Review of XICA

As a Celiac who grew up in the Bay Area, it's ridiculous how few gluten-free options there are for such a large metro area. Luckily, XICA (pronounced "chica") is a phenomenal option if you're gluten free.

XICA is a 100% gluten free restaurant so you can rest easy and not worry about cross contamination.

One thing I've noticed as a Celiac is that a lot of companies try to cater to every dietary restriction in one fell swoop, meaning that a lot of gluten free things are also vegan or dairy free. I'm not vegan nor am I dairy free. I'd like a hot meal with an animal protein more often than not. Luckily XICA actually offers dishes with animal proteins and dairy.

My husband ordered the $28 fried chicken. It came with 3 chicken thighs, Mexican rice and beans and grilled fajita vegetables. The chicken was incredible and very affordable compared to the only other gluten-free fried chicken I've had at a restaurant (Yardbird in Las Vegas charges $76 for a whole gluten-free fried chicken.)

I ordered the chile rellenos for $27. It came with 2 stuffed peppers, Mexican rice and beans, and 3 gluten-free flour tortillas. It was totally different than any other chile rellenos I've had and was dairy-free. The tortillas were INCREDIBLE. I've had a lot of bad gluten-free alternative flour tortillas but these were fantastic. We ordered an additional order of 3 tortillas for $3.

I was super full but wish I wasn't so we could have tried dessert, but next time we will!

P.S. They're closed Sundays so plan your trip accordingly.

November 2023

Is ALL the food in this establishment gluten-free?

— Yes, the establishment is dedicated gluten-free

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for dinner
• Offers outdoor seating