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Burger Bar
Category: Restaurants Burgers Burgers [Edit]
319 Augusta AveToronto, ON M5T 2M2
Neighbourhood: Kensington Market
(416) 922-7423
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
59 reviews for Burger Bar
Review Highlights
"and the orgasmic Saag Poutine."
(in 13 reviews)
"...for the title of "best sweet potato fries I've ever had."
(in 11 reviews)
"Fries got a big thumbs up as did the onion rings."
(in 14 reviews)
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59 reviews in English
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Review from Min min T.
Scarborough, ON
12/24/2011
This is a burger joint, so I didn't expect much, considering that I'm not much of a burger gal. The vegetarian options here are actually pretty freakin' awesome though!
The ever popular saag poutine is a self-indulgent treat, although on the salty side. Brown rice, topped with red curry, was pretty damn tasty! Not your run of the mill red curry but a bit thicker.
Lots of beer, include gluten-free options, to wash it all down! Music is good but can be random and switch between genres.
4.5/5 stars -
Review from Leslie W.
9/23/2011
BOTTOM LINE: Maybe they should call it the Unburger Bar.
Harsh, I know, but the burger competition in Toronto is fierce, and this joint doesn't even come close to making weight.
Their menu actually does sound enticing but their patties were thin, dry and tasteless. And the buns weren't even toasted! My friend ordered a salad (which doesn't seem to be on their menu any longer), but essentially it was a head of lettuce cut in half with dressing on top. Really?! Finally this place may need to revisit their staffing schedule...not to the fault of the server, but when you're the only one on a busy night, service will be sloooooooow. Aside from having the Kensington Brewery IPA on tap, this place is overwhelmingly underwhelming. -
Review from Lauren M.
8/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm surprised to hear people raving about the burgers here. I found them coming out of the kitchen rather sad looking and tasting pretty average too!
Burger Bar does have a nice little patio with good selection of beers - $5 bottles and $6.25 drafts. Perfect spot to grab a pint in the summer (if you can get a table).
I'm not gonna lie, the service is kind of shite. The waitresses are friendly enough, but it's always so sloowwwww, especially if you are on the patio. We typically wait 15 mins just to get handed a menu, another 10-15 before they take our drink order and another 10 to get the drinks.
It would take forever to get a good buzz on here, but it's good if you just want to grab one drink in the sun. -
Review from Termina F.
Toronto, ON
2/6/2012
So, so over priced. As a vegetarian I kind of expected to be out of luck at the burger bar, but my omnivorous friends were not pleased either. Their burgers were pretty sad looking and expensive to boot; no sides to be found.
There are a lot of really great burger places in Toronto; I'm not sure this is one of them. -
Review from Henry C.
Toronto, ON
12/22/2011
I went today after having purchased a Groupon some time ago.
Food was very average. Burger a bit stiff, but edible.
My experience was not good, would not go back. Food took 30 minutes to come, server forgot to mention that bison was not available upon providing menu initially, place is understaffed, was charged for 8oz when I initially asked for a 6oz burger.
Washrooms have nice bird-chirping noise, but the sink faucet control is broken.
Thumbs down! -
Review from Denise S.
8/13/2011
This place is fun but I am sort of conflicted about it.
YAY!:
- Kitchy, Western-themed decor and typeface
- Good cocktail selection
- Unique veggie burger - it's almost like a big falafel, lots of chickpeas and veggies all mushed together and nice and crispy on the outside, served with a yummy tzatziki sauce
- Daily combo is a good deal - beef or veggie burger + fries or soup of the day (last time I went, yam & ginger) for $10
- Saag paneer poutine!!! Enough said.
- Nice little patio
- Good for big groups
NAY!:
- Indifferent service. Came in a group of 7 but only 6 people ate (one person had already eaten). They do not do separate bills, so we each went up to the counter and paid individually. She accused us of not paying enough, "you had 7 people, only 6 have paid!" until we figured out that one person didn't eat.
- Sometimes in the summer it gets really hot inside. I'm not sure if they have A/C.
I think the goods things about BB just slightly outweight the bad things.Listed in: Best Burgers
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Review from Jen W.
Scarborough, ON
1/27/2012
Im sure my friend who gave this place a bad review is gonna be all wtf at me but I personally loved it. Went here for lunch on a date and was jus in aww with the place. The decor, all the beer bottles that made me realize I drink to much because many of them I have tried, and the brunch burger!. It was big, but not messy, the egg on it was amazing, and the maple syrup on it with the bacon just made me giddy ( dont judge), it was the perfect combo for me and my bf.. The salad it came with was good but the vinigrite was a bit strong on mine but perfect on my bfs, I loved how the coffee came in a press, and was not too strong but proably the best coffee ive had in a while. Then agin I drink alot of Timmys. I would def go here agin because for 2 bruch burger lunches, and a large coffee press that served us 2 coffees each, came to 40 bucks plus tip. A little expensive I think but it was worth it. The staff were super friendly and I never once felt like I wasen't hipster enough to be in there, which agin makes me happy.
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Review from Patrick M.
Toronto, ON
5/30/2011
So, popped in to the Burger Bar for brulunch today with a couple friends (first pedestrian day of the year at Kensington, huzzah!).
Gotta say, a mixed experience. I will be back, however, and expect the next experience will be a good one. These guys are still pretty new, and they're figuring stuff out. Great foundation, and I expect some serious improvements. Anyway, on to the review:
I got the steak and eggs with a couple pints of Augusta Ale. Friends each had the breakfast burger; one had ale so I didn't drink alone, other had coffee.
