Harlem Shake, the renowned burger-and-shakes restaurant, celebrated a decade of holding it down on its located on Lenox Avenue and West 124th Street corner for the Harlem community.
Along with new, franchising opportunities, Harlem Shake announced its plans to open a third location in Long Island City.
Harlem Shake Co-Founder Jelena Pasic told amNewYork Metro that staying consistent in her mission has been pivotal, from the restaurant’s launch — as a single mother to two, young daughters — to the celebration of its first decade.
“When we first started, we had a pretty clear idea we wanted to be fast, casual concept,” Pasic said. “This is what we stayed true with throughout the years.”
The flagship location was bustling with all the fixings of a big birthday bash on Saturday, May 13. The afternoon festivities opened with the Marching Cobras, a drumline and danceline that has made appearances in “The Birdman” movie and the 2014 Super Bowl. The Marching Cobras and former Miss Harlem Shake winners led a celebratory procession for roughly 10 blocks down Lenox Ave., picking up passersby, locals, and Harlem Shake regulars alike.
“The menu has remained the same over the years,” Pasic said. “The staples that we’ve had 10 years ago are still the staples.”
The menu offers burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, Impossible vegan meat options, and fries and shakes for days. Some are instant favorites. Others are just seasonal. Then there are those that remain tried and true: the Harlem Classic, the Hot Mess burger, the classic fried chicken sandwich, jerk chicken, and jerk fries.
Pasic’s favorite? The Mama’s Fried Chicken Sandwich.
As a neighborhood fixture, Pasic said Harlem Shake also employs 80% of its employees from primarily Harlem, and some from The Bronx. The restaurant continues supporting and sponsoring local organizations, hosts an annual Mr. and Miss Harlem Shake competition for Harlem residents, and runs its own baseball team in the Harlem Little League.
“To become a staple, you need to love what you do, and you need to continue to do it without trying to force things,” Pasic said. “We always try to honor Harlem history and culture. This is one of our big themes: the celebration of that. We try to always contribute back to the parts of the community that make Harlem what it is.”
DarDra Coaxum, co-founder of Harlem Shake, told amNewYork Metro that navigating the pandemic as a business owner was scary for many reasons. But she said there were still some opportunities to be had and lessons to be learned during a time when nothing seemed certain.
“The best thing to do is just to conform to change,” Coaxum said. “You can’t just be stuck in your ways. If you notice that we’re only doing deliveries now, then you got to make it the best delivery option there is.”
While Harlem Shake weathered the pandemic, some of its offerings did not. Pasic said she was “heartbroken” to discontinue the restaurant’s former breakfast menu in 2020, and that she doesn’t think Harlem Shake will offer it again.
Despite this loss, Harlem Shake has even bigger plans to reach new mouths and plates — across the country and maybe eventually around the world.
This is where the restaurant’s other announcement comes in: franchising.
To open a Harlem Shake franchise, $150,000 in liquid capital is required. The franchise fee costs $40,000, though people from marginalized backgrounds are eligible for a discount. The total investment would range from $449,000 to $880,000.
There are franchise locations for sale in New Jersey, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Delaware, said Pasic. She hopes that Harlem Shake franchises would work hand-in-hand with their local neighborhoods, similar to efforts made at the flagship location.
Coaxum, whose father, Dard Coaxum, originally introduced her to Pasic, said franchising aligns with her long-term vision for Harlem Shake — now that she’s walked some miles in her father’s shoes and found her business chops.
“I always want to stay true to this being this neighborhood burger spot,” Coaxum said. “But if I can have this in other places of the world, that would be awesome — not just in Harlem, but Chicago or D.C., or in airports or stadiums.”
Along with the franchising announcement, Harlem Shake announced it will open a third location at Sunnyside Eats food hall in Long Island City this June. The new Harlem Shake Express will offer its most popular menu options to customers via delivery or pick up.
After the former Miss Harlem Shake winners led a joyous “Happy Birthday” with the crowd on Saturday’s celebration, C. Kelly Wright and the Soul Power Band performed classic hits like Bill Wither’s “Lovely Day” and Lauryn Hill’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” in Harlem Shake’s outdoor patio surrounded by community members and visitors.
Lizzy Chanel, who was crowned the most recent Miss Harlem Shake in 2022, told amNewYork Metro as a native Harlemite, that she manifested her dream to be the next winner framed amongst the greats at the restaurant.
“I said, “One day, I’m gonna be on that wall,”” Chanel said.
Chanel, who works in the entertainment industry, recalled telling the judges what she loved about Harlem Shake: the honey hot chicken sandwich. She campaigned hard for a month, and swept the crown — along with a year of free food from Harlem Shake, and $500 towards the charity of her choice: Street Corner Resources, a Harlem-based nonprofit working towards eliminating gun and gang violence.
“Me being from Harlem, I experienced a lot of those situations with my friends and people that I love,” Chanel said. “I felt like me giving them $500 can help towards the youth in our community and guide them.”
Her advice to the next Mr. and Miss Harlem Shakes: Don’t give up.
Said Chanel: “Keep going. Don’t slack because you never know what can happen. I chased my dream; this was something that I manifested that came true, so keep going. You got this.”
Pasic, a long-time Harlem regular, said she loves the neighborhood for its warm, village-like environment and the connections between people on a level she doesn’t find in other neighborhoods of New York City.
“I think we should all work together to preserve that cultural treasure that we have,” Pasic said.
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