Lucha Tigre

Food was awesome. Try green beans and the Asian pulled pork empanadas. Service can’t beat

A fun little Latin-​Asian fusion restaurant with big personality! I’ve enjoyed lunch here several times over the past couple years and have yet to be disappointed. In fact, now that I’ve moved out of the area, it is on my «must visit» list for when I return to Chapel Hill for work.
My favorite lunch order is the «Taco Pick 2» deal, with a butternut squash red curry taco, a beef bulgogi taco, and fried rice. Another great option for the side (instead of the fried rice), is the guac and chips. But, since we often order the salsa sampler with chips as an appetizer, I go with the rice for variety.
During our most recent visit, my friend ordered the phở, which she said was good. We also enjoy the beef bulgogi nachos very much. (And props to Lucha Tigre for listening to customer comments and making the beef bulgogi nachos an item that can be ordered in the restaurant area and not just the bar now!)
I’d be rating Lucha Tigre with five stars if I were just basing my review on the food, but I’ve found the service to be hit-​or-​miss (little things like attentiveness, the amount of time it can take for food to be served, etc.); our last visit was excellent, though!

We really enjoyed Lucha Tigre, and wish we hadn’t waited so long to check them out. The fusion of Asian and Mexican style cuisine is really unique and intriguing.
The bok choy was a little salty for our tastes, but the spicy chili edamame was excellent. The main dishes (we ordered a bunch of different things, Asian ginger chicken salad, General Tso’s tofu and brocolli, spicy chicken and noodles, etc.), were all great, so I definitely recommend ordering a few different things and sampling each item. You will definitely find a favorite.
The décor is cozy, and a little dark even though there are plenty of windows, and you can eat outside on their patio area. They have a bar section as well.
The wait staff are friendly, and we were greeted at the door and seated right away. We will definitely be back and look forward to trying the tacos next time.
There is plenty of parking available in the private lot for the shopping center.

For a birthday I ordered Lucha Tigre take out in catering sizes. The staff were extremely helpful and can make almost any substitution to make dishes vegetarian. Many tofu options. Highly recommend the green bean appetizer and the beef bulgogli nachos which can be made with tofu on request. One of the most interesting restaurants in chapel hill.
Also, the red curry butternut squash tacos are amazing.

My new favorite! My boyfriend and I came for dinner on their special night of Taco Tuesday and had an amazing appetizer of the crispy Vietnamese spring rolls and one of the best mojitos I’ve ever had! Everything was delicious and the tacos which were $ 2-​$ 3 each were amazing… Everything from General tso’s chicken to Beef Bolgogi in my tacos. Will definitely be back :)

Love the décor. And server Gabriel was absolutely fantastic — attentive and pleasant. The food was tasty and creative. Between the four of us, we had the bulgogi nachos, veggie steamed dumplings, shrimp pancakes (brunch menu), chicken and waffles, ginger salad with chicken, and general Tso’s tofu rice bowl. Mimosas, pineapple jalapeño margarita, and hands down one of the best bloody Mary’s I’ve ever had.
This place deserves five stars. The one unacceptable drawback is parking. There are three restaurants in this complex and the other two have designated parking, leaving a very small number of spaces for Lucha Tigre. We drove around for 15 minutes waiting for someone to leave. Only to park in an unmarked area in the back. There is no other parking option nearby. It was almost enough to make us abandon trying this place, and I’m sure it has deterred others.
Go for good food and great service (ask for Gabriel) but take an über.

Decided to check this place out due to the interesting fusion mix. Lots of inviting options on the menu. My mate ordered tofu summer rolls and General Toa’s chicken. He reported the rolls were good (sauce not spicy quite enough for him but good) and the chicken was good. I had the chicken bulgolgi empanada (1) which was perfectly spicy (I’d come back just for that) and the bacon kimchi fried rice… good heat level and very tasty.
We liked this place enough we would definitely come again. It has a modern décor and friendly staff.

I’ve been here multiple times for lunch and dinner. I would say that my dinner experience was definitely much better. The butternut squash tacos are good and definitely worth trying. The other Asian-​oriented tacos, like the mushu pork and the bulgogi were a little off though. The pork was too salty and the bulgogi wasn’t flavored like bulgogi that I’ve had at Korean restaurants (maybe ratio of spices and sauces). I’m not sure if this was intentional or not, but I was definitely surprised by the taste. I’ve had the bokchoy side as well, and it was too oily and had too much soy sauce, making it too salty again.
The general tso’s chicken was a little better. I’m not a fan of Americanized Asian food, but the chicken had a good texture — chopped into small cubes with a sweet and slightly tangy sauce, it was firm on the outside but more tender inside. They need to improve their rice, though, for sure.

