El Ranchito

1. The decor is beautiful. 2. Chips and salsa is meh, at best. Guacamole was delicious . My fajita quesadilla was very good but the rice was very bland and my dinner arrived lukewarm. My companion ordered huevos rancheros and he said the red sauce tasted like pasta sauce. 3. Our waiter was inattentive. He dropped our water and drinks off without a straw and refilled the water after I asked twice. 4. The chip on my card wasn't working. He couldn't figure out how to swipe the card or manually input the info. He simply returned my card and said, "Is broken." If you enjoy bland food with mediocre service, this place is fine. If you enjoy authentic Mexican cuisine, skip it.

Took my mom here for lunch today. My stepdad and her go frequently and he's out of town so I came to check in on her and make sure she ate something. We ordered the espresso martini, which was super delicious. Sweeter than others I've had but she probably wouldn't have liked it if it wasn't sweet. We also got a margarita we didn't order. I wondered if they brought it because it's what she usually has. It was a good margarita. Nothing spectacular. I'm picky about margaritas and don't like them made with the margarita mix like most places make them. We got the elote, which was fabulous. And we got some chilaquiles. They were made with a great sauce. I left satisfied and my mom left happy and maybe a little buzzed because she fell in love with the espresso martini and drank most of it AND the margarita. In general it was less Americanized than most Mexican restaurants around here, which I enjoyed. It was a very nice looking restaurant and I'm sure I'll be back when I come over this way in the future.

Food is good, caught a male worker cleaning the chairs with his hand instead of using a wet rag. I can see a pest issue in there future

Went there on New Years eve but it was terribly noisy with drunk people in the back and mariachi band in the front. But I did not give up on it. We went back since then and the food and atmosphere was excellent. Lots of mexican fish items in addition to traditional mexican fare. All servings were large and many were taking "to go' containers. The staff were wonderful and very friendly. I was told that this restaurant was also an offshoot from the great place in Auburn. I had some since then and could only finish a half of the bowl. This used to be "Carlos O'Kellys", but this place is authentic mexican food and a great lunch or dinner facility

Wow the new location will blow your socks off! Beautiful renovation of the old Carlos O Kelly's and the food is amazing. You should see the bathroom

Was very disappointed with the time that it took to get our food. When it did arrive it was lukewarm at best!

Formerly Carlos OKelly's, this freshly remodeled El Ranchito restaurant offers great food, prompt service and friendly staff. The Carnitas Dinner is the best roasted pork in Topeka. It is roasted with sauted onions and is tender yet crispy edges. The Carnitas dinner is served with mexican rice and refried beans. The Tamale Supreme includes a large tamale plus 2 chicken taquitos and then covered with rich queso and crispy chips. For a great lunch, the 3 Mexican style soft tacos are a delicious meal when a side of refried beans are added. Order them with carnitas (pork). The owner of this restaurant spent time and energy to remodel the former Mexican restaurant into a real treat of a venue. Hand painted murals decorate the walls. New furniture and spanish tile floors make this a fun experience in which to enjoy the food. We were seated immediately by this hostess, brought chips and salsa within minutes of being seated. Our orders were taken promptly and we were served very quickly. Waitstaff is prompt and attentive. Dining at this newly remodeled restaurant is a very nice experience from the fountain at the main entrance, to the interesting murals on the wall, to the lighting in the bar/lounge area.

The food is great, the service is very good and the restaurant looks amazing. The menu is huge and everything we've tried has been excellent.

Went on a Sunday evening and had about a 15 minute wait for seating. In less than five minutes after being seated, we had chips and salsa at the table. We asked for spicy salsa which was delicious - just the right amount of heat. We ordered Queso Fundido which was AMAZING! I enjoyed the Camarones a la diabla, and others had the chicken chimichanga and menudo. We believe the menudo was made when ordered because they let us know it would take a little longer. The menudo had large cuts of tripe along with a huge bone joint with tendon - again, AMAZING!! The service was good and we will be returning!!

Salsa taste like Chili powder and the food well it will make a turd. The service was good. The ambiance was good.