The Works

I have went to other works around the area and this one was by far the worst. It was revolting! I love the works food, their burgers, fries, appetizers, the atmosphere. Everything for me has always been great. First time I went to this spot I found a hair in my burger. I have long blonde hair and this hair in my burger was black and short. Those things normally don’t phase me so I took it out. To my surprise my first bite of the burger was terrible. It was very undercooked, the outside seemed fine maybe even burnt but the second I bit in it was red. Like it was just carelessly thrown on the grill at a high temp for a short period of time. Anyways I had the other day stopped by also to give it another try because I was in the area and had a coupon to use for there. It was around 7:50 wasn’t very busy the dinner rush had slowed, I got my seat and I waited forever to be served or talked to. I am never one to complain ever, but this was wrong. Finally I ordered and the food came fast! I got a sk8er boy and I was super hungry and looking forward to it. The second it got to my table it looked fabulous, I took a bite and again to my surprise… The meat was absolutely red the outside charred, I’ve had my fair share of rare meats and I like them, but this texture was not right for a burger… This was beyond rare. The texture made me gag and I tried so hard not to throw up… I felt embarrassed as I’m sure someone probably saw my face. I know my boyfriend was disgusted at the look of the inside of my burger. At that second my meal was ruined so I sat there knawing at my fries. I didn’t want to cause a scene and or complain to the server and manager so I waited til finally 40 mins later the server came back over and had said if it was ok. I was not impressed. The table beside me had sent two of their burgers back for being undercooked also. But I was just fed up with this lousy location. That first bite ruined my meal I was so disgusted. Anyways I paid my bill and left. And surely to god I’ll never go back. Ever again. This was revolting, I have never had meat that was that bad. Especially at a spot where u pay an arm and a leg for a burger. People should not need to ever send back there food to be re-​cooked. Like come on.

This is a special review for the take-​out here. First point to be made: their entire menu was available for take-​out, which is definitely the best selling-​point (in my mind. Because who doesn’t hate it when the meal they REALLY want isn’t on the take-​out menu?!).
We walked in and were given menus immediately. After we picked our orders, we flagged a server down really quickly and were able to place our order post-​haste. Even though the restaurant was mostly full, we were still offered seats (with the caveat that we would have to give them up if a table for 2 came in, understandably!), and brought water.
What I loved most was that, even though the restaurant was super busy, it took less than 20 minutes for our order to be ready, and everything was correct (not always easily accomplished in a busy kitchen). The insulation around the food must have been excellent, too, because it was still warm after a 10 minute walk home in the cold. (The buns weren’t soggy either, a major bonus!) Can I also say our waiter was on point with the amount (and ratio) of ketchup, mustard, and relish packs included? It was like he read my ketchup-​loving mind.
Overall, I could not have been more pleased with my first dinner of 2016! Such a great way to ring in the new year.
As for recommendations, their Tom Green burger and onion rings were divine!

This was THE FIRST time I’ve ever tried THE WORKS, and this was back in 2006. I only remember cause I took pictures of the whole thing and it was THAT GOOD. Walking in, I was super pumped up because apparently their burgers were REALLY good. I thought their salt and pepper shakers were super cute because they were in empty light bulbs. Also, the cups that they use are measuring cups. Wow, now I know how much water I drink.
The menu, oh my goodness, I’ve never seen a menu this in-​depth before. Not to mention, it had a pretty cool design of just a sheet of brown paper. I think this was one of the first restaurants that started the trend of so many cute and interesting cutlery and products. Let’s get back to the menu. SO MANY BURGERS, SO MANY OPTIONS. I honestly thought all burgers were just bun, lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, meat and the occasional cheese. Everything sounded super tasty, but obviously, I had my preferences compared to others.
Here, I got the three ring binder which had sauteed mushrooms, chipotle mayo, gouda cheese & 3 O-​rings. Of course, I couldn’t finish this all and shared it with a friend. The waiter asked how cooked we wanted our meat to be. How thoughtful, I don’t really know of a burger place that cares about their customers this way. So, the waiter brought the tray over and HOLY COWABUNGA, that burger is HUGE, I swear my whole family could have shared that in one meal if we got a side. But I don’t eat a lot, so maybe other people can finish this whole monster up on their own. The onion rings were placed on the side for you to add to the burger yourself. My first bite, I think I only got a bite of like the top part of the bread because I couldn’t bite into this whole burger.
Honestly, the BEST burger place in Canada so far.

Been there twice so far. Outstanding burgers, good onion rings, and shakes are excellent. Service is great. Will be going here again.

It’s a cute concept. The faux chain linked fences, light bulb inspired salt and pepper shakers.
The food itself was decent. I tried the chicken and waffles dish which comes with a side. I paid a little extra for the poutine given that this is Canada, after all.
Both items were good, not exceptional. Prices were slightly above their value I think, but not terrible.
Service was good.