So, here we go!
The eggs: Damn fine eggs. I asked for over medium, I got over medium. Nicely fried, juuuust salty without overdoing it, and some kind of background spice I couldn't quite pinpoint. It was good, though!
The fries: sweet potato fries that could give lessons in awesome to all the posers out there. These were serious contenders for the title of "best sweet potato fries I've ever had". Was that cinnamon I detected? Sweet!
The steak: erm. Ordered medium rare, arrived closer to medium. A minor quibble. The taste was great -- organic beef, very flavourful, heavy herbed/spiced but in a good way. It was tough, however, and my butter knife had a hard time doing the trick. Tasted good, as said, but I suspect it was cooked from fridge-cold and the meat had seized right up.
The beer: I like beer. I like Augusta ale.
Friends tucked into their burgers like the apocalypse was nigh and Macho Man wasn't around to save us from the end. They eat fast. Not sure how they do it. Impressive. They both liked it, though I didn't press for details. They also remarked on the awesome fries.
Little things:
* chipotle ketchup is da bomb! don't get regular ketchup, get the spicy stuff!
* first coffee came out looking like tea. very, very weak. An errant pot, I'm sure, or someone who just isn't used to brewing coffee at the bar. Came in a cool bodum, however, so points on style. They replaced it free of charge with a much stronger brew, and were apologetic for the mistake.
* friendly staff who, while a tad slow, made up for it with personality and grace. thumbs up!
All in all, an "a-ok" experience with a few missteps preventing it from hitting the **** mark. Still, there was a lot to like and a great foundation. This place will only get better, I suspect, and I look forward to being around to experience the growth! -
Review from Susan G.
5/11/2011
Of all the millions of burger places that have popped up in Toronto, Burger Bar is my (current) favorite. I love the décor (watching old Westerns while I eat burgers works for me!) it has delicious burgers, great appetizers, tons of non-burger options, a large craft beer selection, aaaand AMAZING fries!
So in all honesty the fries are really what make this place for me. The 50/50 fries (half sweet potato, half regular) are so good and they come with a great spicy dipping sauce. They are the perfect size to share, so any time I'm looking to go for drinks / apps with a friend, this is the perfect spot.
If you're looking to create your own burger, the tomatillo salsa is delish, and they also have kimchi, and a few other unique additions. I recommend being wary of the kimchi... because it doesn't "go" with too much else on the burger menu, and you might end up with a weird combination!
The only downside of this place is that since they're all about going local, you can't always get tomatoes... I get the whole local thing, but I also really like tomatoes!!! Also the service can sometimes be iffy, but everyone has off days!Listed in: Gems of Kensington Market
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Review from Tom L.
North York, ON
10/18/2011
Best sweet potatoes fries I've ever had! This was my fifth time returning to this restraunt. Their burger was good but on the expensive side, but I kept returning each time for their sweet potatoes fries. By far it is probably the best I've had in Toronto.
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Review from Ellie A.
3/19/2011
I have nothing against dive-y restaurants, especially when they offer craft beers. Burger Bar seemed to have a lot going for it - fun spaghetti western playing on the TV, retro drink menus that I remember from when I was a kid, promising menu, etc. But alas, the great music and fun decor could not save this place from its bad service and mediocre food.
Our server was pleasant but didn't seem overly concerned with actually helping us. She told us everything they were out of (onion rings, some of the beers, the organic burgers) and then claimed that the organic meat and the non-organic meat most likely came from the same cow. "It doesn't mean anything," she said cheerily.
The spinach salad was pleasantly acidic but way over-salted. Our burgers came and almost every order was wrong. I had ordered lamb with tzatziki sauce but received a regular burger with mustard. My tzatziki ended up on my husband's veggie burger (which tasted like a dry, not-fully-cooked falafel patty), my friend's side salad never came. My hamburger bun was tasty, but my friends' all agreed that they would have tasted better toasted.
Our server put the bill on the table at the end of the meal but then never came to collect. All in all, while we enjoyed the eclectic Blur, Michael Jackson and Fleetwood Mac soundtrack, we won't be coming back. There are far tastier (and cheaper) burgers in the city.
Vegetarian score: 3/10. Veggie burger yes, but it's not worth your time. -
Review from Stephanie M.
East York, ON
7/20/2011
I took my surfer to Mill St and one of the staff recommended this bar for their selection of micro-brews. I'm not a beer person but I would even say they have a fantastic selection!! Even their shots are pretty interested to read.. I can't imagine trying them though!! ha!
I had the 50/50 fries; so half potato fries and half sweet potato fries. With a chipolte ketchup and mayo. Yum!! And they don't have soda/pop on tap or in cans.. they have Ryan's soda from Niagara Falls, US.. made with sugar cane. Yum!
The burgers smell amazing.. we didn't have one though.. I'll definitely be heading back to this place!! There is the patio outside as well.
The interior is fun! A cowboy sort of western decor.. while we were there they were playing old, old, old western movies! ha! Clean bathrooms. Great staff!! -
Review from Teena D.
7/9/2011 3 photos
My husband and I took a walk to Kensington Market this afternoon with the goal of having lunch at the Burger Bar. We'd had a burger by them at a craft beer show a couple weeks ago and it was good.
The Burger Bar is known for the craft beer. I'd never been so I was looking forward to checking it out.
We were able to grab the picnic table on the patio in the shade ... great place for people watching coming in and out of the Market.
