Top Bites From The Atlantic City Golden Nugget's Bubba Gump Shrimpfest

On Aug. 31, the Bubba Gump Shrimpfest took over the waterfront deck at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City, N.J. Positioned right on the marina, a handful of offerings from the chain were available for purchase, along with a wide selection of craft beers. It was nothing short of a perfect way to spend Labor Day weekend, especially because the hotel, which was the Trump Marina until a $150 million reconstruction last year, is located far from the boardwalk and its teeming crowds.

Top Bites From the Bubba Gump Shrimpfest (Slideshow)

Both Bubba Gump and the Golden Nugget are owned by Landry's, which also owns Vic & Anthony's and Chart House (both of which are located in the hotel), as well as nearly 40 other brands including Rainforest Café, Angelo & Maxie's, Saltgrass Steakhouse, Claim Jumper, Red Sushi, and The Flying Dutchman.

"Because there's no Bubba Gump's here in Atlantic City, we thought that this would be a great way to introduce this great food to people who haven't tried it," D'Ann Glenn, the Golden Nugget's head of marketing, told us.

And it was quite an extravaganza, highlighting some of the top menu items from Bubba Gump's, which was inspired by the movie Forrest Gump and currently has nearly 40 locations nationwide. Menu items included Cajun shrimp, popcorn shrimp, shrimp gumbo, peel-and-eat shrimp, shrimp New Orleans (with garlic butter and spices), shrimp po'boy sandwich, shrimp and salsa cocktail, and jambalaya. Guests purchased "Bubba Bucks," and then used those to sample the different offerings, which were served from different stations.

"One of the perks of owning both casinos and restaurants is that we're able to reward our guests' loyalty in ways different from other hotels," D'Ann continued, describing their new Comp Dollars program, which allows 24 Karat Club Card members to use their earned points at certain Landry's restaurants. "So for example, comps won here in Atlantic City can be redeemed at the Bubba Gump's in New York. It's mutually beneficial. It's an opportunity to reward loyalty with free rooms, as well as food and beverages at our properties in other cities."

This was the third-annual Bubba Gump Shrimpfest, and their third annual Beer Festival is scheduled for the end of the month. 

Click here for a look at some of the best offerings from the Bubba Gump Shrimpfest. If you missed it this time around, now you've got a great reason to spend Labor Day weekend in Atlantic City next year!