The space is tasteful. A bright airy ambiance. Service is attentive and professional. The food is classic italian. It's a nice break from fusion meals. All the dishes were nice and rounded with good flavor and presentation. A great place for date night. Added to our short list of places worth visiting more than once. We'll be back. read more

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TLDR: mediocre service and food, not worth returning Ended up here on a rainy night when our other plans got derailed. Parking was fine in the shared lot, the restaurant is small and pretty cute. It was not particularly busy but service was frazzled and slow. I think our server was new or inexperienced. She tried really hard and was friendly but seemed overwhelmed and uninformed. Ordered a bottle of wine. Quite a time passed for them to come back and say they were out of it. Changed to a different one. Same thing. Finally the one server that looked like he knew how to run the place came and suggested a bottle in stock which we accepted. Somewhere in there we ordered a few apps. Bread service finally arrives, it's good. Bruschetta arrives, it is not so good. Here's the worst part of the story: I asked the server if the lasagna is made with a bechamel or cheese sauce. She doesn't know and will ask the kitchen. She comes back and says they don't know either because it's NOT MADE THERE. What?? Obviously didn't order that. Burrata beet salad: fine Saffron risotto: undercooked Cacio pepe add chicken: good Complimentary birthday tiramisu: good The host/manager(?) very kindly offered to walk us out with umbrella coverage - we didn't end up needing it as the rain let up after a few minutes. Houston has a bazillion Italian places and this is sadly nowhere near the top. read more

Great food but service needs work. Our waiter was not too friendly. We were charged $20 for 2 glasses of sparkling water Not cool. I also specifically asked for tap water but again they charged us a ridiculous $.10 for a bottle of water. Not too impressed. They need to step it up. Too many other fabulous restaurants in this area. read more

Came for a Mother's Day/birthday dinner yesterday evening. Bruschetta appetizer was ok. I ordered the grilled Caesar and pulled out 4 flying insects, 2 may have been fruit flies and the other a bit bigger. I ordered the Eggplant Parmesan and 10 minutes later, the waiter came back and said that it wasn't available. My parents got the Branzino, which was good from what I tried. We ordered the tiramisu for dessert and minutes later, guess what, unavailable. Had difficult understanding the waiter with the language barrier, and he had too many tables, so things were slow. Getting a refill of water took awhile. Overall.. not a great experience, but the place is cute. read more

Terrible service. Dirty plates & silverware. Items ordered not received. Wrong drink. Waiter absent and if present- not listening. Food wasn't worth the price. read more

The service was horrible. Manager sat us with minimal interaction and no menus offered. 10 minutes after being seated still no one came over. Ordered simple drinks took over 15 minutes to get them- they were wrong. Never brought coffee. Food was mediocre. Dirty plates & silverware. read more

We had a lovely brunch today. The service was excellent. They were very attentive. The Dover Sole was filleted table side and delicious.

My second time ever coming here ordering the same dish on the same night of the week as the first months ago. The Bolognese Fettuccine I had tonight was really delicious, buttery, savory, beefy and so addictive. The wine and olive oil vibes also stood out just right. This bolognese has a unique prep to it and is a great variation you don't get in other restaurants here. The noodles were thick, doughy, juicy, flavorful and so fresh. The raspberry gelato and chocolate cake were very tempting desserts to consider, but I will definitely get one of those next time I return since I was saving a little extra money tonight. The service was very welcoming, friendly and efficient. read more

Lulu's - Fantastic Fettuccine Bolognese !!! - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

We had a lovely lunch at Lulu's! My husband and I tried the prix fixe menu and loved it! I had the pear & arugula salad with the radiatore, while he had the winter salad with the carbonara. We shared a beautiful (and large!) piece of tiramisu. Everything was delicious! The pastas were fabulous--not too much, not too little. My salad was quite plentiful and tasty--loved it! Service was friendly & quick as well as timely. Ambience is lovely--casually up-scale. Location is fabulous! read more

On the Houston restaurant week list and has great food for great prices. I love the carbonara and still dream about it. It is white table cloth and very classy, and the servers are professionals and welcoming read more

