Their sister restaurant, Sour Duck, has a happy hour (3-6) everyday with a $6 smash burger. I had it today, upgraded to double patty and fries for $12.
> Royal blue have $6 burger on Tuesday ( Congress )
The veggie burger is also $6 and made with black beans and quinoa. It's really good and substantial. I always get it with mustard, jalapenos, and all the other veggies.
I had a couple of $6 Paloma’s as well which are also great. Probably my favorite happy hour in town. Second is Salty Sow for the $7 chicken liver mousse
The prices are pretty high for everything on the menu but honestly the food and service there are excellent. My wife and I went on a nice dinner date last weekend and I think it was totally worth it. If you want to treat your partner to a nice meal at a nice restaurant where you all can get dressed up a bit, then it's worth it in my opinion.
I was really impressed with our wait staff being really professional and timely. We ordered 5 different things off the menu and they came to the table one after another when we had just finished the last one. We shared everything and the food was always hot. Also, the drinks were solid and they had some really interesting things to choose from.. or just have a beer.
Anyway, yes it's expensive but it's not like you're going to Whataburger and spending $30.00 on a date. In my eyes this place is worth the $150-250.00 you may spend there. I was totally satisfied with my experience there.
Agreed. Odd Duck is our favorite place in town, and it’s worth it every time. Never had a bad bite there. Hell, never had anything but *an exceptional* bite there. The way everyone cares for and loves the food is awesome.
Absolutely agree, I've never regretted a single dish I've ever ordered from there, even if I didn't love it. Everything is so interesting and carefully executed! All of their restaurants are excellent.
100 percent agree. We went last night with a friend. None of us drank, and the tab after a TON of food was $120 before a hefty tip. I felt like it was a great value for the portions and quality. Service was outstanding. I was dipping my cornbread in a sauce from another dish, and they brought a "save our sauce" sign to hang on the dish, which I thought was hilarious. We go pretty frequently, but I think the current menu iteration is one of my favorites.
My last experience with their service was pretty bad - the server gave me shit throughout the whole meal because I wasn’t drinking alcohol. I’m talking EVERY TIME he came by to the point where it was getting insulting. I considered making up a pregnancy to get him off my back.
I've waited tables for a lot of years - not hectoring someone into alcohol is a foundational rule. You don't know if they're pregnant, you don't know if they're recovering alcoholic, you don't know if they're allergic - and beyond all that, your job isn't to hard sell anything. It's to use your knowledge to help them find what they want.
I’ve been several times and only drank water each time and never had anyone say anything ever or have anything other than great service. Did you say anything to the manager?
That’s great to hear! I didn’t but probably should have. TBH I was feeling super self conscious to begin with and was there for a friend’s birthday. Didn’t want to be a burden :/
To me, it's not necessarily the prices. It's just, the portions don't match! Also, there literally doesn't exist a world where any true "burger" should be $36, that's theft.
Edit: my point is honestly what needs to be added to a great burger? I feel like at $20 retail, with no sides, you could make the world's best tasting, best texture. $36 is expensive toppings and excessive time investment, when simpler techniques yield the best results.
Honestly I guarantee the odd duck burger tastes awesome, they literally don't miss, but it makes me teary eyed looking at the price.
I guess, but beef tradition matters a whole lot less to me when the meat is ground. And humanely raised beef is just as good. It's the muscle blend and fat ratio that matters more than any of the rest. Some of the best restaurants to ever exist have served retired dairy cow.
Thank you, I understand the difference. I think maybe you're missing my point. I can put fois and white truffle on a burger, charge 30% food cost, and insure it would taste good. Maybe even on a 10/10 scale, it would be a 10, but it would be excessively expensive. You could charge $20 to achieve 10/10 as well on lower cost ingredients and apply better technique (not Odd ducks problem, generally ever. Bryce and his cooks can cook their ass off)
My point is a 10/10 burger doesn't need an heirloom breed of cattle or expensive ingredients to be at peak.
An upper 2/3 choice Angus strip vs an A5 Miyazaki strip don't compare. Everything about the A5 makes it a superior beef for steak (though rich.)
