LuLu's Express
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Generally, a restaurant is only as good as one's last meal, and that experience can make or break one's perception of a place. This was my third visit in 6 years and the first two made me return but not sure with this visit. To be clear, this restaurant serves "Maryland Style" cuisine, so don't expect Southern soul food. Their signature crab cakes are the star attraction--hands down one of the best I've ever had. Pricey, yes, but worth their weight in gold. My first two visits pre-pandemic were phenomenal, easily earning 5 stars each. The food was so satisfying I could barely make it out the door. On this most recent visit, however, left much to be desired and tested that "last meal" theory. The chicken wingettes were overfried and unseasoned, and the honey/Old Bay sauce tasted more like simple syrup with barely a hint of Old Bay. I ordered two fish platters--one fried, one grilled--and the portions were inconsistent: one had two pieces, the other three. Like, where's my missing fish? The grilled preparation was well-seasoned, which was a small saving grace, but the fried meal lacked seasoning and not even a lemon wedge to add some acid to cut through the fatty fried food. The collard greens were a major letdown, dominated by a sharp, heavy vinegar taste that overwhelmed any other flavor. They were nothing like the soulful Southern greens slow-cooked with a ham hock or smoked turkey leg for that rich, smoky depth. This Maryland-style preparation i wasn't ready for. The mac and cheese followed suit, lacking that creamy, cheesy, comforting soul but I did enjoyed it. The yellow rice was utterly forgettable, and the yams were respectable. Despite this recent miss, the crab cakes and my earlier 5-star visits keep this place in high regard. That last meal stung, but I'm not ready to write them off. Next time I'll stick to the crab cakes.
I had such high hopes for this place. I came into Charlotte from DC for a cheer competition. When in the south I always try to get some soul food. This was one of the first places that popped up and it was close to the convention center. I decided to give them a shot. I arrived and the parking lot was packed however it's extremely tiny. One guy was parked on the sidewalk. I thought to myself, this place must be a hit. WRONG! My wife placed the order which they surprisingly wrong. We ordered the Stuffed salmon platter, shrimp platter and fish platter. Shrimp and Fish were suppose to have zero rice but they both had rice anyway. Oh well. No biggie there. We also ordered cornbread. The food eventually was ready to go and I took my pictures in the establishment. Looked delicious. Nice presentation. I Couldn't wait to get back to our hotel to dig in. I personally ate the shrimp and fish platter. The shrimp was some of the most unseasoned shrimp I ever had. The yams were just plain sweet potatoes with zero cinnamon or sugar added. No no no. The Mac and cheese was good however. If the shrimp wasn't $20 I probably would have thrown it all away. The fish platter was similar. Super bland unseasoned fish however the Lulu's special sauce made a world of difference. I couldn't believe they didn't have tarter sauce. The greens were decent and once again the yams were not yamming at all. My wife ate the salmon. It had a few pieces of crab meat and she also liked the mash potato's. The cornbread while made that day is room temperature and not hot at all. They don't have a microwave or anyway to warm it up. The service was cool. That helped them get a star as the woman that prepared my food said she knew I'd be back. She couldn't have been more WRONG as the food here is NOT IT. If I ever come back this is a big NO for me. Nana's also in Charlotte is waaaaaayyyy better. I went there TWICE.
I've been coming here since this place opened when the owners used to work there on the daily to oversee things. I haven't seen them in a long time and it shows. I'm about to stop coming to this establishment. I spent $30 for some burnt up salmon and the cook had to know she burnt my fish and they gave it to me anyways. So disappointed
Was visiting for the weekend. Ended up trying the chicken wings, catfish, shrimp and Mac n cheese. All of the food was fresh, made to order and very good. Staff was friendly - no complaints and the prices were good with nice portions. Works recommend this place to anyone thinking about going
Not bad! Everything was seasoned well, hot and tasty. Service was as quick as possible, especially with so few people behind the counter. Except for the tight parking I don't have any complaints. Wouldn't say it's the BEST soul food in Charlotte but it will do in a pinch.
