The Wagyu Brothers Asakusa — As Seen In Japan

Aug 10

Aug 10 The Wagyu Brothers Asakusa

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We had some friends visit us in Tokyo last week, which I took as a great opportunity to eat food I don’t normally get to eat. We met up with them at Sumida Aquarium, where we got to see seals and penguins, and afterward, they asked if we knew anywhere in the Asakusa area where we could get dinner.

“Oh, yeah, there’s lots of places,” I said. “Wagyu Brothers, and some other places, but Wagyu Brothers, and other types of food, but also Wagyu Brothers. Maybe we could go to Wagyu Brothers. Or wherever you guys want. Wagyu Brothers or wherever.” Shockingly, they chose Wagyu Brothers.

Wagyu Brothers burger restaurant in Asakusa

The Wagyu Brothers is located just a short stroll from Sensoji Temple and the market stall shops of Asakusa. It’s on the second floor, so people like my friends who had a child in a stroller have to leave it on the street. Luckily, this is Japan, so it wasn’t stolen while we were inside. There’s also a gashapon arcade across the street where you can buy little toys if that’s your thing.

On the second floor, Wagyu Brothers is a cozy little spot with just a few tables, and was completely empty when we got there. The staff was accommodating, with English menus and lots of substitutions for our picky group. I tried an iced tea, which was okay, and Eriko got an apple juice that definitely was not 100% juice. My friend tried a homemade cola, which he said was one of the better drinks he had in Japan (this person actually chose to try Nope soda, a drink with extra caffeine and extra sugar designed for students staying up late to study). The menu has many burger and non-burger choices, but somehow every single person in our group chose the same thing: the smashburger.

Smashburgers at Wagyu Brothers

Smashburgers are definitely the flavor du jour in burger world, but this one had a few quirks all its own. It comes with two patties, burger sauce, butter, mayo, and Colby Jack cheese, which I was exited for, being a Wisconsin boy. It also comes with onions, but I said no to those because I’m a champion. You get a few well-seasoned potato wedges and a piece of spicy fried chicken that was surprisingly good.

The patties are mega-smashed and mega-crispy, and the sauce, though it looks to be too much, actually blended pretty well. The thing that surprised me was the cheese. I love Colby Jack. I used to make grilled cheese sandwiches with it, and can confirm it makes the gooey-goodiest grilled cheese possible. I couldn’t believe they had it here, and was eager to try it on a burger.

That’s why it surprised me that I didn’t like it. I found the taste of the cheese to be overpowering compared to the other elements. I would have preferred a milder cheese that wouldn’t take away from the beef. One member of our group disagreed, and said she thought this was one of the best burgers she’d ever eaten. Everyone else seemed okay with it. The two-year-old finished most of his burger. Eriko ate maybe half of hers. I ate the rest so as not to waste food. All in all, I’d say the reviews were positive.

Verdict: does Wagyu Brothers compare to the best burgers in Tokyo?

I expected Wagyu Brothers to be both more expensive than it was and more crowded with tourists than it was, given its location. But the only other people who came in while we were there were solo diners watching TV on their phones after work, and the price for this particular burger was reasonable. Some of their other choices, like a zabuton burger with steak on it, were more expensive, but the smashburger wasn’t in the insane tourist trap range at all.

The burger here was not as good as Henry’s Burger, and I’m not sure if it was as good as COZZYY COFFEE, either. But it’s better than Brisk Stand, which also has an Asakusa location. Definitely one of the better burgers in Tokyo, and the seating and atmosphere are better than at Henry’s. The staff was really nice and helpful, and even offered the kids free suckers that were potato-flavored and disgusted them.

This is a perfect place to take a family visiting Tokyo. They will not care if kids are loud or playing with toys. They will make any substitutions necessary. They have food your kids will be willing to eat. If you’re hanging around Asakusa, definitely go here.

For Tokyo natives, this is definitely one worth trying, as you may not feel the way I did about the cheese. The only issue is that it’s in Asakusa, a part of town we rarely find ourselves in. As such, I’m not sure when we’ll be back. But we definitely recommend this place. This is what a burger spot should be.