Most people can name a “good” restaurant — the kind of place you can rely on for a tasty meal. After all, we expect restaurant food to be “good,” bare minimally.

But then there are exceptional restaurants. The ones that not only serve great food but also have ambiance and service that goes above and beyond.

That’s Lila Mae’s Southern Kitchen & Lounge on the corner of 30th and South Street, in the Sheridan neighborhood.

My wife and I stopped there the other day for date night. At first, the soul food alone was enough to keep us glued to our seats. The fried pickles, okra, shrimp and grits, smothered pork chops, wings, and of course, southern-style greens were all phenomenal. There is nothing on Earth like a hearty, southern meal.

But the fun didn’t stop there. On our way out, we got to meet the chef and found out that our waitress was his daughter. We ended up having a fantastic conversation about the chef’s quest to create insanely hot wings.

Lila Mae’s hot wings are the stuff of Lincoln legend. They’ll melt in your mouth… and then melt your face clean off. I was not brave enough to try them, but if you do, tell me how they are!

And if wings/existential pain aren’t your thing, no worries. They also serve a variety of salads and sandwiches, and there’s a separate menu for the kiddos. Lila Mae’s even has a full Sunday brunch menu, which is perfect if you’re craving a weekend treat.

For the record, this isn’t an ad. I’m just a realtor here in the Lincoln area who loves supporting our local businesses (especially when there’s great food involved). But like, if anyone from Lila Mae’s is reading this, give me a call. Maybe we can trade marketing for fried pickles.