Rancho Rustico Family Mexican Restaurant
8270 S Houghton Rd,Ste 140, Tucson, AZ, 85747
Rancho Rustico Family Mexican Restaurant Menu
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Address :
8270 S Houghton Rd,Ste 140
Tucson, AZ, 85747 - Phone (520) 574-2294
- Website https://ranchorustico1.wix.com/ranchorusticotucson
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
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.
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Allison M.
We love this place! My husband crew up with his Mexican grandmother's homemade cooking, so he's always been very picky about Mexican food. We tried this place shortly after moving to the area (I expected to be disappointed, as we had been with other places in the neighborhood)- but we were both very pleasantly surprised. We've been back repeatedly and taken multiple out-of-towners, all of whom loved it. Service has always been exceptional, very friendly and on top of our drinks and orders. (We did have one night where service was slower, but the restaurant was packed.) As a guacamole addict, theirs is my personal favoritr- seasonings enhance but don't overpower the avocado. The queso fundido is a melty cheesy delight. Love the tacos, but the green corn tamales are my favorite "unique" item with a slightly sweet taste. We love our local Rancho Rustico. It's our favorite Mexican place in Tucson!
(5)Maria G.
Rancho Rustico I really wasn't expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised by some of the items we had tonight for dinner. I arrived a little before 6pm. I thought I would catch happy hour, but no it ended at 5pm. Happy Hour is from 2pm-5pm. It is good for the retired folks. The interior is decorated with saddles and even a Mexican outfit nailed up on the walk. There are many colors but they are the dated Southwest colors, think peach and green. This is a surprisingly small restaurant and it was almost full early on a weeknight. That was a good sign. I ordered a beer. They have a lot of Mexican beers on draft and I got a Negra Modelo, $4 for 16oz, it seemed like a small glass for a 16oz pour, but sometimes it is hard to tell how much a glass holds. When I asked our server what types of beer she had she started the list with Michelob Ultra and the other domestics. They do have a multi-page cocktail menu but it is also just the classics and the basic drinks. We were brought a BIG basket of chips to start and then two regular salsas. They asked if we wanted spicy salsa and we did. They brought us a bowl of habanero tomatillo salsa. It was spicy. We ate almost all the chips and we still had at least half of the salsa left. I though I might save it for the meal. When the meal came to the table rice and beans came on a side plate. The beans were good, not watered down. Then came the chile relleno that we ordered a la carte. It was really good. I would definitely order it again. The molcajete for one person, was big enough for us to split considering we had filled up on chips. I really wish there had been less salsa in the molcajete. It could have had a quarter of the salsa and it would have been better and easier to eat. We were fishing through the salsa the entire time. The salsa was mild and tomatoey. It was just in the way. I left very full. The portions are good but I think the prices are a little high. There aren't a lot of restaurant choices in this area of town. So overall, the prices might be justified. If you are in the area this isn't a bad basic/classic Americanized Mexican restaurant. However, it doesn't really standout considering how many good Mexican restaurants there are in Tucson.
(3)Kodok G.
Surprisingly good Mexican food in the 'hood. Doesn't look like much on the outside (located in a strip mall off Houghton), but inside you'll find a warm, festive atmosphere, welcoming service, excellent food, and in grande portions. All the platos tipicos had some unique twists and flavors, beginning with the fresh (and free) salsas and chips, and the guacamole was muy fresco y sabroso. The burritos are large and chock full of flavor - much more than a meal, so we had some to take home. Family-friendly, with inexpensive kid options, but good choices of beer and other adult beverages (e.g., monstrous margaritas!). Extra bonus points: they don't use lard in their beans!! Best Mexican choice in SE Tucson, for sure.
(5)Brian H.
Great location for SE siders and the decor is well executed for being in a strip mall. Their service was spot on and stayed consistent through the rush. Our server was very friendly and attentive. The food is good, but it's a little different than Sonoran style restaurants in flavor. I had the chile relleno and shredded beef enchilada. The relleno (pablano or Anaheim - I couldn't tell) was tender, had a light batter, and a ton of cheese in it. The shredded beef was also very tender, but not much flavor. The beans and rice were both excellent and had a definite home-made flavor to them. My son had ground beef enchiladas, which he liked. I sampled them and the beef had a nice aroma and flavor. My wife had the chicken salad. The chicken had a great mesquite grilled flavor. My daughter's enchiladas were swimming in cheese and topped with more. Too much cheese is my final thought on the food. Mixing chedder with queso contija and queso blanco or Oaxaca all on one plate is overkill. The wife's margarita was "average" she said. We will return, but it will not replace our favorites in town.
(3)Lorrie K.
The food and service sucked! My son and I went on a Sunday afternoon it was so empty. Yet it told 10 mins to get us water. Then the food came, my floutas were grid so bad. My sons bean and cheese tasted burnt. Then to top it off. I order "deep fried" ice cream. Deep fried it wasn't. It was covered in Mesa and honey. It was disgusting. Never going back.
(1)Tuaca T.
Great food, friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, highly recommend. Been there for lunch and dinner and will continue as we completely enjoy this restaurant. The guacamole, chips and salsa are each the best we've had here in Tucson. We've been able to order enchiladas the way we like them and the chorizo dishes are to die for and my favorite as I turn the left overs from this meal into breakfast the next day. So far I've only had a few of the house margaritas but they have been excellent.
(5)Jennifer D.
Very good and portions were huge for the prices! Everyone was friendly and explained the menu items that I was unfamiliar with!
(4)Tricia K.
Ok so this time was better. Got the tortilla soup and bean dip. The chips were outstanding. The salsa was good and the service was good. I will be coming back.
(4)Mike M.
Don't let the strip mall location fool you. This place is serving up some tasty Mexican classics. The chips are hot, light and crispy perfection. They offer a regular red salsa and a hotter habañero version upon request. If you're more of a pico de gallo fan you can purchase a freshly prepared side that will easily feed 4 or more. Shredded beef tacos, cheese enchiladas, chile rellenos and chile verde plates are some of my favorites. They serve ice cold dos equis ambar with lime which perfectly compliments any dish. Surprisingly, they offer breakfast as well which will not disappoint. Huevos rancheros and other egg dishes are fabulous. Friday nights will have a wait with a line outside so be prepared. It's worth the wait.
(4)Lachlan G.
If I could call Rick Moranis, get him to re-invent the machine he built from "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," I would have him shrink me down to the size of a thimble so I could literally bathe in the miracle that is their Mocaljete. I often find myself day-dreaming about them. I've eaten there multiple times since my first review, and it's just so frighteningly satisfying, that I would almost eat there every day. Every SINGLE DAY! Margarita, Queso Fundido, Mocaljete, Sopapillas....sorted.
(5)Sarah G.
Atmosphere is quiet. Prices are high for average quality Mexican cuisine. Staff is friendly and polite. This place has great potential, but is falling short in a few areas. Average.
(3)AL J.
In my opinion, this is the best Mexican food I have ever eaten. I recently had dinner at La Parilla Suiza on Speedway. LOUD!, Mariachis. Dry tasteless burro. Rancho Rustica, quiet, best chimichanga I have ever eaten, and the house margarita was great. Uniformed staff, efficient and polite. Put this one on your agenda.
(5)Heather K.
We'd driven by this place several times since moving to the area, and it was always packed. We'd heard it was "ok but a little expensive", so my son and I decided to decide for ourselves on a Thursday night. The place was pretty full for a weeknight, but we were seated promptly and chips and salsa came out immediately. Chips were clearly homemade and delicious. Salsa also clearly homemade and they bring two kinds, mild and medium. The mild had a nice, garlicky flavor and I found myself wishing that one had more heat and the more basic medium was the mild. Menu is pretty standard for mexican food. My son had the kids taco plate and I had the Pollo Fundido. The kids plate was huge, enough to feed an adult and my son said it was "the best taco I've ever had!". The Pollo was high quality shredded chicken breast, no mystery meat here! My only complaint is the small amount of cream cheese sauce and the overwhelming amount of regular cheese. Otherwise, a delicious dinner. Service was attentive but not intrusive, decor interesting and homey. Maybe a little more expensive than some, we paid a total of $24 for two meals and two soft drinks, but when you're one of the few sit down restaurants in the area, you have that luxury. We'll definitely be back!
(4)Hungry G.
One of the best thing about being a "foodie" is making a great new discovery. Rancho Rustico is a classic Mexican family restaurant featuring huge helpings of classic Mexican dishes. But the best part of this place are the new and unique dishes, such as their Molcajete. Molcajete, the "house specialty," literally means a traditional mortar and pestle used for grinding corn. However, at this place it's also a fantasticly complex dish served bubbling hot in a lava stone mortar. Mine came with marinated steak, chicken, shrimp, avocado, sticks of jack cheese, and green onions, cooked in a rich tomato based sauce and served with totillas. [See my photos]. The sauce has depth and texture beyond any enchilada sauce, giving the dish a stew-like feel. This is an ancient Aztec dish which leads to the logical question, "Cortez, how could you have destroyed this civilization?" There are other gems on the menu that you'll have to discover for yourself. The huge portions and rich flavors will keep me coming back for more.
(5)Kirk W.
My wife and I had an excellent meal there this evening. The service was friendly and attentive. They brought a very generous amount of chips anf salsa. The food was tasty, the portions generous, and things were reasonably priced. The seating was well spaced so everyone there had enough room without bothering everyone else (some restaurants try to pack in too many tables for the available space ). Fortunately we got there before the 5:30 rush so although most tables were filled we were seats immediately. It is a very handy location but unassuming from the outside. If friends had not recommended it we might have continued to drive by without stopping.
(4)Sarah B.
My family and I eat here at least once a month, it's nice to have a Mexican restaurant in Rita Ranch. We enjoy the lunch specials very much. Best margaritas in town. Highly recommend trying this place out.
(4)Francie L.
Excellent dinner, margaritas were good( half price at happy hour). Staff friendly and attentive. Salsa was tasty and had a little zip to it, chips crunchy & warm & not uniform in size. I had the Pollo Vallarta and it was wonderful, chicken was thin sliced so it was evenly cooked, moist & tender - shrimp & poblano - oh my. Husband had chicken taco salad - said it was good tasting but was pretty watery on the plate. Fairly busy with families so looks like the neighborhood go to place.
(4)Ashley J.
Love their house margarita! Even better during Happy Hour. ;) Every entree I've had has been delicious. Their mole sauce is also some of the best I've had. I've been waiting for a great restaurant in Rita Ranch and it's finally here. Anytime after 5:30 and it's pretty packed so that's a great sign others agree this is great food.
(5)Betsy M.
I have been here many times since my first visit and this place is now one of our go to favorites. We have never had bad service or a bad meal here. The staff is wonderful, the owner accommodating and the food terrific. Their margaritas are delish, and try their breakfast... really yummy, particularly the chile relleno.
(5)Jes W.
You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. Fantastic!
(5)Nicole B.
Oh Rancho, how I've enjoyed you in the past. Your beers, your happy hour specials, your proximity to my house. Your tortillas, wings, salsa. Cold beers, margaritas, I could go on! Having been to Rancho about a half dozen times previously for various meals (including breakfast), we went in for happy hour and pointed to the happy hour menu and asked for the $2.50 beers. We then also ordered a couple of appetizers to share (also on happy hour). When our bill came, the beers were $5 each and the appetizers were full price. After waiting awhile after we had finished eating, my husband got up and found our waiter and reminded him that we were there on happy hour, and asked him to fix the price. Upon returning again with our bill, the appetizers were the correct prices, but the beers were still full priced. My husband went and found him again (after another 5+ minute wait and he hadn't returned). The waiter then told us that we ordered the large beers. There was a language barrier, which is fine, but we were both frustrated because we specifically pointed to the $2.50 beers on the menu when ordering to make sure there were no misunderstandings. After arguing with us about what we ordered, the waiter left and actually came back with two different sizes beers, and rudely showed us "THIS is the happy hour beer, THIS is what you ordered. They are different. Next time you need to tell me before you drink them if they're wrong." We were shocked at the disrespect and rudeness of the whole situation. We also didn't know that there was a difference, or beer sizes (this was not listed on the menu), or that we were expected to know the differences upon dining at the restaurant. My husband said he refuses to go back. We were huge fans of the place until we were treated that way. A simple apology and/or explanation of the misunderstanding from the waiter would have been plenty. Previously though, we had good experiences with service.
(2)GM M.
Love the warm chips they bring out with salsa! We missed breakfast, which ends at 11:00 (Saturday). I had the flautas, he had chile colorado. Both plates came with plenty of food.
(4)Christina H.
Fantastic food and good service. Give them a try for breakfast too! Where else can you get a great breakfast in the $6-7 range? Both Mexican and traditional offerings. Full bar. Good margaritas at happy hour. Family friendly. Daily specials.
(5)Melinda C.
