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.More

Date of visit: May 2023

Helpful?

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.

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.

seahawkdigital

104 reviews

Reviewed November 27, 2022

Rustic atmosphere but overpriced

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!More

Date of visit: November 2022

Helpful?

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.

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.

Wendy R

35 reviews

Reviewed September 5, 2022 via mobile

Stop here, for sure!

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!

Date of visit: August 2022

Helpful?

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.

Camanonancy

8 reviews

Reviewed July 9, 2022

Yummy shrimps

I really enjoyed the Colossol shrimp n beer. The fries were artificial tasting , bettered. No bathroom just honey buckets .

Date of visit: July 2022

Helpful?

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.

Hello! We are glad to hear you enjoyed our colossal shrimp. Thank you for your review and feedback.

Bobby31225

727 reviews

Reviewed May 13, 2022

Some high prices!

A fellow airplane traveler to Bellingham told us to try this place. We stopped here for lunch before heading to Whidbey Island. It was freezing cold out and we ordered from the window. We sat under the tent area and had to wait quite awhile...for the food. I had fish and chips and my friend had shrimp. I've had better fish and chips and cheaper to. If I was in the area again, I would drive on. Not worth it to me.More

Date of visit: April 2022

Helpful?

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.

Hi, Bobby. We are sorry to hear about your experience and the long wait time. We strive for all guests to enjoy their food and time with us. Thank you for your feedback, and we will let our team know so we can improve.

isabill

293 reviews

Reviewed October 23, 2021

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

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.More

Date of visit: October 2021

Helpful?1

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.

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!

Foodlover_12203

117 reviews

Reviewed October 14, 2021

Very expensive road-side shrimp shack

Reviews seemed to suggest this was a great place. No so. It enjoys a reputation primarily because it is accessible as you go to-from Deception Pass. A tired looking facade and seating, a ho-hum staff, too expensive for what you get, and dreary looking at...best. Needs some TLC on its exterior. Fish and chips were bland. The slaw was only chopped cabbage, no seasoning. The fish was just a slab of fish. Nothing had much flavor. They have been there for years and are apparently a family-oriented business. Sometimes we relax too much on an out-dated reputation. There is probably better fish somewhere else :( Try to find it!More

Date of visit: October 2021

Helpful?

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.

Hi, thank you for your review. Our team strives for 5-stars and we are saddened that we did not meet your expectations. We would like to learn more about your experience and how we can improve. Please feel free to contact us at (360) 293-2531....More

ExpoNationals

866 reviews

Reviewed August 25, 2021 via mobile

Order the Shrimps!

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.More

Date of visit: July 2021

Helpful?1

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.

Alexei M

1 review

Reviewed July 25, 2021 via mobile

Avoid at any cost

Avoid at any cost unless you want to wait for your food for more than an hour. There are better options on the island. Rude staff. Expensive. Go to SeaBolts.More

Date of visit: July 2021

Helpful?1

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.

Hi Alexei, thank you for your feedback. We sincerely apologize for the long wait and your interactions with our staff. We will let our team know of your experience so we can improve. Please feel free to contact us at (360) 293-2531 if you would...More

Rai11243

41 reviews

Reviewed May 7, 2021

Will not repeat

We could not spend long time waiting for fresh shrimp, so we ordered their regular clam chowder and crab cake burgers. Chowder with no clam and extremely greasy over- cooked something between two buns

Date of visit: April 2021

Helpful?2

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.

Hello, thank you for dining with us and letting us know of your experience. We are sorry to hear that your meal did not meet your expectations. We will let our team know so we can improve. Thank you!

LHO-WA

26 reviews

Reviewed March 2, 2021

A Five Rating Except for:

Rated as one of the best in the Northwest by a local TV station's viewers. I agree. Fresh and excellent seafood items. Burgers too. Service very good. Sadly parking is an issue. We stopped there on a Wednesday in February. Small parking area. Parking lot...full. I'm sure it is worse in the Summer. Expensive, more than $50 for lunch, but worth it.More

Date of visit: February 2021

Helpful?1

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.

Rebecca M

29 reviews

Reviewed January 31, 2021

Not as good as I'd hoped... by a long shot.

We waited in line about 20 minutes to order, and then waited another 30 minutes to get our food. The food was ok, but not award winning. Shrimp basket, hush puppies, and cod & chips. Pricier than expected, and definitely not as good as we'd...hoped for. Disappointed.More

Date of visit: January 2021

Helpful?2

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.

Hello Rebecca, thank you for providing us with feedback on your recent visit. We sincerely apologize for any long wait times as our food is made fresh to order. Thank you for choosing The Shrimp Shack.

AreWeHavingFunYet

713 reviews

Reviewed October 30, 2020

A Great Quick Snack or Meal

This was our first time visiting The Shrimp Shack. It was pretty good. We had the clam chowder, hush puppies, and jumbo shrimp with fries. The atmosphere is informal and fun. This is a great place to stop for a snack or quick meal.

Date of visit: October 2020

Helpful?2

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.

Hi, thank you for the great review! Our team appreciates your kind words. We are glad you enjoyed your meal!

ButchBellingham_WA

68 reviews

Reviewed September 2, 2020

Still the best fried shrimp going.

The first time wasn't a fluke. Just as good as last time. This place is worth coming back too. It's a popular place so be prepared to wait but you have to give them time to do it right. The fried shrimp comes out HOT....Well worth the wait.More

Date of visit: September 2020

Helpful?1

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.

291carrieh

17 reviews

Reviewed August 21, 2020 via mobile

Great shrimp and selection

Great shrimp and selection of cider. Expect a line, but quick and friendly service. We enjoyed the shrimp basket and calamari.

Date of visit: August 2020

Helpful?1

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.

View more reviews

Previous Next