Offering delicious and flavorful Haitian comfort food tucked away in the heart of Brooklyn, Lakou gave me my first delicious taste of Haitian cuisine. I ordered the vegan platter whose black beans were smooth and piping hot, alongside the crispy fried tostones and meaty vegan meatballs. In fact the meatballs were so meat-like that neither my sister nor my husband could belief that they were made of jackfruit. The white rice was also extremely fluffy and moist and judging by the diligent rice-washing that was taking place behind the counter as we ate, I could tell that the staff really works hard to make it not just an afterthought, but a quality addition to the meal. My sister also really enjoyed her shrimp plate while my husband devoured his half-chicken platter. The sauces on our platters were also extremely flavorful, complementing the proteins in a beautiful way. All of us left Lakou Cafe feeling happy and satisfied with the portion sizes and level of quality. 10/10 I will definitely be heading back to this place the next time I'm in Brooklyn! read more

Lakou Cafe - Interior - Vegan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Top-notch service. I absolutely loved that you could get not only vegan food but healthy food as well as more authentic made Haitian food. It was a restaurant café of the neighborhood very Brooklyn very bright inviting again. I absolutely love the staff here. Power Punch with delicious very much like a peanut butter shake like the most peanut butter thick shake you could imagine I love it. It's like a whole meal. Rose Kayenn Is a cocktail it's almost like a sour cherry. I really enjoyed it. Definitely more of a healthier vibe be Matcha lemonade is a very healthy grassy earthy springtime refreshing drink. Rice & Sos Pwa 20 out of 10. The black beans are almost like a soup. The rice is perfect. The plant skins here are as good as you get them in the carribean. I got the Cajun shrimp , outstanding Pat was out standing this is a great meal my friend got the salmon like that as well. The codfish and chickpea pate were Devine. Flaky crust. read more

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I stopped into this restaurant for dinner! When I arrived I parked right in front of the restaurant. I walked into a cute cafe. I was greeted and sat and we ordered: Barancourt Flight Fatiman's Reve Haitian Fried Chicken Kreyol Shrimp Chocolate Chip Cake The food and drinks were delicious! The chicken was my favorite! Everything was so flavorful! All in all I had a great experience! read more

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I've ordered from Lakou Café twice now, and each time has been a wonderful experience. As a vegetarian, I'm always on the lookout for places with solid meat-free options, and this spot definitely delivers their menu has a great variety of vegetarian dishes. One of my absolute favorites is the baked pastry, which comes with cheese, spinach, or meat for those who eat it. It's unbelievably fluffy, flavorful, and just melts in your mouth -- truly something special. I also tried the Seared Herb Salmon Filet with rice, and it was excellent. The salmon was fresh and perfectly cooked, the rice light and flavorful, and the vegetables nicely seasoned. I've heard they have live music on weekends, and there's also a bar I haven't tried yet I stopped by earlier in the day during my last visit. Definitely planning to return to enjoy the drinks and music next time. The ambiance is warm, the staff genuinely friendly, and there's a real sense of community here. Lakou Café feels like one of those neighborhood gems that makes you want to come back again and again. read more

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There is so much to love about Lakou Cafe! I've been wanting to try this place for the longest and finally got the chance to this weekend. The ambiance here is so chill and has elements of Haitian culture throughout! I was so happy to see Haitian peanut butter and coffee for sale -- will need to come back for these. Service was great, but the food was even better. I got the vegan griot with rice and plantains. So delicious and flavorful, and the green sauce was the icing on the cake! My hubby got the legim which he enjoyed. We also tried the ginger and hibiscus lemonade -- heavy on the ginger fyi! I hope this black owned business continues to thrive! read more

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Lakou Café was such a delight while I was in New York. The restaurant has so many great options but what I love about it was the fusion aspect of it. They had different options outside of the Haitian culture, which I liked while still remaining authentic to the roots and heritage. They also had really amazing drinks that were pretty strong but with the abundance amount of food that they offer there's no issue there. I had the white rice with a bean sauce, fried plantains, a side of kale salad and it was phenomenal. Very Well cooked. You could tell a lot of love was put into the food. I love the fact that there was such all walks of life coming into that restaurant.l as they gravitate towards a lot of people in Brooklyn. It was just such a great vibe from the music to the super friendly staff. Definitely highly recommend if you're craving some Haitian food in New York. read more

