The food was absolutely delicious, but the service uh just needs a little bit more lovin.. if you’re getting dessert, the sweet potato soufflé was excellent!!!!!

First birthday dinner to start the long weekend celebrating. The team here executes with skill and enthusiasm. What a pleasure. We were on a timeline to catch a flight and food was timely to accommodate. Waitress gave us excellent recs, we said “yes” to it all: Brazino roulade is a star dish, oxtail gnocchi- omg, fresh pita and hummus - they gave us extra pita 😋 yes please! Iberico pork, a must, and dessert left us satiated. Thank you H & W 💖

Wow, the food here is absolutely next-level! Honestly, we’ve been to Michelin-star restaurants, and this place really holds its own—every bite is full of flavor and just perfectly executed. The dishes have fun twists that make the flavors pop, but nothing feels overdone—it all comes together beautifully. Service was fantastic too; the staff were attentive, friendly, and made the whole experience even more enjoyable. The vibe is welcoming but elevated, making it a great spot for a special night out or just treating yourself to something amazing. From start to finish, everything felt thoughtfully prepared and delicious. If you love food that surprises your taste buds and is beautifully presented, this is definitely a place to check out. I’ll be coming back for sure—it’s one of those meals that sticks with you long after you leave.

Elijah H

The service was great. The cashier was very patient and helpful. He helped us figure out what we would like to eat. The food and sauces were excellent. I really enjoyed their special, spicy thousand Island as well as the pineapple mustard. The food itself was much better than I expected. The portion size was a lot more then I was prepared for. The setting, a beautiful outdoor patio with a fire table and fun games was great and part of what drew us in.

Arman Hussain

Great place for plane watching. I've had some of the best fried chicken ever in my life at Crack Shack. Chicken is incredibly juicy and moist and the sides are also great complement to the mains. They also have very tasty and innovative cocktails

Sabrina Perry

I liked that they had heaters for outside dining. The place was busy but I got my food in a decent amount of time. The staff was friendly and helpful in keeping the tables cleaned off for more customers. The chicken sandwich on the onion bun was really good. I didn't get the fries but saw many customers enjoy theirs.

Kim

Fried chickens are quite good, soft and juicy inside though I prefer it to be a bit more cooked thru. The outer part is also good. Fries are also good but the real shining star is the fire ball burger, it's exceptional. Highly recommend

Jerika Chiguina

Love the open atmosphere by the fire place! Sauces are self serve and servers are friendly! Food is amazing! I had the fried chicken with the baja salad and the fried chicken sandwich! Also the fries were amazing!

Brenna Coleman

Excellent place to eat! Great tenders, Cobb salad and Cole slaw. So glad we stumbled upon this place. It’s also on the flight path, so lots of big planes landing right above us. We will go back!

Stephanie C

This is a potty review. The wall paper in the bathroom was so funny, I laughed so hard I peed!!! Seriously though...were from out of state and this was a fun place to find. Wasn't busy and the food was tasty. I love how kid friendly the patio area was. Thank you for that! My breast friend- the drink- was delicious and strong! We enjoyed ourselves, thank you!

Regina Mosca

They have the best fries I've ever had before. The tenders were also really good. Their Sriracha thousand island and pineapple mustard is really good. They had messed up our order and we also got a free sandwich. It was the Cali drip. It was amazing. Had a kick to it because of the jalepenos. I definitely recommend this spot.

Ameya Bhakay

Came here to not for people watching, but for plane watching! Our little one absolutely loves airplanes, so the location of this place couldn't be perfect. It is right below the landing strip of SD airport, with planes landing pretty much every 10 mins. He came up with this guessing game where we all had to guess which airplane was about to land! Good beers on tap including the rather popular Stone Buenaveza Salt Lime Lager, amongst other commercial ones. Overall setup was pretty good, and cozy!

Luz Pinto

Their ambiance and food is great. Love their baja chop salad, fried chicken and biscuits are delicious. This is one of those rare spots that is equally great for adults hoping to enjoy food and drinks, as well as families with children. It is pet friendly.

