Quick and friendly service, great fresh salsa and chips, and one of the strongest margaritas I've ever had (not to mention fresh tasting). Eight beers on tap with impressive liquor selection at bar. Lots of fish/seafood/veggie options. Main course was so big it was served on a 16" platter. Best mole I've ever had, too. Will definitely be back!!
(5)
Matthew G.
The lunch menu here is tremendous! Great service as well. I am becoming a regular!
(4)
Doug O.
Nice Mexican place. The restaurant has a pleasant upscale vibe, but the prices are still down to earth. There is a very nice bar area with a bunch of big screen TVs. If there's a big game on and every obvious sports bar is packed, this might be a good under-the-radar place to watch and have some beers. The food was quite good. Have the queso fundido appetizer. It is spectacular.
(4)
Kate H.
Had to bump this place up. Food is consistently fantastic. Service very prompt. We go in so often now that they remember drinks and order modifiers. Did I mention how really clean it is? Well, it is. Really damn clean.
(4)
Emma L.
As big fans of the original location on 33, bf and I had to check out Rancho's new digs at UA's Kingsdale Shopping Center. Pulling up, I was a little disheartened to see them in a plaza setting but excited to see this location offers outdoor patio seating (the original location is sadly sans patio). The interior was very open and nice. Lots of booths and a typical restaurant layout that could fit a lot of diners. The bar area was pretty impressive with 8 flat screen TVs and lots and lots of tequila. Despite the nice interior, we opted to sit outside under the umbrellas. The menu is exactly the same as the other Rancho Allegre, which is fine by me. I think they have a good representation of Americanized Mexican and nearly anyone could find something they'd like. Me? I always go with the Chicken Grilled Burrito (~$11). Always. Chips and salsa are free and promptly arrive at your table when you are seated. Our service was good, though it was a little confusing having multiple servers - they must work community style. I'm really glad to see them doing well in this location! It feels a lot newer and nicer than the one on 33 but overall the food, service and prices are exactly the same. I'm glad we now have an alternate location to go to, especially if we want a patio!
(4)
Yijia C.
The food here is awesome! And I love the free chips and atmosphere ;) I ordered a dish with tasty shrimps, wonderful source and chicken and rice! Yummmmmy. And my friend just ordered seafood pineapple rice. Also delicious! I desperately want to visit you again.
(5)
Megan M.
I was just in Austin for a week, and this tops the charts. Delicious. Food presented beautifully. Service excellent. Atmosphere great. I'm a big foodie, but I have a hard time trying anything other than Rancho Alegre! Don't miss out!
(5)
The Mad Yelper S.
If you want inexpensive Mexican that taste pretty darn good, then this is your place. They have an amazing nacho selection for around $10... enough for two.
(4)
Chris M.
Tried the new location in Dublin this evening and will NOT return! Music was so damn loud and annoying that we couldnt even talk. Food was nothing special, cold chips, bad salsa, overpriced and service sucked. We ordered an appetizer which he forgot to bring but still appeared on our bill. Had to ask for drink refills at least three times. This place sucks.
(1)
Hanna N.
Yes please! love the food and great service. I had my birthday get together here and we had a blast. yummy margaritas! My food order has been messed up a few times, but the food keeps me coming back for sure!
(4)
T P.
Really good American Mexicon food. I luv the staff and the atmosphere. The second best in Columbus. Cool place to have lunch on Sundays and watch couple of games peacefully.
(5)
Glenn C.
This is my new favorite Mexican restaurant. The decor is classy, the price of the food is ridiculously reasonable considering how good the food is. The service is fast and friendly. The margarita's are amazing. Fair warning... drink slow, they pack a punch.
(5)
Bob L.
Service has gone downhill steadily since they opened. Now it's not even worth going to really. On this visit, the food was wrong when some random guy served it, we asked for napkins and never saw him again, and we couldn't ask our server because he disappeared for at least 20 minutes after the food was served.
(2)
Tina W.
I want so much to like this place. The place is pretty. The food is good. The service is terrible. We love to sit at the bar and the last two times we have been there we have had to get up and track down someone to make us a drink. Every time we need something we have to look around for service because they don't staff the lovely bar. They could be making so much more money if they staffed and promoted the bar. The bar is not staffed. The food is pretty good but the new menu is full of errors and is not an improvement on the old menu. I don't know why they added items like a club sandwich and a burger and took away some of the great combo meals...There are no items noted with a chili pepper or other symbol to point you towards spicy items if you like that sort of thing. The new menu has no drink prices and after asking I found that margarita's can vary in price from $4.99 up to towards $20. Put prices back on the menu and lose the American items. I don't come to a Mexican place for burgers or club sandwiches. Please fix this place - it could be great but the staff has no sense of urgency and they don't work together like at El Vaquero. Great potential but just not doing what is needed to be successful.
(2)
Char G.
Staff is super friendly and attentive. Ask for the hot salsa. Mushroom quesadillas are good, I was hoping they would have veggies like the other grilled quesadillas.
(4)
Albert H.
Tried many Mexican Restaurants in Columbus and so far this is the best! The food taste great and their prices are reasonable. They also serve free chips and salsa upon seating and was very good. I Definitely recommend this place. Don't forget to get a card that they punch for discount after 10 punches.
(4)
Wendy M.
Great food & monitor. Lots of TV's so we could watch March Madness! Good prices, nice atmosphere! We had the pork burrito(no cheese)' fajita salad, seafood burrito, chicken enchiladas. We were visiting from out of town and were happy to get seated on a Saturday night.
(4)
Jen S.