Eh. Hubby and I look for different things in a Mexican restaurant. He liked the traditional food a lot. I wasn't thrilled with the "turista" American fare that I tried. The hostess was friendly. The waiter was absent. Will we go back? Probably not any time soon.
(3)David W.
My wife and I got to this place at 8:00 PM on a Wednesday night. There were about three or four other couples/families already seated. However, one of the servers was vacuuming the carpet around the tables. At first I thought she was just cleaning up a mess that had occurred, but that would have been too nice. She was vacuuming the entire restaurant, going right by tables where there were customers trying to have a conversation with others at their table. After about 30 minutes of us being there, I finally asked the lady to stop vacuuming. She looked at me like I was so rude to ask. She did however stop, but made sure to start right back up again after we received our bill. Is it really that important to vacuum? Can't you wait until after you close and all your customers are gone? It's kinda hard to have a conversation with people at your table when the vacuum is going by your table, and the next table, and the next table..... As for the food, not good. My wife ordered a green chile soup. The menu describes it as having green chile and strips of meat. However, it is green chile with gobs of onions. I think she did find ONE strip of meat in the entire bowl. I ordered a combo plate with a shredded beef taco and a chile relleno, which came with rice and beans. The taco lacked any flavor and the cheese on the top tasted like it had been in the refrigerator too long. The chile relleno was actually really good, probably one of the best ones I've had. However, as for the rice and beans, the rice was so dry it was crusty and the beans were nothing special. They serve you complimentary chips and salsa when you are seated. The chips are definitely not home made, totally taste like they came from a bag, not warm. The salsa tastes like they opened a can of tomato sauce and poured it in a bowl. All in all, I will never go back here. The service was not the greatest, the vacuuming incident was just plain rude, and the only good food was my chile relleno which, as good as it was, is not worth all the other negatives I experienced.
(1)Edda P.
Went here on a week night. Service was excellent and the margarita was great. The food not so much. I had the beef taco salad. The seasoning sauce in the meat was not pleasant. I could not eat it. I could not taste any difference in the two dishes of salsa they brought out. Both were spicy and left me with an upset stomach.
(2)Karin S.
Amazing food at a fantastic price. We love coming here to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner. They have great happy hour specials. Tonight the service was great with Janet. She was wonderful! My husband said the margaritas were great as always. The manager always makes a point of saying hello to us. Everyone there is always nice and welcoming. We highly recommend Rancho Rustico!
(5)RoLea E.
The food was tasty! I recently tried this place and ordered a few items to go. We got the Fajitas (steak and chicken) and the Carne Asada. Both came with rice and beans. I think all of the items had good flavor. The fajitas had sort of a redish sauce on it and the chicken and steak were tossed together in the sauce with the peppers and onions. I was surprised that it was all mixed together like that, but it was tasty. I will try this place again.
(4)Tony Y.
Having a Mexican place right across the street was a great thing for the Rita Ranch area, that is, until the service and the food went from really good to not so good anymore. We will usually take a walk or ride our bikes on the weekends and finish here for breakfast. Today, we had plans to do some things out of town and decided to grab some Huevos con chorizo for me and she was craving their red menudo that she has gotten faithfully since they opened and has always been happy with it. My plate was over cooked almost on the verge of being burnt, and the eggs were rubbery like the whole dish was sitting for a few hours. The menudo was half garlic and onion skin instead of tripe. It was so bad, it seemed like it wasn't even made by a Hispanic cook at all. She sent it back and ordered the carne asada and eggs, which after she took only a couple of bites, decided to take it home and see if the son would eat it. Rubbery meat, not very tasty at all. The service was OK, but the real joy was when one of the servers grabbed the carpet sweeper and kept going by everyone's table while we were all trying to eat. We left shortly there after. We have noticed that the food has been gradually going down hill for a few months now. Even though it is within walking distance of our house, we will make an effort to either drive all the way up to the Tanque Verde Rancho or try the other Mexican place next to Safeway on Nexus and Valencia.
(1)Y H.
I liked it... I been there a few times. I get good service every time. Whats good service: 1. Not having to wait a long time for the wait staff to come take an order. 2. Refilling of drinks in a timely manner and not dying to dehydration... 3. Relaxing atmosphere... 4. Friendly, if not jovial staff...fun, you know... 5. Pretty tasty food... Win-Win for me.. :)
(4)Jim T.
(Tucson Jan 2015) GREAT mole Very good service Reasonable prices Clean Interesting decor. One flaw-a small chicken bone appeared where it shouldn't have.
(5)Amy W.
I've had some good luck dining here and being gluten free. It helps to talk to the manager, as he is knowledgeable. Sometimes the wait staff doesn't understand. After a long day of helping a friend move my husband and I ate here and had a great meal. The portions are decent and the food is delicious. At times the service can be slow, but we never get low on drinks. During previous visits I've had margaritas I've found them to be tasty and strong.
(4)Patsy B.
Really, really good. Loco Burrito is their version of a Chili Verde burrito. It was delicious. Chicken mango was wonderful. Excellent service.
(4)Linda H.
Amazing food and awesome customer service. Great family restaurant. Favorites are chicken fajitas and carne asada.
(5)Kathy G.
As everyone should keep in mind, each restaurant's true Mexican cuisine will have it's own unique flavors. We love the location, friendly Staff and ambiance. Complimentary warm tortilla chips and mild to hot salsas offered are tasty. My family and I have enjoyed breakfast, lunch and dinner never being disappointed with portion size, fresh ingredients, robust flavors and presentation. Restaurant and full bar a nice change from the fast food scene. Always leave extremely satisfied.
(4)Emily W.
I'm a fan of this place, the food is really good. It's not quite five stars to me, but I eat here semi-regularly. The pork stew is a favorite and I haven't really been disappointed. Recommend trying!
(4)Sorin S.
The atmosphere is awesome. I really like the old fashion feel. The waiter was awesome. The food was good. Got a smothers burrito or something like it. It had a candy like sweet flavor. It wasn't what I was use to. And I wasn't expecting it from a burrito.
(3)R S.
I went here twice this past November and was satisfied each time. Food is excellent. The first time I ordered a mucho burrito off of the lunch menu. Portion was giant and was the best burrito I've eaten. The rest of my large party (mostly children) also enjoyed their meals. The kids menu is good with more options than many mexican places offer and the portions are good for kids. I was disappointed with the service, though. We came for a late saturday lunch so it was not overly busy. For a party of 9, we were given 2 baskets of chips that were never refilled despite having a long wait for the meal to arrive. Drinks were also slow to refill. Since I go out to eat for the food and not the service, I returned with my husband for his first visit a couple of weeks later. For my 2nd visit, peak lunch during the week, service was excellent. Chips were refilled as quickly as the drinks. My husband was thrilled with the food. After living in Tucson for 5mos and trying many Tucson favorites, we are very happy to have found a Mexican restaurant we enjoy.
(4)Terry H.
My Family and I have dined here several times. We have never been disappointed in the service or food. Tonight my wife went here on a date night and tried the Molcajete for two. We got the Trio option (chicken, beef, and shrimp). Oh my god this was so good. As always the service was fantastic.
(5)David A.
Tonight is my first time visiting this restaurant. My wife came last week while I was out of town and raved about it. Once again, she is right. I highly recommend the spinach enchiladas (enchiladas espinacas) with cream sauce. They are absolutely the best enchiladas I've ever had my life! The restaurant is clean and the staff is professional and attentive. We will definitely be back and bring friends to help us enjoy this gem!
(5)Diane P.
We had the fish burrito. The cream sauce was delicious. The wait staff was very attentive. The only complaint was they put the cold salad on a hot plate that wilted the lettuce. Our favorite Mexican restaurant and there a lot of choices in Tucson
(5)Raul S.
Tasty chips on the SouthEast side FAST Review - 3.5 out of 5 * Food (3/5) Food is decent. I've seen reviews which say the food is bland, but not the one I've tried. Maybe my expectations were lowered though. I've had the lunch special, which comes with an enchilada(chose shredded beef), corn tamale, and rice and beans. As I said, it was decent. I'd rather eat something under-salted than over-salted. They do give you complimentary chips and salsa, and I must say the chips are warm and fresh tasting. Not stale-tasting like some other restaurants in the area *cough Chuy's cough*. I'd advise eating only one basket of chips, else you will leave too full, as the portions are not small. Ambiance (3/5) You walk in and you may or may not be greeted by a hostess. Seems like they can comfortably seat a party of 6 without much effort. They have tables as well as cozier booths. Decor style is "Generic Mexican" :) Service (4/5) Both times I've been there we have had at least 2 different waiters and various people filling our drinks. (Who do we tip?) This seems OK when things are not too busy. Not sure if there would be any confusion as to who is serving you when things got busy though. But we never waited on water refills, and our food came out promptly. Total Impression (3.5/5) I would come here for lunch. The lunch prices are reasonable and the portions are generous. The food is above average, but a good break from Subway and pizza and Carl's Jr in the Rita Ranch area. As for dinner, the prices on the menu seem a bit too high. I think for me I'll just stick to the lunch menu.
(3)Perry E.
I had a rumble in my tummy and I needed a beer. Rustico wad there for me. My wife and I stopped in for late lunch. I got a cold Corona and a Colorado burrito. It was a combination of spicy and absolute refreshment. Both hit the spot. Afterward, I was ready to go back and face the in-laws.
(4)Colt B.
I've been here many times, when it first opened it was very good. Now the food is always under cooked, last time it was rubbery half cooked chicken this time the shredded beef tasted and smelled like it was from a can and it was cold. Sad, I really wanted a good Mexican restaurant nearby.
(1)Amber S.
The cheese dip is amazing! Just like my favorite restaurant from home. Creamy, cheesy, with a great flavor. Chile rellanos were lightly coated just enough for a crisp to the outside stuffed full of creamy cheese. I really enjoyed it Beans were like most beans. Didn't stand out but good. Rice had a great flavor just think it needed to be a stronger flavor. Customer service what very nice and polite. I will be going back!
(4)Ron G.
Stopped in last night and tried the pork carnitas. Very good! The best item I've tried so far. Cold beer and good chips & salsa.
(5)John C.
Are here for lunch a few days ago and enjoyed the food, slightly pricey but good quality food.
(4)Carl P.
Without a whole lot of restaurants on the south east side of town, I really wanted to like this place. But it just wasn't to be. I tried it out for breakfast/brunch one morning on the weekend. I don't recall exactly what I ordered, because I couldn't identify what was served. It was some kind of greasy mix of cheese, meat, beans, and rice (but then again, isn't that really ALL mexican food?). It was greasy and mostly lacked flavor - how do you make cheese and meat not delicious? What was even worse was the staff. We were the only people in the entire restaurant and somehow my drink always empty (I was in need of lots of water on this particular morning). When we were finished, we waited 15 minutes for our check. I was worried the staff might have been caught by the back of the restaurant collapsing, but when I went to go check on them, thankfully they were all just playing on their cell phones.
(1)Desiree D.
My bf decided to check this place out because it was near our house. I ordered one of their seafood dishes and it was delish! Their margaritas were mucho and prepared just right. Fast and friendly service. Highly recommended :)
(4)Sharon N.
I am picky about my machaca. Rustico's machaca omelette is a tasty blend of thinly sliced green peppers and onions with seasoned beef. It's similar to other Mexican restaurants but cooked perfectly, not too dry or undercooked. I will order it again. We shared a strawberry waffle. The waffle was crispy and light, topped with fresh sliced strawberries. We liked that the maple syrup was served in a warm container. We were impressed by the reasonable breakfast prices and quick service from the professional staff. Gave 4 stars instead of 5 because of the location. Rita Ranch is very far for most Tucson residents.
(4)Russ D.
Great service . The manager made a trip out to carona de Tucson to bring us what we were missing from our order. Everyone makes mistakes no one is perfect, but it's how you fix it that counts. They went out of their way to make it right. Great food excellent customer service. And if anyone gets a chance to order their party platter do it, it was a great Super Bowl Sunday thanks to you guys!!!!
(5)Pamela G.
Not impressed. Good service but the food was mediocre at best. I asked if they made their own mole sauce and was told yes so I tried the pollo mole. Ugh. Sickly sweet, red and didn't taste like a mole to me at all. Small pieces of chicken, basic mushy retried beans, unremarkable Mexican style rice and a bit of lettuce and tomatoes. Don't think I'll be back.
(2)Ryan L.
This place is amazing. I have been searching for a decent Mexican restaurant for the past two years, and this has been the best I have found so far in Tucson. You can instantly tell that the food is prepared with love. There is some great flavor and little fat in the dishes. I can't stand Mexican food that prepared with huge amounts of lard. This place gets it right. Their Carne Asada is among the beat I have had in the city. Their breakfast is top notch as well. I was also very impressed with the staff. They were very friendly and passionate about their food. This place is not huge, but it is a very clean and pleasant environment to dine in. I highly recommend Tucsonians give this place a try. Support your local mom and pop restaurants. Among them, this place is one of the best.
(5)Lee P.
