We came here for restaurant week and had a very good experience! Our server was great. Very personable and present without being overwhelming. The ambiance was very nice too. The place was very busy and had a good energy about it. I had the Jambalaya, which had chicken, sausage, and shrimp. It was pretty good and had a nice spicy kick. A good portion as well. Girlfriend had the shrimp etouffee with grits. It was nicely blackened and on a big bed of grits. Also spicy. Friend had the original lobster roll. He was surprised it came on Texas toast and not a roll. But he really enjoyed it. The dessert was a sinlme but delicious Cookit with ice cream. I recommend for restaurant week. And if you like seafood in the form of things like the lobster roll or shrimp etouffee that you don't get other places. I thought the jambalaya was fine but unremarkable. Not pictured here was the lobster mac and cheese. Which was only a small appetizer and I thought underwhelming (also, I don't like corn). read more

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Smack Shack knows seafood, and the Seafood Paella proves it. The Seafood Paella arrives packed with perfectly cooked shrimp, clams, mussels, smoky sausage, and saffron rice that's loaded with flavor. Every bite brings something different, and the fresh seafood really shines without being overshadowed by the seasoning. The portion is generous enough to share, but you probably won't want to. The atmosphere is lively, the seafood tastes fresh, and the kitchen clearly pays attention to presentation as much as flavor. If you're looking for one of the Twin Cities' best seafood dishes, this one belongs on your must-order list. Fresh, colorful, and packed with flavor--Smack Shack delivers every time. read more

Smack Shack - Seafood Paella--golden saffron rice loaded with shrimp, clams, mussels, and smoky sausage. A seafood feast in every bite. - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

My family and I went to the Bloomington location for Father's Day and had a great time sitting on the patio! It was a nice atmosphere and a great spot to enjoy a meal together. For appetizers, we ordered the Peel & Eat Shrimp and the Coconut Curry Mussels. The shrimp was good, but the mussels were definitely my favorite. The coconut curry sauce was so flavorful, and it came with warm, soft naan bread that was perfect for dipping. For my entrée, I ordered the Warm Connecticut Lobster Roll. It was good overall, but I always wish there was a bit more lobster, especially for the price. My boyfriend ordered the Lobster Mac & Cheese and said that if he ordered it again, he would probably go with the smaller size so the lobster-to-pasta ratio felt a bit more balanced. Overall, the food was good, but nothing that completely wowed us for the price point. read more

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Fun atmosphere and friendly staff. Seemed like a lot of down time between receiving our drinks, apps and food. Didn't seem very busy, may have been short staffed or between shifts. Everything was good though. Parking can be a challenge in the area. read more

Smack Shack - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

The best Happy Hour specials in the North Loop. I love these beef sliders. They are so good. I opt for wine this time however I usually get the hurricane. I definitely feel like a hurricane after those drinks LMFAOOOOO!!! read more

Smack Shack - Happy Hour sliders - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

I came here for a graduation lunch with 9 people and we were seated right away and our waitress, Ashley, was very personable, friendly, and provided exceptional customer service. I tried the boiled shrimp, crab cake Niçoise salad, and the jambalaya. I was pleased with all the food! The flavor in the jambalaya was the perfect balance of spicy and salty. I would definitely come here again! read more

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I've been coming for years and the Connecticut lobster roll is still the best in town. Cajun fries are good too! Good service. Some days you get a good 90s RnB playlist. Our waitress changed the music upon request on a slow afternoon. Great happy hour specials from 3-6pm, like the wings, shrimp basket or sliders, and cheaper cocktails and $6 wine. The white wine on happy hour was surprisingly really good. Nice big side patio in warm months off the busy street. Pull tabs. It's a good time for a chill meal. The one in Bloomington has theme music and dj nights, and the crab boil is made with non-pork sausage I can actually eat. read more

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Smack Shack has always been my GO TO to for a late night food in the North Loop location. I've been gone here for years. I wish I can come often. Being in the Restaurant hospitality industry. It's best to come also during the week days, but we stop by on a Sunday evening and seated at the bar area. Service is always amazing and the food never disappoint. Had to try their French quarter beignets and was delicious. read more

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Was in town for a work trip and a colleague suggested this spot for soups. It was perfect on a cold day. I am a huge fan of clam chowder so of course I ordered the clam chowder. I also got the crab cakes and the warm lobster roll. Didn't love the crab cakes as much but the clam chowder is a must!! read more

Smack Shack - Clam Chowder - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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It is pretty alright. It is pricier than your usual seafood. I wish there were a little more option with creating your own seafood boil. I created my own seafood boil bag, with shrimp, a half-pound crab leg and something else i forgot. I went out with a group, and we got all something different. My sister got a lamb sandwich, and so did my friend. I also ordered chicken wings, and the wings were actually very small. The waitress was nice and helpful. She checks you and refills our cups. read more

