Shake Shack

[hshiau]

i also went today due to the imminent shutdown. i had a double shackburger, fries, and a pumpkin concrete. the burger was good as usual but just a bit overcooked. fries were really good. the concrete was as good as advertised. pumpkin and spices just strong enough. chunk of pie crust dispersed throughout. the only surprise i got was a chunk of what i could have sworn was sweet potato. anyone else get this?

[ahr]

smooth and creamy they were, good ingredients, but also very, very sweet and the chocolate custard could have used more chocolate.

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Exactly, but the Double Shack Burger, medium rare, is a perfect thing of its kind.

[Jen Keenan]

Because of you guys, the Pumpkin Concrete was lunch on Saturday, one of my "I'll take Manhattan" kinda days. I ate mine on the way up to Fifth Avenue and the jealousy was palpable. People noticed me breezing past them with my long spoon and giant cup and big, fat smile. I felt like Cartman. I'm eating PIE! And FROZEN CUSTARD! And PIE! DAMMIT!!

On a stylistic note, the whipped cream on top was very liberally doused with cinnamon. Might've been weird, but I really appreciated it. I usually find pumpkin pie too gooey and the spice on top really helped cut that taste.

If the line at my polling place turns out to be short, I may treat myself to a burger for lunch today.

[JennyUptown]

I made a quick trip to NYC this past weekend...and completely forgot about this place. Damn!!

[ewindels]

What better way to quell the qualms of Election Day than a visit to the Shack, especially in its waning days of this year. They were out of the wild board sausage!! I was devastated. Made up for it with a double shack burger, fries and chocolate shake, which I took back to the office. This stuff is so well-done that it didn't suffer at all from the 10 minute subway ride -- the fries were still hot and crisp and perfect.

So filling... but so delicious!

[Holly Moore]

Unless Friday's blustery weather causes second thoughts, I'm planning a field trip to the Shake Shack tomorrow.

To help justify the train fare, I'd like to also eat a couple of additional grease-stain worthy places roughly in the same neighborhood. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

[jogoode]

Unless Friday's blustery weather causes second thoughts, I'm planning a field trip to the Shake Shack tomorrow.

To help justify the train fare, I'd like to also eat a couple of additional grease-stain worthy places roughly in the same neighborhood.  Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

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Great Holly! I'm always excited when I hear you'll be eating nearby me. I love reading your site, but it kills me that most of the restaurants are so far from me.

I think you'd like Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop, 174 Fifth Ave, near 22nd St., 212-675-5096. It's old school New York and is supposed to have the city's finest egg salad sandwich. But call, as I'm not sure if it's still open. There are also many great Indian restaurants within a five-ten minute walk. If you're interested, let me know and I'll post about a few.

[ahr]

Eisenberg's egg salad? Isn't that supposed to be tuna salad? Hellmann's® is Hellmann's®, so maybe it's both.

Continuing Holly's original theme, the New York Burger Co. received a great deal of eG attention when it opened, though a number of us turned out not care for it all that much. NYBC is, however, but a short walk from the Shake Shack and sufficiently different in concept to make the comparison worthwhile. Just be sure to order a double to balance out the bun and to emphasize that the meat not be overcooked.

Edit: Typo corrected.

Edited November 5, 2004 by ahr (log)

[hshiau]

Unless Friday's blustery weather causes second thoughts, I'm planning a field trip to the Shake Shack tomorrow.

To help justify the train fare, I'd like to also eat a couple of additional grease-stain worthy places roughly in the same neighborhood.  Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

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Wow! Shake Shack and all at once!! I'm impressed. I'll also be at Shake Shack tomorrow again before they shut down.

[Holly Moore]

I got to the Shake Shack on Saturday rather than Friday. It was a perfect fall day for lunch in the park.

Glad I finally made it there though they batted 667 on the food. I ordered the Double Shack Burger, the Chicago Hot Dog and a coffee shake.

The place was busy so orders were backed up some. No complaint on that, they were turning out food a'plenty and in good time. What held things up were the burgers. They are hand formed as they go on the grill and thick, so take some time to cook. But that meant the burgers were fresh, hot and juicy off the grill when served.

My Double Shack Burger was outstanding. A classic. They don't ask for degree of doneness so mine was medium. Would have preferred medium rare, but I was very happy with my burger.

The Chicago Hot Dog looked semi-alright - it had all the requisite toppings except, ahem, sliced tomato. The dog itself was coolish and the poppyseed hot dog roll was unsatisfactory. It came across as stale, breaking apart. Maybe day old. Maybe sitting out too long. The roll didn't appear to be steamed or grilled and that is a disappointment considering the effort they put into their burgers and everything else. The hot dog's timing was off too. They were made and sitting on a counter at least 5 and probably more like 10 minutes before my burger was ready.

My Coffee Shake ranked right up there with my burger. Great. The only problem was, after the shake, there was no way I could order a custard cone - I'll have to come back for that.