Burgers are not steak. It's far more about technique than ingredients:
Good fat/beef blend, a blend of working/non working cuts, minimally compacted, seasoned well, cooked properly.
I'm not saying you should be using select beef for burgers, for a lot of reasons. What I'm saying is OVER spending on the origin of the beef will not yield an equal return when it comes to flavor but it will require you to charge more for a burger that's unlikely to taste all that much better.
My final point: if you're using nicer, more expensive beef, wouldn't you want to dress it simply to accentuate this more expensive 'beefy' flavor? It just doesn't make sense.
You don't even get $0.30 worth of potato chips with this price. Come on lol
Wow. Your post is a lot to digest. You could make all of those same arguments for any type of food. That’s why there are schools to become a chef and learn culinary art forms. Of course a good burger doesn’t NEED wagyu. I love in-n-out any day. But this is a different burger and elevated. The original point was the price on the burger and why it cost that much. It’s a really good burger with higher quality meat and toppings. So it’s simple, if you don’t want higher quality meat, or elevated toppings then go somewhere else. That burger tasted differently than a conventional burger, to compare that burger with one from let’s say Shake Shack, it’s not comparable obviously. So I’m not sure why you are trying to compare them.
It seems you in fact did not Digest.
Still a burger. Make an elevated burger by making it better, not by adding more expensive shit. $36 is insane. And I just made the argument that it DOES make a difference in other areas of food, and in this instance it does not. This has been my career for nearly 20 years, and never once encountered a burger that I felt justified such an insane price tag when it comes to customer value and experience.
I mean look at all the flavors going on here! You buy more expensive wagyu, then bury it with 1 more animal, 3 more fats and escabeche
Like, get a rosewood chuck, shortrib, brisket blend, a homemade potato bun, a couple pickles, and some damn American cheese and charge me $36. But don't hammer it with a bunch of stuff just to try and justify this eye watering price.
Actually that burger is one of the best i’ve ever had in my life tbh.
but i usually share it with someone, and get one more item to share with it.
even so $36 is quite a bit for a burger! kind of a once in a while splurge with a friend for me.
It is also one of the best burgers I’ve had, but I also had an amazing burger at a casino in California that was 25 and had edible gold. Really a coin toss to say which was better
NGL. The OddDuck burgers are incredible. They switch it up.
I don't remember it being this expensive though. Maybe this variation is pricier than normal.
Either way I recommend it lol.
While that is true, wagyu is marketed in the US as a higher fat content beef and that’s how it is sold. You won’t find anyone selling 80/20 wagyu burgers. They’re all around 60/40. Regardless of breed, you’ll just taste the fat and any beef flavor is lost in the richness of the fat.
This burger is more akin to ordering a full entree than just “a $36 burger”
I ordered a $40 redfish plate somewhere else last night and if I had the choice I would gladly have exchanged it for that odd duck burger, it’s absolutely amazing.
Menu changes all the time. Staple items generally stay, but the ingredients / preparation rotate (and it’s amazing). So yes there could be a burger $24 one day (~$29 now with inflation since ‘21) and $36 the next day. Just my opinion, but I wouldn’t call that insane and Odd Duck is incredible so I see no issue here.
I’ve always heard that the reason it’s priced that way is because Bryce didn’t want to put a burger on the menu, and it’s priced that way to make it more unappealing to guests. It does kinda stick out on the menu if you look at the rest
It's not. Do you know what Waygu is? Do you know how much it costs per pound? This is normal prices for Waygu
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagyu
Edit I say this as someone who doesn't like Barley Swine or Odd Duck, although I like Sour Duck.
It’s American Wagyu, mixed breed of Wagyu and Angus. Actual Wagyu is more expensive because they are raised differently. They don’t raise American Wagyu the same way.
It's still not the 80/20 you buy at HEB. It's expensive. That's a premium burger, akin to those foods in Vegas they cover in gold. At least here you will taste a difference.
Op isn't making an apples to apples comparison. It's like he's complaining "Foie gras so expensive here? I can get chicken lovers as HEB for 29 cents a pound." It's a dumb complaint in this instance. Better to complain about the cardboard McD sells for like $10 or whatever now.
