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    El Torito

    4.2 (1.7k reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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    Business Info

    EL TORITO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - El Torito

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    Birria taco and chicken enchilada combo
    Karen N.

    I'm happy that we still have the 1 location left in San Diego, because after that I think the closest one is Irvine. I'm not here that often, I usually come when they offer me something. My favorite thing is the corn pudding that comes with some of the entrees. It's like cornbread that wasn't cooked the whole way. I remember they came out with a bagged mix you could get at grocery stores, and we used to get that. This time I ordered the queso for $4 on happy hour, and a 2 item combo with a barbacoa taco and a chicken enchilada. It was really good, and I ended up taking half of it home. I ate it a few days later, and it still tasted good. Service was pretty fast, and Rachel my waitress was nice. They weren't super busy because it was a little before 5 on a Friday.

    Al Pastor Tacos, Rice and Beans
    Vivian

    This review reflects their Sunday Brunch. For $45 per person, you get to experience El Torito's Sunday buffet brunch from 9AM to 2PM. We got there around 10AM. Upon walking in, we kind of played eye tag with a male host or manager who didn't acknowledge us right away. It wasn't until a female host, who was clearly busy running around, came over and found us a table. The layout of this place honestly feels like a maze. There are ramps, stairs, arches. It almost felt like a fever dream walking through it. There's a ton of seating though. Booths, tables, patio seating, bar seating, and it definitely looks like they can host large parties or corporate events. The brunch is all you can eat buffet style with different sections throughout the restaurant. In the main middle area, there's a taco station with meats like birria, carnitas, pastor, and pollo. There are trays of breakfast items like waffles and bacon. Lunch options like mole, chile relleno, enchiladas, and more. In the back of that section is dessert with flan, ice cream, a chocolate fountain, rice pudding, and other sweets. There's also an omelette station where a chef makes it fresh based on your ingredient choices. That area gets crowded fast. There isn't really a clear place to stand and wait, so you end up kind of being in someone's way. Near the entrance, there are three additional tables. One is more kid friendly with mini corn dogs, macaroni and cheese, chicken tenders, cereal, milk, and yogurt. Another has drink dispensers with horchata, jamaica, and another agua fresca. The third has coffee and hot chocolate. On the left side near the bar, there are three more tables. One with pozole and menudo. One salad station with pre made salads and build your own options. The last one features seafood like shrimp ceviche, aguachile, seafood soup, chilled shrimp, and more. Drinks are included with the brunch. Our server was very kind and attentive. He cleared plates quickly and checked in throughout the meal. Most of what I ate was actually really good. Standouts for me were the carnitas. Super flavorful and not dry. I made tacos with fresh onions, cilantro, and this orange crema based salsa that paired really well. The sweet cornbread was also a hit. Moist with real corn baked in. I went back for that. The salad station impressed me too. Their green, maybe cilantro lime salsa tasted so fresh I genuinely wondered if it was made in house. The waffle with honey butter was also a solid choice. Things that didn't hit the mark for me were the menudo, which felt bland and lacked depth. The chocolate fountain was fun but the chocolate itself wasn't great. The horchata tasted like sugar water. The al pastor meat was a little too salty for me. Overall, I think $45 is a bit steep for what you get. There's a lot of food and a good amount of variety, but the selection doesn't rotate much, so I could see getting tired of it. I might come back occasionally, but not often.

    Mexican food for dinner!!!
    Alice M.

    Haven't been here for a while we came here for the dinner service around 6:30pm and surprisingly there was no wait in line with many parkings outside right in front on Sunday evening. The music was pretty good and loud. I used my Shazam a lot and saved it to my mexican playlist. Very good place for celebration. The decor was also nice. You can tell they are about to get ready for Cinco de Mayo. The restaurant was a little too cold for my liking. The presentation was cool for the flaming fajitas. The flames went up really high. The food portion here is very generous and it tasted freshly grilled. Our server was nice and since it was my birthday she removed the dessert from our bill. Thank you for the special evening El Torito!

    Chips, salsa and Fresh Guacamole
    Christopher C.

    Came here on a Sunday evening and was seated right away. The vibe was cool and I liked the music but it was a little on the loud side. The salsa, guacamole and chips were on point. My main course was tasty but the crispy flautas weren't crispy.

