Extremely dark, incognito bar about 1/4 mile past the hub-bub of Federal Hill. This is a laid back bar that draws hipsters both young and old. Â Good, strong drinks at great prices! Â Nice retro/deco furnishings. Â Cool, spacious ladies room. Â Great place for vampires and quiet conversation. Me likey!
Review Source:Easy to miss, but not forgettable once you've been there. A low lit heaven for those looking to listen to a fantastic selection of tunes, yet still carry on a conversation. Lili's is my warm comfortable cocoon in the bar scene of the west end. The waitresses slink out of the darkness to take an order or clear away an empty glass, though on busy nights sometimes it is hard to get the attention of the lone server. Fantastic inexpensive food offerings (though they need to add one other veggie friendly item even if its hummus & cheese on a roll), the fries are always hot and tasty and perfect for a couple (or threesome) to share! The drinks are poured liberally and served up in heavy, appropriate glassware. Don't be afraid to ask for sometime complex either, I've been served fantastic old fashioneds and manhattans as well as simple PBRs without the bartender batting an eye either way.
Review Source:Sweet little bar on the hill. You might walk by a few times because there's not a single sign. Once you found that gem, it's hard to leave. They have a great bar selection, a pool table and also delicious food!
It can get crowded at times and usually pretty hot. It's a very dark place but one of the few places you should come visit.
Yes, yes, yes! I have renewed my love for Lili Marlene's with two visits this month alone. I think one of the best parts is that it is so UN-Federal Hill like, which makes me happy from the jump. It's a diamond in the rough and Julia mixes the absolute best grapefruit martini in Providence. The combination of fresh ruby red grapefruit paired with a splash of St. Germain really puts it over the top, and for $8 a piece, you can still get good and toasty on a budget. I also noshed on the shrimp po' boy and it was way better than your standard bar food fare. There were loads of crispy shrimp and shredded lettuce with a zesty remoulade-type sauce piled on a crusty french bread roll. Yes, please. My companion enjoyed a perfectly-cooked burger with a pile of hot and crispy fries and some Anchor Steam beers. It was one of the best Friday nights I can recall in a long time and I can't wait to do it again. Get yourself to Lili's as soon as possible.
Review Source:Time for a second visit and the place is still great. Kevin makes the truly best St Germaine martinis in the area. For some reason (perhaps the martinis) the simple burgers tasted incredible and the fries were perfectly cooked. This is a place where you can lose the stress of the day and leave feeling great. Low key, just a nice place to hang.
Review Source:Writing this review a while after my initial visit, but I can't stop thinking about this delightful little hole-in-the-wall.
I came here with a group of 5 this past August, and was immediately surprised by the outside decor...so nondescript! You'd think it was an apartment building that no one lived in anymore, or some off-the-beaten-path art studio where the hipsters flock. HOWEVER, when the door opens, the beautiful interior is revealed: really low lighting, a chill, beautifully sculpted bar, ample and comfortable seating, mostly booths, colorful glass lamps, and Mucha prints adorning the walls.
The menu is divine: not even CLOSE to over-priced, and all of us agree that you should get the cheeseburger, cooked MR, grilled onions on the side. Yum-sauce.
We're a lively, humorous bunch, and the waitress was awesome at handling us and playing along. A little shaky with carrying a tray of drinks, but she was good-natured when we helped her, and I'd certainly be overwhelmed if I was serving us. Speaking of the drinks, they were super tasty! I played it safe at first, and ordered a G&T, but one of my friends went to the bar, and the bartender concocted a special drink for him, based off of his preferences! Great service. Another friend ordered a couple different drinks for us to share, and both were delicious.
Admittedly, we did get loud, but I'm docking a star for the way management (at least, I think it was management? Might have just been a random patron) handled asking us to keep quiet. Large dude with weird hair passive-aggressively told us to keep it down. Seriously? There are better ways to ask paying customers to turn the volume lower.
One way or another, I live 1000 miles away from this place now, but will continually return every time I'm on the east coast!
I have to say I came here with a friend and we were not comfortable going in, once we even FOUND this place. Honestly, don't know what we thought other than a complete dive; maybe suspicious underground activities. We went somewhere for dinner, and after we really wanted to sit and have a drink, so we ventured back with another friend out of curiosity. We were SO surprised and happy to have gone. Great place. All these reviews are spot on. Great night out and definitely will go back  :-)
Review Source:For some reason, I never think to come here on my own but it's a great spot that's always suggested by friends and I'm never hesitant to meet them here!
