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    Home » Restaurant

    The Crack Shack Los Angeles California

    Published: Jun 2, 2019 by Jennifer Che

    The Crack Shack Los Angeles
    The Crack Shack Los Angeles

    Welcome to Los Angeles!

    Bryan grew up in LA and his parents still live in his childhood home, so we have made an effort to go back to California for Christmas every single year since we have gotten married, missing only one year (2012) because we spent 3 weeks in November that year with his parents touring Australia and New Zealand.

    This past Christmas, our good friends caught us up on what we have been missing since we moved to Hong Kong. First stop: FRIED CHICKEN!

    I love a good fried chicken. Southern fried chicken is one of my favorites. I even love Chick Fil-A and seek it out when I'm in the US now.

    • Crack
    • Crack

    Our friends assured us that The Crack Shack was fantastic. They had tried it in San Diego, where The Crack Shack was founded by celebrity chef Richard Blais.

    Finally in the summer of 2018, The Crack Shack opened its first location outside of San Diego in Los Angeles. We couldn't wait to try it.

    The Crack Shack Los Angeles

    The restaurant is casual, with an open-air feeling complete with picnic benches. Kids can even play lawn games in the small play area in the corner.

    The chicken, of course, is the star of the show. They use what they call "ultra-premium" locally sourced, free-range, bone-in chicken that does not use any additives.

    The Crack Shack Los Angeles fried chicken

    Chef Richard Blais says "there's no reason a $12 chicken sandwich can't be treated like a $90 roast chicken."

    The Crack Shack Los Angeles buffalo chicken and chicken oysters

    A set of 10 pieces of fried chicken will run you around $30 USD, but the results are worth. The chicken is juicy, flavorful, and all around fantastic. The "crack" spice that they use is delicious as well. We loved it.

    Salads

    The Crack Shack Los Angeles - classic slaw

    I really like the fact that they offer excellent salads to go with the fried chicken. I guess we are in California, after all, where the salad culture is strong.

    The Crack Shack Los Angeles - Baja Chop

    Classic Slaw - pickled fresno chilies, pickles, lime mayo, and napa cabbage

    The Crack Shack

    Baja Chop - guacamole, cotija cheese, charred poblano dressing

    The Crack Shack Los Angeles - Mexican Poutine

    Downward Dog - seasonal grilled vegetables, quinoa, hummus, and lemon yogurt vin

    The Crack Shack Los Angeles

    And just for fun, Mexican Poutine with schmaltz fries (fried in duck and chicken fat!), pollo asado, and jalapeno cheese wiz (yes, for real!).

    General Thoughts - The Crack Shack Los Angeles

    We had a great time sitting under heat lamps (California winters are still a bit chilly) and enjoying our delicious fried chicken with upscale salads and a fusion fries in the form of "Mexican poutine".

    In general, the quality of the food is very good. I would highly recommend coming with a group so that you can try the fried chicken, their salads, and the fries. Of course, one can come alone and easily try one of their many excellent-looking chicken and/or egg sandwiches.

    There are now three locations in Los Angeles: Costa Mesa, Century City, and Pasadena. Apparently, they are planning their first one outside of California in Las Vegas.

    Highly recommended!

    The Crack Shack
    196 E 17th St
    Costa Mesa, California
    (949) 383-5040

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    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen
    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen

    Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 5 years ago. Born and raised in Ohio to Taiwanese immigrant parents, I am a chemistry nerd, patent attorney by day, blogger by night, church musician on weekends, and food enthusiast always. Feel free to explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!

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