Low Carb Restaurant Guide: Order from ANY Menu!

Key Takeaways:

• Eating low-carb at restaurants is possible with simple swaps
• Protein-forward meals make ordering easier across cuisines
• Skipping bread, rice, and sugary sauces lowers carb intake
• Most menus have low-carb restaurant options if you know what to look for
• Planning reduces decision fatigue when dining out

Eating low-carb at restaurants often feels more restrictive than necessary. 

People dread meeting friends for dinner or feel overwhelmed ordering from familiar chains—usually because they’re not yet aware that most menus offer smart low-carb restaurant options with a few savvy adjustments. 

This guide will point you to common restaurant types and highlight practical ways to get your fill of high-protein, low-carb restaurant meals away from home without the guesswork or extremes.

Table of Contents

• Mexican Restaurants
• Japanese Restaurants
• Steakhouses
• Italian Restaurants
• Breakfast Diners
• Seafood Restaurants
• Burger Joints
• Chicken Restaurants 
• Wine Bars & Bistros 
• Thai Restaurants
• Vietnamese Restaurants
• German Restaurants
• Salad Bars
• Convenience Stores
• Sports Bars
• Sub Shops
• Dining With PTF
• Conclusion

Mexican

Mexican menus fit wonderfully into low-carb lifestyles when you focus on protein-forward dishes.

Easily customize fajitas with your favorite protein (chicken, beef, shrimp), but skip the tortillas and rice and replace them with salsa and guac. 

Ceviche is also another protein-rich option that keeps carb counts low without sacrificing flavor. 

Japanese

There are plenty of ways to eat low carb at Japanese restaurants without bloated carb counts.

Miso soup is a tasty option you can enjoy without worry. 

Opt for sashimi over sushi and check to see which vegetable and meat stir-fry options are available. Focus on non-starchy vegetables and steer clear of stir-frys that are full of sugary sauces. While rice is best omitted, soy sauce and wasabi are fair game.

Steakhouse

Steak lovers rejoice! Since most entrees are juicy meats, eating low carb at steakhouse restaurants is easier than at other restaurants. Just pass on the starchy baked potatoes and bread baskets, even the freebies.

Pair your high-protein entrees with green beans, broccoli, and asparagus, or choose a salad as an appetizer to promote balance. You’ll probably want to shield your eyes from the desserts.

Italian

Yes, Italian dining can be a challenge when it comes to scavenging for low-carb restaurant options, but they do exist. If you can avoid falling into the temptation to scarf down pizza and pasta, you’ll find a handful of options, sides, and salads that work (just ask them to skip the croutons). 

Consider an antipasto platter of Italian meats, cheeses, and olives or an elegant Caprese salad. Grilled or roasted vegetables are great choices for sides or appetizers.

Breakfast Diners

Steak for breakfast? It’s more common than you think. Steak in the morning provides an energy base that helps you power through the day. You don’t have to have eggs every morning. Look for sausage, lean cuts of bacon, and ham, too.

That said, most breakfast joints will offer sides to avoid, such as biscuits or hash browns. Many also offer their meats fried, so watch out for those.

For beverages, stick with coffee (black or with cream), light sweet or unsweet tea, or water. Fruit juices are sneakily high in sugar.

Seafood

Seafood joints are packed with easy wins for low-carb options at restaurants. Just be sure to stay away from the heavily breaded options, such as beer-battered fish or bread basket sides.

Steer clear of sugary fruit-based sides and aim to pair your entree with non-starchy vegetables. 

Burger Joints

Burger spots are usually just a few savvy tweaks away from unlocking some delicious low-carb restaurant options. Buns are a no (lettuce wraps work quite well), but protein-forward toppings like cheese, bacon, or avocado are all tremendously tasty options that are low-carb compliant. 

The traps to avoid here are French fries and sugary condiments. Ask for sauces on the side.

