Lucky B’s Around the Corner Bar

Raleigh, United States

3.2

20 reviews

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Telephone:
+1 919-833-1310
Website:
www.luckybsbar.com
Address:
609 Tucker St, Raleigh, NC, 27605
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
540 ftR-Line (R5)
600 ftR-Line (R6)
0.2 miR-Line (R-4)
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Today

Today –
Local time (Raleigh) 8:30 AM Sunday, June 1, 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday –
Wednesday –
Thursday –
Friday –
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Some know us as Lucky B’s. Others know us a Lucky 13’s. Still others know us as Around the Corner. No matter what they call us, we are known as Glenwood Souths’ favorite hot spot. We redefine the look and feel of a «sports bar». Guys love us because they can meet their buds 7 nights a week, in their jeans, and get a drink without draining their wallets. Girls love us because they can hang with their friends dressed up or down, and feel like they belong as much as the guys.

Raleigh’s favorite corner fun bar is located off Glenwood Avenue nestled behind Armadillo Grill. We have a diverse and eclectic clientele, talented bartenders, tavern games, year-​round outside seating, and the cheapest beer and drinks in Raleigh! Our music isn’t your typical top 40, off the radio mix. Our Jukebox and «house mixes» allow our patrons to hear everything from Billy Holiday to AC/​DC to Nelly and the St. Lunatics.

History

Established in 2005.

Lucky B’s was founded in 2005 by co-​owners Bates Battaglia and Mike Lombardo. Bates and Mike met when Bates was brought to North Carolina to play in Greensboro for the Whalers, who were bought by the Carolina Hurricanes. Their friendship led to the idea behind Lucky B’s | Around the Corner and the rest is history!

Meet the Business Owner

Bates and Mike L.

Business Owner

Bates, a 1997 Lake Superior State University hockey team alumni, is an American professional ice hockey left-​winger, who made his NHL debut with the Carolina Hurricanes during their inaugural season. Establishing himself as a NHL regular with the Hurricanes, one of Bates’ most successful roles during his career as a Hurricane was in serving as a third of the BBC line (Brind’Amour, Battaglia, Cole) during the team’s 2001 – 2002 Stanley Cup run.

Mike, a NC State University wrestling team alumni (two time All-​American), is a seasoned Downtown Raleigh entrepreneur who has owned, or partnered in, several successful business ventures in the local restaurant and bar industry. Mike was an integral part in establishing Glenwood South as a fixture in Raleigh nightlife with the founding of Rush and Aura lounges, Sauced Pizza, and other Downtown Raleigh destinations. Mike also works diligently as an expert in both residential and commercial real estate brokerage.

Vicinity

Near this location:
80
ft
TriMark Digital
611 Tucker Street
80
ft
Arrick and Associates, DDS PLLC
Smiles at Glenwood 601 Tucker St
100
ft
Smiles At Glenwood
601 Tucker St
110
ft
Noir Bar & Lounge
425 Glenwood Ave
120
ft
Havana Deluxe
437 Glenwood Ave
140
ft
Solas
419 Glenwood Ave

