Ok, ice cream and service: good! Food: bad. My hot dog was a crunchy charcoal briquette. Onion rings were ok, though. Glad I don't live here because I wouldn't eat here again. Hey, maybe they were having a bad night. read more

Shake Pit - Mmmm...crunchy. Yeah, not my fave experience. - Burgers Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

I've been remiss. I have lived her for a bit more than 10 years and I never have been to the shake pit. But on a grey and cold saturday with nothing better to do but hungry for a burger I ventured to the Shake pit. There is a little 8 seat indoor area and a walk up window. all The seats were full and two people waiting, so I went with the take out window even though it was maybe 45 degrees out. Just got a cheese burger and fries, pretty cheap, under $7 and didn't wait too long. Although the cold made it seem that way. I run off to my car to have lunch and it was wonderful. I don't know if it was my state of mind, the cold outside, or the wackiness of eating in my car but I loved this cheese burger, nice fresh bun, slightly toasted (on the flat top?), cheese melting nicely, and a juicy burger cooked just right. The only thing that would have made this perfect is they need a bit more salt/pepper on the burger but otherwise I loved it. I may even say it is a bit better than the hob nob. Mainly because the bun was nicer than hob nob's. Fries were good, but nothing outrageous. fairly crispy, crinkle cut. I did not try the shakes (it was freaking 40 degrees out!), but I'll be back. I'm just crying that I didn't try this local institution earlier. read more

Everyone loves the Shake Pit. It is very difficult to just drive by on Manatee Avenue and not stop here whenever you see it, and if they are open. I love their dipped soft serve cones, covered in chewey wax topping. Their malts are also excellent. My Mother-in-law always loved the Pinapple Malt from here. My husband went on and on about how great their burgers are, but I had one and it was nothing that special. The food counter gets really crowded during lunchtime, so you may have to sit on the benches in the heat. read more

BRING CASH!!!!!! This is a landmark in Bradenton and for good reason. They have an amazing selection of shakes, malts, ice cream, etc. Their milkshakes can't be eaten with a straw and are to die for. This is a very popular place so come with some patience as all orders are made fresh. You are missing out on some killer desserts if you don't come to Shake Pit! read more

When I lived in Bradenton in the 80's, after highschool we would go to the Shake Pit for a cheese burger & a shake, we were there today & the cheese burger & shake were fantastic just like back in the day! Great job Shake Pit! read more

So, the place is cute and almost always packed. You'd assume the food is really good but it's really not it's just ok. It is what it is. The wait staff pretty great! The star is the milkshake and anything involving ice cream. If you want atmosphere this is your place, if you want a good juicy burger go somewhere else. read more

Warning: CASH ONLY Great local place to grab a bite before or after a day at the beach! Delicious shakes and burgers!!! Oooo and I loved the onion rings too! Love the walk up indoor/outdoor seating and window ordering. Classic old fashioned burger joint style. I recommend this place for sure! read more

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Ordered ice cream. My daughter's Oreo ice cream was good, but my mint chocolate chip was mealy and inedible. Like it had thawed and been refrozen. read more

Staple to the community. The heart of Bradenton. If you want a cute nostalgic feeling of a diner GO TO SHAKE PIT it's the best place to get burgers, shakes, and everything else they make. The staff is amazing and the letter board outside is so heartwarming. read more

CASH Only ! The Shake Pit is 4+ stars. The food (the things I have had so far) is outstanding. GREAT burgers, Great shakes, Great ice cream. The burgers are thick and juicy, the shakes are super thick with lots of flavor and the ice cream is creamy. Need I say more ? ? The reason for it not being 5 stars ? A few minor issues. Being cash only in 2015 is flat out weird. The prices are somewhat on the High side so it can't be that they can't afford to eat the 3% credit card fees. They don't do a good job of listing all of the many things they offer (I just learned of a bunch of stuff from the other reviews). I guess I need to go inside to find out. I have to believe (as a business owner myself) that they are losing sales and profits by not accepting credit cards. Several times I have passed by and thought about getting something but realized I didn't have much cash and I don't want to go find an ATM just for the benefit of eating at this establishment. Having said that, it really is a nice "old fashioned" kind of burger, shake, ice cream joint. It reminds me of the roadside stops from my youth. The front window display of food offerings looks like it hasn't changed (other than the prices) in 20 years. While it is nostalgic, it too is costing them sales. If I knew all the things they offered, I might buy more or go there more often. Just my 2 cents. Also, please note, I believe they are closed on Wednesdays (I have no problem with this). It is a nice break for their employees. read more

One of our must stops when we are in Bradenton/Anna Maria. This burger is legit!! My daughter drives almost an hour from our Sarasota house just to have a Shake Pit burger! read more

This place deserves 10 stars in my opinion. We got shakes, burgers, and cheese fries. Oh my god AMAZING. You have to try their milkshakes. They are so creamy and thick! Burgers taste so fresh, juicy, and home cooked. The buns were toasted to perfection. Fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Overall loved it. Outdoor seating, wonderful people, had a great time. Thank you Shake Pit!!!! read more

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The shakes in this place are really good but the hamburgers and stuff like that are really really bad when I tried them for the first time it was really bad I don't recommend this if you want to eat read more

Cute place. Great shake. Great fries. Burger had ZERO seasoning and I didn't get past 2 bites. I ate the bread and threw the rest away.

