Shake Shack Ballston

We stopped by the Shake Shack in Arlington, VA (Ballston area) on our way back home to North Carolina, and wow—what a pleasant surprise! We’ve had Shake Shack burgers before at other locations, but this one stood out as by far one of the best we’ve ever had. I don’t know if the meat source in Virginia is just better or what, but the burger quality was top-notch—juicy, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. The atmosphere was lively yet welcoming, and the staff were super friendly and accommodating, which made the whole experience even better. We couldn’t stop talking about how good everything tasted, and honestly, if we lived nearby, we’d be regulars for sure. Highly recommend this location if you're ever in the area!

Great location! Great food! And very polite staff! You can find plenty of self ordering monitors touch screen and plenty of power outlets in site! Free refill soda fountain and the view is great! In the heart of Ballston metro area! Thank you guys! Btw the shroom burger is delish!

Came here with a group. Due to event I got a free shake. I got the SmokeShack burger I believe — with bacon — and Strawberry specialty shake, maybe Strawberry Cupcake or similar. Shake was good and hit the spot on hot summer day with 90 degree weather. I was sweating bullets, so shake was good. Burger was too small portions. For the price I paid. I was expecting bigger, but despite that it filled me up. I suspect it was the inherent presence of meat — beef and bacon — as well as the fatty content. But even despite that, the portion sizes were on the smaller side. Bread, not enough. Same with meat lettuce tomato and everything else. Overall, good food and free shake was amazing and hit the spot. The portion sizes were on the smaller side, but otherwise good experience here at the Ballston Shake Shack.

Update: Shakes have been less than ideal lately. They have been way too thin and I could tell it wasn’t mixed enough by the lump of vanilla custard and bits of ice. They also filled the cup less they used too. This place is the real deal. Delicious food, quick service, friendly service. Tom and Eric were especially friendly. It doesn’t get any better. Look forward to coming back.

The vegetarian shroom burger 🍔 is a good option, not too bad for vegetarians. The ruffle fries are delicious, must try. 🌱

We had a lovely experience tonight with Ari and Leslie. We had a large group and they really took care of us and meet us feel welcomed. They also had great recommendations for new things that we should try. We will definitely be back to the shake shack.

They have a wonderful outdoor seating area that has string lights glowing above it at night. You can get your own refills at the soft drink machine. The orders are ready in an acceptable time.

Fast service and delicious food. Also, it was nice and clean inside and Ari was great!

I'm a DoorDash customer that gets the same thing over and over, a cheeseburger and regular fries. Even though I only eat well done burgers, they're never dry. That's a feat to achieve. They do fries right. It's all good. if I had a wish list to make it better I would say please put more ketchup in the bag and stay open an hour later during the work week. They are right on Wilson and parking is really tough all the tine. That's why I only do DoorDash even though they're pretty close. Best options are Metro to Ballston and or walking.

Got take out and food was great! They made our orders really quickly which was so appreciated. Really amazing burgers, tasting clean and with fresh ingredients. Portion sizes are perfect. Only downside is that there's no parking nearby this restaurant so takeout can be kinda a pain. If you're walking, you're fine. But otherwise, takeout kinda sucks if you have to park in the Ballston Quarter garage.

Came here with a group. Due to event I got a free shake. I got the SmokeShack burger I believe -- with bacon -- and Strawberry specialty shake, maybe Strawberry Cupcake or similar. Shake was good and hit the spot on hot summer day with 90 degree weather. I was sweating bullets, so shake was good. Burger was too small portions. For the price I paid. I was expecting bigger, but despite that it filled me up. I suspect it was the inherent presence of meat -- beef and bacon -- as well as the fatty content. But even despite that, the portion sizes were on the smaller side. Bread, not enough. Same with meat lettuce tomato and everything else. Overall, good food and free shake was amazing and hit the spot. The portion sizes were on the smaller side, but otherwise good experience here at the Ballston Shake Shack.

Okay, the hamburgers are good but the just dump out the burger and I guess there's a limit of 2 pickles per order along with a shortage of lettuce. Can't tell if the Avacado is scrimping the amount or not. I say it's a 2.5 star day at this SS, lower than what I see in the airport.