Meh. Greasy food, slow service. Wish this was better since it's close to home, but we won't be back.
(1)Jerry G.
This place just opened up in Rita Ranch. The servers were nice and the decor was an upgrade from the other restuarants that use to be in this location, but that is where it ends. I will admit the chips were thick and warm. They were about the best thing to eat here. The food was very bland. I had a beef Chimichanga. The beef had no flavor, it was like a bland roast beef. The Spanish rice had no flavor and the refried beans were very runny and did not test well at all. The salsa was not very good either. To top off the night we tried the fried ice cream. It was not fried and the coating had a very strong cinnamon flavor with a lot of honey and very little chocolate syrup. Do not worry we will not be going back and I do not recommend you go either, unless you like your Mexican food bland.
(1)Tera E.
After reading such great reviews about Rancho Rustico I was surprised it took us so long to actually visit here! We went after church last Saturday and there was a decent size crowd but it is big enough that there wasn't a wait. The service was great all night, very kind and professional staff that were attentive. Their menu is quite large and they have lots of different combination items but overall the food seemed just ok... standard generic Mexican if you ask me. There are definitely other places in town that I would choose over this place but it's nice to have an option near by. Wasn't impressed by the sopapilla but I haven't really found any outside of New Mexico that are great anyways but I really enjoyed their Organic Margarita.... too bad those aren't on the happy hour menu! I also wanted to try the quesofundito but with only two of us we couldn't justify $9 worth of cheese... maybe next time with a group or for happy hour.
(3)Pat J.
try breakfast the spinach enchiladas are wonderful, for dinner the margaritas and all of the food is wonderful/ Great service, friendly, very clean place
(5)Jose P.
I am a food snub and this place is great!!! Service is awesome. Best in Tucson by far. I will be back
(5)Aj R.
Disappointed! We were trying to decide between Luckies Thai or this place. Unfortunately we chose this place since we have never been. We each wanted a salad and after reading them on the menu we were sold. Well both salads were a huge let down. One, when you think salad you think lettuce. That is usually the main ingredient. Not in these salads. There was maybe half a cup shredded lettuce. Lettuce does not cost a lot. For a huge heaping handful, I would say is less than a penny. I know this from owning a restaurant. So that was problem one. Next was the shell. I couldn't tell you how old the shell was. It was so chewy! Almost made me gag. I could barely rip a piece off, it was like rubber. The next problem is the freshness. Well there wasn't any. Not one item was fresh. It is unfortunate that this restaurant doesn't take any pride in the freshness of their food. That is what you do. As a restaurant you serve food, at least care. The chips were old too. Overall there was nothing good about the meal. It was easy to see why it is never busy. This place could be huge because it doesn't really have competition. But instead they crap on that opportunity. We MIGHT give it another shot. But I am not too sure that will really happen.
(1)Jason N.
This was the first time here. The chips were ok but the salsa tasted store bought with some spice added. I got the green chili soup, the best thing that we ordered. The flavor was rich and it had enough spice. I ordered the Chili Verde.... not the flavor I was exspecting. It was bland and watery, the rice not flavorful and the beans blah. My wife got the cheese enchilada, and the red sauce was watery and the cheese not melted all the way. I would rather make the drive to Michas or El minuto, MUCH better food. Even Papa Locos has better flavor.
(2)Marilyn H.
Decent food but such SMALL portions!! We were seated quickly and the ambiance was nice - they've definitely made an effort to decorate so that with the exception of the ceiling, it doesn't look much like a strip-mall restaurant. The room-temperature chips and too-cold salsa were just okay - our entrees arrived quickly and were tasty enough, but the servings were quite small. Service was friendly but the prices are at least 30% higher than they should be for the amount of food served; our total came to $37 with tip. For NO drinks, NO appetizer, soup OR salad - only 2 smallish entrees and one dessert, that's kinda pricey, IMHO. We'd return for the lower-priced lunch menu (served until 3 PM) but are afraid we'd leave hungry!
(3)Joy T.
Service was average. Food was terrible had the Macho Burrito and it had some light red sweet poured over it the inside had 4 pieces of green chili, tender but no flavor the rice and beans inside were mush. My boyfriend had the bean burrito enchilada style another disaster. The food is really not good nor is it Mexican. They are also pretty pricy. Not going back there sorry, we have way too many good Mexican food restaurants in Tucson to risk going back.
(1)Tom M.
Great food, but work is needed with salsa ( the habenero salsa is hotter but more flavorful ) just to put a single statement summary to this place. Been to this place 4 times. Service was a little slow on first visit, but now they have improved to where it is very prompt. I have tried the skirt steak ( twice ), the shrimp, and the chicken crema, and all were great ( and not bland ). This place has good flavor that tastes authentic. I've talked to others that said "ok", but those same people think Taco Bell is great. I would recommend this place for good Mexican food. About time we got another good food place in Rita Ranch.
(4)Simon K.
Finally a quality non-fast food place to eat near Vail. The Chile Verde is absolutely delicious. The re-fried beans that came with my meal were also very good. My wife ordered their Fajitas. They weren't the best fajitas we've ever had, but not the worst either. We look forward to going back and trying different dishes on the menu.
(4)Jaimee W.
My mother and I decided to stop in and give Rancho Rustico a try for lunch today. We were pleasantly surprised! Walking in, you can tell that someone took great care in picking out the furnishings and decorating the space. It's rather typical for Mexican restaurant decor, but clean and well executed. The staff were very friendly and attentive, and brought glasses of water and some chips and salsa right away. The tortilla chips were thick and crisp, while the salsa had just enough bite to be tasty AND family friendly. The lunch specials were on the back of the menus, and had good variety. I didn't notice any that were over $10. My mother went with a combination plate (green corn tamale and cheese enchilada) while I had the Pollo Mole. Our food came out within about ten minutes, maybe a bit less. Here's what we thought: Combination plate, with green corn tamale and cheese enchilada: First off, it's so rare that my mother does NOT use salt at a meal... I can't even remember the last time it happened. But she didn't feel any of her food needed it at this meal. We've had many, many green corn tamales from many, many places of the years. This was one of the best. It was huge - the largest tamale I've ever seen served in a restaurant - with great flavor. The masa was particularly flavorful and tender. The cheese enchilada was a nice size with good cheese distribution and a fairly standard (but well seasoned) red sauce. My mother isn't usually a fan of rice at all, but loved Rancho Rustico's! That's saying something! (The flavor was delicate but complex at the same time and I could see they had used celery in the recipe. Which sounded/seemed weird to me at first, but it really added something special. I just picked the pieces of celery out of my rice as a personal preference, although they were well cooked and quite soft in texture.) The refried beans were pretty standard, but tasty, and topped with white cheese. Not smothered in it, which is a common issue at Mexican restaurants around Tucson, but just the right amount. Mom gave her lunch two thumbs up. Pollo Mole: I'm used to a much darker colored mole with prunes in it, but this one was a rich darker red. You could definitely taste the layers of flavor, although overall it was more sweet than spicy and I would've liked a touch more spice/heat. They used strips of lean chicken breast, and there wasn't a single piece of fat or gristle on my plate, which I greatly appreciated! The chicken came with rice and beans (which I agreed were both quite nice) and 3 flour tortillas. The tortillas were fresh and pliable with a nice thickness to them - not thin or prone to breaking open if you, like me, like to pile them up with goodies and make your own soft taco. I gave my lunch 1.5 thumbs up - I just wanted a touch more heat to my mole. In the end, lunch for two from the lunch specials menu was $21.22 including tax. For the amount of food we received, and the service, I felt that was a great deal! You can spend more per person going to a drive thru fast food joint, while getting nowhere near the freshness or quality! We will definitely be going back again, and hope to see them flourish and stick around Rita Ranch for a long time to come. Give them a try!
(4)Joseph T.
I love this restaurant! The staff is always friendly. The food is very tasty! The drinks are great too. Rancho Rustico is my favorite Mexican restaurant in Tucson.
(5)Kevin S.
Very friendly and professional staff. Has very amazing food that comes out at a fairly quick time. Has bottomless chips and dip, which is always a plus! Overall a great experience
(5)Jolene S.
I gotta give this place a 1 star because I hate when food has been frozen and reheated. Their rice was frozen and reheated. The server was very friendly to us she did an awesome job. The food came out fairly quick but the people in another booth waited over an hour and finally left. The ladies sitting next to us got her soup but never got her meal. All in all the food wasn't that great and I must say to pay that much for two people to eat out we won't be going back.
(1)Eric K.
Food was not the greatest but atmosphere was good. Ordered a carne sada burro and there was very little flavorless meat in it. Staff was very nice but would rather have a good meal!
(2)Erik C.
Not too bad. Better than nicos anyway. Stay away from the chile relleno the dough was very thick and soggy plus a pool of oil poured out when I cut into it. The tamale wasn't bad and the carne asada also wasn't bad. I can see us trying this place again when desperate enough to eat out in this area.
(3)Terry H.
My Family and I have dined here several times. We have never been disappointed in the service or food. Tonight my wife went here on a date night and tried the Molcajete for two. We got the Trio option (chicken, beef, and shrimp). Oh my god this was so good. As always the service was fantastic.
(5)David A.
Tonight is my first time visiting this restaurant. My wife came last week while I was out of town and raved about it. Once again, she is right. I highly recommend the spinach enchiladas (enchiladas espinacas) with cream sauce. They are absolutely the best enchiladas I've ever had my life! The restaurant is clean and the staff is professional and attentive. We will definitely be back and bring friends to help us enjoy this gem!
(5)Diane P.
We had the fish burrito. The cream sauce was delicious. The wait staff was very attentive. The only complaint was they put the cold salad on a hot plate that wilted the lettuce. Our favorite Mexican restaurant and there a lot of choices in Tucson
(5)Raul S.
Tasty chips on the SouthEast side FAST Review - 3.5 out of 5 * Food (3/5) Food is decent. I've seen reviews which say the food is bland, but not the one I've tried. Maybe my expectations were lowered though. I've had the lunch special, which comes with an enchilada(chose shredded beef), corn tamale, and rice and beans. As I said, it was decent. I'd rather eat something under-salted than over-salted. They do give you complimentary chips and salsa, and I must say the chips are warm and fresh tasting. Not stale-tasting like some other restaurants in the area *cough Chuy's cough*. I'd advise eating only one basket of chips, else you will leave too full, as the portions are not small. Ambiance (3/5) You walk in and you may or may not be greeted by a hostess. Seems like they can comfortably seat a party of 6 without much effort. They have tables as well as cozier booths. Decor style is "Generic Mexican" :) Service (4/5) Both times I've been there we have had at least 2 different waiters and various people filling our drinks. (Who do we tip?) This seems OK when things are not too busy. Not sure if there would be any confusion as to who is serving you when things got busy though. But we never waited on water refills, and our food came out promptly. Total Impression (3.5/5) I would come here for lunch. The lunch prices are reasonable and the portions are generous. The food is above average, but a good break from Subway and pizza and Carl's Jr in the Rita Ranch area. As for dinner, the prices on the menu seem a bit too high. I think for me I'll just stick to the lunch menu.
(3)Perry E.
I had a rumble in my tummy and I needed a beer. Rustico wad there for me. My wife and I stopped in for late lunch. I got a cold Corona and a Colorado burrito. It was a combination of spicy and absolute refreshment. Both hit the spot. Afterward, I was ready to go back and face the in-laws.
(4)Colt B.
I've been here many times, when it first opened it was very good. Now the food is always under cooked, last time it was rubbery half cooked chicken this time the shredded beef tasted and smelled like it was from a can and it was cold. Sad, I really wanted a good Mexican restaurant nearby.
(1)Betsy M.
I have been here many times since my first visit and this place is now one of our go to favorites. We have never had bad service or a bad meal here. The staff is wonderful, the owner accommodating and the food terrific. Their margaritas are delish, and try their breakfast... really yummy, particularly the chile relleno.
(5)Allison M.
We love this place! My husband crew up with his Mexican grandmother's homemade cooking, so he's always been very picky about Mexican food. We tried this place shortly after moving to the area (I expected to be disappointed, as we had been with other places in the neighborhood)- but we were both very pleasantly surprised. We've been back repeatedly and taken multiple out-of-towners, all of whom loved it. Service has always been exceptional, very friendly and on top of our drinks and orders. (We did have one night where service was slower, but the restaurant was packed.) As a guacamole addict, theirs is my personal favoritr- seasonings enhance but don't overpower the avocado. The queso fundido is a melty cheesy delight. Love the tacos, but the green corn tamales are my favorite "unique" item with a slightly sweet taste. We love our local Rancho Rustico. It's our favorite Mexican place in Tucson!
(5)Sarah G.
Atmosphere is quiet. Prices are high for average quality Mexican cuisine. Staff is friendly and polite. This place has great potential, but is falling short in a few areas. Average.
(3)AL J.