My burger was good ... tasty and juicy. Beers were $5 each.
The inside looks cute. The bathrooms have an unusual nature quality ... you'll see what I mean when you go. -
Review from David B.
Toronto, ON
11/3/2011
The worst veggie-burger I've ever had -- rancid-tasting, overcooked and overpriced.
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Review from Gillian A.
Toronto, ON
1/19/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Burger Bar is quite yummy and it has a lot of excellent options (especially if you're allergic to gluten/wheat etc) and delicious toppings. I really enjoy it.
It's got a great vibe and the servers are really lovely. Also, you can order a mix of half fries/half sweet potato fries. Amazing!
As much as I like Burger Bar, I miss Rice Bar. Burger Bar used to be rice bar, which had many delicious bowls of foods. I would not travel across the city to go to Burger Bar, but if I was in the neighbourhood, it's a solid place for a burger. -
Review from Mariko M.
12/5/2010
Came here with a friend and fellow Yelp'er tonight (Saturday). She found a voucher on Dealfind - $20 for $40 worth of food. We were reservation-less and managed to find a seat rather quickly.
The menu is relatively extensive - they even offer gluten free options for those who cannot or choose not to consume gluten.
Food ordered was:
- regular burger w. 50/50 fries (mix of sweet fries and regular fries)
- bison burger w. arugula salad
- organic grapefruit juice
- red tea
The food was awesome; however, I found the service to be quite slow. Also, there were a few items that I could not order as they had been sold out since the afternoon... really? -
Review from Elame G.
Toronto, ON
5/20/2011
Not bad, but not the best. After going there twice I can honestly say the food is somewhat consistent but if you've never been make sure you don't assume and be sure to ask questions.
On our first visit, we had the unfortunate luck of having a waitress who did not inform us of certain things you take for granted. They use dijon mustard by default so if you want regular mustard make sure you ask ahead of time.
We used a group buy coupon which made our meal somewhat reasonable, without the coupon I wouldn't go back. $10 for a burger and you don't get sides and it doesn't taste that much better than a fast food joint.
Second visit was a bit better but again the food wasn't spectacular.
Make sure you bring an extra big wallet if you come to this place! -
Review from Jo M.
Toronto, ON
2/2/2011
Burger was ok. Nothing special, don't think it was worth the $11.50 (with no sides) they were charging. The bun that was used wasn't the best. It was like they went to No Frills and got the 10 for $5 deal on day-old buns. Sweet potatoes fries were just ok too. The spicy sauce that came with it was good though.
This place is nothing special. Good to try out but not to come back. Not worth the money. -
Review from Emily V.
Toronto, ON
1/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
meh meh meh.
I've eaten here a few times and service is always okay, burger is okay, etc. Considering the cost of extra toppings, it's pretty expensive compared to all the other burger joints in the city.
The best thing I'll say is i ordered rapini once as side instead of fries or onion rings when i was feeling particularly health conscious and it was great to have the alternative!
I would mostly just go here to drink, right now they have the Mill St. vanilla stout on tap and it's divine, and they have good specials on pints. 3.99 on Monday nights, I wanna say? -
Review from Michael N.
Toronto, ON
2/12/2011
They have really yummy and interesting burgers, I will say, and the sweet potato fries we had were also delicious. The beer selection is great and really reasonably priced - a 20 oz microbrew was only 6 bucks. This makes up for the expensive nature of the rest of the menu. The burgers by themselves are $11 - 15, and a side of fries goes for $4.
I went to this place after reading the other reviews, which was really helpful - I knew to expect in terms of service, which was as slow as molasses in January. For a place that size (and packed) on a Friday night and to only have 2 waitresses? Kind of ridiculous. That said, the waitstaff were really friendly and nice, and absolutely patient and well-understanding that they were way too slow to get to everyone.
Overall, I would say this is a good place to go for drinking - the burgers and food are good, but just too overpriced. I went because I had the groupon, but I don't think I'll be heading back anytime soon. -
Review from Jim P.
9/27/2010
I just really enjoyed this place on a growingly crisp Autumn afternoon.
The sun still strong enough to enjoy some beers outside, and relax with some good appetizers, of cheeseburger spring rolls.
Wide selection of beers on tap, at reasonable prices. Looks like a good happy hour and Octoberfest prices also. Nice place to watch the bikers and pedestrians stroll by while you relax. Our waitress was friendly and willing to chat, which always makes it nice when you are a stranger in a new place. Good place. -
Review from Yvonne T.
I have a bad habit of amassing coupons and then having to go out of my way to use up said coupons before expiry. Luckily I have a spreadsheet to keep track of all the deals sorted by date of expiry... Yes, I art a nerd.
With my $16 voucher in hand, we arrived at Burger Bar on a Wednesday and the place was relatively empty. Mind you we arrived just a little short of 6PM.
We grabbed a seat by the window. The tables are lined with white and red picnic-esque paper then with a sheet of newspaper and finally their "place mat" is their cocktail list. Its always nice to get a visual.
Being the good Yelper that I was, I had already pre-read reviews, and when I arrived at Burger Bar I already knew I wanted to order.
We ordered:
Pineapple Juice
Mint Iced Tea
Market Burger subbed with Wagyu (Kobe) Beef
Saag Poutine
A few minutes after ordering, the server returns. Sorry we're actually out of pineapple juice, and we can't actually sub the burger with kobe beef because it is a pre-made patty mix with chorizo and rice. Novice server. Nothing worse than ordering something, not being told on the spot of its unavailability, it just exacerbates the feeling of disappointment.
