El Lago Ranchero
8126 Lakewood Main St,Ste 101, Lakewood Ranch, FL, 34202
El Lago Ranchero Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Lakewood Ranch for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lakewood Ranch for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lakewood Ranch for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
8126 Lakewood Main St,Ste 101
Lakewood Ranch, FL, 34202 - Phone (941) 907-9449
- Website https://www.ellagoranchero.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Robert F.
Super delicious! Real authentic Mexican. This is not your typical taco place. We ordered carne asada, which was cooked to perfection. We also had the house specialty, Molcajete. Lovely flavor. What a nice surprise!
(4)Charlie D.
I'm writing as we sit at the table so that I don't have to think about this meal any more than I have to. The meal started off ok with complimentary chips and salsa. When we found a hair in the chips we told the server and she just said "Oh." and walked away. When our food came out I knew I had made a huge mistake. I was served the worst burrito I've ever had. Drenched in a weird, marinara like sauce, it was filled with bland chicken, undercooked rice and onions, and a spoonful of beans, but only on the last 1/6 of the burrito. My wife's salad was not pretty to look at but she said it tasted good. Overall I would not come back here.
(2)Shauna S.
Well...to be fair, we did not stay long enough to rate the food or the service. After seeing the ladies room however, I told hubby I didn't want to stay, and that was that. The toilet was not operating and it appears that this is a long standing issue since there was a sign on it with "instructions" on how to make it flush. As in "wait several minutes in between flushes". Really? Cuz....that's kinda gross when there is a LINE of ladies...just sayin'. Let's just say that not everyone knows how to, cares to, or has the option to follow these instructions. Yuk. I can't eat somewhere where I know that the kitchen staff and servers are using a restroom that is not working properly. Maybe we will give them another chance someday, but for now this one's off my list.
(1)Alicia G.
Despite the listing, this place is actually called Casa Maya. Our experience was phenomenal! We stumbled upon this gem late Friday afternoon on our way from Ft Myers to Clearwater for spring training baseball. It happened to be First Friday and the street was hopping. We promptly sat outside on the sidewalk where there was lovely music from a live singer. The food was absolutely perfect, super fresh guacamole, and cold beers. The service was also fantastic. I have nothing bad to say about our experience.
(5)Steve Z.
Awful service mediocre food. Why eat out when you can stay home make better food and not wait an hour for your food. We waited and our waitress still screwed up our order. We will NOT be back!!
(1)Vanessa J.
This use to be me and my husbands favorite chimichangas but since the new ownership they have changed the chips to terrible bland stale ones also the salsa use to be great it's also awful. The chimichangas are still pretty good but have gotten about half the size they use to be, the last thing is the awful stuff they call rice, use to be yummy now terrible no taste not cooked well. We called to speak to a manger and was told there was not one there so we explained to the women our issues and she told us that everyone loves their food and hung up! Will not eat here anymore
(1)Giannabrie F.
Wow, I think this is only the 2nd time I have given a place only 1 star and El Lago barely deserved the one. Considering this restaurant is located in the adorable/trendy "downtown" of Lakewood Ranch I would have expected much better quality. I don't think it is necessary to go through all the things that were horrid about this place but I will just name a few key points: **The service SUCKED. The waitress may have been having a bad night but she looked like she sucked on a lemon before approaching our table and I barely saw her crack a smile the entire evening. It wasn't very busy for a Saturday at 7pm so that wasn't the excuse. I know we all have off days but she probably should have called out sick or something if she was going to come to work slinging that kind of attitude all over the place. Awful. **The salsa was the worst I have ever had. Period. I don't even know what flavor it was but it didn't even taste like normal salsa. Store bought salsa is much better. The chips were stale to boot. **The fajitas were absolutely disgusting. The pieces of chicken looked like chicken claw that had been grilled. They were itty bitty chicken droppings. The black beans and rice were at least decent and the flour tortillas were soft and warm. Everything else was atrocious They are more expensive than the usual run-of-the-mill Mexican joint but yet the food was so much worse. Yuck, puke, disgusting experience. I would advise everyone to stear clear of this place.
(1)Katy J.
If I wanted microwaved frozen dinner I would have gone to Publix... My food was not very edible and due to having to work late tonight I tried to eat half, I had to give up and threw the rest away This was my second time of getting mediocre food
(1)Courtney B.
Mexican food is my favorite food selection, however, this is not authentic Mexican food. Taco meat lacks flavor, they use cheddar cheese (not authentic to the culture), 2 people got wrong orders, there were 2 dirty tables the whole time I was there, and finally the waitress spoke badly about the restaurant cooks! I won't ever go back.
