Fish sandwich season is here: We reeled in 15 different ones to see how they measure up

Sonic: Fish Sandwich - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio - - When Lent rolls around, so does the annual fast-food fish parade.

Wendy’s: Crispy Panko Fish - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

For some, it’s a Friday tradition. For others, it’s a seasonal switch-up. Either way, this is the time of year when drive-thru menus suddenly lean heavy on the tartar sauce and everyone starts asking the same question: Where’s the best fish sandwich in town — and is it actually worth it?

Arby’s Crispy Fish - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Now, let me be clear. We are not fish sandwich fanatics. No one here was counting down the days to fried fillets. But in the name of journalism (and reader service… and curiosity), we tried 15 fast-food fish sandwiches we could get our hooks into.

If it was available for Lent, if it was being advertised as a quick Friday fix, it made our list.

We sampled the flaky and the flimsy. The crispy and the questionably soggy. The “this might actually be fish” and the “are we sure this isn’t chicken?”

We took notes on bun-to-fish ratios, tartar distribution, seasoning, freshness, and yes — grease levels. We also paid attention to price. Because when you’re spending anywhere from value-menu dollars to sit-down-entrée money, quality matters.

Dairy Queen: Wild Alaska Fish - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Are the calories worth it? Does paying more actually get you a better bite? Or is the cheapest catch the one that surprises you?

Here’s what we can tell you without giving anything away: not all fish sandwiches are created equal.

Some are built for Lent crowds looking for a reliable Friday option. Others feel like a limited-time afterthought. And speaking of limited time — many of these disappear once the season ends, so if you want to try one, your window is smaller than the drive-thru that yours will be handed through.

Burger King: Big Fish Sandwich - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Now let’s talk about what we found.

No. 15

McDonald’s: Filet-O-Fish

Description: Dive into our wild-caught Filet-O-Fish, a classic McDonald’s fish sandwich! Our fish sandwich recipe features a crispy fish filet patty made with wild-caught Alaskan Pollock on melty American cheese and is topped with creamy McDonald’s tartar sauce, all served on a soft, steamed bun.

Long John Silver’s: Fish Sandwich - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Price: $5.29

Calories: 380

Our thoughts: Small square patty. Smaller than the bun. That’s strike one.

Rally’s: Crispy Fish - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

And yes, we need to talk about the half slice of cheese. I know it’s intentional. I know it’s “their thing.” I still don’t understand it. If you’re giving me cheese, give me a full slice.

The bun was lightly toasted, which helped. The fish itself? Flaky, but watery. Very little crunch. Very little flavor.

McDonald’s: Filet-O-Fish - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

For $5.29, this was more Filet-O-Miss than Filet-O-Fish.

Fish sandwich season is here: We reeled in 15 different ones to see how they measure up - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

No. 14

Fish sandwich season is here: We reeled in 15 different ones to see how they measure up - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Rally’s: Crispy Fish

Description: Our crispy fish filet topped with iceberg lettuce and tartar sauce for a boatload of flavor between toasted sesame seed buns.

Price: $3.39

Calories: 480

Our thoughts: Square patty. Lightly toasted bun. Shredded lettuce. A whisper of tartar sauce.

VERY greasy. And somehow it tasted like Rally Fries. Not fish. Fries.

The promised “boatload of flavor”? Must’ve been left in the fryer.

It’s one of the cheapest on the list — and it tastes like it.

No. 13

Long John Silver’s: Fish Sandwich

Description: Sink your teeth into a flaky, tender fillet of Alaskan Pollock, perfectly fried to crispy perfection. Nestled between two soft buns pickles and tartar sauce, each bite is a burst of savory flavor.

Price: $5.19

Calories: 446

Our thoughts: Four pickles. Heavy mayo-based tartar. Untoasted bun.

The breading is that thick, signature LJS batter — crunchy, yes. But salty. And greasy.

The fish was flaky, but aside from salt and oil, there wasn’t much happening. We were promised a “burst of savory flavor.”

We got salt.

No. 12

Burger King: Big Fish

Description: White Alaskan Pollock with crispy panko breading, sweet tartar sauce, lettuce and crunchy pickles on a toasted potato bun.

Price: $5.79

Calories: 570

Our thoughts: Small. More bun than fish.

Crunchy coating, but it separated easily from the fillet. Lettuce and pickles were generous, which helped. Slightly toasted bun.

Here’s the strange part: it smelled fishy… but tasted like chicken. I actually double-checked my order.

Confusing sandwich.

No. 11

Dairy Queen: Wild Alaska Fish

Description: Crispy breaded Wild Alaskan Pollock filet topped with lettuce and tartar sauce, served on a warm toasted bun.

Price: $4.19

Calories: 420

Our thoughts: Large triangular piece that hangs over the bun — finally, some fish coverage.

Toasted bun. Crispy, thick breading. But again… it tasted like chicken.

Flaky inside, greasy outside.

If you blindfolded me, I wouldn’t confidently say “fish.”

No. 10

Arby’s: Crispy Fish

Description: A crispy Fish fillet with shredded lettuce and tartar sauce on a toasted sesame bun.

Price: $4.99

Calories: 570

Our thoughts: Soft bun (not toasted) with tartar sauce on both sides. Shredded lettuce on the bottom.

Large triangular patty. Crispy. Thick breading. Not overly greasy, which we appreciated.

But like many in this lineup, it lacked seasoning. On its own, it was pretty quiet.

