Strangely enough I missed trying this dish on a trip to Tokyo last year. I had it on the list to try but didn't get a chance given all the foodie items I had on my list. While I can't vouch for authenticity but I can vouch for a delicious bite. Sazanami Hamba-Gu is notable for their Japanese Hamburger Steak, which is a hamburger without the bun, a very popular dish in Japan. Their version was served on a platter with rice, vegetables, miso soup, and chawanmushi. The patty itself was very juicy and tender and noted on the menu as a beef and pork combination. I included some addons which made my entree far more pricer. The fried egg was a good call while the double cheese probably wasn't necessary. I got the recommended red wine demi-glacé and another with the soy onion. The red wine was better in my opinion. Also got a tonkatsu to share and while the breading was very good the pork was a little drier than other ones I've had. I'd skip the tonkatsu and stick with the Hambu-gu as that was definitely more notable. Service was friendly but the entree does take time to prepare. I'd say think twice if you are in a hurry. read more

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Solid hambagu spot. Had this place recommended to us by a few people so gave it a shot. Walked in were able to sit almost right away on a weekday dinner. It was busy but there were a few seats here and there. Service was friendly though on the minimal side - came once to get order and then to take our trays when done. Food itself was good. We ordered hambagu and tonkatsu both of which were cooked well with good texture for the hambagu and good crisp for the pork cutlet. Ambiance is casual - not too big of a spot but didn't feel crowded. It's BYOB and parking can be an adventure on River Road so something to note. read more

Sazanami Hamba-Gu - HAMBA-GU - Japanese Near Me - Edgewater, New Jersey

Excellent authentic Japanese hamba-gu, remind the hangover days in fast & furious Tokyo. . 100% ground Angus beef with soy-onion set, panel battered pork cutlet set and Ika Geso all 5/5 20 min per set. Great things take time. Thumbs up read more

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Nice modern Japanese style decor, the staff is very friendly and speaks Japanese. There is street parking which can fill up on a weekend. I have never been a big fan of Japanese style Hamburgs, until today. Everything was so good its as if we took a mini trip to Japan. The sets take some time to come out as everything is made fresh, but it is well worth the wait. We got the original Hamba-gu sets with Red Wine Demi-glace and the Ponzu, both fantastic! The portion size is great! The Hamburgs are absolutely juicy, tender and packed full of flavor! The chawanmushi side is perfect with a nice umami mushroom flavor. I wholeheartedly recommend Sazanami. I look forward to coming back soon! read more

Sazanami Hamba-Gu - Hamba-gu set - Japanese Near Me - Edgewater, New Jersey

First time trying Japanese Hamba-Gu and loved it! The most flavorful, soft meat with tasty toppings to choose from! We started w the yellowtail jalapeño sashimi and negi toro, followed by our hamba-gus. The trays were accompanied w miso soup, egg custard, rice, radish and salad. Food was excellent but we waited 45 minutes for our starters and another 25 for our main. The restaurant itself is small with about 12 parties seated on a Friday night. Slow service and difficult parking but food is worth returning for! read more

