If you need a new go-to-destination for your next burger bonanza, consider the delectable Burger Royal. Located on St. Laurent between Roy and St. Cuthbert, this lesser-known joint serves up succulent burgers with imaginative toppings. Since their opening in December 2012, the owners have vowed to produce quality products using only in-season Quebec-grown ingredients and freshly ground meat.
At Burger Royal, no small detail is overlooked. The restaurant has a casual atmosphere with hand-painted, silly, burger-themed graffiti covering the walls. The servers are friendly, inviting, and eager to accommodate requests and answer any questions. The owners strive to maintain a mom-and-pop feeling, encouraging others to enjoy their delicious food.
There is a burger for everyone on this menu—including beef, chicken, and vegetarian options, which you then customize from an extensive selection of toppings. These include traditional toppings like lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle, but also more intriguing options such as spicy mayo, guacamole, jalapeños, peanut butter, and cheese curds.
Burger Royal has also created specialty burgers that regulars rave about. The Mac Attack Burger is topped with mac and cheese, bacon, and ketchup. For poutine lovers, there is a Royal Poutine Burger. For those looking for even more decadence, there is a Foie Gras Burger—a burger stuffed with goose-liver pâté, and served with melted Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and Dr. Pepper BBQ house sauce. Finally, there is an off-menu meat-lover’s burger loaded with hot dogs, chili, foie gras, and bacon—a secret furtively divulged to me by my waiter.
My personal choice was the relatively simple Classic Royal Burger with sharp cheddar cheese, spicy mayonnaise, and ketchup. The burger consists of a well-toasted sesame seed bun with one beef burger stacked below a large, ripe tomato slice, crisp lettuce leaves, and red onions. It is the perfect amount of bread so as not to overwhelm the burger flavour. Just from the appearance of my burger I expected a delicious first bite; when I did dive in, I wasn’t disappointed. Juices began to run down my hands and wrists—a sure sign of a respectable burger. I also ordered French fries, which were thinly cut and fried to a perfect level of crispiness. You can choose to accompany the fries with homemade dipping sauces, such as honey mustard and mayonnaise.
It is important to note that, aside from burgers, there are many other tempting items on the menu at Burger Royal. There is chili packed with red kidney beans to which you can add extra toppings like the house-made cheese sauce. Additionally, the creative genius of this burger joint has turned out various playful milkshakes made with milk flavoured by favourite childhood breakfast cereals including Captain Crunch, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, or Fruit Loops; many people come in just for these shakes.
Burger Royal is far from the traditional burger place, offering unbeatable fresh meat, wildly creative toppings, and an overall enticingly delicious meal. This hidden gem offers a tempting burger at a reasonable price, and, fortunately for students, they deliver too. Their own slogan sums up the experience perfectly: Natural. Simple. Delicious.