Came in at lunch hour Monday, and the service was dead. Having never been, I didn't know what to expect, but did the walk up kiosk and ordered a veggie burger, fries and shake. Add a reasonable tip, wait... $24? A waitress brought my tray to my booth/table (which was way too small! Ow, my knees!) Overall, basic burger shop ambiance. No real interaction with anyone. ‍ Anyway- This better be an amazing burger... well, it was "ok." (Someone took it off the grill too soon.) Crinkle fries were good, but good in terms of standard frozen, cooked fries. Got the vegan almond milk chocolate shake. Good, but not amazing either. Better than an Impossible or Beyond burger, no. Also not much better than other chain burger joints. Bit yes, some better. Not much cleaner either. So, basically, high priced but just barely better than an average burger joint. If you're desperate, or someone else is paying- sure, I'd go back. Otherwise I kinda doubt I'll be going back. Can't recommend it. Sorry.

Service was great. Crew was friendly. The burger was fantastic, other than being greasy. Too bad it was a limited time menu item. The chicken sandwich was below disappointing. I didn't realize it was just one dry chicken strip inside the burger bun. Half the sandwich felt empty after you ate the one chicken strip.

I've lived in Ballston for over two years and have walked by Shake Shack at least 500 times but have yet to stop by until recently. A few friends wanted to grab Shake Shack for dinner last Tuesday and I couldn't say no. I liked the touch screen ordering system here and the ability to customize my order. I wanted a keto friendly option, so I ended up getting a lettuce-wrap (removing the bun) version of the SHACKBURGER. Except... when it came out, it wasn't a lettuce-wrap. It was just two large pieces of lettuce that acted like a bun. And because it's thin and not sponge-like, it absorbed none of the liquids from the patty or tomatoes or melted cheese -- very messy eating. Everything just fell apart and dripped everywhere. Still, it tasted good, but I would not recommend this if it's not actually wrapped properly. My friend and I shared the CRINKLE CUT FRIES which were pretty stale and more potatoey than we'd like. It also wasn't seasoned very well, but at least the ketchup was able to save it. I could have lived without them. Overall, the Shake Shack experience here was just OK for me.

This was my first Shake Shake experience and I must say that it was a pleasant one! As soon as I walked in I was greeted with a smile and handed the order I placed through the app. I ordered a single Shack Burger, fries and their tiramisu shake. The tiramisu shake was good although it mostly just tasted like a vanilla shake with a ladyfinger cookie. Maybe mine was missing something. The description mentions notes of coffee and creamy mascarpone but I undetected neither. The fries were hot crinkle cut fries that I enjoyed and the shack burger looked great but fell short with me as far as taste goes. I added pickles and onion but something was still missing for me and it wasn't hot despite my picking it up promptly after ordering. Given their price point, I'm not sure if I'll get another burger but I will be back for fries and shakes. Maybe I'll try another menu item like one of their Shroom Burgers that look pretty good on their website.

Tiramisu shake is pricey but tasty! Fries slapped too with the sauce. Clean and staff are nice and have witty things to say. Cool place.

Here's why I have to give Shake Shack some love: their touch screen ordering system is super. I was craving a snack recently and popped in at an off time. The ordering screens are right by the entrance. It was easy to navigate the menu and pay. Plus they ask for a phone number to text when your food is ready--no awkwardly hovering by the counter in a gaggle of people, trying to hear if you get called. The food at Shake Shack is good. Not the best burger or hot dog I've had in my life, but my recent cheeseburger hit the spot when I was hungry. I also got a delicious lemonade. The quality has been consistent on every visit. It's definitely on my list of options when I want something fast and indulgent.

some worker named Ari promised us a free drink if we gave a good review and proceeded to give us nothing for a good review. it was a bald lie by a condemnable staff member

I'm no longer a fan.. I understand that you close at 930, it's 9pm.. you blatantly lied to me telling me your GRILL was broken and there are NO Burgers.. while I was watching them clean that grill..

