El Ranchito

If you want watered down margaritas served in a water glass, bland food with no seasoning, small basket of broken chips and poor service then this is the place to go to.
I should have known to walk back out once I saw only 4 people in this restaurant during the dinner hour.
I will not be back. ADIOS!

Best blended margaritas in town. Been coming here for years service and food is always good i love it!

Whenever I’m in LaQuinta I eat here. Service is always fast and friendly and the food is quality. Pleasant atmosphere, nice patio. Please patronize this local business! Really good margaritas too! Misters on the patio in summer make it very comfortable.

Visited on Friday May 27, 2016 on Memorial Day weekend. As a tourist the location and the overall setting was very nice. The décor and music was very traditional. My friends & I were seated within minutes of walking in. We all ordered something different to try. It was delicious! Our waiter was very attentive. Would definitely recommend this place.

This place is a poor example of Mexican food, lard content is way to high. There is a far better place across the street

Decent food, it has a great atmosphere, nothing extravagant on the menu. Service was attentive. Expensive compared to other locations.

I’ve been wanting to try this place and finally did today. I was not impressed. The service was less than attentive. But the food really disappointing. The chips were a bit like cardboard and the salsa was really just sauce. I ordered a chili relleno, which I usually do at a new mexi place. It was without question the worst I have ever had. No relleno sauce, just a bit of cheese on top, and very small. The rice was absolutely flavorless. The beans were the best part, decent. My friend enjoyed her mexichop salad, but for $ 12, it was small. I definitely prefer the place across the street, won’t be back here, sorry.

Fantastic!
I’ve been looking for a great Mexican restaurant during our stays in the desert, and I have finally found the place.
El Ranchito (no relation to the El Ranchito chain in Orange County) is a darling little restaurant tucked away on a back street in old town La Quinta. Upon entering, you are presented with THE best homemade chips and salsa you will ever taste. No joke. They are perfectly cooked, not heavy or greasy. Side those with pico de gallo and hot sauce– muy perfecto.
TIP: Start with the Lemon Soup. Perfect for a winter’s day, this is a lemon chicken broth with delicious shredded chicken, potato chunks, and garbanzo beans, tops cilantro, chives, and a lemon wedge.
The carnitas, the tacos, the rice and beans… everything is wonderful. Thank you El Ranchito. We’ll be back soon.

Good service, good food. It’s a little expensive for Mexican food but they give a lot of it.
Overall solid place.

I’ve only eaten at restaurant once; I always order to-​go.
The quality of the food is always good & consistent which I like. Their hot sauce is pretty good so I always get extra!
I’ve had their shrimp fajitas, beef fajitas, carne asada tacos & chicken chimichanga for entrees. I’m not a huge fan of their tamales, but their potato soup is good as well as the chile rellenos.
Even tho I order to-​go, the service/​attitude is hit or miss. Sometimes I’ll have someone that’s super friendly or I’ll have someone that is not so friendly. BUT it’s a Great little spot for some Mexican eats! They also have a tequila shot machine

First time out here visiting some family in town. Decided to give this place a try. Was most def not disappointed. Excellent customer service and there food was bomb! I am definitely coming down more often.
Oh and if you love micheladas. Best in town !

This place is FIRE!!! Probably the best authentic gourmet Mexican restaurant I’ve been to! The meat is made to perfection and the salsa is amazing. I come here every time I’m in the area! Super delicious, super clean, love the ambiance, a ton of drinks, and superb service!

We love this place. Not only is the food great, but the owners son that makes the micheladas is on POINT! Ask for Dandy. He’s the best server and makes a mean michelada.

This little Mexican place has been here at the same location for years and is consistently ok. It has a nice patio for outdoor seating and decent Mexican food. Prices are reasonable.

Loved the food and service was quick and server was proficient and good atmosphere. Came to la Quinta for a church event and walked into several restaurants in the area and felt un welcomed. Tried this place and totally felt at home.

Finally… an authentic Mexican restaurant that offers tasty house-​made chips and salsa… oh, and the other food is good too! Our personable and attentive waitress proudly confirmed most offerings are fresh and house-​made (note: tortillas are good but sourced elsewhere). The interior has good Mexican décor and the bar is vibrant. The beautiful bougainvillea covered patio with stone-​topped tables makes for a great outdoor dining experience.
We enjoyed:
*Chips and Red Sauce & Salsa… HOUSE MADE CHIPS… mmm
Margarita…good and strong
Stawberry Daquiri (virgin)…very strawberr-​y and refreshing
Combo: Carne Asada, Enchilada… delicious but portion size a bit skimpy
Surprises of the night:
Torta…BEST I’ve had… stuffed with fajita chicken, refried bean spread, fresh guacamole on a delicious bun that didn’t fall apart even after being overloaded… torta comes with fries (cold and bland but that’s what you get for ordering a sandwich in a Mex food restaurant)
Flan…house made, fresh, creamy but firm, sublime sauce… great.
We overheard grumblings about portion sizes from others around us… and we agreed as carne asada we ordered was skimpy but the food is really good.
Bottom line: OLE!

This is a pretty cool/​neat restaurant. They gave a good sized patio out front if you feel like dining outside, and inside is pretty cool. The food is good! It was my first time here a couple weeks ago, so I wanted to try different things. I had a ground beef taco (not very good. No flavor). Cheese enchilada was decent, and the bean burrito was amazing!!! Had to eat it the following day though because all of it was a ton of food! Beans and rice were good, chips were decent and salsa was good. They carry montejo beer which is a plus since my husband loves it! Good margaritas as well! Overall, we will be back! Very good, personable service as well!!! Thumbs up!

First off no place to park because the shopping center takes all the parking .
Service at 2:00 on A Monday was slow and unprofessional
I got a basket of chips with a 3 ounce cup of red salsa that only had maybe 1 ounce in it. A restaurant that only has 1 napkin at the table and no extra napkins really shows they are cheap and do not have their best interest for the customer.
I ordered 2 beef tacos ala carte and they had about 1 ounce of meat each with just a very light sprinkle of cheese and tomato and some lettuce.
The portion control here is ridiculous and shows they are tripping over dollars to pick up pennies.
Overall a poor value and fair food with terrible service

I have lived in the desert for a year now and I am always looking for the best burrito. I have tired at least 8 other places and I always find myself going back to El Ranchito. The carne asada, buritto or plate, is amazing. The Margaritas are good.
The wait staff is super friendly and they move quickly. The service is fast and efficient.
The interior décor has a feel of an authentic Mexican place.

The only true restaurant-​style of the chain, El Ranchito, for which I am a big fan. A nice outdoor dining area with a view of the parking lot (blah!), but it has spritzers perfect for La Quinta weather.
As far as food goes, it’s alright. For drink, it’s good. I feel like the food is an after thought here. Kind of bland, and just alright.
The service is efficient, and the people are nice.