Half Cracked Tiki Shack — Restaurant in Punta Gorda

You can’t make this up… I love sea food and went with the 1.5 pound lobster. I was excited to dig in, more so after seeing some enticing pictures on the presentation ( in a tin style deep dish plate with hush puppies etc). WTH! the meal came out on a small plate, lobster hanging over the side, with the hush puppies ready to fall over, drawn butter tipped over the minute the server placed on the bar, the lobster crackers were hidden under the lobster because there was no room on the plate, the tail was not cut open properly and was butchered sliced on the bottom side, and the claws were impossible to crack because the lobster was over cooked, and when I finally broke in? They have no sea food forks ( a must in a seafood restaurant, more so one that has oysters, crab legs, etc). The funny part was that we were offered a spoon to dig the claw and legs. By far the worst presentation, and extremely overcooked lobster I’ve ever eaten for $80 Bucks. . We asked for a manager and she was great, very attentive, spoke to us for a while, took pictures of my lobster and stated “ this is not how this plate is presented and the lobster tail should have been split open.” unfortunately that was the extent of her trying to ease the tension. We were not looking for a free meal in any way, but after admitting the meal was botched, the least she should have done as a manager was to comp a drink, offer a comp desert, some form of financial acknowledgement after charging full price $80 for a lobster that was literally have cracked and over cooked”. The staff was pleasant, but not engaged in problem solving. The chef, who’s is in charge of the kitchen, should probably have a staff meeting with his team and the GM present so that when mistakes happen, accountability is taken and an adequate solution is offered to the guest. If you are too busy to check your food, presentation, and delivery, maybe it’s time to bring in a quality control person that ensures what you are sending out is presentable, edible, and in the appropriate pkate. Truly wish this review was positive, but you guys walked away with $250 for a sub par experience and my family walked away with the feeling of never coming back & taken advantage of. Hope you can turn it...

Mixed Experience at Half Cracked Tiki Shack

My recent visit to Half Cracked Tiki Shack was a mixed bag of flavors and disappointments. While some dishes impressed, others fell short, leaving much to be desired.

Starting with the drinks, the mango mojito was satisfactory, albeit let down by the lack of freshness in the lime. Moving on to the appetizers, the crab cakes were a highlight, served with a refreshing slaw (7 out of 10).

The main courses continued the theme of inconsistency. The lobster, served alongside mixed vegetables, lacked the promised island rice, replaced instead by Yukon potatoes without prior notification. Additionally, the lobster itself was slightly overcooked, diminishing its appeal. The ribeye steak, although cooked to the requested medium, had an overpowering burnt flavor, suggesting overcooking. (5 out of 10)

Service, unfortunately, mirrored the meal's inconsistency. Despite pointing out missing items, there was no effort made to rectify the situation, with staff admitting they didn't have the items but failing to offer replacements. Moreover, the revelation that certain menu items were supposed to be removed added to the sense of disorganization.

In summary, Half Cracked Tiki Shack offers a decent dining experience, but inconsistencies in food quality and service detract from its overall appeal. A rating of out of reflects the highs and lows of this establishment, (4 out of 10) between price and quality leaves much to be desired. With an experience that fails to match the premium prices charged, it's clear that improvements are needed to align the dining experience with customer...

We have been here a few times and the food has been good. This time I was very disappointed.The Ribeye was no longer being served with the tomato salad nor was there a steak sauce because no one liked it (according to Chloe).I ordered a Ribeye and was served a sirloin. I told the runner this was not the steak I ordered but I would just eat it but if he could get our waitress . 15 minutes later our waitress shows up. I ate half my steak as I was starving. I explained to her it wasn’t a ribeye and you could clearly tell the difference . The manager refused to come over at first and the chef wanted it brought back to him. I said no, the chef can come out. Another 15 minutes later the chef and the manager came out. The passive aggressive chef argued that it was a ribeye. He offered to make another one. I refused ,as I had already ate half and was full, what good would another one do for me? I would’ve thought comping half the meal would be offered but no, they took 2.00 off and comped our 5.00 iced tea. You lost us and friends as customers. Thank God there are other restaurants on the property to enjoy. Looking through the other poor service reviews, one would think whoever is running this place would make some changes. First one being your menu should represent what actually is being served. Second, wait staff should be checking on tables after food is delivered (as it was not busy at all). The Chef should know difference between a ribeye and sirloin. Lastly managers should know how to do their job effectively, clearly the one working Friday...