Chain Restaurant Fried Fish Baskets Ranked From Worst To Best, According To Customers

When your pescatarian palate takes over, and you need a restaurant meal in the form of a fish basket, you'll want to know which chains to turn to for premium fare. The selections on the scene run the gamut from fast-food bagged-up battered strips to sit-down fast-casual breaded filets. The types of fish and array of sides that come with the main event differ from spot to spot, too, even if the menu reads "fish and chips." Even a description that is seemingly straightforward can mean something different to each outlet — and to each customer.

What do you look for in a proper fish basket? Is it crispy strips and slaw or something slightly more tender with old-fashioned steak fries in the grand English tradition of fish and chips? Customers just like you have rooted out what they consider the best and worst of the fish baskets available. Granted, some of these items take the form of a plate or platter instead of a basket, but the contents are comparable enough to count.

Thanks to the gourmet groundwork of dedicated fish-hungry customers and their willingness to air both their grievances and their gratitude on the Information Superhighway, there's a distinct hierarchy of chain restaurant fish baskets ranked from worst to best. It's a trusty map to consult before setting off on a voyage to try one for yourself.

There's no question that Red Lobster would have a classic fried fish platter on its menu, even with all the upheaval of its current retooling under a new CEO. The vision for a Red Lobster of the 21^st century doesn't stray too far from tradition, which means the Classics Menu has a Southern-fried fish option meant to satisfy the seafood lover in everyone. The fish and fries share the plate with a decent-sized bowl of coleslaw and a pair of hush puppies tossed in for good measure.

How does the fish basket fare with new executives calling the shots? One Yelp reviewer calls the food on the plate decent, but also reports a bout of food poisoning afterward, suspecting it might have been the tartar sauce. If you're in it for the fries and coleslaw, another Yelp review that bemoans the poor quality of both is enough to keep you from placing your order. Others call out the excessive breading and mushy texture and call the platter disappointing. When you pay $19 for greasy, overcooked fish, you tend to lose your taste for fish and chips altogether.

Even though the restaurant is back on the upswing, Red Lobster's fish basket doesn't do the legacy of this beloved chain justice. It just might be one of the worst Red Lobster menu items currently being offered.

Forget riblets season if you're a fish lover. Applebee's keeps its fish and chips plate on the menu year-round, letting seafood fans indulge no matter the weather. Does it have a gooey sauce that makes the whole plate look like it's been slathered in syrup? Nope. But that doesn't mean it isn't a member of the power players team, doing its best to offer customers something crispy and satisfying.

When a TikToker ordered her fish and chips to go for a home review, she ended up pinning it with a 6 out of 10 rating, calling the fish "too sweet." A customer in England who labelled a TripAdvisor review that included the Applebee's fish basket "Mediocre" said the fish and chips were piled altogether in an attempt to be on trend, but the food turned out to be just an okay bite. When the home of fish and chips calls you out on your poor presentation and mid-level fare, you've done something wrong. YouTuber BlaineC2040 was more descriptive in his review, saying the fish reminded him of fish sticks and the fries were just regular Applebee's fries. He ended up liking the platter, though others who hear that description might be tempted to steer clear.

If you're going to end up with fish sticks and fries on your plate, you can get a similar deal by picking up frozen food at the grocery store. Applebee's is a solid no.

The down-home favorite for so many lovers of old-fashioned country fare, Cracker Barrel keeps the tradition of a good ol' Friday fish fry alive. A quartet of fried cod filets with corn muffins, hush puppies, or buttermilk biscuits set the table for a familiar meal; your choice of two sides lets you customize the collection to your taste. It's exactly what you'd expect from the fish selection at a restaurant dedicated to homespun fare.

Can you count on the chain to bring proper fish and chips to the fish fry? If Facebook user Ben Jammin recalling the plate as "decent" and comparing it to Luby's is any indication, it's a moderately enjoyable option at best. A Reddit reviewer pointed out how small the fish pieces were at their fish fry, noting that some of the steak fries outsized the fish. Another commenter in the thread concurred that the reduced size of the fish was ridiculous. But the clincher is a TripAdvisor review that reveals the fish fry turns out to be a mushy mess, with mystery fish replacing what used to be cod. Whether this is true or not, it doesn't sound like a fun dining moment.

