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    El Rancho

    3.7 (59 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    El Rancho Photos

    EL RANCHO ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - El Rancho

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    Enchiladas Verdes
    Megan B.

    I've been to this place before and decided to give them a chance after my family recently been there and they told me it was good. I would say it was a steady night for a Tuesday. It took awhile for our server to come and take our order. I had gotten the enchiladas verdes and when I was eating it, I found a bone in my enchiladas. Our server never came over to check on the meal to the point we had to flag someone else down. They get another one started for me and here comes our server with the check before my new meal comes out. We had informed him that I found a bone in my meal. Luckily I didn't find another bone in the second one. I won't be going back to this place and it my family wants to go I will excuse myself or not get anything or I may try something else.

    a margarita with a straw in it
    Jaimie C.

    This place is so friendly and colorful! I like feeling the culture when I dine. My server was very friendly and seated me quickly. I ordered the Jumbo Coconut Margarita and it was very flavorful and had plenty of Tequilla in it. It was advertised for $7! I had the ElRancho Steak. It came with rice, tortillas and was covered in grilled shrimp! The amount of food is quite a lot! All in all, this is a fun place and they have a daily buffet until 2:30 with the best wings!

    Raw chicken

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    14 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    16 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Hadn't been there for awhile. Definitely much better, good food, friendly service, reasonable prices. Will definitely be back

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    9 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    15 years ago

    Authentic Mexican, good service, and reasonable prices-- but just average taste and bland salsa.

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    10 years ago

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    16 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Great food, friendly staff and a Mexican Buffet. If you are in Paquoson do yourself a favor and stop in. Well worth the $7.99

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    14 years ago

    Great service. Best Mexican in Poquoson :P Food is average, salsa is watered down, but the drinks are nice.

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    11 years ago

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    Los Compadres Taqueria & Marisqueria

    Los Compadres Taqueria & Marisqueria

    4.4
    (96 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    We stopped by for lunch. The food was awesome Daniel…read moreprovided great service and recommendations. I got the following CAMARONES A LA DIABLA Choice of head-on or peeled shrimp covered in bright red spicy chile sauce on our stove top

    I saw the reviews and pictures on yelp and had to give it a try! If I'm ever back in the area…read moreI'll definitely be trying more!!! I got the tacos governador, they're shrimp tacos with grilled onions, bell peppers, and cheese. They were amazing. The shrimp was so fresh, plump, and perfectly grilled. The onions and peppers still had a little crunch to them, so all the textures worked beautifully together. I took my food to go and rated a 5/5, but I'm sure it would have been even better if I ate it immediately there if that's even possible. It also came with this special sauce, but it didn't really need it. They were amazing as is. I did like dipping my chips in the sauce. I also loved the chips and salsa. They're the thicker cut chips and can hold a lot. The salsa was fresh and no heat to it, but you could taste the peppers. The employees were very nice and helped me because I came in thinking I knew exactly what I wanted lol but completely forgot the name. It seems like a local restaurant because the employees were very friendly with all the customers there, and seemed like they knew everyone. If I have time before I leave, I'll definitely come back! Thank you for a great dinner and first proper meal in Virginia!

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Chicken Nachos + Al Pastor Burrito
    Chicken Nachos + Al Pastor Burrito
    Carne tacos

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    Carne tacos
    La Isla Taqueria Y Mariscos

    La Isla Taqueria Y Mariscos

    3.5
    (4 reviews)
    3.6 mi

    We decided to try out this new Mexican restaurant that we heard about. The location is perfect and…read moreeasily accessible from a main highway. We ordered two carne asada burritos and a lingua taco, which came with French fries. Of course, chips and salsa were included, and they gave us a bowl of queso dip. The lingua taco was good, but in my opinion, it could have been softer. However, if you like a bit of texture, then it's perfect for you. The carne asada burrito had a good flavor, but the meat was tough, and we found several fat gristles. Also, I wouldn't say I liked the sour cream drizzled over the burrito. The French fries were pale and bland; some seasoning would have made them better. The chips and salsa were good, but the significant cilantro cuts in the salsa were a bit too much. The service was excellent! Our server was very friendly and attentive. He even brought out another basket of chips and salsa. The dining area has an open floor set up to accommodate a small group. The decor is stylish and has an ocean vibe, as they serve various seafood dishes. My overall experience was good, but I was slightly disappointed by the quality of the carne asada burritos. I would rate the food 3.5 out of 5 stars and intend to try other items on the menu. However, the excellent service I received bumped up my overall rating to a 4.

    Had a good taco here. Atmosphere is very nice, typical local Mexican restaurant. We will be back.read more

    Photos
    Bar, bar seating, Booths, tables
    Bar, bar seating, Booths, tables
    Pollo (chicken),  Carnitas, and Asada Tacos
    Pollo (chicken), Carnitas, and Asada Tacos
    Dining area

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    Dining area
    La Parrilla Mexican Grill

    La Parrilla Mexican Grill

    3.9
    (261 reviews)
    6.0 mi
    $$

    We loved our food here and would go back if we're in Hampton! This was the best food we had during…read moreour visit to Hampton for the jazz festival. The margaritas were great and strong for the price. The chips were good and the guac was a nice size and was really fresh. The fajitas were great. The chicken was flavorful with lots of veggies. They also remember to leave off the cheese and sour cream as I requested. The shrimp dish was also really good. The beans and rice were well seasoned and tasty. Standard Mexican food, but really fresh and delicious. I recommend checking this place out!

