Okonomiyaki Burger at Lotteria Japan

Lotteria Japan is famous for its unique burger selections such as the Ramen Burger and the recent Twin Burger. This week they released their latest creation, the Okonomiyaki Burger. Okonomiyaki is a type of savoury Japanese pancake that is popular all over Japan. It originates from Osaka and is sometimes called Osaka Soul Food. Okonomiyaki is derived from the Japanese word “okonomi” which means “what you like” and “yaki” which means “grilled” or “cooked”, so it can contain just about anything you like! In modern Okonomiyaki, a wide variety of ingredients are used such as shrimp, squid, octopus, pork, cabbage and vegetables. It is usually served with a special sweet sauce and Japanese mayonnaise.

The Okonomiyaki Burger (お好み焼きバーガー) went on sale on August 19 and comes in two different versions. The “Hanjuku Tamago) 半熟タマゴ , which includes a soft-boiled egg, and The “Modern Style” モダン風 , which comes with stir fried noodles. The burgers will be available until late September in Japan. The Hanjuku Tamago costs 320 yen (USD$3.20) while the Modern Style costs 290 yen (USD$2.90).

The Okonomiyaki Burger at Lotteria

The Hanjuku Tamago (半熟タマゴ) comes with a soft-boiled egg, okonomiyaki patty and okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise.

The Modern Style (モダン風) features chukka-men (Chinese egg noodles), shredded cabbage, okonomiyaki patty and okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise.

The Modern Style (モダン風) Okonomiyaki Burger

The modern style seemed more like your traditional style Okonomiyaki for us, so Japan Australia gave it a try! We ordered a Modern Style Okonomiyaki Burger with small fries and small drink for 640 yen (USD$6.40).

The Modern Style Okonomiyaki Burger Wrapper

The Okonomiyaki Burger Okonomiyaki Patty

The Okonomiyali Burger topped with cabbage, sauce and mayo

How does it taste?

Not very good! Disappointing in fact!! The Okonomiyaki patty is doughy and lacks any Okonomiyaki flavour, while the fried noodles are soft and lack crunch (kari kari). Give us a regular Okonomiyaki any day of the week! It is a big disappointment after the high standards set by the recent Twin Burger.

If you are in Japan and want to try something different and unique then this might be the burger for you. 

Lotteria Japan Website

Okonomiyaki Japanese Savoury Pancake

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savoury pancake based on a batter containing a variety of ingredients and cooked on a hot plate. The name “okonomiyaki” is derived from the Japanese word “okonomi” meaning “what you like” or “what you want” and “yaki” meaning “grilled” or “cooked”. The history of okonomiyaki goes back about 500 years. It was originally made by spreading a thin layer of flour paste on a hot plate then adding miso for flavouring and rolling into a thin pancake. Later toppings such as chopped green onion and sliced dried fish were added and miso paste replaced by a special sauce. In modern okonomiyaki, a wide variety of ingredients are used such as shrimp, squid, octopus, pork, cabbage and vegetables. The finished pancake is served with a special sauce, mayonnaise and seasonings such as green powdered seaweed (aonori) and dried fish flakes (katsuobushi).


In Japan, it is popular to eat okonomiayki at restaurants that specialise in the dish. In an okonomiyaki restaurant you can sit around the hot iron griddle (teppan) while the food is cooked in front of you. Some restaurants have dining tables equipped with these hot plates and customers order the ingredients, mix and cook the okonomiyaki themselves. This is usually a lot of fun and many different types of okonomiyaki can be ordered and tried.

Okonomiyaki is mainly associated with the Kansai and Hiroshima areas of Japan, but is popular all over the country with toppings and batters varying according to each region. In Osaka where okonomiyaki is believed to have originated from, it is often called “Osaka Soul Food”.

Hiroshima style okonomiyaki is a variety where the ingredients are sandwiched between the batter rather than mixed together. The batter is cooked like a thin pancake and the ingredients cooked separately before being placed on the pancake. The okonomiyaki is served on top of yakisoba noodles and sometimes served with a fried egg.

Hiroshima Style Okonomiyaki

I highly recommend Okonomiyaki as a must try Japanese dish when in Japan.

Okonomiyaki is also a popular dish to make at home with the whole family. Here is a step by step guide to making Japanese Okonomiyaki