There’s a New Shake Shack at U Village Opening Today

It’s been a big week for local burger news. First, Dick’s Drive-In announces a collaboration with Edouardo Jordan and a new food truck. Now, the ever-popular Shake Shack debuts its long-in-the-works location at University Village, opening at 11 a.m. Thursday, September 17.

The U District spot — at 2623 NE University Village St — is the third location for the New York-based chain, joining outposts downtown and in Kirkland. It will feature a limited menu of the usual Shake Shack items, including ShackBurgers, crinkle-cut fries, and thick shakes. There will also be a few special, seasonal offerings, such as a pumpkin-flavored shake, and a hot chicken sandwich, as well as spicy cheese fries.

On the beverage side, diners can order booze to stay or go, including the chain’s self-branded canned wine and Shackmeister ale, in addition to beers from Pike Brewing Company and Reuben’s Brews.

As for COVID-19 measures, Shake Shack U Village is highlighting a new takeout option for the company, which lets diners pre-order via the Shake Shack app or website for curbside pickup at drive-up or walk-up windows. This is the among the first locations in the country to offer what the restaurant calls its “Shack Track” system for pickup, but there will also be limited dine-in service inside at half capacity and on the location’s large three-sided patio.

The new app could reduce wait times a bit for a restaurant known to draw long lines. When Shake Shack opened its first location in this region in Denny Triangle in 2018, wait times were hours-long, although the hype gradually chilled a bit over time. The Kirkland expansion last September was also a hit, even in a city that has a lot of excellent burger options.

With the Shake Shack arrival, U Village continues to add to its hub of popular dining destinations and franchise outposts, including Bamboo Sushi, Din Tai Fung, Ba Bar, and the vegan ice cream shop Frankie & Jo’s. There’s also a new location of bakery Hello Robin.

• Shake Shack [Official]
• University Village is Getting a Shake Shack, Too [ESEA]