Review The Works Craft Burgers & Beer - Ottawa

Had the most amazing lunch at Works today! They have a huge menu selection and you can pick the patty, toppings, buns and sides of your choice. We had The Hipster and the Getting Piggy with it and both were delicious. Sheri was wonderful too and had great recommendations! 😃 All in all, a good place for a great meal and some top notch service! Totally recommend checking it out.

This was our favorite restaurant, to a point we used to eat there twice a day sometimes (lunch and dinner). It’s been 2 years we didn’t go and today we decided to go again, but the quality has went down a lot. The Patties were very dry, the onion rings and fries were fried in a very old oil. The buns were cold on the burger. The food was not good like it used to be. I don’t think I would go again. Our waiter was nice.

Had a great meal on Saturday, June 25th. My husband asked for extra pickles, and not only did he get a huge pile on the side, the chef placed pickles in the shape of a W on his burger. Waitress was great, too.

i ordered the taste of heaven burger and added lettuce, tomatoes and raw onions. Upon arriving home with our takeout I had to restack my burger because it looked like they just threw everything on without a care. I expect this from mcdonalds but not the works. Very sloppy. Pretty disappointed. Who makes a burger like that?

I ordered the hipster takeout for dinner tonight. Upon getting home, we see that the onion rings are burnt (tasted charred) and the hipster burger should have more than 3 tiny pieces of oxidized avocado. I order from here all the time but I am very disappointed with my order today.

We have been a multi-year, frequent (every Friday) customer of the works. They charge top dollar for the burgers and top dollar for their sides. You can't get $20 for a burger and serve a low-end side dish. Normally, the Works serves onion rings are big and golden. Tonight, they were a little shriveled, dark, dry things. When I called to let them know (and I was clear that I was not asking for anything nor was I asking for a refund), I was told that they were having supply issues and thanks for my feedback. I felt entirely brushed off. No "sorry about that" or anything beyond that it was default in their supplier. Yet we still paid top dollar.... Had the response been slightly empathetic and/or apologetic, I wouldn't have posted this review. Edit: August 2, 2021. I did speak to the manager and he did say that he would pass along the message to staff to at least apologize in the event of a sub-standard meal. I appreciate it and we have already been back with double our usual order as it was a friend's birthday. We stayed away from the rings for now. Let's hope their supplier comes back.

This review was done by my 8 year old son, on his birthday. "This restaurant is the best! Their burgers are great, especially with chocolate and nuttella." "The shakes are delicious and the poutine is really good" "I've already asked my mom when we can come back!"

Love the burgers, only wish the fries were a little better. Prices went up a little because of covid-19 but that was to be expected. Overall no complaints except the fries.

Love the burgers... They are the best... Have had many times... although didn't find the waiter very friendly.... Have had much better experience in the past....also the place smelled a little weird...

Must be new cook staff - no added toppings, undercooked die cut chips. My friend ordered chicken breast (wasn't butterfly cut as requested) no mayo came and the gluten-free bun was cold and crumbled instantly - don't your cooks know you need to warm up most gf buns to give them a bit of strength no to mention cold buns suck in any situation. He paid so I don't have the receipt to fill out online. I have to admit Kelseys, Jack Astors and now World Burger ALL have better burgers than The Works :( even your beef has more "chunks" and "gristly" bits in them - cheaper cuts of beef I assume? The Works was my go-to favorite place - I went there almost every week for over a year at one point - now it's only if someone else asks to go or if I'm right there in the mall for something else. Oh well.

Great burgers and the service is the best around! The waitress we had was very attentive and quick with our orders!....awesome!

Great Staff, which meant Great Service and Best Works meal yet. This is the 4th one I have been to,they were all good,but this one was the best.

The service was wonderful. Fast efficient and constantly available if we needed anything. The food was the best

Friendly staff, never a super long wait when we're there, burgers are always delicious, our orders are always correct, the tables and restrooms are always clean, the music is always awesome, and they always have great deals going on. I'll keep going back as long as The Works exists. ^_^

Un lugar comodo, intimo y muy agradable con una muy variada variedad de hamburguesas, una muy buena opcion de cervezas en lo personal recomiendo: 8th sin dark lager. La calidad y la atencion son muy buenas.

Love going to this location. Mel is an extraordinary server. Always recommending something great to try and making sure we are satisfied. Can always count on the food being exceptional!!' Definitely were impressed again! Thanks again The Works crew!!!

I think that the burger was great but too expensive for lunch. $50 is way too much for two burgers (delicious ones mind you) two orders of onion rings, two dipping sauces, two soft drinks and two coffee.

If I could give a zero I would was told we we would be accommodated then when we arrived was told they could not and just terrible customer service from the manager went to Kelsey's nearby superb service and food.

Great meal, excellent service, and the cost was reasonable as well! Thanks for a lovely dinner!!

Had the new Loaded Lucy stuffed burger and my hubby had the Burgeroni one last Friday. Excellent and recommend people try them.

