Food is good. Service is terrible. And they charge you extra if you use a credit or debit card. Bye

Being a 3rd gen San Diegan, now Orange County transplant, I've tried A LOT of taco shops. It is the purpose of every San Diegan's life to know where the best of everything is (but they are never the same place). This is the rice shop. That rice was AMAZING! The rolled tacos were also killer. The beans still didn't win the title of best beans in SD, but I would figure out a way back here just for the rice. The chile verde burrito that my friend got had huge chunks of pork, but he says it still isn't #1, but pretty close. They sell privately jarred salsas, which being a private canner, I can guarantee are not sealed for non-refrigerated storage. So if you buy one (the green salsa was really good and I considered getting one), be sure to get it in the fridge soon and use it within 2 weeks. Still, check out the rice. read more

Best mexican food in the Poway area. Pretty big seating area compared to most mexican food spots also. Definitely my new go to spot in the area. read more

Wonderful food and service provided by a family who had been in the business for many years. My favorite taco shop in San Diego!

Nice Mexican food . Tried tacos and seemed fresh. Staff is friendly and it's busy during lunch hours

This taco shop seems to be especially efficient and well run. They're almost always busy, sometimes with a line out the door, yet manage to keep things moving all without sacrificing the quality of the food. Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic in terms of staffing and supply that most restaurants are singing the blues about, El Ranchito continues to operate at seemingly full bore. My favorite item on the menu is the shrimp burrito, I'd eat one every day if I could! Delicious! read more

I've always heard about the flautas here so when I was nearby I made a detour to try them out. I got 2 flautas for around $7 and these are pretty hefty flautas. They are topped with sour cream and cheese. They are fried nice and light and not overly greasy. The filling is pretty packed with beef and really good. I really liked the salsa here too. It actually had a nice kick to it. read more

El Ranchito Taco Shop - The famous flautas - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

Taco Shop has been a favorite of many people here in Poway. I love their flautas and rolled tacos. They have really raised their prices though. Service is good and quick. read more

Was super packed at lunchtime on a Sunday. We got lucky and got a table as soon as we placed our orders. The rolled tacos and chicken enchilada were delicious! The beef taco and enchilada were moist and super tasty! The beans and rice were also sooo good. The salsa bar offered 3 different salsas, cilantro, onion, jalapeño, and Serrano Chile's. We ordered a bag of chips which were crispy and not at all oily. If you're looking for great food, quick, friendly service, in a simple and clean spot, this is a great place. We will definitely be back. read more

I really like this place. Food is good customer service I highly recommended to every of my friends and anybody [[HIGHLIGHT]]it is very clean and neat[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and the food is very very delicious read more

The boyfriend and I just happen to go to this taco shop only because we were at Home Goods and we got hungry after shopping. The staff were nice. They were patient with us while we looked at their menu - tacos, burritos and the like. We just ordered the street tacos because we wanted a variety of meats to try. Each taco was $2.25 each!!! We got the carnitas, asada, pollo, and al pastor (adobada). It didn't take long for them to come out, which was great. They really are street tacos in size. There was plenty of meat in each taco. It was a little hard to distinguish which was which as first but we figured it out. The adobada or al pastor had a great kick to it. The pollo was good, nothing to rave about. The carnitas was super good - not salty and had little bits of crunchy to it. The asada has enough flavor to it. Oh and they threw in a couple grilled peppers. Which was awesome! Overall, I'm sure the burritos would have been really good too. The salsa bar was a little confusing only because we couldn't tell what was spicy and what wasn't. I wish it was labeled. We ended up with the one that was super spicy. We did try the other ones and they weren't mind blowing salsa. Overall, not a bad taco shop at all. We want to go back to try their other things on the menu. read more

If you have not had El Ranchito Taco Shop . You have no idea what your missing. This is place cooks authentic Mexican food. The rolled tacos are it's real shredded beef and real guacamole is the best taquitos you will taste. Along with beef tacos w/ real shredded beef. The rice and bean are great too! Fast service. Price is perfect and the quality and authentic Mexican flavors are everything you dream off in a great traditional meal. Long time customer our family forever favorite to go Mexican restaurant. Laura & mike & family read more

I'm a carne asada fries girl, and theirs were good. Another time I had their scrambled eggs breakfast, but everything was super greasy, so probably would not do that again . . . read more

