BEAUX’S TAKE
Illustrated Lake Charles brunch spread with waterfront scenery and Beaux LeBeak
A Note from Beaux
Best Brunch in Lake Charles
Hey y’all — Beaux here.
Finding the best brunch in Lake Charles really depends on what kind of morning you’re after. Some weekends call for live music and mimosas. Others call for pastries, coffee and somewhere quiet enough to take your time.
So instead of ranking every place from one to ten, I put together the spots I’d actually consider depending on the plan — whether you want a Saturday brunch, a Sunday buffet, a date spot, something family-friendly, or just a good excuse to order one more cocktail.
Take a look at the quick comparison below, find the one that sounds like your kind of weekend, and go enjoy it.
— Beaux LeBeak
Short on time? Jump straight to the comparison table to see who serves brunch when, what each spot costs, and what it does best.
Pick your Brunch
Quick Comparison
Best Brunch in Lake Charles at a Glance
Start here if you already know what kind of brunch you want. Then jump down for the full breakdown of each spot.
Sunday: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. • $$ • Live jazz 11 a.m.–2 p.m. • Lively downtown brunch
Saturday + Sunday: 8 a.m.–2 p.m. • $–$$ • Pastries, coffee & relaxed café brunch
Sunday: 10 a.m.–2 p.m. • $$$ • Polished special-occasion brunch
Saturday: 11 a.m.–3 p.m. • $$$ • Elevated brunch, cocktails & date-friendly atmosphere
Sunday: 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. • $$ • Live jazz, Cajun-Mexican flavors & groups
Sunday: 11 a.m.–3 p.m. • $$ • Zydeco, hearty plates & laid-back atmosphere
Crying Eagle Brewing – University
Sunday: 11 a.m.–3 p.m. • $$ • Brewery brunch, Bloody Mary bar & mimosas
Saturday + Sunday: 10 a.m.–1 p.m. • $$ • Full brunch buffet & group-friendly
Saturday + Sunday • $$ • Mexican brunch flavors, margaritas & craft cocktails
Price key: $ = lighter spend • $$ = moderate • $$$ = higher-end
Luna Bar & Grill Downtown’s current Sunday Jazz Brunch menu.
Menu via Luna Bar & Grill
Live Music Brunch
Luna Bar & Grill Downtown
719 Ryan St. • Downtown Lake Charles
Luna is the brunch pick when you want the meal to feel like part of your Sunday plans, not just somewhere to grab eggs. The downtown location pairs a dedicated brunch menu with cocktails and live jazz, giving it more energy than a quiet café brunch.
The menu leans heavily into Louisiana flavors. You’ll find dishes like Eggs Calcasieu with fried Gulf shrimp, Galactic Crab Crepes, crawfish-and-boudin omelets, steak and eggs, French toast, and more traditional brunch plates.
Best for: A lively downtown Sunday brunch with jazz, cocktails, and a menu that feels distinctly Lake Charles.
Sunday Brunch: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. • Live Jazz: 11 a.m.–2 p.m. • Downtown • $$
Brunch and pastries at The Bekery in Lake Charles
Bakery Brunch
The Bekery
2040 E. Walnut St. • Lake Charles
The Bekery is the easy pick when your version of brunch starts with a really good pastry and coffee instead of a cocktail menu. It has the relaxed feel of a neighborhood bakery, but the weekend menu goes well beyond croissants and cinnamon rolls.
Current weekend specials include the Wake Up Call, a croissant stacked with bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, cheddar and espresso aioli; the Southern Smother with tasso-and-sausage gravy; an All American Omelette; and lighter options like the Mediterranean Bowl and salmon or avocado toast.
Pastries generally land around the single-digit range, while the heartier brunch plates currently run mostly in the mid-teens to low $20s. There’s also a dedicated kids menu, which makes this one of the easier choices for a casual family brunch.
Best for: Pastries, coffee and a relaxed weekend brunch that works just as well for a quick stop as it does for sitting down with the family.
Saturday + Sunday: 8 a.m.–2 p.m. • Weekend Specials • $–$$ • Kids Menu
Special-Occasion Brunch
Villa Harlequin
324 Pujo St. • Downtown Lake Charles
Villa Harlequin is where I’d look when brunch is supposed to feel a little more like an occasion. The downtown dining room leans polished without becoming overly formal, and the Sunday-only brunch menu mixes familiar favorites with the restaurant’s Italian and Louisiana influences.
