Operation Burger : Joo Chiat Burger Joint at Jia Yuen Eating House

Operation Burger in Joo Chiat is a tiny burger joint in a coffee shop, Jia Yuen Eating House at the junction of Crane Road and Carpmael Road. If you are looking for an escape from the crowded, glitzy burger places like Shake Shack and its trendy patrons, this may be the place.

Operation Burger Joo Chiat Coffee Shop Jia Yuen Eating House

According to information on its Facebook page, Operation Burger only opens in the evenings – from 6 to 10 pm. Dusk is probably the best time to visit this part of Joo Chiat. The air starts to cool down and it is not too bright. The Jia Yuen Eating House is a sight to behold. So retro and it looks like we travelled back in time to Singapore in the 70s. Operation Burger is a stall sandwiched between a tze char stall and a Japanese izakaya stall (which was not open at the time of our visit).

Operation Burger Menu

The food menu is a simple one – 2 types of burgers, a couple of chicken dishes and some add-ons. Since burger was the focus of our visit, we order both types available – the signature Dependable Wagyu ($14) and the more basic Crane Road Beef Burg ($8).

Crane Road Beef Burg

The smaller Crane Road Beef Burg was the first to be served. Instead of the usual French fries, deep fried potato balls accompany the burger. They were served on a simple aluminium dish. It was very casual diner style, in keeping with the rugged table top and the no-airconditioned space. The beef pattie was topped with some melted cheese. The overall taste was good, this would not look out of place at an Orchard Road eatery.

Dependable Burger @ Operation Burger

Great care must have been taken to prepare the food at Operation Burger. We had finished the Crane Road burger by the time the Dependable Burger arrived. It looked substantially larger. The beef pattie was chunky and looked like more than twice the size of the first. It was moist and tasted nice and beefy. In case you are wondering about the recycled Nestle tin, that is where paper napkins are kept.

Operation Burger Reputable Burger — Reputable Burger

At $14, the Dependable Burger was not cheap but given the taste and size we think it is reasonable. Burger joints are competitive businesses. There are many other places to eat burgers in Singapore. The lack of airconditioning may be a deal breaker for some, but for a unique place to try a good burger, Operation Burger would be an option.