Lou’s Food Bar is a neighborhood spot that serves American country food with a French twist. Lou's is intended to be the little sister to Mizuna—Frank Bonanno's flagship restaurant. While Mizuna is high-end American food with strong French influences, Lou's Food Bar is a more playful offspring—still maintaining that French influences, but a little livelier, more casual—a cost-friendly neighborhood venue that strives to offer excellence in both fare and service. Lou's Food Bar focus on fresh ingredients, at the peak of their flavor profile, simply prepared and beautifully rendered.
"The menu provides only item names, with zero description. Thank goodness our server, Tim, knew the menu very well. He provided delicious details of all the items we were curious about. The Blackened Lou Burger may have been the best burger I've ever had. Unfortunately, the unmentioned horseradish was a disappointment on an otherwise great Cuban."
Dined on 5/18/2013
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem
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"Our first time and we loved it! I had the spring prix fixe menu paired with wine which included fried green tomato(very crispy), mint crusted tenderloin (delicious) and profiteroles for dessert. My husband had the veal cutlet which was also excellent. We are sorry this place is not in our neighborhood but we will definitely make the uptown trip to go again. The only distraction was that it is very very loud--concrete floor amplifies everyone's conversations..."
Dined on 5/17/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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"What a great experience for Mother's Day Brunch. Plan to go again and again! Our server was so accommodating. We all had a hard time deciding what to have--every item looked like something we wanted to try! (Of course, that means we will be going back!). Loved the contemporary, casual atmosphere inside. Frank Bannano knows how to do it right!"
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, great for brunch, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"Took my friend here for a birthday brunch & it was fantastic! Bottomless pour-your-own mimosas & delicious food. We're going back next week for a prix-fixed dinner with wine pairings because they offered to make me a vegetarian entree! I'm beyond excited about it!"
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, great for brunch
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"Celebrated Mothers day at Lou's. Have never been before. The food was so good that I'm hungry just thinking about it! I absolutely LOVED the strawberry rhubarb french toast and Lou's Scramble is AWESOME!
plan to return SOON!
It's a small place, so the noise level can be a little annoying, but the service was good and the waiter was terrific!"
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch
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"Came here for Mother's Day dinner with husband, mother, and toddler. Got the toddler a dish of mac & cheese which we all enjoyed. We all had sandwiches and burgers, which were well-executed. Loved my Old Fashioned cocktail. Our server was great.
Only slight mishap was that drink service was kind of slow - this could have been an overwhelmed bartender. Not that they weren't worth the wait. This was our second visit, and I'm sure we'll be back."
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, kid-friendly
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"Lou's has changed to their "Summer Menu" , so we were very disappointed when many of our favorites were not available. Many of those around us expressed the same disappointment. Also service was slow because of the servers trying to take care of the many complaints. If I want to eat out with only Hamburgers and Salads on the menu, I'll find a place that does not charge $12.00 for a glass of wine to go with it."
Dined on 5/11/2013
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"granted, it was a Friday night, but it became extremely difficult to even carry on a conversation. it was more like being in a crowded bar than in a decent restaurant. I liked the food ( excellent pate) but doubt I'll go back. Maybe.... just maybe ... on a Tuesday or something"
Dined on 5/10/2013
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"One of the best meals we've had in a long time. Menu is small but everything is absolutely delicious. Be sure try the homemade sausage nd the cheese sandwiches, they were fantastic."
Dined on 5/04/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, hot spot
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"We have been to Lou's several times including a paring dinner. The menu is always fresh and with a few fun comfort items. This trip my wife enjoyed the wonderful moist fried chicken. The skin was good and crispy the sides were one of the best creamy mash potatoes we have had in a while. My mother had the braised short ribs, and were nice enough to deal with her madness being upset over Brussels sprouts and substituted the kale. In the end she truly enjoyed the meal. I had the beef strip loin with potatoes au gratin which were the hit of the table. Overall our server was wonderful and accommodating to the picky eater we brought along. The grilled artichoke was a fun light way to start the meal."
