How Chefs Really Feel About McDonald's Filet-O-Fish

McDonald's is perhaps the most recognizable fast food brand in the entire world. But when you think of the restaurant's most iconic menu item, what comes to mind first? For many people, it's the iconic Big Mac, a legendary fast food sandwich known for its super flavorful sauce and excellent use of onions. For others, it's the Quarter Pounder, which offers a generous serving of juicy meat for those who don't love the super-thin patties found in the Big Mac and feel it might not be worth the money. But maybe the most overlooked item on the entire menu is the perfectly golden Filet-O-Fish.

Some customers would never order this sandwich, convinced that a fast food place could never pull off a seafood dish well. Those who are in the know, however, realize that this may just be the most underrated fast food sandwich of all time. Even though it's pretty basic — featuring just a fried fish patty, a slice of American cheese, and a generous amount of tartar sauce — it still packs a lot of flavor.

What do the pros think about this sandwich? We've spoken to four chefs, including Chef Bryce Palmer, executive chef at Sequoia Grove Winery; Mark McShane, chef and food safety expert at Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate; Paul Osborne, chief operations officer and head chef at Santa Barbara Fish Market in Goleta, California; and Joe Nierstedt, chef and owner of Katsubo in Charleston, South Carolina, to get their thoughts on this most controversial of fast food orders.

There are a lot of fast food lovers out there who may find themselves hesitant about ordering McDonald's Filet-O-Fish because they don't particularly like fishy flavors. And with a lot of types of fish, that might be a problem. However, the Filet-O-Fish is a remarkably un-fishy sandwich. There's probably a reason for this — according to Chef Mark McShane of Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate, this is a sandwich meant to appeal to the masses.

"The sandwich uses a white fish (usually Alaska Pollock)," says McShane, "which has a mild taste and a delicate flavor profile that will appeal to the widest number of people and will not have an overpowering 'fish' taste." This makes sense. After all, McDonald's doesn't seem to be trying to make the most innovative, groundbreaking dishes around. Instead, its goal appears to be to appeal to the largest number of customers possible. Because the fish used in the sandwich doesn't have a very strong flavor itself, those other flavors (like the ones found in the sandwich's tartar sauce) are taking center stage. So, just because you don't particularly like fishy-tasting seafood doesn't mean that you should write the Filet-O-Fish off entirely — it's much milder than most fish sandwiches out there.

The specific combo of ingredients that comes in a McDonald's Filet-O-Fish may seem kind of random at first glance. But think about it: Have you ever seen another fried fish sandwich that comes with some sort of yellow cheese and a rich, creamy sauce? Chances are, you have. This may be because other food companies are trying to cash in on McDonald's success in the fast food fish arena.

Per Paul Osborne of Santa Barbara Fish Market in Goleta, "the Filet-O-Fish is one of the most imitated sandwiches I see in restaurants. The combination of cheese (don't tell my Italian grandmother), crispy fish, and tartar sauce is highly marketable and often imitated." This is a combo that's not very polarizing (considering that neutral flavor of the fish), and that features a nice combination of textures. You have both creamy and crispy elements, all packed between two fluffy buns. And because a lot of people have experienced these culinary elements coming together when visiting the fast food chain, it follows that they'd be open to trying different versions of a similar dish elsewhere. So, the next time you find a fish sandwich with cheese and tartar sauce on a restaurant menu, you can be pretty certain where the inspiration came from.

When you're considering what kind of beverage you want to drink with your Filet-O-Fish sandwich, you're probably debating between Coke and Sprite. After all, your options at the McDonald's soda fountain are limited. But if you're willing to explore beverage options beyond what the fast food restaurant offers, you might just find that your Filet-O-Fish pairs surprisingly well with certain types of wine. Specifically, says Chef Bryce Palmer of Sequoia Grove Winery, chardonnay makes for an excellent pairing.

"Fried fish and chardonnay have always worked well together, whether it's from a drive-thru or a seafood restaurant. It sounds a little unexpected, but it really works," explains Palmer. Chardonnay is known for being a particularly versatile wine, and it comes in many different styles. When you want to play up the creaminess of the tartar sauce and cheese, you may want to select an oaked chardonnay, which is known for its fresh, citrusy, and buttery flavors; its acidity can also break through the fattiness of the fried fish. And if you want to feel a bit fancy, try a sparkling chardonnay — look for bottles that say "blanc de blanc." Champagne is often made with chardonnay, as are other types of traditional method sparkling wine.

The Filet-O-Fish has been around a long time — longer than a lot of other fast food restaurants' entire histories. It was first served by McDonald's in 1962 and became a more permanent menu addition in 1965, and ever since, it's been an integral part of the chain's lineup. Whether you ordered the sandwich 10 years ago or yesterday, though, it probably tasted pretty similar. The same is true no matter where in the world you snag the sandwich. This level of consistency is part of what makes this sandwich so iconic — and it's not an easy task to pull off, according to Mark McShane.

