Itoshima is famous for its fresh seafood and vegetables, and in recent years a number of burger shops have opened across the area. But when I heard about a new place tucked away in Nijofukae, I had a feeling it might be something special.
FANK BURGER opened on July 9, 2026, in a large, garage-like building at the foot of the mountains, about a ten-minute uphill walk from Chikuzen-Fukae Station.
The exterior is understated, with dark red corrugated siding and little conventional signage apart from a handmade FANK BURGER board out front. There is plenty of parking, and it is the sort of place where arriving in a four-wheel drive or on a bicycle feels equally appropriate.
Inside, the shop is more spacious than it first appears. Reclaimed timber, exposed metal, simple wooden benches and hanging bulbs give it the feel of an American workshop or garage, but without turning it into a theme restaurant. Much of the interior has been put together using reused materials, giving the space a relaxed, handmade character.
The open kitchen keeps the cooking in full view, with the aroma of beef on the grill and the sizzle from the hotplate adding to the atmosphere.
FANK also happens to sit just behind Camosi Brewing, one of our favourite local craft breweries. Burgers and craft beer next door to each other seem almost too convenient, but owner Yohei Teramoto says it was pure coincidence.
Teramoto grew up in a butcher family in Kumamoto and has spent years refining every part of the burger-making process. Before opening this shop, he worked as the manager and cook at the original FANK BURGER in Minoshima, Fukuoka City. After that location closed, he decided to strike out on his own and open a new FANK here in Itoshima.
This time, it is very much a family operation. His wife, Sayaka, helps run the shop, and their daughter was also lending a hand on the day we visited.
Burger fans can be a fussy bunch, and opinions about what makes a good burger are more than I care to get into. But after watching Teramoto at the grill and trying two of his creations, my verdict was simple: FANK is the real thing.
Enough background. We came for the burgers.
Emiko and I ordered two to share: the Pulled Pork Burger and the Avocado Cheese Burger. Both arrived with chunky, skin-on potato wedges, freshly fried and golden at the edges.
The first thing you notice is the size. These are big burgers, but they are not oversized simply for effect. The layers are carefully assembled, and the broad buns hold everything together without being excessively thick or filling.
The sesame-topped buns are baked specially for FANK by a bakery in Kasuga City. They arrive warm and lightly toasted, with a soft interior and enough structure to handle the generous fillings.
At the centre of each burger is a thick, coarsely ground patty made entirely from Kyushu-raised Japanese Black wagyu. Teramoto keeps the patties loosely formed rather than pressing them into smooth, uniform discs. The result is a distinctly meaty texture with a satisfying bite, while the irregular edges pick up plenty of browning from the grill.
Coming from a butcher family, he understands that however generous the toppings may be, the beef still has to remain at the heart of the burger.
I was especially curious about the Pulled Pork Burger. Pulled pork is still not something you often find on burger menus in Kyushu, and when it is done badly, it can be dry, stringy or overwhelmed by sauce. This was none of those things.
A generous mound of exceptionally tender, juicy pork sits on top of the wagyu patty and melted cheese. The pork has a deep, rich flavour and pulls apart easily, while retaining enough texture to stand up to the beef beneath it.
Crisp iceberg lettuce and onion add freshness and crunch, while the house sauce pulls the layers together. It is a large, rich burger, certainly, but the different ingredients remain distinct rather than disappearing into one heavy mouthful.
The Avocado Cheese Burger takes a simpler approach. A generous portion of ripe avocado is thinly sliced and fanned across the top of the melted cheese and hot wagyu patty.
The avocado is left largely alone, which is exactly as it should be. Its cool, creamy texture contrasts with the deeply browned beef, while crisp lettuce and a tomato-based sauce beneath the patty add moisture and a little acidity.
The two burgers have quite different personalities. The Pulled Pork Burger is the richer and more intense of the two, while the Avocado Cheese Burger feels lighter and more straightforward. Both, however, begin with the same essentials: well-seasoned wagyu, a properly toasted bun, crisp lettuce and enough sauce to add flavour without overwhelming everything else.
The menu ranges from a Standard Burger and Cheese Burger to combinations with bacon, egg, chilli meat, sour cream, guacamole and mozzarella. Teramoto also makes his own bacon.
Extra toppings include pulled pork, avocado, jalapeños and grilled pineapple. The jalapeños are homegrown, another small detail reflecting Teramoto’s interest in farming.
There is also a smaller Kids Burger. It follows the same basic approach as the regular burgers but is made without black pepper or other strong seasonings.
Soft drinks and beer are available, and the full burger menu is served from opening time, including from 9:00 on weekends and public holidays. Each burger comes with potato wedges, and takeout is also available.
And yes, the spelling is deliberate. It is FANK, not FRANK. Teramoto wanted the name to suggest “funk,” while the F also reflects farming, another of his interests. It is probably best not to think too hard about it. Just remember the name.
FANK is away from Itoshima’s busier coastal routes, and most people are unlikely to stumble across it by accident. That suits the place.
Teramoto has taken the skills he developed over years in Fukuoka City and used them to build something distinctly his own, with his own menu, his own space and his family working alongside him.
We left very full, naturally, but also impressed by how much thought had gone into the parts that really matter: the beef, the texture, the bun and the balance of the fillings.
For burger lovers exploring western Itoshima, FANK is worth the detour.
FANK BURGER
2545-1 Nijofukae, Itoshima, Fukuoka
050-8883-0880
Monday to Friday: 11:00 to 15:00
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 9:00 to 15:00
Last order: 14:30
Closed: Open daily through August 31. Check Instagram for the schedule after that.
Parking: Available
Takeout: Available
Payment: Credit cards accepted
Access: Approximately 10 minutes on foot from Chikuzen-Fukae Station
Instagram: @fank_burger
