9 Chain Restaurants With The Best Fried Calamari, According To Reviews

As someone who grew up next to the ocean, I'm a huge fan of seafood, and few dishes scream comfort like fried calamari. However, like many people, I find squid a little daunting to cook with at home, so it's one of those dishes that I often seek out at restaurants instead. Fortunately, for me and my fellow fried calamari fans, tons of restaurants offer the dish on their menus, which makes it easy to indulge whenever the craving hits. And some chains in particular stand out for serving seriously fantastic fried calamari.

Fried calamari is a pretty simple dish, but not all chain restaurants get it right. The ones that nail the perfect balance of a crispy, flavorful coating and tender, fresh-tasting squid. Many also add their own touches to the dish that take it to the next level, like incorporating herbs and spices into the batter, tossing the crunchy tentacles and rings with fiery chiles or sweet peppers, or serving the fried calamari with vibrant sauces.

There are a few chain restaurants I know I can always rely on for a solid plate of fried calamari, but I also wanted to see if there are any I might be missing, so I decided to do a deep dive into recent reviews. I scoured social media posts, food blogs, and forums to see which spots consistently get shouted out for nailing the execution and going big on flavor. Based on my own experiences and reviews from numerous diners, these are the chain restaurants that serve the absolute best fried calamari.

Eddie V's is known for serving top-quality seafood and steaks in sophisticated settings. Each location has its own vibe with interesting artworks and decor that vary from spot to spot, but the menus are more or less the same across the board. Like many well-known seafood chains, Eddie V's offers a calamari appetizer, but it's not your typical battered-and-fried version served with marinara sauce. Instead, the chain puts a kung-pao-like spin on the Point Judith Calamari, tossing the crispy seafood with sliced carrots, scallions, and cashews. Your server will also finish it off with a red chili ginger soy sauce dressing right at your table.

If you like your fried calamari with a kick of heat, many say Eddie V's version won't disappoint. The sauce has a nice spice level and plenty of umami, complementing the crispy batter and the squid's mildly sweet flavor. The veggies bring freshness, and the roasted cashews add extra crunch. The dish rings in at about $25, which is not bad considering you're getting quality squid caught off Point Judith, Rhode Island, and the portion size is generous. Many say it's pretty hard to beat, like one reviewer on TikTok who said, "Eddie V's has the best calamari I've ever had!" 

Upscale steakhouse chain The Capital Grille consistently wins diners over with its top-notch steaks, dry-aged in-house for up to 24 days. In fact, the chain earned the number one spot in our ranking of U.S. steakhouse chains, not just for its meats, but also its delectable appetizers and sides. If it's crispy fried squid you're craving, The Capital Grille's Pan-Fried Calamari with Hot Cherry Peppers earns a solid 10 out of 10 from many diners. The name is pretty explanatory — you get calamari that's hand-breaded, then pan-fried and tossed with a generous handful of picante cherry peppers.

Diners are pretty vocal about their love for The Capital Grille's calamari. For example, on an Instagram post the chain made about the dish, fans piped in with comments like "One of the best appetizers ever," and "These are so good!" A reviewer on TikTok described it as, "Light, crispy ... not rubbery. The best calamari in town." Every time I've had it, the calamari has been golden and crunchy, nicely seasoned, and I love the pleasant heat the hot cherry peppers add. It costs $23, which is on par with appetizer prices at many high-end spots where you're paying for the quality of the food and top-tier service. Plus, the dish is big enough to share.

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse is another upmarket steakhouse chain that's perfect for a date night, celebration, or simply a nice dinner out. The USDA Prime and Wagyu steaks are the main draw, but the menu also features plenty of appetizers to kick your main meal off, many of which are seafood-centric. The Shanghai-style Fried Calamari gets particularly good reviews, with many diners saying it just hits right every time. The Asian-inspired dish features golden-hued calamari glazed in a sweet chili sauce and tossed with bean sprouts, cherry peppers, and scallions. It's topped with a sprinkling of crushed peanuts.

