16 Chain Restaurants That Serve Hush Puppies

Hush puppies, which are made from a mixture of fried cornmeal and onions, originated in the southern part of the U.S. The exact history behind hush puppies is a bit uncertain. Several stories suggest that they were used to quiet dogs. In some versions, the dogs, who belonged to fishermen, were caught begging for food at a fish fry. Others believe the name comes from Confederate soldiers who used the food to pacify their canines as the Yankee troops approached. Though, Native Americans, enslaved West Africans, or even Ursuline nuns are also thought to have made them first. Whatever their origins, they're now often fried and served alongside seafood.

If the craving for hush puppies strikes, know that there are a few chain restaurants where you can find them. Since they have Southern origins and connections to seafood, your best bet for finding hush puppies is to look to Southern and seafood restaurants. Though, seafood restaurants that don't have a big focus on fried foods aren't as likely to have them. And we've found that some Southern restaurants often opt for biscuits, regular cornbread, corn muffins instead of hush puppies. Lucky for you, we tracked down a few restaurant chains where you can reliably find hush puppies. 

Long John Silver's is a fast food restaurant chain known for its fried seafood. The restaurant had its start in landlocked Lexington, Kentucky, in 1969. With over 500 locations nationwide, you're likely to have a Long John Silver's somewhere near you. 

The sides menu at Long John Silver's contains a variety of items. But if you're looking for something fried, the hush puppies are a good option. The baskets, meals, and platters automatically come with two hush puppies. Even the kids' meal comes with a hush puppy. The ones at Long John Silver's are good enough that customers have long been trying to figure out the recipe to make them at home.

Captain D's also got its start in the South; it made its debut in 1969 in Donelson, Tennessee as Mr. D's Seafood and Hamburgers. It currently has close to 550 locations in 23 states. 

All the classic meals, platters, and kids' meals come with two fried hush puppies, whereas the family samplers and meals come with eight. You can also get an add-on order of crispy hush puppies as a side. Some folks on social media have shared that they prefer Captain D's hush puppies over Long John Silver's. In fact, many people say that hush puppies are the best thing to order at Captain D's. Some customers even suggest ordering extra hush puppies at the beginning of your meal because they're just so good.

Like Captain D's, Cracker Barrel is another chain restaurant that originated in Tennessee in 1969. However, Cracker Barrel's claim to culinary fame is its appealing, home-cooking-focused Southern food menu. Since part of that menu includes Southern-style seafood dishes, you can bet there are going to be hush puppies. Plus, you can also find around 660 Cracker Barrel locations in 44 states, meaning there's likely one near you.

We know there's a lot to choose from when you go to Cracker Barrel, but if you want hush puppies, you're going to need to order from its fried seafood plates. For example, you'll get three hush puppies with the U.S. farm-raised fried catfish and three with the country-fried shrimp. However, you'll want to note that hush puppies don't come with the Friday fish fry, which features fried cod. Instead, you'll need to choose your own sides. Oddly enough, while you can order cornbread muffins separately, there doesn't seem to be an option to order hush puppies as a side. Although, it never hurts to ask.

If you've watched the "Forrest Gump" movie, you're likely expecting that the real-life Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is a Southern-style seafood restaurant. Despite its Southern culinary leanings, this themed restaurant from the 1990s got its start in Monterey, California. Currently, there are over 20 locations in nine states, as well as several international locations.

At Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., hush puppies are listed on the menu as seafood hush pups. Only two menu items seem to feature them. One is the Run Across America Sampler, which also includes fried shrimp, chicken tenders, tortilla chips, and four types of dips and sauces. The other menu item is the Forrest's Seafood Feast, which includes fish, fries, coleslaw, and three types of sauces. However, no matter what you order, you can always add on a side of seafood hush pups.

The seafood hush pups are different from traditional hush puppies because they contain some extra ingredients you might not expect, like corn, peppers, and actual pieces of seafood. They also have more moisture than you might expect due to the extra ingredients. Customers report that these hush puppies are so good that they usually want to eat the whole order in one sitting, like as an appetizer.

If you don't mind the whole performance-driven experience of a Joe's Crab Shack (like interactive dancing servers) and love seafood, you may want to get your hush puppies from this spot. This quirky seafood restaurant chain got its start in the coastal, yet southern, city of Houston, Texas in 1991.

