Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Tacos El Rancho

    3.5 (110 reviews)
    InexpensiveMexican
    Closed 8:00 am - 11:30 pm

    Order Tacos El Rancho Takeout or Delivery

    Tacos El Rancho Photos

    Business Info

    TACOS EL RANCHO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Tacos El Rancho

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    tried chorizo, carne asada, lengua, and cabeza tacos
    Sarai M.

    amazing service. everyone i've spoke to since i came in my first time were friendly and helpful. i was really curious about the aguas frescas (because sometimes they aren't natural but powdered) they assured me they make them at the store and the taste affirms it! tacos were good i just wish they were bigger. i tried carne asada, cabeza, lengua, and chorizo. they were all good and cooked well but my favorites are the carne asada and chorizo. lengua is a bit bland but you can't really add too much flavor (it's cow tongue). carne asada fries are bomb also. i've tried their al pastor fries and they are good but i'd recommend the original. can't go wrong with that. i personally prefer when al pastor meat is cooked on a "trompo" and which is basically just like rotisserie chicken but vertically. that's the best way to have it and i don't think it is made here like this which is why i recommend the others (despite al pastor being my favorite kind of taco). the salsas are good as well. the green one is not too spicy. and they have self-serve for limes and jalapeños with slightly pickled carrots. all in all it was another good experience i would come again. *i also didn't notice until after but there are specific meats that are extra which i didn't know before i ordered so many...but it was taco tuesday

    Cabeza
    Sarah A.

    I've been visiting this place specifically for their tacos de cabeza for the past three years, and they never disappoint! The flavor and texture are absolutely outstanding. The service is consistently fast and friendly, and you can really see how hard this team works together.

    Decent little place, family owned
    Robert P.

    Unassuming and simple. But chow is really good! Tacos are a little small, so whenever I have a crew at the house, I get 5 for each person. Always the spread of selections--carne, cabeza, chorizo, lingua, and pastor. Comes to about $10 each. But worth it. Mrs. Yelper approved.

    Really? Cutting metal while someone is making food below?
    Mike C.

    When it comes to food I think it is pretty good, when it comes to Customer service the dude in the glasses is friendly. Here is my problem, the same person taking the order and dealing with money is the same person making the food and here is what really got me thinking how poorly manage this place is, WHY WOULD YOU HAVE EMPLOYEES DOING REPAIRS WHILE PEOPLE/CUSTOMERS ARE THERE TO ORDER? This repairs are almost above the food they are selling!!! Is this safe? They were cutting metal, how about a piece of that metal goes to the food? How about you use your common sense and have them work after business hours and not while making food?

    Carne asada tacos with onions cilantro red sauce and lime
    Kaleb M.

    I've been coming to this taco place for months and it's still the best traditional burrito I've had in years, the people are super chill, great telenovelas to watch while eating. I will keep coming back as long as I come to Riverside for any reason

    Asada tacos

    See all

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    11 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 4
    Oh no 1

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Rainbow L.
    125
    95
    59

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 25
    Thanks 3
    Love this 24
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    I love this place so much. I come here with my friends every Tuesday and the service, food, and ambiance is top tier. 10/10 always!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dani J.
    3
    63
    11

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Burnt rice, flavorless tongue meat. Hot azz sauce on all the orders even tho they don't ask for hot sauce. I'm good won't be coming back

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Josue N.
    138
    20
    17

    3 years ago

    Not the best tacos de asada but I was hungry and this spot was the closest to work. I wouldn't have these tacos again.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Great food great service too bad they are closed permanently hopefully they will reopen

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jenny N.
    47
    32
    17

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Great, fast service. Authentic street tacos. Meats are delicious. I'm here eve Taco Tuesday.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Windy H.
    235
    23
    14

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tana L.
    438
    181
    513

    4 years ago

    The best tacos and burritos in the area! We are obsessed with this place! Always great service and perfect food

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mike J.
    0
    40
    33

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Eric P.
    116
    11
    3

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mary M.
    2
    83
    101

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Tacos El Rancho Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Tacos El Rancho

    Review Highlights - Tacos El Rancho

    Every single one of the tacos punched us in the mouth with authentic street tacos flavor and the salsa kicked our tongue with the perfect amount of spice and a love.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Mexican 148,873 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Anchos Southwest Grill & Bar - Mesquite grilled plump skirt steak fajitas

