Love this spot! Went a few times on our trip. They were great with their celiac protocol! I got chia pudding which was so good and the granola was even certified GF (they make it in house)! Got the bearcat breakfast with GF pancakes! The potatoes were so good, very crispy! Did not get sick.
I have celiac and get mild symptoms if exposed. I can’t say enough good things about Bearcat. I would not give it top safety ratings only because they don’t have a GF kitchen. But I was very impressed with what the server described as their process for avoiding cross-contamination. The gluten-free fryer is a huge plus. Server also told me that the owner's mother (or wife?) has celiac. This doesn’t always mean much, but overall I was impressed. I’ve eaten here a few times and every single thing has been delicious. High marks!
Excellent service and knowledge. Felt safe. Amazing eggs, bacon and potatoes were sooooo good. Gluten free hot chocolate. Only thing that was average was the pancakes which were heavy on the banana flavor which isn’t my preference but is better w blueberries and blueberry syrup! Total find.
Delicious food, but a bit of a wait. They do offer to text when your table is ready so you don’t have to sit there while waiting which is nice. I had the BearCat Breakfast with the gf pancake added. The pancakes taste like banana bread and have a slightly eggy texture. They’re paleo friendly so I think there was cottage cheese or extra egg in them as a binder. They were tasty, but the real star of the show was the potatoes which were amazingly delicious. The server took note that I was celiac and I was sitting at the counter so I actually watched as they made sure to cook my food separately from the other dishes. My friend who is non-celiac enjoyed his food as well, so it’s a great choice for mixed parties.
Such a good breakfast spot! GF and vegan options marked on the menu. We had pancakes (plain and blueberry), grits, yogurt with fruit, sausage, eggs, and potatoes! Lots of food. They have fresh pressed juices and a lot of different coffee choices! Absolutely recommend and would def come back!
Many items on the menu are gluten free. I ordered the 2 egg breakfast, potatoes, grits, and the paleo pancakes.
I did not get sick but the coffee was Luke warm and the food, especially the potatoes were VERY salty. The paleo pancakes were banana flavored, which I didn't know but didn't mind. They were tasty but a little mushy inside.
Overall, I would say they do a great job with allergens and the service was good but I wouldn't return, based on the food there.
Summer of 2019
I’ve eaten here three times in two weeks. Everything has tasted GREAT, and I’ve always felt fine afterwards. I highly recommend the shrimp and grits, the brisket hash (no toast) and the Bearcat breakfast with gf pancakes. Their gf pancakes are their paleo pancakes. I wasn’t sure I’d like them, but my server said that they were great. He was right. They use banana, ground almonds and eggs. They did not taste eggy and were so tasty that they didn’t need syrup. Also I was reluctant to try the potatoes after reading about concerns on this app, but I tried them and had no problems. This place is a New Orleans gem.
I’m adding this 3 years later:
Whenever I’m in NOLA I eat at Bearcat. I love it here. I’ve even bought their pottery from MM Clay to remind me of my experience. I’ve never gotten sick from cross contamination, and I’m sensitive. I have sat at the counter in the pre-Covid era and watched them like a hawk while they’ve prepared my food. They know what they’re doing, and they don’t want me to get sick either.
August 2022
I recently sat at the counter again and saw that there does seem to be a greater risk of cross-contamination than I remembered. I will still eat here but I will be very careful to let my server know that I have celiac and that I need to eat whatever is the safest from cross-contamination. That being said I have never gotten sick from eating here. On this visit I had the fried potatoes and poached eggs.
I got the Bearcat Breakfast and added GF pancakes with blueberries. The flavor was okay, but the consistency was mushy.
Such a cute place, and the menu had the gluten free or gluten free available items listed. It was helpful and one of the few places I found in New Orleans that had anything marked.
I truly can't say enough good things about Bearcat. We ordered takeout and there's a whole section to mark restrictions and allergies, including celiac! I called ahead of time to ask my usual questions and they assured me they took celiac very seriously and warned me ahead of time about the button for online orders. We had some trouble with the online interface, so one person from our party went in and ordered it at the counter. After we got our food and left, I realized I'd totally forgotten to check if my restrictions were communicated to the person at the counter. I called the restaurant in a panic and even though they were absolutely packed, they took the time to reprint the ticket to check if it was marked AND asked the kitchen staff to double check. I will 100% go back next time in town and recommend it to anyone with GF needs.
Great food and service. They take good care with celiac and other allergies.
Very good food and staff knowledgeable of Celiac. Interesting menu and friendly service. Husband has Celiac and did not have any issues after eating here.
SIDE NOTE: Please take Nima results with a grain of salt. The Nima is NOT a fully validated ELISA.There is a significant risk for BOTH false positives and false negatives with this device. I understand how helpful it feels to have this technology available, but try to remember that it is a guide - not gospel. (And before ya get your panties in a twist, I am a biochemist. ;-) )
We waited a while to eat but it was well worth it. Our waiter was friendly and knew was Celiac was. I ordered the Crab Scramble, but was very nervous to try the potatoes. I haven’t had anything fried in almost a decade. I trusted the previous positive reviews and all I can say is wow!! They were great and I haven’t experienced any negative reactions. Highly recommend Bearcat!
This place is a MUST whenever you’re in New Orleans. Everything is very clearly marked on the menu and the waiters/chef even know what it means to be celiac safe. I’ve eaten here several times and recommend it to anyone who asks. Their pancakes are amazing and so are their potatoes in mornay sauce
Eaten there twice no reaction. Super attentive staff. GF and gluten free adaptable listed on menu. Great shrimp and grits.
Yes, yes, yes! Best meal I’ve had, including pre-celiac meals! The owners mom is celiac so they get the safety part. But, they also get the amazing food part! They have meat options, but my 22 year old daughter is a gluten free vegetarian & the options for her were amazing & delicious! Eat here!!!!! UPDATE: still awesome!!!!! UPDATE 2: Continued awesomeness!
GF marked items are not GF per our Nima sensor!! Not safe if you are celiac. Staff wasn’t well trained. Assured us all items marked GF would be safe bc owner’s mother was celiac, and all fryers were dedicated. So thankful for our Nima sensor - we tested the GF chips and queso, which came back with gluten detected. I showed our test to the the waiter who was surprised and didn’t know why. I asked if maybe CC from fryer? After asking around, he admitted that the fryers were just vegetarian dedicated (meat in one fryer, and no meat in the other fryers) but not gluten free dedicated. Hope it was a learning experience for the staff. Please don’t have a false sense of security of eating here, our Nima test definitely proved that wrong.
Yes! Absolutely delicious and safe! Just tell your server that you have celiac disease. The chef has a family member with celiac, and all the kitchen staff is trained to not contaminate anything of notified. Eggs, Paleo pancakes, grits, hashbrowns, fruit... wish I could eat here every day.