Hidden Gem. Family friendly, great food and over the top hospitality. Thank you, George, Anna and Christina
(5)
Michael C.
Came because of recommendations on yelp. Would have completely overlooked this little place in a strip mall. Mostly filled at lunch with Latin folks, which was a good sign. Red Beans w pork was delicious. Had the roasted pork lechon. Line and onions nice touch. Pollo sopa - excellent. All delicious.
(5)
Katie C.
Thank Goddess for the Yelp locator! I was running errands on Beach Blvd., deep in the land of chains and drive-thrus, when I felt sudden hunger pangs. I needed to find something with quality, and fast. El Ranchito is your standard hole in the wall, located in a strip mall at the intersection of Beach and San Pablo with neighbors like Big Lots and Pet Doctors of America. The "Little Ranch" serves up authentic Cuban, Colombian and Mexican dishes. I had the Palomilla Steak, a Cuban dish featuring flattened, juicy strips of steak traditionally seasoned and served with sauteed onions. For $12 you get a platter served with rice, beans and sweet or salty plantains. It was delicious and more than enough food! I left super-stuffed and oh, so happy to add El Ranchito to my list of authentic, ethnic eateries in Jax.
(4)
Matt C.
Family owned. Would suggest asking for the special or their favorites. Both styles of empanadas are great. Would suggest the Bistecs.
(5)
Carol N.
When I moved down to Jacksonville 14 years ago, I left one of the best food cities in the world, NY. I tried numerous Colombian type restaurants all over Jacksonville and was elated to find El Ranchito. This restaurant is owned by a great family who makes you feel like you are their family as you walk in the door. George and his family and the folks who cook in the kitchen are warm and inviting. I feel like I am having dinner with family when I am there. Everything I have ordered there is delicious and authentic. My favorite as George and his family knows, is the steak palomilla with yellow rice, beans and sweet plantains. BTW, they make this wonderful dessert, Sopapilla that is not on the menu, however, if you ask George he would be happy to make it for you. If you want authentic, latin fare, this is a must in Jacksonville. Carol
(5)
Mack B.
Service : Courteous and quick Food : Their signature tacos with cilantro and onions were very tasty. The takeout of Empanadas was marvelous. I will drive 15 miles to go eat there again; and probably again and again. Value : Two lunch meals and a cafe con leche, all for $20 - great value. Hygiene : spotless and well-stocked bathrooms, clean kitchen and seating areas - now that says something. Internet : no more WiFi :) The family that owns the place runs it, and they run a tight ship - an unusually good experience. Update: I was there a month ago and the service seems to have degraded a little. They also do not have WiFi any more. Downgrading by one star.
(4)
Jackie S.
Great little hole in the wall! I orders the fried tilapia and it felt like I was eating at an authentic Spanish home. Even though the food is so simple it's a place I'll go again. I think the price is reasonable and service was good. They started getting busy once it was time to checkout and wasn't speedy with the refills and check but food made up for lack of service.
(4)
Maisha R.
So, I went looking for a great lunch during one of my first days in Jacksonville this past Summer. Yelp helped me find this cute little family-owned restaurant. I got the lunch portion of the signature Colombian dish - bandeja paisa. Despite being warned by the owner that the "lunch-sized" portion was essentially half the size of the regular portion, I was pleasantly surprised by the hearty helping! What a variety of food - sirloin steak over rice and red beans, pork rind, avocado, plantain, fried egg and a corn cake, all for $7.99. It was a great deal! The pork rind and plantain were exceptionally good. I only wish that I'd grabbed a side order of plantains to snack on for the rest of the day! Unfortunately, the corncake (which needed more seasoning) and the soursop smoothie didn't fare anywhere near as well. Despite the guy being very nice and really encouraging me to try it, after one sip I knew that I couldn't drink anymore. He was nice enough to refund my money. Overall, I really enjoyed the food and the 1/2 portion was enough for lunch and a snack!
(4)
Mark H.
Wow. I should end the review with that one word, but I won't. What we have here is something unique. So me and the chica are up in Jacksonville last weekend, and the person we were lodging with suggested EL RANCHITO for Sunday lunch. She had a menu, and when we looked at it, the salivation began. And what makes this incredibly small (8 tables or so) Latin eatery special is their selection, which includes Colombian, Mexican and Cuban dishes! When we think of Latin restaurants, they're usually one or the other, but never multiple sub-genres of Latin food combined. After arriving, we quickly order the empanada appetizer, which was a breath of fresh air because they were made Colombian-style. Basically, they were more of a corn meal stuffed food item, as opposed to the traditional empanada. All four of us ordered the Colombian signature dish, BANJEDA PAISA and it was uh-damn-mazing. If you're not familiar with this platter, let me school you right quick like. Fried eggs, chorizo, two flank steaks, red beans, chicarrones, two amarillo (or maduros) and an arepa served on a massive bed of rice. It's a lot of damn food! Two people who are moderately hungarian can split this meal, and the price was about $13. Every aspect of the dish is as flavorful as one might imagine as well. It was just about as close to perfection as it gets. They also feature all the Colombian sodas, a few beers (Aguila for one) and the staff is super friendly. The only negative I have to report isn't their fault, it's their location's. Apparently, there isn't an authentic Cuban bakery in or near Jacksonville, so their Cuban bread was close to Cuban bread, but no cigar (pun intended). This was a story we heard repeated several times while in JAX for the weekend, so I can't hold it against El Ranchito. I can't wait to get back to this place!
(5)
Matt D.
Best Mexican in Jacksonville!
(5)
Robb F.
All the reviews are correct this place is wonderful. The authentic Cuban and Columbian food is the real deal. Do not put off going to this place any longer.
(5)
Nancy Q.
With the help of Yelp, my boyfriend and I ended up here since all the restaurants at Jax beach were closed, kinda odd. And I must say that I'm glad we came here because the food was outstanding! I had a Cuban dish that was to die for: The pulled pork was very flavorful, the restaurant felt welcoming, friendly staff, and happy hour was a plus! If I visit Florida again I will definitely try to back! Thanks Yelp for an awesome find!
(5)
Leilani G.
Bandeja Paisa - Sirloin steak, pork sausage, pork rinds, egg, plaintain, corn cake, avocado salad, white rice and red beans. What can I say, I showed up hungry and didn't want to have to choose so I went with the 'little bit of everything' [surely that's what Bandeja Paisa means?] menu item and am so glad I did. I enjoyed it so much that Ive totally forgotten what my husband ordered, although I DO remember that he enjoyed his order as much as I did. Fair warning, the portions are huge, so this was a lunch, dinner and lunch for me. Oh, and do yourself a favor, treat yourself to one of their fresh fruit slushes. You can have it made with water or milk, we went with water and ice, I ordered the mango and it was heaven in a glass. Next time, I'll try their Guava. I'm a fruit addict so this is right up my alley. This is ran by a husband and wife and their son. The husband took our order, he was very welcoming and suggested the fruit drinks. WIN! Their son finished off the table service and was such a JOY to have around. His happy personality just spilled over on the whole experience, he's enough reason to return, although the food is also a big reason.
(4)
Rob R.
I went here while visiting family over the holidays. On the surface, it seems as if Jax is lined with chain restaurants.... but look a little closer and you will find little places like El Ranchito. I had the Colombian carne asada with white rice, red beans, and sweet plantains, along with a Aguila to drink. My mom had the Cuban roast pork with yellow rice, black beans, and sweet plantains. We both made a point to try everything. Everything was tasty and well made. No complaints. Both of our orders were off the lunch menu, so the portions were a bit smaller, along with the prices. Our waiter asked whether we wanted the lunch or dinner portions when we ordered. We split a flan, and I had a cafe con leche, for dessert. The flan was a very rich and creamy. I think I could have put down a half dozen. Very dangerous! One of the highlights of our trip to El Ranchito was the service. You could tell as soon as we walked in that our business was appreciated.... which makes all the difference. Great service, very good product, at a good price.... a winning combination. Next time I head down to Jax, I will be sure to eat here again. Recommend!!
