I love this place! I've been here a few times now and I'm very happy with their consistency in service and food quality. Everyone is very friendly. Everything is super flavorful. I'm latin and I cook very well so that's a lot coming from me! My favorite dishes so far are the enchiladas (any of them), carne asada burrito wet, nachos, shrimp entree is delicious, and carne asada tacos. The chips are warm and perfectly crunchy. This is definitely a new family favorite:) read more

Jesus was an amazing server. food was excellent as always. The people are warm and friendly. love it here.

The service was wonderful. The food got out quick and our server Marisol was very kind and helpful. The Mayan Treasure was the dish that I ordered and it was delicious. read more

They were good for the first 5 years after they opened. I made the mistake of going today for dinner and remembered why I don't go there. The first red flag was it was prime dinner time on a Tuesday and the restaurant was literally empty for Taco Tuesday. The restaurant is filthy. I ordered a chicken tostada which was basically wet lettuce on top of a soggy tostada that had a sad smear of beans. At least dry the lettuce. Also the server came holding the plate with half his hands shoved into the salad. Disgusting. The icing on the cake was when the bill came. The server up charged me for choosing chicken and sneakily putting the order in with grilled chicken which I never asked for and then charging me $5 for it. The manager had no intention of making things right either. Disgusting place with zero customer service. No wonder all of my neighbors go down the street to Casita Olvera. Can't believe I wasted $50 of my hard earned money at this dump. read more

drove an hour and it was so worth it!!! the food was amazing and my server Diana was so sweet and helpful. She recommended a really good tequila that really complimented my meal. try them out!! read more

We love coming to Avila's! We've never had a bad meal! My husband loves the Mayan Treasure and I love the Natalie's Special. I have a complicated diet and they work with me. Ask for the spicy salsa-- so delicious! We always receive great service. Our favorite staff are Jesus, an A+ server who always gives 100%, and Juan behind the bar who helps with my special orders! The place is welcoming, though busy, and the food is always correct. I highly recommend Avila's El Ranchito in Foothill Ranch. :) read more

Avila's El Ranchito - We love coming to Avila's! The food here is always delicious! My favorite is the Natalie's Special and my husband likes the Mayan Treasure! - Mexican Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

Food was so well done. Drinks were amazing. Our server, Diana, was so wonderful and helpful and went above and beyond for us.

My favorite restaurant best Mexican food ever and awesome salsa! And perfect location close to where we live as well!

Suspected food tampering, Beware! I dined here tonight by myself. I ordered a fajita salad and chingalingas appetizer (sliced flauta pieces). The chingalingas came out first and my first bite I noticed immediately they were not hot at all, room temp. I told my waitress and she took them back to the cooks. I was very nice about it and merely asked for them to be reheated. I could see her talking to them and saw the cooks laughing. About 5min later I saw the chingalingas sitting on the shelf waiting to be taken to my table. Another waitress grabbed them and as she did, I could see the cooks laughing and chuckling. As she dropped them off, she had a grin on her face as she was trying to hold back laughter. I looked at my plate and it appeared they just dropped them in a fryer to warm them up, which is fine. I reluctantly took a bite after seeing the cooks laugh and the waitress grinning as she dropped them off. Not a minute later a different waitress walks by my table with a grin, also appearing to be holding back laughter, and as she walks by she looks at my plate of chingalingas, then glances at me, and then looks forward, again all while she appears to be holding back laughter. Why was the girl that dropped them off grinning? Why was a waitress that prior to that had not looked at me or noticed me at all now almost laughing as she glances at the plate of food I had sent back? That same waitress that walked by also looked over at me a minute later as she was sitting at a table off to the side. At that point I didn't eat anymore than that first bite. Shortly after my waitress walked by, but she wouldn't even look at me or my plate, seamingly avoiding contact with me. While I don't have proof, I feel strongly the cooks tampered with my food after sending it back when it was cold and shared what they did with a few others. Why else would they be looking at me, my plate, and holding back laughter when prior to that they didn't even know I was in the restaurant? Needless to say I only took that one bite and will never eat here again. read more