I ordered delivery in Uber Eats from here. Shocking - the items were completely open in a cardboard tray, inside an unsealed paper bag. Cold and unsanitary. Ridiculous

Great shakes and burgers. Prices are fair. Ordering process is easy if you are okay with ordering on a screen away from the counter. Works for me, but I know some people are not okay with this. You may be able to order out the counter, I have just never tried.

If you are from the west coast and missing IN n OUT Burger, you will definitely get your fix here. I took one bite from their burger and it took me back in time. The fries are crinkle and not shoelace , but it was full of crispy goodness. And their shake was very comparable to IN n OUT. I will be back when I need my IN n OUT fix.

Shake Shack is my favorite fast food burger spot. Quality varies from location to location, but usually always hits the spot compared to Five Guys etc. The way the cheese melts into the hamburger patty makes every single bite absolutely heavenly. When I feel like spending money, I go for the Shack Stack (shack burger combined with the shroom burger) and it is a GAME CHANGER! The quality shows and that is why it is a bit more expensive than the other fast food burger joints. Oh and don't even get me started on the Shake Shack vs In n Out war in California. In n Out = overrated. Team Shake Shack for life!

Came here on April 9, 2021, but forgot to leave a review. Anyway, this is a very nice place to grab chicken bites; a burger; a shake; a beer; and more! Only downside is that some of the foods are overpriced in my opinion and I think the craft beer selection could be better. Otherwise, all else was good and all the staff working there that day were phenomenal!

Sometimes you just need a burger, ya know? This place has never steered me wrong. The service is good, I've never had them mess up an order, and never had to wait around for my order. The burgers are quite tasty, but the crinkle cut fries. They are ALWAYS hot and crispy and perfectly salted.

Crispy fries, not too sweet drinks, warm food, quick service, laid back chill ambiance, affordable prices, just like fast casual food should be.

The Shake Shack location in Ballston is across the street from the bustling Ballston Quarter. They have ample seating inside and out with numerous kiosks for you to self check out. I personally like the kiosks because the menu is interactive and allows you to view the food items first. This was my first time at this location so I went with a variety of food and drinks: crinkle fries, avocado bacon chicken, straw rhubarb shake, and strawberry salted limeade. Crinkle Fries: these fries were a lot better than the ones they had two years ago. Long gone are the soggy, stale fries. Avocado Bacon Chicken: this sandwich was so good. Probably my top 3 fried chicken sandwiches. The brioche was nice and fluffy with a generous amount of bacon. Strawberry Rhubarb Shake: I was really interested in how this was going to taste and it reminded me of the strawberry shortcake ice cream bars that I had as a kid. It was good but I probably wouldn't order it again. Strawberry Salted Limeade: THIS WAS SO GOOD. I would probably visit shake shack again JUST to order this drink alone. The duality of sweet and savory caused me to happily sip down my refreshing drink. Overall: Shack Shake is a successful chain for a reason, and this location did not disappoint. There is a small wait but it's worth it!

This shake shack location is bit "tech savvy" compare to the other location. As you enter to the right facing the store front, you'll come across 6 self ordering stations. It's well organized by food categories. Cash payment is taken through the (single) cashier up front. My bf and I ordered 2 burgers, a tiramisu shack and crinkled fries. Our wait was about 10 min and there were 4 groups ahead. Not bad. The burgers were good but not my fave. I still enjoy the tysons location although the original ny location won my heart. Haha! The fries were crispy and not greasy. Personally, I enjoyed tiramisu shake. I love the crunchy topping and the smooth thickness. It was not overly sweet. The bathroom has a lockpad on the outside. Entering the bathroom you have a toilet, sink, and a Dyson hand dryer. There is no bolt lock on the inside of the bathroom to give you the security that the door is fully lock. You'll see a lock button symbol but unfortunately, it just lights up. An individual can still open the door from the opposite side by typing the access code on the bathroom door lockpad. It was uncomfortable. As for the ambiance, the windows and spotlights shining on the wood gives it a hip contemporary invitation. It gets busy in the evening, so seats fill up fast. After 30min it frees up. I recommend taking your meal across the street and enjoy it at ballston quarters hip plaza. Shake shack is popular amongst the families in this area and great for quick lunch. Welcome to Ballston SS!

