Lou's Luncheonette in Sonoma, CA, on Highway 12. I haven't been back since they revamped Fremont Diner to Lou's Luncheonette. Luved the fried chicken back in the ole Fremont Diner days. Fast forward to present day, I recently got myself to Lou's for lunch. The fried chicken plate is gone off the menu. Instead it is a more concise menu focused on single items versus full entree plates. Casual eats and counter service. Darn cute small diner feel inside. Modern retro country diner aesthetics. The menu focuses on hamburgers (starting at $8), hot dogs ($7+), sides, chicken sandwiches including chicken 'n biscuits ($6), milkshakes, floats, craft beer, ciders, and wine. I studied this menu to figure out what the closest thing to fried chicken would be. I landed on ordering the #1 Chicken biscuit. It's fried chicken, honey butter, and hot sauce on a buttermilk biscuit. Whoa Nelly, that was darn delicious. The fried chicken was boneless light meat. Thick cut with the meat so extremely moist n tender. Crunchy fried and flavorful exterior, seasoned well. Such a satisfying audible crunch. Just like I remembered. I could taste the light touches of hot sauce in the crust. Then that biscuit. Mmm. Heavenly. Crunchy top and bottom with fluffy innards. Each bite was fabulous. You know when you eat something so darn delicious, the noise of the world just fades away. I had a food moment. To top that, it was only $6. Not a bad price compared to the size. Another notable thing to point out are the goats. At the back fence ,of the outdoor seating area, look for the old candy dispenser. Instead of being filled with candy, it's filled with goat feed pellets. Put in a quarter, turn the handle to get the pellets to feed the goats. Let me tell ya, once the goats hear the clicking from that knob being turned.... they all come a running and clamoring towards you. Watch out for the more smarter and aggressive ones that muscle the others to get the primo spot to stick their heads through the fence. Remember they can jump so don't stick your head over the fence unless you want a head bump. I chickened out and didn't hand feed them, instead I tossed the pellets over the fence. read more

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Love this place!!!! The chicken sando is the best in Sonoma. It was huge, juicy, and hit just right. The fries are big enough to share with another person. My wife got the burger and said it was great. Not dry and added the pimento cheese. Service was fine. You order at the counter, and grab a seat. Nothing special, but I wasn't expecting white glove service at this place. It's part of the charm. The patio outside is wonderful. Allows you to share the Sonoma sun with the grape vines surrounding the place. The one thing I would suggest is adding some cocktails. Went in a Sunday, and a Bloody Mary or French 75 would have hit the spot. Overall will be coming back. read more

Legit bomb food. Family fun zone. I played ping pong with a random 8 year old. Mixed it up with a bachelorette gang. The buffalou sando was my fave. Biscuit was sweet I'll be back for a waffle and a milkshake. Bring quarters. Inside seating very nostalgic, underrated. read more

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Passing this place you wouldn't think it's real, like its to picture perfect. But then you go inside and the decor inside matches the outside, right down to the 1940s payphone on the wall. Wine, Beer Burgers and fried chicken. The food Is delicious but the atmosphere makes everything taste better. The staff is excellent! Especially the captain of the ship Colin, I stayed about a half hour longer just talking to him. Great vibes, great food, in an unbelievable location. Lou's is something special! The only thing missing was apple pie. This is Americana at its finest! read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Catfish Sammie, in-house ranch and golden crinkle cut fries - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

Finally got a chance & dayoff to try this place. Friendly staff. Nice inside and outside patio area. Great food! My only complaint is theres no menus at all until you get right up to the register so i didnt have much time to make a decision. Almost got the brisket or pulled pork. We got the crispy chicken sandwich , chicken tenders fries & vanilla milkshake. Everything we ordered was delicious, moist, hot, fresh! Did not disappoint!! Chicken had a nice crunch, excellent flavor, moist, fresh, the shoestring fries had a nice crisp and nice amount of seasoned salt. They were super busy 8/17/25 on a Sunday. Good for families. The owners own Jacks gas station in sonoma i believe changed it from box car diner before covid. Great job! Will return. Order #91 read more

