We check out the new hamburger specialty shop with nice buns that has joined its sister shop I’m Donut? in Shibuya.

A new Japanese restaurant specializing in hamburgers called 28 entered the burger game on October 11. It has the same operating company, Peace Put, as the I’m Donut? Japanese donut chain, which opened its first location in 2022 and currently has four locations throughout Japan. In fact, Neo Nice Burger’s first location happens to be directly above the Shibuya Miyamasuzaka location of I’m Donut.

▼ Never mind that the font of “Neo Nice Burger” looks like it’s a CAPTCHA wanting to confirm that you’re not a burger-seeking robot.

According to comments on restaurant review sites, there had been a considerable line snaking out the door when the joint first opened its doors. However, now that almost two weeks have passed since opening day, the crowds had died down a bit when we visited at around 11 a.m. on a recent weekday. We were able to walk right in without a wait.

Apparently the idea for Neo Nice Burger had been in the works for about five years before being realized. A large part of what sets it apart is that Peace Put manages another small chain of bakeries called Amam Dacotan in Tokyo and Fukuoka, so we had high expectations for the quality of the bread being used as hamburger buns. Not only that, but the restaurant also makes its own ketchup, mayonnaise, tomato sauce, and potato side dishes from scratch.

Sure enough, a quick peek at the buns alone made us want to salivate. There was even more than one style, including plain, craft, and brioche buns. With this kind of care and attention to detail that goes into every part of a gourmet burger, we expected that the price would be equally high and mentally prepared ourselves before looking at the menu.

However…huh?! A Neo Hamburger Set that comes with a burger, fries, and a drink only costs 950 yen (US$6.22). That’s actually way cheaper than we’d expected for a trendy burger specialty shop!

In fact, even the most expensive sets only cost 1,260 yen each. Was there some kind of catch?!

We were feeling in a fairly classic mood on this day and decided to spring for a Neo Cheese Set (1,050 yen) along with a hot coffee add-on (+55 yen). The fries and drink as part of the set only come in one size, but they were everything that we needed. We submitted our order for take-out and sat down to wait. (Note that the restaurant is fully cashless, so please plan accordingly before your visit.)

It was fun to watch the baker at the front of the shop preparing more bread. The grill where the burger patties were being cooked was at the back.

Our order number was called before long and the staff handed us a paper cup to fill with the beverage of our choice at the drink fountain.

Soon the food was ready as well and we carried it home in excitement.

We laid out all three parts of the set to snap a photo before digging in. The paper cup and fry holders were a pretty cool touch.

▼ Ignore the drink leakage–that’s the result of our own clumsiness while carrying everything home.

The fries were thickly cut and still had the skin of the potatoes. They’re the perfect style for anyone who prefers softer, more potato-y fries over crispy ones.

Now onto the main burger course. We opened the lid carefully…

…to reveal a true craft cheeseburger! The sesame buns were definitely the biggest visual impact of the entire creation.

The patty contained a healthy serving of melted cheddar cheese. On top of that was a generous amount of ketchup and minced onions with a hint of mustard mayonnaise. It was a simple but classic combination.

That combination also proved to be the most delicious. Sure enough, the buns absolutely knocked it out of the park, just as we had predicted. They were completely different than buns at any other kind of major burger chain in Japan. It truly felt as if we were eating bread purchased at an upscale bakery.

With this level of quality, handcrafted buns, and a very reasonable price, we’re going to call it now–we predict that Neo Nice Burger is going to fill a certain niche in the Japanese burger market that perfectly balances quality and price. We sure hope that it expands its number of locations as word catches on.

For other unique burgers at the intersection of a major chain and a video game, see the McDonald’s Japan Street Burgers currently on sale.

Restaurant information
Neo Nice Burger Shibuya Miyamasuzaka shop / ネオナイスバーガー  渋谷宮益坂店
Address: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Shibuya 1-8-3 1st floor
東京都渋谷区渋谷 1-8-3 1階
Open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (last order at 7:30 p.m.)
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Reference: PR Times
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