(4)
Catherine C.
We've passed this place many times, came in because of Yelp reviews tonight. Wish we had stopped in sooner, food was great and the owner and his son were super nice. We will be back and will take other with us.
(5)
R A.
I have a Latin background and know the different cuisines. Food here can be considered as Colombian, but a little on the bland side. The pastelitos/empanadas were very good. Overall, unlike all the glamorous reviews by others, my experience was not as good. My wife and I visited the place around 3:00 pm on a Sunday, and found that apparently they are not prepared to satisfy the demand on a busy day. My wife asked for a Colombian steak, and there was none; I asked for a Bandeja Paisa and it was served without the arepa and the avocado. When I told the server about this he said they had run out of those items, but that he could bring some tostones instead. (I felt kind of cheated because the server should have told me about the missing items and should have suggested some substitutions when serving the plate). A good place if you do not have a very demanding taste.
(3)
Marie B.
Usually I like "hole in the walls" but this place I have to say I'll never go back... first of all I love the fact that they bring out chips and salsa at all Mexican and Cuban restaurants... the chips were still very stale and salty.... They charge 2.00 for a second basket..we ordered empanadas and two side of refried beans... the beans were watered down after three bites they were done with very small portion and I was craving some refried beans and didn't get what I wanted.... on the window it says we now serve Mexican food although it's not Mexican ..there's no margaritas ....only beer or wine...there's nothing that I can say that had anything Mexican on the menu but a taco... empanadas were just ok they were deep fried very crunchy.... I will post a picture.... I can't judge the rest of the menu since I did not order everything but I did see some things come out and it just did not look appetizing for me maybe for somebody else but I won't go back best of luck give him a try...
(1)
Chris A.
Nice little quaint place. I've been to many Colombian establishments but the food here was not typical. The Colombian steak was more like steak-em, so thin and dried that I left half of the food. The Sancocho my wife had was average at best. When we were ready to pay the waitress was watching a movie and kept us waiting. We had to go to the front and pay. There was only one other table of people there. I thought the food could of been much better. No for me.
(2)
James D.
I really enjoyed this place when I dined here well over a year ago. So I said why not do it again?! I tried the Cuban empanadas first. Honestly, there were okay. Nothing to write home about, but worth the $3.50 for two. For some weird reason I was craving blood sausage. Who the hell craves this!? Granted I was incredibly hung over he idea of it sounded great. It was effing great. Yes at $4 for one link, worth it!!! Next up was the Bandeja Paiesa. I love this dish. It's a Colombian "go-to." It's a fantastic little hole in the wall restaurant off of Beach and San Pablo and it's worth stopping in. I came in on a Sunday and was the first customer they had. Within twenty minutes the place was packed, not one seat open. Service was a little slow, but that was okay considering there is one cook and one server. I was in no rush (hung over). I did have to ask the lady five times for a box, but she's a little older and that's okay. At the end of the day.... Eat here. Do it.
One of my fav restaurants in Jax! Food is excellent and you can tell its a family owned restaurant!!!
(5)
Rob M.
Overall: Food was fresh and tasty. Service was excellent. I will be back. 4 stars (see below) Ambiance: Not much in the way of ambiance. Nothing fancy. Very small. It seemed pretty clean. (3 Stars) Service: Very good. Freindly and attentive. (4 Stars) Food: I had empanadas and an arepa. Wife had Ropa Veija. We shared flan for dessert. Chips and salsa were served as well. Empanada was very good. tasted fresh. I did not like the arepa, but I concede that it may be because I was expecting it to be more like the arepas they serve at fairs. The ropa veija was very tasty as well. Both my wife and I loved the flan. It was very good (and I usually don't like flan). The chips were average. I prefer them to taste a little fresher. The salsa was good too. They had a selection of latin beers on the menu, but only had Aguila in stock. They did bring out a frosty mug without me having to ask, which I appreciated. This isn't a bar, so I'll give them a pass. (4 stars)
(4)
Debbie M.
First of all, the restaurant is in a sort of run-down strip mall (lots of empty storefronts, etc.), but I don't say that to deter you. I'm just preparing you. This isn't a fancy-night-out kind of place. What you will get at El Ranchito is friendly service and good food. I'm from South Florida, so I'm pretty fond of all kinds of Hispanic food. To pleasant surprise, El Ranchito is a mix of Cuban, Colombian, and Mexican (although they do Mondongo on Fridays, which I think is Dominican??). Anywho, my husband and I split the Cuban-style empanadas, which were really good. Fresh, not frozen. I wasn't too impressed with the arepa con queso. That could be my tastes though since these were also very fresh. I just didn't think the arepa itself had much flavor. For our entree we split the ropa vieja, which is my favorite. I was not disappointed. Finally, we had the flan, another of my favorites. Fan-freakin-tastic. That is all.
(4)
Monica S.
I just love when I find these little hole in the wall places!!! This ethnic delight is an itsty bitsy, tinee tiny, crazy delicious Columbian food restaurant tucked beside the Big Lots on Beach Blvd. There are maybe 10 tables here. Chips and salsa were served prior to the meal. The salsa was homemade and tasted like fresh veggies! YUM!! I had a lunch sized Bandeja Paisa which was around $8.00 or so. Really tender, thinly sliced, beautifully seasoned, sirloin steak over a bed of red beans and rice, avocado, homemade white corn cake patty, traditional Columbian pork rind, plantains and a fried egg on top of the sirloin. Whew! This was a meal fit for a Foodie Queen!....Like me! Great, AUTHENTIC Columbian fare here.
(5)
Sivam R.
Great Columbian/Mexican food, great people. So far this is my favorite Mexican restaurant in Jax. Definitely worth a visit.
(5)
Robert G.
Very good food and value for the money, especially the lunch specials. The owner, who is from Central America, takes the orders and serves up the food and drink. His wife, who is from Columbia, is the cook. Their son helps his dad. Very nice people.
(4)
Ashley O.
My fiancee and I had a delicious dinner here tonight. We had an order of the bandeja paisa, which was huge. Rice, sweet plantains, steak, and chorizo, egg, beans, and pork rind. Yum. I had a side of the aji colombiano to have with my steak - highly recommend. It's delicious! He had the ropa vieja, a type of pulled pork with vegetables, some maduros (the sweet plantains), and rice. His plate was clean :-) Generous portions, great service, and an overall excellent experience! We'll be back.
(5)
Younjin L.
Great Bandeja Paisa!
(4)
Bob S.
I've found a new favorite restaurant. Only wish it wasn't so far from my house! The menu here is Columbian / Mexican. Everthing is made in-house, including the flan and tres leches. I had the Bandeja Paisa, and I probably shouldn't have eaten it all. It filled me up. The chips and salsa were very tasty, and the salad (shredded carrots and cabbage, with slices of tomato and avocado) had a great dressing that really complimented the flavors. Ceviche, tostones, congri, chicharrones... and attentive and engaging service. I'll be back for sure. I may have to bump this one to five stars.
(4)
C N.
Family owned the food is good, very friendly staff the food comes out quickly and very tasty,
(4)
Mary B.
This is a great family owned restaurant. My husband loves it too. he gets the flank steak and I usually the lechon asada (pork). Both are amazing. Very friendly family running the place too.
(5)
Jeff P.
This place is just delightful in so many ways. Family run business with great service and awesome food. Looking forward to my next visit
(5)
Meredith H.