The photos speak for themselves, they served me raw meat. And then when I tried to contact the store, they don't answer their phone. Avoid the Ballston Shake Shack. More details: During the COVID19 lockdown, I decided to treat myself by getting Shake Shack. A double burger, fries and lemonade were $17. After eating nearly half the burger, I thought it tasted weird, but figured that was the sauce. I finally looked and realized it was not cooked - at all. I tried to call the store -three times- but they never answered the phone. I also e-mailed and tried their social. I got a form reply via e-mail and no reply on social. This store used to be a favorite. Most of the staff are quite friendly and the food is usually good, albeit pricey. But now I need to worry about getting sick because they lack quality and temp. control on the food line. There are so many places to eat in Ballston, I'll go to one that actually cooks their food and has good customer service.

Tom from shake shake was great! Best experience I've ever had at a Shake Shack before great guy.

Great burgers and good workers :-)) I got the Shack original burger and fries, the food was hot and fresh. The cashier was a nice young man. Good experience overall

Got the white truffle burger. A new promo item. Burger meat was good but felt the truffle was actually bit too overpowering in each bite. Nice sweet crispy onions with legit crunch to them added nicely to the variety of textures to each bite. Wasn't too greasy which was concerned about. But overall was too rich still- missed the traditional toppings like tomato and lettuce which could have cut down on the truffle overload. 6.5/10. Would take a double double animal style over this easily.

Best service in Arlington! Food quality was great! Hot and fresh! Will be back soon!

Definitely hit the cheeseburger and fried chicken sandwich craving! Chocolate malt shakes were tasty, cheese fries were good, and the fried chicken sandwich might be better than chick fila!

The Shack Stack was perfect. It has a beef patty and a mushroom patty. The mushroom patty also has cheese and is crispy on the outside. Their fries are my favorite and they're delicious!

I had the shroom burger and it was so good. It wasn't greasy but still savory I highly recommend it!

I was oh so excited for Shake Shack to finally open in Arlington so I can stop waiting over an hour for delivery from the Pentagon City mall location. However, this place is in spot that's already impossible to find parking around so I had to do quite a few laps to actually get to this place. It's also in a high construction zone and you can only access it from one side of the street so beware. I decided to do an online order to save some time in case a large group of people were here to try out the new spot. The email I got after I put my order said that they would be texting me when my order was ready but the thing is, they never did? I headed to the store right after I ordered regardless because I was hungry, but why mention that in an email if it's not true? I can only imagine people will probably waiting and waiting and waiting while their food gets cold and stale at the location just waiting for a text the food is ready. I walk in and head to the pick up section, passing a row of fun Ipads I guess they installed to let people order that way. Turns out, they are all out of order? Confusing since this place just opened- that usually means everything is in tip top shape and now already failing but I'm not an IT guy, I have no idea why they did not seem to be working. I got my food fairly quickly and headed out. They didn't have to go ketchup's which kinda sucked because I am a ketchup addict and I love the packets. Food itself: well, decent. They didn't mess up the orders at all and everything came out as ordered. The cheese sauce on the cheese fries tasted a little weird but still edible. We got two double Shack burgers and I enjoyed mine until 2/3 of the way through when I found a piece of something that I honestly can't describe without shuddering. It wasn't gristle but more of like a stretchy band of something- to say I was upset and my burger was ruined is an understatement. Of course, things like this can happen in any kind of ground beef but usually Shake Shack has higher end meat so I would hope it was creepy piece of unexplained substance free. Maybe it's growing pains or maybe I just got the 1 in 10 mediocre experience but not sure if I will face the construction and horrible parking situation for a while to come back here.

Soon is Now. Ballston's Shake Shack is open behind all that construction. Walk in, order and pay on a kiosk, or order ahead on the app. They'll text you when it's ready, or call out your name. It's Shake Shack, what more to say. Took awhile to get our order, but this isn't McDonald's. Got Shake Shack, got out, good.

