🩺 Dining With Vital Signs: Beatrix
husband and I were downtown for a Tesla event and decided to grab lunch nearby. When we’re in Chicago, restaurants from
Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises
have historically been very good with gluten-free and dairy-free dining, so Beatrix felt like a safe choice.
We visited on a Saturday around noon, and the restaurant was extremely busy. Thankfully we made reservations on
OpenTable
which I highly recommend if you plan to visit during brunch hours.
Beatrix has a very interesting layout:
☕ Coffee and pastry bar area
🍽 Main dining room
🍸 Full bar
🛋 Lounge seating area connected to the hotel next door
The lounge area actually sits between the café/bar and the dining room and leads toward the restroom hallway. It’s a nice, comfortable space with couches and additional seating.
🫀 Vital Signs Field Exam
🚑 Allergy Awareness
The restaurant does provide a gluten-free menu, including both:
✔ Gluten-free brunch menu
✔ Gluten-free dinner menu
However, dairy-free items were not specifically labeled, so our server had to check with the chef to confirm which options could be modified.
Two dishes I originally wanted were unfortunately not dairy-free:
❌ Mushroom & Quinoa Burger (cheese inside the burger)
❌ Hot Honey Fried Chicken (soaked in buttermilk)
The server did a great job communicating with the kitchen to find a safe option.
🍽 What I Ordered
Chimichurri Steak & Eggs
Modifications:
✔ Egg whites instead of whole eggs
✔ Gluten-free toast
✔ French fries instead of hash browns (hash browns contain dairy)
Price: $26.90
The plate also included a wooden allergy flag, which I always appreciate seeing because it signals that the kitchen flagged the order for allergens.
🧼 Cleanliness Check
Before eating, I always wash my hands (clinical habits die hard).
The restroom was clean and tidy, which is always a good sign for overall restaurant hygiene.
Friendly clinic reminder:
🧼 Always wash your hands before eating whenever possible.
🍳 Taste & Texture
The steak was cooked perfectly medium.
It had exactly what I love in a steak:
✔ Beautiful salty crust
✔ Tender interior
✔ Well-seasoned
The egg whites were fluffy with a great texture.
The gluten-free toast appeared to be a multigrain style bread, and it was toasted safely and had a delicious buttery flavor even without dairy.
The French fries were excellent.
🍟 Lightly crispy outside
🍟 Soft inside
🍟 Nicely salted
Exactly what a french fry should be.
I had two dipping sauces:
• Sriracha aioli – definitely more spice
• Lemon aioli – bright and flavorful
Both were excellent with the fries.
🍽 Portion Size
This was a large meal.
I was only able to eat about half of the plate.
The green pepper garnish stayed on the plate as well.
👨⚕️ Husband’s Meal
My husband ordered a:
Gluten-free bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on a gluten-free bun.
He enjoyed it very much.
I did not try it due to the cheese.
🌆 Atmosphere
The ambiance at Beatrix is modern and contemporary.
Think:
✨ Mood lighting
🎶 Upbeat background music
🪑 Many seating styles
Seating options included:
• Couches
• Four-top tables
• Circular tables
• High-top seating
• Long communal tables
The variety makes the space feel lively and welcoming.
❤️ Rhythm Rating
Tachycardia ❤️🔥 (Love It)
Despite the restaurant being extremely busy, the staff still worked with the kitchen to create a safe gluten-free and dairy-free meal.
The food was delicious, the steak was cooked perfectly, and the fries were fantastic.
📣 Tell Others & Tips
Tips for allergy diners:
✔ Make reservations during busy brunch hours
✔ Ask the server to confirm dairy-free options with the chef
✔ Always verify sides (like hash browns) for hidden dairy
Nutrition teaching moment:
Steak and eggs can be a high-protein brunch option, which helps with fullness and blood sugar balance compared to many brunch dishes that are heavy in refined carbohydrates.
I would absolutely return for dinner. I’ve eaten dinner here before but had never tried brunch until this visit.
This meal was paid for with my own money.
Helping families find safe dining options so they can live safe, happy, healthy.
More reviews here:
www.glutenanddairyfreenp.com
