Is This Popular UFO Burger Worth The Hype? Here’s What We Think

Kowboy has UFO burgers and milkshakes in Bugis

If you’re on the food side of social media, you’ve probably come across the UFO burger that caused quite a stir in Korea. ICYMI: it’s named the UFO burger as the ingredients are wrapped in a pita bun, vaguely resembling a flying saucer. Good news: you can now get this at Kowboy, an eatery along Bali Lane in Bugis that opened in January 2025!

FYI, Kowboy is opened by the team behind the halal yakiniku restaurant Waku Waku, which specialises in premium A5 Wagyu and aged meat.

Food at Kowboy

My colleague and I started with their most popular beef burger, the UFO Cosmic Truffle ($12.80), which features a 120g A5 Wagyu patty paired with sauteed mushrooms, melted cheese, fresh tomatoes and lettuce, fragrant truffle oil, and their house-made truffle mayo.

The burger ingredients are wrapped in a pita bun, ensuring all the fillings and juices stay in place—perfect for anyone who finds eating burgers a messy experience.

The mushrooms were served in generous portions, adding a juicy, savoury depth to compensate for the not-so-impressive texture of the meat. We also found the truffle flavour mild and would have liked it if it was a tad stronger.

Next, we tried the UFO Nebula Classic ($10.80), featuring a beef patty, pickled onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese stuffed between a pita bread.

At first blush, we were impressed with how the burger was mostly packed with the thick beef patty, though it was a pity that the meat was slightly bland and lacked the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness we had hoped for. If you’re craving a beef burger that fills your stomach and you don’t mind flavours that are lighter on the palate, the UFO Nebula Classic is a good option!

Moving on to chicken burgers, the UFO Supernova Mentaiko ($12.80) came with a crispy chicken katsu topped with juicy pineapple, melted cheese, red cabbage, and a drizzle of spicy cod roe mayo. 

The first thing that caught our eyes was the vibrant purple cabbage against the pink ebi roe.

This burger was a collective favourite as the mentaiko sauce was not too jelak, and the textural contrast between the crunchy ebi roe and tender chicken cutlet kept us wanting more! Also, there was a kick of spice from the mentaiko sauce, so we recommend this only if you can take a little heat.

Feeling adventurous, we tried the UFO Orbit Zing ($8.80) next, a sweet-savoury burger featuring melted cheese, crunchy red cabbage, chicken cutlet, lychee slices, and a sweet and sour sauce.

The lychee bits added a fruity sweetness to the savoury fried chicken. We would have appreciated it if there were more lychee bits as the combination of this tropical fruit and chicken cutlet really worked for us.

If you didn’t get your fill with the burgers, they also have the Potato Poplight ($3.20), which is a crunchy potato pop snack. Otherwise, try their Nacho Nova with Cheese ($5.80), featuring chips covered in a velvety nacho cheese sauce.

At this point, we needed some drinks to cut through the grease, so we opted for Kowboy’s milkshakes. You can expect thick, ice cream-blended milkshakes in the classic chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavours, finished with whipped cream. 

Taste-wise, the Strawberry Milkshake ($8.80) reminded me of McDonald’s Strawberry Sundae but in a smoothie form. We also found this drink really pretty thanks to the strawberry sauce drizzled on the side of the cup, which created an eye-catching swirl of red against the pale pink milkshake. Overall, this was a delightful treat to quell the heavier flavours of the burgers.

While the Strawberry Milkshake was light and easy to drink, the thick consistency of the Vanilla Milkshake ($8.80) made it rather jelak for me. 

Ambience at Kowboy

Kowboy is located at Bali Lane, the quieter end of the popular Kampong Glam area. The restaurant is easy to spot thanks to the huge cow mascot perched playfully on the second floor.

The eatery is rather small, fitting about 10 diners at a time. Do note that only the al fresco dining area has tables, so we recommend coming earlier to secure a spot before the lunch or dinner crowd thickens.

Kowboy is an eight-minute walk from Bugis MRT Station.

The verdict

I liked how Kowboy serves relatively filling proportions compared to many of the burger joints I’ve been to. Plus, each UFO burger typically comes in a silver ziplock-style bag, which means you can have it on the go while exploring the beautiful streets of the cultural site.

While the burgers didn’t have a novel element that impressed us, we appreciated the creative twist on the classic burger. I recommend Kowboy to those seeking something new to try!

If you’re looking for waffles and ice cream after your meal, head down to Momolato cafe, which offers popular desserts by an award-winning gelato master. Alternatively, for crispy “Chinese burgers” under $5 at Chinatown Complex, read our Zhonghua Rougamo feature.

Address: 25 Bali Lane, Singapore 189861
Opening hours: Sun, Tue-Thurs 12pm to 8pm, Fri-Sat 12pm to 9pm
Tel: 9674 7280
Website
Kowboy is in the process of getting halal certified.

Photos taken by Nabila Malek.
This was a media tasting at Kowboy.