Let's be clear, I'm a huge fan of Shake Shack, but the Harvard Square location was very disappointing. The line to order was long and they only had one person taking orders (on a Friday night!) and then it took forever to get our food. And when we did finally get our food the shake and concrete were melted. The restaurant was dirty and the ketchup dispenser was empty. The burger and fries did taste good though. I just expect more for Shake Shack. read more

My favorite location. Great location too. Customer service is always good. The place is always clean and tables are well wiped down. I love their burgers because it's so thick and juicy. I usually order 2 double bacon burgers, because they're that delicious. Their fries are awesome too. Always seasoned right. I definitely would come back to this location again. read more

Shake Shack Harvard Square - Burgers Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Uhhhhhh, not sure what the hype is about?? For years, I've been hearing about Shake Shack and being in a city that had one, we decided to give it a try. We both got burgers and asked for fries to share. The fries came out loaded, which is not what we ordered, but whatever. The cheese on them was just canned cheese whiz, but the bacon was nice. I hate mayo, so I asked for my sauce on the side of my burger not knowing what kind of sauce it would be, but again, they messed up the order and put it on there with an extra side of sauce. Whatever, I don't send food back, I just scraped it off. The burger was thin and kind of blah, and bun reminded me of what they served in my school lunches growing up. Disappointing!! Probably won't try shake shack again! I can name a few other burger chains that are better (In and Out, Smashburger, etc). I'll stick to those. read more

Really love this shake shack! I like how there is a second story for seating. The food as been good both times I have been, so it seems to be consistent which is good. I love the crinkle fries! read more

Shake Shack Harvard Square - Burgers Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Two times in a row I ordered from here hoping maybe it was just a slip up from before, but twice I was given a ridiculously wrong order. That by itself is extremely frustrating to the guests I've had waiting for the food, but even worse, their answering machine makes sure that you can't contact anyone at all, let alone anyone in charge. I will absolutely not be eating here again. read more

Like many others, I was excited to see what the hype was about. And skeptical. Being from Portland, Oregon, we don't have a Shake Shack. The king of food cities, but no shame shack. Bewildering. Anyway, the burger here was phenomenal. The meat itself was juicy on the inside and crisp on the outside. Perfectly seasoned. Cherry peppers added a nice heat and a perfect tang. Simple, perfect, and delicious. Shake Shack, I'll be back! read more

I've noticed things going downhill, and it seems to be because of the employees who work there now. I was really impressed with the people before, because they were pretty friendly and nice - which I couldn't find at other places. Most of the people that work there now, at least that I've interacted with, seem to be rude and careless. Sometimes the cashiers are just gossiping between taking orders, and simply letting the next customer in line stand there and wait while they laugh and talk about something. There are other small things as well - like mayo not being stocked at the condiments counter, or the "Warning: Hot" label not being put on the Shack Stacks. Things that don't really matter that much to me, but that I notice because I've been there too often. I appreciate the recent app, which lets me make a mobile order and just bypass that. Even then, when I go to the pick up area to get my order, I always have to wait a while for the opportunity to ask someone about my order - which I can see sitting behind the counter. A few of the employees notice that I'm there, but don't do anything - I guess they assume I'm just waiting there for an order made in-store. I still really enjoy the food, and that's the reason I will probably continue to go back. It's just disappointing to see conditions decline, and it kinda discourages me from heading there. I hope everything picks back up again eventually. read more

A pretty standard shake shack experience in my opinion. The burger was solid and the cheese fries was okay. I enjoyed the side of cheese they included in what seemed to be chipotle sauce. read more

Honestly, just my favorite go-to burger place. Burgers are solid every single time and fries a good to boot. They have smash burgers which I think are far superior to a thick patty. And the price point is right. read more

Shake Shack is... well Shake Shack. A step up from a fast food burger, but not the best ever. This location can get crowded with Harvard students during peak eating hours. The upstairs is cute with some entertainment in the form of TVs and foosball. I like the SmokeShack cause it comes with bacon. And bacon is life. read more

Susannah the manager is like basically butger Gandhi. Homegirl hooked it the F up when I ordered at another branch and showed up at her doorstep hangry and broken. She snapped her magic fingers and hooked me up with a killer burg lickety-split, and best of all, on the houae (or should I say "shack" hahah) ! read more

