Shake Shack

[bpearis]

I've heard they're open till nine presently, with plans to go till 11 once the Summer really warms up.

Now that it's May 16, does anyone know how late in the evening they're open? Neither their phone message nor their website is updated and I want to eat dinner there after work tonight.

K

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[bergerka]

I've heard they're open till nine presently, with plans to go till 11 once the Summer really warms up.

Fabulous. I'll be there around 6 tonight for MY first trip of the spring!

K

[smgarsh]

I believe the time you go to Shake Shack will reflect on how good or bad your meal is going to be. I've been to Shake Shack 5 times now. On the first 4 times it was near or close to the afternoon. There was always some sort of wait time (15 -45 mins) but it was worth it. The burgers were hot, well seasoned, delicious and the fries fried to a perfect crisp.

But on my last trip I went around 8 PM, a couple of days after they started their extended hours. There was no lines at all and I got my food within 3 minutes of ordering. But the burger was just warm and not well seasoned. The fries was not as crispy and hot as usual. I think it was sitting under the heat lamp. The meal was okay but not nearly as good as the previous 4 trips. From now on, I going to go during or near peak times.

Edited May 16, 2005 by smgarsh (log)

[Dryden]

I'd like to add to smgarsh's comment. I've probably been to the Shake Shack >50 times by now (I both live and work within a 5 minute walk). The single best burger I've ever gotten there was one that was made just as they were opening (I was the first customer) and it was made to order. Just for me. The extra care that went into it was obvious.

Basically, if you want to get the absolute best Shack burger you can possibly get, go at 10:59. It's worth it.

[bergerka]

6pm is apparently an AWESOME time to go to Shake Shack. No line whatsoever, brand new fresh fries right out of the fryer (in fact, they were getting rid of some fries that they thought had been out too long), and plenty of places to sit.

YAY!

Only problem is that it leaves me wanting more more more shake shack...more...maybe tomorrow. Maybe tonight!

K

[Jason Perlow]

For those of you who don't want to wait on lines and wish to eat their burgers in a traditional restaurant setting -- I highly reccomend the close cousin and predecessor to the Shake Shack burger, the Blue Smoke burger:

The meat is also ground fresh, has a great bun, and had an intense char-broiled flavor.

[ned]

But on my last trip I went around 8 PM, a couple of days after they started their extended hours. There was no lines at all and I got my food within 3 minutes of ordering. But the burger was just warm and not well seasoned. The fries was not as crispy and hot as usual. I think it was sitting under the heat lamp. The meal was okay but not nearly as good as the previous 4 trips. From now on, I going to go during or near peak times.

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I was there around two one afternoon with my wife. We both got shack burgers, mine was perfect, my wife's was a little raw in the middle. I took it to the counter and showed it to them, didn't have to say a thing before it was wisked out of my hands a free shake was offered and the grill cook was informed that he'd just served a raw burger. Moments later I walked away with another burger cooked to perfection.

They sell a ton of burgers. They are unlikely to get it perfect every time. But based on this experience (and many many others) I think they are committed to getting it right. Don't be shy to let them know if you have a problem.

[allie]

The first time I went, was about 3-4 days after it opened this season and tried one shack burger with cheese & one chicago style hot dog. The burger was oozing grease & gooey cheese (yum!) and the doggie was well... a salad on a bun hehehe...

I went back yesterday for lunch at about 12:45 PM, and decided to try their shroom burger (my friend got his usual double shack burger with cheese, which is just EPIC). Well, the shroom burger is a deep fried, portobella which is coated with breading similar to onion rings, and stuffed with cheese & onions! Holy COW was this good. It was steaming hot by the way.

They know how to do everything right at the Shake Shack

[Laura B]

We have been about five times so far this year. Last Saturday, the fries were different. They were straight cut instead of crinkle, and they were much better! I hope this was a permanent change.

The only complaint I have ever had about the Shack's food, and this was also true last year, is that occasionally the fries taste icky as though the oil really needs to be changed. To the point where we could not eat our fries. Of course, we didn't say anything about it. We probably should have let them know.

