Went in with higher expectations than I should have. Once I found out it's a chain from the Los Rancheros* brand it allllll made sense.
Service was great actually. Waiter kept our drinks full and checked on us frequently.
Ordered a lobster quesadilla, which was delicious...unlike the rest of dinner. I can't remember what I ordered, but blech. Some kind of fish, scallops, and shrimp over mashed potatoes. Spinach and some weird white pepper gravy. Nothing Mexican about it. Bland bland bland, except for the pepper. No depth. I picked out the seafood and left the rest. No one else was really excited about their dinner either. Sister and girlfriend got fajitas. Pretty standard.
Overall, it's okay but I wouldn't go out of my way to go again. Only if other people really wanted to and wouldn't budge.
A destination by choice, when driving from Chatham. We always try to get off of Veteran's parkway for our weekend restauranting whenever possible.
They do have unique menu items here, I found the lunch menu to feature quite a few plates billed with breakfast ingredients. I went with the Burrito Sunrise - which was well put together, but needed just a bit more spice for my taste (which the salsa accomplished). Â If nothing else, you must stop here at least once and order the table side freshly made guacamole.
Service was very good - glasses were kept full and chips and salsa replenished. We did visit off peak in mid afternoon. Â I can't say its the best Mexican food in Springfield, but since I haven't tried them all, I can't say that it isn't either.
I'm not from 'round here so I'm not really sure what else there is to compare it to, but just from driving around the armpit of Illinois aka Springfield, I'd say it was the best option for lunch. Â It's pretty inside, the people were really nice, and the food was pretty all right. Â I've had way worse food up in Chicago where there are lots of Mexicans and no good excuse for terrible food, so...
Honestly I'd go back if I were ever in Springfield. Â Which, unless Zombie Abe Lincoln is shaking hands and signing autographs, I really really hope I never have to do again. Â (It wasn't anything near what I was expecting the capital of Illinois to be like... sorry locals, your town's kind of a dump.)
Terrible food and even worse service. Our server had no clue as to how to make the table side guacamole. She was, herself, clueless in general. The food on the plates was cold, like it was just pulled out of the fridge. At least nuke it. We went here on a recommendation; I have to say an ill informed one.
I usually give places a second chance and rarely give one star, but there's an exception to every rule. The locals here call this place Casa Real, pronouncing the second part of the name as an English word instead of Re-al translated as royal. This place is anything but real or royal. Except maybe a really royal bad attempt at good Mexican food.
This was probably one of the worst meals I have had in a long time. Â To bigin with the wait to order was longer than normal, that should of been our first clue. Â The wait to get the food was over an hour. Â Two other tables left before us and another table complained as we did. Â The food was less than acceptable. Â My son has the fajiatas and they were not sizzling as you would expect because they were luke warm, then about two minutes later came my dinner, the chef speciality Scallops with rice, again, they were tough and luke warm. Â My husbands meal took another three minutes to come out and well guess what....yep cold. Â I gave my meal back, my son ate half of his and my husband only ate a few bites. Â The table next to us finally left when all their food did not come out and what did was not acceptable. Â After talking to the manager, he did comp mine but that was it. Â We will not recommend nor return to this restaurant.
Review Source:Pretty darn good offering from the Los Rancheros family of restaurants. Â Their menu is more upscale and their prices are higher than the other locations which makes me curious about their perspective on the neighborhood they just entered. Â
We had lunch there the other day and both liked everything we ordered. Â My chimichanga was delicious and presented beautifully. Â My wife had a burrito & tamale combination which was twice as much food as she could eat at one sitting. Â I tried the tamale and ti was delicious - served with a pork mixture ladled over the top, etc. Â I didn't have a lot of interest in the burrito and didn't try it so I can't offer an opinion there.
Service was good, food was delicious, we'll go back again...provided they last in a spot that has killed 3 or 4 other restaurants in the last few years.