Avila's El Ranchito

This is my first time at this location. My first impression was it looked pretty festive and there was a pretty good crowd. I ordered the huevos rancheros will flour tortillas. When it arrived it looked pretty appetizing. The overall taste was a 7 out of 10. The chips and salsa was on point. My dad ordered the chile verde burrito and he gives it a 6 out of 10. My cousin ordered the chili relleno plate and she gives that at 6 out of 10. The service what is a little on the lacking side. I give that a 6 out of 10. Would I go back again, only if it was with a group and that's where they were going. Cheers

Love supporting a local business and family! On a mission to see if all their locations equally deliver their incredible menu, soup and salsa. First off or foremost, Kathy treats everyone like family and I kind of didn’t want to leave; lol. The fajitas, wine and salsa were perfection while I thoroughly enjoyed the decor and very warm ambiance. It’s as if someone invited you into their home. Just delightful. Left stuffed with a quart of salsa for home. Don’t hesitate!

Avila's el ranchito few chains restaurant, anyway during Lunch time awesome waitress very friendly aslo quick request order food 😀as no wait , my impression waitress was excellent service,food menu have special food carbs, diet, health,

I went here last week and it made a good impression on me. I got the tender chicken enchiladas and steak fajitas. Portions are pretty generous with reasonable prices. The salsa here will keep me coming back for more!

I pass this place everyday. My son wanted some authentic Mexican food and this place was on point. I got chicken nachos and he got enchiladas. Nothing fancy, tucked away but it was delicious. The staff was super friendly.

We were in a rush to get to a play, and going to a sit-down restaurant seemed like it would take to much time. Luckily, Avila's was able to get us our food within 10 minutes of us ordering! Our food tasted very good even for a sit-down restaurant, and while we were waiting, they would give us lots of chips. My only complaint was that my steak burrito tasted like brownies for some reason, but the flavor was still welcome, just surprising.

The food and portions are beyond great 10 out of 10

Monday night's vibe was quiet, somber, and their best days behind them. There was nobody, no staff at the front door, no customers on the patio, 3 customers in the bar dinning area, me, and the bartender. The bartender was great yet their famous alvila soup was salty and only with a limited amount of chicken, most of which was shards vs pieces. The amenities are worn down, dust on all of the fixtures and picture frames, bathroom without paper towels. Long ago, on the less busy days, this avila location was an enjoyable place to eat. Yet today, not close to that. I'll pass the next time I'm in the neighborhood.

Love supporting a local business and family! On a mission to see if all there locations equally deliver their incredible menu, soup and salsa. First off or foremost, Kathy treats everyone like family and I kind of didn't want to leave; lol. The fajitas, wine and salsa were perfection while I thoroughly enjoyed the decor and very warm ambiance. It's as if someone invited you into their home. Just delightful. Left stuffed with a quart of salsa for home. Don't hesitate!

We paid $32 for two drinks, two crispy tacos, and rice and beans. When we finally receive the bill, we were missing $10 from our change when I asked for it back, he proceeded to get the missing $10 from under a booklet behind the register. Definitely would recommend everybody count their change at this place. The chips were very stale and everything just tasted kind of old.

I've been here twice for lunch because my mom enjoys a good chili relleno. This time I had their appetizer platter and it was a good portion. Overall I would go back again and try something else, but I would advise look T the photos to see if the plates are what you expect. My first time I thought my plate would be more food for a combo, but item wasn't as much as expected. So this time I picked something that was posted on Yelp and enjoyed my dish. If you are ever in the area, enjoy, and try Avila's El Ranchito.

I rate this place a 4! Service was nice, and inside was so spacious. It looks alot bigger inside then I thought. We drove by here and my husband's been wanting to try it out. I had my fa write Chile Verde it was okay. My husband had steak and garlic shrimp. I tried the shrimp and it was buttery not so much garlic flavor. Rice and beans were okay couldn't say authentic but the chips were fresh, however the salsa was all tomatoes. We had drinks, green mermaid was delicious ! It had cucumber, lime, Serrano and mint. My husband had his regular mojito. If you visit I highly recommend the green mermaid. I would of Gave a 5 if the sides taste more authentic including salsa. The pico de Gallo that was served with the meal was awesome including guacamole, it was the salsa served with chips that didn't hot the spot. Appreciate all staff, thank you!