I was disappointed with my first visit to the legendary Shake Shack. Their rise to success is well known and they are now a public company and doing very well in the Nasdaq. Don't get me wrong, they make a very good fast food burger. Their krinkly fries are good and their shake was top notch. However, I was expecting a lot more considering their prices are high by fast food standards and also because of their reputation. For half the price In N Out Burger is far superior IMO. The Midwestern burger giant Steak N Shake can also hold their own to SS for about half the price. read more

Shake Shack Harvard Square - Shack burger, krinkly fries, strawberry shake. - Burgers Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I wasn't all that impressed with Shake Shack when I visited them in NYC, but somehow I was still over-the-moon excited when they came to Harvard Square. I got caught up in the hype and had to give them a try. I did feel a bit like I was cheating on my good ol' Tasty Burger right across the street. They're so close, I could see them out of the Shack's upstairs window... hi, Tasty! Love you still! The staff was super friendly! The instant I walked in the door, someone behind the counter welcomed me and offered me a menu. After I had ordered and was waiting for my food, another employee came up to me and offered me complimentary hot chocolate. Nice!! So, while I was 5-star impressed with the service, I had mixed feelings about the food. I ordered the Shack Burger. It's nothing fancy - burger, bun, lettuce, tomato, Shack sauce. Sounds good in theory. And everything BUT the burger was. The burger patty itself was cooked just fine, but it didn't taste as if it was seasoned with anything at all. And the consistency and texture of the meat was really off. It was chewy in a bizarre way that is difficult to describe. I came to Shack Shake starving, but I was so put off by the burger that I couldn't finish it. I had half a mind to stop at Tasty Burger on my way out to get a much better replacement. In terms of burgers: Tasty Burger: 1 Shake Shack: 0 I had to try the new and improved fries, offered only at the Harvard Square Shake Shack so far (I believe). Instead of the usual crinkle fries that taste like they came from a package in the freezer, this location was serving fresh, hand-cut fries with the "skin-on", as their menu states. The fries themselves were an improvement, but they were so salty that I couldn't eat all of them even if I wanted to. Again, it made me want to skip over yonder to good ol' Tasty. Alrighty then... Tasty Burger: 2 Shake Shack: 0 So, why the three stars, and not just two or one? Well, because of the aforementioned great service. And also because the custards and concretes are where Shake Shack truly shines. This location has a delicious Crimson Red Velvet concrete in honor of Harvard, of course. And it is fantastic! They take their rich, creamy vanilla custard and swirl in chunks of red velvet cake from the South End Buttery. Phenomenal. Shake Shack's gotta get some credit for that! Wow, this review got really long really fast. To sum up, I'll come back for the custard and concretes, and to try some of their milkshakes. There's a nice seating area upstairs where I can see myself enjoying a frozen treat or two. But for burgers and fries, my loyalty stays with my dear Tasty Burger. read more

The fries were greasy and over-salted. The burger was so greasy that half of a single was enough to make me feel gross. Luckily, the shake was delicious and so thick that sucking it down was an ab workout, so it all worked out. Five stars for the shake, two for the rest of the shack. Just go for the shakes. They aren't made with ice cream. They are frozen amazeballs crushed into a slurry. read more

honestly, the food is great but the boy at the front counter looked past me twice & seemed annoyed to serve me. however, the girl behind the counter was super kind & went out of her way to serve me. food was spot on. read more

Shake Shack Harvard Square - vanilla shake & crinkle fries. perfect afternoon pick-me-up. - Burgers Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Wicked quick review of Boston 2 of 5: Had a "ShackBurger", order of "Crinkle Cut Fries", and a black and white shake. I love the burger. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside with a smoky, charbroiled taste (though it's not grilled but smashed onto a griddle) accented by the tasty "ShackSauce". Epicurious tried to recreate the "ShackSauce" and came up with a blend of mayo, ketchup, yellow mustard, spicy pickle juice, smoked paprika, and garlic and onion powder. Maybe, but I swear I tasted a hint of horse radish in mine. I love crinkle cut fries, and yes, the crinkles matter to me. These were OK, but I've had better. Same with the shake. OK but I've had better (Ruby's Diner on Maui). Gotta try the "Concretes" the next time. Should'a ordered a bag of "ShackBurger's", and eaten al fresco in Winthrop Square to enjoy a beautiful Summer day and the rich, people-watching scene. I'll be back. read more

