Had I been a Yelp member when Red Lulus first opened I would have given it 4 or more stars, however since then it has really gone down hill. Â Not only are the drinks weaker but the food is now mediocre. Â It's not just the alcohol in the drinks that has gotten cheap, it's the little things. Â You used to get frozen grapefruit with tequila as soon as you sat down, that no longer happens. Â There also used to be cloth hand towels in the bathroom and they are gone. Â Even the food is cheaper. Â It's all so disappointing!
Review Source:I was really excited to try this place as my friend raved about all the yummy food selections, but to our dismay, they no longer serve food. Strictly drinks. Â What a Bummer. Â I couldn't even get any goddamn chips n salsa!!!!!!
It was just all so Strange. We walked in at 10pm on a saturday night to find not a soul in the place. Â The bartender was jumpy and awkward, and couldn't provide us with a drink menu. He merely pointed to the chalkboard that was 10 ft away, listing 4 different margaritas. Thanks? For a place only serving drinks, you would think a drink menu and more specials would be KEY.
The atmosphere was dim and sexual. The graffiti wall is pretty cool and I like the dispersed lounge areas. Â I could see it being a chill spot, but I couldn't really get a good feel because it was so empty, and we were just turned off from disappointment.
Will I go back? Probably not because I live in Hamden; but if I was close by, I think I would give it another shot. It has potential, I guess.
This place is dead sexy. I came here with my sis after Gingerman across the street was less than cordial to us, and glad I did. Red Lulu's got a hip Manhattan club / sex dungeon / bachelor pad vibe going on, and it's pretty rad. Lots of red velvet curtains, black leather, and ambient lighting. The front has a terrific wrap-around couch and a few tables scattered around the bar, which is where I hung. The place is enormous spreading into two levels of tables and more sections to hang. Nice drink menu, and though the mojito I ordered was straight up terrible (tasted like a bottled mix) the bartender swapped it out sangria, which was top notch. I'd def be interested to come back for dinner, as I hear the food is top-notch. So No win!
Review Source:THE BLACK LODGE. Seriously, this place is a mix of the Twin Peaks black lodge and a gothic S&M sex dungeon. Uh...in a good way, I guess.
I came here with my sister tonight because the Gingerman was being a jerk about letting us sit down with our beers ("we're serving dinner til 10:30" they say) so we got outta there. I'd heard about Red Lulu from Fairfield County friends for years, and in terms of ambiance, they've got it goin' ON! Velvet, crimson uplighting, lanterns, lounge and two levels of dining space.
My sister ordered a mojito and I opted for the sangria which was lovely with a hint of St. Germain. The mojito was, frankly, not drinkable but the bartender was super kind about her switching it out for a sangria. We only stayed for one drink but I'd definitely like to check out the food next time, and hopefully add on an extra star!
Red Lulu has beguiling large red lanterns, hung in calculated asymmetrical patterns, candles, and a winding, mysterious, but frilly interior. Â Skulls in display cases and black embroidered jacquard wallpaper by the bathroom, red jacquard wallpaper anywhere else, exaggerated candelabras, Mexican Mission style crosses, and red fabric lamps arranged a la the scene with Banderas and Hayek in Desperado. Â As I said, and a guy agreed with me, "A great place to take a girl." Â More than that, a place that caters specifically to girls and their ambiance-heavy imagining of lounge sexuality. Â The thing is, I love visually striking red, neon, and colored lights and In the Mood for Love-style displays. Â And guys say such things as, they wish the men in porn said less phallus softening things to women. Â Pretty alienating that I kind of hate well lit dive bars and other things they like. Â
I began to realize that there's a girly emphasis here when the waiter highly recommended a Coconut margarita/mojito drink. Â It was good and cloyingly sweet, and made me feel quite like a girl (not like when I drink Paul Giraud at the Brandy Library or Lagavulin anywhere.)
I look at the menu and see that it has some of my favorite things, tortilla soup, chile con carne. Â Maybe I should go there as it's meant to be, pre-game a sensual ambiance with mah gurlz and go to whatever steak house or neutral dive bar next.
12-17-2012 Review with 2 Stars:
Wow, since last eating here a lot has changed and not in a positive way. Â I think the smoke has lifted as the prices remain high but the food quality has taken a major nose dive. Â I'm generally of the disposition that it's better to not say anything unless its kind but relative to my original review I think unfortunately its a serious disservice to not update my review for everyone's betterment.
