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Name: El Torito
Address: 18512 Macarthur Blvd, Irvine, CA, 92612
Telephone: (949) 833-8230
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.08

El Torito

18512 Macarthur Blvd, Irvine, CA, 92612

(949) 833-8230
Store is closed

El Torito Menu

Antojitos

Fresh Tableside Guacamole

Taquitos De Camarones

Nachos Supreme

Roasted Pasilla Chile & Cheese Quesadilla

Fiesta Grande Platter

Sopes

Tropical Shrimp Quesadilla

Mexican Buffalo Wings
Sopa Y Ensaladas

Grilled Fajitas Salad

Tostada Grande

Tropical Chicken Sala

Tropical Salad

Tortilla Soup

Grilled Chicken Mexican Caesar Salad

Mexican Caesar Salad

Grilled Chicken Taco Salad

Mexican Caesar Salad Comboss
Fajitas Grandes

Grilled Chicken Breast Fajita

Grilled Steak & Chicken Breast Fajitas Combo

Grilled Chicken & Shrimp Fajitas Combo

Jose Cuervo Flaming Fajitas Supremas

Grilled Steak Fajitas

Shrimp Fajitas
Favoritos De Mexico

Grilled Soft Tacos

Mexico City Tacos

Carnitas

Crispy Chicken Flautas Rancheras

Carne Asada

Sonora-style Quesadilla Platter

Grilled Breast Of Chicken
Combinaciones

Crispy Taco & Enchilada

Chile Relleno & Enchilada

Tamale & Enchilada

Two Enchiladas & Crispy Taco

Enchilada Chile Relleno & Crispy Taco

Enchilada Tamale & Crispy Taco

Two Crispy Tacos & Enchilada

Handmade Tamales

Macho Combo
Enchiladas Y Burritos

Chicken & Sour Cream Enchiladas

Sizzling Enchiladas

Enchiladas Rancheras

Shrimp Mazatlan Enchiladas

Vegetable Enchiladas

Burrito Especial

Carne Asada Burrito

Picadillo Burrito
A La Carta

Fresh Guacamol

Refried Beans Or Rice

Frijoles De La Olla

Sweet Corn Cake

Shredded Beef Or Chicken Crispy Taco

Chicken Flautas

Sour Cream

Chile Relleno

Cheese Beef Or Chicken Enchilada

Chicken Or Carnitas Tamale

Grilled Chicken Or Carnitas Soft Taco

Grilled Steak Soft Taco
Postres

Home-style Flan

Chocolate Volcano Cake

Deep-fried Ice Cream

SIZZLING BROWNIE SUNDAe

Healthy Meal suggestions for El Torito

Antojitos

Fresh Tableside Guacamole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Taquitos De Camarones [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Nachos Supreme [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Pasilla Chile & Cheese Quesadilla [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fiesta Grande Platter [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sopes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tropical Shrimp Quesadilla [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mexican Buffalo Wings [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Sopa Y Ensaladas

Grilled Fajitas Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tostada Grande [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tropical Chicken Sala [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tropical Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tortilla Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Chicken Mexican Caesar Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mexican Caesar Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Chicken Taco Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mexican Caesar Salad Comboss [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Fajitas Grandes

Grilled Chicken Breast Fajita [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Steak & Chicken Breast Fajitas Combo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Chicken & Shrimp Fajitas Combo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Jose Cuervo Flaming Fajitas Supremas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Steak Fajitas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp Fajitas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Favoritos De Mexico

Grilled Soft Tacos [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mexico City Tacos [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Carnitas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crispy Chicken Flautas Rancheras [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Carne Asada [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sonora-style Quesadilla Platter [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Breast Of Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Combinaciones

Crispy Taco & Enchilada [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chile Relleno & Enchilada [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tamale & Enchilada [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Two Enchiladas & Crispy Taco [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Enchilada Chile Relleno & Crispy Taco [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Enchilada Tamale & Crispy Taco [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Two Crispy Tacos & Enchilada [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Handmade Tamales [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Macho Combo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Enchiladas Y Burritos

Chicken & Sour Cream Enchiladas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sizzling Enchiladas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Enchiladas Rancheras [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp Mazatlan Enchiladas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Enchiladas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Burrito Especial [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Carne Asada Burrito [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Picadillo Burrito [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
A La Carta

Fresh Guacamol [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Refried Beans Or Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Frijoles De La Olla [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sweet Corn Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shredded Beef Or Chicken Crispy Taco [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Flautas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sour Cream [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chile Relleno [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese Beef Or Chicken Enchilada [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Or Carnitas Tamale [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Chicken Or Carnitas Soft Taco [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Steak Soft Taco [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Postres

Home-style Flan [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chocolate Volcano Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Deep-fried Ice Cream [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

SIZZLING BROWNIE SUNDAe [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Visit below restaurant in Irvine for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s Grill & Bar ( 3745 Alton Pkwy )

Visit below restaurant in Irvine for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s Grill & Bar ( 3745 Alton Pkwy )

Write An Anonymous Review

Carlos O.

Good value during happy hour specials.... Location is ok....
(3)
Jay A.

THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR TACO TUESDAYS since that is the only reason I go(4pm-9pm). The steak, chicken and carnitas are all delicious but I usually go for the steak tacos. Its DELICIOUS! Throw in mango and strawberry margaritas and we're all set to go for the night. Keep in mind that its first come first serve so make sure to keep your party small and to get there early unless you like to wait for tables. I'm a sucker for chips and salsa and as long they keep it flowing then I'm happy. Enough tacos to keep you happy for $1 each and unlimited chips and salsa, what else do you need? The only reason for the 4 stars is the fact that service is either hit or miss. You either get the waitress that's at the top of her game or the waitress that doesn't give a damn what you need. Good Luck!
(4)
Kallie C.

No thanks. Enchiladas tasted like the can the enchilada sauce came out of. Salsa was bland and tasteless. Carne asade was tender but very little flavor
(2)
Caroline B.

I am not a huge fan of chains, but El Torito is consistently good. While yes that probably is what all chains try to be, this location is very well run. The service, food and prices are great. The tableside guacamole and the tostada salad are my favorite here. The tostada shell is super yummy. The happy hour here is pretty good. The food is well priced and the portions are generous.
(4)
Allie M.

I have never given this low of a rating before... but I was thoroughly unimpressed with my experience here last night. First of all, it was my boyfriend and I out for a nice Taco Tuesday and this was our first time at this El Torito. We go to the one in Laguna Hills once in a while and have never had a problem. Anyways.... We get there and are given a seat in the dining room. The hostess didn't do her job to explain that the tacos can only be ordered in the cantina. It is not that I had a problem walking the 20 feet to order at the bar, it is the fact that the hostess sucks at informing customers. Not to mention there is a sign for Taco Tuesday above the entrance way into the dining room. While at the bar, I had to wait a while to order from the bartender. It isn't his fault, he was busy and doing a fine job... I still blame the hostess. THEN, in the taco line, as I was about to get my tacos that I had been waiting forever for the girl had to make more tortillas. I understand it gets busy during Taco Tuesday's, but they should know to have more than one person working it. On a good note though, their guac is delicious, and made fresh. Our waitress was doing an ok job UNTIL she rudely asked for the check. She had dropped it off a bit before we were done. We were still finishing up and drinking when she came by and asked for us to pay so she could leave. Again, I understand having to close out your tickets before you leave, but she could have asked nicer and offered for someone else to take over it, in case we still wanted to order something. Overall. NOT impressed. I know, I shouldn't ask to much out of a 99 cents taco night, but... if they want more business, they need to fix a couple things. I wanted a fun night, and it was ruined. I will never go to this location again.
(1)
Melody K.

I go to El Torito's Taco Tuesday almost every week. All of my friends decided it was time to change the venue from the El Torito in Tustin to the El Torito in Irvine. This ended up being one of the worst Taco Tuesday mistakes we could have done. We were a pretty big group (15 ppl) so we needed to have 3 tables put together. Since the taco tuesday special is only in the bar area we just started to put tables together ourselves. The bus boys came running up to us and scolded us for moving those specific tables around. We could put tables together just not those specific ones, kinda weird. Don't know if the server was in a bad mood or what. Every time we tried to get his attention to order drinks or more chips & salsa he would just snarl at us and tell us to hold on. After a while we just gave up ordering from him and went over to the bar. It was just a lose lose where ever we went. The tacos also took forever and they skimped out on the meat. I can say I am never coming to this location ever again.
(2)
Kristine R.

Went here for =) hour on Friday with a coworker. They have =) hour til 8pm M-F. Niice! We had two margaritas and two appetizers - the shrimp taquitos and chicken nachos. Not too bad. The prices were $3 margaritas and half price appetizers. The food is meh, the drinks were okay. but hey =) hour until 8 - can't beat that since most places stop at 6 or 7.
(3)
Michelle N.

El Torito is... typical, at best. But hey, I knew what I was getting into when I went there right. It's surprising how many people go here (guilty). The food is "okay", the service is "okay", the dessert was "okay".
(3)
Dave S.

Do not come to brunch at this particular El Torito. It was terrible. Service was non-existent; the plates just pilled up on the side of our table. I was into my second plate of food before the drinks showed up, and the food had been sitting out for a LONG time and needed to be changed. Maybe it's because this particular El Torito is around all businesses so weekends aren't that important to them, but this is not what I'm used to for an El Torito brunch. At other locations it's usually much better. Meh. Lesson learned.
(2)
Kirun M.

I love taco Tuesdays at El T. Love them. It's crowded, it's lively, it's a hoot. Unless you're not in the mood for all the hoopla. It's a great place to meet friends or coworkers, but you should come early or get someone to snag you a table. The drinks are reasonable, and the dollar tacos make it all worthwhile. For lunch the chicken flautas are really freakin' good. I love the sauces they give with them. I pretty much love everything at El Torito. I miss it and I love it.
(4)
Rich n Nancy C.

Been to a few El Torito's over the years but this was the worst. Most get 2 stars, which is passable, with the occasional 3 star Torito. The only thing keeping this place open, as far as I can tell, is the John Wayne airport. Shut it down already...
(1)
Shelley H.

Went to this place for happy hour on Thursday which runs until 8pm. Half price apps, $4 margaritas. Basic El Torito fare. Good way to get liquored up on the cheap. Friendly convival vibe. I saw a couple of guys who came straight from work here eating alone in the bar area which is kind of depressing. So you can either talk to them and make their day, or ignore them and pretend they don't exist. Don't bring anyone here to impress them. But it's a good place to chill with friends.
(4)
Ashley U.

this review is solely for their taco tuesday: delicious tacos for a dollar. they might not be tijuana street tacos but they were a dollar and i don't have to worry about getting dysentery (as much). the chips and salsa are plentiful and flowing, with our ever efficient waitress. she was def working for those tips. i ordered a mango margarita, and although it was delicious, it was certainly lacking in the correct quantities of tequila. now, i'm not being greedy. see, i am what the people like to call "a light weight", meaning, i can not handle even average amounts of alcohol in one sitting. however, i had this margarita and there was no instant hang over (i have learned to expect this when consuming tequila), nor was there any pigment change to red in my skin, nor did i act the fool ( i have learned to expect this also). minus a star for not having enough seats, and having to try and sit 5 people at a table for 2.
(4)
Shaina K.

Good food, some what inexpensive, they kind of messed up on our order, everything comes really spicey, including the items on the kids menu....
(3)
Billy H.

Taco Tuesday! Yup... $1 tacos... can you beat that whether they are good or bad? I've been to about three El Torito's in the area for Taco Tuesday. I just happened to be at the location across from John Wayne last week... hence the review... hehe. If you're gonna come to El Torito for Taco Tuesday, try to get there right after work, because they get pretty busy. I managed to get a booth at the bar area right away... it was about 7pm when we got there. It was pretty busy with the local office workers... it seemed to be a younger age group that evening... mid to late twenties. For the price, the tacos are good... they have a choice between chicken and carne. The tortillas are freshly made on the spot so that is nice. Not too much else to say other than it's a bang for your buck... busy atmosphere... be prepared to wait because $1 tacos are only served in the bar area. If you're there during happy hour... $1 off margaritas and 1/2 off appetizers... not too shabby! I recommend the chicken flautas... comes with a small side of fries... yup, I said fries...nice! Ah yes....and order yourself a Michelada... I usually order mine with Corona.
(3)
Brian P.

Great place to get together for happy hour with friends, it runs until 8pm. Went there for taco Tuesday and wasn't impressed (stick with the happy hour menu.) Had my birthday there, 35 friends, 1/2 off food, and cheap drinks; Priceless...
(3)
helen c.

First of all, I have to confess that I like El Torito's. I like Taco Tuesday's, I like their Happy Hour, I like their margarita's, and I like the consistency of what you know you're going to expect at most El Torito's. However, this El Torito's is by far the WORST El Torito's ever. The food is waaay below the norm and the service was horrible. My friend and I waited 10 minutes before we even got a person to ask what we want to drink and the chips. The person that came by wasn't even our waitress, but a busboy. Our normal waitress wouldn't even give us the time of day. We ordered the tacos and a bowl of soup. We keep asking for our utensils since you kind of need a spoon to drink the soup, but she totally ignored us and I finally had to ask our busboy again for a simple spoon (forget the fork at this point) by the time it arrived our soup was cold.
(1)
Sandra A.

I don't eat a lot of Mexican food, but I like this place. I just like spice too much so if you're like me, don't get the Tortilla Soup. It's really spicy even though they told me it wasn't. I can't take any spice so get the other food. I like the tostados. If you want to meet someone there to talk, don't do it. I met a business client there for the first time and it was so noisy we couldn't hear each other.
(4)
Christopher C.

This place gets 4 stars from us because we love their taco tuesday's special. $1 for each taco and each of their tortilla are made fresh. My girlfriend always get the margarita and I get their humongous dark beer for $3 each. What a steal! Their service has got better compared from our experiences in the past. However, it would be nice to see some hostesses to help seat guests in the bar area.
(4)
Albert E.

It seems like I do Happy Hour with good friends at this El Torito at least once a month. The El Torito by John Wayne (SNA) airport is the most central location for our group to meet at and it works. Affordable pricing and decent happy hour food will keep me and my friends coming back. As for the restaurant side, I would rather go somewhere else for Mexican food. I like this place solely for their Happy Hour specials till 8PM.
(3)
Noah C.

I always see a lot of businessmen in here with suitcases. I'm guessing, using all the powers my vast intellect affords me, that this is due to the airport being right next to the place. Nevertheless, sometimes it can get ridiculously crowded in here as a result, leading you to wander around aimlessly looking for a place to park you butt so you can grab some dollar tacos during happy hour and/or Taco Tuesday and wash it down with a nice goblet of Dos Equis Amber. I can't really say anything nice about the main menu of the place, so I won't say nothin' at all. But rest assured, the dollar tacos are just fine, and really, after a few drinks, it all is gonna taste the same anyway.
(3)
Johnny A.

My friend recently suggested that we should expand our Hispanic culinary horizon given the fact that the only thing we know about Mexican cuisine is King Taco. So we decided to try El Torito in OC (partly due to the fact that there are not that many options in Irvine). 2 wasteful hours later, my friend and I regretted to be open minded about trying anything mexican in the city of Irvine. Our bill came up to be 30 bucks that derived from soggy enchilada, boneless buffalo wings, some wrap that resembles more like that Taco Bell crunchy wrap supreme than anything else. When I asked the waiter for salsa verde, he looked back with a confused look on his face, I just kind of palmed my face. Now does the item above strike you like any authentic dishes at all? If I had to spend 30 dollars eating Taco Bell or spending 30 to eat at El Torito, I would seriously choose Taco Bell. At least it doesn't pretend to be something thats not.
(1)
jjj z.

This is one of my places I hit before catching a flight from across the street. They are always quick with the combos. As for the food, its always a bit more than I should eat but who am I to complain. My favorite is the enchilada and taco combo. I wish it came with black beans instead of pinto beans but otherwise a-okay.
(4)
Ocbites.com A.

Stopped by for taco tuesday, but the bar area was way too packed. Decided to go with dinner instead. Waitress came by, and then got lost. Had to track down a manager who took down the order. She was caught and spent the rest of the night smiling and trying to make it up. Had the carnitas burrito which was lukewarm and my date had the steak fajitas, which was hot but not steaming hot. Had the deep fried ice cream after, which was forgettable for me. Overall 6/10 visit, wouldn't go back for a while. Better mexican food in the area.
(3)
Pillin L.

The tried and true! The go to. The default pick of whenever you're looking for a Taco Tuesday, and although that's not a compliment, it's also not an insult. El Torito is just your average chain Mexican restaurant. I've only gone for Taco Tuesday and happy hour and I never leave disappointed. $1 tacos that are made with hand made tortillas, well, you can't really beat that. $3 margaritas? Well count me in! They're pretty busy on Tuesday so get there early, or get there late. You won't get your mind blown but you will definitely have a decent meal. I always go for their chicken and carnitas. Carne asada just never tastes right to me. Surely everyone has been here for Taco Tuesday, but just in case there were some El Torito vs.
(3)
Jackie D.

They have the yummiest Margaritas. You can get any flavor, whether it be Mango or Blueberry. Not a big fan of the food but it's a fun place for happy hour, $5 premium margies & $1.50 decent tacos. They make their tortillas, which is a cool to witness. Also there salsa is pretty tasty, has just a perfect amount of heat. Does this place have the best Mexican, no way but man I love their margies
(4)
Josh E.

I ordered the macho combo. My favorite thing on it was the crispy beef taco. It was fantastic and the feta cheese on top provided a wonderful flavor and complimented the beef wonderfully. The chile rellano was a little soggy, not crunchy, and the cheese had a very strange texture. Very forgettable. The chicken tamale was great as well. And the chicken taquito was spicy but creamy at the same time. That was my second favorite. All this was accompanied by Spanish rice which was delicious and had a marvelous flavor, beans which where eh at best and a corn cake which was surprisingly delicious. After this I got the fried ice cream. Oh man. What a treat. It was coated in coconut and cinnamon which added great flavor. It was also topped with fried tortilla strips rolled in cinnamon sugar which tasted like churros. Major sweet tooth satisfaction.
(5)
Jodi M.

