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El Rancho

3.6 (100 reviews)
ModerateMexican
Closed Closed

El Rancho Photos

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EL RANCHO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for kids
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - El Rancho

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Steak Tacos
Blake G.

So as I started this review, I was only going to give a 3 star rating based on service but then I realized that one person should not influence my overall score. I will say the El Rancho is one of our favorite Mexican Restaurants to go to and while we haven't visited much during Covid, it is one of our "go to" places as the food is always good, the owners are friendly and it's 7 miles from home. We went for a Friday Date night without our son so we could relax and enjoy some cocktails with dinner. We got there around 6pm and crowd was a little light but it was still early and "off season". They get a bigger crowd in Summer with horse enthusiasts and winter with ski traffic. We were seated right away and we ordered their signature frozen margaritas. I ordered frozen lime and my wife got the black raspberry. Both were delicious with a good amount of tequila. We ordered our entrees and apps and I got the fish enchilada and she ordered the chicken tacos. We also ordered the shrimp stuffed pepper app as well as an order of guac. They are know for their homemade salsa and chips so we were also given a small serving of that. Apps came and between the guac that we ordered and the complimentary salsa, we had finished the chips and still had guac left. I asked for more chips which the waitress brought over soon after. (More on this later) The stuffed pepper was delicious and the guacamole never disappoints (it's served in a tortilla bowl. Entrees came out and mine was as expected. I'll note that they are a bit heavy on the fish and not on the shrimp but it's consistent and satisfying and is served with beans, pico and lettuce. I noticed my wife picking her tacos apart. She had ordered chicken but they brought her steak tacos. She said to me that she didn't mind because the steak looked good and she considered ordering that instead of chicken. Small mistake but no problems and she enjoyed the meal. Mid meal I had finished my second margarita and ordered a third. This drink never arrived even after asking for it a second time. We weren't charged for it and after asking twice I gave up but again, no big deal as the night was young and he had plans to stop elsewhere. So this may sound petty but it really struck a nerve. We got the bill which was just around $100 including 4 margs. The price seemed about right but I noticed an extra line on bill for $1. They had charged me a dollar for a second basket of chips! We ordered guac as an app which doesn't come with its own chips so it wasn't like we were over consuming their delicious chips. I fully understand that they probably have a bar crowd that sits there for hours and they can't just give out free chips and salsa all night but we had spent $50 each for dinner. Not expensive but it should have been enough to cover the chips that should have been included with the guac. Okay sorry for the rant. I definitely recommend this place but bring some spare pocket change if you want extra chips. Kid friendly, some outdoor seating (covered) available, ample parking in side and rear. Cadillac Margarita and Frozen Margs are the star. (Wednesday nights are margarita night)! They offer salsa and chips to go, definitely something consider. Salsa has a sweet and hot feel that is a real treat. Most meals come with guac but order the guac app too, it's worth it.

Decor
Dona C.

Great Guacamole! The salsa is just perfect. This place is spacious, clean and wait staff is friendly. The bar area looks like fun. There is festive atmosphere. Something we all need now. The outdoor porch is really cool. We both had the Enchiladas Suiza and they were really tasty. My margarita was perfect. The margarita specials on Wednesday nights . Closed on Mondays and good parking.

Tables and stunning original Mexican decorations
Ana R.

Authentic Mexican local spot with delicious food and outstanding customer service. After an entire day in the slopes, it's great to find a cozy and family friendly place on our way back to Jersey. Highly recommended

Peter D.

When my parents moved up near here, I had serious doubts about there being any decent restaurants in the area, let alone a good Mexican place that serves THE BEST SALSA EVER. It's fresh, cilantro-y, and delicious. They sell it to take home as well; my parents always have some, and I carted a container all the way back to the city, because it's worth the shlep. El Rancho is the definition of a family joint; It's run by the sweetest, nicest people ever. All the daughters are all serving/hosting/bartending, and I believe the son is in the kitchen. Since life moves forward, they now have pictures of the grandkids all around the hostess stand....and they are adorable. If I had been to most restaurants as many times as El Rancho, I would've worked my way through the entire menu by now. But here, my family tends to stick to what we know and love. I get the fajitas, which are big enough to split, but I always stuff them all into my fat face. (You're going to need extra tortillas, so order them. And sour cream if you want it, because it doesn't come standard.) My dad always goes with the chimichangas (both beef), and my mom is usually good with an order of guacamole, because she is a tiny little woman, with a tiny little appetite. My brother's the only one who isn't a sure thing; who knows what he'll get? He's a wild man, that one.

