Obsessed with this place!! Must order the firebird sandwich & the chicken!! The biscuits & deviled eggs are also good! The chicken is extremely flavorful and juicy! So happy they opened a location in OC! My first time trying it was in San Diego and I instantly fell in love! read more

The Crack Shack - The Firebird Sandwich. Amazing!! - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My dad is very difficult to impress, but we brought him a sandwich once and he keeps requesting to come back! Every sandwich I've had is amazing and the Mexican Poutine is the perfect shareable plate of cheesy goodness! read more

Shortly after going on a lunch date here, I found myself already craving the food and returning! Parking is located in the back, where valet is complimentary. Order at the window in the front, grab a seat inside, and your food will be delivered to your table by identification of your number. My fave foods: - Fried Chicken: a little pricey but decently good - Mexican Poutine: basically their own version of pollo fries - Baja Chop Salad: simple but delicious I've also had the border slaw and the chicken oysters but probably wouldn't order them again. Despite having great yelp mentions, these two things weren't all that great to my palette. Lots of people also bring their dogs. Love looking at all the cute pups! read more

People are crack. This is legit 5 stars. Order: Best chicken in OC. Eat there. Don't take home. Miso healthy Salad. Ask for extra dressing. Get the cookies. Crispy edges with sea salt. Order French fries and deviled eggs. Order the soda. read more

Little gem of a place! I recommend this place! It's good and perfect for a first date even! read more

Being from Oklahoma, we're used to great fried chicken & the fine southern cooking. When I was in Los Angeles, we are at The Crack Shack after hearing about it on the 'House of Carbs' podcast by the Ringer Network. The atmosphere is really cool at Crack Shack. We sat at the bar and enjoyed the large tvs and comfortable bar seating. We ordered a full 10 piece chicken plate. The fried portion is great and the texture is really crunchy. The chicken is really tender and delicious. The sauces that accompany the chicken are top notch. The spicey siracha was excellent. It reminded me of Holdaak's sauce meets Cane's sauce. Give it a shot Love the cornhole as well. Nice southern touch to this restaurant. read more

Think, Howlin Ray's meets the Packing District. But minus the spice of Howlin Ray's. The sandwich I got was okay. Not spicy. The other one was pretty light and good. The best best thing was THE MEXICAN POUTINE. Oh my gosh. Look at the pics to understand. The chicken on this was so tender and deliciously flavored. The toppings were all good. read more

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I really really REALLY appreciate that they allow puppies inside! They even have free treats for dogs! It was such a fun experience and the food was amazing. They have a sauce bar which was already what sealed the deal for us! read more

I've eaten here twice now, and both times the food was really tasty! Food: My first time here, I ordered the Firebird and my boyfriend ordered the Senor Croque, both super juicy chicken sandwhiches. Firebird was spicy (especially great because I had a bit of a cold and so I could totally still taste it!) and the Senor Croque was also really delicious from the bite I snagged, but definitely has more subtle flavors. We split a milkshake and fries, which was the perfect amount of food. The fries are seriously good, they fry them in chicken fat and they're super crunchy but soft on the inside. My second time, I came with a group of friends, and ordered the Senor Croque, and my own milkshake, and we all split an order of fries. They use Afters Ice Cream and the flavors rotate, but if they have the Cookie Monster one, GET IT. So good. Also got to try the Deviled Eggs, they had a kick to them but were really good! The sauce bar has 5 different sauces, a ketchup, a sweet and sour, a ranch, a sriracha thousand island, and a bbq sauce. I like to try them all when I go, but I usually end up in the ranch. If you really like ketchup, my boyfriend (who is a ketchup person) says theirs is one of the best he's tried. They have valet parking, or there is often street parking if you walk for like 2 minutes. I actually like the ordering out front and then going to find a table inside, but when you first get there, if the line is really long, I recommend going up to grab a menu from the front and then getting in line, so that when you get to the front, you're ready to order. The environment is super fun, there are some big TVs, a full bar, and a place to play corn hole. Keep in mind, this is an indoor/outdoor place (but completely covered so you won't get wet if its raining), but if it's cold outside, they do have heat lamps running. I also love the Abbey Road inspired chicken mural on the side. Everyone who works here is super nice. read more

Parking sucks..its so tight and it will get scratched The aisles are very narrow too The security guard just sits there read more

Food was cold but still really good somehow. Place was really clean and the staff was nice enough.

