Food was soooo good ! Always loved the decor here it's so fun!! Our waitress was excellent ! Just moved here and will definately go back read more

Don't go on cleaning day. If you get even a whiff of Fabuloso in the parking lot, there's a 100% chance the taco salad bowl shell--and probably the chips too--are going to taste like Fabuloso. 9 times out of 10, my fajita steak taco salad tastes like I'm eating cleaning product. And lately, our orders are always messed up somehow, whether we call them in or order online. They'll forget the queso, or we'll order a chicken chimichanga and somehow end up with beef. My coworker ordered through DoorDash recently, and they messed up her entire order, forgot her cheese sauce, and then somehow charged her extra later through the DoorDash app. I really want to love this place, but between the Fabuloso-flavored food and the consistently messed-up orders, it's getting harder to justify. read more

El Ranchero - Moldy salsa. Got three salsas. One was fresh. One was moldy. The last one was rancid. - Mexican Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Great prices and service. Incredible decor. Will be back again! Many options in their menu read more

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I have to ask 4 times for a refill of water. None of the servers seem to care. I ask three different ones. Did not get a refill of water Rating is low. 1 star only read more

This isn't the sort of restaurant I'd usually go to (I prefer central Mexican over Tex-Mex), but it's very good for what it is. King burrito was a huge portion I couldn't finish, with super flavorful and tender carnitas meat and surprisingly tasty fries (which I didn't expect). Would've liked some sort of spicy sauce available, but it's just not that sort of cuisine. read more

My daughter and I have dined there several times and the entrées were always served hot and the food was absolutely wonderful

Our new go to place for Mexican food. Service is good, and you must see the interior! It alone is worth a visit!

Ordered takeout-- the salsa was like slimey... I got the chicken alambre and it was just not good. The beans and chicken had a really weird taste to them. I usually order from the Liberty Drive location and I love it there, but I took maybe 4 bites of all of this food and threw it away. Definitely disappointed. read more

Good Super Nacho's. But when I was done I left tip on table. Went to pay and waiter tried to keep part of my change. Gave him a $20 to pay for food and he tried to keep change. I did not tell him or round up to $20 on a $17 bill. I wonder how much extra they make keep customers change on top of the tip left? Bad way to do business ! read more

I've been coming to El Ranchero in Bloomington for a few years now since it's so close to my apartment, and honestly, it always hits the spot. Whether I'm grabbing a quick bite or sitting down for a relaxed meal or even getting it take out or delivered, the food never disappoints. You really can't go wrong with the Pollo Especial. It's flavorful, filling, and one of those comfort meals I keep coming back to. The portions are generous and everything comes out hot and fresh. The service is usually fast and friendly, and the atmosphere is casual and welcoming. It's become one of my go-to spots in town. read more

My husband and I have probably been here about 50 times through the years. We've been here with large family parties after soccer tournaments. We've been here for a quick lunch with the kids. We come in and have adult time at the bar and love the fabulous bartenders and Wait staff. On the Southside we prefer to eat here and drink craft beer at the Sinkhole. They're getting some nicer mezcals & smoky tequila I appreciate. I like the skinny margaritas with tajin on the rim. The bar staff is really excellent. My go to item is the hearty refreshing chicken tortilla soup. My kids like the quesadillas and fried ice cream. My husband has eaten one of everything. I also enjoy practicing my Spanish. Lots of parking; very busy so plan ahead. read more

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Wow just WOW wife and I stopped by to try this place since we are new in town and we're looking for a nice Mexican restaurant. The place is an old Pizza Hut totally transformed into this colorful beautifully decorated Mexican restaurant. I had the fajitas acopolco while my wife had their beef chimichangas. The order only took 5 min to be at our table mine sizzling hot and enough food for 3 people. My wife's chimichanga was also Huge. The flavor of both was amazing true southwestern with plenty of cummin. So if you're in Bloomington go try this place out. read more

El Ranchero - Fixings plate - Mexican Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Still OK. Had the usual; not much changed. It wasn't the out-of-the-freezer chile poblano; it might have been fresh. Chip and salsa are good. Still lots of music fighting with other music. Service was great. I'll vary my menu selection next time and see if some of their other food is good. read more

The shrimp on our fajitas had very clearly been sitting out for at least over night. Tasted rotten and rubbery we couldn't eat it. When we mentioned it to our waiter he said "probably because it was caught a long time ago" laughed and walked away. Then treated us poorly the rest of our visit. Would rather stop at a taco truck on the side of the road next time. Terrible food and wait staff. Only gave one star because it wouldn't let me post zero. read more

never has completed a modification correctly. no cheese? comes with cheese. no meat? will always have meat in it. they seem to just not care about what's actually ordered. read more

Everything is always good here, but I will say these tacos had no flavor whatsoever so ever. It looked good, but just bland. Service was great though. read more