I really enjoyed everything about this restaurant. I didn't expect to be so pleasantly surprised as I rarely have Mexican food around here that fully impresses me. We were immediately offered beverages to begin and got water. I also ordered a soft drink. Chips and salsa were brought to our table and we were each given a separate salsa dish which were to hold an individual serving of the salsa which was in its own little glass carafe. Double dipping was automatically not a thought or concern. The tortilla chips were thin, warm and crisp. The salsa was REALLY good. It is a smooth salsa, not chunky. The flavor was perfectly balanced. For my entree I ordered the Enchiladas Rancheras. These are cheese enchiladas topped with shredded pork and a few peppers and onions. It came with rice and beans, a side of shredded lettuce, guacamole and tomato. The rice was perfectly fluffy and the refried beans were creamy and exactly the way (and only way) that I love them! The enchiladas were fresh, hot, and even without the pork on top, would have left me more than happy! The generous amount of pork and veggies on top had a wonderful, slightly smoky flavor similar to a fajita taste. Delicious. Portions: GIANT! The plate was literally two of my regular dining plates morphed into a single "serving!" platter. No kidding - I would use this plate to serve up a freaking main course on the dinner table! It wasn't sickening, though. The presentation was appetizing and I was SO excited to be able to take half home for a round two the following day! Service: Fantastic. We were promptly greeted and shown a booth. The booths have very high backs and makes it easy to achieve the perfect ratio of privacy without feeling secluded or forgotten. Since it was my first time there, I took a while to go over the menu. The waiter checked back in reasonable increments of time, so it was my indecisiveness which was unreasonable! He was very patient, friendly, and reassuring without coming off as at all phony or over-the-top peppy. He did offer to start us off with an appetizer, but we declined since neither of us had reviewed them yet. Tip: The appetizers are not on the dinner menu, but on the table-top flip menu which also highlights specials, desserts, and drinks. After serving our entrees, he came back to ask how everything was and if we needed anything. This is simple, but so appreciated as it becomes rare to have that timing of allowing for a bite or two prior to asking the guest how it is or if anything additional is needed. On the way out, our waiter was efficiently tidying up the restaurant rather than sitting around or disappearing while the restaurant was in a slow period. He thanked us and invited us back - very professional and pleasant. Lighting: Also spot on. Not so bright that I felt there should be an indoor playground, but not so dark that I felt like I was in a cave or to where the food is not allowed just aesthetic appeal. It was really nice ambiance. There are several large flat-screen TVs hung high on the walls of the restaurant and this goes well with the full bar yet didn't distract me since the booths offer such privacy and there is also a nicely defined separation of the bar and dining area without closing the two off from one another. The half walls with brick accent keep the restaurant open-concept. The entire restaurant is nicely decorated, warm, modern with some eclectic accents. It is much larger than I could have imagined based on the outside appearance and location. It is exceptionally clean and well-maintained in comparison to relying on a sterile environment. The restrooms reflect the same. The only blunder there was the two paper towel dispensers were out of paper towels. Far from a deal-breaker, but noted. I can't wait to return. For the first time, I am especially excited to indulge in the three basics: chips and salsa, rice and beans!
(5)
CC C.
I have lived here 15 years, am a total foodie and have yet to have good Mexican food in Columbus until we ate here last week. I am so excited! The chips, salsa, guac, fajitas, queso, quesadillas, and margs were all amazing. The rice, beans, everything was so FRESH and the service was fabulous. Best marg I have had in Columbus. Hands down. The atmosphere is great and the interiors are redone from the past place and wonderful. The bar is a great place to hang out. We ate here with the kids and they loved it, but we'd like to try the bar, too. Great, big screen TVS and lots of sports for my husband. :) I hope people give this place a try bc the last place that was in this location was horrible (hence its closing - I wasn't alone in this opinion) Cheers to great Mexican food in a clean, classy environment with excellent food, staff and service. Go and enjoy! Ole!
(5)
Ethan H.
This is a place of nightmares. I cannot advise you enough to avoid it. The service is awful and slow. My group was stuck here for 3 hours trying to get our food and checks. Half the food that came out was cold or wrong, and one person didn't get his food at all until we were almost leaving. Margaritas tasted roughly like dish water, and waters were never refilled.
(1)
Nick H.
Great food with good prices and the food came out fast. The best Mexican food I've had in a while. Great specials too!
(5)
Rachel F.
Easy and quick. Decent food for a decent price. We always go for a quick meal and they never disappoint. Margs are good but not my favorite. Love getting a couple of appetizers and then splitting something like fajitas. A good larger group space.
(4)
Brandon Heights Yelper S.
Friendly staff. Good food. Restaurant is especially good for larger groups. I like the chicken nachos. Minor negatives: Salsa is really plain (almost ketchup like). Something chunkier with some kick would be nicer. Margaritas seem to be a bit weak.
(4)
Todd G.
This was a clown show from the moment that the 4 of us sat down. I know its Cinco De Mayo, but cmon now. We got there at 6:00 and beat the rush by 5 minutes- We were able to sit down right away, which was great. We got our chips/salsa right away, but it took another 10 minutes before I was able to flag down our server to get drinks. Drinks came quickly, Mt Dew was on point, but the margaritas were not up to standard for my friends/gf. In cheap plastic cups with just 1 flavor available. On the menu the Quac was $ 3.25 and they had a lady going around making it fresh, so we ordered it assuming that was the price, and it was good, but after getting the bill, it was 8 dollars!! I mean, talk about ripping your customers off- You don't disclose the price, nor did she tell us the price, we went with what was on the menu and they charged us. Took a while to order, we ordered, 3 of the 4 meals were wrong- I got the 4 enchiliadas meal, subbed out the chicken one for another beef and wanted the verde sauce instead of red. When it comes out, its got the red sauce on it and a chicken one. My friend ordered a steak burrito and got chicken. I sent mine back right away and it came back pretty quick, but now they were all 4 beef ones, it was supposed to 1 bean/1 cheese/2 beef. This time, I just ate it. Our waters/mt dew sat empty for quite a long time- The service was a complete joke The food itself was nothing great- 13 bucks for what I ordered is a rip-off. To top it off, our friends tried to use a coupon and instead of giving them 3 bucks off, they only gave him 1.50 off!! We tried to question the pricing, but we never saw our server again. They obviously don't care about the consumer, and I will never come back to this restaurant.
