We had an out of town guest and were looking for a new restaurant to try with her that we thought she'd enjoy. As she's from Georgia I thought Lola's might be a good choice. This was based on reading on line reviews and two recommendations from friends, not personal experience.
The look of the place is NOLA authentic. We were seated at a nice table in the large dining area but could still enjoy the live music from the bar area. The menu is pretty varies. Between the three of us we had the gumbo, hot wings and fries and the golden shrimp and grits. The shrimp dish was pictured on the menu and in my experience that is a good sign; I was correct. The gumbo was very good, the hot wings were crisp on the outside but juicy on the inside. The choice of sauces range from 1 5 which is a little hot to a 10 which is omg serious heat. The shrimp were delicious and the grits with the mushroom and sausage ragout were spectacular. Had we not had a freshly baled pecan pie at home waiting for us I would have tried the bread pudding. Something for next time.
Lola, the owner, was there and making the rounds to the tables in play. She is really friendly and spent a lot of time with us discussing her restaurant, the food, her plans etc. She made us all feel as though we were her friends who had stopped by her house for dinner. She's very warm and engaging.
The service was excellent from hostess to waitress to attentive bus boys. We had a great time. This was our first visit but definitely won't be our last.