(1)Courtney H.
Well almost 2 yrs later the service still sucks. It's been 35 mins since we ordered and I'm writing this review while we wait. ..never again will I subject myself or family to this sorry excuse for a restaurant!!! Stay away! Update- 5 min after this review and 40 mins after ordering we received our food. It was served hot and tasted fine. However we almost filled up on chips while waiting. I don't think the food is worth the long wait so I won't be back unless the owners reply to this review and reassure me they have corrected the extreme long wait times. Keep in mind they only had 3 tables at the time we were there.
(1)Valeria H.
Under new ownership since end of 2014 with new name "Casa Maya" better food and better service! I have to say THE best Mexican food I have ever tasted! Very authentic with such a delicious flavor. Would recommend the molcajete their #1 dish! This place is a must!!
(5)Eddie M.
Not a bad little place. In my opinion. Service is a bit sketchy, the the food is always consistent. They serve margaritas, but do not have a liquor license?? I don't get it
(4)Alice W.
It has a new name but don't go!!! I found a chicken bone in my burrito, almost choked on it. The ground beef taste like mush, nasty stuff.
(1)Sean S.
Two words: GOD AWFUL!!! Food was bad, margaritas had no alcohol they tasted like straight sour mix. If you like Mexican food then I advise you find a different place to eat...like Chipotle.
(1)Jay B.
Geez, wondering who peed in my waitress' cornflakes. Was craving Mexican food and found this place in my iPhone search. I walked in and the waitress asked how many. I said jokingly with a smile, "just me....no one else can stand me." Not so much as a smirk from her. I then asked if I could sit outside and she just shrugged her shoulders. Talk about a mood killer. Then I sat for almost 10 minutes before she returned to take my drink order. I was dying for some chips and salsa, so I asked if I could have some. Her smug response was, "that's automatic." ???? I almost got up and left, but I was starving. The food is so so, the atmosphere is great, and the other yelp reviews are spot on; the service sucks! I won't be back.
(1)Alonso H.
The waitress seemed like she wanted to be anywhere else. I don't usually like very spicy food but the enchiladas I had didn't have much flavor at all. I ordered a Coke and it was flat. The waitress seemed to know that there was a problem with the equipment but hadn't had it repaired. Added some fizz from the bar but not enough to help.
(2)Craig A.
Been here a number of times and the food has gotten even better. Looks like it's under new ownership. Recommended!! Fajitas are excellent.
(4)Rsmolens ..
The service was outstanding!!! I know previous reviews said service was horrible. ..but things must have changed. Food was very flavor able. ..including the salsa. Had combination platter and wife had shrimp faita which was generous.
(5)Jay H.
Had a special off the menu dish recommended by the server, fajita ingredients boiled in a lava rock bowl with mole sauce, then served with all the fajita side fixings. It was great! Service this time was great also. As the Hammer says " Nailed It"!
(4)Jim H.
We recently tried this restaurant which is part of the ever growing vibe in "downtown" Lakewood Ranch. The evening started with our prompt server asking if we would like some Margaritas. An interesting challenge I thought as they only have a Beer & Wine license. She told us instead of Tequila they add "fermented wine" and it tastes the same. My wife and a guest tried the faux Margarita and concluded the Tequila industry has little to worry about. Didn't taste the same nor did it have a "kick". Two of us had draft Dos Equis. BTW, rather than go for the phony Margarita we first asked about White Sangria, "No they only have red" she told us. Red may be the more popular, but we really prefer white. It would seem with their limited bar offerings a choice of Sangria might be a good option. Chips and salsa were brought. It wasn't obvious that the chips were house-made and the Salsa didn't have that home-made flavor either, just a bland sauce with few bits of vegetables. They were nothing special. If you're going to serve canned Salsa, then buy a better brand. Although the chips were average at best they were devoured which made clear the fact the quantity of sauce offered didn't fit the amount of chips. Each time we had a half basket of chips left and no sauce. I had a tasty Burrito Grande with steak ($11.99) it was large and included a nice quantity of onions and peppers. The two sides were on the small side, which was okay as neither had anything special going for them. The "Mexican" rice tasted like orangey colored white rice. The re-fried beans were very sad. I can tweak and chop and add to canned re-fried beans and they're better! My wife had a taco plate (2 @ $10.99 / 3@ 12.99) which was good but again nothing special. Seems the only things here that are made from scratch are the entrees. The interior is pleasantly appointed and they do have outdoor dining which is probably a good idea so you can enjoy the ongoing street scene and pay less attention to the food. In a town where "just average" Mexican restaurants abound this place is low on the list.
