El Ranchero&#x27;s

First off, we found out about this restaurant through social media. We knew eventually we'd want to…read moretry it. Luckily, we were by the mall and made the VERY short 10-ish minute drive. Worth it! Walked into a very quiet, but colorful restaurant with only one other patron inside. The employees were so nice. We were told to pick anywhere, we were brought menus and instantly asked if we'd like anything to drink or if we wanted to look at the menu first... We asked for suggestions and the waitress offered the types of drinks they have. She brought us chips and salsa. The chips were homemade with a perfect crunch. The salsa was fresh, chunky and not spicy. The pepino cone limo aqua Fresca was the best aqua Fresca I've EVER had. Not too sweet at all and was SO REFRESHING. We also ordered an horchata and I was told that was just as good. The food... Where to start. We ordered an empanada and some quedabirria tacos. The empanada was HUGE, deliciously filling with fresh ingredients. It had great flavor. The quesabirria tacos were probably the best we've had. You order the amount you want. They are 5.99 each and oh so delicious. The meat tasted SO FRESH and flavorful. The creamy jalapeño salsa had a NICE kick to it. All meals come with radish and pickled onions as garnish, but eating them with the meal made it even more refreshing and delicious. They need more than one location, but until then we will be back! (Luckily, I heard they do catering.)

Ordered a carne asada burrito with no rice. Carne asada overall had pretty good flavor and texture…read moreto it. Smaller pieces, but very few were chewy so it was cut well. Avocado and sour cream made for a creamy balance to the carne asada and beans. Size wise was solid and for the price of $17 not bad at all. Overall I'd definitely come back 7.6/10

Mulita de asada. Steak Mulita

See all

Quesabirria tacos with consommé.

La Huerta Vieja

4.0(457 reviews)

6.2 mi

Panchito burritos had zero flavor--No seasoning, not even salt. My wife and I had to add…read moreseasonings and salt to the burritos in order to eat them because they were so bland that they were difficult to eat. The nachos were soggy with 90% refried beans (I thought nachos were mostly chips and cheese? Where was the cheese?!?! ) I remember when Frank used to run the restaurant and his wife would cook--Those were the good old days. Unfortunately, I'm writing a review because this has once again been a below par meal we've had from here and may not chance our money here again. Sorry Frank, but it's just not the same place we used to love when we started going 23 or so years ago. Anyways, I wish the best of luck to you guys. Please strive to take this place back to its original standard.

We went to La Huerta Vieja 2100 Standiford Ave, Modesto, CA 95350 and really enjoyed our visit. I…read morehad the 2 chimichangas plate and Jovita had a single enchilada plate. The service here is amazing as is the food. I highly recommend coming here. Just know that Sundays can be very busy but everyone working is working hard. The restaurant is kept clean and has an inviting atmosphere.

Chile relleno in red sauce

See all

Ice water

Taqueria El Maguey

4.0(309 reviews)

2.1 mi

If you want a relaxing dining experience with nice ambiance and decor, I recommend El Maguey…read more Plenty of seating indoors but has a nice outdoor area to choose from. Thought this time with my review I would add some of the decor.

You know what I noticed? I've been here twice and I've never reviewed them. That's changing now…read more I like this place. I like the ambiance a lot actually. The decor is pretty and I like the outside seating. The service is good. The last waitress was prompt and on one occasion, I accidentally dropped my drink, and I was able to get a new drink at no extra charge. That was really nice of them. Speaking of drinks, order the agua de pepino. It's super refreshing and sweet. They rim theirs with a little bit of chamoy and Tajín, giving it a spicy taste to it. The tortillas are homemade and I've enjoyed the food. It's good.

Photo of the bar at Taqueria El Maguey.

Tacos de Camarón. Delicioso!!

See all

Cucumber and lime aqua fresca!

La Morenita

3.5(279 reviews)

2.5 mi

I visited La Morenita after a really long time to have dinner with my sister. The prices since last…read moretime I visited have really gone up a lot. We ordered cheese enchiladas and chicken fajitas this time. The service was good. The waitress checked on us. We got seated in the garden patio and it was nice there. They kept it cool. The food was okay. The fajitas were served smoking hot with side of tortillas and sour cream, pico, and guacamole only. The veggies were well grilled and overall pretty tasty. I opted to not get beans. The enchiladas were okay. I didn't like them very much last time, and still didn't like them this time, either. We ordered the churro dessert. It came served with a side of ice cream and whipped cream. It was also okay. My visit to La Morenita was better this time than the last time, but still the menu felt pricier and probably won't come back. P.S. The chips and salsa were really yummy.