Hard stale food from under a heT lamp.

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13 years ago

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11 years ago

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10 years ago

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7 years ago

Best place ever !!! Don't miss it a great place for real Mexican food service off the charts a real family place.

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11 years ago

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7 years ago

Good experience. Old mexican decor. Don't be picky and rate it less because of it. Food was great. Chips and salsa served to start.

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9 years ago

Truly authentic Mexican food! Their quesadillas are homemade, I love their steak salad and margaritas and their family vibe!

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19 years ago

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16 years ago

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12 years ago

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11 years ago

I love the food here. Simple, delicious. They've been gong for 30 years, so they must be doing something right, and they stay with it.

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16 years ago

Awesome Mexican restaurant! Love the food and the service!

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12 years ago

Good food - I liked the quesadillas. Tres leche cake was excellent.

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15 years ago

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12 years ago

Decent food. For 20 bucks I got two beers and dinner. The menu seemed limited to me. A good atmosphere as well. The salsa was excellent

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8 years ago

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12 years ago

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Main Street Restaurant

Main Street Restaurant

4.2(134 reviews)
1.6 mi
$$

Find place to spend the night! Staff is great! Five dollar…read moremargarita night on Monday is a deal. So many flavors to choose from.

Main Street Restaurant has swiftly risen to one of our favorite en-route lunch destinations when we…read morehead up the Hudson Valley. We've yet to run into an issue finding a seat, the food is delicious, the portions are monstrous, and the prices are utterly reasonable in this economy. Their menu offerings veer toward Tex-Mex, and I'd suggest playing in that sandbox, especially for first-timers. In my limited experience, that's where their kitchen truly shines. Special mention for the birria tacos platter, which is plenty of food for two people, unless you're both ravenous. The venue seems to get some reliable lunch traffic, and staff are constantly bustling. On our first visit, we were served by one of the co-owners, who was wonderfully personable and attentive, even when she was very clearly hustling around making sure things were running smoothly. During our most recent visit, she wasn't present, and I felt like we spent a good bit of time trying to flag down a server--both to put in an order, and again when we were ready to pay our bill. I've certainly heard from multiple proprietors in the region that staffing is a bit of a headache, so it stands to reason that Main Street Restaurant isn't immune. This is a lovely representation of the charming local gems you can find in Saugerties. Considering its small geographical footprint, this hamlet punches way about its weight class in terms of character and quality.

Photos
Main Street Restaurant - The margaritas made me do it

The margaritas made me do it

Main Street Restaurant - Birria Fries - a appetizer special favorite

Birria Fries - a appetizer special favorite

Main Street Restaurant - Outside

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Outside

Little Cinco De Mayo

Little Cinco De Mayo

3.9(7 reviews)
1.6 mi

b.overly_delicious @littlecincodemayo24 Saugerties,NY: A new…read moreauthentic Mexican restaurant in town finally. Tacos were $5 each which is alittle more than the Kingston spots but in their defense they are substantially bigger. Chips and salsa were $8 and guac $14. Very small and little to no personality inside. Hope they put in a counter or a glass case with desserts or something. Saugerties city prices but not boogie enough inside to make the pricing work. This isn't whole in the wall pricing. Maybe the best tacos I've had in Ulster for sure. #tacos #saugerties #ulster #hveats #hvfoodies #eater #igtacos #lengua #hudsonvalley #ulstereateriesunfiltered

So glad that this space previously occupied by a vegan takeout place is finally filled! Saugerties…read moredoesn't have a ton of casual places to take out from, so this one helps. Owners are JUST getting set up now and don't even have a phone number available. Got takeout to try it out. I got a carne asada cinco de mayo burrito which was pretty rock solid. Ratio of meat, beans and rice was just right. Guac and salsa included were good too. Weird that it came with a pile of lettuce but whatever. My nephew loved his nachos; these only have meat, cheese and beans, so perfect for a kid. Tacos and sopes were also good, with carne asada winning the day there too. My sister in law made the mistake of getting no beans on a burrito; they replaced it with rice which she didn't like, however omitting the beans is something you should never do at a Mexican restaurant anyway. The 2 changes I would make would be to give chips with orders (especially if you're giving salsa), and to offer a gringo ground beef option for tacos. For the latter, my father in law would patronize the hell out of you if you had this . Either way, great addition to the area and a good counterpoint to Main St up the block.

