Shake Shack

Update Review, July 2026

I know a lot of people who really like Shake Shack, and go regularly.  Even when traveling to interesting cities.  I also know people who consider it a treat to go there, rather than a more common fast food restaurant.  I am not any of these people.  I've been a few times, always when others I was with wanted to go, and was never particularly enthusiastic about anything I had (burgers, hot dog, fries, custard).  I've not sought it out since.

And then I was at Citi Field, and had a lobster roll (see review coming soon!), and wanted some fries rather than just the chips it was served with.  So, I swung by Shake Shack as it was right next door.

I should have just stuck with the lobster roll chips, or actually, the generic burgers + hot dog stand's fries (which I had later, and enjoyed so much more).  Meh, Shake Shack, meh.

Cheese Fries. $5.99.

"Crispy, crinkle cut fries topped with melted cheddar and American cheese."

I've never been a fan of crinkle fries in general (they were what my family always had, the frozen ones, and I think my brain still equates crinkle fries to those mediocre, always soggy, not very good fries that were on our dinner table all the time).  And I've not really been into Shake Shack's fries in the past.  But I got really into fries in general the past few years, so I decided to give them another try.   I also remembered at least liking the cheese sauce before, so I got that (on the side, not my request, that is just how they did it strangely).

The fries were ... as meh as I remembered.  They aren't that crisp, they aren't that flavorful, they just frankly weren't very good.  Again, maybe my bias from growing up with them, but they tasted like grocery store oven heated crinkle fries to me.  I did not like them at all. 1/5 fries.

The cheese sauce was good, smooth, good flavor, I really do like American cheese and the cheddar gave it some depth, so that I enjoyed, although it didn't have any other seasoning or anything to jazz it up.  3.5/5 cheese sauce.

Would not get these again.

Vanilla Shake. $6.

"House-made vanilla frozen custard with real vanilla."

I don't think I've ever had a shake from Shake Shack before, but I was wanting something dessert-like, and thought it might be nice to dunk the mediocre fries into.  Our event had only vanilla or black and white as options, neither of which are what I'd really want, given that Shake Shack does have some more interesting options.

The shake was a letdown too.  It was not very thick, really quite milky.  The flavor was ok, not artificial tasting nor too sweet, but it also wasn't particularly interesting, just generic rather plain vanilla.  It was fine, but really served too melty/thin.  Very very low 3/5, generously.  

Update Review, August 2021

While I've never really loved Shake Shack custard (the egg really is just too strong for me!), it was a hot day, and a soft serve cone with sprinkles sounded perfect.  The nearest place I could meet my craving was Shake Shack, so I gave it yet another chance.

The whole experience let me down more than usual.  It took 20 minutes just to order, a huge line, moving at a snail's pace, with single cashier. 12:45pm on a Friday, how did they not have more staffing?

And then ... they were out of cones.  They were out of sprinkles.  My dreams of a soft serve cone, in the sun, with sprinkles were dashed. Ugh.

I nearly left, and went elsewhere, even McDonald's soft serve seemed better than this, but after a 20 min investment I just went for it. I did ask what other toppings they had, and was told I could add chocolate chips or Oreo.  Chips it was, they are just like ... big sprinkles?

And then I waited. And waited.  Another 20 minutes, just to get a single dish of ice cream.  Oooph.  I think their ordering system doesn't start on order until the others before it are processed, but if you are just getting ice cream, shouldn't that enter the ice cream station queue faster? 

Vanilla Custard, Single.
w/ Chocolate Chips.

Anyway.  The custard.  I felt the same way about it as always.  Great texture. So creamy.  But ... ugh, it tastes too eggy for me.  I like richness, but this just isn't for me.

The mini chocolate chips were great to mix in though, dark chocolate, seemingly decent quality. And, uh, some little buttery hunks of chocolate chip cookie somehow wound up on it too.  I'm not complaining.

*+ for the custard, *** for toppings.

Update Review, Summer 2019

After many lackluster attempts at the vanilla frozen custard at Shake Shake (see previous reviews), I gave the only other option a try, chocolate, even though I don't really care for chocolate ice cream generally.

Chocolate Custard. Single.

It was ... ok.

It was super rich, super creamy, and melted beautifully.  Thicker than traditional soft serve, no question, but then somehow it melted so very fast, like all the other times I have tried their custard.  The flavor was intensely chocolate mousse like, which I did enjoy.

But ... it was just soft rich chocolate ice cream.  I desperately wanted it to have chocolate topping of some kind (fudge, crunch, chips, anything), and whipped cream, and a cherry ... and you can't get toppings there, besides sprinkles.

I think I need to just bring my own toppings.  And likely go back for vanilla, unless I really feel the chocolate urge.

Update Review, Summer 2017

Shake Shack is most known for their burgers of course, but, they do also offer a few desserts, all of the frozen variety. The desserts center around frozen custard, which can come as a cone/cup, a milkshake (classic burger pairing), or a "Concrete" with mix-ins, several of which I've tried before (like the Lobstah Shell on my first visit, where I liked the custard but not the mix-ins, and the Blueberry Pie Oh My on my second, where I felt about the same, and vowed to get just a cone next time).

Frozen Custard.

This time, I went for just the cone. Well, with sprinkles of course. Because, sprinkles.

Newbury Street Location.

I visited a different location this time, in Boston proper (Back Bay) on Newbury Street.

It was rather adorable. If you didn't know there was a Shake Shack here, you'd never guess this was a big chain location.

Since the floorplate is small, inside is two levels, with ordering, kitchen, and some seating upstairs, bathrooms and additional seating downstairs. They also had seating on the sidewalk out front.

Really, the most adorable chain restaurant I've been to!

Frozen Custard, Cone, Single Dip, with Rainbow Sprinkles.

"Our dense, rich and creamy frozen custard is the real deal – spun fresh daily at the Shack!  Our vanilla and chocolate recipes use only real sugar, no corn syrup, and milk from dairy farmers who pledge not to use artificial growth hormones. "

I opted to just get a cone.

My choices were limited to vanilla or chocolate. Shake Shake used to offer a flavor of the week, but they did away with that, and have moved to monthly special shake flavors instead. This makes me sad, as I was there for the simple custard, but, alas, the custard is mostly used as a base for the other treats. Good vanilla (usually soft serve), in a cone, with sprinkles though is a nostalgic summer time treat for me, so, I just re-created that.

