BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse Menu: Every Dish Worth Ordering and a Few You Might Regret Missing

The first thing you notice when you walk into any BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse on a Friday nite is the noise: crowded booths, beer taps running, and a server carrying a cast iron skillet with something still bubbling in it somewhere nearby. Even though the chain has been around long enough that most cities hardly need an introduction, people are still somewhat taken aback by the breadth of the menu. It goes beyond pizza. It goes beyond burgers. It goes beyond beer. In some way, it’s all there at once without feeling dispersed.

The obvious place to start is with deep dish pizzas, and for good reason. A proprietary crust that falls somewhere between thick Chicago-style and slightly lighter is the foundation of BJ’s reputation; it’s dense enough to support toppings without making it impossible to move afterward. While seasonal additions like Mike’s Hot Honey Pizza offer something more intriguing for those who’ve worked through the regular lineup, options like the Chicken Bacon Ranch and the Pepperoni Extreme are dependable options. With toppings like cup-and-char pepperoni, which crisps up at the edges in a way that’s hard to argue with, roasted garlic, and homemade meatballs, the build-your-own option is available for anyone with specific ideas.

The variety of actual entrees on the BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse menu is often overlooked. A full or half rack of baby back ribs finished with peppered BBQ sauce, a slow-roasted prime rib dinner, and a New Orleans Jambalaya that frequently appears on best-seller lists even though it’s never the most eye-catching dish on the page. Both the traditional Rib-Eye and the Parmesan-Crusted Chicken are noteworthy; they are well-prepared dishes rather than inventions. The reputation of pizza might actually work against these foods. People have a lot on their minds when they arrive, but they never finish it.

The appetizer section is extensive. Although BJ’s version of avocado egg rolls is still good, they have become somewhat of a standard at casual American dining chains. The purpose of the Spinach and Artichoke Dip is that it comes in a format that comfortably feeds multiple people. Eight sauce options, including an in-house-brewed Tatonka Stout Buffalo sauce, are available for slow-roasted wings, giving you options that most wing menus overlook. Instead of merely adding items to the list, it seems that the kitchen actually considered variety.

If you haven’t been paying close attention, it’s easy to underestimate the beer program. With six breweries spread across five states, BJ’s maintains eleven signature beers and a cider on tap year-round in addition to seasonal releases. The Tatonka Stout at 8.5% and the Committed Double IPA at 8.6% are available for the opposite occasion, while BJ’s LightSwitch Lager at 3.5% ABV is on the easy side. When they’re on, the Sweet Sin Chocolate Porter and the Oktoberfest seasonal tend to create a lot of excitement. It’s difficult to ignore the fact that the beer side of the business is handled with the same gravity as the food.

The Pizookie is another. It truly is the reason people return, so it merits its own paragraph. Warm deep-dish cookies, such as chocolate chunk, salted caramel, triple chocolate with Ghirardelli, sugar cookie, and many more, are served in a tiny skillet with ice cream melting around the edges.

Depending on the size of your group, ordering three at once is either ambitious or sensible with the Pizookie Trio. Although it’s a straightforward idea, BJ’s has been honing it long enough that the execution is consistently excellent. The Spooky Pizookie for fall is one example of a seasonal variation that keeps things interesting without becoming too complicated.

Families can enjoy the staples of the kids’ menu, which includes mini burgers, mac and cheese, cheese pizza, and chicken options. When you want to feel better about the meal, you can pair each item with sides like steamed broccoli or fresh fruit. With platter options for wings, sliders, pasta feasts, and Pizookie party platters that make the dessert even more alluring at scale, the catering services extend the full menu to large gatherings.

No awards will be given to BJ’s for redefining American casual dining. It’s not exactly doing that. What it does is consistently provide a truly extensive menu, house-brewed beer, and one excellent dessert across locations where the quality doesn’t fluctuate as much as it does at some similar chains. For many, that is sufficient.