RANCHO 21 Restaurant — Restaurant in Baja California

My husband and I were really looking forward to trying this place, but it ended up being an extremely frustrating and disappointing experience. The wait times were unbearably long. When we first arrived, the hostess informed us the wait would be about an hour and 30 minutes. However, as time went on, we noticed people who had just arrived were being seated while we had already been waiting for 2 hours. When I asked the hostess how much longer we'd need to wait, especially since others were being seated right away, she told us it would be another 30 minutes. We continued to wait patiently, but after about 40 minutes, we checked with the hostess again, only to be told we'd have to wait yet another hour. At that point, we were so disappointed and upset that we left—still starving! Adding to the frustration, while there’s a sign outside in English that says "Cash Only," the menus inside aren’t translated into English at all. This made ordering quite difficult, especially for those who don’t speak the language. It’s disappointing that they didn’t consider providing English menus, especially since they expect English-speaking customers to understand their payment policy. The lack of translation made the experience confusing and unwelcoming. I wouldn’t recommend this place unless you’re fluent in the language or have someone with you who is. To make matters worse, the dirt roads leading to the restaurant are in terrible condition. They’re poorly maintained, making it difficult and unpleasant to navigate. The entire experience felt unprofessional and frustrating. I won’t be returning! Don’t believe the hype on social media—this restaurant seems to cater mainly to friends and family, who clearly...

The food was delicious, but the menu was limited. I anticipate the menu expansion in the near future. The service was exceptional. We weren't just serviced by our waitress, but other servers stopped by our table to see if we needed anything. The owner himself stopped by our table to make sure all was well. The people there were very polite and courteous. Our food was served in a timely manner. We got there when they opened up at 8:00 a.m., so the waiting was not long. The line can be long depending on the time of day and the wait time can be anywhere from one to two hours. The decor is ranch like just what you would expect from a ranch like restaurant. There is a fair amount of parking, but for as many customers as they receive they would definitely need to expand. Some people just parked on the side of the road. They have clean inside bathrooms to accommodate both males and females. I'm not certain if they have an all gender bathroom. Overall, we had a great experience. I would definitely go back and I recommend others to try it for themselves. I hope you enjoy it as much...

For those who like to explore new places, this is one that's worth the visit. Though be prepared for a very bumpy ride, great if you own a truck or SUV, not so much for those driving a car. After a few minutes of off-roading, you'll find yourself in a beautiful setting, nested among the hills, the restaurant is quaint, beautiful greenery surrounds the grounds, and you're greeted by very friendly staff.

On to the food. The chilaquiles with barbacoa de borrego were perfect, the green salsa was on point, refried beans as a side dish were delicious, the meat was tender and well seasoned. We thoroughly enjoyed the time here. We ordered the crepe cake, also delicious. Coffee was good, prefer the café de olla, a Mexican coffee desert.

Arrive early and make reservations, the place gets really crowded by mid-morning. We arrived at 8.30am and were seated immediately, and by around 10am we were told the wait was 3 hours, that's on par with these kind of places, they become extremely popular.

It's a recommended second stop....