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Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Southern Restaurants Cajun/Creole Seafood, Southern, Cajun/Creole [Edit]
Navy Pier700 E Grand Ave
Ste 131
Chicago, IL 60611
Neighborhood: Near North Side
(312) 252-4867
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Touristy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
121 reviews for Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Review Highlights
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"...was very honest, advised against the shrimper's heaven." In 7 reviews -
"...get the shrimp samplers (coconut, tempura and peel and eat." In 5 reviews -
"...Shrimper's Heaven, Shrimpin' Dippin' Broth, Chipotle shrimp..." In 2 reviews
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121 reviews in English
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Review from Sarah B.
Glendale, CA
5/9/2012
pretty much the same as every other bubba gump.
it has a great location!
the food is mediocre ...drinks are good tho & a great atmosphere
down side.....we got drinks that come with bubba gump cups to keep( the sangria) we were told that we had to pay for the glasses to keep them. thats never happend to me at any other bubba gump when it says you get to keep it
overall same as any other bubba gump -
Review from Kyna Z.
5/7/2012
Chain restaurant, but probably one of the better options on Navy Pier. Most the food on the Pier is the same - overpriced American. One thing that is nice is they have signs at the table to indicate if you need service or not and we always got a prompt response when we indicated we wanted to speak to our waiter. The waiter was very flexible, allowing 3 people to join our party after only seating 2 to begin with.
Additionally, I went for someone's birthday and they had a fun and unique rendition of the birthday song that included getting nearby guests clapping and joining in on the call and response for our guest of honor. (Plus ice cream with a candle.) That was great. -
Review from Jerry T.
3/10/2012
Not a big fan of Bubba Gump's. I've been dragged here a few times and it's always the same. The drinks are weak and overpriced. The food is mediocre. Almost all of the dishes are shrimp, which is a cool idea but the execution is not so good. The shrimp are pretty small and the portions are not very big.
Basically the same type of food that you would find at any other casual dining place at a lower quality with a higher price. There are so many better options in the area. -
Review from Thomas W.
Atlanta, GA
5/21/2012
Great scene and always fresh and lovely seafood. I came to visit a friend during taste of Chicago and he brought me here. Very glad he did! The drinks were good too!
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Review from Joedel G.
Plainfield, IL
2/26/2012
I've been here I think just a couple of times. If I remember the first time I came was the char-grilled Mahi-mahi stood out, It was excellent. Recently I did not order it to try something else on the menu. This time i had the seafood combinations on a tin bucket, it a delicious mix of steamed Mussels, Clams,Snow Crab, Lobster Claw and Shrimp. Again it's FRESH and very good, the drippings of these shellfish blended perfectly with a little touch of herbs. I literally slurped it's sauce. A side of jasmine rice makes it even better. Okay, why I only gave this review a 3 stars? mainly because this place is an overrated touristy area by the Navy Pier and of course the price is high.
But you know what I would definitely come back. -
Review from Katelyn C.
Chicago, IL
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have been here quite a few times and I am still indifferent!! this is a chicago tourist attraction but basically like a fast food place. the prices are more than ridiculous for the small portions!! all the shrimp is great, but I recently had the burger and it was not good and definitely not grade A meat nor is it seasoned. again, this place is nothing but an over priced tourist attraction with decent food, yet super small portions!
third star is for having 312 on tap!! -
Review from Jake R.
Buffalo Grove, IL
3/31/2012
If you want good shrimp, there is no other place to go. I highly recommend getting the plain old regular fried shrimp if you have never had shrimp before, because the fried shrimp here converted me into a shrimp monster (like cookie monster, but with shrimp). My favorites are the Shrimpin' Dippin' Broth and the Louisiana Shrimp. The SDB (Shrimpin' Dippin' Broth) is amazing. It comes in a pot full of shrimp in a spicy, cajun broth. The French bread MUST meet the broth for full effect. Also, pouring the broth onto the rice on the side is the best way to eat the rice. The Louisiana Shrimp is phenomenal. It's got a good cajun spice to it with some lemon-y undertones. I don't know why people are hating on Bubba Gump's. It may be a touristy place, but if you love Forest Gump, Shrimp, and/or have kids, this is a great place for dinner or lunch.