Stopped in for a quick dinner to go and ordered a burrito bowl (no rice) to go. Unfortunately, what…read moreI received was basically a cup layered with black beans, grilled chicken, cheese, and a small splash of sour cream. There was no lettuce, salsa, guacamole, tomatoes, or any of the other toppings you'd expect in a burrito bowl. I'm giving it 2 stars only because the beans and chicken tasted good. However, paying $23 for a bowl this bare is hard to justify. I even asked for salsa on the side, and it wasn't included with my order. For the price, I expected a much more complete meal. Unfortunately, this experience was disappointing, and I won't be returning.

Outside restaurant

Chile Colorado with rice and beans.

See all

Churro donut Dessert.

La Parrilla Mexican Restaurant & Bar

3.3(460 reviews)

3.6 mi

Everything was delicious. The menu was excellent, and everyone was incredibly friendly and…read morewelcoming. The prices were very reasonable. I would definitely come back. Thank you! Todo estuvo delicioso, un menú muy rico y un trato amable y espectacular por parte de todos. Buenos precios. Regresaría sin duda alguna. Gracias!

Visited last week and were blatantly ignored by a bar server who was making it clear she didn't…read morewanna serve us. We were the darkest skinned ones there, it's pretty obvious. 13 yrs in the industry so I didn't want to write a review, but clearly your waitstaff is just terrible. Manager was apologetic which was nice, but you're only as strong as your floor. Anyways, good luck!

Decorations at the door

Molcajete Shrimp , chicken and asada I believe

See all

Ranas Taqueria

4.7(60 reviews)

4.0 mi

Starting off with the girl at the front, she was Amazing. So sweet and kind and immediately…read morewelcoming! She did a good job explaining anything that may be different from other restaurants, and knows the menu so well. The food was so good. The table was completely silent inhaling the food as it was brought out. Our food was brought down less than 5 minutes after sitting down, and it was hot and fresh. The guacamole is delicious and their chips are really good too. Definitely some of the best mexican food i've found around here recently. The dining area is kind of small, but it wasn't too crowded and felt very homey. We got the crispy tacos plate (asada) and the taco salad (asada). The beans and rice are so amazing, and don't be afraid to ask for a slight change to the item! She was SO accommodating and made extra sure that what we asked for was done. The party trays seemed reasonably priced as well and I will definitely be recommending them for my next event and to anyone hungry!

We were hesitant to try this place, but wow SO glad we took the chance! This restaurant completely…read morewon us over from the moment we walked in. The young lady at the front was an absolute sweetheart and made us feel so welcome right away.The atmosphere and tables were very simple nothing fancy but it was CLEAN. Now, the food let's talk about it! We ordered the carne asada and al pastor tacos and they were absolutely delicious. The flavor was incredible, the texture was spot on, and the meat was lean with no fat. These tacos are the real deal !!! filling, flavorful, and guaranteed to put a smile on your face. If you're on the fence about coming here, don't be! The food and customer service are both top-notch. We'll absolutely be back the next time we're in town. Highly recommend!

Salsa bar 1

Torta De carne asada con horchata

See all

Exterior - outside

El Jacalito Mexican Food

4.2(50 reviews)

6.9 mi

We were on the area and stopped to try restaurant. Ladies were very nice and service was good…read more Food was excellent. Ordered guacamole and it was so good. Both our dishes were pretty good too. Highly recommend stopping here. I'm sure we will drive here from Manteca to enjoy another meal.

Hubby and I tried this place today and we knew it was probably going to be great based on how…read morepacked their parking lot was-and we were right. The food was definitely authentic and delicious. Even though they were busy, the waitress was very efficient and provided great service. My hubby had the carne asada platter with corn tortillas, and I ordered a chile relleno alacarte and a sopa with grilled chicken alacarte . My sopa was a little too crunchy (the masa base) but the flavors were good. I asked for green sauce, and it was more like a creamy white sauce, but still ok. We had a favorite Mexican restaurant that we went to in our hometown, the next city over, but since it shut down a year ago, we might make this our new go to place.

