Editor’s Note: Oldwest Cafe is now in its third incarnation. If you’ve been around awhile you’ll remember it as 50′s Cafe in its first location between Kadena and Courtney, which closed down in 2010 and reopened in Koza Music City outside Kadena Gate 2 as Oldwest Cafe (as described below). This restaurant shut its doors in summer 2012 but now it’s back as 50′s Cafe once again, this time located in American Village. If you’re looking for the same great owner and food in its new location, please take a look at our most current post.
Oldwest Front
Oldwest Burger
CONTRIBUTED BY TASHA GUNN
Craving a good ‘ole fashioned homemade hamburger? You should venture on out to Oldwest Cafe. The owner of this restaurant, Mr. Hayashi, used to own the 50′s Cafe by Koza Music Town. His new restaurant has a country ambience from the moment you walk in the room with western music playing while you eat. That fits this Texas girl just fine! The restaurant is decorated with license plates from around the U.S. and photos/posters of famous actors from the cowboy movies of the 40′s, 50′s and 60′s.
Now, let’s get down to business: the food. He has a variety of hamburgers offered and fixed the way you like them. The burgers are made with 100% prime beef, so the burger melts in your mouth when you bite into it. The buns are toasted and the vegetables are so succulent and fresh. You can order the Original Burger, the American Cheeseburger, the Chili Cheeseburger, the Bacon Cheeseburger, the Double Cheeseburger and if you are feeling really hungry, the Big Cowboy Burger.
Oldwest Tacorice
Oldwest Pancakes
If your family is like mine, sometimes we all want to order different things. Other items on the menu include: burrito rice, shrimp rice, pancakes, eggs, bacon and french toast. Oldwest also has a full service bar, to include $5 bottles of beer. In the future, they plan to expand the menu to include a children’s menu as well. Hope you will enjoy this cafe as much as I do, because it definitely gives me a taste of home & much cheaper than the $1,500 air fare ticket!
Oldwest Inside1
Oldwest Inside2
Hours: Closed Monday. Tuesday-Friday 1100-2130; Saturday & Sunday 1000-2130
Phone: 098-989-9139
Website: http://oldwestcafe.ti-da.net/ (mostly in Japanese though)
Email: cafe50s@burritorice.com
Payment: Yen and American dollars, no credit cards (Yen rate is better than actual rate, some items are even $1 to 100 Yen)
Directions: (NEW!) It’s now in American Village. To get there, turn towards the west at the Four Seasons intersection. Follow it all the way to the back and take a right (last right) at the new Vessel Hotel. You will see the neon 50′s sign to your left past the new Weng Beng. Park in front of the 3 story building & you can walk to his place.
It is overlooking the water & has a gorgeous view!!! Same great burgers, french toast & pancakes.
I have been to the 50′s Cafe a few times, and to this new location as well. I would like to add that this cafe is family friendly. They have highchairs for the little ones. The owner is very kids friendly, and would go out of his way to accommodate his customers. We just had dinner there tonight, and they added fried chicken (boneless and wings) to their menu. This is one of our favorites on the island!
We ended up going there tonight as well. The burgers were juicy, buns were perfectly toasted, fries were crispy. Overall we had a good dining experience. Didn’t see the wings on the menu but will have to try them out soon! We will definitely be returning.
Hi Wendy,
The wings are not on the “official” menu yet. I just saw the pictures with prices on the counter. That is also on my “to try” list for the next time I go there. Glad to hear that you like the cafe
I’ve went there twice now. We’ve been trying burger places to get that american feel and they haven’t been cutting it. I’m surprised to hear they ran the 50′s cafe b/c we ate there too and couldn’t even finish our food b/c it tasted horrible. The first time I went with my husband and we both tried the american burger and it was delicious! The second time I went I tried the bacon cheeseburger and was a little disappointed. It looked like the first time I ate there the meat was fresh and hand pattied but the second burger looked and tasted like the prepattied/frozen types. Another thing I didn’t like is the Japanese love of Miracle Whip vs mayo but thats not going to keep us from going again. I also went on a wed the second time and they gave me 100yen off. I’m not sure if thats every wed or not.
A good friend told me about 50′s cafe so I tried it and was very impressed with the taste and serving size, I have now had the previleage to eat at the Oldwest cafe since it opened and same great quality food everything made fresh and very friendly service. I will be going back again and again. Keep up the great work.
A friend of mine & I went there again tonight. Just love this place & the hometown atmosphere. They have added a few more options to the menu including wings & shrimp casserole (shrimp doria). Not only do our kids love the hamburgers, they scarf down the pancakes & french toast too. Although, we can eat breakfast items for dinner, Old West is a great breakfast option on a Saturday.
My wife and I decided to try this place out with two friends for dinner. I can tell you that there are much easier ways to get there than the directions on here. Once we arrived, I have to tell you that the place is just great! It is a family owned place and they are just as nice as can be. They really went out of their way to make sure we were well taken care of. We all ordered Burgers. The ladies ordered regular cheeseburgers, my buddy ordered a bacon cheeseburger and I ordered a Big Cowboy Burger and they all came with French Fries. I have to tell you that it was one of the best, if not the best, burgers on the island. This burger was incredible and everyone else agreed. The French Fries were well cooked, nice and crunchy. The whole experience was just wonderful. I would definitely recommend this place. As a matter of fact, they’ve only been open about a month and I would encourage you all to support this business and help make it successful. I would be nice to have this place around for a while.
Please post your easier directions.
This place is TOTALLY AWESOME! Do not come here for kobe & bleu burgers – this place offers very simple, very delicious burgers! The decor is wonderful and the gentleman running it is a sweetheart. I really urge everyone to go – he said he is really hurting for business.
EASIER DIRECTIONS: From the Courtney area, head on 85 like you’re going to Gate 2 street. Turn left at the light directly before the large 100 yen plaza (it’s not green anymore, it’s an beigy-orangy color)…you will actually be exiting 85 just before the light. Turn left immediately into the municipal lot (if you pass the 100 yen plaze you went too far). Like the article says, walk back past the 100 yen plaza and turn left onto the first street (pretty covered sidewalks) and the restaurant is on the right. The gentleman said do NOT park in the street or you will get a ticket. 2600 yen for me, my husband and my son, including a soda for me and a beer for my husband. If you’re looking for a laid-back, simple, good burger this is it!
My hubby and I went tonight while we were going stir-crazy from the “typhoon”. Sadly, the owner said he will be closing down this location around the middle of the month. He will be moving to a very small, temporary location in the American Village area until he can find a more popular building. I’m not exactly sure where in the American Village area it will be, he said something about being near a fish market and that it will be for to-go orders and maybe 1-2 tables inside. He hasn’t decided if he will continue to use “Oldwest Cafe” or switch back to “50′s Cafe”. Hopefully I am able to find it once he opens, too bad it won’t be 10 minutes from our house anymore though. This is our place to go when we are in the mood for juicy cheesburgers.
He told me the same thing the other day. I told him we could pull down this point & re-post through Okinawa Hai once he is settled. Sad to see him closing as that was a nice restaurant, just not a popular or well traveled location.
He has reopened as 50′s Burgers in American Village. To get there, take a right at the Four Seasons intersection. Follow it all the way to the back and take a right (last right) at the new Vessel Hotel. You will see the neon 50′s sign to your left past the new Weng Beng. Park in front of the 3 story building & you can walk to his place. It is overlooking the water & has a gorgeous view!!! Same great burgers, french toast & pancakes.