The Mint Iced Tea, as mentioned by other fellow Yelpers is not pre-sweetened. I felt like a drug addict in that I started craving the missing sugar in my drink, but resisted temptation at the end. The iced tea itself was quite refreshing and was a great palate cleanser in the end.
The Saag Poutine was quite interesting. Please check all your expectations of poutine at the door. Contrary to the French Canadian style of poutine, the fries are thin-cut which, in my humble opinion are the most flavourful kind. The paneer was rather bland, though texturally it was just the right amount of firmness. The green curry sauce that smothered the fries was quite divine though it made the fries extremely soggy. It was also a bit on the greasy side. The radishes did nothing for the dish, neither from a textural nor flavour perspective. The traditional poutine uses rather heavily salted cheese curds to give it most of its flavour, while I found the Saag Poutine needed that added bit of saltiness that neither the curry nor the paneer delivered. It is an interesting dish to try, but I probably wouldn't order it again.
When the burger came I felt like it had been raped of its fixings... "What a sad looking burger," I said to myself. The bun was cold and actually quite hard - I would've preferred a warm bun. The bun itself was nothing special. The burger came sandwiched with a solo piece of lettuce, arugula pesto, and blue cheese. The patty itself was a beef-chipotle chorizo & toasted rice blend. It was extremely moist and flavourful. But somehow, this burger was all out of its element. For starters, by using a rather bitter arugula instead of the traditional pesto, it led to an unpleasant "am I ingesting some sort of Native Indian herbal medicine, Buckley's face!" kind of taste. The bitterness would've been offset by the blue cheese had they been more generous with the amount of blue cheese in the burger. Texturally it was a "softer" burger in that, other than the sad solo piece of lettuce to add a bit of "crunch" - the burger was in essence, soft. I think some onions would've kicked up the textural component a notch.
At the end of the day, although we weren't treated with snooty behaviour upon presentation of our coupon... our server did scribble in "Please tip on the original amount..." I found this to be tacky and unnecessary at the same time. I was originally going to give Burger Bar 3 stars, but because of this little incident, I have had to reduce it to a 2.5 star.
The bill, had it not been for the $16 voucher would've come to $25. I don't think I will come back again because I didn't get a $10 burger, and its simply outrageous to charge almost the equivalent amount for an order of poutine, give or take a few cents (unless its adorned in jewels or something).Listed in: What's the deal?, If I had a choice..., Pat-Pat-Patio
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Review from Janine W.
Toronto, ON
8/21/2011
We sat on the patio last Thursday for lunch. There was only 1 waitress working. Service was a bit slow but she was alone.
Luckily we were there before more people arrived.
Food was good. I had the kobe burger and my friend had the natural burger. Hers was more pink than she would like and mine was more well done but she never asked how we wanted them cooked.
Sweet potatoe fries were awesome. Even if I don't come back for the burgers, I'd come back for those. -
Review from Greg S.
Toronto, ON
Great variety of burgers, pricing is okay and the service was decent. Always a good time at this place.
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Review from Vivek S.
6/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
Contrary to some of the winds that blow, I rather enjoyed my burger at Burger Bar. It was perfectly juicy and slathered with bleu cheese -- just the way I like it. I shared the Saag Poutine (a must) with my date and we left quite satisfied -- and a little bit dizzy from overeating. Although they didn't have the mint iced tea (she claimed they were "out," whatEVer) the black iced tea was still quite good. Be warned, it's unsweetened but that's how grownups do it. (Y'all just got told.)
It's a small space with dim lighting and a saloony vibe, and their patio is killer. An excellent addition to Kensington Market.
Obligatory Title Pun: Don't wanna be/your beast of BUR-GER.
Menu Readability: The choice of typeface makes the entire thing look like it was wrenched from rollers after a paper jam. Insta-fail.
Need to mention: Where it says "All Dressed Up" on the menu? Those are burgers too. Needlessly confusing.
What this place teaches me about myself: I can't believe I never thought of saag poutine on my own. I've let down my people.Listed in: Kensington Market, Burger Roll Call
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Review from Sarah Y.
Vancouver, BC
8/22/2010
I found this place via FabFind...am glad I got a discount, am not glad I paid $36 additional for this dining experience.
Although I must say, the yam fries are pretty decent.
Against my pleading, my Fiance orders the OMG-this-will-kill-you (or whatever it's called) burger.... $18 of artery clogging brie, blue cheese, 6oz beef patty, a fried egg, bacon and chilli....Served with two sticks going through it because that's the only way it'll stand up. Oh and two cherry tomatoes on the stick...which we couldn't eat because a fly stalked us the entire meal and ended up staking its place on both tomatoes...so we had to throw them out.
What I didn't like about this place was the fact that you're just buying the burger. The sides are $4! Salad, fries, yam fries or onion rings are an extra $4.... who does that? It's not like they were ginormous sized sides either... just like a normal sized side you'd get at The Keg or Milestones. $4 is a jip dude!
To start, we ordered a big bowl of panko-crusted onion rings. I was expecting something a little more hearty, since this place looked had a total redneck feel to it. What arrived were prissy looking lightly battered onion rings with chipotle mayo. And the server forgot to bring Ketchup, despite there only being 3 other parties in the entire place.
I also ordered the Portobello mushroom burger with the pesto on the side and a side of yam fries. The fries were a hit. They smelled so yammy, like Christmas dinner yammy. And they weren't burnt, perhaps even a little under cooked but the smell made up for it.
