Lucky 32 Kitchen & Wine Bar

My family has been eating here for years since we have two vegetarians and they have a well rounded enough menu that most of us are happy. My father, best friend, and I all adore the black bean cakes but my husband has trouble finding something he likes here on some of the menus.

Pros: Always new selections

Cons: Sometimes service is slow and can be pricy

Posted 11/12/09

My husband and I had a wonderful lunch enjoying two of the entrees that will be served during the rehearsal dinner. Everything was delicious, and we were also impressed with the service. The woman we dealt with to make arrangements for the rehearsal dinner could not have been more gracious and accommodating. As I mentioned in my "cons", I am a little concerned about some of the negative reviews, even though there were very few of them. Most are very positive, and I do realize you always get complainers when working with the public. So, hopefully, these negative issues have been addressed by the management, and we will have a delightful and delicious evening that will be enjoyed by all. Looking forward to a wonderful night at Lucky 32!!!

Pros: Loved the separate room for rehearsal dinners and food

Cons: a little concerned about some of the negative reviews

Posted 07/19/09

The strange thing is that you can smoke in the bar but if you sit outside you can't smoke. I thought that was strange. But the food is good and they are pretty quick.

Pros: Good Service

Cons: None that I can think of

Posted 03/29/09

My husband and I both like this restaurant, but the last time we visited for dinner (a couple of weeks ago), the food was disappointing.

The half-chicken and mashed potatoes (which I loved the previous two times I'd visited) was no longer on the menu, so I ordered the chicken and dumplings and my husband had the pulled pork and johnnycakes. My husband liked his dinner (though he said it was very spicy). My chicken and dumplings were not what I expected at all - though our lovely server explained it would have a thinner sauce than the traditional chicken and dumplings, I didn't expect the dumplings to be so small and dense and the sauce was EXTREMELY salty - so much so that I couldn't eat it. (I like salty food, but this was too much!) As well, I thought the portion size was very small compared to the cost of the dish. There was also a chicken bone in there (which I can understand happens, but it was just another uncomfortable experience). The meal did not include a salad either (I thought it should have, for the price).

The sweet potato hushpuppies appetizer was interesting. I'd recommend you try it at least once. I dug the ham-cream sauce they were served in.

We really love the ambiance of this restaurant - it is very comfortable and unique. As well, the serving staff are always professional. I just did not enjoy my food this time around.

Pros: Ambiance, location, service

Cons: Inconsistent food

Posted 03/05/09

Just had their cajun pork tenderloin with the voodoo sauce and goat cheese. YUM! And those collards are better than my grandmas (may she rest in peace). I suggest getting the whipped sweet potatoes instead of the red beans and rice (to cool off that voodoo sauce). And the brownie sundae is SO rich. My partner always get the salt and pepper ribeye. I always get the Grilled Chicken Salad with spinach for lunch. And I just saw that the owners of Lucky 32 are a semi-finalist for "Restaurateur of the Year" award for 2009 from James Beard Foundation. That's like the oscars for restaurants, and there are only 20 semi-finalists in the entire country. Impressed.

Pros: Great ambience, friendly servers, generous portions

Cons: Easy to drive by if you don't know where they are!

Posted 02/20/09

I went to Lucky 32 recently with a few friends, and we all really enjoyed ourselves. I really liked how we were all able to get something different, and we were each quite pleased with our entree. I particularly enjoyed the pork with a spicy Voodoo glaze, but the seafood also looked outstanding! Our server was very accomodating to our needs- one person in the group was a vegetarian, another had a few allergies- and made sure that we were always happy throughout the meal. I especially appreciate the flexibility of the menu and kitchen staff, and will certainly return for another lunch!

Posted 02/05/09

Prices are out the roof and the food was not that good. Service could stand a little improvement! However, it was my first time but isn't it a rule of thumb you don't get a second chance to make a good impression? Having said that, customers should always be treated anywhere as if the restaurant staff, management and owners are after you to return. Those are the ones I return to over and over, believe me. I will pay well for good service!

