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Grindhouse Burger Bar
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Restaurants Burgers Canadian (New), Burgers [Edit]
365 King St WToronto, ON M5V
Neighbourhoods: Entertainment District, Downtown Core
(416) 977-3010
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
50 reviews for Grindhouse Burger Bar
Review Highlights
-
"Pro-tip: Share the onion rings." In 13 reviews -
"...additional $9 you can get your burger topped with foie gras." In 3 reviews -
"...food, and even their buns and condiments are made in-house." In 4 reviews
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50 reviews in English
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Review from Ian B.
Fort Erie, ON
4/20/2012
This is a really good place to grab a burger.
I can see lots of bad reviews on here and it's too bad those people had bad experiences. I thought this place was pretty fantastic, and so did the rest of the people I went with. The burgers were cooked exactly as ordered, ingredients were fresh and the staff was attentive and very personable. The price for the quality received was very reasonable.
I will definitely be heading here again when I'm in the area. -
Review from Jo M.
Toronto, ON
4/30/2012 2 photos
Sometimes I read reviews and it's like yada yada yada just get on with the review, don't really care how you got to the place or why. So here we go, straight to the point as I can get:
- Ordered "The Big Grind**", server recommended we take it as "medium" so we did
- Poutine and onion rings as sides. HUGE. definitely share. Poutine was great. Good cheese and gravy ratio. Onions rings were kinda over-cooked and hurt the top of my mouth everytime I bit into one
- Burger was a bit salty, kinda over-powered the taste they were trying to achieve. Did not taste like the well-known burger
- Burger was also RAW. Did not notice until I got towards the middle, guess I was that hungry! Told the bus/server girl, she smirked and gave us a speech on why the place is called Grindhouse (they make their own burgers), and said next time we want a well-done burger then we should ask for well done. Showed her the meat and the texture and it was definitely raw, she rolled her eyes. I know what a medium burger looks like, it ain't my firs time at the rodeo, darling. (both mine and bf's were raw)
- Bartender/Manager comes by and says they will comp the entire meal, including my bf's beer.
- We left a tip, I hope the bartender/manager collected it, not smirky-face bus/server girl.
**which by it's description was supposed to resemble a well-known burger (Beef Patty, Special Sauce, Lettuce, Cheese, Onion, and pickle...) -
Review from Dan L.
Toronto, ON
Special "Karaoke Munchie Menu" for @JasonRolland #LoserKaraoke
The top line of this review reflects what I am writing this review about. Also, note that the 3 out of 5 Stars is more reflective of the karaoke show and the ambiance of the place as opposed to the Karaoke Munchie Menu itself. All in all, I wasn't the biggest fan of the 2 items I have had on the Munchie Menu.
- Bag O' Popcorn: For $2 you most definitely get your money's worth! They give you a brown paper bag* full of popcorn which is quite a nice sized portion for the money. However, much as I love my popcorn I think they way, way overdo it on the butter. Every time I grabbed a handful my palm was literally shiny with the grease afterward. The popcorn is pretty tasty, no doubt, as well as being a great value but I'd advise you tell them to ease off on the butter.
*like the kind we used to bring our lunches to school in when we got too old/cool for lunch boxes.
- Classic Nachos: For your $10 you get pretty much standard run of the mill nachos with cheese melted on them - according to the menu it's mozzarella & cheddar cheese - but with one important, and unfortunate, difference...the jalapenos they give you on the side are not hot. In fact, the jalapenos are more sweet than hot which was very disappointing for me. As well, the salsa wasn't quite thick enough to really be able to scoop it up with the nachos (maybe I should have tried a pour over?) and they didn't give any sour cream alongside which would have been very welcome. On the side plate they give where they put the jalapenos and salsa there was something else but I am not sure what it was, didn't try them. I'm going to upload a picture of the dish so maybe someone else can figure it out - or just ask them next time I'm in there and edit this later.
- House Pretzels: I have not tried the pretzel but have seen others who've ordered them. They are your standard giant soft pretzel and if I recall correctly you get one of them (not two as the plural in the name may imply).
All in all, if it's 11:30 at night and I'm at Grindhouse for some Karaoke then it is very appreciated that they have something to nibble on (because the regular menu is not available that late). With a little work, the offerings will be truly awesome. -
Review from Tina N.
Toronto, ON
4/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
I took a glance at the Grindhouse Burger's menu and the food looked exciting which was why I decided to attempt to try this burger joint. Biggest mistake walking into this bar was ordering the food as I notice none of the patrons were here to eat burgers, only pitchers of beers and now I understood why.
