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Longview, Washington is located over 1200 miles north of Tijuana, Mexico. Yes, that's a very LONG 2-day drive, and a 2-1/2 hour flight, on a good flying day. But if you're looking for a taste of Mexico, and you don't want to cross the Columbia River, El Ranchero, in Longview, Washington, will satisfy you craving for delicious, authentic, Mexican cuisine. As with all of reviews that I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: After driving 632 miles from Roseville, CA to Longview, Washington, I was hungry, and ready for a great Mexican dinner. I checked into a motel in downtown Longview, and noticed that El Ranchero was located only a few blocks away, within easy walking distance, so I could enjoy a cold beer and not have to worry about driving. It's about 1800 in the afternoon of Wednesday, August 16, 2017, and I have the whole restaurant to myself, which makes for great photography.
Photo: As you enter the restaurant, you'll find the counter, and a half-filled Coca Cola cooler. The sign says "Please Wait to be Seated," but on this Wednesday afternoon I was the only customer, so I just sat myself down, as my host arrived.
Photo: The dining room is quite large, and features mostly booths, with a couple of long tables in the rear of the room. The decor is what you'd expect, as it's definitely Mexican, down to the bricks, and the tile floors. I sat at the booth to the left of the photo, which is near the entrence.
Photo: The first page of the menu features combination dishes, which I pretty much zeroed in on. Everything looked good, but I decided to go with a #1, as that always seems like a great place to start when you're visiting a new restaurant. I really wasn't all that hungry, but for only a dollar more, I felt a "Large Combination" dinner was in order.
Photo: I sneak a peek inside the kitchen, through an open door, as I snoop around the counter, after my order had been taken.
Photo: Appitizers: In-house-made salsa, fresh chips, and an icy-cold Pacifico beer, complete with a lime wedge. What a way to begin a delicious meal!
Photo: After placing my order, it arrived in less than 15 minutes, delivered by Martín, my friendly server. He and I had quite an opportunity to chit-chat, as neither he nor the restaurant was busy. He told me that he'd never seen a Wednesday evening as slow as tonight, but he didn't have a problem with it, as it gave him a chance to relax, and catch up on things. Shortly after my meal arrived, another customer walked in...
Photo: My friendly host Martín, snapped my photo, upon my request, as I get ready to enjoy a delicious Mexican feast, on the north bank of the Columbia River.
Photo: My complete dinner, along with the chips, salsa and beer.
Photo: I chose the #1 from the "Combinations" menu, which, besides the standard rice and beans - included with all combinations - netted me one enchilada and two tacos. For the tacos, I just chose ground beef for the filling, as at the moment it sounded good, but I was a tad more adventurous with the enchilada, as I went with picadillo, as I hadn't had that in a long time. Such a delicious dinner! My dinner was simply amazing, as it arrived from the kitchen, cooked perfectly, hot and juicy, ready to enjoy. This Mexican dinner was a good as any combination dinner that I've enjoyed in California, or for that matter, in Tijuana. The good folks at El Ranchero Restaurant really know how to dish up great Mexican food!
Photo: As I was enjoying my dinner, Martín, passed my table, and presented an order for me to photo that was destined to the other diner, who had walked in a half hour ago. The major entree is deep fried tilapia... maybe I should have ordered fish tonight? Over the past 50 years, I've eaten all over the Mexican states of Baja California - both of them - Sonora, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas among others, and I live in California, so I know something about great Mexican food. Frankly, I was pleasantly surprised for finding this gem-of-a-Mexican restaurant north of the Columbia River. The food is delicious, it's very much like the food you'd enjoy in a mainstream Tijuana restaurant, and the service is wonderful. El Ranchero Restaurant, in Longview, is a sure-bet for delicious Mexican cuisine. El Ranchero Restaurant Copyright(c) 2017 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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