The Shrimp Shack

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#3 of 12 Quick Bites in AnacortesQuick Bites, American, $$ - $$$

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The Shrimp Shack

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About

Best known for our fresh-caught shrimp and Oyster Burger, The Shrimp Shack has something for everyone to enjoy while traveling here! Over the years, we've earned a national reputation for our food, being recognized in 2019 by King 5 Seattle's Pacific Northwest Escapes as one of Washington's Top 5 Road Side Eats. We are humbled by the praise we have seen in publications and countless social posts from our customers. Our mission has always been to make our customers' experience a fantastic one, which continues to be our highest priority.

Features

CUISINES

American, Seafood

Meal types

Lunch, Dinner

PRICE

$$ - $$$

FEATURES

Outdoor Seating

Parking Available

Seating

Serves Alcohol

Takeout

Wheelchair Accessible

Location

6168 State Route 20, Anacortes, Fidalgo Island, WA 98221

Parking Available

Is this a seafood restaurant?

Yes

Unsure

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Hours

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Closed now

• Opens at 11:00 AM

Sunday

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Monday

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Tuesday

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Wednesday

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Thursday

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Friday

11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Saturday

11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

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3.8

164 reviews

Excellent

Very good

Average

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Terrible

Susanne T

North Carolina Mountains2213 contributions

Might go back if ever there again

Aug 2024 • friends

Parking is very limited and the Shrimp Shack is on a very busy road (Hwy 20), so turning left was not an easy thing. We had about a five minute wait to order and got the Colossal Shrimp (6 large shrimp for $ 22.50) and the Popcorn Shrimp Basket (18.50); both came with French fries. Extra sauces were extra! We waited maybe 15-20 minutes for the food and it was tasty, even though I thought the popcorn shrimp had a bit too much breading. The fries were really good. They have a tent with picnic tables and it would be nice to level out the tables and maybe give the area some TLC. I found it a bit pricy for what we got, but we tried it, enjoyed it and maybe we would come back if ever in the area again.

Written August 23, 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

seahawk digital

Seattle106 contributions

Rustic atmosphere but overpriced

Nov 2022 • none

I'm a frequent visitor to the area and usually end up going here a few times a year. Although the food quality is good, its probably about 20% more expensive than other seafood places. The fresh shrimp is indeed good, but some of the other cooked items are questionable. I have been there several times now and always order the fish and chips (pollock), but for the past several visits they haven't even bothered to put salt on the fish. This is puzzling to me, because fried fish without salt is pretty horrible (imagine eating a baked potato without salt or seasoning). I normally don't keep salt in my car for carry out orders, so driving away eating unsalted fish and chips left a bit of a sour note with me. This disappointment is compounded by the fact that the prices are very high for the fish and chips (about $16). Even if one eats in, there really is no 'nice' dining area - its an outdoor tent with benches and a few honeypots with a running water sink outside - that would justify the high costs. The staff are nice and no doubt this is a hard job, but for heaven sakes please salt the fish or at least warn customers and give then a salt sachet with the food, because unsalted seafood/fish is really not tasty at all!

Written November 27, 2022

pkonrad4522

Hello, thank you for your honest review. We will consider your feedback to make improvements. We're glad that you received a positive experience from our staff and hope to see you again.

Written November 29, 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Acetraveler

Seattle28 contributions

Overpriced

May 2023 • couples

We stopped for lunch on the way to Deception Pass and ordered the fried shrimp basket. I paid with a credit card and she showed me where to press a button to complete the transaction. It was a 20 percent tip button I could not really see well. I got my receipt and realized I paid $26 per meal. Too much money. The meal however was good and the fries were excellent. Then I got 2 pounds of shrimp to go. Another way overpriced item. She charged me $36.80 for head on shrimp and then short changed me when I paid with cash. We got home to cook the shrimp and realized these were the smallest shrimp we had ever seen. I’d say we had about a cup of shrimp after we took off the heads and cleaned them. To top it off they were of poor quality. Tasted bland and didn’t set well on the tummy after we ate them. We are locals but we won’t be back.

Written May 20, 2023

Ryan Haines

Hello, we appreciate your honest feedback. We're glad you enjoyed your meal despite the rest of your experience. Thank you for visiting, and we hope you change your mind and decide to stop by again sometime.

