11 Best Restaurant Chain Fried Fish Dishes

Dining out is one of life's more pleasant experiences. Most communities have a number of good restaurants in the area, so there are plenty of places to choose from. But thanks to chains, recognizable and favorite eateries can be found almost anywhere in the nation.

Chains offer many kinds of foods from steaks to burgers to chicken and even soup. A perennial favorite, however, is fish. You can always put tinned fish on a burger or grill up a fresh catch, but sometimes you want something fried. A nice, crisp coating of breading around a perfectly cooked piece of seafood can be the base of a great meal. At chains, you're also more likely to find more affordable fish dinners than you might find at a local establishment. This is because of the generally high prices of seafood. Thus, inexpensive chain meals help fill this gap. This is beneficial because a study by Johns Hopkins found that almost 90% of Americans don't eat the recommended two servings of fish per week, and miss out on nutrients such as Omega-3 fatty acids.

Now, deep-frying food is not necessarily the healthiest way to prepare it, but once in a while, it's a worthwhile treat. That said, you may want to check out the best seafood restaurant in every state, for those special occasions. In the meantime, we present the 11 best chain fried fish dishes. They cover most of the nation, and you're sure to find one here that you will really enjoy.

Perhaps the best-known seafood chain in the land, Red Lobster, is seemingly everywhere. Still around after more than five decades, the chain certainly has plenty of fans. The menu features lobster, crab, shrimp, flounder, and salmon cooked in several ways. However, the dish that put it on this list is the fish and chips.

This is a classic dish in the U.K. that many Americans love as well. Red Lobster uses wild-caught cod in a beer batter and serves it up with Chesapeake fries, hush puppies, and cole slaw. Prices vary in different parts of the country, but the dish is about $20 on average, which is not bad. Better yet, on Fish Fry Friday, it's just $16.

Folks on Facebook are excited about this meal, noting that it's not only yummy but very reasonably priced. Another Facebook post from a happy diner gushed about how good the dish was for something priced around $20. Even without the Friday discount, they were pleased. Over on TikTok, a user declared themself as "one happy foodie," and appeared ecstatic, munching on the fish and chips and commenting on how large the portion was.

Popeye's is a huge chain that is represented in all but one U.S. state. It's best known for its fried chicken, and social media likes to discuss whether Popeyes or Raising Cane's does it best. However, the chain took a bold step outside the poultry game in 2022, when it released its Cajun Flounder Sandwich. A delicate filet is coated in Popeyes' signature Cajun seasoning, then breaded and fried to a golden brown. Served on a bun, the flounder is light and flaky. Depending on the location, it costs $5.99 and is available yearly around Lent. Worth the 12-month wait? We think so.

Our reviewer at The Takeout staunchly approved of the Popeye's fried fish sandwich, enjoying the perfect marriage of four simple ingredients used to create it. The food blog, The Cigar Coop, gave the sandwich a rating of four out of five and liked the spicy, but not too hot, seasoning and said, "Although it doesn't have the traditional taste of a fish fry, the fish is still quite good."

A reviewer on Mashed feels that the dish merits a full-time spot on the Popeyes menu, and a post on Facebook claimed it was on par with the fried fish from Culver's (which also makes an appearance on our list). Sounds like we may have another reason to look forward to spring.

Back in the '70s, Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips was a nationwide chain with more than 800 locations. It fell on hard times, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1983, and was nearly wiped out. It has since made a mini comeback with three of its restaurants in Ohio and one in Bellemore, NY. If you're not a Buckeye or a Long Islander, you'll have to travel, but we think it's worth the trip.

The Bellemore menu shows the fish and chips as its most liked item. For $17.99, you get two pieces of battered pollock, two hush puppies, and a side of Nathan's fries. Seems like a reasonable deal. A reviewer on TripAdvisor from Ohio is very happy with the return of the chain, and is more than excited that it seems they've continued to use the same recipe for its fried fish after all these years.

A family of three visited the Garfield Heights, Ohio, location and recorded their impressions for YouTube. The father compared the fish to his favorite Long John Silver's and said, "I like the batter on the fish ... they fried it to a light, deep golden brown ... looks amazing ... It's got a little bit different flavor than Long John Silver's, but still, it's very good." Arthur Treacher's shows us you don't need a ton of restaurants coast to coast to make a fried fish dish worthy of our list.