20 reviews of Lucky B’s Around the Corner Bar

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Place rating: 1
Pittsboro, NC
Crappy hole in the wall with a really shitty DJ and some greasy regulars. I don’t prefer upscale yuppie places either. This place is just worse than most.
Place rating: 3
Raleigh, NC
There is nothing fancy or dressed up about Lucky B’s. If want swank, don’t come here. If you want cheap drinks, arcade games (giant pinball machine on the way to the restroom) or other low skilled games of chance, then Lucky B’s should be on your pub crawl list.
I stopped by on a Friday night after midnight. Not the best time to go anywhere downtown but having said that, the crowd is chill enough. Mostly college kids. You might call it «amateur night» on some levels because the crowd is so young. No judgement, just sayin’.
I liked it a lot and you have probably read this before in reviews about Lucky B’s…it’s technically a four or five star but it so divey I can only give it a three. It doesn’t have enough amenities to warrant a higher rating.
Place rating: 3
Raleigh, NC
You don’t go to a dive bar expecting 5 star quality, so you gotta take it at face value. This place is a good dive bar, nothing more, nothing less. Inexpensive booze and people looking to have fun.
Place rating: 3
Raleigh, NC
I can give this place up to 5 stars, but it’s all about what you’re looking for. It’s not a classy joint by any means. It feels more like a college bar with the pool tables, skee ball and arcade games. The drinks are cheap and served in plastic cups (hint.that’s an indicator on the classmeter).
There’s a DJ on the weekends and there always seems to be a good crowd at this place. It’s chilly, casual and good for that reason. Low grade alcohol are why I give Lucky B’s 3 stars. Otherwise, it’s fine.
Place rating: 4
Raleigh, NC
Went here this past Monday for a football game first time ever going. They had great drink specials and pool tables, darts, and other cool games in there. Even a jukebox to play your favorite music. Easy parking I would definitely go here again !
Place rating: 3
Raleigh, NC
The beer selection leaves a little to be desired but they do serve a stiff «mixed» drink. Don’t ask for a Cosmo… they best serve liquor and one mixer. The atmosphere has a hometown feel and the owners are always there hanging out just like the patrons. Really, either you love this place or you hate it. It can get crowded but really only after midnight on Friday and Saturday. They have lots of fun games you can play including cornhole, skeeball (don’t complain about this as many bars don’t even have it!), pool, and a punching bag. There’s also plenty of seating outside if that’s what your heart desires.
Place rating: 5
Cary, NC
Great local bar… no food, just good, inexpensive drinks. You may be lucky enough to see Bates Battaglia (hockey brother who won amazing race)…he’s the owner.
Place rating: 3
Raleigh, NC
It’s a great dive bar to visit during the day. You can play cornhole while drinking a beer. No food… lots of drinks, pool tables and other fun games while drinking.
Place rating: 5
Raleigh, NC
Love this local hot spot with the great prices and «no rules» environment. Go in dressed as you are, total judgment free zone. Have an event? Use the place for events with no charge! Party Bonus! Love how this place keeps Raleigh unique and has their prices very reasonable!
Place rating: 1
Aynor, SC
My husband and I are the least pretentious people I know, yet this place managed to disappoint in every way.
The lacking atmosphere and horrible (really horrible) music might have been tolerable, if the drinks were good and/​or cheap. But, the drinks were neither. I started off with the worst screwdriver I’ve ever had. How can you mess up vodka and orange juice? It almost had a nutty taste. Very off. We had a couple of shots which were tolerable, but far too expensive for the amount. My husband asked the bartender what she recommended. Her reply was, «I drink Jameson straight.» 1. This did not answer the question. 2. Was this supposed to impress anyone?
To get rid of the annoying music, we spent five or six dollars for some rock music on the juke box. All would have been fine there, but someone (the man behind the curtain?) nixed our first song after about five seconds and we lost that dollar.
Also, someone said they have real Skee Ball. Wrong, wrong, wrong. They have Bar Ball. Not the same at all. And not worth the dollar.
How anyone could get drunk enough on bad drinks to enjoy this place is beyond me.
Place rating: 4
Durham, NC
Lucky B’s is a bar frequented by my friends and I. It is low key and fairly cheap if you just want beer. Mixed drinks and shots can be a little more pricey depending on the night and the mixed drinks are on the small side. The bartenders are always friendly. On the weekends the bar can get busy later in the night but it’s never packed unless it’s Halloween. The crowd ranges in age. During the school year you are bound to get more college students but in the summer there is more of a variety of ages. The patio is a great place to escape if you want to hang out and talk with friends.
Lucky B’s has many things to do including skeeball, pool, beer pong, and dancing. Outside during the warmer months they also have corn hole. This has improved since last summer since they bought real boards this year instead of the cheap plastic ones they had last year. Inside you’ll often hear loud grunts from men showing off their punching bag skills on a game. All in all there is something for everyone here.
