Shannon's Irish Pub: 4.3/5

Shannon's Burger: 4.3 

$11.99 (platter with fries)

If you think of Shannon’s more for great Celtic music than a dining destination, you may need to change your tune. They make a great burger! Shannon’s lies beneath the streets at 175 Carlton; out of sight, but not out of mind. When Winnipeg turns into Winterpeg you can get to the bar from the downtown indoor walkway. The Japanese Gardens - commemorating our sister city status with Setagaya, Japan - grow over Shannon’s.

Owner and Chef Gerard Fletcher is no stranger to the kitchen. Papered through the culinary apprenticeship program at George Brown in T.O., Chef Fletcher cooked his way from Field, BC to Halifax, NS before buying the Shannon’s Irish Pub in 2007. “When we took over Shannon's Pub, it wasn’t necessarily known for its food. I think now, after all the years, we have gathered a bit of a reputation that the food is another reason to stop in for a visit.”

The Shannon’s Burger is masterfully designed and executed. “The seasoning is a proprietary recipe that I have been tweaking since we took over the pub and this particular blend has been in use for the past four years. Inspiration is taken from of the fact that I love a good burger, which is why the recipe has been morphing for so many years.” The stack is assembled from perfect parts with the Brioche bun prepared by Gunn’s Bakery and the cheese a Bothwell Monterey Jack.

They pushed two large, carved wooden tables together in the centre of the bar for our group. Server Hailey confirmed our count so the kitchen could get the patties cooking while we were still arriving. It’s a *big* 8-1/2 oz. patty so takes some time on the grill. On game days (the MTS Centre is nearby) the ‘Burger and Beer’ special is $15. The Shannon’s Burger is $11.99 (with fries) and for a ‘nominal charge’ you can add cheese for $1 and bacon for $1.50. For another $2 you can have soup, and the soups are *amazing*. Three choices the day we went. “I highly recommend the mushroom & Guinness soup” said Tina.

Despite the size of the stack, the burger and bun handled well and held together to the end. Chef Fletcher used a revolutionary assembly technique with the melted cheese, groceries and bacon all on the bottom. The patty was cooked through, but juicy and a nice bite. The Brioche bun, brushed with a wash, made it shiny and attractive. The smoky bacon was cooked to leathery perfection.

Chris critiqued: “I really like these traditional pubs. Shannon’s has a comfortable homey feel. Staff were attentive and made sure I had everything I needed. The patty was nice with a little bit of charcoal on the outside while the bacon was smoky. The bun kept the burger all together; never got my hands messy. The fries were homemade and I liked the potato skins on the ends.”

Paper Poutine Separator

Karen wrote “The Brioche bun held up nicely while not adding too much bread. The burger, as a result, stood out. The patty was 3/4" thick and seasoned pleasingly. I enjoyed my side of flavourful French onion soup.” Stan echoed “The patty was happily the main component. It was a nice healthy size, perfectly cooked.”

Brett recently returned from a pub crawl in Dublin and scrawled “Better than any burger I had last month in Ireland!” High praise.

Les enjoyed his: “One of the biggest, juiciest tasty burgers ever. The juicy-squishy done-to-perfection burger dribbled out of the corners of my mouth when I took a bite through the well oiled, shiny bun, which held that big monster burger surprisingly well.”

Underground Windows

Chef Fletcher left us with a teaser for 2017: “Stay tuned for the Lamb and Bison burger on the new menu starting in the New Year.”

The Planit (closed): 4.1/5

The Ultimate Burger
Score: 4.1
Platter: $14.50


Mushroom Swiss Burger
Score: 4.1
Platter: $15.00

Ashley Meilleur opened The Planit at 285 Portage Ave in August 2015 upsizing from her 12 seat Vinyl Diner in the Garrick Hotel. It’s a great location in the heart of downtown Winnipeg’s burgeoning Sports, Hospitality and Entertainment District (S.H.E.D.) The buildup of condominium high rises and nearby MTS Centre should mean plenty of Planit patrons for Ashley and partner Sandra Soares for years to come.

Our table was presided over by a painting of Ashley. She told the story of how the portrait went for auction at a fundraiser, and that she felt funny at the thought of it hanging in someone’s home so bought it herself. The second floor kitchen is shared the Creating Opportunities & Rewarding Experiences (C.O.R.E.) culinary training program that “provides skills for those transitioning from the streets back into the workforce”.  As their website proclaims, The Planit is “Proudly gay owned and operated and we are all about culture, diversity and supporting our community.” There are live entertainment events in the evenings and starting May 1, Planit will open a patio on Portage Ave.

