Lou’s Diner

Great place good food. Country combo rocked. Old Las Vegas feel. Will definitely go again.

Wonderful place! Had breakfast here today, everything was delicious. Quickly brought our order, hash was great. Perfect cakes! Thank you!

This place is just simple. Home-​town, friendly staff… adorably decorated for the holidays. You’ll feel like grandma’s house. Food will also help you feel like you’re there. Simple, but good. Coffee kept coming, which if often a sore spot for me, so that was great.

Came here on a trip and figured I’d stop in to grab some breakfast. This place makes me feel right at home… Good prices and great food!

This is just a classic old-​school diner serving old-​school comfort food. I do believe Lou himself greeted us and brought our menus. The place was IMMACULATE. Walls covered in trinkets, pictures and knick-​knacks and not a spec of dust… My house isn’t as clean as this restaurant. Service was more than adequate, about what you’d expect from a place that could’ve been pulled right from a 70’s sitcom. Lots of colorful characters enjoying their Sunday lunches, old regulars being sassed by the staff.
Why not 5 stars? Well, our side salads were drenched in watery ranch dressing causing them to be more of a very odd cold soup of iceberg, tomatoes, cucumbers and yes… beet slices (?!). Not inedible by any means, and maybe the institutional ranch dressing mix (this is NOT a slight… I actually love institutional ranch) was running low. But unusual. I had the New York Strip steak sandwich, which was functionally a slab of meat on two pieces of toast.
However, it was a FANTASTICALLY prepared slab of meat. Perfectly cooked medium rare, perfectly seasoned. Tender, juicy… honestly the best steak I’ve had in years. It was so good, I didn’t care about the ranch soup or the plain toast. The steak made it all. Fantastic job guys.

Great local breakfast place! Love to come here anytime we can, service is always great and the food is always very fresh. I recommend this place to everyone!

Items Selected:
Housemade Cinnamon Roll
Flapjacks
Monte Cristo
Banana Cream Pie
Lemon Cake
Located on Decatur and feeding locals for decades under the watchful eye of its eponymous owner, Lou’s Diner is the sort of place one could drive by one hundred times without even a second thought, and yet with prices a fraction of those just a few miles east plus the sort of old-​timey service guaranteed to leave a smile on every face the spacious spot is perhaps the very definition of diamond in the rough.
Certainly not upscale, and not exactly sporting much curb appeal in the back of a complex near Arizona Charlies and the Charleston Antique Mall, a visit to Lou’s Diner is the sort that starts with a bit of skepticism about what will be found inside, but greeted with warm smiles and walls decorated with every sort of nick-​knack imaginable the scene unfolds much like any similar spot in middle America, though in this case several-​fold cleaner with a specials board complimenting a well-​culled menu of breakfasts, soups, sandwiches, and more.
Seating perhaps sixty, and soon to reach half-​capacity about thirty minutes after a 6:45am arrival, it was after short perusal that decisions were made from the all-​day options, and with jokes made that «you must real hungry» from the waitress it was with the second of about thirty coffee warm-​ups that she departed, a curious Lou and her spouse stopping by inquisitively to ask why pictures were being taken before offering to lead me around the and show off the map of where all their visitors had come from — the wall of mismatched mugs belonging to «regulars» an appropriate amenity as nearly every other diner was greeted by name by the staff nearly the moment they opened the front door.
Ordering with a request for items to be brought as ready it would not be long before the Housemade Cinnamon Roll arrived beneath a ladle of of sweetened cream cheese, and with a core rife with cinnamon plus plenty of yeastiness acting to offset the richness the results spoke to old-​school craftsmanship without a whole lot of fuss, a similar style employed in two desserts enjoyed later that day in the form of a moist lemon layer cake and banana cream pie that was unfortunately a bit short on fruit but still quite flavorful with a pudding base beneath a mountain of whipped cream.
Assuredly a place with skilled line-​cooks, on this particular morning a trio working at great pace with plates coming through the window every couple minutes, course two arrived shortly after the last of the frosting was scraped from the cinnamon roll plate and quickly eschewing pseudo-​syrup in favor of pure maple goodness brought from home the thin flapjacks proved fluffy and full of buttermilk while the Monte Cristo finally answered the question of where to find an authentic iteration in the (702) — each deep fried bite packed with ham and turkey bursting forth with flavor beneath two gooey cheeses, a powdered sugar sprinkling and spread of strawberry jam seeing the Diner-​classic complete.
Easily overlooked in favor of familiar chains, local groups slowly expanding their brand, and fanciful new spots on The Strip, Lou’s Diner is a throwback to ‘greasy spoons’ speckled across America — a place that feels familiar, friendly, and full of nostalgia with the sort of food that is at-​worst straightforward, and otherwise genuinely delicious and authentic.