I immediately switched two lanes and busted a questionable U-turn when I saw the Crack Shack while driving through Costa Mesa. I wasn't even hungry, but the memorable and mouth watering experience at the San Diego location triggered something in my brain. This location is bigger than their San Diego location. It has an upstairs loft, cool rustic decor, plenty of seating and a full service bar to top it off. The atmosphere was very chill and laid-back. I ordered the Senior Croque and the Schmaltz fires. The Senior Croque was pretty on point with the San Diego location and the fries were next level that day. I know their fries can be hit or miss but whoever made them that day was killing it. read more

What did I just DO? I just ruined all other fast food for the rest of eternity! I just had Crack Shack (brought to me by Uber Eats) and I could cry I'm So happy! I had the Firebird sandwich, and I subbed the thigh for a breast. I also had the Schmaltz fries with the sweet heat dipping sauce. OMG!!!! How is all of this so good???? And how do I get a crack shack to move to my hometown? The food was AMAZING, flavorful, and so well prepared! The deviled eggs were great too! Cannot wait to come back to this area so I can do it all over again!!!! Please go check this place out! Can I give them TEN STARS?!? read more

Very hipster place! I love Senor Croque better than the Fire Bird. The sandwiches are bomb dot com! Soda: love the foamy soda different from the regular soda machines. Love the fries all the time! And biscuits have nice touch, (can't expect Lucille's biscuits) Overall, this place is a really nice spot for lunch, hangout or they even have a bar! The store: very clean and BEST decoration. read more

WOW. excellent service. i went out on a limb and tried something new and didn't like my food- explained the situation kindly to one of the servers (chase) who VERY respectfully got her manager (Allie) for me. She helped pick a new meal. I LOVE when restaurants hire people who actually care about good customer service. I do not do positive yelp reviews usually, but every time i am wowed- i need to share! Thank you ! read more

Went there for the first time today. I am trying to accept the fast casual concepts. I wouldn't take a guest I was trying to impress that's for sure because of the order at the counter approach does not have class. As a business man i do understand servers are a dying breed in California because of the hike in minimum wage and no tip credit. So unless they change labor laws in Cali this is the future. The food! I am a fried chicken expert I give it a 7.5. Too spicy that's all I can say. The coleslaw was a 10 net 8. Ny sure I would go back. I am not a McDonalds guy. I work too hard to go to get counter service for lunch or especially dinner. My 10 year old would hate the spicyness of the food. Sorry Crack read more

I've only ever ordered takeout recently a couple times since covid has made dining out different but my girlfriend and I have always enjoyed the sandwiches they're delicious and huge! Usually gets delivered under an hour and my house is next to Hoag. read more

The most laid back fried chicken joint with a bar! The fried chicken alone was delicious with its amazing seasoning. I'm not a chicken breast person bc it's usually dry but this was surprisingly flavorful and juicy! The senor croque is my dream come true as it is served with a runny egg and miso butter slathered on the bun. I will be back! read more

The Crack Shack - Senor croque, half of a fried chicken and miso butter biscuits - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Amazing fried chicken but the quality can be slightly inconsistent. The honey butter sauce is the best.

Ordered their tuna sandwich which was really good! Didn't think I'd order a fish item in a place that's known for fried chicken but it was really tasty! The cashier recommended their biscuits with miso butter so gave them a try and wasn't a huge fan. Not sure if biscuits are always like that so maybe I'm not a biscuit fan or if it was the miso combo. Regardless, I can see myself going back for a casual lunch and try other items but maybe not do the biscuits again :) read more

Great food, excellent service. This place is awesome...we were hungry after speedway and wanted something healthy and delicious. This place delivered. Noah at the bar, was friendly and gave great recommendations. The music was perfect...I kept finding myself using shazam to find out what was playing because I enjoyed it so much. They have cornhole and a big chicken...what more could you ask for!! read more

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

Best chicken sandwhich you could ever get. The fries and sauce are so delicious. The staff are always excellent, but the food and environment are 10/10 best place to go to after a long day at work read more

Crack Shack is a cool spot nestled inside an old bank in Costa Mesa. You order outside then seat yourself and they bring out the food. Although the line was long, it moved quickly and the service was great. The overall vibe is unique and distinct from many other restaurants. There's a combo of long tables, booths, and regular tables. I tried the Señor Croque burger with fries and the Jack Rose cocktail. All were excellent. They have lots of dip options for the fries. I'll definitely go back again soon to try something else. read more

