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    El Ranchito Taco Shop

    4.5 (1.1k reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated a few days ago

    El Ranchito Taco Shop Photos

    Business Info

    EL RANCHITO TACO SHOP ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - El Ranchito Taco Shop

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    Kachelle J.

    Absolutely the best Authentic Mexican Food in Palm Desert! We ate here twice because the food was amazing. First time eating guacamole and it was more than I could imagine!

    Raquel L.

    Wow! This place is amazing. The menu had many different options and the service was good. The food came out very fast and was greatly portioned! I got two of the soft fried carne asada tacos with rice and beans (The tacos were giant!!). My partner got the flautas combo plate. There is a little self serve bar for all of the toppings you need; salsa, cilantro, onions, spicy carrots... my favorite was the cilantro and chipotle sauce. The restaurant itself was very clean and the employees were constantly going around wiping off the tables and sweeping the floor. I definitely would come here again!

    Shredded beef taco stuffed,bean cheese rice burrito, 2 fish tacos corn tortillas ranch dressing ....omg the best !
    Whallen F.

    Can never visit or vacation in the area without stopping at El Ranchito in Palm Desert. Great customer service by the ladies behind the counter . There is a nice salsa bar with utensils and napkins to go. Ordered my usual order fish tacos with corn tortillas and ranch dressing, bean cheese and rice burrito , and a shredded beef hard shell taco . Super tasty and so filling to satisfy any appetite. It's no wonder the tables inside are always occupied.....eat in or take out!

    Fish taco, asada taco, al pastor taco
    Lexi G.

    Best fish tacos! My husband and I were in town for a wedding and were on the lookout for a quick spot to grab a bite before meeting our friends. We stumbled upon this restaurant on Yelp, and with all the great reviews, we decided to give it a try. It's located in a shopping center, and as soon as we walked in, a friendly employee greeted us. We ordered 2 fish tacos, 1 Asada taco, and 1 Al pastor taco. The fish tacos are massive and loaded with chipotle aioli and cabbage; for someone like me who fills up quickly, one is definitely enough. I have to say, though, the al pastor taco could have been better; it didn't taste very authentic. There is also an amazing selection of toppings such as salsa, pickled onions for the tacos. The ambiance was very homey and friendly.

    Carnitas, tostada, enchiladas.
    Michelle F.

    I do have to say that I was surprised that this was not a sitdown restaurant... I must've glanced over everything too quickly to realize that we had to place our orders ourselves at the front counter. That being said... We loved El Ranchito! I have to say it's probably the best Carnitas that I've had... I had it put on my tostada, even though that wasn't one of the options, they allowed me to substitute the Carnitas. A lot of times. Carnitas don't have a lot of flavor, but these were packed full of flavor. As you can see from the picture... Our eyes were much bigger than our stomachs. The fajitas were outstanding as were the beans and rice that came with the enchilada dish. This place was packed, which is always a good sign. The person taking the order could've been friendlier, but the lady cleaning up was amazing. She made up for the lack of friendliness at the counter. Highly recommend!

    Stacy D.

    Chorizo breakfast burrito is bomb!! 5/5 We split it and it was perfect ! Little greasy but so good!! This place is legit and very authentic! The beans are so good.

    1/2 burrito Mexicano
    Mindy P.

    I was looking for a solid So Cal burrito, coming back after going to college here. Location is convenient and staff is friendly. Menu has plenty of options and I love the salsa bar. Please purchase salsa if you want salsa beyond a small co trainer; keep their prices down. They are so affordable! I had the Burrito Mexicano with shredded chicken, which was good. I loved the melted cheese. I was looking for a little more flavor, if I'm honest, but I loved the grilled flour tortilla. I got some mild green and red salsa and cilantro to put on top. The hubs got the same thing, but with mole, which he says is not as good with the sauce. I recommend a visit.

    Hard shell shredded beef tacos

    Servers are friendly and helpful in answering questions about the menu. Large portions. They have a self-serve salsa bar. Shop is a bit on the smaller size, so limited seating. We went at 2 pm and there were only 2 tables available.

    CRAZY HOMEMADE FLAVOR!!! CAN'T WAIT TO COME BACK!!!! The true test is beans & rice. They more than passed the test. Beer is available as well. Enjoy !!!

    Fried fish taco for $5.25

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    3 months ago

    My regular place to go for the best Mexican food. The service is lightning fast. The music sets the mood for my memories at my grandma's.

