Customization Can’t Always Save Your Order
Harvey’s has built its reputation around flame-grilled burgers that you can make a beautiful thing…but not every menu item is worthy of your money. Some items bury decent ingredients beneath heavy sauces, while others don’t offer enough flavor to justify choosing them over a classic Original Burger. Whatever the case may be, it’s time we dove into which options make the most sense and which ones you ought to keep away from.
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1. Large Chicken Bacon Ranch Poutine
You know, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Chicken, bacon, ranch, cheese curds, gravy, and fries? No thank you! The ranch overpowers the gravy, and the chicken pieces quickly lose their crispness under all those wet toppings. Not to mention, at 1,690 calories, we could do without an entire day’s calories in one box.
2. Slushie With Nerds
Who invented this? The novelty of Nerds in an already sweet drink doesn’t improve the experience. Pieces of candy often settle at the bottom or create a gritty final few sips once their coating starts dissolving, and a large version reaches roughly 860 calories, so it’s not great on any front.
3. Buffalo Chicken Wrap
Harvey’s packs crispy chicken, vegetables, and Buffalo sauce into this one, but the filling isn’t always balanced. Too much sauce, and the wrap gets messy or masks the fresher toppings. Too little, however, leaves you with ordinary breaded chicken. You just can’t win, and it’s not worth it when burgers are just waiting for you.
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4. BIG Harv Original
This one sounds promising enough: two Original Burger patties, cheese, and the usual customizable toppings. But bigger isn’t automatically better. They just feel like thinner patties, and they also get noticeably dry when doubled, especially once the burger has spent time wrapped for takeout or delivery.
5. Frozen Red Bull
We barely need Red Bull on its own, let alone a frozen option with additional sweetness! The sharp artificial flavor gets tiring before you’ve reached the halfway point, and it’s only worse if you also ordered salty fries or poutine. Harvey’s already sells regular shakes and slushies, so this caffeinated option has trouble earning its place.
6. Crispy Chicken BLT Wrap
The Crispy Chicken BLT Wrap combines bacon and breaded chicken with vegetables and sauce. It sounds good until you sink your teeth into one; the tortilla struggles to contain everything. Bacon disappears behind the thicker chicken pieces, too, leaving its salty flavor without much of the texture you expected.
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7. Large Buffalo Chicken Poutine
We weren’t going to forget about this one, sorry. How could we? Once the chicken coating softens and the fries absorb both sauces, the entire container becomes one soggy, aggressively seasoned mixture. The large size is also reportedly 1,530 calories, so we’ll pass.
8. Twelve-Piece Buffalo Chicken Nuggets
Someone needs to tell Harvey’s to relax on the Buffalo items. With all that sauce-covered breading, those precious nuggets lose their crunch, and the repeated vinegar-heavy flavor doesn’t leave much room for dipping sauces.
9. Grilled Chicken Salad
If you thought you were safe with this one, you might want to check again. Its enjoyment depends heavily on ingredient freshness and dressing distribution, two things that aren’t always consistent in fast food. Harvey’s flame-grilled burger customization is the real attraction, so just stick with that.
10. Four-Pack Of Donuts
Harvey’s small donuts don’t have the freshness or variety you’d find at a coffee shop. Their compact size makes a four-pack easy to finish, but that’s also part of the danger! The dough and coating are also surprisingly heavy after a burger-and-fries meal.
That’s not to say this classic Canadian chain doesn’t deliver! Whether you’re craving a classic burger or something lighter, these 10 picks make a strong case for skipping your usual routine.
1. Original Burger
If you’re going to Harvey’s for anything, it should be the Original Burger. It remains the most reliable way to experience what the restaurant does well. Its flame-grilled beef patty has enough flavor to stand up to toppings, but even plain, this one sings over other fast food options.
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2. Angus Burger With Cheese and Bacon
No judgement if you need a richer option, and you’ll get it with the Angus Burger with Cheese and Bacon. The quarter-pound Angus patty comes with a cheese slice and crispy bacon before you select anything else, so even Plain Janes can enjoy. Fresh lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo also give it enough contrast to keep every bite interesting.
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3. Veggie Burger
Not every fast-food joint handles beyond-meat items well, but Harvey’s does. The plant-based Veggie Burger works particularly well with plenty of crunchy vegetables, hot peppers, pickles, and your preferred sauce on a toasted bun. The best part? It’s only 330 calories before optional additions.
4. Grilled Chicken Sandwich
A seasoned chicken breast cooked on the flame grill gives this sandwich a pleasantly savory taste without breading getting in the way. Since the basic sandwich is only 290 calories before toppings and sauces, you’ve got room to personalize it without immediately creating a heavy meal. Try it with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and honey mustard for an order that feels fresh but still satisfying.
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5. Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Though the BLT wrap isn’t very good, that doesn’t mean all the crispy chicken options are subpar. This sandwich supplies a seasoned whole chicken breast that can be topped according to your preferences, and even if you don’t add on, you’re getting garlic mayonnaise, shredded lettuce, pickles, and jalapeños.
6. Classic Poutine
Sometimes you need to throw health out the window for a classic poutine, and there’s really no better place to get it than Harvey’s! Sticking with the classic version allows the curds and gravy to remain front and center attraction instead of covering them with a mess of other sauces. It’s best eaten immediately, so don’t let it go to waste, either.
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7. Frings
Anyone who struggles between fries and onion rings should remember that Harvey’s created a very practical solution: frings. They divide the container between the two sides, giving you crisp onion rings alongside familiar golden fries, and it’s one of the best things ever for non-deciders or greedy mouths.
8. Deep-Fried Pickles
For some people, fast food isn’t complete without pickles—and Harvey’s has them covered. The deep-fried pickles offer a tangy break from the heavier sides, and each order contains four breaded dill pickle spears served with creamy ranch. That combination of crisp coating and sharp pickle flavor? Nothing tops it.
9. Vanilla Shake
Forget Nerds, and definitely forget Red Bull! You have a classic vanilla shake right there. Not to mention, Harvey’s hand-spins its version with a vanilla base made using Canadian dairy, so you’ll score a thick drink that pairs naturally with salty burgers and fries.
10. Grilled Hot Dog
We know it sounds a little weird to head to Harvey’s for a hot dog, but don’t count out this beloved crowd-favorite. Harvey’s flame-grills their weenies before placing them on a soft toasted bun, then allows you to choose toppings just as you would at the burger counter. It’s simple, it’s classic, and it’ll fill any belly.
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