- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Tue, Fri, Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
39 reviews for The Yellow Griffin
Review Highlights
-
"but the sweet potato fries are fun to eat." In 12 reviews -
"Once tried their burger with crunchy peanut butter." In 9 reviews -
"...with Mango and Avacado with Cheddar cheese on a lamb patty." In 4 reviews
Loading...
38 reviews in English
-
Review from Katherine S.
North York, ON
4/15/2012
This place does burgers. It does them lots and it does them well. And it does them in about a million combos. Try something different. Just go for it. You will be pleasantly surprised. If you're not...please don't blame me!
Nothing crazy to report. Food was good, service was good. Yum. -
Review from Teena D.
4/8/2012 10 photos
After our walk around High Park, Gord and I walked to the Yellow Griffin in Bloor West Village for supper.
They brag that they have over 35 burger to choose from ... so of course, we had to have burgers! You can choose from beef, pork, turkey, bison, chicken, lamb, salmon or veggie,
After spending the afternoon walking around, my draught tasted good!
Gord ordered the Reuben burger (bison) and onion rings. He said it was good and would order it again.
I got the Papa Giogio burger (beef) and fries. It was a good burger and I would order it again. The fries were so-so.
We sat on the patio ... a great spot to people.
This was our fist time at this pub and we'd go back the next time we're in the 'hood.
The only negative is that people from inside sit on the patio and smoke :( -
Review from Mauricio A.
Toronto, ON
11/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place could only have come to be if a great burger cook was in the middle of a LSD trip while then suffering a schizophrenic attack AND then deciding to write down the recipe's that randomly popped into his brain.
I mean, this place has over 30 different types/styles of burgers, and, depending on your tastes, reading a few of them will automatically make you wonder if the toppings in them can, do or should go together in the same burger. But hey, that is part of what makes this place fun!
Quite honestly I do not even remember the burgers I have had, I just try to avoid the Italian inspired ones and go for the ones that have avocado and lots of cheese. Which by the way, avocado & cheese in burgers? What an inspired choice.
Seriously, this is one of the highlights of Bloor West. With it's two floors, it's laid back pub/wood inspired decor, The Griffin is a fun place where you can go with your friends, have a beer/drink or two and have an awesome burger. Prices are fair although the beer is a buck or so more than I would have expected from a regular pub which does add up ...but the sweet potato fries are fun to eat.
This place is truly an unadulterated Burger Joie De Livre!
You heard it here first!
PS:. I actually went to check their website, they have over 35 burgers now!Listed in: My Reviews, 30 Day Movember '11 Challenge
-
Review from Leeor J.
8/13/2011
This place is now on my list of top burger places in the city. I would have never suspected their extensive burger selection had a friend not told me. There's at least 25 different kinds of burgers on the menu, and you can choose the kind of meat. Lots of interesting options. Besides beef, there's lamb, bison, chicken, salmon.
I ordered the waldorf astoria with lamb, as advised by my friend, a regular. Its got a apple celery and walnut garlic sauce (more like a little salad actually) on it. thats it. fantastic. The onion rings ain't half bad either.
If it wasn't so far west, i'd go more often. -
Review from Tamarah S.
Scarborough, ON
3/3/2012
I've only been here once, but I definitely plan on going back! I had the Le Louvre burger with spinach, brie and bacon. Absolutely delicious. I went here for a birthday party, we had the upstairs for our group. I don't remember what time it closes, but I know some people got there late (around 10pm or so?) and couldn't order food, which I found a bit odd, most places stay open late. There are 35 different types of burger or topping groupings rather. With so many ways to have your burger, how could you not go back to try more?
-
Review from Chris P.
Updated - 7/4/2011 2 Check-ins Here
My bestie and I were hanging out tonight and as we always do we ended up at Yelllow Griffin,
The burgers were amazing as usual. I went for something different this time and got the Calypso burger which has mango, avocado and bacon. To say this was unbelieveably yummerific would be the understatement of the century.
I am however deducting one star as the service was far slower than it usually is, and for unknown reasons I saw other tables who had ordered after us get thier burgers before us. Also when my best friend asked our waitress what burger would she recommend she answered with 'I don't eat burgers.' I was like, say WHAT?? Is it just me or does anyone else think that is very much completely the wrong thing to say when you're job is serving up burgers at a burger joint??
