Mi Rancherito
- Alex Cabrero
- Oct 13
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
(Payson) You know that old saying to not judge a book by its cover? Because you might miss out on something really good on the inside? I think it’s safe to say that same logic applies to Mi Rancherito in Payson. Sure, it doesn’t look like much on the outside, but the Mexican food you’ll find on the inside is so delicious, you’ll forget your initial hesitation to go into that little doorway in the middle of all that brick.
As soon as you walk in, you’ll know you made the right choice. The place isn’t fancy, but you’re most likely not here for Instagram pictures. You want food. Mexican food. Great Mexican food. And you’re about to get it. If you come here enough times, you’ll see repeat customers and generations of eaters passing on the local knowledge to their kids. You just wait at the front and someone will come and seat you. Booth or table will probably be your easiest decision.
The first thing you’ll notice when you walk in is a cool looking water fountain in the middle of four small tables. Someone broke it a while back, but it was fixed when we last visited. It adds a little extra ambiance to the visit. Kylie and I only sat in this section once when they were busy. I guess you can request to sit here if you really want to be near the water.
The dining room just feels like an authentic Mexican restaurant you would find in a small town in Mexico. It has the art, the feel, and the smell. You’ll usually find people young and old here enjoying a meal. Sometimes there are birthday parties or graduation celebrations or just families getting together to have a good time. I also love the old wooden floor. It creaks in some spots, which I always find pleasing.
Kylie has been coming to Mi Rancherito for a lot longer than I have known her. Since she grew up near Payson, this has been one of her favorite restaurants in Utah. I think one of the best parts of me meeting Kylie was discovering this place because of her. Ha! Jokingly, we call it “Payson Mexican.” Sometimes we forget the actual name of the place. But when one of us says “Payson Mexican,” we know what we’re talking about. We’ve been known to drive the 45-minutes from our house just to eat here.
For starters, you get chips and salsa. For free. Just be ready for what you’re about to taste because I truly believe Mi Rancherito has perfected the chip. The crunch is the way it’s supposed to be. And their salsa always tastes like it was just freshly made. Yes, you can get another bowl of chips for free. Trust me.
The menu has almost everything you would find in a proper Mexican restaurant. Burritos, enchiladas, chimichangas, tacos, combination specials, you name it. We have tried a lot of different plates and we never had a bad experience.
I was being a good boy on my diet when I took these pictures, so I can show you the salad I ordered. The Taco Vallarta salad comes with beef or chicken. The shell is what really makes the salad amazing. It’s light and fluffy, but has a good crunch to hold it all in. It complements the fillings really well. I’m picky, so you won’t see the sour cream, tomatoes, and guacamole that normally come with this salad. Again, I was being a good boy, otherwise I absolutely would’ve tore up a burrito and taco combination.
Kylie went with chicken enchiladas with rice. Instead of beans, she usually likes to get the salad with it. If you look at the picture, you’ll notice how the cheese is perfectly melted onto the tortillas. It tastes so good with the rice. Seriously. I’m happy I remembered to take a picture because Kylie was about to devour her food.
I understand Utah is a Coca-Cola state. It’s everywhere. That’s why I appreciate this restaurant also serves Pepsi products. I enjoy a good crisp icy Diet Pepsi and this place has it. They also have a lot of the popular drinks you normally see at a Mexican restaurant, such as horchata. Free refills, too!
There’s also a large room you can reserve for big gatherings. Longer tables make it so you can really party here. We just had Kylie’s stepfather’s birthday here and just about everyone in the family showed up. It was awesome. The workers here really do treat you like family.
Speaking of the workers, if you see Carma, please say hello. We have been going here for years and have gotten to know her a little bit. She is one of the best servers you could ever be lucky enough to get. Plus, she always has great travel stories. Carma loves to go on cruises and has travelled the world. She would love to hear your travel stories and get ideas for her next trip.
You can also see a lot of pretty cool artwork inside the restaurant. The walls are covered in paintings and it really does feel like a family Mexican restaurant you would find in Mexico. I’m sure each painting has a story. The owner is an elderly gentlemen that probably has a few stories himself. One day, I really should sit down with him and get his story about coming to the United States from Mexico and why he started this restaurant. It would make a great video to go along with this post.
We remember paying at the register in cash for our meal when we were all done. Well, at least I remember it because you could buy a mint or some other chocolate on your way out and quickly eat it without your significant other knowing. Nowadays, servers have fancy credit card machines they bring to your table. That makes it tougher to sneak a chocolate unless you have to “go to the bathroom.” :) But do check out the register area. You can still see where they cook the food, and it’s always the best smelling spot in the restaurant. No matter what, enjoy the people and the food. We love it here and we hope you will agree after giving it a shot. Just don’t let the outside of the restaurant scare you away. It’s worth the stop.
LOCATION:
85 East Utah Avenue
Payson
801-465-0460
Found it online, and very interesting :
The Payson, Utah building housing Mi Rancherito was
originally the Payson Opera House, which opened in 1883. After serving as a venue for various performances, it was converted into a warehouse and is now a historic brick building at the northwest corner of 100 East and Utah Ave..
Original use: The building first opened in 1883 as the Payson Opera House.
Performances: It was used by local theater groups and traveling troupes for plays like The Green Bushes and Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Subsequent use: After its time as a theater, the building was converted into a warehouse for the Intermountain Farmers Association.
Current use: Today, the historic brick building has been refurbished and…
That’s a beautiful building. I wonder what its history is.