Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Restaurants Cajun/Creole Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch, Cajun/Creole [Edit]
301 Santa Monica PierBldg 9
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 393-0458
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri 11 am - 11 pm
Sat 8 am - 11 pm
Sun 8 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- 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
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
278 reviews for Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Review Highlights
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"...clam appetizer and the Shrimper's Heaven (we substituted in..." In 10 reviews -
"Bourbon street Mahi Mahi: this was really good." In 3 reviews -
"The food is great and the atmosphere is fun." In 6 reviews
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277 reviews in English
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Review from Destinee D.
Whittier, CA
5/14/2012
This place is okay. Its really conveniant if you've been strolling along the beach and pier and you dont want to eat at the rinky dinky burger joints on the pier.
The Food is ok but then again so is Joe's Crab Shack.
I do like this place for dates with my boyfriend, we love the beach and it is romantic to eat during sunset and to watch the sky fold into dark blue.
They do have really tasty blueberry lemonaide.
All in all, good place for dates, you can laugh at the corny Forest Gump themes and trivia then dig into fried shrimp, grilled shrimp, shrimp cocktaill, blackened shrimp, steamed shrimp.... -
Review from John B.
Beverly Hills, CA
5/9/2012
Great views of the ocean and the food is pretty good. Large attempt on their part to make the overall experience "fun".
I had the Shrimp New Orleans which was tasty. Ordered Margaritas, large 22oz and it was horrible. Almost no tequila in it, watery would be an understatement. It almost seemed that the additional shot needed that they brought out was watered down itself. The "shaker glass" was half filled with ice which made it worse.
It's also very busy and hard to get a table. Kinda expensive for what it is, but you are paying for ocean front property. -
Review from Sarah B.
4/30/2012
I had low expectations for a chain shrimp place in a touristy area, but I like Forrest Gump so I wanted to check it out. The wait for a table was over an hour so we grabbed a seat at the bar. Most of the food on the menu was fried, it seemed. We got the bucket of cajun shrimp and the sampler. Half the shrimp weren't cleaned or were only partially cleaned, gross. The highlight of the whole thing were the hush puppies. We drank Coronaritas (I'm a sucker for gimmicks if you can't tell) which were not surprisingly weak and expensive, but we got free plastic shakers, at least. All in all the bill was around $50 for 2 appetizers and 2 drinks.
The bartender took a long time to get to us, but she was cool when we spilled things twice (I'm sorry!). I probably would not return to Bubba Gump now that I've experienced it, so I can only give it 2 stars. -
Review from Michael L.
Los Angeles, CA
5/6/2012
Love that it's on the pier. Hate that it took sooo long to get our shots when the place was nearly empty and, by the way, they were not even chilled like we asked them to be. This is like your typical TGIF and Applebees restaurant, except you get to be right next to the ocean.
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Review from Rachel S.
4/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Never again will I be coming here to bubba gumps. For the price you pay you can go to a very small mom and pop shop and get a gourmet meal for the same price. I'm not cheap but I can be frugal and when I splurge on food I expect quality to match the price. Bubba Gumps food did not match the price.
It started off when I called and they said they don't accept reservations. Then we waited an hour and a half (we should have left when they told us that) It ended up taking longer then that. By the time we sat at the table we were starving. The restaurant goers are mostly tourists, snapping photos at every opportunity. I was agitated and irritated because we were all very hungry and becoming cranky.
I ordered the bucket of seafood, but instead I solely got the bucket of crab, I was so hungry that I didn't want to complain. After fighting to eat the crab, I still was starving. I had paid 30 for a meal that didn't satiate my belly. My two other friends both spent the same amount and they were not thrilled with the flavors of the food.
The crab was tiny and hard to get into. The rice that came with it was far too bland.
I was so disappointed with my meal and so were my friends that we won't be coming back. We should have just eaten at The Lobster at the beginning of the pier.
Lesson learned, and after this review I'm moving on. -
Review from Cheri. A G.
