1st time here. Great food, service--and some regular picked up our tab. Not sure whether it was truly because it's our first visit or because my dh looks helpless in his shoulder sling Steak was huge and my dh, who loves Mexican food, is content. We will be back!! read more

El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Union, Missouri

Food is always amazing and the staff is wonderful. They are also super quick with take out orders.

We had stopped going to this restaurant because it had gotten so Americanized, but our favorite Mexican place in Union was closed due to a kitchen malfunction, so I thought that we'd give it another try. Even though it has cute decor on so many levels, it was reiterated that we had not been wrong to make the change. After making a to go order for 2 items, I was charged for To-Go containers which I find particularly tacky. Then while I was waiting for my food, I paid my bill and had my change sitting on the table at which I was waiting. The owner came out with my food. I said thank you and stood up to pick up my food AND change. When I reached for my cash, it was gone. The owner was standing by the cash register with the drawer open. I asked him if he picked up my cash. He was putting it into the drawer. So, not only did he take my money without asking, but he wasn't even going to give it to the waiter- but keep it for himself. Taking the food home, the bag of chips was less than half than what you would normally get with a Mexican food order. It was half of a small lunch bag, and the salsa was a small 2 oz (maybe) container. We ordered 2 meals. It wasn't enough for 2 people. Luckily, I had ordered some Salsa Verde ($2.00) (not freshly made). The beans in the meal tasted of metal, from a can and not made from scratch. The remaining items in the meals were just okay. Nothing special. Spouse said the Albondiga was blah. 1 Appetizer, I meal and salsa, $22.80. Not so great. read more

El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant - Small salsa and chips - Mexican Near Me - Union, Missouri

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We have been here several times. The restaurant is always clean, the servers are all very polite and capable and hard working. The food is excellent we have been initiated in Mexican pizza with chicken, shrimp, and beef. Truly delicious. Also a pastry filled with ricotta filling and caramel topping. We had a large get together here with about 13 people and they all were very happy when we left. Bravo and Thank You El Ranchito. See you again soon. read more

Maybe more Tex-Mex; not as Authentic Mexican as I prefer, but tasty and a very social dining experience. My B-I-L loved it because he's never met a stranger! My Sister thought it OK, as did I. They did not offer Enchiladas Verde which I had desired. Their salsa was also not satisfying to my taste. I would go back in a pinch. My favorite Mexican is in St. Clair and is closed on Mondays, so we ended up here. Service was above average. read more

We have many Mexican restaurants to choose from, so I choose by my favorite menu item, and what I'm in the mood for that day. El Ranchito is where I go for fajita pizza. It's just a wonderful mouthful of flavors. Give it a try. The small is large enough for two. read more

El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant - Shrimp Fajita pizza. - Mexican Near Me - Union, Missouri

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We came in at 5:30 on a Saturday night and were seated immediately. Our server greeted us within seconds and was great. I had the burrito grande and my wife had the chimichanga. Both were served in 10 mins hot and cooked to perfection. Portion size was generous and drinks were refilled at just the right time. We ordered dessert since I had a big day and hadn't eaten. So we ordered the sopapilla. Smaller portion on dessert but it was great. Delicious ice cream and the pastry was just tender enough. Overall a perfect visit. Restaurant was clean and bright and a delightful. read more

El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant - Burrito Grande! - Mexican Near Me - Union, Missouri

My lunch was very tasty and will definitely order again when in the area. Owner was very cordial.

This is some of the best Mexican food I have ever had. I got the Pollo Fresco (I think that's what it's called?) and it was amazing. The chips and salsa were probably the only thing that I would say was "alright". I don't think they were bad, just not the best I've ever had. Oh- and the frozen strawberry margaritas were fabulous. read more

El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant - This is the "Large" Strawberry Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Union, Missouri

MY FAVORITE PLACE for dinner and margaritas! Clean, reasonably priced menu with TONS of options. THE STAFF. The staff is AWESOME.

This is the most authentic Mexican in Columbia! The people are friendly, The food comes quickly,(mostly)and is always delicious.

Don't be fooled by their 4.5 stars. We tried this restaurant while at an AirBNB. Bland food. Beef filling tastes like plain ground beef and onions. The cheese quesadilla was just an 8 inch tortilla with cheese inside, not fully melted. My pina colada tasted watered down. My husbands chicken enchiladas were filled with unseasoned shredded chicken. The waiter popped off at my daughter for not talking loudly enough while ordering-she was embarrassed and I was stunned. The inside reminded me of an old DMV. No bar. Drinks just come from the back. Weird frosted glass cubicle from a previous business feels out of place. Prices were cheap. Your get what you pay for. We won't return. Taco bell would have been better. read more

Good Mexican food! Extensive menu. Sure to please almost everyone! First visit was most enjoyable!