Not bad. Not memorable.

No. 9

Wendy’s: Crispy Panko Fish

Description: Wild Caught Alaska Pollock fillet coated in crispy panko breading topped with lettuce, a slice of American cheese, pickles and creamy dill tartar sauce, all served on our premium bun.

Price: $6.49

Calories: 510

Our thoughts: Made fresh — always a plus.

Three pickle chips. Lettuce. Cheese that somehow didn’t melt (how?). Toasted but soft bun.

The panko crumbs were the star here. Crunchy and satisfying. The patty itself was thin and not very flaky.

Good texture. Mild flavor. Thank goodness for the tartar sauce.

No. 8

Sonic: Fish

Description: Our Fish Sandwich features a 100% Wild Caught Alaska Pollock Fillet, creamy tartar sauce and lettuce on a golden, toasted bun.

Price: $4.99

Calories: 380

Our thoughts: Square patty bigger than the bun. Toasted, buttery bread. Shredded lettuce and tartar.

Very crunchy outside. Greasy when you bite in. Thick breading, mild fish smell.

The inside was watery and the breading didn’t bring much flavor. It felt like it may have gone straight from freezer to fryer.

Close — but not quite there.

No. 7

Swensons: Crispy Fish

Description: A crispy, mild whitefish served with cheese, and tartar sauce.

Price: $5.99

Calories: 510

Our thoughts: Big patty. Bigger than the bun. That’s what we like to see.

Crunchy outside. Flaky inside. Cheese (melted!) and plenty of tartar sauce.

The bun was toasted but got a little crinkly from the foil wrap heat. Not super seasoned, but the sauce and cheese carried it.

Solid entry.

No. 6

Popeyes: Classic Flounder Fish

Description: Alaska Flounder filet marinated in our Louisiana herbs and crispy coating, fried to golden brown perfection atop a toasted buttery brioche bun with barrel cured pickles in between. Served with Classic Tartar.

Price: $5.99

Calories: 681

Our thoughts: Thick, crunchy breading. Flaky inside. Fresh out of the fryer — bring napkins.

Lots of mayo on both sides of the toasted bun. Two pickle chips.

It actually tasted like fish, without being overly fishy. A solid sandwich. Just know it’s a bit of a grease drip situation.

No. 5

Culver’s: North Atlantic Cod

Description: Caught in the icy North Atlantic, our fish is hand cut, hand battered and cooked to order. Topped with a Culver’s family recipe tartar sauce featuring olives, capers and sweet relish, crisp lettuce and Wisconsin Cheddar. Served on a lightly buttered, toasted hoagie roll. Note: Seafood may contain bones.

Price: $7.89

Calories: 600

Our thoughts: Big piece of fish. Not greasy. Flaky inside.

Cheddar, lettuce and a tartar that leaned heavy on mayo. Toasted hoagie roll.

It needed a little more seasoning, but this was clearly a step above the thin square patties.

You’re paying more — but you’re getting more.

No. 4

Freddy’s: Deluxe Crispy Fish

Description: A beer-battered 4 oz filet of flounder on a toasted bun with tartar sauce, American cheese, lettuce, and pickle.

Price: $8.99

Calories: 700

Our thoughts: Pricey — but you get a real piece of fish, not a frozen square.

Fresh lettuce and pickles. Crispy exterior. Flaky inside. Not fishy.

Lightly toasted bun. Sauce only on top, which kept things balanced.

A filling, well-built sandwich. You feel like you got what you paid for.

No. 3

Arby’s: King’s Hawaiian® Fish Deluxe

Description: A crispy fish fillet with cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce on a toasted King’s Hawaiian roll.

Price: $5.79

Calories: 690

Our thoughts: Now we’re getting somewhere.

Crispy, thick fillet that hangs over the bun. Lettuce, tomato, cheese (not melted), tartar on both sides.

Only the top bun was toasted — which is… interesting. But the sweetness of the roll makes this one stand out.

Flaky. Mild. Not fishy. A satisfying sandwich overall.

No. 2

Popeyes: Spicy Flounder Fish

Description: Alaska Flounder filet marinated in our Louisiana herbs and crispy coating, fried to golden brown perfection atop a toasted buttery brioche bun with barrel cured pickles in between. Served with Spicy Spread.

Price: $5.99

Calories: 729

Our thoughts: Holy hotness.

Thick, crunchy, well-seasoned fillet. You can see the spices. Flaky inside.

Spicy spread on both sides — and they were generous. The cheese melted into everything. Toasted, soft bun.

Two soggy pickles (they didn’t stand a chance against that heat).

If you like spice, this is your sandwich. Just bring a drink.

No. 1

Culver’s: Northwoods walleye

Description: From crystal clear Canadian waters, our Northwoods Walleye is mild and tender. Each filet is hand battered, then cooked to order. Topped with our special recipe tartar sauce and crisp shredded lettuce. Served on a lightly buttered, toasted hoagie roll. Available for a Limited Time Only. Check with your local Culver’s for seasonal availability. Note: Seafood may contain bones.

Price: $9.89

Calories: 680

Our thoughts: Thick, tender, flaky fillet. Light, crunchy batter. Not overly greasy.

Well-toasted hoagie roll (the only chain using this style). Plenty of lettuce and sauce.

Good flavor on its own — and that matters.

Yes, it’s the most expensive. But this felt like an actual piece of fish, not a frozen cutout.

Worth the investment.

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