Lulu's - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The place is cute, a small intimate space. The bar is calling you to enjoy a good glass of wine or a nice cocktail. Our server was attentive and prompt. Our food was good. I'd like to return to try out other menu items. read more

This is a hidden gem that I never knew about but glad I was introduced to this great place! I was invited to come here for a company meeting with some vendors and it was a small, quaint place for us to talk without feeling like it was too crowded or loud to hear each other. When we got seated, we were provided menus by the host and said our server would be with us shortly. It was probably 10 minutes after being seated that a server came up to us and he greeted us and asked if we would like anything other than water which we ordered some ice teas as well as waters. He brought out our drinks quickly and asked if we needed more time to review the menu for appetizers and we said yes. Which he didn't come back to our table until I had to catch his attention in order to order some appetizers. Once the appetizers were done with, he came back to clear everything off and we ordered our main entrees. I had decided to go with the spaghetti with a side of meat balls. When our food came out, my meatballs weren't on the spaghetti and I thought maybe he would bring out the meatballs in a few minutes but after getting all of our entrees on the table, and starting to eat, I realized that our server wasn't coming back because I saw him start bussing other tables to clear their dirty dishes and started re-setting them again. I had to get his attention to ask him about the meatballs which he realized that weren't brought out and he brought them out in a small ramekin and then I also asked for crushed chili peppers. Overall food was delicious, great ambiance and price is reasonable. I'd love to come back here again for dinner! I would say that service could have been better as the server I had was not as attentive. I don't know if he was new and training or if he generally is just not attentive to the tables he has, however it did cause everyone at the table to feel like they weren't taken care of because of a delay in the service. The meal was about 1 hour 15 minutes when I feel like it could have been within the 1 hour since it's a lunch service and the restaurant wasn't packed. read more

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Cute little place but could do better. Our server although nice, rushed us through the whole early dinner and most tables were empty. After feeling pressured to order just as we were served the appetizers we ordered a lasagna which had hardly any sauce or any cheese, was dense with meat and seemed dry, not bad but not great either. We also had the special brisket ravioli and those were super salty and thick, we liked it at initial bite but got to be too salty halfway thru. Server brought check immediately after picking up the plate of the first person that finished while 2 of us were still eating. Not great enough to return. read more

3 friends and I were still hungry after eating. We had lasagna, ravioli, and spagehtti dinners. The portions were so small. They had no Italian bread or dinner salad included. The price ranged from $28.00-$32.00 for each of us. We laughed saying we need to go eat again. read more

Good ambiance, but the Pasta was just ok. We had high hopes for this restaurant as we drive by everyday. The burrata appetizer was good and they had a decent wine selection. read more

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Good service, good food, excellent customer service, the only thing I know on Monday they closed at 9:00 pm . Me and my special guest we ask for dessert after the meal , they say unfortunately the kitchen is closed. I do understand. I guess next time I will order the dessert before they close the kitchen . Best regards Roberto read more

So, so food. So, so service. Honestly, I could have had the same food at a NJ Diner. There are much better places to spend your money and your time. read more

I've wanted to try this spot for a while because of the vibe and intimate feel. Unfortunately, the ambiance could've been better, we had a party of about six and were seated towards the back of the restaurant where there was a pile of folding chairs from outside stacked on the floor right beside our table. I felt it was inconsiderate that none of the staff noticed this and moved the chairs. The food was subpar for the pricing (we had brunch). I ordered the polenta with poached eggs and my eggs were totally overcooked. I had higher hopes! read more

Came for our first restaurant weeks dinner of 2022: despite a rocky start--it took a little too long for anyone to come over and offer service--Lulu's did not disappoint. Everything was well portioned and flavorful. In our party, we ordered one of everything (appetizers and desserts) on their Restaurant Weeks menu and the Bronzino, carbonara, and braised pork. Nothing disappointed and everything was delightful. Once we received service, it was excellent. Had we not had to inquire the whereabouts of a waiter, it's easily a 5...but then again, the mirrors threw us off a little. read more

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Brunch Steak & Eggs. Absolutely delicious, the eggs were seasoned to perfection. The Steak was a really good medium! Very surprised this place isn't busier than it is. Will definitely be back soon! Steak & Eggs read more

