I have been to Rachel’s Wing Shack before on a couple of occasions. If you look at all the Google reviews you will see that this place is loved by many. I share the same opinion as many others, but almost didn’t write this review until my recent visit. As someone who celebrates food as much as I do, I was unmotivated by this restaurant. The foods great do not get me wrong. It is just that there are thousands of places serving the same fare and with the same general setup. It was until my 3rd look at Rachel’s Wing Shack that a really stopped and looked at what, to me, separates it from all the others. It is the people.
If you have yet to here of this place it would not surprise me in the least. It is in Deland, FL behind a Lowes on Old Daytona Road. The chances of you finding this place living outside the area are extremely rare. You would have to stumble upon it. Even when you get there you might miss this small building driving by. However, the humble appearance is a preview of the people that make this place great. Before we get to the people let’s talk about the food.
The food is good as you can get for a greasy spoon. Everything is either fried or smoked. There are few menu items such as wings, hamburgers, and BBQ. Mixed in with that is some southern delicacies such as fried pickles. I have always had the wings and was never disappointed. The are as good as you can make traditional fried wings. Juicy, with enough heat all served up with plenty of napkins. You will need them. For me I think if you love wings, load up your GPS and look for Rachel’s Wing Shack you will not be dissapointed one bit. The food is great, let’s get back to what makes this a favorite place of mine. Let’s talk about the people.
Going back to the humble look of the restaurant, it is easy to fall in love with its simple charm. It is a small building flanked by a custom built smoker and a wood pile to keep that smoker going. If you know me, you know how excited a get about smokers. At the front door you are greeted by a small green sign bearing the name of the establishment. As you walk in you really notice how small of a building you are in. There are maybe 10 tables with a counter where you are greeted and your order is taken. I decided to sit in the far corner so I could take a good look at the whole restaurant. What I saw surprised me.
As I was enjoying some friend goodness, I became aware of the wing shack breathing. People and food orders going in and out. The buzz of people talking about their lives and what the were up to that day. I began to witness something substantial. In this humble place, was diversity I have never seen at any one place in time. There were white, African Americans, Hispanics, young, old, white collar, blue collar, all literally breaking bread together. Silicon Valley could only dream about having diversity at this level. There it was in plain sight in a little restaurant in the south. Never in my life have I been excited about something other than food in a restaurant. My new slogan for Rachel’s Wing Shack is “Go for the great food and stay for the people.” It is almost laughable that a little restaurant in Deland, FL could hold the key to solving some of the most unsolvable issues in our country, but there it was displayed out for me.
I don’t know if it’s the food, owners, customers, or a combination of it all, but if I was Rachel’s Wing Shack, I would continue using the recipe that they are. I invite all of my readers to experience this for themselves. I think this little ol’ place will capture your heart, as it did mine.
