What can't I say about this place! Always great food, atmosphere & service. Manager always comes over to check in to see how we're doing every time I take guests to the Resturant. Waiters/waitresses always are attentive, have knowledge of menu and they have the best drinks! Â The chips & dip that they serve in the beginning of the meal are a playful twist on different salsas & dips. They are so good i could even make a meal out of them!!!! Â Great for anyone & any occasion :)
Review Source:I went here for my birthday dinner, and the food was fantastic. Â i recommend the tuna tostada as an app, i could eat that for days, Â and the salmon was good too (be warned, very spicy, which i loved). Â I had a fresca (non-alcocolic mixed drink) with lime and coconut, it was pretty good but needed a bit more lime. Â I could see the drinks with alcohol being stellar if mine was that good though
the freebies are spot on, triple salsas, hot sauce, and cotton candy especially.
I had 2 major issues, one was that the music was VERY loud, like yell over it to talk across the table loud. Â maybe it was because it was Saturday night, but saying 'what?' 20 times a meal gets annoying. Â the second is that floor is slippery! Â like seriously... I had been once before a year ago and it was the same thing....just be careful!
I was given a gift card to this restaurant almost a year ago and although I've been once previously for drinks at the bar, I finally got a chance to try the place out for dinner a couple of weeks ago with my boyfriend.
I expected to be more impressed with the food having tried the bar bites at Lolita's (Red Lulu's sister restaurant in Boston). I loved the decor and loved the free extras (granita w/ tequila, chips w/ 3 different salsas, and cotton candy). However, I soon came to realize, these things didn't really come without a price. I got the slow cooked brisket tacos and my boyfriend got some type of tacos with lobster and mango. They were good but unremarkable and I would have still been starving if it wasn't for the fact that I pigged out on chips beforehand.
We also decided to split an order of churros for dessert and this is what bothered me....We paid $10 for 3 small churros and dipping sauces! I'm pretty sure I wasn't paying for the churros, but rather for the "free" granita, chips, and cotton candy. What a rip off. I recently got a whole plate of churros in Disney World for $4!!
I would always drive by this joint and be so drawn in from just looking at the outside. FInally, my dream was come true! I bought a groupon for this joint and wow is it good!
The decor inside is really gothic, everything red and black...I loved it! I could tell the boyfriend was getting a little annoyed because of me "ooo and ahhh"ing.
Our waiter was new, but he treated us great! He greeted us with some smoking grapefruit palate cleanser -- so cool! Then we were given complimentary chips and house made salsa - THREE of them! And damn were they good...mmmm. We started off with the sticky spare ribs as an app. With the boy not being a rib person, he loved them just as much as I did!
We split the mahi mahi tacos and the fried chicken ones, the mahi were a lot more flavorful as the fried chicken was just a little bit too crispy - could have been the bacon though..
We ended with the churros and I had got a spicy cucumber margirita. The margirita was extremely refreshing and the fresh jalapenos added a really nice touch. We would love to come back, but unfortunately, I think the prices are too high for our budget -- and for the location of it. Overall I hope this place stays!
I hate this place, I tried it twice. The first time I went it was for a bday gathering, it was freezing outside & they made us wait outside in line for over 30 mins!! It is ridiculous to make patrons wait outside just to make your place look "happening" the food was not great and neither was the service. Everyone was Super wasted and every creeper guy was on the prowl. Yeah I will pass on bad food, bad service & creeps everywhere!!
Review Source:The Diablo Margaritas. Incredible. I sold my soul to the devil, and you should too!
A 5 star review should be reserved for some place special, and I can't think of anywhere more tasteful and unique than the Red Lulu - yeah it has a sister-bar, the Lolita based in Boston just off of Newbury Street - but that's beside the point - the Red Lulu hits the mark with a Nouveau Mexican style menu, backed with a full-page, small-font tequila list with every variety and price-range of cacti-based liquor you can fathom.
I'm not going to go into deep detail, because the minute surprises the restaurant delivers should remain just that - an exquisite little surprise - from odd and decadent starters, to the amazing proportions of their bacon guacamole bowl - you have to experience it!
Start with a margarita. No - start with a PITCHER of margaritas! Pitchers anywhere else are weak, watered down and iced to impotence - but not here at the LuLu - grab a pitcher of the Diablo Margarita and go from there. Move to the Tequila towards the end of your entree - the waiters will be able to help you discern the perfect flavors and aromas to compliment your own palate as well as a matching with the food. Remember, Tequila is to Mexico as Wine is to Italy.
