Shimmy's American-style diner in Jerusalem

September 2026>

And would you like a milk shake with your burger?
Shimmy's in Jerusalem is probably the only strictly kosher meat restaurant where you will be asked that question.

Shimmy's is a chain of kosher deli restaurants currently in 5 locations throughout Israel. The Jerusalem restaurant is a cross between a sit-down restaurant and a fast-food eatery. There is an open kitchen where a team of young people manage the planchas and put the orders together and a large enough dining area for the whole family.

Shimmy's restaurants have the look and feel of a1950's American diner. If you can recall mid-century America, this will be a good dose of nostalgia for a better and simpler time.The palette is black, white and red. The menus and the staff uniforms, T-shirts numbered for famous Jewish baseball players, have the same color scheme.

The playlist is rock & roll from the ’70s and ’80s, mercifully lowered when requested. Enter your order on kiosk machines. The efficient do-it-yourself ordering process moves things along, getting your food fast and hassle-free. Then take your seat in the spacious dining area next to the restaurant.

Shimon Shain, the founder and inspiration of the Shimmy's restaurant chain made aliyah in 2016 from Los Angeles and made his home in the Golan. Two of the branch restaurants and the beef at these restaurants comes from the Golan. The other meats are supplied by Rav Rubin approved meat suppliers in accordance with the chef's specifications. Shimmy is a hands-on owner, periodically visiting each of the locations.

Todd Aarons is the culinary inspiration behind Shimmy's. Todd was the original chef and part owner of Crave Restaurant in Jerusalem. His signature foods are the non-dairy cheese and meat substitutes that can be used in kosher meat dishes. These dishes have dubbed him the chef who gets "as close-to-treif-as-kosher-can-get."

Aaron's kosher cheese burgers and lamb bacon are not offered under the Rav Rubin hashgacha. Non dairy ice cream, shakes, and a great selection of non-dairy baked goods are offered in Jerusalem.

Shimmy's in Jerusalem favorite dishes include the classic smash burger, double smash burger and onion smash burger. Crispy chicken nuggets comes as a sandwich or as a dinner on a platter. There are classic kielbasa-style hot dogs and corn dogs. For the uninitiated a smash burger is a thin crispy burger cooked on a plancha. A heavy spatula flattens a ball of ground meat onto the hot plancha. The patties are very thin, which creates a craggy, crispy crust called the Mallard reaction, the same flavors found in well seared steak. Shimmy's smash burger comes with lettuce, tomato, and sweet pickles that are made with the restaurant’s bespoke house sauce.
The upgraded smash burger is the double Oklahoma burger. This is “an Oklahoma-style smash burger with onions, mustard, house sauce, and sweet pickles.

Corn dogs are battered and fried hot dogs, served on a stick. The batter for the corn dogs is customarily made with buttermilk, Not at Shimmy's, but you'll never tell the difference. The signature dish in Jerusalem is the spectacular all meat Brisket sandwich.

Shimmy's Jerusalem offers stand out, fresher than fresh desserts made at the restaurant. There are cookies, pies. cookie sandwiches and pie ala mode. End your meat meal with ice cream or with a delicious frothy shake.

We have it on good word that the southern fried chicken sandwich is the restaurant favorite. Rather than chicken breast. this sandwich is made with pargit (chicken thighs). The sandwich comes with smash mayonnaise, sweet pickles, and lettuce, and either honey drizzled on top or spicy Nashville sauce, or both. There are also chicken nuggets made the same way,

The beef hot dog is a 130g kielbasa-style beef sausage comes with a large plate of classic of spicy fries.

Vegetarians are not left out of the party. Chips are prepared in a non-meaty chipster, as is the Portobello & Cheese sandwich with tempura-fried portobello mushroom, sweet pickles and vegan smash mayo on an American-style bun. I recommend the green salad which is large enough to share with the whole table, no matter how many diners. I asked for the dressings on the side, which after tasting I poured generously over the greens.