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Rancho Relaxo
Categories: Restaurants Mexican Restaurants Tex-Mex Arts & Entertainment Music Venues Nightlife Music Venues Mexican, Tex-Mex, Music Venues [Edit]
300 College StToronto, ON M5T 1R9
(416) 920-0366
- Hours:
Tue-Wed 5 pm - 10 pm
Thu 5 pm - 10:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
38 reviews for Rancho Relaxo
Review Highlights
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"Enter Rancho Relaxo's deep fried soy ice cream." In 3 reviews -
"Mmmm, the vegan chicken echiladas here are rockin." In 13 reviews -
"It really is a great to check out new and upcoming bands." In 3 reviews
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38 reviews in English
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Review from Aviva S.
1/13/2012
Deserves a 3.8
This is a review for upstairs, not the restaurant (haven't been).
Fridays and Saturdays are the best nights. It's $5 cover, a small bar with more beer than special drinks, and just great energetic yet chill evenings with a random Toronto Indie/Rock band.
The crowd always just unites and rocks out to the music. It's really enjoyable and you can discover really good bands you wouldn't have otherwise and often there is the opportunity to buy merchandise/CDs (yes, physical copies of music). -
Review from Mandy M.
Toronto, ON
1/9/2012
First we had some trouble getting in. The front door was locked and the side door said CLOSED even though it was 5pm. Took them a longish time to let us in even though we saw them moving around in the back. Not good for casual business...
We had a large table reserved for a party. The decor was worth some discussion - we liked the crazy striped table cloths and it was overall a dark but kind of amusing atmosphere. They set the table with tortilla chips and salsa which was nice but kind of bland-like.
So after the longish wait for drinks we ordered food; I got the steak quesadilla and my boyfriend, as well as two other guests, got Fajitas.
So EVENTUALLY the food comes, and mine is.. okay, the meat is decent excepting the one piece of forgiveable cartilage, but HERE IS MY PROBLEM which resulted in two stars:
The three fajitas came but with only two servings of tortillas and condiments. The explanation was that it was like that for "space issues" when there was clearly room for three helpings. But they were hungry and ate anyway, and of course they ran out of tortillas with lots of food left.
Now when each customer has paid $15/each for their food and only two people's amount came, why is it a bother to the waitress when you ask now for the third amount of tortillas? The waitress was all snippy and wanted to know how many because they would have to charge us.
This was stupid. And the wait for the food was too long on an empty house. I won't be going back.. we have plenty of other better choices for mexican eats in Toronto. -
Review from Janis T.
The Beaches, Toronto, ON
12/21/2011
I will start by saying the only reason I am even giving this restaurant two stars is because everyone enjoyed the food, so kudos to the kitchen staff.
HOWEVER...the service was ABOMINABLE!!
We arrived and got our menus and some water and ordered drinks, which took quite a while considering the restaurant at the time was quite empty, and when they finally arrived they only had two drinks for the four of us, so had to wait another 5-10 minutes for the other two.
We finally order our food, which takes a good hour but was thinking it takes time to prepare good food so I didn't worry about it.
When the food arrives we have been siting with no water or drinks for quite some time so ordered more water and drinks and ate out entire meals without receiving them.
Finally when our dirty plates had been piled there for a good 20-30 minutes someone took them and asked if we were done and wanted our bill, which we promptly replied yes because we, at this point, just wanted to leave despite the fact that when we arrived we were looking forward to a few drinks and dessert.
So we wait another 20 minutes still no bill, and when he comes over he asks AGAIN if we were done and wanted our bill...SERIOUSLY!
Well suffice it to say I only left a 5% tip which earned me a scowl...but shouldn't I be the one scowling? -
Review from Sergey S.
12/20/2011
Much more "mex" than "tex", this place is worth checking out. They actually do speak Spanish, which is a must have in anything Latin-related.
Huge portions, a little-tiny-bit on a pricey side, but I would say for the quality of food - well deserved. Nothing special in a drinks department, though.
