I have no idea why people like this place. The only thing good I can say is they have Trans affirming bathrooms. Mom ordered a diet coke. Apparently fountain drinks are unheard of there, they gave her a really expensive can of pop. Hubs ordered bottomless coffee. They didn't have creamer, only half and half. I told the server two eggs over easy sour dough toast, and bacon. She had to come back and ask me my bread choice again. My eggs came our scrambled. Hubs ordered scrambled and said they were hammered. Had to tell her again what I wanted. The toast really sucked. The (remade) eggs were cooked well with no flavoring. The tables are too close together and once I went to the bathroom I knew my mom was going to be unable to get to the bathrooms through all of the people in her mobility scooter. We also had to sit outside because of the cramped quarters. ADA anyone? Mom had a half order of biscuits and gravy. Way overpriced. For breakfast our checked totaled over 65 prior to the tip! Mom had seen someone from the restaurant be on guys grocery games a couple of times so thought this place would be epic. It was.... An epic fail. read more

What a cute kitschy name for a diner, I was immediately drawn in on a rainy day walk down Massachusetts street on an annual day trip to see the sunflowers at Grinter Farms nearby. However, the second part of the name "Diner" seemed to get lost in translation somewhere...this was no traditional diner, no 24 hour service, no breakfast all day, no overly charming waitresses vying for your attention with their over the top behavior and sweetness no, instead this diner located smack-dab in the middle of a bustling college town featured $15 thin diner style burgers...and that is somewhat of an atrocity. When I was ordering my meal I was expecting at least two smash burger style patties for the price and was highly let down with one measly meat morsel. So, here's the deal...the food was exceptional in quality but was it above and beyond the homey comfort of diner classics? No. It was a darn good burger with a creative Korean barbecue bulgogi beef theme that made it unique enough to justify the highly overpriced $16 tag. The components of the burger were all good especially the pickled red cabbage however, none of them stood out as exceptional. The side of fries that came with the burger were executed well but weren't seasoned properly, they deserpately needed salt but thankfully, there was plenty of that on the table. I would have greatly appreciated some sort of specialty homemade condiment- like a wacky flavor or ketchup or aoli choices...pretty much anything! but all that was on the table was the classic standbys of yellow mustard and boring old ketchup. So, that was disappointing. I think little attention to detail would have gone a long way in upping the star number in this review because honestly it's closer to a 2 than a 3 but, the food was mouthwatering just not worth the price in my opinion. The service however, just wasn't very warm and my whole table felt rushed out and the time on the clock was 2:53 when we finished our meal and felt like we were inconveniencing the staff so, we left hastily. I honestly think that if the server would have been less overall irritated the experience at this local Lawrence establishment would have been much much better but, I get it, everyone has an off day. Also, do not go in expecting a larger than life menu found at most namesake diners. This menu is very limited and consists mostly of burgers, some breakfast/brunch offerings and a few sandwiches and platters. You may also want to take note of the hours, ladybird is only open 8am - 3pm so not exactly traditional diner hours. So, all in all would I return? It really depends...if I found myself seeking shelter during a rain storm around normal lunch hours then maybe but, it would not be anywhere that I would seek out to visit while in Lawrence. read more

Ladybird Diner - Cafes Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

We loved Lady Bird Diner! It is so fun to support a local business and the food was awesome. We loved the ambience and all the decor! The staff was eager to serve and very friendly! We had the ladybird diner special with a pancake on the side! We will definitely return over and over again! read more

Ladybird Diner - Me and my friend Amy - Cafes Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

Gives that retro chic vibes! Did try the pies but the brunch has some more recipes to offer than your regular egg brunch place Will definitely recommend trying it at-least once Also since is is at the start of Mass stress parking wasn't that big an issue! read more

Fantastic service and amazing food! American favorites with a twist. My wife had an amazing grilled cheese and I had the double cheeseburger without the bun. All the food was delicious. Highly recommended comfort-style food! read more

Very good. Had the chicken club sandwich it was very tender and tomato basil soup was delicious. Husband had biscuit and gravy it was delicious too. We will go back Again. read more

Great atmosphere. Great workers. Incredible bloody Mary's(2!), incredible breakfast entrées: truckstop pile up / great avocado toast /amazing hashbrowns/amazing. Upbeat FUN restaurant. I would absolutely come back again! Tim the waiter/bartender/comedian made it even greater. Please CLONE him! read more

Ladybird Diner - Deciding on meals at The Ladybird Tim - Cafes Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

