The original Luchita's was one of the first Méxican restaurants in Cleveland. It's a family-owned upscale-casual-feeling restaurant, nicer than many neighborhood restaurants, but not overly expensive or overly dress-up. They offer delicious authentic dishes and friendly attentive service.
On a weeknight in Shaker Square (Nov 2025), we had decided on Méxican food for dinner, and we found ample parking behind La Casa de Luchita's in the northwest D-quad of the Square, next to their more casual corner taco place on N. Moreland Blvd. We walked into the casual takeout-focussed taco place, Coyoacan, and found that it connected to the dine-in restaurant which has its own distinct full food and beverage menus. We had actually come for tacos at first, but one look at Luchita's full-menu and bright decor swept us past a colorful commemorative Día de los Muertos ofrenda altar, and into the restaurant-side :-)
We started with a perfectly tangy margarita with the gentle bite of tequila that we love, made with Cointreau, rimmed with salt and garnished with fresh lime. And we also had several beers from México from the hand-written menu above the tiled bar: Mazatlán-bottled Pilsner-style Pacífico Clara, and a frosted glass (well, more than one :-) of Tecate lager from Baja. Both were icy cold and refreshing, and our servers were always there just as we wanted refills.
It was a challenge to select among their dishes, especially those with mouth-watering photos on the menu, all under $23. We went with classics, and each was crafted with love and care.
They started us with endless freshly-made thin crispy chips and red and green not-too-hot salsas. And we got a small-plate serving of $17 Taquitos Dorados, which was plenty as a main dish: lightly-spicy chicken picadillo, deeply-yet-subtly-flavored mole coloradito, and the lighter contrast of crema and some shredded queso fresco. The picadillo and mole were an amazing flavor combination!
The $18 Chimichanga was a light and crispy deep-fried flour tortilla stuffed with our selection of flavorful lightly-spiced chorizo and savory potatoes. It was decorated with a dollop of fresh guacamole, striped with Méxican crema, and sprinkled with baby wild greens.
We got two soft lush Tamales for a remarkable $8, beautifully presented under crema and red and green salsas, in creative homage to the flag of México. I should have asked more closely, it was the luscious recipe of the day.
The $18 wet Burrito Mojado is truly enormous. It's a flour tortilla of refried red beans and our selection of juicy ground beef, enriched with melted cheese, lightened with shredded fresh lettuce and chopped tomatoes, sauced with a flavorful red mole. A mountain of savory flavors buried under a bright and brightly flavored mix of tomatoes, onions, and sharp cilantro.
Shaker Square was rather busy on a weeknight, so if parking is full out front, there's more behind this Quad of shops. And the Rapid Blue-Line and Green-Line have a stop that's only a 2min walk from Luchita's.
We loved the pleasant ambiance and delicious food and drinks, as Luchita's showed off its heritage as one of the first Mexican restaurants in Cleveland, founded in 1982 on 117th St, with several more locations around town over the years. The founder's son has brought it back, full of welcome, flavor, and character!
Thank you, Rey! Welcome Back, Luchita's! read more