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Gourmet Burger Co.
Category: Restaurants Burgers Burgers [Edit]
9 Charles St WToronto, ON M4Y 1R4
Neighbourhood: Downtown Core
(647) 351-6408
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
Sun 11 am - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
23 reviews for Gourmet Burger Co.
Review Highlights
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"...tomatoes, Cajun spice & Smokey chipotle & honey mayo." In 3 reviews -
"the sweet potato fries are wonderful." In 4 reviews -
"...tried the beef burger with sauteed mushrooms, it was good." In 3 reviews
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23 reviews in English
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Review from Monica M.
Toronto, ON
1/21/2012
Great burgers, very juicy and original!
The interior looked like an upscale burger place (better than looking like fast food).
Service was good too.
Recommend!Listed in: Restaurants
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Review from Sergey S.
2/23/2012
Gourmet Burger is actually about 3.2 stars on my scale, but I felt ok to round that down to 3.
Main complain - they are sloooowww... Whatever the number of people waiting in that tiny room, it takes a solid quarter hour minimum to get a burger. That's a lot of time, especially for a speciality place.
Burgers themselves are huge, hefty, well-packed. I won't call them "gourmet", but they are definitely better than many. It doesn't take much to beat McDonalds "food", but hey, there is still some effort required!
I think I've been to GB maybe a dozen of times, and my perception is consistent - not bad for a lunch. Not cheap either, but honestly ok to go.
Just don't bring more than one friend with you - three people look like a crowd in that tiny, crumpled space. -
Review from Christian P.
Toronto, ON
2/19/2012
Cashier/waitress should be nicer and learn to smile to customers (especially when you are asked for a tip when paying with debit or credit)... well, perhaps has she been told to glance at customers with this specific beefy eyes to push them to opt for beef burger rather than chicken burger? Or perhaps I was really unlucky to meet the only unfriendly waitress working in this place!!!
Burger ingredients are fresh for sure but the mixture ends up not being tasty enough (or at all). Whichever sauce you choose, there is not any major taste to satisfy your gustatory papillae. Just a regular meat - well-cooked, ok - with a bread - not as smoochie as MacDo's ok - but still...
Does not worth it. Gourmet means something to me... so work on this, enhance the tastiness of sauce and meat, or just rename the store! (like "beefy eye burger"?) -
Review from Donna R.
Scarborough, ON
12/31/2011
Went here because Smokes Poutinery was closed. The place looks clean and very trendy so we decided to chop down.
The service was prompt and friendly. I got the Works Burger with sweet potato fries and a jones green apple soda. I love that you can choose from an array of drinks in d fridge and that the toppings are so varied but its not worth the price. Paid $27 for two combos. WOW!
The burger patty was alright but downplayed by the huge Jlo bun. Haha. It was a cold, sesame free bun and dry. The only redeeming thing about the meal was the huge portion of sweet potato fries which were crispy and super long. Yum! I would go back for the fries alone.
Maybe I'm spoilt and am comparing this burger to greats in the States like Five Guys and In and Out, but the food wasn't anythin to write home about. Oh well. -
Review from Christine R.
Scarborough, ON
9/25/2011 2 photos
In need of a burger, this was the closest location from work that wasn't your typical fast food joint.
I always like to chose a signature burger so I opted for the Spicy Cajun Burger and combo'd it up with there Beer Battered Rings and a Jones Strawberry-Lime Soda.
Its a small location with an even smaller patio ( maybe 8 bar stools on a cramped balcony) that looks onto Charles Street. But definitely sit outside if you can grab a seat. Luckily the patio was vacant that late afternoon.
Toppings - They Spicy Cajun Burger - Avocado, jalapeños, lettuce,
Jalapeño havarti, tomatoes, Cajun spice & Smokey chipotle & honey mayo. There was ample toppings on the burger, I enjoyed the avocado on my burger, overall not too spicy but good kick from the sliced jalapeños.
Meat - Grilled perfectly, tasted average, but I found it too small compared to the bun.
Bun - Very soft, tasted good, but didn't hold up against the burger and all the toppings and at the end I was left with lots of bun and no more burger.
Beer Battered Onion Rings - Very thick batter on these rings, golden brown, crunchy, very filling.
Drink -Jones Strawberry-Lime Soda - Yummy not sour but good balance,
Overall prompt friendly service, quaint little patio, average burger but good for a quick fix in satisfying the burger craving.Listed in: Burger Time!
