Very good!! Found this on the map in route from Portland to Tacoma. The service was prompt and friendly, it was nice, clean and quiet inside. The chips were warm, the salsa, fresh and delicious . The Chicken pastor taco plate was fantastic, the chili relleno with rice and beans was also very good! Easy access just off the freeway, swing in and give em your patronage, it's a little gem of a stop. read more

Great restaurant we happened to drive by from Portland to Seattle! The food is fresh and the fajita burrito is the size of my head! It's super flavorful and the guacamole is on point!!! Staff is really friendly and I love how welcoming and cozy it is! read more

El Ranchero - Fajita burrito - Mexican Near Me - Kelso, Washington

It was pretty empty and not somewhere you would think has amazing food based on looks but it was a great choice and I am thankful for the reviews that helped us choose. Food was amazing and so was the service!! read more

El Ranchero - Mexican Near Me - Kelso, Washington

The meat had excellent flavor and the server was very pleasant. My beer was served in a cute frosted glass. Loved it!

One of like 3 actually good Mexican places on the island. Come here all the time, it's always great. Highly recommend the beef fajitas and the carne asada burrito grande read more

Love the staff, super kind. We had nachos and a combo. Homade salsa was delicious. Entrees we're wonderful. We'll be back!!

I like dining at El Ranchero. The staff is friendly and the food is good. I like it alot better than their competitors food and their service is excellent. I really like their enchilada sauce alot. I don't live in the area any longer, but when I go to Longview I will stop in if I'm craving authentic Mexican cuisine. Great atmosphere as well and the prices are comparable to other dine in restaurants. I've never had a bad meal at El Ranchero... read more

My favorite Mexican food. I've tried some others in town, IMHO the best. Service is always good and the manager comes around to see how it's read more

Food is great and inexpensive polite curtious waitress and cook make you feel at home

The best Mexican food from here to Portland I had forgotten how fresh chips tasted everything we've tried has been excellent . The owners are lovely very caring and their food is incredible! It's a small restaurant that you may have passed a dozen times, next time stop and see if I'm not right! read more

We live close to West Side Highway and travel from Castle Rock to Longview 3 to 4 times per week. We pass right by El Ranchero restaurant. There is never any customers in the parking lot, which speaks to a low quality restaurant. We have been there one time and the place was clean and food was good. This place is a mom and pop shop. The husband is the cook and a very nice man. The wife is the waitress and barely speaks English. The wife's waitress skills are pathetic. Very poor service to check if we needed more salsa, water, chips, drinks. She spent more time on the phone speaking to someone in Spanish over the phone. I had to signal her several times for service which irritated her. My wife and I will not be going back. There is another El Ranchero in Longview that is to die for! OMG, food and service is 100%. Price is good too. And their parking lot is always fairly packed. read more

In town visiting my Dad from Montana, trust me when I say finding decent Mexican or Chinese food in Montana is nearly impossible. My wife and I decided we would try to find a good Mexican Restaurant. We selected El Ranchero and the food was great!!! Just to warn you, it's a really small place, maybe 25-30 seats of mostly booths. There were only two people working and both cooked and waited tables. Nothing was very fast but it was worth the wait. Service was very good and they were very friendly. Definitely will visit again and prepared to wait a bit, but that's okay. read more

rude customer service kicked us out and then tried to have us pay for the chips and salsa that we didn't even ask for , chips and salsa was bomb tho. read more

Absolutely the best Mexican restaurant in Longview. Have never had a bad meal. Everything on the menu is so good. Staff is amazing. Definitely try the cheese dip, it is addictive. read more

We had the best meal at El Ranchero, staff was wonderful, we had to wait a little for our food but it was worth it. Highly recommend this place. read more

Now that her daughter is probably in school, the Owner may be less distracted the service may be improved. She doesn't need to do a thing to the food. I had the absolute best pork tamales in the world! It is worth the wait if you have to just to get that incredible food. Definitely go out of your way to eat here! read more

Sadly disappointed. Mom & pop place. Hoped for the best. It wasn't. Ordered carne asada y mas. The carne was tuff & flavorless. The chili relleno was not a true relleno it was a chili from a can cooked coated w a beaten egg. Not fluffy egg whites. Sadly disappointed that Yelp posters got this one soooooo wrong. And the damn music is toooooo loud!! Couldn't finish the food so bad. Bathrooms nice and clean!! read more

After a one week road trip from LA to Washington I was craving some Mexican food, and decided to stop by this restaurant. The food was delicious, the bathrooms and tables were spotless clean, and service was great. Would recommend to anyone in the area and craving some Mexican food. read more

This is a wonderful mom and pop restaurant. My wife and I love the personal touch and we the food is very good. Portions are generous. You will love the home made salsa. read more

Great family Mexican restaurant! Not known by many and what a shame. Great food, wonderful family and decently priced for what you get. They have cocktails, pop, Mexican pop and drinks. Love this place. Try it and if it's your bag.. spread the word! read more

Amazing food and outstanding service. The owners are very friendly. Our family enjoyed the super burrito, street tacos, chili relleno, chimichanga and pork verde. Everything tasted so good and we enjoyed every minute of our time at El Ranchero. They have outdoor seating on their patio. Worth it! read more