Chocolate malt was thick and tasted great. My wife loved her ice cream as well. As others have said, it is cash only so be aware.

cash only Shakes were great Burgers actually sorta suck It's really a Shake Place..order that read more

Let me preface this by saying that it would be 5 stars if reviews were only about the food. My family got two small soft serve ice creams, one small sundae, and a chocolate milkshake. The ice cream is fantastic. It's homemade, smooth, and not too filling. The size portions are huge so unless you're sharing or have a huge appetite don't bother going larger than a medium! On to the negatives. When paying, one of my family members pulled out a card to which they were met with the response of "oh it's cash only." Well that's perfectly fine, but the issue is that it doesn't say it anywhere. I actually looked around for a sign stating that's what it was but I couldn't find one. The worst part was that when they went back to the car to get their cash the employees closed the two windows from which they serve and proceeded to laugh and give the not-so-friendly looks to my family members at the car. Granted, they're probably teenagers or early 20's, but that doesn't mean you have to act like we did something wrong. I could be overreacting here, but when you're dealing with other's food you have to be mindful of your body language at all times. Overall, I'd come back here for their ice cream but I wouldn't say it's the best around when taking in your surroundings. read more

Shake Pit - Small soft serve ice cream in a cup - Burgers Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

We had late night ice cream for my daughters birthday. She enjoyed it, it was decent jus not outstanding. read more

Shake Pit - Menu - Burgers Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

We read the reviews on this place and thought we were gonna be able to eat here today. Given the fact they have an outdoor seating area we figured we'd be able to bring our dog. Apparently they have a "no pets allowed police" which is no big deal. Except for the fact they let us place a large order and then they decided to tell us. There is no signage anywhere to let you know that. Honestly, just bad customer service. read more

Every single time they never disappoint! My husband and I stop by after mornings on the beach and get a handmade shake. Oh my goodness, they are all so good. We still have more to try but they are very good so far. I also got a corn dog, hot dog a couple of times - they were good. Worth the stop and plan to try other food items also. read more

My kids love this place. Great selection of shakes and their favorite burgers. Great quick stop. Cash only.

I've been going to Shake Pit forever, it's a Bradenton keepsake especially on parade nights

This might be the best chocolate shake I've ever had in my life. They use creamy vanilla ice cream and Hershey's chocolate syrup. And oh my wow. It comes to you with a spoon which I didn't think I would need but I did. It was so smooth and creamy and thick with a rich chocolate flavor. When in Bradenton this place is a must. A must must. They have two options. Sit outside in a covered area or inside in a small space at the counter where they can be seen cooking your food. Oh and at some point we realized they only accept cash. So be prepared. Prices are reasonable. We shared a cheeseburger and large fries which were both delicious. The best part of our experience was the shake. My friend had a malt that was to die for as well. I'd never had a malt before but she let me taste it and it was delicious. Creamy. Smooth. Thick and rich. We dipped out fries in our respective cups for a delicious combination of sweet and salty. My friend remembers coming here when she was in high school so this place has a ton of memories for her. And I can see why they've stayed in business as long as they have. They are doing something right. Just remember. Take cash. Dont attempt to use your cell phone inside. Get a chocolate shake and fries. read more

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This little throwback to the 60's is a great place to enjoy a hamburger and shake in the ambiance of an old drive-in style fast food place. Being from Western PA, it reminded me of Sara's on the entrance to Presque Isle in Erie. Good old-fashion food served through a window with a screen to keep the bugs out and a serving ledge. Picnic tables protected from the elements by a tent and a small counter inside are the on-site seating offerings. Some memorabilia to look at while you're waiting for your cooked to order food to be served. Enjoy a slice of what us older folks remember as "fast food" and a social Mecca before McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken & Burger King changed the world.. read more

Love love love this place!! It's like stepping back in time, I dread the couple weeks they close every year! So good!