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Lakou Cafe unfortunately wasn't good albeit I initially had high hopes for it. I ordered the kreyol caesar salad- it was kale in epis dressing, roasted curry chickpeas, onion confit, and croutons. So, the salad itself was delicious. However in addition to the shrimp as my protein I also decided to get the jerk marinated jackfruit as well. I took one bite of the jackfruit and had to toss it out- I've had jackfruit before and I don't know what this was but it didn't taste good at all. The shrimp was fine but that jackfruit...just left a really bad taste in my mouth. The fish patty also barely had any fish in it. I was left disappointed after trying this place. read more

Lakou Cafe - Vegan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

My cousin hosted a private event here for her birthday and I've been wanting to come here for a while so I'm super excited. My boyfriend and I enjoyed the menu options that they had but of course we ordered off the regular menu and it was fantastic. First off the customer service was excellent the staff here really tended to us. It's a nice cozy place great for a small amount of people. My cousin did have non vegan items at her event however they did allow us to order if we wanted. I did order a chicken sandwich that I thought was good but it was pulled and my boyfriend preferred the fried. We had the chai latte which is my baby's favorite and he absolutely enjoyed it, it was fantastic. We had sangria which was good also and the barbancourt flight which I must say is unique and special. If you are in the area I definitely say stop in it's worth every penny!!! read more

Delicious Haitian cafe in Crown Heights! Can't believe I found this gem of a restaurant. I've been coming here for lunch almost every day since I found it! If you're only gonna try one thing here, I strongly recommend the salmon plate! It's an epis-marinated pan seared salmon that's well cooked and well seasoned. It comes with a generous portion of rice and two sides, which I usually get sweet plantains and the black bean sauce. A truly hearty combo! The only thing that surprised me is the black beans not having actual beans in it (it really is just the sauce!) but it still pairs really well with the rice. I've also tried the legim (braised veggies). While it had great flavor, it was a bit too spicy for me. I've only had their entrees so I can't comment on the rest of the menu, but based on what I've had, I'm sure I won't be disappointed. read more

I ordered food delivery from Lakou Cafe as I have on many occasions. However on this particular day after eating a tostones from my order... I was shocked to notice a live bug moving in my kale salad. I was so disgusted and disturbed by this. I could only conclude that the kale/lettuce are not being washed thoroughly... if at all. It makes me wonder how many times my previous orders have been contaminated or compromised without my knowledge. Needless to say... I won't be buying food from this restaurant or ordering food delivery ever again. read more

Lakou Cafe - Bug in my kale salad - Vegan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I loved Lakou!!! The food was sooo good, very flavorful, and made fresh to order. I absolutely loved the Lakou smoothie and ginger lemonade both were so delicious and refreshing. The shrimp plate was my fav! I also really loved the cornbread, it looks dry and burnt but it's was buttery, moist, and delicious. I'm not vegan but I really liked the vegan griot (fried jackfruit) and I put the epis sauce on everything! The service was good. The decor is so cute and welcoming and I love that they showcase local art. read more

F*cking delicious food. I'm dairy free, so tried their Jerk Jack Sandwich, and it blew me away. Super tasty, spicy as hell, and filling. And the space is really cute! I will be back. read more

Great banana bread! Usually good coffee but I tried their holiday latte (Eggnog) and it was good. Threw out the rest. They used the Califia Farms Holiday nog. I usually hate that brand anyway. Also great customer service. read more

The food never disappoints but tonight I ordered food online and When I picked it up the drink spilled in the bag and the food wasn't closed properly. I mean every thing spilled out in the bag. First why would they put the drink in the bag and staple it closed. Second why wouldn't they make sure the food was closed properly. read more

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Spot has been on my list for a looonnnggg time. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing? I will return and will get the vegan griot as ordering the salmon didn't taste like anything distinctive to Haitian cuisine. I couldn't give 5 stars because the entire time I was there, I had to view a long piece of toilet paper that employees just kept stepping over. Literally saw the server look down and just kept it pushing. Wasn't until I'm assuming a busboy/helper came in that he picked it up with gloves... that I didn't see him change... maybe he did a switch downstairs while retrieving supplies? I hope this is the case for myself and other patrons. Other than that I'd return if in area. read more

