I give Villa Lulu a solid 4, bordering on 5, but I'm so fussy, it's probably a 5. I save 5's for something so amazing I just can't describe it. After a brief snafu with who our waiter was, the staff was super accomodating with everything. They kept their promise to get us to the show on time. So, service ended up a 5 but started as a 2 or 3. Food, we had a variety of salads and appetizers, two main courses for 4 of us. All were very good., to excellent Atmosphere, 4, and I only detract because we had to walk up a steep flight of stairs to the dining room, so if you are physically unable to make the stairs, your options will be limited. There is al fresco dining but it was too cold. I am sincerely looking forward to returning and trying more options at a more leisurely pace because it's the type of place where you can actually carry on a conversation without the clatter of dishes and the intrusion of others' conversations. It's very warm and cozy and would be good for a romantic dinner. Reminds me of "The Big Night" kind of vibe.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Hailey C
Excellent service and great food/atmosphere highly recommend the Spicy Rigatoni alla Vodka it’s delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
StephanieO
Wanted something close to the the Schubert, so we booked this for our family for 4 with 2 teens. Cacio de Pepe is always a huge hit and it certainly did not disappoint! Also had the funghi bolognese and veil saltimbocca. Nice wine list, friendly service. We had a great night!
Terry
We had a lovely dinner before going to a show at the Shubert. The server made sure to ask if we were going to a show which we appreciated. The food was delicious! All the staff we encountered were polite and helpful. We look forward to coming again.
pheegs
Got the sundried tomato fettucine- honestly may have been best pasta i've ever eaten, my date said the same. servers seemed quite stressed, but the manager was so wonderful and kind with amazing hospitality skills. will be back!
Roshan Kumar
Food was amazing! TJ was a great host. I highly recommend the squid ink pasta and spicy pizza!
Valentines prix fixe dinner, so- Options limited. Despite that, We had 3 different starters 3 different entrees and 3 different desserts (among 4 of us.) Nothing stood out as being anything but average. Additionally, took us 50 minutes to get first course. We are from out of town and restaurant came recommended to us by a local. They definitely have some things to work on.
I'm very conflicted writing this review because it was a roller coaster of emotions. The timing of the service was awful. It took around 50 minutes to get our apps and probably another 45 for dinner and dessert. We were there from 8 to 11 o clock which was much longer than we anticipated. That being said, our waitress was nice and we felt bad because we were seated on the top floor and she had to run up and down the stairs probably 100 times throughout the night to service the customers upstairs. The food was tremendous and everything was the correct temperature. I ordered a steak medium rare, which was cooked perfectly. I'd be willing to give this place another shot, as I'm assuming there may have been a last minute call out in the kitchen or something along those lines that lead to the delays in service.
Staff were all very welcoming (esp hostess and Allie and Ashley), lovely atmosphere upstairs, food was well prepared and delicious! Able to accommodate dietary needs. Highly recommend eggplant meatballs and tiramasu!
Crossop
Appetizers were delicious. But all of our entrés were very disappointing. Papparadelle ala Bolognese had the right ingredients tossed in what appeared to be tomato paste. No long simmer taste. Chicken piccata was so tough that it was almost impossible to eat. Hanger steak was ok but not great. Fra Diavolo was very bland and needed hot pepper and salt. This was the first time we have been disappointed at Villa Lulu. But I hope this is not a trend.
Our server, Nick, was very pleasant & enjoyable. Our cocktails were refreshing. The mushroom crostini app could have easily fed 4 people. I had the Buccatini & my wife had the filet. The pasta and steak were cooked perfectly. And the bacon jam on the filet was outstanding. Our only complaint was the large table of a younger group that became very loud & were incessantly taking selfies & photos. We didn't feel this was the appropriate atmosphere for their behavior. Overall it was an excellent date night & we will be back!
AndrewB
Our whole experience was excellent. It starts with the Service, which was outstanding throughout. The food was delicious and well proportioned, leaving us just enough room for dessert. Only small criticism would be my daughter and i ordered pasta dishes that wete labeled spicy but weren't. Very comfortable space. Free parking in the ramp was a bonus . Would definitely return.
Sabrina Whiteman
I can't say enough about the exquisite food and variety of cuisine. I prefer brunch and appetizers but can say that dinner is a wonderful experience. They have talented bartenders who can customize a drink for you. However, their cocktail options are just as creative. They have spicy options just the way I like them. And some with a hint of sweetness I have not experienced anywhere else. Cozy and elegant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lorieann
There is a disconnect between the waiter, who took our drink orders, the bartender, and the person who delivered our drinks. As the waiter explained, he takes the order gives it to the bartender, the bartender fills the order, and then a third person picks up the drinks and delivers them. Seems like an awful system. Rectified very easily by our wonderful waiter Mario. I was a little disappointed that there weren't any specials on a Saturday night. I had the skirt steak which was very good and my husband had the veal ossified Buco. it also was very good but it was a very small portion. It was good that we ordered an appetizer and a salad. We also ordered the lemon cheesecake for dessert which was horrible. It was more gelatin like cheesecake like clearly not made in house. I think they should take it off the menu.
DominicV
We have had dinner at Villa Lulu's on several occasions and we have never been disappointed. On our latest visit we had a Ceaser Salad, less the anchovies, for the entrees my wife had the Chicken Piccata and I had the Lamb. We were very happy with our meals. Our server was Nora, she was very attentive to our needs, easy to have a conversation. We already made our next reservation.