I had a great experience thanks to Rachel. She took really good care of me from start to finish and made sure everything was handled timely with care. She was patient, attentive, and went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable and valued. It's rare to come across someone who genuinely cares about the people they're helping, and Rachel definitely deserves recognition for the outstanding service she provided. Thank you again for everything. & the food bang too
RANDOMLY found this place when my mom and I were in the mood for a place we've never been and to eat something we don't eat often. It's "hole in the wall" and tucked away but don't let the location steer you away. The food is so GOOD and the people working there are so nice. While we waiting on our food (we got it to-go because there are just a few stools in there) they kept checking on us. The crab cakes are literally ALL crab--definitely worth the price
OMG, I flew in today to pick up a kitten and fly him back to Iowa. I rented a car to kill 6 hours. I did a google search and found this spot. If you are more picky about your location than food keep moving. If you are like me and only care about food this place will blow you away. I think they should be a full service seafood joint charging 30% more. They killed it. I snagged a box of crab fries and they were so good. If you love good quality food don't miss out on this little gem.
This is must stop for me every time I'm in Charlotte. We went early for lunch to miss the rush. It didn't disappoint I also had their homemade strawberry lemonade not pictured.
Legit legit legit food. I was craving seafood and this was one of the places that popped up on my search. I originally wanted a crab cake, because I love crab cakes but when I saw you could order jumbo lump crab at market price, I had to get it. The food here is made fresh to order. So be prepared to wait a little bit (I waited 20 minutes). The city is also doing some road construction here, so you may have to park on the street and walk to the restaurant. At this time, there is no dine-in available, so I ate in my car. I ordered the Jumbo Lump Crab & Shrimp platter with Greens and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. I also ordered the Honey Old Bay Wingettes because my eyes were bigger than my stomach. Then I ordered the Baltimore "Half and Half", not realizing what it was. I wanted half sweet tea/half unsweet tea, but it ended up being half sweet tea/half lemonade. Here are my thoughts. First, the drink was TOO sweet. It was unbearably sweet and tasted a little weird (I think it was the tea), so I threw it away. I even tried to dilute it with water, but that didn't help. The wingettes are buffalo wings, cooked to perfection. The skin was crispy, not soggy at all. Inside was a fully, not-overcooked, tender & juicy chicken meat. I know some northerners who swear by putting Old Bay on *EVERYTHING*. Now, I always associated Old Bay with seafood and seafood boils, so it didn't dawn on me you can use it like seasoned salt. It was unique but I did like the combination of Old Bay and honey. It wasn't overly sweet at all. Now for my platter. Gosh darn this was DELICIOUS. The lump crab was chock FULL of crab meat. I was expecting filler to be tossed in, but you're paying market price so it's only fitting I get a huge scoop of seasoned crab meat. If you love crab meat, you must try this. I ordered the shrimp grilled (which they forgot) but it was cooked where there were crispy edges on it. The greens were also good, slightly sweet but I prefer greens with a sourer profile. I wish they gave you pepper vinegar to go. Finally, the garlic mashed potatoes were buttery, smooth, and very garlicky. There's no such thing as too much garlic unless you're a vampire. Overall, I liked LuLu's but it can get VERY expensive. The meal I described cost me on the upper end of $50. I think that's very steep for what I got, but it was good, nevertheless.
I was in town visiting and found this place through a combination of IG bloggers and Yelp searches i went on Black Friday. I really enjoyed my chicken and fries. It was fresh and flavorful! I shared some and everyone wanted to go back but we were 20 mins away with a packed schedule. Everyone was nice, welcoming, and patient with me since i wasn't quite sure about what to get. The only reason, I took off 1 star is because there were whole wings advertised but they said they didn't sale those any more. Also, it took us a at least 20 minutes to get to the parking lot due to construction. GPS was no help. My mom almost gave up because I had been calling for directions(since I'm from out of town) and we weren't sure if they were open even tho IG said they were. Other than that, when I'm back in town I'll def pull up again and I told my family that's there to check them out.