Best breakfast ever. Prices are good. Portions are large. Everything was homemade. Our waitress Party was wonderful. Funny and efficient. She even gave my partner a sample of green chili. The carrot cake looked amazing. I would go back anytime. Tourists take note.

Awful. My Eggs were over cooked, but the Bell peppers were raw. And there was no way my omelette was 3 Eggs, it was so small. My toast was burned and and swimming in butter, my bacon was burned and the hash browns were undercooked. There was 5 of us in my party and ALL of our food was awful. How in the world is this place getting good reviews? Our server was a space cadet as well, she spilled the same cup of orange juice twice.

Come about 10 a year for last 15yrs. Consistent. Affordable. Diner service diner food.

If you’re looking for fine dining, Lou’s Diner isn’t it. But, if you’re looking for comfort food in a fun, cozy environment with a friendly and fast staff, Lou’s is definitely the place.
A friend and I stopped in here for lunch one day and had the meatloaf special. Comfort food at its finest. Feels like the café my dad and I visited when I was growing up. I’ll definitely stop in again the next time I’m in town.

Lou’s décor is a visit back in time. Lots of memorabilia from the day, things you probably had in your home. On this day for breakfast our server was Patty. She was friendly and attentive. Coffee cups and water glasses were kept full. Lou’s menu has many choices. Today I chose the veggie omelet with grits. The omelet was plentiful with a nice variety of vegetables. The grits were creamy and hot. Overall Lou’s is a comfortable place for a tasty meal with great atmosphere. Don’t pass on the triple chocolate cake even if you must take it home. One slice serves 2 people.

Prices are good, service is good, but the food adheres far too much to the «Americans like cheese and lots of cheese and maybe we should smother everything in some sort of sauce» philosophy. I should have known better than to order Huevos Rancheros.

Park yourself, grab a vessel of caffeine, get your paper and energy plate. Delicious food, diner style and the coffee scent of the old school diner rips you to heaven.

We stumbled upon this diner last weekend, and have been back for seconds already:)
At 8 am on a Saturday, it was bustling with families and single people reading the paper. I love the homey feel here – it’s decorated with knick knacks straight out of grandma’s house. The staff are very friendly and they keep the coffee flowing.
The menu is nothing fancy, but all the basics – omelettes, biscuits and gravy, chicken fried steak. There’s a lunch menu, too, and a homemade pie or cake of the day, displayed on a cake stand under a handwritten sign. Everything I’ve tasted has been excellent, especially the home fries. I love that they have specials for seniors – I will definitely be bringing my parents here!

The service was ok. Food was bland. I’ve had several items, all were average. The huevos rancheros were a joke. More of a regular customer type of place, for people who don’t want to go find good food.

Fun, old school diner. Vintage, retro signs, kitchen gear and décor hang around the seating area, which could use another upgrade, but it does add to the charm. We enjoyed the food and the experience, but it might be just a bit too old school for us. There is nothing wrong with kicking the cooking skills up a notch after all these years but they seem to still be doing okay, so what the hell. I doubt it we will be back though.
Worth stopping in to check out and maybe find an old favorite like mom or grandma made, or to invoke some memories of family times.
The family member servers were pleasant but clearly had no problem talking about new customers after they left, which I sadly overheard. It did leave a bad taste in my mouth, which the food could not cover up.
There are many things they could do that would build up their check sales also. Like asking customers if they would like dessert instead of dropping the bill on the table five minutes after their food is delivered. (Pet Peeve). I was looking forward to a slice of the chocolate cake advertised on the board and was never asked if I wanted anything else. So I went somewhere else and gave them money for my sweet tooth.