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So we were looking for a quick and light lunch as we had dinner plans and did not want to spoil our appetite. This is a roadside dive, with some indoor seating and a patio, nothing to look at. But the FOOD was Excellent and one meal was plenty for us to share. Got the Catfish and fries, with Cole slaw. The Root Beer I ordered was Craft Brewed, better than most too! read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Catfish - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

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much needed after wine tasting, all chicken sandwiches are better than burgers. order at a counter

Scrumdiddlyumptious! I've had this place on my must-try list for a while, and I finally got the perfect opportunity to check it out. I had only one Sonoma winery tour scheduled for 3:00 pm, so I made my way up from the city and arrived around 1:30 pm for a slightly late lunch. It was still a bit busy at this time, but despite the crowd, the service was friendly and fast. If you love Southern food and aren't afraid of mayonnaise, this place is for you. For the classics - their potato salad, hushpuppies, and deviled eggs were all perfect. While I thought the fried chicken could have been made with better quality meat, the biscuit and fixins were absolutely divine. I probably wouldn't order the chicken again, but I'd definitely return for everything else. I'll be sure to order extra biscuits next time. The food and service were great, and the ambiance was really nice too. The interior is itty bitty, but they have a sizable outdoor patio, complete with umbrellas, a huge mural, and even few Tonka trucks. It seemed super kid/pet-friendly overall. There were several dogs on the patio, each with their own water bowl. This is a perfect spot to bring the whole family to relax and enjoy warmer weather days. read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Hush puppies, honey chicken biscuit, potato salad, deviled eggs, and a shrimp po boy - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

Delicious fried chicken burger and chicken wings(lemon & pepper). Order and pay at counter. Can sit in or outside. Dog friendly. read more

So glad we stopped at Lou's on our way from Santa Rosa to Sacramento. That biscuit is the best I've ever had! I wish the chicken tender that was in it was bigger but it tasted good. The homemade pickles were amazing and I usually don't like pickles. The potato salad was good too, very dill forward but the overall blend of flavors was nice. Great service and super cute ambiance with a nice patio and goats in the back. I'm definitely stopping by whenever I'm in Sonoma! read more

Lou's Luncheonette - #3 Nashville chicken biscuit - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

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In a word this place is the bomb. Their hamburgers and chicken sandwiches are so tasty and made fresh to order, in an old fashioned diner setting with outdoor tables. And I absolutely love their paraphernalia- t shirts and caps that are made with that really soft, thick, and high quality cotton! read more

I ordered a pastrami sandwich. The meat was great but the sandwich was dry. I wish there was a light gravy or jus that came with it. Also, the potato salad and coleslaw we ordered was very good. read more

Stopped in for breakfast. Ordered the eggs Benedict and hubby ordered the Finer breakfast, which was the 2 eggs with choice of bacon, sausage, etc. hash browns were included in both breakfasts. Very tasty and hardy breaker! Order at the counter and you can sit inside or out in their beautiful outdoor space. The folks were friendly and service was great. read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Eggs Benedict and the Dinner Breakfast with scramble eggs, sausage, with biscuit. - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

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Food is not bad but just average. as expected for a regular hamburger place. A place to stop by for a beer or two. Service was good, no complaints there. The place was nice and clean both inside and outside. Overall an Ok place to stop for a break and have a nice cold one. cheers! read more

Lou's Luncheonette - classic cheese burger and chicken sandwich and fries. - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

Food is pretty decent burgers and sandwiches. Charming setting. Loaded fries and onion rings are awesome.

The best burger I've had, and I've had my share of burgers. Also love the catfish sandwich, the sauces, the loaded fries. The patio is great, wonderful vineyard views, goats, chickens. It feels like a whole Sonoma experience! read more

We met another family for lunch here and got chicken sandwiches, hamburgers, coleslaw, fries and lemonade! Everything was delicious and it was perfect for the kiddos, because there is ping-pong, trucks and goats, oh-my! You put your order in at the counter and then they give you a little ring-a-ding, which will, you guessed it, ring when your order is ready! The place is kept clean and orderly, and service is fast even when it's busy! There are a few tables inside, but since we had a big group we sat outside. Lots of seating outside! We will be here again for sure! read more

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Cool place, great nostalgia, wine country adjacent! We will definitely visit, eat and drink there again! read more

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Ordered a burger, a salad and some chicken strips to go on our way to Sonoma and it was okay. Not sure if it's because we did it go, maybe it would have tasted better had we sat down and ate there. But it wasn't anything special. I did have high hopes for it but definitely want to go back and dine in to give it another try. The service from the lady at the register was not good, she wasn't friendly at all but there was a younger guy that was a cook that was super nice and came back to ask if we needed anything else. The place itself is a small area inside and outside there is a seating area with wood tables and there are some animals right by to keep the kids busy. read more

This is a good place to stop at while on the road, the whole place looks pretty nice and service was fast.

