HuHot

They brought me their allergy list, then had me write down what I wanted. They proceeded to go to the back and put my chosen ingredients together from the back where they would be safe from cross contamination. When it came time to cook it they cleaned a safe area on the grill, grabbed clean utensils and kept my food safe.

Celiac friendly?

Yes

Love HuHot! This is one of the few places I feel confident eating at. All of the sauces are GF and they happily grab fresh rice noodles from the kitchen when asked. They make sure the grill is clean and use spatulas to protect your food from splatter. The more sauce you add the better it is. I always grab two bowls the first time and usually only go through once, but the cooks are always great about making sure the grill is safe for people with allergies.

Celiac friendly?

Yes

I was sceptical at first, but I asked the server if they would clean the grill prior to prepping the food, she said yes and also said that she would bring white bowls out to communicate gluten allergy. She the offered to go to the back to get my food fresh so that I wasn't using the food from the bar. I watches the grill guys clean the grill twice, change gloves, and get clean spatulas which they use to "rope" off your food so that those arevthe only utensils that are used. If you go to their website they have gluten free recipies for easy food selection.

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

— 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?

— No gluten-free information on the menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most

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

— Excellent

If you tell them you have an allergy they will clean off the section of the grill and even will bring out ingredients that have not been contaminated to help you out.

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-contamination?

— 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

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-contamination?

— 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

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

My experience before covid was good. I’m slightly less confident when the employees make my food. Before covid: they gave me a yellow bowl to mark it as a food allergy. When filling the bowl, I could ask them to get ingredients from the back fridge, that way I didn’t need to worry about other guests contaminating the buffet. The cooks would clean the grill off before grilling mine since they saw the yellow bowl.

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

— 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