This is real homemade food! Grandma and mom duo in the back using only the best quality food Even when I'm not sick they have the best soups and salads, don't miss out on this whole in the wall Burbank gem! read more

Lily's cafe is a quaint and charming little family-owned cafe in Burbank, CA, specializing in homemade soups, salads, and sandwiches. Street parking and rear parking lot is easy and plentiful. Even during busy lunch hours, staff is always friendly and accommodating. Turkey chili on Tuesdays is a must-try Item. As well, Lily's home brewed tea is amazingly refreshing and pairs well with all menu items. Lily's cafe has become my new go-to spot for a quick, fresh, and filling read more

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I've eyed this place for a while and I typically have a great sense for interesting restaurants but it unfortunately fell flat for me. It's cash only, this I was unprepared for. Since it was my first visit the cashier let me pay with card but assured me that nothing other than cash would be acceptable again. That's a great way to lose me as a return customer. The house salad dressing was good but it utterly drenched my greens and the turkey sandwich was, fine. I filled me up. But the ingredients didn't work together in a way that made me think it was more than a regular sandwich I could make at home. read more

The perfect lunch spot! Great menu, especially the sandwiches. Love the iced tea! Closest thing to Southern sweet tea I've found here in LA.

I'm from Burbank and still live close by so whenever I'm in the area or craving a tasty sandwich and Lily's famous ice tea I make a point to stop here! Veggie options and everything is SO fresh. I love supporting a women own and run business that has been a part of the community for over 20 years ! Do yourself a favor and order for pick up!! Cash only ! read more

Very cute place and very good fresh sandwiches and soups . The lemonade is really good too! There is a variety of good deserts as well . My favorite is the jello! read more

LILY IS THE BEST! My go to is the chicken soup. Still need to try other stuff. Also Iced Tea is delicious!

Lily's cafe is the best!! The grilled vegetable sandwich on olive bread inspired. And Lily is the sweetest, I love everything about this place. read more

I don't see what all the fuss is about. The food was decent, but was awfully expensive and a cash only joint will never get 5 stars from me! Also, not enough tables! read more

One of my co-workers had kept saying that this place had good pastrami, so we finally gave the place a try. I called in the order, wanting to get two half sandwiches and the soup. Unfortunately, the pastrami doesn't qualify for that mix (they need to update their website which only says the salmon and PB&J aren't included with the option). The pastrami sandwich was very fresh and very good, although I would have preferred to see a bit more meat in it. The condiments had just the right balance. I had opted for the full grain bread, my husband got the ciabatta. I think I would prefer the full grain again, as the bread was very very toasted (not burned), and letting the sandwich sit allowed the bread to get slightly nicely squishy. The ciabatta bread was cut thicker, so if you like toasted and more "hard", that would be a good option for you. The red lentil soup had backbone for being vegetarian (vegan?). The chicken noodle vegetable soup was earthy and warm and fulfilling. Definitely homemade, definitely healthier! We definitely look forward to going again. read more

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This place is really amazing . I love the food and ambiance. Lily is very friendly and always nice with everyone.

Delicious food always! Lily is wonderful and her food is fresh and simple! Crisp flavors with cute friendly atmosphere!

Lilly's food is great! I order to go sandwiches 2-3 times a week along with her amazing Iced Tea! I been going there for about 9 years and love it as do my daughters! YOU MUST TRY LILLY'S CAFE! read more

Went to a quick lunch here at Lily's cafe. Amazing turkey chili and ham sandwiches. Definitely worth a second visit. read more

Lily is an amazing whirlwind of restauranteur ability - she cooks, cashiers, serves, and manages/owns a quaint little restaurant in Southern California. She does all of this with a good attitude, which is not easy. She knows her customers by name. There are fresh soups daily, including (today) borscht, which look stellar, but I didn't order them. Nor did I order dessert, which looks amazing too. I did have an iced tea, which was simply delicious. Lily makes it herself from fresh tea leaves and oranges. I dined with a good friend. He had chicken soup and some sort of poultry sandwich on ciabatta. I don't eat poultry, so I didn't get to try either. To eat, I had a tuna salad sandwich on olive bread, which my friend did try. The bread was great. However, my friend and I both agree. The food is super fresh and homemade, but sadly bland. It just needs seasoning. I tried salt and pepper, and I was happy that the food came with ample pepperoncini, because otherwise it just wouldn't have any oomph. He said his chicken soup and poultry sandwich were both bland too. So sad!! Three stars, then, for disappointing food. I'm sad to report, I won't go back, because I would love to have had a better meal, and I just don't see how that would happen. Frownie face. read more