My options were cup or cone (only one type), single or double scoop.

I ordered a cone, and this is how it was served. I have no idea if this is normal or not. I gave a look when I went to pick it up, as I certainly expected to be handed a cone that I could lick. Why was it face planted into the cup? Was it made as a cone, and then just stuck in a bowl? Or was it made in a bowl, and then had the cone placed on top? Very strange.

The cone was a fairly classic sugar cone, sweet, crispy. I haven't had a sugar cone in ages, but it almost seemed longer than I remember? This is the only type of cone offered.

I also asked for rainbow sprinkles, since I knew they had them for Concretes (they actually have tons of mix-ins, and I'm surprised they don't offer sundaes or toppings on bowls of custard), and I love my ice cream in a cone with sprinkles. My server didn't really know how to ring up sprinkles on a non-Concrete, so she gave them for free. The sprinkles were standard, fine.

I also ordered a single. This seemed fairly large to me, but, maybe this is a single? Not sure what a double would be.

Cone: Salvaged.

Anyway, like I said, I wanted to re-create my childhood summer ice cream stand classic order: vanilla, in a cone, with rainbow sprinkles. While not soft serve, frozen custard is softer than traditional hard ice cream, so I knew it would be similar.

I grabbed a spoon, scooped the custard onto the cone, and went out into the sun to enjoy my treat. It was 90 degrees out, *perfect* ice cream weather!

The custard was very creamy. It was quite soft, certainly more like soft serve, but it actually melted way too fast. I licked and licked and licked, but honestly couldn't keep up with how fast it was melting.

However ... I didn't really like the custard. It was very plain, without any real flavor. I couldn't detect "vanilla". Just plain. And it was too rich. I know custard is all about that richness from the added egg yolks, and I love rich things and custards in general, so I was surprised to feel this way. But, it was just too rich, perhaps just for the weather?

Overall, just very meh, and I'm not sure I'd get another. Maybe I'd try it in a dish with a fun topping?

Update Review, Summer 2016

As always with update reviews, I encourage you to go read my original posting first, as it contains all the details on the establishment.  This post just contains specifics on the items I tried on my recent visit.

 Shack-cago Dog. $4.25.

"Dragged through the garden with Rick's Picks Shack relish, onion, cucumber, pickle, tomato,
sport pepper, celery salt, mustard."

I was craving a hot dog when we visited Shake Shack.  And, since Shake Shack was originally a hot dog stand (did you know that?), I figured it was worth giving the hot dog a try.

I could have tried the standard hot dog of course, but, instead, went for the "Shack-cago Dog" (heh, get it?)

The hot dog was good.  I appreciated the bun, soft and fluffy, but, grilled.  The hot dog was split and seared, so, a bit crunchy with more surface area than usual, which I really liked.

The toppings really did mask the hot dog itself though.  They were good, but, actually, I felt it was a bit much.

Next time, I'd get the plain hot dog.  Maybe I'd add cheese or Shack Sauce.  But, I actually just want less toppings, so I can enjoy the dog itself more.  I know, for once, Julie doesn't want all the toppings!

Crinkle Cut Cheese Fries. $3.99.

On this visit, our group got several orders of fries to share.  I knew I didn't like the fries at all last time, and suggested this time that we try an order of cheese fries too.

They were much, much better.  The fries were still the same crinkle cut fries that reminded me of oven baked frozen fries.  I didn't like the fries.

But the cheese sauce was good.  The consistency was just right, smooth, almost runny, but not too watery.  Not too thick.  It was like a thinner version of Cheese Wiz almost.  Or liquid american cheese slices.  Really a thing of wonder in how well it coated and stuck on the fries.

Still, I wish the base fries were better, but I enjoyed my cheese fries, and I'd gladly share them again.

Blueberry Pie Oh My Concrete, Single, $4.59.

"Rich and creamy vanilla frozen custard blended with a slice of Four & Twenty Blackbirds blueberry pie and topped with whipped cream."

On my previous visit, I got a concrete, and didn't love it due to the soggy nature of the lobster tail shell.  This time, I was prepared to make my own concrete out of ingredients I like, as I'm convinced I would like concretes (I mean, frozen custard and quality mix-ins, what is not to like?).  And then I saw the summer special, the Blueberry Pie Oh My.  I still nearly got the concrete I wanted originally, but, at last minute, I changed my mind.

This was better than the Lobstah Shell Concrete I had last time but, I still didn't love it.

The base vanilla custard was good, creamy, sweet.  It melted nicely.  So, that part was good.

The pie however was really sweet, loaded with blueberry pie filling.  It made the entire thing actually just a bit too sweet.  There were also chunks of pie crust, which, like the lobster tail shell, wound up soggy, an aspect I didn't care for.

The whipped cream on top was just standard whipped cream, I believe from a can.

So, overall, fine, but too sweet, and still not the textures I was looking for.  While blending a full slice of pie into ice cream sounded great in theory, it just didn't work out that well in practice.  I like to eat pie and ice cream together, but, turns out, not blended together.

Next time, maybe I'll just get a custard cone, not a concrete?

(Oh, in case you are wondering, Four & Twenty Blackbirds is a famous pie shop in Brooklyn.)

Original Review, Summer 2014

Time for something a bit different.  A chain restaurant.  And not just a chain, a casual burger joint!

You've probably heard of Shake Shack, even though there are no locations on the West Coast.  Shake Shack started in New York as a hot dog cart, but now has locations in a few different East Coast states, and several international locations too.  The menu is pretty simple: hot dogs, burgers, fries, and frozen custard based desserts.

Perhaps the reason you have heard of Shake Shack is that (gasp!) Michelle Obama went there and ate a burger, fries, and a shake!  OMG, serious newsworthy item there.  Or maybe you have friends in New York who are crazy about the place.  I really don't recall how I first heard about Shake Shack, but, I've certainly known about it for a few years.

Burgers are the big draw, but I was most excited for the desserts, as I'm a bit of a dessert-o-holic.  But, I did also want to try the burgers.  From time to time, I'm known to enjoy a burger.  I don't always need fancy burgers, although the burger from Alexander's is still my number one burger of all time, and I did appreciate the infamous Spruce Burger.  I was far less impressed with the West Coast's trendy burger joint, Umami Burger.