Not every seafood dish at Joe's comes with hush puppies. However, you can expect them, along with fries and coleslaw, if you order any of the shrimp dishes — like coconut or crispy fried shrimp. They also come with the shrimp and fish and shrimp and seafood ensemble dishes. Interestingly, they also come standard if you order chicken tenders, along with fries and coleslaw. If you're ordering a dish that doesn't come with them, you can still order them as a side item. While customers find them to be tasty, they're not as popular as some of the other ones on our list seem to be.

When you'd prefer a more upscale seafood restaurant, but also want to have the option to order hush puppies, you may want to look for a Rockfish Seafood & Grill. Since it's based out of Dallas, it still has a bit of Southern charm, But also has a lot of fancier seafood dishes that represent a variety of culinary styles. You'll also find plenty of non-fried options at its  seven locations across Texas.

The hush puppies at Rockfish Seafood & Grill are made with jalapeño peppers and corn and come with remoulade sauce, which makes them a Cajun, Southern, and Southwestern fusion dish. They're also slightly spicy. You can order them as a separate side, or with your favorite dish. If you order the Southern fried catfish, Alaskan cod and chips, shrimp platter, and the catfish and shrimp combo, expect the hush puppies will come out with french fries and apple cider slaw. The chain has also historically offered promotions for the fritters on National Fritter Day (December 2).

Crab Du Jour has a Cajun-inspired seafood menu. While its restaurants are mainly located in the South and East Coast states, there's also one in Illinois. And since it's based out of Fayetteville, North Carolina, it's not only Cajun-inspired, but also Southern.

Crab Du Jour's unique ordering process requires you to first pick out a type of seafood. Then, you pick a sauce, the spice level you want, and extra sides. While the extras don't include hush puppies, it is possible to get an order of 10 as an appetizer.

It seems that the hush puppies at Crab Du Jour look different at different locations. While the ones in Raleigh, North Carolina, are oblong and come with butter for dipping, the ones sold in other locations are more round. Some delivery websites list these hush puppies as being one of the most ordered items on the chain's menu. 

Eat My Catfish is a much smaller chain than most on our list, since it only has six locations throughout Arkansas. What started out as a food trailer (not even a food truck) in Benton, Arkansas is now a full-blown seafood restaurant. Since this chain is located in the South and includes both fried catfish and Cajun-inspired items on its menu, it's almost a given that it would serve hush puppies, too.

All the lunch specials come with one side and hush puppies. Several of the meals and combos, including grilled ones, come with two sides and two hush puppies. Some of the family packs and meal deals come with eight to 10 hush puppies to share. In fact, the only menu items that don't come with them seem to be the chicken ones, po' boys, and kids' menu items. You can also order a side of six or 12 for a ridiculously low price. They're dense and crisp, and some customers on social media like them enough to get a double order because they're so good.

Southern homestyle buffets are also a good place to look for hush puppies. One popular all-you-can-eat buffet that offers them is Golden Corral. Like Crab Du Jour, Golden Corral originated in Fayetteville, North Carolina. However, it's spread throughout most of the states in the U.S. and has around 300 locations.

The number of menu items you can potentially find on the buffet varies. So, it's not a given that hush puppies be available when you visit. However with fried fish being a favorite at both dinner and lunch, there's a good chance you can find some. If you find fried fish, look around nearby for this iconic side.

While we've found the ones available on the buffet to be really good if they're piping hot straight out of the fryer, people on social media report that they're not so good if they've been sitting out for a while under the heat lamps. So if you want to get your hush puppies at their best, keep your eye out for when staff refills the tray.

If you're looking for a restaurant with good game-day appetizers, you might want to get your hush puppies from Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux. It got its start in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and was founded by two Louisiana State University basketball players. Today, there are nearly 70 locations across 14 states. While the menu is comprised of typical sports bar fare, it also has a Cajun bend to it. Plus, there are some seafood dishes.

You can find the hush puppies at Walk On's among the Louisiana Classics, like fried catfish and with the fried jumbo shrimp, both of which also come with waffle fries. You can also order some as a side. If you're a loyalty member, you may be able to get free hush puppies on Tuesdays. Check your reward section of the Walk On's app to see if this perk is available at your location.

