El Torito

There Brunch is overrated and overpriced. I use to go to El Torito Grille in Newport for Brunch and it was amazing. This place is not up to par. I do like going here for their Happy Hour.

First time at this location. The nachos were stale. They were genuine but not fresh. The regular chips and salsa were more like they should. The server was very slow and did not check with us how things were going. When he did come and heard about ye stale nachos, he didn’t offer to do anything about it. We decided not to even order main entrées. The nachos lowered our apetite.

Service. Horrible, too slow, too sloppy
Guacamole. A day old (I hope)
For only having 3other customers there. It seemed as if the whole place was full of people.

Had take out today and the new host struggled a little bit but he was pleasant. The manager helped him server and bag the take out food so that was great. We got everything we ordered correctly and with a smile. The Chef Jesus came out to say hi and he was extremely friendly, making sure everything was great. Overall the restaurant was clean, organized and ready for the night rush. Restrooms were clean and smelled great too. I liked the bar back display with the lights and glass. The bartender was the first one to say hello to us and she was very nice directing us and communicating to her team that we were here. Very good visit! Thanks everyone.

I like coming every two weeks its close to me, and can’t complain about the food, drinks are on point
Never had Anny issue with the food, customer service at all
If I did best believe I’ll tell you in your face
Over all good place to get a quick bite

Being the Director of HR for a family owned restaurant that has been in business for 93 years, I usually observe the staff at other restaurants when I go out to dinner. As I tell our employees you never know who you’re going to be serving. I’d like to acknowledge Robert M. Server at EL Torito and say «Thank you» for being pleasant and attentive to us. You provided great service! The kitchen crew Rocked! The Fajitas were delicious!!!

I love El Torito, but not this location.
Service started out great, a nice lady took our drink order and brought us chips and salsa. After we got our drinks, a man came out and asked if we were ready to order, he was nice at first. After we ordered, it only took about 15 – 20 minutes for it to all come out. I ordered their Steak Fajita which is marinated in this really yummy chipotle type of sauce before cooking and the meat really keeps that flavor after cooked. Meat was tender and cooked perfectly. However I am the sauce queen, I love to dip almost everything in a sauce and I have had their shrimp fajitas before which comes with this jalapeño garlic butter sauce — so I asked the man who brought out our food if I could get a side of that. This is where problems started.
First off the man who brought out our food I believe was one of the chefs so I’m not sure if they are or aren’t supposed to ask us if we needed anything else but as far as I am concerned he could have delivered the message to our waiter that I wanted something else. Anyway, here’s how the conversation went.
Me: Thank you! Can I get a side of the butter sauce that comes with the shrimp fajitas?
Him: You want butter? Ok!
Me: Not just plain butter, I would like the butter sauce that comes with the shrimp fajitas please.
Him:
Me:
Him: Uhhhhh
Me: The butter you use for the shrimp fajitas that you cook, there’s a butter sauce, it’s a jalapeño butter sauce.
Him: *rolls eyes, gives dirty look and walks away*
ARE U KIDDING? You are the damn chef and 1) you have no idea what sauce I am talking about even though you cook it & 2) you are rolling your eyes at a customer? Blows my mind.
About 10 minutes pass by and our waiter comes out, here’s how that conversation went.
Him: Hi you want butter sauce?
Me: Yes, the one that comes with the shrimp fajitas.
Him: … oooookkaay???
Me:
Him: *walks away smiling*
I am not asking for anything difficult, what is the problem?! Put me in the kitchen and it’ll take me 2 damn minutes to make that sauce. Anyway, it was extremely rude and after I got that sauce the service fell apart. We didn’t see our waiter for a long time after that and it took him forever to bring out things we were asking for.
Anyway, my fajitas were 5 stars, the rice was cold even though my fajitas was sizzling hot, the sweet corn was good but soggy, the vegetables were good and most of all that butter sauce was 5 stars as well, lol. But the service and how I was treated was 0 stars in my book.
Honestly I will probably return to this location because it’s close and I love the fajitas but I’ll probably take it to go.

