8 Chain Restaurants Mozzarella Sticks, Ranked Worst To Best

Gooey cheese encased in a toasty breadcrumb shell — that's what mozzarella stick dreams are made of. Few can resist the popular appetizer, especially when the breading is upgraded and the cheese is served with a side of warm marinara sauce for dunking. While some might assume deep fried cheese is a classically American concept (considering we'll fry practically anything), the stretchy delight wasn't conceived in the U.S. In fact, the first evidence of breaded and fried cheese dates to the 14th century, where a recipe for thinly sliced and breaded fried cheese was included in "Le Ménagier de Paris", a medieval cookbook for French housewives.

Of course, the snack-able mozzarella cheese sticks were invented in the 1970s, with fast casual eateries transforming sticks of stringy mozzarella into a melty, breaded appetizer by the following decade. High hair, shoulder pads, and mozzarella sticks — you can thank the '80s for that.

Fried mozzarella endured the test of time, and it remains a staple on many restaurant menus. For that reason, I decided to see which chain restaurant delivers the best version. I went to eight popular chains and ordered the fried cheese with marinara. Eight cheese pulls later, I ranked each by judging them based on its taste, texture, the quality of the cheese and breading, as well as the flavor and consistency of the dipping sauce. All selections were appetizing — it's fried cheese, after all — but there were definitive winners in the category.

I had high hopes for Buffalo Wild Wings mozzarella sticks because I'm a fan of the chain's wings. Sadly, I wasn't equally enamored with its fried cheese. When I took my first bite, I thought, "These are fine." But fine isn't good enough, especially when this appetizer was the same price as other, better mozzarella sticks in this ranking . First off, the breading was too thick and more akin to a hard-shell case than flaky breading. When I bent the cheese stick, the exterior cracked in half, like snapping a pretzel rod.

Next, the cheese itself was too stiff, not melty or soft at all. It was as if it needed more time in the fryer to melt. Lastly, the marinara sauce was satisfactory, but not nearly as warm and cozy as most others in this ranking. I'm sorry to say that someone had to rank last here, and it was Buffalo Wild Wings. Next time I visit the haunt, I'll stick to what it does best (wings, of course).

I'll admit Red Robin's Cheesy Mozzarella Twists are fun to look at. Instead of straight-up sticks, the fried cheese arrived in the shape of breaded coils. I'm confident they're a huge hit with the kiddos. But for an adult like me, they fell short. Like the previous mozzarella sticks in this ranking, the cheese was too stiff — apparent by the fact they held their curly shapes after frying. For me, the cheese was more akin to store-bought cheese sticks, just twisted.

The breading was light and crispy, which I liked, but I found it under seasoned, especially when compared to the more flavorful coatings in this line-up. On a positive note, I liked the warm dipping sauce. I'm almost certain it's the same thick and rich marinara sauce the restaurant uses on pasta, and I enjoyed the flavor. Red Robin's mozzarella twists came with 10 pieces for just over $10, which I thought was a better value than the previous pick. Plus, I preferred these over that version, but not enough to move it higher in the ranking.

Olive Garden's fried mozzarella is unique in that it arrived in small rectangles rather than elongated sticks. I liked the cheese in this product — it was soft and gooey, and seemed to have hints of parmesan (sharp, nutty undertones). For that reason, I ranked it higher than the previous iterations.

Here's why Olive Garden didn't rank above sixth. The breading was a bit paltry, especially for the amount of cheese in each rectangle. I also thought the coating was under-seasoned and slightly under-browned. I liked the sprinkling of parmesan cheese on top since that helped boost flavor, but it wasn't sufficient to change the overall taste. I initially liked the sauce, and it reminded me of the sauce used in Olive Garden's pasta dishes, but, after a few bites, I found it more analogous to salsa than marinara sauce, especially since there were chunks of onion and bell pepper.

Additionally, once the cheese was fried, it must have shrunk from the coating and there were empty air pockets of just breading on both ends. My order was reasonably priced, as well, and came with seven pieces of fried cheese. But I simply liked the fried cheese from other establishments more, so these only rank sixth.

I was excited when I received my Red Lobster mozzarella cheese sticks, mostly because I received eight pieces for under $10 (and they came stacked up like Lincoln Logs). I also appreciated the dusting of parmesan cheese on top. Red Lobster's fried mozzarella was the skinniest of all the varieties, but I was fine with that. If the cheese was stretchy and the breading tasty, I didn't care what shape or size it arrived in. And even though the chain is known for its seafood menu, it seems to know a thing or two about fried cheese.

The cheese was nicely melted and gave me a proper cheese pull. The breading had decent flavor (albeit a bit garlicky) and the ratio of cheese to coating was enjoyable. The coating also delivered a delightful crunch, which partnered well with the creamy cheese. I liked the sauce better than some of the others, but I wasn't completely wild about it. It felt like a marriage of tomato sauce and cocktail sauce, but without the kick.

In short, I ranked these higher than the previous cheese sticks because they were decidedly better, but didn't move them up on the list because the garlic was a bit too overpowering for me. The sauce wasn't my favorite, either, though if you're craving seafood and fried cheese at the same time, Red Lobster is a great choice.

