Top 9 Gluten-Free Spots with Outdoor Seating to Enjoy in Chicago Loop

Sarah W

Dedicated GF restaurant with the best bowls! I love the fan favorite.

Leon Rishniw

The miso soup was great and started the meal off on a high. Sadly the sushi course was disappointing. The fish was mediocre at best (saba and medai), uni was bland, avocado in my roll was not ripe. Too much rice on the nigiri and overcooked. Tea was tasty and refilled regularly. They had gluten-free soy and were communicative about gluten in dishes. Service was great. Sadly it was overpriced for the quality of the food being served. Won’t be going back.

Dharmy DC

I search for gluten free breakfast places during my stay in Chicago and Meli came up in result walking distance from Hilton hotel Warm friendly dinner with bar seating or table service The gluten free pancakes were delicious and large stack with jug of maple syrup on side. Very chilled place and I would add this to my visit again list

Leah

I don't know what took me so long to try this place, but I'm so happy I did. Delicious salads and pastries and lots of gluten-free options. Looking forward to trying their breakfast too. The prices are pretty average now that all food is so expensive. You're better off spending on healthy, well-made food.

Jennifer Winthurst

I got the butchers block skillet. It was full of bacon, ham, sausage, cheese and hash browns. It was very good. Kind of salty with all the meat and potatoes but still very tasty. They don't have Splenda but they offer Stevia and regular sugar packets. I went on a Thursday afternoon and we walked in and got a table for 6 with no wait. If you're planning on going on the weekend I would plan for a long wait. Every weekend when I pass by the restaurant there's always a line waiting for a table. This restaurant is down the street from a lot of hotels and from major Chicago attractions like the Bean. I also got pancakes with my meal. All and all it was a good meal. The portions are generous. They do offer gluten free options. They have Coke products. My friend got their berry Bliss waffle. It looked delicious. Our waiter could have been better. I asked for oat milk and I got regular cream. My friend asked for a diet Coke and never got it until right before our food came out. They also have a large outdoor seating area.

Sara F.

Had a work lunch here last week, and was happy to see there is a separate gluten free menu available, so I didn't get my hopes up about something I couldn't actually have. My dish came out with a little flag indicating "allergy" so there was no confusion at the table. Most importantly, the food was very good!

George W

Outstanding food, service, ambience. And the prices are extremely reasonable relative to other choices. The attentiveness of the staff rivals Michelin starred restaurants. The pasta was gluten free and fabulously delicious.

Jordan Fridsma

very busy but workers did an excellent job, great attention to detail for gluten free

Andrew Halaby

Topper did a great job reviewing my gluten free options… cheers to Topher!

Anndrea Golightly

Ate in the bar as we didn’t have a reservation. I ordered a salad without croutons since I am gluten free and salad still came with croutons. The gluten free pasta was over cooked and the Alfredo sauce was just ok.

Brenda Wamsley

Great food! Husband has gluten and fuctose allergies and he was able to eat here with no issues afterwards.

Eve Runnels (TrainerMaven)

I hosted an event at Pizano's, on Madison recently. They have a really nice event space on the lower level of the restaurant. The event coordinator was very helpful and accommodating. She helped me select the menu and made sure we had gluten free options. We had quite a few attendees who had never tried deep dish pizza before. Everyone loved the pizza, including some thin crust options. In addition to food, we were provided drink options as well. The cost was very reasonable, the service was great, and the space was perfect for our needs. We will definitely consider hosting a future event in their event space. I highly recommend this option for your next large gathering. We had about 30 people with room to spare.

Greg Boutsikaris

Avli is a beautiful place with great food and good atmosphere. My wife and I are both gluten free and our server, Jen, was knowledgeable about our dietary restrictions. We began with hummus and tzatziki with gluten free pita which was a real treat, followed by grilled octopus. All of the above were delicious. We split the lamb chops with broccoli and roasted potatoes. The chops were tender and flavorful. My only complaint was the roasted potatoes were heavy on lemon for my taste but but, honestly, reminiscent of yaya’s. Special shoutout to Jen our server who was professional and personable adding to our entire experience. Highly recommended.

Petter “Siston” Svensson

Flew from sweden to eat at lukes lobster again. Usualy insanley good. But the Usual performance dont matter when they do not have any glutenfree bread at all to serve...

Jyoti Yelagalawadi

Decent place to have a quick bite. We were extremely hungry, so I didn't take pictures of the taco. Gluten-free and vegetarian options were available, so that made my day

Juan Uribe

Fantastic coffee shop to have a good healthy (or not so healthy breakfast). The servers do not have a great attitude and that takes away from the whole experience. The place is well located and the seating is comfortable. Sometimes its a stretch to get a table, lots of people with laptops. We had the garden greens salad which was very fresh with good ingredients. The almond latte is also very good. They hace gluten free bread which is delicious. Their sandwiches are also very good. We tried the chicken club and the morning sandwich. They have cholula hot sauce in the counter which is great!

