Five Guys Burgers - Coming to Montreal !

[harry in montreal]

I saw a guy in the NDG area wearing the red five guys burgers shirt and he said that they are opening a restaurant in Vaudreuil later in July 2010. Plans for another in Old Montreal in 2010. Great news.

Bad for my back-fat-folds i guess. Now if only In N Out burger would venture north my life would be complete.

[BLM]

Has the Five Guys downtown location at 698 Sainte Catherine West open yet? This location is listed on Five Guys website? If it has already opened, how long ago did it open?

[ios94]

It's open, don't know exactly when but at least since mid Dec.

[williej]

Too bad. We don't need another chain. The nice thing about Montreal is all the local eateries with local flavours and menus. (Same reason why people online here don't want Schwartz's to franchise).

[SnackHappy]

I beg to differ. There are many chains I could do without, but this one offers something that Montreal doesn't have otherwise. I'm pretty sure we've had this discussion previously in this very thread.

[hala]

I agree. I ate there (St Catherine location) two weeks ago, and it was great. It was during rush hour and the line was huge, so I can't tell you how they are cooking their patties outside rush hour.
On my visit, the patties were juicy and the fillings were delicious, perfectly cooked and piled high. Chain or not, I would go again.

[InterFoodie]

Over the years Ive tried most of the burger places, IMHO Five Guys has the best burger for my taste.

Ive been at the location in Old Montreal and the village and have never been disappointed, juicy, tasty and just awesome good.

My only bug is the size of the fries, a small fry could feed a village.

Dilallo's is down the street from me, its good but I greatly prefer Five Guys

[mainsqueeze]

Any word on when the Gay Village location is set to open, or is it open already?

[westaust]

Open already

[montrealeater]

Finally got around to trying this place. Burgers were equal to the ones from Philippe on Amherst in almost every way. Not sure about price but taste, composition, size, everything else seemed very similiar. Since Philippe is close to me, I'll stick with their bad tempered selves.

Truth be told, though, McD's quarter pounders with cheese, not counting their buns, are still my favourite. /heathen

[maj54us]

Are you talking about the burger or the patties. I think you need to buy one of each and bite into one and then the other. And make sure you don't suffer from Alzeihmer. It's totally 2 different burgers in taste.

I'm worried about your taste buds if a qtr pounder is your favorite. lol lol lol
GIve burger de ville a try and let us know what you think.

[westaust]

Five guys is opening soon on ste-catherine west of amherst

[montrealeater]

Wow, they're expanding crazy-fast. I wonder if it's going to bite them in the butt? Are they expanding at this rate everywhere or just Montreal, or Canada?

Maj54us - totally possible my tastebuds are wonky, but I do love myself a quarter pounder. I find whatever mysterious chemicals McD's puts in their patties mighty delicious. As for the Five Guys and Philippe, I had the same toppings on each (double patty) and yeah, they tasted very similiar to me - that wasn't a dig, btw, I thought they were both really good.

[Werzoth]

Definitely everywhere. If you check their twitter, it's crazy how fast they're opening new stores (especially in the USA).

[EaterBob]

Back in March they got $100 million credit from Ge Capital to expand.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home...

[Ottfoodie]

We already have 2 open in Ottawa and another one opening soon. Love the burgers!

[eatwell]

They indeed are expanding,(Five Guys)
one is open in my hometown of Regina, Sask. I now live in St. Lazare, close to the Vaudreuil location. Great!

[maj54us]

In montreal many other options like "burger de ville" on st-laurent. A much tastier burger.
5 guys is too expensive in my book. Good burger but nothing amazing.

[OliverB]

For roughly $4.50 Dilallo's on Notre-Dame still blows away all these other new burger joints.

[fredmir]

How true, can`t beat Dilallo's for taste and price
Wish there was one in the west island

[COPO427]

Buck burger....Mmmmm

[ios94]

Five Guys in the WI is opening next week.

[stephlovestoeat]

from what I saw as I drove by tonight, the paper from the windows is gone and they seem set up. So ios94, you seem to be correct. They should open very soon.

[ios94]

I'm just relaying the message of some guys coming out of the place when I was passing by. They told me they were there to make sure everything was ready to go and that they would open next week.

[Haggisboy]

Sources close to the 40 is a big area. Can you be more specific as to their location?

[ios94]

Sources and Salaberry, in that same parking lot where Starbucks is located. Right next to the car wash.

[reelection]

Good news for those of us in the West Island, looks like a new store is opening in DDO.. on Sources close to the 40.

[fredmir]

There opening a Five Guys Burgers on Sources close to the 40???

[NickinMtl]

Finally had the chance to try Five Guys Burgers, I went to the one in Old Montreal on McGill.

I really liked the burger itself, I had the double patty bacon cheeseburger, and while the bun was falling apart pretty fast, I really enjoyed the burger itself. I thought the meat was very good, and the condiments were fresh and tasty (although I really didn't add too much in the burger, can't imagine how the bun look if you had a lot).

OTOH, I didn't like the fries at all. While they give you a lot (!!!), they were oversalted to my taste, and I agree with the poster who found them limp. I ate right away in the restaurant, and they were not crispy at all, very limp and salty. Maybe I got them on a bad day in term of fries, but I don't think I'd take any when I go back.

As for the price, I thought it came up pretty expensive (15$ for the burger, regular fries and regular soft drink). While I did enjoy the burger, and wouldn't mind paying the 8$ it cost by itself, they really put the screw on the fries (although you get a lot!) and the soft drink (although it is free refill).

All in all, I wouldn't mind going back, but wouldn't go out of my way to do so. I think for this price range, you can get better burgers at non-fastfood restaurants. (I would suggest McCarold's in CDN, Burger de Ville or Le Barbare before 5GB).

-----
Le Barbare
4670 Rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC H2J2L3, CA

Burger de Ville
5282 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC , CA

[The Chemist]

Finally tried it a few weeks back (McGill location). What a forgettable and mediocre burger. Fries were limp and nasty. Expensive too for what you get. The food was nothing more than below average fast food. I don't see the appeal and my entire party agreed. What is so special?