Final verdict, the burgers are beyond awesome, the service is beyond crap.Listed in: Bestie and Me, Carnivorous Me
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/21/2011
My best friend and I have made TYG our weekly hangout.
The menu is amazing, these are seriously the… Read more »
-
-
Review from Jeremiah L.
Toronto, ON
7/25/2011
Far too many people wander into McDonalds, without giving a second thought to Yellow Griffin next door. Maybe it's because they want to save their wallets the agony of the price tag here, but the burgers are generally well worth the wait and cost.
The Griffin offers a wide selection of burgers, both in terms of meats (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, veggie, lamb, salmon and bison) and topping on the burger (mango slices, hot peppers, peanut butter). The burgers come with clever names like the Bollywood Burger (tandoori rub, gree onion, and mango chutney yoghurt), and the New Mexican (New Mexican (Santa Fe salsa, tabasco, guacamole, peanut butter, diced sweet potatoes, and chopped coriander.)
Burgers are cooked up fresh, so the average wait time is something around 20 minutes after you order. Sides include the usual suspects like onion rings, fries, coleslaw, and breaded pickles. Fries are usually plentiful and tasty, while onion rings are decent, you get less than a handful.
The one problem with the Yellow Griffin is consistency. In terms of both food and service, you're not sure what to expect one trip to the next, although both trips recently have been good. Maybe there's new workers? Sometimes portions of fries come very small, and burgers just don't have same zing. Other times they pile on the toppings, and the burgers taste extremely fresh.
As for the place itself, they open a patio up during the summer, but inside they have numerous booths in which to sit, lining a dark wood interior. They have a couple of televisions and a bar near the back with numerous beers on tap. This place is not always the cleanest when it comes to what you'll find when you sit down, so you might expect some sticky tables.
I definitely recommend this place, but be aware that it might take a couple of trips to experience the best they have to offer. For the price of the burgers, and the wait, I would hope you could expect more, but alas. If the next few trips I find they've really improved with their consistency, I'll bump them to four stars. -
Review from Jennifer M.
Toronto, ON
6/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here for a private party (note to Party Organizers! they have a largish top floor that can be booked, with a bartender and all) Not the hugest fan of pub food by any means. But I was hungry, and everyone around me was drooling over all of these burger options.
For Beverages; decent beer selection, 30+ variety of burgers (all can be made veggie with the awful-and-ubiquitous-garden-patties) and for side.. among other things, deep fried pickles.
I enviously admired deep friend pickles, although my fries were alright. My burger was Magna Jakarta $11.95 "Satay spread, roasted red peppers with garlic and topped with cheddar..." Which was by FAR the best awful-ubiquitous-garden-patty-burger I have ever had.
Not really worth the drive to the other side of my universe, but A-Ok if you find yourself far west. -
Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
Still a fan.
TOO MANY CHOICES.
After about 15 mins of reading everything on the menu, you finally make your choice. Each one of these burgers come with a choice side (see the text on the right side of the menu) and don't forget to ask for your dipping sauce (little known fact on the back of the menu - I forgot this time!).
Was here for an event last night to celebrate Melanie C. and other girls new hair. The upstairs is a great place for a private event and fit about 30-40 people comfortably, with standing room, the bar area and seated areas. There are a few servers and a bartender who will help take your order and you pay at the bar.
Other than them bringing you your food, everything else was self serve.
I had the one with Mango and Avacado with Cheddar cheese on a lamb patty. It was good, but not the best. I'll try something else next time.
Can't wait for another excuse to go again.Listed in: Omnivorious Friendly Dining
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/7/2011
This is a great place to just have a casual meal, and something different!
Finally got to try the… Read more »
-
-
Review from Laz C.
Toronto, ON
4/5/2011
Repeat, repeat, repeat. The Yellow Griffin's range of options is truly awesome. Everyone in your party can go in and get a burger while enjoying a totally unique meal. First you choose your burger, they have a full range of meat options but I of course go with the veggie. The veggie burger here is simply Yves garden burger, although it seems to be twice the size and thickness than the grocery store variety and is hence more satisfying. (Normally Yves would not be my first choice but I think it works here, though to be honest I like almost all veggie burgers with a few notable exceptions, ahem, Dangerous Dan's.)
So onto the toppings, the thirty-five combo list excites me greatly. My first time out I had the New Mexican, which was a creamy blend of guac, peanut butter that was tempered with sweet potato and spiked with cilantro (love!) --sounds weird but was completely wonderful.
