El Ranchero&#x27;s

First off, we found out about this restaurant through social media. We knew eventually we'd want to…read moretry it. Luckily, we were by the mall and made the VERY short 10-ish minute drive. Worth it! Walked into a very quiet, but colorful restaurant with only one other patron inside. The employees were so nice. We were told to pick anywhere, we were brought menus and instantly asked if we'd like anything to drink or if we wanted to look at the menu first... We asked for suggestions and the waitress offered the types of drinks they have. She brought us chips and salsa. The chips were homemade with a perfect crunch. The salsa was fresh, chunky and not spicy. The pepino cone limo aqua Fresca was the best aqua Fresca I've EVER had. Not too sweet at all and was SO REFRESHING. We also ordered an horchata and I was told that was just as good. The food... Where to start. We ordered an empanada and some quedabirria tacos. The empanada was HUGE, deliciously filling with fresh ingredients. It had great flavor. The quesabirria tacos were probably the best we've had. You order the amount you want. They are 5.99 each and oh so delicious. The meat tasted SO FRESH and flavorful. The creamy jalapeño salsa had a NICE kick to it. All meals come with radish and pickled onions as garnish, but eating them with the meal made it even more refreshing and delicious. They need more than one location, but until then we will be back! (Luckily, I heard they do catering.)

Ordered a carne asada burrito with no rice. Carne asada overall had pretty good flavor and texture…read moreto it. Smaller pieces, but very few were chewy so it was cut well. Avocado and sour cream made for a creamy balance to the carne asada and beans. Size wise was solid and for the price of $17 not bad at all. Overall I'd definitely come back 7.6/10

Mulita de asada. Steak Mulita

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Quesabirria tacos with consommé.

La Huerta Vieja

4.0(457 reviews)

6.2 mi

We went to La Huerta Vieja 2100 Standiford Ave, Modesto, CA 95350 and really enjoyed our visit. I…read morehad the 2 chimichangas plate and Jovita had a single enchilada plate. The service here is amazing as is the food. I highly recommend coming here. Just know that Sundays can be very busy but everyone working is working hard. The restaurant is kept clean and has an inviting atmosphere.

Panchito burritos had zero flavor--No seasoning, not even salt. My wife and I had to add…read moreseasonings and salt to the burritos in order to eat them because they were so bland that they were difficult to eat. The nachos were soggy with 90% refried beans (I thought nachos were mostly chips and cheese? Where was the cheese?!?! ) I remember when Frank used to run the restaurant and his wife would cook--Those were the good old days. Unfortunately, I'm writing a review because this has once again been a below par meal we've had from here and may not chance our money here again. Sorry Frank, but it's just not the same place we used to love when we started going 23 or so years ago. Anyways, I wish the best of luck to you guys. Please strive to take this place back to its original standard.

Chile relleno in red sauce

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Ice water

Taqueria El Maguey

4.0(308 reviews)

2.1 mi

If you want a relaxing dining experience with nice ambiance and decor, I recommend El Maguey…read more Plenty of seating indoors but has a nice outdoor area to choose from. Thought this time with my review I would add some of the decor.

You know what I noticed? I've been here twice and I've never reviewed them. That's changing now…read more I like this place. I like the ambiance a lot actually. The decor is pretty and I like the outside seating. The service is good. The last waitress was prompt and on one occasion, I accidentally dropped my drink, and I was able to get a new drink at no extra charge. That was really nice of them. Speaking of drinks, order the agua de pepino. It's super refreshing and sweet. They rim theirs with a little bit of chamoy and Tajín, giving it a spicy taste to it. The tortillas are homemade and I've enjoyed the food. It's good.

Photo of the bar at Taqueria El Maguey.

Tacos de Camarón. Delicioso!!

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Cucumber and lime aqua fresca!

La Morenita

3.5(278 reviews)

2.5 mi

Have been coming here for years. Wait staff and servers are very attentive and the food is ALWAYS…read moreGreat!! Some of my favorites are Chicken Mole, Chicken Milanesa and the mixed Fajitas!

I visited La Morenita after a really long time to have dinner with my sister. The prices since last…read moretime I visited have really gone up a lot. We ordered cheese enchiladas and chicken fajitas this time. The service was good. The waitress checked on us. We got seated in the garden patio and it was nice there. They kept it cool. The food was okay. The fajitas were served smoking hot with side of tortillas and sour cream, pico, and guacamole only. The veggies were well grilled and overall pretty tasty. I opted to not get beans. The enchiladas were okay. I didn't like them very much last time, and still didn't like them this time, either. We ordered the churro dessert. It came served with a side of ice cream and whipped cream. It was also okay. My visit to La Morenita was better this time than the last time, but still the menu felt pricier and probably won't come back. P.S. The chips and salsa were really yummy.

Outside restaurant

Chile Colorado with rice and beans.

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Churro donut Dessert.