(2)Genna H.
We went here my a birthday and arived at approcximately 6. My father asked what time happy hour was over because he wanted a margarita. The server went to look and when he came back he said 6, so my dad asked if he can still get one but apparently he could not imput it because it was now 6:02. Dad still ordered one then changed his mind. Server cam out and was giving us a hard time and he was very rude and disrespectful. He didn't understand how to make customers happy and if he would have come right to us we would be under the 6pm hour for happy hour. We asked to speak to the manager and then he proceeded to tellus he was the owner. We argued with us and we finally decided to leave.
(1)Jayne G.
Came here during a recent trip to visit my parents. I should have known I wouldn't be able to get decent Mexican outside of CA... After being seated outside and ordering drinks and guac (all which took an inordinate amount of time to arrive), we ordered dinner. Me: "I'd like the chicken mole, please." Waitress scrunches her nose and asks, "Have you had mole before? Because some people just think its weird." Oh, Florida. For crying out loud, yes, I've had mole before. I consider myself a mole connoisseur. I'm always interested in uncharted mole territory. This place, however...I should have just ordered a taco. What they did to the breast of chicken was downright criminal. I couldn't cut through it, it was chewy and looked like it had been boiled. And the mole? Yeah, I had to ask for an extra side of it, as there was barely any on the chicken. And it was totally flavorless. How one manages to make a mole sauce that tastes like nothing at all, I'll never know. Bonus points for being able to make the guac without onions (because they make it when you order it). That was the only saving grace. Well, that and the fact that my parents seemed to like their food. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing, though.
(2)Melissa Z.
This is a great restaurant with good tex-mex food. For what it's worth, I'm half latin, so I do know good mexican. The free appetizer salsa and chips were good; chips are a little more greasy than I care for but the salsa made up for it (spicy, with cilantro!). We enjoyed our entrees; fresh ingredients and great flavors. I put heavy weight on atmosphere and the inside was really done well (by FL standards) with scenic paintings, panchos on the chairs, and light themey music in the background. They also have (what I feel like is obligatory in FL) a nice little outdoor patio that sits out front so you can watch other passersby.
(4)Carey Y.
We've lived near here for almost 2 years and had never been to El Lago Ranchero before last week. We wanted to use a coupon we had for our old standby, Mi Pueblo, but it was closed. Still craving fajitas, we decided to give El Lago a shot, despite the fact that we'd heard it wasn't that great. We were happy to find them open on a late afternoon and were seated immediately. Our waitress was fun and friendly, and brought us our drinks right away (including a sample taste of a margarita for Gabriel) as well as a basket of chips and salsa. We ordered the shrimp and veggie fajitas for 2, which came with sides of rice and refried beans, tortillas, and all of the typical toppings: cheese, sour cream, tomatoes/cilantro/onions, lettuce and guacamole. Everything was tasty, fresh, and was served quickly. Granted, we didn't order anything particularly complex, and it's hard to really mess up fajitas too much, but we really enjoyed it. It's definitely more Americanized Tex-Mex than authentic Mexican food...but there's nothing wrong with that in my book. The shrimp were fresh and cooked well, the vegetables were fine, not over-seasoned or over-cooked, and the bill was very affordable. We will surely go back!
(3)Susan H.
I enjoyed the chips & salsa, but was disappointed in my enchilada which was quite bland. Black beans good,service good. Will probably try again but for now, not impressed.
(3)Craig W.
I have no idea what planet those jokers who wrote bad reviews are from, but this restaurant is one of the best Mexican Restaurants I have eaten at. I have been here 5-6 times and the prices and food are amazing. I have ordered the single soft tacos for $2.50 each and they are stuffed with meat and cheese and fresh tomatoes on top. However, the most amazing meal there is the Steak Fajitas, (we added 6 huge gulf shrimp for only $2.00 more) and have not ordered another meal there since then, other than the fajitas. The are cooked in their own savory spices and are served on a sizzling cast iron platter. You are also given pico de gallo, fresh shredded cheddar jack cheese and sour cream. This meal also comes with the best re-fried beans and Mexican Rice. If you pass up an opportunity to eat at this restaurant, you will be missing out on amazing Mexican food.
(5)Lisa S.
Food was great. Rice and re-fried beans tasted freshly made and not scooped from a bucket from a patio shed like most mexican restaurants. The chicken chimichangas were delicious. Chips and salsa also tasted fresh. Service however was substandard. Prices are about 30% more expensive than usual mexican crapstaurants. Overall good experience.
