6 Chain Steakhouses With Fish Dishes That Rival The Beef

Steakhouses are beloved for their, well, steak, but you could be limiting yourself by only ordering beef. Certain steakhouse chains have excellent fish dishes that you might want to consider instead — some are so incredible that people crave them over the more popular beef-centric menu items. We wanted to find out which steakhouse chains offer the best, most tantalizing fish-based meals. But before we dive into that, let's set something straight: There's conflicting information on how many locations a restaurant needs to be considered a chain. 

Some information says it starts as low three or more locations, while others say it starts at four. However, other jurisdictions may define it differently; New York, for example, requires 15 locations to be a chain. In Los Angeles, California, a small chain has two to 19 locations, whereas a large chain has more than 20. All that said, we focused on large chain steakhouses with plenty of U.S. locations where the fish could very well be the star of the show. To identify the best, we looked to customer reviews and online chatter from diners; we wanted to find fish that was highly praised for its flavor, texture, and even presentation, and sought out options with many, many positive reviews. We're confident that we found the absolute best fish dishes served at chain steakhouses.

Saltgrass Steak House has locations spanning coast to coast across the U.S., from Nevada to North Carolina. While the restaurant isn't on our list of the steakhouse chains with the best steak, you might want to consider ordering the Salmon Oscar when you visit. The dish uses a captivating blend of components to give it a colorful look and complex flavor. There's salmon filet, along with lump crab meat placed on top, to double up on the seafood element. It's garnished with lemon butter, red pepper flakes, green onions, and capers, which serve as much as seasoning as they do for show — it's fabulous, according to some reviewers. 

People truly love this dish, noting that it's incredibly delicious, divine, or that it's their favorite food from Saltgrass Steak House. Even the fried asparagus that the fish is served over gets a shoutout on Yelp for being "perfectly tender-crisp." Customers really love the fish and are consistently happy when they order it. While salmon can often feel tired, the unique appearance makes Saltgrass' is more elevated than a plain filet.

Forget about the steak at Morton's The Steakhouse, a chain with locations throughout the U.S. and even in Asia. Instead, focus on the Cold-Water Lobster Tail & Miso-Marinated Sea Bass, which features bok choy, shiitake mushroom, and an umami-rich dashi broth. People call the sea bass delectable, delicious, and yummy — three enticing adjectives. "You must have the phenomenal, lick-the-plate deliciousness that is the Miso Marinated Sea Bass!" said one Yelper. They went on to say: "It is the best I've had anywhere: savory broth, perfectly crispy on the outside, and juicy, flaky gorgeousness on the inside."

Customers also commend the dish for its presentation, because the fish looks so elegant placed atop the bok choy, surrounded by a sea of broth; it's like a little sea bass island, if you will. "That is one of my favorite things," one customer said on Facebook. They explained that the way it's served helps prevent the fish from getting too drenched in the dashi broth puddle. "Scrumptious and irresistible," they finished. Some reviewers who didn't quite enjoy their Morton's experience otherwise even singled out the sea bass as wonderfully cooked. While you're noshing on seafood (which may feel a bit light, since it's just fish and veggies), don't forget to order the potatoes au gratin, as some customers say is the best in the country.

Tasting Table writers love Texas Roadhouse, which is a large steakhouse chain spanning the U.S., with even has locations in Mexico. Our team has tried every appetizer and every steak on the menu, so we are well aware of the steakhouse's range of good eats. However, if you want to plan a visit around something non-beef related, the Grilled Salmon has many happy customers. One Facebook review goes into detail, sharing that it is a 10 out of 10 for the overall flavor, seasoning, and freshness of the fish. "That salmon was cooked to perfection — tender, buttery, and full of flavor!" they said. 

The steakhouse uses a seasoned Norwegian filet, then tops it with parsley and lemon pepper sauce. The customer gets a choice of two sides, as well as a lemon wedge and tartar sauce to further develop the flavor. The Facebook reviewer mentioned that the fish didn't even need sauce and that it worked well with the sides. Others on Reddit encourage people to try it because it's "nice and fat, juicy, and seasoned perfectly." Someone responded to the original poster that their friend heckled them for ordering a fish dish at a steakhouse. "It's just so good I couldn't not order it. Wish I could make it like that at home," they shared.