Staff were friendly, food was fabulous. Two thumbs up 🖒🖒

I am from Calgary, Alberta, and whenever I visit my family here in Ottawa I insist that we have at least one meal at your location in Barrhaven. The food is always excellent, and your staff are always pleasant and efficient, whether at noon or in the evening. I just wish that The Works would open a Bistro in Calgary, the beef capital of the world. Keep up the good work, guys ! I will be back next year ! Now, where can I post some pictures? George Woodings.

Great service and delicious food every single time. Best veggie burgers in the city.

Awesome

I have had only mediocre experiences at The Works, but as it had been several years, I thought I would try it again (although first visit at Barrhaven location). Apart from the friendly and well meaning staff, the rest of the experience was awful. Our server was “in training.” She was not being supervised, did not know the menu, and was half asleep. 20 minutes to get drinks. 40 minutes to get our meals, which were first delivered to another table. We watched as our meals were handled by other customers, removed, buns changed, then delivered to us. YUCK! Mine consisted of a small, shrivelled, dry piece of chicken on a massive bun. My partner’s was a tiny, overcooked beef patty on the wrong bun. So 2 handled, overcooked burgers and a drink for $50. Never going back.

Typical works atmosphere and menu. They do have gluten free buns 👍. Not impressed that must subscribe to mailing list to use wifi. What happened to CASL?

Truly an amazing experience. For first timers the hostess did an amazing job fully explaining the menu to us. The customer service was amazing. The food was also amazing. Fast and delicious. It is so hard to decide what to order given so many options! I had the down under elk burger. AMAZING

Nice variety of burgers and the people are courteous. Some of the best burgers overall not to forget about the tower of onion rings. The beer variety is okay but an expansion would be good.

This location does the works justice. The Works is an amazing burger joint. The variety, the vegetarian option and the great beers and apps make this a standard for me. At this particular location the food has been cooked perfectly and the wait staff is very pleasant and helpful.

Popular suburban location of the Burger restaurant that got its start in Ottawa. Serving a wide variety of in house made burgers and popular side dishes such as poutine and french fries, this location, like the others in the city, packs them in every night. <br/><br/>Worth trying if you are looking for a large hamburger and a fun family friendly atmosphere. Friendly and accommodating service and a convenient location.

Nothing beats the Works. I leave extremely satisfied and full. I get value for my money. I get real meat, no fillers and that's very important for me. Love the staff and always end up at the Works when I'm hungry. It gets the job done !

I actually come here all the time and I've never never had a problem. I love The Works in general, never had a problem at any of the Ottawa locations. I'm really surprised at the poor reviews for the Barrhaven location. It's expensive, yes, but it's so worth it and ya it's 20 min wait because they have to thoroughly cook the thick meat patty. They always have good service and good food. Cheaper lunch menu if you want!

Not like it use to be. T.... Not like it use to be. <br/><br/>The burgers are smaller, with less toppings. I use to have a hard time finishing one. That's not a problem now. We were a family of 4 came to $67 for 4 burgers, tower of rings, and pop. Too expensive for what you now get.

Doesn't work for me. I've been at this location several times, largely because its the only place in Farrhaven that my wife can get a burger with brie and pear (of a sort), and get a fix of their fries and edible oil-product dipping sauces. However I am consistently disappointed. On getting seated we usually get a song and dance routine explaining that the burgers will take a good while - ostensibly a sign of the ultimate freshness of products and incredible intricacy of the process - but my take, probably a little jaded, is that they are intentionally understaffed, and the extra $ bonus for them is the delay improves their chances of selling high-margin appetizers and liquor. And it works without a doubt. Good for them. However, they could probably sub out a scantily/tight-clad hoe-stess for an extra body in front of the damn the grill flippin the ground round. And for all the fuss they make over the beef in their marketing materials, its always been fairly dry and bland, with none of the flavours one would expect for supposedly fresh beef, hand made with flame grilling. Nothing special about the buns, fries, nor in the quality and flavour of most of the toppings. I tend towards medittteranean toppings, and discovered just a few bland, brine-washed canned olive slices thrown over a light smattering of milky feta (come on!!). Most toppings, especially the money-toppings, are skimpy in amount. Really you end up essentially paying for having the huge novelty range of burgers available on the densely-packed menu, and not for what comes on the plate (actually, on the novelty baking dish serving platter). However the mash potato side is a nice option, and admittedly there's a certain amount of "fun" in selecting from the burger range and trying different topping combos (its what they are counting on), but if you actually want a really good flavourful "gourmet" burger, you'll have to look elsewhere. If you thrill at the thought of a menu with references to Rick Campenelli and Avril Lavigne, this is definately up your alley though.

Bad. We just ate at The Works Barrahven today. It was a very disappointing experience. I don't mind paying $15 for a burger and fries (if the food is good), but the burger was overdone, and really dry. The bun was cold and stale. Won't ever go back.

Not as original as the others.. Well, before the Barrhaven one opened I always went to the one in Glebe! it's so much more amazing!! But when the Barrhaven one was opening I was SO excited! that I don't have to drive down far for my fav burgers! But I was disappointed because the patties here are SO BLAND! no flavour at all! they're sometimes over cooked or undercooked been there twice. Never going to this one ever! BACK TO THE GLEBE! but the service is amazing! its just the burgers. Also no big deal on the price for me. But, for some it might be over priced! Me and my family spent 100+ on 4 burgers and some sides and milkshakes.