Quality Mexican food in an appealing atmosphere, but subpar service - I visited the restaurant for Friday night dinner. The dining room was moderately full. We were seated immediately. Waiter was very snippy and abrupt in his interactions (e.g., pulling plates and napkins out from in front of us). We ordered a pitcher of margarita, which he delivered, but did not help pour our 1st glass. The full glass pitcher was heavy and difficult to maneuver. Margarita was nice and strong after we spilled some in our attempts to get into the glasses. Fresh fruit on the rim was an added bonus. The food was quite tasty compared to your typical Mexican dining experience. Salsa was surprisingly hot/spicy. Guacamole was great. All of this made my experience enjoyable; however, the prices were a little steep. Good food, strong drinks, questionable service, and high prices warrants 3 stars in my book.
(3)
Candace M.
We've been to Rancho Alegre twice now, and both times we've left impressed with the food, but with a bit of a sour taste from the service. The first time, we split the fajitas plate for two. When it came out, we were shocked by the portions; a huge dish of chorizo, chicken, shrimp, scallops, beef, pork, etc. with two plates of lettuce, refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, and tortillas. Wow! When we came back, we split the same dish, and we happened to get it on the day in which it was the special, so the already reasonable price was discounted even further. Yay! Both times, we've taken leftovers home. Last time, we had a waitress who seemed fairly disinterested in us, but was kind enough. This time, we had a waiter who seemed irritable. While the host was very friendly (and even came to our table to help us our when said waiter was MIA), the waiter made us dock huge points from our service. I felt like the waiter had an attitude the whole time, feeling burdened by having to wait on us. That became especially clear when he disappeared for a while with no explanation. I'm hoping the service has been a fluke (everyone has an off day once in a while!) because the food is worth coming back for. I have never been a huge fan of Mexican food, but Rancho Alegre does it especially well. Hopefully, the next time we visit, the caliber of food will match the caliber of service, and I can bump this review up a point or two.
(3)
PollyAnna B.
I was so excited to try this place. I met a group of friends there for dinner and the service was atrocious. What they called "margaritas" were undrinkable. The food, when it finally arrived, was cold. The only person who got warm food was my brother and it came out when we got our checks. This fiasco lasted forever. I will not be returning. "Cinco de No Go"
(1)
Victor H.
We like this place because it's close to where we live, and we get our Mexican fix. The food is fine, a bit pricey for what you get, and the kids meals are pretty overpriced. Drinks are weak - stick to beer or wine.
(3)
Liza V.
I guess this place almost lived up to what I expect from Mexican chain restaurants. I'm not sure why we chose to come, besides I knew I wanted some free chips and salsa! Aside from the chips, I ordered mixed fajitas with steak, chicken, and shrimp. For $12 (on Sundays you get $2.50 off fajitas) I got tons of food. Along with the big skillet of meat and veggies, it was served with a huge plate of rice, beans, guac, pico, and tortillas. My guy ordered a combo plate with a burrito, chile relleno, a taco, and a tamale. The tamale and the taco weren't bad, but the thing they called a burrito was no different than a soft taco, drenched in sauce that tasted like prego. Same sauce all over the soggy, disgusting chile relleno. I won't be back to Rancho Alegre. The other two chain-type Mexican places in Cbus blow this place outta the water.
(2)
Lesley c.
We waited for over 90 minutes for 2 entrees on Friday night. I understand that it was a busy time, and that kitchens can get backed up, but with two young children, it was miserable. We saw 2 other families walk out, and one family ordered "to go" boxes before their food arrived. I found wait staff and got some refills on chips, and inquired about when the meals might be out. I'd believed them after ~50 minutes when they said it would be right out. Most disappointing was that the staff really didn't seem to care. We were pleasant, but they just seemed to avoid us.
(1)
Parr P.
Best skinny margarita, and the new menu is worth the trip. If you haven't been there in a while give it another try! If you haven't been there before make it you next place for Mexican food!
(5)
Garrick G.
Awesome food! Tortillas were light and savory. Mexican rice was flavorful and delicious. I have zero complaints about the quality and flavor of the quesadilla, burrito, and chicken enchiladas my girlfriend and I ordered. Everything was seasoned just right. No dish needed help with extra sour cream or salsa. The food itself felt light. Especially for being Mexican food. I ate two entrees and didn't need a nap! And it was only $21! (quesadilla's were on lunch special) What a great deal!
(5)
Tiffany B.
The queso and salsa make up two of these stars. The service was terrible. Everything was clean though so that's a plus. I had the fajita nachos and they left off the shrimp. I asked for it and got it when I was nearly done. Drink refills were painfully slow. I don't think we will be back.
(3)
Mike G.
This one is a warmer looking, more upscale sister restaurant to the one in Grandview. It's a very open, atypical Mexican looking place. The bar area really caught my eye with its appealing lighting. I came in about 1:15 on Friday and there were maybe 20 customers in all. Only two servers working so the service was fair but not quite as fast as I'm used to in a Mexican restaurant. I got my current favorite: Camerones de Diablo - requested spicy (and it was). Washed down with a Tecate and all was good. So, good somewhat Americanized Mexican food. No complaints here.
(4)
Chris L.
