Lula and Sadie’s — Restaurant in Durham

We chose Lulu & Sadie’s for our Juneteenth dinner, excited to celebrate culture, community, and soul food. As a partly Black-owned restaurant, it felt like the right place to honor the occasion. Unfortunately, what should’ve been a joyful and delicious evening turned into a frustrating and disappointing experience.

We arrived early for our 8 PM reservation and were seated promptly, but our booth had shards of glass scattered across the seat — a safety issue that was brushed off by the host with a casual, “someone probably dropped a glass on the stairs.” We cleaned it up ourselves and gave the benefit of the doubt, wanting to support the space. It was Juneteenth. We were rooting for them.

The tone shifted further when I ordered a San Pellegrino and politely asked for a tall glass with ice. The bartender emerged to say they didn’t have many tall glasses, didn’t have time to wash more, and added that “your water will taste the same.” The host eventually washed a glass herself and brought it, but the damage was done — we were guests, and this felt unwelcoming.

Despite sitting for 15 minutes without acknowledgment, we eventually flagged someone to order. Our server, unaware we were her table, took our full order at once — drinks, appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Several items never arrived: our Caesar salad and all drinks from the bar were completely forgotten until the end of the meal.

Appetizers were underwhelming: • Chicken & Dumplings: Bland and tasted canned. • Bacon-Wrapped Meatballs: Dry and overcooked. • Fried Rice Balls: Edible, but odd in both flavor and texture.

Entrees didn’t fare much better: • Juneteenth Special: A 7/10 — ribs were tender, okra was the standout, but collards were just okay. • Catfish Plate: A 0/10 — no seasoning, wrong side (steamed instead of fried okra), and not enjoyable. • Red Beans & Rice: Spicy but lacked depth of flavor. Cornbread was a highlight. • Cowboy Steak: Ironically the best dish — cooked well, seasoned decently. 8/10.

We asked about the missing drinks and were told we had already received them — despite empty glasses in front of us. Only after pushing did the server retrieve them from the bar, just as we were finishing the meal.

Dessert was the saving grace: • Sweet Potato Pie: Warm, whipped cream on top, excellent. • Banana Pudding: Creamy and well-balanced, though missing actual bananas. • Strawberry Pound Cake: Moist and flavorful.

The check arrived at $170 for two before tip, with a mandatory 20% “Living Wage Fee.” When asked, we were told this fee was not a gratuity but is pooled among staff. We still left a $30 tip, but being charged top-tier pricing for mediocre food and poor service, then asked to subsidize staff pay, felt off.

And just as we were about to leave, a large water bug crawled down the wall beside us — then scurried back up to the ceiling. That was the final straw.

In summary: Lulu & Sadie’s has a strong concept and a beautiful mission, but the execution isn’t there. Our experience included: • Poor hospitality • Forgotten items • Unseasoned and underwhelming food • Miscommunication • A pest sighting • And a general lack of pride in the guest experience

We didn’t come to criticize. We came to support — with open hearts and open wallets. But we left deeply disappointed. On an occasion as meaningful as Juneteenth, that stings even more.

We genuinely hope they can turn it around. The community deserves a place like this — but right now, it just...

I usually don't leave reviews, especially for businesses that I go out of my way to support in the community. However, my recent experience has left me compelled to share. A few weeks ago, I made a reservation for my Sorority sisters and I to dine at this restaurant. We wanted to celebrate a fellow Sorority Sister's recent accomplishment in the Durham community, especially since many of us are deeply rooted in the community both personally and professionally. We arrived at 11:15 am for our 11:30 am reservation, and the host, who was very nice and well-dressed, checked two of us in and kindly advised us to have a seat. However, within just five minutes, another employee named Marcus stood over me. He was dressed in a t-shirt, a baseball cap, and sagging pants. Without any greeting, he rudely told me, "You can’t have that cake in here" (the cake was professionally made and decorated). I calmly explained that no one had informed me we couldn’t bring an outside cake. His response was, “Well, no one asked.” I then requested if they could store the cake for us, as we didn't plan to eat it there. His response was an abrupt “NO,” and he added that he could get in trouble with the GM if the cake was seen. He said, “Let me see what I can do,” but he never returned. Later, another member of our party approached management, and they kindly explained that although no one had informed us of the no outside cake rule, they would store it for us and bring it out when we were ready. That felt reasonable and helped ease the situation. Unfortunately, things only got worse. We waited 45 minutes to be seated, and during our entire visit, Marcus continued to harass and give us intimidating looks. It's troubling for a man to behave this way toward a group of women. On top of that, he was discussing our party with other employees. Throughout all this, we never raised our voices or reacted unprofessionally. To make matters worse, we observed Marcus lifting the back of his shirt to scratch his behind while still serving food and drinks. Adding insult to injury, a much larger party of women arrived later, wearing sheer clothing with thongs that were clearly visible. They brought large metallic party balloons and what seemed to be a homemade cake. Yet, there was no confrontation with them at all. They were seated immediately, with no issues regarding their cake or balloons. In summary, this was a disheartening experience. The service was slow, and the food was mediocre. As someone who actively supports Black-owned businesses, it was especially disheartening to see others, who do not look like the owner or employees, being given red carpet treatment in the heart of Bull City. I cannot recommend this establishment after such a disrespectful and...

No parking. Had to park at food lion nearby to walk to their location. Had reservations at Noon, arrived 5 minutes early and plenty of tables were open but just stood at the front for 10 minutes awkwardly before someone acknowledged us. Once we were sat we ordered appetizers. One came out about 20 minutes later and we had to inquire about the second one and seemed like they had forgot about it. Took a hour and 10 minutes for our entrees to be brought out. I got the Benedict's and the hashbrowns and "sausage" (which tasted like burnt hamburgers) were burnt but otherwise it was flavored well. My spouse got the Nawlins shrimp and grits. He ate one shrimp and decided he didn't like it. Waitress came by and checked on our food. I confirmed mine was ok but she quickly walked away before he had a chance to let her know he didn't like his. When she came back the next time with the check, we told her and she took away his full plate of food and apologized but that was all. I had to request her to remove it but she said a manager had to approve and they denied our request because we should've told the waitress at first. Keep in mind this waitress was busy and said she thought because I said mine was good that his was too and quickly walked away. We requested to speak with said manager and we explained what happened and they decided to just remove $15. My spouse decide to nicely tip the money back to the waitress anyways although the management tried to put it back on her. However, keep in mind this place charges a 20% tip automatically that is split between the employees. We are also an active first responders family and was offered no discount for that either although it was mentioned. Make sure you have the time and patience if you decide...