burger motto is a "burger you can't refuse" and we definitely didn't turn down what was offered to us. As soon as we stepped inside the restaurant, we were greeted almost immediately. We were asked if we've ever been to Gangster Burger before, the answer was no. But, that didn't stop the person serving us to go through the entire menu to help make our decision. Of course, we already knew what we wanted, but the extra effort made that first impression even more special.

When Gangster Burger tagged us in an Instagram post of two of their signature burgers, 'The Pretty Boy Floyd', and 'the Dillenger', we made sure those were the ones we would try. I opted for the Dillenger.

When we placed our order, we were told that we couldn't get the combo since there were no drinks available, except for Diet Coke, which we kindly refused. So we just paid for the burger and fries separately. In total, the meal came up to less than $12.00.

French Fries w/ 4 separate dipping sauces/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Speaking of the fries, we were given the option to try two of their signature sauces, but instead got offered four sauces in total. We were given: the Garlic Aioli, Blue Magic, Spicy Ketchup, and Jalapeño Ranch. I was torn between the Chipotle Ranch and the Blue Magic. But if I had to choose between one, the Blue Magic is definitely the winner. It had a light consistency to it that gave it a smooth and neutral taste compared to the others, which gave the fries a distinct flavour.

Anyway, back to the burger. The Dillenger is a burger like no other. It's a towering burger layered with a 6oz. beef patty, caramelized onions, dill havarti, chipotle mayo, spicy ketchup, bacon, and topped off with lettuce and tomato. Unwrapping and seeing it for the first time, I thought to myself, how on earth was I going to get around eating this thing or even finishing it. It was huge! Taking that first bite, I was immediately slammed by the spiciness from the Spicy Ketchup. And with that particular day being very hot and humid, I was already feeling the sweat come down my sides. I found the burger to be very balanced in flavour with all the ingredients being represented equally in taste. The dill havarti and chipotle mayo was a perfect combination that gave the burger a smooth and hearty taste. However, I found the Spicy Ketchup to be a little too over powering, to the point that it was all I could taste.

Overall, The Dillenger was very filling and flavourful. I would definitely have it again another time. My overall experience at Gangster Burger was satisfying. I appreciated being greeted right when we walked in, and being guided through the menu. You rarely get that nowadays and that definitely gave a lasting impression. From the service to the burgers, Gangster Burger is definitely a place to go to for a filling and satisfying meal.

8/10 

Andrew (left) and Mark (right) #BurgerTours at Gangster Burger, July 21, 2015

Burger Review #13: Wahlburgers

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date visited: June 23, 2015
Location: King West
BurgerTours Rating: 8.5/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Messy	$6-$10	Fast Food, Restaurant, Bar	Veggie, Gluten Free, Liquor, Patio

Website

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Drew's Review

Our Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

If you haven't heard of Wahlburgers yet, then you're missing out.

This gourmet burger joint, which was given life from the A&E reality series featuring celebrities Mark and Donnie Wahlberg and their chef brother, Paul, is a burger joint unlike any other.

Opening in November of 2014, this Toronto location is modelled after its original Boston location. Inside sits a bar with thousands of drinks on hand, TV screens hanging on the wall and completed with green bar stools and tables. Upstairs is the fast food option, so customers can easily pick up their meal for a quick dine-in experience. Or they have the option, like we chose, to get table service.

We got there exactly at noon and there were already a few diners inside at the time of our arrival. We walked in and we were quickly greeted by a waitress asking if this was our first time. We nodded our heads and she told us about the two types of dining options. We chose the table service and we were then pointed in the direction of two open tables. We sat at the table closest to the window and we had a good view of the bar.

We both took glances at the menu and within seconds, we knew what we were going to order. I went with the Dad's Special, also known as Our Burger, but was renamed for it being Father's Day just a couple of days earlier. Under the listing of the burger, it read: "Paul's favourite." So I knew that if it was recommended by the chef, then it had to be a good tasting burger. Mark and I also noticed that the burgers don't come with any combos, so you have to order a side separately. We decided to share a cup of fries along with our burgers.

A few minutes later after giving our orders, the waitress brings out two burgers, both of which aren't the burgers we ordered. The waitress returns only to apologize and then brings out our actual orders. I was thinking this probably wouldn't have happened if we chose the fast food option. However, it also did take a while for our fries to come. In fact, both of us were finished our burgers by the time the waitress brought out the fries.