The Planit Burger (RIP)

Interior colours are from La Bamba (and briefly Reuby's Gastropub). Diners are greeted by an upright piano soundboard leaning against the wall and a bright and cheery space. I took one bite of The Planit Burger on a previous visit and knew Burger Club had to dine here. On the day we visited there was a new menu and new chef (Ashley) with The Planit Burger replaced by two new beef offerings – The Ultimate and The Mushroom Swiss Burger. Sadly, the Brioche bun delivery didn't make it on time for Burger Club's lunch.

Sandra and server Brittany were great hosts and Ashley prepared ingredient platters so we could see and taste the individual components of our stacks. Along with the Red Thai Chicken and Rice soup, Ashley surprised us with a “cheeseburger” soup for anyone (like me) who wanted to make it all about the burger. Both soups were a large serving, hearty and delicious. “The soups are an adventure” wrote Cary. Have the soup!

The two Angus chuck beef burger assemblies are similar, but with cheddar cheese and onion rings on one, and Swiss cheese, bacon jam and mushrooms on the other. Both come with flavourful Sriracha aioli and fresh groceries. The planned Brioche would have raised Burger Club’s rating from the substitute bun.

The home-style patty was soft and airy but held together well. Dani commented “Love the flavours of the patty! All of the food had such a wonderful variety of spices and flavours.” “Great burger, nice little bit of spice” wrote Chris. Cary also had the Ultimate Burger and scribed “Burger was FRICKEN TASTY!” The fries were delicious and consensus was they had a light dusting of cinnamon.

I had the Mushroom Burger and the mushrooms were fresh, thick sliced and sautéed to perfection – the highlight of my sandwich. “The hand battered onion rings made the burger for me! OMG - so flavourful” wrote Stephanie.

Photo Credit: The Planit

The Planit also makes a vegan Earth Burger with 14 grams of protein – more than the beef offerings! April wrote “I will have to come back to get the protein-packed veggie burger. Sounds like a good pre-roller derby meal ...” Russ liked the music “Bonus points for playing Grimes the whole time.”

925 Bistro & Lounge (closed): 4.6/5

925 Bistro Burger
Score: 4.4
Platter: $18


Jalapeño Muenster Burger
Score: 4.8
Platter: $14

At 925 Bistro and Lounge they know food and it shows. The love child of KelMar Meats and KelMar Bakery opened in November 2014 sharing the address at 925 Headmaster Row. Kelly and MaryAnn (do you see what they did there?) lived the life as food producers farming near Brandon. Now they live within walking distance of their shops and restaurant so they still “keep it in the yard.”

A restaurant attached to a butcher shop is pretty much a dream come true for me. The charcutier preparing the KelMar Meat's sausage and terrines is 73, with 50 years experience in a north end meat shop. I had the butcher’s cut prime rib on a previous visit. Savoring it was a transcendental experience that lasted for all 16 ozs. The beef is slow smoked to 128 F - because Kelly tells me that's the perfect temp - 130 F is too high.

The restaurant is truly a family business. Daughter Stephanie served our group and her husband John stood up a canoe with the jazz band at 8:00 pm. Hockey was on and Kelly and MaryAnn were enjoying the game seated at the bar. On Jets game nights they offer free samples and we were treated to grilled farmers sausage and shooters of fish chowder. Chef Paul delivered the appetizers himself and made sure we realized that all patrons get the royal treatment – not just us.

Shaw TV did a spot on Burger Club for go!Winnipeg and Kevin Hirschfield arranged to interview us just before supper. Wednesday’s are popular at 925 Bistro and it took a little juggling to find a place for the big camera that wouldn't disturb other patrons. Les wore a mic to capture his live burger enjoyment and Melyssa shot video of us in action. It was a lot of fun - you can view the segment here.

KelMar loves meat and Chef Paul knows how to cook a burger. The patties are freshly ground from 60% chuck and 40% brisket beef cuts. Chuck is flavourful, and looses its toughness when ground, so is an excellent choice for a burger. Brisket adds texture to the patty. I'm guessing 15-20% fat; they were juicy without being fatty, and tantalized the taste buds. Burgers are double and they're huge. You can take $2 off if you’d like a single, or add $2 for a triple if you've got a rugby player’s appetite.