Great tex-mex food and overwhelming house margaritas at this big strip-mall restaurant and bar. Four stars for food and drink, but service still needs some training. House frozen Margarita was huge, strong and surprisingly good, plenty of lime flavor and intensely cold. Just $6. Did I mention strong!? Seriously, it's great when they actually put in some tequila, not just wave the bottle nearby LOL. Chips are not quite as dense as typical house-made corn chips, they're a little puffy and just barely salted. Salsa comes in a small bottle, pour as much as you want in your own little dish. Notably spicy, almost medium, great. Om nom nom, who needs an entree? On weekends you can still get the cheap lunch menu at midday, awesome. Just $7 for most combo plates is a total steal. I had the lunch tamale special, a chicken tamale with red chile sauce, a crispy corn taco plus mex rice. Excellent tamale, not dry. Taco had seasoned (but not sauced) ground beef, lettuce and cheese, good. Red rice was much better than expected, a tad crispy in places. About that service. Not everybody speaks English, the kitchen was a little slow with our food even tho the place was pretty quiet and my order went in wrong. So my food came out wrong, our waiter fixed it but didn't fix the computer. And then of course the bill was wrong. Front counter people fixed that too, and threw in a free cinco de mayo tee shirt plus a coupon. They're really trying here. The huge cantina area has eight (8!) TV screens, a broad choice of tequilas and friendly bartenders, very nice. The Alegre margarita is a frozen margarita with a corona kinda added on top. Hmm, a Coronarita. Uh, maybe next time. Very yelp geeky to be reviewing a Mexican place on cinco de Mayo I know, but hey, what can I say :)
(4)
Colleen R.
I have to admit - I was very skeptical about coming here. The previous Mexican restaurant that occupied the same location was a huge disappointment. I am really glad I gave this place a try. My boyfriend and I came here around 7 on the Friday before Cinco de Mayo. They have a small patio outside that was filled with people. The inside is spacious with lots of booths and tables. We got a seat at a booth, immediately ordered jumbo lime margaritas (of course) and enjoyed the free chips & salsa. The chips & salsa were pretty good - just your average Mexican restaurant chip, but the salsa was fresh and flavorful. The margaritas were HUGE. I was expecting a generic fruit flavor, but the real lime flavor was strong and had a great balance with the tequila. It is probably one of the best margaritas I've had in Columbus. I ordered two chicken quesadillas. The waiter said one probably wouldn't be enough if I was really hungry because they were small. I also got a hard beef taco. The quesadillas were without a doubt the best I've had from Mexican restaurants in Ohio. They were loaded with chicken, peppers and cheese. The chicken was really tender and had great flavor. The beef taco was pretty standard with ground beef filling, lettuce and cheese. My boyfriend was very impressed with his meal, and he is usually not a fan of Mexican food. The service was slow, but there was also a table of 27 beside us that was in our servers section. It was understandable that he was busy with them and it took a little long to get our check. In one visit, this place has become my go-to Mexican restaurant.
(4)
Zack R.
I'm not sure what happened here. This place had great service when they first opened. Now it's absolutely terrible. We gave our drink orders to one guy, and they were brought out by another guy 12 minutes later. Then another girl came to take our order. My wife started to order and the server said, "hold on". Then she flipped through her tickets and said "ok". My wife ordered supreme nachos. I ordered beef chimichangas. She asked again "what meat?", and I said shredded beef. She came back a minute later and asked what kind of meat my wife wanted on the nachos. The food was brought out by someone else all together. My chimichangas were chicken. I told another guy that it was an incorrect order. He took my plate away. The female server came by about 5 minutes later and noticed that my wife had food but I did not. She asked what I ordered and then went back to the kitchen. A few minutes later another guy brought out the corrected order. Before I even cut into it, the female server asked if it tased ok. Never got an apology from anyone. Never got a thank you for dining here. Just really terrible service. I can't believe how fast this place went downhill.
(2)
Keith G.
Service was a little slow but the food itself was very good. They have a heavy hand with their margaritas which is always a plus too.
(4)
Vin R.
Quick question: When is the best time to go out to dinner with a 2 year old and a very picky 4.5 year old? Answer: Never. Or... before 5 pm so you don't annoy any fellow diners and can get in and out quickly. If you have young kids, you know what I'm talking about it. If you don't, enjoy your opportunities to eat out at normal times. My wife and I had a hankering for americanized mexican food on a Saturday and decided to try Rancho Alegre for our standard off-hours super early dinner. The service was friendly and (importantly) super quick with our food arriving almost immediately after ording. My wife went with the basics--a beef taco and bean and cheese enchiladas--this is her standard order and she was pleased. I went a little out on a limb and had the Mole Enchiladas. I was pleasantly surprised--the mole was sweet, spicy, chocolatey at the same time and very flavorful. The kids went with chicken nuggets, fries and the restaurant even accommodated my older son's request for a "cheese taco"--this is a hard taco shell with shredded cheese. It's odd, but that's the closest he gets to mexican food. My wife also had a margarita which was absolutely huge. She reported it was great as well. So, good food; fast; kid request friendly and bigass margaritas. Parents, you've found your mexican restaurant.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
Lauren G.
Quick and friendly service, great fresh salsa and chips, and one of the strongest margaritas I've ever had (not to mention fresh tasting). Eight beers on tap with impressive liquor selection at bar. Lots of fish/seafood/veggie options. Main course was so big it was served on a 16" platter. Best mole I've ever had, too. Will definitely be back!!
(5)Matthew G.
The lunch menu here is tremendous! Great service as well. I am becoming a regular!
(4)Doug O.
Nice Mexican place. The restaurant has a pleasant upscale vibe, but the prices are still down to earth. There is a very nice bar area with a bunch of big screen TVs. If there's a big game on and every obvious sports bar is packed, this might be a good under-the-radar place to watch and have some beers. The food was quite good. Have the queso fundido appetizer. It is spectacular.
(4)Kate H.
Had to bump this place up. Food is consistently fantastic. Service very prompt. We go in so often now that they remember drinks and order modifiers. Did I mention how really clean it is? Well, it is. Really damn clean.
(4)Emma L.
As big fans of the original location on 33, bf and I had to check out Rancho's new digs at UA's Kingsdale Shopping Center. Pulling up, I was a little disheartened to see them in a plaza setting but excited to see this location offers outdoor patio seating (the original location is sadly sans patio). The interior was very open and nice. Lots of booths and a typical restaurant layout that could fit a lot of diners. The bar area was pretty impressive with 8 flat screen TVs and lots and lots of tequila. Despite the nice interior, we opted to sit outside under the umbrellas. The menu is exactly the same as the other Rancho Allegre, which is fine by me. I think they have a good representation of Americanized Mexican and nearly anyone could find something they'd like. Me? I always go with the Chicken Grilled Burrito (~$11). Always. Chips and salsa are free and promptly arrive at your table when you are seated. Our service was good, though it was a little confusing having multiple servers - they must work community style. I'm really glad to see them doing well in this location! It feels a lot newer and nicer than the one on 33 but overall the food, service and prices are exactly the same. I'm glad we now have an alternate location to go to, especially if we want a patio!
(4)Yijia C.
The food here is awesome! And I love the free chips and atmosphere ;) I ordered a dish with tasty shrimps, wonderful source and chicken and rice! Yummmmmy. And my friend just ordered seafood pineapple rice. Also delicious! I desperately want to visit you again.
(5)Megan M.
I was just in Austin for a week, and this tops the charts. Delicious. Food presented beautifully. Service excellent. Atmosphere great. I'm a big foodie, but I have a hard time trying anything other than Rancho Alegre! Don't miss out!
(5)The Mad Yelper S.
If you want inexpensive Mexican that taste pretty darn good, then this is your place. They have an amazing nacho selection for around $10... enough for two.
(4)Chris M.
Tried the new location in Dublin this evening and will NOT return! Music was so damn loud and annoying that we couldnt even talk. Food was nothing special, cold chips, bad salsa, overpriced and service sucked. We ordered an appetizer which he forgot to bring but still appeared on our bill. Had to ask for drink refills at least three times. This place sucks.
(1)Hanna N.
Yes please! love the food and great service. I had my birthday get together here and we had a blast. yummy margaritas! My food order has been messed up a few times, but the food keeps me coming back for sure!
(4)T P.
Really good American Mexicon food. I luv the staff and the atmosphere. The second best in Columbus. Cool place to have lunch on Sundays and watch couple of games peacefully.
(5)Glenn C.
This is my new favorite Mexican restaurant. The decor is classy, the price of the food is ridiculously reasonable considering how good the food is. The service is fast and friendly. The margarita's are amazing. Fair warning... drink slow, they pack a punch.
(5)Bob L.
Service has gone downhill steadily since they opened. Now it's not even worth going to really. On this visit, the food was wrong when some random guy served it, we asked for napkins and never saw him again, and we couldn't ask our server because he disappeared for at least 20 minutes after the food was served.
(2)Tina W.
I want so much to like this place. The place is pretty. The food is good. The service is terrible. We love to sit at the bar and the last two times we have been there we have had to get up and track down someone to make us a drink. Every time we need something we have to look around for service because they don't staff the lovely bar. They could be making so much more money if they staffed and promoted the bar. The bar is not staffed. The food is pretty good but the new menu is full of errors and is not an improvement on the old menu. I don't know why they added items like a club sandwich and a burger and took away some of the great combo meals...There are no items noted with a chili pepper or other symbol to point you towards spicy items if you like that sort of thing. The new menu has no drink prices and after asking I found that margarita's can vary in price from $4.99 up to towards $20. Put prices back on the menu and lose the American items. I don't come to a Mexican place for burgers or club sandwiches. Please fix this place - it could be great but the staff has no sense of urgency and they don't work together like at El Vaquero. Great potential but just not doing what is needed to be successful.
(2)Char G.
Staff is super friendly and attentive. Ask for the hot salsa. Mushroom quesadillas are good, I was hoping they would have veggies like the other grilled quesadillas.
(4)Albert H.
Tried many Mexican Restaurants in Columbus and so far this is the best! The food taste great and their prices are reasonable. They also serve free chips and salsa upon seating and was very good. I Definitely recommend this place. Don't forget to get a card that they punch for discount after 10 punches.
(4)Wendy M.
Great food & monitor. Lots of TV's so we could watch March Madness! Good prices, nice atmosphere! We had the pork burrito(no cheese)' fajita salad, seafood burrito, chicken enchiladas. We were visiting from out of town and were happy to get seated on a Saturday night.
(4)Jen S.