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TLDR: If you don't know what a hamba-gu is, maybe you should. Great and reasonably priced new addition to Edgewater. Get the original, add mushrooms + gorgonzola and some small plates - enjoy. For apps, ebi fry, karaage, yuzu tomato. There's not a whole lot of awareness around the hamba-gu concept. Typically it's an afterthought at most Japanese/Korean shops. Sazanami has made it the theme of their new restaurant that took over the old AYCE sushi place on River Road. The menu has some small plates with fried goodies and/or crudo bites. Munch on these while you wait - because each hamba-gu is cooked to order. A hamba-gu is basically an Asian style hamburger that's made without the bun. You can get the original which is typically with both ground beef/pork or they have a 100% angus beef one. Both are very juicy and I'd say unless you have an aversion or preference to avoid pork - the original is my favorite. It takes about 20 minutes for them to make. I've tried a bunch of the apps. Yuzu tomato a must, PAPER-thin slices of tomato in a tangy and slightly sweet yuzu dressing with a dusting of parmesan cheese. The tuna and salmon tartares are small but good - however there is a thicker and slightly sweet sauce so just be aware of that. Ebi fry is superb, plump shrimp but a very crispy coating. The karaage is also great. The 8 oz (big) hamba-gu patties come in a set with rice, soup, salad, chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard) and some veggies to go with your burger. On average it's about $25ish. They have six sauces and I'm silly - so I tried all six. Gorgonzola is my favorite, it's creamy with that funkiness but not too much. This is great with the mushrooms. If you're coming with a friend, I'd also got the oroshi ponzu which is grated radish and yuzu. Split the sauces because the cheese is heavy but the ponzu is very refreshing. Chimichurri (not too common) is good with a nice spice. Demi-glace is classic slightly sweet and velvety tomato, what you'd find on omurice usually. Onion is good too but on the sweeter side. Tomato is probably my least favorite but if you like Asian style tomato sauce - this is a good one. The burger itself is INCREDIBLY juicy, your chopsticks will pull it apart easily. So juicy that it may even fall apart when you're dipping the sauce. You can get the burger dressed but if you have multiple sauces, it may be better to keep them separate. I've been twice and will definitely be coming many more times. read more

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The food was actually pretty good here but I did knock down a star due to very slow/inattentive service. The restaurant was not busy but it took some doing to get service. They were friendly but definitely need to pay more attention to their customers. The Gorgonzola sauce for the Hamba-Gu was really good. The soy-onion sauce was very salty. read more

Sazanami Hamba-Gu - Japanese Near Me - Edgewater, New Jersey

The restaurant owner has another restaurant in Fort Lee that specializes in Curry , and this newly opened restaurant in Edgewater is servicing Japanese style hamburger steaks. I've tried both restaurants and I like this place better. The hamburger steaks are very juicy and you can select sauces , you can ask the staff to give you recommendations as some sauces are sweeter than others. I've had soy onions sauce and Yuzu sauce and they are both very good. If you don't like hamburger steak, they also have friend pork cutlet ( Tonkatsu ) and Kaisen Don ( sashimi over rice ), price is reasonable and the portion is satisfying. Parking situation is the only thing that I don't like about this restaurant, it's street parking only and it's a bit challenging to find the parking spot. read more

Sazanami Hamba-Gu - Japanese Near Me - Edgewater, New Jersey

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Third time I've been here, new kitchen staff so the food is even BETTER. Wow, juicy and filling hambagu with meal set with soy onion sauce and I added perfectly ripe and sliced avocados. I need variety in front of me and this is perfect. My favorite is the steamed egg custard, so silky and soft and bursting with umami deliciousness. The Kinako ice cream is still great, I love when they go heavy on the black sugar syrup. Mmmmmm can't wait to come back. Around 6pm on a Saturday it's packed but waiting for a table didn't take long. The 2 girls working the floor are always busy but calm and the place is always clean. Parking is easier if you find a spot on the restaurant side so you don't have to wait forever to cross the busy road. read more

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Hambagu restaurant?! A must try! I actually prefer hambagu over donkatsu since most katsu places offer hambagu, but it's rare to find a restaurant that truly specializes in it. Just look at that portion size! The meal comes as a set, and you get to choose two toppings for your hambagu. It also includes a great variety of sides. So good! I was so full by the end of the meal that we took advantage of the park right across the street and went for a little walk after eating. The restaurant is located on a busy main road in Edgewater. There's plenty of street parking, but be careful during rush hour as it can get hectic. Make sure to give yourself enough time to find parking. I'm already craving it again! read more

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The lady who took the call for reservation was so friendly and took care of our table so well. It was my first time trying hambagu and it was great. I love the Chawanmushi and all the side dishes. I'm not a big eater so I had to pack the leftovers back home. I'd love to try more appetizers and dessert next time. read more

Sazanami Hamba-Gu - Hambagu Original Beef with ponzu sauce (onion & avocado slices topping) - Japanese Near Me - Edgewater, New Jersey

