We sat down and after minutes, I had to get back up and ask the host can we get a waiter please. It went downhill after that. The chips were cold and tasted like they were made out of plastic. We ask for fresh ones and got the same ones back that were microwaved and still tasting like plastic. The rest of the dinner also sucked. How this place stays open in be on me. read more

With so many other options, skip this location. Service staff very helpful, so a shame the food was awful. Manager claimed, "Well, we were busy." Avila's locations are not all equal. Never had a bad meal at other locations. read more

If you're looking for great Mexican food that has an upscale feel but isn't super expensive, this is the place! It's family owned and of their locations this is probably the prettiest one. Oh it used to be a Church so it feels very rustic and old style and got inspired. The service is usually pretty good, although tonight it was strangely busy so we rarely saw our waiter at our table...also it's really noisy in here so it makes it difficult to hear each other. Giving it 4 stars though because the food really is good and the building is so cute! read more

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Definitely the place to be to enjoy the best, authentic Mexican food there is on the planet. The interior of the restaurant is very lively and bright as it is a previous converted church building. The staff was very friendly provided the food in a very reasonable amount of time starting off with chips and salsa and some refreshing glass of water. I will definitely be back here. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Mexican Near Me - Orange, California

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We went there for a family celebration (3 generations) so there were eight in our party. One of the family members was in a wheelchair so the hostess was kind enough to seat us in the back room. This was ideal because another family member has hearing issues and it was quieter in that room. The food was excellent. Can't wait to go back again! read more

Location is great, ambiance is perfect. The staff is good, food.... No. Sorry el ranchito... your food lacks sabor (flavor).

Sat right away... great food and atmosphere. The food came out within minutes... couldn't be happier with the experience. Parking can be a little dicey depending on time of day but there's plenty around and a short walk doesn't hurt read more

Awesome ambience, but food is not flavorful. Salty doesn't equal savory Mexican food. I will keep trying as it's the cutest corner ever with those sweet heat lamps lighting up PCH. read more

Wow I'm giving this restaurant five stars which is hard for me to since I haven't like many Mexican restaurant. By suprise this place was delicious. I had their shrimp enchiladas and it was excellent. I literally ate the whole plate with rice and beans. It's family friendly with great food and drinks. Totally recommend for anyone looking for a family place to dine. read more

Good food and we will be back for sure. Service was good. Not too loud inside at all.

Great food, great environment, great service, great building, it used to be a church, so we went to church today.Magda was an awesome server read more

Avila's El Ranchito - The old church stain glass with my beautiful wife - Mexican Near Me - Orange, California

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Great food! Very lively place. Like going to Abuelas house. We will be regularly going here after church. read more

We love eating here. There beans and rice taste Authentic. My favorite plate is carne asada and mojo de ojo plate - so tasty!!! Staff is friendly and fast. It gets crowded during peak hours but you can eat at the bar if with friends read more

I used to work for the company and was disappointed with the lack of enthusiasm from employees. It was my first time at this location tonight and the server with the mustache was inattentive and unmotivated which made the experience far less enjoyable. I even felt bad asking for napkins. Although the young busser did check up on us with enthusiasm which I really appreciated. I hope management takes steps to improve staff training. Other than the unwelcoming experience the food was great! read more

Went to this restaurant for lunch today to get their famous homemade chicken soup and flauta lunch special. I checked the menu price and it read $15. Upon ordering this from the menu, to go. The waiter then asked the other waiter a question in Spanish He nodded something with his head. Then he rang up my food at $20. I asked why he was charging me an extra $5. He said that I would eat in, they charge the $15 but take out and call in orders cost extra. It doesn't say that on the menu. He just shrugged his shoulders in not knowing why! Then I said oh, I know it's because you add your own tip automatically, because the eat in customers will leave you a 20% tip... am I correct? He then gave me a fake smile Next time plan a take out order, I will order in, then pay it with an excuse and leave... WTF read more

