El Ranchero — Restaurant in Hagerstown

If I could give zero stars I would! I use to be a regular customer, but will NEVER step foot in the Dual Highway El Ranchero location ever again, and here's why... About 4 months ago I placed an order for my husband, and I. It was for 3 steak fajitas, and a California burrito. The employee got the order wrong as she wrote 3 orders of 3 fajitas (9 total). Needless to say I had to call the manager to get it remedied. About 2 months later I ordered the same thing. The employee that took my phone in order got it right that time. This past Friday I ordered the same thing. I specified I only wanted 3 individual steak fajitas, not 9, because I didn't want them getting it wrong again. I kept repeating, "I only want 3 steak fajitas, no more than that, and a California burrito with shredded beef, and extra sour cream." What I ended up with was 9 steak fajitas, a California burrito with hamburger, not shredded beef like it was supposed to be, and no sour cream whatsoever let alone extra sour cream. I was charged extra for it too. I called the manager whose name is Jesus, but he goes by Chuy (pronounced Chewy). He told me the steak fajitas was correct, and that they use 3 tortillas to make one steak fajita. I knew that wasn't true, but called the other two El Ranchero restaurants (Wesel Blvd. Hagerstown, and Ranson WV locations) to confirm what I already knew. A steak fajita is made with one flour tortilla. Once I brought the order back into the restaurant for a full refund, Jesus aka Chuy (manager) acted very angry, and belligerent toward me. He kept telling me that they use 3 flour tortillas per steak fajita, I told him that's not true, and to stop arguing with me, and just refund my card as he stated he would do over the phone. He took everything out of the bag, and placed it on the counter, and yelled loudly, "All this food is going to be thrown away, because of you!" I told him if they got my order correct I wouldn't have had to drive back in there for a refund, so don't blame me for the screw up. I had my credit card out so he could use it to process the refund. He didn't ask for it, so I asked him if he needs my card to credit the refund. He said, "No! I already put it back on the card!" I said, "Can I have a receipt for that credit?" He angrily said, "No! Get it from your email!" This was a Friday evening, and there was a lot of customers in there watching this manager make a scene. He didn't act like a manager should, and even knew the entire order was wrong, and not my fault. He was being so belligerent, and making such a scene that my co-worker brought it up to me at work the following day. Unbeknownst to me she was there with her family at a booth eating dinner. That manager needs an attitude adjustment, and to get his anger in check. He lost me as a customer, and my co-worker that witnessed it. A few days after that fiasco I went to the Wesel Blvd El Ranchero location, and ordered the original order of 3 steak fajitas, a California burrito with shredded beef, and extra sour cream. They got the order right, treated me with respect, and appreciation. I highly recommend the Wesel Blvd. Hagerstown, MD El Ranchero location, and will drive out of my way to patronize that restaurant. They are not affiliated with the Dual Highway location. I STRONGLY discourage going to the Dual Highway Hagerstown,...

We happened to drive through Hagerstown because of an accident on 70 and we were hungry, so we decided to check out El Ranchero. It had decent reviews and we figured that we would give it a shot, not really expecting much more than your average tex-mex, yellow cheese, bland rice kind of joint.

We were so wrong. It was quite lovely.

Let me preface this by saying that I've lived for 6 years in Southern Mexico, traveled all over Mexico, and am fairly well versed in the different dishes and flavors that make an authentic Mexican food experience.

This may be the best Mexican (sit-down) restaurant that I've been to in the Maryland-DC-Virginia area.

I asked whether they had horchata or Jamaica, two typical drinks that are rarely to be found in the US. They had both.

I asked them to make fresh guacamole. It was fantastic.

I ordered Michoacan Carnitas and they were lovely.

The main dish came with a side of rice and a side of beans.

The cheese on the beans was white instead of yellow! (For those who don't know, yellow cheese is not a thing in most of Mexico and is a dead giveaway that the restaurant is tex-mex.)

Then, on a whim, I tried the rice. Wow. Most "mexican rice" at other restaurants is this bland, dry affair. This was delightful. It was moist. And it actually had the right flavors of actual rice from Mexico!

I could have eaten only the rice and been happy.

I enquired about the chef and lo and behold he was actually Mexican (as opposed to some random guy from central America).

It os about 40 minutes from where I live, but I will definitely...

I finally made it there to see what' what..after all..a FEW people stated it was good food...so..with all that hub bub of it being soooo gooood i ventured to stop there one night. I found the place lacking of good food and of the service..halfway through the meal i was calling the pallet lacking idiots who suggested this place..I was not impressed at all with the food. Looked and tasted hideous..the server seem to have one of those attitudes where she could care less if i was satisfied with the meal..she was there for a paycheck and thats all. I sat back and wondered if it was my attitude or pallet that made me not want to ever come to this place again..but i am low born worker..that gives all to make the customer happy with in reason..But this place showed they did not practice the same logic and ideas as I. The bill was a lil salty for the product they offer and the service..I am not offering my opinion of this place as a whiny lil person who has a better then thou attitude..the place is not worth a second chance in my eyes..so..for the people who feel they have the extra money for some food that falls short of being...