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    6 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Service was fast. Food was authentic and plentiful!!! Becoming a regular. Tried seceral menu items--all were terrific.

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    8 months ago

    Love it here, the food is always consistently good, service is great, always a good vibe!

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    Page 1 of 27

    Ask the Community - El Ranchito Taco Shop

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    Casuelas Café

    Casuelas Café

    3.8
    (579 reviews)
    5.3 mi
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    I went here with friends! Good Skinny Margaritas, yummy guacamole choice of smooth or chunky. I…read morehad a delicious crunchy chicken taco. Our server was great and the overall vibe is great old school Mexican. Live music outside which was nice. We really enjoyed our dinner here.

    I am writing to bring attention to an extremely disappointing and humiliating experience at Las…read moreCasuelas in Palm Desert on Cinco de Mayo. My daughter and I stood at the entrance for several minutes without being greeted. During that time, the manager was visibly overwhelmed and speaking harshly to the young hostesses, who appeared uncomfortable and trying to maintain composure. Despite this, no one acknowledged us until I offered a friendly "Happy Cinco de Mayo," at which point a hostess kindly stepped in to seat us. Unfortunately, the situation escalated. Twice, as we were being seated, the manager abruptly intervened -- placing reserved signs down and yelling at the hostess, myself and daughter we could not sit there. His tone was harsh, dismissive, and unnecessarily confrontational. This happened two times at two different tables that we were escorted to by the hostess and in front of my young daughter. Needless to say it was both uncomfortable and humiliating. I have never experienced a restaurant manager behave with this level of disrespect toward a guest, especially a woman with her child. I felt embarrassed and heartbroken that my daughter had to witness this. When I calmly approached him to understand the situation, he responded by stating they had "400 reservations," followed by dismissive and aggressive body language that made it clear we were not welcome. The interaction ended with us leaving and both tears. My daughter said "I'm scared mommy, why was that man so mean". A guest from the restaurant who was dinning and witnessed the incident came out just to see if we were ok. Equally concerning was how he treated his own staff, especially female staff setting a negative and unprofessional tone throughout the front of house. As someone from a fourth-generation family in the restaurant industry, I find this especially disheartening. I would be deeply concerned if any manager in our organization treated a guest or employees this way. I understand holidays are demanding, but being busy does not excuse a lack of basic respect and professionalism. I am sharing this in hopes that upper management addresses this directly. No woman / person and her child should have to experience this kind of treatment.

    Photos
    Outside patio
    Outside patio
    A skinny margarita and a house blended.
    A skinny margarita and a house blended.
    #5 rolled chicken taco and chicken enchilada!

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    #5 rolled chicken taco and chicken enchilada!
    Las Casuelas Nuevas

    Las Casuelas Nuevas

    3.5
    (1.1k reviews)
    3.9 mi
    $$

    Last update from josyj was 2013, guess what!!! Our go to favorite and hasn't changed, well except…read moremargaritas ate fab, no complaints here. We are always bringing friends and family here for margaritas and excellent food. Tostadas are my faves and k loves his chix enchiladas and chili rellenos plus whatever we feel like. Most fabulous ambiance, what great architecture..open at 11.

    A definitely go to place when coming to visit. This place is so much bigger than it seems on the…read moreoutside. There is a nice outdoor patio for sitting outside which is nice when the weather is perfect--not too hot and not too cold. The inside dining area is also large and can fit big groups. The biggest problem with coming here is deciding what to order. We ordered creamy guacamole (small). The guacamole was nice and creamy but it was a little bland. It definitely needs a little something more to add some flavor. The flautas, Hermosillo, chimichanga, and relleno vaquero were delicious. The meat was perfectly cooked, tender and moist. The sauces were also all different and paired nicely with each course. Service in a restaurant this size is very impressive as they are able to keep tabs on all their tables and will keep you updated on the status and fix anything that might come up. This is huge considering many people order the table side guacamole which takes time and servers away from other tables. Definitely a place to come to. It's always packed and always busy for a reason. Also you can make reservations which is a must. Last time we didn't make reservations and waited and waited but it was worth it.

    Photos
    Another section
    Another section
    Chile Relleno & Enchiladas
    Chile Relleno & Enchiladas
    Large restaurant

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    Large restaurant

    El Ranchito Taco Shop - mexican - Updated June 2026

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