Forrest Would Love it Here!
Written: Aug 07 '04 (Updated Aug 07 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A fun place to eat; good food and service
Cons: A bit loud and noisy at times
The Bottom Line: If you are looking for a fun meal and experience, don't miss the opportunity to go to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
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| rrogersweather's Full Review: Bubba Gump Shrimp Company |
If Forrest Gump were a real person, he would love his Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.! My family and I visited the Bubba Gump location in Daytona Beach, Florida, in July 2004, located in the Ocean Walk Shoppes. [My review on Daytona Beach: http://www.epinions.com/content_109442797188.] Yes, Bubba Gump is a restaurant themed after the 1994 hit movie, Forrest Gump. If you did not like that movie, then you may want to skip the restaurant completely!
"HUBBA BUBBA, LET'S EAT SOME GRUBBA!"
Bubba Gump's is a unique restaurant. It's not your typical eating establishment. I first noticed something different when we arrived. The host reserved our table (for a party of 6) by first name, instead of last name. Then, each time he would call a party over the speaker system, he would say, for example, "Brittany G., Get off your feet, it's time to eat!" Or, he would say, "Hubba Bubba, let's eat some grubba. Mike R. party of 5."
In the entryway of the restaurant was a replica of the suit that Tom Hanks wore while sitting on the park bench in Savannah. This provided a good photo opportunity.
When they called our party, the host told us to proceed down the hall until we saw the red signs that read "Stop, Forrest, Stop." At that point, you wait for a waiter or waitress to seat you. Let the adventure begin!
THE GRUBBA
Shrimp is just one of the many foods available at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. If you are not a big fan of seafood, like myself, you will find plenty of other choices on the menu. Appetizers include a variety of shrimp dishes along with hush puppies, garlic bread, chicken tenders, fries, and clam chowder.
They have a variety of sandwiches, too, including barbecue sandwiches, hamburgers, fish sandwich, and shrimp po' boy.
Bubba Gump has salads, too. They are the classic Caesar salad, BBQ ranch chicken salad, grilled chicken salad, and house salad.
Side dishes include fries, coleslaw, rice, and mashed potatoes.
Then, there is a section of the menu called "Forrest's Favorites." I ordered the "Captain's Fish & Chips," and would order it again. It is beer battered fish with coleslaw and fries. Other Forrest's Favorites include salmon, baby back ribs, veggie stir-fry, southern fried chicken, and for dessert, don't miss the Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae. This is a rather large dessert, so it can be shared amongst 3 or 4 people, especially after eating a large meal.
There was one slight problem with our food. My cousin ordered a hamburger medium well, and they brought it to him cooked almost extra well. He ate half of it, and could not eat the rest, so we told our waiter, and they allowed us to get the sundae I just mentioned for free. Otherwise, everyone enjoyed their food.
THE ATMOSPHERE AND SERVICE
Don't go to Bubba Gump if you want a nice, quiet meal. At Bubba Gump, be prepared to brush up on your knowledge of Forrest Gump. Every 20 minutes or so, a waiter would go stand in the middle of the dining area and shout out trivia questions about the movie. Then, the diners would shout back an answer. This is fun, but can be a disturbance when you're in the middle of a conversation with someone in your party.
Bubba Gump has instituted a high-tech system to alert your server when you need something. Actually, it's not high-tech at all, but we found it to work very well. Each table has a set of two signs. One is a blue sign that says "Run, Forrest, Run." The other is a red sign that says, "Stop, Forrest, Stop," just like the one I mentioned above. If you don't need anything, you flip the blue sign over to face the waiters and waitresses walking by. If you run low on a beverage, have a complaint about your food, or just have a question, you flip the red sign over, and usually within 5 to 10 seconds, a server would appear at your table. It was not always our waiter, but someone would run up to the table and ask what we needed. If you ignore your sign, don't expect them to help you. Our waiter made it clear to us that this is the system they use, and if you eat there, you must flip the sign over if you need help. While it is a bit of trouble to remember when to flip the signs, it does ensure prompt service. Our service was excellent as was most of our food.
I should also mention that regular and oversized booths were available, as well as tables with chairs.
On your way out, you can stop in the Bubba Gump gift shop and take home a souvenir. Some of the items offered include the stop and run signs, the Forrest Gump movie on DVD and VHS, and t-shirts.
We will definitely visit Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. the next time we are in Daytona. I rarely give 5 stars to anything, but the innovative atmosphere and outstanding service allow me to award Bubba Gump the highest possible rating! For more information, visit their website at www.bubbagump.com.
Overall Rating: *****
Food and Presentation: ****
Ambiance and Decor: *****
Quality of Service: *****
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
rrogersweather
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Location: Georgia, USA
Reviews written: 28
Trusted by: 3 members
About Me:
I like to write reviews about travel and electronics!
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