Shake Shack Covent Garden

Lovely fast food burger and shake place in the market. Very easy to order and collect the food. Lots of sitting outside. My chicken burger was okay. Crinkle cut cheesy chips were tasty but both of them felt cold! My friend had a mushroom burger which was delicious. They have downstairs toilet so you don’t need to pay £1.50 for the toilets in Covent garden market.

Maybe the best burger of a fast food restaurant I have ever tasted. Soft bread, high quality meat, tasteful sauce. Few choices in menu but high quality. Also, the process of ordering and order receiving is well organised and the stuff is kind and friendly. The only negative is the pinching price (1 burger, 1 double burger, 2 portions of fries and 1 coke, almost 35£).

The food is very tasty, a clean and tidy place with toilets on site, the sales staff are nice and professional. The hamburger portions are small,Very expensive for fast food.

I ordered the vegan shallot burger, it was ok wouldn't order it again wish I had ordered the shroom burger instead, didn't like the texture of the patty or mustard sauce. The fries and drink was nice. The service was good and atmosphere was amazing.

I went with a few friends of mine. They had milkshakes and the strawberry lemonade and apparently loved it but sadly they don't take cash, only card so I couldn't have anything. There's also a weird basement thing with a scarily steep staircase underneath it and it looked like the backrooms, which was funny.

Good place to "hang around" The food taste is good but the portion served is simply too small . So in short it's a pretty expensive fast food. Environment is good though for this one located the Covent Garden

Expensive for the food you get. I received the smallest chicken burger I've ever eaten, which costs around £10, the chicken fillet was so small it filled only half the bun! Fries are separate at a touch under £5 and £2.75 for water. Well overpriced for the food that you get!!!!

Decent burger flavour and good portion, not really a "burger person", but hits the spot however lots of other good options out there nowadays. Reliable choice if you need that burger "hit"

Coming from NYC, this was still super tasty! After an evening of drinks, we went for a burger lunch. Ordered the shack burger with fries, and a fifty/fifty. The ordering system was a bit neat. Order in the front, grab the buzzer and walk to the back! They have seats within the Covent garden area. Service workers do wipe it down, which I super appreciate. The burger was not greasy and had a good balance of tomato, lettuce, and cheese. Crinkle cut fries were crispy as usual.

Double shack burger with fries 10/10- the absolute best way to end any night. Shake shack closing at 3 am is literally a gift. This burger is loaded and packs in so much flavor within every bite. Honestly the fries are normally so good but this time they were a bit on the lukewarm side, however still tasted amazing

If you've had Shake Shack in America, you'll be disappointed by this. The quality is pretty poor in comparison. The wait for food was at least 30 minutes and there weren't many places to sit to eat. If you do find a spot, you need to have your hands over your food attentively at all times because the pigeons nearby are absolutely fearless and will try to steal your food at any chance they get. Overall, not a horrible stop if you're in Covent Garden ... but you could do a lot better elsewhere.

Sometimes you just crave the taste of shake shack's American burger and shake shack consistently delivers. Nothing special and just your standard shake shake. Pricey as usual, but definitely satisfies the American burger craving.

Average chicken burger. Crispy and decently seasoned but a bit dry and the bun was soggy. Small for the price.

You would not expect it initially, but be prepared for a long wait for picking up your food... Coming from New York, Shake Shack is a staple that is usually something you can not go wrong with. The food came out soo dry... pretty sad about the turnout here

Your basic shake shack nothing exceptional to be honest. Well they are good premium burgers quite more pricey than just normal burgers but they are comfort burgers.

£60 for 3 burgers, 3 fries and 3 milkshakes! Nothing special TBH. Fries were your standard crinkle chips, no seasoning, nothing special. Burger was good TBH,very juicy in a sweet brioche bun. Milkshakes stood out as great,very sweet and creamy. Good for a one off but probably would go again

Came here on a Wednesday and didn't have to wait on line at all! I love Shake Shack in the US so I was ecstatic to see one here in London. We walked directly up to the counter and ordered our Shack Burgers. We got our pagers and went out to the eating area outside the restaurant. We were greeted by more employees who got us ketchup and mayonnaise. Once our pagers started to buzz we went and got our food. The fries were spot on. They tasted just like the US ones. The burger was pretty damn good but the beef and bun tasted just a littttle bit different. The bun wasn't as greasy or buttery and the meat wasn't as soft. Other than that, I was more than satisfied. It was my first burger in London and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Shake Shack is legit. It's burgers are above Five Guys, and possibly above the beloved In & Out. I realize that I just upset the majority of you, but the burger here is solid. The beef is perfectly cooked and seasoned. The bun is toasted and does its job of holding everything together. No excess sauces get in the way of this burger. I ordered the burger with fried onions in their ale sauce. Sounds a bit strange, but I liked the toppings over the plain burger that my buddy ordered. The fries are not quite at Five Guys level. They were cooked crunchy and crisp with the right amount of seasoning, but didn't have the meatiness of the perfect Five Guys fry. Overall, this place would be a go to place if there were one in SJ. When you get the opportunity to frequent one of their locations go for it! You've heard about them so go try it for yourself and see if it holds up to your favorite burger.