My friends and I always have a good time here and often finish the night here. It’s a casual atmosphere with many things to keep you occupied.
Place rating: 4
Raleigh, NC
At face value, Lucky B’s seems to be a college dive that I would normally pass by, however, every time I go there, I end up having a great time! They always have great drink specials going on and I love the arcade games and skeeball. You never know when a game of beer pong is going to start up! This place seems to get going later on in the evening, so if you go early, you might not see a lot of action in the place. If you stick around though, you’ll end up having a good time and you won’t break the bank doing it!
Place rating: 2
Raleigh, NC
Not your typical dive with a few arcade games and skeeball. Probably the only bar in Raleigh with Skeeball available, so if that’s your thing, you’ll love this place.
I have not been overly impressed with the place. Even on busy nights it seems like not too many people want to be there, even though their drink specials are decently priced. The pool tables aren’t in that great of shape, so I wouldn’t go there for pool.
Maybe if I went out with a huge group of friends, I would want to stay there longer, but when there’s just a couple of us, we will just have a drink and be on our way to somewhere more exciting. For a weekend night, there are just much better options available (even better dives).
Lucky B’s is just not a place I would want to spend any considerable time in.
Place rating: 4
Raleigh, NC
I enjoy Lucky B’s. It is a dive bar if I ever saw one, but regardless I have a good time every time I go. The place is clean, and the bartenders are all very friendly. It doesn’t usually get too crowded, even on the weekends the crowd is light, but there is a lot to do to entertain yourself. They have skeeball machines, pool, beer pong, a photo hunt and Wheel of Boxing, so there is plenty of ways to relax and have a good time. I’m not sure but I think the bar might control the music on the weekends rather than the jukebox, because it is usually the typical top 40s, with not much variation. There are some people who start the dance party off in the corner, including myself on occasion. There is also a nice outside deck area that is enjoyable during the warmer months.
I haven’t really tried the mix drinks, at bars like this I usually stick to beer, but I have done shots a couple times and wouldn’t recommend it. They are very expensive (I’m talking like $ 7 a shot) and they are nothing spectacular. They usually have some kind of beer such as Bud Light or Coors that is on special, but other than that no great drink deals.
Lucky B’s is definitely a nice place to go if you are looking to just chill out and relax. The dress is extremely casual, many just wearing a t-​shirt and baseball cap, so if you think about heading there before or after many of the other bars on Glenwood South you will be overdressed. Remember this is a dive bar, and you do not have to dress to impress. It’s very accommodating to large groups, there is plenty of space for everyone.
I would recommend Lucky B’s. It’s not the type of place I go to often, but if you wanna get out, but still be comfortable and just relax with a few beers, this is the place to go.
Place rating: 3
Raleigh, NC
Lucky B’s is a typical sports bar. It is totally a place for dudes complete with pool tables, skeeball, boxing, beer pong, and big TVs. A jukebox in one corner inspires small dance parties later in the night. Lucky B’s is similar to the Downtown Sports Bar, except B’s has more games and no food.
Given its location in Glenwood South and the selection of entertainment it offers, it is no wonder that you will see a lot of baseball caps here. Personally, I would only go here in a group, and I would probably not be the one to suggest it.
If you love skeeball, you might be interested in the Raleigh Skeeball League, which rolls here on Thursday night in «skeeson».
The deck is a nice place to hang out in the warmer months. The bar is above average, with nice bartenders and good specials aimed at the college/​young 20s crowd.
Place rating: 4
Raleigh, NC
Definitely stick to the B’s here whether it’s balls (skee), beers, or boxing! Lucky B’s is the classic (but clean) dive bar and hang out where you get your drank on and get silly. With tons of bar games (pool, skee-​ball, Penthouse photohunt, Wheel of Boxing) you can relax and blow off some steam here. The space is big and cavernous for larger groups. Pump some bills into the jukebox, get the music cranking and enjoy yourself.
They’ve got drink specials every day of the week and the bartenders here are fast and friendly. We took over the place on Sunday night which was a lot of fun but I’m sure Lucky B’s gets crowded on the big nights and takes on a whole different personality. So bring a group of friends over to have some fun and chill out. Lucky B’s is the perfect spot to do nothing and really enjoy yourself!
Place rating: 4
Durham, NC
With a jukebox, pool tables, boxing thingy, and three skeeball machines, how can you *not* love Lucky B’s? Initially, between the arcade stuff and hyper-​risqué Penthouse photo-​hunt, it was pretty much sensory overload.
Myself and a few Unilocalers rolled in and were the only ones there, so we pwned the place — including the jukebox… which led to an odd line-​up of Journey, followed by Aqua, followed by Peggy March and then a rousing rendition of No Diggity. The bartenders didn’t openly fuss about the uh – eclectic — selection, and we didn’t mind making fools dancing by ourselves.
