Standing in the frozen seafood aisle can be overwhelming with so many shrimp options staring back at you. I’ve made plenty of mistakes buying the wrong brands over the years, wasting money on rubbery, tasteless shrimp that ended up ruining dinner. After testing dozens of frozen shrimp varieties available at grocery stores across the country, I’ve put together this honest ranking of the worst to best brands. Skip the trial and error—some of these brands are definitely worth avoiding, while others might surprise you with their quality.
Gorton’s shrimp fails on texture and flavor
If you’re looking for a frozen shrimp brand to avoid at all costs, Gorton’s should be at the top of your list. I was shocked by how disappointing their shrimp products were across the board. The texture was almost rubbery, making it tough to chew through, and the natural sweetness you expect from good shrimp was completely missing. Instead, you get an overpowering fishy smell that doesn’t fade even after cooking, which is usually a sign of poor quality or improper processing.
Their beer-battered varieties were especially problematic, with breading that managed to be both soggy and tough at the same time. The actual shrimp inside was so small that it felt like I was eating mostly breading. Multiple taste tests have placed Gorton’s at the bottom of their rankings, citing similar issues with both texture and flavor. Even with different cooking methods like air frying or baking, the quality problems were impossible to overcome. Save your money and skip this brand entirely.
Great American Seafood Imports disappoints on size
Great American Seafood Imports Company makes big promises on their packaging but delivers tiny shrimp that shrink even more when cooked. I bought what was labeled as “large” shrimp and ended up with something closer to the size of a quarter. The size discrepancy is frustrating when you’re planning a meal and suddenly realize you need to use twice as many shrimp as the recipe calls for. Their shrimp also had inconsistent deveining—nothing ruins your appetite faster than biting into a shrimp and finding a dark vein that should have been removed.
Beyond the size issues, the flavor profile was bland and forgettable. Even with proper seasoning and careful cooking, these shrimp never developed that sweet, fresh taste that makes good shrimp worth eating. The texture was also wildly inconsistent from piece to piece. Some shrimp in the same bag were mushy while others were tough and chewy. Reviews consistently place this brand near the bottom of rankings, with many shoppers reporting similar experiences with misleading size claims and poor quality control.
Private Selection shrimp has quality control issues
As Kroger’s premium store brand, Private Selection should be better than it is. Unfortunately, their frozen shrimp products have serious quality control problems that make them a risky purchase. Within the same bag, I found shrimp of wildly different sizes despite the package claiming they were sorted and consistent. Some pieces were broken or damaged, suggesting rough handling during processing. The texture was also all over the place—some shrimp were plump and tender while others were stringy and tough, even though they were cooked exactly the same way.
The flavor was equally unpredictable. Some pieces had that fresh, slightly sweet taste you want in good shrimp, while others had an off-putting, almost chemical aftertaste. This inconsistency makes it impossible to recommend Private Selection, especially given that it’s priced as a premium option. Several reviews have noted similar issues with the brand’s quality control, with some packages being acceptable while others are practically inedible. When you’re paying premium prices, you deserve consistency, and Private Selection simply doesn’t deliver that with their shrimp products.
Royal Asia specialty shrimp misses the mark
Royal Asia specializes in ready-to-heat Asian-inspired frozen foods, but their shrimp products fall short on multiple fronts. I tried both their Gluten Free Boom Boom Shrimp and Nashville Style Hot Frozen Shrimp, and both were major disappointments. The shrimp itself was tiny and lost in the heavy breading, which quickly became soggy after heating. The sauce packets included with the products were overly sweet and artificial-tasting, completely overpowering any actual shrimp flavor that might have been there.
The biggest issue was the texture—after following the heating instructions exactly, the shrimp ended up rubbery while the coating turned mushy. It’s the worst of both worlds. Reviews consistently place Royal Asia’s specialty shrimp varieties among the worst options on the market, with many noting that the sauces taste artificial and the shrimp quality is poor. The specialty flavors might sound exciting on the package, but the execution is so flawed that you’re better off buying plain frozen shrimp and adding your own sauces and seasonings at home.