I liked the interior - quite authentic and nicely arranged. Service is good, though it takes a fair bit of wait to get the plates for a big round table. Hopefully the order gets faster for the smaller groups.
Recommended, and I'll definitely be back. -
Review from Carol L.
Toronto, ON
12/20/2011
Had the Camarones Al Diablo (sauteed shrimp) and it was pretty good! The shrimp were large, tasty and you get quite a few. The side rice and beans were also quite good.
The staff, however, kept getting my friend's drink order wrong, like at least twice but finally got it right.
Deep fried ice cream was great, both the soy and vanilla.
Planning on going back, esp because we have another online voucher! :) -
Review from Mitika M.
Toronto, ON
2/9/2012
I'm giving it three stars for the atmosphere. I love the funky striped colorful feel of the restaurant. The food is on the good/average side.
My date ordered a sangria and it was alright. We both ordered fajitas, and they were good, not excellent.
The problem was the waitress. She was drunk! And weird drunk. We went on a weekday, when it wasn't too busy for her, so I'm assuming she thought she could manage to drink and serve at the same time. She made a couple of mistakes, but she also gave out a couple of free drinks. I would have given this place 4 stars if the service was really nice. The waitress couldn't help with recommendations and kept saying that everything on the menu was nice. That didn't help at all.
Would I go back? No. I'd rather try a different Mexican restaurant. -
Review from Zoe R.
7/14/2011 5 photos
I'm not sure if I like this place - there are some things that I like, and other things that stand out as no-no's. I'll explain.
The food is good, and the fact that everything can be vegan-ized comes in very handy, esp. if you're in the company of strict vegans.
That said, there was a charge of $1.50 for each person who ordered vegan? This wasn't clear off the website menu, at all. The site has to be updated, anyway -- it's still running an old promo of 2 for one fajitas (outdated since two years ago).
I've been here before, and it was ok. One of my preferred dishes was the Three Amigos.
I think what I don't like is that if you go in a group, that service becomes VERY slow. To the point that even if you're generally a really patient person, the realization of time going tick-tick-tick will hit you. And once that happens, there's no turning the avalanche back. :P
The last two times that I went, we had the same waitress. She's not terrible, but RR is understaffed since she was unable to provide much service to us. Service was no frills.
The atmosphere is nice, happy warm colours, temperature was warm except when the ceiling fan hit you - authentic like it would be in Mexico...
The food itself is ok, but I wish they didn't assume that everyone wanted vegan. I was trying to avoid vegan fake sour cream and fake cheese - I would have gone for a vegetarian entree. And then for each of us to be charged for that "Daiya" cheeze - I just about "daiy-d"...
Margaritas were m-eh. My rad guy and I ordered them in lime, again virgin. I thought they'd have more natural lime juice but I was very wrong.
Would I go again? Maybe. It's kind of convenient for me to go to.
I have a coupon for it, but all in all - I'm starting to feel blase about eating there.
Better service and not charging for cheeze that doesn't actually cost more tha reg. cheese, would be a start in luring me in particular, back. -
Review from Steven G.
Toronto, ON
2/28/2012
A solid standby, Rancho is not the best Mexican food in the world, but by no means the worst. I have eaten here many times and never been disappointed. The staff is always friendly, Margaritas are good, and the staff will make virtually anything on the menu vegan by request (they have faux cheese, meats, and everything).
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Review from Antonia W.
Toronto, ON
6/18/2011
Went with some friends to Rancho Relaxo and didn't know quite what to expect. The front entrance looks a bit dingy with a small patio, but once you get inside it looks like they stuffed it with all sorts of random Mexican stuff. It is a bit dark, but feels rather homey inside!
My mushroom addiction meant that I had to order the portobello quesadilla and I was pretty happy with it! Better than I expected as there were lots of meaty portobello slices throughout the quesadilla. Three of us actually ordered it and we all loved it. My other friend ordered this dish that came with flour tortillas and a big skillet full of melty cheese with chorizo and other good stuff. He was stuffed!
