Shake Shack Madison Square Park

Honestly, I have never had a burger this good anywhere in the European Union, and even in some parts of America it’s hard to find something like this. The burger was incredibly juicy, perfectly cooked, and literally melted in my mouth. The meat was flawless, full of flavor, and paired perfectly with the crispy fries. The taste is simply unforgettable.<br><br>If I ever come back to New York, I will definitely visit this place again!

We will never visit this location again. It's such a shame that the original Shake Shack location has been left to crumble with incompetent staff and absent management. You can tell no one with seniority is present to uphold BASIC standards of service.<br><br>The guys taking orders always go out of their way to shove the card reader tip screen in your face while pointing to it (great job making customers uncomfortable and annoyed), the ice cream is ALWAYS SOFT later in the day, orders are always forgotten or messed up. If you get a drink or ice cream, there used to be a dedicated window and it used to come out quickly. Now you'll wait at least 10-15 minutes and usually have to remind the staff what your order was. Staff stands around like they have nothing to do despite people waiting for orders. They audibly complain when the line gets long.<br><br>When Danny Meyer was at the helm, this location was the epitome of great service. Those days are over and it's been terribly run/staffed for years. Disgrace.

The BBQ Boneless Baby Back Rib looks completely different from the photo and the actual product. It's a scam. The taste was awful too.

Standing in line at a burger place in Manhattan for twenty-five minutes on a Tuesday is the kind of thing that sounds like a bit too much effort until you're actually doing it and you realize the line is moving and the park is nice and there are people around you who clearly do this regularly and seem completely fine about it. The original Shake Shack is a small kiosk in the southwest corner of Madison Square Park and the setting does something to the experience that the chain's other locations can't quite replicate. Something about ordering outside and then carrying your tray to a table under the trees makes the whole thing feel a little more like an event than a lunch.<br>The ShackBurger is smaller than I always remember it being and then the first bite happens and that stops mattering. The patty has a thin-smash quality where the edges get a slight crispiness and the ShackSauce ties everything together without overthinking it. I ordered the SmokeShack as a second because someone ahead of me in line mentioned the cherry pepper mayo and I couldn't let it go, and honestly the SmokeShack is the better burger. The cherry pepper and the crispy shallots push it somewhere the ShackBurger doesn't quite reach. The cheese fries are crinkle-cut and hold up better than most against the cheese sauce, which is a not-small accomplishment. I also got a chocolate milkshake and it was so thick the straw was mostly a suggestion. This is the correct thickness for a milkshake.<br>The seating in the park is first-come, first-served and fills up fast, but if you get a table it's genuinely a pleasant way to eat. There's also covered heated outdoor seating attached to the kiosk itself so it runs year-round regardless of weather, which I appreciated. It's a good spot to just sit and watch people for a while.<br>This is where the whole thing started, which gives it a weight that newer locations don't have. It's still a very good burger in a very good setting. That's a complete sentence and it doesn't need anything added to it.

Got the 2 K-shack burgers, the beef was good but the chicken one looks nothing like the picture and was very very dry.:(

Stopped by Shake Shack - Madison Square Park at night, and it was the perfect late-evening bite while walking the city. There’s something about grabbing food here after dark—the park is calm, the city lights are glowing, and it just feels very New York.<br><br>The burgers lived up to the hype: hot, fresh, and full of flavor without being overdone. Fries were solid, and the shakes were a great finish, especially on a cold night. Even with people coming and going, the line moved quickly and everything felt well organized.<br><br>What really made it special was the setting. Sitting in Madison Square Park at night, food in hand, watching the city move around you—it’s simple but memorable. It didn’t feel rushed or overly touristy, just a great spot to slow down for a bit and enjoy the moment.<br><br>If you’re walking around Manhattan at night and want something reliable, casual, and genuinely good, this Shake Shack is an easy recommendation.

The hot dogs were very good. The service fast and friendly. The vibe in the park was perfect with a busking Jazz trio adding to the atmosphere. My only wish that smokers (all weeds) were not allowed near tables where people are eating.

It was a long lineup , which made me to think it should be a good place to try the food. I almost waited for 15-20 mins for order and get the Veggie burger. I loved the vibe which is a nice park and has bench to seat. I would say it was ok, but worth to stop and try because of the vibe.

The Shake Shack at Madison Square Park is more than just a burger spot- it's the original location where the brand began in 2004. The ambiance is unique: an open -air setting in the park with plenty of greenery and a lively atmosphere. Service is frienly and surpisingly efficient despite the long highlights include the ShackBurger, crinkle-cut fries ,and frozen custard- all slassics that taste even better here. The food quality is excellent: juicy burgers, perfectly seasoned fries, and shakes that a rich and creamy. Its unique feature is the history and location; eating here feels special because you're enjoying Shake Shack in the place it all started. Be ready to wait in line, but it's absolutely worth it, Have you ever tried the original ShackBurger at this iconic spot?

Ah, the birthplace of the ShackBurger. A shrine to hype. A temple of queues. And yet, somehow, a graveyard for flavor.<br><br>Let’s start with the kitchen: twelve people in branded t-shirts, bustling like extras in a food-themed sitcom. Only two appeared to be working. The rest? Pacing, chatting, possibly auditioning for a reboot of Waiting for Godot. Meanwhile, your burger dreams die slowly in the fryer fumes.<br><br>The food? A soggy, lukewarm betrayal. Fries that taste like they were prepped during the Bush administration. Buns with the texture of damp cardboard. Cheese that whispers “I used to be milk but now I’m just plastic” before vanishing into the ether.<br><br>And the seating, oh, the seating. A gladiatorial contest of elbows and passive-aggressive hovering. If you do snag a spot, you’re rewarded with the only redeeming feature: summer people-watching. Tourists marveling at squirrels, locals pretending this is still cool, and pigeons plotting unionization.<br><br>Come winter, the charm freezes over. You’re left with overpriced sadness and the haunting suspicion that Danny Meyer weeps softly into a crinkle-cut fry every time someone calls this “iconic.”<br><br>Save your money. Save your dignity. Go to literally any bodega and get a sandwich made by someone who cares.

It’s one of those special place in NYC you just gotta try at least once. Shake shack burger is no longer a special treat because they are everywhere. But it feels infinitely different when you dine in at the Madison Square Park when it began as a hotdog cart to revitalize the park.<br><br>As usual, a meal at Shake Shack did not disappoint. Especially here where that famous burger was born.

The original Shake Shack, if you like their burgers you know what you're getting. The nice part is the seating within Madisson Square Park, which has a nice atmosphere and you can admire both the Flat Iron and Empire State Building

The original location is a great place to visit if the weather is nice. You can sit outside and enjoy an excellent view of the flat iron building and surrounding area. The food was excellent. It can be a little slow depending on the time of day but otherwise this is one of the best location around for this franchise. Still not crazy about their fries, though haha

The guy at the till on 04 september at 2pm clicked on the card machine saying we require 10% tip and he pushed the button for us not giving us the option to decide how much we wanted to leave (either 10-20-25%)<br><br>That was so rude, employees can’t decide how much clients leave for tip, that is just so rude as he seems to do that as we looked as tourists. Besides that the food was good, we got two bbq burgers.

Even being busy during the lunch hour, the service was fast and great. I never regret to stop for a burger from them. Great food, tasty and fresh.<br>The lemonade was refreshing. You can’t go wrong with Shake Shack if you are looking for a quality burger.<br>The staff is always friendly and attentive.