Some folks thought the drinks were weak. My G&Ts seemed fine, but they didn’t come with a lime. It’s a dive bar, I know. And I don’t mind drinking out of tiny plastic cups. But I really wanted that lime!
The only other con is that you can drop money surprisingly quickly here. A game of Skeeball is one dollar… and ten seconds. Boxing is a buck for two hits. Somehow, we ended up with 25 credits on the Megatron (Ron?). And of course we definitely fed some dollars into the juke! Judging by the reviews here, it might be a totally different scene and clientele on the weekends. But on a weeknight, it’s solid!
Place rating: 4
Durham, NC
I recently discovered Lucky B’s when searching online for skeeball in Raleigh. Apparently there’s a Raleigh Skeeball League that calls Lucky B’s home on Wed. and Thurs. nights. And it’s easy to see why.
Lucky B’s main selling point for me is games, games, games: they’ve got table-​top galaga/​digdug (50cents a game), photoHunt, pool ($ 1 — the far table is kinda warped) and 3 SKEEBALL machines ($ 1 for 9 balls)!
I was there on a Monday night right at opening and we were the first couple in the joint. By the night’s end 3 – 4 more couples had wandered in and were just chilling playing games together.
The music was 70s and 90s rock (RHCP, Aerosmith, Queen, Weezer) and fit the vibe of the place very well. There’s lots of neon lights and the bathrooms are clean, but the toilet seats are kinda wonky. There’s also an area with couches (couches I would NEVER sit in) in one corner. Typical dive bar fare. The drink special was $ 3 wells and our gin and tonics were tiny but also quite alcoholic!
The barkeep was pretty cool and said that on Mondays and early on Fridays it’s pretty chill and you can get most of the games to yourself. Also, once I got home I thought I had left my phone there (which I never do) and the bartender walked me all around the place with the bar phone to see if we could hear it ring. So nice of him! Of course, I found it wedged in my laptop case inside my bag at home later… :)
Went back that Wednesday night later in the night and had a slightly different experience. The bartender was playing some psychedelic southern rock and aggro-​metal (godsmack, random ACDC). The crowd was solidly in their 20s and mostly dudes. At one point around midnight one guy got a call from a friend and he loudly announced «they’re coming here… girls!»…awesome…we figured we better close our tab…
I definitely second Tom S.‘s suggestion that Lucky B’s would be ideal as part of a bar crawl. And perhaps it gets overly crowded on the weekends, but as a weekday couple’s game-​night dive bar destination it’s pretty rock solid!
Place rating: 1
Raleigh, NC
Lucky B’s is incredibly lacking for me. I go there and it’s always crowded people I’d rather just not be around… it’s beer pong central, kinda sporty, kinda ghetto, kinda rednecky, kinda college, kinda obnoxious, tacky on the dance floor, and really any kinda person you can imagine is there. It’s just unpredictable in terms of who populates it at any given time. Oh and if you want to get a drink or even close out your tab be ready to wait a good 10 – 20 minutes because there are no cocktail waitresses — only the bar tenders who never leave their post. I’ve been a handful of times and it’s always like that. Backed up and too loud. Lucky B’s is not my hot spot. More like lame.
I read the other 2 reviews and I must say that resent this remark from Susan Z.‘s review, «But if you’re a typical white person with a dislike of dancing and a preference for crowding around the bar, screaming at your friends. Then go to Lucky B’s.» I’m sorry, but I’m not a «typical white» person so please don’t categorize me with stereotypes based on my appearance. Is there even such a thing as a «typical white person?» I would also appreciate not having my identity compromised because of the way I look and all the different kinds of people who may or may not go to Lucky B’s.
Why do I go there? I pretty much only go there when it’s an occasion and a friend chooses it for their night — birthday, bar crawl, bachelorette, etc. I’ll agree with the other reviewer that it’s good for starting out your night on the town because you can play pool, darts, and pose with the pirate statue dude, but other than that it’s not my scene. I loved that the last time we went there, my nonfamiliar-​with-​downtown-​Raleigh wealthy friend asked to confirm the name of it because he wanted to buy it and turn it into a parking deck. Awesome. I’d sooo park there!
Place rating: 2
Durham, NC
Total dive bar. The kind where everyone likes to crowd around the bar and «talk» (ie: scream through the loud music). I went on a Saturday night and the DJ was actually playing good dance music (electronic, electro pop).
No one danced. There was even a small dance floor area (very, very small, not clearly demarcated in any way). I went to dance and everyone stared at me as if I was a swamp thing.
Granted, someone once said about my dancing «It’s either art or it’s crap.» However, I’ve danced many places in the Triangle and I don’t think I’ve ever felt awkward until that night @ Lucky B’s. Would I go again? Prob not. But if you’re a typical white person with a dislike of dancing and a preference for crowding around the bar, screaming at your friends. Then go to Lucky B’s.