Los Angeles, CA
4/4/2012
The first time I went to Bubba Gump's was in Maui so it always brings back fond memories. Yes it's a themed cheesy restaurant but the shrimps are fantastic. I recently tried the Dixie Fishwich (fish sandwich). I had my fish charbroiled (they offer it fried too). I love that stupid sandwich.
I may have to come here just for that stupid fish sandwich.
Oh, it's on the pier so you have great views but it gets super crowded with that dang tourists...just kidding! I love tourist because they bring So Cal $$$. -
Review from Leonard A.
Los Angeles, CA
3/7/2012
We stopped in to BGS because it was just a short walking distance from Cirque du Soleil. Otherwise we never would have even known of its existence. Nevertheless, Sachi had a quick coffee (it was about half an hour before show time) and I had a Brown Russian. What's a Brown Russian you ask? That's a White Russian with Bailey's instead of cream. VERY good! And the cute barkeep even gave me an extra shot of Bailey's unasked for!
I like the atmosphere (it reminded me a bit of Gladstone's) and the buzz, although I don't eat shrimp or other bottomfeeder type stuff.. But those mushroom veggie burgers and fries (and onion rings!) sure looked tempting! We were going to come back after the show, but by then it was late and we were tired. Maybe another time. -
Review from Suzi L.
Burbank, CA
4/4/2012
Had family in town and stopped here for drinks and appetizers by the beach. We sat on the lower level, window seat, there was a nice view of the beach! Pomegranate margarita was very good, stronger than most chain bar drinks! Got the artichoke dip as an appetizer with our drinks.
Drinks were good. Food was good. Pricey though. We probably could have had cheeper and more local flavor further from the beach, but we wanted something overlooking the beach, so it was worth it. Love the sign system for calling the waiter over, you gotta check that out! Run Forest Run! -
Review from Celenia O.
Pomona, CA
5/6/2012
I give this restaurant 5 stars because of the ocean front view and great service we received...the Forest Gump Movie trivia was pretty awesome...this place isn't so vegetarian friendly but I tasted the best veggie burger ever at Bubba Gump's...I highly recommend the veggie burger even if you're not vegetarian!!
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Review from Tanya K.
Los Angeles, CA
4/29/2012
Ive been to many Bubba Gumps in different states and this by far was the worst experience ever. The food was subpar. I ordered the Accidental Seafood dish. The shrimp was tiny and overlooked. The mahi mahi was over cooked. For a table of 5 not one of us could say our meal was good.
The girls working the hostess stand and seating people absolutely sucked. Their customer service skills were lacking in the worst way. Rude at best.
The restaurant was dirty, loud, and hot. Turn on the air conditioning!
One star for the view which was amazing! Will NEVER eat at this location again. So bad, it will have me thinking twice before visiting another location! -
Review from Emmalyn M.
Long Beach, CA
3/15/2012
This Bubba Gump location holds a special place in my heart! This is where my bf took me on our first date a looooonnnnggggg time ago! LOL. We've made it a tradition to come here every April 2nd since that was the date of our first date here. :)
I guess the staff could tell it was our first date by how quiet we were and awkward we were standing next to each other, so they asked us Forrest Gump questions to try and break the ice between us--- which they did! My bf and I both had a good laugh at how we didn't really know the answers when the answers were on our table the entire time and we still laugh at it to this day! LOL.
I don't like shrimp but my experience here was an awesome one! The staff is very friendly and nice; our server made my guacamole in front of us which ensured me that my order was "fresher than a mother f-------". Yes I did just quote that Chris Brown song!! :o) -
Review from Judy H.
2/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came here for lunch time and it was busy, but my group got seated pretty quick. The staff here are super friendly! They all have such great personalities! Our waitress asked us trivia questions about the Forest Gump movie, which we all nailed...eventually.
Their bucket of shrimp was delicious from their seasoning sauce. You can choose add half and half of their different seasonings. The shrimps are really small though. Their chips and artichoke dip was yummy and cheesy too! Their shrimp pasta was flavorful but a bit too buttery for me. All of their serving sizes are kinda small and I was still hungry afterwards.
One cool thing about their decor was that they had actual props from the movie Forest Gump! Loved that movie! -
Review from Rick E.