Anyways, the last thing I will say is the decor and ambiance is outlandish and perfectly pulled off! The bar looks like it is owned by the vampires from the movie "Underworld" and they happen to be mexican, obsessed with red and black velvet and leather, and just happen to be hosting a concert that Slash from Guns N Roses is headlining. It is mind-blowing, fun, trendy, yet comfortable and relaxed. You will feel at home - any place that discerns the ladies' room from the mens' room using portraits of Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas is cool in my book. 5/5 and I'll never look back.
Hey I love u!!! Been here twice service, food, drinks, all awsome. Â U don't have to be 25 as some other yelpers suggests to like it here. Hell I'm 40 have 2 kids under 4 and love, love , love it here . However I hope the owner/manager reads this cuz u guys should b packed to the gills on a Fri night instead of a half empty place. Now I love half naked woman but I think u guys might b in couple of health code violations. Â Maybe bring it down a notch. Most woman are Never going to bring in their boyfriend/husband/3 year old son with half dressed hostesses standing in your doorstep. Â Just a word from the wise. (Coming from a 25 veteran of the restaurant world)
That being said I will see u guys soon with my husband and 4 year old so  in tow
Met my adult children for dinner here because I was craving Mexican and my son suggested it. Â My daughter brought my toddler granddaughter and we soon learned that this is definitely NOT a place to bring small children. Â It is dark and, as a previous reviewer said, like sitting in a lingerie shop. Â It being in Salem, I assume the tourists love it but it's over the top for us. Â The female staff were dressed like strippers and, although already dark when we arrived at 5:30, they lowered the lights even more at 7pm. Â Forget trying to read the menu then. Â Our server (Alex or Adam I think) was very good at the beginning, but then all but disappeared after we got our food. Â My granddaughter was overtired and was starting to act up waiting for her dinner so we got her a kids meal across the street at Wendy's so she would not bother the other diners. Â She ate and my daughter took her home. Â This place is much more suited for a romantic dinner or 20 somethings wanting to sample Tequilas.
Our server brought the Granada, which was very good, but did not offer to put any tequila on it. Â I didn't know it was even an option until I read it here. Â We got the chips and three salsas which were very good (Hot crispy chips were almost perfect but too greasy). Â Guacamole didn't have much flavor and the Queso Fundito was grainy and tasteless too. Â The red sangria tasted like red wine watered down with sugar water. Â My daughter ended up eating the cheese quesadilla we had originally ordered for the baby and my sons got the Mahi tacos and the steak quesadilla. Â They were happy with their meals. Â I got the chicken tortilla soup. Â It was alright, about a 6 out of 10. Â I would have given it an 8 if it were hot instead of merely warm. Â We ordered Churros to share for dessert and they were very greasy. Â It seems that the oil was not hot enough so it soaked into the churro leaving an oily, almost bitter aftertaste. Â The dipping sauces were very good but could not hide the aftertaste. Â Definitely not worth $10.00.
I am NOT normally a picky eater, but, considering the prices, I expected much more. Â The real towels in the restrooms and the cotton candy at the end were GREAT touches, but I doubt I will return here or recommend it to any friends. Â Sadly, I think the tourists will love it as long as they come for the Salem-ish decor, over the top sexy waitresses and drinks and NOT the food.
PS - To be fair, Â I think that if I had had a chance to research this restaurant online before we went I would have known NOT to bring the baby, Â what to expect for prices and what to wear, but we went here at my 23 year old son's suggestion and I had no idea of what to expect.
I did it. Â 5 stars. Â It's hard to give ANYone 5 stars... Â I thought long and hard about this one... but it was truly a five star experience.
Admittedly, it was dead... dead dead dead. Â Bruins were in a playoff game on a Tuesday night, and this place has no TV. Â So, understandably- it was dead.
The decor MAY or may not being trying too hard... but it was Nice. Nice with a capital N. Â (Imagine the decor of a home if Dave Navaro and a Luchador from 1952 lived together.) Â They had beautiful Luchador masks in glass cases, Black and Red throughout, hints of velvet fluer de lis wall paper and a lot or wrought iron. Individual cloth towels in the bathrooms. Â Nice.
The tequila selection is incredible. Â If you want tequila... come here. period.
We sat at the bar, despite having our pick of the restaurant, and not only was the bartender friendly... but she actually delivered our two drinks at the exact same time. Â This is a nuance of service which is rarely recognized. Â +1 for the bartender.
The drinks were both inspired and delicious. I can see them being tough to make on a busy night, but on a night like tonight... amazingness. (we tried 3 different margaritas and one sparkling drink with a hibiscus flower- so I feel as if they are all likely successful) Â
The food was fresh, reasonably priced and had perfect flavor. We had shrimp tacos, elote corn, the chopped salad. Â All were perfect. Nothing was over seasoned - which can't be said for most Mexican places... so it was impressive. +1 for the kitchen.