Despite the Southern motif that should make a fish basket a slam dunk, Cracker Barrel seems to hit the skids instead. No need to cast your line for this disappointing plate.

How do you choose the fish basket over all the other selections at a seafood-specific fast-food joint like Long John Silver's? The menu is swimming with fish, shrimp, crab, and clams, enough nautical options to qualify as an aquarium. Circling around to the two-piece fish basket helps narrow down the options. With a couple of hush puppies tossed into the mix and a hearty helping of waffle fries, the meal appears to be pretty substantial.

The announcement of this fish basket as a $6 deal brought out the commentary from Reddit users. One commenter was happy to get the unexpected bargain, having eaten the basket even without being aware of the discounted price. But another Redditor pointed out that they don't get fries and slaw anymore, just a side of fried crumbles, which doesn't sound worth it at all. And one customer found the two pieces of fish in the basket to be LOL-able, declaring that most baskets include more fish than that. Oh — and those waffle fries? There's a whole Facebook thread in which comment after comment contains wishes that the old-style fries were still part of the deal.

With such a mixed bag of opinions on the Long John Silver's fish basket, there's not enough to endorse this version of the classic pairing. Try your hand at making a Long John Silver's copycat fish recipe to ensure greater enjoyment.

Ruby Tuesday dives into the deep end of the fish basket concept with a customizable plate featuring four crunchy chunks of wild Alaskan pollock as the centerpiece. You can choose your starchy side from a potato menu that includes fries, tots, and baked spuds. Include loaded fries or tots for a few extra bucks if you feel like you won't be filled up by the basic versions. You also get coleslaw, so consider the size of your tater choice carefully.

Wouldn't it be great if this chain had its fish and chips schtick together? According to a TripAdvisor review, the heavy breading on the fish pieces makes that highly unlikely. A Facebook user didn't care for the blandness of the fish, which sounds reasonable. Another Facebook user commented right on the Ruby Tuesday post advertising the platter that the one they received when they tried it was greasy and tasted burnt. But reviewer Jon Kim had nothing but "mmm's" in his YouTube video review, for both the fish and the fries.

In a world of hit-or-miss fish baskets, Ruby Tuesday sounds like it's serving mostly misses. You wouldn't want to take a chance on wasting your fish money on an order like this, not in this economy.

If your name is Bonefish Grill, it's likely you have some form of fish basket among your fresh catches and deep-sea hauls. Three slabs of batter-fried cod with seasoned fries and a modest cup of coleslaw all pile into the bowl for a seaside party. It's one of the more down-to-earth options on the restaurant's From the Sea menu section. It's also the only one that promises a crispy-fried good time.

A TripAdvisor review entitled "Avoid the Fish and Chips" says pretty much everything about this ill-advised order. Four pieces of greasy, overly battered fish proved the disappointment to be more of a trend than a one-time deal. YouTuber Lunchtime Review takes viewers along on a culinary adventure as he samples the selections in the fish and chips pairing, showing off a more judiciously battered slice of fish, though it does carry a greasy sheen. Still, he likes the fish, though he does point out that it's a pricey purchase in his location. Similarly, the best that a Facebook conversation regarding the platter can come up with is that it's "pretty good." It's not exactly a ringing endorsement.

So, Bonefish Grill doesn't offer the absolute best fish and chips in the U.S., and it also doesn't keep prices in the budget-friendly zone. It sounds like a pretty good deal if you have the money and you happen to get a decent batter-to-fish ratio in your order. That's a middling fish basket if ever there were one.

Those who depend on Texas Roadhouse for a steak fix may be delightfully surprised to learn there's a southern catfish basket being cooked up in the kitchen as well. The menu hypes up the platter as containing fish farm-raised in the U.S. and fried golden in cornmeal batter, with your choice of two sides. You can also opt for three or four pieces of fish, a delicious decision to be faced with.

No matter how many fish you choose, are you going to love your decision or regret it? One Facebook user shares that the Roadhouse fish dinner is always a catch; a side salad and baked potato combo makes it sound like a real restaurant-style platter, too. TikToker In the Lab with Tye says of the catfish filets with seasoned rice and green beans on the side, "It's one of the best meals they have." But a more discerning diner took to TripAdvisor to caution Texas Roadhouse visitors to avoid the fish, since their piece was mostly breading with a tiny piece of fish in the center.