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Review from KuangYou C.
Chicago, IL
12/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I think most people come here because of the movie.
Honestly, the food here is good and the drink is nice, but a little bit pricey.
I feel I can go to a better restaurant with the same money.
If you are a shrimp lover or movie fan, this is the place to go! Or I would recommend other options... -
Review from Laurie V.
9/29/2011
We had a $25 gift certificate letter to Bubba Gump and had to wait for autumn so that the tourists would clear out and we could tolerate being at Navy Pier again. Checked out the family pass to the Children's Museum from the library and decided to make a day of it with our toddler and 2 infants.
Once we got there we saw that our certificate had expired in March but the manager was great and allowed us to use it anyway.
All of the staff was great. The hostess even climbed up on a chair to turn on a ceiling fan to entertain our fan-obsessed 2.5 year old. Very sweet of her! Everyone was friendly and helpful-could not have asked for more in that department.
The menu has a decent variety of options but plan on spending a ridiculous amount for what you get. The prices are HIGH, even for a tourist trap like the Pier.
Kids menu-we paid $4.99 for Kraft Macaroni and cheese, fries, jello and an orange slice. Now I know that doesn't seem like a lot of money, but we still expected a home made mac and cheese, not something out of a box. But the kid loved it! In general, this place is very kid friendly. But the annoying thing is that the men's room does not have a baby changing station. I saw all sorts of cool, helpful Dad's return to the table, asking their wives to go change diapers because of that. (my cool, helpful husband took our son to another bathroom outside of the restaurant. Thanks Honey!)
I had the $14.99 fish and chips. The portion was much smaller than I expected for that price. The fish was good, but left me wishing I had shelled out an additional $3.50 for the larger order.
Husband tried one of the shrimp combos for $20.99. Again, kind of small portions for what you paid. And it was OK, but left you wanting a little more.
With our $25 discount the meal was a decent experience. And we totally dominated the room when it came to Forrest Gump trivia.
If I am going to eat at the Pier I would stick with one of the more food court places. Cheaper and more satisfying.
If I decide to eat at a seafood chain restaurant in the future I think I would have to vote for Red Lobster. At least with their prices you get salad and those AWESOME Cheddar Bay Biscuits.
I -
Review from Felice O.
Noble Square, Chicago, IL
12/20/2011
I had lunch at Bubba Gump's on Sunday afternoon prior to attending the Winter Wonderland Festival at Navy Pier. I ordered the Mahi-Mahi Chargrilled sandwich and fries. Everything was standard "chain-restaurant" food fare. The mahi-mahi had no distinguishing flavors and the "house sauce" was a mix of thousand island and tartar sauce (without the kick). All in all, my entree was very similar to those one may find at TGI Friday's, etc. I also brought along my nephew who is two and ordered from the children's menu. He had a hamburger and fries. He refused to eat the hamburger as it was rubbery and pretty bland.
Positive: My sister ordered a crab bucket, which she thoroughly enjoyed and was probably the freshest entree at our table. However, the service was excellent. Our waiter was very nice and very accommodating to myself and my nephew. -
Review from Quality C.
Chicago, IL
9/25/2011
THE GOOD: The location, the outdoor space, the beer
THE BAD: The food, the price
THE UGLY: The price was unbelievably high. -
Review from Belle L.
Chicago, IL
10/15/2011
Tourist prices with cosmopolitan portions. A better menu since my last visit. It's amazing how chain restaurants make everything work out.
Strawberry syrup in drinks (strawberry lemonade) and dessert (short cake on a bed of strawberry syrup). A single serving short cake is a whopping $6.00 with yummy butter vanilla syrup. Clogged arteries.
Coffee -- dive joint quality + burned or too much grounds = Starbucks feeling. Mud color.
Craving for Shrimpin' Dippin Broth. Same taste in smaller portion. Used to be a puddle of jasmine rice, now a cup of rice. Used to be garlic smothered french bread, now just plain french bread. Still a good soft freshly baked bread.
Going back again to taste a few dishes on the menu. -
Review from Deanna J.