Monica is right! This is an amazing hole in the wall place! I went here for the first time with a Colombian friend of mine because he wanted me to try an authentic Bandeja Paisa. This place definitely pulls out all of the stops. The pork rind is cooked and seasoned perfectly. It's has a delicious crispiness that really makes it a treat! THe rice and beans are cooked to perfection as is the steak. The patacones were sweet and just slightly crispy on the edges and they just melted in your mouth. I also ordered the flan and for once, it wasn't the premade custard that you can find at just about every latino restaurant for hundreds of miles. This is like the one Grandma made. It's rich and velvety like cheesecake. It's small, but dense, and after the huge entree portions, it's best served with two spoons. The only thing that might have been better than the food was the service! It seems to be a family run establishment. The server was friendly, informative, attentive, and it spread through the small restaurant. People between the tables were quick to announce their favorite dishes on the menu. Jacksonville is really short on amazing little places like this, so we need to what we can to keep them around! Next time you are thinking of hitting up La Napolera a few doors down, take a risk on something non-chain by giving El Ranchito a chance instead - you won't be disappointed!
(4)
Kristina D.
Wonderful food and the owner is a sweetheart! Try the Bandeja Paisa or the Masas de puerco. Both are so good!!
(5)
G B.
Food was good but not something I'd write home about. Good prices, clearly family-owned. The Colombian style empanadas were probably the best part of our meal. Mexican salsa was so-so, mostly tomato, and cost extra. Stick to the Colombian specialties, try to avoid busy times (they were understaffed when we came, but friendly), and you're likely to leave happy.
(3)
Jesus S.
This is a small 'hole-in-the-wall' type of place with several tables, Colombian music in the background, and relaxing ambiance. Do not think twice, just go! You won't regret it! This is an excellent mom & pop shop with authentic Colombian and Cuban food. Highly recommend the Bandeja Paisa and the 'Masas de Puerco' (Pork chunks).
(4)
Lauren J.
Fabulous Latino food. The chips and salsa are as good as any Mexican restaurant in the U.S., but what really makes this place stand out are the Colombian specialties. The empanadas are wonderful. The chicarrones are crispy cubes of pork attached to a strip of crunchy, delicious pork rind aka crackling, and if you've never tasted real pork crackling, boy are you in for a treat! All I can say is that if we have another revolution in this country, one of the items I'm bringing to the table is why they don't sell more fresh pork belly with the rind attached here like they do in other countries. Yes, there are better things to do with it than make bacon and this is one! Wait, let me wipe the drool off my chin and calm down. OK. That's better. Lest you think this review is pork centric, oh no. There is plenty of yummy stuff on this menu so that your vegetarian sister-in-law can also have an excellent meal. Beans (red or black), rice, plantains, salads, and all kinds of wonderful fruit drinks (again, why do other countries cuisines do this so much better than we do?) be daring, go beyond the orange juice and try guava or pineapple or raspberry or even more exotic fruits. You probably won't need it to cool down the heat, though, as most of the (non-Mexican) food isn't that spicy, just tasty. The bandera paisa is easily enough food for two people. And just to put the icing on the cake de tres leches, this place also is excellent value for money.
(5)
Danny B.
The absolute best part is the proprietor, George. If you are looking for a Latino menu, with a guide to help you choose your meal - this is the place. I've been back many times and the food and service are excellent. If you are looking for fast food or decor this is not your place. However, the Colombian, Cuban, and Mexican food can't be beat. Find this place! You'll be pleased if you are searching for authentic.
(5)
Christian Z.
Fantastic food. Highly recommend the bandeja paisa
(5)
Meredith J.
This is a lunch location staple & has not disappointed yet. They are small & family owned & operated & as a result are not FAST FOOD! Ropa Vieja is my personal favorite! Juicy flavorful shredded beef served with rice & beans! Get the papa rellena for appetizer!
(5)
Elaine S.
I am new to Jax, therefore, I am relying heavily on reviews to select restaurant and services. Yelp never fails me, but in this case it did. I was highly disappointed. The only thing I enjoyed was the great service. It is small restaurant that does more take out than eat in with about 8 tables. I ordered the fried pork. Totally lacking flavor. If should come with lemon, but it didn't. You had to pay an extra $1 to get lemon. My kids got the chicken and beef tacos. They looked very unappealing. The chicken ones, were soggy abs dripped a lot. My hubby got the bandeja paisa. The thinnest slice of steak I have ever seen. The beans were not properly seasoned. The chicharron was actually good. Maybe this restaurant might have great reviews because of the small amount of Latin/Spanish restaurants in Jax. But coming from NYC, where there's a humongous selection, this restaurant wouldn't survive one month serving food at this level. Almost forgot. Yelp had a two empanadas for free deal. My husband said that was the best tasting thing. He would actually return only for the empanadas. I don't eat beef, so, personally I don't see myself returning.
(1)
Janene H.
We chose this little place based on some stellar Yelp reviews. Well, this time Yelp let us down. We walked in to find a small, cramped dinning room that had a dingy feel to it. We were told to take a seat then waited and waited. It took quite a while to get drinks and our waters never showed up. One lady, who was nice, was working the entire room and it appeared one guy was cooking. Everyone was visibly annoyed at how long everything was taking. We finally placed our order and waited and waited, again a looooong while. Finally chips arrived. But, they weren't warm or salted and our table had no salt or pepper shakers. The bar only had pepper so we waited for another table to leave and snagged their salt. Finally, FINALLY, our food arrived and we were underwhelmed. It didn't look appealing and tasted just ok. Our free check in order of empanadas arrived well after we'd finished eating. Some appetizer! We got the tres leche to go and it too was nothing special. What a disappointment!! :(
(1)
Tanya J.
Delicious. Great family run restaurant environment with authentic food. I had the Mojarra Frita with tostones, yellow rice and black beans. Black beans were the best.
(5)
Austin F.
This place feels far removed from a strip mall in Jacksonville. On any given evening, locals with a penchant for latin home-cooking pack the place. Food is reasonably priced, portions are large and flavors by and large are spot-on. Special mention should be given to their soups however. Evidently, they have a daily soup- we were there on Saturday; this was their short rib soup. Amazing- tart, rich, and featuring generous slabs of tender meat. Sunday is their Sancocho day- and if you've never had the pleasure of having home-cooked Sancocho- do it. The crispy pork platter was good- order a side of their green sauce/chimichurri for added excellence. Fajitas off their "mexico' list were underwhelming, namely because the steak was beyond tough. Sangria was cheap and not overly sweet. Service was spotty but definitely kind. 2 people, apps, soup, 2 mains, sangria, beer= $50? Awesome. Go.
(4)
Victoria D.
Bandeja Paisa done very well! The service was great and so was the food.The owner,George,came out to greet us and welcome us to the city. (We're new here.) Great place we will return. My only request: please add postre de natas to the menu.
(4)
Thomas C.
Walking through the door, El Ranchito looks like any other South American restaurant. It even seems to be a little unsure as to what style of food they prepare when looking at the menu. But at its heart, this place is a Colombian style restaurant and those items on the menu really stand out. The first time I went to El Ranchito, I tried their Cuban Sandwich as it was their special and it was ok. I left feeling as though I probably wouldn't return. But I thought more about it and figured to myself that it was silly of me to go to a Colombian restaurant and order a Cuban item. First, the Arepa. It's hard to mess up Arepa and thankfully, El Ranchito did it right. Good consistency, and hot . I also ordered the Ropa Vieja, and it was the best I've had here in town. The portions are not huge, but they weren't skimp either. The value for the money is definitely present here and that's a big deal to me. I had a chance to chat with my waiter for a few minutes. He was pleasant and well versed in the menu. El Ranchito may be a dollar or two more expensive than I like. But when you find authenticity of flavor so far from the food's origin, you've got to be willing to spend a little more to get it. I'm a fan and am looking forward to going back again soon.
