The Best Fast Food Fish Sandwiches, Taste-Tested & Ranked

• What’s On It: Alaskan pollock, pickles, tartar sauce
• Price: $5

When tasked with writing this roundup, I thought of Long John Silver’s first. It’s the only fish-focused fast food chain (that I’m aware of, at least), so even though there wasn’t a location near me, it felt wrong not to include it in this ranking. PureWow contributor Vince Gervasi tried a sandwich at his local LJS in my place.

“The texture of the fish itself wasn’t bad,” he said, “[but] the breading was overbearing. A few of my bites were nothing but hollow, fried breading with no fish. It was a little soggy on the inside, too. My boyfriend also got a fish combo, and the breading fell off so much that half of his plate was covered with it. The mayo paired well and enhanced the fish flavor, [but] I would’ve had less breading and more fish. The buns should have been toasted a bit for extra crunch, too. The sides helped but the sandwich didn’t really satisfy me overall.”

• What’s On It: panko-breaded Alaskan pollock, American cheese
• Price: $3

I don’t live near a White Castle either, but luckily, PureWow VP of editorial Candace Davison does. She tasted the panko-breaded fish slider on my behalf. “Full disclosure: A fish sandwich is the last thing I’d order on any fast food menu,” she admits. “But for the sake of research (and my job), I’ve been making exceptions. This is a shockingly good sando for people who aren’t so into seafood. It isn’t fishy at all, with a very light, flaky fish and nice crunch from the panko, even after it had been sitting a few minutes. I appreciated that it wasn’t soggy or greasy, though I would recommend springing for a few add-ons, namely lettuce and tartar sauce, to take this snack up a notch.”

Just note that these sliders, along with the shrimp nibblers, are only available for a limited time, while supplies last.

• What’s On It: pollock, lettuce, tartar sauce
• Price: $5

Fish is a limited-time menu item at this deli/Italian beef/burger joint (Arby’s does it all these days, apparently). I tried the crispy fish sandwich for simplicity and because it’s most comparable to the other fast food fish sandwich options. I was kind of shocked how massive the piece of fish was.

Its taste was certainly the fishiest of the lot (which wasn’t a dealbreaker for me, but it may be for some). I appreciate the generous portion, but it made for uneven distribution of the tartar sauce, so the ratio of toppings to fish wasn’t optimal. I also wished there were pickles or something acidic (Dijonnaise would have been great) for complexity. The sesame seed bun was a nice touch, though.

• What’s On It: Alaskan pollock, American cheese, tartar sauce
• Price: $5

The Filet-O-Fish is iconic, and it’s easily the gold standard of fast food fish sandwiches. But is it the tastiest? According to my research, the answer is no. I loved the buttery smell of the bun and that they weren’t shy with the balanced, well-textured tartar sauce (it was delightfully tangy). There’s also something about that plasticky, creamy American cheese, specifically from McDonald’s, that I inexplicably adore; it offers lots of richness to the sandwich.

However, the fish lacked salt and fell flat in terms of flavor. Maybe it was a fluke (excuse the fish pun), but I remember this pick being so much tastier.

• What’s On It: panko-breaded Alaskan pollock, American cheese, pickles, lettuce, dill tartar sauce
• Price: $6

I’ll start by saying that I loved the tartar sauce; it was so herbaceous, tangy and spring-y. (Fun fact: Wendy’s revives this handheld annually, usually around Easter, so it’s kind of a seasonal delicacy. Many fast food chains follow suit during Lent, due to the Catholic tradition of not eating meat on Fridays.)

I also loved the acidic, crunchy pickles. However, the fish could have been juicier; it was crispy but a bit overdone. As for the cheese, it made for a richer mouthfeel, but did it truly offer anything to the sandwich? Not really, IMO.

• What’s On It: panko-breaded Alaskan pollock, lettuce, pickles, sweet tartar sauce
• Price: $5

Given how low BK ranked in my chicken sandwich taste test, my expectations were low. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the chain's fish sandwich, known as the Big Fish. The pollock was superbly fried, the breading was savory and indulgent without being greasy and the sandwich was well constructed. The pickles were crisp and very sour. I just wasn’t crazy about the sweet tartar sauce (that’s a subjective critique; some may prefer it to a tangier mayo, which I would have enjoyed more). That said, the pickles still provided some much-needed contrast.

• What’s On It: Alaskan pollock, lettuce, pickles, tartar sauce
• Price: $5

A sleeper hit, if I do say so myself. This fast food fish sandwich is only available at select Sonics, but if you see it at your location, give it a whirl. The chain continues to impress me with its offerings (like their oh-so cheesy Smasher burgers), and this was easily the crispiest fish we tried. Golden brown and freshly fried, the texture was pretty flawless, although I felt the fish could have been more generously seasoned. The sour pickles, shredded greens and lightly sweet tartar sauce helped make up for that, though.

• What’s On It: Alaskan pollock fillet coated in seasoned panko breadcrumbs, topped with fresh lettuce, two slices of tomato and tangy tartar sauce on a soft bun
• Price: $6

Whataburger has a fervent following in Texas and across the South, largely for its burgers and chicken tenders, but it turns out the chain's fish sandwich is worthy of serious praise too. Available now through April 6, the Whatacatch sandwich features a crispy slab of panko-breaded pollock, smothered with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce.

The tartar is a bit milder and more mayo-like than others we tested, but the quality of the fish makes up for it. (Plus, you can add jalapeños and Creamy Pepper Sauce for added oomph, which Davison recommends.) The breading is shatteringly crisp without skewing greasy, and the fillet didn't taste fishy at all. It was clean, tender and juicy, and so massively oversized that it extended beyond the bun like wings on a plane. If you order it, come hungry.

• What’s On It: battered cod, lettuce, cheddar cheese, tartar sauce
• Price: $6

This Midwestern gem is known for its ButterBurgers and frozen custard, but the North Atlantic cod sandwich looks…kind of incredible. I’m on the East coast, so I asked PureWow's former executive editor Dara Katz (and her husband, Lincoln Boehm), who are based in Chicago, to try it for me.

“The fish was the clear star of the sandwich,” Boehm explains. “It was a good quality piece of fish that didn’t taste overly fishy. It was such a thick, substantial piece that it lost crispiness after a bit; I think eating it at the restaurant is ideal because it can get soggy. [But] the potato bun was great. It had the perfect amount of mayo [that] didn’t overwhelm the sandwich. The cheese and the lettuce added a little texture and variation to each bite. This was very much about the high-quality fish—it’s the same you’d get at a fish and chips spot.”

• What’s On It: Alaskan flounder marinated in Louisiana herbs, pickles, tartar sauce
• Price: $6

It’s no surprise that the chain that started the chicken sandwich wars makes a serious fish sandwich. It may be about $1 more than most other fast food fish sandwiches, but that checks out, given that it’s made with flounder instead of the usual pollock (the same goes for Culver’s cod). The fish was a great size, supremely tender and succulent, though admittedly, a tiny bit fishy-tasting.

However, the delectably sour pickles—which are thicker than those of most competitors’—and the creamy, herbaceous tartar sauce more than made up for it. (And the pillowy, buttery buns! Don't even get me started on those.)

While I'm a fan of the classic, Davison prefers the spicy version of the flounder. "The medium heat livens up the sandwich, creating a more complex flavor when paired with the tangy tartar sauce and briny pickles," she explains. Whether you're team classic or spicy, you've got to try this one while it's available; it earned top marks across the board.