Great selection of burgers! Excellent service and have some nice brews on tap. Looking at 25 for burgers side and drink! Definitely coming back

Returned back to The Works for their famius burgers, just when i thought their burgers couldn’t get any better and they just went out of their way to prove me and my friends wrong. Entirely yummy from start to finish. Service was a delight.

I’ve been to three of The Works locations in Ottawa (thanks to my boyfriend who can’t resist a good burger).
I found this location to be the coziest of them all. However, what it gained in coziness points, it lost in service points. I am always re-​surprised (is that a word? you know what I mean…) at the friendliness and competence of the servers. We’ve always had consistently good, prompt and attentive service at the other locations. This particular visit was a bit different. The server was very scattered and really didn’t seem to be enjoying herself. Hopefully it was just an off day. Don’t let this deter you from this location however.
Being a vegetarian foodie (yes, there is such thing. And please don’t ask me where I get my protein or about my B12 levels), I am always looking for well flavored, balanced dishes with good texture combinations. We’ve tried many vegetarian friendly combinations at The Works and have come up with the ultimate one: Three Ring Binder with portobello mushroom, on a multi-​grain bun. Here is why: The flavors are well balanced — the earthiness and slight sweetness of the bun, the umami/​smoked BBQ type flavor from the grilled portobello, the tangy/​spicy from the chipotle mayo all complement each other and create a good depth of flavor. Then the crispy texture from the onion rings mixed with the creaminess of the cheese and breadiness of the bun, plus the mushroom drippings blending it all together. Is your mouth watering yet?
I wouldn’t bother with their vegetarian patty. It doesn’t have a nice flavor and has left chemical after-​taste in the past. Definitely go for the portobello mushroom. It is very filling!
My only pet peeve about any of these restaurants is their attempt at creativity by serving drinks in measuring cups. 1) It doesn’t look nice 2) It’s not ergonomic 3) I have to bend over to drink from the straw as I can’t lift up the measuring cup without spilling and sometimes the straw winds up in my nose.
All in all, it’s the best place for a vegetarian burger that I know of so far. I’m always keeping an eye out though!

I was very hyped to go and try out the works. (all I would ever hear is how epic the place is) I was very pleased to find out that they obviously would offer veggie patties but they also offered portobello tops as well (which was pretty cool actually)
Point being– they do offer quite the variety for anyone (everyone will find something peculiar or traditional that they like) although I find I was still slightly «meh» about the quality of my veggie burger– whether it was the toppings or just the patty itself, I still can’t really pin point it. Super milk shakes and drinks– great staff and ambiance was very cool and busy. (That night was actually super busy but staff helped to accommodate us very well!!)

Delicious ! and milkshakes too !

Used to be better. The price is high for burgers that need more love in the taste department. I tried baconism part 2, where the patty I ate was dry and the sauces tried to makeup for taste. For a burger this is blasphemous. The salad, and fries are great as usual. Great beer too!

We were in the neighbourhood on Saturday evening and decided to stop at The Works for a burger. I always dread their massive menu, but they seem to have changed it since I last ate there. It’s more concise and easier to choose from.
I always look for my burger to have caramelized onions and found one that sounded yummy. I decided to go with the Original P.I.G. with tomatoes, pickles, etc. with a side of onion rings. The burger was loaded! I knew right away that I wouldn’t be able to finish it, but I gave it my best shot. I decided to try the burger with the turkey meat and that made it that much yummier. They have incredible dipping sauces for the onions rings, such as their spicy mayo (forgot the actual name). Oh and if you love cherry coke, you must get it here! It comes in their huge measuring cups that are pretty much 500ml full. I definitely couldn’t finish that either.
The service was a lot quicker than the usual, since they were surprisingly not busy on a Saturday night. Our waitress was really nice, a little forgetful at some point, but it was fine overall. Food is good, service is good, I’ve had better, but overall everything was good!

Fantastic burgers, with build your own option available, too. Good beers available. I wish there was one at home in Vancouver.

I recently ate at the works for my first time and will definitely go back another time.
I was impressed by the size of the burger and the friendliness of the staff. The water glasses are 2-​Cup Pyrex measuring cups, which is great if you’re thirsty. The menu had some funny meal descriptions and food names, which made it a little longer
The décor and atmosphere were nice, but it felt like it was trying too hard to be trendy. I think that some people will really like it, while others may think its ok or feel ambivalent about it.
I’ll come back every once in a while, in-​between getting Montana’s firecracker burger, which I consider to be better value and taste.

Nice place! Cute water glass. Maybe a little bit crowded for group. Ordered Notorious PIG topping with white bread stuffed with chicken breast. The side is fries. Well, at least for my order, it’s not outstanding as I expected. But, definitely I’ll come again and try another burger next time.

