Alright, seafood lovers, gather close right now. If you hate ocean eats, just peek carefully, maybe. Either way, let’s talk about this food category, please. It’s really one of the most debated food types out there. Some of us grew up near the coast, eating fish all the time. Living that fresh seafood dream came easily then. Others avoided seafood for years, you know. Suddenly, one glorious day, they might have liked oysters. Then some folks just never liked the salty taste of fish. That taste was just too fishy sometimes. Which is totally valid, if you ask me, I think.
But let’s be honest, even among us seafood fans. We definitely have our favorite types. And if you’re anything like us, you have foods you like a lot. And other kinds you’re not that into. So we took on this big task. Ranking some popular seafood types was the task. We started with the ones we’d never grab first. And we’re working up to the actual top picks, you see.
Now, here’s a quick disclaimer. This ranking list is totally subjective, you know. Your favorite seafood might be our lowest one. That’s just completely okay. You know your own taste buds best. But perhaps our list gives you new dinner ideas. Or maybe you nod along in agreement. Or shake your head yes or no loudly. Let’s dive in and see where your favorites ended up, possibly.
1. **Abalone**: This is our lowest-ranked item, maybe. If you’ve tried this food, you know it’s a kind of love-it-or-hate-it taste. It’s a unique seafood, yes. Texture-wise, we don’t really think it’s that bad. Context says it’s like calamari but denser. So if you like the chew of calamari, this might feel okay for you. But where it loses many people is in its flavor. Cooked in its shell, context notes a distinct fishiness often present. Out of the shell, it’s not especially fishy, you know. But it lacks a real flavor punch. Context says it’s only slightly buttery and salty. That’s really all its flavor has. Honestly, this seafood needs other ingredients to be exciting. Context also says abalone can be quite expensive. So we don’t rush out to try it much.
2. **Sea urchin**: This one has quite a reputation, yes, it does. It even earned a mention from the late, great Anthony Bourdain once. Context recounts Bourdain’s quote about a date for uni: “If she’s immune to the charms of sea urchin roe or unwilling to try it, there’s no hope.” Oof, that sounds like a tough test sometimes. Based on our experience, maybe we’re not Bourdain’s type then. Because uni can be quite a challenge to handle. Appearance-wise, it’s often called gorgeous. “Gleaming orange mounds of soft eggs, just begging to be scooped out of their prickly protective black cages” sounds pretty neat. Visually, it is stunning and also intriguing.
But then you actually taste this seafood. Scoop some out, and context says you’ll meet a wet, seawater-y glob in your mouth. Yep, that really sums up the texture. Thankfully, usually you don’t have to chew it much. I mean, sometimes before you swallow. But “the few seconds that the uni rolls around in your mouth are less than pleasant, if you ask us.” While it looks beautiful, the intense briny taste is too much. The texture is overwhelming too, sometimes. It lands low on our personal list of likes.
Product on Amazon: GEOMAR Sea Urchin in Brine – Chilean Sea Urchin, Gourmet Tinned Ready To Eat Seafood, Delicacy Gourmet Pantry Staples, Single Can – 3.17 oz
Brand: Geomar
Binding: Grocery Product Group: Grocery
Price: 8.99 USD
Features:
1. Canned Shellfish – Caught by divers by hand in Chile’s Pacific Ocean, it is then hand selected and hand packed to ensure a high-quality product. The perfect addition to Italian, Japanese, Chilean, Mediterranean or Asian cuisine.
2. Canned Shellfish – Caught by divers by hand in Chile’s Pacific Ocean, it is then hand selected and hand packed to ensure a high-quality product. The perfect addition to Italian, Japanese, Chilean, Mediterranean or Asian cuisine.
3. Full of Flavor – Packed in brine for taste and preservation. Sea urchins have a salty-sweet taste. Perfect for snacks, appetizers, lunch, dinner and other meals. Pairs with other types of shellfish such as crab, lobster, smoked oysters or scallops.
4. Sea Urchin is a great healthy diet option – It is naturally trans-fat free, low fat, low carb and a good source of protein. Perfect for KETO, Mediterranean, Atkins, the Zone and more. Enjoy the briny delicious flavor in every bite.
5. Amazing – Sea urchin is a special treat that can add a new dimension to your favorite entrees. Add it to your favorite dishes and delight your family and friends. A semi-spherical shaped shellfish with a rich orange-yellow flesh that tastes like the sea.