I had high hopes. It was a long wait. No biggie, it's a popular place. My breakfast of French toast was fine. Grits yummy. My husbands plate was cold. Hash special. We got comped for his meal. The employees were all friendly, working hard and apologized for the bad meal. It's not very clean. If they could tighten that part up, I would recommend it. Vibe was neat. read more

Ladybird Diner - Was good. Wished it was hotter. Berries fresh. - Cafes Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

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The food was great, the mimosa's were on point and our server was great! In town for a 35th class reunion! We chose this restaurant because of their support to the community during Covid-19! It was a great choice!!!! See you next time! read more

Ladybird Diner - Cassie, Benee, Linda, Tonya - Cafes Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

I must have lived in Lawrence long enough to be a local because I hate going downtown. I will only brave downtown Lawrence for select few venues and Ladybird Diner is one of those venues. It is will worth playing the Find-A-Parking-Space game and waiting in lines with out-of-towners. I had heard rumors of this quaint and quirky diner from others who had been there. One of my friends goes to LD every week for pie. Since I am not a pie fan, as such, that did not entice me. It was not until a co-worker suggested a working breakfast at Ladybird that I decided it was the perfect time. The environment is very comforting and eclectic without being over-the-top. I loved the different look and feel of this place from most cookie cutter restaurants. This place has ambiance that immediately makes you feel comfortable. The menu is extensive and there are tons of options from which to choose. I spied other people's plates as they were being served and everything looked delicious. My friend had the biscuits and gravy and I opted for chicken fried steak. Anytime there is a chicken fried steak option, I will order that calorie laden dish. I am glad this was my choice because the food was fabulous and plentiful. Ladybird does not scrimp on portions. My plate was filled with freshly prepared, tasteful goodies. They even remembered I wanted my gravy on the side. Yes, I am one of those people! The only thing about the food that irritated me a bit was not really the fault of Ladybird. I wanted grits, just grits. On the menu they offered cheese grits which is just not what true Southerners eat. Grits purists from the South want just plain grits. I asked for that grits sans cheese but was told they only have cheese grits. I suppose they must be pre-made or measured because if you have cheese grits, you must surely have regular grits. Sigh. The other negative in my book is that it was very loud. Like can-barely-hear-my-friend loud. It was not loud from people noise but loud from music they played on their stereo. I asked the server if she could turn it down a bit but I had to ask her twice because she could not hear my request the first time. lol. She did turn it down which helped a great deal. It was not five minutes later another employee came over and turned it up again. I was fighting a losing battle for sure. The prices were very reasonable for the amount of food that you they served. Nothing seemed to be excessively priced and they certainly served quality. No sticker shock here. All the servers were very nice, attentive and patient. They made you feel at home and that you were truly a guest. One of the servers or managers had on red sparkly glittery shoes and I just knew this was the place for me. read more

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For someone that doesn't necessarily care for breakfast, I sure review a lot of breakfast spots. We went here at 9:45 on a Sunday morning and had a 30 minute wait for a party of 5. The menu is not extremely inventive. However, the food was solid. I had a 1/2 order of biscuits and gravy (I knew that I was saving room for pie). The pie was a cardamom pistachio that was EXCELLENT. The thing I usually hate about most desert is they are over sugared. Not this. It allowed you to still taste all of the cardamom and pistachio. B&G is always a good measuring stick. It's difficult to make terrible. It's also difficult to make truly excellent. Their's was not amazing, but definitely above average. 4.5/5 but I'll round up :) read more

Ladybird Diner - 1/2 biscuits and gravy - Cafes Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

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The place looks super good the service they are super nice, and the food is to die for it's so good

Vibe and staff are amazing but the food is kind of a letdown. There's something strange going on with the gravy. Not sure if they add sugar to it or if it's a spice that shouldn't be in there, it's just off. The portions are huge though so if you like what you get you're sure to have leftovers! read more

Very kitschy atmosphere at this diner. Food is delicious - every dish we have tried is great. Chicken pot pie - very nice & not bland. The crust is the best I have had. Baja fish tacos - simply delicious Tim's gyro - very good, flavorful Mac & cheese - very good & definitely cheesy read more

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Delicious breakfast food. Only four stars because their black coffee tasted bitter, not sure who their supplier is, but they should look into it. Friendly host and waitress - service was great! Took some pieces of pie and a cinnamon roll to-go. My mom said it was the best cinnamon roll she's had in a long time. Highly recommend! read more

