12 Chain Restaurant Scallops Ranked From Worst To Best, According To Reviewers

Similar to clams, oysters, and mussels, scallops consist of an interior muscle — the delicious bite-sized morsel — surrounded by two fanned-out shells. Scallops are generally classified into two different types — bay scallops and sea scallops. Usually harvested in shallow waters, bay scallops are smaller than their deep-water counterparts. As such, bay scallops are normally used in salads or pastas, whereas sea scallops are normally served as the centerpiece of a dish.

Tender and buttery, with a delicate, mildly sweet flavor, scallops are a highlight on many restaurant menus. They can be served on their own or paired with a range of ingredients, from bright citrus to creamy sauces. However, it's important to remember that not all scallops are of the same quality, and not all restaurants are able to prepare them with the care they deserve.

A well-prepared scallop dish strikes a balance between the delicate flavor of the shellfish and the complementary flavors of the other ingredients in the meal. Keen to find out about the best places to enjoy your next scallop experience? Take a look at our list of chain restaurants that excel in crafting outstanding scallop dishes and others that miss the mark.

Founded in 2000 by two friends with a passion for catching, preparing, and plating fish, Bonefish Grill has grown exponentially over the years. Today, the restaurant boasts over 160 locations, nearly half of which are in its home state of Florida. Bonefish Grill sources its seafood from around the globe, however, its scallops specifically come from Georges Bank in Massachusetts, which means they have a relatively firm texture and sweet taste. Bonefish Grill offers only one scallop dish — the Scallops & Shrimp Skewer — which pairs the bivalves with jumbo shrimp. This wood-fired dish comes with a range of sauce options including lemon butter, pan Asian sauce, and mango salsa.

Unfortunately, when it comes to customer opinion, Bonefish Grill's Scallops & Shrimp Skewer leaves a lot of room for improvement. According to a Town & Style review, both the scallops and shrimp have an overwhelming flavor of "black grill marks." Furthermore, the lemon butter sauce they are doused in tastes prefabricated and artificial. A Yelp user also complained about the dish, saying that the scallops were so small, they were almost unnoticeable. A Trustpilot reviewer agreed, noting that their portion wasn't just small, but that while the shrimp were nice, the same couldn't be said for the scallops.

Seamore's prides itself on its eco-friendly practices, with all of its seafood either caught or farmed in a sustainable way. That said, the chain is honest about the fact that while most of its seafood is fresh, some of it is frozen. The restaurant serves bay scallops, which are harvested from bays and shallow coastal waters. While these shellfish tend to be sweeter and more tender than sea scallops, they are also only around a third of the size.

The chain offers scallops as a part of its "The Real Deal" menu option — a choice of grilled seafood served over a base such as cauliflower mash and broccolini with almond pesto. Scallops are also an optional topping on the restaurant's salads. While the scallops may sound promising on the menu, they have left some patrons less than satisfied. A case in point is one Northern Virginia magazine reviewer who found the scallops fresh but insufficiently seared. Interestingly, a Yelp reviewer disagrees, complaining that their mollusks were overcooked and overpriced: "When our dishes finally came, I was hugely disappointed that for a $16 upcharge, I got 4 small scallops for my salad, 2 out of 4 were charred and overcooked."

Many steakhouses these days also offer prime seafood, with varying results — some shine while others struggle. Unfortunately, Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse falls into the latter category when it comes to scallops, not quite managing to handle the delicate bites with the finesse they require.

Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse serves Georges Bank sea scallops from the waters of Georges Bank, which lies off the coast of Massachusetts. These morsels of goodness are characterized by their sweetness and firm texture. The mollusks — along with cream corn and crispy parsnip — appear in one of the restaurant's "casarecce," which refers to a type of short and slightly twisted Italian pasta. The sea scallops are also a part of the restaurant's seafood tower, alongside oysters Rockefeller, lump crab cakes, crispy calamari, and prawns.

Despite their impressive pedigree, the scallops at Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse have received mixed reviews from patrons, with one diner noting that they weren't as sweet as they had hoped. Meanwhile, a Yelp user complained about the restaurant's consistency, noting, "My husband got his favorite scallop dish which is on the main menu and it came out totally different in appearance and taste." The news is not all bad, however, with one Yelp reviewer praising the mollusks, calling them "super yummy."

Just as its name suggests, Barcelona Wine Bar specializes in Spanish and South American wines. In fact, the chain offers 500 wines by the bottle and 40 by the glass, many of which are sourced from small producers and female winemakers. The restaurant also serves a range of Spanish tapas, which include several seafood plates, such as Gambas Al Ajillo, Pulpo a la Plancha, and Seared Diver Scallops served with saffron fennel purée. For those not in the know, diver scallops are harvested from the seafloor by divers, hence the name. While labor intensive, this method of harvesting scallops is more environmentally friendly than dredging the seabed with nets.

