I Tried Fish And Chips From 8 Chain Restaurants And Ranked Them

Great Britain is known for its great contributions to society. The culture has gifted us the music of The Beatles, the charm of afternoon tea, and the wholesomeness of The Great British Bake Off. And in terms of culinary legacy, dishes like shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, and Yorkshire pudding. But even among these staple dishes and beloved exports, there's no British gift quite as iconic as the humble pairing of fish and chips.

The combination of fried fish and fries is said to have first popped up in England around the 1860s. The story goes that a Jewish immigrant named Joseph Malin began selling it in his shop, leaning on two ingredients readily available across the region: fish and potatoes. It turned into a go-to meal for the working class, and, at one point or another, the dish also made its way across the pond and into some of America's most popular chain restaurants.

Nothing beats a basket of fish and chips from a dingy English pub or a dockside café, but fast-food joints and sit-down eateries alike try their best to imitate the original classic. I recently went on a bit of a seafood safari to track down that unmistakable taste of Great Britain here in the States. I picked up fish and chips meals from eight different chain restaurants and ranked them worst to best, judging everything from the texture of the fillets and flavor of the fries to the creamy tartar sauce and various accompanying sides.

There are many different fish meals circling at Long John Silver's that it can get overwhelming. You can get the chain's classic fish, battered cod, fish and shrimp, fish and chicken for a surf and turf twist, and the list goes on and on. So, when it came time to choose, I went with the simplest combo of all, the 2-piece fish meal. It comes with two fillets of battered Alaskan pollock, along with two hushpuppies and two individual sides. For a true fish and chips plate, I opted for waffle fries and also tacked on a side of coleslaw — it felt fitting.

The fish turns out lightly golden, and it's actually a decent size. I was confident I would have felt full after polishing off the entire basket. Portions aside, though, pollock was not my favorite. As I picked it up, it felt super heavy, and inside, the white fish was densely packed instead of light and flaky. The breading was delicate, lacking crispness, and it was just overall bland. It did, for a second, remind me of fried items from Popeyes — I think it may have something to do with the frying fat that was used.

I appreciate the waffle fries, but compared to waffle fries from Chick-fil-A, they may as well have been frozen store-bought fries. With no condiments (they were forgotten) and the sweet hushpuppies taking their place as my favorite part of the meal, I'll be throwing this one back.

Over at Captain D's seafood kitchen, they're serving more of the same. The chain's fish and fries meal is satisfying enough for a drive-thru fix, but it's not something I would seek out on a regular basis.

Similar to the experience at Long John Silver's, the world is your oyster at Captain D's. You can get a wide range of fried seafood plates — even fried oysters are on the menu. The 2-piece meal I ordered contains the chain's famous batter-dipped fish fillets, which have recently been changed and now possibly use a type of Vietnamese fish called swai. Hushpuppies and fries finish off the meal, unless of course you choose to reel in a different side like green beans, macaroni and cheese, or fried okra.

I was surprised by the shape of this fish. Very long and thick, rather than flat and fillet-shaped like Long John Silver's were. What I wasn't surprised by was the taste. Even though the fish is decent and has a good texture — the reason it surpasses the previous offering — the breading ruins it. It's far too mushy and far too greasy to be enjoyed past just a few bites. Additionally, I could have done without the bland fries and the gloopy tartar sauce wasn't a win either. Once again, I was more hooked on the hushpuppies than anything else — they reminded me of less sugary donut holes.

The British staple has even made its way to Applebee's. After a smorgasbord of comfort food appetizers like mozzarella sticks, nachos, and Applebee's boneless wings, you can then steer your palate in a more seafaring direction with the Hand-Battered Fish & Chips entree. It arrives as a classic spread: two battered fish fillets, a helping of fries, signature coleslaw, tartar sauce, and a lemon wedge. I also received an extra side of cocktail sauce, and the chain tossed in a few packets of malt vinegar, which earned them brownie points in my book.

Applebee's doesn't actually specify what kind of fish it uses, which made me skeptical. But, it was more satisfying than expected — certainly better than the fast-food versions. I could see the grease glistening on top of the smooth breading, and the fish inside was pure white and flaky. What I didn't like was that the breading seemed to be overfried, so it had a burnt tang to it and an oddly dried out feel despite all that grease.

As a whole, both the fillets and the meal landed somewhere in the middle. The cocktail sauce didn't do it many favors, leaning closer to ketchup than anything punchy or briny. Luckily, ​​the peppery fries and rich herbaceous tartar sauce helped to make up for that. With a squeeze of lemon on top and a generous drizzle of vinegar, all problems seem to evaporate.

There is a time of year at Culver's when a myriad of different fish options swim onto the menu — namely, the early part of the year during Lent, when meals and sandwiches stuffed with Northwoods walleye tend to surface. However, the chain doesn't leave us high and dry outside of that fleeting window. It also offers North Atlantic cod as a year-round option, and that's just the dinner I was after as I set sail for the chain.

Just like ButterBurgers at Culver's, the North Atlantic Cod Dinner is also cooked to order. It's hand-cut, hand-battered, and fried in-house before being joined by two classic sides (I went with fries and coleslaw), a dinner roll, and a cup of tartar sauce, made with a family recipe that includes olives, capers, and sweet relish. The fish has an air of freshness about it that pulls it above several other options. However, the fritter-like breading knocks it down a few pegs. Aside from the oil, it's pretty boring in terms of flavor, and it's unforgivably soggy. I would have blamed part of this on the to-go container, but I've actually had this exact same problem before with Culver's North Atlantic Cod Sandwich in a ranking of fast-food fish sandwiches.