I haven't been to this El Torito in several years, until my friends and I were in Dana Pt. for a dolphin trip, last week. We had dinner here, before the long drive home. I really love the location and decor of this El Torito, and you really can't beat, a view of the harbor while dining. The food was good, service good, restaurant nice. 4 Stars = I'm a fan!
(4)
Jesus H.

There are two great things about this place, one being that they have happy hour Monday-Friday from 2pm-close (about 10 pm). Second is the free chips and salsa, the guy who puts them on the table was the most efficient worker I have ever seen in my life. Besides those two things this place isnt that great. We got there around 7 or so, found a table in the cantina area for happy hour. Our waitress came over and asked us for something to drink, at that moment we just wanted water. She shortly brought our waters over, and that was the last we saw of her for over 20 minutes. Finally she remembered we were there and took our order. My friend had a question, and she had the audacity to say "omg you have questions.". That comment was very unnecessary, especially after how long we waited. After we all ordered, our $4 happy hour margaritas came out. The mango one was so refreshing and went well with the chips an salsa. The food finally came out, but I was pretty stuffed from the chips and salsa. I ordered the chicken flautas. They were okay, the chicken tasted weird. It also came with fries, those were ehh. The whole time we were eating our waitress never came over to ask how we were doing. Then when she brought us our check she said she was going out for a 5 minute smoke break, but it ended up being more like a 15 minute break. When she finally came back into the restaurant, she didn't come to our table so we had to take our bill to her. She was a terrible waitress and made my time there very unpleasant. Oh and at one point a Beatle fell from the ceiling onto our table, GROSS.
(1)
J S.

Absolutely horrible service. We went for Mother's Day brunch. Showed up at 9:10 and asked if they were taking walk-ins. They said yes and let us know it was a 30-40 min wait. We understood. We were waiting for over 1 hour 30 minutes when I went to the gentleman and asked to see what was going on. He said they were taking reservations in and can't even begin to guess how much longer it was going to be. He said in his estimation at least another hour but couldn't guarantee that. I asked the hostess if she could get the manager. She pointed at the manager but she was talking to other people. I don't want to make a scene I just wanted an explanation as to why after our waiting time has been doubled they still do not have an idea of how much longer it was going to be. The hostess said she would get the manager I saw her go and talk to the manager and the manager just waived her off. When the hostess came back hostess just said sorry and walked away. Horrible attitude. We all know it gets busy, open and honest two way communication is what would have helped. Very disappointed and based on our last visit and this one El Torito has lost me as a customer.
(1)
Rain C.

UPDATE After I wrote a 2-star review after having been charged for someone else's meal, manager named Shawna PM'd me on Yelp and asked for contact info in order to "speak with me about my visit." Gave her my number, but it's been almost 6 weeks and I still haven't heard anything. Was willing to give this restaurant a second chance, but bad customer service all around. It would have been better for management not to say anything at all than to reach out, then not follow-up or deliver.
(1)
Mark C.

We'll I had to sit and chew on this one a couple of days. I don't like writing negative reviews but this on deserves. It. My wife loves El Torrito and after a nine hour drive we stopped in since it was so close to our hotel. I was around 9:00pm. Defiantly past dinner hour. Probably 4-5 tables in the area we were seated in. We were seated right away but then things went down hill. We waited 10 minutes for someone to take our drink order. We ordered a beer and a margarita and 2 waters No Ice. Emphasis added. We received the beer and margarita in about 5 minutes. No waters. We kindly asked and they were brought. With Ice. We decided to not say anything. It was almost 10 minutes until the waitress came to take our order. I ordered the carnitas tablita. My wife ordered carne asada medium well and camarones. We also mentioned that the waters had a funny taste and commented that we had ordered without Ice. And asked if we could have 2 more no ice. The promptly brought out 2 new waters With Ice. We decided to leave it alone. Our food arrived. My carnitas came out on a sizzling skillet which was nice, except the skillet was so hot it burnt the carnitas. My wife's asada came out medium rare. At this point we decided to eat what we could and just choose to write a review. So here it is. Generally we have had good food at El Torrito maybe we caught them on an off night. But that's what these reviews are for so management can fix the problems
(2)
Paul C.

Went here for the first time at this location last weekend with some co-workers. The place was kinda dark when we arrived. Restrooms are upstairs oddly and when I got back I didn't know one of my co-workers already got seated at the very back end of the restaurant in this cramped space where we would all be seated in a long line. Not cool at all so I asked a worker if we could just sit at the regular table next to the uncomfortable 1 sided booth and he said that it was reserved. I thought to myself are you serious? The place was half empty. We opted to sit at the bar at that point. Our server took our drink orders and as he brought out my margarita some of it spilled due to the poor construction of the table making the glass tilt a bit. Why does this place use such crappy ass tables? Anyway we order our food and as I asked our server for more napkins since the crappy tables made a mess he doesn't bring them so I had to flag down a busser and she was kind enough to bring them as well as more chips and salsa. The food was decent. My margarita however kinda sucked because I couldn't taste that much alcohol. This location seriously needs a makeover. I like El Torito but this location just doesn't cut it for me.
(2)
Remie M.

Came here almost @ the end of taco Tuesday. The chips and salsa were really good. I had the carne asada tacos and my friend had the carnitas. The asada was juicy. I also ordered a mojito. Which was 2 syrupy and sweet. The good thing abt this place was our waitress. Very attentive and friendly.
(3)
Madilyn S.

A friend and I went to this El Torito for lunch during the Thursday lunch hour. 5 minutes into our salad a mouse walked up and down the isle... did not run., walked. It wasn't afraid, it felt at home. HoMe. Mice live with their big families. It's their nature. Walking, roaming at night on the tables, counters, dishes... The waiter and manager chased the mouse in the dining areas with a broom and dust pan. Never, NeVer will walk into that El Torito or any other.
(1)
Will H.

I ordered the burrito with a side of grilled vegetables. The quantity was more than sufficient for the price. The quality was even better. The meal was prepared fresh with favors that were unique and delightful!
(3)
Chris R.

Biggest rip off of all time!!! Seriously, just because this is orange county doesnt mean you can justify charging $1.50 for a taco half the size of the palm of my hand (literally that small). Its a joke, and i know $1.50 doesnt sound like much but when it costs $11 and your not even full its time to pull up your pants and put a stop to the screw.
(1)
Sonic M.

Went for enchilada Wednesdays; had very slow service even though it wasn't very crowded. Waited for at least 15 min after being seated for initial service to order drinks. Drinks were rather weak. Enchiladas were something akin to a frozen dinner. Not impressed as this was my first visit to this location. Overall atmosphere is pretty nice actually so I hope they clean up their service and improve some of the food items.
(2)
Susie B.

I can't but thank to the guys who are in the charge of cooking as I have some outstanding foods here are awesome and impressing too. The decoration is great and staffs service is always praiseworthiness. I will be here for once more and if they do same as the past one---it gonna be regular place for me.
(4)
David L.

Only reviewing or Taco Tuesdays in the cantina. I don't know why reviews are so low. Delicious and fresh tacos for $1.50. It's open seating so be sure to grab a table early. It's a great chatty atmosphere so this is great for groups. You place your orders with the waitress and then you receive your tacos from the kind Taco Lady. Best place for Taco Tuesday IMHO.
(5)
Tanny Y.

Strictly for Happy Hour! Okay seriously ample amount of parking space is a plus!! and the restaurant itself was huge!! Loving the taco bar!! Wowzers!! how do you not enjoy $1 tacos on Tuesday's??? $3 house margaritas? Okay El Torito's you have my attention!! My palettes are drooling for your tacos!! I am all in for the Carnitas (pork) oh so tender and a dollar?? Dude, you do not have to slap me to get a taco!! I'm there. ha ha The Margarita's aren't that bad. Still got a UMPF in there. Not complaining! I love spending under $10 and walking away fat and tipsy... great combination. The service here is great! Try to be here around 5ish so you won't have to worry about the crowd. All of the specials are only at the bar guys. So 2-8 gets you cheap eats. I would totally come here with the girls after a long day of work. Have fun guys unwind!!
(4)
Mrs. B.

We have had some less than stellar service here, but usually it's not terrible. The food is okay.
(3)
Loren John B.

This review is solely based on hitting up a Taco Tuesday. My fraternity usually comes here as a rush event or for a weekly gathering. Tacos are only a buck each, and I remember I could get either pollo asado or carne asada. Why go to Del Taco when you can have this? Anyway, theres a portion of the restaurant thats sectioned off for this taco bar alone. You get to see the meat cooked right in front of you, as well as preparing the tacos. Before getting your tacos though, you pay at the register before proceeding. After I got my tacos, I helped myself to the toppings bar, which included different types of sauces to top off my tacos. The taste of both the carne asada and the pollo asado had the char grilled kick to it, which convinced me that each taco was worth the money. The veggies/other ingredients tasted fresh as well. I actually ended up getting another set of tacos because I was that impressed. It loses a star because the service was slow in getting drinks. Plus the line was kinda long when I went up for a second round. Well, I don't blame the other in line since its pretty good. Yep.
(4)
Carrie h.

I came here a few weeks ago, and to be honest had a pretty good evening, good food, great waiter, so we decided to come back and try their brunch. Clearly, this was a HUGE mistake! We came for their breakfast brunch buffet, because as usual, I was craving some yummy mexican food. We got here at like 10:30 and put our names on the list and the host guessed it would be about 15 mins, no problem at all. About 20 minutes later, I hear a name called, which I could barely hear over the loud music, and it sounded like my name. We went up, the host recognized us and even made a comment about it how close he was with the time, which he was. We were seated and about a minute later, our waiter came up to our table, which was meant to sit 4-6, and acted very shocked and put off that there were two of us there. He gave us the details on brunch and I told my man to go get food, and I'd sit at the table with our belongings. All of the sudden the hostess came running up to our table and basically yelled at me, telling me that this was NOT our table and she did NOT call my name. Um, this was a pretty big shock to me, considering she had mentioned nothing when we first came up, thinking she had called our name. She was, to be completely frank, a total bitch and told me I had to get up immediately and go back to the waiting room. Instead of offering us one of the other tables, there was at least one empty smaller one, she said I just had to go wait, even longer, even though the mix up was more her fault than mine. I went to go grab my man, and at first I was going to still wait around, for our turn, but after seeing how half the trays were empty, the line for the buffet was HUGE and the food was completely picked at...I took her advice and just left the restaurant completely. We went to Knowlwood and had great food and fantastic service! The way she acted was completely rude, inappropriate and frankly makes me not want to patronize this location for any of my dining needs. I'll definitely be sticking to Taco Rosa's brunch from now on, they are much more plesant to deal with when I'm trying to enjoy a Sunday morning brunch.
(1)
Griffin T.

This review is for their Sunday Brunch only. Brunch is around $16 a person and includes all-you-can-drink champagne. How can you beat that? The buffet style brunch has an omelet bar, a taco grill where you can get tacos with freshly grilled meats and handmade tortillas, a variety of Mexican dishes and a dessert station with Mexican sweet breads and desserts. There is also a beverage station with orange juice (which is gross and watered down) and horchata (also not that great). I live that they have chorizo as an option on the omelet bar. I usually though just ask the chef to heat up some of the chorizo for me and then I grab some hadnmade tortillas and make chorizo tacos. The food here is not incredibly good nor is it extremely authentic, but it's hard to beat for the price.
(4)
Will C.

If you're comfortable looking like a vulture, hovering over people dining, scouring the bar area for the first available table, then El Torito Taco Tuesday is your place. This establishment has been a great hangout for the young working crowd after a long day of TPS reports. Got a fetish for good looking women in work attire? Come here. Oh yeah, and try their tacos. For about $4 bucks you can get their house margarita or a good sized brew. The margarita is rather weak, and I highly recommend asking for it on the rocks, ice just gets in the way anyways. The beers are served in a rather large and heavy chalice which in the hands of a drunk will feel like a TON OF BEER DUDE. If you're one "fittest," that is able to beat out the competition for seating, you'll usually be at a table that has yet to be bussed with half full beverages and chips. El torito used to have a cash register at the taco stand, but have instead switched to the ticket method where you must tell your server how many tacos you want. I guess they've finally caught on to my ways of walking directly to the stand, ordering my tacos and proceeding to head outside where I can eat them and quickly vacate their premises. DAAAAAAAMN YOU! So I have learned to avoid their steak; order only their chicken and carnitas, lest you chew for an infinity trying to break down their rubbery steak. Opt for the corn tortilla, as their grilled fresh as opposed to the flour stuff which comes prepackaged from whateversville. I'm also disappointed that in a cost cutting measure, they have switched from real grated cheese to this pathetic grated stuff. For those of you that came here years ago, they used to have the real stuff. Oh the good old days... God, I'm already sounding like an old fart. The other items on their happy menu are worth trying, such as the quesadilla, but avoid their buffalo wings. So if you don't mind all the business bro's (flat billers turned corporate slaves) and all the "shop talk" around you. This place definitely has a youthful vibe to it. It does feel like being in Mexico without the donkey show and fewer drug cartel sleazeballs trying to abduct you. I say GO FOR IT! w00T w00T!!!111!11!!!!11!!!
(4)
lucio g.

i love coming for taco tuesday, the margaritas, and anytime i feel like having some mexican food thats close to irvine. Its usually pretty busy, sometimes the service can be great but other days it can get busy and its hard to get your check or drinks.
(3)
Darren T.

I'm not really a fan of these Mexican American chains. Didn't have a choice this time as we had to go here for a company party. The service was sketchy and food was bad. And I was pretty buzzed too.
(2)
Jennifer H.

After 4 plus years of going to this El Torito for Happy Hour last nights was really disappointing. We usually have great service and lots of fun, but last night was unusual. After we expressed to our server that my drink and my girlfriends drink tasted different and not to our liking she kindly returned it to the bartender. We then received a very angry and aggressive visit from the Manager, Enrique. He pretty much said "What's the problem ladies?" His tone was not kind or apologetic. Instead his tone was aggressive. We explained to him our issue and he continued with "Well what do you want to do? You can get another drink but it will cost you more than the $3.00 HH drinks?" Floored at how mean and disrespectful this manager was my girlfriend and I decided not to have 1 more drink while he was on the clock. We told him we did not want another drink and he turned around and walked away without saying a word to us. Unfortunately because of this experience we will never go back to this El Torito.
(1)
G W.

good for lunch and the occasional brunch
(3)
Joy F.

My only reason for going to El Torito would be for Happy Hour on "Taco Tuesdays." Happy Hour Specials are offered Monday - Friday from 4pm-8pm. Happy Hour Specials include House Margaritas 3.95, Fruit Margaritas 4.25, Domestic Draft Beer 3.00, House Chardonnay 3.50, Well Drinks for 3.00 and 1/2 price off all appetizers. My favorite things to order: Guacamole and a Strawberry Margarita. Otherwise, the lines can get very long for their 99 cent tacos. Of their three selections (chicken, beef, or steak) my favorite is the steak. You also have the option of flour or corn tortillas. Their corn tortillas are freshly made as you wait in line. Things to prepare yourself for: (1) Parking (2) Seating (there isn't a wait list) (3) Long line So, get their early!
(5)
Ha V.

El Torito's Sunday Brunch is very similar to Pedro's Restaurant and Cantina's Sunday Brunch... but better. My date (same one from Pedro's) and I both agreed on this. The buffet is in the middle of the restaurant with entrees, soups, a salad bar, tacos that are prepared for you with a choice of three different meats, omelets made to order, a salad bar, and a dessert table. The variety of entrees wasn't huge, but what they had was good. I recall myself going for two helping of entrees, which I normally don't do at buffets. I also tried one out of the two soups they had, and I fell in love. It was super hot and it just really hit the spot. The salad bar had more than just the simple Caesar or House salad. There was spinach salad, salmon salad, chicken salad, and some really good ceviche. I didn't try the omelets, but there was a line for them so I am guessing that they are well liked. The tacos were the best part. The steak for the tacos was perfectly flavored, and it really just melted in your mouth. It is chewy like meat should be, but so soft from the way they had prepared it. We even ate the ones that fell from our tacos onto our plate :D. As always, the dessert table was a hit. By the time we were ready for dessert, a lot of it was gone. Not all, but a lot. The mousse was very dense, warm, and sweet. I didn't like it much, and we both put it aside after just a taste. The cookies were crunchy, not chewy. However, I heard the waffles with strawberry syrup and whipped cream were awesome. The one thing that stood out to me was the free and unlimited mimosas. They advertise this at Pedro's but don't pull through with it. How lovely that El Torito does :)
(4)
Fernando F.

Fun place to be with friends! Love Taco Tuesday! Awesome place just to go with friends chit chat and have a good time.
(4)
John R.

Plenty of easy parking for large trucks Great little cantina, Cerveza is Cold So So food but a great spot to chill out and Hide while awaiting your arrival at the OC.
(4)
Nina B.

It's not real fancy and the lights are kind of bright but the food is good. There's all the traditional yummy stuff like taquitos, chile rellanos, burritos, enchiladas AND homemade flour tortillas. There are also non-Mexican entrees just in case you have someone in your party who doesn't like south of the border cuisine.
(4)
Liz V.

Don't come here to get your socks blown off by the Chicken Fajitas. I made the mistake of ordering the Unlimited Chicken Fajitas... let me tell you, after the first bite I was wondering if I could change my order. The chicken was dry, chewy and rubbery. I've had better Chicken Fajitas at Don Jose's. The only vegetables with the chicken were onion and green bell pepper. Did I eat it, yes but "a fuerzas". I didn't want to bring attention to myself in front of a table with 5 other people and have the server come over so I can complain about my food. I did ask the server if the chicken was frozen and why it was so dry and rubbery when he came by to ask me if I was ready for more. He said no, and that he would make sure it was cooked better this next batch. It was slightly better. Someone else ordered the nachos with braised beef on top, those were good. And the other dinner plates that came out looked good also, but stay away from the chicken fajitas.
(2)
Ruth C.

