The patties are 100% Japanese beef, but the atmosphere is pure California at this sister shop to the original Burger Mania in Shirokane – one of Tokyo's best burger joints. The Hiroo branch follows the same format, with whitewashed brick walls and wood paneling, and an open kitchen at the centre of the room. In the summer months, the windows at the front open out onto a small patio area, with the soundtrack of jazzy hip hop and fragrant wafts from the espresso machine on the counter just adding to the relaxed vibe.
The menu is similar to what you'll get at Shirokane, with esoteric choices including a blue cheese burger topped with Roquefort and gorgonzola, a 'platinum' burger made with sliced wagyu steak, and a surprisingly good cherry burger (anointed with cherries and cream cheese) that's exclusive to this Hiroo shop. The only disappointing meal we've had there was when we broke habit and ordered a (disconcertingly underdone) grilled chicken burger; stick with the beef, though, and you can't go wrong. Burger Mania wins extra points, too, for having a vegetarian option – substituting grilled vegetables and cheese for the meat – that's actually worth the effort.