Melia

Fancy chicken sandwiches in a lively location. Great people-watching on the sidewalks of Little Italy. Plenty of places to sit, very open-air and breezy. Planes soar over head with the airport nearby but the noise isn’t too loud. We ordered the “All American Chick” and the “Cali Drip” sandwiches with an order of “Shack Fries” on the side. A small order of fries was surprisingly generous and enough for two people (or one if you’re extra hungry). The “All American Chick” was delicious and full of flavor. Even the pickles were special. It was tangy and mustard-y and messy in the best way. The “Cali Drip” was more of a panini-type sandwich since it’s served on a torta and cut in half. Good for sharing! The jalapeños add a nice kick of spice without being too much. Really good. Fries were crispy and it was fun to try the different condiments offered at the sauce station. Having a roll of paper towels on the table is great because these sandwiches were juicy! Both kid-friendly with corn hole and adult-friendly with a bar located next to the ordering window. You can catch the Padres game on the wall-mounted TVs too. Very fun very good.

+5

Brandi Sealy

Really great food. Amazing. Loved it. Sandwiches are on the large side..no fries needed, but shared an order. Nuggets are about the size of a small tender. Cookies are huge. Seating is outdoor it was a beautiful day.

+2

Mike W

Awesome chicken sandwich! Great blend of flavors. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. Near airport so awesome view of planes landing. Big draft beer selection.

+4

E. T.

Way overate at a delicious private party brunch for Mother’s Day, but kids insisted to do out to eat after the Beach at Crack Shack because they love it. I had never eaten here before because I do not like fried chicken out, but hey! I was being a good Mom! SOOOO!! What an amazing surprise! The food is sourced from local farms and every bite evidenced this! **also came to find out Crack Shack was created by the Juniper and Ivy restauranteurs, so I could tell that, too!! The menu is creative, with generous servings. We tried the Sunny Daise, the Cali Drip, the Firebird, the Power Bowl, the mini biscuits (which taste like the perfect hybrid of a classic Parker House roll and a southern biscuit!) with maple butter, the regular fries, a side of coleslaw , a tenders kids meal and a nuggets kids meal! I tried both a bite of tender and a bite of nugget; the nuggets had a buttermilk breading taste and the tenders had a slightly spicier coating with a tighter crumb! I preferred the tenders. Although honestly, Every item was five star! The kids meals can’t be beat. The choco chip sea salt cookies which are monster size in the kid’s meal are Bakery Heaven!! ~A very humerous event at this yummy fried Chicken extravaganza were three young guys visiting from Asia, who lip smacked and groaned little mmm, mmm, mmm’s through their entire meal! The seasonings really are that superlative and quite tasty! AND Our food was piping hot which I Love!! I will be back! **bussing staff was genuinely caring and cheerful and constantly clearing tables and wiping everything down and checking to make sure everything is just right, so remember to tip generously at the point of sale payment! And at these super reasonable prices for quality food, you can really do a generous tip!! Pleasant, spacious outdoor seating! And a great little Astro turf play area with corn hole game for children to get their wiggles out!! It was a perfect visit! Sorry no pictures of the delicious food, Fam was not up for it, and wanted to dig right in!!

Terrence King

If you are craving fresh hormone/additive free chicken look no farther. We arrived at the perfect time roughly 1730 no line no waiting, but they quickly changed. While we were eating the line wrapped around the corner. If that's not an indication of how good this place is I dont know what could convince you. Keep in mind this was on a weekday, Tuesday to be exact. The chicken was served hot and fresh, it has a nice spicy kick to it. The fries were also very tasty. It you are visiting Little Italy and you want something different t , this is the place for you.

