The Crack Shack

Great tasting food, good beer selection, friendly atmosphere! Price is high for what you get, but I will definitely be coming back with the buds
I was finally able to come here with my housemates on a Friday evening (~9pm).
Parking: difficult area if you come at a busy hour. We ended up paying for parking nearby. There is a $ 7 valet adjacent to the store as well.
Ordering: a line starting at the ordering counter extends out towards the street. It may have been the customers ahead of us, but the line moved very slowly.
To compensate though, the food came out really quickly.
Deviled Eggs ($ 6): if you’re a fan of deviled eggs, it’s worth a try, but otherwise it may mot be worth the price tag. You get 6 half-​egg pieces, 2 of each of their 3 types.
Fries ($ 5): Crispy and well seasoned! Went well with the kimchi bbq sauce.
Mexican Poutine ($ 8): Better than the description! For those wondering, it appears they make their own cheese whiz; it’s not the one from the can they use in Philly. Tasty :)
Señor Croque ($ 12): Massive slab of chicken with bacon and egg. I enjoyed eating it with all of their sauces, but it wasn’t revolutionary. I would call it a luxury version of CHIK-​FIL-​A. Looking forward to trying the Coop Deville next time…
Fried Chicken ($ 15for5pc): I liked my first piece! Great breading flavor and texture. But I would rather do KFC at ¹⁄₃ the price if craving fried chicken.
Sauces
Chimmichurri: tastes like it usually does, though slightly buttery.
Baja Hot Sauce: literally Tapatio
Ranch: a good ranch
Kimchi BBQ: loved it! It’s similar to carnitas snack shack’s bacon ketchup.
The other two sauces were unavailable.
Green Flash Le Freak + Chimay… Loving their beers.
A great addition to the neighborhood and a an enjoyable experience for sure!

When I first heard of this place opening, I thought it was going to be kind of like Eggslut in LA. An egg/​chicken focused restaurant. But, the menu seems kind of all over the place. Yes, chicken, but less of an assortment of fried chicken sandwiches (which come on – you can do a lot of variations of a fried chicken sandwich) or egg sandwiches. It was a bit of this, some of that. The menu just didn’t have the deliciousness impact I was hoping for.
Also, the line was kind of ridiculous. Yes, it was 11:30pm on a Friday — lunch time — but with only one girl on the register, the line was wrapped around and down the sidewalk. I could understand waiting that long to get your food during peak times, but just to *order* the food?
Staff was really nice, seating was open and had an easiness that I liked. The décor was fun and instagrammable. The craft sodas they offered were really tasty. But sadly, the chicken sandwiches left me unimpressed.
I got the Cali Dip, which was so bland. And served poorly «upright» in a paper box. When you take one half out, the other half falls apart. The posole «au jus» was tasty, but overall, the sandwich didn’t excite me. The Coop DeVille was piled with pickles, which wasn’t listed on the menu (my girlfriend hates them) and while the chicken was cooked nicely (juicy) and a sizable breast, the skin/​crispy bits were kinda soggy and it had a prominent spice that didn’t jive for me in fried chicken. I couldn’t place it, but I wasn’t a fan.
Also, folks got a lotta nerve charging $ 12 for a sandwich without ponying up for some fries, you know? Potatoes are cheap. Throw a few in the basket and make me feel like I got my $ 12 worth.
I’m sad to say I didn’t super love it – I really wanted to. It’s fine, if you don’t mind waiting and really need to take picture with the giant chicken, though.

Went at 12:30 on a Friday and the line was long and yet wasn’t an Epic wait.
Pricey if you’re thinking you’re not in Little Italy. If you’re awake it shouldn’t surprise you.
Cool location, hip crowd.
Had Senior Croque and loved it. Lived up to what I’d heard, super happy fries didn’t come with it as the sandwich was enough.
Love the Jidori chicken… makes me happy that my sandwich was happy and free ranging the day before!
Cheap valet parking right there is the way to go!
I’ll be back for sure!

