Niku Niku Oh!! Kome is a Japanese hamburger steak chain, part of Monogatari Corporation, that serves freshly ground beef patties grilled to order on a central grill in full view of customers seated around U-shaped counters.
Despite the name, these are Japanese-style hamburger steaks rather than burgers served in a bun. Once they reach medium rare, they are served to your individual counter-top stove, where you can decide whether to eat it straight away or allow it to cook a little longer for more doneness. I personally prefer to leave it a little longer to brown a bit more.
The burgers are the star of the show, but there’s more. You also get unlimited broccoli, soup and plain steamed rice. The rice is no ordinary rice but Koshihikari rice from Japan that is prepared onsite, just like the burgers which are ground and shaped fresh in the store.
The soup can vary but is usually miso-style. On this visit it was a tomato and egg soup. You also get an onsen egg in soy sauce, cooked at low temperature, which is perfect when eaten with the beef patty and rice.
The menu is very simple. You can choose either two or three burgers with cheese, without cheese or a mix of both. Pricing is equally simple: 68¥ for two, 78¥ for three or 88¥ for two regular burgers and one with cheese. There are other permutations available, such as one cheese and one plain if you can’t manage three burgers.
It’s worth clarifying one potential point of confusion. This chain is often mixed up with another Japanese concept called Hikiniku To Come. The concept is very similar, but at the time of writing there is only one location in Shanghai on Donghu Road, which I have not yet visited.
The cheese option is basically a patty with a slice of cheese on top, finished with freshly grated cheese at the counter for a bit of theatre. They use a big block of cheese, which I think is Grana Padano rather than Parmesan, so it’s quite mild in flavour.
The unlimited rice, soup and broccoli means you will not leave hungry, and all the components are delicious. It’s a great concept executed well, and that is why there’s always a queue at meal times. At the current prices, it definitely gets the thumbs up from us.
There are various locations, but this one is in the basement of Jiu Guang department store on Nanjing Road, right next to Jing’an Temple in the heart of Jing’an district. There are several other dining options here including a great Hong Kong-style cafe, Longji (龙记) that does some of the best roasted meats in the city.
Should You Go?
Yes. If you enjoy Japanese hamburger steaks, Niku Niku Oh! Kome is one of the better-value options in Shanghai. Watching the burgers being prepared and cooked in front of you adds to the experience, while unlimited rice, soup and eggs make it surprisingly filling for the price. The counter seating also makes this suitable for solo diners.
For more food and drink recommendations, our food and drinks page has options throughout the city.
1618 Nanjing Road West 南京西路1618号久光百货B1层
Open daily 11am to 9:30pm