MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express, Diners Club
Lunch reservations encouraged for six or more
I wasn't feeling very lucky that sizzling day. The car's air conditioner wasn't working and the sun glared so bright that even sunglasses didn't help. I'd gone to a meeting only to find the other person had forgotten the appointment and didn't have time to talk right then. I was hot, cranky and hungry. But when I walked into that brewgrille in Mission, I knew luck had tapped me on the shoulder.
After being greeted by relaxed, friendly people, I was shown to a comforting booth with a rich dark wood table. And within a minute, a huge glass of ice water—with a hunk of lemon—was placed before me. Now how did they know I love lemon in my ice water? I perused the menu while I cooled off, and was overwhelmed by all the things that sounded so fabulous. By then, I was really feeling lucky, so I decided to just close my eyes, spin the menu around a few times, and point to something. I was delighted when I opened my eyes and found I’d selected a dish just right for a hot day.
I’d hardly read more than a few pages of the newspaper when a picture-perfect Dijon Salmon Salad ($8.75) was placed before me. The cool, wild and dark greens were topped with a generous grilled salmon plank and decked with chopped tomatoes, diced red onions and hunks of creamy goat cheese. The Dijon mustard dressing had a nice bite and was served in a ramekin on the side. A mini-baguette of homemade bread decorated one edge of the plate. I couldn’t have picked better if my eyes had been open! I resolved I’d return—and bring friends—to try more goodies on this fun menu. A week later, my lunch bunch met at Lucky’s on a much cooler, rainy day for our monthly get-together.
We started off with a selection of appetizers including Grilled Crab Quesadilla ($8.75), lightly battered Calamari ($8.75) and the Wrangler Ranch Trio ($12.50), featuring a sampling of Riata Ranch Cowboy Quesadilla (layers of grilled steak, jalapenos, onions, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese), Polynesian-style Lacquered Skewers (chicken and beef with peanut sauce and teriyaki ranch sauce) and Double L Ranch Nachos (with guacamole).
It’s a good thing there were several of us because the appetizer portions were quite generous,and very tasty! And, the timing was perfect for the delivery of our lunch entrées.
The plump Range Melt ($7.50) smelled divine, and the half-pound of Angus ground sirloin with smoky bacon, melted cheddar and bourbon barbeque sauce on sourdough tasted even better than it smelled. More smoky bacon helped make the Grilled Shrimp and Bacon Club ($9.25) a tasty treat, and the avocado and aioli give it an added flair.
Our resident vegetarian gave her stamp of approval on the Baked Vegetable Lasagna ($9.75) with four cheeses and an array of garden veggies, while our confirmed carnivore popped for the 14-ounce Star Canyon Texas Rib Eye ($22), after he’d checked out the other five steak offerings. He wasn’t disappointed either, and he particularly liked the Sweet Potato Fries with spicy ranch dressing that he had selected for his potato side.
Bourbon barbecue sauce topped the Rustic Roast Chicken ($13.95), and the roasted garlic mashed potatoes were an extra bonus. The Chinese Chicken Salad ($7.95) was a festive affair with Mandarin oranges, almonds, carrots, green onions and grilled chicken on mixed greens with a tangy Asian dressing.
We couldn’t have asked for more diverse offerings or better service. Halfway through the meal, we were already making plans to return and try some of the other appetizers, meal salads, burgers, sandwiches, fish, chicken and pasta dishes.
Before leaving, we shared a portion of the Reese’s Cup Cheesecake and that was enough to convince us to sample all the other made-in-house desserts in the future—from the Bread Pudding and Mocha Latte Cheesecakes to the Tiramisu and Funky Chunky Cookie with ice cream.
Lucky Brewgrille’s hours are daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., and the kitchen is open until 10 p.m.
Tips: Full bar; large private room downstairs; live entertainment upstairs and in the downstairs nightclub on weekends; menu brunch served Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; non-smoking and smoking sections; discreet televisions; catering.
Rating: Working Lunch, Friday Fun
Jane Berkowitz is a Kansas City food writer. She can be contacted at