[Mistinguett]

I've been going for lunch at Shake Shack every time I'd work in the area (every month or so) since they opened, and finally got to take my husband to try the shack burger on monday. Last friday I got the shoestring fries and loved them, but when we arrived on monday they had again the crinkle cut. However, waiting for our burgers I saw the girl dumping in oil a full bag of what looked to me like the shoestring ones. I asked the guy at the window for them and told him that we're willing to wait until they're done but he said that they had those for the weekend only. Not five minutes after we got most of our order he called me at the window to pick up the concrete and apologized for not knowing that they had the shoestring ones and offered them free of charge. I was happy not for the freebie, but because I really-really like them. Maybe if enough of us ask they'll make the change.

[brooklyncook]

I FINALLY got to eat there after much waiting and anticipating. Agreed, the time you go may make the wait easier -- my girlfriend and I rolled in at 6:45 pm and there were maybe six people in line.

We each snagged Shack Burgers, as well as fries (plain and cheese), and I also had one of their Spicy Buffalo Brats, which was perfectly cooked. Beware, because they spray juice when you bite into them.

Enough people have written about how good the food is, and they're right. It was worth all the wait, and deserving of the hype.

[Laura B]

We just returned from lunch at the Shack. Sadly, we were told that the straight-cut fries were sent by mistake from the distributor. They said they are happy with the crinkle cut fries and are not changing. Our fries were crinkle cut, so they must have run out of the other ones already.

[flinflon28]

We just returned from lunch at the Shack.  Sadly, we were told that the straight-cut fries were sent by mistake from the distributor.  They said they are happy with the crinkle cut fries and are not changing.  Our fries were crinkle cut, so they must have run out of the other ones already.

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The straight cut fries were indeed a mix up with our distributor and at present there are no plans to change from the crinkle cut fries we usually serve. I can also assure all of you that the oil in which the fries and shroom burgers are cooked in is emptied nightly and fresh oil added to the machine every morning.

[Laura B]

I can also assure all of you that the oil in which the fries and shroom burgers are cooked in is emptied nightly and fresh oil added to the machine every morning.

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That is really good to know. I have no idea why we had a few orders of fries that seemed "off" somehow - old oil was my best guess. It has only happened about three times (including last year), and lately everything has been really delicious!

[flinflon28]

I can also assure all of you that the oil in which the fries and shroom burgers are cooked in is emptied nightly and fresh oil added to the machine every morning.

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That is really good to know. I have no idea why we had a few orders of fries that seemed "off" somehow - old oil was my best guess. It has only happened about three times (including last year), and lately everything has been really delicious!

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That culprit may simply be fries that were left cooking in the oil for too long. sometimes a batch comes out that is a bit overdone and if the right person is not working that station those fries might get served before someone notices another batch should be made. On the other hand we frequently get requests for "extra crispy" fries....go figure.

[slkinsey]

Well, I'm going to be there in 30 minutes and I expect everything to be in tip-top shape by the time I arrive!

[Megan Blocker]

Love, love, LOVE Shake Shack. One of the worst parts about not working on Madison Square Park anymore (I now work in Midtown, which is awful for lunch - cheap, eat-at-your-desk lunch, anyway.) is not being near great food, and that includes Shake Shack. I used to eat there when it was just a dinky little hot dog cart in the southwest corner.

[Mistinguett]

Flinflon, I'm a lover of the extra-crispy ones but I've never requested them, never thought it's possible for the rhythm that you guys work there.

As about the straight-cut, too bad they were a mistake. I'd be willing to sign a petition for the mistake to be repeated. :lol:

I'll be there for lunch this week, keep up the good work.

[flinflon28]

Flinflon, I'm a lover of the extra-crispy ones but I've never requested them, never thought it's possible for the rhythm that you guys work there.

As about the straight-cut, too bad they were a mistake. I'd be willing to sign a petition for the mistake to be repeated. :lol:

I'll be there for lunch this week, keep up the good work.