Pros: Have they lower the prices yet?

Cons: Have they lower the prices yet? ;)

Posted 01/30/09

My girl friends and I got together for a lunch recently at Lucky32 in Cary, and we had the best time. There was a group of six and we went without a reservation and we were seated immediately! The staff there is very friendly and accommodating. The variety on the menu is outstanding...not just your "usual" stuff. We ordered the artichoke dip appetizer and then our lunches. I got the Black Bean Cakes...FANTASTIC!! We will absolutely go back there again. We didn't feel rushed to leave as we just sat and talked. Oh, get the Peanutbutter Pie for dessert!

Pros: great staff, great food

Posted 01/30/09

My husband and I ate here last night and the food was AMAZING!!!! We had the Cajun pork (off the featured menu) and the Suffolk chicken. Both of which were wonderful. It also happened to be "wine wednesday" and we were able to get our favorite wine for half price!! Our server was wonderful and very attentive! We will be back!

Pros: very nice staff, excellent wine selection, great food

Posted 01/29/09

Lucky 32 used to be an excellent place to go to eat! The food was always amazing, the presentation was great, and the service rocked! Daryl and I decided to go there for dinner last night and try some items from their Private Parties menu so that we could decide if we wanted to have our wedding reception there. First we had the Artichoke Dip as an appetizer. YUM! It's delicious! Then we had the sweet potato hushpuppies appetizer. They came out SUPER hot...too hot to eat actually, so we couldn't eat those for about 10 minutes. Then we waited....and waited....and waited....and waited for our entrees. I think 40 minutes later they finally arrived and had we not had our techno gadgets with us, we would've been bored and probably just asked for a check. Daryl got the Blue Cheese Sirloin. It was charred so badly on the outside that it was very tough and not tasty. I had the Russian River Chicken. It was cold. The goat cheese was not melted on top like I had anticipated and the fried spinach was SUPER salty! The sides of mashed potatoes and green beans were cold and uninspiring. For $20 per entree, it was definitely not worth it. The service was good. I think our waitress felt bad that our food took so long, but we never got an explanation as to why. I hope they turn things around. They used to be delicious! In conclusion, we will NOT be having our wedding reception there. Winston's would be a far better choice.

Pros: Artichoke Dip, fresh breads, presentation

Cons: Poor quality for the price, food was either too hot or too cold. Food took FOREVER!

Posted 01/14/09

We go there several times per month. Some of the food is weird, but there's a lot good. The chef is accomodating and the service is good. Any complaint we've ever had is swiftly remedied.

Pros: Service, management, chef accomodations

Cons: sometimes chilly

Posted 12/18/08

Do not recommend this restaurant at all..we dined there last Monday evening...the restuarant was practically empty, it took 25 minutes for us to get our food and when we got it, the side items were ice cold. we never saw a manager, no one came by to check on us after we recieved our food so we couldn't even send it back...our server seemed bored and disinterested in serving us and even being there.... maybe they were having an off night, but i am certainly not going to go back to find out

Posted 12/11/08

Lucky 32 was highly recomended by friends so we took a drive to Raleigh to find out. Boy were we sorry. The wait staff was uninterested and not friendly, just a job. I've had nicer service at McBurger King. The food was just ok. Nothing special and very over priced. The inside of Lucky 32 is very nice and swanky, I guess that's where all the attention and money goes because it sure is not going to staff training or food. I would be willing to try it again because these places go through cycles and I've heard that the management is not up to snuff right now. Maybe we will return in a year or so.

Posted 11/04/08

Traveling to the triangle, I went by myself for dinner and the service was great and the food was tasty.
I had the shrimp and grits, and a very good glass of cab wine!

Posted 08/26/08

My finance and I decided to try this place last night and it was average. I ordered the meat loaf and she had the chicken. The best thing on the plate was the mash potatoes. Everything was tasty, but I had the feeling it was because everything was covered or mixed with butter. We had the fried green tomatoes which were very tasty. This place is decent, but I don't think it's very healthy. The waitress seemed a bit odd, but hey I would too working a crumby job like that.