Great place for a really tasty meal that is totally unhealthy! The burgers and fries are classic. They are of​ good quality. It reminds me of Five Guys or CA's Shake Shack. You can also get a Spooner, which is like a dairy queen blizzard or wendy's frosty but with wayyyyyy better. If you just come by for a Spooner, then you will certainly enjoy yourself. You can sit inside at the counter, like a diner, or outside. Inside the diner is a little dirty and dusty but this place is a nostalgic​ staple that will thrive for many years to come. read more

Food is straight ass. Had the shits for a week and now my ass is all loose, thanks a lot shake pit

Does not understand or care about food allergies. Unfortunately, after years of frequenting The Shake Pit, we will no longer be giving them our business. They have a rule of no outside food on the patio, with no exceptions. Even in the case of life-threatening food allergies. We brought in McD's for one child in our party of 5. My nephew is severely allergic to dairy and we know the ingredients of their burgers and fries are dairy free. However, when we arrived at Shake Pit we were told by the owner that we could not have outside food on the property. I said I'd be happy to purchase food for him there if she could tell me what on the menu is dairy free and has not been fried in the same oil as the mozzarella sticks. I also asked to see the ingredients of their hot dog buns, which she could not provide because they come from a bakery. She confirmed that even their hot dogs touch dairy bc they use the same griddle and fryer for all their foods. So there is NOTHING there that he could order and be safe. After that admission, she still did not make an exception for my nephew because, "if I make this exception, then everyone will be coming in with their picnic baskets from the beach". We even offered to show her his epipen to prove this was serious. She was more concerned about the scene we were making in front of the few customers that were there (even though her reason for not letting him eat there was limited seating) than about helping us figure out how to enjoy a family night out together. It's really sad. I know they've been in business for over 50 years, but food allergies are a recent epidemic and these places need to change with the times. We desperately want to support local business, but it seems the chains are much more accommodating when it comes to special needs. read more

I don't know about their shakes and burgers (although we noticed that there are no vegetarian or lactose free options) but we are sure that the coffee we ordered was among the worst we have ever had. And that while we have had coffee in the former German Democratic Republic (aka East Germany). read more

5 stars all day because this place sells delicious ice cream treats and has a real hometown feel to it. I had the chocolate covered cherry 'Spooner' and wow! It was delicious. I ordered a medium and thank goodness I didn't get a large as I would have devoured the whole thing. Tiny bits of chocolate shavings with maraschino cherries and that sugary red cherry flavoring you loved as a kid! Seriously, delicious. If we lived closer to this place I'd be 400 lbs, Great/Fast service even on a busy Saturday afternoon and a decent amount of outdoor (covered) seating. Try this place out if you like that old-school ice cream experience. read more

Shake Pit - Chocolate covered cherry 'Spooner'- delicious ! - Burgers Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

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One good funny thing is I do not live close to this burger restaurant otherwise I would gain 200 pounds a year because of the shake. Their shake was pretty good and I like the sweetness and everything in it. On top of that the cashier on the day I went there was very nice. How could you skip the burger restaurant that has been in that spot and never moved for tens years? This is that one and the only one on that street that you will see the customers from junior up to senior citizen. Because they have ate there since they were in the school nearby I would guess. read more

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If you are looking for the perfect malt around Tampa Bay, you should stop here. I've also tried the hamburgers and they are really good. Maybe missing a bit of salt and pepper. read more

Shake Pit - Burgers Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

We love Shake Pit, and it is our staple for post beach icecream or shakes. I always get the soft serve (about 3 bucks or so), because it is so creamy and plentiful. Prices are a little high for dive food, but worth it. Cash only. read more

Food was pretty good. Ice cream is always really yummy! But the person at the order window was so rude. I don't understand why people in customer service positions think it is perfectly ok to treat customers with a rude and nasty tone. It was like she definitely didn't want to be there. I understand people have bad days but I see other comments on here about rude customer service so I'm guessing it's just the way they are there. Rather go to sweet berries with a very friendly staff. Lived here all my life and wish I could give a good review but customer service is everything for a small business. Hope they read this and decide to help their staff become more friendly. read more

This place is great. Great food and great service. You can go inside to eat but you are sitting at the counter. There are picnic tables for outside seating. Cash only but very good place. Their ice cream cones and huge too. Would recommend this place and will be back when in town. read more

I am writing this review not from a current trip but from years and years of visiting Shake Pit every Christmas while visiting Grandparents. I have not been to Shake Pit in over 7 years but I can say with zero doubt that it has the best banana splits I have ever had. Oh and their banana shakes are amazing, cherry shakes are amazing. Gosh, I love this place. BRB, going to find a flight from SLC to Florida. I need a banana split. read more

Got a bacon burger and crinkle fries. The burger was delicious can't even pin point what made it so good. I got a twist soft serve with peanut butter sauce OMG!!!! That peanut butter sauce was heavenly!!! This place might not look like much from the outside but it is definitely worth the stop. Food was priced reasonably priced. read more

Get the chocolate covered cherry spooner. Its amazing! Small should be plenty. Wait time sucks but very good.

I have been coming here for years. The hamburgers are great and milkshakes are the best. Reminds me of the '60s in small-town America. Anything on the menu is always good. Try it you will like it.....!!!! read more

CASH ONLY! I think that's Shake Pit's only downside for me, as I never have cash. Shakes are amazing, my favorite is the chocolate banana. They are pretty pricey but the ice cream is worth it. read more

Shake Pit - Ice cream at Shake Pit in Bradenton - Burgers Near Me - Bradenton, Florida