Maybe I was expecting more than what was displayed. Had heard about the hype and popularity of the establishment and wanted to see what it was all about. All I can say, is that it's just mediocre. There's no bar with exception to their wine cooler type "complementary margaritas". I give the business credit for their hospitality and offerings, but honestly that is what brings in the majority of their business. (Totally understandable) The service was fast and friendly, but I just didn't care for the food. Maybe I wasn't feeling the atmosphere and expected different. read more

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I ordered the Mexican crazy rice and he had the #16 (not pictured). We both loved the food but agreed the crazy rice was a 10/10. We each had 2 strawberry margaritas a piece (iykyk). Hasn't even been a week yet and we're ready to go back. HIGHLY recommend read more

El Ranchero - Mexican crazy rice - chicken fajita with added pico - Mexican Near Me - Nacogdoches, Texas

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This place is pretty amazing. We saw this place was recommended for their food so we had to stop in. We were seated right away, immediately we were given chips and salsa and then got our orders in. We were expecting a wait but our food came out pretty fast. The food was really good. I had the carne asada that comes out on a sizzling skillet with sauted onions. You also get a side plate with everything to put on it and a plate of beans an rice. It's a good amount of food and well priced too. read more

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Dropped by yesterday evening around 5:30 on this lazy Friday off day of mine with my homegirl and grabbed some Mexican cuisine in what seems to be a popular after work Tex Mex spot .. Setting was pleasant and artwork was nice to take in while waiting for our first round of Margaritas to arrive to the table( the first two are free by the way while dining in) , and they were VERY GOOD and not watered down. I ordered table side made guac and the enchiladas dinner with 2 beef and 1 cheese, and my friend ordered the chicken Vallarta , which also contained shrimp... really great experience, I loved the drinks and freshly made guac, but I liked , not loved my enchiladas, so for that reason the 4 stars instead of five..but overall pretty decent Tex Mex.. read more

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Food is spectacular! Various Nac awards are well deserved! Best spinach quesadillas ever!

The margaritas are just syrup. Yuck! We didn't bother with a meal! If the margaritas are fake so is the food!

2 FREE MARGS PER PERSON!!!! Wow! Great food... we got the Fajitas and Beef enchiladas... the Fajitas were great and the portions were massive! 2 margs for me and my date, a Fajita platter and an Enchilada platter all for 40 bucks?!?!?? Crazy good read more

Fajitas lacked flavor and queso was just melted cheeses service was good. Would not go back. Also BYOB for beer but they have margaritas just 3flavors read more

The food was really great! Salsa was wonderful and so was the guacamole. We had shrimp enchiladas and beef fajita enchiladas. Everything was really delicious. The cheese puff was interesting and very tasty. The service was great. A very nice find in this town. read more

Love this place. Best salsa n chips. Tacos are awesome. Servers are very attendant. Free margaritas that are so good. We go at least 1 time a week read more

They serve great food at a reasonable price I and my wife and daughter and husband love eating there also

Great taco salad and chips. I had to add hot sauce to the salsa to give it a little kick but it was good. Service was excellent.

Great service fast and friendly. I always get the crazy rice chicken but with the white queso. The red salsa is so good but sometimes it has been served hot and cold. So not sure which way is normal. But you get a cup each for the people at the table. We received 4 with the children as well. Decent sized restaurant with booths and table options, but it does tend to be a bit chilly inside. Not as large of a parking lot though. The enchilada are good as well with the cheese gravy. The kids also enjoy the chicken tenders and chips. A little hidden in Nacogdoches off of North street onto King street as soon as you turn at the light you can easily spot it! read more

Just awful. We went there with high hopes as the place is always busy! Although I have no idea why! It was awful the food was tasteless with no seasoning at all! Maybe the cook had an off day idk! We have never been back since! If you want good Mexican food I suggest Sombreros the food is always delicious there! read more

Great food and service. Food comes out very fast and usually very hot so be very careful with the plates if they say the plate is hot. Prices are good too and the portions are also very reasonable. read more

Great quick Service, fabulous food ,cleanliness , over all nice ambiance and prices .