They have beers, they have some cocktails.. margaritas, daquiris, pina colada.. I had their mango frozen margarita which I found a bit too heavy-handed with the syrup, but I generally don't like things too sweet.
Our server, a very friendly blonde lady who worked the bar at the back as well, was excellent. She joked around with us for a bit and we found out that she has something like 5 chihuahuas, which is scary.
Fun relaxing place to hang out with friends if you happen to be in the area ^^ -
Review from rinku s.
SCARBOROUGH, ON
1/22/2012
Food's great; service is good. Nice, cozy place and reasonable prices.
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Review from Elaine K.
3/23/2011 1 photo
Vegan options, as far as the eye can see!
My vegan friend had her birthday party here last night and we all had a great time. The service was a little slow, but considering we were a table of 17, the place was full and there were only 2 servers on the floor, I'd say they did a pretty awesome job at keeping it all together (while smiling!)
I ordered the vegan potato enchilada. It was fine, but had a bit of a bitter taste to it (burnt?). The potatoes inside were soft and creamy, and I basically tore apart the tortillas to get to their delicious insides. My neighbours were splitting an order of vegan nachos with faux chicken, and after tolerating their orgasmic moans for about 5 minutes, I asked if I could sample their gigantic dish. The moans were definitely justified. The nachos were piled high with roughly 2 cups of guacamole, a pound of vegan cheese (Daiya, the good kind) and a bunch of other stuff. They made bar nachos look like crispy piles of crap. One girl noted how the chips were bending under the weight of all the fixins, the other (a vegan) stated that the faux chicken was the best she'd ever had. I will definitely be back, just for those nachos.
Also a winner was the deep fried (soy) ice cream. Let me paint a picture for you: I haven't had real ice cream in roughly 6 years, and even when I did, I could barely eat a whole scoop of it. I figured I just didn't like ice cream all that much (plus it made my teeth/stomach hurt). Since the lactard diagnosis, I've been buying soy ice cream for when I have those rare cravings, and I've found the taste and texture to be lacking. Enter Rancho Relaxo's deep fried soy ice cream. Upon the first bite, I just about wet my pants, then asked my vegan friend to promise over and over again that it wasn't real ice cream. It was incredibly creamy, rich, and tasted like butterscotch ripple (I think). It was a giant ball of ice cream, covered in fried corn flakes, and drowned in agave nectar. My friend and I had no problems finishing the whole thing, even though he also isn't a huge ice cream fan.
Honestly, if all i ate were the nachos and ice cream, I would give the place 5 stars, but the enchilada was such a miss that I would imagine that there are other things on the menu that aren't so great.
I will be back again, and I may have found a new place for my carnivore husband (they also have meat foods) and I to eat side-by-side, without either of us giving up anything.
Also, the prices are roughly $10-15 for a huge entree. Yes. -
Review from Min Min T.
Scarborough, ON
Updated - 7/15/2011
New menu!
Mmmm, the vegan chicken echiladas here are rockin'!
The gazpacho has disappeared, thankfully.
3.5/51 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/22/2010
Despite all my vegan friends raving about this place, I am not a fan of Rancho Relaxo.
My first… Read more »
Comment from Ileana H. of Rancho Relaxo 8/31/2011
We are under new management and we are working hard to make… More » -
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Review from Selene n.
Toronto, ON
12/12/2011
I seem to always end up here with my fellow veggies because it's in the annex, has vegan options, is open late and can accommodate large groups. But honestly I'd really rather not go there and definitely try to sway people to go somewhere else when meeting for food.
To start with, the salsa and chips they give you at your table - nice to have a free starter, but there is very little and the salsa has no flavour and is super watery and the chips are pretty gross and flavourless as well.
The service really kind of sucks. Even when there are few other people in the restaurant they're super slow and always seem grumpy and unfriendly. And if there's a large group? Forget it - bring a puppet show or commit to writing a movie script, you are not getting your food for a LONG time. They do have a good grasp on which items are gluten-free and vegan though, so that's a plus.
