Castle Rock キャッスルロック – Review

The Best Burger You Almost Walked Past

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Time of visit: August 2025

Hard to Find, Hard to Forget

Castle Rock キャッスルロック in Shinjuku, Tokyo, is the kind of place you can walk past without noticing. Its sign is small. Its entrance blends into the street. If you don’t know it’s there, you might never see it.
We almost didn’t. And that would have been a shame.

The night we visited, we were the only customers. From start to finish, no one else came in. The quiet made us wonder if we’d stumbled into someone’s private kitchen. But then the food arrived, and we realized this place should be full every night.

The menu is a love letter to hearty American-style fare. We ordered the Castle Rock Burger and the Blue Castle Burger, both in the “2L” size (¥2,450 each). Don’t let the name fool you—these aren’t giant burgers. They’re regular-sized but packed with flavor. The beef patties are meaty and juicy. The bacon is smoky and flavorful, a perfect match for the beef.

We added onion rings (¥550) and fries (¥550). Tasty, but the portions were small.

Then came the quarter-size spareribs (¥1,980). These were the surprise of the night—juicy, tender, and miles ahead of the dry, greasy ribs we’d had at SMOKEHOUSE recently. No carb mountain here. Just pure, perfectly-cooked meat.

Service with a Smile (and a Choice)

The service was as impressive as the food. Our server greeted us warmly and smiled the whole evening. She noticed my partner right away and politely asked if we preferred an English or Japanese menu. A small detail, but rare in Tokyo. Most places hand foreigners an English menu without asking.

Prices for drinks are fair—Moscow Mule at ¥550, Draft Beer at ¥950. Food, however, feels pricey for the portion sizes. Still, the quality makes it worth it.

Castle Rock might just be Shinjuku’s best-kept secret. Quiet, cozy, and serving some of the juiciest burgers and ribs in the city. Next time, I’m going back for the beef sandwich—and a bigger serving of those ribs.

Details of the Restaurant

Castle Rock キャッスルロック

https://maps.app.goo.gl/QXHTc8Y5JYxkwpqo9

〒160-0022 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Shinjuku, 3 Chome−8−9 新宿Qビル2F