Yes, it was easier to get to this Shake Shack than any in the US for me at this time. I just watched the video about the 7 hour wait in NY and know how much my mom loves a good burger, so when we found this in Covent Garden it was a go. The line was short. My mom loves frozen custard too but we were not able to get any because we were full! I ordered a plain hamburger with lettuce, tomato and onion. My mom got a cheeseburger and fries. We both ordered ICED TEA with EXTRA ICE and we were sooooo happy to see iced tea on the menu. We both did not get the shack sauce. The flavor was delicious and it was worth the stop. I will eat here again when I come across one in the US, but in this case, I got Scottish beef so that makes it extra cool!

We were in the area for a Yelp-related event and looked for a place to have lunch after. I was surprised to learn this New York establishment opened locations in England..before the West Coast. No bother, though. We were excited to have a bite of our favorite East Coast burgers. Despite the masses of people, the location seemed a bit inconspicuous and it was hard to tell were the queues started and ended from the way it is set up. Nearly all Shake Shacks I've been to (stateside at least) always have crowds; this one is no different. That of course is to be expected for a place as busy as Covent Garden. It's so busy, though, that there is even a separate queue for the designated seating areas. Go with someone, so one of you can stand in the food queue and the other can wait for a proper seat inside. Otherwise, you may be stuck on the outer edges having to fight off pigeons scavenging the adjacent leftover trays as we did! Once the food was finally ready and we dug in, I realized that this was not the same food I'd salivated over before. My burger patty was slightly dry, definitely not the level of juicy goodness familiar to many Shack Stack lovers. I didn't think I would have to give any Shake Shack less than four stars (since my first visit in Vegas), but a few things could have been improved. 3.5 on the food and experience.

My first experience with Shake Shack was in Boston, so when I heard they had opened in London I just had to eat there when I was visiting London. They have a very good arrangement with ordering and then you will get a beeper thing that will flash and vibrate when your order is ready. I ordered the Shroom burger which is THE BOMB, its: crisp-fried portobello mushroom filled with melted muenster and cheddar cheeses, topped with lettuce, tomato, ShackSauce. And of course I had to add cheese fries and top it up with a beer. My sister ordered the Smoke Shack: Cheeseburger topped with all-natural applewood smoked bacon, chopped cherry pepper, ShackSauce. We don't recommend this one; it was a so so burger. The staff here is very helpful and they carried our order from the counter to our table outside when we handed in our beeper thing. I would definitely recommend this place for burger lovers.

Between Shake Shack and Five Guys, Shake Shack was actually the first to arrive across the pond from America. Unlike traditional fast food burgers which rely on cheap frozen supplies from its headquarters, Shake Shack only serves freshly cooked meat. There is no freezer on the premises which ensures they only serves fresh meat and ingredients. This concept is actually common among Shake Shack, Five Guys and In-N-Out Burger. I have tried Shake Shack and Five Guys in London and I have to say that burgers in Five Guys do perform slightly better than Shake Shack. Although I do not see much difference in the meat quality as both of them are equally as fresh, I think that the meat in Five Guys are seasoned slightly better compared to Shake Shack. However, Shake Shack's bun is lighter and softer. I was lucky enough to have Shake Shack in New York and again when compared to the original burgers from the East Coast, the Americans do them better. That is why the queue there is never ending whereas the one in London is almost non-existence. When I was in the states, I have also tried their famous milkshakes. I love the peanut butter milkshakes when I was in New York. Initially, when the Covent Garden branch opened, their peanut butter milkshakes were really good. However, over the years, the quality has gone downhill. They were either less peanut butter or they were too thick that it was hard to suck it from the straw. Shake Shack is also extremely slow in expanding. To date when I checked, there are only 4 Shake Shack around the country and mainly centered in London and 1 in Wales. Five Guys have 50 branches across the country. Perhaps their burger is not as good as their rivals and they are still trying to perfect them but surely it should no take that long. They were the first to step into this country and now their rivals have surpassed them in expanding their business. They need to revisit their milkshakes and burger. Whatever they are doing here, clearly the Americans who came here to train there did not train them well enough. There is such a mass difference in taste. They need to get back to how good the burger and shakes were initially when they started out in the states. Probably that is why they were never able to expand as quick as Five Guys. Do it now before you lose more customers!