Was gravely disappointed with the burger bun. It was really hard to chew, the tops were shiny (probably some kind of egg wash?). The pesto looked good... a vibrant green, not greasy...which tells me its not true pesto. And now that I think of it, maybe it was really fake pesto since the green was just so darned green (dye?).
So yeah, without FabFind I wouldn't have discovered this place and I really don't think I'll ever be back!Listed in: My tastebuds and stomach said…
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Review from Mel U.
12/9/2010
**Ok. Not the best burger by any definition. Fun place though.**
I was excited to make the trek to Kensington Market to try this restaurant, since I LOVE burgers. Burger Bar has the cutest location, a dark and eclectic interior, and a promising menu full of gourmet options. But once again, I am plagued by the charred exterior of an ordered "rare" burger. Of course, I HAD to order the OMG burger from the All Dressed Up offerings -- or OMGTMJKM, more specifically (Oh my god, this might just kill me... *pun-ny*).
This was a GIANT burger, so I didn't need sides (the boyfriend ordered some onion rings). Stacked high with bean chili, onion rings, an egg, brie, blue, chevre and... bacon. I thought I might need to fork this one out, but was able to squish it down enough to fit in mah mouth. The meat tasted good, but again, I cannot stand an overcooked burger -- especially one that tastes "burned" on the outside. Blech. I finished most of it because of my internal clean plate challenge with... well, myself, but as it cooled, it got even worse.
The wait staff was also incredibly encouraging in both my ordering and finishing of this sandwich. *sigh* I just wish it was BETTER. That said, more burgers on wheat buns, please! This goes to ALL gourmet burger joints.Listed in: Taste of Toronto
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Review from Renata R.
6/19/2010
Looks like it's very common to don't have burgers at burger bar!
I had the following combo and I'm sure you won't regret if you try: the tequila taster (three half shots of different tequilas) and the saag poutine. It's a great selection for groups, because the poutine is big. And you WANT the curry-flavoured poutine, it's delicious!
Ok, you may regret the morning after if you're weak (headaches anyone), but this is amazing and the price is very good. The downside is the waitress insisted they only had tequila tasters on thursdays, while on their menu it was listed under "everyday specials". But we got it and we're all very happy. Tequila makes you happy.Listed in: Party Time
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Review from Christine D.
3/31/2011
They want to be fancy but it doesn't work. Great sounding menu of burgers but execution sucks and service may as well be self serve. I was eager to try a bison burger, and the hubbs got a six-cheese burger. His came out burning hot and mine came out room temp, wtf? Both were overdone, and the buns were cold and clammy. Needed to ask for more ketchup, and was shocked that my burger didn't even come with a slice of tomato somewhere in there, besides the lame-o lettuce shreds. We'd rather go to McDonald's or whatever; there is something to be said about temperature, consistency, moisture and dressings that is just basic about making a burger, and it doesn't need to cost $11 for one.
Listed in: Toronto in brief, So incompetent it's almost…
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Review from Shari M.
Toronto, ON
12/6/2009 ROTD 12/30/2009
I see I am the first one to post from our official Decemburger kick-off last night..woo-hoo!
This place deserves my highest ratings of:
SHUT THE FARM DOOR!
SLAP MY ASS AND CALL ME SALLY!
Yesterday was an epic day - every place I went I had great service and results (I feel a list coming on....). Burger Bar was no exception.
After arriving late because I am a slow walker and Dale "one of the few other Yelpin midtowners/Mr. TTC" M didn't heed my advice to meet at the Davisville platform sooner.....we arrived at this fabu gem in Kensington to meet up with the rest of the Yelpers.
Situated just south of College on Augusta, Burger Bar is a refreshing oasis in the sea of so hip it hurts burger joints that are popping up around the citah.
Burger Bar has a fantastic menu. Note - extra navigation and clicking required on their website to actually get to the menu. I opted for an organic burger (cause that is how this beeatch rolls) with mushrooms. I was in heaven when I bit into my moo-y goodness. I feel the need to refer to Joey and Chandler here for my real emotions...see 45 seconds to 1:05 to get the gist of it (http://www.youtube.com...).
I also indulged in the super tasty fries, onion rings (thanks Mike "hoodie da man" S!!) that were panko covered - nice touch Burger Bar! and the orgasmic Saag Poutine. Will "loves committed cold weather women" W. was the first one to order it, and after the table devoured it, two more orders were rolled up to the table.
For drinks, I had the Paloma. And as a grapefruit fan...it was the perfect refreshing choice. Would be a great drink in the summer! I then made the decision of ordering Guadaijara. It was good....super super strong, but good. Made Shari a bit tipsy...
As always, the company was stellar! From my new girl, and hair twin, Becca G, to my beloved Christine "meat eaters unite!" C., her lovely husband Dennis, the wind beneath my always wings Susan C., to fellow pie and make-up lovah extraordinaire Kat F., and everyone in between.
The only down fall was the waitress. Bless her I think she was a bit overwhelmed, but there were some mixed orders. May have purely been the size of our party, but not sure....
All in all, I will be back! In the meantime...bring on the next Decemburger stop! I am officially nicknaming Decemburger, Fat Bastard Month.Listed in: Bottom's Up!, The hell you say! My ROTD's, My Decemburger
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Review from susan c.
12/10/2009
OK, let's cut to the chase:
I don't like well-done burgers.
Burger Bar only makes well-done burgers.
I don't like too much bun on my burger.
