6 Chains That Use Hand-Battered Onion Rings—Not Frozen Ones from a Bag

When was the last time you had a really, really good onion ring—one freshly-prepared and so hot you can't even bite into it. Crispy, not greasy, with a decent crunch, and a batter that doesn't fall off leaving just a sad piece of onion behind. Onion rings are one of the most common sides in restaurants, but it's also one of the most disappointing for anyone who is craving onion rings made with care, worth the money and the calories. Luckily some chains still take pride even in the humble appetizer—here are six restaurants where you can get onion rings made from scratch.

Farmer Boys

Farmer Boys prides itself on hand-made onion rings prepared from scratch every day in restaurants. "Farm fresh, hand-chopped, and battered daily at each restaurant. Crispy, colossal, and addictive," the chain says about its 4pc Colossal Onion Rings. "I used to go there for the onion rings back when I worked in Colton. Most of their food is pretty great," one Redditor shared.

King's Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant

King's Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant makes onion rings in-house. "Freshly cut Maui onion rings battered and breaded with panko and macadamia nuts. Served with BBQ sauce and homemade ranch dressing," is how the company describes its delicious Macadamia Nut Onion Rings.

I Tried the Onion Rings at 6 Fast-Food Chains & the Best Was Crispy and Spicy

Culver's

In line with the rest of its menu, Culver's serves freshly-made onion rings prepared in-house every day. "Our thick-cut onion rings are made from whole white onions, battered with a subtle blend of spices, letting the onion's natural sweetness shine through. Fried golden after you order and salted the second they leave the fryer—a most welcome addition to any value basket," the restaurant says.

Huey's Burger

Huey's Burger chain proudly makes its onion rings from scratch, in house, every day. "My favorites are the nachos, onion rings, Senior Huey and hot wings. I tried their catfish basket for the first time and liked it but I prefer my favorites more," one happy customer wrote on TripAdvisor.

Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen

Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen serves up some delightful Homemade Onion Rings. "Fresh-cut, hand-battered and made to order. Served with our signature ranch and Cajun dipping sauce," the restaurant chain says. "Literally the best onion rings I've ever had in my life," one fan commented on Facebook.

Bennigan's

Irish pub chain Bennigan's serves an "Irish Tower O'Rings", a dish of house-made colossal onion rings "deep fried to perfection" and served with chipotle ranch and Cholula sauce.

Bennigan's currently has 10 locations in the U.S. (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas) including three "On the Fly" units (the brand's fast-casual joints), plus 15 international restaurants.