5 years ago
7 years ago
I ordered the crab cake and shrimp platter with mac&cheese and greens, the honey old bay wing platter with mac&cheese and yams, and a strawberry lemonade. My friend order the fried whiting plate. Everything was amazing!!! Food was great, service was great. I'll be back and I'd recommend to any and everybody. We went there around 3:45/4pm today and the line was long when we went in but as I said earlier the service was great and the line moved along quickly. The crab cake & shrimp platter didn't make the photos because I ate it it was soooo good!!!! read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
5 years ago
I always get the Maryland style crab cake platter. So much food!! The crab cakes are big. The green taste a little sweet. The Mac and cheese was bomb. Do your myself a favorite and get the pound cake! I've also tried the crab fries, definitely a must have. The line is usually out the window so definitely call in your order for pick up. read more
4 years ago
The food was full of flavor and the portions were generous. This restaurant was an excellent choice and the food definitely made my soul happy. read more
7 years ago
I found out about this spot on social media so I decided to check it out since I'm from the Baltimore area. When I got to the restaurant there was no where to park so I parked across the street. Went in the restaurant and placed my order which was a simple order. I ordered a Fried Crab Cake and Shrimp Platter, a Fried Tilapia Platter, and a order Honey Old Bay Wings. It took them an 1 1/2 to complete my order. There were a lot of customers who were waiting as long as I did. I was very unhappy with the speed of service. When I got home to eat the food I noticed I didn't receive the crab cake I ordered. They placed some Jumbo Lump Crabmeat in my plate instead of a crab cake. I was hot. Besides the crab cake issue the food was decent. I think of the kitchen staff was organized and the speed of service improves this will be a great restaurant. Until then I wouldn't recommend this place if you expect your food within 30 minutes or less. I'm not the one to post bad reviews but I worked in food service for over 15 years and I know if you are providing service at a high volume there will be some delays however communication and strong leadership are needed to manage through them situation. This place is very unorganized at the time. read more
3 years ago
Food is always 10/10 for me. This is a takeout location so I get my food and fly home to eat it. I've had the crab cakes, fried shrimp, and this time the fried fish and they haven't missed yet. Service is quick. The girls at the counter are always sweet. read more
7 years ago
My husband and I decided to try LuLu's last night because of the rave reviews. We arrived around 6:30pm. The cost of the food is pretty pricey. I understand it is fresh seafood but it didn't match the quality. I had the Maryland crab cake platter. It came with 1 crab cake, yellow, rice, and you get to select 2 sides. I had cabbage and seafood mac n cheese in which there was a $2 upcharge for. My husband had the whiting 2 piece platter with yellow rice, yams and greens and cornbread. Additionally we got 2 strawberry lemonades...they were super sweet. Our total came to a whopping $53. We saw a few empty tables so we dined in. My crab cake was meaty and good but cold, yellow rice was luke warm, cabbage was cold and not flavorful, the seafood mac n cheese was very good. The whiting fish was hot, fresh out the grease but lacked flavor. The greens and yams were good but cold. We may give it another chance a few months later down the road. read more
5 years ago
They have really good food, but there customer service is atrocious. I mean bad, I mean the worst that I've ever experienced ever with anything. They don't pick up the phone ever but when you walk in, they are just standing there, then when you go all the way up there they usually are out of some thing that you probably want it that could've avoided the trip had they just picked up the phone. Their online ordering is off. And then when you walk inside they have an attitude. I actually witnessed a fight between the cashiers. If it wasn't for the food I would give it a zero. Food is a good though. I try to support local businesses, but this is a huge reason they don't survive. read more
3 years ago
Awesome customers service, very fri and professiona. Cooked to order and fresh and on time remember it's not BK it's seafood!!!! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
5 years ago
Can I say second pleaseeeee. I will give you a heads up the construction that's surrounded this little restaurant made it very difficult to pick up my order. But once I figure it out thanks to a nice citizen I was able to pick up my order. The customer service from the young man was great. I was expecting the macaroni to taste like a down south cheesy and delicious but it lack flavor. Overall this place is for the win. read more
3 years ago
6 years ago