Every time I've ordered A ++++ I found this spot on UberEats. My first order had fish cakes, salad and a crepe. Thereafter I came in person and ordered a Fried Mushroom sandwich. The sandwich was made fresh so be prepared to wait. The young lady who took my order was cool. It's cute inside, and VERY WELCOMING. I'd like to sit inside and eat soon.... As a matter of fact I shall! Love it here and thanks for coming to the neighborhood Lakou. We needed this ! read more

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The food was good... we had the chicken sandwich wow.... I would recommend this spot to anyone

The food quality here rises far above the competition. This place has atmosphere down to a science. They provide a good quantity per dish. The employees made extra efforts that impressed us. This place deserves a chance. read more

Lakou Cafe is nice if you want to grab some lunch, take a break, chill out for a minute and chop it up. Everything is good there. Cashier is so down to earth. read more

I'm still thinking about my food that I had yesterday because it was just THAT good. Lakou Cafe is a cozy cafe & restaurant right in the heart of Crown Heights. The entire time that I was there it was busy with people popping in for to-go orders and dining in. I originally came in thinking that I just wanted a coffee and a little bite but once I started to see other peoples food I couldn't help myself and decided to order one of their plates. What's great about Lakou is that they have breakfast, lunch and dinner options. There's coffee, juices, smoothies AND you can order a mimosa ... I could definitely spend a whole day here and enjoy everything they have to offer. Items I ordered. All were the bomb.com - Hot chai latte, one of my favorite chai's that I've had in awhile. It was perfectly sweet and they offer oat milk - Kreyol Shrimp Plate (stewed peppers, onion and tomatoes served with rice, plantains, bean sauce (sos pwa) with pikliz SO GOOD SO GOOD and a great portion Next time I visit I def want to check out their vegan options like the Jackfruit sandwich and their mushroom sandwich. read more

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Lakou, the field where the neighborhood gathers to hang out and play. Ok maybe that's a direct translation, but It definitely gives a better understanding of where the inspiration comes from. Lakou is the neighborhood cafe serving ghtcbhgf heights not only Haitian favorites, but fresh new takes on cafe favorites. From lunch to dinner to a quick snack, there's something for just about everyone. Even you with the sweet tooth, and you the smoothie lover! For lunch I go for the chicken sandwich. Sure you can get a chicken sandwich pretty much anywhere these days. But one with Haitian influences? Now that you don't see everyday. Between a pillowy soft bun sits crispy chicken with hints of 'epis' all throughout. It's a distinct sandwiches that checks all the boxes as far as I'm concerned. But not to be totally one sided, the accompanying sides of salad and plantain chips were quite disappointing. Almost an afterthought if I'm being honest. Overall Lakou has so much going for it. A Haitian cafe is something I personally have never seen, a far cry from the typical Haitian takeout restaurants I grew up knowing. A misstep on a couple details here and there, but a great experience nonetheless! read more

Lakou Cafe - Vegan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Lakou care has been on my radar for quite some time as it's down the block from my old apartment. Ordered a fantastic chai latte and a make my own everything bagel with cream cheese, lox, 2 eggs, onion confit, and dill - I didn't notice the dill but the bagel was delicious and very filling. Great vibes even on this dreary afternoon. Service was decent, they brought my bagel to me while I was sitting which was nice. I forgot to mention their Haitian cashew brittle is insanely good! read more

Lakou Cafe - Everything Lox & Creme Bagel with eggs and onion confit - Vegan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I was visiting for the weekend and my Airbnb was up the I street. I had a delicious cheese blueberry danish and cup of coffee. Both were amazing! read more