Written May 22, 2023

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

xcschlr

Milwaukee986 contributions

Good place for picnic food when visiting the Deception Pass

Aug 2023 • family

We would stop here to pick up our picnic food for lunch every time we visit the amazingly beautiful Deception Pass state park. The burgers can have one of several types of meat or seafood, and the taste tends to be rich. Some also like their little shrimps, but I’m not a fan. My choice is normally the Spicy Buffalo Burger or the Dungeness Crab Cake Burger.

Written September 2, 2023

isabill

6163 contributions

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Oct 2021 • couples

A local we met in Seattle recommended the Shrimp Shack for our trip to Whidbey Island. From the road, the building looks like what it is called- a shack. There is a side area with picnic tables and umbrellas. At the window, we ordered two clam chowders, fish and chips, and the giant shrimp (came with fries). The chowder (quite nice) was given to us after we paid. Then we staked out a table, and waited. And waited. And waited. We then waited some more… We finally picked up our meals at the other window and dug into them. The fish and chips were pretty good! And the shrimp (about 6) were quite large but had a lot of breading. The shrimp themselves were nicely cooked. Fries were decent. I’m glad we stopped in to give the shack a try, and overall it was good, but it is very expensive and diners should be prepared to wait.

Written October 23, 2021

pkonrad4522

Hi Isabill, thank you for your kind review! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your meal and apologize for any inconvenience of long wait times. We appreciate your support and hope to welcome you back to The Shrimp Shack soon!

Written October 25, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Brendakcat

24 contributions

Fast food? I don't think so.

Aug 2020 • family

My mother and I arrived early for dinner (about 4:50pm) on a Saturday night. The line was pretty short compared to what we saw earlier in the day on our way up to Deception Pass, so we thought we'd give it a try as we'd heard good things and love seafood. We stood in line, with about 5 parties in front of us, for 30 MINUTES before even ORDERING. We then waited 20 more minutes (surprisingly short based on the wait time in line) for our food. It was warm and the popcorn shrimp were pretty tasty, but the shrimp burger was not as described on their menu and not very good. Instead of being butterflied, the shrimp were all mashed together into one big party that was pretty bland. The fries were pretty good, but overall nothing to warrant how much hype this place gets and not at all worth waiting 50 minutes. This place needs to get moving.

Written August 15, 2020

Karina G

1 contribution

Get new respectful staff

Jul 2020 • none

My family has been coming here for ages. We would always make a stop for some fresh shrimp and go to deception pass. One bad customer service experience can mess all of it up. They close at 7pm, my sister and I came at 6:15pm for some shrimp and fish and chips. The moment my sister approached the window and asked for some fresh shrimp the lady goes "UGH we just put them away." so my sister goes "its 45 minutes till close, do you guys have the shrimp?" "Yes we do" the lady replied. "Okay than Ill have 5 lbs please." The lady goes "Do you want the small or the jumbo ones." My sister asked for the jumbo ones. They where hoping she would ask for the smaller sized ones for some reason. They responded, "You do know the jumbo ones will be $50 right?" Obviously, and we can afford it. keep in mind my sister is the sweetest customer ever, she is a midwife. We waited for the fish and chips for 45 minutes.... they where moving a snails pace and PISSED off. my sister tipped them 20% in hopes of making them happier... NOPE. so every other person that came to order food at the window after that, they would scream "45 minute wait." I get it. You may have had a bad day, but no need for you be so rude 45 minutes before close to a nice customer.

Written July 16, 2020

Wendy R

74 contributions

Stop here, for sure!

Aug 2022 • couples

Fortunately, the sweet lady in the booth at Deception Pass told us of this place only two miles down the road. Real deal shrimp and fish and chips. Yum! Good beer selection, umbrellas, picnic tables, and happy people making others very happy with their eats!

Written September 5, 2022

scott

Kent345 contributions

Very disappointed except Great Hush Puppies

Jun 2020 • none

I had heard great things about the Shrimp Shack and had seen the long lines, so we called in advance. When we got there (dinner time on Friday night) there was no line at all and the person said our food "just finished" so we were expecting nice, hot and fresh. We ate at their outside tables so there was no delay. Unfortunately, it wasn't nice, hot or fresh. My wife got Popcorn Shrimp which was cold and unappetizing. I got the Cod Fish and Chips, which looked great but turned out to be cold and way overcooked. It was hard and basically inedible. However, one thing I miss from growing up in the south is good hush puppies. They were great! One dozen, well cooked and well seasoned. Definitely the high point of the meal (by a long shot).

