An absolute Columbia classic -- the ultimate nightcap spot! El Rancho is one of those places that defines Columbia nights. It's not a good night out unless it ends here -- standing in line that stretches out the door, surrounded by the buzz of post-bar laughter and the smell of sizzling fajitas and melted cheese. The food always hits the spot, no matter what time it is. My go-to has always been the chicken nachos -- piled high, smothered with cheesy, spicy, perfectly seasoned goodness. Every bite is pure comfort and nostalgia. This place is the heartbeat of late-night Columbia -- the kind of local gem you remember long after you've graduated and moved away. And a must go to spot whenever you're in town!! read more

El Rancho - Vegetarian nachos add chicken - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

Fast, fair priced, huge portions, exceptional service. This place hit the spot after a fun night.

Although this spot may not be a "Must Visit" recommended sit-down restaurant, El Rancho is a delicious spot for a late night bite in downtown Columbia, MO! We would go to El Rancho late at night quite frequently while attending college, and so do a lot of the current students because of the prime location across from the college bars. My "go-to" item is the grilled chicken nachos smothered in queso. El Rancho is known for making food quick and easy to grab & go. read more

See all

Amazing place. Amazing food. Amazing workers. Can't get enough of those chicken Nachos and Toerilla supreme

I am so confused how I've never left a review. This is literally our Columbia spot, my husband is obsessed. My guess is because we're usually drunk, stumbling in and I always forget to check in. But, I digress. This is a Columbia staple. If you went to Mizzou and don't like El Rancho, you're a monster. Their nachos just hit different. There's nothing like crispy chips loaded with chicken, queso, fajita veggies, and rice at midnight. And sometimes for lunch because we feel like it. This is cheap Mexican food. The place hasn't been updated in years, can be a little sticky, and sometimes you get yelled at. But, it's still the best of the best, and brings back great memories for alumni. read more

My wife and I were in Columbia Missouri for a couple of days for a Christmas event and found ourselves hungry late at night and looking for food. We decided on Mexican food but were limited on options at 9 pm with most places closing by 10 pm. I discovered El Rancho on Yelp and we decided to give it a try. The place was small with most people getting to go orders. We ordered a Chicken Chimichanga and the Guadalajara special. The food was delicious and the portions were so big we took about half of it home. The service was great, the people were nice as well. You have to give them a try if you are in or passing through Columbia, Missouri. read more

El Rancho - This is a picture of the restaurant from the street. - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

El Rancho is always a great choice! Good any time of day, workers are always friendly, the food is amazing, and the place is always clean. read more

El Rancho - chicken quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

See all

This place....don't let the hole in the wall, run-down look of the outside deter you. I've only been here during the wee hours of the morning after having 1 too many tequila shots, but this is some of my favorite mexican food I've ever had. They are open till 2am Thursday, Friday, Saturday so this place gets flooded with drunk people on the weekends. They handle it beautifully though. Never once have they gotten my order wrong or seemed annoyed at all the sloppy, obnoxious people in their restaurant. They are always SO NICE and despite how long the line gets late at night, it always seems to move pretty fast. Their food is fresh and authentic. I haven't been able to convince my friends to go with me during the daylight hours yet, but you can just tell from my picture it would taste just as good sober as it does after the bars. I always get shrimp tacos and a side of rice and beans, but I think you could order anything from here and it would be delicious. 10/10 recommend!!!! read more

El Rancho - Shrimp Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

El Rancho is far better than anyone says. The food is always good and as long as you're not going after 12am then the service is very fast. It is a small restaurant and I wouldn't plan on eating inside. This is my go to place after a night out though. Go to order is beef nachos with extra beans and rice. Go try it out! read more

El Rancho - Beef nachos - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

The service here is great all the time no matter if it's a busy Friday/Saturday night the service is always great, I always recommend it to anyone who's looking for a late night bite since the food is amazing and the horchata is AMAZING!!!! read more

