La Hacienda
La Hacienda
Three Tacos with Rice and Beans. $11.25. All Al Pastor. Served with corn tortillas with onions, radish, cilantro, and lime on the side.
Guacamole salad that came with my La Cazuela. $16.75.
Outside. Front entrance. Business hours.
Outside. Storefront and patio. View from entry driveway.
Three Tacos with Rice and Beans. $11.25. All Al Pastor. Served with corn tortillas with onions, radish, cilantro, and lime on the side.
Outside. Patio. Partially covered. The deck is not covered.
Three Tacos with Rice and Beans. $11.25. All Al Pastor. Served with corn tortillas with onions, radish, cilantro, and lime on the side.
Menu, 3 of 5. Ninos - kids menu, breakfast, traditional dishes, fajitas, parrilladas, Mexican pizza.
Combo with no cheese
Three flour tortillas that came with my La Cazuela. $16.75. Corn tortillas are an option too. Server recommended flour for La Cazuela.
Three Tacos with Rice and Beans. $11.25. All Al Pastor. Served with corn tortillas with onions, radish, cilantro, and lime on the side.
La Cazuela. $16.75. Marinated chicken breast, ribeye steak, chorizo, topped w/ melted cheese. Served w/ rice, beans, guacamole salad, tort.
drink, sushi and sashimi
Special "Ritas" drink menu. They are $2 off every Tuesday. I got the Cha-Rrita for $8.75 after $2 discount.
Outside. Storefront and patio.
Menu, 2 of 5. Lunch specials (11am-3pm), puerco - pork, special grilled chicken, vegetarian dishes, custom combination dinners.
Delicious chips and salsa and blue margarita!! So nice out on the deck.
Outside seating, socially distant.
Menu, 5 of 5. House specials, quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos, mariscos - seafood.
Enchiladas Ricas
Menu, 4 of 5. Mixed, molcajete, carnes - beef dishes, custom ribeye steak dishes.
Patio terrace caught my eye on the way in!
Jenny D.
Apr 10, 2024
It was really really nice to sit outside and enjoy chips and salsa. The service was good, she forgot a few things sometimes but was nice. Would return again especially for a margarita outside in summer!
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Daniel B.
Jun 29, 2023
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.
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Chris K.
Nov 16, 2022
After not dining here for more years than I can count, I happened to be nearby and thought, what the heck, I'll check it out again. Honestly from the few times I visited way back when I wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary, but they surprised me!I had a very sweet waiter named John, who you can tell he's is very kind. Anyway, he took my drink order quickly and the chips and salsa arrived just a moment later. There was a lot to look over on the menu so took my time.I always look for either mole sauce or a dish that's covered in cheese sauce. Didn't see any mole, might have overlooked it, but decided on the Enchiladas Ricas, which is three enchiladas filled with chicken and topped with cheese sauce and tomitilla sauce and rice on the side. When it arrived I wasn't expecting each sauce on either side of the enchiladas as you can see in the picture. It helped them from running together too much and it made for a very nice presentation. Now for the taste. It was all very delicious. The chicken was lightly seasoned and didn't overpower the tomitilla sauce. The rice was nicely cooked and the salsa had enough of a kick to give me pause and the chips warm. Love, love, love!The restaurant itself is very clean and cheerful decorations too. I was an early lunch diner, and there wasn't hardly anyone there so hope business picked up cos they definitely deserve folks to come check them out!
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Ale M.
Dec 14, 2023
Drink specials!! Bartender was very knowledgeable of the drinks def recommend!! Great bar and many options
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chaz t.
Apr 3, 2023
Food and service are typically right on point and as expected. We probably won't be going back as they now have implemented a 4% credit card surcharge.
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JR T.
Apr 2, 2023
Just finished a really lovely Sunday lunch date with my husband here. It was fairly quiet around 12.30 when we arrived and filling up as we headed out, and the dining is casual and comfortable. Overall the food was great - we tried the fajita quesadilla and the burrito Tar Heel with steak - both were delicious! Steak was cooked great and a great balance, not too cheesy or oily or anything. The cheese sauce (which I don't usually like) was light/mild and yummy, and side of rice was flavorful. The salsa and hot sauce stood out, both homemade. Our service was great- everyone was friendly and our service was timely without feeling rushed. The patio looks like a great way to spend a warm evening (the flowers caught my eye on the way in), we will be back to enjoy for sure!
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Smythe R.
Apr 8, 2021
First time here, met a friend for lunch on a chilly yet sunny January day. We ate outside on the deck, where nine tables were in a space where 15 would have been in the before times. My dining partner recommended the lunch specials, and I had already chosen one: ACC - Arroz con Camerones. It arrived with actual silverware, on a real plate, brought by a polite, masked, socially distanced waiter. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and seasoned, and the rice fluffy and tasty. There was cheese atop, as well. The chips and salsa served while waiting were good - better than most, and the salsa tasted fresh and homemade. It was a welcome return to semi-normalcy after ten months of quarantine.
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Erica P.
Nov 8, 2020
Great food, great service, and great prices make La Hacienda one of my regular favorites. They offer outdoor seating, which is dog-friendly!Enchiladas Suizas are my absolute favorite, but the fajita quesadilla is a close second. Salsa has a nice kick, chips are plentiful, and margaritas are strong. What more could you ask for in a neighborhood Mexican place?
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Karolyn S.
Feb 24, 2024
I've had alot of Mexican food in my life. The food here is some of the best I've ever had.Great service, great food, and great margaritas!
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Jane M.
Apr 8, 2024
We had a lovely lunch today. The food was excellent and presented so nicely on square plates. the waitress was lovely, efficient and friendly. We sat outside in the sun, the patio was beautifully clean with fun straw umbrellas. They were pleasant to my dog who laid under the table. we will become regulars here.
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