Haidilao Hot Pot

Very accommodating to gluten allergies! When I walked in, they kept telling the next host/server about my gluten allergy so everyone was aware. The menu states the allergens in the broths and foods. For the sauces, you can only have a few things, but you can ask them to get it from the kitchen to prevent cross contamination. Felt very safe! And great service!

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

— Very

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

Exceptional service. They asked about allergies and I mentioned I'm gluten-free, and our server immediately pulled out his phone and let me take a picture of a spreadsheet that featured all the allergens of the soup bases/ingredients. It was actually kind of hilarious – within 10 seconds, there were suddenly three other employees at the table, all of whom were notified that I was GF lol. We got the tomato soup base and pork bone broth (you need to specify GF, they have both a GF and non-GF version), and basically all of the additions are GF except the noodles (I got vermicelli noodles instead). The one area where there are fewer options is the sauce bar. There is a sign above the bar that clearly marks different allergens, and one sign for GF items specifically. As you'd probably expect, only the sesame oil, scallions, minced garlic, chilis, and some other vegetable ingredients are GF, which means less of a sauce than an herby topping. I didn't find this to be a problem at all, since the tomato base was flavorful enough, but something to keep in mind.

This place is known for its attentive, above-and-beyond service, and it really showed the night I went. I'll definitely be back!

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

— Somewhat

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions

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
• Good for keto
• Good selection of healthy options
• Good vegetarian options
• Good with other allergies
• Reservations recommended

On our first visit, we explained to the waitress that we had a gluten allergy, which meant needing to avoid wheat, wheat flour, and soy sauce. The waitress was able to show us on the ordering tablet that the different options show their ingredients - and while some were in Chinese instead of English, she showed us what the Chinese for wheat was. Most of the soup bases, and many of the hot pot options (basically everything except the obvious noodles and such) were gluten free. While many hot pot restaurants only have a plain water or veggie broth that's gluten-free, the tomato, tom yum, and bone broth at Haidilao were all safe (and all DELICIOUS).

We've now been multiple times, without any issues of cross-contamination. The self-service bar for additives to your personal plate is as dangerous as any salad bar, but they do mark which of the options there are gluten free. And you can always bring your own mix-ins if you want (like minced garlic, tamari soy sauce, sesame oil, etc).

The service has been great every time we've gone, and if not for the price, we'd go more often.

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

— Somewhat

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions

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
• Good for dinner
• Good for keto
• Good selection of healthy options
• Good with other allergies
• Reservations recommended