El Torito

Food is not great here, barely even decent for Mexican food! I like the location and atmosphere. Service was good, but the food just was not good. I’ve eaten here twice and I know I will never go back! Just a waste of money on bad Mexican food!

I prefer this one to the one across town, much cleaner and better service. The drinks are overpriced and the food is above average

My family and I came all the way to Riverside plaza exclusively to eat lunch at this restaurant and we are informed that they are not serving anything but brunch with costs $ 23. We are very upset because we wanted to order certain plates that are not included in brunch and not be forced to spend more money. Not coming back for sure! Going to Islands across the way.

It’s your typical Sunday brunch but the service was amazing. The hostess was very accommodating when we asked for a different table; and when our group size changed and needed to adjust our table, she smiled and helped adjust the tables.
Buffet is similar to most other restaurants but they had a few different items. Their food can be hit and miss but everything I ate was good… enjoyed their hand made corn tortillas, always a plus.
Our waiter, Fernando, was great… the staff was all nice but Fernando went above and beyond. We came to celebrate my father’s b-​day and Fernando was friendly, energetic and willing to serve. My father and Fernando seemed like two old friends reminiscing about Mazatlan, a beach city in Mexico…
The restaurant also had a duo and a balloon artist who walked around and offered their services to the guests. They aren’t employees of the restaurant but are allowed to roam the restaurant in case someone is interested in their services. Ashton, the balloon artist, was a hit with the kids, making them a dog and Leonardo, the TMNT. Amazing skills… thank you. The guitarist, or duo, was nice and came over to ask whose bday it was… singing las mananitas and happy bday to our dad. All in all it was an enjoyable birthday breakfast for dad.
The food was good… but the service was great and that alone would have me come back to this El Torito. Thank you!

Went to the bar to have a drink with my friend. The bartender did not even acknowledge our presence. Waiter walked by and not one word. We waited a few minutes and no one came up to take care of us. Place was not busy at all. It’s not like they were short staffed. A simple hello would have been nice. We walked out. Never coming back. Went to islands instead and we we’re promptly taken care of.

Friendly atmosphere, service took too long. My seafood fajitas were overcooked and my sister’s bull nachos made her stomach upset and she sent it back. First time going to El Torito and is the last.

Went in for the first time for brunch and it was Mother’s Day! I have to say I was pretty impressed with the set up. They had mariachis playing which was definitely a huge plus For me!
They had everything under the sun. Mexican and American food. Everything I tried was great! They have waffles that has a special topping called loco banana or something like that and it’s to die for! They were super packed and had a hard time keeping up with the plates at the buffet but that was the only negative on my visit.
All the staff had excellent customer service skills! Our drinks were always full which happened to be Mimosas and they brought extra orange juice the entire time.
Although there was a lot of hustle and bustle going on I felt they did an excellent job especially on a day like Mother’s Day!
Great job!
I’m definitely going back again.

I come here for the corn cake. It’s amazing! And good taco specials during the week.

Adding a star… This place has really stepped it up. The staff are friendly, the food is pretty tasty and it’s cleaner then before. We still always ask for Visente but even when he’s not there, the other servers are good.

Completely disappointed in Taco Tuesday. Stopped coming because it got bad. It’s now gone from bad to worse. Tacos are now $ 2. I assume because they added fish. Not sure. They’ve changed their tortilla recipe. They are thin, orange and full of salt. I gave 3 stars for the convenient location, clean restaurant and amazing waitresses. Hoping their Sunday Brunch hasn’t changed that much. Also wondering if all El Toritos are the same.

Went here for a birthday party and honestly, kind of a hastle. The place has a nice and friendly atmosphere and the food is delicious. However, the downside is that waiters are not assigned to tables so you have to flag them down for anything! I mean, if you wanted a refill of a cup of water or just to order any food, good luck waiting for some because the waiters walk really fast and can run past you.
However, when you get service, it’s really nice. For instance, another party was awaiting for our table because they had it on reserve for a time slot and so we were moved to another area. But, the manager felt bad and gave us all free ice cream on the house. Honestly, recommend dining here when there are less people (when there are less crowds and plan around that).

Went in for taco Tuesday not too long ago and the tacos were flat out disgusting. The meat had more fat and skin than anything else. We immediately let management know and told them we would not pay for such a horrible meal.

