Despite a resurgence of COVID-19 worries in recent days, Shake Shack opened their doors for business in Sacramento. The famous hamburger chain is located in the trendy Ice Blocks on R Street. I visited on a beautiful afternoon and found that many of my fellow Sacramentans had the same idea as I did - to give this new place a try!
I have had Shake Shack once before on a recent visit to San Diego. I enjoyed the food I had then, but I was a bit rushed during that visit. Today I had the chance to savor the food and really give it a good evaluation.
Today I ordered their standard burger as well as the hotdog and fries. Getting a shake would have been a great idea as well, but I opted for their craft root beer as getting a shake and a hamburger and a hotdog and fries seemed to be a bit much.
I've got to say that the hamburger was much better than I remember. It's a very soft and easy to eat burger with the bun and meat just melting and melding together. There's also cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes to accent all the flavors, but the whole thing is bang on. It's not an overly large burger. It's a quarter pound burger that's cooked just right. The whole thing has a ton of flavor that I attribute that to their never frozen proprietary blend of meat. It's definitely one of the better burgers I've had and would happily come back here over and over get some.
The fries are of the crinkly variety. Something that I really appreciated was the fact that the fry box had ventilation so that the fries didn't get soggy. Soggy fries are the absolute worst so having that little bit of ingenuity was appreciated greatly. The fries had a nice crunch to them and did a decent job of filling me up. I wouldn't say these fries are crave-worthy. The burger is... but these fries are just a nice partner... definitely not a star.
My least favorite item of the day was the hot dog. The bun was good (soft like the burger buns), but the wiener lacked the plump juiciness that I like. It comes split in half and you get to put ketchup, mustard, and mayo in yourself if you like. The taste was rather one-note and it is an item that I will avoid getting on subsequent visits to Shake Shack.
Besides getting a shake next time, the mushroom burger looks like a real winner. I'm going to have to taste that on my next visit. Currently Shake Shack Sacramento is operating on a limited menu, but hopefully in time they will have everything that Shake Shack offers across the nation.
Service/Atmosphere -
The doors to Shake Shack are open, but there is no dining it. There is a table outside for you to line-up and get your order taken care of. I found that the employees at Shake Shack were efficient and friendly at their jobs, but it was hard to gauge the service due to the COVID-19 restrictions changing how things normally operate. I will say, however, that the restaurant looks gorgeous and modern - a place that would be a pleasure to frequent.
Price -
Burgers at Shake Shack go between six and eight dollars. It's a bit expensive - especially since the burgers are so easy to eat and seemingly disappear quickly from your hands once you begin eating. You are paying for the quality though - and these burgers warrant the slightly higher price. All of the bags and materials at Shake Shack are of nice quality as well, so you do feel like you're getting a premium experience from the restaurant.
Special Tips and Recommendations -
I suggest downloading the Shake Shack App for your phone and ordering ahead of time. Because of the long lines during peak hours, the App will get your order and and let you know via text when your food is ready. It's pretty much a must-have.
Bottom Line -
It's great that Sacramento finally has a Shake Shack to call their own. It's a restaurant that is worth a visit with burgers that are all their own. I'd certainly enjoy visiting the Shack anytime as it is really that good!
Service/Atmosphere -
The doors to Shake Shack are open, but there is no dining it. There is a table outside for you to line-up and get your order taken care of. I found that the employees at Shake Shack were efficient and friendly at their jobs, but it was hard to gauge the service due to the COVID-19 restrictions changing how things normally operate. I will say, however, that the restaurant looks gorgeous and modern - a place that would be a pleasure to frequent.
Price -
Burgers at Shake Shack go between six and eight dollars. It's a bit expensive - especially since the burgers are so easy to eat and seemingly disappear quickly from your hands once you begin eating. You are paying for the quality though - and these burgers warrant the slightly higher price. All of the bags and materials at Shake Shack are of nice quality as well, so you do feel like you're getting a premium experience from the restaurant.
Special Tips and Recommendations -
I suggest downloading the Shake Shack App for your phone and ordering ahead of time. Because of the long lines during peak hours, the App will get your order and and let you know via text when your food is ready. It's pretty much a must-have.
Bottom Line -
It's great that Sacramento finally has a Shake Shack to call their own. It's a restaurant that is worth a visit with burgers that are all their own. I'd certainly enjoy visiting the Shack anytime as it is really that good!
Letter Grade
A
Excellent burger construction.
Crinkly fries.
The hot dog.
Crinkly fries.
The hot dog.
