Popular Macon seafood food truck opens new restaurant where foodies can get ‘Sauce’D Up’

A popular food truck now has a storefront where you can pull up to get “Sauce’D Up.”

Louvenia’s Seafood Market, owned by Jason and Michelle Walker, recently opened a restaurant on Brookhaven Road by the Harrison Road Walmart in the shopping center with the Dollar Tree.

The location is pickup only but offers a full menu of various seafood options from crab legs to alligator.

The duo decided in early 2018 to start the food truck after deciding to split from a partnership at a Dublin restaurant. They hosted their first-ever “pull up” at a gas station on Mercer University Drive in Macon.

They advertised a couple of days in advance with some photos of their plates on Facebook. The turnout was unexpected.

“It was a madhouse. We went home that night like what just happened,” Michelle said. “We actually ended up having to leave the gas station. There were too many people there. It was amazing.”

They named the restaurant after Jason’s grandmother, Louvenia, and used her face as the logo. They wanted to go with something that had a nice Southern ring to it, they said.

“She was living with us for a little time,” Michelle said. “She says we owe her money for using her name and her face. She tells everybody that.”

The success of the food truck has been widespread. The travel all over the state of Georgia from Augusta to Savannah and smaller places in between.

The response is always the same as people line up from all around to get a taste of the seafood coming out of the window. Jason said that the amount of people is like a concert or a football game.

“Some of the new people are really excited to come out. I think about the lady in Newnan, Georgia,” Michelle said. “It warmed my heart. But it was so funny. She was so excited. She said ‘I am excited. I have been chasing this truck for a year. I am getting Sauce’D Up.’”

The success has happened quickly. In just over a year, their Facebook page has received over 30,000 likes. It is something that neither expected to happen so rapidly.

They use Facebook as their main marketing tool. They went out to California for a class to help then in preparation of launching a different business venture.

It came in handy when they decided to do a food truck instead as it has helped them grow quickly.

“Little ol’ us, we don’t see that we are growing. We feel it but we don’t see it every day,” Jason said. “Man it is amazing, every day it is amazing. I am speechless sometimes.”

In 2019, their journey came full circle when they decided to open the new location in November. Based on the response from the first pull-up in Macon, they wanted their first storefront to be here too.

“Macon was the first spot we pulled up. Macon has just been so supportive since day one,” Jason said.

“We have kind of made Middle Georgia our home. It was only right. It is central to everybody.” Michelle added.

While they still plan to operate the food truck, the storefront location has offered another feeling of full circle for them, because now instead of them pulling up to a food truck, customers are driving from all over the state to the restaurant.

“They have been pulling up the reverse way to come see us here,” Michelle said. “It is a blessing.”

The menu is centered around their Sauce’D Up plates. They have different options like crab legs, lobster tail and shrimp. It is then drenched in their signature butter sauce.

The name came from Michelle when they were sitting around at the table trying to come up with a slogan. Now customers come to get “Sauce’D Up” which Michelle says is the experience as a whole.

“The thing is we try serve great food, good customer service but we try to provide an overall experience,” Michelle said. “To get one of our platters and get Sauce’D up is an experience. They way they butter those plates down with the seasoning and the sauce, a lot of love and a lot of care goes into every platter.”

The restaurant also does large pans for those looking to cater events, and they have specials for the holidays. Each recommends that you try the 4750 platter with crab legs and shrimp or the fried lobster tail with shrimp and fries. They said at the end of the day they love to make the customers that try their food happy.

“We have been through a lot of sacrifices. We sacrifice everyday on a daily basis,” Michelle said. “To see that end product go out and make that person so happy, it’s beautiful.“‘

Location: 5033 Brookhaven Rd Suite 600

Hours: Thursday-Saturday 12 p.m.- 8 p.m.; check Facebook page for pull up locations and special openings at the restaurant

This story was originally published December 24, 2019 at 5:30 AM.