My favorite Mexican restaurant on island. Mom and I are regulars. It's family owned and very…read moreconsistent. The portions are always a good size and Savannah and Zander are always very attentive

Out and about and had to try this place...They been at this location (right next to Napa wahiawa)…read morefor over 25 years! Parking is also at Napa after hours (they open at 5pm for dinner) A very small cool unassuming hole in the wall with alot of mexican and old time charm housed in an old building with 6 (4 person) tables and light airconditioning. As you enter the inhose bathroom is right in back of entrance (streetside) I believe they also have a take out window fronting Napa parking lot. The staff was friendly and cool and the food didnt take too long (we were the first ones there) The menu was typical mexican food fare tacos enchiladas burritos ..oh and it was taco night $4 tacos (fair size not bad) Food was okay. Not a bad place to try while in Wahiawa

I cannot say enough amazing things about Jay R at Taqueria El Ranchero in Kapolei. He is truly one…read moreof the best servers we have ever encountered anywhere. Jay R doesn't just provide great service, he anticipates what you need before you even have to ask. He remembers our order, brings our drinks before we've even ordered and always makes sure we get the extra off menu salsa we love with our chips. Even on days we are not in his section and have a different waiter. It's those little details that make you realize how genuinely attentive he is. But what really says everything about Jay is how far he will go for his customers. One evening, one of our kids was freezing cold and wanted a hot chocolate. They didn't have it at the restaurant, so Jay actually went across the street to get one for him without even telling us. Who does that?! We were completely blown away. Jay is the epitome of going above and beyond. He has an incredible ability to make people feel seen, valued, remembered and genuinely cared for. That kind of service is rare. You can teach someone how to take an order or serve a table, but you cannot teach the level of thoughtfulness and genuine hospitality that Jay naturally brings to the service he extends. We come back weekly because we love the food, but Jay is a huge part of what makes Taqueria El Ranchero special for our family. He deserves every bit of recognition possible. If management is reading this, please know what an exceptional person you have representing your restaurant. Jay R. is truly outstanding!

Gave an extra star because they have a big spot with plenty of seats and good food…read more They were supposed to auto-charge gratuity for our party of 6 which irritates me, but they didn't and took a chance. We had other meals for our party and everyone liked their food We checked out the Hawaiian food place nearby and it was very loud with live music, and this place was quiet enough for us to talk and hear each other All the meals were big enough for takeout of leftovers.

Tacos in Pearl City, O'ahu, Hawai'i…read more.. I asked my Saturday foodie group if they were interested in tacos... Sure! I had been to the Kalihi, Kaimuki (now closed), and Pauoa locations. I liked them all - each place had their own charm and uniqueness. I wanted to see how this one in Pearl City Shopping Center compared... Situated between Daiso and Sadie's BBQ Inn, Alejandros is right at the entrance to HouseMart Ben Franklin Crafts. We sat outside because the air-conditioning inside wasn't working. Service at the counter could improve. It seems like the cashier was in training because we ordered and paid for one of each taco, but got three ground beef tacos. I asked which taco was the carnitas... then, they made me two extra tacos with different meats (carnitas and steak). Carnitas (pork) was my favorite... that's why it costed the most! LOL! Overall, it was a fun foodie experience! The shared free parking was a bonus!

Located right out front the Ben Franklin off Waimano Home Rd…read more Has indoor and outside seating. I think it has plenty of seating which I was surprised about. Everyone was very nice from ordering to pick up. It was quick and easy plus the food came out fast! They take credit card and cash. I ordered a carne asada burrito, a carnitas taco and a chicken taco. I love Mexican food! I was sadly disappointed with the food. Everything tasted pretty bland. The meat lacked flavor. Everything also tasted dry. I added some of the green mild sauce but it didn't add more flavor, just made things more moist. The tacos are packed with a lot of meat which is nice. The taco size is small but these are normal street taco size so I wasn't surprised by that. I would say compared to other Mexican places on the island, the burrito was small given the price. I had no issues with the customer service, location, or restaurant overall. The food wasn't awful, just wasn't for me. I think if you have kids or adults that are picky eaters, I would say this might be a good place to try some different cruise that isn't spicy and won't overwhelm your taste buds. I do wish this business success because it's tough being a small business on this island. I hope they can change up some of their recipes and if they do, I'd love to give this place a try again.

My foodie friends wanted to make sure we stopped here on our food adventure. I always love coming…read morehere because the Mexican food is pretty good! But what I didn't know was that they don't have a happy hour...they have a HAPPY DAY!!!!! 10-6 PM! So even though we were not really hungry cause we just had lunch, we ordered some crispy tacos...which are four minis. The day was getting happier and happier! The bartender was great! Friendly and attentive! And it still has the same great vibe to just relax and enjoy! Gracias and Mahalo El Ranchero!

The food at Taqueria El Ranchero is still very good, and the prices are reasonable. I had the wet…read moreseafood burrito with shrimp, and as usual, it had an impressive amount of shrimp in it. Flavor was solid, portion was generous, and the food itself is the main reason I keep coming back. The ambiance is chill and local. Most of the afternoon crowd seemed to know each other, which gives the place a comfortable neighborhood feel. That said, the inside is a little dingy and could probably use a renovation. The issue on this visit was the service. When we got there, it was pretty empty, maybe 4 or 5 people sitting at the bar. The guy working behind the bar seated us, but then never brought menus, never brought water, and never came back to take our order. When my friend tried waving him down, he ignored us. Eventually another employee came in, and the bartender just told him, "Go take his order," without acknowledging us at all. I don't know if he was only working the bar that day, but he could have at least brought water, menus, or simply said someone would be right with us. Instead, the whole interaction came across as dismissive and unnecessary. Food was very good as always, but service matters too. Based on this visit, I'd call it 3 stars overall.