7/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Was taken here while visiting family because it was assumed I would enjoy that place since it's kitschy and because of the reference to the movie. I like the license plate set-up. We tested it to see if anyone would stop at the table with the proper license plate and they certainly followed protocol.
The food? Eh. Nothing special. I ordered Captain Dan's Drunken Shrimp. It came with mashed potatoes with french fries randomly stuck into it. Something a drunkard would do, obviously. My mashed potatoes were cold. My shrimp, which were grilled and sitting in some sort of cream sauce were cold. I didn't complain because I wasn't paying, but still. I did go on a Saturday night at prime-time but that's never an excuse for cold food.
Decent experience, but I won't be running to eat there again next time I'm in Chicago. -
Review from Kelz M.
Chicago, IL
1/5/2011
*sigh*
Yes, I dined at Bubba Gump's last night - we were at Navy Pier doing the tourist thing with a visiting friend and, well, BGSC was open when everything else seemed to be closed. Yes, I enjoyed it (kind of a lot). Don't judge me.
Okay, no seafood enthusiast is going to say the shrimp is great; however, it's pretty darn good stuff for a chain restaurant located in the midwest! I had the crab stuffed shrimp.... not bad! My friends each enjoyed their meals as well (coconut shrimp, mahi-mahi). None of us said "best we've ever had" yet we all cleaned our plates quite happily. Well, except me - I was too full to eat my jasmine rice! One friend ordered the bread pudding for dessert and loved it.
Our server was friendly, helpful, and, even though we pretty much had the place to ourselves, he wasn't at all intrusive. I give our experience a solid 3.5 stars, leaning toward 4. -
Review from Nelson M.
Restaurant Review
"Stupid is as stupid does." Unfortunately I did not heed the advice of my fellow yelpers and avoid this restaurant. As part of my quest to eat at all the locations around streeterville I wanted to take my wife who had not experienced the Bubba gump experience. The last time I was here was in high school and it was okay, but that was before inflation hit. I had the bucket of trash which was fries, shrimp, and fried fish. It was salty and not memorable. I have the same complaints as the others with the small size of the meal. My wife had the shrimper's heaven which had coconut shrimp, fries, shrimp tempura, chilly shrimp, and fried shrimp. They are super cheap and give you these small cups for the dipping sauce. Also the tangy asian sauce had a bug in it (we did not complain as we were already done with the meal at this time). The steamed shellfish was good but contained 1 lobster claw, 2 crab legs, a few mussles and clams, shrimp w/ a side of rice. They were nice enough to bring out soy sauce from the kitchen on request. The main problem is high prices 20-23 dollars for each of the items and small portions. When I left I didn't feel that the fried food was any higher quality than long john silver.
FYI during your meal you get entertained by your waiter with forrest gump trivia.
Pro- lots of fried food option, steam seafood that is cheaper than other restaurants but smaller portion
Con- BUG in sauce, small portion, expensive
Hidden deal- if you leave feedback after your first visit, you can get a free coupon for the far out dip appetizer on the website -
Review from Chris M.
Oak Park, IL
6/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Stopped in today while walking past Navy Pier. Atmosphere is good and the trivia while you wait for a table can be very reminding of just how long it has been since you last watched Forrest Gump.
I ordered the Lt. Dan's Drunken Shrimp which was OK, not exactly spectacular or anything. Each shrimp on the plate seemed to be cooked to a different consistency. All in all, I feel that while the service is good and the food is decent, it's not exactly something to get worked up about or a must try kind of spot. -
Review from Ryan L.
3/30/2011
We stopped here after not being able to get in at another restaurant. The cold Chicago wind made us make a quick decision, and to Bubba Gump we went. We had a short wait (maybe 20-25 minutes) and were seated. The atmosphere of the restaurant is really fun, and the restaurant is definitely unique. You have a sign that you can flip that will get any server's attention, not just your own. They incorporate aspects of Forrest Gump, such as a ping pong paddle for their drink menu.
I'm not a big seafood guy, so I got fried chicken. While a little overpriced (around $17 for chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn), the food was actually really, really good. This was some of the best fried chicken I had had in a long while. But still, for $17, it's only fried chicken.
