Burger Review #31: Cowboy Jack's Juicy Burgers

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: June 06, 2017
Location: Eglinton East (Permanently Closed)
BurgerTours Rating: 6.8/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Great	Some Drip	$11-$15	Restaurant	Veggie

Website
 

---

Drew's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Howdy! For our 35th BurgerTour, we take you to the east end, Eglinton and McCowan to be exact, to dine at Cowboy Jack’s Juicy Burgers. Before Mark suggested it a day earlier, I had not heard of this joint, let a lone knew of its existence. I’m pretty familiar with Scarborough, but hearing about this one was a surprise. We treated this like any other BurgerTour and had no idea what to expect. I had done very little research on what they had to offer before the actual visit.

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

We decided to go on a day when we were both off during the second week of June. It was a Tuesday, and I wasn’t expecting much of a crowd. We entered the establishment a little after 11 in the morning, and not a single diner was to be seen. There we many tables to be sat at and it was very well decorated. Every wall was covered in a Western theme and really brought this joint to life.

We walked up to the counter and took a good hard look at their menu to decide what we were going to order. Every option sounded like it was going to be a good one and I was having a hard time decide. After a few minutes, I decided to go for the 5oz. Home Burger with a regular size Home Burger Poutine. I was fairly hungry but the poutine portion looked huge. I decided to save my appetite just for that.

5oz. Home Burger/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Within a few minutes, our burgers were ready. My burger looked remarkably ready to be eaten. I was small, compact, but don’t let the size fool you. This burger was full of flavour. After the first bite, I was drooling over the taste of the meat. It was tender and juicy, and cooked well to perfection. The toppings were a nice addition and complemented the burger very well. I had ketchup and mayo on it, just like I do every time I have the chance to customize my toppings, and it mashed really nicely together with the other toppings, which were lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and onions.

Home Burger Poutine/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

The Home Burger Poutine was by far my favourite. Little chunks of burger thrown into fries, cheese curds and gravy is all I really needed. And the regular size was just enough. I was so full and satisfied that I still had a little poutine left over and took it home with me.

Overall, Cowboy Jack’s is a nice small place with great food at decent prices. What's not to like? It's delicious, fresh and high-quality food and it's a family run restaurant. The atmosphere is terrific with great Western touches but not enough to bother you. We experienced terrific service and overall, very friendly and welcoming. And these burgers are just dynamite. You can truly taste the difference that quality makes. Oh, and the Home Burger Poutine is a strong recommendation of mine.

7.6/10

---

Mark's Review

Angus Beef Burger/Photo by Mark Avila

This BurgerTour takes us to east Scarborough where we visit a family run burger joint that is known for their use of natural ingredients, and fresh blends of herbs and spices. For this tour, we take you Cowboy Jack’s Juicy Burgers. They recognize themselves for offering preservative free burgers with no added artificial flavours.

We were the first customers of the day and were greeted with a nice welcome as soon as we walked in. The menu was simple with a traditional approach to home style burgers. They also had a vegetarian burger option, and additional offerings of sandwiches and wraps.

I chose the Angus Beef Burger with my own choice of lettuce, onions, pickles, tomatoes, ketchup, and mustard. It was nothing spectacular and tasted just like any other Angus Burger I’ve had in the past, but probably one of the best.

Overall, there is nothing much left to say other than the service and food were satisfactory.

6/10

Burger Review #30: Bareburger

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: March 19, 2017
Location: Bay and Dundas (Permanently Closed)
BurgerTours Rating: 8.65/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Some Drip	$11-$15	Restaurant	Veggie, Gluten Free, Liquor

---

Drew's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Bareburger was on our list for quite awhile before we got to visit it in the afternoon in late March. I had been to this location once and after a very pleasing and welcoming first time, was looking forward to returning and trying more from their menu. I had given Mark an ultimatum between choosing Bareburger and another potential, future BurgerTour joint for the month of March, and to my favourable outcome, burger-hungry brains think alike.

