A time-honored Taipei American-style burger joint with a thick B.B.Q.-grilled chicken breast burger

Text and photos by /Lao K

After receiving an IKEA flyer, Mei Ji decided to check out the furniture in person. She headed to Breeze Nanjing to visit IKEA. But once inside, she was overwhelmed by the crowd—it was so packed that she lost all desire to browse. She simply followed the flow of people to the exit. After finally escaping IKEA, Mei Ji was hungry and too tired to look for another place to eat, so she opted to dine near Breeze Nanjing.

Right next to Breeze Nanjing, she spotted 1885 Burger, recently recommended by a friend. Mei Ji had also dined at the 1885 Burger on Civic Boulevard years ago and had a fairly good impression, so she decided to revisit this classic burger joint, 1885 Burger Store.

A whiteboard at the entrance listed the daily specials.

Next to the entrance was a cute display of Minions.

The minimum spend is NT$100 per person, with a 90-minute dining time limit.

The first option was hand-pattied beef burgers, ranging from NT$210 to NT$390 for the most expensive, excluding drinks. Unlimited drinks were available for an additional NT$49—hard to resist with a burger.

There were also more affordable chicken and fish burgers.

Besides burgers, the menu also included steaks and pasta.

1885 Burger Store opens at 9:30 AM on weekends, making it a great spot for early risers looking for breakfast.

For those preferring lighter fare, salads were also available.

For larger groups, there were also appetizers to share.

In addition to brunch and burgers, they also served desserts and afternoon tea.

The drink options were relatively limited.

There were also daily specials listed on the same blackboard, with the price including a drink.

Since Mei Ji wasn’t very hungry, she swapped fries for a small salad—but after it arrived, she regretted it slightly. The salad looked rather uninspiring.

The lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles were all served separately, to be assembled by the diner.

Mei Ji ordered the B.B.Q. tender chicken breast burger. The bun held two sizable, slightly thick slices of chicken breast, which turned out to be quite tender—a texture she hadn’t enjoyed in a while. The B.B.Q. sauce was flavorful, and the bun was decent too. Aside from the weak-looking and equally weak-and-salty salad, Mei Ji quite liked this grilled chicken breast burger.

Lao K went for the Buffalo spicy beef cheeseburger (NT$260), choosing the slider-style bun.

The beef patty was topped with cheese, drizzled with spicy sauce, and finished with five slices of tangy, spicy Mexican chili peppers.

You had to lift the cheese to reveal the shy beef patty underneath.

Lao K said the burger was pretty good, performing decently overall, though the slider bun made it a bit tricky to eat.

The fries were crispy and Lao K found them delicious. Mei Ji thought they were okay, though a bit oily and salty.

Taiwan often sees trends where certain types of restaurants become wildly popular. Mei Ji vaguely remembered when American-style burger joints were all the rage in Taipei, and 1885 Burger Store was one of the shops that emerged during that time—one of the few surviving “classic” burger joints. Revisiting old favorites often takes courage, as there’s always the risk of shattered nostalgia. But her return to 1885 Burger Store was a pleasant experience—the burgers still maintained a solid standard. If you’re around Nanjing Breeze, IKEA, the Taipei Dome, or meeting friends for a meal, consider stopping by 1885 Burger Store.

1885 Burger Store Nanjing Branch
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Address: No. 10, Lane 6, Alley 303, Section 3, Nanjing East Road, Songshan District, Taipei City (behind Breeze Nanjing)
Phone: 02-2717-0338
Business Hours: Monday to Friday 11:00–22:00, Saturday to Sunday 9:30–22:00

Lao K
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