Bad enough nobody working here smiles. Worse that it took 20+ minutes for a sandwich and fries when there were less than 10 people in the restaurant, but the kicker was the 2 foot long hair in the sandwich that I didn't find until I was almost done with it. Disgusting. First and absolute last visit to the Crack Shack. You have been warned. read more

The Crack Shack - Remains of lunch before I found the two foot hair. - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Crazy popular place!!! Why because the chicken is fried fantastically! Comes out quickly too. The interior is open and airy, outside seating if you prefer. You order at the counter, that's when the line is . Take your order number and find a table. Despite the busy line we always have gotten a table. A very enjoyable meal with a full bar if you need to roll in that direction. We keep coming back! Best recommendation you can get. read more

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Love the food and the atmosphere! The kids can play outside next to the tables. The service is fast and friendly. Love the different sauces! The family meals are a huge hit read more

The Crack Shack - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Yummy chicken in a relaxed area. Parking was easy and easy seating. Would absolutely return

Saturday 2024/03/23 12:30 - creative fried chicken restaurant with a fusion of flavors from different cuisines - you order first then sit down, and they'll bring the food to your table - they were super busy; I waited in line for around 15 minutes to order, but I didn't have trouble finding a table - self-serve dipping sauce station with lots of choices, including ranch, ketchup, Baja hot sauce, pineapple mustard, and sriracha 1000 island - I dined in as a party of 1 Chicken Oysters ($13.00 + $1.00) (add orange toss): ~10 pieces of fried chicken oysters, which are oyster-sized pieces of extra-tender dark meat from the back-side of a chicken - orange toss was delicious, similar to Panda Express' orange chicken except not sickeningly sweet - ultra crispy, especially with the pieces of skin that were attached to the oysters - high batter-to-meat ratio Downward Dog ($13.00) (dressing on the side): "maple roasted yams, pine nut crumble, shaved brussels/broccoli salad, charred onions, garlic confit tapenade, golden raisins, pomegranate, scallion vin, quinoa, creamy hummus" - dressings seemed to be scallion-infused oil and garlic-infused oil; not much flavor - lots of quinoa - there were only a few tiny pieces of yam and no pomegranates to be found - overall tasted very ordinary, I wouldn't recommend Monday 2023/01/09 16:30 - their chicken sandwiches are heavy on flavor and fat, definitely recommend splitting a sandwich with a friend to avoid going into a food coma - we dined in as a party of 2 Firebird ($14.00) (cut in half): "spicy fried Jidori thigh, cool ranch, crispy onions, pickles, potato roll" - chicken was not too spicy but very fragrant, and the meat was juicy and tender - very saucy and had different kinds of crunchiness from the chicken, onions, and pickles Cali Drip ($13.50): "pollo asado, fries, chipotle-bacon mayo, pickled onions and jalapeños, melty oaxacan queso, crunchy torta" - combination of fatty chicken thigh, chipotle mayo, and cheese made this a very heavy sandwich Salted Oreo Shake ($9.00): vanilla milkshake with fudge, cookie crumble, and mini chocolate chips - very sweet and did not taste like Oreos read more

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Let me start by saying this is one of my FAV! Last couple times, the portions have started to change when to go. Paid $5.50 for coleslaw and the container is barely half full. Cabbage is a money maker and they should fill as needed so folks are not getting a shrunk portion. Miss chicken strips meal didn't have many fries. I am going to let slide and hope the manager starts to check. Same issue on my sandwich, little amount of slaw. Look forward to continuing to be a customer and might need to start checking my orders more. Us cluckers can do better! read more

The Crack Shack - $5.50 side of coleslaw - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Pretty good food with plenty of options and a surprisingly large bar. It takes a swing at pleasing everyone and succeeds for the most part. More family friendly than genuinely good, but there's always something for everyone. The pros include lots of seating, outdoor and indoor ordering, and gluten free and veg options. (But come on you're going to a chicken place). All that being said I don't love it. My food is always meh, while my daughter loves her fried chicken and that's always a win. read more

The Crack Shack is cool, sandwiches are made fresh, fast and with care. Prices are a little steep but not too crazy. Only complaint I would have is the fries. They were so greasy I could easily refry them if left out on the dashboard in the sun. read more

