First Look: Gigantic Milkshakes Take Dallas’ Victory Park by Storm

There’s almost no doubt you’ve seen these milkshake monstrosities broadcast all over Dallas social media accounts. Black Tap, originally a New York phenomenon, opened its first Texas location in Dallas’ Victory Park in August. And for aficionados of sugar, whipped cream and over-the-top desserts, the shakes here are the perfect cold and creamy antidote to the Texas heat. Or life. We made a stop earlier this month to check it out ourselves.

As with many of our other spontaneous restaurant visits this year, we say the internet made us do it.
Dim ceiling lights, neon signs and checkered walls give the entire dining room a vintage appeal. Retro wall art and furniture pieces both fit well with Black Tap’s timeless diner-inspired menu, which flaunts more than a dozen different assortments of burgers, fries, wings and shakes. A full-service bar at the back is a whimsical juxtaposition to what could be considered a 5-year-old’s wildest dream: a milkshake bar stocked with glammed-up jars of sprinkles and candy.  While the milkshakes are what got this concept its social media hype, Black Tap sells other classic diner foods, including a selection of big burgers, which range from $17 to $23 and come with fries. There are four flavors of wings, all priced at $15–$16. A small snack and sides menu has chips, dips, salads and hot fried pickles ($11.50). Black Tap has a good assortment of local craft beers on tap, all priced under $8. Cocktails, including a Dr Pepper old fashioned, are $12.

We tried the crispy cauliflower corn ($17.50), a pair of burger buns holding a fried vegetable patty and fresh corn salsa. Be prepared for a messy affair; a flimsy toothpick and a couple of layers of burger sauce are really all that hold the burger from spilling out onto a bed of either onion rings, french fries or sweet potato fries. The thick vegetable patty has a good crunch and is topped with fresh arugula and thin pickled onions 
But one might argue that — even after big, sloppy burgers and large french fry portions — the main part of the meal still lies ahead. Packing upward of 1,600 calories, our milkshake easily topped all else that we ate in calories, grandeur and all-around camera appeal. We ordered the famous CakeShake, which came blended with sprinkles and topped with an entire slice of birthday cake. Other sugar-loaded behemoths come crowned with jewels like a cinnamon bun, ice-cream-cookie sandwich or an entire Pop Tart for those seeking a taste of childhood.

Sugar levels are through the roof. For some, it may even be overwhelming. But for a whopping $18.50, 1,600 calories and a never-ending stream of internet acclaim, we came in expecting big. Suffice it to say that we weren’t let down.

Black Tap, 2475 Victory Park Lane. Sunday – Wednesday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – midnight.