(4)
Stephanie D.
Having a strong Spanish background I was happy to read about El Ranchito in the Florida Times Union. And loving to try new places, we found ourselves joining many others in trying it for the first time. Off the bat, let me say this was a pleasurable experience across the board. EVERYONE was so friendly, it made us feel like regulars. Now to the food. I ordered the Bandeja Paisa because it was something I'd never had. I will have it again. However a good portion came home with me. My husband ordered Lechon Asada with black beans and yellow rice. He ate tostones for the first time and loved them! The pork was flavorful and just like Mom used to make! I opted for a cafe con leche to drink. It's better than places I've tried in Tampa! And the flan for dessert was fantastic. We will be back and will work our way through the menu. Love finding a new regular!!
(5)
David S.
Ropa vieja was pretty good. Still prefer my mom's but it had good flavor. Churrasco was very good as well. Very pleased with the food and service. Will definitely come back. Portions are small though. Most Colombian restaurants I've been to, especially in NY, serve bigger portions.
(4)
Jerry T.
I was in the mood for arepas Saturday, and my yelp app led me to this little Colombian spot. We hopped on our bikes to cross the ditch. It was definitely worth the ride. Vamamos! I started out with arepas con queso. The corn cakes were served piping hot, with delicious melty white cheese. Other appetizers I tried were the chicharones and a short rib soup. The skin on the chicharones was crispy and delicious, but the meat section was a little tough and dry. The rib soup was hearty and flavorful. I really liked it. For lunch I had the Carne Asada Colombiano: a thin sliced steak with colombian spices, rice with black beans and tostones (fried plantains). The steak was a little tough but it was seasoned very well. I'm not always a big fan of tostones, but they are amazing here. Very crunchy and salty. Black beans and yellow rice were delicious together. There are big chunks of tomatoes and peppers in the rice. All in all, this place is great. Kind of a hole in the wall. It's next to Big Lots on Beach Blvd. The servers are really nice and definitely make you feel at home. I'm looking forward to coming back.
(4)
Yelena K.
We were in town for a wedding and wanted to have some Cuban/Colombian food, since it's not all that common on the West Coast. Was not disappointed. I'm always a little nervous going with a large group of people (ie. my entire family and their significant others!), but the owner/manager (?) was super nice and talkative, answered all our questions, and offered recommendations. There were a lot of us, but the food came out quickly and everyone agreed it was fantastic. We shared some appetizers -- the empanadas colombiana are super tasty and not like anything else I've had in the empanada category. They're slightly sweet from the cornmeal, incredibly juicy, and very flavorful. All of our entrees were awesome, too. I had the ropa vieja with yellow rice. So good! I can't get enough of the rice! Everything tastes like it's actually made by someone who cares! A little love goes a long way. Open up a second location in California, El Ranchito! My business alone will keep you afloat!
(5)
Amanda N.
They get better every time. I'm addicted to sweet plantains now due to Christina the server. Sangria is so yummy and the spicy sauce could be slurped through a straw it's so good. The last time I had a pork dish that I'd slap my mama to have again.
(5)
Richard S.
Very good. Was looking for any Colombian cuisine and this restaurant appeared on Yelp with great reviews. It is a mixture of Mexican, Cuban, and Colombian food. Ordered the Sancocho De Gallina. Not bad. I was expecting more for the price. The juices was amazing. Recommend everyone to try the Maracuya (Passion Fruit) with milk!
(4)
Erin F.
We went here cause yelp said it featured Cuban food, but it is definitely more Colombian. The "Cuban empanadas" were more Colombian as they had olives in them and our ropa vieja wasnt really authentic, but tasted fine; although, the portion was on the small side. Would have liked an espresso but the machine was broken. Overall the food was ok and service was good and friendly. About $27 with tip for two people for lunch: special, cup of soup, empanadas, and flan.
(3)
Steve R.
Authentic and great!!! It's a little quaint restaurant that is a hidden gem. Colombian, Cuban or a little Mexican. I would recommend the empanadas as an appetizer and anything Colombian. Have a small cup of Cuban coffee to make your entire dinner/lunch complete. The best part? The owner said they don't have desert because his wife had off yesterday. That right there tells you that their heart and soul is in this place. If I lived closer, I would be here once a week!
(5)
Andy F.
Oh am I glad I found this place coming from New York it is very hard to find a very good Colombian place I found this place through recommendation and I will be going there every weekend to go eat. If that isn't good enough the first time I went they gave us desserts on them pre-the owner and his son are absolutely highly recommended in my books very nice people and I will recommend them to every single person I know
(5)
Chris C.
Another fantastic meal at El Ranchito. From the dinner plate sized Arepa dripping with cheese to the Lechon Asada and the Bistec Caballo...wonderful! Be sure to ask for lime (limon) to go with the Lechon Asado (roast pork). Chase it all with a frosted pitcher of Sangria and make sure to "gild the lilly" with a piece of probably the best Flan in town. Tell your friends or better yet bring them with you so you can sneak morsels of pure delight from their plates.
(5)
Tim B.
I have always loved Cuban and Columbian food, and this is the only place in Jacksonville I will go to eat it! The family that owns it and works here are incredibly friendly and welcoming. The food is excellent, and I have never had anything here that I didn't like. Today I had the Camarones Al Ajillo. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and had an excellent garlic sauce. The crispy whole tilapia, Ropa Vieja, Ceviche De Camarones Columbiano, and Empanadas are some of my other favorites, but you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu! Come here when you have some time to relax, because the food is cooked to order...but you will see it is worth the wait! The Sangria is also very good, and a great deal!
(5)
Laura W.
There are things in life that frustrate me.. Namely that I have been traveling here for work for years and never ate at the wonderful place!!! Omg-- delicious delicious;) saving my Ropa Vieja for breakfast tomorrow, it was so delicious:) the rice and beans (yellow) are just superb... Plantains and salsa yummy:) get yourself some avocado and treat yourself! Service friendly and prices awesome!! Eat here! Thank you Yelp for guiding me here:)
(5)
Scott K.
I took my servers recommendation and was quite impressed. I wish I could remember the name of it though. Basically it was thinly sliced steak with some onions on top, with a side of sweet plantains, yellow rice, and black beans. The steak was very flavorful and was must more tender than I expected. The house salsa actually tasted fresh and had a good bite in heat too. I asked for something hotter and was satisfied with the change. Some really hot salsas come out to heavy on the vinegar taste, but this was better balanced. A little on the vinegar side, but not much. The flan was like little bites of heaven. I've had flan at various establishments in the past and haven't been impressed. I would've easily ate a few more, thankfully I tend to keep an eye on my mid-section. At first glance the menu looks like any other menu, but you'll find that it is divided between Cuban, Colombian, and Mexican dishes.
(5)
Matt M.
I have always wanted to try El Ranchito and alas, we pulled to the door at 12:02 and it was closed. I began to leave when the owner came out and flipped on the "Open", which was a good sign. Service was very friendly, helpful and swift. I was not overly pleased with the loud soccer game, but I do understand the fascination with soccer in other countries and it really was not an issue. We tried all sorts of things from the Cuban Sandwich to Ceviche and everything in between. While my wife is not a huge fan of my "diamonds in the rough", I heard her say to the owner,"The next time we come I am going to have.....". A good sign that it is safe to bring her back. Is service stellar? Frankly no, not even when they aren't busy, but service is much more relaxed outside the US, so I think it adds to the authenticity of the experience. One thing I found interesting was the Columbian sodas and juices, including fruits that I had only read about. That is on my menu for next time.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Bobby J.
Hidden Gem. Family friendly, great food and over the top hospitality. Thank you, George, Anna and Christina
(5)Michael C.