Burger Bar burgers have a 2:1 ratio of bun to burger.
However, I love saag paneer and french fries.
Burger Bar has saag poutine ($9)[1]--saag paneer on top of french fries, a combination so brilliant, it makes me wonder why haven't all the Indians in Quebec thought of this before??
And I love fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice.
Burger Bar has the "Paloma" ($6)--a delicious cocktail of mezcal, pulpy fresh-but-not-freshly-squeezed pink grapefruit juice, topped with soda and garnished with a chile-powder-dusted dried pineapple strip.
Read for more details if you want the long version[2]:
My first visit was with the 22 other Yelpers to kick off Decemburger. I had The Gaucho ($9), an Argentine-inspired beef burger, with chimichurri sauce, onions, and lettuce. The beef patty was so wee, and completely overwhelmed by the massively doughy bun. I get that Burger Bar offers different patty sizes but The Gaucho description on the menu didn't say, and when you throw around the word "gaucho," you'd better have the bovine machismo to back that up, ya hear?
By the time my teeth penetrated two inches of sturdy bun on either side of the meat, I got to a dry well-done beef patty. Like I said, I don't like well-done burgers. The Toronto Food Safety Gestapo regulates that burgers made from meat not ground on site must be cooked to 71 degrees C which is waaay overdone for me. I can understand that Burger Bar does not want to face fines and possible billy-clubbing but if your specialty is beef burgers, why wouldn't you grind your meat on the premises and let customers have burgers how they like it?
Anyway, I did get to try a bite of Dennis "Mr. Christine C"s crisp, delectable onion rings and Will W's communal bowl of saag poutine which more than made up for my puny, dry burger.
Not long after my first visit, I went back to Burger Bar a second time, specifically to snarf a bigger share of saag poutine with Kat F. and Nicole B. (Yeah, it's THAT good!) I had the wild salmon burger ($9) as my entree this time. Even beyond the overwhelming blast of onions (two raw onion rings plus onion in the tomatillo-avocado salsa), I could taste a little too much fishiness in the salmon. So the rest of the night, I was assaulting those nearby with my fishy-onion breath.[3] Mmm...
The Vibe: I like the mish-mash of incoherence in this place; fancy infused alcohol, kitschy influences from Latin America and Asia[4], dimly lit sexy-mild ambience, all in a wacky saloon setting with knick-knacks from Blue Banana Market across the street.
The Service: Much improved when 19 other Yelpers aren't vying for the poor waitress' attention. The Paul Giamatti look-alike bartender could be more attentive and crack a smile once in a while, though.
Bottom line: Go for the saag poutine, creative mixed drinks, well-done burgers if that's your thing, and with a max of 6 in your party
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[1] Another reason why I will not trust those "other" reviews out there on "other" sites because that "other" reviewer said this dish was not good, but I would put it on my list of The 10 Most Delicious Things I Ate This Year.
[2] aka "The Dale M. version"
[3] Big apologies to Kat F, Nicole B, and Vivek S.
[4] kimchi, uni butter as burger toppingsListed in: Less Hippie, More Zippy
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Review from Phil M.
EAST YORK, ON
6/17/2011
Beer, burgers, babes, in Kensington. What more should I say?
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Review from Christine C.
Etobicoke, ON
12/6/2009 16 photos
The farm door is shut and my ass is so red hot from being slapped that they are gonna start calling me Mustang Sally! It was like the showdown in the O.K. Corral (a.k.a. the Burger Bar) last night on Augusta Avenue as veteran Yelpers and some rookies joined in the food and libation fun at the official kick off of the Decemburger challenge. What a fun evening.
The resto was basically taken over by two large groups of people. It was the Yelpers vs. the Wives of Woodbridge County. The "Orange-Gina's" with their Louis Vuitton bags and pushed up cleavage were trying to raise their cool factor by slumming in Kensington. It made for good fodder and a few giggles for us. Little do they know that Yelp is the new black bitches! :)
I finally found a burger spot that has moved ahead of my beloved Craft Burgers in terms of Momma feeling the burger love. Hell I'd hit the BB up just for the cocktails alone. Started out with a house Margarita which got me primed for the rest of the evening. I also tried the Paloma, a grapefruit tequila concoction that comes garnished with a piece of dried pineapple that has some slow burn attitude on it.
I ordered up a standard burger with brie and mushrooms and a side of fries. The burger was perfectly cooked, juicy but just a little bit caramelized on the edges the way a burger should be. Bun was fresh and soft, I'm betting probably an Ace Bakery bun. Fries got a big thumbs up as did the onion rings. Onion rings were dredged in Panko crumbs so they were light to eat and the thick slices of onions were sweet and soft. I was surprised that no one ordered up any Sweet Potato Fries.
Gotta say that the Salmon Burger that Kat F. ordered looked pretty damn fine with goats cheese and avocado on it. To be honest, it looked like one of the best Salmon Burgers I've ever seen in a resto. Usually the salmon looks like one of those pucks but not this one. Check out the pics.
The big surprise of the evening was the Saag Poutine...WTF? Who'd have ever thought of creating Saag Poutine but the damn stuff works! Will ordered it first and when it got delivered he was literally swooped down upon by everyone wanting to taste it. For the good of group, Will just gave it up and the bowl made the rounds up and down the table. The mmmmm factor rose tenfold and Kat promptly ordered up another couple of bowls for a pass around. It was Saag Poutine nirvana.
