Ladybird Diner

Stopped in for some breakfast before heading out of Lawrence. There was a slight wait for our group of 4. There was sidewalk chalk, hula hoops, and bubbles out front for kids or anyone to occupy themselves with. We were seated and immediately noticed that every table had different salt and pepper shaker sets on them, which was fun. There are cups with trivia cards in them on the tables as well. The light fixtures above the tables are old Pyrex bowls. The atmosphere is very fun in this unique diner. My husband and I ordered the Dakota Texan with blueberry pancakes and the brisket sausage and eggs breakfasts. The was delicious! There were fresh jalapeños in the brisket sausage and eggs breakfast, and the cheese sauce was delicious! The brisket sausage was very good! The blueberries in the pancakes were fresh! The pancakes were perfect! The batter wasn't too sweet like many places tend to do. Our server was great, and all the staff made sure we had plenty of water and coffee. This spot is a definite gem, and when we are back in Lawrence, we will plan on stopping by again!

Great service and great food. Arriving around 9am we were worried we may have to wait, but were pleasantly surprised there were a few seats available at the bar. The server was attentive and friendly, always keeping our coffee and water full. I had the truck stop and my partner had the huevos ranchero. Both dishes were delicious! Will be back for some of the amazing looking pie!

We were only in Lawrence overnight and managed to hit this place twice. We went in for breakfast, and it was delicious. Our server was attentive and personable. He suggested we come back for pie, which we did. Both the chocolate and cherry were amazing!

Absolutely the best breakfast food I've ever had. I am rude and can't remember the owners name but she is one of the greatest women to have ever lived in Lawrence and supports so many amazing causes around town. If you want the peace of mind that your hard earned money is going to go towards helping others then support Ladybird!

I have purchased a couple of “KEY LIME PIES” (in the past) that were outta this world delicious, from the key lime filling to the best graham cracker crust ever. I heard about their Friday night Fried Chicken so we brought some friends and tried it out. Well I thought nothing could get better than the pies but….. This fried chicken is fall off the bone tenderest tastiest chicken I’ve had and so is the mac and cheese. Everything we put in our mouth from this meal was fresh, tasty, hot and delicious. It’s a quant, little diner with fast friendly service. The Expresso Martini is one of the best Ive had too…. I highly recommend and we’ll be back again soon!!!

Small. Quaint. Loud. Busy. Sunday late morning. Took a while to get seated but we were informed of the wait time. Waiter was friendly. Good variety of choices. Hard time deciding. Food was great. I’d eat here again. Bacon was fantastic !!

All day - every day!!! (Except Mondays 😊) Lady Bird Diner is a must stop for me every visit to Lawrence! Some times a must 2 or 3 stop depending on the visit! Meg Hereford, owner, has put her soul into this place and it shows through the food!!

My wife and I have eaten here once a week since we moved to Lawrence. The waitstaff and owners are lovely, and the food never misses. If you want classic diner breakfasts, delicious sandwiches, or the best pie you’ve had, this is the place.

Had a wonderful unexpected stop there this morning. Was super excited to enjoy the ricotta toast with a tasty chai. Unfortunately, I was served the avocado toast. It took me a few bites to definitively be like "I don't think this is what I ordered" because I didn't keep a menu with the food descriptions with me. So, it's fully on me for not realizing what happened. While the avocado toast is incredibly, it was the kind of savory I was not anticipating. The carrots and olives are striking though! As always, the staff was kind and patient with two people from out of town. It was kind of quiet and we got the table in the window, which I love. Big fan, as always!

I went to Ladybird for dinner for the first time and it did not disappoint. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, fish tacos, and lots of delicious fixin's grace the Friday night dinner menu, but to me, the star of the show was the pie. It's always the pie. Tonight I tried the coconut cake and the chocolate pie. Both were extraordinary and delicious! Best idea ever.....dipping into both at the same time to create a coconut chocolate delight. The service was awesome, as always, and the food came out very quickly. If you've never tried Ladybird for dinner on Friday I 10/10 recommend!

I have purchased a couple of "KEY LIME PIES" (in the past) that were outta this world delicious, from the key lime filling to the best graham cracker crust ever. I heard about their Friday night Fried Chicken so we brought some friends and tried it out. Well I thought nothing could get better than the pies but..... This fried chicken is fall off the bone tenderest tastiest chicken I've had and so is the mac and cheese. Everything we put in our mouth from this meal was fresh, tasty, hot and delicious. It's a quant, little diner with fast friendly service. The Expresso Martini is one of the best Ive had too.... I highly recommend and we'll be back again soon!!!