In short, they still have good drinks with creative tequila as the basis, above average environment and as expected service for the price. Â I hope this place sticks as the ambiance is fun for drinks with friends but I think it's getting a bit basic and likely a step not in the direction of sustainability. Â I immediately noticed there are about half the displayed options of tequila that were there last time I visited, not a good sign...
11-10-2010 Review with 4 Stars:
Margarita galore with specialty options in regards to agave-based alcohol - tequila. Â $10-15 per drink on average so not an economical option but based on the Greenwich branch success I suspect the added goth ambiance puts the price right for South Norwalk. Â A truly exceptional experience spot for dining as well as for drinks and it's founded in professionally consulted restaurant advice so hopefully it will stick beyond the standard come and go approach most drinking holes create in this area.
Okay, I was back again at Lulu's since my last review. Sat upstairs in a booth this time with same group of friends. Crazy how one of them had gone online to make a 6 pm reservation and nothing was available for next 2 hours. We took a chance and went anyway at 6 and there was only one couple eating. Place was empty. I mentioned it to the waitstaff that the site wouldn't let us book and am still scratching my head by her reply "well it is early". I'm not sure what that meant but the place was a ghost town until around 8 when tables started to fill up. We go there because it's a dark, mysterious kinda place with okay food and fun for a little birthday celebration but don't be disappointed that you can't get a good margarita there because you can't. I've been 3 times and haven't, plus there's not much tequila in them when your order the pitcher size for the group. Every time we go, we lay out some serious cash so be prepared. Beware, shots will cost you, but the tequila is smooth.
Review Source:I have only been here once, so perhaps it was just a bad experience, but this was the worst dining experience I have ever had. To keep it short and sweet, our waiter, a big burly long haired Fabiola looking fella, thought he was very cool, too cool to make mistakes - funny because that's all he did. The menu is terrible. They brought us the wrong appetizer. Wrong dinners. Didn't even have explanations or know that they brought us the wrong food. And the food was pretty bad. No recognition for poor service and didn't offer any type of complimentary food. First time in my life I left no tip - it was that bad.
Review Source:Red Lulu is so much fun! Â I've been there in the past a bunch of times but heard recently that it is under new management so I wanted to check it out. Â The drinks and food were great (especially the Diablo margarita). I value a large salad and Red Lulu's Cesar salad was excellent (and double the size of the past). Â The chips, salsa and guacamole were also delicious. Â My friend got the house salad which was large as well. Â For our entrees, we each ordered the lobster enchilada which was delicious. As always, the atmosphere was awesome, the service staff was attentive and my friend and I both had a great time! Â Compared to the past, I felt like I definitely got more food for my money as well as the awesome atmosphere that keeps Red Lulu in a league of its own. Â I would totally recommend Red Lulu and will definitely be back again soon!
Review Source:We had dinner in the front "lounge" area. The steak was amazing. The chef brought it out herself, and you could tell from her smile she was very proud of her creation. I was so proud of her creation, I wanted to hug her after tasting it.
The waitress was attentive and knew details of everything on the drink menu. Asked me my preferences (did I want sweet, savory, spicy?) and returned with a spicy margarita on the rocks (was it called Diablo Margarita? I forget the name) that was sooooooooo yummy, top shelf and had a nice strong kick. Even the salt on the rim had spice mixed in.
The dinner of an appetizer, two steaks, one booze drink and one soda was pricey, but well worth it. We normally don't spend that much, but will return again for a special occasion in the future.
The decor was interesting in a vampire bordello sort of way. I expected the characters from that HBO vampire show to come serve my drinks.
Some of the wait staff were in fishnets and corset get-ups. That was kind of funny but matched the restaurant decor. I know my husband enjoyed the "view." But even with the skimpy outfits, the waitresses were sharp and very attentive to me as well as my spouse. They were never flirty they were simply "in costume" and very outgoing.
Well, better than a boring square restaurant with lined up booths and nothing to look at on the walls! Just add some hot men in attractive gear for the wives to enjoy the view as well. I think I only saw one male bartender while I was there.
