The Shake Bar

It’s like a drinks version of Willy Wonka. So many choices and always good to try different combinations. It’s good too that they have reward cards for regular customers. Another plus is the staff, always friendly and polite. Very welcoming place.

Familiar style,
Pick a choc bar, add ice cream.
Free whipped cream Wednesdays.

My friends get tired of my constant moaning that English milkshakes just aren’t THICK enough. They finally made me go to Shake a holic last September, because you can customize how thick it is. The shake was great, and I loved that I could make what I’ve come to decide is my signature milkshake flavor (it’s kind of like a peanut butter and banana sandwich in milkshake form). I’ve been there about half a dozen times since then, when I’m homesick and just want a good thick milkshake. I’d give it 3 stars instead of four because I am always surprised by the price of the shake… how did I spend that much money on something in a cup?! The staff can also be a little unhelpful and/​or apathetic. Overall, it’s done well for a once-​in-​a-​while treat.

I popped in here the other week after having a lovely meal out with my boyfriend. I’d planned to come here as I’d already decided that I fancied something sweet like a milkshake, and after all it’s a cheaper option than dessert. When we arrived there was already a queue; a testament to the popularity of this cute little milkshake bar. At first I felt a little amused, since I was the only twenty-​something in the place (discluding the manager this even including staff, it seemed) but soon after me came another few folk my age seemingly also after a sweet calcium fix.
I’ve a serious temptation to quote some Anthony Burgess, but since another Unilocaler has already made reference in a different review, it would feel a bit cheap to knock out the same joke. I will confirm that there was no synthmesc involved! (Tee hee!) So, after being my usual indecisive self I panicked and went for a Milky Bar milkshake.
Sadly, it didn’t quite hit the spot. I think it was mostly due to having chosen a slightly bland chocolate bar to put into my shake, had I gone for werthers originals (which is my usual at Shaky Jakes) I think I’d have been much more satisfied. Nevertheless, the options are endless so I’d advise considering your penchant before you enter as choosing can really hold things up! The staff were all lovely though, and the system seems particularly well organised as within minutes my shake was ready.
In this instance I wish I could 3.5 stars, but hey — that’s what a review update is for! And if it means going back and drinking more delicious milkshake goodness, I’m down with that. Certainly recommended for a cheeky sugar fix, and I really think you’d struggle not to find what you fancy with all the options available. Win!

I’ve always wandered past Shakeaholic with fascination, muttering to my boyfriend as we walk past laden with Morrisons bags that we really should go there one day. So we did. And a wise choice it was. My favourite is Hershey’s Cookies & Crème — it’s not too rich and it’s not too sweet either, which given the amount of white chocolate and ice cream, you’d think it would be. The boyfriend loves his Mint Aero and will not settle for anything less! We’ve yet to find a better milkshake, a trip back to my hometown of Swansea and a visit to their version of Shakeaholic proved this. It’s a nice shop, with enough room to sit down and enjoy your shake before carrying on with the rest of your day.

Today in town I noticed so many people with a black and pink striped cup, it obviously looked like a milkshake and instantly I wanted one. Dragging my friend around town to find this mysterious milkshake bar wasn’t too grilling as I just followed the flock of people with these cups to its location, the Merrion Centre!
Uh oh another milkshake bar, I’m in trouble. Since moving into the city centre I thought I had escaped the hold that Shakey Jakes had over me whilst living in Hyde Park. Milkshake bars seem to follow me and want me to get fat? I don’t know, but I do know that now I know of its existence I will be here a lot! Much like Shakey Jakes they offer any chocolate bar for them to blitz into a milkshake and any kind of sweet. They also offer a wide range of toppings, from whipped cream to white chocolate drops and maple syrup. Its often impossible to decide what to get, they have such a variety things to choose from.
Another great feature about this place is its 10% discount for students, which made my milkshake £2.35, not half bad. I recommend you try this milkshake shop, perfectly located in Leeds city centre there’s no reason not to!

Shake-​a-​holic is a milkshake bar and caught my eye as I passed through the Merrion Centre recently with its vibrant design and exciting looking offerings. There aren’t many places in Leeds that specialise in milkshakes so I think this is a really good idea. And I love its conviction — it doesn’t pretend to be a café that also sells milkshakes but is purely about milkshakes, sweets and the endless possibilities of combining them. It is geared towards collage aged students, offering a discount if you show your NUS or college card, which is really great as college students often don’t get NUS cards! If you ever need a dairy or sugar high, this is probably the best place to indulge.

Yay another milkshake bar! They really are like buses, you don’t see any for years, and whaddya know, they’re cropping up everywhere lately. Not that I’m complaining! My inner child will never grow up, much to the fear and concern of my dear mother, but we’ve all got our own dramas so sod it. I want my milkshake! And now I can get it, in a dedicated milky shakey haven.
With a hearty offering of ingredients the hardest choice you’ll make is what you want in your milkshake, and deciding if the extra ingredients are worth the fight with your stomach to keep it all as it should be. But when it’s that tempting the inner kid kicks in and you really just don’t care.
After much thought and perfection from the owners, all bases have been covered, from combinations of ingredients, yes all 175 of them, to perfect brand of blendable ice-​creams, all delivering the optimum texture perfection for the chosen flavour.
To even attempt to list the sheer amount of possible ingredients would be insane, as there really isn’t enough room or patience to go through each one, but categories wise there’s chocolate, jelly sweets, syrups, biscuits, fruits and cereals. Milkshakes start at £2.60 for a regular and £3.30 for a large, with each additional flavour costing you 70 p on top of that. owch. There’s the zinger! 70p guys? that’s just cruel, but it’s a good way of kerbing those sugary impulses.
Plus point, there’s now a loyalty card, ten milkshakes will net you a free one. So get a mooooo-​ve (sorry) on and try it out.

Shake’a’holic is a milkshake bar designed for sugar hungry children and teens to come and gulp down mountains of the various gloppy concoctions on offer. The idea is, the customer comes in and chooses from over 175 different ingredients and then the staff blend it with milk and ice cream to make it into a customised milkshake. 175 is a big number when pondering the amount of ingredients you could choose to make a milkshake. They have various chocolate bars, fruits, cakes, biscuits, cereals. When I say various, I mean loads, their sweets section includes things like fruit polos, wham bars, tic tacs and toffee popcorn. And yes, there is always room for one odd-​ball suggestion. Marmite. Urgh. The only time I can ever imagine anyone actually consuming a Marmite milkshake is if a silly teenage boy gives in to a dare. In which case it would probably be followed by the kid in question being promptly sick all over the floor. Nice!
Marmite and sick aside, I think I could probably be tempted by one of their fresh strawberry shakes, or maybe marshmallow.
They really have hit a good idea though, with the high footfall of people that cross The Merrion Centre every day they are set to make a packet. So, considering their ridiculously huge amount of ingredients and the obvious amount of effort they have put in, I reckon they deserve 4 *s.