Although it's been around since 1938, Ivar's is a regional chain with a moderate number of locations in the Pacific Northwest. This is certainly a great place to run a seafood chain. Fish and chips is the dish that started it all and still occupies a place on the menu. For $24.50 at the time of writing, a diner gets three pieces of fish along with crispy fries, and an additional $3 gets you another piece of fish.

The food blog Ever After in the Woods raves about the dish, describing it as tasting homemade. It states that the fish is always fresh with great cod flavor and praises the batter, saying it is crisp in some spots and light in others. A Yelp reviewer in Seattle said, "This has been our go-to place for fish and chips for many years now ... We always get the cod fish and chips." They also commented on the friendly service. Meanwhile, over on Facebook, a user checked in at Ivar's, saying, "Seafood lunch with family at Ivar's. Always look forward to their fish and chips and clam chowder." Not at all surprising that a chain near the North Pacific would make our list.

Bonefish Grill is another seafood chain that started in a coastal area, namely, St. Petersburg, Florida. It has expanded nicely with many locations, mainly in the eastern half of the U.S. The dish that made the list from this chain is yet another fish and chips. But, hey, it's a classic for a reason. Bonefish Grill serves three pieces of fried cod with fries, cole slaw, and tartar sauce for around $20, depending on the location. That's a pretty good deal. Let's see what people think.

Eat This and Not That rated its top five fried fish dishes and called Bonefish Grill's fish and chips, "Hands down the winner." DC Outlook went so far as to label Bonefish Grill as its "Favorite restaurant in Arlington," and cited the fish and chips as a fantastic dish, especially the use of crispy tempura batter and Alaskan cod.

A Facebook user also had rave reviews, posting, "Dinner at Bonefish Grill in Viera yesterday was outstanding! Fish and chips for him, style was lightly, delicately breaded and perfectly cooked." Looks like our fish and chips category may come down to a photo finish.

Originally "Mr. D's" before being promoted to officer status, Captain D's is based in Tennessee but is a nationwide chain. The menu has everything you would expect, from fried combo platters to fish, shrimp, and the southern classic, catfish. The restaurant also has chicken, but the Nashville Hot Fish is the one people seem to really enjoy.

The Nashville Hot Fish is available as a manager's special and comes with three pieces of Southern-style whitefish fried in a spicy batter and served with hush puppies and fries for around $8.99. A diner on Facebook posted a delicious-looking photo and commented, "That spicy Fish at Captain D's is delicious ... $8.99 for lunch was a deal...Better than most sit-down places I've been lately."

A TikToker tried the giant sandwich version of the hot fish and posted a video in which they clearly enjoyed the meal. The accompanying text read, "Run, don't walk to the nearest Captain D's to get the spicy giant fish." In another TikTok video, a happy customer took a bite of a spicy piece of fish and proclaimed, "Yum." That's a simple, yet clear endorsement — more than enough to land this dish on our list.

Ask 10 people to name a fast-food seafood chain, and it's likely the majority will say, "Long John Silver's." Although it doesn't have nearly as many locations as it used to, there are still plenty of them out there with tons of fans. In fact, one of our very own fast-food fish reviewers believes the world needs more Long John Silver's, and we couldn't agree more. The classic dish on the menu is the Signature Battered Fish, which is available in a one or two-piece combo with waffle fries and hush puppies. You can also get the fish with chicken and shrimp. All of these meals cost less than $15, which is a good deal for something so tasty.

One reviewer took to YouTube, gobbling the fish with enthusiasm and declared that Long John Silver's knows what it's doing when it comes to fish. A Facebook fan tried the fish and chicken combo and described the chain as "underappreciated" for serving such delectable food. Another diner who tried the fish for the first time also posted a video on Facebook, commenting on how big, crunchy, and fresh the filet was. Long John Silver's is a household name for a reason, and it's because it really does fried fish right.

Culver's was founded by its namesake family in Wisconsin and has since grown to a good-sized chain. It is primarily a burger place, but it does serve other meats like chicken and a North Atlantic cod dinner. The fish is hand-cut and battered, and fried to a golden brown. You also get a choice of two of their classic sides, along with a roll, butter, and a wedge of lemon. Sounds like a pretty good meal.

