El Rancho Grande

Not worth the price at all. Good service but the quality of food was terrible. You could smell GFS from a mile away. Seriously. The rice was days old, terrible ingredients sitting there for days. The meat… so so disgusting.

I’ve never seen it very busy so I have always received quick and efficient service. The food is good and prices match it well. My only complaint is that the building seems a little outdated, but that isn’t an issue that really affects my overall dining experience.

Came in about a week ago for drinks and an appetizer at the bar. The staff was friendly but the food and drinks were below average. The drinks were watery and the food was bland. We ordered chips with guacamole and salsa to share. The chips were warm, which was a nice touch. However, the guacamole tasted like it was from a packet and the salsa tastes like tomato sauce. A spider ran across the bar as we were leaving. Unfortunately I will not be returning.

I spent a couple of days in Dayton visiting the Air Force Museum at Wright-​Patterson AFB.
We stayed at the Wingate Hotel in Fairborn. Right next door was El Rancho Grande. We went there for dinner both nights we were in town.
Solidly good food. Good menu selection. I had Enchiladas Vallarta (with lobster) the first night and Camarones Al Mojo de Ajo (which is grilled shrimp with garlic, rice, zucchini, tomatoes and mushrooms). Had lots of Negra Modelo beer with dinner.
We were there on a Wednesday and Thursday and both times we were in later in the evening and it wasn’t very crowded. Service was prompt and friendly.

Decided to stop in because we were doing a drive by, not many cars out side for a Saturday. Food was okay. All the flavors kinda were the same, service was okay, the server who brought our food didn’t know what he was bringing us and kept asking if we were sure we knew what we ordered. Probably won’t be back. The lunch fajitas came out cold and had alot to be desired.

I was honestly so impressed with my meal here today. I have come before and I remember leaving feeling disappointed, but today both the food and service were wonderful. I got the chorizo pollo. It comes with refried beans and rice. The chicken and chorizo are coated in a cheese sauce and tortillas are served on the side. It was delicious. My boyfriend got the California burrito and loved his meal. The chips were were served upon being seated were extremely fresh and warm. It was the best meal I’ve had in a long time.

I’ve been there many times and keep coming back for the tamales. They are significantly above average and are filled with shredded pork, then topped with chicken or more pork, pinto beans, and sauce. A big disappointment are the bland chips and bland salsa which is basically tomato sauce and is the main reason I won’t give them 4 stars.

I’m new to the Dayton area and so I joined a meetup group and we had dinner here last night. It is a cute little restaurant. I really like the way the interior is decorated. The waiter provided great service and everyone’s food looked good. I ordered the Taco Loco with a frozen Mango Daiquiri. Omg sooo good. I only ate about half of my dinner (my husband ate the rest when I got home) because it was a nice big portion. It had shrimp, steak, chicken, zucchini, mushrooms and cheese inside. Amazing. I will be returning to order this again and of course for another mango daiquiri. I’d never had one before and it was so good my friend ordered one after she saw mine. Happy eating

Had the lunch chicken fajitas on a Thursday around 1pm. Grabbed a 16 oz margarita rocks.
Chips and salsa were nothing to shout about, however additional salsa choices on the table sort of fixed that. I chose the fajitas, because usually if you get a taco and enchilada plate in a «mexican» restaurant, it comes out to you about two minutes after you order it. That equals stuff put on a plate and thrown into the microwave.
I’m not a «fajitas» fan, and this plate did not win me over. Chicken was griddled well and was moist, onions, peppers and tomatoes were chopped, rather than sliced, which was a bit different… The beans, and pico de gallo that came with were good… guacamole was obviously out off a pre made tub and I only got two tortillas with the order. I asked for more… but really. since every Mexican I know use tortillas as a spoon a fork… a few more might be delivered with the meal.
Service was great. I was asked several times how things were and if I needed anything else.
$ 18 for food and a margarita was a little overpriced for lunch.
It seems like the place has a good local following, and I admit this review is based on a one time visit.
I wouldn’t eat there again, but it’s not something I would warn people away from.

I’m from Southern Cal and this is some legit stuff. A little different take but on point. The Negro Modelo had me hoping and I’m not disappointed. The salsa is a little ‘tomato purée’ but otherwise excellent. Having the Burrito Norteno now… carnitas and chorizo… the bomb!

Had dinner last night as it is right next door to my hotel. Not expecting a great deal, but boy was I surprised. I had the cheese dip as an appetizer to go with the complimentary chips and salsa. Cheese dip tasted great, but cold and gooey pretty quickly. Salsa was good and not too spicy .
I had the tamales, as they are one of my favorite Mexican dishes, there’s are fantastic, they have pork inside and are covered with chicken, red sauce and whole pinto beans and cheese. Very very good.
I will go back again before I leave town.