So sad. So very very very sad, I am. I love trying new places that are recommended on Yelp. So when I was craving a sandwich, I thought I'd hit up this place. And based on the reviews, I was expecting heaven. How disappointed was I! The place is small and packed, which I was expecting. But that doesn't mean it's okay that you don't get acknowledged when you are standing there at the counter, especially if everybody else gets a greeting but you. But whatever, I can overlook that if the food is good. So after waiting for a little over five minutes at the counter without so much as a hello from the lady (she was alone so I'm cutting her some slack in my review of this place), she finally says I'll be with you in a minute. She proceeds to take somebody else's order that was sitting at a table. Ok, I'm getting impatient, but still, I just want to try the darn sandwich. Waiting, waiting, waiting. She doesn't take my order until a line forms behind me, which is about another five minutes. Now I just want to get my food and leave. I order a half turkey sandwich, half salad. Then I wait patiently by the door, where I had seen others wait for their to go orders. Another 10 minutes passes. People are getting their food left and right. At the tables, picking up, etc. After careful observation I realize I'm the last one without food. So I go up to the counter and again, doesn't acknowledge me for a bit. Finally, she mumbles something about my order, disappears into the back and comes back out with a bag. I'm thinking that it's been sitting there for awhile, because honestly, how long does it take to make a freakin sandwich? Especially if it's a To Go order. So I get back to the office (five minutes away). And I look at my meal. The "salad" is literally a bunch of lettuce soaked in vinagarette with a few strips of peppers on the top. WTF? I take a bite and it's freakin disgusting. Tasted like they just dumped a bunch of vinegar on it. I decide to stop eating that and just go for the sandwich, which was the important part anyways. The sandwich: I don't like spending 8 bucks on a sandwich if it tastes like something I can make at home. This sandwich tasted worst. The bread was dry, the lettuce was slimey, and overall, it was just bland. You can get a better sandwich at Ralph's deli counter, or even in the premade section. Overall, a major disappointment. I'm wondering if it was a fluck because the people in there seemed happy and the reviews are good on Yelp. I dunno what happened. I won't be visiting again. read more

I've ordered from this place before, and the reviewers who said they had to wait or were ignored, were telling the truth. It's not pretty when you're sitting there hungry and you've called in your order 1 1/2 hours ahead of time. Our office is literally around the corner. Worse yet, the food wasn't that good. I probably should've just walked away and spent my money somewhere else. See what I do for my fellow Yelpers? I ordered the sandwich and soup combination, I arrived at my lunch hour to pick up my food and I was told it wasn't ready. So I took a seat and waited. Almost an hour later my food was brought out, but wait, there was no soup. They told me they'd run out of soup. Really? Okay. And you didn't know to set aside the soup for someone who placed their order with you 2 1/2 hours earlier? I can understand if you're particularly busy and run out of something but, my order was placed well in advance. I paid $7 for the sandwich and got out of there as quickly as possible. It felt like if I stayed there for one second longer I'd combust. I'm not sure how this place manages to stay in business especially since all of my co-workers who've eaten here say they've all experienced something similar at this place. No one from my office eats here anymore. I don't know, it all seems a little shady; or exclusive. Cash only! read more

I don't get the fuss. $10ish for a sandwich with deli meat and pretty standard veggies. Crowded as hell with too few employees in a cramped and kitchy space. My turkey sandwich on olive bread didn't knock me out. Deli turkey, some lettuce, palatable cheese and olive bread. I mean...I dunno. It tasted like a sandwich. I can make a sandwich. Look, I'm never a fan of sandwiches ANYWAY but I have to give props to places that knock them out of the park . That place in Larchmont, for instance. Or the panini at Susina that I eat at least twice a month. Those are sandwiches that transcend my "Um, it's just a sandwich" prejudice. Lily's? Definitely didn't do anything more interesting than slap together some basic ingredients between two slices of fair-to-middling olive bread. And none of the limited choices were interesting. Whoo. And everything had mayo on it. I don't like mayo. In hindsight I think the sprouts that were also listed on ever sandwich didn't actually show up on mine. I didn't really notice or miss them. I'm not a sprout fan. Oh and cash only? Forget it. And lastly: the iced tea is actually juice. "Unsweetened" actually means "Loaded with juice". For diabetic me this is really problematic. I like iced tea. I don't drink juice. I don't like getting juice when I order iced tea. read more