The bartender both gave us space to talk and joined in on the conversation when addressed... she was very approachable. +2 for the bartender.
We were offered the desert menu- however we passed, since we had eaten so much already.
I cannot find a single fault with this place- and am shocked by some of the other reviews.
I will certainly give it another try soon and update the review on a busy night, when I am sure the experience could be quite different.
Red Lulus tries too hard in some ways and then not enough in others. It feels like you are sitting in a sketchy lingerie store with the lace wallpaper and dark atmosphere.  I asked a question on the menu if something was vegetarian, said yes and then after I already taken a bite came back and said it wasn't. (Twice). I did not eat the rest of my meal but the guests I were with had mediocre plates. Cotton candy is cool but more attention should be on the quality of the meals and waitress's  knowledge of the food.
Review Source:Red Lulu, the older and more mature sibling of Lolita's in Boston, is a great spot to get your Mexican on when you are in Salem. We stopped in on a Friday night (it was date night with the hubs - Mexican food and then the remastered "Evil Dead" in theaters...yessss) and it was hopping. No reservations for us...and thankfully, no wait either. We sat right down at a table and were then greeted by our server, Kenny. Kenny Powers. No, I'm not joking. He showed us his ID. His real name is, in fact, Kenneth Powers (aka Kenny).
Kenny was awesome. Attentive without being over-bearing. Apologetic in a non-condescending way when things got backed up at the bar.
I ordered the crispy pork belly and it came over a bed of veggies. The crispy pork was perfection, but someone used a heavy hand with the salt in the kitchen which rendered the porous veggies pretty much inedible. I ate around them though and was still satisfied after filling up on the queso fundido beforehand.
Such a yummy menu and I am looking forward to going back multiple times to try more and more entrees.
Red Lulu, you have redeemed yourself, and I'm happy to say it!
After my last review, I was contacted by management, who were extremely polite and professional. It seems they really wanted to take what I had to say and improve their processes.
When I came back last week (for the first time since December), it appears they have done just that.
Sat at a high-top at the bar area for dinner and drinks with a friend. Had great service from our waiter. Drinks were good, and we had guacamole (great) and I had the mahi mahi flautas -- pretty daring to go seafood considering I haven't loved this place, but they looked good. They were great! I would have gotten two orders if I hadn't eaten the entire bowl of guacamole. I guess you just have to know what to order when it comes to this menu.
We really enjoyed our evening here. Food, drinks, and service were great. I will be back! Thank you to the management here for caring about your patrons' opinions.
Our waiter Sean served us wet nachos. We asked why they were so damp and he apologized and said when it comes to the kitchen staff making food that it is what it is. I was appalled and he quickly walked away. We stayed because we had one of those groupons. He had a different server bring out our food and check oh and by the way she had cold sores. Surprisingly the food wasn't terrible but Sheila found an eyelash in her potato fries. Suggestion: go in with caution.
Review Source:Visited for the first time and had one of the best meals of my life! We both had the lobster tacos and they were simply perfect. Also their cornbread side is decadent and so yummy. Sort of a crazy decor and a bit gimmicky but the food and service were excellent. When I go back I will skip the fancy drinks and drink beer which is cheap there at $4 a bottle. Can't wait to return!
Review Source:Big fan!! Can't say that I agree with some of the poor reviews, but perhaps we have just lucked out with service and the food we ordered both times we visited. Â Being city transplants, it is sometimes hard to find fun upsacle'ish places in the 'burbs. Â The first time I walked into Red Lulu, I knew it I would like it. Â The ambiance is a little goth, but very fun. Â The music might be a bit two loud, but it gives you a reason to dance in your seat. Â Both times the food has been great. Â We recently tried that guacamole amspler and the seafood gauc was my fav. Â Cotton candy at the end of the meal is a nice touch and I like that they have plenty of mocktail options.
Review Source:Went to dinner here last week, very impressed. Our server Steve was very helpful and attentive. The complimentary granita is awesome, and the salsas are delicious. The drinks are a bit pricey and the sangria pitcher is 90% ice for a whopping $24. The food was awesome though. We shared the queso dip with chorizo and mushrooms, so good and could be an entree in itself. We also split the brisket tacos which were fall apart good and the grilled chicken quesadilla. Too full for dessert but I will never turn down cotton candy. Definitely recommend this place.
Review Source:We purchased a recent Groupon the restaurant offered for two taco dishes, two sides and one dessert for $25. The ambiance is very chic and swanky. It's very dark and they have somewhat seductive music playing. The server was very attentive and followed all the proper procedures.
