Salmon is one of the most popular and beloved fish in America. Rich, fatty, and flavorful, salmon contains high levels of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and is considered a nutritional powerhouse. With salmon’s rising popularity, more and more restaurants are serving up expertly prepared salmon entrees that highlight the fish’s lush texture and umami depth.
But not all restaurant salmon is created equal. Overcooked dry salmon is a huge letdown, while a perfectly seared, moist and flaky salmon fillet can feel like a little slice of heaven. So how do you find the restaurant that consistently serves up the best salmon in town? I did some research on the top salmon-serving restaurant chains across America to discover which ones truly excel when it comes to every salmon lover’s favorite fish.
High-End Steakhouse Chains
Upscale steakhouse chains put care and attention into their salmon offerings, sourcing high-quality fish and preparing it with flair
The Capital Grille sources sustainably raised salmon and prepares it with creative toppings like marcona almonds and citrus glaze. Morton’s Steakhouse serves rich Ora King salmon from New Zealand, which is often compared to Wagyu beef in its velvety texture and flavor. Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse pan-roasts their salmon and serves it with a beurre rouge sauce that adds a decadent, butter-forward finish.
Overall, the elegant preparation and focus on quality ingredients at high-end steakhouse chains make them a reliable choice for stellar salmon.
Seafood-Centric Restaurants
For restaurants that specialize in fruits of the sea, salmon is clearly a priority.
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood sourced their salmon from sustainably farmed fisheries in Norway. Bonefish Grill gives customers their choice of creative sauces like mango salsa and chimichurri to complement their salmon. McCormick & Schmick’s partners with renowned seafood purveyors to ensure fresh, high-quality salmon.
The salmon expertise at dedicated seafood restaurants means they know how to handle fish with care and consistently produce phenomenal salmon dishes.
Chains with Innovative Kitchens
Some restaurant chains have particularly innovative test kitchens that develop unique, specialty salmon dishes you won’t find anywhere else.
Legal Sea Foods gets creative with salmon dishes like herb-crusted salmon from Scotland’s Isle of Skye served with a decadent beurre rouge. Ocean Prime offers specialty salmon rolls and teriyaki salmon topped with soy butter sauce. Seasonal preparation also keeps the salmon dishes feeling fresh and inspired at these restaurants.
The innovation coming out of these test kitchens results in salmon creations that are both delicious and intriguing.
Restaurants with Salmon-Forward Menus
A few popular chain restaurants prominently feature diverse salmon options rather than just including salmon as an afterthought.
Chart House has built its menu around excellent seafood, including multiple salmon preparations like lemon herb-crusted and sugar and spice cedar roasted. Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants offer salmon choices including a mustard glazed salmon and a crab and shrimp stuffed salmon with brie cheese. These restaurants excel at preparing salmon in diverse, crave-worthy ways.
The salmon focus on the menu indicates the chef’s confidence in cooking salmon exceptionally well across multiple preparations.
Wildly Popular Crowd-Pleasers
Some restaurant chains have honed their salmon recipes down to the single, perfect preparation that keeps customers coming back again and again.
The Cheesecake Factory has found success with its grilled salmon served over lemon dill butter sauce and vegetable risotto. P.F. Chang’s signature honey-glazed salmon with asparagus has earned a cult following for its balance of sweet and savory. Seasons 52’s miso-glazed salmon gets its umami depth from a rich miso marinade and has gained a passionate fanbase.
When a restaurant discovers that one stellar salmon recipe customers adore, it’s a good sign you can rely on that salmon dish being consistently amazing.
Expert Tips for Finding the Best Salmon
Focus your salmon search on restaurants known for seafood and innovative menus. Be sure to check online reviews and look for dishes with devoted fans. Order salmon preparations that highlight fresh ingredients like fruit salsa and seasoning blends over heavy, distracting sauces. For the best texture, look for cooking methods like pan-searing, roasting and grilling.
Salmon preparation can be hit-or-miss, but armed with the knowledge of which restaurant chains excel at serving salmon, you can confidently order the fish knowing it will arrive at your table cooked to tender, flaky perfection. Trust me, once you’ve had expertly prepared salmon from one of these restaurants, you’ll never settle for subpar salmon again.
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
Another tried and true steakhouse, Del Frisco’s can sometimes seem a bit over the top for those who want a less filling meal. The upscale restaurant’s pan-roasted salmon, however, hits all the right spots for those who don’t want to overindulge. It comes with santorini beans, crispy olives, lemon, and roasted tomatoes.
