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| - Dangerous Dan's is one of those Toronto institutions that you just need to go to at least once to say that you've eaten there. It's on a part of Queen Street that hasn't quite been gentrified yet but, honestly, that's essential for your Dangerous Dan's experience. If I had to pick one word to describe "The Double D" it would have to be "grimy" but I honestly mean that in the most endearing way possible. The outside of the diner is weather-beaten and portions of the signage are almost unreadable. Inside, all of the seats are old van bench seats and captain's chairs, which I'd like to think are from the former daily drivers of the owner and staff, covered in slightly cleaner fabric. To dust off an old Rodney Dangerfield chestnut, the gimmick at Dangerous Dan's can be summed up as "the food ain't great but the portions are terrific!" The menu boasts hamburgers of increasingly obscene size with names like "The Elvis" (a burger with peanut butter, fried banana, and bacon) and "The Collosal Colon Clogger" (the ultimate in gluttony boasting a quarter pound of cheese, a quarter pound of bacon, and two fried eggs on a 24 oz patty). The first time I ate here I played it safe and ordered one of the more modestly-sized hamburgers. It was a thick patty on a fresh bun with intentionally thickly cut toppings. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I had half of a tomato on my burger. While the quantity of food was more than ample and reasonably priced, the hamburger itself was bland. I tasted no seasoning at all and was essentially eating a big pile of ground beef. The next time I went I had their chicken fingers on the advice of a friend. Despite their reputation for their burgers I have to say that their chicken fingers are a far superior meal. I couldn't tell if these had been made on site or cooked from frozen but they tasted fresh and were of non-uniform enough shape that I'd believe they were made to order. As I stated earlier, Dangerous Dan's is just one of those places you have to go to at least once. Between the food, the ambience, and the gruff demeanor of the staff it's a truly unique experience.
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