I've eaten here 3x now and its just OK. This last time though wasn't the best. I was looking forward to turkey chili, but even though that is on the menu online they do not have it all the time. Instead of that they had the options of 18 bean Soup (yes 18, i can barely even name 6! sounds interesting), Chicken Noodle, or Minestrone. Well, i didn't want any of those so I opted for the side salad and a nice bag of dirty chips. When i got my food I was rather impressed with the size of the side salad. It was GIANT! Too bad it was SATURATED to the bone with balsamic vinegar. I love salads drenched in dressing, but this was out of control!! It hurt me to eat it almost. I ended up dipping my sandwich in it. The tuna sandwich is good. I got it on rosemary bread. My mouth feels a little torn up, but im not sure if thats from the balsamic or the dryness of the bread. The tuna part is delicious. Super crunchy celerytown with a big tomato on top. YUM! The swiss they use seems like a good quality as well. I really want to try the damn chili!! I bet its a winter thing....eh. They have had the same sandwiches it seems since they opened. I'm tired of them. Please make new ones lily! Maybe some smoked gouda, turkey pesto something?? read more

Lily's Cafe is a hidden gem near downtown Burbank. They have great food. I ordered the borscht soup, a turkey sandwich I believe with avocado, and ice tea around 8 in the morning. Everything tasted gourmet and delicious. The ice tea is super good, it tastes fresh. The place is cute and quaint and they serve their food on real dishes which I feel adds to the quality. Try it...you will like it! read more

Yelp has a penchant for filtering my reviews, but given that I am the DUKE of Lily's Cafe, hopefully they'll post this one. I've been coming to Lily's Cafe since early 2011, because I go to an editing school about a block away. Lily herself is great; she's warm and friendly with a bit of playful sass, like your favorite aunt who happens to be an amazing cook. Onto the food: my god, the salads and soups. My personal favorite is lentil salad, which is so amazingly delicious and complex. Each bite is loaded with flavor, with chunks of diced tomatoes and cucumbers, perfectly cooked lentils, and sprigs of dill. A close second is the bean salad, which apparently, according to Lily, is the original salad that started it all. Basically, Lily's best salads are the ones you eat with a spoon. The soups. I recommend the Russian borscht. It's really hearty and loaded with veggies. But I'm also a sucker for the chicken noodle, which is unlike any chicken noodle you've ever eaten. It's not oily but rich with flavor, and she uses thin Asian noodles, I think, which is a really clever touch. Finally, you need to try her split pea soup, which is vegetarian, but still way better than any SPS I've ever had. And I'm including the famous Andersen's Pea Soup (that giant restaurant on the way to SF). It's a nice neighborhood joint with mindblowing food. Best of all, it's a really filling way to stay healthy. I've lost about 10 lbs since coming to Lily's, and I've kept it off. I'm really not a soup/salad person, but I dream of Lily's. read more

Lily's is an eensy weensy teensy little storefront on Magnolia. It can't seat more than a dozen folks or so. The GOOD: Great bread (and the pastries look delicious as well) Nice big portions Healthy selections The NOT-SO-GOOD: I like a little more space CASH ONLY (If my lunch costs $15 you should be able to take my credit card.) Lentil soup was kind of flavorless And that's about all I have to say about it. read more

I have yet to find a more delicious and refreshing turkey sandwich (turkey-avocado on white to be exact) in this city. In high school we would have Lily's day once-a-week, order ahead of time, and walk there and back just in time for the bell to ring for our next class. But dear god was it worth it. I don't know how she does it, because every time my friends and I go, we just keep saying how we should logically be able to make this ourselves... and believe me, we have tried. It just doesn't match. Not even close. Other favorites of mine are the grilled veggie and the smoked salmon, and of course her soups including the best chicken noodle soup and the most delicious carrot soup. When my mom was sick she sent some free carrot soup home with me! When she has potato salad-- get it! I'm not a huge fan of potato salad but hers is so light and delicious with red and green peppers and jesus its just so good! Plus Lily is freaking awesome, so is her husband and her daughter who both work on and off at the cafe. Lily always tells me to say hi to my mom and then next time I come in she yells at me for not saying hi to my mom. If you're reading this Lily, I swear I always tell my mom you said hi!!! read more

Such an amazing local space, very friendly owner and tasty homemade food! Ice tea was amazing too. The space is fairly small but I was still welcomed with my baby (and stroller). We will be back for sure. read more

