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Restaurants

The Burger Cellar

  • Currently 1.94/5

Rating: 1.9/5 (32 votes)

Posted by Alexander J. Yolevski / Reviewed on October 20, 2010 / review policy

Burger CellarThe Burger Cellar ushers in another gourmet burger joint to Toronto, this one near the corner of Yonge and Lawrence. The thing about the Burger Cellar is that it doesn't look like a burger place at all. The outside could easily be mistaken for a neighbourhood Italian restaurant (maybe smart marketing in this part of town) with a black and white banner and logo that I first thought was an upside down wine glass. (thanks to commenter D for pointing out it's a hamburger with a cork screw stuck in the top)

Burger CellarInside, the space feels welcoming and comfortable. There's a fireplace, plenty of warm red tones, a bar with a wine cellar and a couple of flatscreen TVs.

Burger CellarI ask for the The Original Classic Burger with Kobe beef ($13) but was quickly denied with a "Sorry, but we're out of that." Since they just opened last week I can appreciate they're still figuring things out - like actually buying ingredients listed on the menu.

Burger CellarFor my second choice - a tough one between the "Natural" or "AAA Black Angus" beef - I ultimately settled on the Natural ($8), a plain burger with no garnishes. The garnishes come extra, you see, so I ponied up an extra dollar each for smoked applewood bacon and mozzarella di la fiore.

The burger (top photo) was a decent size - comparable with those from Gourmet Burger (just north of Yonge and Eglinton). The apple smoked bacon looked, smelled and tasted...real...crispy, with the oil still simmering on top. The mozzarella was soft and savoury as it should be and they didn't skimp on the serving.

The beef, however, appeared dry and plain but thankfully tasted better than it looked with a juicy middle and crisp exterior. It wasn't a perfect burger and for the price I've certainly had plenty cheaper ones in Toronto with more flavour. If I had to sum it up, I enjoyed the toppings better than the patty itself. Maybe I'll just order $8 worth of those next time.

Hungry for more I then decided to order the Turkey Burger ($11) but their supplier must have been been short (with Thanksgiving and all) as they were sold out of that as well.

I was now in the mood for fowl and since there wasn't a chicken burger option on the menu my friendly guide suggested the Chicken Sandwich ($9) instead - and to make up for the disappointment, he'd serve it on a bun.

Burger CellarSo out came the chicken burger, uh...sandwich. It was a mess. The chicken, barely visible, was drenched in tomato and avocado salsa and Swiss cheese with the bun seemingly engulfing the meat. But this was hardly the bun's fault. This was not a big piece of chicken by any means. It was somewhat tender with a delicate crisp on the surface, but hardly noticeable. It was also lacking that good ol' char grill smell and flavour.

As a side, I decided to take my chances with the sweet potato fries ($5). They couldn't mess that up, could they? Sure enough, out came the sweet potato fries engulfed in an odd, indistinguishable odor. They tasted bland.

Overall, the Burger Cellar was a bit of a letdown. They've put money into the decor and wine list but I'm not sure if that's what people want from a burger place. I certainly won't rush back. But I do wish them luck and hope that things get better. Until then, there are just too many other (and better) burger places in Toronto at which I'd rather spend my bucks.

Burger Cellar

Discussion

33 Comments

mark / October 21, 2010 at 09:16 am
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Nicley written review Alexander.
HUK / October 21, 2010 at 09:25 am
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Do you know if this place cooks meat to order (presumably using meat ground by a reputable source) or if every frozen patty is cooked well done?

Collin / October 21, 2010 at 09:27 am
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Geez. Another burger joint. How unimaginative are Toronto's restaurateurs/entrepreneurs. At their price point, they're lucky they're in a fancy rich neighbourhood!
LJ / October 21, 2010 at 10:06 am
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I don't get this review, you say that "Overall, the Burger Cellar is amazing!" but nothing you had appealed to you.
Chris replying to a comment from LJ / October 21, 2010 at 10:10 am
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I suspect he was being sarcastic, LJ.
Phil / October 21, 2010 at 10:19 am
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In my opinion, theoretically there could always room for burger joints, but to justify this comment, burger restaurants MUST have a “signature” style.