We entered the joint and it was fairly full with a few open tables. We were then guided to a small table directly in the centre part of the dining area, with only a bit of a small gap separating our table from the others. Everything was, or looked like it was made of wood, resembling a cottage or a summer camp in the wilderness where you learn to avoid bear attacks and make burgers...? Could that have been Bareburger's actual pitch to open the franchise? Who knows.

We were quickly greeted by our waiter who placed menus in our hands and took our drink orders shortly after we had taken a seat. The service this time was faster than what I first remembered. Although in my defence, I was on a horrible date the first time and the girl I was with, we didn't have that much in common and had little to talk about, so...yeah. This time however, the time just flew by, but I was glad to have such a memorable experience.

The first time I ate here, I had gotten the County Fair. It was a really delicious tasting burger with bison meat, mayo and aged cheddar. It was so good that this time around, I ordered a similar tasting burger: the El Matador. It was also a bison burger that came loaded with pickled jalapeños, guacamole, spicy pico de gallo, and cheese curds all on a brioche bun. How flavourful could that be? The answer: very.

El Matador/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Our orders emerged from the kitchen within a 10-15 minute time frame, and I couldn't have been more anxious to eat a burger than any other time while doing a BurgerTour. The first bite I took was mouth watering. Straight from the heart and soul of this Spanish-infused burger, my taste buds were on the verge of having a fiesta.

The bison was well cooked and all the signature toppings were mixed well together, there wasn't a single offbeat flavour that had a reaction to my taste buds. Every single bite was like a featured Pitbull song; the vocals were very well mashed together with a very repetitive flow and rhythm, and then unexpectedly, you would get that spiciness of the pico de gallo that would clash so effortless to create something you just can't get enough of. Fireball.

Overall, Bareburger is more than just a franchise; it's a lifestyle and if I could, I would live this lifestyle over and over again until I'm no longer relevant. The burgers I've had within my two trips could not have been any better. I look forward to returning in the near future to try more delicious creations off their menu, but for now, I've had my fair share of Bareburger and it's time I recommend it to every other burger lover in the city.

8.8/10

---

Mark's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

We’re back to Downtown Toronto for another BurgerTour, but this time we take you the heart of Downtown...Yonge-Dundas Square. There are many restaurants along this stretch of Dundas Street, but one place in particular has always caught my attention. Andrew has already visited this joint a while back, but I think it was fair that I do the same. With that said, we officially tag Bareburger!

Bareburger has a mission to provide fresh, clean, and simple foods that are locally sourced to satisfy the hunger. However, as they say..“but if Wisconsin has the best cheese and Montana knows Bison as well as Texas knows elk, we’ll work hard to bring those ingredients into all of our food.” Seeing this intrigued me to see how far they’re willing to stretch their horizons to serve top grade burgers with the highest quality ingredients.

The menu was quite extensive with a nice selection of salads, sandwiches and other delectable meals. However, our main purpose was of course, the burgers. This joint is probably one of the few we’ve visited that offered meat substitutions aside from the traditional beef patty option. If you’re feeling a meat upgrade they also offer duck, turkey, bison, elk, and wild boar. They also offer two vegetarian burger options, one of them being gluten free. Their burger menu had a fair selection as well, but there was one that immediately caught my eye. And that burger...is the Wiki Wiki.

The Wiki Wiki is a wild boar burger layered with gouda cheese, duck bacon chickpea onions, topped with a grilled pineapple in a brioche bun. I also ordered a side of onion rings and a bottle of cream soda.

The Wiki Wiki/Photo by Mark Avila

The first bite made a huge impact...from the softness of the brioche bun, to the sweetness of the grilled pineapple fusing with the savouriness of the duck bacon; this burger was loaded with flavour. The wild boar patty was cooked to a nice soft texture and was easy to chew compared to others I’ve had before. Without a doubt, this was a good choice.

