MJs Burgers, Rondebosch

Updated: 17-07-2025

MJ’s Burgers hit the Cape Town smash burger scene in early 2023 from their garage at their home in Rondebosch. After killing it at Pop-Ups and events they now have a stand alone store and fans couldn’t be happier.

MJ’s smash burgers consistently earn high praise for their juicy, quality beef and perfectly crisped edges. We had to try it for ourselves to see how they measure up to some of Cape Town’s other halaal smashburgers, here and here.

I placed an order via Whatsapp on a weekday evening which was ready to collect in 20 minutes. Their tiny store is still a bit rough and basic, but the inside was busy and pumping and people were consistently in and out collecting orders while I waited a few minutes for mine.

Their menu is small comprising smash burgers, tenders and loaded fries. We opted for their Pro Burgers, Loaded Chicken Fries and Bashews sodas. It was great to see they only offer alternatives to Coke drinks. But they also don’t offer shakes or mocktails, just Bashews tins and bottled water.

I had a 20 minute drive home and the worst thing about that is cold fries. So I made sure I sampled the fries on route. Limiting yourself to just one or 2 fries as you’re driving from the South to the North does not go down easy, so I really battled not scoffing the entire packet before I got home. I liked that their fries are the type that’s cooked browner than most – to that point just before you can say it’s burnt. I love my fries like that. It’s got a little crisp but also a touch of that slap chips vibe.

At home we un-wrapped what were sizeable burgers from their signature red checkered wrapping. 2 100g smash patties with lettuce, onion, tomato and cheese on a Brioche bun – one with BBQ sauce and one with their original secret sauce. I found the BBQ sauce a bit too sweet and tomato based for me. The secret sauce a better choice. Like most smash burgers, the flavour was in the sauce rather than the meat, but the patties were juicy and tender. I would add the extras of fresh jalapenos or caramelised onions next time though. I especially liked the Savage Fries – loaded with diced chicken tenders, jalapenos, cheese slices as well as cheese sauce, this was spicy and delicious. At R75 this was a generous portion and would constitute a full meal for most.

Our total spend was R310 for 3 people which makes MJs one of the most value for money smash burger options we have tried so far.