I was pleasantly surprised with my visit to The Burger Press. I thought it was just another gourmet burger place jumping on the burger trend. This is supposed to be a prototype for a potential chain of burger places. You order your burger by the ounce, with a choice of 5 different flavours of beef patties plus chicken, salmon and falafel patties Since this was first visit(my visit was back in July), I decided to try their original patty. It was surprisingly flavourful and well seasoned. The meat was also very lean, I think just a little too lean as it was a bit on the dry side. But it was still a great tasting burger without dripping in fat like other tasty burgers. I like that the potato wedges are nicely seasoned and baked in the oven instead of deep fried(their tiny kitchen is not equipped with a deep fryer). The staff was very friendly and cool which is great because everything is made to order and takes some time and chatting with them made the time go by quicker. There’s barely any space to eat inside(two stools infront of the counter and another two stools in the very skinny space behind the window which makes you look like a window display on Bathurst. So this is pretty much a take-out place. I look forward to trying their blue cheese or falafel burger the next time I’m there.
Al D.
Place rating: 3 Toronto, Canada
Burger Press’ finest feature is the ability to customize the size of your patty with a weigh in by the ounce. There is a grilled chicken option as well for those with an aversion to red meat. I had my second burger today and a couple of things that I noticed the first time recurred again, which has prompted me to list the good and the bad about this tiny little(under 500sq.ft.) burger joint: Pros: — customizable size of burger from 4oz and up — a variety of meats to choose from with different seasonings and toppings to suit the flavour of the meat — made fresh to order every time — optional sides for additional $.99 like sauteed onions or mushrooms — loyalty card program that they keep on file at the cash-out… no more«oh shoot, I forgot my card» business — time to wait isn’t long if there is no line-up Cons: — wedge fries are undercooked in the centre(same observation weeks apart). Rumour has it these wedges are McCain’s frozen wedge fries. — $.99 for a slice of processed cheese??? Talk about short-changing the burger with crap cheese! — barely any seating(2 bar stools inside plus a 2 – 3 person bench outside) There are several burger options within a 10 minute of this place and there is clearly a better option nearby for similar money.
Joel R.
Place rating: 4 Pacifica, CA
I liked this place a lot. I work around the corner, and I have seen that space be a lot of things, so hopefully this can stick around for a while. The pros are: –novel concept –good options(different weights, and flavours in the beef) — veggie friendly option — affordable — the wedges were very good — I had the lepress, with blue cheese, and it was really tasty Cons– The wait. They are going to need to figure out how to speed things up. I don’t mind waiting for the burger to be made, but there are lots of things that can be done to optimize. For example, he spread tge mustard and ketchup in a grid pattern. It literally took 45 seconds. Also, he seemed to have a preferred method for veggie and condiment placement. I said mine out of order, and it threw him through a loop. Take the veggie and condiment order upfront. Or, have a set type, and have people tell you if they want something outside of that. Overall, a good experience. I am sure I’ll be cautious of going to often because I don’t normally want to wait 30 minutes for a burger. But I am sure I will be back.
Ehsan F.
Place rating: 3 Toronto, Canada
hmmm… they weigh the meat, then crush it down with a press before cooking it up. The end product is très greasy and absolutely delicious! The place is tiny though and the only sitting option is a bench outside.
Chris P.
Place rating: 4 Calgary, Canada
Pressed in behind CB2 on Bathurst in a tiny little space is one of Toronto’s newest burger joints. Just when you thought you’ve tried everything, think again. The Press brings something new to the table; burgers by the ounce. Starting at 4oz(¼ lb), you can get your burger patty in the size your stomach desires for $ 1.25 per ounce. Not only that, there are five different flavours of burger to choose from plus falafal and chicken burger options. Because the patties are pressed right in front of your eyes don’t come here if you’re looking for a quick fix. These guys take you through the whole process from beginning to end. First they pan sear the patty to lock in the flavour, then they grill it to perfection. The buns are toasted on the grill before they take you through the hefty topping selections. There’s your traditional tomatoes and pickles like you would expect, but also other options like banana and jalapeño peppers along with a few sauce selections. Expect to wait a good 10 minutes for your order when they’re not busy. I went with a 7oz El Press-idente. This is their spicy ground chuck and surprisingly it actually provides a little bit of a punch. I topped my burger with literally everything they offered from the veggie choices which led to a comment from the staff to the effect of «Good luck, it’s going to be messy». Each burger order also comes with a small side of potato wedges and a dipping sauce for the fries. As I said before, the place is small. There’s two chairs to sit on while you wait, but otherwise no other seating. Your meal comes in a plastic take-out container with a lid so you can grab and go. My friend and I walked up Bathurst to Alexandria Park to hunker down on a bench to enjoy our meal. The burger was very tasty. The patty was extremely juicy and packed full of flavour. My only complaint about the burger is that because of the plastic container, the bottom of the bun gets a little soggy before you have the chance to eat it. The potato wedges are solid. They’re spiced just right, cooked to a nice crispiness on the outside while leaving them tender on the inside. These guys have only been open for a week at this point and there’s still some bugs being worked out which they admitted to, like their debit machine being present but not yet hooked up. So be ready for a good meal, but it might not be perfect just yet.