We were led to Bubba Gump's by two highway workers near the Navy Pier. Their excitement over the restaurant may have possibly gotten us too excited for what we were about to experience.
My first impressions were not good -- mainly because of the long, long line and my cramping stomach (from lack of food!). Once we were seated, nothing got better.
I love seafood. I even love mediocre seafood. Bubba Gump's was bad. I was truly disappointed (as would be Forrest).
The service was really the major flaw of the restaurant. The restaurant offers a new kind of service—where all waiters help all tables (supposedly). We found that nobody really helped us at all. It took an extremely long time for our order to be ready, and then our order was not right and it took forever for it to be corrected.
The food, though really not BAD, was far from good. The "outstanding" hush puppies were the worst ones I have ever had in my life. The shrimp was just pretty bland. My biggest problem with the food was the restaurant's very limited menu selection.
There are better restaurants in Chicago, but this restaurant is tolerable if you are at the Navy Pier with your family and want to wait forever for mediocre food.
By all means, visit the Navy Pier—but schedule it so that you get hungry elsewhere.