This is a place that could be straight from Diners, Drive-​ins, and Dives. I was meeting friends for breakfast this morning but it fell through and I didn’t get the memo. After sending a text and finding out we weren’t meeting, I searched the Unilocal app for breakfasts restaurants and this was one of them that came up. Off I was.
I was going south on Decatur and drove right on by when I noticed the blue symbol on my map was going away from Lou’s. I made a u-​turn on a side street and started north on Decatur and there it was, tucked in a small strip mall removed some from Decatur and not having much curb notice.
When I went in, the first thing I noticed was the large amount of bric-​à-​brac in the restaurant most of it related to kitchens both commercial and home. One thing that caught my eye was a box from my first food processor, a Veg-​O-​Matic. It made me smile because I realized how old it was and therefore me.
My server, Patty, was to my table almost before I sat down (the sign says to seat yourself) and she was back quickly with coffee, a glass of ice water, and a menu. After looking at the menu for awhile and checking the specials board, I ordered their chili and cheese omelette. I had my choice of a couple of kinds of potatoes but I went with grits. I also ordered rye toast.
Within a short time, my breakfast was delivered. Everything was very good. Patty asked if I wanted any hot sauce other than the Tabasco that was on the table and I asked for Cholula. There was a nice container of butter with the grits and I let it melt and mixed it around with the grits.
Service was excellent! Patty was back often to refill my coffee and it was a pleasant breakfast. Since I was wearing a Syracuse t-​shirt so close to the freeway, Patty assumed I was from out of town and she asked where I was from. When I said Las Vegas, she asked how I found Lou’s. When I said, «Yelp,» she asked, «What’s Unilocal!» I explained briefly and shower her the app and she got the idea. She was interested to know I’d be rating Lou’s before the day was done.
One last thing – there’s a cardboard sign hanging on strings that says «Triple Chocolate Cake» and it has three arrows pointing to a cake holder on the counter. I couldn’t resist. I bought a piece to bring home and have for dessert tonight. I’m sure it will be just as good as breakfast! This is a good breakfast spot. The hiking group may rue their snubbing of me!
Addendum: The chocolate cake was excellent!

We always drive by this diner and I’ve always been curious if it will be that gem I’m looking for. This has definitely been around long enough, 40 years and probably some of the old folks that are a majority of their patrons, have been regulars since this diners heyday.
When you walk in, it feels dated in that way your grandparents would be. Lots of knick knacks on the walls and photos. The food is no frills type American diner fare, and cheap with pretty much everything under $ 10. My one thing is that the menu isn’t really descriptive and while you wouldn’t need a explanation for a tuna melt some things I would like to know. I could ask the waitress, but there was only one and she was running around so I felt I may be wasting her time.
I went with a chicken fried steak since lately I’ve been in a mood for it. It was decent as far as they go. I can see why people like theirs here, but it’s not my favorite in town.
The BF got chicken and dumplings that was on the specials board. It comes with soup or salad and he got the clam chowder. The clam chowder was standard and decent. The chicken and dumplings was homemade and plentiful, dumplings really fluffy. I wish it had a bit of veggies in it, but otherwise it was good.
It was solid, but nothing wow-​ing really.
I heard they may have homemade pastries pie here, but apparently they don’t anymore really do that. Ah, boo.
It’s a A-​OK diner, but it didn’t click that perfect homey feel for me.

Never heard of Lou’s until recently. It is practically hidden in plain site on one of the busiest streets in Vegas. I was told it was «old school» and I was excited to try it.
Came in for breakfast on a Friday morning and our group was initially set upon by obvious regulars poking in good fun at us.
The waitress was very friendly and explained away whatever question was fired off at her by the group. For the remainder of our meal she never let the coffee run empty or cold.
We all ordered something that had gravy poured on it. Not brown gravy but the southern kind that sticks to the ribs. A field test was conducted and a utensil was inserted into said gravy and then inverted where it seemed to defy gravity by clinging to the implement.
My meal of choice was «The Haystack.» It was a bed of hash browns, eggs, cheese smothered above goodness. For added stress on the arteries two pieces of bacon were placed on each side.
So filling was the meal, lunch or anything else was not required the rest of the day.