The Shack Serves Old-School Burgers and Big Shakes on Highway 7

A Shackburger arrives the way a roadside burger ought to arrive: freshly cooked, wrapped in paper, and ready to be unwrapped without much ceremony. The hand-pressed patty comes with lettuce, tomato and onion, while mayonnaise and mustard dress the bun. It is a straightforward combination, but freshness gives it plenty of character.

The Shack, along Highway 7 across from Jessieville School, carries the comfortable personality of an old-time hamburger stand or dairyette. This is a small, family-owned place where paper trays, casual seating and a menu full of familiar comfort food suit a lunch break as nicely as a stop on a longer scenic drive.

The signature burger is the natural place to begin. Its toppings are assembled to give the hot patty some crunch and brightness, rather than leaving you with a burger that has been sitting around fully dressed. Add cheese for a little extra richness.

For a bolder version, the bacon-and-pepper-jack Shackburger brings smoky bacon and a sharper cheese into the picture. It still follows the same classic burger-joint logic, just with a little more kick.

The patty melt is another worthwhile detour from the standard burger order. Paired with onion rings, it makes a particularly satisfying lunch for someone who wants the griddled, savory side of the menu rather than another bun-and-patty combination.

Fries here are meant to be crisp, not an afterthought pushed to the edge of the tray. Regular fries are an easy companion to a Shackburger, while cajun fries add seasoning and sweet potato fries offer another option when the table wants to mix things up.

The onion rings have their own following. They come crunchy on the outside, with a tender, sweet onion center, and their small paper-tray presentation suits the restaurant's unfussy style. They are easy to share, though that may depend on how attached everyone at the table becomes to the last few rings.

The Shack is not limited to burgers. Catfish gives the menu a welcome seafood lane, and it has become a favored order alongside the burgers and fried sides.

There are also fried chicken sandwiches, corn dogs and barbecue among the comfort-food choices. That range is useful for a family meal, when one person has a burger in mind and someone else is hoping for a fried sandwich or fish instead.

The shake menu is a major reason not to rush off after lunch. These are thick, old-fashioned milkshakes in flavors that go beyond vanilla and chocolate, including caramel, pineapple, peanut butter, blueberry and hot fudge peanut butter.

The caramel shake is smooth and strongly flavored, while the pineapple version brings plenty of pineapple into the cup. Peanut butter is another dependable choice for anyone after a richer, more dessert-like finish.

Hot fudge peanut butter is the maximalist option, and a good one for a long drive when a plain drink simply will not do. Ice cream cones and sundaes give kids and non-shake drinkers another way to close out the meal.

The setup lets visitors decide how much of a stop they want to make. There is an indoor dining area, outdoor seating that includes a shaded picnic-table option, and an outside order window for a more traditional drive-in-style visit.

That flexibility fits the restaurant's Highway 7 setting. You can settle in over burgers and shakes, or make it a quick meal between a day out and the drive home. The parking lot is free, with ample room reported for visitors.

One practical detail is worth knowing before you pull in: The Shack accepts cash or check only, not debit or credit cards. Bring cash, then order the burger, add the onion rings, and leave enough room for the shake menu.