Omg me and my be come to this place all the time. They have the best chicken soup. Plus the bartender Dana is the best. Great personality she always makes my day. I encourage everyone to go there and they them out
(5)
Peter M.

Came in today for the champagne brunch and it was so disappointing. My wife and i waited 45 mins to be seated, when we were told 25 mins. I get its Sunday and busy. The buffet was mediocre at best. The food was pretty much empty most the time. And the taco service gave me undercooked tortillas. The champagne didn't flow. I had to constantly ask for refills and my table to be cleared. I've been here before and the service was much better. But that was due to us seating at the bar. I might come again but only to the bar.
(2)
Felix M.

Before I moved to OC, I was traveling to Irvine on business with colleagues and visited the place - it was within walking distance of our hotel. First we sat outside on the patio and enjoyed endless chips and salsa (two different kinds of salsa, one with a very unique smoky taste) and the most amazing Cadillac margaritas that went down all too easily - I believe I had three (not to worry - I maintained control and also was not driving that evening). We enjoyed good, friendly service and had a very agreeable meal.
(4)
Amanda L.

The food was much better than I expected and the service was good,too. Table side guac prep was a nice touch and the guac was fantastic . Drink was mediocre but they fixed it when I asked.
(3)
Eric N.

A group of my coworkers and I went here for a going away lunch yesterday. A few minutes into having been seated I heard a loud panicked scream and I glanced across our table to see a small cockroach rolling around the table. It was laying inside my coworker's silverware when she opened it. Needless to say we immediately got up and left. This was my first time here, the first time I've ever seen a live cockroach at a restaurant, and the last time I'll ever eat at an El Torito.
(1)
Joanna E.

Thanks EL Torito for now serving Albondigus Soup... .My favorite and you guys hit it out of the Park!!!!!!!....just like momma used to make with the Mexican meatballs w/rice and spice and the extra yummie veggies the stock of the soup takes me back to when I was 9 yo and had my first Albondigus.....Aye yi yi yi pew pew shoot em up!!!! The Service and the Best Bartenders everrrrrrrr!!! THANKS......... ET .......HOME
(5)
Cheyne T.

Came here for taco tuesday for the first time around 5:15, it was busy but there were still tables open at the bar area. Ordered a margarita ($5) and three tacos ($1.50 each). The margarita was tasty and got me pretty buzzed. I wasn't expecting much from the tacos but it was actually really good. I would recommend the carne asada or carnitas. I like that you can put your own toppings on the tacos! Unlimited hot chips and salsa is also a plus. By the time I finished around 7 it was pretty packed. Overall I would definitely come back for taco tuesday.
(4)
Ting Ting W.

I am giving this place a 1 star due to the lack of customer service and a rude taco server guy named Diego. A group of 9 of us went to El Torito for taco Tuesday. We ordered a bunch of drinks and the waitress took down each of our orders for the tacos. When we went to the bar for the tacos I was the last person to get my tacos. As each person went up there. The would give them the number of tacos they ordered and Diego would mark it down on his list that he had. I had ordered two tacos, but when I went I went to get my 2 tacos Diego told me that I can only get one because there was only one left on the list. I told him I specifically ordered 2 tacos. Diego began to rudely inform me that someone else asked him for 3 tacos instead of the 2 that they had ordered originally and he gave them my taco. I said why would you give my taco away to someone that didn't order it and now I don't get my taco. I said then give me my taco anyways and charge us for an extra one. He refused to do so and was so extremely rude about it. So I left with only one taco. Diego acted like he owned the taco bar and couldn't make any exceptions when it was obviously his fault! It's a dollar for a taco... If he made the mistake then he should of corrected the situation instead of arguing with me about one stupid taco and making me leave as an upset customer. It's not about the taco. Its about the principle. I hope the general manager reads this review and fires Diego for the lack of professional and service that he didn't provide. I will not be coming back and neither will my group.
(1)
Michelle T.

Right across from the airport, this place gets packed around dinner time. The bar area does have a lot of seating. Theres a huge lot shared with Gullivers for parking but like I said this place gets packed. As far as food, mediocre basic Mexican options.
(3)
Chrissy C.

Since I've been yelping, I have never given only 1 star. The service was horrible. The food was mediocre. The waffles were so undercooked. The manager on duty was so unfriendly. After pouring our first glass of champagne, our waiter never checked on us again. Horrible experience.
(1)
Rob G.

Starting to get run down. Waitress rude. Chips are all broken and small. Used to be decent place but now it's a loud irritating place.
(2)
April E.

I love coming here! I always sit at the bar and have a few drinks. The bartender Donna is great. She always talks to me and makes me feel so very welcome here, I love it. I am never know what I want to eat and she makes great suggestions! This past Friday evening i stopped by here after dropping off my rental car at the airport. She recommended the free flautas, which I would never have picked out for myself. But I tried them and the were amazing!! It was happy hour don't also got a great deal! It came with this jalapeÃ±o jelly that I was wary of as the heartburn gets me more often than not, but it was amazing, more sweet than spicy, definitely going back! You just can't beat a bartender that remembers your name and what u like to drink no matter how much time has past!
(5)
Ryan R.

We stopped for a quick lunch.. Any of the combo platters are well worth the money. I had the carne asada which was very good, and paired with an iced tea and never-ending chips and salsa, I was well prepared to make the 98 mile trip home. Others in my ground and the enchiladas, a big burritio, the tacos, and they all really enjoyed themselves. Guac was great. The only suggestion would be to have the drinks filled more often and keep the chips and salsa coming.
(4)
Luis H.

The endless chips and salsa is always good. The food was cooked well. I got the all you can eat enchiladas and it was worth it. I ate the chicken which was really good, and the beef which was okay. The cheese was really good as well. The rice and beans were cooked great and tasted fresh
(4)
Kevin L.

Came here during a Thursday night. I had their Thursday special which was Rib platter, the rib was tender and the bbq sauce on it was tasty. We also had two of the fajita, one combination of chicken and steak, the other one was seafood. The steak was a little bit chewy. The chips and salsa was tasty but I prefer the chips to be bigger pieces. Overall, a good experience. Maybe someday I try their taco Tuesday.
(4)
Jenna L.

My son treated me there for a Mothers' Day Brunch. The service was great, friendly and professional. They had free treats outside for us while we waited. No reservation and we were still seated in a very timely manner. The food was great. Fresh, hot, and tasty. I generally think they have the consistency of food down well. However, they packed the restaurant with too many tables and maneuvering around the buffet was a huge challenge. People were crushed and we were squeezing past tables and knocking into each other. It made me not want to go up to get food. I've been to a number of their brunches (at this location and others) and have never experienced that before. Put a bit of a damper on the enjoyment.
(3)
Lauren P.

Sat at the bar and had the pleasure of being served by Donna- damn that woman works hard and does and great job, too. Tacos were okay, a little cold, but Donna made up for it with her margaritas. Seems like a locals/after work kind of place, but there were a number of other travelers from the airport at the bar. Summary: skip the waitstaff, head for the bar.
(5)
Kyle M.

It's still the best. Donna and tony are rock stars. I feel like a regular even though I live 1500 miles away.
(5)
David B.

El Torito accommodated my party of 75 and did a great job. They gave us the Cantina area and even let us come in an hour late on short notice. I would say the service was excellent and food was very good. Thanks!
(4)
Stacie L.

Went to El Torito on Friday since we were at the airport and looking for something close. It wasn't too busy at 8 PM, but service was pretty slow. Our table order included the sizzling enchiladas, table side guacamole, and beef fajitas. Tried both but was pretty unimpressed as they lacked any flavor, other than spicy. Ended up only eating about half of the enchiladas and a few bites of guacamole. Wouldn't recommend this location.
(2)
Sabrina I.

If you're looking for a Mexican place to eat do yourself a favor and do not come here. Service was completely slow and food was awful. Our enchiladas tasted like it came from a lean cuisine meal. To top it off the margaritas tasted like straight syrup.
(1)
Dean K.

El Torito's taco Tuesday's are excellent. The carnitas tacos are very good. And they are a good value. Buddy of mine and I woofed down their tacos before catching a flight out of SNA. Totally held me over till landing at SEA. The waiter was excellent. We only had 20 before we had to leave for our flight and he got our tacos in time. The only bummer is its popular, so its pretty busy.
(5)
Spencer S.

I had reservations to meet a few old co-workers for lunch yesterday. It was a party of five. The service was slow for our entire visit. Our waiter said he couldn't split our bill when he was taking our order. Two of my friends ordered all-you-can-eat soup and salad. Another ordered all-you-can-eat ribs. Three of us were served and we waited to eat until our entire table had been served. About ten minutes passed and the all-you-can-eat soup and salad still hadn't been brought out. One of my friends had to get up, walk over to an employee and ask for her food. When it was finally brought out, we started eating. Not once did the server ever ask how our food was. He also failed to offer anyone a second helping or refill our empty chips and salsa. To top it all off, we had to ask for the bill after being there for about 90 minutes. I won't be going back.
(1)
Alex V.

Was in the mood for some Mexican dining and El Torito delivered! They have changed their menu a bit but they still held on to the heart of it. Truly a different feel when it comes to the atmosphere and all around city and balcony look but the food really takes it home. If you like steak I highly recommend their carne asada quesadilla and another simple but very good dish is their tortilla soup :)
(4)
Lorraine B.

Met friends for lunch here. First time I had eaten at this location. What a delight. Was seated rather quickly considering it was lunch time. Our drink order was taken and delivered almost instantly. Our food order was served hot and delish. The staff was all very courteous and helpful. We even met the manager, Jeffrey. He stopped by to see how everything was going and we told him all was excellent. He chatted us up for a couple of minutes and then went about his business. I WILL be back.
(5)
Lisa B.

We started coming here after the outstanding El Torito Grill in Fashion Island closed. We have been here twice with large groups on weeknights to find an empty restaurant. On both occasions, the food was variable. Some was excellent, whereas other dishes not so great. Service is mediocre and the margaritas are not the best. I am not sure what is going on with this company but the loss of a good Mexican restaurant is sad.
(3)
Lisa U.

I went to this restaurant to have lunch today. I was the only person at the bar when I arrived at the restaurant. I sat there for a while deciding what to order. My friend was meeting me there. I had saved her a seat. Then a big crowd of men came in and asked me to leave because they needed my seat. They were all hispanic. I told the gentleman that I was saving the seat next to me for a friend that was in the parking lot on her way in to the bar. The hispanic gentleman that had asked me to move was totally obnoxious and loud and was on his phone on speakerphone yelling into the phone, and yelling at the bartender because I would not leave the restaurant and make room for him. I asked the bartender if this gentleman was the owner of the restaurant, because he was definitely acting like he was. He told me he was a "regular" and that was it. So, because this prick is a "regular" and I am a white girl, I was asked to leave! I had been there an hour before this "regular". I have Never Ever been asked to Leave a restaurant because I am White. I will NEVER EVER return to El Torito (TIAJUANA IRVINE) again Ever in my life. Serious Racism exists in that place. They will be facing a lawsuit shortly. I DO NOT recommend EVER visiting this establishment if you are a Caucasian. FYI.
(1)
Richard S.

Stop by once more for Sunday brunch and really enjoyed the beef Spanish stew,BBQ riblts, the shrimp,omelet bar, enchalads, soups and of course the dessert bar ...yummyy Really nice large verity sunday buffet brunch Keeps getting better after all the years I have been coming
(5)
Hasan H.

This is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants. They have a great Sunday Brunch. On Tuesday nights they have TACO Tuesdays where you can score some really good deals. This place is located directly across the street from the Airport. It is a good place to waste some time before your flight.
(4)
Sandra M.

Happy hour on Monday is reasonable. 3 dollar off appetizers and some margarita specials. However, the service was terrible. The waitress did not tell us the happy hour special and she took along time to get our order. The worst part of this place is learning the nutrion of the food. All chain restaurants are mandated to post the nutrition of the food. This place does not do that. I order the yucatan appetizer and I have no idea what's in the food. I also needed to check what was gluten free but there is no information. This place is for unhealthy people that dont care what they are eating.
(1)
Robert M.

Oh boy. We walked in here New Year's Day, and not a soul at the front. You could see people rushing around the bar, but when we were finally seated, there was a huge amount of crumbs on the table. An employee tried to use a dry napkin to clean salt and tortilla crumbs, but that didn't do anything but make them shoot around and in the tile grout. So we were moved to another table. Finally, we were greeted by our server, a large friendly man, who was definitely good at smiling and then ignoring us for large periods of time. They do seem to be pushing the El Torito Club, to us and everyone in there. Finally, our food arrived, and what saved this from being a one star review was the general quality of the El Torito menu was up to par. Not that it's great food, but at least the kitchen didn't mess up anything.
(2)
Jay L.

I don't even really want to put the one star..... This restaurant is completely empty and yet they told us it would take twenty minutes to seat us because a table of twenty came in...... On top of that they ran out of cups so they are serving us with paper cups...... How does this happen a major restaurant chain like el torito?!?! On top of that the toilet is clogged and paper towels are all over the floor..... WTF!!! Never against friend
(1)
Jennelle R.

This place was amazing!!!! We brought the "bride" here before we went to the bridal expo and they made sure this trip was truly memorable! Alex, the general manager, Bryan and Jeremy the waiters were incredible! They were so friendly and provided exceptional customer service! To top it off before we left they gave us all sombreros to wear to the expo. Thank you so much guys for making this day amazing!!! We will definitely be back!
(5)
Catherine P.

This place is just like alcupulco. Tex-mex deliciousness! Everything has way too many calories and is covered in cheesy goodness. If you're looking for authentic Mexican food, this place is NOT FOR YOU. Everything here is slathered is sauces, cheese, guacamole and sour cream. The tortillas aren't even home made. I like the Caesar salad because it has a lot of flavor in the dressing and has a hint of spiciness. It's really delicious. I always get my dressing on the side because they tend to put WAY too much on. One weird thing about this restaurant is that you can order guacamole, but they'll charge you a few dollars more if you want them to make it at your table. I never understood that because they're pretty much the same size. Overall the food is good. Like I said, everything is pretty much covered in cheese. They have a cantina where they have taco Tuesday deals and they also have happy hour specials.
(4)
Van L.

Love there brunch and their happy hour. Quality delicious food and fun for the family.
(5)
R S.

Visiting from Texas and came in for a late lunch. Had enchilada on a grill. They were okay and different. Service was great and atmosphere was quaint. The food was okay not the best I have had.
(3)
Mona B.

The people are mostly nice...waiter a bit confusing. ..the decor is exactly like the real Mexico. The food not too good and definitely over priced. Salsa had a rotten taste. Del taco tastes better! Had to take my food back to fix twice and kept forgetting we don't eat dairy. ..served us and offered 3 times total.
(2)
Gus G.

Had the Street Taco Trio. One steak. One chicken. And one carnitas. Charro beans. And rice. It was awesomely good..and fresh. My favorite was the steak. had a bit of spice to it. Definitely will get it again. Isabel (sp?) was our waitress and gave us great service.
(5)
Kathryn D.

When I am swaying one direction because of food and drink and another because of service, I will always err on the side of service. Service was absolutely terrible. We arrived at 4 on a Tuesday to a relatively slow bar area. We ordered two waters and one margarita and guacamole. Waters and guacamole arrived quickly, margarita was at a snails pace. We had to hunt and flag our server down to get an appetizer ordered and them we never saw her again. Literally, she never touched the table. We were going to order a couple more drinks and ask for our waters to be refilled, but since she never came by, we finished our appetizer, hunted and flagged her down again to ask for the check and it will be awhile before we come back. The chicken avocado egg rolls were simply mouth watering though.
(2)
Nichole T.

Went here for lunch only because we had a buy one get one Facebook deal. The service was extremely slow so I'm glad were not on a lunch break or anything. Our server was pleasant and the drinks were great. However, the fajitas were dry and almost not edible. We asked for some limes to spruce them up a bit and the juice seemed to help with the dryness. The lunch salad was bland and they seriously need to step up their salsa game because that stuff tastes like Pace Picante Sauce.
(3)
Nick A.

Good Mexican food but too crowded. The wait at lunch time is too long, so is not the right place for quick lunch. It's good if you have the time & are in the mood for some Margaritas. The Spanish Decor is nice
(4)
Ngan T.

Taco Tuesday here is awesome! :) $1.50 per taco and it's fresh made flour tortilla! You hand the person behind the stall your ticket with how ever many tacos you want and she gives you the option of three kids of meat: carne asada, carnitas, or chicken. Then you bring the taco to the mini salsa bar and put whatever sauce you want on top. The margarittas here are great. Definitely a good spot to hang out if you ever need to pick someone up at the airport. Come a little early, grab a few drinks and wait for them to text you that they've arrived. It takes like 5 minutes to get inside the airport and you dont have to go through that horrid round about 10x over. Wouldn't say it's the best mexican food you've ever had, but it gets the job done if you're in the area. A 3.5 star!
(3)
Jill B.

This is the second time I have eaten at this particular El Torito during lunch. The first time I ordered the chicken Caesar salad and it was awful. The lettuce was old and wilted. Today I got the soup and salad combo and once again the lettuce was old, wilted and soggy. Way way too many tortilla strips. It's like they are trying to save on lettuce by putting too many of those in there. The tortilla soup was cloudy and once again, so full of tortilla strips that they had soaked into the broth so I was left with a big clump of mush. The taste was not good. Very disappointing. Won't be going back there again.
(2)
Mike B.

The food is excellent, service was great, and it's a great place to have a night out , without lil ones, if you need that , I would def go back again!!!!!!
(5)
Rick E.

Terrible food and poor service. Quality of food is below Taco Bell. Maybe good for Happy Hour and cheap Margaritas, but not much more. Waited too long for our food, and when it came, cold, greasy. And yech! Won't go back.
(2)
Johnny D.