Other people got kebobs and shrimp, and they both thought the food was good as well, but not quite worth the money. The service was great and out waiter was very accommodating and nice. Had the prices been a little lower, it would have made for a great restaurant. -
Review from Mahsa T.
8/2/2010
Tourist trap: yes.
Two-hour wait: yes.
Lovely outdoor seating: yes
Good shrimp: yes.
Pleasant service: yes.
Based on the other reviews here, I was bracing myself for a horrible experience (since I didn't remember anything from my own previous visit years ago)--but much to my surprise, I had a very pleasant dinner here.
It was a Saturday evening so we were quoted a wait of one hour and 35 minutes. This happened to work in our favor because we put our name down, went on an hour-long cruise, and got back right in time to have our name called for a table. One hour and 35 minutes exactly. The manager and host were doing an exceptional job of taking down names and keeping track of people (the wait list was 3 pages long just for the outdoor section). You have to give them credit where credit is due. This is the first restaurant people see when they get to the Pier and it takes a person with a backbone and patience to deal with hordes of people that come up to you, ask about the wait, and then roll their eyes at you when you tell them 2 hours (which was the wait they were quoting when we got back). The manager was not taking any bull from anyone and I have to give her props for that!
Prices are not bad considering the location and this being seafood...coconut shrimp (delicious!) $18, shrimpers heaven (shrimp cooked 4 ways--loved the tempura) $20, strawberry speckled lemonade (sweet but not too sweet) $4.
Our food came out fast and our waitress Renee was delightful!
I liked this place and gosh darn it, I'm giving it 3.5 stars. Maybe I'm just getting nicer with age. -
Review from Huggi W.
Chicago, IL
11/2/2011
Very active atmosphere (both couples and families with small children). Tried both a stuffed shrimp and a shrimp & andouille sausage dish - both which were delicious. I would definitely dine here again. :)
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Review from Philippe C.
Las Vegas, NV
9/28/2010
Like everyone has said, this is indeed a tourist trap, but the shrimp is awesome.
They have a Shrimper's Heaven platter which comes with boiled shrimp (which they call "chilly" shrimp), coconut shrimp, tempura shrimp and hand-breaded shrimp.
I hate Forrest Gump (most overrated and ridiculously easy to make fun of movie ever), so the theme of the place as well as the waiters going around asking people random questions about the movie got pretty grating, but the service was very fast which made up for all of that as after a while I don't pay attention to restaurant themes anyway.
I really didn't like how there was so much more cabbage in the shrimp cones than actual shrimp, but the shrimp being so good made up for that, and I got pretty full without even finishing all of it.
Don't forget about the bread pudding. Now THAT's how bread pudding should be done. -
Review from Don W.
10/5/2010
Disclaimer: We were tourists.
Okay, that's out of the way. This is a place to eat shrimp and they were all cooked right. The Forrest Gump theme got old but I've been to this place before and knew it was coming. Kids seem to have fun, and I enjoyed getting a picture of a guy in our group standing next to someone in a shrimp costume, but that's it. Go for the shrimp, roll your eyes at the rest. It's not so bad as long as you take it for what it is, and it's not the only place you eat in town. -
Review from Sarah G.
8/24/2009
Well this place get a bonus for being probably the coolest place to eat on the whole navy pier.....and yes that isn't saying much, but, you if you like shrimp and want fun service, then bubba, it is no reason you were forest's best friend!!
Yup, if you didn't know this place is made after bubba in forest gump. They even ask you forest gump trivia while you are eating here and make you compete with tables across from each other!! Being a big pub trivia fan I thought this was awesome, and my brother and I definitely put up a good fight!!
And they have signs on the table that say run forest run on them if you don't need any service from the waiters, or you can flip it to stop forest stop if you do!! pretty clever! I was just playing around with the sign for a photo op to be funny, and literally within about 2 seconds someone came to ask what we needed! Now that is service! ha ha
Our mixed drink specials were okay, and could have been a little stronger, and I'm sure forest would have wanted his drink a little stronger, especially if he came in after one of those ping pong games of his. But my shrimp dish was pretty tasty. Came in a big silver bucket soaking in sauce and broth and that broth with a little cajun spice in it, but it definitely could have been spicier especially since i said to make it spicier. And my brother loves their coconut shrimp and orders it all the time, and he finished that bad boy faster than forest could ever run!