I give Villa Lulu a solid 4, bordering on 5, but I'm so fussy, it's probably a 5. I save 5's for something so amazing I just can't describe it. After a brief snafu with who our waiter was, the staff was super accomodating with everything. They kept their promise to get us to the show on time. So, service ended up a 5 but started as a 2 or 3. Food, we had a variety of salads and appetizers, two main courses for 4 of us. All were very good., to excellent Atmosphere, 4, and I only detract because we had to walk up a steep flight of stairs to the dining room, so if you are physically unable to make the stairs, your options will be limited. There is al fresco dining but it was too cold. I am sincerely looking forward to returning and trying more options at a more leisurely pace because it's the type of place where you can actually carry on a conversation without the clatter of dishes and the intrusion of others' conversations. It's very warm and cozy and would be good for a romantic dinner. Reminds me of "The Big Night" kind of vibe.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Excellent service and great food/atmosphere highly recommend the Spicy Rigatoni alla Vodka it’s delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wanted something close to the the Schubert, so we booked this for our family for 4 with 2 teens. Cacio de Pepe is always a huge hit and it certainly did not disappoint! Also had the funghi bolognese and veil saltimbocca. Nice wine list, friendly service. We had a great night!
We had a lovely dinner before going to a show at the Shubert. The server made sure to ask if we were going to a show which we appreciated. The food was delicious! All the staff we encountered were polite and helpful. We look forward to coming again.
Got the sundried tomato fettucine- honestly may have been best pasta i've ever eaten, my date said the same. servers seemed quite stressed, but the manager was so wonderful and kind with amazing hospitality skills. will be back!
Food was amazing! TJ was a great host. I highly recommend the squid ink pasta and spicy pizza!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Squid Ink Fettuccine Shrimp Scallops, Spicy Rigatoni Alla Vodka
Valentines prix fixe dinner, so- Options limited. Despite that, We had 3 different starters 3 different entrees and 3 different desserts (among 4 of us.) Nothing stood out as being anything but average. Additionally, took us 50 minutes to get first course. We are from out of town and restaurant came recommended to us by a local. They definitely have some things to work on.
I'm very conflicted writing this review because it was a roller coaster of emotions. The timing of the service was awful. It took around 50 minutes to get our apps and probably another 45 for dinner and dessert. We were there from 8 to 11 o clock which was much longer than we anticipated. That being said, our waitress was nice and we felt bad because we were seated on the top floor and she had to run up and down the stairs probably 100 times throughout the night to service the customers upstairs. The food was tremendous and everything was the correct temperature. I ordered a steak medium rare, which was cooked perfectly. I'd be willing to give this place another shot, as I'm assuming there may have been a last minute call out in the kitchen or something along those lines that lead to the delays in service.
Staff were all very welcoming (esp hostess and Allie and Ashley), lovely atmosphere upstairs, food was well prepared and delicious! Able to accommodate dietary needs. Highly recommend eggplant meatballs and tiramasu!
Appetizers were delicious. But all of our entrés were very disappointing. Papparadelle ala Bolognese had the right ingredients tossed in what appeared to be tomato paste. No long simmer taste. Chicken piccata was so tough that it was almost impossible to eat. Hanger steak was ok but not great. Fra Diavolo was very bland and needed hot pepper and salt. This was the first time we have been disappointed at Villa Lulu. But I hope this is not a trend.
Restaurantji Recommends
Our server, Nick, was very pleasant & enjoyable. Our cocktails were refreshing. The mushroom crostini app could have easily fed 4 people. I had the Buccatini & my wife had the filet. The pasta and steak were cooked perfectly. And the bacon jam on the filet was outstanding. Our only complaint was the large table of a younger group that became very loud & were incessantly taking selfies & photos. We didn't feel this was the appropriate atmosphere for their behavior. Overall it was an excellent date night & we will be back!
Our whole experience was excellent. It starts with the Service, which was outstanding throughout. The food was delicious and well proportioned, leaving us just enough room for dessert. Only small criticism would be my daughter and i ordered pasta dishes that wete labeled spicy but weren't. Very comfortable space. Free parking in the ramp was a bonus . Would definitely return.
I can't say enough about the exquisite food and variety of cuisine. I prefer brunch and appetizers but can say that dinner is a wonderful experience. They have talented bartenders who can customize a drink for you. However, their cocktail options are just as creative. They have spicy options just the way I like them. And some with a hint of sweetness I have not experienced anywhere else. Cozy and elegant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
There is a disconnect between the waiter, who took our drink orders, the bartender, and the person who delivered our drinks. As the waiter explained, he takes the order gives it to the bartender, the bartender fills the order, and then a third person picks up the drinks and delivers them. Seems like an awful system. Rectified very easily by our wonderful waiter Mario. I was a little disappointed that there weren't any specials on a Saturday night. I had the skirt steak which was very good and my husband had the veal ossified Buco. it also was very good but it was a very small portion. It was good that we ordered an appetizer and a salad. We also ordered the lemon cheesecake for dessert which was horrible. It was more gelatin like cheesecake like clearly not made in house. I think they should take it off the menu.
We have had dinner at Villa Lulu's on several occasions and we have never been disappointed. On our latest visit we had a Ceaser Salad, less the anchovies, for the entrees my wife had the Chicken Piccata and I had the Lamb. We were very happy with our meals. Our server was Nora, she was very attentive to our needs, easy to have a conversation. We already made our next reservation.