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86 Worst Rated Deep-fried Dishes in the World

Last update: Wed Mar 26 2025
86 Worst Rated Deep-fried Dishes in the World
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01
Hon mhai
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Hon mhai is a traditional insect dish that's especially popular in Bangkok. It's made by deep-frying silk worms, then seasoning them with salt, pepper, and sometimes a secret sauce that's prepared by the vendor, because the snack is usually sold from street carts.


Once fried, the silk worms turn crunchy and greasy, while the flavor is sometimes described as slgihtly bitter. Hon mhai silk worms are prized because they're rich in protein and some believe that they have medicinal properties.

02
A-ping
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The city of Skuon in Cambodia is so infested with spiders that the nearly-starved locals have adapted and started consuming them in the 1970s, and the practice has continued ever since. It is no wonder that the city is known as Spider Town or Spiderville.


The spiders (usually tarantulas) are breaded and deep-fried in hot oil, then served with some fresh local herbs on a bed of rice or noodles. The flavor of these critters has been described as a cross between cod and chicken – at least the hairy legs are supposed to taste so, because consumers are warned not to bite into the abdomen, which contains spiders’ internal organs and bodily fluids.

MOST ICONIC A-ping

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03

Snack

NETHERLANDS
2.6
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Nasibal is an unusual fusion of Indonesian and Dutch cuisines, a snack that is usually bought from numerous street vending machines that serve food. Shaped like a ball, nasibal consists of nasi goreng filling (fried rice and various spices) that is breaded and deep-fried in hot oil.


It can also be prepared at home, typically with leftover nasi goreng. For the best results, pair the snack with Indonesian peanut sauce.

04
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Deep-fried pizza is a Scottish concoction consisting of a pizza that is deep-fried in hot oil (without being dipped in batter) instead of being baked in an oven. It can be found in numerous chips shops throughout the country, where it is fried in the same oil where fish and chips are prepared.


This extremely caloric and unhealthy meal is often served with salt, vinegar, or chips in order to improve its flavors.

MOST ICONIC Scottish Deep-Fried Pizza

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05
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Barbagiuan is the national dish of Monaco, a deep-fried pastry fritter that is usually filled with Swiss chard, spinach, ricotta cheese, or pumpkin. It is traditionally served as an appetizer both in Monaco and parts of Northern Italy.


The small, tasty snack is especially popular on 19th of November, the National Day of Monaco.

06

Appetizer

JALISCO, Mexico
3.0
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Charales is a Mexican specialty dish consisting of small, deep-fried, minnow-sized fish consumed with salt, chilis, and a squeeze of lime juice. They are usually served as a snack or as an appetizer, although charales can also be used as a taco filling.


There is also a dried version of charales that is especially popular during Lent, when the fish is cooked with nopales, green salsa, and wild herbs.

07
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Dagwood dog is a popular Australian festival staple consisting of a hot dog on a stick that is dipped in batter, then deep-fried in hot oil. Before serving, the tip of Dagwood dog is typically dipped in tomato sauce, making it even tastier.


This savory treat is also known as Pluto pup and Dippy dog, depending on the region.

MOST ICONIC Dagwood Dog

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08
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Tian bu la are Taiwanese fish cakes made with a thick paste which incorporates mild white fish fillets, eggs, and potato or tapioca flour. The generously seasoned mixture is piped directly in the sizzling oil, then deep-fried until golden brown.


The fish cakes are usually shaped in long and thin cylindrical forms, but they are sometimes flattened into thick, round discs. Even though they can be eaten immediately after frying, the Taiwanese traditionally boil them on low heat in a soy-sauce-based broth, which allows the crispy skin to soften, and the cake to infuse with all the pungent broth flavors.


If it is served as a crispy treat, it is usually skewered and enjoyed as a snack on the go. 
09
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Croquetas con cecina is a traditional croquette variety. It's usually made with a combination of butter, leeks, cecina (air-dried beef), milk, flour, salt, pepper, nutmeg, eggs, breadcrumbs, and olive oil. The leeks and cecina are sautéed in butter, seasoned with salt and pepper, and then mixed with a bechamel sauce consisting of flour, butter, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.


The mixture is chilled, shaped into croquetas, dipped in eggs, rolled in breadcrumbs, and then fried in olive oil until golden brown.

10
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Cuy frito or cuy chactado is one of the oldest traditional Peruvian dishes that has been consumed since Incan times. It is made with guinea pigs, which are obviously not kept as pets in Peru – instead, they are fried to crispy perfection.


The fried guinea pigs are said to taste similar to chicken (or as a cross between rabbit a chicken), but with a fattier flavor. The head is also edible, and that's the favorite part for many people. Cuy frito is usually eaten with your hands, and it's recommended to keep some napkins on hand as things can get a bit messy while eating it.


This dish is typically served in cuyerías with corn on the cob, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, salsas, and salads.

MOST ICONIC Cuy frito

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1
2
3
4
11
12
Fried Chicken Dish
SPRINGFIELD, United States of America
3.2
13
14
Snack
NETHERLANDS
3.3
15
Dumplings
GUANGDONG, China  and  one more region
3.3
16
Appetizer
MADRID, Spain  and  one more region
3.3
17
18
Cooked Sausage
BELGIUM  and  one more region
3.4
19
Snack
BENDIGO, Australia
3.4
20
Snack
PROVENCE, France
3.4
21
22
Snack
NETHERLANDS
3.5
23
24
25
26
Savory Pastry
MANADO, Indonesia
3.5
27
Saltwater Fish Dish
ENGLAND  and  3 more regions
3.5
28
Fried Chicken Dish
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.6
29
30
Hot Dog
TEXAS, United States of America
3.6
31
Snack
TAMIL NADU, India
3.6
32
33
Snack
GRONINGEN, Netherlands
3.6
34
35
36
37
38
Fried Chicken Dish
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.7
39
40
41
42
Pork Dish
ANDÚJAR, Spain  and  one more region
3.7
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
Snack
NEW ENGLAND, United States of America
3.7
51
52
53
Side Dish
SOUTHERN UNITED STATES, United States of America
3.8
54
55
Bread
SOUTH DAKOTA, United States of America
3.8
56
Snack
COLOMBIA  and  one more country
3.8
57
58
59
Freshwater Fish Dish
NEW ORLEANS, United States of America
3.8
60
Snack
BOISE, United States of America
3.8
61
62
Seafood
CALABASH, United States of America
3.8
63
Saltwater Fish Dish
ENGLAND  and  3 more regions
3.9
64
Side Dish
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.9
65
Snack
NETHERLANDS
3.9
66
Fried Chicken Dish
SOUTHERN UNITED STATES, United States of America
3.9
67
Snack
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands
3.9
68
Appetizer
GUANGDONG, China  and  one more region
3.9
69
Snack
SOUTHERN UNITED STATES, United States of America
3.9
70
71
72
Dumplings
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3.9
73
74
75
Fried Chicken Dish
MIDDLESBROUGH, England
3.9
76
Sandwich
ZULIA, Venezuela
3.9
77
78
79
Snack
TAMIL NADU, India
3.9
80
Meat Dish
MALAYSIA  and  one more region
3.9
81
82
Offal Dish
PHILIPPINES
3.9
83
Saltwater Fish Dish
ENGLAND  and  3 more regions
3.9
84
Saltwater Fish Dish
LISBON DISTRICT, Portugal
3.9
85
Saltwater Fish Dish
ENGLAND  and  3 more regions
3.9
86

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “86 Worst Rated Deep-fried Dishes in the World” list until March 26, 2025, 22,280 ratings were recorded, of which 17,568 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.