We had 6 in our party. It was not busy. Our server was really nice and helpful... until she disappeared. It took almost 10 minutes to get out drinks (2 sodas, 2 iced teas and 4 drinks from the bar) We waited almost 30 minutes for 4 of 6 of our entrees to come out and the fajitas were not sizzling, just warm. After that it was not good. Our original server was just gone. And then she came back as if shit was all fine and dandy. Having been servers we know how it can be, but when our shifts sucked or whatever we never let our tables suffer. If a tables experience was shitty (and you know when it's shitty) you make it up. The manager takes a drink off or takes a percentage off of the bill or something! Not this place. You get non-sizzling fajitas, growly bellies and a full bill. Whoever was at fault this place needs to get it together.
(2)
Marvel Z.

I don't get why this place gets so much flack on yelp! This is by far my favorite taco Tuesday spot. This review is only based upon my experiences at taco Tuesday. Taco Tuesday is only at the Tequila Bar which is on your left as you walk in. It's open seating is drab your seat. It gets pretty packed so come early ! $4 margaritas $5 flavored margarita (mango, strawberry...etc) $1.50 taco (steak, carnitas, chicken Free chips and salsa For a limited time, if you download this app, they give you free guacamole made fresh, table side. Drinks here are pretty strong and the shots are huge. Tacos are a decent size. The steak and carnitas are full of flavor and juicy. The chicken can be a little dry. Chips are made fresh and comes out hot, straight from the fryer. Service has always been great. Our waitress always checks up on us for more chips and drinks. The crowd here is a mix of business people from nearby offices, visitors on a layover, and locals. I don't understand why this place gets such a bad rep on yelp but I love coming here for taco Tuesdays
(4)
Janet V.

We came in for Brunch after dropping someone off at the airport. All the food was great! Best part was the service. All the employees are super friendly. My mom was very impressed because the manager Alex came to out table said hello and asked us how our food was. Wow very professional! I would recommend this place to anyone.
(5)
Muriel M.

During happy hour they have $3 off apps which is great and they also have drink specials. We ordered the nachos, avocado chicken and taquitos and all three were tasty and generous in portions (the nachos could be shared among 3 or 4 people if you're ordering entrees as well). The food portion gets 4 stars. The service gets 2 stars. Our server was very short in her verbiage and didn't let us order our food first prior to drinks. Also, at the end, she told us that we should have told her that we wanted to split the bill prior to giving us the check. Actually, she should have asked us first which she didn't. I think that person in particular needs additional training because her service left a sour taste. We might still come back because there is a chance we got a bad server, but service shouldn't be a "hit or miss".
(3)
Mari B.

Came here for the first time, we had an outstanding server his name is Jorge he was probably the best server we have ever had! So attentive courteous and friendly!! We did not go more than 5 min without him checking up on us. The buffet was great they had a bit of everything and even had hand made tortillas. Thanks Jorge for the outstanding service will definitely come back back soon! Overall would highly recommend stopping by! :) Make sure to ask for Jorge!
(5)
Kimberly N.

It's AIGHT. Go for Taco Tuesdays. It's $1.50 tacos. They are REALLY SMALL though. If you check in on Yelp you get free guacamole. That's delicious. Service is not great in the bar as they're overwhelmed. I did have a 50 person birthday party there 2 years ago and they were awesome then. The food is whatever. Great cilantro Caesar dressing though! Good location/ parking. The rest is just ok.
(3)
Ana S.

One word should come to mind if you're thinking of eating here: NO I have had so many bad experiences here, I don't even know where to start. Their service is TERRIBLE. Always. Even when they are not busy. And their food is not much better. My co-workers & I go to lunch at El Torito from time to time because it's literally walking distance from our office. After my dining experience yesterday, I will gladly hop in the car & drive somewhere deserving of my business. We were seated & waited a good few minutes for our server to greet us. Once she arrived, she was more interested in up-selling our drinks than actually listening to what we actually wanted to order. A few minutes later, our drinks arrived. 20 minutes later, our server finally came back to take our order. Food came rather quickly, which was nice because we only had about 10 minutes left for lunch by that time. That's when my co-worker found not 1 but TWO hairs in her food. The manager comped both meals, which was appreciated (and necessary). I am definitely over this El Torito. I refuse to waste my time or money here anymore. I recommend you do the same.
(1)
Tomohiro M.

This is a Taco Tuesday/happy hour review! First time going to El Torito and definitely my first taco Tuesday. Best part about it is that on taco Tuesday there's a happy hour!! I came in at about 5:30 and this place was pretty packed. You have to go to the tequila bar to get happy hour, and if you walk in the door it's to your left past the suitcase. I happened to come with my girlfriend and I was about to wait to be seated but she just kept on walking and seated herself. I followed her because she's been here before with her girlfriends, but I have to say I was kind of surprised. I soon learned that there is no one really seating the tequila bar because it's a "bar" I suppose. Our waitress came with the menus quickly and we decided to get 6 tacos and several drinks. They give you complimentary chips and salsa and the chips are freshly made! Really good and be warned the salsa is a little bit spicy but it's really good! If you're going to get the table side guacamole I would suggest waiting until you get the guac because the salsa is waaaaaay spicier. We decided to get the spiciest one and it didn't feel spicy at all. For the tacos they give you a ticket to show to the taco bar and they serve you just the meat. Right next to it is the condiments and you can add as much salsa, cheese, lettuce, and onions & cilantro. We both got one of each (there's three selections). I really liked the steak and carnitas. Full of flavor and really juicy. The chicken was dry and I didn't really like it. Drinks: Be warned they are pretty strong! My girlfriend got the strawberry margarita, regular margarita and both of them were pretty good! Came in decently large glasses and tasted good but didn't bite tooooo much. I decided to get two mojitos and a Mai tai. The mojitos were good! It was really refreshing and minty, and on the weaker side. I decided I wanted to go with a stronger drink and ordered a Mai tai. It came out and I started drinking it and it tasted like juice so after finishing about a third of it I offered it to my girlfriend. Bad idea.... The third that I drank was from the bottom and the top two thirds were al alcohol. I got a kick out of seeing her reaction but I kind of felt sorry for her because that's not what I intended to do. This probably happened because I didn't mix it Before I drank it and it left me with colored Bacardi. I didn't really mind but for future reference: I really need to check if the drinks are actually mixed. The service was pretty good! Our server always asked if we needed more drinks and chips before we finished so kudos there. I read some other reviews and the attentiveness of the server really changes the experience I suppose. The only bad part was that it took me asking twice and 10 minutes to get the check but it was pretty busy so I understand. Everyone looked like they had a fun time so definitely should come!!
(4)
Danielle D.

I enjoy my taco Tuesdays here, however the taco lady is such a B she has the worst attitude. she should either quit her job or be hidden in the back ,.. Tacos are very yummy though and I like the skinny margaritas, soo yum!!service is hit or miss here sometimes it's great other times it's awful! Taco Tuesday does not start till after 4pm !!
(3)
Mario F.

Have been to El Torito many times but first for this one in Irvine( visiting family). Brunch is good price for the food buffet and bottomless champs that you get. Reason for the 3 stars is the service. A place known for their brunch and always busy atmosphere for said brunch, service was not good. Waited close to fifteen minutes before we met our waiter. Then asked for waters which didn't come around until we asked a different server for them(after first round of going to buffet). Then our bottomless champs seemed like one or two glasses due to the frequency of our waiter coming around. Once service is bad then food doesn't matter if good or not. Step up the service!
(3)
Mary G.

We used to like El Torito Grill but had a bad experience the last time we ate here and don't think we will be back. The food just wasn't what it used to be. For example, the chicken tostada was not on the menu. When I expressed my disappointment to the waiter, he said, "We will be happy to make you one." He brought me a tostada with NO BEANS, just lettuce and chicken. Seriously? It was... not good. Our waiter was really nice but we are not excited about returning again anytime soon.
(2)
Julie K.

El Torito is one of those default Mexican-American restaurants I go to when I want a margarita or have tacos but can't get to King Taco and don't want to go the total generic Taco Bell/Del taco route. It's safe here because you really know what you're getting food-wise when you stick to the combo plates that come w/ rice, beans, and that little yummy corn cake. This particular location is always busy; with a combination of people from the airport grabbing a bite before flying out and all the corporate slaves (me inlcuded) in the office parks in the surrounding areas. The only problem I have encountered here is that service can be a hit or miss. Sometimes, it's quick and painless, while other times have been known to be painfully slow. They don't have the greatest Taco Tuesday specials, if you're lucky to even find a seat in the bar/cantina area. But if you're enrolled in their e-club, you'll find some good deals emailed your way occasionally!
(3)
Stephanie M.

Just attended an employee party here! My company held their party at this El Torito and we had a great time. The environment was great. Super hot/fresh food. They were staffed perfectly for our needs. Bartenders were on it! Especially since we have some drinkers... I've eaten lunch here before on a regular day and it was great too. I love the appetizer avocado rolls. Fantastic, and filling! Will come back for sure!
(5)
Danae P.

If you're looking for authentic mexican food in Irvine this is the place to go! Great vibes, great food and great service!
(5)
Scott L.

Taco Tuesday! It's jammed pack on Taco Tuesdays and when there's opened seating. For a small section, I was watching a possible opening like a vulture. My buddies and I found a table and even though it was dirty, we sat down. The tacos are small sizes, but can you expect? It comes with a salsa bar. My friend read at the sit down dine in area, there's all you can eat tacos for $10. I think you should check it out.
(3)
Jeromey G.

Today we came to El Torito for our New Year's day dinner. We love the food here it is always so yummy! The service when we have Donna the bartender... it is amazing! We never run out of ice tea or salsa.. she is always there for us! This is one of our favorite places to come!!! The food is consistently awesome and so was the service!
(5)
Todd A.

Been here a few times and this place is great! Because it's located across street from John Wayne airport, it can get crowded at virtually any time of day though so be prepared. Wait is short regardless, and food and staff are terrific.
(4)
Sherri G.

I'm a little saddened by this place, specifically in the main dining area. We went on a Tuesday and it wasn't very crowded in the dining area - the bar was buzzing. The interior looks a little worn and dated, the food seems the same, nothing to write home about but not horrible. My kids enjoyed the jovial waiter. I would have enjoyed him more if he replenished our chips and drinks before we asked. Maybe a little paint job/facelift is in order? More focus on customer service? Until then, I'll continue to go to El Torito Grill around the corner. I'll pay more but the whole experience is worth it.
(2)
Sukhraj B.

Although I prefer El Torito Grill vs the original El Torito, sometimes you just have no choice. I like the service here. It was spot on. I don't like having to wait for chips and drinks refills. Our server was prompt with everything and once the food was ordered, it was out super fast and hot plates. I got the sour cream chicken enchilada. Not the most amazing dish in the world but it worked. It was enough to fill me up and not leave me extremely full afterward. We had a quiet booth in the back and there weren't many people dining with us. It was a lovely evening. I would go back for the drink, apps, and the tableside guacamole.
(3)
Jodie A.

Wanted tacos for taco Tuesday, what a waste. The taco woman had a bad attitude. The tacos sucked, no flavor whatsoever. All they cared about is talking to their coworkers or making sure the big spenders at the bar are taken care of. The taco ladies only cared about talking about whose cute or what they want to do. No good attitude from them whatsoever. They need a lesson in customer service. Will not be coming back here.
(1)
Amy L.

This place is perfect for taco Tuesday. It's 1.50 and has a self-serve salsa bar which I thought was perfect since I get to choose how much I wanted in my tacos. They were a little small but still a great value! Oh yeah free chips and salsa which was refilled for us twice. That's always nice!
(4)
Suz N.

We came here for taco Tuesday! Very good tacos but the worst service ever! We ordered Guacamole for an apitizer but it took too long to come out! We were done with out tacos already. Absolutely never coming back here. We see people just sitting on the tables staring around trying to catch a waitress or waiters attention. Food was great but service definitely needs improvement!
(2)
Mariah G.

Awesome food awesome environment. Alex Brian' and Jeremy are the best. I would recommend to anyone and everyone!!
(5)
Gabriel R.

Went to El Torito for our company Thanksgiving dinner last Tuesday. We had the appetizer sampler. Not sure what I was eating other than the mediocre wings. The best two things I had that evening were the Cadillac Margaritas and the chips and salsa.
(3)
Sara Y.

Got a pitcher of the melon midori marg pitcher for $24 which was decent. And then got the nachos which tasted like cold microwaved cancer. Came on a Saturday night and it was dead empty. All I wanted was some Mexican food and drinks. Is that so much to ask? Never coming back. I'd rather get a six pack from Ralphs and Del Taco then come back to this s-hole. 2 stars instead of 1 cuz the server was attentive.
(2)
Izzy F.

Donna is the bartender. I only go in on the nights Donna works. The food is good, but she is really the reason I go. She really cares about all the people sitting at the bar. She isn't just a bartender, she makes sure everyone is having a good time at the bar. Donna is always in a good mood and goes out of her way to please people. Not to mention, she runs circles around the other bartenders She is the very best and this place is lucky to have her.
(5)
Liz H.

Service was beyond slow. My friend ordered their soup and salad lunch special, and I ordered the lunch burrito. 35 minutes later, my burrito arrived cold. My friend was given her salad immediately, but her soup didn't come out until after the burrito. The chef and the waiters all stood around the bar watching whatever game was on. The place was largely empty, because we came after the lunch rush, so there's really no reason there should have been a wait like that. Not going back.
(1)
Mandy O.

I have gone to a few El Torito's in different locations. Each time the service has never been anything to brag about. This time we had a table for 15 and i expected the service to be a 3 out of 10. Our server however was excellent. He was attentive and came back for refills, order when our full party was there. Our food came out at the same time. (Who wants to go for food and not eat together?) I ordered the spinach enchiladas with rice and beans. The enchiladas were spicier than I've had previously. It has a good amount of spinach, but not enough cheese and too many onions, particularly not grilled enough. Add more cheese inside the enchilada and remove some onions and i would have licked the plate and ordered more!
(4)
Matt S.

I work across the street at JWA and go here at least once a week. There is a special every week day like taco Tuesday or fajita Monday, all really good deals and great food. But the real reason we go is because of the margaritas, specifically the ones Donna behind the bar makes. She is a true treasure with the way she remembers everyone's name and her after dinner candy she shares. She makes the experience that much better!
(5)
Shanna D.

If my picture of the filth covered sideboards was not clear enough, this place is dirty with a capital "D." I went here with three coworkers for lunch yesterday and one of them came back from the restroom obviously shaken. When pressed, he said that the toilet seat in the men's rooms was up and someone had a gnarly case of the vomits all over it as well as your typical bathroom "secretions." Couple that with the crusty sideboards and the chunk of glass chipped off of the light over our booth and you have the perfect recipe for me doing everything in my power to not have to touch anything in this place. If they keep missing these obviously filthy parts of the restaurant, I don't even want to think about what their kitchen looks like. *shudder* Server was polite although when he was told one of the girls in our party was a vegan, he cocked his head to the side and stared at her blankly and asked if she still wanted that chile relleno with her meal. Yeesh. I had the lunch salad and quesadilla. Salad had too much dressing but quesadilla was yummy (I'm hoping that's not due to the possible protein added by any extra critters that might have been scrambling around that kitchen!). All in all, I say Yelp had it right. The whole experience was pretty MEH punctuated by the thrill of squishing extra close to my colleagues to avoid actually coming into contact with anything in the place.
(2)
Adam G.

I'm shocked, I've never before had Mexican food that I didn't like. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing
(1)
Kelly C.

El Torito on MacArthur Blvd Overall 3.75 Stars Gold Medal - $1 Taco Tues Tacos Silver Medal - $4.50 yummy margaritas Bronze Medal - Free salsa & chips This El Toritos gets PACKED on Taco Tues. If you are coming here for the happy hour on tues, either come early or late. The service here is a hti or miss. The managers are very attentive. The servers are TOO busy and cannot get to each table fast enough. Stock up on extra salsa and water when you have the servers attention. The tacos are small, but for $1 who can complain. The corn tortillas are fresh and there is a condiment bar, with ALL YOU CAN PACK ON cheese, onions, lettuce, and hot sauces. The margaritas here are deliciously strong :) They have flavored or unflavored. The unflavored is the strongest. I would also recommend the midori or cantalope margarita on the rocks. If you are a light weight you can ask for blended. FREE salsa and chips, who can complain. The crowd here for taco tues is not bad. Mostly young professionals. HAPPY HOURING!!!
(4)
Temenah C.

Now I know people like to rag on El Torito because it's not quite authentic Mexican food, but I think that's where people mess up. See, El Torito is completely different than your hole in the wall Mexican place you'll find in San Diego or LA. It's a chain. Just remember that. I've never had any problems at El Torito. The food is good and the service is good. The margaritas are always on point and because it's a Mexican restaurant you know there are tons of tequila options if you have discerning tastes. Plus, their Happy Hour is one of the best on the planet! I mean, it starts at 2pm!!!!
(4)
S A.

Went here last Sunday after the Sunday Brunch service was over. We were seated at a table in the restaurant area beyond where they have the brunch buffet. This restaurant is FILTHY! The carpet is beyond disgusting (have they ever vacuumed or even had it cleaned?) and the walls near our table were covered in dirt and grease. We ordered drinks and I then went to use the restroom - big mistake. Absolutely nauseating. I returned to the table and the waitress delivered the chips and salsa and the drinks. I took one bite of a chip and spit it out. The chips were coated with rancid oil. Have they changed their cooking oil anytime in the last 5 years? My stomach still turns just thinking about it! At that point, we decided to pay for the drinks and leave. I have never, ever done that before. The waitress was very pleasant and the one star above is only because she was the only bright spot of our visit.
(1)
Diane C.

Came here with my husband for lunch prior to a flight. Very convenient spot across from John Wayne. We were seated immediately. Service was super fast and friendly. The food was tasty and fresh. Chicken Enchilada was delicious with the green sauce. Veggies were perfect (not over cooked). My husbands Spinach Enchilada was pretty good as well. Will definitely be back.
(4)
Chris T.

Service continues to decline. Every time I've visited it gets slower and slower. Wait staff constantly forget orders and drinks. Sad.
(1)
Kimberly R.