There's a lot to love about the Shanghai-style Fried Calamari. For one, the crispy coating is the perfect vehicle for the sweet and spicy sauce, as it holds the sauce in place while maintaining its crunch. Then there are the vegetables and peanuts, which add a nice contrast to the delicate texture and flavor of the squid. It all comes together into an ultra-flavorful dish that one reviewer on Instagram described as a "tangy, spicy, perfectly coated delight." The dish rings in at $24, putting it in the mid-range of Del Frisco's appetizers. And, like the previous two dishes, you get an ample amount of calamari, making it perfect for sharing.

Since 1950, Legal Sea Foods has been a beloved institution in Boston. It started as a simple family-run fish market, and later transitioned to a full-service restaurant. Today, there are 25 restaurants in New England. It's renowned as one of a handful of chain restaurants that serve the highest-quality seafood, as most of the seafood comes straight from the Gulf of Maine and makes it onto your plate shortly afterward. That's the case with the calamari, which features New England-caught squid that's battered, deep fried, and served either as an appetizer or as part of the Fisherman's Platter.

If you're opting for the calamari as a starter, Legal Seafoods offers two different styles. You can go classic with the regular version, which is simply seasoned, deep-fried, and served with tartar sauce. For a bit more flair, you can try the Rhode Island-style calamari that's fried and tossed with hot peppers and garlic. Both versions get great reviews, with diners calling them absolutely delicious. Many diners also love the fact that Legal Sea Foods offers gluten-free versions prepared in dedicated fryers. In addition, the price point isn't bad at $18.50 a plate for the starter. The Fisherman's Platter will set you back $45, but you also get jumbo shrimp, scallops, local whitefish, onion strings, fries, and coleslaw, along with a portion of the calamari.

Bonefish Grill consistently earns accolades for its tasty seafood dishes, like its famous Bang Bang Shrimp and smoky fish and meat dishes cooked over wood-burning grills. The chain also earned a spot on our list of chain restaurants with the best fried fish. Another fried dish that diners say is absolutely worth ordering is the Crispy Calamari. For about $15.50, depending on location, you get a decent portion of battered, fried calamari with slices of red pepper, served with an Asian-inspired dipping sauce that's sweet and spicy. It's offered as a starter, but you could easily make it a light main meal.

There's nothing too over the top about Bonefish's Crispy Calamari, and that's what many people love about it. The coating is light and crispy, and some say it's seasoned perfectly. You get a bit of sweetness from the peppers, but they're more of an accent to the main star — the squid. Just a squeeze of lemon is all you really need, but the sweet-and-spicy dipping sauce is also a nice touch. Pro tip: ask for some of the chain's addictively good Bang Bang sauce on the side for extra dunking. Another thing people love about the dish is that it's consistently good. As one reviewer on Instagram said, "The calamari always slaps."

Given that fried calamari has its roots in Mediterranean coastal cities, it's not surprising that the dish is a staple at Italian restaurants. Carrabba's Italian Grill is no exception. Founded in Houston, Texas, in 1986, the chain is all about comforting Italian-American dishes inspired by the founders' Sicilian backgrounds and family recipes. Fun fact: it's one of just a handful of chain restaurants where you can still dine at the original location. But I digress. Carrabba's calamari is about as classic as it gets — every order is hand-breaded, then deep fried and served with a side of marinara sauce and the chain's creamy lemon-butter Ricardo sauce.

According to many diners, Carrabba's calamari is pretty faultless. It's nice and crunchy, seasoned nicely, and piled high on the plate. Plus, it's pretty sweet that you get two dipping sauces so that you can alternate between different tastes. The marinara sauce is bright, acidic, and fresh tasting, while the Ricardo sauce is rich, velvety, and has a touch of lemony tang. Many people give the dish a 10 out of 10, and some say it's the best calamari around. A reviewer on TikTok noted, "Their calamari WILL be your new obsession." Even better, the dish costs roughly $15, making it one of the more affordable options on this list.

