Just recently came here for the first time, recommended by a friend. We were mostly checking out downtown San Clemente and all its shops and restaurants and pier. Great little town to explore. This was our lunch spot. We had already walked for a couple hours. Avila's is a beautiful restaurant and fairly spacious. There is parking on both sides of the street among the shops on Avenida del mar. We were really thirsty and the busboy, Christian, got us 3 iced teas and chips like within 2 minutes. Super nice. Rafael was our waiter, and we ordered quickly. 1. Two taco combo platter, chicken and shredded beef. 2. Tacos and Caldo, my friend ordered with tacos. 3. Mama Avila's soup which came with chicken and lots of other things, and a tortilla. All 3 were delicious and filling. I always get a two taco combo plate since I love this meal, and to compare to other restaurants. This was great. The tacos perfect and flavorful. We will come back. Next time I will order the fajitas. I believe this is a chain with like 10 stores or so, so check to see if any are in your area. A very nice lunch with two fine lady friends as well. Thx Rafael for always checking on us and the iced teas to go. read more

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Took the redwood/sentient boulder and my canine roommate to Avila's El Ranchito, and let me just say, oof, it was great. We sat outside because I am with dog (she is my roommate and i need to win her back bc rn she's #teamBoulder, the traitor jk i love her). No regrets. The patio was cute, vibey, and most importantly: accommodating to both mammals and photosynthesizing, mineral-based lifeforms. The Food Mama's Soup (me): Someone's mamá absolutely poured love, healing, and probably generational wisdom into that broth. It was warm, rich, comforting -- like emotional support in liquid form (with chicken and rice in it, some of my 5th year phd dread melted away) . 10/10 would cure seasonal sadness tho. Chinga Lingas (Boulder): First of all, elite name. Second, imagine a taquito that went to therapy, discovered abundance, and decided to become more. More filling. More pastry. More crunch. Fried, stuffed, glorious little rolls of joy. They were EXCELLENT. the tall-tree-rock shared with me. Plus points for the boulder. The Service The Boulder runs slightly cold (geologically predictable), and the staff LIT A HEATER POST next to us without us even begging. Just quietly activated warmth like hospitality professionals. Next time, I would absolutely order Mama's Soup again. I would absolutely bring my dog and my mineral companion back for more chinga lingas and heat. read more

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Service was good, fast, prices ok too, but food didn't have the authentic flavor you get elsewhere in a typical Southern California Mexican restaurant . The salsa tasted like tomatoes and herbs, no spices. The meal the same I had to ask for hot sauce. Almost as if they don't add spices to their meals, which is Mexican't not Mexican But 3 stars only because the staff is very nice and friendly. A little spice can push it up to 4 stars though read more

Stopped for lunch today, after an enjoyable morning of shopping at the San Clemente Outlets. I love Avila's. The food is high quality and very tasty. The menu is familiar and includes all-day huevos rancheros. One of my favorites. The dining room was comfortable and not too crowded. The patio looked sunny and delightful. The service was efficient and friendly. We walked down the hill to the pier afterward. I didn't feel so guilty for cleaning my plate! read more

