The crab cake was cold and the mahi was over cooked , the sauce was supposed to be a white wine lemon garlic aioli and it tasted like a mustard rem Remolade ... not good I expected a lot better ... well seasoned but over cooked and dry ... read more

JohnnyLukes KitchenBar - Under cooked crab cake and over cooked everything else ... they didn't even provide silverware - New American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

I was new to the area and Johnny Luke's seemed to be a safe bet after a flight into Wilmington with my family. First off, we were greeted warmly by the two hosts and the atmosphere was a little dark and cold. To be fair, we declined sitting on the patio because of the mugginess outside. The roasted pork nachos were a nice app and I wish I would've stayed close to that. Anything with some flare to it was probably better than the standard fare items. The buffalo chicken sandwich was really dry. If I had not been very hungry, I would've left it all. My wife crab cake sandwich was quite good but the kids' meals were mid. The mac&cheese side was a big hit though. It's our first day but we're not planning on going back. read more

A casual dining restaurant thats both a perfect place to come and enjoy an anniversary, sipping a fine wine at a dim lit table, as well as a restaurant that you can come an enjoy an appetizer and burger after a long day with friends. First time in.... stellar! Cozy place with great menus for lunch, weekend brunch and dinner. Full bar with beers.... mimosas etc. Had the chicken cesar which was amazing and those french fries ..... wow. Stick to your ribs! Service was great, I found the bar tender to be very polite. Will definitely return!! read more

JohnnyLukes KitchenBar - Blackened chicken Caesar Salad and fries - New American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Located between downtown Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach in an unassuming strip mall is JohnnyLukes Kitchen & Bar. Being a well reviewed local spot with fairly extensive menu options sealed the deal for this to be our dinner venue our first night in Wilmington. They have both a main dining area and a rooftop dining area, and 2 different menus for each, but our waitress was kind enough to explain that all options from the full menu were available regardless of where we dined. We started out with their nachos, asking for toppings other than the chips and queso on the side. The nachos (4/5) were solid and flavorful, with perfectly seasoned chicken, but it irked me a little that we were charged a dollar extra over menu price for asking included items to be put on the side. For meals, we went with the American chicken burger, a black & bleu burger, and the margherita flatbread. We felt the flatbread (2.5/5) was the weakest item, not being all that crispy and overly drenched in balsamic glaze. The American chicken burger (4/5) was tasteful and filling, with decent mashed potatoes. The black & bleu burger (3/5) was a large portion, but didn't have a flavor profile that I like in my burgers, as I've had much better. The fries that came with them were similarly underwhelming for a modern bistro/brewpub type of place. Once again, I noticed on my receipt after eating that I had been charged $1.50 over menu price on the black & bleu burger, which I can only assume is because I asked for a different cheese other than the bleu cheese crumbles (a petty upcharge if you ask me). For dessert, we went with the bread pudding (4/5), which was a tasty way to end the meal, although I wasn't the biggest fan of their bourbon tasting sauce. Service (4.5/5) by Reilee was super friendly, and made for a memorable meal. Overall, I'd rate JohnnyLukes a 3.5/5, but this is one of those rare instances where I'm rounding down due to the mysterious and petty upcharges that I wasn't informed about and only noticed on my receipt later on after dinner. While the $2.50 in extra charges isn't going to kill me, it does leave a little bit of a sour note on an otherwise decent meal. read more

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Service was great. Atmosphere bright upstair section. Caesar salad with blackened salmon a must

It was our first time visiting Wilmington, and found this great spot very close to our hotel, so we gave it a try. They have a main floor dining area and an upstairs rooftop room that is "outside". You can be under roof, but there are plastic covers for the windows to keep out rain. We decided to sit upstairs since it was sunny and warm. Nice atmosphere, tv's are on which I don't particularly care for, since it can be loud and distracting, but it was Saturday evening so, it was fine. Norah was our server, she was very pleasant and attentive. We started off with the Crab Dip with crostini which was very tasty. We ordered some extra crostini which they do charge for, but I guess that's policy. Not a big deal, but just thought I would mention it here. Dinners were next: Jane's addiction with chicken, two orders of JL's tacos, and chicken pot pie. All delicious and very filling. We had a great first night in the area, and we will be back to try JohnnyLukes again another time! read more

