5 Chain Restaurants With the Best Fried Fish and Macaroni and Cheese
What do you get when you pair fried fish with a creamy, carby, indulgent side dish? Ultimate perfection. There is something so right about a crispy piece of fish with mac and cheese that hits all the right comfort food notes. Luckily, you can get the duo at a handful of chain restaurants. Here are 5 chains with the best fried fish and macaroni and cheese.
Cracker Barrel Friday Fish Fry
If you love seafood and mac and cheese, head to Cracker Barrel for the Friday Fish Fry. You can have a hand-breaded cod dinner with all the fixings, and it’s delicious. It comes with four hand-battered, fried Cod fillets served with tartar sauce, fresh lemon, two or three country sides, and biscuits or corn muffins. The delicious mac and cheese can be ordered as a side dish: “elbow macaroni noodles mixed with cheese and baked in the oven.”
Cheddar’s Cornmeal White Fish
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Cornmeal White Fish is a hand-breaded, lightly fried whitefish dish served with tartar sauce, two sides, and hushpuppies, which many diners maintain is delicious and served in hearty portions. “Hubby and I had lunch at Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen today,” one Facebooker says. “Huge portion of fish, lightly breaded and delicious.” Order it with the traditional, creamy mac and cheese, often featuring cavatappi pasta in a rich, velvety cheddar cheese sauce.
Long John Silver’s Battered Fish
Long John Silver’s battered fish is an iconic, light, and crispy deep-fried dish. Diners love the wild-caught Alaska Pollock dipped in a specialized batter, and it’s so popular that there are tons of copycat recipes online. Don’t forget to order the signature creamy, white cheddar mac and cheese if you find it on the menu. It is topped with their famous fried batter “Crumblies”.
Popeyes Flounder Fish Sandwich
Popeye’s Flounder Fish Sandwich, “responsibly sourced, wild caught fish,” the chain told TODAY, is a hit when it’s on the menu. And, it’s made with real whole fish. “Our sourcing follows NOAA standards and goes through regulations to ensure we maintain the species. The population levels of our fish are above normal, and we don’t anticipate running into any inventory issues.” Pair it with the fast food chain’s mac and cheese side, and you have perfection. “Best is Popeyes,” says a Redditor. “I like Chickfila, but Popeyes is more consistent and equally tasty. they both have the baked on cheese topping which is my fave part… I was SO happy when Popeyes changed up their mac to this!” writes a Redditor.
Culver’s North Atlantic Cod
Culver’s North Atlantic Cod Sandwich is one of the best fish sandwiches in fast food land. The fish they use is caught in the North Atlantic, hand-cut, battered, and cooked to order, then topped with a Culver’s family recipe tartar sauce, crisp lettuce, and Wisconsin Cheddar, and served on a lightly buttered, toasted hoagie roll. And, their mac and cheese is just as delicious. “Reminds me of Cracker Barrel Sharp Cheddar or a better Kraft Deluxe,” one Redditor says.