Fourteen dollars for a bunch of shredded lettuce, tomatoes, a smear of beans, and a glob of avocado? They shouldn't call this an avocado salad bowl. This was more like a lettuce tray. Never again! Hey, @Ofelia A. I found the lettuce you were missing on your taquitos. I think they were saving all of the lettuce for my bowl; sorry, you didn't get any. read more

Truly a hidden gem in Foothill Ranch for this chain. We ordered al la carte tacos and enchiladas. Our service was great, our tacos were loaded with chicken and my cheese enchilada was perfect. My friend had the mole enchilada and the flavor was better than "that restaurant on the lake". Our margaritas were shaken and poured at our table. I had a caddi and my friend had the cucumber-wow, very refreshing! We will be back soon! read more

Horrible food for lunch , server and manager both sitting at a table texting while we are trying to get help and even paying the bill was ridiculous! Never coming back to this Avila's . The one in lake Forest is more interested in their customers and service ! $70 for tacos and little soup and guac that we're all shit ! Sad we were all disappointed for the last time read more

The food and service are great, restaurants are always clean and smell delicious, chips are fresh as is the salsa they bring to your table or pack up for to go orders. read more

Love this place. I usually come on Taco Tuesday and get the crispy chicken tacos which are a hit. I'm here today for the chicken taquitos which are pretty tasty. I have always received great professional service over the years I've been coming here and the also have the dining room open along with outside dining. I thought after all the times I've been here it's about time to tell others how it is. Great Food, atmosphere and a great happy professional staff. This is family owned and so much better than any chain and love to support small business especially what they have gone through. Free Salsa and Chips when you set town. They have always been pretty quick with getting your fresh order cooked and to your table in a timely manner. read more

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Delicious food and drinks, well packaged, and great service. Ordered through Ubereats; got a call soon after placing the order to make sure my notes were understood correctly. Most restaurants wouldn't bother to do that. Food arrived well packaged (bag stapled shut), food was still hot , all requested sides/extras were included. read more

Great margaritas, honestly the best out of the 3 or 4 Avilas I've been to locally in OC. Cadillac on the rocks w salt ;) I always go for the enchiladas w green sauce combination plate. read more

Best lunch I've had in a very long time My hosts and server were excellent The mama Avila soup was delicious with guacamole I ordered raspberry juice with champagne and I poured all the small juice in. My entree of shredded beef enchilada with beans and rice was the best. I was going to drive to Newport Beach location however I'm glad I ate here. I saved gas money and am having el Ranchito cater my Easter brunch This location has a good kids menu. read more

This is my new favorite location! I have to give a huge shoutout to Jesus, he immediately made us feel like family and welcomed us in for our meal with so much joy and kindness. He was so attentive and truly made our experience a 10/10. Best refried beans, chips and quesadilla I've ever had! The food is great but the service from Jesus is what made the meal so memorable and delightful. Looking forward to coming back! read more

Diana is the server we always ask for. She is fabulous. The food is always excellent. We go on Taco Tuesdays & the place is usually hopping. The ambiance is fun & the service is great. We will definitely keep going back for more. read more

Excellent service They are taking the necessary precautions, highly recommended Avila's Foothill Ranch read more

Food is good and what you expect from this chain. Unfortunately the service is hit or miss. Weekend morning crew is great, but weekday nights are not. I've tried several weekday nights and the service is always subpar. read more

We came in tonight, hoping to get to sit in Diana's station- she is our favorite server, so attentive and personable! We have been coming here for years because of her. As luck would have it, Diana was working and we were able to sit at her station. And then, things changed. Within 5 minutes of sitting down, we were told she cannot be our server- the manager, Jesus, had pulled her from us. We are not sure why Jesus pulled her, but for a manager to take our server after we were already seated when he knows we prefer her station, has left us annoyed, unhappy and a bit confused. This is unacceptable. He knows we prefer Diana and ask for her every time we are here. Someone really needs to have a talk with Jesus about customer service. read more