    Anchos Southwest Grill & Bar

    4.0(2k reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    Ancho's is one of those places I honestly don't know if it's considered a hidden gem or not, but…read moreafter living in Riverside for the past 3-4 years, I can't believe I've never been here until now. I found out about it through my cousin, who's a UCR alum, and I'm really glad I finally got to try it. The staff were super nice and attentive, constantly coming by our table to check if we needed more water, tortillas, or anything else we might want. Even with how busy it was, they still made sure everyone was taken care of, which I really appreciated. The restaurant was packed, and it actually surprised me because I don't usually see that many people at restaurants in Riverside. The energy inside felt lively but still comfortable. One of my favorite parts was the fresh tortillas. They come out hot and fresh from the oven, and you can literally watch them being made right in front of you, which made it even better. And the best part is they're free. We ordered the carne fajitas and chile relleno. The fajitas were incredible, the meat was juicy, tender, and packed with flavor, with that perfect smoky sear that comes from being cooked fresh on a hot skillet. Everything came out sizzling and stayed flavorful with every bite. The chile relleno was also really good, with a nice balance of savory and slightly creamy filling that paired well with the sauce. It was actually my first time trying fajitas, and I can confidently say I'll be ordering them again the next time I come back. I definitely plan on returning while I'm still at UCR to make up for all the years I didn't know this place existed.

    I was brought here by a friend & colleague of mine whose whole family loves Anchos as it was his…read morefather's favorite restaurant. My first thought upon seeing the exterior and entering was, "OK, definitely old school", and I was right... Anchos has been around for an amazing 37 years and counting! The large open space is nice 'n brightly lit, yet somehow not too much so. As our hostess walked us to our table, we passed an enclosed tortilla-making machine where the freshest of the fresh tortillas seemed to be popping off the whirling dervish like Mexican hot cakes (which... yeah, duh). After ordering, we were quickly served a huge container of them-- so fresh, one could barely hold these 1000 degree piping hot discs. It was demonstrated to me that the classic way to enjoy the tortillas was to spread a little butter which melts almost instantaneously due to the sun-like hotness of the vessel, a quick dash of salt, and a dollop of their super freshly made mesquite-roasted tomato salsa makes for a yummy appetizer. While that was delicious, for me, the true test of a tortilla is to try it plain first. And boy, did it deliver! The style is slightly more risen than traditional, but tasty none-the-less, and I would soon find out why its actually the perfect tortilla for our main entrées-- the CARNE mesquite grilled plump skirt steak fajitas! Now I am always dubious when a restaurant calls out that one of their items is "FAMOUS" and actually prints it right on the menu, but in this case I truly get it. These thick juicy slices of mesquite grilled skirt steak are mind-glowingly muy delicioso, and YES, they are plump indeed. We ordered medium-rare, and they came out to perfection! Years ago, I wrote the steak fajitas at the Rio Grande restaurant in Boulder, CO had "the absolutely unequivocal best steak fajitas I have ever tasted in my life!", and I tell you, these really put that statement to the test. If I'm being honest, the steak itself at Anchos is truly on another level. It's not that it's the best "fajita steak" I've ever had, it's possibly the best "steak steak" I've ever had. OK, that's probably an overstatement, but it's not too far off. While I still think the accoutrements of the Rio Grande fajitas (mainly their phenomenal grilled peppers & onions) are standouts, the carne asada here at Anchos is nothing short of amazing! And those tortillas... yup, the slightly extra thickness holds up well when you fill it with with the extra thick cut carne asada, and their tasty arroz con frijoles, onions & peppers. Mi plato was WAY too much food, and I happily ate every single bite :-) All-in-all, Anchos still delivers after almost 4 decades of serving the Riverside community, and I hope it's around for decades to come because as I looked around, not only were my friends enjoying Anchos, but everyone in the restaurant seemed to be beaming with the excitement of the great food & service from this wonderful family gem.

    Photos
    Anchos Southwest Grill & Bar - Where's my beer ?!?!?

    Where's my beer ?!?!?

    Anchos Southwest Grill & Bar - Carne Asada Uncut Skirt Steak

    Carne Asada Uncut Skirt Steak

    Anchos Southwest Grill & Bar - Exterior

    See all

    Exterior

    El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Chicken flautas

    El Patrón Downtown Riverside

    3.9(1k reviews)
    8.1 mi
    $$

    I wish I had pictures to show what my wife and I ordered for dinner and drinks. Meli, our waitress,…read morewas great. She was kind enough to change tables after we ordered our food. The sun was shining on my face. I don't know who came over to our table to recommend a tequila for our flight. Dame Mas was a very good choice. My wife is more of a tequila drinker than I am. I did hog up the Dame Mas to myself. The restaurant had a nice atmosphere for a relaxing dinner. I recommend ordering the bacon-wrapped shrimp stuffed with crab meat; it's the best. We loved the food and the drinks. I also recommend the Black Widow, a very good drink to end our dinner date.

