Every Applebee's Appetizer, Ranked Worst To Best

There's something about the term "appetizer" that conjures feelings of happiness and joy. Perhaps it's because starters come in fun-size portions, often involve finger food, and are frequently shared with friends and family. Applebee's is no stranger to appetizers — the popular chain has been dishing up neighborhood eats for almost 50 years. And the menu seems to continuously expand. I've noticed this both as a food writer and a customer.

At the time of this writing, my neighborhood Applebee's had 14 different appetizers on its menu. How is one to choose? When it all looks so delicious, it's hard to dial it in, even when you can share a few options with friends. For that reason, I popped into my local haunt and sampled every appetizer on the menu. I judged and ranked each item based on flavor, texture, and overall appeal. Those at the top of the ranking had multiple layers of flavor, interesting textural components, and unique ingredient pairings.

I'll admit that this was a hard ranking for me, because every appetizer was delicious. Choosing one over the other was like picking my favorite child. On any given day, I would order one of these appetizers; it all depends on my mood. That said, I was given the task, so here goes.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Applebee's breadsticks with Alfredo sauce features five breadsticks served with warm Alfredo dipping sauce. I loved everything about this appetizer. The breadsticks were warm, puffy, chewy in the middle, and crisp around edges. The exterior of each breadstick was buttery, garlicky, and freckled with parsley, so I enjoyed them both with and without the creamy Alfredo sauce, which was smooth and rich and had strong notes of garlic and sharp Parmesan cheese. I thoroughly enjoyed this dip and liked that I could add as much or as little as I wanted to each breadstick bite (that can't be said of the classic pasta dish).

At my Applebee's, this appetizer was $9.49, which I thought was a fair price for the large portion size. I can assure you, I had nothing against this appetizer and loved the marriage of warm bread and velvety dip. In fact, I would add a bowl of soup and call this dinner. I ranked it in last place, because it was a fairly simple dish when compared to many others on this list.

Applebee's white queso dip & chips app was divine. The steaming bowl of melty white queso was served with crisp white corn tortilla chips. In Spanish, queso means cheese, and that's what this dip brings — a gooey medley of cheeses, including American, cheddar, Romano, and Parmesan. There's no shortage of cheese flavor here, and there was a nice balance of mild, sharp, and nutty nuances. What I liked best about this dip was the complexity of flavors; it wasn't like eating plain melted cheese. There were colorful, flavorful bits of onion, jalapeño, tomato, and cilantro in every bite. The thin, crispy chips were a nice contrast to the thick, creamy queso dip.

This appetizer was $10.49, which isn't necessarily cheap, but I found it a reasonable price when compared to the other items I tried. The queso dip and chips rank so low only because the same queso appears in another appetizer in this lineup, and I ranked that one much higher.

Applebee's mozzarella sticks boast melty mozzarella cheese encased in a crisp, seasoned breading. Served with warm marinara sauce, there's a lot to savor with each nibble. The cheese was perfectly stretchy and nicely creamy, which is what I look for in a winning mozzarella stick. The breadcrumb coating was well flavored with Italian-style herbs and, because the appetizer is fried, the essence of the herbs and spices was elevated. I also enjoyed the warm marinara sauce — it was sweet, tangy, and had notes of Italian herbs and spices. I enjoyed the melding of creamy cheese, crunchy crust, and tangy sauce. I also liked how the acidity of the tomato sauce balanced the richness of the cheese.

The cost for this appetizer was $12.49 at my Applebee's, which I thought was fair considering the large portion size (eight mozzarella sticks). While this dish was excellent, it wasn't as exciting as many of the other items I sampled. After one or two mozzarella sticks, the flavors became monotonous. That wasn't the case with appetizers I ranked higher.

I was surprised when I received Applebee's loaded potato waves, because the potato slices were enormous. The fried potato pieces were decidedly thick and topped with melted cheddar cheese and chopped bits of Applewood-smoked bacon. Just like a loaded baked potato, each bite delivered creamy potato, sharp cheese, and smoky bacon. Unlike a baked potato, each slice was deep fried, so the center was soft and fluffy, and the exterior was golden and crisp.

The thick-cut, smothered potatoes were served with ranch, and I wholly enjoyed the marriage of flavors. The herby ranch was light and bright, so it paired well with the richer elements of the dish. If you're a fan of loaded baked potatoes and loaded potato skins, you will certainly like this spin on the formula. The potato waves were $13.49, and I found that a fair price considering the large portion size. I placed these wavy potatoes on the lower end of my ranking, because there was another fried potato menu item that I preferred more. That said, fans of loaded potatoes will find all the craveable elements in this appetizer.

My favorite part about Applebee's crunchy onion rings was the honey BBQ dipping sauce. The sauce was smoky, tangy, and mildly sweet, made for an excellent partner for crisp onion rings, and I wanted to finish every drop. The onion rings were quite large — each slice was thick and meaty, and sheathed in a generous (but not copious) amount of crunchy coating. I liked the ratio of onion to crust — the shell wasn't too thick, and it wasn't so thin that it crumbled with every bite. The onions were perfectly cooked, meaning they were tender but not mushy. Applebee's cracked the code of flavor combinations with this one: smoky sauce, sweet onion, and crisp, seasoned breadcrumbs.