All in all I liked the Shake Shack a lot. Service was excellent, the staff was friendly. The location ideal, and the burgers and shakes/custard were worth the train trip from Philadelphia.

Also hit the Union Square Green Market - color me drooling with envy. We do ok in Philadelphia, farm market wise, but nothing the scale, the variety of Union Square.

Then on to Pommes Frites - tres disappointment - the fries were overcooked and more like frozen than fresh cut. I was there a few years ago and they were much better then. Guy next to me ordered Poutrain. That looked interesting.

Last Stop Crif Dogs. OK, but no Papaya King Dog.

Walked down Broadway from Penn Station to Madison Square and then Union Square. Smells that could only be New York, and I mean that positively. Great selection of street food.

[chopjwu12]

went there today its a shame i didn't find out about it sooner because it was really good. Veronica had the shake burger i had the double cheese we had some cheese fries and a pumpkin concrete. It was really good. When do they reopen?

[ned]

I sure wish they'd stay open a while longer. Seems to me there are enough people willing to brave the cold to keep Mr. Meyer's coffers spilling over. Just my ownself, I have and would be happy to continue to eat those delicious burgers in the cold. They could even sub hot cocoa for shakes.

[spaghetttti]

I sure wish they'd stay open a while longer.  Seems to me there are enough people willing to brave the cold to keep Mr. Meyer's coffers spilling over.  Just my ownself, I have and would be happy to continue to eat those delicious burgers in the cold.  They could even sub hot cocoa for shakes.

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Me, too! I wish they'd stay open at least until I get up there next week. Those burgers look amazing and I want to have my first concrete!

Edited November 8, 2004 by spaghetttti (log)

[R Washburn]

people willing to brave the cold to keep Mr. Meyer's coffers spilling over.

I thought the proceeds went to charity?

Holly,

Great report. I am sorry you didn't try the fries at Shake Shack, because they are very good.

How many grease stains did your meal rate?

[Holly Moore]

Holly,

        Great report.  I am sorry you didn't try the fries at Shake Shack, because they are very good. 

        How many grease stains did your meal rate?

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I need to get back next spring to delve further into the frozen custard and to try a chili dog so will be sure to try the fries then.

At this point, 4 Grease Stains. Would have been 5 were it not for the disappointing Chicago dog.

[Laura B]

I am SO ready for the Shake Shack to reopen! I just called Eleven Madison to inquire, and I was told that there is no date announced yet. She just said "spring."

[Laura B]

Shake Shack has a website now (I don't think they had one last year). According to www.shakeshacknyc.com the opening date is April 1st!!

Am I the only one who is excited about this? DH and I have commented several times this winter that we can't wait to have a Shack burger again!

[Dryden]

Shake Shack has a website now (I don't think they had one last year).  According to www.shakeshacknyc.com the opening date is April 1st!!

Am I the only one who is excited about this?  DH and I have commented several times this winter that we can't wait to have a Shack burger again!

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Yeah, right - like we're supposed to believe a date like that... :-)

[slkinsey]

It's official: the Shake Shack reopens on Monday, April 4. The hours of operation for April will be 11am-4pm, seven days a week. Summer hours will begin May 1.

[Dryden]

The shack is indeed open. The lines are brutal, the burgers are still amazing, and the prices have been changed to round off nicely with tax.

Finally, I can eat burgers again...

[AK@Spicehouse]

Does anyone else find it amazing that with 12,000 page views, this thread is a go to stop for E-Gulleters. I love the nuance discussion of Per Se, the "should I do Babbo or Lupa" bickering and the love of all things DuCasse. Then we read about the bun not being the correct size to hold the hot dog. LMAO. What a trip this is. The lowly hotdog, leftovers culinarted (sic) together and put in a casing, rates higher than the art work being served as food at Jean Georges, Le Bernadin and Les Halles. Gotta love NYer's...

The shack is indeed open.  The lines are brutal, the burgers are still amazing, and the prices have been changed to round off nicely with tax.

Finally, I can eat burgers again...

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[Dryden]

the art work being served as food at Jean Georges, Le Bernadin and Les Halles.

Sing it with me - One of these things is not like the others...

[Holly Moore]

Breathes there a man with soul so dead who never to himself has said, "this Double Shack Burger - it is truly a work of art!"?

[AK@Spicehouse]

I can't be controversial, I supply everyone... Seems to me that on any given night, these are three dynamite restaurants. Never meant to breathe them in the same lung compression. I could have strung together Nathans, Shake Shack and RollNRoaster, but someone else would have had a fit. Maybe the trio of BLT Steak, "V" Steak and Tad's would crush you. It was just a thought...

the art work being served as food at Jean Georges, Le Bernadin and Les Halles.

Sing it with me - One of these things is not like the others...

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[JennyUptown]

I'm heading to NYC on Friday and will arrive in time for lunch. Just suggested to my hostess that this where we start our weekend!