+2

Solid experience at Crack Shack. The burgers are juicy, well seasoned, and cooked right, with quality chicken and ingredients that actually taste fresh. Portions are filling without being over the to…

Solid experience at Crack Shack. The burgers are juicy, well seasoned, and cooked right, with quality chicken and ingredients that actually taste fresh. Portions are filling without being over th…

Solid experience at Crack Shack. The burgers are juicy, well seasoned, and cooked right, with quality chicken and ingredients that actually taste fresh. Portions are filling without being over the …

Crack Shack didn't just feed my family. It gave me a brief, shimmering illusion that I might survive parenthood.\n\nI rolled in with three kids who treat public spaces like obstacle courses, a mortga…

Great place to grab a bite outdoors. Plenty out outdoor seating and dog friendly. Their chicken is always super tender and juicy. Can't go wrong with anything on their menu. You have to get their s…

Great place to grab a bite outdoors. Plenty out outdoor seating and dog friendly. Their chicken is always super tender and juicy. Can't go wrong with anything on their menu. You have to get their s…

Great place to grab a bite outdoors. Plenty out outdoor seating and dog friendly. Their chicken is always super tender and juicy. Can't go wrong with anything on their menu. You have to get their s…

I'm not huge on chicken nor sandwiches... and especially fried foods.. BUT this place was amazing! I mentioned to the staff that it was my first time and instantly he gave me a whole play by play …

Great spot to visit and eat before having coffee across the street- the service is amazing and the outside seating is a great time to sit and enjoy the SD view. Food is always great.

Louie is the reason we have come for 5 years. He's amazing, always has our drinks perfect. We moved out of town and still come back just for him. Thank you Louie!

The outdoor seating is always great and dog friendly! We love the new combo that they have, the little pecker as it's great bang for your buck. Pro tip: if you sign up for the app you get a free si…

Always the best!! My favorite chicken spot in Cali. This visit I ordered the 5 piece and 2 sandwiches. DELICIOUS!\n\nLove the Little Italy spot (original). outdoor seating is perfect. Heaters if it…

Casual waterside dining - great pork sandwiches and delish fish tacos. The salads were great too and the drinks were plentiful.

Casual waterside dining - great pork sandwiches and delish fish tacos. The salads were great too and the drinks were plentiful.

Casual waterside dining - great pork sandwiches and delish fish tacos. The salads were great too and the drinks were plentiful.

Yum. The bowl I had was delicious (added chicken, of course); the couple fries I swiped from my kid were, too! Bathroom wallpaper was entertaining - their comical (undeserved) 1-star reviews. Hip…

Yum. The bowl I had was delicious (added chicken, of course); the couple fries I swiped from my kid were, too! bathroom wallpaper was entertaining - their comical (undeserved) 1-star reviews. Hip b…

Yum. The bowl I had was delicious (added chicken, of course); the couple fries I swiped from my kid were, too! Bathroom wallpaper was entertaining - their comical (undeserved) 1-star reviews. Hip b…

Yum. The bowl I had was delicious (added chicken, of course); the couple fries I swiped from my kid were, too! Bathroom wallpaper was entertaining - their comical (undeserved) 1-star reviews. Hip b…

Honestly, some Of the best chicken sandwiches we have ever had. Fun place with amazing food. The Firebird was FIRE! The fries are crispy too. We did not have a shake, but they looked amazing! We we…

Excellent food and fun atmosphere. My teenage son said his entire paradigm of chicken sandwiches has been upended by Crack Shack. We both had Senor Croque, shared fries, and had soda to drink. Sauc…

Ate here 4 years ago and then this past week. Sandwiches are as good as I remembered. I took a friend and he went back with his friends. Full bar, good beer selections. I would recommend and …

The food was excellent — fresh, vibrant, and full of flavor. Every dish felt thoughtfully prepared and well balanced. The drinks were just as good, crafted with care and paired perfectly with the menu. The space itself is beautiful — stylish, modern, and clearly designed with intention. It’s a place that makes a great first impression. The only downside was the noise level. The acoustics make it very echoey, and it was genuinely difficult to hear the people across the table. I don’t have any hearing issues, and everyone at our table struggled to keep up with the conversation. When it’s a full house, especially during conferences, it gets quite loud. That said, overall I’d absolutely recommend it. I’d definitely come back — ideally at a time when it’s a bit less crowded to fully enjoy both the food and the atmosphere.

