Bonefish Grill

Before my visit to New Jersey this past weekend, I was chatting with my sister about where to go for dinner, and she mentioned she had just had dinner with friends at Bonefish Grill and that it was pretty great. I had also heard from a few friends in the area over the years that they loved the food and drinks at Bonefish Grill, so we decided to go for it.

We had a large party, needing eight seats plus a sling for a baby carrier, and my mom made a reservation in advance as we knew Bonefish got pretty busy. When we arrived, things were running behind and our table wasn’t ready for about 20 minutes. The hostesses and manager were SO apologetic both before and after our dinner. The wait didn’t feel very long, but I definitely appreciated them, in a very crowded restaurant, taking the time to apologize.

Once we were seated, I took a quick look at the wine list and cocktail menu. The wine list didn’t have anything that caught my eye, so I decided on a fresh blueberry martini made with vodka, fresh basil, and homemade blueberry agave nectar, inspired by Violet Beauregarde.

The drink was delicious. I loved the very fresh ingredients and the subtle sweetness of the blueberry agave. Unlike cocktails made with sweet bottled mixers, this was really refreshing. I had two.

We started with some appetizers for the table, a plate of coconut shrimp with a sweet, fruity dipping sauce.

And Bonefish Grill’s signature Bang Bang shrimp which are creamy and crunchy with a spicy kick.

I actually liked the Bang Bang shrimp so much, that I ordered the Bang Bang tacos for my dinner, served with a side of greens.

Our meals were all great, very fresh, flavorful, hot, and everything was timed well. The service was absolutely perfect, and as I mentioned, the one tiny slip-up they had with the table timing was addressed a few times. I am looking forward to a return Bonefish Grill dinner. I just wish they would change the name.

Do you have a favorite chain restaurant?