Thirsty Lion

The food was decent enough... At least what I could eat. I called in advance to verify that they had a bunch for their plant based burger, that was vegan, as they have the bun specifically listed as brioche on the menu. The person attending to the phone stated they had a plant based burger. I asked to verify if the bun was vegan. He had to put me on hold and check. He came back and said they had a gluten free bun. I again asked to verify that it was vegan, because gluten free and vegan are not the same and that often gluten free buns need egg as a binder without gluten. He said, yes it was vegan. Got to the restaurant and it was busy. The waitress was rather dismissive. I inquired on the bun again, you can do a lettuce wrap. I asked to order the brussel sprouts to start and reiterated that I was vegan and requested to remove the bacon and anything else that was a animal product. They came back coated in parmesan. The waitress had to be flagged down for the check, there weren't any offers of refills. The atmosphere is cool, but they chose the route of cramming in as many tables as possible, so getting to an exit or the restroom, you have to ask people if you can pass, as they have standing tables blocking the path to the restroom. Seems like they appeal to many as they were packed, but don't seem to care much for people with dietary needs or preferences, as their staff doesn't know the menu and are dismissive once they know you have said needs.

The place has a fun upbeat vibe. I ordered a summer special - delicious BBQ sandwich in a gluten-free bun. Best GF bun I've had in a long time! Service was very competent but slow in coming back to table to check on us.

Having Celiac disease, I was extremely impressed with how careful & diligent The Thirsty Lion was in preparing my meal and drink. Aaron, the manager was amazing at letting me know all the precautions his staff take. He mentioned that everything is made "in house" & and so he knows exactly what goes into every dish. His kitchen staff also used clean pans/pots, etc. with preparing my meal. While I understand that there is always a risk of cross contamination if gluten is present, after talking with Aaron I felt 100% confident eating here and I had no adverse reactions at all. In addition, our server, Brett, checked to make sure that whatever I ordered was gluten free & that the kitchen staff was fully aware of my dietary requirements. Brett was an outstanding server - he was friendly & helpful in giving great recommendations (the shrimp tacos, moscow mule & Hibiscus iced tea were all awesome picks of his). The food and drinks here were absolutely delicious. Aaron, Brett and staff, thank you so much for such a great experience!