Shake Shack Opens in Arbor Hills

A New York City smash makes a local landing

I haven’t been to Manhattan in years and had no plans to go in the near future, so I figured that it would be awhile before I got to eat at a Shake Shack. That all changed when Shake Shack— the iconic New York City burger and shake joint with a cult following— opened the doors to their new Ann Arbor location at 3030 Washtenaw Avenue in the Arbor Hills Shopping Center this past July.

The space itself is modern and airy, as well as eco-friendly with tables made from reclaimed bowling alleys. There is also an outdoor patio with ample seating. The patio is a great place to wait for your food— there is cornhole and a foosball table, as well as giant Shake Shack branded jenga sets on each table.

But the food is really what it’s all about.

Burgers

The burger this business was built on, and that people in Manhattan wait in hour-long snaking lines to sink their teeth into, is the Shackburger. 100 percent all-natural beef, topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce, the single patty Shackburger is delicious.

The Shack Stack, a hamburger patty capped with a huge fried Portobello mushroom, stuffed with cheese, and topped with lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce is an indulgent tower of scrumptiousness. If you can get your mouth around the whole thing to take a bite, you’re in for quite a delight.

Chick ‘N Shack

The Chick ‘N Shack was the biggest surprise. An all-natural, cage-free chicken breast fried and topped with lettuce, buttermilk herb mayo, and pickles, the skin is perfectly crispy, the chicken is thick and moist, the buttermilk herb mayo has a hint of dill, and the pickles pack a nice little crunch.

Hot Dog

Did you know that Shake Shack actually started as an unassuming hot dog cart in Madison Square Park in NYC? Shake Shack serves all natural Vienna franks, split down the middle and seared on the grill. Flavorful and juicy, they’re a great choice for a kid who just wants, well, a hot dog.

Fries

Shake Shack’s fries are crinkle cut, and the crispiness around all those edges makes for a nice bite. And, because everything is better smothered in melty cheese, the cheese fries are a winner. The cheese is a perfectly oozy blend of American and cheddar, and the crinkle cut fries really hold their crispness. Bacon cheese fries are also on the menu, and adding crispy, smoky bacon to the mix is a very, very good decision.

Shakes And Concretes

Thick and creamy, yet still drinkable,the shakes are next level! Vanilla, chocolate, salted caramel, black & white, strawberry, cookies and cream, and coffee are the menu mainstays. For a limited time, the black sesame shake is on the menu. Originally only served at two locations in Tokyo, you can try iy right now here in A2.

It’s nutty, creamy and sweet— almost peanut-buttery. Definitely worth a try.

Concretes are custards blended with mix-ins. You’ll find a custom menu featuring local ingredients. The Shack Attack is a dreamy blend of chocolate custard, fudge sauce, Zingerman’s Bakehouse Black Magic Brownie, and chocolate chunks. The Pie Oh My features vanilla custard blended with pieces of Zingerman’s Bakehouse seasonal pie. To sweeten the pot, 5% of sales from the Pie Oh My are donated to The ChadTough Foundation, a local nonprofit whose mission is to inspire and fund research for pediatric brain cancer treatment.

jenga

The Bottom Line

It’s easy to understand why Shake Shack has such a devoted following. What’s not to love? Deceptively simple dishes with quality ingredients working together in perfect harmony. Get caught up in the energy of people on the same gratification-seeking joyride as you!

Shake Shack
3030 Washtenaw Ave #107
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Sunday-Saturday 11am-10pm
734-412-4762 | shakeshack.com

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