Gyu San Charcoal Bar: A5 Wagyu Hamburg With Unlimited Rice And Soup Under $25

Gyu San Charcoal Bar has affordable Wagyu hamburg in Orchard

The word “affordable” doesn’t typically come to mind when one mentions Wagyu, but that’s exactly what Gyu San Charcoal Bar aims to offer. The new restaurant in Orchard recently opened its doors with a unique charcoal-grilling concept, where Wagyu hamburgs and skewers are cooked to order over binchotan and served straight to your table on top of a personal grill to keep warm.

If the name sounds familiar, that’s because the brand first launched their sando shop, Gyu San, in the heart of the CBD last year.

This time, while the all-new concept focuses on charcoal-grilled hamburg, patrons can still get their fill of Wagyu sandos over at the other side of the restaurant that faces the main road.

Walk in further and you’ll discover the charcoal bar section, which has a raw and industrial look that’s quite the contrast to the sando restaurant’s red and black decor.

Each table comes with a personal grill—the server will place a few charcoal blocks underneath it before your food arrives. This serves the sole purpose of keeping the meats and veggies warm.

The menu is super simple, with just one main available: A5 Wagyu Japanese Hamburg Set ($23.80++). This comes with two hand-shaped hamburg patties that are fired in the open-concept kitchen upon order. You also get a small side salad, alongside free-flow rice and miso soup—a pretty good deal, especially for a restaurant in town.

Each beef patty weighs around 90g, which isn’t a lot, but you get two of them. We highly recommend topping up $8.50++ for an extra patty to make your meal even more shiok.

You can customise your meal with various add-ons, including shishito ($5.50++) AKA Japanese peppers, asparagus ($4.50++), and shiitake ($3.50++).

Those who want more beefy goodness can try their Wagyu Skewer ($9.50), though it’s not exactly cheap.

There’s also Chawanmushi ($3.50++), a must-have in my books for any Japanese meal.

Don’t miss out on the condiment section too, as that’s another highlight of the experience here. There’s a whopping total of eight sauces to pick from, including non-spicy ones, which pair well with the beef.

The garlic confit is a must-try; this jar comes with whole garlic cloves marinating in a fragrant oil.

We particularly enjoyed the green chimichurri with the hamburg, paired with an onsen egg (+$2.50++) over the short-grain rice.

Gyu San Charcoal Bar sits on the first floor of Forum The Shopping Mall, a 10-minute walk from Orchard MRT Station.

If you’re looking for more delicious food in the area, read our Miss Saigon review for authentic Vietnamese fare. Otherwise, visit the new M5 Coffee in Somerset for Taiwanese coffee and tea!

Address: 583 Orchard Road, #01-28, Forum The Shopping Mall, Singapore 238884
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 3pm, 5pm to 10:30pm
Tel: 8313 6633
Website
Gyu San is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Aldrich Tan.
This was a media tasting at Gyu San Charcoal Bar.