But back to the Shake Shack.

They take ingredient quality seriously.  Burgers are made from fresh ground, 100% natural Angus, no hormones or antibiotics.  Hot dogs are hormone, antibiotic, and nitrate free.  Fries are trans fat free and cooked in soybean oil.  And of course, the ice cream is made with real sugar, no corn syrup, and no artificial growth hormones.

The location I visited was near the Chestnut Hill mall in Chestnut Hill, MA.  The lines were long, and the place was packed.  The lines were smartly broken into two however, one for people just getting drinks and ice cream, the other for everyone else.  Once you ordered, you were given a pager.

The wait for our burgers and fries wasn't too long, enough time to find a seat (inside or out, we went for outside since we were there enjoying the amazing east coast summer), fill up some containers with ketchup, and get ourselves ready for a feast.  However, I went back to order dessert later on, and, apparently the computers broke down, so orders were lost, and things got very, very backed up.  I waited about 30 minutes for my ice cream, only to find that my order was among the ones that was lost.  I wasn't alone, many others had their orders lost, and were being given free fries to make up for it.

Overall, I'm quite glad I got to try Shake Shack, and I'd return if I was craving a simple burger, and I'd definitely return for the frozen custard!

Hand Cut Fries. $2.85.

You can't go to a burger joint and not get fries right?  Plus, I heard that Shake Shack makes decent fries, from real potatoes, not frozen mush.

The fries did look like they came from real potatoes, with skin still on.  But, that was their only redeeming quality.  The fries were soggy, limp, and totally unseasoned.  Mediocre doesn't even describe these fries.

The only other option for sides is the same fries, topped with cheese sauce for $1 more.  There were no non-fried options, nor even onion rings.  Very weak selection for sides.

Even though there aren't any other sides, I'd still skip these in the future.  They just weren't good. Fries are also offered only in one size, which was certainly large enough that two people should share.

Single ShackBurger.  $4.85.

For the main attraction, your choices are burgers or hot dogs.  The hot dogs are split and griddled, available in chicken or classic beef.  Burgers are available in only beef (or, a vegetarian portabello mushroom "burger").  Standard toppings of lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, and bacon are offered.

I went for the namesake ShackBurger, a "cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce."  (A standard cheeseburger has pickles and onions in addition, but no ShackSauce, for $0.50 less).

As you may notice from the photo, the lettuce was perhaps the most significant part of the burger.  It was a huge leaf, very fresh and crispy, unlike any lettuce I've ever seen at a fast food or fast casual establishment before.  The other vegetable inside was tomato, 2 slices, fairly fresh, smaller sized, perhaps from a roma tomato.  Again, much higher quality than I expect from a fast food chain.

The cheese was impressively perfectly melted, but there was a bit too much for my taste, it somewhat overwhelmed everything else.  I wonder if it is possible to order half cheese?  The "ShackSauce" was classic special sauce, creamy, likely a combination of mayonnaise and ketchup.

Now, for the main components.  The bun was soft and fluffy, griddled on the inside.  It was fine, but not particularly remarkable.  Like the lettuce and cheese, it seemed to overwhelm the rest of the burger, as there was far more bun than burger.  I ended up using only one half the bun, doubling up the burger.  )Of course, you can also order a double burger in the first place, rather than a single, but I didn't want a bigger burger, I just wanted to be able to taste the one I had!)

And finally, the burger.  It was cooked medium-well, but was still a bit juicy.  The plentiful cheese and ShackSauce also helped make it not seem dried out.  The beef was quite good, very well seasoned, and, well, beefy.  It wasn't a high end burger, it was cooked more than I'd normally order, but, it was very very good for what it was.

So, overall, certainly the best fast food, or fast casual, burger I've ever had.  The produce was remarkably fresh, the cheese perfectly melted, and the beef tasty.  Not something I crave often, but, there is a time and a place for a casual burger, and this was a good one.  $4.85 price was incredibly reasonable for the quality.

Lobstah Shell Concrete. Single.  $4.25.

And, the part of the meal I was most looking forward to: frozen custard!  You know I like ice cream, but custard is leagues above ice cream, and such a rare find.  And, I always prefer soft serve versions of frozen dairy treats, and, the custard at Shake Shack is soft serve.

Now, I was pretty full from my burger and fries, and already had ice cream earlier that afternoon, but there was no way I could resist trying the custard.  Available in vanilla or chocolate, plus a special flavor that changes every day.  I absolutely love soft serve custard, and I really don't understand why more places don't offer it.  (Well, I guess I do, froyo is the trend these days, and, nutritionally, custard is just about as far from froyo as it gets.  But ... it is so much more delicious!)

The custard is available as a simple dish or cone, or can be made into a shake or float, or, into a "concrete", described as "dense frozen custard ice cream blended at high speed with mix-ins."  When I did my research, everyone recommended the concretes.  Plus, how do you resist mix-ins?

For concretes, there are 3 predesigned options, or you can make your own.  The predesigned options are all location specific, and generally feature ingredients made locally.

The first custom one at this location was the "Shack Attack", made from chocolate custard with fudge, chocolate truffle cookie dough, and Mast Brothers Shake Shack dark chocolate chunks, topped with chocolate sprinkles.  Since I avoid chocolate in the evenings, that one was out.  Next was "Revere's Tracks", made from vanilla custard, with cheesecake blondies, peanut butter, and chocolate sprinkles.  This sounded good, but the final option is the one that really caught my attention: the "Lobstah Shell", made from vanilla custard, lobster tail pastry shell from Boston's North End, strawberry puree, and ricotta cream.  It sounded like the most special and unique to the location.

Of course, I also had the option to make my own, picking vanilla or chocolate for the base, plus any mix-ins I wanted.  However, the pricing made no sense to do so.  The base concrete was $3.25, plus $0.60 for each mix-in vs $4.25 for a pre-designed one.  So if I wanted just two mix-ins, the price was already higher than one of their designed ones.  Plus, I figured they knew what ingredients worked well together.

The custard was pretty much perfect.  Soft, creamy, rich.  So good.  Unfortunately, I didn't like the mix-ins.  The lobster tail pastry was soggy and a bit off-putting.  It reminded me of the also soggy waffle cone pieces in Ben & Jerry's Americone Dream.  I like crunchy mix-ins.  The strawberry puree was too sweet.  And honestly, I never tasted anything ricotta-like, not sure how I'd distinguish it from the custard itself.

