Handshakes

Just as a heads up, Handshakes is closed and has been for several months. I work next to where the map has the trailer and its not there. Could be open somewhere else in Austin possibly, but I don’t believe it to be

I’m pretty sure I didn’t know shakes could be pancake flavored until I came here. The panshake with strawberries was incredible! For a moment, I felt like I was Charlie in the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Delicious!
Could use a big sign out front though. :) We stumbled upon it by accident.

I’m a big milkshake fan, but one of my biggest irritants in regards to the food-​truck world are trucks that aren’t open either when they say they are or in the location they’re supposed to be in. In Milkshake’s case, there was no sign whatsoever of it at its supposed location on E. 6^th (and I checked the other food-​truck park across the street for it too). Therefore, I have no choice but to both give it one-​star and report it as closed (unless it’s moved and no one reported it here).

I love the eastside. I live on the e. 6^th. But unfortunately the eastside gets romanticized quite often. This is a precise example of that. Some girl in a jacked up trailer, scooping out of an economy sized ice cream tub does not qualify as a milkshake. Watery and sour. Gross.

I haven’t made my way back yet, but I will say the owners are very nice and good customer service goes a long way!

I tried Handshakes for the first time at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin. WOW! My friends both ordered the Panshake, which I tried, and it was absolutely amazing! I stuck to a classic Strawberry, which was equally as fantastic! My friends and I enjoyed our shakes so much that we returned to try a new flavor every day of the festival! My favorite would have to be the classic chocolate. This is the perfect shake for anyone who enjoys mixing sweet and salty. THEY PUT SALT IN THE CHOCOLATE SHAKE! BRILLIANT! All in all, hands down, certainly, without a doubt, the best shakes I’ve ever tasted. My only complaint is that I’m from Missouri where there is no Handshakes! Looks like I’ll be returning to Austin very soon!

Tried out the Lil Pie Panshake combo — at least that’s what I think it was, but the chick mixing kinda confused me. Anyhow, the shake was great and tasted like I was drinking pumpkin pie! This was awesome for the first half of the shake, but once I got there, I had to hand the rest over to my friend. Just a little too much sweetness and milkiness for me to handle. If you’re a big milk drinker though, I think you’d love it.
The only disappoint me for me was the little pancake garish that was stuck in the yummy whipped cream on top. I thought the pancake tasted a little dry and not fluffy or light. I think if you’re going to call something the Panshake (pancake shake) the pancake on top should be perfection, but that’s just me.
My friend got the Chocolate Panshake and I liked it even better than mine. I think it’s because I’m much more a chocolate lover than a pumpkin lover. And they top it with little chocolate chips that sink to the bottom for a tasty finish.
Def try this place out!
(Ps Since they’re located by Cheer Up Charlie’s (a bar) you have to be 21+ to get to the shakes. Which was a little disappointing for my 20 year old gal pal who had to hand me her card over the fence to buy a childhood throwback)

As someone who enjoys milkshakes I was a big fan of the very underrated yet tasty shakes at 24Diner. But Hand Shakes produces shakes that are just as delicious, far more inventive and a dollar cheaper.
I have sampled both the pumpkin pie and pancake shake and I believe these to be some of the best shakes I’ve had in years.
I don’t know where I’m going in life but I do know my path will take me back to the hallowed grounds behind Cheer Up Charlies to taste the sweet nectar produced by two people in an old camper van.
In the words of protagonist Daniel Plainview from There Will Be Blood … «I drink your milkshake (sucking sound) I drink it up.»

Corn shake AKA «The Kernel» = EXCELLENT
Normally when I drink milkshakes my stomach hurts after the first half and I can rarely finish one whole on account of over-​sweetness and creamy milk… not this one from Handshakes! I drank that cup dry and have been craving one ever since, just writing this review is really making my mouth water… for reals y’all. I did not know what to expect before ordering the elusive corn shake, will it be salty? Sweet? Yellow? It definitely had a slightly different consistency, but hey, that made me realize it was real corn being put in there! There are also little specs of pepper in it which give it that bite. Best of all, the milkshake didn’t separate after sitting for a little bit. Fantastic creation. Bravo.
I’m psyched to go to the tasting on Thursday and try the other creative flavors, but I doubt they will be better than the corn shake!
Handshakes gets my vote.

A group of us headed over for the «grand opening», and it was not very «grand», but it was interesting and fun. Perhaps you would do well to grab a locally-​crafted milkshake with your PBR tallboy. Total hipster. That is what I should strive to be in Austin, so I made my way over to this collaborative effort between HS and CUC.
Now, my friends that traveled to Chicago came back and RAVED about oatmeal shakes. I like oatmeal. In moderation. I like shakes. In moderation. Put both of these together, and it seems a little bit excessive… and thick. But how did it turn out? Awesome. Creamy… AND chunky… weird.
The shakes were nothing like the OMS. Actually, not one was similar to the other. «None of these things is quite like the others!»
The panshake was surprisingly chunky. In fact, just imagine blended, cooked pancakes. Hm. Weird, but interesting and slightly tasty. For about half a milkshake. More than that, and the non-​homogenous texture sort of gets to ya.
The more normal shakes: The yam mama was very yammy. Like very yammy. It is a good thing I like yams because people who do not like yams would indeed not have enjoyed it! A big plus was that it was smooth. The pumpkin pie was the most straightforward and had an abundance of pumpkin flavor.
HS needs to iron out some textural issues, as there were some excessively runny drinks. Flavors are good, but they will certainly have a loyal following, pending the creaminess jumps on the train! Check it out, and see what you think of a milkshake trailer. Yet again, I have found another unique food item being produced in something that 10 years ago was used to haul inedible objects. I have probably had 20 reviews this year that have ended in similar fashion.

