The Best Burger in Toronto
Here at blogTO, we've had our fair share of "burger battles" over the years. We've pitted heavyweight contenders from Etobicoke and Scarborough against one another in the Suburban Hamburger Battle, and we've also seen two legendary rivals from Riverside duke it out in the taste test ring.
With many new, contending, gourmet burger shops popping up all around the city, we weren't sure if the old favourites could continue to earn top honours from Toronto meat eaters. But in the end it was mostly those with long-standing reputations that graced the podium.
Here are Toronto's best burgers, as voted by blogTO readers.
Lead photos left to right by Tanja and Paul.
Dangerous Dan's
Riverside's most famous or infamous (depending on how thrilled or repulsed you are about the idea of a 24oz "Quadruple C" heart attack on a plate) reigns supreme. More...
Apache Burger
Kitsch, reputation, and a darned good burger have been drawing customers to this Etobicoke favourite for decades. The "half-and-half" fry/ring combination is greasy, late-night goodness. More...
Allen's
A long-time favourite, this pub on the Danforth does a really decent burger, but also has a number of other great gourmet pub faves on the menu. More...
Johnny's Charbroiled Hamburgers
Scarborough's legendary cheap eats king, Johnny's has been serving up flame-broiled burgers for a long time and is heavily endorsed by the likes of comedy great Mike Myers. More...
Burger Shoppe
Another quality Queen East burger joint, Burger Shoppe earns high scores for its burgers and the $1 upgrade to organic is an attractive option for those inclined. More...
Burger Shack
Head up north of the core to Eglinton and you'll find a gem of a burger shop in Burger Shack. A great burger goes well with hand-cut fries and freshly battered onion rings. More...
Craft Burger
A stone's throw from one of the city's best organic butchers, Craft creates tasty burgers while emphasizing the use of local ingredients sourced from local farmers and butchers. More...
Dairy Freeze
A trip to a retro burger joint that "makes em' like they used to" and makes them the way you want them (toppings galore) is worth it now and then. More...
Big Stan's Gourmet Burger
Queen West gourmet burger seekers need not look further than Big Stan's. Great burgs and their awesome sweet potato fries come highly recommended. More...
Bronto Burger
The place to go when you crave a delicious homemade burger in the Junction. Plays off the Flintstones kitsch. More...
Comments (55)
I'm veg so I can only comment on my favourite veggie burgers, but if I had to choose, I'd say:
1. Hero Burger ("soul" burger)
2. Big Stan's
3. Pulp Kitchen
4. Lick's
5. Swiss Chalet/Harvey's
4,5 not really local to Toronto though...
I'm still saying Apache came in number two because it's location means many people still haven't had the chance to eat there yet. Best burger I've had in Ontario, hands down.
Dangerous Dan's at number one? Are you f**king kidding me?! That crap will kill you:
You know, for all the flack it takes, you have to admit that McDonald's Big Mac and Quarter Pounder can meet very specific tastebud needs occasionally.
Who here doesn't get the slightest cringe of hunger when cramming into the TTC with some lucky schlub who just happened to get their McD's on. The scent will get you!
this whole 'best of' series is the result of a vote!? all this time i was thinking the blogto crew was going out and carefully rating and reviewing all the various places.... not to imply that you aren't going out and reviewing lots of places, i just thought that what was going on for the 'best of'.....
i WILL vote next time.... and next time Utopia will be on the list.... and Gallery 44 will be #1.. and probably some other stuff that i can't remember right now...
@sameer: I have to agree with your Apache Burger assessment. fantastic burger. I work out in the 'saug and occasionally find myself wandering out of kipling station on my way home just so I can get my fix.
@katiec: that's the spirit!
Dangerous Dan's is disgusting. But it is an experience for sure. Go there once. Never go back.
Just to clarify how this works. In late 2007 we had a call for nominations. Then, based on the nominations (by blogTO readers and staff) we came up with a final list of nominees that we then opened up to a vote during the month of January. So, we did have a say in terms of who was nominated but at the end of the day the final results were determined by a vote. In some cases, we have added additional places to the end of the list that we felt were worthy candidates but didn't get enough or any nominations to qualify for the voting stage.
Royal Meats Barbecue in Etobicoke makes really great (and different) burgers too.
@sellout
If you cared for your tastebuds, you wouldn't subject them to McD's. :P
Jerr: With the complete lack of any sort of flavour, I'm sure his tastebuds will be just fine as they sit back and refrain from sending any signals to the brain.
Yellow Griffin Pub in Bloor West Village.
Over 30 different types of burgers, and you can choose between Beef, Bison, Lamb, Chicken, Pork or Vegetarian patties.
Johnny's is the worst..why not go to M&M meats...thats where they buy the patties from.
NOT TO BE A HIPSTURRR..
but the DRAKE burger is INSANE!