You might come to Outback Steakhouse to get the iconic Bloomin' Onion, but you should stay for the Toowoomba Salmon. The salmon filet is grilled and plated with sautéed shrimp and mushrooms, all covered in the decadent creamy Creole sauce — plus you get a choice of two sides. The hearty meal doesn't lack flavor and is a fantastic pick for anyone who wants something as good as any of the chain's beef dishes. "Outback Steakhouse has truly not disappointed and this is by far my favorite dish!!! The Toowoomba Salmon hits every time," said one major fan on Facebook. They went on to praise how well the salmon was cooked since it was so juicy and succulent. 

Other reviews back that up, mentioning that it's their favorite meal, too, and that the fish was cooked to perfection, so you know you'll get consistently good fish no matter which location you visit (which is great since there are restaurants in 44 states). Some call out that the sauce is particularly delectable. Not yet convinced to order it? Well, even those who claim they don't usually like fish share that the Outback salmon dish is quite tasty and that the creamy Creole sauce makes an ideal pairing.

Fogo de Chão has a lot of incredible foods that you need to try, but we want to highlight an item that you might overlook: the Chilean Sea Bass. The Brazilian steakhouse gives its own spin by serving the pan-seared fish with its homemade papaya vinaigrette. But the cherry on top is the mango relish. The fish is served with asparagus, which keeps it light enough that you might have room for some other menu items (we're still dreaming about the crackly exterior of the Cheesecake Brûlée). Customers call out the fish dish as their favorite and consider it truly superb. "I have it every time I go there I think about it often," said one person on Instagram, who also called it "scrumptious." 

Multiple people say it's the best sea bass they've ever had, and that it basically falls apart in the mouth, in the best way possible. "This chargrilled deliciousness with that mango salsa was the best way I've ever had it," one Yelper shared. "It had a light burnt crunchiness to it but was still super soft and perfectly flaky." It's clear that it might be better than the meat, as one reviewer says they were not particularly pleased with their experience, but shouts out the sea bass as being phenomenal. Others say they get the dish every time they visit the Brazilian steakhouse, which has locations throughout the U.S., and other countries like Saudi Arabia and England.

One of our top tips for visiting Ruth's Chris Steak House for the first time is to branch off and try the seafood, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the Garlic-Crusted Sea Bass is highly recommended by customers. The fish entrée has a tantalizing panko garlic crust, lemon pepper, and is served over a bed of baby spinach for some greenery. There's no question this is a superior fish dish that rivals the meats; it comes with such rave reviews from those who mention it's their favorite food."PHENOMENAL is an absolute understatement," commented one person on Instagram. "Savory, Flaky, Buttery...and the garlic crust???....INCREDIBLE! I devoured it!"  

Fans praise the juicy, flaky, tender texture, which means it's cooked just right, as overcooked fish can become hard or rubbery. The crust helps act as a textural contrast too, so it doesn't feel too delicate from the succulent sea bass and softened spinach; it gives you a crunchy mouthful that works as part of the whole. Customers say it's the best dish, or that it's actually the only food they've had from the steakhouse chain. You'll even find people complimenting the precisely cooked spinach that retains a bit of structure without being too wilted. Every element of this meal makes it a worthy purchase. Luckily, you can find Ruth's Chris Steak House locations everywhere from California to Connecticut, with some restaurants also in Canada, Taiwan, and Aruba.

We scoured the internet to find fish dishes from steakhouse chains that had an excessive amount of positive feedback. It wasn't enough for one person to praise the dish; we needed to see proof of multiple glowing reviews for every dish. We sourced quotes and found insights from social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit, as well as review platforms like Grubhub, TripAdvisor, and Yelp. It was important that people complimented every aspect of the dish, from the flavor and succulent texture to any sauces or sides. 

We're sure you'll find one or more fantastic fish dishes at any of the aforementioned chains, as the options range widely. We didn't want a compiled list of similar dishes, so we included various types of fish, interesting sauces, and plating techniques. Whether you want something light and savory or filling and creamy, there's a fish option available at these steakhouse chains.