Honbo, (meaning Burger in cantonese pinyin) is unlike any burger places I've been, and I've been to A LOT. The closest is probably In-N-Out where they both have the same basic philosophy but don't get me wrong, their burgers taste very different and unlike In-N-Out, Honbo is a much pricier establishment with higher quality ingredients (think Shake Shack x In-N-Out).
They claim to source their ingredients from local farmers and attempt to be sustainable and maybe even be healthy? Their menu is small, but what they do offer, they offer it well!
I usually get the CHEESEBURGER (bun, patty, cheese, pickles and lettuce) $98 without fries. They also offer the HAMBURGER (bun, patty, pickles, lettuce) for $88. So you're essentially paying $10 for just the cheese! They also offer SOFT SHELL CRAB BURGER $118? They recommend this and heard it's good but not amazing. It comes with a generous serving of deep fried soft shell crab and coleslaw with mayo. I also plan to try their SCALLOP BURGER $128 which comes with two pan seared XL sashimi-grade scallop and a wasabi based dressing, not a bad deal if you ask me!
To me, Honbo is the epitome of a perfect burger. Fresh bun that's baked nearby and probably daily (super soft!), Nice thick 4oz patty made of fresh angus beef. The lettuce is a big crunchy piece sourced from Yuen Long and not like the limp ones you get from fast food joints. The cheese that comes with the cheeseburger is not the typical processed cheese you get and is melted into the patty! The dressing seems is like a house-made mustard which is relatively mild but accompanies the patty perfectly. Pickles are homemade as well which I can definitely tell the difference from store-bought as the tanginess is more subtle with a special kick.
Since the bun is soft, and the patty isn't overly thick, eating this burger isn't as messy as other gourmet burger places like Beef & Liberty (which is too salty for me) or Blue Butcher. I don't feel as unhealthy or gluttonous eating this burger, it's the perfect size for me. For guys, you may have to order fries to be completely stuffed but for the regular guy, it should be a good portion.
Their fries are triple fried and are made from freshly cut potatoes and they're more on the hard-fried side. The ketchup is just bottled Heinz, it would be cool if they offered some artisan ketchup but those are sometimes a fail. However their fries are $38! which is quite expensive. I would skip this unless I'm a big eater or sharing. For comparison, In-N-Out fries which are also made from freshly cut potatoes are only HKD$15!
I do wish it wasn't so expensive. I think the cost of this place deters a lot of customers and it's always kind of empty and I've gone M-F lunches, and weekends lunch/dinner times. Except for Friday nights, I got the last 2 seats!
Their decor is modern and minimalistic. You can also sit by the window, although it might get a bit hot in the summer, I'll check back and see!
***
Favourites: Fresh ingredients! The only burger I actually crave in Hong Kong!
Meh: Expensive, especially expensive fries.
Tip: It's rarely crowded so good to go during lunch!
Last Words: Solid burger with quality ingredients. read more