Lucha Libre

I guess my expectations have grown pretty high regarding trendy eateries in North Park. Case in point, if someone opens Mexican Wrestling-​themed taco and burrito shop, I kind of assume there will be some fairly esoteric and unique items on the menu. Especially given the likely greater price point.
Lucha Libre’s menu, however, doesn’t stray too far from that of your standard local ‘Berto. The online menu lists burritos with mole or peanut sauce, but I don’t recall seeing those at the time. Instead, I went with the default California burrito armed with pork adobada. Not bad, but it didn’t do much more than cheaper places located in less trendy neighborhoods. The use of spicy fries did serve as a nice touch though.
These wrestlers try to differentiate themselves by also offering Tijuana dogs – hot dogs wrapped in bacon. Again, not bad, but also nothing amazing. They disappoint a little because the buns and the dog itself seem pretty run-​of-​the-​mill and far from a gourmet ideal. That said, bacon makes everything better.
Summary: Didn’t pin me down.

There are many much better options for Mexican food in North Park than this place. Extremely limited menu.

Lol! White people.
This place is garbage. The people who eat here are not from California and will literally eat dog poop from a tortilla and call it delicious because the décor is awesome and because they literally don’t know what good Mexican food tastes like. I feel so sorry for you.

Legit! First California Burrito here and it’s legit. Salsa bar is bomb too.
Very nice decorum looks like you can sit inside a wrestling ring.

Wow is all I can say! From the cool décor to the unlimited chips and salsa station, I enjoyed my dinner to the fullest! I ordered the pork nachos which was loaded with guac, sour cream, pick de gayo, cheese, and a side of TJ corn. The nachos were too big and was enough to fill two or three people. I also enjoyed the variety of different salsas available for the the nachos. This place is great and can’t wait to return to San Diego to come back again!

Everything you love about the original location but not nearly as crowded. This location also has a Champion’s Booth you can park your ass in pretty much whenever someone else isn’t sitting there and a wrestling ring in the back. The music selection is pretty great too.
I also love that they substitute fries instead of meat in most of their offerings. I know that’s not really the healthiest substitute but I can’t really think of anything healthy about tacos. Maybe the lettuce? IDFK, just shove them in my face hole.

Very unique atmosphere. Vary relaxed atmosphere for lunch. A great place to eat and have conversation. The menu isn’t like most Mexican eating establishments. Add the fried cheese to your burrito, it’s great. They have some vege choices. The Nutty burrito with the Mexican peanut sauce was excellent. Seating is booth and table. The eating area is separate from the ordering area which is nice. It cuts back on the take out traffic. Parking can get tricky but it is free along the side streets. It took us 5 minutes around 2pm on a Wednesday to find out spot 3min from here.
There is a multi level parking structure a half block west on 30^th st.

I was so happy there was a 2^nd Lucha Libre. I was also super happy that there was practically no line vs the original. But then that made me wonder, is there a reason for that? I mean surely they can’t mess up the classic cali chicken burrito.
The pluses, they have the same salsa bar as the original with all of the same flavors, including the creamy cilantro that’s amazing. I really wish both locations would label the sauces so I don’t have to play guessing game on which one I like and don’t like.
After ordering, we were given our cups for drinks and some tortilla chips and sat down. Wait for food was about 10 minutes, which wasn’t bad since we were munching on chips and salsa.
The GF ordered a taco but nixed all the dairy and meats to make it vegan. It was a very large taco, almost burrito sized.
I ordered the classic cali chicken burrito and it just didn’t taste right. There wasn’t something right about it. It was very dry and the chicken flavor didn’t seem right. Something was missing.
I ended up going to the original the next day (5 stars btw for that one) and noticed the difference. The original one was more liberal with their special sauce and the chicken was marinated in only salt and pepper. The second location was marinated with a lot more spices (giving it an orange color vs the original) but none of it came through. It was definitely dried out a lot more than the original.
I left this location quite disappointed. Hopefully if they can make the food consistent like the original, then I’ll be happy to come here, where the line is much shorter.

I came here 2 times. still like the original location. I’ve had the burritos and tacos. My dad loved their surf n turf. I do believe the restaurant has been hyped up quite a bit but its fun. We sat in the window table and it was fun. The place was pretty empty when we came, the food was pretty good. Nothing to say its extremely mind blowing but I like their food and its a good once in a while kind of place. I usually bring family that’s out of town here.

