Updated January 2024! BJ’s started as a California pizzeria, over 40 years ago. Today they serve a huge menu of dishes, from boisterous salads to steak and seafood in a spacious brewpub environment. They also keep an allergen menu that is frequently updated, for the most current information. For dairy-free diners, there are dozens of options right on the menu, in addition to many custom order choices.
BJ’s Brewhouse Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Vegan Options
We’ve always found the restaurant staff at BJ’s to be very helpful with questions and special orders. Their allergen menu is helpful, but lengthy and doesn’t quite cover custom order details. We include custom order dairy-free details here when available. Be aware of special order requirements in parentheses () next to the menu items, and see the Heads Up notes to help fill in the blanks.
Other Dietary Notes: For vegan options, see the Vegan Menu Guide at the bottom of this post.
Appetizers & Snacks
- Ahi Poke
- Chicken Pot Stickers – Pan-Seared or Fried
- Chips & Housemade Guacamole + Salsa
Heads Up! The Sliders, Egg Rolls, Crispy Calamari, and Honey Sriracha Sauce on the Brussels Sprouts contain dairy.
Soup
Heads Up! The Chili, all of the soups, and the sourdough loaf bread bowl at BJ’s contain milk.
Salads
- Enlightened Asian Chopped Salad
- Enlightened Seared Ahi Salad
- Enlightened Spring Harvest Salad (seasonal)
- Honey-Crisp Chicken Salad
- House Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
- House Wedge Salad (no cheese, sub dairy-free dressing)
- Tri-Tip Wedge Salad (no cheese, sub dairy-free dressing)
Dairy-Free Dressings: Balsamic Vinaigrette, Honey Mustard, Italian, Oil & Vinegar, Thousand Island
Heads Up! The Ranch, Caesar, and Santa Fe Dressings do contain milk. The Santa Fe Salad can be custom ordered without dairy. Ask your server about necessary modifications.
Burgers & Sandwiches
- Custom Order Burger (use the options below)
Dairy-Free Buns: Gluten-Free Bun
Dairy-Free Proteins: Brewhouse Burger Patty, Loaded Burger Patty
Dairy-Free Add-Ons: Avocado, Bacon, Bacon Jam, Guacamole, Lettuce, Tomato, Mayonnaise, Mustard, Ketchup
Pizzas
Heads Up! We’ve been told you can order cheeseless dairy-free pizzas at BJ’s Brewhouse. You’ll need to ask for no cheese, no butter on the crust, and verify dairy-free toppings.
Other Entrées
- Atlantic Salmon (no sauce)
- Baby Back Pork Ribs with Peppered BBQ Sauce (no onion rings)
- BJ’s Classic Rib-Eye
- Cherry Chipotle Glazed Salmon
- Double Bone-In Pork Chop
- Mandarin Orange-Glazed Pork Chop
- Slow-Roasted Tri-Tip
- Tri-Tip Combo with Chicken or Ribs (not the shrimp scampi)
Dairy-Free Entrée Add-Ons: Bacon Jam, Grilled Onions, Chimichurri Sauce, Blackened Chicken, Blackened Salmon, Blackened Shrimp, Flame Broiled Salmon, Grilled Chicken
Heads Up! Surprisingly, the Spicy Peanut Chicken with Soba Noodles and Jambalaya at BJ’s do contain milk. The Prime Rib meal does, too, mostly due to the accompaniments. The Sauteed Mushrooms, Mushrooms + Onions, and Mushroom Gravy contain milk.
Sides
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Fries
- Garlic Roasted Vegetables
- Rice Pilaf
- Sweet Potato Fries
Heads Up! You can also order a stripped down Baked Potato and they might be able to make the Brussels Sprouts dairy-free without the Honey Sriracha Sauce.
Kids
- Grilled Chicken
- Pasta with Marinara and/or Grilled Chicken
- Fries
- Fresh Fruit
- Happy Face Potatoes
- Steamed Broccoli
Heads Up! Sorry kids, the mini burgers, chicken tenders, corn dogs, and boneless wings at BJ’s do contain dairy.
Dessert
Heads Up! All of their Pizookies and other desserts do contain milk. However, their Handcrafted Sodas, including the Vanilla Cream Soda, are made without milk or any top allergens.
BJ’s Brewhouse Vegan Menu Guide
Vegan Starters & Mains
- Chips & Housemade Guacamole + Salsa
- House Salad (no cheese, no croutons) with Balsamic Vinaigrette, Italian Dressing, or Oil & Vinegar
- Cheeseless Pizza with Vegetable Toppings (no butter on crust)
- Kids Pasta with Marinara
Vegan Sides
- Asparagus
- Fresh Fruit
- Fries
- Garlic Roasted Vegetables
- Happy Face Potatoes
- Rice Pilaf
- Steamed Broccoli
- Sweet Potato Fries
Heads Up! Some of the entrée salads and bowls can be modified for vegan needs. Ask your server for the best options.