Lulu's - Brunch Steak & Eggs. - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Adorable restaurant, and perfect for a date night or intimate dinner with friends. The food wasn't amazing (but good), but the vibe was energized, hospitable and cozy. Sometimes you walk into restaurants and it's ultra-modern / trendy so you sit up taller and stiffen a bit... this was the opposite - felt like i was walking into a friend's kitchen that was warm and welcoming. The food was good - appetizers were the best course: burrata and beet salad + grilled octopus salad was a delicious start. I had the branzino and the fish was tasty - enjoyed the crispy skin, the savory sauce and the bed of spinach. I also thought the pistachio gelato was a refreshing end to the meal. I would recommend the restaurant to anyone that wants a comfortable dining experience without a lot of pomp and circumstance, but still a higher-end impressive service and dining experience. read more

The food is nicely presented and fresh. The service is always spot on. All of the staff members are extremely friendly, accommodating and seem to remember anyone who has ever step foot in the restaurant. The ambiance is relaxing and cozy. read more

Lulu's - The carbonara is a must! - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Lovely, low key and semi casual yet upscale atmosphere. Really charming. A nice date night ambiance. The food was unexpectedly impressive. The bread is a must try even with the up charge, which is unfortunate. It's still very odd to have to pay for bread in Houston. The cacio and Pepe pasta was great and it was a nice suggestion to add veggies to it - of course for another up-charge. Service was consistently off. Why servers can't write things down is so frustrating,,especially with multiple courses and special preferences for a table of four- smh. Of course wine was forgotten, instructions were missed and check was incorrect. I'd skip the dessert. Nothing special and not worth the carbs! Probably more of a "3" experience but I really liked my pasta. Glad I tried Lulu and may or may not be back. read more

I rarely award 5 stars Reserved, seated immediately. Dinners were excellent. Braised short rib was perfectly moist, not too much fat, solid portion, not too small not too large. Substituted the polenta for more veggies, well presented and delicious. Grilled branzino was also well proportioned, prepared, accompanied with vegetables. Shared the polpee (meatballs/ polenta) to start - tasty, texture was spot on. Shared the Tiramisu to finish - was appropriately decadent and the cream wasn't overpowering. Small venue, which I prefer. Lots of mirrors, decor, didn't super notice that we're right on Kirby. Mid-aged to older River Oaks crowd. Bonus on the way out ran into our friends Zack and Jenny :-) read more

Vibe- This is a very cute Italian restaurant in the River Oaks area in Houston, TX. There's a good amount of dining space inside. There's also a bar as well. Customer service- Pretty good. Everyone I encountered on my visit had good customer service. Food/drinks- I really wish there would've been more vegetarian/vegan friendly menu items for brunch, but I did enjoy the waffle and side of potatoes that I ordered. I also had a lemon drop martini that was really good too. Parking- There's plenty of spots in the lot where the restaurant sits. read more

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My fiance took me here as a treat for some italian food. the best part about the place is the ambiance; i really loved the bar area and it is definitely a cool spot for a date. They have some zero-proof cocktails on the menu if that is your thing. I tried one and it was fantastic. Overall the food was just okay, and a little disappointing for the price. The best dish we tried was the calamari appetizer. I splurged on the lobster sacchetti pasta and was underwhelmed. I did not get a lot of flavor, but there seemed to be a decent sized lobster portion at least. I would not order it again. This place is great for a cool date or to meet a friend if you are going to get drinks and an app or two. I would not recommend it for dinner with so many other options in town. read more

This is a lovely restaurant. The food and presentation was delicious and beautiful.I had the Carbonara- very rich with pasta, peas,and pancetta. Portions are generous- brought 1/2 of my serving home. The chocolate gelato was to die for. Service was friendly and attentive. We went for HRW 2024, but will definitely be going back to try other delicious offerings. read more