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

The food is BOMB, the atmosphere is cracking the vibe chill, the best part I liked is the music, late 90's and early 2000 hip hop, Snoop Doog, Cube and even Nelly...Will ve coming back again read more

The Crack Shack - Checking it out for the 1st time, read alot of good reviews on it - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Was recommended to try the chicken sandwich. So I came with some friends to try the firebird. The firebird was made with a fried thigh which is not my favorite piece with some pickles and fried onions. The spicy level was nice but the flavor of it all was not to my liking. I think the fried onions was overwhelming to the sandwich. The fried chicken looked good from afar. I will come back when in the area to try the chicken. As for the sandwich, I was not impressed. Sticking with Howling Ray's Chicken Sando. read more

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

Tried this place out after the line for the grand opening died it. The food here is amazing. Despite its extensive cost, the taste was worth it. I ordered the Firebird, California Dip, Mexican Poutine, Fries, and Mini Biscuits. They are all just wonderful and full of flavor. The Firebird only had a little kick of spice, not spicy at all. I'd usually talk about each one, but everything I ordered was just amazing. Dining in felt more like a sports bar, similar to Buffalo Wild Wings. Staff seemed friendly, but I ordered to go. Everything tasted great, but expect to pay a lot and a very loud environment. read more

We went to the original one in San Diego so we were thrilled when we heard that one was opening in Costa Mesa. This new location does not disappoint. The valets, food, service, and location all get a solid 10 points from our family. There is free valet parking, the place is spotless, the servers/busers walking around are attentive, the cornhole games are fun, and omg the food. THE FOOD. That chicken was stuff I can only dream about and make sure you try the tropical slaw, it's delicious. I have not tried anything from their bar but I'm planning to when we go back for a date night dinner. read more

Man, Costa Mesa you keep attracting awesome restaurants like the Crack Shack... And the Crack Shack is a pricey chicken joint that is actually worth the price! Matzo Ball Pozole: A huge serving of delicious chicken soup with shredded chicken and a hugeeee matzo ball! On the side is a lime, cabbage, tortilla chips, AND avocado. It's a bowl that's probably been blessed by the Chicken Gods.. I enjoy this dish because of the big matzo ball... I gotta wonder how they do it, because it sure is tasty and it should be for $10! Fried Chicken: Oh, glorious free range chicken you sure are tasty. Every order comes with a little piece of paper to let you know not to be scared by the redness of the meat.. It's been fully-cooked and their jidori chicken isn't full of those crappy additives for color or whatnot. Have faith in the Crack Shack. Deviled Eggs: Yummy, but I won't order them again unless I'm craving some deviled eggs. The SO seemed to enjoy it though. Mini Biscuits: I like having dinner rolls with my meals every now and then... these mini biscuits sure are delightful! They come with miso-maple butter and I'm pretty sure that's the part that I'm actually enjoying.. the butter! I still gotta try their chicken oysters... thank goodness it's only 5 minutes away from my home! Also, shout out to their awesome staff. I think they have a great team with managers who must be taking care of their staff. The cashiers in the front are always cheerful, helpful, and can take jokes while the waiters/waitresses are always friendly! Also, shout out to the night time manager or higher-up who was wearing a red flannel shirt the evening we swung by! When he saw that we were done with our plates, he immediately took them off the table. When he saw that I was gonna have a hard time to pack my soup, he offered to pack it for me. And when he saw that we were about to leave with a bunch of to-go boxes, he made sure to hand the SO a paper bag. You just can't beat that kind of customer service my friends. read more

I've always wanted to give this place a try and it sure enough lived up to my expectations! We got the schmaltz fries, mini biscuits, and the firebird sandwich. The fries were really good and piping hot. Cooking them in schmaltz gave them more dimension but they became too heavy/greasy pretty quickly. The smaller order of the fries was enough for 2 people. The biscuits were fluffy and soft. The miso butter was just okay, I would've preferred something sweeter like a maple butter. The firebird was also pretty good, it had a slight kick but wasn't that spicy. The batter was nice and crispy and the crispy onions were also a nice addition. However, I would've preferred chicken breast rather than chicken thigh. The thigh made the sandwich extremely fatty and it was too heavy for me by the end. Overall, the Crack Shack is definitely an indulgent meal that gives you that greasy hate-yourself feeling afterwards, but the food was pretty good and the restaurant vibe was nice and laid back. read more