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Drove up to a crowded parking lot, heard and saw a roof top of people enjoying the evening. We walked inside to great 80's music mixes and lots of conversations. Pretty loud downstairs in the dining room. Nice wooden tables and chairs. Some tall some standard. Bar is fully stocked, including 19 different drafts. Many were local drafts but we found a good one. My Blood Orange Cosmo was well made. Our server was very attentive, gave good suggestions since this was our first time. Our meals were good. The JL salad hit the spot!! So delicious. We shared them ordered chicken pot pie and salmon w wild rice and asparagus. Chicken pot pie. My server stated it came with shredded chicken, it came with cubes chicken. It was still good I was just looking forward to shredded chicken with each bite. The sauce was home made and flavorful. Simple dish but tasty. The bourbon salmon was excellent, unfortunately the asparagus was not cooked enough for hubby. They have him some more and still the same. He just didn't enjoy the crunchiness of the veggie. We did finish with chocolate lava cake and ice cream. It was small but perfect for us to split. Tasty. Overall a fun place to come with friends, just expect to speak loudly to be heard. I'm sure the roof is lots of fun as well. The food is very good, drinks a plenty. This would be a definite place if your visiting. Like we are! read more

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Outstanding meal from start to finish! Attentive service but not intrusive. Non rushed well paced meal. We had a reservation for a group of 7 at 5:30 and seated promptly and drink orders taken, cocktails were great. I had a black and blue burger cooked exactly how I ordered it MR it was an 8 oz burger which was topped with Blue cheese crumbles, sautéed mushrooms and onions, and some house made mustard and mayo combo this was very tasty but very messy not being a mayo on burger guy although very good I would order with out that next time. I chose a chopped salad with balsamic vinaigrette as a side instead of fries which honestly was the star it had a variety of lettuce greens with tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, a scattering of chopped candied pecans (outrageously addictive) and blue cheese crumbles the amounts and balance of the items in this salad were perfect and chopped perfectly. My wife had the chicken pot pie which was topped with what appeared to be a crepe different but excellent it was a large portion with chunks of chicken with the usual suspects carrots, Pearl onions, peas and corn in a wonderful creamy sauce again excellent. The people with us had a variety including Braised short ribs, crab cakes, a pulled pork flat bread and one had a cup of crab chowder which looked excellent and they couldn't stop raving about it everyone sad their meals were excellentThis whole dining experience was on point and reflected in how busy it was for a Thursday night. We had passed this place a thousand times but never thought about going it is on a very very busy corner but well worth the bit of traffic. read more

7 of us attended this place for dinner. We were seated at the right time. Our waitress, Kay, was very good and nice. The food was good as well. However, the entire meal was dampened by two large tables that were together. It appeared to a girls athletic team and the parents. They were so loud that it really made it hard to talk and it was obnoxiously loud. The parents said nothing and neither did the manager that came in several times into the area. We know it wasnt us because a group of 4 was seated next to them and within 5 min they got up. I dont know if they left or asked to be moved. We would have asked as well but our group was kind of large. This place is to expensive to have the atmosphere ruined by another group. I was disappointed the lady manager didnt ask them to at least keep it down to just a scream leve. read more

JohnnyLukes KitchenBar - people sitting at the bar - New American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

