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Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Unassuming restaurant in Bayview. I love the kitschy décor. I feel like I'm eating in a diner from the fifties or even my grandma's kitchen. The staff here is AWESOME! They are all so nice and friendly and really make you feel like you are just hanging out at a friends house. There are two sides to the restaurant. Smoking side is dark and contains the bar the non-smoking side is bright and clean with a lunch counter just like Woolworth's use to have. I can't say enough nice things about this restaurant. The menu is pretty big and has a lot of variety, I found it difficult narrowing down what I wanted.
What we ordered:
Roasted Red Pepper Bisque-
Creamy bisque garnished with crème fraiche and fresh basil. On a cold rainy night such as it was last night this hit the spot. Came with a small roll and butter. The roll was stale and dry but the soup more than made up for it.
Croque Monsieur - Excellent quality ham and swiss with a really good pungent mustard. The only complaint is the baguette is a bit on the dry and hard side. I opted for the Asian slaw as usual. That slaw is so darn good. I love the different textures of the veggies, ramen noodles and peanuts. The dressing is some good stuff too.
Mooney Tuna - Sashimi grade tuna fillet on top of a bun. Boyfriend opted to split the side dish and get a little slaw and a little of their huge homemade chips along with their by now famous bleu cheese dressing. I love that dressing. I'll pretty much dip anything into it, and I did, my sandwich found it's way in there several times. The chips are very yummy too.
Dessert - GET DESSERT HERE! No seriously, forget the crazy fad diet you are on and get a slice of pie. They make pies the old fashioned way here. Homemade crusts made by hand, and yes you can tell the difference. The blueberry pie is my favorite, simple and yet so good. Not overly sweet so you can really taste the fruit and just crammed with lots of blueberries. Perfect to top of the meal or get a slice to go and have it for a great breakfast the next day.
can we please move this place to boston? i want to hang out here, and often. i think it belongs in somerville, specifically...
cafe lulu in bayview is awesome atmosphere and great food. i had the roasted veggie pita, which was shockingly not in the least bit soggy and one of the most flavorful roasted veggie dishes i've ever had. plus their potato chips made in-house are flippin incredible! joined with a sprecher rootbeer, how could you go wrong?
the vibe here is perfect for the 20s, 30s, and early 40s crowd - everybody here looks so freaking cool it was everything i could do to stop myself from going up to people at random tables, introducing myself, and asking to hang out with them.
only complaint is a general complaint i have about milwaukee in the first place - hate smoking in bars. the smoking side is way hipper than the non-smoking half of the cafe, so you suck it up (no pun intended) at least until the ban goes into effect next year.
I really enjoy this bar. The food is good, they know how to make a proper dirty vodka martini, and the prices are reasonable.
The layout of the place is excellent. It's large and open. On nice nights, they open the front windows which is a added plus in my opinion. The place just looks nice and modern.
Music wise, it depends on the night. Many nights it's just a premade mix. Some nights they have shows. I've seen dancing here occasionally.
The staff are great. The bartenders seem to be efficient and fast. The waitstaff is the same. All are friendly.
The crowd is typically diverse in both age and race. Many different types of people live in this area, but lately it's taking on the form of East side lite as far as the crowd. It may be getting a bit too swanky for me. It also seems like it's becoming a bit of a pick up joint. I have mixed feelings on that, but whatever works. I'm certainly happy that they're doing good business.
Prices are reasonable for as slightly swanky of a place as this is. My martini ran me $8 I think for a premium vodka. Regular drinks were also normally priced and a decent pour.
The food is good. I enjoy their home made chips though honestly sometimes I just want fries. Their version of the Philly steak and Burgers are winners here for me. I don't care for the asian slaw so I don't order it.
All in all, I still enjoy popping in here to satisfy my martini needs.