@ladybird_diner We had the Nut butta toast - which was a multigrain French toast with cherry coconut cashew butter, fig, yogurt, sliced bananas and honey ( yes it was as good as you think it would be. Look at the pictures.). We also had the chicken buttermilk fried chicken sandwich. Huge just a huge sandwich. It was fantastic. And I always want to try biscuits and gravy and they were very good, could have used ,maybe, a little more pepper or spice but very good biscuits and gravy. Maybe next time I'll try some pie since they're known for their pie Great service start to finish, cheers to the staff and management

I honestly don't understand the good reviews of this place at all. The food was bad--my son's bacon was burned, and his over easy eggs were hard. Even if cooked correctly, it's just very basic breakfast food. We asked that the eggs be redone, and they did those right away, acknowledging that they were over cooked. We were sitting at a table on the way into the kitchen and my son was almost hit in the head with a garbage bag that was being taken out back. We moved his chair to between the tables instead of in the walkway. They were not polite when they told us to move it back while getting the table next to us ready to seat. And our server told us and the table next to us that they are understaffed because someone called in sick. Our service was indeed very slow, but we hadn't said anything about that. We won't be going here again.

Small. Quaint. Loud. Busy. Sunday late morning. Took a while to get seated but we were informed of the wait time. Waiter was friendly. Good variety of choices. Hard time deciding. Food was great. I'd eat here again. Bacon was fantastic !!

An absolute gem of a diner on Mass Street. This place usually has a wait but we timed it perfectly. The large order of chicken fried steak was in fact large. Very tasty cube steak thick and moist with a delicious chicken fried batter. Eggs came out perfect and the gravy and potatoes were a perfect score. The chicken sandwich was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. Great selection of pies for dessert or to just have with a cup of coffee.

Cool spot for an excellent breakfast. Fantastic service with perfectly made breakfast food. My family of five enjoyed this place during a visit to Lawrence, KS.

This joint is off the hook!! Was here for Dad's weekend and plan to wait or get there early, as it fills up!! The atmosphere is really cool...very hip, eclectic and great music. You will be greeted by some of the greatest folks ever...who are quick, kind and informative. My coffee cup never went dry! Then the food...OMG, the food!! Had the Dakota Texan and highly recommend!!! But you better be hungry. The pancakes, amazing!! The bacon, perfectly cooked and the sausage. Fantastic!! So don't walk, run to this place and if you see a handsome guy eating at the bar, on a game day morning, it's probably me...as I'll be back often!

Yelper! Posted about this place several years ago, I came for Saturday morning breakfast, this place gets busy, breakfast is always good, did you know that pies and cakes are made right here, my favorite is peanut butter pie, grits are really good, I overheard a customer saying that at the motel she was standing in recommending this place, Friday nite they have three pieces of chicken with two sides plus a biscuit with butter, this was at 7 pm and the place was still busy,!they have a patio out front too, it's been awhile but the owner still remember me

"Wow. This is good." -J., age 7, re: French Toast to go. Perfect blueberries, strawberries, and house-made whipped cream.

Food was decent nothing to write home about but worth a 2nd visit to try something different. Service was good defiantly on their A game . The decor was great had a very homey feel to it . A relaxed atmosphere.

Everything was super good. The menu is short and sweet with lots of customizable options. Lovely and old fashioned diner vibe. And our waiter was so kind and really funny. I love the pie and all the different salt and pepper shakers on every single table.

One of the best places to grab breakfast or brunch on Mass St. hands down. My biggest complaint about Ladybird is simply how popular it is, which I suppose can't be a real complaint right? It's one of those places that always has a wait, and while I think this helps them maintain popularity and exclusivity to a point (which is great for them!) it makes it a bit more of a challenge to get that breakfast here. Long story short, plan ahead, either plan to get there early or late, OR plan on a wait. The good thing is that it's worth it. Once you get in, you'll notice that it's a SMALL diner, but chock full of all the charm you could ever want in a little college down eatery. Make sure to take a peek at the pie case on your way to your table as you are going to want a slice - or two, or three, before you head home. I've never had any entree here I haven't enjoyed, but like I said above the pies IMO are the hero here. Since I don't live in Lawrence, when I do make it here I often try to either purchase a whole pie or a slice or two to take home for later. Folks rave about some pie shops in KC, but I really think Ladybird takes the cake ... err the pie... in this category for driving distance from the city. Finally I have to make a note on how lovely the staff is here. On our last visit it was busy so we got a table outside. It was one of those very last nice fall days before it just gets too chilly to dine outdoors. Our toddler was being antsy and even though they didn't have any crayons on hand the server managed to source some for her which was incredibly kind. 10/10 - I really don't have any big criticisms and I can't wait to find myself eating here again, hopefully soon!