Most of the items on the menu can be veganized, which is awesome. But all the menu items are pretty much the same AND they charge $1.50 on top of their already high prices to do so. You definitely do NOT get value at this restaurant - their prices are ridiculous for what you get. For two super small enchiladas with only veggies inside and some gross refried beans, I paid $15 BEFORE tip. SERIOUSLY?? WHO are you kidding??? If it was $8 for that meal, that would be MUCH more realistic and appropriate given what you're getting. The fajitas come with very few tortilla wraps that always run out before the fillings are done - and then they charge you if you want more! And when two of my friends ordered fajitas, they got the same amount of fillings (lettuce, cheese, guac, salsa) as when just ONE of my friends ordered it - so you get SUPER ripped off if there are two of you getting the fajitas at a table.
If you're gluten-free as well as vegan, there aren't many options - either the tostados or the veggie enchilada (all the faux meats are gluten) - both of which are super over priced and really not very good. -
Review from Allison T.
Toronto, ON
9/26/2010
I like that they have amazing vegetarian & vegan options. It isn't that common within the Mexican food genre.
Super slow service. Stingy with the basket of chips (seriously? If we're waiting THAT long, give us another one...)
I watched two groups come in after us, order - eat - & leave. HELLO? Where's our food?!
Once our meals finally arrived, my enchiladas were soggy. & not like, 'cooked-in-delicious-sauce-&-cheese' but more like 'I've-been-sitting-back-there-for-a-while-now'.
Also, small portions of beans + rice come with your meal but don't utilize the space of the plate very well. Not-so-great presentation.
Maybe it was just an off night. Darn. I really wanted to like it. -
Review from Justin M.
Milton, ON
9/27/2010 3 Check-ins Here
I'm no connoisseur of Tex Mex, but I'm just gonna say that I adore Rancho Relaxo. I can travel forty miles just for a bowl of their chicken n' lime soup. So tasty.
The rest of the menu is okay too, but their chicken lime & cheese soup is one of my very favourite foods in the world.
Just don't go there with a large group, or you may be disappointed.Listed in: CalTexMexican food
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Review from Imran N.
3/24/2011
Service aint that great but i still liked the place alot.
Servers smiled alot and had fun with us even though they were busy.
Food was worth more than the low prices they were charging and my favourite thing about them is the fact that they aren't stingy on the quantities in anyway - order nachos with gaucamole and you will be shocked. Everything was fairly good there, and the soy deep fried ice cream made me want more (as someone with a lactose intolerance).
Great place to stop by, but not necessarily a destination restaurant. Good food at good prices that will make the soul happy.
p.s they have a huge selection for meat eats, vegeterians and vegans!
and the vegan and veg food is actually good !Listed in: Good for Groups
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Review from angela k.
Toronto, ON
10/5/2009 1 Check-in Here
Great find with a delicious vegan & vegetarian menu! Special tip: they have mock chicken that can be substituted into most items but it's not on the menu yet!
Although I've tried the mock chicken and really love it (perfect texture and good flavour), my favourite menu item is the Potato Pasilla just a little bit of spice and incredibly filling.
I have eaten downstairs and on the patio and both are really cosy and comfortable places to eat. It's really nice to be able to eat side-by-side with my meat eater friends and no one has to go without.
Also, the staff has always been friendly and responsive without hurrying me out of there (I've sat on the patio for quite a while without being rushed out). They're willing to cheerfully answer any stupid or not-so-stupid question about their menu - both to describe the flavour and to explain the vegetarian/vegan-ness of all the dishes.
I highly recommend Rancho Relaxo - it's comfortable, cozy, friendly, tasty, and vegan-friendly. Yum. -
Review from Nicole H.
Toronto, ON
I definitely agree with Angela K, Rancho has a terrific and delicious range of vegetarian and vegan food. Even though they have a separate vegetarian section on their menu, most of what is in the rest of it can be veganised! There's soy sour cream and soy cheese available for a dairy-free meal. The mock chicken, while not on the menu yet, is a great addition, all you have do to is ask.
