The food here is seriously awesome. Flavorful, a little spicy and totally delicious. The restaurant is just a little local joint but the staff and food are worth the trip. read more

Every time I crave Mexican food this is where I go! I've been to a lot of Mexican restaurants in Waco and they don't hit the spot like ranchito does! I highly recommend their shrimp a la diabla!! Their fajitas are perfectly seasoned! Their margaritas are really good! Great food Great service Great atmosphere read more

This place is close to my house and I've been here countless times for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dinner is great, I highly recommend an enchilada with Diabla sauce or getting a side of the diabla sauce to dip chips in. The chipotle chicken is also very good, as are the Barbacoa tacos. The margaritas are fantastic and very reasonably priced. Sometimes the staff will leave you a bit too long but it's easy to get their attention. Lunch tacos come out quickly through the drive through and they're very tasty and authentic. Breakfast is quick and delicious as well. I'll try to add a pic next time. read more

Awesome food! Great people! Hard to find anything to complain about here. Very satisfied with my everyday breakfast.

Really good food. LOVE their cucumber jalapeno margaritas! If you haven't tried it, DO IT! Not super spicy, a little sweet, and refreshing. Waitresses are sweet. And they are patient if your spanglish is a bit broken. read more

This little spot is a winner. The chips were perfectly crisp and delicious, both of the salsas were delicious. The quantity of tasty food for the amount they charge is really incredible. I had breakfast there on a Sunday morning, and it was really tasty, Got full, and set me back less than eight dollars. I live in Arlington and I wish we had a place like this there. Definitely going to be a stop every time I go through Waco. You should try them out. read more

It's four stars for its class, which is an inexpensive taqueria with full menu, bar, and waiter service. They have a gringo burrito, and I imagine they think of some other restaurants in town along those lines. We started with their complementary chips and two kinds of salsa. I then enjoyed the mini (street style) tacos with charro beans, which allowed me to sample five different meats. Looking around, it seemed like the fajitas were a popular item. read more

I love this neighborhood traditional Mexican food restaurant. The quesadillas are the best meal we've had by far. Thick tortilla and perfectly soft. I would stay away from the "Hunters' bird" it was a little weird. But everything else is consistent and tasty. Great deals on margaritas and they usually have a special going on for a meal. Highly recommend if you are in the area! read more

Probably the most authentic Mexican food in Waco. While the atmosphere can be distractingly loud and hectic, and though the service of the staff is below average, the food is excellently flavored. I enjoy the # 19, Beef Steak Ranchero. It's on the spicy side (they use sliced jalapeños in place of bell peppers in the dish) and it is quite scrumptious when served with hot corn tortillas and a side of fresh pico de gallo. read more

Stopped in Waco for a day and found this place from their reviews. Not a large place, but they had a good amount of customers late on a Saturday. Their red salsa delivered to the table was amazing. At the table we ordered green chicken enchiladas, chicken chimichanga, and shrimp quesadillas. The sauces on all of them were delicious! The margaritas were pretty good. Overall, I definitely recommend. read more

I got the chopped fajita & egg breakfast. It was outstanding! Friendly staff, quick service, great tasting food! I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

First time eating here today and omg the mini tacos are to die for. The aqua de Pina was soooo good. Let's just say that I'm eating here for dinner. read more

Okay so my wife and I do random drive off travel and on one of our adventures we ventured I to these doors for a quick bite to eat. The food was a bit salty but wasn't "terrible" which doesn't way much about lunch. As for the dining area, there were bullet holes in the window and left over crap in the seats they offered us. It was a dice but I guess I didn't expect THAT much from a place that doubles as a day care (there were kids running around that were obviously members of the staffs family). In fact, there seemed to be a family meal happening when we arrived as our waitress kept returning to eat her meal with said family between refilling our drinks and salsa bowl. Kinda weird but, do what you do I guess. I think they just need to have an employee area near the back so that it's not so awkward for the guest but that's just me. read more

The food was good, wait staff needs some work? The 3 waitresses spent more time talking amongst themselves and watching tv, than they did waiting on customers. Also, got my order wrong. read more

The Ranchito 5 Waco - Mexican Near Me - Waco, Texas

My new favorite Mexican restaurant. Been eating there for a few weeks once a week. My fave is the mini taco plate. Five tacos far from mini with meat choice and charro beans. Not a bean fan but the charro beans are the cats meow. Every time I get them they taste so home made its crazy good. Bits of ham and bell pepper and who knows what else. Ton of food for 7.99. Service is always great. Two can eat for well under 20 bucks. read more

I don't know why I was so shocked, as if only ANOTHER town could have really good Mexican food. This was the real deal and great. Reminded me of Lupe's in Houston. Our party of four had various dishes, all excellent. My friend commented on the Charro beans and how they had chunks of sausage and great flavor. The flavor of the meat was wonderful and very tender. This place was great!! read more

I met my sister from another mister here for the first time...I was NOT disappointed. We both got the #3 Combination plate and the price was very reasonable and the portions were more than I expected. The food was good and so were the two hot sauce choices brought to our table with really crispy chips. We will be back! read more

Delicious, fast and cheap. I do mean delicious. I've yet to be short of impressed by anything here. Their refried beans are incredible.