I was tempted to get the New Mex again on my second visit but knew I had to give some other burgers some play. Next up was the Bollywood, another interesting combo that I figured was unlikely for me to experience elsewhere. My burger got a tandoori rub down and was sauced with a tangy green onion mayo/yogurt. It was zesty and delicious but less so than my third choice of the ploughman, basic yes, but there's a reason for classics.
If the burger choices didn't overwhelm you, you still have to decide on your side. My usual standard is regular ol' french fries that I can pair with ketchup and mustard --yes, I like to dip my fries into a blend of the two, especially if that mustard is dijon -try it!
Note: I haven't had a real problem with the service here and have visited on slow and on hectic days. It can be a little erratic and a slightly longer wait than average but is certainly not extreme nor anywhere near the worst service I have experienced in our lovely city. -
Review from Viviana M.
Toronto, ON
4/25/2011 3 photos
Dining Experience: Lunch
Specialty: Burgers
Menu items: Gringo Burger, Calypso Burger & Hold the Port Burger
I have officially started my quest to find the best Burger joints in town. It seems that Toronto with its diversity, multiculturalism and its many food options flowing from all over the world, would definitely have many spots to choose from. That will be wrong.
I have been to so many burger joints in the hopes of having my "aha" moment with no such luck; so I have decided to blog and review my top burger spots as I go on with this quest.
Some places have passed the test, others have not. Yellow Griffin Pub (YGP) is one spot that has officially made the list, along with its crazy and out of this world menu of over 35 burgers to choose from. That said, there will be more reviews coming in the next few months. As I continue to stuff my belly with the precious delights, I will be advising you of where the best places in the city can be found. And when I finally find the "it" place, I will be sure to let you know of it too.
For now, here is my review of Yellow Griffin Pub. By the way, at the end of this post, you will find a list of "been there done that" joints that did not make the cut. This is for your reference, so you know which places have not hit the spot with me. Feel free to also send me a note with recommends on your fav joints, that will really help me in my quest.
Ok Gringos, let me start off with YGP's Gringo burger.
With the option to choose from 8 different patties (like beef, bison, chicken, lamb or veggie) and 10 sides, I go for the beef version of The Gringo burger with onion rings. This comes with mixed Mexican beans, lettuce, sour cream, chili sauce, homemade guac (aka guacamole) and cheddar cheese. The meat is very well done and the bread is fresh. I would have liked I bit more juice on the beef patty, but with the many sauces topping it off, it actually help the moisture level, so the overall experience is great. This is of my favourites yet.
To try and keep up with the many burger options, we decided to add a little colour and go for the beef version of the Calypso burger.
Naming this burger after a Greek goddess is actually kind of cool. The menu at YGP has the Calypso burger topped off with desirous bacon, jealous avocado, envious mango and covetous cheddar cheese. Although not my personal favourite, we did find the choice of ingredients quite good and mixing in well. I never thought avocado, cheddar, bacon and mango slices can go this well. Kudos to YGP for making it work. I almost wonder what an Odysseus burger would have if they had it on the menu.
And from Greek, we go to the Hold the Port burger.
Now, this is where I get lost in translation with YGP's menu. Most burgers have an interesting story or theme to them...and then all of the sudden they hit you with a "Hold the Port" nonsense. Thank goodness the burger was good, 'cause I was about to minus some star ratings here otherwise.
This burger holds its own with a nice big portobello mushroom topped with fresh crumbled blue cheese. Once again, the juiciness coming from the mushroom and the strong flavour deriving from the cheese make this burger a great choice. Definitely holding the flavour port here.
YGP's sides are also something worth mentioning. Even though this is a burger quest, I find that any burger review could just as easily be affected if one has saggy or plain sides to accompany it with. This is yet another reason why YGP made it on the quest. All sides we tried, the Onion Rings, Sweet Potato Fries and the Poutine were well executed. Nothing was too saggy, salty, plain or oily. If I had to choose, I would always go for the sweet potato fries.
As promised, here my list of "been there done that" burger joints that did not make the cut, meaning...ok, but not amazing.
* Burger Bar
* Craft Burger
* Apache
* Sliders
* Grindhouse Burger Bar
* Retail Chains like McDonald's, Burger King, Harvey's, etc.
