Burger Kitchen CHATTY CHATTY is tucked away on one of the many small streets north of Shinjuku Gyoen National Park. A small eatery with a clean, modern look, Chatty’s narrow layout feels unique and comfortable in that special Tokyo restaurant way.
Having scoped out the place a few days earlier, I arrived near closing time to ensure service in the 20-seat establishment. The two staff are a friendly greeter/waitress and the equally lovely cook, both working a few feet away from you if you choose to sit on the high stools. For a place making such messy food, Chatty was spotless even by Japanese standards. Orders are taken promptly from the extremely extensive menu (over thirty burgers!) then you get to watch show while you wait, as mellow calypso and reggae plays in the background. Chatty’s burgers are all handmade from high quality beef; the pork caul used in place of a binding agent giving them a look of marbled steak. I ordered a vanilla milkshake for ¥600, a small caesar salad for ¥580, and a bacon double cheeseburger for ¥1830 (a boring choice, I know). The milkshake and salad come within minutes and are both a delight. The shake is thick, creamy, and refreshingly cold in the summer heat. The salad is a pretty decent size for the price and the caesar dressing in particular is excellent. When paying western prices for western food you hope for western portion sizes, and the burgers at Chatty do not disappoint. That excitement you feel as you see your main course being brought to you is sure to reach its peak here. At a glance, the burger is perfect – seeded bun toasted just enough, a good amount of salad for texture contrast, and both patties liberally lathered in melted cheese. The fries are thin and crispy, with great seasoning. The first bite is heaven. The burgers are just the right level of pink, with an interesting chew to them due to the pork caul. There clearly hasn’t been much added to them, allowing the natural meat flavours to dominate.
Like all the best burgers it’s a sloppy chaos towards the end - the dryness of the fries are a great balance for all that juiciness. My one and only criticism is levelled at the bacon; compared to everything else it literally and figuratively doesn’t stack up. You don’t get much for the extra ¥250 vs a regular double cheeseburger, and it doesn’t have that crunch that burger bacon should bring to the ensemble. However, this is an extremely minor shortcoming in a fantastic meal. I chose a dull burger as a safe bet, with options like the avocado mozzarella and teriyaki burgers you’re sure to find something to your tastes.
Overall, Burger Kitchen Chatty Chatty is a near-faultless example of the mid-range burger joint; the perfect end to a day relaxing in Gyoen Park.
