Gluten-Free at On the Border
Mexican Restaurant
Most Recent Reviews
Staff not educated on gf options
Most of the GF safe restaurants are pre security but this is one of the few that are post security. Sadly, they no longer have a GF menu and their regular menu no longer has GF items marked. Our host said “nothing is GF, not even the hard taco shells.” They have corn flour floutas but they are fried with everything else, so not GF.
This is closed as of October 2024 FYI
More Reviews
Chips are cooked in shared friers with catering foods. They do have a GF menu. You can't have the onions due to soy sauce. The service was nice but slow-they have cut out bussers. The fajitas didn't much flavor. My husband had a different piece of meat and he said his had more flavor. Personally, with the taste of food and not being able to eat the chips, I will not be back by choice. Not many Mexican options in the midcities.
Even when told about allergies and given a card with allergies listed, I still receive a plate with the allergen ingredients on it.
Gluten intolerance, I found this place was super knowledgeable. I asked about gluten free, and the waitress asked if it was an allergy or just a preference so she would know if the kitchen staff would need to clean their space and change their gloves.
I ate the chips and salsa, and had the fajita salad with chicken and steak! It was great and I’m feeling great!
Highly recommend!
I’m gluten intolerant and eat here a lot. I have my go to items and stick to those. Queso is a no but i eat it some things i wont give up 😎
Although I thought it was my best bet, I got really sick from the steak fajitas unfortunately. I have a feeling it’s due to cross-contamination & the amount of oil used possibly
I’ve eaten here in the past and been fine, but recently had the chicken fajitas exactly as they say to order for gf and had a horrible gluten reaction. To be fair, I ordered online and did not list my allergy, but I usually don’t react badly to cross contamination. Their gf menu is old and I’m wondering if they updated a recipe for something.
The employees were high and didn’t even know what gluten free was , we showed them the gf menu and they acted shocked. We walked out and went next door to outback
Great experience! Always feel good when I eat here. They are knowledgeable.
Good food but not celiac safe- waiter knew nothing about gluten or cross contamination and didn’t ask. I ended up getting chicken tacos on corn tortillas and got sick- didn’t even eat the chips….
New to my celiac diagnosis but went here for lunch and got the fajitas.. brought my own tortillas. I thought they did a lovely job at making sure everything was gluten free and I feel fine after eating!
Gluten free menu. Had the chimchurri chicken and shrimp with rice and veggies. Have also had the queso chicken and veggies with rice, queso, and house margarita, guac. No reactions. Very good. Chips not gluten free.
GF menu. Staff was cautious and asked the right questions
Chips are not cooked in a dedicated fryer though.
Steak tacos carbon were good.
Ordered tacos off the gluten free menu that were supposed to be served on corn tortillas. They were served on flour tortillas. This used to be a safe restaurant for me but lately they are making more and more mistakes. I personally will no longer trust the restaurant.
I did not end up eating here because the person I spoke with when I called said that most of their meat is either cooked or reheated on the same flat top that is used to make their quesadillas and he had at some point seen people cook gluten in their dedicated gf fryers. He said they could definitely accommodate if I let them know it was severe, but it didn’t seem like a place I would trust not to contaminate.
This place is not celiac friendly and has very little to offer that is gluten free
Had fajitas. They were very good and the had a dedicated menu for celiac. Wait staff was knowledgeable. We brought our own chips for the salsa, which is pretty standard everywhere these days as the frier is shared.
Dedicated GF
I ate the chips with no reaction and they had many options on the gluten-free menu but I did see that they had a combo on the normal menu. I got the pick 2 flautas with double rice. The chicken tortilla soup is also good without the tortillas.
Had a really great experience here. They had a gluten free menu avaliable and assured me that everything would be prepared safely. Got the shrimp tacos and they were delicious.
My two kiddos are celiac and very sensitive but we had no reactions here. The waitress and manager reassured us the chips are actually in a dedicated fryer away from the cooking line. We had a gluten free menu but our waitress did reiterate multiple times there is risk of cross contamination but they take it serious in the kitchen and try their best to avoid it. A different server brought out the meals prior to the other food to avoid any mix Ups and reduce cross contamination. We know this is always a possibility when we go out to eat, but we were thrilled with our meals and service. My gf kids had the adult rice bowl with steak and chicken tacos with black beans and rice.
This used to be a restaurant frequently visited. No more. They’ve changed something with their chips, and I’ve gotten sick the last two visits. Also, their food and service has gone downhill. If you’re looking for a Tex-Mex in this area, try Rio Grande. Almost everything can be made GF. And I’ve never gotten sick.
