AUBREE’S EXPERIENCE:

Date: October 6, 2020

Meal: Margarona $14.99, Small Cheese dip $4.50, Molcajete $20.99

plus tip

We had been waiting for what seemed like forever to try this place altogether and with margaritas! They finally got their liquor license! I will admit I have gotten takeout from here-steak tacos to be exact. While they are delicious and even better when you make drinks at home, it just isn’t the same as sitting in a restaurant munching on chips and salsa with a giant margarita and chatting with friends. That said, I was the first to arrive with my occasional sidekick, Sir Starlin. The restaurant is warm and inviting when you walk in, it is filled with bright colors, designs, and each booth has a painting on the back of it that are even individually signed by the artist. I am not sure if they were each painted there or if they are mass produced but either way it is a very cool detail. We were promptly greeted and seated in a painted booth.

Right away our sever came to take our drink order, Starlin got a coke and I decided on a 34 ounce margarona on the rocks, which is a huge margarita with a mini Corona in it. If you don’t want a giant one, they do have a smaller version. A gentleman brought us chips and salsa and when our server brought our drinks back I asked for a salt shaker for our chips. In the meantime, Steph arrived then Richie, their drink orders were taken-Ritchie got the big margarona like me and Steph got the smaller fun-size version. I ordered the queso cheese for the table and Ritchie ordered us guacamole. The two dips were head to head. While the quseo cheese dip was good, it wasn’t the best I’ve had. It was a little thin and less flavorful than last time I had it. I got it for takeout once and it was really good so I was disappointed. The guac was delicious, it was a little chunky with tomatoes and onions in it and very creamy. If it had a hint more of lime and salt it would have been perfect. Still no salt.

34 oz Margarona

Fun-Size vs Beast Size Margarona

I had ordered the Molcajete, my food was the first to arrive and I was not prepared when a gentleman set a giant volcano stone bowl filled with sizzling shrimp, steak, chicken, chorizo, tomatoes, fire roasted jalapeños and green onions, Mexican cactus topped with cheese in front of me. My first thought was WOW, how am I going eat this? If it doesn’t taste good the presentation alone is reason enough to order it! Rice, beans, sour cream, lettuce, and pico de gallo came on a separate place. Next, our server brought a plate with my corn tortillas wrapped in foil along with Steph and Richie’s food. I know you are probably wondering, what did Starlin eat? He ate dino nuggies before we left because he isn’t a fan of Mexican food. I used the plate that the tortillas were on to assemble my food. The meat was juicy and flavorful, seriously one of the best things I have ever had at a Mexican place and definitely the most unique as I usually just go for chicken or steak tacos. This was phenomenal and I recommend you try it! See what happens when I try something out of my comfort zone?

I ate two soft corn tortillas filled with the contents of the volcano rock and I was so full between that, the chips and my margarona. All three of us could have easily shared my meal and been full…I think so anyway. There was so much left I didn’t even order Jaden anything to go (he was at football practice). I was brought a box, the food was still steaming hot as I poured it in atop of a piece of foil. The box was so heavy I had to carry it with both hands, otherwise it would have busted. Jaden ate it when I got home, and he ate it for dinner the next day (by choice-I did not force him and I did make him fresh tortillas). We got 3 meals out of it, and there was still a serving left I threw out. I couldn’t believe how good it was, but no way was I eating that again because as soon as I got home I had to run to the bathroom. My stomach was upset. I messaged Steph and Richie to see how they were, they were fine and said it must have been those fire roasted jalapeños I had and they said I better include that in my review so here it is. LOL!

Yes, we share everything with each other and sorry if it is TMI! We do promise to be honest in our reviews and it happened so whatever. I am sensitive to some foods so if you have a concrete or even normal stomach I wouldn’t worry. I would still eat there again. Overall, the food and drinks were great, the restaurant’s ambiance and décor was just right for a Mexican place, and the service was good-however I never got my salt shaker. I know this is new for everyone since they aren’t leaving them on the tables anymore because of covid and I am sure our server probably had a dream about it. If you have ever worked in the service industry serving or bartending you will dream about that cup of ranch you forgot, the beer or wine refill you forgot to ring in, or in this case the salt shaker you forgot about. Go give Los Ranchos a try, get the guac and the 34 ounce margarona!

