How do you make perfect, crisp and fluffy fries even better? Load them up with lots of other delicious ingredients, that’s how. It seems the only limit is the chef’s imagination when it comes to loaded fries, with creations across the US ranging from good old chili and cheese and the classic Canadian indulgence, poutine, to chipped potatoes piled high with pulled pork, lobster, kimchi, or even chocolate.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover where to find the most mouthwatering loaded fries in every state.

Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.

All the fries served at Carrigan’s in Birmingham are deliciously crisp and fluffy. But the loaded fries, buried under house-made chili, jalapeño cheese sauce, ‘hipster’ ranch sauce, and fresh jalapeños, are something else. Customers recommend getting a portion with one of the well-made drinks, or just as a late-night snack. You can even order them with a corndog on top for the ultimate experience (pictured).

The short rib braised poutine at Tent City Taphouse in downtown Anchorage is the perfect sharing dish (or it can be eaten as a meal in itself, of course). This gastropub cooks its fries in duck fat and tops them with tender short rib beef, cheese curds, provolone and mozzarella cheeses, and thick, rich gravy. The result is rich, indulgent, and pretty sensational.

Tempe’s 5th Street Burger & Fries serves several varieties of topped fries, including regular cheese, fries, chili cheese fries, and fries seasoned with Nashville hot seasoning and served with buttermilk dressing. All can be customized as you wish, with the option to add on the likes of grilled pineapple, crispy bacon, and avocado. The standout favorite order is the Flaming Devil Fries – straight-cut fries smothered in Cheddar cheese sauce and liberally dusted with crushed Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

This isn’t the craziest, or even the dirtiest, option on Parkside Public’s dirty fries menu, but sometimes you just can’t beat a classic. The debris fries – a take on poutine – are a winning combination of crisp fries with roast beef gravy and Monterey Jack cheese. Other options on the menu include chili cheese fries and the loaded Parkside fries, which are topped with bacon, Cheddar, jalapeños, sour cream, and sriracha.

Whatever you order at La Puerta, make sure to allow some room for a portion of the incredible carne asada fries. People seek out this relaxed Mexican restaurant just to order this dish of crisp fries piled high with tender arrachera (skirt) steak, Cotija cheese, grilled onions, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, and cilantro. You can go even further with a surf ’n’ turf version which sees sautéed shrimp added on.

The queso fries at 5280 Burger Bar come in a boat-shaped dish and they’re smothered in so much delicious sauce, they could conceivably float. The skin-on fries are cut in-house and, once double fried, are topped with green chili queso sauce, pico de gallo, and shredded Cheddar. Other mouthwatering stacked options include the regular loaded fries (finished with house-made cheese sauce, chopped bacon, scallions, and sour cream) and the loaded tater tots stuffed with bacon and Cheddar.

Jefferson Fry Co. doesn’t just have one loaded fries option on its menu – it has 16 of them. You can also order your fries ‘naked’ at this Connecticut mini chain – with locations in Canton, Cromwell, Parkville, Vernon, and Storrs – but it’s the dirty fries customers really love. There are flavor combinations from truffle Parmesan to taco beef, but the Fusion Fries are a fan favorite. They’re topped with grilled chicken, sriracha, hoisin sauce, garlic aioli, crushed peanuts, and cilantro, and are truly incredible.

If you’re going to order loaded fries by the coast then it’s only right they come topped with juicy crab meat. The Fish Camp Fries at Matt’s Fish Camp are loaded with freshly caught crab in a cheese fondue sauce laced with Old Bay seasoning. Customers rave about all of the delicious seafood served here, but these fries have a special place in their hearts (and bellies).

From chopped frankfurters to chili, you can take your choice of toppings when you order loaded fries from Rock That Burger – and you really can’t go wrong. However, it’s the simple cheese fries, with an oozy Cheddar sauce ladled over the top, that win the most praise. You can get them with added jalapeños too (pictured). If you can handle it, they’re the perfect accompaniment to one of the restaurant’s loaded burgers.

Fred's Meat & Bread received a Michelin Bib Gourmand nod in 2023 and 2024, so obviously you’d expect the food to be good. But even then, the freshly made hand-cut fries exceed expectations. There are five different combos of seasoned fries and dips at Fred’s, including barbecue fries served with white barbecue dipping sauce, and Old Bay seasoned fries with tartar sauce. The best of the bunch, though, are the garlic fries: crunchy golden fries topped with a salsa-like fresh garlic mix and served with a cooling ranch dip.

