11 Culver's Sides, Ranked Worst To Best

Culver's is a treasure trove for all things burgers, chicken, frozen custard, and even fish (when I compared Culver's North Atlantic Cod sandwich to McDonald's Filet-O-Fish, Culver's was the clear winner). Culver's sides options are seemingly less enticing than a ButterBurger or cup of frozen custard; they're not-so-hidden on the menu, but don't exactly stick out to a hungry customer. Though one might not be pulling up to Culver's with only sides on the mind, the fast food chain nonetheless delivers on an impressive number of options.

When it comes to Culver's sides, the options delve way beyond the classic fries or side salad (those are options though, for what it's worth). We're talking mashed potatoes, chili, shrimp, onion rings, pretzel bites, and, of course, those famous Wisconsin cheese curds. With such a vast selection of sides, though, it's not necessarily easy to pinpoint which one you should pair with your burger or chicken tenders — which is exactly why I ranked the chain's sides to find the very best one.

Many of the sides on this list vary drastically from one another (we're talking about comparing broccoli to fried goods, which is a tricky feat). So when ranking the sides, I tried to consider the overall flavors and how they compared to the other options. In the end, there were quite a few impressive sides in Culver's lineup, along with a few that I didn't necessarily hate but likely wouldn't seek out again.

I have to give Culver's props for at least offering more veggie-forward sides, but I also have to question how many people are truly seeking them out. Take Culver's steamed broccoli, for example. It's a perfectly fine and acceptable veggie item, but it's a hard sell when the chain sells burgers and fries. 

So yeah, it's really no surprise that Culver's steamed broccoli is coming in last in the side race, but I didn't hate this side by any means. I'm a fan of broccoli, and Culver's take on the green veggie was perfectly fine, albeit a bit bland and boring. A little salt would have gone a long way here in enhancing its flavor, and I wished it was a bit crispier, rather than mushy.

Ultimately, for those who don't necessarily want a fried side, those who want to cut the calories of their meal a little bit, or those who simply want to get their greens in whenever they can, Culver's broccoli gets the job done. Would I go for it over any of the other sides on this list, though? Definitely not, so the broccoli gets last place.

Mashed potatoes and gravy have never really been my fast food side dish of choice, and it struck me as a particularly odd option at Culver's. At a place like Popeyes, where there's a focus on Southern cooking and fried chicken, mashed potatoes make a little more sense. But at a burger place? It's a bit of a hard sell, but hey, I'm ultimately not going to turn down mashed potatoes, even if they're as lackluster and forgettable as these. 

Although there was nothing overtly wrong with Culver's mashed potatoes, there just wasn't really anything right here, either. The texture of the mashed potatoes themselves was a little too akin to instant mashed potatoes (which is to say they were a little too starchy and dry for my taste), and the watery gravy didn't really help in the texture or flavor department. The potatoes and gravy, as a whole, did at least offer up some desirably savory flavor notes, but realistically, this is one side that just doesn't compare to a treasure trove of better options on this list.

Coleslaw is one of those polarizing foods that you either love or hate, with very little in between. As for me, I'm definitely on team coleslaw all the way, and I especially love slaws that are super creamy. So, much to my pleasure, I quite enjoyed Culver's coleslaw, which offered up those trademark creamy notes that, to me, make it a side worth seeking out.

Now, while I did enjoy Culver's coleslaw, it's important to keep things in perspective here. This is one side that ultimately doesn't really compare to others on the list, so I could only realistically rank it so high. Also, while I liked the dressing, which contrasted with the crisp veggies, it left something to be desired in the flavor department. One of the things that makes a good slaw is the tangy flavor, and this one was lacking that note in particular. I also think the slaw could have been a touch sweeter, but that's more of a personal preference thing. 

Although Culver's slaw made for a perfectly acceptable side in my book, it's not one that I'd necessarily go all the way to the drive-thru for. Not only is it not exactly the type of side that I'm looking to eat with a ButterBurger, but it's not exciting enough compared to Culver's other sides.

There's nothing like a good side salad to brighten up even the heaviest of meals. Although a salad may not be the most revolutionary thing to order at a fast food restaurant, it's one of those tried-and-true options that you can't go wrong with. There's no cooking required, so the restaurant can't mess that up. As long as those key elements of lettuce, toppings, and dressing are in place, you're in for, at the very least, a fine experience.