[celfie]

i think that the appeal is that you get a lot of food.

[ospreycove]

Celfie, My take too, just a fried fatty burger with, processed cheese, if you wish, with heaps of fries and salt on a white refined flour bun. I think the bloom is off the rose............

[Werzoth]

The fries are only limp if you take out so by the time you eat them, they're limp. Not really they're fault there. They've always been a bit crispy when I ate them right at the location.

[The Chemist]

I ate in. Still limp right out of the fryer.

[Werzoth]

Might be your location. Went to the Laval location several time and I've never seen limp fries.

[mtlmaven]

Also had limp fries in Vaudreuil and I also ate in. I would say that fries are not their strong suit.

[shopgirl]

Okay, I just had to comment. Being from the US (New Jersey) and having 5 Guys here, I just don't see why you are all excited about it. You've got possibly the best food ever in Montreal...who in the world would care about 5 Guys which, in my opinion, is just another burger joint.
My fav in Montreal was Mondo frites! Sad to see it go -- but you still have good burgers and fries....what's so great about 5 Guys??? I'm really curious.

[SnackHappy]

We have good burgers and fries? Where? There are only a handful of places in town making decent burgers. Once you eliminate all the BS, overpriced luxury burgers you're left with a few mom and pop fast food places, a couple of mid-level restaurants and Five Guys.

I don't think you understand how dismal the Montreal burger scene is. People here think Harveys is a good burger and they evaluate their burgers based on toppings. Toppings!?! It's no wonder since the actual meat and buns here are such low quality. Most places serve dry, overcooked, flavourless patties.

The appeal of Five Guys is that the burger is smashed, has a good percentage of fat and is really, really beefy. The buns are real hamburger buns. It's a high quality fast-food burger. It's not the best ever, but it's the best in Montreal.

I think people who don't like Five Guys' burgers, just don't have the same idea of what constitutes a good burger as the people behind this chain. I, for one, agree with them and am very happy to have Five Guys here in town.

[shopgirl]

Thank you, SnackHappy, for telling me this. I had no idea! I guess other than loving your city and loving so many restaurants there...burgers aren't that high on our list. I guess it's a we-each-want-what-we- cannot-have kind of thing.
I admit when we come to Montreal, a burger is the last thing we are seeking. But, you are correct, it is pretty much a staple in everyone's life. We have many diners in New Jersey -- too many in fact -- and they all pretty much serve really good burgers. One doesn't have to go far.
Thank you for filling me in. I really did wonder what all the fuss was about. In that case, I am very happy for all of you Montrealers! Enjoy your burgers!

[BLM]

Are the Five Guys Burgers locations in Montreal-area, now serving hot dogs? If you have tried in at Five Guys in Montreal, is it very good? Five Guys Burgers in Toronto just started serving hot dogs.

[BLM]

I just checked all the Five Guys Burgers locations in Canada, added hot dogs to their menu this week. It's a Kosher-style hot dog.

[FrenchPeach]

Has anyone ever tried their veggie sandwich by chance?

[jay_81k]

Just ate at the new old montreal location. I have to say I am extremely disappointed considering all the hype around it. First of all I wish they had mentioned to me that a regular burger is a double patty because I would of gone with the small one, second of all I asked them if their cheese is processed and they said "no we dont have any processed cheese here" and ofcourse I got the dreaded processed cheese, third of all, why does everybody think their fries are so good?? Really nothing special im sorry. And lastly the price is just awful for a fast food burger. Complete rip off! 17$ for a bacon cheeseburger fries and a dasani water(filtered tap)! I thought mbrgr was expensive but now I see its way more worth it than this place. Plus it was killing me to watch them squeeze the hell out of their burgers, anyone who knows how to cook a proper burger knows you dont do that!! Left no moisture in there. Its probably the least worth it meal Ive had in a really long time. If I were to ever go back(I must be an idiot if i do) I know now to just order the small burger and thats all. This place reminds me of in n out burger in california. I just dont get it.

[SnackHappy]

They shouldn't be messing around with the meat once it's been put on the griddle. It's supposed to be smashed once and left alone. I've had the same experience at the Brossard location. The guy working the griddle fiddled around with the patties and they came out dry. On the other hand, the burger I've had in Vaudreuil and Laval were perfect. I guess the two newest locations need to work on quality control.

Sorry you didn't like your burger. I think it's the best fast food burger in town. The meat is really flavourful and, when it's cooked properly, it's moist and has a nice crumble. The fries are just okay. I'm not a big fan of that style of fry.

[Werzoth]

Same experience in Laval by the way, the times I went the meat was perfectly grilled and juicy. Personally, they're exactly the kind of fries I love, mmm mmm!

[BurkerKingFan]

I went there yesterday. I never heard of Five Guys before. I went there because it was close to where I work. So after work, I went there. First, I was baffled how pricy it was but somehow in the back of my mind, I wanted to try it out. I asked a few questions to the lady who was serving me. She explained how paddys work and everything. The choice of topping is vast. Made my order. While waiting, I noticed all the newspaper clippings on the wall, to see how much praise Five guys received in the States. After reading all those praises, I was getting impatient to eat mine. And I finally did. God! It was really good. I can't wait to return again. One of that tastiest burgers I have eaten in a while!

[ios94]

I agree with Snackhappy, 5 Guys is easily the best fast food burger in town. I was at the Vaudreuil location the other day and the burger was even juicier than when I had it a couple of months ago.

I asked them who their bun supplier is and they told me that no one knows, it's the only secret. Not even management supposedly knows.

Their french fries were bang on the other day too, I found them a bit too dry in the past. I know they change where their potatoes come from on a regular basis, I suggest you try this week's potato supplier.