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Review from Alana C.
11/2/2011
I like Gourmet Burger Co. a lot. To begin, they have really unique toppings and I like that their burger patties are thinner than average. Usually the customer service is good and they are fairly prompt at getting you your meal quickly. A year ago, I would have given this place 4 stars. But 1 star went POOF over the last two I've visited.
Time #1: I go in and this guy working there is yelling at one of his staff members until she starts crying because some witch came in, ordered a bunch of stuff on her burger, some item was missing and then the girl working there said it wasn't her fault. So he was mad at her because she wasn't bowing down to some cranky pants who was demeaning her. That really made me angry, because he basically said it doesn't matter if the customer is yelling at you, the customer is always right. Even as a CUSTOMER myself, I think that is unfair. So I told the girl her boss was a jerk and whoever that woman was, she was a real witch.
Time #2: Last time, I just knew they were going to screw up my order. I had this feeling deep within my soul and sure enough when I got home I had some random burger. It may have been the weirdest array of toppings I have every experienced in my life.
So there you have it - definitely worth it but stand up for the person taking your order and double check you have the right burger before you go! -
Review from Aviva S.
8/16/2011
2.8.
I like the system they have in place where you can choose what burger you want, which topings and sauces (both good variety of choices), along with fries etc. When your food is ready, they call you up by number.
The service I had that day was friendly.
They have seats inside and a few on their patio (though the view of Charles Street is nothing interesting).
Now the burger? Perhaps GBC does meat right (even if it's wrong, hehe) because the veggie burger wasn't to my liking. The toppings are fresh (even if a little scarce - like only one huge lettuce leaf), the buns are delicious (though on the cold side), and the sauce (their GBC sauce) is very good.
The problem is the actual veggie patty thing. There's different ways to make veggie burgers and one method used here and in some other places is that weird looking, differently coloured patty. It's hard to describe but taste-wise, it just doesn't work.
I also had their homemade fries and they ARE delicious. Hot, fresh, authentic. Won't get these in McDonald's.
Overall, this isn't the place for veggie burgers, try their fries, and a decent place. -
Review from Tammy L.
Toronto, ON
11/20/2010 1 Check-in Here
Was looking forward to calorie-splurging at the Gourmet Burger Co. after doing some serious working out this morning. Alas, I was sorely let down. While the beef patty itself was juicy (albeit very thin - I expected a chunkier burger with more "bite"), there were some serious issues with the execution of my Spicy Cajun Burger.
Things I would like to see improved:
1. Please do not serve the burger bun dead cold.
2. My single piece of lettuce was served so that half of it was hanging outside of the burger - seems that the kitchen staff didn't even care enough to make sure the burger was presentable
3. Can I have a bit more topping with that burger?
4. Fries - soft and lukewarm
5. Please add a place to hang coats since the stools around the middle of the restaurant have no backs and there is no place to hang your jacket if you are stuck there and have a coat on.
Frankly, I would go up to Craft Burger since both are about the same distance from my home and Craft Burger does better overall. -
Review from Avitania B.
Toronto, ON
11/28/2010 4 Check-ins Here
Following a disappointing burger at Craft, I decided to hit GBC a couple of days later to see if it was any better. It was only marginally so. The patty was good, juicy and definitely had that nice crisp crusty outside that the Craft Burger was lacking (though the inside was a little more cooked through than I prefer), but the bun was cold. (What is it with Toronto burgers and cold buns? Bleh.) The burger itself was rather sloppily put together, so it was hard to eat without everything sliding all over the place. The fries are nice and crispy, but a little underseasoned. The shakes are decent -- I would definitely come back on a hot day for another of their chocolate shakes. The people inside are welcoming and nice -- and, thankfully, were patient when I stood and stared, slack-jawed, at the menu board and took forever trying to decide what to order.
All in all, Gourmet Burger Co is okay, but not earth-moving. -
Review from Paul R.
Toronto, ON
3/26/2011
GBC is my favourite burger place in Toronto. Better than Hero, W, GBQ, etc. The burgers always taste great and the staff is friendly. A tiny bit more expensive than Hero but well worth it.
Only down side is when it gets busy you can wait a while for your burger, but again, worth it. -
Review from Josh A.
Toronto, ON
10/3/2010
I've been wanting to check this place out since I heard about it opening next to Seven West downtown. Supposedly there are a number of locations that have opened up in Toronto.
