13 Classic Seafood Chains Poised To Make A Comeback

When you're sick of burgers, chicken, and pork chops, and you just need something a little lighter, your favorite seafood chain is there for you — and there are a lot of them around. Whether you're inland or by the sea, there's dozens of seafood chains to choose from, and as more and more emerge and start to take over the country, you're kinda spoiled for choice. However, what about those old favorites we know and love? What happened to the classics, and where have some of them gone?

Well, don't worry — because some are on their way back. Like a lot of restaurants, seafood chains have had a rocky time, thanks to the dual pressures of COVID-19 and the cost of living. However, while tricky times have resulted in the closure of some seafood restaurants entirely, others have managed to stay the course and stage a major comeback. Don't be surprised if you see a couple of these restaurants pretty much everywhere in the next few years.  

Captain D's is hardly a small name in the seafood restaurant world. This chain has been around since 1969, and it's managed to stay in business for more than half a century, thanks to its unfussy and affordable menu that knows exactly what customers want. However, the last few decades haven't been the easiest for the chain. In 2008, Captain D's largest franchisee filed for bankruptcy protection, putting the company's standing at risk, as well as the jobs of approximately 750 people. This moment seemed to initiate the beginning of a stressful period for Captain D's, with the brand changing hands several times throughout the 2010s and early 2020s. It also saw its restaurant fleet sink by a good couple of dozen, reducing its footprint and therefore its cashflow.

With all of this rocky activity, it probably wouldn't surprise anyone if Captain D's sank to the bottom of the ocean. However, it seems like it's not done yet. The last few years have been some of the best ever for the brand. "At Captain D's, we are enjoying double-digit sales and double-digit traffic," said chief supply contractor Janet Duckham in a recent report on Captain D's business activity. "We're in good shape right now, but we're spending a lot of money on marketing, and it's paying off." It certainly seems to be, with the restaurant expanding into loads of new territories in the next few years, as well as into Europe.

There's no denying that Long John Silver's had a rocky pandemic. It wasn't the only restaurant to struggle through that period, of course, but the seafood chain was hit especially hard for a fast food joint. Perhaps it's because seafood doesn't deliver quite as well as burgers, fries, and chicken — but the dip that Long John Silver's faced was significant, ending fiscal 2021 17% down on its sales from the previous year and 6% down on its units. That 6% may seem insignificant, but it equates to dozens of restaurants closing. Meanwhile, fiscal 2020ended little more than 8% down on the year before.

Lesser restaurants would have let this period ruin them, but not Long John Silver's. It came out swinging in 2023 and 2024 – 2023 saw the brand expand internationally, opening its first restaurant in Indonesia and signing franchise agreements in Thailand and Malaysia. In 2024, it rethought its brand identity and bringing it more definitively into the 21st century, with loyalty programs and self-service kiosks in its restaurants. All of this has led to an increased spring in its step and more cash in its pockets, and we think it'll be everywhere in the years to come. Plus, Long John Silver's has some great ordering hacks, and the more restaurants it has the more you can try them out. 

If we told you Red Lobster had been struggling, you'd probably be surprised, right? After all, just a couple years ago this was the biggest seafood chain in the country, racking in billions of dollars per year. Unfortunately, though, the last few years haven't been that kind to the restaurant. The company has made a series of missteps in recent times that have seen its presence and sales plummet. Misguided promotions and poor management resulted in Red Lobster's cashflow being in serious peril. In May 2024 it ended up filing for bankruptcy, citing more than $1 billion worth of debt, and said it was closing over 50 locations. 

It looked like it was all over for the chain, but somehow it managed to bring things back from the brink. In June 2025 it clawed its way out of bankruptcy protection due to an acquisition by a new company. This move also saw Red Lobster gain a new CEO, who put the focus back where it matters: The customers. Chief executive officer ​​Damola Adamolekun, who was formerly CEO of P.F. Chang's, reinvigorated the brand by directing it to highlight its value and treat its diners better than ever. So far, it looks like customers are enjoying the new vibe.

Eating at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. felt (for many years) like a little joke. After all, this was the restaurant chain spawned from the formerly fictional one in "Forrest Gump," and so there was a touch of gimmickry about the whole thing. Nonetheless, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. enjoyed a few years of early success when it launched in 1996, with folks flocking to the restaurant to see just how similar it was to the movie version — and, of course, to enjoy its shrimp.