Wow. Just wow. Stopped by here on a whim for breakfast simply because it's a cafe serving up Haitian eats. I was blown away by the mushroom sandwich. The épis and pikliz tasted like I was sitting in my aunt's kitchen. It wasn't an imitation, it was the real deal. On top of that, the mushroom itself was fried to perfection. Often times, fried mushroom sandwiches are so heavy and oily but this one is super light, crunchy, and free from residual oil. Their espresso machine wasn't working when I visited so I'll have to make my way back to try the coffee here, but the ginger limeade was everything I expected and more. It was the perfect level of spicy and the ginger was the pronounced flavor. I will definitely be back here. The food is great and I love the fact that they have a printer if you need to print. It's really the little things. read more

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Haitian food is always a win! I love that this place had the staples as well as vegan options. They absolutely have the pulse on the Haitian heartbeat. We ordered different things for takeout. My favorite was the soup joumou and Spicy Chai iced tea - this place did not disappoint! Can't wait to come back and try it. read more

Ok, since my first time I've ordered the mushroom sandwich multiple times and it's still bomb. However, best surprise I've tried a few other items, like the avocado toast with jackfruit or the vegan platter, baby the flavor profile doesn't miss. The food is always worth it. read more

Lakou Cafe - Mushroom sandwich, salad and plantain chips - Vegan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Decided to check this place with some friends and we were thoroughly impressed! We got a shrimp dish and the friend jackfruit, and both were superb. Portions were incredibly generous. Kale was our favorite side, next to the plantains. I personally LOVED the rice and still think about it frequently. Wait wasn't too bad but took at least 5-10 minutes. Prices weren't bad either considering portion size. read more

Lakou Cafe - Vegan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I was elated to find out that there was a Haitian restaurant in NYC with plentiful vegan offerings. I've always wanted to try black rice and a vegan version of legumes, and finally I found Lakou! We shared the vegan breakfast platter, including jerk jackfruit and chickpeas, and paired with spicy green chutney and the delicious rich sos pwa, a black bean sauce. Everything in here was delicious. For dessert, we were a little more adventurous, and opted for a crepe with ginger jam and peanut butter. The ginger was a bit bitter for my taste, so on my next visit, I might stick to one of the classic chocolate offerings. I hope they're able to expand their space in the future! Right now the space is tight next to the kitchen and can get a little smoky - in warmer months outside is probably a better option. read more

Lakou Cafe - Vegan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Lakou Cafe swells my heart with so much Haitian Pride. This place offers something for everyone. The menu has a vast amount of options for those who are plant based/vegan. The fried mushroom sandwich was delicious. They did not skimp on the portions at all and it was incredibly seasoned and flavorful; the side salad as well. The plantain chips were also great. I also ordered the spinach puff pastry patty which was good. The portion was great, the flavor was not wowing but good nonetheless. My chocolate chip cookie was swapped for chocolate banana bread which was a pleasant surprise. Once again the portion was generous. I'm excited to try the other LC offerings and can't wait to get my friends to try this place. I have wanted to for a long time and it did not disappoint! read more

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Had takeout from here. It was very good. I look forward to going in person. I will definitely try the patties.

100% delicious, consistent, well-prepared nutritious food by very nice people. Highly recommend. Variety of vegan dishes are great, condiments amazing. Never disappointing. Everyone should be like Lakou Cafe! read more

The most insanely delicous crepe ive had- ordered turkey bacon, confit onion, and cheese. was amazing. The people working the counter are lovely too! read more

The food is really yummy and the serving sizes for the price is great. Cute vibe if you wanna get food with friends, coworkers, visiting in town. Small and intimate. They do cute events at night. I just truly hate the customer service. Everytime I bring a new person there, they agree on the customer service. They don't greet you, they'll focus on one order at a time (which is fair if it's busy) but at least say hello. When you ask questions, they are not friendly. They give you a short rushed brief response- like you're bothering them. It's not a welcoming warm environment. read more

