Cheap *ss Lunch #3: Big Shack: Burgers’ Definitely Hot

The first time my 80-year-old grandpa went to Shake Shack, he came back and said, “My only complaint with their burgers was that I didn’t eat two of them.” This was at one of the original Shake Shack locations—before it launched into a worldwide chain with six locations in Qatar, let alone the countless ones in NYC.

It has become a well-respected chain. Yet, many of its prices are inaccessible for many Stuyvesant students. However, the one closest to the school is kind enough to offer a 10 percent discount, bringing ShackBurgers closer in reach for much of the Stuyvesant populace, even if it means resorting to Cup Noodles by the end of the week.

I brought over a whole caravan of buddies to Shake Shack, only to find it quite crowded. Luckily, the line moved fast, and the staff was forgiving if you made dumb mistakes like splitting the bill incorrectly. I initially didn’t want to get fries, but I realized they were an essential part of any burger joint, so I relented. The fries were salty and a crinkle-cut style, light but having something in them that suggests they came from a potato at some point ($3.03). Getting them with cheese sauce for an extra dollar gives you some pretty basic movie theater nacho goop—barely cheese but not too sugary, salty, or rubbery. Their signature item, the ShackBurger, is delicious, with juicy chewy beef ($5.77). Crisp and fresh-ish tomato, lettuce, and onion top it off, not to mention the complement of the creamy Shack sauce and cheese. Sadly, those that care a bit more for animals may be disappointed by the limited scope of the offerings. The Shroom Burger, the sole vegetarian option besides fries, is a surprisingly good patty of crispy bread, tangy cheese, and flavorful succulent mushroom, topped with lettuce ($7.34).

Returning to formerly walking edibles, the Chicken Shack is made of soft breaded white meat and is pretty darn good, but a bit bland ($6.95). Perhaps the most interesting is the SmokeShack, a brilliant creation loaded with smoky crisp bacon and pleasantly savory and spicy cubed cherry peppers ($7.24). The patty is a bit redundant and may as well be the fake meat found at other chains, with the showy toppings obscuring its taste and reducing it to an extension of the bun. Speaking of the buns, they’re mostly nondescript, soft, and not of much account, but manage to hold in the patties decently well.

While the majority of the menu is still pretty expensive, the prices are definitely worth it for anyone who wants something more than McDonald's “burgers” or the inartful deli attempts. It’s not in a central location, but its quality is marked—there are so many people are there that you’ll probably have to sneak over to the seating at the Italian restaurant next door to get a table. Now, the only trouble you’ll have is whether you can afford a second burger.