I love the ambience, decor, and food. About two Sunday evenings ago, I went with friends. The tortilla chips were old and greasy. The waiter service was wonderful. I enjoyed the chicken soup and ordered my Tamarindo Margarita without the serrano chillies. It was great! My friend ordered a chicken mole dish.

Lovely old building right there in a residential area of OT Orange. Met some friends for Saturday lunch and did not even need to wait. Gotta love that. We had great service, attentive nice people work here. Chips were meant for gringoes but salsa was nice and spicy! I didn't mind. Had the chicken tostada with all the accoutrement- cheese, beans, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, onions on a crispy tortilla. It was fresh, flavorful and generous. Everyone served at the table was happy with their meals. I would return! Good place to take family, meet a friend, with no annoying waits or crowds.

My husband ordered from here and the quality is not great anymore! The salsa on the enchiladas both red and green were so watery and no flavor. Their chicken on the salad had horrible flavor and the dressing had a bad taste. The flautas were so small with no meat in them. Maybe it's just the heat ? Idk but everyone complained about their order.

Our neighborhood go to! We love every location. Best chips and salsa around and the crispy tacos and enchiladas are the best! The service is always great and such a cute restaurant.

Avila's, Santa Ana is our extended family's gathering place for birthdays! They are ALWAYS so accommodating for our group of 11. Service is seriously outstanding. The extensive menu has something for everyone, always freshly (& quickly!) prepared and served (important with a 4 yr old and infant!). A complete full bar serves wonderful margaritas of all flavors. Large facilities accommodates many families with ease. My go-to Carnitas plate is delicious. My wife's seafood enchiladas are always the best, and enjoyed for lunch the following day due to generous portions. Just give them a quick call for a reservation for any large groups, they WILL BE READY for you! Enjoy!!

Food was incredible. Atmosphere is cozy and fun. Would absolutely come back for more. What a gem.

Always a good time at El Ranchito! I've been here over a dozen times, and never been disappointed. On our last visit, we were seated in the bar area, even though we had kids with us. Lots of tv screens in the bar, which allowed us to watch the Lakers game while eating! Promptly after being seated, we were given tortilla chips and water - service is always on point. I had the Mama Avila's soup and the skinny coconut margarita. These two are my go-to items at El Ranchito! As usual, our food came out quickly, and was served piping hot. The soup is so warm and comforting, and surprisingly filling, since it has rice and big chunks of chicken in it. If you haven't tried it, it's a must!

We stop here with our team every time we're in the area for a tournament. Good food, quick/friendly service.

Ok I thought Tex- Mex was the best, but this food - Mahi vegetable plate, The freshly made chips, corn tortillas and Individually made frozen margaritas --nothing tops this food. Total positive experience from the guard outside in the parking lot to the bartender and manager in Avila's.

Trusting some review, we went to Avila's expecting to have authentic Mexican food. I ordered Chille Verde and a side order of Guacamole. The plate of Chille Verde seemed nice in appearance,BUT, the food was horrible. There was no TASTE at all. The chille wasn't cooked properly, had hard time to cut it. The vegetables, except the onion were half cooked,almost raw type and I had to fish for the trace of any cheese or spice.. I tried to eat some as I was hungry, but my taste bud refused to accept so finally I gave up eating . Informed the waiter that the food was terrible, no taste , no flavor. A huge disappointment and waste of money. Please be careful before you visit so called famous restaurant. I think you can get much better Mexican food from small, but home style places in Santa Ana.

This place gives an authentic vibe. Definitely great customer service here. They've got a lot of good options. I'd recommend the wet burritos, with double meat, topped off with the enchilada sauce!!

Update Nov 2023: The chicken quesadilla is $18 for a la carte and is not offered as a combo. While I do love their chicken quesadilla (the chicken is marinated and has great flavor) I don't know if it's worth $18 before tax - basically $4.50-5 per slice as it's cut in quarters. Also, the price of the small bag of chips has increased to $8. Rather than getting the pint of salsa, I have begun asking for 4 or 5 smalls containers of salsa that come free wity the chips and the meals. Still good food but getting more expensive for the quantity and the quality. For example: Chicken enchiladas combo, 2x chicken quesadilla, 1 small bag of chips was $70.

