I've passed by The Crack Shack many times when visiting Hi-Time, and I finally decided to stop in for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. There is a good sized parking lot behind the restaurant. The ordering counter is on the front side of the building. Once parked, you can either walk around the building, or walk through the open-air covered patio. I walked around to get a closer look at the unique chicken-head Beatles' Abbey Road mural on the side of the building. The menu is obviously chicken-focused, and features various sandwiches, wraps, and salads, along with several sides. They also have a small breakfast menu served until noon on the weekend. After ordering, they will give you a number and bring your food when it's ready. I really enjoyed the dining area, which is a covered, open-air space with a high ceiling. I sat in one of the booths towards the front. Each booth has a classic painting on the wall with chicken heads on it. There are also many different types of tables thoughout, and more seating upstairs on the second floor. There is also additional seating in front of their full bar. I had the Coop Deville sandwich (fried breast, pickled fresno chiles, pickles, napa cabbage, lime mayo, artisan brioche bun, $14.50). The chicken breast was thick and piping hot, and had a great crunchy crust on it. All of the ingredients went together well and I loved the flavor. The bun was very fresh, and the sandwich wasn't as messy as I thought it might be. I was still a little hungry, so I went back and ordered the regular sized hand cut fries (regular size $4.50, large size $7.50). They are tossed in schmaltz (chicken fat) and a light dusting of spices. They were hot and fresh, and the regular size was way more than I could eat by myself. They have a self-serve sauce bar with five options on tap including ketchup, Srirarcha T000 Island, Sweet Baby G's BBQ, ranch, and pineapple mustard. I dipped my sandwich in the BBQ and Srirarcha Thousand Island, and my fries in the BBQ, ranch, and pineapple mustard. They have a cornhole game towards the back, are dog friendly, and host trivia night on Thursdays. I enjoyed the food and atmosphere, and would definitely return. read more

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Overpriced tiny portions. The food tastes great which keeps me coming back - only to be dissatisfied every time I go. This time I got the tenders and they are completely overcooked and crunchy (in a bad way). I think if the food was just a slightly better value I would feel taken advantage of each time I go there. read more

This review is 90% love, but I hope the owners catch the 10% that needs work. We came back to Crack Shack for round 2 because my wife was obsessed with the Firebird on our first visit. Crispy chicken sandwich = dope, no notes. We also grabbed chicken tenders that first time and got... sad nuggets instead. Not the end of the world, so we rolled back after she dropped $200 on gift cards. This visit: Firebird again, Cob salad, and we made sure to get the _actual_ spicy chicken tenders. Place is huge for a crispy chicken spot. Two levels, 40-ft bar with beer/spirits, TVs, bar stools, and dog-friendly with pics of pups on the wall. Order outside, grab a number, find a seat. Very cool vibe. 10 mins later food hits. Firebird still looks like fire. Cob salad was on point -- avocado, egg, mixed greens, chard corn, pickled onions, crispy quinoa, tomatoes. Solid. Now the tenders. I know they weren't nuggets this time -- they were longer, thinner... and tasted like something I'd pull from 7-Eleven. Even then, 7-Eleven would get side-eyed. Disappointed is an understatement. Advice: skip the tenders unless you've got kids to feed. Last complaint isn't food -- it's the app. I bought $200 in gift cards but waited too long to claim reward points, emailed them, and got ghosted. That's the second bad taste in one visit. Mr. Crack, if you're reading: hit my email so I can update this to 10/10 and praise your customer service. You've got the food and vibe locked. Fix the tenders and the support, and you're untouchable. 8.2/10 -- you know what to work on. read more

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The fries are absolutely incredible! So delectably crispy! The chicken also fries to perfection! Tender and moist as well. The dipping sauces were tasty! The side Cobb salad was refreshing - so much needed greenery and freshness to balance the meal. read more

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Was going to be in the area, so I placed an online order for a firebird bowl and power bowl. Both of them were really good bowls, and felt pretty healthy! The firebird bowl came with fried chicken thighs, crispy onions, pickled onions, lettuce, and quinoa. Chicken was delicious, and the salad paired with it made it well-balanced. Power bowl had chicken al pastor, boiled egg, avocado, pickled onions, and quinoa. I'd say the power bowl felt the most health-focused one. Def would recommend! The place itself has a pretty cool dining space, that's almost like a brewery vibe. You order at the front counter, and they'll give you a number and bring your food out to you. There's also a giant bar, a happy hour, and plenty of large TVs to catch the game. The place is so big, that you'd probably be able to bring a bunch of your friends and hangout. read more

