The One Appetizer You Should Never Order From Yard House

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At many gastropubs, plant-based eaters are limited to ordering a basket of fries or a few vegetables off the side-dish menu (bummer). Yard House's Gardein wings give foodies with dietary needs more options — but if you have the option to order something else, you probably should. In Tasting Table's ranking of 15 popular Yard House appetizers, the restaurant's Gardein wings fell to last place.

Yard House has been serving Gardein offerings since 2011, and today, the chain offers an entire Gardein menu section, which includes Orange Chicken, a BBQ Chicken Salad, Nashville Hot Chicken and Pancakes, Chicken Nachos, and a Grilled Chicken and Avocado Sandwich. Taste-wise, the vegan wings come with a choice of two sauces (our reviewer ordered the Whiskey Black Pepper Sauce). On texture, however, Yard House's meatless appetizer leaves much to be desired. As our omnivorous reviewer noted, "The biggest difference between [the Gardein wings and the boneless chicken wings] was there was no crunch to these chicken-free wings. That lack of texture was definitely a major letdown and why it's last on the list."

Another important note to strict vegan patrons: Carlito Jocson, Yard House executive chef, tells the The Vegetarian Resource Group, "[A] separate [saute] pan is used to heat the pre-made Gardein served at Yard House ... the pan is sanitized between uses but is not exclusively used for Gardein all the time. Anything charbroiled is prepared on a common surface."

Gardein's meatless chicken is made from a combination of ingredients, including soy, wheat, and pea proteins. Gardein's offerings typically come in the grocery store freezer section, which makes for a conveniently long shelf life. Whether they're good enough to pay sit-down restaurant prices for it is another story. A 15-ounce package of frozen Gardein Ultimate Plant-Based Chick'n Tenders (nine tenders per pack) is about $8 on Amazon. At a Yard House location in Manhattan, the Gardein wings cost $18.99. Happily, this is the same price as Yard House's regular boneless chicken wing appetizer (many establishments charge extra for plant-based alternatives). Still, it's a pricey markup for a basket of wings made from dressed-up frozen ingredients.

It would be remiss not to give Yard House its due credit. The chain champions accessibility with vegan options, compounded by the inherent accessibility of fast-casual dining, making sit-down meals out possible for foodies on a budget. If you appreciate more than 100 drafts on tap (and hey, beer is plant-based) while coasting on a through-current of classic rock music, Yard House is the place to be. But, we recommend sticking to Yard House's craveable chocolate lava cake, or the naturally vegan chips and guac. If you're set on ordering those Gardein wings, says our reviewer, "I recommend [getting] the Korean chili garlic [sauce], as it has bits of toasted garlic that would add a much-needed textural appeal."