This was the first Shake Shack I've ever been to. As a California girl, I will always have a special place in my heart for In n Out. Unfortunately, Shake Shack's burgers are not worth the wait, nor the hype. My vegetarian friend did like their veggie burger though. However, their shakes are amazing! They are frozen custard style so they're extra thick and creamy. I love their rotating flavors. I've tried the vanilla, black & white, and the mint chocolate at the London location. It's really expensive for something American, so I would save my money for something unique to London.

Since I never make it to shake shack while NYC, I figured I should try it while I was here (and hungry). In-n-out vs. Shake Shack...I can't believe this is even a question! After trying it I can confirm that in-n-out is 1000x better. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad burger but it doesn't even compare to in-n-out. It's borderline insulting to compare the two. It's better compared to your local, mom & pop burger joint.

I feel like a bit of a traitor for throwing down a three star at Shake Shack but I can't honestly pop it into that 4-5 range just yet. I think part of my problem was that for the past 24 hours, I had been told multiple times, by multiple people that it was "the best!"... so when it was just kinda good, it felt a little disappointing. Don't get me wrong, it's a good burger, but the best, it is not. I took down the burger with beef, cheese and the fried portobello mushroom. The burger was nice, and the cheese was plenty but the mushroom didn't do it for me. I usually adore portobello mushroom, and though it was an interesting edition, it didn't seem to fit with the cheddar/beef combo. It wasn't anything particularly special. However, they have root beer floats, so they must be awesome and I will likely try them again. I think i'd stick to a classic cheese/bacon combo next time around. The one HUGE tip of the hat? These folks know how to work through a crowd efficiently! High fives all around to the service team.

I'm obsessed with Shake Shack. Their burgers are the best in the fast food game, and easily in a category above McDonald's. Yes, it costs more but of course it's worth it! The food is excellent. There's not much more to say. It does take a little while, but they make it to order. I highly recommend cheese fries, they're so addictive! Most of the seating is outside, but under a roof so it doesn't get too cold in the winter. There are a few seats inside, but the inside feels very cramped and I would rather eat outside with my coat in the winter then sit inside.

Can a burger ever be a bad thing? I'm not sure it can be to be honest! For an after work treat myself and a few colleges decided we would visit Shake Shack in Covent Garden. The first thing you notice about this place is that it is packed! When we arrived the queue was out the door but did seem to be going down quite quickly, we checked out the menu while queueing up and waited our turn to be served. After a five minute wait we were at the front and ready to place our order, I went for the smoke shack which was a smoked bacon burger with some fries. Both the burger and fries were excellent, fresh bread, crispy fries and great tasting patty, The only thing that let this place down for me was the small inside eating area. We needed to sit outside as it was so busy....after a day working outdoors a warm place to eat would have been pretty amazing. Overall this was a great burger experience but given how crazy busy this place is I think they need some outdoor heaters or a larger indoor space for people to eat. If you are looking for a takeaway burger fix this would be a perfect option!

I loved Shake Shack having tried it in the U.S., but I've gotta say, the U.K. branch just isn't doing it for me! The seating situation is awful, with three separate areas belonging to Shake Shack dotted around Covent Garden that are not immediately obvious or easy to identify. There have staff sort of managing these areas. I say sort of as they aren't exactly there to greet/seat you, they just seem to floating around, clearing trays form tables, telling the odd group of people where to sit. The way this restaurant works is you queue up, you order and pay, and are given a little remote buzzer that you take with you. When your order is ready, your buzzer will flash and you need to return to the collection point to collect your food, and bring it to your table (if you have been lucky enough to secure one!) Last time I was here all of the tables were full with people with people who hadn't even ordered yet and were still trying to figure out the whole process. As this area is full of tourists, most people are not automatically familiar with how the Shake Shack system works here, or where to go/what to do. It's really not an intuitive system and means that there is a lot of confusion about how to order/where you can sit/what to do. The food here is pretty good, but again not to the same standard as their American branches. It's also about twice the price!

It was February when I went and it looked quite busy. Also stood at the wrong side of the place, but luckily there was a friendly guy there overlooking the seating area and explained how it worked. The entrance was on the outside of the building and there was a big queu which was not very nice as it was freezing (the reason why I was stood inside looking for the entrance). But I heard so many good things about it that I decided to wait. After a long wait I managed to put in my order: cheeseburger, cheese fries and lemonade. Because it was so cold my food already lost it's warmth by the time I sat down and it looked like someone drove over it in a big car. However, it tasted delicious. So I would advise you to go there in summer, when not in a rush, and just close your eyes when you start eating

I had to come to the UK from the US to try out Shake Shack! The first time was also in London at a different location and this was my second try. The food is good but not worth all the hype IMHO. Great location.