Cafe Lulu has always been one of my favorite places. Tried and true. Comfortable with a group, a date, or by myself at the lunch counter. So how come the last couple of times my experience has not been up to the quality that it usually is? A couple of months ago I stopped for lunch alone. Service was slow to notice me even though I was one of two people at the counter. The chips that came as a side were just this side of burnt. Not even the blue cheese dipping sauce could help them. So just this past week I gave them another chance. Again my chips were way too done (my fault? should i have requested them underdone?) The torta (special and one of my all time faves) was sloppy, somewhat tasteless, and served on way too toasted bread. And to top it off 3 waitress loitered near me complaining the whole time how miserable they are working there. How the owner doesn't remember what it's like to be a server and how the bartenders and cooks don't treat them very well. Oh and my waitress who was part of the conversation didn't check on me till I was just about done and then left for 10 minutes after dropping off my bill. What a shame that a once great place has now given me two bad tastes in my mouth. Third time better be a charm because you know what happens with three strikes.
When Lulu opened it was a first in Bayview. A cool place with different but tasty food. The… Read more »
interesting and diverse menu that has something for everyone.
Fun place to grab drinks with friends!
Love this place- you need to sit in their fireplace/bar side for great atmosphere and great food. Definitely try their homemade chips and creamy like dipping sauce- delicious. I always have a good meal there, although I wouldn't mind a little more to choose from. Always stop in for a bite or drink when you're in the area.
We tried Cafe Lulu for dinner the other day, and I was quite impressed. The food was fresh and the service was attentive. I had the East Indian Chicken Pita. The spices were nice and the contrast with the cucumber yogurt sauce was a excellent. I appreciate the offering of the roasted vegetables in stead of the chips. I love the atmosphere of the cafe side. The classic lunch counter makes this cafe memorable for all ages.
Service was fast and very friendly. Our server was just so nice and helpful, it was really refreshing....it was like he actually enjoyed his job!
The menu was awesome, and it was difficult choosing what to get. We ended up with the classic burger and buffalo chicken sandwich, both with house chips. Both were gigantic and messy and fantastic. The chips were great and served with delicious blue cheese dipping sauce (that was so good, I dumped the rest on my burger.)
Desserts looked great, but we were stuffed and had to pass. Next time though!
Oh Lulu, you adorable little cafe. If I were a restaurant I would look like you.
I stopped in here with two pals to celebrate a birthday (yes, another birthday) before heading to the Milwaukee Public Museum. The tiny storefront lunch counter gives way to a spacious dining room, and the high ceilings make everything feel airy. Our server was super friendly and quick. It was a little weird that he kept pushing the blue cheese dipping sauce on us though. I hear the gentle sounds of Pusherman running through my head.... anyway, my burger was awesome, cooked perfectly medium rare and had a really nice char to the outside. Generous with the cheese too. You can get chips, Asian slaw, or both as a side. I suggest the combo. That slaw is damn good. We all cleaned our plates and managed not to die from food coma while running around town doing whatever it is that you do in Wisconsin.
One gripe: No refills on Arnie Palmers. Bastards.
Really good, though admittedly we just went in there for tea and dessert. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and will go back to try out their chips at some point.
FYI 2 teas, and 2 pieces of cheesecake ran about $15 w/o tip.
Love the food at Lulu's.. love that the dining room is large... I have never had bad food nor bad service.
Downside.. the smoking dining room get s REALLY REALLY SMOKEY (there is a bar in the dining room). The plus is that there is non smoking room.. I just wish it was a bit bigger--- none of my friends smoke, and we go out as a group often.. it is a very small room that is taken up largely by a lunch counter.
Excellent food and best asian slaw ever.
As someone who can't stop antique shopping, I LOVE that this place is decorated head to toe in eclectic vintage decor. Everything from the menus to the food to the waitstaff is equally as hipster. I try something new every time I stop in and have never found something that was less than delicious.
You gotta try this place.
