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Avilas El Ranchito
Category: Restaurants Mexican Mexican [Edit]
24406 Muirlands BlvdLake Forest, CA 92630
(949) 855-4989
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
74 reviews for Avilas El Ranchito
Review Highlights
"My camarones al mojo de ajo was also very flavorful."
(in 2 reviews)
"Plus you can't beat the kids eat free on Sundays."
(in 3 reviews)
"they hand make their own tortillas."
(in 9 reviews)
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74 reviews in English
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Review from Ernie F.
Phoenix, AZ
12/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Absolutely GREAT! Every time I go to Orange County El Ranchito is a must!
#1 Beer is always cold
2 salsa has great flavor and has the right amount of kick to it
3 Carnitas plate is OFF THE HOOK!
4 service is always friendly and on spot
5 bathrooms are clean
6 prices are reasonable and well worth it
All in all I would recommend this place to anyone who will listen. Wish they would open in Phoenix -
Review from jeff w.
Laguna Beach, CA
12/29/2011
I live about two blocks away, we have gone here at least 10 times now. This is the worst mexican food I have ever had, along with the service. We keep giving them another chance but it has never worked out in our favor. Tonight we had to order our own drinks at the bar and of course we were the last priority since the servers get first priority, and by the way, the house Margarita's are $8.00 each. After being seated, about a 1/2 hour later the waiter took our order, about another 1/2 hour later I was told that they don't have my food available anymore therefore I decided not to have anything since I have been there for an hour. When the food was finally served, the food had been sitting under the heat lamp so long it was dry and limp.
I f you don't know anything about food, go here. If you know anything about good food and service, don't go here. This is probably the worst food in Southern Califorina, the only way it is packed is the people there don't know the differenece. -
Review from Katherine K.
Irvine, CA
Avila's, if it weren't for your convenient booze lunches I don't know how I would get thru the day!!
Always consistent, always help me finish up the tail end of my day with ease!!
For that I thank you!
Great food, great drinks - LIFESAVER!! -
Review from Jill J.
Costa Mesa, CA
2/8/2012
I came here with a group of friends for dinner/drinks. the wait was kinda long however it was a Friday night and the place is a little small. We had a bowl of freash guac which was pretty good(a little pricy for the amount) and it went pretty quick between 5 people. I ordered soup and a meal, big mistake haha. I got through the "small" soup(they have 2 sizes) and I was full. I ended up taking the rest home. The soup here is delicious! I go the tortilla soup with no chicken( I don't eat chicken) and it was loaded with veggies and tortilla strips, only downside I guess is that it was really salty, I added rice from my meal in the broth. The drinks tasted good as well. I read some reviews about bad service....We did not get any of that when we came here. Our server was nice and was patient ( us being 5 people), the server who brought our drinks came back and asked how they were even. It was a good experience and I would come back!
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Review from Heidi s.
Mission Viejo, CA
12/26/2011
The food is great - the service, well, not so much. We've been for Taco Tuesday - basically any taco for $2..not sure how we always spend the same amount of money on Taco Tuesday than we do all the other times we come here but... Chips and salsa are great, too spicy for this white girl so I get the pico de gallo instead (basically just tomatoes, cilantro and onion). Love the tacos, burritos, salads, margaritas ...just about all of it. We go to this location because it is close but not for the service - just the food and good times with our friends.
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Review from Howard S.
Laguna Woods, CA
12/29/2011
I was referred to Avilas yesterday, so we went for lunch. The food was excellent. The service was excellent. The pricing seemed a bit high. The over-all experience was excellent. We will go back, and we will refer our friends.
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Review from Elle L.
CORONA DL MAR, CA
12/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Stiff drinks and friendly, personal service here! The food is pretty standard but tasty fare. A few of my favourites are the avila soup and el diablo dishes. The restaurant definitely stands out in this neighborhood.
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Review from Eric B.
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I keep asking myself why I keep coming back here. But I guess after 5-6 months of not coming, I forget why I don't go back. Every time I come here, the service is terrible. The food is good, but the terrible service just ruins it.
I don't know, maybe I just expect that when you are seated the host hands you the menus as you sit down and not 10-15 minutes afterwards. I guess I also expect to have my drink order taken within a few minutes of sitting down, instead of another 10 minutes. I'd understand that it takes a little bit of time if they were slammed, but dang, when I go there the place is almost empty.
We do get our food quickly once our order is actually taken. The kitchen is quick and they make some good food. Drink refills are always slow and it takes forever to get our check. It seems that once the server delivers our food, they disappear. We usually have to ask for our check, then it takes them another 10-15 minutes to come pick it up.