I went back and forth between two stars and three. Obviously I settled on 3 (A-OK) as it truly was OK. Â Not great but not horrible.
The decor is interesting. Â I kind of felt like I was at some sort of theme park. Â Unfortunately it was a very humid June night and it seemed like they couldn't cool the place down. Â I did see many ceiling fans that were not turned on, that would have been a good place to start.
We went to take advantage of restaurant week since I've heard that things can add up quickly. Â I had the spicy Caesar salad and the pork tacos (can't remember their fancier name). Â My friend had the tortilla soup and the garlic chicken. Â We both had some sort of chocolate bread pudding for dessert. Â I think overall we both felt that the food was good, but not great.
Our waiter was mediocre and I feel that the waitstaff should check their egos at the door. Â I thought overall the place and the crowd had that holier than though attitude. Â No thanks.
I'm glad I went but likely will not be returning anytime soon as there's just no need.
It pains me to give them two stars, I used to absolutely love Red Lulu. However, things have changed. In fact, halfway through my most recent visit, I actually inquired with the waitstaff as to whether they change owners. Apparently they are trying to differentiate themselves from Lolita, but the problem with that is Lolita is excellent and they are now horrible.
They used to have a more diverse menu, which they scaled back due to their most recent change. A lot of my favorites have changed or are no longer on the menu. The clay pot of beans was such a good side, they have now subbed out the black for pinto and it's not even close to what it used to be.
Also the vibe used to be unique, dark music and Tim Burton films on the screen. Not anymore, there was a weird wrestling movie on and they were playing top 40. I am by no means gothic, but it's fun to go someplace a little different.
The whole night started with 8:45 reservations, we  ( party of 3) arrived right on time. They asked us to grab a drink and wait at the bar...15 mnutes went by, then 20, then 30! Meanwhile we watched parties of 4 come in with no reservations get sat. I finally asked why this was happening, and they were actually saving a particular table for us where a couple was finishing up......a table for TWO and they were adding a chair to the end. RUDE.
It was really just a downward spiral from there, our waitress was AWFUL. She was too busy dancing for her other tables to take our order, check back on us, or even come to help when one of my friends choked on a giant chicken bone in her taco! No joke, it was about 2 inches long and sharp. If that doesn't ruin a meal I don't know what does.
We had to flag someone down to take away the chicken and at no point did the manager ever come to our table to apologize. Again we waited for the check, then waited for her to take our cards, and FINALLY flagged someone down to get the final bill.
If you think I am exaggerating about the wait time, we paid for 3 hours on the meter and were concerned about making it to our car on time to avoid a ticket.
I WANT THE OLD RED LULU BACK!
Red Lulu is probably the most unique dining experience in Fairfield County, CT. The atmosphere is top notch and the food is delicious and reasonably priced. The drinks are a bit pricey but better then most for the area. Restaurant wise, Â you can't go wrong as a twenty something guest.
Review Source:Had a pleasent experience. The ambiance is different and fun. It has a goth theme with a lot of red and black. It also has a big cross shaped table, which although impractical, looked preety cool. They also show a muted movie on a huge wall. For us it was "sucker punch", which was good because that movie was better muted anyways.
  So we get there and they wouldn't let us sit till our  whole party was was present, which was quite annoying. Eventually we convinced them to let us in to our table. They sat our party at the cross which is impractical because our party couldn't all face each other but we managed to all squeeze in on one of the arms of the table. They then brought us some sort of tequila ice cream that was overflowing with dry ice.. Awesome presentation and tasty. Everyone liked there meal. I had the quesadilla. Real good. It was a little pricy. But the whole package was worth it. It's a place I wouldn't be a regular at, but  is fun once and a while. The service was so so. It wasn't bad and they were not exactly rude but they were sort of apathetic.
Had an experience instead of "just" dinner! Everything on the menu was delicious and I really appreciated the fresh juices on the menu for the non-alcoholics. The tres ceviches and lobster guacamole were amazing. The restaurant has a great goth avant-garde theme. The bar area fills up as the night goes on. This is a great place to see and be seen down on the main floor or have an intimate meal in the curtained booths or upstairs. The music is great and after midnight there is DANCING! Woo!
Review Source:Not the place you want to come to if you want a quiet conversation and your water glass filled up when it gets to that half empty point but a trendy spot with good food, great drinks and nice vibe in Sono.