The beef was not over handled and had a soft texture. The patties had a good brown crust and complex flavour from the hot grill. They were cooked to well done - no pink - but not dried out. Two thinner patties have twice the crust and always win over one large "home-style" burger. They were simple patties, done right. The best burgers start with a flavourful patty while toppings add the fun.

The burgers were presented bun-open with an x-marks-the-spot of bacon and a bamboo spear. My Muenster Jalapeno burger was topped with a little pile of peppers. The stack had a very pleasant Jalapeno flavour and a little heat without the spice dominating. The zip came from the bacon, cheese and sauce. People expecting to break out in a sweat from a spicy burger had a cooler experience. The bacon is made in-house and smoked and seasoned with Jalapeno. It's thick cut and absolutely delicious. Lettuce and tomatoes were both fresh and bright. I asked for my red onion to be fried, but it normally comes raw.

The sandwich was wrapped in a KelMar bakery Kaiser bun. 925 Bistro is one of very few restaurants that bake their own buns. The fresh bun tasted great, and I think the burger:bun ratio was good, but the Kaiser wasn't quite up to the task of managing the big double burger and came apart at the seams. Russ used the proper burger handling technique but discovered once you start, you can't let go. “I used the grip but when I put it down I was faced with a burger avalanche.”

Les rhymed “The Muenster was a monster in both size and taste; lip smacking, finger licken' good!” Geoff echoed with “The burger itself comes with two 1/4 lb. patties, with the option to add a third. It looks fantastic, but definitely a wider load - that third patty would be sheer folly to attempt. The assorted toppings are quite juicy and the bottom bun didn't quite have it in it to stay intact. The staff brought us plates of complimentary farmer sausage - top notch!  My Mennonite taste buds were pleased. ”

Karen had the flagship burger, but a single and without the Tabasco poached egg. “I am in love with 925 Bistro Burger. The juicy patty had excellent grill flavour and wonderful soft texture with tasty bacon on top. The bun was sized nicely to the burger.” Dani wrote “This is a very beautiful burger; full points for presentation. The sweet and spicy sauce on the bacon gave it a nice, flavourful balance.” Esther caught the spirit of it with “Holy hell! That was good! It was a delightful mess.”

The Caesar salad was delicious - fresh and crispy and came with candied bacon. Karen commented that the fries could have been crispier. I quite enjoyed the ones I stole off her plate – I like being able to stick a fork in and getting a mass of fries in one mouthful. The desserts are from the bakery next door, so you know they're going to be a treat! A couple of Warm Turtle Brownie’s were shared around – they were beautiful, plentiful and rich.

You can buy fresh, ready to BBQ, burger patties from KelMar meats, or you can have one for lunch from the BBQ cart out front. When we were done, Kelly and MaryAnn opened up the butcher shop so a few of us could take home some meaty treats.  How cool is that!

King’s Head - March Special Burgers: 4.4/5

Raspberry Jalapeño BBQ

Score: 4.8, Platter: $9.95

Stuffed Bleu Cheese Bacon

Score: 4.4, Platter: $10.95

Island Burger

Score: 4.3, Platter: $10.95

Poutine Burger

Score: 4.2, Platter: $11.95

Burger Club are big fans of the King’s Head Pub at 120 King St, and when I heard about their March Special Burgers, I dropped what I was doing and booked us in. This was our fourth ‘official’ visit and it landed on the fourth anniversary of Burger Club. 25 people made it out and staff had us set up at one long table on the bar side – they know how we like it!

The King’s Head does service well and true to form, Kim did a fantastic job taking care of food and drink orders for our large group. Dave and Reg helped out and Chef Steve made a couple of burger deliveries himself to make sure we were all enjoying his and Jay’s creations. I don’t know how they do it, but the platters were coming out 5-10 minutes after people ordered.


Run, don’t walk to the King’s Head this March

The new pretzel bagel bun was the hot topic and Jay Khanuja told us how they tested three different buns. They’re big, messy burgers and he knew the traditional Kaiser wasn't going to be up to the job. The first pretzel bagel they tried was too dense, but the pretzel bun they settled on was a soft bite and elastic enough to hold the whole assembly together to the last mouthful.

King's Head hand forms the 7oz. beef patties using 15% fat chuck steak. The burgers are thick, firm and filling. The meat is tasty on its own and the mild seasoning leaves room for the flavourful toppings to make their own statement. No one left hungry and the platters are good value ranging from $10-$12. They put our burger handling to the test though, and even the training video didn't help unless you had gigantic hands and could do a pinky squeeze.