    I've ordered steak and rice bowls with vegetables at many Mexican restaurants, which typically cost…read morearound $20-$22 all-in. When my check arrived here, it came out to $36 for a single bowl. When I checked the itemized receipt, I realized why: The $16.99 menu base for the bowl already includes vegetables, but they unbundled them and charged an extra $5.99 for vegetables. Instead of charging the standard $3 protein upgrade, they billed the steak as an a la carte side of steak for $4.99. Tacking on tax and an automatic gratuity brought a standard $20 meal to $36. When I calmly brought this up to the manager and explained that I was charged extra for ingredients that were already supposed to be included in the bowl, he refused to listen or adjust the ticket. Instead of correcting the clear billing error or handling the situation professionally, he was dismissive, told me to "cough it up," and became belligerent. I was willing to pay a fair price ($25) for what I actually ordered based on the menu, but management refused to fix the inflated charges. Extremely disappointing customer service and deceptive billing practices. I will not be returning. Wanted that 10$ so bad, that he lost a repeat customer and his family.

    Photos
    La Parrilla Mexican Grill
    CAMARONES A LA DIABLA
    CAMARONES A LA DIABLA
    La Parrilla Mexican Grill

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    Jarochitos Tacos

    Jarochitos Tacos

    4.4
    (72 reviews)
    8.1 mi
    $$

    After Sophia and I saw a movie weeks ago, we went here to have lunch. We've been at Jarachitos…read moreTacos previous times where we left satisfied every time. Let's see how this recent visit went. We were immediately greeted by the staff and seated promptly. It wasn't packed but presented a cool vibe nonetheless. After a few minutes looking over the menu, we were both ready to order. My selection for lunch was quesabirria with consome as a dipper. When it arrived, it was actually birria tacos. I did ask the server about it, but he said it's quesabirria. Kind of confusing, but I'm sure it's tacos. Nonetheless, the meal had me full. The birria was well cooked and seasoned with other ingredients. A little messy, but it was all fine. And the consome was so good I actually sipped the rest after I was done. Even with the selection situation, I was satisfied with the meal for the afternoon. They will continue to be one local spot worth repeating. Till next time :)

    This is a little hole in the wall that you might miss they don't sell anything fancy, but they do…read moresell some of the most authentic Mexican food at very similar Mexican prices you will leave stuffed and not spend much. Your wallet will stay full as well. The gordita that I had was stuffed with meat and delicious. We also tried the tacos, including the El Diablo, which was extremely hot. Enough so that he was sweating ha ha and our bill was less than $20 which is amazing in this day and age. It was so good. We had to come back this second time during the week. The staff are attentive. And the set up is pretty similar to most Mexican spot. Very clean.

    Photos
    Clean entrance/foyer
    Clean entrance/foyer
    Dessert
    Dessert
    Torta de asada

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    Torta de asada
    Guapo's Mexican Grill

    Guapo's Mexican Grill

    4.2
    (128 reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $$

    I've had Guapo's on my Yelp radar for years. Fellow Yelpers and others that I've met in various…read morecircles always said positive things about their food. After Sophia and I went to the movies over the weekend, we finally got the chance to check them out. Let's see if they lived up to the hype. We were promptly seated after walking inside. It's very spacious where you can have a small gathering. Amazingly, we were only one of two couples inside during lunch time. Traveling in this part of Newport News can have you blink and miss the location. Nonetheless, service was good. As far as the food goes, very good and filling. I forgot the exact burrito I ordered but it came filled with chicken, chorizo and rice topped with queso and pico de gallo. Both proteins are some of my favorites in Mexican dishes. I did think the amount of rice was more than the protein but not to where it was a disappointment. It was a minute since I ate a burrito and this one satisfied yours truly. There are a few factors why I gave Guapo's 4 out of 5. For starters, our table wasn't completely clean. Even if the place isn't full, you have to have decor spotless no matter what. Also, they were doing some painting near the window. It was strong at first but the scent decreased later on. When it came to chips and salsa, the dropped the ball sort of speak. The chips were cold to the touch and the salsa was underwhelming for Sophia's taste. Other than the snafus, our visit was good. This spot is one that we'll definitely repeat. Till next time :)

    One of the better Mexican spots I've tried in the area. Located in a strip mall next to an ABC…read morestore, it's a hidden gem for sure. Came in on a Thursday night and was seated with no wait. There were only a few others dining in but seemed like take out orders were popular. The dining area was clean and open and the wall decor was nice. For food, I had the steak fajitas which were delicious. My friend had a burrito and loved it. The drinks were also impressive. Will be back for sure!

    Photos
    Guapo's Mexican Grill
    Fajita
    Fajita
    Menu

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    Menu

    El Rancho - mexican - Updated July 2026

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