Amazing. The jewel of Cornell. Thank you, frat house food truck, for sustaining me with affordable, delicious comfort food all these cursed years. Especially late nights when friends and I happen to be on campus. The local skunks who amble up to the picnic benches looking for stray fries even have their charm. I may name them. I miss having friends living in the house directly in front of the truck, so I could just walk up to their porch. I recommend the double Bo Burger with a hash brown on top. Even with all the fixins, it's easily cheaper and better-tasting than the corporate fast food joints! Fantastic fries here: Julio fries with sauce on the side. Large caramel and malt shake. All this food is easily under $20, and at generous portions. The fries are fresh and ambrosia of the gods!! Best of all? The customer service is always great and friendly. Highly recommend you eat here at least once if you're on campus, and it's super accessible by car/foot/bike. Yes, they take card-- just at a $5 minimum. I've had the cajun fries, pickle fries, salt & vinegar fries, and bbq fries. All are dry-seasoned, but I keep coming back to those Julio fries-- that sauce! read more

See all

Great place to stop for late night study fuel. prices are quite reasonable and food is always great. Service is always fast and friendly considering they're open until three in the morning. I only wish they accepted Big Red Bucks lol (Cornell's cafe currency). Overall, great place to stop if your on Cornell's North campus. read more

Me and a co worker stopped on our way to work. I got the bacon cheeseburger which was what you would expect. Was pretty good. The Cajun fries slap harder than your crappy stepdad on a drunk Friday night. Had a kick that made you wanna eat more and more. Also got a milkshake custom peanut butter and banana which was delicious and thiccc with three c's. Co worker got the rubben which he said was pretty great in itself and got the maple milkshake a great way to start my shift. The staff was friendly, made up for the fact it's like 30 degrees out. Thank you for the great food, if we're ever back in town for sure stopping again! read more

Louie's Lunch - Cajun fries - Pizza Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Really good cheeseburger. Hits after a night out with friends. I have a lot of great memories from this place.

I tried Louie's for the first time a month ago. My friends and I ordered mozzarella sticks, a cheeseburger, the maven, and a chicken Caesar wrap. Everything was fine, and the wait wasn't too bad. I'm not dying to go back there anytime soon, but I'm not regretful of trying it. read more

Louie's Lunch - Chicken Caesar Wrap - Pizza Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Banging late night food truck that's quick and doesn't miss ,always a cool crowd outside of the truck too

I went to Louie's for the first time and ordered a chicken sandwich, Cajun fries, and a vanilla milkshake. The ingredients for the sandwich were fresh and were overall good. The milkshake is good (can taste a little salt) and the Cajun fries were great. Friendly staff and good vibes. read more

Great Cajun fries and Philly Cheese steak... this is a greasy spoon for the college kids. It satisfies the hunger but leave you feeling guilty of eating unhealthy food afterward. Our food was good and hit the spot. We waited for close to 25 mins (during the dinner hours). Perhaps waiting enhanced our appetite and we enjoyed the food while it lasted. We are still dealing with our guilts to this date. read more

Louie's Lunch is great, and the service was fast and friendly. The drinks we ordered came out immediately and were very hot, perfect for a cold Ithaca day. The mozzarella sticks were my favorite thing, well fried and with tasty breading. I would go back any time of the day just for those mozzarella sticks. Great little truck! read more

Philly Cheese Steak, Chicken Parm, Cajun Fries, Hot sausage parm... I can go on but you get the idea. All the Louie's girls are friendly and hot and truly don't get enough tips for the amount of work they actually do on a busy Friday night (I would know, I go out with one of them). The owner, Ron is really friendly if you get to know him. Not sure of what to get? Ask and you won't be disappointed.. read more