El Ranchito is a weekly if not twice weekly must for my family. The food is always amazing and the service is consistently on point. Blanca always takes such amazing care of us. The Avila soup has become my favorite comfort food. read more

Good service and palatable cuisine gives Avila's El Ranchito just three stars. I was hoping for a bit more as the decor inside is festive, but it really is just a run of the mill mexican restaurant with nothing that makes it a 'must go' place. I had the enchiladas and they were OK but the sauces didn't have any punch so it left them a bit on the bland side. What we were really hoping was going to be the highlight of the meal was the table side guacamole, but sadly we would have been better off running to Chipotle. The guac came out way too chunky and even a bit dry...which I'm not sure how you pull off with guacamole, but alas it can be done. Even the baby didn't care much for it and he eats just about everything. Service was a definite plus! The servers were on their game, polite, and professional. If you are looking for an inexpensive and fast mexican themed meal, the place is alright, but if you are looking for something more authentic you may want to keep your options open. read more

Came here tonight and this place was small, slow staff, and the food lacked flavor... Go to the other location near also viejo thst one is way better, better staff and more space and tastier food read more

This place is authentic Mexican food. I ordered the cheese enchiladas my boyfriend ordered the chicken enchiladas we both loved them they were delicious the chicken was marinated. The drinks were also good I had the Cadillac margarita. We also ordered the guacamole they actually make it at your table so good!! The staff was so nice I would definitely recommend and will be visiting again soon! My sister ordered the abondigas and her husband ordered the Pozole they loved it! read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Mexican Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

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The food was okay presentation was sad For the price . Not great had 3 taquitos and no lettuces no sour cream no cheese . suck when u expect it to look festive . read more

We were so extremely happy to not only get out of the house...but, to be back at Avila's Foothill Ranch for an "Outdoor" dining experience, last night! They (like many other businesses) have become creative and utilized a portion of their Parking Lot, to create "outdoor dining"...and WE appreciated it! Sure...there are cars passing by ...but, nothing beats enjoying their deliciously prepared food...straight from the kitchen! (We have ordered to go...but, prefer this route!) As always...Maria (our lovely waitress) was incredible...as was the food! The only thing missing was one of their margaritas...but, that was by choice...as we don't have the means to work this meal off at Planet Fitness! (Hopefully, our gyms will open up soon, too!) Please support our local businesses... Again, thank you Maria...we appreciated you kindness! read more

I have been coming to Avila's El Ranchito for the past three years starting back in 2016, they have excellent authentic Mexican dishes / food here.The atmosphere inside is nicely decorated and the entire staff of servers are excellent and always happy to recommend something delicious for you to try. I myself cant seem to get away from the Steak Freitas, just thinking about this excellent dish makes me hungry, the meat is nicely marinated and mixed with onions, red and green bell-pepper and tomato's, severed on a HOT Skillet with rice and beans, of course they have an excellent menu of other great food, but how I do love the Steak Freitas, Chicken Freitas and the delicious Shrimp Freitas, the serving amounts are very generous, and the prices are fantastic. I highly recommend Avila's El Ranchito, I am always there on a Saturday afternoon having my Steak Freitas, stop by and say hello and tell them "Lou" sent ya! read more

I love Mexican food and this restaurant is near my daughters house in Foothill Ranch. We were babysitting all week and decided to go out for dinner. I had a blue ocean margarita and it was excellent and quite filling. I had a Carnitas dinner my son had chili Verde, and my husband had a Carnitas taco salad. All were excellent including the salsa. They had a nice selection for a kids menu although the drinks were extra. The wait staff was very helpful and attentive for a Wednesday night it was pretty crowded which was a good sign. Wish they had this type of restaurant near where we live in Avila beach. read more