Hamburgers and sandwiches in general are incredibly versatile and are completely open to creative and unique serving, dressing and seasoning ideas. Even the proteins are interchangeable! C’mon, TO. Let’s see some true variety in these places!
AV / October 21, 2010 at 10:26 am
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Funny, I didn't know lame sarcasm passed for actual writing in BlogTO's restaurant reviews. Such a hack job on a promising place
D / October 21, 2010 at 10:55 am
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That bacon looked great! As a resident of North Toronto I will certainly be trying this joint out in spite of this 'amazing!' review.

"Trust me, don't waste your time here. I certainly won't rush back. But I do wish [you] luck and hope that things get better. Until then, there are just too many other (and better) [writers] in Toronto [to whom I would give my time and lend credence too.]

And the logo (from the pictures you've posted) is clearly a hamburger with a cork screw stuck in the top.
hbr / October 21, 2010 at 11:35 am
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that's a very cool logo they have
Alex / October 21, 2010 at 11:48 am
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I can only assume this has been edited? Nowhere does it say this place was amazing in the review.
Burger Friend replying to a comment from HUK / October 21, 2010 at 12:08 pm
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Every burger is made fresh to order!!!
Tim replying to a comment from Alex / October 21, 2010 at 12:18 pm
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Yes, we did make an edit for clarity sake.
pissmeoff / October 21, 2010 at 01:24 pm
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1
You BlogTO guys are f'ing jerkos - the joint just opened last week and you go in to do a review?

2
Why do people criss cross the f'ing bacon like that?
PUT IT ON THE BURGER AS I WOULD EAT IT DAMMIT.

3
This "review" is childish, poorly written, and a waste of all of our time.
JR / October 21, 2010 at 02:00 pm
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It is only the first week of service. Some of the best restaurants that open have a rough first week. You have to get through the bad to get to the good right. So not "running back" to the Burger Cellar after your first time is a definite example of how Vain you really must be. Give the place a few weeks before you go in trashing the place..
MMM..BEEF
GOOD LUCK BURGER CELLAR
HUK replying to a comment from Burger Friend / October 21, 2010 at 02:14 pm
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So assuming you ordered your burger well done, that would be why it was dry when you received it. If you ordered it medium, you should have sent it back.
Sean / October 21, 2010 at 02:25 pm
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Since Burger Cellar doesn't have a web page (out of that too) you should have added the business hours in the Information box.

I never understand why a business doesn't have a website these days. Guess they ran out of those too...
Charles / October 21, 2010 at 03:13 pm
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They do have a webpage, found with a simple google search.

http://theburgercellar.com/

Might not be updated yet, but I'm sure they have pressing issues like food, decor, shitty BlogTO turd's review... etc to deal with.
James / October 21, 2010 at 03:48 pm
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Yonge and Lawrence is more mid-town. Willowdale would be better described as "North Toronto". Silly like when people call Coxwell "the east end".
Sean / October 21, 2010 at 04:07 pm
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@ Charles,

Thanks for correcting me. Yet, the web page should be in the Information box as well.

The food looks good. I'll wait a few weeks to drop by.
Mogat replying to a comment from James / October 21, 2010 at 06:06 pm
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I grew up in the same area and it was always called North Toronto, you know, from back when it was actually the northernmost part of the city of Toronto. As far as I know North Toronto is the area between Bayview and Avenue, and Davisville up to Yonge Blvd. It should also be noted that the same area contains institutions like North Toronto Collegiate, North Toronto Arena, and the Northern District library.

