The Crack Shack in Pacific Beach is one of my favorite spots when I'm craving a fried chicken sandwich. It's also super close to the beach, which makes it an easy place to stop before or after spending some time by the water. I almost always get the Firebird. The chicken is consistently juicy, crispy, flavorful, and has a really good amount of heat. It's definitely my go-to here. I also love that they have such a big selection of condiments and sauces, so you can try different combinations with your meal. The open patio is another big plus and fits the casual PB vibe really well. The employees have also always been nice and helpful whenever I've visited. The only area I think could use a little improvement is the cocktails. The ones I've tried have been okay, but I'd love a little more flavor and a stronger pour, especially compared to how bold the food is. read more

Food was good. I appreciate the gluten free option. We got a family meal and a sandwich. I highly enjoyed the chicken strips in the honey butter sauce. Loved the coleslaw and fries as well. Soda was flat. Or bad? The only drink we enjoyed was the lemonade since it was not carbonated. Also, the breading on the whole chicken pieces was quite a bit hard. Service was extremely lacking. We waited 10 minutes at the counter before anyone came over. Whatever, things happen. But the girl taking our order seemed annoyed to be there. It was our first time there, and she seemed irritated answering any of our questions. She also wasn't "friendly" whatsoever. Maybe that's just her personality? Overall wasn't an enjoyable greeting. I will say the girl who actually brought our food to our table was more friendly and helpful. It is nice to be by the beach. It's in a good location. Although their parking lot is a paid lot. We did end up finding free street parking further down. Giving a 4/5 due to service and lack of fresh drinks. read more

I arrived just after they opened. The outdoor seating area looked very nice and clean. I ordered two orders of chicken oysters. You get about five pieces in each order along with a lemon slice and tartar sauce. They also have ranch, pineapple mustard, Sriracha thousand island and Sweet Baby G's BBQ sauces available. I love that they cook your food to order. You have to wait a little bit but when they deliver your food it will be fresh and piping hot. The soft drinks and dipping sauces are self serve. It was very unsettling watching the homeless come in the patio to fill various vessels which looked disgusting and dirty with ice, help themselves to the various soft drink options and the additional dipping sauces. I had three different people approach me for money. I offered to buy each of them something to eat but they didn't want that. They just wanted some cash. One got pretty aggressive with me, started yelling and started swinging his arms. I really don't have an issue with people helping themselves to ice, soft drinks, water or the dipping sauces if The Crack Shack doesn't care. What bothered me was the dirty cup, blender container, coffee can and empty aluminum cans they were shoving under the machine, on the buttons, etc. It was very unsanitary. They did seem to have an employee assigned to the patio but he would disappear for quite some time and that's when the people off the street took advantage of the drink station, ice and dipping sauces. Next time I will get my food to go and ask the employees to get me sauces from their supply in the kitchen. I really enjoyed the Chicken Oysters - they were piping hot, the breading was light and very nicely season and they were juicy and packed full of flavor. read more

Easy wins about this place - plenty of parking and seating. It's right next to a busy street so you can pull into the lot and help yourself to the Crack Shack. Lots of outdoor seating arrangements, so you don't have to worry about saving seats. Enjoy the beach air with your meal. After you order, the food is brought to you so plus for service. Food comes out pretty quick matching the speed of most fast food restaurants. Honestly, overall it's an amazing restaurant with the fundamentals down. The only issue I had with it was the food except for the fries. Fries were good. I got a salad because I've been eating pretty unhealthy the entire day. The salad was just a few basic greens tossed together. The chicken extra cost as much as the salad itself, but that was very disappointing for its cost. I mean $8 for a grilled chicken breast with no seasoning... Anyone that cooks knows we can do that for $1 to $3 tops if you're using some fancy chicken. There's also the matter of bloody chicken. Some of us shared food in the group and one of the guys had blood all throughout his chicken. Whether the chicken was undercooked or the prepping process was inadequate, it just made the rest of us uncomfortable. What if another one of the guys had just eaten under-processed chicken without realizing it? If it weren't for the blood, this would have been an easy 4 or maybe a 5 star review. If a fast food store is making basic mistakes like this, it's hard for me to recommend it to others in good faith. read more

The Crack Shack - Pacific Beach - Menu - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

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The best chicken sandwich I've had! (Yes! Even better than chik-fil-A) I tried The crack shack in downtown for the first time a few years ago and it was amazing. When I saw they opened one in PB I was thrilled since I'm in the area quite often. The chicken sandwich was just as good as I remembered it to be. Very big sandwich worth the price tag. I honestly had to take half of it to go because I couldn't finish it. They have a sauce bar, I loved the mustard and ranch the most. I got the coop deville and the slaw was perfect and I don't usually like slaw. There is plenty of seating and some lot parking available. Not to mention it's just steps from the beach. Service was also very kind and quick. Highly recommend 5/5! read more