La Parrilla Mexican Restaurant & Bar

3.3(459 reviews)

3.6 mi

Everything was delicious. The menu was excellent, and everyone was incredibly friendly and…read morewelcoming. The prices were very reasonable. I would definitely come back. Thank you! Todo estuvo delicioso, un menú muy rico y un trato amable y espectacular por parte de todos. Buenos precios. Regresaría sin duda alguna. Gracias!

The service was just terrible. We came in Friday night August 7th at 6 pm and were seated even…read morethough it was busy. We had 4 different people come and ask we wanted something to drink and they took the orders but didn't return to bring them. As we sat already for 45min with no drinks and no one asking what wanted to order another Lady came by who seemed like the mgr asking if everything is good and we explained our situation and she said we are really busy right now. I was like who cares that's just an excuse. No customer wants to hear an excuse they want to hear a resolution. No way I would go back ever. Plenty of awesome Mexican restaurants around.

Decorations at the door

Molcajete Shrimp , chicken and asada I believe

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Ranas Taqueria

4.6(58 reviews)

4.0 mi

Starting off with the girl at the front, she was Amazing. So sweet and kind and immediately…read morewelcoming! She did a good job explaining anything that may be different from other restaurants, and knows the menu so well. The food was so good. The table was completely silent inhaling the food as it was brought out. Our food was brought down less than 5 minutes after sitting down, and it was hot and fresh. The guacamole is delicious and their chips are really good too. Definitely some of the best mexican food i've found around here recently. The dining area is kind of small, but it wasn't too crowded and felt very homey. We got the crispy tacos plate (asada) and the taco salad (asada). The beans and rice are so amazing, and don't be afraid to ask for a slight change to the item! She was SO accommodating and made extra sure that what we asked for was done. The party trays seemed reasonably priced as well and I will definitely be recommending them for my next event and to anyone hungry!

We were hesitant to try this place, but wow SO glad we took the chance! This restaurant completely…read morewon us over from the moment we walked in. The young lady at the front was an absolute sweetheart and made us feel so welcome right away.The atmosphere and tables were very simple nothing fancy but it was CLEAN. Now, the food let's talk about it! We ordered the carne asada and al pastor tacos and they were absolutely delicious. The flavor was incredible, the texture was spot on, and the meat was lean with no fat. These tacos are the real deal !!! filling, flavorful, and guaranteed to put a smile on your face. If you're on the fence about coming here, don't be! The food and customer service are both top-notch. We'll absolutely be back the next time we're in town. Highly recommend!

Salsa bar 1

Torta De carne asada con horchata

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Exterior - outside

El Jacalito Mexican Food

4.2(49 reviews)

6.9 mi

Hubby and I tried this place today and we knew it was probably going to be great based on how…read morepacked their parking lot was-and we were right. The food was definitely authentic and delicious. Even though they were busy, the waitress was very efficient and provided great service. My hubby had the carne asada platter with corn tortillas, and I ordered a chile relleno alacarte and a sopa with grilled chicken alacarte . My sopa was a little too crunchy (the masa base) but the flavors were good. I asked for green sauce, and it was more like a creamy white sauce, but still ok. We had a favorite Mexican restaurant that we went to in our hometown, the next city over, but since it shut down a year ago, we might make this our new go to place.

In the mood for some Mexican food! We usually go to El Maguey that's in Modesto because it's just…read moreso good and so are the drinks. We wanted to venture out and see what else is good. Came across this place on Yelp with pretty good reviews. It feels just like the (comidas caseras) restaurants in Ensenada I grew up going to. Brought me back, I absolutely enjoyed my food! Will definitely be back.

Campechana

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Shrimp Cocktail

Carnicería y Taqueria los Compadres

5.0(8 reviews)

3.9 mi

Absolutely the best Mexican omelettes on Earth , a must when in Modesto Ca , nestled in a quiet and…read morequaint village like atmosphere in Central Modesto , lovely vintage neighborhood and beautiful trailhead nearby called Virginia Corridor, I'm definitely coming back for seconds !!!

If you're looking for carne asada fries that are fresh, hot, huge, loaded with flavor, and have…read morenacho cheese PLEASE GO HERE. The workers were so nice and the asada was to die for. Super seasoned too, it was AMAZING.

Mexican Coca Cola

Chips and dip on the House

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Carne asada fries

La Morenita

3.5(316 reviews)

4.1 mi

Pretty good experience here today, we were seated promptly but it took a while for drinks to come…read moreand much longer for the meal after the wait for the server to take the order. The food was well done, the ambiance was the busiest we have seen it in a while (they seemed to have a party on the bar side which is a good thing). We didn't order the margaritas this time but definitely can recommend them. Overall, a solid 4/5.

My husband and I came here for an early lunch (11 am). We were attracted to the sign stating that…read moreit was "La Morenita The Original" We ordered off the lunch menu: *Burrito supreme- chicken with green sauce (4/5) This is my go to at Mexican restaurants. However, I should've asked for grilled chicken, instead of shredded chicken. * Wedding platter- asada with corn tortillas (5/5) The "signature medium spicy cream sauce" was delicious! The service was great. We were greeted with a smile. We arrived right when they opened, so we received our food promptly. While waiting for our food, we received chips and salsa. The ambiance was kinda quiet, being the only ones in the restaurant, but they had upbeat Mexican music playing. *The cook did get our order wrong, they gave my husband chicken, instead of asada. But the waitress and cook were quick to correct this. Overall, good food (4.5/5) and good price. We spent less than $35.

