I was so excited to get to try Rancho Lewis this week in Charleston. Chef and Pitmaster, John Lewis, has already been made famous for his bbq restaurant, Lewis, and this new restaurant, “a place where West Texas, Chihuahua, Mexico, and New Mexico meet” did not disappoint. It was busy when we arrived. They don’t take reservations, and the wait time was estimated to be about an hour. The courtyard was lively. Rancho Lewis has a small outdoor bar so you can get delicious margharitas while you wait. We promptly ordered a few and sat down to enjoy. They were strong and fresh and deliciously flavorful. To our delight, the wait ended up being only 15 ish minutes and we were ushered inside to our table. The Texan ranch style decor transported us to a different world. The attention to detail creates a relaxing and immersive atmosphere, from Mexican Equipale Barrel Chairs, longhorn cattle skulls, to lovely Mexican artesania paintings.

We started with freshly made chips and Queso Asado. Crispy and warm chips dipped in creamy and smooth queso. Hint of smokiness and a dash of spice. We raided the self serve salsa bar and tried all the different kinds available. All fresh and perfect with the most delicious hints of spices.

For the main entree I ordered The Lloyd Lewis. The Mesquite steak was grilled to perfection and it came served with cheese, & onion enchiladas, a side of Spanish rice and refried beans. We also enjoyed the Chicken Tortilla Soup, the Christmas Burrito and chicken enchiladas. Every dish was even better than we had anticipated.

As our drinks from the outdoor bar were nearly gone we ordered the So Far So Bueno to share. It came in a big clay bowl filled with tequila, citrus juices, and sparkling grapefruit. It was so refreshing and delicious and beautiful.

The evening finished with a big dish of sopapillas. They came with a delightful little instruction page that laid out how to bite of a corner and pour in a bit of warm honey and enjoy! The honey had a touch of smokiness, was warm, and complimented the chewy fried dough pillows perfectly. Dinner with friends is a beautiful thing. We laughed until we couldn’t breathe. We shared delicious food and had the best conversation.

I do recommend Rancho Lewis if you are ever in the Charleston area! A Tex-Mex experience you won’t regret!