Always great service by kind and respectful servers. The ambiance is really nice at this El Ranchito. The food is always good. That's exactly why I will return. read more

I came here with my husband last week on Sunday expecting brunch but perhaps that was a COVID casualty. Regardless, here's the positives - the location, just south of the Circle and behind the Sunkist packing building, is super cool. It's a converted church and has gorgeous stained glass windows and is a unique space. That being said, I came here with the expectation of having flavorful, authentic Mexican food and that was not the case at all. My husband summed it up as being "whitewashed". The carnitas he ordered had the district impression of being reheated and although tasty it was super dry in the preparer's attempt to crisp it up. The tortillas looked handmade and amazing (though he didn't let me even taste one.) I had shrimp enchiladas and was not impressed. The sauce was bland and it lacked flavor. Overall, we will probably go elsewhere next time, but it was a nice location. read more

Wow! Amazing food and service. We took the recommendation for the shrimp mole and was not disappointed. So flavorful. Ordered two tacos off the appetizer menu because I thought they were going to be small. One was enough for me. Great atmosphere too. Parking was a little tight but we managed. read more

6 of us went for nice evening dinner on Saturday July 5th. The server assigned didn't listen, didn't order right items. 1 guest's order given proper instructions not to include any cheese. 2 nd guests order was served cold 3 times. 2nd attempt they brought wrong order. Manager was involved by the staff but she didn't apologize or explained what happened. Rice order was served as fries which we didn't order & returned. Finally rice came 10 minutes late. No rectification nor apologies. No compensation for server acting either in rush, not listening or didn't comprehend english. We paid full & 18% tip which they didn't deserve a penny of it. Finally b4 leaving I talk to the self claimed mgr about the wrong orders more than once, tableware missing etc, she had nothing to say, no apologies. I told her i will be posting this on yelp. We have been here few times but this was the epitome of worst service by the staff. As i was the one to make a reservations though they don't take one, felt embarrassed & bad for rest of my group for bad service. I will not recommend this place to anyone or will ever step a foot in this restaurant. I would give minus 5 to the establishment. No one is training staff, quality check on orders or being courteous when they make mistakes. Go @ your own risk. At the end of the evening paid $320 for 5 drinks & 1 sofa & 5 dinner entries out of which 1 was shared between the couple. Waste of time & money read more

The food was excellent. Fresh and large portions. We actually went back 2 days in a row . The wait staff was very attentive and make sure water was filled and chips refilled. Highly recommend read more

Service is always stellar, the wait staff are always checking on the table and making sure you have everything you need. The food is always delectable and Mama Avila's soup is so comforting on these cold and damp days . The church is such a cute environment to dine in. Overall any patron of this establishment will not be disappointed. Thank you to staff at Avila's El Ranchito on always making my visits so enjoyable. read more

While the good can be excellent, the quality of Avila's has significantly declined in the last year, in terms of both food and service. For example, tonight's meal consisted of Carnitas, which are normally one of the better dishes here, and the Chicken Mole, another favorite. Carnitas literally had the look and mouth feel of roast turkey that has dried out in the fridge, and was ice cold toward the bottom. Microwaved, we suspect. My wife's Mole was over spiced. It is not normally spicy. When I myself ordered it last time, the chicken was extremely dry. Not that it matters much: the waiter never came to check on us, or ask how the food was. The busboys did everything, and all the waiter did was to ask us if we wanted dessert. Which I had to watch my wife eat, since every dessert here is covered in ice cream (not originally the case,) and I have a fairly lovely combination of milk allergy and lactose intolerance. Normally, the server might be kind enough to ask me if Im okay, would I like something myself? Nope. Finally, we've noticed something a bit weird. On our last three visits, my plate has included a side of pickled jalapeños, irrespective of dish. My wife never gets these herself. Is this some sort of "oh, he's going to like spicey, and she can't handle it?" No idea. Overall, when the food here is good, it is exceptional. But lately, middling to very poor. read more

