HuHot

I don’t tend to go out much due to the Celiacs. But this is one place I feel very confident in eating at. When you arrive inform the staff of your restrictions. They will give you a menu that has all allergies listed for everything. I have absolutely loved it!

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for dairy-free
• Good selection of healthy options

I've been a fan of HuHot for years. However, had this been my first experience at a Huhot, I'd never have gone a second time. First off, I came with a friend on our lunch breaks on a weekday. There was us, and one other patron, in the entire restaurant. And the service was so slow that we were there 2.5 hrs! The biggest hold up was that this HuHot, unlike any others I've been to even in 2020, did not let you serve yourself, a staff member had to carry your bowl and put food in it. Except no staff seemed assigned to the food line, so you were standing around waiting for someone to notice you. And apparently the phrase "I just want a little" means a cup of whatever food item. Terrible way to run a buffet.

More importantly for the sake of this review--most importantly this app--for the first time in YEARS of going to HuHots, I was told the sauces are NOT WHEAT FREE!!! There was a big sign over the sauce station announcing that all the signature sauces were gluten free, as always. But after I told them I had Celiac Disease, they pulled out a spreadsheet that showed which sauces contained wheat and which did not! I have been to multiple HuHots in different states around the USA, and have been told multiple times that the signature sauces are made with gluten free soy sauce. I learned today that is not true!

The signature sauces are made with "very low levels of gluten", 20 ppm they claimed. "Only really sensitive people would notice" one person said.

Well that explains the times I left a HuHot feeling like I had mild food poisoning for the next day or so. That also explains why I didn't feel sick everytime: a lot of the sauces containing wheat were not ones I normally get. (I'm usually more about the curry, the thai sauces, etc.)

To be honest, I feel lied to and betrayed by the chain. And the very fact that staffers in different STATES have made the claim the sauces contain gluten free soy sauce would indicate the misinformation came from corporate. I plan to write to their corporate office with this complaint.

In summary, if you're like me, a sensitive Celiac, be very careful about which sauces you use, or mix your own. There are still plenty of foods a Celiac can eat, and they do a good job of scrubbing the cook top. But don't believe them if someone tries to tell you the sauces are gluten free.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions
• Staff will clean kitchen space or change gloves if asked
• Food comes out flagged or marked gluten-free

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Below Average

Other Characteristics

• Good for dairy-free
• Good for lunch
• Good selection of healthy options
• Good vegan options
• Good with other allergies
• Offers outdoor seating

Very exciting to be able to go out for Asian food during COVID and feel pretty confident about eating Gluten Free. I had a wonderful experience with knowledgeable staff and clear guidelines for allergy safe dining. I waited several hours after eating to post with confidence that I have not been cross contaminated or glutened. We will def be going back. One thing was that the sauces on menu state that they were all Gluten Free but when I arrived, I was told that had changed since COVID.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions
• Staff will clean kitchen space or change gloves if asked
• Food comes out flagged or marked gluten-free

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Separate gluten-free menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for dairy-free
• Good for kids
• Good for lunch
• Good selection of healthy options
• Good vegan options
• Good with other allergies

I’m not celiac but gluten sensitive, but was very impressed with the steps they took when I asked for gluten free options. I got a yellow bowl that was recognized while I was in line, and by the time I got to the grill they had already Brillo scrubbed, washed with water, and secluded an area with spatulas. As the cooks worked their way around the grill, they only used the unique spatulas reserved for my food. Very impressive. Next time I will make sure to get a regular bowl as these precautions are not necessary for me, but it was great to see and I wanted to share. Happy eating!

Celiac friendly?

Yes

Very Celiac Friendly! Tell the server you have a food allergy- they should give you a special bowl (yellow) to go through the lone that tells the cooks that you have a food allergy. Ask for the allergy sheet- it tells you exactly which items have wheat in them. I took the sheet up with me as I created my meal. A couple employees checked in with me as well. When we got to the grill they scrubbed it clean for my food and set up plates and spatulas around my food to protect it. They also used new spatulas to cook the food. Amazing experience!!

Celiac friendly?

Yes

They have great protocols set up for allergies. They were happy to grab fresh bins of ingredients out of the back for us. My only hesitation was that all the sauces were out in one area together. If they had the GF sauces set to one side together, it would definitely have made me feel better. None of us got sick, but next time I will probably ask if there are new sauces in their chill room.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for dairy-free

Hi Hot is a great way to fill up if you like stir-fry. They have rice noodles, fresh meats and veggies and lots of sauce options that are gluten free. Everything is labeled with allergen warnings as well as gluten-free. If you let them know you are a gluten-free customer they will clean the grill and generously keep other foods away from yours as it cooks.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Safety Feature Ratings

• Dedicated gluten-free fryer

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for dairy-free

They mark your allergies by giving you purple bowls so they stand out for the chefs. I usually stick to just the oils but I believe the sauces are all safe. They clean the grill when they see there's an allergy and they use separate tongs for your food. I've never had a reaction here or left hungry! They will grab rice noodles or toppings from the back if you want!

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions
• Staff will clean kitchen space or change gloves if asked

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for corn-free
• Good for dinner
• Good for kids
• Good for lunch
• Good for soy-free
• Good for sugar-free
• Good selection of healthy options
• Good vegan options
• Good vegetarian options
• Good with other allergies
• Paleo friendly

This place is absolutely AMAZING with gluten free! While most other buffet style restaurants can become cross contaminated very easily, the manager had me go through and write down what I wanted, and prepared it with new containers of food in the back! ALL of their sauces are gf which made me feel so much better. He then alerted the grillers that there was an allergy. He made sure they cleaned the grill super well TWICE. The then used spatulas to block off a section of the grill for my food so no one else’s food would ever get close. They completely changed utensils and most importantly, I did not get sick! They even offered to do it all again if I was still hungry since it was a buffet!

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions
• Staff will clean kitchen space or change gloves if asked

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for dairy-free
• Good for dinner
• Good for lunch
• Good for sugar-free

Had good food, was given a ‘special bow’ to signal food allergy, crew took care to clean grill before cooking my food and used clean utensils.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent