Review: The Fix Burger Bar

IT’S NATIONAL CHEESEBURGER DAY!!! What better way to celebrate then heading to The Fix Burger Bar! We headed there over the weekend to bring you this review and we’re glad we did. Check out our thoughts below.

The Fix Burger Bar in Worcester, MA is the cities “first true burger bar.” The restaurant is one of many in the area owned by Niche Hospitality. Never having had a bad meal at any of their restaurants, we felt this would be a great “first true restaurant review.” Located in the Northworks building on Grove St. this feel-good burger concept has maintained a steady following of patrons since its start on Shrewsbury St. With good service, casual atmosphere and great food it’s no wonder why.

We first tried to visit The Fix on a Friday afternoon…unfortunately for us, there was a gas leak which closed the kitchen. We knew they’d be very busy the next day, but that didn’t stop us. Of course, we were right. We put our names in for a 30 minute wait, but got a text saying that our table was ready after about 25 minutes. It’s also important to mention there were three of us, so we needed a four-top. We were seated in the very back corner which was a bit quieter than then the main dinning area. On the way to the table we observed every single table filled. They were definitely packed. They also seemed a bit short staffed, so we expected long waits and a bit less than our server’s undivided attention.

The first category we looked at was service. Our server scored major points for starting us off with waters right as we were seated and acknowledging they were exceptionally busy. As crazy as it seemed she was still fairly attentive. We ordered appetizers (Fried Pickles, Quebec Poutine) and our meals (The Crunchy, The Spicy Tuna, and The Mushroom) at the same time, about 10 minutes after being seated. It was only another 10 minutes for the pickles to arrive and about another 5 minutes for the poutine. We got our burgers after about 40 minutes, which was a good pace. We also ordered a dessert (B5 Chocolate Spring Rolls) and coffee, which at most took about 5 minutes.

Our second category was atmosphere. The overall style is New American with a light circus/vaudevillian theme with references to strongmen and acrobats. The lighting is dim, but not too dark to see. The music was at a good level, but blended in with the ambient noise. They generally played upbeat top 40s. The building is beautiful with high ceilings and exposed brick and beams. The dinning room and bathroom were both very clean. The overall vibe plays very well to a younger and more hip crowed. With tasteful decor they achieve their theme well.

The most important part is of course the food. We’re rating seven items for this review. The two apps, three burgers, dessert and the coffee.

• Fried Pickles – So often when I get fried pickles they come out soft and soggy. The Fix’s fried pickles were anything but that. The pickles were cooked perfectly with a slight bend, but overall very sturdy feel. This made them very easy to dip in the horseradish sauce; which paired perfectly with the tang from the pickle and wasn’t at all overpowering. The batter coated the pickles well and didn’t break apart while holding. Both the pickles and batter had a great crunch. Of the fried pickles I’ve had these are certainly among the better.

• Quebec Poutine – The poutine at The Fix comes multiple ways. We opted for the more traditional “Quebec” style, but we also added the duck confit. The fries were cooked very well with a crisp exterior and soft interior. The rosemary and black pepper gravy seemed a bit light for the dish and caused some fries to get rather soggy. However, the flavor was great. The Maplebrook Farms’ cheddar cheese curds were melted well and had a great mild flavor. One problem was that the room was cool and the cheese began to clump together after a little while, so it was difficult to separate. The duck confit was sweet and tender, which added a nice dimension to the dish. Overall the flavors all worked very well together and was very good.

• The Crunchy – This is one of my personal favorites. This burger delivers on its name with major crunch. I ordered my burger medium well and it came to order. The sesame bun was nice and soft with a light toast. The patty itself was well seasoned and held together well. The fried prosciutto was more like bacon and added a good saltiness. The parmesan crisp and potato chips likewise added a lot of crunch, but not too much flavor. The good thing about the parmesan crisp was it kept the bottom bun dry. The garlic aioli was light and didn’t have a very strong garlic taste, which could be good or bad depending on preference. I personally like a strong garlic flavor. One component I didn’t care for much was the mustard pickles. I love pickles, and they were as crisp and flavorful as the fried ones from the appetizer. I felt the mustard was just a bit too strong. Everything together worked very well, and despite the strong mustard taste I enjoyed it very much.

• The Spicy Tuna – I only had a taste of this burger, but it was very good. The tuna was ordered medium rare and came out perfect and was well seasoned. The tuna steak was a bit thin, but still held it’s shape and was proportional to the rest of the ingredients. The spicy kimchi and sriracha aioli added a nice heat along with the sweeter and more mild soy sauce. The bun was nice and soft, but the bottom was a bit soggy from absorbing the moisture from the sauce and tuna. Overall it was a good burger and was well composed.

• The Mushroom – As with The Spicy Tuna, I only had a bite of this. The patty again, was cooked to order and was well seasoned. The sautéed onions and mushrooms added a nice sweetness and earthiness. The truffle aioli also added another dimension of earthy flavor. The pepperiness of the arugula went well with the truffle and mushrooms. Finally the sharpness of the swiss cheese rounded out the burger well. Unfortunately, the bottom of the brioche bun was also a bit soggy. Overall this burger has a well thought out flavor profile and great taste.

• B5 Chocolate Spring Rolls – I wasn’t expecting to get dessert, but my god I’m glad I did. These things are magical. Thin crisp wonton wraps are cover an incredibly most cake, which is soft and spongy, yet somehow creamy. The spring rolls also have a semi-sweet chocolate sauce which pairs perfectly with the cake and dipping sauces. The sauces included the ginger strawberry and whipped cream, but also a bourbon caramel. All were nice a sweet, but not too much. I tried many different flavor combinations with the sauces and spring rolls. All were phenomenal. The caramel and ginger strawberry together almost taste like Dr. Pepper, which was a great discovery. This may well be my new favorite dessert.

• House Blend Coffee – I didn’t plan on reviewing the coffee, but man was is good. It is the same house blend Niche serves at their other restaurants, and was brought to the table in a french press. I drink my coffee black, and this was very mellow and smooth. A great way to end a great meal.