After reading the reviews, my expectations were very high. Unfortunately, the reviews did not quite live up to my experience. The food was good, but it was not great. My Reuben sandwich consisted of a pre-sliced bread with a prepackaged corned beef. I was at least expecting rye or a marbled rye and some deli sliced corned beef, but I received neither. Now, a lot of the other reviewers tried burgers and other things, which I did not. So I can't speak to the quality of anything else, however, the Ruben was okay, and nothing more. I also ordered the Cajun fries. Maybe that was a mistake. If you really like hot things, and you're one of the people who tends to go for the hot sauce instead of medium, then maybe these are for you. However for me, it was much too spicy to be enjoyable. Still, the french fries were cooked well and were exactly what I expected them to be like. The only complaint was just being too spicy, but that may have just been my own fault for ordering something labeled "cajun" read more

Louie's Lunch - Cajun fries - Pizza Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Such amazing food for rough nights! Everything is flavorful and tasty! Price is very friendly, staffs are amazing!

Probably my favorite food truck EVER. I spent my entire freshman year at this place, especially for a midnight (or post midnight honestly!) snack or a quick to-go lunch. Everything tastes amazing here...there's literally nothing that I've tried that isn't super super tasty. The price for the portion size is also extremely reasonable, which I appreciate, as the other food trucks on this campus can't say the same. For $1, you can get the crispiest hash brown solo or in a burger. For $5, you can get a huge container of chili cheese fries (my fave). For maybe $6, you can get a giant bo burger or sub. Awesome place, 5/5, etc you get my drift. read more

Ron runs the *best* lunch-truck on Cornell Campus. Good comfort food, super-nice staff, (full disclosure: Louie's has employed several dorm-mates & friends over the years), *great* late hours, convenient location. Hot-Truck ain't got nothing on Louie's Lunch. read more

I had such high hopes for this place. I was walking around Cornell and always wanted to try one of the food trucks. I ended up finding this one, so I figured I'd give it a shot. I was totally in the mood for a grilled cheese, so I ordered it. When I got it, however, the bread was REALLY burned. Like, the bread was completely black. But I mean, the cheese was good, I guess. I could have done a better job myself. However, I give this place two stars, because 1) the guys working the truck were really friendly. 2) I'd be willing to try another food item from this truck. Maybe grilled cheese just isn't their thing. read more

As far as greasy, convenient food goes, one can't really ask for much else. The offerings cover all late-night bases from "bored of studying" to "bored of the terrible party occurring at Zeta Psi." Being from Buffalo, I consider myself pretty good at spicy food, and yet getting the maven fries at heat level XXX was deeply regrettable. 0/10 would not recommend read more

I used to live in the house right in front of/behind (?) Louie's, and so I'd stop over anytime I needed some fries. They have the best, crispy fries everrrrrrrrrr. Love them. Louie's used to be on my speed-dial. I used to get their subs for dinner on almost a weekly basis. HOLY CRAP I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT THAT UNTIL I WROTE THIS!!!! Sigh, those were some good times. Any sub + fries + milkshake = PERFECTION. I recommend the peanut butter shake. Unless you're allergic. Then go with the classic vanilla. Can't go wrong with that. Unless you're lactose intolerant, but so am I - I just suck it up and bear with the pain because it's *that* worth it. And Louie's is great because it's open during daylight AND twilight hours, so you can satisfy your cravings at any hour of the day, not just at post-boozin night-times. read more

MILKSHAKES: I used to ask them to combine the chocolate and peanut butter = Reese's Peanut Butter flavor. Divnie. BURGER: The best veggie burger (with all the trimmings and fluffy bun) I had ever found in Ithaca... though sometimes the mushroom texture reminded me of real meat. GRILLED CHEESE: Must eat quickly before the foil traps the moisture and makes the crispy grilled bread go soft. Quite yummy. SERVICE: Always friendly, all the time. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION:... but even when that wasn't the selling point, I'd drive to it. Call-ahead option helped. LIke the t-shirts say: "Doin' it in a truck since 19XX" read more

I always look forward to coming here when I run out of food in my room but think it's a little expensive for their subs which have literally only 4 to 5 small pieces of meat inside the bread. (A sub is about $7) So, I started getting their chicken fingers with a mix of bbq and hot sauce instead since I can skip the bread and have more meat while saving $2. The cajun fries are a little soggy but I still like them. Their milkshakes are so good, I definitely recommend them. A small is more than enough for me and only $3 or so. read more