Even though I didn't like my mix-ins, I liked the custard itself so much that I devoured this in seconds.  I'd love to try another type of custom concrete, or, more likely, I'd just like it in a cone ... with sprinkles of course.

$4.25 was a bit pricey compared to the food options, but not that much higher than other ice cream or frozen yogurt shops.

Read More...

Magnolia Bakery, Boston & New York

Update Review, New York, late 2025 Visits

Grocery / United

United Airlines Banana Pudding
Wafer Cookie Bits.

"Indulge in our new frozen-to-thaw Banana Pudding, a delightful, naturally flavored treat whipped to perfection and made with real bananas."

"Indulge in a wafer cookie wonderland. This frozen-to-thaw, naturally flavored treat is made with real bananas and whipped to perfection with wafer cookie bits. Experience the perfect blend of creamy banana pudding and crunchy wafer cookie bits in every bite."

In 2024, some exciting news came out.  Well, two bits of related exciting news.  First, Magnolia Bakery announced that after years of R&D, they had produced a version of their famous (and truly exceptional) banana pudding that would be sold in grocery stores (frozen).  I love that pudding when purchased fresh from the bakery, and I love pudding in general (hence the label on my blog), but I'll admit I was a bit skeptical about the thaw-to-serve concept, particularly when a key element of the banana pudding is, well, fresh bananas.  So that is piece of news #1.  And then, in December, United announced that they were replacing the onboard dessert (previously sliced pies or their precursors, the pie-in-the-sky from Eli's Cheesecake) with a special version of the Magnolia banana pudding, made just for them.

It is this version that I got to try, in the original banana pudding flavor.  Magnolia also makes a chocolate peanut butter or chocolate hazelnut version for grocery stores, and United also has a red velvet version.

United / Magnolia Banana Pudding.

I'm not sure what exactly is different about the pudding served on board United flights compared to the grocery store version, other than that it comes in a branded cup, and is smaller (the grocery one is 14 ounces, and listed as 2.5 servings).  I did find the size a bit comical, it was more the size of a kid's pudding cup than a proper adult portion.  

So how was it?

Um.  Well, to start, it was basically nothing like the bakery version.  I knew it would be different, but this had zero resemblance other than that it seemed to involve bananas and cream.  Even looking at the ingredients, yeah, just, totally different (Magnolia published the recipe in their cookbook for the bakery version).

This one had a base pudding of heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and banana puree.  The real version in stores uses instant vanilla pudding mix in the base (along with heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk).  The lack of vanilla flavor and lack of pudding mix made this significantly different, but even moreso, the banana puree being part of the pudding base and no actual slices of bananas is radically different.  This one is banana flavored pudding (really, banana flavored very sweet thick whipped cream) rather than vanilla pudding with layers of bananas.  This is radically different.

And then there are the wafers.  Again, radically different.  This one says it had bits in it, which I guess were some of the mush, but certainly nothing I'd identify as wafers.  The bakery one has large hunks of wafers, as they are layered with the pudding and bananas (yes, the wafers are quite soft, but, still recognizable).

So as something anything like the bakery version, wow, no.  If I had this for the first time rather than the bakery version, I'd be so confused why anyone raved about it.  But as a completely different product, a mushy banana pudding from a freezer, sure, it was fine.  As a dessert on board an airplane?  Sure, it was fine.  Nothing I'd go out to buy, but, I finished.  I find it does best with some garnish - fresh berries, mini dark chocolate chips, whipped cream, etc, as it really is quite sweet and lacking dimension on its own.  

I'll give them credit though for the fact that it was smooth, creamy, not watery, etc.  It certainly didn't give off freezer vibes.

3/5 in a generous way, but if you really want to measure it against expectations given the branding, MUCH lower.

December 2025

For the first time, Magnolia's in-store puddings have let me down.  While I've been lukewarm on their other products, the puddings I've never found fault with, until this year.

Red Velvet.
(Dec 2025 Monthly Flavor)

"Layers of vanilla pudding, red velvet cake, fresh bananas and mini chocolate chips."

The monthly flavor for December was red velvet, not one I'd had before.  It really let me down.

It didn't taste like much of anything, besides an occasional bite of banana.

I expected stronger chocolate element, and to really taste the red velvet.  As you can see, there were big hunks of red velvet cake, but it somehow didn't have much flavor.  The chocolate bits were minimal, and even the base seemed more like just whipped cream than their standard pudding.  The banana I did taste when I got those bites.

But really, this was a somehow red but not flavorful bowl of mostly whipped cream with some bananas and bits of cake I didn't taste.  Sadness.  2/5.

The seasonal flavor costs slightly more than the original, at $6.75 for a small, $8.95 medium, and $10.45 large.

Red Velvet: Again.

So I tried again.  I didn't believe Magnolia could really let me down like this.

My second attempt was even worse - barely any cake in this one, and still barely any chocolate, and barely any red velvet or even vanilla pudding flavor.  I added a bunch of my own chocolate bits, but, yeah, eh.  Low 2/5.

Banana Pudding.

"This world-famous, 12 ounce cup of Banana Pudding is layered with vanilla wafers, fresh bananas and creamy vanilla pudding."

So I went back to the classic.  It really is just great banana pudding.  Strong banana flavor.  Nicely soft wafers.  Thick rich pudding.  I did actually find it a bit too sweet this time, and wanted some regular whipped cream and more tart fruit (like blackberries) to balance it out, but still quite enjoyed.  3.5/5.

This costs $5.95/8.25/9.75 depending on size where I believe the large is actually 3x the small (and medium is 2x).

Classic Cupcakes: Vanilla, Chocolate, Red Velvet.

I also ordered cupcake for my group, since we had several people who had never been to NY before, and I wanted to give them a NY classic item.

The classic six-pack has two each of their base three flavors: vanilla/vanilla, chocolate/chocolate, and red velvet/cream cheese.  Cupcakes are ~$30/6 or $10.xx for a pair.

Chocolate w/ Chocolate Buttercream.

"Chocolate cupcakes are swirled with indulgent chocolate buttercream."

I remember not really thinking Magnolia cupcakes were great years ago when I had them, but we had some for the event, so I tried the chocolate one.