[The Chowhound Team]

Since it was taking on a life of its own, we split out a Smart Burger sub-thread to give it more breathing room: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/795069

[SnackHappy]

I went to the Brossard Five Guys for a second visit and once again I got a dry burger. That's one to many for me. I won't be going there again. I also noticed that they were pre-cooking the patties. I was under the impression that Five Guys didn't pre-cook the meat and that it went on the flattop when the burger was ordered. I don't know what's going on at that location, but I worry that they'll give the chain a bad reputation. I've tried all the other locations in the Montreal area except for the Old Montreal store and have only been disappointed in Brossard.

[Werzoth]

Hmm that's pretty bad yeah. Definitely seems to be a problem with that location. Hopefully someone will contact the headquarters and they'll rectify it.

[maj54us]

That is supposed to be the way they do things. Now is this one a franchise? Often franchisee will cut corners.

[BLM]

When you say pre-cooking the patties, this is during non-rush hour? I've also found Brossard Five Guys to be inconsistent with their burgers(sometimes very good, sometimes burgers dry). That's why occasionally I've been critical of Five Guys burgers. But I've only eaten at their Brossard location.

[SnackHappy]

It was during the noon "rush" which wasn't a rush at all. The place wasn't even half-full and there weren't many people coming in. Despite that, the flattop was covered in patties. Most of which looked fully cooked and waiting for a costumer to order them.

[westaust]

Even at the one in old Montreal during lunch, they don't cover the flattop with patties if no one is waiting to get served. If a bunch of people comes in, the cashier will approximate a number (on the low side) of patties so that the cooks can get a head start, but it won't sit there waiting for someone, as by the time you ordered, you burger will be ready.

Seems like the Brossard one is poorly managed from that point of view (and surely this will hurt their margins due to waste)

[Werzoth]

@westaust : The Laval location works the same way as the old Montreal location you're describing, which is the good way to go about it.

It really seems to be a problem with that Brossard location.

[divya]

4th june Friday after 5 at Five Guys

smallish line-up of about 5 people, place was 80% full.
The small burger , no cheese , no bacon ;with a selection of a few toppings, yes the beef patty tasted good- not organic or free range taste but much better than chains.
Liked the fries- moderaty crispy , and reasonably salted- regular portion was large enough for one.
Free refills on drinks
So the bad was the bun- bottom toasted but top cold. As well it was mushy, perhaps due to the fact that it was wrapped up fast and the moisture made it soggy. I have very few toppings so those were not the culprit.
I like my onions sauteed or fried, these were grilled ( in the toppings)- hence a bit crunchy for my taste

Crisp/salted! Peanuts (in shell) to be found in a box- piled on top of a stack of potatoes sacs- self serve

Interestingly the place was teeming with people who were taking pics. of their meals/menu and the mayhem- and mailing them-
the power of social media!!!!!!

[BLM]

It's the Old Montreal location you are talking about? The burgers being mushy has been a constant complaint of Five Guys burgers. It's also my major complaint on their burgers.

[foodie8]

I went this evening and it wasn't too busy. Very good hamburger (I had a small cheeseburger, sauteed onions, pickle, bbq sauce, lettuce, tomato, with cajun fries.) It was delicious! Best burger I've had in a while. My only complaint is that it was freezing in there!

And I can confirm that there were loads of peanuts this evening.

[certifiedfresh]

Passed by the McGill St. location this afternoon... The signs in the window stated that they would be opening "samedi 20 mai 2011", which, I'm sorry to say, doesn't even exist! Anyway, the place was packed with employees as they were holding some sort of training day/event. With a little bit of luck, they might be opening tomorrow!

[NickinMtl]

Probably put the sign on during the day, passed in front yesterday at 1AM and they had nothing on... Great news, can't wait to go!

[certifiedfresh]

Just read that they were now open! Can anyone in the area confirm??

[wilmagrace]

I went today to 468 McGill location, as I was passing by and just noticed the open sign on. I think it is a niche thing-- will appeal to some but not on my list for return visit. Had the small burger which was big enough, the patty is not thin which is a postive; they called my number soon after ordering and asked if I would like another patty since had an extra on grill so it was double stacked with no charge, nice gesture. I was impressed with the amount of toppings and thats where things went wrong: the fried onions and mushrooms slid off into tin foil wrapper with no way to recuperate them. The bun was so soggy it fell apart. Got really messy, but in all fairness due to amount of extras I ordered! The small fries come in a plastic cup overflowing into a paper bag splotched with oil. There were far too many and no way to order less, cashier said take them home to reheat. I tried to finish and couldnt, they were oversalted and much too oily for my taste. This is a "heavy" meal!

I liked the fact they had malt vinegar as well as regular+ ketchup in jugs and in little packages. Choice galore in this resto. The place is hyper-----loud in colours, in music, in conversation as packed. The tables with chairs were full but there were some counters with no seats for standup eating. Lots of stacks of potatoes piled up for decor and the place was hopping. Despite crowd, counter service was fast and friendly. My bill with small hamburger and fries came to $8.86 which was cheaper than the lobster roll i had at muvbox today and had a lot more food . By the way no peanuts in sight! I m still ok with my harvey hamburger all dressed + double tomato topping when crave a quick hamburger.

List of free toppings: Mayo, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, gilled onions, grilled mushrooms, ketchup, mustard (if you say all the way you get all of these first ones), relish, onions, jalapeno peppers, green peppers, A-1 steak sauce, bar-b-q sauce, hot sauce

you can have regular fries or cajun style, they also have variations on hamburger and a few sandwiches such as grilled cheese, veggie. They say on menu that burgers are 100% beef, no fillers or preservatives and they vary from 4.49 to 7.99 in price. Hours are 11 am till 22 pm.

[Werzoth]

That's too bad about the peanuts, the one in Laval has lots of peanuts! =)

[BLM]

I saw one source online, that said the new Old Montreal Five Guys Burgers location has a 60 person capacity. Does it mean it has a seating capacity for 60? When I looked in earlier this week at this Five Guys location, it seemed a very small establishment. I was there around 2pm weekday, & it wasn't busy at all(tons of Five Guys people, but almost no customers).