This was one of the best Mexican foods I've had so far. I ordered the Mexican plate which was great lol. My friends ordered the mixed fajitas and said that it was delicious. Next time I come down to Waco, I'll make sure to stop by here again. read more

My husband and I had dinner here tonight. I don't remember the names of the plates we had - sorry. I had 2 cheese enchiladas w/red sauce, a thin piece of skirt steak, rice, beans and guacamole. Husband had a dish that came in a large pot. He said it contained, beef, chicken and shrimp with onions, spices and a broth. Side plate of pico, charro beans and guacamole. Food and service were both good. Will return, and recommend you give them a try. read more

Wow.... Horrible service and warm beer is what you are going to find here. We have come to this place several times and order the same thing our ticket is never the same price. The staff seems bothered that people are inside the restaurant. read more

I went to lunch with my friend after reading these awesome reviews and the place looked legit. we were so excited to eat there until....a cockroach ran across the table and under our chip basket. There's probably an infestation and nobody know it. Gross. the wait staff didn't seem to mind the problem very much. ultimately, we left and didn't have to pay for the queso we almost ate.. read more

Excellent food, very reasonable, very friendly staff. It's more "autentico" than the standard Tex-Mex joints. Was fairly noisy the night I went - several large families having lots of fun. You know it's gonna be great if you're one of the few gringos in the joint. And I've got to put in a plug for my waitress Christina. read more

Muy Bueno! The food was EXCELLENT, the service was prompt, friendly and really seemed appreciative of the business... They were even packed wall to wall. When a place is that busy and the service and food is really good you have got to put it in your list. So anytime I'm driving thru Waco I'll be stopping by. read more

I was visiting Waco with a friend m. We wanted a "Mexican" Breakfast and found restaurant on Yelp. We thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast. I ordered the burrito and added cheese, chorizo, potatoes, and eggs. It was so good, creamy cheese, burrito was packed full and flavored well. Highly recommend. read more

This place had really good menudo and the barbacoa tacos were not so greasy like stripes , great food.

So I visited this place with my mom because she wanted some Mexican food and I told her that I preferred an authentic spot if we were gonna go all the way to Waco. We get here and I noticed the decor in comparison to this other place we visited in Corsicana. This was so much better. Anyway I ordered the Tampiqueña (order of 2 cheese enchiladas, beans, rice, steak, and guacamole) and my mom had the chipotle chicken plate. When I say everything on my plate was good. Everything was super delicious. Even the chips and salsa. It tasted so fresh. The pricing was definitely worth it. I plan on returning when I come back to Waco. Oh oh and the wait staff was also very good as well. read more

Very serviceable Mexican cusine. Interesting bar specials - like a Corona upside down in a margarita. The numerous grilled options are the best choices. Shrimp, quail, chicken, pork and beef all on the menu. Fresh salsas are mild and tasty. Beware the green squeeze bottle! Service is quick and helpful. read more

I love being able to write 5 star reviews and this place has many which is why we stopped on our way through Waco. It is a small place that doesn't look like much from the outside but the food tells a different story. From the moment you get your chips and salsa you know that there is something authentic about it. We ordered corn tortillas ahead of time with chips and I can say with 100% certainty that everything that came out was homemade. We will certainly make the 45 min drive back to Waco every time we have a craving for authentic Mexican food!! read more

Work so close that I'm a regular at lunch time. So close that its dangerous lol. I really enjoy their Tostadas

Chip & Salsa were great. NOTHING ELSE!!! Menudo was the most disgusting thing I have ever seen. While I sat there looking down at it and debating if I should try it, another diner told me NOT to, that it was more disgusting than it looked. It was made with beef broth. Menudo is made with red chili powder NOT beef broth. The Barbacova was watered down stringy beef with a very water down barque sauce taste to it. Barbacova does NOT take barque sauce!!! My advise to YOU is: DO NOT be misled by the 4 and a half star review. IT IS NOT WORTH IT! read more

Best chicken ever!!! Everything fresh and cooked to perfection!! Nice interior. Friendly staff. A must try!

Visited Waco to see the famous magnolia market and silos. Love hgtv. Was so hungry prior to going... Stopped in at Ranchito. Not disappointed! Service was super fast, hostess and waitress was knowledgeable and friendly. Food was absolutely delicious. I ordered a carne asada taco and cheese enchilada. Yum! My friend ordered the carne asada plate... SO good. Very very cheap prices for such great food. read more

The service was Extremely slow and the food was just okay. We had fajitas Mexicana - it was really heavy on some sort of tomato seasoning saucy. My husband had the Jalisco Burrito - he said it was mediocre. read more

Ok, the not so good... Old and dreary eatery. Could use fresh paint, updates, and some modern decor to get out of the 80's. Everything else...Awesome! Family operated and the food comes with quality and a smile. Price is fair and wait staff works hard to please. If you want decor and elbow room, go to a chain and take your chances with recipe following cooks that pass off chain purchased tortillas and chips. Locals eat at this place so you know the food is good. We eat at The Ranchito regularly and have never been disappointed. Daily specials are offered if you are value minded or want to feed the family. If you want great food and don't mind stepping away from the malls or shopping areas give this one a try, you won't regret it. read more

The food was good, but the service is horrible. Only 3 tables for 3 servers, so certainly not overly busy. I just don't understand.

They have the best authentic HORCHATA (no powder here!) you will find in the area. I absolutely LOVE their salsas too. I tried the combination fajitas (chicken, beef, and shrimp) and was not disappointed. The portions are large so you have plenty to share and the tortillas are HOMEMADE! Yes, homemade and delicious. The pricing is affordable and they also have food and drink (Margaritas!) too. read more

Bacon cheeseburger very good, nice zing, excellent price. I don't eat hamburgers often, but when I do I get it from this restaurant, much better than most other places. read more

They have horrible service I asked for chicken quesadillas and they gave me beef and then when I asked the waitress what I ordered she said chicken.. they are rude and could care less about customer service I will never come back here read more

Great Mexican restaurant with a not-your-average Tex-Mex vibe. I ordered the Gringos Burritos and the Horchata and I was wonderfully satisfied. The sauce is full of flavor and the service is on point despite the large party we came with. read more