This is a nice late-night spot further down Atwells (I usually take Broadway and cut down because the main area of The Hill is always ridiculously busy) and I've never been unable to grab a table or a seat at the bar.
The drinks are good, strong, and cheap ($8 for my go-to Ketel One martini!) and they have tasty food late. My favorite are the warm pretzels with mustard...yum! Â They also make a really good ruby red grapefruit martini...I forget what it's called but they know what you mean when you ask about it.
The decor is dark but warm...it's almost like a creepy Victorian parlor. I love creepy Victorian parlors!
Service is good...table service all night. Pool table if you play pool (I do not). Definitely a solid option.
Free pool. Â The owner's a d*ck who walks around with a puss on his face and absolutely is a sore loser at pool.
Plus when I was using a lighter near his big mirror to figure out my bill he got all bent saying I was smudging his mirror!
too bad cuz everything else about the place is pretty cool.
Dark and sumptuous
Generous, delicious drinks
Cool, comfortable environs
So, you roll up in front for the first time, mildly unsure if you've got the right spot - Lili Marlene's could easily paraphrase DJ Shadow; "self-promotion isn't my strong suit." Â But you head for the right door, let your eyes adjust to the cool dimness even on the sunniest summer afternoon, and you take it in - a sturdy bar that draws your eye with an understated bottle selection, a modest beer tap, and a few cool accoutrements, like an old cash register and rotary phone. Â A small parlor-style seating area to your left, perfect for reading a newspaper in, or waiting for an accomplice, or for smoking a bubble-pipe contemplatively. Around the corner, comfortable booths with fine capacity for boisterous catching up, imbibing, and other goings-on. Â And then, the fine billiard table around which the good people gather and rack 'em.
Space-wise? Â That's pretty much that - it's a cozy but decently commodious and inviting place. Â Location-wise? Â A sort of Federal Hill, Olneyville, and Route 6 drive-by vertex situation. Â
Cocktails are done well here - and they're not stingy with the pours. Â A few beers make the scene here - and they're solid offerings. Â The food is tasty. Â The servers I've encountered have ranged from above-average to among my favorites to trade stories with anywhere.
So stop in. Â Get used to the lighting. Â Order your favorite beverage. Â Ask bartender Kevin about his time in Japan, or how long he expects his well-worn sandals to keep providing comfort on his shifts behind the bar. Â Order some food. Â Be glad you came in, and repeat in the future.
One of my favorite places to grab a drink in Providence! The atmosphere is perfect for having a few drinks with friends and catching up. Great music selection and it is never overly loud - it is nice to have a conversation without having to yell at the person next to you so they can hear you.
The free pool table is great, and the food is always awesome for a late night bite.
Bar service is quick, no waiting for drinks and the staff is friendly.
Cheers to a non-douchey place on the hill where friends can meet and imbibe without club music, LED lighting, or "free" valet parking and without the pressure of running into former Jersey Shore alumni.
Jeers to all the talk about "amazing cocktails" and there not being a cocktail menu. Â Or any mint leaves on the premises. Â Nor any other boutique liquors worthy of "best cocktail of my life" boasting.
Cheers to greasy non-pretentious bar food.
Jeers to no sides with said food.
Cheers to pool table, dining booths and other dark spots worthy of nefarious ne'er-do-wells.
Jeers/cheers to jittery awkward service.
Cheers to cheap dates and a great spot for girls' night.
Jeers to parking anywhere near Atwell's Avenue with a car you don't want stolen or side-swiped.
There is promise, and room to grow. Â I will be back, but with a book of cocktail recipes I want replicated.
Like all of Mike Sears' spots, Lili Marlene's is small, dark, beautiful, and almost a bit mysterious. Lili's has no signage, and it's so dark inside you'd be forgiven for going right by it assuming it was just an abandoned storefront near the bottom of Atwells.
Seating can be hard to come by at Lili's. There are a few large round velvet ensconced booths that seem like they come out of a fifties gangster movie and a couple smaller wooden tables. If you're there on a date, do yourself a favor and *don't* sit in one of the big booths. They seem romantic at first, but you'll feel like a total jerk when there's group of half a dozen people standing with no place to sit while you take up a booth designed to fit a crowd of people listening to Tommy DeVito tell a story about that one bank job in Secaucus.