Yet, it sounds like more of a success than a failure. That gets Texas Roadhouse a little higher than midway up the ladder of fish basket success.

Two strips of fish, a pair of hush puppies, and a handful of fries make up the fish basket at Captain D's. It may seem like just another fish dish in a sea of other fish dishes, given the fried-fish-heavy arrangement this fast-food heavyweight has on hand. But this aptly-named 2 Piece Fish & Fries Duo seems to be a people pleaser, even if not all the elements are on point every time.

Customers who've gone trawling for Captain D's basket of bliss are highly complimentary of the chain's skills with batter and fish filets. A Facebook post showing one patron's platter, dubbed "quite enjoyable," was all it took for his friends to chime in with a little lovefest in the comments section. TikTok reviewer The Hunger Diaries tasted this collection for the first time on video and praised the hot, crispy goodness of her to-go basket. And Instagrammer Hungry in Houston was impressed by the flavor of the spicy version of the fish strips, but called out that the fries aren't so great, giving the whole $5.99 meal a 7 out of 10.

There are obviously both items to order and to avoid at Captain D's. The fish basket is one of the prime packages that gets the balance right.

Red Robin is more of a burger and bar bite joint, but that doesn't mean it can't sling a mean fish platter, too. With steak fries and coleslaw coming along for the ride, this pub-style fish basket avails itself admirably among the eatery's better-known items, at least appearance-wise. But can you expect a spot-on fish experience from a place better known for its bottomless fries and onion ring towers?

YouTuber Tolentino To Go gives it the college try, but doesn't find much flavor in the fish. It takes a dip in the malt vinegar and tartar sauce to ramp up the taste. In stark contrast, Facebooker David Goldie calls the fish and chips both excellent and satisfying, noting that splitting the meal with his wife provided enough food for them both. A handful of responses in the comments cheerfully agree that Red Robin has a way with battered fish. When YouTube reviewer Hellthy Junk Food points out that the dish costs over $20, the quantity seems justified; her final verdict is that the fish is great, but the fries aren't necessary. She even gives it a chef's kiss as she moves onto another review.

There's a whole array of Red Robin menu items you should never order, but it sounds like the fish basket isn't one of them. For fish lovers who haven't considered this fast casual chain, it might be time to give it a try.

You don't call out the North Atlantic cod in your fish basket like Culver's does unless you're serious about the seafood you serve. The fast food chain steps out of its butter burger blueprint to bring about a tasty alternative with high-quality fish at its core. You get two batter-fried strips of fish nestled up against crinkle fries, coleslaw, and a dinner roll for a scenario that feels warm and homey, especially for a fast food restaurant.

TikTok reviewer Eat, Drink, and Be Mandy loves this fish basket so much that she has a quarterly appreciation post celebrating the incredible flavors. Her enthusiastic reading of the various elements and joyous warning that followers should expect to see the same meal every three months or so is strong testimony. A TripAdvisor reviewer agrees, noting that despite not being a huge fish fan, Culver's has a cod and coleslaw combo that is nothing short of excellent. If that isn't endorsement enough, a Facebook user shared a photo with their fish meal and told followers that this is one of the only spots with North Atlantic cod, which happens to be the only fish they consume.

With glowing praise heaped on such a popular Culver's menu item, how could this fish basket not be at the top of the ranking? It's a winner-winner of a fish dinner you can scoop up at the drive-thru for an easy meal that delivers major satisfaction.

Fish fans are very vocal about what they like and, more importantly, what they don't. Thank goodness for that; it makes determining which fish baskets soar and which sink much easier. In this instance, they took to Facebook to share their favorites and warn friends and followers away from fish baskets and platters that weren't worth the time or trouble. I also found a few sources on Instagram that were very specific about which elements of restaurant fish baskets work best and which could use improvement. Of course, TikTok food reviewers had a lot to say about the success of chain restaurant fish and chips selections, usually while they're in the middle of sampling them.

Once I saw a pattern emerging between the good and bad selections, I took the overall feelings of the customer as a vehicle for averaging the profile of each fish basket. It was a bit of a challenge to coordinate, since you can find a "love it" for almost every "hate it" posted. The options that had more of a consensus rose to the top or fell to the bottom of the list, with the others falling somewhere in between.