Authentic old-school (not the overpriced, over-hyped places that dominate this area), with all the good things that come with that. Good food, good value, good service, and good vibe. The chicken biscuits and sandos are arguable best in class. Go for the shakes, stay for the goats. read more

This place gets five stars for great food and great nostalgia. This is a fantastic roadside food shack with an elevated twist on a classic menu. Yes, you can get burgers and fries. But you can also get a fried oyster sandwich on a buttered roll or a heap of homemade pimento cheese served with picked and celery. The fried shrimp roll that I ordered was delicious and the red sauce wasn't very spicy. It wasn't huge, so I'm glad I ordered the pimento cheese snack platter as a side. read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Menu - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

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Lou's is a no frills place that serves delicious food. The cheeseburger was one of the best burgers I've had in awhile. It was perfectly seared, topped with melted cheese, sauce and onions. The fried chicken sandwich was just okay, kinda dry. Definitely a fan that they use potato rolls. They have limited seating inside and picnic tables outside. Great place to stop for lunch while out wine tasting in Sonoma! read more

Still thinking about this sandwich from yesterday. I might have to back this week!!! The Two Burn sandwich has spicy fried chicken Nashville style with slaw, pickled peppers, and ranch. The vibes on the patio are great and the prices are reasonable. Lou's is a must stop if you're in the area! read more

Every time we come to Sonoma we stop here. It's just outside of town, oozing with charm and nestled in between vineyards and baby goats (at least it was on a recent friday in July). Although it's called a Luncheonette (and in my mind, I still call it the Fremont Diner as it used to be named), I feel like it's the perfect brunch spot. They have biscuits that would do a southern grandma proud. I get the ham biscuit that comes sweet and sour with mustard and jam (sounds like an unorthodox combo but hold your judgement until you try it). They have waffles, fried chicken, a rotating selection of old timey desserts, eggs, salads, sandwiches. Comfort food, simple but delicious. You should sit outside if you can, although there are a few inside tables. Play ping pong while you wait for your order to come up at the window, chat with the goats, put your phone away and gaze into the rolling, grapevine filled hills in the distance. read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Ham Biscuit - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

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This place is a MUST. The most charming little place I've ever been to. As we were driving into Sonoma for the weekend we stopped here for lunch. Hands down one of the BEST burgers I've ever had. Get yourself a burger, fries, and a glass of rose and head to the tables outside. We also ordered the potato salad and the deviled eggs. MY GOD, this place is delicious. The service is quick, order at the counter inside and they give you a pager and buzz you when the order is up. We may be hitting this place for breakfast on the way out, as it was that GOOD!!! read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

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Amazing food always plan coming to this place on our way from Sacramento to Santa Rosa

This place is a nice hidden gem. Has a lot of breakfast brunch and lunch option. Order at the counter and find an outdoor seat. They'll bring the food to you. It's super casual yet comfy. They have items like chicken and waffles, grits, double Patty burger, kale salad, fries, and more. I wanted to try the dessert but was so full. The food can be pretty heavy- I was stuffed for hours. Tour buses even make a stop here- and great choice as it's quick and easy. Def stop by and get some shade or sunshine! read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

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Love Lous! Everything is house made and tasty. A nice contrast to the often boujee Sonoma. Bummed no more breakfast but anything ordered at Lous is awesome. Good beer selection and good patio. read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Coffee - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

Finally tried here this weekend. I LOVED the ambiance and decor. The outside is dog friendly and child friendly- they even have toy trucks and dog bowls for your child/dog. The butter that came with the biscuits was DELICIOUS and the hush puppies were great. The burgers/tenders were good, although a bit basic. Very good! read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Biscuits(AMAZING) , deviled eggs, chicken tenders. - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