My Applebee's onion rings were $9.49, and although this appetizer wasn't as large as some of the others, I found that a reasonable price for the quantity of food. But just like the mozzarella sticks, after a few bites of these onion rings, things got monotonous. There were plenty of other appetizers that kept me coming back for more.

I'll get right to the point with Applebee's brew pub loaded waffle fries — the beer cheese was phenomenal. Made with a blend of cheddar cheese varieties, Parmesan, and blue cheese, the sauce hits your palate from every angle. It's sharp, nutty, and pungent, and it's excellent when used as a sauce for fried potatoes. But what I loved most about the beer cheese was the distinct flavor of Belgian white ale. The beer added hoppy notes that paired well with the cheeses.

The waffle fries were topped with melted cheddar and crispy bacon, and I'll be honest — the beer cheese is so good, there's no need for more cheese on the spuds. This appetizer also came with buttermilk ranch dressing, and I liked going back and forth between the rich beer cheese and lighter ranch dip.

My Applebee's waffle fries with beer cheese were $13.49, which was equivalent to many of the other items listed here. It was hard to rank the waffle fries this low, but I did because it was cheese overload. In addition, the beer cheese appears in another menu item, and I ranked that one much higher.

I was overjoyed with Applebee's boneless chicken wings. There were seven different sauces to choose from (from garlic Parmesan to sweet Asian chile), and I chose classic Buffalo sauce for this ranking. The chicken nuggets were sizeable and featured moist and flavorful white meat chicken. I also enjoyed the breading, because it was thin, crispy, and didn't overpower the chicken.

The Buffalo sauce was mildly fiery, but not so much that I had to take breaks between bites. Fans of extra-spicy food might want to order the extra-hot Buffalo sauce instead. There were two dipping sauces to choose from — bleu cheese and house-made ranch, and I chose ranch. I found the cooling dip was an excellent addition to the peppery wings. I also liked the crisp celery ribs on the side, as they provided a respite between bites of chicken.

My boneless wings were $15.49, which seemed a bit high, but my appetizer arrived with 10 wings, which I thought was a hefty portion. If you prefer bone-in wings, you can choose from the same sauces and dips, and the price at my store was $18.49. I would have ranked Applebee's boneless wings higher, but there were several other appetizers I liked more.

Few things rival the quesadilla, which boasts crispy tortilla triangles brimming with stretchy cheese and a variety of fillings. Applebee's chicken quesadillas are no different, and I thoroughly enjoyed this appetizer. The quesadillas were grilled, so the tortillas were slightly charred and picked up great flavor from the grill. Inside each piece, I savored cubes of chipotle lime chicken, pico de gallo (consisting of diced bell pepper, red onion, and tomato), and plenty of gooey Mexican cheese. Each bite delivered a cherished cheese pull and a bounty of tastes and textures.

I also enjoyed the two dipping sides — chipotle lime salsa and sour cream. The salsa further enhanced the smoked jalapeño flavor of the chicken, and the cold, creamy sour cream was a nice contrast to the fiery, warmer elements. The quesadillas at my Applebee's were $15.49, which may sound like a lofty price tag, but the appetizer came with eight well-stuffed quesadilla pieces. There were six other menu items I liked better than this appetizer, so I couldn't rank it any higher. That said, I will be ordering these chicken quesadillas again.

Full confession: After sampling Applebee's spinach & artichoke dip, I stood at my counter and ate much of it with a spoon. It's that good. Plus, I'm a fan of both spinach and artichokes, so that helped. The dip was perfectly creamy, crammed with chopped artichoke hearts and vibrant spinach, slightly garlicky, and sharp and nutty from Asiago cheese. There was also a roof of melted Parmesan cheese on top, so I was guaranteed loads of cheese in every bite.

The dip was served with white corn tortilla chips and chipotle lime salsa, and when all three elements were combined, it was a flavor and texture delight. The crispy chips provided a nice contrast to the creamy dip, and the smoky and tangy salsa added freshness while cutting some of the dip's richness.

My Applebee's spinach & artichoke dip was $13.99, which I thought was high for the quantity of dip provided. That said, the dip was very rich, so a little goes a long way. I ranked this dip toward the middle for that reason — you can only eat so much before it's cheese overkill. Plus, there were five other appetizers with better taste and texture profiles.

I'm from Philadelphia, so I know a thing or two about soft pretzels, and I was smitten with Applebee's brew pub pretzels & beer cheese. The warm Bavarian-style pretzel sticks were soft and chewy and deep-chocolate brown in color. Unlike the Philly pretzels of my youth, the darker surface was toasty and cozy, and excellent when paired with the soft, sweeter center. I also cherished the sizable flecks of salt, because the crunch and sharp flavor of the salt elevated the other nuances of the pretzel.