The Crack Shack - 6 Pieces Mini Biscuits - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Want to go for it with some fried chicken? Lots of ways to enjoy -- the sandwiches are delicious OR you can just order a half chicken by itself and put some biscuits on the side. I'm not a biscuit guy but the ones here are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Need to eat healthy instead? I think their grilled chicken might be even better. Just order some on top of the classic slaw -- which is crispy, spicy and super flavorful -- and you have a terrific, no guilt lunch. The beer selection is solid, the craft cocktails better than expected and the vibe is easy. If you go at the height of lunch hour, the limited parking can be a small headache, but not quite enough to merit subtracting a star. Also, the reviews were so strong out of the gate that, along with the fact it's founded by one of the Top Chef winners, it may have caused some reviewers here to be disappointed based on sky-high expectations. Can't figure out why else someone wouldn't dig this place. After a friend introduced Crack Shack to me, I've taken 3 others for the first time and they all loved it. When you want a cool place to hang for a nice bite and a couple of drinkies, you cannot go wrong here. read more

Place is awesome. It's pricey (compared to cheap fried chicken spots) but the quality/taste/amount is on point! Firebird - sandwich isn't too spicy but it packs a punch. I took an hour nap after eating this bad boy. Deviled eggs - get them. Just do it. 5 piece fried chicken - it looks small but it's PACKED with flavor. Two pieces of breast had a ton of moist chicken in it. The Jidori chicken must not have a lot of bone in it. You'll understand when you order it. Fries - they're good. I'd use that $5 to order the deviled eggs though. read more

Heard about this place from my family and went one Sunday afternoon for lunch. The last place we had been to was Howlin Rays and we did not want to wait 2 hours for hyped up chicken. Richard Blais is well known for Juniper & Ivy(I still need to go) so I knew we had to try this. Let me cut it short: Best Chicken in OC. Long: Here's my take on the food, because we ordered a lot. Biscuits - Hit or miss. I really liked it. My mom thought it was alright. Girlfriend didn't care for the miso butter. Mexican Poutine - Really good. Fries are amazing. Señor Croque - Alright, but I've been bored of bacon for a few years now. Coop Deville - Holy smokes this was amazing. Has a bit of kick from the slaw which pairs perfectly with the fried chicken. Fried Chicken - Seriously fantastic. It's not your traditional Southern fried chicken, but it's still amazing none the less. I preferred it to others I've had. Chicken Oysters - Great as well. I loved them. Kale was so good. read more

Chicken: 2 out of 5 Sauces: 1 Salads: 4 Ambience: 4 Wait: 1 Service: 3 Kid, stroller, dog friendly: 4 Parking: 2 Bar: 3 Price: $$ Salads and salad sides are good. Variety of ingredients. Ambience is fun, large murals of American icons except with chicken heads. Dog bowls provided. Rustic, concrete, industrial style with '80's pop music blaring. Nice second floor loft. But their supposed specialty, fried chicken, was underwhelming. The batter is hard and crunchy and comes off in chunks, so you can't enjoy it with each bite. Yes the meat was moist, but the texture was...different. The skin and fat were chewy and tough, not soft, unsure if that's par for Jidori chicken. Sauces were even more disappointing. Kimchi sauce tasted nothing like kimchi, more like sriracha, sriracha tasted like 1,000 island without the relish, their light spicy tasted like vinegary buffalo wings. Make sure you park in a spot clearly marked Crack Shack or you WILL BE TOWED. 5 pieces of mediocre chicken for $16? You've gotta be kidding me. read more

The Crack Shack - Chicken and Baja Chop Side Salad - Chicken Shop Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

First time visitor to The Crack Shack. Fun atmosphere once you get inside. This order at the counter and take a number to your table style is for fast food not family dining. We didn't particularly like waiting in line on a very hectic 17th street while the homeless fella was rocking back and forth down the line. Made many very uneasy. I tried the Firebird sandwich mostly in part of the valets recommendation. It was such a tall sandwich and overflowing with condiments, I had to resort to a knife and fork. I enjoyed the slight spice but it certainly wasn't "spicy". I just left the bun on the side as it was so soggy from all the sauce. The fries were nicely browned. I love crispy fries. We sampled all 6 dipping sauces from the sauce bar. We liked them all but not one stood out. I preferred the fries just as they are. The serve cane sugar sodas. These are not tasty to me. But bless them for including Pepsi and Diet Pepsi on a separate machine. The mix was a tad off but I am sure they will address that issue. My daughters salad was wonderful. Very large and flavorful. She wishes she would have added a protein as it was a lot of lettuce. With a fast food atmosphere it seemed odd to have a full bar. The main goal is to move you in and out as fast as possible... not sit around and drink at the bar. A bit confused at what demographic they are shooting for. Tasty and unique foods. But did require 2 Tums upon my return home. Not used that much fried foods. Give it a try....it might more up your alley. read more