OTB has an online gf only menu with quite a few options, but you can’t have the chips. Still a good, reliable chain that didn’t cause my very sensitive celiac spouse to get sick (marg and steak bowl).
If you are sensitive you might consider not eating here but I could tell they tried and have decent options if not sensitive.
I haven’t been to OTB for a while until today. their gluten friendly menu is not like it used to be. I used to be able to get at least street tacos which were good… but there were some options. Most Mexican restaurants you can get enchiladas but there are no enchilada options on the menu. And onions are sautéed in soy sauce so that’s a no go(didn’t care for the pickled onions). I was happy to have the queso .
Wasn’t impressed. They didn’t seem to be knowledgeable and I ended up having to research on my phone at the table to find out what was actually gluten free and what wasn’t. My son had the chicken fajitas with corn tortillas. He liked them and did not get sick but we probably won’t be back.
The server was initially confused, but the hostess had already given me their gluten-free menu, so I was able to explain visually as well as verbally. When the food was brought out, there were rolled up flour tortillas in paper on top but she grabbed them staying “they don’t belong here.” Since they were in paper I didn’t mind— but it was a warning that the kitchen wasn’t as careful as I’d like.
They get 4 stars for being upfront, honest, and as careful as they could. Right away they told me their chips were not 💯 safe. Then she gave me the warning that their menu is “gluten friendly” not gluten-free. Then she gave me some advice on my best choices, and they were cautious after that. I did not get sick, and the food was excellent.
The staff was very helpful. If they weren’t for sure on something they would find out if it was ok. The food good was good, but was disappointed in this “On the Border” because the chips are fried with the other fryer food.
They cook their corn tortillas on the same platform as the flour tortillas.
Disgusting, salty and nasty. Do not recommend.
I eat here 3-4 times a month. I always order Tacos Al Carbon and the queso. They have my favorite tortilla chips and queso.
The tacos can be subbed for hard shell without any fried onions. They have options but not everyone in the operation knows what GF means so you must ask for the manager if you get denied the first time. I asked to remove the flour because I didn’t know about the hard shell and had a hard time until I found the best person.
Pretty much the fajitas is the best bet. Didn't get sick and they were understanding. Drinks are amazing.
Food is OK but server was knowledgeable & they have a GF menu. Note there is a large disclaimer that indicates no guarantee regarding potential cross contamination. In a way I appreciate that, but order carefully and be clear with server. But I did not get sick after my visit.
I am editing my review because. While theu were doing great last year, they seem to have stopped reading any changes to the order that are added. They have messed up orders both through catering and through regular ordering on the website.
This resulted in a full family meal having to be remade, a salad redelivered. I really think they just repackaged the fajitas my husband picked up last week that had onions in the box.
Old review:
I order a lot for work and the Catering Manager assured me that they do have a seperate fryer on the other side of the kitchen for chips and they are gluten free at this location. That has changed since I became gf many years ago.
The grilled onions are not. With covid, we have ordered a lot of fajita family meals. They make them with only bell peppers and we get corn tortillas for the gf family members.
I take offense that the "cup of queso" I get to go comes in a 4 ounce container. And people look at me like I'm weird for expecting 8 ounces.
Not a ton of options but I get the queso chicken and it's delicious. A waitress once told me the fajitas are mostly gluten free- the onions are sauteed with gluten so she asked them to not add that. I always ask if the chips are cooked separately because each place is different. Delicious!
I was wary about coming but finally gave in. The staff was aware of a gluten free menu & directed me to their online menu. While it seems they did not fully understand what “gluten free” is, I gave them instructions based on the gluten free menu guidelines and gave instructions on how to avoid cross-contamination. My food came out exactly as ordered and no gluten after effects. Also, they have very good drinks!
Chips are not gf any more. On the gf menu they state shared fryer. I just ordered corn tortillas instead.
I was very pleased, they had a great gluten free menu and I didn’t get sick!
The wait staff seemed to be very knowledgeable about the gluten free and dairy free items. She suggested the cilantro lime rice and black beans. Unfortunately, there was cheese all throughout the lime rice, and the black beans seems like cheese was pulled off it it. Would not recommend / not safe
very limited gluten free menu.
Walked in, new hostess, I had to tell her where the gluten free menus were. She didn’t even know if they had them. Ordered fajitas, mentioned “gluten free, so no onions.” It came out with onions, but they didn’t look like the regular sautéed onions, they looked raw. So I ate the chicken and no onions, still got glutened.