After another night of drunken debauchery in which I managed to accrue over $100 in cab fares going from the South End to Brookline (you do the math), I woke up feeling like death and craving grease. After consuming approximately twenty thousand calories in double-stacked mushroom burgers, cheese fries, and lobster tail concretes (are you freaking kidding me?!), I fell into a restorative six-hour food coma. Thank you, Shake Shack, for bringing me back to life. read more

Shake Shack Harvard Square - Hangover cure of champions. - Burgers Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

If an In N' Out burger had a lucky Mid-life crisis And moved to the East Coast, It would look And taste like a Shack Burger. It would be all self-conscious About its size, Then lose a little weight Until it was just the right size-- Firm in your hands. Its confidence would stir Next to a shake, Though not commit To chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry. Because options. It would consider looking To its inner spirit, Glad to be a little raw and bloody Medium rare, to be exact; Art is inevitable. A Shack Burger would direct Its final short time up the stairs Sitting handsome on a modern wood table Looking out into Harvard Square Until its existence faded with ease. read more

I've been trying to go to a Shake Shack on every US trip for quite a few years now, but could never quite stomach the huge queues that amass in these halls. Finally I found a nice quiet joint in Cambridge and got the chance to see what all the fuss was about. That said, my impression was tainted by the hype. The crinkle cut fries are God's gift to earth and if I could eat nothing else for the rest of my life, I'd be happy. Dead at 35 from heart disease, but happy. I didn't go for the burger, which might have been a mistake. I've had a few too many burgers on this trip and wanted something different, so I went for the chicken dog instead. It was bland and dry, and I've had better for a dollar upstate. I also didn't have a shake (sorry), but I'm not into milkshakes so I don't think that would have added to the meal. The main downside is the price-- it was about 11 dollars for the dog, fries and small drink, and despite the amazing fries, it just wasn't worth it at all. This place is lovely and clean though, with friendly staff and a nice seating area upstairs to look out over the square. read more

We were in the area at lunchtime last week, and decided to give it a whirl after hearing all the rave reviews. In a nutshell, this was an underwhelming experience. The shakes were not even up to a McDonalds standard. One can crap all over McD's but they do make a quality shake despite their other obvious shortfalls. The Shake Shack have "Shake" in their name, so the expectation is that this is their anchor item. It should be more than good, and should definitely be the best. I had the cheesy fries as well, and the sauce was not cheese per se, but almost a mayonnaise like consistency with a pretty bland flavor profile. The fries were frozen and of the crinkly cut variety. Again, I expected fresh cut fries due to Shake Shack's overall higher priced menu. It continues to amaze me how many burger places miss the mark on what should be an easy thing to do. They are French fries. This is not complex cuisine. We only came predominately to try the milkshakes for a quick snack, and did not try any of the burger offerings. I did make note that all furniture was made of repurposed material, so that is a plus. The vibe in the restaurant is pleasant, but the food just doesn't warrant a return visit. read more

** My 2 Star selection is only for an unfortunate incident ** Let me start with saying that I was BEYOND excited for the opening of Shake Shack in Harvard Square. I had heard legendary tales from friends who went out to Chestnut Hill and spent the afternoon pleasantly gorged on oodles of fries, delicious burgers, and mountains of custard. So when I saw on Facebook that Shake Shack was making waves in Cambridge I knew that I HAD to go ASAP. I grabbed a friend and we went the day after they opened. I ordered the Shack Stack, fries, and a fountain soda. The staff was super friendly, they were passing out free hot cocoa, and I was ready to sink my teeth in! After finishing the burger and about half the fries it was time to head home. I live off the redline so it wasn't a very long journey, 20-25 minutes tops. I was reliving the deliciousness of my first Shake Shack experience when I started to feel a little weird. It was cold and I had gone to the gym before dinner so I figured my body was just a little off so I ignored it. Another 20 minutes later I was feeling much worse. Long story short, I got food poisoning from Shake Shack. No, I'm not a doctor but I spent the rest of my night with my head bent over a bucket and feeling awful. I don't know if something was slightly undercooked, there was some sort of contamination, or I just picked the wrong day to go but there was no denying that I had gotten something less than desirable. But because I wanted so hard to subscribe to the awesomesauce that is Shake Shack I even considered the notion that it could have been from something else. I spoke with the friend that I had gone with and she confirmed my suspicions - she too had a funky stomach after she got home. Shake Shack - I want to love you, I really do. The food was yummy (until I got a second taste.. if you catch my drift) so maybe we can work something out in the future? Sadly for now I'm going to have to pass. read more