Their burgers were really dry and lacked any flavour while serving the patty at the size of a small tennis ball. I ordered the Wild Boar and did not taste any apples or onions - no sauce was to be seen. As for the sides, the onion rings were crunchy while the sweet potato fries were depressingly blackened and cold. My bill came up to $40 for 2 burgers and 2 sides, a definite rip and did not meet any of my expectations to be charged at that price. The only thing I respect from this restaurant was their pleasant wait staff as I had made a request in returning a burger due to my patty being burnt. My server happily took back the burger and replaced it with a new one. He also took it off my bill which I appreciated in saving me from paying for another $10 burger. How nice. -
Review from Lindsay S.
Toronto, ON
12/21/2011
Dry and chard. That's how i'd describe my burger.
Pass. -
Review from Johnathan N.
Brampton, ON
9/23/2011 4 Check-ins Here
A very solid gourmet burger joint.
For a place with a name like "Grindhouse", it's a little bit precious: lemon in the water, all condiments made in-house, black truffle salsa. Still, one man's precious is another's attention to detail, and Grindhouse really does have a good thing cooking.
Their burgers are sized right, prepared expertly, and while bespoke is always an option, the menu has some strong contenders. I'm a big fan of the Aussie burger (kangaroo meat, pickled beets, fried egg) and the Black and Blue (with beautifully flavourful Shropshire blue cheese). The fries are decent, but the panko crusted onion rings steal the show. Huge, crisp, lots of flavour.
The liquor selection is a bit anemic, but the bartenders know what to do with it. Their taps bias quite hoppy, but within that bias the choices are great ones.
Pro-tip: Kangaroo meat.
Pro-tip: Share the onion rings.
Pro-tip: Boneshaker is 7%+Listed in: Food near Mozilla Toronto
-
Review from August L.
12/1/2011
FOOD
They catered this event I attended and the food was delicious. I didn't realize chip and dip could taste so yummy. We also had this mushroom filled puffs and smoked chicken finger sandwiches.
The vegetables however were cut too big. It was like you were eating a miniature tree when you grabbed the broccoli. And some of the baby carrots were rotten. They should have checked the vegetables before putting them out.
The food was overflowing and we were all really satisfied. Everything except for the vegetables were great. I'm just glad though I didn't get sick. -
Review from Mick M.
Toronto, ON
11/10/2011
2 and a half stars.
The service was good and the people were very nice, but my burger was burnt pretty badly. I was in a hurry and starving so I just ate it anyway but I should've really sent it back. It was supposed to be cooked medium so it should not have been burnt if cooked to order.
Also quite expensive, burgers don't come with a side. -
Review from Graham R.
Toronto, ON
12/2/2011
I hate having to write bad reviews, but after my 2nd very negative experience Grindhouse Burger Bar left me with no choice. To justify this rating let me explain what happened on my visits there:
1st visit I went as part of a large group for a Tweetup hosted by Grindhouse themselves. I had very minimal expectations because I knew nothing about the place other than another food blogger telling me they didn't really like the place. Regardless, I think burgers are a personal thing so I decided to give it a try. I ended up having "The Wild Boar" ($12) which sounded really good on paper "House Minced with Hazelnuts and Sage, Apple and Onion Chutney, Roasted Garlic Goat Cheese and Baby Arugula." Unfortunately what I received was an extremely charred patty (apparently this is Grindhouse "thing") which was overcooked, dry and unappetizing. When I asked other people who attended the event how their burgers were they all seemed to echo the same thing, burned, dry and overcooked. The best thing I had that night was probably the onion rings which were quite tasty. Regardless I probably would have given them a 3-star rating but then it came time to pay the bill. Apparently someone had sat at our table before we got there and ordered some things and the waitress did not keep track of them so we were about $20 short on our bill because we could not track down who had ordered 2 beers (note I had been ordering all my beers at the bar and the bartender was aware of this). I told the waitress we had no idea who ordered them and she said something along the lines of 'well they were at your table at some point so you need to pay for them". At this point I was already contributing $25 for my $12 burger because some others hadn't left much and I wanted to make sure she got a tip. Instead of just wiping this small amount off of our $200+ tab, she continued to argue with me and pointed me out to the bartender/owner like I was a bad guy or something. After a lot of hassle they eventually took these drinks off the bill but it didn't go without plenty of rude glares from this server for the rest of the night. I decided I would not post anything about this incident though out of respect for the person who had organized the dinner doing their social media.