Great food and service. I suggest the chicken nachos. The place is always busy, so plan accordingly

This place can't get a special order right to save their lives - DON'T EAT HERE! They messed up my pick up order so bad that I couldn't eat it. When I called to ask for a refund, the manager Beto, told me they didn't make my food and they didn't charge my card for the food. So now I have to spend my time going back to the POS restaurant after work to prove that they did charge my card and hopefully get my money back. Sadly, this isn't the first time it's happened at this place- shame on me for giving them another chance. Lesson definitely learned! read more

Excellent place. Went for a late lunch. Everything was grest. Had sidewinder cheese fries which hs d my fs vorite mexicsn thing, chirrizo. Great margaritas. All our entrees were great. Tom even had half of his burrito Grande left. Forgot to take pictured before. This is what was left. read more

El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Union, Missouri

I really like this place. The waiters are friendly and attentive. They have great strawberry margs and long islands. I always get their chicken fajita quesadilla. Hits the spot. They have good salsa too. I always look for a good salsa at a Mexican restaurant and if it's not good, I don't go back. They have a lot to choose from on the menu. I know a lot of people who refer to El Ranchito as their spot. They have A LOT of regulars which is important in a small town. They treat their customers well. Give it a try. read more

So yummy, hands down the best Mexican restaurant in Union mo. The Carna asada and pork carnitas are my favorite but anything you order will be fresh and large portions. read more

My husband and I love this place. Service is quick and the food is tasty and plentiful. The prices are reasonable. Jesse was our waiter and did a first class job! We really like this place! read more

Always very outstanding!! Wonderful environment. Employees are friendly and the restaurant always looks nice. read more

Me and my family love this place. We come to eat on Sundays after church with a group a lot. Super friendly staff! Great food. And surprisingly, if you are looking for an awesome chicken burger or cheesburger, this is the place to go! read more

First time eating here and absolutely will be back! New Favorite Mexican Restaurant and it just so happens to be in beautiful downtown union mo. Food atmosphere and service were awesome and we loves our server! read more

Good was great, and service was there to match! Had the chili Colorado dish, which the waiter warned me was spicy. I would consider my tolerance for spicy to be high. This plate is probably not sold very often because it is OFF THE CHARTS SPICY! It was delicious, but be sure you have napkins for your running nose, and a good waiter to constantly refill your drink! I had both! Even the waiter said, I always warn people about this plate because he has had several people order it and refuse to pay for it because of how hot it is. He was right! I finished my meal, paid for it, and asked for a to go cup of water as I was left with a nice tingle in my mouth from the heat of this meal! I would recommend it if you're not afraid of the spice! I was impressed overall with their menu and service. Authentic Mexican, traditional dishes beyond tacos, burritos, tortas, tamales, and fajitas. If I'm ever in union, mo again, I will be back to visit. read more

I'm a snotty ass from-rural-Missouri-and-never-fit-in-so-fled-to-Los-Angeles-as-soon-as-she-could kinda girl so when I agreed to meet my brother and his fiancee out in their neck of the woods (um, literally?) for dinner I was a little frightened. My brother promised me this was my kind of place, but as we see each other twice a year, I wasn't exactly sold until I walked in. The decor here is freaking adorable! Sunshines on the back of the booth seats and also under the glass of the tabletops. I think it would be impossible to be in a bad mood while here. The restaurant itself is owned by white people who love Mexican food, and as my parents used to do the same, immediately I had a soft spot for El Ranchito. Yes, the food is Americanized Mexican, but it's super-yummy Americanized Mexican for a superass good deal. We all had entrees, two of us had sides (a small quibble - most entrees come with beans OR rice or sometimes neither), and all three of us had "medium" sized drinks (which would be the large almost anywhere else) and our total bill was $46!! Gotta love dining out in the middle of nowhere. Service was attentive, but not annoying, and we got our food very quickly (but not weirdly quickly where you wonder if your stuff was waiting under a heatlamp for you). All in all, a surprisingly delightful experience! read more

Where am I? Union Mo?? Talk about authentic, this place is stellar. This is Mexican Food the way it's supposed to be. I am in awe that places like Hacienda do this banging business when the food is just OK. The decor is cute, the service is good and the food excellent. Try the taco salad, YUM! and great frozen Margaritas. I had minus a star since it's a smoking restaurant. They allow smoking in the front of the building, so when you walk in if there are groups there smoking that is the first thing you smell. No more smoking I'll kick it up a star. read more

As always food amd Service was incredible!!! Margaritas were great! Highly recommend.