Came here with some friends for 2023 Restaurant weeks with high hopes based on the menu. Sadly I have to agree with many other reviewers that the service and front of the house staff was just poorly run. We waited at the bar for 10 minutes for a menu, slow bartender, not the best drinks. When we sat down we waited another 10 minutes to get menus, wrong appetizers and desserts came out just poor service all around. Overall the food was good, the ambiance is light and airy/not too stuffy. Food wise we had the pear salad, calamari, burrata and octopus salad for starters all great. We also had the branzino and pappardelle for mains and closed with the cheesecake and gelato all very good. If they would just work on the front of the house it would be 5 stars. read more

We finally checked out this charming - elegant lil spot and it was fabulous! We ordered off the restaurants weeks menu, I had the burrata toast bread and my spouse ordered the calamari. It made the perfect combination to share but the size of the calamari was impressive & delicious. For our main course we ordered the Chicken Marsala and the Pasta with Beef Angus Tips - finger licking good but I recommend that you do not do this in public. Dessert - Tiramisu and Creme Brûlée - both fresh, light and creamy. Definitely will be adding LuLu's to our ongoing rotation! read more

It hurts me to write this because I had been looking forward to dinner at this new sister spot to Armando's. The space is beautiful and I was impressed with the lighting and long bar. However, I hate tiny table dining and the table we were sat at was miniscule. It also was shoved right against the wall. For this price point I don't want to have to lean on a wall my entire meal. Our server, although friendly, was not up to date on the wine list and also seemed uncomfortable making suggestions. Once again, at this price point I expected more. On to the food. The bread basket was basic. We had the calamari to start, and I wanted to love it, I really did! However, it was lacking in sauce. What little sauce there was, was stuck in the bottom of the deep bowl it was served in. Once I got to the bottom and tasted some of the elusive sauce I enjoyed the last few bites, sadly all the calamari at the top of the bowl had been bone dry. The grilled romaine caeser was nice, served with anchovies and a tasty dressing. We tried two pastas and the lobster ravioli was AMAZING. The only dish that really was inspired. Large pieces of juicy lobster with a light sauce and lovely, plump pasta pillows. I would come back for this. The spaghetti vongole was next. It lacked depth and flavor. No notes of wine or garlic. It wasn't even aromatic! The sauce was, dare I say, bland.... The pizzas being delivered to other tables looked nice, perhaps I would have had more luck with one of those. Overall there are so many great pasta joints in Houston that have superb service and appropriate pricing. This isn't one of them. read more

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I do not know why this place has such a low rating because it's delicious! The meatballs, calamari (even though I really don't like it thick like an onion ring), Caesar salad (not your standard salad) , & lobster ravioli were all amazing! My husband & I usually dine out 4 to 5 days out of the week and the prices are competitive within the market. I have no complaints & will definitely be back! read more

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5 stars for ambiance, 2 for service, 2 for food for 3 star average. Ordered Cesar, caccio e Pepe, and chicken marsala. Cesar was not grilled correctly, it was over done on outside and raw inside, and pepper was too intense. Caccio e Pepe was good, with a surprising noodle choice, but this town has a strong caccio game and this one doesn't quite compete. Chicken Marsala was exceptional, only complaint is that the potato purée is too reminiscent of baby food and doesn't compliment the rest of the plate. The build out is beautiful with stylish details that create a very comfortable atmosphere while asserting sophistication. The tableware, particularly glassware, is magnificent. UPDATE: Moments after posting my initial review, Matt reached out to me and so I decided to return for brunch service. Edward took excellent care of my friend and me; wine glasses were never low and if a napkin fell on the floor, he would instantly appear to replace it. We ordered the eggs ben, lobster roll, and American breakfast. Eggs Benedict was five stars, and I am so sorry that I did not take a picture of the perfectly poached eggs. It is served with a crab cake, not too crabby nor overwhelming, pairs well with the hollandaise that is a touch more acidic than usual. The lobster roll was magnificent, the brioche melts in your mouth and the lobster is served warm, accompanied with a refreshing side salad. The American breakfast is basic, but eggs, potato's, and bacon are cooked to perfection. I give the brunch experience 5 stars, average with dinner review of 4 overall. read more

Lulu's - Eggs Benedict - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

I don't understand the negative reviews that were placed during opening week. I would rate Lulu's as outstanding all around. We ate at the nice bar, which is out preference. Met some nice people there. The food was very good to excellent. My wife loved the beets and artisan burrata cheese appetizer. I enjoyed the meatballs on polenta with maybe a little pesto. Also the arugula and prosciutto pizza. Attentive but not overbearing service. We will be back. read more