Russ wrote “Oh happy day! I highly recommend Winnipeg peeps head down to the King's Head before the end of the month. The 'Raspberry Jalapeño BBQ  Burger' has perfect sweet heat and pairs great with a Guinness. It makes your mouth warm before warming your belly.” Jacques said “I love the pretzel bun, they should keep it on the menu. I was impressed with the spicing; the patty was well formed and meaty.” Interestingly enough, this was supposed to be the ‘Chipotle and Jack Daniels BBQ Burger’ but the Chipotle peppers were off their prime so the kitchen made a quick change to use Jalapeños with raspberry sauce which ended up being the favourite.

Blue cheese burgers are tricky to flavour balance because if there’s too much or too little, or the nose doesn't work, diners can be sad. The King’s Head nailed it perfectly to make the ‘Stuffed Blue Cheese Bacon Burger’ the #2 March Special favourite. Scott wrote “I've been away too long, but it was like coming home. Good friends, good food.” Back in December 2012, Jay made us a blue cheese stuffed Khanuja with Cajun sauce and onion rings on top. It was a special creation and had we ranked it, it would be in our Top 5.

The ‘Island Burger’ was the popular choice at Burger Club. Chris wrote “The creaminess of the avocado was nicely paired with the slight spiciness of the mango sauce. The pretzel bun was the best I’ve ever tasted.” Liz commented “Sauce was a bit too spicy and overshadowed the flavours of mango and avocado.” Nicole echoed “It was close to being too spicy for me. It obscured some of the rest of the flavours – avocado was too subtle to stand up to the chili.” Karen bubbled “I enjoyed what I could manage to eat as the patty was huge! All the flavours were stellar – spicy, sweet and messy. The patty was simply seasoned, fine ground and the sauces worked to compliment.”

The fourth special beef burger was the ‘Poutine’ – also a popular selection and visually impressive. Geoff always gives me good words and had this to say “Since I've never seen anything like it before, I had to try the Poutine Burger. There was quite the heft to the creation, especially with the new pretzel bun. It was pretty tasty; the poutine meshed well with the beef. By the end, once it cooled the potato/cheese creation emulated another patty in consistency. Thankfully they don’t tell you how many calories it has!” Nat wrote “A slippery, tasty mess. Did not hold together, but boy was it tasty!” Stephanie scribbled on her gravy stained review slip “I died and went to poutine burger heaven. Fun combination.” I should mention the gravy was another favourite – dark with plenty of garlic and roasted onion. I saw a couple of people drinking out of the gravy boat.

If you don’t make it down before the end of March, don't worry because the regular menu ‘Big Khanuja’ is as tasty today as it was four years ago and is a favourite at the King’s Head. Isabel had it and exclaimed “They don’t call it Big Khanuja for nothing! Spicy! My ideal combo for a burger – bacon, jalapeños, mushrooms, onions and cheese – but OMG … so big! I feel like I need to have a nap.”

Jessica tried the ‘Lamb Vindaloo Burger’ but wasn't wowed: “Difficult to taste the lamb that was overpowered by the sauce. Not too spicy.” April wrote “The Bison Burger was good but a little middle heavy.” Brian critiqued “The burger was served open face showing the melted cheese and bacon on one side and the tomato and lettuce on the other side. The  patty was thick and dense and maybe a little dry (expected with bison).”

A couple of diners had the regular menu burger and Esther shouted “AWESOME BURGER! THE OVEREATER IN ME WANTS TO EAT A 2ND ONE. THE BUN WAS THE BEST I HAVE EVER HAD!”

Tonight we were trying everything on the menu and newbie Lisa had the Veggie Burger. “Delighted to be invited to the Burger Club in spite of breaking the ‘First Rule of Burger Club’. I enjoyed the Veggie Burger, though not the best I've ever had. Pretzel bun was great, but filling and salty. Fries and malt vinegar always a treat at the King’s Head.”

Jekyll and Hyde's Freehouse (closed): 4.4/5

Classic Jekyll Burger
Score: 4.4
Platter: $11.99

Bacon and Blue Burger
Score: 4.5
Platter: $14

Holy Jalapeno Popper
Score: 4.3
Platter: $14


Jekyll and Hyde's, the latest in the lineage of restaurants at the corner of 437 Stradbrook and Osborne, features a winning combination of food and fun. Brian Allison created Cheer to celebrate the return of the Jets, but found the hockey rink sized space a little unwieldy. In April 2014 Brian split the room in half with Jekyll presiding over the cuisine on one side, and Hyde carousing on the other. In the summer Jekyll & Hyde’s boasts a large patio at the corner of Stradbrook and Osborne. It’s possibly the only restaurant in Osborne Village that has parking.