Great breakfast brunch place. Great atmosphere like a diner! Fun sets of salt and pepper at each table, drinks served in mason jars and an old fashioned counter with stools that spin. I had a BLT on sourdough with fruit! Excellent! I loved that the fruit bowl had no melon ~the green one that just takes up space. Strawberries pineapple blueberries!!! Very busy place - no thank you from the waitress at the end, check dropped off on her way by and gone.

Charm, kitch, and vintage decor - it just adds to the experience. What we're really here for is the elevated diner food and the outstanding service - and the PIE! Decided on the delicious grilled cheese with jalapeño cream cheese and bread so crispy it brings a tear to your eye. And the cauliflower soup - in a word, scrumptious! My date has the chicken fried steak - his go to and always a crowd pleaser. The service at the counter was great. The raspberry peach pie was so tasty. The perfect balance of crumble on the top and butter in the crust.

Interesting and unique decor and menu. Quick, friendly service. Great selection of pies.

Busy place on a college basketball gameday. Make sure you get your name on the waiting list. Today they said an hour it was only 40 minutes. Wait staff is very attentive and knowledgeable. Food menu has a lot of items that I would like to try. Pretty big seating area for a downtown restaurant. Definitely will have to try the French toast next visit.

Yummy food, super cute decor, and friendly service. I had the truck stop plate (or whatever it is called) AKA fancy biscuits & gravy and it was delicious. Coffee was hot, fresh and tasty...none of that diner coffee crap. We saved room for our and so glad we did. We tried the chocolate and peach pies. Both were delicious excellent. Large chucks of peaches in the peach/raspberry pie. Chocolate was rich and deep with favor. Crust was almost as good as my dead mother's crust (no crust will ever be that good). We sat at the bar and chatted with our server who never let me coffee get below half a cup. He made great suggestions and was extremely friendly. He was also incredibly nice and patient with another person that I would've smacked. Decor as so well done. Fun, vintage, and funky. I love a place that doesn't take themselves so seriously. If I am ever in Lawrence Kansas again, which god willing will never happen, I would 100% be doing breakfast at Ladybird every morning.

Great food and service. Came here for brunch and it was certainly very busy, took quite a while to be seated but the wait was worth it in my opinion. I had the chicken tinga hash, was very flavorful and unique, tried my husband's choreezy scramble and it was pretty good too. The pie is a must try, I had the peanut butter chocolate one and it was amazing, pretty sure all the flavors are just as delicious. Milkshake is pretty standard. Overall a great but busy diner experience.

Great service here, I loved that they set out snacks for the large group waiting outdoors since it was a busy weekend in Lawrence! Unfortunately I did not like my meal- the chicken fried steak was more like a thin hamburger with breading. The grits were good, and my sister who doesn't like grits loved the cheese flavor! My sister had the Papas Bravas and loved it. Overall they treat guests very well but I did not like my meal, would come back again when it is not as crowded, and I would try a different item!

wow wow what a treat best grits ever great food better service great spot to eat. I'll be back many times so should you.

Go to Miltons down the street! You will receive a Much better value. Im confident if you have a complaint they wont tell you to get out!!

Great little breakfast joint with large servings. Coffee was excellent. Service friendly and pretty quick. A big tight, and a little wait as a result but to be expected for Mass. Nice little breakfast or brunch!

I've been there several times in the past. Unfortunately, it there was a line outside, so I didn't get to enjoy it this time I was in town. However, it's one of my favorite places in Lawrence. Great food, great service and a local staple. It's an adorable diner feel and a must-visit place. If you haven't been there, it's worth the wait. Just watch their hours...they change depending on the day. I will be back!

I had a great experience at this diner. The food was delicious and the service was friendly and quick. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting, making it the perfect spot for a casual meal. I will definitely be returning in the future.

Go here! 2 days from Christmas everyone was dressed for festivities and it's a wonderful life was playing on the tv above the counter. Wait staff was very accommodating. We were only in Lawrence for a short time and we're lucky to come across this great place. Hubby loved the chicken fried steak, my salmon avocado toast was one of the best. Kids got French toast, pancakes, burger. We all split pistachio pie and pumpkin ginger pie! This brunch was a perfect ending to our trip!