They get two stars for two reasons. Their busboys are on top of things. They get chips to us almost as we are sitting down and they usually refill our drinks. Second, the food is not bad. I guess if you like drinking tequila, this would be a great place since their selection is huge. But that's not a factor for me. -
Review from Barbara S.
Mission Viejo, CA
11/26/2011
Great table side guacamole. We asked for not spicy and it was still full of flavor. Crispy shredded beef taco good. Avilla soup was dynamite...as JJ Walker would say. Restaurant is always cool so bring a jacket. Servers are excellent and friendly.
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Review from Joseph M.
Irvine, CA
8/21/2011
Great local Mexican restaurant. The family has a few locations in OC and they are all live up to the original in Costa Mesa.
Food- sufficient potions that tastes great.
Ambiance- decor a little weird but part of theme.
Service- ok but not the best.
Prices are good for the portion size. -
Review from Mike S.
Yorba Linda, CA
7/21/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Definitely dig the eclectic decorating style of this El Ranchito, and I'm a fan of the kick in the pants Cadillac Margaritas (complete with a refill in the shaker - just like milkshakes as a kid...).
In terms of the food, no, its not the best Mexican food - but I'd say its pretty serviceable nonetheless. The basket of chips was over-flowing - the salsa chunky with a slight kick - I enjoyed both. The Aztec Burrito I ordered came with loads of shredded beef and cheese - the side quacamole was equally delicious. The beans were a little bit oozy, but we can't win 'em all. My wife had a chicken enchilada and carne asada taco - aside from the enchilada sauce being a little bit different from what she expected, I didn't hear any complaints from her end. Though one personal observation - not enough cheese on the refried beans!
We walked away from El Ranchito with a friendly buzz and a happily satisfied appetite. Oh, and small plastic monkey and giraffe figurines which came with the margaritas and ended up on our coffee cups the next morning :D -
Review from Lex C.
North Hollywood, CA
4/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I usually don't like to go here unless the gas price is too high and I really don't have time to drive 30 minutes in any direction to a decent mexican place. Given that gas prices is reaching $5, I am going to save my money on cadillac margaritas.
This place would get 2 stars only if the margarita is not as strong and abundant as the way it is served. This is the best part of the meal...strong margaritas where they hand you a drink shaker with another full pour of it. You really can catch a buzz on just 1 drink. If you end up having 2 cadillac margarita, then make sure you do a sobriety test before driving.
The second thing that I love about this place is all the kitsch that is decorated everywhere. Beyond that, the food is really not that great. We weren't particular hungry tonight so we ordered the guac and shrimp cocktail. The guac is always pretty good but the shrimp cocktail had a taste that is not mexican. For a second there, I thought it tasted like it contained an indian spice.
Finally, the basket of chips were pretty stale. They re-deep-fried it to see if the issue went away. It didn't . We asked for a new basket and it was better mostly because the chips were still warm.
I'm pretty confident that the chips are re-fried but I don't have any issues. I just don't want it schwey. -
Review from RF G.
Orange County, CA
12/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
I like Avila's. I've eaten there many times.
Last time, our waiter asked my daughter if she wanted some Guacamole to go with her meal. My daughter said "Sure."
Well, next thing we know, a Guacomole Dip was being hand-prepared by our table. At that point I knew we were probably going to get charged "a little" extra. I thought maybe they'll charge us a few extra bucks, so I opted to leave it alone, instead of making everyone uncomfortable by asking whether we would get charged for it or not, or, heaven forbid, that I would ask them to reassemble the now cut-up Guacamole.
At the end of the dinner, I checked the bill and sure enough it showed an extra charge, but $9.99 for the Guacamole???
... Really, Avila's???
Although I've enjoyed eating at Avila's many times, this 1 star is for not disclosing the extra cost AT ALL, and actually turns me off from going there again.
I just don't like cheap tricks. -
Review from Natasha N.
Irvine, CA
1/15/2011
Hello pep to bismol-ville. This place makes great food, but man-oh-man is it saturated with LARD. Lard + large intestine + small intestine = a mess. My stomach was as dysfunctional as Courtney Love.
No more... unless I need a "natural" laxative.Comment from Salvador A. of Avilas El Ranchito 4/30/2011
Dear Natasha N. thank you for the feedback. I have review… More » -
Review from Behbeh S.
Covina, CA
1/5/2011
A bit on the expensive side for Mexican, but they have it all!
