Wander Through the Kitschy Confines of The Crack Shack Before It Opens

The Crack Shack, the fast-casual chicken restaurant from chef Richard Blais and founder Michael Rosen, makes its debut on the Strip on Aug. 11. The sixth location for the restaurant and first outside California lands at the front of the Park MGM, next to Eataly.

The 6,400-square-foot space features a full bar, a window for ordering, and roll-up storefront doors that bring the outdoors inside and offer optimal people-watching for diners noshing on a menu of Jidori fried chicken, the Coop Deville sandwich made with fried chicken, pickled Fresno chilies, lime mayo, and Napa cabbage, or deviled eggs. The sauce station lets diners pick their own ranch, sriracha, Thousand Island, barbecue, Baja hot sauce, sweet heat, and The Crack Shack’s own version of ketchup, Crack-Sup.

The restaurant even features a riff on Dogs Playing Poker, the 1894 painting by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, only Crack Shack has chickens seated around a card table. Another print features two chickens dressed as showgirls with giant hot pink feather headdresses.

Blais is probably best known as the winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, and trained at The French Laundry, Daniel, Chez Panisse, and el Bulli. He’s appeared on Top Chef, Top Chef All-Stars, Iron Chef America, and Chopped All-Stars as a competitor, and has a recurring role as a judge on Top Chef and Master Chef.

Louiie Victa

Louiie Victa

Louiie Victa

Louiie Victa

Louiie Victa

Louiie Victa

The booths at The Crack Shake

Louiie Victa

• The Crack Shack Gets Ready To Unleash Fried Chicken on an Unsuspecting Las Vegas Strip [ELV]

• Richard Blais Brings The Crack Shack to Las Vegas in 2019 [ELV]

• Richard Blais Plans To Debut The Crack Shack in Las Vegas This Summer [ELV]

• The Most-Anticipated Restaurant Openings in Las Vegas — Summer 2019 Edition [ELV]

Park MGM

3770 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89109 Visit Website

Eataly

3770 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (702) 730-7617 Visit Website

The Crack Shack

3770 South Las Vegas Boulevard, , NV 89109 (702) 820-5991 Visit Website