Spotlessly clean, great service, wonderful food. It's a sweet little homey cafe that looks run by a husband and wife team. The perfect spot for a lunch break when heading down I-5, like we were! read more

El Ranchero - Mexican Near Me - Kelso, Washington

Excellent salsa and chips. We both had the fajita taco salad, one chicken one steak. Some of the best taco salads ever, lots of meat, sauteed Bell pepper and mushrooms. Large portions we had to take some to go, taco shell was made fresh. Beer comes​ with a frozen glass. Would definitely recommend this restaurant! read more

El Ranchero - a mural in a restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Kelso, Washington

Walked into an empty small "restaurant", barely greeted by someone doing paperwork. When asked what we want to drink he huffed when I asked for coffee (none made at 3:30pm). I said no coffee than. When waitress came over 5 minutes later she fought us on our entire order. I changed my mind, I really wanted coffee. When from 3 tables away the man yells partially in Spanish "there isn't any, they already said they didn't want coffee". Next, both he and the waitress go into the back and continue yelling in Spanish to each Other for........"beep beep from the microwave I hear.....coffee arrives ...... a cup of dark-ish liquid, a condiment dish with instant coffee.....and a spoon. We got up and walked out. read more

God damn best Mexican restaurant I've Eaten at in a while. Authentic. Delicious. Blast of flavor. And fair prices. Everyone needs to come here. read more

We have lived in the area 12 years and I have finally found the best Mexican food I have had in a VERY long time! Drinks were fresh no funky syrups and the service was excellent! Regret never going before. read more

Who would have thought you would find great Mexican food right off I5 at the Lexington Bridge exit. The chef is the owner and is a great cook. His wife is the waitress and the place can get busy but the food is worth the wait. I have had the Flautas and my husband Chile relleno carne asade plate and both were delicious. read more

The food is CONSISTENTLY delicious and the service quick and very friendly. And they're only 5 minutes off the I-5 Freeway! This has become our favorite "meal-stop" on our drive between Portland and Seattle! Great, authentic Mexican food. read more

Food is good and reasonably priced. The staff is friendly and efficient. I would highly recommend this place if you are in the area

Very good Mexican food...salsa and chips are outstanding! Will visit again if driving up the freeway!

Called el ranchero now Service is poor and waitress didn't speak English well at all couldn't understand her at all. We were there before others arrived so we were alone for the first five minutes. Ordered taco salad and husband ordered chicken fajitas. We were there 10 min before she took order 5 min before she brought chips and salsa had to ask for a refill while we waited for food after she finally took our order instead of bringing it to the kitchen she took the table next to us, orders. When they brought the food they serve the table next to us before us and then gave my husband the fajita meat ( 8chicken nibblets with a ton of pepper and onion and mushroom) but no tortillas my taco salad was shredded lettuce with maybe 6 small chunks of tomatoes covering up maybe 3 tablespoons of ground beef a 2 dollops of sour cream no shell had to ask for more chips to crunch onto my salad. She refilled our water and said oops there is a mosquito in this glass not me not me? Oh I guess we put it in our glass... Food was overpriced for what they served us and nothing great in the flavor salsa was the best thing we had! Will never return! read more

Top notch! Great service! Even the cook came out to ask how things were and was super friendly! The food was amazing! Best salsa I've had at a Mexican restaurant. I have nothing but praise for this place! I'll stop back again next time I drive through the area. Long way from home (Seattle) but glad I was able to eat here. read more

I got the taquito Rancheros (chicken) served with rice & beans. It was very delicious & most definitely filling. I took my food to go & my taquitos were still nice & crisp when I got home. My order also came with chips & salsa. Their salsa is outstanding pairs great with the chips. I questioned it for all these years, but I think I'll be coming back soon :) read more

The best Mexican food in Cowlitz County! Homemade and fresh food. My daughters favorite is Pollo La crema--best sauce. Salsa is to die for! I always buy some to take home. Owners are wonderful and love the family oriented atmosphere. Everything on the menu is fantastic...worth the trip! read more

If you are looking for a local neighborhood Mexican meal in Longview/Kelso this is a great choice. The menu has the usual variety of typical Mexican options and my wife really liked her Chicken Mole. The owners Fabian and Teresa are delightful people. Definitely worth a visit. read more

This place is amazing. Best fajita burrito I have had in years. It's a quaint little spot in a nicely remodeled home. Highly recommend!

Finally! A great Mexican restaurant with decent prices! From what I hear, this place changed owners recently and I think it was for the better. We got the Camerones Monterey and the steak Carnitas - both were done to perfection. The seasoning on the steak was the best I've had at any restaurant. The salsa and tortillas are made in house and the guac was fresh and creamy. Even the beans and rice were yummy. We will definitely be coming back here again, and soon. You will not be disappointed. read more

Family-run with great service, fast and friendly. Chile Relleno cooked with eggs. Seafood options taste fresh, many more options than we expected. Quite a few vegetarian options. And the drink menu is surprisingly large. Quiet, near the river, just north of Kelso. Nice and clean, good size servings and affordable. Both lunch and dinner worked out great for us. Just a quiet place with great food at very reasonable prices. read more

The food is delicious. The service is on point and the owner daughter is adorable. Their salsa has really good flavor.

Family owned and run. Very friendly with good food and pleasant setting.