For my final stop on my Canadian trip, I NEEDED to try poutine. Willy's did not disappoint! If you want to try this Canadian staple, swing by Willy's. You order at a window and take it to go. The dish was the perfect blend of fries, gravy, and cheese curds. The employees were kind, and got my order out in a timely manner. They are open until 4:00 am! So if you are having a long night out... perfect place for a stop and chill with this delightful comfort food. read more

Willy's - Burgers Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

Quick service even though it was late last night- Server too cute n nice! Fries crisp as requested with the poutine and double curds yes! Hamburger made to order and as requested and all delicious- too bad not on a delivery site!! In my last review it read I think their burgers are home made not premade - it meant to be the other way around and yes home made burger great! Lip read more

If you are drinking at bars nearby the Pizza Corner in Halifax, Willy's is a great spot for those late night drunchies - and you must get the poutine! You order through the window and there were tons of people waiting in line for their food. The poutine was poutine - fries with gravy and cheese curds on top; we added some peppers to it, but these seemed canned. The fries were a bit soggy and I'm someone who likes them crispy. Overall a solid spot to get food after a night out drinking! read more

Willy's - Burgers Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

Great burger and good poutine. Served through a window. Simple. The service was excellent. We got extra curds with our poutine. I'd recommend that modification. The burgers were thick and meaty with ample toppings. The buns were amazing. I got a double, my wife had a single and we shared a small poutine. That was plenty for us. Everything was great. No regrets. read more

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Great burger joint, no frills, quick and efficient service, all at a reasonable price.

You order through a window, and get the BEST poutine ever! Fresh curds and fries smothered in rich gravy. In addition, the staff is friendly and helpful (asking if my Golden Retriever wanted bacon--of course--and packing my order in a bag since I was trying to walk with the not-always-compliant dog). I went more than once while visiting Halifax and it was always fresh and yummy. Run to Willy's for your poutine fix when in Halifax! read more

The burgers are great. The poutine is great. What else do you want out of life? I asked the guy at the counter what to get. He said go with either the bacon cheeseburger or the pulled pork poutine. Hey, I don't mess around. I went with both. To be fair, it's a little much for one person to consume, so I shared the poutine with the family. There wasn't anything left after we finished. One thing to keep in mind is that there is no place to eat at Willy's. We walked around the corner to where are some benches in front of some higher end restaurants and ate our meal. We ended up eating right next to a couple trying to enjoy some expensive wine. I think after they saw what we were eating, they realized that they were eating at the wrong place. Shoulda gone to Willy's. read more

A literal hole in the wall take out burger joint. Stopped for a late night snack (plus side it's open till 4am which is phenomenal for late night after bar munchies) and got the hotty burger and poutine and it was amazing. Finding good poutine in Halifax is pretty hard and this place really hit It spot on! Burger was delicious, simple and full of flavor read more

Came here with my husband for some poutine for lunch (he is OBSESSED). They are a counter that you order from, and popular among the drunk crowd at 2am LOL. They have many protein topping options that they can add to the poutine, he got the donair topping and loved it. They are generous with the gravy and you can get more cheese curds for extra $. read more

Willy's - Donair poutine - Burgers Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

For sure a drunk food spot, I got a double bacon cheesy with the works and a small fry. The fries are a lot like 5 guys but crispier which I liked. The burger patties were a bit dry but not terrible. Great spot for a late-night meal. read more

