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You know what confidence is? When a burger shop only has two burgers on its menu. That's the brief at Smash Street. The new standing burger bar at Amoy Street is cut from the same cloth as its predecessor, Scarpetta – no reservations, a tight menu, reasonable CBD prices and a fuss-free 'in and out' dining experience. It's running an attractive opening giveaway this weekend, with 1000 burgers served across lunch and dinner on April 3 and 4. But before you decide if it's worth braving the queue for, here's our review of the space and menu.
First impressions: think casual American diner meets classy European finishes like stone and marble. The vibe isn't too informal – no neon signs here – but neither is it too stuck-up. There's a long stainless steel counter out front, close to the open kitchen and griddle if you want to catch the action, and smaller tables perched across the space. It's more of a standing situation here, with just four counter seats at the very back.
With just two burgers on the menu, the challenge is in getting the formula perfect, every single time. Founder Aaron Yeunh tells us the team gathered inspiration from across Southeast Asia, with names like Barney's Burger Joint in Bangkok, Honbo in Singapore and Dan's Burgers in Jakarta popping up in our conversation. The result, after some 30 rounds of trial and error, is a parcel that looks simple but belies much thought and research. Smash Street's patties are a blend of Australian Black Angus brisket, short rib and dry-aged trimmings, with a good fat-to-meat ratio. And the team has developed their own unique 'smashing technique', if you will. Behind the counter, head chef Reisuke Kiyose uses his entire body weight to press down, almost smearing the patty over the griddle, for those guaranteed crispy edges.
The classic burger ($14) features two of those patties, sandwiched between buttered potato buns from an artisanal bakery in Singapore. It's then topped with cheese, pickles and a house-made smoked pickled jalapeño sauce. The 160 to 180 grams of meat make for a pretty satisfying mouthful where you get just enough meat in every bite without having to dislocate your jaw. The buns are slightly chewy and flatten nicely so the focus is on the meat, but they get soggy fast, which tells you something about how you're meant to enjoy the burger – that is, as quickly as possible. It's snacky. It's devourable. The pickles are actually crunchy, and the sauce tangy and savoury. For $14 (excluding GST), it is still on the slightly steeper end, but not unreasonable.
The house burger has more heft and structure. At $17, it comes with three patties, cheese and your choice of pickles or jalapeño. There are also options to load up the classic or house burgers with onion relish (additional $2) or bacon (additional $3). We say go with the onions, which add a much-needed hint of sweetness and acidity, but skip the bacon, which is almost jerky-like and tough to chew, throwing off the burger's otherwise already ideal texture.
Chow down the stacks with sides of fries ($6), onion rings ($6) or chicken poppers ($10) with chilli crunch aioli. The fries are just the way we like them – skin on, thin and fried twice. On its own, some might think it lacks salt, but when paired with the burgers, the balance becomes just right. The chicken poppers, on the other hand, give KFC's a run for its money. It's not so much the chicken itself, but the familiar Asian twang in the accompanying homemade chilli crunch aioli that makes a difference. The team is still in the midst of developing their milkshakes, with plans to introduce rotating seasonal flavours. For now, diners can look forward to the cornflake milkshake ($8), which will be available at launch.
In the months to come, Smash Street will also debut a cocktail bar on the second floor called Blind Tiger. The space takes cues from the speakeasies of the 1920s Prohibition Era, with leather seats and purple accents. While the bar will not serve Smash Street's burgers, it will act as a transitional 'holding space' of sorts, where guests can sip on cocktails while waiting for a table at Scarpetta or Smash Street, then take their drink down once it's their turn. In the meantime, while the details are still being sorted out, you can check out Smash Street's Instagram page for the latest updates.
Time Out's rating: 4/5
Smash Street delivers exactly what it sets out to do: a zero-frills burger experience focused on precision rather than variety. While there are some minor quirks, like the too-soft buns and overly tough bacon slices, they hardly detract from the main focus, which is the excellent patties. Is this the best burger we've had? Probably not. But is it an objectively well-crafted smash burger? Yes. And with prices starting at $14, we can see the appeal.
Smash Street officially opens on April 3, 2026 at 50 Amoy Street, Singapore 069876. Opening hours are 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6pm to 10.30pm daily.
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