Avila’s El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant

Avilas El Ranchita has been around for 50 years. I asked my dad when he started coming to Avilas and he said «since 1965» I corrected him and said «Avilas has been here since 1966.» He leaned in and said «It started as a window on the side, they used to sell menudo and I used to come and buy some. Then they opened the restaurant.» I got schooled.
I’ve been coming here since I was a child with my family. I grew up in Huntington Park and at the time this was one of the few Mexican food restaurants around. It has passed the test of time and is still thriving in the community and very popular.
Enough about that. Is it good? Yes. Authentic? Sure. Have I had better? Definitely. Would I come back? If someone I’m with wants to eat here… sure.
Then why the 4 star review? Because their facility is clean, organized, and hospitable. Their menu sticks to the traditional Mexican staple dishes. Their food comes out in a timely manner and tastes good. Their service is A+, impeccable. You can’t get all of that in a lot of places these days.
Avilas is easy to access but not close to freeways. The waze app can get you here. There is a guarded parking lot adjacent to the restaurant for easy parking access. Hostesses are polite. Servers are accommodating. The prices are ok, maybe a little inflated. You cannot beat the handmade corn tortillas! There is plenty of room inside the restaurant, it’s great for large parties. The music and décor are the best. Noise level can be high at times.
I hope Avilas sticks around for many more years to come. It deserves your business if you’re in the mood for good Mexican food!

Great Mexican restaurant. I have been coming here since my parents first brought me as a kid.
Food is fresh, looks great and tastes great. Staff is always welcoming and nice.

Food is delicious and staff is very friendly and attentive. I would highly recommended this pace to family and friends. Wait time is sometimes high but it’s worth the wait.

My family and I we really love this place. The server are awesome, even if they are really busy. I’m a regular now. It makes feel like home. Thumps up for this place!

I’ve been coming here since I was a little girl; when it was a small narrow restaurant and the mariachi decoration that hangs from the ceiling actually worked. It’s expanded since, but the food tastes just as good. I’ve had a lot of the items from their menu and have only been disappointed once. Their carne asada is hit miss. Customer service is ok, depends on what waiter you get. I recommend El Ranchito for good Mexican food. Owners — if you’re reading this, please get the mariachi decoration working again! =)

The safest choice for Mexican food during lunch time around the fashion district in downtown LA. Portions are enormous, service is amazing, and has its own parking lot do you don’t have to look for parking.
My favorite dish here is the shrimp Diablo. The shrimp comes out on a simmering plate with a side of tortillas beans, rice and salad. It could be a little spicier, but the sheer portion of the dish will not disappoint you. My buddies always order the burrito here and it turns out to become a 2 meal dish for them to take home.
Also, the complimentary chips and salsa here is a perfect appetizer. The salsa is so fresh and yummy! I would most definitely recommend this place for anyone looking for legit Mexican food in downtown LA.

Handmade tortillas plus our food was served under 10 minutes. It was delicious to the last bite. Combination number 10 is a classic. Chile relleno and flauta de pollo with tasty guacamole. The enchilada ranchera de pollo was quite palatable as well. We’ll be back in 2 weeks.

Delicious Mexican Food as authentic as it gets. I went earlier this year and made it back today. Didn’t disappoint at all as a matter of face there’s only a few places you get what you pay for and some this is one of those places.
At first the waitress was kinda short then we realized it wasn’t here she was just really trying her best to accommodate everyone how do I know this because she still managed to smile and be attentive between serving 4 – 5 different tables of different parties.
The food was so flavorful shares a fish ceviche as an appetizer and wow the fish was fresh I usually dump Tapatio ontop to add that flavor pop but this was great just as served.
Here’s our plate I don’t think I need to say anything else besides it was all delicious.

Rica comida, me gusta el Plato de vegetales y la salsa las meseras muy amables y todas nod conocen y nod hacen sentir muy bien

Been here a few times with colleagues and usually enjoy my time here. The staff are very friendly and service is fantastic. The drinks and food are really good too. Large portions!
I like that they give chips and salsa and the salsa has a pretty good kick to it too.
Ordered the strawberry margarita and the taco combos, all were good. I couldn’t finish my rice and beans though, I was stuffed.
I love that they ask if we want separate checks before we order when it’s a large group.
Will return.

Really good, fresh food, hand made tortillas, good customer service, polite ppl they care about their customers I luv this place I go about 2 to 3 times a week

The Huevos Rancheros blew my mind. The staff is very nice and welcoming, and the choice in the breakfast menu is decent. Worth every penny! Last time here I was 14yrs old. This is one of those places when you say“why didn’t I ever come back”??

