Customers Agree, These 8 Seafood Chains Have The Best Salmon Dishes

There's nothing like a good seafood restaurant. Whether you're in some coastal shack adorned with fishing nets and Jolly Rogers or a highbrow, "jackets required" joint, a well-made fish dinner is one of life's luxuries. Chain restaurants exist on that spectrum, too. A chain restaurant can be counted on to be the same no matter where you are, and sometimes you need that comfort. Salmon is something of a litmus test for a kitchen. It's an easy dish to make at home. Therefore, it should be easy for a restaurant to do properly, right? Some seafood restaurant red flags should not be ignored, and if a fish spot gives you salmon that tastes and smells, well, fishy, that's a bad look for the kitchen.

Still, it sometimes seems like salmon can be a forgotten dish. Flashier items like shrimp cocktail, crab legs, or tuna steaks can be eye-catching on a restaurant menu. Sometimes, though, you just want a solid piece of salmon. Sometimes, too, you want a good chain restaurant dinner. So as long as it's not one of the worst days to order fish at a restaurant, here are the best salmon dishes at chain seafood restaurants that you should give a try.

Listen, any place that has the word grill in its name is already promising good salmon. Bonefish Grill, if we're going by nominative determinism, is going to cook fish in the tastiest manner possible. Can they deliver on that promise? Oh, you bet. The Salmon Family Dinner gives you enough food for the table, while keeping each item tasty. The word that a satisfied diner posting to Bonefish's Facebook page used was "scrumptious." It's time to pay attention when someone breaks out a word like scrumptious.

Okay, so grilled salmon is great. Maybe you've got your own way of grilling salmon, and you need a restaurant to show you something special. Well, if you want a real treat? Get the cedar plank salmon when it's available. That piece of wood imparts flavor like you can't believe. Under a video that Bonefish Grill posted to Facebook, one person commented that the chain has the best salmon. Going purely on the visual of that perfectly cooked fish on top of a charred cedar plank? Well, it's a claim that's hard to argue with.

If you like your seafood with a little Cajun flair, you have to check out Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. It's not everywhere that you can get things like dirty rice or braised collard greens as a side for your fish. Luckily, the Houston-based Pappadeaux is bringing those New Orleans French Quarter flavors to locations across seven other states besides Texas. Standouts here are the crispy Atlantic salmon and jumbo crab, as well as the blackened salmon — although one person on Reddit got a delectable-looking grilled octopus that also looks incredible.

When a fish is blackened, that means "heavily spiced" more than it means "burnt." Blackening spices give food a rich, deep color. The cooking method originated in New Orleans and is popular along the Gulf Coast. One happy Pappadeaux customer on Facebook called the restaurant's take "the best blackened salmon around." If you've never had salmon prepared this way, get to a Pappadeaux and treat yourself. The warm spices and char really play well with the natural flavors of salmon.

Quality always matters, but especially when it comes to fish. Well, which chain restaurant has the highest quality seafood? It's hard to pin point a single winner, but Legal Sea Foods is definitely on the list. This New England-based chain is home to some good eats. Legal Sea Foods has been expanding in the 2020s, so if one comes to your town? Try some salmon. The hoisin salmon salad is a pretty exciting plate, with a base of Napa cabbage and spinach to support the bold flavors of hoisin and the sesame soy vinaigrette.

Something else sets Legal Sea Foods apart from the rest, and it's good news for people with one big dietary restriction. According a Reddit post from a diner trying the newly-opened Chicago location, the majority of the menu is gluten free.

Oh, and if you happen to be at Legal Sea Foods when the kitchen is cooking up wild caught Alaskan salmon, then you're in luck. This type of salmon is only able to be sourced on the east coast — where Legal Sea Foods originated, and where most locations are — for a brief window in May. You should take advantage of this fish being available. Seasonal eating is important when it comes to seafood. Not only is the fish likely to be tastier, but it's a more environmentally friendly way to consume.

With locations in 15 states, Poké Bros has been bringing the magic of poké bowls to the masses since 2016. If you've never had the Hawaiian treat, a poké bowl is rice, raw fish, veggies, and sauce. Well, it's a little more complicated than that — we've got the ultimate guide to poké bowls, if you need it. Suffice to say, the salmon here is a whole different experience, and one you don't want to miss. Eating salmon raw is a way to really experience that meaty, buttery fish flavor. The sticky rice provides a slightly acidic base. Every other ingredient is there to complement the first two. It's a great eating experience.