This Shake Shack is located directly across from Ted's Bulletin, right under the pedestrian bridge. The most high tech Shake Shack I've been to yet. Once you walk in, there are 6 iPads you can order from. Pretty simple. User friendly- A on the visuals. You will provide your name, number and you can either pay by card at the iPad station or pay at the registers. You will be notified via text when your order is ready. The husband and I visited this location on a Tuesday evening, right after work. Not crowded at all. He ordered the smoke shack, double patty, Shake burger, 2 patties and shack cargo-dog. I a regular hot dog (with added toppings and a shack stack. Mind blowing items: cargo-dog and shack stack. The shack stack has a deep fried mushroom that is filled with cheese along with a patty and all the fixins. The bun was light, and fluffy. The cheese oozed out of the mushroom during each bite. Absolutely delicious. The cargo-dog is light and soooo full of flavor. The fries were crisp and yummy as always. Disappointment: they got my order wrong. I requested cheese on my hot dog but when we opened the order at home, there was no cheese. Usually I wouldn't make a biggie about it but there were very little customers, so there shouldn't really be a reason to get the order wrong. Would I come back? Definitely. I'll just have to check my order before I leave.

I am a huge Shake Shack fan and have ordered online from this location before. The food is excellent and the I'm glad we decided to stop in because it is a really nice location and was really clean! When we walked in we were surprised to see that we had to order on an ipad/ touch screen device, I personally prefer to speak to someone but okay! It was useful for customization and I would be willing to bet that people order more food when using the touch screen vs. speaking to a person. Easier to order more food without judgement on a device... interesting play Shake Shack. It was cool to order an original shack burger with the cherry peppers on it because of the customization. It was delicious and perfectly cooked! We also ordered cheese fries, wayyyy better in person! and a shackcago dog, absolutely delicious. Please feel free to drool over my portrait mode photos. Another pro of dining in, the food tastes amazing hot and fresh and they have alcoholic beverages! I opted for the Shake Shack Sauvignon Blanc (which I can't believe is even a thing,) it is delicious and pairs very well with the food! One other thing I would like to say from a previous order is that the Christmas Cookie Shake is the best milkshake I have ever had and I would like to petition for Shake Shack to always keep it on the menu. As far as the service goes, I thought the young woman who called our name for the food (after we waited at least 15 minutes) was extremely rude. I was walking to get the food and she kept calling the name with attitude. When I finally grabbed the food she rolled her eyes at me and rudely stated I was forgetting my beer. I was not forgetting my beer... I only have two hands and was trying to organize the food. Considering there were no other orders up I thought she could have chilled out. Tip: If you are a cheese-aholic the shroomami burger is a cheese lovers dream! A mushroom stuffed with cheese that when you bite in you get all the ooey gooey deliciousness your heart desires. You can even add one of these cheese-stuffed mushrooms to any burger! You are going to love it.

Conveniently located in Ballston. They're still open despite all the construction going on. I've been here a few times and haven't been disappointed. Personally, I think the burgers are just OK, I enjoy the fried chicken sandwich more. The spicy chicken sandwich comes with cole slaw, pickles, and you can customize it to make it how you like it. You can not pass up on the crinkle fries, they are incredible and crispy. When I'm in a rush, this definitely meets my expectations. The chicken sandwiches are on the pricey end compared to Chik Fila, which I'm a huge fan of. If Chik Fila isn't open (Sundays), I'd come here, but other wise I would choose Chik Fila for their chicken sandwiches.

My fiancé loves coming here to get burgers and fries from time to time. The customer service seems to be exceptional here (hence the star rating). We ordered from here a couple days ago and we all ended up with food poisoning. I literally had one of the worst nights of my life that lasted throughout the next day. I don't know if we'll ever be ordering from here again and it's a shame. A note to management: the food here is usually good but please make sure that it is fresh! Food poisoning is awful and it makes me wonder about the cleanliness of your establishment.

eric the manager is great people makes the vibe in shake shack so nice and is everyone in here you can tell loves coming to work because of him. Great dude super helpful and is super nice. Definitely recommend coming here if you're in the arlington area

I ordered some meals through Uber eats and forgot some sauce which wasn't an option on Uber eats, so I called the place & they were nice enough to accommodate my needs. My meal delivered & came out Correctly ! I also came by here on a busy Sunday tried & still received a Great Customer service ! It's better to order ahead online or self service kiosk in the store.