Most of the food is too greasy but there are a couple of tasty items on the menu. I'm always saying this place is overrated but I'm giving it four stars all the same. I guess because there's something irritating about this place but it's mostly good experience. I guess, if I'd criticize something other than the greasiness, it'd be the fact that the non-smoking section is the atmosphere-challenged diner part, which is fairly unpleasant. Also, they usually have pretty good staff but the place seems to draw in a disproportionate amount of yuppies and other cretins.
Edit- I posted this last night and then ate here this evening. I had the portabella sandwich with VIP veggies and it was dandy. Not greasy at all. So, upon further consideration, I recommend this place and particularly recommend the Bella Grill with the VIP Veggies, even though people seem to have a weird obsession with that d@mn'd slaw. I think the appetizer pizzas are pretty tasty as well. And for all the kvetching I do about it not being smoke free, it doesn't ever actually seem particularly smoky. So maybe just avoid the bar side if you're with someone who is hypersensitive to smoke.
Cafe Lulu always pleases the palate with delicious sandwiches, salads and desserts. At the top of my list is the Lulu burger. This is good quality meat, not a happy meal burger. Try it with cheddar cheese and sauteed onions. Along with the burger or most other sandwiches you have your choice of Lulu chips (homemade potato chips) or Asian slaw. You can even have a little of both if you chose. I like both. Along with the chips you can get a side of blue cheese sauce/dressing to dip your chips into. Yummy!
I've also tried the Moroccan chicken sandwich, the Sicilian melt (good choice for vegetarians) and a variety of salads. The salads are slightly over priced, but are very tasty. I've never had a bad dish here.
Don't forget to leave room for dessert. Their pie is not to be missed. This is certainly in the restaurant prepared pie, not some mass produced, freezer burned pie. Their cookies are great too with a nice cup of coffee.
The service is ok. Some servers are nicer and more attentive than others, so it's hit or miss on the service. All in all it's better than at most places.
The only downside is the non-smoking section. The ambiance is nothing compared to the smoking, bar section of the restaurant. Too bad they couldn't spruce up the non-smoking section. I feel that non-smokers are punished by sitting in a downgraded section of the restaurant.
Kudos to Cafe Lulu for keeping in real in MKE! Great restaurant!
This is a pretty hip place with great food and a great crowd. The menu is interesting and they have something to please everyone. Their bloody marys are the best I've had in Milwaukee. They serve a burger called the half-pound heart attack that features gorgonzola cheese and bacon. I haven't gotten anything else since, so I can't really comment on the food, but everyone else says it is all good. Seems like the type of place that is ripe for pretension, but the cool staff puts you at ease.
LuLu is fuN! Just a good spot for whatever youre looking for.. We like the openness of their dining room... plus how cool is it that they have jeans that are on the wall as artwork (K likes jeans)
WE LIKE THE SANGRIA and the cucumber cooler is also refreshing.. the prices are not overprice. The staff is laid back and we found ourselves not caring that there was a short wait for a table.
The menu items are mostly creative sandwiches.. not like more dinner type choices... this isnt a bad thing at all, we are just stating that.
The dishes that we have tried and liked are:
the portabella mushroom sandwich- good for vegetarians, or people who are looking for a light non meaty dinner choice. (or heavy lunch)
cajun chicken sandwich
burger
tuna steak sandwich* A gives it a thumbs wayyyy up.
Mediterranean wrap: K thinks this is good for people who cant have wheat because its even good not in a wrap but on a bed of lettuce (also an option for your atkins people out there ;-) ) and yum! feta!
being in the service industry, we really like that they have a no substitutions rule!
*****(READ: they are not jerks about it... if you have an allergy or pertinent reason for not being able to have something that goes with the mean they are accommodating)
its a great place to stop at for a quick meal with a fun atmosphere and consistent quality with a side of good service.
ps-- make sure that you get bleu cheese dressing with the home made chips that come with most meals.
I would drive here just for the Asian cole-slaw that comes as a side!
Now cole-slaw is actually one food that I DO NOT enjoy but this isn't your typical slaw. It's full of the traditional veggies but also packed with peanuts, crunchy noodles, and topped in a light Asian-vinaigrette.