Two recommendations are the Guacamole with lobster  and the skirt steak........both well done here but the steak can be spicey if you're not a fan of spice.
Get your waitress on your side early and she will be more attentive otherwise it will be a long night waiting for drinks as some other posts mention.
If you like tequila, which I do, ask the bartender for a recommendation........don't stick to Patron tonight.
If you're in a wheelchair, ask for a reservation upfront in the lounge area as there are a few steps down in the back dining area.
I've still only tried their margaritas, but they are the best margaritas I've ever had in Connecticut (I know that isn't saying much). Â They are the fancy margaritas with top-shelf tequila and ingredients you wouldn't expect (serrano peppers). Â They are definitely on the pricey side though. Â The ambiance is nice for a date (very dark and mostly tables for 2).
Review Source:Waited 40 after reservation to be seated, gave them s birthday cake to refrigerate and it was melted when it came out. They took long to take order, forgot our silverware and napkins. The server was great, tho. Food excellent and cool drinks! The atmosphere was cool and the music was cool mixes of stuff. Was worth the aggravation, will def go back !
Review Source:Our group went early eve
So there was plenty of space
We sat in the lounge on the couches
And it was supremely pleasant
The diablo tasted great as did the coco lime as did the rose sangria as did the straight up marg
But what was amazing was the sweet potato fries
I do sweet potato fries whenever I can
So I feel pretty confident that
Those fries were really great
This place is cool fun hip place with good tasting food and drink
Whether u r a hipster or not
This place is worth visiting
The only reason I'm not giving this place 5 stars
Is cause I Â thought the prices were really steep
I am not big on the Manhattanite wannabe factor either, but I have to say the food, atmosphere, drinks and service are hard to beat. Â I've been here a few times so far, but on the last occasion was a bit shocked that I was asked to remove my hat on a Wednesday night around 7PM. Â Considering it is mid-summer and there are many folks out and about coming from the beach or close by boat docks I would think that the dress code would not be enforced so early on. Â I normally remove my hat at dinner, but never appreciate being told to do so.
That said, Â I love authentic Mexican food which you can and should get a few doors down at Acapulco, but LuLu's fresh twists on some of the classics are worth trying. Â The drinks are fun and really make the dining experience that much better if you pair with some of their signature Margaritas. Â I LOVE the Diablo. Â Try it if you're into spicy food. Â Every dish my wife and I have tried as been a hit. Â I also have never had a problem with service and how can you not love a place that plays The Dark Crystal on the brick wall along with a "chillout" playlist at a perfect bassy volume to help enhance the "red" vibe. Â It's a great dining experience, but cheesy place to just have drinks if you don't look perfect in the dark. Â The fake and self-absorbed of Fairfield County are prevalent in the bar area. Â That however does not effect the dining experience.
Where do I start. Immediately turned off by the fact that the AC was not working properly. That made for a not so pleasant first impression.
That's not where the fun starts though. Our waitress came over to take our drink and it was extremely awkward from the beginning. She made a comment to a friend, who happens to be pregnant, that wasn't appropriate. Then she kept pushing a pitcher of Margaritas on us (we never got it). She finally took our drink order and went on her way.
She finally comes back with water (yes, that's right...it took a good 20 minutes to even get waters on the table) and the other drinks. Guess she thought the beer was better on my lap as she spilled the drinks on the table. I'm thinking "that's ok, it happens"...but she didn't even apologize. She said...and I quote..."Wow, that's never happened in my career." Um...ok?! So WE cleaned up the spill with our napkins and waited for her to come back with the new drinks and to take our order. Keep in mind, during this time NO ONE came to wipe up the mess or clean the table. NOT GOOD.
She only comes back with 1 place setting for me but forgets everyone else who needed napkins.
So the dinner finally comes and that's the last we see of her until she comes back again 30 minutes later to ask if we need anything. Mind you, we've only received water once.
We end up talking to the manager and he offered us a pitcher of margaritas (there it goes again) and we politely declined. On a side note, my pregnant friend was the one who talked to him. Maybe he would have thought before he offered her a pitcher.
So now we've eaten and the empty plates were just sitting there, for....you guessed it...another 20 minutes.
The waitress comes back and offers us a pitcher again on the house, we told her again we just wanted the check. She awkwardly asked us if we were sure. It was just uncomfortable.