Bad service and plain food... Although the menu may give the impression that there are a lot of options to choose from. It's the toppings that are different.. I've had many different burgers and meat variations at the works and to be honest. The burger meat itself is very bland. No taste. Just meat. Toppings. And a bun. I would much rather go to BOM or even 5 guys

Great Food. The food here is always good, as far as I'm concerned. It does take a while, but the wait is worth it because you know you're getting it freshly prepared. My fiancee is a vegetarian, and the sheer number of options dwarfs the usual selection at other restaurants. Granted, it can get expensive, as you usually want to order a milkshake or other drink, and a starter to make up for the wait. And I would have to recommend avoiding the portobello cap burger, but that might just be my own personal taste. The beef, chicken, and turkey are fantastic though.<br/><br/>If you're in the mood for a burger, and don't mind paying and waiting for it, then The Works is your place.

Better this time. Been here a few times.When I go there I always tried to get a different burger. The burger was really good and perfectly done,cooked trough and still juicy. Really like the bold slaw and my companion really likes the place.People are nice and the service is always good but why did they dump Steam Whistle draught ??

This place is way over priced and way over rated. the 3 tinmes i have gone there i have had to wait 25 minutes for a burger. that is way too long in my opinion. i do like that they have so many options to choose form by really there are so many on there that probably never even get ordered at all

Great burgers when cooked properly but still very expensive for a burger if you are going as a family.. Our family visits The Works regularly at the Barrhaven location and we do love the burgers. Unfortunately it can be hit and miss as to whether they are cooked well enough. I like mine well done so I do request this. They cook them to a standard temp. But have on occasion had a burger arrive that has been very undercooked and has had to be sent back. This was not only undercooked to our liking but also to what is safe. When it is completely red in the middle it is not safe in my books because it is hamburger meat and not sirloin. The staff is usually very gracious and accommodating and the food is usually very good. My kids usually eat all their burgers and for my kids that is impressive in itself. My daughter lose their milkshakes as do I. We also love the die cut chips which the beachouse dressing. The diecut fries are usually very good but again depending on the night and the cook some nights are better than others but that seems to be the case with a lot of restaurants that have different cooks working different nights. All in all the restaurant is a great place for a deluxe or as I would call it fancy burger butit does come at a cost. A family of four will usually run you with 2 kids and lets say 1 shake and one reg. pop(no alcohol) about $70 -$75 with tax and tip. This is about average but again it is just burgers and not ribs or fajitas. Next time u are having a craving for a great burger and McDonalds just won't cut it try checking out The Works just make sure it is before 8:15 because they close at 9 and some don't like people coming in after that time. Enjoy!!!!

Never Returning. It took almost an hour to get the burgers to the table, the portions were tiny (small hand full of fries and tiny squished burgers, and mostly everything at the table was burnt). I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a completely black chicken quesadilla served to my father...how any server or cook could consider that acceptable is beyond me?!? We returned it, and then waited another 20min for it to come back. Of course everybody had already finished their meals by this point. Now granted I would have understood this type of thing happening on a busy night...but on a Monday night (6:20pm), in an almost empty restaurant. Absolutely ridiculous! Never returning to this "The Works" location ever again!

Amazing.. People who complain it's too expensive - well $11-15 is pretty standard for a meal + a side at a restaurant. Appetizers and upgrades have their prices listed. You shouldn't complain your bill was too expensive, you chose those items, and they are all damn good.

Too expensive. You can put what you want on a burger,its still just a burger,overpriced and the menu is like reading a map in a different language,way too much on there.<br/> only my 2nd time there,first and last.

Good food but too pricey. We went to the Barrhaven location last weekend. The food was wonderful but to feed 2 adults and 2 kids, set us back $90 before tip. In my opinion, that's a bit much for burgers and fries. I upgraded to onion rings and it was an extra $3. The server was very friendly and attentive though. I would go back, but can't go very often at those prices.

WTF?!?!?. We've been eating at The Works ever since it was a shack on Beechwood avenue when the food was AMAZING. We've lived in Barrhaven for 8 years now and were REALLY happy when we found out a location was opening on Fallowfield Road. Our visit was on a Saturday night at around 530. When we arrived, we were told our party of 4 would have to wait about 30 mins before getting a table. We decided not to wait, but as we got in our car, the hostess came to the car an mentioned that a party that had been waiting was not there and we could take there table instead. SWEET! We ordered our usual favorites - I had a Stockyard with sweet potato fries, the kids had regular Plain Jane burgers, my wife had a salad with chicken. Kids burgers were tasteless and disappointing. The fries SUCKED - although my sweet potato fries were tasty. My Stockyard burger was overcooked and dry, and had no flavour. Add to that the slow service - took almost 25 minutes for our food to arrive. The only positive aspect of our visit that night was the hostess. As for the the food, we will not be returning.<br/>Unless of course they bring back the GoGo Cowboy Poutine to the menu.