On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the street outside Luther’s is empty as the restaurant begins to fill with folks from the ‘hood, some boosting babies. Come late evening, when the karaoke show “Drag, Divas & Song,” is in fine voice and full feathers and your server may be an off-duty diva, it’s a different story altogether—and both scenarios work just fine.

But the menu of this former greasy-burger joint has dress-up aspirations of its own—and a few of the moves almost work. Coconut-coated shrimp are good but for the too-sweet sauce. Pumped-up boneless chicken wings are odd but okay, a too-busy salmon salad is even acceptable—and a Cuban sandwich could hold its head as high as a Caribbean coquette. “Luther’s Original Old Fashioned Burgers” are also pretty good, but the juicy, hand-formed patties are merely lip-synching when a little seasoning would allow them to sing outright.

Luther’s original chili and red top stew come together in a combo that beds the chili atop the stew. It would work in an odd way if the parts were good, but the chili vacillates between burned and bland on one occasion, and the stew, though it boasts tender cubes of beef, is also unremarkable. A salad featuring fajitas “grilled to order” appears with cold meat, cold bacon and an odd and very stiff balsamic “vinaigrette.” “Southwestern egg rolls” stuffed with picadillo and black beans are pretty but lack pizzazz. C’mon guys—bring on the (metaphorical) sequins; the food could use some eye liner too.