9 Store-Bought Frozen Fried Shrimp Ranked Worst To Best

Fun finger food, especially a platter stacked high with crispy fried shrimp, is just as enjoyable to eat at home as in a restaurant. And rather than go through notoriously slow third-party delivery services to bring a fried appetizer to your front door, at the risk of it getting soft and soggy during the steamy commute trapped in a container, there are far better alternatives. With countless options to buy affordable frozen fried shrimp from different grocery stores, you don't have to worry about inflated restaurant prices, expensive food delivery fees, or long waits. A quick trip from your home freezer to your oven, stovetop, or air fryer will yield fresh, hot fried shrimp at the peak of crispy perfection, ready to enjoy immediately.

I'll jump on any opportunity to eat fried shrimp. And given that my next tattoo is going to be a shrimp holding a martini glass (a fun play on "shrimp cocktail"), there should be no doubt at all that I take my crustacean consumption very seriously. Here I have ranked nine different brands that sell a wide variety of frozen fried shrimp — I mean it, I had over ten other options to choose from, and I could keep counting. From breaded and butterflied to covered in coconut shreds, there's plenty of shrimp in the sea for everyone.

What I was hoping for with each fried shrimp selection was juicy, tender pieces of seafood with a thin, crispy exterior. But what did I get instead with Trader Joe's Shrimp Boom Bah? A Shrimp Boom Bleh. I never want to buy this again. So you could only imagine my complete shock and surprise when I found out that Chowhound ranked it #2 on the list of the 10 best frozen seafood options at Trader Joe's. Before you show up at my door with blazing fires and pitchforks, hear me out. This sad shrimp isn't worth the fight.

Given that there was about 70% batter to only 30% shrimp, the overall bite was obviously imbalanced. The batter coating each piece of shrimp was way too thick. And, while I admit that it was well-seasoned (a mix of hot sauce, brown sugar, and assorted spices), the texture was atrocious. With such a thick coating, it was a bizarrely spongy, stodgy mouthful that was tedious to chew.

The puny shrimp pieces didn't stand a chance against the bulky behemoth of a batter. They were dry and rubbery, and they tasted plastic and processed. I didn't have any issues with the accompanying sauce, which was a creamy sweet-and-spicy dipper. The spice level was impressive, and its zingy presence helped cut through the thick coating.

Admittedly, I didn't heed the warnings on the box that cooking times may vary and might require some adjustments depending on the appliance strength (SeaPak's Jumbo Butterfly Shrimp was the very first one I tested, so I was a little excited and too hungry to pay attention at first). I definitely overcooked my first batch after only seven minutes of cook time. Correction: I definitely burnt my first batch.

Still curious, and still hungry, I took a taste anyway. The crust tasted bland, but I attributed that to the burnt taste overpowering anything else. And the shrimp on the inside was very dry and chewy. Again, I thought that was my mistake for overcooking them. To keep everything fair, I knew I needed a second round for SeaPak as redemption.

With this second attempt, I cooked for less time to get better results. Despite the adjustments, I was still disappointed with the outcome. While I liked how crispy the coating was, it still had zero flavor and could have used far more salt or other seasonings. The shrimp's texture didn't improve, either. Each piece was flat and still tasted super dry even after adjusting the cooking time, a consequence of butterflying small shrimp too thinly. I felt somewhat duped by the "Jumbo" marketing and did not get my money's worth from this purchase.

Whole Foods is one of the absolute best grocery store chains for buying seafood, including shrimp. The 365 Whole Foods Market Butterfly Shrimp is a responsibly farmed product, which is nice if you pay attention to the sustainability of the seafood you purchase. But as for the taste, it was a mediocre choice overall. While it deserves an award for looking exactly as advertised compared to the picture on the box, the lauding abruptly ends there. While the pieces were a pretty sight to behold, golden-brown and beautifully plump and curled, they weren't the most appetizing to eat.

The shrimp was chewy and wasn't nearly as tender and juicy as most of the other higher-ranking contenders. It also tasted fishy and processed, like the shrimp spent an excessive amount of time sitting in some kind of plastic storage container. I took issue with the breading, as well. The exterior was too thick and crunchy, not light and crispy. On the inside, where the shrimp meets the breading, it was soggy and gummy. This is typically a sign that the breading or batter was too thick and heavy, trapping in excess steam and resulting in a congealed texture.

Using Red Lobster's iconic Cheddar Bay Biscuit mix for more than just biscuits is a genius hack for adding savory flavor to recipes for breakfast casseroles, waffles, cookies, and pizza crusts. And while researching frozen fried shrimp brands for this article, I was thrilled to come across Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuit Shrimp, with tail-on whole shrimp breaded in the biscuit mix. Two of my favorite things, united together in one happy appetizer! The anticipation was high, but the final results were a mild disappointment.

Don't be mistaken, I still really enjoyed this one. The shrimp was large, plump, and succulent. The breading was light and crisp, without the heaviness you might expect from a frozen biscuit. I wanted to be blown away by the biscuit mix's combo of cheddar, garlic, and assorted herbs, but the flavor was lacking. I was able to taste only faint whispers and vague hints of cheddar and seasonings. Using one of Red Lobster's claims to fame was a brilliant way to capitalize on a grocery-store shrimp product. But I wish the flavors were bigger and bolder.