This Post is for Informational Purposes Only
Menus, ingredients, kitchen procedures, management, food sourcing, and restaurant protocols are subject to change at any time. Always read the menu and discuss your dietary needs with the staff before ordering. Make sure they can accommodate your situation. This post is for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as advice.
There is always a risk for potential cross-contamination of allergens in any commercial kitchen. If cross-contamination is an issue for you, always speak with the manager to ensure that your meal can be safely prepared. Listings here do not guarantee that a restaurant is safe enough for your individual needs. Only you can make that decision.
Each location of a chain restaurant has different management and staff, and some might have different owners. This means differences in processes, ingredients used, menu options, and food sourcing can occur. Always verify the safety of your order for your needs at your current location.
Where to Find BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
See the website below for addresses, hours, and online ordering.
Website: www.bjsrestaurants.com
Beware of the potstickers
Just an FYI that I was told tonight that the potstickers have butter on them before even cooking them.
Response from Go Dairy Free
This is not a corporate practice to use dairy butter to cook the potstickers. As noted, some locations can take liberties, which is why you always must ask before ordering and speak with a manager if needed. Even so, I would report this location to corporate since it is supposed to be a dairy-free dish.
Was told garlic knots had dairy in the dough
Not sure if it’s place specific. I’m in Colorado Springs, CO.
Response from Go Dairy Free
On a corporate level, the garlic knots (no parmesan, kids version as noted) do not contain milk. It’s possible that they use different dough in your location. As noted, some chains can take liberties.
I work there and can clarify
I love this exhaustive list! As someone who works in this restaurant I can tell you that some of the items like the bone-in wings don’t actually contain dairy but come with ranch so the allergen menu shows they have milk, they also are fried in the same oil as other fried items which are breaded on the spot so there may be some cross contamination. The Prime Rib as well may just be the sauces that come with it, just have your server double check with the kitchen manager in what sauce they use to slow roast it. Hope this helps!
Response from Go Dairy Free
It does, thank you!
For More Dairy-Free Guidance, Get Go Dairy Free!
Where to Find BJ’s Brewhouse
BJ’s has over 200 restaurant locations in 28 U.S. states. See their website below for addresses, hours, and online ordering.
Website: www.bjsrestaurants.com
Beware of the potstickers
Just an FYI that I was told tonight that the potstickers have butter on them before even cooking them.
Response from Go Dairy Free
This is not a corporate practice to use dairy butter to cook the potstickers. As noted, some locations can take liberties, which is why you always must ask before ordering and speak with a manager if needed. Even so, I would report this location to corporate since it is supposed to be a dairy-free dish.
Was told garlic knots had dairy in the dough
Not sure if it’s place specific. I’m in Colorado Springs, CO.
Response from Go Dairy Free
On a corporate level, the garlic knots (no parmesan, kids version as noted) do not contain milk. It’s possible that they use different dough in your location. As noted, some chains can take liberties.
I work there and can clarify
I love this exhaustive list! As someone who works in this restaurant I can tell you that some of the items like the bone-in wings don’t actually contain dairy but come with ranch so the allergen menu shows they have milk, they also are fried in the same oil as other fried items which are breaded on the spot so there may be some cross contamination. The Prime Rib as well may just be the sauces that come with it, just have your server double check with the kitchen manager in what sauce they use to slow roast it. Hope this helps!
Response from Go Dairy Free
It does, thank you!
3 Comments
I had a great experience at BJ’s in Austin. They have a very detailed online allergen menu that is super helpful. I chose a few selections based on my multiple allergies and then called to speak to management before going to the restaurant. They were extremely helpful and I felt confident that I could eat there safely. Our server made a special note of my allergies. When a different person brought out my food, he specifically mentioned that it was my food and that he was aware it was a special order. I rarely eat out anywhere, so this was a nice experience and I really enjoyed my meal without worrying that I would be sick later. I will definitely go there again and look forward to a night off from cooking once in a while!
What a great experience Allison – thank you for sharing! We’ve had similar luck with BJ’s in California and Nevada, too!
Do you know if their pizza crust itself is dairy-free, so one could order a cheeseless pizza for example? That was the only difficulty I had with their allergy menu: menu items that contained cheese didn’t say whether or not they were dairy-free if the cheese was left off even if that was an easy substitution (like on pizzas and sandwiches).