Camarillo, CA
4/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
The food was consistent with the Bubba Gump I frequent more often (Universal City), which is a good thing! The view of the ocean is excellent. Unfortunately, the service was not very good. For the first time ever at a Bubba Gump Shrimp, I actually had to flip the "Stop Forrest!" sign for help. I was ignored an additional 12 minutes. I was hoping to get a refill on our drinks and possibly place our appetizer order. I decided to grab our empty glasses and walk to the bar for soda refills. I asked if I could place my order with him. He told me no, he could only service the bar. He didn't ask me any follow-up questions, probably because he didn't want to discover a problem that he would have to assist with. I grabbed a random server and asked her if she could take my order, I was really hungry and our server disappeared and no one will stop at the table. With a snotty tude, she asked who my server was and so I was an ass and told her she was. She asked where I was sitting, I pointed and she replied that I am not in her section. I told her I don't care, place my order now or walk me over to the manager. So, we walked to the manager who told me he would have someone take my order right away.
He set us up with a very pleasant server who screwed up our order only twice. We even received food that wasn't ours from someone I am assuming works in the kitchen. Just literally dropped the plates off! I didn't think the place looked busier than I would expect a Bubba Gump to be, the wait was only 15 minutes. We used our Landers card and got in right away. Sooo.... Food tasted great, view excellent, service really funny! -
Review from Ryan M.
2/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place's food and drinks are way overpriced.
They definitely UPSELL you on their drinks. The waiter recommended the Coronita Rita and so my friends and I figured, "why not?" and got some. Later on, when we got the bill, we learned that our drinks were $12 each and they came with a souvenir glass or shaker. THANK GOODNESS we get to keep something out of that $12 drink, but some of us really did not want it.
Kalila got the #1 recommended entree, Shrimper's Heaven and OH MAN, we were not impressed. The only impressive shrimp in all of the different types of shrimps offered was the COCONUT shrimp. Everything else was bland and boring. Kalila didn't like any of the dipping sauces they brought with it. The best sauce out of the 3 was probably the cocktail sauce. Idk, maybe others would like it more though...
I got the Shrimp Scampi. It was really good, but it wasn't worth $18. I'm a big guy and I finished that bowl real quick. Not enough pasta/shrimp for $18.
Also, the music is WAY TOO LOUD. It felt like we were yelling at our friends to try to have a conversation.
I wish the Santa Monica Pier had more restaurant options.Listed in: Traveling Taste Buds
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Review from Daryl B.
Los Angeles, CA
3/8/2012
Been here a couple times....
Themed out to the max...
Great tourist restaurant
The shrimp dish I had was pretty good
Just a little high in price...but not by much...
service was good...interesting people they
have working there...
It was alot of fun....We both liked it...actual rating 3.5 -
Review from Jamie A.
2/3/2012 1 photo
The best part was my husband's margarita with a mini-corona in it! In second-place, came the mud pie which was bigger than my face (and my face is pretty big!) I was too tired to walk in the cold across to Ocean, but after seeing the bill here, I would have had a better quality meal if I walked my lazy butt elsewhere like Blue Plate Oysterette.
I have no idea why their plates are averaging $20 each. I had shrimp and veggie skewers which were pretty uninteresting. I did eat it all, but hey - I was hungry and I don't want to waste a plate of over-priced, pre-frozen seafood. My dish also came with the smallest side of rice ever. My husband had something odd - it was shrimp in a creamy Bourbon sauce over mashed potatoes! I had one bite of his food and it was way too rich.
I liked how they sat us downstairs in the "patio" area and you had to walk upstairs to use the restroom. How come the stairs were super busy and people were yelling "corner" every half-second?
Luckily, our server didn't make us play any Forrest Gump games! My husband was happy with his "souvenir cup" but he's appeased pretty easily. Me? Not so much. -
Review from Mark W.
Bakersfield, CA
4/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
You know the drill... Forest did this Forest did that.... yuk yuk! How old is that movie anyway??? At this point I think the restaraunt is starting to "besmurchify" the movie...I am not sure I like either one!
