Review of Ballyhoo's

I was so excited about going to this restaurant since it had so many gf options on their menu. My husband and I went on our honeymoon since most restaurants were closed because of the time of year. For a starter we got the tuna sashimi which was marked GF but when I asked about the soy sauce they had to go check and it did contain wheat. I ordered the tomato and shrimp plate. I asked the waiter what sides were gf because it didn’t have the symbol. He said all of them except Mac and Cheese. I asked if they had a dedicated fryer and he said no (so it’s not all GF) so I got white rice and beans to be safe because he said wild rice had gluten. They served me wild rice and beans and I asked if it was all gluten free the server said he wasn’t sure so he took it back and then came back and said wild rice WAS gluten free…then they bring me my entree and the tomatoes were fried in Panko breadcrumbs and the shrimp and sauce was on top. I had already ate a few shrimp before I noticed and asked another server. She said it looks like panko and the original server said oh no that’s corn meal (it wasn’t) but it was fried in the main fryer. I explained again how I am celiac (or gluten allergy to make it simple) and I will get sick. They took the food back and pan fried the tomatoes. I was so nervous by that point I couldn’t eat my plate. We paid $72 for a starter and 2 dishes and was the worst food we had in key largo and they do not adhere to their gluten free claims. So please be careful!!

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

— Not at all

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?

— Below Average