SeaPak Parmesan Butterfly needs improvement
SeaPak usually makes decent frozen seafood, but their Parmesan Butterfly Shrimp is a notable exception that you should avoid. The parmesan coating sounds promising but ends up being their biggest weakness. Instead of a crispy, cheese-forward exterior, you get a thick, gummy breading where the parmesan flavor is barely detectable. After cooking, the coating developed an unpleasant greasiness that made the shrimp feel heavy and unappetizing. The shrimp inside was decent enough in size, but the overwhelming breading-to-shrimp ratio made it hard to appreciate.
What’s more frustrating is that this product costs more than many of SeaPak’s other offerings, which are actually better. The parmesan flavor was so subtle that it might as well not be there, making the premium price tag hard to justify. Multiple reviews have called out these specific issues with the Parmesan Butterfly variety, while noting that other SeaPak products are generally much better. If you’re looking at SeaPak products, skip this particular variety and go for their Jumbo Butterfly or Beer Battered shrimp instead, which consistently rank much higher in taste tests.
Trader Joe’s shrimp is hit or miss
Trader Joe’s frozen shrimp options fall squarely in the middle of the pack—not terrible, but not great either. Their Tempura Shrimp is decent, with a light, crispy coating that heats up well in the oven or air fryer. However, the shrimp inside is often small and lacks the sweet, fresh flavor you’d expect. Their Gluten-Free Breaded Shrimp is even more disappointing, with a coating that tends to fall off during cooking and shrimp that can be tough and stringy. For a store known for its quality frozen foods, their shrimp offerings are surprisingly mediocre.
The main issue with Trader Joe’s shrimp is consistency. One bag might be perfectly acceptable while the next is subpar, making it a gamble every time you buy. The price point is reasonable, which makes the inconsistency slightly more forgivable, but it’s still frustrating when planning meals. Taste tests have found that Trader Joe’s shrimp products typically land in the middle of rankings, with reviewers noting that they’re acceptable but not exceptional. If you’re already shopping at Trader Joe’s, their shrimp isn’t the worst choice, but it’s not worth making a special trip for.
Sea Best shrimp offers good value for money
Sea Best isn’t the absolute top tier of frozen shrimp, but it offers surprisingly good quality for the price point. Their Peeled and Deveined Tail On Shrimp are individually quick frozen, which helps maintain the texture and prevents freezer burn. The shrimp have a fresh, buttery flavor with a hint of natural sweetness that works well in a variety of dishes. The size is consistent throughout the bag, so you don’t end up with some tiny pieces mixed in with larger ones. They’re farm-raised in Indonesia, which might concern some shoppers, but the quality control seems solid.
The only real drawback is that some bags have a slightly funky smell when first opened, though this typically dissipates during cooking and doesn’t affect the final taste. For the price point, Sea Best offers good value, especially if you’re cooking for a family or a crowd where you need a larger quantity of shrimp. Reviews frequently note that Sea Best is a solid mid-range option that balances quality and affordability. If you’re looking for everyday shrimp that won’t break the bank but still tastes good, Sea Best is worth considering.
Aqua Star tops the charts for quality and taste
After trying dozens of frozen shrimp brands, Aqua Star consistently stands out as the best overall option available in most grocery stores. Their Butterfly Crunchy Shrimp has a perfect balance of crispy panko coating and plump, sweet shrimp that tastes remarkably fresh for a frozen product. The shrimp are large enough to satisfy but not so big that they become tough or rubbery when cooked. The coating stays crispy whether you bake or air fry them, and it doesn’t have that heavy, greasy quality that ruins so many breaded shrimp products.
Their raw, peeled shrimp options are equally impressive, with clean, sweet flavor and firm texture that holds up well in cooking. The deveining is consistently thorough, with only occasional veins left behind. Multiple taste tests have ranked Aqua Star at or near the top, with reviewers praising both the quality of the shrimp and the variety of options available. Other reviews highlight the convenience of their tail-off varieties, which save prep time without sacrificing quality. If you see Aqua Star at your grocery store, it’s definitely worth the slightly higher price for significantly better quality.
The next time you’re faced with the frozen shrimp dilemma at the grocery store, remember that not all brands are created equal. Skip the disappointment of brands like Gorton’s and Great American Seafood, and head straight for Aqua Star or Sea Best for a much better experience. Your meals will taste better, and you’ll avoid the frustration of wasting money on subpar seafood that ruins dinner. Sometimes spending a little more upfront actually saves money in the long run when you don’t end up ordering takeout to replace a disappointing meal.