I went to grab a quick lunch today from Shake Shack. I ordered crinkle fries and a cheeseburger. When I got back to eat I ate some of the fries and they did not taste good. I'm not sure if they are old or if it was old oil. Other than that I had good quick service!

Great burgers, hot and fresh when you pick up during quarantine. Always friendly service as well. At this location in Ballston, you can order on the app and pickup right outside. They're usually on time with the orders so there isn't much time waiting. The hamburger patties are delicious and satisfies my burger cravings!

Excellent customer service. Uber Eats delivered my order- missing a cheeseburger. I was starving and angry. No one at Uber Eats helped and the driver told me the issue was at the restaurant and not the driver. I was so angry because not only was I starving, but I spent a ridiculous amount- $47 -and did not have my full order. So I called the Shake Shack Ballston very upset. The manager, Sharon, was apologetic and professional. He took the time to listen and find a solution. He offered a refund- but I wanted my burger! He told me to reorder and he'd credit the amount so I'm made while. He even waited by the phone for me to call him. He also assured me he would train his team on quality control so a customer won't experience this frustration. If I could give 10 stars to Shake shack management - I would. I love Shake Shack!

Finally understand the hype regarding Shake Shack. Recently stopped in the Ballston location while in Nova visiting. My curiosity is cured I really enjoyed my chick'n shack sandwich, the sandwich was perfectly seasoned and prepared. The prices add up quickly. When I stopped in it wasn't too busy. The food was really good, however $2.99 for a little case of fries seems a bit much. I was going to get a milkshake, but was not feeling the $5 for something this simple. There was no one at the cash registered so I end up using the kiosk to order which is card or Apple Pay only just an FYI. There is parking out front (sort of) if you're lucky & garage parking as well. RVA doesn't have an SS so the closest is Nova or VB. I would try it again in the future if nearby, but I wish there were combos versus having to buy everything individually. I'd say it's a solid 3 for price, but a solid 4 for taste so balance it out overall to about 3.5 stars.

You know it, you shake it, you shack it. A great NY-based chain at home here in DC, offering great burgers and hot dogs, as well as fries and shakes (don't forget a bag of bones for your furry friend if applicable). This location has never let me down with my mobile orders, before or during COVID. The staff is friendly and very quick in getting things out, and so far every item I've ordered has been correct. I'm gonna keep treating myself to these burgers and shakes as long as they keep churning em out the way they have.

Last 3 times I've been there it's taken over 13 for a milkshake to be produced with about 12-15 workers behind the counter . Never going back . And I don't like how they automatically add a tip to your order . The customer has to be responsible for removing the tip .

Had a slight issue with my order being misplaced but these folks took care of me right away and threw in a lemonade for the wait. Great customer service!

Get the shack stack, but maybe skip the fries. The fries remind me of ones served to me in middle school. Good, but very Ore Ida like. All of that said, shake shack is almost good as the hype and worthy of a visit. You can order from the counter or from screens. I love the screens, especially if you have a number of changes or special orders. Folks are nice and location is convenient. A great addition to Ballston.

great food , i love coming here ! I feel like I can describe their burgers as clean in a way? they're so neatly assembled and The buns don't get soggy quickly.

Classic burger joint. Speaks for itself. Some people hate the frozen fries, I love them. Simple pleasures and great milkshakes. Haven't tried the chicken sandwich or hotdog yet, which I've heard are great. Really hard to break out of the routine. Maybe one day ‍

Surprisingly good shakes and burgers. I didn't expect much from this place but everything was what you want in a burger and shake.

Great food and Service. The order came out in a timely fashion. The customer service was great also.