If you're following any kind of restrictive diet, whether it's for weight loss, allergies or personal choice, it's hard to eat out in restaurants. You have to do a lot of research and you're almost certainly going to have to ask for some substitutions when you order. If you're on a keto diet, it might seem like eating out would be easier (all you have to do is eat meat, right?), but that's not always the case. While there are more keto-friendly restaurants now, you're still going to have to do some homework on which restaurants have keto-friendly options.
We've done the legwork for you. We've already shared some fast food options for keto dieters, but we've got a list of other restaurants that offer keto menu items. Here's our list of 10 keto-friendly restaurants, with some of our favorite keto meals on their menus.
Olive Garden
Sure, sending you to an Italian restaurant for low-carb options might seem a little strange. After all, it's all about the pasta and breadsticks, right? First things first: The never-ending salad is amazing, just skip the dressing and croutons, as they add some serious carbs. Then, stick to options like the Herb-Grilled Salmon, Chicken Margherita or Chicken Piccata. You can also get parmesan-crusted zoodles (zucchini noodles) on the side, which means you don't entirely miss out on the pasta experience.
Outback Steakhouse
Naturally, a steakhouse is going to be high protein-focused, with more than a few low carb options. Obviously, skip the bread and the breaded, fried appetizers, but you're spoiled with choice on the beef, chicken and seafood menu items. Add some veggies or a Caesar salad on the side to round out your complete meal.
?Chili's
If you're craving bbq ribs or fajitas, Chili's is the place to go. Most of the burgers work, too, just remember that whatever you order to skip the bun, tortillas, and anything breaded.
Red Lobster
Look, we know this isn't going to be an easy thing to hear. We're sorry. But the best thing on the Red Lobster menu is the thing you have to skip. Cheddar bay biscuits are definitely, absolutely not part of a ketogenic diet. But there's so much more on the menu, so indulge in your favorite surf and turf mix and don't forget your veggies and a side salad.
Bonefish Grill
Grilled fish is a solid keto option at this seafood chain, but you can find other great menu items, too. The Angler's Sirloin Steak, the ribeye and the filet mignon are all good beefy options, and you can get green beans as a side.
Denny's
It's Denny's, so you gotta order breakfast. A build your own omelet is your best option. Pile it high with cheese, bacon, and avocado for some protein and good fats. Denny's menu also has a Fit Fare section with entrées that include salmon, steak and pot roast. This keto-friendly restaurant also has a great nutrition calculator online; it's customizable, so you can figure out your exact carb and protein count.
Chipotle
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The quick-serve Mexican chain is going all-in on creating keto-friendly options (along with paleo, Whole30 and vegan options). You can get the Keto Salad Bowl, which comes with the chain's lettuce blend, steak or chicken, salsa, cheese, and guacamole. They also have a really cool nutrition calculator online, where you can see the calorie, protein, fat and carb count and customize it based on your order, so you can compare carnitas to chicken and see how many carbs you gain by adding sour cream or queso. The calculator also breaks down the percentage of fat, protein and carbs if you prefer to see the numbers that way.
Seasons 52
Seasons 52 tends to focus on healthier options in general, so you'll find several low-carb items on the menu. But if you need somewhere to take your crew for happy hour, this is the place. Their happy hour menu includes Ginger-Sesame Chicken Skewers, Kona-Crusted Lamb and Caramelized Grilled Sea Scallops.
Blaze Pizza
By definition, pizza doesn't fit into a keto diet so you wouldn't think a pizza chain would be a keto-friendly restaurant. But one chain is trying to change things so that you can keep your carb intake low and still have pizza. In July 2019, Blaze became the first national chain to introduce a keto-approved pizza crust with just six grams of net carbs. They also offer a gluten-free cauliflower crust.
TGI Friday's
Order your burgers "green style" where the bun is swapped for a lettuce wrap, and get lemon-butter broccoli or a side salad instead of fries. Your best bet for a keto-friendly meal that you don't have to change much is to stick with the beef and fish; grilled salmon, ribs and filet mignon are all good choices. Add a side salad with ranch dressing to get in your veggies.
