Bloomington, IN

The Sandwich of Lent, Rating from 1-10 the worst fish sandwich shops across Bloomington, Ind.

Braydyn The Bear Lents

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Two fish sandwiches from Popeye's sit on a table.Photo byPopeyes sandwiches/Uproxx

With Easter coming up two weeks from today, I have asked myself all throughout the time of Lent and before the start of Easter, “What is the best fish sandwich across the city of Bloomington, Ind.?”

Known as one of the best sports, bar, and food cultures across the United States, Bloomington has a major reputation for making some of the best fish sandwiches I have ever had.

As you will see on the list, there will be a lot of bars and grills mentioned on the list, and a few fast-food restaurants along with pubs and food chains are also included on this list.

Fish sandwiches have been a delicacy that makes the Lent Catholic feel so refreshing. I rated the fish based on my love of a crispy, lightly breaded, oh-so-fresh, deep-fried, and battered fish sandwich, and don’t forget about the french fries. Salted, pinched with seasoning, or some seasoned chips always make for a good side dish.

Here is a list of some of the best and worst fish sandwiches in Bloomington, Ind. First here are some of the worst fish sandwiches in town.

Before I begin, everyone is entitled to their own opinion about where they get their fish sandwiches, this is just my opinion, and if you do have another, even better or worse fish sandwich for me to try or eat, direct message me on Instagram and I would be happy to try a new fish I have never had before.

Here is the list of the worst fish sandwiches in Bloomington.

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Long John's Silvers Fish sandwich comboPhoto byLong John's Silvers

1. Long John Silver’s

Ugh!

Just ugh!

The fish used to be so much better back in my five-year-old days when I was a spoiled kid eating chicken nuggets, fries, and fish sticks, but now the fish is old and it is extremely not healthy for you to eat.

Once I found out that Long John’s Silver’s sodium content was over 560mg which is more than the daily value of sodium, according to VeryFitWell dot com, I was about ready to have the big one when I was 14 years old hearing this news.

I will never eat at Long John’s again due to how unhealthy my childhood must have been.

2. Hardee’s

Again… ugh!

Besides, who even goes to Hardee’s for a fish sandwich after Lent?

I am not a fan of the panko breaded fish sandwich but it is good at some locations, including in Washington, Ind. location.

I like fish but not from Hardee’s.

Hardee's Panko Breaded fish sandwichPhoto byHardee's/Carl Jr's website

3. Burger King

Burger King's fish sandwich from a closer viewPhoto byBurger King fish sandwich history/Wikipedia

They are only known for the… “Whopper, whopper, whopper, whopper.”

Junior, double, triple fishy, disgusting taste with old grease toppers, I hate this fish.

You rule at burgers and shakes.

At BEEE-KAY! Have it your way!

Your *burgers* Rule!

4. McDonald’s

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Filet O' Fish has a catchy name to it, as it is available all year long at McDonald's.Photo byMcDonald's

Debate with me all you want but a Filet-o-Fish is great at some locations… not in Bloomington unless it is fresh, made properly, and not doused in anything but a ton of mayonnaise.

I was a fan of this sandwich as a kid… not anymore. However, if I was out and about a town late at night, I would love to eat a fish sandwich only once.

5. Subway

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This is Subway's version of a fish sandwich, and it has received controversy over the years, but this sandwich is third on my worst fishlistPhoto bySubway/NBC News

Again, who goes to Subway for a fish sandwich?

Since all of Bloomington’s Subway stations have been closed due to inspection issues, except for two locations, I go for the subs and cookies, not for a fish sandwich.

I never even knew they had fish anyway.

6. Freddy’s

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Freddy's fish sandwich combo with the best fries you can ever have. This sandwich is sold for a limited time at all locations.Photo byFreddy's Steakburgers/PR Newswise

Now, the fish is great at the Bloomington location, when prepared right and fixed in a proper fashion. At some locations away from Bloomington, people hate this sandwich.

I think it’s not that bad. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, has flavor but is dosed with mayonnaise and a ton of pickles.

It’s not that bad here, but you can give it a shot. Just avoid the traffic and I would recommend trying it while the store is open. Which is usually a limited time.

7. Longhorn Steakhouse

This is a fish sandwich at Longhorn Steakhouse... yeah.Photo byLonghorn Steakhouse

Who goes to Longhorn Steakhouse for a fish sandwich?

I thought they just had steak, lobster, and maybe chicken served as a lump of meat and not on a sandwich.

Huh?

Learn something new every day.

8. Steak n’ Shake

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Photo of a Steak n' Shake fish sandwich on a promotional advertisement.Photo bySteak n' Shake/Chew Boom

Before the diner's service went downhill and the atmosphere changed, back when my 11-year-old self wanted to be the manager of a Steak n Shake, and their pancakes were to die for, Steak n’ Shake had great fish sandwiches during Lent.

They added no sauce to the sandwich and it was a melt-in-your-mouth type of sandwich. The bun was soft but the fish was so good back when I was a little kid.

Now, the service is limited, they are open limited time, with one location on the west side of town, and the whole company is going down the drain really quickly according to reports in recent years.

They once kept Steak n’ Shake classy, but now you have staff fist-fighting with each other and the manager serving the meals.

It’s an American tragedy seeing an Indiana-born company go down the drain because of greed, corruption, and bankruptcy.

It’s a sad tale of America’s crippling economy.

9. Arby’s

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Here is a fish sandwich from Arby's.Photo byArby's

It varies on location in Bloomington. There are two locations with great sandwiches. One on the west side and another on the south side.

Their fish has no flavor, but the cod inside is average and they douse the sandwich with more lettuce and tomatoes than picking out weeds in our front lawn.

Arby’s has an average fish sandwich. Nothing much about it is interested, but add fries to the mix, and it tastes so much better.

10. White Castle

Here is a combo meal of a fish sandwich and whatever this is at White Castle.Photo byWhite Castle

No… don’t get me started on a sandwich in general at White Castle.

They a so soggy that they slide in your mouth… and that includes their fish sandwich.

I give a pass on White Castle in general because it was the subject of a classic movie I would watch in my wild days in “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.”

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Student at Indiana University Bloomington, journalism major, Class of 2024, sports media minor, staff writer/journalist for Hoosiers Network, freelancer "It's called the American Dream cause you have to be asleep to believe it." -- George Carlin

Bloomington, IN
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