I usually avoid chain Mexican restaurants like the plague, but was convinced by friends in the area to check this place out. Avila's El Ranchito is a SoCal chain. We were in Seal Beach, and stopped by this one. I ordered their street tacos, and got three chicken ones. They weren't the best street tacos I've ever had, but they were still tasty. My girlfriend ordered a 2-taco plate, getting both soft and hard tacos (who ever heard of such a thing!). She really enjoyed it. Our friend ordered their chicken soup, which I tried, and really liked. I regretted not ordering it! Place was hopping, but service was still fast. Our table was central, just outside the restaurant and the patio, and it was a bit busy around us. I kept having to move my chair to accommodate others nearby. A little annoying, but it didn't detract too much. read more

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Tried the fish taco combo, it hit the spot. The grilled fish was cooked really well, though it came with a little too much tartar sauce for my taste -- not a dealbreaker, just something I noticed as i would have liked to taste the flavor of the fish more. Our server was very attentive. Of course parking is always a challenge because it's located on Main Street. Overall, a good, satisfying meal and I'd order it again (maybe with the sauce on the side next time). read more

Was there today about 130, our original server was great! When her shift was iver a male server took over, he never checked on us once, when I looked around for him, he was standing behind the podium looking at his phone and then he disappeared into the back. We stood up to leave and needing to pay our bill, had to flag down the the gentleman cleaning tables to help us. When the server came out, he couldn't have cared less that he ignored us then made us have to wait to pay. We chose this location because it is closer to us, but will now avoid and go to the one in Corona Del Mar. read more

I still love this location and the food is amazing. Been awhile since we ate here and it's gotten better if you ask me. The salsa is just the way i like it thick and chunky without allot of liquid vinegar. The chicken was so tasty and everybody's plates are big generous portions. You can then walk off the meal on the Seal Beach Pier. read more

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It was a beautiful summer day ad they offered the perfect patio accommodation to feel better you were part of the ongoing beach scene! Just a half a block from the pier it's the perfect spot! Our waiter Joseph was extraordinary and we took all f his recommendations! Coconut margaritas-shaken Guacamole -OMGOODNESS yum! Best ever and I eat alot of it! Chili's Relleno-cooked to perfection with fluffy rice and beans! We will be adding Avias to our rotation! Street parking was easy! read more

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The whole family's been coming to this spot for over five years and we have never been disappointed - chips and salsa, burritos, tacos, enchiladas - man, the list goes on and on and on - what else can I say ???so, come by the spot and check it out today! read more

Although this is the day before Mother's Day, we didn't have to wait very long for a table. We got a round wooden table with wooden chairs in the center of the room. When somebody left a booth, they let us move to the more comfortable seats. It really helped our backs Service was excellent. They brought drinks right away and kept them refilled. Our orders were combo plates and one beef fajitas. I had a crispy taco and a tamale. They were also plenty of chips and salsa. They kept our drink glasses filled and we're very attentive with their service. Definitely five stars. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Taco and tamale combo - Mexican Near Me - Seal Beach, California

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Have never met an Avila's that I didn't love; today was no exception! Set along a quaint thoroughfare, with free angled street parking. It has a small footprint and they utilize every inch of it; so much charm, family/community history. Lauren J was the epitome of this brand; I was welcomed and treated like family. Adore their homemade salsa, chunky with fresh yumminess and a nice bite. The Grande Taco Salad with grilled chicken and a side of fajita veggies was delicious, huge - you get your money's worth! This is a home run with filling, super delicious, affordable Mexican food in a fun location. read more

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Parking in this area is ebb and flow, we came on bikes so it was easy to put them in front. Scored patio seating and had a close eye on the bikes. Service was top notch, our waiter described the menu with enthusiasm and made everything sound good. I got the chili Colorado and it was very good. Big plate with rice, beans and tortillas. Even the ice tea was excellent. My friends got meals that were more vegetable based and both of them had massive plates filled with fresh veggies. both plates looked very good. Quick lunch and back on the bike path. Nice trip from HB for lunch. Love the local bike trails. read more

My partner and I absolutely love coming here--it's basically our go-to spot whenever we're craving Mexican food. I always order the green enchiladas since they're my favorite, and they never disappoint! read more