Campechana

See all

Shrimp Cocktail

Carnicería y Taqueria los Compadres

5.0(8 reviews)

3.9 mi

Absolutely the best Mexican omelettes on Earth , a must when in Modesto Ca , nestled in a quiet and…read morequaint village like atmosphere in Central Modesto , lovely vintage neighborhood and beautiful trailhead nearby called Virginia Corridor, I'm definitely coming back for seconds !!!

If you're looking for carne asada fries that are fresh, hot, huge, loaded with flavor, and have…read morenacho cheese PLEASE GO HERE. The workers were so nice and the asada was to die for. Super seasoned too, it was AMAZING.

Mexican Coca Cola

Chips and dip on the House

See all

Carne asada fries

La Morenita

3.5(317 reviews)

4.1 mi

Pretty good experience here today, we were seated promptly but it took a while for drinks to come…read moreand much longer for the meal after the wait for the server to take the order. The food was well done, the ambiance was the busiest we have seen it in a while (they seemed to have a party on the bar side which is a good thing). We didn't order the margaritas this time but definitely can recommend them. Overall, a solid 4/5.

My wife and I have been customers here at least twice a week for over a year. Never an issue. Sure,…read morea mistake here and there, but this is it for me. Tonight we ordered takeout: two chicken enchiladas with green sauce, all rice, and another order of grilled fish tacos. The first order we got home was thighs, not chicken breasts. We called, and they said they'd redo it; back I went. When we got home, the next order was the same thing. We checked the receipt, and they listed it as Enchilada Ckn Breast. My wife called and was told that they would replace it with one more enchilada. We explained, CHICKEN BREASTS! No problem. This time #3 was one enchilada with shredded chicken. When I picked up #3, I clarified with them that they mix chicken breasts with thigh meat...Yes. But you put "Chicken breast " on the receipt, and you charged me $1.50 extra for it being a chicken breast. The young lady did not respond; she just looked like a deer caught in the headlights. You don't treat your loyal customers who eat at your restaurant twice a week for over a year at $30-$46 per order like this. Especially in a town where we have no lack of Mexican restaurants. Something has changed, maybe a new cook (not a chef!). Maybe they were purchased, but whatever it is, the food quality has taken a nosedive. Take care of your customers, or someone else will.

Cute little decorations behind the counter.

See all

Part of the dinner combo, pick three items. I had a cheese enchilada with cheese on top, no sauce, and beans & cheese.

Las Casuelas

2.9(382 reviews)

7.3 mi

Pretty good and pricing is decent . We ordered a build your own with 3 items . 2 chili rellanos…read moreand a grilled chicken taco . Comes with rice and beans . The chicken taco was good but a little on the dryer side . We added the house salsa and that made it better . The chilli relay is were huge . Lots of batter . It was fluffy . The sauce on the rellanos was just ok . More tomato based than chili based . Again added the house salsa and it was much better . Chips and salsa were great and the warm beans on the side was a bonus . I had a skinny margarita and it was perfect and strong . I'd give this place a 7 out of 10 . Decent . Pretty good flavor. The grilled chicken could have add more carbon flavor and the rellano sauce could have been a little more flavorful .

Basic Mexican food…read more I ate at the Dale Rd Las Casuelas location with a group of 5 on a Sunday evening. When we arrived, there was no wait and many empty tables. It is a pretty standard local Mexican joint. It is very casual and family friendly. There is a small bar separate from the main dining room. There is also a large back room that can be reserved for special events. The decor was nice and the music was fine. We were provided chips, salsa, and beans. I was not a fan of these. The chips were dense and the beans were flavorless. The salsa was alright. It was pretty hot but wasn't utilized much because the chips weren't great. For my main dish, I ordered the Supreme Quesadilla with beef. It came with a side of beans and rice. I liked that the beans had cheese but I wasn't impressed with either side. The rice felt a little bit undercooked to me. The quesadilla itself was pretty good. It was very cheesy and had a lot of beef. I appreciate the large dollops of guacamole and sour cream. The service was disappointing. It took an extremely long time for the waiter to come and take our order. We were sitting there ready to order for probably 20 minutes or longer. Once we received the food, we did not see our waiter again. We were in desperate need of a water refill but the waiter never came by. To me, the service felt very slow and unenthusiastic.

Inside

Steak and Chicken Fajitas

See all

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

7 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Debbie H.

