Spicy burger brunch with Mom in Gajeong-dong, Incheon: Hippo Burger

A pre-work brunch with Mom at Hippo Burger in Gajeong-dong's Luwon City

On a weekday before work, I went to Hippo Burger in Woonwon City, Gajeong-dong, for a quick brunch with my mom, haha. I like franchise burgers too, but sometimes I crave a handmade one~ I wanted to eat something filling before heading to work, and when I searched I found a brand-new burger place right near my workplace, so I went straight there. The verdict: success!

Where to park and how to get to Hippo Burger Woonwon City

For Hippo Burger Woonwon City, you use the underground car park of the Luwon Linstrauss Alice Ville retail building, and visitors get 2 hours of free parking~ I came by car.

Registering your car is a simple self-service thing, so it wasn't difficult, and when I came up from the car park through Gate 6 the shop was right there, so I didn't get lost! It says basement level 1, but if you think of it as the same floor as Starbucks, it's much easier to find~ By public transit it's a 5-minute walk from Exit 1 of Gajeong Jungang Market Station or a 10-minute walk from Exit 3 of Gajeong Station, so access is decent too, haha.

When I arrived, the sign was big and the shop has floor-to-ceiling windows, so you can see right inside from outside. Even as a first-timer I found it quickly~

Hippo Burger interior and seating

Inside Hippo Burger, the interior is gray-toned throughout, so it felt clean and a little hip.

On the wall there's a drawing of a hippo character making a hamburger. I wondered if it's meant to remind you of the owner, so it seemed both cute and meaningful, haha.

In front of the counter there were also lots of burger-related figures, including SpongeBob and Patrick, so it was fun just to look around~!

Seating ranges from a bar table to 2-person tables and group seating, so there's plenty of room!

It's an open kitchen, so you can watch the food being made, and since the kitchen is white-toned it felt really well kept~!

The owner greeted us kindly, and ordering was easy with a kiosk!

The self-service bar had disposable gloves, wet wipes and even straws,

and there are children's chairs too, so just use whatever you need~

What's on the Hippo Burger menu?

At Hippo Burger we ordered the Spicy Hippo Burger set, a Spicy Chicken Burger and Chili's Mozza Sticks :)

Looking at the menu, there's a nice range, from beef burgers to chicken burgers, shrimp burgers, truffle mushroom burgers and bulgogi burgers, so you can choose to your taste! Sides go beyond fries, with truffle fries, cheese sticks, onion rings and Chili's Mozza Sticks, and I liked that you can swap the set side for another one for an extra charge~ Drinks were varied too: soda, beer, juice and coffee :)

How spicy and tasty is the Spicy Hippo Burger?

Everything we ordered came out at once on one tray! The cola came in a cute ice cup with a hippo drawing on it.

The Spicy Hippo Burger passed on looks alone, haha. It had a little burger-shaped skewer stuck in the top, which was adorable, and it was packed with a thick beef patty, lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapeño and spicy sauce~

From the first bite, the juiciness of the patty hits first, then the spiciness of the chipotle sauce and the jalapeños come in, and it wasn't greasy at all, which was nice, haha.

Of all the burgers I've had, it felt like a classy, spicy Korean-style burger, so it suited both me and my mom, who are spicy lovers, perfectly!

Brioche buns baked in-store at Hippo Burger

The brioche bun at Hippo Burger was especially delicious~ They said they knead and ferment the dough in the shop every day and bake the brioche buns themselves!

It's definitely a bit more golden than the buns on the franchise burgers I usually eat, and it's soft yet nutty, so it went really well with the patty~

Hippo Burger's Spicy Chicken Burger

The Spicy Chicken Burger was better than I expected too! It uses whole chicken thigh, so it was moist with no dryness, and the mayo, spicy sauce and jalapeños blended into a nice heat, so I happily finished it~

Mom and I split them in half and swapped burgers, and neither one disappointed. We kept saying we want to try the other burgers next time, haha.

Best side at Hippo Burger: Chili's Mozza Sticks

The Chili's Mozza Sticks I ordered as a side are something I really want to recommend. The cheese stretches out long, and the coating is thin and super crispy, so the contrast of a crunchy outside and a soft, cheesy inside was great~ Dipping them in the spicy chipotle sauce that came with them was the best combo!

The fries were fried cleanly without feeling oily, so they're good even with just ketchup, and they pair perfectly with the burgers!

Is Hippo Burger in Gajeong-dong worth a return visit?

Maybe because they use house-made brioche buns and moist, fresh patties, Hippo Burger definitely had a different quality from franchises, haha. I was happy with everything we ordered! The sets are fairly affordable too, so it'd be great for a quick lunch or dinner~ Takeout, reservations and delivery are available as well, so next time I'm thinking of eating at home.

It was a handmade burger meal that both Mom and I enjoyed, for the first time in a while! If you're looking for a good burger place in Woonwon City, Gajeong-dong, I think a visit would satisfy you~ Next time I plan to go back for the Truffle Mushroom Burger and the Bacon Mash Burger :)