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cityweekend

A New Menu, a New Luga’s

What happens when you hire an impassioned chef, increase the items on your menu tenfold, throw in a few more drinks and do it all by opening up a second location just a block away from your flagship bar? You get Luga’s Villa Mexican Restaurant & Bar. Owner Luga Zhu helms the venue’s sleek second floor bar, which sports a pool table and live music, and has unleashed the culinary expertise of Executive Chef Mónica Wong for the Casa Mexicana restaurant on the third floor.

The results are a bar that ends up serving some of the most authentic Mexican cuisine in the capital and a refined restaurant that feels like you’ve been invited over to a friend’s house for dinner. You can still get one of Luga’s wicked margaritas (YY50), but the new menu is the only place in Beijing you’ll find handmade corn tortilla dishes. Enchiladas go for YY45, traditional Mexican spaghetti for YY48, and Alambres—skewered barbecue meat in chicken, beef, shrimp or veggie—start at YY50. You can finish the food off with one of Luga’s draft beers—Stella Artois (YY40), Guinness (YY45), Beijing (YY20) or Tusker (YY30).

Zachary Franklin

 

Most Recent Reviews

serrot

Be prepared to get more than you ordered and not in a good way! I went out with several friends for a few drinks and dinner and we decided to start our night with a round of nachos and beer(best way to start any night). We ordered happy hour specials from the menu and were surprised when our waitress brought out a fifth drink for the four of us. We told her we hadn't ordered the fifth but she was insistent that she had heard us say we wanted it (we all were having beers) and refused to take it off of our ticket. Not only that but it was one of the more expensive drinks on the menu. After our inquiry there was mysteriously no manager to be found.

On another occasion in which I foolishly decided to go back, my overpriced "margarita" was nothing more than some blended ice chips with lime and silly straw. I know this is a common practice in Beijing but when it's followed by unremarkable food, it's not worth the frustration or money. Luga's is passable for Mexican, at least for anyone who salivates at the thought of Taco Bell, but it's no more special than that. Service at this Luga's and the Thai one upstairs has been notoriously bad with disappointing food to follow it up. If you're looking for really good Mexican food in Beijing with valuable drinks (the ones that you DO order) that aren't watered down, I suggest Peter's or Amigo. But don't settle for Luga's like I did, you'll be disappointed.

 

3 months, 3 weeks ago

siennapc

This place is awesome. Similar menu, drinks, appeal as Saddle Cantina but much better quality all round. I had the lychee margarita, which was delicious and didn't have any of those huge ice chunks that make the Saddle's margaritas so undrinkable. The nachos come with a choice of beef, chicken or beans, which is nice for people who don't always want to eat a lot of meat, and the portions of guac, sour cream and cheese were really satisfying. Lots of other things on the menu looked great, too, and I'm looking forward to trying them in the future. I also really liked the nice outdoor balcony.

 

7 months ago

boulette87

Was there 2 days ago...Great chicken fajitas, great mango margharitas, awesome terrace! The prices were ok too, so what more could you ask for?!

 

8 months, 3 weeks ago

epay

I finally broke down and went to Luga's villa (with low expectations) a couple weeks ago. Imagine my surprise at the delicious chicken enchiladas, wrapped in legit corn tortilla, drenched in red, green, or black mole! And free tortilla chips if you order an entree! And the salsa/sour cream/ guacamole tray that arrives with everything!

 

1 year ago

jzsmith880

Good atmosphere and friendly service. However the food is more Tex-Mex if anything. Still have yet to find an authentic Mexican restaurant in Beijing.

 

1 year ago

destinyt

Only been in Beijing five months. It is hard to find good food and service. I have finally found both. I walked in the door and got welcomed by the manager and the staff. The manager himself came over and waited on us. He recommeneded the wings as a snack and the fajitas as the main course, also the margaritas. The staff took over after that. The food was great, I have not had fajitas or hot wings like that since I left the states, and I have been to many eating establishments since I have been in Beijing, only the real expensive places have been this good. To the point, Management is good and the staff is friendly. These kind of things are not seen everywhere.

 

1 year, 1 month ago

lorna_p_1

Perfect night: quesillda and mojito from here. And I found it a lot cheaper than the description above suggests.

 

1 year, 2 months ago

luga

Good food, good times, good service now they have a dart board. Good combination.

 

1 year, 3 months ago

beorn

Yeah, but was very sad to see the old menu items, the burritos, were missing from the new menu. When we asked, though, they could still do the burritos.

1 year, 4 months ago

stonebanks

I am shocked: Mexican menu in Mexican ... I mean Spanish. And, it's delicious. Can this be the same Luga's? Chef Monica and Luga have done Beijing a great service. Enchiladas are spectacular. The sizzling chicken fajitas, served in an iron skillet with sides of sauches, are unbelievable. And, the margaritas are great too.

 

1 year, 4 months ago

beorn

A great upgrade from the old Luga's, and no no price hike so far. He's got a wonderful new billiards table as well. Only one draft beer at this time, but is promising a lot more.

Since he's also got wifi this might be one of my regular third place hangouts.

 

1 year, 5 months ago Updated See beorn's latest review »