I've been multiple Avila's location. This is become a must stop when I visiting from Washington! I love how the staff does an amazing job embracing you and making you feel like your family or friends. Even though it's often my first time visiting one of their locations. This is real authentic Mexican food. Their food is always extremely consistent. I always make it a point to find a location when I am in the area. The Avila's famous caldo is worth it! But I always need to get throw in a crispy taco.

Far too often the world spins at such a rate that we sometimes forget to take the time to acknowledge those people who really make a difference. First and foremost these 5 stars are mainly for the incredible service I received from Kathy my server. She must be the only one in this restaurant that works because she does it all. Not only was her character and the detail she gave to her customers out of this world, she made everyone feel like they were the only customer she had. She ran around effortlessly making sure everyone was taking care of. All by herself!!I just can't say enough about Kathy and this restaurant is very lucky to have her. I'll continue to come to this restaurant as long as she's working!! Thank you again Kathy!

Always delicious!! This is my go to for my favorite Mexican food. Everything is great here.

Don't know what happened here yesterday. I have lost count how many times I have eaten at the Laguna Niguel and San Clemente locations and the carnitas and Chile Colorado are always great and consistent-- yesterday I ate at the Tustin location and the Chile Colorado was horrible-- the sauce was almost black and had a "bite" and the beef looked like carne asada that was sliced and the sauce was drowning the "meat". Usually the dish has tender chunks with a sauce that is red. I even asked the waitress if this was the Chile Colorado and not mole'. I are only half of it-- I won't be going back to this location because they are not using the same ingredients as the other two locations and if they changed to this recipe then I'm out all together-- lastly $35 w / tip for this meal at lunch is crazy

If you're looking for an authentic Mexican restaurant with delicious food, Avila's El Ranchito is a great spot! The chips and salsa are great! Good flavor! Friendly customer service. Sizzling Steak Fajitas- Steak tender and cooked well. Delicious! Came out sizzling, which I love! Makes for a great presentation. Grilled veggies still crisp. Guacamole tasted fresh not the best I've had. Refried beans had a good flavor. Chicken and Mole- Mole was a little sweet but flavorful. Chicken was tender- fall apart tender. Rice was super dry. Chicken Enchiladas- the red sauce is fabulous. Best thing about these enchiladas was the red sauce. Not as cheesy as other enchiladas. Skinny Tacos - fish wrapped in spinach. So delicious. Azteca Burrito- huge! Took 1/2 home. Soft drinks are a little pricey! This is Mexican restaurant is definitely worth a visit. Family owned and operated. Btw...They also have weekend brunch!!

Can't get enough of the good food here! The service always on point, waiters go above and beyond to please the customers! Ambiance pleasant and family oriented. The menu is full with good food however I keep going for the Pepe's grill platter! OMG I'm totally in love with the good taste! Husband loves the Carne Asada plate! I can't go pass my choice Definitely a 5 and above star if I had a choice

Great customer service. Food is delicious. They're quick which is great if you are going during work lunch break

Food is good, lots of seating and has a warm atmosphere. They are always quick with the chips, made there, and salsa. I grew up down the street from this restaurant and it feels like a second home. Special shout out to Salvador who greeted me and my friend at the door.

Great food, great service. Very secluded and intimate setting for a date. I am not much of a Mexican food person, coming here with the wife because we were in the area, and to my surprise their food was good. I had the shrimp enchiladas and wife had the steak cane asada.

Mu waitress was attentive and we appreciated her But the food was not worth what we got and what made my experience horrible was the bartender (ulises) He had horrible personality with a bad attitude and unwilling to do my drink as requested made me feel like I was asking for too much when just asking for my drink to be less sweet Made my birthday dinner horrible

1st timer and was impressed! You can taste the quality of ingredients, especially the Carne Asada inside the tacos! The decor definitely give you the Mexican cultural feeling. I can't wait to come back!

It is always Amazing! The service is always good too! My favorite is the Chile verde burrito!

Food Quality Rating: 3.5 *Mole was too sweet, carne dry and overcooked, beans and rice were delicious. Chicken was also dry *Drinks were surprisingly very good mix *Adequate portions Service Rating: 3.0 *Waiter did not make effort to check on us maybe bc we were a big party *Had to track down for water and had to pay at register when staff did not show *Did not deal with rudeness though. Welcoming staff. Price Value Rating : 2.0 *Charged mandatory service charge of $80 for a big group *High price considering food quality and service Ambience Rating: 4.5 *Internal and external design are excellent; Mexican vintage. Picture taking worthy *Would consider renting for private event purposes *Bar area appears intriguing Cleanliness Rating: 5.0 *Area were maintained *Dishes and silverware were clean *No complaints

First time here. Very much impressed with service and food. Was very tasty. Atmosphere was also very relaxing and inviting. Will be coming back for sure.