Cute little decorations behind the counter.

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Part of the dinner combo, pick three items. I had a cheese enchilada with cheese on top, no sauce, and beans & cheese.

Las Casuelas

2.9(381 reviews)

7.3 mi

Pretty good and pricing is decent . We ordered a build your own with 3 items . 2 chili rellanos…read moreand a grilled chicken taco . Comes with rice and beans . The chicken taco was good but a little on the dryer side . We added the house salsa and that made it better . The chilli relay is were huge . Lots of batter . It was fluffy . The sauce on the rellanos was just ok . More tomato based than chili based . Again added the house salsa and it was much better . Chips and salsa were great and the warm beans on the side was a bonus . I had a skinny margarita and it was perfect and strong . I'd give this place a 7 out of 10 . Decent . Pretty good flavor. The grilled chicken could have add more carbon flavor and the rellano sauce could have been a little more flavorful .

Basic Mexican food…read more I ate at the Dale Rd Las Casuelas location with a group of 5 on a Sunday evening. When we arrived, there was no wait and many empty tables. It is a pretty standard local Mexican joint. It is very casual and family friendly. There is a small bar separate from the main dining room. There is also a large back room that can be reserved for special events. The decor was nice and the music was fine. We were provided chips, salsa, and beans. I was not a fan of these. The chips were dense and the beans were flavorless. The salsa was alright. It was pretty hot but wasn't utilized much because the chips weren't great. For my main dish, I ordered the Supreme Quesadilla with beef. It came with a side of beans and rice. I liked that the beans had cheese but I wasn't impressed with either side. The rice felt a little bit undercooked to me. The quesadilla itself was pretty good. It was very cheesy and had a lot of beef. I appreciate the large dollops of guacamole and sour cream. The service was disappointing. It took an extremely long time for the waiter to come and take our order. We were sitting there ready to order for probably 20 minutes or longer. Once we received the food, we did not see our waiter again. We were in desperate need of a water refill but the waiter never came by. To me, the service felt very slow and unenthusiastic.

Inside

Steak and Chicken Fajitas

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Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

7 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Debbie H.

13

58

59

7 years ago

This restaurant is new to Modesto and literally in my backyard. Has a drive thru. Lots of parking and a large menu. Opened Less than a week ago and it's planing on having beer on tap. Might turn into a hang out kind of place. Food portions are huge and restrooms are clean. The menu might take me a while to try but for now the asada tacos and fish tacos were good. I think il try the asada cheese fries next. But il need to share lol. read more

Jennifer W.

0

8

0

5 years ago

Worst customer service ever!!!! I will never be returning here EVER AGAIN! Please check your employees attitude!! Everything I ordered something was wrong because she didn't WANT to hear my order. I felt rushed and the girl was Rude and unkind like no other customer service I've ever had before!!! read more

Reggiea D.

0

3

0

2 years ago

Everytime I come around 11pm...they are so RUDE! I like the food but the night crew... Especially ALEXA has a disgusting attitude.... Please do better in hiring good employees cuz the ones u have now are terrible! read more

Mario A.

0

16

5 years ago

The food is reasonably priced, great service, very cleanly kept in dining area, and not to mention the food was excellent! Will definitely be coming back read more

Birdie W.

2

16

0

5 years ago

Best micheladas! Wouldn't expect it! People are kind there as well. Best part is they do the micheladas to go!

Lisa H.

0

7

0

4 years ago

The food is good and the restaurant is very clean. I wasn't greeted when I came in but the food was good.

Johnny L.

0

2

0

4 years ago

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood

El Ranchero's - mexican - Updated August 2026

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We went to La Huerta Vieja 2100 Standiford Ave, Modesto, CA 95350 and really enjoyed our visit. I…read morehad the 2 chimichangas plate and Jovita had a single enchilada plate. The service here is amazing as is the food. I highly recommend coming here. Just know that Sundays can be very busy but everyone working is working hard. The restaurant is kept clean and has an inviting atmosphere.

Panchito burritos had zero flavor--No seasoning, not even salt. My wife and I had to add…read moreseasonings and salt to the burritos in order to eat them because they were so bland that they were difficult to eat. The nachos were soggy with 90% refried beans (I thought nachos were mostly chips and cheese? Where was the cheese?!?! ) I remember when Frank used to run the restaurant and his wife would cook--Those were the good old days. Unfortunately, I'm writing a review because this has once again been a below par meal we've had from here and may not chance our money here again. Sorry Frank, but it's just not the same place we used to love when we started going 23 or so years ago. Anyways, I wish the best of luck to you guys. Please strive to take this place back to its original standard.

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