The tartar sauce was also underwhelming, tasting more like the base of a bland macaroni salad than a zingy, horseradish-infused sauce. But hey, at least the fries are of good quality, and I found that a squeeze of lemon helped balance out some of the faults in the breading.

Cracker Barrel really leans into the spirit of the traditional Midwestern fish fry. The chain only offers its fish and chips meal on Fridays, making it feel more authentic and somewhat exclusive. So, I waited until the best day of the week, expecting a plate of fried perfection, and it was a bit of a letdown.

The meal consists of four hand-battered and fried fillets of cod that automatically come with tartar sauce and a lemon slice. You can also pick between a two-side meal and a three-side meal. I kept things light with just two, selecting both steak fries and coleslaw. It looks like a hearty, home-cooked meal, and the hand-battered style gives it a similar feel to Culver's fried cod. But, just like Culver's, it has some flaws. The breading is flimsy and slightly dry, and the meat on the inside was a tad too fishy for my liking.

The reason the basket ranks above Culver's is that the rest of it is quite tasty. The steak fries are plump and lightly salted — a great neutral choice when paired with the cod. I also couldn't get enough of that tartar sauce that was extra sweet and relish-forward. When slathered onto the fillets, the fishiness didn't seem like such a problem anymore. Then, throw in some soft, savory-sweet hushpuppies, and it wasn't too shabby overall.

How does a joint that specializes in big gourmet burgers fare when it comes to seafood? Well, it seems it fares surprisingly well. This isn't the most outstanding fish and chips you'll ever taste, but it holds its own — even against fish-centric quick-service chains and a few American food competitors.

There's nothing revolutionary about the makeup of the platter. Red Robin's House-Battered Fish & Chips consists of fried white fish fillets, steak fries, tartar sauce, and coleslaw. Everything turns out pretty good — not great, but good. Even though the fillets look just like chicken tenders, they're filled with mild-flavored fish that's not too fishy or too bland. The breading is extra airy and oily, like a fried item you'd pick up at a fair. For some reason, it really reminded me of funnel cakes but with less aggressive sweetness.

The tartar sauce also helps bring it to life. It's a little more diluted than others and not overly pungent, but I liked its strong notes of dill. And then there are fries. Covered in a savory, garlicky seasoning, they make a really good match for the fish — especially when they soak up a bit of lemon juice and get a dip in the sauce. I got a smaller carryout portion, but the best part is that these fries are bottomless in the restaurant, so you know you won't leave hungry.

I used to be a waitress at Bob Evans back in high school, and I certainly don't remember fish and chips as a menu item. If it existed, it was not very popular among guests. I'm not sure when it became a mainstay or if it will become a permanent fixture, but you can now get a Fish Fry Platter at this Midwest chain.

The meal is on the dinner menu. This means it comes with three wild-caught Alaska cod fillets, a choice of two sides (French fries and coleslaw are recommended, and I obliged), dill tartar sauce, and bread. Dinner rolls are the obvious choice, though you can also get biscuits or even banana nut bread. The plate also comes with two onion rings, which wasn't a mistake — it's actually part of the description. After tasting the fish, it's clear that the rings were made in a similar way and using the same fryer. The fillet tastes just like a side of onion rings with a savory, crunchy exterior. I actually didn't mind it because it provides more flavor and helps to enliven the otherwise mild fish.

The chain wasn't lying about the dill-focused sauce — it really tastes like dill and dill only, almost more of a dill dip than a true tartar. I'm not sure it fully qualifies, but I liked it all the same and ended up using it on both fillets and my batch of classic French fries.

No, you can't hand-select your cod from a tank when you order the fish and chips at Red Lobster like you would do with lobster dinner. But that doesn't mean the meal tastes less fresh and delicious.

I figured a seafood-centric sit-down restaurant like Red Lobster would win this maritime matchup, and it absolutely delivered. It just has that look of a high-caliber plate of fried fish. The two cod pieces are coated in beer batter and give off an audible crunch as you bite into them. They're perfectly salty, just enough greasy, and adequately rich. The best part, though, is the wild-caught cod waiting on the inside that's oh-so flaky and tender.

Just the fish alone had other chains beat, but it also outplays them when it comes to accompaniments. Dressed in an Old Bay spice blend, the Chesapeake fries are the perfect fit. They're salty, savory, and more soft than crisp, but I didn't mind. The coleslaw isn't too gloopy, which is really all you can ask, and the hushpuppies are as sweet and nostalgic as ever. Now, I don't think everyone would necessarily be a fan of the tartar sauce. It looks more like cottage cheese and tastes like the base used for chicken salads, but I appreciated its mix of sweet relish and onion-like flavors. It ties together the meal and contributes to the appeal of this classic seafood pairing.

To kick off this fish and chips face-off, I gathered a list of all the chain restaurants in my area of Columbus, Ohio that try their hand at the British delicacy. I included both fast-food and sit-down chains and ended up with a collection of eight total fish and chips baskets. I ordered all options to-go, or picked them up straight from the drive-thru and brought them home to give them a try. Aside from fish and fries, most options also came with additional sides and sauces. I received plenty of fresh lemon slices as well (a fish and chips must).

As I tasted and ranked each platter, I focused first and foremost on the centerpiece combo, always starting with fried fish. I took into account the breading/battering method, the texture of the exterior, whether there were any seasonings, and the quality of the fish. I wanted tender flakiness and a taste that was fresh rather than being too fishy.

As for the fries, I really just wanted at least some level of crisp and classic potato flavor — extra seasonings were also appreciated. From there, everything else was just gravy. I ranked highest those that really shined when it came to the fish and chips but then also managed to deliver when it came to the extras like a creamy and flavorful tartar sauce and homestyle hushpuppies. When it all comes together, it feels like you're right there in the heart of England, no passport required.