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This place has me all mixed up. We came here to grab a quick bite and feed our salsa cravings. The prices are a bit high, but the food is worth it. I was stunned to find out that a side of house hot sauce,( a must when spice lovers like us eat Mexican), was an extra buck fifty. Every other Mexican place I've tried in Miami gives unlimited hot sauce for free. This stuff, however, was spicy, home made, and they brought a large bowl of it, which pacified me a bit. I had a dissapointingly mushy chimichangas, but a heavenly tostada. Mike had the fajitas and was happy with them ( although even my dog refused to eat the peppers) see photo!
I ordered the white sangria and was delighted with the presentation! Check out the photo... Absolutely adorable high glass with a nice assortment of fresh and colorful tropical fruits. The wine was a tad bit light, but was cool and refreshing nonetheless. The waiters were polite, and while not completely attentive, they gave it a good try. Overall, a yummy mexican haven, and worth a visit.
Ok, still on the lookout for amazing Mexican. Here its pretty good and has great Margaritas. It has many pros and cons.
I am not a huge fan of the way the chicken is cooked. I usually order the Chilaquiles Verdes and would much prefer shredded chicken over little strips but the Salsa Verde is pretty tasty, I would prefer it if it were spicier. Habaneros please? The Guacamole is very good, creamy and they bring you plenty of delicious tortilla chips to nosh on while you enjoy the Guac or simply right before the meal. My hubby always orderes something different so I always sample his stuff, its hit or miss.
Sometimes good, sometimes not great.
Service can be great or it can be sketchy depending on the day you are there.
As always on Lincoln Rd. you pay Lincoln Rd. prices. Not much people watching here as you are off to the side. However last time we were there it was fun to watch what seemed to be a sports player of some kind (he was a thousand feet tall so I would say basket ball?) trying to park a Ferrari with tires that had to cost more than my car.. each tire.. and keep on scraping the HELL out of them on the curb. Finally he got it and exits the car with the token hottie, and on each arm he had diamond gauntlets. Thats the only way I can describe the massive size of these 'bracelets'. I was captivated by the shine! I couldn't look away! I kept on fighting the urge to grab one and RUN.
OK so I went off on a tangent .. but people watching here again for the most part, no.
A couple of up met some friends up here for dinner that had already had a few drinks. We met them and sat at their table. It took about 20 minutes before the waiter even noticed that we had added on to the group. This was pretty much how service was throughout the meal. If we would ask for something (silverware, more salsa, another drink) It usually took sometime to get it, or he would forget & you had to ask multiple times.
Anyhow, it is hard to find good Mexican food in Miami. This place was okay, much better than some of the other places I have tried. I like the quac and the burritos are pretty good. The location is nice and it's reasonably priced for Lincoln road area. I wouldn't be ashamed to bring out of towners here, although there are other place I would rather take them....
I've had tacos, carnitas, and the margarita, and really, this is much better Tex-mex than it looks like. On a Friday, it can get pretty loud, but that's only because it's tasty food and drinks for a reasonable price in an area where that's hard to find.
I think the food is very well presented and some dishes taste like real mexican, but they still need to improve their rice, beans and salads. I like the veggetarian tostadas, the mole cheese enchiladas and the cheese chile relleno. I'm Mexican so I go there all the time hehe. I like the green salsa, the margaritas and the Tecate beer too. The price is really good for lunch at night time is more expensive.
Nice off the beat from Lincoln Road. Not too crowded, no reservations needed. Wide variety of Mexican food. Service was pretty good, our waiter was quite attentive. Very authentic decor.
I really like this place, I think if you know what to order you're good! Sure they have the usual american favorites, but if you are a true mexican food fan, I think you could find a couple really good dishes. Their habanero sauce is HOT!!! Tastes really good mixed in to their tomato salsa.
As an avid fan of good Mexican food, I definitely recommend Rancho Grande. Since it is on a side road of Lincoln it is not as crowded as most of the restaurants. They wanted us to sit inside, and said there was a 15 minute wait for outside, but we waited and it turned out to be only 5 minutes.
We ordered three classic margaritas, on the rocks with salt, they were delicious. Came to about $25.
The meal starts with one free round of chips and salsa. The salsa is some of the best I have had in Miami, and the chips were warm. For dinner I had the Chimichangas. They were in three individual ones topped with guacamole and sour cream, which is a perfect portion. Served with rice and beans on the side the meal was great for one person. My friend Paula, had the Vegetarian Fajitas. They came with tons of vegetables including Portobella mushrooms, peppers, onions etc. My other friend had the Veggie Tostadas, which again were a perfect three portions mini sized. The food came to about $35 which is quite good for dinner on Lincoln rd.