2nd visit. Last night I returned to Grindhouse for another event to raise awareness for a gift box type company after being invited by the owner of the company. I skipped food this time (for reasons stated on my first visit) and was just having drinks. I did happen to try one of my friend's onion rings though and unlike last time these were WAY overcooked and rock hard. As it was Thursday night there was a big NFL game on TV to decide the fate of the Philidelphia Eagles season which they were showing on one of the TVs. Suddenly during the 3rd quarter the owner of the bar decides to change the channel to the same thing on the TV right beside it as they are going to be doing some Karaoke event. My girlfriend very politely asks the owner if he could put the one TV back on for the last part of the football game. His response to her is "Tonight is Karaoke night. If you want to watch football you should go to another bar". Dumbfounded she returns to the table and everyone is in shock that someone could be so rude. There was still another perfectly good TV beside that could be used for Karaoke so I don't think the request was out of line. Also the front row of their bar was filled with guys all there watching the same game (how oblivious can you be!). He agrees to put the game back on for a bit until the MC returns which is met with a round of applause by the guys at the bar. At this point though we had no interest in giving them anymore of our business and left.
I will not be returning to Grindhouse anymore as they have no sense of customer service and can't even make a half decent burger! -
Review from Chris G.
Whitby, ON
11/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
3.5 stars really.
On a bit of a burger crawl. Have walked past Grindhouse too many times not to stop in.
Love the rock theme, love that they are a bar, love that Stone Temple Pilots were on when I walked in (102.1 The Edge was playing).
The server/bartender was fantastic, made sure to greet me from afar even though he was dealing with another table. He did this everytime, but most of the time he knew the people walking in. Guess they've established a number of regulars. And why not? Every bar's got them.
I went for the Signature on Whole Wheat bun, medium well. In fact, I was caught off guard when he asked me how I'd like it cooked. Can't say I've ever been asked that in Canada, at least not in Ontario.
It was a good burger. It was a week ago, but as I write this, I only have a faint memory of what it even looked like. That can't be good.
I'm going back, need to try it again. They just got a great review in the Sunday Sun. Maybe I'll need to reserve now.
Regardless, great option for King Street and looking forward to actually partying there some night.
Dining tip: don't sit at the bar. Bar stools aren't the right proportion to the bar top. Difficult for eating. -
Review from Martin W.
6/8/2011
A good, solid burger that will fill you up. A tad on the pricey side, however. Their schtick is they don't serve "junk", as the waiter called it. So that means only organic sodas, homemade sauces, etc. They do make all of their own ketchup mustard, pickles, and sell them as well. Some of their sauces are spectacular. I also really enjoy their fries, here.
They also do special events, I think, as I have seen karaoke for a birthday party in here as well as watched a UFC. -
Review from Peter S.
8/3/2011
Spent the week in Toronto for business and went here for dinner.
Have to say the reviews of this place are perplexing. They uniformly complain about the long wait times, bad service, and over-priced food. many reviews offset this with kudos for the food itself.
Not my experience at all. I found the service to be fast, extremely friendly (the waitress was extremely flirty with this American quantitative analyst; made me feel pretty groovy). Furthermore, the food was wonderful. A little pricey? Yes, but I'm only too happy to pay a premium for great food.
The Big Grind: A
This is a phenomenal burger. Extremely tasty with nice charbroiling marks and flavor. The ratio of meat to everything else was very, very, very good. Not too much meat and not too little. Lettuce, tomato and onions were fresh and vibrant. Cheese was sharp cheddar. Groovy!
Poutine: A
This was my first poutine. Canadians are very proud of this food. I will never eat it again because I want to live to a ripe old age, but I was in heaven eating it.
Well, that's my food review for this place. Both of my food stuffs were A, so that means this place is as good as it gets as far as I'm concerned. How anyone can say the food is tasteless is beyond me. Weird. Personally? I thought this place was fantastic! -
Review from Shasta K.
Toronto, ON
6/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Popped in here at dinner time on Saturday night craving a gourmet burger and found the place unusually empty - never a good sign.
I ordered the BIG BOY on a steamwhistle whole wheat bun and a side of fries. The service was poor and slow - despite there only being another 3 couples in the restaurant, took over 25 minutes to get a couple burgers and some fries. The servers could smile a bit more too...