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Mexican food in Southern California is our definition of comfort food. The same way that the South has grits, biscuits, collard greens, etc; we have tacos, burritos, guacamole, fajitas, mole, chile rellano, etc. Whether you want these in homestyle, food truck or gourmet is up to you but the effect is the same: it is ingrained in our culture/essence and you can't go wrong. Or can you? I was quite intrigued by Avila's El Ranchito but it didn't turn out how I expected... Avilas's is a family-owned pocket of Mexican restaurants under the same name with 12 locations total each owned by a member of the Avila family. The San Clemente location, owned by Victor Avila, sits on Avendia del Mar on a corner real estate inviting hungry bellies with a Spanish architecture white stucco turret facade. Entering welcomes you to an airy dining hall complete with high ceilings and a bar area but nothing too much to comment on: basically like an El Torito. Either way, so far, so good even if feeling a bit bland. The menu at Avila's covers the usual fare you find at Mexican eateries with tacos, bowls, burritos, fajitas, steak, seafood, and options for less-calorie dense plates and a children's menu. My boyfriend and I dined at Avila's in the late afternoon when traveling on the road in between Los Angeles and San Diego so we decided to keep it light. To start, we ordered the Guacamole Fresco (homemade fresh guacamole topped with cheese - $15.50) to be eaten with out table side chips and salsa. For my meal, I chose the Azteca Chicken Salad (charbroiled chicken lightly tossed in cilantro-lime dressing with avocado, black beans, corn salsa on lettuce topped with tortilla strips - $19) while my boyfriend chose the Guanajuanto Combination plate ( 2 flautas, beef and chicken served with rice and beans - $18.50). This is when things started to really sink in that Avila's is, well, just not good. Although the food is presented well (and photographs nicely) it is, bluntly, bad. The guacamole was decent and I don't have much complaints there although needed a bit more acid but my Azteca Chicken Salad was gross. The chicken was cubed and drier than the Sahara Desert with no flavor, the avocado and tomatoes both didn't taste fresh and the 'corn salsa' was just corn. It was the quality of a Mexican themed salad you would get at Applebee's. I couldn't even finish it because the chicken was that dry. The only redeeming factor was the dressing which was tasty. My boyfriend said his flautas were also overcooked and derived of true flavor. It is possible that Avila's caters to an Americanized crowd and that is the reasoning behind the poor food? Whatever the reason, this place is a no-go. Also lackluster at Avila's is the service. Our server not only didn't seem to be having a good day but took it out on us by hardly ever checking on us, never refilling water, never cracking a smile, etc. We didn't feel an ounce of being welcome (although, I must note that the young female hostess at the front who seated us was fantastic and cheerful/complimentary). There isn't much more to be about Avila's as it is simply a poor experience all around. Avila's is sadly disappointing with tasteless, bland food alongside poor customer service that doesn't stand well against the various neighboring options on Avenida del Mar. I can't vouch for any of their other locations but unless you are someone who prefers Applebee's... Avila's in San Clemente can be skipped. read more

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The atmosphere is warm and inviting, especially if you can grab a spot near the fireplace. Service is consistently friendly and attentive without feeling rushed, and the staff keeps chips and salsa coming so you're never waiting hungry.[tripadvisor +1] Portions are generous, prices are fair for the quality, and it's the kind of place you look forward to bringing friends and family back to. If you like carne asada, garlic shrimp, and a cozy spot to relax with a drink, this place is an easy "must stop by" recommendation. read more

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Had lunch with a good friend I rarely get to see on Cinco de Mayo. Nice Cadillac margarita with tajin rim. Ceviche, green enchilada and crispy taco. Perfect combo read more

:(( sigh I was so excited to eat my fajita salad and... It failed to please me. So I ordered the salad with steak and shrimp (24$ btw) and I specifically told them I don't want mushrooms. There were mushrooms And zucchini? Zucchini wasn't on the menu if it was I would have said NO ZUCCHINI SUCKS There were numerous things going on with this meal 1: there was ONE PIECE of steak like huh? Did I not get STEAK fajitas?? 2: salad was naked! It was not dressed that lettuce was dryer than my science teacher's jokes 3: it was so dark I had to pull out my phone to see what I was consuming. I didn't think there would be mushrooms because I DIDN'T ASK FOR MUSHROOMS so I took a bite and no joke it was literally all mushroom The only good thing was that it was 4 people's birthdays so happy birthday to them Frankly I'm disappointed I was so excited Now I'm just numb and hungry read more

Avila's El Ranchito - No zucchini on the menu yet it was in my bowl. - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

Aw man, should have checked the yelp review first. The DoorDash review was 4.9 stars and we were duped. Oily gross cheese quesadilla for $18??? Cheese enchiladas with dry rice and wet beans for $21? My daughter said the enchiladas I make are better and that's saying a lot!!! I would say best parts were speed, crispy chips and good packaging. Would not partake again. read more

Hanging out with The Wife, and The Kid who was visiting from San Fran. She wanted to got to Åvila's while she was home in SC. Five stars for our server, Taylor (that's what the receipt said). She was taking care of people all over the place and at first seemed to be the only server. Yet it didn't matter she kept us happy with drinks, chip refills, taking our order and bringing out our food. Nice job to the kitchen staff who seemed to turn our order around in 2.3 minutes! Food was great. Back to Taylor. She did seem a bit frazzled and apologized a couple of times, but no need to apologize. She did a good job. We found out she was fairly new when The Wife asked to buy an Åvila's pint glass. Taylor found out they did not sell them. The Wife was bummed but she'll get over it! Ha!! All in all a great dinner and great service. Thanks Taylor! Thanks kitchen and bus staff. Go! Eat Well!! Get great service!!! HAVE FUN!!!! read more