Overall, the experience was more than satisfactory from the service to the food, everything was spot on! I questioned myself on why I never visited this joint until now, and I regret not doing it earlier.

8.5/10

Burger Review #29: Burger Factory

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: February 19, 2017
Location: Queen West
BurgerTours Rating: 6.9/10

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

---

Drew's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

I had never heard of this joint before and I was quite surprised to find it located in an area I visit quite frequently. Queen Street West is home to some of the best burger joints in the city. Mark found this one on a hunch. I agreed and we decided to give this place a try.

We arrived shortly before 2pm on a day in mid-February and it was pretty full. We were lucky enough to grab a booth when we entered. It was a small space with a few tables and booths along the sides. People were eating and casually talking but it was noisy from the minute we walked in - the walls were paper thin. We walked up to the counter to place our orders. This place was rather typical when it came to selecting options. They had only a few burgers on the menu, but because this was a so called "burger factory", I was expecting an enormous number of burgers to choose from.

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

When the guy behind the counter asked for my order, I said the first thing I was able to read off the menu which was the Juicy Lucy. It sounded alright. The burger came with a cheese-stuffed patty and toppings of your choice. I figured at this point, I'd be up for anything worth trying, so I decide dead to keep my order, short and simple.

Mark and I found a booth to sit at while we waited for our burgers. While sitting, I read a sign on the wall that said they offered free Wi-Fi. So I took out my phone to check, but it was password protected. Now because it was rather noisy, I was having a hard time hearing what order numbers they were calling out. I gave it a few minutes before I walked up to the counter along the side to wait for my order. I guess I'd hadn't given it enough time because the guy behind the counter repeated they'd call my number when it was ready. It was at this point I simply just asked for the Wi-Fi password and walked back to the table.

Juicy Lucy/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Within a few minutes, our burgers were ready. I was greeted by a tray with a wrapper with a burger in it, a side of fries and a can of pop. I unwrapped the foil to uncover a decent looking burger, sandwiched between two sesame seed buns. It looked like your typical burger you grill up in your backyard BBQ. The only difference being was that this beef patty had a cheese filling, so it delivered that extra melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. The overall taste I got was a bland burger, if nothing more. For the price I paid for the burger, it was pretty small. The flavour was tasteless and the melted cheese cooked in between the patty didn't do much to help the taste.

Overall, I had a decent, mediocre burger. The staff were friendly and the location was great but the burger was just a typical burger for me: nothing special. I hope to return sometime to redeem my review of this joint and I hope to try some of their other options from the menu.

7.3/10

---

Mark's Review

The Original Cheeseburger/Photo by Mark Avila

We take you back to Downtown Toronto, where we visit a hidden a gem along Queen Street West. For this BurgerTour, we take you to the Burger Factory!

This joint was no easy place to find. We walked back and forth along Queen Street for a good fifteen to twenty minutes before seeing it among the many restaurants along this stretch.

The Burger Factory prides itself in using premium grade beef that is ground daily to ensure the highest quality burgers. It shows in their menu selection as they offer both traditional to specialty handcrafted burgers.

I opted for the Original Cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, and relish. I’m pretty simple when it comes to my burger toppings, so I made sure this burger was made for me. And the taste of this burger was spot on. The beef patty was cooked to a nice texture that allowed the juices to flow out and mix together with the toppings.

Overall, there were really no flaws I found with this burger, other than the bun being a little dry, but I guess that depends on their preference. It was a satisfying experience, but nothing spectacular.

