11 Chain Restaurants With The Highest-Quality Caesar Salad

Caesar salad is one of the most popular salads — if not the most popular salad — in the United States, and it's pretty easy to see why. It's fresh and crunchy with a touch of creaminess from the dressing, and it's packed with tangy, umami flavors. It's easy to make at home with just some romaine lettuce, croutons, and a bottle of store-bought dressing, but we all know that restaurant Caesar dressing often tastes so much better. That's because many restaurants use fresh ingredients like olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, eggs, Parmesan, Worcestershire, and sometimes anchovies.

When Caesar Cardini created the Caesar salad at Restaurante Caesar's in Tijuana, Mexico, on the Fourth of July in 1924, he probably never dreamed it would become a staple at steakhouses, salad bars, and Italian restaurants. That's because he basically cobbled together a salad with ingredients he had on hand in the kitchen to feed his hungry customers who had already run through his food supplies. The makeshift salad was an instant hit and would go on to be emulated around the world.

Plenty of chain restaurants include Caesar salad on their menus because it's a major crowd-pleaser. But not all Caesars are created equal. Some spots serve up versions that really stand out for their freshness, flavor, and balance. To find out which restaurant chains have the highest-quality Caesar salads, we pored over customer reviews to nail down the best of the best. These are the chains making Caesar salads that diners absolutely adore.

If you're from the Northwest and a fan of steakhouses, there's a good chance you've been to El Gaucho. The original was a fine dining steakhouse in downtown Seattle that operated from 1953 to 1985. In 1996, former manager Paul MacKay opened another El Gaucho to carry on the restaurant's legacy, and now there are locations in multiple cities, including Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, Vancouver, and Portland. Each offers old-school steakhouse vibes with candlelit dining rooms and tableside service.

There are several appetizers, soups, and salads to kick off your steak dinner at El Gaucho, but for many, the Caesar salad is an absolute must. It's prepared right at your table in a portion that's big enough to feed two. Part of the fun is watching your server whip up the dressing, which features freshly cracked black pepper, anchovies, garlic, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire. Then a fresh egg yolk is whisked in along with lemon juice and olive oil. That gets tossed with romaine, Pecorino Romano cheese, and croutons and then topped with Parmesan Reggiano cheese.

Diners love the interactive experience you get with El Gaucho's Caesar. As one Yelp reviewer said, "The table side Caesar salad wasn't just a gimmick, they explained the history of it, showed us how they made the dressing and it was amazing." Guests also love that the lettuce is crisp and fresh and that the dressing is ultra-flavorful. Some go as far to say it's the best Caesar salad you'll ever eat.

Sweetgreen isn't your typical fast-casual restaurant chain. It was created in 2007 by three friends who went to Georgetown University together. Jonathan Neman, Nicolas Jammet, and Nathaniel Ru wanted to create a spot where people could get healthy food fast, but they also wanted it to be sustainable. They made connections with local farmers and opened the first Sweetgreen location in Washington, D.C. Today, there are over 900 locations in 23 states and territories, all of which serve up fresh farm-to-table salads and protein bowls and plates.

Peruse Sweetgreen's menu and you'll find an array of vibrant creations made with colorful veggies, hearty proteins, and fun sauces. The Kale Caesar Salad is a fan favorite with its mix of chopped romaine, shredded kale, cherry tomatoes, shaved Parmesan, and Parmesan crisps. It comes with either roasted chicken or caramelized garlic steak, and it gets a squeeze of lime juice and Caesar dressing on the side.

One of the most appealing aspects of Sweetgreen's Kale Caesar is that you can customize it with different ingredients. Diners often comment on their favorite swaps like subbing cucumbers for the tomatoes or adding chickpeas. You can also make the salad vegetarian by replacing the meat with roasted tofu, warm portobellos, or roasted sweet potatoes. In addition, you can bulk up your Caesar with ingredients like hard-boiled eggs, avocado, blue cheese, and roasted almonds. 

The Hillstone Restaurant Group is pretty prolific across the United States with multiple restaurants under different names, including Hillstone, Houston's, Gulfstream, and Woodmont Grill. It all started in 1977 when George and Carol Biel opened the first Houston's in Nashville, Tennessee. They aimed to offer quality food such as burgers, steaks, and sandwiches for all tastes. As additional locations opened across the country, new concepts were added. With just 45 restaurants across the country, it's not necessarily a huge empire, but it's a chain beloved by celebrities and chefs as well as regular folks.

One thing that's unique about Hillstone restaurants (and sister spots) is that the menus are similar but differ slightly with special dishes that are seasonal or designed to appeal to local palates. That being said, classics like the Caesar salad are often mainstays across the board. Hillstone's Caesar Salad gets rave reviews for its fresh, crispy greens tossed in a flavorful dressing and garnished with house-made croutons and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Fans of Hillstone's Caesar have long wondered what makes the salad taste so good. A Hillstone cook on Reddit recently revealed that it's a mix of special ingredients in the dressing, including roasted garlic, red wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, yellow mustard, and anchovies blended with oil. The Parmesan also gets folded in at the end to add pops of texture and flavor.

