I like this place but need better service please.

Once the drink is served and the money collected no one looks at you, if you need another drink ? or want to order some food.

These days I prefer 1 F or Salud.

Almost perfect

Alright, the original Luga's is fine for cheap drinks and sitting outside in the summer. The food is good enough for what it is - and also cheap. Luga's always friendly when he's around, and the staff are generally the same. Good start.

There's one thing that's happened to me a few times there that is totally off though, and that's staff coming and asking you to pay the check when only half the order has arrived. Last time we ordered nachos, burritos and drinks. The nachos had arrived - in portions half the normal size, two of my friends insisted - and then the waiter asked us to pay.

I totally understand why some restaurants ask you to pay at the beginning. I guess they think customers will run off without paying or something. I can understand that - it's clear, it's typical of fast food restaurants, and you get the paying out of the way then settle down to your food. But you either ask people to pay for their food at the beginning - as soon as the order is taken - or you ask them at the end, when they've finished. Coming up and demanding money while customers are in the middle of their meal, and still waiting for both food and drinks to be served? That's just obnoxious. It's unnecessary, makes customers feel uncomfortable, and sends totally the wrong message - "excuse me customer, but collecting your money is more of a priority to us than giving you what you ordered."

We might have been willing to let it go, but there was also the issue of the half-size nachos (again, according to my friends). Luga's has always been a decent place, but this kind of thing is just going to alienate customers who have returned again and again. Fortunately, it's also very easy to sort out - make it clear to the staff that they bill customers either when the order is taken or at the end of their meal, not between bites of nachos.

If I have any complaint about Luga's, it's that misleading word, "Mexican" on their sign and menu. I don't know where Luga picked up that word from - maybe he heard some other expats throwing it around and thought it sounded catchy - but I'm pretty sure he (or whoever is in charge of the food) has never actually eaten Mexican food in his life.

To be fair: the food is tasty and I usually enjoy it - in fact Luga's is one of my favorite places for a casual dinner in SLT. Nevertheless, I think calling it a Mexican restaurant would technically constitute false advertising (if umm.... this weren't China). I wouldn't even call it Tex Mex, though that would still be a much more accurate label. Perhaps it's unfair of me to pin this authenticity rant onto Luga, since this is seems to be the common trend for Beijing's "Mexican" food scene (BeiMex?) and I have yet to find a place here that does any better of a job, but someone has to take the heat. So here goes.

Let's start with the chicken burrito, which, admittedly, is my favorite item on the menu. It's pretty big (I've never had the courage to order the "large" one since the so-called "small" burrito is usually enough) and a decent value for the price. It's just that... well... I don't know how to break it to Luga, but that's not a burrito - it's a wrap. For crying out loud, it's CUT DOWN THE MIDDLE. I'm fairly sure if a taco joint in southern California ever cut a burrito in half before serving it to you they'd be looted and demolished in the ensuing riots. I'm a snob in this respect - if I'm not holding two pounds of aluminum-wrapped deliciousness that I have to carefully squeeze and manipulate to avoid spilling and tearing [phallic imagery toned down for your convenience], well, that's just not a burrito experience.

The meat inside is quite tasty, so however they're marinating or preparing it, it's working. But here are some customary ingredients I expect some combination of in a burrito: beans, rice, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, pico de gallo, meat of some sort, and, in some more controversial cases, french fries. With so many delicious choices of ingredients, I guess it's only natural that Luga eventually decided on.... lettuce and bell peppers. I mean, I know this is China and you have to work with the available ingredients.... but if that's the case, at least call it something more accurate, like "Mexican-flavored fusion". I end up drowning it in Jalapeno Tobasco to give it a better semblance of Mexican food (ironic in itself?).

The quesadilla is pretty good, but to me is less filling and flavorful than the burritos while costing more. But it does have the cheese factor and it's lots of people's favorite, so there you go.

The "Do-it-yourself guacamole" (which would be more accurately called "Watch-us-do-it-for-you guacamole") was disappointingly bland. I don't know why - they appeared to have all the right ingredients... yet somehow it just didn't do anything for me. And I could normally lick guacamole out of the bowl.

The nachos were good - no complaints here except I wish it came standard with beans and/or guacamole. Don't order this as a main course unless you want to be sick.

18-kuai (?) Corona's during Happy Hour (before 7pm) are great.

Prices are reasonable. A meal for two usually runs around 100 kuai (+-20).
In conclusion, it's a good restaurant, just not Mexican. As far as BeiMex goes, Luga's is as good as any. Stick with the burritos and quesadillas and take your expectations and nostalgia elsewhere, compadre.

Not only is the food good but the prices are very reasonable... Especially if your there during happy hour which is to 7pm. The staff is always fast and friendly... I have been to many Mexican resturants here in Beijing and the only one comparable is the Saddle, but I think its overpriced. The only place you will find Cheaper is if you go to TACO BELL!!!!!! And I don't think there is one here yet... Maybe the last poster doesn't realize this isn't MEXICO, it's CHINA (Hello!!!).... Luga's is as good as your gonna get here!!! ;;)

Me like Luga's.

Have tasty nachos with lots of fresh cheese. Big plate. It come with sour cream and top, and you can order salsa and extras like jalapenos. Me like jalepenos, even though must endure next day rear fire.

Also like quesidillas, but today me eat chicken burrito. It good. Fresh veggies inside, nice tasting chicken, fresh tortilla.

Me hate loud students who frequent joint though. Today me want to throw rocks at French highschool students. So noisy! Tao yen!

Still, me like there because have friendly staff, tasty, cheap Mexican food, good, strong margaritas, can drink till fall down, no one bother you except noisy students. Damn you noisy children!

Luga is nice man who look like Chinese hobbit. I very like he.

I give this cozy place 4 stars, would be five except for damn students!