Shake Shack

Extremely over priced, and a very bad value. Ordered a burger, milk shake and fries — over $ 16. The burger was OK, nothing special, the shake (chocolate) was good, but very small for the price, and the fries where frozen grocer store types. First experience, and last.
BEWARE — bad value!

The double mushroom stack burger was good and the cheese fries are too, but it just wasn’t as good as Hopdoddy’s. When you have no other great options in NYC, it did taste pretty good, but I can’t say that down here in Texas. If you haven’t tried it before, you should do that and judge for yourself but its just not as «gourmet» IMO but it is a good burger. For the price though, you know where I would go to in ATX.

First time at Shake Shack and won’t be my last! I’m honestly not that big into burgers, but YUM. Love their fries too! You can tell that everything is really high-​quality. The staff at this location is super friendly also, the girl at the register was quick to answer any questions I had about the menu! All the employees were walking around and high-​fiving each other too, which was cute.

This was maybe one or two steps higher than In ‘n out. The cheese sauce isn’t all that I thought. It’s like how the old velveetta used to be back in the day. It was just ok. I’m just glad I didn’t wait in a giant long time in NY when I was there many years ago because I would have been thoroughly disappointed.

Four stars for their foozball, ping pong and bean bag toss. We need more gross motor skill practice!

I really wanted to like Shake Shack. I really wanted to hit it with three or more stars.
A few reasons why I can’t? Size of the burger – I’d compare it to a kid’s burger at McDonalds. I got the Smoke Shack. The flavors were good, the meat was prepared well. But not enough of a portion size to make it worth the price. And then there’s the paper sleeve which really got my goat. Wrap the whole burger or don’t wrap it at all! I felt like the semi-​wrap made the bun soggy and just offended me for some reason.
The fries? Pls. I didn’t see any difference between them and some frozen Ore Idas that I could warm up at home. The fact that they’re crinkly doesn’t bother me. It’s that I paid all that money for fries no better than what I could make for myself for a lot cheaper.
The only thing I didn’t try was a shake. They were running a promotion to raise money to feed children and I got a free shake coupon. I’ll go back and get my free shake. Not sure that that will be enough to turn me into a regular.

I been here a couple times and I have to say they’ve been consistent with food quality and service. I like the indoor atmosphere a lot and the TVs so I can watch my NBA playoff games.
The ShackBurger is really good not the best burger ever, but the quality is really good. This is a great value in my opinion especially since it comes hormones and antibiotics free and the bun is GMO. The Chick’n Shack is really delicious and definitely a flavorful tasting sandwich. I wish it was bugger for the price, but the quality makes up for it. The fries are good too not the crispiest, but far from soggy, those can be more plentiful but hey they come with no artificial ingredients as potatoes should be served!
The whole package as far as food and ambiance comes together really well. There’s ample parking and no line out the door in off peak times compared to what I hear about the south Austin location. I’m looking forward to my free shake I got after donating to their support of a charity that feeds children.
4 Stars in Unilocal speak means rating «Yay! I’m a fan.». Give it a try. Please note for the burger enthusiasts a place like HopDoddy may be more your speed, however they usually come with a LONG line be warned.

Love the bacon burger and chicken sandwich. The shakes are some of the best in Austin. The size and flavor of the burger is so perfect, smaller than a Whataburger but it’s packed with flavor. I’m sure most will scoff at the price and size of the burger, but trust me… it’s worth it.

This place is the definition of mediocre. I had about 3 people in front of me and so far I’ve waited about 10 mins for a burger and fries. It’s rare that I’m so bored that the thing I think of doing is to write a review of a place. For about 9 bucks you can get a tiny burger with crinkle fries. I would’ve given 3 stars but now I’m just depressed looking at the burger.
Okay. Now that I’ve eaten, I think I’m going to give the place one star now. The burger was… soggy. Like the bread was just a soggy mess. The patty wasn’t even good. There’s more flavor in a big Mac. Also if I’m going to pay this much for a burger with cheese, can the cheese be cheddar and not American? Should’ve just went to McDonald’s. It would’ve been faster, cheaper, and they at least have great fries.

So here is my updated review.
I have now had 3 hamburgers, 2 shakes and 1 hot dog from the place.
My thoughts, the special sauce is lacking, especially when compared to in n outs sauce or even big mac sauce. Really it tastes like mayo with seasoning salt in it.
The shakes were very good, if a little on the overly sugar side for me.
I don’t think this is a place to avoid, but if you are up here at the Domain and feeling like a thin patty burger with some adequate fries. Go ahead and stop in, you don’t be disappointed if your expectations are not too high.
The rest of my original review still stands.