El Ranchero - Fiesta tacos - Mexican Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Fantastic! I decided to try the Enchiladas Verdes. 3-Enchiladas, one cheese, one chicken and one ground beef. It was so flavorful and delicious. Unlimited chips and Salsa. Our server was great and servce, as always, fast!!! They have Dos Equis Amber on tap too!! read more

A longtime favorite for our family. The one restaurant we ordered carry out from weekly during the pandemic. Staff is wonderful! We have enjoyed lunch and dinner at this El Ranchero location, dinner time can be busier/louder than lunchtime. We have found entrees shareable, and when we can't reach agreement on what to share we have a nice leftover meal for the next day! We have our favorite menu items, and have enjoyed a wide variety of the selections. ***Realized that we rarely take photos of the food, will try to update with more photos read more

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BAD SHRIMP! Told the staff and they were rude and disrespectful to me and my family on Mother's Day. Everything else was OK.... Ohh well lots of other places to eat! I would stay away from this place! Cheers read more

After reading some of the other reviews, I was worried about the service, but it was excellent. We got to the restaurant at about 11:30 on a Saturday morning, so it wasn't very busy yet. We had a party of 10 people with 3 kids. Everyone liked their food. I had a special order Chimichanga which was prepared exactly the way I wanted and was delicious. The service was great, even after the food was delivered. The staff were friendly and attentive. read more

We took my mom for her birthday. Our party split the ticket in half. I marked zero for the tip on my ticket because the other party wanted to leave the tip as contribution. My total was $32.03. When I checked my bank statement, our server added a 20% tip to MY ticket and $38.44 was taken out of my account. Be aware that this establishment will generously tip (steal) themselves. read more

Service is always super fast but once you get your food, you better ask for everything you need to eat before the server walks away because they won't return until they give you your check. read more

When we were in Bloomington Indiana we stopped in here to a few different Mexican restaurants because that's what we like to have as a family with her grandma when we are in the area. We stopped in here and I got the big burrito with cheese like I always do kids get soft tacos we had a good case so I had a really good meal and wife got some enchiladas and she really liked them a lot and just overall really solid atmosphere and solid food definitely worth checking out read more

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The mere truth this dining room looks good but the employees give the bad service I ordered food for my workers and when I get to bring the order and they didn't write down my order I have to wait and my workers hungry and even still waiting and they didn't throw them covered or napkin bad service read more

Came in with a friend, the place was a little busy. No one was waiting. Hostess put us up on a table which was in the middle a couple ft from the bar. I asked for a booth. She had the worse attitude and lied about having one. She out us in a side room which was hotter than outside. Saw two people came in and she took them to a booth. So I asked both her and the waiter if we could move to another area. Both with a sorry attitude refused claiming they didn't have a table. Meanwhile few other guest were dotted in the main dinning area. Then we got our food and it was cold, I guess they assumed it hests up in the oven that we were sitting. Pitiful attitude, bad service. read more

My son and I went out for dinner. The food came quickly and was good, but the service left a lot to be desired. For some reason, the manager was handling the tables, and once our food arrived, we were completely ignored. No refills, no checking in--just forgotten. The staff seemed more interested in laughing and joking than taking care of the customers. I eventually had to track someone down just to get the check. read more

Great service, love the macho nachos and the strawberry margaritas on the rocks, can't be beat!

Awesome truly authentic Mexican food! Very fresh and tasty salsa, flavorful beef on the taco, authentic white Mexican cheese. Definitely would recommend! read more

El Ranchero - #5 Dinner Plate - Mexican Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Typical Mexican fare, though with a huge menu. Lots of drinks to choose from, lots on tap. This is the place to go for Fajitas, that's for sure! Chips and Salsa, and generous portions. read more

I don't know what happened El ranchero. It used to be one of my favorite places. I went in tonight got a beef taco salad. The whole bottom of my plate was full of grease. The tortilla bowl was so grease soaked that I couldn't eat it. My son ordered all you can eat enchiladas. He was served two, for 12.99 he only got two because we didn't see our waiter for 40 minutes after we ordered. read more

Not great. Poor service, salty bland food. Not a single wedge of lime offered with any of the dishes. Vegetarian fajitas served, mysteriously, with a single shrimp in the middle. One member of the party did not receive the food they ordered. When brought to the servers attention, they argued that he had, in fact, ordered what was brought to him (he did not). Correct food was never brought nor were any amendments made to the final bill. I realize that these are rough times in the service industry but I would have rather seen my host spend the money on groceries. read more

So I'm confused as to why there is so many racist issues at this restaurant.......!!?????? Even the owners that drive this black truck I've had issues with because of my skin but have been a regular customer here since I don't know when not to mention we spend hella money every time we come here.. but did y'all ever spot to think about how yur service affects your tips?? It's ridiculous at how y'all treat people I literally just waited 20-30mins to place a to go order when a white couple ( no offence ) walked in an got service right away read more

