This Boy Makes a Great Burger!

Hello, my fellow Ibarakians!
You all know me, I can’t turn down a good burger. Luckily, the city next door to me, Tsukuba, has no shortage of great options. Spots like Drool Diner, Hi-5 Burger, and MSB Burger have already set the bar pretty high. But I’m happy to report that there’s a new addition to that list.
This place isn’t just good, it’s great. In fact, it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite burger spots in southern Ibaraki. Today, I’m excited to introduce Tsukuba’s very own: Burger Boy.

Burger Boy

Burger Boy is located in the Azuma area of Tsukuba City, not far from the Tsukuba Expo Center and its planetarium. If you’re walking from Tsukuba Station, it’s about a 10–15 minute walk, just cut through Chuo Park next to the station, and you’ll be there in no time.
For those of you feeling a sense of déjà vu, you’re not imagining things, this is the same building (and even the same exterior paint) that used to house Laidback Burger. The new owner of Burger Boy kept much of it as is, and it actually works quite well for the space.
The Ibaraki Eats duo visited Burger Boy last week for lunch. We decided to drive, but unfortunately, there’s no free parking nearby. The closest option is the Times parking lot across from the restaurant. Alternatively, you could park near the station and have your ticket validated if you make a purchase there.
After parking, and taking a moment to soak in the nostalgia of the location, we headed inside.

Inside

When I stepped inside, I was immediately hit with that same sense of nostalgia I mentioned earlier. Much of the interior still looks like it did back when the place was Laidback Burger, though there are a few changes that reflect the new owner’s personality.
I especially liked the Star Wars memorabilia displayed throughout Burger Boy, particularly the Star Wars PEZ dispensers. There were also plenty of brochures highlighting local businesses and events in Tsukuba, which gave the space a nice community feel.
The layout is fairly unique, wide near the entrance, with a narrower hallway leading toward the back. Seating is table-only, with enough room to accommodate around 15 or so customers. The extremely friendly owner greeted us at the door and showed us to our table. From there, we took some time to check out the menu.

The Menu

I have some good news and some bad news for my non-Japanese speakers. The good news is that all the burgers are listed in English. The bad news is that everything else on the menu is in Japanese, including the drinks, sides, and even the burger descriptions.
The first page features Burger Boy’s specialty burgers, such as the Real Boy Burger, which comes with a fried egg, cheddar cheese, and teriyaki sauce, and the JP Burger, topped with jalapeños, pineapple, and onion. The rest of the burger lineup is fairly self-explanatory. All burgers come with a side of French fries.
As for sides, the menu includes standard fries, sweet chili and cream cheese fries, chili cheese fries, onion rings, and fried chicken.
We decided to order two burgers along with some onion rings for lunch, and we couldn’t wait to dig in.

Onion Rings-small size

Our great-looking burgers arrived at the same time as the onion rings. My wife and I decided to try the onion rings first before diving into the burgers. I immediately noticed that the owner had made a smiley face in the sauce using honey mustard and ketchup, which was a fun touch.
I also have to give the owner credit, many places in Japan serve onion rings without any dipping sauce. While onion rings can certainly stand on their own, having sauce is always a welcome addition.
I grabbed one and tried it on its own first. It was nice and crispy, with just a slight hint of oil, enough to add flavor without being greasy. Some places go overboard and end up with overly oily onion rings, which can be disappointing, but Burger Boy strikes a great balance. The onion flavor was a bit milder than what I’ve had elsewhere, but it wasn’t a deal breaker at all.
The sauces paired really well with the rings and added an extra layer of flavor. My wife was a little sad to see the smiley face disappear as we dipped into it, but in the name of deliciousness, it had to be done.

Real Boy Burger

This was my burger—the Real Boy Burger—and it looked absolutely glorious. I really appreciated how the owner slightly pulled back the top bun so I could get a full view of the burger in all its magnificence. Another pleasant surprise was the side of curly fries. It had been years since I’d had curly fries, so that was a nice touch.
Before even thinking about the fries, I had to take a bite of the burger. A quick tip: definitely keep the burger in its bag while eating. I got a little too eager and clamped down on the burger when I picked it up. I then ended up with egg yolk on my hand. Lesson learned.
Once I recovered from that small mishap, I took my first bite and was instantly impressed. The combination of fresh, flavorful beef, soft but sturdy buns, and well-balanced toppings really stood out. The patty was juicy and well-seasoned, while the bun held everything together perfectly. The fried egg, melted cheese, and teriyaki sauce all worked in harmony, creating a rich and satisfying flavor.
The curly fries were excellent as well. Dipping them into the burger bag, now filled with egg yolk and teriyaki sauce, took them from good to great. It was an incredibly satisfying meal overall.
As good as my burger was, though, what really surprised me was my wife’s choice.

Chili Cheeseburger

This was Mrs. Ibaraki Eats’ order, the chili cheeseburger. It looked incredible, but I’ll admit I had a bit of doubt in the back of my mind. As much as I love Japan and its food, chili isn’t always something that’s done particularly well here. In my experience, it can sometimes fall a little short.
My wife is well aware of my skepticism, so after her first bite, she immediately urged me to try it. One bite in, and I’ll admit it, I was a little jealous she ordered it.
Let me be clear: Burger Boy knows how to do chili. And in case that wasn’t convincing enough, I'll write it again, Burger Boy really knows how to do chili. Is it exactly like a traditional American-style chili? Not quite. But it’s very close, and more importantly, it’s incredibly delicious.
The burger was so good that I couldn’t help going back for a few more bites. (Don't worry, I gave half of my burger to my wife so she still had a full burger.) The chili and cheese blended perfectly, adding a rich, savory depth that really enhanced the beef patty. Once again, the buns did an excellent job of holding everything together, and they tasted incredibly fresh, like they had just come out of the oven.
The owner mentioned that the buns come from a local bakery in Tsukuba, which is now definitely on my list to check out. This chili cheeseburger was fantastic, and honestly, I’m already fighting the urge to go grab another one while writing this.

After finishing our burgers and onion rings, we were beyond full. As we gathered our things and got ready to pay, the owner came over and struck up a conversation with us. We ended up having a really enjoyable chat about burger spots around Ibaraki, the local bakery that supplies their buns, and some of the burger events I’ve covered in the past.
It was a great experience talking with the owner, and I hope we get the chance to chat again on a future visit. After paying for our meal, we headed back to the car feeling satisfied, happy, and definitely a bit heavier than when we walked in.
I can't recommend Burger Boy enough and hope to be back soon.

So, if you are hanging around Tsukuba and are in the mood for a burger, why not give Burger Boy a chance? Who knows? You might see us there, me enjoying the chili cheeseburger and my wife happy with her onion rings.
Enjoy!

For more information on Burger Boy, check out their Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/burger_boy2025/