In my opinion, this is the best Mexican food I have ever eaten. I recently had dinner at La Parilla Suiza on Speedway. LOUD!, Mariachis. Dry tasteless burro. Rancho Rustica, quiet, best chimichanga I have ever eaten, and the house margarita was great. Uniformed staff, efficient and polite. Put this one on your agenda.
(5)Francie L.
Excellent dinner, margaritas were good( half price at happy hour). Staff friendly and attentive. Salsa was tasty and had a little zip to it, chips crunchy & warm & not uniform in size. I had the Pollo Vallarta and it was wonderful, chicken was thin sliced so it was evenly cooked, moist & tender - shrimp & poblano - oh my. Husband had chicken taco salad - said it was good tasting but was pretty watery on the plate. Fairly busy with families so looks like the neighborhood go to place.
(4)Ashley J.
Love their house margarita! Even better during Happy Hour. ;) Every entree I've had has been delicious. Their mole sauce is also some of the best I've had. I've been waiting for a great restaurant in Rita Ranch and it's finally here. Anytime after 5:30 and it's pretty packed so that's a great sign others agree this is great food.
(5)Maria G.
Rancho Rustico I really wasn't expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised by some of the items we had tonight for dinner. I arrived a little before 6pm. I thought I would catch happy hour, but no it ended at 5pm. Happy Hour is from 2pm-5pm. It is good for the retired folks. The interior is decorated with saddles and even a Mexican outfit nailed up on the walk. There are many colors but they are the dated Southwest colors, think peach and green. This is a surprisingly small restaurant and it was almost full early on a weeknight. That was a good sign. I ordered a beer. They have a lot of Mexican beers on draft and I got a Negra Modelo, $4 for 16oz, it seemed like a small glass for a 16oz pour, but sometimes it is hard to tell how much a glass holds. When I asked our server what types of beer she had she started the list with Michelob Ultra and the other domestics. They do have a multi-page cocktail menu but it is also just the classics and the basic drinks. We were brought a BIG basket of chips to start and then two regular salsas. They asked if we wanted spicy salsa and we did. They brought us a bowl of habanero tomatillo salsa. It was spicy. We ate almost all the chips and we still had at least half of the salsa left. I though I might save it for the meal. When the meal came to the table rice and beans came on a side plate. The beans were good, not watered down. Then came the chile relleno that we ordered a la carte. It was really good. I would definitely order it again. The molcajete for one person, was big enough for us to split considering we had filled up on chips. I really wish there had been less salsa in the molcajete. It could have had a quarter of the salsa and it would have been better and easier to eat. We were fishing through the salsa the entire time. The salsa was mild and tomatoey. It was just in the way. I left very full. The portions are good but I think the prices are a little high. There aren't a lot of restaurant choices in this area of town. So overall, the prices might be justified. If you are in the area this isn't a bad basic/classic Americanized Mexican restaurant. However, it doesn't really standout considering how many good Mexican restaurants there are in Tucson.
(3)Mike M.
Don't let the strip mall location fool you. This place is serving up some tasty Mexican classics. The chips are hot, light and crispy perfection. They offer a regular red salsa and a hotter habañero version upon request. If you're more of a pico de gallo fan you can purchase a freshly prepared side that will easily feed 4 or more. Shredded beef tacos, cheese enchiladas, chile rellenos and chile verde plates are some of my favorites. They serve ice cold dos equis ambar with lime which perfectly compliments any dish. Surprisingly, they offer breakfast as well which will not disappoint. Huevos rancheros and other egg dishes are fabulous. Friday nights will have a wait with a line outside so be prepared. It's worth the wait.
(4)Lachlan G.
If I could call Rick Moranis, get him to re-invent the machine he built from "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," I would have him shrink me down to the size of a thimble so I could literally bathe in the miracle that is their Mocaljete. I often find myself day-dreaming about them. I've eaten there multiple times since my first review, and it's just so frighteningly satisfying, that I would almost eat there every day. Every SINGLE DAY! Margarita, Queso Fundido, Mocaljete, Sopapillas....sorted.
(5)Heather K.
We'd driven by this place several times since moving to the area, and it was always packed. We'd heard it was "ok but a little expensive", so my son and I decided to decide for ourselves on a Thursday night. The place was pretty full for a weeknight, but we were seated promptly and chips and salsa came out immediately. Chips were clearly homemade and delicious. Salsa also clearly homemade and they bring two kinds, mild and medium. The mild had a nice, garlicky flavor and I found myself wishing that one had more heat and the more basic medium was the mild. Menu is pretty standard for mexican food. My son had the kids taco plate and I had the Pollo Fundido. The kids plate was huge, enough to feed an adult and my son said it was "the best taco I've ever had!". The Pollo was high quality shredded chicken breast, no mystery meat here! My only complaint is the small amount of cream cheese sauce and the overwhelming amount of regular cheese. Otherwise, a delicious dinner. Service was attentive but not intrusive, decor interesting and homey. Maybe a little more expensive than some, we paid a total of $24 for two meals and two soft drinks, but when you're one of the few sit down restaurants in the area, you have that luxury. We'll definitely be back!
(4)Hungry G.
One of the best thing about being a "foodie" is making a great new discovery. Rancho Rustico is a classic Mexican family restaurant featuring huge helpings of classic Mexican dishes. But the best part of this place are the new and unique dishes, such as their Molcajete. Molcajete, the "house specialty," literally means a traditional mortar and pestle used for grinding corn. However, at this place it's also a fantasticly complex dish served bubbling hot in a lava stone mortar. Mine came with marinated steak, chicken, shrimp, avocado, sticks of jack cheese, and green onions, cooked in a rich tomato based sauce and served with totillas. [See my photos]. The sauce has depth and texture beyond any enchilada sauce, giving the dish a stew-like feel. This is an ancient Aztec dish which leads to the logical question, "Cortez, how could you have destroyed this civilization?" There are other gems on the menu that you'll have to discover for yourself. The huge portions and rich flavors will keep me coming back for more.
(5)Kirk W.
My wife and I had an excellent meal there this evening. The service was friendly and attentive. They brought a very generous amount of chips anf salsa. The food was tasty, the portions generous, and things were reasonably priced. The seating was well spaced so everyone there had enough room without bothering everyone else (some restaurants try to pack in too many tables for the available space ). Fortunately we got there before the 5:30 rush so although most tables were filled we were seats immediately. It is a very handy location but unassuming from the outside. If friends had not recommended it we might have continued to drive by without stopping.
(4)Sarah B.
My family and I eat here at least once a month, it's nice to have a Mexican restaurant in Rita Ranch. We enjoy the lunch specials very much. Best margaritas in town. Highly recommend trying this place out.
(4)Jes W.
You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. Fantastic!
(5)Nicole B.
Oh Rancho, how I've enjoyed you in the past. Your beers, your happy hour specials, your proximity to my house. Your tortillas, wings, salsa. Cold beers, margaritas, I could go on! Having been to Rancho about a half dozen times previously for various meals (including breakfast), we went in for happy hour and pointed to the happy hour menu and asked for the $2.50 beers. We then also ordered a couple of appetizers to share (also on happy hour). When our bill came, the beers were $5 each and the appetizers were full price. After waiting awhile after we had finished eating, my husband got up and found our waiter and reminded him that we were there on happy hour, and asked him to fix the price. Upon returning again with our bill, the appetizers were the correct prices, but the beers were still full priced. My husband went and found him again (after another 5+ minute wait and he hadn't returned). The waiter then told us that we ordered the large beers. There was a language barrier, which is fine, but we were both frustrated because we specifically pointed to the $2.50 beers on the menu when ordering to make sure there were no misunderstandings. After arguing with us about what we ordered, the waiter left and actually came back with two different sizes beers, and rudely showed us "THIS is the happy hour beer, THIS is what you ordered. They are different. Next time you need to tell me before you drink them if they're wrong." We were shocked at the disrespect and rudeness of the whole situation. We also didn't know that there was a difference, or beer sizes (this was not listed on the menu), or that we were expected to know the differences upon dining at the restaurant. My husband said he refuses to go back. We were huge fans of the place until we were treated that way. A simple apology and/or explanation of the misunderstanding from the waiter would have been plenty. Previously though, we had good experiences with service.
(2)GM M.
Love the warm chips they bring out with salsa! We missed breakfast, which ends at 11:00 (Saturday). I had the flautas, he had chile colorado. Both plates came with plenty of food.
(4)Edda P.
Went here on a week night. Service was excellent and the margarita was great. The food not so much. I had the beef taco salad. The seasoning sauce in the meat was not pleasant. I could not eat it. I could not taste any difference in the two dishes of salsa they brought out. Both were spicy and left me with an upset stomach.
(2)RoLea E.
The food was tasty! I recently tried this place and ordered a few items to go. We got the Fajitas (steak and chicken) and the Carne Asada. Both came with rice and beans. I think all of the items had good flavor. The fajitas had sort of a redish sauce on it and the chicken and steak were tossed together in the sauce with the peppers and onions. I was surprised that it was all mixed together like that, but it was tasty. I will try this place again.
(4)Christina H.
Fantastic food and good service. Give them a try for breakfast too! Where else can you get a great breakfast in the $6-7 range? Both Mexican and traditional offerings. Full bar. Good margaritas at happy hour. Family friendly. Daily specials.
(5)David W.
My wife and I got to this place at 8:00 PM on a Wednesday night. There were about three or four other couples/families already seated. However, one of the servers was vacuuming the carpet around the tables. At first I thought she was just cleaning up a mess that had occurred, but that would have been too nice. She was vacuuming the entire restaurant, going right by tables where there were customers trying to have a conversation with others at their table. After about 30 minutes of us being there, I finally asked the lady to stop vacuuming. She looked at me like I was so rude to ask. She did however stop, but made sure to start right back up again after we received our bill. Is it really that important to vacuum? Can't you wait until after you close and all your customers are gone? It's kinda hard to have a conversation with people at your table when the vacuum is going by your table, and the next table, and the next table..... As for the food, not good. My wife ordered a green chile soup. The menu describes it as having green chile and strips of meat. However, it is green chile with gobs of onions. I think she did find ONE strip of meat in the entire bowl. I ordered a combo plate with a shredded beef taco and a chile relleno, which came with rice and beans. The taco lacked any flavor and the cheese on the top tasted like it had been in the refrigerator too long. The chile relleno was actually really good, probably one of the best ones I've had. However, as for the rice and beans, the rice was so dry it was crusty and the beans were nothing special. They serve you complimentary chips and salsa when you are seated. The chips are definitely not home made, totally taste like they came from a bag, not warm. The salsa tastes like they opened a can of tomato sauce and poured it in a bowl. All in all, I will never go back here. The service was not the greatest, the vacuuming incident was just plain rude, and the only good food was my chile relleno which, as good as it was, is not worth all the other negatives I experienced.
(1)Karin S.
Amazing food at a fantastic price. We love coming here to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner. They have great happy hour specials. Tonight the service was great with Janet. She was wonderful! My husband said the margaritas were great as always. The manager always makes a point of saying hello to us. Everyone there is always nice and welcoming. We highly recommend Rancho Rustico!
(5)Melinda C.
Eh. Hubby and I look for different things in a Mexican restaurant. He liked the traditional food a lot. I wasn't thrilled with the "turista" American fare that I tried. The hostess was friendly. The waiter was absent. Will we go back? Probably not any time soon.
(3)Tony Y.
Having a Mexican place right across the street was a great thing for the Rita Ranch area, that is, until the service and the food went from really good to not so good anymore. We will usually take a walk or ride our bikes on the weekends and finish here for breakfast. Today, we had plans to do some things out of town and decided to grab some Huevos con chorizo for me and she was craving their red menudo that she has gotten faithfully since they opened and has always been happy with it. My plate was over cooked almost on the verge of being burnt, and the eggs were rubbery like the whole dish was sitting for a few hours. The menudo was half garlic and onion skin instead of tripe. It was so bad, it seemed like it wasn't even made by a Hispanic cook at all. She sent it back and ordered the carne asada and eggs, which after she took only a couple of bites, decided to take it home and see if the son would eat it. Rubbery meat, not very tasty at all. The service was OK, but the real joy was when one of the servers grabbed the carpet sweeper and kept going by everyone's table while we were all trying to eat. We left shortly there after. We have noticed that the food has been gradually going down hill for a few months now. Even though it is within walking distance of our house, we will make an effort to either drive all the way up to the Tanque Verde Rancho or try the other Mexican place next to Safeway on Nexus and Valencia.
(1)Y H.
I liked it... I been there a few times. I get good service every time. Whats good service: 1. Not having to wait a long time for the wait staff to come take an order. 2. Refilling of drinks in a timely manner and not dying to dehydration... 3. Relaxing atmosphere... 4. Friendly, if not jovial staff...fun, you know... 5. Pretty tasty food... Win-Win for me.. :)
(4)Jim T.
(Tucson Jan 2015) GREAT mole Very good service Reasonable prices Clean Interesting decor. One flaw-a small chicken bone appeared where it shouldn't have.
