The Mac Shack — Restaurant in Gardendale

We heard about this place from a Walmart cashier who had just heard about it from a friend of hers and wanted to try it out. We drove 35 minutes to get to it, and we ordered a little bit of everything (mac & cheese bowl, burger & fries, wings, and all the desserts) to make sure we got to try it all since we figured we likely wouldn't be making the drive again any time soon. Well, we were wrong! From the very first moment we got there, we were greated by a young man, named Noah, who came from behind the counter to open the door for us when he saw my husband walking with a cane. He patiently answered our questions about the food, offered us little free containers of cheese-it's and goldfish to snack on while we waited (what a very cool touch, y'all!), and he may have been the most polite young man we've met in a long time. All of our food was delicious! We are very picky about wings & are disappointed in most wing places, but these were delicious! The burgers were fresh meat, hand rolled and smashed on the grill, not frozen patties & the fries were reminiscent of the Checkers/Rally's fries... so yummy! The mac & cheese was incredible! I loaded mine with so many toppings and it was still full of cheesy goodness... I have seen videos of places that do the loaded mac & cheese options, and as a lover of mac & cheese, I was thrilled to find one nearby! 10 out of 10, highly recommend, did not disappoint!!!! But y'all, just when I thought it couldn't get any better, we tried the desserts!!!! Friend cheesecake bites, fried oreos, and fried PB&J sandwhiches!!! 🤯🤯🤯 It was all sooo good!!!! We had so much food, we took home leftovers of everything but the burger that we split. We went mid afternoon, so it was a little quiet while we were there, so we enjoyed chatting with the young man, Noah, and really enjoyed getting to know him a bit... his parents raised him well, and his love for God and his family really shone through in our brief interaction with him. We will absolutely be back again soon! If you haven't tried this place, you really should because you're missing out on a gem! If you're having to make a little bit of a drive to get there, believe me, it's worth it! And while you're there don't forget to try the fried PB&J, you...

We stopped by after hearing this place opened from neighbors. We were greeted by a young man behind the counter who was playing with his phone. We picked up some menus and browsed a minute. It was Tuesday at 11:30. There was only one other couple in the building in the middle of lunch time. Not a great sign. We were looking for signature dishes which this place doesn't have. I asked the young man behind the counter what was the best dish on the menu? He looked up from his phone for a second to say most people build their own bowl. So we opted for the bowl and some fries. We took our seats and the fries were immediately brought out. They seemed to be the same fries from Rally's or Checker's, which I loved. However, the fries were room temperature. It seemed they may have cooked them 30 minutes before we arrived and sat there waiting on a lunch rush that never happened. So they were off to a bad start. We waiting about 20 minutes for out bowls to arrive to our table. They bring it out in one of those aluminum foil type to-go bowls that you can place in an oven. So apparently they threw macaroni in the bottom and your choice of toppings on top, then cover it in cheese and bake it for a minute to melt everything. The bowl was hot to touch, which is expected. The top was hot and the inside middle was still cold. Actually cold and not just room temperature. The flavor was ok and left much to be desired with a name such as The Mac Shack. We were disappointed to say the least. We probably won't be back unless things change. Pointers for the business are make food fresh and hot. Turn on some music or something in the dining area. Keep the employees out front off their phones so they can be courteous and accommodating to your guests. Add some signature dishes to the menu. People want to give your "known for"...

Found this place by accident. Decided to take my son because he loves Mac & cheese. We arrived about 7:30ish there was 2 other people dining in. Didn’t know if we seat ourself or what, lady comes out & says we seat ourselves, but menus are at the register which is where you place your order. You also pay and tip BEFORE getting your food. Son goes with a mini cheeseburger & fries. I ordered catfish filets & fries. Son’s burger was far from mini, but that’s ok. He devours the whole burger and fries and says it’s the best he’s ever had! My 2 catfish fillets, one was extra extra crispy, but the second was still raw in the middle. Can’t forget the fried Oreos, which tasted like they had been fried in the same oil as the fish and fries. We didn’t get any utensils to eat with. Nobody came to check if things were ok after we got out food. Upon leaving the show the lady at the register that my filet was still raw in the middle, she never says sorry, doesn’t offer to have another one made, doesn’t say sorry, just nothing. Says I’ll let them know. Ok. Really...