And, indeed, Culver's delivered on that fine experience with its garden side salad. The salad itself comes with a bed of mixed greens and an assortment of toppings like tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded cheese, and croutons. It's nicely loaded for a fast-food salad, and I liked that it came with both tomatoes and cucumbers, which contributed to its freshness. The bed of greens was a little lackluster, and I wish there was a little more crunch going on, but ultimately, it got the job done.

I selected the Culver's Signature Sauce – which seemed like something of a ranch-Caesar dressing hybrid — for this salad. It paired well with the components, and I'd imagine that Culver's other dressing options would work just as well. Perfectly inoffensive and unassuming, the garden side salad might not be my side of choice at a place like Culver's, but I can at least appreciate its place in the fast-food world. 

If chili is what you're after in a fast food side, I'm happy to confirm that Culver's is a pretty good option. When ordering chili at Culver's, you've basically got two options: George's chili or George's chili supreme, the latter of which comes with extra toppings like raw onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, and crackers.

I opted for George's chili supreme so I could try the toppings. If you're trying to decide between the plain and this one, I'd recommend the latter. While I did enjoy the plain chili itself, in all its savory and bean-forward goodness, the toppings really made it come to life. The onions added a nice layer of pungency, while the cheese melted on top and made the bowl all the more savory. The crackers added a little textural goodness, and the sour cream offered that cooling note to contrast the richness of the chili itself. 

All in all, I don't really have any complaints about Culver's chili. It's not necessarily a side I'd seek out, but I'm also just not the biggest chili fan to begin with. So, to me, this one doesn't really compare to other options on this list. But if you are a big chili fan, then it's worth checking out.

Yes, I just got done explaining how I'm not exactly the biggest chili fan out there, but I'm talking specifically about a bowlful of chili on its own. But chili as a condiment? All bets are off. Whether it's a chili cheese dog or, even better yet, chili cheese fries, I'm almost always a big fan, even if the execution isn't the best.

Lucky for me, though, Culver's offers chili cheese fries that are pretty darn good. As many of us already know, Culver's fry of choice is a crinkle-cut one, and the shape was the perfect sturdy base for cheese sauce and hefty chili. Altogether, I loved the flavors going on here, from the salty fries themselves to the rich cheese and savory chili.

So, why aren't chili cheese fries ranking higher, you may ask? It really comes down to texture. I can't exactly fault Culver's for this, as any iteration of chili cheese fries is prone to it, but these bad boys got soggy — and they got soggy fast. They still tasted good, but by the time you order chili cheese fries at the Culver's drive-thru and get them home, any crispiness that those fries had is long gone, and that's a bit of a bummer to me. So, I could only rank these so high because of this sogginess issue, but I still very much enjoyed this side and would get it again (just as an in-restaurant side). 

Although you could order butterfly jumbo shrimp as your entrée at Culver's, the chain also offers a three-piece side option for those seafood lovers who want just a little taste. While the idea of ordering three jumbo fried shrimp as a side may seem a bit odd at first, I simply can't deny how much I enjoyed this crispy-crunchy seafood favorite. 

Obviously, you have to be a shrimp fan to enjoy this side, so it's not necessarily for everyone. If you know you like shrimp, though, it's a winning option. The shrimp themselves were nice and, well, shrimpy — not too fishy, but distinctly seafood-y. The breading was the real star of the show; it was impeccably crispy and held up remarkably well by the time I got the shrimp home. I paired my jumbo shrimp with tartar sauce, which made for a delicious, and slightly overly-rich, pairing, but I'd imagine cocktail sauce (which is an option that comes with the side) would make these already tasty shrimp even better.

It's virtually impossible to operate a fast food establishment and not offer fries as a side dish. Fries are the quintessential fast food side, the ultimate quick snack, and a personal favorite food of mine, generally speaking. Considering how much I love fries, I was curious to see where Culver's classic crinkle fries would rank in the context of other sides on this list. And, as it turns out, they fared pretty well.

For full transparency, I think that Culver's fries are far from the best out there, and even crinkle-cut fries in general aren't necessarily my favorite. But I do still enjoy the fries for what they're worth, and I think they really stand on their own compared to other sides on this list. The beauty of a crinkle-cut fry (and especially one from Culver's) is that it's almost always going to be crispy on the outside but fluffy on the inside — essentially allowing them to achieve their gastronomic purpose. I also enjoyed how nicely salted the fries were, making for one snackable side that was as good on its own as it was paired with ketchup. Up until now, fries were always my go-to side of choice when ordering from Culver's — but considering that they're ultimately ending up in fourth place on this list, I've found sides that are even better.