Came her for lunch while my sister was on her break. Food was decent, but the service was absolve terrible. We waited 5 minutes for Chips and salsa, another 5 for someone else to take our drink order and then another 5 before we ordered our food. The waitress at least was somewhat polite, but she never spent more than 20 seconds at our table. When she refilled our tea she gave us the wrong kind. Just a bad experience. Won't return any time soon. Would rather go to the IHop across the way.
(1)
SallyAnn M.

Food was great ~ service was terrible, we were given our food promptly and then ignored for 45 min and had to complain to the mgr.
(2)
Rachelle Z.

I usually frequent the Tustin location, but meet some girlfriends and their children here. The brunch buffet is small, and has an awful layout. Upon walking in the restaurant was filled with smoke in the air. There was the usual brunch offerings as the other restaurants, but some of the items were not up to par. Our waitress was great and attentive for the most part. The manager was less than desirable. I had some frequently cards from the past and humbly asked if the still used or accepted them? I understood if they couldn't. The manager did oblige, and granted me one initial, but when I let him know there was two total, I was greeted with a huff and attitude, because he would have to go upstairs and get the stamp! And off he went. I didn't need his attitude, nor a free meal. I decided then to just let him huff all the way up his stairs in vain, because I wouldn't be waiting for all his hospitable efforts! I will never recommend or frequent this spot again, not for all the free meals or margaritas in hell.. I should have paid attention to all their other bad reviews, first!
(1)
Lily T.

Im sorry el torito but not sorry... it all started mothers day, it was dinner time and my family and i were eating and laughing. Then ! at the corner of my eye i saw something moving.... it was a mouse! They had a mouse running around underneath the boothes. My family was moritified when i let one of the waiters know because he said, "that's the the first, in a while!". Not only that, but i told the girl at the front and she said "ew thats grose!" But then 5 minutes later she sat a couple at the booth where i told her the mouse was. I was totally confused on how they handled the situation and how the girl kept vaccuming while everyone was eating. Totally dissapointed and never going back.
(5)
Isabel S.

Happy Hour Review ONLY - Raspberry Margarita on the rocks for $4 - AMAYZING!! Avocado and chicken eggrolls with tamarind dip - AMAYZING!! Super loud and super busy during the Happy Hour but always a good time !
(4)
Eri K.

I've been to MANY El Torito restaurants in various locations, but this has got to be the worst one. Their customer service is not up to par. The servers aren't very considerate or on top of things. We went when it was pretty slow- after lunch/before dinner and decided to come here to eat. Despite it being slow, their service was bad. Location: Good, next to airport Parking: ample I'd rather go to a different El Torito location if I am craving it.
(2)
Pancy T H.

I especially like their Mexican salad and all their food are pretty good. Service always great. Never had a so so waiter!
(4)
David Q.

My gal and I started discussing why we keep coming to this place. I guess we decided it was convienant. The service here absolutely sucks. The waitress here can have one table or ten and they move at the same pace. They don't bring you silver ware, napkins or water when you sit down. They always get our order slightly wrong. I always order a margarita no salt and they always bring it with salt. They usually mess up the check as well. I think we've decided to find a different Mexican restaurant as our go to place.
(1)
Trey R.

This place is nothing great. I had ordered the Burrito Especial, which was just okay. The meat had good flavor, but the burrito was a little slimy with all the sauce they had. My friend had gotten the tortilla soup, which is really good at El Cholo, but it's TERRIBLE here. The enchiladas were also not very tasty. The chips and salsa were the best and our waitress was friendly so that makes up for the not so good food.
(3)
Roxanne F.

My friends and I went here for Taco Tuesday. The tacos are great...especially since they are only $1. The only problem is that the 'taco line' is kind of slow. If you sign up for their eclub, you can bring in a coupon for free guacamole. So I have to update this review. Tonight was the first time I actually sat in the regular dining area instead of the "cantina". I thought the service was bad here because it was always crowded on Taco Tuesdays, which is understandable. Unfortunately, I found out that the service is bad all the time and not just on Taco Tuesdays. It took forever for the waiter to take our food order and to give us our check. I was VERY disappointed. The waiter never came to check on us during our meal. My friend actually had to walk up to the hostess to give her our credit cards to pay for our meal. It was impossible for us to locate our waiter and that didn't make any sense because it was not crowded. Before, I was willing to sacrifice service for the $1 tacos, but now that I know that the service is always bad here, I don't think it is worth it. I don't think I'll be coming here anytime soon. It won't be too hard for me to find another place to go to Taco Tuesday for.
(1)
Charlie R.

The chips and salsa are amazing!! I practically live here... This is my favorite place to eat ever!! I wouldn't know what to do without this place!! Donna she is amazing she's the bartender in the Cantina and she is very special! The food is great service is great I wouldn't go anywhere else.
(5)
FoodCritic D.

OMG I've been to El Torito before but the one across the street from John Wayne Airport is BOOM! Service, management and food, you won't be disappointed. Had a holiday business party with my crazy coworker and their team all came through. It was festive and you could feel like family. We will be back. Thanks you guys.
(5)
Kelly S.

Went there for dinner. Total bill was $44.88. Gave the waitress $40 cash and told her to put the $4.88 on my debit card. BIG mistake. She takes the $40 AND charges $40 on my debit. The manager basically tells me it will be a few days before I get the $40 credited back to my account. Thanks for tying up 80 of my hard earned dollars and not giving a %$^&.
(2)
Soomi P.

This is only my second time at this El Torito. I came here both times for Happy Hour. I always start with a blended margarita - only $4 during happy hour! They have a lot of different flavors you can choose from - strawberry, raspberry, coconut-pineapple, midori melon, original... My favorite used to be the raspberry - it's super sweet and fruity. But I recently discovered the coconut-pineapple! It's just like a pina-colada, my favorite! The food during happy hour is pretty good also. We ordered boneless chicken, which comes in a chipotle sauce with ranch dressing. It's really crunchy! The steak quesadillas are pretty good and comes in a big portion for only $5 during happy hour. It got me soooo full! We also ordered the fiesta platter, which comes with taquitos, chips, quesadillas, and... one other item - I forgot. That was $13.99 (I think) and was pretty good. We split it among 4 people and got everyone pretty full. The free chips and salsa are pretty good too! Next time, I want to come for the Taco Tuesdays!
(4)
Other G.

College graduation dinner and we needed a separate bill. This soon became a complicated experience and the waiters came off as rude. On the plus side the service was relatively fast and the food was so-so. Wont be coming back for round two any time soon.
(2)
Steve L.

+4 stars for food -2 stars for service +1 star for manager ----------------------------- 3 stars total We got the 3 course meal and added the premium for an extra 3 dollars. This is the best deal they have. Rice and beans to go along with delicious carne
(3)
vambo r.

Don't let the fact that El Torito is a chain deter you. This is actually a decent Mexican. Yes, some of the front desk staff are a bit dopy at times, but the food is good and the prices are generally reasonable. Great place to sit at the bar have a beer, chips and salsa and a few tacos. The manager is a top bloke too. Not as funny as he thinks he is, but then who is? And unless you're happy paying more for red and black tortillas this place is loads better than the "Grill" around the corner on Main.
(4)
Anthony C.

Taco Tuesdays. Not bad not bad at all.. I get pretty full just eating 4, loading it up with salsa. Personally I think it goes carnitas then carne asada then chicken The margaritas are pretty delicious but are a little weak on the liquor but for $3 I can't complain. The manager was really nice and pulled an extra table from a room and brought it over to the cantina for me and my friend! :)
(4)
Rechelle H.

Great food and even better service from Alex!! I'll defiantly be back!! The soup is amazing and you can never go wrong with their chips and salsa. Also, I love the Cesar salad ......yummy!!
(5)
Yvonne D.

El Torito is to Mexican food as Olive Garden is to Italian food. DON'T come here expecting authentic high quality cuisine. It does however provide affordable and decent food. I love the endless salsa and freshly made chips. Mmm sodium :P DO sign up for the email club: news.eltorito.com/clientâ€¦ Upon registration you get free table side fresh guac. There are random coupons and promotions throughout the year. And on your birthday, you get a free entrÃ©e, no strings attached. I recommend the Carnitas. Great bang for your buck. DO come here for happy hour. It's one of the longest happy "hours" I know of (Monday-Friday from 2-8PM.) Sadly, they removed all day happy hour on Sundays. They also recently "modified" the menu (aka, raising the prices on the food) but the drink specials are still a steal. You can reference the picture I've uploaded. I'd recommend the Cantina Combo for a little of everything. DO come here on Taco Tuesday - freshly made tacos to order. But prepared to wait for awhile if you come between 5-630pm. You can only eat these in the "cantina" (bar area) and can't bring them over to the "restaurant" side. Although, a waitress "looked away," when we brought drinks over from the bar. Lesson learned for all.
(3)
Tonja T.

We went on a Sunday planning to have brunch. The set up and food looked nice. As we went to get a plate, there was a huge roach climbing on the stack of plates. We told the waiter immediately. All he did was remove the plate and went about his way. We left and don't plan on returning.
(1)
Elle C.

Almost forgot about this location, which we'd frequented years ago. Happy Hour was the purpose of our visit. The bar was darker than I remember; I wasn't in the mood for the cave-like atmosphere... which probably attributed to my feelings toward the foods and drinks ordered. The $3 margaritas were only OK. as was the chips and salsa. With all the restaurant choices to which we're so fortunate to be surrounded with, I'll pass on this location's bar.
(2)
Journey B.

You can't go wrong with El Torito on Taco Tuesday!
(4)
Qui C.

***Cantina Review Only*** Sign up for their El Torito's "Bull Ring" email club and receive a coupon for a FREE Guacamole plus A FREE entree on your birthday! We used the free guac coupon during this visit - it's made tableside so REALLY fresh and extremely delicious. However, the service was slow and it sucked so we're not coming back. I have never seen a more busy place for happy hour. Maybe it's because of Taco Tuesdays too for $1 tacos but goodness, it's a huge cantina - full bar and two rooms - and it was still super packed! In order to use the free guac coupon we had to order an entree- we got the Macho Combo. The carnitas tamales, sour cream chicken enchilada and crispy taco was delicious! The chili relleno was pretty gross. My favorite is their corn mash - sweet and tasted very home-made. Guac was outta this world fresh... Unfortunately our horrible waitress forgot to put in the order and we got it at the VERRRY end of our meal so we couldnt fit it all in. She was slow and unattentive and horrible. Slow with taking the order, with bringing out the drinks, with giving us our check. No we will not be back - until I get that free entree coupon on my birthday.
(3)
John C.

We weren't expecting much, but were pleasantly surprised. Kids eat free on Wednesday (with adult entree purchase). Kids got fajitas, which had fresh fruit and perfectly grilled vegetables. Mahi tacos weren't bad.
(4)
Julia B.

Unlimited brunch, buffet style! Located right across the John Wayne Airport is this huge Mexican restaurant. Plenty of booths and tables to sit on to enjoy brunch. They had no problem seating 8 of us right away. The food was pretty good. I liked choosing my own ingredients for an omelette. Maybe it's just the way I like my tacos but I feel like they didn't have enough toppings on the taco section, where was the guacamole or sour cream? The service was ok but it got slow at the end, when we were waiting for the change from the bill. They were good at keeping our coffee cups filled, though. Can't say much about the price, as my mother-in-law paid for all of us.
(3)
Danielle B.

Reminds me of a basement dive bar. Came for Cinco De Mayo...no specials. There was a special $20 brunch that I was not interested in. Sat in the bar, which was not the typical El Torito setup. It's just a bar with stools around, no tables around it...bad atmosphere. The restroom is one stall (which is fine, but unusual for a nice(ish) restaurant. We weren't given chips and salsa when we sat down, so we left. I've never been disappointed with an El Torito location til now. Not a fan. Won't go back.
(1)
Nam B.

Alright Mexican food at this entertaining place. The freshly made guacamole that they make in front you taste more avocado than guac though.
(3)
Zee K.

Just left El Torito in Irvine (John Wayne location). Had the worst experience ever. I am a frequent patron of the restaurant, up until this awful experience. I will never come back to ANY El Torito at all. The food and the drinks and the service was the worst I have ever experienced at any restaurant. One of our plates had hair in it. The chips were stale, the red sauce was over filled with sodium and our margaritas were sour tasting -- which, also came after our dishes. After all we had experienced, the manager did not even offer to comp our entire meal. Lastly, the service was super slow for not being even busy. #Gross #eltoritousedtobegreat #remodelthislocation #ineedashower
(1)
Angel Q.

Its not bad of a place for happy hour. I had the nachos and it was good when it first came out. Eat fast because it taste horrible when its cold. If you miss a turn, you may end up going on the freeway, so make sure you don't. It will take a good 10-15 minutes to loop back to where you start. haha. Good luck. I had the fried ice cream... please don't get this here. Its not worth it! In fact, I think it tasted horrible and soggy. Ew.
(4)
Deborah A.

After finally seeing happy hour advertised and talked about, my cousin, my friend, and I finally went. The happy hour area is to the left of the entrance, so it's first come first serve. You get chips and refillable salsa for the appetizer. The service was pretty chaotic and needs some improvement. We waited for a good 20 mins or so just to place our order and these 2 women got their order in before we did and they just walked in. Also, its very hard to flag down your waiters/waitresses, as there are many who come by and not just a devoted one. However, they have a wide variety of selections for their happy hour menu, which is from 2-8 pm, or sometimes till they close, depending on the area. I got the steak quesidilla which was about $6, and the house margarita for $3. Portion size, they were very big and filling. We had to togo the nachos as they were a big plate, instead of your small nachos you're expecting for a happy hour price. This is a really good happy hour deal, but their service is a bit off, but overall, if you're feeling for some cheap, big portion Mexican food and margaritas, el torito's happy hour is for you!
(3)
Stephan Y.

Came here with my friends on a Sunday...what for? SUNDAY CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH! At first, I was a little hesitant...Ive had the food at El Torito...and the foods ok. The regular menu didnt really stand out to me nor did the food. In addition, if I were to eat Mexican, why would I go to a restaurant...I mean the best Mexican food you can get are from the dirty whole in the wall spots right? So why did I come here...not only was it all you can eat...it was all you can DRINK! So...got to the restaurant around 12...parking was super ez...but the inside was crowded! It was a party inside! Oh p.s. the champagne brunch goes from 9am-3pm. We were immediately sat and helped by the wonderful servers and staff. The first thing we did...and what we IMMEDIATELY did...was...duhh....ORDER CHAMPAGNE! Myself....literally took the BOTTOMLESS CHAMPAGNE to a whole new level. Oh yes...you can add OJ to it if you would like a Mimosa...but eh whats the point? Id rather just take it straight up. Going onto the food...my precious eyes saw: -an omelet bar with onions, pepper, chorizo, ham, bacon, potatoes, cheese, etc... Omelet bar was perfect...also with a hefty portion too -hot food section: barbacoa?? some kind of chicken marinated in a salsa verde, tamales, enchiladas, rice cake, sausages, potatoes, rice, 2 kinds of soups, waffles, etc... -the OTHER stuff: fresh fruit, cheeses, salads, salsas, dressings, etc... ehh yah I didnt really hang out in this area -THE TACO BAR: freshly made tortillas right in front of yooo EYESS. Choice of steak, chicken, and carnitas! -Drinks: yep...all you can drink soda, juices, and obviously CHAMPAGNE We ate and drank...and ate and drank some more...and on and on until we were stuffed. TV were also all over the restaurant...perfect for a pregame to the SUNDAY FOOTBALL GAMES. Enjoyed the company, enjoyed the business, enjoyed the food, enjoyed the time, and enjoyed the alcohol. Will definitely come back for some more! Oh yes...its $16.99 per person...I just pretended that each champagne glass was $1 and that each taco was $1....yah I got my $$ worth : ) UNTIL THEN!! ^-^
(4)
Tania C.

I enjoy this place! Great spot to eat chips and salsa. The chips are good when it's fresh, their salsa has the perfect spice. I usually get the Carne Asada burrito which is pretty good.
(4)
Lyna V.

Not only are the waiters here nice, but the people we meet are too! I usually end up at the cantina for happy hour every time I come here...seriously $3 margaritas? keep 'em cominn!... Haven't been here for Taco Tuesday yet but the idea of $1 tacos has me wondering, where the hell I've been..looks like I'll be making a trip back here soon enough
(4)
Tamara M.

Solid place for lunch and / or happy hour. $4 drinks starting at 2 pm and $2 or $3 off appetizers on the bar menu. Service was good and we spent under $20 bucks for food and drinks. Not bad at all :)
(4)
Jessica A.

My place to go for a taco tuesday happy hour after my night class.CSUF Irvine. Conveniently located in irvine for me at least. Happy hour on taco tuesday is great. Atmosphere Is nice and chill. Good place for a low key first date (yeehee) or even friends getting together. I usually always get a table, never too crowded.. Tacos are ok, not the best, but for the price you can't go wrong! Happy hour drinks are a good deal too
(4)
Kristine T.

A review for their Taco Tuesday, since that's the only thing I've had here. Went at like 8pm, it says that's when happy hour ended, but we still got the happy hour drinks and tacos. the tacos are BOMB. Love them. Tacos are just $1 dollar, and while they are small, they pack them with meat, and the tortillas are freshly made there. You can choose from steak, carnitas, and chicken. Also, their margaritas are really sweet, can't taste the alch at all. Not that strong obviously, but good to drink with some tacos. Pretty busy, but not as crazy as expected. Pretty good service too, Very polite. Wish they refilled chips faster, but hey, free chips, so it's cool.
(4)
Sara P.

You'll come to see a few things about me: (1) I love to eat (2) I love to save - which equals to me being a fun loving happy hour chick. :D Met up with a few ladies for happy hour on a Wednesday night (last week). The place wasn't too packed like another El Torito I know and maybe it was because it wasn't Taco Tuesday? IDK I didn't have to wait, since my friends were already at a table when I arrived. I ordered a Margarita and decided to go with a regular menu item. The prices are ok for Happy Hour, but I could get so much more with a regular menu item at practically the same price. The drinks are always strong, but the food menu for happy hour needs a little more options.
(3)
Cheryl K.