The Savory Bread Pudding is one of the most distinctive plates — topped with poached eggs and a spicy Louisiana crawfish cream sauce. Other current options include Lamb Breakfast, Steak + Eggs, Chicken + Waffles, a Waffle Flight, and lighter salads and starters.
Most brunch entrées currently land in roughly the $16–$23 range. There’s also a dedicated kids brunch menu, so the upscale setting doesn’t rule it out for families.
Best for: Date brunch, celebrations, or anyone who wants a more polished Sunday meal without leaving downtown.
Villa Harlequin’s Sunday brunch includes dishes like savory bread pudding with poached eggs and crawfish cream sauce, plus chicken and waffles.
Photo via Villa Harlequin on Instagram
Sunday Brunch: 10 a.m.–2 p.m. • Downtown • $$$ • Kids Menu • Reservations Available
Saturday brunch at 121 Artisan Bistro in Lake Charles
Saturday Brunch
121 Artisan Bistro
121 Dr. Michael DeBakey Dr. • Lake Charles
If Saturday is your brunch day, 121 Artisan Bistro deserves a look. Its Bistro Brunch Society is a dedicated Saturday-only service built around a polished dining room, cocktails, and a menu that mixes Italian influence with Gulf Coast flavors.
Current brunch highlights include Tuscan Eggs Benedict with fried green tomatoes and pancetta, Braised Short Rib Hash, Steak & Eggs, Italian-style French toast, breakfast pizza, and build-your-own omelets.
Drinks are part of the experience too. The brunch menu features a Mimosa Flight, Kir Royale, the house 121 Mimosa, tableside mimosa service, and brunch cocktails like the Rosemary Bourbon Smash and Blueberry Limoncello.
Best for: A slower, more elevated Saturday brunch when you want cocktails, a full meal, and somewhere worth lingering.
Saturday: 11 a.m.–3 p.m. • Dedicated Brunch Menu • $$$ • Reservations Available
Sunday brunch at Tia Juanita’s Fish Camp in downtown Lake Charles.
Photo via Tia Juanita’s Fish Camp
Jazz + Casual Brunch
Tia Juanita’s Fish Camp
723 Ryan St. • Downtown Lake Charles
Tia Juanita’s is a good Sunday pick when you want brunch to feel casual, social, and a little louder. The weekly jazz brunch pairs live music with a dedicated Sunday menu that blends breakfast staples with the Cajun, seafood, and Mexican flavors the restaurant is known for.
Current brunch choices include Huevos Rancheros, Shrimp & Grits, Tia’s Migas, a Breakfast Taco Trio, Fried Chicken Biscuit, and sweeter options like Tres Leches French Toast and roasted banana crepes.
Most brunch entrées currently fall from the low teens into the mid-$20s, with a few larger plates reaching around $30. A kids menu and reservations are available, which makes this an easy option for both families and groups.
Best for: A casual Sunday brunch with live jazz, a group-friendly atmosphere, and something beyond the usual eggs-and-pancakes menu.
Sunday Jazz Brunch: 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. • Live Jazz • $$ • Kids Menu • Reservations Available
Rikenjaks Zydeco brunch in Lake Charles
Zydeco + Casual Brunch
Rikenjaks Brewing Company
3716 Ryan St. • Lake Charles
Rikenjaks is the Sunday brunch pick when you want live music and a laid-back atmosphere to matter just as much as what’s on the plate. Its weekly Zydeco Brunch pairs a full brunch menu with live music from Zydecane, giving it one of the more distinctly Louisiana brunch experiences in Lake Charles.
The menu leans hearty. Current options include Seafood Benedict with blackened shrimp and Cajun sauce, Shrimp & Grits, Chicken & Waffles, Hangover Fries, breakfast tacos, country-fried steak and several scramble bowls — including one built around boudin, pepper jack and Cajun sauce.
Most of the current brunch menu sits around the low-to-upper teens, making Rikenjaks a more casual option than some of the polished downtown brunches. The spacious outdoor setup, live music and relaxed vibe also make it an easy choice for families or a group that wants to hang around for a while.
Best for: Live zydeco, hearty brunch plates, groups and a casual Sunday where nobody is in a hurry to leave.