But with the drinks being not too special and really the prices here I think are a little more than they should be, an average three stars it is for you bubba. -
Review from Carl O.
9/5/2011
Tried this location on the Navy Pier -- really because everything else was closing up and I was starving and in the area. Wasn't all that impressed with the Navy Pier in general. Walking in I was the only one waiting, I could see a couple of empty tables and it took a considerable amount of time to get seated. The service ended up being pretty good and the Run Forest Run license plate idea is cool. The atmosphere of the place is interesting too. I tried the I'm Stuffed Shrimp and it was good, but I thought overall the prices were a little high for what you get as others have commented. However, with it being in a tourist location the price trap is set and is to be expected. The food wasn't outright awesome, but it was good. With so many other options in Chicago I'd try out another restaurant next time I'm in town.
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Review from Chrissy N.
Chicago, IL
1/26/2009
Went here for a quick business lunch. It was casual, food came fast, extensive menu, AND every 20 minutes or 1/2 hour, the wait staff holds a quick quiz about scenes/ trivia from the movie Forrest Gump. It's cute, gets everyone laughing, is not obnoxious, but clean fun. This is a fun family place.
They also serve locally brewed Goose Island Beer. -
Review from Genevieve R.
Chicago, IL
6/4/2007
My mom was suckered in by the this tourist trap and since it was her vacation I put on my best smile and ordered a fishwhich with fries. Overpriced crap. Cheese was placed half on my fish half falling onto my plate stuck to the paper they lined it with, and the fries were soggy.
The only slightly exciting thing about this place is that there are signs on the table that say "Run Forrest Run," and "Stop Forrest Stop" to indicate to the waiter whether to check in or move on by. This allowed for my family to have uninterrupted conversation, albeit that it was about how bland the food was.
Bland food aside, the waiter was entertaining and played Forrest Gump Trivia with my mother which was a hoot.Listed in: They aren't taking my coin…
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Review from Carmen E.
Downey, CA
6/2/2011
The worst Bubba Gump ever!!!! We waited an hour for our food and when it finally got there it was cold. We made someone aware of our cold food and she told us that it was going to take a while to replace so we asked for a manager and she agreed to microwave our food, can you believe that!!!! We are paying $17 per plate I think microwave is not the thing to do. We decided to talk to another manager and she agreed that we should not pay for our meal but she said it with an attitude making us feel like we were just trying to get a free meal. I would not recommend any one to visit this restaurant, please don't!! You will regret it.
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Review from Carla L.
6/25/2008
Hmm... wow. Trap is the only word I can think of to describe this place. The food was mediocre AT BEST. My fish n chips was completely bland plus the fish inside the batter was toasty and dry around the tips. Kinda icky.
My little one (the daughter I use as cover to shop at Hot Topic..) ordered the shrimp scampi linguine that was swimming in oil - poor thing couldn't finish. Her stomach couldn't handle the greasy food. My sisters order came out wrong and by the time they fixed it we were done eating.
Our server was as sweet as anything but still, it doesn't make up for horrible food no matter what. All in all not worth paying $15 - $17 a plate for such bad food.
I agree with Romney, this seafood falls way below SUCKY. It is downright gross. -
Review from Florence Y.
Brooklyn, NY
8/27/2009
"If you made reservations, you've come to the wrong place" That's the truth. Located at tourist hot spot Navy Pier, we had to wait 2 hours for dinner on a Saturday night. Thank god for the endless tourist shop/traps to go through during that 2 hours! I was a little skeptical about the quality of food but it was pretty impressive.
3 of us ordered:
- lbs peel and eat shrimp - if you want to get your hands dirty, it's worth it. Suck and spit is the way to go.
- Dipping broth with jasmine rice and bread - probably the best dish we ordered! Full of shrimp! Feel free to ask for more bread!
- New Orleans Shrimp with jasmine rice - tasty with a little bit of a kick
- Coconut shrimp with fries - probably about 8 pieces or so of shrimp. Wasn't too bad!
- Jenny's Mini Mud Pie - It's like a tall shot of dessert! 1 for $2.25 or all 6 for $12. I exercised self-discipline and ordered just one. Perfect for personal consumption, not to be shared!