[eat2much]

Maybe it includes the 20 people they seem to have crammed in behind the counter?!?!?!

[foodie8]

It's very small, there were maybe 10 small round bar tables? There are are long countertops, but there were no stools. It wasn't even busy when I was there (Monday night) but we had to wait to grab a table.

[mtlmaven]

Finally went to the Vaudreuil location. It was a twenty minute trek from where I was and it was good. Would I go out of my way for it again? Probably not. The meat is indeed fresh, but I didn't love the fries (too undercooked on the inside for my taste). It was a lot of food though so I a good value to cost ratio if you're in the hood.

[CynthiaInVaudreuil]

Mtlmaven, I agree. Five Guys have been around close to a year now in Vaudreuil and even though they are only a few minutes from my house, we've only been 3 times at the very most. The fries are not good in my humble opinion. First of all, I am not a fan of skin left on potatoes. And I was very dissapointed when I saw that they left it on. The fries are really dry and not tasty at all. I like the idea of the toppings and I really want them to make it but the burgers are too expensive and just very plain. I am also a Harvey's closet lover and I guess that they are just too meaty for my tastes. The service is kind and polite but so very slow. The customers are not as drawn as they were last year and Dagwoods next door usually has more people in it. Again, this is just me... but I am not a fan. We were really looking forward to a wind of change in our area.

[Werzoth]

Personally I'm completely the opposite. I prefer fries with skin on, so much better IMHO. Not sure what you mean by dry? I'm guessing you mean they're not greasy-lumps like a lot of places, which is horrible by the way. Their fries are actually pretty tasty.

I will agree it is a bit on the expensive side but then it's pretty much the norm everywhere now for all the decent burger places. I've never had slow service. The burger takes time to cook, which is a good thing as it's actually made when ordered.

[minaguib]

The Dix30 location is finally open. I dropped by for lunch on Saturday.

The place was packed, both behind the counter and in front of it. The menu is simple but generally pricey. There are no trios. Albeit placing the order was a bit awkward, service was pretty fast.

On to the food itself. I got a cheeseburger "all dressed". The sandwich was huge and very "heavy" by Montreal standards. Its two patties were perfectly cooked and very tasty. Unfortunately, the sandwich as a whole disappointed for two reasons. 1. It was too sweet - I hd a hard time deciding whether the sweetness came from one of the sauces or one of the toppings (onions or mushrooms maybe) 2. The sheer size and blob-biness of the thing

The fries were good, albeit a bit underseasoned.

Id definitely eat there again, though I'd opt for what they call the "small" burger which seems to be more reasonably sized, and away from "all dressed" to try to get the overall taste away from sweet towards slightly salty.

[fullofwin]

Ate at the Brossard branch 2 weeks ago and it was pretty good. Been driving past (and still am) the place every day to work so I was very interested in eating here.

The meat was very good. They only serve doubles (2 meat patties) as my meat loving friend found out when trying to order it. It was juicy and tasted better than most of the hamburgers I've ate at restaurants.

The buns weren't very good in comparison to the meat. The buns weren't toasted so they became a mushy mess before I put my first bite into the burger. My brother's and friend's burger were less messy but agreed that the bun needed work.

French fries was a surprising bonus. I wasn't expecting tasty french fry but that was exactly what we got. The outside was crisp while the inside was fluffy and delicious.

The drinks, a coke is a coke. Sorry, un pepsi. Doubt they started to water down the drinks. Yet.

Price wise... I would put it to mildly expensive. I think my brother's order of burger + large fries (we were sharing it instead of buying individuals) + drink was 15$ which wasn't that bad considering I could order a burger at some restaurants for the same price without a drink... and not including tax... Its price is above a trio @ McDos or Belle Pros but then, this is a different caliber of burger.

It is definitely worth a visit but its up to individual preference whether you will like it 100%. I hope they fix the bun issue honestly.

TL;DR: Comes with 2 delicious patties, excellent fries, paid <15$, un-toasted buns quickly turns into messy soggy buns. Grab lots of napkins.

-----
Belle Pros
7737 Rue Hochelaga, Montreal, QC H1L2K4, CA

McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited
1325 Hwy Trans Canada, Dorval, QC H9S, CA

Belle Pro's
12804 Rue Sherbrooke E, Pointe-Aux-Trembles, QC H1A4Y3, CA

[BLM]

You can get a single patty burger at Five Guys. It's called a Little Hamburger. I like their burgers, but I find their fries decent but not great.

[cherylmtl]

Just wondering, because I have yet to try one of the Canadian outlets, if an order of their fries are the same size here as in the US. In the US, a large fries is really large - usually enough for 3 of us to share easily...even a small is pretty big.
Can anyone confirm if the sizes are the same here?

[BLM]

Same size of fries as US. Small fries is enough for 2 people.

[RhondaB]

Last week 2 of us thought we'd order a large fries to share. Guy behind the counter said no, order a regular. Honestly, there was enough FFs for 3 people.

[EaterBob]

The Dix-trente location will open on the 16th.

[Werzoth]

This is what they replied to me on Twitter :

We have no plans to add poutine, but we do plan to add hot dogs at some point. We just haven't found the right one yet.

[ios94]

How does 5 Guys compare to Shake Shack, anyone here tried both. We had SS in NY last month and really enjoyed their burgers. I want to know if driving to Vaudreuil is worth it. Someone mentioned O'Burger in here, I tried one last month and it was horrible, tasted like Harvey's, the kid told me it was only 60% (in that range) beef with the rest filler. Burger de Ville is fresh but the I found it lacked taste.

-----
Burger de Ville
5282 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC , CA

[maj54us]

hey watch it with your comment ;) lol
I still love my original harvey's burger!
there's also a 5 guys in Laval on des laurentides.

