Culver's Seafood Menu — Cod, Shrimp & Fish Dinners with Prices
Most people walk into Culver's for a ButterBurger and don't even notice the seafood section. That's a mistake. The North Atlantic Cod is hand-battered and genuinely flaky — not a compressed fish rectangle — and the Butterfly Jumbo Shrimp are crispy, well-sized, and surprisingly good for a burger chain. Here's the full seafood breakdown with current prices and honest recommendations.
North Atlantic Cod — The Star of the Seafood Menu
Culver's sources wild-caught North Atlantic Cod — the same species you'd find at a proper Midwest Friday Fish Fry. Each fillet is hand-battered in the restaurant using Culver's own breading recipe and fried to order. The result is a crispy, golden coating that cracks when you bite into it, revealing steaming white fish that actually flakes apart. It's a genuinely good piece of fish by any standard, not just "good for fast food."
The Cod is available in two formats: a sandwich (single fillet on a toasted hoagie roll with tartar sauce and lettuce) and a dinner (two fillets plated with coleslaw and your choice of side). The sandwich is the grab-and-go option; the dinner is the full Friday-night-supper experience.
Butterfly Jumbo Shrimp
The shrimp at Culver's are butterflied, breaded, and fried — resulting in a crispy shell with a sweet, tender shrimp inside. They're larger than typical fast-food shrimp (they actually call them "jumbo" and mostly deliver on that promise) and come in two portion sizes. The regular order gives you 6 pieces, which works as a solid entrée on its own or in a Value Basket. The dinner bumps it up to 10 pieces with coleslaw and a side — enough food to leave you full.
Unlike the cod which is best with tartar sauce, shrimp pairs well with cocktail sauce (if your location carries it), sweet & sour, or just a squeeze of lemon. Some regulars dip them in Culver's signature sauce for a tangy twist.
Complete Seafood Price Table
Here's every seafood item with standalone, dinner, and Value Basket pricing:
| Seafood Item | Standalone | Value Basket | Calories | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Atlantic Cod Sandwich | $8.49 | $11.49 | ~490 | Sandwich on hoagie roll |
| North Atlantic Cod Dinner (2 pc) | $11.49 | $13.49 | ~870 | Plated + coleslaw + side |
| Butterfly Jumbo Shrimp (6 pc) | $8.99 | $11.99 | ~340 | 6 breaded shrimp |
| Butterfly Jumbo Shrimp Dinner (10 pc) | $12.99 | $13.99 | ~800 | Plated + coleslaw + side |
Dinner items include coleslaw and your choice of side. Value Baskets include Crinkle Cut Fries + medium drink. Prices approximate.
Sandwich vs Dinner — Which Format to Choose?
This depends on how you're eating. The sandwich is the portable option — you can eat it in the car, take it on the go, or finish it quickly on a lunch break. It's one fillet on a bun, manageable and satisfying. The dinner is a sit-down meal: two fillets (or 10 shrimp), coleslaw, and a side. It's more food, more variety, and feels like an actual supper rather than a quick bite.
Price-wise, the dinner delivers strong value. The Cod Dinner gives you two full fillets for $11.49 versus one in the sandwich for $8.49 — that second fillet only costs you $3 more. If you're genuinely hungry, the dinner is the smarter pick.
The Friday Fish Fry Connection
If you're from the Midwest — especially Wisconsin, where Culver's was founded — you already know about the Friday Fish Fry tradition. It's a generations-old custom where restaurants and bars serve battered fish (usually cod or perch) every Friday, often with coleslaw, rye bread, and potato pancakes. Culver's Cod Dinner is essentially a fast-food version of that tradition, and it's a legitimately good one.
Culver's serves seafood every day of the week, not just Fridays. But if you visit on a Friday, especially at a Wisconsin or Upper Midwest location, don't be surprised if the line is longer — Friday is still peak fish day, and regulars plan around it. Some locations have even run limited-time Friday specials on their fish offerings in the past.
Seafood Calorie Comparison
The shrimp is the calorie-conscious choice here. Six pieces clock in at just ~340 calories — that's lower than most ButterBurgers and lighter than the Crispy Chicken Sandwich. The cod is heavier because of the thicker breading and hoagie roll, but it's still reasonable for a fried fish meal.
| Meal Setup | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Shrimp (6 pc) standalone | ~340 | High |
| Cod Sandwich standalone | ~490 | Moderate |
| Shrimp (6 pc) Basket (fries + drink) | ~930 | High |
| Cod Sandwich Basket (fries + drink) | ~1,020 | Moderate |
| Cod Dinner (no basket, with coleslaw + fries) | ~1,240 | High |
| Shrimp Dinner (no basket, with coleslaw + fries) | ~1,180 | High |
| Shrimp (6 pc) + Side Salad + Water | ~430 | High |
The Shrimp + Side Salad + Water combo is one of the lightest full meals on the entire Culver's menu at ~430 calories.
🐟 5 Seafood Ordering Tips
- Try the Cod first. It's the signature seafood item and the best representation of Culver's fish quality. If you're only ordering seafood once, make it the Cod Sandwich.
- Swap coleslaw for a side salad on the dinner plates if you want to lighten the meal. The coleslaw adds about 180 calories; a side salad is around 90.
- Friday = peak fish day. The food is the same quality any day of the week, but lines are shorter Monday through Thursday if you want a calmer experience.
- Ask for extra tartar sauce. One packet isn't enough for a Cod Dinner with two fillets. Most locations will give you extra for free — just ask.
- Shrimp is the low-calorie power pick. At just ~340 calories for 6 pieces, it's lighter than almost any other entrée on the menu. Pair it with steamed broccoli for a meal under 400 calories.