Ambiance is 5 star
Service is 5 star
Food is a bit pricey and my chicken is not fully cooked and that is the reason why give only 3 stars

Came here after a conference at the Mission Valley Marriott and I was excited to try since there has been so much hype about this place. Known for their fried chicken, the menu consists of various different dishes: plain fried chicken, fried chicken sandwiches, some satay, chicken lollipops, chicken oysters, and more. They also have lots of beer and a few different kind of sodas.
Of course I looked through Unilocal to decide on what to order and settled for just the COOP DEVILLE sandwich because I had ate a little bit earlier. You pay at the counter and then take a number and find a seat. It was a bit packed, but we found a seat faster than I thought, a few minutes after the last of us ordered.
At first I thought the $ 12 price tag on just the sandwich was a bit heavy, but it was a big sandwich that came out. I ended up not finishing it. The chicken was really crispy and I enjoyed the pickled chilies quite a bit (it added a sour and spicy kick) and I thought the brioche bread was prefect since it was hefty enough to hold up the fried chicken and didn’t get soggy from the cabbage/​slaw that was inside. Overall, a pretty solid sandwich. I’d likely drag the boyfriend here at some point to try their other menu items!

Yee this place is sick. Great chicken and they got a full bar. The décor is outdoor casual with a giant chicken statue. I ordered the coop deville and señor croque. Of the two, I prefer the coop cause the slaw provided nice refreshing bite to the greasy fried chicken. I’m not a fan of sweet and so the maple syrup in the señor croque was the kicker for me. Otherwise, it was delicious. The Mexican poutine tho! Whoa really hit the spot. Would def recommend trying this one. What is a Mexican poutine? well its some pollo asado with cilantro, pico de gallo some awesome orange sauce with other green onion to garnish on a bed of their famous schmaltz fries.
Bartender at the bar with the suavo haircut. man can that guy make a drink. First he made me a perfect old fashioned and so then I asked him to surprise me with some irish whiskey and then rye whiskey. The guy’s a pro

Congrats, Crack Shack, you are my first 5 star review of 2016!
If you are a fried chicken kind of person, this place is your jam. The place is packed with good looking professionals and I made a mental note that this would be a cool spot to come back to at night for some drinks and games!
Both of my friends ordered fried chicken meals and they looked and smelled incredible! I ordered the Baja Chop salad with smoked white meat chicken added. It was a really bomb salad, with a huge spoonful of guac and tasty onions and radishes, cotija cheese, and whatever else was on there. I ate the entire thing. Then we all shared an ice cream (or was it froyo?) swirl of nutella and maple. I’m not a fan of maple flavor but this was very subtle and so yummy!
They’re also dog friendly, which is always a huge plus with me cause my boy loves to go on lunch dates too! My little buddy was so stoked for his free dog treats and big water dish!

Top 5 best fried chicken I’ve had nation wide! I had the pleasure of eating the Señor and my oh my was it the perfect choice.
Just on the outskirts of Little Italy this place hits the mark for the travelers or local businessman alike. Giant menus are posted on the front wall were the line begins to form. Don’t look to long or you’ll just want everything. Choose fast cause the line your in will move fast. Drinks from the food counter include water, tea, lemonade and Stubborn sodas. Get the soda it’s fountain and all flavors are superb. There’s also a full bar located adjacent to the patio. All seating is communal which lends to the laid back nature of San Diego.
If you are just visiting or a local Crack Shack is definitely worth a stop or two. The name is spot on cause I just kept wanting more and more.

Upscale lunch with crazy good chicken sandwiches, beer and cocktails served in a setting to match. This is the perfect lunch stop after you pick up that cousin from the airport. Feed him some fine food and get him oiled up before bringing him home.
These sandwiches are built with the greatest attention to every detail. The condiments are not from a jar, but carefully prepared. The greens inside are not just greens but an upscaled salad that have been carefully seasoned.
There is nothing about this place that is not first rate. The prices are reasonable as is the distance from the airport and the downtown, so bookmark it and ifttt (
) it so that a message will pop up whenever you are ever within a mile of the place. Your cousin will thank you. He may even buy the beer!