I'm also vegetarian and haven't had a 'real' burger in about eight years, but Golden Star in Thornhill is by far the best place for burgers (veggie and otherwise)
Steak Queen at VP and Lawrence E is better than all of these places.
Apache burger is terrible now.
4 of us from work are on a mission to visit all of these places to crown the winning burger. Today at lunch we visited Dangerous Dan's. Here were our thoughts:
Great ambiance. This is a traditional burger style joint. You sit on old van seats mounted to wooden boxes. The tables look like someone cut up a Parquet Floor and framed it up. Little ledge on the wall holding salt, pepper, and menu's. Place is cluttered up a bit with nick-nacks, but it adds to it's charm. This is the way a burger joint should be in our opinion. Look behind the counter, it's clean, it just has a aged facade.
None of us got the Quad C or anything crazy. We stuck with the traditional 8oz burger, with cheese and bacon, everything on it (no relish for me). All beef burger here, good consistency, good thickness, and very moist and 100% hand made (no pre-formed patties here). Bun was great, held together for the duration of the eating, and wasn't overwhelming. It was cooked well for a thick burger (you always run the risk of people burning the outside when the burger gets thicker). Overall, decent burger, but definitely not the best. Even with all of the positives above, we all agreed that the flavor of the burger was a bit lacking. It was almost bland. There was a hint of Worcestershire or something like that inside but that was it.
For this place, claim to fame would be finishing off the Quad C burger, but I'm not sure it would be a fully enjoyable experience...like finishing off a 64oz medium rare T-Bone/Porterhouse steak :).
So our verdict. Worth going to. Order the Quad C if you dare. We would give it a solid 7/10.
Next up, Steak Queen at Vic Park and Lawrence followed by Golden Star at Yonge near Steels
On A Sad Note:
For everyone reading this forum...Johnny's Charbroiled Hamburgers is no longer. They have closed. I had to drive by to believe it, but it is closed up. Rumour is they sold the property to a Condo Developer... I know it wasn't loved by all, but it was an institution. Sad to see it go.
To the blog writer owner i don't know if you haven't stopped by peoples burger on davenport , dupont area but it will beat all of these burger joints easily. This burger joint doesn't just cook you a mean burger they actually have a back room where they create fresh burgers before cooked with special herbs and spices.
I promise you its the champion and i been to almost all the burger joints you have listed above
What about Loons Pub on Roncesvalles? Their burgers (8, 16 and 24oz sizes), are the best I've ever had in Toronto.
Best burgers are at Terra Burger, Eglinton West
Everything is organic and yummy, even the pop!
West of Avenue Rd by about 3 blocks north side.
Ya I have to say that Terra Burger has fantastic burgers. I got mine done medium rare and you can really tell the difference with quality meat as opposed to dirt meat that most burger places have. The fries are the best in the city.
The Drake burger is the best I have ever tasted, and I have had all the burgers on this list (and many more of course).
I live in the west end. Apache is overrated, and I've heard mixed reviews of Bronto Burger (never tried it though). I would have added the following to the list for you burger lovers...
- Bryden's (Jane and Bloor)
- Czehoski (Queen West)
- Hero (I can't believe it wasn't on there. Hands down better than Craft)
I have been going to Apachie Burger my whole life, as I live in the west-end. They STILL have the BEST Onion Rings in all of Canada. They actually put sugar in the batter, unlike many other places, that have what I call "dead rings", with no flavor.
Now, as much as I hate to say this:
APACHIE HAS GONE DOWN-HILL BIG TIME!!!
Their burgers are NOTHING like they used to be. I have a feeling they are now using cheaper meats. And the buns are horribly saugy and wet!
The staff (the old guy with the mustashe - part owner), has sever mood swings, and I have seen him outlash on customers in the past 2 years.
I think its time that Apachie gets new owner-ship, because the current owners are letting this CornerStone of Toronto Burgers, go down like a sinking ship!
I used to be a once a week customer - I am down to once ever month or two now.
PICK UP YOUR SOCKS APACHIE!!!!
Just had a burger at merci mon ami in liberty village (atlantic and king) on wednesday.... awesome!! best burger in t.o. for sure.
Burgers! For the best go no further than BIG BURGER. It's in Etobicoke like Apache, but its way smaller, food is super homemade, fresh cut fries, and it's a hidden little secret. 602 Browns Line. INCREDIBLE.
Next time the poll comes around consider BIG BURGER. They even have a one pound burger that's delicious!
Johnny Rockets has the best hamburgers in Toronto. They are fresh big juicy patties. All ingredients are fresh to order and the location is really great at Yonge & Dundas.
Like the "sushi" list, I think the list should be separated into "bargain burgers" and "gourmet burgers"
The whole concept of the burger was supposed to be a cheap meal that you could finish within a reasonably short period of time. That's one reason why In N Out is so popular - cheap, ready to made stuff with no fuss. Rating the "bargain burgers" (a la Johnny's, Apache, and Dangerous Dans) with the "gourmet burgers" (a la Allen's, Craft, Burger Shoppe) is like comparing apples and oranges.
