Shake Shack: Burgers, fries, and shakes on the Las Vegas Strip

Shake Shack located at New York, New York Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada

Shake Shack, located at New York-New York Hotel in Las Vegas is a popular fast casual restaurant chain known for burgers, fries, and shakes. Since 2001, Shake Shack has evolved from a hot dog cart found at Madison Square Park in New York City to a global chain with 250 locations.

Like In-N-Out Burger, Shake Shack has gained an almost cult-like following, thanks to its burgers made with freshly ground, never-frozen beef and house-made shakes.

While people argue who has the better burger, In-N-Out Burger or Shake Shack, this post will focus on something other than that endless argument and unsolvable question.

This post will focus on Shake Shack, which serves one of the best burgers on the Las Vegas Strip.

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Interior of Shake Shack

As I walked through the doors and into the restaurant, I was surprised at the open and spacious dining room. There were countless tables, high-top tables, and booths scattered around the busy room.

The unique décor was clean and modern yet rustic and contemporary, with wood beams on the walls and ceilings. The dining room felt bright and airy thanks to the bright lights and floor-to-ceiling windows offering great views of The Strip.

With so many people and music playing in the background, the dining room was loud, energetic, and lively. With its relaxed vibe, modern interior, and open layout, the upscale fast-food restaurant felt like it belonged on the Las Vegas Strip.

Though not the best place to watch sports in Las Vegas, there were a few strategically placed televisions around the dining room. There was also a large-screen TV near the entrance and front counter.

While the inside of the restaurant was modern and beautiful, I preferred to sit outside on the outdoor patio. You can’t beat the views of the Las Vegas Strip and the people watching from the outdoor patio.

Ordering at Shake Shack

Just through the restaurant doors was a short line zigzagging past a digital menu. While I already knew what I was ordering, the menu placement next to the line was perfect for those deciding what to order.

After a few minutes, I reached the front of the line, where a cashier called me over. After placing my order, a worker handed me a buzzer, which would notify me when my food was ready.

In the meantime, I filled up on ketchup, hot sauce, napkins, and plastic utensils at the condiments counter.

After a few minutes, my buzzer let me know my food was ready to be picked up from the pick up counter.

Shake Shack Menu

The menu at Shake Shack was manageable with just the right amount of items. The quicker guests ordered from the menu, the faster the line moved.

The menu included Burgers, Flat-Top Dogs, Chicken, and Crinkle-Cut Fries. Those looking for something sweet will find a selection of Frozen Custard, including shakes, floats, and cups.

As for drinks, there were your typical soft drinks, lemonade, iced tea, and a selection of draft beer, bottled beer, and wine.

The full Shake Shack menu can be viewed by visiting https://www.shakeshack.com/.

Double ShackBurger

Whenever I visit Shake Shack, I order the Double ShackBurger ($8.99). This beautiful burger had two beef patties, lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce on a Martin’s Potato Roll.

You can also order the regular ShackBurger ($6.19) with one patty. With thin smashed patties, I always recommend you go for the double.

The two freshly ground, never frozen Angus patties had to be the highlight of this burger. You won’t find any hormones or antibiotics in the meat either.

The patties were seared to perfection, resulting in a charred crust that was crispy and smoky in flavor. The high-quality beef was juicy and meaty in texture.

While seasoned well, the flavor of the rich, glorious beef shined without any fillers or extra spices masking the flavors.

Coating each patty was a layer of melted American cheese that looked beautiful. It was like a work of art.

Besides cheese, this burger had lettuce, tomato, and the signature ShackSauce.

So what’s in the ShackSauce, which is a secret? I would guess creamy mayo, tangy Dijon mustard, sweet ketchup, salty pickle brine, and spicy cayenne pepper.

The sauce brought the burger together, complementing the smoky patties, rich cheese, fresh vegetables, and sweet bun.

It might be easy to overlook, but what made this burger unique was the use of a Martin’s Potato Roll. This golden roll, partially sliced through, was everything you would want in a bun.

Popular on the East Coast, Martin’s Potato Rolls are distinctly sweet and buttery. Its texture was soft, light, and fluffy yet held up to the meat, cheese, toppings, and juices.

Cheese Fries

Accompanying my ShackBurger was an order of the Cheese Fries ($4.15). On top of the crinkle-cut fries was a house-made cheese sauce blend of cheddar and American cheese.

At first glance, the cheese sauce blend reminded me of nacho cheese sauce found at any movie theater. But this sauce tasted much better.

The vicious sauce, which thickened as it cooled, was rich and salty and featured that processed cheese taste I have come to enjoy.

While these crinkle-cut fries were basic and not fresh-cut, I found each fry to be crispy on the outside and tender and moist on the inside. It was a pleasant surprise, as I was expecting the fries covered in sauce to be soggy.

While nothing special, I enjoyed these fries and felt they complemented the ShackBurger. These fries are either love them or hate them. So, try them out for yourself and decide which side you are on.

Service

With its central location on the Las Vegas Strip, this Shake Shack handles thousands of guests every day.

Even with all those people, the employees managed to greet me with the same friendly service I have come to expect at any Shake Shack location in the world.

They run a tight operation and are well-trained to handle as many people as they do daily.

Better yet, the service was efficient and quick, and my food took only a few minutes to prepare and be ready.

Conclusion

Many argue about who has the better burger, Shake Shack or In-N-Out Burger. They. are both great in their own ways, and I would never choose one over the other.

With that said, while more expensive than your average fast food burger, Shake Shack makes one great burger. The combination of fresh ground beef, sweet golden potato roll, oozing American cheese, fresh vegetables, and ShackSauce was special.