Went 4 lunch with a group; ; small place, the owner/Lilly is 2 rushed. The Med. Salad, not 2 good, the house salad is very good. I let her pick my salad; bad choice. Turkey chili with onions & cheese was very good! read more

A perfect Saturday afternoon date with my then boyfriend, now husband, would always start with grilled veggie sandwich on fresh rosemary bread, minestrone soup or salad, and sweet lemony iced tea at Lily's. It's a great lunch spot, a block or two away from movies and shopping. Lily is delightful and cooky and very friendly. A visit is always an experience, and know that the food makes up for the sometimes inconsistent service and limited seating. When you go, and I can't stress this enough, order the iced tea. You'll thank me later. read more

How have i never reviewed this place?! Lily's has been my favorite place since high school!! Her tuna sandwich is the BEST I've ever had, and the same with her iced tea!! Lily is also the sweetest lady, remembers my name and asks about work and family every time i go in. Cash only so be prepared. This place is one of a kind!! HIGHLY recommended. PS turkey chili is also to die for! read more

Everything is fresh and delish. So...three stars for that. But, for the price I just think you should get a bag of chips or something other than pickled peppers - which I HATE! - minus 1 star. The bread is great but I took away 1 star for how pushy Lily is. She should just be her friendly self and stop trying so hard to get you to order a salad or iced tea or soup or dessert. Here's some advice: order ahead! I am not too sure why people are mentioning weekend hours - she's closed on Saturday and Sunday! read more

I work just down the street and have been going to Lily's for many years. It's a Downtown Burbank staple and virtually anyone who works in the Downtown area has eaten at Lily's many times. First off, most of the reviews are correct. Yes, the place is tiny. Yes, the food is of good quality -- it would be difficult to find anything on the menu that isn't worth eating (though the peanut butter sandwich is a bit too artsy for my tastes -- give me Wonderbread and Jif, thanks very much). You will eat very well at Lily's. Yet, awhile back, I decided to stop going to Lily's. Why? Well, I started getting a bit weary of the cramped dining room for starters. It's not unusual to eat an entire meal with some waiting person's rear end next to your face. Several years ago the space next-door became available and everyone was hoping Lily would expand, but she likes it how it is. Good for her, not so good for me. And that's pretty much how it is with Lily -- it's her place and she runs it as she likes, customers be damned. Secondly, I find Lily to not be terribly endearing. She's nice enough, but you don't feel valued as a customer -- and why should she, since she's got rubes lined out the door every day begging for the privilege of ordering a sandwich? It comes through. She's smug. You wait. Oh boy do you wait. I think I waited about 15 minutes (no exaggeration) once in line just to pay as she took orders from other rubes over the phone. And that phone is always ringing . . . The straw that broke the camel's back was when she raised her prices about 2 years ago or so. I was willing to put up with her idiosyncratic behavior and the cramped conditions because the food was good and was priced right for my lunchtime budget. But when her prices jumped, my lunch crew unanimously agreed to a boycott. Haven't been there since and haven't missed it. There's no place like it in Burbank and it is good, but it's not as good as Lily thinks it is. It's work eating there. I am convinced it's an eatery for masochists, a la "The Soup Nazi" on Seinfeld. read more

Great grilled vegetable sandwich. The tea is just tea with orange juice in it , so I don't know why it has gotten such rave reviews; I thought it was plain. The only reason I give one star off is because it was cash only and after each of us placed our order, the server would say, "With or without avocado?" I'm never one to turn down avocado, but then she charged us each an extra dollar. It was presented like it was part of the sandwich, but it was really extra. I didn't appreciate that. Also, I have to add that the dessert was horrible. We tried a pie and a raspberry bar. Both were inedible to me...full of nuts and not sweet. read more

