The Big Bodyssey: The Beefiest, Most Bodacious Burgers in Hong Kong

It’s burger season everyone. And do you know exactly when that is? Literally every day and month of the year. “I’ve always told people, you know I’m a very hungry guy. I’ve been to the best burger places in Hong Kong. I recently walked into a burger joint and said to myself ‘Wow, this is a delicious burger.’” Picture this being said in a Donny T accent with lots of nonsensical hand gestures, pauses, and inflection. The timing of this post felt long overdue, fortunately (or unfortunately) driven by the internal shame and guilt after realizing that I haven’t eaten as many burgers as I feel is required as my civic gourmandizing duty in this patriotic city. 

Part of that stems from a general disdain for overpriced dried-out hockey pucks that are all too commonly served throughout the city. Part of it is due to the fact that I’m a creature of habit and walk the same sad 1 km radius loop between work and home every single day (like most of you reading this), unable to extricate myself from this fatalistic rat race. And part of it is because I know if I go too heavy into the burger life I may have to be sent to the zoo with the rhinos, hippos, and that one Malaysian guy for future MRIs due to there being no medical technology capable of withstanding my inconceivably rotund frame.

But first, what am I looking for in my Oxen Odyssey? One where I actually find myself more akin to the eponymous figure’s wife, Penelope, fending off boastful suitors by the hundreds – faithful to her Trojan war hero and the covenant of marriage. In my case, faithful to my arbitrary probity of what a sound burger should be, bobbing and weaving to dodge the brazen claims and tasteless constructions tendered by the squirrelly burger suitors of the ‘Fragrant Harbor’.

My burger principles are simple. It should be affordable (or worth the price). It should be filling. And it should be able to stand on the merits of the meat and bun alone. A burgertocricy. Granted, I almost always opt for a cheeseburger, so maybe cheese should be included as well. There is no “control” burger that I’ve used in this historic heifer hunt. I’ve opted for whatever looked appetizing and what I was in the mood for (I’m very capr-beef-icious). 

Here’s what I found. In no particular order, 7 of the beefiest, most bodacious burgers in Hong Kong are:

Kabo Burger

“Eye for an eye (your beef is mines)” – Mobb Deep

Website, Address, & Details: https://www.facebook.com/kabo.burger

• Location: G/F, Wardley Centre, 9-11 Prat Ave, Tsim Sha Tsui, 青山公路499號嘉寶大廈地下A-B鋪, Kwai Chung
• Price: $ – Burgers start at HK$40 and a ‘set meal’ upgrade is +$16, making it possibly the best burger combo meal in the city. 

While Kabo might feel like the most ‘commercial’ of all the burger joints on the list (other than my mystery honorable mention below), it’s not. It’s just an incredibly well-oiled machine (and family affair) that not only passed college-level ‘Supply Chain 401’ but was a T.A. in the class. 

First popping up in Kwai Chung in 2015 (with a TST shop following not long after), Kabo Burger spawned out of a desire to showcase ‘Hong Kong-style’ burgers, which are typically bigger than Western-style burgers, sport liberal seasoning (and sometimes ginger, garlic, and soy sauce infusions), often push the limit with toppings (styling towards local tastes), and boast a more ‘elastic’ texture to them. This is in contrast to Western burgers which typically look to economize by letting the meat speak for itself with less seasoning while sticking to classic lettuce, tomato, and onion toppings. 

My only complaint about Hong Kong-style burgers is that when they aren’t cooked just right, the outer perimeter of the patty sometimes takes on a rubbery texture that generates an ‘audible’ snap when biting into it. And, if improperly seasoned, it can feel lacking in that signature beefiness which I know a lot of us love when biting in. 

However, dry and rubbery aren’t even in Kabo’s vocabulary when it comes to burgers, as they use slow-cooked beef ribs for their patties to lock in all the natural juices from the broken-down connective tissues and fat. The quality and care are evidenced by the balanced interior and marbling, with an even distribution of fat and pinkish hue. 

Slap that between a thin and somewhat flaky bun with a sprinkle of flour on top (almost similar to a British bap), seductively melt a sharp cheddar over it, and top it off with caramelized onions (almost more reminiscent of a jam) and a slightly spicy burger sauce, and you have one of the most repeatable burgers in the business. 