Magdalena Arletta

We stopped by for a bite to eat and were greeted by incredibly friendly staff in a beautifully decorated and inviting atmosphere. While there weren't specific gluten-free options on the menu, they graciously provided a suitable substitution upon request. The food was delicious!

Damien Bassman

Nice menu with all the Japanese and Chinese dishes you crave. Went there with a big party (two families with kids) and lots of special orders (vegan, gluten free, no cruciferous vegetables, no nuts, etc…) and every dish came as requested. Flavors were mostly good, a few staples (egg rolls. Fried rice) were a bit bland. But the sushi was all great and fresh! Particularly the vegan sushi rolls were all tasty and plentiful. A good place for a large and picky party!

Kit Johnson

On my wandering through Chicago’s Millennium Park on a hot day, I found myself wanting a light healthy lunch that wouldn’t weigh me down. Protein Bar is a short walk from Millennium Park, and offers various bowls, salads, and wraps with healthy and vegetarian options as well as a menu that clearly marks what has gluten. I ordered the Healthy Club Salad and thought it was delicious and tasted fresh. There was way more dressing on the salad than I would want, so next time I would ask for the dressing on the side. After eating my salad I feel fueled but not over full. A perfect compliment for a long walk exploring the city. As I overheard the table next to me ’This food slaps!’

Ken Douros

Great selection of gluten-free & vegan pastries. Limited seating, but with most people only getting quick bites, they open up fairly quickly...

aly

Easy access by subway (red line) and bus (146). Easy menu to be able to build your meal. The were halal and had gluten free options. Had the burger and milkshake. Was epic! Glad we were able to stop by!

Joseph P

Very good italian food with gluten free noodle options for my wife. Service was great but a little slow toward the end. Right next door to the Goodman theatre.

Jessica Capati

Good gluten free options (not necessarily celiac safe, but gluten sensitive for sure), food was all good. Service was just a bit slow at times.

Alejandra Vega

A must place to try if you have any dietary restrictions and traveling. The place have many Gluten Free options (GF). I got the Morning Mexicali bowl, very delicious and flavorful (GF). The restaurant was very clean and had great customer service. - Vega Approved 👍🏼✔️

Ashley W

The restaurant is on the rooftop of a hotel and has both indoor and outdoor seating. This place fills up fast and reservations are definitely needed. The vibe is upscale, but chill. The menu isn't extensive, but has a good mix of options. Our server had great energy and knowledge about the menu. A friend is gluten free and allergic to citrus 😩. He explained each of the menu items, the food prep and she was able to select with confidence. The food was good, but the dessert menu could be better. Before your reservation, get there early and grab a drink at the game room on the second floor of the hotel.

Dori H

Charlie was excellent. OP is very accommodating for Gluten Free. The short rib and scallop starter was delicious. Wish it was an entree. The scallop entree wasn't as good as we remembered from a couple years ago. Risotto was too al dente. The English peas tasted raw and the flavor wasn't balanced. The grouper entree was fabulous! Creme Brulee was the best we have ever had. Every cocktail was amazing. We definitely had a wonderful meal.

Adriana Bueno

Food is always good. However, today was the 2nd time that something was missing from my order. Last time it was the salmon and now it’s the gluten free pita. I’ll think twice before I order from this place again. Manager didn’t even give a credit or discount for a next time. Really bad customer service and experience.

Elizabeth Zeman

The food was delicious, however, for a $400 dinner receipt for two adults and a child, I expect better quality of service. I guess I'm just old school, but we chose this "$$$$" restaurant and expected a more formal/upscale ambiance. We were seated right in the middle of the room at the table. As a woman, I'm fairly tall I guess (5'8") and the seat was rather short so my knees were at an awkward angle. Not a big deal, but it started to get annoying after awhile of my seat constantly getting bumped into by staff and the table next to us. It was very cramped and if you have to go to the restroom, expect a lot of swerving in and around tables like a maze. It was extremely loud the whole time. I couldn't hear the waiters talking to me about the menu and options, let alone my son and boyfriend at the small table. I was disappointed when I say I expected a more upscale environment when the table behind me was taking pictures of each other w/flash and posing with middle fingers up and tongues out to be "cute". The food was delicious, though, and they do have a gluten free menu which I appreciate. I have a very strict diet and am gluten-free and keto. I specifically chose this restaurant because on the menu they also provide calorie content of each dish and they definitely had some gluten-free and keto-friendly options which is a huge plus for me! With that said, we are willing to spend the extra like we did to enjoy a delicious and healthy meal, but we expect a little better quality atmosphere, too.

Cynthia Scholl

Whitefish grilled with vegetables was delicious and gluten free! My husband loved his salmon sandwich too.. Friendly, fast service, check it out. We went to the Wells St location.

