Such a unique experience for a "cafe". Very innovative menu that changes seasonally. Cant go wrong with anything on the menu!

Lula Cafe's reputation speaks for itself, so I was excited to try it on my latest visit to Chicago. We got there about 15 minutes before it opened and there was already a line. Thankfully, the restaurant is bigger than it looks, and we had no trouble getting in. Service was great all around, despite how busy they were. The tofu and vegetable scramble was much more leafy than I expected, so be warned! The sesame and miso sauce was great, and I only wished I had a little more tofu to enjoy it with. The pasta yiayia was a plate of buttery and garlicky goodness, with a fun pasta shape to boot. It was a little too cinnamon forward for me, but I respect the vision. Overall, I thought the food was solid (if not life-changing), and I'd be interested in trying some desserts or the dinner menu in the future.

BACKGROUND It was my last day and last meal for my Chicago vacation, so I knew I had to choose an exceptional restaurant that would leave a good last memory. Multiple comments on various Reddit threads and many different food review websites mentioned Lula Cafe and their outstanding food. Some examples: * Awarded the Bib Gourmand, an award bestowed upon restaurants with "good quality, good value cooking", on the Michelin Guide: https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/illinois/chicago/restaurant/lula-cafe * Featured on The New York Times "The 25 Best Restaurants in Chicago Right Now" published April 2024: https://www.nytimes.com/article/best-restaurants-chicago.html * Included on Eater Chicago "The 38 Essential Restaurants in Chicago": https://chicago.eater.com/maps/38-best-restaurants-in-chicago After reading a bit about their story, I learned they follow the farm-to-table movement and focus on fresh food from sustainable sources, and who doesn't appreciate that? Source: https://www.lulacafe.com/story/ Therefore, I decided to give Lula Cafe my patronage. My friend and I arrived for brunch at around 11:00 AM on a Thursday. The outdoor seating looked full already, but we lucked out. The host asked if we wanted to sit indoors or outdoors; it was a nice day, so of course we chose the sidewalk patio, which had wooden tables/benches and red metal chairs while planters separated the diners from pedestrians on the sidewalk. FOOD After scanning over the menu, I ended up ordering: * Litchi noir chocolate babka ($5) * Smoked trout scramble ($16) The litchi noir chocolate babka came out first. I'm going to be honest: I had to google "litchi noir". Apparently, "litchi" is another way to spell lychee, and "litchi noir" refers to black tea infused with lychee peel and/or fruit. The babka was extremely good. Perfect if you like pastries that aren't too sweet (I'm assuming the tea element balanced out the sugariness). And the yellow marigold petals and orange zest contrasting with the dark chocolate stripes of the babka was definitely visually appealing. The smoked trout scramble came with two triangles of toast (with butter and jam on the side) and a side of house potatoes. The scramble was pretty dill-forward, so hopefully you like the herb if you order this dish (or ask to omit). The scramble was creamy with bites of tender, flaky trout and peppery arugula. The house potatoes were salty and crisp. Overall, Lula's Cafe was an affordable and charming brunch spot with filling, fresh food. I can see why this restaurant possesses so many accolades. The next time I'm back in the Windy City, I will be sure to come back for their dinner menu. SERVICE It took a bit to get our food, but I won't ding them on it since we came during the brunch rush. Otherwise, the service was great. The employees were very hospitable and attentive, preemptively refilling our waters and asking if the food was good and if we were doing okay. TIPS As stated on their Resy site, they only take reservations for dinner, not brunch or lunch. They also don't take reservations for the patio. Note that the bill already includes a 20% service fee. They stamped reminders on multiple receipts to ensure that we were aware, so I did appreciate the transparency. And this notice is even included on top of their website's online menu.

