Gluten-Free at City BBQ
Barbecue Restaurant
Most Recent Reviews
They were very kind and upfront about allergens even left the bread out so it wouldn’t touch anything. After checking the menu there seems to be a lot of options. I got the pulled pork and collards they tasted good but afterwards I felt off I’m almost positive there was cross contamination which makes sense because everything is prepared together on the same line on their open kitchen counter. Unfortunate because I was kind of excited that they had so many options. If you aren’t as sensitive this would be a great quick option
I got delivery, and the food was delicious! I felt very safe ordering, their website has FAQ and talks about what items are GF (many of them!) including all their meats and sauces. I put a gluten allergy note in special instructions for each item, and called right after I placed my order, they confirmed each item I ordered was GF, and would go back to the kitchen to let them know about my order and to change gloves. I had ribs, original bbq sauce, baked beans and potato salad, all delish and no reaction! I also know if you dine in, ask them for a gluten/allergy chart with all of their menu items.
Great BBQ! I informed the employee taking our order that I had celiac, and they said no. they did change gloves and took the proper precautions when preparing my order. I ordered brisket, chicken, ribs, bbq beans, and potato salad. plenty of options available. Service was awesome and will definitely go back. cross contamination is still possible though, but no issues with my visit today.
More Reviews
All their meats are gf except things that are fried. Sauces are gf too. Baked beans, green beans and coleslaw sides are all gf. They do have an allergen menu at the cash register that you can ask for. Delicious food
There sauces are gluten free as well as the meat. They have a menu highlighting what is gluten free and the food is excellent. Good experience
They verbally let line workers know gluten free and they wash hands and change gloves before dishing your food.
Great bbq and beans! Their sauce is gluten free. I told them that I have celiac and can’t have gluten. They changed their gloves and used new utensils. They even made an announcement in the kitchen telling them that they had a gluten allergy order coming through and what to do. They put my meal on a separate tray away from the gluten meals. Because of the comments on here about the sauce issue, I asked for to go containers of the sauce and silverware. Everything was delicious and i had no reactions.
A lot of items are gluten free across all city BBQ locations. Ask the staff, many are knowledgeable and will even give you to-go cups of sauce to avoid potential cross contamination with public sauce bottles!
The staff was very helpful in helping my husband find gluten free choices. The food was excellent
I really enjoyed eating here! The gluten free bbq sauce was amazing. I had the smoked turkey, and a jalapeno chedder sausage with a side of coleslaw. Everything was delicious and I didn't get sick.
O.m.g. Now their nachos are AMAZING! Enough for 2 and perfectly balanced!
They are very good and very tasty!
The staff is very knowledgeable about gf. They confidently answered my questions and immediately had the kitchen change their gloves and sanitize their cutting board for my order. I’m pretty sensitive, and I didn’t get sick. That being said, the food itself wasn’t that awesome. Good for a quick and safe lunch though.
I informed the staff that I was Celiac, the staff was very knowledgeable.
But the kitchen is in view of the restaurant and the food is not handled safely, with the chef picking up bread and then touching the meat. I would not eat here if you are symptomatic celiac.
Had the bbq, potato salad and beans. All good!
I informed them of my gluten intolerance and they were on top of it. There are pretty good options in my opinion!
We tried this place because we found it on the find me GF app. The reviews were a couple of years old and that can sometimes mean a change of management and policies. We were pleasantly surprised to find that they still offer all the meat and sauces as gluten free. Several sides are gluten free but the fries are fried in a shared fryer with hush puppies, so they were out. The employee we ordered with was very accommodating and specifically offered to change gloves, cutting boards and knives when preparing out gluten free meal. The food was great and we were glad to find a place that went to extra lengths to keep us safe.
I enjoyed the pulled pork, potato salad and vinegar coleslaw! It was nice to have the option to try all the sauces too. I would recommend!
Good quality quick bbq, knowledgeable staff and they have a protocol for separation if you ask and all meats and sauces are gluten free and most sides.
Fryer contaminated but they know it. Just ask and it’s good!
Barbecue without a bun and a couple of side options. Sauces are GF too! Stop by Graeters next door for dessert and ask for an allergy scoop to get it from a separate area.
Had lunch here and will definitely be back, all of the meat is gf and if you tell them you have an allergy they will change gloves and leave your meat “naked”. All of the sauces are gf except for the chipotle mayo, and they do have an allergen menu that you can reference. Many of the sides are gf and the staff was knowledgeable and accommodating!