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Review from Mark E.
Sacramento, CA
3/13/2012
This was my first time eating at Bubba Gump Shrimp and it was definitely a good time. The food was mediocre, but the fun atmosphere is what makes it worth it. The servers are really cool, they even ask you a few trivia questions about the movie Forrest Gump, I was a little rusty but I managed to get a couple right. The prices are steep but hey thats what you should expect at a novelty restaurant especially when its located on a pier. Not a place that you would frequent all the time, but you should check it out at least once.
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Review from cel j.
Buena Park, CA
friendly service...had a great view of the sunset!--
yummy chowder, shrimps and crab legs... -
Review from Lauren K.
1/2/2012
I really like Bubba Gump Shrimp - the chain, but I especially liked this location. We had a small group for my friend's birthday and they were very accommodating despite the fact that we called on our way there.
Prices are a bit high for not that classy of a restaurant, but you are paying for the experience! It is so fun there! And the service here was great. All the servers around us were interacting with us. They were telling jokes and were very attentive.
And for birthdays they make a spectacle out of the birthday girl/boy... which is a big plus for me. And they gave my friend a souvenir glass, which I thought was really nice.
I had the Po Boy sandwich and I thought it was delicious. I have also had the coconut shrimp and I loved that too.
Overall it is a really cool place! I can't wait to go back. -
Review from Kellie K.
Huntington Beach, CA
3/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Every time I've been here, we've been seated and served quickly no matter how busy they are. Everything I've gotten was fantastic. My favorites are the shrimper's net appetizer and the Jenny's catch--the lobster butter sauce in this dish makes my mouth water just thinking of it. Beware of the "Bubba Gump trivia"! It can get really forced and awkward really quick, especially if your server doesn't have a whole lot of personality. Although the last time we went, our server (Raina), was great at it and made it a lot of fun. My only complaint is that the bathrooms are always dirty every time I'm there. Last time there was even urine on the floor in the stall next to me. Doesn't exactly make you hungry.
But overall, a great place to eat at the Pier, usually my first choice down there if I'm looking to sit down and spend more than ten bucks. -
Review from B R.
San Fernando Valley, CA
4/10/2012
Oh yes, the seafood Tourist trap restaurant that is Bubba Gump Shrimp. You would think that a seafood place with "shrimp" in the name would be capable of offering fresh shrimp - no, cooking it properly - no, head on shrimp offering - no (seriously how can you be calling yourself a shrimp place and not offer head-on shrimp?!??!?), any ability to have a dish of shrimp cooked in a authentic creole way - no. All of this greatness plus is way overpriced. Want some good authentically cooked seafood? Try Boiling Crab.
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Review from Monica M.
Upland, CA
1/15/2012
I am not fish fanatic, so when I saw that the Texas sandwich was part of the menu, I got excited! It was big, full of guacamole, and the fries were goooood.
My boyfriend got the stuffed shrimp, but found the white rice too plain, so a waitress brought him a chipotle sauce, which he loved. We ordered the Bubba limonade & the Fleur D'Lis, and got free glasses along with it, so that was cool.
The only cons are the noise level and that it can get cold if you sit by the window. Other than that, it's pretty good. -
Review from Emilio M.
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Its your typical kinda pricy but hearty tourist destination.
My family and I thought it would be cute to be at home tourists for the weekend and headed off to the Santa Monica Pier to see what was happening. Cause you know I need to know these things. So after seeing the all to familiar sites it was time to get the afternoon grind on! So in the spirit of tourism we decided to make Bubba Gump the spot.
The atmosphere is pleasant and decorated with memorabilia of one of Hollywood's all time greatest movies. The service was great and considering that we ate at a peak hour I don't think the wait was too long to be seated.
I had the shrimp Po Boy that was gimungous in size and accompanied by an equally large portion of fries. Though the portion was more than ample, is sadly lacked in flavor. I had to drown it in hot sauce to bring life in to it. And whats the deal with 99¢ refills? Bubba Gump is multimillion dollar franchise and for them to charge...Oh wait I answered my own question. Never mind.