I love this restaurant! It's at a great location near the Orange circle. Parking can be a bit scarce, but we were able to find a spot on the property on a Saturday afternoon. The building is an old church turned restaurant. The stained glass windows are absolutely breathtaking. We came in with a party of 6 and although they don't take reservations for parties under 15, we were seated right away at noon on a Saturday. Although the restaurant looks small, they are able to fill quite a lot of people! The food was delicious! I got the skinny tacos and we ordered margaritas for the table. Everyone loved their food and staff was very attentive and quick! We never had to wait long for service and sometimes had multiple waiters coming over to check on us. All in all, it was a great experience. We will definitely be returning! read more

The margaritas here are delicious! I loved the seafood soft tacos with shrimp, but they also have a great selection of healthy low calorie options! I had the low carb fajitas last time and they were great. My favorite part about this restaurant is the view! It's a historic church turned restaurant and the huge stained glass windows are just lovely! Awesome service, everyone here is very friendly and on top of it. Eating at the tables in the bar has the best view. read more

While the service consistently earns two stars for its excellence, the decline in food quality since the onset of COVID has left a noticeable impact. The once vibrant and authentic flavors seem to have diminished, and the fact that the food comes in 5-minutes raises concerns about freshness, hinting at potential reheating practices. And I've been coming here since I was a kid, and now I'm in my mid 20's and it's not the same at all. Even a cherished dish like the combo plate with enchiladas and a chile relleno fell short, earning a disappointing 3/10 rating. me. I use to LOVE their enchiladas but they're not the same. After coming here for a long time, I'll unfortunately won't be coming back. read more

Always our favorite place to go for a couple drinks and dinner. Maybe an early lunch. But lunch cost us $75 bucks today. Quality has gone down and prices are honestly not worth it. So disappointed. read more

The location of this place is beautiful. The food was delicious and the service was great. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Camarones al mojo de ajo - Mexican Near Me - Orange, California

I'm unsure why Avilas only has 3.8 stars because it definitely deserves 5. The chips are perfectly salty and the salsa has a nice little kick to it. We had a large party of 14 and they were able to accommodate us all and let us do split checks. The food was amazing! Most of us got the 2 item combo and I personally had the cheese enchilada and crispy beef taco. We were all impressed with the food and service overall. Would totally come back again! read more

Excellent food, service, ambiance. Went for first visit on a Sunday. We ordered Cheese Enchiladas with customary sides of beans and rice. I know this is a basic standard dish, but Avila's is excellent!! Served super fast, hot and delicious. Just the right amount of cheese and sauce. Excellent, can't wait to return and try many other items from their extensive choices. Highly recommend this wonderful restaurant. Fantastic. Note: parking lot is very TIGHT, compact cars would be easiest, but spots are all VERY SMALL AND TIGHT. Even backing out of spots more difficult for regular size vehicles. Good thing we don't drink, but if we did, I'd UBER! LMAO. read more

Food was ok. Not much vegetarian. I ordered a vegetable chili relleno and it just looked like mush, no presentation whatsoever considering what they charge. I asked for a spicy salsa and they just added tapatio to it. It's too overpriced for what they serve especially for lunch. read more

You just can't beat the ambiance in this church. I've been to all the Avila's & this one is it. The manager came over right away since she saw us sit there for 5 min & personally took our order. The food is so good. I had the chili relleno & my friend had a combo she loved. The chips & salsa are yummy and kept coming out. Go here for a spiritual experience ! read more

I usually love their food but with it they served unfiltered tap water, which tasted horrible. Was very disappointed in that part. Ruined the meal as it's hard to get that taste out of your mouth. read more

Great area and great service! Grabbed lunch here and service was quick and friendly! The chips and salsa are always good here, the house salsa is spicy and has a great kick to it! Ordered the California chicken plate and it was delicious, exactly was I was craving! It's chicken covered with tomatillo, and sautéed onions and Ortega chiles. It was clean, and loved the decor, it's a very cozy Mexican style restaurant with stain glass windows. Would recommend! read more