We had been waiting for Shake Shack to open for some time now and finally we feasted! It is very exciting to have both Five Guys and Shake Shack open in London and in the same area. We have tried various Shake Shack NYC locations as well as Dubai so there was much anticipation for this new opening. Burger tasted the same as always with a juicy patty and soft squishy bun. We went on a Sunday and had the blueberry coffee cake custard special. The custard was quite good and not as sweet as some of the other flavors/concretes we have had previously. Queues look long but the line actually moves along quite quickly.

Sometimes your friends are clamouring for a burger and, well, you need to satisfy them. Shake Shack in Covent Garden delivers. Three things to be aware of: 1. The queue - it's in Covent Garden, for crying out loud, so if you're there during peak hours expect to wait a bit. 2. Those shakes - wow. 3. Don't be afraid to try the hot dogs if you're not in the burger mood. They are excellent too. I've eaten A LOT of burgers in my time and these are excellent and cooked-to-order. If anyone tells you that Inn-N-Out is "much better" they are more interested in pushing an agenda than being honest. PS Cheese fries. You'll thank me.

Dear Shake Shack, O fries, French fries, how I love thee Your crispness, your heat, your fine qualities But when one thing is missing, when that thing is heat, Back to the counter, I must retreat To plead with the staff to rectify this To provide me with the hot, fried, promised bliss Alas, take two, the results were no better, These fries were so cold they needed a sweater. So now here I sit, a crime has occurred, Cold fries received twice? My wrath you've incurred! It's time to pass judgment on tonight's Shake Shack, Only one star for you, and I might not be back.

It's been years since i've been to a shake shack...at least 5 years if not longer. When shake shack opened up in london, the nostalgic part of me wanted to give it a visit, but the long lines in covent garden was daunting. Finally there came a day on a wet october afternoon at around 3pm when the line was palatable, hopefully like their burger that i remembered. My bf opted for the smokeshack and their shack beer, but their shackbeer was out and he had to go for the meantime. I got their regular cheeseburger with salted apple frozen custard. It was around 8 quid for a burger and the burgers are tiny. Although delicious, I walked away feeling really unsatisfied. Also their pickles are not the same as the ones in NYC - way too sharp. The frozen custard was pretty much flavourless. Definitely not my go-to place for burgers in London. Wouldn't come back unless i become a gazillionaire.

The most amaaaaaaazing burger! The wait time at this location is usually pretty high as it's a super touristy area. Also seating can be a problem but the plus side is there's always some entertaining thing happening around you. Lots of street performers all around this area.

Shake, shake, shake! Shake, shake, shake... Shake your... no not tonight thank you! No bootie shaking, but plenty of burger eating instead! Woo. Wow. So impressed with this place. I'm informed that Shake Shack comes from across the Atlantic pond and what a brilliant trip it has made. I opted for the Shake Stack with extra bacon (no burger is complete without bacon in my eyes). The Shake Stack is a normal cheese burger topped with a 'shroom burger and it works brilliantly! The burger was medium rare - as a burger should be - and the 'shroom just made it have that additional juiciness which isn't easy to find at your standard burger joint. Also they do crinkled chips, yeah, crinklessss! Reminded me of when I was a kid and made me very happy! Another great meal in the Covent Garden area! Note: not a huge eating are so you could be outside but it's so worth it!

I've never been to a shake shack before and this was on my London hitlist! We were lucky the weather was in our favour and we sat outside watching everyone wander by in Covent Garden. We even got to overhear a little walking tour! So is definitely suggest sitting outside of weather permits. We ate pretty early, and by 12pm it was getting pretty busy and a queue was forming. I went for the shackmeister which included shack sauce and ale marinated shallots with crinkle fries and a lemonade. It was dynamite! I tried the cheese fries but I wasn't a fan. The burger was really tasty and fresh, the chips were awesome and I'd definitely go back!

Stumbled across this place last year when I was in London. I'd heard a lot about it from friends who visited America and we were in a rush so we decided to give it a bash. It was insanely busy but the queue moved quickly and I was so happy to see veggie burgers on the menu as both of us don't eat meat. The 'Shroom burger did not disappoint. It was just the right side of greasy and the fries were crispy and salty. Yum. Great milkshakes too. We were too full to try Concrete or Custards but maybe next time. They also do a vegetarian hot dog!

Shake Shack... how long I have wanted to visit thee. I was even in New York but not fully compus mentis when I visited and got a hot dog instead. What was I thinking? Fast forward exactly (to the week) two years and I'm transported to Covent Garden in central London. Again not fully compus mentis but this time determined to get the burger I have coveted for several years. After being let-down by the Five Guys invasion of Glasgow (I went there three times on my US visit) in terms of both quality and especially price, perhaps as I have nothing to compare against Shake Shack UK was already at an advantage. However, from when I took my first bite of the Double Smoke Shack I knew I was in burger heaven. The bun held the greasy mess of cheese, prime beef patty and perfectly cooked bacon impeccably. There wasn't a great amount of sauce on the burger but the nearby ketchup and mustard dispenser (plus tabasco) let me sauce it right up. I didn't come across one piece of gristle which was very welcome. Even the crinkly fries which I thought didn't looked great (you can buy the same brand in Costco for around £3 for 2.5kg... the profit margin on these must be incredible) were actually super crispy and well smothered in tasty tasty cheese sauce. You do pay for the pleasure however, my bill was almost £15 just for one burger and one portion of fries. Will I be back? Most definitely.