Lulu's is a funky cafe/bar serving up innovative sandwiches, salads, soups and desserts and features fun micro-brews, specialty drinks and wine. It's a perfect little off beat spot for a low key night in Milwaukee!
Try: East Indian Chicken Pita or the Calypso Tuna Salad.
Excellent place, great variety on the menu. I tried the veggie pita, it was a great mix of grilled veggies in olive oil. I did both the slaw and chips as a side as recommended by my friends. The Asian slaw was amazing... I could just eat a bowl of that! Chips were pretty good, kind of soggy/greasy but the blue cheese dip was really good.
I also ordered one of the tea blends, which was great. A mix of ginger, tangerine and other stuff I don't remember but I love loose tea! Dessert was cherry pie ala mode.... yum. Great home made feel.
I cannot wait to go back to try something else, so many vegetarian options that sounded so good!
A few years ago, when I was moving back to Milwaukee after several years away at college and abroad, an acquaintance referred to the Bayview neighborhood as "the new East side." I was a bit confused, because despite the fact that my mom had grown up in Bayview and I had been on Kinnickinnic Avenue many times, I didn't even know the neighborhood was called Bayview.
Today, Bayview really is a great place to be. It's got a revived "Main" Street in KK Avenue, some great restaurants, a thriving local bookstores, and among other good things, a wonderful cafe called Lulu. Ironically, my not-originally-from-Milwaukee friend who now has the pleasure to live in Bayview introduced me.
If you are interested, check out this link for a great story about the modern history of Bayview and what Cafe Lulu has to do with it here: http://www.jsonline.co...
As for Lulu, they have great drinks, great food, a small diner-like area in the part formerly George Webb's, and a much larger, newed lounge and dining room in a trendy but comfy room with high ceilings and great decor. Last time I was there my friend Rachel and I agreed it would be a great room for a wedding reception, nice, not too formal and full of character.
A few tips if you go:
1. Whatever you order, get the Asian slaw with it - it's amazing!
2. They have really cool bathrooms too.
3. The cheap-skate Milwaukeean in me has to mention the great prices.
I dream of the blue cheese chips followed by the asian slaw and the pizza. Any variety will do.
Service is spotty but usually friendly.
Decent alcohol list.
Great music, good prices, and totally changed my view of Milwaukee nightlife(It Rocks!), (I live in Chicago) This place is cool, and the Uptown Savages are a great swing/rockabilly band, good times dancing. Next time I ride the Megabus back to Milwaukee I will visit Lulu's agian!!
4 stars b.c I haven't tried the food yet.
I had the chance to try Cafe Lulu while visiting from Chicago and I'm a fan. I ordered the Chutney Chop special (pork chop sandwich with an apple chutney relish) and had the asian slaw as the side. The sandwich was pretty good and filling. I really liked the slaw and almost considered ordering some to go. I had a chance to try the Lulu chips also which were pretty good. They were a cross between regular potato chips and french fries - not bad at all. I would still get the full side of asian slaw next time I go.
The selection of beer is pretty diverse and very reasonable, too. I would definitely recommend Cafe Lulu.
The Asian Slaw floating around on my plate....(ever heard of a seperate serving bowl), made my mediocre hamburger soggy. I wouldn't go out my way to go back.
I was staying with a friend who lives in Bayview, and she insisted we have to go to Lulu. After our dinner there on a Saturday night, I understand why. I was underwhelmed by my sangria, but my salad was one of the best restaurant salads I've had in a good while, and the Lulu Chips were just delectable. The atmosphere was great; I loved the high ceilings, the interior, the fact that the front windows were open. I will definitely want to return when I'm in Milwaukee again.
I will definitely be trying Cafe Lulu's again in the future. I tried one of their 'pizza's for an appetizer, and the crust was a bit on the chewy side (like the hard to chew through side), but had a good taste. I had a buffalo chicken sandwich with both slaw and chips as sides (slaw + chips is definitely the way to roll, both were fantastic).