Until next time Foodies!
Buen Provecho,
Viviana.Listed in: Best Burgers of TO
-
Review from Spike D.
2/12/2011
The mega burger choice, mega topping choice (takes 20 minutes 'cause it's so good) format has been done elsewhere and better but it plays pretty well in a pub environment.. It is a nice alternative to middling shepherd's pie, mediocre fish and chips and one or two stock burgers. Place was busy, as expected for a Friday. We got seated quickly but it was three around a tiny round coffee table with tiny stools. We looked like a brownie meeting. Eventually the neighbours moved and we colonized their wee table. Service was friendly and capable. Unfortunately, it was one server doing the work of two and she seemed to be run off her feet,.
Burgers -- I had the veggie New Mexican -- some spicy stuff, some fresh stuff and a little peanut butter -- pretty tasty all in all. From the choice of sides the sweet potato fries and the fried pickles were the winners at our table. Ordinary fries were quiet ordinary.
A willingness to pay for parking in the municipal lot out back makes this place much less of a parking hassle. -
Review from Anne B.
6/1/2011
I went to The Yellow Griffin a few weeks ago and I have been craving another one of their burgers ever since!
When I went I ordered the Le Louvre Lover (it's topped with brie cheese, cooked spinach, and bacon) burger and had it made with Turkey. It was REALLY good! The burgers are huge so I had to take 1/2 home for a very satisfying late night snack! :)
As much as I love all of the options that they give you, it can make ordering a very daunting process! There are 35 varieties of burgers to choose from and when you finally decide on one, you then have to make your meat selection (Beef, Pork, Chicken, Turkey, Veggie, Lamb, Salmon or Bison). If you're as indecisive as I am, I'd suggest looking at the menu prior to your visit so that you'll have your choice nailed down upon arrival. http://www.yellowgriff...
Awesome place! I will be going again soon for sure!Listed in: Libations
-
Review from Tina D.
10/30/2010
Normally, I wouldn't consider service in my restaurant rating. But, the wait was just horrible. It was ridiculously long (over30min). The burger was probably 3.5 stars. The waitress didn't give all 5 of our food at the same time either. She said that she only gave us half our orders bc we wanted it 2 bills. We never told her that and we got one bill at the end.
overall, I would not come back. -
Review from Nicole C.
5/19/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I can't really add much more than the lovely yelpers have already but I will say this - GET THE PB&J BURGER!!
I've had it twice and since then I've tried something new and the burgers have been okay but I get really angry food regret when I realize that I SHOULD have gotten the peanut butter burger!!! SO GOOD. -
Review from John M.
Toronto, ON
2/5/2011
I love it when a pub find its niche and stick with it. Sneaky Dee's for nachos at 3am. Crown & Dragon for wings. And the Yellow Griffin for burgers.
There are too many choices on the burger menu and deciding which burger to get is an effort. Which is okay because it will take forever for your server to come. The burgers are big and tasty and I love the variety. But the slow service and the fact that they seem to be on Bloor West Village time and close the kitchen earlier than I'd like means I just can't give them 4 starz. -
Review from Nick R.
St Catherines, ON
2/10/2011
Seems every review on here has a comment about the service. I showed up late afternoon to catch up with a friend, and even though we were in no great hurry (and the menu declares at least a 20 min cook time), I didnt really find the service all that bad.
The food was incredible, I had a Sirloin Don Juan burger, easily the second best burger I'd ever had.
Next time I'm there I hope to find a take out menu so I can check off all the burgers I've enjoyed! I plan on finishing off that menu before the summer gets here! -
Review from Mike K.
Toronto, ON
11/25/2011
Make sure to catch "Johnny Devil and the Screaming Demons" live every Tuesday night at around 10pm. Probably the only regular live musical act in Bloor West Village as far as I know. They're a really perfect bar band to listen to over a pitcher. They have a really good selection of beers on tap, but it's all very pricey. The burgers are great, and it's not a bad deal considering the quality and uniqueness of the burgers, plus the fact that you get a tasty side. The waitstaff are nice, but not as friendly as I prefer. I'll be looking forward to the next time I pop in to hear Johnny and the demons again!
-
Review from Christine C.
Etobicoke, ON
12/13/2009
Three and a half stars.
Four stars for the meat patty by itself.