I was floored when I received my order of Chili's fried mozzarella. This was the priciest option in this ranking, but I received six huge pieces of breaded and fried cheese. In fact, this appetizer could easily serve three people at two pieces per person. Furthermore, I loved the cheese in this appetizer. It was thick, moist, spongy, and reminiscent of fresh mozzarella cheese (as opposed to other varieties).

In reality, I could have eaten the cheese all by itself and been plenty pleased. It had great flavor and a delightful texture, so I envisioned many other ways to enjoy the fresh mozzarella beyond fried — especially because I wasn't as excited about the breading. It had great flavor, but it was too thick and a tad over-cooked; this made it exceedingly crunchy, and too heavy for the cheese. I suppose Chili's may need to plunge the thick cheese slices in the deep fryer long enough to get it melty, but the result was a charred coating.

I adored the seasonings, though, and the sauce had a nice consistency. However, I detected an overabundance of garlic, which wasn't my preference. Since I loved the cheese portion and flavor of the sauce, Chili's comes in fourth. However, I appreciated the top three chain restaurant mozzarella sticks more.

Inching closer to the top, Applebee's mozzarella sticks got the bronze in this ranking. My appetizer was just over $10 for eight pieces, and they were darn tasty. The creamy cheese was ultra stretchy, and one of the most pliable in this entire ranking (I'm not sure I could get my arms wide enough to achieve its maximum cheese pull). The cheese had a classic mozzarella flavor, so it was milky and mild, which I thought partnered well with the seasoned coating.

Speaking of the coating, I loved the flavor. It was balanced and flavorful, and not over- or under-cooked. I enjoyed the thickness of the breading as well. In my opinion, it was the ideal amount of coating for the quantity of cheese.

The only reason these cheese sticks didn't rank higher is because I wasn't a fan of the sauce. The consistency was fine, meaning it was thick enough to coat the cheese sticks without dripping off, but it was excessively tangy. Too tangy for me. Next time I'll order the cheese sticks and skip the sauce.

Meet the runner-up: Fridays mozzarella sticks. I can assure you it was almost a tie for first place, but I forced myself to pick a definitive winner. These melty mozzarella sticks arrived piping hot and extra gooey, and I quickly enjoyed a joyous, lengthy cheese pull.

The center of these cheese sticks was more flavorful than most others, and I believe it's the addition of Asiago cheese that makes all the difference. Asiago comes from cows that graze on wildflowers, so the flavor of the cheese is complex, with both fruity and savory nuances. When added to these cheese sticks, it completely transformed the humble appetizer into an impressive one. Plus, more Asiago was sprinkled over top (along with fresh parsley), so the whole experience was fresh and alive.

I also adored the breading — it was crispy, herby, and there was just enough to complement the cheese without overpowering it. The marinara sauce tasted uniquely home-style, but sadly it was too runny. Despite my best efforts, it dripped right off the cheese sticks. That said, it was a magical combination of flavors. My order was around $10 for six pieces, and I found that incredibly reasonable for the medley of flavors on the palate. Fridays came in second for one reason: The winner was flawless.

The best cheese sticks in this ranking came from Outback Steakhouse. Called Fried Mozzarella Boomerangs, they're clearly designed to entice you to come back for more. The cheese in these boomerangs was the meltiest of every option in this ranking. It was gooey without being greasy and had great flavor. But what set this appetizer apart was the breading.

Spiked with the same seasoning used in the chain's Bloomin' Onion, the breading was exceptionally flavorful. The spice blend is propriety so I can't know for sure, but I detected notes of paprika, garlic, and cayenne pepper. There was a little nip, but the boomerangs weren't necessarily spicy. Actually, I liked the way the heat elevated the flavor of the mild cheese. If you're craving gooey fried cheese sticks but don't have the desire to make them at home, this is my favorite option.

The quantity of breading was idyllic, as well — not too much, not too little. I also enjoyed the dipping sauce because it was like homestyle marinara — meaning tomato-forward and fresh (plus it had great texture thanks to little bits of onion and bell pepper). My order was just under $10 for six big boomerangs, and this is easily a sharable appetizer at the right price. I'm confident in my ranking, and I'm thrilled to give this fried cheese the gold.

For this ranking, I went to eight different restaurants and ordered the mozzarella sticks — in whatever form that was. In most cases the fried cheese came in actual sticks, but others arrived as rectangles, twists, or boomerangs. I sampled each option as soon as it was delivered (at the restaurant), so I could evaluate the meltability of the cheese and texture of the breading. Then, I brought all the cheese sticks home and assessed them side by side.

I judged each option based on the quality and flavor of the cheese and breading, as well as the commingling of the two. If the cheese was stretchy and flavorful, I ranked it higher. If the breading was crisp and flavorful — and not overly thick or over/under-cooked — I ranked accordingly. Additionally, I judged the marinara sauce because it's standard with all of these cheese sticks. When restaurants offered substitutions (such as hot sauce or barbecue sauce), I stuck with marinara for consistency.

I also considered value for the price during the rankings process. And if it was a delicacy that I would return for, I valued that, as well. In the ends, some chains did mozzarella sticks better than others, and I'm confident I ranked them fairly.