NEW DIGS, BIG FLAVOR. Rancho Grande Bar & Grill is new on the Eau Claire eat scene, bringing a large menu and big flavor. The mural design in the new eatery was created by local Alejandro Itehua.

After several weeks of renovation work and acquiring a liquor license from the City of Eau Claire earlier this year, the former Maple Lounge & Cafe is now officially home to Rancho Grande Bar and Grill.

Opening mid-September, the Mexican-style eatery features a full bar and large menu plus an interior decked out with vivid colors and an eye-grabbing mural design that wraps across several walls, done by Alejandro Itehua (who works at tattoo and piercing studio Skin Prints). Located at 2507 S. Hastings Way, the restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week.

While Eau Claire is no stranger to this style of restaurant – Tex Mex and traditional Mexican fare – initial reaction from locals online has been almost exclusively positive: “Is Rancho Grande our new favorite Mexican restaurant? Probably,” one person wrote, likening their burrito to the “size of a small child.” “Top on the list for authentic Mexican in the Eau Claire area. It’s beautiful + clean inside, and the staff goes above and beyond,” another person posted.

Entree item "Molcajete," filled with grilled onions and chorizo, thinly cut steak, chicken breast, shrimp, pork ribs, cactus, banana peppers, jalapeno, queso fresco, and special sauce.

Rancho Grande’s menu is host to the kind of fare one would expect – sections for tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos, fajitas, and more offer several meal options – as well as sections for seafood, vegetarian options, lunch and dinner specials, brunch, and desserts.

For early risers, the eatery opens at 7am every day and offers about nine breakfast meal options, with brunch offered from 7am-3pm daily.

As far as drinks go, Pepsi products are offered alongside Jarritos and more, while the bar features domestic and imported beer, N/A beer, margaritas and michelada, and wine.

The bar can seat nearly 20 people alone, with TVs playing a variety of programs and sports (with Packers game day specials) throughout the restaurant. Daily specials are announced on the Rancho Grande Facebook page. Check out the Facebook to see the full menu.

Rancho Grande (2507 S. Hastings Way, Eau Claire) is open Monday-Thursday from 7am-9:30pm and Friday-Sunday from 7am-10pm • Keep up with the restaurant on Facebook or call at (715) 492-6115