Anyone driving by Marc LaMaina’s Aquebogue establishment these past few months has likely asked themselves “is that barbecue or burritos?” The answer is: “yes.”
Eastbound motorists cruising down Main Road have surely noticed the roadside placard change at 487 Main Rd. from Good Juju’s to Little Lucharitos earlier this year. However, the Good Juju’s sign remains proudly above the restaurant’s doorway, and even on the westbound side of the roadside sign.
Marc LaMaina, the mastermind behind the Lucharitos brand, opened Little Lucharitos in Aquebogue in 2017. Last year, as he expanded the ever-growing Lucha-empire westward, the restarateur axed his Tex-Mex offerings in Aquebogue and experimented with the barbecue and seafood boil concept, Good Juju’s. This year, he decided to start offering both brands and menus under the same roof.
Barbecue, burritos …
Inside, customers can order off of two distinct menus. Good Juju’s offers seafood boils, as well as an array of smoked goods — St. Louis-style ribs, pulled pork, prime beef brisket and even patties for the Juju’s burger and chicken wings — all cooked on an outdoor smoker.
Lucha lovers can order up Mexican street corn off the cob to start, nachos, traditional or baja tacos, bowls and burritos. The Lucharitos “famous margaritas” tagline certain carries heavy weight here, but general manager Nancy Rivera — who worked at Legends for several years before longtime owners Diane and Dennis Harkoff sold the restaurant to Minnow owner Andrea Tese this past February — said the restaurant has upped its cocktail game.
“We expanded our cocktail menu to offer more than margaritas,” Rivera says. “We have this delicious smoked espresso martini that ties into Juju. Instead of vodka we use reposado tequila which gives it a really nice caramel note. We also have this yummy, guava-forward drink called ‘Her Name Is Lola,’ [which is] really refreshing. We’re trying all kinds of different things, always with our eye on what fits on the North Fork.”
… and babysitting?
LaMaina, who briefly operated Burgercade in Riverhead and before housing that venture and its video game terminals in Mattituck’s Lucharitos Burrito Bar, is proudly a product of the ’80s. His love of arcade games, coupled with his mission to create a kid- and teen-friendly community space, has found a new home in Aquebogue, where just behind the restaurant, he and wife Jennifer LaMaina have opened the Lucharitos Clubhouse. Kids, teens and their parents can order a bite from the restaurant to go, and eat inside the Clubhouse. Afterwards, they can try their hand at a pair of claw machines, play a few rounds of “Mortal Kombat” or “NBA Jam” and even shoot pool.
“This is a public community space,” Rivera explains. “You can come in here with your family and friends, you can hang out, play some video games.”
But the Clubhouse is not all fun and games. Jennifer has long envisioned a collaboration between the business she founded and owns — Bright & Early Discoveries Daycare and Preschool — with her husband’s restaurants. The concept, which she dubbed Dinner Sitters, allows parents to drop their pre-school and school-age kids off with one of her licensed childcare professionals for 90 minutes and enjoy some of her husband’s Tex-Mex or barbecue eats.
Parents can now book appointments through the Dinner Sitters website and Instagram pages. Ninety-minute slots are available for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting May 31. For these sessions, the Clubhouse boasts a childcare room outfitted with large brick blocks, kinetic sand and other kiddie amenities. Children will enjoy these “free play” toys — or arcade games, pool and ping pong — after their daycare instructor leads them through an activity, such as a make your own dessert evening or a paper airplane contest. Children can also enjoy a cheese quesadilla or chicken tenders, both served with fries and a juice box.
“I’m really excited to work with my husband to bring a nice option for a different experience for people looking for some time to reconnect over lunch or dinner knowing the kids are having a blast,” Jennifer LaMaina said. “I know it’s something we would use often”
“She came to me with that idea two years ago,” Mark LaMaina added. “In my head, if you have space in your restaurant or brewery, it seems like a no brainer … It’s nice to get out with the family and have dinner, but its also really nice to have 45, 60 minutes just with your significant other while your kids are close by, being well entertained and supervised by people who are CPR certified and been through childcare trainings to work at a daycare. To know that my kids are with them while I’m eating and catching up with my wife or significant other after a long week, that’s golden.”
