Bikkuri Donkey

Surprise, Donkey! No, this is not a line from a popular green ogre movie but actually, a name of a hamburger specialty restaurant in downtown Chatan near the commissary gate entrance to Camp Foster. This restaurant “Bikkuri-Donkey” is a western style steak and hamburger joint that has an old cowboy theme with wooden barrels and wheel carts. Initially, it may seem like everything is in disarray but that is actually part of the joy of the venue. Imagine placing a stick of dynamite in the middle of a saloon and the aftermath is the restaurant’s final décor. Almost the entire restaurant consists of wood giving it a nice warm look.

For the food, I had the Japanese style cheeseburger with diced steak combo and a side order of chicken nuggets (goodbye diet). Off the bat, it gets a plus one for being served on a sizzling plate. The burger was good but the steak was even better! I couldn’t have imagined that such cheap cuts of meat could be so juicy and tasty but, it actually was. My wife, who doesn’t usually like steak, also agrees that it was one of the tastiest she’s had in Okinawa. Other dishes they serve are an assortment of salads, calamari, pizza, pastas, and parfait desserts. They also deep fry the side dish mashed potato that comes with some of the set menus which I thought would taste amazing but turned out to be slightly disappointing. However, if you are a meat lover like me, it wouldn’t matter because you are not there for the side dish potatoes. I especially like that the burgers are served with rice and have other sauces rather than just ketchup and mustard.

All in all, it’s a good escape when you are craving for burgers but would like to dine in somewhere that doesn’t call out the number on your receipt when the food is ready. Burger dishes ranges at about 700-1000 yen a dish and 400 yen for the salads and desserts. This place is perfect to go with your whole family but it also works for date night too. The location is situated conveniently along route 58 in the area where it’s just about to get crowded with tourist because it’s nearing the Ferris wheel but not quite there yet. They also have 2 branches in Naha area and also quite a few on the mainland.

$ or Creditcards: Yen, $, and Edy payment only (no credit cards)