While some diners rave about Barcelona Wine Bar's scallops, others haven't been as impressed. On the positive side, one TripAdvisor reviewer says that their scallops were "very rich and wonderful." On the downside, The Daily Campus reviewer notes that some of the tapas portions were a little small for the price, including the scallop dish, which came with just three pieces. A Find Me Gluten Free reviewer also wasn't impressed with the dish, saying that their scallops were too dry.

If you are a fan of scallops, you will be spoiled for choice at Weathervane Seafood Restaurant — that is, if you can make it to one of the chain's four locations in Maine and New Hampshire. Firstly, Weathervane offers both bay scallops and sea scallops, which means that you can enjoy the mollusks precisely the way you like them — small and sweet or large and succulent. The chain also serves broiled sea scallops topped with Ritz Cracker crumbs. Aside from taking center stage, scallops also play a backing role in several Weathervane dishes. These include the Fried Seafood Combo with haddock, bay scallops, shrimp, and clam strips, and the Baked Stuffed Seafood Combo with crabmeat stuffing, stuffed shrimp, sea scallops, haddock, and lobster.

Weathervane Seafood Restaurant sources its annual 38,000 pounds of scallops locally whenever possible to ensure freshness. More specifically, the restaurant's scallops come from fishermen in New Bedford, Massachusetts, as well as fleets in southern and central Maine. If the bivalves are not available locally, the restaurant sources them from Canadian waters.

Weathervane's scallops have received mixed feedback from patrons, with some diners thoroughly enjoying the buttery pearls of goodness and others feeling disappointed in their portion size and quality. On the bright side, one satisfied diner says that the morsels were the best sea scallops they had ever tasted. On the opposite side of the spectrum, a Yelp diner notes, "[The] scallops were small. I HATE it when it seems they've cut a big beautiful sea scallop in half to give the illusion of more." Meanwhile, another Yelp user remarks, "My fried scallops were filled with water inside. How does that happen?"

In line with the tagline "If it isn't Fresh, it isn't Legal," Legal Sea Foods procures its lobsters, scallops, clams, and oysters from the Gulf of Maine and its fish from Boston's Fish Pier. The restaurant ensures that its seafood is responsibly sourced, with a focus on both traceability and sustainability.

Legal Sea Foods offers its scallops crispy fried New England style or angry style with a spicy kick. The bivalves also appear in the restaurant's Baked Stuffed Lobster and Stuffed Lobster Tails. Finally, the chain's Fisherman's Platter features scallops, alongside jumbo shrimp, whitefish, calamari, and clam strips. Legal Sea Foods also offers its scallops flash frozen, allowing diners to enjoy this seafood favorite at home.

The scallops at Legal Sea Foods have garnered a range of feedback from diners, ranging from praise to criticism. Those happy with their meal have said that the scallops were "cooked to perfection," "10/10," and "on point." Patrons a little less pleased with their meal have commented that the briny morsels had no flavor and were overcooked and tough.

Red Lobster is an undisputed success story. After all, going from one restaurant in Lakeland, Florida, in 1968, to over 550 locations in the U.S. alone is no small feat. The restaurant also popularized popcorn shrimp, which first appeared on its menu in 1974. Meant to be eaten like popcorn, the dish consists of bite-sized shrimp that has been battered and deep-fried until golden. Notably, Red Lobster also serves a version of this beloved dish made with scallops. The chain's Crispy Ball Scallops brings a new twist to the classic seafood offering. A more recent scallop-based addition to the chain's menu is the Bacon-Wrapped Sea Scallops, which plays on the contrast between the succulent morsels and the crispy rashers.

Opinions about Red Lobster's scallops have been divided. The reviews for the chain's Crispy Ball Scallops are few and far between, so you might just have to try them and form your own opinion. However, the Bacon-Wrapped Sea Scallops have received a mixed reception. One TripAdvisor reviewer refers to them as "mouth watering delicious." Another reviewer who made their displeasure known on Facebook strongly disagrees, saying, "I love sea scallops and I love bacon! However, I did not enjoy my bacon wrapped sea scallops at all. The bacon completely overpowered the flavor of the sea scallops ruining the dish, in my humble opinion. I will not order them again."

Known for its fresh seafood and classic American dishes, McCormick & Schmick's has grown from a single Portland restaurant, which opened in 1974, to more than 20 locations in the U.S. From fish and octopus to oysters and clams, the restaurant delivers a wide selection of prime seafood, often sourced locally to ensure freshness.

McCormick & Schmick's offers a range of scallop dishes, some of which vary by location. Served as a starter, Prawn & Scallop Rockefeller builds on the classic oysters Rockefeller, in which the bivalves are topped with a mix of ingredients — in this case bacon, garlic aioli, and Parmesan — and baked until golden and bubbly. Meanwhile, the restaurant's scallop mains include Hokkaido Scallops with herb gnocchi, butternut squash, and wild mushrooms. Sourced from the Sea of Okhotsk and the Nemuro Straits in Japan, Hokkaido scallops are renowned for their sweetness and buttery, plump texture. Finally, the chain offers Seafood Alfredo with bay scallops and shrimp and M&K Classic Cioppino, which showcases scallops alongside other seafood.