We’ve been to the original Lucha Libre location and had no idea there was a second location until our über driver told us while dropping us off down the street at Hammond’s. So we had spontaneous eats at this location since the Meateater BF’s ears perk up at the mention of Lucha Libre.
Here are the two biggest pros of this location:
— we waited maybe five minutes in line at this location whereas the original location had a 30+ minute wait every time we’ve gone
— since this location has a smaller crowd, there was plenty of empty seats and tables for us to choose from
I had a Veggie Taco that I was pretty «meh» about but I’m sure it’s because I nixed the non-​vegan ingredients. But I do give them credit for over-​filling one taco with so much black beans, corn, zucchini and mushrooms.
The Meateater BF claims that his Classic California Burrito tasted better at the original location. But I’ll let him write his own review.
For me, the best thing about Lucha Libre is the chipotle salsa. Seriously! I want to bottle that stuff up and take it home!

This pains me to write… But I must. I have been the biggest fan of Luche Libre MISSION HILLS, since they opened in 2008, and I remain their #1 fan.
One of my fondest memories was waiting for a taco being made from one of the founders at the San Diego Best of Event at Liberty Station and someone asked him what he was making, his response…” Money”. EPIC! And because their product at Mission Hills is EPIC, it’s so worth my money and his comment years ago.
So why the one star? Bc it’s warranted. I’m a home owner in North Park and that location Sucks. Sorry, but it does. The staff is rude, the product is deficient and I’ve held hopes it would get better. The staff just doesn’t seem to get it here. It’s almost like they don’t understand the concept of customer satisfaction OR DELIVERING A GOOD PRODUCT.
I don’t know if they need to burn sage, have the owners in more or just have a staff overhaul. But it just hasn’t been right since it’s opened.
I still purposely call in my order and DRIVE to the mission hills location to get my burrito. And I live 3 blocks from their North Park location.
I have had 4 bad experiences here. The most recent FINALLY put me over the edge. I work in healthcare and don’t have easy access to my phone when working. I called in a burrito and then was not able to pick it up for an hour. When I walked in I immediately said «I’m so sorry, I wasn’t able to call to let you know I would be delayed to pick up my food»
DAN took that opportunity to lecture me about wasting food. He didn’t stop. Even after I apologized. He continued for the ENTIRE time I waited for my burrito to be remade. I continued to apologize.
Then I filled the containers he gave me for salsa, no more, no less. After filling the containers HE GAVE ME. He then began with the comments about if I wanted THAT MUCH SALSA I could buy a pint. It was a horrific experience. First world problems. Here’s my point. I hope they turn it around bc just like the owner at the «Best of Event», I own in North Park and I love what the community IS and what it is turning into– so I hope DAN and his staff get it together– bc I never see a loyal
Crowd at this location and I too want to «make money» on my investment in North Park
Update: I privately contacted them bc I believe in going directly to the source, I WANT the best outcome for lucha. Jeremiah from NP Luche Libre responded. His response email was personable, professional and precise. he made what could have been a generic business response. Ummmmm, I guess the only word I can think of is nice.

Disappointing to say the least.
The ambiance and the décor are fun and unique.
But the tacos are such a disappointment. The tortillas taste like someone picked them up from the local grocery store. The fillings miss the mark, when it comes to taste, spice and texture… yes I threw away a taco because I didn’t want to eat it.(I don’t throw away tacos… never)
From what I have heard, the burritos are really good. But chances are, that I won’t be going back here. I was really excited about this place because of the hype.
Oh and this location does not server alcohol. And the orange whipped drink is not worth it.
.