The Crack Shack - Pacific Beach - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

I stopped at the Crack Shack for the "Coop Deville" fried chicken sandwich with all the fixings. The sandwich came on a toasted brioche bun and with juicy jidori chicken breast. The fried chicken sandwich was very delicious. The chicken was crispy on the outside, even with the thin crust, and tender and juicy on the inside. I liked the Fresno Chili's on the Napa cabbage slaw. The gave the slaw a good flavor. The lime mayo was great and you can't go wrong with tasty pickles with a fried chicken sandwich. I would say the brioche bun could have been toasted a little more. The you lady at the counter was very nice. She was in good spirits when I visited. The place was well organized and clean. read more

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BEST. FRIES. EVER!! This joint is pretty interesting because a majority of it is outdoors (with heaters of course!) and one small indoor seating area. The workers were super nice even though my friends and I were definitely all over the place & asking tons of questions / accidental sauce spills! Can't remember the name of the guy working there, but he was super helpful & nice!We chose this place at random because my friends and I were craving some chicken fried sandwiches, but honestly, if you get anything at all, make sure you get an order of the fries! They are so perfectly seasoned with a little bit of salty, spice and sweetness + they say crunchy for SO long. They also have a sauce station where you can have unlimited ranch, bbq sauce, ketchup, honey mayo & one other sauce that I can't remember off the top of my head, but it was super sweet and tangy too! I ordered the chicken sandwich w/ the honey burger, which pretty greasy but overflowing with ranch, coleslaw and pickles, and also absolutely gigantic. I had to eat half there & finish the rest afterwards! I thought the sandwich itself was just alright, didn't love the seasoning bc it just felt heavily caked on, but the chicken was nice and crispy. My friends both got the chicken patty sandwich, which they said was tasty, but didn't love the texture of since it was soft and pasty. I would totally return back if I was in the area! read more

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The chicken tenders were amazing. Fries had too little salt. The biscuit was amazing with the butter. Took 15 mins to come. read more

The Crack Shack - Pacific Beach - Hand Cut Fries (Regular) - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

Really loved the ambiance and feel of the restaurant, but I didnt love the chicken Caesar wrap. Not bad, but it was lacking the proper fillings! Load that thing up so there's more structure to the wrap. Still good enough to come back, and they have some fun drinks which I look forward to trying. read more

The employees are fantastic and the the venue is also a very nice and comfortable place to enjoy food. With the food unfortunately me and my friend that had our meal were a little disappointed. We got are tenders tossed in spicy sauce for flavor but when served the only taste we got was oil and bland chicken. All it really need was something as simple as salt or pepper to give it a little flavor. But instead to improvise we had to use the provided sauces to compliment the tasteless chicken. Hope in the future maybe the establishment might be able to figure a way to enhance the flavor of the tenders. read more

The Crack Shack - Pacific Beach - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

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This was the first of many more meals at this location. It was a convenient meeting spot suggested by a local because he knows I like GOOD fried chicken. I devoured the Katsu Lookin Chicken sando. It was prepared with panko crust, aioli, shredded cabbage on a potato bun. The meat was moist, the breading was light, flavorful, crispy, crunchy and not greasy. It was love from the first bite. Sauce: I added Pineapple Mustard to enhance the flavor. A+ My side dish was cole slaw that was incredible. I am not one to rave over a "simple" cabbage salad; however, this recipe tops others because of the dressing (lime mayo), plus minced pickled Fresno chili and sliced pickle chips. A+. The condiment and utensil station was a self-serve area with dipping sauces (Sriracha, Ranch, Pineapple Mustard, and Sweet BBQ). They proudly serve free-range, bone-in jidori fried chicken and it's Gluten-Free, available for putchase as a combo with hand-cut fries, whole bird, or half-bird. Menu boards are large with descriptions of each item from breakfast, sandwiches, salads, power bowls, to a children's menu (Little Cluckers) and beverages. I was more than satisfied and pleased with the service, quality and taste! The restaurant has ample patio dining and a small parking lot. Sincerely, Rosemary read more