Came here on a Friday afternoon. My friend suggested this spot and mentioned the place was fairly new so I was looking forward to trying this place out. Once we entered, we got seated to our table. I ended up getting the Hamba-gu Original with cheddar ($21). It was pretty good, it's similar to the hamba-gu I had in mitsuwa. The cheddar gave it a cheeseburger vibe. The meal came with soup, salad, rice and some sort of mushroom soufflé all very tasty. The presentation was on point including the utensils. My friend got the hamba-gu 100% ground angus beef with chimichuri ($23) which was really good. The chimichuri sauce was surprisingly good. If you're in the mood for hamba-gu, I highly recommend this spot. * Street parking * TV playing movie read more

Sazanami Hamba-Gu - 1 of 2 menu. June 2025 - Japanese Near Me - Edgewater, New Jersey

Passed by this a few times, so decided to try it. Parking is a bit of a hassle, but worth it! Every dish we got was delicious. It does take a little bit of time, but again...worth it! My biggest love is their chawanmushi. It's been years, even decades since I found a restaurant that serves it. Couldn't have been happier! read more

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Came here around ~530pm on a Sunday with no reservation and was immediately sat down. Ordering was straight forward and food came out as it was ready. Food was great and really yummy. I noted that the hamburger was pretty big. The place itself wasn't average size and not too loud. Overall, we enjoyed our meal and would definitely come back to try the different sauces. read more

Sazanami Hamba-Gu - HAMBA-GU Set with mushrooms and corn add on. (Angus beef) - Japanese Near Me - Edgewater, New Jersey

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We went to Sazanami Hamba - Gu for a dinner. As a group, this was our first time here and we knew it would be a good dinner. Our food was good, definitely worth the price of the overall meal if you decide on having a Hamba- Gu. You choose how you want your Hamba- Gu (whether its 100% Angis beef or one with a mix of beef and pork), sauces choices and then added toppings. There is no buns, just with all the sides come with it which makes the overall price worth it. (If you are wondering what is Chawanmushi - one of the sides, it is steamed egg with mushrooms and fishcake - it was good) Mine was the Hamba- Gu with 100% Angus beef, Cheesy cheddar and added avocados. Service was slow. You can tell it was a small staff, however they were working hard. All payments is accepted. Parking can be difficult, read the street signs and watch out when you cross the street. read more

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Nice small establishment with a nice, more modern vibe and seatings available for a variety of groups. The staff was professional: friendly, punctual, and attentive. Regarding the food, I got the 8oz hamburg steak with a red-wine demiglaze and sauteed onions. A thick/hefty steak thats tender, juicy, and full of flavor. Comes apart easily with chopsticks. Combined with all the sides (every side was wonderful and had great flavor), it was a very refreshing meal. I had hot tea along with it and was satisfied. It was worth the price all-in-all. I would come back to try the other sauces or other dishes with other company. read more

Sazanami Hamba-Gu - Salad, radish, chawanmushi, rice, miso soup, 8oz hamburg steak with a red-wine demiglaze and sauteed onions. - Japanese Near Me - Edgewater, New Jersey

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Was just your run of the mill hamburger steak place. I went with the regular hamburger ($23 beef and pork) with the demi glace sauce included a fried egg ($3) For the price I would say it was just ok. Nothing special or to write home about. They have break time from 3-5 so keep that in mind if visiting. It is street parking so prepare to look for parking as well read more

Sazanami Hamba-Gu - Hamburger steak with demi glace Fried egg topping - Japanese Near Me - Edgewater, New Jersey

I've never been to their curry location in Fort Lee, but had to check out this place because it offers a very specific menu, Japanese hamba-gu which is a beef patty with sauce over it that is eaten with rice. I've tried the following: -hamba-gu with gorgonzola cheese - I'm not a huge fan of hamba-gu usually but it was good here! The gorgonzola was good at first but did get a bit too rich at the end. -kaisen-don (sushi over rice) - There was a lot of fish and it was nice and fresh compared to the greasiness of the hamba-gu. -tonkatsu - This was crispy on the outside and juicy inside. I'm not the biggest fan of thick tonkatsu, but this was still good. Some things to know before you go: -When you order the hamba-gu, you have to choose the type of meat. I think the mixed blend of pork and beef is juicier. And then the sauce you want over it. And you can get additional toppings. -What's great is that your entrees come as a meal set. You get your main, rice, salad, miso soup, and something pickled. And the best thing that comes with each meal is the chawanmushi, which is a silky egg custard that tastes amazing! I could eat several of them! -If you are going with a big group, make sure to call ahead for a reservation because it's pretty small inside and can be busy at times. -It's street parking and as someone else wrote, parking on the side of the restaurant is better than across the street because it's like playing chicken to cross the road. I can't wait to go back again, especially for the chawanmushi. I know, I know, going back for such a tiny dish but it's that good! read more

