Step into any restaurant chain in America, and you’ll likely find a plate of French fries to add to your meal. Despite the French moniker, it’s a distinctly American food item, leading to its prevalence at restaurants nationwide. It is, by all accounts, a standard in casual dining. French fries are arguably even more commonplace in fast-food restaurants, but sit-down chains are just as in on the French fry game as any other business.
The once-predictable world of side dishes has grown in variety over the years, however, including more health-conscious options like seasoned vegetables, side salads, and rice as options. Or, you can go all-out with loaded baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, or macaroni and cheese. Needless to say, the common French fry has some serious competition these days. It takes a standout feature, such as a unique cut or burst of added flavor, to get customers’ attention.
Fortunately, several restaurant chains out there take their fries seriously. Here, the French fry is not an afterthought; on the contrary, it is often seen as the best item on the menu. Whether it’s a side dish with unique seasonings or toppings or an appetizer to share with the entire table, the following restaurant chains don’t play around with their fries.
Yard House
Yard House’s namesake three-foot-long beer glasses may have been replaced by shorter versions in recent years, but its menu continues to deliver when it comes to taste and variety. An entree at Yard House comes with a standard side of French fries, but Yard House experts know to look no further than the appetizer menu for the real treasure.A meal at Yard House comes with your choice of side, which includes French fries. However, if you want to add a burst of flavor to your fries, the restaurant chain offers Parm Truffle Fries on the appetizer menu. Start the evening off strong with a bowl to share among the tables. It’s totally understandable, however, if you keep them all to yourself. For even more variety, you can order a plate of Sweet Potato Fries to get the party started. A side of French fries with your entree can be upgraded to Sweet Potato or Parm Truffle if you so choose.
The Capital Grille
When you want an upscale restaurant vibe with a variety of meal options for the entire family, you head to Capital Grille. Its menu is filled with steak and seafood options, making it a great spot for celebrating a special occasion. You may think that a menu with entrées like Sushi-Grade Seared Sesame Tuna and a Bone-In Ribeye that is north of $70 calls for more signature side dishes. In the case of Capital Grille, French fries are the showstopper.
If you want to go all-out on your meal here, be sure to order the Parmesan Truffle Fries made with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of white truffle oil. One TripAdvisor reviewer described the fries as a “must-order” whenever you visit Capital Grille. Not only are the fries delicious, but they are fresh, too. Each batch is cut in house.
Bareburger
Craving a juicy burger? Customers have fallen head-over-heels for Bareburger, a small chain with most of its locations found in and around New York City. You can leave the guilt at home when you dine at Bareburger since its sandwiches are organic and all-natural. It is one of the reasons why many praise Bareburger for serving the best burgers. A great burger deserves only the tastiest french fries, and thankfully Bareburger also delivers on its side dishes.
Bareburger serves regular french fries as well as sweet potato fries, both made with all-natural ingredients. Customers can also upgrade to truffle-style fries, which come with a plate of fries doused with asiago cheese, garlic aioli, and truffle salt. Or, upgrade to spicy bacon ranch style, which comes with asiago cheese, bacon, pickled jalapeño, scallion, and jalapeño ranch. One Redditor praised the sweet potato fries in particular as “the best I’ve ever tasted.”
Texas Roadhouse
Steakhouse chain Texas Roadhouse is known for its fresh cuts of meat available at affordable prices. It’s also beloved for its tasty, freshly baked rolls made every five minutes with honey cinnamon butter. What isn’t often praised enough at Texas Roadhouse are its tasty side dishes, including Steak Fries, considered by many to be a superior French fry cut.
Not only can you add a pile of Steak Fries as one of your two sides with any steak dinner, but the fries have the added option to come with various toppings. Enjoy them plain or loaded with Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Bits. Texas Roadhouse definitely knows a thing or two regarding elevating French fries to a whole new level of flavor.
Red Robin
If you love steak-cut french fries, few restaurant chains make a better version than Red Robin. The juicy burgers and other entrées you’ll find on the menu come with several side options, including bottomless french fries. It’s a great value, especially if you are looking to split a few menu items with friends and family. In addition, you can order several different versions of its french fries, including sweet potato and garlic.
Perhaps the most enticing element of Red Robin’s french fries is the seasoning. A magical blend of salt, paprika, and other spices, the fry seasoning brings Red Robin’s already tasty fries to a whole new level. One Redditor even says that the seasoning adds an addictive quality to the fries, which can be quite dangerous when you can keep ordering as many refills as your heart desires. Can’t get enough of the seasoning? One Redditor mentioned that you can buy a container to bring home with you. That way, your homemade french fries can taste just as addicting as the ones made at Red Robin.
Bonefish Grill
The casual seafood restaurant chain Bonefish Grill has a number of tasty options for brunch, lunch, and dinner. Their seasoned French fries are available as a side dish option to pair with the meal of your choice, but that’s not the reason Bonefish Grill is included in this roundup.Bonefish Grill’s menu proves that you can pair French fries with just about anything, and it works. Adding French fries as a side dish to your meal seems elementary when you opt for a plate of Crab-Topped Bang Fries as an appetizer. These crisp, seasoned French fries are served with fresh lump crab meat and drizzled with Bonefish Grill’s signature Bang Bang Shrimp sauce.