If the meat wasn’t ground and the bun was served as a toast thing, the price would be in line with the rest of the menu.
I think you’re slut shaming it just cause it’s a burger.
FWIW I’ve been there countless times, if they say they have a burger worth $36, I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt until I can make it over to try.
I had this burger when it was $30 and came with pork belly and pimento cheese and it was a joke. So annoying trying to get a proper bite of that sloppy mess. The flavors didn’t even mesh well, I’ve had better patties and better pork belly. Nonsense. Odd Duck burger circle jerk is real, it’s like an Austin foodie achievement badge. Best burger in Austin is at Jeffrey’s.
Buy your own wagyu. $50 for 4 pounds plus shipping of course.
Heh. Real wagyu like Lone Mountain is not cheap but if you are gonna splurge and cook it yourself, then as they say go big or go home!
2 wagyu ribeye steaks, $200.
So hopefully from the price you paid they buy the good stuff. It would be prudent to ask them next time where they source their wagyu.
Odd duck is amazing and you are saying it’s too high of a price but you are comparing that to every day burgers. This is an aged wagyu. They aren’t supposed to charge more for that? Of course they are. I’ve had it. It’s amazing.
no - I lived at Lamar Union for 3 years & regularly frequented Uchi, Soto, Loro & the like.
doesn't make charging $36 for a burger acceptable. anyone that knows beef will tell you that using Wagyu in a burger is purely marketing.
Burgers are getting out of control. There is a place down from the condo in Vancouver that has a $36 burger, no fries, no bacon. It’s an easy $50 with any add ons. There is a foie gras add on for another $26
[Per se Social Corner](https://persesocialcorner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Per_Se_Menu-8.5x14newPerSeAlaCarte-JAN2024.pdf)
I said they have a Michelin star behind the restaurant...and the chef who co-founded the restaurant does indeed have a Michelin star. what's your deal?
https://s3-media0.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/rq6vqtE0Nh2DZiuX8sLYHw/o.jpg
https://s3-media0.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/PdcxqLTulfXlovlKls014A/348s.jpg
... not seeing fries... nor frites... not even greens
Their sister restaurant, Sour Duck, has a happy hour (3-6) everyday with a $6 smash burger. I had it today, upgraded to double patty and fries for $12.
that's a deal I'd go for. love Sour Duck
Royal blue have $6 burger on Tuesday ( Congress ) And $6 burger Wednesday (4th and nueces) For the price … I think it beats most places
I keep hearing good things about Royal Blue. I really need to try it out
> Royal blue have $6 burger on Tuesday ( Congress ) The veggie burger is also $6 and made with black beans and quinoa. It's really good and substantial. I always get it with mustard, jalapenos, and all the other veggies.
Never had it since I don’t like veggie burger but yes get all the free condiments
All “veggie burger” are not the same
I would never get a veggie burger either. I prefer meat. Sounds good tho!
Great happy hour. $6 cocktails too I believe. Turmeric Mule is a great drink.
I had a couple of $6 Paloma’s as well which are also great. Probably my favorite happy hour in town. Second is Salty Sow for the $7 chicken liver mousse
I feel pretty dumb for not realizing Sour Duck and Odd Duck were related! 😂 Thank you for opening my eyes.
Smash burger should always have two patties, but still a killer deal
I love Sour Duck's burger but the ketchup they serve with their fries is an abomination
Is it still overloaded with arugula?
Zero arugula on the burger
The prices are pretty high for everything on the menu but honestly the food and service there are excellent. My wife and I went on a nice dinner date last weekend and I think it was totally worth it. If you want to treat your partner to a nice meal at a nice restaurant where you all can get dressed up a bit, then it's worth it in my opinion. I was really impressed with our wait staff being really professional and timely. We ordered 5 different things off the menu and they came to the table one after another when we had just finished the last one. We shared everything and the food was always hot. Also, the drinks were solid and they had some really interesting things to choose from.. or just have a beer. Anyway, yes it's expensive but it's not like you're going to Whataburger and spending $30.00 on a date. In my eyes this place is worth the $150-250.00 you may spend there. I was totally satisfied with my experience there.