Our waiter was very honest, advised against the shrimper's heaven. Thank God! Staff was very attentive to our "Stop Forrest Stop" and "Run Forrest Run" signs! Two TV screens by the bar area, one showing sports and the other, Forrest Gump, of course!
Perfect place to go eat when you are by a pier...completes the whole by-the-water experience! "And that's about all I have to say about that!"
Tip-bits:
Ladies' only had two stalls, with the sinks in the stalls.
Look out for Sale items in the entrance/shop area
Outside seating had a shorter wait, only because no one wanted to sit and freeze in the cold
Put your name down and wander around Navy Pier -
Review from April P.
Updated - 10/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
Dave V. aka, "Crouton", advised me that there were FIVE DAVIDS that work at Bubba's. We've had the pleasure of being serviced by two Davids, two visits in a row and both are equally helpful, equally entertaining and give their recommendations with such precision on the dish.
Crouton was very entertaining with his Forrest Gump trivia, and while every server has probably been trained with this, it's his delivery that's great. Ahahha, ask any comedian, delivery is what makes it!!!
Food was great, as always, I had the steamed seafood platter. My only gripe was that 3 of the clams/mussels didn't open, so didn't get all my seafood kick, but what I did have was very tasty.
Always get the strawberry shortcake for dessert. Leave room for it, you won't regret it. Yes, the biscuit is kinda dry, but it's meant to soak up the cream and the ice cream of the rest of the dish. Makes for a very non-mushy, non- soggy wonderful dessert!!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/22/2010
Wednesday nights are fireworks night at Navy Pier. Oops I forgot that! But Bubba's was still able… Read more »
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Review from Henry A.
Houston, TX
8/13/2007
This is a tourist trap and I have no idea how ended up in here one day. I was ignorant.
The service is annoying and constantly comes to your table with Forest Gump movie trivia. The food is tasteless, boring, and ordinary. Everything is deep fried and tastes like cardboard. -
Review from Heather T.
Long Beach, CA
9/14/2008
Bubba Gump's lost me immediately when the Hush Puppies were dished out, because they are balls of crab and shrimp, not cornmeal.
From there, it went downhill after Forrest visited our table.
Awkward stares all around.
I mentioned that I had never been to a Bubba Gump's before, and someone at the table asked, "Where have YOU been?"
"At good restaurants," I wanted to tell her. -
Review from Keara K.
Detroit, MI
8/20/2009
So I'm giving Bubba Gump 2 stars, because our food was decent, our server, James, was terrific, and there's some fun gimmicky stuff going on. I really hate complaining- I've worked in service forever, and I'm really forgiving but that being said... I understand this is a touristy joint. It's on Navy Pier, and anyone complaining it's touristy should have known better. Hubby and I live in Chicago, and knew what to expect, so that was not my problem (although Lt. Dan would never have ordered some fru-fru juicy vodka drink, shame shame.)- my problem was in the service.
It was pouring rain and my hubby and I brought the in-laws to Navy Pier, and we were starving. There was about an hour wait at BGS, so we walked around a little then finally our name was called. Hubby and F.I.L. stepped out for a moment, so my M.I.L. and I went to get our table. When she and I walked up to the host, he sat us and while walking away said "Nice. I see you schemed your way by saying there are four of you when there are only two. Of course." So, automatically I'm a little irked.
We then meet our great server, who takes our orders. We are explained the "STOP FORREST" sign, and he goes on his way. FIL and MIL order soups. They arrive and the food runner person tells them to watch out, then slams the soup on the table and walks away. Then the food arrives in pieces.
I ordered some shrimp heaven dish, which comes with 3 sauces, all of which were less than half full. So, we excitedly flipped our STOP FORREST SIGN, and as promised, immediately a team member shows up. She says "What do you want?" I ask for more cocktail sauce, and she replies very sassily "Fine, go on and flip that sign back over". She comes back, and slams the sauce on the table and walks away. Turns out she's the manager, so any complaint about the host, soup runner, or her, would be pointless.
