First time here and I don't know why I waited this long! Big place, fresh chips and salsa, fast service. Chicken and bean burro with green sauce was great, and the spicy mango margarita hit just right. Great prices too! read more

El Rancho Restaurant - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Pinetop, Arizona

Family owned and ran. Staff was so personable. We ate at the bar and enjoyed swapping stories with the bartender. Spicy mango margarita is a MUST! Made with frozen mangos... not mango syrup!! Ceviche had a lot of shrimp and avocado. Came with a side of hot sauce. Hatch Chili Relleno was perfectly stuffed and cooked. Got it with the green sauce. 3 different tacos on a combo plate.... Had it enchilada style so they were smothered in sauce!! Chips and salsa were fresh and not spicy. Every Wednesday they have live music. Definitely a place for either traditional Me Ivan food or Americanized flavors. read more

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I really wanted to like this place. It was the most average Mexican food I've ver had. Nothing was spectacular. Salsa was fresh, but lacked flavor. They also charge 4% to use your credits card. So you can save money by paying with cash. Pro: service was 5 star, food came out quick and it was hot. Con: very mid Mexican food. Expensive for the lack of flavor. There are better Mexican options in the Pinetop area. read more

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Best Navajos tacos have ever had. I sure wish they were closer to my location! We go there every summer when we take our vacation in the White mountains. read more

Love to go to El Rancho. Went there as a child with family, continued to go as an adult. Food is good. No place like home, comfort food.

This is by far our favorite Mexican restaurant in town. Great family run restaurant with good food and a wonderful staff especially Gwen who we always request as our server read more

What a cute spot and delicious Navajo Taco. Husband loved the chile relleno as well. Salsa had great flavor. Chips served warm . read more

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Our service was great well seasoned waitress very articulate and knowledgeable Ambiance was what you would expect the seating was plentiful we had reservations so our table for 10 was perfect and roomy Now the food the menu was vast we had 6 kids in my party so the kids menu was perfect plenty of choices the regular menu also had great choice thank goodness it was not over overdone with cheap cheese, the ingredients tasted of better quality for a old school Mexican restaurant I had beef tacos they met my expectations others had enchiladas with green sauce Burritos and chili Renos everything was hot freshly made and good flavors food portions were generous I definitely can recommend El Rancho Restaurant read more

Very nice inside. They served us chips with no salsa,no napkins. Took an hour to get our food. Wasn't right. Beens were cold. And then tried to charge us twice for one cheese chrisp. O had to request silver ware, and the silver ware seemed like it was the cheapest Walmart you could silver ware you could buy. Don't go here. read more

El Rancho has consistently good service and delicious food and drinks. You can't go wrong with any of their specialty margaritas, my favorite is the spicy mango margarita! I think they have the best enchiladas in town, especially with their green sauce. Great cheese crisps too. read more

My takeout order, placed at the reception desk: one carne asada burrito with rice and beans, two shredded beef tacos, no red salsa...green only please. What I got: the burrito was very bland, no spice to the carne. Beans looked like they'd been thrown in the container from across the room. Tacos were well loaded with meat, but again...bland. 2 containers of red salsa, not green, and 2 containers of what appears to be green enchilada sauce. WTH?? Cost me $40 roughly. Overpriced and way wrong on the order. Yum. I guess if you're from anywhere east of here you'd consider this great Mexican food. BTW, there's a Taco Bell down the street. Give them a shot instead. At least they know the difference between salsa and enchilada sauce. read more

7/30/2024. Worst meal I have had in Pinetop! Cheese enchiladas had a mystery sauce that contained chunks of meat. Not appreciated by vegetarians! Also, one of our party ordered a burger. It looked to be composed of grill scrapings. Totally inedible! Service was good, but must have been a rookie in the kitchen. We won't be back! read more

Ridiculous prices. Charged me $5 for take out orders when I saved them a waiter's time, no dishes to serve & pick up fm table so no dishwashing. They should give discount for all they're not doing. Food mediocre at best. read more

Excellent service, food and margaritas! We sat in the lounge at 4:30 on a Tuesday. Our waitress was great, very attentive but not overly pushy. We ordered a shredded beef taco, chicken enchilada, relleno combo and it was delicious! We each had margaritas. I highly recommend the margarita de Diablo! It was topped with red wine and was delicious!! read more

i need to stop giving el rancho a chance because they disappoint me every time. they're great people but the food is almost always burnt. the chicken meat was overcooked and the red tamale tasted like it had been sitting for days. ambiance was fine. read more

