I Took the Bonefish Grill Challenge!

I recently accepted the Bonefish Grill challenge which provided me with a $25 giftcard to Bonefish Grill and a $25 American Express giftcard to dine at the comparable restaurant of my choice. The goal is to see how Bonefish Grill measures up to its competition.

I had never been to a Bonefish Grill though there are several within a reasonable distance of where I live. Although the location I went to does accept reservations I was happy to see that I had gone early enough to avoid a wait after the hostess advised me that weekend wait times can get rather high! Bonefish Grill serves only dinner 7 nights a week. I was impressed by the restaurant's interior which is very unchain-like. The furniture and decor was dark yet the restaurant was flooded with light. All staff we encountered were smiling, polite, and knowledgeable.

We were able to sample a few dishes and I fell in love with the coconut shrimp. They were large shrimp coated in coconut and deep fried. The shrimp was still tender and they were not over-breaded or over-fried. Our server was pleasant and unobtrusive.

The bang bang tacos (see picture above) were deliciously spicy yet cooling with the sour cream. The homemade chips on the side were crispy and thick. Overall I was impressed with the food, the service and the atmosphere of the restaurant. The prices were very reasonable for the quality and amount of the food given.

For the comparison, I chose a locally-owned seafood restaurant that I had heard good things about that was in the same price range. Bonefish Grill won hands down. I found the dishes at Bonefish to be more imaginative and the portions larger for the same price as the other restaurant. The atmosphere was no comparison as Bonefish was more elegant and refined.

Bonefish Grill has oveer 125 locations in 29 states and has been in business since 2000. There are non-seafood items on the menu and they bill themselves as the "fresh fish experts" - I agree!