So....service was horrible if you couldn't tell that by my review.
The food was very very good though. That's what's even more disappointing. You would think in a place like that that the service would be better. At least show some urgency when something happens or if your customers aren't happy. I'm a 20% tip type of person, so this review comes as somewhat of a surprise even for me. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, but she never acted concerned and management didn't try too hard either.
FYI - They didn't take anything off of the bill. Classy move.
What CB5 Restaurant Group has done in the lower fairfield county area, aka Greenwich, Stamford and now South Norwalk is impressive. Before I moved to Charlotte from Norwalk, all was the same and something new had to come entertain us who enjoy to dine, enjoy a good estetic and people watching - throw that and good music and you've made a good thing GREAT. Their first location LoLa in Byram out of all places, transformed that little area. Now what they have done with what used to be Ocean Drive, is amazing. Coming back to visit the fam and discovering this new location was a success in my book.
First off, if you need a good place for a date night or a night out with the girls, this is the place to go. Its HUGE and its so romanticly and seductively cozy.
Presentation is so entertaining in itself. They bring palate cleanser which is presented in a black clay bowl which sits on a another plate that has dry ice. The palate cleanser brings me back to my childhood days enjoying shaved ice...its exactly that but with Tiquila! HELLO.
Speaking of tiquila, they make tiquila mixed drinks so well and so refreshing that you think you are dreaming.
Not traditional mexican but its got its nitch and its good. I started with the Tres Ceviches which was ok. I had the lobster enchiladas which were very good. My friend had the Carne Asada which was cooked to perfection. All in all, it was a great experience in way of food, drinks and ambiance. You won't regret calling the sitter ; )
I can see what they are trying to do here.
Trying to make a "a cool, chill, trendy" bar that would be in Manhattan if it weren't in South Norwalk.
I gotta tell you - for the "I wannabe Manhattanites" - it does just that.
Went here for a work function on Cinco de Mayo. Â We got bottle service with tequila, and 3 different margarita mixes. Â The waitstaff was very friendly, very attentive and a lot of fun.
The food was very good. Â This isn't your ordinary mexican joint - you can tell that the chef/owners are experimenting with ordinary mexican cuisine, and really blowing people taste buds out to the water.
The music was very hipsterish - with a south-american movie playing on the wall in the back room. Â I guess that's what the cool kids are watching these days.
We had a great time - and I will probably come out to try the food and the margarita's again!
As we were leaving - it was definitely packed with girls wearing next to nothing and guys dressed to impress. Â Have fun wannabees!
Cheers!
Contemporary interpretations of Mexican fare combined with a trademark cultivated cool. Diablo margarita, oysters and carne asada are worth returning for, as well as:
The Decor
It's gothic meets brothel with a dash of mortuary and a big sense of humor. If Stanley Kubrick and Timothy Burton collaborated on a film, this would be their twisted movie set.
The Mood
There is a time and place for formality when dining. If you'd like a quiet romantic or perhaps a well-lit corner; if you have a repressed fear of red damask; Red Lulu may not be for you. It's dark, loud and feels like a party every night.
Drinks, Baby
If you're a teetotaler, Red Lulu's tart aqua frescas are a major win. The lime coco is a tart and creamy party in a glass. And if you do imbibe, your options grow considerably longer. Call a cab home and try the Diablo Margarita or White Sangria (lychees, how I love thee).
Mango Hot Sauce
Dear Red Lulu Managment, Yes, I am responsible for stealing the bottle of mango hot sauce. If you would kindly provide its recipe, I will promise to return the empty bottle. By the way, did you know it's quite good paired with vanilla ice cream? Food for thought. Sincerely, Amy Â
The Music
If you're going to blast music in your watering hole, it better be good and I better not hear Gaga unless I am in a spin class or chaperoning a high school dance. There is a thumping bass that will force you to dig deep for your best lip-reading skills.
Crack Corn Bread
My politically incorrect nickname for the best cornbread this side of the Mason Dixon. You can bet it's not healthy but chances are you are not coming to Lulu to conform with your low-carb vegan diet. And yes, we've already snagged the recipe for you here.
Tradition? Not Quite. Thank Goodness.