Sindy Reid

Really enjoyed this meal. There is a wide variety of options, and each one states if it has gluten or dairy. There is a large salad bar with a bunch of dressing choices. Would highly recommend.

Lynn Sharpe-Underwood

Amazing and great..even for a gluten senstive person!

Todd Mitchell

Excellent gluten free pasta

Andy Jay

Top tier gluten free pizza! They have cider on tap as well, making it the perfect pizza place for those with gluten issues.

Daria Shulishova

I absolutely loved this place and staff were so accommodating. My friend and I had time constraints and needed to be done with our meal within 30 minutes so we could catch a train and our server made sure our order was ready quickly. Everything we ordered was so delicious! The wings, meatballs and asparagus, pinot Grigio and rose wines, so good! Gluten allergy was taken care of as well, huge plus for my friend. The restaurant is very stylish too, loved the decor and atmosphere. I will make sure to visit again!

Tomasz Indyk

Came right before closing time. Recommend the garden vegetable soup. The turkey reuben is great. There are so many options.(Gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan options)

Carla Ramirez

The Exchange was such a fun experience! We went to celebrate our friends birthday and our waiter Javier did an amazing job taking care of us. He truly went above and beyond! Not only was he patient with our gluten free and dairy free questions and requests, but he was also very personable and helped us create a fun birthday experience for our friend. The food was delicious and their crème brûlée was scrumptious. I would highly recommend you check this place out.

anita thompson

The best gluten free pancakes I’ve had in years!!

Olivia Palak

Living with major gluten issues, is difficult-especially when I go out to eat. I called ahead of time to ask about their GF options. I told them I was interested in a salad dish. They called the chef, got ingredients, and I called them back. They told me specifically the ingredients of the dressing and it was completely GF. When I arrived, they knew about my gluten issue and they were able to prepare my dish separately!!! I didn’t get sick. The strawberry salad and chicken was DELICIOUS. I’ll be going back! My boyfriend loved the shrimp tacos.

Ella Grintjes

This was the WORST restaurant I have ever been to. Service horrible. Food horrible. Prices are extremely high for the very poor quality food. Our server was rude and treated us like garbage. He messed up every single persons meal, gave me another tables credit card after paying, then struggled to find mine after. He made disgusted faces when we ordered our food. We were a super easy group of girls looking for a easy, nice lunch spot and were beyond disappointed. Would never reccomend. Advertised gluten friendly options but made it almost impossible to order.

Amy Cramer

Getting seated took a few minutes since the restaurant was empty with nobody around. Water was brought immediately. The server appeared to take our drink orders. The server soon took our dinner order with a great suggestion for exchanging out the gluten fries for a Caesar salad. All 4 of us tremendously enjoyed our meals. Our water did get empty a few times but staff always appeared soon, apologized and refilled. The bathroom was clean. There is a bar area. Absolutely one of the best steaks I have had in a while! Even the Caesar dressing was so much better than normal.

Adrienne S

This was my fourth time here. They have a great happy hour Monday - Saturday from 4-7. Great for vegetarians & people with gluten sensitivities.

Kara P

Had the corned beef and cabbage, and it was delicious, just really, really good. Huge portion. They have a gluten free menu, which is limited, but at least they are aware! Pretty expensive, however, but it's in a hotel so kind of expected.

Kailyn Rae

If you are GLUTEN FREE DO NOT EAT HERE! I repeat don’t eat here. They messed up my order 3 times when they finally came with a burger with a gluten free bun I was already eating the burger they told me was gluten free but wasn’t. I just couldn’t believe it. Also the gluten free bun was on the wrong burger. Absolutely ruined my night and dinner. my stomach for several days.

Sue Goodman

Great vegetable soup. Only Gluten-free option, however.

Kirsta Bowman

Vegan and gluten free options! Tacos, Beyond Meat burger

Dan Brilliant

Coffee and tea was excellent. No gluten free items though.

Jonathan Magen

Highly recommend this restaurant. I met a friend here and we had an exceptional meal together. The wait staff was super attentive and helpful with everything. Ryo even has gluten free soy sauce!

Shelley Lipman

The atmosphere is fabulous because you're right on the Riverwalk. The service is excellent, very helpful. Our server opened our umbrella as soon as the sun came out and was very informative about the menu as I am gluten free. They do have gluten free buns. I had the grilled chicken sandwich and my husband had the fish and chips. Everything was delicious.

Sean Lamb

Stopped in after walking around Grant Park. The staff was immensely helpful with my gluten-free needs. The food was wonderful. Thank you for a terrific meal before we headed off to a concert.

Caitlin Body

Our server was great! She already split the bill so when it was time to pay she was ready. We got drinks and food and it was good. We were around for about 4 hours with people coming and going and our server was amazing!! I was able to find some gluten free options and my friends liked the food they got. I could not eat the fish and chips but they looked good.