DOG FRIENDLY PATIO - Take your pooches here, our 2 dogs always give this place a 5 paws up! They love their doggie menu! Nice place and the staff always the best! My wife and I got 2 of their different margaritas and they were both good. We always ask for a bucket of their home made salsa because it's that good and they bring it! My wife got the steak fajitas and they were good. I got a 3-combo and everything was great. DO get the deep fried ice cream here, it's huge and delicious!

Santa Ana, Ca. Came here for lunch with a friend. Everyone that works here is really nice and friendly. I don't usually order burritos at Mexican restaurants because they pack them with rice. Our server was also a manager and she assured me there was no rice inside so I ordered a wet version. It was a delicious carnitas in Chile verde version with a great spicy sauce. The heat was not overbearing , and the burrito was huge. They do use pinto beans as a filler though, but fortunately not a great mass of them, and not swimming in lard. There was an endless supply of tasty chips and salsa also, so by the time we were ready to leave I was stuffed. This location is not packed like the Costa Mesa location, so I may just come here in the future. For a chain business they do a pretty good job.

Never cease to amaze me!! 1 million stars etc. Great warm welcoming atmosphere! The staff is phenomenal- everyone serves you! My food was so delicious I forgot to take a picture ‍ ! The place is nice and CLEAN! Very Authentic! I normally dine at the Orange location.. honestly they need to take note from this location

Like the vegetarian avocado tacos. Pleasant service. Great setting. Soup looks amazing. Easy parking. Portions ample - took home half my tacos. Nice place for business "welcome to the firm" lunch.

Came for dinner with my best friend and the kiddos. Service was ecvellent, the waitress was always checking up on us. We were seated right away and the place was packed. I ordered the mole chicken enchiladas. It came with 2 enchiladas some rice and beans and a small side of sour cream, I ended up doing all rice. The mole sauce was sweet and not spicy at all but it wasn't an overwhelming sweet, you could tell that this type of mole was made with chocolate, usually the best kind of sauce you could have. The chicken inside was cut into cubs I wish it was shredded instead but that's just my preference, and the rice was cooked perfectly, there were no hard grains. I give this a 10/10. My little brother ordered the flautas combo, it came with 3 flautist, rice and bean,a side of guacamole and sour cream . Overall he enjoyed them and ate the whole thing. I ordered the 2 item combo for my husband to go. He got the chile relleno and the asada taco, it came with rice and beans as well. He said it was very delicious and would buy again. My bestie and I ordered a dessert for us and our kids to share, we got the churro dessert. It was 6 quarter sized pieces of churros with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and chocolate drizzle on top. Very delicious but not enough for 4 people. Next time we'll have to order more!

Came here with my co workers for lunch. We were hungry and on a short time frame.. We were a party of 8 and they were able to accommodate us quickly with zero issues. I've been visiting random Avila's locations for years. However it is one of those places I forget about unless someone suggests it. Food was decent. I ordered the chicken fajitas with rice and beans. I'm more of a meat eating type of girl and typically turn my mouth away from rice and beans. I ended up eating all my protein and veggies like a good girl. This place is a solid 3.5 stars. It offers a great menu and probably solid drinks. Service is friendly. Seems like it is Santa Ana's fan favorite for a business lunch.

Brought my family on a little date at this location. I frequent Avila's, but usually the Newport location so I am familiar with the menu and I LOVE the chingolinas. A this location however, the chicken tasted.. spoiled.. & I also noticed the portions were also smaller here.. for my plate at least. The beans and rice were really good though! Service was also really good and my family really enjoyed their dishes. One other thing I didn't like was the water jug was uncovered next to a table where people are eating.. laughing... coughing.... sneezing..... I cringed at the waitress walking it around.

