Umami Restaurant Group
Umami Restaurant Group operates Umami Burger, a 24+ location gourmet burger chain in the US, Japan, and Bahamas. It sells premium umami-flavored burgers, sides, and beverages to casual diners, leveraging celebrity Artist Series collaborations and delivery platform partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Umami Restaurant Group does
Umami Restaurant Group operates Umami Burger, an American gourmet burger chain founded in 2009 by Adam Fleischman in Los Angeles and now a subsidiary of hospitality platform sbe (Sbe Entertainment Group), in which Accor holds a partial stake. The concept is built around the Japanese concept of umami, the savory fifth taste, with house-ground, hand-formed beef patties infused with proprietary condiments including Umami Master Sauce (hoisin, kombu, soy), Umami Ketchup, Umami Dust, and Umami Spray. The menu spans signature burgers (Manly, Truffle, K-BBQ, Impossible), turkey and chicken options, a falafel veggie burger, sides such as truffle fries and umami Caesar salad, and a full beverage program of craft beer, cocktails, wine, and adult 'booze shakes.'
The company sells almost entirely direct-to-consumer through 24+ company-owned and operated restaurants across Southern California (Arts District, Hollywood, LAX, Pasadena, Santa Monica, The Grove, and others), Northern California (San Francisco Marina and SoMa, Oakland, Palo Alto), Orange County (Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Irvine), New York (Greenwich Village, Brookfield Place, Williamsburg), Chicago (West Loop, Wicker Park), Las Vegas (SLS Las Vegas), Tokyo, and Nassau (SLS Baha Mar). Distribution is augmented by third-party delivery partnerships with UberEATS, DoorDash, Caviar, and OrderAhead, plus an online gift-card storefront. The Artist Series sub-brand generates recurring press and traffic through limited-edition celebrity and chef collaborations (Alton Brown, Mindy Kaling, Slash, Cindy Crawford, Jaden Smith, Jon Bon Jovi/Jesse Bongiovi, Cameron Dallas, Chef José Andrés, Chef Michael Voltaggio), with $1 per burger donated to each partner's chosen charity.
The business model is transaction-based restaurant sales at accessible price points (limited-edition burgers typically $14), supplemented by private event catering, the Celebrate U birthday package, Social Hour programming, and food-truck activations. Go-to-market combines high-visibility real estate (airports, shopping centers, urban neighborhoods, resort sites), earned media via Artist Series, and influencer/UGC campaigns on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. International growth is pursued via master-franchise partnerships, including a deal with Medeiros Holdings for 10 Japan locations over five years and announced entries into Mexico City and the Middle East, with the sbe parent providing real estate and expansion infrastructure.
Umami Restaurant Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Umami Restaurant Group
- Legal name
- Umami Restaurant Group, LLC
- Website
- https://umamiburger.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Umami Restaurant Group operates Umami Burger, a 24+ location gourmet burger chain in the US, Japan, and Bahamas. It sells premium umami-flavored burgers, sides, and beverages to casual diners, leveraging celebrity Artist Series collaborations and delivery platform partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Umami Restaurant Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Gourmet Burger Casual Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Burger Fast Casual (THAFABAA)
Keywords
Where Umami Restaurant Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices13 records
Markets served
Umami Restaurant Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Restaurant Sales: Direct-to-consumer burger and food sales at restaurant locations across the US and internationally
- Private Events and Catering: Custom event catering services for private parties, corporate events, and celebrations. Most locations can handle events from private lunch meetings to 200 person events.
- Alcoholic Beverages: Craft beer, wine, and cocktail sales including specialty drinks and 'booze shakes'
- Limited Edition Collaborations: Artist Series exclusive burgers with celebrity/chef collaborations drive traffic and charitable donations
- Gift Cards: Gift card sales through the company's online shop
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cameron's Dallas BBQ Burger - $14 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Alton Burger - $14 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Holiday Bird - $14 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels9 records
Umami Restaurant Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Umami Restaurant Group operates the Umami Burger gourmet hamburger restaurant chain, serving house-ground, hand-formed beef patties infused with proprietary Umami Master Sauce alongside signature burgers, sides (Truffle Fries, Caesar Salad), plant-based options (Impossible Burger, Falafel Veggie Burger), craft beverages, and limited-edition Artist Series celebrity/chef collaboration burgers. It operates 24+ company-owned dine-in locations across the US, Japan, and the Bahamas, supplemented by private event catering, online gift card sales, and third-party delivery via UberEATS, DoorDash, and Caviar.