On a good day I have trouble just trying to figure out what pair of socks to put on let alone pick up a menu that has 35 burger options staring me in the face. Someone over at the Yellow Griffin has way too much time on their hands and must have consumed a ton of pints the day they sat down and came up with all these goofy burger names. Why do people think a pun is fun on a bun? The kvetch included burger names such as the Burning School House, Skippy Dipper, Don Juan and St. Peter's Burger.
My Decemburger quest continued, this time in the trendy Bloor West Village at Runnymede and Bloor. The YG is really more just a local watering hole with just as many beer options as burgers. More challenges for me. In the end I opted for the Creme Caramel which is the burger with caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms and a tangy BBQ sauce and sided it with fries. All the burgers range price with the cheapest being $9.95 and it escalates from there. For a bison burger you add $2.75 to the bottom line. The price tag includes a side (fries, sweet potato fries, greens, potato salad, onion rings) which you choose. I opted for the fries with a side order of gravy.
You have no burger patty size options at the YG. Everything is 8 ounces and let me tell you 8 ounces is a pretty hefty burger. I'd even go as far to say that this burger was 8 ounces cooked which means it probably started out at almost 10 ounces raw. It was a two hander all the way. I had read Susan C.'s review on the Burger Bar where she complained about the bun overpowering the meat well this is totally not the case at the YG. That patty is huge and what was even nicer was the middle of it was super juicy and pink. Now this might scare the crap outta those paralyzed in fear of being poisoned by improperly cooked meat but I didn't flinch. Mamma was loving her some meat on Bloor Street.
On the patty alone I would have given this spot five stars. What knocked a a star off was that the "tangy" BBQ sauce which really tasted like out of a jar Kraft sauce. It was cloying and distracting to taste of the meat. Good BBQ sauce should enhance not distract you from the meat. Fries were decent. Hot, crispy and plentiful. I have had better but then again I've had a lot worse. The gravy was delicious and actually tasted as though it had been made from beef drippings. A rarity for gravy in restaurants these days.
Service was spotty. It wasn't all that busy when we arrived. We got drinks right away but it took a few minutes to get our waitresses attention to order food. After she brought me my plate it took me another wait to get condiments. The condiment rack arrives and I say to her "do you have any relish" to which she replies "relish? I don't think so." What the eff? A burger place with no relish but a menu that has hundred of other toppings for your burgers? I don't get this. Eventually she comes back to me with a little plastic cup. in it a splotch of relish.
After a couple of weeks of gobbling up ground beef on a bun I'm reaching the point where I'd like to pick an oleo of the burger elements of the different restos I've been in and out. The patty from the Yellow Griffin, the bun from the Burger Bar, the caramelized onions from Craft Burger, the sweet potato fries from the Original Motorcycle Burger and so it goes.
My quest continues. I'll tell ya, after a few weeks of this, the thought of eating turkey at Christmas is beginning to look pretty damn good. (urp)Listed in: My Decemburger!
-
Review from Shari M.
Toronto, ON
11/8/2009
Oh the Calypso bison burger, what a great dinner specimen you are! The avocado, the huge lettuce, the yummy fries. All good!
The wait is a little long, but this is not a fast food place, good things come to those who wait. Our party of three had three different wait staff...odd, but we got our proper orders, so that is really all that mattered.
If you are in the area and want a burger - recommend a visit! -
Review from Ramanan S.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 4/28/2010
It's been quite a while since I've gone back to the Yellow Griffin. After moving away from Bloor West, I haven't really felt the urge to go back. Last night my friends wanted to try a 'new' burger place, so we headed off to the Griffin. This place has been around for ages, serving fancy-ass burgers before it became cool, so it's funny that it's now playing second fiddle to Craft Burger, BQM and all these new burger shops. I suspect being so far West doesn't help matters.
Anyway: the burgers are still pretty damn good. They are gigantic and tasty, but served on buns that are probably just a bit too small for them. Your meal will be messy. The sweet potato fries are still really good.
The service is still slow as fuck. You can't eat service, so I wasn't too bothered.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
8/22/2008 First to Review
I have been here several times now, and feel confident when I say it's probably one of the best… Read more »
-
-
Review from Julian N.
Toronto, ON
10/13/2011
Good burger but so-so value.
The menu offers lots of fun, interesting and creative burger varieties, both in toppings and in the burgers themselves, such as beef, bison, turkey, lamb, salmon and chicken. At $11 and up, they ain't cheap but they're tasty and come with a side. (Good sweet potato fries!)
