Mi Ranchito Takeaway. Standard hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant in University City between Olive and Delmar. Most mentioned restaurant at UCity parties. Free, above-average chips and salsa. $11-17 for an entree makes it on the high side of average pricing. Good for kids. 6/10 chips are solidly above average.
Table Of Contents: Experience | Food | Atmosphere | Receipt
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Friday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
On the advice of no less than four dads over two weekend parties in University City, I went to Mi Ranchito for lunch on a Thursday with some buddies.
The general recommendation was solid food, prices, and place to bring the family for dinner.
I'd say that was accurate, but it pretty much applies to all Mexican holes in the walls.
I'd say my "disappointment" was that there wasn't anything interesting to order. For Mexican at this price point to stand out, it should offer something unique like the Tortas at Taqueria Durango. And I had just had Durango the night before, albeit the "Carnitas Platillo," so I ordered my bud's favorite "Chili Colorado" to compare.
The food at Durango was better, but Ranchito was solid. The chips were better at Ranchito, but the beef flavor wasn't quite as good, and the salsa wasn't quite the same level of flavor.
Going forward, I probably won't visit Mi Ranchito of my own volition unless some UCity dads invite me for lunch or they're serving it at a party.
The free chips were the high point of the meal for me. They were the first above-average chips I've had in St. Louis, scoring a 6/10 on my scale, with a 5 being Tostitos for comparison.
For some reason, finding delicious chips is harder than finding delicious fries.
The chips were not overly fried, had good salt, and had a solid crunch. We ate bowls between the three of us, with the only complaint being the bottom of the bowl chips were too small to dip.
The salsa was probably the most flavorful item I tasted this visit as it was a solid three-star spice level. Little liquidy, but the chips handled it well.
The menu at Mi Ranchito is large and in charge but needs a defining dish. The dish with the most reviews on Yelp at the time I went was chicken soup, which sums it up.
With all the choices and no standouts, I followed my buddy's recommendation for the Chili Colorado. The menu has a star next to it for spicey, and my bud said it was spicey.
I'd say it was a 1.5 to 2-star spicey and not at Cate Zone levels or the salsa at Durango - both of which push 4-star spicey. There was a little kick, but it didn't finish my water.
The underlying flavor was smokey and paired well with the rice and beans, both of which were tasty. The serving size was big and the same as the other Mexican restaurants.
I happily ate the whole thing.
But, and sorry for the but, but the Carnitas Platillo at Durango was better.
Located on the west side of Delmar, Mi Ranchito has the vibe of all Mexican restaurants in random strip malls in St. Louis. The hole-in-the-wall vibe differs significantly from the vibes of standalone places like Mission Taco or Taco Budha.
You feel it when you walk in and get hit by the festive Mexican decorations and a TV playing in the background.
Service was super fast and very friendly. I had a hard stop at 12:50 p.m. for a meeting, and we were in and out well before that without asking or feeling rushed.
They decorated Ranchito well and festive. And I loved the fact that there were abundant booths. Booths bring me back to my NJ diner days, so there's a soft spot in my heart for a restaurant based around booths.
The parking lot was full at noon on a Thursday, and I got maybe the second-to-last spot. When we came out around 12:45 p.m., there were a bunch of spots.
There was even parking around the back should you encounter a parking crisis, but there should be plenty of parking.
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