I really enjoyed everything about this restaurant. I didn't expect to be so pleasantly surprised as I rarely have Mexican food around here that fully impresses me. We were immediately offered beverages to begin and got water. I also ordered a soft drink. Chips and salsa were brought to our table and we were each given a separate salsa dish which were to hold an individual serving of the salsa which was in its own little glass carafe. Double dipping was automatically not a thought or concern. The tortilla chips were thin, warm and crisp. The salsa was REALLY good. It is a smooth salsa, not chunky. The flavor was perfectly balanced. For my entree I ordered the Enchiladas Rancheras. These are cheese enchiladas topped with shredded pork and a few peppers and onions. It came with rice and beans, a side of shredded lettuce, guacamole and tomato. The rice was perfectly fluffy and the refried beans were creamy and exactly the way (and only way) that I love them! The enchiladas were fresh, hot, and even without the pork on top, would have left me more than happy! The generous amount of pork and veggies on top had a wonderful, slightly smoky flavor similar to a fajita taste. Delicious. Portions: GIANT! The plate was literally two of my regular dining plates morphed into a single "serving!" platter. No kidding - I would use this plate to serve up a freaking main course on the dinner table! It wasn't sickening, though. The presentation was appetizing and I was SO excited to be able to take half home for a round two the following day! Service: Fantastic. We were promptly greeted and shown a booth. The booths have very high backs and makes it easy to achieve the perfect ratio of privacy without feeling secluded or forgotten. Since it was my first time there, I took a while to go over the menu. The waiter checked back in reasonable increments of time, so it was my indecisiveness which was unreasonable! He was very patient, friendly, and reassuring without coming off as at all phony or over-the-top peppy. He did offer to start us off with an appetizer, but we declined since neither of us had reviewed them yet. Tip: The appetizers are not on the dinner menu, but on the table-top flip menu which also highlights specials, desserts, and drinks. After serving our entrees, he came back to ask how everything was and if we needed anything. This is simple, but so appreciated as it becomes rare to have that timing of allowing for a bite or two prior to asking the guest how it is or if anything additional is needed. On the way out, our waiter was efficiently tidying up the restaurant rather than sitting around or disappearing while the restaurant was in a slow period. He thanked us and invited us back - very professional and pleasant. Lighting: Also spot on. Not so bright that I felt there should be an indoor playground, but not so dark that I felt like I was in a cave or to where the food is not allowed just aesthetic appeal. It was really nice ambiance. There are several large flat-screen TVs hung high on the walls of the restaurant and this goes well with the full bar yet didn't distract me since the booths offer such privacy and there is also a nicely defined separation of the bar and dining area without closing the two off from one another. The half walls with brick accent keep the restaurant open-concept. The entire restaurant is nicely decorated, warm, modern with some eclectic accents. It is much larger than I could have imagined based on the outside appearance and location. It is exceptionally clean and well-maintained in comparison to relying on a sterile environment. The restrooms reflect the same. The only blunder there was the two paper towel dispensers were out of paper towels. Far from a deal-breaker, but noted. I can't wait to return. For the first time, I am especially excited to indulge in the three basics: chips and salsa, rice and beans!
(5)CC C.
I have lived here 15 years, am a total foodie and have yet to have good Mexican food in Columbus until we ate here last week. I am so excited! The chips, salsa, guac, fajitas, queso, quesadillas, and margs were all amazing. The rice, beans, everything was so FRESH and the service was fabulous. Best marg I have had in Columbus. Hands down. The atmosphere is great and the interiors are redone from the past place and wonderful. The bar is a great place to hang out. We ate here with the kids and they loved it, but we'd like to try the bar, too. Great, big screen TVS and lots of sports for my husband. :) I hope people give this place a try bc the last place that was in this location was horrible (hence its closing - I wasn't alone in this opinion) Cheers to great Mexican food in a clean, classy environment with excellent food, staff and service. Go and enjoy! Ole!
(5)Ethan H.
This is a place of nightmares. I cannot advise you enough to avoid it. The service is awful and slow. My group was stuck here for 3 hours trying to get our food and checks. Half the food that came out was cold or wrong, and one person didn't get his food at all until we were almost leaving. Margaritas tasted roughly like dish water, and waters were never refilled.
(1)Nick H.
Great food with good prices and the food came out fast. The best Mexican food I've had in a while. Great specials too!
(5)Rachel F.
Easy and quick. Decent food for a decent price. We always go for a quick meal and they never disappoint. Margs are good but not my favorite. Love getting a couple of appetizers and then splitting something like fajitas. A good larger group space.
(4)Brandon Heights Yelper S.
Friendly staff. Good food. Restaurant is especially good for larger groups. I like the chicken nachos. Minor negatives: Salsa is really plain (almost ketchup like). Something chunkier with some kick would be nicer. Margaritas seem to be a bit weak.
(4)Todd G.
This was a clown show from the moment that the 4 of us sat down. I know its Cinco De Mayo, but cmon now. We got there at 6:00 and beat the rush by 5 minutes- We were able to sit down right away, which was great. We got our chips/salsa right away, but it took another 10 minutes before I was able to flag down our server to get drinks. Drinks came quickly, Mt Dew was on point, but the margaritas were not up to standard for my friends/gf. In cheap plastic cups with just 1 flavor available. On the menu the Quac was $ 3.25 and they had a lady going around making it fresh, so we ordered it assuming that was the price, and it was good, but after getting the bill, it was 8 dollars!! I mean, talk about ripping your customers off- You don't disclose the price, nor did she tell us the price, we went with what was on the menu and they charged us. Took a while to order, we ordered, 3 of the 4 meals were wrong- I got the 4 enchiliadas meal, subbed out the chicken one for another beef and wanted the verde sauce instead of red. When it comes out, its got the red sauce on it and a chicken one. My friend ordered a steak burrito and got chicken. I sent mine back right away and it came back pretty quick, but now they were all 4 beef ones, it was supposed to 1 bean/1 cheese/2 beef. This time, I just ate it. Our waters/mt dew sat empty for quite a long time- The service was a complete joke The food itself was nothing great- 13 bucks for what I ordered is a rip-off. To top it off, our friends tried to use a coupon and instead of giving them 3 bucks off, they only gave him 1.50 off!! We tried to question the pricing, but we never saw our server again. They obviously don't care about the consumer, and I will never come back to this restaurant.
(1)Aya R.
So, you'd expect service to be slow on a really busy day. But "Cinco de Mayo" was a no go last night. You think they would have been ready? With a "Cinco de Mayo" menu and themed shirts... NOPE. Our party got there at 7:30pm. We even made reservations... My friend's chicken fajitas on the "sizzling platter" was cold, and waited about an hour to get tortillas... But she did get a side of french fries? What? My water never got refilled. No one asked me if I wanted it refilled... ever. EVER. But you can come back with more Coronas? I see where your priorities lie. I got the "supremas" which was supposed to be 4 different enchiladas. But I got 3. I got a "fourth" but it was just a tortilla shell? I was wondering why this particular enchilada was so flat... It didn't have anything in it. "You know its bad when they come out with everyone's food and ask you 'What is it you ordered again" and then leave..." My friend's brother waited more than 2 hours for his meal. Everyone was basically done with their food before he got his food. I get it, it might take a while for a party of 11 to get all their orders, but I expected the wait to be long. I didn't expect the service to be terrible. I'd take slow, warm, good food over fast, cold, terrible food and nonexistent service. There was a table of 6 behind us that arrived after we got there, got their food and paid before we left. There was a larger party of maybe 15 or 16 people (maybe even more? They had a few empty chairs.) to the right of us that seemed to get alright service? So, I didn't think our party of 11 would be a problem. There were 3 people that got to frustrated with waiting for service they just ordered their food to go, and still waited so long for their food. Nunca. Yo nunca volveré...
(1)Megan V.
Quality Mexican food in an appealing atmosphere, but subpar service - I visited the restaurant for Friday night dinner. The dining room was moderately full. We were seated immediately. Waiter was very snippy and abrupt in his interactions (e.g., pulling plates and napkins out from in front of us). We ordered a pitcher of margarita, which he delivered, but did not help pour our 1st glass. The full glass pitcher was heavy and difficult to maneuver. Margarita was nice and strong after we spilled some in our attempts to get into the glasses. Fresh fruit on the rim was an added bonus. The food was quite tasty compared to your typical Mexican dining experience. Salsa was surprisingly hot/spicy. Guacamole was great. All of this made my experience enjoyable; however, the prices were a little steep. Good food, strong drinks, questionable service, and high prices warrants 3 stars in my book.
(3)Candace M.
We've been to Rancho Alegre twice now, and both times we've left impressed with the food, but with a bit of a sour taste from the service. The first time, we split the fajitas plate for two. When it came out, we were shocked by the portions; a huge dish of chorizo, chicken, shrimp, scallops, beef, pork, etc. with two plates of lettuce, refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, and tortillas. Wow! When we came back, we split the same dish, and we happened to get it on the day in which it was the special, so the already reasonable price was discounted even further. Yay! Both times, we've taken leftovers home. Last time, we had a waitress who seemed fairly disinterested in us, but was kind enough. This time, we had a waiter who seemed irritable. While the host was very friendly (and even came to our table to help us our when said waiter was MIA), the waiter made us dock huge points from our service. I felt like the waiter had an attitude the whole time, feeling burdened by having to wait on us. That became especially clear when he disappeared for a while with no explanation. I'm hoping the service has been a fluke (everyone has an off day once in a while!) because the food is worth coming back for. I have never been a huge fan of Mexican food, but Rancho Alegre does it especially well. Hopefully, the next time we visit, the caliber of food will match the caliber of service, and I can bump this review up a point or two.
(3)PollyAnna B.
I was so excited to try this place. I met a group of friends there for dinner and the service was atrocious. What they called "margaritas" were undrinkable. The food, when it finally arrived, was cold. The only person who got warm food was my brother and it came out when we got our checks. This fiasco lasted forever. I will not be returning. "Cinco de No Go"
(1)Victor H.
We like this place because it's close to where we live, and we get our Mexican fix. The food is fine, a bit pricey for what you get, and the kids meals are pretty overpriced. Drinks are weak - stick to beer or wine.
(3)Liza V.
I guess this place almost lived up to what I expect from Mexican chain restaurants. I'm not sure why we chose to come, besides I knew I wanted some free chips and salsa! Aside from the chips, I ordered mixed fajitas with steak, chicken, and shrimp. For $12 (on Sundays you get $2.50 off fajitas) I got tons of food. Along with the big skillet of meat and veggies, it was served with a huge plate of rice, beans, guac, pico, and tortillas. My guy ordered a combo plate with a burrito, chile relleno, a taco, and a tamale. The tamale and the taco weren't bad, but the thing they called a burrito was no different than a soft taco, drenched in sauce that tasted like prego. Same sauce all over the soggy, disgusting chile relleno. I won't be back to Rancho Alegre. The other two chain-type Mexican places in Cbus blow this place outta the water.
(2)Lesley c.
We waited for over 90 minutes for 2 entrees on Friday night. I understand that it was a busy time, and that kitchens can get backed up, but with two young children, it was miserable. We saw 2 other families walk out, and one family ordered "to go" boxes before their food arrived. I found wait staff and got some refills on chips, and inquired about when the meals might be out. I'd believed them after ~50 minutes when they said it would be right out. Most disappointing was that the staff really didn't seem to care. We were pleasant, but they just seemed to avoid us.
(1)Parr P.
Best skinny margarita, and the new menu is worth the trip. If you haven't been there in a while give it another try! If you haven't been there before make it you next place for Mexican food!
(5)Garrick G.
Awesome food! Tortillas were light and savory. Mexican rice was flavorful and delicious. I have zero complaints about the quality and flavor of the quesadilla, burrito, and chicken enchiladas my girlfriend and I ordered. Everything was seasoned just right. No dish needed help with extra sour cream or salsa. The food itself felt light. Especially for being Mexican food. I ate two entrees and didn't need a nap! And it was only $21! (quesadilla's were on lunch special) What a great deal!
(5)Tiffany B.
The queso and salsa make up two of these stars. The service was terrible. Everything was clean though so that's a plus. I had the fajita nachos and they left off the shrimp. I asked for it and got it when I was nearly done. Drink refills were painfully slow. I don't think we will be back.