Posted 08/18/08

I have been coming to Lucky 32 for years and I have always enjoyed the atmosphere and the food, but I must say that this time was incredible. They were featuring a "New Orleans" menu and we ordered the Pork Loin with Voo Doo glaze and goat cheese and the Blackened NC Trout with Meinure(SP) sauce and they were cooked perfectly. The flavors were some of the best I have ever had (at Lucky's or anywhere else). Our server was delighful, I think her name was Kim. She let us know as soon as we sat down that Lucky 32 uses fresh organic produce from local farmers, and they get as much seafood as they can from NC also. I never knew that for all the times I have been here and I am glad I can dine out at a nice place that supports the local economy and farmers. From the moment we walked in til the time we left we felt "special". We we treated great by the staff and Kim took extra special care of us. Thank you Lucky 32!

Pros: atmosphere, service, local, organic food

Cons: no cheesecake

Posted 02/28/08

I have always liked the number 32 so my husband and I stopped in this past Saturday. We left with mixed reviews. I am a wine lover and appreciated the selection. The decor, our appetizer (hush puppies), salads, and my meal (crab cakes) were wonderful however my husband ordered the most expensive steak on their menu and it was fair at best. He ordered medium and it came well done which for a steak lover is a BIG no no. We did mention this to our waiter who politely agreed that it was poorly cooked however he did not offer to comp a dessert or appetizer which I thought was a little odd. But it was a nice place and we will probably give it a second chance.

Posted 02/12/08

My wife and I dined here for the first time last night and had a wonderful experience. The hostess was smiley and friendly, the server was helpful and and on top of things, and the food was tasty and hot. The place was very busy for a Tuesday, I thought, the energy was high, the music was upbeat and fun, and the decor was very warm and inviting. One of the overall best dining experiences we have ever had, and we travel all over the world, we highly recommend this place. PS: The Shrimp and Grits was better than those in Charleston, SC!!

Pros: Smiling, friendly staff

Cons: None

Posted 01/09/08

I'd heard some great reviews about this place so I gave it a try this weekend for Sunday when my parents, in-laws, brother, etc. were all in town. Unfortunately, most of us were completely disappointed with our experience! Two omelets were ice-cold and had to be sent back to the kitchen. One omelet plate was garnished with a sprig of grapes on which 3/4 of the grapes were missing! It looked like the waiter had gotten hungry and eaten them on his way to the table. The other omelet plate was garnished with several spoiled grapes. The french toast was soggy and undercooked, the potatoes tasted like they were not fresh, and the eggs benedicte were a total disappointment. Most of us left the restaurant still feeling hungry and totally disappointed. I really don't consider my family to be very picky but this was really such a disappointment! I guess we should have lowered our expectations when we walked in at 10am and the restaurant was nearly empty....bad sign, especially on a Sunday morning!

Pros: Nice decor, good service.

Cons: Very disappointing food!

Posted 10/23/07

Living in Raleigh I don't often have the opportunity to dine in Cary, however I now have a reason to make the short trip! My wife's company had their christmas party at lucky 32 and what an amazing time we had. Although they were very busy the atmoshphere was relaxing and sort of art deco cool. The shrimp and grits were the best I've had since my last trip to Charleston and my wife's steak with blue cheese looked great ( she ate it all and did not share, so I can only speculate!). The entire group seemed to enjoy themselves and everyone left full and happy. I will return soon to further explore the traditional style menu. As for the previous reviewer, I work in law enforcement and I can assure you we are much too busy to arrange dinner reservations. That aside, go be your own judge you will be happy you did.

Pros: cool atmosphere, good price

Cons: a little loud

Posted 12/20/06

A recent working Lunch did not go well at all. In fact the Primary Hostess potentially the Floor Manager Janis was ill-mannered, ill-tempered and certainly not able to handle/discharge her responsibilities properly. Arguably, this place does well but when pressed and required to perform the staff reacts facts, does not handle crisis situations well and goes so far as to intimidate with Police confirmed reservation parties.