I had the chicken clasp… Soooo good! They used breast meat without any bones. I also tried huevos machaca (scrambled egg with chicken) served with rice & beans… And homemade corn tortillas. Service is excellent!

Omg k Rica comida y super servicio nos toco una mesera se Yama Delia gracias good service

A group of us came by here for lunch and I was thinking… Ok, another Mexican restaurant. No offense to those who own Mexican restaurants but they are all over the place and most of them are not really authentic. I must take back my remarks 100% for thinking that about this restaurant. This place is legit and fresh! Fresh to the point that They have a girl that is getting the corn mashed and getting it ready to make into tortillas. I was like What the heck??? They make their own tortillas here?! Wow! So I ordered a taquito and a chile relleno plate. All I can say is Wow! This place knows how to make legit, fresh, amazing, tasty, authentic mexican food! I think my co worker loved it so much he wanted to get with the girl getting the tortillas ready so he can take her home with him to make him some tortillas (please don’t take that the wrong way perverts! Lol). Anyways, service was great and the food was great. We got seated right away. No issues with paying our own checks.
I would definitely recommend coming here for lunch or dinner! You would be missing out if you don’t!

I got the Azteca Burrito. I chose the chicken. It was soft and tasty. There were beans on the inside, and salsa, guacamole, and lettuce on the outside. The burrito was so huge, I could only eat half and take the rest home for dinner. It was even bigger than a Chipotle burrito. Cost was a bit high for a burrito, at $ 11. I could probably get two burritos for that price at some non-​sit down Mexican places I know.
Table comes with complimentary chips and salsa.
My coworkers were not as fond of their meals as I was of mine. They said it was just okay or average.

For my 100^th review, I give 5 stars. This place is Bomb-​dot-​com! This place is so good, I want to come every day. The effort that is clearly put into your food and experience is unparalleled for the area and the price point.
5 stars for the guac alone. The complimentary chips and salsa (the first point of judgment for a Mexican joint) also great. Everything is fresh and delicious. You can watch ladies making tortillas! What?
Service is also impeccable. I never had to ask for a refill of my drink or my chips/​salsa (no shame: I was ALL over it). Our large party had all of its orders and requests fulfilled with no trouble. The owner even came around to make sure everything was going well.

After coming to eat to this resturant for years you can definitely tell the difference. last experience food was tasteless and chicken was not fully cooked !! Its sad to see a family resturant slowly go down the drain
They need better cooks and a shape up fast

We headed to Avila’s to celebrate dads 79^th bday on Sunday. Avila’s did not disappoint! It was crowded but I called ahead for priority seating and we were seated right on time.
My parents ordered the Bistec with the ranchera sauce and it was amazing! I will order this next time. The beef was tender and the seasoning was authentic like grandmothers back in Mexico. The tortillas were warm and delicious too!
I had the enchilada shredded beef taco combo. The taco fell apart and every bite was satisfying. I will repeat myself, the shredded beef was seasoned perfectly which is an accomplishment, since many restaurants can’t get it right. This is my new favorite shredded beef taco.
We were also graced with a visit from the owner who was walking around the restaurant ensuring her customers were happy with their dining experience. She cheated with us and ensured my dad had a memorable birthday with a delicious flan.
Margarita is doing a fabulous job serving up great authentic Mexican food and top notch service! Kuddos to Margarita and the Avila family!

We live in LA,
Mexican restaurant all Over,
THIS IS where you want to be!!!
Service, fast,
Food great,
Atmosphere AS AUTHENTIC as it gets!!!
Big, clean, fresh,
Just follow your instinct,
Order from a large Manu ‚
I NEVER GOT DISAPPOINTED HERE,
Bet you will like it too,

it has really changed from how it was before. They have become more expensive. On the weekends, it used to get packed but now its really lonely.
The service is good but some of the food is not worth the price.

I came here for lunch with the coworkers for my boss’ birthday. I’m not crazy about Mexican food, so it was difficult to choose something. I opted for the steak nachos especiales ($ 8.75) since you can’t go wrong with that. It was a huge plate with a lot of toppings, but nothing too amazing. I couldn’t even finish half of my food. The tortilla chips and salsa that they gave us when we first sat down was probably the best part though. It had the perfect amount of spiciness!
Maybe it can get 2.5 stars because service was good, but there’s other places I’d rather go.