Best milkshakes in Austin, hands down! The creativity these guys put into their creations never ceases to amaze me. I have a feeling Handshakes & I are going to have a long, loving, delicious relationship :)

Delicious handmade milkshakes served up with a smile by owner Brett Eigler. These things are seriously delicious. The Panshake is the one that started it all — pancake + ice cream = panshake. Yeah. Seriously. Soooo good. And now they have a pumpkin shake featured for the holiday season, which is pretty damn delicious.
Basically, you’ve got to check this little trailer out. It’s a great addition to the east side!

I got to go to their tasting night not too long ago, which was an opportunity to try a bunch of stuff from their milkshake pantheon. The Facebook event said there would be 5 shakes, but I think I tried 7, which was great. I had been once before and got the Panshake, so I’ve tried a bunch of different ones.
I really enjoyed all the ones I tried. Let me see if I can remember them all: vanilla jalapeño, cookies and cream, vanilla, corn, pumpkin, chocolate strawberry banana, and oatmeal breakfast. The corn was still in development when I tried it.
Here’s the thing: I can make milkshakes at home, and, like sex, even a bad milkshake is pretty good. But what separates a milkshake you make yourself versus one that you pay for is the details, and that’s what Handshakes gets right. It’s that combination of ingredients and flavors that you don’t think of yourself. Or it’s taking a classic and adding just that special something that makes it unique and special.
Let’s talk about that Panshake first, since it’s getting the most attention. It’s really good! I was pretty skeptical about liking it, because I just wasn’t sure how you’d translate hotcakes into shake form. But it works. You can taste everything that you’d expect from a plate of pancakes, and it still tastes good as a dessert. Well worth your time. Same with the oatmeal breakfast shake. Another review mentioned that it should be cooked oatmeal, but I think you’d lose a lot of flavor. I actually like the little bit of rough oats that you get in it. Again, some unique flavors that you’d never try as a shake, but work.
I’ll do quick reviews of the others before I go off on the most enjoyable one I tried. I won’t repeat it on all of them, but I really thought they were all good and would gladly have any of them again:
Vanilla jalapeño: Quite a kick! They use fresh jalapenos, and don’t skimp. Would also be great with chocolate
Cookies and cream: All the flavors you’d expect, but not as overly sweet as those can sometimes be
Corn: If you want unique, try this one. A strange mix of sweet and savory, with a strong corn taste. They put some black pepper in, and it really added to it.
Pumpkin: Special for the season. Not cloying like a lot of pumpkin flavored desserts.
Chocolate strawberry banana: This one was made by the request of one of the Me So Hungry guys. It had a lot going on, but they all stand out.
So here was my most enjoyable experience: The simple vanilla shake. And this is what puts Handshakes in the 5-​star column. We all know what a vanilla shake should taste like. It’s usually a person’s first shake because it’s a shake at it’s most fundamental. Vanilla is a great flavor, and it’s a good base for a dessert. All other shakes are, essentially, a variation on the basic vanilla shake. So when they gave it to me, I figured I’d know what I was getting. But when I tried it, I was blown away. I don’t know what they put in it, but it was like I’d never had a basic vanilla shake before. It was closer to this Platonic ideal of what a vanilla shake should be. Everything in it popped more, and it made me reconsider the simple vanilla.
By all means, try the specialty shakes that you can only get at Handshakes. But don’t gloss over that simple vanilla just because you think you’ve been there and done that. It’s whatever little things they put in that make that you want to buy the shake rather than do your tried and true shake at home.
Well worth your valuable time and calories!

Remember in the movie Richy Rich where he has a McDonalds in his house. Remember how when you were a kid you were like «THAT WOULD BE THE BEST THING EVER!» Remember when you became an adult and aware of the health risks one would have if you had a McDonalds in your house? Well lets forget about health risks right now because if I could replace a room in my apartment with a Handshakes stand I would. I would in a minute.
«Would you replace your kitchen?» Damn right I would! Milkshake 3 times a day. 4 on Fridays and Saturdays! «Would you replace your bathroom?» Hell ya! What do you think coffee cans and balconies are for? I am now a found believer in handshakes syndrom? What is that? Its when you die… from lack of milk shakes from Handshakes.
I tried them out during FunFunFun this year and have to say I felt sorry for the bbq place and austin pizza on either side of this place because they were dead compared to this place. The amount of people wanting to drink pure awesome was so great it would take about 15 – 20 mins to get a shake. AND NO ONE CARED! Everyone was happy to wait for the deliciousness. I went three times and twice in one day! The owner… cool as hell. He recognized my name from the day before and came over to shake my hand and thank me for coming back. Have you ever had the chance to shake the hand of a god, BECAUSE I DID!
All three days I did the panshake which appears to be icecream, ciniamon, malt and Mother f’n pancakes. It was literally my favorite thing about the festival. This is officially a place where I will bring people from out of town.