Probably would give this place a 3 ½ if it was possible. It was good food, but price points weren’t worth it personally for me. I ordered the shack stack with a side of fries. I know a lot of people compare shake shack to in n out but both burger joints are completely different. In n out is simple with a very small menu. Shake shack has a lot more to offer but at a steeper price point.
The burger I got was amazing. The fried cheesy portabello is what dreams are made of the fries are definitely better than in n out for sure. They’re much crispy. Overall, it was a pretty good experience but I wouldn’t go out of my way to get this again.

What?! This burger is darn delicious!!! I had an original shack burger, cheese fries, wine (naturally), and the vanilla custard turtle-​like dessert (can’t remember the name). My husband had the smoke shack burger. The burgers are so tender and perfectly cooked, buns are soft and buttery, and the cheese fries were sumptuous (working on my adjective use here). They had some liquid cheese (not the crappy kind). The burger is a teeny bit small, and we ended up spending $ 40 and change when it was all said, but I was a happy lady leaving there. The custard stuff is where it’s at too. Don’t leave that out!
Only thing to change: bigger burgers! (Some of us enjoy eating as a past time And we need our $‘s worth!)

As a Midwesterner, I have been craving a good Chicago dog like nobody’s business since I arrived in Austin. I heard rumors that Shake Shack makes a reasonable facsimile with their «Shack-​ago Dog.» So, I tried it, and yes! It’s pretty good. It’s not Chicago, but what is?
What impressed me more was the beautiful, sleek industrial chic environs, the really cute doggy amenities (a «parking» station outside, as well as some items on the menu), outdoor amusements like ping pong and cornhole … plus some tasty looking custard that I’m going to have to try next time when I have a few calories to spare.

The wife and I finally made our way to ShakeShack and I was pleasantly surprised. We had the double SmokeShack burger which was really fantastic: bacon and the chopped peppers elevated this burger from tasty to delicious. The cheese fries were nothing to write home about, but the burger and the ShakeMeister Ale (which was a delightful little amber ale that paired perfectly with the smoky bacon) were great.
Attention to detail pushed this place from a 3.5 star to a 4 star. We will definitely eat there again soon.

I was craving a shake before my long drive home back to Houston, TX tonight. The whole SXSW crowd is in full effect so getting here sooner was a no go. But finally the traffic died down and I got to check it out with a local friend.
Located in Austin’s Domain shopping center, it’s a very posh looking spot. Walking in it looked like I was in for a treat. I took one look at their menu and saw all their offerings. It was tough to decide, since I was a first timer here!
I decided to go for something a little more than basic so we opted to split a Smokeshack burger, share cheese fries and each get a shake of our choice. I got chocolate, she got salted caramel. Being that this was in the Domain area I figured the prices would be a little on the high side. Burger was around $ 7 and the fries around $ 4 and the shakes were about $ 5 n change each. So just for a complete combo it was a bit high, but I was curious to see what I was in for.
The staff was kind and courteous and when the food came out I saw just how small the burgers were. Think P. Terry’s or In And Out. the fries came in a small carton container, enough for a nice sized handful, and the shakes were in small cups. The first thing I thought was «There’s no way we can split this burger. It’d be like 3 bites each!» So I went back to order another and the manager was ringing me up this time. I mentioned it was my first time there and he was kind enough to offer me any dessert on the menu. He suggested the Hopscotch and I said «sure!»
So my friend took a bite of her burger and she nodded her head in approval. She said it’s good but insisted I try mine to give it my own opinion. Mine came out and I ran to the bar to grab it, got my ketchup for the fries and sat down to eat. I picked up the burger and took in the sweet bacony aroma. For such a small burger it smelled great! Took a bite and I was impressed. The bread was not too thick or bready, the meat was thin but very flavorful and what impressed me the most were the spicy peppers and signature sauce. It added just the right about of kick to the burger without overpowering the whole thing.
I moved onto the fries, and they straight up reminded me of high school crinkle cut fries. They’re not fresh cut fries, but they tasted great. I am glad they didn’t drown them out with cheese. The ketchup complimented them well too.
Onto the chocolate shake. Now I am used to your typical shake made with Hershey’s syrup and God knows what kinda icecream. So when I took a sip of mine I was not expecting what my buds got smacked with! It tasted like real deal ground chocolate cocoa. Think Abuelita’s hot cocoa bars ground up to a powder and then mixed in with really great ice cream! It wasn’t too sweet at all and it had really deep hints of sweet and bitter chocolate grounds. I bet ground espresso beans would set this off, but it was great just as it was. I also tasted the salted caramel shake as well and it too was sweetened to perfection. One would think salted caramel would invite the sleepy-​itis but it didn’t. the key word is balance. And the shakes were perfect in this category.
Now, I thought about giving this place 3 stars because at a glance it looks like a rip off because of the amount of money you are paying vs the quantity/​size of food you are getting in return. But after a while I realized that everything I consumed was more than enough to satisfy both my palette and my appetite. One could argue that you can get just as good a combo at P. Terry’s or In and Out, but the flavor of the bacon and toppings on the burger really did set it apart from the rest. Fries are a non-​factor, but in the shake department this place is golden.
If you wanna pay cheap prices to eat more than what you need elsewhere then do that. But if you want a good serving size and flavor to boot, then this is a good spot to try. I am tempted to complain about the size of the shakes but again, my tummy is more than full. If you need more then you probably need to be eating healthier… just saying.
I will be back again sometime soon to try other stuff. Oh and the Hopscotch was ok, just a bit too sweet for my tastes. I will stick with the shakes!

