The Shrimp Shack — Restaurant in Fidalgo Island

The Shrimp Shack, located just a short drive from Anacortes near the Deception Pass Bridge, is a place that truly offers a tantalizing selection for seafood enthusiasts. The first thing to catch your eye is the restaurant's outdoor setting with covered and open-air picnic tables by a busy road, an unexpected yet inviting ambiance. We tried a large platter of battered fish, prawns, oysters, and fries, and I must admit, the food was really good. The tartar sauce had a zing to it that was addictive!

Customers can choose between grill and fresh order lines, a well-thought-out touch that helps in managing the crowd, especially during busy hours. I heard praises for various dishes, like the blue crab burger, chowder, clam strips, and to be honest they all looked good.  What impressed me was that the batter was light and super crispy, without being greasy, keeping the fish and clams moist and flavorful.

When we drove by to see the Bridge and have a short hike, there was a long lineup and the parking lot was full, but when we came back on our way to Anacortes, the line had disappeared and our food came out super fast.

The Shrimp Shack is not just about food; it's a tradition that has thrived for 50 years. From prawns to oysters and the renowned clam chowder, there's a simple authenticity to the place that makes me want to come back... all the way from Canada. It's not pretentious or flashy, but honest, hearty, and satisfying - a must-stop if you're...

I've been to this place a half dozen times. Every time the food had been great. Today, I got the deep fried oysters, popcorn shrimp and side of deep fried cod. The fries are amazing, one of the best. As well as the deep fried oysters. Really fresh oysters, well cooked and nicely battered, not too much batter sna not overcooked. This is debatable, since some people like it well cooked/dry, which i think is terrible. This is juicy still, like med/ rare, which all shellfish should be cooked. First time we accidentally got the popcorn shrimp for free, but we've been ordering it every since. Really good, the batter sticks on the shrimp and not too much. However, this time the side of cod was not really that good, soggy and not fresh tasting, disappointing. I've had it in the past and it was good. I've also had the halibut and clam chowder in the past and both were good. Will come back again. But expect a long wait in the summer weekends, especially on warm days. Very popular pace. There's a covered place to eat outside. In winter, they might open a small inside area, but that's usually not open. Typical order up front and pick up at the side by...

The food is fantastic. But, I will probably not go there again. Waiting over 30 minutes for chowder and a bread bowl is just not worth it. I think there's a problem with the entire process - it should not take 20 minutes just to order food with only 4 people are in line. And, food should come out as it's made - at least me and another person waited to get our easy order while a more difficult order was made, because the staff was going in numerical order. Our orders were clearly ready and waiting. Finally, the staff did not seem to be in any rush - they called a number, and waited for that person. They did not keep working in the meantime.

So, I'm writing this review because I guarantee you are losing money from people like me who refuse to wait a ridiculously long time, regardless of how good the food is. And, from people who order the chowder because it's the fastest - I would certainly eat a full meal there if I wasn't guaranteed a long wait time. And finally, from people driving by and looking at the line, and finding somewhere else to go. I hope you look at how you can improve your process to make it...