(3)Mike G.
This one is a warmer looking, more upscale sister restaurant to the one in Grandview. It's a very open, atypical Mexican looking place. The bar area really caught my eye with its appealing lighting. I came in about 1:15 on Friday and there were maybe 20 customers in all. Only two servers working so the service was fair but not quite as fast as I'm used to in a Mexican restaurant. I got my current favorite: Camerones de Diablo - requested spicy (and it was). Washed down with a Tecate and all was good. So, good somewhat Americanized Mexican food. No complaints here.
(4)Chris L.
Great tex-mex food and overwhelming house margaritas at this big strip-mall restaurant and bar. Four stars for food and drink, but service still needs some training. House frozen Margarita was huge, strong and surprisingly good, plenty of lime flavor and intensely cold. Just $6. Did I mention strong!? Seriously, it's great when they actually put in some tequila, not just wave the bottle nearby LOL. Chips are not quite as dense as typical house-made corn chips, they're a little puffy and just barely salted. Salsa comes in a small bottle, pour as much as you want in your own little dish. Notably spicy, almost medium, great. Om nom nom, who needs an entree? On weekends you can still get the cheap lunch menu at midday, awesome. Just $7 for most combo plates is a total steal. I had the lunch tamale special, a chicken tamale with red chile sauce, a crispy corn taco plus mex rice. Excellent tamale, not dry. Taco had seasoned (but not sauced) ground beef, lettuce and cheese, good. Red rice was much better than expected, a tad crispy in places. About that service. Not everybody speaks English, the kitchen was a little slow with our food even tho the place was pretty quiet and my order went in wrong. So my food came out wrong, our waiter fixed it but didn't fix the computer. And then of course the bill was wrong. Front counter people fixed that too, and threw in a free cinco de mayo tee shirt plus a coupon. They're really trying here. The huge cantina area has eight (8!) TV screens, a broad choice of tequilas and friendly bartenders, very nice. The Alegre margarita is a frozen margarita with a corona kinda added on top. Hmm, a Coronarita. Uh, maybe next time. Very yelp geeky to be reviewing a Mexican place on cinco de Mayo I know, but hey, what can I say :)
(4)Colleen R.
I have to admit - I was very skeptical about coming here. The previous Mexican restaurant that occupied the same location was a huge disappointment. I am really glad I gave this place a try. My boyfriend and I came here around 7 on the Friday before Cinco de Mayo. They have a small patio outside that was filled with people. The inside is spacious with lots of booths and tables. We got a seat at a booth, immediately ordered jumbo lime margaritas (of course) and enjoyed the free chips & salsa. The chips & salsa were pretty good - just your average Mexican restaurant chip, but the salsa was fresh and flavorful. The margaritas were HUGE. I was expecting a generic fruit flavor, but the real lime flavor was strong and had a great balance with the tequila. It is probably one of the best margaritas I've had in Columbus. I ordered two chicken quesadillas. The waiter said one probably wouldn't be enough if I was really hungry because they were small. I also got a hard beef taco. The quesadillas were without a doubt the best I've had from Mexican restaurants in Ohio. They were loaded with chicken, peppers and cheese. The chicken was really tender and had great flavor. The beef taco was pretty standard with ground beef filling, lettuce and cheese. My boyfriend was very impressed with his meal, and he is usually not a fan of Mexican food. The service was slow, but there was also a table of 27 beside us that was in our servers section. It was understandable that he was busy with them and it took a little long to get our check. In one visit, this place has become my go-to Mexican restaurant.
(4)Zack R.
I'm not sure what happened here. This place had great service when they first opened. Now it's absolutely terrible. We gave our drink orders to one guy, and they were brought out by another guy 12 minutes later. Then another girl came to take our order. My wife started to order and the server said, "hold on". Then she flipped through her tickets and said "ok". My wife ordered supreme nachos. I ordered beef chimichangas. She asked again "what meat?", and I said shredded beef. She came back a minute later and asked what kind of meat my wife wanted on the nachos. The food was brought out by someone else all together. My chimichangas were chicken. I told another guy that it was an incorrect order. He took my plate away. The female server came by about 5 minutes later and noticed that my wife had food but I did not. She asked what I ordered and then went back to the kitchen. A few minutes later another guy brought out the corrected order. Before I even cut into it, the female server asked if it tased ok. Never got an apology from anyone. Never got a thank you for dining here. Just really terrible service. I can't believe how fast this place went downhill.
(2)Keith G.
Service was a little slow but the food itself was very good. They have a heavy hand with their margaritas which is always a plus too.
(4)Vin R.
Quick question: When is the best time to go out to dinner with a 2 year old and a very picky 4.5 year old? Answer: Never. Or... before 5 pm so you don't annoy any fellow diners and can get in and out quickly. If you have young kids, you know what I'm talking about it. If you don't, enjoy your opportunities to eat out at normal times. My wife and I had a hankering for americanized mexican food on a Saturday and decided to try Rancho Alegre for our standard off-hours super early dinner. The service was friendly and (importantly) super quick with our food arriving almost immediately after ording. My wife went with the basics--a beef taco and bean and cheese enchiladas--this is her standard order and she was pleased. I went a little out on a limb and had the Mole Enchiladas. I was pleasantly surprised--the mole was sweet, spicy, chocolatey at the same time and very flavorful. The kids went with chicken nuggets, fries and the restaurant even accommodated my older son's request for a "cheese taco"--this is a hard taco shell with shredded cheese. It's odd, but that's the closest he gets to mexican food. My wife also had a margarita which was absolutely huge. She reported it was great as well. So, good food; fast; kid request friendly and bigass margaritas. Parents, you've found your mexican restaurant.
(4)