Never before have I been so conflicted on what to give a burger place. I should be high-​fiving this place to everyone I know on Unilocal,and yet I can’t. Follow my Shake Shack (SS) mini-​adventure and you’ll see what I mean.
SS is visually pleasing from the get-​go. Despite the downscale name, it’s housed in an avant-​garde glass and metal cube at the edge of The Domain. In fact, they have a clever sign out front showing where your dog is welcome.
Ordering is pretty straightforward though the service is somewhat slow, considering that there were only a couple people ahead of me in line. On top of that, the temp control inside is off — in some spots weirdly hot. Maybe just the placement of the vents?
They’re definitely aiming for something more upscale, as they use metallic trays like Hopdoddy’s. As for the food… it’s actually pretty good. The burgers are above average, as in a P. Terry’s kicked up a tiny bit. The Chick ‘N Shack is also surprisingly good, with a slightly darker batter coating, likely from a little extra frying. The fries are heavenly, a ‘crinkle cut’ masterpiece with a crunch and burst of potato flavor that will likely lure me back again. (Though some will call ‘heresy’, I didn’t have the stomach room for the shakes.)
So why the three stars? Two reasons. First, while the food is good, it’s priced completely out of its league. For example, the chicken sandwich and burger are a jot better in quality than Chick-​Fil-​A and P.Terrys. But they’re both close to double in price. Second, there’s definitely an air of parsimony around the food here.
Now, I’m of the opinion that we Americans expect too much on the volume side of things — not everything can be $ 5 for a trough of food! And if you look at my reviews, you’ll immediately note that I’m the kind of food fanatic who’ll pay $ 20/​pound for properly cooked beef brisket.
But there is such a thing as a proper price ratio. Both burger and chicken sandwich, while good, are 50% more in price, and about a third smaller. Hopdoddy’s pricing for burgers while getting the Kid’s Meal in portion size… it’s not happening. I think the soda thing is what broke the camel’s back for me. The cup’s half the size of a large at a Mickey D’s and still costs almost $ 3. Yes, you get refills… but since they hide the soda machine behind the counter, you have to stand and wait for the busy staff to notice you and get the refill for you.
Yes, I know they make you do this at Chick-​Fil-​A too, but a) you don’t have to do this most of the time, since they gave you a decent-​sized drink to begin with, and b) they’re better staffed, so there’s usually no wait. Also, consider that this isn’t some gourmet soda like a Maine Root we’re talking about for $ 3. I’ll pay that to get refills on my own of a Maine Root Ginger Beer.
Add it all up… will you like it here? It really depends on one thing: do you consider The Domain a ridiculously pricey place to shop unless something’s on sale? Or, do you consider The Domain a perfectly fine place to drop some coin, after all they have Ferragamo loafers and an electric go-​cart to drop one back at one’s Lexus. If you’re of the former group, skip it. If you’re of the latter group, go for it!
Average it all together, and I’ll give it a 3 on ‘CTJ Scale’, as noted below.
5 out of 5 stars: Come-​to-​Jesus good. Would be OK passing away after finishing a plate here.
4 out of 5 stars: Come-​to-​Mary good. Would be OK being seen eating here by Mother Mary.
3 out of 5 stars: Come-​to-​Joseph good. Would be OK having a beer here with Jesus’ Dad.
2 out of 5 stars: Come-​to-​the-​Apostles good. Meh. Wouldn’t have my last supper here.
1 out of 5 stars: Come-​to-​Nobody good. I wouldn’t have my penultimate supper here, either.