The burger tasted ok but was completely burnt - bun and patty. I don't think the "chef" knows how to cook the big boy (which really wasn't big at all). I asked for well-done (caus that's the only safe way to eat ground meat) and got a pink burger in the middle and deep burn marks....yuck... i was way too hungry to return it....I liked the taste of the homemade mustard but found the ketchup that came with the fries to taste like marinara sauce...Fries were good..no complaints there.
All in all - this place is nothing special for the price - W Burger and Craft put this place to shame and are cheaper. No repeats anytime soon. -
Review from Leeor J.
2/12/2011
Another work-time lunch destination that needed to be tried. Well, I had the kangaroo burger. crazy! comes with a fried egg on top. Not bad, but I wouldn't fork out $15 for it again. and pretty gluttonous.
Another notable thing about this place is the ketchup. They put some anise in it or something. You may love it, but more likely, you'll just hate it and want real ketchup. -
Review from Anne M.
1/19/2011
This is a surprising fancy burger spot on King St W. It doesn't look very big from the outside, it fact I thought it was more of a take out place the first time I went in. I was pleasantly surprised to find how big it is and that they were playing late 90s hip hop.
I think it's very cool idea to make everything in house, from the burgers, buns, fries to the ketchup, mustard and pickles (and gravy). The food is good, and the servers are nice. -
Review from Ernest L.
Oakville, ON
6/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I must admit that I had no expectations when I first dined at the Grindhouse Burger Bar. It was 6:30 pm and I was looking for a quick bite to eat close to my buddy's apartment -- this place happened to be right around the corner.
The fries and mustard were great, but those are the only positive things I can say about the Grindhouse. First, I'd like to say that service was really slow here. Now on to the food. I ordered the BIG BOY after seeing that that size of a regular burger was not that much bigger than your standard McDonald's cheeseburger. Sorry, but the BIG BOY isn't big at all, and at $10 it's more expensive than other well-established gourmet burger joints in the city. Not value for money in my opinion. The burger itself is not bad. I believe it would have tasted better if the burger and bun were not burnt to a crisp. I guess there was a misunderstanding when I said I wanted mine well done.
So what do I think of the Grindhouse Burger Bar? It's an OK place and I would not object to giving it another shot; however, it would not be my first choice to dine the next time I'm craving a burger. -
Review from Diane C.
2/27/2011
** 3.5 stars **
Before last night, I had no idea this place existed (despite the fact this small-but-sleek resto has been open for about a year)!
I like the fact Grindhouse chooses to make its items in-house, and that its burgers are hormone- and antibiotic-free. In a world full of Angry Burgers and Double Downs, it's a welcome option.
The service was excellent. Our wait staff let us know when our orders were close to being ready, even when they were being plated.
I opted for the bison burger. It was cooked well, but it was a tad bit dry. It also could have been warmer. The Shropshire Blue cheese - along with the home-made mustard I spread on my bun - added just enough tanginess and zing to my burger to keep my tastebuds interested.
I also got my introduction to the onion rings. While I'm usually up for a food challenge, by the time I got through my burger, it was almost too much - I barely ate half of them.
Overall, it was quite decent. But perhaps I needed to try one of the beef burgers to have been truly wowed. -
Review from Jonathan E.
11/13/2010
I liked everything about this place, from their desire to produce healthier food, serve regional products and offer something different (home made ketchup).
Liked everything but the actual food. It just didn't wow me taste-wise, which is what you want when paying a bit extra for a specialized joint. For some reason the basic burger had a slightly metallic taste - kind of like you might get if you over charred meat on propane (though mine was cooked to medium). I'm not sure if the flavor was coming from the meat or the toppings or the fries/homemade ketchup (or a combination thereof)... it just didn't seem to meld into a unified, memorable meat/potato medley.
For some reason the reviews tend to be either ho-hum or Lady Ga Ga lust, so I guess it'll be either a place you love or one that'll end up being a one night stand. For me, I probably wouldn't return to grab those buns. -
Review from Vivek S.
9/8/2010 1 photo
Yet-another-addition to the growing list of burger-slingers hawking ground meats in our fair city. A few steps away from the Restaurants Row on King West, Grindhouse is a snazzy little joint. With an interior palette reminiscent of ze German flag, the burger joint features an exposed brick wall, slick booths, and cork-top tables. Wunderbar!
I ordered the Big Boy Bison burger with onion rings. Though I ordered it medium, the burger was a bit too dry. The onion rings were off the hook(!), and I would order them again in half a second. I will join the chorus and mention that it is a bit expensive here, but the food was decent and the service top notch. I'll try it again.