"Over the years, McDonald's has perfected its recipe for this sandwich, and thus their customers know exactly what they are going to get when they order the Filet-O-Fish," he explains. "It is extremely hard to maintain consistency across all of your locations at the same level as McDonald's." Whether you love or hate this sandwich (or McDonald's in general), you can't deny that it's an incredibly consistent menu item. Perhaps this is what makes it such a comfort food classic. No matter what McDonald's location you order it at, you can trust that you're going to get that same combo of crispy fish, creamy cheese, and tartar sauce.

When you go to a restaurant like McDonald's, you probably have a good idea of what to expect. This is not a high-end restaurant by any stretch — it's just a place to snag an indulgent meal that (hopefully) tastes good without spending too much money. Therefore, you're probably not going to want to eat any dish that feels like it's trying too hard. McDonald's simply isn't the place for that. The Filet-O-Fish happens to mirror that down-to-earth quality that the whole chain has going for it.

"I don't think the Filet-O-Fish gets enough credit," says Bryce Palmer. "It's not trying to impress anybody—it's just a solid sandwich. The fish stays crispy, the tartar sauce does what it's supposed to do, and for whatever reason, that slice of American cheese belongs there. Every once in a while, that's exactly what I'm in the mood for."

Is this the sandwich you're going to order when you want a delicious, elevated fish sandwich (like these tasty recipes offer)? No. But when you're looking for something basic, crispy, and ultimately cheap, the Filet-O-Fish checks all the boxes.

Although the Filet-O-Fish is, first and foremost, a fish sandwich, let's be really honest: The fish itself isn't the most flavorful part of the equation. Yes, it has a light, mild flavor to it, and the breading creates a beautiful crisp, but it's not really the star of the show. So, in a sandwich with so few ingredients, which element is really doing the heavy lifting? According to Mark McShane, it's the tartar sauce.

"The true highlight of the sandwich is the tartar sauce," says McShane. "The tartar adds rich, creamy flavor from the mayonnaise, some tanginess from the pickles, and a subtle sweetness to help round out the flavors of the mild fish." This is where you're getting a lot of the complexity in the sandwich from, considering the flavor of the American cheese slice is also quite mild. The tartar sauce is what delivers creaminess, acidity, and a nice, herbal touch all in one. That's why a Filet-O-Fish that's lacking enough tartar sauce ultimately tastes quite bland. Sometimes, it's not the ingredients you expect that make the most splash — it's those that look like they're playing a background role but are actually carrying the whole dish.

Chef Joe Nierstedt of Katsubo speaks well of McDonald's Filet-O-Fish, while also acknowledging that it's in many ways a flawed sandwich. This, we think, speaks to the true nature of this sandwich. It's not actually good-good, but it's still good, if you know what we mean. "I'm not going to pretend I haven't eaten a Filet-O-Fish at two in the morning somewhere between nowhere and nowhere in my life," says Nierstedt. "And you know what? It delivered."

But that doesn't mean that every part of the sandwich makes particular sense. For Nierstedt, the cheese is a particularly puzzling choice. Compared to the fish itself (obviously essential to the sandwich) and the tartar sauce (which we've already recognized as possibly the most important part of the dish), the cheese seems like a sort of random addition. "Is that cheese doing anything?" Nierstedt questions himself. "Absolutely not," he responds.

That's fair — American cheese isn't known for being all that flavorful, so it's not like it's adding much on the taste front. Yes, it's there for creaminess, but if the creaminess of the tartar sauce is enough for you, then you may also find that slice of cheese superfluous. At least it's pretty easy to remove from the sandwich, right?

Sure, there are so many reasons to celebrate McDonald's Filet-O-Fish, but that doesn't mean it's the perfect dish. After all, this fast food chain isn't exactly known for its high-quality ingredients or stellar quality standards. Therefore, it only makes sense that some chefs would see room for improvement in the Filet-O-Fish. Although Mark McShane can see the merits of this sandwich, that doesn't mean he can't imagine ways in which it could be better.

"I would like to see a slightly thicker filet, a more aggressive seasoning on the breading, a tartar sauce with more fresh dill, capers, or lemon zest, and possibly a little more acidity to add brightness to each bite," suggests McShane. These changes would lead to a more flavorful and substantial sandwich with a lot more freshness from the tartar sauce. The addition of capers sounds absolutely delicious and could probably up the flavor ante of the dish as a whole.

But whether it's likely that we'll see quality changes for the better in this product isn't clear. Considering how many believe the chain has declined in quality, though, we somehow don't have much hope that McDonald's will suddenly roll out a fresher, ostensibly more expensive-to-make tartar sauce or thicker fish filet anytime soon.