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Little Cinco De Mayo - Enchilada dinner plate

Enchilada dinner plate

Little Cinco De Mayo
Little Cinco De Mayo

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Blackbarn Hudson Valley

Blackbarn Hudson Valley

3.1(39 reviews)
2.0 mi

Came here to celebrate a birthday. Blackbarn Hudson Valley is a beautiful venue that has the…read morepotential to host weddings and great place for date nights and celebrations. Even though it is a classy setting with views of the dam in the outdoor seating area, they are also very family friendly. They have a kids menu and their drinks came with cute plastic cartoon straw cups. The $17 option comes with ice cream for the kids too. This place could have easily gotten 5 stars if the food wasn't all overly salty (even my kids didn't even eat their fries). It's a pity because everything was plated so beautifully. Their octopus appetizer was not fresh and their ahi tuna was overcooked. When our waiter took our order he didn't ask what our kids wanted to drink even though a drink came with the kids, and we were charged $4 for each when we ordered them drinks. They quickly corrected it when we pointed it out but we also had to remind them about the kids' ice cream (which they mixed up the kids' order too). They did waive the cake cutting fee as we had a party of 10. The only dish that was enjoyable was their roast chicken with black rice. Nevertheless, it is still a nice place to visit if you want a place to relax with a beautiful atmosphere and welcoming to families. The staff were all very friendly and kind.

I have dined at the Blackbarn location in the city and thought the Hudson Valley location would be…read moregreat to dine for our 10 year wedding anniversary, but i was truly wrong! -When entering the space the smell was not pleasant. -While standing at the hostess stand (which was messy/disorganized) was passed by a waitstaff 2x and was never acknowledge, by this time a few minutes have passed. -Reservations not found in system though I had confirmation on my phone -1st table the manager wanted to seat us was next to a fireplace with no fire and it was chilly -2nd table option from the manager was next to a large party with multiple children under the age of 10. ***Manager totally clueless*** -3rd table finally was proper! -My cocktail from the bar was poorly made...there was more ice vs. liquid. When the manager had them to remake, the bartender DID NOT only added more bitters that made it worse. I would NOT recommend this location to anyone who wants to celebrate a special moment with someone. I would also recommend this location come to the city to shadow the staff of the NOMAD location to learn what dinning experiences should look like!

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Blackbarn Hudson Valley
Blackbarn Hudson Valley
Blackbarn Hudson Valley

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Santa Fe Restaurant - Wedge salad with veggie burger

Santa Fe Restaurant

3.6(78 reviews)
4.1 mi
$$

Last night in Tivoli pre-show dinner. I decided to forgo the usual Mexican rice and bean fare for…read morethe special of the evening ; a halibut filet smothered in a colorful and tasty salsa of mango, pomegranate arils and jalapeño. It was served with rice and string beans. I was so glad that I did. Delicious ! The service was good and the hibiscus margarita cocktail was a nice change of pace. Kudos to the chef !

I think really it came down to price and being able to compete with a similar product…read more We got take out one evening for the whole family. So we had lots of options. Barbacoa taco was really tasty. Good meat. Good accoutrements decent size for the price. If I could do it over I would get crispy shell. I felt the online menu posted on the website does not really show all the shell choices. Steak quesadilla was fairly priced which is why I got it. I liked the fillings even though I thought it was a little small. Should I be forced to come back id get the kids chicken tacos. The chicken was really tasty and loaded full. I didn't try but the enchilada people loved their enchiladas. Good use of vegetables inside. I liked the texture of the flan. It's a little tricky to get right so I can respect. Honestly I like my flan on the firmer side which it was. Margaritas are really strong. I get why they do half pitchers because full ones would definitely be finishers. Ingredients are fresh but honestly a little underwhelming. Overall the meal was decent enough but way overpriced. Possibly could be a case of it being 2025 though.

