I was really excited upon finding out that Shake Shack has expanded into Cardiff because I've heard MANY good things about this place. For those of you who don't know, Shake Shack is a New York City INSTITUTION with long queues constantly. It was always on my foodie bucket list, but now I'm happy to cross it off thanks to this Cardiff expansion.
Obviously, I haven't tried to original location to compare, but this Shake Shack definitely is amazing in its own right!
~ Atmosphere:
It's a new build, so it's quite modern and clean. It's not fancy since it's a burger joint, but not grimy by any means.
~ Customer Service:
Not out of this world, but seeing as this is a new place the employees are very friendly when it comes to answering questions. I wasn't sure what "ShackSauce" was as described in their menu, but the cashier was happy to explain it to me (it's a tangy mayo btw). You order at the counter, get a buzzer that lights up when your order is ready, and pick it up. Our food was ready fairly quickly given that this place was quite packed when we arrived also.
~ Food:
Delicious! I ordered the Shackmeister (cheeseburger with crispy ale-marinated shallots and shacksauce) for £6.50 (you can double up on patties at £9.75) with a side of cheesy fries at £4.00.
Their chips were crinkle-cut, not my usual favourite style but made SO well here. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside as every perfect chip is. The burger was delicious too as the patty was incredibly juicy and I'm definitely a new fan of that shacksauce! 5 stars worthy food - seriously!
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I mention that the food is definitely worth 5 stars and it's true. The reason why I'm putting it at 4 stars is that I definitely think it's a bit overpriced (kinda the same issue as Five Guys - an American institution moving over to Cardiff and jacking up the prices). The portions are quite small for what you get so if you're absolutely starving, this place won't exactly stuff you - it's more likely to satiate. And for the prices you're paying, I'm hesitant to say whether it's 100% worth it. Maybe I'll come back every once in a while for a treat, but as a regular thing I'm not so sure.
Still, it's entirely up to you. The food is great but be prepared to open up your wallet for small portions. read more