The place is a waste of space. Got the order wrong. Terrible Beef & Chicken. Refried beans & rice were tasteless. The Arnold Palmer was like brown water. Chips are thin and pretty good, but the salsa was from a can or jar. I wasn't impressed at the one in Newport Beach, and this Foothill Ranch store was even worse. Save your money, and don't go to El Ranchito. Del Taco is better, and they are not great, but you don't feel violated at the cash register. The Trifecta, Bad Food, Bad Drink & bad help read more

For anyone who has not been to Avila's, let me just tell you you are missing out. The food is five stars. The service is always top notch and not to mention you'll leave so full that you won't be hungry for a day. The drinks, especially the margaritas are always mixed perfectly not too sour, not too sweet. Although we don't have any pictures for tonight's dinner, my husband got the Camerona's with the garlic butter, which is his absolute favorite. The size of the shrimp, Well they're more like prawns. It's also offered in a Diablo flavor that is not for the faint of heart. He does enjoy that one as well, but you have to be ready for the heat that comes with that plate. I went with a basic bitch two combination plate, which is never a bad option one crispy ground beef taco, and one shredded beef enchilada, rice and beans. Always very filling doesn't break the bank but it's so classic. It's hard to say no. My mother got the tostada with Carnitas, which she was very happy with and also she could not finish... the portions are just very generous. As far as the surroundings when you're in there, also just like the food, amazing pictures all over the walls, showing the history of the Avila family and a couple TVs if your husband is easily distracted. Jesus is our waiter today, we always hope to have him be our waiter whenever we go, he's always so loving and kind. My husband even calls him his hermano. Avilas is all around five stars from the food to the service to the surroundings. We love going in there and hate leaving. If you have yet to eat at Avila's, you really should take the time to stop in and have a plate I promise you won't be disappointed, although we didn't take pictures of our food, here is a picture with Jesus with us enjoying a plate of flan. All three of us had to share it because we were so stuffed from the generous portions. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Flan - Mexican Near Me - Foothill Ranch, California

Don't waste your money, go elsewhere. Can't get the orders right, food quality has gone downhill, waaay over priced for what you get. Wife got fajitas- steak and shrimp. She got chicken and one shrimp, so technically they weren't lying. Half a tomato, cut in 2 pieces, cause I guess slicing is hard. I got flautas, asked for the dinner plate, got the combo item- with 1 item, 2 flautas. Horrible. Only thing that was good was the chips salsa. Don't use this "virus" as an excuse either, the spot off first street is awesome, you guys just lack the effort. read more

This is a family owned business and a popular restaurant in our area. You can feel the family owned vibe. Everyone is super friendly. I came in to get a bowl of soup for my sick husband and decided on getting the Mama Avila chicken soup special. I decided to get a cup for myself too. Now, I don't expect much from a soup but it was really good. It had a lot of flavor in the broth. The soup itself has rice, chicken, and I would recommend adding the pico de Gallo and avocado (which come as sides) into your soup. It was delightful. The medium also comes with flour tortilla, and I think they threw in some chips and salsa for free. It was well worth the money. Well, I know exactly where to get soup now and the best part is, I'm not going to wait for sick days for soup anymore. read more

We had a large party and they were very accommodating and super punctual with drinks and food.

Jesus was the best!! Great food and great service! Went here for taco Tuesday with friends and had a great experience!

I ordered the ChingaLingas and found a broken wooden stick in one of them apparently they use it to flip them in the fryer and broke a piece off. I notified the waitress and she told the manager I didn't hear any feedback from the manager. So I took my leftovers home going to eat them the next morning and I can't believe it I found another broken stick in my food almost swallowed it. Last time I order the chingolingas. I have to say I do like their food but their cook has to be more careful. See photo. read more

Had A Great Dinner Tonight With My Family And Our Server Jesús Was On The Ponit On Everything Thank you very much for your hard work...

I came for the Menudo. Hard to find good menudo around here. Broth was good but the tripe taste like canned menudo and at $20 for a large!! Not worth it! Highly disappointed. read more

Awesome, great quality food and friendly service. First time going and very excited to try all the flavor margaritas and explore the beautiful menu. I had the mole, reminded me of grandmas read more