Now for the dips. As mentioned above, I adored Applebee's beer cheese, so I was thrilled that it was partnered with these pretzels. The warm cheese was sharp, nutty, and scented with Belgian white ale, which aligned exceptionally well with the pretzels. The pretzels also came with tangy-sweet honey Dijon mustard, which balanced the sharpness of the salt and beer cheese. The perfect pretzel bite (for me) included a smidge of both dips.

The pretzel appetizer was $11.99, and the dish came with four large pretzel sticks, a tub of beer cheese, and small cup of honey Dijon mustard. It was easy to place this appetizer in the top five. The reason it's not higher is because the top four were a bit more unique.

I appreciate imaginative culinary fusion, and Applebee's chicken wonton tacos are a tasty example. Moist chicken is marinated and grilled, tossed with a sweet Asian chile sauce, and piled into crisp wonton shells. Topped with coleslaw and cilantro, it resembles a Mexican treat, but the flavors are distinctly Asian.

I cherished the sweet and savory notes in the chicken filling, but what got me even more excited was addition of the slaw. The coleslaw was slightly creamy, the cabbage and carrots were wonderfully crunchy, and it was light enough that it didn't overpower the chicken (it simply complemented it). I also enjoyed the crisp wonton shells — they were airy, flaky, and a pleasure to eat. The lime wedge garnish added tangy freshness while elevating all elements of the dish. 

The chicken wonton tacos were $13.99 at my Applebee's, which seemed a bit more expensive than some of the others on this list (but still comparable). Still, the chicken wonton tacos nabbed a higher spot, because it was a creative dish with plenty of flavors and textures to explore.

If you haven't tried fried pickles, I strongly encourage you to try this Applebee's appetizer. I was truly charmed from the first bite to the last. I'm a huge fan of pickles, but this is much more than your average dill. The thin strips of pickles were lightly breaded, fried, and seasoned with Tajín seasoning. The marriage of briny pickle and Tajín's citrusy, tangy, mildly fiery nuances was a joy on the palate. I found the experience truly unique, and while other fried foods on this list became repetitive over time, I didn't experience that with these pickles.

The dip resembled a tangy-sweet tartar sauce with a Mexican flair, and it paired nicely with the pickle fries. At my Applebee's, this appetizer was $12.99, and the portion size was quite large. I ranked these pickle fries in the top three, because the app is surprisingly bold and delivers multiple layers of flavors and textures. However, I couldn't rank it higher, because in my opinion, the top two were superior in every way.

Applebee's bacon cheeseburger wonton tacos provided another example of innovative culinary fusion. The restaurant took its popular wonton tacos and stuffed them with all the elements of a bacon cheeseburger. Inside each light and crispy wonton square, I found seasoned ground beef, sauteed onions, melted cheddar cheese, Applewood-smoked bacon, pickles, and spicy honey mustard. I loved this twist on the classic cheeseburger, and since it's lighter (thanks to the wonton wrappers), it makes for a great appetizer.

Before I took my first bite, I considered grabbing some ketchup (it's bacon cheeseburger-themed after all). But I'm glad I refrained, because the merging of the spicy honey mustard with the pickle juice and bacon created an outstanding "special sauce". My Applebee's bacon cheeseburger wonton tacos were $13.99 and contained four fully stuffed wonton tacos. For that reason, I found the price reasonable. I was thrilled with this cheeseburger-taco mashup, so it was easy to rank it as this list's runner-up. The winner was simply the best overall.

When I first crafted this list, one appetizer — the O-M-Cheese chicken nachos — wasn't on it. But when I told my local Applebee's that I wanted to try every available appetizer, I was informed that new chicken nachos were available for a limited time. 

The nachos arrived on a sizzling platter (reminiscent of fajitas) and featured crisp tortilla chips topped with chipotle lime chicken, hot queso (the same queso from above), melted cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, jalapeños, cilantro, sour cream, and a huge scoop of fresh guacamole. As you may recall, I'm infatuated with Applebee's queso, so I knew the sampling would go well. The chicken was moist and flavorful, slightly smoky from the chipotle chiles, and delivered hints of fresh lime. The queso stretched for miles and added cheesy, flavorful goodness to every chip. The jalapeños were fresh and fiery, and the guacamole and sour cream were both cooling and refreshing. Every bite was different, which made the experience increasingly exciting, bite after glorious bite.

The chicken nachos at my Applebee's were $15.99, and the portion size was considerable, so I thought it was a good value. This appetizer easily beat out the others for the top spot, as it delivered numerous layers of tastes and textures in every playful bite.

For this ranking, I sampled every available appetizer at my neighborhood Applebee's, including a seasonal option that launched for a limited time. First, I focused on overall appearance and plating. If it was eye-catching, I took note. It's not always easy to make "brown food" (like pickle fries) look inviting, so I took that into consideration. Next, I evaluated flavor, texture, and ingredient combinations. The winners in these categories had multiple layers of flavor, varying textures (creamy, crisp, chewy, soft), and interesting components that kept things exciting after a few bites.

I mentioned prices with each appetizer for reference only, but I didn't end up factoring cost into this ranking. I felt all prices were reasonable for the food I received. Plus, prices will vary depending on location.