Oh, the days of Burger Week. So much that was, wasn't and what could have been. Luckily for me, Willy's offering was one of those that 'was'. Unbeknownst to many late night poutine lovers of varying degrees of non-sobriety, Willy's is a self-professed burger joint. Go ahead, read their sign on the shop or the interwebs. Perhaps they were using Burger Week to help spread the knowledge of offerings that aren't fries covered in delicious cheese curds and gravy; if so, they did admirably well. I chose to use Burger Week as an opportunity to try out burgers in the city I hadn't had before, and Willy's was my first stop during this hamburger pilgrimage. To my chagrin on this damp, drizzling day, the few lonely chairs that I remembered Willy's having were no more and it is just a take out window now. A bold move given the often unfriendly weather in Halifax. While there were only a couple other people in front of me in the early afternoon, there was only one guy manning the grill and fryers, so it was a little bit of a wait. Or maybe it was just the hunger making things seem drawn out. Either way, once I got my burger, I trudged back to my apartment which was blessedly close, as sitting on the wall was not an option on this day. Upon getting home and unwrapping both myself and my burger, I was pleased to see that it was still quite warm despite the cold walk home. With a large half pound patty of Oulton's beef, this was nothing to sniff at. On top of this, there was bacon, cheese and beer-battered jalapenos and onion rings. The meat was moist and flavourful with a nice bit of char on it, while the toppings combined nicely to hit the salty, spicy and sweet notes. The soft bun also held up impressively well to the onslaught of the food that it contained. While they may have lost the seating, Willy's definitely gained one fan of their burgers. read more

Wanted something quick and casual for lunch, and decided a burger and fries were the best option after seeing some of the reviews of this place.. Located in an area of downtown that likely caters to a late night crowd, there are more than a few options of places to go. I ordered a burger and a small poutine, which was made to order in about 10 minutes. Huge thumbs up for local, fresh ingredients. The poutine was excellent, the burger was OK. It tasted like something I'd eat at home (meaning, it lacked a bit of something) but both portions were huge. Great spot for that hamburger craving, if you want something more local.. read more

This place doesn't need a review, it needs you to stop reading and order some poutine from Willy's right now! This place is the OG, the poutine here is truly just the best. Smokes is good, but Willy's is on a whole 'nother level when it comes to the perfect blend of fresh fries, cheese curds, gravy and more. Definitely my go to spot for poutine when in town. Every local will tell you Willy's is the best so get on down here!!!! read more

They have the best veggie burger in Halifax Downtown, which is way better than those " burger chains " out there. Their customer service is excellent . I have seen people waiting for over 30 mins for the food. It is that tempting. Would recommend anyone who is visiting Halifax. read more

Two things that require me to write a review update: 1) I've found their hours to be much more reliable these days. You still have to tell the staff what you want about four times, and they'll try to deduce what it is incorrectly so do make sure you're quite clear, but at least they're open regularly and at the appropriate times for alcohol effect reduction.* 2) They have veggie burgers! I mean, they're not outrageously amazing veggie burgers, but no longer do you have to make two stops if you want both a great veggie burger *and* a great poutine! You can now get it all at once! Huzzah! *Poutine consumption, while rumoured to, has not been proven to reduce or otherwise negate the effects of alcohol. read more

I'm a pretty big proponent of Willy's, especially if it's past 1am and I have slightly glazed over eyes and a fiendish look on my face. This burger joint is beyond busy during the wee hours of the morning, with people congregating after their respective nights of partying in downtown Halifax. My order of choice is a veggie burger, fully loaded with cheese and a side of home cut fries. This runs about $10-$12 and is definitely worth it. I've seen other people ordering poutine as well as Philly cheese-steak sammies, so there are a number of options for the ravenous hordes. Once, Andrew and I waited for about 40 minutes for our meals, between the line up and the grill time. When we received our burgs there had been a slight mix up so the dude behind the counter gave us back $5 and his apologies. Another time, I found 10 bones on the ground, which paid for my meal! I have good financial luck when it comes to this place. Hmmm, maybe I should get them to help me with my budgeting...? I offer you my sincere "DO ITs" and "You won't regret" its when it comes to noshing at this place. You'll satisfy your late night cravings and perhaps quell your hangover by offering your body some serious absorbing power. Willy's - you should go. read more

Willy's - the outside of a restaurant - Burgers Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