Walking along Main Street in Seal Beach I decided to stop here for an early dinner. I stepped through the patio to the interior and stood for a couple minutes, looking at the cool original brickwork of this old building. Eventually one of the waitstaff yelled "sit anywhere!". The booths were taken so I sat at a table in the center of the room. My waiter brought a menu and immediately asked what I'd like to drink. I asked for horchata but they don't have it so I went with an iced tea. Some subpar chips and salsa were dropped off and I ordered the beef taquitos plate (2 taquitos with the obligatory rice and beans). At some Mexican restaurants you give your order and it seems like they go through a revolving door to the kitchen and come right back out with your plate of food. Here it took about 20 minutes, delivered with a casual, "here ya go." I was impressed with the large amount of guacamole and sour cream on the plate to accompany the taquitos which were quite good with a crispy exterior and tender shredded beef inside. The rice and beans were standard Mexican restaurant sides, nothing special. My waiter never checked back until he dropped off the bill. It was a slightly above average experience - 3.5 stars rounded up. read more

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Great food in a traditional Mexican atmosphere. 4 Entrees were ordered. All done right. Red sauce on Chicken Enchiladas was very good! Menudo soup was good. Tortilla chips and salsa were great! A combo plate consisting of crispy steak tacos, and rice and beans. Another entree consisted of the soft chicken tacos and I believe chicken tortilla soup. Yummy! Service was a little slow but understandable due to the crowd. They also have a nice size patio in front. You can bring your dogs to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. And friendly people walking by. read more

Cruising through town, craving Mexican food, but have a 6 year old in tow. Didn't want a loud cantina environment so this one seemed like a solid option. We arrived around 7pm on a Saturday and only had a 15 minute wait. Not too shabby at all. After we were sat, our server was quick to obtain our drink order. I had to splurge and get the Pineapple Jalapeño margarita - and definitely didn't disappoint! So flavorful, refreshing and spicy! My daughter is a basic 6 year old so got the chicken fingers. I went with the chicken mole enchiladas. Let's just say, they were the best I ever had! My daughter's dad got the flautas and chicken enchiladas with red sauce and he was very impressed! Definitely going to rave to our friends and family! Dog friendly patio if your pup is well trained! read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Pineapple Jalapeño margarita - Mexican Near Me - Seal Beach, California

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Charming authentic mexican food with a dog friendly patio in the heart of Seal Beach. read more

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Finding decent Mexican food at a reasonable price can be tough to find in some parts of OC, but my mom recommended this place, so we decided to give it a try. I'm stoked we did! This has been one of the best meals I've had in a long time. The service was excellent; we have a huge family, and they were incredibly patient with us. The guacamole was the standout! **Fajitas:** These were good--not the best I've ever had, but the meat was tender, well-seasoned, and generously portioned. Surprisingly, i can't believe I'm saying this, I think they could have used more veggies. **Enchiladas:** Absolutely delicious! The green and red sauces were perfect--not too spicy, but packed with flavor. I will for sure get this next time I go. **Two Taco Plate:** The tacos were really good I hate when tacos fall apart after the first bite, but these were crunchy and held together perfectly. **Quesadilla:** My kid is a bit picky, but even they loved the quesadilla. We requested grilled chicken as a substitute and it was simple but good. I was not mad I paid what I did for something I could have "made at home" **Guacamole:** I have never been so happy to pay for an appetizer! Words can't describe how good this was. Once again, simple but really good! We mixed the house salsa with it! For sure putting this on the rotation! read more

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One of our little favorite hole in the walls in Seal Beach. Food does not disappoint and the portions are large and reasonably priced!!

