Our Honest Review of Rastelli's Wagyu Kobe-Style Beef Burgers
These high-end Wagyu beef burgers come frozen to your door, but are they worth the price tag? (Short answer: Yes!)
After a long day of summer fun, there’s nothing quite like the smell of burgers hitting the grill. On days when the swimming pool beckons more than the aisles of the grocery store, wouldn't it be nice to have a freezer stocked full of premium, Wagyu beef burgers? That’s the promise of these 100 percent all-beef patties from Rastelli's, a New Jersey-based direct-to-consumer butcher. Shipped frozen directly to your door, they are individually wrapped and vacuum-sealed for maximum freshness. The packaging lets you thaw as little or as many as you like, so you’re always just minutes away from the perfect burger. But can a frozen burger possibly justify the high price tag? I grilled, broiled and pan-fried my way through a whole case to find out.
- Rich, beefy taste
- No added fillers
- Individual vacuum-sealed packaging
- A little pricey
- Didn't love how they cooked under a broiler
What Is Rastelli's?
Rastelli's is a family-owned butcher and meat purveyor based in New Jersey. They're known for offering high-quality, responsibly sourced proteins and they supply both restaurants and home cooks with a variety of beef cuts, as well as chicken, seafood and pork. All the beef products sold through Rastelli's are antibiotic-free, hormone-free and often grass-fed.
The burgers are packaged with dry ice and come with a seasoning packet, nutritional information and recipes.
Each 5.33-oz burger is prepared raw, then individually vacuum-sealed and frozen.
The vacuum-sealed hamburgers come individually wrapped for freshness and convenience.
How We Tested
To see how these Wagyu Kobe-style burgers hold up in real-life cooking situations, I tested them both thawed and straight from frozen. I cooked the patties using three methods: grilled, broiled and pan-fried. For each method, I tried the burgers both plain and with the included Rastelli’s signature seasoning packet to see how much of a flavor boost it offered.
For our test, the patties were prepared using three methods: grilled, broiled and pan-fried. For each method, we tried the burgers both plain and with the included Rastelli’s signature seasoning packet.
Two burgers on the grill — one with and one without the included powdered seasoning.
We also pan-fried the burgers.
We then cooked the burgers under a broiler.
What We Liked
Convenience is always a key factor and these burgers let you go from freezer to dinner in under 15 minutes, making them a solid option for busy weeknights or impromptu backyard barbecues. If you're nervous about ordering raw meat through the mail (understandable!), rest assured. Rastelli’s nails the packaging and each burger arrives frozen solid in a perfectly vacuum-sealed package with no signs of thawing or freezer burn.
The patties are made from high-quality, 100 percent beef with no added fillers, and the flavor matches this attention to detail. When cooked properly, these burgers deliver a rich, beefy taste with a satisfying char and juicy center. The texture is hearty without being dense or dry and holds up well to toppings without getting lost. The higher fat content of Wagyu contributes to a supremely juicy burger — just watch that heat. More fat can mean more flare-ups and less wiggle room for error. Make sure the fat doesn’t render out so this patty can live up to its luxe potential.
The added seasoning packet is an unexpected bonus that adds an extra level of flavor to each burger. It's mostly salt with traces of onion and garlic powder. While the burgers don't need it, the seasoning definitely gives each bite a little boost without being overpowering.
What Could Be Better
The per-patty price of these burgers can make this a luxury buy. While the quality is solid, the value is higher than many supermarket options. Burgers cooked from frozen took significantly longer to reach the desired temperature and had a tendency to render out more, leading to a drier overall texture. Cooking the patties under the broiler left them pale and underwhelming, with minimal browning. If you don't have a grill or a good skillet, you may not get the full benefit of this product.
Who Should Buy This?
These burgers are best suited for anyone who wants a restaurant-quality burger without the hassle of shopping or prepping. If you live in an area where decent butchers are hard to find, you can still stock your freezer with some of the best beef burgers in America. They're ideal for busy families, backyard grillers, or anyone who loves a thick, juicy burger with a solid beef flavor.
When cooked properly, these burgers deliver a rich, beefy taste with a satisfying char and juicy center.
What Is Wagyu Beef?
Wagyu refers to a breed of cattle originally from Japan that is prized for its intense marbling, tenderness, and rich, buttery flavor. In the US, Wagyu usually refers to full-blooded Japanese Wagyu cattle raised domestically, often crossbred with Angus cattle. This still gives you a more tender, flavorful cut of beef but is not technically true A5 Japanese Wagyu (and the price tag reflects this).
What Is Kobe-Style?
"Kobe-style" is a marketing term used in the US to describe beef that emulates the legendary Kobe beef from Japan. Real Kobe beef comes from a specific type of Wagyu cattle raised under ultra-specific standards. Only a handful of restaurants in the US are even licensed to serve it. So, when you see "Kobe-style" burgers in America, either on a menu or in the grocery store, it's shorthand for domestic Wagyu or Wagyu-Angus blends raised with similar care but not the real-deal certified Kobe.