I first saw Shake Shack on an instagram feed. I was drawn to her immediately. There was something about her demeanor that made her so irresistible. She was seductive, and she knew it. Maybe it's the way she dresses. A sliver of her buns shows through the burger wrapping, and I could almost felt how fluffy it is with my eyes. Her tomatoes has a healthy blush, giving her a pretty face too. And oh lord, the meat. The sauce glistens on her skin, and several drops slowly trickles down. She blankets her goodies with a slice of melting cheese, revealing just enough to induce me even further. Though I was only looking through photos, I noticed that I was salivating with my tongue slightly out, ready to taste her for myself. I finally agreed to meet her at Covent Garden in London. Under one of the most serene locations, I would be able to enjoy Shake Shack while admiring the architecture around us. It did not bother me that Shake Shack has been around a few times. I've seen her pictures of passion with @instafoodforreal, @bestburgers_london, and @therealJackinTheBox, and if anything, it just made me want her more. I was more bothered about how my main squeeze would feel, but I convinced myself that In-N-Out would not mind me indulging in a side chick from time to time. Shake shack and I found a seat under the roofs of the garden. First thing that I noticed was that she was high maintenance. Taking her out with her entourage of a Milkshake and a side of Cheese Fries costed close to 15 pounds. And that's only for one slice of patty. I would have had to shell out if I wanted her to show both slices. Oh, but Shake Shack was delicious. Her proportions are perfect. She was not voluptuous, nor does she try to be. She was a casual sexy, but with a touch of class. She kept it at a perfect medium rare, and made sure that you didn't forget her buns complemented the whole experience. As a kicker, she would invite the milkshake to help you wash down the whole experience. Even when I was finished, I was left wanting more. But the reality was that Shake Shack was expensive. At a cost of 15 pounds, it was unrealistic for me to commit to a relationship. I packed my bags and headed home to my true love. Though I have my share of burger escapades, In N Out will always be my true love.

Had a late lunch at Shake Shack Covent Garden. We beat the crowds and the long line we saw around noon. The service was friendly and efficient. They were very welcoming when taking our order. My husband had the hamburger and I had the fried chick'n shack and fries. It was tasty and the fried chicken was perfect. My husband liked the hamburger and the fries were nicely crisped. It was good and way better than your average fast food (McDonalds, Burger King, etc.) I think my husband still prefers In-n-Out. I liked that they have other choices, rather than just beef. I would definitely eat at Shake Shack again, If only they had one in the San Francisco Bay Area.

I'm not really sure why we ended up here on one of our first days in London from the US, but I haven't actually had Shake Shack before stateside either, so I guess this worked out. We got the SmokeShack burgers, which were like bacon cheeseburgers. The cool thing was that it came with English bacon which was a nice touch. The burgers were not as big as I thought they would be - they actually came out looking a little squished. However, they still tasted pretty good - the cheese was melted on very nicely and there was the right amount of sauce. We also got their fries, which were actually really good. I'm usually hesitant when I see crinkle cut fries as it reminds me of grade school cafeterias or freezer package fries, but these were actually very crispy and had a good amount of salt. They also had a blood orange lemonade, which was pretty sour but had a hint of blood orange flavor to it. There is a seating area in the middle of Covent Garden for Shake Shack customers. The workers did a good job of getting people seated, and cleaning up after people were done eating in order to gently nudge them along so that other people can sit down. We still waited in a queue for about 10 min, but we were seated before our food was ready, and a worker took our pager and went to pick up the food for us once we were seated - pretty nice service.

This is an American chain from NYC and eaten only because my daughter got to pick. I eat fast food once in a while but not regularly. I never had in the US bit was not impressed. Gut feeling is may be better there but will have to try back there. Also, this is based off one visit, you need many more to be certain of anything. Also, this restaurant is located in Covent Gardens main eating and shopping area and is chaotic due to the travel season. The area outside to get in has a wait before you could get in and was a bit confusing. Once inside it was pretty fast paced and crazy. We wanted to get a seat in their area but were bot allowed until we had our receipt and pager. Once we did the woman that worked there was dealing with an irate customer about seating.....spoiled things a bit. This area is famous in London for this shopping and eating area. It had great atmosphere so eating out in the airy space is part if the appeal. The wait was ling and Two of three burgers way underdone. Too long a line and wait to take back so we ate. Fries were made well and fresh bit not that tasty. No refills on drinks but that is standard in Europe. The restaurant has a cool trendy appeal but bot impressed based on this one visit. Will try in the States if I see one to compare.