Sure. Stop by Bubba Gump on the Santa Monica Pier for some terrific seafood (aside from the Shrimp Po Boy), and don't forget to exit through the gift shop! -
Review from Brian G.
Whittier, CA
4/13/2012
Forrest Gump was not playing! Bar tender did not care we were even at the bar no questions! Anaheim was way better!! This place sucks
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Review from Chammie K.
Moreno Valley, CA
Love the theme of this restaurant. Food is great. And I've never had a bad service.
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Review from Trevor M.
West Los Angeles, CA
4/4/2012 3 Check-ins Here
The hot sauce was the best thing in the building.. on that cajun burger.. thought the burger would have been biggy. thing was made for happy meal kids.. other then that . the view and the sauce were bomb. SHRIMP
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Review from Angel B.
Los Angeles, CA
Came here for dinela week.
It was an ok meal for a good price. Service was kinda slow.
And nothing I had made me want to return.
Restaurant has a good location in the pier. But sadly I enjoyed the sand in my shoes more than the food. -
Review from Benjamin S.
Newhall, CA
1/17/2012
Great appetizers and drink specials. A shot at a beer for $6? Can someone say, "hells to the yes!"
Service is always spectacular and they hire cute employees.
Fun spot to stop off at If you're in the area. -
Review from Dessa R.
12/20/2011
Movies inspired by food establishments aren't unheard of in the entertainment industry. Harold & Kumar, for example, built an entire trilogy on their harrowing journey to White Castle. But a restaurant inspired by a movie? That was a very new concept to me. Stupidly, I had even assumed that Forrest Gump had interlaced "Bubba Gump Shrimp" as part of the plot, but that was then clarified as NOT the case when I inquired. Nope, this place was definitely inspired by the film, and not the other way around.
Bubba Gump was sort of like the classier illegitimate lovechild of Red Lobster and TGI Friday's that got adopted by Outback, with lots of silly decor and quirks, low warm lighting, energetic wait staff, and a "have fun" attitude that feels vaguely like it's at gunpoint.
When I scanned the menu, it took me about .465 seconds to decide what I wanted. Coconut shrimp! I love it, and rarely find it as a menu option. My platter of coconut shrimp arrived in plentiful quantities. It was everything coconut shrimp should be-- large, crunchy, slightly sweet. My dinner companion ordered a shrimp sampler of sorts, which included at least four types of shrimp. He really enjoyed it, and mentioned he orders it every time.
Reading through these reviews, a tip comes to mind: when the word "shrimp" is in the establishment title, you probably want to stick with that. I did, and I was completely pleased! -
Review from Christina D.
Orange, CA
3/1/2012
Came here for dinner on a weeknight, we got seated right away which was great except we were seated in the patio and it was freezing cold. Yes they do have heaters and they have plastic to cover the patio but I was still freezing.
So let's get onto the food. I ordered a cup of clam chowder and then shared the Run Across America Sampler. Let's start off with the cup of clam chowder- ick I didn't even taste the clams, all I tasted was a potato hot mess.
Next, the sampler platter! It comes with Bubba's Far Out Dip & Chips (spinach, artichoke, roasted red peppers and Monterrey jack cheese), chilly shrimp, 2 hush puppies, 2 mama's blue fried shrimp and spicy chicken strips.
Where oh where do I begin with this mess? The far out dip was way too oily and didn't taste good- I am all for eating cheesiness but this had no flavor- ick. Next, the chilly shrimp, I was enjoying my shrimp I thought OK, this sampler isn't that bad till I found one of the shrimp had not been thoroughly cleaned and his poop trail was still intact, I lost my appetite by then- GROSS. Next, the hush puppies, just one big fried mess, not a lot of flavor- it was like eating a breaded shrimp which was rolled up into a ball. Mama's blue fried shrimp is just fried shrimp and the spicy chicken strips were a disaster- it didn't even resemble chicken strips! Aren't chicken strips supposed to be actual strips? This crap was like lumps of leftover chicken thrown into bread crumbles and into a fryer and not only that they didn't taste good, they tasted like a mix of hot sauce and teriyaki sauce was placed on them.