We stopped by to try this place out, because we had been hearing great things!! The food was delicious, it was good portions, and great customer service. The crab fries are a MUST TRY!! We showcased this restaurant on our food blog, and it's getting lots of attention on TikTok!! Follow us on IG & TikTok @FierceFoodieAndTheBeast for more reviews. read more
7 years ago
When I got and email saying claiming that LuLu's had that had the best crab cake in had to give it a try. This crab cake did not disappoint. Interior- not much to look at but the food definitely makes up for it. Industrial design with less that 10 self seated dining space. Lu lu's is take out situation Food- unbelievably Good Especially for the price. I had the crab cake meal which was market price which ended up being $25. This meal at any other restaurant in Charlotte would be easily $40. Service- great! The cashier was super funny and had great suggestions. We added the lemonade and wings after he raved about them. Despite the fact that is was so packed and the wait was an hour the staff keep Will 10 out of 10 return. In fact I have already have :) read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
This place right here... oh man, where do I start. The Lump Crap Cake (runs market price, btw) pure lump FRESH crap meat. The Salmon on a bed of yellow rice is awesome which also had little pieces of crab. The collards were good. That Mac and Cheese/ Candy Yams you can put in the ring with your momma's or gmas lol read more
3 years ago
I went to lulus express on Tuckaseegee. This is the OG location which I am glad to have them back and focused on the quality and service. And it definitely shows! My shrimp and fish platter was so delicious. Everything was ready on time, plate presentation looked amazing, & the food was hot and flavorful! read more
6 years ago
So this small Black own restaurant! Is one of my go tos in the city. When you walk in a see the line. Just know it's worth it! You're greeted with a warm welcome and served with hot food. I was able to order and it's about a 20 min wait, but the food is fresh and hot every time. I order the 3 PCs whiting and the crab fries and it was worth every penny. Dang writing this makes me want to go again. Everything is good so stop by and check these great people out! read more
2 years ago
6 years ago
Omg this place is good! I got the crab fries and my girl got the crab cake and they exceeded our expectations completely! This is take out place only but nobody seemed to mind eating in their cars. After ordering we waited about 15 minutes and the food was ready. We joined the parking lot of eaters and as previously stated were beyond pleased. They used REAL lump crab which was expected since they are proudly claiming Maryland style food. The crab cake was 97% crab meat 3% breading. A1!!! That's how you do a crab cake! My fries were soooo good! I really wasn't ready! We'll be back. read more
6 years ago
Came here to celebrate Charlotte's Black Restaurant Week and I'm happy that I did!!! Their food is slamming, you hear me?!!!! I went on a rainy Saturday afternoon and they still had a line out the door! But, the good thing is the line moved pretty fast. They even had the old school R&B hits playing through the speakers to keep all the customers occupied and in good spirits. I ordered the Crab cake and Shrimp Platter (fried) with candied yams and seafood mac and cheese. It was the perfect combination of salty, sweet, and savory. I couldn't even finish it all, because it was soooo much delicious food. My only recommendation is to create an "Order Online" option. It would streamline the ordering process and customer wait times. But, my recommendation for everyone else is to get yourself down to Lulu's!!! You won't be disappointed!!! read more
5 years ago
My family and I traveled from Columbia,SC to eat here and it was WELL worth it. We ordered crab fries , fried chicken basket & lump crab with shrimp platter. Everything was delicious. The customer service was superb! We'll definitely be back! read more
I can't wait to come back! I ordered the shrimp platter with macaroni and greens. Everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection. You can only order to-go and have to place your order at the restaurant (no phone orders), so keep that in mind. However, the wait wasn't too long and they text you when your order is ready. read more
6 years ago
A piece of Charm City hidden in Charlotte. Lulu's Hookup is a healthy option at this grab and go crab shack. Wings top 5 in town read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
I was about to leave a bad review due to the wait time tonight but then I put the mac n cheese in my mouth, and then a fry dipped in mambo sauce and I forgot what I was gonna say....ok, bye read more
6 years ago
I ordered the Stuffed Salmon combo and OMG. The food was amazing!! First if all, there was NO WAIT! We ordered the food and it was ready by the time we finished paying. Now back to the food! The seafood Mac was sooooo good I wish I ordered two sides! I can't wait to go back. read more
3 years ago
6 years ago