And if you’re not entirely in the mood for beef – even though I personally, I’m all about that beef, ‘bout that beef, no chicken – then one of Kabo’s shrimp, lamb, chicken, pork, or Impossible burgers should do the trick. 

Pale Ale Travel Note: I don’t want to knock popular Hong Kong magazines and publishers like ‘A Foodie World’ and ‘TimeOut’ but I always do find it a tad suspect when a burger joint is opened and immediately appears on the list (ex. Literally within days of it being opened). I’m not saying this is for-profit burger cronyism but I do think it would be naive not to acknowledge that Hong Kong’s F&B and influencer landscape operates heavily off of scratching one another’s back.  

Belly Boys

“Alien annihilation, I stay armed to the grill piece, and kill beef, 20 percent matter, 30 percent is energy” – Deltron 3030

Website, Address, & Details: https://bellyboysburger.com/

• Location: G/F, 52 Tang Lung St, Causeway Bay
• Price: $ – $$ – Burger ‘tea sets’ with french fries start around HK$60, with signature specialty burgers coming in around HK$100. 

Now, I don’t want to go making bold claims that I have to tether myself to until I die but at the date of publication, gun to my head if you asked me my favorite burger so far in Hong Kong, Belly Boys would be my pick. However, I should preface that I have only eaten here several times so it may be the honeymoon phase. No matter the case, it’s emphatically one of Hong Kong’s best burgers.

Located in my favorite hyperbolic chamber of consumeristic tribalism and hell, Causeway Bay, Belly Boys is smashing and grilling up USDA Prime beef like you dream about and then stacking it between Bakehouse’s pillowy artisan brioche buns (that are actually worth queuing in that ridiculous line for). But these aren’t your ordinary smash burgers. These are immoral, lascivious, bewitching smashed burgers constructed in the name of condensing whole cuisines into a single perfect bite. 

What do I mean by that? Take Belly Boy’s ‘Burger au Poivre’, a USDA Prime chuck eye roll, known for tenderness and sometimes referred to as ‘mock ribeye’, topped with sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and one of the most drinkable sauces in the world – a whiskey-infused black peppercorn sauce (‘au Poivre’ in French). This is traditional French cuisine (‘Steak au Poivre’) that, like those tubes of pureed beef and vegetables NASA would feed astronauts in the 60s, is refined into a vibrant, undivided, single bite (or slurp if you’re an astronaut).

Except it is 1000 times better and doesn’t taste like baby food.

Or, take the ‘Tribute Burger’, which replaces the black peppercorn sauce and sauteed mushrooms with a sweet and slightly tangy homemade burger sauce, and whiskey-infused caramelized onion jam with salty and fatty pancetta, paying homage to the quintessential American steakhouse and BBQ joints that line the southern belt. If you haven’t caught on by now, whiskey-infused things are primo and not just for middle-aged Zac Brown Band fans trying to reclaim their adolescence at a Nashville tailgate.  

My only minor note about Belly Boys is that because of the pillowyness of the Bakehouse brioche buns, there isn’t a lot of textural contrast with this burger. However, this does also make it easily eaten in just several bites and one that you can fire up several of, which is my preferred M.O. when eating burgers. 

Burger Mate

“No score on a war-torn beach, where the cash cow’s actually beef.” – Aesop Rock

Website, Address, & Details: https://burgermatecatering.oddle.me/en_HK/

• Location: Brilliant Court, Shop A, G/F, 78 Kimberley Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui
• Price: $ – Burgers start around HK$75 and go up to HK$130 (for the premium wagyu).

Opened by a gregarious Turkish man ‘Berkan’ (who could pass for a Brazilian footballer thanks to his shaved head), in Tsim Sha Tsui just over four years ago, Burger Mate is a neighborhood burger joint that radiates community, family, and beef glory. You’ll find Berkan’s cousin ‘Ken’ in the kitchen, firing up Burger Mate’s USDA prime Angus beef with the precision of that one surgeon in The Human Centipede. These guys know meat and they know bread.