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Remember that it's a Danny Meyer operation...ask and ye shall receive!! For extra crispy fries at least...I think the crinkle cut are here to stay.

Edited May 28, 2005 by flinflon28 (log)

[mpav]

I have only one suggestion for Shake Shack: open a separate window for ice cream and shakes only. I never get the ice cream when I order my food, because it melts. When I'm done eating I don't want to wait on line again for custard. Consequently, I just don't get the custard often.

[marlena spieler]

Shake Shack, I love the shake shack, but man, the wrong time at the shake shack is soooo the wrong time, unless you like to spend a long time waiting. last autumn before it closed for winter i went and spent a whole sunday trying to get a shack burger and a fries and of course regretted not getting a concrete! now that its spring going into summer, i can hardly wait for next trip to ny, in a few weeks time.

i guess that 10.59 is the time to go, and i'm trying to figure out what to get. i wasn't pleased with the fries so i think i should have a much larger burger, a double. and as for the concretes, any recommendation? i don't even know what a concrete is but several of my shake shack adoring friends always say get a concrete, but i keep forgetting to ask them what exactly it is (ie i don't want to sound stupid).

x x x marlena, whose mouth is drooling, just thinking about that burger.......

[bergerka]

When NOT to go to the Shake Shack? Memorial Day, apparently. I'd have thought that a sunny holiday when the park was FULL OF PEOPLE would be a good day for a Shack burger and an Arnold Palmer, and there was nothing on the website or on the voice mail about it being closed, so we went all the way down there to no avail. Blue Smoke was ALSO closed, so we ended up having distinctly mediocre burgers at NY Burger Co.

K, totally unsatisfied. :angry:

[rozrapp]

When NOT to go to the Shake Shack?  Memorial Day, apparently.   I'd have thought that a sunny holiday when the park was FULL OF PEOPLE would be a good day for a Shack burger and an Arnold Palmer, and there was nothing on the website or on the voice mail about it being closed, so we went all the way down there to no avail.  Blue Smoke was ALSO closed, so we ended up having distinctly mediocre burgers at NY Burger Co.

K, totally unsatisfied. :angry:

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That really is a shame! Something similar happened to my husband and me last year. We had tickets for a Broadway show one Sunday during the summer and decided to have lunch at the Shake Shack before heading uptown. We arrived at the Shack only to discover it shut. Since it wasn't a holiday, just an ordinary Sunday, we couldn't figure out why they were closed. There happened to be some personnel cleaning up outside who told us the reason: one of those ubiquitous street fairs was going on right up the block on Madison, so the Shack was closed until 6 p.m. I guess it would have been too much competition for the sorry-excuse-for-food that one finds at those fairs.

Anyway, bergerka, you should have headed over to Molly's, on 3rd Ave., btw 22nd & 23rd Sts., where the burgers are huge and delicious.

[Mistinguett]

Marlena, definitely get the double shack burger.

As for the concrete, the best way to describe it - my way - is a big cup with melting ice-cream with your choice of toppings. Very sweet/rich and huge, I shared one with my husband and it was almost too much. After a double shack and fries, that is. As far as choosing what to get, see the laminated menus they have by the registers.

On saturday the lines were so ridiculous that I spend my entire lunch break waiting for my order. Sadly, I had to eat it cold later, when I was able to take a 10 minutes break.

I'm still sorry I didn't take a picture of the Q&A board they put up where the line to order is - one of the q's is about the long lines, the answer being "Remember that we are not a fast food place". They're absolutely right and I'll never attempt to go for lunch there, as much as I love the place.

[R Washburn]

I have only one suggestion for Shake Shack: open a separate window for ice cream and shakes only. I never get the ice cream when I order my food, because it melts. When I'm done eating I don't want to wait on line again for custard. Consequently, I just don't get the custard often.

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Same here. I never get dessert for that very reason.

I tried the triple shack burger on Sunday (about a 15 min. wait in line at 1PM), and while it was good I will opt for two single patty burgers in the future. Better meat to bun ratio.

The crinkle-cut cheese fries were outstanding and the Arnold Palmer very refreshing.