THB Takahashi Burger, Sapporo
This review kicks off as I am back for my second visit to Takahashi Burger, in Sapporo, near Soen station.
If I am back for my second time, it could only mean one thing: I like this place. And I do. I have been burning to come back for a few weeks, and it’s Friday night and here I am. Takahashi Hamburger restaurant earns a spot on the list of the best hamburgers in Sapporo…
To get to “THB” in Soen, we take the JR line, get off at Soen station and walk four blocks south. Takahashi has several good signs, and some hamburger artwork outside to help you know you’ve arrived.
(And if you happen to be a skater, you might also notice the planter out front has been designed to include some quick transition. For most burger lovers, that won’t mean anything but for skateboarders… it is a clue to what you’ll find inside.)
Takahashi does, in fact, makes one of the best hamburgers in Sapporo. I just took my first bite (here on my second trip), and the taste inspired an immediate “oh yeah!” This is a skateboard lover’s hamburger shop, but the burgers here have incredible flavor and universal appeal.
There are a lot options of different kinds of hamburgers on the menu (on the back there are some custom “pick up” options I only notice on my second trip), but for tonight I could not resist ordering a bacon cheese burger. There are few things in life that are as perfect as good bacon cheese burger, and Takahashi absolutely kills it.
I barely noticed this as ordered, but in the menu picture, you might notice they offer three kinds of meat: beef, lamb, and venison (the last two are very “Hokkaido”).
But if you know me, I like a stripped-down simple burger: meat, cheese, bacon, and maybe some lettuce, but that is it. No sauce, no other veggies… I want to taste the fundamentals. And this burger is so rich and delicious, I am already planning my next trip.
Whatever seasoning he is using the meat, this burger is just exploding with flavor. Maybe there is garlic, or something else mixed in with the meat that made it extra oishi? And then, his bacon is extraordinary (reminds me of pastrami, for some reason). Simple-soft bun, with some seeds on top. The cheese to add a little smooth-cream element to the mix. Fantastic. That is a burger to get excited about.
If you check the menu, Takahashi also makes some pulled-pork burgers. I assumed those were sandwiches, but they are not (I asked): he does a series of burgers where he adds pulled pork on top…
It didn’t take us long to make it back it back and try the pulled pork offering.
Above there is a picture of a burger, with pulled pork as a topping. I have never heard of that before coming to THB in Sapporo. I tried it. It was fantastic. I think I’ll go back to the classic bacon cheese next time, but THB takes the menu a little farther than most burger joints.
There are several sides available also. I intended to try the pulled-pork fries (which sound crazy good), but he steered me to his “ultimate” fries, which are wedge cut potatoes… and that’s it. What is ultimate about them? Well, he dusts them with some spices (maybe that is what he means?). And they were exactly-exactly perfectly cooked… crispy on the outside, and the spices made them sing. I will say, that is a good wedge cut potato. If he puts pulled pork on those things (and please, please tell me there are some pickled jalapenos)… next time, maybe next time.
He has two kinds of beer – Corona (because, “Meh-ki-shi-ko!”) and Ebisu, both in bottles. I had the Ebisu both visits. And there is a cocktail menu, if that is your thing.
And, we did mention skateboards, didn’t we? Inside: skateboards on the wall, including a small “skateshop” with some Ace Trucks, some Enjoi bearings, some rails (for old schools guys that even know what rails are for), and a few other items. He has an near-mint vintage Natas deck that takes me straight back to junior high.
He doesn’t have any skate videos playing (so maybe there is some room for improvement), but as for sounds today it was hip hop; Japanese rappers. Takahashi is tat’d up. He has some “street cred,” and while his restaurant is very comfortable, the street culture feel is obvious.
As for a full recommendation; I think the play for a night in Soen is to do Sapporo’s Takahashi Burgers first, and then take the ten minute walk over to Streetlight Brewing Company for a beer (or two) afterward. I have now done that routine twice, and it’s a good plan, I like it. Be careful, as Streetlight closes at 8 PM most nights (why do so many beer spots in Sapporo close early?). But if you can get there on time, you can hit two classic Soen spots in one run, and then a few blocks back to the JR line and off you go on your way home again.
Will Takahashi’s spot make the list of the best hamburger restaurants in Sapporo? It may take us a minute to update that post, but yes it will.
As for other recommendations, we have been eating a ton of burgers from Jacksonville’s new location in the Moyuk building (and taking them “to go” over to Beer Cellar, which is also a solid routine). The original Sapporo Jacksonville’s by Odori park is another great choice. We like Hamburger Shop Tack beyond the west end of Tanukikouji. More recently, we have been very into Monster Sun Hamburger (modest little burger, but well done, and comfortable spot). And for anyone up in Kita ku, (Jacksonville has a shop there too, but we’ve never been and) there is Burger Industry for a to-go only burger and cool experience we like a lot.
Once again, we are stoked to be able to report on so much amazing food here in Sapporo – the best city in the world. And THB Sapporo is a standout part of our great burger tradition. Go check it out.