Dongdaemun burger restaurant with sizzling cheese: 1986 Shibuya Burger

Is it a convenient spot for lunch near Kyung Hee University?

I visited 1986 Shibuya Burger (1986시부야버거) for lunch with my daughter after stopping by Kyung Hee University’s Seoul Campus. It is a Japanese-style handmade burger restaurant near the university’s main gate.

That day, I went with my daughter to her entrance ceremony at Kyung Hee Cyber University. We looked around Kyung Hee University’s Seoul Campus near Hoegi Station and attended the ceremony as well.

It had been a while since I had visited a handmade burger restaurant, and beyond the food, this place’s Japanese retro atmosphere stayed with me.

There were Pokémon dolls and a photo spot in front of the restaurant. Its address is 5 Kyungheedae-ro 1ga-gil, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea, and the original post lists its hours as 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily.

What was the atmosphere like inside?

J-pop from the 1980s and 1990s played in the dining room. The space was decorated with animation scenes, figurines, and photos of Japanese cities and trains.

I also saw Totoro decorations, and the predominantly wooden colors suited the retro mood. The Japanese-style uniforms worn by the staff and chef added to the feeling of a trip to Japan.

How are the solo dining seats and self-service bar set up?

The self-service bar had barley tea, pickles, potato chips, and several sauces. Mouthwash, candy, and wet wipes were also provided in a set.

Capsule coffee was available too. I noticed that items to accompany the meal and things to use afterward had both been prepared.

The seating included bar-style seats and tables for two or four, and it felt clean and comfortable. My daughter and I sat at a table, but the bar seats looked fine for someone dining alone.

Which burgers did we choose, and could we leave out pickles?

After finding a seat, we chose from the menu at the kiosk. There was a range of burgers with beef patties and various ingredients in buns stamped with the Shibuya logo.

My daughter chose the Shibuya Honey Burger, recommended for first-timers, while I chose the sizzling Nobiru Cheese Burger Set, introduced as a signature item.

We also ordered a ricotta cheese salad and Trevi. My daughter cannot eat cucumbers, so I wondered whether we would need to request the pickles separately, but it was convenient that the ordering options allowed us to leave them out.

How did the sizzling cheese burger and Honey Burger taste, and were they easy to eat?

Soon, the Honey Burger and sizzling Nobiru Cheese Burger Set arrived. The cheese on the sizzling cheese burger was bubbling, with a generous amount of caramelized onions on top.

The Honey Burger was so thick that it was difficult to eat in one bite, so we cut it with a knife. The balsamic dressing on the ricotta cheese salad was not overpowering, so it went well with the burgers.

The cheese melted on the hot plate felt as though it had cream mixed into it, and it did not taste salty to me. I enjoyed it enough to scrape up the cheese from the plate.

I ate it by mixing the cheese in as if pouring it over the burger. The bun was soft, and the sweet sauce went well with the onions and beef patty. My daughter, who does not usually enjoy hamburgers, also liked the Honey Burger, especially the patty’s juices.

We had lunch while taking in the Japanese retro atmosphere, and both burgers suited our tastes. If I have another chance to visit Kyung Hee University, I would like to return.