Is Station Eats Just a Shake Shack Wannabe?

By Andrew Dominick, HamletHub Norwalk editor and Food Dude

Stamford is quickly becoming “Burger City.” With Lucky’s, Five Guys, Plan B, Jake’s Wayback, and the issue at hand here, Station Eats, we are on burger overload. Hey, that’s not a complaint even if it seemed that way. When Station Eats opened in Stamford, I was excited. They have a location in New Canaan but even though it has been there for a bit, I stay out of New Canaan; bad neighborhoods are not for me. Joking obviously. I just happen to hang out in Stamford more than I hang in New Canaan.

With a prime location right outside of Stamford Town Center’s Saks Fifth Avenue, Station Eats sits on an upper level with plenty of outdoor seating. I dug the design, really simple but modern, extremely clean; I just couldn’t help but feel I was in Shake Shack with better lighting. Immediately I knew I had to compare the two spots seeing as how they have similar menus and methods by using organic ingredients and environmentally safe practices.

Here’s how it went down at Station Eats.

I ended up deciding on a Double Station Burger, fries with extra Station Sauce, and a chocolate shake. The Station Burger comes with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and Station Sauce, and it is clear as day, it is a version of Shake Shack’s Shackburger. However, I did enjoy my doubly juicy, cheesy burger, eating it in a minute and change. I even added bacon and remember kids, everything is better with bacon. One cool thing about Station Eats is the topping choices. Bacon, chili, blue cheese, kraut, mushrooms, jalapeños, potato chips, many different condiments, and more. The amount of possible burger creations is seemingly endless. 

The fries were, and I cannot believe I’m saying this, actually good. As much as I despise crinkle cut fries (even at Shake Shack), and believe this, the hatred usually runs deep, Station Eats, I would order yours again. I could say they were well seasoned, crispy enough without killing the potato, but what made it for me was the Station Sauce. I dipped those fries in that stuff like it was the secret to eternal life. It’s the same sauce that comes on the burger and even though I’m a loyal Shake Shack guy, Station Eats’ sauce was better by a mile. It had a smokiness to it that just had me at “hello.”

The part of my Station Eats visit fell flat with the chocolate shake. Remember, I’m comparing this to the wonderful frozen custard at Shake Shack. It was just your basic shake out of a machine with whipped cream on top. I wish I could say more. However, they do offer spiked shakes like the U-Turn (bourbon, Oreos, chocolate), the Red Light (vodka, strawberry, graham crackers), and the Freeway (Kahlua, vodka, vanilla). Next time perhaps?

In addition to burgers, fries, and shakes, Station Eats serves Hot Dogs, Sloppy Joes, beer, wine, and even a burger and shake of the month.

The answer to the title of this post is YES, right down to the identical serving trays, and while I believe Shake Shack to be the superior burger place and the original out of these two burger joints, Station Eats still won me over in some ways, the Station Sauce especially. In a perfect world I’d take their sauce and put it all over Shake Shack’s burger. Station Eats was not disappointing but I prefer “that other place.” I go to the mall quite a bit and if I’m feeling like a burger I will take the short walk outside Saks and hit Station Eats.

Station Eats

60 Atlantic Street

Stamford, CT 06901

(203) 588-0960

http://www.stationeats.com/