This establishment is absolutely amazing! The food? Phenomenal, I ordered the Spinelli. Drinks? The slap in the face was delicious - multiple selections. The staff? Couldn’t be happier, everyone had a smile on their face with a great, caring attitude.
The artwork inside is stellar, and they host plenty of events, I’ll definitely be coming back 🤟🏾
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
ʕ·ᴥ·ʔ
It's like a 90s kids bedroom.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Leslie G
Nice server, very friendly dude but their food is inedible. The odd, old fryer/stale alcohol smell which permeates the air should have been a sign to leave immediately but we stayed since the reviews & pics of the food looked good. If you advertise “house chips” they shouldn’t be ruffles bagged chips with some sugar sprinkled on them. The sandwiches we ordered were awful, Mac & cheese wasn’t terrible but not great, tasted like it was made with Velvetta.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 5
Jean Ricardo
Anne was amazing at the bar and very nice
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Kim Sparks
Super cool, great food, amazing staff.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nic Brown
Walking into Neon Lunchbox isn’t just dinner. It’s stepping into a SATURDAY MORNING CARTOON ON STEROIDS, fueled by strong drinks and food that body-slams your taste buds through a neon table. At 46, my brain is permanently rewired by mixtapes, Ninja Turtles, and TGIF lineups, and this place hit me harder than a pog slammer on a stack of holographics. Neon signs blasted like the mall arcade, childhood trinkets were EVERYWHERE, and the speakers were pumping the soundtrack of my youth so loud I was waiting for someone to yell “FINISH HIM!” from behind the bar. (Let’s be real—somebody back there has definitely screamed “TOASTY!” during service.)
Me and my best brochachos ordered like kids with $20 at Blockbuster on a Friday night. I crushed The Fat Bastard with mac and cheese instead of slaw and it was straight up Austin Powers in sandwich form. Smoky brisket, gooey mac, sauce dripping like Nickelodeon Gak. Every bite had me yelling “GET IN MAH BELLY!” Jesse obliterated The Spinelli; fried mortadella, smoky gouda, stacked like Jenga until it collapsed into his mouth like Bowser finally getting smacked by Mario with an Invincibility Star coursing through his soul. Ben went full send on The Kid N Play sliders with pulled brisket and candied jalapeños so good we half expected him to bust out the dance at the table. Instead we just screamed “AIN’T GONNA HURT NOBODY” while laughing like deranged Lion King hyenas.
Then came the Rolie Polie Olie pierogies. Nothing more than fluffy, cheesy, bacon-bomb nostalgia grenades DRENCHED in cream sauce. One bite and we were yelling “ZOWIE!” like it was Nickelodeon slime time.
But nothing, and I mean NOTHING, prepares you for the FINAL BOSS of this place: The Bayou. A Muffaletta the size of a BASKETBALL. When it hits the table, the lights dim, boss music starts, and you'll swear that you've leveled up. They warned us not to order the full one, but like true 80s kids, you gotta ignore all adult advice. This wasn’t just a sandwich. It was a CHALLENGE. A SPECTACLE. A RELIGION. If you and your crew want a war story, order it and ascend into sandwich legend.
Fifteen beers deep, three middle-aged bros living their best retro dream, and the staff kept the hype going; friendly, fast, playful, high-fiving us like we’d just won DOUBLE DARE. Between the neon glow, the art, and a playlist bouncing from Salt N Pepa to Nirvana, it felt like the greatest hits CD of our childhood. At one point, I fully expected Cheez-Its to rain down like confetti at a Smash Mouth concert.
And here’s the heart: you can FEEL the love from Chelsey and Smiley woven into this place. It isn’t just décor. It’s childhood memories bottled, shaken, and poured over plates of ridiculous food. These folks grew up just like us, school lunchboxes full of questionable snacks, Walkmans eating our favorite cassettes, dreams that smelled faintly of pizza rolls. And they turned it into a neon temple of flavor that makes you feel like a kid again while drinking like a grownup.
