Rancho Grande Mexican Grill — Restaurant in Bakersfield

My wife and I had lunch at the Rancho Grande Mexican Grill. The restaurant was clean, the atmosphere was relaxing, music was great, and the service was fantastic.

When we arrive we were immediately greeted and seated by a gentleman, who presume to be the owner or manger. He was very nice, polite, and immediately took our drink order. Within minutes we were enjoying our frosty cold beers, and we placed our order with the waiter.

While it didn't take long for our food to arrive, our waiter, another waiter, and the owner/manger checked on us to see if we needed anything else. Honestly, in a day and age when customer service is lacking, the staff at this restaurant is outstanding.

Our food arrived a short time later. I order the fajitas with steak, chicken, and shrimp and my wife ordered the fish tacos. The food was fresh, warm, and the seasonings on the plate were exceptional. The fajitas are one of the best in town (IMO). My wife also said the fish tacos were excellent and the Chipotle sauce was great and a little spicy.

The portion sizes for both plates are larger than we are use to (but don't change anything). Overall this was an excellent dining experience and I would recommend them to anyone looking for great food and service.

We will...

TL:DR: Long wait and higher than average prices (for my comparison) keep this from being a five star. Food and service were great.

Checking out the new location in town was pretty exciting, even when I saw the prices of the food. Even appetizers seemed to average about $10 a plate and an entree can run you up $15 or more.

BUT, the portions are fair. Comparable to other Mexican restaurants I've been too. Big colorful plates, generous toppings such as sour cream and guac. Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos of my meal (the white enchilada).

As to the reason I don't have a photo is, unfortunately, the wait for the food was a bit long. Granted, we came with a rather large group so it's expected there'd be some delay. When we finally got the food I was so excited (and hungry) I dove right in to much enjoyment.

Service was consistent, even bringing new chips out to us. The environment was large and welcoming, even offering outdoor seating! Great spot to go if you're looking to watch a game as well with the four very large televisions.

However, the price and wait made my first impression a bit lackluster so I can't give any more...

When I opend the front door to this place I was immediately filled with happiness. The Restaurant was full of family's, Kids of all ages dining with their family. The atmosphere was very happy. You could feel it walking in. The restaurant was basically packed. It looks way bigger on the outside. I came in with a friend for a Margarita. A few spaces open at the bar. We set down and in seconds we were greated and the bartender took our order. We both got spicy mango margaritas on the rocks. Made from scratch, let me tell you. Absolutely amazing. We enjoyed some chips and salsa too. 10 out of 10 on the chips and salsa. I'd drink the salsa if nobody was looking. 🤭💪so yeah, I only had one drink here and some chips and salsa. But I would definitely come back for some food. Service was amazing. I'm sure the food is the same. Because like I said the restaurant was packed. I can't wait to go back and try some food. When I do ill let you know. I'm not a betting man but I definitely would bet the...