Young’s brewery’s Burger Shack project is spreading like wildfire through their pubs and is now so popular that they’ve taken the plunge and opened up a standalone venue. The decor of the restaurant and bar in Wimbledon Village promotes the ‘shack’ aspect. However, the initial reaction on social media was negative, with the quality of the burgers and allegedly awful service heading up an expanding list of complaints.
Our visit, however, suggested that all had been forgiven by the locals, since the shack was extra busy, although we still managed to find a table within minutes. Turnaround was sharp but not over-forceful. The simple menu offers a few alternatives to the main attraction (ribs, steak, chicken) and minimal desserts, plus four burger options: cheese, cheese and bacon, pulled pork or veggie.
Arriving in the obligatory greasy brioche bun, the fat patties measured up to anything else on offer in London – there was little to disappoint. An acceptable key lime cheesecake turned up in a goblet and my companion gave his doorstep of chocolate fudge cake the raised eyebrows of approval, confessing later (once he’d recovered) that he could ‘even taste the fudge’. Neither dessert could possibly be finished. Service, by the way, was immaculate throughout.