Bikkuri Donkey - A Japanese minced steak restaurant FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
🥩 Chain presentation
Bikkuri Donkey (びっくりドンキー) is a Japanese restaurant chain specializing in chopped steaks (which the Japanese call “hamburg”, knowing that a hamburger will just be called a “burger” ^^) served in typical Japanese style. Since its creation in 1968, it has been known for its warm atmosphere, rustic wooden furniture inspired by the Far West and the Gold Rush, and hearty family-friendly dishes.
National presence
Bikkuri Donkey has over 300 locations across Japan. They can be found in major cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, including near Kyoto station and in shopping areas.
What can we eat?
The main course is minced steak accompanied by rice, salad and miso soup, with a choice of sauces (demi-glace, cheese, shōyu, etc.). There are also children’s menus, homemade desserts and a selection of original drinks such as “donkey sodas”.
Order from Bikkuri Donkey
Orders are placed at the table with a waiter. There is no electronic ordering system, but some menus have photos, and in tourist areas, there is an English-language version. Service is generally fast.
Personal experience
We went to a restaurant just off the Sanjo-Kawaramachi junction on a weekday in June, and were seated with almost no waiting.
At Bikkura Donkey, reservations are generally not accepted (except in certain specific establishments).
We went there without a reservation, and when we arrived, two other groups entered just before us.
So we were the third group, but all three were seated almost immediately, with no real waiting time.
Lately, Kyoto is very busy with foreign tourists, and in most restaurants there are often more foreigners than Japanese.
At Bikkura Donkey, however, the majority of customers were Japanese.
The restaurant is relatively spacious, and once seated, a large illustrated menu is placed by the table.
Each table has a call button: once you’ve made your choice, simply press it to call a waiter and place your order.
This restaurant’s hamburgers are usually made with a mixture of ground beef and pork.
There are many varieties, and you can choose the size you prefer (e.g. 100 g, 150 g or 200 g).
A special children’s menu is available on request.
The burgers served in this restaurant are Japanese-style minced steaks.
Most dishes are served on large, ready-to-eat plates, automatically accompanied by rice and a small salad.
Depending on your preferences, you can also add side dishes, such as French fries, soup, karaage (fried chicken), or opt for a set with miso soup and salad.
There are also menus that include only minced steak, without rice or salad.
In this case, the minced steak is served on a hot cast-iron plate, still simmering and piping hot.
Desserts include several ice cream sundaes (“parfaits” in Japanese).
As far as beer is concerned, the restaurant offers its own original craft beer, called Bikkura Donkey.
It’s available in three sizes: small, medium and large – bearing in mind that even the “medium” size is considerably larger than the standard draught beer served elsewhere.
Bikkuri Donkey also offers a breakfast menu.
These include toast, fried egg, small salad, bacon and coffee, all for around 1,000 yen.
If you’re staying in a nearby hotel, this is an affordable and convenient option for breakfast.
The restaurant also offers limited-edition seasonal menus.
At present, there is a wide choice of dishes featuring menchi-katsu (Japanese croquette of breaded minced meat).
🇫🇷 What is menchi-katsu?
Menchi-katsu (メンチカツ) is a popular dish in Japanese cuisine, consisting of a breaded and deep-fried minced meat patty.
🥩 Composition :
It’s usually made with a mixture of ground beef and pork, sometimes accompanied by chopped onions, salt, pepper and a little breadcrumbs to bind it all together.
🍳 Preparation:
The meat is shaped into a thick puck, then breaded the Japanese way（coated with flour, beaten egg and panko, the Japanese bread crumbs）and finally fried to a crispy golden crust.
🍽️ Accompaniment:
Menchi-katsu is often served with rice, tonkatsu sauce, shredded cabbage, and sometimes with miso soup or as part of a full menu, as at Bikkura Donkey.
🇯🇵 Special feature:
This dish reflects the fusion of Western and Japanese cuisine (yōshoku) and is enjoyed by children and adults alike in Japan.
Actual cost (example)
We ordered the following dishes:
- “Black demi-glace Hamburg Dish” (size S)
→ Chopped steak dish with black demi-glace sauce, size S ￥1,190
Set salad + miso soup ￥540
→ Set with salad and miso soup
Oroshi-so Hamburg Dish ￥1, 010
→ Chopped steak dish topped with grated radish (oroshi) and shiso (perilla leaf)
Children’s menu – Spaghetti ￥400
→ Spaghetti for kids, with a playful presentation
French fries (size S) ￥350
Apple juice for kids ￥170
Miso soup ￥190
Donkey House craft beer (medium size) ￥800×2＝￥1,600
→ Donkey House house beer, medium size
（NB: even the medium size is generous compared to a classic draft beer）
Total: 5,450 yen → approximately 33.13 USD
(based on an exchange rate of 1 USD = 164.5 yen)
Basic information
Location: Kyoto Station, AEON Mall, etc.
Average price: ¥900 – ¥1,300 per dish
Opening hours: 10:00 – 23:00
Recommended for: families, children, meat lovers
Official website: https://www.bikkuri-donkey.com/
Highlights
– Generous, tasty portions
– Warm and original atmosphere
– Good value for money
Please note
– No reservations possible
– Few multilingual menus, depending on region