Asked for no bread. Got bread anyway, it was to-go so everything was contaminated š
We eat here often and hubby has never had a reaction. He also doesn’t do well with some cuts of meat/steak due to swallowing problems, but has no issues with their ribs or brisket - they are super tender. I’m from the land of BBQ in Texas and this is my favorite local BBQ place.
Several options available, and yummy without having a bun.
Got the pulled pork, baked beans, and collard greens with the original sauce. Told them I had a gluten allergy when I ordered in the store and made sure all of the items were gluten free when I ordered. I still had a reaction so there must have been some kind of cross contamination that happened. I usually don’t have a reaction with bbq so this was very surprising and sad when I swelled up and got sick.
Great options! All meats and sauces are GF. If you tell the staff that you have celiac or an allergy they will change gloves and keep bread separate. Awesome sides and over all great food! Wish they would add a cider to their drink menu but can’t complain about good BBQ :)
Brisket and green beans are what I usually get. Never had any issues
Not a great experience. Ribs came out with bread on them. We asked for no bread and we’re very specific about being celiac/gf. The brisket was so fatty could hardly eat. The green beans were good though.
They were so kind and very cautious! Also, the food was outstanding! Southern BBQ at it's finest.
All sauces and meat is gluten free. Fries are not done in Seperate fried They were careful to tell cook gluten free and changed his gloves. Great food and bbq. Love the blues music as well.
City Barbeque is a franchise of restaurants serving up Barbeque. They are southern inspired and have an allergen menu online that also helps if you have multiple allergies like I do. I have happily eaten their brisket which is moist, turkey and pulled pork there. Sides we usually get is coleslaw and beans. There are other gluten free sides but not dairy free.
City BBQ does have gluten free options and are very good. However we have noticed regular turnover of staff that need to be trained to understand Celiac and gluten cross contamination. There is no dedicated area to prepare gluten free orders separate from regular orders. Staff are slicing bread over the cutting board where they cut the meats so we are always having to ask for our GF order to be redone safely which they are never happy about. We continue to order from there but just not very often. When we do order there we have to watch closely so as not to get sick.
Even though they said they could handle a gluten allergy watching the kitchen there was multiple points of cross contamination. The manager knew what celiac was but did very little to made the food safe.
Barbecue is very good. Many gf sides. Only one sauce has gluten. Food is tasty. Tell them you need gf when ordering.
I’m celiac and very sensitive to cc. Rarely have had an issue here - just be sure to ask them to label your order as gluten allergy so they change gloves in between handling buns and GF items. My go-to’s are the brisket, pulled pork, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, green beans…so delicious.
Great experience and staff! Allergen matrix is available to scan at front desk but I posted a photo of it as well!
Wonderful!
We ordered for a large group, fully gf: brisket, slab of ribs, pulled pork. Both original and spicy sauce. Sides of cole slaw, potato salad, green beans, chili. Everything was delicious.
We spoke with the manager prior to ordering to confirm which menu items were GF, and what their food handling practices were. We felt safe. And both my celiac husband and 3y old daughter ate without issue.
4 stars for safety because their facility is not GF, so there is always some risk. However the gf menu is robust l, we ate safely, and we plan to return!
Great experience at this location. The restaurant is new and very clean. All meat is gluten free and many sides are gluten free. I ordered the beef brisket without the bun and collard greens. The website notes what items are and aren't gluten free. Everything is made in a shared kitchen. I had no negative reaction after eating.
My son got very sick after having the ribs and baked beans, they were both listed as gluten free on the allergen menu. We made the mistake of not checking the sauces that may have been the issue.
Pulled pork was good. Average BBQ. Fries are listed on menu as gluten free but are NOT in a dedicated fryer. Fries are not celiac safe. Staff knew right away to change gloves and called out “gluten allergy” several times in the kitchen and prep area.
Based on previous reviews and a call to question the gf options we made the decision to go. I have celiacs and am careful. We were told all smoked meats were safe without bun or bread and some sides (coleslaw, greens, baked beans, green beans). Long story short, the cooked whole meats are cut and handled in the same area and with the same gloved hands and knife that handles and cuts the bread and buns. So I only ordered the sides. The food was delicious, my husband not celiac truly enjoyed his meal. I don’t usually have immediate or severe reactions, but I did have something happen just after eating. So in my opinion this place is not the safest for those of us with celiac. By the way I’m pretty easy going with my diet, meaning I maintain a gluten free diet and work to keep my cooking area safe. But I like to eat out and don’t feel like it’s the restaurants primary responsibility to prepare food for me so I only frequent places that already have gf procedures in place and understand not all restaurants care to make drastic changes. It my responsibility to choose wisely or be satisfied with what I can get relatively safe.
