Lilou

This place is an experience. The atmosphere is phenomenal. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable in the menu. Before our meal we ordered Cornichon Martini and Chagall with a choice of three cheeses and a mini baguette. The Cornichon Martini was perfect and the Chagall was top notch. I was not sure which cheeses to try but with some guidance from the Fromager, we were able to try some delicious cheeses.

If you ever want to splurge on an small plate, the scallops are the way to go. Even if you want to try just one - which you can do - it's totally worth it. Flavourful and tender, they were perfect.

For our main meal we ordered the Steak Frites and Canard. I can not say enough good things. Both main dishes were excellent. My prime rib was cooked to perfection and had so much flavor. I am not a fan of duck but it looked delicious and my husband absolutely loved it.

For dessert we had the Tarte Pamplemousse. The presentation was gorgeous with the flavor to match. It is has a citrus flavor with a hint of sour from the grapefruit that I was not expecting and pleasantly surprised.

We look forward to celebrating a special occasion again at Lilou's.

This was really more of a three, but service made it a four. All of the food fell flat for us, but due to the general vibe, we felt that asking for salt would have been inappropriate; everything we had would have benefited with the addition of something, but salt was the easiest/broadest to pinpoint.

I think my issue may be what most of us feel at this point: with inflation and the cost of living, we just need better food for the price this place is asking for. Super cute place and amazing service regardless, so it was worth the visit for that at least.

We had four in our group so we were able to get a great sampling of offerings. Started with drinks which were all amazing. I had the Claude and being a fan of Old Fashions thought this version stood up to many. The use of Grand Monier added a tasty depth to the walnut and orange bitters... I had two! My oldest son enjoyed a Sazerac which was not on the menu but well made, my second son had the Chagall. Although I'm not a fan of gin drinks, he enjoyed it.
Our waitress (wish I had gotten her name) was AMAZINGLY educated on all aspects of the menu and wine offerings. Not only could she help with questions, she added more information that eventually lead us in the right direction all night. When it came to choosing wine parings for our entrees, she found one for each of our plates and likings, spot on!
We started with two appetizers, Soupe à l'Oignon and a three cheese plate with mini baguettes. The soup was fantastic and the cheese plate was fun as we did not know much about French cheeses. Again, our waitress led us in the right direction.
On to the four entrees, Magret de Canard (duck breast - medium rare, crispy skin and well prepared), Kokotxe (pork cheek tortellini, a little more chew in the pasta than I prefer but nonetheless, wonderful), Bourguignon (ox tail soup you would believe Julia Child herself made!) and Ris de Veau (veal sweetbreads prepared French traditional... first time in on sweetbreads and were prepared excellently. Go for the traditional rather than the "crispy for Americans" choice. All four of us enjoyed this dish). Each entree had a different French sauce that are definitely great versions of three of the Four Mother Sauces and heightened the flavors of all our plates, well done Chef.
Desert! Tarte Tatin (the French version of a deconstructed apple pie with creme fraiche... oh my, heart warming!), Gâteau Basque (a traditional Basque cake was well executed) and we were surprised with a Crème Brûlée celebrating my wife's and first son's birthdays... a nice gesture that allowed us to enjoy another one of Lilou's menu offerings.
All in all, an experience Knoxville has been missing (and needing) until Lilou opened a few weeks ago. We highly recommend Lilou for the food, atmosphere, staff knowledge and guidance. Go with an open mind, try something you normally wouldn't as you will be glad you did a the end of the night. Expect a traditional two hour seating for a group of four... you won't notice the time while there, we promise!

Fabulous experience!!! Never had French food and wanted to try. Skeptical about trying as the prices were a little higher than we are used to, but I have to say it was well worth it. Everything we had , cocktails, appetizers, main dishes, and desserts were all excellent. Serving size was better than expected for most things. Service was ✨excellent✨ and recommended dishes that fit our wants. Would highly recommend to anyone for a great night out! Great addition to Knoxville!

Wonderful dinner at Lilu! The service was top notch. The decor and overall vibe of the restaurant was next level. Every level of our dining experience phenomenal. They have sommeliers for the wine, a Maitre de Frommage for the cheeses and a French Pastry chef for the desserts. My steak was prepared perfectly. The escargot was delicious and our server was knowledgeable and made sure we were always taken care of. Our cocktails were heavenly. We will definitely come back again! Kudos to the Chefs, management and staff for making Lilu a spot that will undoubtedly become a downtown staple.