Product overview
Umami Restaurant Group operates Umami Burger, a gourmet burger restaurant chain built around the concept of 'umami' — the fifth savory taste. The core offering is house-ground, hand-formed beef patties infused with Umami Master Sauce, complemented by signature burgers (Impossible Burger, Manly Burger, Truffle Burger, K-BBQ Burger), sides (Truffle Fries, Caesar Salad), and craft beverages. The portfolio includes the Artist Series sub-brand of limited-edition celebrity/chef collaborations (Alton Burger, Holiday Bird, Falafel Veggie Burger, Manly Chick), event catering and the Celebrate U party package, Social Hour programming, and location-specific exclusives (Samurai Burger in Japan). The company operates 24+ locations across Southern California, Northern California, New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, and internationally in Japan, with delivery integration through UberEATS, Caviar, and DoorDash.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Artist Series: Celebrity and chef collaboration burger program featuring limited-edition burgers created by notable figures. Includes Alton Brown (Alton Burger), Mindy Kaling (Mindy Burger), Andy Samberg (The Samberger), Chef José Andrés (José Andrés Burger), Chef Michael Voltaggio (Monte Cristo Burger), Slash (Slash Burger), Cameron Dallas (Dallas BBQ Burger), Cindy Crawford (Cindy's Casa Burger), Jesse Bongiovi (Hampton Burger), Jaden Smith (Jaden's Impossible Trio)
- Umami Truck
- Umami Events & Catering
- Social Hour
Products and services
- Umami Burger (signature restaurant concept) Artisan gourmet burger restaurant concept featuring house-ground, hand-formed beef patties infused with signature Umami Master Sauce, with locations across the US, Japan, and the Bahamas.
- Impossible Burger Plant-based burger patty created in collaboration with Impossible Foods, mimicking the taste and texture of meat including a 'bleeding' effect from heme protein, available as a vegan option upon request.
- Manly Burger Signature burger featuring house beer-cheddar cheese, bacon lardons, smoked-salt onion strings, and Umami ketchup; named one of the best burgers in America by Men's Journal.
- Truffle Burger Gourmet burger topped with parmesan frico, fried egg, truffle thyme compound butter, truffled arugula, and truffled aioli on a truffle bun.
- K-BBQ Burger Korean-inspired burger with gochujang glaze, caramelized kimchi, sesame aioli, Korean ketchup, and scallion-cilantro salad.
- Manly Chick Chicken variation of the Manly Burger featuring chopped chicken patty with beer cheddar cheese, bacon lardons, and onion strings; Umami Burger's first chicken burger on the menu.
- Falafel Veggie Burger Vegetarian burger featuring beet-infused couscous for color and flavor; Mediterranean-inspired patty available at select locations.
- Artist Series (celebrity/chef collaboration burger program) Limited-edition celebrity and chef collaboration burger series in which each burger is created by a notable figure with $1 from each sold donated to their chosen charity; collaborations include Alton Brown, Mindy Kaling, Andy Samberg, Chef José Andrés, Chef Michael Voltaggio, Slash, Cameron Dallas, Cindy Crawford, Jesse Bongiovi/Jon Bon Jovi, and Jaden Smith.
- The Alton Burger (Artist Series collaboration) Limited-edition breakfast-inspired burger created with celebrity chef Alton Brown featuring beef patty mixed with bacon lardons, cheddar cheese, miso-maple bacon, smashed cheesy tots, fried egg, fried sage, and house-made coffee ketchup; benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
- Cameron's Dallas BBQ Burger (Artist Series collaboration) Limited-edition Artist Series collaboration with social media star Cameron Dallas featuring two 3.5 oz beef patties, cheddar cheese, miso-maple glazed bacon, Umami BBQ sauce, and tempura serranos; $1 from each burger sold donated to Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
- Holiday Bird Thanksgiving-inspired limited-edition burger with turkey patty, cornbread stuffing patty, house-made turkey gravy, ginger-cranberry chutney, and fried sage; $1 from each sold donated to Meals on Wheels America.
- Jaden's Impossible Trio Plant-based slider trio created as part of the Artist Series collaboration with artist and activist Jaden Smith, in partnership with Impossible Foods, promoting environmental consciousness.
