Los Rancheros

I have been going since I was a very young child and will continue to go until either I pass or they close. I LOVE «LOS»!

This is our place for yummy Mexican on the east side.
It is fortunate that we live only a short way away and can take advantage of this place frequently. On average our family has a meal here about 2 times a month and I am not sure if we ever had a bad meal here.
It can sometimes be a bit difficult to get into this place as it is between road lines on the busy Pendleton Pike right by the 465 freeway. This place is often busy and sometimes, especially during dinner time of 6−7pm it can be difficult to grab parking in the small lot. The business next door had gone out of business and for some time we would park in the empty lot there but now they have blocked the lot there so only the restaurant parking is available.
When you walk in to the uniquely shaped building with the tall steeple like roof you see that this place is a bit divey, even with the recent repainting of the outside of the building. The music is almost always pretty cool Mexican music or mariachi. The interior is a eclectic mix of a lot of different things. There are Colts signs and there are stuffed deer over the doorway, large sombreros and various other nifty things hanging on the walls. There is even a giant machete on one wall. Dig it lots :) Very cozy and safe atmosphere.
The place is always kept clean and there are always plenty of servers, though we have noticed recently they do not come by to check on us as often as they used to. The last few times we had to call out for a waiter as he quickly moved through the room. It is not a big deal but if we decided to order another taco and no waiters come by for us to order it. well. what can you do?
I always order the same thing, an off-​menu order of veggie fajitas. If they are on the menu I have not seen them there. If you order with no sour cream and no cheese they are vegan. I also like to order corn tortillas instead of the flour. I just find they taste better. I also LOVE the guac and order a small order as an appetizer with the yummy chips they serve. The salsa is always very good and just the right amount of heat.
My son loves the nacho cheese beef burritos and tamales and my partner orders a wide variety of foods off the extensive menu and has rarely been unhappy with what is brought out. A word of caution. if you are vegan or plant based, as I am, you will not want to order the ranchero beans because they are cooked with meat. I found this out the hard way, but when I mentioned this they took it away immediately and offered me something else. This was wonderful and much appreciated.
The owner works his bottom off here and is a very busy and nice guy. He is almost always there. This shows me a man who cares about his restaurant and his customers and is there to ensure that all goes the way he likes it to go.
I like this place. I like that I can get what I want and not have to spend an arm and a leg to get it. Everything is always served hot and comes out very quickly.
The 4 stars is because of drop of frequency of service lately and has nothing to do with the eats.
Thanks for your time and consideration.

I went in with a group of people and had the most rude service ever. I ordered something and it was not what I thought it was. I asked the waiter to take it back and order something else. He refused twice. The third time, I asked for the manager and he said I could see the manager when he brought the bill. The whole table was shocked. I didn’t want to make a scene and when he brought the bills, I went to the manager. He took it off the bill but said I should order something else next time. I can’t believe how badly I was treated. I didn’t yell or hadn’t been treated like this when I was there before. I will never go back there and will tell all my friends how badly I was treated as a customer!

Cheap average mexican food.

It’s my first time here. I moved from California to Indianapolis. I have taste lot of Mexican foods in California and there’s the best foods. I was born and raised in California. I’m looking for best Mexican restaurant in Indianapolis and haven’t find one yet. Here is not really excellent foods. I wouldn’t come back here and I’m continue to find the best .for Indy peeps would say here is the best. That’s your decision but for Californian peeps wouldn’t really want eat here. To be continue to find best Mexican restaurant in Indianapolis.

The best chicken nachos I’ve ever had! I come back here every time I come home to Indy. Hard workers and good food, and great chicken nachos. I need to find out what type of cheese they use.

Let me start by saying… This place rocks! If you’re like me and you don’t want your mouth to be on fire all night they have mild salsa. The food is always fresh and taste great, service is always great and they are on top of drinks and chips. Out of all the Mexican restaurants in Pendleton Pike this is by far the very best!!!

I have been going there for over 15 years and absolutely love it! Everything is delicious and the staff is wonderful!

Great food and good guys. It’s a must Mexican place on the east side. My friends are known by name they go in there so much.

This is a great little hole in the wall Mexican food restaurant. I stop in every week for lunch with a bunch of coworkers. The food is very good and the price is outstanding. If you get the lunch special you can eat for less than $ 5. I usually get the chicken taco and burrito combo for lunch. It’s delicious. One of my favorite indulgences is the Nachos Mexicanos. It’s nachos loaded with cheese, grilled chicken, steak, and shrimp. It’s around $ 8. In addition to the great food, the staff is very friendly and attentive. Definitely worth trying.

