Updated January 2023! 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
- Ahi Poke Tacos
- Chicken Pot Stickers, Pan-Seared or Fried
- Chips & Housemade Guacamole + Salsa
- Garlic Knots (no parmesan – ask for “Kids” veresion)
Heads Up! The Sliders, Egg Rolls, and Honey Sriracha Sauce on the Brussels Sprouts contain dairy. We’ve been told the Ribs can be ordered without milk – the dairy is in the accompaniments. Ask your server!
Soup
- Vegan Lentil Soup with Ancient Grains
Heads Up! Skip the sourdough loaf bread bowl at BJ’s, it does 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 Ginger, Honey Mustard, Italian, Oil & Vinegar, Rice Wine Vinaigrette, Strawberry Vinaigrette, Thousand Island
Heads Up! The Ranch, Caesar, and Santa Fe Dressings do contain milk. The Enlightened Kale And Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad, Barbeque Chicken Chopped Salad, and Santa Fe Salad can be custom ordered without dairy – ask your server about necessary modifications.
Burgers & Sandwiches
- Enlightened Barbeque Bison Burger with Gluten-Free Bun (no Santa Fe Dressing)
- 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 Jam, Fried Egg, 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
- Baby Back Pork Ribs with Peppered BBQ Sauce
- Bacon Jam Rib-Eye (verify dairy-free preparation)
- BJ’s Classic Rib-Eye
- Cherry Chipotle Glazed Salmon
- Double Bone-In Pork Chop
- Lemon Thyme Chicken
- Mandarin Orange-Glazed Pork Chop
- Pacific Poke Soba Noodles
- 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
- Quinoa and Brown Rice Blend
- Rice Pilaf
- Sautéed Green Beans
- 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
- Broiled Shrimp
- Grilled Chicken
- Pasta with Marinara and/or Grilled Chicken
- Apple Sauce
- Brown Rice & Quinoa
- Fries
- Fresh Fruit
- Garlic Knots (no parmesan)
- Happy Face Potatoes
- Steamed Broccoli
- Sweet Potato Fries
Heads Up! Sorry kids, the mini burgers, chicken tenders, corn dogs, and 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
- Chips & Housemade Guacamole + Salsa
- Garlic Bread Knots (no parmesan)
- Vegan Lentil Soup with Ancient Grains
- House Salad (no cheese, no croutons)
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Italian Dressing
- Oil & Vinegar
- Rice Wine Vinaigrette
- Strawberry Vinaigrette
- Chimichurri Sauce
- Cheeseless Pizza with Vegetable Toppings (no butter on crust)
- Kids Pasta with Marinara
- Apple Sauce
- Asparagus
- Fresh Fruit
- Fries
- Garlic Roasted Vegetables
- Happy Face Potatoes
- Quinoa and Brown Rice Blend
- Rice Pilaf
- Sautéed Green Beans
- 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
Average Reader Review
Rate Your Dairy-Free Experience with this Restaurant
What Others Are Saying ...
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!
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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
Average Reader Review
Rate Your Dairy-Free Experience with this Restaurant
What Others Are Saying ...
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).