As mentioned by other Yelpers the service was a bit spotty but I think this is because our waitress was sifting through 20 different orders, everyone wanting their burger their own special way. There were a few glitches but nothing that I'd even consider knocking a half star off for.
All in all a fun evening. What a wonderful evening of food and friends. Two killa Yelp events in the same week, life doesn't get much better than that.
On to my next burger.....Listed in: My Decemburger!
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Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
5/27/2010 3 photos
I did not have a Burger at the Burger Bar... hmmm
I hardly eat Burger, maybe once a year....
Why I am in the Burger Bar? A group of yelpers wants to go for a drink after a UYE, and they took me here.
This place is dark.. a Bar suppose to be dark,, I need to lightened up! But I cannot take good photos when it is dark! hmmmmm
Anyway, I settle for a Red ice tea. Haha I don't know what's a red one is.. VS the green or yellow one.. It just pretty in Red! Yes the iced tea is freshly brewed type.. not from the powder or syrup.. and I love them unsweetened.
Service is good and attentive.
Maybe I will try a burger next time? -
Review from Stephanie C.
Toronto, ON
Kimchi on a burger?
I wondered how fermented cabbage would compliment with my meat. I mean, I like kimchi but I don't LOVE it. But I tried it on my Straight Up Cheese Burger that included all of the toppings like Gruyere and pickles. The verdict: absolutely delicious! I loved it. I mean, I LOVED it!
These made-to-order burgers were oh-so mouth-watering: made of real beef with real ingredients. As soon as my burger arrived, I wolfed it down in an unlady-like fashion, not because I was so damn hungry but because it was so damn good! Like Wendy H. mentioned previously, I liked that the burger buns weren't huge. There's nothing worse than feeling so full thanks to some huge hamburger bun swelling every inch in your stomach. I'd rather make room for more meat, thank you.
The big hit was the Saag Poutine. Wow, was that ever good! I recommend this to all of the non-Poutine lovers out there to try: it's a different take on the gravy version that you might find appealing and more appetizing.
I do have to commend the Burger Bar staff for accommodating our group as best as they could. They provided good and efficient service. For this event only, any of the spotty service should be forgiven, as our server never lost her cool and kept on top of things as best as she could.
I think it's worth returning to this place, specifically to try their unusual yet appealing LamBam burger. Look out Burger Bar, here comes a very hungry, meat-lovin' party of one! -
Review from Wendy H.
Toronto, ON
12/7/2009 ROTD 4/25/2010
RUH-ROH. I feel a little sweaty about coming in here and bursting bubbles, but let me preface this by saying that I will definitely give Burger Bar another opportunity to bump up the star rating. A new joint dealing with a large gaggle of Yelpers can't be a cakewalk, amirite?!
Burger Bar was formerly Rice Bar, which you can tell cause they still have three rice bowls on the menu. And the word "bar" in the name. Burgers are sooo 2009 in Toronto, and rice is sooo two-thousand-never, so it makes sense that they'd want to cash in where the cool kids are.
Anyham, the place is super cute and super small. It's the first burger shoppe I've been to where you sit down and order from a waitress, unlike Craft or Hero, where you pay at the counter and THEN park your ass. Nice classy touch. Man, burgers are classing their act right up round these parts, but with classy burgers come classy prices; i.e. 8.95 for the sammie and $3 (or $4?) to add a side.
I really dig the selection of salads, sandwiches and sides. Full bar, too, with some unique and tasty looking drinks. Some may complain that they don't have Coke et al, but I'm a supporter of non-high fructose corn syrup sodas and give them the thumbs up for that. And the truly original saag poutine is, as others have said, supair dupair tasty.
I review from the veg burger enthusiasts club and can vouch 100% for the LamBam toppings on their veggie patty (kimchi and danish blue). Let me tell you: kimchi and danish blue TOTALLY WORKS. I also give two thumbs up for the non-soy veggie patty (I'm still trying to decide if I should eat soy or not), and the perfect size bun. Giant buns are a pain in my ass, and Burger Bars buns (!!!!!!) are just right.
I give three stars this go round cause of a few things... service needs to pick up a bit (seemed a little non-committal, but like I said, a group of 16 is daunting). My burger and fries were pretty cold (I did wait 2-3 minutes to eat, but food should still be warm, yeah?), and the sweet potato fries were overcooked. I'd also suggest ketchup on the table for fry eaters; someone asked for ketchup and got one of those tiny bowls with about 2 tablespoons' worth. Adorable yes; practical, no.
All cockblockery aside, I will be back because this place has real potential. Put a hot veggie burger on my plate and we'll be in business. -
Review from Zack S.
Toronto, ON
12/6/2009 ROTD 10/20/2010
Dropped in on Decemburger and out of 12 RSVP'd ppl about 20 showed up.
The venue was highly accommodating, dealt with us kids, and was able to prepare all the meals [20] burgers at the same time, allowing for everyone to get their meal within 3 minutes of each other, so that we could eat together. And dealt with people moving around.
Quick Wrap Up:
Burger Delicious with Blue Cheese. MMM. added mushrooms. They were good. but not $1.50 good.
Onion rings. Delicious. Salty
Saag Paneer Poutine. The bomb. I reccco this for anyone!
Service was very good, although a bit spotty, but that is because we were a very large group, so I will give the girl the benefit of the doubt, because she was very nice.
Overall a place i'd go back to, but not make a special trip for it.
You will enjoy it if you like the classics. -
Review from Janna S.