Lili's serves mostly smaller brews and usually has one cheaper beer option. Good burgers (not to be confused with Goodburgers) can be had relatively cheaply, and they have like two other things on the menu. I think one of those things is a tomato. If you're looking for a big dinner or a good variety of food, you can walk out the door and find any number of restaurants on Atwells (or over on Broadway).
For whatever reason, Lili's has never made it to the top of my list of spots to hang out, but I've been coming back occasionally for close to a decade. I guess that says something.
Lili's is my absolute favorite bar in Providence!
This dim lit bar at the bottom of The Hill isn't the easiest find. I think that's part of its charm. Once you find it though the cheap drinks, craft beers, and surprisingly yummy food will keep you coming back. Â
Pros-
*The drinks are cheap and strong. They make a mean rum & coke.
*The menu is limited, but everything on it is scrumptious (Shrimp Po Boy, tomato & mozzarella salad, and don't forget to try the fries).
*There are big comfy booths and plenty of seating.
*The bartenders and servers are pleasant, and know what they're talking about.
*Clean bathroom.
*Free pool table
*Great atmosphere! I for one love how dark Lili's is.
*There's always an eclectic group of people there. Yes it's on The Hill, but it doesn't attract the type of crowd most places on The Hill does.
*Oh, and the music! How could I forget! Yes it's loud, but not to the point where I find myself screaming to be heard. Plus, they play good music, and a variety.
Cons-
*Owner is strict when it comes to pool rules.
*Street parking (not too bad though)
Lili's is my go to place. Even if I have plans to go elsewhere, I almost always end up at Lili's.
You can't go wrong!
Pros:
-very cute little place
-dark
-quiet
-free pool table
-good steamed shrimp
Cons:
-Guinness in pilsners glasses (WTF?)
-Server seemed very unaware of what booze she actually had at the bar.
-Po-boy was kind of a joke, it had maybe nine shrimp on it and had BREAD AND BUTTER pickles. That will get you stabbed down south (the pickles).
Cheap and tasty food, dimly lit bar, and AWESOME drinks. Lili's is my new crush, kids.
Of course, the amazing Willa VanNostrand is behind the bar mixing my favorite cocktail, The Bitter Saint, to perfection so I can't give this place anything but 5 stars. Even though it's on The Hill, there's nothing cheesy, cheap or gimmicky about this place -it's a legit bar.
My burger was $4.50, and while it wasn't the prettiest thing I've ever seen, it tasted scrumptious and I wasn't complaining. The beef was juicy, the lettuce and tomato were fresh and the bun was just a hint sweet. Yum yum, kids. Yum yum.
Loved this place. It was dark, comfortable and delicious. We each had a burger and fries and numerous martinis - St. Germain Martini (yes, you should try this one!) My sister was "in the know" about the martini, and I love a good burger. All around, we laughed, we cried, we ate and the crowd did their thing...mellow and comfortable. Great music was spinning, too. Our food bill was 13.00, the bar bill 48.00 but I did not resent forking over a penny of it, pun intended.
The "sign" is a dark laminate with the business name on the glass door making it very easy to walk by the large, curtain covered windows and not know there is something going on. Don't walk by, go in and have a St. Germain Martini and a burger. Thank me later.
I like my martinis extra dirty and extra cold... and this is the place to get them.
Lili's is a great place to relax with a couple friends, shoot some pool, and have a burger.
Their martinis and cocktails are awesome, but if you're just a simple beer person, this is the place for you too. $2 PBR drafts all the way.
Hands down my favorite bar and favorite burger.
The bartenders pour generous drinks with liberal booze. They'll make your custom requests and make recommendations with enthusiasm.
Everything about this recent visit lives up to past glories, except for one teeny detail-
it was not quite as dark. One of the greatest things about sitting at a booth is looking around, seeing almost nothing but inky darkness and wondering to yourself 'where am I?"
My other favorite burger is a $14 California burger. It was grass fed farm raised and massaged by naked elf women. You order it rare and the flavor is deep red filet. At Lili's it's a different flavor, but every bit as delicious. I have to restrain myself from eating it in two bites.
with sauted onions and cheese.