Handshakes start successful meetings. That’s not their slogan, but it should be (for a price). My boss, myself and several of my coworkers decided to test that theory. Was our meeting a success? That’s privileged information. But, were the milkshakes praise worthy? Read the rest of the review, slacker.
Word of advice, don’t judge this trailer by its rapist look. Note to the Owners: The trail of action figures leading up to your order window isn’t helping your cause. Unless you want to be legally obligated to introduce yourself to the neighbors, I’d recommend altering your «To Catch A Predator» exterior. (In case you don’t watch Dateline:
. Side Note: Do yourself a favor and read the comments.)
But enough about Rapeshakes’, I’m sorry, Handshakes’ appearance. Let’s talk about the sweet treats that will keep the kiddies coming back for more once they OFFICIALLY open in mid-​November.
The first shake we tried was an unusual concoction called The Corn Shake. Actually, I don’t know if that’s what they’re going to call it, but it was a milkshake and it did contain corn. The name is irrelevant. What matters is it was weird and free, which is good enough for me. My only complaint about the Corn Shake is my tongue couldn’t reach the bottom of the sample cup. It tasted just like a hoity-​toity soup I once ate at a fine-​dining establishment in San Francisco, minus the elegant dinnerware and a dollop of crème fraiche. If they do add it to the menu, they’ll be seeing me again soon.
Once the free samples stopped flowing it was time to order our actual shakes. I had my sights set on The Panshake (I’m a sucker for strange) until the lady behind the blender mentioned their shake du jour, The Banana Pudding. My grandmother would have rolled over in her bed if I passed up that Bible Belt delicacy. (I would have said grave, but she’s still alive.) Thank the Confederacy I didn’t! The BP was my favorite Handshake, hands down. It was as smooth and banana filled as its namesake, but cold and slurpable like a milkshake. You could even detect Nilla wafers, which is odd, because I didn’t see any cookie crumbles. Regardless, I know they were in there. If only in spirit, they were there.
The other shakes I sampled included the Grave Digger (Cookies & Cream), the Good Morning (Oatmeal, vanilla and Cinnamon), the Shake-​O-​Lantern (Pumpkin Pie) and of course, the Panshake (Pancake).
The Grave Digger was good, but it was no better than Chick-Fil-A’s Cookie’s & Cream shake. Just to clarify, I put Chick-Fil-A’s shakes on par with almost every ice-​cream joint I’ve ever indulged in.
The marquee ingredients of the Good Morning were overpowered by an abundance of milk and a shortage of shake. I recommend they substitute the cinnamon for cinnamon sugar and try cooking the oatmeal before throwing it in the blender? After it cools down, of course.
The Shake-​O-​Lantern surpassed Sonic’s Pumpkin Pie Shake thanks to the apropos pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top. Again, comparing Handshakes to a fast-​food chain isn’t an insult. Sonic is a formidable opponent in the dessert department.
Lastly, the Panshake. As much as I wanted to love this trademarked item, I’m afraid it’s one of those cases where novelty outweighs quality. Although it tastes as good as a pancake and syrup should, the texture was like a mama bird had chewed and spewed a flapjack into my gullet. If it were blended a little finer, I’d be fine with it. As it stands, I prefer my pancakes on a plate.
I think Handshake’s biggest asset is their creativity. As long as they keep experimenting with offerings like the Corn Shake, the Banana Pudding and a better-​executed Panshake, I see them standing out in Austin’s overcrowded ice cream market for reasons other than their Rapemobile.

So I decided to kill 2 birds with 1 stone today, and go to Spartan Pizza, and then to Handshakes, which is right next door. Let me be one of the many to say, if you are hungry in Austin, GO TO THIS TRAILER PARK!!! Once I ordered my pizza, I went over to Handshakes to get a shake while I waited… Once I got into my «Panshake» (Pancake, Syrup, Vanilla Icecream, with Butterscotch Sprinkles)… I almost didn’t want my pizza! I was so indulged with the bits on pancake that lined my mouth with the taste of vanilla, and the after taste of pancakes with syrup… I had a «Mouthgasm». If it wasn’t perfect already the guy behind the trailer (Beef was his name) made sure to Handshake EACH AND EVERYONE of the customers to make sure they got REAL customer service! I will be going back tomorrow to get my sweet tooth, even though it’s a little out of my way…
PS, I am not much of a sweet type of person, so any place that can make something sweet that I enjoy… Is a MAJOR win!

try them all! i’ve had several milkshakes during a focus group, and they were all shockingly good! never would I ever dreamed that a peanut butter and jelly sandwich could make such a good milkshake!