Gluten-Free Rainforest Café Auburn Hills Review

If you’re looking for Rainforest Café Auburn Hills reviews, you’ve come to the right place. I visited the Rainforest Café Michigan location the day after Black Friday while on a shopping trip with my sisters. Since they wanted to check out a few other stores nearby, and I still had a lot to look for at the mall, we decided to split up just before lunch.

I’ve been to the Niagara Falls Rainforest Café many times, but this was my first visit to this location. From past visits, I already knew Rainforest Café is a great choice for families. But it also works surprisingly well for a solo meal. Even better, Rainforest Café has a gluten free menu, which made it an easy and low-stress option for lunch that day.

If you’re visiting Great Lakes Crossing with kids, keep in mind that major attractions like LEGOLAND (read our full review) and Peppa Pig World of Play (review here) don’t allow outside food and have very limited entrée options. You’ll probably want somewhere a bit more relaxing than the food court to take a lunch break. Rainforest Café is a great alternative, offering a variety of decent food choices and a fun, immersive environment that kids really enjoy.

For me, it was the perfect spot to unwind while taking a break from shopping. I’ll be honest—the food isn’t anything special, but for gluten-free dining, it’s decent and filling. This restaurant is really about the experience. The immersive atmosphere made for a peaceful solo lunch, even in the middle of the holiday shopping chaos.

This Rainforest Café Auburn Hills review will break down what to expect, the atmosphere, which Rainforest Café gluten free items are available at this location, and whether it’s worth the price.

Rainforest Café Auburn Hills Overview

Rainforest Café Auburn Hills Information

This is a fun, high-energy spot that is perfect for families or anyone who wants a break from shopping. It offers a reliable gluten free menu Rainforest Café visitors can trust, making it a safe bet for diners with allergies.

Location

Rainforest Café Auburn Hillsis located inside the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets. Parking is free.

Address: 4310 Baldwin Rd, Auburn Hills, MI 48326

Reservations

Reservations aren’t required, but you may have to wait if the restaurant is busy. If you prefer to book ahead, you can make a reservation here.

Hours

The Rainforest Cafe Auburn Hills Hours follow the mall’s schedule. Here is what they look like currently:

Monday – Saturday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Price Range

Rainforest Café falls in the mid-range category. You can expect to pay anywhere from $20 to $45 for most entrees. Meals are reasonably priced for a themed sit-down experience, making it a convenient option for families and solo diners alike.

Does Rainforest Café Have a Gluten Free Menu?

Yes! One of the best things about this restaurant is how easy it is to plan your meal. There is a dedicated Rainforest Café gluten free menu you can even check out online before you go to see what items are “gluten-sensitive.”

Hotels Near Great Lakes Crossing Mall

Looking to stay near the mall?

These three hotels are located right on the edge of the parking lot, so you won’t even need to move your car.

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Auburn Hills ($)—My favorite! (read my review)
Hampton Inn Detroit/Auburn Hills-North ($)
TownePlace Suites Detroit Auburn Hills ($)

Atmosphere, Vibe, and Theming

Walking into the Rainforest Café through the aquarium doorway is like stepping straight into a tropical rainforest.

Large trees fill the space, with branches hanging from the ceiling and one section opening to a dark blue sky, dotted with twinkling stars and the occasional shooting star. Animatronic animals—including elephants, gorillas, tigers, and cheetahs—are scattered throughout, moving and making noise at random intervals. Elephants trumpet, monkeys swing, and a butterfly flaps its wings continuously.

There are also still animals and bugs tucked among the foliage. Some of the smaller animals blend into the branches, so you really have to take your time to spot them all. Large aquariums add even more life, filled with colorful fish. The detail is impressive and adds to the immersive feel.

Lighting is dim to mimic a forest canopy, and background noises—both natural and mechanical—are constant. Music plays lightly, never overpowering the animatronics or conversations. And if you’re wondering how often the rainforest café thunderstorm occurs, it happens every 30 minutes at this location. Lights dim, thunder rumbles, lightning flashes behind the branches, and all the animals “come alive” for about a minute before settling back into stillness. It’s a high-energy, immersive moment that always catches your attention.

The dining area is large and open, with plenty of seating, but tables are fairly close together. Walking to your seat can feel a bit like navigating a jungle, and when the restaurant is full, the chatter and activity can feel a little chaotic.

This atmosphere makes the Rainforest Café very kid-friendly and fun, though the combination of dim lighting, frequent animal sounds, and the occasional thunderstorm may be overwhelming for some children, especially those with sensory sensitivities or autism (Brie has never had any issue at the Niagara Falls location, but she does keep her noise-cancelling headphones on).

Overall, the vibe is casual, lively, and social. It’s an immersive, high-energy, nature setting—making the experience about far more than just the food.

Rainforest Café Auburn Hills Gluten Free Menu

The Rainforest Café serves classic American casual foods, including burgers, pasta, seafood, and salads.

Like many restaurants, they don’t advertise foods as completely “gluten free” due to the risk of cross-contamination. Instead, they offer a Gluten Sensitive menu, which provides a decent selection of options for adults.

