Tacos El Rancherito

This place is the bomb! I’m a regular here, and always get their Al Pastor tacos that are only $ 1.50 each. This place doesn’t look nice from the inside or outside, but their tacos speak for themselves! You really get a bang for your buck, and I even got my younger siblings hooked on this place.

If you know what you want, don’t care about «Service with a smile», and don’t mind feeling uncomfortable waiting — then this is the perfect place for you!
I don’t ask for much, but politeness is a bare minimum. I visited for lunch takeout. I asked if they made a taco salad and the woman (with the crew cut) gave me an unkind look. After placing an order and waiting 15-​minutes, I was told that they ran out of beans (I was the only customer placing an order there. Two other tables had already been taken care of). After a 20-​minute wait, my order of «Flauta’s» was ready (did I mention that I was the only customer there?).
I have to admit the food was delicious, but service could be improved greatly. If the service matched the food, I would have given this establishment 4-​stars. ADVICE: Make ALL customers feel welcome to spend their money on your delicious food. Not sure if I will go back and support this establishment.

I saw that they had tripe tacos and I absolutely had to get those tripe tacos. They offered the standard pollo, carne asada, and pork tacos along with cabeza, tripas, and lengua. I got sold on the last three. I came, I ate, and I won’t return and this is why… The tacos lacked flavor and just weren’t that good. The cabeza was dry which is surprising because it’s so fatty. The tripe. I’m not even sure if it was tripe. it looked like intestine more than anything. Beside the fact, it was extremely chewy and crunchy. I spent a whole minute trying to chew it down enough to swallow. eventually I gave up on the whole taco. Lengua was pretty dry too… I was also disappointed that I didn’t get the roasted pepper and radishes with my meal. My boyfriend’s sister ordered the quesadilla and I tried a piece. It was so salty. Maybe they accidentally dropped the whole tub of salt in the beef and were like, «Eh it’ll be fine.» Yeah, I’m good. The only thing I really enjoyed there was the birria which is goat meat, I believe, in a delicious both. It fell right off the bone and didn’t have that weird gamey smell that you can typically taste in goat.
To top off the bland tasting or extremely over salted food, the floor was littered with dead bugs and the bathroom was out of service. I’ll look for tripe tacos elsewhere.

Located in one of the more – shall we say – «distressed» neighborhoods, Tacos El Rancherito (TER) has quickly become my «go-​to» spots for tasty and value-​priced Tacos in ESSJ. I’ve only had their Tacos, and I usually cycle through most of their meats just to keep it fresh. Here’s my Top 4:
Carnitas– Terrific! Crunchy, juicy and delicious. For those who are used to Gringo Carnitas, these will blow your mind.
Lengua– Beefy, tender and flavorful – the way Lengua should be.
Tripas– They usually come out a bit «gamey,» but their crunch, salsa and fresh cilantro/​onion toppings really make up for it.
Al Pastor– Not the best Al Pastor that I’ve had, but it’s serviceable; it lacks the sweetness that I look for.
Service & Ambiance– The employees working the counter don’t speak too much English, but I’ve never had an issue communicating with them in Spanglish, or otherwise. They’re usually my favorite kind of employee: fast and efficient. Despite the area, I’ve never seen any shady types hanging around, but –then again– I’ve only come at lunchtime. I’m sure after dark is a whole ‘nother story.
Value– This is definitely TER’s strong suit, as these are easily the cheapest Tacos that I know of. They’re either $ 1.25/ea, or $ 1.90/ea, depending on how «exotic» you want to get. With some places charging $ 3(!!) a Taco these days, TER is a cheap/​poor man’s dream.
I remember seeing the «$ 1 Taco» sign back in the day, and wondering how good could it be for only $ 1/​ea?! And that’s not to mention the suspect location. Well, long-​gone are those days of the $ 1 taco, and my resolve for venturing where most Unilocalers fear to tread has emboldened. So, worry not, my friends! I’m here to preach to you that TER is worthy of your Taco Tuesday celebrations! Go forth and feast! ¡Arrrrrriba!

I have to start off by saying that you shouldn’t go to places because of reviews on Unilocal.This is the 4^th place we’ve been to because of good reviews. And it’s the 4^th place we’ve really been disappointed.
Taco Review
The Tacos were not good. I ordered my wife, kids and myself all tacos. Carnitas, asada, chorizo, chicken, tripe and lengua. First they didn’t put salsa on my wife’s tacos because they assumed she didn’t like salsas. My wife is Caucasian. Second, the asada was not good, my wife and I had to spit out the Asada because of its taste. Third, the salsas were somewhat plain, not spicy at all and it was obvious all the tomatoes and Tomatillos were from a can. The other meats were good but nothing to rave about. Would not go again. And would not recommend it to friends.