5 guys taste like a burger that you would cook yourself on your grill. Fresh ground beef.
I suggest that you take only 1 order of fries for 2 people it's plenty. And stack up on napkins it's a greasy burger but very good but I find it to expensive for my taste. I rather pick up a good Pakistani biryani meal or a Haitian griot meal

[SnackHappy]

Five Guys cooks their burgers on a griddle. Grilled burgers are a different animal.

[maj54us]

you're right not on an open flame so it's more like on a Georges Foreman grill ;)

[mtlmaven]

Yep! Also loves me some Harvey's burger!

[chilipepper]

Me too, closet Harvey's burger lover!

[CynthiaInVaudreuil]

Harvey's lover here!

[eurekabru]

The only thing i like at Shake Shack are the milkshakes. The fries were terrible. To me, Five Guys feels fresh and Shake Shack feels like frozen food.

Shake Shack offers vegetarian options something I feel Five Guys should definitely remedy.

At the risk of sounding sexist I'll say that Sake Shack was recommended to me by three women and Five Guys was recommended to me by men. Make of that what you will. :)

[cherylmtl]

Two completely different burgers - I love both, but it's hard to compare them. Much as I would love to have a Shake Shack here, I will happily settle for 5 Guys...but while 5 Guys are good, I wouldn't drive out to Vaudreuil for them (although I would drive there for Shake Shack...) so if you do so expecting something like Shake Shack, you may be disappointed (but then again, the fries at 5 Guys are much better...)

[ios94]

No doubt the fries at SS were nothing special but the burgers for a fast food joint and the price are very good. Hardly any filler and they claim to use organic beef. I'll check out 5 Guys, hopefully tonight, I'm in the WI so it's not too out of the way.

[maj54us]

@Werzoth: in my opinion this a bad marketing decision not to adapt to their environment.

[westaust]

i'd rather have them not serve poutine, than serve a bad one just for the sake of offering some because it's found in all burger places

[blondee_47]

I am a born and bred Montrealer and from the first time I ever ate a Poutine on my way up North I hated it and have hated poutine ever since...I know this is heresy I know this is 'our' dish...I just can't get the cheese thing; gravy all the way:)))

Before I even send it to post I know I am going to get the 'bee-geesies' kicked out of me....

[maj54us]

I don't see why? Your entitled to not like something. For myself I's a question of flavors and texture in mouth. I had great poutiner and I had really bad one with steak au poivre gravy with moza cheese. That was ouch!

Do you like mashed potatoes with gravy and cheese? Had that once and it was really good.

[ios94]

Made it out to 5 Guys in Vaudreuil on the weekend, the fries were really fresh. Their burger was alright but IMO not as good as SS. Still good to see a more real burger and real fries being served than the fake food at the usual fast food culprits.

[chickenbruiser]

all my friends who were not raised in Quebec... RAVE about poutine.... especially in the last 10 years... I don't get it.
blondee if you don't get the cheese thing try a traditional Mauricie speciality... Frites-Choux

[westaust]

In the store locator on their website is still says coming soon for Brossard and Old Montreal locations

However, Laval location should be open now
2135 Boulevard des Laurentides
Laval, QC H7M 4M2

[Erica2125]

Laval location is confirmed open. I was there today, very very tasty. A bit expensive, we paid $30 for two cheeseburgers with bacon, two regular fries and a coke, but it really was great. However, the fries portion was huge and could have easily been shared. Has anyone tried their smaller burgers? I took home a takeout menu and saw they come in two sizes, just wondering what the difference is.

[SnackHappy]

The smaller burger has one patty instead of two. Sounded like a wise choice, but since they don't adjust the quantity of toppings they use, the meat gets lost in there.

[BLM]

From what I understand, it's the Brossard location that's next to open(sometime in the spring).

[wilmagrace]

i ate at brit and chips today so walked across street to look in window of door to 5 guys and can say for sure it will be awhile, nothing going on inside just a gutted area with boxes of what appears to be flooring stacked up....the sign outside says opening soon but has been saying that for months!

[westaust]

They started the work on the McGill Location, there was a skylift outside doing some work on the exterior, windows are boarded up

[Gluttoners]

For the Brossard location, they start constructing the place. As in digging, but that is for the Dix30 part hopefully they will open soon. I'm not sure if my post is clear :T... Ask me if you have questions

[minaguib]

The Dix30 location appears to be opening soon. Their store sign is up and the interior looks like it's just short tables etc.

[celfie]

I didn't look to see if this was mentioned but a franchise is opening on Mcgill college near the awful diner in old montreal.

[BLM]

You mean on McGill street in Old Montreal? Has the location opened yet?

[celfie]

not yet

[Dusty08]

Any idea when it's opening?

[wilmagrace]

I wrote them ages ago to ask when they are opening and they sent me a rambling email yesterday to search on their site, or watch on facebook site, it might be open now as they have hours posted : 468 Rue McGill
Montreal, QB H2Y 2H4
Hours: 11am-10pm Everyday

-- here is the reply from customer service coordinator
It’s so good to hear from you and thank you for writing to Five Guys, we appreciate you taking the time to do so. We have received your inquiry asking when a store is coming and opening in your area. <Five Guys is growing rapidly across the country, and we do our best to list stores that are opening within the next few months on our website. Check it out at www.fiveguys.com
We also list on this same page locations that we do have open and operating. Using our Store Locator, you can enter your zip code and adjust the surrounding radius to up to 200 miles!
If the location your looking into is not listed or listed as coming soon, it is possible that it is too far in advance to give information at this time.
Local papers will sometimes inquire about future locations in their city, and the good thing is, we are indeed opening in many markets since just about all territories have been purchased. However, when local publications do inquire about future locations, these still may not be mentioned on the website. However, these locations will be added when more of a projected date is the works.
Unfortunately, we can rarely predict the exact date that a store will open until just a few days prior to opening, but we will do our best to open our stores as fast as possible
etc.....

[cherylmtl]

It isn't anywhere near open yet - I was just by there on Thursday, and the windows are still boarded over, little sign of anything going on...sigh...

