After a horrific first burger experience in Japan, we hoped that our second outing would be slightly less traumatic. I’d read quite a bit about MOS Burger prior to our trip and it was high on my list of places to visit in Tokyo. The idea behind MOS Burger is to bring a healthier burger to Japan that can be bought and eaten quickly and at reasonable prices. We stopped by the branch in Akihabara – an area of Tokyo that still doesn’t feel quite real, even looking back on it now.
I went for the Aurora Yasai Burger, a veggie option with a soy bean-based patty and topped with salad and a sauce not too dissimilar to the Big Mac-style sauce that we all know and love. It was housed in a bun that was as light as air. Seriously, I’ve no idea what they did to this thing, but it was the softest, lightest and fluffiest burger bun that I’ve ever tasted.
I know that a soy bean patty may not sound like the most appealing thing in the world, but this was a veggie burger to be reckoned with! Full of flavour, well-cooked and mess-free. The sauce was perfect too and really added a perfect finishing touch.
Most noteworthy about this burger was how incredibly light it was and how good I felt after eating it. It was satisfying without being filling or too much.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the indulgence of a cheeseburger but this was a perfect lunch option. The kinda burger you could eat and then go to the gym right afterwards. Even better was the price – 360 Yen – around £2.40. Probably the best value for money burger I’ve ever had.
There’s something on the menu for everyone at MOS Burger. Pamela ordered a rice burger, featuring a bun made from rice mixed with barley and millet and there’s the usual burger options you’d expect to find pretty much anywhere else too. We were also able to sample their melon soda, which was very unusual and resembled something from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, but enjoyable nonetheless.
On a more random note, MOS Burger was the first place I noticed the smoking segregation inside eateries in Japan. In this particular branch of MOS, for example, the smoking area was inside the restaurant but housed in a huge glass room. People could eat at the tables in there and it was kinda like they were still sitting with other diners, except in a big glass box. It was quite strange when compared to how things are done here, but pretty cool nonetheless.
If you’re in Japan and looking for a quick, inexpensive and slightly healthier lunch but still want a burger, then MOS is the place for you.
MOS Burger
3-16-14 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Website: http://www.mos.co.jp/global/
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LEGAL / COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: ALL Photography by PAMELA GRAHAM PHOTOGRAPHY. Copyright of Pamela Graham & Pamela Graham Photography. All Rights Reserved.
James vs. Burger 
Great review James. Been living in Tokyo for a year and a half now and only starting to discover some really amazing burger joints! I knew they had to be lurking around somewhere, just took me ages to find them.
Awesome! Please share your discoveries with me here. Any photos you may have, share them on our Facebook page! Hope you’re well there and enjoying Tokyo life! 🙂