    Maya H.

    Our waiter, Sergio, is amazing!! He's so attentive and give great recommendations!! We went during Happy Hour and the menu is great! We got a couple of drinks and some snacks!! I'm also addicted to their corn bread. I've been a fan for over 20 years!! I've taken my kids here since they are small and now they can drink. I haven't been to the weekend brunch in a while and need to come back to try it again. The place still looks the same with lively music. It's such a chill and fun place to go with your friends and family. Great happy hour prices and delicious margarita . Will come back again with my friends and family. I hope Sergio will be our server. He's the best server!! Great attitude and vibe!! Give him a raise, El Torito

    Steak
    Hanafi M.

    Always delicious, try the sweet corn, it's sure to put a smile on your face. Plenty of terrific parking. On Sunday, May 3rd, they are having an all-you-can-eat for Cinco de Mayo

    Excellent chips and salsa!
    Gina C.

    Gilberto is an amazing server. Highly recommend sitting in his section! He makes you feel like your family. Excellent food and amazing service! Must try the deep fried ice cream! The salsa is excellent. Food is outstanding!

    Dining room area.
    Simeko O.

    Wow! what a surprise! El Torito's in La Mesa was going off tonight. We showed up for dinner not expecting too much, and to our shock, happy hour was running from 3 PM to 9 PM. So of course, I had to start with a margarita flight and follow it up with a draft beer. So good. My chicken enchiladas with sour cream were delicious, and the music and ambience were upbeat and fun. Our server was super friendly, and the food came out hot, fresh, and honestly way better than my last visit. Huge difference this time around. I'm giving this place five stars for the lively atmosphere, friendly service from JORGE, excellent food, and great prices. If you're in the area and want something fun and a little different, definitely stop by El Torito's in La Mesa.

    Post demolish soup. Hearty with veggies.
    K B.

    El Torito Review (update 10/25) - solid 3.7 Although El Torito isn't traditional Mexican food, there's still a lot to like when you dine here. This visit, I came in for a light meal--chicken tortilla soup, bottomless chips and salsa, and of course, their signature margarita. I decided to switch things up and tried the Raspberry Lemon Drop, which was part of the happy hour special. Great choice! Heads up on the tortilla soup: It's actually a vegetable tortilla soup. The bowl includes potatoes, zucchini, and squash, giving it a thicker, more filling texture than I expected. The broth itself was rich and flavorful, though if you're not a fan of cheese, I recommend asking them to go easy. I arrived around 7:30 PM on a Saturday night and was pleasantly surprised, no wait time for bar or table seating. Overall, El Torito delivers solid flavors, generous portions, and good vibes for casual dining, especially if you catch happy hour.

    Fernanda M.

    This place had us skeptical walking in. It looked like a ghost town, not many people and then a waiter dropped a bunch of things on the floor and well we were regretting our choice. Then none of the beers my husband wanted they had since they ran out. At that point we were second guessing eating there at all but we chose to do the family fajitas and queso quemado and all the food was good! Really good! And service was really good too! The waiter was super nice. They had good music playing too!

    Steak and chorizo tacos, queso, and nachos supremes
    Jordyn S.

    The happy hour menu had a great selection of items for reasonable prices. Got the steak and chorizo tacos and queso from the happy hour menu and then some nachos off the main menu. The service was great and they kept our free chips and salsa flowing. The free starter salsa was fresh, almost like a pico. They allow in kind for payments which is a win in my book. The food was your standard chain restaurant Mexican food, but great value overall.

    Margaritas
    Melanie M.

    My friend and I came here for the first time the other day. Happy hour is 3-9pm M-F. Everything is $10 or less & the food portions are huge. The chips & salsa are complimentary. The queso was good. I liked the mango & blackberry marg from the flight but the regular one was watered down. The jalapeño cucumber marg was strong but really delicious. The chicken flautas were good with the different sauces. One was a creamy chipotle sauce & the other was a sweet one. I had leftovers after eating lots of chips & dip. Service was ok.

    Watermelon mimosa
    vadis m.

    Gilberto was absolutely AMAZING. Great attitude and made the experience wonderful. Food was good and the champagne was flowing. Will be back!