Came because of recommendations on yelp. Would have completely overlooked this little place in a strip mall. Mostly filled at lunch with Latin folks, which was a good sign. Red Beans w pork was delicious. Had the roasted pork lechon. Line and onions nice touch. Pollo sopa - excellent. All delicious.
(5)Katie C.
Thank Goddess for the Yelp locator! I was running errands on Beach Blvd., deep in the land of chains and drive-thrus, when I felt sudden hunger pangs. I needed to find something with quality, and fast. El Ranchito is your standard hole in the wall, located in a strip mall at the intersection of Beach and San Pablo with neighbors like Big Lots and Pet Doctors of America. The "Little Ranch" serves up authentic Cuban, Colombian and Mexican dishes. I had the Palomilla Steak, a Cuban dish featuring flattened, juicy strips of steak traditionally seasoned and served with sauteed onions. For $12 you get a platter served with rice, beans and sweet or salty plantains. It was delicious and more than enough food! I left super-stuffed and oh, so happy to add El Ranchito to my list of authentic, ethnic eateries in Jax.
(4)Matt C.
Family owned. Would suggest asking for the special or their favorites. Both styles of empanadas are great. Would suggest the Bistecs.
(5)Carol N.
When I moved down to Jacksonville 14 years ago, I left one of the best food cities in the world, NY. I tried numerous Colombian type restaurants all over Jacksonville and was elated to find El Ranchito. This restaurant is owned by a great family who makes you feel like you are their family as you walk in the door. George and his family and the folks who cook in the kitchen are warm and inviting. I feel like I am having dinner with family when I am there. Everything I have ordered there is delicious and authentic. My favorite as George and his family knows, is the steak palomilla with yellow rice, beans and sweet plantains. BTW, they make this wonderful dessert, Sopapilla that is not on the menu, however, if you ask George he would be happy to make it for you. If you want authentic, latin fare, this is a must in Jacksonville. Carol
(5)Mack B.
Service : Courteous and quick Food : Their signature tacos with cilantro and onions were very tasty. The takeout of Empanadas was marvelous. I will drive 15 miles to go eat there again; and probably again and again. Value : Two lunch meals and a cafe con leche, all for $20 - great value. Hygiene : spotless and well-stocked bathrooms, clean kitchen and seating areas - now that says something. Internet : no more WiFi :) The family that owns the place runs it, and they run a tight ship - an unusually good experience. Update: I was there a month ago and the service seems to have degraded a little. They also do not have WiFi any more. Downgrading by one star.
(4)Jackie S.
Great little hole in the wall! I orders the fried tilapia and it felt like I was eating at an authentic Spanish home. Even though the food is so simple it's a place I'll go again. I think the price is reasonable and service was good. They started getting busy once it was time to checkout and wasn't speedy with the refills and check but food made up for lack of service.
(4)Maisha R.
So, I went looking for a great lunch during one of my first days in Jacksonville this past Summer. Yelp helped me find this cute little family-owned restaurant. I got the lunch portion of the signature Colombian dish - bandeja paisa. Despite being warned by the owner that the "lunch-sized" portion was essentially half the size of the regular portion, I was pleasantly surprised by the hearty helping! What a variety of food - sirloin steak over rice and red beans, pork rind, avocado, plantain, fried egg and a corn cake, all for $7.99. It was a great deal! The pork rind and plantain were exceptionally good. I only wish that I'd grabbed a side order of plantains to snack on for the rest of the day! Unfortunately, the corncake (which needed more seasoning) and the soursop smoothie didn't fare anywhere near as well. Despite the guy being very nice and really encouraging me to try it, after one sip I knew that I couldn't drink anymore. He was nice enough to refund my money. Overall, I really enjoyed the food and the 1/2 portion was enough for lunch and a snack!
(4)Mark H.
Wow. I should end the review with that one word, but I won't. What we have here is something unique. So me and the chica are up in Jacksonville last weekend, and the person we were lodging with suggested EL RANCHITO for Sunday lunch. She had a menu, and when we looked at it, the salivation began. And what makes this incredibly small (8 tables or so) Latin eatery special is their selection, which includes Colombian, Mexican and Cuban dishes! When we think of Latin restaurants, they're usually one or the other, but never multiple sub-genres of Latin food combined. After arriving, we quickly order the empanada appetizer, which was a breath of fresh air because they were made Colombian-style. Basically, they were more of a corn meal stuffed food item, as opposed to the traditional empanada. All four of us ordered the Colombian signature dish, BANJEDA PAISA and it was uh-damn-mazing. If you're not familiar with this platter, let me school you right quick like. Fried eggs, chorizo, two flank steaks, red beans, chicarrones, two amarillo (or maduros) and an arepa served on a massive bed of rice. It's a lot of damn food! Two people who are moderately hungarian can split this meal, and the price was about $13. Every aspect of the dish is as flavorful as one might imagine as well. It was just about as close to perfection as it gets. They also feature all the Colombian sodas, a few beers (Aguila for one) and the staff is super friendly. The only negative I have to report isn't their fault, it's their location's. Apparently, there isn't an authentic Cuban bakery in or near Jacksonville, so their Cuban bread was close to Cuban bread, but no cigar (pun intended). This was a story we heard repeated several times while in JAX for the weekend, so I can't hold it against El Ranchito. I can't wait to get back to this place!
(5)Matt D.
Best Mexican in Jacksonville!
(5)Robb F.
All the reviews are correct this place is wonderful. The authentic Cuban and Columbian food is the real deal. Do not put off going to this place any longer.
(5)Nancy Q.
With the help of Yelp, my boyfriend and I ended up here since all the restaurants at Jax beach were closed, kinda odd. And I must say that I'm glad we came here because the food was outstanding! I had a Cuban dish that was to die for: The pulled pork was very flavorful, the restaurant felt welcoming, friendly staff, and happy hour was a plus! If I visit Florida again I will definitely try to back! Thanks Yelp for an awesome find!
(5)Leilani G.
Bandeja Paisa - Sirloin steak, pork sausage, pork rinds, egg, plaintain, corn cake, avocado salad, white rice and red beans. What can I say, I showed up hungry and didn't want to have to choose so I went with the 'little bit of everything' [surely that's what Bandeja Paisa means?] menu item and am so glad I did. I enjoyed it so much that Ive totally forgotten what my husband ordered, although I DO remember that he enjoyed his order as much as I did. Fair warning, the portions are huge, so this was a lunch, dinner and lunch for me. Oh, and do yourself a favor, treat yourself to one of their fresh fruit slushes. You can have it made with water or milk, we went with water and ice, I ordered the mango and it was heaven in a glass. Next time, I'll try their Guava. I'm a fruit addict so this is right up my alley. This is ran by a husband and wife and their son. The husband took our order, he was very welcoming and suggested the fruit drinks. WIN! Their son finished off the table service and was such a JOY to have around. His happy personality just spilled over on the whole experience, he's enough reason to return, although the food is also a big reason.
(4)Rob R.
I went here while visiting family over the holidays. On the surface, it seems as if Jax is lined with chain restaurants.... but look a little closer and you will find little places like El Ranchito. I had the Colombian carne asada with white rice, red beans, and sweet plantains, along with a Aguila to drink. My mom had the Cuban roast pork with yellow rice, black beans, and sweet plantains. We both made a point to try everything. Everything was tasty and well made. No complaints. Both of our orders were off the lunch menu, so the portions were a bit smaller, along with the prices. Our waiter asked whether we wanted the lunch or dinner portions when we ordered. We split a flan, and I had a cafe con leche, for dessert. The flan was a very rich and creamy. I think I could have put down a half dozen. Very dangerous! One of the highlights of our trip to El Ranchito was the service. You could tell as soon as we walked in that our business was appreciated.... which makes all the difference. Great service, very good product, at a good price.... a winning combination. Next time I head down to Jax, I will be sure to eat here again. Recommend!!