I have to agree with the last review off ah ha. Burgers are small and I think you get a better burger at smashburger or steak and shake. The crinkle fries look great. Too bad no truffle oil.
This place was fine to go to during this Christmas. Just an average burger place, just hip looking.
Maybe you’ll find it Better than me.

Food is just below average… Its the location & ambience of this place that keeps the customers coming, I assume. The fries were not something I would order again. I had the shrooms burger because they do not have any other non-​beef selections. I am not sure what cheese do you use for their cheese fries but I could do without that cheese any given day.
People should know there’s Lebowski’s Grill right down Burnet. That is what I would call five star goodness. Definitely not on my to go list of favs.

It’s burgers. It’s in the Domain. It’s hype. It’s… basically everything I would normally avoid. BUT Elyse L. wrote an amazing review that made me want to try all the things and so I had to eat my words and make the trek over here to do just that.
And it was pretty darn good.
I went with a single Shackburger with no lettuce and shared some fries with my boyfriend. The burger was pretty good! I liked the bun and the sauce they put on it was tasty and they didn’t drown the burger in it, so it didn’t drip all over me while I was eating. The patty had a lot of flavor, even though it was on the thin side. Only downside to it being thin is then you don’t really get the medium rare thing going, but it was still delicious. The fries were good, too. Nice and crispy on the outside and warm and soft on the inside and a good amount of salt, too.
I also got a regular 50/​50, which is half iced tea and half homemade lemonade. It was DELICIOUS. I would come back just for that and I’d make it a large next time. If you like that sort of thing, definitely give theirs a try. My boyfriend got the Shackmeister, which is a beer brewed specifically for Shake Shack by Brooklyn Brewing. The beer was decent — perfectly drinkable with no standout flavors. It would be a good lunch beer, if you’re in the mood for that or your work allows it.
Along with the food, I have to admit I was a sucker for the décor. I liked the design on the cups, on the paper on the tray, on the walls, basically on everything. It was all very cute and right up my alley. Shake Shack is also dog friendly and you can tie your pup up at one of the doggy waiting stations, if needed.
I’m hardly at the Domain, and I’m very rarely in the mood for burgers, but I’d come back here. If nothing else, I still have to try the Uchi dessert and you can never have too much ⁵⁰⁄₅₀.

I’ve mentioned before that I am 100% a walking cliché yes? Good, so I’ll be real and say I’ve wanted to try Shake Shack ever since they were featured in a movie and countless Food Network tv shows. Why? Mostly so I could tell people I’d tried it. Plus, they originated in NYC so they had to be cool.
I always thought I would have to brave the ominous line in Central Park before getting my chance until word spread that one was coming to Austin. We gave the crowds time to die down before going and walked right in sans line. We seem to have incredible luck trying new burger joints as the same thing happened to us at Hopdoddy, but I digress.
This new location is squeaky clean and ran like a well oiled machine. There is a separate line for desserts, if you order wine/​beer you have the option to get it with your meal or beforehand, and customers are given a buzzer so they can grab a seat without crowding around the same spot while waiting for food.
While it’s on the more expensive side of fast food, everything we tried (minus the meh fries) seemed worth the few extra bucks. I got the single shack hamburger without cheese and added their special sauce, lettuce, and tomato. The bread was soft and didn’t get spongy the way it does at In n Out after sitting a while. The patty was high quality and also delicious, albeit a tad overly salty.
My husband got a double patty of their current burger special which has cheese, bacon, and caramelized onions. So yum. We waited maybe ten minutes for our food and inhaled all of it in what seemed like 20 seconds. We couldn’t leave without trying dessert though so we got back in line for a coffee shake and the Austin exclusive Uchi concrete.
That concrete is TO DIE FOR! I had no idea what to expect but it was heavenly with vanilla custard, Uchi & Uchiko miso hazelnut blondie, and swirls of huckleberry jam. Tart, salty, and sweet with chunks of chewy blondie bites = perfection. A percentage of the purchase for the concrete goes to the Boys and Girls clubs of Austin too so consider yourself obligated.
They even have a pup friendly menu! They think of everything here.