First visit and definitely not the last! Excellent quality made from scratch food. And the from scratch kitchen is noticeable! Started with the garlic Parmesan chicken wings which were perfectly cooked, slightly browned on the outside. Hubby had the chicken pot pie lunch, which had huge chunks of chicken in it and lots of vegetables and a brown puffy pastry. Mamma had the crabcake sandwich was a large portion of REAL CHUNKY lump crab, perfectly cooked. Said this is where she is coming when she wants crab cakes from now on. They had a separate gluten-free menu, which had many options for lunch. I decided on the hamburger without a bun and it was excellent. The coleslaw was also excellent. Hubby and Mom also had a chocolate mousse cake and it was so good. They got a piece to go home. I could have had crème brûlée which is gluten-free, but I was just too full. In fact I'm taking food home. Our server, Mo was attentive and friendly. This is one of our new favorite places for sure! read more

We've been to Johnny Luke's several times over the past few years. We keep saying "maybe we were wrong" or "maybe we hit it on a bad day" or even "maybe it's gotten better". We've come to the conclusion that "maybe we just don't like it". Evidently many people do. They're still around. We find. the atmosphere cold and artificial. The food is mediocre and overpriced. The staff seems stiff and kind of cold - artificial. Some places are just not a good fit. We enjoy a loot of good places around here as ll of my other reviews will attest. It may just be us, but Johnny Luke is no longer on our list of favorites read more

Food was ok, service was ok, would probably have a little bit better of a review if the past 2 times had been better. My last visit I ordered the chicken and waffles which sounded good, then the waitress came back to inform me they had ran out of gravy that was supposed to be there selling point of the dish, then came back another time to say they had ran out of grits that also came with the meal, finally our food came out and the sunny side up egg that comes with the meal was a over done scrambled egg. The service was good which is the only reason that I gave 3 stars. I really wanted to go back once again before I made a review but I don't think I will. read more

This is a fun little spot. They have pretty good food. Everybody at my table had burgers except for me and my son's girlfriend. She had the shrimp tacos and I had the buffalo mac & cheese. I really liked it. It was nice and creamy and just enough spice, but not too hot. It was quite a bit of food for us the surfing. I didn't even eat at all. The shrimp tacos were delicious. We ended up taking those home with us and all the boys cleaned their plates so I'm assuming their burgers were pretty tasty. I would absolutely recommend this place. It's a cute little restaurant very casual but very modern. The service is fantastic and very fast. There's a couple other places near here in the same building like a kitchen store that I would like to go check out so you could do a couple things while dining here totally recommend it. read more

After spending 5 hours buying a car at Mazda, we stopped in here for a late lunch. Ordered the lamb chops, nice sweet flavor. Fries were perfectly salted. The Caesar salad was way too soggy. Mine was with chicken, my daughter had the plain. Looks like most people come for the drinks. Service was 5 stars though. Plenty of parking. read more

JohnnyLukes KitchenBar - Chicken Caesar. Lamb Chop Appetizer Fries. - New American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Great venue with space and esthetic for parties, social events. The food could use some personality, it almost feels like a smaller scale Cheesecake Factory. I would come back to see if progress is made or not :0). read more

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We came here for lunch. My husband, who loves reuben sandwiches tried their version and while he liked it, did not rave. I was surprised because it looked very substantial and made with nicely handout corned beef. I had a burger made with goat cheese and fried onions. Excellent! I was sorry they did not have any housemade onion rings but overall a good spot. read more

Yes, once again, Costco gift cards led me here. I started with the ahi tuner as an appetizer. Nothing was special about it. Then the she crab soup came which was thick and full of flavor. What a treat! The final was ribeye with mashed potato and asparagus. Both sides were seasoned well. The waiter asked me if I needed steak sauce. No sir! I am not eating at Denny's or Waffle House, bro. If I needed steak sauce at a restaurant, either the steak was crappy as hell or the chef needed to be fired! And I like my steak rare to embrace all the flavor it has to offer. Yes, I am glad that I came to this place. read more