Sunday: 11 a.m.–3 p.m. • Live Zydeco 11:30–2:30 • $$ • Casual + Group-Friendly
Brewery Brunch
Crying Eagle Brewing – University
1165 E. McNeese St. • Lake Charles
Crying Eagle is the brunch pick when you want the brewery atmosphere to be part of the plan. Every Sunday, the original University location turns into Brew-zy Brunch, pairing a dedicated brunch menu with craft beer, brunch cocktails and live entertainment.
One dish worth knowing about is the Praline Chicken & Waffles, a sweet-and-savory brunch option that has become one of the recognizable picks here. But the drinks are arguably just as much of the draw: there’s a Loaded Bloody Mary Bar plus more than a dozen juice options for building your mimosa.
With the brewery’s spacious indoor-and-outdoor setting, this works especially well when you’re brunching with a group or want somewhere you can settle in rather than rush through a meal.
Best for: Groups, craft beer fans and anyone who wants brunch drinks, live entertainment and a relaxed brewery atmosphere all in one stop.
Brunch at Crying Eagle Brewing’s University location in Lake Charles.
Photo via Crying Eagle Brewing
Why Go
The Brunch Drinks
🍅 Loaded Bloody Mary Bar
🥂 More than a dozen mimosa juice options
🍺 Crying Eagle craft beer right from the source
Sunday: 11 a.m.–3 p.m. • University Location • $$ • Bloody Mary Bar • Live Entertainment
Illustrated Drago’s weekend brunch buffet guide for L’Auberge Lake Charles
Weekend Brunch Buffet
Drago’s at L’Auberge
777 Ave L’Auberge • Lake Charles
Drago’s is the most straightforward choice on this list when what you really want is a traditional brunch buffet. Both Saturday and Sunday mornings bring out a spread of breakfast favorites alongside a few heartier lunch-style dishes, so everyone can build the plate they actually want.
The current buffet includes an omelet station, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, French toast, fruit, roasted fish, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, breakfast pastries, bread pudding and other desserts. If you want something beyond the buffet, Drago’s also offers à-la-carte options including its famous charbroiled oysters, Cajun Crab Benedict and a Louisiana Brunch Burger.
At about $24 per person, it’s one of the easier brunches in this guide to budget for ahead of time. Mimosa pitchers are also currently available for $40.
Best for: Groups with different tastes, families, or anyone who wants a real buffet instead of choosing a single brunch entrée.
Why Go
A True Brunch Buffet
🍳 Omelet station plus breakfast classics
🦪 Drago’s charbroiled oysters available à la carte
🥂 $40 mimosa pitchers
👥 Easy for groups with different brunch preferences
Saturday + Sunday: 10 a.m.–1 p.m. • Brunch Buffet • $23.99 • L’Auberge • First Come, First Served
Mexican Weekend Brunch
Mexico Magico Fresh Cuisine
3395 Derek Dr. • Lake Charles
Mexico Magico gives this list something different: a dedicated Saturday and Sunday Mexican brunch. Expect house-made tortillas, fresh ingredients and creative twists on traditional Mexican breakfast flavors rather than another standard American brunch menu.
It’s also a strong option if brunch drinks are part of the plan, with craft cocktails and margaritas built around tequila, mezcal, citrus, chiles and tropical flavors.
Best for: Mexican flavors, margaritas and anyone looking for a weekend brunch that feels different from the usual eggs-and-benedict lineup.
Saturday + Sunday • Mexican Brunch • $$ • Craft Cocktails
Pick Your Brunch
Which Lake Charles Brunch Is Right for You?
If you’re brunching on Saturday, start with 121 Artisan Bistro, The Bekery, Drago’s or Mexico Magico. Sunday opens up the biggest selection, including Luna, Villa Harlequin, Tia Juanita’s, Rikenjaks and Crying Eagle.
For live music: Luna, Tia Juanita’s or Rikenjaks
For a date: Villa Harlequin or 121 Artisan Bistro
For families: The Bekery, Tia Juanita’s or Drago’s
For groups: Crying Eagle, Rikenjaks or Drago’s
For something different: Mexico Magico
One last tip: brunch hours, menus and live-music schedules can change, especially around holidays and special events. It’s worth checking the restaurant’s current page before heading out.
Still deciding where to eat? Our broader Where to Eat in Lake Charles guide has more local favorites for every kind of meal.
Eat well, enjoy the weekend — Beaux
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