We came at 1130 lunch. Very nice server and while the hostess didn’t know where the GF menu was, she immediately went to find it. Queso and salsa was fresh and sort of a medium spice. The GF menu is in a binder with specific pages on egg, soy, dairy and other dietary restrictions. Chips are corn and fried in a dedicated fryer. Good place!
The menu is not gluten free, instead it is gluten friendly (major difference for celiac’s).
There is no celiac safe food at On the Border. They have a very limited gluten sensitive menu (with items like guacamole without chips), but their onions are cooked in soy sauce and there is cross contamination with all tortillas.
Not celiac safe. Shared fryer and space. Couldn’t stay.
Probably not too safe for celiacs. They have a “gluten friendly” menu that they print for you from their website or you can view it online. Link: https://s36131.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/OTB-GLUTEN_040121_V1.pdf
Chips would be safe except they also fry the breaded avocado fries in the same fryer ruining the oil. Apparently all other breaded stuff has a separate fryer - weird.
I had a boring salad. I feel fine, but it really wasn’t too fun an experience for me. And the waiter forgot my margarita during the meal and still left it on the bill…
On the Border had great customer service. We ordered takeout. The food unfortunately was bland and cold. The dessert was questionable. My husband and I ended up having bubble guts during a show.
Apparently the only option in this gate area with anything they claim to be gluten free. The Carne asada was supposed to be safe but I was expecting some contamination. I was right. Should have just eaten the snack I brought with me.
They have a gluten friendly menu, the chips are not gluten free, they do offer a soft corn tortilla and they were very helpful with navigating the menu
I am not aware of any measurements against cross contamination. They did give me a GF menu. it was VERY limited. The wait to verify that I had corn shells and not flour took a while. Overall service was poor. Hostess appeared very annoyed when seating people and server was very slow on all counts. We will not go there again.
Really enjoyed eating here. Nice staff and very considerate. Their menu says that chips are in a shared fryer, but the only thing in their fryer is chips! Gluten free for sure. ;)
Always good and never sickness with ordering the beef fajita nachos!
Dedicated GF
Poor knowledge of gluten free menu by waiter. limited menu, average food. I had chicken mini taco with rice and beans.
I had a steak bowl from here, it was delicious and I had no reaction. I also had there chips, which I think are the same chips you can buy in the store and are GF. Double check the chips. I had no reaction and I’m super sensitive, will go back soon :)
The food is not very flavorful. There isn’t much to choose from.
Ford was great and they had a GF menu. I am very sensitive and now four hours later I am sick, not a bad one but enough to ruin our evening here on vacation. So disappointed.
New restaurant on the Island. I'm from Missouri and know they have a pretty good gluten-free menu. Inquired about the gluten-free menu before being seated. No one, including the manager, had a clue about gluten-free items. We left, playing it safe.
Nice place for celiacs, the staff they know how to do. I eat really well, the ingredients are good. I loved their margaritas
I have ate here multiple times zero reaction. I love getting the Mexican Ranch Fajitas with Mexican rice, refried beans and corn tortillas. They have a barcode Gluten Free Menu
I had the Monterey Ranch Fajitas w/ refried beans, corn tortillas, Mexican Rice. It was AMAZING. I had no reaction. I can’t wait to be back.
Have a gluten sensitive menu. Use a shared frier for corn chips. Gluten sensitive kids menu. Knowledgeable waitress.
I ordered the queso chicken and I got super sick.
Waitress wasn't knowledgeable about gluten free. I didn't eat the chips because it is the same fryer, definitely cross contaminated and got sick from it. I ordered the steak street tacos. The food was bad I got the dairy removed but the food didn't taste good and I got sick. They have separate online menu for gluten free but I wouldn't recommend this place at all for gluten free people.
Love this place. Eat often and never been sick. Always get the chicken fajitas with corn tortillas.
I had a delicious meal. I used their website before hand to discover that there are about 10 separate menus for specific allergies and recommended meals. My server was very knowledgeable and friendly and seemed to take care to keep me well.
We had a great meal, my son is celiac and did not get sick. The chips are corn and cooked in their own fryer. Manager was very familiar with gluten. They closed kitchen and wiped it down. To prevent cross contamination.
I had a bowl and it was quite tasty. Chips are cross contaminated and the onions in the fajitas have soy sauce (but you can do just peppers). Some tacos and other things can be gf as well.
