What Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Fans Actually Think Of The Chain's Fried Shrimp

Forrest Gump's mama famously said that life is like a box of chocolates — you never know what you're going to get. The same holds true when it comes to opinions about the fried shrimp at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., the seafood chain inspired by "Forrest Gump," the classic 1994 film starring Tom Hanks. Unlike the movie, which was greeted with universal love, the restaurant's fried shrimp triggers a wide range of reactions online, from overwhelming enjoyment to flat-out disdain.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. proudly states that it's "the only casual restaurant chain based on a motion picture property". The first location opened two years after the movie's release, in Monterey, California (and no, Tom Hanks had nothing to do with it). The seafood restaurant has since spread its wings, with 20 restaurants across America and 10 international locations, including Hong Kong, Bali, and Japan.

A local guide on Google who dined at the Orlando, Florida, location wrote, "The fried shrimp scampi struck the perfect balance of crisp and buttery goodness." Another Google reviewer noted, "Even my picky 11-year-old loved the fried shrimp. We'll definitely be back!" The popular fried shrimp is also served as part of a tasting platter called "Shrimper's Heaven". A diner who reviewed the original Monterey Bay location on Google couldn't stop raving about it, saying, "There were so many things I wanted to try but I had to settle for the Shrimp Heaven. To. Die. For. You have deep fried shrimp, tempura shrimp, and coconut shrimp all with their own sauces. Mwah!" For those interested in trying something other than fried seafood, the jumbo shrimp cocktail is worth a try, too, considering Bubba Gump is one of 9 restaurant chains with the best shrimp cocktail.

While the overall ratings on Google are high, there are those who sound like they'd rather "run, Forrest, run" away from Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. than have another bite at the restaurant. To be fair, it does rank 17th out of 19 on our list of seafood chain restaurants ranked worst to best. On Reddit, u/Prudent-Restaurant29 remarked, "It's the McDonald's of seafood ... Bubba Gump could rebrand as 'Tourist Food Trap' and people would probably still eat there." A one-star Google review agrees. "Ordered the fried shrimp and got this fake, low-quality, frozen panko-crusted shrimp. The shrimp was mushy, the fries were just ok," wrote a customer after dining at the Orlando location.

After going through pages and pages of reviews, the overall feeling is that the shrimp — which Bubba referred to in the movie as the "fruit of the sea" because of its versatility — isn't the real hero here; it's the entire dining experience, which is deeply rooted in the movie's universe. From quizzes and memorabilia to the menu, which has an appetizer called "Run Across America Sampler" and a cocktail called "Rum Forrest Rum", this is a place that fans of the movie are drawn to. "We come here every year, and the experience has been brilliant! 'Forrest Gump' is one of our favorite films, and Bubba Gump certainly immerses you in that world," one diner wrote on Google. A good summary of the overall sentiment was provided in a review of Bubba Gump's flagship location: "Go for the vibe and the Forrest Gump-themed decoration, not for the food."