76 Years in Tulsa
El Rancho Grande opened in Tulsa in 1950 and hasn't left. Here's how a neighborhood cantina became a piece of the city itself.
El Rancho Grande | Our Story
How It Started on Boulder Avenue
El Rancho Grande first opened in 1950 on Boulder Avenue, a modest restaurant in a city still finding its postwar footing. Three years later, we moved to 11th Street — Historic Route 66 — and we've been right here ever since.
The Food That Built the Reputation
We feature many time-tested famous dishes including the Night Hawk combo, which was named one of the Five Greatest Mexican Meals in the U.S. by Gustavo Arellano in Taco USA. We are also well known for our cheese enchiladas, Chile Colorado, homemade tamales - and now our new Ranchero (featured here)
The Regulars Who Never Left
Some of the guests who walked through our doors in the early years still come in today, and they're still greeted by name. This is a place where Tulsa families have marked milestones. Our core team brings decades of continuity, deep industry expertise and proven stability. Maria (pictured) has worked here at El Rancho Grande for 25 years!
A Stop the Mother Road Put on the Map
Route 66 Roadmap put us on their 66 Must-Eat Dishes list, and long-form features have made 11th Street worth the detour. The neon sign has been pointing the way all along.
Still Here, Still Us
Over 76 years of handcrafted flavor, the same neon glow on 11th Street, a dining room full of people who've been coming back their whole lives.