Luchador Tacos — Restaurant in Conway

I am obsessed with Mexican food - I worked in Mexican restaurants for six years (across two continents) and have TACOS tattooed on my inner lower lip. I’m not an expert by any stretch but I’ve tried dozens of restaurants with a similar concept. Here are my thoughts after about 10 visits to Luchador:

First, the good:

Good quality tortillas. Super important to have sturdy and elastic tortillas when you have burritos of this size.

The “extras” here are what make a difference for me. I am a huge fan of the pickled onions (a yucatecan thing, I’m fairly sure). Also, as simple as it sounds, having the option to add fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime is a big deal. Their hot salsa is great as well.

Friendly staff and great service.

I just wanted to point a few areas where I think there could be improvement:

The prices are a bit steep for locals. This is a prime location and there are likely more tourists coming through the restaurant than there are locals but I really think the prices are a bit high.

The restaurant is called luchador and there is a luchador on the sign but the rest of the restaurant does not follow that theme. There is an attempt to decorate it with posters and a neon sign but I think there is an opportunity to develop a more consistent theme. The tables and chairs are a bit dated as well.

There was an incident when the restaurant first opened in which one of the owners had a rather unprofessional interaction with someone who had left a negative review. As excited as I was to try the new Mexican place in town, this was a turn off for me and I waited another couple weeks before deciding to give it a try.

I would say it’s the best Mexican place for probably 50 miles in any direction. I would recommend it to visitor or local alike. I just hope they tweak and adjust things over time because I think it could be...

So some background on me first, I grew up in Los angles a stone's throw from where the owner Kathrine lives so I completely understand this food (authentic Los Angeles/ southern cail Mexican food) I am also a trained le cordon bleu chef, I graduated from the Hollywood ca campus. The food was great (almost an emotional experience for me because it felt like home)exactly like the kind of food you would find in so cali and Los Angeles. The flavor was on point, the tacos were great and the burrito was fantastic. To all those that claim to understand this food but say it isn't real Mexican food I assure you it is very authentic, exactly the way Mexican food from cali is. It cant be compared to this fake east coast Mexican food because it isn't the Mexican food you have been lied to your entire life about. There is no ground beef, no burgers, yes the tacos are smaller, they are that way because that is exactly how street tacos are in so cal. Long story short if you chose to continue to be lied to by your east coast Mexican food (not real mecixan) go for it but stop trying school someone from cali on what cali Mexican food should be because you wouldn't know so go enjoy the Lima beans they put in your burritos and leave the good food to the so cal natives. Thank you katherine for bringing the food I love to a place so far...

The 3 stars are due to an incident where this location decided to remain open during a snowstorm, causing the employees to have to travel in unsafe conditions. I myself was at work up the road, but had been on the phone with my own employer that morning into the afternoon asking them to consider the ramifications of keeping our shop open while the weather worsened. I was able to close early, but felt concerned for other businesses in the area that remained open like Luchador's. That incident aside, the staff at this location has always been extremely kind, full of personality and take their jobs seriously. The company should feel lucky to have them. They remain calm under pressure when it's busy, and have a great sense of humor. Their food has been consistent in quality and their portions are moderate- not too big, not too small. They will tell you in advance if adding something to your meal will be an additional charge. I understand the unfortunate trend of corporations raising prices on everything, but this place is cheaper and healthier than McDonalds, and a great quick option for many people who regularly work and shop in the area. The interior is very unique and it is always clean. The kitchen is open and looks well kept, too. Once again, the staff here really makes it stand out. Never underestimate...