I was in the mood for Mexican food so I decided to to try El Rancho restaurant in Pinetop. I ordered the New Mexico flat enchiladas with an over easy egg with red sauce, Authentic and delicious. I thought I would try the spicy mango margarita which was amazing. read more

So a friend recommended El Rancho - the owner (I believe Silviana is the owner) is someone he has known for years. So... we stop in - and Silviana is there - she greets us at our table and as we're gathering drink orders, I don't know what I want - so many look so good. Silviana asks if I can trust her - of course! So she brings me something - I have no clue what all was in it - but OMG - wonderful! Ask her to make you her favorite drink ... she'll do you right. The food? Wow - again - I let her design my burrito - and I wasn't disappointed in the least. Everyone at the table were having the most incredible food experience! I can't wait to get back up there - if nothing more than a great dining experience with wonderful people and incredible food! Home run!!! read more

Not sure if new owners but changed since last visit. The food was good. Margaritas was just okay. The booth we sat at needed repair , I dunked down at least an inch into a "hole". Highlight was the dessert. Ordered the cherry Chimichanga those were great read more

This place is so good, even for a picky eater! I loved the tacos and my boyfriend loved the tamales. The queso is also very good and a huge portion. Also, the margaritas were pretty cheap and so good! Would definitely come here again. read more

El Rancho Restaurant - Queso - Mexican Near Me - Pinetop, Arizona

Service super, and food delicious. Prices are fair. Ambiance nice but dark . Will return!

Took my family here for lunch and we were all impressed. The service was wonderful and our server was so nice. The food selection is great and the prices are reasonable. We all enjoyed our food. I had the chicken and beans burrito and it was excellent! The nachos are great too! Definitely coming back! read more

Perfect mountain Mexican food! The staff are very nice the minute you walk in the door. Our waitress did a great job of taking care of us. Once we ordered our food came out hot and fresh. Salsa had a little bite to it, green chili was super good and favorable. Chili in the chili Relleno was thick and delicious. Perfect place to go after being out fishing all day!! . read more

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A great re opening. Fresh and new! Good food and drink! Good job! We had chips and salsa, tacos and margaritas! The bar is redone and new paint looks good! Can't wait to sit outside! read more

El Rancho Restaurant - El Rancho re opening! ,what a great opening! Fresh and new and great food and drink! - Mexican Near Me - Pinetop, Arizona

The food & service are excellent. We've been coming here for years and have never had a bad experience. I don't go anywhere else for chile rellenos - the green sauce is superb! We always mix the salsa with the hot sauce to get the perfect spice level. This is where we get our "Mexican Food" fix and we highly recommend it. Gwen always provides great service. read more

A lot of variety , interesting choices and it was great food. It's a clean well lit place with very comfortable booths. I was impressed with the clean look of everything. The parking is easy and the service was great. I will definitely be back. I do recommend this place. read more

We had a group of 13 on a motorcycle ride and we stopped here for dinner. Great service, great food, and great drinks. Will definitely stop here again! read more

This family owned business is a great place. The staff is always personable and the owners are part of a history of caring and support on "the Mountain". If Karma exists, these owners would be millionaires. read more

BLAND BLAND BLAND. Food looks good but has no flavor. don't bother with this place. Mexican food in this town is fake.

They were able to accommodate my gluten free, no spicy pasta vegan. No lard in whole beans. Fish covered in avocado sautéed onion, tomato & cabbage. Very good. And service was friendly & attentive. read more

My family and I came into this restaurant Earlier today and let me tell you it was the best decision we made their food was delicious a lot of good flavors they have a red salsa which was spicy and had flavor also they have fry bread and it was light and fluffy with a little bit of crisp to it and you could tell it was freshly made I would definitely come here again!!!!! read more