Service was mediocre. Staff seemed to be shorthanded and not very many patrons.
Waiter didnt write down beverage order and got a drink wrong, and brought no water.
We waited nearly 10 – 15 minutes for an extra salsa.
We had to ask for drink refill, napkins; And we had to ask another waiter for the salsa because our waiter never brought it.
Mexican Caesar salad is GOOD
Salsa good
Chicken Enchiladas not good
Tamales ok, green sauce too tangy
Cheeseburger for child was bland and seemed like a frozen patty.
They don’t serve a child size bean burrito at a Mexican restaurant.
2 childs meal, a salad, appetizer, a drink cost $ 36.
If the other waiters were as disconnected as ours, I would have fiven this restaurant 1 star.

Visited on March 16^th: This was my first time eating at this El Torito location. I was blown away by the exceptional service I received.
Right away we were given a table to sit at and the waiter arrived promptly to take our beverage order. Afterwards he came back with the drinks and 2 baskets of chips and 5 salsa bowls. Keep in mind this was me, my mom and 3 younger sisters.
We ordered right away– Me and mom share the Ignited 1800 Fajitas with flour tortillas.
2 sisters had a children’s hamburger
1 sister had 2 a la carte carne asada tacos
The most amazing part about the experience was how the waiter was constantly bringing us more chips and salsa. I absolutely love the whole unlimited chips and salsa deal so it was meeting my standards.
Our food arrived nice and hot and it was absolutely delicious. I always make sure to ask my waiter to bring lemon wedges and extra napkins before I eat. At this point I wanted more salsa to add to my fajitas and was promptly brought 3+ bowls. I was in shock! Never have I experienced such amazing service!
We all left completely satisfied and have made this our spot to eat whenever we’re craving flame grilled fajitas and unlimited chips and salsa!

Myriam provides the best service. You’re missing out, if, you don’t have Myriam as a server. She is very attentive and accurate with the order. I am leaving and already missing her.

Let me tell you that El Torito Riverside Plaza did themselves a favor when they hired Myriam. She makes great drinks has the best service and is always smiling :-) make sure when your in the area stop by ask for Myriam and you will not regret it. thanks Myriam for great drinks and service with a smile

I ordered the chicken torta and it was disgusting. The chicken was hard and not cooked properly, the bread was wet, and there was very little avocado on it. The fries looked old and they were super oily.

I went for taco Tuesday around 8 at night and the meat didn’t look so great but I ate it anyway it’s supposed to be fresh meat so right after I was finished btw I didn’t even finish my tacos but immediately I got sick and I was throwing up right when we got home… It’s been almost a week and I’m still sick with food poisoning. Horrible tacos and I called to complain and the manager was so rude to me he didn’t believe me at all

My wife and I stopped at El Torito for dinner this evening, it’s been a while since we’ve dined here and I’m happy to say that they’ve made many improvements since our last visit. The chips and salsa, the combo plate, and the fajita’s were delicious. What really made our evening special though was our waiter Juan. Juan’s enthusiasm and desire to provide excellent service was abundantly apparent from the moment he introduced himself, until we were walking out the door. We dine out a lot, and there are many great servers in Riverside, but Juan is exceptional.
5 stars to you El Torito at the Riverside Plaza, keep up the great work… we’ll be back soon.

On a busy Friday night, we got seated immediately, chips and salsa arrived quickly and so did the main course, but this Unilocal is mainly about the server. I hope a manager will read this, if not I’ll write to him personally.
We were lucky enough to be seated in an area where Juan was the server. He was everything a server should be: enthusiastic, happy and attentive. It’s rare to find this combination. He should be in charge of training new employees. Service like his makes one want to return.
As one who dines out often, Juan stands out head and shoulders above the rest in his profession.

Awesome food, great service! We had an issue with the food, and the manager fixed it right away; he was so kind!

Came here for their Sunday brunch. Never been before. Gotta say I’m really impressed. The food’s good. The service is spectacular. Everyone from the hostess to the girl that’s in charge of the mobile Bloody Mary cart was grade AAAA+++++… I was not expecting such a good experience. Highly recommend.

I absolutely love Mexican food and I have to say that the good here is decent. My husband and I shared the sizzling enchiladas with steak and it was delicious. It comes with beans, rice, and this ball of corn that was delicious! I also enjoyed the Jamaica here because it wasn’t too sweet and it wasn’t too tart either. I would give the food three stars and the service four stars!

I absolutely love Mexican food and I have to say that the good here is decent. My boyfriend I shared the sizzling enchiladas with steak and it was delicious. It comes with beans, rice, and this ball of corn that was delicious! I also enjoyed the Jamaica here because it wasn’t too sweet and it wasn’t too tart either. I would give the food three stars and the service four stars!