(5)Amy W.
I've had some good luck dining here and being gluten free. It helps to talk to the manager, as he is knowledgeable. Sometimes the wait staff doesn't understand. After a long day of helping a friend move my husband and I ate here and had a great meal. The portions are decent and the food is delicious. At times the service can be slow, but we never get low on drinks. During previous visits I've had margaritas I've found them to be tasty and strong.
(4)Patsy B.
Really, really good. Loco Burrito is their version of a Chili Verde burrito. It was delicious. Chicken mango was wonderful. Excellent service.
(4)Linda H.
Amazing food and awesome customer service. Great family restaurant. Favorites are chicken fajitas and carne asada.
(5)Kathy G.
As everyone should keep in mind, each restaurant's true Mexican cuisine will have it's own unique flavors. We love the location, friendly Staff and ambiance. Complimentary warm tortilla chips and mild to hot salsas offered are tasty. My family and I have enjoyed breakfast, lunch and dinner never being disappointed with portion size, fresh ingredients, robust flavors and presentation. Restaurant and full bar a nice change from the fast food scene. Always leave extremely satisfied.
(4)Emily W.
I'm a fan of this place, the food is really good. It's not quite five stars to me, but I eat here semi-regularly. The pork stew is a favorite and I haven't really been disappointed. Recommend trying!
(4)Sorin S.
The atmosphere is awesome. I really like the old fashion feel. The waiter was awesome. The food was good. Got a smothers burrito or something like it. It had a candy like sweet flavor. It wasn't what I was use to. And I wasn't expecting it from a burrito.
(3)R S.
I went here twice this past November and was satisfied each time. Food is excellent. The first time I ordered a mucho burrito off of the lunch menu. Portion was giant and was the best burrito I've eaten. The rest of my large party (mostly children) also enjoyed their meals. The kids menu is good with more options than many mexican places offer and the portions are good for kids. I was disappointed with the service, though. We came for a late saturday lunch so it was not overly busy. For a party of 9, we were given 2 baskets of chips that were never refilled despite having a long wait for the meal to arrive. Drinks were also slow to refill. Since I go out to eat for the food and not the service, I returned with my husband for his first visit a couple of weeks later. For my 2nd visit, peak lunch during the week, service was excellent. Chips were refilled as quickly as the drinks. My husband was thrilled with the food. After living in Tucson for 5mos and trying many Tucson favorites, we are very happy to have found a Mexican restaurant we enjoy.
(4)Amber S.
The cheese dip is amazing! Just like my favorite restaurant from home. Creamy, cheesy, with a great flavor. Chile rellanos were lightly coated just enough for a crisp to the outside stuffed full of creamy cheese. I really enjoyed it Beans were like most beans. Didn't stand out but good. Rice had a great flavor just think it needed to be a stronger flavor. Customer service what very nice and polite. I will be going back!
(4)Carl P.
Without a whole lot of restaurants on the south east side of town, I really wanted to like this place. But it just wasn't to be. I tried it out for breakfast/brunch one morning on the weekend. I don't recall exactly what I ordered, because I couldn't identify what was served. It was some kind of greasy mix of cheese, meat, beans, and rice (but then again, isn't that really ALL mexican food?). It was greasy and mostly lacked flavor - how do you make cheese and meat not delicious? What was even worse was the staff. We were the only people in the entire restaurant and somehow my drink always empty (I was in need of lots of water on this particular morning). When we were finished, we waited 15 minutes for our check. I was worried the staff might have been caught by the back of the restaurant collapsing, but when I went to go check on them, thankfully they were all just playing on their cell phones.
(1)Heather K.
We'd driven by this place several times since moving to the area, and it was always packed. We'd heard it was "ok but a little expensive", so my son and I decided to decide for ourselves on a Thursday night. The place was pretty full for a weeknight, but we were seated promptly and chips and salsa came out immediately. Chips were clearly homemade and delicious. Salsa also clearly homemade and they bring two kinds, mild and medium. The mild had a nice, garlicky flavor and I found myself wishing that one had more heat and the more basic medium was the mild. Menu is pretty standard for mexican food. My son had the kids taco plate and I had the Pollo Fundido. The kids plate was huge, enough to feed an adult and my son said it was "the best taco I've ever had!". The Pollo was high quality shredded chicken breast, no mystery meat here! My only complaint is the small amount of cream cheese sauce and the overwhelming amount of regular cheese. Otherwise, a delicious dinner. Service was attentive but not intrusive, decor interesting and homey. Maybe a little more expensive than some, we paid a total of $24 for two meals and two soft drinks, but when you're one of the few sit down restaurants in the area, you have that luxury. We'll definitely be back!
(4)Hungry G.
One of the best thing about being a "foodie" is making a great new discovery. Rancho Rustico is a classic Mexican family restaurant featuring huge helpings of classic Mexican dishes. But the best part of this place are the new and unique dishes, such as their Molcajete. Molcajete, the "house specialty," literally means a traditional mortar and pestle used for grinding corn. However, at this place it's also a fantasticly complex dish served bubbling hot in a lava stone mortar. Mine came with marinated steak, chicken, shrimp, avocado, sticks of jack cheese, and green onions, cooked in a rich tomato based sauce and served with totillas. [See my photos]. The sauce has depth and texture beyond any enchilada sauce, giving the dish a stew-like feel. This is an ancient Aztec dish which leads to the logical question, "Cortez, how could you have destroyed this civilization?" There are other gems on the menu that you'll have to discover for yourself. The huge portions and rich flavors will keep me coming back for more.
(5)Kirk W.
My wife and I had an excellent meal there this evening. The service was friendly and attentive. They brought a very generous amount of chips anf salsa. The food was tasty, the portions generous, and things were reasonably priced. The seating was well spaced so everyone there had enough room without bothering everyone else (some restaurants try to pack in too many tables for the available space ). Fortunately we got there before the 5:30 rush so although most tables were filled we were seats immediately. It is a very handy location but unassuming from the outside. If friends had not recommended it we might have continued to drive by without stopping.
(4)Sarah B.
My family and I eat here at least once a month, it's nice to have a Mexican restaurant in Rita Ranch. We enjoy the lunch specials very much. Best margaritas in town. Highly recommend trying this place out.
(4)Allison M.
We love this place! My husband crew up with his Mexican grandmother's homemade cooking, so he's always been very picky about Mexican food. We tried this place shortly after moving to the area (I expected to be disappointed, as we had been with other places in the neighborhood)- but we were both very pleasantly surprised. We've been back repeatedly and taken multiple out-of-towners, all of whom loved it. Service has always been exceptional, very friendly and on top of our drinks and orders. (We did have one night where service was slower, but the restaurant was packed.) As a guacamole addict, theirs is my personal favoritr- seasonings enhance but don't overpower the avocado. The queso fundido is a melty cheesy delight. Love the tacos, but the green corn tamales are my favorite "unique" item with a slightly sweet taste. We love our local Rancho Rustico. It's our favorite Mexican place in Tucson!
(5)Sarah G.
Atmosphere is quiet. Prices are high for average quality Mexican cuisine. Staff is friendly and polite. This place has great potential, but is falling short in a few areas. Average.
(3)AL J.
In my opinion, this is the best Mexican food I have ever eaten. I recently had dinner at La Parilla Suiza on Speedway. LOUD!, Mariachis. Dry tasteless burro. Rancho Rustica, quiet, best chimichanga I have ever eaten, and the house margarita was great. Uniformed staff, efficient and polite. Put this one on your agenda.
(5)Francie L.
Excellent dinner, margaritas were good( half price at happy hour). Staff friendly and attentive. Salsa was tasty and had a little zip to it, chips crunchy & warm & not uniform in size. I had the Pollo Vallarta and it was wonderful, chicken was thin sliced so it was evenly cooked, moist & tender - shrimp & poblano - oh my. Husband had chicken taco salad - said it was good tasting but was pretty watery on the plate. Fairly busy with families so looks like the neighborhood go to place.
(4)Ashley J.
Love their house margarita! Even better during Happy Hour. ;) Every entree I've had has been delicious. Their mole sauce is also some of the best I've had. I've been waiting for a great restaurant in Rita Ranch and it's finally here. Anytime after 5:30 and it's pretty packed so that's a great sign others agree this is great food.
(5)Maria G.
Rancho Rustico I really wasn't expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised by some of the items we had tonight for dinner. I arrived a little before 6pm. I thought I would catch happy hour, but no it ended at 5pm. Happy Hour is from 2pm-5pm. It is good for the retired folks. The interior is decorated with saddles and even a Mexican outfit nailed up on the walk. There are many colors but they are the dated Southwest colors, think peach and green. This is a surprisingly small restaurant and it was almost full early on a weeknight. That was a good sign. I ordered a beer. They have a lot of Mexican beers on draft and I got a Negra Modelo, $4 for 16oz, it seemed like a small glass for a 16oz pour, but sometimes it is hard to tell how much a glass holds. When I asked our server what types of beer she had she started the list with Michelob Ultra and the other domestics. They do have a multi-page cocktail menu but it is also just the classics and the basic drinks. We were brought a BIG basket of chips to start and then two regular salsas. They asked if we wanted spicy salsa and we did. They brought us a bowl of habanero tomatillo salsa. It was spicy. We ate almost all the chips and we still had at least half of the salsa left. I though I might save it for the meal. When the meal came to the table rice and beans came on a side plate. The beans were good, not watered down. Then came the chile relleno that we ordered a la carte. It was really good. I would definitely order it again. The molcajete for one person, was big enough for us to split considering we had filled up on chips. I really wish there had been less salsa in the molcajete. It could have had a quarter of the salsa and it would have been better and easier to eat. We were fishing through the salsa the entire time. The salsa was mild and tomatoey. It was just in the way. I left very full. The portions are good but I think the prices are a little high. There aren't a lot of restaurant choices in this area of town. So overall, the prices might be justified. If you are in the area this isn't a bad basic/classic Americanized Mexican restaurant. However, it doesn't really standout considering how many good Mexican restaurants there are in Tucson.
(3)Mike M.
Don't let the strip mall location fool you. This place is serving up some tasty Mexican classics. The chips are hot, light and crispy perfection. They offer a regular red salsa and a hotter habañero version upon request. If you're more of a pico de gallo fan you can purchase a freshly prepared side that will easily feed 4 or more. Shredded beef tacos, cheese enchiladas, chile rellenos and chile verde plates are some of my favorites. They serve ice cold dos equis ambar with lime which perfectly compliments any dish. Surprisingly, they offer breakfast as well which will not disappoint. Huevos rancheros and other egg dishes are fabulous. Friday nights will have a wait with a line outside so be prepared. It's worth the wait.
(4)Lachlan G.
If I could call Rick Moranis, get him to re-invent the machine he built from "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," I would have him shrink me down to the size of a thimble so I could literally bathe in the miracle that is their Mocaljete. I often find myself day-dreaming about them. I've eaten there multiple times since my first review, and it's just so frighteningly satisfying, that I would almost eat there every day. Every SINGLE DAY! Margarita, Queso Fundido, Mocaljete, Sopapillas....sorted.
(5)Betsy M.
I have been here many times since my first visit and this place is now one of our go to favorites. We have never had bad service or a bad meal here. The staff is wonderful, the owner accommodating and the food terrific. Their margaritas are delish, and try their breakfast... really yummy, particularly the chile relleno.
(5)Jes W.
You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. You must try the tacos al pastor. Fantastic!
(5)Nicole B.
Oh Rancho, how I've enjoyed you in the past. Your beers, your happy hour specials, your proximity to my house. Your tortillas, wings, salsa. Cold beers, margaritas, I could go on! Having been to Rancho about a half dozen times previously for various meals (including breakfast), we went in for happy hour and pointed to the happy hour menu and asked for the $2.50 beers. We then also ordered a couple of appetizers to share (also on happy hour). When our bill came, the beers were $5 each and the appetizers were full price. After waiting awhile after we had finished eating, my husband got up and found our waiter and reminded him that we were there on happy hour, and asked him to fix the price. Upon returning again with our bill, the appetizers were the correct prices, but the beers were still full priced. My husband went and found him again (after another 5+ minute wait and he hadn't returned). The waiter then told us that we ordered the large beers. There was a language barrier, which is fine, but we were both frustrated because we specifically pointed to the $2.50 beers on the menu when ordering to make sure there were no misunderstandings. After arguing with us about what we ordered, the waiter left and actually came back with two different sizes beers, and rudely showed us "THIS is the happy hour beer, THIS is what you ordered. They are different. Next time you need to tell me before you drink them if they're wrong." We were shocked at the disrespect and rudeness of the whole situation. We also didn't know that there was a difference, or beer sizes (this was not listed on the menu), or that we were expected to know the differences upon dining at the restaurant. My husband said he refuses to go back. We were huge fans of the place until we were treated that way. A simple apology and/or explanation of the misunderstanding from the waiter would have been plenty. Previously though, we had good experiences with service.
