El Rancho Grande
- Restaurant
- In Tulsa, Oklahoma
- On Route 66
El Rancho Grande is a family-run Tex-Mex restaurant in Tulsa, OK, on East 11th Street, the old Route 66 through the city. It moved here from downtown in 1953, during the highway's heyday, and is often called Tulsa's first Mexican restaurant. For many westbound travelers it was one of the first places on the road to try Tex-Mex. Its neon sign, a cowboy in a sombrero roping the name, was restored and relit in 2009.
What is El Rancho Grande?
The restaurant occupies the Leyh Building, a two-story brick building on East 11th Street between downtown and midtown Tulsa. It is still family-owned, run today by brothers John and Jeff Walden, and it is often called the oldest surviving restaurant on the city's 11th Street stretch of Route 66.
The neon sign is the thing to look for: a cowboy in a sombrero throws a lasso around the restaurant's name, with a cactus behind him and an arrow outlined in light bulbs. A Tulsa Route 66 Commission historical marker, No. 11, put up in 2019, tells the story of the building and the restaurant.
History of El Rancho Grande
Grocer John J. Leyh put up the building in 1921 for his store, with apartments above, and a barbershop used the space before the restaurant arrived. El Rancho Grande opened in the early 1950s as a small place on Boulder Avenue in downtown Tulsa, near the Catholic cathedral. It was run by Ruby Rodriguez when it moved to 11th Street in 1953, and the sign is believed to have come along from downtown.
Travelers heading west from Chicago reached few Tex-Mex restaurants before this one, so many tasted the food here for the first time. The restaurant closed in the early 1980s. The Walden family, who owned the building, bought the business at auction and reopened it in 1984. Gustavo Arellano's book Taco USA later ranked its Night Hawk enchilada plate among the five best Mexican meals in the country. The sign was taken down, restored and relit in 2009, and in 2023 the restaurant marked 70 years at this address.
Visiting El Rancho Grande: tips
El Rancho Grande stands on East 11th Street, the old Route 66, so it fits easily into a drive through Tulsa. Come around dusk for a photo of the neon lit, and take a minute for the historical marker outside.
Practical info
- Address
- 1629 E 11th St, Tulsa, OK 74120
- Hours
- We have no opening hours for this stop yet — check the official site.
- On site & nearby
Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix
On the map
Full mapEl Rancho Grande with the 6 closest stops and another place to eat (fork and knife). Tap a marker for details.
Tap a dot to see that stop here.
Stops near El Rancho Grande
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1.4 mi from El Rancho Grande
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Questions about El Rancho Grande
Is El Rancho Grande on Route 66?
Yes. It stands on East 11th Street in Tulsa, the street historic US 66 used through the city, and it has been at this address since 1953.
How old is El Rancho Grande?
It opened in downtown Tulsa in the early 1950s and moved to 11th Street in 1953. It closed in the early 1980s, and the Walden family reopened it in 1984. In 2023 it marked 70 years at its 11th Street address.
What is El Rancho Grande known for?
Its neon sign of a cowboy in a sombrero roping the restaurant's name, and its Night Hawk enchilada plate, which Gustavo Arellano's book Taco USA ranked among the five best Mexican meals in the country. It is also often called Tulsa's first Mexican restaurant.
Own or run El Rancho Grande? Send us a photo or a correction.