Gather your crew for brunch at Lula & Sadie's in the historic Davis Baking building in Lakewood. Chef Harry Monds serves dishes inspired by the southern cuisine of his grandmothers, the namesakes of the restaurant. Bring your appetite for bacon pecan cinnamon rolls, "Down Home" biscuits and gravy or their famous red velvet chicken and waffles. Looking for a bite later in the day? Lula & Sadies also serves lunch and dinner.
I found this place in my Google maps search for "meatloaf". Upon arriving I was pleased that it was an African American establishment, the service and ambiance were nice and decent. It has good appeal.
The food was trash!!!! I believe they cater to the Caucasian palate, gentrification at it's worst.
-I ordered two entrees the $18 Meatloaf and the $17 Mac n cheese. Both dishes were bland and dry,
-I wasn't sure if the Mac had cheese on it at all. The drumstick that comes with the Mac n cheese had a nice crust and it fell off the bone, but when the breading fell off it revealed what looked like boiled chicken skin (perfectly white and unseasoned).
-The "Lakewood " bacon wrapped meatloaf was dry and the bacon was an unnecessary and tasteless addition. I did enjoy the mashed potatoes.
The little girl outside the restaurant sells some really good lemonade. I bought 4 bottles.
Fal E
Jun 30, 2024
3
I experienced the Jazz 🎷 Brunch at Lula and Sadie's. The staff was welcoming and the restaurant was clean and well-lit. Our server was knowledgeable and provided great recommendations, which I appreciated. I enjoyed the Jazz in the background.
I tried the fried green tomatoes and meatballs as starters, and for my entree, I chose the shrimp and grits, which were delicious - an 8/10 rating I recommend.
I was a bit disappointed that my water glass wasn’t refilled. I grew content without water especially since I noticed that the water served wasn't filtered. Given the price point and the 20% service charge, I think serving quality filtered water would increase this rating to 4*.
Towards the end of our meal, the service seemed to become rushed and transactional. We weren't asked if we wanted anything else but were abruptly given to-go boxes, even though my sister and cousin intended to order dessert and another cocktail. This left me feeling a bit uncomfortable, as we were never informed of any time limit. I believe a more considerate approach towards the end of our meal would have greatly improved the overall experience to a 4*.
Meleata Pinto
Jun 20, 2024
5
I’m so glad we finally made it to this neighborhood gem. The food was delicious and the service was solid! I had the lavender lemonade, fried green tomatoes appetizer, catfish and the chocolate pecan tart. It was so good! We will definitely be back!
PS. Do not trust Google for reservations. I tried to make last minute reservations through Google and it said no tables were available for 6 people until the next day. I called the restaurant and there wasn’t even a wait for a table. We were able to walk right in - so don’t wait to visit Lula & Sadie’s! It’s wonderful!!
Kim J
May 27, 2024
4
This is a very classic restaurant. We loved the set up and the upstairs outdoor seating. This is a living wage restaurant so keep in mind their is a fee added to your bill. We ordered the steak with mashed potatoes and squash. This was delicious. We also ordered the Brisket Fries which is very sweet. This is something to keep in mind. If you like sweet and savory dishes this is for you. Also kids chicken tenders. The steak would be something I would return for. I also heard that that BBQ sliders, Mac and cheese and greens were delicious so I do plan on trying those next time. We also had the pleasure of being served by the general manager Marcus. He really cares about the staff and seems to provide support throughout the restaurant. Overall good experience.
charles petite
Nov 18, 2023
5
So, the restaurant sits in a renovated bakery in downtown Durham. It's a very open space with plenty or seating. Oh, this space also has a very spacious bar area. The atmosphere is nice. We parked on the street on the backside of the restaurant - that was convenient. The ambiance was chill. No pretentiousness. Just a nice casual restaurant with splendid food. They had several monthly specials to partake of. The descriptions of the food are amazing and I could not decide between the smoked pumpkin soup and the speckled trout. So, I got both! The soup was a nice portion and had a hint of Indian spice. The cranberry goat cheese was an excellent accompaniment to this comforting soup. Now, the speckled trout was amazing. The caramelized scalloped sweet potatoes with the pureed corn . . . so good. The trout was seasoned well and played well with the sweetness of the potatoes and the corn. We will definitely be back. All in all, from the ambiance, to the food and the service, this was a very good experience.
Ashley Burns
Nov 1, 2023
5
Everything was wonderful from start to finish. The restaurant is gorgeous, the staff is attentive and kind, and the food is spectacular! I had the chicken & red velvet waffle, my boyfriend had the French toast (we each had a mimosa flight as well). Highly recommend all of the above! Special shout out to our server Radley, he was amazing!!