- Samurai Burger (Japan-exclusive) Japan-exclusive burger featuring pickled red onion, perilla leaves, tempura lotus root, cabbage, and wasabi aioli; created for the Tokyo location opening.
- Maple-Bourbon Chicken Chicken entrée featuring fried chicken breast, maple-bourbon glaze, bacon lardons, and roasted garlic aioli; available at the Irvine Spectrum location.
- Private Events & Catering Custom event catering services for private parties, corporate events, and celebrations featuring chef-driven menus with signature offerings, craft cocktails, and indoor/outdoor semi-private dining options, accommodating events from private lunch meetings up to 200-person gatherings.
- Celebrate U Package Birthday and celebration party package including unlimited fountain drinks, pre-fixe sharing menu, celebration dessert platter with candles, creative indoor/outdoor venues, full bar, optional drinks upgrade, and dedicated party staff.
- Craft Beer & Cocktails (beverage program) Beverage program featuring local craft beer on tap with rotating handles, cocktails, non-alcoholic drinks, milkshakes, and adult 'booze shakes' available at Umami Burger locations.
- Social Hour Happy hour program with specials on appetizers, burgers, and drinks, offered at select locations during afternoon hours (e.g., SoMa: Monday-Friday 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm).
- Online Gift Cards Gift cards available for purchase through Umami Burger's online shop section for redemption at participating Umami Burger restaurants.
Quantifiable outcome
- More than $100,000 donated to Artist Series charities across all collaborations
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Umami Restaurant Group
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Umami Restaurant Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature6 records
Umami Restaurant Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Jon Bon Jovi / Hampton Water RoseflagshipPartnership with rock legend Jon Bon Jovi and his son Jesse Bongiovi's Hampton Water Rose wine. Featured on The Today's Show and in Food & Wine magazine. Limited-edition Hampton Burger supporting JBJ Soul Foundation.
- UberEATScoreDelivery partnership making Umami Burger available on UberEATS app in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, New York City, and Chicago. An exclusive burger was created for the platform, named GQ's Burger of the Year.
- DoorDashminorDelivery partnership for select locations including Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
- CaviarminorDelivery partnership offering delivery service for Chicago locations including Wicker Park.
- Casamigos (Rande Gerber)flagshipTequila brand co-founded by Rande Gerber (husband of Cindy Crawford). Created Rande's Spicy Margarita paired with Cindy's Casa Burger. Features Casamigos Blanco, PAMA infusion, serrano pepper, and Mezcal Cointreau foam.
- Republic RecordsminorMusic label partnership for #TheHYDEAway Coachella event. Hosted at super-secret desert location with A-list attendees including Aaron Paul, Ashley Tisdale, Emma Roberts, Joe Jonas.
- sbe (SBE Global)coreParent company and ownership entity. sbe is a hospitality brand that develops and operates hotels, restaurants, and nightclubs globally. Umami Burger is part of sbe's portfolio. The company is headquartered at sbe's LA office and uses sbe's real estate and expansion expertise.
- Medeiros Holdings Co., Ltd.flagshipJapanese partnership to open 10 Umami Burger restaurants across Japan over 5 years. First location opened in Tokyo March 24, 2017 with future locations planned in Kanagawa, Osaka, Aichi, Hyogo, Kyoto, and Fukuoko prefectures. First expansion outside the U.S.
- Cool HausminorIce cream partnership noted on the partnerships page. 'Because ice cream is always a good idea.'
- Larder Baking CompanyminorBaking company partnership noted on the partnerships page. 'Suns out, buns out!'
- Children's Hospital Los AngelesminorCharitable beneficiary of Cameron's Dallas BBQ Burger. $1 from each burger sold donated to the hospital.
- Impossible FoodscoreStrategic collaboration to feature the Impossible Burger, a plant-based patty that 'bleeds' like real meat using heme. Partnership positions Umami at the forefront of plant-based dining trends. The collaboration was featured on The Today Show, Food & Wine, and numerous food publications.
- Alton BrownflagshipCelebrity chef collaboration on The Alton Burger, a breakfast-inspired burger with bacon lardons, cheesy tots, fried egg, and coffee ketchup. $1 from each burger sold donated to Make-A-Wish Foundation, raising $24k.
- Mindy KalingflagshipActress and TV star collaboration on The Mindy Burger. $1 from each burger sold donated to Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, raising $15k.