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It's probably one of the best unassuming restaurants in Wilmington. The food was absolutely fantastic, and even delivery from Uber won't be disappointing. I had come for one of the things they specialize in, a burger. Specifically, a Bleu cheese burger, and it had a wonderful combination of flavors between the mushrooms, the lettuce, and the onions. There are some spots where the bleu cheese is occasionally overpowering, but overall, it's just a tiny bit short of a perfect cooked burger. Staff are friendly, reliable, quick, and just all-around pleasure. Always go above and beyond for their guests. Atmosphere is a nice southern coastal charm. The whole place has very pleasant mood lighting. The bar itself is a very eye-catching center piece. Brian (apologies if that's the wrong spelling) and Morgan were the staff attending me there, and they were THE definition of hospitality. Check this place out with family & friends when you get the chance you can't go wrong. read more

Takeout Stan's chicken pot pie. Burnt and thrown in the trash. Used to be our favorite place. We won't be back again. Enjoy our money. read more

JohnnyLukes KitchenBar - Looks like $22 worth. My husbands looked the same way. Pretty sure I'm done with this place. - New American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Well, dinner was such a disappointment. I ordered the crab cakes. I had them in September 2022 (sandwich) and while the top was burned from the broiler, there was plenty of lump crab meat. Not this time. They were mushy cakes. A LOT of filler, no lump, only claw meat. I really should have taken them returned to the kitchen and ordered something else, but sometimes I just don't say anything. Why did they change the recipe? To increase profits? It seems like a lot of restaurants in the area are doing this. Such a shame. The cheese risotto and asparagus were very good. Service is always great (and friendly) and I always like sitting at the bar. I will come back but I just won't order the crab cakes ever again, unless they bring back their better recipe. read more

A typical greasy fare menu with an over-salted, over-cooked, un-inventive selection of standard, poor-quality menu items commonly found in restaurants catering to college students or groups on a budget to stay open. A hole-in-the-wall with a liquor bar and several beers on tap and AC is a go-to for a non-discriminating palate and heavy drinkers. All the ingredients for a barfly pub, serving less-than-mediocre old pub food, but the only ingredients that seem to work. The mac and cheese tasted like it was pre-made a week ahead and reheated in the microwave. The crab cakes were burned on the outside and undercooked and mushy on the inside. The fries had enough salt to put someone in the ER. The salad must have been in the fridge for days. My dog passed by the leftovers, showing no interest in any of the food from there. Very telling. Everything tasted processed and seemed hastily thrown together fruit flies flying around were annoying, and they especially liked the bar area. Not to mention, unsanitary. The health department missed that. The alcohol is the lifeline for this place. Would not recommend. read more

This is to date our favorite place to get breakfast and we always ask for or sit in Savannah's section, she is just the best server. The food is always good, hot and cooked as ordered. They know how to cook pver easy eggs and yes, you would think that would be an easy thing but, it's not. So if you have a free morning to go by and have breakfast tell Savannah, Rick and Martha Sent you. read more

On a whim, my husband and I decided to stop in at Johnny Luke's for lunch. It was around 1130 so it wasn't busy at all. A very enthusiastic waitress named Riley approached our table to welcome us and to take our drink order. My husband and I ordered our usual water with lemon. After perusing the menu I was delighted to see they had She Crab soup. I decided to pair it with the "Luke, I am Your Father" Crab cake sandwich. As a long time fan of Star Wars, I got a kick out of the name. Riley was very astute in asking me if I wanted my soup first or with my sandwich. (A lot of servers don't ask the right questions) My husband ordered their version of a Cuban sandwich with JL's Baked Skillet Beans. My soup served as my side but I had to pay a 3 dollar upcharge so I took a chance. The She Crab soup was very good and was served hot with oyster crackers. After I finished my soup our sandwiches arrived. My crab cake looked like it was going to fall off my plate as it wasn't situated on the bun. There was a lot of chopped-up lettuce but I would have preferred lettuce leaves. There was no red onion and hardly any sauce. The crab cake did have jumbo lump meat but it wasn't all lump meat which for $15.50 and the fact I paid extra to have my soup as a side was kind of insulting. My husband was very pleased with his meal and he offered me a taste of his sandwich. This too was another disappointment because I am half Cuban and I know what a real Cuban sandwich is supposed to taste like. The Genoa salami has no place here. It overpowers the other flavors and adds greasiness. I asked Riley about the downstairs and she indicated they have a private dining room large enough to accommodate 80 people. Before Riley dropped off my check I asked if they offered a military discount ( JL does) so if you are a veteran be sure to ask for it. Next time I'd like to stop in for brunch. read more

