Eating at LongHorn Steakhouse with celiac disease, IBS or food allergies

LongHorn Steakhouse publishes a Nutrition & Allergen Guide and asks guests with allergies to speak up. As of October 2026, its nutrition page says it keeps its allergen information "as up-to-date as possible, based on the information provided by our suppliers. However, because LongHorn menu items are made fresh to order, food may come into contact with allergens during preparation and cooking."

The same page says: "If you have a food allergy, PLEASE inform your server." It suggests calling LongHorn’s Guest Relations Department at 1-800-793-4126 before you visit if you have special concerns, and notes that it can take several days to fully research a request.

So LongHorn doesn’t promise any dish is free from allergens or gluten, and this guide doesn’t either. It explains what LongHorn says, where to find its own details, and the questions that matter most at a steakhouse.

• Cross-contact: menu items are made fresh to order, so food may come into contact with allergens during preparation and cooking.
• Where the information comes from: LongHorn bases its allergen information on what its suppliers provide.
• What to do: tell your server about any food allergy, and call Guest Relations ahead of your visit if you have special concerns.
• Gluten: LongHorn’s FAQ says it provides a downloadable, printable version of its gluten-wise menu for US restaurants, linked to the same Nutrition & Allergen Guide.
• Specific ingredients: for allergen or ingredient questions, the FAQ asks you to contact Guest Relations, and says LongHorn is happy to research specific recipes so you have the most accurate ingredient information possible.

In the PDF itself, the gluten section is called the Gluten-Sensitive Guide. It begins: "Although LongHorn® Steakhouse does not have gluten-free kitchens, we will make every attempt to meet your needs for a gluten-restricted diet." It lists items made without gluten-containing ingredients as they come, or with minor changes such as ordering the LH Burger without the bun, salads without croutons, and Parmesan Crusted Chicken without breadcrumbs. It also asks that salads be tossed in separate mixing bowls. Its footnote adds that LongHorn "cannot guarantee any item is free of gluten," and that these items "may not meet the definition of ‘gluten-free’ for those who are highly sensitive."

Notice the wording: LongHorn calls it gluten-wise or gluten-sensitive, not gluten-free, and its cross-contact statement applies to the whole menu. The Celiac Disease Foundation explains that shared cooking areas, utensils and fryer oil are common sources of cross-contact. Whether a shared kitchen is an acceptable risk is a decision to make with your gastroenterologist or dietitian. Our guide to gluten-free vs celiac-safe explains the difference.

The Allergen Guide in the PDF has a column for each of peanut, tree nut, soy, egg, dairy, wheat, finfish, molluscan shellfish, crustacean shellfish and sesame, plus a column for items that contain gluten ingredients. A Y means the item contains that allergen. A separate dot marks items that are grilled, or fried in soybean oil, because they present "a special risk of cross-contact of all allergens due to the cooking method." LongHorn notes that the chart doesn’t say which items were made in a facility with an allergen, and that, unless noted, it leaves out accompaniments, dressings and dipping sauces, which are listed separately.

Some examples from that version of the chart:

A few things stand out. The plain steaks have no allergen marked, but every one is marked for grill cross-contact, and Redrock Grilled Shrimp, which contains crustacean shellfish, is grilled too. The fries have no allergen marked but are fried, and the same chart marks battered items such as Wild West Shrimp as fried. Yet the Gluten-Sensitive Guide lists Seasoned French Fries, so if fryer cross-contact matters for you, ask whether your restaurant uses a separate fryer. Dairy is marked on many simple-sounding sides, including the steamed vegetables. In the version we read, we didn’t see any item marked for peanut or sesame, but that doesn’t rule out cross-contact, and recipes change.

A plain grilled steak sounds simple, but at most steakhouses several things happen to it between the fridge and your plate. LongHorn’s chart answers some of these questions for the version we read, but recipes change and the chart can’t tell you about cross-contact on the night, so ask your server too.

• Seasonings and rubs: blends can include wheat-based ingredients or malt. Ask whether the seasoning on your steak, chicken or fish contains gluten.
• Marinades: traditional soy sauce and some Worcestershire-style sauces contain wheat. Our guide to whether soy sauce is gluten-free explains why.
• The grill: ask whether the grill is shared with marinated or breaded items, and whether your food can be cooked on a separate area or in a separate pan.
• Fried foods: fries and onion-based appetizers often share fryer oil with breaded items. The Celiac Disease Foundation lists shared fryer oil as a cross-contact source.
• Sauces, soups and gravies: these are often thickened with flour. Ask about each one, including what’s brushed on a steak as it finishes.
• Bread and croutons: ask for bread to stay off the table if crumbs are a worry for you, and for salads to be made without croutons from the start rather than picked off.

The NIDDK advises telling your server you have celiac disease and asking about ingredients and how food is prepared, and asking to speak with the chef if you need more detail. Our guide to eating out with celiac disease has a fuller checklist.

In the US, the FDA recognizes nine major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. At a steakhouse, a few of these deserve specific questions:

• Milk: butter is often added to steaks, vegetables and potatoes, and cheese and sour cream to sides. Ask whether butter goes on your steak by default.
• Fish and shellfish: if the menu includes seafood, ask whether it shares a grill, pan or fryer with your order.
• Egg: sauces, dressings and breaded coatings can contain egg.
• Tree nuts and peanuts: these can turn up in salads, desserts and dressings. Ask about cross-contact in dessert preparation too.
• Sesame: buns, breads and some dressings can contain sesame.

LongHorn’s own guide is the place to check which items contain which allergens; the examples above are from the version marked valid as of 08/10/26. For anything it doesn’t answer, LongHorn points you to your server and its Guest Relations team. Our guide to food allergies and the major allergens has more on cross-contact.

For many people with IBS, the meat itself is not the issue. Monash University lists plain cooked meats, poultry and seafood among lower-FODMAP foods, and also notes that some marinated or processed meats can be higher in FODMAPs. Garlic, onion, mushrooms and wheat-based breads are on its higher-FODMAP list, and potato, carrot, green beans and lettuce are among its lower-FODMAP vegetables.

• Ask about garlic and onion in seasonings, marinades, butters and sauces. They’re common in steakhouse flavorings.
• Ask for sauces and toppings on the side, including mushroom and onion toppings, so you can choose how much to have.
• Sides are where choices open up: a plain baked potato or plain steamed vegetables can be easier to check than a loaded or sauced side, but confirm what’s added.
• Think about portion. With FODMAPs, the amount you eat can matter, so a smaller serving of a side you’re unsure about may sit differently.

Only you and your dietitian know your own triggers. Our guides to eating out with IBS, hidden garlic and onion and FODMAP portion sizes explain more.

1. Open LongHorn’s current Nutrition & Allergen Guide before you go, including its Gluten-Sensitive Guide, and note the items you want to ask about.
2. Call Guest Relations ahead if you have a complex allergy. LongHorn says research can take several days, so call early.
3. Tell your server at the start, as LongHorn asks, and ask them to pass it to the kitchen.
4. Ask about the seasoning, butter, grill and fryer for each item you order.
5. Order changes up front, such as no butter or sauce on the side, rather than asking for something to be removed later.
6. If you’re unsure, skip it. It’s fine to keep the meal simple.

Helpful phrases: "I have celiac disease. Can you check the Gluten-Sensitive Guide for this steak, including the seasoning and anything brushed on at the end?" and "I have a milk allergy. Can my steak be cooked without butter?" Our guide to talking to restaurant staff about allergies has more, and our Outback and Texas Roadhouse guides cover other steakhouse chains.