We enjoy going here for bfast and would give 5 stars but went last night for dinner at 745 during the mass st sidewalk sale and couldnt be seated due to time. Come on, it is the busiest day for mass street shopping and you close at 8! Street was packed and restaurants were packed. At least stay open till 9 on that night. Was very shocked. Will come for bfast for sure but do dinner another friday before 745.

Ambience! Love these kind of joints. If I lived closer I'd go everyday! Breakfast is my fav meal or just feeling diner like is my happy place. THANK YOU FOR BEING ON MASS!

The restaurant is nice. It's bigger than what it looks like from outside. Service was good. Gets very busy for Brunch Food was not so good. Chicken steak was blunt. A lot of food but lack of flavor.

Super fun and kitschy diner with a truly impressive menu. Staff were very friendly and food was served quickly, which is a must when out with littles. Make sure to order a cinnamon roll for the table and don't forget the delicious daily pies. #boyswhobrunchkc

I can't say enough positive things about this establishment. I've followed them since they opened, through the pandemic, and I went back for the first time post pandemic today. There is nothing but incredible service, positive energy, smiling faces, and delicious food. On a sunny 60° day driving down Mass, Lady Bird was the only restaurant I saw with a line of people waiting to get in. I would say that's an incredible success. It's always worth the wait, and always worth my drive from KC to visit. Congrats on such a consistent, philanthropic, and happy place. I will always be a customer.

Get the pie. All the pie. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm pie. Did I mention the pie? Anything with mashed potatoes is good too but not as good as the pie.

I love everything about this place! Always excellent food and service! The shakes are great!! The burgers are amazing! The pies are out of this world! The service is phenomenal! We had Caralyn as our waitress and she was wonderful! So attentive and sweet and helpful! I got the Huervos rancheros and coffee. Everything was delicious. I really liked the beans. Delicious! I could eat anything on the menu TBH! I make a point to come here every time I'm in town. Don't miss out on enjoying a slice of their famous pies!

This place is awesome! The food is good, the service is friendly, and outdoor seating at oddly long tables go two was fun! Five star experience, and worth trying! Well. It was a Saturday, and we had planned to breakfast at another place...but overslept. Oops. Ladybird is open until 3, and my breakfast partner had been there, so we found parking and tried it. The inside was packed and loud at 2:00 in the afternoon, so we sat outside with immediate seating, and a much more quiet atmosphere. The tables for two are thin and long, which put me further away from my companion, but it gave us plenty of room in the middle for drinks and such. We both ordered iced coffee. Hers black, and I ordered a late made with heavy cream. They had no sugar free flavor options, which was disappointing. When they arrived, the late seemed more heavy cream than espresso... I'm not even sure there was espresso in it... HOWEVER, I drank some of it down, and we poured in some of her black coffee, and ended up with a delightful drink to share! It was fun for us, and the drink modified in that way was really good :-) Our meals came quickly, and there were zero complaints. I thought the potatoes were absolutely fabulous. And the sourdough bread could have been homemade right there (I didn't ask), and was really good. We ate, and watched people on the sidewalks, and talked, and generally had a most excellent "morning" meal :-)

We loved Lady Bird Diner! It is so fun to support a local business and the food was awesome. We loved the ambience and all the decor! The staff was eager to serve and very friendly! We had the ladybird diner special with a pancake on the side! We will definitely return over and over again!

My dad loves this spot, and is a big admirer of the owner, after what she did during covid: feeding all the homeless people fresh meals for over a year-- wow!! Huge heart! We were visiting and he wanted to take us. We were told a 30 min wait on the phone, but we were seated within 5 when we got there- yay! And a front window table - score! We loved our waitress. A fun, young girl, w a great sense of humor and sarcasm to match ours, the patience of a saint w my dad and sons shenanigans lol. Choosing a meal item was hard for us all lol many sounded good. We really wanted the chicken pot pie and eyed many going to other tables. We were super bummed to find out they had just sold out. Lol nooooo! I toyed between the "sweater weather avocado toast", or the salad w all the unique stuff- forgot the name now lol. I chose the avocado toast, and it was good w great foodie toppings, BUT I'm just not a fan of puréed avocado mash type avocado.... I like the real thing w sliced mash avo... tastes different and different texture.. this was more like a plain guac- puréed texture... My son got the kids cheese burger and fruit- he loved it. My dad got the American burger. I was surprised to see American cheese instead of quality cheddar, but I guess that makes sense for the American burger lol. He liked it, w his fries. My boyfriend first cried over no pot pie lol then decided on the patty melt on rye, and chose a side of chili. He said both were good, but very heavy (duh lol). He then took his gluttony a step further and got a malt vanilla shake after lol. Large portions and tasty. I couldn't make out the malt taste, but they said they tasted it. My dad ordered a slice of coconut cream pie and we all loved it. He raved about all of their pies and said she's known for that. Everything was good, but didn't wow me. I wish I could've tried some other items. The place was very cool and an artsy, eclectic feel inside. I loved that the owner, herself, was working front of house, seating and greeting, running food, working hard w everyone-- you don't see that much in places. Humble!