From start to finish the service was IMMACULATE! The host greeted us like family! We were so lucky to be seated by the amazing Estella making homemade tortillas WOW must try! Our server was so quick even though the restaurant was packed! We never needed to call him over or ask for drink refills. To top it off they gave us dessert on the house! We will definitely be back

I came here on a Thursday night with a huge group. The company rented out the room in the back for a seminar. I wasn't sure what to expect so it was nice to see that the restaurant had these accommodations. The decor was very cute and homey. The food was great! I ordered the carnitas with corn tortillas and the portion was big enough for 3 meals for me. Their guac was probably the highlight of the meal (besides the carnitas itself of course)! Our waiter was also very helpful and friendly! Parking can be challenging, but I was lucky to find a spot right away. Getting out was also easier than expected. Will definitely come here again if I'm in the neighborhood!

I am a happy regular at the Seal Beach location. The prices here are WAYY more than Seal Beach. Here they charge more money for less food. I will never be coming back to this location

I am giving this Avila's 2 stars because our waiter tried to address our concerns. However, I will also say, if I come down with food poisoning later tonight, I will take off a star. My boyfriend took me to Avila's to celebrate our anniversary. I ordered a combination with a beef taco and a taquito. My boyfriend ordered the Chile Colorado. The meat and the rice in my meal had a weird aftertaste. I didn't want to disappoint my boyfriend, so I ate it. It remains to be seen if that was a mistake on my part. It did not taste good. The meat in the Chile Colorado was very tough and the sauce was thick and tasted burnt. It was also extremely spicy! The rice on his plate also had a weird aftertaste. We have had these dishes at other Avila's and always enjoyed them, but tonight's meal was terrible. My boyfriend complained to the waiter and he said they have had complaints about the weird aftertaste consistently. He also said the chef at this location tends to do things his own way, hence the difference from other locations. He took off the Chile Colorado off our bill and that was great. However, the chef should be following the recipes and the food should not have a suspicious aftertaste. Those two things alone will ensure that we do not return to this location.

We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary in the large room at the back. Everything was perfect! The staff was excellent and very accommodating to all our needs. The buffet was delicious and purchasing drink tickets was simple. I would highly recommend this restaurant for large groups or just a nice meal with friends or family.

This place is a scam. I went to order a burrito kids meal for $10 (drink included) but they charged me an adult sized meal with kids sized portion. I disputed the transaction with the manager and the manager said that they do not serve kids meals to adults. I then let him know my server Jose didn't say it was a problem but the manager said that the server doesn't run the place and that he probably was confused? Like?? THEY GAVE ME A KIDS PORTION BUT CHARGED ME REGULAR PRICE?? Horrible service with mediocre food. I hope to hear from the owner!

I wasn't expecting to like the food as much as I did but it was super good! Since I am mexican, I tend to critique mexican food the hardest because I know what authentic tastes like. This place was definitely close to authentic. Love their chips and salsa as well! I ordered the 3 item combo (chicken flauta, green chicken enchilada, and a white fish taco) with beans and rice. Everything was so authentic, it reminded me of my cooking at home (aside from the rice). I'm not knocking the rice because it's definitely flavorful but it's a little too dry. You MUST try the flan! It is soooo good! Customer service was great. They were able to accommodate a party of 6 with no reservation on a friday afternoon. They set up a heater for us outside. I was very happy with this location and would definitely come by here again. There's plenty of parking behind the restaurant as well.

Great food and drinks. Waitress & waiter went out of there way to make my group luncheon wonderful.

Good real Mexican food. Service was great we had a wonderful waitress that explained each dish, food excellent

Went to this place after a family function and the food was amazing. Enchiladas were so good. The servers were always checking in despite it being busy. Great service and I loved the pineapple margaritas they had! Loved the little hacienda type decor. Amazing place.

There was one in Long Beach a long time ago but it closed. I ate there once but I've been going to the one in Santa Ana since 2000! I didn't know until the last few years that they had expanded. I've since been to the ones in Corona del Mar, Newport Beach, and I've Door Dashed from the one in Seal Beach. Hands down, this is my all time favorite Mexican restaurant. Their food is consistently delicious. My favorite is the chile relleno combo. Their drinks are awesome and the chips and salsa are amazing! I can't wait to go for my birthday this year!

Went here with my boyfriend yesterday as a treat since it's my favorite restaurant and let me tell you the food never loses it's touch!! Food was amazing , the chips and salsa is always on point too!! Had a wonderful experience!! Atmosphere was nice too!! Never disappointed coming here!! I'll be back soon !!