Enjoy the chicken and the egg at the Crack Shack in Costa Mesa

I haven’t written about a restaurant in a long time, but my sons and I tried a place on our way home from the beach over the weekend that deserves a mention… The Crack Shack in Costa Mesa.

If you haven’t eaten here, you might be wondering what kind of food you’ll find…

We’ve intentionally crafted both the chicken and the egg for you to enjoy with reckless abandon and the assurance that you’re savoring every bite of locally raised, free-living chickens without a care or antibiotic in them—just as they should be. – crackshack.com/our-story

You might also be wondering why this place is called The Crack Shack…

CEO Michael Rosen and celebrity-chef Richard Blais have translated their bold and brazen vision through a culmination of a meticulously prepared menu and our “crack spice” – a proprietary blend of spices that gives our fare a certain je ne sais ‘squawk’ for sumptuous delight. – crackshack.com/our-story

We didn’t know any of this before our visit. My sons thought the name was funny, so we stopped. We are glad we did. The food was amazing.

The three of us demolished the Mexican Poutine – “schmaltz” fries, pollo asada, jalapeno cheese sauce:

By the way, if you’re like me and have no idea what “schmaltz” fries are:

Schmaltz (also spelled schmalz or shmalz) is rendered (clarified) chicken or goose fat used for frying – Wikipedia

Dad chose The Royale – chicken sausage, fried egg, cheese and the crispiest English muffin I’ve ever eaten:

Older son chose the spicy Firebird, which lived up to its name:

Younger son chose the Señor Croque sandwich, which will be dad’s choice next time:

So good. Check the website for more info.

You can also find The Crack Shack in San Diego, Encinitas, Pasadena and Century City.

The Crack Shack
196 E 17th St.
Costa Mesa, CA
crackshack.com