This was our first time here at the Crack Shack and it was DELICIOUS The entire family approved The kids meal was perfect for our princess We will be returning!! 10/10 read more

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

I heard a lot of really good things about The Crack Shack, and I wasn't disappointed. For a weekday lunch, there was plenty of parking in the back lot, but I can definitely see it getting crowded on a weekend. The menu was clear and easy to order from - not too many options to make it overwhelming, but plenty of variety. It has an upscale, modern barn vibe that I thought was really unique. Impressive full bar as well. I didn't venture upstairs but there was plenty of seating downstairs. There's also a lot of natural light so it felt very open and spacious. Definitely great ambiance here. I shared a Firebird, Coop De Ville, and fries. I wasn't blown away by any of them, but I did think they were really solid and quite tasty. As some other reviewers have also stated, I would have preferred the Firebird spicier as well. The Coop De Ville was better than the Firebird in my opinion. I used the sriracha 1000 island sauce which really elevated it. The chicken was crispy and juicy, even the breast meat. I thought the fries were good, not great. Overall, thanks to the fair prices, delicious chicken sandwiches, and nice ambiance, The Crack Shack is a solid option for lunch/dinner if you're around the area. Worth trying once, for sure. ** Update: Second visit, ordered full 10pc chicken only to-go. $30 was fair for the amount of chicken. Everyone loved it and raved about how juicy and crunchy the chicken was, even though they ate it 45 minutes after I picked it up! This is probably what I'll get here all the time now lol it was so good!! read more

COVID regulations: I think they're doing a great job of social distancing, masks, etc. There's outdoor seating in the parking lot if you wanna have your food there. You can order takeout at the window or place an order online. Food: Honestly really disappointed. I've always wanted to try this place since I drive by it often, but the overall flavor was a big miss. We ordered the limited edition Fire Nuggets, the Firebird, and fries. The fire nuggets were good at the first bite, but once I finished chewing, lacked in flavor. My guess is they didn't season the chicken or the breading? There's something off. It seems like they just rolled the chicken in a spicy rub and called it a day. I felt the same way about the sandwich, and I think the only reason it had a little more flavor was because of the sauce + toppings. As for the fries, they were very oily and a lot of them were over fried. I think their selling point is also the sauces but even those weren't that amazing or different to me (we got sweet & sour, ketchup, and ranch). Really sad cause I wanted to like this place, but there's a lot of other really good chicken spots out there. read more

Chicken = 5 stars although it wasn't as fresh compared to when we went when it was busy right after they opened. Biscuits also not as fresh like they had been sitting out awhile. Border slaw was excellent. Service = 3 stars the person at the register was unenthusiastic and didn't know anything about the bar menu. Already knew this but you have to get your own sauces and silverware even if they aren't busy. Drinks = 1 star don't waste your money here. Extremely SMALL portions! Not good value. read more

Yo, those fries!!!! Have heard tale of this establishment (as they're coming soon to my home town), so I was excited to see what the fuss was about while vacationing for the week. Whooooooa boy, let me tell you, if you have other "to do " spots on your list while visiting town, hit them first, because once you try these fries, you'll be comparing every subsequent meal to this one for the rest of the trip. Or, if you're like me, you'll wind up missing several other spots as you come back here instead. Decent beer list, great sandwiches, but life changing fries. Don't miss this one. read more

Unfortunately this place doesn't live up to all the hype. The environment and design were super cool. The ambience is loud and lively. (If this weren't the case probably 1 Star) The chicken is good, but the dishes are not complimentary. They have an ok selection of beer. Nothing stands out. I can tell you I live on greasy food and this was just way tooo greasy for me. The sauces were cool, but nothing to freak out over like chick-fil-a sauce. When I got the menu I was underwhelmed at the selection not to mention how similar most of the food was. I actually thought the salads seemed to be the Best Buy at this place. Crack shack is an over-glorified expensive fast food joint, posing as a grill/bar. It seems to me as if they spent more money on the way the place looks than creating good food. Honestly I'd rather spend my money somewhere else. read more