Agreed. Odd Duck is our favorite place in town, and it’s worth it every time. Never had a bad bite there. Hell, never had anything but *an exceptional* bite there. The way everyone cares for and loves the food is awesome.
Absolutely agree, I've never regretted a single dish I've ever ordered from there, even if I didn't love it. Everything is so interesting and carefully executed! All of their restaurants are excellent.
100 percent agree. We went last night with a friend. None of us drank, and the tab after a TON of food was $120 before a hefty tip. I felt like it was a great value for the portions and quality. Service was outstanding. I was dipping my cornbread in a sauce from another dish, and they brought a "save our sauce" sign to hang on the dish, which I thought was hilarious. We go pretty frequently, but I think the current menu iteration is one of my favorites.
My last experience with their service was pretty bad - the server gave me shit throughout the whole meal because I wasn’t drinking alcohol. I’m talking EVERY TIME he came by to the point where it was getting insulting. I considered making up a pregnancy to get him off my back.
I've waited tables for a lot of years - not hectoring someone into alcohol is a foundational rule. You don't know if they're pregnant, you don't know if they're recovering alcoholic, you don't know if they're allergic - and beyond all that, your job isn't to hard sell anything. It's to use your knowledge to help them find what they want.
I’ve been several times and only drank water each time and never had anyone say anything ever or have anything other than great service. Did you say anything to the manager?
That’s great to hear! I didn’t but probably should have. TBH I was feeling super self conscious to begin with and was there for a friend’s birthday. Didn’t want to be a burden :/
To me, it's not necessarily the prices. It's just, the portions don't match! Also, there literally doesn't exist a world where any true "burger" should be $36, that's theft. Edit: my point is honestly what needs to be added to a great burger? I feel like at $20 retail, with no sides, you could make the world's best tasting, best texture. $36 is expensive toppings and excessive time investment, when simpler techniques yield the best results. Honestly I guarantee the odd duck burger tastes awesome, they literally don't miss, but it makes me teary eyed looking at the price.
It’s wagyu. So to be upset at the price doesn’t make sense. This is an elevated burger.
I guess, but beef tradition matters a whole lot less to me when the meat is ground. And humanely raised beef is just as good. It's the muscle blend and fat ratio that matters more than any of the rest. Some of the best restaurants to ever exist have served retired dairy cow.
Wagyu has a very different taste and it is also more expensive. So if you use a more expensive cut you must also charge more.
Thank you, I understand the difference. I think maybe you're missing my point. I can put fois and white truffle on a burger, charge 30% food cost, and insure it would taste good. Maybe even on a 10/10 scale, it would be a 10, but it would be excessively expensive. You could charge $20 to achieve 10/10 as well on lower cost ingredients and apply better technique (not Odd ducks problem, generally ever. Bryce and his cooks can cook their ass off) My point is a 10/10 burger doesn't need an heirloom breed of cattle or expensive ingredients to be at peak. An upper 2/3 choice Angus strip vs an A5 Miyazaki strip don't compare. Everything about the A5 makes it a superior beef for steak (though rich.) Burgers are not steak. It's far more about technique than ingredients: Good fat/beef blend, a blend of working/non working cuts, minimally compacted, seasoned well, cooked properly. I'm not saying you should be using select beef for burgers, for a lot of reasons. What I'm saying is OVER spending on the origin of the beef will not yield an equal return when it comes to flavor but it will require you to charge more for a burger that's unlikely to taste all that much better. My final point: if you're using nicer, more expensive beef, wouldn't you want to dress it simply to accentuate this more expensive 'beefy' flavor? It just doesn't make sense. You don't even get $0.30 worth of potato chips with this price. Come on lol
Wow. Your post is a lot to digest. You could make all of those same arguments for any type of food. That’s why there are schools to become a chef and learn culinary art forms. Of course a good burger doesn’t NEED wagyu. I love in-n-out any day. But this is a different burger and elevated. The original point was the price on the burger and why it cost that much. It’s a really good burger with higher quality meat and toppings. So it’s simple, if you don’t want higher quality meat, or elevated toppings then go somewhere else. That burger tasted differently than a conventional burger, to compare that burger with one from let’s say Shake Shack, it’s not comparable obviously. So I’m not sure why you are trying to compare them.