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Love this place! My boyfriend and I love to come here and get their crab dip. By far our favorite place for that. The service is very good and pleasant. I love when the service isnt over the top and in your face (which is just my opinion). One of our favorite go to's def recommend :) read more

I really wanted to love this place since we went here on the recommendation of some friends who rave about it. Went on a rainy Wednesday for lunch. Stood at the hostess stand for 10 minutes waiting on someone to seat us. Realized the host was messing around at the register behind the bar while multiple folks waited. Not the best first impression. The ambiance is nice inside there are bars on both levels. We sat the bar and Morgan was the behind the bar. First person in the place that smiled and acted like they were glad to have customers. We ordered the Reuben and the Macaroni and cheese. The corned beef in the Reuben was really good, the sauerkraut pretty much non-existent. The macaroni and cheese was really dry. The chips on it are a great idea, but they definitely need to put more sauce on it since the menu says it is smothered. I saw the sides of mac and cheese that others ordered and they looked better the the entree version I got. Not sure if it was just an off day here or what, but it wasn't the experience we were hoping for. read more

JohnnyLukes KitchenBar - Reuben sandwich - New American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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I don't really understand the hype. I mean it is just mediocre. The macaroni and cheese is not that great it is just ok. I got a burger and it was bland. There wasn't a speck of salt and pepper. It was a black and bleu burger with cheese and mushrooms. There was absolutely no seasoning on any of it. This isn't the first time I got a burger from here and they never season it. I also asked the waitress to make sure the burger was cut in half and lo and behold it wasn't. Very awkward trying to cut it at the table and it fell apart. Of course the waitress disappeared and I had to cut it myself and my drink sat empty. The service is abysmal. I have to wait for a refill. I only come here because my husband likes it but he is not to enthused with now either. The ambiance is pretty good actually, it is better than the food. read more

I've been wanting to try this restaurant for awhile, and I'm so happy I finally did! My entire experience was great! I was warmly greeted by the hostess and sat in a booth. The decor is very modern and welcoming. I loved the bar area and the vibe. My waiter, Frank, was one of the best waiters I've ever had. To start, I ordered a cocktail called "Where's the beach?" and it was delicious and boozy. Then I was brought out a complimentary hummus and pita bread and it was very tasty. For my entree I ordered the broiled seafood platter and it came with fries. The seafood was cooked and seasoned to perfection and my favorite item was the crabcake. It melted in your mouth. The fries had a crab seasoning on them and they were very good too. I can't wait to return! read more

Loved your restaurant. Mel was wonderful and your hosts are great! Crab dip was some of the best I've had. Stuffed flounder was wonderful and loved the display in the boat. Drinks were great! Blood orange martini is worth driving an hour for, amazing. Salads were a nice size and your dressings are well done. On the other hand the broiled seafood platter was HAMMERED. So dry I could only eat half the fish. I gave my wife a scallop and a shrimp and she actually spit them out. The Risotto had great flavor and texture but the salt was excessive. It was hard to eat consecutive bites but nice after a bite of something else. No one even asked us how everything was. Saw no manager on the floor the entire time. We will defiantly be back but I will be more careful in my choices. read more

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We actually got food to go two nights. The first night we had the meatball app and JLs specialty salad both were great. The second night we ordered two of the same entree salads to go and we each got a side salad size salad with half the ingredients missing. I am going to say pass on this place. read more

Came over here because the yelp site said they hd GF available for burgers. The husband just wanted a burger. We get here and its "No Bun" - such a disappointment. We ordered nachos and wings. Appetizer was artichoke dip with chips (gf version) The wings are good but had a lot of salt. The chips are thin and salted and peppered. Some bits seemed saltier than other bites. I had a lemon-berry martini. So good. Staff was attentive and very busy. read more

JohnnyLukes KitchenBar - Paper baseballs - New American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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I love this restaurant so much! It has great food and great staff! The decor made me feel nice and cozy! I really enjoy everything about this place! (Try the lemon cake it's sooo good!) read more

The food and ambiance were amazing. We ordered a seafood app and dinners. Everything was great including the incredible beer selection. Super fun for a date night. read more

Great food and the staff was fun yo cut uo with. Will definitely be going back to see them.