Long-​time readers of my reviews – by my count, one of you – know that I have something called the «KFC test.» The test requires that a restaurant’s fried chicken surpass the taste of Kentucky Fried Chicken’s. While many of you might scoff at KFC if you were to write a review of it, let’s face it, in your heart of hearts, you know it’s damn tasty. Few places pass this test.
I’m happy to announce that Crack Shack passes the test with flying colors, which effectively makes it the best fried chicken in San Diego. Other places usually fall flat by not offering a particularly flavorful breading. Not so here. While it doesn’t feature as strong a flavor as KFC’s, the flavor is sufficiently savory and packs a freshness that fast food chicken probably can’t muster. The texture of the breading is a pleasure to chew as well, neither soggy nor crispy just for crispiness’s sake.
We also tried the croquettes and the fries. In another fast-​food simile, the croquettes are basically fancy-​schmancy chicken nuggets, and there’s no question that they are better than McDonald’s, not that’s a high bar. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t say it was the best part of our meal. That honor is split between the chicken (of course) and the quite excellent fries, the latter being perfectly fried: crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and made even more perfect by the wonderful selection of house made sauces, particularly the mustard.
Summary: Possibly the best crack I’ve ever had.

This was surprisingly good. I walked up, ordered my sandwich and found a seat. Looking at the sandwich, it didn’t look like anything special but it was really good. I seriously can’t remember what I ordered but I have a craving for it right now.
The outdoor scene is pretty cool. They have a bocce ball court but it needs to be maintained alittle better. But all in all it’s a great place to gather some friends and have a great evening.

Boooooom!!! This chicken sandwich is in the mix for the best fried chicken sandwich I’ve ever had. I had the coop deville and man, this thing was the most perfectly textured and flavorful sandwich. The bun and bacon are great companions for this Sammy.
Not much else to say but you need to have this. We came in the rain and the place was empty but I hear this place gets packed.

Came for an early lunch. Day time is definitely less crowded. Ordered the famous Coop Deville and their soft serve of the day in swirls of Fudge and Banana cream.
The sauce bar may need to get re-​evaluated. Even though the pumps are tagged with «Pump Slowly», the pumps get stuck! So I was forced to push even harder due to the resistance, and «splat» went the sauce into the containers. FYI, I love the pumps at In and Out, it’s so easy to push, and no splatting occurred!
I tried the mustard, cracksup, and the kimchee bbq. I think based on sauce alone, I vote mustard. Both other sauces tasted strangely to me for some reason.
On to the food. The sandwich came and it was gigantic. I sampled a piece of the fried chicken steak. The breading is crispy and seasoned. The chicken is lukewarm (don’t like), and it is not entirely juicy. The veggie in between is a reminisce of a slaw. I am not sure how to describe the pickled flavors but it reminds me of something Vietnamese.
The full bite: I have to say it was pretty delicious. The chicken is a bit more juicy farther in, and the combination of the slaw is refreshing, though not refreshing enough for me. So I tried each of the sauce on each bite. Mustard WINS. The acidity and acridity of the mustard just cuts into the heavy flavors better on the sandwich.
boy did I take my time on the sandwich. It is hard to finish! Even being hungry.
I then proceeded to pick up the softserve after my meal showing them my emailed receipt.
I saw the cup and I thought, this is a small?! It’s gourmet ice cream triple scoop! I couldn’t wait to dig in and tasted the banana. BUT WAIT. cinnamon? caramel-​sweet? It tastes nothing like banana! Where is the banana?! I was going bananas to find that flavor in the soft serve but nothing! And it was a bit too sweet. I was in a hurry to leave so I didn’t go back and ask. I really don’t think I was crazy to think it wasn’t banana cream. Regardless, the chocolate fudge (not entire that fudge-​y) complemented the sweetness very well in that cinnamon caramel tasting soft serve. Great deal on the soft serve, and definitely a shared small especially after a sandwich!
I would return to try other sandwiches!

