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    Avila's El Ranchito

    3.8 (612 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Order Avila's El Ranchito Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    AVILA'S EL RANCHITO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Happy hour specials
    Dogs allowed

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    Reviews With Photos

    Avocado Bowl, California Burrito, & Mayan Burrito
    Jina K.

    I came with my family close to opening on a weekday, so there was absolutely no wait and we were able to pick our own table! We got a spot right by the window where there was an ocean view. Our server was so kind, and she gave us free chips and salsa as soon as we sat down! The chips were so good and the salsa had a nice kick to it. We even got a free refill. I got the Mayan Burrito, and it was massive and so incredibly delicious. It was drenched in salsa verde and topped with cheese. I got shredded chicken inside, and it was so yummy. One of the best wet burritos I've had. There was so much filling inside, and such a good size. My sister got the California Burrito with carne asada, and she loved it too! My mom got the Avocado Bowl, and she enjoyed it too. I would absolutely return to this place and order the same burrito! Excellent service, a pretty view, and a nice relaxing ambience!

    Blackened Wild Atlantic Salmon Tacos
    Brooke T.

    Food was amazing! Everything was served warm. The salmon tacos were not super spicy but had a little but of heat. Shrimp tacos had some heat to them. Rice and beans were also good! Rice was a little dry. Food tastes authentic. The service was ok. Took us a while to get our food and drink refills. Everyone was kind. Ambiance was fun! This is a great place to sit outside or at the bar. Locals do come here, and it is a fun place to hang out! Would definitely recommend this place!

    Check

    This place has a good location in Laguna Beach. Service was very good. I had camarones a la Diabla. The shrimp were large, but I didn't like that the shells were partly attached. I prefer them to be removed prior to serving. Although I liked this dish it wasn't at all spicy, which a la Diabla usually is. The salsa that comes with the chips was surprisingly spicy, I liked it very much.

    Adri R.

    I've been multiple Avila's location. This is become a must stop when I visit from Washington. This is my first time visiting the Laguna Beach location. It's probably one of the smaller locations that I've visited but it is the only one that has an ocean view. I love how the staff does an amazing job embracing you and making you feel like your family or friends. Even if it's your first time visiting one of their locations. This is real authentic Mexican food. Their food is always extremely consistent.

    beef Nachos
    Chelsea B.

    Great Mexican spot after going to Wood Cove Beach. Highly recommend the beef nachos big enough to share between 2 people. I looooooove the coconut margarita! I upgraded for the larger size. Servers were really nice and personable. Free chips and salsa. Salsa was yummy had a nice kick to it. However, 1 star off because we waited a long time for food. It was a busy weekend night. Street parking only and the restrooms were nice and clean. I would definitely come here again just for the nachos and the drinks

    Menu
    Sarita P.

    Very disappointed by this restaurant. The chips and salsa were delicious but nothing else. The got the Asada and butter shrimp with Spanish rice and beans. The food was dry and the asada had no seasoning. The butter shrimp was delicious. The tortillas that came with it was directly out of a grocery store. For the price, I feel like I got Robbed. If Mexican food is what you're craving, definitely don't go here unless you just want chips and salsa. Don't waste your money here. I also got a Blood Orange Margarita that I couldn't finish, way too sweet and no tequila.

    Stacy S.

    Great service and food. Lunch on the patio was lovely. Portions for what we ordered were very nice. I had a vegetarian burrito, and he had a baja bowl.

    We had lunch here and the food was excellent. The portions were generous, more than enough for a family of four, especially for this area. Service was quick and friendly, and they also offer complimentary chips and salsa. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating, plus an indoor bar area for those who want to relax with a drink.

    Mercede R.

    Outdoor and indoor seating. Nice bar to sit at. No view as it faces the street, but few short steps to the beach. Complimentary nachos and salsa, very tasty. Friendly servants. I wish I could give it a better review but my beer glass had food stuck on it and i totally lost my appetite.

    Coconut margarita was a nice surprise, yummy!