For this visit I tried their Bacon Cheeseburger. If you're looking for a quick bite to eat in downtown Halifax, you can't go wrong with Willy's. This was a basic bacon cheeseburger, but it definitely satisfies your hunger. I highly recommend their poutines as well, and they have a variety of different toppings that you can put on them. You won't get gourmet when you visit Willy's, but you will definitely get great service and tasty food. read more

Willy's - Bacon Cheeseburger - Burgers Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

I've gotten a lot of mileage the last few days in conversation and on FB about poutine. While Willy's is not technically a poutinerie, it makes darn good stuff. So in Canada, you can evidently stumble out of a bar at 2am, say, "What to do now?" and get poutine because places stay open until 3 or 4? A lot of my friends would be singing "O Canada" to that, even the drunk ones at 2am. Okay, maybe not so well. We walked by Friday evening and there was no crowd at all. We each ordered a small poutine - 1 steak, 1 Donair - which came to $8 each. That's still a rather large amount of food. The fries were crisp, my beef juicy with just enough spice, and the added mushrooms were also very obviously fresh. It stayed quite warm even walking a few blocks to find someplace to sit and eat it. It's interesting that Willy's is right across from Smoke's, which has a sign saying "How Do You Like Your Poutine?" That could get nasty. read more

Tourists go to other spots. Locals go here. This is what I was told and ima tellin ya...trust the locals! The poutine is fantastic. End of discussion. The is really nothing else to discuss. A small poutine with pork, onions and mushrooms will keep most people happy! And its about $10. I only wish that they had hot sauce to kick it up a notch. A little spice would cut through that richness really well. read more

This place is a staple of Halifax. order extra curds for your cheesy dreams to come true but truly they can do no wrong. Willy's has exceptional staff and poutine of the gods. read more

Excellent poutine, great prices. While I'm not vegetarian, their gravy is suitable if you're so inclined, and I actually like it better - it's rich and satisfying without being greasy and leaden. I'd actually consider asking for more gravy next time, it was that good. Fries were steaming hot yet crisp, not too salty, and the cheese curds were the real deal. Everything's freshly assembled, so you have time to savor the cool texture and structure of the cheese before it slowly starts to get gooey (that is, if you haven't inhaled it all already by that point). Definitely will return next time I'm in Halifax! read more

Giant cheese curds. Deliciously salty gravy. French fries. Whoa. I'm in a food sweat thinking about how much I want to eat Willy's poutine right now. Curse you Willy's for being so far from me. You can get donair poutine. You can get pulled pork poutine. You can get cheesesteak poutine. Me? I went au natural with a small poutine ($5.50! it's a steal!) which was plenty of poutine for one girl. But, I'm tempted to go back next time and try one of the specialties. Take your poutine to go. Eat it in front of St. Pauls church. Enjoy the bliss that is this dish. Rinse and repeat. read more

Walk on up to the window, poke your head in, and yell out what you're looking for. There are no white linen napkins or drinking glasses here. No, here you earn your poutine with a wait outside for all to see your greasy shame. A dedicated poutine lover will wait through rain, sleet, or snow, to get that little styrofoam carton of artery clogging goodness. Or, if you are a delicate flower, there's a little indoor hallway that can only shelter you from the elements, not from high cholesterol. Willy's is by far one of the better poutines in town, everyone knows that, and it's obvious by their numerous The Coast Best Of awards. They use real cheese curds, the fries are done properly to ensure a crispy outside and fluffy inside, and the gravy has the right flavour note and texture that one should associate with true poutine. Now open for lunch, it's no longer enjoyed only by the late night crowd looking to ease their liquor-lined stomachs. No, now even business types can dab their ties in gravy before their 1 o'clock meeting. The adventurous types can top their cheesy fries with other exotic toppings, like pulled pork, butter chicken, donair meat or stuffing, but this Quebecoise likes her poutine done the traditional way. My one complaint, while I appreciate the use of real curds, is their lack of freshness. The best poutine will use day-of fresh curds to top their poutine. You can tell how fresh the batch is by its squeaky resistance when you bite down on one. These curds are soft and squeak-free, an indication that they are at least a couple of days old. The flavour is still there, but I do miss the squeak. Even still, it won't prevent me from chowing down on a carton of the stuff. read more

