Rosie's Burgers

Rosie’s Burgers is often mentioned in conversations about Toronto’s best smash burgers, so I decided to give it another try—this being my second visit, nearly three years apart. My first experience was memorable for one reason: the burger was so unmemorable. Sadly, this second visit left me with the same impression. If anything, Rosie’s is consistent—consistently underwhelming. That being said, I’ll give credit where it’s due. Rosie’s gets several elements right. The pickles are flavorful, the shredded iceberg lettuce adds a crisp, fresh texture (in my opinion, the best choice for smash burgers), and the bun—which I believe to be a toasted potato bun—offers a soft yet sturdy base. These ingredients certainly help elevate a burger. However, they are just supporting players. What truly makes or breaks a smash burger is the patty, the seasoning, and the sauce, and this is where Rosie’s struggles. The beef patty is bland and underseasoned. While the smashing technique itself is solid, yielding a decent crust and reasonable juiciness, the flavor just isn’t there. A smash burger is meant to pack a punch with bold, beefy flavors, but this patty lacks depth. Perhaps a fattier beef blend or simply a heavier hand with the salt could go a long way in addressing this issue. The sauce, unfortunately, doesn’t save the burger either. It tastes like a generic mix of mayo and ketchup, with possibly a hint of mustard or other spices, though it’s difficult to tell. Regardless, it’s forgettable and lacks the tang or complexity that a good burger sauce should bring to the table. In summary, Rosie’s Burgers gets a 3.5/5 —it’s perfectly passable. If you’re in the area and craving a burger, it’ll do. But it’s not a place I’d go out of my way to visit, and it certainly doesn’t deserve to be in the conversation for the best burgers in Toronto. To truly earn its spot in that discussion, Rosie’s needs to focus on the fundamentals: a more flavorful patty and a standout sauce. Until then, it’s just another burger joint.

December 13, 2024 on Google

I wish the burger had a charcoal taste to it. It fell flat for me! The burger was crispy, slightly warm but fresh and the bun was super soft. The fries were basic, slightly oily since its crinkle cut, nothing to rave about and wouldn’t get them again. I love banana desserts but found the banana pudding too sweet. Felt like the base was used with overripe bananas. (Could be wrong) Note: No washrooms at this spot.

December 8, 2024 on Google

Got the classic chicken sandwich with fries and a banana pudding. The chicken was crispy but kind of bland and nothing special. The fries were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. But the banana pudding was otherworldly. Simply fantastic. Burger Drops and Happy Burger have good banana puddings, but this is unreal.

October 2, 2024 on Google

The food was delicious but nothing very special about the flavour. But it definitely was a good meal. The fries in the poutine was pretty great and the gravy was decent. The spicy chicken sandwich wasn’t spicy at all which was truly disappointing.

September 25, 2024 on Google

I went to the Queen street location to finally try out Rosie’s and the burger did not disappoint. I got the single bacon cheeseburger with onion rings and it was delicious. The bacon stayed crispy throughout the meal and the onion rings were big and crunchy. But the showstopper was the half pint of Dad’s banana pudding- I couldn’t believe how good it was! I live uptown so it was a pain to get down there but I will be going back just to get another taste of the pudding!!

September 14, 2024 on Google

Burger: Nothing too special about the burger. Price is decent. Nothing that screams wow but it does the job. Pudding: 100% highly recommend. Perfect balance between sweetness and flavour. I would just get a full pint as you'll be craving more. The only reason this place is getting 5 stars is because of the pudding. Note - there isn't a washroom here. Run into Winners/Loblaws across the light of you have to go.

August 26, 2024 on Google

This popular local burger joint lives up to the hype! I highly recommend you come here if you like smash burgers and crispy onion rings. I got the Rosie (double) which included cheese and other toppings. I also got frings which was a combination of onion rings and fries. The burger patties were perfectly cooked and had a nice sear on the edges. Of course, I had to try the famous banana pudding as well. This is something I will definitely order again. I love the generous amount of cookie crumbs in it. The half pint is enough for two people to share. My main complaint with this location is that it was extremely hot inside. It took 10 minutes for my food to be prepared and the whole time I was suffering from the heat. Prices are a little bit high but this is elevated fast food so I guess it's justified.

July 5, 2024 on Google

Absolutely fantastic burger. Probably top 3 in the city. Great flavour but the patties could be a little crisper. Toppings were fresh and well proportioned. Better priced than many of the other burger spots. Limited seating so you probably won't find seats during a busy time. A bit loud inside, they really should turn the music down a bit. The window seats are nice for people watching.

July 4, 2024 on Google