“…Gold (Au) nanomaterials are the maximum studied nanotechnological tools in diverse fields including surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), catalysis, biosensing, and bioimaging due to easy synthesis methods, chemical stability, biocompatibility, and outstanding optical properties. − Particularly, the localized surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) property of Au nanomaterials can be tuned from the visible to near-infrared region depending on the morphology with respect to the size and shape. − In the recent years, Au nanostars have stimulated enormous attention in the fabrication of SERS substrates because of the induced high electric fields at their sharp tips, unlike their spherical, triangular, and nanorod counterparts. − In most of the previous studies, chemically synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) with different shapes were embedded on different substrates, such as glass, silicon, paper(s), fabrics, and so forth, for being used as SERS sensors for the detection of distinct analyte molecules. ,− Recently, a few novel strategies have been demonstrated for patterned SERS substrates coated with NPs of various shapes for the detection of diverse analytes. − The patterned substrates along with NPs with diverse shapes have demonstrated a significant improvement in the detection sensitivity due to the embedded NPs, along with the patterned areas acting as hotspot regions and increasing the SPR strength, resulting in strong electric fields at the confined regions. − Abundant fabrication procedures have been established for fabricating patterned substrates on countless materials, among which short/ultrashort laser ablation is a simple, fast, and efficient fabrication tool for the generation of distinct surface structures on various substrates. − Since the past 2 decades, substantial improvements have been made in achieving diverse nanostructures (NSs) on a wide range of materials such as metals, semiconductors, insulators, and polymers by varying the short/ultrashort laser ablation parameters (pulse duration, wavelength, fluence, number of pulses, and focusing conditions) and surrounding environments (air, gas, and liquid). ,,− The ultrashort laser-induced surface structures have proven to be promising candidates in diverse areas such as sensing, ,− …”