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We were able to walk right in and get a table on Valentine's Day, which was nice. The staff were extra friendly. The food was good. I like the atmosphere. Strange mix of music though. My complaint is that someone (perhaps the manager) greeted us at the door as they were walking us over to our table and asked if we were drinking. We said no so he said he'd send over a guacamole to our table instead. Cool. They did and it was delicious but then they charged us $15 for it. We didn't even order that?? Seems kind of shady to me. read more

Disappointing I love the Ranch and have been to lots of them in So Calif for many years, but lately I've noticed a lack of something that feels like a cost-cutting measure. Recently I ordered the omelet which featured limp, lackluster vegs and absolutely zero queso fresco, which was supposed to be covering it. The sauce was bland as well so the cheese was really needed. The other time I was there it was the same for the enchilada - bland and with no cheese! Really!? For $18, all I felt I got was limp peppers, raw tomatoes and green peppers inside a pocket of eggs and what tasted like bottled sauce. Beans were good as always, rice was ok. I think I'll spend less time and $$ and go elsewhere when I'm in San Clemente. Sorry read more

Really disappointed your hours say till 9:00. That's twice in 3 weeks. I've shown up at 8:00 or 8:10 only to be told it's slow...We closed early. Either adjust your hours or try to be a restaurant that actually serves customers. You used to be my go-to in San Clemente. I don't know what's happened but you're nothing like you used to be. read more

Hard to pass on this restaurant while you're strolling by. You'll be welcomed by a very real looking dog statue. It was a perfect summer day, so we decided to eat outdoors in the patio. The staff were friendly and attentive. There were plenty chips and fresh salsa before we ordered anything. I got a mocktail pina colada which tasted really good. I loved the Fajitas salad too. Generous portions despite ordering from the light cuisine menu. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

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A 'Locals' favorite! We have been consistent patrons and promoters for El Ranchito's for many years. They offer authentic Mexican cuisine at reasonable prices, a great 'Taco Tuesdays' and daily happy hours at the bar. Mamá Avila's Chicken Soup is the BEST! Yesterday, after over a month in Europe, we went to 'Taco Tuesday'. Camile, our favorite server, was there, but she wasn't her same 'perky' self. She... I understand her schedule cut to one day, Tuesday, and she is no longer a bartender. We were a bit shocked and saddened for her. Getting together with our 'El Ranchito friends' along w/ Camile's personable service are the main reasons we keep returning to El Ranchito (and, of course, Mamá Avila's soup). We hope things will change for the better real soon. read more

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I have a friend visiting from Minnesota. Her goal is to try every place that has fish tacos. This was her fifth place and she said they were the best fish tacos she has ever had! I had their chicken tacos and the white meat was bursting out of the shell with a delicious aroma e taste. The refried beans? The best. The staff? Made us feel like we were the only ones there. I live in Corona.. the drive to San Clemente well worth it! read more

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I heard really good things about Avila's, they have several locations in the OC beach cities. The store front is oversized and grand with an outdoor patio for dining and drinks. Our server/bar tender Juan was awesome friendly and attentive. The chips and salsa were great. I ordered the chile relleno with rice and beans. It was perfectly cooked the beans and rice were good. Avila's has a great vibe and company. I would definitely come back. read more

The food was great. The atmosphere was fantastic. Service was excellent. You'll have to try the chili rellano. It was a little noisy to hear conversations But that's a good thing, right? read more

Highly do not recommend the Avila's soup. It's like water with rice and boiled chicken. Lacks flavor. Also ordered a steak plate and it was fine. It's like they didn't season the steak and there was a lot of fat on it. I probably would choose somewhere else on Del Mar. read more

Walking around San Clemente after going to the Saturday craft fair and shopping, we stopped for lunch at Avila's. Ambiance was good as we were seated by the window on a nice day. Service was friendly and our waiter offered suggestions on the menu. I oregano shrimp tacos, while friends had chili relleno and taco salad. The portions were plentiful. On our way out, picked up a mint as an extra treat. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Shrimp tacos - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

Excellent food and sure truly the fried ice cream!!! Nice atmosphere in adorable St Clemente Service is good, many nice workers. Karla was awesome! Not our first time and wont be the last read more

