Truluck's Ocean's Finest Seafood and Crab — Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale

We used to frequent the Boca Truluck's before it closed and I found the differences in tonight's dining experience negative. It was not only (2022) Thanksgiving, it was also my birthday, so knowing I was having dinner at Truluck's, I anticipated a wonderful culinary experience, as well as superior service.

We asked for our meal to be paced moderately - not rushed. Very quickly we were brought our appetizers. The shrimp in the shrimp cocktail were large, but tasteless & the amount of cocktail sauce was meager - I consider those factors more important than the dry ice dramatically misting beneath them.

When our waiter left our table, it was too long a wait till he appeared again. Others brought the bread (no more delicious assorted rolls - now something akin to four Hawaiian rolls stuck together) and a small amount of butter. We asked for more butter, but were ignored. No one checked to see that we were out of water for an hour.

Our 2nd course and entree order were the next time we spoke with our waiter, though he'd been one of those we asked for more water & butter.

Within seconds our 2nd course came. The lobster bisque was as amazing as it always was in Boca. Finally the water was replenished. Again, we asked the waiter not to rush our entrees. When I received mine, the filet mignon was okay, a strange pinch of unrecognizable spices were in a small vessel on the plate alongside an overroasted half-garlic, which was unrecognizable at first. I had asked for a small amount of the chef's steak sauce & the waiter immediately informed me that would be $3 extra. As I had been taken out for my birthday, which the restaurant knew in advance, I thought that was cheap/rude. (Nothing like the manner of the Boca service.) The runner never brought it. He had no clue as to what I was referring to & left the table. When he returned I'd already begun my filet. I used my fork to taste test the sauce that was finally brought for the upcharge & did not care for it. This, when the waiter returned, another hour later, to see how all was, I explained about the sauce & he removed it. All I could do was hope the charge would not appear on the bill.

The time frame of dinner became 6pm to 10:30pm. I got the feeling this was their way of saying, "You didn't want it fast paced? Well, how's this for slow? Is it slow enough for you?!" The host stopped by when we were first seated and was quite cordial. In the latter part of the meal at coffee, the manager stopped by, introduced himself & dropped off his card. Interesting, I thought, but no complaints.

Bottomline: Mizner Park, you're idiots for losing Truluck's. Truluck's Ft. Lauderdale, stick to what was great, never tamper...

I recently dined at Truluck's in Fort Lauderdale and had an outstanding experience—the food was exceptional, and our server was truly a standout. He even handed us his card, which I thought was a nice touch that added a personal element to our visit. However, my excitement about returning was dampened by my experience when I called to make a reservation specifically to sit in his section. The receptionist informed me that she couldn’t disclose his schedule, which left me puzzled. I wasn’t asking for his entire schedule; I simply wanted to reserve a spot in his section! When I expressed my confusion and asked to speak with a manager, I was put on hold. Upon her return, she reiterated the same information in a more aggressive tone, stating that I could request him upon arrival. If he was available, great; if not, I would be seated anywhere. I understand that scheduling can be tricky, but it seemed counterintuitive to give out business cards if I couldn’t actually reserve a table with that particular server. What really turned me off was her attitude throughout the call. As a result, I chose not to make a reservation at all. While my initial visit was wonderful, this experience left a bad taste in my mouth. I sincerely hope that Truluck's can improve their communication and reservation policies in the future, as it would make a significant difference for loyal patrons seeking consistent service.

Thank you for your prompt response and for clarifying the policies at Truluck's. I appreciate your dedication to protecting your staff and fostering relationships between servers and guests. However, I still feel that there’s a disconnect between the intention behind giving out business cards and the actual experience when trying to request a specific server. While I understand that you cannot guarantee a particular server will be available, the response I received when I called made me feel as though my request was being dismissed rather than accommodated. Moreover, the way the receptionist communicated the policy felt more aggressive than helpful, and it left me feeling a bit like a stalker for simply wanting to enjoy the same great service again. A more customer-friendly approach could go a long way in making guests feel valued and heard. Unfortunately, this experience has left me disheartened, and I do not feel inclined to return. I hope you can take this feedback into consideration to improve the overall guest experience in the future. Thank you for your attention to...

One doesn’t need luck to dine at Truluck’s…Just a thick wallet or a platinum credit card. The experience, however, was mesmerizing.

My heart sank when Truluck’s closed at the Galleria Mall on Sunrise BL in 2020, likely due to COVID as so many other fine dining establishments also folded through the thrust of the pandemic. Heart palpitations surged when I heard about its reopening on Fort Lauderdale’s Central Beach boasting true modern elegance at (701 N. Fort Lauderdale BL at the base of the Luxury Paramount Condominium (701 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach BL 33304). Breathtaking!

Superlatives come short of describing the impeccable service and superior cuisine designed for royalty. Titus, our server, and his crew a dedicated and flawless service without rushing. This was the perfect ambiance to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Beyond the stunning surrounding visuals, Titus presented us, each with a cocktail and wine menu book and a tall dinner menu book; upon opening them, all our faces lit up from the bright lights emerging from the lighted menus — reminiscent of a Harry Potter movie when the gang would have discovered and opened a magical box. We placed our cocktail and wine orders.

Promptly, the drinks arrived by the crew while Titus explained the menu and its features. We started off with a bunch of sharable appetizers for the table: 2 orders of spicy Italian meatballs and 2 orders of perfectly prepared fried calamari plates. Stunningly delicious! Our entrees were: a broiled salmon topped with crab meat and shrimp over seasoned cauliflower rice, 2 had the miso-glazed sea bass over crab fried rice, one ordered a colossal filet mignon brochette with at least 8oz of tender cubed filets cooked medium-rare to perfection. And, 2 of us went for broke ordering our own plate of jumbo stone grabs freshly brought in from Miami, each morning, not frozen — sweet, tender, succulent! The sides were à là carte order. All sharable portions, we ordered sauteed mushrooms, Lyonnaise potatoes, sauteed asparagus over mashed potatoes, and a boat of parmesan cauliflower rice complemented our table along with a couple of bottles of Pino Grigio. The pièce de résistance was the table-side prepared baked Alaska for the celebrant.

Though some stone crab purists might cringe, I assertively give Truluck’s equal billing with Joe’s Stone Crabs in Miami.

Be prepared for a $100/person tab not including alcoholic beverages, tax, and gratuity. $15 for valet plus tip.

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