(4)Catherine C.
We've passed this place many times, came in because of Yelp reviews tonight. Wish we had stopped in sooner, food was great and the owner and his son were super nice. We will be back and will take other with us.
(5)R A.
I have a Latin background and know the different cuisines. Food here can be considered as Colombian, but a little on the bland side. The pastelitos/empanadas were very good. Overall, unlike all the glamorous reviews by others, my experience was not as good. My wife and I visited the place around 3:00 pm on a Sunday, and found that apparently they are not prepared to satisfy the demand on a busy day. My wife asked for a Colombian steak, and there was none; I asked for a Bandeja Paisa and it was served without the arepa and the avocado. When I told the server about this he said they had run out of those items, but that he could bring some tostones instead. (I felt kind of cheated because the server should have told me about the missing items and should have suggested some substitutions when serving the plate). A good place if you do not have a very demanding taste.
(3)Marie B.
Usually I like "hole in the walls" but this place I have to say I'll never go back... first of all I love the fact that they bring out chips and salsa at all Mexican and Cuban restaurants... the chips were still very stale and salty.... They charge 2.00 for a second basket..we ordered empanadas and two side of refried beans... the beans were watered down after three bites they were done with very small portion and I was craving some refried beans and didn't get what I wanted.... on the window it says we now serve Mexican food although it's not Mexican ..there's no margaritas ....only beer or wine...there's nothing that I can say that had anything Mexican on the menu but a taco... empanadas were just ok they were deep fried very crunchy.... I will post a picture.... I can't judge the rest of the menu since I did not order everything but I did see some things come out and it just did not look appetizing for me maybe for somebody else but I won't go back best of luck give him a try...
(1)Chris A.
Nice little quaint place. I've been to many Colombian establishments but the food here was not typical. The Colombian steak was more like steak-em, so thin and dried that I left half of the food. The Sancocho my wife had was average at best. When we were ready to pay the waitress was watching a movie and kept us waiting. We had to go to the front and pay. There was only one other table of people there. I thought the food could of been much better. No for me.
(2)James D.
I really enjoyed this place when I dined here well over a year ago. So I said why not do it again?! I tried the Cuban empanadas first. Honestly, there were okay. Nothing to write home about, but worth the $3.50 for two. For some weird reason I was craving blood sausage. Who the hell craves this!? Granted I was incredibly hung over he idea of it sounded great. It was effing great. Yes at $4 for one link, worth it!!! Next up was the Bandeja Paiesa. I love this dish. It's a Colombian "go-to." It's a fantastic little hole in the wall restaurant off of Beach and San Pablo and it's worth stopping in. I came in on a Sunday and was the first customer they had. Within twenty minutes the place was packed, not one seat open. Service was a little slow, but that was okay considering there is one cook and one server. I was in no rush (hung over). I did have to ask the lady five times for a box, but she's a little older and that's okay. At the end of the day.... Eat here. Do it.
(4)Dawn N.
The food is fresh and authentic.
(4)Cameron D.
If you're looking for some real Cuban food, this is your best bet in the Jax Beach area. The Ropa Vieja and Lechon Asado are both just tremendous. The Carne Asada and cuban sandwich are both okay, but the strength of El Ranchito is definitely the above stewed dishes and the Bandeja Paisa (traditional Colombian dish). The prices are quite nice, especially for lunch ($7-9 for a generous entreé with rice, beans & sweet plantains).
(4)Debra P.
One of my fav restaurants in Jax! Food is excellent and you can tell its a family owned restaurant!!!
(5)Rob M.
Overall: Food was fresh and tasty. Service was excellent. I will be back. 4 stars (see below) Ambiance: Not much in the way of ambiance. Nothing fancy. Very small. It seemed pretty clean. (3 Stars) Service: Very good. Freindly and attentive. (4 Stars) Food: I had empanadas and an arepa. Wife had Ropa Veija. We shared flan for dessert. Chips and salsa were served as well. Empanada was very good. tasted fresh. I did not like the arepa, but I concede that it may be because I was expecting it to be more like the arepas they serve at fairs. The ropa veija was very tasty as well. Both my wife and I loved the flan. It was very good (and I usually don't like flan). The chips were average. I prefer them to taste a little fresher. The salsa was good too. They had a selection of latin beers on the menu, but only had Aguila in stock. They did bring out a frosty mug without me having to ask, which I appreciated. This isn't a bar, so I'll give them a pass. (4 stars)
(4)Debbie M.
First of all, the restaurant is in a sort of run-down strip mall (lots of empty storefronts, etc.), but I don't say that to deter you. I'm just preparing you. This isn't a fancy-night-out kind of place. What you will get at El Ranchito is friendly service and good food. I'm from South Florida, so I'm pretty fond of all kinds of Hispanic food. To pleasant surprise, El Ranchito is a mix of Cuban, Colombian, and Mexican (although they do Mondongo on Fridays, which I think is Dominican??). Anywho, my husband and I split the Cuban-style empanadas, which were really good. Fresh, not frozen. I wasn't too impressed with the arepa con queso. That could be my tastes though since these were also very fresh. I just didn't think the arepa itself had much flavor. For our entree we split the ropa vieja, which is my favorite. I was not disappointed. Finally, we had the flan, another of my favorites. Fan-freakin-tastic. That is all.
(4)Monica S.
I just love when I find these little hole in the wall places!!! This ethnic delight is an itsty bitsy, tinee tiny, crazy delicious Columbian food restaurant tucked beside the Big Lots on Beach Blvd. There are maybe 10 tables here. Chips and salsa were served prior to the meal. The salsa was homemade and tasted like fresh veggies! YUM!! I had a lunch sized Bandeja Paisa which was around $8.00 or so. Really tender, thinly sliced, beautifully seasoned, sirloin steak over a bed of red beans and rice, avocado, homemade white corn cake patty, traditional Columbian pork rind, plantains and a fried egg on top of the sirloin. Whew! This was a meal fit for a Foodie Queen!....Like me! Great, AUTHENTIC Columbian fare here.
(5)Sivam R.
Great Columbian/Mexican food, great people. So far this is my favorite Mexican restaurant in Jax. Definitely worth a visit.
(5)Robert G.
Very good food and value for the money, especially the lunch specials. The owner, who is from Central America, takes the orders and serves up the food and drink. His wife, who is from Columbia, is the cook. Their son helps his dad. Very nice people.
(4)Ashley O.
My fiancee and I had a delicious dinner here tonight. We had an order of the bandeja paisa, which was huge. Rice, sweet plantains, steak, and chorizo, egg, beans, and pork rind. Yum. I had a side of the aji colombiano to have with my steak - highly recommend. It's delicious! He had the ropa vieja, a type of pulled pork with vegetables, some maduros (the sweet plantains), and rice. His plate was clean :-) Generous portions, great service, and an overall excellent experience! We'll be back.
(5)Younjin L.
Great Bandeja Paisa!
(4)Bob S.
I've found a new favorite restaurant. Only wish it wasn't so far from my house! The menu here is Columbian / Mexican. Everthing is made in-house, including the flan and tres leches. I had the Bandeja Paisa, and I probably shouldn't have eaten it all. It filled me up. The chips and salsa were very tasty, and the salad (shredded carrots and cabbage, with slices of tomato and avocado) had a great dressing that really complimented the flavors. Ceviche, tostones, congri, chicharrones... and attentive and engaging service. I'll be back for sure. I may have to bump this one to five stars.
(4)C N.
Family owned the food is good, very friendly staff the food comes out quickly and very tasty,
(4)Mary B.
This is a great family owned restaurant. My husband loves it too. he gets the flank steak and I usually the lechon asada (pork). Both are amazing. Very friendly family running the place too.