    We celebrated my grandma's 80th bday here. My uncle rented out the outdoors patio & small room…read moreadjacent to it from 1pm-4:30pm for an affordable price with deposit paid in advance to reserve. The owner, Santiago, allowed us to come a half hour beforehand to decorate & we came in, not knowing what to expect. Upon our arrival, the birthday cake was promptly whisked away to the kitchen, we found Santiago PERSONALLY on his hands & knees fixing the electrical cords for us, our servers introduced themselves & graciously helped us rearrange the set-up to accommodate the band we brought in. Then helped us rearrange the layout yet again once we realized the band needed to be next to the electrical outlets. I was embarrassed to even ask so I started doing it myself but they jumped right in without being asked. If I'm being honest, usually I'm not a fan of buffet meals, so I wasn't expecting much. But everything served was SO delicious! The fajitas were my favorite dish, not only flavorful but also nice & moist. Not only that, but they refilled the food for us as it ran out. They brought out to-go boxes for the leftovers, & best believe my family took home every last bite! The lime margarita tower was SO yummy but also hella dangerous because it was strong!! Other restaurants will give you watered down drinks but El Patron doesn't play. We were only planning on one but it was so good, we couldn't resist getting another. From start to finish, the servers (Leslie and Cecilia) were on POINT. Their service went above & beyond expectations-- continuously checking on us, refilling drinks/food, taking photos, etc. Not only that, but also, when my young autistic nephew unfortunately got sick, they were so incredibly compassionate about it & helped clean up the mess right away. I was absolutely blown away by the attention to detail & quality of care. As my grandma is getting older, we are especially cherishing these final years with her. We spent thousands overall (venue, music, photographer, special mass, etc) but every last cent was worth seeing her happy with all of her loved ones. After many months of planning, I was super nervous about something going wrong but I can honestly say that core memories were made. Thank you to Santiago, Leslie & Cecilia for your hospitality, good food & work ethic-- it truly meant so much for our family unit.

    Photos
    El Patrón Downtown Riverside
    El Patrón Downtown Riverside - Enchiladas Plate

    Enchiladas Plate

    El Patrón Downtown Riverside - VDM sunset, rum based tropical signature cocktail

    See all

    VDM sunset, rum based tropical signature cocktail

    Tio's Tacos - I'm not sure how to convey on how bad the food is.  This is Enchiladas !!!!!

    Tio's Tacos

    3.3(1.7k reviews)
    7.9 mi
    $$

    I've read up on reviews saying some of the food is bad, etc SO I did my research on what multiple…read morereviews say tasted GREAT! Their Mojarra for one, is amazing with some corn tortillas, beans and rice, and lettuce. The lime garlicky sauce on that one, is what I've been dreaming of. It was THE star of the show. And we also got their wet supreme burrito mojado, with the mole sauce all over it Also tried their agua fresca, loved the cucumber and lime flavor! Great size for two to share, and we had a blast just eating and enjoying the sights laid out to see. Their pickled onions got a spicy kick to it! I loved the added crunch instead of just having the typical hot salsa. Service was great, with the waiters and waitresses checking in on us every now and then, and I liked that we pay first then eat, so we just leave after we're done! Excellent experience as the weather was perfect too, the outdoor seating has some mosquitoes but be sure to go when it's not molting hot outside! After food we got to go on a photo spree and it was wonderful.

    I got the vegan tacos with potatoes and even though there were only two it was loaded with toppings…read moreand salsa. Really good and a decent price. I do wish there was a vegan protein thrown in like black beans or soyrizo or something to make it more filling but I'm glad there was a vegan option on the menu. There is a salsa bar that can help add to your meal like spicy pickled carrots, cucumbers, salsa and pickled onions. My favorite part of this place is the art decor. They're all made from materials that were bound to go in the trash, most notably cans that they open for cooking. So you'll see lids and the other material from cans beautifully molded into these structures. It may seem random but I found lots of humor and play thrown into the craftsmanship of it all. Some pieces are like playing I Spy. It was funner to see than a lot of museums I've gone to actually. It's truly just packed with art. I even got to meet one of the artists as he was working on something. He was really friendly. There's a few of them who work on them together and I learned they've been doing this since the 90's! How cool. It's so nice to see all the things they've come up with to create. Go check it out! Definitely a date worthy spot too. My bf and I had a lot of fun walking around seeing what they created.

    Photos
    Tio's Tacos - Inside

    Inside

    Tio's Tacos - Alter of little chapel

    Alter of little chapel

    Tio's Tacos - Agra frescas for days! So many flavors !!

    See all

    Agra frescas for days! So many flavors !!

    Tacos El Rancho - mexican - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...