Yukon Gold French fries/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

When we got our meals, the burger portion was small. But it was quality over quantity, after all. Our Burger came topped with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, dill pickles, cheese and a very special Wahlburger sauce: ketchup, mayo and a hint of sriracha. The buns were really soft and the 8 oz. meat patty was tender, yet grilled to perfection. The taste of the beef was 100% pure Canadian quality and came with no additional flavours or preservatives. This is what you want from a gourmet burger joint.

Once the fries did finally arrive, we chose to also get the Wahlburger sauce so we could dip our fries. The fries were Yukon gold, natural cut French fries and tossed in sea salt. Even without the sauce, they were full of flavour. Because of the small portion size, they were gone in a flash - so fast in fact we were considering getting dessert. But we took a look at the prices and decided to skip.

Overall, I was really satisfied with our dining experience at Wahlburgers. Despite the small mishap, the waitress was really friendly and very welcoming. The atmosphere during the day is average for a downtown sports bar, but if a sports game is being played live, I can imagine how quickly the joint fills up.

Wahlburgers offers a place with the option to dine with the fast food crowd, the bar crowd or simply choosing the restaurant-like dining experience. With screens everywhere and minutes away from the Rogers Centre, it's clear to see this is a true sports bar. But even if you're not such a sports fan, this place offers lots of different options on the menu. From exclusive drinks, to gourmet burgers and even a little for dessert, Wahlburgers is the place to share a family experience. And all it took was a famous family from Boston, a TV show and a chef, to create this real genuine family experience.

8.5/10

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Mark's Review

Thanksgiving Day/Photo by Mark Avila

Wahlburgers was a joint that Andrew suggested we try out for quite some time, and it never occurred to me until I realized the famous connotation behind the name. Wahlburg... of course, Mark Wahlburg! This family owned restaurant ran by Mark, and Brothers Donny and Paul, has expanded greatly across the US and is now slowly expanding to Canada with their newly opened Toronto location. Known as ‘one of the best burger restaurants in North America’, I definitely had my expectations set with this joint. 

Walking in I was surprised to find how spacious this location is. Two floors with the choice of dining in the bar or the dining room, we opted for the dining room. We got there around lunch time so I was expecting the place to be busy, but to my surprise it was fairly empty. We were immediately greeted by the hostess and got seated right away. A majority of people were in the front dining area so we decided to join everyone else.

The Wahlburgers menu/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

The menu had a decent variety of burgers and sandwiches from ‘Wahlfaves’ to the basic burgers with a special twist. Browsing through the menu for at least a good five minutes, I was torn between the Thanksgiving Day and the OFD. I based my decision on a little marking above one of the two that said "Mark’s Choice"... so, Thanksgiving Day it is!

Aside from the Thanksgiving Day being a Mark Wahlburg favourite, I was mostly attracted to the creative use of your typical Thanksgiving ingredients inside the burger. A freshly seasoned Turkey patty over a base of orange cranberry sauce, topped off with a butternut squash stuffing with mayonnaise, this is a Thanksgiving meal in the form of a burger! 

There was no need for lettuce, tomato, and ketchup in this masterpiece. This burger on its own tasted absolutely amazing. All the flavours from the turkey, stuffing, and orange cranberry sauce gave this burger a perfectly balanced taste. On a particular note, the butternut squash stuffing added a soft and light texture that balanced out the sweet and tart flavour of the orange cranberry sauce. Overall, this burger had me tempting to ask for a second one. Definitely one of the best burgers I’ve ever had.

The interior bar/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Despite the dining room not used to full capacity, the service was rather slow. Speaking of slow... did I mention that the small cup of French Fries we ordered from the start came to us last...when we were already done eating.

The one waitress, which at the time looked like the only person serving the floor, tried her best to speed up service by serving a few tables at the same time and apologized to us for waiting so long. After about ten to fifteen minutes from placing our order, the food finally came... but it wasn’t ours. We tried to call for the food to be taken back, but no one seemed to notice us. After a few minutes, they were able to correct the mix up without having to question us on what we ordered, and apologized. 

Aside from the service, the food certainly makes up for it. It was a satisfying dining experience, and I will definitely be back. 

8.5/10