Outside looks like a crazy cat lady went to the gardening store and never stopped buying shit. Inside is homey and warm though and the staff is cute enough to be hired on looks alone.
Service was fast, food was good. I had the Carnitas plate and my date had the quesadilla. both were great, but It didnt seem like it was worth $45 when neither of us drank any alcohol. Refil service was slow on the soda. -
Review from Becky B.
Mission Viejo, CA
7/23/2010
This place is the bomb-digity! My co-workers and I come here for lunch often. The Cheese Enchiladas and Chile Relleno is absolutely delish....loaded with lots of Mexican cheeses (I'm salivating just thinking about it!). There is even a guacamole lady that comes to your table makes fresh guacamole on the spot, it's awwwwsome! It may look like a hole-in-the-wall on the outside, but it's really all about the food, right? If you love Mexican food and you're a cheese fanatic like me, then this is definitely the place for you to try!
Helpful tip: Come here on an empty stomach, you might as well skip breakfast if you're going to have lunch here. The portions are very huge...and even though I'm full and waiting for my carry-out box, I still find myself eating bits off my plate. Yes, it's that good! -
Review from Russell T.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
7/31/2011
Love this place, food is always great and the margaritas are the BEST! Highly recommend!
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Review from Shannon M.
Phoenix, AZ
2/2/2010 4 photos
A few years ago, I introduced one of my best friends to El Ranchito - or ER as we liked to call it. We went often. Probably too often. Their cadillac margaritas were the prescription for every ailment! I knew she was "serious" about her now-boyfriend when she finally let him in on our ER visits. Now they are there every week! So, I take full credit for helping the love happen... :)
This weekend, I was able to come "home" to ER with the lovely couple (who are greeted like the regulars they are!), and enjoy some good food and great margaritas.
Located in a somewhat shabby strip mall, the outside of ER won't compel you to run right in. Inside, the decor is well, tacky. It is a combination of Mexican flea market and yard sale. I think it is decorated with items that the workers don't want in their homes, or that their significant others forced them to remove. That is part of the charm - at least for me!
I always feel welcome here - the staff is friendly and efficient. The menu is filled with classic dishes you would expect at a neighborhood Mexican restaurant - my favorites are the Baja fish tacos and the Caldo de Cameron (vegetable shrimp soup) that is only available on weekends. The cadillac margaritas are poured from chilled cocktail shakers at your table, so you end up with a full pour and then some (yay!). They are served with a little plastic animal balanced on the rim. It used to only be monkeys, but now they have a full menagerie including giraffes, elephants, bulls and for some reason, mermaids!
I should be embarrassed at the size of the collection I once had, but I am not...
I miss you, ER, but I will be back soon! Save a pink monkey or two for me, OK? -
Review from Anita L.
7/27/2007 5 photos
I was a little bit skeptical upon entering this place due to its clientele, but as soon as the first lot of food arrived, I felt better. At first, chips and salsa were brought out and we asked if it was spicy. She said no. We asked if they had spicy salsa, she said yes and brought us some. It was nice and smoky and had a nice bite to it. Lovely.
The restaurant was packed when we arrived at 6pm and luckily we arrived when we did because a line soon formed outside. We ordered shrimp cocktail, fresco relleno and taco combo ($11.95) , camarones al mojo de ajo ($14.95) and a kids' quesadilla ($3.95). Unfortunately, I only just realized that they never brought the shrimp cocktail (they didn't charge us so it was fine).
Hubby's fresco relleno and taco combo was excellent he said. I did try the fresco relleno which consisted of diced zucchini, carrots and some other vegetables sauteed and stuffed into a chile relleno and it was delicious. My camarones al mojo de ajo was also very flavorful. There were 7 shrimps altogether. My dish came with 4 fresh tortillas which were awesome.
My only complaint was that the beans were awful. My frijoles and hubby's whole pinto beans, both, were flavorless and boring. Even though mine were topped with queso, it lacked taste. Disappointing. The rice was good though.
Lil guy's quesadilla was really bad. Poor thing. He's used to flavorful food and I'm guessing Avilas makes the kids' meals bland so it caters to regular kids. We don't have a regular kid so since it was lacking in taste, he refused to eat it.
Even though the food was good, it was pricey for what we got. With 2 alcoholic drinks and 2 soft drinks, our total was a little over $53 before tip. I guess I'm used to eating great Mexican at minimal cost -- but the food is good and service is good too, and don't forget the pretty cool ambiance, so you're paying for all of that I guess. -
Review from Greg T.