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Read more about: You’re Lying If You Say You Actually Like These 10 Foods: A Hilarious Food Roast
3. **Catfish**: Is this our very favorite seafood type ever? Context says, “Definitely not.” And yes, we tend to agree it’s not top-tier for folks. As bottom feeders, saltwater catfish can taste very fishy and salty. Which, as context points out, “isn’t to everyone’s taste.” Compared to many other white fish, catfish isn’t nearly as useful. It has a stronger, distinct flavor, you see. That limits how you can use it well for cooking.
Now, that doesn’t mean it can’t be good food. Context notes, “When it’s cooked well (i.e., when it’s breaded and fried to perfection), it can be pretty good.” Who can really say no to classic fish and chips anyway? But the other side is that all too often, catfish isn’t prepared well. Leading to disappointing results for sure. Context encourages, “If you know how to cook catfish well, though, don’t let our ranking stop you from frying some up at home.” And since not everyone has a taste for it, you can usually snag catfish for pretty cheap. Which is always a good plus.
Product on Amazon: Catfish Fillet Blue
Brand: Seafood
Binding: Grocery Product Group: Amazon Fresh Perishables
Price: 18.99 USD
Features:
1. Responsibly Farmed or sustainable wild-caught
2. Certain preservatives prohibited, including sodium bisulfite and STPP
3. Traceable to farm or fishery
4. Certified to meet the Marine Stewardship Council Standard for sustainability or rated “Green†or “Yellow†by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program
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4. **Eel**: The flavor of eel can change a lot sometimes, you know. It changes depending on where it lives and how it’s cooked too. But generally speaking, it’s not at the top of our seafood preferences list ever.
According to context, eel that comes from freshwater environments tends to have a stronger, more pronounced fishy flavor that may be a bit off-putting for some. Saltwater eel, on the other hand, is usually lighter and fresher tasting. People often prefer that taste. But no matter where it’s from, eel typically has intense oiliness. That makes it generally quite rich sometimes. This richness means it can easily overpower other components in a dish. So you must be careful what you pair it with.
Beyond the oiliness, eel can also taste quite salty. And sometimes it comes across as slightly sour. Sounds like a flavor adventure, right? However, context highlights that eel also boasts an interesting umami flavor. This gives it a depth and complexity you won’t find everywhere else. It can be quite delicious when it’s used in sushi. Since its saltiness pairs well with the neutral flavor of rice there. So, while it’s low on our overall list, eel does have its moments. Especially when prepared by skilled hands.
Product on Amazon: Old Fisherman ROASTED EEL 3.5oz (6 Pack)
Brand: Old Fisherman
Binding: Grocery Product Group: Grocery
Price: 16.38 USD
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5. **Crab**: Crab meat can taste absolutely scrumptious always. It’s a real treat, even. So why is it ranked so low? Well, it’s all about the effort, isn’t it really?
The context perfectly captures the struggle we face. “So many of us spend hours at the dinner table, agonizing over how to get those few precious pieces of meat out of a crab’s hard shell.” It’s a big workout for your hands and patience levels too. Context asks the tough question out loud. “Do you really want to eat a kind of food that requires a tool just to access it?” It’s tricky to crack open crabs’ legs, you know. And you get very little meat for all the work you put into it. That part is always disappointing.
Beyond the physical work needed, the flavor of much crab meat is kind of lackluster. It’s vaguely salty sometimes. This means you almost always need to dunk the meat in butter or cover it with herbs and spices, maybe, to make it more interesting in taste. Context offers one shining exception for us. “Unless we’re talking about perfectly fried soft-shell crab, it’s just not worth the effort most times.” We prefer spending our energy eating different food, please—food that gives big flavor without such a battle.
Product on Amazon: Bumble Bee White Flake Crab Meat in Water, 6 oz Can – 16g Protein & 1g Carb Per Serving – Wild Caught, Flaky, Drain Before Use, 6 Ounce (Pack of 1)
Brand: Bumble Bee
Binding: Grocery Product Group: Grocery
Price: 2.94 USD
Features:
1. WHITE CRAB MEAT: Flaky, delicious meat from the body of the crab. Drain before use (drained weight 4.25oz per can).
2. CONVENIENT CANNED SEAFOOD: Use whenever you want a tasty protein-packed ingredient for lunches, snacks, entertaining, or dinners at home.
3. QUALITY IN EVERY CAN: A reliable protein source for those on a ketogenic and low carb diets; contains 1g carbs and 16g protein per serving.
4. FAVORITE SHELLFISH RECIPES: Bake into crab cakes, blend into crab dips, fold into crab rangoon, stack with eggs for Crab Benedict, or add to pasta and casserole dishes.