[kpzoo]

> I wrote them ages ago to ask when they are opening

They sure use a lot of words to say, "We don't know." ;-)

[NickinMtl]

I passed in front yesterday, and work seems to be finally going fast. It looked like all that was missing was tables and chairs (even the Coke machines were installed) and some cooking equipment. For any other chain restaurant, I'd say this would mean a opening in a month max, but they've been 'opening soon' since august, so who knows?

[SnackHappy]

I suspect they have one crew going from store to store. They just finished the Brossard one, so they must have only just started building the downtown location. I guess one could extrapolate, from the opening dates of the Vaudreuil, Laval and Brossard location, when this one should open.

[EaterBob]

I've been told in about two weeks. But I will believe it when I see it.

[NickinMtl]

They seemed to be right, walked in front tonight and it seem to be ready to open... chairs and tables are inside, all of the ads and signs are up, they had a huge stockpile of charcoal. I'm guessing it's a matters of days now.

[SnackHappy]

Charcoal? I think what you saw were bags of potatoes. They put stacks of them in the front of the store. Five Guys burgers are griddled not grilled.

[NickinMtl]

I really didn't look for long or very hard and took a quick look, and it could definitely be potatoes, just looked like those huge pack of charcoal they have at Canadian Tire! They do have a lot of potatoes, as they seemed to have like a hundred of those bags!

[reelection]

So we know where the downtown and Brossard location will be, anyone know where they've chosen for Laval?

[Daiya]

Their website.ca says :
Laval
Coming Soon!
3135 Blvd des Laurentides
Laval, QC H7M 4M2

[Werzoth]

Awesome! Thanks for the info, cannot wait to have one in Laval =)

[reelection]

Wow if I've mapped that correctly, it is all the way up in Vimont. Better than nothing but at least somewhere below the 440, close to the 15 would have been more reasonable. All of these 4 locations are inconvenient for the average Montreal-island suburbanite.

But I guess the less incentive for me to go often, the better :)

[Werzoth]

The Laval location opened this week!

The address is actually 2135 and not 3135.

[Maximilien]

The store on St-Laurent (corner Maguire) was open tonight when I passed in front of it.

M.

[SnackHappy]

Are you talking about Gourmet Burger or Five Guys or something else?

[Maximilien]

I'm confused ... will check again tomorrow if I remember.

anyway, it's a burger place.

:-)

[carswell]

Methinks he's talking about Burger en ville.

[dyslexicpimp]

From what I'm reading this seems to be around the same price as O'Burger - are the 2 comparable? Wanna know if it's worth the drive out west (am in East End).

[Maximilien]

Yeah.

That's it, Burger de Ville.

[OliverB]

How does it compare to Gourmet Burger near Concordia since they seem to be following the same concept? I know it's all subjective, but which do you prefer?

[peonyprincess]

I too was first exposed to the awesomeness of Five Guys when I used to live in the DC area in 2003-4.
I nearly jumped for joy when I found out that a Montreal location was soon opening. I promptly went to the Vaudreuil location soon after it opened and ordered my usual: the double bacon cheese burger with onions, jalepenos, mushrooms, sauted onions, lettuce and BBQ sauce with an order of small fries and refillable iced tea.
It was excellent and just like I remember the burgers from 7 years ago. I hope Five Guys takes over the burger market here in Montreal and finally put McDonald's and Burger King out of business once and for all. M:brgr is overpriced and not that great, Gourmet Burger is pretty good but only one location, Buns is alright for the price you pay but they usually run out of fries, La Paryse is excellent but also only one location and out of the way in Quartier Latin. Mr. Steerburger can be overpriced too at times. Bofinger has pretty good burgers too.

I also agree if other US chains like Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Chipotle finally come to Montreal, life would indeed be complete! For a so-called foodie-city, Montreal is seriously lacking in some departments.

-----
M:brgr
2025 Rue Drummond, Montreal, QC H3G, CA

[Bagelofdeath]

I would do anything for a Chipotle! I cannot find a good overstuffed burrito anywhere.

[The Chowhound Team]

Folks, now that the local branch is open, we want to ask everyone to try to keep the discussion here focused specifically on the local branch. If you want to share experiences across the Five Guys chain, we'd ask that you please start a conversation on our Chains board (or join one of the many Five Guys conversations already in progress).

[MTLeater]

I tried Five Guys Burgers & Fries for the first time a month ago in NYC and I loved it !!! The burger was delicious and the fries were amazing !!! I agree with Evilbanana and Blondie47 about the Shake Shack and Grimaldi's......Fantastic !! Goin to the Vaudreuil location tomorrow......I hope it's as good as the NY location...

[J1836]

So when will the dix30 open? (or any other location that is closer to MTL DT area than Valleyfield)

[qcfoodi]

Look 3 posts up.

[J1836]

there are more locations coming than just McGill st one

[westaust]

Went to the newly opened Vaudreuil one today, I had a bacon cheeseburger topped with mayo, mustard, relish, ketchup, tomato, lettuce, sauteed mushroom, sauteed onions and jalapenos. Also a side of their Cajun Fries.

Burger: really good, cooked when I ordered, the 2 patties were juicy, bun tasted fresh, the nice surprise was the fresh jalapenos sliced they used, not those pickled in a can ones. Definitly a great burgers for a chain.

Fries: a big disappointement, even though they seemed like nice homemade style fries, they we’re not cooked properly, the cajun seasonning tasted nothing.

Price for the burgers, fries and a soft drink, a bit under 14$ (burger itself is 8$ before taxes)

I will definitly go again when they open an outlet closer to downtown, and I will try again their fries caused from what I’ve read, what I’ve been served isn’t what I should have got.

[Evilbanana11]

Damn I want some!

[eat2much]

Does anyone know where the Old Montreal location is and when they are planning on opening?

