Mark your calendars for National Shrimp Scampi Day on April 29th, when this buttery, garlicky seafood dish takes center stage! There’s nothing quite like the sizzle of perfectly cooked shrimp in a lemon-wine sauce that makes taste buds dance.
Whether you’re a longtime scampi enthusiast or new to this Italian-American classic, these local restaurants have mastered the delicate balance of flavors that make shrimp scampi truly spectacular.
1. Carmine’s Italian Restaurant
Holy mother of garlic! Carmine’s doesn’t mess around with their family-style scampi that could wake the dead (in the best possible way).
The jumbo shrimp arrive swimming in a lake of liquid gold – clarified butter infused with enough garlic to ward off vampires for decades.
What makes this place special isn’t just portion size (though you’ll definitely leave with leftovers).
2. Red Lobster
Laugh all you want about chain restaurants, but Red Lobster’s Garlic Shrimp Scampi deserves its legendary status.
Those little skillet dishes arrive at your table still bubbling – an orchestra of butter, white wine, and garlic performing a symphony that’s been perfected over decades. The secret weapon? Their commitment to wild-caught North American shrimp.
3. Trattoria Marcella
Forget everything you thought you knew about scampi. Trattoria Marcella’s version will flip your world upside down with their sacrilegious-yet-brilliant addition of pancetta.
Yes, BACON in your scampi. The smokiness cuts through the richness like a hot knife through butter. Chef Steve’s culinary rebellion doesn’t stop there.
4. Legal Sea Foods
Scientists could study Legal Sea Foods’ scampi recipe as a perfect case of culinary chemistry. The ratio of acid (lemon) to fat (European butter) creates a sauce that’s mathematically perfect.
Their seafood sourcing borders on obsessive. These wild-caught beauties were likely swimming yesterday, and the kitchen treats them with appropriate reverence, cooking them precisely 137 seconds per side.
5. Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck
Parked permanently on Oahu’s North Shore, this graffiti-covered shrimp truck serves scampi that will haunt your dreams. Forget white tablecloths – you’ll be eating from a paper plate while perched on a picnic table with sauce dripping down your arms.
The Hawaiian twist comes from local Kauai prawns so fresh they practically jump into the pan themselves.
6. Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
Scandalous confession: Pappadeaux’s Cajun-Italian fusion scampi might make an Italian grandmother weep, but those tears would turn to joy after one bite.
Their unholy alliance of traditional scampi with Creole seasoning creates flavor fireworks that shouldn’t work but absolutely do. Massive Gulf shrimp (we’re talking the kind that make you double-take) arrive nestled on a bed of dirty rice instead of pasta.
7. Olive Garden
Roll your eyes all you want, food snobs, but Olive Garden’s Shrimp Scampi hits that comfort-food sweet spot when you’re far from home. Their scampi sauce achieves a consistency that science can’t explain.
The portion size borders on ridiculous. Those unlimited breadsticks serve a tactical purpose: sopping up every last drop of that addictive sauce that’s probably 40% butter, 40% garlic, and 20% corporate secrets.
8. Maggiano’s Little Italy
Maggiano’s doesn’t understand the concept of “small portions”. Their family-style scampi arrives on a platter that requires server weight training.
The shrimp count hits double digits, each one plump enough to make you wonder if they’ve discovered some mutant crustacean breeding program. What elevates this beyond basic chain restaurant fare is their heavy-handed approach to fresh herbs.
9. The Capital Grille
Expense account? Check. The Capital Grille’s shrimp scampi costs more than your first car payment, but one bite explains why corporate cards get maxed out here daily.
Their colossal shrimp (seriously, these things look like they’ve been working out) come from sustainable sources that your server will explain in painful detail. The preparation embraces minimalism.
10. Bonefish Grill
Shhh! Bonefish Grill’s off-menu scampi is the secret handshake of seafood lovers nationwide.
While tourists order the Bang Bang Shrimp, veterans whisper requests for the “OG Scampi” that makes the printed menu version look like amateur hour. What makes it legendary? The kitchen doubles down on lemon by using both juice and zest, then adds a splash of Limoncello liqueur.
11. Chart House
Perched on prime waterfront real estate, Chart House could serve frozen fish sticks and still pack the house. Instead, they deliver a scampi that actually deserves those million-dollar views.
Their “Shrimp Trio” features traditional scampi alongside two other preparations. The not-so-secret ingredient? Brown butter instead of regular.
12. McCormick & Schmick’s
Menu commitment issues? McCormick & Schmick’s rotates their scampi preparation monthly based on whatever’s fresh and exciting their chef.
February might feature blood orange and fennel butter; July could bring heirloom tomato and basil. The constant: impeccably sourced shrimp that taste like they jumped from sea to pan. Their printed daily menus (yes, actually printed fresh each day) note exactly where your seafood was harvested.
13. Joe’s Stone Crab
Joe’s secretly makes a scampi that locals consider the real star. Dating back to 1913, this Miami Beach institution keeps their recipe deceptively simple – letting the sweet, massive Gulf shrimp speak volumes while the kitchen stays humble.
Unlike trendy spots with their foams and reductions, Joe’s relies on perfect technique. The butter-to-garlic ratio has remained unchanged for generations.
14. The Cheesecake Factory
Stop snickering – The Cheesecake Factory’s scampi deserves respect. Their “Shrimp Scampi” arrives with enough food to feed your entire fantasy football league.
The kitchen doesn’t skimp on quality despite the quantity. Real butter (not the scary liquid stuff), actual fresh garlic (not powder), and a generous pour of white wine create a sauce that’s legitimately craveable.
15. Carraba’s Italian Grill
Carraba’s has spawned more copycat scampi recipes than any other restaurant, with good reason. The magic starts with jumbo shrimp that somehow remain tender despite their size.
The lemon-garlic sauce gets unexpected depth from a splash of their homemade limoncello. That commitment shows in every garlicky, buttery bite that keeps their restaurants packed on weeknights.