The Early Word on Texas’s First Shake Shack

Shake Shack, Danny Meyer’s beloved burger franchise, finally opened its first Texas location in Austin in May, much to the pleasure of fanatics. There are ShakeBurgers, including the Austin-only Lockhart Link, fries, custards, and more. Read on for the early word.

The food — Yelpers have mixed takes on those famed burgers. For some, the move from the East Coast didn’t hurt the taste at all. Yelper Bao N. said, "The quality is just as I had remembered it from the location in NYC." The Double Smoke Shack did the trick for Yelper Genefe D., who described it as having "a nice balance of flavors, moist meat, and a kick." On the other hand, others didn’t think the food was worth all the hype. Yelper David K. compared the fries to Dairy Queen, and said the burgers "belong in a fast food joint too."

The price — While Chowhounder slowcooked enjoyed the meal, the price is just a bit too high: "It's a couple to few bucks overpriced for this daily eat-outer to do very often." For Yelper Scott L., the "pricing is outrageous. Paid close to $14 for burger, fries and small soda. P. Terry’s is better at half the price."

The line — Then there’s the famous line. Although it’s not as bad as New York’s lines, there is usually a wait. Linh N. explained, there’s "too much good food in Austin that is worth waiting in line for... and this isn't it." Yelper Ben S. didn’t think the line structure works. He said, "It was ad-hoc. We saw people claiming a table while their friends waited in line, or grabbing a table outside and upgrading to a better one when one became available." He added that Hopdoddy's system was better because customers are assigned tables.

The space — The emphasis on greenery adds a nice touch to the atmosphere. Jonathan L. said, "The succulent/moss wall is impressive." Yelper Mindy T. worded it as being "so cuuute [sic]." Construction on South Lamar doesn’t make eating outside that pleasant, said Yelper Stella H., who explained, "Think jack-hammers hitting the street repeatedly while you eat."

The parking — Shake Shack’s Lamar Union complex is a busy one: it’s also home to Alamo Drafthouse, Vox Table, Cantine, and Caffe Medici, not to mention all the residents. Because of that, "parking in the garage out back was frenetic," as described Chowhounder slowcooked. Yelper Raja S. seconded that, "Parking is a nightmare in this busy complex. I'm not sure it is worth the hassle."