Written June 23, 2020

Matt A

Hermosa Beach580 contributions

Pretty Dissapointed

Jul 2020 • solo

I haven’t been this disappointed with a meal in a while. I ordered the chowder in a bread bowl and what I got was a tiny cup of chowder placed - not poured - into the bread bowl. When I poured it in myself, it filled the bread bowl about halfway. After about 8 spoonfuls, I was left with a large chunk of dry bread. This is not how’s its supposed to be done. All this for $12, incl tip/tax. I was so bummed I ordered a bag of shrimp. This time it was a lot of shrimp, but they were so tiny you could barely taste them. It simply wasn’t worth the work of peeling the shrimp for this tiny bite, and I just quit about halfway through. Oh, and like everyone says - the service here is really unfriendly. There was also a sign on the window saying “45 minutes for food.” This place is very popular, so I’m sure something on the menu is good, but i will not be be going back.

Written July 28, 2020

3travelmonkeys

Los Angeles137 contributions

yum yum yum

Jun 2023 • couples

As the name suggests don’t order anything else but the boiled shrimp. I am a huge seafood lover but very particular. I can tell you this bag of shrimp should not be missed if you love seafood. They are not the biggest but they are just so juicy and full of flavor. I did not think I would be able to eat it all but boy was I wrong. I am so sad that we got there just before closing so I couldn’t order more 😭

Written July 13, 2023

Rainier72

Lynnwood762 contributions

Long Wait, Good Shrimp

Aug 2020 • none

Even on a late Friday afternoon, the line at Shrimp Shack was pretty long when we drove up. We ended up being here almost an hour and a half including about a half hour wait after ordering. It was a nice day and they did have their outdoor dining room open, so that wasn't too bad. For now, the inside dining room is closed. The staff was pretty friendly in spite of the rush. I ordered the colossal shrimp. 6 of them with fries. The shrimp was pretty good. The fries not so much. It was those standard fries, but with the brown crunchy feel to them. There is quite a variety of items on the menu that are not just shrimp. I saw elk and alligator burgers among many other things. Overall, it was good experience in spite of the wait, but the place is popular and can't be missed when driving Highway 20.

Written August 17, 2020

ExpoNationals

Bakersfield5440 contributions

Order the Shrimps!

Jul 2021 • family

Enjoyed Lunch at the Shrimp Shack! The place is popular! We beat most of the crowd so were lucky. Only about 5 people ahead of us in line. We ordered our food, and were fortunate enough to find a table outside for all 7 of us. It did not take too long before our food was ready (about 20 minutes). For the most part, the food was terrific. I was not too crazy about my Oyster Burger. I should have known because I'm usually not a fan of oysters, but I decided to give theirs a try anyways. I did like the Fresh Prawns, the Popcorn Shrimp, and the Clam Chowder. My Brother n'law swore that their Salmon Burger was the best burger he's ever had! He even ordered a second one so that he could enjoy it later that day (which he did). The staff who helped us was terrific. This will now be our spot to go whenever we are in the area.

Written August 25, 2021

BH37876

Sevierville50 contributions

Didn’t meet expectations

Jul 2020 • none

Really liked the roadside location. Park and walk up to window for ordering. Picnic tables for outside dining. Lengthy menu. We might of just ordered wrong. We’re not from the area and in the south shrimp are large and served hot. We went with 2 lbs of small/med shrimp and spent an hour peeling popcorn shrimp. Served cold and rather bland. Wanted to try something with a “local flavor” and ordered the chowder. Thick roux that reminded me of gravy. Couldn’t eat it.

Written July 9, 2020

Vegas Trippers

Fidalgo Island251 contributions

A Gem in the Northwest

Jun 2020 • none

This is our favorite type of venu to eat seafood at, just a small business on the side of a road. Everyone in our party had great food. I had, hands down, the best fried oysters I have ever eaten! The calamari was good, I thought a bit heavy on breading though. Chips and sides were all delicious. There was a decent selection of craft beers. Service was polite and efficient, and a bit entertaining at times.

Written July 4, 2020