The Patio
Downtown’s largest patio.
A French Quarter-styled outdoor space built for cocktails, dinner, live music, Derby Week, Mardi Gras, and East Market Street energy.
about
Lou Lou on Market brings French Quarter energy to NuLu.
A New Orleans-inspired restaurant, patio, live music destination, private event space, and downstairs speakeasy-style bar in the heart of Louisville’s East Market District.
Lou Lou on Market
Where Cajun soul meets NuLu energy.
Lou Lou on Market opened in early 2023 as a vibrant offshoot of the St. Matthews flagship, designed to bring the unmistakable spirit of Bourbon Street directly to Louisville’s East Market District.
The restaurant took over a stunning 137-year-old historic Victorian home, formerly the acclaimed Decca restaurant, and transformed it into an immersive, multi-level dining and entertainment destination in the heart of NuLu.
From day one, the mission was clear: deliver a complete New Orleans-inspired experience without asking guests to buy a plane ticket.
The Experience
A little Bourbon Street on East Market Street.
Lou Lou on Market is designed to transport guests through atmosphere as much as flavor. Neon signage, eclectic wall murals, live music, layered rooms, a French Quarter-styled courtyard, and downtown’s largest patio all come together to create an elevated but deeply fun party vibe.
It is a place where dinner can become a night out, where cocktails can turn into live music, and where every visit carries a little NuLu Mardi Gras energy.
The Lou Lou Roots
A hospitality story with Louisiana soul.
Lou Lou’s story is shaped by founder Jared Matthews’ Louisiana roots, love of Cajun-Creole cooking, and belief that restaurants should feel generous, lively, and welcoming.
Raised around food, family, crawfish boils, gumbo, and Southern hospitality, Jared built Lou Lou around the kind of experience that brings people together: bold flavors, warm service, strong teams, and rooms with personality.
Food should have soul. Hospitality should feel like an open-armed welcome.
Louisiana roots, Louisville heart
The Lou Lou Beginning
A beloved local spot becomes a Louisville restaurant family.
In 2016, Jared’s vision took shape when he acquired Cafe Lou Lou from founder Clay Wallace and began carrying the beloved local brand forward.
Working closely with Executive Chef Johnathan Pauly, Jared helped evolve the restaurant into Lou Lou Food + Drink, blending bold Cajun heat with Mediterranean and Italian comfort. That highly differentiated mix became the foundation for a growing Lou Lou restaurant family.
Spaces With Personality
Every level tells a different part of the story.
Lou Lou on Market is more than a dining room. It is a layered destination with spaces for dinner, cocktails, celebrations, private events, and late-night energy.
The Stave
A hidden bourbon escape.
Downstairs, The Stave brings speakeasy energy, dim lighting, whiskey barrels, vintage artwork, and Kentucky bourbon spirit beneath Lou Lou on Market.
Lagniappe Room
A private room with character.
The Lagniappe Room offers a secluded library-style setting for private gatherings, intimate dinners, and VIP-style celebrations.
The Food
Cajun-Creole heat meets Mediterranean and Italian comfort.
At the heart of Lou Lou on Market is a signature culinary fusion: bold Cajun-Creole flavor, fresh Mediterranean influence, and Italian comfort.
The menu includes location-specific favorites like Boudin Balls, Creole Short Ribs, and Pan-Seared Blackened Mahi Mahi with Shrimp Étouffée, alongside the Lou Lou dishes guests come back for again and again.
People First
A brand built on team, trust, and community.
Lou Lou on Market is shaped by a people-first philosophy: build a strong team, take care of guests, and create spaces where people feel genuinely welcomed.
That same spirit extends beyond the dining room. From neighborhood crawfish boils to partnerships with local organizations like Love City, Wayside Christian Mission, and APRON Inc., the Lou Lou Restaurant Group is built to serve the community around it.
Whether you are a local regular or an out-of-town guest, Lou Lou on Market is designed to feel like a celebration, and every guest is welcomed like family.
Lou Lou Across Louisville
One restaurant family, a few different moods.
Lou Lou on Market is part of a broader restaurant family built around warm hospitality, memorable food, and places that fit different kinds of nights.
NuLu
Lou Lou on Market
Best for NuLu energy, live music, private events, The Stave, Mardi Gras, Derby Week, cocktails, and nights out on East Market Street.
St. Matthews
Lou Lou Food + Drink
The St. Matthews flagship that helped grow the Lou Lou story, blending Cajun flavor with Mediterranean and Italian comfort.
Middletown
Lou Lou in Middletown
A spacious, family-friendly Lou Lou experience for easy East End dinners, casual meals, and neighborhood gatherings.
Find Us
In the heart of NuLu.
Lou Lou on Market is located on East Market Street in Louisville’s NuLu neighborhood, surrounded by local shops, galleries, bars, and nightlife.
Lou Lou on Market
812 E Market St
Louisville, KY 40206
(502) 515-9699
Sunday - Thursday: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Friday - Saturday: 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Come hungry. Stay awhile.
We will have something bold on the table, something cold in the glass, and a little good-times energy waiting on East Market Street.