The Most Underrated Chain Restaurants And What You Should Order When You Go
When we think of chain restaurants, there are a few usual suspects that always come to mind: Cheesecake Factory, Chipotle, Olive Garden. However, there are tons of restaurants out there that fly under the radar and deserve way more love. These places might may not be the first to cross your mind, but we are here to remind you why you should revisit them the next time you dine out.
If you've never been to BJ's you are missing out on some good food, including the chain's true star: the Pizookie. It's a massive fresh-baked cookie with an equally massive couple scoops of ice cream on top. There are many variations of the Pizookie, but you can't go wrong with the classic Chocolate Chip Chunk.
Maggiano's should be higher on everyone's list because it has some of the most memorable pasta entrees out there. The absolute best is probably the Shrimp Cavatappi complete with parmesan cream sauce sprinkled with green onions and shredded cheese.
Tons of breakfast chains come to mind quickly, but consider heading to your local First Watch instead the next time you are craving brunch. They offer fresh farm-to-table ingredients that kick their competitors out of the water. We suggest ordering a stack of Lemon Ricotta Pancakes for a satisfying morning meal.
We know it's hard to break out of the Chipotle routine, but here's why Moe's deserves way more attention: Aside from offering quality bowls and burritos similar to their competitors, Moe's blows everyone out of the water with their iconic loaded quesadilla stacks, filled with as many or as little toppings as you want and pressed to crunchy gooey perfection.
Bonefish Grill serves up some of the freshest seafood. This semi-upscale spot is a national chain that deserves more recognition for their unique dishes, one of the best being the bang bang shrimp, which you can now get on the happy hour menu on select weekdays! Score.
This Cajun seafood restaurant chain should be top of mind for those who love bold seafood flavors. Order their famous Seafood Combo and you'll get a ? pound of choice fresh seafood served in a bag with choice of seasoning and spice level, Hush Puppies, Steamed Oysters, Catfish Sliders, and Po Boy Sandwiches.
This hip ramen franchise is best known for its signature stocks and broths that are simmered for more than 10 hours. You can't go wrong with their two most popular dishes, the Tonkotsu Black or Spicy Chicken Ramen.
Get this: You can add QDOBA's famous queso and fresh-made guacamole to your entrée for free. Finally, a place that gives the people what their heart desires at no extra charge. The best item on the menu is the Chicken Queso Bowl which features adobo chicken, cilantro lime rice, black beans, corn salsa, and pico de gallo, all topped with their signature 3-cheese queso.
This fast-growing fast-casual chain specializes in fresh and sustainable seafood dishes. Their most famous menu item is the classic lobster roll, but we also recommend checking out their crab or lobster Grilled Cheese.
You can't go wrong with fried chicken, but have you ever had Korean fried chicken? Bonchon is like the high-end KFC of Korean chicken wings and is severely overlooked in the chicken-loving community. Their wings are always perfectly crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. We highly recommend tossing your wings in the soy garlic sauce.
This chain, fondly known as CPK by some, is worth a visit if you've never been. (And contrary to what the name may indicate, there are CPK restaurants all over the country.) The Beverly Hills-founded pizza joint has always been known for its famous BBQ Chicken Pizza, but keep a lookout for some newer items like the Shanghai Bowl with seared shrimp black rice and veggies over a curry-style sauce.
People have been comparing Freddy's to In-N-Out and Shake Shack lately, and for good reason. If you've never been, co-founder and COO Scott Redler recommends their signature burger, The Original Double, which is made with thinly-pressed patties and topped with cheese, mustard, pickles and onions. Pair it with their famous shoestring fries and you have yourself the perfect meal.
This chain consistently delivers elevated dishes and is always reinventing their menu. But don't forget to try the OG classic, the Chicken Lettuce Wraps, which are so good we recreated them here.
Mellow Mushroom is another easily overlooked pizza spot that should be higher on everyone's list. You'll love any of their amazing pies, but the Pretzel Bites are a sleeper hit. They're finished with warm garlic butter and parmesan and served with a side of PBR beer cheese dip. Meet you there?
The Most Underrated Chain Restaurants And What You Should Order When You Go
When we think of chain restaurants, there are a few usual suspects that always come to mind: Cheesecake Factory, Chipotle, Olive Garden. However, there are tons of restaurants out there that fly under the radar and deserve way more love. These places might may not be the first to cross your mind, but we are here to remind you why you should revisit them the next time you dine out.
These deserve way more hype...
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