Review of J.R. Bentley’s

First, I felt safe enough eating here and we were told that they have a gluten-free fryer, so I want to give them credit for that. I enjoyed my burger, but it wasn't amazing; my wife wasn't as excited about hers. There was also live music, which was a nice touch. Honestly, if I went back, it would probably be for the music and I'd put up with the food (and, sure, it'd be nice to be in an environment like that and be able to eat). The general atmosphere of the place was very loud though, and even without the music, it was next to impossible to carry on a conversation.

Here are the problems:

1) There's no gluten-free menu or designation of gluten-free items on the regular menu. And partly as a result, our waitress had to check on a couple of simple things. If they want to cater to those who need to eat gluten-free (which it seems they do), this is something they should change. It would be even more helpful for the menu to be posted online.

2) Among the items checked on was ranch dressing, which she told us wasn't safe. I certainly would rather be safe than sorry, but given other glowing reviews and the fact that there are many safe ranch dressings out there, this was a surprise and a disappointment. There were basically three simple dressings (balsamic, vinegar and oil and Italian) we were assured were safe.

3) It's more of a problem because the fries were especially bland. We even got the Parmesan Garlic, and they didn't have much flavor.

4) Most of what was available to eat was burgers, so I'm not sure I can't share others' enthusiasm about the "variety" of selections. The fish and chips are not gluten-free (which seems sort of odd given that the fries are and they have a gluten-free fryer; they may have a separate fryer that isn't gluten-free).

5) There's a $2 surcharge for a gluten-free bun, which isn't unheard of, but also seems a little steep. We ended up getting our burgers on salads, which were okay, but not "huge" (as we were told) and did not include the fries or chips that came with regular burgers.

Again, I do appreciate various precautions and an apparent awareness among the kitchen staff. I would eat here again; it just wouldn't be a top choice. My rating is as high as it is because the restaurant seems safe. And they'd get a higher rating from me with a few simple changes.

Celiac friendly?

Yes