Those in the know say that this no-frills truck serves the best fast food in Honolulu – tacos, hot dogs, sliders, and seriously tasty French fries included. The double-fried, perfectly seasoned fries provide the perfect base for the joint’s signature hefty toppings and the best of the delicious bunch has to be the Kālua Pork Fries featuring shredded, slightly crisped pork scattered over a generous bed of chunky fries and finished with guava barbecue sauce and four melty cheeses.

Where else would you go for fries but the state with the best potatoes in the world? Well, that’s what Idaho claims anyway, and the tubers grown here are said to make particularly perfect French fries. While there are plenty of places that serve them completely buried under heaps of chili, cheese, bacon, and anything else, fans of Brick 29 Bistro reckon the relatively simple B29 fries are the best. They’re cooked to a perfect golden hue with the skin on and then topped with Swiss cheese fondue, fresh garlic, and scallions.

Upmarket Chicago diner Au Cheval – which really looks more like a swanky bar – is known for its burgers, but people also flock here for the crispy fries. Served in a classic Mornay sauce (a béchamel enriched with cheese) and drizzled with garlic aioli before being topped with a fried egg, these fries just work. Au Cheval also has a location in New York and, yes, crispy fries are on that menu too.

Indianapolis restaurant Union 50 takes its fries seriously. For starters, there are four 'styles' of hand-cut French fries on the menu – truffle oil, sea salt and parsley, Manchego and bacon, and duck fat and rosemary – all of which come with two tasty sauces as standard. But the real star of the show here is the chilaquiles poutine, a fully loaded taste sensation that comes smothered in cheese curds, pulled pork, avocado, sour cream, cilantro, and lime. Customers say it's a must-try, and there's a pastrami version on offer here, too.

Since opening in 2021, Frydae has won itself a lot of fans – perhaps not surprising since this cute little spot specializes in fries and ice cream. People love that they don’t skimp on the toppings when it comes to the loaded fries, and the Nashville hot chicken fries – with pieces of tender chicken, cheese, hot sauce, slaw, pickles and a honey drizzle – are a favorite. There are also a couple of desert fries, including an option featuring sweet potato fries, Nutella, peanut butter, and powdered sugar.

This cozy, upscale French bistro serves up some impeccable classic cuisine – but one of the enduring favorites on the menu is a big, dirty, piled-high portion of poutine. It puts a posh twist on the Canadian classic, starting with truffle fries and loading them with beef tenderloin, Cheddar cheese curds, and thick, rich beef gravy, with provolone cheese scattered on top. It’s great shared as an appetizer or ordered as a side.

The popular Hawaiian style fries at Big Kahuna come topped with spiced mayonnaise, sweet soy sauce, house-made chili sauce, scallions, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. They may not be as outrageous or piled as high as some of the other loaded fries on this list but they are incredibly good – something of a revelation, in fact.

In New Orleans, the gravy cheese fries are to potatoes what po’ boys are to sandwiches – they take something delicious and make it even more so. At Parkway Bakery and Tavern, perfectly cooked and crisp fries are topped with the same tender roast beef and gravy used in its popular Streetcar Poor Boy, along with plenty of cheese. You don’t really need to order both, because everything served at the restaurant is generous and filling, but these fries are so outstanding we reckon you’ll find a little extra room.

The fries served here are – as you may have guessed – cooked in duck fat, which makes them extra flavorsome and crisp. For the ultimate treat, follow the advice of Duckfat’s many fans and order the poutine. The cheese curds are sourced locally and the gravy is also duck, with a sprinkling of fresh chives lifting the whole dish. You can go all out and add a duck egg or a heap of slow cooked duck confit. Smaller spin-off spot, Duckfat Frites Shack, is also located in Portland, as is food truck Duckfat On The Fly.

Hook & Reel is all about combining the Southern tradition of the seafood boil with Cajun spices, and this is most deliciously summed up in a portion of crab meat fries. With a base of fries loaded with crab meat and a sriracha remoulade sauce, they’re a meal in themselves, although customers reckon they’re a must try no matter what else you order. 

The Shadowless fries are a must order at Shōjō – a gastropub that serves inventive twists on Asian cuisine. This peerless treat starts with hand-cut fries double-fried in duck fat and then buried under spicy tofu, a nacho cheese sauce with kimchi; and a generous drizzle of sriracha mayonnaise. You can even add a fried egg. Some customers reckon they’re among the best things to eat in Boston. There's a second location in Cambridge.

Cuban-inspired restaurant Frita Batidos, known for fast, flavorful food, does serve loaded shoestring fries, but it's the loaded plantains that really get people talking (and coming back for more). They're twice-baked and loaded with cheese, black beans, avocado, salsa, and crema. Customers say they're just heavenly. Another house specialty is the Fritas, a burger loaded with shoestring fries in the traditional Cuban style.

What could possibly be better than a bowl of poutine rich with gravy and laced with melty, squeaky cheese curds? How about all that, plus lobster? That’s the specialty at Smack Shack, which has locations in Bloomington, Minneapolis, and Roseville. The skillet dish sees crisp Cajun fries topped with Taleggio cheese sauce with curds and lobster claw. It’s delicious, and there’s no skimping on the lobster, either.

The cheesesteak fries at Blue Canoe are enough for a full meal – not that fans of this Tupelo restaurant are complaining. They come piled high with the delicious stuff you’d expect to find in a classic Philly cheesesteak sandwich, and a little more besides – tender sirloin, house-made 'whiz' sauce, Cotija cheese, onions, and red peppers.

One of the specialties here is fried chicken served in a waffle cone, which gives you some idea of the playful inventiveness on offer. Chick-in Waffle is equally generous and creative with its fries, which come loaded with in 10 delicious guises – think tikka masala, garlic parm, and spicy honey. They’re all incredible, though we reckon it’s hard to beat this combination of crisp fries with tender Nashville hot chicken, cheese, and pickles.

Loaded fries are taken to another level at this popular spot. The Omaha fries receive a lot of love, and so they should – topped with wagyu sloppy joe, griddled cheese curds, house ranch, scallions, and Doritos, they’re pretty sensational. That said, the option that goes by the name Duck Duck Goose takes some beating: perfectly crispy fries are layered with duck confit, crispy skin, cheese curds, mayo, and gravy and are finished with a gooseberry gastrique to counter all that richness.

The Greek Pastry Shop is best known for its gyros, stuffed with tender meat and mouth-watering sauces. But customers also rave about the Greek fries, which are so tasty it’s hard to stop eating them – even when you’re already fit to bursting. The no-frills venue, which has two locations in Missoula, drizzles the fries with tzatziki sauce, crumbles on some feta, and throws on some special seasoning, with incredible results.

Customers can’t get enough of the Yakuza fries at Backlot Taphouse. Topped with Korean-style barbecue sauce, beer cheese, scallions, and pork crackling, they’re a little different to the loaded fries you might find elsewhere – and they’re seriously good. The restaurant also offers fries smothered with blue cheese dressing and Buffalo sauce, as well as the Signature 313 version with boom boom sauce (mayo with sriracha, chili sauce, mustard, and ketchup), scallions, and pork crackling.

Beefy’s is famous for piling everything on its burgers, from onion rings to shrimp, and it takes the same approach with its fries. There’s poutine, chili and cheese, and (when it's on special) kimchi fries with an egg on top. But it’s the pizza fries that get people talking (between shoveling in mouthfuls, that is). The shoestring fries are loaded with tomato sauce, pepperoni, cheese, and herbs – ingenious.

Black Mtn. Burger Co. is a favorite casual neighborhood spot known for its flavorful comfort food, and its menu includes a few options for loaded fries. The chili cheese fries, made with beef chili, Cheddar, and sour cream, are a favorite, and the poutine even more so – the restaurant loads its take on the Canadian classic with stringy mozzarella cheese and beef gravy.

Canada may have given us poutine, but New Jersey has its own twist on the fries, cheese, and gravy combo: disco fries. These are cheese fries, usually with mozzarella melted through, topped with brown gravy. They’re particularly popular as a late-night snack or hangover cure. According to customers, the loaded fries on the menu at Left Bank Burger Bar are some of the best you’ll find anywhere.

Green chile, made with fresh green peppers, is a New Mexico specialty and at Urban Hotdog Company you can get it dolloped on your hot dog or spooned over your fries. This loaded treat also has onions and melted Cheddar, and comes with a delectable dipping sauce. There’s no scrimping on the green chile and, if you think these fries aren’t loaded enough, you can have some crispy bacon crumbled over the top too.