I was in need of some serious comfort food!! And the crack shack came to the rescue We parked in their private parking lot which is located in the back of the restaurant. We then walked through the restaurant and ordered at the window outside (they don't have waiter style, but we were told we could place orders at the bar Instead of walking all the way through the restaurant and then going outside to the window to order) We had the pleasure of Jerry taking our order. He was great at making suggestions and helping us with the menu. (We got there during happy hour, but didn't order from that menu (They had great cocktails for HH) We ended up getting 2 crispy chicken sandwiches Their loaded fries (the chicken chili on the fries is pure heaven) Order of biscuits (Later, I ordered their spiked milkshake) Prices are actually really reasonable Portions are HUGE, they also have family Style options Jerry gave us a number for our table and then next stop was their HOMEMADE SAUCE station. (Their ranch and bbq sauce is to die for!) I love that the sauces are serve yourself and unlimited. No more having to wait for your waiter to bring it to you or them bringing only one little side of sauce. They also have everything else you need at the sauce station. Such as to go boxes and silverware. They have a roll of paper towels at your table which I love. I'm a messy eater and I don't have to bother wait staff for more napkins. So it's a win / win Thankfully a booth opened up (super cute booths) they only have a few booths and then just a bunch of tables. They have picnic style tables and chairs as well. But they also have a second floor which has a bunch of extra seating, you can book private parties up there and they have certain events like trivia night that is held upstairs (also, a bunch of TVs upstairs) They offer a Military discount They have beer flights But, my favorite is the quality of food you are getting. (This is all written on their menu) Our Chicken Our fresh, "beyond-free range," pasture-raised birds come from nearby boutique farms. They're organic, non-GMO, antibiotic- and preservative-free. Our Eggs Our eggs come from local, family-owned and operated farms like Eben-Haezer Ranch, raising hormone- and antibiotic-free chicks. Our Spices Our proprietary, ground to order, organic spice blends come from Le Sanctuaire in San Francisco. Our Bread We only use bread made in-house or artisan bread sourced from the best local bakeries. Always fresh. Our Produce Wherever possible, the produce found in our bowls and on our sandwiches comes from boutique local farms. Our Ice Cream Our seasonally rotating shakes are spun with premium, natural-ingredient scoops from SoCal-based After's Ice Cream. So, there it is. You KNOW you are getting quality food from them. I'll definitely be back soon! PS it's also dog friendly!!! read more

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Delicious combination of flavors. I'm very happy with the take-out portion. The eggs are cooked perfectly. I got the Power Bowl. The chicken Al Pastor was very tender and had a nice subtle kick. My favorite part was the pickled onions. They give you a hefty portion so you can get some with every bite. I love the sweet and saltiness it brings. The quinoa and arugula has a very pleasant lemony dressing. It's not too overwhelming. I used the online ordering platform. I joined because It has really nice rewards. I have stopped by for a beer at the bar before. The open atrium is truly beautiful. The bartender and take out server were both really great. read more

The Crack Shack - Protein Power Bowl - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Absolutely insane restaurant. Have heard so many good things I had to check it out. The firebird with fries was phenomenal. Need to come back to try more menu items. Jerry and the rest of the staff were the best. Lots of seating and bar inside as well. This is a must visit if in the area. Highly recommend!! read more

The Crack Shack - Firebird - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The Crack Shack is an awesome family friendly restaurant serving up unique interpretations of chicken sandwiches. I ordered my food to-go. The coop devil is a classic, well put together chicken sandwich. It's flavorful on its own, and paired really nicely with the self-serve sauces (I.e. sriracha mayo, honey mustard, barbecue, etc). The Fowl Italiano was a perfect sandwich that felt like eating chicken parm in between two slices of bread. It needed no additional sauces and was great on its own. The service is fantastic and was above and beyond expectations. They were transparent about what they recommend ordering, gave me a small baggy to put my sauces in (self serve) when I was waiting for my food, and quickly prepared my take-out order. The atmosphere is fun. They have plenty of tables, some that faces a large TV screen for watching sports and an area to play corn hole. read more

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Stopped by because we were in the area and wanted to give it a try. Food here was decent, our food was a little overdone, didn't have much flavor and the fries were pretty oily. I ordered the Coop DeVille and my husband ordered the Katau Looking sandwich. The ranch dressing was good, they had several different dipping sauces to choose from. The atmosphere was nice, the inside was open and spacious. The service was good and they have plenty of parking in their lot. read more

