Daniel B.
Yelp
For years now, we've passed by La Hacienda on our trips to Wegmans, Whole Foods, and various restaurants along E Franklin St and Fordham Blvd (15-501), north of S Estes. We finally checked this place out and thought it was A-OK. Currently, the average Yelp rating for La Hacienda is 3.5 stars with 142 reviews. 3.5 stars sounds about right to me.
In short, the food was good, my margarita didn't taste great, and service, while not bad, could've been better. If you're looking for a classic, casual Mexican restaurant experience, this place should suffice.
La Hacienda is old school. It was here long before Wegmans (opened February 2021) and many of the other retail, restaurant, and residential developments in the vicinity, close to Chapel Hill's northeast border with Durham (15-501). The earliest Yelp review for this place was posted in July 2007, so you know it's OG. La Hacienda has stood the test of time.
During our Tuesday night visit, the front of the house was deceivingly empty. There was no one on the patio and, from looking through what windows I could, there was no one in the dining room either. However, when we were seated, I realized where all the people were -- everyone had been seated towards the back of the restaurant, in two dining rooms. It was nice to see that we weren't the only customers. That said, it wasn't too busy. I'd guess the two Monterrey Mexican Restaurant locations nearby were busier at the same time.
The music inside was loud when we arrived, shortly after 6pm. A bit too loud for me. I think they turned it down a few notches after we and more customers arrived. It was evident as soon as we sat down that this place has been around a long time. The cushioned seats in our booth were flat and worn out. They'd lost their springiness and support. I could feel the indentations of where other people sat over the years. And just in general, the furniture, decor, etc. looked like it hadn't been refreshed in a while. Nothing wrong with that. Sometimes, it adds character to a place. The clientele was a mix of the typical "academic-looking" older Chapel Hill crowd (middle age up to senior citizens), college students, and the working class.
The menu was chock full of options. Some notable things: (1) Breakfast is served all day. (2) Lunch specials are available 11am-3pm. (3) Be sure to check out the daily specials when you first enter the restaurant. I didn't see them posted anywhere else. For us, on a Tuesday, we got $2 off any of the Special Ritas (margaritas). (4) Examples of unique items offered include Parrilladas (combination meat platters), Mexican Pizza, and Molcajete (another combination meat dish, served in a stone mortar/bowl). (5) Fish tacos weren't listed with the other tacos, but instead under the seafood section.
Here's what my wife and I ordered:
* Cha-Rrita (discounted at $8.75, regularly $10.75) special margarita - tequila, Gran Gala, simple syrup, grenadine, fresh lime and orange
* Cheese Dip (small, $3.50)
* Three Tacos with Rice and Beans ($11.25) - my wife chose all Al Pastor, but you can get mixed meats/fillings; served with corn tortillas with onions, radish, cilantro, and lime on the side
* La Cazuela ($16.75) - marinated chicken breast, ribeye steak, and chorizo, topped with melted cheese and served with rice, beans, guacamole salad, and tortillas (choice of corn or flour; I chose flour)
Sadly, the Cha-Rrita didn't taste good. My wife loves a good margarita and this was not that. I tolerated the flavor much better than her. The drink tasted like Dimetapp (children's cold medicine). On the bright side, the drink was big and strong. I definitely felt good and buzzed after dinner.
Speaking of big, we found the portion sizes here to be quite generous. Just take a look at my photos of the tacos. Lots of meat. And fresh, good quality ingredients too. I also think this place is a decent value, so it's got several things going for it.
The tacos were delicious. The al pastor pork was marinated well. It was tender and flavorful. For "authentic" Mexican tacos (tortilla, meat, onion, cilantro, radish), I really liked the presentation style with the tacos on a stand and the ingredients laid out on the side. It was colorful and customizable.
La Cazuela was excellent. It was a meat and cheese smorgasbord. I loved that I could get chicken, steak, pork, and dairy in almost every bite. All of the meats were tender too, though I'm sure the melted cheese and tasty ground chorizo helped a lot. This was a filling and satisfying dish.
The chips and salsa (complimentary) and queso were par for the course. The chips were corn. Thick and crunchy.
Service was alright. Our server was nice, but she could've been more attentive. She spent lots of time hanging with her friends at the bar, which I didn't have a problem with, but it did result in slower service. Not a big deal, just didn't seem super professional. The staff wore black uniforms and had radios with headsets.