10/1/2009
"Jeepney" is one of my only references on how to describe this place because the eclectic, funky, and elaborately decorated Filipino public transports cruising Manila's streets is a lot like the atmosphere at Avila's..... cool to look at, but if you had a choice you'd go elsewhere.
Avila's shanty look might stand out in "office park'esque" Lake Forest, but atmosphere is all you'll get because the best way to describe the food here is OC gringo'ized: blaaaand, pricey, and poorly prepared! I'm sure the foods not cooked-to-order and too many spices might make it too "ethnic".
I suspect the patrons who give this place 4/5 stars are just too caught up with weak gimmicks like the nick nacks adorning a Mexican version of Applebee's or the table side guacamole which kind of reminds me of a PF Changs because the one time I went, the waiter asked if I wanted my sauces mixed?!?! Huh?, is that innuendo? why?.... I guess these gimmicks work with a particular demographic, but I highly doubt this place will ever be filled with cowboy hat wearing Mexican patrons, and the likelihood of that is the same as PF Changs ever being filled with first gen Chinese families.Listed in: You SUCK!
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Review from Darlene J.
San Diego, CA
6/20/2011 4 Check-ins Here
It's not the "best" Mexican food, but it's good & the Margarita's can be strong !
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Review from Justin A.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
11/14/2009
If you would have asked me 8 years ago what I thought of this place, I would have given it 2 stars. Back then, my work buddies would frequent the place, and with the exception of the chicken soup (always good), I usually was displeased with the food and the service. After I left that job, I swore off the place.
A few years later, I went back for an impromptu family get together, and was surprised. The patio had been redone, the service and food were much better, and they now served margaritas. I've been back many times since.
I will say the food is still in the 3 star range for me. It won't blow you away or be memorably bad, just average. The prices and service are average - 3 stars. They do have 2 things going for them - each being opposing forces in my world:
- STRONG margaritas, not overpriced
- Kids eat free on Sundays
If you are looking to get hammered at a decent Mexican place on good margaritas without breaking the bank this is the place to go.
If you have a multitude of rugrats that need feeding and it happens to be Sunday and again you don't want to go broke in the process, this is the place to be.
I might refrain from doing both.
I also would probably not come here if neither of those situations apply - La Cocina De Ricardo is very close by and has much better food for the same price. If you do eat here, I suggest the patio.
Items to try:
- The chicken soup
- The margaritas
Item to avoid:
- The Carne Asada Burrito (the one I got was completely unseasoned, extremely greasy chunks of steak wrapped in a tortilla. Literally nothing else like. Small, bland, and $9)
Everything else is forgettable.Listed in: La comida Mexicana, You better get a designated…, Kidz Korner
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Review from Erika T.
Irvine, CA
Updated - 3/18/2009
I almost died here the other night...
Okay well maybe not, but I was totally in danger.
The hubby and I came here after a child free day at the San Diego Wild Animal Park (review coming!). It was cold out but we accepted a patio seat because they have those tall heater things. We order our drinks (which now come in customized plastic Avila cups btw) and our guacamole and started looking over the menu. All of a sudden I start to smell this really bad odor. Something was BURNING! What could it be?! Oh just the plant situated ABOVE MY HEAD!!! The large heater caught it on fire and the plastic started melting and dripped within inches of my arm! I came here for dinner folks, not a scar!
So the the couple also unfortunately seated outside beside us, their child, the hubby and myself jump up to escape the stank and melting plastic. My hubby runs inside to tell the people their place is on FIRE! But does anyone take note? Nope! One server just keeps on walking. He told 3 people the place was on fire before someone actually gave a rats @$$ to come out and see.
They put the fire out and removed the plant and heater. Leaving us stuck freezing with the burning smell of plastic around..uck! My hubby ask our waiter to get a manager because obviously this was unacceptable. Not just the whole dripping plastic nearly burning me, horrible smell, freezing cold, but the fact that he had to flag down 3 people to tell them their place was on fire!
Oh but it gets better..
Random worker walks out : How can I help you?
Hubby: Are you a manager?
Random Worker: No, but I can be right now if you like
Hubby: Are you kidding me?
Random Worker: Laughs it off
After we get our food we are able to track down a REAL manager who in turn brings out the owner of the place, Sal. Thank God for Sal because my hubby was about ready to explode in anger. We were not looking for a free meal or anything it was just the point that 1. he had to force them to give a crap that their establishment was on fire and 2. the fake manager idiot
After a talk with Sal the situation was resolved. We got a free margarita and churro thingies. (Taste great btw!)