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From the moment we walked in everything was perfect! The owner was so welcoming and helpful. He showed us where to order, helped us with a high chair, and checked in on us. The food!!! We didn't take pics because we were starving! But we got the Cali drip and oh man what a mouthful of flavors that just went together effortlessly. We also got the señor croque and that was delicious as well. Kids meal we got the chicken nuggets. Be warned These are not ground up processed chicken nuggets. These are chicken breast bites. I do have a pic of what is left of my 2 year olds I will add. They are so good (a little hard for him to chew until we cut it up. They have a sauce bar that is delicious and I got the vanilla cream soda which is not over powering! Definitely check this place out. Also, seating is perfect, spread out and not sitting on top of one another. Open windows with a nice breeze. read more

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I've driven past this place so many times thinking it was just a little shack with just a window. This place has a full freaking bar inside! I was not at all expecting that. I stopped by today and got the firebird sandwich. It was okay. The chicken was the crispiest, crunchiest chicken I've ever had as well as juicy inside! It was seasoned well and was delicious. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the amount of fried onions. I like fried onions but not that much, at a certain point I ended up picking some of off. It wasn't spicy but I would definitely go back and try other items. I was in a rush and picked the first thing that caught my eye so I think it definitely deserves a second chance. read more

The Crack Shack - Firebird - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Stopped in again and DELICIOUS as always!! Love the firebird! Service great! Environment also great! Love this place and will be back many many more times! read more

The Crack Shack - Firebird - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Not as good as I thought it would be my chicken was overcooked taste like it was cooked in old oil.. I don't know I heard good things about this place but maybe it was just the wrong day.. I might give it one more try read more

The Crack Shack - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Came here on a Sunday afternoon. You order at a window outside and sit down inside. When the food is ready they bring it to you. We got firebird and katsu lookin. Both of the sandwiches were pretty decent. The katsu lookin one i ordered was a bit dry and lack a bit of flavor but that was easily fixed with the sauce bar. I tried every sauce - the pineapple mustard was pretty good (not too mustardy with a hint of pineapple). My boyfriends favorite sauce was the sweet barbecue sauce. They also had ranch, ketchup, sriracha thousand island, and some hot sauces with a jalapeno and habanero sauce that both weren't too spicy. The fries were perfect though. Crispy and light on the outside and warm and fresh on the inside. I think this was the best thing there. The atmosphere of the restaurant is great with many tvs showing football and a section for bean bag tossing game. Overall not a bad choice to come to with friends or family. read more

I see alot of mix reviews and I drive by here a lot and see the cool picture from outside. Decide to give it a try. The inside was spacious and pretty cool, remind of a Colorado sports bar. I'll stay with service, they're pretty good and fast. Super professional and friendly and attentive. Even though this is a buy your food from the front and they bring it to the back, they still run a good service spot. Let's get to the food. Ordered the whole bird. In all honesty, I was a bit disappointed. The chicken I felt was super rushed to make and it hardly had seasoning. The crunch was there for the skin, the juice was there for the chicken thighs and drum stick. The chicken breast was overdone. The saving grace was the sauces you get. I gotta give it a 2.7/5. The sauces are pour your own, pretty cool and the pineapple mustard and the siracha 1000 island was a hit. 5/5. The French fries were good, crust and seasoned well. 5/5. Biscuits were cute and small and fluffy. The butter that came with it was good 4/5. Overall I don't think I would come back here personally. read more

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Restaurant is huge, games inside, two stories, plenty of parking, bar area, nice decor inside, great staff, but for me the food lacked flavor. We got the whole bird and sides, and there just was not any seasoning to the chicken itself. Sauces are self served along with drinks. The mini biscuits were fluffy, soft and good. read more

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I really appreciate the ambiance inside the restaurant. The layout is very fun and the people that work there always do a good job. That being said, the food leaves much to be desired. We've been there many times, and nearly every time the chicken and fries tasted like they were cooked in bad oil. The sauces are amazing, as well as the topping they put on their sandwiches, which tend to do a good job distracting from the oil flavor. When we came to trivia night, we ordered chicken nuggets, but we weren't able to eat them. On top of that, about six months ago my sister was served raw chicken. I remember enjoying it the first time I ate there, but I've been getting unlucky. read more

The Don Pastor Fries were delicious with lots of crispy fries, oaxacan fundido sauce, crema, and red sauce. I just wish there was more chicken pastor meat because the small pieces I got were minimal. It was also odd that the menu listed the price as $14.50, but the employee charged $15 on the register; odd. The tables and chairs were dirty and sticky so I had to wipe mine with the available paper towels. Plenty of parking because they have a private lot. read more

We ordered wings, chicken sandwiches, and french fries, and unfortunately nothing stood out. The wings were dry. The chicken fingers were average, the kind you could find at any fast food chain. If you're craving fried chicken in the area, keep driving. read more