I met the owner of Lakou a couple months back. She told me about her cafe, that it was Haitian (my selling point :-)), and I told her I'd love to stop by! I honestly don't know a lot about Haitian cuisine, but since being introduced to it last year, I've grown to love it. It's always a treat trying a new Haitian dish, and having the chance to explore those flavors that stems from the culture. I had no doubts that Lakou would be amazing. I just felt great energy from the owner, who is also friends with the owner of another Haitian restaurant that I love, so I was only mentally prepared for greatness. First off, the decor is lovely. There's something about the feel, and the vibes, the colors even, that calms my spirit lol. Really comforting and welcoming environment. The staff are incredibly inviting, friendly, and knowledgeable about the dishes. Looking at the menu, there were a number of things I wanted to try (and girl, I will try them all, believe me). But for this trip, I ended up trying the Kreyol Chicken Sandwich, and babyyyyyy there were no disappointments. It's Kreyol marinated chicken, with roasted red peppers, spinach, onion cofit, and house-made Cesar dressing on nicely toasted bread. Now, let me say this. The owner asked me how it was and my exact words were, "it's amazing!" Lol she thought I was exaggerating, but no. Let me explain. I've eaten so many different chicken sandwiches around the city. A good number of them have been bland, or simply missing that something extra, or as I like to call it, love. Love as an ingredient in any dish, elevates it. It says that the effort and the extra thought is there, and THAT.MATTERS, restaurants. It matters. This chicken sandwich was made with pulled or shredded chicken thighs, which makes for more juicy texture. The marinade really added those Haitian flavors that I was craving. Everything from the additions like the red peppers, to the house-made caesar dressing, to the perfectly toasted bread, is what made this sandwich special. Those little details are what says to me, "oh, they care. And, they know exactly what they're doing." It's all appreciated. I look forward to coming back to try their fried mushroom sandwich! I highly recommend Lakou. It's the energy that ensures me that whatever I order, it'll be made with love, and that it will be enjoyable! Five stars! read more

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Ordered a latte $5+ got a extremely hot. cappuccino. The girl at the counter was unfriendly and kind of rude. read more

Unbelievable! So good, best music, best atmosphere. Got a Haitian chickpea puff pastry and it's the best puff pastry in NY. Hail Mary mouth full of joy!! I would love to be here eating and enjoying every week. Tell your friends tell the neighborhood, support black business and love it here!! read more

Lakou Cafe - Diana Rowe's art! - Vegan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Great breakfast and brunch spot, looks like there's some good weekend brunch specials too, will def check out next time. Food is made with love. Fried chicken sandwich was amazing, well seasoned. Also comes with side of sweet plantains which were cooked to perfection. Side salad ok, love the pikliz. Quite a few sandwiches to choose from. Egg fromage crepe was a yummy, egg/cheese/spinach/onion omelette packed with flavor. Sweet crepes and savory patties also available. Latte and cappuccino was on point. Love the art and vibes, playlist with a mix of soca and early 2000s hip hop was music to my ears. Felt like home. Quite a few outdoor seating tables also available. Merch on sale also. read more

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This cafe is so subtle and lowkey but the decor is beautiful and it stands out on its block. there's not a lot of Haitian food around but this spot has some great staples and helped me dip my foot in the culture! Their Kreole sandwiches make the best lunch and that ginger lemonade never misses a beat read more

Lakou Cafe - Kreyol Chicken Sandwich, Haitian Braised Veggie (Legim) Plate - Vegan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Stopped in this busy little place with my daughter & husband when we were on our way to the Weeksville Heritage Center for the Tulane information session. The coffee was good, the smoothies were excellent. My husband loved the Lakou delight, to which he had them add Kale, and my daughter loved the Crown Heights Classic. My husband and I shared a nutella crepe and enjoyed it. This was on October 13th. Forgive me for not writing the review sooner but our world fell apart on the 26th when my husband unexpectedly passed away. He really liked this place and was happy to find smoothies he enjoyed. read more

Lakou Cafe - Coffee menu, store front - Vegan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I'm not sure if the chef has changed from previous reviews but my meal was tasteless. I'm not a harsh critic of food but I was disappointed. I had the vegan platter, salmon, plantains, and sos pwa. The salmon was great and so was the sweet plantain and that's where it ended. The vegan platter was spicy and should be indicated on the menu. All I could taste was black pepper. The white rice was very bland. The sois pwa was watery and tasteless as well. Aside from the salmon and sweet plantain I could not complete my meal I wonder if the chef/cook is actually Haitian. read more

Lakou Cafe - Vegan Platter - Vegan Near Me - Brooklyn, New York