A burger without a bun. What a concept. Much healthier than the regular burger too.... This place served ground beef in the shape of a burger with a sauce and Asian inspired sides. The burger comes with some radishes, a green salad, white rice, miso soup and an egg custard. The restaurant is quiet and service is always friendly and polite. It is clean and the vibe reminds me of a sushi restaurant (although I haven't tried their sushi). The music is a bit confusing though. Yesterday they were playing 90s pop music, which clashed with the atmosphere. My favorite part of the meal was the egg custard with mushrooms. Can't describe it in words, but it reminded me of a savory flan with notes of warmth and comfort. One thing to watch out for is time - it's a bit of a wait to get your order. If you are getting the burger to go, call in advance before picking it up. They don't have many dishes but it's an interesting spin on the burger concept and it worth a try. read more

Sazanami Hamba-Gu - Burger with pineapple - Japanese Near Me - Edgewater, New Jersey

Food was delicious and priced reasonably for what you get. The Gorgonzola sauce is subtle and tasty but can be a bit heavy to finish the entire dish. I preferred the chimichurri sauce (a hint of spice to it too). The restaurant has more seats than their sister location in fort Lee and the menu is slightly different. I would definitely come back here and try their other hambagu sauces. BYOB. read more

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We were excited when we saw this new curry spot about to open. Just down the road from us, instead of taking the trip to Fort Lee, is a good selling point. The space is new looking, and very clean with a friendly staff including the team in the kitchen. Crispy & Spicy was a good starter, but a bit small. However the Hambu-Gu meal made up for it. A tray for each dinner that came with soup, rice, salad and veggies was quite pleasing. With a choice of 6 sauces, you have to come back more than once. This trip we had the Red Wine Demi-Glaze and Gorgonzola White Cream sauces. Eager to try the Hot Chimichurri next time. Kinako Ice Cream w/Soybean Powder & Black Sugar Syrup was a nice way to finish read more

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Great service and place looks very stylish. We had originality wanted to try the curry at the other location but mistakenly came here.

I think this is the only Japanese hambagu restaurant in Jersey!!! I recently discovered this place. The Hamburg is soooo tender! Staff are super nice! Clean and cozy atmosphere. And it's BYOB! Everyone! Please try this place! You will thank me read more

The food is good and very nicely played. The place is small but comfortable. Service was okay, there was only one server and one hostess on a snowy Friday night and they were completely lost. There were only two tables seated when we got in, I can't even imagine if the place were full. read more

This offshoot off the main restaurant in fort lee is now open. The menu is different than the "curry" flavors in fort lee which is great, no duplication in efforts. I tried the ton katsu, and the entree came with a slew of delights including a cooked egg slurry?, a salad, a soup along with the main course. The katsu was cooked perfectly through, right temperature and had the right crunch. Overall, this new location carries the same high quality prep, ambience and presentation as the mothership. Plenty of seating, parking was on the street. read more

Excellent spot. 1) They specialize in Japanese Hamba-gu - basically it is a Japanese-German-American dish you eat a burger patty with rice. 2) Their chicken Kaarage (Japanese fried chicken) was my favorite. Ask for spicy mayo to increase the taste. 3) The service was excellent. read more

Sazanami Finally Opened in Edgewater!!! Staff Extremely Friendly and Attentive. Slightly Different Menu offerings from the Fort Lee Location Main- Focus is Hamba Gu!!! Which we didn't order. But our Meal was Delicious. Large portions Great value for the Meal Sets All ingredients very fresh and tasty. Decor is modern Japanese theme. If you are in the area it's a must try. read more

