Lil' Empire Burger - Bridgeland

Probably some of the best burgers I've had in town. The dirty fries are exceptional and it's a wonderful indulgent meal to eat!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

The Best Burger in the City

Wow, what a delicious meal! There was a bit of a wait for my order, but the quality of the food made it obvious why. This was not a burger thrown together in five minutes. We have tried burgers from every major chain in the city as well as plenty of local mom-and-pop shops, and this was by far the best one.

Fries and Gravy
The fries were fantastic: still hot and crispy even after sitting in a delivery bag for 10 to 15 minutes. They are made from skin-on russet potatoes, full of flavor, and perfectly seasoned. The gravy was delicious as well, though the portion size felt a little small for the price. I would suggest either lowering the cost or serving it in a container at least 50 percent larger, ideally double.

The Burger
I ordered the Empire Burger (two patties) with cheese on a gluten free bun. As someone with Celiac Disease, I cannot overstate how rare it is to find a meal that gives true satiety without compromise. Many places either have no gluten free options or offer a lettuce wrap, which always turns into a sloppy mess. Other restaurants may provide a gluten free bun, but it usually has the wrong mouth feel. You can tell it is made with rice flour: it tastes like flavored air, throws off the balance of the burger, and I often end up ditching the bun halfway through. It feels like a waste of the upcharge.

Lil’ Empire Burgers gets it right. Their gluten free bun has the same soft feel as a regular bun, holds together beautifully, and even survived the steamy delivery bag. The restaurant also packed and labeled the gluten free items separately to avoid cross-contamination, which was a huge and much-appreciated detail. The pricing of the gluten free bun was also very fair, comparable to what I would pay in a grocery store.

As for the burger itself, it was flawless. A true double smash burger, well seasoned, with caramelized edges and cheese melted to perfection with just the right amount of crisp. The house sauce was excellent and tied everything together. The serving size was very generous, with a larger burger and fries than anything from McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Dairy Queen, or Burger King.

Value and Sustainability
What impressed me even more was the value. The price was comparable to, or even lower than, the big fast-food chains, but the quality and serving size were far superior. They also ask how many condiments, napkins, and cutlery you would like, so nothing goes to waste, and all packaging is compostable and eco-friendly. No styrofoam here.

Final Thoughts
I am a chef, and this was a better burger than I could have prepared at home. Lil’ Empire Burgers delivered not just a meal, but an experience. Quality ingredients, gluten free care, eco-friendly practices, generous servings, and absolute flavor. This will be the only place we order burgers from going forward, and the next time we are in the area we will definitely be popping in for lunch.

Food: 5

Service: 5

Excellent burgers. If you like smash burgers, this is the spot for you. Good bun, simple toppings.
Fries are decent (sometimes overcooked though).

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

Reminded me of In-N-Out Burger but better

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Went with extended large family after photo shoot, everyone got their bliss, groaning how good their food was. Though it's standard north american fare, this is GOOD food with a homemade elevated quality.
The evening was cool, we sat outside under the heaters. Simple and great!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Fantastic smash burgers at reasonable prices that set this place apart from competitors. Fresh ingredients, great caramelization on the burger patties (important for a smash burger), and quick and friendly service. Highly recommend!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

The burgers are great, the dirty fries amazing, that jalapeño relish is tops. Highly recommend..

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The burgers and fries are delicious! Recommend:)

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Smash burgers and dirty fries are very delicious! Great local spot for a burger, fries and ice cream.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I am a burger convert because of these burgers. I love the composition of it all, the cheese sauce, the caramelized onion and even the bun make the burger even better. As a lover of cheese sauces this 100% fits my bill, I totally understand those wanting “real” cheese looking elsewhere.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Dirty Fries with Cheese

Great food and good prices

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Nice little shop linked with ice cream shop. Quality throughout, cooked to order, service excellent.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Hamburger was awful, burger didn't even look like meat, VERY thin flakey patty of what looked like burnt Hamburger 😳. Awful!! Never again.

Food: 1

Great food and service

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

I mostly eat canned food and root vegetables - so this was very different for me... But in a good way. Very exotic for me. I sat next to an older man who smelled like wet denim - in a good way... Such a unique aroma. Rich and full. A potent delight for the nostrils.