They start with a sorbet (which you have the option of having drizzled with tequlia for free) to cleanse your taste buds. They then offer chips with a trio of salsas (salsa verde, a queso type sauce and a traditional salsa). which were all very good. We added an appetizer to the groupon - the vertical nachos. It was a soupy cheese, bean, avocado, tomato mixture with hard tortilla chips in the middle. I thought it was delicious. For our entrees, I had the crispy pork tacos and my husband had the fried chicken tacos. It was the perfect portion and everything was prepared perfectly. For dessert, we opted for the fried ice cream -- sooooo good. And of course with our bill, we got their famous cotton candy with pop rocks -- yum!
I also had a blanca sangria which was delightful and refreshing. Overall, nice restaurant. Had we payed full price it would have been 68.00, which is the only reason for 4 stars vs 5. This establishment has a downtown boston location as well, and you can certainly get that downtown but $68 seems pricey for Salem. I would enjoy going back but perhaps for a special occasion.
So I had only been there for drinks before, but got invited out to dinner.
The place has awesome decor that provides a really nice atmosphere that is perfect for a date. The margaritas are a little pricey, but totally worth it. Especially worth it due to the fact that they bring awesome chips and different salsa.
Get the three different kinds of guacamole... you won't regret it. Pork, crab, and jalapeno guac is great. The sweet potato fries are also great, they have a cinnamon/barbecue  flavor that is great.
The tacos are also a little expensive, but again totally worth it. Mahi mahi tacos are great. Good spice, flavor, and consistency.
To wrap it all up, they bring free cotton candy out with the check. Also, they bring temporary tattoos out with the check... legitimately the first place that I have seen that does that, but it was awesome. Actually put it right on my wrist.
All and all, great atmosphere, great drinks, amazing food, and great service.
The good: We had great service and I love cotton candy.
The bad: Average food and overall the restaurant was just "trying too hard."
Moral: We won't go back.
The service: Our server was great. Friendly, attentive (we were only a handful of tables). Â
The food: Average. Â Too pricey for what it was. Â
Chips were regular. Â Usually in more upscale restaurants I like the thicker chips. Â Verde salsa was good. Mango habanero was eh and same with the roja. The grapefruit granita (served smoking over dry ice) and cotton candy that came with the check were good - but felt completely random and like something the owners saw somewhere that was cool once - trying too hard.
Overall, the menu wasn't too exciting for me. Tacos and quesadillas that don't even come with sides? Â No rice, no beans unless you want to pay an extra $6? I got a Caesar salad presented on the plate with two hunks of romain criss-crossed. Â Sure, it was pretty, but I spent five minutes cutting up my own $12 lettuce and mixing it in with my five croutons. Â Don't sacrifice function for aesthetics - find the balance. Â My friends had tacos and quesadillas. Â They thought they were fine - with no sides they looked sad on the plate. I feel like if they just served great food in great portions and didn't try so hard to make it seem fancy, it would be much better. Â Take a note from the Mexican place in downtown Newburyport, which is also on the pricier side but delicious.
The decor: Was silly to me. It felt like a 40-year-old man in a too-tight Afflicted t-shirt. Â Just a little "douche-baggy." Â We sat at a sofa booth and there was no place to put my feet because the table had an ornate bottom (aesthetic over function), the chandelier blocked the waiter from being able to see us unless he crouched down under it - and he wasn't particularly tall (aesthetic over function).
Recently went to dinner with my husband on a Friday night. Â We had a 7 p.m. reservation, but ended up there (from the airport) an hour early. Â There was no problem being seated right away, which worked out well since after 7 the place filled up pretty quickly. Â We were using a Groupon coupon where you were able to pick 2 entrees, sides, dessert...there didn't seem to be a limitation on what you could order which was nice.
After being seated our waitress brought over a smoking bowl of crushed ice and added a bit of tequila to it (the concoction was grapefruit flavored and, I believe, meant to be some kind of cool palate cleanser). Â We liked the effect. Â We were then served chips and salsa (a variety of 3 different salsas/dips). Â Very tasty...we liked. Â The service was very good, btw. Â Attentive without being overwhelming.
We were pleased with the food. Â The selection was surprisingly different than most Mexican restaurants we'd been to. Â My husband ordered the blackened maha mahi tacos for his entree. Â I had the slow-cooked brisket taco. Â Like I said, something different. Â My husband really liked his taco. Â I expected mine to be a bit dry since it was served with a side of gravy, but it was very good. Â For sides we had papa dolches (fried mashed potatoes) and chile relleno (very good!). Â Altogether an interesting variety of things to try. Â The dessert was delicious and beautiful. Â For the final act, we were served fresh spun cotton candy with pop rocks with our check.