The food quality is still consistent as always and for a restaurant as busy as they are, the service is very fast. However buyer beware. I hope it wasn't because they believed they could take advantage of inebriated patrons, but I was charged $18 for a menu item listed at $11. I don't think this is the first time it's happened. Not just to myself, but others in front of me in line seemed to have problems too. And no, there's no markings indicating automatic gratuity or a substantial credit card fee or late night pricing. So if you're going after 11pm, check your receipt. read more

Oh yes! Fajita chicken nachos. They are delicious during the day and even more delicious after cocktails! The chimichanga is also spot on. Just go and don't look back! read more

Ordering process was quick and painless. You tell the cook what you want, they confirm and start cooking. Then you tell the cashier what you ordered, add any extras like chips and sodas, she rings you, hands you what you ordered once it's ready, easy peasy. Boyfriend got an a la cart order, 2 tacos (one chicken, one steak), chips, salsa and queso and a mandarin Jarrito. I got a lunch special, the Speedy Gonzalez. One taco, one enchilada, choice of rice or beans for $5.25. Added a fountain drink. Had our food in less than 5 minutes, grabbed utensils, seated ourselves and ate. The chips, salsa and queso are all made in house, and they were all very good. It was hard not to finish all of it, but we were flying out of St Louis only two hours later so we had to get back on the road. Boyfriend loved his tacos (ordered crunchy), I loved my enchilada. The taco was also good, but I probably should have ordered the shredded instead of ground beef. The beef had good texture and pepper flavor but was a bit underwhelming in taco form vs enchilada form. Alas we do not live in the area, we were visiting my daughter, so unlikely we will be back soon. If we lived in or near Columbia we would absolutely be regulars! read more

See all

Great food and it's pretty quick too. This is my favorite place to get Mexican food in Columbia.

What a pleasant surprise this gem is! Authentic Mexican food but enough of an American twist that it was so delicious. Reminds me of Mexican restaurants in Tucson. High quality and taste. Very reasonable/low prices, especially for what you get. Would definitely recommend! read more

Americas most honorable business. This is award was given to the most perfect business because wow. Open until 2 am is amazing. I love it. My friends and I were hungry and we knew just where to Go. read more

Order was made incorrectly. I asked for rice, and when I got home there was no rice in my meal. When I called and inquired about it, I was told I would have to pay for rice. read more

It was a great late night option! I decided to go vegetarian that night and order the mushroom quesadilla with rice and beans. My order came at really quick. The food had so much flavor; I was really impressed. read more

El Rancho - Mushroom Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Columbia, Missouri

See all

Really delicious food made to order while you wait. Casual atmosphere. Always look forward to the comfort and simplicity of this place. Nothing fancy just good comforting plate of Mexican food. read more

Doesn't look like much when you walk by but I'm glad I went here. Very good, authentic Mexican food and that's saying a lot since I lived in LA for 10+ years where Mexican food is amazing. I got the enchiladas. read more

Excellent. Fast. Fresh & friendly staff!! Don't let the hole in the wall look deter you!! Love the food!!

So glad to find this place after leaving another restaurant because of their ridiculous wait time. They were so nice and friendly. Fast, easy, and delicious food with hefty portion sizes. Definitely would recommend to anyone looking for a cheap, fast eat. read more

If in Columbia, Missouri do not eat here. This place is a joke of an establishment. I came here looking for some half way decent Mexican food and it wasn't even that. I got a burrito and it was the greasiest thing I have ever seen. I walked all the way there and back to my apartment before opening it and didn't want to walk back so I called and they answered 3 different times and listened to my problem and then hung up. I eventually had to walk back and tell them my issue before even receiving a new item because they don't do refunds. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE. food is worse than taco bell and will never go back. read more