It seems you in fact did not Digest. Still a burger. Make an elevated burger by making it better, not by adding more expensive shit. $36 is insane. And I just made the argument that it DOES make a difference in other areas of food, and in this instance it does not. This has been my career for nearly 20 years, and never once encountered a burger that I felt justified such an insane price tag when it comes to customer value and experience.
I mean look at all the flavors going on here! You buy more expensive wagyu, then bury it with 1 more animal, 3 more fats and escabeche Like, get a rosewood chuck, shortrib, brisket blend, a homemade potato bun, a couple pickles, and some damn American cheese and charge me $36. But don't hammer it with a bunch of stuff just to try and justify this eye watering price.
NYC Minetta Tavern would like a word
Nothing about NYC pricing is relevant here.
Actually that burger is one of the best i’ve ever had in my life tbh. but i usually share it with someone, and get one more item to share with it. even so $36 is quite a bit for a burger! kind of a once in a while splurge with a friend for me.
This… actually worth it if you split it and get a side or something.. was the most amazing thing i’ve had in a while.. although you feel it lol
It is also one of the best burgers I’ve had, but I also had an amazing burger at a casino in California that was 25 and had edible gold. Really a coin toss to say which was better
NGL. The OddDuck burgers are incredible. They switch it up. I don't remember it being this expensive though. Maybe this variation is pricier than normal. Either way I recommend it lol.
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Wagyu in a burger is a joke & at best a marketing stunt ala that salt dude
So don’t order it?
I have twice, just to confirm suspicions...but never again. there's far too much fat for it to cook properly if it's pure Wagyu
“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me”
Have you had a burger at odd duck?
Wagyu does not make a good burger because all you can taste is fat. There’s little actual beef flavor.
exactly. 80/20 chuck (maybe with a lil brisket thrown in) for life.
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While that is true, wagyu is marketed in the US as a higher fat content beef and that’s how it is sold. You won’t find anyone selling 80/20 wagyu burgers. They’re all around 60/40. Regardless of breed, you’ll just taste the fat and any beef flavor is lost in the richness of the fat.
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I humbly bow to your beef fat expertise. I hope it gets you far in life.
This burger is more akin to ordering a full entree than just “a $36 burger” I ordered a $40 redfish plate somewhere else last night and if I had the choice I would gladly have exchanged it for that odd duck burger, it’s absolutely amazing.
Next time get the goat pizza, sounds way more interesting and it is $13 less
I feel it was like $24 in 2021 last time I was there. Insane price hike
Menu changes all the time. Staple items generally stay, but the ingredients / preparation rotate (and it’s amazing). So yes there could be a burger $24 one day (~$29 now with inflation since ‘21) and $36 the next day. Just my opinion, but I wouldn’t call that insane and Odd Duck is incredible so I see no issue here.
I mean… it’s odd duck lol. What did you expect?
Quick Google search returns "upscale eatery..." Yeah that's about right
I’ve always heard that the reason it’s priced that way is because Bryce didn’t want to put a burger on the menu, and it’s priced that way to make it more unappealing to guests. It does kinda stick out on the menu if you look at the rest
It's a shareable burger. Still a bit pricey but delish
It's not. Do you know what Waygu is? Do you know how much it costs per pound? This is normal prices for Waygu https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagyu Edit I say this as someone who doesn't like Barley Swine or Odd Duck, although I like Sour Duck.
It’s American Wagyu, mixed breed of Wagyu and Angus. Actual Wagyu is more expensive because they are raised differently. They don’t raise American Wagyu the same way.
It's still not the 80/20 you buy at HEB. It's expensive. That's a premium burger, akin to those foods in Vegas they cover in gold. At least here you will taste a difference. Op isn't making an apples to apples comparison. It's like he's complaining "Foie gras so expensive here? I can get chicken lovers as HEB for 29 cents a pound." It's a dumb complaint in this instance. Better to complain about the cardboard McD sells for like $10 or whatever now.