(3)Jamii Y.
We came here on a Friday night for national "Margarita Day". The restaurant is really small and if you can, I would sit outside. They seemed to be short staffed because our server didn't greet us for ten minutes and when he did, he was all sweaty and rushed. The margaritas were good but the food was just average. Our chips were stale and the salsa tasted like it was straight out of a can. I ordered the Shrimp Diego which is bacon wrapped shrimp. Unfortunately, my shrimp was not cooked through and I had to send it back. In replace, I had the fish tacos which, as I mentioned, were just average. If you are in Lakewood Ranch and really craving good Mexican food, I would avoid this place.
(2)Bruce W.
The outdoor tables were full, and so we ate indoors, which was probably a mistake. We sat by a window, as we were the only ones inside, but were moved because someone had 'reserved' it. No- one took it though, while we were there. Our waitress got my wife's order wrong. She wanted her meal vegetarian (which is not on the menu) and her order came with chicken. I believe they just took it to the back, removed the chicken, put in black beans, reheated it and brought it back out. My food was basic and bland. I cannot understand reviewers who rate it highly. There are lots of Mexican food alternatives in Sarasota, from El Toro Bravo (our favorite) to Tijuana Flats to Chipotle. They are all better choices. I am told there are very nice places to eat in Lakewood Ranch. Next time we are there, we will pay more attention to Yelp reviews before we pick one out!
(1)Alberto Z.
We decided to try this place by chance, we were there and nothing else seemed interesting. I ordered the Chile relleno, it was decent though the breading lacked flavor. We also tried tamale which was big and very good. My friend got the chicken fajitas, nothing spectacular; I think I've had better at Chili's. Their "Mexican" rice was red, spicy, and reminiscent of a bird store (tasted the way bird food smells), however my friend liked the rice, so you will just have to judge for yourself. The refried beans were also mediocre. So over all, it's was ok, definitely NOT a home run, but not as bad as what Frank stated. Then again, we didn't have anything with beef in it.
(2)Megan M.
I want to like this place and have been several times, but after the experience we had there yesterday, I'll think twice about going again. The only redeeming part: the food definitely gets 4 stars. The salsa, chunky guacamole and fajitas are all awesome. The bad parts: The margarita was gross. The service was terrible and by terrible I mean...the waitress we had is in her early twenties and she was apathetic and rude. I shouldn't have to ask for things multiple times, especially when the restaurant isn't full. I had an issue with my purse getting caught in the bench along the wall and when we got up to leave, the strap was stuck and it broke (it's a Marc Jacobs bag so I'm not a happy girl). I told the waitress who turned around and walked away after a small "sorry". Grrrrr. I've heard the restaurant is under new ownership and that's the cause of some of the downfall. Customer treatment is just as important as the quality of the food. Their food is awesome. Service= epic fail.
(2)Bruce C.
Excellent Shrimp tacos and Steak fajitas. Very good service and fair price with great lunch deals. A can't miss place in my many visits.
(4)Diane S.
The food here is pretty good, but could never make up for the terrible service from an extremely rude server. I went in to complain to the owner or manager, but wasn't able to find one. Having one server durning lunch or dinner hours is unacceptable!!!!! This is common at this restaurant. We had the same experience the previous two times we were there. We will NOT be going back.
(1)Nancy N.
My taco salad was soggy and room temperature. Food does not appear to be, or even remotely resembles fresh. Taco Bell is better. Food tasted like it had been sitting around, then warmed up in a microwave. We will not go back. Decor is lovely. Not at all tasteful.
(1)Daren Y.
I have been here 3 times. The first two times was with a few friends. The only reason I came after the first time was because my friends wanted to come. The last time was because Jacqui was interested and I was hoping that it would improve. I was wrong. So this place is located in the nice little downtown Lakewood Ranch, a plaza I thoroughly enjoy. I've had their burrito and the fajitas. They give you chips and salsa when you sit. The food was ok, nothing to write home about and certainly not anything I was impressed with. There wasn't much flavor going on, but you could tell that stuff was salty. My fajitas didn't have too much meat in it, a mortal sin. The service was ok. I felt like it was just the standard, nothing really stood out, but nothing was really horrible. I will say though, I was pleased that they kept my glass of water filled for the most part, even though the level of ice steadily increased with each subsequent fill. So third time's the charm? Not so much. Nothing stood out about this place. Food was rather subpar in my opinion. I'll give them an additional 0.5 stars for being in a good location. Review is for 2 stars.
(2)