Brian Wong, founder of Buns Gone Wong, has been making smash burgers long before he owned a business.
“I would make smash burgers for barbecues and parties at my house; everyone loved them,” he says. “For Halloween two years ago, I ended up making 130 burgers while we were just hanging out at the house; there were just so many people.”
Last year, Wong said his friend Davy — who owns Davy’s Evolution, a bar in Waikīkī — asked him to make burgers during football season.
“They became a hit, then my love for feeding people and entertaining became a reality,” Wong says. “I set up a griddle there and we started up the smash burgers. I thought it was just going to be for football season, but then it just took off. Everyone kept showing up.”
Once football season ended, this spring, Wong decided to take his smash burger business to the next level.
“I was like, ‘Alright, let’s really try to push it and do something with them (the smash burgers),’” he says. “I’ve been bartending for the last 12 years in Waikīkī; that’s actually coming to an end now, so I can focus more on this.
“My friends and I were sitting around and thinking of something funny, but clever,’” he adds, referring to the business’s name. “‘Buns Gone Wong’ made everyone giggle, so I went with it.”
When it came to creating a menu, Wong believes simple is best.
“I believe in the concept of ‘do one thing, but do it well,’” he says. “I really only have two burgers (on the menu), but you can have it as a single or double. The public decided that they wanted tater tots over French fries, so I went with it.”
All burger patties feature 1/4-pound wagyu beef blend, and all burgers are served in a brioche bun.
“My burgers are all about quality, while still trying to give everyone great value,” Wong says. “I go out every day to hand-select the best produce I can. I use a wagyu blend to give the best flavor and keep the meat juicy.”
The OG smash burger ($7) features a patty with American cheese, grilled onions and a special sauce. Meanwhile, the deluxe ($10) includes grilled and fresh onions, lettuce, tomato and a special sauce.
“The ‘OG’ is a delicious but simple, Oklahoma-style smash burger topped with a flavorful burger sauce,” Wong says. “The price ($7) makes it an amazing value here in Hawaiʻi.”
An Oklahoma-style smash burger refers to when thinly sliced onions are pressed directly into the ball of ground beef while it’s on the hot griddle, according to Wong.
“I use the yellow onion when we grill the burger and smash into it, because it caramelizes better,” he explains. “I use the sweet onions as the fresh topping because it’s not as hot. Some people look at it (the smash burgers) and go, ‘It’s so much onion,’ but it’s a sweet onion, so it’s not going to be as pungent.”
The double deluxe ($14) features the same toppings as the deluxe, but includes two patties. The double deluxe is the most popular menu item, according to Wong.
“It comes in at $14, but most people have a hard time finishing it,” he says.
Customers can add bacon to their smash burgers for an additional $2. Tater tots ($4) are featured as a side dish, and also come with the business’s special sauce.
“When it comes to making our burgers unique, it’s about the seasoning and the sauce,” Wong says. “The sauce is housemade; I get the seasoning from a butcher in California.”
Although football season is over, Buns Gone Wong still pops up at Davy’s Evolution on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The biz also pops up from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursdays to Sundays at Paradise Ciders in Honolulu.
“Paradise Ciders saw the potential in my product and asked if I would team up with them and become the vendor at their Koapaka location,” Wong says, noting that his business starting popping up at Paradise Ciders in August.
Paradise Ciders offers outdoor seating, where customers can enjoy their burgers and order drinks. Street parking is available at this location.
“Keep your eyes and ears open, as I am going to keep expanding across the island,” Wong says.
CONTACT
Buns Gone Wong
3057 Koapaka St., Honolulu
Instagram: @bunsgonewong
Open from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursdays to Sundays at Paradise Ciders
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
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