5. BUMBLE BEE CRAB MEAT: Delicious canned crab meat is great mixed with mayonnaise for a tasty seafood salad and is a great alternative to canned fish for your favorite seafood recipes.
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6. **Herring**: This fish is definitely not for timid people. It’s called a very polarizing kind of fish, largely because of its bold and intense flavor. Yep, you read that description correctly just now. Bold. Intense. Those are big words.
Herring is notably an incredibly oily fish. That is where its signature richness comes from, you see. Context mentions two specific ways folks enjoy it a lot: “pickled and smoked.” Pickling helps by adding an element of acidity to the dish, balancing out that oiliness and fattiness greatly to create a deeply flavorful (and admittedly quite salty) dish. It’s perfect for adding to salads later or pairing with simple carbs for a funky snack sometimes. If you live for strong savory food, this might be your jam.
Smoking herring, context explains, really brings out the fish’s complexity and yields an even more intense flavor that some absolutely love. However, and this is a big point, this is not a fish for those who already feel hesitant about seafood in general. Its bold fishiness can be quite jarring to new eaters, and outside those special preparations, fattiness can feel overwhelming on the palate. So, while not the lowest, herring is far from our favorite unless someone prepares it just right for you.
Product on Amazon: Brunswick Boneless Kipper Style Herring Fillets, 3.53 oz Can (Pack of 12) – 18g Protein per Serving – Gluten Free, Keto Friendly – Great for Pasta & Seafood Recipes
Brand: Brunswick
Binding: Grocery Product Group: Grocery
Price: 22.05 USD
Features:
1. BONELESS KIPPER STYLE HERRING: Premium, high-quality boneless kipper style canned herring will satisfy you when you want a tasty and healthy snack, lunch or dinner
2. GOOD SOURCE OF PROTEIN: This 12 pack of 3.53 ounce can of Brunswick Boneless Kipper Style Herring contains 18 grams of protein per serving (1 serving per can)
3. CONVENIENT PANTRY INGREDIENT: Enjoy a can of boneless kipper style herring as a great-tasting, protein-packed seafood snack or as an addition to any pasta or seafood recipe
4. PERFECT FOR SEAFOOD RECIPES: Brunswick kipper style herring is the perfect choice for all your favorite seafood recipes and is a great food for those on a ketogenic (keto) diet
5. CANNED HERRING: High-quality Brunswick Boneless Kipper Style Herring Fillets are keto friendly and gluten free
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7. **Tilapia**: The context starts with a question that might be rhetorical: “Doesn’t everyone love tilapia?” Well, maybe that’s part of the problem, we think.
Tilapia is practically everywhere you look. It’s “nearly ubiquitous in restaurants and frozen food aisles,” often seen. And that’s the main reason for its wide reach, you see. According to the context, it doesn’t have much intensity of flavor. It’s essentially just plain white fish, anyway. It really gets most of its good taste from other things—from other ingredients it’s paired with a lot. Because of this mild nature, it doesn’t rank high on our flavor ranking lists.
The good side of tilapia’s mildness, though, is its incredible versatility, you know. “Whether you’re frying or poaching your tilapia, it’s probably going to come out tasting great.” If you want to eat fish but don’t always love seafood, tilapia may be the way to go for you. However, the context correctly notes, if you’re the kind of person who actually enjoys eating fish, tilapia may seem lackluster if you have it too often. It’s reliable, sure, but maybe a bit boring for people who like trying flavorful seafood.
8. **Lobster**: This is often celebrated, and sometimes overhyped, seafood for folks. It apparently had quite a historical glow-up, and it’s true.
According to the context, back in the day, lobster was considered so unappetizing that the shellfish was fed to prisoners. Get this story: “Some of the prisoners considered it cruel and unusual punishment to be required to eat so much of it.” Fast forward to today, and lobster is firmly cemented as a delicacy. Wild, right? That’s quite a change.
The context believes this shift is really more a matter of economics than taste. Lobster is expensive to buy, so eating it confers status, maybe. But if you actually take a moment and think, and please eat some lobster and pay attention, you might find it doesn’t taste like very much at all. Context admits, “Sure, lobster can be delicious,” but that’s usually when it’s smothered in mayo or covered in a generous serving of butter, too. And when you factor in that high price tag, you have to wonder whether it’s worth it at all. We would never refuse a free lobster roll, maybe, but we are not about to go out of our way to drop some serious cash on it either. It’s tasty with butter, yes, but is it really inherently that flavorful on its own? I ask. It’s debatable, for sure.
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