The Best Fast Food Seafood Menu Items That Aren't A Fish Sandwich

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When you're daydreaming about seafood but short on time, a fish sandwich from the drive-thru is often the default solution. But there's an entire ocean of options beyond a fillet slapped between a couple of buns. We've reeled in a lineup of fast food seafood picks but left off all sandwiches. The list pulls from restaurants across the U.S., so wherever you are, hopefully you can satisfy that seafood hankering (you'll find more about our selection process at the end of the article).

The list includes year-round menu favorites, like fish tacos at Long John Silver's, the deluxe seafood platter at Captain D's, and even tuna piled high on a Subway salad. But the lineup also features limited-time offerings. Seafood seasonality is part of the fast food experience — sometimes you have to catch it while it's on the menu!

That's especially true during the Lenten season, when seafood makes its annual splash between late winter and early spring. Suddenly, even burger giants like Smashburger and crazy-about-chicken chains like El Pollo Loco are serving up ocean catches. So, if you're ready to chow down on seafood sans sandwich, dive on in. Just be forewarned — things are about to get a little fishy.

The place synonymous with orange chicken also boasts an award-winning seafood option. The sweet and crispy honey walnut shrimp debuted at Panda Express in 2010, snagging the MenuMasters Award for Best New Menu Item of the Year.

Over the years, Panda Express has experimented with various crustacean dishes, including limited-time offerings such as Pacific chili, Five Flavor, and Wok-Fired shrimp entrees. But when Panda introduced honey walnut shrimp, the company's executives expected it to become a long-term fan favorite — and it did. Today, it sizzles right alongside orange chicken as an iconic item in Panda's flavorful brand of American Chinese food.

The dish comes together with tempura-battered shrimp wok-tossed in honey sauce and finished with candied walnuts. It's meant as a special nod to Hong Kong's culinary tradition of blending local ingredients with Western influences. That's where the mayonnaise comes in, adding creamy richness to the honey sauce. And though that richness isn't to blame for the higher price (it's the shrimp), do keep in mind that honey walnut shrimp carries premium status. That's Panda's polite way of saying, "Yes, it's delicious, and yes, it costs a bit more."

Though it sounds like it belongs on a fishing boat, you can sometimes find a Shrimp Tackle box at Popeyes. It's a meal that starts with eight pieces of crispy butterfly shrimp and a whole lot of flavor options. You can keep it classic with the chain's signature Louisiana seasoning, or branch out into garlic parm, lemon pepper, buffalo, or ghost pepper if you like a little fire with your seafood.

The Shrimp Tackle box comes with a hot biscuit, a side, and a dipping sauce. Sides bring in more Louisiana flavor, with options like Cajun fries, red beans and rice, mashed potatoes with Cajun gravy, or coleslaw. And you have one more choice to make about sauce for dipping, with everything from classic tartar to Bayou Buffalo. If you can't decide, go with Blackened Ranch, which earned the top spot in Mashed's ranking of every Popeyes sauce.

One important catch: The Shrimp Tackle box is only for a limited time during the Lenten season. So don't take too long making your flavor and sauce choices — tackle it while you can!

Del Taco

When you go to Del Taco, you're faced with plenty of options, including everything from tacos and burritos to burgers, fries, and donut bites. And what about seafood? Well, no fish sandwich here. But imagine a warm corn tortilla wrapped around a piece of crispy, beer-battered Alaska pollock, topped with house-made pico de gallo, shredded cabbage, and a drizzle of savory secret sauce. Add a squeeze of fresh lime, and you're enjoying Del Taco's Beer Battered Fish Taco.

During Lent, Del Taco also serves up jumbo shrimp tucked into tacos and burritos. These start with flour tortillas, but then include familiar ingredients like pico de gallo, shredded cabbage, and secret sauce. The jumbo shrimp burrito also rolls in some cilantro lime rice. Whether you roll with jumbo shrimp or crispy fish, Del Taco wants you walking away saying, "Dell Yeah!" Just maybe finish chewing first.

If you're looking for seafood other than a fish sandwich, shrimp is usually the move. But fast food shrimp can be a gamble. Some are soggy and gross. Others are nothing but crispy breading and regret. But Mashed's ranking of fast food shrimp identified a clear standout that's full of flavor and perfectly seared — the Fire-Grilled Shrimp at Baja Fresh.

Instead of dunking the shrimp in a fryer and calling it a day, Baja Fresh throws it on the grill. The result is smoky, juicy, and actually tastes like shrimp. You can enjoy the grilled crustaceans as your protein option in rice bowls, fajitas, tostadas, salads, and burritos. Baja's wide range of burritos includes everything from the classic Baja (your protein of choice, cheese, pico de gallo, and guacamole) to a nacho-inspired option (your protein of choice, rice and beans with queso, tortilla chips, black beans, cheese, jalapeños, hot salsa, and sour cream).