McCormick & Schmick’s takes delight in working with world class seafood purveyors to serve its guests the finest and freshest varieties around. From salmon to mahi mahi, there are plenty of options to choose from. In fact, there are numerous salmon entrees available for diners to select, including the crab and shrimp stuffed salmon. This seafood trifecta also includes brie cheese and comes with a side of vegetables and mashed potatoes. For something different, customers can also try the sugar and spice cedar roasted salmon to bypass the crustaceans.
With a name like Legal Sea Foods, you can bet that this chain does its fresh catch section justice. While you can top one of the restaurant’s many salads with a heaping of grilled salmon, or try its fresh catch salmon either blackened or grilled, the restaurant’s innovative test kitchen menu items are certainly worth trying, too. Legal Sea Food’s herb-crusted salmon, for instance, hails from Scotland’s Isle of Skye and is organically harvested. Plus, it comes doused in a beurre rouge sauce and served with a side of winter veggies.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
There are many ways to enjoy salmon at one of Ocean Prime’s many nationwide locations. Teriyaki salmon gives your fish a punch of umami flavor, as it’s topped with soy butter sauce and served with shiitake sticky rice. If teriyaki isn’t quite your thing, you can instead opt for a healthy heaping of greens with the restaurant’s blackened salmon salad, or order up the namesake ocean roll, which combines tuna, salmon, hamachi, avocado, and chili garlic oil into one delicious sushi bite.
Mastro’s is beloved for its hearty, indulgent dishes, but sometimes it’s nice to break up the gluttony with a well-cooked piece of fresh fish. After you finish the pretzel bread and maple glazed bacon, order up a portion of Mastro’s Norwegian cold water salmon to balance things out. It pairs beautifully with a handful of the restaurant’s side dishes, including its roasted Brussels sprouts, wild mushroom and black truffle gnocchi, and creamed corn.
Sign up for our newsletter! Amanda Mactas Amanda Mactas is a freelance writer and editor based in New York City, covering food, travel, and lifestyle content.
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
With the words “prime seafood” in its name, you best believe that Eddie V’s knows what it’s doing when it comes to creatures from the ocean. Among the many offerings is an exquisite salmon dish, glazed with mustard and rye whiskey, and served alongside baby carrots and spinach. The salmon itself is impeccably high quality, sourced from Norway, Europe’s reputed leader in sustainable fish farming.
While most commonly touted for its popular Bang Bang Shrimp, Bonefish Grill also serves up a bounty of other equally enticing options. For instance, the restaurant’s Atlantic salmon is grilled to perfection, and customers can choose from any of the restaurant’s hand-crafted signature sauces to accompany it. Options include lemon-caper butter, chimichurri, pan asian, lemon butter, and mango salsa.
The mouthwatering Ora King salmon hails from New Zealand and is often referred to as the Wagyu of salmon. This bright, fatty fish is super flavorful and revered by big-name chefs like Nobu Matsuhisa, Thomas Keller, and Daniel Boulud. Luckily, Morton’s offers the same caliber fish right on its menus across the country. On its Facebook page, the restaurant describes this special catch as “a burst of fresh, seasonal flavor in every bite!”
Going strong for the past 60 years, Chart House restaurants boast waterfront views and tantalizing seafood. The lemon herb-crusted salmon is a prime example of the types of dishes you can come to expect from the chain. Served with an epic three-potato garlic mash and covered in a stone ground mustard beurre blanc sauce, this delightful dish is as refreshing as it is fulfilling.
The Best Salmon You’ll Ever Make (Restaurant-Quality) | Epicurious 101
FAQ
Which restaurant chain has the best salmon?
- Chili’s Ancho Salmon. Chili Ancho Salmon dish in plastic container – Carmen Varner/Tasting Table. …
- The Cheesecake Factory Herb-Crusted Salmon Filet. …
- Applebee’s Blackened Cajun Salmon. …
- Olive Garden Herb-Grilled Salmon. …
- Yard House Whiskey-Glazed Salmon.
Where is the best salmon found?
Ultimately, the “best” salmon depends on individual taste preferences and how the fish is prepared. Wild-caught salmon from Alaska is often favored for its flavor and sustainability, while farmed options from Scotland, Norway, and the Faroe Islands are valued for their consistency and quality.
What is considered the best salmon to eat?
Sockeye Salmon (Red Salmon) – Sockeye salmon is also high in omega-3 fatty acids and other essential nutrients, making it a healthy choice for any meal.
Who has the best salmon in the world?
Say hello to Faroe Islands salmon
Faroe Islands salmon is considered the best in the world.