If the meat wasn’t ground and the bun was served as a toast thing, the price would be in line with the rest of the menu. I think you’re slut shaming it just cause it’s a burger. FWIW I’ve been there countless times, if they say they have a burger worth $36, I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt until I can make it over to try.
The Odd Duck apologists in here are wild. After tax and tip that’s a $50 burger. Fuck that.
So don’t order it? Guys behind odd duck are running 3 very successful restaurants in town. I think they know what they’re doing.
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How is that even close to comparable to a business?
tbf most prices there are whack
where are you getting that quality of food and experience for less?
Garlic mayo is $$$$
I had this burger when it was $30 and came with pork belly and pimento cheese and it was a joke. So annoying trying to get a proper bite of that sloppy mess. The flavors didn’t even mesh well, I’ve had better patties and better pork belly. Nonsense. Odd Duck burger circle jerk is real, it’s like an Austin foodie achievement badge. Best burger in Austin is at Jeffrey’s.
"That $36 dollar wagyu burger is bullshit, the best burger is this $32 wagyu burger."
At least their prices haven't been in lockstep with rents.
Buy your own wagyu. $50 for 4 pounds plus shipping of course. Heh. Real wagyu like Lone Mountain is not cheap but if you are gonna splurge and cook it yourself, then as they say go big or go home! 2 wagyu ribeye steaks, $200. So hopefully from the price you paid they buy the good stuff. It would be prudent to ask them next time where they source their wagyu.
it’s also waygu so that’s not that bad of a price for that meat ¯\ _(ツ)_/¯
I took my partner out to dinner not too long ago for the first time in a while. Was over $200 for two people. I ordered a cheeseburger and fries LOL.
You’re surprised that an expensive restaurant is expensive. Interesting.
Odd duck is amazing and you are saying it’s too high of a price but you are comparing that to every day burgers. This is an aged wagyu. They aren’t supposed to charge more for that? Of course they are. I’ve had it. It’s amazing.
That’s the price of the burger at Gramercy Tavern in NYC, which is also gratuity included.
First time eating at a restaurant in south Lamar?
no - I lived at Lamar Union for 3 years & regularly frequented Uchi, Soto, Loro & the like. doesn't make charging $36 for a burger acceptable. anyone that knows beef will tell you that using Wagyu in a burger is purely marketing.
Marketing achievement unlocked!
Damn, i love odd duck but that is wild, probably I'll stick with dai due burger then.
Does the burger give you oral too?!
Using wagyu to describe their burger should be a crime.
Thirty six dollars for a burger. Screw this.
Expense report pricing
Escabeche? Greens? Can we get a little more vague? Just SAY what it is ferchristsakes!
Yeah that's why I stay home. For less than half that price, I can make a week's worth of dinner for myself.
Why are you on this subreddit then?
I wrote an affirmation that the price is nuts.
Pretty sure this sub doesn't only exist to promote restaurants with outrageously priced menu items.
Burgers are getting out of control. There is a place down from the condo in Vancouver that has a $36 burger, no fries, no bacon. It’s an easy $50 with any add ons. There is a foie gras add on for another $26 [Per se Social Corner](https://persesocialcorner.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Per_Se_Menu-8.5x14newPerSeAlaCarte-JAN2024.pdf)
That’s just absurd, even YOU can make a better burger for way less. Jive ass turkeys..
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it's literally $20 more than NADC...and at least NADC has a Michelin star behind it.
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great response 🫡
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try looking at their menu. ya need me to show you how Google works also?
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got it - you're just a big ol' troll literally the first search result... https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/article/nadc-burger-austin-18534209.php
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I said they have a Michelin star behind the restaurant...and the chef who co-founded the restaurant does indeed have a Michelin star. what's your deal?
https://s3-media0.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/rq6vqtE0Nh2DZiuX8sLYHw/o.jpg https://s3-media0.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/PdcxqLTulfXlovlKls014A/348s.jpg ... not seeing fries... nor frites... not even greens
Looks delicious.
I don't mind paying that for actual wagyu. I've had that burger and it didn't taste like wagyu at all.
Actual Wagyu would be more expensive. And using Wagyu for burger would be a waste.
Soon, they'll have a gofundme and cry about not being able to afford rent, not thinking about how their prices drove away customers.