El Torito! As so I have heard that this place has a mean brunch. I came here the morning after celebrating a friend's wedding which set me up for a not-so-hungry and a not-so-thirsty stomach. Came here with my in-laws and although did not use my money's worth, enjoyed myself. All you can drink! Damnit. I drank waaay too much the night before and the slightest smell of alcohol would make me hurl. I had the orange juice and whatever purple juice thing was available. The food was really good. Omelette station which had an awesome omelette dude, taco station, salad station, sweet station, and overall all types of Mexican food options. I got to try the omelette, a tamale, and other stuff. Thank goodness my husband ate enough for two other portions so I did not feel guilty. I did, however, feel guilty for not utilizing the free flowing beverages. *Tear. Anyways, I think that 17 bucks is an amazing deal for all you can eat. The service was pretty on it too with clearing our plates and bringing our drinks out. I will return.
(4)
Jean L.

Great happy hour times, however, El Torrito Grills have better happy hour selection. For the same prices, you get much better drinks!...although the food bang for your buck is arguably better at this el torrito. My advice? Go for the $3 gold margs. Yes, you can pay for upgraded happy hour drinks, but an extra dollar for jose?...hahaha...well, it's up to you!
(3)
Joanna L.

This is my third or fourth time at this El Torito and I gotta say I always have to wait....came here for dinner a few times before and there's always a 15-30 minute wait then on this past Friday came here for lunch with my family and we still had to wait...quite a busy location I guess. Well the food here is pretty decent....they have a really good 3 meal deal for like 11.99 and the entree selections are pretty good. So my brother ordered the Fiesta Grande platter.....it was a little skimpy to me not so "grande"...i mean they had a couple of wings, one cheese quesadilla, a few beef taquitos, three pieces of chicken flautas and some nachos in the center ... but there were only a few chips and a load of gucamole, sour cream and cheese. It was just barely enough to share for the 6 of us if we all actually had some...I only had some nachos and a chicken flautas. My main entree was a plain Mexican caesar salad....i really like the dressing but not when my salad is drenched in it...unfortunately i forgot to tell them to put the dressing on the side....if they did it would a been great. My mom's entree was the "premium" ($3 bucks more for the 3 meal deal) it consist of beef fajitas, a cheese enchilada and two skewers of shrimp....was not really worth paying the extra $3 bucks honestly....the beef was very chewy and the shrimp & veggie skewers weren't that great. The only thing that was good was the cheese enchilada...I tried a bit of each from her plate..lol I wouldn't go for that one if u're getting the 3 meal deal. My dad got the chicken and sour cream enchilada with a crispy taco....ehhh from what he said he only liked the enchilada but the crispy taco was kinda soggy due to the oil it absorbed. Well i think the rest of my family liked their entrees....personally for dinner I've tried their carnitas fajitas which was the best thing I've tried here so far....although the enchiladas are pretty good too. This place is good for some Americanized Mexican food....only a little better than Acapulo....
(3)
Gene K.

Food is not fresh here. I ordered the Ceviche and the shrimp was not fresh at all. I ended up throwing it back up. (This would happen when seafood is not fresh). The taste of the shrimp seemed way off so I learned when something is not right be vocal about it and cause a scene. We had a party of 10 people during lunch, and interestingly several people felt nauseated because of the salsa. It didn't seem too fresh at all. Fresh salsa has a very distinct taste but this tasted a bit stale. I did a bit of research and there maybe a problem with El Torito serving fresh food. Many people got sick eating their food at different locations so this can't be an isolated incident. According to the OC Health department there were several violations cited against this location due to unsanitary conditions. Think again before you want to eat here. foodinspections.ocgov.coâ€¦
(1)
David R.

Order the chicken caesar salad off the lunch menu and it's its half price. Great food, I love this place.
(5)
Dee G.

I went there for their Sunday brunch and enjoyed everything I had. Made to order omelettes, freshly made tortillas, wide variety of breakfast and lunch items, and most importantly champagne:)
(4)
Brenda V.

I made a reservation for 17 people and I made sure I was calling the right restaurant. When I showed up, I was told that there was no reservation. I talked to the manager (TOM). The manager was not friendly at all. He didn't offer any help, he said that they would of never have made a reservation for 17 people because they already had a 50 person party. He said there is nothing he can do. I ask if he can call El Torito Grill and ask them if they had space for my party. He only called because I asked him to. I will not be coming to this restaurant again because of the way he treated me: 1. He treated me like if I was not welcome and 2. He basically called me a liar, because he didn't believe that I had called the right restaurant. A week passed and I get a phone call to confirm my reservation. They had written the reservation on the wrong date. I'm huge about customer service. Customer service is how you keep your customers and Tom definitely doesn't have the skills. If you want to keep customers you must keep them happy.
(1)
Steph U.

I think this place definitely deserves more stars than it has currently. The servers are all pretty nice and the food is what you pay for. The only thing that I don't really like about this place is the location. It's kind of far from everything, except the airport, which I guess is good for tourists staying by the airport. But other than that, I still find this place enjoyable. I came here recently for their Taco Tuesday and actually it was pretty darn good. They make their tacos and tortillas fresh in front of you and they're only $1.50. They also have happy hour all day, which is fine by me! $4 margaritas? Down. Overall, I don't know if the general food is really that worth it, but I'm definitely coming back on Tuesdays!
(4)
Georgette B.

Even at rush hour lunch, the wait staff running in full throttle, I had fantastic service. The kitchen help brought my food out, saw I was low in salsa, asked if I wanted more.. When she brought it out she also brought me a drink refill... Food was fine, no complaints... Just kudos to the staff!
(3)
Al P.

Have been eating here since 1996, the place is always clean food is delicious, staff is very friendly. Lady at the bar (Donna) is the real reason that I have been coming here at least once a week, she is one of a kind. Makes you welcome and take care of everyone at the bar with superb attitude and serves delicious margaritas, also Tony is on top of chips and salsa. To bad they are there only M-F, otherwise I would be there every Saturday night. Cheers Dona.
(5)
Annie N.

I had my monthly EMO session recently. This time it was a browse through my journal entries instead of driving while listening to sad songs and sobbing silently. I learned somethin while scanning through the entries: negative emotions prompt me to write, and write HARD, mannn. And when I sat at El Torito, meal consumed, services rendered, payments made..I thought.. "Wowww I cant wait to salt them up on YELP!" Service: Our party of 8 was seated in a large empty room. There was maybe 2-3 other tables of patrons in the restaurant. We waited 15 minutes for water and a general acknowledgement of our existence. Another 15 minutes for a cocktail (so the cocktail friend waited 30 mins in all to wet her lips). Chips and salsa came out 30 minutes into it all. Our food came out 45 minutes later, when our salsa and chip rations had been long gone. This is the part of the Oregon Trail where you have died of dysentery. I swear a busboy was taking our order and serving us. He could barely understand us, and never refilled our water. Food: Flaming Fajita special or something, beef, chicken, shrimp: shrimp tasted like the crack of the ocean. You know what I mean? When shrimp have that funk? Yes. The crunchy taco was BAD. Super hard and gross. Wait a minute, its El Torito guys, Im not going to comment on the food anymore. The service, for Newport Beach???? smh.
(1)
Yuta K.

I'm so irritated. SOOOO irritated.... Where do I being? How about the waiting 15 minutes at a dirty table to be greeted by our server. How about the Long wait for our margaritas and first round of drinks. How about the tacos that seems to be getting smaller every time I come here? How about the fact that they ran out of carnitas and didn't replace them? Maybe the fact that our 2nd round of drinks that never came? It must be the fact that we were still charged those drinks even though we never received them. To top it all of, we were neglected most of the evening and it was one of the worst service I have ever experienced in my lifetime. Oh, and our server walking around aimlessly for 5 minutes and grabbing food for herself at the taco bar AFTER we asked for our check. Where are your priorities? Apparently not her service nor her tip.
(1)
Ally H.

Maybe the food does not come up to par with hole in the wall authentic Mexican restaurants .. but, at least on Taco Tuesdays ... they make the tortillas fresssh! Let me give you an overview... On Tuesdays, they have a taco bar area where they are freshly making the tortillas in front of you. Then, they have three options, chicken, pork, beef tacos to choose from. Fresh tortillas make the tacos taste soooo much better. If you haven't tried some .. you are missing out friend. The meat didn't wow me .. but at $2 a pop, I go back every few Tuesdays. The salsa bar is great too as I can load up on as much salsa as I want. And with the salsa giving my taste buds a good fiery kick, I am quite satisfied. they also have specials on their drinks too during happy hour. So happy hour + taco tuesdays? .. Yes plesase.
(4)
Kathy F.

Friday night, 3/15/13 -Since we had a nice experience the first night & all of our other friends had just arrived at the hotel on this day...we suggested El Torito. There were 10 of us at 7:45pm. We walked down from our hotel together....they looked very bummed when we walked in as a group....and said well we only have a few tables that can sit that many....we said Ok no problem....how long would the wait be? We were told about 25-30 minutes.....they left us all in the entrance.....didn't offer the bar area (which was very small or drink service) So we all waited and saw many people come and go....exactly 55 minutes later we were seated....next to 2 other tables that held 10 and were empty...where did all those guest go??? They didn't walk by us out the front door that was for sure. We were served fairly quickly...and the food was OK...not real Mexican but tasty. I would suggest if you are with a group larger than 5-6 call them first...... Thursday 3/14/13 -We walked from our hotel to eat dinner here on our first night. We were seated immediately and received great service! Our waiter kept checking on us and they cleared our plates quickly after we ate each item. The drinks were really good and at a happy hour price.
(3)
Victoria L.

This is my husband and my favorite date night spot! Their servers are polite and the service is excellent! We usually get the combo meal deal, and my husband loves their fajitas & table-side guacamole. Their Sunday brunch is phenomenal too - you can't go wrong with this restaurant! (Keep you eyes out for the coupons in the mail, their $10 off coupon is awesome!)
(5)
Sam N.

I picked up a friend at John Wayne Airport and this El Torito was right across the street. They had some good lunch specials, including the veggie cheese enchiladas and appetizers. I loved the chips and guacamole, and the nachos were good, too. The service was fast, friendly and it wasn't too crowded. I think this El Torito is a very transient place. People are constantly coming in and out of here all the time for business when they fly through John Wayne Airport. However, I think its a great El Torito to go to, even if you aren't coming and going from the airport. It has a friendly staff, doesn't get too crowded and its a relaxing atmosphere. One of the better El Torito's in OC.
(4)
Jeff L.

Very average, nothing to complain about though nothing that makes me go "yea, I want to come back here". Was lured with a coupon so can't complain. Freshly made guacamole was nice.
(3)
Mai N.

I only come here on tuesdays because the tacos are only 2 bucks each. I can't remember how much drinks are but they are pretty cheap too. I believe beers, well drinks and margaritas are on their happy hour. It's a decent sized place but it gets super packed during taco tuesdays. Luckily it wasn't as crowded as other tuesdays so my friends and I were seated quickly. Our waitress was great. She got us water, chips and salsa right away. I had a chicken and steak taco topped with everything and it was delic. Ended up paying like 6 bucks. Super cheap and a fun place to hang out with friends
(4)
Steve L.

We were pretty early for our early evening flight back home, after our daughter's cheerleading competition at the Anaheim Convention Center. We didn't have much for lunch, and thought it would be a good idea to get grab some dinner before checking in. Being a Sunday evening, there weren't many nearby places open for dinner, except this El Torito location. As expected, it wasn't very crowded, so we quickly got seated for the 7 of us. As soon a we sat, the chips and salsa came out, and our waiter took our drink orders. After our drinks arrived, we were ready to order. The kids ordered beef and chicken tacos, chicken fajitas, and chicken fingers and fries off the kids menu. The adults ordered the beef fajitas and taco salad. I ordered the carnitas. The food came out pretty quickly out of the kitchen. The kids kept on taking my flour tortillas for my carnitas, and fortunately the attentive servers promptly replenished them several times. Overall, the food was OK, nothing spectacular, the service was prompt, and the prices were reasonable. Good convenient location being so close the John Wayne Airport.
(3)
Akiko I.

- Locale destination - Right off 405 fwy, across from John Wayne Airport. Spacious and a bit upper family dining atmosphere. (I consider as just a family restaurant.) - Gluttony expedition - Mediocre. Best thing there was a fresh guacamole. Your server ma
(3)
Max N.

This grill is quite lovely, the atmosphere is great, and beings me to mexico at its finest. My family has been dining here sence i was a small child and it is great,the tortillas that come with are something you will keep coming back for, but try the fajitas and you will dream about it
(4)
Fortunato D.

Situated across John Wayne (SNA) airport, it's a nice place to go to if you're looking for Mexican food or happy hour. The only caveat is that I'm never around this area so I never take advantage of how good this place is. This is a large venue If driving on MacArthur, it's right across the Airport so you can't miss it. Planning happy hour after work in Irvine is almost fail safe. They are great at maintaining cleanliness. I did lunch the last time I was here and through the rush hour, they had great upkeep. From the moment you walk in the door till you're seated, you're greeted and that's a plus in my book. It's indicative of good customer service and their hard work for customer satisfaction. Thumbs up! The complinetary chips and salsa are on point! The salsa has an awesome kick! The chips were replaced right away with new fresh ones (and we weren't even done with the first one). I ordered the Sonora Style Quesadilla. It is super-awesome! Thank you El Torito staff!
(4)
Cynthia Y.

I'm a fan for their happy hour! Went on a Tuesday for I guess taco tuesday? but I think the happy hour deal is everyday..not sure. Sat in the bar area. Drinks were pretty cheap. $4 for huge margaritas and beer was pretty cheap too. The boyfriend got this super big sampler for only $6 if I remember correctly. I just know it was super cheap cause you get nachos, quesadillas, taquitos, and I forgot what else.. tasted alright but it's a lot of food for a cheap price :D if you have alcohol it doesnt matter how the food tastes I guess? Each taco was only $0.99!! You tell the server how many you want. Then you stand in line and they roll up flour and turn it into tortilla in front of you! Yes, I'm easily amused... and you tell em what kinda meat you want, chicken, beef, or pork. then you put whatever you want on it and TADA yummy fresh tacos :D I think me and bf ordered 4 tacos, 1 beer, 2 margaritas, and his sampler, total was about $20? Cheap food and drinks on a tuesday night is a great way to get through the work week, dont you think??? :D
(4)
Jan B.

Happy hour changed to 3 pm! Be careful! Lunch menu only goes to 2! Still love this place but we had bad timing showing up at 2:03 pm.
(4)
Chris C.

Excellent happy hour, horrible service. They have one of the longest happy hours that I know of (3pm-8pm during the week), and on Tuesdays you can get tacos for only $1. Their happy hour menu is decent and includes tacos, quesadillas, sampler platters, margaritas and more. However, some of the more popular items like guacamole are hardly discounted at all. I'd recommend going with a large group and splitting some of the sampler platters on the happy hour menu. I always go for the $3 gold margaritas. However, of the three times I've been here, the service has been unsatisfactory at best. One time when I visited, the restaurant/bar area was extremely busy and I expected to maybe have to wait a little bit to order and to have our waiter check up on us. On the other two occasions, the restaurant was maybe half full and we still had horrible service. Not only are they slow, but they are often not very friendly. Hope you have better luck!
(3)
Jeff R.

"How'd That Happen So Fast"... I've been to a lot of El Torito's (the block, fullerton) and it's usually about what you expect. This one is different. Chips and Salsa, blackberry cadillac pretty standard. If that's all you're doing, it's probably fine. We ordered Carne Asada burritos. First the waitress talked me out of it, then when I agreed, she talked me back into it....I work in a restaurant, I've never seen anything come out that fast ever. No exaggerating - maybe 3-4 minutes - awesome right, except for when I remember that it's 13.99 and a restaurant and I'm thinking it should at least be cooked to ordered. So now I'm imagining the buffet style pans full of all the things in my burrito - just sitting around until someone orders it. So me and my wife are laughing, agreeing it's basically a faster? version of Del Taco with TVs. Then, once you eat, you've get a fun option of choosing to either use your napkin as a napkin, wipe your hands, etc. or something to put on the table to stop the plate from sliding all over the place and spilling your food on you... We said it was probably the worst dinner stop we've had in our 5 years together, at least top 3. But it kind of makes it worth it, since at least we'll remeber it.. Oh yeah, and we also heard the 3 guys at the table next to us making Del Taco jokes about the speed of the food coming out. Maybe go if you're in a hurry - then I'd imagine everything would take forever...
(2)
Sadia C.

El Torito has one my favorite desserts- fried ice cream. It tastes soooo amazing, hot crispy outside sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon and the inside has delicious cold ice cream. The table side guacamole is a nice touch (make the guacamole right in front of you, fresh). The main entrees are pretty good. It's Americanized Mexican food, but I still enjoy the taste and the atmosphere.
(3)
Luis P.

Overall the food is ok. Salsa and chips are great. Service is great. The portions are stingy. Don't go here if you are hungry though. This is the only Mexican food restaurant I know where you can see white space on your plate.
(3)
Bruce R.

This place is just too big...plus pricey.. Heavy foods, nice appetizers, bad service. There fish tacos are good...and in my opinion that is the only recommendation I can think of... Overall, its good place to go once a while when you feel like TACO night.
(4)
Michelle M.

I love the lunch menu! They are quick. And the food is awesome
(5)
Jun H.

Don't get me wrong now. The food wasn't bad at all. I would have initially put this place up at 3.5 generous stars until it came time to pay. We were out for a co-worker's birthday and laughter and joy was had by all. The check came and we worked the bill out to $13/person. Some tossed in credit cards and others twenties. When the book was returned, we got the cards back but not a penny of change! This would have left the waiter with an estimated 50% tip. Our brave champion of the table accosted the waiter and spent a good 5 minutes or so, sorting out the ordeal. The waiter played dumb at first. Only when my co-worker asked for the manager did the waiter sheepishly pull out the money and ask, "So, how much do you want back?"
(1)
Nazli S.