Janis was rude, lacked personal control and should be taken off the floor until she can manage both her temper and subordinate staff. Of the 6 in the party none of us will ever return for obvious reasons.

Cons: Ill-mannered, impatient Host Staff.

Posted 12/18/06

Despite few disappointments with Lucky 32, my wife and I, tired after a long drive back to Cary, went again to this restaurant, just for a light late dinner, since it is the only place that is open late in our neighborhood. Knowing Luck 32 our expectations were low but we did not expect to have such a bad experience.

In order not to take risks I ordered Hamburger and my wife ordered what sounds as a good option - shrimps with polenta in a creamy source.

Both dishes were uneatable.

I have never eaten such a poor hamburger and French fries in a restaurant of any scale. I could not finish the bland dry piece of what seemed to me as the lowest quality of frozen hamburgers.

The tiny Shrimps, bottom quality of tasteless rubber pieces, were drowned in a large amount of a horrible creamy sauce. The sauce covered completely a piece of an uneatable polenta and few shrimps. The taste of this concoction was horrible. We always thought that Lucky 32 owners are masters of food faking by serving sub par food under the cover of a pretentious casual sophistication (seasonal, regional, and other restaurant buzzwords) in a contemporary settings. It seemed to us that the large amount of the creamy sauce was intended to create an illusion of a generous shrimp dish while, in fact, the dish was composed of a cheap creamy sauce, a lousy polenta (yes, even the polenta was bad) and few poor tiny shrimps to justify the name of this fake dish.

Never again.

Pros: Open late, Decor

Cons: Bad food

Posted 10/01/06

I USED to like going to Lucky 32 but after my experience there last night, I doubt I'll be going back. Our waitress took a horrible amount of time to get back to us to follow up on drinks and/or food, she never once emptied our ashtray (I HAD TO GET UP AND DO IT MYSELF AFTER IT WAS OVERFLOWING!!) and the liquor drinks were WEAK, so why was i charged $5 each for dt. soda?? Just not a good experience and i wanted to share it for others thinking of making this their happy hour bar of choice....DO NOT DO IT!!

Posted 09/28/06

Our server recommended a wine we were very happy with with and the food was excellent as well! We ordered the crab artichoke dip as an appetizer and then we got the pork tenderloin and the salmon. Our server was also very sweet and attentive and the atmosphere was nice. Overall, a great experience!

Pros: atmosphere, food

Posted 09/23/06

I dined at Lucky 32 last night and had an absoultey wonderful experience! the food, the service and the price was great! They rotate their menu every few weeks so you can always find something new. I highly recommend the Salmon w/ the creamy grits and the Crab and Artichoke dip was awesome! Our server was very knowledgeable and attentive. This is a great place to go w/ freinds and family or a date!

Posted 09/23/06

it took 20 minutes to get a drink, 30 minutes to get a starter, and another 40 for the meal.
the starter was not good, the meal was not any better, good thing they don't brew their own beer.
and this whole time saw the server five times (she was busy with a guy at the bar)
i'm not picky, but i won't go there again.

Pros: it's not busy

Cons: bad service, bad food

Posted 06/09/06

Just horrible!! Drink took 20 minutes to come. Food took 45 minutes to come...had to ask the manager for the food. All we ordered were a burger and appitizer of crab cakes, what could possibly take so long. No apology from manager or server even after I brought it to his attention. The server did not even say have a great night or thank you for coming. I will never go there again.

Posted 04/24/06

Lucky 32 has a nice atmosphere, as well as a great wine list. However, overall I feel like you really are not getting what you pay for when you eat at Lucky 32. Maybe this is partially due to the fact that I am not a huge fan of traditional southern food. My grilled salmon meal, including grits and green beans was overpowered by the taste of butter & salt. My father ordered an apple walnut waffle, and assumed by the menu description that this would be sweet. However, when he recieved the waffle, it was covered in mostly onions mixed with a few apples! The service wasn't the best either. First, my party and I were seated outdoors in the middle of the blazing sun. Also, our server never came back to thank us after paying, he just took the money and left.

