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    Rancho Viejo

    4.1 (180 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican, Salad
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Rancho Viejo Photos

    Business Info

    RANCHO VIEJO ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Chips and salsa
    Dave W.

    Rancho Viejo is good restaurant. Chips and salsa are fresh as this place does a good business. My choice for lunch was the Lunch Pancho special which is chicken and shrimp with rice beans and a small salad. See pics. Very filling and hit the spot after a good hike in nearby Smoky Mountains National Park. All in all good value for the price paid. Service is so so here. Nice indoor dining and prefer the booths here. Gets busy at lunch time. Rancho Viejo say Whittier but it is basically Cherokee. Hard to find the first time. Look for FoodLion and Rancho Viejo is located in strip mall connected to FoodLion. The restaurants around here are limited and this is one of the best. Other more expensive options are in the casino up the street.

    Pina rancherito with a side of rice and refried beans
    Brian G.

    All I have to say is get the Pina Rancherita! This is a very unassuming Mexican restaurant by all appearances. It's in a strip mall and the inside of the restaurant looks like a really tired old Mexican restaurant. But once you get food, none of that matters. Good chips and salsa. I thought about getting some queso but I am glad I didn't as the main course was just so much! Let me describe the pina rancherita. It consists of a half of a pineapple hollowed out and filled with the most heavenly mixture of chorizo, chicken, mushrooms, onions, pineapple chunks and cheese. I could eat that combination every day! What a cool concept. I would love to have it again.

    CARNITAS Y PICO DE GALLO
    Donald W.

    The best Caritas in North Carolina Tortillas excellent Rice beans excellent California the best server love this restaurant Authentic Mexican food

    Hawaiian chicken
    Tym C.

    With our experience it was quiet with great food, and service that comes with chips, and salsa

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    3 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Dishes and service were good. I found the table salsa disappointing, but the salsa picosa was delicious.

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    4 years ago

    Amazing food and great service. I love this place the shrimp is awesome. I will always frequent this place

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Best Mexican food around! We've been coming here for about a year and every dish is excellent! Staff is super friendly and attentive.

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    5 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Bad food and bad service. Awful experience overall, wouldn't recommend to anyone looking for authentic Mexican food. Hard pass.

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    7 years ago

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    6 years ago

    I eat a lot of Mexican because as I travel and this by far is as good as everyone says. A great find food is authentic and very very good.

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    8 years ago

    Fast service, great chips and salsa. Carnita plate was great just wish my tortillas were cooked a little longer.

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    3 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Excellent tasting vegetarian fare. Much better than one would normally expect in a small town like Cherokee.

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    7 years ago

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    Page 2 of 5

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    Foragers Canteen - Shrimp elote tacos

    Foragers Canteen

    4.4(340 reviews)
    7.9 mi
    $$

    This was not what I was expecting -- in the best way possible. I came here with a friend who had…read morevisited the previous location before they moved, and I can confidently say this experience delivered exactly what I needed. First, let's address the only downside: my burger was slightly overcooked. The server was very kind and attentive, but by the time she came back around to check on us, it felt a little late to send it back. I decided to remove the meat and enjoy the rest of the burger -- and surprisingly, it was still very good. My only hope for next time is that everything comes out cooked exactly as intended. Now for the positives -- because there are plenty. The wait time was excellent. We didn't have to wait for a table, and the food came out in a timely manner. That level of efficiency definitely adds to the overall experience. This restaurant is clearly operating at a high level. The location is great, the atmosphere is welcoming, and everything feels well-managed. You can tell there's pride behind what they're doing. We ordered The Goat Burger with Crispy Buttered Taters and started with the Fried Deviled Eggs. The fried deviled eggs were a standout. They had a salty base with a slight kick of heat, and the pickled onions brought in a sweet, tangy balance that elevated the dish. The salty-sweet combination worked beautifully together. A strong appetizer choice. As for The Goat Burger -- aside from being slightly overcooked -- the flavor was impressive. The patty was well seasoned, and the fried goat cheese paired with bacon created a rich, savory profile that complemented the crispy buttered taters perfectly. Everything worked cohesively on the plate. Even after removing the meat, the toppings and structure still delivered strong flavor. The food was absolutely worth the money. I left feeling full and satisfied without feeling overly heavy, which is always a plus. This is a place I will go back to again and again. I would confidently recommend it to others -- great location, good food, good people, and solid service. They also offer wine and beer for those who want to enjoy a drink with their meal. Overall, a very strong experience. I'm looking forward to coming back -- and next time, I'm hoping everything comes out cooked perfectly.

    Came to town for my older daughter's college tour at WCU and looked up foragers on a previous visit…read moreand looked up the reviews so decided to bring the whole family +1 and give it a try. The layout of the restaurant is very homey with the Green velvet love seat by the door in the waiting area. It seems very casual with mostly family's and a few couples at the bar. When we arrived there was a short wait so we walked out to admire the Jackson County Courthouse on the hill across the street. After our brief walk our table was ready. We had my wife, son 2 daughters and the oldest one's boyfriend who goes to WCU. We started with the fried deviled egg and cheesy prosciutto croquettes for an appetizer. Big fan of the tomato jam and croquettes so much that I saved the remaining portion for my Gouda grits. They have a wide variety on the menu so everyone found a meal they would enjoy. My wife got the motherclucker chicken sammich with a salad, my youngest daughter got pasta Alfredo, my son got the Rueben, I ordered the fish tacos with Gouda grits and Karlea and Tristan got a basic burger and fries. Other than being messy, my fish tacos were tasty with the slaw and blueberry composite. My wife liked her chicken sammich even though it was at the edge of her threshold for spicy. Brody enjoyed his Rueben but the seasoned veggies were a bit bland. Forager seems like a Sylva staple that will stay on my shortlist. Cheers!

    Photos
    Foragers Canteen - Bar

    Bar

    Foragers Canteen - A perfect way to example, a burger in its own glory

    A perfect way to example, a burger in its own glory

    Foragers Canteen - Salty Sweet Potato Tots

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    Salty Sweet Potato Tots

    Rancho Viejo - mexican - Updated July 2026

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