El Rancho-Pinetop is an incredible establishment and truly a White Mountain tradition. I have read other reviews that have been critical of the atmosphere due to the fact that the restaurant is dark. It is by design. The place had been around for over 50 years. Natives and locals cherish the ambiance as it was the only fine dining restaurant in town for many years. The restaurant is also divided into main restaurant and bar. Each setting has its own unique vibe and tradition. The food is Sonoran Mexican. This is a much wetter/saucier cuisine than the drier Guadalajaran style that people are accustomed to if they've eaten at a Baja Fresh. Sonoran Mexican is a 'heavier' style of cuisine. I liken it to the Mexican equivalent of southern soul food (gravy-ish). If Sonoran Stule is not your preference, you might not enjoy the cuisine. I also believe that you need to order the right stuff to get the best of El Rancho. I have heard many people enjoy the Chimichangas. I have also smelled incredible sizzling skillet fajitas. I am a creature of habit and was fortunate enough to hit a homerun here over 35 years ago..... I have ordered the same thing for 35 years and have NEVER been disappointed with the "Combo F" (Green Chili Burro, Enchilada Style-No Onions and a Ground Beef Taco, rice and beans). I'm a firm believer that the Green Chili recipes are the strong suit. Pinetop is very near the New Mexico border and we benefit with amazing green chili at El Rancho. Green Chili is like wine, each year there are slightly different nuances about the crop, and that comes out in the cuisine here. If you want the most amazing experience and are going all out, open with a Green Chili Cheese Crisp (Amazing!) appetizer. Most places slap cheese on a tortilla and toss it in the oven for a couple of minutes. El Rancho does not. They have crafted an incredible cheese crisp like no other. Truly a specialty and I have searched the country and never found its equal. Deep fried ice cream is an excellent dessert and often makes its appearance at Birthday time when the staff brings out this amazing delicacy paired with a big sombrero, the experience immortalized in a photograph taken by the staff. Obviously, I am very biased having many of my best family memories at this hallowed establishment. My 3rd generation Lakeside family has made it a tradition due to the quality of both food and establishment. I truly hope you have a chance to share in this tradition. I hope you won't be disappointed. read more

El Rancho Restaurant - El Rancho Combo F ( Green Chili Burro Enchilada Style, Taco, Rice, Beans) - Mexican Near Me - Pinetop, Arizona

Mediocre Mexican food. They take regular tortillas and deep fry them to make their taco shells. The deep frying is uneven so some spots are crispy while other spots are chewy. My son who is 9 could not eat this shell and said part of it was poking down his throat. The shell got stuck in his throat and he ended up throwing up. I requested for soft shell tacos and the manager just brought out hamburger meat in tortillas, folded in half. The chips and salsa was nothing to wrote home about. Everything was average, not spectacular. We did like the fry bread that was served as desert after the meal. That was probably the highlight of the meal. It came with honey and we asked for powdered sugar also. Overall, it was a friendly place and the service was good. I would go back again especially after a day of skiing. read more

We went to this Mexican restaurant looking for authentic Carnitas. Once we were seated and tried to order they said they don't serve pork. Whoever heard of a Mexican restaurant that doesn't serve either Carnitas, green Chile verde, etc! Think twice! read more

This place is great! The food was delicious! We had a lengthy, difficult to go order and they went above and beyond accommodating. Sylviana was extremely patient with our multiple requests, she made wonderful suggestions and got everything right with our order. Most places we order from with an order like this get at least one thing wrong, not this place. If only every place had such great service and could get orders right like El Rancho. Will definitely come back every time we come to Pinetop. Thank you Sylviana! read more

I like this place for Happy Hour. The Flour chips are the bomb-order with a side of refried beans! Also the crispy, cheesy cheese crisp satisfies. Paired with several Margarita's and all is good! read more

Our visit here was a highlight of last years stay. I will update after we visit again in a few days. We felt at home and welcomed on our first visit. The food was great Note I'm from Tucson ,we know Mexican food! But the people were better. Thanks El Rancho See you again in a day or two read more

I am very new to the area surrounding Pinetop, AZ. I got a recommendation from the staff at Comfort Inn. El Rancho was a delightful find during my stay. I truly enjoyed my chile rellanos. I have never been a fan of green sauce but devoured my green rellano fast. And yet, the red is still my favorite. Big chunks of beef and perfectly spiced. The personal service was excellent. Ashley brought it!! The owner Sib came to my table and shared local history and insider secrets to the area. I will come back and enjoy my next trip. Thanks wonderful staff. Tina. read more

Very disappointed in this restaurant. My husband and I were trying to decide between three of the Mexican restaurants that we looked up on yelp and decided to go with El Rancho. The service was really great. The server was very attentive came back plenty of times to make sure that we had everything we needed. Unfortunately the food just was not very good. The salsa tasted like jarred salsa to me with a little bit of green onion in it, the chips were nice warm and crisp. My husband got the corn Asada tacos and I got the chicken taco with cheese enchilada, rice and beans. My Husband drinking a margarita what she said tasted more like lime kool aid and my tea was very weak. The chicken in my taco was very salty and the cheese in my enchilada was sort of congealed. Kind of like it wasn't super warm just a big chunk of cheese. Honestly, this food reminded me of the frozen Mexican dinners we used to buy back in the 80s. Although the service was really great, the food was lacking. I would not go back. read more

Good food, great band, horrible service. Took an hour for the two of us to be served our meal. Waitress Ashley ignored us and all we got were poor excuses. Felt invisible... read more

Havent had a bad meal here, but I will say I'm not a fan of their house salsa. Good food. Good service. Clean and responsible.