The real rip-off is the cost of drinks--I was charged $3.50 for an iced tea! And wasn't even offered a refill.
Atmosphere is pub-like and reasonably comfortable. Our server was efficient but never once smiled. -
Review from Andrei P.
Toronto, ON
5/8/2010
Love this joint. My default place to go to when my friends are in the neighborhood and want some burgers. The selection is amazing and prices are fair.
They have over 35 different burgers, but once you start picking different meat patties then your options grow even bigger. Every time I go there I pick something different. Once tried their burger with crunchy peanut butter. It took me a few visits before I felt so adventures, but damn, it was surprisingly a great burger. Their beer selection is decent too.
And if you have a big party going on, make it at Yellow Griffin, they have enough space upstairs as well.
I would have given it a perfect rating but, sometimes the service is slow. It takes nearly 20 minutes for your burger to arrive. -
Review from Andrea L.
York, ON
8/30/2009
We sat on the patio here on a lovely Wednesday evening. Although the table was a wee bit small we had a lovely time. I had a hickory bison burger and my boyfriend had a caramel creme on beef. The burgers were tasty. Our only complaints were about the quantity of the sides. Four onion rings for him and a handful of sweet potato fries for me is a bit ridiculous.
Otherwise, yum! -
Review from Kat F.
4/9/2009 1 photo
You may have seen the ads for Yellow Griffin in subway stations across Toronto advertising 35 different burgers, and they're not joking. The menu features 35 (or more?) different options from all over the globe, including The Gringo (my favourite), a Greek option, peanut butter, blue cheese and wing sauce, four cheese, indian curry style, etc.
After you've chosen from the 35 options, you still have to pick your meat (turkey, pork, lamb, beef or veggie) and then a side (potatoes, fries, sweet potato fries, salad etc.). Basically you have a lot of decisions to make.
I always get The Gringo because I love Mexican food and I just think pairing these toppings with a burger is an awesome idea. It's got sour cream, guacamole, salsa and refried beans as toppings. Tangy and really, really filling.
Only three stars though because the service is slow and the servers are rather inattentive even when the place isn't busy. -
Review from Steph L.
4/27/2010
Follow these directions for a yummy Yellow Griffin burger!
Step 1: Select type of burger
Beef, lamb, chicken, veggie, turkey, or pork (pork has a super thin patty). Salmon burgers are available too!
Step 2: Select toppings
Leave lots of time to read the 35+ descriptions!
Step 3: Select side order
Fries, sweet potato fries, zucchini sticks, onion rings, etc.
Step 4: Eat delicious burger and decide to come back to try other toppings.
This place is a lot of fun! A great pub to enjoy a pint and some unique burgers.
I had The Jerk burger. Jerk seasoning, hot peppers, jalapenos, sour cream, and a fried plantain! I really wanted the plantain.
The beef burger was huge! I had a hard time with the stems of the jalapenos though. Items with jerk seasoning are never as satisfying as jerk chicken.
The sweet potato fries were crispy and tasty! But, they could have used a bit of seasoning... and I hate skinny fries.
This place is great, but the service sucks. I found our waitress not very friendly as we asked for recommendations.
Regardless, this place is now part of my regular burger rotation! -
Review from Daphne B.
Toronto, ON
6/16/2011
Took a nice stroll on a weekday afternoon and ended up here for Guinness and a burger on the patio. What a selection of burgers... amazing but so hard to choose... decided on the stilton burger with roasted garlic and walnuts... hey I wasn't going out that evening - something I cant make at home so why not take a chance ... so glad I did!!! . It was fantastic... just perfect!!! I need to come back and bring the boys!!! My onion ring (side) were crisp and not greasy... Love it... so nice to find a burger that isn't a frozen patty!!! I will be back!!!!!!
-
Review from Michelle V.
Toronto, ON
6/10/2009
Hate to be the Spokesperson for the Bloody Obvious, but this place sure has a lot of burger options. With 35 types of burgers to choose from (not to mention with your choice of what meat/non-meat patty to put on there), it might make your brain 'splode.
Though I treated myself to a tasty burger (Under the Tuscan Bun w/ chicken: A fresco of balsamic reduction with grilled red peppers, finely painted with cheddar and mozzarella cheeses), this place might fall victim to relying on its gimmick rather than providing a solid eating experience.