..Avila's I love you. But damn it you really blew it this time! You better be glad your guacamole is awesome or it could have been ugly.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/28/2009
We took my mom and my sister here when they came to visit from FL. The closest thing they ever had… Read more »
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Review from Kari P.
Lakewood, CA
6/28/2008
Great Tacos and I know good tacos (If you know what I mean!)
This place has yet to disapoint me. The chips are majorly yummy. I don't love the consistancy of the salsa (and I am a salsa whore) but it has great flavor.
This place is fun. You get a plastic monkey on your Margarita glass and that to me makes the whole experience worth it! I love me a free plastic monkey. But thinking about it I didn't get one last night. : (
The menu has all the Mexican classics and prices are fair for the quality. I have yet to have a dish here that isn't good. Plus there are a couple of options that you can make healthy. They have this bomb ass Avila soup that is chicken, broth, rice, Pico De Gio, and Avocado with homemade corn tortillas. I love it and the small bowl is more than enough.
The decor here is fun. It feels like the whole place is patio seating but not set to the elements. Every table is a good one. The service here has always been fast and friendly.
I didn't get the whole enchilada at the end of the night last night (again you know what I mean) but at least I had some good tacos! -
Review from Pamela C.
6/3/2010
Lackluster.
I meant to write this review a few months ago but procrastination and what-not have gotten the better of me. At the time I went here for the first time (and only time...back in March), I thought the place was fabulous! Now, a few months later, I reflect and realize that maybe it wasn't that great...I LOVE Mexican food and margaritas are like a part of my comfort food menu. Somehow, I haven't felt the call of this place at all since I came here. That signals to me that I have not yet found "my" Orange County sit-down Mexican spot. So disappointing. If anything, this place has inspired me to continue my quest! Friends seem to rave about it, but I think it is just "okay." Definitely does not hold a candle to my favorite place: La Cabana in Venice.
Prices are in-line for this sort of joint.
The decor is pretty cute - colorful, folksy, rustic Mexican style decor.
Service - Not memorable.
Overall it is refreshing to see something other that a national chain spot in the OC. Support it for that reason alone! -
Review from Ron K.
Lake Forest, CA
8/11/2009
If you like a tacky environment this place is it! Felt like I fell into the line to get back into the USA. from across the border. You know all that plaster crap little Mexican kids try to guilt you into buying? It lines the walls inside and out of this place along with so many garage sale and flea market forgettables.
The ambiance is one thing the food is much better. They have several of these restaurants and I would expect some consistency, I much prefer the one in Newport Beach. -
Review from Kristina A.
Irvine, CA
10/7/2009
I like the "tacky" decorations. Maybe I'm tacky. Or maybe I just like bright colors.
The food is OK to me, based on my two taco combo: I get chicken and carne asada, and they do that fine. The salsa that comes with their chips is quite spicy (I've got a low tolerance for spice) so I'm glad that horchata is refillable at this location.
The service is just fine; haven't had a bad experience yet, and the Lake Forest location is loads better than the one in Newport. -
Review from Patty L.
Anaheim, CA
6/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Cozy, eclectic environment. Friendly staff. I ordered the appetizer sampler and felt that the deep fried food was dry. It had to cover everything with salsa to make it enjoyable to eat. Waiter was friendly but seemed overwhelmed and didn't really do anything exceptional.
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Review from courtney n.
Westminster, CA
10/11/2011
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Courtney Nguyen
Professor Haven
OCC 3:00 - 5:05
Oct 10 2011
Avila's El Ranchito
Avila's El Ranchito Mexican restaurant in Lake Forest is a favorite among Mexican food lovers. The restaurant is family own and has many locations throughout southern California, so it is easier to enjoy an authentic Mexican meal close to home. The El Ranchito restaurant is not only family own but still family operated, and serves recipes that have been in their family for generations. The restaurant in the Lake Forest location attracts many people because of its colorful decor and laid back ambiance. El Ranchito attracts people with its decor, but keeps customers coming back with their authentic Mexican cooking and excellent customer service.
El Ranchito Mexican restaurant has the best decor and ambiance in town. The restaurant is visible from a block away at night thanks to the many colorful lighting surrounding the restaurant. The entire restaurant is decorated with pictures, artwork, statues, plants, lights, mirrors, and surfboards. The restaurant's decor is always interesting to look at and talk about over dinner. There are actual surfboards which have been turned into tables which add to the fun and laid back ambiance they have at El Ranchito. The restaurant has plastic animals that connect to cups which are a hit with kids, and the plastic animals keep them busy and happy at the table. The attention to details and the decor suggests that El Ranchito cares about their guests comfort and experience while dining. The surrounding decorations and Mexican music in the restaurant
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adds to the fun atmosphere. Guest can expect to have fun this colorful decorated restaurant while enjoying authentic Mexican food.
