This afternoon, after over 2½ years since my failed attempt to visit, I finally sampled the finest burger in Kansai, if not all of Japan!
We arrived at Nishinomiya way before closing this time – I would not miss out again! It’s a short walk from the station to Awajishima Burger, and the route was still in my head from our last visit, when the Esso station came into sight, I knew we were there!
And it was OPEN
Quite simply, Awajishima Burger is a shack behind a petrol station with seating for 5 people(6 if you count a stack of crates next to the counter), but oh my is the food incredible. Heading in, we ordered – I opted for the Large Burger(650 Yen) and Emma the Standard(500 Yen). All burgers come with lettuce, tomato, Awaji onions, mayo and a secret sauce – tasted like a super sweet tonkatsu sauce. Various extras are available for 100 Yen each including bacon, egg, cheese and onion rings and sides available include the incredible onion rings(can’t recommend these enough) and fries – both are 150 Yen.
The burger was AMAZING, literally the the nicest I’ve had in any country let alone Japan, everything tasted fresh, and of a high quality. Washed down with a bottle of Longboard Island Lager, it was a brilliant meal and well worth the wait.
If you’re in Kansai, and enjoy a good burger, then you owe it to yourself to check this place out! It’s a hard one to top, but I fully intend to continue my quest to sample amazing burgers 🙂
Awajishima Burger (淡路島バーガー)
Ikeda-cho 4-1, Nishinomiya, Hyogo
Tel: 080-3036-4373
Opening hours: 11am – 8pm (closed Wednesdays)
http://www.web-joho.com/awaji/index.htm
James: 
Emma:
[post_list name=”burger-post”]
hello,
Great quest. I tried the Critters burger today after looking at your blog. And it was nice. However my own, less well documented, find the best burger in Osaka quest has led me to a place called Nick and Renee’s in Toyonaka which is fantastic. Not sure how it will stack up against the others on your list but they do a great burger and have a good selection of beers. Just a shame it isn’t in a more exciting location.
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=34.794224,135.478771&ll=34.793821,135.478723&spn=0.001249,0.002642&num=1&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=34.793677,135.4787&panoid=R_xKpOJqziXAiDemVtGCTg&cbp=13,286.29,,0,5.12
Enjoy,
Richard
Thanks Richard, I appreciate the recommendation! I’ve never heard of Nick and Renee
[…] Awajishima Burger is pretty close to Koshien, easily walk-able. I like to drop by on a game day, sometimes before, sometimes after depending on whether it’s an afternoon or evening game. Any excuse to eat one of the best burgers in Japan! […]
I just got back from Osaka. We were staying in Awajishima on the last stretch. Having done my research before the trip, I read a blog about Awajishima’s Beef thus the burgers – then a online guide of the best burgers in Japan locating all on Awajishima. Japanese tourism marketing at work… they are very good and at times honest, but I gotta say NOT about their burgers on Awaji island!
The First Ranked Burger joint (according to Awajishima Tourism board) was close to the Awaji IC or SA (interchange or Service Area), so I thought what the heck – we were hungry and desperate, why not. Its one of the worst food decision one could make in Japan. The joint is located at a sort of scenic view of the Bridge (which is not too bad), there is a building with foot onsen and a fast food eatery. The #1 burger is not sold there, its actually sold by the Foot Bath people! DODGY! After forging 900 yen for 2, we got a few thin slices of hotpot beef in a cheap mushy bun. Its a laugh. But if you spent an hour looking for it, its murder!
SO DO NOT TRUST the Awajishima Burger Official Guide!
Then still hungry and more desperate, I plugged in on GPS the location of THE Awajishima burger I read on the blog. Driving 1.5 hours, arriving to the place, we were rushing cuz there is heavy traffic to the airport. We ordered Large with Egg, and OMG my research finally paid off. I don’t have the coverage to rate it as the best burger in Kansai, but its gotta be up on my Top Ten list of all burgers I had. (I just had one few hours ago from a Gordon Ramsey Pub too)
Awajishima Burger – THE SHOP is the only place that serves real good burger with Awajishima beef patties. AND its definitely my new must-go destination in Kansai from now on!
Thanks for sharing the info! Ganbade!
Brilliant, mate. Love this place, too!