The food was good, but if you've read any of my other restaurant reviews, you know I can get rather passionate (borderline orgasmic) when talking about REALLY good food. All I can say is: the food was good.
Then there was the service. On a Monday night, it was not busy in the small establishment with two servers but once we sat down, it took a very long time to just get a copy of the menu. With the numerous options this place boasted, it would've been nice to give your customers as much time as possible with the menu. Slow and inattentive service makes me grumpy when I'm already hungry. Now here's the thing, everytime I was ready to huff 'n' puff about being neglected, the waitress would show up and even told jokes and was generally very pleasant... then I felt bad.
This may seem like a lukewarm review (and it is), but I think I would likely be back since there are still technically 244 types of burgers left to try (not including the salmon burgers).
Don't worry, heart. I have no intention of trying them all. -
Review from Todd V.
Toronto, ON
9/18/2008
I've always wanted to like this place way more than I do. I was there even before its official opening and I've spent many an evening there until the wee hours. I've partaken of their over 35 different burgers (and really, shouldn't that be 35 different toppings?) and they're fine.
It is a family-run business which is a great thing to support, but sometimes the staff can go from the polite to the impertinent. There were attempts to bring stand-up comedy to the upstairs room (which would definitely suit an event) but there was no publicity or even a sandwich board or flyer in the bathroom to indicate that comedy would be performed. It typically finished in tears. Admittedly it is a quaint spot and I have enjoyed many of my moments there, but it appears to be consistently inconsistent.
On their website they have a related link to http://TorontoBrides.com and http://DiscJockeysUnfo.... So they get a lot of wedding traffic now, do they? Must be the burgers. -
Review from Luke A.
Toronto, ON
8/30/2008 1 photo
Everything that Ramanan said in his review of the Griffin is true. The unparalleled burger selection alone is worth the trip. Ever had peanut butter or caviar on a burger? Well, they do that too. When you multiply the options for burgers, toppings, and sides, there are literally hundreds of different meals to be had here.
I've been coming here ever since they opened, and the Griffin has always been one of my Bloor West faves. Even when they had their hiccoughs (whoever thought of putting two-foot stools on the second floor when it first opened must have been watching too many Lord of the Rings movies), I've been sympathetic. Besides, some things have improved: they used to overcook the burgers (so that they were a little dry to my liking), but they seem to have gotten the hang of it more recently. I've gotten some great service here over the years, but with the turnover in wait staff, your mileage may vary.
PS: Smithwick's fans beware! That beer used to be on tap, but due to popular apathy, they discontinued it. A Smithwick's-loving friend of mine will no longer go to the Griffin for that slight alone. The lesson? Order the good stuff, or it may not be around forever.Listed in: My Neighborhood
-
Review from Tony C.
Richmond Hill, ON
7/29/2010
Came here on a Friday night, and the main floor was jammed with people. So we decided to go sit upstairs. Some of the tables upstairs felt like it's for little children. You have tiny stools surrounding what looked like coffee tables. Not ideal to have a meal. Fortunately they have 'normal' bar tables with bar stools. Which we decided to sit at.
On to the food, the wings we ordered were surprisingly really good. I would recommend to order those. My friend and I split 3 burgers. We had the Calypso, Gringo and the English Breakfast burger. I thought the burgers were ok, the patties could use a bit more seasoning, and were dry. Of the three I would pick the Gringo and English breakfast. The Calypso, we were told was one of the popular ones. Avocado, mango and cheddar cheese, that taste combination didn't float my boat. As many yelpers have already noted, the wait for your food is ridiculously long, we waited close to an hour for our burgers to show up. On the fence about coming back here. -
Review from Dardana M.
ON
1/26/2009
Well, though whether it is the best burger on Bloor (which it very well may be, it certainly feels close) remains to be seen, but it is quite certainly the most burger anywhere I've been. After opening their menu, I saw these guys meant business, to my absolutely insane delight!
The entire inside of the menu consists of yes, 35 differently-topped and prepared burgers, a selection so overwhelming that I literally couldn't process it. We got down to business when the waitress informed us that the very large party happening upstairs would delay our order beyond the customary 20 minutes (their standard cooking which they warn you about on the menu), if we didn't order ASAP.