I ordered the birria tacos and would 5/10 recommend. They are somewhat dry and the sauce isn't super flavorful, not bad though just not the best I have had. The queso was super good and I enjoyed it very much. The restaurant itself is set up very nicely and there is plenty of room, but I have to say it's not the cleanliest. Service was great though our waiters name was Christian and he was very attentive. read more

Kind of a hidden gem. Very good food and excellent service . Nice interior decor and seating not too close together ambiance is what you would expect in a small Tex mex restaurant. Now they serve you 2 free margaritas per adult read more

Great service. Street tacos are our favorite. We also like the queso with ground beef. Free margaritas are a bonus. Definitely recommend. read more

Don't look down - the floor is filthy. Salt shaker was greasy. Menu was sticky and torn. A fly was swarming my table. No volume on the TV's that were working - Mariachi music instead. Wait staff don't speak English and just ignore questions. read more

Can't believe this place is open. Food is worst quality. No liquor license so no alcohol. Well they give you a free margarita, but a sugary mess with no "tequila" taste. Salsa = tomatoes sauce and cilantro. No heat. Queso was cold. Cheese enchiladas were cold in middle. American shredded cheese in a tortilla, I think. Beans = no flavor. Isn't this Texas? read more

Our absolute favorite Tex Mex ever! The chicken enchiladas are the best I've ever had, and the warmed salsa is to die for!

We came here the day after Christmas because we were done with leftovers The food was what we called 'old school' Tex-Mex! It was full of flavor and lots of it. The house margarita was just right...not too sweet or tangy. Queso was perfect as was the table side guacamole. The fajitas came out sizzling with plenty of meat for 2 of us even though we ordered the fajitas for one. We will definitely be back. read more

El Ranchero - I would concur! - Mexican Near Me - Nacogdoches, Texas

Classic old school Tex-Mex with a twist. They have free margaritas. I'm not a drinker, so let's get right to the food. First of all, they have good chips and homemade salsa. To me, it could use a bit more heat, but that's just me. I also love their menu. The combinations are excellent. I had a combination with a beef fajita enchilada, tamale, crispy beef taco, and a puffed shell with queso. The enchilada was good, but the fajita meat lacked the grilled flavor. The tamale was well above average with a strong hint of cumin to it. The crispy beef taco was excellent and well loaded. And the queso shell was pretty standard, although the queso could've also used some more heat. Like everywhere else, things are returning to more normal these days and El Ranchero is trying its best to adjust to people dining out again. The staff was hustling, but there was a wait to be seated in a restaurant that still had empty tables, but once seated, our server did his best. read more

DONT EAT HERE!! I came to this restaurant with an empty stomach and grin on my face because "who doesn't love Mexican food!!" I had just came back from playing tennis all morning, nevertheless I was ready to grub. My first red flag was the poor customer service towards me and my large party. However they sat us fast, but food delivery was slow. The salsa was mediocre and the queso was gut wrenching, it tasted like the bottom of a craft mac and cheese bowl plus the corn starch. I ordered cheese enchiladas "pretty easy eh," well you're wrong! After 35 min of waiting for the dang enchiladas, I couldn't eat the queso and salsa because the salsa was very soapy. Finally my enchiladas arrived!!!! I was thrilled yet my hopes weren't high. TO MY DEMISE!!! THE WAS A HALF CUT CARROT IN MY RICE WTF!!!! The enchilada was horrible the "special sauce" came from the hell itself. As I arrive home after my long I am greeted to the toilet where the vomiting didn't stop and the rectal discharge is not appropriate. I AM LIVID DONT STEP FOOT IN THE HOLE-IN-THE-WALL MEXICAN JOINT!!! Below was my vegetarian friends enchiladas!!! Now read more

El Ranchero - These enchiladas that are "supposed" to feed a grown vegetarian woman that simply asked for a platter of cheese enchiladas. - Mexican Near Me - Nacogdoches, Texas

I just moved here from Virginia and this was hands down the best Mexican food I've had. The service was friendly and quick, the food was amazing. This is definitely going to be a go-to place now! read more

El Ranchero - Carne Asada - Mexican Near Me - Nacogdoches, Texas

Love ! Great service salsa is very good ! The prices are great for what you get I havnt had anything bad at this place and you get two free margs with your meal ! This place has been around Nacogdoches for a long time I would recommend if you have never been ! read more

Chicken fajitas plate and queso flameado appetizer was delicious But the service was even better. Thank you, Tristen, for making our time there enjoyable. read more

This Tex-Mex restaurant had good food and two margaritas (if ordered)! Our group enjoyed the meal and the wait staff was friendly and attentitive. read more

Off the beaten path, but by far the best Mexican food in Nac. If you live here or your just passing through this place is a must visit.