Our waiter new but he was very sure to make sure I got gluten free items they don’t have chips for GF but they offer corn tortillas to use for dip
Waiter was clueless as to the needs or meaning of gluten free. We order the classic chicken fajitas. He did not seem very concerned when we pointed out the problems with the meal. I watched them heat the corn tortillas on the very same grill they had heated the flour tortillas without cleaning the grill in between. The gf menu said no onions with the fajitas but they were all over the plate. There was no reassurance that the new plate was new food. Will not eat there again.
I don't have issues with cross contamination but I didn't have a reaction to the food. The gluten free menu is online. The chips, queso, guacamole, salsa, street tacos, fajitas with corn tortillas and rice were all fine for me.
I have Celiac diease, I have eaten at on the border about 3x now and have never gotten sick They have a huge gluten free menu This is one of my favorite restaurants
They have a code to scan for allergies. After asking the waitress if I could have an item because I have several allergies the manager came out and talked with me. He was very helpful and made some cooking adjustments to accommodate my allergies.
Staff was super knowledgeable and helpful. Good food and didn't get sick. Will definitely be back! Edit: have been back several times since my original review and still no problems and still great food!
Don’t do it. I made the mistake and I am at the point of tears from the pain
Cross contaminated nacho chips, peppers and onions are cooked in soy sauce, not gluten free...be careful eating here if you are highly sensitive
With the rotating staff, you can't trust it. Most items just don't taste good. No dedicated fryer. And the servers make flour tortillas for most of their tables. I would only risk it during weekday slow times.
Good gluten free menu. No dedicated fryer. But several good options.
Very informed, delicious options
I’m not one to complain about service, but service here was abysmal. Food was subpar and I didn’t feel well after I ate. Was looking forward to some Mexican but left unsatisfied. Won’t be returning.
Staff was very knowledgeable and assured me that precautions would be taken to prevent cross-contamination. Great place with GF chips and many options. They were very busy but managed to keep my meal safe!
Gluten -free menu available upon request. Waitress (Stephanie) was very knowledgeable about allergen.
Nothing special for GF options, chips aren’t gluten free, food isn’t impressive.
The already limited menu just keeps getting smaller. Chips are not safe, and I've been told by a server that cross contamination is highly likely due to them using the same scoop and fillings as they do with the flour tortillas (scoop touching flour tortilla and going back into container to then be used for a corn tortilla) Only reason for 2 stars is because I like their Queso and Guac. I get them to go, and use my chips from home.
I have gone to this location maybe 5 times, I usually get the same thing, chicken mini tacos, and am usually safe, this last time the waitress told me the chips were gf, we said no, she went to check, answer was no, then I ordered my usual dish, and she gave me steak, was good even though wasn't what I ordered, I would prob go back again , just be super cautious.
They have a gulten free menu very friendly
I have been here a few times and get ill each time.
Eat here often and I have not had an issue. They will even provide a GF menu and advise the cooks. Most everything they will substitute for corn tortillas instead of flour. Just have to tell them.
It is a mixed kitchen, no seperate prep area.
Yeah the to go didn’t have any of the gluten friendly items. The only thing I could of gotten was a salad but I didn’t really feel safe eating here.
I had no clue you could cook Mexican food badly, but this restaurant proved that. The rice alone was strangely seasoned and extremely dry. I didn’t get glutened, but did have a stomachache after our meal.
Not gf. No dedicated fryer and when I ordered steak they cooked it on foil so it came out a very unappealing grey color. They may have good intentions but they have a very longggggg way to go.
Cost was high and even after telling my waitress about my Celiac and explaining what I couldn't eat I still got sick from the food. The online menu wasn't helpful when I showed her.
Dedicated fryer for the chips. Staff wasn’t sure but happily went and asked the kitchen.
Gluten free menu provided but kitchen staff was disorganized and got multiple orders wrong for the people at our table ordering from the regular menu so it was not surprising to me that my daughter became sick hours after eating from the gluten free children’s offerings.
Place itself was very dirty and the gluten free food is not celiac friendly.
They dont take any kind of gluten free precautions for preparing food. while some menu items are gluten free, they are not made in an allergy safe gluten free area and they do not use designated gluten free utensils. i used to work here as a host and to go person, i watched first hand how they prepare and cook the food. after i was diagnosed with celiac i could not eat anything they made there, not even the chips as theyre made in the same fryer as fried chimichangas and chicken strips.
They can’t guarantee that anything has no gluten in it and aren’t very knowledgeable about it