That is definitely one word I would not use to describe Red Lulu or its dishes. There are several very successful contemporary takes on traditional dishes such as the carnitas - a savory pork entree paired with salsa verde, and the very popular carne asada - a succulent garlic marinated skirt steak. But traditional? Nope.
Romantic.
I like it here. Â It's definitely not the type of place to go and hang out with the guys.
This is more of the place that you go on a date and have fun with a lovely young lady, discovering new and unique tequila based concepts.
I have zero experience with their food, so I cannot comment on that.
I'll be back, I'm not sure when, but I will be.
Oh la la, Lulu que romantico.
The ambiance is seductive, boasting crimsons in the velvet wall patterns and elaborate lighting.
No cover, means more for drinks. Go for the margaritas to surprise your beer-bored taste buds or treat yourself to some COTTON CANDY..woah woah !
Yes, they serve cotton candy as well as enchiladas, tacos, and quesadillas. The chicken quesadillas were FANTASTIC. I would go back just to eat those suckers again.
Everything about this place is extravagant and inviting. There's a community table in the back if you're daring to meet a new crowd, booths for crews that roll deep, or the private couple.
Unfortunately, dancing skills will be minimally showcased. The dj spun a great set the night that I went, but there was no dance floor in sight.
I was looking forward to giving this place a try. Â The decor, atmosphere and service were excellent, however, their drinks were below average. Â I ordered the Rojo Sangria and it was awful. Â I don't mind spending the money on drinks, but only if it's WORTH it. Â Barcelona down the street, has delicious sangrias!
I got a little hungry, so I ordered the Guac & chips and the guacamole was very fresh. Â It came with 3 other sauces, which personally, I felt, could have done without it. Â Did I think it was worth $10? Â No. Â I've certainly had guacamole and chips that were just as good or better for a lot less.
Anyways, it's a good hang out place. Â The crowd was diverse - both young and old. Â They were blaring the music and it was annoying having to shout at my friends to hear me speak.
I heard the food was really good; if that is the case, I would only come here to eat - not drink.
Delicious cocktails, I highly recommend the Diablo. Must have had a mixologist come up with the drink menu. The food was great too, I loved the ahi tuna in coconut milk (part of the Tres Ceviches). And definitely try the side of cilantro rice - best rice ever. Not your average Mexican restaurant fare.
Definitely a nightclub vibe, especially given that it's a restaurant. Great decor though! Loud music but fun selection of tunes. Would recommend for a group of friends or even a date - it's a festive place, great for a birthday.
A little pricey, especially since the portions aren't huge. Make a reservation because it gets really busy towards the end of the week.
Atmosphere, Atmosphere!! The decor is gorgeous. A nice addition to SoNo. Great night out with the girls or for a date. For our first visit there I went with a group of friends and sat in the bar. They do not take reservations for groups smaller then 4; the host told us the wait was 1 1/2 hours on Saturday night around 7 (yikes) Â We were able to get a table in the bar after 20 minutes. We ordered margaritas ($14 each) and a bunch of apps. After a few rounds and about 5 margaritas our check was accompanied by a side of Cotton Candy (loved it). The bill split 3 ways was $68. Kind of pricey for a night of drinks and apps but was a fun night none the less. The Ceviche and Emapanada were our favorites. I would say the food was okay and the margaritas were okay. I think its a great place to start the night and mingle by the bar but they still have a few growing pains.
Review Source:As a long time fan of Lolita in Byram I'm glad to see a second location opening up further North!
Red Lulu boasts the same GREAT menu and drink selection as Lolita. Â The lobster enchiladas are AMAZING as are the ribs, pulled pork tacos and the sauteed garlic shrimp - all are great dishes.
I didn't try the tres ceviche but if they are anything like Lolita I wouldn't recommend.
The decor inside is beautiful. Â Our first trip was a group of 5, no reservations but there was only a 20 minute wait anyway. Â After sipping on an expensive but GOOD margarita in the lounge area we were sat at a warm welcoming private booth on the lower level of the dining room.
They layout here is to die for - very social and trendy. Â Loud and dim - very much a scene. Â Red lulu is a great spot to go out with a group and have a fun time. Â I would recommend to all - but keep in mind, like Lolita, Red Lulu is a "scene" - be prepared to enjoy yourselves. Â Not a quiet humble place.