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The amount of time that I have been saying that I want to try this place and dont actually come is insane. I was finally in the area and decided that this was the day. To order, you stand in line and order at the counter. They have menus to look over just in case you arent too sure on what to order. After you order you are given a buzzer and you find somewhere to have a seat, we decided to sit outside since it was a beautiful day and they had picnic tables with umbrellas for shade. We ordered the hush puppies, a burger and a chicken tender basket. Portions were great on everything except the burger. It came out child size and with a TOWER of fries. The hush puppies were dry and no real jalapeño favor to them. I wasnt too impressed with the food especially with all the fame the local people have given it, but I would try it another time because it might have been their off day. Btw: everything is "do it yourself" so help yourself to napkins, condiments, togo containers and the water station. And dont forget to bus your own table afterwards. read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Hush puppies - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

If you drive too fast you might miss the entrance to Lou's Luncheonette! The restaurant is located in a small building with some seating inside and plenty of seating outside back. Some spots are shaded and all have a fantastic view of the neighboring hills. They also have a parking lot out front. I ordered the Lou's big salad with grilled chicken tenders (2), 1 biscuit on the side and a cup of their Sightglass coffee. The salad was basically a Cobb salad with homemade ranch dressing. The salad was big and very fresh. One of my friends also ordered the salad and both of us could not stop raving about it. Even weeks later I'm still thinking about it! The chicken tenders were juicy and were well seasoned. The biscuits were tender and flaky. You MUST order at least one! My friend ended up ordering 3 to take home because they were that good! The coffee was really good and didn't need cream or sugar. Another friend had the chicken and waffles and also enjoyed her meal. Service was super friendly. They hand you a pager when you order and it will buzz when your order is ready for pickup. We noticed that everyone was bussing their own tables. This is an excellent spot to fill up before a day of wine tasting and exploring wine country. It wasn't overly crowded on our visit on a Sunday and it was so nice to have brunch outside with such wonderful views. read more

Fantastic lunch spot! We stopped for some lunch on the way to some wineries. Hubby and I split the Big Lou Burger and some fries - lots of food and we couldn't even finish the fries. The burger is a double smash burger - came out hot and fresh. The fries were well seasoned and crispy. Highly recommend! read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Big Lou Burger with a side of fries. - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

Delicious food. Huge servings. If you sit outside there are some flies but it's outdoors so just part of the ambiance. Beautiful views. read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Pimento cheese. So good! - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

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Simply the best chicken fried steak in the area. The chicken fried steak has a crust like fried chicken, exactly the way I like it, and so yummy! read more

Lou's Luncheonette - The chicken fried steak has a crust like fried chicken, exactly the way I like it, and so yummy! - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

We stopped by Lou's on the way to play pickleball at Cassidy Ranch... prices were so reasonable and food was tasty. I ordered on the app, it was test when we got there and we were still on time to our appointment. I'm so happy that places like this still exist! I had the BLT and potato salad my friend had a smash burger and fries our bill was under $30. You can't beat it!! read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

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Hadn't been in a couple years because of the short hours. The chicken sandwiches are so legit. Mad we missed going more the last couple years since it's only a couple miles from our Napa place. The best chicken sandwiches point blank. Nothing else to be said. read more

Had the Brisket sandwich It's good but not special and for $15 it either needs a size or quality improvement. read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Brisket sandwich feels closer to a "Slider" size - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

Once i got to this spot i didn't know they had smash burgers! They were super good and were seasoned well. The sauce and fries were also delicious. The meat patty's were juicy and the food got out quickly. They also had a really nice patio to hang out on and play ping pong! I would love to come back to try their fried chicken and milkshakes. read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Lou's double smash patty - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California

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Open 4 days a week, Lou's offers some of the best fried chicken, smashed burgers, along with a delicious herb egg salad sandwich. Staff is knowledgeable and courteous. Orders are taken at the counter with a number given. Your called for pickup to dine in an outside area. It was interesting that the chef was taking the temperature of every piece of chicken to ensure it was cooked to perfection. The self-service approach works well as the food comes out hot. Counter space is limited, looking forward to bringing a larger group. read more

Lou's Luncheonette - Egg Salad - Barbeque Near Me - Sonoma, California