Great place to grab some good Mexican food on the beach!
Ugh, I'm trying to remember the things I get here. There are only a few. They are delicious, but you must be forewarned that if you stray from this list you do so AT YOUR OWN RISK as some food here isn't good.
-Mexican Parrillada: This is a huuuuuuuge platter of food: chicken steak onions shrimp fish...green peppers...bits of bacon...all served fajita-style, griddled together and served on the hot plate. You fill your own tortillas. It's intended for 2, it could easily feed 3 big hungry people. Order it just for yourself and watch your neighbors stare at you in disgust.
-Plato Mexicano: you get little dishes of samples, all served in a circle. You get a little chicken mole, a little pork, a little this a little that. Yum.
Having grown up in the Southwest and being of Mexican descent, I know great Mexican food. And this place, off Lincoln Road, is pretty good but not in the great category. Went there for lunch, and the place was packed. We sat outside and the service was fairly good. A tip: They have lunch specials for us diners who have been hit hard by the economic crisis.
I had the tacos, which were pretty good. Keep in mind, I set the bar really high, growing up eating this food in my household. The salsa was decent, a little watery, not enough chuck in the trunk. Back to the tacos, they had plenty of flavor, packed with cheese, lettuce and other goodies. Beans and rice were flavorful. If you are looking for decent Mexican food far away from the border, this place fits the bill.
El Rancho Grande is right off of Lincoln Road and is a great start for a night on the beach. I went here a couple of weeks ago on the recommendation of a friend and I couldn't be happier. The night I went, the main dining room was very loud so I asked to seat near the much quieter bar, where I could actually talk to my date. So try sitting near the bar or outside.
We both came to have some chimichangas and we were not disappointed. The service was speedy and the food was great. You get complimentary nachos and salsa at your table so definitely worth the trip. The price wasn't outrages and easily cheaper then the other restaurants nearby but You don't sacrifice the service or quality of food which is great!
As far as Tex Mex goes this is pretty good for Miami. Back in Texas I would give this place 2 stars but Miami has such a lack of good Tex Mex that this place warrants 4 stars. They make Guacamole table side which is really cool. Their Mole chicken is also surprisingly good.
The food here was really good! Everything was prepared just right, except for the cheese... Which there was a little too much of!
We sat outside and really enjoyed everything else about the place - ambience, location, service, conversation, people!
Our favorite part was that the place was extremely vegetarian-friendly!! One warning though - they do charge for sharing and for any extras!
I'm a Mexican food critic growing up in california.. this place may not be authentic, but it wasn't a disappointment either. I had ceviche and the carmitas with a side of gilled veggies. Service was good, I asked for additional tortillas, hot sauce and guacamole and all came quick. If you want mexican., I recommend it. It's not very expensive compared to ll the other restaurants in the area,
Just off of Lincoln Road is a great Mexican restaurant with some of the best fish tacos I've ever had. And that's saying something because I've had my fair share of little swimmers in tortillas. If you find yourself in Miami on a Saturday night and don't really want to dive into the scene of Lincoln Rd. establishments - go here. Friendly service, good margaritas, and seriously - get the fish tacos. BUT - do note that if you don't want the battered version they will grill the fish for you as they would for the fish fillet entree and simply charge you $3 more. It's worth it. God I love sitting outside, eating fresh fish and sipping on a tasty, salty drink - in February!
El Rancho's one of the limited Mexican options in Miami. The fact that it's located just off Lincoln Road means it does pretty good business with tourists.
The food isn't all that. But then again, it's hard to find really good, quality Mexican food in this city, so sometimes you have to go with the flow. El Rancho is definitely better than Taco Rico over on Alton (though it's also more expensive). But I don't think it's as good as T. Mex. But then again, I'm not a Mexican food connoisseur, so your best bet is to make that call yourself.
El Rancho's margaritas are pretty good, but again, not the best in town. Not to mention that they are ridiculously expensive. The cheapest pitcher (with low-end liquor) is $36, and it just goes up from there (topping out at the $57 pitcher). Granted, you get about 5-6 healthy sized drinks from the pitcher. But when faced with prices like that, I reminisce about the cheap and delicious margs I drank like water when I was in college...
MEXICAN FOOD IN MIAMI?????????? I think not! But me and the girls were craving for a piece of home. We were all craving a good shrimp cocktail on a hot day.