This is a fun chain to go to every once in a while. Their burgers and shakes are great, their fries are decent. It's worth sitting down with your food to eat it right away. This location isn't as good as some of the ones in New York City, but it's on par with the other one in Back Bay. I usually order the Smoke Stack and a black and white milkshake, sometimes with fries to split. They have malt vinegar upstairs for the fries usually, but rarely downstairs. There's also a variety of other condiments, and water cups and a tap both upstairs and downstairs. read more

Opening day jitters? I've been to four different Shake Shack locations before this one, including a million or so to the original in Madison Square Park. All those prior visits to locations in NYC and DC shared in common a beautiful burger, juicy, fatty, cooked to perfection. But at least today, on the first day, during the lunch rush, something went wrong in the newest location. The burgers were WAY too salty. It is, without a doubt, the saltiest Shake Shack burger of my life. Salty to the point of turning the burger into a mediocre burger. :( Did they feel like their proximity to Tasty Burger necessitated a competition for saltiest burger in Cambridge? The free hot chocolate when I walked in the door was a nice touch. The line was also shorter than any Shake Shack I've previously been to (thanks, Snowstorm!). Fries were solid. Hope that this was just a fluke and that quality control will kick in after the opening kinks get worked out. I'll update my rating once I get a burger here that is worthy of the name Shake Shack. read more

Not bad for what it is (fast food a step above McD's), but not worth the hype. As a non-beef eater, my options here for a main dish are more limited than other burger joints in the area (Tasty Burger, Boston Burger Co): I could choose either a fried portobello sandwich or a chicken apple-and-sage sausage. I went with the latter, and was pretty disappointed; the hot dog roll wasn't toasted, the sausage came completely naked with no toppings, and the sausage itself wasn't very flavorful. Maybe the fried shroom sandwich is the way to go here (at least it has lots of toppings). Their other offerings fared a bit better; I thought their house-cut skin-on fries were pretty solid (better than Tasty Burger's), and their concretes were really tasty. Prices were reasonable to boot. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here (although I don't do burgers and it seems that's the real sell here), and would definitely head elsewhere for a good non-beef burger/sandwich. But, if I'm in the area and want a quick snack/shake/concrete, I'd stop by again. read more

I've been to this shake shack a dozen plus times and I think service here is going downhill. They buzzed me when my order was ready and when I got to the counter, no one bothered to check in with me . I had to wave the flashing buzzer before someone came by and just said "it's almost ready" pointing to an order that was clearly not mine (that order has 3 burgers, fries and drinks for a larger group). After waiting for 5 min, I said that's not my order. Then she looked at my number and said "oh it's almost ready, she's just making your burger" - if my order wasn't ready, why buzz me 10 min early? I have all of my belongings unattended upstairs while I have to wait for an order that should have been ready (otherwise what's the point of a buzzer?). To make matters worse, when my order was ready, there was big chocolate stain on the side of my Sprite (they didn't even bother to clean it or give me a new soda) and they forgot the sauce in my burger. For $11, I expect better. I may not come back to this location again. P.S. Ben from Shake Shack. You left no contact details. Send me a message. read more

The floors have not seen a mop in days!! Upstairs, it's a mess. Tables are dirty, with crap on the floor. Not like other Shake Shacks. All I can say, The burgers were good. read more

I have heard much about the Shake Shack but I have to say nothing to write home about. The Shack burger was bland, the fries were tasteless. Milk shake was good but come on. Overall it was hype. A great place for college kids to hang out who don't care about tasteless food. The servers were cool though. Fun group. read more