Wanted to have a special early wedding anniversary dinner while on vacation so HERB AND WOOD was our clear choice since we love Food Network's Brian Malarkeyand Carlos Anthony - atmosphere was chic, drinks were tasty, dinner was pretty good. Not sure if we ordered wrong or our palettes weren't sophisticated enough for the elevated meal options. Experience overall was decent but not sure we would return if local.

Nice place - good atmosphere and not too loud. My daughter is vegetarian, so we got a bunch of veggie things. We started with the focaccia and we’re kind of disappointed because they were out of green blueberries, that we were excited to try. The roasted carrots with pistachio butter were freaking amazing - best thing we had. The crispy broccoli was also remarkable. I thought they were priced a little high, but then when they delivered it to our table, there was about twice as much as I was expecting. My wife got the seared tuna salad, which she thought was lovely. My daughter got the eggplant entrée, which was good but needed more sauce. I got the chorizo pizza, which was pretty good except I wasn’t expecting slices of chorizo like pepperoni. Also, my daughter got the Mezcal and mango cocktail, which was really banging.

We had an absolutely splendid time at Herb & Wood! Everyone working here is so delightful! The babaganoush is a MUST TRY and the pita they serve with it is divine! You can tell it’s truly made with love. Don’t sleep on the broccoli either. Very flavorful with a nice spice. The happy hour is steal! Maybe one of the best secrets in Little Italy! Many delicious wines by the glass for less than $9 and real French champagne for $13! You can get a “happy meal” for $20 with a drink, fries, oysters, and burger! Can’t wait to return.

se va

Good spot for a solid chicken sandwich. We had made 2 stops here during our visit to San Diego. The first time we had the Firebird and it was on the smaller size. Not what we had seen in pictures on social media and Google reviews. The chicken was small but very juicy and the pickles made it all come together. We went a second time for we wanted to try the tenders so we ordered another Firebird along with some tenders. The second sandwich we got was more like what we thought it would be. A nice thick, juicy chicken patty that made the bun look small. The tenders were a bit oily and the breading didn't hold up to well. Try the pineapple mustard sauce is a must try. The biscuits with the honey butter is the hidden star in the meal. Buttery and salty with the perfect sweetness from the honey butter.

Raj S

I was near convention center and in downtown San Diego and we were craving for some good fried chicken . I was googling and found this top rated place . It had about 4.6 stars and when I went there , it was crowded ! More crowd = better confidence for me about the restaurant:) The bar was good .. They had some home brewed IPAs and some bottled beers.. service was ok. Could’ve been better . It was crowded and everyone was busy with customers .. wish there were more employees in shift and making the service much better . I liked hazy IPAs . Went well with the chicken . Price wise wasn’t very expensive . Order five piece half fiery chicken .. I generally like it spicy.. the chicken was very crisp and tasted OK.. was a bit oily, and the fiery spicy flavor was like the Nashville hot chicken . Quantity was also a lot.. couldn’t finish even half of it. Thought of giving a three or 3.5., but gave it a 4 ..

+20

Nicole Elkhatib

The food was honestly really really mid. The chicken seems like a decent quality, but it honestly had no taste. It needed a lot more seasoning and taste and maybe breading? The coleslaw did not taste like coleslaw, it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t coleslaw. The biscuits were good, but really dry. The fries were good. Atmosphere was also really nice, we were there in the late late evening, so it was nice and not crowded. Parking really sucked

+2

Gene Burke

Had the firebird and fries. The sandwich had great flavor with adequate heat. Large portion size as well. The fries are very good and siracha thousand island dressing may be my new favorite dipping sauce.

atmosphere and service was good. what was not good was the fried chicken. possibly one of the worst fried chickens ive ever had. i expected for the price that it would be phenomenal. the chicken wa…

atmosphere and service was good. what was not good was the fried chicken. possibly one of the worst fried chickens ive ever had. i expected for the price that it would be phenomenal. the chicken wa…

atmosphere and service was good. what was not good was the fried chicken. possibly one of the worst fried chickens ive ever had. i expected for the price that it would be phenomenal. the chicken wa…

4 star - location and atmosphere.\n\n2 star - Heating/cooling. Turn up the heating elements; it's COLD in December. \n\n1 star food - chicken was cooked to temperature, but Way Bland; we were disap…

Came here with family and everyone loved it. The portions were generous the flavors were spot on and the atmosphere felt very welcoming

Great atmosphere and location. Had the chicken sandwich and oysters. Both were good. Good beer selection.

