The Best (And Worst) Culver's Soups, According To Reviews

Some people call Culver's the In-N-Out of the Midwest, and while its flagship butterburger is delicious, it's much more than an American burger chain. Where Culver's really shines is in its seafood range and diverse selection of sides. You won't find quality North Atlantic cod for a better price somewhere else, and you definitely won't have the option of pairing it with soup. Sounds like an odd combination, huh? Well, it's not when it comes to Culver's soups, which are pretty darn good.

Its menu offers several options, from classics like chicken noodle soup and broccoli cheese soup to seasonal, limited-time varieties like Baja chicken enchilada. Soup definitely isn't what comes to mind when you think of fast food, but at Culver's, they make up nearly half the available sides. With so much menu real estate, I was curious to know which were worth buying and which were worth skipping. So to find the best and worst Culver's soups, I decided to scour review sites and see what people had to say.

Of all the soups that Culver's is known for, the chicken noodle soup is the most popular. The chain keeps it simple and traditional: chicken broth, moist chicken pieces, noodles, and vegetables, served with saltine crackers. Not only is it the best reviewed, but everyone seems to enjoy it. One Facebook commenter noted that it's yummy and very affordable. They ordered it with a Deluxe ButterBurger, cheese curds, and a Swiss melt, and only spent $25.

TikTok user and fervent maker of high-protein, budget-friendly recipes, My Bizzy Kitchen, considers it a great option if you're looking for something light that doesn't skimp on taste. Another TikTok reviewer, who is also a Culver's employee, gave it a 4.5 out of 5, which echoes the 5-star rating that someone gave it on Yelp. Favorable TripAdvisor reviews from 2014 prove that the soup is not only a must-buy currently, but has been for over 10 years.

Clam chowder is typically hit-or-miss, so we're not surprised Culver's misses the mark here. Its Boston-style version features clams, potatoes, and vegetables in a thick, cream-based soup, along with an unspecified whitefish that could be wild-caught North Atlantic cod, which we know Culver's to source from the Barents Sea. The ingredients are what one might expect to be in clam chowder, except that Culver's recipe seems to be lacking. While it isn't a total dud, according to reviews, it definitely isn't the first soup people will pick on the menu. Unless, according to Reddit, it's on a Friday during Lent.

"We had the clam chowder last year for Lent, but it didn't do all that well, so we didn't order it this year," someone, who appears to be a Culver's employee, commented. Another person said that most of the time, most of it was discarded at the end of the shift. And that was the general sentiment shared throughout the thread. There is, however, one positive review about it from TikTok user mikeb77356, who says it has a rich seafood taste. Nevertheless, with the overwhelming majority basically calling it "just okay," I'll have to recommend you skip this Culver's soup.

It's hard to mess up broccoli cheddar soup. After all, melted cheddar cheese has a way of making everything it touches taste better. Luckily, Culver's delivers a flavorful soup, and the reviews back it up. According to YouTube duo Collin & Michael, the latter of whom had never experienced this soup before, it's surprisingly good and gets better with each bite. On Instagram, user "ww_fitnessfreak" asked, "Anyone else love @culvers broccoli cheese soup?!"

Someone on Facebook shouted out Culver's soups, too, saying they love the broccoli cheese especially. Another user, who took advantage of Culver's two-dollar special and ordered four soups, including the broccoli cheese, said that they were all good. The soup has even received glowing reviews on Yelp, with one person calling it "amazing."

You can't go wrong when bacon's involved. Well, at least most of the time. Culver's potato with bacon soup, which is a cream-based soup with carrots and celery, is an unfortunate exception to the rule. Not only is it worth skipping, but we also named it the worst soup in all of fast food-dom. For one, the bacon is really just bacon bits, which adds little to the overall flavor profile. That, combined with a watery stock that's lacking punch, just leaves you with spoonfuls of disappointment. 

When compared to 13 other fast food soups, let's just say, you have to be pretty skippable to end up as number 14. What could improve Culver's potato with bacon soup? Actual pieces of smoked bacon could make a world of difference. The flavor would cut through more and give the soup much-needed body. It'd also provide texture to counterbalance the mushy potatoes and vegetables.

The wild and brown rice with chicken is another worthwhile Culver's soup option. It's textural and hearty, and nicely balances firm rice varieties with moist carrots and tender chicken pieces in a rich and creamy broth. If you're looking for a departure from regular chicken soup recipes, online reviews say that this one is a great substitute.

One TripAdvisor reviewer who ordered it with a side of cheese curds on a cold and dreary day said that it hit the spot. They gave it 4 out of 5 stars. Another TripAdvisor reviewer, who was feeling a bit under the weather, said it was tasty and they gave it a perfect 5 stars. On Reddit, Culver's employees usually spill the beans on which menu items to buy and which to skip, and the wild and brown rice with chicken made a list of three soups that an employee recommended to a first-timer.

To determine which Culver's soups were worth buying versus skipping, I did a deep dive into customer reviews across popular sites such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit, along with a first-hand review from our own site, Tasting Table. In some cases, I also took into consideration employee recommendations. Soups were ranked based on an aggregate of positive reviews and sorted according to which had the most negative reviews. One soup was personally reviewed by a Tasting Table writer.