Inside Lifeform, a futuristic burger restaurant in Chatan, Okinawa, diners can imagine a trip through space. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes)
A space-themed, gamer-oriented burger pub delivers a high-end culinary experience with futuristic flair in Chatan, Okinawa.
Air Force veteran Justin Tonkery opened Lifeform in February. With an appetite for a healthier lifestyle, retro games and futuristic designs, he combined each theme and built his business to match.
“My dream has always been to open my own restaurant,” Tonkery said at Lifeform in late September. “With my wife being from Okinawa, we decided to stay here, and it gave me an opportunity to pursue my dream and create a restaurant that’s healthy and tastes good.”
Everything from the outside in has intention behind it, Tonkery said. The building was remodeled with no windows for a more immersive experience. The exterior is painted matte black with bright green highlights and large orange food pictographs for an attention-grabbing appearance.
“I want people to have fun with the experience and feel good after eating here,” he said. “I want it to feel as if you’re dining in a spacecraft traveling through space.”
The menu is an electronic backlit screen that features four pages of food and drink choices. Options include chicken pops, New York-style chili fries, chicken wings, burgers and low-carb keto burgers. Prices range from 800 yen, about $5.41, to over 2,000 yen, depending on how you customize your order.
A smash classic combo served at Lifeform, a veteran-owned, space-themed, gamer-oriented burger restaurant in Chatan, Okinawa. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes)
While you wait, pass the time on several gaming consoles on each table with old-school Space Invaders, Mortal Kombat and Pong. The restaurant also has two retro-style arcade machines and TV displays to showcase your skills to other customers.
The drink selection includes sodas, milkshakes and alcoholic beverages.
I ordered a smash classic combo priced at 2,000 yen with fries and a drink as well as an old-fashioned chocolate milk shake for 1,350 yen. The burger had a subtly savory yet sweet taste and was complemented by the pillowy, handmade potato buns. The old-fashioned shake was aromatic, thick and mildly flavored.
“I import my ice cream from New Zealand, the oil used is beef tallow, and the beef patties are 100% grass-fed,” Tonkery said. “I want customers to have quality food that tastes good without any chemicals or additives. I take the extra effort to find specific ingredients that I feel are healthier.”
The meticulously clean restaurant offers a galactic experience and is worth a visit. Tonkery plans to expand his business by opening another location in Tokyo next year.
The owner of Lifeform, a burger restaurant in Chatan, Okinawa, is planning a second location in Tokyo. (Ryan M. Breeden/Stars and Stripes)
Lifeform
Location: 2-13-3 Chatan, Nakagami District, Okinawa 904-0116
Directions: From Camp Foster Gate 5, head north on Route 58 and turn left at the Chatan South intersection. Lifeform will be on the right side of the street.
Times: Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday and Sunday through Tuesday; 11 a.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday; closed Wednesday.
Costs: Items range from 800 yen to 2300 yen, or $5.41 to $15.55
Parking: Seven available parking spaces.
Information: Phone: 098-901-3088; Online: lifeform.jp; Instagram: lifeform.hamburgers
AloJapan.com