The decor attracts the eyes of customers, but it is the food that keeps customers coming back to El Ranchito. The chips and salsa there are freshly made every day and are endless. Their
Combination plates and their specialty plates are recommended, because they are a favorite and are very popular. El Ranchito is known for the home made style tortillas which is fantastic and is highly recommended. The tortillas they serve are made from a family recipe and are made fresh every day. El Ranchito emphasizes on the freshness and quality of their food they are serving which can be tasted in every dish they serve. Their burritos and enchiladas is stuff with large chucks of meat and has handful of cheese melted on top. El Ranchito also has a dessert menu which includes Mexican flan, churro, and their famous deep fried ice cream. The portions at El Ranchito are large and can be shared, so for the amount of food they serve the price is reasonable and affordable.
El Ranchito is not only a favorite because of their authentic Mexican food, but is also a favorite because of their helpful and friendly customer service. The employees at El Ranchito know how important good customer service is to a guest which is why each guest is welcomed to the restaurant with a smile and pleasant greeting. The employees are very friendly and will ask guests about their days and are willing to give guests enough time to order. They do not rush guests and are very patient and will explain what it is they are serving. The waiter will come around often to fill up drinks and ask if things are needed which is rare in other Mexican restaurants. The waiters will be happy to give customers more plastic animals or trade for different animals which show how patient the employees are. The employees want customers
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Experience at the restaurant to be memorable and enjoyable which shows when they cater to customers. The owner is there on most nights at the restaurant and can be seen talking to guests
or employees. It is nice to know that the owner is actually involved in his business which adds to the quality of the customer service. Every guest at El Ranchito feels like family because of special customer service that they receive when dining at the restaurant.
When visiting Avila's El Ranchito Mexican restaurant guests will be in surrounded by friendly employees, a clean decorated restaurant, and be served great food. The restaurant is family own and operated and has many locations throughout southern California. Avila's El Ranchito Mexican restaurant has been serving its customers authentic Mexican dishes from old family recipes since they first open, and has continue to serve its customers fresh delicious food in a fun environment. The owner and employees guarantees great service for an enjoyable meal while dining at El Ranchito. Because of the fun atmosphere, great food, and amazing service people from all around southern California come back to El Ranchito for every occasion. -
Review from Jeff S.
Costa Mesa, CA
4/28/2010
Just went here last night for taco tuesday and it was pretty good!! fair prices and really good tacos. Im a sucker for flavored margs and they really didnt much to offer in that segment. Super friendly management and servers. Miguel was ours and he was great!
i believe the taco tuesday specials were 3 bucks for tacos (they are big) and 3 dollar beers and 4-5 dollar margaritas.
worth a try for sure since there isnt much else going on in this area! -
Review from Sean N.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
6/18/2010
This place used to be amazing years ago, so I went back in to see if it was still good.
Their online menu advertised their soup for $4.79 (cup) and $9.99 bowl, their menu stated $3.99 cup, $6.99 small bowl and and $9.99 bowl. The waiter informed me that a cup was the size of a salsa saucer, I wasn't about to pay $3.99 for 4 spoonfuls of soup, so I ordered the "small bowl" for $6.99. It was indeed a small bowl, and for that price I could've gotten a bread bowl at claim jumper with Texas toast included.
Their online menu advertised the "sizzling steak fajitas" for $11.79 and they were $13.49 on the restaurant menu.
We were rushed past the patio into the closely seated tables inside the restaurant when we requested to be seated on the patio, it was a 20 minute wait. We were finally seated 1 foot from another group of yowling drunken margarita swilling madmen. You might as well have been in Cancun.
The soup came out very lackluster, tons of broth and a lot less chicken/rice than I remember, also very bland.
When the fajitas came out they weren't sizzling at all, in fact they were about 60% vegetables with literal whole halves of tomato tossed in, I could barely find the steak. The person I was with had "chingalingas", which turned out to be 2-3 fried taquitos for $9.99 on a bed of rice, they said they tasted bland.
The beans literally resembled icing on a cake, that's how stringent the portion was. A single shallow bite and you could see the plate, there weren't enough beans there to even make a single taco. The avocado that came with it was placed on a piece of lettuce (illusion to make it look like more?) and was the smallest amount of avocado I had ever been served.