What a great find! I'm new to Lawrence and was looking for places to eat and for some reason I was drawn to Ladybird for brunch. I fortunately was seated right away at the bar since I was by myself and there was no line. My server was super friendly and gave me helpful suggestions about the most popular items on the menu, such as The Dodge and the avocado toast, so I trusted him and went with avocado toast! It was the most unique avocado toast I've ever eaten. The bread is from a local bakery and had a good crunch and the eggs were cooked perfectly. Another unique addition were the pickled vegetables that were on the toast. I also added a hot chocolate to my order and that also was very good! Not too sweet and not too bitter. The service is amazing and I am so glad this was the first place I was able to eat at here!! read more

Ladybird Diner - Avocado toast and a half drunken hot chocolate - Cafes Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

So glad I consulted yelp to find this little gem. Wasn't sure I wanted a diner - worried it would be like a Waffle House. Ladybird certainly had some of those diner elements, but was such a welcomed surprise. First things first, the Bloodies are impossibly cute. Thin mix and not over engineered - just the way I like them! The tiny sidecar was a fun nod to my Wisconsin favorites. The food is thick and hearty. The chicken fried steak 1/2 order is the perfect portion. I'd recommend the gravy on the side, because the batter is amazing as a stand-alone. For me, the gravy was a little too thick and sweet. I just loved the kitsch of Ladybird. The tunes were exactly what I needed, from Elton to the Cranberries to the Beatles. The food was comforting. And the service was a nod to a time period long forgotten. Unexpected find in Lawrence, which has proven to have some really good eats. read more

Ladybird Diner - Bloodies with a Wisconsin sidecar - Cafes Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

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Ambience! Love these kind of joints. If I lived closer I'd go everyday! Breakfast is my fav meal or just feeling diner like is my happy place. THANK YOU FOR BEING ON MASS! read more

Superb Diner in the heart of downtown Lawrence, Kansas. Exceptional quality food any time. Their homemade doughnuts are simply super! Good variety of homey food selections from breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Highly recommend! read more

It may take you a while to get seated but the breakfast menu and service was good! Good place to enjoy a good meal!

My favorite breakfast place in Lawrence! The best vegetarian options and there are still so many things I want to try. I love that they get their bread locally. read more

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A unique place to eat I the Blue Oasis of Kansas! Excellent breakfast and lunch food Plus amazing pies!

We were so terribly excited to try the reputable Ladybird Diner, that we drove in from Kansas City first thing in the morning Saturday. It had been a long evening, and a proper breakfast was the remedy. The service had overtly liberal sensibilities, peppered with a touch of communism. But the bacon was thick and flawless. I tried whatever dish which included sausage, pancake, bacon and eggs - with hash brown on the side, supposedly right sacrilege to visit the ladybird diner without hash or that sausage. I hadn't liked either, with the hash too much brown, and not enough salt; it was crunchy - nearly to a fault - but lacked any flavor. The sausage is akin in texture to a thick, coarse hamburger, flavored with something similar to caraway perhaps; the texture was off-putting for me, but it works for others. Eggs were eggs, but those pancakes were well made with superlative flavor. I'd have been more apt towards positivity had my food not been forgotten for a full half hour before I reminded the staff that I was still there. Around forty-five minutes I received most of my items cold - with the eggs ironically piping hot. To make amends, I was provided a slice of homemade cherry pie; it was uber tart, thusly stealing away any hope of sweet harmonic balancing which occurs within the elementals of cherry-pie wonderment - but that crust was worth the price. After all that, I'd still try once more the Ladybird Diner. The name has something to do with Johnson's wife perhaps? Who knows, but it would be a shame if not. They seem to know what they're doing in the kitchen if they're on top of things, yet the hipster nature of this place is a telltale sign of popular mediocrity. read more

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Once you can stand the beat up booths with lumpy seats, loud music and choppy service - it's ok. The food is good but they need to improve on other issues. Clearly a restaurant for younger crowd, my elderly parents didn't enjoy it much, lol. Please turn down the music though and another time we went 30 mins before closing and we were rejected.! read more

What an amazing staff and the food I've had is outstanding. The food is flavorful and dishes are unique and the ingredients complement the dish. Don't forget to grab a slice of pie! read more

I always have the same thing, but only because it is so good: the egg salad. The whole thing is built on a delightful, rich piece of brown bread. The richness of the egg salad itself is cut by topping it with a mess of spicy arugula and also offset with a few chunks of pickled beets. A morsel of onion or two is thrown in there as well. The whole thing works real well when dissected and consumed with a fork and knife; it's just a real messy open-faces sandwich otherwise. I have sampled a few other things from the menu, but I consistently order this one dish for myself. I saw some potato pancakes on my last visit that might tempt me to stray...but we'll discuss that some other time, dear reader. The coffee is, unfortunately, only adequate. Service is hippy and friendly. read more