When in Tex-​Mex Korean, do as the…
Beef Bulgogi Taco is Smashingly Delicious! Beef Bulgogi Nachos were also!
My love affair with these Wild Marriages of Flavors and Styles started in Columbia (SC) Lucha Tigre is Sooooooooooo much Better and even when compared to most All Tex-​Mex or Mexican or Korean… OK so I enjoy Designer Food!
Valentines Day Lunch
They had a DJ
Maybe every Sunday Lunch? Not sure!
Beef Bulgogi Nachos = an «appetizer» that Eats like a Meal next time we will bring some more people! This was EXCELLENT ! ! !
Tacos and Empanadas were available as a meal or a la Carte
We chose :
Two Tacos: : Bulgogi Beef and Braised Asian Pulled Pork
and
Two Empanadas: : Bulogoi Chicken and Red Curry Chicken
Bulgogi Beef Taco was KING ! ! ! an Easy 5 Unilocal stars
Pulled Pork Taco was Good, I was very glad I experienced it (one time) I would not order it again because the Beef Bulgogi ws Soo Much Better !!!
Empanadas were Good… I think the Red Curry Chicken was better than the Bulgogi Chicken and I’m glad I got to taste them… Beef Bulgogi Taco is KING!!!
The Taco and Empanadas Options were Great
Tacos
Beef Bulgogi, Braised Asian Pulled Pork, General Tso’s Chicken or Tofu, Mu Shu Pork or Tofu, Mu Shu Pork or Tofu, Chorizo and Potato, Butternut Squash Red Curry
Empanadas
Bulgogi Chicken, Roasted Poblano Corn, Red Curry Chicken, Shiitake and Queso, Asian Pulled Pork
Service was Great and they packed, it was loud, busy and fun! I liked the Artwork and Feel of the place
Downers:
Salsa
This Salsa was POOR! Not the Worst I have eaten though as bad as the majority of the worst from a jar and I’m pretty sure this was NOT from a jar… still it did not matter… Nothing needed Salsa (would have been nice to have some Good Salsa since I ordered Chips and Salsa though I know for next time to skip the Chips and Salsa
Chips
Some Very Good Chips were on top of the very Average Chips and since the Salsa was not worth eating the Average Chips served as only TRUE Throw-​away Item with the Salsa and $ 1.50 for an extra Salsa we did not eat!!! I understand not giving away food even food worthy only to be Trashed, but watch it!

Instead of flat out reviewing Lucha Tigre I guess I’ll just tell you what not to get.
Don’t get the pork belly buns. They don’t know how to treat pork belly here, which makes me leery of all their pork products.
The bartender says that’s not what it usually is but I suspect that’s exactly what they think it should be, hard, bland, dry, and tasteless. Honestly it was like a brick that they then broiled.
Everything else was pretty good, pretty awesome in fact, I think the empanadas need work and I wasn’t a fan of my beer, but the tacos, whoa. The squash was fantastic, well seasoned but lacked texture.
The rest of the tacos we had were the chorizo (like a corned beef hash of chorizo, it was amazing)
The beef that they are known for (forget the name but they marinate and fire up skirt steak for this one and again, it’s awesome)
The last one we had, or last type to mention really was the general tso chicken (it was awesome tooooo!)
We loved the tacos so much we ordered another of both the chorizo and the beef.
I wasn’t impressed by the empanadas but my girlfriend enjoyed the corn one that we ordered (not that I didn’t, I did, just not as much as the packed out tacos)
Whatever you do, sit at the bar, same food better pricing.

Creative menu. Polite service. We had the Bulgogi nachos and several tacos for lunch.
Nachos. Very good. Some chips were burnt but overall it was very tasty. The Bulgogi was tender and well marinated.
Genera Tso’s taco. Fried chunks of white meat chicken in a sweet glaze. The chicken was a bit on the dry side but the sauce was very tasty. Came with steamed broccoli.
Mu shu pork taco. Thin strips of pork with vegetables in a tasty brown sauce.
Asian pulled pork taco. Came with a creamy slaw. Our least favorite.
Bulgogi taco. Served with kimchi. Very good.
Would return! Lots of other items on the menu looked worth a try.