We expected to have a filling and enjoyable meal from the looks of the place. It was cute and decorated well.
We were oh so very wrong, saddened and let down. It was as if they placed shrimp in a cup of ketchup...YUCK! Nasty! VOMIT!
Good Mexican food does not exist in Miami, when in Miami stay with whats local....cuban food.
My hubby and I were hiking our way from our hotel in S. Beach to Lincoln Ave, when we stumbled upon this restaurant.
I can't say that the food was out of this world, but it was good. However, when we ordered dessert, we found out how delicious food could taste. We deliberated and decided on the bananas fosters. WOW! It was like music to our taste buds.
If you go there... get this! It's a must.
One of the best features about this place is that despite the fact that it is in uber over priced Lincoln Road, you can still get good value for your money.
It is not quite authentic mexican but it does a decent job
The portions are decent and the food is quite tasty
Service can be spotty but unfortunately so are most of the places in the area so it is pretty much standard.
Definitely go for a pitcher of margarita if you are in a party of 4 or more, but stay away from top shelf tequila it is overpriced and overrated ... the cheap stuff will do just fine since it is going to get mixed anyway.
Good value, decent service, decent decor ... check it out !
Considering the price of the other restaurants on this street, it's pretty reasonable. The food was standard. I judge a Mexican restaurant by its cheese enchiladas and this one had a mediocre cheese. The fish in the fish taco was very similar to those Gordon's frozen fish fillets you get in the supermarket. I do like that the rice and beans are in individual containers so the dish isn't so sloppy. The portions are large and service was decent. They have nice outdoor seating and it is good for people watching.
Service was average, the waitress completely forgot my appetizer order.
Great food. Fantastic service. Handled a group of 40 with about 2 hours notice with no problem!
What a joke. This is (one of) the best Mexican places in Sobe? This was a 1.5 star waiting to happen, but the food was copasetic. I don't understand the pricing - fees for a little cup of hot sauce and extra chips and salsa?
The food and the service were ok. Our waitress gave off a gross vibe and had no desire to serve us. The interior is colorful with pastel yellow pink and blue everywhere.
I thought of a cleaner El Cantinero (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) only worse with the nickel-and-diming. But I like EC.
I wouldn't come back. There was nothing great about this restaurant.
IFHTP 1
Good food, good salsa, and pricing was not bad. The sweet tea is a big fruity for me. I was glad to sit down and enjoy some good salsa!! I did not care for the 3 dip sample hot sauces but I kept ordering the thicker salsa.
I went to the location in north beach, close to Collins and 72nd Street. The services was terrible. Our waiter only came to take the order and then to bring the check. He didn't even come once to make sure that everything was Ok or that we wanted more drinks. When you ask for sauce they actually charge you for it. Besides the fact that the service is really bad, they emphasize that tip is not included which is tasteless if you ask me. The food was great though, so it's a shame that I can't say the same about the service.
I'm orginally from California so I need to eat at a Mexican restaurant at least once a month. I usually have the enchiladas with molle sauce and plenty of salsa and chips. The food is your classic mexican, burritos, enchiladas, tacos and fajitas.
I've been to several company/group lunches here. The pitchers of margaritas and shots of tequilla were flowing. That's all I have to say.
You can expect to wait for your check so you should give your waitress plenty of notice when you want to leave.
In Miami, most of your food options are going to be Caribbean or South American. So, when I was filled to the brim with those options and wanted to see what the Mexican restaurants in Miami Beach had to offer... a friend and I tried El Rancho Grande. My taste buds were in heaven. I LOOOOVED the Carnitas. Not the most traditional Carnitas like the kind you'd find in a California based Mexican Restaurant. But they were damn good! We went back three times. OH! And cute waiters... isn't that an automatic 5 stars? :)
I regularly spend vacations in South Beach. Coming from California, I get a hankering for Mexican food, so I checked out the few places in Miami Beach. El Rancho Grande had Chicken Mole on the menu, so since I'm an absolute mole fan, I ordered it. Now I must say that there are basically two versions of mole: sweet and spicy. I prefer spicy in food over sweet every time, so I was hoping for spicy. I can honestly say I was in Food Nirvana after just the first bite of their mole!!! The chicken has almost always been as moist as any I have eaten over many years and the mole is without a doubt the absolute best!!!