Prices were slightly above average for the quality of food, but the atmosphere more than made up for it. Â It was an amazing decor. Â Candle light, antique-looking walls and iron throughout...it felt like a vampire hangout (or what I imagine one might look like). Â We would recommend checking this place out if not for the food, definitely worth a trip for the ambience and experience. Â To me, it had a "date night" feel.
I was a little overwhelmed, this place is just so very cool! We tried to get a reservation for a Thursday night and they were all booked up. They suggesting just showing up and trying for a table in the lounge. That's what we did, and we got seated right away. The place was full, so we lucked out!
I loved this part; right off the bat, first thing, they bring shaved ice to your table and offer to pour tequila on it for you, and it's complementary! Free tequila? Yes please! Then, three salsas come with the complementary chips, all of them delicious. My date got a quesadilla, something I think I must have sampled in just about every Mexican place I've ever been too. This one? The best one. That's right, the winner is right here. Not so cheesy that it spills out and hangs in strings, and it's light and crispy, not oily and soggy. Beautiful.
I ordered the Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos and loved them.
Oh, and the tequila! I love tequila, and so does Red Lulu. They offer so many different tequilas it made my head spin. I was driving, so I just ordered a margarita and nursed it. Next time I'll have a designated driver with me and there will be shots. The margarita was yummy.
We ordered coffee, and the deep, rich Mexican coffee came with a tray of different types of sweeteners. I don't usually put sugar in my coffee, but I tried it this time, the raw sugar called out to me.
To be fair, I ordered the carne asada, which was one of the pricier items. It was not like any carne asada I've ever had. It was basically a plate of meat with a teaspoon of guacamole, a pepper, and 4 tortillas. The meat was a little tough and tasted "normal" if that makes since. I expected it to havesome serious flavor to it. Â and carne asada is a stew served over rice. Not fajitas. With no condiments.
Was not impressed. Will not go back for anything but drinks and chips.
This is the sexiest place I have ever stepped foot in. The decor, the drinks, the bartenders, ooooohhwwweeeeeeeeeee :)
I have a new found love for anything with tequila, I think I tried about half their drink menu and I loved them all pretty equally. Like most places with good liquor drinks, this can get expensive but I was treating myself that night (I think they were all about 10-12 dollars a pop). They have maybe a dozen beers all for about 5 bucks which is a great option.
The chips & three dips are delicious, and everything we ordered from the menu was impressive. I honestly wasn't expecting anything great for the food and I was pleasantly surprised. Carne Asada was the most memorable. It salsa-ed out of the kitchen knowing how sexy and perfectly plated it was. The carne was perfectly cooked and seasoned and devoured within minutes.
If I could afford to eat and drink here on a weekly basis I would pretty much move in.
overall, IN LOVE. Do your self a favor & check it out.
This night was hit and miss. Great ambiance fun atmosphere.
Seated at a high top which was small and smothered with candles and flowers making it difficult for all the dishes to fit. We ditched them quickly. No place for purses so they sat on the sticky floor.
Tequila granita was a nice start.
1st course was a trio of ceviche, fresh guac. Lobster ceviche was great, but not enough to make up for the other two which were tasteless.
I had shrimp tacos. Yummy. Friend had stew which was okay. Husband and friend ha carne asada. Very flavorful. Desserts were disappointing. Quattro leches was meh. Caramel something ror other was a thick overdone cookie with some kind of dipping sauce. Nobody enjoyed anything. The bill came with cotton candy, and the waitress was sweet and brought us too. Drinks were decent.
Now that we've been there and done that we won't go racing back.
Red Lulu is a solid three stars, mostly due to our server and hit-or-miss entrees. My friends went on the Saturday before Halloween- Salem was definitely bumping and we were lucky to place a reservation ahead of time.
The good- Gothic vibe with wrought iron fixtures and perfect mood lighting. We were seated at one of the high tops, but it seemed like there were plenty of other options for groups during less busy occasions. The whole restaurant felt like boudoir opulence chic with a slight Mexican edge. My party found the waitstaff's make up very appropriate- think Mexican sugar skull style with extra edginess. Some of the artistry was amazaballs! Plus, cotton candy at the end of the meal was perfect.
The bad and ugly- Our server was extremely inexperienced. We all knew that Red Lulu (and the rest of Salem) was busy and didn't expect 5 star service, but we left feeling very disappointed and annoyed. From the get go my party could tell that our server was frazzled and overly nervous. She needed our orders to be repeated twice and it seemed she just wanted to bolt from our table.
The food was ok, nothing phenomenal but decent enough. We started off really well with the guacamole trio, a medley of avocado goodness that ran from mild to caliente. After that, our food was so-so. Our server actually dropped several of the entrees next to our table... definitely did not help provide a positive experience,
For an upscale style establishment, I find the inexperienced staff working on the busiest night of the year very concerning. This is your time to shine and you're leaving it to sub-par amateurs?