As good as advertised and the location isn’t as whack as I had feared.
Guac was solid; roasted poblano corn empanadas delicious; and pan-​seared tofu bowl tasty, though it could have used more of the broccoli I added to the dish.
Will definitely be back.

The walls adorned with black and white, red splashed canvases of lucha libre, tigers, and artifacts of asian, hispanic, and all cultures between. The menu suits. Lucha Tigre is more of a meeting of culinary worlds than a fusion between them, not a negative but a fact to note when you set expectations. Expect, mind you, great things at the weekend brunch — bottomless mimosas are real and your search has ended.
A table for 10 was no problem on a Saturday at noon. The brunch menu offers dishes like mollettes — a sort of open faced torta with an egg atop — huevos con chorizo — perfectly browned spicy meat and runny yolk goodness — Kimchi rice pancakes and pork belly biscuits and gravy. Around the table, the huevos on chorizo seemed to be a favorite. Mollettes were tasty but texturally lacking — unsurprising considering the composition — and enjoyed all the same. Spring rolls and a basket of house chips: Sweet potato, tortilla, and won-​ton helped to ease in the brunch beverages. The fresh squeezed Margarita was surprisingly tasty, with just the right balance of tequila and sour lime.
Lingering 3 hours, over dozens of mimosa refills, our waiter was generous and unpertrubed by our slowness. Service and atmosphere make good food great.

Great Latin-​Fusion restaurant near UNC! We stopped by for lunch and really enjoyed our lunch specials! My boyfriend and I both chose the 2 taco lunch plate (which comes with your choice of 2 tacos, a side, and a soft drink for $ 8.99)! I tried two of the vegetarian tacos — the General Tso’s tofu and the butternut squash red curry. They were both good (but if I’m being picky, I wish the butternut squash wasn’t quite so pureed, and I wish the tofu had green onions or cilantro on them for some freshness). My boyfriend tried the Beef Bulgogi and General Tso’s chicken tacos and loved his (especially the bulgogi). The bok choy side was delicious! Great service, cute place, reasonable prices. I’ll definitely be back if I’m in Chapel Hill again!

Enjoyed lunch on a Saturday in Chapel Hill, NC at a uniquely, flavorful place, Lucha Tigre. After we were seated, we were greeted by our fabulous, helpful and cheerful server, Amanda. She rocked!
My husband and I ordered and split several appetizers and a dessert.
First up were the pork belly buns and fresh summer spring rolls. The dough of the pork belly buns was soft and to be honest symbolized the idea of eating the Pillsbury Dough Boy. Sorry Dough Boy! The sauce was spicy and the big cucumber help cool it down. Nothing could be better than spicy and cool all in one bite.
Next on the table were the fresh summer rolls. The fresh combination of flavors; mint, cilantro and peanut sauce made this roll.
We wanted our taste buds to explore some more so we ordered the steamed pork dumplings from the brunch menu. There were 5 and each were dipped heavily in the citrus-​soy dipping sauce. The dumpling was cooked beautifully. They were not dry nor burned. They were moist and popped with flavor at every bite.
We ended our fabulous eating adventure with a slice of tres leches cake. It was light, just the right amount of sweetness and oh so moist. This will be one of my top list craving desserts.
If you are in the area and want to try some unique, flavorful food, this is your place. You won’t be disappointed.

I love the idea, and the food here is solid. But I was not blown away as I had hoped I would be. Wife and i shared pork belly buns and beef bulgogi nachos. Each had plusses and minuses. The pork and the buns in the pork belly buns were solid, but they also had a large slice of cucumber jammed in the bun which threw off the ratios of the components. The bulgogi flavor of the nachos was solid, but the beef was dry and there wasn’t enough spicy heat. I also thought the presentation on a long thin plate was curious since when you eat nachos they tend to fall to the sides. In this case onto the table.
Will be happy to try Lucha Tigre again and hopefully the execution will equal the concept next time.