Love is not a big enough word...it's not a big enough word to describe how I feel about El Rancho. I have so many fond memories of this place. Coming here and crying after Mizzou lost the big football game. Coming here and crying after Mizzou lost the big basketball game. Nothing cheers me up quite like El Rancho! Seasoned veteran tip: Get the nachos. The cheese, known in some circles as "queso", is liquid gold. You could pour the queso on a sneaker, eat the aforementioned sneaker and give the sneaker 5 stars. Everyone has their favorite style nachos. I'm a shredded beef guy because I know great food. Others like steak and some like the chicken(shredded or grilled). The only way you can go wrong is if you don't go at all. If you ever come across someone who says El Rancho is to be eaten only after going to the bars, grab a plate of nachos and take them to the nearest classroom at Mizzou. It's time to give them an education they can use. read more

the older lady that is the cashier is not professional at all. she's rude to customers. I was wanting to pay but she was to busy on her phone. this has happened many times when she has been there. if I go with the lady in the morning shift she is very nice and help full. and the food is always great when the young lady is there. if the old lady is there at night walk out. she got mad bc i asked for 4 hot sauces. read more

I stopped in because I had a real craving for a big spicy burrito and I happen to have a 2 dollar off coupon as well. I got the chicken fajita burrito and it was damn good! Big yes, spicy yes! Corn tortilla filled to the brim with shredded, marinated chicken, cheese, green and red peppers, onions, black beans and corn. Not tons of rice to just fill space. This bad boy hit the spot perfectly! I will be back when the next burrito craving hits me. Nothing overly amazing but its a good stop for a quick bite to eat for cheap Mexican fix. read more

Food was ok, portions are good, I will come back for sure! It is a good option in downtown and they close late! Have to try "agua de horchata" it is great! read more

See all

This place was really tasty! We were curious how Mexican food tasted in Missouri and we weren't disappointed. It's nothing fancy, very kickback. It seems like a great place to get tacos when you're hammered. The fellas working there were really nice and the food came out pretty fast! They're open super late which is definitely going to come in handy. Looking forward to coming back! read more

If you find yourself here just know what you're getting into. Hopefully you've been drinking and you have a hankering for some nachos. If that's the case you'll love what you end up with, otherwise I think you have better options. read more

I'm from Texas -- the heart of "TexMex" where Mexican Food and BBQ have to meet certain standards I was highly impressed with this place...all 4 of us Texans were clamoring at the quality, quantity and price of their food. The menu selection was quite vast. Every choice made was far above expectation Quesadillas, Enchiladas, Fajitas, Nachos, Guacamole...with the variety of choices we ordered, not a single disappointment. I will DEFINATELY go here again if I'm in Columbia... read more

Pretty good food. The shrimp tacos were amazing! My wife had chicken enchiladas. They were also great. Drinks were a little pricey but good food. Good service! read more

Always come here after bars for the fun atmosphere, cheap prices and good food. I love the chicken and steak nachos, burritos are also delicious. Service is super quick and god bless the people that work here because they have immense patience and serve all the drunks with a smile on their face. The food has really great portions and there's a good amount of seating here too. Love the queso they put on everything. Overall El Rancho is the hot spot for drunks after the bars and you will always have an interesting story leaving here. Love the food, people and quick service. read more

Great Lunch Spot! Most of the Mexican places I have tried here in Columbia are either very bland or extremely overpriced. El Rancho is very affordable and you get a great quick meal! I really enjoyed the shredded chicken burrito! Chips and salsa were also yummy. Just wished I got more salsa! The hot salsa reminded me of the taquerias I would frequent back in Southern California. Spicy and Smokey, very good. All in all I am very happy I found a convenient Taco Shop here in CoMo!! read more

Awful. Everything is just sloppy. They probably know that the standards for Mexican food in Columbia are set pretty low. It doesn't help that their main clientele are blackout drunk college kids who have the "drunchies" so bad they barely care what it tastes like or if it is even the right consistency. As a restaurant it deserves only one star cause if you are sober you know not to go here. read more

This place has good food... but the service is less than great. One time I ordered a quesodilla of some sort from the menu. I read the list of ingredients on the menu and thought it sounded good. I received it and it had tomato's and onions on it, neither of which are on the menu. I went up to the counter and told the guy that it had tomatoes and onions and he just said "it always comes with tomatoes and onions"... I said "the menu doesn't say it has any" he just repeated that it always has them. I asked him to make me another one without them. Once I got it I went to sit down and eat... and then noticed somebody came out of the kitchen and TOOK A PICTURE OF OUR TABLE! Rather than make a scene I just finished my food and left. I didn't go back for almost a year in fear of having my picture on some sort of "spit in this guys food" wall. Seriously shady shit. read more