Multiple reasons for my rating. To start, I had been wanting to try this spot based on someone else's obsession with their flautas and salsa. I finally found myself in the area so I was stoked to give it a try. I ordered one flauta and taquito plate that came with beans. The staff was extreme nice and they had a well stocked salsa bar - extra star for that. The flauta had a really strong oil flavor. It was pretty busy when I went so I'm convinced that they might've just needed a clean oil change. However, the flauta itself even without that wasn't spectacular enough for me to make another trip here to test my theory. The beans though.. now those were delicious! I debating getting a bean and cheese burrito to go, that's how much I enjoyed the flavor. If I was in the area and happened to stop in, that is what I would be getting! Salsa, eh that was ok. All in all, food 3 and the extra star goes to the service. If 3.5 stars was an option that would be more appropriate. read more

El Ranchito Taco Shop - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

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Best food in the world! Breakfast burritos to die for!! Everything is great... love this place since I was a kid!! Awesome staff and did I mention great food!! read more

This was some pretty damn good Mexican food. I am not from this area and just stopped in on a whim and holy cow! The flavor is super incredible. The menu looks minimal but it's punched with authentic flavors and I can't get enough ! Definitely going back again today to pick up a large container of beans and rice. The floutas were amazing. Going to try a breakfast burrito too read more

this is the best taco shop in poway period!!!!! great customer service, chill environment. definitely try the carnitas tacos or flautas if it's your 1st time. read more

El Ranchito is located in the heart of Poway. They are known for their beef flautas. The flautas were pretty huge! They topped with sour cream and shredded cheese. They have a good crunchy texture and is filled with a good amount of beef. They don't have a salsa bar so don't forget to ask for salsa. I love their red salsa. It had a good kick to it. They have really good customer service and my food came out pretty quick. read more

El Ranchito Taco Shop - Flauta special - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

Chicken rolled tacos were so good and fresh. Guac on top was good too. Rice and beans too! Staying in a hotel for work and finally found a good Mexican restaurant. Seriously!! read more

Unreal carnitas! bad ass tacos! Chile Verde is my favorite! Don't for get to get some chips and salsa togo!

I ordered carne asada fries and what I got l was a small greasy mess of cold fries, cheese and some burnt pieces of meat. I did ask for sour cream and guacamole on the side but I could not believe I paid almost 12.00 for what looked a medium order of fries and 1/4 cup of burnt meat. I was extremely surprised because I have been a regular customer for several years and never seen anything like this. Not sure if inflation or COVID has anything to do with the poor quality. I hope this is not what I should come to expect in the future. I will be coming back, I just hope someone was having a bad day. read more

El Ranchito Taco Shop - Carne asada fries. You can see the bottom of the tray. - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

The tacos here are so good! The women that work there are very nice! I ordered the rolled taco plate. It came with rice and beans. Best ever! read more

This is my favorite Mexican spot in Poway. Come here pretty regularly for my fix. I usually order tacos, all of which are delicious. My personal favorites are the fish (with spicy chipotle sauce) and pollo asado tacos. Their asada is still really good though. Other favorites include their chili rellenos and chicken enchiladas. If it's your first time getting tacos I suggest you start out with two since they're pretty large (two tortilla per taco) and generously filled. read more

El Ranchito Taco Shop - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

My family LOVES this Taco Shop- this is Mexican food, nothing else compares to their bean & cheese burritos, their flautas, crispy tacos, their red salsa!!! Yum!!!! We moved away, but can't stop by San Diego without a visit!--- usually to freeze and fill up our freezer back home!! read more

El Ranchito in my opinion is unmatched, absolutely the best Mexican food I've ever had, the chicken flautas are unbelievable. This is a family run business and The Barajas Family are the best people I've ever known, I highly recommend El Ranchito and I think you'll agree the food is the best you've ever had. read more

The worst place ever the food is too greasy and the guacamole is disgusting. The nachos and the Carme asada fries the worst I had In the whole San Diego area this is not authentic Mexican food this is worst than taco bell read more

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The best food and service in San Diego. I've been coming here since I was a kid and I always make a point to stop in when I'm visiting my parents. It's all delicious, you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. I'm read more

This place is pretty awesome. Great tacos, fantastic salsa, and excellent service. They're also flexible on orders: we got a bean and cheese chimi for one of our non-meat eaters, no problem. We're from out of town, and we go here every time we come to Poway. read more

Best Taco shop in Poway! Great food and service. We've been going here for close to 40 years!