Updated to 4 stars: This restaurant has gone smoke-free! This is a welcome decision as there was no physical barrier in the restaurant to divide the smoking and non-smoking sections. El Ranchito is my favorite Mexican restaurant in this area so far. Their chicken nachos are tops. They use the white, chihuahua cheese (pretty sure that's what it's called) instead of just shredded cheddar or something everyone uses at home. The portions are good, and the value is the best part. Their prices are crazy good. One reason this is a 4-star and not 5: 1. Service can be iffy. Sometimes I've had great service, and I've also been there more than a few times and had crappy service. On more than one occasion, my drink was waiting to be refilled for nearly the entire meal, it took a long time to get our bill, or they wouldn't come back to check that we got what we ordered, which is one of my dining pet peeves. [My theory is since the meal prices are so cheap, they don't work too hard for their tips because, percentage-wise, most don't tip well for them to justify it.] read more

This is my favorite mecican restaurant Great food and amazing service. You can't beat the prices! read more

They may have changed the name and brightened the decor, but oat importantly, the food is still delicious. read more

El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant - Good Mexican food place is still in operation. - Mexican Near Me - Union, Missouri

Very Mexican-styled indeed. Merely stepping in the door makes it seem like you've entered a whole new town. The sunshine booths and tables are a bit too much for me, but the food was pretty amazing. You're plate will be completely filled - even with just a cheeseburger and fries. And the plate's aren't small either. I was only able to eat about half of the food on my plate, and I'm not a very small person. So when you get over the suns staring at you from the other side of the booth or from the table or from behind you on your "booth bench", you can truly enjoy this unique place. The staff are nice and joke around with each other, but then again most of them are friends. I have only been there once, for I'm 17 and still don't drive (lol). The food was cheap for the quantity of it you get, and undoubtably tastey for a small town like this. This place is very good for groups to go in. I do believe you can call and reserve seats, but I haven't done that so I'm not sure. It is very packed on Thursday-Sunday at the tables, but the booths are usually open. I do think that it is also a non-smoking restaurant. Again, I'm not sure. read more

What a great restaurant! Excellent and friendly staff; Joe, Jesse and the rest. Great atmosphere and excellent food! Good seeing lots of neighbors and friends in there often too. Really missed this place when we were living on an island in coastal Maine. Great to be back and enjoy this place on a regular basis now. read more

Went for lunch with my bff. First time visit. Food was EXCELLENT and service was spot on fast. Prices were fair and our server was very attentive and friendly. I will definitely be returning. read more

We've been 3 times the first two times were great . This time was ok. We made the mistake of going on National Margarita Day. Their Sidewinders appetizer is amazing. Will definitely be back. read more

I sent these guys a note of thanks recently. Here it is in its entirety. "Your restaurant and staff are remarkable. No matter how many months since my last visit, among other things, my preference in a margarita is remembered, I think mostly due to your wait staff that never seem to leave for greener pastures. You obviously treat them very well because these are the same great people that have been waiting on us for years. It's such an added bonus to know your waiter by name and feel like a regular. We live in the city but we constantly recommend your restaurant to friends that live out your direction, or might be heading that way. There are quite a few decent Mexican restaurants in St. Louis of course. But with the possible exception of the totally authentic Mexican restaurants clustered within the Cherokee neighborhood, "The Ranch," is unparalleled. Keep it up! You never seem to be hurting for business, and that's a testament to so many things you're doing right. PS: There's never been a stank from the cigarette smoke from the front of your restaurant's smoking area. And it's Franklin County and God forbid... I should say anything further. But it's something to consider as your place gets packed night after night. If it's financially possible, try to draw in more cigarette hating diners, and less permitted to do so. Long live The Ranch." read more

Margaritas I had a banana rather would've had it on the rocks but it wasn't on the rocks it wasn't too bad and I had fajitas they weren't too bad shrimp and steak we're ok didn't really care for the salsa it was too thin needs to be a little more chunkier and I tried the pomegranate margarita too it was way too sweet read more

I have been to El Ranchito probably 100 times or more since they have opened. It is far and away my favorite mexican resturant in the greater St. Louis area. All of the staff is wonderful, friendly, and fast. The chimichangas are wonderful, and the margaritas are even better! The trek out to Union might be a little bit long for some of you, but trust me, it is worth it. Especially if your usual place would be something like El Maguey, or something similiar. When you go be sure to ask for Travis, Jesse, or Joe, you won't regret it! read more

Based on Amy S's review we stopped for dinner here on the way back to STL from Redbud, MO. The atmosphere was exactly as described, altho I was worried when the greeter asked if we wanted smoking or nonsmoking. (Apparently the ban on second hand smoke has not caught up to union yet.) But the food was excellent and cheap and beer was served in an icy mug--perfect. Highly recommend the chimichanga and carnitas dinners. Chips/salsa so so, but very friendly service. read more

Terrible service. VERY anti-vegetarian; don't even know the difference between vegetarian, vegan, and omnivore. They do not accept suggestions whatsoever about the improvement of their services. I will not return and I suggest the same for all. read more

Good food! The service is always good and the food tastes good. It's a great atmosphere and very clean also. The place is set up very inviting and festive. read more

This is our favorite Mexican Place to eat. The owner and staff and super friendly. Can't get any better than that! The prices are so reasonable. read more