[Werzoth]

Would be nice to have the addresses/locations, if anyone has them. Their website is not showing it yet =/

Found this on their facebook :
Hello Vaudreuil- Dorion, Quebec!!!, I'd like to take a moment to announce that Five Guys located at: 54 Boulevard Cite-des-Jeunes, Vaudreuil-Dorion in Quebec is NOW OPEN!!!! WooHoo Quebec!!! Stop on by if you are in the area, this store is open from 11am – 10pm.

Also found this:
Also, stay tuned for downtown MTL, South Shore (DIX30) and Laval.

[BLM]

That's just off the 40 West highway?

[kpzoo]

According to Google Maps, yes.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&s...

[C70]

saw an "opening soon" banner on rue mcgill below st. jacques this morning.

[saltu]

Five Guys Burger and Frites is open in Vaudreuil. Going there tomorrow....Yeee---hawwww

[silvertint]

I just devoured one and it was everything and more than expected ... really good meat and fresh toppings. the fries are homemade cut on premise and taste fantastic. Overall Five Guys was excellent and it may just become my new favorite burger joint which is currently held by DicAnns :)

[berbatov]

On my drive to the townships this weekend I noticed one will be opening on the South Shore as part of the Dix30 complex as well. Definetely more accessible than Vaudreuil; off peak rush hours its only a 15 minute drive from Downtown. I will probably stop in to try it out once it opens

[harry in montreal]

Definetely more accessible than Vaudreuil. i totally agree. its one poorly maintained bridge or another ;) harry

[cricri7]

I have just tried one this morning on my way back from NY. I was at Laguardia airport at lunch time today and decided to see what all the fuss was about.....well....the fries are good.... I really liked them and you can tell that they are fresh. However, the burger is ordinary. You can't get dijon mustard on it. It is nice because you can take it the way you like it, they put everything you want on it but I do not see why it has become a phenomenon. I would not go out of my way in Mtl to go eat it again.

[ChewFun]

I live in the heart of Five Guys territory (Northern Virginia) and have been to the original many times. It is not good enough as a destination restaurant. It is good and the fries are pretty good. If you are nearby it is worth it. They make a pretty good burger, just not sensational.

[berbatov]

Good point, I should have mentioned : definetely more accessible as long as construction crews don't run out of asphalt in the middle of the night!!

[nooyawka]

I tried the one in NYC, and when I asked them to cook the burger medium-rare, I was told that they cook their burgers just one way, and there is no choice in the matter. At the relatively expensive price (about $7 US) that I'm paying for one of their burgers, I didn't think it was acceptable.

[harry in montreal]

i am not surprised. i also prefer them to be a little pink in the middle.

however, i am sure their insurance company is worried about another Jack In Box disaster. H

[harry in montreal]

I drove through Valleyfield yesterday and its in one of those stripmalls south of there the Transcanada runs. Its in the one with the Scores and Dagwoods. its a shocking sight. i just cannot see it catching-on there. they should have opened in DDO. harry

[reelection]

Is it open? If not, does it say when?

[harry in montreal]

it did not say... but i understood that jul 24th was their objective. great news about the south shore location too. harry

[C70]

I think they're opening much too far away and foresee failure.

[ChewFun]

5 Guys makes a decent burger. If it opens, try the little hamburger as it is only one patty. They make everything to order and have a sizeable list of add ons. You get a ton of fries, enough for two people to share. It is not the end all be all of burgers, but it is a nice little Virginia-based chain. Now if you could get a Ray's Hell Burger, you would be in the money.

[Ghostquatre]

yep

[reelection]

Nice! Let's get a Popeye's Chicken like Toronto too!

[shopgirl]

Wow...I'm surprised at the positive posts. Okay, it's not McDonalds, but honestly, I think of Montreal as such a foodie destination...I can't imagine anyone wanting a Five Guys there. You guys really must love burgers!!

[lagatta]

One can love burgers or any other food without wanting the arrival of homogenous corporate chains that make us like any anglo-North American place. Nope. I'm sure there are plenty of fine burgers to be found hereabouts. I just mentioned one, but there are tonnes of others.

Bison burgers without a ridiculous markup would be nice.

[mak2k]

well foodies can also like fast food too! Once in a while, a little guilty pleasure won't hurt

[The Chemist]

Agreed. I would prefer if it didn't come as it will likely squeeze out some unique locally owned places.

[SnackHappy]

Nobody in Montreal is doing what Five Guys is doing. I'm no fan of chains, but the burgers in Montreal mostly suck and nobody seems to know what a good burger looks like. If anything Five Guys will raise the standard of fast-food burgers in Montreal. If that puts a few posers out of business, well, that's just a perk.

[EaterBob]

SnackHappy, have you tried the burgers at Lawrence? Brasserie T!? Nouveau Palais? Pataterie Philippe? Tous les jours? They're all very good.

[cherylmtl]

EaterBob, They might all be good, but do they offer pickled jalapenos on their burgers? (I can hardly wait for the place to finally open...)

[westaust]

When I went it was not pickled jalapeño but fresh jalapeño slices

[SnackHappy]

EaterBob, I haven't been to any of those, but Philippe and Tous Les Jours are on my to-do list. My favourite local burger is from Dilallo. Grégoire in Mercier makes another one of my favourites. I don't really go for luxury burgers. They tend to be more about the toppings and sides than the actual burger part.

[EaterBob]

cherylmtl: No pickled jalapeños. If you want those, try Burger de Ville. But they're all better than Five Guys.

SnackHappy: Which Dilallo?

[rich51]

basically the burger was near dead for 30 years (most of my adult life) because no one would bother to compete with mcd's- chain or restaurant. now that it has been proved that ppl will pay and wait more too for a good burger places are popping up everywheres, 5 guys is good, not great, but at least it shows what can be done reasonably well and also makes the small joints realize that if they make it well ppl. will come

[Evilbanana11]

OMFG please let this be true. Montreal fast food needs a serious boost. Now all I need is an In N out burger, a Rascal's chicken and waffles and a Chipotle.