What an enjoyable evening.
We arrived a bit early and had a cocktail at the bar. Very nice martini by the way. Still has a lot of the old Strega feel but definitely slanted towards a Mexican theme.
Once seated, Amberly greeted us with a big smile and a friendly manner. We ordered addtional cocktails while perusing the menu. As we read a review of Red Lulu in Northshore Mag, I already had a good idea of my selections. Also, warm nachos and a variety of salsa, Â were provided along with an in house made hot sauce. A little heat but not close to our usual toxic waste.
I ordered sticky spare ribs for an app. Wow!! lots of different flavors. The cumin a coriander really made the ribs stand out. Also provided were two warm towels for my messy hands. So much better than the old wash and dried out towelettes normally provided.
As I mentioned how I like my Mexican dishes, hot and spicy, Amberly suggested the pollo asado. My wife ordered the fire grilled salmon.  My chicken came out perfectly cooked. The peppers and habenero vinegar provided a very nice "bite" to the overall flavor. My wife's salmon was not prepared as ordered and was immediately  taken back and corrected. Amberly was very apologetic. Really no need as she was the messenger but nice follow up. The manager also came over to apologize and make sure my wife's second dish was prepared to her liking. Also a nice follow up. The manager also offered to comp a round of drinks, which was unnecessary but very generous.
We split the chocolate bread pudding with coffee ice cream and boy, a great dense serving was offered.
As I travel to Mexico for business frequently, I took a look at the tequila menu. A very nice selection and not just your basic Cabo Wabo and Don Julio. I ordered a nice riazul blanco and it was a great finish to a great dining experience.
A great venue with  some authentic Mexican food, great service and ambiance, definitely a keeper.
Shaved ice with tequila as an appetizer and cotton candy for dessert - this place rocks.
Indoor decor is romantic and cozy (great date locale) and menu has an interesting array of food options. Not overly catered to vegetarians, but enough to choose from.
We loved having dinner here, and will be back. Maybe for after hours, which I hear is quite a good time!
Took a little day trip to Salem with my husband to check out all the Halloween festivities. Â I yelped a few restaurants in the area prior to going, and we decided on Mexican once we were there.
This restaurant is a little out of the way compared to where all the Halloween action is at...but by all means is only a 5-7 minute walk and well worth the trip.
Ambiance is cool, service is great, and food is fantastic. Â We had amazing drinks, I'm sure they are all good, but we especially enjoyed the spicy cucumber drink we ordered. Â
We shared the carne asada for dinner, which was a large portion and enough for the two of us. Â
The chips and salsa trio is also delicious...the chipotle sour cream is excellent and the salsa verde is very fresh. Â Oh, and if you like spicy, be sure to try the house hot sauce...it's very very good and reminds me of a hot sauce my Grandmother makes.
Ended the meal with a complimentary statue of cotton candy and pop rocks...not necessary but was cool and was a tasty treat.
Whenever we return to Salem, we'll be sure to go back here.
The first thing I think of when I went inside was I expected Jessica Alba to dance around (Sin City reference) in gothic clothing. Â I could imagine vampires coming in for their taco fix and lounge around enjoying the romantic goth feel of Red Lulu. Â
We went in with a groupon so we had 2 sides, 2 taco dishes, and dessert. Â Before dinner they have a complimentary grapefruit slushy mixture as a palate cleanser(which came with splash of tequila!) and in house chips with four types of salsa. Â
We had green beans with bacon and cotija cheese. Â The green beans had a nice crunch and the dish was flavorful. Â We also had zocalo corn which is delicious, but I thought it was overpriced. Â I'm pretty sure in NYC you can go to a Cuban restaurant and get the same style of corn for cheaper. Â Next up we had tacos - crispy pork and garlic ribeye. Â Both delicious but for the price, I would want a little more meat for the price(I want to see that tortilla overflown with meat!). Â Â
Dessert was churros which came with an almond milk sauce and chocolate sauce for dipping. Â The churros were made to order. Â It was nice and crispy but I would prefer more cinnamon sugar rolled on it. Â The dipping sauce went very well with the dish.
Drinks - I tried a strawberry basil mojito - light and refreshing. Â My husband had a bottled beer(no beers on tap). Â
The end of the meal was topped off with a gigantic fluff of strawberry cotton candy with pop rocks on it. Â Delightful! Â
Service was great, the waitress was very nice and attentive. Â
Overall, the food is good but the price is a little high for it.