Obligatory Title Pun: Come to be wined and GRIND.
Menu Readability: Tasteful sans-serif. Lots of white space.
Need to mention: No patio. Just two tables for two near the very front of the restaurant by the wide open front door. Grab them quick!
What this place teaches me about myself: I'd sooner wear an onion ring than a gold one. -
Review from D B.
Toronto, ON
5/21/2011
It is a damn tasty burger. I didn't lose my mind, but it was tasty food.
What's with having 2 ppl waiting in a busy restaurant? (and one of them had to bartend)
Ordered a beer. Didn't come they had to change the keg....
10 mins went by, no beer (I was sitting at the bar)
We asked again, keg hadn't been changed. Bartender/server offered something else. That keg was empty as well. Third beer was a charm. Trouble is not that the keg ran dry, or that they forgot about me. It was they didn't have the manpower on site to change the keg, sell the drinks, wait the tables, clear the plates. I was there on a Sat eve around 7. Two waitstaff total. There were at least 10 parties seated and waiting.
Good food, but dont cheap out on staff. 2 is not enough for busy -
Review from Christine H.
Toronto, ON
2/24/2012
Tried this small gourmet burger for the first time yesterday. Pricey, but well worth it. Had the wild boar burger on a gluten-free bun. Very impressed...especially for gluten-free (which is baked in house).
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Review from Steph L.
8/5/2010
Another one of Toronto's gourmet burger joints!
As part of a pub crawl, we stopped here for some solid sustenance.
The venue itself is nice, it was very quiet on a Thursday night.
They have an assortment of burgers available...beef, bison, turkey, veggie... and an option for whole wheat buns.
And for an additional $9 you can get your burger topped with foie gras!
I had the turkey burger with black truffles and cranberry ($10).
It was alright, but charred black on the outside.
Actually, I couldn't really taste the truffles or the cranberry.
Also, the burgers aren't that large. I finished my burger in about two minutes. For a $10 burger, I expect to be full.
The onion rings weren't bad.
Not super huge and a bit overly salty.
It's an okay place if you are in the area.
But really, I would make the short trek over to Craft burger. -
Review from Farheen K.
Toronto, ON
1/22/2010
Houston we have a problem..! We've been invaded by burger bars! Grindhouse is another inductee into the seemingly never-ending aggregation of "burger bars".
I'm pretty sure the reason Grindhouse is called a bar to begin with is because there are sooo many bars at this restaurant. You're greeted with an unmanned massive take-out bar right when you open the door. Then, there is an even bigger bar with alcohol, LCDs and the lonely diner. The space itself is creatively done but very much on the cold side and I don't mean the thermostat.
The burgers are surprisingly small for their price: $7 for a normal beef burger $2 each for toppings. And no fries?. Wait, did you just charge me $11 for a burger with NO fries? Organic inhouse buns or not, that is Madness. The Indian sweet potato soup is really good and exactly what I needed on a cold night.
Service is good and friendly. Have the sugar cane coke it's a real treat -
Review from Kelly O.
1/9/2010
I really wanted to like this place...its close to home, has a neat sign, and specialized in burgers! It just opened a month or two ago, and I'm always up for supporting new business.
I was sadly disappointed.
The menu has all the usual burger joint stuff...pulled pork, bison burgers, poutine, onion rings, etc. But they also have vegetarian and vegan choices, as well as gluten-free buns available. Their focus is on local, healthy food, and even their buns and condiments are made in-house. According to their website, they also do catering with quite an upscale and varied menu.
The decor was quite nice...modern, upscale, and very, very clean! And an added bonus...fully stocked bar! I would probably come here for drinks and fries.
We both got the traditional burger, whole wheat bun, and jarlsberg cheese, with a side of poutine. And of course, a Mill Street Organic each. Total: 45 bucks!!!! 45 BUCKS!!!!
Thats quite a lot....especially since it wasn't even that good! The burgers were quite dry, and I didn't care for the in-house ketchup-like condiment.
The poutine was really good though. Port-reduction gravy made in-house with cheese (supposed to be curds...but definitely weren't. Still tasted great though!) But the portion was really small for 6 bucks.
I feel bad...we were the only ones in there at 9 pm on a Saturday night, and a few blocks away Craft Burger was exploding at the seams with patrons. I really wanted to like this place, but I just can't. between the burger, portions, and price...its just not good.Listed in: FTR's n' all dat., Poo-teen
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Review from Richie S.