Do not go to this location. First off, the female manager is a liar. The server charged my card for the wrong table and when I questioned her about it, she gave me a BS excuse that it was a «pre-​authorization fee» hmmm nice try sweetheart but it’s illegal to charge a fee without consent. When I came down to the location to talk to the GM, Hugo, he was very pleasant and offered a free meal. I came back a week later and sat at the bar and against was disgusted. The female bartender was more interested in texting than her customer service. We had the 1800 fijas, which the onions and still not cooked all the way. Definitely never returning to this location. But thank you Hugo for being polite and I’m sorry you have to deal with a staff like yours.

The bartender Maria made the best Moscow Mule with tequila! It’s a must try! She was so great & I’ll definitely be back!

Crazy great brunch — much better than I remember from previous brunches here. They have really upped their brunch game. Server Cuco was awesome too. Very festive, friendly restaurant with awesome food.

This place is awesome is great for unlimited mimosas and great service! Cynthia the server and Hugo are amazing! On Saturday and Sunday they have a large buffet! Highly recommended!

I haven’t been here for a while for Sunday Brunch and I have to say it is even better since the last time I was here. Having our 1^st annual Xmas Party here and The best part of this Sunday Funday is our server who is the best. ZEEK who is very attentive and has been accommodating our needs. 100% great customer service. Very friendly, funny, and considerate!!!

The food here seems to bloat me and give me that «Damn, I wish I didn’t eat that feeling.» Considering the fact that they are part of a big chain they probably have prepared processed foods with msg and other flavor enhancers and fillers.
Not really a good value at all unless you go during a special day or happy hour.
The guacamole didnt taste good. So much for a mexican gourmet restaraunt…

So we went for Sunday brunch which was a buffet with a wide variety of foods and Surprisingly the food tasted really good and authentic loved the ambiance and the service although since it was a busy time was a little slow but over all great experience would definitely recommend if you’re a fan of Hispanic foods.
My favorite was the taco stand with a person hand making tortillas loved it!

El Torito will work in a culinary pinch and if you are in Riverside California, you are in a culinary pinch.
I will admit it, I ran out of options on the Unilocal mobile application and gave up. It has been years since my last El Torito stop and I thought I recalled it being decent and decent it is. The restaurant offers a clean and spacious bar area with polite but slow servers. The prices are quite elevated, especially for the locale ($ 14 fish tacos?). Want a quick and easy lunch I opted for the soup and salad combo which came up to $ 11.00 since it was after 2pm. Not the best value.
As for the cuisine? It was a modest affair at best. The Mexican Cesar Salad consisted of romaine, cotija cheese, tomatoes, pepitas and tortilla strips all tossed with a hybrid Cesar Dressing laced with Cilantro. The freshness of the ingredients was on par, but nowhere near impressive.
The Tortilla Soup fared about the same. The base of the soup is Chicken broth along with chicken meat thrown in for good measure, and handful of root vegetables and then jack cheese and sliced avocado round out the supporting cast. Again, good, not great.
I would not go out of my way for a return visit to El Torito (Or Riverside, CA for that matter) but at the same time I did not leave unhappy. A tweener 2 – 3 star review rounded up for the sake of mediocrity.

For a Sunday brunch this is the place to be. I sat at the bar and the bartender (Miriam) did an amazing job trying to accommodate everyone as far as drinks and changing the T.V. channels. Mind you when it comes to T.V. channels it’s first come first serve. Despite being the only bartender, she personally gave me a tour of the brunch. The brunch stations consisted of salads, omelets, burritos, tacos, pan dulce, Bloody Mary, etc… Hand made tortillas was the highlight!

El Torito has decent Mexican food. Not everything on their menu is good, but if you like a certain thing or have a craving for a certain dish, the food could disappoint, but probably not. The strawberry lemonade is pretty good, but I think it would be better with actual strawberries. The sweet corn bread that comes on the side of most dishes is very good too.
Service is a hit or a miss at El Torito. Most of the times it’s okay, but it could be awful. Today when I went in, my mom and I waited 3 minutes after we got our food to eat it because our waitress forgot to bring us utensils…
so I mean if you’re in the mood for decent Mexican food and you like «chain restaurants,» try this place out.

We had a birthday party here! This restaurant mainly serves Mexican food. It is a well kept up place. Everything was clean including the restrooms. The server was nice and pleasant with us. We asked our server to turn down the music. It was just a little too loud for casual conversation. He abridged and turned it down right away.
Our food came out quickly. I had a chicken burrito. It was very good. Everyone else had a good time and was very happy with the taste of the food and the service. Overall we had a very good time.