Burger Circus

Trendy American-​inspired burger spots are popping up all over HK, as a Californian, that is fine by me! While most are just so-​so, Circus Burger is actually good and I really love the non-​burger menu items.
The restaurant itself is quite small and looks like a nostalgic diner, so it is really cute and worth a visit. I usually opt for takeaway and the food holds up well. Their takeaway boxes are also very, very cute! The burger comes in a cardboard box with a perforated edge you rip off and opens up so you can you eat your burger and have any potential juicy mess contained by the cardboard box, genius!
There are lots of burgers on the menu, but I have only tried the Circus Burger. While the burger itself is pretty good, I would highly recommend you try other items on the menu. My favorites are the jalapeño poppers (a rare find in HK, please don’t ever take this off the menu), cheese fries, and milkshakes.
The only issue is the menu is pretty expensive.
And yes, they now deliver! But only as far as Admiralty. Please expand your delivery route to access more districts on HK island please, including Wanchai!

Whenever I find myself in this part of town, the one thing that reminds me of Burger Circus is not its prime corner Soho location or brightly lit sign. It’s the fact you can smell the grease from several storefronts away. The kind of greasy aroma that is strangely haunting for those of us who grew up on this stuff and the kind of scent that draws burgers lovers closer from all corners of Central. I assume Burger Circus enjoys this kind of distinction.
The place is HK small. And by that I mean there are only a handful of tables and little standing room for much else. Lines here would be a disaster, but thankfully I’ve been able to enjoy this spot late in the night without much crowd repercussion. Burger Circus likens itself to be a provider in the «American diner» experience and brings the spirit through burgers, milkshakes, and fries. The staff is usually pretty good about handling orders, but in all fairness, the menu is simple enough to where even the most novice service worker can memorize in a matter of minutes.
I was once told this was the In-​N-​Out of HK, but I’d rather keep the comparison separate. BC’s burgers range from $ 68-​$ 115 with an additional $ 30 for fries and $ 68 for shakes. At a sub $ 24USD meal, the price pinch is real, even if the American flavors are in tact. I like the Magician’s Magtag Blue ($ 95), where the principal cheese is blue along with a strip or two of bacon. Their classic Circus Burger ($ 95) touts a Wisconsin cheese and a 5oz patty and the works. One could go double on this burger for a cool $ 115, which ends up looking like a regular burger portion (anywhere else) in the end.
Burgers aside, I think the real win is the shakes. Yes, they’re close to $ 70 a pop, but they’re thick, sugary, super creamy, and surprisingly addicting. Salted caramel, cherry lime, and coffee toffee crunch are really fun but the classic flavors like strawberry, vanilla, or chocolate are definitely available. If one wants to go next level, add a little booze and get a spiked shake, which starts at $ 88. The Drunken Monkey ($ 88) has vanilla ice cream, maple syrup, and banana bourbon and the Cinnamon Roll ($ 88) has salted caramel, fireball whiskey, and some vanilla ice cream. Drink enough of those and one can only imagine the effects of a sugar high simultaneous with an alcoholic buzz.
There are other things some burger joints don’t have, such as jalapeño poppers ($ 78), onion rings ($ 38) and dill pickles ($ 38). If shakes aren’t doing it, consider their apple pie a la mode ($ 88) and/​or hot fudge sundae ($ 68). If prices don’t bother you, then consider making Burger Circus your next destination for the quintessential American retro burger diner experience.

Seems that all the trendy new burger spots in HK these days are emulating the iconic American In-​N-​Out chain. And I for one am not complaining!
But, you will pay the price — a burger, fries, and a drink will cost about 5x as much as you’d pay at In-​N-​Out. Ouch… welcome to Hong Kong!
The Burger Circus is modeled after a classic American diner. It’s super cute, and the seating is quite comfy with its plush booths. Ever notice how a lot of the restaurant and bar seating in HK is backless and subsequently gets quite uncomfortable? It’s so nice to be able to sink into a booth and relax during a meal for a change.
Onto the food — the menu focuses on burgers, classic sides like fries, onion rings, and buffalo wings, and… milkshakes! I didn’t try a milkshake this time, but I’ve got my eye on the pie shake. Yes, you read that right: a PIE SHAKE.
I ordered a combo meal which included the Circus Burger (5-​oz beef patty, crispy bacon, onions, Wisconsin cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and Circus sauce), fries, and my choice of soda. Feeling the vintage ambiance, I had the cream soda which definitely took me back to those sweet summery days of childhood. But the burger — wow! I thought the juicy 5-​oz patty made for the perfect portion, and the melty cheese, thousand island-​based Circus sauce, and legitimately crispy bacon tasted 100% all-​American. In other words: my ideal version of comfort food.
The fries were also perfect! Probably the best fries I’ve had in HK so far, and the upgrade to the Circus fries (onions, cheese, and Circus sauce) was a wise investment. Dare I say it? These were better than the animal-​style fries at In-​N-​Out. But don’t take my word for it — go see for yourself! I for one will be back… there’s a certain milkshake calling my name.

Cool retro vibe and great burgers. Located right under the central escalators so super convenient. Menu is simple but its burgers and they do them well. Weekends are very busy so weekdays are better. A must have if your not calorie counting

And more burger places! While Butcher’s Club Burgers is becoming the gold standard for what burger places should be like, numerous new joints have been popping up all over HK. Recently, I came across Burger Circus.
The place is small but conveniently located, on Hollywood road, right underneath the escalators to Soho. And like others have mentioned, they are going for a retro American diner vibe, and the effort is visible: all the takeaway bags are covered in their logos, they have the slightly whimsical décor and candy shopesque front bar. My complaint is the music, it is really a bit circus-​y and loud. Do not come if you have a hangover or a headache, the music will contribute to the throbbing in your head!
Back to the point though, the burgers are actually very decent and well worth a try. Each item are made to order and will burn your tongue if you dig in immediately. The 5oz patty is well grounded so the texture isn’t the meaty tough type but more of the crumbly and very juicy sort. I actually prefer this type to the Butchers club type cuz I’m a lazy chewer and don’t mind less meat flavor for a softer bite. Both are good honestly, so to each his/​her own. The fries are crisp on delivery and the circus fries are soaked in the secret circus sauce, which is a chili mayo. But you gotta eat them first out they get soggy real quick.
My only complaint (besides music volume) is the soda. It’s all homemade, which is admirable, but my ginger soda was bland and tasted sugar free, like a soda water with a barely there ginger juice in it. I don’t think it was an attempt to be healthy cuz there’s no point doing that at a burger joint. My brother’s cola was fine though, so just that one.
I recommend the burgers nonetheless, for takeout or when your head doesn’t hurt.

This burger joint located on Hollywood road under the escalator creates a retro American style diner experience. The sodas are made in house (Try the cherry lime). The milkshakes are tasty (Try the salted caramel). The burger parties here are thinner diner style, so they aren’t as filling as Butchers Club.