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Now I know why they call this place the "crack" shack! Once you try it you are hooked, addicted whatever adjective you want to use if ya know what I mean The chicken here is so moist, tender & tasty! Fried is crunchy & crisp on the outside and very tender on the inside without being under cooked. The chicken sandwiches are yum! The salads are also very good. In fact, I don't think anything you order here will disappoint! Great service. Order at the counter, get a number and when it's ready it will be brought to your table. There is a condiment station that's is also stocked with to-go boxes & paper bags if you can't finish your meal. Generous portions. *Parking lot is small read more

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Such a great addition to PB! I love the location in Little Italy, but it can be a bit hectic when it comes to parking and this location has an attached lot! You can walk up and order, or they have a self serve option as well. Lots of tables outside which is amazing to enjoy the San Diego sun. My go-to is the Baja Chop, and I added grilled chicken. Not sure if the prices went up, but I probably wouldn't do that again since it was an additional 7.50$ and the portion was pretty small. I have the app and was able to get a free cookie. Love this place! read more

The Crack Shack - Pacific Beach - Chocolate chip cookie - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

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It's hard for me to put into words how much I love this restaurant. Definitely my favorite place to get fried chicken. I would easily put this two tiers above chick fil a or Popeyes. The sandwiches have creative and interesting twists to them. Personal favorite is the Cali drip. Fries are good and the sauce bar is also well done (s/o the ranch). Make sure you are ready to treat yourself because you can't miss the rotating shake flavors. Nice location and outdoor seating as well. Last night I went and something happened where they forgot my order or it was given to someone else so I was waiting at least 30 minutes for my food, which is longer than usual. Once I brought it to their attention they rectified it immediately and comped my whole meal, which was a standup move that I respected and appreciated. I have nothing bad to say about this place honestly. read more

The Crack Shack - Pacific Beach - Cookies and cream shake - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

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We visited the new Crack Shack in San Diego on opening day and had a wonderful first impression. We even met the owner, who was genuinely kind and welcoming. We told him we would absolutely come back to support the business because we wanted to see them succeed. Unfortunately, our return visit tonight was the complete opposite experience. After arriving, there was essentially no service or acknowledgment, so we quietly decided to leave. As we were walking away, one of the employees actually chased us down outside. All I said was, "I wish you luck with your new business." Instead of handling the situation professionally, the employee confronted us and scolded us with, "Why are you being so rude?" That completely caught us off guard. We had not raised our voices, complained, or caused any scene whatsoever. We were simply disappointed customers trying to leave respectfully. What confuses me most is how a brand-new business trying to build a customer base could treat supportive first-time customers this way. First impressions matter, but so do second chances -- and sadly, this experience ensured we won't be returning. read more

Crack Shack's Coastal Coop on Mission Blvd is a fun spot with great vibes and even better chicken. The open-air setup is perfect for a sunny day, and I loved that the patio is dog-friendly. TVs everywhere make it easy to catch the game while you eat. I tried the Firebird sandwich it has spicy Jidori thigh with cool ranch, crispy onions, and pickles on a soft potato roll. Perfect balance of heat and flavor. The Jidori Tender Combo came with five seasoned tenders and crispy shack fries is a solid choice if you want to sample their fried chicken straight-up. Music was upbeat, the atmosphere was lively, and the staff were friendly and provided quick service. Looking forward to trying one of their shakes next time. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area! read more

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Comfort food craving = activated. For context-I'm recovering from a gnarly injury, so comfort food is like my love language right now. I wanted to give this spot a shot after reading a few reviews. First off-this spot had me at the non-GMO chicken + locally sourced ingreditents. Love that! The staff was super sociable and informative. There's tons of outdoor seating, perfect for the fam or just hanging out with ur peeps. It stays open until 10 pm. Their chicken sandwich was perfectly seasoned and yummy. Their bowl was loaded with fresh greens. Their fries were delicious.  Their dishes are easy to share. I would recommend their big flock of chicken/fries/mini-biscuits/bunch of other stuff, it is basically happiness on a tray. Overall 5 stars. read more

The Crack Shack - Pacific Beach - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

I've been to every crack shack in san diego and the one in PB is my favorite. The atmosphere is really nice on site and the staff is friendly. The food is also really good. This location has an outside bar and the drinks are actually nice. read more

Wow! I had no idea what I was expecting when I came here but this blew me away! The fried chicken is so juicy and the crack dust is fantastic. The servers are super friendly and it has a super awesome vibe with plenty of seat outside plus tv's that have sports! They have a full sauce bar and they also serve alcohol. This place is bussin, would recommend! read more

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The gluten free chicken is out of this world!! I wish they would open up some spots in Northern California where we live

