Shake Shack is a burger joint that started in New York, known for their fries, burgers, and shakes. Shake Shack first started off as a small hot dog cart in the Madison Square Garden area, and it became very popular. In 2004, Shake Shack finally opened their own permanent booth. Shake Shack then expanded and finally reached Los Angeles in 2016, opening in West Hollywood. Since then, multiple other locations have been opened and they recently opened one in El Segundo.

I’ve actually been to Shake Shack before, in the winter of 2015 in Las Vegas. Back then, they had no locations in California. After that trip, I craved Shake Shack for so long, waiting for them to open one in Los Angeles. They finally opened one in the spring of 2016, but I didn’t go until they opened an even closer location in El Segundo. On November 5, Shake Shack – El Segundo held their grand opening. It was an exciting day for me, it’s been almost two years since I’ve had their burgers and shakes.

Shake Shack – El Segundo is part of a plaza being constructed called Apollo Landing. Along with Shake Shack about 4 other casual dining restaurants will be added. These other locations haven’t been opened yet, so Shake Shack has been getting all the glory. First let’s start off with the location. As I mentioned, the rest of the restaurants are still being constructed, but I noticed that the plaza itself is very small. The entire parking lot was full with only one place open, so I can’t even imagine what it will look like with all the restaurants open. There is also Valet Parking, I honestly have no idea how that works, but hopefully it will work out. Besides the plaza being small, everything was decorated modernly and it was pretty nice. As we pulled into the lot, another car was pulling out, and we quickly parked. As we left the car, we went to get in line. For opening day, the line wasn’t too bad. There were about 20 people in front of us and 10 behind us. It may seem like a lot, but it didn’t take long. Along the line, there was a worker passing out menus and answering questions anyone had. Having the menu before you get to the counter was very handy because it allowed you to order quickly since you already have an idea of what you wanted to eat.

As my mom ordered, I went around the restaurant looking for seats. There was a moderate amount of seating inside, with more seating outside in the patio. The decorations and ambiance of the place were welcoming and friendly. The lights had a yellowish tinge to them and weren’t shining too bright. There was an entire wall filled with plants, and among the seats are two games that you could play. One of the games was foosball, and the other was air hockey. The seating outside consisted of picnic tables and they did have heaters on. It’s definitely a family friendly area. Also, as you wait for your food, some workers come around asking you about your day and if you needed any water. Their service was really awesome.

After about a 10-15 minute wait, our food finally came out. We ordered their popular dishes, which were the ShackBurgers and Cheese Fries. Along with my meal, I also ordered a Salted Caramel Shake. As I finally got my burger, boy was I happy. I haven’t had their food in almost two years, and here it was in all of it’s warm, cheesy glory, waiting for me to eat it. I wasted no time in devouring it. I took a bite, and I felt myself transport back to the first time I ever tried it. It was a pretty heavenly experience. As a fry lover and self-titled french fry connoisseur, I would like to say that their cheese fries were amazing. I have no idea what was in their cheese, but the fact that it was warm and went so well with the fries was honestly out of this world. But sadly, this streak of pure joy has to end. I am a fan of their shakes and I remember them as thick, creamy, and delicious. The shake offered to me was the complete opposite. It was watery, and tasted nothing like Salted Caramel – it tasted exactly like vanilla. I knew that it was probably because the workers haven’t had much experience with making the shakes yet. It was pretty disappointing, but I hope to go back at a later time and have one again.

Now for those of you who don’t eat red meat (or meat in general) or aren’t a fan of burgers, don’t worry there are options for you! Shake Shack offers a vegetarian option with their ‘ShroomBurger, which is a portobello mushroom patty filled with the usual cheeseburger toppings. If you don’t like to eat red meat, they also offer a chicken option! This is called the Chick’n Shack, which is a crispy chicken patty topped with lettuce, pickles, and a herb mayo. If you aren’t a fan of burgers at all, then you’re also in luck! They offer hot dogs, and there are three different kinds. The full menu, which is found on their website will be linked below so that you can see what type of food you can order, and what the prices will be. Another thing to note about Shake Shack is that they are a little more expensive compared to In-N-Out, which is a similar chain that is more local to us. At In-N-Out, you can get an entire meal for about $6, where at Shake Shack, a burger is already $5.55, and if you want fries, that’s an extra $2.99. When my family and I went (we’re a family of 6), our bill totaled to be about $70, and that is kind of expensive for some burgers and fries.

Overall, out of 5 stars, Shake Shack has a 4. Once they improve their milkshakes, it will be a factor that will boost them up to a 5. Another factor I wish that they had was the option to have combinations. Everything is paid for separately, which can add up pretty quickly. A meal would cost about $10, and that consists of a ShackBurger, classic fries, and a fountain drink. But if you put the price aside, you get a quality meal. Of course, this is all based on my word and my experience. So, when you have the time, make sure that you go hit up Shake Shack, and I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

The following link will take you to the Shake Shack website, where you can access the full menu!

https://www.shakeshack.com/location/coming-soon-el-segundo-ca/

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Ashley Jimenez