Very kind and helpful staff here. When I asked about allergy information they said cross contamination would definitely be a problem and advised me that it is not safe for Celiac.
I had pulled pork, green beans and a side salad. Staff was knowledgeable and put all my food on a separate tray.
When ordering I asked for a GF menu and they not only handed me their full alleged menu but the manager came out to talk with me. He said that his Mom is celiac and he often will make a meal to take to her as a treat.
The staff cleans the area, changes their gloves, then serves the celiac’s meal on a separate tray.
Food was GREAT! I highly recommend!!!!
Eat here often with celiac husband.
The salad with pulled chicken on top was delicious!
Had both good and bad experiences just make sure you are clear on what needs to be done so that your food is safe
Good selections and offered to change gloves for food handling on their own. Also DELICIOUS. :) thank you!
Food was delish and when they heard I had a gluten allergy every precaution was taken! Definitely will be back!
Looking for a fast bite on our drive home from FL, brought us to City BBQ. Huge thanks to the previous reviews. Ordered online and left directions for gluten free/change gloves in comments. We did curb side pickup. Found the allergy list online easily. It was painless and great food. We were back on the road in no time! Brisket, salad, green beans and cole slaw were the gluten free items we ordered. All were great.
I would only give a 4.5 because the food is not much different from other bbq places that we have eaten at. The staff is in the process of being trained by the manager & we had to ask for help from her.
Ordered a naked sandwich (no bun) and baked beans for our daughter’s kids meal. They noted her gluten allergy (she is actually Celiac) and the person taking our order shouted to the kitchen for everyone to get fresh gloves. He actually walked around and made sure they did. We had a great experience.
You can scan the barcode to get a menu with the allergens listed. I ordered the pulled chicken and baked beans.
Most of the sides are off limits (bummer), but the meat is sooo good. I got brisket and pulled pork and can happily recommend both. Btw there is a lot of outside seating (no heaters though). Staff seemed relatively knowledgeable. I will be back for sure!
There is not a separate fryer and no GF buns but they are very careful and their brisket is awesome.
No dedicated fryer, but they do change gloves and lay down paper when you specify an allergy
Today I called asking them to just avoid cross contamination while packing our food. The moment I said my son was celiac; they instantly put me on the phone with the manager, David. He was amazing to talk to. We were just ordering pulled pork for my son-he offered to go to a new shoulder and cut it fresh so there would be no chance of it already having shared knives on it. We are new to this journey and eating our. I didn’t ask about the runs used on the meat. But I felt really good with the experience we had and that they had some thought put into it .
Edited to say-we placed our order at 3:30. So, to cut into a new shoulder at that time of day is relatively easy.
Reviews said there was a gluten-free menu available, but it was not available online. I called to check and they were very aware of cross-contamination and easily pointed out the many gluten free items available.
Great place smoked meat is amazing as well as the GF potato salad and baked beans!!!! Never disappoints
All meat and several sides are gluten free
Knowledgeable staff and more GF options than most, have not gotten sick in 2 trips.
Great bbq and great taste!! The staff was very nice and helpful. They have a very detailed allergen menu for more than just gluten. Will definitely be returning!!
Staff assured me that food would be gluten free but I had a reaction, more than likely due to cross contact/contamination. I’d love to instruct them on how to make their restaurant safe for Celiac because the food was delicious š.
I love their BBQ but don't go there anymore because at the Garner location by my house, I was watching them prep meats to portion them out. Using the same cutting board for everything, they cut the meat, then cut the bread and made the sandwich, then got out more meat and cut it up for a plate. šš¤¬š±
We had always done ok here, but today found a macaroni noodle in the baked beans. Everything is sitting together like a buffet.
Friendly staff and good BBQ. They make sure your meal is labeled GF (naked). There were several options for sides-including potato salad, green beans, collard greens, etc. They have 2 GF BBQ sauces too. I have a wheat allergy and did not get sick.
Changes gloves when preparing sausage. And my son loves the green beans too. All bbq sauces are GF (unless they change)
They have a lot of gluten free options! Mostly meats but they make sure that they let the kitchen know. And have ate there multiple time and never been sick.
I had been to this location once previously a couple months ago where the Manager on duty said that they have a lot of celiac customers and they take allergies very seriously. I was able to eat there and felt great afterwards. Unfortunately my last visit there 2 days ago left my violently ill. Not sure if their allergy protocol just wasn’t followed, but I doubt I will be visiting this location again.