Didnt even know this place existed. Very easy to overlook. Its between Aiea bowl and a chicken…read moreplace. A small doorway to enter. There is a sign directing you to use the door in the alley but thats only for takeout the entrance is the door with bars across it the door gave me the impression it was closed but just just go in they open. Insides has a Mexican flare (pics) and of course it has ac. A very cozy restaurant with around twelve 4 person tables and one family table that seats 6. The restaurant seems very clean and even the bathrooms was very clean. Clean bathrooms is a good indication of cleanliness of the kitchen. The staff greeted us when we came in and was cordial not overly friendly but got the job done. The food was the typical mexican fare (menu pic) most mexican places is you order the plate and it has your burrito or enchillada etc and it comes with beans and rice and I usually take a few bites and discard it because it is very bland but the beans and rice here was so flavorful and good I finished it all along with two very tasty enchilladas. The food was real flavorful priced a bit on the high side but well worth it. If you are feeling the mexican grindage vibe and looking for a clean cozy restaurant with great food with manageable pricing go check out El Charro Mexicano its all good!!!

Aunty makes the best margaritas on island by far, One of…read morethose not with a strong punch, but creeps up!!! Her margaritas tastes exactly like an aqua Fresca and I am a fan. Also tried the shrimp ceviche and guacamole, which was tasty. --add in a fried ice cream for balance LOL! Laxed service, younger gentleman was kind and personable. Come here for chill vibes and a strong drink, Will come try the other food for sure. 10/10 would recommend.

Great Horchatta , Great authentic Salsa , chicken…read morechimichanga good . Had not been there in years was good Service great ! 8/30/26.

We got together for a family dinner. My wife, sister and brother. Our mom used to love Mexican…read morefood. Back in the old days we used to go Mama's Mexican kitchen. It was so good and always had a line waiting to get in for dinner. Quite the opposite here. We got there at 6:45pm and there was only one table besides us eating dinner. I didn't notice anyone ordering take out for pick up. Tanisha was our waitress and she took really good care of us. Yeah it also helps that we ended up being the only ones there eating. I really hope that this was just a really slow night because their food or what i ordered was really good. First Tanisha brought out chips and salsa. I like their salsa but i need a little heat to it so i added the hot sauce. I got the 3 choice combination plate. 2 shredded beef enchiladas and a steak relleno. Not too many places offer shredded beef. It's usually ground beef and i don't care much for that. The shredded beef is really tender. It's so soft and with the corn tortilla and enchilada sauce just blends so well. I like it as it's very delicious. The steak relleno is really good too. The only complaint I have is about the Spanish rice and refried beans. They were layered thin so it's really not that much. Being the cheapest items to make i would think they would give you more so you would be really full. I just wish had more of it cause it's really good and compliments the enchiladas and relleno. It's not about the rice and beans tasting good cause it does. I just wish had more of it. Then comes dessert. I love fried ice cream and they make it really good here. Perfect way to end my dining experience. I'm really happy coming here. The food i ordered was delicious and Tanisha is a great waitress. I highly recommend eating here for Mexican food. I'm sorry I didn't take pictures of the menu which i should have. The menu not only features what's available but also what's in it. A description of the entree choices. A few of them with pictures of the entree. Really good menu. Just sorry i didn't take pictures. My bad.

Got the carne asada tacos and they were awesome, perfectly seasoned and super juicy and tender…read more Came with sauces on the side but didn't really need it. Excited to try more from their menu, especially their desserts!

I stumbled upon this mobile establishment located in upper left Waikele Outlet parking lot. Menu…read morecaught my attention. Nachos looked appealing. Gentleman at front counter offered protein options. Decision was carnitas nachos to go. There are two tables with umbrellas outside. Cash, card, and tap payments are accepted. Generous amount of delicious corn tortilla chips that's not thin, not heavy tasting, not oily, can hold the weight, topped with light mozzarella cheese, refried beans, and moist carnitas. Delicious hot sauce arrived in a separate container. I wasn't thrilled the liquid from diced tomatoes ran into sour cream and guacamole upon opening the container. I hurriedly scooped the toppings, drizzled hot sauce, and finished my meal. Lost heat quickly.

It's not great, but it's not terrible. Only been here a few times and not sure when I'll go again…read more Carne asada is ok; tried both the combo and meat only version. It could've been more flavorful, but it's not the worst burrito I ever had. Barbacoa was... interesting, to say the least. I have never had such fatty barbacoa where it was just bite after bite of fat. I think I got a bad batch, or it wasn't cooked long enough. It wasn't tender and had just... a lot of fat. The texture wasn't right and it felt like sticky mush in my mouth. Couldn't finish my barbacoa burrito due to the texture being so off. Tried picking at it with a fork and some of the fat would pull off like stringy, forgive me for this, snot. Also a bit disappointed that they don't have salsa and just hot sauce. Mouthful of Tapatio isn't the same as a quick, home made salsa. I understand this is a small business and local, and they are trying to keep costs down so some short cuts need to be made. Owner is nice though. He tries to make small talk with everyone so it does have a nice friendliness aspect. Would not recommend barbacoa. Chicken was ok. Carne asada was ok. Supporting small businesses is what keeps me coming back - if I feel like making the drive out here.

Each time u visit Hawaii .. I try to make it out to this small truck. The food is so damn good. I…read moream usually at a resort.. so I crave something authentic from the Los Angeles. This little truck is right on the money.. Anyhow.. this popped up on my yelp.. so I am dropping this little message. - don't think about it too long... just go visit them.. The fish taco's are the best.