Atmosphere is cozy, modern building with authentic furniture at the entrance. We are ordering a la carte. I am trying their "burrito" with chicken/steak mix. If you know by now that I refrain from reviewing places whether it is on the part of the server or just plain bad service in general. I always give the server at my table a chance to "serve" customers. I am glad to say that another one who represented the place took over and made my day... I am now eagerly awaiting the presentation of the food we ordered. One bite and... yessssss, like you guessed it, The buuuuuuuuurrrrrriiittttoooooo was phenomenal read more

El Ranchero - Checking out this joint today - Mexican Near Me - Nacogdoches, Texas

Great selections, awesome salsa and chips, amazing meals that are very tasty with large portions, reasonable prices, and a couple of free margaritas make this one of Nac's best spots! Friendly staff and speedy service round it out to a 5 star place!! read more

Great dining experience. We had a large group and we're seated quickly and the staff was great! The salsa is warm and has a cilantro taste.... The fajitas weren't the best but overall a good experience! read more

Last time got fajitas and they were pretty yummy. I love the margaritas and the salsa too. Pretty good spot in town.

Nice restaurant (albeit a bit hidden) that serves standard Tex-Mex fare. Every guest is given two free margaritas; however they make up for the expense of the "free" margaritas by having pricey dishes. Most dishes are over $12. The food is good, but not really worth the extra expense in my opinion. However I'm sure the college students from SFA keep them in business by eating there for the "free" margaritas. Overall food is OK, but I've had better. Why not drive 20 minutes to Cafe del Rio in Lufkin had have some really good Tex-Mex food. read more

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Salsa and enchiladas were great. We like to frequent this establishment when we need our chips and salsa fix. Also the Margs are free, so that sums it up. read more

We went to eat here on our vacation! It was freezing in there wasn't comfortable to sit and eat! I ordered a salad and there was 2 hard things in it and hurt my tooth very bad! The service was horrible too! Definitely don't recommend this place. read more

Warm salsa?! Yes, please! The salsa is served slightly warmed and makes for a unique treat. The table-side guacamole, which they call "Live Guacamole" is the best I've had, and the margaritas (both lime and mango) did not disappoint! Hard-working and friendly staff! Thank you for a great time! read more

This was my boyfriends favorite place when he went to college here so we had to make a stop while in Nacogdoches. This casual Mexican restaurant has super authentic decor and several TVs to enjoy the game on. The salsa is the BEST I've ever had. It's just a tiny bit spicy and warmed in a stone pitcher prior to serving. They top you off throughout your meal too. It's so good you can buy a gallon of it to take home (which I highly recommend!). The menu has a really wide selection of authentic Mexican foods but that means very little vegan/vegetarian options. They charge for substitutions and if you just come in and have the chips and salsa without ordering. They're lunch menu is super cheap and delicious (I had the La Nena salad and loved it!) and you can get two free margaritas with every meal if you want. Lastly the Guac.... it's super creamy and pretty delicious. If you want they can make it at your table for a little bit more but the regular kind is so fresh that we just opted for that. Enjoy! read more

El Ranchero!!! Back in college we used to get confused and called it the Rancho Grande (mostly because of the Roger Creager song lol).. this place is the epitome of Tex Mex and they have free margaritas to boot! How could you top that!? The atmosphere is very hole in the wall but that makes me love the place even more! The warm salsa is a huge selling point as well. Love how "corny" their chips are, very nice crunch and a unique flavor, I wonder if they make them in house? The margaritas aren't huge or strong, but they're free and delicious! Can't wait to go back! read more