Tipsy Cow — Restaurant in Winnipeg

I've been here thrice in total, all within a span of one week, and have to say that the food is not only good, but the service is stellar; Jesse, the man at the front (at least when I've gone, on mondays and wednesdays), is incredibly professional (by this I mean emphatically not that he's cold and calculative, as some use the phrase, but that he is incredibly passionate about what he does and knows what he's doing) and charismatic, as well as attentive to your needs, keeping an eye out for water levels as he shuttles food and drinks to customers and popping by to top them up while asking if there's anything else he can help you with, even if there's a bevy of other customers he's handling at the same time. He's also quite personable, with an easy-to-talk-to air about him that endears him to you immediately.

But enough talking up the waitstaff: how's the food? Wassif (Man, I hope I'm spelling your name right!) is a consummate professional in the kitchen, humble and not given to bragging, but you can tell how much he puts himself into the food. I've gotten the Signature Burger twice (once with a side of fries) and the Portly Bison once, along with the Dip Flight (large fries with three in-house made dips, a peppercorn, a honey dill, and a spicy mayo) and the farmer sausage appetizers, as well as a large poutine, across three separate visits, and everything has been absolutely delicious.

The spice blend that he uses for the fries is fantastic, and while there was a slight mishap with the poutine's gravy being a bit cool when being served, that was due to the server being a bit slow to react to the order being ready (dealing with some other customers that came in when the order up bell was dinged; I fully understood) and he immediately acknowledged his fault and fixed the problem (I even said it was fine to just re-heat it in a salamander or oven or something, but they made me a new one from scratch instead, because of how it'd affect the overall dish texturally and flavour-wise; that's dedication).

As for the burgers? Oh, man, the burgers! They aren't your typical smash burgers that you see in most restaurants these days, but full third-pound beef patties, handmade with care, and served with a stellar assortment of condiments and toppings carefully chosen to support, rather than overpower, the burger. The Portly Bison's bison chili is an accent, rather than the primary flavour, and it works wonders. The bacon is also satisfyingly thick, but not so thick it becomes a chore to eat, either, and because of its thickness it's chewy while not losing its crunchiness, either; basically, the perfect burger bacon.

The prices for everything felt a bit steep the first time I went here, but with the high quality level of the food, they've definitely won me over. I haven't experimented much with the drinks menu (I'm not a fan of beer much at all), but their selection of wines is limited but tasty, and their cocktails are affordable (and, of course, tasty; a recently developed one that isn't listed in the menu tasted deliciously of blue curacao, vodka, and raspberry syrup, with a few other supporting flavours; basically an alcoholic blue raspberry slurpee. I loved it!).

The only thing I'd note is that the wine is overpriced, as all wines are wherever you go, if you don't buy on their "Winey Wednesday" daily special; you can source any of the bottles that they sell for approximately half the cost of a bottle here (which is the price you get on wednesday, so if you're into wine, buy a bottle and take the rest home). The Rose Mateus (it's the original, not the dry) is a definite recommendation then, as it is a sparkling wine with a very smooth profile that will refresh your palate as you eat the heavy-but-delicious burgers and fries. The red that they offer, Centelleo Tempranillo, pairs well with the burgers more as an accompaniment to the juicy beef, as...

I've been here twice in the last week. Overall, I was impressed with the quality of the food and the speed and friendliness of the staff.

First visit: I tried the Tasty Bacon Cheeseburger, with a side of poutine. The burger itself was very flavourful, the bacon was thick and I could actually taste it (not true of all burger places). I loved the BBQ sauce and surprisingly, the bun was a highlight. It was the perfect size to hold everything in and was light, without getting soggy. Overall, a well-made and tasty burger that lives up to its name. For $11 with fries, it's a very reasonable lunch. The side poutine was made with crisp fries that handled the gravy well and had a generous amount of cheese curds throughout, rather than just being sprinkled on top like many places do. The only negative of the visit was that there was no local draft beer left, save for the last half glass that was on the house as an apology (and much appreciated). Given they were only open for 3 weeks at this point, I'll take it as a sign that they're selling well. :)

Second visit: I had to go back to try the Burger Week entry and was not disappointed. Again, a tasty beef patty, with a generous amount of stringy cheese and a pile of pickled vegetables on top. Despite being pickled, the veggies actually had a fairly sweet flavour which balanced well with the savoury/salt flavour of the beef and the garlic aioli. Paired with a side of crispy fries and a beer, I had a very fulfilling meal for $15.

I'm looking forward to making this a regular spot to grab a burger and...

This was our first visit to the Tipsy Cow at 285 Portage Ave. in Winnipeg. From the street the place looks like a small downtown bar nestled in between other businesses. Once you enter you are greeted by a long fashionable and comfortable bar, but the instant vibe you pick up on is trendy and hip. The server welcomed us in with a friendly disposition and seated us. The drinks menu is local friendly containing some of the best locally brewed beers and ales, but also includes some Winnipeg made vodka an gin. The food menu also promotes local products, kudus Tipsy Cow. My wife chose the chip and dip as an appetizer. The in house made tortilla chips and homemade dip were both light and delicious. I chose the Winnipeger burger and fries for my main. The meat for the buger was moist and simply tasty. The toppings and brioche bun were a perfect combination making for a winning burger. To finish off the meal I opted for the Lemon Square. It was a tasty memory of a desert mom would make, only modernized with a lovely orange caramel sauce. All in all Tipsy Cow is a little gem of a place I intend to...