Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    the old familiar

    5.0 (1 review)
    Open 11:30 am - 9:00 pm

    the old familiar Photos

    Business Info

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - the old familiar

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    The Cottage Butcher

    The Cottage Butcher

    5.0(3 reviews)
    34.5 km
    $$

    Still a five-star joint and just getting better. This year the butcher's stock was even more…read moreamazing, and not just the meats. Don't tell anyone, but I fell off the veg wagon *hard core* during our stay in Bala this year. I couldn't resist, and I was soooo glad I didn't. This year's meaty samplings included whole, marinated chicken; beef kebabs; pork tenderloin; jumbo tiger shrimp; sea scallops; beef burgers; lamb sliders; and prime beef steaks. The quality of meat here is blow-your-mind amazing, and most of it is cut, filleted, or ground right before your eyes. You can pre-order rarer meats, too, like bison, duck, elk, and rabbit. Also available are a selection of amazingly delicious cheeses including real smoked cheddar and black truffled goat. As well as gourmet crackers, chips, dips, and spreads. Not to mention tidbits like addictive Milford Bay smoked trout, brie wheels, charcuterie, and homemade frozen cookie dough to take back to the cottage. Insane. Staff is wonderfully friendly, a local family who loves what they do -- we visited nearly every day for 9 days, and they always recognized us, chatted with us a few minutes, and thanked us profusely for our business (I think we're putting the youngest through uni). And they're still trolling the lakes on their adorable pontoon boat, delivering your orders or stopping by your dock if you flag them down to let you browse that day's selection. This place has to be, without a doubt, one of the best butcher shops and gourmets on the planet, let alone Bala.

    This place is not inexpensive but you get what you pay for. This place is filled with premium…read moremeats, seafoods and cheeses. Premium comes at a price. But this is Muskoka cottage country and why not splurge. I have never bought a bad product here. The lamb, beef and fish has always been very fresh and very good. They have a great selection of frozen items as well. Also a place to get really good cheeses. A small selection but all of them top grade.

    Photos
    The Cottage Butcher
    The Cottage Butcher
    The Cottage Butcher

    See all

    Webers

    Webers

    3.4(162 reviews)
    19.6 km
    $

    I'd been trying to go to Weber's for years, but the place is always just so darn crowded (and I…read morerefuse to line up for a half hour to eat a burger). Anyway, on our most recent trip to cottage country, we dutifully pulled into the Weber's parking lot and amazingly the lineup wasn't completely insane. They've got the whole thing running like a well-oiled machine, as you order and pay in line, and then eventually your food is handed to you. I was worried we'd have to sit in the heat but they have a spacious (and air conditioned!) seating area inside a train car. It's really nice. As for the burger, it's solid. Nothing about it blew me away, but it definitely hit the spot. The fries were really tasty, too. Next time I'd probably go with a double burger since the single just felt a little too puny. (I also want to shout out the service, as we asked to change our drink after it had already been made and they happily obliged!) Weber's is pretty awesome, I can admit it. Hopefully we'll be back someday.

    We were up in cottage country and I've been told that grabbing a burger here is a tradition so here…read moreI am grabbing a burger even though we ate dinner already. Queuing up for like 15-20 mins for what looks like a pretty basic burger topped with your choice of American cheese, onions, pickle, tomato and ketchup and mustard on a thick bun. The burger turned out even better than expected. I definitely taste the smokey flavour. Definitely not a flavour I can easily achieve with our gas bbq at home. We got the double cheese burger with everything except mustard. The cheese is melted between the patties and definitely not as bland as some of the previous reviews mentioned. I think with a thicker bun, a double is needed to create the balanced bite. What's really cool is the vibe and history of this place for that I at least have to give them a star. Fun fact, the owner purchased part of the CN Tower complex to build this pedestrian bridge across the highway so people who came down south can still park and come across the highway safely to enjoy the their burgers. Apparently in the 1970s/80s so many people did it by foot that it became a safety hazard. It's believed to be the only privately owned pedestrian bridge spanning a public highway in Ontario. The owner has purchased retired railway cars to expand his operations for a meat processing facility, washrooms and more. There are also plenty of outdoor seating around this area. They also partnered with Tesla to have supercharger stations on either side of the highway, which makes it a perfect resting spot for those who have electric vehicles. Definitely a unique spot to try at least once if you happen to pass by. Debit and cash only. Line moves quite efficiently as they have a lot of staff assembling and processing orders. I gotta give it to the guy on the grill... handling the massive lineup of people ordering and dealing with like over 20 patties at once in the heat and smoke.

    Photos
    Webers - Burgers grilling

    Burgers grilling

    Webers - Garden cheese burger

    Garden cheese burger

    Webers - Tesla charging station

    See all

    Tesla charging station

    the old familiar - newcanadian - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...