A diner in Michigan on Facebook said it's the best fish in town, and a TikTok reviewer was equally thrilled, saying, "Look how flaky the cod is ... It's unbeatable." Culver's picked up another fan on Facebook, who likened their two-piece cod dinner to a gourmet meal because of how delicious and high-quality it was.

Over on TripAdvisor, another reviewer dropped in to say, "If you like fish, order the cod dinner ... It was excellent, the quality you would expect from a high-end restaurant." That's some high praise, and it seems pretty consistent across the board. Culver's cod dinner has certainly earned its place among these other fried fish dinners.

Burgerville is a small regional chain with locations in Oregon and Washington. Judging by its name, you probably wouldn't expect to find fish there, but, hey, it is in the Pacific Northwest. This gives it access to wild-caught Alaskan cod, which should make a good fish and chips. The meal is available in three sizes: Four, five, or six pieces of fish come with French fries and a choice of two sauces. The prices are reasonable at $12.79, $15.69, and $18.59, respectively.

In a TikTok video, a man tried the fish and chips with his daughter and seemed to really enjoy the meal that was provided. When he asked his little girl what she thought, the tike replied, "Good." Kids get right to the point. In a Facebook post, a local asked what people thought of the cod fish and chips. Replies included, "crisp and cooked just right," "nicely done," and "price point is legit enough to draw me in for a try." Burgerville's fried fish dish delivers in an area of the country where people know their fish.

Dairy Queen is a chain that's coast to coast and has a very long history. Most people know it as a place to get ice cream. However, people do enjoy its fast food. Along with burgers and chicken, the menu includes a Wild Alaskan fish sandwich. A tasty breaded and fried pollack patty shares a toasted bun with lettuce and tartar sauce — a simple yet delicious bite.

This Dairy Queen menu item was so good that it cracked No. 6 on our official fast food sandwich power ranking. A YouTuber also liked it, saying, "It's better than the filet o' fish. Thumbs up." Other reviews on various social media platforms described the sandwich as tasting "really good" and something that they would definitely consider purchasing again. And while people might not necessarily think of Dairy Queen as a place for fried fish, some Facebook users would urge you to reconsider. Those are some solid accolades for a fast-food place that specializes in ice cream. Hence, the spot among our other very worthy contenders.

Legal Seafood is another regional chain that is located in a great area for fish. Anchored around Boston, many of its restaurants are along the Atlantic Coast. Choosing one outstanding item from its extensive menu is challenging because Legal Seafood serves a wide variety of tasty dishes, but we're going with the crispy fish sandwich. Fresh North Atlantic wild-caught whitefish on a bun with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and tartar sauce for $19 sounds pretty good.

Reviewers who dined at the Logan Airport location said on TripAdvisor that the crispy fish sandwich surprised them both in size and how well-fried it was. A Philadelphia patron on Yelp agreed with the previous reviews, stating that the fish was cooked perfectly and deliciously crispy. One more Yelp reviewer who dined at New Jersey's Short Hills Mall called it, "The best fish sandwich ever, and the fresh tartar sauce was bomb." So, Legal Seafood rounds out our list.

Naturally, determining which of the plethora of fried fish dishes at chain restaurants are the best takes some research and investigation. It can be quite a task, but we're happy to do it for our loyal readers. Although it doesn't directly say anything about the food on the menu, if a chain has been around a long time, it has likely been doing something right. The same if it has grown to include many locations across the nation and world. It's logical to believe the food is pretty good.

More to the point are reviews and comments on the taste, portion size, price, and overall enjoyment of the individual dishes. Food bloggers are generally a good source for this, as writing reviews is how they make their living. Additionally, commenters on Facebook, Reddit, and people who make videos for YouTube and TikTok are also valuable sources. They may not be professional chefs, but they are customers who know what they like. Yelp and TripAdvisor also compile helpful reviews and comments, as well as composite ratings. One of our own writers at The Takeout also provided valuable information on the fastest-growing seafood chains in the U.S., which helped us determine where we should consider looking for the best fried fish these restaurants have to offer.