11 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Shrimp Dishes
Some like it sautéed with lemon and butter. Others prefer it coated in a crispy breading and fried to a golden brown. Shrimp is quite a versatile crustacean that can be prepared in a variety of ways, drawing people in with its tender texture and mildly sweet, salty flavor.
Despite the seemingly endless list of shrimp recipes that are out there, venturing outside of your kitchen is sometimes the most enticing choice. If dining out is the decision you land on, you may be left with one important question: where should I go?
To help you answer this, we rounded up several eateries you'll want to consider for your next seafood lunch or dinner. Whether you're seeking a casual meal or something a bit fancier, these restaurant chains are sure to satisfy your shrimp craving the next time it strikes. Here are 11 spots serving up some of the best shrimp dishes. As always, menu items and availability can vary by location.
Bonefish Grill
If there's one menu item most commonly associated with Bonefish Grill, it's the Bang Bang Shrimp. This popular appetizer consists of crispy shrimp tossed in the chain's signature creamy, spicy sauce.
"The Bang Bang Shrimp is amazing. I could just eat that and be happy," one Yelp reviewer raved last year. Other fans on X, formerly known as Twitter, have described it as "top tier," "on another world," and a "must have appetizer."
Besides this signature dish, Bonefish Grill has another fried shrimp dish served with both tartar and cocktail sauce. This took the number one spot in a previous Eat This, Not That! taste test. Among the other shrimp options, the restaurant chain also has combo meals, which feature shrimp and a second protein, such as Mahi-Mahi, chicken, and sirloin steak.
Red Lobster
It's the chain with the deal we all know and love: Ultimate Endless Shrimp. At Red Lobster, dine-in guests can mix and match their favorite shrimp dishes to their heart's content, now for $25. To customers' delight, the restaurant chain made this deal permanent back in June; however, this was previously offered for $20.
With this promotion, guests can choose from an array of shrimp dishes like Crispy Dragon Shrimp, Garlic Shrimp Scampi, Grilled Shrimp Skewer, Parrot Isle Jumbo Coconut Shrimp, and more. Along with their choice of shrimp, restaurant guests also get a choice of a side. There's also the "Shrimp Your Way" option, which lets customers choose between two and four shrimp dishes, as well as a side.
Eddie V's Prime Seafood
Recently named America's fastest-growing restaurant chain, Eddie V's Prime Seafood operates 31 locations across the country. In addition to its premium hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood, and cocktails, the seafood spot impresses customers with its elegant atmosphere and live jazz music.
Take a glance at the menu, and you'll come across multiple shrimp options like wild gulf shrimp with Atomic horseradish and spicy mustard and jumbo gulf shrimp stuffed with crab, herbs, and garlic.
"The crab stuffed jumbo gulf shrimp were a true indulgence, showcasing the freshness and quality of the seafood," one Yelp reviewer raved last month.
Chart House
This upscale restaurant chain operates 24 waterfront locations, with each one remaining "committed and specialized to its local community," according to the Chart House website. Beyond its scenic views, the restaurant chain is known for its seafood offerings, including shrimp.
"If you like shrimp and avocado, I totally recommend the shrimp stack!" one Yelp reviewer noted. This colorful, cylindrical dish features a base of sliced avocado topped with a layer of chopped mango and finished with shrimp in a creamy sauce.
Customers can also score classic dishes like shrimp cocktail or coconut crunchy shrimp or customize surf and turf orders by pairing their steak with shrimp, available in four varieties: grilled, coconut, crunchy, or scampi.
Ocean Prime
Like its eye-catching seafood tower, Ocean Prime's shrimp cocktail has been known to capture guests' attention with its striking, smoking display.
"The best atmosphere and the shrimp cocktail is served over dry ice. What else could you want?" one reviewer shared on Yelp.
Beyond this classic appetizer, Ocean Prime offers other shrimp dishes like the Shellfish "Cobb" Salad, which includes both shrimp and lobster, along with the usual suspects: bacon, egg, and blue cheese. There's also the Dynamite Roll, which is a sushi roll containing tempura shrimp, spicy mayo, and sesame seeds.
McCormick & Schmick's
Another upscale surf and turf spot you can count on for some memorable shrimp is McCormick & Schmick's. For an appetizer, customers can start with the shrimp cocktail or opt for something a bit more creative like the Shrimp Kisses. These are wrapped in bacon and feature pepper jack cheese and a sweet chili glaze.
For something a bit more substantial, a few other dishes include the Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad, Crab & Shrimp Stuffed Salmon, and the Classic Shrimp Scampi.
One customer who recently ordered the shrimp scampi called it "top tier," adding, "The shrimp were so fresh and the lemon butter sauce it was on had me sopping it up with the bread!"
Legal Sea Foods
This regional chain currently has 26 locations across the East Coast, predominantly in Massachusetts, and offers all sorts of seafood options ranging from herb-crusted salmon and Mediterranean swordfish to seared scallops and New England clams.
At this chain, shrimp makes an appearance on the menu multiple times, both as the star of the show and as part of different combos and platters. For example, Legal's Signature Crab Cake Combo includes a lump crab cake, grilled shrimp, seared scallops, mustard sauce, herbed rice pilaf, greens, apples, dried cranberry, and an apple Dijon vinaigrette.
Ruth's Chris Steak House
Whether you like your shrimp sautéed or fried, Ruth's Chris can satisfy your shellfish fix (say that three times fast!). The chain's barbecued shrimp, for example, is lightly sautéed in white wine, garlic butter, and barbecue spices. Meanwhile, the spicy shrimp is lightly fried and tossed in a cream sauce. Guests can also order their entrées with shrimp, with one option being the Chef Featured Fish & Shrimp.
"I ordered the fish and shrimp as my main, which was very good, served hot and it was moist and delicious, " one Yelp reviewer recently wrote.
Luke's Lobster
Contrary to its name, this family-owned seafood business serves more than just lobster. The chain also offers crab and shrimp, which, like the lobster, is served in a toasted New England-style split-top bun.
As highlighted on the chain's website, Luke's Lobster only serves sustainably sourced seafood, which means it's "harvested from a healthy population that is not at risk of overfishing, under strict regulations that prevent overfishing or eco-system damage."
Outback Steakhouse
Shrimp on the barbie, anyone? Alongside its popular steaks, Outback serves various shrimp dishes. Arguably the most well-known one is the Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie. Available as both an appetizer and entrée, this dish consists of seasoned grilled shrimp with a classic rémoulade sauce.
If you're in the mood for something crispier, the Australian-themed steakhouse chain has a couple of choices for you. There's the Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp, which is paired with Creole marmalade. There's also the Bloomin' Fried Shrimp, which is hand-breaded in Outback's famous Bloomin' Onion spices, cooked until golden brown, and served with the chain's signature spicy bloom sauce.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
As a restaurant chain dedicated to shrimp, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. had to be included in this list. Paying homage to the 1994 classic film Forrest Gump, this seafood spot operates as the first and only casual restaurant based on a motion picture property. Today, there are 22 locations across the U.S., along with 12 international locations.
According to the chain's website, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. offers "scratch-made, southern-style comfort dishes plucked straight off the silver screen." This includes sautéed shrimp, fried shrimp, coconut shrimp, shrimp scampi, and so on.
Guests can also try multiple shrimp dishes at once by ordering the Shrimper's Heaven, a shrimp sampler of sorts. This includes fried shrimp, coconut shrimp, and tempura shrimp with a side of fries, cocktail sauce, Cajun marmalade, and tempura sauce.
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