The outdoor space was awesome and the food was amazing. Very good location but watch the parking. We got manned for 10 min overtime, $42! \nThe prices were reasonable but the parking ticket got us!

Great food, Great location. prices are okay, except for the chicken, which is very expensive at $20 for 5 pcs or $38 for a whole chicken.

We visited this restaurant after seeing it featured on a travel influencer on Instagram. The food was good and the prices were reasonable. We ordered take out but it did seem very busy inside. Th…

We visited this restaurant after seeing it featured on a travel influencer on Instagram. The food was good and the prices were reasonable. We ordered take out but it did seem very busy inside. …

We visited this restaurant after seeing it featured on a travel influencer on Instagram. The food was good and the prices were reasonable. We ordered take out but it did seem very busy inside. …

Went once and was looking forward to it. Busy place with outdoor, covered seating. Great place to watch incoming jets landing at the near by airport. Tables could be cleaned quicker but it was bu…

There were 2 great things about this place, John, our bartender, and the fried chicken! atmosphere was great! Fries tasty but too greasy. This is a fun, friendly place!

There were 2 great things about this place, John, our bartender, and the fried chicken! Atmosphere was great! Fries tasty but too greasy. This is a fun, friendly place!

There were 2 great things about this place, John, our bartender, and the fried chicken! Atmosphere was great! fries tasty but too greasy. This is a fun, friendly place!

Good food, great shade, the only downfall was getting put sauces and drinks for the price my husband paid for which takes away from enjoying the food and the experience.

My husband and I went here for a date night. I will start by saying the hamachi appetizer was fantastic, but the portion size... The pappardelle (pasta dish) saved the night. We ordered this and the Australian wagyu NY to share. The wagyu tasted bland and like they used sous vide to cook it. No smokey or wood fired flavor at all. It Needed flavor. For the price point, it was very disappointing. The pasta was better and tasted like a lasagna. The dim lights were nice, but it was really loud inside. We felt rushed with the server, asking if we were ready to order every few minutes. For the price, we don't think it was worth it and probably wouldn't go back. Disappointed over all.

missashley

Nice restaurant in a very nice area. It’s a huge outdoor restaurant so there is plenty of seating. Staff were very nice. Most memorable was Jon and Louie. They went above and beyond to make sure we had a good time. The food was good but the salad I had fell a little short of something. The fries are so fresh and delicious and The cookies are DELICIOUS and so are the milkshakes. Parking is a bit hard to find and it’s metered so be mindful.

+7

The Crack Shack ended up being a mixed experience for me, with some clear highs and lows.\n\nI ordered the Cali Drip, and unfortunately it didn't land. The chicken was on the dry side and lacked th…

Okay food. Good location although parking is a bit difficult. We are used to Southern fried chicken and while this is okay, it doesn't rise to that level. Similar situation with the biscuits an…

Okay food. Good location although parking is a bit difficult. We are used to Southern fried chicken and while this is okay, it doesn't rise to that level. Similar situation with the biscuits and …

The atmosphere was pleasant, and the food was okay, but the experience was overshadowed by the person at the counter. Their responses came off as unkind, which left a negative impression. Perhaps i…

