Lulu’s Local Eatery will open a pingpong bar above restaurant

Lulu’s Local Eatery, at 3201 S. Grand Ave., will soon get some additional elbow room.

According to co-owner Lauren “Lulu” Loomis, the restaurant will expand into the former office space on the second floor of its building sometime in June, adding 22 seats. There will also be a full bar and two pingpong tables to keep customers entertained.

“We’ve been looking for a way to get some extra seating,” Loomis said. “My husband (co-owner Robbie Tucker) and I both had pingpong tables growing up and thought it’d be fun for the customers.” She said the second floor may also be used for private events in the future.

The second floor area will be accessed through the restaurant or via a separate entrance street side. Loomis said the new space would be open during the restaurant’s regular hours (Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.) and close three hours later at midnight.

Lulu's veteran Victoria Schnepf will run the bar program, which will feature beer, wine, kombucha on tap and a small list of classic and custom cocktails. The upstairs seating area will be open during regular restaurant hours, but the bar will be open from 5 p.m. to midnight.

Matt Sorrell is staff writer at Sauce Magazine.