Lou's Full-Serv
Southern Inspired With a Casual, Vintage Industrial Vibe
904B E. Fortification St.
Jackson, Mississippi 39202
- Phone: (601) 487-6359
- Price Range: $$
![fried shrimp](https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Food1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=180&q=80&w=320&s=1c553004590dc9f6d28cb0a4de8ccda6 320w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Food1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=304&q=80&w=540&s=31251812ce99ab120999ede947f2e211 540w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Food1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=432&q=80&w=768&s=e6620dabe3bc42d642d29bb1a149a2c3 768w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Food1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=576&q=80&w=1024&s=f174084c75832db70f48d8f592268859 1024w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Food1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=675&q=80&w=1200&s=225e95ed816ea60a7adb668f2bbdd348 1200w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Food1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=810&q=80&w=1440&s=e017783928c2a8192ad5c5443e139448 1440w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Food1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1080&q=80&w=1920&s=31579923b14c1d7e0c4810d57b678374 1920w)
Lou's Full-Serv
904B E. Fortification St.
Jackson, Mississippi 39202
- Phone: (601) 487-6359
- Price Range: Price-$$
Lou's Full-Serv904B E. Fortification St.
Jackson, Mississippi 39202
Southern Plus, Vintage Style
To understand Lou’s Full Serv it helps to know that owner and chef Louis Larose stained the wood counters, built the hostess stand, and crafted the bar tops. He even built the steam-punk-style brass lamps, side tables and other unique decor and furniture.
“I knew I wanted a warehouse, industrial, vintage, wood-meets-metal and concrete feel,” Larose says.
Larose—who has always gone by “Louis” (said like “St. Louis,” not like “Louis Armstrong”)—says that, somewhat against his will, many have called him “Lou” over the years. The nickname stuck enough that he decided it was a good fit for the restaurant’s retro name and vibe.
![A male in glasses with a sign in the background that reads "Lou's"](https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Larose.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=c0f5e1d40787fb5f64ea68bed7d92d72 320w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Larose.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=a9d146b9b756ac91f35c6e0772fa2593 540w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Larose.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=0d1480dbeb3014b7dd1ab65d1a48b588 768w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Larose.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=a02dba8562f77b1166e21e2bbfbe3d80 1024w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Larose.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=1e2fb2b34db1a98241dfb2c20fa6b5c3 1200w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Larose.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=583064da4f7dc5fab5fc7824c143b66f 1440w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Larose.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=530ac970b32e8e8f11a62e39ef51306a 1920w)
The “Full Serv,” he says, is a reference to the box he checked when applying for permits: “full service.” Aside from fitting the theme, the name also helped differentiate Lou’s from the previous tenants. The location most recently housed a counter-service pizza joint; before that it was a drug-store-style soda fountain and grill for many years.
Now, it is a stylish, curated, “casual fine-dining” restaurant that Larose hopes is family-friendly, welcoming and reliably good.
“’Southern plus’ is what I call it,” Larose says when asked about the menu. “It’s approachable Southern/American cuisine … no weird terms,” he adds, smiling.
“Approachable” does not mean boring—the dishes are certainly foodie fare, with small plates such as the Crawfish Fondue or the Shrimp Crunch (with a sweet-pepper slaw), and main plates like the bronzed Redfish with buttermilk whipped potatoes and corn-pepper hash.
“People expect locally sourced ingredients in high-quality food at a decent price,” Larose says. He notes that while he changes things up four to six times a year, favorites like the #7 Burger (with candied bacon and smoked tomato-bacon aioli) are permanently on the menu—by popular demand.
![a plate of burger, fries and onion rings](https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-burger.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=862a9adb4d2376d4245e37e9c3ea1bd6 320w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-burger.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=f9b4eb24eaa6bb4fece47276efe758b5 540w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-burger.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=ff1313910b2fd4d617c628356ac3c0f2 768w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-burger.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=bf926dd05fa5788099bc27c1b16157b2 1024w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-burger.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=70ed2213827a60f03e1580b827528d32 1200w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-burger.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=298306a2cb16dadb465c25d4e3be001b 1440w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-burger.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=a31b9741262e3c4373dd4145da93d3e6 1920w)
Larose emphasizes that you need both delicious food and excellent service for a restaurant to be successful. (Lou’s Full Serv passed the all-important two-year mark in the fall of 2016 and is set for more growth in 2017.)
“People want to get good food, be treated well and be thanked for coming,” Larose says. “I look for staff members who like to come to work everyday and don’t mind smiling.”
Larose works the line himself most nights plating meals and expediting orders, while his wife, Victoria, manages the front of house. He is proud that the majority of his staff has been with the restaurant since its September 2014 grand opening.
Lou’s Fine Dining takes reservations and accepts walk-ins for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday.
![A diner scene with booths and warm wooden interiors.](https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Interior.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=3f566d2d9bf6031b254b64dfcee81e78 320w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Interior.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=fa7d0ca6e51857872efac911677d76ac 540w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Interior.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=565257dc121f467d25106bb0b1666944 768w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Interior.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=ba0c40b977319eaab1afdaa5d85eedaa 1024w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Interior.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=507a83a1357883744d7d973d6a7d4b5e 1200w, https://visit-jackson.imgix.net/images/Lous-Interior.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=165f29b46e3aaa0e825bc54f773d60bc 1280w)
Carlyn Hicks, founder of Jackson Foodies, lover of all things culinary, pro-Jackson advocate. All opinions expressed in this post are the opinions of the writer and not necessarily those of Sipp Jackson.
Cuisines
Details
- American
- Burgers
- Seafood
- Southern
- Steak
Amenities
Amenities
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Alcohol Served
- Good for Groups
- Meeting/Event Space
- Takeout
Reviews
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