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is often listed as one of the best steakhouse chains in the U.S. thanks to its top-notch USDA Prime steaks, fresh seafood, and fine wines served in elegant settings. Founders Paul Fleming and Bill Allen opened the first location in Newport Beach, California, in 1998, and now there are more than 65 locations across the country. It's a bit pricier than some other chain restaurants, but many say it's worth it for the polished service, great ambiance, and stellar food.

The menu at Fleming's includes a mix of contemporary dishes and classic steakhouse favorites. The Caesar salad is a popular choice that has unique touches you don't often find in traditional recipes. Fresh romaine lettuce gets tossed in a creamy dressing, then it gets topped with shaved Parmesan, fried capers, and crispy prosciutto. The toppings add textural variety to the salad and give it briny, umami flavors that fans can't get enough of.

Diners have overwhelmingly good things to say about Fleming's Caesar salad, with many commenting on how well-dressed the salad is. It comes with just enough dressing, cheese, and crispy prosciutto so that no one element overpowers the others. Some diners also comment on the generous portion size. As one Yelp reviewer said, "I could just eat this as my entree!"

Caesar salad is a staple on many Italian-American restaurant menus, and Carrabba's Italian Grill is no exception. This easy-going chain was founded by Damian Mandola and his nephew, Johnny Carrabba, whose ancestors immigrated to Texas from Sicily. The duo drew on family recipes and their experience working in the restaurant industry to open the first Carrabba's Italian Grill in 1986. They later partnered with Outback Steakhouse Inc. (now Bloomin' Brands) to expand the restaurant into a nationwide chain.

Carrabba's Caesar salad may look pretty standard with its fresh romaine, croutons, and Parmesan cheese. However, the dressing is what sets it apart from other run-of-the-mill Caesars. It's made in-house with flavorful ingredients including eggs, anchovies, whole-grain mustard, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice. You can get your salad topped with chicken or shrimp and add crumbled gorgonzola for a bit of extra creaminess and tang. Extra croutons are also on offer.

It's hard to find anyone with a bad thing to say about Carrabba's Caesar salad. People love how fresh and flavorful the dressing is. For example, one diner left a Google review that said, "[The] caesar salad dressing is made in-house and is one of the best I've had. I normally have leftover salad but I couldn't get enough of this stuff." Another Google reviewer said, "Can't get better dressing anywhere."

When single mother Ruth Fertel bought Chris Steak House in New Orleans in 1965, she probably never dreamed that the business would explode like it did and one day have over 150 locations across the globe. What she did know is that she wanted to serve great steaks and provide guests with warm hospitality. She eventually changed the name of the restaurant to Ruth's Chris Steak House and built a solid reputation that the chain still maintains today. It's famous for its USDA Prime steaks, seafood, and classic sides.

While some steakhouses focus solely on the steaks and neglect the salads, Ruth's Chris takes pride in amping up its salads with vibrant veggies and dressings that are made fresh daily. The Caesar salad features romaine hearts tossed with the chain's special dressing and topped with house-made garlic croutons, Romano cheese, and Parmesan-black pepper crisps for a bit of crunchy chewiness.

The thoughtful touches that go into Ruth's Chris Steak House's Caesar salad don't go unnoticed by diners. Many reviewers describe it as being beautifully presented with crisp lettuce that's chopped just right and flavorful elements that make it easy to eat the whole bowl. One Google reviewer said, "The dressing was probably one of the better Caesars I have had in the area and the croutons were out of this world delicious."

The Cheesecake Factory is another business that started out small and later grew into a massive internationally recognized brand. Its beginnings stretch back to the 1940s when Evelyn Overton baked a cheesecake using a recipe she found in a newspaper. People loved it so much that she eventually opened a bakery. In 1978, her son, David, opened the first Cheesecake Factory restaurant, and it's been a hit ever since. Today, the chain is known for its extensive menu that includes everything from soups to salads, pastas, burgers, sandwiches, and multiple flavors of cheesecake.

Considering that The Cheesecake Factory seems to offer everything you could possibly want from a restaurant and more, it's no surprise that Caesar salad is on the menu. The standard version includes lettuce with croutons, Parmesan cheese, and Caesar dressing that's made in-house. Like many dishes at The Cheesecake Factory, it can be modified with add-ons like grilled chicken, shrimp, avocado, salmon, or steak.

Balance is the key to a good Caesar salad, and according to many diners, The Cheesecake Factory nails it. "The salad from the Cheesecake has the perfect amount of dressing and croutons in my opinion," said one Yelp reviewer. "A bit of an onion-y taste but scrumptious." Diners also love that you can jazz up the salad with different items. One TikToker even went viral with their hack that included adding Louisiana-style chicken and caramelized onions.

