The Iconic Seafood Chain Where Customers Prefer The Fried Fish Over The Lobster Roll

Depending on where a seafood chain is located, diners may prefer certain dishes. For example, patrons of restaurants in Maryland may be out for crabcakes, while Florida customers could be on the hunt for stone crabs. Up in Maine? One would assume that the state's most popular dish is the lobster roll. And while that may be true for many restaurants, it isn't true for Legal Sea Foods, where diners have fallen in love with its fried fish.

In our ranking of nine chain restaurants with the best fried fish, we found that Legal Sea Foods, born in Boston in 1950, has won over many with its fish and chips. The dish features wild-caught North Atlantic fish — prepared New England or Cajun style – and is served with french fries and coleslaw.

Legal Sea Foods' lobster roll is quite impressive as well, boasting a whopping half pound of Maine lobster meat, which it serves warm butter-poached or traditional with lemon mayo. However, customers still prefer the crisp exterior and flaky interior of its fish and chips, and that's not all. We also found that Legal Sea Foods has one of the best shrimp cocktails of chain restaurants, as well as a stellar kids' menu for picky eaters.

While there have been some complaints of Legal Sea Foods' fish and chips being overcooked, the majority of reviews on Yelp are positive. "The batter was crisp and the texture was spot on. The fish was light and flavorful. A really amazing fish with plenty of fries," shared one commenter. Another wrote, "The fish was fried perfectly and the [tartar] sauce made it even better." A third added, "[The] fish and chips are the best I've ever had, not greasy or over battered at all with great flavors."

As for the lobster roll served at the seafood chain, other Yelp users described the classic dish as just "okay" and said they were left unimpressed. "The chunks of lobster inside the bun were good size but they were swimming in a sea of mayo," someone explained. Meanwhile, another person said the lobster roll at Legal Sea Foods was the worst they'd ever had, lamenting about the fact that it was served in a "toasted hot dog bun."

Luckily for seafood lovers, both dishes are just $19. So, if perhaps you don't want to choose, you can order both and decide for yourself which dish reigns supreme.