While sampling a spicy salmon bowl from Poké Bros, TikTok reviewer Nelle asked where the dish had been her whole life. She gave the experience a 10 out of 10 before saying that she loved spicy food, and the spicy salmon hit the spot. Of course, if you don't like spicy foods? Poké Bros has plenty of more mild options, like the Johnny Utah. This popular "Point Break"-inspired bowl comes with salmon and OG sauce, a garlic- and ginger-flavored soy-based sauce.

Looking for a chain with a little more upscale vibe? Then you have to check out Ocean Prime. Food blog Carlos Eats couldn't get enough of the restaurant's atmosphere. Looking for salmon with a little Polynesian flair? The teriyaki salmon from Ocean Prime is a must-try. "Fabulous," raved one person on Facebook, commenting on a picture of the gorgeous fish atop a bed of sticky rice. The way that teriyaki sauce mixes in with the rice? Absolute culinary nirvana. Almost like the flavors of a poké bowl or sushi roll, but warm. Doesn't that sound amazing?

If you enjoy what the restaurant serves, you can also try it at home. In an act of generosity and communal spirit, Ocean Prime has a copycat recipe of its own dish available on its website. Hey, testing your home cooking skills against a chain restaurant can be a fun exercise, right? Lest you think we're overselling the teriyaki salmon, it was one of two dishes recommended by a Redditor when asked about the restaurant. It's a standout dish.

If you want quality seafood and a classy atmosphere, Eddie V's is a great choice. YouTuber Sophie Chanelle called the ambiance "crisp," which is definitely what you want from a more upscale seafood spot. It's one of the fastest growing seafood chains in the U.S., and not without reason. The Norwegian salmon is finished with a mustard and rye whiskey glaze, giving the dish some pleasant smokiness and tang. The plating is pristine, and it's the kind of dish that makes you feel like you're ascending to a different plane of reality.

One commenter on Facebook said that the Kentucky whiskey glazed Norwegian salmon was the dish they chose for their anniversary dinner. A reviewer at Easy Reader News said the flavors played well, and the cooked carrots and spinach provided the perfect complement. That reviewer also noted the great service from a large staff. It takes a lot of moving parts to make a restaurant work. Eddie V's staff knows how to make a seafood dinner run smoothly, and that's something worth experiencing.

Who knew a shrimp restaurant could cook salmon, right? Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. knows how to handle a fish filet. The salmon here comes flame-grilled and topped with a Maker's Mark sauce. That last ingredient is crucial. If you're eating at a chain restaurant, you should be getting some sort of booze-infused sauce out of the deal. It's practically a calling card when you go to a chain restaurant. Bubba Gump Shrimp's Maker's Mark salmon scratches that itch.

When YouTubers Good Mythical Morning did a head-to-head taste test that pitted Bubba Gump against Margaritaville, the former's salmon was the better-cooked filet of the two. Another poster on Reddit called the salmon perfectly cooked, while pointing out that you should remember you're eating at a chain. It's true that chain restaurants aren't usually in contention for Michelin stars. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. can stand tall, though, knowing that the internet rates it higher than Margaritaville and Chili's. Not bad for a restaurant named after a '90s movie.

In case you haven't heard, Red Lobster cooks more than crustaceans. There may be some dishes to avoid at Red Lobster, but the salmon is not one of them. The chain usually has a few salmon dishes available: At the time of this writing, there's a standard Atlantic salmon as well as a special dish of Salmon New Orleans on the menu. Salmon New Orleans sees the flavorful fish topped with a buttery Cajun sauce, tomato and cilantro relish, and shrimp.

The sesame-soy salmon bowl is a delicious medley of salmon and veggies. It's not unlike a poke bowl, except the salmon is cooked. YouTuber Chinatheoldsoul, dancing as she ate, said the dish was so good that she even enjoyed her Brussels sprouts. Customers rave about the main course salmon, too. That particular dish has what YouTuber Big Guy Antics called a clean taste. Crucially, Red Lobster's salmon is moist, not overcooked. Getting the texture right on a salmon filet is a baseline for a good kitchen, and this chain delivers.