5/15/2010 1 photo
***3.5 Stars***
Ate here last night. Fairly quiet earlier in the evening. Maybe it was b/c I was baked, but really enjoyed the food.
Let me start with the beers on hand: Fantastic. Brooklyn Brewery 's Black Chocolate Stout? Yes please! Num num num.
Onion rings were battered differently than your usual ring - crunchier than normal, but it lacked a little in flavour. The dip helped it along.
Poutine was ordered but a plague of locusts must have found it, because I got half a fry with some gravy. If it was a plate of fries and gravy, I'd say I loved it. But it wasn't, so I can't tell you how it tasted.
The Bison Burger cooked rare was dead brilliant. Flavourful...the foie gras on top made it a greasy mess to eat, but turned the burger into one of my favourites burgs to eat in a while.
I would try this place again eventually.Listed in: Hold it down boy, your head's…, Great, but
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Review from Eric L.
Toronto, ON
4/19/2010
Okay, perhaps I was just in a really foul mood (which I was) or that I was starving (again, true) but I just did not get anything out of Grindhouse that was worth going back for.
We both ordered standard burgers with cheddar - mine on a (housemade) white roll, medium well, sans pickle and onion, my partner has wheat roll, well-done without pickle. We ordered fries to share - and waited.
After not TOO long a wait, the food arrived - and was completely WRONG. The order was just not correct in any way save we both got burgers with cheese and an order of fries.
The well-done burger came medium-well, the medium-well burger came well, it came. Both were tasty enough but neither order was what we had ordered. Was I too crabby already to send it back? Yep. My own issue - I ate what was delivered (and when asked, yes, I said it was good) but for what it is? I'll head down the street to Reggies or Craft... If, on a very slow Monday night with literally the same number of staff as guests, they can't get a single order right?
Forget it - throw this place into the grinder.... -
Review from Katie C.
Toronto, ON
3/2/2010 1 photo
Grindhouse is great place that is applying healthy and conscience eating to the burger. All thier meat is ground in house, they use no gmo or refined sugars in any of thier food, and most of all ...they serve sustainable products. Translation; local food, animal products treated fairly, and suppliers who care about the environment. And with all that, the food tastes amazing. It's not your usual burger bar, but it might be better! Yes it's a bit more $$, but it costs more to care more:)
They could work on the decor, but it's still really new...give them time! -
Review from Karen S.
4/20/2010
If I had read the reviews here before I went, it would have definitely saved me both money and a lackluster burger adventure.
I love burgers! Especially a nice, thick, juicy BEEFY burger. I don't know what I tasted, but I did find myself thinking as I was stubbornly chewing on it, "Why am I still eating this... all this wasted calories on something that I really don't like and can't identify...?" So I put down the last bite just so I would feel better. Bleh. That's all I have to say. BLEH! The super nice server gave us the whole lecture on how everything is local, made in-house and all feel-good. I still don't feel good about the burger though - pricy, tasteless burgers where the tomato and lettuce were just as bland. Didn't like the bun either. I don't know how to describe the whole wheat bun other than it's everything that I don't like about bread even though it's not stale. Sigh.
We also had a pulled-pork sandwich which was marginally better. Just that hint of sweetness, but nothing to be wowed about. The focaccia bread that the meat came sandwiched between was amazing though - super soft and delicious. Don't get the poutine! Ack!! I had about 2 fries drenched in gravy goodness and cheese curds and almost gagged. It was spicy and oily in all the wrong ways. It left me wondering if my tastebuds were wacky that day or whether this is actually considered good fries by any means. How does one mess up fries?
The few highlights from the visit was the alcoholic Peeler apple cider. Very light and dangerous at summer bbqs - it's so refreshing and drinkable like apple juice that it's way too easy to have more than enough! The service was great - the server was very helpful and accommodating. The decor and atmosphere was very nice.
Taken all together - there are just so many more worthy burger bars to visit in this city. I miss my Johnny's Hamburgers and after this lackluster experience, I'm definitely running uptown for some proper burgers! -
Review from mark p.
Toronto, ON
8/20/2010
Had the usual order: signature + onion rings. This place was better when it opened. Asking for a medium rare burger at a place that grinds their own got me something I might eat at Harvey's and the burger was kinda small too.
If you are gonna be a burger place -- make sure you consistently kick it up a notch every time.
The fries and onion rings are typically quite good. -
Review from Julie M.