If you prefer your seafood in taco form, there's also the menu option of the straightforward grilled shrimp taco (corn tortilla filled with shrimp, guacamole, cabbage, salsa verde, and pico de gallo). Or, if you're not in the mood for fast food's celebrated shrimp, Baja Fresh also serves a grilled fish taco and crispy fish in the Baja fish taco. No matter your choice, top it off with something mild or spicy from the salsa bar. Baja Fresh brings the heat — and none of it comes from a microwave.

Culver's

Culver's might have its roots in ButterBurgers and frozen custard, but when it comes to seafood, this Midwest favorite quietly steals the spotlight. According to customer rankings, the best chain fish basket belongs to Culver's North Atlantic Cod Dinner. The meal comes in a two-piece or three-piece option with your choice of two sauces, two sides, and a warm dinner roll.

Culver's prides itself on freshly prepared meals, and the seafood is no exception. No sad, heat-lamp fish — the filets are hand-battered and fried up only after you order. They pair well with Culver's family recipe tartar sauce, a tasty blend of olives, capers, and sweet relish. Other sauce options include cocktail, Ken's Boom Boom, Buffalo, or the classic kick of malt vinegar.

You'll have your choice of typical sides like crinkle cut fries or coleslaw, but Culver's can make a seafood meal extra special with its Wisconsin Cheese Curds. Supplied exclusively by La Grander Hillside Dairy in Stanley, Wisconsin, these golden nuggets of unaged yellow and white cheddar are fried into crunchy, buttery deliciousness. If you're looking for an alternative to a fish sandwich, ordering the North Atlantic cod dinner with curds is a definite Midwestern power move.

Qdoba

You've heard of spring, summer, fall, and winter. But Qdoba recognizes a different season — Citrus Lime Shrimp Season. While this seafood dish is typically only available for a limited-time run, when it's on the menu, guests eat it up. 

So, what makes it a fan favorite? The sustainably sourced shrimp is sautéed in-house with lime juice and spices, creating a bold and zesty flavor. The inspiration traces back to Yucatán, where Qdoba Executive Corporate Chef Katy Velazquez encountered the irresistible aroma of shrimp sizzling over open flames. Once cooked, the seafood was served with bright oranges. Now that same citrusy, flame-kissed energy shows up in Qdoba kitchens across the U.S. — but only during Citrus Lime Shrimp Season.

In late January 2026, the menu offering returned for a limited time just before the start of Lent. You can enjoy it in Qdoba bowls, burritos, tacos, and salads. You can even add shrimp to your three-cheese nachos. And a tasty reminder — Qdoba proudly tops entrees with three-cheese queso and guacamole, free of charge. So, charge ahead and order the citrus lime shrimp while you can. Alternatively, book a trip to Yucatán — but Qdoba is probably easier.

A&W Restaurants

What started as a roadside root beer stand in 1919 has since entered multiple lanes — burgers, chicken, hot dogs, fries, cheese curds, shakes, and sundaes. A&W Restaurant does not believe in staying in one lane and sometimes even swerves into seafood territory.

In true A&W style, the seafood feast has a lot going on. The meal comes with two pieces of crispy, pub-battered Alaska cod, eight crispy breaded shrimp, and a side of coleslaw. To round it all off, the feast tosses in fries seasoned with Old Bay.

Don't gloss over that last detail. In Mashed's roundup of the best french fry seasonings, Old Bay landed in the top five. But it's more than just a great fry seasoning. Made with ingredients like celery salt, bay leaf, paprika, and black pepper, Old Bay is seafood royalty, a classic blend that means those fries will pair perfectly with the cod and breaded shrimp. That savory, slightly spicy dusting pulls A&W's whole seafood feast together. Without it, you've got a solid meal. With it, you've got an actual feast.

Long John Silver's went all in on seafood and never looked back. Yes, the chain does serve a fish sandwich. But if you're looking for other fast food seafood options, this is a good place to stop. You'll find meals, baskets, bowls, and platters, such as the battered cod meal, popcorn shrimp basket, salmon bowl, and the fish and shrimp platter, which features Alaskan pollock and crispy battered shrimp. You'll also find seafood tacos, which are worthy of a little extra attention.

When Mashed ranked Long John Silver's menu items from worst to best, tacos took the top two spots. The silver medal went to the fish tacos, filled with fried, wild-caught Alaskan pollock, cabbage tossed in lime vinaigrette, and finished off with Long John Silver's signature Baja sauce. It's crunchy, tangy, and saucy — basically everything you'd want in a seafood taco without having to find a beachside stand.

And what earned the top spot among menu items? The grilled shrimp tacos. Each taco comes with four pieces of grilled shrimp and your choice of Southwest, sweet chili, or Baja sauce. So, pick a flavor and enjoy the best seafood option at Long John Silver's. Turns out you don't need an ocean view to get a solid seafood taco.

Captain D's

If you're looking for something other than a fish sandwich, perhaps you're the kind of person who believes variety really is the spice of life. Captain D's Deluxe Seafood Platter is basically variety on a very full plate. If your motto is "why choose one when you can have five," this seafood platter is for you.