So why three stars? Well, you cannot get a traditional margarita in this restaurant, that is, just lime juice, tequila, and orange liqueur. Orange juice is the base for all their margaritas!! Not even a sweet 'n sour (which I don't care for either!) sheesh!!
So the day I arrive at El Rancho Grande and can order a darn fine margarita is the day I give this place the coveted five stars!
PS. I have on occasion been here with friends who swear by other menu items as well. Wish we had such a well rounded mexican eatery in our area (with better margaritas of course!)
Ok, I think the real realization here is that I love Mexican food, I don't think that will ever change. This place does it right though. No outrageous prices for standard items like burritos and basic combinations. The staff is quick and you're chips and salsa are always quickly tended too. I usually get a burrito here, the way they make it loads in a bunch of traditional Mexican flavors and spices. Also, try the crab nachos for an appetizer if the chips and salsa aren't enough, a great starter.
It's a little off the beaten path from Lincoln Road, but that's not such a bad thing every once in a while. You'll still get the street noise as always - and there's usually a crowd here enjoying the cuisine round the clock.
I've been obsessed with El Rancho Grande since I moved here nearly a decade ago. My husband and I even made up a song (that I stole from an episode of The Cosby Show) that we sing whenever we're craving it. However, I went on a Mexican hiatus for a bit and just recently returned to the world of nachos and quesadillas. Sadly, though, today I realized something about El Rancho Grande changed. First, they got my order wrong. Secondly, they didn't bother to bring sour cream for my nachos until the plate was almost empty. Third, they didn't serve me the awesome rice with carrots and peas with my quesadilla. What's up with that? I used to order extra rice on the side because that's how much I love it. It's was the first thing I ate from the plate. And today, I didn't get any. NONE! Don't get me wrong, I'll be back for more Mexican, and I hope my next venture is more like my ones of the past because today's experience wasn't the El Ranco Grande I'm used to :(
Very good pollo con mole poblano. The salsa is fresh and has the right amount of kick. Alot of food for the money. Full bar, outdoor seating for people watching at a distance from Lincoln. Casual dress.
I think this was our favorite meal when we came to Miami. Located right off Lincoln Road, it's in a convenient location and the food and value was really good. Miami is not a cheap town but we felt like we got our money's worth here. And with some Margaritas in our tummy, we were really satisfied......
Really there are only 2 things I need from Mexican restaurants, delicious guacamole and margaritas - both of which you can find at el Rancho. Love that there is a slight kick to the salsa (practically impossible to find in Miami.) You know it's good when the locals eat there!
The service is surprisingly good for the area too.
Went there for lunch. It was fine. Mole poblano was yummy. Shredded beef too. Guac was ok. Chips (fresh/warm) and salsa were yummy. You can eat inside or outside. Blended margarita was good. Basically, good for decent food. Won't be amazed but won't be disappointed either. Probably good for a big group.
Loved this place! Such a breath of fresh air! Too many pasta restaurants around here and not enough mexican food...I got the fajitas, two combination-chicken and beef and loved it! Their margueritas are good as well...My husband go carnitas and I got a taste of his food as well...delicious! I am just sad the day we ate there, they didn't have any flan...I was really looking forward to the flan. The service is great, too...They shrimp cocktail is yummy...Everything...super delicious!
ok, so good Mexican is limited in Miami...confirmed.
Reasonably priced food and drinks. Very friendly wait staff in comparison with the rest of Lincoln Road.
el rancho is ok. it's fine. (there's a little rant coming) and yes if you haven't had mexican in a while, it fills the void. but besides the free salsa that they give you when you sit down, (wait for it) a lot of the food is pretty bland. (here's the rant) and when i asked for hot sauce they asked if i wanted habanero or chipotle, which i just picked one, but i really just meant like hot sauce in a bottle type of hot sauce and what was delivered to me could only be described as the spit of the devil, fiery and flavorless in all it's evil puke colored glory. and they charged me $1.75 for it. like one could reasonably eat any amount of it to have to be charged for it. not to mention i had to ask like 10 times for them to bring it which should have been a clear sign that it was not meant for my or any other human consumption. (almost done) and this has happened to me before in miami and i just don't know if i'm supposed to say "tobasco" when i mean "hot sauce in a bottle" or something. i dunno. in short, the food is always pleasant and the atmosphere charming, but bring your own cholula.
Hollywood, FL
Category: Italian
Miami Beach, FL
Category: Mexican
Miami Beach, FL
Category: Restaurants
Miami Beach, FL
Category: Restaurants
Miami Beach, FL
Category: Mexican
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