We initially really wanted guacamole but their $1.95 portion was even smaller than the salsa saucer (this saucer really is a measurement for their portions it seems) and the only other serving of guacamole would've cost us a whopping $9.99 (price of a meal). Apparently it's mashed up "table side" so you see them making it live, but I saw a few other people order it and it was also a pretty small portion.
Bottom line, I paid over $30 for a cheap uneventful silent plate of "fajitas" that were mostly vegetables, an insultingly minuscule portion of beans/rice, a bland and sad excuse for taquitos passed off as some specialty "chingalingas" or whatever, and a $7 bowl of broth.
I recommend this place if you're drunk as hell and want to duck in for some great appetizers and margaritas with your friends, but if you're looking for a meal, avoid this place like the plague.
I never thought I would say this about any established restaurant but I would rather eat taco bell than pay the extortionate amount that they charge for their small and crappy portions. Not to mention, our waiter could've literally been the grim reaper with the scowl he wore the entire time and our food was so rushed out that the salsa hadn't even been cleared by the time they were dropping the main course on us.
What a sad disappointment, I don't even think you'd get your moneys worth if you brought an online coupon. -
Review from Eric W.
Lake Forest, CA
3/1/2009
I have sincerely tried to like this place, but have come to the conclusion that El Ranchito is just not for me. I'm talking about giving this place like 10 chances, since it is close to my house, but no.
Their salsa just tastes like onions and hot. Their enchilada sauce has too much chili powder in it or something. All in all, I just don't think their food is that good. and their prices are a bit high. That doesn't fly when there are better joints serving Mexican food so close to this one.
Their one saving grace is their soup, which is awesome...but again a bit spendy.
Oh and you people going there with kids at night, beware that they now have these fire pits on the patio with hot rocks on top of them and they are right next to the walk way. I'm talking fire under lava rocks at the perfect level for little hands to touch. -
Review from Shelby H.
Dana Point, CA
9/7/2010
Great lunch.
HUGE margaritas. They have multiple big sizes so ask for the HUGE glass. Must hold about 4 drinks in that one.
Fast service.
Crowded so get there a bit early. -
Review from Bex C.
Lake Forest, CA
11/11/2008
I patronized this establishment a few times and was excited to purchase some of their party trays for a Friday night party a couple weeks ago. I needed enough for 25-30 people. A good sized order that any restaurant would be excited to receive. Not here! I called on a Tuesday for a Friday evening pickup. On the phone is was rudely told this was their "busy time." So i asked, "does this mean I can't order any party platters?" The gal responds, "It's our busy time, sorry" and click. hung up on!
Maybe they should stipulate on their catering menu exactly when and when you can't order! A little politeness could have gone a long way. Avila's El Ranchito in Lake Forest or any other town has lost my business. -
Review from Mark L.
Mission Viejo, CA
1/20/2010 8 Check-ins Here
Great margaritas and tortilla soup.
Partida margarita for a low calorie margarita. -
Review from Sandy T.
12/3/2007
Tried this place for lunch two times and it really didn't wow me. It was decent but nothing extraordinary. Seems like it would be better for an after work, happy hour, margarita crowd.
I have tried the fish tacos, regular tacos and some large shrimp dish (this was actually pretty tasty). The last time we went, they had 1 out of 4 fish listed on their menu. That annoyed my coworker! -
Review from Kim Y.
6/28/2008
yes, i like this place. it's not greasy (not completely heatlhy either). they hand make their own tortillas. I LOVE their salsa b/c they chunk it up with chopped green onions, white onion, cilantro and it's spicy, spicy, spicy!
i come here during lunch hour often and get their chicken enchilada combo. it's pretty filling and cheap. another favorite are the ensenada fish taocs. they are the bomb! so flavorful and comes with yummy jalapenos, rice and salad on the side. i also tried the fresco relleno & taco combo today. It was sooo good. I would order it again.
the place is pretty busy most of the time and they have a cool outside seating area. the place looks small but it can seat a lot of ppl.
dinner for two: $30.00 (includes tip and no alki). -
Review from Michelle M.
Lake Forest, CA
9/7/2010
My confession: I'm a die hard Mexican food fan. Like, seriously, hard core. From one who's lived in the big LF their whole life, one would probably ask: Why haven't you tried El Ranchito yet?! Well, honestly, the outside scares me. Just a little bit. Everytime I drive by it, it just looks like a cluster f**k that happens to be right smack dab in the middle of a run down strip mall in not the greatest part of LF.
