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    Montreal Restaurants & Dining

    9 replies

    m : brgr

    Robin des Bois can’t be the only restaurant in Montreal cashing in on the feel-good, eat-for-charity idea. Although they were the pioneers it was only a matter of time before somebody ripped off the idea. The capitalizing m:brgr “is proud to donate a portion of all sales to Montreal Children’s Charities.” I’m sure the plan is to file some fancy taxes during tax time, but the sentiment is still sugar sweet. The strategy almost makes diners feel less guilty about what they’re eating because they know they’re eating for a cause. Dirty, dirty psychological tricks.



    Motivations aside, the menu at m:brgr is a lot of fun. The owners of Moishe’s Steakhouse have put their talents to the test at the new burger joint. Burger choices include the AAA cut ($8.75), the organic patty ($12), the Kobe cut ($19.75), tuna ($17.75) and the juicy veggie burger ($9.95). Once you order your patty, there is a long list of gourmet toppings to add on if the mood strikes. Luxe choices include smoked gouda ($1.50), apple-wood bacon ($2) and black truffle carpaccio ($10).

    posted by MBO 260 days ago
    1

    Expensive burgers and soggy fries. Service was also very slow. I don't mind being charged a little more if some money goes to charity, but please, don't give me quality that is below standards.

    Atmosphere and decor is all the place has going for it.

    posted by ayokayo 257 days ago
    2

    I knew it was too good to be true. All the rave reviews, the delicious-sounding food. I can only imagine that Moishe's paid off a few critics with free meals and the rest of m:brgr's guests were having their first non-Nickel's dining experience.

    Although the restaurant's design is quite nice (enlarged 'lodge'-like photos, wooden accents), the atmosphere is worse than Buona Notte after midnight (horrible music, fading trophy wives with poufy ironed hair and their nasal, spoiled daughters, overly loud men who are sure everyone else will be impressed by their business conversations if they can only hear every word of them).

    The wait and bar staff are nice but dim, for the most part. A few have that rude 'We're packed, you're lucky to be eating here' attitude that comes with early success... and fades as the place fails, which it will. This is Montreal, after all.

    The food? Well, after a few overpriced drinks and 50 minutes, my date and I decided we were only willing to wait so long for burgers and fries. Some of the food looked good, but not the $45/person we were planning on spending-good. We got up and left, and went to the Plateau for a cheaper, better dinner in a restaurant that-- lo and behold! -- had no background music. Just the sound of friendly conversation. And not a bad dye job or an ugly, overpriced designer bag in the place.

    The only positive things I can say about m:brgr:
    1. It's better than the restaurant that was in that space, previously. But that was an abortion of a place that served horrid kacher lunch specials that made my whole table sick.
    2. The description of the mac and cheese was appealing. But not appealing enough to get me back there.

    posted by Heather 252 days ago
    3

    The first reveiw is quite amusing since m:brgr is nowhere near a "supper club" and does not transform into party mode at midnight. The kitchen closes at midnight. As for waiting for a table: if there are no tables that are unoccupied where do you expect to be seated? If you were having a meal would you want to be rushed out of your table? It's your choice to wait or not. I have returned numerous times and each time have enjoyed great food and great service. In regards to the slow service This place has only been opened for three weeks and I doubt any new restaurant has super fast service right away. The comments about the percentage thats donated to charity: if you read the article in the Gazette you would understand the meaning behind it, don't be so quick to bad mouth.

    posted by MtlGirl 252 days ago
    4

    In response to Heather's review: You sound excessively bitter about your whole experience. I think people forget that it is their choice to wait for a table or not. If there were an empty table don't you think that they would have seated you and not made you wait?? There is a menu clearly posted outside, if you looked at it you knew the prices so why complain? This place is so far from Buona Notte and if you gave up waiting there is no way you were there at midnight to see what the atmosphere was like. This is a restaurant, not a club. I travel to Montreal often and have eaten here twice and both times enjoyed the whole experience. I have only heard good things about this place, but I guess you can't please everyone. If the place is always packed then I guess they are doing something right, but maybe somewhere like nickles is more suited to you if you can't bare to wait for a table or dish out a few extra bucks for good food.

    posted by Foodie 251 days ago
    5

    After reading about this place in the paper, thought I would give it a try for lunch. Decor is cute, minimal wait for a table, and menu is extensive.

