A bite-sized burger blog from Louie Mantia, with a super-simple rating system.
November 20, 2025 in Kojima, Tokyo. Summary Crane House serves up a flawless no-fuss patty melt. Upsides The standard “Hamburg Cheese Sandwich” at Crane House is great, but the variants (mushroom, jalapeño, or egg) are all terrific. The bread is evenly toasted, while the cheese, patty, onions, and mayo all properly meld together on the griddle. Thick, crispy chips instead of fries and a pickle is…
September 7, 2025 in Nihombashi, Tokyo. Summary Justa Burger is one of the best burgers I’ve ever had, hands down. It’s simultaneously grown-up and childish. Upsides There are three sauce options: Aioli, Cajun, or Teriyaki. While all are great, the aioli is incredible. Each burger is otherwise identical, with two slices of cheese, two thick pickles, and one mini tomato. The presentation is…
January 7, 2012 in San Francisco, California. Summary The cheeseburger at Gott’s Roadside is worthwhile, with all the right flavors. Upsides Gott’s Roadside serves a great cheeseburger with vibrant color and taste. You can see everything inside with the half-wrapped burger presentation. Downsides The sauce is a little runny. Ingredients may be front-loaded for presentation. It’s also a bit…
May 6, 2025 in Kinshicho, Tokyo. Summary After transforming from an upscale Los Angeles burger restaurant to a fast food joint in Japan, Umami Burger is still good and novel, but no longer great. Upsides Umami Burger leans into umami ingredients like shiitake and parmesan. They have a good “Cali” burger too, that attempts to scratch an In-N-Out itch, which admittedly is more novel in Tokyo than it…
All too often, someone tells me they don’t like processed American cheese for a multitude of reasons, usually because “it’s not real cheese!” I’ve wasted days of my life conversing with people who think this is a worthwhile position to have. This post encapsulates all I want to say about the subject. Processed American cheese is made from dairy, salt, and water. Those are the same basic…
Hello! I’m Louie Mantia , an artist, designer, and burger-eater. I’ve been after great burgers basically all my life. Some of the ones I’ve found are very predictable, and everyone loves them. Others are lesser-known gems. I’m not an expert. But then again, who is? This is not in any way scientific or objective. How could it be? My ratings are based on how burgers taste compared to what I want…
April 7, 2026 in Asakusabashi, Tokyo. Summary The McDonald’s Big Mac is a classic, with a unique flavor, but it comes with all the baggage of being from McDonald’s. Upsides The Big Mac is great. It’s iconic. I don’t get tired of it, and there are times I specifically crave it. Also, it’s everywhere , which makes it extremely easy to get. It’s simple, good, and relatively cheap. Downsides It’s…
September 14, 2024 in Yurakucho, Tokyo. Summary While it has changed no doubt as a result of its rapid global expansion, Shake Shack has a great burger. Upsides Shake Shack makes a solid burger. It tastes great. All the ingredients look vibrant. The potato bun is perfectly fluffy. Being multi-national now, you can get it in lots of major cities around the planet. Downsides It’s kinda too greasy,…
June 18, 2017 in Beaverton, Oregon. Summary Five Guys makes a tasty, if messy burger. Upsides Five Guys burgers are tasty. There’s no doubt about it. And the breadth of topping choices means everyone can make their burger exactly the way they want it to be. In a way, they’ve idealized fast-food customization. And their fries are particularly good, especially the cajun spice variety. Downsides It…
May 26, 2021 in Keizer, Oregon. Summary In-N-Out makes a perfect burger. Upsides What makes In-N-Out special is its value. Taste, presentation, and price are all excellent. In some places, a Double-Double is cheaper than a Big Mac from McDonald’s . And yet, the quality is so much higher. The restaurants are nicer. The staff is friendlier. How In-N-Out manages to maintain its very high standards…
One-star ★ burgers are the ones I’ll eat again, but only if I’m nearby. Two-star ★★ burgers are burgers I’ll come back to again and again. And three-star ★★★ burgers are the ones I will happily go out of my way for. If you’re familiar with Michelin stars, it’s kind of like that. Not every place that serves burgers would earn a star, but one star is a good rating. If I wouldn’t want to eat it…