6.5/10

Burger Review #28: The Stockyards

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

Date Visited: January 12, 2017
Location: Hillcrest
BurgerTours Rating: 7.85/10

Taste	Messiness	Price	Venue	Pluses
Awesome	Messy	$11-$15	Restaurant	Veggie

Website

---

Drew's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

For our 32nd burger review, we travelled to the west end of the city to visit one of "Toronto's most underrated burger joints" the city has to offer. Doing some research about where we were going to eat at for this month didn't really take any time at all. Our minds were made up and The Stockyards was the next on the list. We had heard about this place a few times over the last few months, but it was the location that was a bit of a challenge for us. Basically, Mark and I weren't familiar with the St. Clair West area, so we really didn't know what to expect, and this was going to be a new adventure for the both of us.

We arrived shortly after 2pm on a day in early January and there was already a small group of people dining in the restaurant. When we entered, we were quickly given a choice of where we would like to sit. We grabbed a couple of stools up along a bar they had against one of their walls. The space was fairly small, yet big enough to fit a few hungry customers. Given by my first impression, I could tell this place was a neighbourhood go-to hangout. But of course, this day in particular attracted to burger enthusiasts to its shop to try some delicious homemade creations. And I came with an empty stomach.

Upon arriving, Mark and I had given the menu a quick glance and saw only a few burgers to choose from. But they weren't your typical original cheeseburger or signature hamburger. These were creations made by the kitchen staff at the Stockyards, prepared fresh daily. All of the burgers sounded very interesting to try and I was going over them one by one in my head before the waiter returned to ask for our order.

Green Chili Pimento Cheese/Photo by Andrew Hockridge

I went with the Green Chili Pimento Cheese, which I was told was a great option. I slided in an order of fries and a drink to complete my combo. Barely a few minutes go by before our burgers are placed in front of us. I guess we were distracted by taking selfies and filming for this episode of BurgerTourTV. My burger looked amazing. The Green Chili Pimento Cheese was topped with smoked jalapeño, cheddar cheese, mayo, lettuce and crunchy string onions. Everything on this burger looked liked it was ready to be eaten and I was ready for my first bite.

The taste I got first was from the secret sauce and the mayo. It was tangy and really complemented the smoke jalapeño. The crunchy string onions were a treat as well as they were a great combination to add to this burger. The meat was juicy and well cooked and it was just the type of meat you would want to find in a burger. Everything about it was perfection and I'm glad I made the right choice. The fries on the side were crispy, golden brown, yet tender. I yearned for more.

Overall, the Stockyards houses burgers unlike any other joint in Toronto. Sure they may only have a few to choose from, but I'd take quality over quantity any day. This place is like very neighbourhood friendly, and very welcoming to newcomers such as us. I would definitely return again sometime in the future and I look forward to trying more fantastic creations from the Stockyard chefs.

8.2/10

---

Mark's Review

Photo by Andrew Hockridge

We take you to our first BurgerTour to the Hillcrest neighbourhood in St. Clair West where we visit the Stockyards Smokehouse & Larder. This area is almost foreign to me, as it was only my second visit to this part of Toronto’s west end. It was a refreshing scene to uncover a new locale where I can indulge in its food culture.

The Stockyards was a joint I’ve read about before and was always on my radar for burger joints to visit. They are known for their rendition of comfort food and fresh twist on classic diner meals.

Walking into Stockyards I was surprised by how small and intimate the space was, but especially at how the staff were very personal with their guests. After seating ourselves we were able to quickly glance at the menu, but it took no time for me to decide on what to order.

The Beast Style/Photo by Mark Avila

I went for the Beast Style.

The Beast Style is composed of two mustard seared patties served with a secret sauce, with caramelized onions, lettuce, and topped with American style cheese and pickles. This beast had quite the taste. After my first bite I couldn’t distinguish what I tasted; there were so many (distinct) flavours clashing with one another. After a few more bites, I could finally taste the soft seared patties and the caramelized onions coming together to create a smooth flavour that was both sweet and savoury. It was a nice combination that made this burger more enjoyable and a refreshing flavour for my taste buds.

Overall, I was satisfied with the whole experience. Would I consider coming back here frequently for a quick bite? Maybe not... but if I were ever in the area, then definitely!

7.5/10