Pros: Nice Outdoor seating, Prompt seating

Posted 11/05/05

The first time that I ever had a meal at Lucky 32 was in the Greensboro restaurant for a special family occasion and we overwhelmed by the delicious food and service. We were new to the area and didn't know that we had one in our own backyard right here in Cary and couldn't wait to experience it again. As expected, it's fantastic! We have eaten several dinners there, including Mother's Day, which is a crazy day to eat out because of the crowds and usual lack of service. However, we enjoyed it just as much then!! The service was impeccable and the appetizers, Caesar salad and steaks were delicious!!! They were cooked to perfection!! The restaurant is a little on the "pricey-side", but if we're going out for a really good meal with good service, then it is well worth it!

Pros: Delicious food, Ambiance, Great Service

Cons: Pricey

Posted 07/04/05

What an Outstanding Experience it was dinning at Lucky 32... A place that had caught my eye when it was first built, I just had to try it. I had concerns when I read some of the recent reviews, but can say someone must have been listening!!! because, all of those concerns are gone!!! Came in on a Friday night and was seated within 15 minutes. Menu selections were GREAT. I love the fact that the menu changes every couple of months. The food and service were Excellent!!! They even helped with the wine selection... Would HIGHLY recommend it to friends, and I for one plan on going back again. Once the menu changes :)

Pros: Menu, Food, Service

Posted 11/16/04

How can you mess up a hamburger. Let it sit for 20 minutes after its cooked so its cold and dry.
We went to Lucky 32 for Sunday lunch. We all ordered the $8.00 hamburgers. They came 45 minutes later and were no better than a Hardee burger. The waitress said they were backed up and apologized. I noticed the party of 8 that came in after we did were served their lunch first. Maybe it was a long day for the waitress but if the food sits long enough to get cold after its cooked they have a problem. Save your money on this place its not worth the price.

Pros: nothing

Cons: , dry burgers, long wait for food

Posted 08/23/04

I often take clients to lunch for business and found Lucky 32 never dissapoints. It's centrally located, reservations are never a problem and the menu changes often so there's always something new. Prices are reasonable and environment is comfortable.

Posted 06/26/04

I had to go to this "restaurant" for a coworker's birthday lunch. We ordered our drinks - they came out... eventually. Our food was brought out "in batches," which can be normal for a table of 14. But most of our food was luke warm. They messed up 3 of the orders, but I was the worst off: I never ate. My food, being sent back TWICE, came out wrong the 3rd time and I told them to stick it.... my coworker was terribly embarrassed for recommending this place and offered to pay for a lunch for me elsewhere. I felt awful for her because it was supposed to be a nice, relaxing birthday lunch. And we all felt ashamed that the staff wasn't very apologetic for creating such an unwelcoming atmosphere.

Pros: None

Cons: , Service, Everything else

Posted 02/23/04

As I was leaving the restaurant, a man stopped a couple going in, and told them, "I know why they call it Lucky 32 now--because they'll be damn lucky if I ever come back." That pretty much sums up my experience. I had the roast duck which was delicious, the riso pasta was decent, while the squash was closer to raw then cooked. My boyfriend's steak was cooked wrong twice, and we both had our drinks refilled once in the hour and a half we were sitting down, mostly waiting for service and our food. Very inconsiderate staff, no thank you for coming, no welcome to Lucky 32, nothing. I do not recommend this restaurant.

Pros: some food

Cons: service, food

Posted 09/22/03

The food is excellent and so is the service. We've eaten here about 6 or 7 times since discovering it a few months ago and we are never disappointed. As for a previous posting describing this as a "Yuppie" restaurant, don't have any idea what that means. If "Yuppie" means that it's not populated with screaming children, and gum-chewing, tattooed patrons, well then - yes - it's a yuppie place. Lovely atmosphere.

Posted 07/26/03

The service here was outstanding. I never had an empty tea glass in front of me, nor did any of my fellow diners. The waiter was there when you needed him and knew when to leave us alone. Impecable timing! The food was also very good. I had blackened salmon-excellent, and we started with the artichoke dip-yummy! Lots of chunks of artichoke.

