Greer's OC

Acclaimed Top Chef All-Stars winner Richard Blais and business partner Mike Rosen just expanded their cult-favorite San Diego based The Crack Shack in Orange County.

The new Crack Shack took over the former Chase Bank site on the corner of East 17th Street and Orange Avenue in Costa Mesa. The opening brings the concept’s fun approach to traditional chicken and eggs. The nearly 6,000-square foot dual-level space features the brand’s all-day selection devoted to fried (or grilled) chicken and egg-centric dishes conceptualized by Chefs Blais and Jon Sloan.

Sourcing both produce and proteins from local boutique farms, the menu offers free-range, non-GMO eggs and high-end ingredients. Menu highlights available for order from the counter-style system include The Royale with savory chicken sausage, sunny side egg and smoked cheddar on a housemade English muffin, the Firebird with spicy fried thigh, cool ranch, crispy onions, and pickles on a potato roll, Malibu Barbie Q with bbq thigh, cornmeal onion ring, smokey bacon and pineapple mustard on a potato roll. Fried Chicken is available in five or ten piece portions along with six housemade sauces (Ranch, Sweet Heat, Sriracha 1,000 Island, Kimchi BBQ, Cracksup, Baja Hot Sauce) served from a state of the art tap nitrogen-fueled system, hearty Matzo Ball Posole with braised chicken, lime, schmaltz, and all the fixins’, and Mexican Poutine with schmaltz fries, polla asado and jalapeño cheese wiz.

Lighter options include the Downward Dog with local grilled vegetables, pine nuts, hazelnuts, quinoa, hummus, lemon yogurt vinaigrette and the newly revamped Romaine Calm with crispy chickpeas, pickled raisins, shaved veggies, and Feta ranch. Complementing the menu’s savory options and unique to the Costa Mesa location are two rotating milkshake flavors made with Afters Ice Cream.

The Crack Shack features a full bar program with craft cocktails ranging from the savory 17th & Orange with Gin, Blood Orange, Honey, Cinnamon, Lime and Grapefruit Juice to the light and refreshing Spa Day with Tequila, Elderflower, Lemon, Cucumber and Soda and the tiki-inspired Resting Beach Face with Pineapple Rum, Orgeat, Vanilla, Grapefruit, Lime and Tiki Bitters, while also offering 32 taps – including two on nitro – of local craft beer and wine at the 12-seat wraparound bar.

Those opting to take their meal to-go can order from a walk-up station so you can skip lines at the main entrance.

Open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The Crack Shack is at 196 East 17th St. in Costa Mesa. 949.383.5040