    Carne asada fries, elote

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    1 year ago

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    9 months ago

    Food prices are way overpriced. Service very slow. Waiter was terrible. Was not attentive to my table.

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    3 years ago

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    10 months ago

    I love this restaurant! I've been eating here all my life. Gilberto is our favorite waiter!

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    1 year ago

    Wonderful place for happy hour, phenomenal prices on drinks and food is awesome. Rolling now.

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    4 years ago

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    Janelle O.

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    1 year ago

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    8 months ago

    Loved the Sunday brunch! Gilberto was our waiter and he was so great and full of energy!

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    8 months ago

    Gilberto was AMAZING ..BEST server ever! He was on the mimosa refill! Food was great!

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    Jessica S.

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    8 months ago

    We made reservations for a party of five. We get there I just felt they were understaffed they didn't care we waited we left.

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    Karolina T.

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    1 year ago

    Came in on a Tuesday. Our server, Gilberto was incredible and attentive. Thoroughly enjoyed our meal.

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    Karolina T.

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    1 year ago

    Pedro and Jacky were very nice. Food was Great. Service was good. Will go back again.

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    1 year ago

    Gilberto was our waiter, & he was very attentive & friendly. He has been our waiter before, & he's the best

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    Page 5 of 42

    El Torito Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Torito

    What is the 2026 Sunday Brunch price?

    39.50 for the full brunch sunday

    Sunday brunch price?

    We went on Sunday, Sept 29, 2024 and the brunch price was $37.50 for adults and I think it was $13.00 for kids.

    Does the staff still serve the food for the all-you-can-eat brunch or are patrons able to serve themselves now? Last time I went, the staff served the food for brunch but that was not long after COVID dine-in restrictions were implemented.

    You serve yourself. Go It's a good brunch. You'll like it

    Has the La Mesa CA location closed permanently?😳?

    It was open as of last week so it should be!

    Is the Buffet only on the Weekend or is it on Fridays too?

    Only on Sundays

    Do you allow dogs in the outdoor area?

    Yes

    Can reservations be made for the Sunday brunch or first come first serve? Is there a bottomless…

    Yes. Reservations. Yes Bottomless mimosas

    Is Brunch on Sat and Sun?

    Yes, both brunch are on the weekend. The only thing about Sunday's brunch is that it's all you can eat.

    Do they have a bar? Or place for dancing?

    tHE BAR IS TO THE LEFT OF THE ENTRANCE. hOWEVER, THERE IS NO DANCING.

    How much is the Sunday Brunch Buffet?

    As of March 2022, about $30.

    Do you serve menudo?

    Hi Fred. We do have Menudo available on our Sunday Brunch.

    Is the Brunch open?

    Yes

    Is one in la Puente california?

    No, this one is in La Mesa California (East San Diego area) There is one at 3133 E Garvey Ave N,… Read more

    Is there happy hour? Also, I'm disappoinment to see the Plaza Bonita location closed. Even though it's been years, I still miss it. It was so near my house😕

    Yes they have happy hour. And when I went a couple months ago they had happy hour on Sunday as well, 3-7 I believe. But of course call to check for current deals.

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    Casa Gabriela

    Casa Gabriela

    4.2
    (855 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    I had been meaning to visit this place for a while and I am so happy I got the chance. We were able…read moreto sit in the outdoor area which is just as nice as the pictures on here suggest. Not only was all the food amazing, but the portions were generous and made for some great leftovers. My parents were in town so we were out to dinner together and we all got different dishes and each one was better than the next. The quesadilla was probably the best thing we had. Our server was attentive and quick while still giving time to be friendly. When they were out of a couple items for the drinks we wanted, she was ready with alternatives and always offered to at least double check in case there was something they could do. My dad even got a little preview of a new version of their Old Fashioned since they were in the process of phasing out the old one and were out of one of the ingredients.

