Red Onion

Added Nov 5, 2009 by antoni81 of Vancouver (66 Reviews)

erh
Came here tonight with a friend of mine. I had a double burger with fries and she had a chicken burger. Well.....it was ok. I was satisfied with my meal. The prices seem cheap, but most people I would assume would get fries with thier burger, so it usually only costs a couple dollars less than places like Denny's or IHOP.

I probably will return again, but am in no hurry, though it is a good alternative if you want to save a couple of dollars by coming here rather than those regular restaurant chains

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Added Aug 11, 2009 by MonkeySmile of Vancouver (4 Reviews)

Consistently Tasty Burger, but fries are a miss some times
The Red Onion satisfies my bi-monthly cravings for a burger and fries.
Food: My friend and I usually order the Red Onion burger and a basket of fries (the menu reads 1 pound of fries) and two soft drinks (refills given). The burger is cooked well done with simple toppings of fried onion, tomato, pickle, and lettuce, and comes on a plain bun. It is very tasty. The fries are also tasty, but their quality is inconsistent. I noticed on several occasions that the fries are really small in length, which makes their texture dry and tasteless.
Service: is quite casual and laid-back. The servers are generally nice, but some give a feeling of indifference.
Value: The food is reasonable. Two burgers, a basket of fries, and two drinks cost $24 before tips.
If you are ever in the Kerrisdale area, give them a try.

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Added Mar 4, 2009 by aatarbish of vancouver (2 Reviews)

dependable/inexpensive
Ive been going to the red onion for years and its always been a reliable, inexpensive place for burger and fries. A lot of places will eventually turn you off for one reason or another- eventually you will have a bad experience, its just bound to happen- red onion has always been an ok place for a burger if your expectaions are not too high- face it, for minimum wage in a busy-busy restaraunt you just cant get 100% service so go there for what they offer- a good burger and fries. Compared to macdonalds across the street it is outstanding- good burger, ok service considering its always busy, and inevitably staffed by min wage young people- cheap meal, not a place to impress a date or anyone expecting fine dining

Added Dec 5, 2008 by alpha_dog of richmond (61 Reviews)

tasty burgers
came here once because a friend recommended the place to me.. i enjoyed the food, burgers were tasty but not worth the price they were charging for them
the service in that place is quite poor.. they take a long time to actually get to your table and ask for your order and on top of them, orders take a long time to complete, it is just a burger joint (i.e. fast food-ish) so how long does it actually take to make it when you have everything up and running.. also, the waiter i had was forgetful, i asked him to fill up my water and didnt showed up again except when he came back to give us the bill.
cool thing about this place is that they give you a complimentary onion (of course you have to like em; i dont but still thought it was cool)

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Added Sep 29, 2008 by Bonka of Vancouver (290 Reviews)

Overrated burger joint
I've eaten here many times over the years and every subsequent time I've gone since their burgers haven't tasted as good. In fact it seems to slide a little each time I go.

I generally don't order burgers when I eat out unless it's a fastfood joint or Whitespot (and more Whitespots seem to be serving Triple-O sauce burgers nowadays) so this place was the only burger joint I came to. I brought my girlfriend here months ago (since all our friends rave about it) and what a disappointment again.

We got the works (cheese, bacon, sauerkraut) with fries and pickles on the side. Our patties were grilled for too long with noticeable charring on both sides. The patties were also drier than what I remember. It was a little charming that it came in baskets and it was a good thing that the burgers were wrapped in foil; it was a mess. Prior visits yielded similar but less disappointing results.

The decor remains the same and suitable for this type of establishment.

I think whatever hype this place earned has been lost over the years. You can get a better burger at chain places.

Added Apr 17, 2008 by rach32 of Coquitlam (6 Reviews)

Ol' Reliable
When I'm in the area (Kerrisdale) this is often my choice for a freshly cooked plain jane hamburger. The fries are now cooked in non-trans fat oil but remain crispy enough. I haven't ordered anything else on the menu and can't comment there, but the coffee is OK, and refills are offered. The place feels a little "sticky" inside, partly because of the cooking from the open kitchen at back. Service on my last visit was appropriate. In a past visit, the waitress said that it was OK to take home the signature red onion (yes, the vegetable) that is presented with your bill - if you ever wondered.

Added Mar 11, 2008 by happy_spork of Vancouver (3 Reviews)

great food and service, bit cramped though..
I've been here a few times. I love the food, and I've never had any problems with the service, the waitors/waitresses are always friendly. The pricing is good for the food quality, the spinach salad is always my fallback when I can't decide what to order, it's awesome! There's usually a line-up at dinner time and sometimes, even for lunch. I'll be back for sure!

Added Oct 4, 2007 by LordofFoods of Vancouver (55 Reviews)

On the decline
Red Onion is a a burger joint in Kerisdale. It serves burgers fries milkshake etc.. .

I have tried the beef burgers, chicken burgers, hot dogs and milkshakes. I dont think it has improved any over the years. And possibly on a slow decline in quality of food and service. Which is too bad.

It is not a big place and never seems full of people in a long time. I like the burgers here and the milkshake is not bad either. Would go back only if i had a birger craving and was in the neighbourhood.

Added Oct 3, 2007 by Dick_Cho of Marpole, Vancouver (10 Reviews)

No beer licence
Yup, this is a place that no one should expect any above average fine dining type of service, the fish cafe across the street is just a little better in term of service, and its your choice between grass eater or from the pond.

Not sure if their liquor licence is gone, there are a few taps there, and a neo sign of Whistler Brew on the wall, what's going on???