I am not that picky, I just like good food and my food to not have poopy trails left in them.
The only reason they didn't get one star was that our waitress was nice and pleasant- otherwise they would get the lowly one star.
I won't be back, good luck if you eat here, I will avoid...forever!!!!!!!!!!!! -
Review from Joanne L.
Los Angeles, CA
11/28/2011
Food: the steamed clams in the appetizer was clearly premade a long time ago, not cooked to order. Why? The clams were rubbery with no flavors. Tasted like it's been sitting in the broth for a day or 2. The bread that came with it was good but for $13.50 it is a huge disappointment.
View: nice view overlooking the ocean.
Service: attentive. Should have complained about the food but it was my fault that I didn't. -
Review from Marissa B.
Marina del Rey, CA
11/27/2011
My friend took me here for lunch. It was packed and we wanted a window view, but since it was too crowded, sat at the bar for fastest service.
I got a mango mint mojito while my friend got a beer. He got a coconut shrimp with fries combo, while I was being good with the Bourbon Mahi Mahi with shrimp, mashed potatoes atop with fries. My dish was particularly decorative and had our neighborly customers gawking at how fancy looking it was. It was very tasty, I thought it was spicy, but it was flavorful. The Bourbon sauce wasn't as rich as I imagined.
We also shared the ice cream cookie with whipped cream on top dessert. While it doesn't compare to BJ's Pazookie, it was decadent in it's own way.
We ended up finishing everything and having awesome conversation with this couple to our right. I was amazed at how delicious the food was and didn't want to leave....such a lovely day to spend the day at the beach and enjoy lunch here! -
Review from T S.
Santa Monica, CA
3/26/2012
I have been to multiple Bubba Gump locations over the years and the food and service is pretty consistent. My issue is not with the service but the cost of mediocre seafood and drinks. I forgot how seriously overpriced this place is. $12 for a tall bud light..I was shocked when I got the bill..It cost the same as my half pound of crab legs. We got the combo shrimp selection, half a pound of crab legs, one beer and a coke and it came to $60..I could have bought frozen fried shrimp, crab legs, a 12 pack of bud light and a 12 pack of coke, saved myself $40 and the food would have been equal to the quality. That being said, I won't be returning to any Bubba Gump probably ever unless I just don't care about wasting my hard earned money on food I could have cooked better at home..
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Review from Gabe A.
Moreno Valley, CA
10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've always loved Bubba Gump Restaurants. I've been to a different location and have never been disappointed, this location by Santa Monica pier is no different. We chose to sit far back where we have 90 degrees view of the beach front and was gladly accommodated. Awesome view! Service was tops. Robert did good; entertaining and serving us. He was attentive and took time explaining their menu to my out of town friends and first time visitors to BGSC. Food as always, delicious. Bold flavors. The 1 1/3 pound shrimp we ordered was also very good, flavor wise. But it is not as big and juicy as the shrimps in BOILING CRAB. My guest were pleased with their experience here so that made my day too.
-ACM -
Review from Sean D.
Redondo Beach, CA
3/19/2012
Food was really greasy. They seemed to lob on the butter there. All 4 of us in our group had minor food poisoning.
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Review from kcal i.
La Puente, CA
4/16/2012
My wife and I had a late lunch/early dinner at Gump's. Total tab including drink was around $45. Nothing memorable about this place nor was the food exceptional. Music too loud where we sat. Hostess(s) were zombie-like, no initial greeting nor "don't let the door hit you in the ass" upon leaving. Just a little hint...we're(customers) the reason you have a job there. A Hello and Thank You would of gotten you 2 stars.
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Review from Patty H.
West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
9/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love the location and the view from this place. It's on the pier and it overlooks the ocean. It's an awesome place to have dinner and watch the sunset. The staff is energetic and fun and the overall feel of the restaurant is pretty relaxed, something you'd expect to find by the beach.
I got to try two different appetizers; the shrimp and crab bisque and the dip. They were both delicious! The bisque was not overwhelming or salty and the portion size was perfect for one person. The dip was like any other spinach dip but with a kick. I believe they add red peppers and that definitely gave it an extra boost of yummy.