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I ordered the small Lobster Mac and Cheese and my husband got the Lobster. We both were satisfied with our choice and can't wait to go back when we are in the area. read more

Smack Shack - Small Lobster Mac & Cheese - Small - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Went to Smack Shack for the first time in North Loop. Had the Stuffed Salmon, and honestly it was so phenomenal. The risotto and asparagus were cooked perfectly. The lobster and shrimp stuffed into the salmon was fantastic and the dish overall had amazing flavor. Service was great, and the ambiance is exactly what you need for an elevated dinner or crab boil experience. read more

Smack Shack - Stuffed Salmon with Harvest Risotto - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Overpriced. I ordered a chicken tenders sandwich for $13. It is supposed to come with fries and a drink. I was charged $4 for fries. Will not eat here again. Horrible service. read more

The patio was super nice for a warm summer night. The service was a little slow but there were a lot of large groups so I went to give them a break. The lobster Mac n cheese was good! I have had better, but the large is not worth the price. The portion sizes are a little small but would go back for a drink! read more

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Coastal Seafood flies in fresh seafood daily, 6 days a week. There is no excuse for Smack Shack to serve seafood that is not fresh. The taste difference between fresh seafood and frozen fish stored for months is remarkable. Plus, fresh seafood is more healthy. Smack Shack brands itself as a seafood emporium. At its inception, serving from a food truck, lobster rolls were what they sold, and fresh was impossible. Now that Smack Shack is a restaurant chain, they should be responsible enough to serve fresh food. Their patrons should demand more. Minneapolis should demand more. If Smack Shack is intent on serving chain mall food, leave the North Loop and relocate to the shopping malls scattered around the suburbs. The overhead would be lower, and Smack Shack would no longer be a blight on the North Loop neighborhood. read more

Walked in and were seated right away on the patio. The table was wobbly but they have wedges on the floor to fix that. Started with the hot peel and eat shrimp with dip sauces and lemon. Most items on the menu can come hot or cold, which is pretty cool. The signature Lobster roll was filled with big chunks of lobster and dressed just right with bites of cucumber. Great portions, we had enough time to talk and enjoy our meal without feeling rushed. Nice and strong drinks. Paid street parking is available. Definitely a seafood lovers dream , caters to other dietary preferences so the there is just about something for everyone. read more

Smack Shack - Smack Shack Original Lobster Roll - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This place has a great happy hour menu, and happy hour pricing is available through the bar, restaurant and patio! We tried several happy hour foods and I really liked the moules frites (mussels and fries). We also got calamari off of the normal menu, but I didn't like the sauce it came with. I asked for an aioli and really like the lemon aioli they brought out, it was perfect for the calamari! The happy hour Sauvignon blanc was delicious and perfectly chilled. Great spot, I want to come back for the seafood boil! read more

Smack Shack - Happy hour moules frites and calamari - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Hadn't been in a while and my friends had never been so I made sure they had the experience. Made a reservation cause it was a saturday night. Parking is always a struggle in north loop area. Got to sit on the patio, ordered some food and drinks. Staff was super friendly and very helpful. Food and drinks came out pretty quick. I should have got the lobster mac, but I tried something new. Overall really good experience, always consistent and pretty reasonable price wise. read more

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Ate in the bar area this evening to catch happy hour. Lively atmosphere and great selections for HH with excellent price points. Eclectic crowd, friendly staff, all around great place to catch a bite, drink, or watch a game. Always a must when we're downtown. read more

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Great energy, with very helpful staff. They helped me find vegan options even though the menu didn't note any. I went with the fried green tomato's as a po boy sandwich which was really good, and subbed the fries for veggie boil. My partner got the crab and loved it. Ambiance was warm and open! One thing to note for vegans is if you want the veggie boil, make sure to let them know on your reservation so they can get that prepared ahead of time, as their main boiler would have cross contamination. read more

Smack Shack - Fried green tomato as po boy with veggie bowl. Crab boil in the back - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

We went for lobster rolls again. My husband and I got Connecticut style (hot with butter) and my son ordered Maine (cold with a mayo sauce) based on the waitress's recommendation (she said Connecticut is most popular, but her favorite is Maine style). They were both good, but butter? You just can't beat fresh roll, lobster and butter. Sorry, Maine. My Mariposa NA drink was great, the fries were yummy and the side of brussel sprouts? OMG! So so yummy! My only critique is that my lobster roll was dripping this time, so I think it had a bit too much juice or water that should have been drained first? Still tasted great though. We managed to have room to share a dessert as well. It was good, but not enough to dream about. I can't actually remember what kind of cake it was. Perhaps red velvet? Now the tiramisu down the street at Bar La Grassa? I've been ordering tiramisu every place that has it because I keep thinking about theirs, but nobody matches it. Still, Smack Shack is our place to go any time we're craving lobster rolls. Yum! read more