Cocktail bar that's rather nice in the early evening, but can get crowded once people start getting out of work. The bartenders are always wonderful, polite and efficient without being intrusive.
They REALLY want you to eat there, too, offering menus to everyone starting at six sharp, when the cook gets in.
Don't understand the french fry raves. They're good, but I much prefer the ones at Stanley's. Also the grilled cheese never seems hot enough.
I really... really... really want to give this place a bad review but ONLY because I don't want anyone else going there! I love it, and I love that it's never incredibly packed. Â It's juuuuust right.
And I dig that they play the whole album, not a mix, whether or not you like the band that's on. Â This is one of those "If you don't like it, get the F out" places. Yes. I like it.
(PS - $4.50 cheeseburgers? Yeah! Â but I'm still not sure why a grilled cheese is only $.50 less...)
Overall, I liked the atmosphere here (especially the booths) but thought it was a little more run down than some of the other Yelpers who called the place "gorgeous" and compared it to a "classy gentleman's study." Â Lili Marlene's isn't a dive bar, but it isn't the Avery either. Â
The biggest disappointment? Â The po' boy sandwich. Â Mine was cold (and this was on a not very busy Friday night), but even ignoring that, the bread was just way too thick for a sandwich like that. Â Plus, I resent having to pay extra for french fries. Â Still, it was a pleasant surprise to go to a bar/restaurant in Providence and NOT see a grilled cheese on the menu...
I love Lili's. A great casual date place, or a classy bar to meet with your friends. (Come here on a Friday night and Vanessa will be your server! Cutest chick eva!)
I admit it took a while for me to get used how dark it is in here!
A few things to love/appreciate:
1. The Atmosphere: The lamps, the red wood, the music.
2. The good drink prices.
3. The employees are always super nice, friendly, and charismatic.
4. The Burgers and fries.
Everyone always talks about the lighting... The darkness is uncomfortable at first. It takes a long while to get acclimated to the dimness. But there's a charm that it provides as well. It makes it very easy to have a private rendezvous or hang out by yourself and not be bothered. I occasionally come here, sit at the bar, and enjoy some time to myself.
About once a month I crave a juicy, delicious Lili's Burger. I order it medium rare, with a side of fries and a Guinness. I'm not sure what it is, but the burgers are so scrumptious!
If you're new to this town, come check out Lili's. You might see me in the corner stuffing my face with yummy beef. :p LOL
Stopped in here one night before a P Bruins game. Â My friend who lives in Providence tells me, "I have the perfect place to grab a burger before we go. Â It's called Lili Marlenes." Â I'm thinking it would be a Trinity Brewhouse sort of place. NOT.
It's dark. Very dark. The vibe is relaxed. Â We grabbed a couple of beers and waited for the kitchen to open at 6pm. Bartender made enough small talk to be interesting but not intrusive. We eventually ordered food that was cheap, delicious, and served by a very cool and efficient gothy kind of girl. I dunno, maybe she wasn't gothy. I could barely see her. Â We almost missed the game. I really, really didn't want to leave. Â I can't wait to go back.
First time I walked into Lili Marlene's, I wished I was having a sordid affair. It's definitely THE place to take an illicit date.
I love this bar and all of its very intentional details. I love that it looks sketchy on the outside and is a world unto itself on the inside. Mike was doing the speakeasy thing before the speakeasy thing was a thing. I love that it's dark. I love that the front door opens on the inside and is not on a hinge, but it needs to be closed manually. I love the always-polished wood and the brocade-y red wallpaper. I love the well-maintained furniture. I love the high-quality, heavy, and crystal-cut high- and low-ball glasses (like WEAPON heavy). I love that the beer is always very, very cold. I love the small and simple menu (grilled cheese with fries is like, four bucks!). I love that there are always fresh flowers in the ladies room. I love that it smells like musky unshoweredness on a busy night.
For me, this is one of the places that makes Providence Providence.
Way out-of-the-way
Right in the middle of town
Wow, it's dark in here
Me: "I'll have an old-fashioned, no fruit."
Bartender with pinup-style hair: "That how your grandmother used to drink it?"
Always classy, these folks.