Well well well. If I don't say so myself, we've got ourselves one of the best darn poutines in town as far as I'm concerned. Just so happens The Coast agrees too! There really isn't anything to complain about here. It's the perfect pit stop on the way home from the bar. Complete with great convo's with the other pizza corner post-bar stars. Got yourself a set of glazed over eyes? Did your friends leave you for some Sicilian? Willy's welcomes your guilty arteries to the window. The fries are fab, the curds are fab, and the gravy is suitable for vegetarians as it isn't made with beef broth. Winner winner chicken/tofu dinner. Willy's has a certain atmosphere to it too. You get your fries on the street through the window where you continue to walk/stuff your face home. This is my number one poutine in town to date. Why? The fry, curd, and gravy ratio has been mastered to graciously please my palate. $4.42 for a side and $5.97 for a regular. Wait, don't forget the jumbo at $7.08. I think I'll upgrade to a jumbo next time. Kidding, kind of. Willy's also has an array of burgers and cheesesteaks. I personally have always got the poutine but I hear the cheesesteak is also to die for. Willy even has steakfries-- a diced up cheeseburger patty on top of crispy fries with gravy. While I'm sure it's not good for you, it's kind of like the 'man' of poutines. This isn't gourmet and it isn't fine dining. It is what is it, a solid poutine. No need to read between the lines Not convinced? Go to the website and check out the fries. Or you could get in the back of the line until 4 am thurs-sat and grab yourself a pout. You know you want a winner of the best original poutine. read more

Totally hit the spot for me tonight! This pregnant lady needed her high calorie fix late tonight and Willy's did the trick! I phoned ahead and told the person on the phone that this was my first time ordering from them and what would he recommend. He recommended to try just the regular poutine. I ordered a medium. I like the fact he asked me how far away I was because as I approached the window 5-6 minutes later, they were just pouring the gravy over the fries and cheese curds. Ahh talking about fresh and hot poutine! I inhaled it as soon as I got into the car. read more

Willy's is great. Seriously. And thank god they're open at all hours of the night, because they are really the perfect night time greasy food. I have been to Willys many times after a night of drinking, and I've yet to be disappointed. The burgers here are solid. They're a really generous size and they're always cooked perfectly. The poutine at Willy's is definitely the most popular dish I see people ordering here, and for good reason! They use a ton of cheese curds, fresh cut fries, and thick dark gravy. It is about 100x better than that Smoke's garbage across the street. My favorite item on Willy's menu is their Newfie fries. Theres something sooo incredibly satisfying about homemade stuffing, and salty delicious gravy over crispy fries. Mmmm. read more

By far the best poutine in town hands down. I'm all about simplicity and Willie's does it right. I personally just like the 3 basic rules for a great poutine: - Crispy fries, not too crispy and not soggy - Tasty gravy, not too salty but not bland - Cheese curds, not mozzarella or any other substitute - it has to be cheese curds I find with other places they do 2 things wrong: 1) They get one or more of the 3 basics wrong 2) They try too hard and put too much stuff in it And the best part about Willie's is consistency - every time I go there, I get the same poutine and it's the same experience. My expectations are always met! read more

Honestly, I've only ever actually frequented Willy's while not entirely sober and I've only ever ordered poutine. So this review will be pretty short and sweet. The poutine itself is solid. Hot, greasy, starchy - everything I'm looking for when I'm seeking a good night-ending meal. Probably not the best in the city, but certainly good enough to satisfy a craving. This said, I have no idea how much a poutine costs, as my memories of paying are... blurry. Can't really say much about the staff as they, too, are not exactly enshrined in my memory. But they've managed to successfully navigate several business transactions with a drunken me, so kudos to them. read more