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Go there often. Food is always solid and very good service They have a great taco Tuesday And when it's not too cold outside dining is nice. read more

Fried ice cream! So delicious! Check out my photo of it! The hubby and I happily shared it. Recommended! Dinner for me was the low carb fajitas. Tasty and came out sizzling of course! Hubby had an interesting dish called tampiquena. It's a grilled skirt steak that was marinated in peppers and onions. It was accompanied by beans, rice, lettuce, tomatoes, and guac. For starters we shared ceviche and chips. All delish! (Yes, had to to tell you about dessert first and work my way backward. Lol) Avila's El Ranchito is located in downtown San Clemente. On the summer evening that we dined in, their doors were open. That allowed the nice breeze from the nearby ocean to come in. There is indoor and outdoor seating available. Great vibe and welcoming service. I know there are a few Mexican restaurants in the vicinity. Haven't tried the others but, Avila's is a good one! read more

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I know you looked at the low star reviews and want to pass. But honestly, the price is a bit much but so is every restaurant. The service was good, the meat was seasoned and cooked very well. The atmosphere is a typical fun Mexican restaurant. Chips and salsa as soon as you sit down. There's a nice fireplace by the bar and you can see the patio vibe outside. Will be fun for summer! Give it a try. I highly recommend the filet mignon salad for those avoiding carbs :) read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Filet mignon salad with steak and enchilada combo. - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

Excellent service, Rafael was on top of everything. Large portion sizes and our food looked great. Our food was delicious. I love the outdoor patio, especially with the lighting at night. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Large portion sizes for the enchiladas. - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

I really enjoy this place. It's one of the few that has mole sauce, a favorite of mine, and offers tamales. It has a very nice atmosphere and friendly wait staff. Sometimes, in the evenings, you can hear the live band playing from the bar next door. So, you get the best of two places, while you dine out not far from the beach. My favorite dish is the combination enchilada plate with chicken enchiladas, black beans and mole sauce. There are also complimentary tortilla chips and salsa while you await your food. I totally recommend this place. read more

Avila's in downtown San Clemente is a favorite lunch spot for me and my best friend. Today was a little cool and breezy so we asked to be seated at a table near the fire place. After we were seated, a basket of fresh crispy tortilla chips and salsa along with water was brought to our table. Today I ordered the al a carte mahi mahi soft taco. The taco was filled with two nice size pieces of fish with cabbage and pico de gallo. The fish was moist and flakey and the taco was so big that it was the perfect amount for lunch. The price was very reasonable considering the size of the taco. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - A la carte Mahi Mahi soft taco (with one bite taken out) - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

This is the kind of Mexican food everybody LOVES, but which is increasingly hard to find! It's Mexican cuisine at its finest. Delicious sauces, a vast menu with great variety, "the real thing guacamole", warm, thin crispy chips, Fresco beans without lard for vegetarians, but refried if you desire. It has attentive, friendly service, 2 charming outdoor venues along with a comfortable indoor restaurant with an extensive bar that makes the best, fresh blended mango margarita on the planet! El Ranchito's food is homemade, simmered to perfection and authentic. It's San Clemente at its best! "Ole!" read more

As a San Clemente resident, have to admit that I've only been here a couple of times over the years. We were craving Mexican food so thought we'd give it a try again. I actually wanted something meaty and full of protein. The server recommended the meat platter (which is supposed to serve 4). I was SO happy when a massive platter of meat was placed in front of me -- grilled shrimp, steak, pork and chicken with a melted chili butter sauce on the side. Yay! I was also surprised to find avocado, tomato and lettuce on the plate as well. Also thought it was priced well at $43 and made a total of 3 meals for me counting the leftovers. Accompanied by a delicious and strong skinny margarita, I was very happy. Will definitely go there again for this exact same meal! See ya again soon Avila's. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Carnivore meat platter - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

We checked this place out on our most recent day trip to San Clemente, and it was a pleasant experience for a Saturday lunch. They were busy but the service was fast, especially when I needed to change out the shredded meat in my taco salad b/c all their shredded choices contain tomatoes and I can't eat the seeds (they were great about putting the pico on the side). I REALLY liked the GRILLED chicken that replaced my shredded chicken, and to be fair, that's what the waiter had first recommended for me. Hubby and I both had taco salads and I really liked the smoky flavor of the beans in the lower layers, yum. The salsa was delish but the chips were pretty basic. Overall, nice portion sizes and an enjoyable lunch. read more