After having visited all the places on the list, bang for buck, you can't beat Johnny's. Quality-wise, Allen's took the (beef)cake.
read this article and headed immediately to the most convenient location for me and my bf (we had an appt downtown on Queen E). We tried the Burger Shoppe burger and were VERY satisfied! Absolutely GREAT burger- all Ontario freshly-made patties, with fresh ingredients. It's very obvious that these burgers are well made and the fresh ingredients totally make it! Nice bun, chose whole wheat - great that they had the option. Done medium, a little pink but very very juicy. awesome awesome awesome TOTALLY delighted my craving for a burger...
I stopped at the Johnny Rockets at Yonge-Dundas for a milkshake a few weeks ago. I go there often (sometimes, as part of team events at work). This time, the milkshake was very poorly made. There was no whipped cream or cherry, the glass was a little more than half-full of shake, and with the overflow, it only came to 3/4 full glass. I mentioned this to the waiter and he became very aggressive, saying that this is the way it's done at their establishment and that he would need the table back so I had to leave. It was very bizarre because I've never been treated so poorly before.
I decided to visit the Johnny Rockets website to describe my experience. I used the customer service form and a couple of days later, I got a reply from standard webbot email back from Brett Babick, VP Operations. I did a quick websearch and realieze that this response is most likely automatically-generated as other people have received the same one (word for word) when they submit their own complaints. The email had no forwarding address and when I tried to reply, it bounced back.
It looks like Johnny Rockets is not concerned about their customers' feedback. Its too bad because I will never return to this location, not by myself, with friends, nor will future office group lunches/events be held here.
Toronto's Top 5 Burger Joints . . .
1) gourmet burger (parliment)
2) craft (king st w.)
3) south st. burgers (various locations)
4) hero (queen st w.)
5) burger shoppe (ossington)
Allen's makes a fantastic burger. I discovered their burger a year ago and every burger I've eaten since I have compared to Allen's and so far none have topped it.
Mike,
your review to Dangerous dans was good.
You should post a review on www.Torontoburger.com
I will never go there again, so someone who would actually go there and willingly write about it should do it.
Bamburger should be at the top of this list. Terrific burger plus great options for my non- meat eating friends. Great decor, cozy booths to sit and licensed as well.
You have that one right!!!
I was just in New York City and tried a few places. Jacksons Hole is amazing!!! Best burg in my life. Also the Meridien hotel has this burger place and its also amazing. I've tried it and my friend just was there a couple weeks before and said the same.
I notice msn's site has this listing of the best burgers in the USA so check it out.
I hate the burgers here in Toronto so I couldn't agree with you more! I did try the Burger Shop on Queen the other day and they probably come the closest since they make it fresh every day not from frozen same with the fries and the meat a little pink.
Not bad at all...the other place I really like in just south of 7 on woodbine called prime ...but more for the fries and onion rings which are great!
Regards.
Johnny rockets wasn't too bad a burger just way over priced for the Toronto/Niagara falls market. The same burg in the usa location of this place is $3 to $4 less. Why are we so ripped off in Canada all the time? Outside of the BUrger shop on QUeen I haven't found a good burger in this country. I love going to the U.S. where the majority of places can be better the our best here. Restaurants just want to make money and give the customer frozen everything. WE are such sad consumers here. We should demand never frozen meat and fresh cut fries. I can do much better at home so why eat out are we seriously stupid in this city? In this Country? This is the case from Ontario to BC. $10 to $13 a burger in a place like Montannas, Kelceys or Pickel Barrel..common! These places would all be out of business in the USA. We would also as a country be more over weight like they are...but at least they have good restaurants. Our ethnic restaurants are good but not the average family/Montannas place. I spend lots of time in Europe and the States so I have a big grudge for the prices we are paying and the quality we are getting in return. Owners are laughing at us all the way to the bank in Toronto. Tell your restaurants here you want fresh meat and fries!
Yes, most burgers in Toronto are incomparable to places in the states. But not every burger place in Toronto is bad; just hard to find.
Burgers in toronto are on the rise and that only means that quality (more importantly customers appreciation of quality) will soon follow.
Midstream places like craft, burger shop, ACME are pretty much all torontonians know (actually most of us don't even recognize these places and still say "McDonalds" as the first burger restaurant that comes to mind)
There are actual 'good' restaurants that will make you a fresh or house-made burger for relative prices from the midstream burger places to the shitty sit down places like Montanas, Kelsey etc.
For instance, I went to the stockyards smokehouse & larder the other night. They are one of few that provide a hand made griddled burger. its pretty awesome.
You can read some reviews of places, and are encouraged to your own on www.Torontoburger.com
There are some review on there of some good places but the list is still limited, if you want to discuss further, just shoot me an email and I'll give some more suggestions.
Regards,
Jamie
TB
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