What the hell happened to you Lucha Libre? After so many overly satisfying meals at your Mission Hills location, why is your North Park location so… lacking?
My near & dear favorite, the Surfin California, is served up as a pathetic, watered down facsimile of what my stomach fondly remembers. And I’ve been forced to eat this 3 times, so this isn’t just a one-​off instance.
I don’t know if you suddenly changed your recipe or just have a crap cook on hand, but please, fix it!
Other than the quality of the food (ok, this is a huge issue), the place itself is definitely more spacious and well decorated. The original charm of the first location is not lost here.
I’ll always be fan (of the Mission Hills location)

Lucha libre… Great tacos and fun wrestling themed décor! Worth the hype. You have to try this place at least once…
Steak taco, chicken taco, and surf and turf tacos = corn tortillas and delicious grilled meats. They’re huge too, 6in X 6 in. Pretty cheap as well considering the high quality of the meats etc. Full meal for 2 including 3 tacos, a cup of «Tj» style elote (seasoned corn), 2 drinks and free chips + a million mini cups for all the free salsas at the salsa bar = 20.00

Lucha Libre is the perfect place to go late night when you’ve got the drunchies. SO and I shared an order of Champion fries with carne asada. It probably wasn’t the best thing to order, but that’s what we were craving. It was just okay. The ingredients were really fresh, I’ll give them that. Why are there beans in carne asada fries? It feels so wrong.
I was totally feeling the salsa bar. That Creamy Cilantro sauce. Yas. We drenched our fries in it. The restaurant décor is insane. I was turning my head left and right the entire time we were in there. There is so much to look at in there.

Lucha Libre opened a sister location in North Park some time ago. I’ve been visiting North Park more often and have passed by their new location several times. There’s no parking and signage for this location is quite minimal. I rarely crave Mexican food but one thing that I absolutely crave is Lucha Libre’s thick green garlic salsa.
It’s the same ordering system as their Mission Hills location. You get a small basket of warm chips with each order. Sometimes I think it’s best to order separately if you have more than 1 person so they give you more chips. But, I think they will refill the chips if you ask. They also only gave us five containers for the salsas.
We ordered:
Queso Taco $ 4.50:
— I chose the carne asada but opted for the taco to be made low carb. I appreciate how Lucha Libre accommodates the request with no hassle, issues, or an additional up charge. The cheese crisp was too salty for me though so I either take it off to be eaten separately or make it a mental note that I don’t need to order the queso taco next time. Don’t forget there’s also a generous sprinkling of salty queso enchilado that’s on top of the taco as well. The carne asada tasted nicely warm and beefy. There’s also one slice of ripe avocado that comes with this taco.
TJ Dog:
— I think this was only $ 2.50 or so and friend couldn’t resist. He omitted the ketchup since he’s a Chicago snob and watches a lot of Food Paradise on tv. The bacon wrapped hot dog appeared deep fried. He enjoyed the hot dog and all the fajita fixings on top.
Surf & Turf Taco $ 4.50:
— They give you three shrimp on this surf & turf taco. I also requested this taco to be low carb. They do an excellent job giving you an almost wedge-​size lettuce cup for this taco. The shrimp was overly salted.
Classic California Burrito:
— It’s not the biggest burrito but it’s nicely chubby. Friend opted for steak in his California burrito that day. His issue, last time at the Mission Hills location, was that the fries were too soggy. I’m sad to say the fries, again, were soggy. Friend said french fries in burritos are best when they’re hot with a crispy exterior and a soft interior. He also pointed out, as seen in pic, that the burrito was mostly french fries and cheese. There wasn’t enough carne asada.
This Lucha Libre location wasn’t busy when we visited Sunday afternoon. It’s pretty laid back and decently spacious. You order, walk up to cashier to get your order when it’s ready, and then bus your own table when you’re done. It’s fun to see Lucha Libre grow as they do have a large fan base. City Tacos is just a few doors now and their business seemed to be busier. So this part of town seems to be hustling and bustling with some nice taco shop options to try out if you’re in the area.

Had a lot of fun hanging out here. Loved the Lucha libre theme! Good music playing. Super chill.
The staff was friendly, and kind of odd… but it was ok.
I had the tj style hot dog, really yummy and cheap! A buck something.
Huge selection at the salsa bar.
My husband had a taco de chicharron, he liked it a lot. A regular sized tortilla, with a warm large piece of pork rind.
Gotta come back and try some more.

