Fast Casual

Cheeseburger with applewood smoked bacon, chopped cherry peppers, ShackSauce (£9.50 + £3.95 for fries)

The first of the ‘big’ chains to be reviewed, and usually one I enjoy. Unfortunately, they have managed to let me down.

My partner had planned for us to go Ice Skating in Canary Wharf for date night, something I hadn’t done in ages and I was looking forward to it. But being me, my only concern was where will we be getting dinner. We chose Shake Shack, simply due to its proximity to the rink.

Being Shake Shack, I had very high hopes. They are my go-to when it comes to decent fast food.

Toppings 3/5

I had very high hopes, applewood smoked bacon is one of my favourite toppings on any beef burger, unfortunately, they had overcooked it and it tasted more like hot cardboard than bacon. There was a generous enough helping of sauce to ever so slightly soften the bacon making it tolerable to eat. Other than the bacon the sauce, peppers and cheese were a delight to eat.

Patty 2/5

As mentioned in my Mr T review, I would normally pick a chicken burger where possible, but now and then I like to shake things up. Having gone for a beef patty at a fast-casual diner I am used to getting overcooked beef that is only edible due to the thinness of the patty, somehow Shake Shack managed to go the other direction by undercooking the patty. The very middle was still cold and I only didn’t complain due to the time constraint of the upcoming ice skating. The cooked parts of the patty were delicious and juicy, but I cannot pick and choose what to rate these burgers on.

Bun 5/5

The standard potato bun on all Shake Shack burgers is always a solid choice. They are very good at holding their integrity and don’t fall apart in your hands or get too soggy with sauce.

Fries 5/5

Even with the steep price of £3.95 for their infamous crinkle-cut fries, I cannot find fault with them. If you have ever had their fries you will know what I mean. If you haven’t I would highly recommend a visit just to try them.

Buttermilk fried chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, bacon, lettuce, mayo, and hot pepper sauce on a brioche bun. (£11.50 + £3.50 for fries)

Being the first burger I have reviewed on this website it pains me to give it a low rating, but unfortunately, it didn’t meet my expectations.

Having gone to Swingers Crazy Golf near Liverpool Street for a work function we were promised food. There was a decent selection of burger options, but I had to go for my favourite kind, the old reliable, a buttermilk fried chicken burger. The wait was about 15 minutes which I was impressed with given the number of people ordering.

Being a fast-casual diner in a crazy golf establishment I didn’t have the highest of hopes, but I was expecting a semi-decent burger nonetheless.

Toppings 4/5

There was a generous helping of the toppings, the cheese was amazing and the bacon was the perfect crispiness. Unfortunately, the hot sauce was hotter than expected. I am usually able to handle hot sauce, but I found myself reaching across for my drink to try to help with the burn.

Patty 1/5

I will always pick a buttermilk fried chicken patty wherever possible. I tend to find the majority are good, with very few being exceptional and very occasionally I come across one that disappoints me. This was one for the latter category. The bread crumbs were soggy and there was only a very thin layer. It was cooked to a perfect level but I struggle to see how it was fried, it reminded me more of a home-cooked breadcrumbed chicken.

Bun 5/5

It was a brioche bun, need I say more?

Fries 2/5

The fries were not included in the price of the burger, no one likes paying extra for fries. I forked out the extra £3.50 and hoped it would be worth it. It wasn’t. They had hardly any salt on them and similarly to the patty they were a bit soggy and didn’t taste like they had been cooked in a deep frier. They also came with homemade tomato sauce (always a risky choice) which was lacking in flavour.

Shake Shack – SmokeShack (3.5/5)

Swingers Crazy Golf – Mr T (2.5/5)