What's not to like about Shake Shack? Amazing burgers, great fries, and reasonable prices! And to make it even better, this Shake Shack is in a prime location. Located in the heart of Covent Garden, this location is unique and memorable. I always order the Shack Stack, which is a cheeseburger with a fried portobello mushroom that oozes with melty cheese... If that doesn't sound good to you, I don't know what will! Definitely one of my favorite burgers. The fries are great too. I wouldn't say that they are "amazing", but it is hard to outshine the burgers! Make sure to hit up this Shake Shack location! You won't regret it!

I'm torn here, friends. Shake Shack holds a special place in my heart. Burgers with perfectly melted cheese and creamy sauce, served on Martin's potato rolls, are a straight-up taste of home. Exactly what the doctor ordered when I'm feeling a bit homesick for my country of birth. It's true, the food at Shake Shack is on the money and it's EXACTLY like eating at a location in the states...but that's sort of my problem with this place. It is too pricy for what it is--basic burger and fries (sorry, chips) fare--no matter how perfect the crinkle fries are with their creamy cheese sauce. There are far too many places in Covent Garden (let alone London) to get a stellar/unique burger for a lesser/comparable price (Meat Market, right across the road) That being said, I will surely return here with my tail between my legs, the next time I am feeling homesick and hungry and am in the neighborhood...i will just curse my bank statement afterwards.

Shake Shack has finally arrived in London and I made sure to get there at 10AM on opening day. Luckily it wasn't too crowded and I got a couple of freebies while waiting in line. There were about a million people working, but all the staff members I encountered were on their A game. Everyone was nice and friendly which made my friends and I feel right at home. As for the food, I ordered a Shack Stack - a combination of their Shake burger + Shroom burger. The burger was cooked perfectly, just needed a bit of ketchup to make the taste pop. I also got a Concrete Strawberry and Banana Graham Cracker Custardy goodness (That's not the name, but maybe it should be!). Overall a delicious meal and an enjoyable time. Shake Shack at Covent Garden is huge and I think they are going to do very well at this location. It's open and airy and is right in the center of it all. Good burgers, amazing shakes, friendly staff... sounds like a winning combination to me.

Overhyped, overpriced and over-it. Apologies in advance for the long one... I've looked forward to trying Shake Shack for weeks and as a result fell completely for the hype. Having been past Covent Garden a few times in the past few weeks, once thing has become a regular feature of the centre square. A queue at Shake Shack. So it should be good right? Wrong. The queue wasn't too bad on Tuesday evening a few weeks after opening. It only took 20 minutes or so to get to the till, and sadly things from there on went downhill. Whilst the staff are certainly pleasant enough, the management is dire. As a non-beef eater I expected ShakeShack to be willing to cater to this by replacing the Beef hotdog in their signature Shack-cago Dog meal to a pork one. I mean if McDonald's can have a completely modular menu, why can't Shake Shack be accommodating I thought. But no, it's impossible. Know this. Switching out a beef sausage for a pork one is impossible. Laughably, I was told that I could order a plain sausage in bread and add all the ingredients of the Shack-cago Dog as; get this "Extras" in separate containers, at at likely cost of double whatever the Shack-cago Dog costs, and I'd have to construct this myself. Such PR is just priceless and embarassing. So I decided to spare their blushes and order a Shackmeister Sausage. From the puzzled look on the managers face it appears I asked a question that had never been asked before. I can't imagine anyone has asked if their meat is Halal. I certaintly wouldn't bother. Just assume NO is the word. You're given a buzzer after ordering and service is slowww. No joke, the food here is easier to make than McDonald's, however the kitchen is inefficiently run. A sausage in bread covered in squeezy tube cheese and fried onions should not take 15 minutes or so. To make things worse, a friends meal was given to him without his shake with the promise his shake would follow. 10 minutes later, no shake. He went to get it. 10 minutes after getting up to find it, he arrived with his shake. Teething problems as a new restaurant? HOW, when they don't even customise orders in the slightest??!! A robot could make this food... Onto the food. The only things worth coming here for were the fries which were the right side of crispy and the peanut butter shake. Avoid the hot-dogs. A student cooking at 3am could produce more exciting fare. It's essentially hot-dog bread with a cumberland sausage in it topped with cheese and crispy onions if you so wish. Disappointing to the max. The shake was tasty, but far too small for the price. To be fair I heard better things about the burgers, so stick to beef if you can. Oh btw, the pork is from a rare breed of pig. Yay, that makes it alright! So essentially Byron and GBK which aren't even close to my favourite places have nothing to fear. Sure Shake Shack will get consistent football based on it's prime location but after the hype dies down, they're sure to struggle to fill those many many tables they have. No value for money, cheap overpriced rubbish non-beef options, no toppings for hotdogs, tiny portions...just save your time and money...