The staff was excellent in their knowledge of GF. NO dedicated fryer though. But great GF menu; changed gloves without being told; all sauces are GF even though menu says otherwise. Talked with two members of staff who said they never knew anything about celiac until they worked there and now rarely a day goes by without at least one customer with it...great food too!
very safe. have a GF menu and plenty of options. there are a few sides that are not safe.
Very good gluten free menu, and staff was very knowledgeable about celiacs
Very helpful, understanding employees. Took the proper cross contamination precautions for my food (they have some gluten free items). It tasted great and I didn't get sick!
They have a simple yet comprehensive allergy menu at the counter. Meats and most sauces are gluten free. About half the sides are safe. The pulled pork was good and the sweet city sauce was tasty too. Green beans were awesome and creamy coleslaw was alright. I’ll do it again.
The staff is very knowledgeable, as the waitress also had celiacs disease, so they cleaned everything. Best brisket I have ever had. Amazing sides, including gf chili and green beans with bacon. Best food and waiter was super kind. They gave us $5 off and we will definitely be back. Super delicious. I definitely recommend.
The staff understand gluten free and have celiac too. We had the very best brisket ever!!!
Staff is very knowledgeable on gluten free menu options and bbq sauces. They do have a nutrition list for you to look at, just ask at register when ordering. Staff will even make sure to change gloves if you make them aware of any allergies
Good protocol. Most of menu is celiac friendly (check online—good chart), and if you tell the cashier “gluten free,” she labels the order and they automatically change gloves, etc. Food is fantastic.
Wow, I didn’t expect to have so many options here. I’ll gladly go back again.
Great brisket And baked beans , they seemed well trained in GF food prep. I didn’t get glutened!
This location is NOT gluten free. THeir prep area is not separate, and the guy who cuts the meats for distribution is constantly touching bread, and then touching the large hunk of meat (Brisket, or pork shoulder or whatever). The end result is that while the meat itself may be gluten free, once it goes through the prep area, it is essentially no longer gluten free. IF you have ceiliac as I do, this restaurant is NOT for you. Just a bit sensitive it is probably okay, but for ceiliacs like me, DO NOT GO HERE. This is very unfortunate because the food smells incredible, but I cannot eat it because of the loaf of bread they threw in my 1/2 Rack of ribs (which doesn't help at all).
If you have celiac or are on a gluten free diet, try their gluten free options. Their turkey, pulled pork, pulled chicken, brisket, and ribs are all gluten free. Their gluten free sides include green beans with bacon, vinegar slaw, creamy slaw, and smashed potatoes. Lots of good options here.
The brisket here is my favorite in the area. They're really good about changing gloves when cutting meat and scooping sides if you specifically tell them you have an allergy. The green beans with bacon in them are also so delicious. My favorite BBQ in Charlotte for sure.
Staff did a great job preparing my meal. The food was excellent.
This is a fast food type of place. The manager who helped me has celiac and assisted with my choice. I ordered ‘naked pulled pork’ and the citrus pecan slaw. I was told to stay away from the Montreal sauce; there were several other choices available. A few other gluten free side dish options were available and other meat choices, too. Food was delicious and I had no reaction.
We really enjoyed their food! Meats are GF and the sauces and sides are labeled.
Love the food and the detailed allergen menu as I have more than just gluten problems. One of the few places I can go and feel like I get the mostly full experience like everyone else I am dining with.
Great food and very helpful staff. šsummer day trips carefree with great choices to enjoy here!
Communication was very clear from customer to order to kitchen as far as gluten free needs. (Son has celiac)Server took a pic of dry rub ingredients -all checked out for pork,brisket,& chicken. Sides-best baked beans I've ever tasted! Portions are shareable among 2 people. Rest of family was very satisfied with their order!
Allergen menu posted near register to help you make your choice, probably no dedicated prep areas, but most of the meats and all of the sauces are gluten free.
The food was delicious, but the portions were a bit on the small side for the price.
Allergen list is posted right by the register, very helpful. Our order was supposed to have no bread, but it was served anyway. It was in a separate container and easy enough to leave at the counter. Food was delicious but never have I seen such small portions of meat at a BBQ joint for the money.
Many options. Menu is easy to read about what contains wheat and gluten. Letting the staff know I had an allergy was easy. Food is pretty delicious too.
Good options. Went there at end of the night and meat was kind of dried out. Went back another day and it was perfect! No reaction
Food isn't good and portion size is disappointing as well.
Food just isn't good. Blah and small portions for the price.
Good BBQ, but all the sauces are too sweet. Baked beans are really sweet too. Green beans are full of awesome bacon flavor. They have an allergen list and all of the sauces are gluten free. Make sure to ask them to hold the toast and change gloves if you are gluten free.
