Shake-Shack

Address:
Kita Aoyama 2-1-15, Minato-ku Tokyo 107-0061
 

 

An east coast staple burger joint comes to Tokyo and it is welcomed in full force. With humble beginnings, Shake Shack first started as a hot dog cart at New York Madison Square garden in 2001 and has since become one of New York’s staple burger joints with never ending lines to prove it. When they finally opened their first Asian joint in Tokyo November 2015, things weren’t all that different. Three months into their opening, the queue continues to snake on till forever as you can see in the picture below.

This Japanese outlet tries to stay true to Shake Shack’s design combining wood and steel to create a modern yet warm ambiance.

Out of curiosity, I decided to join all the other queuers one evening and stood in line for 30 minutes until I saw this sign which means “20 meters to go” until I can order at the counter. I am really going through a lot of effort for a burger.

Finally, after 45 minutes, I reached the counter and was so ready to try mainly everything and so I did order almost everything on the menu!

I ordered the ShackBurger® (bottom right), their signature burger which I found to be very juicy. I also ordered Shack-cago Dog® (bottom middle) a 100% beef sausage hot dog which is quite difficult to find in Japan. The pickles were so fresh and I believe it was a perfect combination.

The vegetarian Shroom Burger was probably the bomb with melted cheese and mushrooms fried with flour. It was a fresh new taste for me.

I did not find their cheese fries to be anything too special.

For dessert I ordered the Shack Attack® which consisted of chocolate custard, fudge sauce, milk chocolate brownies from Dominique Ansel bakery, Valrhona chocolate chunks and chocolate sprinkles and mixed them together. Loved it!

I noticed some people ordered take away since the seats are quite limited compared to the people coming in. The seating area is divided into two areas, indoor and outdoor.

The outdoor looks like this with added heaters during winter.

More outdoor seating.

Overall it was a good meal but I doubt that I would go back and wait in line for 45 minutes. Maybe I’ll come back when the lines have diminished.