Chicken Restaurants

Chicken itself is fantastic for low-carb diets—the devil is in the details. It’s all about prep. Grilled chicken or wings sans heavy, sweetened sauces are protein-rich and filling. 

Just stay away from the heavily breaded or fried menu options as well as the dipping sauces. 

Bistros and Wine Bars

Bistros and wine bars have some sneaky, smaller plates that work well for a low-carb approach. Think cheese boards and charcuterie. If you’re sharing plates, stick to the meats and cheeses and avoid the crackers or bread-based items. 

Sparkling water and non-alcoholic drinks are best as accompaniments.

Thai

Low-carb at Thai restaurants can be tricky because most sauces are loaded with sugar, but there are workarounds.

You’ll need to avoid the noodles. Simple garlic or vegetable-forward dishes tend to be low-carb. Ask about sauce ingredients when possible if you’re not sure, or have them on the side. 

Vietnamese

Vietnamese dishes typically revolve around noodles, but they can be easily modified—people often go for meat-heavy pho sans noodles or add extra vegetables. Fresh herbs and vegetables are good ways to add flavor without jacking up the carb count.

German

Indeed, German cuisine is often associated with some starch-heavy sides. 

But a lot of the entrees are protein-focused and work within the scope of high protein low carb restaurant meals. Pair sausages or schnitzel with vegetables instead of potatoes or dumplings. You might be tempted to enjoy a mug of Spaten, but you’ll need to skip that if you’re trying to go low-carb at German restaurants.

Salad Bar

Salad bars can be a great way to eat low carb at restaurants—they can also be really overwhelming! Try to build plates around leafy greens paired with lean proteins where possible. 

Sweet, calorie-heavy dressings are usually the trap here. Skip the croutons, too. 

Gas Station/Convenience Store

Maybe not the most ideal spot to grab something to eat, but people travel and have emergencies. Gas stations and convenience stores do tend to have low-carb offerings if you know where to look. Consider jerky, cheeses, nuts, or pre-packaged salads. 

Make sure you read the labels.

Sports Bar

Sports bars are challenging in terms of low-carb restaurant options, but even here, there are workarounds. Wings work if they’re not doused in heavy sauces. Sliders are options if you skip the buns. A shrimp cocktail could work. 

You might need to be a little creative, just avoid beer and breaded items. 

Sub Shop

Sub shops almost always have a whole host of low-carb options. Lettuce wraps replace breads and there are countless protein bowls. Just keep clear of the wraps and sugary sauces. 

Dining In With Personal Trainer Food

At the end of the day, most people enjoy the majority of their meals at home. Personal Trainer Food can help cover those with high-protein, low-carb meals that are already cooked and ready to heat and eat. Meals go straight from freezer to plate, making them a convenient alternative. 

This approach makes balance easy to achieve without sacrificing taste or convenience. 

Get in touch and get started today! 

Conclusion: Eating Low-Carb at Restaurants Made Simpler

You don’t need to turn down invitations to nights out or feel like restaurants are off-limits when you’re eating low carb. You just need to know where your green lights are, as well as what to avoid. Stick to protein-forward meals without heavily breaded or sugary sides/sauces. 

Most spots understand the unique dietary needs of their customers, so you’ll find low-carb restaurant options to be pretty easy to come across with a little planning. 

Understanding how to navigate menus makes it incredibly easy to dine out without limitations.

Enter SAVE30 in the promo code box when you check out. You’ll also enjoy fast, complimentary shipping right to your door.

Get started now — and get the RIGHT foods you need to lose those stubborn pounds.

More Popular Resources for You

Everything you need to know to lose weight quickly is here.
Get the straight facts about weight loss here.
Browse all our fitness articles.
All our low-carb recipes can be found here.

---

About the Writer: Sam Watts has nearly 10 years of experience in the health and wellness industry with a focus on fitness. He earned a BS in Movement Science from TCU in 2017 and uses it in his work as a Functional Movement Specialist. Currently, he is the owner of Watts Fitness and the Co-Owner of Personal Trainer Food.