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Nicole is really sweet. I am a regular and she always has my order ready with a one of my favorite sauces already packaged and ready to go. She knows all the dogs names and greets Penelope every time I come. She also brought over some restaurant baked home made dog treats for her to sample! I can be annoying to some and she never leads to me to feel I annoying her. read more

Get the coop DeVille....don't doubt me on this. Best coleslaw On The Planet!!! Excellent soft drinks flavors too. Unlimited refills are a plus. Great selection of beers too. Must visit while in Encinitas. read more

One of the few food spots that I miss from southern Cali! Service was great. The vibe of the restaurant is very chill and social. I came in hungry and left satisfied every time. Please try the Firebird and add a sunny side up egg worth it. Very juicy very spicy. Wish we had one in Texas! read more

The Crack Shack - Firebird Fries Ranch Beer - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Came here for a late night snack just before they closed. I like this location a lot better than the Little Italy location. no lines, parking was a breeze. Got the Senor croque chicken sandwich à la cart $12. It came out pretty quick and I got my choice of three different sauces. The chicken was very tender and perfectly fried. I probably and held that thing in a few minutes. the fried egg makes everything taste great. I like the area inside, lots of seating. The outside area is a lot smaller than the location in Little Italy. I generally think this location is just more chill. Plenty of parking spaces, parking lot, shared with smart and final, and a few other stores. Overall a good experience. read more

The Crack Shack - Senor Croque Sandwich - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

First, when we arrived plenty of. There is an area to order on your way into the restaurant where there's large open floor flor plan with open seating. The staff were great and helped us understand the menu as it was our first time. Now onto the food.. It's very clear why this place is called the crack shack.. every bite after the first I was chasing that initial oh my God this is good. The chicken was crispy, moist, juicy flavorful. Reviews can only do so much justice. The food quality is something you have to experience.. read more

The Crack Shack - Don't remember the name just remember it was awesome - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Best chicken sandwich to date. Best chicken, great sauces, great bun, lots of different solid combos, great fries, great service.

Wow, the food is so good, but equally impressive was the server, who gave the best customer service I've ever experienced in my life, no exaggeration. The new Cali Drip is very flavorful, too. read more

There are actually few things better than good fried chicken. Especially when we are talking about thigh meat, it can be this omnivore's favorite dish. So when The Crack Shack opened six or so years ago, I was more than happy to see its arrival. At last, a real chicken spot, with all the fixins'. It t'weren't cheap, even before Covid and neo-stagflation, but what is when it comes to food in coastal California? I was warned, however, by the prediction of a real Southerner, "Don't get your hopes up," this Tennessee Cassandra twanged. I ignored her. And alas, my sporadic sojourns to this hyped-up eatery have consistently left me crestfallen and wondering why on earth did I eat here (again)? The service is good even when things get crowded. And it's not that the food is bad. In fact, there are a couple of dishes are pretty good. The Shack Fries are actually darned tasty. The slaw ain't bad either. But the chicken itself? And the sloppy, over-the-top, artery-clogging, heart attack-inducing sandwiches? The dishes look and smell great. I am sure they use quality meat and other ingredients. But once they hit the mouth, your taste buds wonder why your other senses have lied so cruelly lied. The flavors--again--are not bad. They're just incredibly pedestrian. Sadly, TCS's product reminds me so much of other San Diego "plain eatin'" fare, confusing quantity with quality. If that's your thing, then you may be happier than I have been. I hate to put it so bluntly, but you could find a Popeye's somewhere, save some money, and come away more satisfied with your meal. I am afraid I am not one of the converted. read more

The food was great. We received our order quickly as well. The variety of sauces is a nice added feature to try at the sauce bar.