Willowdale is just Willowdale, and this mid-town thing sounds like Toronto writers trying to make our fair city sound more like New York. I never once heard this area referred to as mid-town until a few years ago when the media started running with it.
Boomergirl replying to a comment from Collin / October 22, 2010 at 12:00 pm
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I'd have to agree. If you're going to charge $13 for a burger, it better be outrageously good. Too much competition in this city not to be.
Jay / October 23, 2010 at 12:26 am
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www.chequeplease.ca sums it up
Mark / October 24, 2010 at 01:57 pm
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I will say I was sceptical when I saw this place under construction and opening in my neighbourhood of North Toronto. My wife and I went Friday night and had a great meal. We asked the server how things were going and she said great but that the first few days they did have a lot to iron out. As far as I'm concerned they have now got it nailed. I loved the Danforth lamb burger and my wife had perfect steak frites. I thought the atmosphere was very cool and was surprised but understood why so many tables were occupied by people we knew that typically spend far more on a night out. I was really pleased with the pricing and welcome this restaurant to the neighbourhood. Now I look forward to taking our kids as I am sure they will love it too!!!!
PhotoGirl / October 24, 2010 at 09:20 pm
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Just ate there tonight and it was FANTASTIC!! Only bummer was the 20 minute wait in line. Loved the atmosphere, had a wicked veggie burger, and healthy choices for kids (salad, home made ketchup with way less sugar).
There were 3 adults and two kids in my group, and we all left there excited that this just opened in our neighbourhood. We'll definitely be regulars!
irina / October 27, 2010 at 07:40 pm
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yonge and where-the-hell? oh that's far. it's a nice place... i guess in the great north they need some good burger spots like the ones downtown. this one looks classy and less take-out, like W Burger Bar. good spot.
Local / November 16, 2010 at 04:56 pm
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Decor - Excellent
Price point - Excellent
Service - Needs work but is getting there.
Food - Great and getting better. Good sized portions.
Would I recommend this resturant - Already have!!
Would I go back - I've been there six times since they opened.
G / December 10, 2010 at 03:39 pm
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Worst burger I have ever had. I ordered the Kobe beef burger because of the extra marbling thinking it will be juicy. It was dry and crumbly. Burgers aren't supposed to crumble. It reminded me of dog food and dog food isn't terribly appealling when thinking of food. I sent it back and was told it would be taken off my bill - would I care to try something else. I then ordered the Natural burger which was just as bad. To my surprise they tried to sneak in the price of the Natural Burger. I will be surprised if this restaurant is in business in the new year. Horrible meal!!!
N / February 21, 2011 at 11:35 am
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I went there for my birthday with family on a Tuesday and the place was packed. And I can understand why. The atmosphere is warm and inviting (which is perfect in the winter) and the food and service are excellent. The advantage this place has over other burger joints that I have been to is table service. So for those wanting a serviced meal, want to consume alcohol, and have gourmet burgers, this is a great place. Our server was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and very helpful. Yam frites and deep fried pickles were also great. BlotTO probably just hated on this place because it was north of Bloor, and thus not really in Toronto. Which is odd because I'm pretty sure they are the ones that pointed out that the geographic centre of Toronto is actually in the Yonge-Lawrence neighbourhood.
Ky-Lee replying to a comment from HUK / February 22, 2011 at 02:22 pm
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Fresh beef, cooked to order.
Ky-Lee replying to a comment from N / February 22, 2011 at 02:34 pm
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Thank you for commenting on our restaurant! Glad you enjoy coming here. I don't think BlogTo is "hating on us due to being north of Bloor", but BlogTO did come in on opening week - there are a lot of bugs to work out especially when you experience full dining rooms in the first week! Wow, surprising but happy to accommodate! :D
Things have been going great, which you experienced.

Happy Belated Birthday to you. Feel free to email me, to stay in touch and so I can assist with your next booking. Would love to hear from you.

Anyone from this page, that had a good or bad experience - also feel free to contact me directly ;)

Assistant General Manager
khanson@theburgercellar.com
Michael / March 16, 2011 at 05:44 pm
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Gourmet burgers is a bit of an oxymoron, but the food was quite tasty and enjoyable. Great wine list, nice beers. Lovely decor. A burger for $13 at such a warm and inviting place is quite good. Staff is young and hip, and with that comes a certain indifference. If you want cheap go to Wendy's. If you expect filet mignon spend $40 an entre at The Keg. You get what you pay for, and the Burger Cellar gives excellent value for the price.
moe / July 30, 2011 at 10:20 am
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To my surprise the food and service were good. Usually uptown joints do not have standards and only try to attract clients through embellishments, and also the fact that there are no alternatives. No other burger joint is worthy of visit in area, i.e. South St. or Gourmet Company, or Heroes. We were a group of four and all of us enjoyed the food immensely. Do not get their meat more than med well though, it is too tender to be grilled more than that. It is worth a try if you are north of eglinton.
Shirin / October 26, 2011 at 10:41 pm
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i am very sensitive to the smell of meat and this is the only place that i can eat the burger without any sauce. i really enjoy the food at this establishment. i will continue having my burgers here anytime i crave one although i have been to five or six other specialty burger shops.

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