Less than two months after Joe’s Crab Shack wrapped its 26-year run in Jacksonville Beach, a popular Southern-style seafood and comfort food restaurant has opened in its oceanfront space.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. (yes, that Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.) made its debut on March 16 at 6 Beach Blvd., steps away from the landmark Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue Headquarters.
Bubba Gump and Joe’s are both owned by Houston-based Landry’s Inc., a privately held multinational corporation with extensive diversified restaurant, hospitality, entertainment and gaming businesses.
Bubba Gump is known for its scratch-made Southern-style comfort food, including its namesake shrimp, salmon, and fish and chips, as well as baby back ribs, fried chicken, boneless ribeye, chicken pasta and more.
“Food is the hero at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.; we serve food that makes our employees proud and will make you want to return. Our menu features shrimp, of course. And once you’ve had one of our margaritas hand-shaken at your table, you’re sure to be a fan,” the restaurant says on its website.
Founded in 1996 in Monterey, Calif., Bubba Gump was inspired by the Academy Award-winning film “Forrest Gump.” The restaurant chain has grown to 30 locations worldwide, including 20 in the U.S. In Florida, Bubba Gump has restaurants in Daytona Beach, Destin, Madeira Beach, Miami and Orlando.
Bubba Gump is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, its website shows.
When Joe’s Crab Shack closed at Jacksonville Beach on Jan. 24, the restaurant was among 15 remaining Joe’s Crab Shack locations, including three others in Florida — Daytona Beach, Destin and Orlando — for the storied chain that was founded in Houston in 1991. According to Florida state records, as many as 14 Joe’s Crab Shack restaurants once operated in the state.
When Joe’s Crab Shack opened in Jacksonville Beach in December 1999, diners waited two hours or more on weekends to get a first taste of snow, blue, dungeness and king crab, as well as fried and grilled shrimp, salmon and other seafood favorites. Another draw: a large, outdoor deck offering dining with an ocean view.
Gary T. Mills of the Times-Union contributed to this report.
Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: New restaurant opens in former Joe’s Crab Shack in Jacksonville Beach
Reporting by Teresa Stepzinski, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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