Toronto, ON
1/14/2010
We're always looking for a good burger joint close to work, and it seems we've finally found one! To start, the service was great. Very friendly, fast and helpful. They took our orders right away, gave us some pointers on what to order, and served is quickly and efficiently.
The food: amazing. I had the sliders - beef with foie gras, turkey with a homemade seed mustard, bison with cracked peppercorn, all on their own complementary beer bun (either Steamwhistle or Mill St). Each burger had its own distinct flavor, and the toppings paired so well with the meat! Everything was cooked perfectly too. All of this for only $10 (TAX IN).
I didn't get the fries but did eat off a friend's plate, also good! Plus, they make their own ketchup, which I think was quite distinct and tasty.
The only downside (for me anyway) was the lack of diet drinks. Reason being they don't believe in artificial sweetener and will only sell cane sugar soda (Boylan's). A major positive for most, not so much for those of us who don't consume sugar.
The decor: sleek and modern. Cork inlay tables, red leather chairs. Quite a few tables and a large bar. Lots of big tvs to watch the game also. Very well laid out. -
Review from Trevor T.
Toronto, ON
1/27/2010
I feel a lot like Kelly O... I really wanted to like this place...
There were two major problems:
1) Portions
2) Price
First, the portions. Normally at a gourmet burger place, you check your diet at the door and go in expecting a Meal. It's how it should be. Grindhouse doesn't seem to get that. There were four of us, and we all wanted the ostridge burger, but alas, there were only two left! So we had to split 2 ostridge and 2 bison. The 4 burgers came to the table pre-cut and with a large tooth-pick through each half. Imagine this... you could very easily lift the whole half of the burger on the tooth-pick!! Does that sound like a good size burger to you?? While the patties were a touch thicker, they were no bigger around than a burger from McDonald's!
Along with the burgers, we ordered sides of poutine. Same problem. Served in a mug that was just over half-full, I was left disappointed.
Which, of course, brings us to #2: price.
That tiny ostridge burger that I described above was $12.50! The cup 'o poutine, $6.00. And the cheddar for the bison burgers, another $2.00!
It's important to mention that the taste of everything was quite good. The bison burgers were far better than the ostridge, the poutine was great and their house-gravy is quite interesting, but you need at least double the food to justify the prices.
All in all, I would not recommend Grindhouse as there are just too many better options out there. There are some great elements, but until they adjust either the lack of food or the massive price, it's just not worth the trip. -
Review from TOFoodReviews n.
Toronto, ON
3/12/2011
I am in love...
How do I know? I paid $22 for a burger lunch and am absolutely ok with it.
Grindhouse is serious carnivore territory.
The first thing to stand out, though, was my drink. I went for my usual diet cola and I got, "Sorry we don't have anything with aspartame." In fact, you shouldn't go there expecting to get your go-to big brand soft drink at all. Well, well, well I better go for something really interesting then. Boylan's Birch Beer - a root beer drink, sweetened with cane sugar, with pure vanilla extract and only one preservative (sodium benzoate, typically used in soft drinks and other acidic preserves). Their amazing dedication to fresh and natural ingredients obviously did not end there.
All of the ingredients are local and fresh, the burger meat comes from naturally raised livestock and is Genetically Modified Organism, hormone and antibiotic-free. You will not find anything that has refined sugars, or artificial sweeteners (hence the lack of Coca-Cola and Pepsi on the premises). They literally prepare everything in-house. The buns are made there and they also make the ketchup and mustard themselves, right in the back kitchen. The "fresh and never frozen" attitude is not good enough here; if you're going to do it, do it right.
Their burger creations are unique and creative; a turkey burger with black truffles and cranberries, yes they do have a veggie burger and it's soy-free and, my choice, the black and blue burger are just a few of the menu items. I was presented with a Cajun spiced beef patty smothered in blue cheese sauce and cooked only to medium, with a side of onion rings (who was I kidding with that diet cola anyway).
If you can be sure of the meat quality, requesting a burger cooked less than well-done will give you much more flavour and a better texture. On my first bite there was an immediate rush of barbecue charcoal flavour emanating from the patty; it tasted like summertime. The blue cheese sauce was mild and, considering the Cajun description, it was spiced, not spicy. The onion rings were huge and somehow satisfyingly greasy but unbelievably crispy.