Photos
Santa Fe Restaurant
Santa Fe Restaurant - Monterey Chicken Sandwich

Monterey Chicken Sandwich

Santa Fe Restaurant - Sitting out on the patio

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Sitting out on the patio

Abby's Restaurant & Bar - Breakfast burrito

Abby's Restaurant & Bar

3.7(29 reviews)
0.7 mi

Food was great. It was unexpectedly tasty. The establishment was mostly empty but the service was…read moreslow. I would recommend it simply for the taste.

I chose Abby's Restaurant solely because it was only a 4 minute detour off of my route journeying…read morefrom near Albany to back home in southcental Pennsylvania. It was certainly easy access to I-87, the timing was perfect for lunch, and with ample parking. I was pretty much ignored upon my grand entrance, there being no sign to see attendant for seating, or seat yourself, etc. After several minutes I was seated and handed a menu by a reasonably pleasant server. After approximately 10 minutes she took my order which was a mushroom cheese burger with fries (Photo included) My aforementioned burger was cooked to my preference (medium well) and the fries were hot with a small portion of cole slaw.The portion size was generous and certainly tasty. Several minutes after having been served, my waitress did come by to ensure that all was to my satisfaction, which it was. The restrooms require a key, no doubt to discourage use by non patrons driving past with the need for a biological break. Unfortunately, the men's room was out of order, thus inspection by me was impossible. There is a higher price differential when paying with a credit card which I suppose is a necessity in this high tax state. There appeared to be regulars here as a couple other patrons said things such as "good seeing you" and " see you later." I got what I wanted and the location in respect to the interstate was perfect.

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Abby's Restaurant & Bar - View frommy perch

View frommy perch

Abby's Restaurant & Bar - Burger with Bacon and crispy onions. Fries.

Burger with Bacon and crispy onions. Fries.

Abby's Restaurant & Bar - Interior of Abbys.

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Interior of Abbys.

Mr Burrito Mexican Grill Saugerties - Chicken burrito (listed as "Western Chicken" on the menu) with the works $11.95

Mr Burrito Mexican Grill Saugerties

4.3(6 reviews)
2.7 mi

Food and service 10/10. Authentic Mexican food, we were pleasantly surprised at how good everything…read morewas! I stopped by with my family total of 5, we ordered tacos, burrito, nachos and burrito bowls. Everything was so good! One of our highlights during our trip up to the Catskills we will definitely be back!

Great food and friendly service…read more My boyfriend (has celiacs) and I went there last week after Main St was too packed. He remembered there was a newer Mexican spot next to a gas station so we went there. They didn't have any eat in guest but did have several pick-up and take out orders while we were waiting. The vibe is a typical chill mexican spot. A few booths, a few tables, open kitchen behind the counser and a TV facing the kitchen playing the news in Spanish. I got 2 tacos ( Tue/Thur chicken, beef, al pastor and chorizo tacos are $2.50 each) and he got enchiladas which come with rice and beans. Everything came out to less than $20. My boyfriend enjoyed the enchiladas and my tacos were good. I got an al pastor and a chorizo. The chorizo was a bit dry but flavorful. The al pastor was juicy and delicious. Both came with double corn tortillas, onion, cilantro and a radish slice and a chipotle sauce. When we asked if the flan had any flour or wheat the cashier asked the chef and confirmed it didn't but the chocflan did (chocolate cake on the bottom and flan on top). When we got home and unpacked the take out we saw that the woman at the counter added a note to his food confirming that the enchilada sauce and extra chipotle sauce didn't have wheat. It was such a sweet thing to do and showed that they care about their customers. Definitely will be ordering from there again.

Photos
Mr Burrito Mexican Grill Saugerties - Drinks and desserts display case.

Drinks and desserts display case.

Mr Burrito Mexican Grill Saugerties - We asked if the flan had any wheat. I was touched when I opened the bag and saw this note the cashier added for us.

We asked if the flan had any wheat. I was touched when I opened the bag and saw this note the cashier added for us.

Mr Burrito Mexican Grill Saugerties - One side of the seating area. The opposite side is practically identical.

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One side of the seating area. The opposite side is practically identical.

El Rancho - mexican - Updated May 2026

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