I've never ever walked away hungry or disappointed from Rancho. In fact the time I tried the fried soy ice cream I was whatever the complete polar opposite extreme of hungry is. Pretty cheap eats, friendly wait staff, and a cosy atmosphere (downstairs, never eaten anywhere else there) all make for a really solid evening out.
Oh, and the margaritas? Perfect. Get a shaker, you won't be disappointed.Listed in: Toronto Veg Eats!
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Review from Bijan V.
8/13/2008
I came to this place right after a vacation from Mexico so I was still seeking that authentic Mexican flavour (not Taco Bell). Suffice to say that this place was really Rancho Relaxo! They do a very nice job with the decor in making it seem like you are in Mexico and the music definitely helps a lot.
We went with a big group and I liked most of the foods I tried and I know most of my friends did as well.
If you're looking for good homestyle Mexican food then this is a good place to go. The only problem is that most of the time it is rather empty (although it is a large place so its a bit hard filling it up) and the service is decent, not the best but I can't really complain too much about those.Listed in: The UofT Student / Resident
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Review from Amanda A.
Toronto, ON
12/27/2009
I went here for dinner and was pleased with the food. I had the "3 Amigos" which basically gives you a small portion of 3 different dishes. Points for them for offering this. They had a holiday drink menu that was tempting, but I just went for the food. Absolutely zero complaints about the food.
Everyone there was really nice, but it wasn't even busy and I found the service kind of slow. We had to ask another server to please tell our server we would like the bill (after a long wait). I also feel that the decor leaves something to desire. It is kind of kitschy, and while that can be kind of funny and laid back, I wouldn't really feel good about taking someone out here. It is a good place to relax with friends though.
I probably will eat here again, and I hope to be able to upgrade my review. Maybe it was just an off night for them, service-wise. -
Review from Noel D.
8/7/2009
Not sure if there's a downstairs to this place or not, but this review is based on my most recent experience upstairs.
It was a mild summer night. Brisk enough that you had to wear a light hoodie or jacket outside. I walked up to the upstairs portion of Rancho and it was a total sweatbox. I could feel the stale humid air embrace me as soon as I walked into the venue. I could see a ceiling fan spinning around quickly by the stage, so I knew this was a sign this place had no air conditioning. It was borderline unbearable being in there. I could see they did in fact have something resembling an air conditioner to the right of the stage, but it was dripping water like crazy onto the carpet below creating a soggy atmosphere and the sensation of someone continually spitting in your direction.
Went to the back to get a drink and there were two people working, yet they seemed to be occupied with other things as several people were waiting for a drink and the bartenders wouldn't even look in your direction. One girl was on point but the other dude seemed clueless and took his sweet time preparing drinks and shots. The back part of the venue is the hottest part of the bar, so trying to order a drink while sweating your ass off is uncomfortable to say the least.
This particular night was hip-hop so it was mainly MCs and DJs on the stage and the sound was absolutely terrible. Unless you were right at the front of the stage you couldn't hear a thing. At the back all I could hear was mumbling and bass. And it was so low that you would be surprised there was anyone even on stage at all.
Definitely not a venue I want to frequent. If there's one good thing I could say about Ranco Relaxo is that it makes other venues I thought were bad look better in comparison. -
Review from Rick Y.
Toronto, ON
1/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
I really enjoy Mexican food, unfortunately rancho does not live up to expectations. We went there because several Yelpers rated it pretty high and were in the neighborhood. But I have to say, I've had much better.
The good: the staff were friendly and the service was prompt.
The meh: In general I'd say the food was average. Certainly not exceptional or even particularly flavourful (in fact most of what we had was plain ol' bland).
The bad: Mexican mice were at best "grocery store jalapeno poppers". Very disappointing. The "cheese" filling tasted like cheese-wiz, the mice themselves were only luke-warm and the batter/breading was completely uninteresting.
Definitely won't be back. -
Review from Nadia B.