Dined on 4/11/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic, neighborhood gem, hot spot, special occasion
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"Lou's is a place I used to visit regularly, and by that I mean every other week or more. The last few times I went there, the food was not quite up to my expectations. I felt they lost their lack of consistency, and that could be the problem with excellent restaurants, if they slip just a little, it seems a worse experience than going to a restaurant you already know might not be consistent. Either way, my last visit everything was fantastic. The food was everything I had originally come to expect from Lou's. The service was great. I guess my only complaint this time is that they switched from Coca-Cola to Boylan Soda. I'm an avid Diet Coke drinker, and Boylan's diet soda is not very good."
Dined on 04/27/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"We enjoyed brunch there on Sunday. I had the omelette du jour with pork belly, cipollini onions, and spanish cheese. It was delightful. The side of roasted potatoes were great. My husband had the chicken fried biscuit and he said the biscuit was amazing."
Dined on 04/21/2013
2004
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, neighborhood gem
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"We had a wonderful brunch! Our server was very helpful and gave great recommendations. The food was delicious. The restaurant was busy at brunch and it was noise, but not overwhelming and our party still had an easy time chatting. Great find! We will be back!!"
Dined on 04/21/2013
2010
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, hot spot
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"Lou's Food Bar is one of our favorites. Drinks are great. Food is awesome. You can make it as fancy or as casual as you want. And even kid friendly with great mocktails."
Dined on 04/19/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, great for lunch
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"I'd been to Lou's a few times before and really liked it. This visit brought a new menu, so I decided to try the Crabcake Po'Boy. First, it in no way resembles a Po'Boy. It's not on a hoagie roll--it's on a soft, round hamburger bun. As anyone who's ever had a real Po'Boy in New Orleans knows, the bread matters. Next, a Po'Boy usually has multiple main elements--a bunch of oysters, a bunch of shrimp. Not this one--just one crabcake. Now I love crabcakes, so if this one had been spectacular, I wouldn't have minded the single, solitary cake. But it wasn't. The outside wasn't crunchy, it was soft. The inside seemed to lack crab. As a final insult, the sandwich didn't include pickles--one of my favorite parts of a Po'Boy."
Dined on 04/12/2013
2005
Special Features: notable wine list
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"WOW! My second trip here...this time for the Tuesday night chicken special. It's the best fried chicken in town! And for $20 you get four huge pieces, potatoes, beans and a beer. We split the meal and added a drink and were stuffed. We also decided to make it a once a month event and invite all our mates! WOW!"
Dined on 04/16/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem
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"Wait staff appropriately attentive. Good variety of appetizers, salads and main dishes. All four in our party ordered a differt selection and all were pleased. Nice selection of on-tap beers."
Dined on 04/05/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"I have been to Lou's for brunch twice. The first time the food was fantastic. I ordered the pecan sticky bun and the duck confit benedict and was extremely happy with both. The second visit this last Saturday was disappointing. I ordered the sticky bun again and the Sunnyside Hash. The bun was not as good as last time largely because I was served a corner piece which was not as soft and gooey as a center piece. The Sunnyside Hash was not worth eating. The description said it was a hash with chorizo, chiles and pepper jack. The chorizo was just plain breakfast sausage, I know the difference. The chilies were actually jalapenos and if there was pepper jack involved, I could not tell. The potatoes were chewy and barely cooked."
Dined on 04/06/2013
2007
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"The happy hour drink menu is too small. Only their version of some fancy cocktails and limited wines are offered. You cannot get a basic well drink during happy hour for the happy hour price. They also were not willing to make a substitution on a dish without an upcharge. The food was good, though inconsistant. There were three of us and one person raved, one was satisfied, and one was disappointed. The calamari was perfect, though."
Dined on 04/06/2013
2012
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"Went with a group of 7 and enjoyed each dish and appetizer. The crabcake po boy was outstanding. My coq au vin was richly flavorful and satisfying. The burgers looked and tasted delicious as well. The 20-somethings really enjoyed the cocktails. The under 21's loved the mocktail choices. Well-priced, excellent service. We'll be back."
Dined on 03/29/2013
2012
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem
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"I had the most delicious salad at Lou's Food Bar. It was my first time going to this restaurant and it was great! My party was 7 gals and I thought it was a good atmosphere for a big group. I would recommend Lou's Food Bar."
