Tartar sauce can make or break your fish dinner. This creamy, tangy condiment adds zest to seafood dishes, but not all store-bought versions deserve a place on your table. Whether you’re dipping fish sticks or dressing up a gourmet salmon burger, the right tartar sauce enhances flavor while the wrong one can ruin your meal. Let’s explore which brands are worth your money and which should stay on the shelf.
1. Inglehoffer Seafood Tartar Sauce
Inglehoffer delivers a tartar sauce that strikes gold with its perfect balance of creaminess and tang. The texture feels homemade – thick enough to cling to your fish without sliding off, yet smooth enough to spread easily.
What sets this sauce apart is the fresh-tasting dill and relish pieces that pop with each bite. Unlike competitors that blend everything into oblivion, Inglehoffer preserves those little chunks that give tartar sauce its character.
Seafood lovers particularly praise how this sauce enhances rather than overpowers delicate fish flavors. The mild acidity cuts through fried foods without the artificial aftertaste found in cheaper brands. For restaurant-quality tartar sauce without the fuss of making it yourself, this belongs in your refrigerator door.
2. Frisch’s Original Tartar Sauce
Remember that perfect fish sandwich from your childhood? Frisch’s captures that memory in a jar. This Midwest favorite has developed a cult following for good reason – its distinctive sweet-tangy profile simply can’t be replicated by mainstream brands.
The secret appears to be a higher ratio of sweet pickle relish combined with a mayonnaise base that’s richer than most commercial versions. Fans drive miles to Frisch’s restaurants just to purchase this sauce by the tub.
While some tartar sauces try to be sophisticated with added herbs and spices, Frisch’s embraces simplicity with confidence. The consistency strikes the perfect middle ground – not too runny, not too thick. This sauce transforms ordinary frozen fish fillets into something you’d happily serve guests without apology.
3. Kraft Creamy Tartar Sauce
Found in nearly every grocery store across America, Kraft’s offering deserves recognition for its consistent quality and versatility. The smooth, pale cream sauce delivers exactly what most families expect when they think of tartar sauce – no surprises, just dependable flavor.
Kraft keeps the ingredient list straightforward with mayonnaise, pickles, and a touch of onion. The mild flavor profile makes it particularly kid-friendly while still satisfying adults who prefer subtlety over boldness.
The squeeze bottle design prevents waste and keeps the sauce fresh longer than jar alternatives. While culinary enthusiasts might find it lacks excitement, its neutral character makes it an excellent canvas for customization – add capers, extra dill, or a dash of hot sauce to create your signature blend. For everyday fish sticks and quick weeknight meals, Kraft delivers without fuss.
4. Bookbinder’s Tartar Sauce
Bookbinder’s breaks the tartar sauce mold by incorporating horseradish – a bold move that pays off brilliantly. This Philadelphia-born condiment delivers a gentle heat that builds rather than overwhelms, clearing sinuses while enhancing seafood flavors.
The texture deserves special mention – slightly thicker than most competitors, it stays put on fish rather than sliding off onto your plate. Small chunks of pickle provide textural interest against the creamy background.
Particularly magnificent with stronger-flavored fish like salmon or mackerel, this sauce stands up where milder versions would disappear. Even non-seafood applications shine – try it with roast beef sandwiches or as a zesty vegetable dip. The distinctive glass jar packaging reflects the premium positioning, making it feel special enough for company yet practical enough for regular enjoyment.
5. Legal Sea Foods House Tartar Sauce
When a renowned seafood restaurant bottles their house sauce, expectations run high – and Legal Sea Foods delivers. The first spoonful reveals why this premium option commands a higher price point: real aioli base (not just mayonnaise) provides richness that mass-market versions can’t match.
Coarse-cut pickle relish creates textural interest, while fresh dill adds bright, herbaceous notes. The balance between creamy, tangy, and savory elements feels thoughtfully crafted rather than formulaic.
This sauce particularly shines with higher-end seafood – think crab cakes or grilled scallops – where its complex flavor profile can truly be appreciated. While perhaps too assertive for fish sticks, it transforms simple grilled fish into something restaurant-worthy. The elegant jar design makes it gift-worthy for the seafood enthusiast in your life who appreciates culinary details.