Toronto, ON
7/18/2011
I did not eat here, I went to the club upstairs. And liked it, for those that don't need a fancy atmosphere and just want to have a nice night this place is good.
The sound quality is terrible. I ordered a sprite and it was flat.
But the staff are nice, the drinks are cheap.
It really is a great to check out new and upcoming bands. With usually a $5 cover charge and at least 3 bands playing you can't go wrong. -
Review from sunnee s.
Toronto, ON
3/21/2011
*3.5*
my bf & i recently came back from our vacation to mexico . we had some amazing food there (local restaurants ! not the resort's !) that we were craving for some mexican . we've actually never been to a mexican restaurant before in toronto (other than so called mexican - taco bell & chipotle mexican grill)
when i told my bf we should go to rancho relaxo, first thing he said was that sounds like some mexican rub & tug . LOL . the atmosphere inside is very mexican-y . i loved the tablecloth, it reminded me of mexico so much . :)
we actually beat the dinner rush by about 20 minutes . there were only 2 tables including ours . service was very friendly & nice but despite just 2 tables, it was slow . we were okay w it tho, we laughed it off remembering it was like that everywhere in mexico . as soon as we ordered, so many people came in, one after another . 2 tables jumped to about 9 . there were only 2 servers . i saw a couple come in and leave after a couple of minutes because the servers were too busy to seat them (no hostess!) . i also saw a family waiting to order for a really reallyy long time, looking angry . i felt really bad for the servers (& i guess the customers too) as they were actually really sweet .
now food !
for appetizer, we had the mexican mice . i didnt want to order it because of the previous review on here, but cheese ? fried ? the bf most certainly did . i actually really really liked it . the outside was soo crispy and inside was sooo cheesy . right out of the kitchen as it was tongue burning hot .
for entrees, my bf had the steak quesadilla & i had the grouper w avocado mousse . i ordered grouper because i love seafood & i love avocado . how can it go wrong ? it didn't . but it was still way too bland for my liking . damn . i shouldve known ! fish & avocado ? theyre both naturally bland food ! i really liked the salad dressing, rice & refried beans that came w it tho . super YUM . the steak quesadilla was good . better than my grouper .
i think i'll be back to try different items on the menu . but not for a while as i need to try other places in search of my favorite mexican place . (in toronto . my absolute fav mexican place is at la mission on cozumel island, a MUST TRY if you ever go !! ). -
Review from Lauren T.
Toronto, ON
7/29/2010
I'm giving this place a good review. It's not necessarily the nicest looking resto from the outside, which is why I have never thought of going here, and the presentation of food is poor, but it's good and there are lot's of menu options. May be too many.
What I am most happy with is the amount of vegan options. They have chicken and steak substitute which can be put in almost every burrito, enchilada etc. and Daiya cheese! They also have soy sour cream, which I didn't try because the waitress forgot it. That's ok. I'm sure I didn't need the extra calories.
The drinks are not so good as they use pre made mix, which makes margaritas and things too sweet. So they're not exactly authentic or fancy round here. They were also out of margarita mix when I went. I had some special summer raspberry drink that was like a red freezie. No good.
But its reasonably priced and worth it. And definitely if you are vegan here is where you will get satisfying mexican food, that doesn't skimp on ingredients and flavour. -
Review from Connie T.
Toronto, ON
11/10/2008
I know a lot of people who can't stand the food at Rancho, but I personally haven't had a bad time here. You don't come here for gourmet or authentic Mexican eats -- it's Tex-Mex, kids. I'm all over the greasy chimichangas, and anything covered with cheese. Don't expect anything more. With that in mind, it'll be a decent meal... maybe even a good one!
I like the atmosphere here, the location is great, and their live music programming has been pretty good over the past decade, including Jason Collett's Radio Monday series, before Broken Social Scene was out touring in every place but Toronto. -
Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
10/16/2008
Rancho Relaxo has a very special place in my heart because it's where I
saw one of the best shows I've ever seen. I've been there since to see
other shows but this one stands out clearly. It was Kepler with
Snailhouse opening and Rancho Relaxo set the mood perfectly. The lights
were low except for on the stage and all the tables had candles on them.
