The Only US Fast Food Chain That Uses Halibut For Richer Fish Sandwich Flavor

Fish sandwiches have been an American fast food staple for decades. From the original McDonald's Filet-O-Fish recipe to Wendy's Crispy Panko Fish Sandwich, they're cheap, plentiful, and tasty enough, but not always the highest quality. For the richest-tasting fish sandwiches around, drive down to Salt Lake City and sit down at Apollo Burger — the only fast food chain in America that serves halibut fish sandwiches.

Apollo Burgers opened in 1984 and helped mold Utah's Greek food scene. The menu has all the Mediterranean staples, like pastrami burgers, fry sauces, and souvlakis, but the halibut fish sandwich is the real draw. The sandwich is a sight to behold: Paired with homemade tartar sauce, the fried halibut filet arrives on a bed of leaf lettuce and sliced tomatoes tucked between toasted buns. Unlike most fish sandwiches from other chains, which are typically made from Alaskan pollock or flounder, halibut has a richer flavor — almost buttery, with a toothsome texture. As far as we know, Apollo Burger is exclusive to Utah, but that doesn't mean you can't get an amazing fish sandwich in every other state.

If halibut's so good, why aren't other restaurants following in Apollo's footsteps? The answer could be cost. McDonald's uses Alaskan pollock, which is extremely cheap, peaking at a little over $3 a pound in 2024, according to the food database Tridge. Popeyes' Alaskan flounder is more expensive at $2 to $4 per pound, but that's still nothing compared to halibut's $3 to $21 price range. 

There are lots of explanations for the high cost. Halibut has tough fishing regulations, and is difficult to catch because the fish swim deep. That means even though demand is high, there aren't many halibuts to go around, which makes halibut a bad choice for chains that value efficiency over quality.

Compared to other types of white fish, halibut is difficult to prep. Halibut is very lean, which makes it easy to dry out. Once it does, it tastes like a very expensive (albeit edible) block of chalk. That didn't stop the folks at Apollo Burger from taking the hard road, though, so if you're ever in Salt Lake, do yourself a favor and make a visit.