Best Casual Restaurants in East Market St - NuLu

I had a wonderful experience dining here last night. My wife and I had wanted to try Byrdies for some time because we both love French cuisine. We were a bit hesitant to visit on Valentine’s Day weekend because a lot of restaurants will limit their menu in order to have higher turnover but it couldn’t be further from the case here. We got to experience the restaurant fully and the menu was the same as any night, in fact, I’m curious if they worked extra hard to make our date night feel extra special or if service is just that excellent every night. Zach was our server and he was very attentive to our needs throughout the dining experience. He had a deep knowledge of the menu and some interesting suggestions that we would not have ordered on our own but we are glad we trusted him. The pot du jour was one of those. The list of ingredients seemed odd and unappealing but after ordering it everything fit together perfectly and it stood out as one of the highlights of our experience. Another standout were the scallops and the escargot. The cornbread was somewhere between a southern cornbread and a Yorkshire pudding. Very interesting and very delicious. Overall the food was beyond excellent but what stood out the most was how attentive every member of the staff was in the front of the house. Everyone from the people running food to the manager in her stylish pantsuit seemed like they were performing at the top of their game and made me feel welcomed and taken care of.

An amazing ambiance celebrating the Cuban culture! Started off with bread wrapped in newspaper depicting a print from the 1950’s. Guava butter and cilantro lime butter were offered. Both were delicious! Tried the shrimp ceviche that has a tomato base with thinly sliced red onion, and cilantro. It was very refreshing just as the waitress described. My husband ordered the Ropa Vieja en Lata and didn’t know it means “beef in a can”. It was served table side by a waiter that described the canning process and the titles meaning. He proceeded to open and serve the perfectly cooked beef along with white rice and fried plantains. I had the salmon Varadero served with yellow rice and fried plantains. I could not resist adding a side of black beans. Everything exceeded our expectations! The service was impeccable and we will be back!

I recently dined at Guacamole and overall, it was a great experience. The food was excellent, with bold flavors and fresh ingredients. I highly recommend trying the nachos—they were perfectly layered with toppings and full of flavor. The cocktails were also a standout, well-balanced and creative. Service was equally impressive. The staff was attentive, friendly, and efficient. However, the food came out a little too quickly, which made us feel somewhat rushed. Additionally, the noise level was higher than expected, making conversation a bit challenging at times. Despite these minor issues, I would still highly recommend trying. If you’re looking to try something new. The quality of the food and drinks, along with great service, make it well worth a visit.

No notes for improvement. Well, maybe one. My personal preference for a fine dining/upscale experience is extremely low lighting. I would turn the overheads completely off and use only the table lighting. I love a pre-set menu and the Valentine's Day selections from the Chef were outstanding. The (butter?) Old Fashioned is outstanding. My wife couldn't believe how good the salmon was and my New York strip was perfect as well Oddly, the potato roll kinda stole the show. So good. Typically I find a solid musician playing with a a backing track to be too mechanical. Like karaoke for a fiddle, but the musician did a fantastic job and music selections were really good.

We had a wonderful valentine’s Day! Dean, was a wonderful waiter, and made the experience all that much more. I would highly recommend Lou Lou’s on Main Street for a terrific lunch or dinner. It is a bit pricey for anything more than a sandwich, but the food is fantastic.