(2)GM M.
Love the warm chips they bring out with salsa! We missed breakfast, which ends at 11:00 (Saturday). I had the flautas, he had chile colorado. Both plates came with plenty of food.
(4)Edda P.
Went here on a week night. Service was excellent and the margarita was great. The food not so much. I had the beef taco salad. The seasoning sauce in the meat was not pleasant. I could not eat it. I could not taste any difference in the two dishes of salsa they brought out. Both were spicy and left me with an upset stomach.
(2)David W.
My wife and I got to this place at 8:00 PM on a Wednesday night. There were about three or four other couples/families already seated. However, one of the servers was vacuuming the carpet around the tables. At first I thought she was just cleaning up a mess that had occurred, but that would have been too nice. She was vacuuming the entire restaurant, going right by tables where there were customers trying to have a conversation with others at their table. After about 30 minutes of us being there, I finally asked the lady to stop vacuuming. She looked at me like I was so rude to ask. She did however stop, but made sure to start right back up again after we received our bill. Is it really that important to vacuum? Can't you wait until after you close and all your customers are gone? It's kinda hard to have a conversation with people at your table when the vacuum is going by your table, and the next table, and the next table..... As for the food, not good. My wife ordered a green chile soup. The menu describes it as having green chile and strips of meat. However, it is green chile with gobs of onions. I think she did find ONE strip of meat in the entire bowl. I ordered a combo plate with a shredded beef taco and a chile relleno, which came with rice and beans. The taco lacked any flavor and the cheese on the top tasted like it had been in the refrigerator too long. The chile relleno was actually really good, probably one of the best ones I've had. However, as for the rice and beans, the rice was so dry it was crusty and the beans were nothing special. They serve you complimentary chips and salsa when you are seated. The chips are definitely not home made, totally taste like they came from a bag, not warm. The salsa tastes like they opened a can of tomato sauce and poured it in a bowl. All in all, I will never go back here. The service was not the greatest, the vacuuming incident was just plain rude, and the only good food was my chile relleno which, as good as it was, is not worth all the other negatives I experienced.
(1)Karin S.
Amazing food at a fantastic price. We love coming here to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner. They have great happy hour specials. Tonight the service was great with Janet. She was wonderful! My husband said the margaritas were great as always. The manager always makes a point of saying hello to us. Everyone there is always nice and welcoming. We highly recommend Rancho Rustico!
(5)RoLea E.
The food was tasty! I recently tried this place and ordered a few items to go. We got the Fajitas (steak and chicken) and the Carne Asada. Both came with rice and beans. I think all of the items had good flavor. The fajitas had sort of a redish sauce on it and the chicken and steak were tossed together in the sauce with the peppers and onions. I was surprised that it was all mixed together like that, but it was tasty. I will try this place again.
(4)Christina H.
Fantastic food and good service. Give them a try for breakfast too! Where else can you get a great breakfast in the $6-7 range? Both Mexican and traditional offerings. Full bar. Good margaritas at happy hour. Family friendly. Daily specials.
(5)Melinda C.
Eh. Hubby and I look for different things in a Mexican restaurant. He liked the traditional food a lot. I wasn't thrilled with the "turista" American fare that I tried. The hostess was friendly. The waiter was absent. Will we go back? Probably not any time soon.
(3)Tony Y.
Having a Mexican place right across the street was a great thing for the Rita Ranch area, that is, until the service and the food went from really good to not so good anymore. We will usually take a walk or ride our bikes on the weekends and finish here for breakfast. Today, we had plans to do some things out of town and decided to grab some Huevos con chorizo for me and she was craving their red menudo that she has gotten faithfully since they opened and has always been happy with it. My plate was over cooked almost on the verge of being burnt, and the eggs were rubbery like the whole dish was sitting for a few hours. The menudo was half garlic and onion skin instead of tripe. It was so bad, it seemed like it wasn't even made by a Hispanic cook at all. She sent it back and ordered the carne asada and eggs, which after she took only a couple of bites, decided to take it home and see if the son would eat it. Rubbery meat, not very tasty at all. The service was OK, but the real joy was when one of the servers grabbed the carpet sweeper and kept going by everyone's table while we were all trying to eat. We left shortly there after. We have noticed that the food has been gradually going down hill for a few months now. Even though it is within walking distance of our house, we will make an effort to either drive all the way up to the Tanque Verde Rancho or try the other Mexican place next to Safeway on Nexus and Valencia.
(1)Y H.
I liked it... I been there a few times. I get good service every time. Whats good service: 1. Not having to wait a long time for the wait staff to come take an order. 2. Refilling of drinks in a timely manner and not dying to dehydration... 3. Relaxing atmosphere... 4. Friendly, if not jovial staff...fun, you know... 5. Pretty tasty food... Win-Win for me.. :)
(4)Jim T.
(Tucson Jan 2015) GREAT mole Very good service Reasonable prices Clean Interesting decor. One flaw-a small chicken bone appeared where it shouldn't have.
(5)Amy W.
I've had some good luck dining here and being gluten free. It helps to talk to the manager, as he is knowledgeable. Sometimes the wait staff doesn't understand. After a long day of helping a friend move my husband and I ate here and had a great meal. The portions are decent and the food is delicious. At times the service can be slow, but we never get low on drinks. During previous visits I've had margaritas I've found them to be tasty and strong.
(4)Patsy B.
Really, really good. Loco Burrito is their version of a Chili Verde burrito. It was delicious. Chicken mango was wonderful. Excellent service.
(4)Linda H.
Amazing food and awesome customer service. Great family restaurant. Favorites are chicken fajitas and carne asada.
(5)Kathy G.
As everyone should keep in mind, each restaurant's true Mexican cuisine will have it's own unique flavors. We love the location, friendly Staff and ambiance. Complimentary warm tortilla chips and mild to hot salsas offered are tasty. My family and I have enjoyed breakfast, lunch and dinner never being disappointed with portion size, fresh ingredients, robust flavors and presentation. Restaurant and full bar a nice change from the fast food scene. Always leave extremely satisfied.
(4)Emily W.
I'm a fan of this place, the food is really good. It's not quite five stars to me, but I eat here semi-regularly. The pork stew is a favorite and I haven't really been disappointed. Recommend trying!
(4)Sorin S.
The atmosphere is awesome. I really like the old fashion feel. The waiter was awesome. The food was good. Got a smothers burrito or something like it. It had a candy like sweet flavor. It wasn't what I was use to. And I wasn't expecting it from a burrito.
(3)R S.
I went here twice this past November and was satisfied each time. Food is excellent. The first time I ordered a mucho burrito off of the lunch menu. Portion was giant and was the best burrito I've eaten. The rest of my large party (mostly children) also enjoyed their meals. The kids menu is good with more options than many mexican places offer and the portions are good for kids. I was disappointed with the service, though. We came for a late saturday lunch so it was not overly busy. For a party of 9, we were given 2 baskets of chips that were never refilled despite having a long wait for the meal to arrive. Drinks were also slow to refill. Since I go out to eat for the food and not the service, I returned with my husband for his first visit a couple of weeks later. For my 2nd visit, peak lunch during the week, service was excellent. Chips were refilled as quickly as the drinks. My husband was thrilled with the food. After living in Tucson for 5mos and trying many Tucson favorites, we are very happy to have found a Mexican restaurant we enjoy.
(4)Terry H.
My Family and I have dined here several times. We have never been disappointed in the service or food. Tonight my wife went here on a date night and tried the Molcajete for two. We got the Trio option (chicken, beef, and shrimp). Oh my god this was so good. As always the service was fantastic.
(5)David A.
Tonight is my first time visiting this restaurant. My wife came last week while I was out of town and raved about it. Once again, she is right. I highly recommend the spinach enchiladas (enchiladas espinacas) with cream sauce. They are absolutely the best enchiladas I've ever had my life! The restaurant is clean and the staff is professional and attentive. We will definitely be back and bring friends to help us enjoy this gem!
(5)Diane P.
We had the fish burrito. The cream sauce was delicious. The wait staff was very attentive. The only complaint was they put the cold salad on a hot plate that wilted the lettuce. Our favorite Mexican restaurant and there a lot of choices in Tucson
(5)Raul S.
Tasty chips on the SouthEast side FAST Review - 3.5 out of 5 * Food (3/5) Food is decent. I've seen reviews which say the food is bland, but not the one I've tried. Maybe my expectations were lowered though. I've had the lunch special, which comes with an enchilada(chose shredded beef), corn tamale, and rice and beans. As I said, it was decent. I'd rather eat something under-salted than over-salted. They do give you complimentary chips and salsa, and I must say the chips are warm and fresh tasting. Not stale-tasting like some other restaurants in the area *cough Chuy's cough*. I'd advise eating only one basket of chips, else you will leave too full, as the portions are not small. Ambiance (3/5) You walk in and you may or may not be greeted by a hostess. Seems like they can comfortably seat a party of 6 without much effort. They have tables as well as cozier booths. Decor style is "Generic Mexican" :) Service (4/5) Both times I've been there we have had at least 2 different waiters and various people filling our drinks. (Who do we tip?) This seems OK when things are not too busy. Not sure if there would be any confusion as to who is serving you when things got busy though. But we never waited on water refills, and our food came out promptly. Total Impression (3.5/5) I would come here for lunch. The lunch prices are reasonable and the portions are generous. The food is above average, but a good break from Subway and pizza and Carl's Jr in the Rita Ranch area. As for dinner, the prices on the menu seem a bit too high. I think for me I'll just stick to the lunch menu.
(3)Perry E.
I had a rumble in my tummy and I needed a beer. Rustico wad there for me. My wife and I stopped in for late lunch. I got a cold Corona and a Colorado burrito. It was a combination of spicy and absolute refreshment. Both hit the spot. Afterward, I was ready to go back and face the in-laws.
(4)Colt B.
I've been here many times, when it first opened it was very good. Now the food is always under cooked, last time it was rubbery half cooked chicken this time the shredded beef tasted and smelled like it was from a can and it was cold. Sad, I really wanted a good Mexican restaurant nearby.
(1)Amber S.
The cheese dip is amazing! Just like my favorite restaurant from home. Creamy, cheesy, with a great flavor. Chile rellanos were lightly coated just enough for a crisp to the outside stuffed full of creamy cheese. I really enjoyed it Beans were like most beans. Didn't stand out but good. Rice had a great flavor just think it needed to be a stronger flavor. Customer service what very nice and polite. I will be going back!
(4)Carl P.
Without a whole lot of restaurants on the south east side of town, I really wanted to like this place. But it just wasn't to be. I tried it out for breakfast/brunch one morning on the weekend. I don't recall exactly what I ordered, because I couldn't identify what was served. It was some kind of greasy mix of cheese, meat, beans, and rice (but then again, isn't that really ALL mexican food?). It was greasy and mostly lacked flavor - how do you make cheese and meat not delicious? What was even worse was the staff. We were the only people in the entire restaurant and somehow my drink always empty (I was in need of lots of water on this particular morning). When we were finished, we waited 15 minutes for our check. I was worried the staff might have been caught by the back of the restaurant collapsing, but when I went to go check on them, thankfully they were all just playing on their cell phones.
(1)Russ D.
Great service . The manager made a trip out to carona de Tucson to bring us what we were missing from our order. Everyone makes mistakes no one is perfect, but it's how you fix it that counts. They went out of their way to make it right. Great food excellent customer service. And if anyone gets a chance to order their party platter do it, it was a great Super Bowl Sunday thanks to you guys!!!!
(5)Desiree D.
My bf decided to check this place out because it was near our house. I ordered one of their seafood dishes and it was delish! Their margaritas were mucho and prepared just right. Fast and friendly service. Highly recommended :)
(4)Sharon N.
I am picky about my machaca. Rustico's machaca omelette is a tasty blend of thinly sliced green peppers and onions with seasoned beef. It's similar to other Mexican restaurants but cooked perfectly, not too dry or undercooked. I will order it again. We shared a strawberry waffle. The waffle was crispy and light, topped with fresh sliced strawberries. We liked that the maple syrup was served in a warm container. We were impressed by the reasonable breakfast prices and quick service from the professional staff. Gave 4 stars instead of 5 because of the location. Rita Ranch is very far for most Tucson residents.
(4)Pamela G.
Not impressed. Good service but the food was mediocre at best. I asked if they made their own mole sauce and was told yes so I tried the pollo mole. Ugh. Sickly sweet, red and didn't taste like a mole to me at all. Small pieces of chicken, basic mushy retried beans, unremarkable Mexican style rice and a bit of lettuce and tomatoes. Don't think I'll be back.
(2)Kodok G.