Very busy and crowded because I decided it would be a good idea to come here on a weekend night when school was starting for the fall semester. Yay! It was fun watching people play foozball completely incorrectly in a way that ruins the table and makes it dangerous for everyone in the vicinity. Shake Shack has beer, burgers and fries. Can't go wrong. The burger tasted like gourmet Wendy's to me, which is not an insult because Wendy's is one of the only fast food burgers I can eat. The fries were tasty. I was kind of hungry after a burger and fries, which is rare for me because I have a tiny tummy. You might want to order two. Not sure if they do double patties here. The atmosphere is still better than Tasty Burger (despite the foozball debacle) and also yummier. read more

Food tastes good, however customer service is lacking extremely. The staff member who took my order was rude and dismissive and was actively rude to her coworkers. There was not a hello or thank you when ordering. When I got my order my burger was missing. The person who gave me my order asked said cashier to print my receipt to check it and he was given attitude by the cashier. I was simply handed back my bag (my order was for here and they gave it to me to go) without telling me they fixed it. Also, they gave me a chicken sandwich instead of a burger even after they checked the receipt. I recieved no sorry or anything. All staff seems quite unhappy to work there. Probably won't come back again. read more

Ah, Shake Shack. The holy war over the best burger chain continues. Being a Californian at heart, you already know where my loyalties lie. But every contender deserves their fair shot. It's a nice space. You can hover at chairless high-top tables downstairs to quickly grab a beer with some buds, or migrate to a spacious sit-down area upstairs. The dark, wooded ambience totally jives with my preferred work environment, so I'm happy to plug in to some music and bust out some reading while chowing down here. I've never been good at reading the fine print. I saw "mushroom" and "burger," and immediately ordered the Shake Stack without thinking twice. When I got my burger, I was bewildered but excited. There was deep-fried something on top of my burger, which I assumed was a breaded patty. Interesting. I saw no trace of mushroom, but what lay before me seemed a suitable (albeit $9) culinary adventure. Carpe diem! I took a bite. A hot, thick, high-volume explosion spread over my tongue. I literally yelled expletives, because that took me *completely* by surprise. I had to run back to the menu. Muenster and cheddar stuffed deep fried portobello? HOLY BATMAN! Give whoever thought of this the Nobel Peace Prize. This solves serious problems. After I recovered from the revelation, I was able to continue objectively assessing the food. And honestly, it was just okay. Vegetables (wilted), bun (chewy), and beef (greasy) were totally sub-par, and if all components aren't jiving, you don't have a burger, my friend. I also got their Fair Shake, which was a coffee milkshake sprinkled with all the crunchy adjectives you'd ever associate with coffee (fair trade, organic, sustainable, makes rainbows and poops out butterflies). Something didn't suit me...if I had to pick a word, I'd describe it as "oily." It was like someone had melted coffee candy and made ice cream with it...sickeningly sweet, and covered in some weird, slick residue. Gross. I *am* interested in trying their in-house beer and frozen custard. Will be back for that at some point. And explosively cheesy portobello when the mood strikes. Bottom line so far: Go to Tasty Burger across the street. read more

Shake Shack Harvard Square - The Shake Stack. Muenster and cheddar stuffed deep fried portobello...AND BURGER. What the balls. - Burgers Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

As Shake Shack fans, we were excited, and eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Harvard Square location. Unfortunately, we were met with a rather anticlimactic experience. Here's the general breakdown. Pros: 1. An abundance of friendly staff ready to direct you and answer any questions, including a greeter at he door passing out menus as needed. 2. Prime HS location on Winthrop, right by the T and across the street from Tasty Burger, allowing plenty of burger options on the square. 3. A separate floor just for seating. Cons: 1. The fries. While hand cut and "all natural," the new fries at this location are far too stringy and limp, making dipping in ketchup a challenge and just an overall fail. 2. In true Shake Shack form, seating is very limited. 3. We went at a slow time, when most students were still away on break and the square was pretty empty. Even still, the flow of traffic from the front door to the register was rather confusing, and I can only imagine how much worse it could be during peak times. 4. My burger was just way too salty. Based on the fries alone, I will be driving to Chestnut Hill any time a Shake Shack craving hits. Nice to have a location in the square, but they have a few kinks to work out. read more