For my entree I ordered the grilled shrimp tacos and I was not impressed. The tortillas were not great and the shrimp had no flavor besides the burnt taste from the grill. They were rubbery as if they weren't fully cooked. They bring you sour cream, salsa, and "guacamole" on the side but their version of guacamole is more like pico de gallo. There was definitely no avocado in my so-called guac :( -
Review from Jon K.
8/20/2011
There's only one thing you need to know about Bubba Gumps on the Santa Monica Pier: whenever you go, always ALWAYS tell the servers it's someone's birthday.
Oh. My. Goodness. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. But before, I delve in to the fun details of what they do for you on your birthday, let me make some quick comments on the food itself (bc thats what you're here to read in the first place right)?
"Run Across America Sampler" ($14): this appetizer sampler is enough to whet the appetites of four and is a good survey of what BGSC has to offer. If you're not fond of one of the items, just ask them to sub it out for something else (I recommending loading up on the seafood hush pups (shrimp, fish, and corn in ball form deep-fried and served with a tasty remoulade sauce)--they are VERY good).
"Onion Ring Tower" ($9): crumbly batter (cornmeal-based) onion rings. decent but not spectacular. cool presentation but I'll pass next time.
"Shrimper's Heaven" ($21): 4 different styles of shrimp served to you in paper cones with a side of fries, mashed potatoes, or veggies to boot. Coconut shrimp is their best offering, followed by Tempura, fried, and "chilly" in that order. "chilly shrimp" is just peel and eat shrimp served on ice; it's mehh (if you want peel and eat, Boiling Crab is where its at hands down).
And of course, aside from the food, the best part about Bubba Gumps are the Forrest Gump trivia questions! Make sure you watch the movie before you go--you'll have a lot more fun AND impress your server. If you answer all their questions, you get a special prize!!!
Anyway, I just made an executive decision not to tell you what happens when you say its your birthday. You're just going to have to go and find out. :D
side notes: fish and chips were really good! as was lieutenant dans!
ONION RING INDEX: 6 of 10 -
Review from Julie D.
Los Angeles, CA
12/26/2011
My first experience at a Bubba Gump was in Hawaii around 10 years ago. I loved the Forrest Gump theme and appreciated the attention to detail. From the decor, down to the service, everything was linked to the film. They even had one of Jenny's costumes on display, naturally I was thrilled to see it come to the mainland.
I'm pleased to say the same quality is delivered across the board. The main drawback at the Santa Monica pier is the long wait. This can be especially painful on an empty stomach with the chilling ocean wind in the wintertime. Luckily for Landry's card members you're given VIP treatment and can bypass the line. I really don't like to share that fact as it would be negated if everyone knew, so consider that my belated Christmas gift to you.
Once inside, the entire visit is an "experience". You're strategically ushered in (almost amusement park style) and it's obvious the establishment is a well-oiled machine. Because the restaurant is located in such a tourist-heavy area, all workers treat you as though you're on vacation which is awesome! I have yet to meet a server that was less than stellar.
Before your New Year's resolution diet starts, you HAVE to try the Cajun Shrimp appetizer. Be forewarned it seems to turn out differently every now and then (sometimes amazing, sometimes "simply decent"), but totally worth the risk! The fruity alcoholic beverages are delicious and just strong enough. In fact, I'd imagine grabbing an appetizer and drink after lying out on the beach in the late afternoon would be just about perfect on a hot summer day. (Gotta stay hydrated!) :)
Don't bother trying the "Bubba's After the Storm 'Bucket of Boat Trash'" or the popcorn shrimp. You can also pass on desserts. Also, very important to note, the chocolate chip cookie sundae (shown in an iron skillet) is misleading. The skillet is purely decorative as the cookie is not baked fresh nor does it come out warm. In fact, it's a cold disappointment.
Despite all of the negatives, if you have time to kill and aren't starving, are with a group of out-of-towners only looking for a good time, fun, casual atmosphere and ambiance with a great view, and decent food and drinks without breaking the bank, this is your spot!
