Shake Shack, the burger joint and milkshake palace whose long lines originated in New York at Madison Square Park, has finally come to Atlanta (well, Buckhead) after months of hype. The restaurant chain has 31 locations along the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Florida. The chain also has 24 international locations in the Middle East, Russia, Turkey and The United Kingdom. Each location has a specialized menu with custard (ice cream) flavors made with fresh, local ingredients.
I visited Shake Shack just before noon and barely escaped the notoriously long lines. The “modern day roadside burger” joint seemed out of place tucked around boutiques and high-end restaurants in the Buckhead luxury retail development that is currently under construction. The design was sleek, trendy and modern with stainless-steel countertops and tables accented by dark brown faux-wood paneling along the walls. The two-story building had interior seating on the first floor and a rooftop patio that overlooked the bustling Peachtree Road below.
I ordered the classic ShackBurger with a Peachtree milkshake and a side of Shake Shack’s famous crinkle-cut fries. The first floor was already packed so I ventured upstairs and found that it was swamped with children; however, I managed to grab a table and patiently waited until my buzzer went off. To get my food, I had to travel back downstairs, pick it up at the counter and head right back upstairs, but it was all worth the journey once I took my first bite.
The ShackBurger is not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill burger. Instead, it is a diner-style patty that was juicy, tender and savory. The meat was flavorful, rich and perfectly complemented by the ShackSauce which was similar to Thousand Island sauce with its creamy texture but with a slightly sweet and spicy complexion. The toasted buttered buns had a nice crunch with every bite and the simple yet perfectly delicious, melt-in-your-mouth American cheese and few pieces of lettuce really made the burger.
Shake Shack is famous for its fries, and I can see why. The crinkle-cut fries are frozen, but don’t fear—the fries are free of any artificial ingredients, and the potatoes come from the best farmers in the country. The fried Yukon potatoes were crispy with every bite and had a wonderful sweet and spicy barbeque seasoning that paired perfectly with the burger. There was no need to douse these fries in ketchup as the flavor was already there.
After the fantastic burger and fries, I had high expectations for the shake, and the Peachtree did not disappoint. The peach and caramel milkshake was smooth and creamy with peach chunks mixed into the harmony of flavors. The predominant flavor was the sweet, summertime peach, but the hint of caramel added an extra, unexpected dimension that really made the milkshake.
If you want a richer shake option, Shake Shack also offers what they call Concretes, which are just dense frozen custard. The location-specific flavors include Pecan Pie Oh My, vanilla custard with the legendary Atlanta-based restaurant H&F’s pecan pie, and Campfire S’mores, a chocolate custard with marshmallow, graham cracker and dark chocolate chunks from Cacao Atlanta. A Custard Calendar features the daily custard schedules for each month. You can also take your furry, four-legged friend and treat them to a Pooch-ini, Shake Shack’s dessert option for dogs.
The much-talked-about burger shack lived up to the hype. The restaurant had a memorable design, an inviting atmosphere and most importantly, delectable food. The burgers were spot on, the fries were impeccably crisp and golden, and the shakes were packed with complex flavors that really enhanced each other. If you are willing travel to Buckhead, wait in long lines and push your way through a crowd of kids all for great food, then make Shake Shack your next destination.
Shake Shake is located at 3035 Peachtree Road NE, in Buckhead.