13

59

7 years ago

This restaurant is new to Modesto and literally in my backyard. Has a drive thru. Lots of parking and a large menu. Opened Less than a week ago and it's planing on having beer on tap. Might turn into a hang out kind of place. Food portions are huge and restrooms are clean. The menu might take me a while to try but for now the asada tacos and fish tacos were good. I think il try the asada cheese fries next. But il need to share lol. read more

Jennifer W.

0

8

0

5 years ago

Worst customer service ever!!!! I will never be returning here EVER AGAIN! Please check your employees attitude!! Everything I ordered something was wrong because she didn't WANT to hear my order. I felt rushed and the girl was Rude and unkind like no other customer service I've ever had before!!! read more

Reggiea D.

0

3

0

2 years ago

Everytime I come around 11pm...they are so RUDE! I like the food but the night crew... Especially ALEXA has a disgusting attitude.... Please do better in hiring good employees cuz the ones u have now are terrible! read more

Mario A.

0

16

5 years ago

The food is reasonably priced, great service, very cleanly kept in dining area, and not to mention the food was excellent! Will definitely be coming back read more

Birdie W.

2

16

0

5 years ago

Best micheladas! Wouldn't expect it! People are kind there as well. Best part is they do the micheladas to go!

Lisa H.

0

7

0

4 years ago

The food is good and the restaurant is very clean. I wasn't greeted when I came in but the food was good.

Johnny L.

0

2

0

4 years ago

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood

El Ranchero's - mexican - Updated September 2026

People who viewed El Ranchero's also viewed

Taqueria San Jose

3.5

(181 reviews)

Sadly I was disappointed. Chili relleno was huge but not cooked properly through chili …read more Asada tasted like cheap quality. Beans out of a can dry and thick. Rice no flavor and clumped up .. chips are like dry paper board. Only thing they got right was chili verde flavor and thats it. 53.54 Thrown away. .. and im from San jose and this is not how we do it . Lady was nice at front if I can leave a compliment .. do better

Me and the wife were craving asada fries, so we decided to try them at Taqueria San Jose in…read moreModesto. The service was excellent, the lady was helpful and very kind. We ordered the super asada fries. OMG, they were .

Garcia JoJo's

3.2

(317 reviews)

I love Garcia JoJo's ! I've tried everything on the menu over the years and NEVER been…read moredisappointed in the quality of the food . This morning I had the Chile Verde Breakfast burrito. Very delicious ! It rocked seriously. It's now my " go to" . This definitely isn't Taco Bell kind of food . Might be a bit more pricey but it's well worth it . All the employees I've ever dealt with are very friendly and wonderful people ! I'll say it again . I love Garcia JoJo's !

I really wanted to give this place 5 stars but unfortunately I may have gotten the bad batch of…read morechips! Chips (which most places don't give with drive thru orders) were stale and I really wanted to enjoy them while eating my Egg & Bean Breakfast Burrito. The drive thru service was amazing. The lady who helped me was very helpful and extremely nice, which was cool and somewhat made my morning. They have some good specials during the week and every time I drive by there are plenty of people in both the drive thru and in the restaurant. Breakfast Bean and Egg Burrito was really good and the salsa that came with it was not spicy but it was flavorful which made up for it. I will be going back for both a daily special and a normal entree.

Taqueria El Compadre

3.5

(219 reviews)

Taqueria El Compadre is one of those reliable spots I've been going to for years. The menu has a…read moregreat selection, the prices are reasonable, and the portions are generous. The breakfast burritos are huge and delicious, definitely worth trying. My usual order is the steak super burrito. Most of the time the steak is tender and really flavorful. Every once in a while it's not quite as good as other visits, but overall it's still one of my favorite burritos in town. They also have a great salsa bar, friendly staff, and the setup is easy: order at the counter, then they bring the food to your table. The restaurant is clean, the restrooms are roomy and well kept, and there's plenty of parking. Good food, fair prices, and a place I'm always happy to go back to.

I thought I took a photo of my order. I guess I forgot. Anyway, I ordered refried beans and jack…read morecheese à la carte. It was a generous sized portion for about 4-5 dollars. I enjoyed them. The cashier was helpful and friendly. It was pretty busy inside. While I waited for my to-go order, I noticed they had a special board. I wish I would have seen it before ordering. They had a few different meals for around 11 or 12 dollars. I thought they sound good too.

