For those who live near the ocean in an area with a large fishing industry, there are many specialty restaurants that cater to the needs of those who love seafood. The most popular and widespread are Red Lobster and Bonefish grill. Both of them are popular restaurant chains that have roots from Florida, but now have grown to become one of the largest sit-down seafood restaurant chains in the United State. Red Lobster and Bonefish are mostly for fish lovers because they do not have too many non-fish options. These two restaurants are always overcrowded at any time, especially on Saturday nights, when most people try to spend time with friends or just to go with a family for dinner after a hard work week. To enjoy the restaurant there should be a nice atmosphere, good food quality and reasonable prices.
Atmosphere in Red Lobster is relaxing, but seems a little bit boring. It is just too corporate, and lacks any creativity. There are simple booths and tables, set fairly well apart from each other, and the usual paintings of maritime activity. You can expect to see a few lobster traps, and a fishing reel, but there's not much more to make your meal more visually appealing.
Red Lobster is definitely a great place to take the little kids, because it’s got a more casual environment. This place is great for basic everyday visit.
Bonefish grill is quite the opposite with a more "polished" look, or maybe you could say a bit more upscale, looks more modern. Inside, it is “fish” decor, with more palm trees and various fish paintings and images on the walls. The ambiance is very relaxing and dimly lit makes it more romantic.
The disadvantage for both of these restaurants is that it is very difficult to get in without reservation, especially Friday or Saturday night. Be ready for a minimum of a thirty minute wait. If you decide to go on any other night, you can most likely get a table without a wait at all.
Food is an important factor when choosing a restaurant. The salad mostly starts many meals. Red Lobster’s house salad consists of a plate of mixed greens that could have been one of those premade mixtures bought from a grocery store. It is a mixture of shredded lettuce, cabbage, and carrots. You have your choice of a few grocery store quality dressings. At Bonefish Grill the house salad is fresh and go a bit beyond the ordinary with a slice of heart of palm, kalamata olives, and a liberal sprinkling of lightly toasted pine nuts topped with a delectable citrus herb vinaigrette dressing which gives the dish a unique taste. The entrée in Red Lobster is good, but it has a generic look and taste and some food looks bland. You must have some pretty good sauces to make the seafood really delicious. The salmon, for example, sometimes tastes like it came out of a box in the frozen food section of a grocery store. And the lobster- the restaurant’s specialty- isn’t consistent enough to recommend, especially for the price you pay.
In comparison, the Bonefish grill food is always terrific especially their famous "Bang Bang Shrimp". Pretty much everyone orders this dish for a shared appetizer. These are bite-sized shrimp, deep-fried, and covered with a spicy, creamy sauce. Once you start eating these, it's hard to stop. You have to leave your diet outside the door for this meal. Besides being absolutely delicious, they are a great value. They have a large selection of fresh fishes that are grilled to perfection and are served with your choice of four different sauces. The best thing is Parmesan crusted rainbow trout with lemon butter. You will really enjoy it.The sauces are the best part of Bonefish Grill– there are special touches added to the fish dishes (such as pine nuts or wasabi) that really make the meals unique.
The dessert at Red Lobster looks like all are premade, frozen, and warmed up when ordered. The Macadamia Nut Brownie at Bonefish grill is amazing. It is perfectly warm and yet the ice cream wasn't melting at all.
Price is also an important factor when choosing a restaurant. Appetizers in Red Lobster range from $6 to $10, with most in the $8 range, and fish dishes start at $13 but hover at the $17 mark, with two at $ 24.50 or more. The price for food at Bonefish grill is slightly higher, but you get much better quality food.
In conclusion, despite the facts that Bonefish grill is more expensive and has smaller portions than Red Lobster has, you will definitely enjoy it more. Bonefish has terrific dishes and strong focus on fresh fish with relatively healthy preparations. If you are not focused on larger portion sizes, and don’t mind paying a bit more for a better quality food, this place is undoubtedly for you. Bonefish grill is an absolutely wonderful restaurant for lovers of fish and seafood.