Appetizers:

Black Bean Chili
Chili Con Queso (optional ground beef)
Beef Lava Nachos
Paradise House Salad
Little Islander Caesar Salad

Entrees:

Volcanic Cobb Salad
Primal Steak (served with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables)
Atlantic Salmon (served with Jasmine rice and seasonal vegetables)
Jungle Steak and Shrimp (Sirloin steak with steak butter, shrimp scampi, and grilled shrimp, served with seasonal vegetables)
Rainforest Burger (on a gluten free bun, with a side)
Anaconda Pasta (gluten sensitive pasta, with local vegetables, mushrooms, basil, parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and white wine tomato sauce)

Gluten-Free Sides (not listed online but confirmed from my visit):

Seasonal Vegetables
Island Rice
Coconut Curry Tropical Slaw
Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes
Safari Fries (ask for them to be baked to avoid cross-contamination)

Dessert:

Rainforest root beer float
Key lime pie

Kid’s Menu:

Options are limited but include:

Grilled Chicken Breast
Python Pasta (grilled chicken, alfredo sauce, parmesan cheese, served with gluten-sensitive pasta)

Rainforest Café Gluten-Free FAQs

Is Rainforest Café gluten free?

No. Rainforest Café is not a dedicated gluten-free restaurant, but they do offer a gluten-sensitive menu. As with any restaurant serving gluten-containing foods, cross-contamination is possible. Staff will take precautions if requested.

Does Rainforest Café have a gluten-free menu?

Yes, you can view it here.

Does Rainforest Café have gluten free buns?

Yes, they offer gluten-free buns for burgers.

Is there any Rainforest Café gluten-free pasta?

Yes. Adults can order the Anaconda Pasta, and kids can have the Python Pasta. You can also ask the server or chef to customize other pasta dishes to be gluten free.

Are Rainforest Café fries gluten free?

Yes, the fries don’t contain gluten ingredients. However, they are usually cooked in a shared fryer. If you are celiac or highly sensitive, ask for them to be baked to avoid cross-contamination.

My Gluten Free Rainforest Café Auburn Hills Review

My lunch visit provided the perfect break from the Black Friday crowds. Even though I was dining alone, the activity in the restaurant kept things interesting. Surprisingly, the restaurant wasn’t very busy for a Black Friday weekend—I arrived around 1:00 PM and had no trouble being seated quickly.

Check-in was smooth. Only one guest was ahead of me, so I spent a minute watching the fish in the entrance aquarium before the hostess came back. I was seated near the elephants, with a view of the side of an aquarium across from me. It was a decent spot, somewhat in the center of the restaurant, giving me a great view of most of the animatronics and scenery.

After ordering my drink and food, I took a walk around to check out the animatronics. While you can wander through the restaurant and get photos, some tables are pushed close to the walls that the animals are behind, so it’s not always easy to get the perfect shot.

The server was fantastic—friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. I asked about the gluten-free bun before ordering, and she shared that her own son has a gluten intolerance. The food arrived quickly, in about 20 minutes, and I took my time enjoying the meal. Once I finished, the waitress checked in promptly and brought the check without any rush.

In total, I spent just under an hour at Rainforest Café, taking my time and enjoying the environment. It was the perfect break from the busy Black Friday shopping at the mall.

Rainforest Café Food Review

I kept it simple and ordered the Rainforest Burger with fries as my side, plus a Diet Coke.

The burger came as a thick patty, with all the toppings on the side. There was plenty of lettuce, thinly sliced tomato, and lots of onion, which made for a very tall burger. The pickles were sliced lengthwise, so I ate them separately rather than trying to cram them in. The burger was already so thick that taking a full bite was a challenge.

The gluten-free bun came toasted, which gave me hope it would hold together until the end. For a gluten-free bun, it had a great texture—closer to a regular bun than most gluten free ones you get at restaurants. The bottom was thick, and being toasted helped it stay intact without getting soggy or falling apart, right up to the last bite.

While the bun was impressive, the patty itself was nothing to write home about. It was dry, and the American cheese melted on top didn’t do much to improve that.

The fries were decent—nice and thick, lightly salted, and filling. I managed to eat a few fries, but the burger was more than enough for me.

Is Rainforest Café Worth It?

@mamasonvacation
Rainforest Café is all about the experience—but how does it hold up if you’re eating gluten free? I shared my review of the gluten-free burger and fries, plus the service and atmosphere at the Auburn Hills location inside Great Lakes Crossing. Read the full review on MamasOnVacation.com Link in bio 🔗 rainforestcafe greatlakescrossing auburnhills thingstodomichigan familytravel
♬ Travel Vibe – Infraction Music

As I mentioned earlier, the food at Rainforest Café isn’t anything to get too excited about. It’s decent, and I’ve never had any issues with anything I’ve ordered, but it’s basic. While the price is a bit higher than what the food alone is worth, you’re really paying for the experience, not just the meal. The “show” of the animatronics, rainforest theming, and thunderstorms makes up for the cost.

That said, it’s a perfect spot for families with kids—and, as I found out, solo diners too. It’s a great, safe choice for a gluten-free meal while shopping at Great Lakes Crossing.

Planning a family weekend at Great Lakes Crossing? Don’t forget to check out my hotel review of the Holiday Inn Express at Great Lakes Crossing, my guide on things to do with kids at Great Lakes Crossing, and my review of LEGOLAND.

If you have your own gluten-free Rainforest Café Auburn Hills review to share, let me know what you ordered and how it was in the comments on my Facebook post. For more reviews of family-friendly attractions in North America, follow me on Facebook or check out my TikTokfor travel inspiration.