Swamp shack — Restaurant in Houston

ONLY FIRSTS IN 2024 brought us to Crazy Alan’s Swamp Shack, which was pretty far away from home, but convenient to grab lunch after a soccer game before heading back.  We entered with high expectations hoping for a seafood experience like no other and Swamp Shack did not disappoint.  From the moment we walked in, the vibrant atmosphere and all the seafoody aromas hinted at the adventure that awaited us.

We settled on the Fried Gator Bites, which I am 100% certain that these were the best gator bites I’ve even eaten.  Fried perfectly with just the right crunch, you seriously would have thought you were eating a chicken nugget, as the little hint of gaminess I’ve gotten from gator in the past was not present.  We also ordered fried pickles, probably not anything so Cajuny per se, but we love pickles and love fried food, so what a glorious combination.  And again, I’ve had fried pickles from the east to the west coasts, and these were fantastic.  The thickness of the pickle slice is what set them apart, unlike the hamburger chips I’ve had that most places deep fry, Swamp Shack’s pickle was a nice hearty bite.  But of course, the star of the show was undoubtedly the Ultimate Seafood Pot we ordered, which was filled with more food than we could handle.   This was a masterpiece that left our taste buds dancing.  And let’s be honest, this experience is probably similar at every themed Cajun establishment, but we don’t find ourselves craving crawfish and such as much as those native to these regions.  However, the freshness of the seafood was ratheer surprising. The seafood selection in the pot was diverse and well prepared, from succulent shrimp to tender crab legs and so many flavorful crawfish (3lbs I think). The artful presentation, which also included potatoes, corn, mushrooms, Cajun seasoning, and butter, showcased Swamp Shack's commitment to quality and attention to detail.

Yet, what really helped Swamp Shack stand out was the superior service provided to us by our server, Jia.  She completely elevated this dining experience to new heights.  Her energy, attentiveness, and genuine passion for providing us with exceptional service was evident throughout our visit.  Her recommendations were spot-on, ensuring that everything we ordered was to our liking.  Her efficiency, enthusiastic and friendly demeanor definitely added an extra layer of enjoyment to the experience.

The manager Samantha also deserves a shoutout for her leadership and attention to making sure our visit was a satisfactory one. I always think it’s a nice touch when the manager cares enough to come and check on patrons.  And it’s even better, when they want to genuinely have a conversation with you while you are enjoying your meal.

Lastly, the ambiance at Swamp Shack is both lively and inviting, with rustic decor that complements the feel of the cuisine. The restaurant buzzes with customers, creating a welcoming atmosphere that adds to the overall dining pleasure. KUDOS!

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Update - As you can see, the owner passive aggressively tried to respond. While some restaurants choose not to honor specials on Holidays, some such as my establishments choose to do so because that is what we promised our guests. The fact that you had to take time to note my reviews of other establishments only seems self serving at this point. Yes I do voice my opinion when service is lacking or there are issues and that is ok. You don't see an issue with the lackluster service you provide, thats awesome, however I along with others do not have to patronize you moving forward and we have not nor will we ever step in your establishment ever again. The comment that you attempted to correct the issue during our visit is false and no I will not contact you, because it was never about the money, it was about being in the service industry and failing miserably. So buyer beware. We have passed this place several times and today decided to try something different. When you enter, the host acted like she was being chased by zombies or bill collectors and acted inconvenienced to have to speak to people. After we were seated the server finally showed up and we ordered drinks and appetizers because their menu clearly states half off between 2-6 mon through fri. No notes made for holidays or other exclusions. Nor did the server mention it until my daughter ordered two for her lunch when we asked to speak to the manager, Nathan glided his way to the table and apologized for following company policy even though he noted that the company owners retired. Absolute lack of customer service skills and could not be bothered that we were the second table in less than 10 minutes to walk out. Also, pay your AC bill and use it

As you can see the “owner” reached out and unfortunately Nathan only told them part of the story out of $35 in appetizers, what he offered was $10 off. No there is nothing you can do except: Make correct notes on your menus to note that you choose not to maintain menu integrity on days of your choosing Change your marquee signage to not note lunch specials under $10 on the days noted above. Understand that there is an issue when you lose two tables and probably others we weren’t witness to in less...

Walked in on a late night and they were very dead. The hostess at the front who is Hispanic with curly/wavy hair with glasses needs to be retrained on what it means being a hostess and the first face a guest sees when they enter the company.

We walked in and said “hello” and she literally turned around and started to clean menus instead. Didn’t smile, didn’t acknowledge us, didn’t greet us— it was the most unwelcoming and strangest thing I’ve ever seen. We thought it was a prank! We waited over five minutes to be sat on probably one of the deadest nights they’ve had.

Multiple servers walked by and stopped and still no help. The only server who did say hi and try to seat us stopped the second we said we preferred a booth and he stated “oh I don’t have a booth in my section” and simply just walked off leaving us there, instead of trying to help us be sat or get someone who can help us. Meanwhile the hostess is turned around watching out interaction and STILL not seating us. Mind you, it was only me and my husband. That’s it.

So we turn around and leave. It’s now past five minutes and we simply turn around to leave, and a manager sees us and finally sits us. We had Alyssa, she was amazing. Great service.

Upon leaving the same hostess is upfront at the stand and on her phone listening to her social media videos loudly. She looks up at us, we smile and say thank you, and she does and says NOTHING and proceeds to look back down at her videos.

It was the most unwelcome I’ve ever felt at a restaurant. We truly thought we were suppose to seat ourselves or were being pranked because how can you full on see us and turn around and then ignore us for over five minutes and only step back to the hostess stand once you see us finally walking away to leave? It was just SO crazy this young lady is who is upfront and the first impression the guests see.

We probably won’t be back just because we felt so uncomfortable and unwelcomed unfortunately due to this hostess, but Alyssa was amazing and 10/10 service. I truly hope the hostess upfront gets a good retraining on her job duties. Never gone to a restaurant and felt like I was a problem for simply...