Good guac, addictive chips, and our server Jaime was very kind. Service was quick!! The Shrimp Nachos were very heavy on the lettuce and tomato but the shrimp was cooked very well. The interior of the restaurant is very colorful and fun with the painted wood carvings of birds, people and lovely scenery. Music playing was lots of fun and energetic read more

El Ranchero - Mexican Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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As with the other El Ranchero locations, the quality and service is hit or miss. They got my guest's drink order wrong, The lunch specials are nicely priced with a good selection but the serving size of my refried beans that came with my tamale was a lot smaller than expected based on typically. The tortillas soup was a yummy surprise and I hope it will be so when we go again, but who knows? read more

I really enjoy this local eatery. Excellent service, food and Margaritas, makes this a good value for your money. I only wish I could have gotten in on Cinco de Mayo. read more

El Ranchero - New Year's Eve dinner 2020! - Mexican Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Awesome new Mexican restaurant on the south side of Bloomington. This spot is GORGEOUS, walking in it feels like walking into a living piece of art. The restaurant is decorated floor to ceiling with hand painted and carved wooden art. Our server told us the entire place was designed and created (the art, not the building) by two artists in mexico over the course of nine months. I can't imagine how they created so much art in such a short time! The food was good, though there was a mix up with my order. The waiter gave us a free margarita to apologize. Since the restaurant is new, I'm not at all upset about the mistake. I loved their mojitos and the atmosphere couldn't be better, we will be frequenting! read more

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Amazing food and great service. Really liked the spice kick my shrimp chimichanga had. Will definitely be going back! Cheese dip was a little small for $5 but I think I've been spoiled by La Parada in Indianapolis (still the best Mexican food I have ever had). Hot sauce was delicious (seriously good) but wish they would have had an assortment already on the table (again spoiled by LP). read more

El Ranchero - So good. - Mexican Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Probably the best Mexican food I've had in Bloomington. Stopped for lunch with my parents and everyone liked everything they got. The interior of the restaurant is extremely colorful and nearly every square inch is covered in that one style of lacquered decoration you sometimes see in not-as-yummy "Mexican" restaurants (I'm sure you can tell what I mean if there are pictures of the restaurant on here). I thought the dish I got was the best thing we had here. Called the quesabuena, it's actually technically an appetizer but it makes a very filling meal for one as well. It's pretty much like a quesadilla but more fun--a really tasty pulled pork-style BBQ meat inside with cheese, topped with pickled red onions, queso fresco, a dash of crema, and cilantro. A salsa verde to dip in to boot. Super authentic? Probably not. Delicious? You bet. My dad had a dish with similar meat to mine that came on a bed of black beans and with a side of rice. That was tasty as well. My mom had a lunch combo with a cheese enchilada and bean burrito and thought those were both pretty decent too. Would definitely return with friends, much better than Casa Brava in my opinion. read more

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Went there yesterday evening and I am already hooked! Immediately walking in you're hit with the brightness and joy emanating off from the beautiful colorful artwork. And this artwork is *everywhere*. Even the bathroom sinks and table legs are adorned with the gorgeous colorful carvings. Definitely put me in a great mood before even sitting down. The staff was generally welcoming and friendly. Everyone had smiles to share which was really nice. It can be a bit of a bummer when the staff looks like they hate the place, not the case here! All the smiles seemed warm and genuine which helped in adding to the comforting atmosphere. The complimentary chips and salsa were delicious. If you can handle spice then ask for their homemade extra hot salsa, it is DIVINE. Spicy but still jam-packed with good flavor. For my drink I had a tamarind margarita. I love tamarind but it's not an easy flavor to find outside of the coasts with larger enclaves of Latinx/Caribbean folk, so I was pleasantly surprised to find it on the menu. It was delicious, not too sweet or overly done so you could still taste the tequila. I had it on the rocks, not sure if a frozen option was available for this drink but it was great on the rocks. My friend and I both got fajitas. I got the shrimp fajitas (and you get a choice of corn or flour tortillas!). The food came out quickly and everything was piping hot. The veggies were well seasoned, although the shrimp could have used a bit more salt. A squeeze of the lemon provided definitely elevated the plate. The rice and beans were scrumptious and the guacamole was perfect--not overly pretentious with tons of fix-ins. The point of this long post is that everyone should check out this restaurant. I've not been to their other locations but, honestly, this one has my loyalty and is fairly close to me. So happy to find a Mexican restaurant in Bloomington that is yummy, beautiful, and not swarming with undergrads trying to undergo margarita/blood transfusions. read more

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Pretty good Mexican dine-in restaurant with cordial and prompt service and decent quality food. Portion sizes are not as generous as other nearby Mexican cuisine restaurants but overall a good experience. Personally, I'm always an addict of chips and salsa no matter where I go but this restaurant's version was rather lackluster, although I wouldn't hold it against them by no means. I had to rate 4 stars only because I've tried to get chips and salsa to go within their posted hours of operation but they apparently close early occasionally which has led to a few disappointing nights for me (I work right down the road too). read more