Added Sep 20, 2007 by davebc of Richmond (5 Reviews)

You're lucky if you're served!
Been to this place several times, enjoyed the food for a good price. Service has always been poor, with servers barely paying attention to whoever they are serving. You'll be lucky if they don't screw up the order.

Last time I was there was a Saturday at 11:00, there were four people in the entire place. Sat down, and did not receive ANY service for five minutes until I walked out in disgust. Won't go back until they improve their service.

Added May 7, 2007 by Kujibo of West Vancouver (134 Reviews)

Another overhyped place
I've been seeking out suggested burger places lately. Hit Vera's last week and wasn't that impressed. Red Onion was surprisingly much less impressive (for a hamburger).

I thought the burger was absolutely nothing special. I mean it would rate near the bottom of any place I have been. Bland mustard sauce (I hate mustard on burgers). Cheese is shredded and all falls out when you try to eat it. Bacon I hardly tasted. Bland bun, meat nothing special. Iceberg lettuce instead of leaf lettuce. Bland bland bland. Again, I could easily make a burger this bland and I don't know how to cook. Two stars for it. By the time you add bacon and cheese you are also looking at almost $10 for just the bland burger with no fries.

They did however make a nice cajun chicken burger, which I find hard to find in this city. I was quite happy with this find and may go back for it if I have the craving. Real blackened spices, not just some hot sauce crap. Could have used a bit more of some creamy sauce to balance the cajun but I'll give it 4 stars.

Fries were just standard whatever bland fries, no seasoning. Well cooked though, which I like.

Service started out well but the waitress seemed to do everything she could to not look our way once we got our food even though she had to squeeze by our table 10 times. Other than that she was nice but I really don't like having to yell to get their attention after eating a basket of fries without a drink.

Ambience is that of a greasy diner.

I would never order another crummy burger from here, but I might go back to try some other things out. This is my second visit, the first was 20 years ago. Maybe in another 20.

Added Dec 29, 2006 by onkea of Victoria (10 Reviews)

Awesome burgers and fries
Some of the best Burgers and Fries in Vancouver. I've only eaten here twice, but I was with others who eat there more often. I recommend it for sure. Haven't tried the hot dawgs but I hear they are quite good too. Prices are very reasonable.

Added Nov 17, 2006 by anything19713 of south granville, vancouver (13 Reviews)

best burgers in town
i have been there many times and always order the cheeseburger. it is without doubt the best burger in vancouver, even better than the one at feenies (i still think feenies is way overrated). havent tried anything else on the menu

Added Sep 28, 2006 by chefdave of Downtown (58 Reviews)

One of the Best Hamburgers !
If you;re looking for a great hamburger, Red Onion is one of the best places to go. Located in Kerrisdale, I think this place has been there for a while. Servers are attentive and courteous and the food is amazing ! Thumbs up !

Added May 9, 2006 by JMarcher of Kerrisdale (1 Reviews)

Do they care?
Went here today after hearing that their burgers were so good. Can't deny that, mine was. And the fries were very good. And my buddy said his hot dog was the best ever. But we just could not get over the fact that we both got the distinct feeling that the staff couldn't have cared less whether we were there or not. They were completely indifferent. Weird. We just didn't get it.

Added Jan 4, 2006 by Crispy of Vancouver (23 Reviews)

Beats the Pants off McBloato's
Unlike McDonald's, which is just down the street, the fries don't suck AND you can have a beer! You can get your burger with raw onions (bleh), or with FRIED onions - the way a burger was meant to be! And with REAL cheese, not that plastic wrapped cheese food crap. It costs a little more than the Golden Armpits, but the burgers aren't tiny at Red Onion. Combine the burger with those amazing fries with the sour cream/dill dip, and you've got a meal. OK, not gourmet by any means, but when a burger of the moo or cluck variety is what you crave, this is the place to be! Milkshakes that won't cause an embolism when you suck through the straw (like at Rotten Ronny's). Every time we've eaten here, the staff have been very friendly - especially to our little boy. He always gets a candy from the big jar by the cash register!

Added Nov 8, 2005 by mykansas of east van (5 Reviews)

Best Burger For The Money
I've been going to the Red onion for years and it's my favourite burger joint in town. It has cheap unpretentious food that is made fresh and tastes great. The serving staff is also very friendly and helpful, and you get a red onion to take home with you!

Added Jan 23, 2005 by foodlover of downtown (6 Reviews)

if this is the best there is room
after having read the reviews, I felt it was time to give the red onion a try. I will not re-try, the burger was a typical burger but one that i could duplicate on my bbq, the cheese was not melted, which bugs me, the service was indifferent and harried, the FRIES WERE FANTASTIC, but that isn't enough to get me back in the door.

Added Nov 15, 2004 by thecritic of East Side (173 Reviews)

Best burgers and hot dogs in town
This has to be one of my favorite places for a burger, hot dog, chicken burger, fries, or even a salad. Yes, I said it: salads. The salads here are great! They are made with very fresh produce and all have some sort of unique twist that makes them interesting and leaves you wanting more.

The burgers are also very good, the chicken burger is my favorite. They use thigh meat instead of breast, making it very tender and juicy. They have a double dog that I recall being good too, although I haven't had it for over 10 years. This place has been around for probably 20 years.

The service here is hit n miss, but who cares. You don't come here for service, you come here for tasty burgers that aren't too greasy. They usually have some sort of beer special as well.

Also, this place is family oriented. It is a great place to take the fam on a saturday afternoon and have a reasonably priced meal. No screaming kids though please, there's a good chance I will be there scarfing back a burger, fries, salad and a cheap beer.