It's not too often that you come across a fast-food chain that offers soft pretzel bites as a side dish. In fact, before purchasing the sides for this ranking, I didn't even know that Culver's had pretzel bites on the menu. So, either I've been living under a rock, or Culver's pretzel bites are a slept-on side dish; either way, it's one side that I have every intention of revisiting on future fast-food runs.

While Culver's didn't exactly reinvent the soft pretzel wheel with these bites, it didn't need to. They're soft-yet-crusty and delightfully chewy, and I couldn't get enough of their texture. The flavor was great too; the distinctively savory, bready notes have the slightest touch of tanginess. Of course, no soft pretzel is complete without a side of cheese, and Culver's delivered on that front as well. I really enjoyed the cheese sauce, not only because it made for the perfect pairing with the pretzel bites, but also because it wasn't super thick and gloopy like lots of cheese sauces. 

This combination of soft, subtly sweet pretzel bite plus savory cheese sauce made this side dish really stand out as a strong contender on this list. Flavor- and texture-wise, I couldn't find anything wrong with this side, hence why it has received such a high ranking. I will say that this one might not be what I'd want to pair with a burger or chicken sandwich, so third place felt like a good spot — a great snack option no doubt, but maybe not one I'm ordering each and every time.

Even though I'm a big fan of onion rings, I don't necessarily order them often because not a whole lot of fast-food chains offer them as a side. One chain that does offer onion rings is Culver's, and not only are they on the menu, but they're basically a must-try item.

Not all onion rings are created equal, and it comes down to the breading. Some onion rings have a breadcrumb-like coating on the outside, and I enjoy those ones perfectly fine. But the real champions of the onion ring world are the ones that have a smooth, almost beer-battered exterior, as Culver's onion rings do. This makes for an irresistibly delicious ring — one with that perfectly soft, sweet onion on the inside and delightfully rich, crispy coating on the outside. I couldn't find any flaws here, between the sweet and rich flavor of the rings and the delightfully crispy texture, so it only makes sense that these bad boys are pulling up into a high ranking. Plus, I appreciate how well these would pair with a main at Culver's, making for an unexpected but much-welcome switch-up from typical fries. Another perk is that I found the onion rings to be just as delicious paired with sauce as they were on their own, also making them stand out as a strong side dish in Culver's lineup – there was just one side that managed to edge them out.

Of all the sides that Culver's offers, there's no denying that one reigns supreme no matter which way you spin it: the Wisconsin cheese curds. Not only are cheese curds something of a unique fast-food menu option, they're one that feels so distinctly Culver's in the best way possible. 

Regular cheese curds, as in those that are literal pieces of cheese without any fried coating on the outside, are delicious enough on their own. But toss them with breading and plunge them into a deep fryer? Then you've got an impeccably savory, rich, and cheesy snack that is so simple yet so impossibly delicious. Culver's Wisconsin cheese curds, as one might hope and expect, are flawlessly executed. If you eat them soon after ordering, the cheese on the inside is still super melty, while the coating on the outside is nice and crisp. The beauty of a fried cheese curd, though, is that even if they're not fresh, they're somehow still good. The solidified cheese still tastes just as savory and delicious, while the crispy coating holds up even hours later. Needless to say, if you're going to Culver's, the Wisconsin cheese curds aren't just a good idea — they're an essential side order and the best that Culver's has to offer. 

Flavor was an important factor in ranking these Culver's sides. For starters, did the side in question just generally taste good? In the case of Culver's sides, I'd say that they all did (at least good enough). So I had to take a more pinpointed flavor approach and consider which sides had something special to offer and which ones fell more into the "meh" category. And while it is hard to compare something like the last-place selection, steamed broccoli, to the first-place one, cheese curds, I also thought about how these sides fit into the world of fast food and how much they make sense as the side for something like a burger or chicken tenders.

I picked up all the Culver's sides and tasted them at home. Aside from the errant cheese curd that I simply couldn't resist sneaking from the bag in the car, I took turns trying each side one by one once I got home. When I do food rankings, I often try to sample the food across several days (whenever possible), but in the case of Culver's sides, it didn't seem practical to take this approach (for the sake of sampling everything as fresh as possible). So when sifting through the sides, I made note of how much I generally enjoyed the food, along with any standout flavor aspects or if there was anything I particularly liked (or disliked) about it. Though it was a bit strange going from mashed potatoes to chili cheese fries to onion rings, it did help me get a feel for which sides really stood out to me as winners and which ones paled in comparison.