Reviews describe Picks as a small, family run burger spot in downtown Montreal known for fully customizable burgers, fresh ingredients, and strong value. The menu invites personalization with a wide range of toppings and sauces, including smoked Gouda and kimchi, and even options like poutine on the side. Patty thickness is debated, with some diners finding thick patties hard to bite while others praise burgers cooked to perfection and juicy, and several notes suggest thinner patties could yield a nicer crust. The atmosphere is described as warm and welcoming, a hole in the wall with drawings on the walls and friendly staff. Many reviews highlight fast, courteous service and affordable prices, and a sense that the recipes and vibe have remained consistent even after new ownership. Poutine is a common pairing, with large portions and flavorful sauces, though a few readers wished for more sauce on the poutine. Takeout is convenient and the location near Sainte-Catherine and St Marc makes it easy to grab a quick bite. A recurring note praises the loyal, returning customers and the sense of community and value, with veggie burgers and other crowd favorites mentioned. Overall, it is seen as one of the best burger spots in Montreal by many, with consistent quality, generous toppings, and a warm, approachable vibe, though there are occasional mixed experiences.
Best burger in Montreal. Quality meat for the best price I have seen out there, along with delicious sauces & soft yet crunchy buns are undeniably good!
I used to go weekly when the owners 10 years ago & I was in college (very understanding prices) & nowadays it still has the same tasty food & warm ambiance. Highly recommend it
I used to love Picks; it was hands-down the best burger joint in downtown. Seeing the elderly Korean couple every time gave me such a sense of familiarity & comfort.
However, I noticed the ownership has changed. The moment I opened the door, I was hit by a heavy smell of grease. They didn't seem to turn on the exhaust fan at all during the entire process, & the smoke just kept getting thicker-it was quite unpleasant to be surrounded by such an oily atmosphere. While the shop looked decent in terms of cleanliness, the food was a total disappointment. The burgers taste completely different now. We ordered & paid for extra toppings & sauces, but they were missing from our order entirely. The patties have lost that signature juiciness I used to love.
It's such a shame to lose such a great spot. I won't be coming back.
Jan 12, 2026
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Très petit restaurant, excellent acceuil de la dame à la caisse. Prends le temps de tout m'expliquer le menu. J'opte pour le double patties, avec une poutine en accompagnement. La poutine, j'aime quand il y a beaucoup de sauce & là, il n'y avait presque rien. Le hamburger, sur lequel je fondait tout mes espoirs...assez décevant. Pas le pire,mais il y a mieux. Sauce chipotle maison, trop de salade.
Came to try because of the raving reviews. Burger meat was frozen & cooked till it's hard. Special sauces were not felt in the sandwich. Regular poutine. For $20 you could get a better deal & quality of food in McDonald's or A&W. Food: 3, Service: 5 Atmosphere: none.
One of the best burgers I've had recently! Picks offers an excellent selection of toppings & sauces. I am a kimchi fan & was excited to see it as a topping option, & it really delivered - it was fresh & delicious.
I stumbled across this unassuming hole-in-the-wall gem while looking for some local restaurants to try.
The place is small- it only has 4 tables & needs some TLC, but that's part of the charm. But most importantly, what they absolutely do right is the food!
I ordered a double burger with a fried egg, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, & chipotle sauce & it was exactly what a great burger should be: simple, but done very well & with fresh ingredients. They even offer kimchi on a burger, which I will try when I come back soon.
Their pricing is very fair & the service is fast. The lovely elderly couple running Picks has owned this little spot for about 17 years (if I remember correctly), & they have many loyal customers. After my first visit, they can definitely add me to that list!
Feb 12, 2025
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Amazing experience at Picks! Andre was super friendly & kind when we placed our to go order. The burgers, fries & panko kogo were out of this world delicious! Don't forget to try all the sauces, LOVE the honey mustard & chipotle mayo, & ginger dressing for the salad was so yummy too! Can't say enough good things about Picks, definitely will return to try their K-tacos!
Service was great, the people were super friendly & helpful. I had the steak burger with kimchi & the aoli sauce & it somehow was perfectly juicy while being nice & crispy. So good will definitely come back
As others have stated, run by an older couple who seem nice. Very hole in the wall. I got there 15 minutes to closing & ordered a poutine. They took my order, but didn't offer any toppings (even after I'd asked) - just the standard cheese & sauce. It was affordable - I think 7CAD. Didn't see it on the menu. The poutine, however, was too salty. I avoided the sauce as much as possible & just ate the cheese & fries. I still could barely finish just that. People seem to love the burgers, but poutine is definitely not the move here.
Picks is operated by a lovely older couple out of a tiny, smokey storefront with three small tables inside. It epitomizes a hole-in-the-wall. The burger patty was cooked perfectly although was a tad overworked, it was elevated by a high quality roll & fresh, quality toppings. The poutine was generously topped with curds & a typical sauce, the fries were frozen but crisp, fluffy inside & seasoned well. I would definitely return in the future as I felt it was greater than the sum of it's parts.
Apr 5, 2024
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A small, quaint shop with two elderly running it. Their burger portion is big, & the buns are nice! Crispy & has a good chew. You're able to customize the burger & what sauces you want! Don't forget to add your veggie toppings that come with your burger. Surprisingly, you can add coleslaw. Their kimchi is also tasty & refreshing.
The burger was okay, a bit undercooked with spring mix instead of lettuce. The bun was really tasty, fluffy & toasted nicely. I got the fries & sauce on the side, they were crispy & delicious. The sauce was very good too! I would go back to try a wrap & poutine next time for sure.
Delicious beef burger can customize to your liking, good filling poutine, really nice owners, they waited for me to come in to pour the sauce on the poutine.
Burger: 9.5/10 - Staff: 10/10 - Place: very nice local small burger shop ambience.
Details: very, very, good burger! I went for the double burger with both smoked gouda & mozzarella cheese. For the sauces I added chipotle mayo & ketchup. & I added fried onions & mushroom, lettuce, tomato, regular onions & pickles. It is very good. Price is ok.
I would advise them to place the bun over the heat a little to make it crispy & to make the burger meet slightly fattier & more tender. & to make the taste of the fire smokiness more visible in the meet. With the those modifications it would the best burger in Montreal. But it is definitely one of the best burger places.