My wife and I just kind of stumbled on this restaurant on a day trip to Salem but were really impressed and we have returned several times since then. I feel like they really work harder for you business here than the high end places in Boston which often act like they are doing you a favor.
I love the palette cleansing steaming bowl of sugared tequila they start you out with, it really sets the tone. Â The bucket of warm, house fried chips with three different kinds of salsa is delicious, i could probably just drink and add some of their amazing guacamole and be happy with just that. But of course I never do that, because I am a hopeless glutton.
Last time we went I had the Lobster (because it was my birthday) It was very tasty served with a cream sauce for dipping. We also had a Groupon that gave us different tacos and sides. the tacos were pretty tasty but needed a little salsa to spice them up a bit (which was on the table anyway) We got the fried banana dessert which was honestly mind-blowing.
Lastly I have to mention the drinks, oh the drinks! I had the traditional Margarita which was decent and the Rose Margarita which was spectacular. I also had a shot of the smoothest most delicious tequila I have ever had, my friend ordered it for me so I don't know what it was called but tequila is their specialty so ask your server for a recommendation.
Our server was also really friendly and attentive, the only negative is the 45 minute to an hour drive back to Boston when I just wanted to lay down and take a nap. Beside that highly recommended if you are in Salem!
I honestly love this place. Â Came here on a Friday night with a reservation at 8:00 PM and we were seated a few minutes after everyone in our party was there.
I have been to Lolita's in Boston before, so it had the same decor. Â I love it.
The service here is great. Â The hostesses were nice and greeted us right away at the door. Â Our server was awesome! Â I don't know her name, but she was very attentive throughout the night and didn't bother us or anything.
I had the carne asada.. delicious. Â My friends had the salmon, tuna, and the jumbo shrimp. Â Everything was great!
We weren't going to get dessert at first.. but it was our friend's birthday so we opted for the chocolate bread pudding. OMG. It was amazing! Â It was kind of like a really light, warm brownie topped with coffee ice cream. Â So good!
Definitely coming back here again.
My sister and I checked out Red Lulu's and thought it was decent. I liked the decor and overall mood, kind of dark and sexy. Had a few drinks and some apps and thought it was a bit pricey for the quality of both. It was okay but not amazing or anything.
This would be a spot I might start at during a night out, but not stay longer than a drink or two.
Finally made it over here last night. Oh my, it is as good as everyone says.
We were given the frozen grapefruit to start, then free chips with 4 kinds of salsa. All of which were delicious. I had some ginger mojitos that were very good. Started with the oysters, which were yummy. We only got 5 oysters, so we had to fight over who got the odd one out.
For dinner I had duck tacos, they were amazing. The bf got pulled pork tacos which he also loved. They don't come with sides like beans or rice, but we decided not to order any. Three tacos were very filing. We weren't going to get dessert, but when we saw churros on the menu, decided to go for it. Great decision. They were warm and soft and full of cinnamon goodness. The almond dipping sauce was so good I wanted to eat it with a spoon.
After all that we still got the complimentary cotton candy with our bill. It was good but we were full, so we left it behind. Overall it was around $75 for everything, which is a little more than we usually spend at dinner, but it everything was so tasty and all the freebies made it a reasonable price overall.
Can't wait to go back and try other items on the menu. I have been raving to my friends about this place all day.
Let me just say that the first thing I saw was their badass logo, and nothing let me down after that. I lived in Arizona for 5 years, and am pretty picky about my Mexican food, and Red Lulu made it WELL into the top 5 in MA. I knew it would be good based on what I heard about the sister spot in Boston, Lolita... and my friend went to culinary school with the owner and raved about his abilities. I was not let down. Please note, however, this is upscale gourmet Mexican fare. Don't expect a $4 burrito on a plastic plate. Although there is a time and place for that, trust me... this place is for a sexy night out with fancy cocktails and innovative cuisine.
Of course, upon entry, I fell in love. I want to replicate this decor in my house. Every room. The host could see how enthralled I was and proceeded to tell me the stories behind all the deco elements and furniture/fixtures they used as he showed us our table. Really cool stuff.
The place was empty but it was 8pm on a Sunday night. However this meant impeccable service for us! I hope this level of service is maintained even on a busy night! I do not remember the name of our waitress but she was friendly and adorable and accommodating. She started us off with complimentary grapefruit ice and took our drink order immediately. We also got complimentary chips with 3 kinds of amazing salsas and a TO DIE FOR mango hot sauce that was perfectly sweet and spicy. The only problem was figuring out how to dip my chip in all 4 sauces at once! Although for someone who likes her food REALLY spicy, the stuff that was supposedly "really spicy" was not so fiery. I guess it's safer for them to err on the side of mild, but I like it HOT HOT HOT.