To me, Shake Shack is pure hype, and over expensive hype at that! It is just a tad above McDonalds. I think because it has come from across the pond; NYC, people think it's ok to queue like a fool! and pay a small fortune for Mediocre burger and chips. It's fast food, that's all. Fries with fake cheese sauce, tiny hot dog! And a beer, was around £14..burger was flat and just had no life or filling to it! No no no. I won't be drawn into this game. Service was fine, but not even that will get me back.

So this last week seems to have turned into an unofficial and unplanned mission to find the best burger in London. Now I've always had burgers on the brain and last weeks visit to Tommi's set the bar pretty damn high, but whilst walking through Covent Garden last night, a lightbulb moment occurred when I thought "I really must try this shake shack that everyone's talking about at the moment" From what I hear were chaotic scenes of incredible bovine demand upon opening, last night's queues were tame in comparison although on a wind and rain swept Tuesday evening, I still had to wait at least 10 minutes just to get in the door. Once in it was rapid and easy to order, with a further 5 minute wait afterwards to collect my order. My choices were the double shake burger, regular fries (the cheese sauce just looked a little bit too funky for my liking) and a pint of the exclusively brewed for Shake Shack beer from Brooklyn brewery. Some quick points about what I thought: 1. The burger was freaking amazing - literally one of the best I've ever had. As good as In'n'Out in the States? I don't know but it sure would be fun to do a blind taste test sometime soon! 2. The chips were really not to my liking at all, maybe the cheese sauce I avoided disguises them but they reminded me of the sort of McCains crinkle cut french fries my mum used to buy a sack of for £1. Dry and tasteless, this was like putting a clapped out old banger next to a Ferrari. 3. Brooklyn beer FTW - everything they do I love so much. This beer was a little less malty than their normal brew so went perfectly well with the burger and fries. If you like good beer don't miss out. They also seemed to do a good range of other craft beers and was nice to see Thornbridge's Jaipur making an appearance in their bottle fridge. So a fairly successful visit in the end, my only other comment is that for the most basic burger, basic fries and a pint, I found £14.50 pretty steep. Maybe we're now in an era of post-fast food where places like Meat Liquor have beaten down the door and people are willing to pay more. Judging by the popularity of this branch, they're not going to have any shortage of people handing over their hard earned cash any time soon and I'll likely be one of them!

Everything I hoped it would be! I have been wanting to try Shake Shack for a while so when I heard they were opening in London I dribbled everywhere. Was lucky enough to try out their food today and I can honestly say that Shake Shack know how to make a burger. The bun was the perfect kind of soft. The meat was the perfect temperature and texture. The sauce was like the sauce of life. Long live Shake Shack. It's not even open yet but I know I'll be back many times!

Finally! It's here! After sampling a Shake in the states about 4 years ago I have yearned to repeat the experience and I got to do that on a invite only taster night. We basically sampled the whole menu in bits and pieces and boy are you guys in for a treat. Some may argue that London doesn't need another a burger joint, I beg to differ, in my eyes MeatMarkert was the only decent fast food burger, but with the arrival of Shake Shake, this changes. Yes I would still head to all the other great burger places in London, Shake Shack is built for speed, grab a burger on the run, a higher class of McDonald's or Burger King if you will. The burgers are good, real good, don't expect the burgers to be cooked medium rare all the time, it's a fast food joint, mine had a slight tinge of pink but it didn't really matter, the flavour was awesome, angus beef at it's very best. All three burger's are great in their own right, my personal fav was the Shake Stack, which is a deep fried portobello mushroom filled with melted cheese stacked on top of a decelious Aberdeen Angus patty with all the usual trimmings and when that big ball of deep fried goodness popped my mouth I got a rush of mushroom and cheesy goodness, really married up with the beef patty, the crinkle cut fries were also very good, good seasoning, crispy on the outside and smooth on the inside, also get the added cheese sauce, really good, pure comfort food. The drinks, you can get pretty much anything, wine, beer, soft drinks and of course milkshakes, now I didn't to sample the milkshakes here but all the food bloggers and fellow foodies around me were raving about them, I on the other hand hit the booze, a ShackMeister Ale, brewed especially for Shake Shack by Brooklyn Brewery, A perfect wing man for any burger, very similar to the Brooklyn Lager with a subtle difference, very refreshing. The layout is good, sit outside in the sun, inside the restaurant or out side in the court yard, you order your food, you get a little vibrating machine (steady on girls) and you get out the way, the machine then buzzes to tell you your food is ready, you collect your food, easy as that, and should keep the ques down, and the staff are super friendly, real Amercian customer service. Any fast food fanatic should really try this, you will never be the same again, top quality food on the run. Now go get some and get me a burger whilst your at it. PS they even cater for your dog's, seriously, go check the menu ;)