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    1 month ago

    Great food to pick up ! And eat there can't beat the Ocean view ! I love the chicken soup & crispy Tacos

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    4 months ago

    Melissa had the best service. Fantastic tacos and salsa. Would definitely recommend if you're in the area.

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    11 months ago

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    6 months ago

    Service was great, the restaurant itself was beautiful. I had the cerviche and it was delicious! Can't wait to go back again!

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    8 months ago

    The food and staff are totally amazing! Every time I order from them, the food is delicious.

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    1 year ago

    Great food and service. Taco Tuesday is a favorite! Friendly staff, pleasant atmosphere are great food!

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    Page 1 of 16

    Avila's El Ranchito Reviews in Other Languages

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    Las Brisas - Seafood with an ocean view, unbeatable.

    Las Brisas

    3.6(6.1k reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$$

    Food was amazing; service was even better. We ordered oysters that were so fresh, consider our…read morecravings satisfied! We got the Halibut Special and the Steak and Lobster Special. Both were delicious, especially the avocado sauce for the Halibut. Only complaint was the lobster being a bit too chewy. The blueberry jalapeño marg and spicy espresso martini were also quite tasty. 5/5 stars for Brian. He was super attentive and made sure we had the best experience there. The view, of course, was stunning. Can't go wrong with Las Brisas. Will definitely be back!

    Another las Brisa's success! Never fails…read more Had lunch after my wedding here Had my baby shower here Most of my dates with my husband Specials of the day were so good , also tried the wahoo crudo which I haven't had before, the best . My go to is usually the lobster and steak enchiladas but the halibut is really good Also for my soup fans hear me out , the tortilla soup is actually really good and a decent portion, it's not super crazy but the flavor is there and Ive literally came before just to order the soup. Try it! I will add a note to the owners though, please Please please spend more time training your front staff. Some of the girls looked so confused , as someone who worked in restaurants as well i understand, but when guests are coming to a place to get 90$ steak and 75$ wine, they don't want to be greeted by people who don't know what's happening on their iPad or don't even know table numbers ! I love this place a lot and don't want to see hosts become an issue

    Photos
    Las Brisas - July 30, 2025

    July 30, 2025

    Las Brisas - SEARED SEA SCALLOPS

    SEARED SEA SCALLOPS

    Las Brisas - Blueberry Jalapeno and Emerald Bay Margarita!

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    Blueberry Jalapeno and Emerald Bay Margarita!

    The Taco Stand - Pollo Asado taco

    The Taco Stand

    4.2(559 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $

    Taco Stand never misses -- but just know this is not the exact same experience as the San Diego…read morelocations. The flavor profile here is definitely a bit smokier/charred compared to the Taco Stand spots down south, especially compared to La Jolla. There are slight variations in how some of the food is cooked and prepared, but it's not bad at all -- just different. If you come in expecting an exact replica, you may notice the differences. If you treat this location as its own thing, it's honestly really solid. Huge shoutout to Carlos at the register for the excellent customer service. We ordered food both for here and to-go, and everything was packed separately exactly how we asked. We also made a few modifications after placing the order, and Carlos went out of his way to track down our ticket and write the changes on it himself to make sure everything came out correctly. Food was still great, service was amazing, and we'd definitely come back again.

    I've been to a different location before (La Jolla) and I think this location wasn't as good. I'm…read morenot sure what the difference was but the tacos weren't as flavorful especially when it came to the Carne Asada. At the La Jolla location you can see the staff making the tortillas + churros and this location the tortillas were packaged. I'm not sure if they use the same ingredients but this could have changed the flavor profile. They were still yummy don't get me wrong but they just weren't as good as I remember them. I ordered chips and guac as well and the staff forgot to include it in my order so I had to go up to the counter another time which was quite a hassle given it's a very busy restaurant with the line out the door the entire time I was there. The salsa selection is rather nice especially when most restaurants are trying to cut down on salsa options + use the lower quality ingredients. You can tell the ingredients in the salsas were high + they even have a few creamy options which is hard to see at most Mexican restaurants these days. I do think the guac was a little limey but it wasn't bad when you added it to the tacos. If you go I would recommend you go with zero expectations of eating inside as there are about 5-6 tables + waiting a long time for your food. The beach is 10 steps away so you can always take your food to the beach too!