The Northern Chef Gluten-Free Jumbo Butterfly Shrimp proves that products made for alternative diets can still be flavorful. Served with a sweet chili sauce, this is a great option for those following a gluten-free lifestyle and who want a fun, crunchy appetizer. Made with a base mix of rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch, there are no wheat-based ingredients.

The shrimp cooked beautifully in the air fryer, turning a gorgeous golden-brown hue. Even though the shrimp were butterflied, they were still very meaty. They were slightly less succulent than some of the others, but were significantly better than the lower-ranking contenders.

Fresh from the air fryer, the crust had a crisp, crunchy texture and savory, salty flavor that made it indistinguishable from the non-gluten-free options. The longer it sat to cool, however, I could taste the alternative flours more easily. The sweet chili sauce provided a zingy accompaniment, but I was too turned off by its heavy, syrupy consistency and excessive sweetness to go in for a second dip.

I'm a fairly new shopper at Aldi, and there was a lot I learned during my very first trip to the store. I didn't realize that almost everything is cheaper at Aldi, and that there were minimal brand-name products. Instead, Aldi uses in-house, private-label brands sold exclusively there, including Fremont Fish Market. The seafood brand has a real winner with their Jumbo Breaded Buttery Shrimp. The least expensive option among the crew, you can enjoy about 12 butterflied shrimp (nine ounces net weight) for less than five dollars. Given that the other contenders around that same weight cost between two to six dollars more per box, Fremont Fish Market's product is a bargain worth buying. And not just for the price — the shrimp are tasty, too.

I thought that the breading on the shrimp had the most pronounced flavor out of all the options, with a mouthwatering mix of salt and assorted spices. It was also light and crisp. Inside were thick pieces of plump and juicy shrimp with just the right amount of chewy texture. I was happy with this one, and I'm sure I'll be buying it again during many future visits as I get know Aldi more.

These little fellas from Aqua Star look diminutive compared to many of the other shrimp in this ranking, but don't be fooled — they are mighty in flavor and texture, far more than you would ever expect. I was actually surprised during my taste-test, since I was worried that the shrimp would become dry and overcooked in the air fryer due to their smaller size. I'm happy to report they stayed very moist after cooking.

They had a well-seasoned breading, crisp crust, and sweet, plump meat on the inside. I have nothing to complain about, other than I wouldn't want to share and want them all to myself. But Aqua Star has different thoughts. Since it's sold in a larger bag, totaling 1 1/2 pounds with roughly 45 to 50 shrimp pieces, it's the perfect appetizer to feed a few guests at a party or a whole shrimp-loving family at dinner.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes when I realized the Margaritaville restaurant chain sold a line of frozen seafood dishes at my local Giant Eagle. And I also couldn't resist trying them for myself in this review. I'm happy I didn't let my prejudices get too much in the way — these were some of the best I tasted.

Jimmy Buffett can keep looking for his lost shaker of salt, because Margaritaville's Calypso Coconut Shrimp are already expertly prepared and seasoned. The incredibly tender shrimp were encrusted in a coconut breading. Just a couple of minutes into air-frying, the smell of gently toasting coconut wafted throughout my home, and I was immediately transported to Buffett's front porch swing as he was strumming his six-string. The toasted coconut on the exterior offered some texture and a gently sweet flavor. The mango chutney sauce wasn't too spicy and had a subtle fruity flavor that didn't taste artificial. Its consistency was much better than Northern Chef's sweet chili sauce, as it wasn't as viscous or syrupy. Call me a Parrothead, because I'm a fan.

What's light as air, easy to prepare, fun and flavorful, and impossible to stop eating? Gorton's Beer Batter Shrimp is my reigning champ of this ranking — no contest. The beer batter was next-level delicious, and I almost couldn't believe that an eight-dollar purchase from a chain grocery store could offer an out-of-body food experience.

One bite of the beer batter crust was euphoric: the texture was feathery, dreamy, delicate, heavenly. The beer's flavor was subtle, and its effervescence provided the perfect boost to an airy crunch. I've never tasted anything so texturally playful. In an instant, the crispy texture disappeared like cotton candy, leaving me yearning for more. The shrimp on the inside was just as magical as its exterior: each piece was meaty, rich, and succulent. Gorton's sells an entire line of other shrimp products, like Coconut Shrimp and Double Crunch Shrimp, and I'm intrigued to see if the others are just as tasty — to be determined in another ranking, perhaps. But for now, I'm more than satisfied.

Each brand listed cooking instructions on the box for various methods: typically in the oven, deep-frying on the stovetop, or air-frying in an air fryer. I chose a universal cooking method so I could more closely compare the preparation of each product. I used my air fryer for every brand in this ranking. Following Chowhound's air fryer myths to stop believing, I did not use any additional oil to coat the pan, since all of these products are considered frozen fried foods. After a little snafu with my first round of cooking, I realized I needed to adjust my cooking times based on my air fryer's power. I fried for less time than expected and cooked for additional minutes if necessary after checking for doneness.

I waited for about five minutes before tasting each brand to ensure the shrimp would not be too hot directly out of the air fryer. If there were any accompanying sauces, I tried the shrimp first without them, then with them. I used water to cleanse my palate between each tasting.

I analyzed price points and how they compared with the amount of shrimp per box. I researched ingredient lists and focused my testing on basic factors: taste, texture, smell, and overall enjoyability. I also seriously considered the ratio of breading or batter to shrimp.