(5)Jeff P.
This place is just delightful in so many ways. Family run business with great service and awesome food. Looking forward to my next visit
(5)Meredith H.
Monica is right! This is an amazing hole in the wall place! I went here for the first time with a Colombian friend of mine because he wanted me to try an authentic Bandeja Paisa. This place definitely pulls out all of the stops. The pork rind is cooked and seasoned perfectly. It's has a delicious crispiness that really makes it a treat! THe rice and beans are cooked to perfection as is the steak. The patacones were sweet and just slightly crispy on the edges and they just melted in your mouth. I also ordered the flan and for once, it wasn't the premade custard that you can find at just about every latino restaurant for hundreds of miles. This is like the one Grandma made. It's rich and velvety like cheesecake. It's small, but dense, and after the huge entree portions, it's best served with two spoons. The only thing that might have been better than the food was the service! It seems to be a family run establishment. The server was friendly, informative, attentive, and it spread through the small restaurant. People between the tables were quick to announce their favorite dishes on the menu. Jacksonville is really short on amazing little places like this, so we need to what we can to keep them around! Next time you are thinking of hitting up La Napolera a few doors down, take a risk on something non-chain by giving El Ranchito a chance instead - you won't be disappointed!
(4)Kristina D.
Wonderful food and the owner is a sweetheart! Try the Bandeja Paisa or the Masas de puerco. Both are so good!!
(5)G B.
Food was good but not something I'd write home about. Good prices, clearly family-owned. The Colombian style empanadas were probably the best part of our meal. Mexican salsa was so-so, mostly tomato, and cost extra. Stick to the Colombian specialties, try to avoid busy times (they were understaffed when we came, but friendly), and you're likely to leave happy.
(3)Jesus S.
This is a small 'hole-in-the-wall' type of place with several tables, Colombian music in the background, and relaxing ambiance. Do not think twice, just go! You won't regret it! This is an excellent mom & pop shop with authentic Colombian and Cuban food. Highly recommend the Bandeja Paisa and the 'Masas de Puerco' (Pork chunks).
(4)Lauren J.
Fabulous Latino food. The chips and salsa are as good as any Mexican restaurant in the U.S., but what really makes this place stand out are the Colombian specialties. The empanadas are wonderful. The chicarrones are crispy cubes of pork attached to a strip of crunchy, delicious pork rind aka crackling, and if you've never tasted real pork crackling, boy are you in for a treat! All I can say is that if we have another revolution in this country, one of the items I'm bringing to the table is why they don't sell more fresh pork belly with the rind attached here like they do in other countries. Yes, there are better things to do with it than make bacon and this is one! Wait, let me wipe the drool off my chin and calm down. OK. That's better. Lest you think this review is pork centric, oh no. There is plenty of yummy stuff on this menu so that your vegetarian sister-in-law can also have an excellent meal. Beans (red or black), rice, plantains, salads, and all kinds of wonderful fruit drinks (again, why do other countries cuisines do this so much better than we do?) be daring, go beyond the orange juice and try guava or pineapple or raspberry or even more exotic fruits. You probably won't need it to cool down the heat, though, as most of the (non-Mexican) food isn't that spicy, just tasty. The bandera paisa is easily enough food for two people. And just to put the icing on the cake de tres leches, this place also is excellent value for money.
(5)Danny B.
The absolute best part is the proprietor, George. If you are looking for a Latino menu, with a guide to help you choose your meal - this is the place. I've been back many times and the food and service are excellent. If you are looking for fast food or decor this is not your place. However, the Colombian, Cuban, and Mexican food can't be beat. Find this place! You'll be pleased if you are searching for authentic.
(5)Christian Z.
Fantastic food. Highly recommend the bandeja paisa
(5)Meredith J.
This is a lunch location staple & has not disappointed yet. They are small & family owned & operated & as a result are not FAST FOOD! Ropa Vieja is my personal favorite! Juicy flavorful shredded beef served with rice & beans! Get the papa rellena for appetizer!
(5)Elaine S.
I am new to Jax, therefore, I am relying heavily on reviews to select restaurant and services. Yelp never fails me, but in this case it did. I was highly disappointed. The only thing I enjoyed was the great service. It is small restaurant that does more take out than eat in with about 8 tables. I ordered the fried pork. Totally lacking flavor. If should come with lemon, but it didn't. You had to pay an extra $1 to get lemon. My kids got the chicken and beef tacos. They looked very unappealing. The chicken ones, were soggy abs dripped a lot. My hubby got the bandeja paisa. The thinnest slice of steak I have ever seen. The beans were not properly seasoned. The chicharron was actually good. Maybe this restaurant might have great reviews because of the small amount of Latin/Spanish restaurants in Jax. But coming from NYC, where there's a humongous selection, this restaurant wouldn't survive one month serving food at this level. Almost forgot. Yelp had a two empanadas for free deal. My husband said that was the best tasting thing. He would actually return only for the empanadas. I don't eat beef, so, personally I don't see myself returning.
(1)Janene H.
We chose this little place based on some stellar Yelp reviews. Well, this time Yelp let us down. We walked in to find a small, cramped dinning room that had a dingy feel to it. We were told to take a seat then waited and waited. It took quite a while to get drinks and our waters never showed up. One lady, who was nice, was working the entire room and it appeared one guy was cooking. Everyone was visibly annoyed at how long everything was taking. We finally placed our order and waited and waited, again a looooong while. Finally chips arrived. But, they weren't warm or salted and our table had no salt or pepper shakers. The bar only had pepper so we waited for another table to leave and snagged their salt. Finally, FINALLY, our food arrived and we were underwhelmed. It didn't look appealing and tasted just ok. Our free check in order of empanadas arrived well after we'd finished eating. Some appetizer! We got the tres leche to go and it too was nothing special. What a disappointment!! :(
(1)Tanya J.
Delicious. Great family run restaurant environment with authentic food. I had the Mojarra Frita with tostones, yellow rice and black beans. Black beans were the best.
(5)Austin F.
This place feels far removed from a strip mall in Jacksonville. On any given evening, locals with a penchant for latin home-cooking pack the place. Food is reasonably priced, portions are large and flavors by and large are spot-on. Special mention should be given to their soups however. Evidently, they have a daily soup- we were there on Saturday; this was their short rib soup. Amazing- tart, rich, and featuring generous slabs of tender meat. Sunday is their Sancocho day- and if you've never had the pleasure of having home-cooked Sancocho- do it. The crispy pork platter was good- order a side of their green sauce/chimichurri for added excellence. Fajitas off their "mexico' list were underwhelming, namely because the steak was beyond tough. Sangria was cheap and not overly sweet. Service was spotty but definitely kind. 2 people, apps, soup, 2 mains, sangria, beer= $50? Awesome. Go.
(4)Victoria D.
Bandeja Paisa done very well! The service was great and so was the food.The owner,George,came out to greet us and welcome us to the city. (We're new here.) Great place we will return. My only request: please add postre de natas to the menu.
(4)Thomas C.
Walking through the door, El Ranchito looks like any other South American restaurant. It even seems to be a little unsure as to what style of food they prepare when looking at the menu. But at its heart, this place is a Colombian style restaurant and those items on the menu really stand out. The first time I went to El Ranchito, I tried their Cuban Sandwich as it was their special and it was ok. I left feeling as though I probably wouldn't return. But I thought more about it and figured to myself that it was silly of me to go to a Colombian restaurant and order a Cuban item. First, the Arepa. It's hard to mess up Arepa and thankfully, El Ranchito did it right. Good consistency, and hot . I also ordered the Ropa Vieja, and it was the best I've had here in town. The portions are not huge, but they weren't skimp either. The value for the money is definitely present here and that's a big deal to me. I had a chance to chat with my waiter for a few minutes. He was pleasant and well versed in the menu. El Ranchito may be a dollar or two more expensive than I like. But when you find authenticity of flavor so far from the food's origin, you've got to be willing to spend a little more to get it. I'm a fan and am looking forward to going back again soon.