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Oh my goodness, don't skip Smack Shack! I've had this on my list for way too long, but we're going to visit every chance we get in the future! Thanks to Diner's, Drive In's and Dives for putting this on my radar and while we wanted to try the shrimp boil, everything sounded so delicious! We enjoyed lunch outside, shades from the beautiful sun and not even the flying cotton wood could ruin a delicious lunch. We had the very best server, she brought refills of Diet Coke numerous times during our lunch - without question and even brought the last ones in to-go containers! We shared the Shrimp Bruschetta, which was delicious but our favorite appetizer was the lobster poutine. The lobster poutine was so savory and perfectly seasoned, crunchy fries and stringy melting cheese curds. For our entrees, we shared a Shrimp Po Boy with a wedge salad, substituting blue cheese for bacon ranch dressing and the lobster Mac & Cheese. She offered dessert and the beignets sound so delicious, but we had to save them for next time. We will be back! read more

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This is a place to get good service and great lobster rolls downtown especially after a twins game or a concert at target center. Not only that but when you come back after those games and concerts they have Dj's playing at night. read more

Smack Shack - Connecticut Style Lobster Roll and Smack Shack Original Lobster Roll - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

My first time at this restaurant, I've worked down the street and didn't have the opportunity to dine until now. Big corner restaurant, big patio, bar, and dining room. I didn't realize they have upstairs dining until someone mentioned it. My friend has been there before and ordered some delicious entrees to share. The scallops and salmon was delicious. Fried green tomatoes were surprisingly sweet and sour. The mussels, calamari, shrimp and grits were also delicious. My friend ordered gin and tonic, she said was strong, which is good. Check this place out if you're in downtown Minneapolis, there's meter parking nearby otherwise parking ramp couple blocks away. read more

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My love knew about this place but I hadn't heard of it before. It was great! We got to sit outside and it was a more calm area of the city. Nice brick buildings and sky as a view. The food was great I'd recommend getting the lobster roll they have warm and cold versions. Service was a little slow but good! read more

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This was on our Triple D tour. Got clam chowder and fish. The fish was so big and so delicious! Mixed drinks were amazingly proportioned. Service was great. read more

Smack Shack - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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We went on a Saturday evening for dinner. The atmosphere was lively with a couple of large birthday celebrations happening around us. I ordered the warm lobster roll, and it was fantastic--buttery and packed with flavor. The Cajun fries on the side were a generous portion, and the seasoning hit just right. Absolutely a 5/5 dish! I also had the NA Italian Spritz, which was a standout for me. It was light, crisp, and refreshing--exactly what I needed! My husband tried the paella, which was decent but not exceptional--he rated it a 3/5. The portion size was good, but the flavors didn't quite stand out as we hoped. If you're planning to visit on a weekend, I'd recommend making a reservation to avoid a wait. I felt the place a bit crowded and loud but overall , a nice experience with a mix of highs and lows! read more

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Smack Shack in the North Loop is one of my go-to spots year-round. The apps are always a hit (the peel-and-eat shrimp are my personal favorite), and the cocktails are consistently delicious. The dining room makes for a great sit-down dinner, while the bar has an awesome, lively vibe, especially on weekends when it can even turn into a dance party. My friends and I (late 20s/early 30s crowd) love it for nights out, but it's also a surprisingly great spot to take clients over lunch. It's the kind of place that really works for any occasion, fun, tasty, and always a good time. Highly recommend! read more

Smack Shack - Oysters, French 75, French fries - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Stopped in during restaurant week so it was a little busy and our waiter seemed very overwhelmed and stressed. I got the fish and chips and highly recommend! It was a lot of food and very tasty! It is loud in their and so come early if you want a quitter dinner Atmospher. read more

Smack Shack - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

The atmosphere was nice, and parking was surprisingly easy despite being in the North Loop. We found a convenient parking ramp nearby. The drinks were outstanding, really well-made. I wasn't very hungry, so I went with the calamari--it was decent, though not the best I've ever had. The prices were fair, and the service was friendly and attentive. I loved the round tables, which made it easy to see and connect with the people I was dining with. read more