I have been coming to this El Torito for many years and decided to try their Sunday Brunch. On Mother’s Day.
Disaster! Weeknights were good but the Sunday Brunch was disorganized and chaos. There were no lines to serve yourself your food. You just jumped here and there, where ever you wanted. Twice I walked over to the buffet to get enchiladas and the tray was empty each time. Other trays were also empty each time I looked. The egg omelet line was so long, I did not even bother. Needless to say, my wife and I did not eat.
The two star rating is for the server who only charged us for 1 buffet though two of our party did eat. He was very apologetic though the situation was not his fault. We may still dine here though on weeknights, not on Sundays.

SERVICE SUCKS! We’ve come here three times and each time we have to wait a while flag down a waiter and have terrible service. The last time we were just about to walk out after asking three different people for a waiter before we got service. Taco Tuesday tacos are good.

To be honest, I been coming to this El Torito since I was a small kid and I always loved it. Don’t get me wrong I have had some bad customer service and dealing with some bad managers that have came and gone but overall my rating stands due to outstanding service over the years.
Eduardo is my number one recommendation to go to. He is the definition of an amazing waiter that I can count on. He knows my order, my family’s order, and he knows how to perform his job in amazing job. I have had him for many years now and he is great. He always checks on me and my food and the overall experience.
I have had other great waiters but he is at the top of my list and you should request him. Please leave good tips for the waiters, they go above and beyond.

Pretty good.
I went on Taco Tuesday and got the all you can eat Tacos for $ 10. They came out 3 street style tacos at a time. I could only eat 3. They were small, normal street cart style tacos.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit this El Torito since I was a kid (I’m now in my mid-​30s), and it’s still my favorite place to go. In fact, my family has had two weddings at this location.
It has great quality food and an incredibly nice staff. I have yet to order something and be disappointed, and if you join their e-​club, they send you deals (such as BOGO) that make dining there easier on your wallet. Try the sizzling enchiladas!

This place is awesome for brunch and if you want to be taken care of make sure you ask for Roberto he is amazing and I promise you will never see the bottom of your champagne glass!

Came in with some friends for the Sunday brunch. There is a great selection of food and it always tastes amazing. My favorites are the omelettes. It’s always the same guy making them (wish I knew his name) and he can put on quite a show flipping those things. He’s friendly and always up for conversation.
I was a little worried this visit because it was quite busy and we got seated a bit hidden from servers’ view. However, our server Roberto was truly the star of the show. He was very friendly and had us laughing at an occasional joke throughout the experience. Very charismatic yet professional and never ever let our mimosas run low. As a Mexican who takes pride in my heritage, I admire Roberto for his hard work and friendliness. It is reminiscent of the great Mexican culture that El Torito strives to embody.

I’m a big fan of El Torito but not this location.
Grease taste like it has been reused 3 to many times, yes you can taste that in their chips every time. Really disgusting, as its a bitter taste.
A friend loves Mexican food and insists we go here.
If you have a good sense of taste you can actually tell.
Food is so, so. I think over priced for what you get. I prefer authentic Mexican food than American style. Yet this is a choice.
This is when the dishes are made slightly different than the average Mexican food style.
Taste and decide, go during lunch to try, and save yourself on the high dinner menu prices for what they deliver. Or do happy hour.

I only come here for the weekend brunch scene. For a little under $ 40 you get bottomless mimosas and a great brunch that includes a wide variety of selection like menudo, pozole, a selection of fruit, waffles and churros that can be topped off w/​apple pie filling, whipped cream, or caramel sauce, enchiladas, corn soufflé, huevos rancheros and more! There’s a taco lady making tortillas and serving up asada, chicken or carnitas tacos and an omelet station! Did I say bottomless mimosas?
The only downfall is that I wish that they would change out the oil. :(It’s no fun when the enchiladas taste like the churros and the churros taste like a mouthful of yesterday’s deep fryer. If you’re intent is to save on costs, you’re setting yourselves up for failure. You’re not fooling anyone and your food becomes inedible just going to waste. :(Save the churros. They didn’t do anything to deserve this treatment… Not even the countless bottomless mimosas were able mask that rancid, old and burnt oil taste. Thou shalt change the oil. Thanks.