This was my first time to this location. I love Luche Libre! Always a favorite mexican food joint in my book. I came here around 1am after I had been drinking at a bar. Parking isn’t easy because it’s right on the main street but if you are already out, it’s an easy walk. Also, we got there before the «rush» of everyone crawling out of the bars. They close at 2am I believe anyway, so you gotta get there before then. You order first, grab your salsa and drinks and grab a seat. The guys at the counter were pretty funny. I’m sure they are used to being around drunk people, but they humored us and our crazy conversations. We were feeling pretty special so we sat at the «gold» table. Front row seat to people watching.
Ordered my usual surf & turf burrito. Love it! Got my ‘crack’ salsa, the white salsa: cilantro garlic. It is soo good but you will smell for 24 hours so beware. Haha. You get a side of tortilla chips. If you have leftovers they will give you foil and a paper or plastic bag. Pricing is decent. $ 8 – 9 for a Surf & Turf.
I definitely recommend it!

I thought this place was going to be over rated. Well, I was wrong. I ordered the queso chicken taco with TJ corn and rice and also a chicharron taco.
When I received the queso taco it was too hot to pick up. I had to wait a few minutes for it to cool which was torture since it looked amazing. When I finally got to try it WOW! This taco is on a whole other level from other tacos. The tortillas are fresh and hot, the crispy cheese is wonderful, the chicken is super flavorful, the avocado fresh and creamy, and topped with an awesome sauce. No hot sauce was needed on this taco. It is perfect just the way it comes.
Now, I didn’t realize how large the tacos were so I ordered two and ended up taking my chicharron taco home. After about an hour it was the perfect ending to my meal. There was so much chicharron I was able to make two tacos and I added the green creamy sauce to it and added a little of the slaw and avocodo. This taco was absolutely wonderful.
The TJ corn is actually the reason I wanted to try this place. I LOVE corn. This corn did not disappoint. It was loaded with so much flavor. I will be back for the corn alone.
My husband ordered the California burrito and the Carne asada was wonderful, full of flavor but other than that just another California burrito. I would say be adventurous and try their other items. My husband preferred both of my tacos to his burrito.
The salsa bar has some great salsas. The only thing I would have asked for is labels so you know what you are trying.
Service was great. The cashier was very friendly and helped with anything we asked.
I do not regret anything I ordered. Everything was amazing.
The only problem I have is that I will never enjoy other tacos the same.
The reason for the 4 star and not 5 is that the prices are quite high and when I asked for a bag to go the bag was small and very hard to fit my food in.

Woke up this morning to the dreaded words no living, breathing man ever wants to hear: «Honey, we need to talko». «Uh…Excuse me? Did you say we need to talk-​o?!?» HUH? OH… We need to TACO! … YEAH… TACO… Now we’re TALKING!!!”
Whether you find yourself at the North Park or Mission Hills Lucha Libre taco-​factory, you won’t find serapes and sombreros hanging on crumbling drywall. Instead, you are smacked in the face with the flamboyant spirit of the LL: wall portraits and murals; a funky-​cool disco ball; and high spirited masks of the namesake «free wrestling» tradition.
The North Park location has only been open for a few short weeks. The word must not be out yet because the wait wasn’t bad, and the kitchen had no problem keeping up with the orders. The shop is on the smallish side and fills up quickly — so get here early and get here hungry.
On the «Man vs. Food» episode, the focus was on the California Burrito. This burrito is filled with lime-​infused Carne Asada, grilled shrimp, salsa, and fries. But on this day we needed to have a face-​to-​face, «get it all on the table» TACO.
I ordered the «Chicken Queso» taco. This macho taco is a tortilla lined with fried cheese, grilled chicken, more cheese, avocado, and secret chipotle sauce. Combined with chips and guacamole, carne asada fries, and a drink — I became a man without words. These tacos will remind you of the bomb-​ass street tacos you get down in Tijuana.
What puts Lucha Libre over the top are the salsas. There are 8 of them to choose from. I tried them all. They are house-​made and delicious. The tomatillo, garlic cilantro/​parsley, and mango salsas are worth fighting for.
Next, we are headed for the coffee shop across the street. I’m hoping NOT to hear the other words no living, breathing man ever wants to hear: «By the way, my Lawyer/​Father/​Ex wants to join us for coffee this morning»…
Tip 1: If you visit either taco shop wearing a Lucha mask, you’ll get a Luchador (Lucha libre wrestler) discount!
Tip 2: Go VIP and reserve the «Champion’s Booth» online. It is made of gold and surrounded by velvet ropes.
#LetsTaco
#Smackdown
#FriedCheese4Me
#FearTheLuchador