It's really good but I will say there is a slight gamey flavor which I don't mind at all - they use high quality Jidori chicken

A solid place for good food & great indoor/outdoor casual dining for the whole family. This location is large with lots of seating & dog friendly. Has a nice big indoor bar. The chicken sandwiches are yummy. Also had the Caesar salad bowl with chicken which was great. Crisp fresh romaine & kale with a light lemony dressing. read more

The Crack Shack - Ceasar salad bowl with chicken with fresh kale & romaine was delicious. - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

This location of Crack Shack is always good. I have ordered all of the different chicken menu items and each is excellent. The chicken is moist, fresh and really good. The service is always fast, welcoming and friendly. The only issue I have with The Crack Shack is the higher $$$. Go for the service, taste and quality. read more

Super family friendly spot with a variety of seating and delicious food. Firebird chicken sandwich is amazing and the fries and cookie you get with a kids meal are great. Super relaxed vibe that has quickly become part of our weekly ritual. A spot that I always keep in mind when we host visitors. So grateful for such a great spot! read more

This was my first time at this restaurant over the weekend with my family. We decided to stop here before enjoying the holiday lights at the San Diego Botanical Garden up the street. I was very pleased. It was clean and open, and the staff was so welcoming. It took a moment though to figure out that I needed to step outside to order. But it's all good. Once there it was easy to order. The food was served quickly and made to order. I ordered The Reubenstein with fries and on tap the Coronado "Orange Ave Wit". All of it was delicious and the sandwich was packed. I will be going back again for sure. THANK YOU THE CRACK SHACK! read more

The Crack Shack - The Reubenstein, fries, & a Coronado bear on tap. - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

***I'd rate this as a 3.5 star.*** So my husband asked me what I thought of Crack Shack (since he's never had it.) I described it as: An elevated version of Chic-fil-A except that Chic-fil-A has better food. I'm not a fan of fast food, so imagine my surprise when those words came out of my own mouth. I like the decor, the ordering process, the staff, the menu... but the food fell short. I'm not sure how exactly, but my fire nugs were bland. Ya gotta season chicken before cooking it, or so I'm told. The only flavor came from the breading that was then doused in some sort of Taco Bell level spicy sauce. (Ya know, not spicy at all.) I have been passing this location for years, literally years... super excited to check it out. But, now that I have, I'm not planning on returning. I'm from a different mindset--I go for the food. If they can't get the food down, there's no reason to return. (Some Yelpers go the other direction and think the food could improve on the next visit--but yeah, food is more important than service to me... at a restaurant.) I still say go and check this place out though! I just won't go a second time, my stomach deserves flavor. read more

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This is a great spot to bring your family or to hangout with friends and enjoy a delicious cocktail. The sandwiches are unique and tasty. The sauces, especially the siracha 1000 island, are pretty good as well. I will definitely stop by again to try their milkshakes! read more

The food was really great. Everything was fresh, well constructed and hot when we received our food. Best Chicken Oysters that I have ever had. The person taking our order offered some great suggestions and was very knowledgeable about the menu, ingredients and cooking methods. Everyone who assisted in the dining area were friendly and very helpful. They insisted on us letting them bring us the condiments we requested rather than us getting them ourselves. Dog Friendly and they even offer nice stainless dog bowls so your loved one can enjoy some water during your visit. Love all the one star reviews posted in the bathroom. Great reading material. read more

Good for a big group at the time we arrived. You order at the counter and then find a seat. I like the casual approach. The food came out and it was very tasty. Our favorite was the Cali Drip. We got the fire bird, that was good too. I alway like when you can dispense your oyen sauce, and they had an array of choice. The drinks were so good, yes the alcoholic as the have a full bar, but also the non alcoholic. To top it off the bathroom was interesting as the wall paper was a bunch of their bad one star Yelp review which I found hilarious. Overall fun chill place to have some good food and fun environment with the family. read more

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No taste , bland, the shakes were almost just milk and a little bit of flavor , over priced ,and no customer service , I left the adobe or al pastor fries with me just tasting them , plus it looked like they got a chicken tender and cut it for the fries , I think you get more chicken on a 4piece chicken nugget from Mcd's also the so called shake , one sip and I just left it cause it had no flavor read more

good fried chicken place! this place you order first and they bring you out your order. there is a lot of different sauces you can try with your chicken and fries. the food is really good. the inside of the restaurant is designed really nice, with an open layout. there is plenty of seating. read more

Deep fried chicken at it's best. Get the regular deep fried bird, order extra and eat it cold the next day. (You are welcome in adv We visit moonlight beach once a year and we always make this our first night restaurant. The prices are a tad high but gosh darn it, it blows any other deep fry restaurant out of the water. The only thing that could make this place better is beverage only happy hour. Get us on beer and we will open our bank account for the chicken. read more

