If you are going to be in the city for a visit, you should really stop by the Shake Shack. There are other burger places in NYC – among them Five Guys Burgers & Fries, 5 Napkin Burger, and the Burger Joint. But in my opinion, the Shake Shack burger comes out on top.
Look. I’m not much of a burger fan. The last time I had the ubiquitous Big Mac was in the 7th grade. So, unless it’s a great burger, I’ll probably – no, surely – pass. Needless to say, I look forward to my occasional burgers at the Shake Shack.
I grew up in California. Californians KNOW In-N-Out is THE fast food burger. As a former Californian – and at the risk of offending In-N-Out loyalists – I dare say that the burger at the Shake Shack is better than the one from In-N-Out. According to the Shake Shack website, they grind their beef and hand form their patties daily. But to tell you the truth, it’s their bun that I really really love. It is just a hint sweet; and it complements the meat perfectly. It’s just the right size and texture – not too big, not too “bready.” Throw on some pickles, tomato slice, onion slice, and crisp lettuce leaf. And don’t forget to dab on some mustard and ketchup. It is just perfect.
Not only that, the Burger Shack, has the crispiest, tastiest french fries. This wasn’t the case when I first started eating there, but they have really upped their game on the fries front. Give me a Shake Shack burger and an order of their fries, and I’m a happy woman. And you can get that with a cold beer. All this comes at a pretty reasonable price: $3.50 for a basic hamburger w/ onion, tomato, lettuce and pickles, $2.65 for fries, and about $5 for draught or bottled beer. (Granted, the beer is a bit pricey for a fast food joint. Food still goes down smooth without it. I guess you can always eat outdoors and BYOB!)
New York City is expensive enough without having to pay an arm and a leg for a good casual meal!