[blondee_47]

Evilbanana11, I had to laugh at your excitement because i feel exactly the same way and would go one step further if I knew The Shake Shack were coming too.

[Evilbanana11]

Ahhh.. a fast food aficionado. A Shake shack would be a dream come true. What we also need is a good pizza place which is sorely lacking here. Grimaldi's please..

[michaelmas]

even a mediocre slice joint like you'd find at Penn Station would be better than any of the pizza they dish up here.

And a Shake Shack - especially in a park - would be a dream come true.

[unlaced]

oh a Shake Shack would be wonderful - not just for the burgers but also for the frozen custard.... they would make a killing on a day like today, surely!

[OliverB]

So does this fall more in line with places like Gourmet Burger and Picks or is it a chain counter joint like like A&W? How is it comparable to say Dillalos or the ultimate litmus test, In N Out?

[FrenchPeach]

What's the deal with "We serve peanuts in bulk"?

[stephlovestoeat]

When you walk into a Five guys location, you order your burger, fries whatever. While its being prepared, they have boxes of peanuts in the shell around the restaurant that you can eat while you wait.

[wattacetti]

I guess you're happier than I am - I've had their burgers during my travels in the US and while they concentrate on those, I wouldn't say that they're the second coming. Better than larger chains yes.

Can't see them putting poutine on the menu unless the franchise rules allow for some flexibility in individual restaurant menus.

[stephlovestoeat]

When we lived in the DC area, I thought Five Guys was great. However, they have expanded like crazy over the last few years and friends in the DC area are saying its not as good as it used to be. That said, I'll give them a try. In the US stores, the have peanuts in the shell to eat while you wait for your food. I always thought that was fun. And I would not say its expensive, its not MBrgr for sure.

[harry in montreal]

funny, i tried it first in Georgetown as well !

its too bad that its so far from the west-end. this location choice makes no sense at all. the west-island should have better brand recognition.

i think i better watch my use of the term "expensive" around here. i was just implying it should be around twice the price of a mcD's trio. my last 5 guys burger/fry/drink was about $9.50 in charlotte.

Harry

[westaust]

There is a posting on craigslist dating june 24th saying they are hiring
http://montreal.en.craigslist.ca/fbh/1808845826.html

And from the website http://www.fiveguys.ca/ they are coming to canada, through unusal channels i must say, quebec, saskatchewan and manitoba

This is good news, although Vaudreuil is a bit far from downtown

[mainsqueeze]

What's the draw of Five Guys? I've heard of it, but only vaguely.

[harry in montreal]

Its both expensive and very good. you will have to go to really experience it. huge burgers. very fresh. very good fries. its a good concept - very fresh. you wont leave the place thinking that they have not tried to make a great burger. definitely worth trying out. i wonder if they will have a poutine on the menu. that's going to be their biggest issue. h

[mak2k]

how would you define expensive? m:brg expensive (ie 20 bucks a burger) or more on the line of 5 to 6$ a burger?

[MISTER_C]

mbrgr is the biggest ripoff......their burgers are small and grossly overpriced and they gouge you shamelessly for every topping. I am surprised they don't charge extra for ketchup. They refuse to cook it the way I like...I like my burgers to be juicy....not burnt like they insist on doing whether you like it or not. Noisy pretentious atmosphere...I wanted to like the place...used to play softball with one of the owners....but I never went back a second time.

$20 for a burger....hell, for $3 more, I can get a delicious baseball sirloin cut steak at THE KEG with all the trimmings.....

I am always looking for a great burger joint....hope this FIVE GUYS BURGERS is nothing at all like mbrgr and that they offer fair value...

[westaust]

in the US it's 5-6$ a burger + 2-3$ for fries, definitly not what i would call expensive

[lagatta]

Som local non-chain places do very good burgers at that price range. I'm just taking Terrasse Lafayette as an example as we go there often (since it caters to different likes and appetites and is around the corner from a friend's house):

TERRASS LAFAYETTE HAMBURGERS
Hamburger "Super Lafayette" 6.30
Cheeseburger "Super Lafayette" 6.80
Pain maison, 10oz de boeuf haché sur charbon, bacon, oignons, tomates, laitue et sauce maison.
Home-made bread, char-broiled 10oz ground beef, bacon, onions, tomaotes, lettuce and home made sauce.

Thas is a nice big burger, with lots of trimmings.

[harry in montreal]

its fast food right? you wait in line. its given to you in a paper bag. i consider cheap to be burger king for a $6 trio. 5 guys should come in at $10-11 for a similar burger, fry and a drink. so its twice the price. much better quality. is it expensive? no. however its likely going to be twice the cost of their competition like mcD's and lafleurs.
FYI: i also dont consider my $7k rolex to be expensive watch either. defining expensive is all about comparables. :) Harry

[MISTER_C]

Burger King and McD's burgers are comparible to dog food...I wouldn't eat at eirher of those places if you were paying.

If FIVE GUYS serves up a huge fresh burger for $5-6...I will be a regular customer.

Best value I can suggest right now is BURGER DE VILLE. They serve a wonderful tasty burger for $4 with plenty of free toppings. Take that mbrgr!!!!!

Where is TERRASSE LAFAYETTE? I would like to try it.

[Maximilien]

Terrasse Lafayette is a "greek-ish" BYOB on Villeneuve corner jeanne-mance.

[lagatta]

Oh, it is definitely Greek in terms of its ownership, doing everything from fried calamari and skewers to overdressed pizzas, decent salads and ... burgers. Homemade, nothing like the huge chains with their burgers made of god knows what. www.terrasselafayette.com

[Querencia]

Why are we even talking about hamburgers when Five Guys' french fried potatoes are astronomical. And they dump a huge extra scoopful of them into your bag right on top of everything. You will have enough potatoes to take home and add to your egg tomorrow morning for breakfast. They make them from real Idaho potatoes that are piled up all over FG in big 100-pound sacks. This place is a potato lover's dream.