If you ever try to come here for taco Tuesday, the one by John Wayne Airport in Irvine...don't waste your time! The manger is a douche and will give tables away when clearly there are people waiting and they have organized a line at your suggestion!
(1)
Mari B.

I love the tortilla soup here. Although its high in sodium it is pretty delish. I also love the supercharged margaritas. If youre lookin to get faded quick this is the route! If you sign up on their site they send you a coupon for a free entree for the month of your bday. At lunch it tends to get pretty packed so I would recommend going around 1 when people are starting to head out. Love this place.
(5)
Holly W.

Three stars means three primary reasons to ever set foot into El Torito: 1. The Buffet: $17 per person, featuring a "made-to-order" omelet bar, freshly made corn tortillas, taco bar, salad bar, Belgian waffle bar, and plenty of other brunch niceties you just don't need but will automatically feel like you need to eat. 2. Taco Tuesdays: Not as cheap as it might sound at $4 per slightly weak margarita and some half off appetizers. You don't come to Taco Tuesdays just to have a light snack, ya know? 3. You plan on feeling fat for the rest of the day as there's just no way around it. They should really rename this place El Gordita because if you take full advantage of El Torito, "me siento gordisima y me quiero vomitar" is the only thing you'll be thinking after one meal over there. However, yes, you might've guessed it. El Torito is THE place to come to pig out on decent foods at semi-decent prices. UNEXPECTEDLY, it is one the absolute BEST places for: 4. Nursing a hangover 5. Breaking the ice with out of town lightweight relatives you haven't seen in awhile (everyone always goes for the "sure, I'll try the margarita...why not?") 6. Having loads of fun pigging out on simple foods, like chips/salsa, guacamole and taquitos. Overall, while El Torito isn't exactly "autÃ©ntico", that's quite alright. It serves its purpose and that's "A-OK" by me on any day, or on any night.
(3)
Black X.

I am not an EL TORITO HATER. Really--I'm not. And if you cannot distinguish my bitter, yet charming sense of humor from reality--do yourself a favor and stop reading this review. Go on. I'll wait a second. Move your mouse to the little close icon and open a new window. OK. Now that I took care of that, back on track. Here is proof I'm not a TORITO HATER. ( yelp.com/biz/el-torito-wâ€¦ ) But this location. Yeah...it sucks. As you can read in my past review--I'm not into the phoney baloney style Mex they serve here--so I get the only TRULY AUTHENTIC Mexican Dish on the menu. And what would that be? The Mexican Buffalo Wings of course dummy. So traditional and autentico. Just like my Spanish Speaking Ability. You would think I should be damn fluent too after three years at USC learning this tongue--but I must have been too busy making hilarious class presentations about "La leche de burro pezon" and other things that are totally incorrect grammatically, socially, and linguistically just to avoid my fear of conjugations. The Happy Hour here is not so happy. For one--you are in what appears to be the FUCKING BASEMENT of the restaurant. Dingy, dark--and they were playing that retarded song retard Puffy made when B.I.G. died...a true WTF experience. Those autentico wings were not as good as the ones served up in Westminster either--and the waitress was lame. She was not happy--which is strange for "Happy Hour." My guess is that she was scheduled for "Sour Hour" and wandered into the wrong shift. When we asked for a small box to take some of the few remaining wings home--she commented that "They normally do not do that." ..........But then she returns with the damn box. OK. I really needed that little lecture lady. Geez. There went your tip. Right down the drain--and another reason you truly do belong in SOUR HOUR. I'm done reliving this beast of a meal. But remember--I did it for you my friends of the world. All to spare YOU--the viewer--the pain of a pain in the ass experience. Oh--and by the way. If you were that fucking asshole standing behind my car in the parking lot talking to your bud in the truck as I was trying to back up--yeah--you heard me honking and still stood there for a selfish second--next time I'm just going to floor my fucking car in reverse and take you out C.J. San Andreas Style. For real.
(2)
Love V.

Went there for Happy Hour this past Friday with a decent sized group. The service is terrible. I think there are only 2 waitresses for the whole bar area. If not for the house margaritas on the happy hour menu being so cheap, strong and delicious and the fact that it's close to work, I wouldn't come to this location. Be warned, if you are a newbie, you might get tricked into getting a Cadillac margarita. They'll ask you if you wanna start off with one. I said yes the first time thinking it was the same thing and that sucker was like 8 bucks. DON'T! Ask for the the house marg...It's 4 bucks and it gets the job done. You'll get an eye roll and a lil attitude but you'll be saving yourself a pretty penny by the end of the night. This place get's pretty packed. Get there early if you have a big group or else you're pretty much screwed. Order 2 drinks at a time. It takes the waitress that long to come back and take your order. We had a few friends go up and try to order from the bar because it was that bad. However, being that there was only 1 bartender, she shot them down and told them they had to order from the waitress. Booo! Things to order that are yummy: Spicy Steak Soft Taco Corn Cakes
(2)
Andrew R.

So if you've never been to El Torito for Taco Tuesday, you get one taco for $0.99. Just tell them how many tacos you want and they bring out a receipt. Then take the receipt to the taco bar, where the taco chef asks what kind of meat you'd like (your choice of carne asada, chicken, or carnitas), then slide over to the right to add your toppings. There you get: * green salsa * red salsa * finely grated cheese * onions * lettuce and cabbage mix The salsas are a little on the spicy side, but can be balanced out with the onions and lettuce/cabbage, which I highly recommend. The carnitas are very tasty and juicy. Those were my favorite. Then the chicken, which was good, and finally the carne asada, which tasted like carne asada should but was a little chewier than I like. If you've done a good job on filling up those tacos with onions and lettuce/cabbage, you should have a well-balanced taco in your hands. By the way, the tortillas are pleasantly average in size - they're not teeny tiny little things. I enjoyed three tacos (one of each) and accompanied that with the complimentary chips and salsa, and I was very satisfied. Need another taco? Go get one. They're $0.99! In addition to the $0.99 tacos, the happy hour menu applies as well. Roughly half-priced appetizers and a few drink deals. That's everyday though. On Tuesday, go for the tacos. I've also been to the taco Tuesday at El Torito Grill just down the street. They have tacos for $1.50 there. It's like a higher quality restaurant than El Torito. However, I don't think it's worth 50 cents more per taco. Yes for their usual dishes, no for their taco Tuesday. Recently, I went to the happy hour with my family. We were seated in the area adjacent to the cantina that was designated for happy hour. Our waiter took our drink order (and made a comment that we did not order any alcoholic beverages), came back with our drinks, then did not come back for over 20 minutes to take our order. The area was NOT crowded at this time. We had to flag him down just to order our tacos (and it took multiple tries just to get his attention - he would not even look our way). He continued to ignore us for the duration of our dinner, although he frequented the other tables in our area who had all come in after us. He did not bring us a refill on chips, did not ask if we wanted refills on drinks, did not come by our table at all to check on us. When we were able to flag him down for anything, he would stop only to hear the first sentence out of our mouths before taking off again. The way that we were treated ruined our entire dining experience, especially since we felt that we were singled out from the other tables. I had expected a fun and relaxed atmosphere when choosing this restaurant for dinner, and was very disappointed. We've been there when service was better, so I won't hold that against the entire restaurant. The Taco Tuesday takes place in the cantina area from 4-10pm. It's a festive atmosphere, with a packed house of mostly workers sprinkled with a couple families. But it can get too crowded. If you go there closer to 10pm, then you'll get less workers and it will be slightly less crowded.
(3)
Daniel C.

I've been to many El Torito's all over Southern California, and to this location many times. El Torito in itself is really good in my opinion. The price is good for the food you are getting. I usually just get a combo plate and munch on a mass amount of chips & salsa. This location is great for Happy Hour & Taco Tuesday if you want cheap Tacos. They usually have a small Taco set up located inside the bar which you let your server know how many you would like, and they will bring you a receipt which is your ticket for tacos. 3 stars because besides the manager working extremely hard to greet customers and bring drinks, etc. to the table, the service wasn't up to par. Had to ask multiple times for more chips, more salsa, and one time my buddy had to go to the bar to ask for another drink. Everytime my buddy and I asked for something from napkins to chips, they gave the impression that we were inconveniencing them. It's unfortunate because I like El Torito, and even this location for after work Happy Hour or for Tacos after work on Tuesdays. I would have been more understanding if they were busy, but they were slow. Only recommend this location for after work/ coworker get togethers. It has a business vibe more than the everyday social bar scene.
(3)
Pam I.

I think the last time I ate here at this El Torito was when I was a student at UC Irvine - literally *decades* ago! The food was as I remembered it - fresh and tasty and predictable. But predictable is good - as were my enchiladas. My husband had the combination of three soft tacos - beef, chicken and carnitas - which he enjoyed. Their chips were fresh, the salsa was fresh and had some heat that hit the back of our throats. A margarita would have been nice, but we were on chaperone duty for a high school event - so no booze. Dining at El Torito was like visiting an old college friend - and just as pleasant.
(4)
jonathan s.

i was just thinking about this place the other day, and it really does suck. there is nothing good about it. i didnt even go here again since last time, just felt like letting you know how much i dislike this place.
(1)
Jack K.

The carnitas are excellent!
(4)
Bee C.

The thing about Mexican Chain Restaurants is they taste like chain restaurant food. Nothing ever really jumps out. Although tasty, nothing at El Torito (currently) will make me want to shout from rooftops. We came here for lunch because I needed something quick, and seeing that I can walk to this location, it was my best option. There was no wait for the bar, but the tables are small for a Four-top. It seemed like we had to stack plates in order to make room. Then again, what would you expect sitting in the bar section. The service was good this time. He constantly checked on us. I ordered the lunch special (Mexican Caesar salad and Tortilla Soup)...for $7.49, you can't beat that. It seems with this economy, there is no such thing as $5 lunches anymore. You have to keep it under $10...and that's for reasonable prices. I'll continue to come here just because it is nearby for default. Their food is always well seasoned and the service is usually good.
(3)
Alex P.

Average food, drinks. I like the free chips and salsa. The salsa actually has some heat to it, which is surprising at these kind of places. I'd say for a chain mexican place, its probably one of the better. I'd say this this a 3.5 star for being a decent chain restaurant. The biggest mistake was ordering the fried ice cream desert. It was obvious that the ice cream was fried earlier and had been placed in the freezer. The out layer was cold, and stale. LAME! Minus 1.5 stars!
(2)
Michael Z.

Today I discovered that Taco Tuesday overlaps with Happy Hour prices on drinks and appetizers until 8PM. What an amazing deal! ($3 margaritas, $1 tacos -- with free nachos). Not to mention, they have become a bit more organized about getting you your tacos. No longer a free-for-all, there is a queue to get a seat and you order your tacos at your table -- much improved, but still a long wait if you come at the wrong time. The earlier you can get here the better, because once 7PM hits, people won't be leaving their tables for awhile. 15 tacos and 2 margaritas later, I'm one happy -- but full -- camper.
(4)
Banana H.

This is an interesting place during the work week lunch hour. I am almost thinking they want us to "MOO" as we walk in/out of the restaurant because the servers are so obvious about being in the "turn and burn" mode that your serivce will be lacked! Or you will be repeatedly up-sold on appitizers, alcholic drinks (which the server offered me when I am very obviously 6 mo pregnant!) and dessert. But simple things like getting a glass of water....oh and God forbid a straw to go with it! So, don't expect a lot of attn to detail on anything that's free to the customer. Food is decent but they give you 3-4 different menus so you're going to have to rub your brain cells together to figure out if the regular menu and the lunch menu match up because...they do...and they will charge you for the regular priced menu item if you dont specify that you're ordering something that should be lower priced on the lunch menu.... All in all this place is ok. Be prepared to smell a really funky stench from the bar area so sit far away from the cantina or you may smell leftover tequila from the previous Happy Hour!
(2)
Jackie P.

This is for their Taco Tuesday: Do: - Be prepared to table hover since it can get pretty packed. - Get the margarita on the ROCKS, pretty strong for a $4 happy hour drink...gotta me a bit buzzed. - Get in line for the tacos! - Ask for your tacos with corn tortillas instead (they'll press the masa and cook them up to order, but the flour tortillas are from a bag and warmed up). - Get appetizers from 4-8, half off! The mexican buffalo wings were especially tasty. Crunchy from good amount of breading and tangy. Don't: - Miss the opportunity to come here at least once!
(4)
H R.

El Torito is one of my favorite restaurants and this one is the best one I've been too. The service is great and fast. Ive been here a few times and my food was always served hot and I never had to ask for a refill. Happy hour and the Sunday Brunch are also great! I love ordering the arrack fajitas and their Mexican Caesar salad (the dressing is my favorite!).
(5)
Allyson M.

We go here as our default for "Mexican" food in Irvine. I've never had bad service here, and the food is good, but not great. Last night I had the Shrimp Mazatlan Enchiladas. I agree with Austin C that the shrimp turned out really good. Whenever I order shrimp, there's always the fear that it'll come out small (to the point where I wonder if I actually ordered shrimp-sized bits) or tough (usually if it's been frozen). But the shrimp were pretty good size for the taco-sized corn tortilla. My drink of choice is the strawberry margarita. It is a lot sweeter than other places and has a thicker consistency than I'm used to, but it does the job after I've had a long day. My one major gripe is that when entering from the restaurant side (as opposed to the bar side), I'm usually greeted by the smell/cloud of cigarette smoke. It's nasty and you'd think after the first couple of times I would've learned my lesson. But it's become a bad habit (just like smoking *ahem*) that I have yet to break. We all know the best Mexican food doesn't come from a restaurant chain. If you want good food, hit up the smallest, crappiest-looking Mexican joint in the area.
(3)
Karen P.

THERE WAS GLASS IN MY MARGARITA!!!!! I just left this el torito feeling scared and panicked!! As we are starting to enjoy our food I sip my margarita only to find a small piece of glass on my tongue!! I almost thought it was ice and was about to bite it when I realized it's not cold! I'm scared to death that something very serious can happen to me! When we spoke with the manager he said all he could do was take off the drinks! Do you really think that I'm going to pay for my drinks after this?!! We completely lost our appetite after this scare. So we asked to speak to the general manager and he said he didn't get there til I believe 4 or 5. He didn't even apologize he seem the least bit concerned for this happening. I have been a waitress for 10 years and I know mistakes can happen but the way he acted was extremely careless. It's like this type of thing happens all the time there . I am going to write to their corporate office and general manager about this incident ! There should never be glass in any food or drink !! That is a careless mistake that was definitely overlooked. I was in such a panic that I didn't get the name of this manager. But this was on Saturday 10-12-2013 at around 2:30 pm. The only manager on duty!!
(1)
Betty K.

Hello Sunday! What a day to rela- WHAT IS THIS PLACE? I came here for Sunday Brunch and the place had a little bit of a wait, usually a sign of good food, yes? I think NOT! This place is dirty and the napkin I was given was dirty, ew! The whole restaurant felt pretty dirty and the tables were dirty as well as the menu. Nice job. The waiters, however, were not dirty, in fact, they were kind and they were very patient and accommodating, win! They came out with chips and salsa while we chose what to order. The salsa was okay, I wouldn't say it's the best I've had, and their chips were really thin, and lacked salt, but at least they were warm and fresh. I ordered a fajitas plate that came with guac and sweet corn cakes, yum! NOT YUM! My corn cake was like... Corn bread batter? And the guac was about a whopping unhappy, frownie, teaspoon. :( The meat was dry but the Fajita was good :) The overall portion sizes have shrunken dramatically (understandably) but unfortunately their quality has as well! So you most definitely do not get what you pay for. Chipotle is MUCH higher in quality! I tried their deep fried ice cream. It was just ice cream rolled around in tortilla chips :( Disappointment... Their tortillas are yummy...? Does that count? Nothing noteworthy
(1)
Sue S.

There were plenty of booths available, but we were told we couldn't be seated in a booth because "there were no servers." On a Saturday night??? And that was AFTER we were asked to wait for 10 or so minutes (even though there were plenty of empty seats!). We walked out and went to El Torito Grill down the street and had a great experience. A VERY wise decision on our part!
(2)
Avi S.

Located right across from John Wayne airport. This place isn't too busy when you come for dinner, but the cantina is pretty packed during happy hour. They have $3 house margaritas from 2pm-8pm, which is a pretty sweet deal and a really long happy hour. The food is actually pretty good and consistent. Definitely one of the better El Torito's I have been to. The service is excellent, they even accepted my coupon that I found online (never thought they would).
(3)
Stephanie P.

I just went here for taco tuesday. The deal was amazing. $1 tacos!!! However, the wait took a while and it was difficult finding a table. The place was overly crowded and it took forever to get our food. I must admit that the tacos were delicious though. The tortilla was freshly made! I will be coming back on another Tuesday, maybe just at a different time when it is not as crowded.
(3)
M M.

Taco Tuesday, you are a hot mess, but for $1 tacos I really won't complain! Seating is a complete circus, without fail. The line for tacos is another circus if the servers working the line can't figure out a system. The meat-- chicken, carnitas, steak-- is a hit or miss just depending. Shrimp tacos cost a little more, but are a definite go. Margaritas? Of course.
(3)
Kriti R.

I don't care much for the food here... but they have super cheap tacos on Taco Tuesday which are meh, but great when you're buzzed! This review is for the DRINKS! YUMMM!!! $3 Margaritas OMG who wouldn't come here for that?! I used to ditch class just to come here for happy hour... And if you want your drinks a little stronger, just ask your server! They make great drinks blended/on the rocks that will get you a good buzz in under $20! Don't bother with their chicken tortilla soup though... awful stuff.
(4)
Jonathan B.