Went here for lunch and the place had a lot of customers. We didn’t wait long to be seated and the staff was attentive. They have a good selection of lunch specials. I ordered the Beef Chimichanga and it was good. They served chips and salsa while you wait for your food. Highly recommend

Don’t be fooled… Yes, it’s a chain. Yes, it appeals to the masses. But El Rancho Grande’s kitchen is still capable of some delicious flavors and subtle sophistication. My wife and I had the Enchiladas a la Mexicana and the Burrito Norteño. Both had rich flavors and were something more than the standard heap of meat in a tortilla with beans and rice. Our experience would have earned five stars, but for the stupidly sugary sweet house margaritas. Maybe there are better options, but the house margaritas suck.

Good food, fast and friendly. Great for lunch.

While this is not the worst Mexican-​esque food I have had, it most certainly was far from the best. I ordered the Camarones de la Diabla– basically shrimp in spicy red sauce. Now I wouldn’t consider myself as a person with a high spice tolerance, but that red sauce really was kinda… weak. Which is super disappointing since it’s called Shrimps of the Devil. Where the f-​ck is the hellfire!!! Laaaame! Not really interested in coming back for more.

Large menu. Lots of options. Good stuff. Their food has a good flavor to it. Their skirt steak is tender and well seasoned. Same for chicken and shrimp. The chorizo is great.
Went there today with the family. Miguel was our server and he did an excellent job of keeping drinks filled and making sure everything was OK.
Their fajitas are always a good option. They give good amounts of meat, onions and peppers. Today I got the Fiesta Nachos. Steak, shrimp, chicken, chorizo, mushrooms cheese on a bed of chips. om nom.
Could not even come close to eating the whole thing. Everyone always has boxes to take home. Their portions are more than generous.
Also, their cheese sauce is great. Order it with the chips they bring to the table. It goes great with the salsa too.

My wife and I went to lunch at El Rancho Grande and it was a very lackluster experience. The restaurant looks very old and dirty, stains on the carpet and ceiling. The service was adequate. One of my pet peeves is when they bring you chips and salsa before drinks.
On to the food, we both ordered chicken enchiladas (mine were red and her’s green). No sooner than 2 minutes after placing our order a waiter showed up at our table with plates. At first I thought he made a mistake but it was our food. While I appreciate prompt service this is a little alarming, just how much care can they put into a dish that they spent 90 seconds making? The chicken was dry and without flavor, the tortilla was rubbery and the sauce was like something you’d get from a can, pretty much tasted like it took 90 seconds to throw together.
I’ve eaten plenty of Mexican food, all around the country, and this is some of the worst.

This place is totally lame… not good at all! Not even the chips and salsa were good. The food was completely bland… again. Chipotle makes better «Mexican» food. However, the service was great and the food was cheap, so they get two stars for that. I have nothing else to say because the food really was that bad. No GI issues though if you must know… –_–

I like this place.
The food isn’t world class or anything, but it’s a notch above the chains that are everywhere (Don Pablo’s etc) AND it is locally owned and operated, which is important.
Salsa has a decent flavor, but I wanted it hotter… like most Mexican places they were happy to fix this with a hotter variety. You just have to ask.
If forced to go the the mall at Fairfield Commons I’d much rather eat here on the way than any of the corporate glop near the mall.

Ugh, I would actually rather eat Taco Bell than eat at this place again. After living in New Mexico, and yes, I do know that this is Ohio and bland is to be expected, I have just a little higher expectations of Mexican food. This was below standard for me. I went for dinner with my family; we had an inkling for Mexican and it was between El Toro and El Rancho Grande. I had never tried El Rancho Grande so I was willing to give it a try and hoped they had some sopapillas with their entrees. Nope.
Okay, chips and salsa. Standard, yes. Greasy, yes. Salsa, bland, not spicy, blah. Moving on, I ordered a taco ensalada because I keep forgeting that I am not in New Mexico and that they do not serve their salads with calabacitas, so I ordered mine with beef. I knew it would come with ground beef, but ewww, I think it was Grade F meat. If Taco Bell serves Grade E meat, then El Rancho Grande serves Grade F because I swear I was chewing bits of cartilage… and I could feel it too. There was no salsa served with the salad; it basically tasted like greasy meat in a greasy shell. I know that the shell is fried and all, so I am fine with that, but the salad was literally, itself, soaked in grease; not a good sign.
In the end, I left wanting my stomach space and calories back and will never go there again.