We Tried The New Shake Shack West Coast Menu (And It’s Got An In-N-Out Dupe)

This week, we saw the release of Shake shack’s newest launch: the West Coast Menu. True to its name, it features all of the fresh produce and bold flavors you would expect out of California. There’s even some In-N-Out representation for us East-Coasters.

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The new launch included two different kinds of fries, a chicken sandwich, and a burger, of course. Naturally, we had to try out the new launch for ourselves. And here’s what we thought.

The West Coast Burger

For the most part, the burger is true to the standard shake shack format. It’s a smash patty with American cheese. It was delicious and perfect, as usual. But where it gets interesting is all of the accoutrements. The toasted potato bun is smeared with Shake Shack’s “secret sauce” as well as an extra heavy dose of honey mustard. There were caramelized onions and pickles on the burger as well. 

Here’s the thing, though―there was so much honey mustard. Maybe this was just a mistake on the burger I was given, but it was so overwhelming with honey mustard that it made it almost unpleasant to eat. The caramelized onions were delicious and and the pickles were thick cut and very tasty. But with all of that sauce and wet vegetables, it became very sloppy very quickly. As in, can’t take it out of its wrapper sloppy. Overall, the flavor was pretty good (I’m trying not to hold the excess of honey mustard against it), but it was so much that you could barely even taste the burger at that point.

The West Coast Chicken Sandwich

Honestly, it’s been a while since I had eaten the Shake Shack Chicken Sandwich, and I was so delighted to be reminded of how delicious they are. They’re always juicy and the coating is perfected. For this sandwich, it’s topped with lettuce, tomato, and sliced avocado with a sour cream and onion sauce on the bun. And the sauce is pretty delicious on this one―not at all overpowering like the honey mustard on the burger. My main qualm with this sandwich was the avocado. Big chunks of avocado make things very messy, and it didn’t really add much in flavor to make up for it. I’m all for the mess… as long as it benefits the flavor of a dish. And for this one, it didn’t. Overall, I would order the sandwich again in a heartbeat, but I would order it with no avocado―and that’s far from my ideal.

The West Coast Loaded Fries

The loaded fries were so nice. My main issue with In-N-Out fries are the fries themselves. And with these loaded fries (animal style, if you’re feeling like ruffling a couple of Californian feathers), they really got taken up a notch. I love a crinkle cut fry, ’cause you can really tell what you’re eating, and they’re sturdier than a shoe string fry. The caramelized onions and secret sauce are rich and deep in flavor. And the cheese on top is the most nostalgic touch to finish with. These fries are a lot though, so grab a friend and enjoy this scrumptious side together.

The Spicy Fries With Ranch

These fries take everything that is incredible about the Cajun fries at Five Guys and put them onto the classic crinkle cut fry. They’re properly crispy and loaded with flavor. They’re not too spicy so truly anyone can enjoy it, and the cheese topping is really balanced out with the bold flavor of the fry. Dipped in ranch, and it’s a whole other flavor world that you’re entering into, and you should welcome it with open arms. There’s something so distinctly satisfying and patriotic about these fries. What can I say? Americans love ranch.