I've been hearing about Shake-shack for years and decided to go for the first time. I liked the fries, but had too much salt on them. The burgers were pretty good, and the shake was too sweet. The ketchup was disgusting, But it was okay. Pretty expensive for a fast food joint. Wasn't that crowded like other places my friends told me about. The bathroom was cleaner then other fast food joints. read more

Shake Shack Harvard Square - Two Single Shackburger* , Vanilla Shake, two Fries, and a Fountain Soda (Coke) - Burgers Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Shake Shack was on my list of places to visit as I visited Boston (I'm from Southern California). The reason for this visit was to see if Shake Shack's burgers were better than In&Out. I will say that as a west coaster, nothing compares to In&Out (I know I'm biased). But if I couldn't have In&Out, I wouldn't be at all upset if I was eating a Shake Shack burger. Their burger meat is very fresh and tasty. The bun is really good as well. And the lettuce and tomatoes are totally fresh. The fries are really crispy. All in all, Shake Shack is a legit burger joint. They need to come to the west coast besides Vegas. read more

Shake Shack Harvard Square - Burger and fries - Burgers Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Best beef of all the Harvard Square burger joints. I completely don't understand all the Tasty Burger fans. The meat at Tasty has NO flavor. It doesn't taste like beef at all. The Shake Shake burgers taste like beef, and they have the BEST sear of all the Harvard Square places. You can't get a sear like that at home (not unless you disable your fire alarms and open every window) so the sear alone is worth it for me. However... I really like the rest of the burger not counting the meat at Flat Patties better. The bun there is less sweet and more buttery. But the whole package at Shack is delicious. A burger round-up... Shake Shack: best beef taste, best sear, soft sweet roll Flat Patties: very juicy beef (messy), grilled buttery roll Tasty Burger: overly salted meat lacks beef flavor b.good: Tastes healthy. Like a homemade lean burger. Nice for a change but not craveable. Oggi: used to be the best deal with inventive toppings and fries for like $7 but they have upped their prices; still good if you are hungry (bigger) Bartleys: A thicker bigger that tends to char; sit down place read more

I've been to a Shake Shack or two in my time and this is by far the worst. Corporate needs to send some quality control people to Cambridge, stat. After three visits, here are a few lowlights: 1) Burgers are consistently over-seasoned. Someone's salting these things with too heavy a hand and it masks the taste of everything else, which may not be such a bad thing because, 2) The meat is inconsistently cooked. On my last visit it would have sent the health inspector running for the hills. 3) Service is frazzled and impolite. 4) I really don't like the new "fresh cut fries," which may be because they're cooked poorly. I'll give it one more visit to work out the kinks, but so far I'm unimpressed. read more

Came there today for the first time ever. the cheese fries I got were so weird the cheese was as hard as a rock on my fries and confusing. The burger was pretty good but very greasy. I've felt sick all day because of it. I won't be returning again. read more

I'm giving it 3 stars because the food itself is worth 4 stars but the service is more like 2. In this location in particular, the employees seem to not give a damn, as evidenced by the fact that this evening, when I was the only one in line, there were at least 4 of them right there behind the counter, but only one POS open, the woman apparently manning it was distracted by some other issue, and the rest of them were chatting with each other, or staring off into space. This went on for almost a full minute while I was standing right there, obviously ready to order. Too bad because the food is so good.... read more

Waaaaay overrated. Burgers taste ok I guess, but are pretty small and really expensive. Here is what $12 gets you at Shake Shack: read more

Shake Shack Harvard Square - Burgers Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

If you get cheesy fries they basically give you a thing of nacho cheese and a thing of regular fries - go ahead and pour it on. These cheesy fries are DIY. Not worth the calories and the shakes are sub-par for sure. read more

The mushrooms burger was deliciously yummy!! Alot of people were there when we arrive in the early afternoon. Order came out pretty fast! The Lobster shell and the shake were amazing as well. I'll definitely come back again read more

Shake Shack Harvard Square - Strawberry shake and the classic burger. - Burgers Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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