Woody Wood Burger Newmarket — Restaurant in Newmarket

Food: 3 Stars Service: 2 Stars Ambience: 2 Stars Value: 4 Stars Sanitary: 1 Star Overall: 2.4 Stars

I visited the new Woody Wood Burger location in Newmarket this past weekend, expecting the same fantastic experience that we always have at their original Richmond Hill location. My boyfriend and I are loyal customers of the OG spot — we go there so frequently that the staff knows us by face and by order, and even the owner is familiar with us. We’ve always enjoyed the friendly, high-quality service there, which made our visit to the new Newmarket location all the more disappointing.

This location does have a similar vibe to the Richmond Hill location, but it's much brighter and, well, obviously newer. The space itself is also modern, which is nice. The service was decent enough — nothing exceptional, but it wasn’t terrible either. There were only 2-3 staff members working on the day we visited, and that was noticeable. It definitely felt understaffed, which may have contributed to some of the issues we encountered.

One of the major things that really turned us off was the handling of food and hygiene. The person taking our order was wearing gloves, but it was concerning to see that she didn’t change them after handling the cash register. We watched as she proceeded to handle our food (cutting the burger buns, making the sweet potato fries, touching the sauces) with the same gloves, and that was really unsettling. In contrast, at the OG location, there’s a clear distinction between those handling the register and those preparing or serving food. In fact, I’ve seen the owner himself stop a staff member from touching food after handling the register, ensuring food safety. It was surprising and disappointing to see the lack of attention to detail at the Newmarket location.

Additionally, we noticed that the cook, who was preparing the beef patties, touched his face with the same gloves he was using to handle our food. Then, he went into the back to grab something, still wearing those same gloves. This is a major concern in terms of food safety, and honestly, it made us question whether they were following proper protocols in handling food.

Another issue was cleanliness. The seats at this location hadn’t been wiped down properly — we noticed visible grease and sesame seeds from previous customers still on the seat when we sat down. It made the dining area feel a bit neglected, especially given that the Richmond Hill location is always spotless.

There were some positives, though. One thing that stood out in a good way was that napkins were available at the table, unlike at the original location, where you have to ask for them constantly. This small improvement did make the dining experience a little more convenient.

However, there were some other inconveniences during our visit. There’s no washroom at this location, which may be a dealbreaker for some to wash their hands. It would be nice if they could add one in the future, or perhaps we missed it if it's hidden somewhere in the back, but we didn’t see any restrooms. Additionally, while we were eating, the back door was left open for a prolonged period of time, causing a cold draft that hit us continuously for about 5-10 minutes. It made our food cool down much faster, which is not ideal.

Unfortunately, our meal didn’t sit well with us afterwards. Both my boyfriend and I felt quite ill after eating the burgers. Given the issues with food handling, it's hard not to associate our discomfort with that. We’ve eaten at the OG location countless times without any issues, so it was a big letdown to experience this at the new spot.

I’m hoping this location will take these reviews to heart and make necessary improvements. Food safety is crucial in this industry, and I would expect better protocols, especially considering how well the OG location handles everything. With the right changes, I believe the Newmarket location could become as good as the Richmond Hill one, but for now, I’m not sure we’ll be returning anytime soon.

xx...

Burgers - amazing. Service - terrible. I'll start with the burgers. They are the best burgers I've ever had. We ordered three (blue cheese, royal, and mushroom) and they were all delicious, and each one had a very unique taste of its own. The meat was smokey and juicy, the sauces were interesting and original, and the buns was good. The fries were great. Now... to the service. Worst ever. There were two females at the counter. Not sure if they said hello when we walked in. They did not offer us a menu. When I went up to the register to ask if they have one, the girl said yes, but did not offer it to us (it was laying right in front of her). I had to pick it up myself as she was looking at me which was very awkward for both of us. Once we were seated, I tried to get her attention to inquire about the burgers (it was our first time there), but she did everything else except to look at us. I finally had to raise my voice to get her to hear me and come over. When we were asking questions, she answered quickly and started walking off even though we were still talking to her. I ended up talking to her as she was walking off, and she had to come back to answer, then left quickly. Then another girl showed up at the counter and again, they did all kind of things around the counter, EVERYTHING except serve their customers. Terrible. I still gave 5 stars for the burgers, but the service is the worst...

Woody Woody Burger – A Must-Try for Burger Lovers

If you’re looking for a burger that goes beyond the generic fast-food experience, look no further than Woody Woody Burger. As a self-proclaimed foodie, I can confidently say this place has one of the best burgers I’ve ever tasted. Each bite is packed with flavor, and it just keeps getting better every time I have one.

The staff is incredibly welcoming, making every visit feel like a special occasion. My fiancé Michael Berkij works at Crown in the same plaza, and he often brings burgers home, so I’ve had my fair share of Woody Woody’s burgers – and let me tell you, they never disappoint. The quality and taste are consistent, which is hard to find these days.

Sure, some people might hesitate over the price, thinking they can just grab a cheaper burger elsewhere. But if you’re after quality and a truly tasty burger that’s worth every penny, Woody Woody is the place to go. Don’t settle for bland – treat yourself to something special. You...