VJ’s Drive-In

We flew into to Winnipeg, on a Wednesday, arriving at 10:30 pm, got our luggage and rental car, and made a mad dash to VJ’S! Got there 10 minutes before they closed, grill cleaned, putting stuff away.
They fired everything back up and made us the the best burgers and fries I have ever eaten! Service was gregarious and friendly! Great experience (as always!)!

Saved my life lost in the deep cold winter in Winnipeg. The lemon-​lime shake is a classic not to be missed. Vinegar and salt ready for use on freshly fried potatoes. Meaty well-​grilled burger with that homemade taste and texture. Don’t pass this by!

Great burgers and fries. They stick to a core menu and do it well. If you like burgers and fries and need a comfort food, this is the place or just to have a great burger.

The food is, well… Seriously Fantastic!!!
I was in Winnipeg for business and staying at the Fort Garry Hotel (nearby). I found this place easily during a quick walk one evening. Just based on the outward appearance (a well aged and worn local drive-​in) I had to try it. It helped that a local gave me a «heads up» on what to order while I was in line.
I had two of their «special burgers» and an order of fries ($ 16.80 CAD). WOW!!!
Short Version: Imagine almost everything you could put on a cheeseburger (except bacon) being put on the cheeseburger. Shreaded lettuce, huge tomato slices, full size pickle wedges, hot chili, lots of cheese, juicy coleslaw sauce, and a big ‘ol slice of beef. It was a bit of heaven.
You have to give this place a try if you enjoy drive-​in food and want to try what appears (from other Unilocal reviews) to be a Winnipeg favorite.
Go for it!

Probably the finest dining you’ll ever experience. Well, maybe not fine dining but the most amazing burgers — chili, onions, and pickles — and fries. Twice fried fries dumped into a cardboard box ready for you to douse in vinegar and salt. Don’t even try to explain to your American friends. Just give them a taste and they’ll understand.

Great walk up joint. The ingredients were all freshly prepared, we watched them making the patties as we ordered, no frozen hockey pucks here. We got two of the special deluxe burgers and a side of fries which was big enough to share. The burgers were amazing loaded with perfectly red ripe tomatoes and some delicious pickle slices. The fries were golden brown, crispy and delicious. This place is a great choice for those who worked up an appetite at the forks.

So my wife and I decided to take the Train home from Vancouver as part of our Honeymoon. We were scheduled to stop in Winnipeg for some time to walk around and were told by a friend to check out VJ’s.
So we decided we would try it out since we didn’t get a chance to check out their other recommendation while in Vancouver.
Now you have to understand that Trains are RARELY on time. CN and CP control the rails and VIA is just a tenant. So Freight gets priority and there is NOTHING VIA can do about it.
So when we knew we were going to be a little late coming in, I texted another friend we were planning on saying Hi to briefly and suggested we go there as it was close to the train station.
Time slowly crept along as we waited to be allowed to come into the station. By 10 o’clock I was beginning to wonder if we’d get there in time for VJ’s to still be open. At 11:23 I called to find out what time they were open to. I got a possible time from Google but wanted to make sure. In winter, sometimes places close a bit early if there’s nothing going on. So when the VERY friendly «brother» answered the phone, I was pleased I’d called when they said they were about to close in 7 minutes. Though I wasn’t sure if we’d even make it then being as we STILL weren’t moving.
I told the guy my predicament and he said «Hold on, we’ve had stranger requests».
Now what would have happened if we didn’t get off in time and our friend hadn’t been there, I’m not sure. But regardless, I quickly called my buddy, asked him what we wanted (we had no idea so when the «brother» said «you want the special» we could only assume that’s what we should get)
So I called him back and said we’d get there as soon as we could, but we’d like 3 specials.
We didn’t get off the train until 1:05. Over an hour after they said they’d be closed. He said he’d stay open for at least an hour. So we did get our burgers (my friend showed up and figured he’d just go and get them and we wouldn’t get the opportunity to check the place out, but that’s ok).
So we basically had these burger made at about 11:30pm and didn’t start eating them until 1am. Even at room temperature (being in Winnipeg, they didn’t stay warm long I’m sure) these were for sure, in the Top 5 burgers I’ve ever had. Absolutely delicious. We had people even say «Oh, you must have gone to VJ’s» when we posted we’d just had a delicious burger in Winnipeg.
So by all means, however you do it, make sure you get the special from VJ’s. You will NOT be disappointed. And Brother, if you ever read this, THANK YOU. You rocked our delayed asses enough to completely get over the fact we’d waited so long for them. Peace.

Had another VJs special with fries today, another great burger. VJs makes one of the best, if not the best burger in Winnipeg. They’re consistently good and always the same. The burgers are 100% grade A beef and all of the toppings are as plentiful as they are flavourful. The patties are hand made and fresh. The fries are hand cut and deep fried while you wait. In my opinion VJs is one of the top «Greek» burgers in Winnipeg!

Greasy and delicious. A must-​go-​to burger joint during summer!
Staff is not very friendly but they don’t have to be since it’s a fast food place!