My friend was dismayed that there was no goat-cheese-topped option, and while I love the stuff myself, I feel kind of like it's becoming too omnipresent in mid-priced eateries, so that their lack of it almost seemed rebellious. I will give them some creativity points, combining the all-American with the French, Indian, Greek, and Mexican, among others. I also have immense appreciation for the prevalence of Balsamic vinegar, which I can't live without, and yet couldn't have previously imagined being the main condiment on my burger as it was tonight.
Now, if only they had free refills... -
Review from M S.
Toronto, ON
7/4/2011
Went to the Yellow Griffin for lunch on Sunday. We were one of the first customers there that day and it wasn't busy, so our server was very attentive.
I ordered the beef hickory stick (hickory smoked bbq sauce, caramelized onions, and melted mozzarella and cheddar) with onion rings for the side. I'm usually very picky when it comes to burgers, because I can make pretty good burgers at home, but this one was really good. The beef patty was pretty big and taste really good. The onion rings are really big too, they have good batter for it as well; they're kind of like A&W's onion ring's batter, except better.
My friend ordered the Big Jerk (Jerk seasoning, fried plantain, sour cream, and a couple of roasted Jalapeno peppers) with salad for the side. He said he enjoyed it and it wasn't too spicy (although they looked spicy to me and he really likes spicy food). The salad looks standard...
My other friend ordered the Ploughman's burger (sliced pickles, melted white cheddar, tomato, balsamic onions). She ordered the sweet potato fries for the side. I tried the sweet potato and it was good. The burger looked messy to eat.
We didn't ordered any alcoholic bevies, because we were all still pretty much hungover from the night before.
For the price that you're paying, the quality of food and service are really good. I would totally recommend this place. Would love to come back at night when the pub is more alive. -
Review from Nick P.
Toronto, ON
12/28/2010
Known for their adventurous burger driven menu. Three dozen burger combinations from turkey to salmon. Their burgers are pretty good. Unfortunately, I would have to agree with many of the other reviews. The service is slow and inconsistent. I love the small patio at the front, the second floor is really just a spill-out area for their busy nights. A good place to visit if you have a craving for a burger/beer and are not in any particular rush.
-
Review from Michael S.
Toronto, ON
10/19/2011
this place is over hyped. burgers are not bad but as great as some people claim.
-
Review from Kim B.
ON
11/19/2008 6 photos
Sometimes you just feel like a burger, whether it comes in veggie, beef or even lamb form. The Yellow Griffin Pub is one of my favourite places to grab life by the buns, especially when BBQ season is long gone (your once flame spitting grill now covered in a foot of snow). There are over thirty five different kinds of burgers that you can choose to make either with chicken, turkey, salmon, pork, lamb, veggie, bison or traditional ground chuck. The toppings range from plain (absolutely nothing) to fancy (stilton cheese, jalapenos, grilled red peppers) to weird (peanut butter and jam). One of my favourites, The Waldorf Astoria, has topping with celery, walnuts, apples and mayo. Sounds weird, I know, but it's oh so good!
Listed in: My Neighborhood
-
Review from Andre D.
Edmonton, AB
4/26/2010
35 burgers WOW!!! Lot of choice of toppings and cooked to perfection. The only problem was that for lunch they were understaffed. Poor woman had taken orders and cleaned tables. Not that we were in a rush but I felt bad for her.
Anyway I ordered a lamb burger with the picante toppings with a side order of sweet potato fries. My friend ordered a turkey burger with onion rings. I would go back again. -
Review from Karl D.
Vancouver, BC
9/5/2009
This place actually has only one kind of burger: the kind that takes forever and a half to arrive. I tried to like the Yellow Griffin--really, I tried, because I like lamburgers and bison burgers and other unconventional burgers. But every time I've gone (four times over the last few years) the service has been inexcusably slow and inattentive. I could almost understand waiting 30 minutes for my order if the place were slammed, but waiting nearly an hour at an off-peak time is just plain ridiculous. So is having to get up and stand in the way of the cash register to get my bill and pay, after trying fruitlessly for ten minutes to catch the waitress' attention. Glass of water didn't arrive until fifteen minutes after I'd sat down and once I'd emptied it, it remained empty. And the hell of it is, their burgers aren't even especially good, nor are they worth the price. There's no excuse for this halfassed, lackadaisical effort. You can do far better in Bloor West Village.
Read more reviews for this business:
French (1)