It was ... fine.  The cake wasn't a style I care much for, just kinda boring, chocolate cake.  No real interesting flavor, no moisture (it wasn't dry, but it wasn't super moist), just, boring.  

The frosting though I really did like.  It was smooth, creamy, fluffy, and really tasted to me like cream cheese (but, chocolate).  I know they say it is just buttercream, but it really seemed like cream cheese frosting to me.

Higher 3/5 frosting, 2/5 cake.  I wouldn't really want another though, and at >$5 each definitely not worth it.

Update Review, New York, 2024 & summer 2025 Visits

Magnolia Bakery.  Over-hyped?  Perhaps.  And I haven't ever loved most items at Magnolia (and in particular, find the cupcakes that made them famous on Sex in the City to be fairly meh), but that banana pudding?  It's pretty flawless.

Classic Banana Pudding. 
Small. $5.98.

"This world-famous, 4 ounce cup of Banana Pudding is layered with vanilla wafers, fresh bananas and creamy vanilla pudding."

I've had this pudding before, several times, so you'd think I'd know just how good it is, but it still caught me off guard when I took the first bite.  After all, it didn't *look* all that special.  And how good can banana pudding really be?  Answer: yeah, it can be mind boggling good.

I'm not sure what it is about it, but, the banana flavor is strong, the vanilla pudding is really quite rich and thick, the wafers are pleasantly soft, and yay for fresh banana slices.  It is simple, but it is just done so very right.  Banana pudding doesn't get better than this.

4.5/5.

Blueberry Crisp (July Special). 
Sample.

"Our classic vanilla pudding with a lemon-y twist, layered with blueberry filling, vanilla wafers and baked crumb topping."

Every month the bakeries in NY have a seasonal flavor.  In July 2024, it was blueberry crisp.

I asked to sample this first as I was a bit wary of the lemon base given my general slight aversion to lemon or lime desserts (really, I asked how lemon-y it was, and was immediately offered a sample, plucked from a fresh container that was in the fridge for purchase.  Gotta love their sample eagerness!).

It was fine, but reminded me of just a decent trifle.  The pudding was only slightly lemon, otherwise just good thick rich vanilla pudding.  Swirls of fruity sweet blueberry, some texture from soft wafers and crumb topping.  It was good, but the banana pudding is better, so I got that instead.  3.5/5.

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Pumpkin Spice (September Special).

When I visited a few months later, the special had turned to pumpkin spice (already!).  I tried a sample of the pumpkin spice, and liked it considerably more than the previous year.  I think I was more in the pumpkin spice mood.  Basically, think pumpkin pie filling, but both richer and fluffier, and with soft wafers instead of crust.  4/5.

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Chocolate Banana Pudding (August Special).

"Layers of creamy chocolate pudding, OREO wafers, fresh bananas, and mini chocolate chips."

A year later, I was in New York for July and August, and opted to try the August special, chocolate banana pudding.

This was pretty good.  It wasn't a super intense, rich, chocolate mousse style of chocolate pudding, rather, it is vanilla pudding with chocolate fudge swirls, and then all the other mix-ins: bananas just like the signature pudding, Oreos that were basically just soft chocolate cake since they had been mixed in and sat like that in the pudding mixture like the Nilla wafers do in the classic pudding, plus lots of mini chocolate chips that added great crunch and chocolateliness.  Although I don't like Oreos much, they were barely recognizable as such in this, and it really was just a pretty good banana pudding with chocolate flair.  4/5.

Update Review, New York, 2023 Visits

I know I visited one of the original Magnolia locations when I visited New York ages ago, but, I don't remember being particularly impressed, and think we just got cupcakes.  But once I had that banana pudding from their short lived Boston location ... I knew I had to get it again when I was in New York this summer.

Spoiler: that banana pudding remains completely worth the visit.

Pumpkin Spice (Fall, Seasonal):
"Creamy pumpkin pudding layered with vanilla wafers and decadent cookie butter."

On September 1, like clockwork, Magnolia Bakery launched their pumpkin spice version of pudding.  This is NOT a banana pudding, which seems like a wise choice, as I don't think pumpkin spices and banana would combine all that well.

Since pumpkin spice can be fairly polarizing, sometimes way too heavy in, say, the nutmeg, I asked the staff member at the shop how aggressively spiced it was.  She said it wasn't too spiced at all, and that it just tasted like pumpkin pie.  As she was saying this, she was immediately fetching a container of it, and asked if I wanted to sample it.  Who am I to say no to a sample?

Her description was very accurate.  It tasted, indeed, like pumpkin pie.  Creamy, lightly spiced, pumpkin pie, that just happened to have some soft wafers in it too.  It was quite enjoyable, but, you had to be in the mood for pumpkin pie, which, it turned out, I really wasn't at the time. 3.5/5.

Banana Pudding (Medium). $7.95.

"This world-famous, 12 ounce cup of Banana Pudding is layered with vanilla wafers, fresh bananas and creamy vanilla pudding."

The last time I had Magnolia Bakery pudding, it was in their Boston location, in 2018, before it closed.  I really enjoyed it then.  But I wasn't sure if my tastes had evolved in the past 5 years.

Turns out, this pudding really is still quite good. The vanilla wafers are soft in a good way, almost cake-like.  The pudding is thick and rich, very creamy, and lightly banana flavored.  The ratio of pudding to wafers was spot on too - easy to get a bite of just pudding, but most contained a bit of both.  I was surprised though that there didn't seem to be much in the way of the fresh banana slices.  I didn't mind, as it was so rich, creamy, and delicious as it was, but if you are looking for a banana forward pudding, this isn't it.  I added fresh strawberries and blueberries to mine, and that was perfect.

4/5 though, really, excellent pudding.

Original Review, Boston, 2018 Visits

Magnolia Bakery.  The bakery credited with (or blamed for, depending on your take), the cupcake craze of the 1990s.  Thrust into the spotlight after appearing on Sex and the City.

Originally just a single little bakery in New York, but now a global empire, with locations in most of the big US cities, and internationally in places as far ranging as Dubai, Kuwait City, Bangalore, and Seoul.  Known for the cupcakes, obviously, but also for good classic American desserts.  Clearly, I needed to check the place out.

I never visited the New York locations, but when they opened in Boston, I was thrilled, as I always fly into Boston when I go to visit my family.  And as a lover of all baked goods, how could I pass this up?