I've never actually eaten at Rancho because when I went the
kitchen was closed, but to me this will never be a place for eating.
This is a perfect place to watch a jazz trio or sad emo kids. I would
recommend this for any aspiring band who has a mellow sound that just
doesn't fit at the Kathedral and when you play I'll come and enjoy it.
Like the review? Check out the link to my blog on my profile. -
Review from Anna V.
Toronto, ON
11/13/2008
You've been out for afternoon pints on the patio and now it's just after six and you need to get some Mexican in ya to get o to the second, night round.
But you don't want the real stuff do ya? You want to greasy spoon Tex Mex stuff that sits like a brick in your stomach till you drink it out with the next round of brewski's. Lucky for you Rancho Relxo is here to help.
It ain't the best, but it sure hits the spot when you need it. -
Review from Meghan S.
NORTH YORK, ON
8/9/2010
For me, Rancho Relaxo combines the best of both worlds: delicious vegan options in the restaurant downstairs, and excellent live music in the venue upstairs.
After making the transition from a happy meat eater to an even happier vegan, I was afraid that some of my going-out favourites, burritos!, would be too expensive or difficult to come by, but Rancho has relieved all of those fears. The staff is friendly, prompt and knowledgeable about the selections and substitutions, and even better, the food is affordable!
Upstairs, well. I won't lie, the live music venue is on the smaller side and on hot summer nights the AC can be hard pressed to catch up. That said, there is no better place to catch a live show. The staff behind Rancho's venue are in it for the love of music, and there's no better place to catch a variety of local and touring indie bands from atmospheric pop to math core experimentals with glockenspiels. And if you don't like the music, hang out at the bar where the TV is and see what VHS movie theme the droll bartenders have selected for that evening's viewing. I have seen The Last Unicorn, a Dennis Rodman action flick, and other classics while enjoying a cold beer. -
Review from Sonja Z.
Toronto, ON
6/2/2011
The best Tex-Mex I've had in Toronto so far. Service is a bit slow, but the amazing margaritas (I don't think I've ever had a better one), and the deep fried ice cream make the trip worth it!
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Review from Tamara J.
Toronto, ON
1/4/2011
I love rancho relaxo, before becoming a big fan of mexican food, this resturant gave me the push i needed. I enjoy the chimmichongas, and don't stray away from them too often, they are just delish, and go perfect with a lime margarita. The only thing i was weary of is the extra charge for Vegan cheese and Sour Cream, boo! Otherwise all should check this place out!
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Review from Shannon P.
Toronto, ON
8/24/2011
I've been loving this place for years! The food is amazing, the prices are really reasonable, and the environment really chill (in a good way). I also love coming here to support the owner, a really great Toronto guy who spends his vacations helping build schools in villages in Mexico...! Yes, I've been here when the service has been less-than-stellar, but the fantastic fajitas are worth every second you spend waiting for a refill on your beer. Rancho Relaxo, ole!
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Review from Boonie W.
Toronto, ON
11/5/2011
A lot of people hate on Rancho and their food but why? The food is solid, they cater to vegetarians with a number of really good veg meat options. The drinks are fantastic and the prices are totally reasonable. Let's not forget the service is good too. Keep it up.
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Review from Marie M.
2/4/2010
I came here for dinner after work today because I had 2-3 hours to kill before my script run-through, and also because the book keeper at work had suggested it to me yesterday. The place looks really ghetto on the outside because of where it's located: -every other store on that side of College Street was closed and marked up with graffiti. I'm not the type to dine at such sketchy-looking establishments, had I seen pictures of the restaurant and its neighborhood, I probably would have chosen another place. However, despite its questionable exterior, it was lovely on the inside: both the food and the atmosphere.