Came here hungry after a total disappointment over at Mandarian Bay, tonight was even worster. I ordered the following
3 Chicken Tacos ²⁄₅ even though the corn tortilla was made fresh it didn’t had any impact to get a higher ratings.
3 Asada Tacos ²⁄₅ the asada meat was cold.
Arnold Palmer ¹⁄₅ this is the most watered down drink I’ve ever had.
Fiesta Party Platter ²⁄₅ here is the break down.
Buffalo Wings ³⁄₅ it was ok
Cheese quesadilla ³⁄₅ simple and delicious.
Nachos ²⁄₅ some of their chips is rocked hard so watch out.
Chicken Flautas ²⁄₅ it came out soggy and couldn’t taste the real flavor of it because they put a lot of the cotija cheese.
Chips & Salsa ⁴⁄₅ pretty good.
Service ⁵⁄₅ despite the lacking flavors of my food and drink the Manager with the blonde hair highlights was a total sweet heart she took care all of my tab for me even though I insist paying for everything except for the drink she closed my tab and wanted me to have a better experience next time I come in.
EL Torito use to be good back in the old days the food & drinks won’t have me coming back anytime soon. If you’re a nachos lover or a rolled tacos fan try Los Sanchez in Garden Grove. Also thanks again to the female manager that worked on 01/​19/​2016 around 6PM your generosity will have me coming back in next time when I’m thinking of El Torito.

Been coming to El Torito for years. For Mexican chain restaurants they have my favorite salsa, Caesar salad, and fajitas. Most meals come with a scoop of heaven: sweet corn bread. Some of the newer dishes have been very spicy but maybe I am just a wimp. Tonight I got the Chicken and Sour Cream Enchiladas. Very good. Overall a little expensive but the food is good.

I have been a regular here for 10 years, I love their happy hour margaritas and the free chips salsa have always been phenomenal.
Past few visits the fajitas we ordered were dry and the carne asada was too chewy, I felt like I was going to have my teeth pulled out trying to chew it! but yesterday fajitas were so so perfect, the beef was tender and juicy, the chicken fajitas was nicely grilled.
We had to wait a little long for the food to come but we had the best fajitas ever and were so happy, it was worth the wait.
I would have rated El Torito a 5 stars except the margarita had some after taste from the mix, usually I love the fresh taste of lime in the margarita, perhaps they ran out of lime yesterday.
I would still rate this a solid 4.5 stars for the value, location and overall ambiance.
I highly recommend this restaurant and cantina for birthdays, graduation parties, etc. we came here for a family mini reunion and birthdays. Olé! Ay chihuahua!

El Torito offers pretty average Mexican food. I wouldn’t choose to come here, but my family likes it. They have specials each day. For Taco Tuesdays in the bar you can get street tacos freshly made for $ 1.50 a piece. You wait in line, and a woman will make your tacos and give you a receipt with the number of tacos. If you sit in the dining room you can order AYCE tacos which they serve to you, along with a side of rice and beans.
The food is a bit bland to me, but on this specific visit I ordered the Tableside Guacamole which was very fresh, and the Sizzling Enchiladas. The chicken inside was nicely cooked and I enjoyed the dish, but the guacamole that came on the side plate of rice and beans was literally the size of a scoop from a melon baller. Service is always lacking. We had a few people that ordered the AYCE and we were constantly looking for our waiter. Maybe the vibe in the bar area is better but the dining room felt pretty dismal. Overall not terrible food, but I would rather go elsewhere.