It shouldn’t be any surprise that Burger Mate is home to one of the juiciest burgers in Hong Kong, as the Turks pioneered, fine-tuned, and popularized one of the ultimate handheld comfort foods (the doner kebab). When chatting with Berkan, I was told that the primary focus was two-fold, to construct a burger that appeals to both local and Western tastes through quality (a) bread and (b) meat. While that might sound overly simplistic, it’s not and is actually a common deficiency and denominator amongst Hong Kong’s rapacious burger suitors.

From Burger Mate’s ‘Signature Double Beef Cheese’ (my go-to) to its ‘Premium A4 Wagyu’, ‘Tempura Shrimp’, and ‘Black Truffle Mushroom Beef’ burgers, you can rest assured that the protein and bread can stand alone. The rest is all gravy, baby. 

At Burger Mate, you get glimpses of Turkish influence, with the bread sitting somewhere between a traditional wheat bun and flatbread (or even pita). There’s palpable grains and texture to the bun, which when tossed on the grill, crisps up into something more akin to an English muffin after you’ve run it through the toaster – soft on the inside with a nice little crackle and structural support.

In a city that, for the most part, has tried handily to craft the perfect American hamburger, Burger Mate offers up a refreshing yet familiar take that stands to break up the burger monotony you might be feeling.

Pale Ale Travel Note: If you’re halal, then this is your spot. I had a fantastic chat with a guy from Pakistan who is a devoted regular of Burger Mate as he noted it is one of the best (and only?) spots for halal burgers in Hong Kong. 

Eggslut

“You got beef but there’s worms in your Wellington.” – Cannibal Ox

Website, Address, & Details: https://www.eggsluthk.com/

• Location: 27-47, Shop 2 on G/F & Shop F-1 on 1/F, Fashion Walk 11-19 Great George Street, & Paterson St, Causeway Bay
• Price: $$ – Eggslut’s cheeseburger will run you HK$90+, which is definitely on the pricier side. 

Located deep in the land of twenty-something TikTok influencers and dejected boyfriends who get stuck carrying designer makeup bags (Fashion Walk), Eggslut and its evocative nomenclature may be the biggest sleeper on this list for one of the best burgers in Hong Kong. Even if poultry doesn’t make you feel particularly promiscuous, Eggslut’s signature cheeseburger is perfect if you, like me, are constantly caught somewhere between breakfast and lunchtime cravings. It’s one part breakfast sandwich, one part ground Angus beef burger, and two parts not-so-subtle, erotic mastication.

Eggslut clucked its way into Hong Kong in 2023 and, like its L.A. counterpart, garnered considerable social media attention for its highly Instagrammable burgers and breakfast sandwiches. However, it’s one of the few social media sensations that puts its money where its mouth is and delivers a taste that does justice to its scantily dressed and sultry aesthetic. 

The well-seasoned and crusted burger patty strikes a middle ground that I’m finding rarer and rarer these days in Hong Kong’s burger scene – somewhere between a thick and smashed patty. The bun, a sweet, sweet brioche (oh my sweet boy ‘Brioche’!) that provides refuge to a runny, over-medium free-range egg, caramelized onions, and salty, sour pickles (which provide that textural contrast we all need) is balanced out by a creamy, sharp dijonnaise (the one that gives you the slight burn in your upper nostrils (no, not that type you mid-level Goldman analyst), and mild cheddar. I can eat these things in sub-3 seconds.

Unlike other burger joints on the list where there’s no shortage of burger choices at your fingertips, Eggslut keeps it simple. Simple is sexy. There’s no burger paralysis when you step up to the counter to order unless you’re riddled with indecisive thoughts over which other breakfast sandwich on the menu you should pair it with. In that case, I recommend their signature ‘Bacon, Egg, & Cheese’. 

Pale Ale Travel Tip: I had a bit of a rough go of things over Chinese New Year and made a trip out to Causeway Bay to eat at Eggslut and get my head straight. Make sure to check out my post about how I shamed burgers at Eggslut (in the most respectful way possible). 

Birria Y Birria

“Beef is oil prices and geopolitics.” – Mos Def

Website, Address, & Details: https://www.birriaybirria.com/

• Location: Hang Hing Court, UGF, 123-125 Third St, Sai Ying Pun
• Price: $ – Burgers start around HK$70 and go up to HK$100 for the ‘Umami Burger’ (which for a bone marrow-infused burger, that’s a steal).

