Mi Ranchito Bar and Grill

I think this a great place. Service is always fast and friendly. Food is very good. I hope more people patronize this place so they can keep going.

My guy and I ate there a couple of weeks ago, went last week again only to find a note on the door that said they would be closed until 4:00 PM. I really hope they stay open for lunch and dinner because the food we had was great! We both had the nachos and they were excellent. Beef, chicken, shrimp, and lot of it! The mild white cheese sauce (extra) for the chips was delightful. Next time we will order the big serving of sauce. It was reasonably priced and delicous!

The Mi Ranchito opened on the property that was the Fiesta Ranchera in Pekin Il. They have been open for a little over two weeks. I really wavered on whether to give three or four stars but the truth is it’s somewhere in the middle. If I were able, I’d be at 3.5.
From the outside only the sign differentiates the new restaurant from the old one. Inside the new owners gave the building a minor facelift. They spent a lot of time on the interior. They re-​finished the wood work and mounted new artwork. The work has been tastefully done and adds to the dining experience. All in all it remains well lit, clean, and inviting.
The Mi Ranchito menu is pretty standard. Their their prices are in-​line with other similar restaurants of this genre. We opted for the Pollo Santa Fe ($ 9.99) my wife got the Fajitas ($ 10.99 + $ 1 for the beef /​chicken mix). Add drinks (Pepsi and iced tea) and the tab ran to a tad over $ 28.00.
Our server quickly brought complementary chips and salsa and took our drink orders. The chips were warm and crisp, the salsa was tasty with just a light touch of cilantro. I thought the salsa would have been better if they would have made it a little chunky. It appeared to have been pureed to the consistency of tomato soup. Again, just my opinion but I like finding hunks of onion and tomato as I dip.
My chicken was pounded thin and grilled along with bell peppers, onions mushrooms and covered with white cheese sauce. Very tasty. The wife’s fajitas however were a somewhat bland. The meat was fine and the grilled veggies were not over done, it just lacked some of the distinctive fajita taste. Also, I am hesitant to mention this but the portions were not quite as generous as we have seen at other area Mexican eateries. They were not skimpy mind you, just slightly more modest, given the cost.
One funny thing while we were there, our waitress while attentive and helpful could not pronounce the Spanish food names. She made a valiant try while making suggestions (during the ordering process) but failed. If given a few more days she will have it down pat and I hope she hangs around long enough to learn because she is really a great gal and will be an asset to the operation.
I think that if the new owners fine tune things a bit this could be a great place to eat. I’ll give them a few weeks and check back. Until then, «Buen provecho!!»