9 Store-Bought Frozen Shrimp To Buy And 4 To Avoid

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When compared to the shrimp you might score at your favorite restaurant, most of us would agree that shrimp found in the frozen food aisle of the grocery store is a lackluster replacement — and that's putting it mildly. While we all have dreams of store-bought shrimp that take exactly like they would when cooked fresh, the reality is that, deep down inside, we know that getting frozen shrimp to taste just right at home is oftentimes a futile effort.

Thankfully, there's hope, even in the freezer case. We've collected some of the best (and a few of the worst) store-bought frozen shrimp brands and flavors to share with you, along with the consensus concerning how each one cooks up and tastes. We've done all the digging by searching through dozens of reviews, comparing sizing and prices, and giving you the raw details on what everyday people like you really think about shrimp sold in the frozen food aisle. We'll go into a bit more detail with this at the end.

In the meantime, pull up a chair and lend us your ear. We're diving into the frozen shrimp products you should buy and those you should avoid.

We're surprised to see a release from SeaPak make the avoid side of this list, but here we are, discussing the ills of one of its seemingly promising frozen shrimp buys: the Parmesan Encrusted Butterfly Shrimp. Those who have tasted the shrimp have discussed a few different reasons for making a complaint, some of which overlap. In a nutshell, taste testers have a problem with the flavor of the shrimp. Some have deemed it to be too full of salt while other reviewers say they're void of the parmesan flavor promised in the package. Other reviews slam the tomato romano sauce, stating that it doesn't match the taste of the shrimp and that, even if it did, it was still downright awful.

Depending on where you look, you might find this frozen seafood pick listed at $11.99 for 20 shrimp, which isn't too bad. Still, given its uninspiring flavor and iffy sauce, you might want to save your money and spend it on one of the higher-quality frozen shrimp buys on this list.

Looking for gluten-free shrimp? Royal Asia Boom Boom Shrimp with Sriracha Aioli might seem like a great option, but you're better off skipping this one. Multiple buyers aren't very pleased with this pick, which is a real shame, considering how hard it can be to find good gluten-free shrimp.

According to the scathing reviews we've found, this release from Royal Asia just isn't it. One reviewer says he was surprised because he tried another version of this brand and liked it, but found the Boom Boom Shrimp variety to be a hard pass. After reviewing many critiques, it seems the main issues are blandness and texture. It's also reported to be super eggy, which turned off quite a few reviewers. Everyone likewise seemed to be seriously put off by the rubbery texture of the shrimp, leading to one bad review after another.

At Target, there was at least one rave review of this flavor. However, this reviewer revealed that she had cooked the shrimp in an air fryer rather than in the oven. Maybe this is where the discrepancy lies. We aren't sure. Either way, most people aren't feeling it. Sorry, Royal Asia.

In need of a lot of shrimp for a great price? If so, check out AquaStar Breaded Butterfly Frozen Shrimp the next time you're at the store. We found these at Target and saw they garnered wonderful reviews from almost everyone who sampled them. According to buyers, these cook up crispy and tasty and, like most frozen shrimp featured on this list, fare even better in an air fryer.

The only issue? The box purports that these are large shrimp when the shrimp are quite small. This is likely why you get so many (45-50) for $10.99. People who open the package may gape in disappointment at the size of the shrimp, but once they taste the shrimp and experience the satisfying texture, they tend to submit high praise.

Though this may not be the largest frozen shrimp on the market, it still ranks highly in terms of texture and flavor, making it a worthy frozen shrimp purchase.

Seafood chain Red Lobster is famous for its crave-worthy Cheddar Bay biscuits, so we were curious as to how a biscuit-flavored batter would turn out with shrimp. As it happens, it does quite well! Believe it or not, one of the things that shrimp lovers adore most about this frozen shrimp is the breading. According to reviews, not only is this Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Shrimp absolutely delicious, but the breading on the shrimp bakes up crispy and crunchy the first time. 

We will say that most of the reviewers used an air fryer and often left the shrimp in the air fryer for a little longer than recommended to make sure the breading was plenty crisp. Still, at least one reviewer placed the shrimp in the oven with similar results, leading us to believe that as long as you follow the directions on the package, you should end up with deliciously crunchy shrimp almost every time.

As for how many shrimp you get, expect to pay around $8 for a standard package of nine shrimp. It isn't a lot for the price, but for a quick snack to pair with a salad or other side dish, we think it's worth it.

The Royal Asia Nashville Style Hot Frozen Shrimp was a difficult one to assign to a category, given that reviews of this product are split. Some think this frozen shrimp option is rather tasty, and it seems to fare much better than the Boom Boom Shrimp With Sriracha Aioli from the same brand. Still, there are things about this shrimp that may make it worth avoiding – depending on your expectations, that is.

One of the main critiques people seem to have regarding this shrimp is that they don't taste anything even close to the flavor of a typical Nashville hot chicken-inspired entree. Despite its bright orange-red bue, most reviewers describe only a mildly spicy kick that's nowhere near the bold flavor of a traditional Nashville-style dish. Another issue people have is the amount of shrimp you get for the price. You'll get about 20 shrimp for $8.99, which isn't so bad considering that some other brands offer less for a similar amount. But for a few, the price isn't entirely worth what's in the box. Take that for what it's worth.

We rarely find people griping about Margaritaville frozen shrimp and, thankfully, the same is true for the Calypso Coconut Frozen Shrimp on offer from the brand. Reviewers marvel at how tasty the shrimp are, even though some believe there should be more in the box than the few pieces of shrimp they received. Still, most are floored by the flavor and claim that the mango sauce that accompanies them pairs perfectly with the shrimp.

Since there are only a few shrimp in the box (depending on how big a box you buy and where you get them), some people have found unique ways to put them to use. Avid reviewers claim these are great for popping in the oven as a quick party snack, an appetizer, or a light dinner, especially when paired with a little something on the side. Either way, these coconut frozen shrimp taste incredible no matter how they're served.

To curate our list of store-bought frozen shrimp to buy and avoid, we sifted through reviews of shrimp items that were available via popular grocery stores, including Target, Sam's Club, and more. We considered the overall consensus amongst reviewers as well as factors like pricing, portions, and ingredients to make our decisions.