The Crack Shack in Pacific Beach is an absolute 5-star experience every time I go. If you're looking for incredible fried chicken with a creative twist, this place delivers in every way. First off, the chicken is just different--in the best possible way. It's crispy, juicy, and packed with flavor that you just don't get at most chicken spots. Everything tastes fresh and thoughtfully made, and you can tell they really care about the quality of their food. One thing you absolutely cannot skip are the chicken oysters. They are ridiculously addictive. Perfectly fried little bites of chicken that are tender, flavorful, and impossible to stop eating. Every time I order them I tell myself I'll share... and it never happens. The shakes are also amazing. Thick, creamy, and the perfect sweet finish after a savory meal. Pairing one with their chicken makes the whole experience feel like the ultimate comfort food combo. On top of the food, the customer service is fantastic. The staff is always friendly, helpful, and keeps things moving even when the place is busy. The atmosphere is laid-back and fun, which fits Pacific Beach perfectly. Great food, awesome shakes, addictive chicken oysters, and excellent service--The Crack Shack in PB is a must-visit if you love great chicken. read more

The Crack Shack - Pacific Beach - Kid friendly, the extremly picky Leo Perez loves this place, loves the cookie monster milkshake - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

These were the most pathetic wings I have ever had. I have seen more meat on a pencil. Some pieces didn't even have enough chicken for a single bite. They were burnt, flavorless, and honestly embarrassing. If I were the owner, I would be mortified to serve these to anyone. These were not wings. They were a cry for help. Save your money, save your appetite, and choose anything else on the menu. read more

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Great spot for a fried chicken sandwich! We came in after reading some reviews. It's casual style, you order at the counter, they give you a number and he food is delivered to your table. The Firebird was delicious with spicy fried chicken thigh, crispy onions, pickles, ranch dressing on onion bun. The Coop Deville was also delicious with fried chicken breast, pickled Fresno chilies, pickles, Napa cabbage and brioche. I had a few bites of both and they are equally delicious! The condiments station is perfect - we tried all but the ranch sauce. The Sriracha 1000 sauce was our favorite! The bathroom wallpaper is funny! Go check it out! read more

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PB is the latest location of The Crack Shack franchise as the ownership razed a former sushi joint and taco shop along the main drag near the beachfront and constructed a new building with plenty of seating and some on-site parking spaces. The grand opening was earlier this month, and I was surprised that it wasn't very busy during my visit. The outdoor patio areas were less than half full, and there were even fewer customers in the inside dining room. The menu boards seemed to be the same as the Little Italy branch, however it has been a while since I visited that OG location. I picked two of the sandwiches for my to go order, the Sunny 'Daise and the Katsu Lookin'. The first was made up of chicken sausage, maple hollandaise, sunny egg, and American cheese on an English muffin. The second consisted of a panko breaded chicken cutlet, umami aioli, purple cabbage slaw, and namasu pickles on a potato bun. I liked the breakfast sando better because of the runny egg that made it gooier to eat. The crunchiness of the cutlet was very good though. The preparation time for my order wasn't lengthy as a server brought the food within 15 minutes to where I was waiting with a numbered placard. I enjoyed my experience at this newest branch of Crack Shack to give a four star rating. read more

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Great food and service! They are always helpful and friendly and they have great food

Awesome food, great atmosphere and a friendly staff what more could you ask for. Will be back!

Went here on a Monday afternoon, around 4 pm. It was empty, so it was easy to find seating. I usually go to the Encinitas location, but this one was closer so we went here instead. There is a private parking lot, but we parked on a nearby street. Next time, we will use that parking lot! We had the Crack Shack app, so we got the free Firebird sandwich ($14.50) with a purchase. I got the Mexican Poutine fries ($14) while my friends got the Cali Drip ($14) and the Jidori Wings ($11) with honey butter. The Firebird sandwich was still as yummy as I remembered (it had been over a year since I last had Crack Shack). The crispy onions and pickles added a nice crunch, and the fried chicken breast (I substituted the fried chicken thigh) was juicy. The Mexican Poutine fries were good! The fries were crispy and seasoned well. The cheese, chicken, pickled jalapeños, and pico de gallo made the fries even better! I'd definitely get it again. The Jidori wings were good, but I was disappointed with the quantity, as it was like 6 small wings for $11. I probably wouldn't get it again considering the price. The sriracha 1000 island sauce was still as good as I remembered, and they have to-go boxes and bags at the sauce bar. Very convenient! They have both outdoor and indoor seating, and they have a sink near the cashier so you can easily wash your hands without having to go to the restroom. Overall, I'd definitely come back for my fried chicken fix. read more