Decided to check this new place out for dinner on Saturday. It was super popular and there was a long line but it moved pretty quick. You order at the counter and they bring your food out to you.
I ordered the coop devile which is a fried chicken sandwich on a brioche bun. The piece of chicken was huge! It was crispy and moist without being too oily. I also tried the Cobb salad, chicken oysters, mini biscuits and border cole slaw. I highly recommend the chicken oysters which did taste kind of like oysters. The mini biscuits were to die for! Crunchy and moist on the inside served with an apple butter (I think). It was addicting! The border slaw is like a fruit salad, very refreshing and good to eat in between all the fried foods. You must get their chocolate chip cookie!!! It had milk and white chocolate and was probably one of the best cookies I’ve ever had!
They have a sauce bar with lots of sauces but the only one I really liked was the barbecue sauce. If you like fried chicken, this is your spot!

I like this place it’s nice! Reminds me of Austin, TX! It’s like you’re not even in San Diego! If you’ve been to Texas you know what I mean! Community tables, backyard games, order at the counter etc…
The line was not as bad and wait time to order was short. I wanted to try every thing! Which means I need to come back to try the rest of the menu.
I originally ordered the king of queens? It was a scrambled egg sandwich, I thought it was a fried chicken sandwich with egg. Presentation looked nice, but the egg was super super salty. I couldn’t eat it. I had to order something else, I wanted to try the chicken lollipops, but they were out. I ended up getting two pieces of fried chicken and the border slaw! That was refreshing and totally yum!
I enjoyed hanging out at the bar and the bearded bartenders are really nice and made good drinks!
This place is good for groups and will def take my friends here!

The crack shack. Thank you Richard Blais, and bravo to this wonderful place that has somehow managed to make fried chicken even better.
Came here on a Saturday around 2 pm and although the line was long, it moved pretty fast. I immediately noticed how unique the restaurant layout is. You first line up to order your food, and then grab a table once you have a number. It’s an open patio with all outdoor seating (so bring a jacket for those chilly days), some communal seating (so be prepared to eat with others if you don’t mind it), a full service bar, and baci ball!
We ordered the Señor Croque, Coop Deville, Deviled eggs, and eggnog/​fudge swirl icecream. Everything was outstanding. Fyi, there is a sauce bar with about 7 different sauces. Try them all, you’ll find your favorite one, or maybe you’ll just enjoy the rotation of different flavors with each bite.
The Señor Croque consisted of crispy chicken, bacon, a fried egg, cheddar cheese, and maple butter, all on a brioche bun. The result? Fantastic. The fried chicken was juicy and tender with just the right amount of fried batter coating. Crispy and extremely flavorful batter with perfectly cooked chicken. Doesn’t get much better than that. Until it does… Add an egg, bacon, and cheese, and now you’re just getting greedy. But seriously, a wonderful combination of flavors, and definitely an interesting, creative twist on fried chicken. I would highly recommend this sandwich, it was unlike anything I’ve tasted before in terms of a chicken sandwich.
The Coop Deville was also great, and completely different from the Señor Croque. It consisted of fried chicken, pickled chilis, lime mayo, and napa cabbage, all on a brioche sandwich. In terms of flavor, this sandwich was definitely packing it, and the pickled chilis gave it an interesting twist. Definitely more of a traditional chicken sandwich when compared to the Señor Croque, but sometimes simplicity and tradition is all you’re looking for. This one definitely hit the spot!
The deviled eggs were also surprisingly yummy. I’m not the biggest fan of eggs, so I was a little weary when the waitress recommended them. Happy to say I was wrong. The deviled eggs came in 3 flavors: chicken salad, kimchi, and baja (avocado like topping). All 3 were wonderful and light, and a perfect contrast to the hearty sandwiches we were eating. Almost like cleansing the palette in between bites.
And lastly, the eggnog/​fudge swirl. Word of advice, order it along with your sandwiches but request to pick it up at the window after your meal. That way you don’t have to get back in line to order dessert, and you also aren’t left with an icecream shake by the end of your meal. You can also select from a wide variety of toppings, so don’t forget to ask. I went with the salted caramel sprinkles and lemon meringue crisps. Pretty sure candied bacon was one of the options but I refrained. Smooth, creamy icecream, with a good crunch from the sprinkles and lemon meringue. The perfect way to end an already great meal!
Service was great, and the waiters/​waitresses were very friendly. I will definitely be back. So glad I have finally found a place to satisfy my fried chicken cravings!