Surprisingly good Mexican food in the 'hood. Doesn't look like much on the outside (located in a strip mall off Houghton), but inside you'll find a warm, festive atmosphere, welcoming service, excellent food, and in grande portions. All the platos tipicos had some unique twists and flavors, beginning with the fresh (and free) salsas and chips, and the guacamole was muy fresco y sabroso. The burritos are large and chock full of flavor - much more than a meal, so we had some to take home. Family-friendly, with inexpensive kid options, but good choices of beer and other adult beverages (e.g., monstrous margaritas!). Extra bonus points: they don't use lard in their beans!! Best Mexican choice in SE Tucson, for sure.
(5)Ron G.
Stopped in last night and tried the pork carnitas. Very good! The best item I've tried so far. Cold beer and good chips & salsa.
(5)John C.
Are here for lunch a few days ago and enjoyed the food, slightly pricey but good quality food.
(4)Brian H.
Great location for SE siders and the decor is well executed for being in a strip mall. Their service was spot on and stayed consistent through the rush. Our server was very friendly and attentive. The food is good, but it's a little different than Sonoran style restaurants in flavor. I had the chile relleno and shredded beef enchilada. The relleno (pablano or Anaheim - I couldn't tell) was tender, had a light batter, and a ton of cheese in it. The shredded beef was also very tender, but not much flavor. The beans and rice were both excellent and had a definite home-made flavor to them. My son had ground beef enchiladas, which he liked. I sampled them and the beef had a nice aroma and flavor. My wife had the chicken salad. The chicken had a great mesquite grilled flavor. My daughter's enchiladas were swimming in cheese and topped with more. Too much cheese is my final thought on the food. Mixing chedder with queso contija and queso blanco or Oaxaca all on one plate is overkill. The wife's margarita was "average" she said. We will return, but it will not replace our favorites in town.
(3)Lorrie K.
The food and service sucked! My son and I went on a Sunday afternoon it was so empty. Yet it told 10 mins to get us water. Then the food came, my floutas were grid so bad. My sons bean and cheese tasted burnt. Then to top it off. I order "deep fried" ice cream. Deep fried it wasn't. It was covered in Mesa and honey. It was disgusting. Never going back.
(1)Tuaca T.
Great food, friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, highly recommend. Been there for lunch and dinner and will continue as we completely enjoy this restaurant. The guacamole, chips and salsa are each the best we've had here in Tucson. We've been able to order enchiladas the way we like them and the chorizo dishes are to die for and my favorite as I turn the left overs from this meal into breakfast the next day. So far I've only had a few of the house margaritas but they have been excellent.
(5)Jennifer D.
Very good and portions were huge for the prices! Everyone was friendly and explained the menu items that I was unfamiliar with!
(4)Tricia K.
Ok so this time was better. Got the tortilla soup and bean dip. The chips were outstanding. The salsa was good and the service was good. I will be coming back.
(4)Ryan L.
This place is amazing. I have been searching for a decent Mexican restaurant for the past two years, and this has been the best I have found so far in Tucson. You can instantly tell that the food is prepared with love. There is some great flavor and little fat in the dishes. I can't stand Mexican food that prepared with huge amounts of lard. This place gets it right. Their Carne Asada is among the beat I have had in the city. Their breakfast is top notch as well. I was also very impressed with the staff. They were very friendly and passionate about their food. This place is not huge, but it is a very clean and pleasant environment to dine in. I highly recommend Tucsonians give this place a try. Support your local mom and pop restaurants. Among them, this place is one of the best.
(5)Lee P.
Meh. Greasy food, slow service. Wish this was better since it's close to home, but we won't be back.
(1)Jerry G.
This place just opened up in Rita Ranch. The servers were nice and the decor was an upgrade from the other restuarants that use to be in this location, but that is where it ends. I will admit the chips were thick and warm. They were about the best thing to eat here. The food was very bland. I had a beef Chimichanga. The beef had no flavor, it was like a bland roast beef. The Spanish rice had no flavor and the refried beans were very runny and did not test well at all. The salsa was not very good either. To top off the night we tried the fried ice cream. It was not fried and the coating had a very strong cinnamon flavor with a lot of honey and very little chocolate syrup. Do not worry we will not be going back and I do not recommend you go either, unless you like your Mexican food bland.
(1)Tera E.
After reading such great reviews about Rancho Rustico I was surprised it took us so long to actually visit here! We went after church last Saturday and there was a decent size crowd but it is big enough that there wasn't a wait. The service was great all night, very kind and professional staff that were attentive. Their menu is quite large and they have lots of different combination items but overall the food seemed just ok... standard generic Mexican if you ask me. There are definitely other places in town that I would choose over this place but it's nice to have an option near by. Wasn't impressed by the sopapilla but I haven't really found any outside of New Mexico that are great anyways but I really enjoyed their Organic Margarita.... too bad those aren't on the happy hour menu! I also wanted to try the quesofundito but with only two of us we couldn't justify $9 worth of cheese... maybe next time with a group or for happy hour.
(3)Pat J.
try breakfast the spinach enchiladas are wonderful, for dinner the margaritas and all of the food is wonderful/ Great service, friendly, very clean place
(5)Jose P.
I am a food snub and this place is great!!! Service is awesome. Best in Tucson by far. I will be back
(5)Aj R.
Disappointed! We were trying to decide between Luckies Thai or this place. Unfortunately we chose this place since we have never been. We each wanted a salad and after reading them on the menu we were sold. Well both salads were a huge let down. One, when you think salad you think lettuce. That is usually the main ingredient. Not in these salads. There was maybe half a cup shredded lettuce. Lettuce does not cost a lot. For a huge heaping handful, I would say is less than a penny. I know this from owning a restaurant. So that was problem one. Next was the shell. I couldn't tell you how old the shell was. It was so chewy! Almost made me gag. I could barely rip a piece off, it was like rubber. The next problem is the freshness. Well there wasn't any. Not one item was fresh. It is unfortunate that this restaurant doesn't take any pride in the freshness of their food. That is what you do. As a restaurant you serve food, at least care. The chips were old too. Overall there was nothing good about the meal. It was easy to see why it is never busy. This place could be huge because it doesn't really have competition. But instead they crap on that opportunity. We MIGHT give it another shot. But I am not too sure that will really happen.
(1)Jason N.
This was the first time here. The chips were ok but the salsa tasted store bought with some spice added. I got the green chili soup, the best thing that we ordered. The flavor was rich and it had enough spice. I ordered the Chili Verde.... not the flavor I was exspecting. It was bland and watery, the rice not flavorful and the beans blah. My wife got the cheese enchilada, and the red sauce was watery and the cheese not melted all the way. I would rather make the drive to Michas or El minuto, MUCH better food. Even Papa Locos has better flavor.
(2)Jaimee W.
My mother and I decided to stop in and give Rancho Rustico a try for lunch today. We were pleasantly surprised! Walking in, you can tell that someone took great care in picking out the furnishings and decorating the space. It's rather typical for Mexican restaurant decor, but clean and well executed. The staff were very friendly and attentive, and brought glasses of water and some chips and salsa right away. The tortilla chips were thick and crisp, while the salsa had just enough bite to be tasty AND family friendly. The lunch specials were on the back of the menus, and had good variety. I didn't notice any that were over $10. My mother went with a combination plate (green corn tamale and cheese enchilada) while I had the Pollo Mole. Our food came out within about ten minutes, maybe a bit less. Here's what we thought: Combination plate, with green corn tamale and cheese enchilada: First off, it's so rare that my mother does NOT use salt at a meal... I can't even remember the last time it happened. But she didn't feel any of her food needed it at this meal. We've had many, many green corn tamales from many, many places of the years. This was one of the best. It was huge - the largest tamale I've ever seen served in a restaurant - with great flavor. The masa was particularly flavorful and tender. The cheese enchilada was a nice size with good cheese distribution and a fairly standard (but well seasoned) red sauce. My mother isn't usually a fan of rice at all, but loved Rancho Rustico's! That's saying something! (The flavor was delicate but complex at the same time and I could see they had used celery in the recipe. Which sounded/seemed weird to me at first, but it really added something special. I just picked the pieces of celery out of my rice as a personal preference, although they were well cooked and quite soft in texture.) The refried beans were pretty standard, but tasty, and topped with white cheese. Not smothered in it, which is a common issue at Mexican restaurants around Tucson, but just the right amount. Mom gave her lunch two thumbs up. Pollo Mole: I'm used to a much darker colored mole with prunes in it, but this one was a rich darker red. You could definitely taste the layers of flavor, although overall it was more sweet than spicy and I would've liked a touch more spice/heat. They used strips of lean chicken breast, and there wasn't a single piece of fat or gristle on my plate, which I greatly appreciated! The chicken came with rice and beans (which I agreed were both quite nice) and 3 flour tortillas. The tortillas were fresh and pliable with a nice thickness to them - not thin or prone to breaking open if you, like me, like to pile them up with goodies and make your own soft taco. I gave my lunch 1.5 thumbs up - I just wanted a touch more heat to my mole. In the end, lunch for two from the lunch specials menu was $21.22 including tax. For the amount of food we received, and the service, I felt that was a great deal! You can spend more per person going to a drive thru fast food joint, while getting nowhere near the freshness or quality! We will definitely be going back again, and hope to see them flourish and stick around Rita Ranch for a long time to come. Give them a try!
(4)Joseph T.
I love this restaurant! The staff is always friendly. The food is very tasty! The drinks are great too. Rancho Rustico is my favorite Mexican restaurant in Tucson.
(5)Kevin S.
Very friendly and professional staff. Has very amazing food that comes out at a fairly quick time. Has bottomless chips and dip, which is always a plus! Overall a great experience
(5)Marilyn H.
Decent food but such SMALL portions!! We were seated quickly and the ambiance was nice - they've definitely made an effort to decorate so that with the exception of the ceiling, it doesn't look much like a strip-mall restaurant. The room-temperature chips and too-cold salsa were just okay - our entrees arrived quickly and were tasty enough, but the servings were quite small. Service was friendly but the prices are at least 30% higher than they should be for the amount of food served; our total came to $37 with tip. For NO drinks, NO appetizer, soup OR salad - only 2 smallish entrees and one dessert, that's kinda pricey, IMHO. We'd return for the lower-priced lunch menu (served until 3 PM) but are afraid we'd leave hungry!
(3)Joy T.
Service was average. Food was terrible had the Macho Burrito and it had some light red sweet poured over it the inside had 4 pieces of green chili, tender but no flavor the rice and beans inside were mush. My boyfriend had the bean burrito enchilada style another disaster. The food is really not good nor is it Mexican. They are also pretty pricy. Not going back there sorry, we have way too many good Mexican food restaurants in Tucson to risk going back.
(1)Tom M.
Great food, but work is needed with salsa ( the habenero salsa is hotter but more flavorful ) just to put a single statement summary to this place. Been to this place 4 times. Service was a little slow on first visit, but now they have improved to where it is very prompt. I have tried the skirt steak ( twice ), the shrimp, and the chicken crema, and all were great ( and not bland ). This place has good flavor that tastes authentic. I've talked to others that said "ok", but those same people think Taco Bell is great. I would recommend this place for good Mexican food. About time we got another good food place in Rita Ranch.
(4)Simon K.
Finally a quality non-fast food place to eat near Vail. The Chile Verde is absolutely delicious. The re-fried beans that came with my meal were also very good. My wife ordered their Fajitas. They weren't the best fajitas we've ever had, but not the worst either. We look forward to going back and trying different dishes on the menu.
(4)Jolene S.
I gotta give this place a 1 star because I hate when food has been frozen and reheated. Their rice was frozen and reheated. The server was very friendly to us she did an awesome job. The food came out fairly quick but the people in another booth waited over an hour and finally left. The ladies sitting next to us got her soup but never got her meal. All in all the food wasn't that great and I must say to pay that much for two people to eat out we won't be going back.
(1)Eric K.
Food was not the greatest but atmosphere was good. Ordered a carne sada burro and there was very little flavorless meat in it. Staff was very nice but would rather have a good meal!
(2)Erik C.
Not too bad. Better than nicos anyway. Stay away from the chile relleno the dough was very thick and soggy plus a pool of oil poured out when I cut into it. The tamale wasn't bad and the carne asada also wasn't bad. I can see us trying this place again when desperate enough to eat out in this area.
(3)Jaimee W.