But spoiler: it wasn't really the baked goods I was after.  Sure, I wanted to try those, but, itt was something else that led me to go out of my way to check out Magnolia Bakery.  Their other signature item.  The banana pudding.  Yes, just banana pudding, but, uh, it has a serious following.

I quickly found out why.

Visit #1: Icebox Bars & Puddings. July 2018.

My first visit was aimed at trying the signature banana pudding, obviously, in as many flavors as I possibly could.  I also selected a couple icebox bars, as I was unfamiliar with the concept, and wanted to try them out.

The puddings were the runaway hits, no question.

Visit #2: Ice Box Bars, Cupcakes, Cake. December 2018.

On my second visit, I tried more icebox cakes, and this time, added on some cupcakes and a slice of cake.  Of course I got more banana pudding too.

I've still yet to try the cheesecake, classic icebox cake, cookies, brownies, or bars.

Setting

The Boston location of Magnolia is located in tourist central: Faneuil Hall.  Right at the entrance.  It isn't exactly the most peaceful of locations, but it is very accessible and easy to find.

Pudding / Cupcake Finishing Station.

The space begins with a glimpse inside the bakery, which does help the feel of the place be not quite so cookie-cutter, there was prep going on there, unlike many other stalls.

Since this is an active bakery, you can actually see staff finishing cupcakes and scooping out containers of pudding right there.

That is, when they have a moment between the steady stream of guests ...

So. Many. Treats.

The remainder of the shop front is display cases filled with all the treats.  

Magnolia is a full bakery, with an extensive product line, ranging from cookies, to brownies and bars, to cheesecakes, to cakes, and of course, the cupcakes and pudding.

It is from the cases that you order with someone on the other side, then stand in line to check out.

Counter of Treats.

This section was mostly cheesecakes, all mini sized, $7.95,  offered in traditional flavors, or fun ones like German Chocolate or Red Velvet.  I didn't even know Magnolia made cheesecake until I saw these, and I'd love to try them sometime.

The layout suffers quite a bit, as it was hard to browse the items, since people needed to stand in front of the cases to place orders, and the line to check out extended back in front of the cases at most times.  People also seemed generally confused, where to order, how to pay, etc.  But staff did their best at keeping things moving.

Drink Menu.

To go with your treats, you can also order coffee and espresso drinks (hot or iced), cold summer beverages like lemonade and ice tea, or, during the winter, nice warm hot cocoa.

I hear the caramel latte is quite good, made with their house made caramel.

Party Supplies.

The one non-food section had a funny assortment of items, some party supplies like candles and balloons, but also ... tattoos?  And the Magnolia cookbook for sale.

Register.

Eventually you make your way to the register to pay and retrieve your goodies.

Here you see the place in a moment of calm, which I waited around for so I could actually get some photos.

Seating.

Magnolia does actually have a few seats, unlike almost everywhere else in Faneuil Hall.  Just a few stools and counters in a narrow hallway that leads to an exterior door, but, still very welcome.

I managed to luck out and a big gaggle of teenage girls vacated the entire area as I walked up.  I thank them for this, as it was nice to get out of the center flow of tourists so I could enjoy my treats. 

Packaging

Items are all very clearly marked with the magnolia brand.

Magnolia Bags / Bowls / Boxes.

If you are getting your treats for later, items come packaged in Magnolia boxes, taped shut so they don't fly open, and placed into handled Magnolia bags.  This packaging is less elaborate than what you'd find in a fancy bakery in Paris, but, still takes time (for them to do, and you to un-do!).  

The counters are filled with signs encouraging you to just get a plate, not a box, if you are going to eat your treats right away.  I'm sure it is frustrating to slowly pack up a cupcake, just to watch someone pull it out and eat it 2 feet away, throwing out the box immediately!

Cupcake Boxes.

If you do get those cupcakes to go though, they come in a custom box that holds them in place perfectly.  No ruined cupcakes here!

Banana Pudding

Magnolia may be most well known for the cupcakes due to the show, but, if you ask people what to get at Magnolia Bakery, there is something else entirely that *everyone* will tell you to get.  The banana pudding.  Any variety.

 

As a pudding lover, this makes me a very happy girl, because I always feel it is such an under-loved dessert, when it can be so very good if given proper attention.

And, spoiler, Magnolia does this justice.  The rave reviews are well deserved.  They have discovered two not-so-secrets: use sweetened condensed milk instead of milk in your pudding, and fold in plentiful whipped cream to make it lofty.  That is the magic.  Nothing fancy.  Just delicious.

Voting for the next banana pudding flavor!

The counter had ballots to vote for the next banana pudding flavor.  Some sound amazing (cookie dough! Butterscotch!) and really there is something for everyone in the list.

Banana Pudding Cones.

For National Banana Pudding Day (yes, it is a thing), Magnolia offered up a limited time creation: banana pudding cones.

Yes, "scoops" of banana pudding, in a cone, with sprinkles.  For 4 days only, $5.25 each.  Kinda cute, really.

I almost got one, but since I wasn't planning to consume it right then, this didn't seem very practical.

Small Puddings. $4.25 each.

Magnolia always carries the signature classic banana pudding, a monthly special that generally sounds amazing (I just missed salted caramel!), and, exclusive to Boston only, one additional flavor: Boston Cream Pie.  They also normally carry a chocolate pudding with chocolate pudding and Oreo wafers instead of vanilla wafers, but they didn't have it at the Boston location, perhaps it was just sold out, perhaps they just don't offer it since they have the Boston special. 

Pudding is available in this small size for $4.25, medium for $6, large for $7.50, or many other larger party sizes for groups.  I ordered a small of each of the puddings.  You know, for "research".  I needed to compare them all!

Boston Cream Pie Banana Pudding (Boston only special),
Banana Pudding, S'mores Banana Pudding (August Special). 

The small size seems reasonable for having a dessert that leaves you fairly satisfied, but not feeling awful, but I don't think the medium is really too much for a pudding lover to easily polish off in one sitting.  I'd recommend getting bigger and taking some home for later, or just getting several.  They won't keep for long due to the fresh bananas, and obviously require refrigeration, but, believe me, you'll want as much of this as you can get.

It is seriously good banana pudding.

Classic Banana Pudding.

"Layers of vanilla wafers, fresh bananas and creamy vanilla pudding."