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What, how can this place show only 3.5 stars. Come on people. Food is great! DOG FRIENDLY patio so plus for us! Ordered take out this time. Ordered some margaritas while we waited for our food. Really good. Our order was ready pretty fast and packaged well. But like any take out, I'd highly recommend checking that all your items are in it. They forgot my tamale & the whipped cream for our deep fried ice cream. Our pooch loved the chicken bowl like always. Gave it 4 paws up and a waggy tail = 5 stars. Got the 3 combo dinner and all things great! My wife's cheese encilada great. Our deep friend ice cream (even without the missing whipped cream) good! Always 1 of our go to places here! read more

This is a legitimate review five stars the service and the food was great. I had the soup and salad special and my friend had the taco salad and my soup and salad was delicious. My friend loved it too. read more

Just not that impressed anymore. Avila's used to be our go to spot to take out of town visitors, but after tonight's dinner experience, we won't be back. Wife ordered the Carne Asada platter, and the steak was the plainest, most unseasoned piece of meat I've ever tasted. I ordered a Shredded Beef Chimichanga and as soon as I cut into it, I knew there was a problem. It was watery inside. Chimichangas are deep fried. Should not be water logged inside. But when you add tomatoes, they're gonna sweat and make everything watery. To top it off, the rice and beans were cold. I was gonna take it home and try to salvage what I could with a quick air fry, but the waiter brought me a to go container, and it was dirty. Nope. We should've known when the restaurant was almost empty on a Saturday night. The tourists can have this place. read more

Great service! Outdoor seating was comfortable. The pina colada was delicious and surpassed expectations. We shared the sampler and each item tasted great! Chips and salsa were provided right away and we were checked up on frequently. Highly recommend Avila's! read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Avila's sampler - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Slower service, but good food with big sized portions. Great for indoor or outdoor seating. We ordered the Surf and Turf Tacos and the Ahi Bowls. Both were good. They serve fresh chips and salsa which was a great touch! read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Ahi bowl - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Gracie is very sweet and said the fajitas are great so I ordered shrimp fajitas to go, no cheese anywhere near my food. It's a cute restaurant and I haven't eaten here before, but they've never wrote a review for some reason. The shrimp fajitas ended up being really good and I would come back here again! read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

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The food is usually pretty good but the obnoxious "Cabo San Lucas" music is terrible! It is loud and belongs in a 21 yo nightclub or in Cabo! 90% of the music was reggaeton. Ugh Probably won't be back because of it or may sit outside. read more

Wow, what a wonderful culinary experience. The last time I was at this location was buying Black Sabbath's Master of Reality LP at Cornet's Pharmacy in the early 70's! Now it's all gentrified and serving the locals and tourists walking along Del Mar.. We were in town for the Hula Celebration in late May, and passed the spot on our way down to the Commu its Center. So glad we decided to try this place out. We got seated right away, the gold out the flaps on the round table and all 5 of us sat down and perused the menu while simultaneously taking in the decor and the colorful bartender vigorously mixing libations. I opted for a Watermelon Margarita con Tajin/Chimoy and how TASTY! I nibbled off of my wife's plate of chile relleno, taco and beans/rice. Honestly everything tasted very authentic and hecho con mano, and I say that as a gringo who has loved Mexican food and culture my whole life. (Plus my wife, and group were Mexican with one Hawaiian thrown in for flavor! We will definitely come back again and try the Chile Verde, or perhaps the El Mojo de Ajo entrees...Deliciosa! read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Sabor de Mexico... - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California

First of all, we love Avila's and have been to most all their locations. On our last visit to the San Clemente location, we noticed the chips were thicker than before. We hope this was an anomaly and the not their new norm. We normally devour two baskets of chips, but last time just one. read more

I have been coming here for a couple of years now every other month, as a halfway point between SD and OC to meet family for a good Mexican dinner. We always get the Shrimp Botana which two of us split each time and it is delicious and I can't find this anywhere else. The tortillas are amazing too. The service is always good and attentive, and its dog friendly so bring your pupper. There is plenty of places to sit both inside and on the patio. If you are in the area, this is the place to go. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Shrimp Botana - Mexican Near Me - San Clemente, California