We were in the area and looking for a place to eat... Yelp brought us to El Ranchito and we were not disappointed. The food was delicious and excellent in quality for a "fast" (they were busy so it took 15 min to get our food AND that was perfectly fine)... if quality sucked then I would complain, but thankfully it wasn't.... we got rolled tacos with chicken and carne asada tacos. Flavor and freshness on point. We will probably never be in the area again because we are from Los Angeles, but places that serve good food and service deserve the compliment and review... Thank you!! read more

I never write reviews for companies but was compelled to after being so unsatisfied. Way too expensive for the quality of food they serve. Promised an item they didn't have and didn't severed me what I asked for. Would avoid coming here and check out the dozen other Mexican restaurants in the area. read more

Excellent food and great service. Carnitas, beans, chips - everything delicious! I'll go out of my way to go back

You can search the world over for the very best Flautas. As luck would have it, the gold standard of Flautas can be found in my hometown of Poway, California! All others fall short next to these delectable cylinders of perfectly marinated shredded beef topped with sour cream, cheese and a liberal dousing of the red hot sauce. I have had some damned good Flautas in my travels deep south of the border (including Mexico City) but El Ranchito reigns supreme. I will stop for an order every time I find myself in the town that is Poway. I haven't lived there for 20 plus years but the city in the country remains always in the deepest reaches of my black heart. As does El Ranchito. read more

El Ranchito Taco Shop - Fluatas Extraordinaire! - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

Came to Poway for a garage sale. Asked for recommendations for a taco shop as my wife was craving for her gringo tacos. El Ranchito was highly recommended by a few people. Well my wife got the 2 ground beef taco plate and wanted to order 2 more. "New years resolution" I reminded her. Remember, she also loves Taco bell and Del tacos too. I ordered a Cabeza street taco and carnitas taco. This cabeza was a little too slimy and gamey for me. Meat was melt in the mouth but ... pass, unless your hard core cheek person. The carnitas was the Star! If ever I was in Poway again, I'd order 3 of these pork goodness. Pork was moist but had that awesome crispness to it. Guacamole married effortlessly with this tasty pork taco. Also, the chunky salsa, if you like that chipotle flavor, is freshly made and great with whatever you decide to enhance. read more

El Ranchito Taco Shop - Cabeza street taco and Awesome carnitas taco. - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

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Not as good as the sister shop off Twin Peaks. Wildly popular in Poway, El Ranchito is the upper echelon of Mexican food in this area. I usually grab a California Burrito, but I did a guacamole taco instead. I made the mistake of ordering it creamy style, which unbeknown to me was basically green sour cream. Always order it chunky style. - Penalty for charging a buck to take salsa "to-go". It aint right! read more

El Ranchito Taco Shop - Green Sour Cream Taco - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

Can you believe this plate was carne asada fries?!? It was all cheese! Really disappointed when I got home to see my so called carne asada fries was really just a plate of cheese. The few fries and pieces of meat on this plate were good but definitely not worth almost $10. Won't be ordering these again. read more

El Ranchito Taco Shop - What was supposed to be carne asada fries.... - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

Been going to this place for maybe 30 years now. The machaca burrito, beef flautas, pico de gallo, and spicy carrots are the best. Also, love the beef tacos. You need to ask for chunky guacamole though. The roll tacos and carne asada burrito are not the best - try eating that at all the Mexican fast food places in San Diego. read more

I live in Colorado now, and nowhere here can match El Ranchito's carnitas. We're taking our girls to Sea World, the zoo, and Disney in three weeks, but MY highlight will be stopping at El Ranchito for those carnita tacos! read more

Doing great during Covid, takeout is fast fresh and delicious. Clean and following protocol. read more

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Ran in here the other day for a quick lunch while waiting for a pedicure appointment. I wasn't sure if I should order the large Carnitas Taco or the smaller one. I did know I wanted the French Fries. I don't know why but fries are always good at Mexican places. Anyways...the friendly lady at the register said that the smaller taco would be more than enough food for me especially with the French Fries. I appreciated her honesty and went with her suggestion. She was right, the small Carnitas Taco was more than enough food and I didn't even make a dent in my fries. Those fries were really yummy. Oh and the Carnitas were tasty, crispy, and lean. Just how I like it. Prices are reasonable. I paid about $5.40 for the Carnitas Taco, French Fries, and an Iced Tea. read more

El Ranchito Taco Shop - Small Carnitas taco - Mexican Near Me - Poway, California

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