This place fixed my hunger!!! If you're on the verge of hangry and can't wait a few minutes to be seated, don't go because it will be your fault you're mad. Fortunately we were seated after about 15 or so minutes. I had a drink in hand so I kinda forgot.. (In town nearby to visit friends KC) Anyways. If you can wait, it's totally worth the wait time. If you haven't been here it's worth waiting at least one time. There's not many breakfast/brunch spots in this area that do craft brunch, so if you want something delicious ... Go here - enjoy the wait and food. The adult beverage are poured right (hint hint... I'm just saying...) The owner madey drink. I used to be coworkers with her back in the early 2000s in my Manhattan Ks days. I had the mouthwatering Nashville chicken n Mac & cheese and the wife had eggs, toast, bacon, potatoes... All was very plentiful and filling. I saw the pancakes next table over...they were YUGE! Get in here and get filled on the offers they provide!!!! I can't wait to be back in town to eat here again. The pie .... Decadent! Buy a whole pie or a slice... Thank me later. I went peanut butta Respectfully, Bryan Oklahoma City

It was a busy morning before the KU VS OU game and we got in and out without a hitch. The service was amazing. I 100% recommend this place.

Very good. Had the chicken club sandwich it was very tender and tomato basil soup was delicious. Husband had biscuit and gravy it was delicious too. We will go back Again.

Great atmosphere. Great workers. Incredible bloody Mary's(2!), incredible breakfast entrées: truckstop pile up / great avocado toast /amazing hashbrowns/amazing. Upbeat FUN restaurant. I would absolutely come back again! Tim the waiter/bartender/comedian made it even greater. Please CLONE him!

I had high hopes. It was a long wait. No biggie, it's a popular place. My breakfast of French toast was fine. Grits yummy. My husbands plate was cold. Hash special. We got comped for his meal. The employees were all friendly, working hard and apologized for the bad meal. It's not very clean. If they could tighten that part up, I would recommend it. Vibe was neat.

Pains me to say, not as good as it was pre-pandemic. Nice folks who have done a lot for the local community particularly during the pandemic. But the quality of food has dropped off and the prices have jumped WAAAY up. I know we have inflation, but $17 for pancakes and eggs and $7 pie seems a bit steep.

Fantastic service and amazing food! American favorites with a twist. My wife had an amazing grilled cheese and I had the double cheeseburger without the bun. All the food was delicious. Highly recommended comfort-style food!

The place looks super good the service they are super nice, and the food is to die for it's so good

One of the best places to eat breakfast on Mass Street! Cute eclectic vintage decor makes this small place so charming. All of the different salt and pepper shakers were so cute too!!! The service is 5 star! We sat at the counter and my coffee never got cold. Breakfast was great - the pancake I had was so good - had a bit of a cinnamon flavor and the cheese grits were on point!! I just wished I had room for a piece of the delicious pies they had in their cabniet. Next time I am going to start with PIE for breakfast!

Our meals were wonderful. The ingredients tasted farm-fresh. I will long remember the tomato on my avocado, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. The pie was incredible, especially the Countess (a local specialty). But I was mist impressed with the staff. They seemed happy to work there, and unlike so many places lately, they seemed fully staffed, not understaffed. It says a lot about the owner that she can keep good people.

A good friend of mine took me here for brunch and I was pleasantly surprised at both the ambiance of the place, their customer service and delicious food selections! They have little playing cards at every table, which helps keep the fun going if you're with friends! I got an avocado toast and it had a lot on it. Initially it was quite overwhelming, I was worried about all the flavors and how they'd pair together but again, pleasantly surprised and very delicious! It didn't feel super stuffed eating it either, so I'd say its perfect for a lighter brunch meal! Overall, I'd definitely come again! Service was awesome too!

We stopped by for the Friday night fried chicken dinner. The sides included greens in pot linker (delicious), mashed potatoes and onion rings. The owner, Meg, and wait staff are wonderfully friendly and welcoming. Too stuffed for dessert, we took some of the fabulous peach pie home with us. Ladybird is a Lawrence Classic.