Normally, if a restaurant has a bad day I ignore it to give them another chance. I don't like to post negative reviews. I'd rather post the good news of great restaurant finds. It doesn't happen much, but once in a while things get outrageous!

We hadn't been to one of our favorites for a few months so we were excited to hit the Shack on 62nt in Oklahoma City for an early lunch Friday, January 4. We noted the lack of cars just after 11, but figured we were early. What we found when seated in the front, in full view of the kitchen, was a cook in a baseball cap holding court. He was chatting up the kitchen at full volume with an eye on us as the audience and as the only patrons visible. (The back room had some customers.)

It soon became obvious that the restaurant had no manager or at least none with competence. While waiting for the food, Serious FM was running Billie Low Down and other 70's hard rock. At one point, he doubled the volume with a station switch to a Mexican station. (No problem here, but if it's so loud I can't talk, lunch becomes uncomfortable.) The didn't last as the music was turned down and returned to the hard rock station. (I should point out, that we don't know anyone here, we did not complain. We are pretty 'easy going' so to speak.)

Twice, the cook took to the intercom to pontificate in Spanish. One talk session, went for 2 - 3 minutes. I asked my wife, who is fluent, what he was saying. She would not tell me. I'm guessing now, he was on a machismo trip of some kind. 

Then Dennis, our waiter served our lunch.

Sylvia substituted fries for green beans. Ten skinny green beans seemed to be an underserve. The onion straws were spot on. The fish tasted like it was time to change the oil. Much of it had the shiny skin visible which was unappetizing. (See Photo - click to zoom) Hushpuppies were cooked well done - burned. 

The Biggest Insult.

We both had ordered the Friday Special (mine added shrimp for about $5 more) and we each got 3 pieces of fish...But for Sylvia, 2 fish and one is what I'm calling "the insult".

(See photo) This piece of "fish" on her plate did have a tiny amount of fish fragments surround by a massive amount of dough. I photographed it as my habit as a reviewer. (We took leftovers home including this odd piece. At home, we discovered what it was.)  This "thing" weighed about 8 ounces (estimate) and I soon realized later, it was an insult. I'd rather think of it as a burrito joke rather than a replica of the cooks "Johnson". But, I'm offended either way.

The Cover

When we boxed a couple fish pieces for take out (including the oddball) and some onion straws. I asked our waiter why this one fish didn't have the beer-batter look as the others. He said that once in a while a piece doesn't hit the basket and falls to the bottom. When it rises to the top, it is cooked, but looks different. I realize now, he was in on the joke. I'm kind of sorry I tipped him 25%!

What an experience! Obviously restaurants need managers. This one is a special needs place. The music blast and the intercom barrage would tip any manager even in a back office to pop out and see what is going on. 

My tip...give The Shack a rest in 2019, and another try in 2020...if it is still in business.