You might already know Andy and Co. from the former burger haven ‘Electric Ave’- formerly on First Street in Sai Ying Pun and Graham Street in SoHo. If you do, you already know that Andy has been grilling up gustatorily, dynamic and inviting smashed burgers before half of present-day Hong Kong’s burger joints even knew what a smashed burger was. 

While the name of the game is all things ‘birria’, a popular Mexican spice-packed meat stew and/or consomme made with beef, lamb, and even chicken, that doesn’t mean the burgers were forgotten. In fact, the burgers here are formidable contenders for that number one spot (Ludacris approved) in the gladiatorial gastronomic arena that is the Birria Y Birria menu, with the ‘Umami Burger’ stealing the show.  

By the end of this double grass-fed U.K. beef smashed patty with a crunchy, crispy outer edge, naturally candied infusion of caramelized onion, luxurious bone marrow mayo (which I, unfortunately, omitted due to mayo being my kryptonite), and sharp cheddar that cascades over it all like an unsuspecting self-snapping tourist at the Grand Canyon, you won’t just be saying ‘umami’, you’ll be screaming ‘Ooh Daddy’. I’ll see myself out.

If that’s not enough flavor for you – because you, like Guy Fieri, are always aggressively mashing the pedal of your red and white striped Chevrolet Corvette while blowing through red lights on your way to Flavortown – then dunking your burger in a cup of Birria Y Birria’s savory, spiced mahogany birria soup is a no brainer. This is the chef’s kiss right there. 

Just make sure that you order several cups of birria soup for yourself as there is a fat chance you and your partner break up by the end of the meal if you attempt to split one. All is fair in love, war, and birria bonanzas. 

Pale Ale Travel Tip: Birria Y Birria (along with The Diplomat) are the only two spots on this list that you can arguably post up at for an entire night as they are designed for the long haul. Birria Y Birria is also behind the best tacos in Hong Kong, which you can read about in my write-up ‘Birria Y Birria: Casa to the Best Tacos in Hong Kong’. 

The Diplomat

“Beef rap could lead to gettin’ teeth capped, or even a wreath for Mom Dukes on some grief crap.” – MF Doom

Website, Address, & Details: https://thediplomat.hk/

• Location: Shop 1, LG/F, H Code, 45 Pottinger St, Central
• Price: $$ – $$$ – The Diplomat’s burger definitely clocks in as the most expensive on the list, around HK$190, but is completely worth the price tag.

What if I were to tell you that one of the best burgers in Hong Kong also happens to be at one of Hong Kong’s best cocktail bars? The Diplomat, like that 1992 Geena Davis and Tom Hanks baseball movie, really is in a league of its own considering it’s the only true spot on this list that embraces boldness by serving up a burger with a thick beef patty. The rest, as you’ve seen, are either smashed or somewhere in between a smashed patty and a thick patty. 

The Diplomat Kool-Aid man kicks down the door of traditional, burger institution hegemony, proving that you don’t have to bill yourself as a ‘burger specialty’ restaurant just to take beef seriously. It’s rare (or some might say medium rare) to find a burger spot in the city capable of cooking a burger that achieves a juicy interior that glows like a ruby (another MF Doom reference), and why I suspect a large percentage of burger restaurants opt to smash their patties to smithereens like Donkey Kong with a barrel. 

Ensuring that no juice revs up its white Ford Bronco and is “on the loose,” The Diplomat seals things in with a perfectly melted sharp, gooey cheddar over a slightly crisped sesame bun with soft interior “give” – creating a pillowy, mini “cave” that Plato would have a field day with using as an example of human consciousness.  

For those of you that recently watched a Chick-Fil-A commercial and had a change of heart after seeing the cows hold signs that read ‘Eat Mor Chikin’, The Diplomat is also home to the best southern fried chicken sandwich in the city (sorry Honky Tonks). So “get your effin’ shinebox, and your sack of nickels” to get those taste tickles with the burger’s sweet pickles… crunchy red cabbage slaw, clinical dollops of hot sauce, and explosively juicy buttermilk dredged chicken.  