Aubree and Her Impressive Meal

A Volcano Rock Full of Deliciousness

Tortillas, Beans, Rice and Pico

Chips & Salsa (with no salt shaker)

Chips, Guac, and Queso

RICHIE’S EXPERIENCE:

Meal: Had the Pollo Toluca ($14.25), an order of Guacamole to go with the complimentary Chips & Salsa ($4,50), and a 34oz Margarona ($14.99)

Bill: Came to $32.58 before my big boy tip.

Maaaaaaan have we been waiting on this one! Los Ranchos came into town last fall, but we have been holding off on reviewing them because it took them a loooooong minute to get their liquor license. With a place like this that you KNOW has a margarita damn near the size of your head available to order, we simply couldn’t do them the injustice of visiting without trying one of these! We tried to do a review a couple of months back on Los Ranchos, but due to schedule conflicts we couldn’t link up. We finally got together and made it happen though, and I was glad that we did! Let’s get to it....

Atmosphere and Vibe

Los Ranchos is a chain of restaurants, and they are very similar to a few other spots I’ve been to, so I got what I was expecting. They have another restaurant in Holland (which I’ve never visited), but the vibe is extremely similar to El Rodeo (in Benton Harbor) and Azul Tequila (in St. Joseph) if you’ve ever visited those. Like these other restaurants, the colors are bright and vibrant, the smells instantly hit you of spices and delicious meats, and the TVs and music playing all immerse you in Mexican heritage. You know what you’re getting into as soon as you step in the building, there are even Mexican candies for sale right at the register near the door. If you're on a mission for that dish that’s been on your mind all day, they definitely set the vibe the first step you take into the spot.

The ladies and I had a booth against the back wall, but the dining area is rather spacious, and it didn’t feel at all like they needed to make too many alterations to accommodate social distancing. It’s an open design with hard surfaces, so sound definitely travels in Los Ranchos, but it wasn’t uncomfortably loud.

Food

Whenever I go to a Mexican restaurant, I have a staple meal that I order (and usually a go-to drink). I can’t decide whether this is just something weird that I specifically do, or whether everyone does this. Regardless, it happens!! My go-to meal to compare all Mexican restaurants to each other is the Pollo Toluca, and my usual go-to drink is a Michelada.

Like I said earlier, Los Ranchos opened near the end of last year, so I have had food from here multiple times. We waited to review this place to let them work all the kinks out, and to make sure we had a fair representation of their drink menu, as well. I have had multiple meals from here with multiple results, but with the crazy year we have had, we didn’t want to do them an injustice. I had only tried the Pollo Toluca once since they opened, and it was a carryout during the middle of the shut down. It was good when I had it before, so this time I ordered it in-house to make sure it stayed consistent. This meal consists of a marinated chicken breast covered in chorizo and queso cheese, and served with warm flour tortillas (with beans and rice on the side). I absolutely love this meal, so there is no way I was gonna review anything else. VERDICT: IT DIDN’T DISAPPOINT! These guy’s knew what they were doing, and it was delicious the second time around as well. There is nothing fancy about this plate, which is why I order it. It’s a staple at most authentic restaurants, and when it’s done right, it gets me humming and dancing a little bit! If you know that feeling, you already know what that means. It got the thumbs up from me, and to throw in other meals I’ve ordered in the past, I can say that they stay consistent through their menu as well. I will admit that they definitely had some rough months at the beginning with regards to not getting my family’s orders right every time, but once they got into their groove, they have been pretty dang solid!!

Now.........I DID deviate from my usual protocol when it came to my drink. I love me a good Michelada, but my mind had been made up for weeks about this giant fishbowl of a margarita!!! I usually don’t get super excited about margaritas, but when there’s a friggin Corona tipped upside down in it, and the glass is the size of your head, it speaks to me!! I ordered the Margarona, and that sweet temptress right there is easy for me to explain: it’s the gift that keeps on giving!! I loved it!!! As you drink it down, you burp the Corona into it to fill the glass back up. It’s friggin brilliant!! It felt like it was 3 drinks instead of one, because it kept replenishing itself! Whoever thought these things up is a genius! I was a happy camper for sure! If something was going to get my interest and sway me from my rigid Mexican restaurant protocol, this Margarona did the trick and it did it well!! I’m still going to get me a Michelada next time I’m in there, but I don’t regret the choice I made.