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My rating is 3.8, but I rounded it up to 4. Why 4? I ordered the Original (a 50/50 beef and pork ground mix) with demi-glace sauce--no other toppings. The meal included chopped steak with carrots and broccoli, miso soup, oshinko (pickled horseradish), chawanmushi (steamed dashi-based egg pudding), and white rice. 1. The chopped steak, known as Hama-gu or Hamburg, was good. It was soft and well-kneaded, cooked to be somewhat juicy on the sizzling skillet plate. I'd happily go back just to enjoy the meat. However, the carrot was cooked but rather hard. Traditionally in Japan, carrots are cooked with sugar and butter in water (glacé) until soft, bringing out their natural sweetness. The carrots at Sazanami were just boiled and too firm, which is not what I'd expect from a restaurant. The broccoli was also simply boiled, but it was acceptable. 2. The miso soup had plenty of ingredients, including wakame (kelp), tofu, and maybe some scallions. The salt level was fine, and it tasted homemade. However, even though it had a lid, the soup wasn't hot enough. 3. Oshinko is typically served to rest your chopsticks and refresh your palate with a different taste. I liked this dish at Sazanami 4. The chawanmushi didn't have a good broth-based flavor, but it was alright. My expectation wasn't high at all at this price. It contained kamaboko (minced steamed codfish) and mushrooms, which I enjoyed. 5. I was disappointed with the rice. I eat rice almost every day, but here, it was served slightly warm (with no steam rising!), hard, and not very flavorful. Is this really a restaurant? I even asked a friend who visited earlier, and they shared the same opinion. Overall, I would go back for the meat, but not for anything else. The dish costs $21, which is priced adequately if everything good. If they could improve their service (faster serving times, hot rice, and hot miso soup), let me know. Btw, I waited a quite long time with plenty seats open. That's is a thing they need to improve as well. read more

Sazanami Hamba-Gu is an amazing restaurant. The second I walked in I was greeted with an amazing waiter. She was very kind and friendly even though the restaurant was busy. The restaurant is not a big size but can seat multiple groups of people. The interior of the place is also really nice. The food lastly, is amazing. I've ordered to go multiple times as well and the food is still hot and juicy. I recommend the original hambagu with either Demi glacé or soy onion sauce. The hot-c is also good too. For toppings I usually get the buttered corn and the spicy pineapple. I really recommend this place though! read more

Sazanami Hamba-Gu - HAMBA-GU Hot- c sauce with spicy pineapple topping - Japanese Near Me - Edgewater, New Jersey

The dishes here are extraordinary! The whole staff shows pleasant behavior. The restaurant communicates its values through each plate. The workers are helpful and the atmosphere feels energetic. My experience at this restaurant was perfect. read more

I usually do not waste time writing reviews, but I think it is very much merited. I went last night for dinner and was completely blown away. The hamburger steak was amazing, as were all the included sides. Loved the atmosphere too, and I felt that I was back in Japan! You definitely need to give this place a try, and I'm sure you'll come back again and again! read more

Best donkatsu and hambagu. It is very tasteful and good price. Try egg fry (sunny side up) on hambagu and try soy onion topping too read more

Excellent Japanese Hamba-gu steak with demi sauce and fried egg!! Their Chicken karaage was very crispy and great as well. It would be great if they add an option for the guys who likes to order bigger portions bc their hambagu portion may not be enough for some guys. Otherwise, their hamba-gu and Chicken karaage were excellent. Great addition to Edgewater area. We even ordered the take-out and it was pretty good. Highly recommended. Will be back. read more

The food was good and the restaurant is very spacious. It does take a while for the food to come out, the server, japanese lady, was very attentive. Please note the chawanmushi is only served at the restaurant, not to-go orders. So def eat at the restaurant the chawanmushi was really good read more

Price is very reasonable. Portion is big and food was decent The chawamushi was the best part of the meal. I would go back

meat was sweet so ahh, also service not so good. no water refill to remove the bad taste