My mother and I decided to stop in and give Rancho Rustico a try for lunch today. We were pleasantly surprised! Walking in, you can tell that someone took great care in picking out the furnishings and decorating the space. It's rather typical for Mexican restaurant decor, but clean and well executed. The staff were very friendly and attentive, and brought glasses of water and some chips and salsa right away. The tortilla chips were thick and crisp, while the salsa had just enough bite to be tasty AND family friendly. The lunch specials were on the back of the menus, and had good variety. I didn't notice any that were over $10. My mother went with a combination plate (green corn tamale and cheese enchilada) while I had the Pollo Mole. Our food came out within about ten minutes, maybe a bit less. Here's what we thought: Combination plate, with green corn tamale and cheese enchilada: First off, it's so rare that my mother does NOT use salt at a meal... I can't even remember the last time it happened. But she didn't feel any of her food needed it at this meal. We've had many, many green corn tamales from many, many places of the years. This was one of the best. It was huge - the largest tamale I've ever seen served in a restaurant - with great flavor. The masa was particularly flavorful and tender. The cheese enchilada was a nice size with good cheese distribution and a fairly standard (but well seasoned) red sauce. My mother isn't usually a fan of rice at all, but loved Rancho Rustico's! That's saying something! (The flavor was delicate but complex at the same time and I could see they had used celery in the recipe. Which sounded/seemed weird to me at first, but it really added something special. I just picked the pieces of celery out of my rice as a personal preference, although they were well cooked and quite soft in texture.) The refried beans were pretty standard, but tasty, and topped with white cheese. Not smothered in it, which is a common issue at Mexican restaurants around Tucson, but just the right amount. Mom gave her lunch two thumbs up. Pollo Mole: I'm used to a much darker colored mole with prunes in it, but this one was a rich darker red. You could definitely taste the layers of flavor, although overall it was more sweet than spicy and I would've liked a touch more spice/heat. They used strips of lean chicken breast, and there wasn't a single piece of fat or gristle on my plate, which I greatly appreciated! The chicken came with rice and beans (which I agreed were both quite nice) and 3 flour tortillas. The tortillas were fresh and pliable with a nice thickness to them - not thin or prone to breaking open if you, like me, like to pile them up with goodies and make your own soft taco. I gave my lunch 1.5 thumbs up - I just wanted a touch more heat to my mole. In the end, lunch for two from the lunch specials menu was $21.22 including tax. For the amount of food we received, and the service, I felt that was a great deal! You can spend more per person going to a drive thru fast food joint, while getting nowhere near the freshness or quality! We will definitely be going back again, and hope to see them flourish and stick around Rita Ranch for a long time to come. Give them a try!
(4)Joseph T.
I love this restaurant! The staff is always friendly. The food is very tasty! The drinks are great too. Rancho Rustico is my favorite Mexican restaurant in Tucson.
(5)Kevin S.
Very friendly and professional staff. Has very amazing food that comes out at a fairly quick time. Has bottomless chips and dip, which is always a plus! Overall a great experience
(5)Russ D.
Great service . The manager made a trip out to carona de Tucson to bring us what we were missing from our order. Everyone makes mistakes no one is perfect, but it's how you fix it that counts. They went out of their way to make it right. Great food excellent customer service. And if anyone gets a chance to order their party platter do it, it was a great Super Bowl Sunday thanks to you guys!!!!
(5)Desiree D.
My bf decided to check this place out because it was near our house. I ordered one of their seafood dishes and it was delish! Their margaritas were mucho and prepared just right. Fast and friendly service. Highly recommended :)
(4)Sharon N.
I am picky about my machaca. Rustico's machaca omelette is a tasty blend of thinly sliced green peppers and onions with seasoned beef. It's similar to other Mexican restaurants but cooked perfectly, not too dry or undercooked. I will order it again. We shared a strawberry waffle. The waffle was crispy and light, topped with fresh sliced strawberries. We liked that the maple syrup was served in a warm container. We were impressed by the reasonable breakfast prices and quick service from the professional staff. Gave 4 stars instead of 5 because of the location. Rita Ranch is very far for most Tucson residents.
(4)Pamela G.
Not impressed. Good service but the food was mediocre at best. I asked if they made their own mole sauce and was told yes so I tried the pollo mole. Ugh. Sickly sweet, red and didn't taste like a mole to me at all. Small pieces of chicken, basic mushy retried beans, unremarkable Mexican style rice and a bit of lettuce and tomatoes. Don't think I'll be back.
(2)Kodok G.
Surprisingly good Mexican food in the 'hood. Doesn't look like much on the outside (located in a strip mall off Houghton), but inside you'll find a warm, festive atmosphere, welcoming service, excellent food, and in grande portions. All the platos tipicos had some unique twists and flavors, beginning with the fresh (and free) salsas and chips, and the guacamole was muy fresco y sabroso. The burritos are large and chock full of flavor - much more than a meal, so we had some to take home. Family-friendly, with inexpensive kid options, but good choices of beer and other adult beverages (e.g., monstrous margaritas!). Extra bonus points: they don't use lard in their beans!! Best Mexican choice in SE Tucson, for sure.
(5)Ron G.
Stopped in last night and tried the pork carnitas. Very good! The best item I've tried so far. Cold beer and good chips & salsa.
(5)John C.
Are here for lunch a few days ago and enjoyed the food, slightly pricey but good quality food.
(4)Brian H.
Great location for SE siders and the decor is well executed for being in a strip mall. Their service was spot on and stayed consistent through the rush. Our server was very friendly and attentive. The food is good, but it's a little different than Sonoran style restaurants in flavor. I had the chile relleno and shredded beef enchilada. The relleno (pablano or Anaheim - I couldn't tell) was tender, had a light batter, and a ton of cheese in it. The shredded beef was also very tender, but not much flavor. The beans and rice were both excellent and had a definite home-made flavor to them. My son had ground beef enchiladas, which he liked. I sampled them and the beef had a nice aroma and flavor. My wife had the chicken salad. The chicken had a great mesquite grilled flavor. My daughter's enchiladas were swimming in cheese and topped with more. Too much cheese is my final thought on the food. Mixing chedder with queso contija and queso blanco or Oaxaca all on one plate is overkill. The wife's margarita was "average" she said. We will return, but it will not replace our favorites in town.
(3)Lorrie K.
The food and service sucked! My son and I went on a Sunday afternoon it was so empty. Yet it told 10 mins to get us water. Then the food came, my floutas were grid so bad. My sons bean and cheese tasted burnt. Then to top it off. I order "deep fried" ice cream. Deep fried it wasn't. It was covered in Mesa and honey. It was disgusting. Never going back.
(1)Tuaca T.
Great food, friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, highly recommend. Been there for lunch and dinner and will continue as we completely enjoy this restaurant. The guacamole, chips and salsa are each the best we've had here in Tucson. We've been able to order enchiladas the way we like them and the chorizo dishes are to die for and my favorite as I turn the left overs from this meal into breakfast the next day. So far I've only had a few of the house margaritas but they have been excellent.
(5)Jennifer D.
Very good and portions were huge for the prices! Everyone was friendly and explained the menu items that I was unfamiliar with!
(4)Tricia K.
Ok so this time was better. Got the tortilla soup and bean dip. The chips were outstanding. The salsa was good and the service was good. I will be coming back.
(4)Ryan L.
This place is amazing. I have been searching for a decent Mexican restaurant for the past two years, and this has been the best I have found so far in Tucson. You can instantly tell that the food is prepared with love. There is some great flavor and little fat in the dishes. I can't stand Mexican food that prepared with huge amounts of lard. This place gets it right. Their Carne Asada is among the beat I have had in the city. Their breakfast is top notch as well. I was also very impressed with the staff. They were very friendly and passionate about their food. This place is not huge, but it is a very clean and pleasant environment to dine in. I highly recommend Tucsonians give this place a try. Support your local mom and pop restaurants. Among them, this place is one of the best.
(5)Lee P.
Meh. Greasy food, slow service. Wish this was better since it's close to home, but we won't be back.
(1)Jerry G.
This place just opened up in Rita Ranch. The servers were nice and the decor was an upgrade from the other restuarants that use to be in this location, but that is where it ends. I will admit the chips were thick and warm. They were about the best thing to eat here. The food was very bland. I had a beef Chimichanga. The beef had no flavor, it was like a bland roast beef. The Spanish rice had no flavor and the refried beans were very runny and did not test well at all. The salsa was not very good either. To top off the night we tried the fried ice cream. It was not fried and the coating had a very strong cinnamon flavor with a lot of honey and very little chocolate syrup. Do not worry we will not be going back and I do not recommend you go either, unless you like your Mexican food bland.
(1)Tera E.
After reading such great reviews about Rancho Rustico I was surprised it took us so long to actually visit here! We went after church last Saturday and there was a decent size crowd but it is big enough that there wasn't a wait. The service was great all night, very kind and professional staff that were attentive. Their menu is quite large and they have lots of different combination items but overall the food seemed just ok... standard generic Mexican if you ask me. There are definitely other places in town that I would choose over this place but it's nice to have an option near by. Wasn't impressed by the sopapilla but I haven't really found any outside of New Mexico that are great anyways but I really enjoyed their Organic Margarita.... too bad those aren't on the happy hour menu! I also wanted to try the quesofundito but with only two of us we couldn't justify $9 worth of cheese... maybe next time with a group or for happy hour.
(3)Pat J.
try breakfast the spinach enchiladas are wonderful, for dinner the margaritas and all of the food is wonderful/ Great service, friendly, very clean place
(5)Jose P.
I am a food snub and this place is great!!! Service is awesome. Best in Tucson by far. I will be back
(5)Aj R.
Disappointed! We were trying to decide between Luckies Thai or this place. Unfortunately we chose this place since we have never been. We each wanted a salad and after reading them on the menu we were sold. Well both salads were a huge let down. One, when you think salad you think lettuce. That is usually the main ingredient. Not in these salads. There was maybe half a cup shredded lettuce. Lettuce does not cost a lot. For a huge heaping handful, I would say is less than a penny. I know this from owning a restaurant. So that was problem one. Next was the shell. I couldn't tell you how old the shell was. It was so chewy! Almost made me gag. I could barely rip a piece off, it was like rubber. The next problem is the freshness. Well there wasn't any. Not one item was fresh. It is unfortunate that this restaurant doesn't take any pride in the freshness of their food. That is what you do. As a restaurant you serve food, at least care. The chips were old too. Overall there was nothing good about the meal. It was easy to see why it is never busy. This place could be huge because it doesn't really have competition. But instead they crap on that opportunity. We MIGHT give it another shot. But I am not too sure that will really happen.
(1)Jason N.
This was the first time here. The chips were ok but the salsa tasted store bought with some spice added. I got the green chili soup, the best thing that we ordered. The flavor was rich and it had enough spice. I ordered the Chili Verde.... not the flavor I was exspecting. It was bland and watery, the rice not flavorful and the beans blah. My wife got the cheese enchilada, and the red sauce was watery and the cheese not melted all the way. I would rather make the drive to Michas or El minuto, MUCH better food. Even Papa Locos has better flavor.
(2)Marilyn H.
Decent food but such SMALL portions!! We were seated quickly and the ambiance was nice - they've definitely made an effort to decorate so that with the exception of the ceiling, it doesn't look much like a strip-mall restaurant. The room-temperature chips and too-cold salsa were just okay - our entrees arrived quickly and were tasty enough, but the servings were quite small. Service was friendly but the prices are at least 30% higher than they should be for the amount of food served; our total came to $37 with tip. For NO drinks, NO appetizer, soup OR salad - only 2 smallish entrees and one dessert, that's kinda pricey, IMHO. We'd return for the lower-priced lunch menu (served until 3 PM) but are afraid we'd leave hungry!
(3)Joy T.
Service was average. Food was terrible had the Macho Burrito and it had some light red sweet poured over it the inside had 4 pieces of green chili, tender but no flavor the rice and beans inside were mush. My boyfriend had the bean burrito enchilada style another disaster. The food is really not good nor is it Mexican. They are also pretty pricy. Not going back there sorry, we have way too many good Mexican food restaurants in Tucson to risk going back.
(1)Tom M.
Great food, but work is needed with salsa ( the habenero salsa is hotter but more flavorful ) just to put a single statement summary to this place. Been to this place 4 times. Service was a little slow on first visit, but now they have improved to where it is very prompt. I have tried the skirt steak ( twice ), the shrimp, and the chicken crema, and all were great ( and not bland ). This place has good flavor that tastes authentic. I've talked to others that said "ok", but those same people think Taco Bell is great. I would recommend this place for good Mexican food. About time we got another good food place in Rita Ranch.
(4)Simon K.
Finally a quality non-fast food place to eat near Vail. The Chile Verde is absolutely delicious. The re-fried beans that came with my meal were also very good. My wife ordered their Fajitas. They weren't the best fajitas we've ever had, but not the worst either. We look forward to going back and trying different dishes on the menu.
(4)Jolene S.
I gotta give this place a 1 star because I hate when food has been frozen and reheated. Their rice was frozen and reheated. The server was very friendly to us she did an awesome job. The food came out fairly quick but the people in another booth waited over an hour and finally left. The ladies sitting next to us got her soup but never got her meal. All in all the food wasn't that great and I must say to pay that much for two people to eat out we won't be going back.
(1)Eric K.
Food was not the greatest but atmosphere was good. Ordered a carne sada burro and there was very little flavorless meat in it. Staff was very nice but would rather have a good meal!
(2)Erik C.
Not too bad. Better than nicos anyway. Stay away from the chile relleno the dough was very thick and soggy plus a pool of oil poured out when I cut into it. The tamale wasn't bad and the carne asada also wasn't bad. I can see us trying this place again when desperate enough to eat out in this area.
(3)