I am a regular guest at the Hilton Orange County Airport. Tonight I decided to venture out for dinner and found a gem in El Torito. Let me start by saying that the food was good - solid but by no means the best Mexican food I have ever had or even in the top ten. So why five stars? The service. It was incredible! Rivaled the best of the best at five star restaurants. And I sat at the bar. From the bartender to the bar back to the food servers, I do not recall ever being so welcomed into an establishment. And it wasn't just me, I witnessed 30 plus people individually being treated the same way included an individual with extremely limited intellectual capacity who asked the cost with tax of easily 20 dishes. I have never seen a busy or for that matter any bartender so patient. If you are alone on business, you will feel welcome here.
(5)
Darryl B.

decent food. great customer service. Not what i would call great mexican food but for sure not the worse. Margaritas, tip well and you wont leave not happy.....
(3)
Elizabeth S.

I'm sure the food is decent, but I wouldn't know because it took us half an hour to flag down a waitress to take our order and I still haven't seen her enter it into the computer. Only come here I you're not hungry an have nothing else to do.
(1)
Ursula G.

Yesterday I called last minute to try to set something up for 30 people the company I work for is hosting for a conference. Henry the manager spoke to me on the phone and was so acomodating, trusted to reserve the bar area, without any kind of guarantee of us showing up. It was nice that he acomodated such a big group, in such short notice. I didn't join, but from what I heard everyone had a really good time.
(4)
Mackenzie L.

I have been to this El Torito many times, and it seems that with every visit, the food quality declines, and the experience does as well. If you go on the weekend, Friday , or Tuesday, do not expect to be served promptly. In fact, just don't expect to be served. That way, when a passing waiter happens to fill your water after waiting the past half hour for more, you can be pleasantly surprised instead of pissed off. I went last night with my boyfriend (Tuesday night), and it was the final straw. I am a vegetarian, so I requested that one of my enchiladas be made without the chicken. The waiter looked at me funny, telling me that "the kitchen is so busy, maybe they will change it, but I can't guarantee it". If I pay 12$ for 2 enchiladas, I expect someone to be capable enough to hold the chicken. When it came time to pay, we waited another half an hour from the time we finished to the time we snagged a waiter to bring us a check. Begin another long wait for someone to take the check back to be processed. When we finally decided to flag down someone to take the check, she laughed at us, telling us to give it to our server, who for all I knew had long gone on vacation. Then I realized - who the hell was our server? The woman who had sat us down (which was this woman), or one of the two men to bring us drinks, or the man who brought us food, or the woman who brought us the check? Did we even have a designated waiter? We finally paid, and got the hell out of there. Finally. My boyfriend and I both decided we would much rather drive to another El Torito, rather than eat here again. I advise you do the same.
(2)
Celia G.

I've had better El Torito's....went for Taco Tuesday and the drinks were late, the poor waitress was overworked, they need more waitresses during game days...the food was meh, they need a veggie alternative also, that would attract more people.
(2)
Grace H.

I'm a fan of their Sunday Brunch buffet. This location in particular is my favorite! If you haven't yet, I totally recommend! Check out my pics of the Chile Verde & Carne Asada tacos I made.
(4)
Johnny L.

I like dropping in here occasionally when I'm near the airport. Food is pretty good, basically what you would expect from a Mexican food chain. But they have good happy hour specials.
(4)
Tony L.

here are 3 good reasons to frequent el torito. 1) taco tuesday. yeah i know. they raised their prices to $1.50. but still, these little tacos are excellent! pile on the onions, cilantro, salsa and cheese! 2) it's close to my house. just kidding. why do people list "close to home" as a pro when giving reviews to friends and people reading reviews? not everyone lives near you. lame. 2) the margaritas are strong and good! and cheap during happy hour! I still think the classic is the best. 3) sign up for their el torito club! on your birthday, they send you a certificate for a free entree up to $12.99! you can't beat that! unless some place gives you a free entree up to $13.99!
(4)
Kym C.

***Review is for catering only*** People in my office had an itch for El Torito, so I called and spoke with one of the managers, Tom. Faxed over my orders, based on the party platter menu. Tom was very helpful and he also delivered with another El Torito employee. The entire process was painless. The food was delivered on time, hot and freshly made. Everything was perfect and we will be ordering from again! :)
(5)
Anastazia V.

Came here for Sunday Brunch a few weeks ago around 11am. The wait wasn't bad- around 15-20 minutes. We sat at the bar and drank champage while we waited. The bar tender was rude and would not fill us up until we asked even though we sat staring at him with empty glasses. We went back up to ask if our table was ready around 30 minutes later. We were seated and went off to the buffet. I love this buffet because of the variety and the RIBS! They have a carving station, taco bar, carnitas, crepes and dessert. It's a reasonable buffet and better than the original El Torito. I will be back--- but earlier. Shortly after we sat down it was last call for food.
(4)
Jaimie W.

TACO TUESDAY HAPPY HOUR REVIEW: Its awesome that they have a happy hour every Tuesday. They're $3 margartias are yummy. They come served it a nice big glass on the rocks or blended. This location gives you taco tickets and they have a taco bar set up so you can go up and order the tacos you want. The food and drinks were good but we waited a long time to get our drinks and when our waitress clocked out we asked her to sent us another waitress so we could continue ordering drinks at our table but after 15mins of waiting I got up and asked another server to find us a waitress. The drinks were good, Ill probably return because im a sucker for a good deal but I have lots of other places closer to my house where i can get a good deal, good drinks and better service.
(3)
Lola B.

Taco Tuesday is worth the venture. Not the greatest tacos but worth the price ($1) and the beer is cheap and the service is extremely friendly.
(4)
Maluna O.

Service blows during happy hour!!! Our first male server was cool and even brought my friend another drink, and anticipated he would order another one because the rest of us already did...good call on that one. good thing that's what my friend was going to order anyways. he was cool We didn't get napkins for the longest time, even after I kept asking repeatedly to different people. After he went on break, it was downhill from that. 1 hour of not having anyone come up to us except the busser! I asked him for more chips n salsa and he never came back, the busser looks like he hates his job. The other waitress working in the area went to every table around us except for ours....what is going on here!!??? Her excuse was there was a mixup of who would be serving who...well if you serve every table around us, why wouldn't you stop by ours too especially when we are sitting with empty plates and drinks!!!????!!! chips are stale..ordered another batch..still stale got some combo platter with boneless buffalo wings-tasty and spicy buffalo wings-it was ok flautas are good pomegrant cadillac margarits are ok we aren't coming to this el torito again. They really need to hire more people for the happy hour area
(1)
Jordan D.

TACO TUESDAY REVIEW ONLY!!!! I came here last tuesday with a friend of mine, and we were talking about good mexican food places and this place came up. This place is a pretty decent size places, kind of reminiscent of a mexican house made out of adobe clay in texas or something. Nice venue. There is a bar, a bar stool area, and a regular dining area with your usual tables and seats. Anyways this place on tuesday is pretty nuts. We got here and we maybe waited 5 minutes to find a spot. Here you dont wait to get seated, you stalk your table like your a lion waiting on its prey. Once you get your table your pretty much home free. Ok so the way it works here is the waiter asks how many tacos you want and she comes back with your taco ticket. Tacos are 1$ a piece btw. Then you go to the taco stand in the corner where they make their own tortillas right in front of you then make your tacos. Its like a regular taco stand in mexico its great. Everything tastes so fresh, from the tortilla, to the meat, to the salsa, food is perfect. Also they served us free chips and salsa. Happy hour priced drinks. Got a dos equis amber ale in a schooner for like 3 bucks or something like that. Super good. For 10 bucks I got 4 tacos and a schooner including the tip as well. I read other people reviews on the service, and I must say I had the opposite of a lot of peoples. Our server was perfect, maybe checked on us 3 times to see if we wanted more tacos or drinks, but I did hear from my friend that the service is usually pretty bad. Id come back to this palce again for taco tuesdays. xxxx. |(o)(o)| ( (__) ) MUEY BUENO!!! | ( ) | \__/ Jordan
(4)
Cassandra T.

I love the deep fried ice creams and the cocktails aren't bad either but the food leaves much to be desired. Their caesar salad was really good. The main dishes could use some doctoring up though. A little bland. The staff was nice but the receptionist was MIA on a all three occasions I came in, so I had to wait for her to pop out of the back, but when she did she was very nice. I'll go back again and would recommend for the items noted above.
(3)
Brooklyn C.

Meh. Overpriced Mexican food. Decent Sunday brunch, however.
(2)
Cathy L.

try the tableside fajita salad, it was probably the best salad I have ever had!
(5)
Amy D.

Great place to chill for Happy Hour! Selections are pretty limited but at least it was yummy. Had the chicken nachos and beef taquitos. Both were really good. Service was pretty slow. I had to wait forever to track down the waitress when we were ready to pay. I would definitely come back again.
(3)
Nick B.

The waiter called me "boss." Nice guy. Friendly. But I'm not his boss. I know. I sound grumpy already. The guy was just doing his job. And he was darn nice. I didn't have a fork and napkin when my food arrived. I know. I'm really sounding grumpy now. I could have just not written that into this review and stopped my whining right then. I never went to El Torito in Bakersfield because it's inauthentic Mexican food to me. But it was my birthday. And I didn't want cup of noodle at my work desk. And it was just a short walk across the parking lot. The chips were good. The salsa was bland. The beans were really bland. My tacos were bland. My rice was dry and bland. I gobbled it up because I'm a guy and I was hungry. I guess I liked being called "boss" best of all.
(2)
Anna S.

Taco Tuesday review: note, this is my second try at taco Tuesday and with mission cantina (in LA) setting the bar high, I was not impressed. Overall taco for taste gets a 4/10... Below average yet somewhat tasty. You get a ticket for how many tacos you want and wait in line. They then make place your choice of carne pork or chicken. Unfortunately they were out of carne and were not restocking for the rest of the night. The pork was decent and I enjoyed the skinny margaritas. Oh, and our server was hospitable and quick.
(2)
Kyle S.

This review pertains to just the happy hour. And the happy hour at this location tends to get crowded. We were only able to get a spot for two at the bar. The service is great with them always checking your drinks and keeping your chips and salsa bowls full. The drinks are all good especially the mango margarita which I highly recommend everyone to try if you like margaritas like fruity drinks or really just like alcohol.
(4)
Paula L.

When you come to El Torito you should know to expect non-authentic and super fattening Mexican food. So, generally I don't come here unless its taco Tuesday. On taco Tuesdays, El Torito has $1 tacos. You can choose from either steak, chicken or pork tacos. They are a bit small, almost bite sized, but I generally find that 3 can fill me up pretty easily. Also, if you come before 7pm its happy hour and $3 margaritas are pretty irresistible! So let's see..3 tacos for $3, a $3 margarita, and free chips and salsa? How could you pass this up? Just remember to arrive early as it will get PACKED! Fiesta indeed!
(3)
Arnold W.

I came here for Happy Hour with the coworkers. It's a great deal for drinks here! Like really good deal. The thing that sucks, the drinks I ordered (margarita and vodka collins) they put in the most girly of girliest cups ever! I was super embarrassed. The drinks are quite strong. The HH food deals are decent deals, nothing special. Service is pretty good. HH deals are 4 stars, but the food here deserves 3 stars. I'm more concerned about food so I'm staying with 3 stars!
(3)
Katie L.

Taco Tuesday at this joint rocks! Fresh-made tortillas with a yummy assortment of meats and salsas... paired with a Cadillac margarita that's to die for! ... need I say more?
(3)
Evett O.

Came here with co -workers to celebrate a colleagues 5 year anniversary... The ONLY plus is that it was right down the street from where we work... other than that everything was a definite negativ-o! So to start... we made reservations the day before... but for some reason it didn't matter and we still had a wait at least 10 minutes before getting seated! (mind you we are all on our lunch break here) Surprisingly it was very busy... so MAYBE that had to do with the horrible service.... but after we ordered our food... thank goodness for the salsa and chips because it took FOREVER for all the food to come out. Finally after waiting a good 30 minutes, all the hot dishes came out... then one salad would come out every 5 minutes thereafter. When everyone got their food... all the hot dishes were cold but we were all happy that we could finally eat. The quality of the food wasn't horrible... but i would definitely not come back just for the food (and especially not the service). I think it its COMPLETELY worth spending the extra bucks and going to the El Torito Grill on Main street, because honestly this El Torito is janky! Even the bathrooms were gross! They were upstairs in nowheres-ville and you had to cut through a private party's seating area just to pee! Alright, back to the food... So several of us ordered the combination plates 5 & 6 #5- Enchilada, chile relleno & a crispy taco #6- Enchilada, tamale & a crispy taco Some of the negativ-o's 1- Nobody got their crispy taco... and when one of us asked where the tacos were... the waiter said he would check on them... then only brought out 1 taco for the person who asked where the taco was even though 4 others needed their tacos too. Nobody wanted to bother since that would probably take another 15 minutes. 2- I ordered the carnitas tamale and they gave me the chicken instead. So overall... my advice is: 1- Don't go during your lunch hour as this lunch took nearly 2.5 hours ( 8 people) 2-Lunch reservations seem obsolete... but maybe it wont hurt as there were people waiting to get seated 3- Don't order 4 salads at one table... it will take 20 minutes for everyone to get their salad. 4- Try not to drink a lot... you DONT want to use their bathroom! 5- If you dont see your crispy taco when you get your meal... ask for it immediately as it will take about 15 minutes for them to bring it to you! 6. Don't go when they are busy! or 7. Just go to El Torito Grill!
(1)
Daniel S.

Visited with a few friends for Taco Tuesday. Get here early because it gets busy with limited seating. Tacos are very small and only the choice of chicken or steak. Drinks menu is limited.
(3)
Ashia B.

Why five star??? The service was incredible!!!! I usually have high expectations when it comes to service when I go out to eat. The service this place has to offer nearly blew me away. I Was in the area for a business trip, we got there close to closing time, nobody rushed us to order, the food was amazing- very fresh (chefs special- halibut) The staff made us feel welcomed,very friendly and helpful!! Def recommend this place!
(5)
Denny K.

I've dine her a few times mainly for lunch, but have not been back for at least 3 years. The last time I ate here I got food poisoning and was sick for 24 hours. I don't want to have that feeling again. The food and place in terms of cleanliness is not up to par for me. Never been back and never plan to go back even though I see the ads and deals once in a while in the OC Register.
(1)
Van P.

EW THIS PLACE GAVE ME A FAT BITCHIN TUMMY ACHE a few days ago on taco tuesday. I came here on Tues with a bunch of my pretty bitches for taco tuesday. It's tradition for us to go to a El Torito (usually the Tustin one off of 17th streeth) for taco tuesday and get wasted off our asses. DAMN THEM MARGARITAS. Speaking of which, the margaritas here are PUSSY but hey you cant beat their $3 cadillac margaritas. YUMMMM. soo good but so weak. whatevs. This one off of Macarthur...I've had some pretty lame experiences with their staff. SLOW. RETARDED. NOT VERY ACCOMODATING. They won't let you sit in the dining area for happy hours and taco tuesday; you would have to sit in the tiny, claustrophobic space of the cantina. YIKES. That's not very fun when you have no walking space and the guy next to you (LITERALLY) is wasted with a mouthful of chewed up beef screaming at the TV cuz the LAKERS just shot a bomb ass 3 pointer. GROSS. Our waitress in the cantina though was VERY HELPFUL and nice. She had to put up with our party, and our party of pretty bitches are usually hard to pleasure. HARD. PLEASURE. hehe. jk ANYWAYS last time I was here, the waiter in the dining area was retarded. He barely checked up on us. UHH I WANT MY 4TH CADDY MARGARITA. DONDE ESTAS CAMARERO? Anyways, the food here is whatevs. It's not that great. I just come here for the margaritas. Their tacos are GOOD I must admit but they gave me a tummy ache =( kawawa =( I have ordered their foods off of the menus, and its mediocre franchised mexican food. If you want AUTHENTIC mexican food, I'd suggest going to ALERTOS. MMMM YUMM. OH BTW. Tacos are 99 cents each. CADILLAC margaritas are $3.25. Regular pussy margaritas are $3. Pretty much all the drinks are 3 bucks during happy hour. HAAYYYYY =) SOOOOO COME HERE FOR THEIR HAPPY HOUR MARGARITAS. SO CHEAP. SO GOOD. SO WEAK. WHATEVER YOU'RE DRUNK ALREADY BITCH. ORDER YOUR 6TH ONE !
(3)
Kathleen C.

I've only been here for their happy hour. Their tortillas are hand made!! The tortillas are very chewy and good. Out of the three meats, steak, chicken, carnita, my personal favorite is the carnitas. The meat is very tender, juicy, and very flavorful. I really like that at the taco bar, they offer the mexican cheese!! Its soo good. I also always get their mango margarita with cuervo. If you get the $3 margarita, its just from the margarita mix. But for a $1 upgrade, you get the cuervo! So I think its worth the upgrade :)
(3)
Joann T.

I've only been here for taco tuesdays, being the cheap self I am. I have to say, I'm usually not a fan of tacos, but their $1 tacos are amazingly tasty (especially their steak tacos) Plus $3 Margaritas during happy hour, who could ask for more??
(4)
David H.

Review would be better if the food would have been a reasonable price. Quesadillas for $14 even in Irvine is too high for lunch. Service was very good and the warm tortillas they make in house were superb. Try it out if you don't mind spending $20 a person for lunch.
(3)

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Address : 18512 Macarthur Blvd
Irvine, CA, 92612
Phone (949) 833-8230
Website https://www.eltorito.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:00 am - 11

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Brunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Loud
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Mon, Tue, Wed
Coat Check : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

Claim Restaurant

Mexican Cuisine

If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.

Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.

Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.

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El Torito

18512 Macarthur Blvd, Irvine, CA, 92612

El Torito Menu

Antojitos

Sopa Y Ensaladas

Fajitas Grandes

Favoritos De Mexico

Combinaciones

Enchiladas Y Burritos

A La Carta

Postres

Healthy Meal suggestions for El Torito

Antojitos

Sopa Y Ensaladas

Fajitas Grandes

Favoritos De Mexico

Combinaciones

Enchiladas Y Burritos

A La Carta

Postres

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