Location is a nice small place that seats about ten which at 7:00 PM on Saturday was seating about 6-8. About 4 staff members which may explain the cost of the Burgers.
Burger $5.50
add the combo (Drink and Fries) 3.95
change drink to a Jones Root Beer 1.00
total with tax just under 12.00
EXPENSIVE but standard price for these Gourmet Burger places these days!!!
Next came the option
1) Toppings (Free) I went with Avocado, Pickles, Sauteed Mushrooms, Tomatoes and Relish
2) Toppings (Additional Cost) None, considering I just spent 12 dollars
3) Sauce (Free) I went with GBC; which is supposedly a combo of four things including Ketchup
4) Cheese (Additional Cost) None; Would have loved to gone with Brie but again havng just spent 12 dollars I did not.
Burger was tasty but very thin. Toppings were all fresh and tasty
Fried were very tasty and I prefer them over some of the others offered at the competition
In the end, a great starting location for this year's Nuit Blanche. As this is located very close to work I'd go back for lunch -
Review from Nicole B.
After riding low from the disappointment of Original Motorcycle Burger, I decided to dine in at my next stop, Gourmet Burger Co. I sprint limped* from my work and steeled against the cold. I felt relieved when I walked up the tiny stairs to the restaurant.
I ordered a 6 oz beef burger (toppings: tomato, lettuce, pickles, caramelized onions, tangy BBQ sauce and smokey chipotle & honey mayo) with fries & drink. It was around $12. I liked that I was able to get a pretty good assortment of complimentary toppings. I sat down to wait for my order & within a few minutes I was being called up to collect. That was around 2:45.
My burger orgasm occurred at 2:50pm.
The burger was so delicious! The meat was juicy and the bun was almost like a soft kaiser bun. The combination of the two was heaven. I couldn't put the burger--even when my phone started ringing and I knew it was my sis; the burger was just too good. My burger toppings were all great especially the mayo and the lettuce. You know sometimes you'll get a sorry excuse for lettuce on your burger? The puny kind that was chosen last for the soccer baseball team because it was the only one left over? Well not at Gourmet. My lettuce seemed fresh, a deep green colour. Made me enjoy my burger even more. Plus the juiciness of the burger made for a messy burger. Near the end, the toppings started to slide out & juice drizzled down my fingers. But I loved every minute of it. Like most Big O's though, it ended all too soon.
The fries were good fries. They're crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside and went down great after the stellar burger.
Gourmet Burger Co. definitely redeemed my Faith in Decemburger after OMB.
The place is small though & wouldn't be great for groups It's really a takeout kind of joint. But that's okay. I don't need a group of people to come here often *insert sly wink & Borat grin*
* Long story short, I bruised the skin around my knee and it has been slow going in the walking departmentListed in: Cold as Ice!, My Decemburger journey/Mon…
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Review from Gokul M.
Toronto, ON
2/19/2012
Loved it. Great quality, quick and friendly service. Am looking forward to going back and trying a different signature burger. Same price range as hero's if not a little less. Good thing is you don't have to pay for a lot of the extras......the sauces for the most part are complimentary. Fries could be a bit better. Very average tasting fries. But had a great first experience with the place and will definitely go back.
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Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
10/5/2009 1 Check-in Here
I've been frequenting the original location (Parliament/Carlton) over the last few weeks and just learned that they'd be expanding to downtown.
Their second location is at Charles/Yonge and has longer hours! I can't really say whether this will make me visit more often because burgers aren't generally a huge part of my diet but it's certainly nearby work so it's just another option.
As with other "high"-end burger joints you get a lot of customization options here. They also have numerous suggestions of which I've had the Spicy Cajun (6oz GBC 100% beef burger, avocado, jalapeños, lettuce, jalapeño havarti, tomatoes, cajun spice & smokey chipotle & honey mayo) and Smokey Bacon Burger (6oz GBC 100% beef burger, lettuce, tomatoes, double smoked bacon, smoked Gouda, roasted garlic Dijon mustard mayo). Both are excellent choices.
Prices are on par with similar eateries. About $6-$7 just for the burger with a few toppings and then another $3 for a side. The fries, onion rings, and sweet potato fries are all delicious. They also have lamb, veggie, and chicken options available.
I've yet to try the Aussie burger ("with the lot") but I've heard good things about it. I'm just not so sure I could eat so much!
** Showed up for the grand opening on October 5 and received a free GBC burger (valued at $5.50). -
Review from Joseph A.
11/13/2009
Just okay.