Me: "Woah...how long is that line? Do we really want to wait in line on a hot day when there are other good places to eat within walking distance?" My friend: "YES. Trust me, it'll be worth it" The girl in front of us: (turns around) "YES, seriously, I've been to this chain in New York, and it is worth the wait!" The couple behind us in the line (heard the previous comment): "It is really good, we tried it in New York too!" (... then they all started chatting about New York) Now, that is a lot of hype for a burger from a chain I have never heard of, but that the rest of the queue seems to be loopy for! It became a little surreal after our 40 minute wait! Once I got to the front of the line, the server wanted to high five me! All the staff seem very enthusiastic and happy (I wonder if they will keep up this level of enthusiasm after the first day!?) Food: - I loved the Shack Stack! It has a huge juicy burger and a breaded mushroom. The bread was lovely (more bread-y than fall-apart brioche-y) They leave the roll attached at the back, so you don't end up covered in burger juice- nice. To be honest, I prefer burgers a little more on the rare side...but it was really tasty. - I'm not sure why they call the ice-cream-like custard a "concrete" but whatever it is called, it was yummy and had huuuge chunks of cookies/chocolate. All in all, I'm a fan. I'll probably come back, although I might have to wait a while for the hype to die down, as I'm really not keen on long lines.

Last summer I tried the real S.S in New York. When I saw the restaurant walking around in Covent Garden I was joyful! Unfortunately when I took the very first bite of my usual burger (smoke shack burger) the flavour wasn't the same...not even close... First of all you can't choose if you want a rare burger, medium-rare or something else...you have to take a "medium" (I'd say well cooked). Second, the fries...completely different... Third, shack lemonade, this is the only thing that gains 3 stars... Anyway, shack is always shack!

First off, I'm so bummed out California doesn't have a Shake Shack because the mushroom burger IS SO AMAZING. I never have high expectations for either fast food/chain restaurants or mushroom burgers of any sort, but if you like crispy onion rings and garlic-y cheese, it's the way to go. The portabello mushroom is coated and deep fried to a lovely crisp and cheese oozes out when you bite into it. Go during weekdays for less of a line, and the staff is very friendly and courteous. Be warned, portions are not large for what you pay, so get the Shake Stack if you want to try the mushroom + a little more!m

I love Shake Shack, I've been a fan since having my first in NYC about 5 years plus ago. However it's soo much cheaper in America than here. I was soo excited when one opened up in London. I wish there was one closer to me, like Five Guys which is expanding well in the U.K. I noticed that Shake Shack have opened another location in Leicester Sq -- why soo close?!? I love their burgers, especially the buns, however there expensive here considering their size. But I love their cheese fries and normally just pop in for the fries alone. I used to love their chocolate shakes but have recently gone off them, as my last few haven't been as thick and older ones, maybe they changed the recipe or something. Still love the place though. Lastly sometimes the location can be really busy, other times it's quiet.

One of my favourite place to eat a burger in London. I fell in love with Shake Shack when I was in NY and it's so nice to be able to have it here ! First, I love to eat in Covent Garden : don't bother to find a place inside and just eat outside to feel the crowd and the atmosphere ! Then, you have to try the Shroom Burger. Yes, it's vegetarian but trust me you won't regret it ! So much cheeeeeeese it's insane ! So obviously, if you don't mind paying extra money : try the Shack Stack : it doesn't get better than this ! And finally, you don't want to miss the cheese fries : delicious !! (Hopefully the cool will be in the mood for extra cheese topping, but sometimes it's a little bit light on the cheese) That's my go-to menu when I eat at Shake Shack but I have to try the hot dogs too...

Save your money and eat somewhere else. Doesn't compare to other Shake Shacks. Our milkshakes were entirely melted and our burgers were burnt.

After going to New York and the queues always being massive at the shake shack near to my hotel, I finally made it to the one in London. I had the shake burger, it was moist, pink on the inside and had the delicious shake shack sauce...yum yum. I would say that the Five Guys burger are tastier but I did enjoy it. The crinkly fries with cheesey sauce were also really good. Tho the cheesey sauce did not tasty that cheesey (how many times can I say cheesey in the one paragraph!!). I also had a large homemade lemonade which was rally nice, with the right amount if sour and sweetness. The large is pretty big so only get if you are really thirsty as it's over £3! The favourite thing I had was the concrete. This is a frozen custard desert with various toppings. They are creamy and delicious. Again not the cheapest at £4 for a small one. My full meal was over £15 which is a bit on the steep side. Tasty but would not go every day.