New Orleans "The Kicker". A burger I ordered with a Caesar salad and both were EXCEPTIONAL!!! I ordered my burger medium rare and I actually got it that way and the burger itself was seasoned SO WELL! The burger as a whole was the best burger I've ever eaten!! The salad was fantastic! I'm definitely craving that burger but I'm in Maine right now! WAAH! read more

Excellent dinner on the upstairs patio, excellent service! Our new favorite place in Wilmington! Will be back!

Went to JohnnyLukes 2 of the 3 nights we stayed in Wilmington. Both evening were great. I had the chopped salad with tuna and my husband had fish tacos... delicious on counts. The bar servers Nicole and Sophia made our experience that much better. They were friendly and knowledgeable... great bar company. Thank you read more

I had the scallops which we very good. The service was excellenbt and kept my drinks flowing. There was some confusion about upstairs versus downstairs. We chose upstairs were it was quieter and was a right choice. We had a good time and dinner with family. read more

I arrived at JohnnyLukes KitchenBar not expecting to be impressed. In fact, I was fully prepared to raise a single, disapproving eyebrow at another American eatery attempting "elevated comfort food." But to my astonishment--and minor inconvenience--I had to put my eyebrow back down. Because, dear reader, the food was... good. Just good. Let us speak of the sirloin steak. Ah, sirloin--the cut too often treated as the middle child of the steak family. Not as flashy as filet, not as bold as ribeye, and frequently left to suffer a fate of mediocrity at the hands of the uninspired. But not here. At JohnnyLukes, the sirloin arrives with the confidence of a steak that's done a few push-ups and read a couple philosophy books. It's beautifully seared, its crust speaking in the smoky dialect of a well-seasoned grill, while the inside remains juicy, tender, and just a touch pink--as though it's blushing from all the attention. And then, the seasonal vegetables. Now, I know what you're thinking: "Vegetables? In a steak review?" Yes. Because these vegetables weren't an afterthought--they were a revelation. Fresh, vibrant, and cooked to the point of peak flavor, not flavorless mush. They played supporting actors like they were gunning for an Oscar. The restaurant itself is an intriguing mix of casual and confident. Downstairs feels like your stylish friend's living room--if your friend also had a passion for craft beer and impeccable lighting. Upstairs, the rooftop patio is where you go to remind yourself that life, actually, isn't all bad. The staff are attentive, knowledgeable, and--crucially--don't speak to you like you're ordering steak at a gas station. It reminded me, in the most sincere and slightly annoying way, of Gusteau's old phrase: "Anyone can cook." And here's the thing: JohnnyLukes proves that. It's not about Michelin stars or pretentious plating. It's about care, confidence, and a kitchen that clearly knows what it's doing--and enjoys doing it. Final Verdict: 4.5 stars. A steak that humbles the critic, vegetables that surprise the palate, and a restaurant that doesn't try too hard--because it doesn't need to. JohnnyLukes doesn't just cook. It gets it. read more

Always consistent. Johnny Lukes has a great pub menu and wide beer selection. (Ordering a beer can be overwhelming; sometimes it's easier to just go ask the bartender). Try the crab cakes. Good service. read more

They have three items on the brunch menu with poached eggs. You would think they could poach eggs. Nope came out hard. It made the whole dish pasty. I tried to eat it but could not get halfway thru. They gave me 20% off. But 20% of over cooked eggs are still overcooked. read more