Not wanting to make a scene, we cashed out, left James a great tip (cause he was great). Still being annoyed, I decided to Yelp as well. I hope the managment reads this so they can work on their customer service skills, cause a popular chain place like that should have it down to an art. -
Review from Romney D.
4/22/2008
Oh...Bubba Gump...where should I start? Being raised on the East Coast and having a father who delivered Seafood I can definitely distinguish between great seafood and SUCKY seafood...and boy did my meal fall way below sucky.
But first I'd like to bash the waitress who recommended this dish to me. What was I thinking? I can't remember the meal but it had "Jasmine rice" aka WHITE rice, fish and like 3 shrimps, tomatoes and basil. Now what I didn't like about this meal was that is lacked...hm..what's the word I'm looking for..OH, FLAVOR!!!! The diced tomatoes were way over powering and when I ate the shrimp I tasted, tomatoes! The fish was actually okay and the rice, it was rice! Don't need to get fancy there.
The one thing I actually did enjoy was the bucket of shrimp, althought I did have to sprinkle my own salt to add a bit more of flavor to it. My sister played it safe and got Calamari and a basket of fries, she's a smart cookie. She enjoyed the Calamari, but I was so baffled by my foods taste I didn't even try and get some of hers.
The meal was 50 bucks and a total disappointment. I'm contemplating if I'd ever go again and try something else, but who knows..Listed in: Not Really A Fan...
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Review from Gustavo A. L.
Orlando, FL
8/15/2008
The third star is for the location, Navy Pier is absolutely one of the best spots in Chicago to have a great time. As far as Bubba Gump, it is a victim of its own size, the place is huge and the waitstaff is not in sync. They screwed up our order twice and the salad took way longer than the hot entrees. Normally these are minor details and you go with the flow depending on the response from the waiter, but their lackadaisical attitude was simply unacceptable at those prices.
The food is pretty standard so you basically pay for the overhead, the concept and the location- However, if they are going to overprice their food based on the fact that they are a tourist trap, you MUST follow it up with good service. Not here ... move along folks, not worth the $$$. -
Review from Jessica C.
Chicago, IL
8/25/2010
Yes, it's touristy, yes, it's somewhat overpriced, but sometimes as a Chicagoan, you gotta play the part of the tourist sometimes. I haven't been to Bubba Gump Shrimp since I was 12 years old.
We were seated right way on the patio on a nice Saturday afternoon. My boyfriend and I split and Shrimper's Heaven, a salad, and some mashed potatoes. The portions here are really big so split an entrée and an appetizer with another person to save some money and your stomach from heart burn.
Our server Colleen was very nice, attentive, and prompt. She couldn't believe we lived in Chicago and were eating at Bubba Gump Shrimp.
Word... -
Review from Jennie T.
10/15/2010
The touristy concept was attractive. It's one of the reasons why I got lured in. The first time I saw a Bubba Gump was in Denver when I went there for a convention, and I was itching to try it because I love shrimp, but I didn't get a chance. Then every time I went to the Navy Pier, I was too full to go in. I guess it wasn't meant to be, at least not until recently.
My friend and I ordered the gumbo soup and an appetizer platter (Shrimper's Heaven). I also got the mango lemonade. The food was mediocre. I wasn't very impressed with anything. This is what I get for being lured by a touristy trap. -
Review from Mandi P.
6/29/2010
This review should have been written months ago, but I am just getting to it....and it was such a bad experience that I still feel compelled to write this review over 3 months after the fact!!!
We travelled to Navy Pier on Wednesday night of March 3rd as we had obtained 2 tickets to a IMAX/3D advanced screening of Alice and Wonderland and decided to eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. as we were in a hurry to wait in the growing line for the IMAX. The ONLY positive I can say about this experience is that they were fast!!!
We started out with the popcorn shrimp which were not "popcorn" sized, but were, in fact, 3 large size shrimp. We just assumed they had run out of popcorn shrimp and we were hungry so whatevs. We both ordered a fish dish to finish. The fish was COMPLETELY non edible. My husband tried to muster through his as he was starving, but he cold only stomach about 1/4 of it. I spit my one and only bite out. I saw someone post something about the food being comparable to a tv dinner....this was way worse than any tv dinner I have ever experienced!!! I am truly shocked we did not develop some type of food poisoning from this experience!!!