It's all about seafood, steaks, and cocktails at Ocean Prime, a swanky restaurant chain with the motto "glitz and glam meets surf and turf." There are numerous locations across the United States, each offering elegant interiors, polished service, and enticing menus and wine lists. It's the kind of spot where you'll definitely want to dip into some of the appetizers before your main meal, particularly the Point Judith Calamari, which gets rave reviews. It features crispy calamari tossed in a sweet chili sauce and garnished with scallion, pepper, and chile slices.

To say that people are impressed with Ocean Prime's take on fried calamari would be an understatement. A reviewer for WFLA said, "I've had a lot of calamari in my life, but this was a standout. The sweet chili sauce gave it an unexpected but deliciously Asian-inspired twist that complemented the crispy, tender rings of squid beautifully." Another reviewer on Facebook called it spectacular and said, "Lightly crisped to golden perfection, the calamari was tender, never chewy, and the sweet chili sauce added the perfect touch of zing and sweetness. It was hard not to fight over the last piece." At $29, it's not exactly cheap, but based on the reviews, many diners think it's totally worth the splurge.

Where do you go when you want an affordable seafood meal at a full-service restaurant? For many people, the answer is Red Lobster. The first restaurant opened in Lakeland, Florida, in 1968, and since then, it's gained legions of fans who come for the tasty dishes featuring shrimp, lobster, and crab. If you want to start your meal with some calamari, there are two options: the Hand-breaded Calamari and Crispy Dragon Calamari. As we discovered while researching our run-down of the best and worst appetizers at Red Lobster, the hand-breaded version gets blasé reviews, but many think the Crispy Dragon version is a definite winner.

Red Lobster launched the Crispy Dragon Calamari in 2023, and it's been on the menu ever since. It features fried calamari tossed in a sweet-and-spicy chili sauce. Diners love that the dish comes garnished with dried chiles and that the sauce is ultra-flavorful. As one TikToker said, "The sauce makes it." Many say it's pretty mild with a nice sweetness and just a hint of heat. And even people who are a little more sensitive to spice say they still enjoy it. As one reviewer said in a YouTube video, "You start getting hot and instead of quitting, you want to throw more fire on fire." And at roughly $15, it's a great deal.

When it comes to Italian chain restaurants, few knock it out of the park as much as Maggiano's Little Italy. It's often cited for having one of the best chain restaurant chicken Parmesan dishes, as well as some of the best chain restaurant spaghetti and meatballs out there. And, as I discovered while researching this piece, many people also rave about the Calamari Fritté. At first glance, it looks pretty basic with lightly fried calamari served with a simple marinara sauce and some lemon. However, diners can't stop talking about it. The dish often gets mentioned in discussions of where to find the best fried calamari, even above independent restaurants.

Many people say the Calamari Fritté is an absolute must when they visit Maggiano's, like one reviewer on TikTok who said, "Fried calamari is my go-to appetizer. It never disappoints." The dish comes out with a beautiful golden hue with flecks of seasoning, and people love how crispy it is. You also get a decent-sized bowl of zesty marinara sauce for dipping. It's even managed to win over first-time calamari eaters. A TikTok user posted a video of his son trying it and loving it with the caption, "My boy said he might have to go jump in the ocean to get more." The plate will set you back $18, which is pretty reasonable for what many agree is a stellar dish.

With so many chain restaurants serving fried calamari, I knew I had my work cut out for me tracking down the absolute best versions out there. I started with the spots I already knew made mean versions, and double-checked other people's reviews to make sure I'm not the only one who thinks so. Then, I branched out to other chains and scoured social media platforms, Reddit, and food blogs for mentions of the calamari. I weeded out the spots that got bad reviews and focused on the chains that kept coming up, with people giving the fried calamari rave reviews. I also wanted to make sure that the information I was gathering was as up-to-date as possible, so I only considered reviews from within the past year. 

Some of the key criteria I looked for included great flavor in the breading, squid, and sauces. Of course, the tenderness of the calamari came into play because no one likes rubbery squid rings. I looked at both classic versions and modern takes on the dish, factored in how consistent the chains are with their execution, and also considered value for money. Based on my own experience with some of these dishes and what countless other diners say, these are the chain restaurants that make exceptional fried calamari worth ordering every time.