The debate
Smash burgers have taken over burger menus everywhere, including Bali. But are they actually better, or just trendy? Here's the honest version.
Smash burgers win on three things: flavour (way more browned, crispy crust), consistency (they're quick and hard to mess up), and texture contrast (crunchy edge, juicy middle, soft bun). They're not 'better' for everyone — if you want a thick, pink, steak-like patty, a classic still wins. But for pure flavour per bite, smash is tough to beat.
Let's be honest first: "better" depends on what you want. If your dream burger is a thick, medium-rare, steakhouse-style patty, a smash burger isn't trying to be that. But the reason smash burgers have spread so fast — from American diners to Canggu — comes down to a few real advantages.
Pressing the patty thin against hot steel maximises browning across the whole surface. That browning is flavour — savoury, roasted, a little crispy. A thick grilled patty browns only lightly on the outside and stays mild in the middle. Bite for bite, a smash burger simply tastes more cooked, in the best way.
A thin patty cooks through in a couple of minutes, so there's less room for an undercooked centre or a dry, grey overcooked one. That's a big deal for a restaurant doing hundreds of burgers a night — the tenth burger tastes like the first. When you order our Smashy at 1AM, it's the same burger you'd get at noon.
The magic of any great burger is contrast: crunch against soft, hot against cool, rich against sharp. A smash burger nails the first one for free — that crackly edge sets up everything else, the melted cheese, the soft bun, the snap of a pickle.
We're not zealots. A thick, flame-grilled burger is the better call when you want a juicy, meaty, medium centre and that charcoal flavour — think a proper pub burger or a big beef-forward stack. That's why our menu isn't only smash: The O.G. is a 170g classic on a pretzel bun for exactly those nights.
Smash for crust and craving; classic for a big, beefy, sit-down burger. We do both properly — the Smashy Burger for the crispy-edge fix, The O.G. and Big M when you want something chunkier. Quality over quantity, either way.
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