Seriously embarrassing that I've not known the esteem of this place until now. I can now vouch that this is amongst the best brunch in the city & I can only think of other place that can compete. The mystery can cocktail was delicious, so much so that you'll honestly forget that it contains alcohol. The royale sandwich is now my top 3 best breakfast sandwiches. The prices are low but the eclectic combos & flavor combinations which have you in awe. This is what dining is all about I've found great success in casual restaurants lately & I'll be back to everything.

Lula Cafe has been on my bucket list for awhile before I was finally able to try it out for the first time a month ago. This past week was my second time back and was every bit as good as the first time.  Over the course of those two meals, I was able to try their smoked lake trout scramble, chickpea and fennel tagine, the "Royale", carrot cake, and the pineapple basil sorbet. Everything was delicious, but the entrees especially had layers of flavor complexity to them that I did not expect. While I don't consider myself a foodie, I could appreciate the depth to which they were able to elevate something as seemingly simple as a scramble. Later, my wife was browsing Lula's cookbook and basically confirmed how much work and nuance goes into the food that they make. For us, it completely justifies their price point, which is still fairly standard Chicago food fare (but verifiably delicious!).  I also had the opportunity to try two of their spirit-free drinks: Sunny Sipper for a Shady Day and Laura Palmer. I was actually a bit sad to see that they had removed the Laura Palmer from the drink list during my second visit and thus had opted for the Sunny Sipper. Both were good but the Laura Palmer felt more unique and left a stronger impression on me.

After coming here for dinner, it's no wonder Lula is a James Beard award winning restaurant. Our experience was absolutely wonderful, and it all started with the service. Our server was so kind and helpful and helped us decide what to get. The roasted chicken was great, large portion size and cooked to perfection, The tagliatelle may have been even better, as it was so buttery and umami. We also tried the focaccia, which tasted very savory and buttery with a splash of refreshing citrus. However, the highlight of the dinner was definitely the dessert. The strawberry sorbet was the best I've had in my life. We also tried the carrot cake, which was so rich and decadent that I couldn't see straight for a few seconds. All through the meal, the staff checked on us and delivered fantastic service. Definitely one of our more memorable experiences, and we plan to come back someday!

I have heard so much about Lula Cafe since it's been around for so long, so I thought it would be overrated...but it definitely exceeded my expectations! I love that they have a seasonal menu with fresh ingredients. Also, the patio seating is such a vibe! I savored every bite of my breakfast sandwich, which had asparagus frittata and raclette on focaccia. How did they get it so fluffy?? We brought some out of town guests here, and they loved it as well. The carrot cake was the perfect finish to brunch. I am excited to come again and try more of the menu!

We went to Lula's for brunch and were extremely happy we went! We were able to bring our dog on the patio and the servers were extremely kind and helpful. Food was phenomenal and their breakfast specials really stood out. We had a chocolate mandarin babka, a focaccia breakfast sandwich (SO GOOD) and a French omelette with burrata. Overall a great, laid back vibe with extremely kind and attentive servers.

I'm so happy I found Lula's!!!! Such an amazing gem right in Logan Square. From the look of the restaurant on Google, I assumed it would be a small intimate cafe, but I was wrong. The restaurant inside is huge, with two large dining rooms on either side of the kitchen. They have a regular menu that features their popular breakfast and lunch items, and then a small special menu that changes frequently. If you're visiting for breakfast or lunch, know that they do NOT take reservations. I went around 1:30pm on a Sunday and was seated almost immediately. The food was delicious and the service was lovely. Great experience all around!

Found this very popular spot for brunch while browsing on Yelp! I was glad I was able to try something savory plus something sweet here! I would def recommend the biscuits and gravy ($22) but I do wish the portion sizes of their dishes were slightly bigger considering their prices. I was sad seeing how much potatoes I got since it was $6. I did enjoy the sourdough French toast and while the strawberry rhubarb jam was yummy, I think the dish could've benefitted from having more fresh strawberries on it! Service was quick and attentive. This spot gets busy but they text you once your table is ready so you can walk around the neighborhood if the weather is nice!!