7 Seafood Chain Side Dishes That Rival The Main Course

Sometimes the appeal of seafood is less about the fish and more about not having to cook it yourself. Although there are plenty of must-try seafood recipes worth attempting, it's also nice to venture out for your favorite dish when you don't feel like cooking at home. Whether you're in the mood for a quick and easy fast food meal or you want to experience a higher-end restaurant, there's a great seafood chain out there for you.

But a great seafood restaurant isn't defined by fish alone, and the best ones will also offer side dishes that elevate your entire meal. Occasionally, the sides are memorable enough to steal the spotlight from the entrees. We looked at seafood chains with at least 15 locations across the United States and created a list of side dishes you have to try on your next visit. We chose our sides based on positive online reviews, specifically those that mentioned the flavor and highlighted the item as one of the chain's standout dishes. Where possible, we also took into account our own experiences dining at these chains. Who knows? You might find something that tastes even better than your lobster tail.

If you're familiar with Southern cuisine, then you know that hush puppies are an essential side dish that rival — perhaps even surpass — fries, tater tots, and onion rings. Hush puppies are made of seasoned cornmeal that's been rolled into balls and deep-fried. Luckily, you can snag some at the fast food seafood chain Captain D's. Sure, the entrees there are reliably tasty if you're craving fried seafood, but the hush puppies are the real draw. They're crispy on the outside, soft and steaming on the inside, and they instantly make for a heartier meal.

This side dish has plenty of fans online. When a Reddit user asked the Nashville subreddit what they should eat at Captain D's, several commenters replied that the hush puppies were a must-order item. One commenter didn't even mention any of the seafood dishes on the menu — just the hush puppies. Once you try them, you'll wonder why more of your favorite fast food restaurants don't sell them.

Another big name in the quick-service seafood scene, Long John Silver's is best known for its deep-fried fish. By comparison, its underwhelming side dishes can seem like an afterthought. While the coleslaw, rice, and green beans aren't particularly interesting, there's one low-key side dish on the menu that you might want to try next time you visit: corn. 

It's not even corn on the cob — just loose corn kernels served in a tub. According to one food reviewer, it doesn't even taste like fresh corn, with a chewy texture instead of that signature pop. That said, the reviewer still rated it as the very best side dish on Long John Silver's menu thanks to its rich, buttery, peppery flavor profile. They're not the only fan of this unassuming side. One Redditor took to the platform simply to profess their love for Long John Silver's corn, photo included, while others noted that they often crave this particular side.

Red Lobster isn't necessarily the kind of place you visit when you're craving some tasty vegetables. While the Cheddar Bay biscuits are typically lauded as Red Lobster's best dish, it turns out that the popular seafood chain also has a reputation for serving excellent Brussels sprouts. In a Mashed ranking of Red Lobster's sides, this dish took the top spot, thanks to vegetables' extra-crispy exterior and the flavorful sweet-and-salty glaze that elevates what would otherwise be basic roasted Brussels sprouts. The crunchy onion topping boosts the crispy texture even further.

Some diners have taken to sites like Reddit, desperate to learn how the chain makes its Brussels sprouts, with some commenters claiming they're actually deep-fried. Recipe developers have even attempted to recreate the dish from scratch, so Red Lobster fans can enjoy it at home. The chain's lobster dishes might be a bit more difficult to reproduce in your own kitchen, but it's always worth having a reliable Brussels sprouts recipe up your sleeve.

You don't always have to try a weird and wonderful new dish when you visit a seafood restaurant. Sometimes, you just need a familiar side that you can depend on — at Bonefish Grill, that would be the fries. At one point in Bonefish Grill's history, the chain sold fries topped with crab and a creamy sauce. According to reviews, they were tasty, but they appear to have been taken off the menu.

There may not be anything particularly unique about Bonefish Grill's plain fries, but they're perfectly salted, crispy on the outside, and fluffy in the center. In other words, they're everything good fries should be. They also happen to be the highest-rated side dish in Tasting Table's ranking of Bonefish Grill menu items and pair well with most of the chain's seafood entrees, including the bourbon-glazed salmon, battered cod, and blackened Baja fish tacos.

While some seafood restaurants serve up slabs of bland, under-seasoned salmon, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen stands apart by focusing on Cajun and Creole flavors. As a result, many of the dishes are boldly seasoned, with recipes far more complex than a simple spritz of lemon juice and drizzle of olive oil. It should come as no surprise, then, that the side dishes are just as flavorful. If you're going to try only one, it should probably be the Louisiana favorite: dirty rice. 

When one user asked Reddit where to find especially meaty dirty rice in Austin, Texas, multiple replies pointed to Pappadeaux. Another Redditor suggested ordering the crawfish platter and mixing the dirty rice together with the tails and étouffée. That said, it's also excellent on its own. The dirty rice is available as an accompaniment to several main dishes on the menu, but you can also order it as a standalone side.

When you want to get your hands dirty with piles of seasoning-soaked seafood, The Boiling Crab is the place to be. This chain lets you build your own seafood boil, which typically includes a heap of steamed seafood and accompaniments like corn and potatoes, all tossed in a yummy sauce. You choose the type of seafood you want, pick one of four sauces, then decide how much spice you can handle. 

Although the seafood boil is The Boiling Crab's star attraction, the chain also offers a selection of standout side dishes, including gumbo, corn on the cob, and steamed rice. However, the Cajun fries are a must-try. Some Redditors consider them essential ordering, and multiple Yelp reviewers have noted the fries as a menu highlight. Crispy and generously seasoned, they pair especially well with the chewier texture of the seafood.

There are many delicious potato dishes out there, but potatoes au gratin is an all-time favorite. Swimming in a creamy sauce, the dish feels more indulgent than the likes of mashed potatoes or french fries. Ocean Prime is known as one of the more upscale seafood chains, so it makes sense that it serves an excellent au gratin potatoes side dish. 

However, this isn't your average recipe. The dish is studded with jalapeños, which offer a bold, vegetal flavor kick along with plenty of heat. This side is so popular that a local news station dedicated an entire segment to Ocean Prime's jalapeño au gratin potatoes, inviting one of the chain's chefs on to recreate the dish for viewers. We've tried it ourselves and can attest that it's one of the best items on the menu.

Some potatoes au gratin recipes can taste bland and uninspired, even with generous amounts of fat and seasoning. Ocean Prime's version stands out thanks to it's thoughtful balance of richness and heat, earning its place among the best seafood chain side dishes.

To create this list of outstanding seafood chain side dishes, we first identified chains with at least 15 locations across multiple U.S. cities. That said, many of the chains featured above have a significantly larger reach. 

While we have personally tried some of the items on this list, we primarily relied on reviews from reputable food websites and customer feedback from platforms such as Yelp. We also reviewed discussions on social media sites like Reddit. The sides included here consistently received positive feedback from multiple sources, with reviewers frequently highlighting flavor and texture, and displaying a general appreciation for the dish in question.