Dined on 03/21/2013
2008
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem
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"Friendly staff and excellent food. Prices are a bit high for the area, but worth it. French style comfort food is not something you get everyday, which makes it all that more special."
Dined on 03/12/2013
2010
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, hot spot
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"Adorable interior, however the noise level is too high (the place is small) and the wait staff isn't all that friendly or helpful. Enjoyed my food - creative and unique."
Dined on 03/10/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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"We were excited to try Lou's Food Bar because we like so many of the sister restaurants but were very disappointed all around. The food was okay- we tried the fried chicken and the spaghetti with meatballs. The service was HORRIBLE. It took 20 minutes to get our wine and when we asked if it was coming, the hostess said "All drinks are made by hand and she is working hard to make everything. I'm sure it will be here soon." We ordered wine so nothing had to be "made". We looked for our server a few times and saw her chatting with the bar tender. The chicken was good, but the mash potatoes were cold and the spaghetti was highly over sauced. I would not recommend this restaraunt to anyone. It was highly disappointing."
Dined on 03/09/2013
2006
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"We visited Lou's during Denver Restaurant Week and were quite disappointed. The food was mediocre at best, the dessert nearly inedible. The service was good and the atmosphere was nice, but my cocktail was bland and uninspired."
Dined on 03/07/2013
2007
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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"Very good food-- waitstaff was friendly--5280 Menu not to our liking so we ordered from The menu--escargo was superb! Cesar salad Was not great but the French dip was the best I've ever had--pork shoulder was good flavor But heavy--soufflé was very good--wine was Generic but good as we were looking for one That was not too expensive--no room for dessert The entrees are very generous--"
Dined on 03/02/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"We went during 5280 week. Our first time to dine there. Great neighborhood location. Not pretentious, more trendy but down to earth serving comfort food with a twist. Loved all of our selections and appreciated the wine pairings. Plan to return soon!"
Dined on 03/01/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, hot spot
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"I have eaten here before, and was impressed. However this time the food was tired. It seemed the dishes had been sitting under a warming light for a few hours: dry and chewy. The mussels in cider had no cider flavor on them, I think they were placed on a cider sauce - at least 20 % were unopened. the pork shoulder lacked flavor (amazing!) and was heavy - I know pork shoulder is not a light dish, but this was uninspired with a dried out gravy. The pate selection also lacked seasoning (I'm not talking about salt here) and the terrines or pates were dense and very firm (chewy). the pork rilletes lacked seasoning, but texture was good. The "deconstructed cassoulet was dry and uninspired. Sorry guys - I hope it was an off night."
Dined on 02/22/2013
2008
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"I hadn't eaten fried chicken since I was a kid at a picnic in the park. Only Lou's could entice me back and it didn't disappoint. Tuesday nights are reserved for family-style fried chicken dinner. There were four in our party & they brought two platters with a total of 12 pieces of fried chicken + a platter of mashed potatoes + a platter of mixed green beans and mushrooms. Oh, and each person gets a beer. All for just $20/person. I don't remember fried chicken being this good. The most substantial and crisp crust you'll ever bit into, only to get to the most juicy meat. The potatoes were silky and buttery. And the veggies were not an after thought. I ate more of them than the potatoes. I love Lou's. I've never had anything less than superb."
Dined on 02/19/2013
2006
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"The food was good and plentiful. Service from the bar was very slow. The waitstaff was apologetic for that. The noise level was unbearable. I couldn't hear what my table compantion was saying."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2005
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies
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"Happy hour food was great deal; drinks were just an ok deal. Dinner overall was flavorful. Not raving but might come back in the summer as well just to hang out on that patio."
Dined on 02/15/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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"Easy parking, seated quickly, we ate cheese curds, calamari, caesar salad, fried chicken, pasta with butter and a bunch of drinks. It was all good. It's always been all good."
Dined on 02/08/2013
2004
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, good for groups, great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem
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"Both times I've been here I really enjoyed it! The first time we sat at the bar and had a great time chatting with eachother and the bartender and trying the carpaccio and also the house made venison sausage. Last time we sat at a booth and it was quieter but great for a group of four. Our server was so attentive and knowledgable. He was fantastic. The food was very good. I really like this place!"
Dined on 02/01/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic, hot spot
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