Bubba Gump Shrimp Company Honolulu Oahu - Nosh on shrimp at the Ala Moana Centre

Posted by Rating 7.0/10 

After a long day of alternatively being steam-roasted outside from the humid heat, or frozen from mall vendors too enthusiastic with the airconditioning, it was nice to plunk down and pig out on shrimp at Bubba Gump's - conveniently located on the upper levels of the Ala Moana Mall.  After walking through a campy kitschy gift store dedicated to Forrest Gump (this chain is named after the Shrimp Truck business the characters Forrest Gump wanted to open), you step into crowded seating with Forrest Gump movie decals and marine related decor.  If you peek over the distressed wooden railings, you can get a decent view of the marina, however, as the sun sets, sit with your back to the marina so you and your guests don't get blinded.

Glassware you get yo keep later

The menus are affixed to ping pong paddles, and there are license plates with "Stop Forrest Stop" or "Go Forrest Go" the bubbly and friendly waitress told us were ways we can signal for service or more food orders.  With plenty of helpful suggestions, we ordered some happy fruity drinks with cups you get to bring home with you (they kindly give you brand new ones from the gift store so you're not bringing home a sticky cup, and the staff bubble wrap the heck out of the cups before placing it into a box to ensure a safe airplane ride home)

the FOOD

1) The pail of shrimp was not outstanding as we found the shrimp to be a bit mushy due to the large amounts of the spicy marinara sauce its drowned in.

2) Our "taster" platter coconut shrimp (with encrusted with fresh grated coconut yummmmmy!), cocktail shrimp, and tempura'ed shrimp paired nicely with the dipping sauces - coconut pineapple salsa, a soybased teriaki sauce, and marina sauce.  The coconut pineapple salsa was the first to disappear as it was nicely balanced salsa - sweet, aromatic, fruity with a nice hit of spiciness and a balanced jolt of acidity.  Between the two orders or shrimp, we were pretty full, and saved some of the shrimp for a late night snack back at the hotel

3) We finished off with thie mini desserts selection - bascially mini versions of all the desserts on thier menu, served in double shot glasses - peanut butter cup, raspberry white chocolate, berry cheesecake, cappachino, milk chocolate... I think we started to go into food comas at at point.  The mini desserts were flavored mousses, while plating was pretty in the shot glasses, the desserts themselves were unremarkable.  Nice to share and be able to trial most of thier dessert menu without ordering the full gargantuan sized dessert.

the VERDICT

While the Forrest Gump theme is cute and kitschy, the food isn't all the movie characters hoped for.  Disappointingly mushy shrimp in the pail of shrimp and in the dessert category, 7.0/10.  If you're not a big Forrest Gump fan, the pop quizes the staff toss at you quickly grow old. (thankfully the staff also can the movie buff quizes and save them for customers that are movie buffs).  The coconut shrimp was the only outstanding dish, though with the friendly and enthusiastic staff, it would be a good place to unwind after a long day with friends.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Company - Ala Moana Centre

Address Top floor 1450 Ala Moana Blvd Honolulu, HI

Phone (808) 949-4867

Hours 7 days a week, opens late for the bar crowd

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