Upon entering the restaurant, I was greeted immediately by a very friendly waiter who allowed me to sit wherever I wanted. When he presented me with the menu, he asked if it was my first time there, and gave me a brief introduction of its menu. When I told him I was vegan, he informed me that EVERY item on the menu could be made vegan and that I did not have to stick with the vegan/ vegetarian selections. He said they even have fake chicken for the items with chicken and soy cheese to replace the regular cheese. I'm not a big fan of cheese, even if it is soy cheese, so I stayed away from the items with cheese. After a lengthy deliberation, I chose from the vegan/ vegetarian list the "Tofu Borracho" -tofu sauteed in green tomatillo and tequila salsa with nopales and pico de gallo. I was very impressed with how fast the food came and how delicious it was. The entree came with rice, refried bean, and salad -which was supposed to be a coleslaw but they gave me a garden salad because of my dietary restrictions. I was also delighted that they gave us a basket of corn chips and salsa to munch on while the food came, -much more fun than the conventional basket of dinner rolls or bread sticks!
My Rancho Relaxo experience came to a happy ending with a ball of fried soy ice cream with agave nectar and sprinkled with cinnamon. It was yummy and surprisingly not too sweet, despite the agave nectar. I'm very impressed with this dessert because it's 100% Vegan Friendly -meaning no compromising or uncertainty on my part! I had a wonderful dining experience at this place. The service was good, the food was amazing, the atmosphere was casually pleasant, and they cater to vegans/ vegetarians. A great way to end the typical 9-5 day: very relaxo and very delicious. -
Review from Brian C.
Toronto, ON
3/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
Meh. Nada para escribir a casa sobre. The presentation of the food isn't very appetizing. Your meal comes as a mash of Mexicanish items on an oval plate. The menu has a lot of enticing items amateurishly prepared. The decor is a cheesy interpretation of a movie version of a cheesy Mexican restaurant. Props to the Don Quixote statue and disembodied demon head in the centre of the room though. The staff is cool and cost is low so if you are in the hood and feel like having some rice, refried beans, and something wrapped in a tortilla, give 'er.
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Review from jenna k.
Toronto, ON
5/2/2011
Went to rancho last night because I heard great things. I was very disappointed. First off, my boyfried orders a coke and it comes completely flat and watered down. We asked for a new one and they bluntly told us that all their pop is flat and thats just the way their tap is. Ok, so we gave back the drink. Then I order avocado lime soup and it comes with no avocado. Then my boyfriends fajitas come out sizzling and looking wonderful but they had not brought him a plate or any tortillas so he just had to sit there and watch his food get cold without eating. His tortillas came out 10 minutes later. I continue to wait for my food (grilled calamari) and of course it comes out wrong. the stupid waitress punched in fried calamari, so I wait another 15 minutes to get the correct dish. All in all it was an awful experience and everthing showed up on the bill. Even the coke that was returned with one less sip.
NOT IMPRESSED. -
Review from Tara P.
Etobicoke, ON
12/15/2010
I attended a Christmas party at Rancho Relaxo last week and experienced the rudest service I've received in a very long time. I was not alone in my experience... After speaking with a number of the other guests in attendance, we all had the same findings.
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Review from Dorea R.
Toronto, ON
8/1/2011
I love this place! They have an extensive selection for vegans, and their food is as close to authentic as Mexican food in Toronto gets. They also have vegan fried ice cream, and it is SOOOOOO good! I find myself craving it more often than I would like! The service is also VERY friendly! On one occasion that my boyfriend and I went, the server had overheard that my boyfriend really wanted to try cactus, and the server came back with some cactus for him to try free of charge! The only reason I am not giving them a 5/5 is a very finicky one. I have a strong sensitivity to bell peppers, which makes eating Mexican food rather difficult. On busy days, Rancho Relaxo pre-prepares their food mixtures, which means there are not many options for me. If I go on less busy days they are very accommodating and will make my order without bell peppers. I almost feel guilty giving them a 4/5 because I know how great they are, but a 5/5 needs to go to a place that I think it perfect! If you like Mexican food, you should check this place out. If you are vegan/vegetarian, then you definitely need to give them a try!!!
