Apgujeong burger shop for two: avocado & no-cheese double, Downtowner

Why I came to Downtowner Cheongdam

Downtowner is known as the brand that made handmade burgers a trend in Korea, and the Cheongdam branch is near Apgujeong Rodeo. I'm not someone who eats burgers all the time, but Downtowner was one I really wanted to try once. I had something on in Cheongdam, saw there was a branch near Apgujeong Rodeo, and dropped in.

Downtowner Cheongdam: location, hours and parking

• Address: 14 Dosan-daero 53-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (1st floor)
• Hours: daily 11:00–21:00
• Parking: not available
• 5-minute walk from Apgujeongnodeo Station Exit 5, near Dosan Park

What's the atmosphere like?

Downtowner Cheongdam goes for a "fast & premium" concept: more upscale than a typical franchise burger place, but still casual.

Inside, there were lots of small seats, so eating alone feels no pressure. The interior fits the brand's philosophy of handmade burgers that busy city people can enjoy quickly and easily.

Self-bar and pickles

There's a self-bar at one side of the shop, with utensils, drinks and sauces you can help yourself to as you like.

The original and spicy pickles at the self-bar were a must with a handmade burger. Crunchy and refreshing, they cut the richness and left my mouth feeling clean.

What we ordered and the prices

• Avocado burger set ₩12,900
• + original fries upgrade ₩2,900
• + Sprite ₩2,000
• Downtowner double burger ₩13,900
• + Coke ₩2,000

The food came out pretty fast. You could see with your own eyes that the ingredients were fresh, and the thick bun and juicy patty made it a mouthwatering sight 🤤

How does the Downtowner avocado burger taste?

Downtowner Cheongdam's signature burgers are the avocado burger and the Shrimp Deluxe, and I ordered the avocado burger. Burger plus creamy avocado gives a fresh, soft flavor, and it looks unlike anything else.

I'd heard Downtowner got even more famous as the first handmade burger brand in Korea to make avocado a star ingredient, and after seeing and tasting it, I get why it caught on.

The avocado burger is so thick it's hard to hold in one hand, packed with lettuce, avocado, tomato, cheese and a beef patty, so it felt like eating a proper dish. The creamy avocado really came through, and the melty cheese and nutty bun made the texture far richer than an ordinary burger.

Can you order the Downtowner double burger without cheese?

The Downtowner double burger is defined by its two patties. It normally comes with cheese too, but my friend isn't a big cheese fan, so we asked them to leave it out 🤣

The double burger is a traditional American style that puts meat and cheese front and center. The patties were overwhelmingly present, so I could fully enjoy the deep juiciness.

How many should two people order?

For two people at Downtowner Cheongdam, one set plus one single burger is plenty. I chose french fries with the set, and they were thick, so you could really taste the potato. They were nutty and fluffy, too.

Eating it all with pickles from the self-bar gave an even more varied range of flavors 😌

Downtowner Cheongdam: overall verdict

I think I see why Downtowner is considered Korea's standout handmade burger spot. With the fast & premium concept and trendy menu, it's bound to hit the spot for burger fans. It's a 5-minute walk from Apgujeongnodeo Station Exit 5, near Dosan Park, so go try a textbook handmade burger!