COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – One Coeur d’Alene burger joint is sure to fill up your stomach, but you can also fill up your car there, too.
The Surf Shack is located in the A & D Mini Mart on North 4th Street. Yes, it is in a gas station.
“This is that restaurant taste at a fast food price. That’s something I never want to change; it’s working out for us,” said owner Jake Latuseck.
The Surf Shack is the place to get a California-style burger done the Coeur d’Alene way. The burgers are made with angus beef, juicy tomatoes, crispy lettuce and homemade sauce atop a grilled bun. The restaurant even has the five-star stamp of approval from Yelp users.
Latuseck said you can get your grub and feel like you are right on a California beach; the tables are hand-crafted surf boards made by Surf Shack regulars.Some may be wary the restaurant is in a gas station, but Latuseck said he wanted to take advantage of every way he could get customers inside.“It’s funny because they are unsure. They don’t know what to think when they first step in here. Usually when you go and have some food in a gas station, your expectations aren’t so high,” said Latuseck. “But then they come here and get one of our burgers. It’s the look on their face after they take the first bite.” That surprised look makes for a great feeling Latuseck said.“This is really a place where people can come and hang out, make a new friend and have a great burger in the process,” said Latuseck. “Yeah, and then get some gas on your way out.”