The age old question…am I a bad person for eating American food abroad. My answer is always kinda. When you are traveling for two months on the road and desperate for something familiar then it’s fine. When you are in Istanbul for a week, it’s probs not the best idea to go to Shack Shake but you know…science. And by science I mean I was curious if it tasted the same as in the US.

Note – I also ate Popeyes at the airport because I have zero self-control.

I visited the location right next to the Sishane Metro stop, if you take the Istiklal exit then Shake Shack is the first thing you see when you get out.

The interior is pretty much the same but with a Turkish menu, the cashiers speak english so it was super easy to order and not feel like an idiot.

I ordered my classic, ShackBurger, fries, and the coffee Fair Shake.

Overall it tasted somewhat similar to any Shake Shack in the US, but the overall quality was less. The flavors were there, but it just tasted different. I would go back if I was living in Istanbul and needed a taste of home.

Ximena.