However, the bubble somewhat burst after a while, and although Bubba Gump never went under, it receded into the background. There were hopeful signs that the franchise would explode in popularity and footprint when Landry's acquired Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in 2010, but that didn't happen straight off the bat. However, the company's sales have been estimated to increase year on year since 2022, and in 2025 a new location was announced on South Padre Island, Texas. Building this 18,000 foot, three-story restaurant is a significant investment for the company, and indicates putting cashflow to good use.

It wasn't long ago that it seemed like Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips was over. This chain restaurant opened in 1969, and for a long time it was the dominant fish and chip restaurant in the United States. At its peak it had well over 800 restaurants dotted around the country, and its famous diners included the playwright August Wilson.

However, over the years the restaurant faced a slow but definite decline, and by 2021 there was just one location remaining in Ohio. Surely it couldn't last much longer, right? Well, despite the rise and fall of Arthur Treacher's, you might be surprised with how well it's survived and how it's started to bounce back. It may be taking a little while, but Arthur Treacher's is definitely back on the map, with owner Trufoods LLC reinvigorating the brand and bringing it firmly into the 21st century. In the first few months of 2025, a new Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips popped up in Ohio. We'd guess it might be the first of many.

We've gotta be honest, Legal Sea Foods has never had the coolest name out there (stating that the food you're eating is well within the law isn't exactly the most appealing) — and maybe that contributed to its downfall. Probably not, but it could have, right? What's more apparent is that Legal Sea Foods faced some pretty serious trouble during the COVID-19 pandemic that put its ability to operate in question. In 2020 it was forced to shut two of its restaurants, citing underperformance and the locations of its eateries as an issue. Legal Sea Foods made its name as a restaurant that served customers in and around hotels and airports, but at a time where nobody could travel, this made keeping afloat tricky.

Two restaurants were a big chunk of the chain's 33 branches, and for a while it looked like more would follow suit. However, Legal Sea Foods managed to pull it back from the brink, and in the last few years it's made an impressive comeback. The chain relocated its headquarters and focused its operations in 2023, and in 2024 it performed the best out of any seafood chains in the country, increasing its sales by more than 10% and opening a new restaurant.

One of the most prominent names in the seafood restaurant space, Bonefish Grill's fortunes started to reverse in 2015 when its sales began to decline. This wasn't just a marginal slip: The company saw an almost 5% dip in its income and its traffic dipped by a massive 7%. Bonefish Grill had apparently suffered from an overly dense menu and too many promotions, which weakened its brand and caused customers to run away. As a result, management at Bloomin' Brands, the company that owned Bonefish Grill, decided to pause the development of the brand until it had got back on its feet.

It took a little while to do so — and in 2024, Bonefish Grill had to close several stores as a result of poor performance, with Bloomin' Brands also shutting up shop on loads of its other restaurants. However, after some time things started to look up. Bonefish Grill announced the opening of a new location in Naples, Florida, signaling a slow but steady expansion of its operations. Then, in 2025, it announced it was revamping its menu in response to a sales decline. This restaurant chain is clearly setting the stage to make a lot of money very soon.

Joe's Crab Shack is the kinda place that has the appeal of a neighborhood joint, and the ambitions of a multi-national chain. As yet, it hasn't quite achieved the latter — but you shouldn't write it off. The restaurant first opened in 1991 in Houston, Texas, and by 1994 it was snapped up by multi-brand corporation Landry's. This should have ushered in its rapid rise, but instead Joe's Crab Shack changed hands several more times over the next few decades, eventually landing with Ignite Restaurant Group.

Sadly, this move didn't bode well for the chain. Joe's Crab Shack had to start shutting restaurants amidst plummeting sales, with 2017 seeing an almost 15% drop in revenue. In June 2017, Ignite Restaurant Group filed for bankruptcy, putting a further dent in the restaurant's fortunes. At that point, it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect Joe's Crab Shack to scuttle back into the ocean — but as of 2025, things are looking pretty sweet for the brand. The chain is seeing enormous sales, with its Daytona Beach Pier location enjoying record-high revenue figures. Clearly they're doing something right, and although its future isn't certain yet, it would be a mistake to count it out.

The first rule of business is understanding the needs of your customers. That's something that Skippers has learned the hard way, but it's definitely starting to embrace it. Skippers Seafood & Chowder House has been a mainstay of the Pacific Northwest since 1969, when its first restaurant was opened in Bellevue, Washington. It soon spread to other states, with branches in places like Boise, Idaho becoming neighborhood joints that generations of families would go to for their fish chowder.