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe has been around for decades, but the long-standing global restaurant chain isn’t resting on its laurels. Its burgers are award-winning, and there are plenty of other tasty menu items to back up its longevity, including simple side dishes like its french fries. Many of the burgers and other entrées you’ll find on the menu come with a side of savory artisanal fries, fresh-cut each and every day.
Hard Rock Cafe has also come up with an array of delicious dipping sauces over the years for its french fries, including chipotle garlic ketchup, garlic aioli, and chimichurri mayo. As Hard Rock describes on its Facebook post, the right fries can make any meal awesome, and the restaurant definitely delivers on that claim.
Denny’s
It’s not every day you see Wavy Cut French Fries on the menu, but that’s exactly what you’ll be served at Denny’s. The restaurant chain known for its $2 $4 $6 $8 value menu has a lineup of long-standing favorite items, like the Grand Slam Breakfast. But Denny’s goes well beyond the breakfast hours, offering lunch and dinner options as well.
This uncommon cut of French fry perplexes some, with customers even taking to Reddit to help identify exactly what they’re eating. The wavy-cut fry, much like a waffle or curly fry, helps latch onto whatever dip you order for maximum flavor.
LongHorn Steakhouse
Steak and French fries go together like peanut butter and jelly, and this perfect foodie marriage is on full display at LongHorn Steakhouse. The casual steakhouse chain has the usual suspects on its menu, like the Outlaw Ribeye and Fire-Grilled T-Bone steaks. The side dish options are plentiful, but it’s the Seasoned French Fries that truly serve as the perfect accompaniment.Tossed in LongHorn Steakhouse’s signature Prarie Dust seasoning. According to the restaurant chain, this seasoning is a “versatile spice blend” that “enhances the flavor of steak, chicken, veggies, and more.”
Outback Steakhouse
People love Outback Steakhouse for its Bloomin’ Onion appetizer, but that’s not the only starter dish that customers cannot get enough of. While Outback’s Steakhouse Potato sides include regular Aussie Fries, there is a cheese-laden upgrade you can enjoy before your steak dinner arrives.
Make sure to order a plate of Aussie Cheese Fries, which come smothered in a blend of melted Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese as well as chopped bacon and house-made ranch dressing. The Aussie Cheese Fries are on the appetizer menu, but they also make for the ultimate side dish. One Outback employee even suggests on Reddit that customers order their fries layered with the toppings for extra cheesiness. Be warned–these cheesy fries clock in at 2,620 calories. Share them with a table of friends, however, and you may never order your fries plain again.
Morton’s The Steakhouse
An upscale restaurant chain like Morton’s The Steakhouse is probably not the first place you would think to dine at if you are in the mood for french fries. The steakhouse has plenty of other savory side dishes on its menu, like Baked Au Gratin Potatoes and Lobster Macaroni and Cheese. But do not be so quick to discount its Parmesan Truffle Matchstick Fries, also available as an accompaniment to your steak.
For starters, Morton’s Steakhouse takes its french fries seriously and only uses freshly-cut potatoes. If you want to try these fries without breaking the bank, you can visit during Happy Hour, also known as Power Hour, as one reviewer on TripAdvisor did. If you prefer skinny matchstick-style french fries, few restaurant chains deliver quite like Morton’s Steakhouse.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
It’s challenging to stand out as a steakhouse chain these days, with plentiful competition and a growing desire by consumers to offset the cost of eating out. While a perfectly cooked steak is a great place to start, it almost feels like the minimum a steakhouse needs in order to stand out. Just as important are all of the accouterments you’ll find on the menu, which is why many diners choose Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.There’s something magical about Julien-cut French Fries that make an otherwise commonplace side dish feel oh so fancy. That’s how the fries are served at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, and the commotion is prevalent online. Like shoestring fries, the Julien-cut makes each fry a crispy delight with less surface area, meaning an ideal ratio of potato to seasoning if you want your fries loaded with flavor.
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen
If there were a restaurant chain that truly knew its comfort food, it would be Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen. As the name implies, the food from Cheddar’s has a homemade quality to it, with menu items made from fresh ingredients that are never frozen. That extends to its side dishes, which include a classic plate of seasoned French fries as well as a savory dish of Cheese & Bacon French Fries.
How can the simple addition of cheese and bacon make the fries at Cheddar’s so irresistible? It seems too good to be true, doesn’t it? As one TripAdvisor reviewer says, “Whoever made those cheese fries deserves a raise. Best cheese fries I think I’ve ever had. Layered like movie popcorn. Sheesh!”
Chili’s
Some things in life are guarantees, like paying taxes and Chili’s $5 margaritas. You may want to order a starchy side dish to soak up that tequila, and fortunately, the French fries hit the spot. A simple side dish of French fries can accompany your meal, and for just $1 more, there are over one dozen dipping sauces to add a boost of flavor, like Ranch, Honey Chipotle, and Secret Sauce.
Where Chili’s really shines is its appetizer menu, which includes knock-outs like Texas Cheese Fries. This dish comes with melted shredded cheese, bacon, jalapeños, and green onions, along with a side of Ranch dressing for dipping. Redditors are hard at work coming up with replica recipes, adding to the hype that this French fry dish carries with it. Its reputation precedes itself, but order a full service of Texas Cheese Fries on your next trip to Chili’s, and you will understand why.