Above average Mexican food, a great hole in the wall! I just went for the first time in probably five or six years and I must say the food quality definitely was better, and it looks like they painted and upgraded a few things inside. They also got a full liquor license, last time I went they only had beers. But the prices are still very inexpensive like I remember, definitely worth a stop. I would say that it’s actually more like 3 ½ stars. The Margarita was huge, but they only offered one tequila?

Awesome food. Best Mexican food I can remember having. This is a must stop if you’re in the mood for Mexican. You will be full and it will be cheap!

gross! you people who love this place are clueless. read the marion county food inspection report. here’s what they say about ‘pests/​rodents’: fruit flies, house flies and cockroaches noted inside establishment. seek professional assistance to exterminate pests. keep area clean and dry. cockroaches inside bulk flour bin. flour bin discarded into trash. plus there are sooo many violations for filth and not keeping food at proper temperatures, etc. in this place. disgusting. i always check the food inspection reports before we eat anywhere! you would be shocked to see how many food establishments are unclean, and unsafe.

Love the food. Always great service. We always enjoy everything we order. Servers are always very friendly and make sure you enjoy your meal.

Great spot for a quick work lunch. You sit down immediately and they take your order and before you know it, you got beans and rice in your face because they get that food out super fast.
Reasonable lunch deals and plenty of food. The only downfall is that I think they have very Americanized dishes, I wish there were more cultural menu options.

Good tasting and very cheaply priced Mexican food. A very thorough menu. Waiters are attentive and place is clean and well lit. Give it a try.

The cheap taco joint I’ve been searching for… I’ve ordered take out here quite a few times (sober & not so sober) and I haven’t been disappointed yet. So far it’s been consistent which is something I appreciate especially when it comes to something like a taco. Somehow, people mess up tacos. I don’t get it, but it happens. This place has a more Americanized taco say like Taco Bell, but way better. The portions are good for the money — meals come with chip and salsa (of course) BUT they come with carry out too and they do not skimp. Their menu is pretty extensive too with some crazy burrito options. They are always hoppin’ which is a good sign of a beloved restaurant (Applebee’s excluded).

Right next to my office is a Mexican restaurant. I’ll leave them nameless, because it’s inconsequential to the point, but they serve fajitas, enchiladas, tacos, burritos, etc. plus margaritas and a big ol’ bowl of chips and salsa when you come in. My co-​workers call this place simply «the Mexican restaurant.» When I asked, one of them mentioned something very poignant about Mexican restaurants in the Indy area: they’re all pretty much the same. They all have the same menu items, they all have the same décor, they all have about the same prices, salsas, waitstaff, etc. But they’re all over the place, geographically. It’s almost as if they’re all owned by the same people and just slightly re-​branded.
That brings me to Los Rancheros. This is the same damn restaurant in every other part of Indy. The exception here is that they are really, really cheap. $ 5 for the lunch specials, and it’s probably enough to fill you until at least 4pm, particularly with the free chips.
The food, again, is not why I would come, because it’s the same as all the other places in town. Bland sauces, low quality tortillas, unflavored meat, and tons of bagged cheese. The salsa provided with the chips had a nice flavor, but I had to douse it with Cholula to really give it any spark. And that’s the case with every place in town. Obviously it’s the sort of Mexican that Indy wants and they’re just providing it for people. But I want to do a solid favor for anyone who likes good Mexican food who, like I, read Unilocal and thought «Maybe this place will be different than the others.» It’s not. If you’re okay with that, have a good time. Otherwise, stay on 465 and keep moving.

Walking in I was a bit skeptical, but I quickly fell in love. Not only is their food amazing, but their prices are so cheap it’s ridiculous. I’m a fan of Horchata, so I was in heaven when my giant glass of yumminess arrived. Our waiter was really nice and brought us a glass of their Tamarindo to try for free as well. Their menu is already cheap, but they were doing a lunch special on top of that, so we all enjoyed a $ 4.00 lunch! I ordered a chicken quesadilla and was blown away. The tortilla was the perfect amount of crunchy and the meat was so juicy. If your doubts have kept you from going in, then toss them to the curb. You won’t be disappointed.

As a former East-​Sider this is a favorite haunt. My friends and I are always greeted by our names and immediately given our dink orders and extra cilantro. The prices are reasonable and the Chile Relleno is authentic upon request :)
Yum!