I’m definitely getting a bit nonsensical with some of these references but you’re here for the pictures anyways.

Pale Ale Travel Tip: For being one of the best burgers in Hong Kong, I don’t think The Diplomat gets anywhere near the love and respect it deserves. I’d attribute this to the lack of burger education in the city, with most burger enthusiasts taking ‘The Diplomat’ at face value as solely a cocktail bar. To learn more about it, make sure to check out my article ‘Is The Diplomat the Best Burger in Hong Kong?’.

Mirror Burger

“You asked for it, who want beef?” – Boot Camp Clik

Website, Address, & Details: https://www.mirrorburger.com/

• Location: 194 Queen’s Rd W, Sai Ying Pun
• Price: $ – Burgers start at just over HK$60, however, it’s less than +HK$20 to make it a combo.

Mirror Burger is what Shake Shack in Hong Kong aspires to be – the quintessential American burger. Of all the burgers on this list, Mirror Burger consistently fires up what I consider the most nostalgic burger of my youth but with fresher ingredients…and far more thought and care placed into it than by whatever inept and emotionally distant father happened to be manning the grill at our neighborhood cookouts. 

Mirror Burger uses a classic white bun, which you’ll find stacked by the dozen in a silver bakery rack next to the open kitchen, that lays the foundation for a well-seasoned medium-thick patty (thick enough to make out a slightly pinkish center), raw onion, tomato slices, and leafy rocket. 

As someone who doesn’t have the best history of mixing in salads or greens (hence the nickname), even I was able to pick up on just how fresh all the veggies used were (which are delivered promptly each morning). The vegetables looked as fresh as you see on TV, almost exaggerated in color with how vibrant they appear. Only in the aftermath of my visit did I learn that Mirror Burger’s owner, Michael, opened the shop with a health-conscious ethos intent on delivering familiar tastes with nutritional consideration. 

What propagates the Americana (maybe my number 2 album by The Offspring) of this burger is a liberal spread of a tart, tangy mustard and ketchup sauce duet. With a good chunk of burger restaurants in Hong Kong, there’s a glaring lack of respect for mustard as a condiment. Mirror Burger is a good, mustard-fearing burger believer.  

Even if you were to subtract the fresh from the market veggies, this burger could decisively exist on its own, which tells you all you need to know about the quality of the USDA Angus beef, the precision by which it’s cooked, and its fluffy white bun. 

And, if you’re in the mood for a little stank with your burger (stanky legg certified), Mirror Burger serves up a crumbly, funky, and slightly earthy blue cheese burger that would make even the proudest Frenchman howl “oui, oui, y’all.” 

Honorable Mention: Burger King

Website, Address, & Details: https://www.thepeak.com.hk/en/dining-and-shopping/dining/burger-king

• Location: The Peak, Peak Rd, 128號凌霄閣1樓1舖
• Price: $ – Standard fast food prices that have convinced middle America it’s cheaper to eat than cook at home. 

It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t throw on one of my absolute favorite fast-food burgers out there. In fact, I’d take this over Five Guys or Shake Shack any day of the week (but not Wendy’s – unfortunately there’s no Wendy’s in Hong Kong).

We all get one mulligan, right? However, maybe there’s no apology needed for this one. Even May Chow from Little Bao revealed in a recent interview with the new Instagram account ‘Forklore’ that WacArnold’s is her guilty pleasure. I can’t hate on that one bit. For me, it’s pure nostalgia and brotherhood that drive this pick. 

After moving back to Hong Kong in 2020, which coincided with one of my top dawgz also moving back less than a month later, Burger King became the Friday go-to. We’d meet with a Red Bull or Monster on Robinson Road and make our way up The Peak, sometimes High West, and ultimately settle at Hong Kong’s one and only BK Lounge for a Double Bacon Cheese Whopper. Andy, Ying, Dominic, Hugo, and Co. would treat us like family. It was a weekly moment to step outside the incessant, deafening calls of mid-thirties mediocrity and spend time with one of my oldest friends in Hong Kong. 