El Rincon Taco Shop

3.4

(103 reviews)

Customer service was great, they were fast with the order, meat a bit dry not much flavor…read more Beans were good

Best grilled chicken burrito in Modesto!! I've been going here for years! I tried their mixed…read morefajitas today and was just as happy, great flavor and a nice portion size. The staff is very friendly and the whole place has a relaxed, casual vibe. The connected bakery makes it even better as it always smells amazing when you walk in. You can get both your savory and sweet fix in one stop. Awesome value and good food overall. =)

Taqueria El Maguey

3.2

(55 reviews)

Quiet lunch spot that l love to stop into a few times a month…read more I like their super vegetarian burritos with jalapeños...fresh and tasty Mexican food. My go to lunch items ate nachos and burritos If I'm eating in then I may order a Chile rellano a la carte. Staff are very friendly. I remember one day I called ahead but when I got there I had forgot my wallet, I switched purses the day before. I was starving and the lady that rang me up actually paid for my burrito our of her tips! I went back the next day to pay her back and gave her a top the price of my lunch!

There has been a Mexican restaurant at this location ever since I've been going to Modesto in 2008…read more This is my first time back since 2019 - is it the same place? I don't know, but it's definitely similar. Two things that were different - I used to love the chips here. This time they were really stale. We had a late lunch, around 2:30, but that doesn't explain it unless they just left them out from the morning. We've bought freshly fried tortilla chips before and they were still tasty after a few days if they were stored correctly. Not a big deal - but they used to have Jarritos and now they sell Mundet. I had an apple soda - still delicious. Food - One fellow Yelper said they loved the molcajete and described it in a way that my mouth had started watering already. Unfortunately, the waitress informed me that there is no molcajete at this location. The backup plan was the carnitas plate. Carnitas were great - nice and crispy on the outside, moist and flavorful on the inside. The corn tortillas are made fresh and that really helps make the dish. I'd recommend getting this and some guacamole on the side. The plate comes with a little, but made me crave for some more.

El Cazador

3.6

(266 reviews)

OMG! This place is a hidden gem! I absolutely love the food here! The prices are so reasonable and…read moretheir Happy hour has a variety of drinks for $6.20 The service is great and everyone is so friendly too! Great ambiance as well!

Came here on a recommendation and it didn't fail us. The wait staff was pleasant and attentive. The…read morefood is generous and flavorful. I love that you can really taste shrimp chunks in their enchilada. The noise level was average, still good enough for a family gathering, friends meet up or even a casual ł date. And the price is reasonable

Carnitas Purepecha

4.4

(65 reviews)

Our 4th visit, so obviously their food is excellent. I…read moreordered chicken enchiladas and my friend ordered the carnitas plate. Seasoned well and portions are perfect. Everything was so delicious. Highly recommend this place. Very hospitable, friendly and clean. Hidden gem if you ask me! Should be a "go to" for those seeking delicious Mexican food.

First time here and let's just say I'm impressed. Not only was the service fast, efficient and…read morekind, but the food was delicious. My husband had the carne en su jugo, and I have the carnitas plate. I prepared my fresh corn tortilla with beans, rice, and the Carnitas that smelled like heaven. When I took the first bite, I realize this was some of the most melt in your mouth delicious Carnitas that I have ever had. They were flavorful without being too salty, as well as the Carne en su jugo. It's a small spot, but many people arrive to pick up to go orders and I can tell why. We both greatly enjoyed our visit to this spot and will definitely return.

Tacos El Pato

4.3

(19 reviews)

I have been going here for ever when they first arrived on carver rd when I worked at vintage car…read morewash and I still go, every time is amazing no complaints whatsoever the people are always nice and best service!!!

Consistently delicious. We try not to eat out too often, but this has become a staple. We get their…read moreasada or chicken burritos and asada and shrimp tacos regularly. Their salsa is delicious and has a decent kick and we enjoy the sides of radishes. The ladies who take my order are always kind as well.

El Rosal

3.1

(212 reviews)

I've loved El Rosal's food since they first opened years ago. The restaurant set-up reminds me of a…read moreclassic authentic 80's style setup you used to find everywhere in the valley offering fast service, free chips y salsa followed by an amazing meal. The prices fit Modesto which is why I choose it mostly every time. You will likely spend the same amount as you would at s taqueria where the experience isn't nearly as personable.

This place is good. The servers are nice and the food tastes good…read more It's an older restaurant but that's ok. El Rosals are all over the area. Each has its own vibe. I went with fajitas and flour tortillas

SJ Taqueria

4.0

(50 reviews)