I started with the classic, since it is the most simple.

You will laugh if you look at the ingredient list for this classic banana pudding.  It is, literally, just instant pudding mix made with sweetened condensed milk (!), whipped cream (e.g. heavy cream), Nilla wafers (yes, the regular brand name), and sliced fresh bananas.  They aren't trying to be fancy.  No house made wafers, but also not even "real" pudding.  But clearly, Magnolia discovered the secret (hello, sweetened condensed milk!)  I can't wait to try making pudding myself this way ...

Anyway, this is, well, really ridiculously good banana pudding.  Creamy.  Sweet.  Rich.  The Nilla wafers soft, almost like cake inside a parfait, from soaking in the pudding.  The fresh banana soft and just plentiful enough to give banana in nearly every bite, but not overwhelming.

It is a classic thing for sure, but, um, wow.  Certainly the best banana pudding I've ever had.  And yet, of the trio, this was my second favorite.  Because they got better than this.

4.5/5.

Boston Cream Pie. Small. $4.25.

"Layers of vanilla pudding, vanilla wafers, bananas and a decadent chocolate fudge. Available exclusively at our Boston location daily while supplies last."

Next, I tried the exclusive Boston version: Boston Cream Pie.  It is just the classic pudding, but with chocolate fudge added.  Chocolate and bananas are a classic combo after all.

I did like this, but, honestly, I think it was more "banana split" than "Boston cream pie".  For me at least, Boston cream pie/cake/donuts are all about the custard layer, and this had the same pudding layer as the regular banana pudding.

Once I started thinking of it as "banana split", all I could think about was how much more fun it would be with some maraschino cherries (and sprinkles?) added in too.  How good does that sound?  Who knows, maybe they have done that for the flavor of the month before?

Still, it was my favorite, the chocolate fudge just amped the basic banana pudding up a notch I wasn't expecting.

4.5/5.

S'mores Banana Pudding (August). Small. $4.25.

"Layers of chocolate pudding, graham crackers, marshmallow fluff, marshmallows, bananas and chocolate shavings - the taste of summer in every bite."

And finally, the August special: S'mores.  I'm not usually excited about s'mores, but this was fairly good.

S'mores Banana Pudding: Close Up.

It had graham crackers instead of vanilla wafers, and chocolate pudding instead of vanilla, so even just the base was quite different.  And then, mini marshmallows, marshmallow fluff, and chocolate chips added in.

The chocolate pudding was just as good as the vanilla, but I do like vanilla pudding more in general, so it got the edge.  The graham cracker soaked up even more moisture than the wafers, resulting in a softer cake-like texture, but one that tasted like graham, which I preferred less.  And then, um, yes to marshmallow fluff, sweet and sticky, and always something I adore.  Chocolate chips were awesome for texture and crunch.  Eh to the mini marshmallows, but, a yes to everything else about this one.

My least favorite, but still good, particularly if you like chocolate desserts. 3.5/5.

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Chocolate Pudding. (December 2018)

"Layers of OREO® wafers*, fresh bananas, creamy chocolate pudding, and chocolate shavings."

The chocolate version is offered daily in New York, but since Boston has the Boston Cream version, this showed up only as a monthly special, in December when I visited.

It was my least favorite, just chocolate pudding, some Oreo, bananas. Eh.  Just get the Boston Cream.

Icebox Desserts

Magnolia makes a large variety of icebox pies and bars, sold as individual bars for $6, mini pies for $10, or full size 9" pies for $28.

All are variations with kind of crust (vanilla or chocolate wafers, graham crackers, Oreo cookies), with some kind of whipped cream filling (classic, peanut butter, ricotta, lime custard), and a topping (Snicker's, blueberries, etc).  They also make their chocolate and banana puddings as pies as well, same ingredients, just, different assembly.

On my first visit, I was there on a mission to try the latest Boston exclusive item, a Cannoli Ice Box dessert, but I knew I wanted to try one other too.

I was about to order the peanut butter or Snicker's versions, because both sounded pretty amazing, the former made with a vanilla wafer crust, caramel, peanut butter whipped cream/cream cheese filling, and Reese's PB Cups, the later with a chocolate wafer crust, peanut butter, cream cheese/whipped cream filling, and Snickers, but then I saw the August special peach "jamboree" bar, and got quite excited.  And then it sold out in front of me.  Doh.  I fell back on the blueberry jamboree bar, as I loved the sound of the crust (pecan shortbread!).

I'll admit that I was hit with buyer's remorse on this one.  I really did want either of the peanut butter based desserts, and it was only my disappointment in the peach disappearing in front of my eyes that lead me to the blueberry.  I considered turning back when I was about 10 minutes away, not because I didn't like what I had, but because I still really wanted peanut butter!

So when I returned in December, it was clear I had to order both of them.

Blueberry Jamboree Bar. $6.

"Pecan shortbread crust layered with whipped cream and cream cheese filling with a fresh blueberry topping."

My consolation prize, when they didn't have the one I wanted the first time: the blueberry jamboree bar.  I think the "jamboree" is a Magnolia creation, as it is not a term I was familiar with before, and a quick Google search doesn't reveal much (besides recipes for the Magnolia one).

This was the best of the two icebox bars I tried.

I really liked the crust, made from compressed pecan shortbread, full of texture from chopped pecans, and very pleasantly sweet.  It went great with the cream filling, which was rich and creamy.  The cream cheese mixed with the whipped cream gave it more body and flavor than a simple whipped cream filling.

I wasn't crazy about the blueberry topping though, little wild blueberries, in a compote of sorts.  I prefer bigger, juicier berries, and maybe even more of a classic "goo" around the fruit.  You can also get this topping on the cheesecake.  My companion who I split it with however loved the blueberry layer, so this was clearly just preference.  He couldn't decide if he liked this, or the banana pudding, more.

I was happy enough with just the crust and cream layers to be honest, but I can't help but wonder how amazing the peach version is!

3.5/5.

Cannoli Icebox Bar. $6.

"Inspired by the traditional Cannoli, this exclusive Icebox Dessert has a Nilla Wafer Crust, Sweet Whipped Ricotta filling with a hint of Lemon and a layer of Mini Chocolate Chips." 

The last item we tried on our first visit was the new Boston exclusive Cannoli Icebox Bar.  It was our least favorite, no question.  Neither of us cared for it much at all.