This sandwich was very good, i especially liked the onion roll. They also have gluten free fried chicken if you are so inclined! This is a fun spot for pets and kids, as there is in indoor/ outdoor area and corn hole etc! read more

Traditional American fried bone-in chicken that is actually made fresh to order can be hard to come by and CS does a nice job in providing what these days seems like a delicacy. I never had the Chicken "Oysters" in my previous visits. Wow! A great concept. So juicy and delicious, with a unique tasty tartar sauce and lemon. The opportunities for making it even better include better maintenance of the sauce and condiment area, expanding the non-alcoholic beverage offerings and shaper attention to the cleanliness of the dining area. The service here is amazing. It's a blend of casual friendliness, diligent work and taking care of their guests. The iced tea ran out and when it was ready one of the staff brought out fresh iced tea to our table. The ambiance is super chill and comfortable. read more

The Crack Shack - Kinda messy... - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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TLDR: It's not crack, but it's good fried chicken located in a nice spot in town. The place is not a bad place to go back to, but it can improve to become the best fried chicken spot in town. 4.5 stars (won't round up) Senor Croque: This is basically what would happen if a fried chicken sandwich and a breakfast sandwich had a bold, slightly bougie baby. The fried Jidori chicken is crispy and juicy, and pairing it with bacon, cheese, and a runny egg on a brioche bun just works, no weak link in the lineup. The richness is real, but not overwhelming, and the balance of salty, fatty, and just a touch of sweet from the bread makes every bite hit. It's messy, indulgent, and absolutely worth it. Half Bird: If you want to judge a chicken spot, order their plain bird, and this place did not disappoint. The skin is crispy, the seasoning is flavorful without being over-the-top, and the meat stays juicy all the way through. You can tell it's quality chicken, and it doesn't need much help, though their sauces are fun to play with. It's simple, done right, and honestly, kind of impressive how much they let the bird speak for itself. If I had to critique it, I feel that the batter falls off the more you eat it. Economics will say it's diminishing returns, I say that the mixture of the batter wasn't balanced in that batch. Service: It's fine. I interacted with the staff during ordering and when they gave me the food. Nothing to report. Ambiance: I enjoyed the location. It's a partially open-air venue and was very family-friendly with an option for adults because of the bar. There is a 2nd floor that was closed because the 1st floor still had seats to be taken. The restroom is funny as the walls were filled with wacky 1-star reviews. Good vibes and good banter. read more

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My wife and I think this is THE BEST chicken place- hands down! My mouth is watering thinking about the Firebird. They have the crispiest, best seasoned french fries and a full self serve "bar" for a variety of sauces. If you're on the fence, do not pass on the Crack Shack. read more

Great family friendly restaurant. Lots of open seating. For starters you have to try their firebird sandwich! Has so much flavor and love the crunchies inside. Got a side Cobb salad as well. Overall their food is yum but can be busy and you may have to wait a while. read more

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We went years ago. They had long lines and it was fantastic. We went yesterday. We had Costco gift cards. A few people there. The chicken tasted rancid. We think old oil. The fries were bland and the coleslaw had too much dressing. So sad! I am so glad we didn't get sick. My husband wished he would have said something to the management. We have $50. of Costco gift cards left. When we go to our place in Carlsbad, we will try Encinitas. It might be better. read more

This place is super dope!! From the moment we walked inside the bartender was super friendly greeted us and told us to order from the window in the front. While checking out the menu we were helped by Jerry asking what's good or what he recommended he gave two options of sandwiches we got one of each, and both were fire this place had a great atmosphere and I highly recommend checking them out. I will definitely be checking out the crack shack more often.! Thanks again Jerry wish we had more people like you in the industry! read more

The Crack Shack - Cali Drip Firebird - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Came back for the sandwich this time, super yummy. I prefer the sandwich over the wings read more

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Today with a friend of mine went to Crack Shack and to my surprise, the food was great and served promptly by a very friendly server. By the way, potions were big and the side of sauces made the chicken more tasty to the palate. I want to give a shout-out to the GM Jerry who came to our table to see if we are enjoying the meal and if we need anything else which was very nice of him, when you go there ask for Jerry he is a friendly soul and a pleasant person to talk to. It also shows how much the upper management is involved in running the operation. I was also impressed by the cool casual ambiance, overall a pleasant experience, and I recommend that you give it a try if you haven't been there. Keep up the good work and keep serving the excellent chicken. read more