Am I the only one that feels indifferent about this place?
It took us a while to try this place out and when we did we made sure to get a good variety of food to try. We ordered some chicken oysters, farro bowl, the royale sandwich and 10 pc chicken to share for our group of three.
Location is prime that means parking is horrible. There’s valet next door right next to Juniper and Ivy. You might get lucky and score a street parking — I suggest you take it without hesitation.
Now for the food:
* Chicken Oyster — it was good. Batter had good flavor. Good for appetizer and sharing.
* The Royale — nothing too special about this sandwich. It’s a chicken sausage with egg muffin.
* Chicken Fried Farro — i was in the mood for some rice and ordered this as it seemed to be the next best thing. I really liked this one until it made me gassy!
* Fried Chicken — 10 pc chicken was $ 28! Now the chicken was crunchy and moist but i didnt think it was worth that much. The batter was thick for my liking.
All in all, it didn’t wow me. Maybe I was expecting too much given that I really enjoyed our meal at J&I but I really can’t say the same for the Crack Shack.
It’s a nice and hip place to be seen but I’ll take my money elsewhere for fried chicken.
PS — They have awesome sauces available and their craft soda was good.

Wheeee I’m excited that my first review of 2016 will be for Crack Shack! It’s been less than 48 hours since my trip to Crack Shack and I’m already making plans to go again! Alright… I know I know, there are New Year’s Resolutions as well as a wedding diet to adhere to BUT they are easily forgotten when you’ve had a taste of what this place has to offer!
I ended up getting the Brick House sandwich and chicken lollipops. The Brick house include a generous portion of cast iron chicken, caper mayo, arugula, and fennel (yay for some veggies) ;-) From the very first bite to the last… it’s truly unforgettable! The chicken was really juicy and tender and when coupled with caper mayo, it added another layer of savory goodness to the entire sandwich. The chicken lollipops were definitely worth trying out. One order comes with 6 lollipops but don’t let the cute name ‘lollipop’ fool you… these are huge chunks of meat that are great for dipping and trying out their sauces.
While you’re getting your chicken on, take in the fun ambiance that Crack Shack offers! From bocce ball to incredibly large chicken to a very well stocked bar, you’re guaranteed a good time!

To wrap up 2015 and to commemorate my 500^th Unilocal review, The Crack Shack gets all five stars! Since my date and I had plans to visit Jungle Bells at the Zoo later that evening, we arrived for an early dinner.
We quickly discussed our game plan and ordered chicken croquettes, fries, and the five pieces of chicken. After being handed our table number and an array of sauces we ventured off to find a table. Since the weather was cool and there was a gentle mist in the air, we sought refuge near the back of the establishment’s fire pit. So romantic and cozy!
Our food arrived relatively quickly and after a few quick photos on the iPhone, we dove in. The chicken croquettes with Brooklyn gravy weren’t what I expected. I thought the gravy was going to be poured over the croquettes, not somehow magically oozing out after a bite. They were delicious though!
The fries were absolutely fabu. They were crunchy on the outside and yet still retained their softness inside. The real star of the meal was the fried chicken. This is probably the best fried chicken that I’ve had in San Diego. The outside was fried to perfection and I loved the dry rub seasoning spice that was put on after it came out of the fryer.
Lastly, I loved all the sauce options! I do consider myself a bit of a saucy gal, so it was hard to determine which one was my favorite, but the kimchi BBQ was a definite standout along with the curry mustard.
This review is getting a bit long, so it’s time to wrap it up. In review, this place is all that it’s cracked up to be!

Yup, A Shack and Some Chicken!
3.5 Stars!
Based on the reviews, I was anxious to try the fried chicken sandwich. It was pretty good.
This «shack» is outdoor communal seating. While I met some interesting people, it was difficult finding a spot for my group of 4 to sit together. We squished on a table with three others. The benches were not comfortable at all. They do allow dogs and, because of the crowd, the people we sat with did have their dog stepped on.
The chicken sandwich came with a huge piece of fried chicken and the brioche style bread was tasty. As the chicken was a tad dry, and I felt it needed a bot more pizzazz, the sandwich was far from perfect. But, it was good.
Overall, I would probably order a to-​go from here. I was not a fan of the seating and was most uncomfortable.