Lotteria Singapore review: Is South Korea’s OG K-burger worth the hype or just okay?

Here’s my honest review of Lotteria’s Singapore debut, from the mozzarella burger and kimchi bulgogi to that surprisingly addictive Gangjung chicken.

It was only last month when Lotteria announced its first Singapore outlet, and ta-da – South Korea’s first burger brand has officially opened its doors at Jewel Changi Airport. Joining the abundance of Korean restaurants in Singapore, the self-dubbed “K-burger” hopes to entice local diners with its menu that blends familiar Western concepts with Korean flavours. But is this a bun in a million, or another case of been there, bun that? Here’s my review of Lotteria’s first Singapore outlet, including the items you must sink your teeth into.

Lotteria Singapore review: Details at a glance

Best for: K-food fans who care more about crispy chicken and bold flavours
Must-try items: Gangjung chicken; kimchi bulgogi burger; mozzarella burger tomato basil; shake shake fries (with chilli seasoning)
How much: Burgers from $4; fried chicken from $4.50; sides from $2.80; drinks from $2.90; desserts from $1.50
Opening hours: Daily, 10am to 10pm
Address: Lotteria Singapore, B1-248, Jewel Changi Airport, 78 Airport Boulevard, Singapore 819666

What is Lotteria?

Founded in 1979, Lotteria’s name is a combination of “Lotte” (from its parent company Lotte Group) and the word “cafeteria”. The idea was to create a dining spot that everyone can enjoy. Today, the K-burger restaurant has over 1,600 outlets globally, with our little red dot being its seventh overseas outpost.

Why establish its first Singapore outlet at Jewel Changi Airport? I didn’t get an answer from Katrina Group, the lifestyle company that brought Lotteria to our little red dot. But given that K-culture has gone stratospheric and Singapore’s positioning as a premier travel (and dining) destination, I reckon it made sense to expand the brand here.

Lotteria sits at the heart of Basement 1, which means you can enjoy a view of the indoor waterfall during its Light and Music showcase. It counts Jinjja Chicken as its neighbour, and for diners, that’s twice the K-food fun if you can stuff as many things in your mouth.

Lotteria’s burgers: yay or nay?

I’ve heard hype about Lotteria’s burgers, and now that they’re officially in Singapore, I’m doing my due diligence to review them. First up: Ria’s bulgogi burger (from $7.20), which embodied the classic Korean dish in terms of flavour profile. Unfortunately, the patty was limp and flat, like my derriere after skipping a month of squat exercises. Plus, the burger looked squished, which didn’t support its “juicy” claims.

The Ria’s shrimp burger (from $7.20) fared better – the patty was plump with decent crunch, and even with the tartar and Thousand Island sauces, they didn’t overwhelm my taste buds. I’m usually not into fish or seafood burgers, but I say go for this if it’s your first time trying Lotteria.

Lotteria’s most iconic creation, the mozzarella burger tomato basil (from $12.50), is also available in the Singapore menu. I was told it tasted like pizza, and after a few bites, I understood the hyperbole. While it wasn’t a complete “omg, pizza in burger form!”, this hefty creation still delivered the essence and flavour. It totally deserved its fan-favourite status.

A Singapore-exclusive on the menu is the kimchi bulgogi burger (from $7.80), reimagining Korea’s heritage flavours for local palates. It was punchy, savoury, and slightly sweet at the same time. The tangy kimchi cuts through the richness, lending the burger a piquant spiciness and adding more dimension to its taste.

Overall, I say Lotteria’s burgers were a modest yay: moderately delicious, but with some refinements, they could be better.

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Sides that stole the show

For a casual restaurant touting burgers, I thought Lotteria’s sides fared better. The clear standout was the Gangjung chicken (from $9), aka crispy Korean fried chook glazed in a sticky, savoury-sweet sauce. Even though I only managed to dig into the chicken some time after it was served, the skin remained delightfully crunchy. The sauce wasn’t cloying, with hints of mild spiciness peeking through as I chewed.

The shake shake fries (from $5.20) came with onion, cheese, or chilli seasoning. Of course, I went with the third option, and I wasn’t disappointed. While that familiar artificial taste was unavoidable, the seasoning went well with the fries and burgers.

A perfect ending to every meal is dessert, and I got mine in the form of the cup bingsu ($5.90). It wasn’t too sweet, with the red beans adding some texture to the shaved ice. If I wanna be nitpicky, I would’ve loved the ice to be more finely shaved. Oh, and trim down (or completely lose) the soft serve.

The only skip for me was the long cheese stick ($2.80) – the stretch was abysmal, and it tasted like your everyday, run-of-the-mill breaded cheese.

So… is it worth the bite?

When Lotteria announced its intention to open a burger outpost in Singapore, reactions have been mixed. After my dining experience, I’m leaning towards the camp that doesn’t think much of the brand. Yes, there were glimmers of brilliance (Gangjung chicken! Kimchi bulgogi burger!), but ultimately, the brand has some ways to go to earn a spot on the best burgers in Singapore list.

But if you’re a die-hard fan or curious to try this, hold out for a few weeks before heading to Jewel Changi Airport to get your Lotteria fix. Psst: I’m told a second location is already in the works, so stay tuned for that announcement. Who knows, you might not have to travel too far out to taste K-burgers by then.

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