Named for the street where the original outpost of this popular fried chicken joint is located, the Ludlow fries at 375° Chicken ‘n Fries are a real customer favorite. Nothing is held back here. The fries are well and truly loaded up with Cheddar sauce, sriracha and chipotle mayonnaise, salsa, jalapeños, fried onions, and bacon. The fries themselves are cooked three times, so they’re fluffy inside and wonderfully crisp on the outside.

As the name suggests, Mr. Fries Man is the place to go for loaded fries in North Carolina, with a host of delicious toppings on offer, as well as the option to build your own. While that may be tempting, we say leave it to the professionals and opt for either the chicken, bacon, Parmesan option finished with lemon garlic sauce, indulge in the breakfast fries (signature Hello sauce, Cheddar cheese, eggs, and bacon) or really treat yourself and have your fries loaded up with shrimp, steak, and Cheddar cheese, and doused in honey-garlic sauce.

Waffle fries topped with marinated fillet of beef, kimchi, cheese, cilantro, and several house-made sauces? We’re not sure we need any more persuading, to be honest. The loaded fries at Bé Em Asian Kitchen are typically packed with flavor and an appealing mix of textures. The menu has some great options, such as poke bowls and pho, but for some customers, these kimchi fries top the lot.

Würst Bier Hall serves its own take on poutine, topping fries with deep-fried mozzarella cheese curds and drenching the lot in mushroom gravy. Fans reckon you can’t go wrong. The venue also serves delicious sweet potato fries served with your choice of dip – chipotle ranch, smoked beet ketchup, and marshmallow fluff included.

People love the relaxed, friendly atmosphere at The Thurman Café in Columbus, and they also rave about the gigantic burgers stacked high with toppings, but the loaded fries deserve plenty of attention too. The North Macedonian fries feature toppings including feta cheese, banana peppers, onions, and a creamy dressing, while the breakfast fries bring country sausage gravy, crumbled bacon, and an egg to the basket. For us, though, you can’t be the classic loaded fries, with crunchy, deep golden fries topped with a mass of molten cheese and handfuls of crispy bacon bits.

Cajun Corner has two incredible options for loaded fries: crawfish or shrimp. You can’t really go wrong with either. The latter has popcorn shrimp, Cajun-spiced sauerkraut, cheese sauce, jalapeños, scallions, and mayonnaise. But it’s the loaded fries with fried crawfish (along with all the same trimmings) that’s really considered a must-order here. You can get them at the restaurant’s three Oklahoma City locations.

Jojo specializes in its namesake – potato wedges, double fried, tossed in a house spice blend and loaded with all kinds of tempting toppings. There are three types on the regular menu: classic, with American cheese, caramelized onion, and sauces, an option with Tillamook Cheddar and chives, plus optional bacon (pictured), and a spicy variety with Nashville hot dust, Crystal honey, spicy mayo, and fried shallots. You can ask for pretty much anything to be piled on top (so long as they have it), and there are regular specials and ‘secret’ menu items, as well as vegan options.

The menu at Good Bad & Ugly is reassuringly short, with each dish a standout in its own right. So while there’s only one option when it comes to loaded fries, what an option it is. Crunchy, golden fries are topped with layers of tender smoked brisket, cheese curds, and melty beer cheese to produce a snack that takes the French fry to a whole new level of deliciousness.

This fry shack isn’t afraid to pile on the toppings. Menu options range from the Tiger King, with General Tso’s chicken, to dessert fries with s’mores fixings or cinnamon sugar and whipped cream. Each has proved a hit with customers, though it’s Frisky Fries’ take on poutine that wins the most accolades. Named Disco Dottie, they’re loaded with handmade Vermont Cheddar curds and smothered with brown gravy, and can be ordered with skinny, sweet potato, or waffle fries.

You may have tried chowder, and we’re guessing you’ve tried fries – but have you tried chowder fries? This genius combo is a specialty at The Darling Oyster Bar, a beautiful, vintage-inspired restaurant and raw bar in Charleston. The dish, available on the brunch menu, features creamy chowder rich with local clams, bacon, feta, chives, and fennel served over golden house fries and is an absolute treat.