Oh.......almost forgot about the guacamole! We get complimentary chips & salsa when we sit down, but Aubree and I felt compelled to turn it up a notch. She ordered the queso dip (which I’ll let her tell you about) and I ordered the guacamole. Truth be told, I usually don’t order guac, but I’ll eat it when it’s on the table. However, their guac was DAMN good!!! It was light and refreshing, and had more lime than I usually taste in guacamole. It was more smooth in texture than I’m used to, but I preferred it that way. Like I said, I’m usually not the one to order guac, but I’m gonna need more of that in my life!!

Wrap Up

It’s always good to link up with the ladies (and Starlin) to eat some good food. Los Ranchos definitely gets the thumbs up from me, but not for the reason you may think. To me, there is nothing fancy about Los Ranchos. They have nothing surprising on their menu when you read it (with the exception of a margarita with a friggin Corona sticking out of it), and it seems somewhat unspectacular. When you look at the tables around you, you see standard meals that you have seen at other strikingly familiar authentic Mexican restaurants. However.....I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH......this is far from a bad thing. When I think of Mexican restaurants, I think of simplistic meals made with mostly the same ingredients put together in different combinations. When this is done right, it doesn’t have to be unique or different from other Mexican restaurants, it needs to be consistent and GOOD. What Los Ranchos does is just that! Starting hiccups aside, they have been extremely consistent, and I have enjoyed pretty much everything I have tried there. Simply put, if I want a traditional meal done right, I have a hard time not telling people to check out Los Ranchos!! Sometimes the most satisfying meals “wow” you without trying too hard to, and I’ve been able to count on Los Ranchos for this very reason!

Richie's Meal

STEPH’S EXPERIENCE:

Meal: Seafood Chimichanga ($14.75) + 22oz Margarona ($11.99)

Bill: $28.34 before tip.

Richie and Aubree have hit a lot of the main points of Los Ranchos (I swear, we can’t get a review done in less than 3 months LOL), but I’ll add my 2 cents in as well.

Atmosphere

While not necessarily unique to Mexican restaurants, I love the vibe of the place. It’s bright and colorful, but still puts you at ease and definitely puts me in the mood for a feast! The bathrooms are also clean and not scary to use (BONUS!). Los Ranchos reminds me of Los Amigos in Kalamazoo, but I love that place too so…. It’s a win.

Food & Drink

I’m a bit of a lightweight when it comes to drinks, so I just ordered the 22 oz Margarona. This was the first time I’ve ever had a Margarona and I was pleasantly surprised! It was refreshing and not too sweet. The perfect balance of alcohol and mix. I’m honestly glad I didn’t go large because I was feeling quite nice by the end of dinner and the 34 oz would have made me need a ride home.

Usually, I’m satisfied with just chips and salsa. The chips at Los Ranchos are clearly fresh and made in-house. The salsa is a little thin for my preference but still good. The guac that Richie ordered was definitely the biggest hit. It’s creamy, thicc, and flavorful! I would definitely recommend having the guacamole over the salsa to dip your chips in.

For dinner, I ordered the Seafood Chimichanga. This creation features a deep-fried burrito stuffed with shrimp and scallops, bell pepper, onion, tomato and lettuce and then covered in a cheese sauce. On the side comes rice and pico. This made me do the happy dance… seriously, so delicious! I only wish the scallops were a tad larger but the filling is a good balance of the seafood and the veggies. They definitely don’t skimp on the good stuff and it shows! The tortilla is a great texture where you can tell it was fried but not too much so that it becomes too crunchy. I have since recommended this meal to family and friends and it scores big every time!

Overall

On this visit, literally nothing disappointed. I know they had a rough first couple of months with keeping orders accurate and the food consistent. It also took SO LONG for them to get their liquor license and I desperately wanted a margarita. However, it seems that they have worked out the kinks and are on their A-Game! My only regret is that I didn’t order beans to go with my rice… Los Ranchos is definitely a Feast Mode Activated from all of us!