Rancho Viejo — Restaurant in Pullman

!!!MUST READ!!! HONEST REVIEW If you’ve ever been deceived by a restaurant’s atmosphere, you’ll understand my disappointment with Rancho Viejo. From the moment I walked in, I was captivated—stunning hand-painted murals, grand wooden booths carved with intricate detail, and an ambiance that felt like an authentic taste of Mexico. It was the kind of place that makes you excited to eat before you’ve even glanced at the menu. But the cruel irony was that the beauty of this restaurant only set me up for one of the most underwhelming meals I’ve ever had.

Walking into Rancho Viejo, I was immediately impressed by the atmosphere. The walls were adorned with stunning, hand-painted murals that beautifully captured the essence of Mexican culture. Towering, ornately carved wooden booths provided a cozy, authentic feel, and the warm lighting added a touch of elegance. For a moment, I was convinced I had stepped into an authentic Mexican dining experience. Unfortunately, that illusion was shattered the moment my food arrived.

Let’s start with the chicken. Bland is an understatement. It tasted like it had been boiled in plain water, with not a single trace of seasoning or spice—an absolute insult to what should be bold, flavorful Mexican cuisine. The beans were equally uninspiring, lacking any depth or richness, and the rice? Dry, tasteless, and suspiciously similar to the kind you microwave from a plastic pouch.

The tacos were an even bigger disappointment. The shells were factory-made, processed to the point that they crumbled at the slightest touch, completely devoid of the crisp, fresh texture that a real taco shell should have. The filling was nothing to rave about either—just the same unseasoned chicken wrapped in a sad excuse for a taco.

Then came the tamales. If I had to guess, these tamales had spent more time in a freezer than they had in a kitchen. The masa was dense, rubbery, and had that unmistakable freezer-burned aftertaste that only frozen, pre-packaged tamales can provide. The chili relleno was no better—another processed, pre-frozen disaster. The batter was soggy, and the cheese inside had that artificial, plastic-like consistency that suggests it had been microwaved straight from the freezer.

Now, let’s talk about the guacamole fiasco. The menu clearly stated that a side of guacamole was $1.75, yet when my bill arrived, I was shocked to see a charge of $7. When I politely asked the waiter about the price discrepancy, his response was nothing short of rude. With a sharp tone, he snatched my receipt and snidely asked, "Do you want me to fix the price for you?" as if I was inconveniencing him. Then, when he brought back the updated receipt, he slammed it onto the table in front of me without a word—an unnecessary display of attitude that made the already disappointing experience even worse.

The most frustrating part about this restaurant is that the atmosphere tricks you into thinking you're about to have an amazing meal. With its beautiful décor, comfortable seating, and warm ambiance, you expect the food to match—but it doesn’t. Instead, you’re served frozen, processed, bland food at premium prices, with rude service to top it off.

If you’re looking for a nice place to sit and admire the decorations, rancho viejo is great. But if you actually care about the quality of your food, don’t waste your time or money here....

Just look at the reviews with up votes. None of them have more than three stars. Just go to the taco truck near the old train station. 110 NE Whitman St, Pullman, WA 99163 I write this after after multiple back to back let downs. The first was me ordering nachos and rancho confused nachos for a casserole or at least that's all I can guess they where going for from what they gave me. it was a surprising cold and a solid thing. I would have been better of shredding cheese on chips and microwaving it. Maybe they just put to much in the microwave all at once. I don't know how you screw up chips with hot cheese and meet but rancho manged. This turned me off of them for a while tell today Today ordered a burrito. Simple but I should of taken the rancho factor into account. My roommate had to go across town and I paid him to pick up my order. He shows up only to find out that the order never made it to the kitchen. There must be some sort of black hole between the kitchen or something, cause really a signal order. Honestly, I have had better food and services at taco bell and Taco bell can figure out how to put hot...

I'm only embarrassed i cane to this restaurant with my mom my and my son. I'm a first generation Mexican. The employees act like they are too. I came in with my baseball team. My son the only mexican on the team. I come to the restaurant to get a table for our team. They only talked to me for this large group. But when it came to order. We the Mexicams, real mexicans had there orders taken last. I encourage white people to go there. They like you. But if your Mexican and from out of town. Please dont give them your business or money. Thats not american. My grandfather owned a restaurant in pasco Washongton he had a cheese burger on the menu. People thought it to be weird. But he eas proud to serve a cheese burger and hand cut fries to those that wete not familiar to mexican spice or food. He tought us respect each other and embrace the buisness of all. I don't wish Ranch Viejo well. You...