Craft burger up the street is considerably better.
Not sure why Toronto doesn't have a really good burger. Anyone who's had an inexpensive In N Out burger in California (for about 1/3 the price of Craft, Hero or Gourmet) knows what a great burger should taste like.
I wouldn't return. -
Review from Christine K.
Toronto, ON
1/20/2010
Well...well...well - you say gourmet do you?
who is kidding who - the only gourmet here is the over the top price point - Is there gold in them burgers?
Between to the 15 minute wait plus and no where to sit/stand while being herded in like cattle...well you know where I am going with this - MacDonalds is looking good about now! -
Review from Jenny T.
3/3/2010
The service is really good here, very friendly and the clerk was nice enough to make suggestions when it looked like we were lost cause there were so many toppings and choices.
I've tried the beef burger with sauteed mushrooms, it was good... I wouldn't say it was a gourmet burger though. There was just something about the beef, probably an additive that made it taste stringy - kind of like McDonald's burgers except more noticeable because the meat was bigger. It satisfies the craving for a big juicy burger though.
I also tried the veggie burger with grilled pineapple... I was very disappointed with the pineapple, too thin and I could barely taste it. The veggie burger fell apart easily and was very comparable to lick's nature burger.
I will give it another shot since I work in the area and if I wanted a quick burger, this is the place I'd go to since it's close. -
Review from Joan L.
Mississauga, ON
4/13/2010 2 photos
Burger:
1) Toppings were EXCELLENT as they were very fresh and proportionate. Mushrooms were melt in your mouth smooth. Onions were killer - tangy (balsamic) yet sweet (from caramelizing). Bacon was smoked and just crisp without being burnt. I might prefer a stronger cheese with all that is going on (hard to taste the cheddar). The sauce was very very good. I was also glad to see that toppings (for the most part) are free.
2) Beef was good too ... but a little well done since I like mine medium-rare. I should ask for it next time. But if I wanted well done, this would be it. It was not charred and still moist.
Sweet Potato Fries:
SOOOO GOOD! Sweet yet salty. Crispy yet fluffy. And all at the right amounts. I went back the following week for some fries to nimble on while walking the streets of Yorkville.
The service was prompt and courteous. It looks like you can sit 10 people in here comfortably. I ordered take-out so I can't go into too much detail here. -
Review from Karen S.
12/11/2009
This is more like 3.5 stars.
Ever since Shake Shack in NYC changed the way I looked at burgers and shakes, I've been on the look out for burger joints back home in Toronto. I passed by this location back in October when it first opened and finally had a chance go try out their gourmet offerings today.
I had the Mushroom Melt burger today in a combo with yummy sweet potato fries. Sandwiched between the large burger bun is a thin 6 oz beef patty with sauteed mushrooms, portabello mushrooms, tomato, lettuce, mayo and brie whose creaminess more than made up for the slightly dry patty. It's pretty good!
The lunchtime crowd comes in waves and seating is limited. Definitely a good place to drop by for lunch. -
Review from Tina H.
3/12/2010
The service here is pretty good. They screwed up my order and gave me a free drink. It wasn't a hard-to-fix screw up at all so that was nice of them.
They also include toppings like roasted red peppers and caramelized onions and specialty sauces free of charge, unlike Burger Shoppe and Craft Burger who charge for the special toppings.
I usually get the lamb burger. Sometimes it's nice and juicy, sometimes it's greasy, and sometimes it's dried out. The quality of the burgers is inconsistent. It's still a good burger but I'd prefer if they paid more attention to quality and not drying out the meat. -
Review from Angela N.
Toronto, ON
4/6/2010
I went here last night after hearing a lot of hype. It's a nice little place and the burger was fine. Nothing special though. The selling feature is the selection of toppings which includes things like Brie, avocado (but don't get your hopes up - it's avocado purée, not slices), etc. The burgers themselves are just okay. Not worth sacrificing a gluten-free diet for.
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Review from Alison B.
Updated - 7/26/2010
I went back to try the poutine. It wasn't so good. Not enough gravy and the cheese curds were cold. And it was pretty expensive (over 6 bucks). I won't be going there again for a poutine fix.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/19/2010
Gourmet burger does a decent burger, but I have definitely had better. As a veg, I am a veggie… Read more »
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Review from She S.
Toronto, ON
4/22/2010
the burgers are great
the sweet potato fries are wonderful
the onion rings are really greasy
craft burger has better onion rings