Brian’s a character who signs his email “Life Coach” and business card “Man About Town”. He gave me a rapid fire tour intermingled with chatter about needing to go rescue his wife whose car needed a boost. It was Comedy night at Hyde’s and Brian was preparing for a full house. The event side has a good sized stage, booths along one wall and tall tables and chairs in the centre. The “green room” next to the stage had the curtain pulled back revealing comfy couches for lucky patrons. Hyde’s has its own beautiful bar and a few pool tables used by the Wednesday night league.

The restaurant is high ceilinged and roomy with comfortable pleated booths and low tables in earthy tones. The crowning bar has 29 draughts on tap – including 3 Half Pints varieties – and 1 cider. There was a large screen at one end playing the Jets game, which was great for hockey fans, and the volume wasn’t obtrusive for those enjoying food and conversation.

They were ready and had us set up conveniently close to the bar. Our server Kelly was attentive and personable – she managed our group of 15 handily and was quick to take drink orders from new arrivals with the resulting libations arriving fast. Flights of beer were delivered in “Meet the Family” boxes.


There are three beef burgers on the menu: The Classic Jekyll with chipotle mayo and Jekyll’s BBQ sauce, The Holy Jalapeno Popper that adds cream cheese and tempura jalapenos, and the Bacon and Blue that piles on maple bacon and blue cheese. The burgers all come with two sides, but on Jets game days, the special is a burger, one side and a beer.

The burger combos were presented on a wooden cutting board with the stack assembled and skewered with a frilly cocktail stick. The first thing you noticed was your reflection in the incredibly shiny bun. An egg washed Brioche by the look and feel of it that would challenge Original Joe's gleaming roll. Mine had bacon lolling out of it which made me happy just to look at it. Russ observed "This place wins best buns in Winnipeg.”

During a break from the mayhem in the kitchen, Chef Scott came to see how we were enjoying our burgers and told us how they hand build the 5.5 oz patties from Angus beef with 19% fat and no fillers. That was just the right amount of fat to make it moist, delicious and nicely crusted from the grill. It was a good sized patty with a slightly oversized bun and the BBQ sauce on the bottom added some zing and moisture.

I opted for the bacon and blue cheese and it was delicious. Jekyll and Hyde’s bakes the bacon with a maple syrup drizzle adding a little sweetness and texture. There was just the right amount of blue cheese on my assembly. Enough so I could savor it, but not so much that it tipped the flavour balance. There was plenty of shredded lettuce but the tomatoes were a little scarce. They’re hard to grow in a Winnipeg winter.

April wrote “This burger is to burgers as cheesecake is to cake. This is my favourite - I would have to find the Rob Ford burger to compare it to again. Also the beer & burger special rocks.”

Karen had the Holy Jalapeno Popper: “I really liked the flavour, texture and, oh, the bun! Especially the bun; soft and warm, it fit snugly holding all the toppings against the burger. The sauce on the burger was terrific - jalapeño spice not too spicy.“ Jessica modified hers and scribbled “Shiny bun, good burger, moist. Needed the cheese to cut the tang of the jalapeño. Ordered with no cheese.” Don’t mess with Chef’s design!

Nicole opted for the Classic Jekyll: “Flavour and toppings were awesome. Sauces were a little drippy but not too much so. Bacon, mayo & BBQ sauce were a great combo.”

I started with the Tomato Basil soup side and it was delectable. Thick and creamy with toasted baguette slices on top. I stole some of Karen’s sweet potato fries and they were soft inside, crispy outside and great with the garlic aioli. Mo had the slaw and noted “Apple coleslaw had nice crunch and freshness.”

We were pleasantly surprised when the bills came and April called Kelly over to make sure they were correct. As we’d arrived during happy hour (4-7) on a Jets night, the burgers with a side and draught were all $12.99. The additional beers were only $4.75 (tax inc.) Great deal!

It’s been said that Winnipeg has only 2 degrees of separation. I’d barely started introductions when Geoff, Jessica and Julian realized they’d had lunch together in Montreal 7 years ago.  “Oh hey Nicole!” exclaimed Jessica as she spotted her IQ’s co-worker from years ago arriving. Small world. Smaller Winnipeg.

Here’s a little contest to earn the respect and admiration of your peers: see if you can list all the incarnations at this location since the Beefeater.