7 Chain Restaurants With The Best Fried Fish, According To Reviews

For someone who grew up in a landlocked state, fish fries were a surprisingly large part of my upbringing (likely because my family lived next to two ponds that were built as part of a catfish hatchery generations earlier). While the catfish were few and far between, the ponds had a large amount of bass, which we were constantly frying on the back deck.

All that to be said, there's nothing quite like fried fish, whether it's catfish in a cornmeal batter or cod in a beer batter. Many different kinds of fish are great for frying, such as rockfish or haddock. Many people also have their favorite restaurants to hit up when they've got that craving for some crispy fried fish, but don't want to make it themselves. Restaurants have been selling fried fish for quite a long time, with many taverns adding it to the menu during Prohibition to keep customers coming in when they stopped serving alcohol.

But what restaurants are the best to hit up the next time that hankering for fish and chips or a fried fish sandwich comes around? We searched the internet and read a plethora of customer reviews to find out. As a result, we have this list of seven chain restaurants that have the best fried fish.

We're starting this list with a fan favorite — Long John Silver's. This chain has been around since the '60s and has just under 500 locations across the U.S. It has an entire menu filled with fried fish, though it predominantly uses Alaskan pollock for its food. Long John Silver's is also known for its affordable prices, so you can get an entire meal on a budget.

Reviews on social media about this fishy fast food joint are glowing. One post described the food as glorious and fresh, while complimenting the batter for not being too salty. Another said the sandwich was nice and thick with a good-sized fillet and a perfectly salted crust.

A video review of Long John Silver's liked the portion sizes of the meals and said that overall, the fish had a nice crunch, lots of flavor, and didn't taste too fishy. A different food reviewer said he never understood how LJS ever had a bad rep, going on about how delicious the batter was. A final food reviewer who tried Long John Silver's for the first time said the portion sizes were massive, the fish was juicy, and the batter was perfectly thin and crispy. The positive comments were endless, and all agreed that Long John Silver's knows how to fry fish.

The next entry is another long-standing chain known for its low prices: Captain D's. Some of you may be surprised that this chain is still around, but it's been making a comeback after struggling to stay afloat. With the first location opening in 1969, Captain D's now has over 530 locations. The menu features fried fish options like hand-breaded catfish, spicy batter-dipped fish, Southern-style white fish, and a multitude of grilled options for those who prefer them.

When looking at online reviews, we found a Facebook post from an Oklahoma food group that had customers raving about how much they loved the chain's crunchy fish. Another post by customers in Georgia had complimented the hot, fresh, well-seasoned fish, as well as the crispy exterior.

But the reviews didn't stop there. In a YouTube review by Cardboard Cave, he lauded the affordability and large portion sizes. He claimed to like the smell and flavor, saying it reminded him of being at a local sit-down restaurant. Another video reviewer loved the good deal they got for their hot, flaky fish. Lastly, a TikTok review called the Lobster Feast deal an absolute steal, while a family travel channel raved about the value and taste of their meals. They liked the flavor and felt that, despite being fried, their food wasn't greasy. At the end of the day, it seems like Captain D's flavorful fried fish and reasonable prices can't be beat.

Culver's might be known for its butterburgers, but it still has some great fried fish options on its menu. Currently, it offers hand-battered North Atlantic cod, though in the past, it offered walleye during Lent. Reviews go back and forth on which fish they prefer, but both have gotten very positive feedback. The cod could get rave reviews because of where it's sourced from, but either way, reviewers seem to love it.

According to a Reddit thread discussing Culver's fish sandwich, users called it better than most and the best fried fish sandwich around. Another thread on the website had comments about how it was criminally underrated for its crispy batter and flaky fish that hit all the right notes.

A Facebook post about the sandwich loved the toppings of briny capers and fresh lettuce, and felt that it was a high-protein fast food option. And although a video review lamented that the cod sandwich was smaller than the walleye, the flakiness made it worth it. The consensus about the fish sandwich at Culver's was that it was crispy, juicy, and that customers enjoyed the tangy sauce that came with it.

Stepping away from fast food options is Bonefish Grill, which is probably more known for its Bang Bang Shrimp and unexpectedly fancy signature Old Fashioned. However, it makes traditional fish and chips that have gotten great reviews from customers. The dish is made with crispy cod and comes with coleslaw, tartar sauce, and a side of fries.