Grab the antacid and head in through the screen door to a Winnipeg institution. I could tell you not to get the ‘Special’, but let’s face it: the Guy Fieri in all of us is here for the classic, the tried and true, and the Special is a Winnipeg favourite.
As a burger, the Special is massive, sloppy, and tasty. Still, the use of chilli in the burger makes the Special a bit too cumin-​forward, with much of the shredded lettuce and tomato taking on the yellowish tint of the spice. The bun is a soft, sesame seed style – nothing to write home about on its own, but significant enough to hold together all the many components of this hefty burger.
At nearly $ 6, the Special is slightly pricey – given especially V.J.‘s absence of décor or table service. Yes, it’s bulky burger and yes, it’s an iconic bite of Winnipeg, but the ingredients and the speed at which they’re put together may not justify the price tag. Still, V.J.‘s is an uncommon, unusual, and special treat. $ 6 for a sloppy, chilli-​soaked hamburger? When in Rome, or, Winnipeg.

Ordered a cheese burger and fries. Fries were excellent, but the burger was just ok. It had some kind of sauce on it, and in my opinion it just ruined the taste. It tasted like it had curry in it. It might be because I’m from the US, I just like my burgers the old fashion way.
Very friendly cook. Cash only. The location might as well be a food truck. Just keep that in mind. Seating is just picnic tables outside.

You don’t come here for the atmosphere. You don’t expect a well presented meal. You come to eat greasy food that makes your mouth water and your heart ache.
It’s just a walk-​in place where you order and go.

Great hangover food ! The food is rightly priced and the experience is good. The staff has an attitude which goes along with their overall positioning that … «This isn’t fine dining and we know it … «. I don’t understand why people are complaining about them not accepting debit or credit … This is what they offer people and they don’t feel the need to install that. Anyway, overall great memories at this place and I’m looking forward to make new ones.

There is a reason why VJs gets voted number one burger in town over and over again. I think a lot of that has to do with nostalgia and tradition more so than the actual quality of the food here HOWEVER it is worth noting that VJs is in the top three vendors of the classic Winnipeg greek burger. I don’t think a real winner can be named when it comes to best Fat Boy or who makes the best Drive In burger BUT if you decide to try them all VJs should not be your first stop. You won’t want to try any others.
I’m a big hot dog fan so I always get the chili dog here. They always have a line up at lunch and they make one of the best milkshakes in town. If you’re visiting Winnipeg and want a good burger consider VJs

Woohoo indeed! You will never find a better BURGER joint period. Do have the VJ’s special (my personal favorite). Cash only.

I am not a hamburger guy so I decided to try their hot dog and it was awesome
This is home made odd looking hot dog but full of flavor
Tons of crispy fries
Grab a picnic table and chow down
Comfort Food at its Best
Cash Only!
Real shakes made with ice cream so be prepared to walk it all off
As a visitor I enjoyed the chance to partake in a cultural tradition and a rite of passage

Their burgers and fries are delicious but I recently tried their hot dogs for the first time and man are they super yum! Hot dogs aren’t my favourite fast food item because between a burger a hot dog, I’ll always go with the former. But now that I’ve tried VJ’s hot dogs, I’ll have to make a difficult decision as to what I’ll order next time I am there! Their hot dogs have a nice snap and flavour. And how can you go wrong when you pair that up with some classic processed Wonderbread buns and the great VJ toppings of chili, pickles, onions and mustard?

This is one of my favorite Friday night biking destinations.
Its cash only (already mentioned) so if you are with a friend or a group, bring cash. The nearest ATMs are just north of the restaurant.
Be careful not to show up too late as many times they run out of milkshakes around 1130 PM. Their shakes are very thick and tasty.
If you’re going to order the VJ fatboy, be sure to ask for extra onion and pickle to bring out the flavor (somewhat lacking) in their burgers.
If you want a treat, try their hot dog instead. It comes loaded, and doesn’t skimp on anything.
Box fries are good, but I wish they would do chili fries or fries and gravy. No gravy /​chili fries makes for a sad Ratboy.
Service is quick, and I’ve been coming here since 1996 to pick up grub for the weekend office crowd.
Try it out and you won’t regret it. Salt the fries.

The price is right, but the burger is only so-​so.
No chairs, no credit cards, and no frills. I liked the fact that this place was kind of divey — the best burger joints almost always are. And when I saw that there was a line nearly out the door, I was hopeful.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed in my VJ Special. Nothing special about it at all. Was it the worst burger I ever ate? No. But not worth a repeat visit.

Yea! Unilocal finally comes to the Great White North! And another 1^st Review and maybe even the first Winnipeg review.
This place is a «hole in the wall» among hole in the walls. It’s apparently well known in the Prairies and is across the street from the main train station. You basically walk inside to the counter, order your food (burgers, fries, poutine, etc.) and when it’s ready eat at one of the picnic tables outside. It’s very basic selection and facilities. But sometimes, this sort of casual is just want I want — unpretentious, local, and comfortable. This place would be in Road Food (Jane and Michael Stern) if they had a Canadian edition. Oh yes, the food is quite tasty!
Other Winnipeg sites like The Forks, St. Boniface, and the corner of Portage and Main downtown (sometimes said to be the coldest place in Canada in the winter) are all nearby and weather-​permitting within an easy and pleasant walk. I’m also a big Earl’s restaurant fan and there’s one near the train station too.