I've heard a couple times about this restaurant and I'm a huge soul food eater so decided to give it a try . The catfish was nice and crispy nice flavor but no tarter sauce little curve ball but still good, the yams had a weird spice to it and I prefer mine to be sweet all the way through the cabbage is like mush good flavor but the chew is taken away it just slides down your throat and I do not like that. I will not be returning but I did like the fish. read more
6 years ago
Trash. I love soul food and black own restaurants but it took me a WEEK to right this review because of the terrible food and the fact I had my in laws from Chicago ate this!! Embarrassing.Last Sunday 10/25 5-6pm we ordered several meals from LuLus to support black restaurant week here in Charlotte and we had eaten from two other black restaurants Friday and Saturday. Long story short my mother-in-law orders the "catfish" Which is clearly tilapia fried it was not catfish it taste bad it was not good she did not enjoy it at all and the sad part is she pay for the food. I ordered the fried chicken wings and mumbo sauce being that I visit DC several times and I have plenty of great friends from DC these were subpar from a take out the mumbo sauce was Ight, it was only thing edible that we really ordered. Take a look at picture of the yams and tell me for yourself if you would eat them or not they were gross. The mac & cheese was overly greasy too much butter. Will NEVER order here again and would never recommend anyone from out of town or local to eat this. I know better spots in Maryland than this. Do better Lulu OR go back to Maryland and try again. A very unsatisfied local soul food Charlotte yelper. If you want some good soul food go to fresh waters uptown Charlotte Hell I even recommend Cuzzo's cuisine right down the street. read more
3 years ago
6 years ago
All in All: This place is a hit or miss. Would not recommend. Pro: Customer service friendly Cons: Inconsistent quality of food Cost: A little too pricey for the lack of quality. Background: Went to the restaurant based on TikTok Review. First time I went in July 2020, the cost was about $30 which came with a lump crab cake that was the size of my palm & two sides. Went again October 29, 2020. Paid roughly $30 & crab cake was SIGNIFICANTLY smaller (like a poor little meatball). Let's just say I won't go back. I am a huge foodie and would pay hundreds for food but I won't pay or waste my time on inconsistencies. Note I drove a total of 3 hrs to come here. read more
It was late and I was hungry. I looked up 24hr restaurants and Lulu's popped up. I had never heard of it and was surprised that it was right here on the Westside. There is a small parking lot, but it wasn't crowded when I got there. I was greeted by the owner Jay, and told that there was a limited menu. He just had a busy day, but there were enough items left for me to choose from. I selected chicken wings, lake trout, collards, cabbage, cornbread and fries. The drinks and desserts were sold out. I also had some of his homemade sauce. The food was hot and delicious! The fish was seasoned and cooked just right. The wings were tasty, they could have used more spice but it might have made it salty. The collards were on point and so was the cabbage. Cornbread was sweet,fluffy and I had it for dessert. The fries were also good, not too greasy. I will try this spot again, next time I will go earlier so I can try some of the other items reviewers are raving about. I would have given it a 5 but without the entire menu available I had to hold back a point. read more
5 years ago
So I'm new to Charlotte and my friend told me about this spot LuLus and I looked at pictures and the menu and it was enough for me to go and try it ...I got the Cajun grilled salmon platter and babyyyyy when I tell you I finished everything within 10 minutes it seems ? It was soooo damn good !!! I definitely recommend everyone to visit this spot! The staff was friendly and they are QUICK! I waited not even 15 minutes. The Mac and cheese to DIE for! So much flavor I wish i got an extra side! The greens (I don't normally eat greens) but I wanted to try it ...it had a sweet flavor to them but they were GOOD! The rice and salmon just went to perfect together! I want to try the crab fries next time I go. But yes definitely go here !!! read more
5 years ago
More info about LuLu's Express
2400 Tuckaseegee Rd
Charlotte, NC 28208
Directions
(704) 910-5593
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https://lulusexpress.com
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Ask the Community - LuLu's Express
Is there a gluten-free menu?
What's the name of the app for online orders? I've tried to use the 'toast' app but unable to find your restaurant?…
The Toast app is the correct app. What message are you getting on the app?
Do you deliver?
We Apologize but No we dont. You can, however, order through Postmates. . . They have a way to do it directly through them!
I've been trying to call for days and can't get through, is it easier to call first or just come in?
Right Now it's easier to come in. AT&T hasn't taken my service calls seriously enough to come fix the issues we're having. I Do Apologize but We're more than Happy to Help you in person!
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