6/18/2010
I have to give this place 3 stars instead of 2 because the service is excellent, especially considering that this place isn't fancy. I don't usually get excited about eating burgers because Toronto has so many other options, but I bought the Team Buy coupon after I realized that I might not get another chance to try cheeseburger spring rolls anywhere else. These were stunningly tiny and I was kind of sad about it. I mean, when I think about cheeseburgers, I think big, and these seemed unreasonably small. I mean, reaaally? Maybe my high expectations were simply unfounded.
The biggest disappointment occurred when I got excited to order from selection of fancy drinks shown on the table place-mats...but apparently none of these are available to order!? The place-mats are merely an ironic accoutrement to the other "rustic" decorations. Boooo! Now where am I supposed to order a 70's-style Zombie or Singapore Sling? Don't torture me like that! Apparently the drinks available here are all about trendy tequila :-(
The massive Dragon curry bowl made some amends for the tiny spring rolls - there was more than enough to share with a friend, although I thought they skimped out on the chicken somewhat. So overall this was good, but seemed a bit watery. I can't comment on the burgers except to say that every burger order brought out looked very well done, with a generous portion of fries. Service was A+ -
Review from Dale M.
Toronto, ON
12/21/2009
Decemburgerendezvous?
A monster group of yelpers turned out for Decemburger's first UYE at Burger Bar in Kensington Market. It's always nice to get together with a large group of contemporaries and see the tremendous disparity of opinions on food, service and value. It goes to show how subjective our reviews really are (not that that's a bad thing).
While I was less-than-thrilled, quite a few co-yelpers thought that this place was the cat's ass and swore they'd be back. I invite you to read their thoughts too, as they're smart people and have great taste. Here's my take:
Service was slow. Admittedly we made a reservation for 15 and brought 22. Still, the one server we had would not have been able to handle 15 of us any better than 22. We spent a lot of time waiting, and I think we were fed about 45-60 minutes after we showed. Better planning for a large group would have gone a long way here.
Service was sloppy / unimpressive. Orders were mixed up, including mine, and we spent some time trying to figure out whose food was whose. Lucky for me, it was Mike "accidentally generous" S.'s onion rings I was giving away, not my own. I had no idea! Our server did not have a good system, probably because there isn't a good system for one person to manage a table of more then ten people.*
Food was inconsistent. When I showed up, I was immediately offered an onion ring by Dennis "guilty by association," and had my mind fully blown away by what I can only describe as "Sweet Onion Calamari." Amazing! Panko breaded (I think) rings of sweet onion that were thick and juicy and delicate. I ordered a set with my burger (Me: "Can I have a large order?" Server: *pause* "Sure!"), and a scant helping of eight or ten arrived. They were so salty I couldn't get through them all, even after sharing.**
Burger was meh. I went for a burger with blue cheese, which added a nice sharp bite (I bit back, don't worry!) When my meal arrived though, I actually laughed out loud. The patty was dwarfed by the normal-sized bun it rested on, a result of overcooking and I suspect excessive fat content to begin with (leading to shrinkage). It was a bit dry, but rather filling.
The Saag Poutine!
This dish deserves its own heading. You'll read in other reviews that this was the highlight of the night - for me it was one of the few bright spots (other than, of course, the company). Paneer cheese simmered in spices, cream and spinach, served over fries. What an awesome idea! Ironic that the highlight of a burger night was the vegetarian dish...
The Paloma!
A heading-worthy cocktail, even! I switched to beer after one (I enjoyed Duggan's #9), but could have drank this all night if I'd felt like hard liquor. Mezcal, grapefruit juice and soda, garnished with a delicious chili-crusted piece of dried pineapple. Careful - the heat hits you slowly! The rest of the cocktail menu also got a lot of oohs and aahs, especially the extensive tequila list.
I'm taking a page from Vivek "Most Consistent Review Format Ever" S. and including notes on menu readability from here on in. Several members of our group, including me, found the lighting too dark and the print too small to read.
* I'm being generous. At Harlem, our table of fourteen was managed beautifully (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) by one lonely server who was expecting only ten of us. Then again, he was a professional.
** Had I sent my onion rings back, I may would have gotten some that were less salty. But I had waited so long for food, and my confidence in our server was so low at this point, that I couldn't be bothered. If I'm in the area again, I'm going in for some. In a "chasing the dragon" sort of way, I need to find that first-time high again.Listed in: Decemburger and Beyond!, My Epic Reviews
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Review from Nicole B.
Toronto, ON
12/9/2009
Since there are so many great reviews on this place and I'm half asleep, I'm gonna (try to) keep this one short and sweet.
Likes:
- Saag poutine. My first bite & I heard David Cassidy singing "I think I love you". Yes, it's that good..and yes, I do sometimes hear random people singing when I eat
- Delicious meat. You can always tell a well-seasoned piece of meat and my organic burger was that. I couldn't talk for awhile, it was so good.
- Excellent mixed drinks. Tequila & I have a very close relationship and I was disappointed in the Cosno drink I had last night.
Dislikes:
- The bun. It was a little bigger than I would've liked and felt like my burger was lost in it. First two bites was just bread which I don't like. But the meat was worth the wait.
- Lighting. Felt like I was in one of those hideaway restaurants that you take someone you're too ashamed to date in public.
Heard it was a bit more daunting for the large Decemburger kick-off but the waitress was pretty okay for our little group of Kat F., Susan C., Vivek S. and I. Would definitely go back again to sample some other burger choices--but maybe in the daytime :)Listed in: My Decemburger journey/Mon…