I came here on my birthday at midnight and I am mad about Louie. The mint milkshake was DAAAANK. It should be a controlled substance under DEA regulation 'cause it's so addictive. Please come here and buy them. For food, I had the kraut dog, which was aight. Not worth breaking my vegetarianism for . Service was prompt and friendly. No complaints. read more

Louie's Lunch has consistently been one of the best value locations for greasy food. Though their lines and wait times may be long, you can avoid that by calling and placing your order ahead. There is a $5 (or $10?) minimum for credit cards (Discover/Visa) which is something to keep in mind. Highly recommend their milkshakes. read more

Louie's Lunch is a staple in the Cornellian diet. This janky looking red truck across the street from the lair of the archies (aka Risley) comes with a cute doggie to pet outside while you wait for your food. Get the cajun fries, the double bacon cheeseburger, the mavin, or chicken parm. My wife and kids is also amazing for a breakfast sandwich. Also, it may sound really cool to be THAT guy and get the "XXX" hot sauce and try to be really manly as you crush it, the tears and the agony on the toilet afterwards is probably not worth the agony (*challenge accepted*). Miss this place... read more

We eat only one thing there - Cajun Fries .. actually 2 things with smoothies. I can't comment much about the burgers and other things they offer, but man those cajun fries alone makes me give them 5 stars! read more

Being one of two grease trucks in Ithaca, you can't really expect much. Although the food is delicious and great for late night food it's definitely not the best I've ever had. I definitely wouldn't go out of my way to grab something for lunch or dinner. The place does have a pretty big selection and the employees are super nice! 3 stars for good food and quick friendly service. I suggest sticking to the non fried foods (besides the Cajun fries!) and get their burgers, phillies, or burger subs. read more

Man oh man, I have definitely enjoyed my experiences at Louie's. First visit was during freshman orientation and since then I've decided my favorites are: Peanut butter/chocolate ice cream milkshake Buffalo chicken sub (I'm scared to try XXX, but get it as hot as you can stand) Grilled ham and cheese on wheat with hot apple cider (YES) Not sure you can really go wrong with much of anything here. It's good for drunk food, good for when you forget dinner, and good for when you're in between performances at Risley and Nasties is too far (and so subpar in comparison). But eat it sparingly or you'll have a heart attack. read more

Best late night food. Been here many times. Central location. + Good food + cheap Prices + Pretty Fast and Reliable Try: Maven, double cheeseburger, philly steak, and any of the ice cream shakes. read more

So this was the first time I ever ate food from a truck. So expectations were kind of low to middling. Everything was once in a truck. Everything at every restaurant got there by truck. Everything at every store. Everything you've ever worn, sat on, every TV, every picture frame on your wall, was delivered at some point by truck. So why is it weird to just eat at a truck? Well it isn't anymore. Food trucks are a thing now, every city has dozens of them. So I was surprised at food truck #1 that they could produce fresh high quality subs and such. Good food. Usually a line, sometimes not a line. If there's no line, definitely stop there, even if you're not hungry. It's that good. read more

Louie's is an amazing place. their double bacon cheeseburgers and cajun fries are among the best hands down. their cashiers are nice, and it is open until late :D. if you are down after a prelim, this is the best way to get of up from that. highly recommend 5 stars! read more

I first had Louie's in 1998 when I lived across the street. It amazes me how nothing has changed in terms of quality, taste and ownership. It's still the same fantastic/feel good/stick-to-your-stomach/all-day/late-night/cheap-as-chips/irresistible food. read more

I got food from here about every week or so for three out of my four years in Ithaca. I've literally never tasted anything with the exact same combination of flavors as in their Maven sub. It's great stuff that I sometimes get the weirdest urge for, even all the way back in Houston. Their offerings are obviously super greasy, and my habit of eating there every week probably didn't do my waistline any favors, but I don't regret it one bit. read more