Cute cafe with healthy, fresh food and good ingredients! Haven't been here since high school but I was searching for soup to help with my sickness and remembered this place. Glad I came back, I'm hooked again! FOOD: Broccoli Soup (3.5 stars): Good soup but there is literally only broccoli in this so make sure you love broccoli. You can tell it's healthy and fresh, I just needed another flavor to balance it out. Chicken Noodle Soup (4 stars): When you are sick, this hits the spot! Love the thinner noodles in this. And the chicken meat was good. Very flavorful. Split Pea Soup (5 stars): So Good! Lots of flavor. Turkey Chili (5 stars): Really good chili. Get your protein fix in. All soups come with 2 pieces of bread. The types of bread changed each time but they are all really good. DESSERT: Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie (3 stars): The cookie was okay. Will still satisfy you if you need a quick cookie fix. Carrot Zucchini Bread (4 stars): I'd recommend this over the cookie. Very flavorful, lots of stuff in here, like nuts and raisins. Carrot Cake (3.5 stars): Good cake but not the typical carrot cake. I usually love carrot cake for the cream cheese frosting. This has more of a white chocolate frosting. Wish the desserts were labeled with ingredients. Be careful with them if you have allergies! I guess just ask Lily what's in them before buying it. ATMOSPHERE: Cute little cafe. Very clean. I have come after 1:30PM and it wasn't too busy. I'm sure around noon it's packed. There are a couple of tables and a bar area to sit at inside. Cash only. SERVICE (5 stars) Lily is so personable. You can tell she cares about her customers. You can call in your pick up orders if you're in a rush. PARKING Street parking. Wasn't hard to find after 1PM. read more

I got a sort of meatball soup here, it was fabulous! The lady that owns this little cafe and her husband are super nice and you can tell they care about their buisness. I will go back again for sure. Two thumbs up! read more

I found this great little cafe hidden in the heart of downtown Burbank over a decade ago. Lily's cafe has a wonderful selection of delectable sandwiches and soups. She prides herself on creating amazing food made from fresh ingredients and a little bit of home. Anyone looking for a place to call their little secret should add Lily's cafe to their list of must-go's! Warning: Place is very small, cash only and lunch will run you about $15 bucks but.... Well worth it! read more

Love Lily's Cafe. This is one of the few special places in LA where the owner's really take pride in their home away from home. Ingredients are fresh. Kitchen is super clean and cooks are also doing all that they can to ensure food is also very clean. Service is prompt and efficient and as friendly as a high volume, small cafe can be... If you live or work in Burbank- you should be frequenting this spot often and if you don't really have anything to do in Burbank outside of Ikea- perfect lunch spot as it is located right around the corner. read more

5 stars for such a friendly and welcoming experience. Lily's is a small spot near Cartoon Network in downtown Burbank. The sign is hard to read, which is a shame, because it might divert people away from this cute little shop. It's a very small place, and they only take cash, but it's got a charming feel and the garden-style decor conjures up a quaint, rustic vibe. I really enjoyed my experience here in large part because the woman who runs it was very friendly. From the moment I walked in this tiny spot, I was noticed and welcomed. The woman asked me about my day, asked if I worked in the area, and even asked if I wanted water after I had already settled down, drink-less. A simple gesture that I appreciated after I had forgotten to order a drink. As an added bonus to the the food is pretty tasty. I got a smoked turkey sandwich on ciabatta and it was very tasty. Nothing too fancy, but everything was fresh and freshly prepared. I also found the tart mustard--maybe a Dijon or something--to accent the sandwich quite nicely. Altogether, I'm very glad I came here. I think you will be, too, if you come here. read more

Dropped by to get chicken soup these women were on it. Fantastic taste and great price!

Is there such thing as a homemade gourmet sandwich? If there is, Lily makes it. This place makes some of the best food in Burbank, but it's cash only and prepare to spend a half hour waiting for food. Here's a tip though, don't bother even trying to order in the store unless you're way before or after the lunch hour. Lily's fills up and you have to wait in a line that can run out the door pretty much everyday. Instead, call in your order and go pick it up. Expect to wait around 15 minutes in line just to pay for your order. The sandwiches are all great, but if you want to try one of the best peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the city, she's got it. Also, make sure to check out her desserts, they're good too. It's street parking only, unless you try to sneak a parking spot in the funeral home next door. read more

Yay Lily's! I'm a fan of their soups, especially the lentil and split pea. Sandwiches are good too, especially with the secret basil hidden inside. And the olive bread, omg. Sadly open only Monday through Friday. The only downside is it's a little small, but I usually eat the Lily's delivery man who comes to my office every day. :) read more

Lily's cafe is one of those places that just has good high quality food. I usually get a sandwich which is huge BTW, i eat half for lunch and half for afternoon snack. I recommend the rosemary chicken sandwich. it can take a while to get your order so you might want to call ahead of time. Its also super small on the inside so don't bring a group of peeps. consider grabbing your order to go. This place is great for lunch. if your in Burbank and need a nice healthy yummy lunch. then go here. read more

If I can give more stars I would!! I love the foood! Everything is so fresh. Our office always orders from her and never fails to show us the best service. It's like eating a homemade sandwich, however made better. The staff is super nice and helpful! Thanks guys:) read more