CRUZ BURGERS & CRAFT BEERS — Restaurant in Tokyo

We went to Cruz because it was recently highlighted by the Japan Times as one of the best burger restaurants in Tokyo. As self-proclaimed hamburger experts, we had to give them a try. We were disappointed.

While the Loaded Fried Potatoes were quite tasty - the shredded pork topping was plentiful and well received - we found the burgers to be very mediocre, particularly considering the price.

My main complaint with my Bacon Cheese Burger was with the bun and signature sauce. It seems that brioche buns are now standard at higher end burger places, and there’s a reason for that; the richness of brioche pairs really well with slightly salty beef patties. Just ask the likes of Shake Shack. Cruz’s bun - which seemed to be a standard white flour bread - was uninspired.

On to the signature sauce - it was hard to tell, but we assumed it was barbecue sauce based. It overwhelmed the taste of the hamburger, making it irrelevant whether or not the beef was of a high quality of not. Slow down on the sauce, guys.

To be clear, our burgers were “fine,” but we had expected so much more.

Cruz does have a nice beer selection - I loved the variety of Japanese microbrews on offer. Unfortunately, the restaurant itself is not one I would want to spend any appreciable amount of time in. It’s small and somewhat uninviting. Get in, eat, get out.

Needless to say, we...

I went with friends on a weekend evening. We made a res but didn't need it. It seems like a popular place. The menu has pictures and English. The staff were friendly and helpful, though not knowledgeable about the menu. It's a burger place, but I went for the pulled pork. The food is ok. The onion rings were great. They are crispy and big. The waffle fries topped with pulled pork and nacho? cheese sauce topping were average. I didn't like the topping. The chowder was good but too smoky, due to the ham/bacon in it. The buffalo wings were ordinary but served with blue cheese or ranch. I liked the celery pickles that came with the wings. The pulled pork itself was nice but underdressed. They don't offer barbacue sauce. I ended up taking it home and reseasoned it to make it better. When they packaged it for me to take home, the server mixed the pulled pork and coleslaw together, which was a disaster. It was difficult to salvage enough pulled pork. I might return only for the...

Delicious! Had lunch with a friend and ordered two different burgers (cheddar cheese + bacon and Gouda) and two sides (slaw and fries) so we could share everything. The waffle fries were yummy, but I wish there was more of it!

The slaw and burgers were divine. Tried two draft beers that our waiter recommended, to go with the burgers (weekday lunch set comes with a drink, and cannot be substituted for a beer), so we just had our iced coffees for post meal.

Would I go back? Most definitely. Chill vibe, not crowded on a Wednesday afternoon. Good music playing on the sound system.

For those that are walking from Akebonobashi Station, stop by the Shinjuku Historical Museum for a break from the hot sun and a bathroom break if you need it....