    Photos
    The Taco Stand - Great spot

    Great spot

    The Taco Stand - California burrito- good carne Asada in there

    California burrito- good carne Asada in there

    The Taco Stand - Freshly made churro with a sweet cream sauce for dipping.

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    Freshly made churro with a sweet cream sauce for dipping.

    Chelas Mexican Kitchen - Best Tacos ever!

    Chelas Mexican Kitchen

    4.5(77 reviews)
    1.2 mi

    Phenomenal food. The fish tacos are excellent. Packed with flavor. Topped with a killer crema. You…read morecan get them fried or grilled. I came here with a friend and we just happened to be there during happy hour. $7 for 2 fish tacos and chips! That's a great happy hour deal! My friend had the chili verde wet burrito and kept interrupting our conversation to comment on how good the burrito was! We also ordered the cinnamon chips and they are excellent. The staff is super nice. The restaurant is order-at-the-counter and seat yourself style. They give you a number. And bring your food to you. There is both seating downstairs and upstairs on a patio deck with a limited ocean view. The patio is charming with market lights and shade. We were there at 5pm and by the time we left the restaurant was full! I would definitely go again!

    Came on a Tuesday night and sat on the first floor patio, which has all high chairs. There's also…read morean upstairs patio. Staff were friendly and service was quick ~10 minutes for food to come out. You order at their counter and they'll bring the food out to wherever you sit. There's a good selection of drinks inside the fridges from Mexican sodas to beers. Would love to see some aguas frescas in the future though! Got the La Calle Taco Combe with steak ($13.99). The tacos were packed! The meat had a great balance of flavor with char. The beans were so smooth--it was delicious. And of course the rice and chips completed the meal. No leftovers from me. Highly recommend and will have to be back to try the crispy chicken tacos.

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    Chelas Mexican Kitchen
    Chelas Mexican Kitchen
    Chelas Mexican Kitchen

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    Reunion Kitchen + Drink

    Reunion Kitchen + Drink

    4.4(788 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$$
    Free parking
    Outdoor seating

    Came here on Mother's Day. This is always a tried and true. We got a little of everything and it…read moredid not disappoint. Would come back here again, no questions asked!

    Laguna Beach: Ample parking and outdoor seating is always a plus in any beach city. We made…read morereservations and glad we did. It was a weekend and the place filled quickly. Loud crowd! Ordered: Salmon Citrus salad. The salmon was cooked perfectly, and my friend was very happy with the amount of salmon to salad ratio. Attractive dish! Sliced Steak & Potato Salad was a nice portion of sliced steak, a decent warm potato salad, and a great side salad. I can't remember if that was one of her side options, but it was a solid choice. Steak was ordered medium rare and it was definitely all rare - but edible. Sometimes it's not a good option to send it back. Fear of over cook. Blackened Halibut Sandwich was my choice and the fresh tasting halibut was cooked to perfection. I would go lighter on the blackened seasoning next time and skip the non-crispy onions straws. Love those but most definitely they were prepped long before we got there. Minor culinary issue as the halibut sandwich was a delicious combo of fresh ingredients that I had to deconstruct so I could manage to eat it. I think only a mega shark could take a bite of this sandwich as it was meant to be built! So it nicely transformed into a Blackened Halibut Salad plate with a highly recommended crispy Caesar salad for the side. I enjoyed every bite. I would go here again. Service was courteous and prompt, and our food was served on the spot. We were too full to try their recommended warm butter cake. Next time it's Brussel sprouts and desert! Well, maybe a side of a self-deconstructed Halibut Sandwich.

    Photos
    Reunion Kitchen + Drink - Halibut Sandwich

    Halibut Sandwich

    Reunion Kitchen + Drink
    Reunion Kitchen + Drink - BBQ Cobb Salad

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    BBQ Cobb Salad

    Avila's El Ranchito - mexican - Updated June 2026

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