Food (4/5 stars): Finally tried this popular San Diego chicken spot! The Coop Deville sandwich was pretty good but didn't knock my socks off. I'd try their other sandwiches or the fried chicken by itself next time Experience (5/5 stars): * Price: pretty pricey * Wait Time: not too bad on a Friday night * Service: good and friendly * Parking: there's a parking lot * Ambiance: I love the vibes here! It's a nice open air restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating read more

The Crack Shack - Coop Deville Sandwich - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

My honest opinion : Food was 10/10 !!! Customer service 7/10 BAR 0/0 - No west coast IPA. Only Treevana and it was flat. read more

It's okay, it's not something I would order all the time. The firebird is really spicy, the reubenstein wasn't worth it, I would still order the senior croque. I think the items I like the most aren't even chicken, it's the biscuits and french fries. They are busy so it took some time to get our orders. It's still an open space where you can share tables with other families that are there. I think they still offer a play area for kids to go to. Overall, it's not a bad place to chill or hang out every once in a while. read more

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Ordered a whole bird and 2 large order of fries for 4 of us to share. The chicken was crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. They have Stubborn Soda in the machine as well as the high fructose corn syrup varieties. We also had a couple of cookies: the chocolate chip was a little too sweet, but the cowboy cookie was really good read more

Absolutely delicious. We were driving through the area from SD to LA and we detoured just to find Crack Shack. The one near us had closed before we had the money and time to try it, alas! But, we had been stalking this place on Yelp for so long and were ecstatic to finally taste its chicken goodness. Yum, favorite item for us both? Chicken oysters!!! Love the self-serve sauce bar and we highly rec that you go crazy getting a little of each dip. Finally, pro tip- make sure to order their milkshake. Almost better than any other milkshake we've had. read more

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Food was decent. Cashier was friendly & helpful. Place was busy but not packed. Calm easy going environment. read more

The fried chicken sandwiches are magical. The french fries cooked in Schmalz are literally the best in the city. They also have tons of sauces that you can mix and match and there's a nice open air bar. The staff is friendly and attentive. It's just a cool vibe all the way around. The best part is the men's restroom which has one star reviews as wallpaper. It's hilarious and shows how confident they are in the product they produce to showcase clueless haters. This is a don't miss place that locals, love and visitors will too. read more

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Cool place to visit! I came here for lunch on a Saturday on the way to San Diego. I ordered the Coop Deville Sandwich and the Half Bird Bone-In Chicken, and both chickens were juicy and good. The only reason I gave this place a 4 star is because I asked for the Half Bird to be the Tossed in Fire option; however, the Coop Deville was instead the one tossed with the fire, which made the sandwich very spicy. I was contemplating on informing one of the staff, but I was already on a time crunch and the food took a while to come out. I was more of a fan for the Half Bird Bone-In Chicken, which paired well with the variety of self-serve sauce choices offered. The restaurant is pretty big and I loved the ambiance. Overall, recommend this place! read more

The Crack Shack - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Nice open inviting environment and dining room area. The chicken sandwich (Cali Drip) was delicious, just enough heat from the jalapeños, I don't need much so, if you like more heat add jalapeños. six jidori chicken nuggets balanced taste, biscuits good but, a tad dry. Will be back. read more

I ate at the Crack Shack twice! The first time we ordered sandwiches which I personally love and prefer my taste! This last time we were with friends who wanted to order the bigger pack that serves a group! Loved the chicken and the dinner rolls! Ate the dinner roll plain . Loved the crispness of the chicken . I prefer honey over the sauces that Crack Shack provides although they are very tasty! There is a large selection of beverages hard or soft along with lager ale on tap ! Casual setting with a full bar , indoor outdoor seating . You order sit down and they bring the order to the table! Yum read more

The Crack Shack - Inside - New American Near Me - Encinitas, California

The food at this place is always outstanding and never ceases to amaze me. No matter what I have ordered off the menu it has came out wonderfully made and always juicy. I don't know how they make their chicken flavor so well and not have a dry out. I love the different options of sauces they provide I always get a mix of all of them together. Can't tell which one is my favorite. Will continue to go to this place and recommend it to others. It's a great stop after church with the family! The service there is always quick and they help you with anything else needed along with your order. They are very attentive. They also have a great outside area for the kids to hang out, especially if they get a little rambunctious. read more