We stopped by for the Friday night fried chicken dinner. The sides included greens in pot linker (delicious), mashed potatoes and onion rings. The owner, Meg, and wait staff are wonderfully friendly and welcoming. Too stuffed for dessert, we took some of the fabulous peach pie home with us. Ladybird is a Lawrence Classic. read more

Our meals were wonderful. The ingredients tasted farm-fresh. I will long remember the tomato on my avocado, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. The pie was incredible, especially the Countess (a local specialty). But I was mist impressed with the staff. They seemed happy to work there, and unlike so many places lately, they seemed fully staffed, not understaffed. It says a lot about the owner that she can keep good people. read more

Menu is extensive and love specials. My husband had the hot honey chicken sandwich which was huge and delicious. Busy busy place and yet service was great. Food was hot and timely. Charming, eclectic place with plenty of outdoor seating. read more

Pie, pie, pie! You just can't go wrong with any items on the menu, plus Meg has the best wait staff who enjoy their job!

Amazing place. We waited a while for brunch but was worth the wait. Food was excellent and service very good. Highly recommend.

Went in for lunch today. We had egg salad sandwich and state fair pork sandwich. Both sounded amazing but were far from it. Starting from top to bottom, the pickles and pickled vegetables were warm, sour and old. The pork sandwich was very salty and the pimento cheese spread on top was dried out. The egg salad tasted like dill and the eggs were very old and impossible to eat. The Americana coffee tasted like it was an instant coffee. The standards have been lost at Ladybird. The staff walked around pulling at their hair, mixing with fingers and hands in the drinks, and scraping food off plates to serve desserts. Watching, I was horrified to think people were eating there. The only thing I can say is the service was very good. The reason the review has stars at all is because of him. I want to say I'll go back but I won't. read more

This was our first time trying out Ladybird Diner and when I tell you the food is amazing, you'd better believe it. Not only was the food amazing with large portions but the service was outstanding as well. Our waitress Macie had a smile throughout our service as well as a pleasant and helpful attitude. Henry was the bus guy who didn't even let our glasses get low once and was also pleasant. The desserts are an added bonus that just puts the cherry on top! Way to go Lady Bird Diner and staff! Kudos to you all and we will definitely be returning. read more

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This diner in downtown Lawrence should be on everyone's bucket list. I had the country fried steak and it was delicious!! The staff was very welcoming and friendly. I definitely will be back on my next drive cross country. read more

BIG FAN. You want a truly home cooked style meal, Ladybird is the place to go. With employees who all seem to be genuinely excited to be there, the energy in this place is outstanding. You walk in the door to a warm welcome and leave a fully satisfied individual! Great food, great service, great atmosphere. Be aware though, this is not a typical diner in that it is a liberal place. To be fair, so is Lawrence. So can you really complain? read more

Great food, wonderful wait staff, cute environment, very nice menu selections, nice location. We will be back!

Right on Mass St. Service was really fast. Fried green tomatoes were great, French toast-- wow! Lots of berries! Coffee was good. Biscuits and gravy were ok The decor is so cute; with 50s type aprons and such. Iconic lunch counter w stools. Really nice server! read more

Let me start by saying that Ladybird has got fantastic, high attentive service. Our water was always full, they got us in very quickly during prime brunch time but didn't make us feel rushed through our meal, brought us take away box before I even asked. I asked for no cheese and the waiter came back and made sure I didn't have any allergies to ensure I would be okay with the food. The atmosphere itself is lovely too. I love me some exposed brick and Kurt Vonnegut quotes. It's bigger than it looks and has some tables outside where you can sit on a nice day. The downside is that the food, while pretty good, was a little bland. But I would definitely go again and would recommend this stop in Lawrence. read more

Ladybird Diner - Cafes Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

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This is hands down the best restaurant not only on Mass St, but in all of Lawrence. Has the best food, best vibes, and the best service. Hands down worth the wait no matter how long. We try to come in for breakfast as often as possible because it's unbeatable. read more

Excellent "Lawrence"-unique resturant. The menu tends to "home" style -- not elaborate, but rich and consistently good. The pies are always homemade and excellent. And don't let the "Diner" turn you off -- this is not road side diner quality food -- but its not high-end fancy botique either. Its moderately priced above average quality meals. read more