My birthday was January 17th. My boyfriend made reservations over a week ago and mentioned it was my birthday. Our reservation was for 8 PM which we arrived promptly and we noticed immediately the restaurant was extremely dark to the point where it was awkward. The noise level was unbelievably loud definitely more of a girls night out kind of vibe then dinner. The food was Decent, but not over the top great and unfortunately because it was so dark in the restaurant you couldn’t even appreciate the aesthetics of the food. 50% for me is tasting with the eyes Plus they sat us at a table that was more appropriate as a belly table at a party than for an actual dinner with appetizers drinks, etc. It was way too small for the amount of food And drinks we asked for the dessert to go and I asked how they were packaging it and would it be OK to take home? We were 10 minutes away, but he told us that he doesn’t have another container for the ice cream. When we got it, I thought to myself why not just use a second container? We’re paying $250 for a dinner and we can’t get a second container?? Strange The photo below is showing you just how dark this restaurant was and just how much I could not see the food I was about to eat. Oh, I failed to mention. I also ordered the fish and because it was so dark I couldn’t see that there were a few bones in it. The second picture is when I brought the little mini flame votive closest to the plate.

I was so excited to try this place in Little Italy because there are a lot of hidden gems here but I can honestly say. Herb and Wood is not one of them. Very over priced for what you get and the service is not Aligning with the priced and atmosphere.. We walked in and went to the host counter where np one was standing. After two minutes the host came up and asked for out names. She said they would call us when our table was ready. We were on time for our reservation and we waited for about 10 minutes. A group that arrived after us was seated before us. Once we were seated there was lots of crumbs on the booth side of the table we sat on and the host saw me trying to clear off the seat before I sat down. She offered me a new napkins which I accepted and then she cleaned off the rest of the booth Soni could sit. I think when they say your table is ready, it should be cleaned too.. Once we were seated our waitress spoke with the table next to us but then she disappeared for about 10 minutes before we saw her. When she finally came to out table she asked what we wanted to drink and we wanted to be polite so we asked for her name because she did not introduce herself.. my friend ordered a drink but I had water. The table was small the water glasses were even smaller, thankfully she brought a bottle lf water for us to fill ourself. When she finally came back to take out order, we had to ask if there were any specials. She said yes then informed us of them. I thought this was odd that we had to ask about the specials. We quickly tried to discuss if we were interested in the special and she walked away!! We were stunned honestly.. I thought it was completely unacceptable behavior.. We ended up ordering the Parker House Rolls, which are a special and not on the menu, and the Gem Lettuce. The Parker House Rolls were very good quality bread but the butter had so much herbs in it and it kind of ruined the bread. It was a bit too herby for me but this place is called herb and wood so I guess they use a lot of herbs. The Gem Lettuce had a very sharp and plant like flavor from the purple lettuce that almost tested like maybe we shouldn't be eating it.. there was also so much herbs on the lettuce. The seasoning and dressing was good but the lettuce wasn't the best tasting.. Once we finished our appetizers we were ready to order our entrees. We waited about 22 minutes before we gave up on waiting and waved down a different server. We explained we haven't ordered entrees yet and she gladly took our order. For dinner we ordered the Lamb Lollipops and the Prime Fillet Mignon with a side of Japanese Sweet Potatoes. The Japanese Sweet Potstoes had good flavor and were cooked nicely but stuck to our teeth as we ate them. The Lamb Lollipops were cooked nicely with a lovely crispy while also being medium rare butter was on a bed of sauce that wasn't really needed, and again had lots of herbs that wasn't necessary. The Prime Fillet Mignon came served sliced on a bed of au jus that would have been much better drizzled on top instead of a pool of it on the plate. The au jus on the steak made the steak taste like a pulled pork sandwich and completely ruined that beautiful steak. We were ready to leave at this point and again we could not find our server. When she finally showed you and handed us a dessert menu. We picked the Sweet Potato Souffle which a random server bought to our table and threw together in front of us which was a bit off putting. It had strong taste of nutmeg whichever gave off a Christmas vibe feel but not in a good way. It was just not what we were looking for. While the server carelessly threw our dessert together, we asked him if he could call our server. He said yes then said "actually you'd have to ask the manager" so I guess he was refusing to help us..? Overall, I say this to be honest, a very unpleasant and disappointing restaurant that made me regret wasting my money here.. 4% surcharge for service we hardly got.. I do not recommend herb and wood.