A YouTube review described the fish as nice and crunchy with a good batter. He complimented the dish, saying that while it smelled slightly fishy, it didn't have a strong fish aftertaste. Though he wasn't a fan of the higher price that came with casual dining fare, he and other reviewers said the fish and chips were tasty, crispy, and piping hot.

Over on Instagram, a customer said the cod and chips were perfectly fried and crisp. Other comments on one of Bonefish's Instagram posts about the tempura-battered cod were full of heart and fire emojis, which paint a pretty clear picture: It's good!

If you're shocked that Texas Roadhouse — a chain known for its steaks and ribs — is on this list, then you're not alone. But the reviews have spoken, and the popular chain has a fried catfish entree that folks love. When you consider that Texas Roadhouse is a Southern-inspired restaurant, it's not that surprising to see fried fish on the menu, but still not what you might expect among all the smoked meats. Just be sure to try it with tartar and hot sauce for a boost of flavor.

Over on TikTok, one reviewer made a point to showcase the rather large portions of delicious fish. On a website dedicated to the Texas Roadhouse experience, an in-depth review called the catfish a fan favorite, also commenting on the generously sized, deep-fried portions of catfish. The review said it was sweet, mild, and moist, with a seasoned cornmeal breading that had hints of salt, pepper, and a touch of buttermilk. Overall, anyone who has tried the Texas Roadhouse fried catfish seems to agree that it's filling and tastes great.

While some locations offer cod instead of catfish, the reviews remain consistent. Social media posts claim they liked the breading and that it was a pretty decent meal for the price.

While Dairy Queen doesn't always offer a fish sandwich, when it does, it's on point. Like a lot of fast food chains, it typically makes an appearance during Lent, when our Catholic friends and family eat fish on Fridays. When the season is right, the fast food joint has a Wild Alaskan Fish Sandwich, which features crispy Wild Alaskan pollock that is lightly coated and comes with lettuce and tartar sauce on a toasted bun.

When looking at the reviews, there's an overall agreement that while it might be more expensive for a fast-food meal, it's a really good, solid sandwich. A reviewer on YouTube specifically commented on the full-bodied crunch and felt that the tartar sauce made the meal. On Instagram, Joel Clements called it a good, standard fish sandwich. He said that the fish was crispy and that the tartar sauce made for a delicious, well-balanced flavor profile that left him coming back for more.

What list of chain restaurant fried fish would be complete without at least one fish and chips shop? And of course, it would be a chain started by the king of the kitchen himself, Gordon Ramsay. Fish and chips are near and dear to the British chef's heart, which is why he opened the first restaurant in 2016. At each of the five US locations, you can expect to find a slightly elevated take on the classic fish and chips, with a particular type of fish used — cod.

Several reviews on TikTok said the fish was nice and flaky with excellent dipping sauces and that the restaurant completely lived up to the hype, adding that the fish was crunchy, delicious, and perfect. This reviewer went on to say that he's never had fish this good, while another called the batter heavenly, crispy, and light.

In a more in-depth review on YouTube, UA Eats went to the Times Square location, fully preparing for it to be an overhyped tourist trap. However, he quickly changed his tune, saying it not only looked good, but it tasted good too. He admitted that he really wanted to say it was overrated, but it was anything but, and tasted just like he was in the UK. Another popular food reviewer had similar sentiments. In summation, it seems like Gordon Ramsay really knows what he's doing when it comes to fish and chips.

To create this list, we looked at various articles and reviews that talked about restaurant chains with fried fish, writing down every one that was mentioned. We made sure that all of the articles were written within the last five years so that we knew what was current and most likely to still be available. All in all, we had a list of about 20 restaurants to choose from.

To narrow down our list and determine who serves the best fried fish, we started by looking at reviews from different online sources. We checked out Reddit threads and read restaurant menus, all while checking to see which restaurants had more positive reviews than negative about their fish. We then focused on the details that customers liked about the fried fish at these restaurants.

As you saw, some of them come from seafood restaurants, but not all. The important thing was that they served at least one fried fish item with glowing reviews. We paid close attention to those who said the fish had a well-seasoned, crispy, and crunchy exterior with a juicy and flaky interior. We also wanted to focus on reviews that said the dish was a good portion size that was well worth the price. In the end, we think we found the best of the best chain restaurant fried fish.