I was told to order the Diablo margarita, and that sounded great, but I opted for the spicy cucumber margarita because I can NEVER pass up a drink with cukes in it. IT WAS PERFECT. Enough tequila so that you could taste it, and perfectly sweet and crisp and refreshing. I normally don't like really sweet drinks, so this was done right, and tasted so fresh. I will be trying to replicate the recipe on my porch in the sun every day this summer.
We started with the lobster/crab guacamole with garlic oil... expensive and rich, but delicious. Then I got the BBQ brisket tacos with the roasted brussel sprouts on the side. I do prefer places that give you rice and beans with your entree, but I was still incredibly full after all this, so no matter. The tacos were slathered in slightly too much BBQ sauce, but amazing sauce, it was. The brussel sprouts were slightly undercooked, but perfectly flavored (with bacon of course). My fiancée got the carne asada and asked for it cooked "still moving". The chef was adamantly excited about his rare meat preference and it was delicious.
Although we were full to the max, we just couldn't pass up dessert... so many good options. We decided to go with the quatro leches, even though my fiancée is lactose intolerant, heh. The cake was a bit on the dry side, but the strawberries were LITERALLY the best, sweetest and juiciest I have ever had. I have NO idea where they got them from, and can only assume it was Magic Strawberry Heaven Land. Then they bring over the FREE COTTON CANDY. What? Yes. And of course, it's the best cotton candy I have ever had, and I go to lots of carnivals.
We already want to plan our wedding rehearsal dinner at this venue and pretty much any birthday/anniversary date night excursion will most likely be here too. The ambiance is perfect and even the music was spot on for the mood. OH and they are open 7 nights a week until 12:30 so fun cocktail nights and maybe a late-ish night snack are an option too, woo! Yay for our new favorite Mexican place in our new town!
AMAZING!! No other word for it......
My boyfriend and I went in for dinner Saturday night...Eric was our waiter and was incredible -- he had personality, attentiveness, and wasn't annoying when it came to checking up on us
Granita to start with tequila = refreshing
chips with dip = really good---i normally don't like picking on chips BUT the dips were so good it was hard to resist.
For appetizers, I got the chopped salad and my boyfriend got the tortilla soup..I thought the soup was a bit to hott (peppery) but my boyfriend LOVED it! Â Chopped salad was perfect.
For my meal I got brussel sprouts and sauteed greens. Â Both seasoned to perfection, not overly spicy...My boyfriend got short rips sopas and corn bread....This corn bread was literally out-of-this-world....I thought it was going to be your average cornbread--nope, i was wrong---sweet/buttery/moist..almost like a desert,, couldn't get enough of it
Drinks -- I got the broken heart and he got a champagne hibiscus drink...both delicious and nothing to complain about!
Desert -- espresso bread pudding with coffee ice cream...it was more like a flour-less torte consistency and less bread pudding-ee but still so decadent and delsish!
And the complimentary cotton candy doesn't hurt either :)
HIGHLY recommended!
We decided to give Red Lulu a try during Restaurant Week. We arrived on Thursday evening and it was full by 7pm. The decor is a very black/red boudoir with a lot of gothic accents. It's nice to look at something besides Boston sports decor every now and then when eating out.
The service was good. Our waitress was attentive and friendly. The only thing I didn't like was that I felt the presentation of the coffee service at the end of the meal was awkward. Let me explain - they bring a tray of 4 coffee fixings (sugars, etc) and then as if you would like coffee as you are looking at an array of sugars. Just weird. But it worked as my husband who never orders coffee, decided, "Why not?" After tasting it, he decided he would not make the same mistake again.
FOOD! It was hit and miss. Here's the breakdown:
Miss - Spicy Caesar Salad. This is boring and not worth your time.
Decent dishes - Duck tacos - pretty tasty but presentation lacking and no salsa, guac, sour cream, etc come with it... just a bit of pineapple salsa inside. Corn bread was very cakey. I liked it but it is also covered in queso sauce which seemed too indulgent for my taste.
Good! Churros, carne asada, guacamole were all very good. Only complaint is that I wish the chocolate with the churros wasn't cold!
DRINKS! We had the Lolita and the Sangria. Didn't think they were anything special and the margarita was all ice cubes. Not worth the money. Next time, I'll try out the wine selection instead.
Freebies: Each meal starts with a complimentary granita palate cleanser (with or without tequila), tortilla chips, and 3 salsa dips. All dips were good. The meal ends with a very large sour apple cotton candy cone sprinkled with pop rocks. To be honest, I was stuffed and couldn't have many bites of cotton candy.
Our total bill for two people with one drink each was $72. I would go back but order a few plates of tacos to share with the table, a side of guac and maybe split the churros for dessert.
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