The 1990s saw a series of struggles for the restaurant chain, which took on a bit of an outdated feel. Although investment was made, Skippers, Inc. eventually had to file for bankruptcy, and those neighborhood branches (including the one in Boise) closed their doors. It looked like it was curtains, but just at the crucial moment the management at Skippers pulled off a pivot. Skippers began focusing on its Fleet Grab & Go concept, which offers customers a limited number of menu items in a kiosk-based format. Skippers also doubled down on its local ambitions instead of trying to expand too widely. Now, there are dozens of Fleet Grab & Go locations dotted around Washington state, Oregon, and beyond, and the brand looks as though it's on the rise again.

Perhaps it's because of the nature of the food itself: But when you're eating raw seafood in such abundance, you want to make sure it's fresh and caught using safe practices. This was something that Bamboo Sushi clearly understood from the jump. The chain started in 2008, with founder Kristofor Lofgren placing an emphasis on sustainable practices. It soon grew to have eight locations in just over a decade, with people chiming with its messaging and food.

However, in 2020, things were looking bleak for Bamboo Sushi. The owner of the brand, Sustainable Restaurant Holdings, had to file for bankruptcy after its revenue was seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (as we all know, sushi doesn't travel too well on the back of a DoorDash motorcycle, y'all). It could have been the end of the brand, but somehow it managed to cling on. As of 2025, Bamboo Sushi is demonstrating a renewed push into the market, with a new location opening in Denver's Congress Park neighborhood and rumblings of a new CEO coming in to reinvigorate the brand.

For such a vibrant brand, Mambo Seafood went through a long period of not feeling very exciting. The chain was founded in 1996, and immediately it felt like a seafood restaurant with a twist. Instead of focusing on deep-fried fish or crab legs, it offered a range of Latin American-inspired dishes.

It should have been a winner across the country, but its growth was slow: The Texas-based brand reached just 11 locations around the state (and predominantly in Houston), although it had clear ambitions for more. However, in 2022, things kicked into gear for the restaurant. Mambo Seafood received a massive injection of cash from investment firm Garnett Station Partners, whose shot in the arm promised growth and revitalization. It looks like that money is being put to good use for the restaurant chain. In 2024 and 2025 a string of new restaurants were opened and announced, expanding the brand's footprint even further across Houston and San Antonio. Although national dominance isn't on the table just yet, we'd keep an eye on this restaurant.

King's Fish House has been around a little longer than you probably think. It all started in 1945, with the family-owned operation building a string of restaurants across Southern California. King's Fish House was (and is) one of several brands under the King's Seafood bannerhead, but it's always been its flagship offering. With a business history of approximately 80 years, it was plenty of time for King's Fish House to dominate the market — but it never quite grew to the size that one might hope.

However, in the last few years there have been signs that it's ready to begin inserting itself into the national market a little more forcefully. In 2019 we saw the opening of a King's Fish House unit, the first in 12 years. This may well have been poor timing, given that the COVID-19 pandemic was just around the corner — but some canny business decisions during that time helped it not just stay afloat, but thrive. King's Seafood focused its operations on retailing, managing to shift stock and keep the cash coming in and prevent mass layoffs. We haven't seen the result of this yet in the form of more restaurants opening, but it's clearly setting the stage for a gentle expansion.

Sushi Zushi opened in 2001 and while it never hit the big leagues, it did a very respectable business for a couple of decades, growing its locations and its fanbase. However, in 2024, things took a turn for the worst. The restaurant chain, which had been accruing a significant amount of debt and closing doors left, right, and center, began pursuing bankruptcy protection. The chain stated that it had been hit significantly by the pandemic, and it was struggling to keep afloat, leaving its investors and landlords unhappy.

Interestingly, a quick pivot by the company has indicated that it may not be time to hang things up just yet — and that Sushi Zushi may well be making a speedy comeback. The chain rapidly turned to a ghost kitchen model, working with technology platform Franklin Junction to offer its food via delivery only, which ironically could see it becoming an even more prominent name. The company is also actively seeking franchise partners to expand its Express operations. Sushi Zushi isn't giving up without a fight, and all the pieces are in place for it to be even more visible in the years to come. And, of course, by pursuing a delivery model, it allows customers to avoid all those embarrassing sushi restaurant mistakes.