Good vibes and service, but the food is questionable ... The place itself has a very comfortable and inviting atmosphere. We came at night so it was quite crowded and everyone seemed to be having lots of fun. The menu has a decent range of options to choose from as well as a bar with a separate menu. * Jidori Tender Combo: 6/10 - tenders were small and didn't have any breading Not sure if it's just us, but my sister had a terrible stomachache after eating from here. She searched online to see if other people had similar experiences from ordering the same item and it seems that they did. We'll come back to try the food again and see if the same thing happens. Although the address is listed in Costa Mesa, I'd say it's more on the edge of Costa Mesa and pushing toward Newport Beach. The parking in the back can get quite crowded at peak times so it might be tough finding a spot. There were tons of seating inside and a sauce bar as well. Slightly disappointed. read more

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Why did you guys get rid of the downward dog?? Every housewife in Newport orders this on the reg! This was our go-to takeout with the kids meals being so well received but now having to reconsider since a staple is no longer on the menu. Kids meals are excellent and always loved by the kids. read more

Fresh food chicken was delish! Cocktails were very nice. Service was top notch. Kept checking in on us. And turned on the heater to keep our buns warm too. Will come back again! read more

Good food, everything was fresh, sandwiches are big and filling, place was clean, all the workers were friendly. Props for not charging extra for sauce. Also liked the hand washing station. Little on the pricey side. $15 after tax for one sandwich and it doesn't come with a drink or fries. read more

The Crack Shack - Firebird and Cali Drip - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

First time here, and let me just say 10's across the board! Customer service was amazing, asked the guy taking our order what he recommended and it did not disappoint! We got the firebird and it was fantastic. Their pineapple mustard was great! Nice taste not too over powering. Place is super dope as well. Dog friendly which is awesome! Definitely coming back with our pup. read more

The Crack Shack - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Service was great. Atmosphere was chill. Cesar wrap and spicy chicken sandwich were excellent. Cookies on the kids meal were . Will come back. read more

Foods good, but they struggle to deliver what you ordered. Hard to rate well when you don't get what you ordered.

Solid food except my son realized he doesn't like breast meat. Spicy chicken sandwiches were very good. Mild at first and then got spicer towards the end. Chicken strips are good as well and lots of sauce options. We got it delivered so can't say anything about the restaurant itself. read more

The best chicken sandwich I've had and the fries were cooked to perfection! It was my first time here and the employees were helpful in explaining the most popular sandwiches. We went on a cold evening so we sat by the fireplace but I can see what a fun ambiance it would be during the day and on a warm day. Super clean! read more

The Crack Shack - Fries, spicy chicken, and katsu chicken sandwich - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Life changing chicken sandwiches I can't find enough good things to say about Crack Shack but once you eat it you can never go back. The Costa Mesa location has a back parking lot and you are able to walk into an outdoor/open seating area. I just remember it had a lot of natural light and very spacious. It has a lot of booth and bar seating, along with an upper deck that I haven't noticed before. But you can walk to the front of the cashier where the sauce bar is to order. Food Ordered: Firebird: for the spicy lovers out there, you need this. It's a spicy fried Jidori thigh with ranch, crispy onions (in the photo we got them on the side accidentally - which was a blessing in disguise), pickles (actually meant to put these on the side), and served in a potato roll. This sandwich has altered my brain chemistry since 2019 - it's juicy, it's flavorful, it's the best dang chicken sandwich I've ever had. Eat it on the tray because the sauce it's served with is generous. Since I got the crispy onions on the side I ended up dipping some in ranch and put a lot of them in my sandwich Downward Dog: this was a new item I tried with squash, cauliflower, granola, raisins, creamy, and hummus. The hummus is on the side of the bowl so I had to get a spoon and scrape it to mix with the quinoa. There's a lot of sauces including a hot sauce collection so it paired real well with the mango habanero sauce. Good to eat if you need to get away from the fried foods. Bowls are a flavorful and healthy alternative. I split the bowl and sandwich with my husband after a walk and it was perfect. The mini biscuits: great and reliable staple. The miso butter is so chefs kiss. Crack Shack, known for their amazing flavors tops it off with their sauce bar. Options include ranch (100/10), sriracha thousand island (good spicy Mayo reiteration), barbecue, ketchup, pineapple mustard ?, and more. It really elevates the meal for the sauce bosses out there Real easy to order at the cashier but I will note it was an inside order experience. It's usually outside near the big chicken statue and felt more organized that way but it was still great. Always a pleasure to eat here when I get the chance. read more

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Another lunch date at the crack shack never disappointed, great atmosphere great customer service dog, friendly family orientated we sat at the bar and enjoyed a nice cold glass of champagne. The food was great thank you. Be back soon. read more

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