Avila's El Ranchito - California chicken - Mexican Near Me - Orange, California

We recently held a retirement party in the side room at Avila's, Orange. We had 40+ people and all went well. We coordinated the event through manager Gabby. Our point of contact and primary server during the event was Ale (pronounced Ali; short for Alejandra). Great historic location in downtown Orange. Since we had guests coming from Corona, Central OC and South OC, we thought Orange an ideal location. I frequent other Avila's El Ranchito's and was pleased with this location. We ordered the buffet of chicken AND beef fajitas; cheese enchiladas; rice/beans; salad; flour and corn tortillas; guacamole per table. We had 7 tables of 6-7 chairs per table. Soft drinks were covered as part of the buffet. We paid for beer, wine, and other alcohol via drink tickets. The buffet had servers behind it to ensure everyone got a fair portion of food. Guests could get seconds on their own. We had plenty of food for everyone. It was as delicious as their food always is; standard Mexican fare, well presented. Drink highlights were Blood Orange Margaritas on the rocks, and Mojitos. We brought in our own cake and cookies; there was a separate table for that. EVERYTHING worked out very well. Ale was helpful, efficient, professional, friendly, knowledgeable- the best! We would absolutely ask for her again. Gratuity of 20% was included with the event bill. Although I'm sure she has to tip out, Ale earned her tip. Much Thanks Ale, and Gabby. read more

The food and chips and salsa were very good. I had tacos and salad plate. The salad dressing was yummy and the tacos flavorful and crispy. The waiter was very attentive and the service very fast. The restaurant is an old church and has a very cool vibe. I will definitely return! read more

What a great location, just steps away from the circle. As always, Avila's has great service and great food. This is a fun location, parking can be tricky on busy weekends but we found parking just a few blocks away. read more

I am a pleased pescatarian today. Most, if not all, places I've gone to and ordered shrimp enchiladas make them with the tiny bay shrimp. No big deal, it's never bothered me before. Today my enchiladas (Enchiladas Camarones Rancheros) came with full on prawns that were seasoned and cooked really well. I cannot stress how much it stood out to me compared to other restaurants. The service here is fast, the atmosphere is quite beautiful (all the stained glass!!), and the food is delicious. My Berry Limonada was so tasty as well. For my vegetarian friends, they have quite the selection for you too!! I cannot wait for the next time I find myself in Orange. This place is a must to visit. read more

Some of the most inauthentic food I've ever had. Service is ok but it all just taste like mush at some point. It's definitely not catered to pocs lol. read more

I've been to 2 other locations and this by far has the best ambiance inside. You dont feel like you're in a chain mexican restaurant. So beautiful and nicely lit. Being able to see my food is important to me. It's been awhile since I've walked out of a place and said, "wow, my food was spectacular and our service was top notch!". Usually, if you're lucky you get one, or the other. I'm pretty sure our server was Ana and she took care of our table of 9 as if we were the only ones in the place, and it was packed! I told her I wanted shrimp with no beans, rice or tortillas. She suggested the shrimp botana and OMgosh am I glad she did. It was the best meal I've had in a long time from an establishment. It was fresh, hot, and so filling, they did not "shrimp" on the portion size! Hahahha. I forced everyone at the table who would, to try it. I've been thinking about it all day today, delicious! This location and this menu item are my new favorites. I've already made plans with a friend of mine to go back very soon. MmmmMmmm, scrumptious. I've already forgot about any other location. read more

I met up with my god mother at this Mexican restaurant which I found out used to be a church back in the day. It does get a bit loud inside, but there is plenty of seating. I ended up getting the veggie chili relleno, however it was open faced. I thought it was going to be stuffed, but it was still really tasty regardless. We also got some guacamole to go with out chips be salsa, really good. I definitely enjoyed the food and was in good company. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Veggie chili rellino - Mexican Near Me - Orange, California