6. McCormick Tartar Sauce
McCormick might dominate the spice aisle, but their tartar sauce falls surprisingly flat. The first problem hits immediately: an overwhelming sweetness that masks the tangy zip essential to proper tartar sauce. This sugary profile feels more appropriate for a dessert topping than a seafood condiment.
Texture issues compound the flavor problems. The gelatinous consistency seems artificially thickened rather than naturally creamy, creating an unpleasant mouthfeel that clings to the palate.
Even more disappointing is the absence of identifiable pickle or herb pieces that give quality tartar sauce its character. Instead, the sauce presents as a homogeneous, pale yellow mass with little visual appeal. Given McCormick’s reputation for quality in other products, this tartar sauce represents a surprising misstep that seafood deserves better than.
7. 365 Organic Tartar Sauce
Whole Foods’ house brand usually delivers solid organic alternatives, making this tartar sauce’s failure particularly surprising. Despite premium pricing and promising packaging, the contents disappoint from the first spoonful – excessive oil separation creates a slick coating that overwhelms rather than complements seafood.
The flavor profile lacks the crucial acid balance that defines good tartar sauce. Instead of bright tanginess, a cloying sweetness dominates without the necessary pickle brine counterpoint.
Most concerning is the thin, almost watery consistency that slides right off food instead of clinging appropriately. While the organic ingredients list initially seems impressive, the execution falls short of expectations. Even health-conscious consumers willing to pay more for quality ingredients would be better served making their own tartar sauce from organic components rather than settling for this subpar option.
8. Sau-Sea Classic Tartar Sauce
Sau-Sea’s tartar sauce manages to commit the cardinal sin of condiments – being forgettable. The flavor profile lacks the essential briny punch that makes tartar sauce worth adding to seafood in the first place.
Opening the jar reveals a disappointingly uniform paste with virtually no visible pickle pieces or herbs. The texture resembles cheap mayonnaise rather than properly crafted tartar sauce, creating a slick coating that feels artificial on the palate.
Most problematic is the overwhelming sweetness that dominates without the necessary acidic counterbalance. This one-dimensional profile fails to cut through the richness of fried seafood – the very job tartar sauce is designed to perform. The dated packaging reflects the equally outdated formula inside, suggesting this brand hasn’t updated its recipe despite evolving consumer preferences for more authentic, less processed flavors.
9. Colman’s Tartare Sauce
From a brand known for mustard comes a tartar sauce that misses the mark entirely. Colman’s version suffers from an identity crisis – the rich, eggy base initially promises quality, but is immediately undermined by an aggressive sweetness that hijacks the entire experience.
The culprit appears on the ingredient list: glucose-fructose syrup features prominently, creating a candy-like sweetness completely at odds with tartar sauce’s traditional profile. This overwhelming sugar presence obliterates any hope of the balanced flavor that seafood deserves.
Even the texture raises questions – slightly too gelatinous and uniform, lacking the pleasant textural contrast of pickle pieces. The distinctive yellow-labeled jar might catch your eye on store shelves, but the contents will likely disappoint anyone seeking authentic tartar sauce flavor. This represents a rare misstep from a generally respected condiment maker.
10. Primal Kitchen Tartar Sauce
Primal Kitchen earns points for ingredient quality but loses them on execution. Made with avocado oil instead of soybean oil, this health-focused alternative sounds promising until you taste it and wonder: where’s the tartar sauce?
The texture immediately raises concerns – significantly thinner than traditional versions, it drips rather than dollops. More problematic is the flavor profile that bizarrely resembles ranch dressing with its herbal notes dominating any pickle or brine elements.
While accommodating paleo and keto dieters deserves recognition, a condiment should still deliver its promised flavor profile regardless of dietary philosophy. The premium price point ($8-10 per jar) makes this identity crisis even less forgivable. Those seeking healthier alternatives might be better served making their own tartar sauce with quality ingredients rather than settling for this well-intentioned but misguided interpretation.
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