The first Red Lobster opened in 1968 in Lakeland, Florida. So, it's not surprising that the chain has plenty of fried seafood items, including hush puppies. It has over 545 locations, so there's likely one near you.

While Red Lobster is known for its Cheddar Bay Biscuits, they're not the only type of starch you can get with your meal. If you order fish and chips, you'll get hush puppies along with fries and coleslaw. However, if you're ordering anything else and want hush puppies, you'll have to order them as a side.

The hush puppies were off the menu for awhile, but returned in November 2024. Some customers claim that the updated hush puppies come with a side of citrusy butter now. However, since the hush puppies disappeared in the past, there's no guarantee that they will stay on the menu forever. As such, you might want to check online to make sure your nearest Red Lobster carries hush puppies so that you don't get disappointed.

To get your fill of hush puppies in North Carolina, you'll want to go to one of Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q's over 40 locations. This chain sells mainly pulled pork barbecue and fried chicken rather than seafood, so it's a bit odd that this chain also carries hush puppies.

The hush puppies at Smithfield's are often (but not always) the tubular-shaped variety that we've seen in other North Carolina restaurants like Crab du Jour. Around half a dozen come with the barbecue, fried chicken, chicken tenders, and popcorn shrimp platters. A few also come with kids' meals. 

Some of the chicken boxes feature upwards of two dozen hush puppies — plus you can get a dozen as a side order. Customers say that they're sweet, taste like corn dog breading, and smell like funnel cakes. For the full experience, you'll want to try dipping them in butter.

PoFolks is a good place to go if you're looking for Southern dishes like hush puppies. The chain originated in South Carolina and once had over 100 locations. But, there are now only five locations in total remaining.

All the often-misspelled lunch specials, and many of the dinners, come with your choice of breadsticks, cornbread, hush puppies, or "biskets." So, you can get hush puppies with a variety of chicken, pork, or fish dishes, depending on what you're in the mood for. You can also get them with a Po Plate, which is the chain's vegetable plate. If your meal doesn't come with them or you just want more, you can also get them as a separate side order. Customers on social media have declared the hush puppies delicious and often say that they have the perfect texture. Some people have even reported ordering them for breakfast at the locations that allow it. 

Sam's Southern Eatery got its start in Shreveport, Louisiana in 2008. As its name suggests, it serves a lot of Southern foods, including Louisiana po' boys. It's opened over 50 locations and spread to more than nine states, not all of which are in the South. And if there's one near you, you can count on it for hush puppies.

Hush puppies are among the most popular sides at Sam's Southern Eatery, and you can get a small or a appetizer-sized order of them. You can also order them as one of the sides for combo-type meals. So, you don't have to think of them as strictly something to eat with seafood. You can even get them with a hamburger if you'd like. Customers seem to really like the hush puppies, with some people on social media declaring them the best they've ever had.

Ever since Shoney's opened in 1947 in Charleston, West Virginia, it's been providing all-American menu items to its guests. However, it's probably its buffets that it's most famous for. Shoney's might not be as prevalent as it once was, but you can still count on it for tasty homestyle food like hush puppies.

It seems that the best way to get hush puppies at Shoney's is to order off the fresh food bar, since they don't appear to be on the regular menu. That way, you can get them to eat with anything you like, not just seafood. The chain also includes them as part of its seafood feast on Fridays (and some Saturdays) during Lent. Customers say that the hush puppies are a delicious choice.

Western Sizzlin is a chain that was first opened in Augusta, Georgia in 1962. It offers a Southern-leaning menu. While the chain is known for its steak, it has plenty of other items on the menu as well. Its buffets have been around since the 1990s, which is one place where you're likely to encounter hush puppies. However, there are only around 30 locations left. So, they're not as easy to find as they once were.

Any seafood dish you order at Western Sizzlin comes with a side of coleslaw, hush puppies, tartar sauce, and lemon slices. Since the hush puppies are available on the buffet, you don't always have to pair them with seafood. The hush puppies at Western Sizzlin are super crispy and customers seem to like them.

At some locations, the best time to find the hush puppies are on Fridays. That's when many of the buffets are focused more on seafood.