I'm proud to be a Willy's regular. That means I had lots of poutine leftovers for breakfast! Smokes who? Willy's is place to be at Pizza Corner on Friday and Saturday at 3-4am; everyone says so. Willy's is consistently good - fairly fast - and always busy! Everything from the home cut French fries to the delicious gravy and big chucks of cheesey cheese curds, they just keeps me going back for more. You can add stuffing (dressing?) to your poutine for 3-4 dollars; I highly suggest you do that. It just makes it that much better - like that's even possible! See you there :) read more

Quite possibly the best veggie burger I've ever had. Unlike many veggie burgers which suffer the fate of mushy texture, *THIS* burger had that crisp outside and tender inside. There were real vegetables visible, too. Great with "the works". And the poutine gravy is vegetarian, so I was in HEAVEN. Prices are reasonable although you have to take it somewhere else to eat. Fortunately, we had a sunny day and nearby church steps. Will be a must-visit stop when I return to Halifax! read more

Today was the first time I tried Willy's. I was NOT disappointed. I already know this is the place that is going to kill me. Lately I've been hearing about another 'poutine only' place just across the street , no names, but how there is questionable quality to there gravy and ingredients. Willy's there is NOT doubt to the quality of what they cook with. It is exceptional I have a steak panini and poutine for lunch, don't judge me ! The panini was exceptional , huge chunks of well seasoned steak, covered in onions and peppers. The poutine was great, so much real cheese curds (not cheap mozza-imatations) and the gravy was the best I ever tasted. The staff was so friendly, and genuinely so, not manufactured smiles. It took a little time but it was worth the wait, get over to pizza corner and give them a try. read more

I'm sure I'm going to become quite familiar with this place, and fast. Delicious, fresh ingredients. Fast and friendly service. The best thing to stuff your drunken face with in the middle of the night, bar none. If you want to get fancy, you can smother your poutine in mounds of steak and onions, and they don't skimp. Such squeaky curds! read more

Let's admit it-- we've all been there; gay from drink and hungry from dancing! So what do we do? We look for something messy, delicious, and oozing with calories. I no longer look, I have found my heaven-- Willys. The fries are cooked perfectly, their gravy is scrumptious and vegetarian friendly, and they use the BEST cheese curds. It is a poutine of divine status. The next order of perfection was their steak fries. Yup, thinly sliced steak dripping with gravy thrown a top a cloud of fries. A good notable to mention is their wonky hours. They have listed hours but do NOT trust them, pick up your cell to ensure they are there creating amazingness. If the hours were more consistent they'd have 10 out 5 stars! read more

Do not miss their fries / poutine. Best in the city by a wide, wide margin. They have veggie gravy - bonus for vegetarians. I am not joking. Eat their poutine. Ps. This is a take out / walk up window only!! No seating! But find a bench, grass, window ledge, snow bank, or ditch to sit and eat it in! It is worth it!!!! read more

Oh Willy's... you are the place where I always end up at the end of a long evening out with my friends. And I've been frequenting the place even back when you could actually go in and sit down (the class! the ambiance!) Now, you just sidle up to the window, throwing 'bows at the drunk girl trying to butt in line. Not that I blame her, when it's 2:30 am, I can understand the insatiable need to get to the front of the Willy's line RIGHT NOW. And the reason for this inability to maintain common social graces? Willy's has got some awesome poutine. So very very good, and I firmly believe that this poutine eliminates hangovers. Or at least they help. It's like french fry magic. Important poutine points: they use real cheese curds (none of this mozzarella business) and their gravy is some of the best in the city. Totally recommend spending $8 to be worry free for the next morning... though you may need to run around a block or two. Clearly, this is not diet food. And if we get the jumbo size, I promise to share. PROMISE (sort of). I'll be interested to see what happens once the "franchise" moves in across the street -- somehow, I think I'll still end up at Willy's. Don't be ashamed, you will too. read more