I actually don't often talk about presentation because, frankly, it's all about the taste for me. I have eaten enough beautiful yet disappointing and ugly yet amazing dishes to spend much time considering plating. However, the simple beauty of this burger and onion rings dish was lovely - just a white plate and a burger, without a toothpicked-pickle piercing the bun. Lovely.
Much like my University professors, I hesitate to give out a "perfect" score and I can't on good conscious say that this was the very best burger in the city, but - a big but - they gave me something pretty darn close to the best burger around and the attention paid to good, fresh and healthful ingredients truly impressed me.
Their name might be harsh and gory, but you'll find burger-fare inside that is gentle and kind to you and your body.Listed in: 5 Star Eats in Toronto
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Review from Annaliese R.
4/12/2011
Well, I felt the food was decent. The soda was amazing, as was the appetizer but the burger was, to be honest, a bit disappointing. Maybe it was the fact that I had a difference opinion on what "medium rare" is.
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Review from Noemi H.
Toronto, ON
7/5/2011
If you're in search of a really good meal made with top quality ingredients Grindhouse is as good as they come. The menu is concise and covers all cravings. The fries are unparalleled and make sure to try the homemade ketchup. The meat is perfectly cooked and the staff are super friendly. Everything is organic and local.
Grindhouse also caters and they do a phenomenal job. Every angle is covered, the food is plentiful and the value is exceptional. I highly recommend Grindhouse for any event or for a casual meal in downtown Toronto. -
Review from Alex N.
6/5/2011
Stopped in here while visiting Toronto for the day on a very cold February afternoon. Nice, pleasant spot to warm up, the poutine was nice and hearty. Good selection of craft beers at decent prices. Overall, an excellent experience, this is a good spot to know.
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Review from Maria A.
Richmond Hill, ON
10/23/2010
A burger lover's joint. Ordered the classic, medium, with cheddar on whole wheat. The bison burger with goat cheese was excellent as well. It's not overpriced if you're looking for a good burger. Stopped by on a lunch weekend though, so maybe they had more time to make it right.
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Review from Sonja Z.
Toronto, ON
6/2/2011
I've been here twice, and both times I've had a great, juicy burger and awesome fries. There's a good selection of toppings, and beers that you can't find everywhere else, so that's a nice touch as well. The service is always fast and pleasant, and I leave feeling soooooooo full. My American boyfriend who claims he couldn't get a good burger in Toronto actually loves the burgers here, that's how good it is!
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Review from Hungry M.
Toronto, ON
3/28/2011
Had their House Burger and was not impressed. Love burgers and expected alot more. Love the fact that it is organic beef but oddities like homemade ketchup, and minimal toppings on your burger made it hard to enjoy. I understand that it's supposed to be "Gourmet" but $12.00 for a burger that did not fill me is not worth it.
P.S. Poutine was very bad. Not being a negative Nancy, but the gravy was burnt and the portion size did not reflect $6.00 of potatoes n' cheese.
Would not recommend. -
Review from Greg P.
Toronto, ON
3/31/2011
Release the neanderthal in you. I ordered the Wild Boar and rings. Both a bit overdone (cooking game meat is tricky), but very satisfying. If you have a penchant for game meat and fresh ingredients, you can't go wrong. My colleague had the regular burger and fries and he loved it. We both complimented our indulgence with the Mill house Organic on tap. Good times were had by both and short nap afterwards would have been nice. Wait staff were prompt and pleasant. I'll be going back for the 8oz Bison burger next.
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Review from Karimah H.
Toronto, ON
6/25/2011
Grindhouse: are you kidding me?
I come in for a quick meal with my husband. His burger is a bit tasteless but we think, okay. We walk in, we show our dealfind coupon and the hostess says 'show it to your waiter later.' We have our meal, show the waiter the coupon when we finish and the manager treats us like imbeciles. Seriously? Isn't the point of such coupons to ATTRACT, not put off new customers? The manager proceeds to tell us that we have to present coupons before dining (hello, we did just that, see above). Then proceeds to show us the terms and condition of the coupon over and over, shouting and speaking slowly, stating that we had to pay taxes and tip on 40 dollars even if our bill was 34 bucks. Taxes: fair enough. But tip? Here's a newsflash, genius: Tips are not something we HAVE to pay. They're what a customer chooses to pay in lieu of good service-something you did not give.
So, Grindhouse, congratulations. You are on a strip full of other restaurants who compete with you and you serve mediocre burgers in a city full of great burger joints. And now you've not only lost two customers, but also all of their friends and the friends' friends who could've given you business.
Good riddance to bad rubbish!
