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Ashia Aubourg
Everyone has a comfort food that brings a sense of calm and satisfaction whenever they eat it. For me, it’s always been mozzarella sticks. When my father passed away while I was in college, a quick trip to the dining hall for gooey, cheesy bites was just what I needed to feel a teeny bit better.
If you, like me, consider cheese its own food group, you can probably relate to the universal joy of devouring mozzarella sticks. They are a restaurant staple that, for the most part, is a safe choice if you’re not sure what to order but still want something tasty.
I decided to embark on a personal quest to find out which mozzarella sticks are the best companions for those times when you need an emotional boost. My goal was to find the ones worth going out of my way for, and I thought you could benefit from these results, too. Below is my subjective ranking of my top choices, including the number one spot I can’t wait to revisit when I need a quick pick-me-up.
How I Tested the Mozzarella Sticks
Choosing which mozzarella sticks to test wasn’t difficult since most major chain restaurants offer some version of the appetizer. However, it’s worth noting that some places use different names for them. Like Ninety Nine, which I discovered upon this test, calls its offering, fried moons.
Once I had curated a list of places to try, I set a rule only to taste the mozzarella sticks while they were fresh. There’s nothing worse than cheese that’s solidified from sitting out too long, so I wanted to give each contender a fair chance.
When I faced off with a hot plate of mozzarella sticks, I judged them based on the crispiness of the breading—because nobody likes a soggy bite—and how flavorful it was. I also examined whether the cheese inside was gooey and molten. Bonus points went to places that served up a tasty side of marinara sauce.
So, which chain passed my mozzarella stick test with flying colors? Keep reading to find out.
The Best Restaurant Mozzarella Sticks, Ranked
8th Place: Arby’s
Ashia Aubourg
On first impression, Arby’s mozzarella sticks seem appetizing. Cheese pull? Check. Crispy exterior? Yep. Unfortunately, the chain didn’t deliver as expected. The appetizer was drenched in oil, which overwhelmed the flavor.
The most unfortunate part was the cheesy interior, which didn’t taste like mozzarella but more like a blend of Cheddar or something else. The batter also lacked herbs, resulting in a crumb that tasted like plain fried dough (and not the delicious kind!) Arby’s is definitely better off focusing on its other appetizers, like its universally loved curly fries, which chefs have reported loving.
7th Place: Burger King
Ashia Aubourg
If you’re a fan of Burger King’s chicken fries, you’ll find the coating on its mozzarella sticks pretty similar. That said, while these bites do offer a cheesy molten center, I’m not a fan of the breading—it has an artificial herby taste. Plus, out of all the marinara sauces I tried, the one from this chain was the least delicious.
6th Place: Ninety Nine
Ashia Aubourg
I really wanted the mozzarella moons from Ninety Nine to be a Chili’s dupe, but unfortunately, they didn’t meet my expectations regarding flavor or texture. While they’re just as big, and you’d expect them to be filled with oozy cheese, I was disappointed that these empanada-shaped pockets were mostly air, leaving you with little more than a thick crust. To make matters worse, the coating was heavy and dense, lacking the light, crispy texture of the top-ranked options.
5th Place: Applebee’s
Ashia Aubourg
At first glance, Applebee’s mozzarella sticks seemed like any other. It had an herby crust filled with melty cheese— I was immediately hooked. As I started eating my way through the batch, I noticed the filling became unexpectedly chewy. Almost instantly, the inside started to solidify, which was not fun since the appeal of this delight was its melty texture. If you can overlook that and don’t mind a bit of chew, you might still find them tasty. But with so many other chains serving great ones, I wouldn’t venture out to snag these again.
4th Place: Buffalo Wild Wings
Ashia Aubourg
If I go out of my way to get to Buffalo Wild Wings, it’s usually to get my hands on boneless buffalo and honey barbecue wings. So when I discovered they also have seriously delicious mozzarella sticks, I was excited about the prospect of adding this appetizer to my already delicious order. The outer layer was flavorful and full of aromatic herbs, and the cheese oozed out effortlessly. To my surprise, the marinara sauce was also nearly perfectly spiced.
3rd Place: Chili’s
If you’re active on FoodTok, you’ve probably seen how often people rave about the mozzarella sticks from Chili’s—and I get it. If you’re a cheese lover, you’ll swoon over these because they’re loaded with an almost overwhelming amount of melty, milky curds. The crust packs bold herbs that perfectly complement the filling. What really makes these stand out is that you can get them covered in a variety of sauces like the chain’s Nashville hot sauce, buffalo sauce, or honey chipotle to name a few. While these flavor add-ons might be a bit intense for some, this contender should undoubtedly be on your list if you believe mozzarella sticks should be rich and decadent.
2nd Place: Red Robin
Ashia Aubourg
While Red Robin may be known for its iconic handhelds, like its Whiskey River BBQ Burger with Onion Straws, if you’re a fan of the chain, you have to try its mozzarella twists next time you go—that is … if you haven’t already. They definitely fall into the “irresistible” category, making it hard to stop at just one. With their subtly herbed, crunchy crust, and oozy center, I’m honestly surprised more people aren’t talking about how amazing the mozzarella twists are at Red Robin.
1st Place: Olive Garden
Ashia Aubourg
When this plate of fried mozzarella sticks landed on my table, I knew I was in for a treat. Coated with a generous dusting of freshly grated Parmesan, these crispy, deep-fried bites had an herb-crusted exterior that gave way to a center of soft, gooey cheese.
Let’s start with the crust. Olive Garden coats its mozzarella sticks in a rich buttery breadcrumb mixture with herbs—I’m guessing parsley or basil. When you dig into them, you’ll hear a satisfying crunch that lets you know they’re fried to perfection.
What I love most about these is how quickly you have to eat them—once you take a bite, the cheese starts to overflow in the best way. The melty center offers a creamy yet subtly milky flavor, which you can enhance by dipping it into Olive Garden’s bold marinara sauce (and I’m planning to try them with the chain’s Alfredo sauce next time). Even if you eat them plain, I promise, they’re still worthy of this ranking.
14 Popular Copycat Olive Garden Recipes that Taste Just Like the Originals
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