For Providence, it's almost a rarity to find a place with apartments anywhere nearby that's open past 1 am. Lili's does (open until 2), and they do it with style. I can appreciate that, especially when I'm in the mood to just chill on a cocktail and not worry about sports scores or being elbowed out-of-the-way.
It's definitely one of the better bars on the Hill, and there's a discernible hipster speakeasy feel to it. There's lots of tattoo's and beards, flannel in the winter and cutoffs in the summer. It's like some secretive lounge; no velvet ropes out front, but velvet curtains keeping the light out and the people in.
The place is dark, with the lone bright spot above the pool table. No loud music, but the conversation can reach a din when it's packed. It's sort of hard to grab a table here because most folks hang out for a while, but the end of the bar is a good bet if you're there with a ladyfriend.
The best part about the place is there's no pretense of being a sports bar, a restaurant, etc. It's a place where people go to drink in the dark that isn't their own basement. Love it.
Lili Marlene's, you sure are cute.
You drive by a couple times, you're pretty sure that's where Lili's is supposed to be, but that place doesn't even look like it's in business and there's no sign. So you park your car, get out and walk over.
The lettering on the door discretely reads: Lili Marlene's... and the door's open. The space is a dark, ruby lit space with a barroom that opens up to a small lounge, adorned in good tunes. There are a couple tables, some large round booths and a pool table.
The booth's have an amazing ability to fit an infinite number of people around them. the later the night goes on, the more chairs are pulled around the booth. It's dark, it's swanky, it's intimate.
The bar has a number of good beers on draft, and while they no longer have the $1.25 Genney Cream Ale on draft, the do have the PBR.
So as long as you're cool, not a loud obnoxious embarrassment, and don't have a buttoned up shirt with the top 3 buttons undone showing off your chest stubble, bring your entourage, grab a PBR or Pilsner Urquell and a heaping plate of french fries, and be completely awesome.
/run on sentences
Every time I go to Lili's, I wonder why I don't go more often. It's a great place to grab drinks and a bite with friends, and very reasonably priced.
Although my friends' nickname for Lili's, "Dark and Loud," is pretty accurate, it adds to the charm. The burgundy pressed-tin style walls, dark wood, and tall booths make it seem like you're stepping into a time warp, in a good way.
I think for the price (starting at $3.50, 50 cents for each add on) Lili's has the best burgers in town. They're grilled, not fried, and when I ask for it rare, they actually serve it that way. Their fries are also perfect-- hot and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside (one drunken night we special requested a basket of fries covered in cheese, and the kitchen happily complied). The menu is small, just bar food, but everything is excellent.
The mixed drinks are generous in size (my current fav is Absolut Ruby Red and tonic, although they also make a great gin and tonic) and reasonably priced, and the beer is also cheap. Whenever we get the check after being there for many hours and drinks, we are always shocked at the low total.
This is a great place to grab a drink/appetizers after work or hang out with friends on the weekend. (In the spirit of full disclosure, I will admit upfront that somehow in the twists and turns of my family tree I am related to the owner but that does not change my review! In Prov, we're all family!)
When I last went the decor was dark and sort of antique French with velvet draperies and crystal glasses. One pool table was full all night long. Patrons were fun, food and drinks were good, and the prices great!
I used to frequent this place when I lived in Providence. I lived about 50 yards away, but even so, I'd still travel to go there.
 The atmosphere is excellent. It's dark and relaxed, like bars should be. I hate walking into a place to get a beer and relax with people shoving, screaming and pretending like they know how to dance. Granted this place can get a little crowded on Friday & Saturday nights, but still, the crowd there is pretty calm. Sundays were my night of choice, because real alcoholics drink on Sundays.
 The menu has but a few selections for food, all which are great. The waitstaff and bartenders are excellent. Seriously, I drink whiskey, gin and beer. So just imagine how talented the bartender must be to get me to sip the night away on a sugar rimed, fuity, Sidecar Martini. That's right, pretty damn talented.
 The owner is usual around. He's always making sure things are going well and will come and say hello when he notices you've come back. The whole place is just great.
Check out their other place on Westminster. More food and the same above excellent service.
Really great for Dark & Stormy's, cheap but delicious burgers (order the carmelized onions on the side, so good), peel and eat shrimp & miller high life's. A good alternative to typical federal hill bars. Nice decor, cool music etc.
Its better when you can find a table though, so you can enjoy the tasty food as well.
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