As much as I love burgers, I’ve never been «wowed» by the crazy combos here at the works. It’s a fun environment, and the staff are usually great. The food is good, but not amazing, and for that price, I’d rather go somewhere else…
Their onion ring tower is fun to order, especially if you’re with friends, it’s great to share.
It’s a good place to go for bigger groups, and you’ll never have a bad time!

Let me preface this review by saying that if you’re Canadian and have eaten burgers mostly in Canada, you will probably think The Works is just fine.
However, it is also likely that you have no idea what a really good burger tastes like.
The Works is wonderful for variety – they have many, many specialty burgers, differentiated mostly by their toppings. They also have a great environment, and good onion rings. If you eat there on your birthday they will give you a coupon for a free burger.
The problem, unfortunately, is with the burger itself. It’s lean, overcooked beef that is dry and lacking the taste that a burger should have. You can sign a waiver to have it cooked a bit less (and I highly recommend that), and the organic burger has slightly more fat, but frankly the burgers here cannot compare to the better burger joints in town, such as Carleton’s 101’s Grill, Burgers and Fries Forever, Hintonburger, and the underappreciated James St. Pub.
Try a burger at the Works, and within a week try Burgers and Fries forever.
You be the judge.
And then Unilocal it. Companies need feedback to make better food.

We were a large group, about 10 – 12, we get there since they don’t take reservations. And we wait outside in the cold for about an hour to finally be split into 3 groups.
Looking at their fancy website, I didn’t think the location would be this small. Wow
The menu is so large and appetizing, so many different combinations makes your mouth water, some burgers are peppercorn crusted, others are stuffed with cheese.
But the thing with burgers (and pizza), is that adding certain toppings can ruin your burger, some toppings work well with others, others don’. There’s no real way to know until you try it.
In retrospect, having an egg, avocado, bacon, bbq sauce plus the regular burger toppings was overkill. The burgers are in the $ 12 – 15 range and it’s an extra $ 3 for poutine upgrade.
The tower of rings and most apps are about $ 10, so with one Coke, it comes out to about $ 35 for a burger trio with an appetizer that should cost $ 5 at the most.
This burger craze has really reached it’s nadir when the menu is the best part of the experience since you just see a collection of toppings you like, the reality is a bit different.

Décor — I’d classify as vintage industrial — bricks, metal, wood and chain link fencing.
Ordere Man o War and Kamkaze burgers from 10 minute lunch menu. Upgraded to onion rings and poutine for a charge, and small chocolate shake in interest of saving calories but trying their highlights.
Man o war was excellent. I’d been to The Works (other locations) and been disappointed — not today — super enjoyable burger with right balance of flavours and burger cooked to perfection.
Hubby enjoyed Kamikaze — though he loves things with heat. His burger was too spicy for me — I’ll stick to the horseradish on my burger, thanks!
Onion rings are breaded — which are not my favorite. However as breaded rings go they were pretty good. Ordered the sweet & spicy dipping sauce — original, fruity, good to try once. Probably would not order rings to sweet & spicey sauce again.
Poutine was pretty standard — the rounded bowl they were in made it hard to eat.
Small chocolate shake 8oz was delicious.
Probably wouldn’t do any of the upgrades again — just stick with the fries.
Service was fine.
Would I recommend: Yes
Would I return: Yes — and I’d probably order off the 10 minute lunch menu again, if it’s available.

Oh, The Works. Yes, it’s a chain, but let’s face it, we all take our parents and friends here when they visit Ottawa.
The Works has a mind-​boggling assortment of burger toppings and topping combinations prepared on a variety of cooked-​to-​order patties, chicken breasts or portabello caps. It’s heartbreaking that they’re not allowed to cook their burgers to less than medium-​well (darnit, government!) because that would really make them something special. They used to do it if you signed a waiver, but that was deemed insufficient by the powers that be.
The tower of rings is good to kill time while you’re waiting for your burgers, an amusing presentation of onion rings and very tasty (mmm, Beechhouse sauce) but it’s rather expensive for the number of rings you get.
My favourite burgers are the beef Pepper Jack (with blue cheese subbed for jack — heaven!) and the chicken breast Avril’s Avocado Avalanche. I haven’t tried the SK8R Boy (peanut butter, bacon and jack cheese) but I feel like I should.
The coleslaw sounds amazing but is actually so bad that not even a childhood of being forced to sit at the table until all of my food was gone could make me finish it. (Plus, I’m grown-​up now. I’ll waste when I wanna!) So don’t waste your time with the slaw, just get a salad instead if you don’t want fries — there are good options!
Definitely a solid choice, if not the most interesting, especially if you’ve got picky eaters or diverse preferences in your midst.