Willy's is my hands-down favourite late night place in Halifax! As someone who is addicted to poutine, and has tried many other places in the city, this place is seriously the best! Not only do they use real cheese curds, but the gravy is amazing (and vegetarian friendly!) and the fires are hand-cut and always fresh! They truely are a great team of people as well, and are always very quick and friendly when dealing with customers (drunk or sober). While Willy's may not have all the bells and whistles like other places in halifax (like Smokes - their direct competition across the street), it really does capture the nitty-gritty charm of halifax and will remain one of my favourite places! Try their poutine, and you will never get poutine anywhere else!! read more

Great poutines, friendly staff and cool experience to stand outside a window on the side of a halifax street and have the most amazing smell waft out of the open window and slam you in the face. Mmmmmmm! I have learned to crave Willy's when I am in a poutine mood. Occasionally I am let down when they are not open during the posted open hours or are having trouble with the fryers. If I am coming across the bridge for my poutine fix, I want-no...I NEED you to be open. YOU HEAR ME, WILLY'S? You can't get me addicted to something so delicious and deny me! read more

Another late night food place I have been meaning to check out in downtown Halifax (always looking for an alternative to pizza corner), and finally got the chance last week after a night of dancing with a friend. I have been hearing lots about how good the food is here, and my friend convinced me to share a large poutine with her (not that I really needed much convincing, let's be honest). First of all, the large was plenty of food for the two of us and at only $9 it was a nice bargain, late-night snack. My favourite part by far was the gravy - it was delicious! Very rich in flavour and thick - clearly homemade and not from a package (i.e. gray, flat and thin - blech). I could have drank it out of the bottom of the container when we finished...but I didn't (I was too sober by then). The fries and curds were also good although I don't think there was anything particularly special about them. It seemed to take a bit of time to make our order - we waited about 10 minutes, which isn't a HUGE wait so we weren't annoyed or anything, but it just seemed weird that it wouldn't be ready right away. This is a small complaint though (it was a fairly busy time of night so you have to expect a bit of a wait in that case). I'm guessing they have a small staff, plus I don't think their 'line' system is necessarily the most organized so perhaps they need improvement here (dunno for sure). All in all, I liked Willy's - did not get an in-depth feel for the place this visit, but liked it it enough to go back and try something else! Methinks a burger will be on the menu next time (they smelled REALLY good). read more

I can see the draw. This must be a Canadian's idea of greasy comfort food. The flavor just did not pop for me. Adding ketchup helped, but it came down to my preference for fries not drowning in gravy. Even the added mushroom and onions did little to improve the dish. And for about $7 for essentially amped up fries, I don't think the meal was cheap. I ended up going to a no name pizza place near my hotel, and the garlic sticks I had there were much more satisfying. Also, the pizza place had indoor seating, something Willy's lacked. It's just a window that you order from. On the plus side, Willie's is one of the few places open late on Easter Sunday. I hope they paid their employees well:) I'm glad that I got to try not only authentic poutine, but likely (according to yelp) the best around these parts. read more

Poutine: A French Canadian dish, made with french fries, topped with brown gravy and curd cheese... As you can see, I must take my poutine seriously if I go through the effort of googling the standard definition. That being said, Willy's was the place I was referred to get my poutine fix. The place is a hole in the wall, literally. You place your order through said hole from the sidewalk on Blowers Street and minutes later you'll be presented with a hot serving of scrumptious poutine. I kid you not when I say this place serves the best gooey deliciousness in styrofoam. The fries are crispy and soft on the inside and they use real cheese curds! Yay! The gravy/sauce is vegetarian, yet it is surprisingly tasty! The fry guy could be a little more liberal with the seasonings, but I suppose the little condiment station suffices. Bottom line? Yummy. If you're looking for a quick bite of cheap, no-frills take-away, Willy's is the best option IMHO. I'm a believer. read more