We left with bellies stuffed, cheeks sore from laughing, and a blood oath to return. Neon Lunchbox is not just dinner. It is a NOSTALGIA SUPER BOWL TOUCHDOWN, a HIGH SCORE ON GALAGA, and a FRIDAY NIGHT SLEEPOVER all in one.
FIVE STARS. NO QUESTIONS. NO CHEAT CODES.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
jessica casper
Pierogies absolutely amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Erick Wright
Great place! Full of nostalgia
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ed Bonenberger
This place is absolutely awesome, the people are great, the food is great. This may be one of my regular Sunday stops from now on.
Pretty cool hidden spot. Good food and drink specials. Play some Midnight with the 80s vibes!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Matthew Jeffries
Amazing atmosphere and the food was incredible. I will be coming back here as soon as I can
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dr. Ian Rainey
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If I could give this place 10 stars, I would.
I just had the Fat Bastard Old BBQ Brisket with sweet potato mash and… I’m not even sure how to describe it. Life-changing? Spiritual? Like a BBQ angel hugged my soul? Yeah, that.
The Neon Lunchbox is absolutely wild — in the best way. The food is insanely good, the drinks are strong (like, “text your ex” strong), and the vibes? Immaculate.
This place somehow nails both party central on a Saturday night AND laid-back lunch spot with food that makes you question every other restaurant you’ve ever liked. Oh, and the artwork on the walls? Hilarious, clever, and totally Instagram-worthy.
Whether you’re looking to eat, drink, laugh, or just sit in a place that looks like a neon fever dream (in the best way), this is it.
Go. Order the brisket. Thank me later.
Atmosphere: 5
Christina
Attended a tasting event here and enjoyed our visit! You couldn't ask for a nicer staff, seriously they are amazing! Just as in the previous post, Smiley, the owner was there and is awesome too. The food made for the event was so good and on point! Collards are amazing and highly recommended because I don't order them out but these are different which is why they are missing off the plate! The brisket and chicken sliders, mac and cheese, and wings were great too. This place has a chill, throwback vibe and is a hidden gem in DTSP.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
ItsYeezy
Amazing brisket sliders! Amazing drinks made by an amazing bartender, Anne. The owners, Smiley and Chelsey, have something special here. Great staff, great energy, and great food. What more can you ask for?
The food was awful here
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
This establishment is absolutely amazing! The food? Phenomenal, I ordered the Spinelli. Drinks? The slap in the face was delicious - multiple selections. The staff? Couldn’t be happier, everyone had a smile on their face with a great, caring attitude.
The artwork inside is stellar, and they host plenty of events, I’ll definitely be coming back 🤟🏾
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It's like a 90s kids bedroom.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nice server, very friendly dude but their food is inedible. The odd, old fryer/stale alcohol smell which permeates the air should have been a sign to leave immediately but we stayed since the reviews & pics of the food looked good. If you advertise “house chips” they shouldn’t be ruffles bagged chips with some sugar sprinkled on them. The sandwiches we ordered were awful, Mac & cheese wasn’t terrible but not great, tasted like it was made with Velvetta.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 5
Anne was amazing at the bar and very nice
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Super cool, great food, amazing staff.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Walking into Neon Lunchbox isn’t just dinner. It’s stepping into a SATURDAY MORNING CARTOON ON STEROIDS, fueled by strong drinks and food that body-slams your taste buds through a neon table. At 46, my brain is permanently rewired by mixtapes, Ninja Turtles, and TGIF lineups, and this place hit me harder than a pog slammer on a stack of holographics. Neon signs blasted like the mall arcade, childhood trinkets were EVERYWHERE, and the speakers were pumping the soundtrack of my youth so loud I was waiting for someone to yell “FINISH HIM!” from behind the bar. (Let’s be real—somebody back there has definitely screamed “TOASTY!” during service.)