“Everything look better with a view.“

Plus, what Burger King in Hong Kong has that the rest of the burgers on this list don’t is…other than the backing of a billion-dollar multinational burger conglomerate (“Big Burger”)…is the best view in the city. A Double Bacon Cheese Whopper with seats overlooking arguably the most iconic skyline in the world – that’s the definition of living. 

There may also be a part of me that hopes each time I return that they’ll have those Disney-themed glasses you’d collect as a kid – the ones that would ultimately take over your cabinet and dominate any sort of normal glassware your parents had envisioned owning before having kids. 

It feels foolish to try and dissect the taste and ingredients of a Burger King Double Bacon Cheese Whopper, so I won’t. You go there for the nostalgia, affordability, and view – and sometimes, that’s more satisfying than an expertly crafted burger. 

Don’t Worry Veggie Fam, I Got You: Treehouse

Website, Address, & Details: https://www.treehouse.eco/

• Location: Shop 1, Ground Floor, H Code, 45 Pottinger St, Central
• Price: $$ – Definitely a bit more of a ‘premium’ to pay for vegetarian food in Central.

Now, I wasn’t going to do this but I’ve been on a huge vegetarian kick for the last several months. This Big Body is trying to become a ‘Less Big Body’. I’ve kind of tethered myself to that name though now and it would be a pain to have to go back in and revise all my sign-offs and musings about myself in the third person. 

I can’t put an ‘Impossible Burger’ on this list mainly because I disagree with the marketing and faux burger pundits who claim ‘it tastes just like real meat’. It doesn’t and you may be crazier than the “Mista Mista Lady” from Happy Gilmore. My take is that if it was just billed as a ‘fantastic tasting alternative to beef burgers’ rather than trying to ‘replicate the taste of meat’, more people would be on board – myself included.

So, that’s why my vote for the top veggie burger(s) in town goes to Treehouse in H Code. If you’ve stepped foot in there over the last several months and noticed a slightly rotund man with a shaved head who gives a lot of goofy thumbs-ups and fist bumps, then you already knew this was coming. 

Treehouse boasts a trio of veggie burgers, my favorite being the ‘Forest Burger’, a no-nonsense sourdough bun cradling a mildly flavored mushroom patty (that retains far more juice than even some of the beef burgers in Hong Kong), packed to the gills with lettuce, tomato, roasted red bell peppers (also like vegetable candy for me), and red onion. 

But what takes it to the next level is their signature pungent garlic sauce and eggplant caviar (which isn’t too far off from a more familiar Lebanese baba ganoush).

Other veggie burgers include a roasted pumpkin and grain patty with vegan cheese and all the standard burger fixings (the ‘Tundra’ burger) and grilled tempeh and spiced tofu burger topped with a smoky chipotle sauce (the ‘Reef’ burger).

A Neverending Burger Bodyssey For This Big Body

Belly Boys’ ‘au Poivre’ burger.

Burgers should elicit feelings of comfort. It’s a food that almost all of us have grown up with to some degree (even my Russian buddy who was amped about McDonald’s opening in the Soviet Union in 1990), is an affordable staple that can be readily found no matter where you are in the world, and contains far more gustatorial multitudes and flavor profiles than it’s given credit for. 

I’ve mentioned in previous posts but for me, my gold standard burger is made by my mother. A standard 80/20 (lean ground beef and fat) patty, potato bun, melted cheddar or Monterey Jack, a light coating of bacon and onion jam on the bun, a dollop of Sweet Baby Ray’s honey BBQ, and a medium rare center. This textural and flavor combination is ‘perfection’. However, it’s also my gold standard because of the love, comfort, and nostalgia, I feel eating these. 

Note: Based on that above description, I’m sure it’s no surprise why Belly Boys especially knocked it out of the park for me when it came to this staple. 

All of the burgers on this list evoked a feeling far outside the realm of apathy (even if my reaction was more “bear digging through the trash” rather than wistful reflection) and took me out of my head for a moment – and that’s why they are on this list. 

I’d love to hear from you in the comments, by email (info@palealetravel.com), or via Instagram (@palealetravel) about your top burger in Hong Kong or if you think I missed any spots. Let me know if you prefer smashed or a thicker patty and if you’re a burger purist or if you like to spice it up with the whole nine yards. 

Eat well everyone,

Big Body