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The food was very good but the ambiance could be better. This place is not for younger crowds. Service was pretty good. read more

Lulu's - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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i went there with a friend for lunch. No luncheon menu. I will say that everything looks good including the restaurant. Service is excellent. The meatball appetizer was just 4 dry meatballs, but the polleta underneath was good (actually the best food that we had). The bread served at the table is below average - for our $100+ lunch, they should check out Sorrento's. I had the "recommended" Papardele Bolonese $28. It was cold, and I suggested to my guest that I send it back to put it in the microwave. She didn't want me to make a scene so I did not do so. I could write a bit more, both pros and cons. But I won't be back. read more

I've driven by this place numerous times, so I was excited when we came here for a friends baby sprinkle. I was a little put-off from the start when it took way too long for someone to offer us drinks. I ordered the arugula and pear salad as an appetizer (which never came out), and the carbonara entree - which was just ok. I've had much much better elsewhere in Houston. Very quaint, cute restaurant but the food did not seem on par with the price points and service was quite slow and lacking. read more

Lulu's - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Great ambiance and service with food that was all deliciousss!! Would make for the perfect intimate date night - Highly recommend! read more

Lulu's - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

A friend wanted to bring me here for my birthday and after seeing the reviews I was skeptical, but man was I pleasantly surprised!!! Summary: the restaurant was elegantly decorated, the food was great, and the server was a sweetheart. A more detailed dive into the food below. Arugula and Pear Salad: SO YUMMY! Would come back for this and the bread service alone. The description said it had gorgonzola and I was scared it would be nasty but somehow it all works and the gorgonzola isn't as pungent as you'd think. There was these amazing candied pecans (or walnuts maybe?) that added the perfect crunch and sweetness paired with the tangy vinaigrette. Just overall a really solid and yummy salad. Portion was big enough for 2 of us to share as an appetizer. Bread Service: thick slices of bread with honey butter and olive oil + balsamic vinegar on the side. I love carbs and I love dipping them in yummy things, so it was a win win for me. The bread itself was also great with a nice crunchy crust and warm soft inside. Guavissimo Mocktail: This was just okay. I would definitely skip it, not worth the $13. Carbonara: I don't eat pork so we ordered it with no pancetta (my friend actually got it on the side and said it was yummy, but I have no idea). The carbonatta was good but it just needed salt, like I'm not sure if the pancetta was supposed to provide the saltiness, but it was very bland. I feel like if it was salted properly, I could have really enjoyed it. We asked for salt on the side but it didn't really make that much difference since the pasta was already fully cooked. Rissoto de Portofino: AMAZING!!! It was a truffle mushroom rissoto topped with lobster. The rissotto was so creamy and rich, and you could really taste the flavor of the truffles. The mushrooms added a nice texture, and the lobster meat was just the icing on the cake. I honestly would have been happy to eat the rissoto without the lobster too (they could make a solid vegetarian version by just removing the lobster and adjusting the price lol). Overall, my friend and I had a really good experience and we both agreed that we would come back! Give this place a chance, you won't regret it. read more

Lulu's - Arugula and Pear Salad, Bread Service and Guavissimo mocktail - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Quaint Italian eatery. We booked Sunday brunch at opening (11 am). There was plenty of parking out front (no valet offered), and there's also parking in the back of the restaurant. Good service, great ambiance. The tables filled up while we were there, but it didn't feel loud or crowded. All brunch items were delicious! Eggs were overcooked for the avocado toast and crab Benedict dishes. Food came out cold or at room temperature. Mimosas had a bit too much OJ for my taste. Our table also split the tiramisu, and it was non-traditional but still a nice treat to end the meal with! read more

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Josiah excelled at waiting on our 4-person party. FIVE STARS!!! The grilled Caesar salad, branzino, salmon, pappardelle bolognese, bombolinos, & cheese cake were all excellent. The atmosphere was pleasant. These four seniors could hear each other talk! Great evening. read more