My husband and I come here every single time we're in Milwaukee now. The food has only gotten better, the drinks are stiff, the seating near the window is perfect in the summer and the staff is usually great.
i love the new lulu next door to the old lulu.
one side is a quaint diner, the other a nice bar…
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Service was friendly, but very ditzy. They let all the orders sit too long and they get cold. Not very efficient. I ordered two things, a burger and a french press sandwich. The french press (which is normally served hot) was sitting for no less than 15 minutes, not even under a heat lamp, while my burger was being made. The slaw was pretty good, and had a homemade quality. The burger was tasty and they actually spice it up quite nicely. The french press as expected was cold and lifeless. If waitresses just were more thoughtful, maybe Milwaukee service would not get such a bad wrap.
Always good. Pass through this area at lunch a lot and always feel like this is the place. Good food and interesting design. Wish I lived closer!!! Great specials too!
Cafe Lulu is the business that seems to have started the Bay View rebirth.
Taking over the former George Webbs and offering gourmet sandwich's with an atmosphere that I like to call "lunch counter sheik", really is a winning combo and something Bay View hadn't seen before.
Enough with trying to sound fancy, Lulu's offers tasty sandwich's at a great price, in a wonderful atmosphere. My favorite is the Moroccan Steak Pita with side of Asian Slaw. Prices are down right cheap in my opinion (about $8.00 per person) and the service is great.
I used to live in the Bayview area of Milwaukee. I frequented Lulus quite often. I thought that their food was really great. The Asian Slaw is really to die for. I have had a few of their salads and some of their Panini sandwiches which I have always liked. They also have a decent wine and beer selection for hanging out in the evenings. I find the only thing lacking in Lulus is sometimes a weird server. I can recall more than once not being that thrilled with the service. But otherwise, yummy goodness!
In the current economy, I happy to say that I went to lulu recently early on a Friday night and it was bumpin. And as always, the service was good and so was the food. I love the simply basic menu. Some sandwiches, appetizer pizzas, nothing extravagant and they get it done right. I have knocked my dining out budget way down and I was not disappointed to spend my money there.
The food is delicious, service is solid, and the environment is fun. It's a great place for catching up with friends or enjoying some of their signature sides like the Lulu chips with blue cheese or the Asian slaw. I do with the menu was a little broader or that they mix up the menu every now and then. I like Lulu's, but it's gotten a little stale for me. If you haven't been there yet, check it out--you won't be disappointed.
This is one of my very favorite restaurants - anywhere. The only fallback is it can be very smoky. But the atmosphere itself is worth it - ever-changing art by local artists, funky lamps and decor, mismatched chairs and tables - I just really enjoy. It feels like you are going to hang out at your funkiest friend's house. I don't think I've ever waited more than 5 or 10 minutes for a table (although it's always crowded? I'm lucky I guess). The menu isn't huge, but everything is tasty and the service is fast and efficient. I've dined here for lunch, dinner, just drinks - all have been very pleasant. The servers are always pretty cheerful and friendly, and the crowd is very mixed - which I like. The olive tapenade appetizer is delicious and great to share, the east indian chicken pita is quite tasty and the roasted vegetable side is like a little bountiful fall harvest on a plate. And I can't forget to mention - their LuLu chips with the blue cheese dipping sauce - heavenly.
I have a friend who lives in Bay View. I think I expected this area to improve/revitalize more quickly than it has. Maybe living in Chicago has elevated my standards too much to really appreciate it. Who knows... One place I do enjoy in the area is Cafe Lulu. The food is innovative, fresh and relatively inexpensive. Definitely a good spot for vegetarians. Decent wine and beer selection. I like the way you can choose to be seated in the more happening "new" side (which has great atmosphere aside from the awful accoustics) or the quaint, quiet diner side. I'd like to see a band there...
My rating is based on the Saturday night music events. It was free, and the space is great for small performances. The sound guys even offered us earplugs. I can't wait to go back and try the food. :)
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