Well, today changed all that. I was at lunch, driving around aimlessly, trying to find a place to get some food. Nothing sounded good. Until I happened to stumble upon El Ranchito. I see it as I'm going 40 miles an hour down Muirlands and I do the one thing I usually say "what the heck" to other drivers: I went from the far right lane, cut across to the far left lane and sped into the driveway of this place....all at going about 35-40 miles an hour. Thankfully no one was around to flick me off, or curse at me, or honk at me, or give me a ticket.
I park. Walk in. I'm a little confused. It looks like I'm going into someones house. There's no clear "entrance" to this place. I'm thinking "WTF" the whole time I'm walking in. It's just a cluster of plants and color. I walk into the joint, even more of a cluster f**k of pictures, color and wildly mismatched knick knacks. Woah. I must look confused because the hostess asks "can I help you?"....I just stare at her and say "party of 1". She pointed to a table and said "sit there". Wow, I feel like a loser. Party of one, sitting in a sit down restaurant where I'm the only person by myself. But, I'm ok enough with eating by myself.....really, I am.
I was served chips and two cups of salsa right away, as I proceed to eat the whole basket of chips by myself. Wow, these chips are delish!! I mean, seriously good. Love them!! I could make a whole meal of these chips. Drool. Server comes out. "what can I get you to drink miss?" "Water, thanks". Drinks are served in these cute plastic cups. Awww. I wish I wasn't going right back to work because the margaritas looked sooooo good....why did they have to seat me right next to the bar?! Geesh. It's like they're tempting me. I'll come back on the weekend to try.
Looking over the menu, I notice they have a nice and big lunch menu, served from 11am-3pm daily for $6.95 a plate. Sweet. Cheese enchilada please. It comes with the standard beans and rice. I wait, wait, wait for my food. This seems to be my only gripe. I waited about 12 minutes from the time I ordered until I got my food. If I wasn't in a hurry to get back to work, this wouldn't have been a problem, but I only have an hour people! Finally food comes out. It smells a little funny, looks a little funny. Hmmmm. Ok, I'll eat it anyway. Took a bite of the enchilada, not my favorite enchilada I've ever eaten, but I'll take it. Beans were delish. And the rice had some funky flavor to it that actually made me like them, whoa!! Towards the end of the meal I finally noticed there was an orange slice on my plate (why is it there and why didn't I notice it at first?!) Maybe this is why my food smelled funny when they brought it out. ::shrugs::
Service is great. The server came out and asked if everything was good 3-4 times. He refilled my water without me asking. He brought out my check without me asking. 5+ stars for just service alone.
All in all, decent place. I will be coming back to serve my Mexican food needs and on the weekends to satisfy my inner alcoholic needs via margarita. :)Listed in: My inner love for Mexican food…, Lunch time madness
-
Review from Al L.
San Juan Capistrano, CA
11/30/2009
Went last night with the wife and kid. Off and on have been coming here for over 10 years and always have had a pretty good meal. The place was not busy at all, plenty of wait staff, attentive, everything in running the restaurant was fine, no issues.
Man the food sucked, I mean was downright lousy. Guacamole was about as appetizing as creamy Styrofoam, no taste at all. The rest of the meal followed suit, every dish. But the worst part was everything, I mean everything was slightly above room temperature, I mean serving temperature not spicy temperature. I have a real issue with lukewarm food at restaurants....I know what can happen and what the possible end results are, and you do not want them, ever! This was the single worst meal I have ever had at this restaurant.
In all fairness I will go again and see was is offered up next time. The family has always had very good food here, as well as all the other services. And again I restate that last nights wait staff and all the other things that go with dining out were fine, but the food was absolutely horrible! I will give it a second go-around, once more, that's all. -
Review from Noreen F.
Newport Beach, CA
1/12/2009
I went to this location for lunch with a large group of coworkers. I ordered a bowl of the Avila's soup for $7.95.... OUCH!!!! A little pricey for a bowl of chicken soup, but I must say that I was quite surprised with my selection. The bowl was filled to the brim with chunks of chicken, avocado, rice, vege's in a tasty tomato broth. Nothing in the soup was overdone or burnt. Now I understand why the girls at work order this all the time!
The service was pretty quick and the food was piping hot. A major plus for the lunch crowd.
The staff was very attentive and friendly.
I liked the decor. It made me feel like I was in some surfer-joint on the beach in Mexico somewhere. Where's my Pacifico with lime? Wait... I'm going back to work... darn!!!
The taste and quality of the food, service, decor and timeliness receives 5 stars, but I have to give the 3 stars for the price.
I can't wait to go back for dinner to check for consistency.