Despite the restaurant's reputation, the scallops at McCormick & Schmick's have received surprisingly lukewarm reviews from diners. Perhaps one Yelp reviewer sums up this sentiment best, noting, "Started off with the Shrimp & Scallop Rockefeller & these looked like artichoke dip on a shell with the scallop under the artichoke spinach dip. These were quite good. I ordered the Seafood Alfredo & the scallops were very tiny." Another Yelp user shares a similar opinion, saying, "Had the shrimp & scallop Alfredo and it was okay."

Known for its fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisines, Nobu was co-founded by Chef Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa, actor Robert De Niro, and film producer Meir Teper in 1994. In just three decades, the first venue in New York's Tribeca has grown into a chain of restaurants with a presence in the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific.

While the menus vary slightly depending on the location, Nobu offers scallops in several of its dishes. The restaurant's cold dish menu features Baby Spinach Salad with Scallop. Meanwhile, the restaurant's hot dishes include Scallops with Jalapeño Salsa and Scallops with Spicy Garlic. Finally, Nobu also serves scallop nigiri and sashimi, as well as a sushi maki with spicy scallop and smelt egg.

Nobu's scallops have received overwhelmingly favorable feedback from patrons. For instance, one enthused Yelp reviewer says that the scallops are her favorite menu item at Nobu, adding, "It's a dish I'll be thinking about for years to come!" However, opinions are divided about the chain's spicy scallop sushi maki, with one diner saying that it's their favorite restaurant dish of all time and another complaining that it lacks flavor.

Ocean Prime offers a diverse menu of fresh seafood, sushi, and prime steaks. Starting with a raw bar, patrons can enjoy a selection of chilled seafood, including oysters on the half shell, crab meat, and jumbo shrimp. There is also the impressive "Smoking" Shellfish Tower, which features a range of fresh shellfish served dramatically over dry ice. The restaurant's other notable seafood dishes include Lobster Bisque, Blackened Salmon Salad, and Sea Scallops served with Parmesan risotto, English peas, and citrus vinaigrette. The scallops can also be enjoyed as a part of the restaurant's "Surf n Turf" alongside braised short ribs and gremolata.

"Don't walk, 'Scallop' over to Ocean Prime and try this to-die-for Risotto dish," urges the chain's team on social media. While most diners would probably agree with this statement, there seem to be a few who feel differently. One satisfied TripAdvisor reviewer who would surely agree raves, "The scallops were sautéed to perfection and they were moist and melted in your mouth like butter." However, another TripAdvisor user voices a slightly less enthusiastic take on the dish, saying, "They were good although not out-of-this-world."

Eddie V's Prime Seafood is known for serving quality fish, shellfish, and hand-cut steaks. From simple raw bar offerings like East Coast Oysters and Wild Gulf Shrimp to more elaborate creations such as Morel-Crusted Lamb Chops and Maine Lobster Tacos, the chain delivers a well-rounded menu bound to satisfy different palates.

According to Eddie V's Prime Seafood's staff, "Georges Banks Scallops hit different." And so they do. The restaurant's simple take on the bite-sized morsels — with nothing but brown butter — proves that less can be more. For a more creative rendition of the menu item, diners can opt for caramelized George Bank scallops with citrus, Marcona almonds, and brown butter.

Diners have given Eddie V's Prime Seafood's scallops top marks for both execution and presentation. A case in point is one TripAdvisor reviewer who enthuses about the dish, saying, "[They] were hands down the best scallops I've ever tried." A Yelp user seconds this, saying, "The George Bank scallops are a really yummy and refreshing choice. The citrus fruit pairs nicely and the scallops are cooked to perfection."

Truluck's sources its scallops from fishermen whose families have been navigating the waters of the North Atlantic Coastline for generations. The restaurant only accepts large, premium-quality scallops that number fewer than 10 per pound. Since scallops are delicate, Truluck's sautés them on low-heat and using minimal oil to allow their natural sugars to caramelize and create a perfectly balanced bite. With only one scallop dish on the menu — the Scallop & Shrimp Sauté — Truluck's puts maximum effort into ensuring that it reflects the restaurant's dedication to quality seafood. The scallops are gently sautéed florentine style with fresh spinach and a cream-based sauce and paired with cauliflower rice and lemon vinaigrette.

Truluck's attention to detail has paid off, with reviewers consistently ranking the chain's Scallop & Shrimp Sauté as a must-try. For instance, one TripAdvisor reviewer says that they loved the scallops, adding that the shellfish were "wonderfully cooked." Another TripAdvisor user agrees, saying, "Our meal was incredible! I'd recommend the scallops. We will definitely be back again and again."

There is nothing like well-prepared scallops. Perfectly seared on the outside and buttery and tender on the inside, these mollusks can shine on their own or as a part of a flavorful dish. To bring you a list of the best — and the not so great — restaurants to enjoy scallops, we examined each restaurant's menu and sourcing practices, whenever the information was available. We also read countless customer reviews on reputable platforms like TripAdvisor and Yelp, zeroing in on factors such as the scallop's flavor, texture, and preparation methods.