Cheap tacos! I got 4: chicken, al pastor, carnitas, and carne asada. The chicken one was my least favorite, because it was lacking flavor. The carne asada was a bit tough and I think could have done with more flavor as well. The carnitas and al pastor were good, but both had way too much oil. The carnitas meat was really soft and chewy; it was pretty perfect besides the amount of oil. Same with the al pastor. All my tortillas were basically soaked in oil, which was not too appetizing. My tacos came really hot though, but I suspect the use of a microwave? Not entirely sure, but I’ve never had a taco that hot before. I could barely pick it up to eat. On my way out, I found out that I came in after hours yet they still served me (they close at 8PM on Tuesday). I would come back if it were less oily, but because of it, I don’t think I’ll be coming back despite the cheap price of $ 1.25 per taco pre-​tax!

Delicious and homey. It’s literally down the block from my apartment, so I get it whenever I get the chance after work or school. Carnitas is probably my favorite. Juicy and meaty. Add the line, of course! I like that the tacos are smaller. It’s not the huge ones, which makes it easier to eat. It says $ 2 per taco outside, but it’s actually cheaper! The service is great and everyone just generally seems to be in a happy mood there. Parking isn’t an issue. The only thing that does suck is that they don’t have guac :(other than that, you gotta try my to go taco place.

CARNITA TACOS: Best carnitas in ESSJ. The first time I had it, the pork was really crispy and a was phenomenal contrast to the soft corn tortilla. Simply dressed with chopped onions, cilantro, and salsa. Even though they’ve raised their price from $ 1 to $ 1.25, its not a big deal like others make it out to be because the quality is still there.
CARNE ASADA TACOS: I’ve tasted better carne asada, but at least it isn’t hard as a rock like I’ve had at other taquerias. I’d give their carne 3 stars.
AL PASTOR TACOS: Good BBQ taste, but wish it was crispy like their carnitas. 3.5 stars.
HORCHATA: hate how their Togo cups are only one size and leaning more towards the small-​medium size because I LOVE their horchata!!! I am usually very picky when it comes to horchata because some of them literally taste like the first rinse of rice water and ice and has no white/​milky color to it but a transparent wannabe white. This is not the case here! Cinnamon is obviously present in their beverage and nice and sweet. I don’t get it with ice because their dispenser keeps it chilled. 5 star love.
SUPER BURRITO (WITH CARNITAS): Average burrito. I’d skip on the extra side of sour cream because not as thick as I’d prefer sour cream to be. More watery like texture that made everything mushy.
CHIPS & SALSA: excellente corn chips and home made salsa! Not too salty and good kick to their salsa.
CHZ QUESADILLA: plain & simple and yummy all around. Cheesed used is mouth watering and stretches like a cheese quesadilla (and pizza) should. Only suggestion is to cut into smaller pieces because its three giant slabs from a whole tortilla folded in half.
AMBIANCE/​SERVICE: Always friendly service and what seems to be a hard working staff of ladies. I rarely see any male figures in the kitchen (maybe once or twice). More on the sketchier side of ESSJ, so I wouldn’t prefer to dine in at night necessarily (sometimes during the day even) but their food is delicious fresh and can get ruined when taken to go from the steam and become extra soggy. Quick bite?- yes. But not suggested for campers. Should have a sign that says: dine in at your own risk (but that’s in general for King/​McKee) due to all the funky characters you see lurking around. Good amount of parking however

I get the same thing every time I come to San Jose with my boyfriend. Carne asada tacos. And each time they are so yummy! I love the salsa verde and the meat is so flavorful. At a $ 1.25 its a steal! I live in Danville so I savour each and every little taco when I’m in the area because there is no value or taste like the Mexican food of San Jose. I need to try something new here. Don’t expect any special service here or anything, just good food that comes out quick. As long as I go to San Jose, I’ll keep going here.

I ordered a super carne Asada. I thought the meat was dry and it tasted more like chorizo because they probably cooked some earlier. I enjoyed the amount of cheese. The burrito itself looked lovely and was wrapped perfectly. I don’t like what they are doing with the chips, mine were so stale. I would like some chips made from scratch with fresh salsa. This place could be a four because I have had only the burrito and maybe the burrito isn’t their specialty. When I’m in the neighborhood I might try something else from them or get some Chinese from down the street. They have a huge menu which I think is awesome.

Tacos El Rancherito is located in a high density area. It doesn’t look like much on the outside, in fact, it looks like a shack. Workers don’t speak much English, but it really doesn’t matter. Had no issues ordering.
I usually just get the tacos, at $ 1.25 a taco, it’s hard not too. It’s loaded with meat. Three tacos should fill you up, four if you’re feeling really hungry. You can’t go wrong with the al pastor and the carnitas.
This is a hole in the wall that is kept clean. Restroom is located outside the restaurant. Plenty of parking lot. The exterior and location might turn some people away but you should really give this place a try. Tacos are cheap and good, that’s all that matters.