JL Beers, with two Sioux Falls locations plus others in North Dakota and Minnesota, keeps its loaded fries relatively simple. They’re topped with velvety beer cheese, bacon bits, jalapeños, and a jalapeño-Cheddar seasoning. There’s also an option with buffalo sauce and blue cheese crumbles, and you can order either loaded onto potato chips if you prefer.

Edley's Bar-B-Que is known for its tender smoked meats and Southern-style sides, and you can get a taste in one piled-high package when you order the BBQ fries. They come generously heaped with your choice of smoked pork, brisket or chicken, plus nacho cheese, barbecue sauce, sour cream, pico de gallo, and scallions.

Home to what some say is the best burger in Houston, The Burger Joint’s handcrafted patties – served in an array of styles – are undoubtedly delicious. There’s no slouching when it comes to the loaded fries either, though. Hand-cut, twice-fried, crispy and crunchy French fries are served topped with queso, house-made chili, or – the pick of the bunch – generous handful of crunchy, salty bacon shards, a showering of freshly grated Parmesan and chopped scallions. The team recommend enjoying your fries with garlic aioli – and who are we to argue.

You could order the cheese fries without the surprise, though customers recommend going for this extra treat. At Rodeo Goat, a Texas-wide chain, they’ll feature house-made brisket chili buried beneath a mound of crisp fries covered in cheese. The portion size is so generous that one order is often enough to share between three or four people – though these loaded fries are so delicious, you might just want to keep them all to yourself.

SpudToddos is a potato lover’s dream – everything served here really is all about the humble spud, from perfect mash to freshly cut Russet fries. The toppings are less humble, with six varieties of brilliantly named garbage fries on offer. They’re all heavenly, so it’s hard to pick the best one – customers rave equally about The Buffalo – with grilled chicken, sauces, bacon, and scallions (pictured), as well as those that come smothered with nacho and pepper Jack cheeses, jalapeños, green onions, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.

At this locally owned and operated spot, French fries are taken very seriously indeed. And while you might be tempted to keep it classic and opt for the simply seasoned hand-cut fries, that would be denying yourself the chance to try the poutine served here. Featuring a full-flavored black pepper gravy and an almost indecent amount of melted-to-perfection Maplebrook Farm cheese curds, this is one dish you’re not going to forget about in hurry.

Ben’s Chili Bowl is a landmark in Washington DC and fans can try Ben’s famous half-smoke hog dogs and fries outside the state at Reagan National Airport in Arlington. The fries are especially delightful draped in velvety cheese sauce and even better with a dollop of the restaurant’s house-made chili, whether the regular beef recipe or a vegan version.

As the name suggests, Smash That Burger specializes in crispy edged, cooked-to-perfection smash burgers – and while they’re well worth a try, you certainly shouldn’t neglect to sample the loaded fries served here. A meal in themselves, this delightfully messy dish sees golden fries smothered with cheese sauce, special SMASH sauce, crumbles of beef patty, and caramelized onions and peppers. If you wish, you can swap the regular fries for sweet potato ones.

A popular spot to grab a bite to eat in historic downtown Lewisburg, The Asylum is all about upscale comfort food and the loaded fries dished up here showcase that idea perfectly. The basic option features golden, spiral potato wedges topped with melty cheese, scallions, and sour cream, but you can add pulled bacon, chili, or even tender pulled pork for an extra cost if you feel like making the dish that bit more memorable.

The Vanguard does poutine very well indeed, and the regular loaded fries are great too, as are the chili cheese fries heaving with cheese sauce, Cheez Whiz, onion, and jalapeños. It’s the loaded fries that appear as part of the restaurant’s Tofu Tuesday Special menu that really get people talking, though. While the options change from week to week, they’re always inventive and seriously tasty –the Seoul style version (pictured) featured crunchy fries, crispy tofu, spicy pickles, pear barbecue sauce, Kewpie mayo, carrots, scallions, and sesame seeds, no less.

Crowbar & Grill serves up a different loaded fries special each month, with rotating regulars including Korean bulgogi (pictured). The pad Thai fries, though, are so popular they’re on the main menu. Topped with a sticky, sweet and spicy sauce, scallions and a scattering of crushed peanuts and served with lime, they’re one of the best things to order here.

Now discover where to find your state's best cheeseburger

Last updated by Emily Shardlow-Price.