(4)Stephanie D.
Having a strong Spanish background I was happy to read about El Ranchito in the Florida Times Union. And loving to try new places, we found ourselves joining many others in trying it for the first time. Off the bat, let me say this was a pleasurable experience across the board. EVERYONE was so friendly, it made us feel like regulars. Now to the food. I ordered the Bandeja Paisa because it was something I'd never had. I will have it again. However a good portion came home with me. My husband ordered Lechon Asada with black beans and yellow rice. He ate tostones for the first time and loved them! The pork was flavorful and just like Mom used to make! I opted for a cafe con leche to drink. It's better than places I've tried in Tampa! And the flan for dessert was fantastic. We will be back and will work our way through the menu. Love finding a new regular!!
(5)David S.
Ropa vieja was pretty good. Still prefer my mom's but it had good flavor. Churrasco was very good as well. Very pleased with the food and service. Will definitely come back. Portions are small though. Most Colombian restaurants I've been to, especially in NY, serve bigger portions.
(4)Jerry T.
I was in the mood for arepas Saturday, and my yelp app led me to this little Colombian spot. We hopped on our bikes to cross the ditch. It was definitely worth the ride. Vamamos! I started out with arepas con queso. The corn cakes were served piping hot, with delicious melty white cheese. Other appetizers I tried were the chicharones and a short rib soup. The skin on the chicharones was crispy and delicious, but the meat section was a little tough and dry. The rib soup was hearty and flavorful. I really liked it. For lunch I had the Carne Asada Colombiano: a thin sliced steak with colombian spices, rice with black beans and tostones (fried plantains). The steak was a little tough but it was seasoned very well. I'm not always a big fan of tostones, but they are amazing here. Very crunchy and salty. Black beans and yellow rice were delicious together. There are big chunks of tomatoes and peppers in the rice. All in all, this place is great. Kind of a hole in the wall. It's next to Big Lots on Beach Blvd. The servers are really nice and definitely make you feel at home. I'm looking forward to coming back.
(4)Yelena K.
We were in town for a wedding and wanted to have some Cuban/Colombian food, since it's not all that common on the West Coast. Was not disappointed. I'm always a little nervous going with a large group of people (ie. my entire family and their significant others!), but the owner/manager (?) was super nice and talkative, answered all our questions, and offered recommendations. There were a lot of us, but the food came out quickly and everyone agreed it was fantastic. We shared some appetizers -- the empanadas colombiana are super tasty and not like anything else I've had in the empanada category. They're slightly sweet from the cornmeal, incredibly juicy, and very flavorful. All of our entrees were awesome, too. I had the ropa vieja with yellow rice. So good! I can't get enough of the rice! Everything tastes like it's actually made by someone who cares! A little love goes a long way. Open up a second location in California, El Ranchito! My business alone will keep you afloat!
(5)Amanda N.
They get better every time. I'm addicted to sweet plantains now due to Christina the server. Sangria is so yummy and the spicy sauce could be slurped through a straw it's so good. The last time I had a pork dish that I'd slap my mama to have again.
(5)Richard S.
Very good. Was looking for any Colombian cuisine and this restaurant appeared on Yelp with great reviews. It is a mixture of Mexican, Cuban, and Colombian food. Ordered the Sancocho De Gallina. Not bad. I was expecting more for the price. The juices was amazing. Recommend everyone to try the Maracuya (Passion Fruit) with milk!
(4)Erin F.
We went here cause yelp said it featured Cuban food, but it is definitely more Colombian. The "Cuban empanadas" were more Colombian as they had olives in them and our ropa vieja wasnt really authentic, but tasted fine; although, the portion was on the small side. Would have liked an espresso but the machine was broken. Overall the food was ok and service was good and friendly. About $27 with tip for two people for lunch: special, cup of soup, empanadas, and flan.
(3)Steve R.
Authentic and great!!! It's a little quaint restaurant that is a hidden gem. Colombian, Cuban or a little Mexican. I would recommend the empanadas as an appetizer and anything Colombian. Have a small cup of Cuban coffee to make your entire dinner/lunch complete. The best part? The owner said they don't have desert because his wife had off yesterday. That right there tells you that their heart and soul is in this place. If I lived closer, I would be here once a week!
(5)Andy F.
Oh am I glad I found this place coming from New York it is very hard to find a very good Colombian place I found this place through recommendation and I will be going there every weekend to go eat. If that isn't good enough the first time I went they gave us desserts on them pre-the owner and his son are absolutely highly recommended in my books very nice people and I will recommend them to every single person I know
(5)Chris C.
Another fantastic meal at El Ranchito. From the dinner plate sized Arepa dripping with cheese to the Lechon Asada and the Bistec Caballo...wonderful! Be sure to ask for lime (limon) to go with the Lechon Asado (roast pork). Chase it all with a frosted pitcher of Sangria and make sure to "gild the lilly" with a piece of probably the best Flan in town. Tell your friends or better yet bring them with you so you can sneak morsels of pure delight from their plates.
(5)Tim B.
I have always loved Cuban and Columbian food, and this is the only place in Jacksonville I will go to eat it! The family that owns it and works here are incredibly friendly and welcoming. The food is excellent, and I have never had anything here that I didn't like. Today I had the Camarones Al Ajillo. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and had an excellent garlic sauce. The crispy whole tilapia, Ropa Vieja, Ceviche De Camarones Columbiano, and Empanadas are some of my other favorites, but you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu! Come here when you have some time to relax, because the food is cooked to order...but you will see it is worth the wait! The Sangria is also very good, and a great deal!
(5)Laura W.
There are things in life that frustrate me.. Namely that I have been traveling here for work for years and never ate at the wonderful place!!! Omg-- delicious delicious;) saving my Ropa Vieja for breakfast tomorrow, it was so delicious:) the rice and beans (yellow) are just superb... Plantains and salsa yummy:) get yourself some avocado and treat yourself! Service friendly and prices awesome!! Eat here! Thank you Yelp for guiding me here:)
(5)Scott K.
I took my servers recommendation and was quite impressed. I wish I could remember the name of it though. Basically it was thinly sliced steak with some onions on top, with a side of sweet plantains, yellow rice, and black beans. The steak was very flavorful and was must more tender than I expected. The house salsa actually tasted fresh and had a good bite in heat too. I asked for something hotter and was satisfied with the change. Some really hot salsas come out to heavy on the vinegar taste, but this was better balanced. A little on the vinegar side, but not much. The flan was like little bites of heaven. I've had flan at various establishments in the past and haven't been impressed. I would've easily ate a few more, thankfully I tend to keep an eye on my mid-section. At first glance the menu looks like any other menu, but you'll find that it is divided between Cuban, Colombian, and Mexican dishes.
(5)Matt M.
I have always wanted to try El Ranchito and alas, we pulled to the door at 12:02 and it was closed. I began to leave when the owner came out and flipped on the "Open", which was a good sign. Service was very friendly, helpful and swift. I was not overly pleased with the loud soccer game, but I do understand the fascination with soccer in other countries and it really was not an issue. We tried all sorts of things from the Cuban Sandwich to Ceviche and everything in between. While my wife is not a huge fan of my "diamonds in the rough", I heard her say to the owner,"The next time we come I am going to have.....". A good sign that it is safe to bring her back. Is service stellar? Frankly no, not even when they aren't busy, but service is much more relaxed outside the US, so I think it adds to the authenticity of the experience. One thing I found interesting was the Columbian sodas and juices, including fruits that I had only read about. That is on my menu for next time.
(4)