Sometimes, when I was a freshman, I used to go to Louie's twice a day. They sell all kinds of delicious deep-fried crap that will make you gain a ton of weight and probably will take years off of your life. Everyone acts like Louie's and Hot Truck have this sort of east coast/west coast rivalry thing going on. It's not really the case. I mean first of all their menus overlap by like one item, and even then it's not really a similar item (Louie's "pizza sub" is nothing like a Hot Truck sub). Also freshmen rarely can find the hot truck and anyone who isn't a freshman doesn't really have a reason to be up by Risley. So the two coexist pretty peacefully. So onto the food. Louie's makes a mean hot sub, that's for sure. Chicken parm is the classic, it can't really get much better than how they do it. The meatball parm is great as well. The burgers are quite good (I like adding fried eggs to things, this makes a burger a Bo burger). Also try the buffalo wing sub, but please don't get the XXX sauce. Their fries are great and go well with everything, and, yes, the peanut butter milkshakes are indeed the best. Also my personal favorite was the monster pizza sub, which is a shell of what was at some point bread filled with about everything you can think of bound together with a ton of cheese. Delicious. read more

I like their Philly steak, milk shake. And it's really a convenient place to get food for North campus. And it's nice they open during the day for lunch too. just the chef was mean to me and my friend once... and it's always a long wait for food... read more

Aside from their chicken parm, get their maven and their chai tea milkshake. Seriously. It's heaven in a drink. Get anything in a XXX sauce, and you'll thank me later as you breathe fire. You seriously will combust if you put the XXX sauce on them Cajun fries. Awesome. read more

Louis' let my dog into their truck to warm up in the 0 degree night. Not only were they personable, but they cooked an incredible cheesesteak instantly! I'm from Philadelphia, and I assure you that Louis' has the only worthwhile cheesesteak in Ithaca. read more

Surprisingly good food from a greasy old (now somewhat new) truck. Even though the quality of some ingredients isn't the best, what they add to it makes (sauces, chili, etc.) the food really taste good. Do not get the XXX sauce on anything. It's got just a little too much of something and it will destroy you Yankees. X and XX are just right and very tasty. One thing that would make Louie's better would be online ordering. They are sometimes too busy to take phone orders. Good brownies and cookies too. read more

Vanilla / Chocolate. Batman / Superman. Coke / Sprite. Louie's Lunch / Hot Truck. The presence of a choice does predispose a superior choice. That being said, there's something uncanny about the xxx buffalo chicken sub at Louie's Lunch; there may be nothing spicier known to mankind. read more

I am so surprised by the good reviews, customer service was good and if you are getting a burger/cheeseburger you can't beat the prices. However I had the phillysteak and the hot wings~ $15. Both were bad, I am sorry but very bad. Tasted like Walmart frozen wings, deep fried then drowned in Walmart hot sauce. The phillysteak the bread was not toasted and it was full of mayo (maybe for flavor?) just horrible. I feel bad because the lady was so nice but they should check youtube for quick recipes. Suck because it is very convenient, right on cornell and open late. Just go to commons ave if you want food with decent taste. read more

Louie's Lunch - Phillysteak they say - Pizza Near Me - Ithaca, New York

I got a pizza burger and mozzarella sticks. They were both great, I devoured them within moments. The pizza burger was a patty with tomato sauce, pepperoni, and mozzarella. The peanut butter milkshake was also a solid decision. Would definitely get all of those items again! read more

I get the cheeseburger to fill my stomach (its fine - very standard cheeseburger, usually a bit overdone, inexpensive as such a cheeseburger should be). However, the main reason why this fine truck warrants five stars are their delicious french fries, which must have a secret ingredient (crack-cocaine? tears of angels?) to make them as tasty as they are. I prefer them plain, which bring out their flavor, although Cajun Fries are good too (the ones with the hot sauce are kind of nasty - the sauce is way too vinegar-y to be able to finish the whole bag). I've heard their shakes are good too. read more

I have nothing but the fondest of memories of many a late night at Louie's Lunch in college. I miss this food truck terribly, and would make the 4.5 hour ride up to Ithaca just to get their cheeseburger, Cajun fries, and peanut butter milkshake. Gonna have to do that soon as a matter of fact! read more