We went there a couple nights ago and my grandsons ordered the shrimp tacos there was only 3 shrimp in tacos very small very disappointing we sent it back. I ordered the avocado bowl and I was very disappointed. I usually get the potato tacos as they are very good. The salsa and guacamole are amazing! read more

Food: 3.5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 The service and margarita list are what would keep me coming back. I wasn't super impressed with the food in terms of taste. That said, it was tasty enough to be satisfying, everything came out right, and the portions were large! The ambiance and servers were very nice. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Margaritas for the win! - Mexican Near Me - Seal Beach, California

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I came to Avilas for happy hour, I ordered the nachos which was great! The portion was perfect. I ordered a house margarita, it tasted horrible, the server did not shake it, he filled up a glass with ice and used the water gun to fill up the glass. I never saw him pour tequila in the glass, maybe it's pre made, but it tasted bad. I ordered another just to see, if he would shake it, like he was doing to all the other margaritas... and he did not. I had to order a shot of tequila which cost $10 just to give it the margarita taste. all together I paid $26 for one decent margarita. That is not a happy hour deal at all. read more

Portions. Portions. Great service. Tasty breakfast. Did I mention how generous their portions are? We came here after a Seal Beach 10k run, and were ready to eat some good food. Hubbie mentions to get something big so he can have my leftovers after he finishes his breakfast burrito. Well, he did finish his dish, and I did have leftovers, but we had to bring it home because we were both STUFFED from their huge dishes. Our meals were both very tasty. I definitely ate more than I wanted to and had plenty leftover to bring home. Our waiter was very friendly as well. I also liked that the restaurant was not too loud. Our first time visiting Avilas but not our last. Can't wait to try their lunch or dinner options as well read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Machacha con Huevos - Mexican Near Me - Seal Beach, California

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Eric greeted us and sat us in a perfect spot for us + our pup. They brought him water and he got his own grilled steak dish. It was awesome! We got the chimichanga with shredded chicken and the juiciness & tenderness was spot on. The cheese enchiladas hit the spot as well! Our lunch outing with Cindy taking care of us made for a perfect Friday Funday! read more

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The drinks were pretty cheap which was probably the best part of this place and the ambiance (especially on the patio area) was pretty nice and good for a date night. The food however was definitely below average for Mexican food and pricey, even on their taco Tuesday sale. Carnitas tacos weren't that good. Service was whatever but they seemed understaffed so it was understandable. Really just recommend getting a few drinks here and moving on to the next place for food. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Taco Tuesday menu (drinks are cheaper) - Mexican Near Me - Seal Beach, California

Good food and great service. Speedy cook time which was appreciated cause we were starving. The shrimp didn't taste as good as the location in Huntington Park. And another bummer was they didn't have hand made tortillas. The place is adorable though, super cute decor! I just might have to go to their other locations due to tortillas not being hand made. read more

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Food is amazing and Cassie was great service!!!!! We had fajitas and they were delicious read more

Drove a long way and was looking forward to eating there as they are a pet friendly restaurant but don't care about their customers. There were only about 5 customers in the restaurant at the time and we were going to sit at the front of the restaurant where the seating is limited due to the dog being with us. The music was very loud and we asked the person who brought us menus if the table behind us would be quitter but it wasn't and you would think he would have asked us if he could turn the music down but didn't and walked away. We thought what kind of service is this and we walked out without eating as they ruined of dining experience with them as well as our day. read more

Great Mexican spot on Main St Seal Beach with very nice staff and a cozy heated outdoor patio! It's located in the old Woody's Dinner space. I've been going here about a year since I moved to old town Seal, been meaning to drop a review. I've never been disappointed coming here. Service and food is always on point. The house salsa is great! Classic tomato onions and peppers like when I visit Rosarito. The warmed chips is a nice touch. My fiancé and I shared the Steak Fajitas. They came out sizzling and steaming!!! The rice was soft and fluffy, guacamole fresh and flavorful, beans cheese and pico de gallo were also fresh and tasty. The meat was cooked and seasoned exceptionally. We ate every last bite! The only thing I wasn't happy with was that the corn tortillas were stuck together, but I managed and the taste was delicious. The Strawberry Mango Margaritas are also made with care!! Super tasty!!! They have a big margarita menu, I'll get a picture next time for sure. We will definitely be back soon. read more

Authentic Mexican food. Highly recommended by family members who died at this location.