My girlfriend and I love this place. We travel to SJ every week or so and I’m pretty sure we stop for these tacos every time! the Asada and al pastor is by far the best meat choices they have. We really love their plain tacos with salsa. They have served us with 10 – 20 mins before closing with a smile. I grew up in Stockton and I feel right at home eating this Mexican food! Thanks for being awesome yall!

Authentic tacos. Portion is very small! I’m normally full after 2 – 3 tacos, I finished 7 tacos in 1 seating here. Meat is tender and good. Not much to say about except for the small portion.

Chicken tacos were very savory, on two small yellow corn tortillas. I’d give them 4 out of 5 stars. I can’t say the same for the Torta. I ordered a veggie torta, and to my surprise was filled with only lettuce, sour cream, avocado and lightly shredded cheese. It had no taste to it and was a 6 dollar plus tax sad torta. They could have at least added jalapenos, onions, tomatoes and beans… or some MSG hahah. I’ll definitely go back for the tacos when I’m in the area though, tasty and cheap at 1.25 each.

The tacos here were $ 1 flat for years and the price was even a part of the store name on the sign above. They’re $ 1.25 now which is still really good. $ 5 for a burrito and $ 6 for a super burrito. Those are some taco Tuesday, taco truck rates that’s priced as such all the time here at this restaurant and FYI restaurants incur much more in expenses.
They stacked my six delicious tacos on one plate in a way that made it easy for me to pick up. Economic

My bf and I come here at least twice a month for the $ 1.25 carne asada tacos. We live downtown so there are a lot of taco places to choose from, but we always come here. So dang good!!!
The tacos are mouth watering and with the lime and sauces they have, they’re even better. I don’t even Unilocal that often, but I had to give this place a shout out!

One day, I was talking with my coworker on the best tacos I ever tasted in San Diego, and he pointed out a lunch truck near my workplace that had the best tacos al pastor he ever tasted. Of course, I went out to find it…
Only to end up at a shack located on McKee and King Rd. A shack with some of the better tasting and cheaper tacos al pastor I have ever come across.
For $ 1.25/taco, that is pretty damn cheap to me (although I hear it used to be under a dollar? I blame the drought and rising food prices across the board.), and they were quite tasty too. Maybe I came on a good day, because I didn’t think the al pastor meat was too salty.
Man, I love finding these hidden gems!

First things first, you need to be comfortable getting food from a run down place. It is not the best looking joint but the food is alright.
the tacos are $ 1.25 for now and they are a pretty good deal. each one consists roughly of about 250 calories which is a good bang for your buck. I speak Spanish and can communicate with the staff well. If you don’t speak English it might be a little tricky to order. «I Seens it!»
The Restaurant: As I mentioned above, this place is nasty looking from inside and out. It definitely needs a makeover
The Food: The food is alright. The amount of meat that goes into every taco is average at best. I tend to split up my tacos (they come with two tortillas) and eat them that way. Tacos come with meat, salsa, cilantro and onion. The quesadilla come with meat, salsa, and on the side lettuce and sour cream.
The Staff: Again as I mention above, English sometimes is not the best for of communication. keep it simple when you order and you will get what you want. I’ve only met the cashier/​bus boy and they seemed nice.
This place is right by my work. I only came here a second time because I wanted something spicy while I was sick. I wont frequent it unless I feel like something really greasy.

Remember folks, if it’s been here forever, it must mean they’re legit. Well, at least most of the time.
Growing up, I’ve always known this place existed. It used to be a hotspot after short days of classes on Wednesdays when I went to high school at Independence because of their thick super burritos and really decent pricing.
It wasn’t until recently that I found out about their $ 1 tacos. (Come on D, the sign on top of the sign even says so.) So while I was a little surprised over the fact that they’re no longer a dollar — they’re $ 1.25, with the more premium meats like lengua and tripas being $ 1.75 — I still decided to splurge and buy one of every taco.
So I bought carne asada, al pastor, pollo, cabeza, lengua, tripas, chorizo, and carnitas with a bottle of Modelo especial. Each of them were pretty damn good, with strong preference for the lengua and tripas tacos. They’re a bit small, but the way everything was cooked, I didn’t mind. I also would’ve preferred a little more vegetables or pico de gallo. They provide some radishes and sliced carrots, but that’s only so much.
I’ll definitely come back. One because it’s close to me. Two because I wanna try some of their more legit Mexican dishes.
The burritos are okay, and they’ll definitely fill you up, but I think the tacos are the real marquee menu choice.

THEY HAVE TACOS FOR ONLY $ 1, EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! This review pretty much writes itself.
No need to wait for Tuesdays for Taco Tuesday specials anymore! I can get $ 1 tacos whenever I want now! TUESDAYS CAN SUCK IT.
Also, for $ 0.75 more, you can expand your options to tongue, chorizo, and tripe! But the usual $ 1 tacos consist of pollo, carne asada, carnitas, al pastor, etc. All good choices to be honest. The tacos are pretty good for what I’ve stumbled up on in the area, worth a try!