It starts with two whole fish fillets, made-to-order, battered and breaded by hand. The batter is prepared fresh daily with Captain D's secret seasoning blend. But the deluxe seafood platter doesn't stop at fish. It piles on six fried shrimp, two seafood-stuffed crab shells, hush puppies, and your choice of two sides.

Side options range from french fries and coleslaw to steamed broccoli and green beans. Some sides — like mac and cheese or the regular or loaded baked potato — come with a slight upcharge. But you may as well save yourself a bit of money and skip these options. Customers generally put the mac and cheese and potato sides among Captain D's menu items to avoid. Coleslaw, on the other hand, gets consistent praise and adds a cool, creamy contrast to the haul of battered seafood.

Smashburger

Smashburger is a name that practically shouts "beef!" The chain prides itself on serving Certified Angus Beef burgers, after all. But the menu goes well beyond smashed patties to include chicken, hot dogs, tots, and more. When Lent rolls around, even seafood makes a cameo.

Smashburger's co-founder, Tom Ryan, recognizes that plenty of customers go looking for seafood during the Lent season. In the past, the restaurant offered a limited-time beer-battered Pacific cod sandwich. But for Lent 2026, Smashburger ditched the sandwich and went all in on shrimp.

The limited-time lineup includes the Shrimp Basket, Scorchin' Shrimp Basket, Big Shrimp Roll, and Scorchin' Big Shrimp Roll. And yes, "scorchin'" means business — those shrimp are marinated in hot spices for an extra kick. Whether you go spicy or keep it classic, the rolls come stacked with one dozen crispy shrimp, lettuce, and remoulade sauce in a buttered, toasted roll. The baskets double down with two dozen crispy shrimp, a side of fries, plus remoulade and chipotle mayo for dipping. With so many shrimp in one basket, Smashburger is clearly not being "shellfish" with the portions.

Subway

You don't have to order a sub at Subway. If you're avoiding fish sandwiches but still want something from the sea, there are wraps, salads, and protein bowls — and each can be made with Subway's 100% wild-caught tuna salad.

The tuna wrap forgets about bread and instead rolls the contents of a tuna sandwich into a tortilla. And like any good Subway order, it's endlessly customizable. Pick your cheese, load up (or not) on veggies, drizzle on a sauce or two, shake on some seasonings, and consider premium extras like avocado.

The Subway salads start with a bed of lettuce and spinach. The tuna version piles on tuna, provolone cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, olives, and onions. That's the default setup — but default is only a mere suggestion here. You can tweak it to your taste buds' content. The tuna protein bowl follows the same formula as the salad but adds more tuna to justify the word "protein" in its name. More fish, more fuel, same customization options. Basically, the only thing standing between you and your perfect tuna order is your own indecisiveness.

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The land of sliders and late-night cravings can sometimes answer your seafood needs. Shrimp nibblers first popped onto White Castle's menu back in 2015, and they keep making a Lenten season return. The nibblers are bite-sized buttermilk-battered butterfly shrimp fried into crispy goodness. They're served with a side of seafood sauce and you can order them in small, medium, or full-on sack sizes.

Some White Castle locations also rolled out fish nibblers, a snackable side made with Alaskan pollock and wrapped in savory breading. They come with ranch and tartar sauces for dipping. Like their shrimp counterparts, you can size up depending on your appetite (or your willingness to share).

And in select markets, White Castle has been testing seafood crab cake nibblers, along with one of seafood's favorite sidekicks — jalapeño hush puppies. Depending on how sales pan out, these menu items might (fingers crossed) be in more locations in the future. But for now, nibble on whatever seafood options you can, because they're only on shore for a limited time.

El Pollo Loco

"Pollo" might mean chicken, but every now and then, it also means shrimp. Seafood comes and goes on El Pollo Loco's menu. But when it appears, it tends to be a flavorful hit, like the Baja shrimp taco and Baja double shrimp tostada in 2026.

The Baja shrimp taco features grilled shrimp in a warm flour tortilla and layers on shredded lettuce, avocado, shredded Jack cheese, house-made salsa, and creamy cilantro sauce. You can grab one a la carte or order it in a combo with two tacos, chips, salsa, and a drink.

The Baja double shrimp tostada is a flavor-packed collection of chili-lime shrimp with pinto beans, seasoned rice, shredded lettuce, shredded Jack cheese, salsa fresca, avocado, and sour cream. It's finished off with a drizzle of lime crema sauce and served in a crispy tostada shell. The result is a crunchy, creamy, and zesty meal. It's also filling. The "double" in its name means it comes with twice the protein compared to standard menu items. For the double shrimp tostada, that adds up to 37 grams of protein! Whether you opt for the protein-packed tostada or go for a baja shrimp taco, these limited-time offerings prove that this loco flame-grilled chain knows its way around more than just chicken.

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