We were in too much of a hurry to get to the theater to send the food back and request something else so we simply paid and left. While we were waiting in the movie line for approximately 1.5 hours, the manager came out to the huge line of movie patrons and began quizzing the line about Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in exchange for samples of food. What a tease...we were still starving and could not participate for fear of death from the samples!!! Not to mention, the manager had to have been one of the loudest and most annoying people I have ever heard screaming for 1.5 hours.
We have eaten at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. at different locations and find the food and atmosphere enjoyable. However, we will NEVER be returning to this location!!! -
Review from stephen p.
Los Angeles, CA
6/17/2007
Ok, I was on the tourist trail this weekend. Come on, I'm in town from LA, yo!
Today, I hit Navy Pier, but I did it cool-style on the water taxi. I stared at the scenery and snapped a few pics. And then I spotted Bubba Gump. Yes! I've always wanted to try this place but for some reason the belly and Gump have never quite managed to get acquainted. Until today.
I didn't want any fries, or fried shrimps or anything with cheese in it! So, I'm glad to say there were quite a lot of alternatives. My waiter steered me towards the Bourbon Mahi Mahi which came with a rich creamy sauce and, of course, shrimps. The Goose seasonal pint of beer helped make this a great meal. Except for the comment from a fellow diner..."look there's Jackie Chan...hheeeheee". Yes, I'm Chinese. "Oh, look...", I thought to myself, "...there's a redneck with his bitchass wife..." He did have a redneck, honest! Although it was obscured by his baseball hat on backwards :) I'm not judging...I'm just saying! He probably thought Bubba Gump was a real person, like Col. Sanders!? Pea brain!
Back to the review. The service is good, although the check came instead of an offer of dessert. I bet those desserts are good, but I decided that I should get on with my sightseeing...off to Oak Park Beach I went! -
Review from Maria C.
3/26/2010
Oh the joy of a lunch at a complete tourist trap like Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
You can get your side of sickeningly cliche 'Run Forrest Run' license plates, ping pong paddles doubling as drink menus, and every shrimp imaginable (fried shrimp, coconut shrimp, shrimp cocktail - you get the picture). You will also pay an arm and a leg, along with handing over your first born child, just to eat here. I emptied my wallet very quickly on a recent lunch here.
That being said, I did enjoy my Caesar salad and the 'Shrimper's Heaven' entree, which I shared with my fiance. Four different types of shrimp, dipped in four different types of sauces. It wasn't overly greasy and was very tasty. He got the gumbo (I had a spoonful, not fantastic, but okay). The service was also very good. We had a friendly server who admitted to us that we were the only Chicagoans in the restaurant. -
Review from Tom S.
Chicago, IL
8/21/2008
I loathed the movie Forrest Gump. I know that puts me in a very rare minority, but I have done my best to avoid anything having to do with that "movie". When the national restaurant chain Bubba Gump Shrimp Company emerged on the scene it was no exception. I did everything in my power to avoid dining at any of their umpteen locations.
I lost that battle, twice.
The first time I ever dined at Bubba Gump was, of all places, was Waikiki Hawaii. Let's just say that it was unavoidable; completely and totally unavoidable. It was a disaster from the start when the drink orders were not right. Then the waitress let my side of coleslaw in its little bowl slide of my plate and right into my lap. The fact that I had to replicate scenes from the movie just to order my lunch was insulting enough, now I have canned coleslaw in my lap!? It got worse, believe it or not ...
Would you believe the service was even worst at Navy Pier? Even just trying to get your name on the waiting list was a circus of massive proportions. Do they actually hire Forrest Gumps to work here!? I was beginning to wonder
That's that the last time I ever do my friends a favor. Not really, but that's how I came to dine at BGSC at Navy Pier, as a favor to a friend who couldn't find anyone else to go. Oh really? What about getting one of the many tourists to adopt you and let you dine with them? There are plenty from which to choose. Bubba Gump is like the mothership for tourists [refer to my paragraph above for lightweight proof].
Everyone knows that shrimp is frozen, strike one. Not that I don't like shrimp, but if that's your specialty it should be a no-brainer ... oh wait it is.
Run away Forrest! Run away!