Pros: sevice, food

Posted 07/16/03

Our dinner was delicious!! The menu changes periodically. I had the grilled salmon with cucumber dill sauce - highly recommended! We ate outside on the patio, which was very pretty & very nice. They do take reservations & will ask if you want to sit inside or out.

Posted 05/26/03

Their food is ok... some is actually bad. The Caesar dressing was unrecognizable and overly twangy- that dish was left uneaten. My friend tried the veggie burger- the texture was terribly pasty and it lacked flavor- again, that dish was left uneaten. The Black Bean Cakes were wonderful and the riso pasta and green beans that came with it were good, albeit a bit oily. The bleu cheese dressing with my spinach salad was ok (the Worcestershire Sauce was overly pronounced), and the spinach greens were not prepped well (straight from the bag). The service was reasonable (prompt, friendly service, but drinks were delivered to the wrong table and the requested extra sauce was delinquent). Generally, the service was cheerful but 'plastic' - I felt like I was at an Applebees where the staff works hard but there's no individual attention.

Pros: Convenient location, Some good dishes, Rotating menus

Cons: 'Off' flavors, Ignored details, Impersonal service

Posted 05/11/03

We went there for Valentine's Day. Made reservations for 6pm and were promptly seated. The server was great. Made excellent recommendations and got things very quickly to us. Not to mention extremely nice. A manager even came by to check on us. The food was great. Overall a great experience.

Pros: great service, good food, fun

Cons: somewhat expensive, crowded

Posted 02/15/03

"Of all the trendy yuppy biestros you had you walk into this one." As is often the case today there is more put on image than substance. We were seated and left alone for an hour then told it was due to one of us ordeing a "well done" steak. So it was our fault and we were punished by being ignored with no apology offered. You can have it. I wont be back.

Posted 12/26/02

We were all (5 adults including the persnickty one) surprised at how much we enjoyed Lucky 32. The name reeking of casino glitz kind of turned us off, but the pleasant environment, good service and a really expansive menu made us comfortable right off with the choice. The food was well prepared, well presented and quite tasty. All of us had several menu picks that we wanted to return to try. Compared to the best and the worst, the most expensive and the least expensive that the area has to provide, this is top notch dining choice. Coming right up!

Pros: wide menu selection, nice arrangement, GOOD food

Cons: a little crowded, ask for check

Posted 09/07/02

Went here for brunch on a Sunday afternoon and was pleasantly surprised. There was no wait at all, and I was thrilled that the menu offered some unique brunch options in addition to the good old standbys. I had the vegetarian omelet--it was perfect and came with a side of potatoes (a little salty, but good). Service was slow but friendly.

Pros: Convenient parking

Cons: Slow service

Posted 08/12/02

Lucky 32 has decent food for a decent price. The fish is fresh and well seasoned. But nothing there inspires a return visit.

Posted 08/08/02

Maybe even better than the original. There is always something new to try but never a wrong choice. I recently tried their western omelet/frittata and it was the best I've ever had. Everything tasted so fresh -- but then that's no surprise. The outdoor seating is great when the temp's under 90. Weekend brunch is a pleasant surprise. The waitstaff here is topnotch. The decor is upscale and the prices are still very reasonable. PLUS you can even read their New York Times while you eat! It just doesn't get any better.

Pros: good parking, consistently great, healthy choices

Cons: can be a long wait

Posted 08/03/02

We tried Lucky 32 for lunch and were very impressed with both the food and service.
We'll be back for dinner and plan on taking any relative who visits us there in the future.
Go try it! It's great!

Pros: fast service, ample parking, friendly service

Cons: , a little pricey

Posted 08/02/02

I love sitting out on the patio at this restaurant. The atmoshere is great, especially in the evening, and the food is just as good. Service has always been exceptional.

Posted 07/18/02

I have dined here three times & enjoyed three wonderful dishes. They offer a dynamic seasonal menu.

Posted 07/16/02