Dining Out: Harlem Shake

No, not the YouTube sensation.

This Harlem Shake is the good kind, the kind that pairs perfectly with a burger and fries.

When my sister and her fiancé moved to Harlem we were all a little skeptical. No one in the family had spent much time there, so we didn't quite know what to expect.

In their first week as Harlem residents, they reported back about a fantastic meal they had two blocks away from their apartment at a placed called the Harlem Shake. The name is absolutely genius.

When I went to visit them over Columbus Day weekend, I insisted that I get to experience the Harlem Shake for myself. We walked over on Sunday night and the outdoor patio was lit up and ready for visitors.

The patio is huge and on a nice night, the perfect place to kick back and stuff your face.

Before I even set foot in the restaurant, they earned major points when a poster on the front door announced the arrival of a special guest in the coming week, Janelle Monae! Any burger place near you have Janelle stopping by? I didn't think so.

Inside, the Harlem Shake looks like a 50s diner.

There are plenty of stools both by the register and in front of the windows for hungry patrons.

The restaurant has floor to ceiling windows so even if you're sitting inside, there is still great people watching.

There is one giant piece of art work in the restaurant and her name is Miss Harlem Shake. It's a hologram that actually shakes.

There is also a wall of fame and each photograph is signed by a celebrity who has dined in the restaurant.

If you don't come in knowing exactly what you want, you can take a menu to your seat and mull it over.

I love that they have something called the Dimepiece Special.

It took us a solid 10 minutes to decide what we were having. We each wanted to try a bunch of things, but of course, didn't want to share.

My sister's fiancé went with the gut-busting fatty melt. It's two burger patties sandwiched between two grilled cheese sandwiches. Can you feel the heart attack coming on? The sandwich is so big they have to serve each half in its own paper tray.

He said, "The fatty melt is everything you love about a grilled cheese and everything you love about a hamburger. After one half you feel like you're going to explode, so definitely share it." My sister chimed in, "After one bite I wanted to rip it from his hands. It's so good!"

My sister decided to change it up from her usual and order the turkey burger. When it arrived we were all mystified by its appearance. She told me to write down, "The burger was unidentifiable. Don't order it. It was bland, boring and had no flavor." Noted.

I decided on the veggie burger. Though it may not look super appealing, this was one of the best veggie burgers I've ever had. I've always regarded the veggie option at Shake Shack as the top vegetarian selection at a burger place, but Harlem Shake's rendition knocked Shake Shack out of the number one spot.

To go with our burgers we had to have fries. I love eating with boys because they say things like, "We should get cheese fries, right? I mean, we're here, we have to get them."

The cheese fries were the ideal junk food. Soaked in liquid cheese they were delightfully stuck together and sinfully good.

The regular fries were also yummy, but definitely needed pepper and ketchup.

Obviously we weren't going to visit Harlem Shake and not have milkshakes. We skipped right over soda and went straight for the ice cream goodness.

From left to right that's the salted caramel shake, the black and white shake and the house specialty, the Harlem shake.

My sister's fiancé got the salted carmel and said it tasted more like vanilla with the tiniest hint of caramel. My sister commented that her black and white shake, while a classic, wasn't as good as other flavors she'd tried in the past. I went with the signature Harlem shake which has red velvet cupcake blended into the shake. I too thought it tasted mostly like vanilla, but at least you had the red cake pieces to trick your eye.

Before we left my sister said, "You have to go take your camera in the bathroom." Some people might find that a weird suggestion, but seeing as I now regularly take pictures of restaurant bathrooms, I appreciated the tip.

The bathroom did not disappoint. It has sea foam green fixtures and two entire walls are collaged with magazine covers.

A third wall, the one that the urinals face, is plastered with pin up girls.

The food at Harlem Shake makes it 100 percent worth the trip all the way up to 124th Street. It's just steps from the 125th Street stop on the 2/3 train. If you are a vegetarian, you have to try this veggie burger. If you live in the neighborhood, this should become your new ice cream spot.

Visit the Harlem Shake at 100 West 124th Street, New York, NY 10027.