Soup Curry Review: Must-Try Dishes in Hakodate & Recommended Spot
When visiting Hakodate, Hokkaido, trying soup curry is a must. On our first night, we decided to visit King Bear, a highly rated soup curry restaurant located near JR Hakodate Station. King Bear is known for its flavorful soup curry and delicious hamburger patties.
First Night in Hakodate – A Change of Plans
Hokkaido is famous for soup curry and Jingisukan (grilled lamb). Although King Bear had excellent reviews on Google (⭐ 4.7) and Tabelog (3.19), the restaurant was unexpectedly closed on our first night. We had to postpone our visit to the next evening. - As I mentioned in another post, Tabelog ratings differ from Google ratings. A score over 3.5 on Tabelog is rare and indicates an excellent restaurant, while a rating of 3.19 is still considered decent.
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| We visited during the opening hours listed on Google, but it was closed on our first visit. |
Second Visit – Surprisingly Quiet
We expected a dinner crowd but found the restaurant surprisingly quiet, allowing us to walk in without waiting. Originally, we planned to order one chicken curry and one hamburger curry to share, but ended up ordering two handmade hamburger patty curries, King Bear’s most popular dish.
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| You can see the staff working inside the kitchen through the open counter. |
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| The warm lighting created a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. |
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| Our first impression was that the place was clean, neat, and very quiet. |
Location & Convenience
King Bear is conveniently located right in front of Hakodate Ekimae tram station and a 5-minute walk from JR Hakodate Station. Although Google lists their hours as late-night friendly, check before visiting as online hours may sometimes be inaccurate.
Opening hours
- Monday - Thursday 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5:30pm-9pm
- Tuesday Closed
- Friday - Saturday 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5:30pm- 12:30am
- Sunday 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Honesty Review
Loaded with Vegetables & Extra Crispy Broccoli
The vegetables were perfectly cooked—tender yet crisp—and the flavours were vibrant. The broth, made from chicken bones and simmered vegetables, was rich and full of umami. The hamburger patty was juicy inside with a crispy exterior, pairing perfectly with the soup.
Tip: Don’t miss the extra crispy broccoli topping – it adds a delightful crunch and flavour boost.
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| I forgot to take a photo of the main food menu, but it had English captions, which made ordering easy. |
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| The hamburger curry soup arrived — the soup and all the ingredients were amazing, and we especially loved the crispy broccoli. |
Spice Levels – Finding the Perfect Balance
Customisation Options
One of the best features of King Bear is the ability to customise your soup curry. While the menu includes 12 vegetables by default, you can swap or add toppings according to your preference, making the meal feel more personal.
Final Thoughts – Cozy, delicious and cost-effective
Visiting Hakodate in May, the evenings were still cool. A steaming bowl of soup curry at King Bear was the perfect way to warm up. Both the flavours and the cozy atmosphere made it a memorable meal, and we’d definitely return on our next trip. I especially love vegetables. When they’re out of season, they can sometimes be even more expensive than meat.
Considering that, being able to enjoy a hearty meal with such a wide variety of vegetables and meat was incredibly cost-effective.
Later in Sapporo, my parents joined our trip, and I took them to a soup curry restaurant that had good Google reviews. Unfortunately, none of us was satisfied with it. Luckily, I had tried King Bear first, so I still have a great memory of soup curry. If I had started with the Sapporo curry, I probably wouldn’t have tried soup curry again.
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