El Rancho is the place drunk college kids stumble to after the bars. I've honestly never eaten here without quite a few drinks already in my system. With that said, it is perfect drunk food. It's even open late to cater to the stumble stampede when the bars close. I have enjoyed El Rancho many times during a night of drinking. If you are tipsy/drunk, craving Mexican and are willing to wait in a long line with other drunk people, then El Rancho is the late night place for you. You wait in line and order your food as though you were at a deli. The ingredients are all under the glass shield. They put it together, you pay, you take your food to your table. It's similar to a Mexican version of Subway I suppose. For fast food Mexican, it's a million times better than taco bell. However, I have never had it stone cold sober. I've never had the desire. And I don't know anyone else who has either. Walking by during the day it looks pretty empty. When I am sober, alert and want real Mexican food I go somewhere else. read more

What I wouldn't do for some El Rancho chicken tacos. The fact that I'm more than 1,000 miles away kind of makes me want to cry. I've never found anything that can compare to my beloved Rancho. I've had it sober, I've had it drunk, I've had it stoned...it's never bad. EVER! The line can get ridiculous when bars get out around 2 am, but it can be pretty entertaining to see all the wasted ppl (ex: last time I was there I saw a drunk Stephens girl lick her plate, dunno why it was so amusing, but it totally was). read more

Just the thought of this place makes me giggle with fondness about the number of drunkers and drunkettes who stumble into this place after all the bars and clubs are closed in Columbia. The food is NOT great, but it really does get the job done when all you want is something to soak up the alcohol you just had. Also, they do give you large portions so you do feel satisfied after you're done eating. The lines run pretty long after 1:30 am, so be prepared to wait for a while. Also, seats are hard to find during this hour of the day so if you see people getting up, be sure to jump on that ASAP. Alot of my friends like their nachos. I usually get the steak fajitas plate which comes with tortillas, peppers, steak, salsa, beans, and mexican rice. The shrimp soft tacos are decent too. This place is so beloved by college students that some guys even made a song about it on YouTube! No joke! Just type in El Rancho on YouTube. The staff is great considering they have to put up with so many drunken fools on a nightly basis. read more

As others have mentioned, you really do have thoughts about El Rancho long after you leave Columbia. Their late-night burritos are truly poetic. In fact, I'd go out on a limb and say the last 3 bites of their classic steak burrito (sans lettuce) -- once all of the ingredients have married into a soury, creamy, fatty, spicy liquid near the bottom -- are the best of any cuisine in any restaurant in any land. For real. I haven't eaten there in years, but my brother and I still look back fondly on drunken downtown nights capped off with a burrito from heaven the size of your god damn head. read more

El Rancho isn't a chain. But nor is it that dingy, whole-in-the-hall joint that looks like it might not have passed the city's health inspection test but still boasts amazingly authentic, delicious eats that make you stamp your feet and slap your knees because everything is so f-ing good. (Those elusive holy-grail-esque joints) El Rancho serves up Americanized Mexican food - make that heavily Americanized Mexican, and I am conflicted about it. The numero quatro lunch special I order (consisting of a "burrito" - unspicy ground beef inside a tortilla, covered in queso, and a taco with same, not-very-flavorful beef) makes me sad and lonesome for Mexican as I know it - with real, juicy, succulent meat and none of that weird queso business. On the other hand, who am I to say that the food here isn't "real" Mexican? Am I the arbiter of culture, the final say on what is and what isn't Mexican food? I've ordered this special more than once. It's cheap, and while not a symphony of flavor, it tastes fine. Plus, the other thing El Rancho's got going for it is that it's the one place I can go downtown when I get a hankering for horchata. So, I give it three stars. It's far from great but it gets the job done. read more