Maggiano's Little Italy has never tried to be ultra-fancy, and that's what many people love about it. It was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1991, and it quickly became popular for its Italian American dishes served family-style. It wasn't long before it expanded to other locations, and in 1995, Brinker International bought the brand and took it nationwide. At the time of writing, there are 52 locations in 23 states, each of which offers comforting fare and a cozy ambiance. In fact, the inviting settings placed it on our list of the best chain restaurants for a date night.

If you're looking for some greens to accompany your main at Maggiano's, many say you can't go wrong with the chef's signature Caesar salad. Maggiano's recently revamped the salad to include chopped romaine hearts along with croutons and dressing that are both made in-house. It also has 24-year aged Parmesan that's grated fresh tableside. You can order the salad as a side or bump it up to entrée size. Add-ons can include chicken, shrimp, salmon, and avocado.

Sometimes diners take issue when chain restaurants change favorite menu items, but that's not the case with Maggiano's Caesar salad. Many say every element works together for the ultimate bite. As one Google reviewer said, "The Caesar salad was incredibly phenomenal! Croutons, lettuce, sauce, Parmesan cheese! Crunch and crisp with lots of flavor but not overpowering sauce!"

Where do you go when you want a steak dinner that's reliably excellent every single time? For many people, The Capital Grille is the answer. Ever since the first location opened in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1990, the goal has been to offer top-notch steaks, seafood, and sides in settings that are classy, but never stuffy. Attention to detail is key, from the polished silverware on the tables to the attentive service and the commitment to using only the freshest ingredients. With that in mind, it's easy to see why the Caesar salad gets so many stellar reviews.

The Capital Grille's Caesar salad is simple but packs punchy flavors. It features romaine lettuce tossed in a dressing that includes extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, anchovies, and Parmesan cheese. It also features house-made croutons with Grana Padano cheese. You can modify it slightly by leaving out the croutons and cheese, getting the dressing on the side, or adding toppings like grilled shrimp, grilled chicken, or a 4-ounce filet.

According to customers, The Capital Grille does a great job of getting the ratios of dressing and cheese down pat. A Yelp reviewer summed it up succinctly, stating, "I know it sounds odd or crazy, but you take your fork and stab the Parmesan and every single bite was a little cheese, a little salad, and a little Caesar dressing. WOW." Some say the salad was a highlight of their meal.

From the very first day that Chopt Creative Salad Co. opened in New York City's Union Square in 2001, it had a line going out the door. People were smitten with the fresh takes on classic salads and interesting flavor combos as well as the idea of being able to get good-quality, healthy eats fast and at a decent price. It wasn't long before founders Tony Shure and Colin McCabe were expanding to new markets across the United States.

There are tons of salads to choose from on Chopt's menu, including several variations of Caesar salad. You can opt for the Kale Caesar with aged Parmesan and artisan croutons or the Spicy Sonoma Caesar with fun and colorful ingredients like purple cabbage, avocado, chipotle chicken, pickled peppers, and Parmesan crisps. However, the Caesar that gets the most hype is the Mexican Caesar with its combo of romaine lettuce, spicy jalapeños, cotija cheese, and crunchy tortilla chips.

Like many salad chains, Chopt allows you to modify your salad with extra ingredients, and many people take full advantage of that. Customers love sharing the unique ways they amp up the Mexican Caesar. Black beans, avocado, and corn are top choices. Other interesting add-ins could include seared steak, pickled red onions, cucumbers, and purple beets. It may not be traditional, but who needs tradition if it tastes good?

Some people may look down their noses at Texas Roadhouse for its kitschy decor and boisterous atmosphere, but there's something to be said about getting quality steaks, fluffy rolls, and made-from-scratch sides for a fraction of what you'd pay at a high-end steakhouse. Since the chain opened in Clarksville, Indiana, in 1993, the main goal has been to offer legendary food and legendary service. Incidentally, that's the chain's mission statement. Steaks are the main draw, but many say sleeping on the Caesar salad would be a major Texas Roadhouse ordering mistake.

There's nothing overly fancy about Texas Roadhouse's Caesar, but what it lacks in flair, it makes up for with house-made ingredients. Fresh romaine hearts get tossed in a tangy homemade dressing that features olive oil, egg yolk, garlic, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and anchovy paste. Then, the salad is topped with house-made croutons and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. You can also top your salad with chicken, salmon, or bacon.

Many customers will tell you that the Caesar salad is hands-down one of the best Texas Roadhouse menu items you can order. One Google reviewer even called it the "best Caesar salad in a chain restaurant by a mile." People love that it comes in a chilled bowl, and that the dressing is smooth and creamy, which contrasts nicely with the crisp lettuce and crunchy croutons.

To narrow down the highest-quality Caesar salads from chain restaurants, we scoured through hundreds of customer reviews on platforms like Yelp, Tripadvisor, Google reviews, and Reddit to see which salads got shouted out the most for being top-notch. Some of the criteria we looked for included freshness, flavor, portion size, and value for money. Based on customer reviews, we compiled this list of Caesar salads that impress diners the most for their superior ingredients and downright delicious flavor.