Dog friendly patio, plus for us always. Nice & friendly service. Good margaritas. They have really good chips & salsa too. I got the a combo plate taco and enchilada. It's always good! My wife got the shrimp tacos with rice & beans and they're good with good toppings, but she forgot the shrimp here is really fishy tasting so you have to like it that way. Get the deep fried ice cream, it's so good! read more

Greeted and seated. Waitress did an exceptional job. Always attended to us and always refilled our drinks. Food is delicious. I recommend to go and chill. Prices is affordable. Chill place to relax and enjoy the main street Seal beach vibe. read more

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We have been long-time fans of Avila's in San Clemente, but this was our first time at this location. Unfortunately, the service was very lackluster. The indoor dining space is very tight and when we arrived, only the tables in the middle of the room were open. When a larger table opened up shortly after we sat down, we asked our server if we could move and he said yes. He cleared off the table and we moved over. After we sat down, another server came up and said in a very rude tone something about not being allowed to move tables without asking. We politely informed him that we were given the okay to move by our server. He left in a huff and continued to have an attitude throughout the meal when he was serving our food, etc. My father in law tried to explain what happened and the server was rude again and never once apologized. Needless to say, we didn't enjoy our experience as the server made us feel tense. The only thing that made me give two stars instead of one was that everyone liked the taste of their food. Even though the food was good, I wouldn't come here again due to the service. It seems like the two servers were stretched thin and might need more help in order to not take out their stress on the customers. read more

Cozy little hidden gem. Great food, ambiance, and fast service. Fair prices I totally recommend. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Grande taco salad (shredded beef) Azteca shredded beef burrito - Mexican Near Me - Seal Beach, California

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Food and service are spectacular! The margaritas lack flavor and Alcohol! I will go back but only order a beer or shot of tequila, both times I had a margarita they were virgin and tasteless read more

My hubby got chicken and shrimp skillet and I got green chicken enchiladas and OMG! Food is sooooooooo delicious! We def coming back for more. read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Green chicken enchiladas and Chicken and shrimp - Mexican Near Me - Seal Beach, California

Extremely Disappointed I recently got catering service and was extremely disappointed. The food lacked flavor and was far from tasty. Additionally, despite being assured that it would be enough to feed the indicated number of people, some didn't get food at all. This was embarrassing and frustrating, especially given the price we paid. When I called to inform them about the issue, they claimed the portions are only an estimated amount and that they are not accurate on how many people they feed. But there were only 6 of us, and I paid $171, only to end up going to buy more food. I will never order from here again and would not recommend this service to anyone. Look elsewhere for reliable and flavorful catering. read more

Atmosphere and staff was good Clado Albondigas was very very saltly, unedible Cameronas de diabla was not "traditional" read more

Our server was absolutely amazing! My mother, who is 81 years old and has dementia, and I went for a late lunch at this restaurant. I always get a bit nervous when I take her out, not knowing how people will react. But I am thrilled to say that our server and the team were incredibly kind and patient with her. I truly appreciated the care and time they took with her. Thank you so much! P.S. The food was amazing! read more

Avila's El Ranchito - Mommy and Margarita's what could go wrong!! - Mexican Near Me - Seal Beach, California

Incredible food, amazing service! The soup is phenomenal and the ambiance perfection!

Not sure how anybody can give this place more than one or two stars. The food is average tasting and size but overpriced. So were the drinks. Our server was horrible totally messed up. My order took forever to bring drinks and even a glass of water. I won't return. I know it's not Mexican but do yourself a favor and head down to Hennessey's. It's a half a block away and is a much better bargain for food and drinks and service. read more

Had lunch here today. Food was great. Wish I took pictures. Chups and Salsa were delicious. We had Ceviche appetizer- Yummy. We had the Grilled Chicken Baja Bowls with corn tortilals- Amazing. Great flavors over all. read more

I'll try to make this short. Ordered shrimp Tacos largely because it comes with guacamole which I love. Tacos came, no guacamole. Asked my server, she said sorry that dish doesn't come with guacamole but I can order it separately. Half way thru my meal I check their website menu .. yes it comes with guacamole. Showed my server and she confessed "truth is the owner told us to stop serving it to save money until summer season begins". This was Saturday May 24 and the place was packed. Ok I get it, maybe owner needs to save money. But if you're going to withhold, then update the menu. Or at least inform the customer at ordering time. I felt deceived by my server and the owner. In fairness, my server said she'd bring some out "if I really wanted it" but by then I was nearly finished. I rarely write negative reviews but this lack of honesty and ethical behavior really bothered me. I won't be returning to any Avila's where customers are held in such low regard. read more