You can be sure that the celebrity chefs responsible for Dallas’ popular high-low dining scene have spent plenty of time in the bona fide diners and dives that pepper the city’s culinary past. Some of these have faded into memory; some continue in the righteous tradition of the South, with a triumvirate of chicken-fried steak, biscuits, and iced tea that locals swear is as good for power lunching as it is for vanquishing hangovers. If Texas cooking has a backbone, a steady spine, it’s because of diners such as Lucky’s. With a waitstaff outfitted in tongue-in-cheek t-shirts and menu items that poke fun at heart healthiness—“sleaziest, cheesiest grilled cheese in town,” anyone?—Lucky’s shines brightest in the service and deep-frying departments. Chicken-fried steak and, even better, chicken-fried chicken are award-worthy. Sure, there are duds on the menu. Mom’s meatloaf, for instance, looks like it came out of a tin. But overall, the old reliables—including skin-filled mashed potatoes smothered in gravy, banana pudding, and the potato soup special on Fridays—keep drawing us back to this Oak Lawn legend.
For more information about Lucky’s Cafe, visit our restaurant guide.