Lucha Tigre is an Latin-​Asian fusion concept by one of the co-​founders of Five Star Restaurant (downtown Raleigh), Khoa Dinh. The restaurant has a similar vibe to Five Star and even has the same heat seeker shrimp and crispy green beans,
Since Lucha’s over in Chapel Hill, I rarely make it over from Raleigh. But it’s a great stop when I’m on the way to a show at Local 506 or Cat’s Cradle. The restaurant’s in a little strip joint with a laundromat. The parking lot is little difficult to navigate, but you’ll be able to find a spot without any big problems.
The menu’s got a lot of flavors and spice. So far, I’ve enjoyed the lemongrass chicken bowl, the pork belly buns, and some seasoned fries with a mayo-​yellow curry dipping sauce. The lemongrass chicken bowl alone was enough food for a pre-​show dinner; it was a strong portion of protein along with vermicelli noodles — topped with mint, cilantro and lime for a great flavor.
Service at the bar on a Thursday night was very good. I’d recommend sitting there, or outside if the weather’s nice. There’s a few TVs at the bar if you need to catch a game. Over the speakers, they were playing a a mix of popular electronic — M83, Bag Raiders, etc. All music I’ve heard at Five Star at some point.
Pro tip: I’m not sure if I’m supposed to share this, but if you sit at the bar, you’ll get a special bar food menu. There’s a selection of appetizers that are slightly cheaper than on the regular menu. I think it’s a bonus for drinking :)

Food was really good. We came in on a Sunday evening for a family dinner, and my parents (who are into very traditional Asian cuisine and are a bit skeptical of Asian Fusion) were pleasantly surprised!
Service was fine — we didn’t have to wait too long for our food, but we didn’t get a lot of attention either, even though the restaurant wasn’t too full. The food itself is really delicious, and a wonderful mélange of Mexican and Asian cuisine!
Here’s what we wound up ordering:
TAQUIZA (TACOS) WITH MU SHU PORK: my dad scarfed this down. I don’t eat pork, so I can’t say much, but by the looks of it, the tacos are really good. The smallest portion of all of the entrees that we ordered.
HONEY CHIPOTLE CHICKEN: the chicken was divine. Perfectly grilled with a bit of smoky flare and spiciness but still very sweet from the honey. Smells delicious and tastes delicious. Bok choi dipped in the sauce was amazing as well. I’m not a huge fan of wasabi, so the mashed potatoes weren’t my favorite, but my mom absolutely adores wasabi, and she raved about the mashed potatoes here.
GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN BOWL: for those of you who want to stick with the American-​Chinese food classics, this is for you. I’m usually not a fan of General Tso’s chicken, but the texture of the chicken was actually really good in this dish. The sauce… was… well your typical General Tso’s sauce, but I would say that the chicken itself was really good!
HEAT SEEKER TIGER SHRIMP: delicious. Love that you can sub out tofu too if you would like. Perfect amount of heat with the ideal crispiness in a fried rice dish. Shrimp was cooked perfectly.
ELOTES (CORN ON THE COB): pretty good, but messy to eat. Not the most flavorful corn I’ve had.
CUCUMBER WATERMELON MARGARITA: okay. Other than the color of the drink and the garnish of a slice of watermelon and cucumber on my cup, I didn’t really taste any watermelon… very strong on the alcohol.
Overall, a really great experience! I’ll need to try more of their drinks because those are what people talk about the most, but the food is really good too!

Came here late one night for dinner and sat at the bar which was a huge plus because they had a bar specific menu with extra deals.
Fries were delicious, the sauce had a curry like flavor. Also got the pork buns. which were just okay. Would prolly not try again.
Off the bar menu my bf got the tacos which were pretty unexciting. The meat was well cooked but no extra toppings. Weren’t bad, just not amazing.
I got the avacado citrus chicken salad which was awessomeee. I’m rarely impressed with salads and was a huge fan of this one. Would def get it again!
Service was great and informative. Cute décor inside.
Overall: would be back. Don’t get the tacos. Excited to try other stuff off the menu!

BRILLIANT! Mexican-​Asian fusion is something that I’ve waited on for a very long time, and I had no idea I’d been waiting on it until this place came to Chapel Hill. First off, the décor is a neat, modern, eclectic montage of various Latino and Asian icons, and the place offers a great ambiance that can be either casual or very nice. My favorite dishes are the Kimchi Nachos and the Pad Thai Al Pastor, since these are the two classic fusion dishes on the menu. The Kimchi Nachos are an appetizer, but I’ve eaten them as a whole meal on occasion. The Pad Thai Al Pastor can be a hit or miss, as some of my friends have commented on a lack of flavor. I personally enjoy the Mexican spice of the chicken in the otherwise Thai dish.
At nighttime, the bar section turns into a pretty happening place to be, offering a great selection of cocktails and house mixed drinks. It still retains the more modern, casual vibe, since they still continue the restaurant side as well. A big bonus, also, is that PARKING IS AVAILABLE. They share a lot with a few other stores, and I’ve never really encountered any parking issues. Personally, this is one of my favorite places to eat in Chapel Hill, and I think the inventive mix of the two cuisines is one that anyone can enjoy.