    However, value for money is just not there...the hamburger was rare which should never be allowed in any restaurant these days and I've had much better and bigger burgers. Fries were good and the 1oz of diet coke I got with my glass of ice lasted one sip.

    The server decided to stack another tables plates with ours to make a tower of plates and bowls - how very acrobatic of him - but really not impressive even in a "burger joint."

    Overall...staff need more training and prices way to high. Interesting to try but I won't return.

    posted by Runningchick 246 days ago
    6

    My personal quest is to find the best pizza and best burger anywhere...
    M:brgr is neither....
    My business partner went there for lunch with the hop of having a really
    great burger.
    We both ordered the AAA and asked for medium rare only to be informed that
    they only offer the burgers medium well-done.... I was flabbergasted and wondered if I
    was in LA where burnt burgers are the law.
    In shock I wondered if they served the Kobe burger that way and was told
    medium well as well ... ... aghast ... we waited for our burgers to arrive
    which they quickly did only to discover that they were well-done ... very well done
    and I wouldnt have been surprised if they were from the previous day they were so dry....
    The staff was running around and didnt really seem to care......
    I dont think I will be going back there again and dont recommend it, obviously....

    posted by Doo Dad 234 days ago
    7

    A delicious rip-off. Waaaay over-priced for a backyard bbq caliber burger. Who would of thought Kobe beef tastes exactly like the extra lean ground beef I buy at IGA. And let's not forget the 'enthusiastic' service for which I had to seriously consider leaving no tip.

    Went there for the experience, despite the negative things I'd heard, and won't be going back any time soon. Like the concept, great ambience, but f*** give us some fries on the side ... really how much would a frickin' potato cost you!!!






    posted by Mr. Southside 176 days ago
    8

    overpriced, under-staffed, very noisy and just satisfactory food.

    posted by susan k 71 days ago
    9

    Burgers has been my meal of choice for as long as I can remember, yes I do enjoy a Ricotta Cavatelli & Summer Truffle or a Dry Aged Sirloin Steak with Bordelaise Sauce but my last meal would definitely be a Hamburger stuffed with Foie Gras & Winter Truffles from “DB Bistro” in New York followed by a Cheese Burger with all the fixings for Dessert from "Le Tub" in Hollywood, Fla. Unfortunately I live in Montreal where you can find a lot of good burger joints but none that are truly great at least not any more, we did have at one time, a spot in Old Montreal called "il était une fois" where you needed two hands just to pick up the burger and a mouth that could open like a garage door if you wanted to take a bite but it closed about ten years ago. Today I'd have to make it myself so when I heard a few months ago about a new restaurant that opened in Montreal called "M Burger"; I must admit I was pretty excited to hear that we're finally getting a high end burger joint in Montreal. I was told that the "M" was reference to "Moishe's Steak House" one of Montreal's top steak house's which I highly recommend. Well I haven't seen any of the paper work but I'm told they’re involved and I think today if Moishe was alive and he ate at "M Burger" he'd probably just want to shoot himself in the face.

    Located in heart of the city, the restaurant is decorated with fancy bottles of alcohol and clever colors to distract you from all the cheap construction & finishing’s, it's supposed to be a new restaurant but the place seems so dirty and is ageing at such an alarming rate like a street whore with a crack addiction and the loud music playing in the background. I think only deaf people can really appreciate, it was so loud I could hardly hear my son talking to me from across the table but the best part was the burger, OMG it was the worst burger I've ever eaten in my life and I've eaten a lot of burgers, it was not even worth my time to sit there and eat it. I was so upset all day that I could not believe how bad a burger can be, it tasted like they mixed into the "AAA" Beef sewer rat and dirty tampons with a healthy dose of salt and then cooked it for two or maybe three days. The slow service didn't make things any better. I wanted to shoot myself in the face for making such a stupid mistake; I had such an awful taste in my mouth all afternoon it was like I ate the asshole off a skunk. When we left the restaurant my son told me "dad, calm done no one forced you to come here" and I told him "I know but no one warned me either". So you have been warned, but you don't have to take my word for it just don't go and shoot yourself in the face after words for not listening.


    Hamburger Aficionado
    Scott Miller

    posted by scott miller 62 days ago

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