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Food was ok, Vibe is great. Outdoor open air seatings with sauce station. But service from server was terrible... read more

honestly, everyone in San Diego knows this food is fire. I wanted to complement the service I had tonight. And I should have ask the person's name, that's on me. The nicest human being greeted us and took care of us tonight. Very tall, braids 1/2 up 1/2 down, some really nice gold face piercings. This person radiated joy. I rolled up on my knee scooter to pick up a togo order but we decided to stay to eat our food. They were just kind and helpful. Got us our food, brought it over for us, got us some extra sauce, checked on us, and wished us well and me to heal up. I just really loved their vibe. Thank you! read more

Food was great! The cookie butter shake was amazing. Staff was super friendly and helpful. I would definitely eat here again when in San Diego. Food is pricey though lunch was 105 dollars for me and the family. I was on vacation so when in Rome however they say it but I wouldn't normally spend 105 dollars on lunch. To each there own but give em a try read more

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Hmmm.... Love the downtown location but ho hum in Mission. Same menu but a very different vibe and there's just something about take out fries that just doesn't work well. Chicken is fantastic! read more

The service was fast and friendly as usual. Got the cookie butter shake and mini biscuits with the Senor Croquet and it was delicious but in grand total it's $38 with tip. The music has the vibes you can watch the sunset bring your dog to the patio and enjoy really good food. As long as the cookie butter shake stays on the menu we will return the ice cream is from afters so that helps with it being delicious. Didn't get a cookie this time but I recommend it. read more

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Literally the best spot for a chicken sandwich after the beach. The PB vibe is so chill and the food is 10/10.

Happy to see Crack Shack in PB! Lots of seating and an adjacent parking lot. Attentive staff. Food and service was on par and pleasantly surprised they worked out any newly opened kinks. Seating area is nice and clean and ample! read more

The Crack Shack - Pacific Beach - Part of outdoor seating - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

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Got the flock meal, unfortunately, two pieces of chicken were undercooked. When we asked the staff, they told us the chicken wasn't bleached? See my pictures and judge for yourselves. Red and rubbery is raw in my book. read more

The Crack Shack - Pacific Beach - Raw chicken? - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

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I had the Katsu Lookin' back in June and it was a horrible sandwich. The meat was dry and hard around the edges, was the slaw too wet and quickly made the bread ultra soggy, the pickles weren't tasty at all. I had visited the Little Italy location twice and the food was exceptional in both visits but this one was dreadful. read more

It had been several years since I last visited a Crack Shack, mostly due to having moved away for some time. But having come back to San Diego, I began craving it again. I had vague memories of Chicken Oysters and juicy, well seasoned chicken sandwiches. And so I went to the Pacific Beach location (it was also my first time at this one). The location is in a cool area, around all the other busyness of PB. It makes use of the outdoors which is great as well. When I entered, I was immediately greeted by a friendly team member who was named Fay. She helped me take my order, giving her recommendations on not just the food but the sauces I should use as well. I took her advice and helped myself to the many sauces and sat down at a table. It was not long before I got my meal: the Katsu Lookin' Sandwich with some extra maple butter, and a side of fries. The fries were genuinely so addicting, honestly among the best seasoned fries I've ever had. The chicken sandwich was also really good, and thought the maple butter is not normally a part of this particular item, I will say it worked nicely so I'm glad I got it :) Fay made sure to check in with me during my meal which I really appreciated. After I was done, I went to wash my hands at a conveniently located sink. Overall I would say this was a wonderful experience and I will certainly be back! Thank you read more

The Crack Shack - Pacific Beach - Katsu Lookin' + Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - San Diego, California

Crack Shack is honestly one of those places that surprises you in the best way. The chicken is insanely bussin, super flavorful, and just feels like it was made with way more care than your average spot. Every side actually tastes like something someone put thought into, not just filler. The vibe is relaxed but still feels put together, the kind of place you can come with friends and know you're getting something legit every time. And I have to shout out Fay, who took care of us and did a genuinely swell job. Super friendly, helpful, and made the whole experience even better. Overall, Crack Shack just nails it. Great food, great atmosphere, and the kind of meal that makes you want to come back the next day. read more

This place was amazing. Very kid friendly, good food, good vibe for the family. The only nitpick is the drinks were just ok.

Excellent food, outstanding customer service, and we love the outdoor/indoor vibe. The food is always fresh and served quickly. The Mexican poutine fries are without a doubt my favorite--there is so much flavor to them. We also love the firebird sandwich, bone-in chicken with honey butter sauce, and the coleslaw which has a very unique combination of pickles and red jalapeño chili peppers--delicious! The best part about this place are the one star reviews used as wallpaper in their bathrooms. Hilarious and very entertaining! read more

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