We went for dinner on a Friday night, right at the end of happy hour so the had lots of drinks and apps at a good price. We had the lobster poutine and shrimp bruschetta to start. Both were very good and the portions were very generous. For entrees we had the mussels, they were very good, nice flavor and nice portion size. Shrimp po'boy was also good. It came with fries and shrimp were nice and crispy, good flavor as well. Lobster mac and cheese was a miss though. It was very bland and needed more cheese. Not worth the $31. They gave us a key lime pie for a Birthday dessert which was delicious. We also had the red velvet Boston creme cake, also very good. Dylan, our server, was very good. We were lucky to get a parking spot on the street but we noticed they did have valet if you can't find street parking which is a plus. read more

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The best place to get a lobster roll!! Every time I go I always get the Connecticut style lobster roll (toss warm lobster with butter, lemon, chives and warm bread). Seriously, this is my favorite. I usually share this and they can choose to split it for you. This makes it a lot easier and I feel like they always give you so much fries too! I went on a Friday night so parking was harder to find because they only offer street parking but fortunately, there was no wait when my friend and I got there. The vibes on a Friday night are so fun. Everyone is out and about. I love the beauty of everything. Very cutesy. I chose the lobster roll, lobster mac and cheese, and a side of hot honey brussels sprouts with parmesan, pistachio, and bacon vinaigrette. Everything was 10/10. I would say it was a bit busier and the waiter took a little longer to come over and take our order but everything else was great. The food, the atmosphere, the setting was immaculate. I usually don't do here much because I would say this place got more pricey, but would still recommend for anyone to try out! read more

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Zoo wee mama. Quite the selection at Smack Shack. From surf to turf and plenty of sides to compliment farm and sea. My favorites were the Cajun fries, corn bread, Brussels sprouts, and the burger. While the lobster roll was tasty, it was quite rich and soggy. The team checked in on our table frequently but there were delays in getting drinks, which was understandable on a busy Saturday night. The restaurant is split into dining and a bar area, with an upstairs as well. Highly recommend making a reservation for weekends. Semi-casual spot. Saw birthday celebrations and dates taking place here. read more

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I dine solo a bit and nothing is more frustrating than being treated differently since I won't have a big check like the table of 9 seated after me. Waited on after them and got drinks after them. I get it. Good help is hard to find but it would be nice to be treated the same! Anyways.....I ordered a house margarita and the Connecticut style lobster roll. It is served with the house fries. Lobster is my all time favorite fave food and they did not disappoint! The roll was stuffed full of sweet goodness from the ocean and the margarita was a great compliment. Great food and ok service. Def recommend because of the food! read more

Smack Shack - HH - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I realize that Minnesota is not an area with access to the freshest seafood. I got a chilled lobster roll with fries and it was just ok. Not particularly flavorful and the lobster was not very substantial. It was also 33 dollars! Yikes. I got a very potent Paloma that was pretty nice. The service was good but as far as the meal, I think this is a "when in Rome.." kind of situation. Maybe stick to walleye and cheese curds(which I do love.) I'd probably skip this place unless you're desperate for seafood. Just ok. 7/10 read more

Smack Shack - Lobster roll. Just ok. - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

* We were at this restaurant for happy hour on a Monday night * The happy hour menu was a steal of a deal for my fiancé and I - drinks and food were well worth our 3 hours spent here prior to a concert at Target Field. The seafood dishes are flavorful in spice and heat! The poutine was our favorite part- the portion size had us both full without needing separate entrees (and we can EAT). The brownie was not the best - the spice was unexpected. We sat on the patio the entire time! Service was slower than we hoped for during happy hour. The tables were not full in the section. At 5pm, the service picked-up and the place got PACKED. *Street parking and surrounding lots for a fee (North Loop, to be expected) *Under $100 can be spent on 5 drinks per person, 2 orders of appetizers, and 1 dessert during happy hour *For those concerned about safety in downtown, this place felt secure and comfortable to be at read more

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Excellent food and fast service. Ordered takeout that worked very well. I would not order French fries to go again as they cooled off too fast read more

Food and afternoon happy hour menu is a 5. Svc for us as well so dog friendly was a plus. Svc was ok. But busy be use of the happy hour specially. The ambiance was wonderful d a nice day to sit outside. The reason I'm giving a 5 is the muscles fresh from Prince Albert area. Omg. Like I would get in Europe. So fresh and tasty. I would come back for this alone. read more

Smack Shack - Looking for Happy hour - Seafood Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

It ain't cheap but a solid boil in the upper Midwest. Great selection and nice outside space. Great service, good beer selection. Manageable parking. read more

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Came here during restaurant week and was honestly kind of disappointed. We had a pretty large group (12 people) but the service was pretty poor even for that. I ordered the lobster mac and cheese as an appetizer and not only did I have to remind the server that I didn't get it yet 3 times, but it came out at least an hour after everyone else had their food and we were wrapping up checks. I paid some extra for the lobster roll and although it was good, it wasn't amazing and nowhere near worth the price. I would need some significant convincing to come back again. read more

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