- Andy SambergflagshipComedian collaboration on The Samberger. $7.5k donated to Center for Early Intervention on Deafness.
- Chef José AndrésflagshipMichelin-starred chef collaboration on José Andrés Burger. $6k donated to World Central Kitchen.
- Chef Michael VoltaggioflagshipCelebrity chef collaboration on Monte Cristo Burger. $11.2k donated to LA Mission.
- SlashflagshipRock legend collaboration on Slash Burger. $14k donated to Los Angeles Youth Network.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Umami Restaurant Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wahlburgers: Celebrity-endorsed gourmet burger chain (Wahlberg family) operating casual-dining restaurants. Comparable celebrity-driven brand positioning to Umami's Artist Series, with similar menu innovation and full-bar offerings.
- Shake Shack: Public gourmet burger chain founded in 2004 in NYC. Direct competitor in the premium casual burger category with similar pricing ($10-$15 burgers), craft beverages, and urban real estate strategy. Closest publicly traded comparable for valuation benchmarking.
- Bareburger: Organic-focused gourmet burger chain with multiple locations in NYC and other US markets. Overlaps with Umami on premium positioning, organic/sustainable ingredient sourcing, and broad menu including plant-based options.
- BurgerFi: Public gourmet burger chain with ~100+ locations emphasizing natural, hormone-free beef and an eco-conscious brand. Competes with Umami on the premium-burger positioning and has a similar plant-based (Beyond Meat) menu offering.
- The Counter: Premium build-your-own burger chain with California origins. Directly overlaps with Umami on gourmet-burger positioning, premium ingredients, and full-service casual dining format.
- Smashburger: Fast-casual burger chain with ~200+ locations focused on smashed-style patties. Operates in similar mall, airport, and urban retail real estate as Umami and competes for similar premium-burger diners.
- Habit Burger: California-based charburger chain that was acquired by Yum! Brands' Habit Burger subsidiary. Similar geographic concentration in Southern California and similar premium-burger positioning. Comparable peer for unit-economics benchmarking.
- Five Guys: Privately held burger chain with ~1,500+ locations globally. Competes in the same premium-burger segment with customizable burgers, fresh-cut fries, and a no-frills casual dining format. Much larger scale than Umami but same customer demographic.
Others
- Impossible Foods: Strategic supplier and partner. Umami was an early launch partner for the Impossible Burger in 2017, generating significant media coverage. As a key B2B partner for plant-based SKUs, Impossible's product roadmap and pricing directly affect Umami's menu economics.
Regional players
- In-N-Out Burger: Iconic California-based burger chain with cult following and aggressive same-region concentration. While a different price point and operating model, it competes for the same Southern California burger-craver demographic and sets regional labor and pricing benchmarks.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Umami Restaurant Group social profiles
Digital presenceUmami Restaurant Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Umami Restaurant Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Umami Restaurant Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Umami Restaurant Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Umami Restaurant Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Umami Restaurant Group
What does Umami Restaurant Group do?
Umami Restaurant Group operates the Umami Burger gourmet hamburger restaurant chain, serving house-ground, hand-formed beef patties infused with proprietary Umami Master Sauce alongside signature burgers, sides (Truffle Fries, Caesar Salad), plant-based options (Impossible Burger, Falafel Veggie Burger), craft beverages, and limited-edition Artist Series celebrity/chef collaboration burgers. It operates 24+ company-owned dine-in locations across the US, Japan, and the Bahamas, supplemented by private event catering, online gift card sales, and third-party delivery via UberEATS, DoorDash, and Caviar.
Is Umami Restaurant Group a public or private company?
Umami Restaurant Group is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Umami Restaurant Group founded?
Umami Restaurant Group was founded in 2009. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Umami Restaurant Group based?
Umami Restaurant Group is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Umami Restaurant Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Sales are the primary driver. The others are private Events and Catering, alcoholic Beverages, limited Edition Collaborations and gift Cards.
Who are Umami Restaurant Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wahlburgers, Shake Shack, Bareburger, BurgerFi, The Counter, Smashburger, Habit Burger and Five Guys. Impossible Foods is listed as an others. In-N-Out Burger is listed as a regional player.
Does Umami Restaurant Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Umami Restaurant Group.
What industry is Umami Restaurant Group in?
Umami Restaurant Group's product category is Gourmet Burger Casual Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFABAA, Burger Fast Casual. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.