The seafood chain that’s actually good, despite all the hate

I have long argued that America needs to develop its own passion for fish and chips. Who could get mad at breaded and fried fish with a big basket of fries? Unfortunately, I seem to be in the minority, as there really aren’t many seafood-based fast food chains out there; Seafood chain Captain D’s isn’t available at my Chicago location, and Red Lobster is struggling (and expensive). But there’s one seafood chain that’s getting a lot of criticism that I don’t think it deserves: Long John Silver’s.

Long John Silver’s is about as close to a fish and chip chain as you can get in the United States, serving fried fish, shrimp, chicken, and other specialties (but you really go for its seafood). The chain has declined in size over the years, having cut its locations by almost half between 2019 and present. Despite this, I completely agree with Long John Silver. Although there aren’t many left, there turns out to be a place in Chicago, an unusual combination of Taco Bell and Long John Silver’s (it appears to be an independently run franchise) that only serves the basic items plus a few sides. Honestly? That’s all you need.

I’m going to come out and say it. Long John Silver’s food is good, and much better than one might expect given the general online disdain for it. I actually just went to reconfirm that it’s good (I went there a few years ago) and that the fish is as crispy, salty and satisfying as ever. It can handle as much malt vinegar as you can drizzle on it, and it even comes with little crunchy pieces of dough just for snacking. Long John Silver’s serves wild Alaskan pollock, commonly used in fast food sandwiches, and luckily it’s also considered a sustainable food source.

I admit that like any other fried food, it is well…fried. This means it’s fatty and a smaller portion is usually smarter. The shrimp comes in the same batter, as does the chicken, but I would skip the chicken (it’s a little weird in that fish batter). Even the waffle fries are cooked perfectly and there are hushpuppies that aren’t too sweet for you carb lovers. Plus, it still delivers on the promise of convenient fast food where the food comes out quickly. These are all reasons why Long John Silver rules, and if you hate for no reason, you’re just missing out.