Me and my best brochachos ordered like kids with $20 at Blockbuster on a Friday night. I crushed The Fat Bastard with mac and cheese instead of slaw and it was straight up Austin Powers in sandwich form. Smoky brisket, gooey mac, sauce dripping like Nickelodeon Gak. Every bite had me yelling “GET IN MAH BELLY!” Jesse obliterated The Spinelli; fried mortadella, smoky gouda, stacked like Jenga until it collapsed into his mouth like Bowser finally getting smacked by Mario with an Invincibility Star coursing through his soul. Ben went full send on The Kid N Play sliders with pulled brisket and candied jalapeños so good we half expected him to bust out the dance at the table. Instead we just screamed “AIN’T GONNA HURT NOBODY” while laughing like deranged Lion King hyenas.
Then came the Rolie Polie Olie pierogies. Nothing more than fluffy, cheesy, bacon-bomb nostalgia grenades DRENCHED in cream sauce. One bite and we were yelling “ZOWIE!” like it was Nickelodeon slime time.
But nothing, and I mean NOTHING, prepares you for the FINAL BOSS of this place: The Bayou. A Muffaletta the size of a BASKETBALL. When it hits the table, the lights dim, boss music starts, and you'll swear that you've leveled up. They warned us not to order the full one, but like true 80s kids, you gotta ignore all adult advice. This wasn’t just a sandwich. It was a CHALLENGE. A SPECTACLE. A RELIGION. If you and your crew want a war story, order it and ascend into sandwich legend.
Fifteen beers deep, three middle-aged bros living their best retro dream, and the staff kept the hype going; friendly, fast, playful, high-fiving us like we’d just won DOUBLE DARE. Between the neon glow, the art, and a playlist bouncing from Salt N Pepa to Nirvana, it felt like the greatest hits CD of our childhood. At one point, I fully expected Cheez-Its to rain down like confetti at a Smash Mouth concert.
And here’s the heart: you can FEEL the love from Chelsey and Smiley woven into this place. It isn’t just décor. It’s childhood memories bottled, shaken, and poured over plates of ridiculous food. These folks grew up just like us, school lunchboxes full of questionable snacks, Walkmans eating our favorite cassettes, dreams that smelled faintly of pizza rolls. And they turned it into a neon temple of flavor that makes you feel like a kid again while drinking like a grownup.
We left with bellies stuffed, cheeks sore from laughing, and a blood oath to return. Neon Lunchbox is not just dinner. It is a NOSTALGIA SUPER BOWL TOUCHDOWN, a HIGH SCORE ON GALAGA, and a FRIDAY NIGHT SLEEPOVER all in one.
FIVE STARS. NO QUESTIONS. NO CHEAT CODES.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pierogies absolutely amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great place! Full of nostalgia
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place is absolutely awesome, the people are great, the food is great. This may be one of my regular Sunday stops from now on.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Pretty cool hidden spot. Good food and drink specials. Play some Midnight with the 80s vibes!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing atmosphere and the food was incredible. I will be coming back here as soon as I can
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If I could give this place 10 stars, I would.
I just had the Fat Bastard Old BBQ Brisket with sweet potato mash and… I’m not even sure how to describe it. Life-changing? Spiritual? Like a BBQ angel hugged my soul? Yeah, that.
The Neon Lunchbox is absolutely wild — in the best way. The food is insanely good, the drinks are strong (like, “text your ex” strong), and the vibes? Immaculate.
This place somehow nails both party central on a Saturday night AND laid-back lunch spot with food that makes you question every other restaurant you’ve ever liked. Oh, and the artwork on the walls? Hilarious, clever, and totally Instagram-worthy.
Whether you’re looking to eat, drink, laugh, or just sit in a place that looks like a neon fever dream (in the best way), this is it.
Go. Order the brisket. Thank me later.
Atmosphere: 5
Attended a tasting event here and enjoyed our visit! You couldn't ask for a nicer staff, seriously they are amazing! Just as in the previous post, Smiley, the owner was there and is awesome too. The food made for the event was so good and on point! Collards are amazing and highly recommended because I don't order them out but these are different which is why they are missing off the plate! The brisket and chicken sliders, mac and cheese, and wings were great too. This place has a chill, throwback vibe and is a hidden gem in DTSP.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing brisket sliders! Amazing drinks made by an amazing bartender, Anne. The owners, Smiley and Chelsey, have something special here. Great staff, great energy, and great food. What more can you ask for?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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