The crust was compressed (and sweetened?) Nilla wafers, thick, and kinda boring.  Why didn't they use crushed cannoli shells instead?  Using Nilla wafers here in a cannoli inspired dessert seemed a bit wrong.

The filling layer was sweetened ricotta, per a traditional cannoli, with much more than a "hint of lemon" to it.  We both felt it was far too strong on the lemon, much more of a lemon bar dessert than we were expecting, and, as neither of us care for lemon desserts, far too much lemon.

The mini chocolate chips were fine, I liked the texture, and they obviously added to the "cannoli" aspect of it.

So, overall, this just wasn't a success for me.  Boring crust, filling I didn't like due to aggressive lemon, meh.  2/5.

Peanut Butter Icebox Bar. $6.

"Vanilla wafer crust layered with caramel and a peanut butter whipped cream and cream cheese filling, topped with Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cups."

My second visit yielded success at getting a slice of the incredible sounding peanut butter icebox bar.

I love peanut butter cups, so this sounded pretty awesome.  I did think it was strange that the peanut butter icebox bar had caramel and the Snickers one did not however, as I expected it to match the Peanut Butter Cups on top a bit better.  Same with the vanilla rather than chocolate crust.  Maybe they found that chocolate crust and just peanut butter whipped cream and cream cheese filling was too much sameness?

Anyway.

I liked this more than the previous bars, but I think that icebox style bars just aren't really my thing.  The crusts are kinda odd to me, crumbly and they break apart, and I always want the fillings to be either richer and thicker like cheesecake, or more like a pudding.  Nothing wrong with the execution of this bar, I really think it just isn't the form for me.

The peanut butter flavor in the filling is strong, and you can tell this is a peanut butter dessert.  I didn't really taste much, if any, caramel though.  Nor cream cheese really.  Just sweetened peanut butter cream really.  Which is tasty, but not really a complete dessert to me.  Having layers of distinct peanut butter whipped cream and peanut butter cream cheese might work better?

Of course I liked the chunks of pb cup on top, along with a few bits of crushed peanut.

I think I'd like this more with a thicker, firmer crust (with some pb cups in it perhaps?), a layer of just whipped cream, and a rich thick chocolate ganache in there somewhere ... yeah, I think I don't like icebox bars!  3/5.

Snickers. $6.

"Chocolate wafer crust layered with peanut butter, cream cheese, and whipped cream filling, topped with Snickers® Bar pieces."

I also managed to get a slice of the equally decadent sounding Snickers icebox pie.

The Snickers version was very similar, although this cream was only peanut butter, not caramel I guess, a lighter color, and slightly more mild flavor.  It actually did taste a bit like caramel, but, it says just peanut butter ...

The texture of the crust was similar, just chocolate this time.  Chunks of Snickers were less exciting to me than peanut butter cups.

I liked the peanut butter version more since it featured the cups, but I still can't help but think it would make more sense to have the caramel filling here, and the vanilla crust ... 2.5/5.

Cakes & Cupcakes

And finally, yes, the cupcakes.  Or full size cakes if you prefer.

Whole Cakes.

Magnolia offers classic cakes daily, usually vanilla or chocolate bases with vanilla or chocolate buttercream in a variety of flavors, available by the slice or full cake in assorted sizes.  They also make a number of specialty cakes, ranging from German Chocolate with coconut caramel pecan filling to Hummingbird with banana, pineapple, and pecans in the cake.

The cakes are all available to pre-order and can be decorated as well.

Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Slice. $5.

"Rich, buttery, old-fashioned cake with a light crumb. Our most popular cake!" 

I decided to get a slice of cake because I knew it was layer cake, and I often find that layer cake has better frosting to cake ratio (as in, more frosting!) than a cupcake, and the cake is generally more moist.  (Sorry cupcakes, but full cakes often have the leg up!)

The cake was decent.  Moist, buttery vanilla cake.  Not particularly notable, but a nice cake.  Fairly textbook.

The buttercream, light blue but just vanilla buttercream, was quite sweet, but, that is what I was after.  Good texture.  Nice amount on top and in-between the layers.

Overall, a very solid, very basic, classic vanilla cake.  Well made, but it mostly made me wish it was a cake from Empire Cakes in New York ... I was obsessed with their cake when I was there recently (review soon)!

3.5/5.

Cupcakes.

But the main attraction at Magnolia is still the cupcakes.  Multiple display cases are filled with cupcakes, all versions of chocolate and vanilla (e.g. chocolate cake and chocolate buttercream, chocolate cake and vanilla buttercream, etc), plus a daily cupcake flavor, plus a weekly special.

On my visit in December, there were also holiday decorated cupcakes.  The seasonal cupcake was chocolate with peppermint buttercream, the daily was red velvet.  Specialty cupcakes are also available to pre-order, including a fun confetti cake and a pb & j version with jelly inside a peanut butter cake, with peanut butter buttercream.

Vanilla (Holiday) Cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream. $3.95.

"Rich, buttery, old-fashioned cake with a light crumb. Our most popular cake!" 

I'll admit, I got this one for my mother because she loves snowmen, and because it was so darn cute, not because I wanted a plain vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream, when I had also gotten the slice.  But seriously, how do you pass him up?

It was ... a decent cupcake.  Vanilla base, moist but not as moist as the regular cake, decently buttery, good texture, good sweetness level.  The buttercream was exactly the same as the cake, just, white.  I did like the extra large sugar crystals on top, which truly did give it a snowy shimmer.

This was a fine cupcake, but again, not as good as Empire Cakes, although it wins a lot for style points.  3/5.

Red Velvet Cupcake with Whipped Vanilla Icing. $3.95.

"Light chocolate cake with whipped vanilla icing."

I also got a red velvet cupcake, because the lofty icing was just too much to pass up.  Seriously, look at that mound of frosting!!!

The cake was the best of the three I tried, a lot more flavor in the classic red velvet base, a touch of cocoa in it, and I believe buttermilk.  Good moisture level, good crumb.  A nice cake, but again, just good, textbook, but not exemplary.

The frosting was actually much lighter than it looked.  Truly it was whipped.  It was sweet and fluffy, kinda fun.  I think I liked it more than the classic thicker buttercream. 

They also make the red velvet cupcake (or cake) with a more traditional cream cheese icing.

3.5/5.

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