    This was my first time visiting Casa Gabriela. I saw the menu and it looked really yummy. The major…read moredraw was the Cafe de Olla. I had to order it. It came with a yummy almond galleta dusted with powdered sugar. The coffee was perfect. I dipped my cookie in my coffee and truly it was the perfect bite plus perfect treat as I waited for my food because I was HUNGRY! Our food took a while to arrive it was a Saturday morning at brunch but it wasn't crowded. The wait was the kind of wait you do where you look at the tables around you to see who has food and who doesn't and wonder what was the seating order of the folks around you and if they got their food before you and why. So when my food arrived I was sooooo ready! I ordered the chorizo and crispy potatoes burrito. It looked great when it arrived! I strategically cut my burrito about a quarter of the way in. I knew I would at least eat a quarter but I knew I definitely wouldn't eat the whole thing and I didn't want to waste a perfectly good bite on all tortilla. I cut my burrito and put a bite on my fork and as I put my food in my mouth I looked down and find a long curly hair. To say I was disappointed was an understatement. I was disappointed for several reasons. 1. The bite I took was all egg and tortilla. No cheese no chorizo no potato. 2. I was starving! And 3. I knew I wasn't going to have anything to eat until after the other two people I was with finished eating and I could go somewhere else to get food. I didn't let it damper my mood. I showed the waiter who was very apologetic and took my plate away. When he walked away. It hit me I didn't tell him to not bring me anything else because I was going to eat a remade burrito. So I got his attention because I didn't want them to waste anymore food. Here is what I will say. To replace my food, I was given a pastry platter that was AMAZINGLY good! The concha was legit the best I've ever eaten. The banana bread was delicious with delicious toasted pecans which added a caramelized texture to the banana bread! No joke, it was so good. What I will also say is that I was visited with no less than 3 people including Gabriela herself who was absolutely apologetic about my experience and assured me it wouldn't happen again. What's also nice is that I wasn't charged for the food I ate which believe it or not has happened to me before MANY years ago. My peeps whom I was with absolutely loved their food. One had the Sopes and the other had the huevos rancheros. So while I have to be honest about my review, I really think this was a one off mistake and at the very least I would highly suggest ordering cafecito and pastries from Casa Gabriela!

    Photos
    Chicken Tinga Empanadas
    Chicken Tinga Empanadas
    Main dining room
    Main dining room
    Lobster & Black bean Chipotle Flautas

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    Lobster & Black bean Chipotle Flautas
    Casa De Pico

    Casa De Pico

    3.8
    (2k reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    To start off our server was super friendly and gave us chips and salsa to begin with. We love that…read moreit comes with free refills because the chips tasted so fresh and salsa was also very tasty, just wish it had a little kick of spice! I got the Chicken Enchiladas, it came with a side of black beans. I loved their verde sauce that the enchiladas are smothered in, both the sauce and chicken had amazing flavor. Sauce was citrusy which I loved in a verde chili, overall Id definitely order it again. My boyfriend ordered the Huevos Rancheros which came with a side of beans, rice and flour tortillas. I didnt taste it but it looked amazing and my boyfriend enjoyed it as well, he finished every bite! I got to try his fresh flour tortillas and they were very tasty as well, I love how fresh everything is! Ambience inside was gorgeous and really love how festive it looked.

    My best friend and I came here today to have a girl date. We ordered a shot, a margarita, and an…read moreappetizer. We were having great conversation and catching up, just the normal things you do when you have a "girl date". Anyways, we ordered another shot to take as we were vibing out and enjoying our ceviche when we were told that "we've had too much", since we had not yet ordered our entrees. I have been here more than 20xs in the last 6 months. I've been HAMMERED, I've been sober, you get the point. Never once have I been told of this "policy". Never once have I been cut off or warned. From the second we got here, the bartender was rude. He wasn't the main bartender, but that's neither here nor there. Every interaction we had, he never made eye contact, never engaged, never NOT seemed annoyed to be there. Anyways, after being told that we needed to order entrees before we were able to get another beverage, I asked to speak to the manager. She came over a few minutes later trying to explain responsible service to us...my best friend and I are bartenders and have been since we were in our 20's. We're now in our 40's and are not sloppy. Anyways!! I am not sure where this came from; had we been acting intoxicated and embarrassing, not another word would have been said. We would have left with our tails tucked and many apologies would have been given. We will never go back. This "policy" has never been enforced in all of the times I have patronized the restaurant, and this fully ruined our evening. We understand responsible service and how to appropriately gauge a customer's level of intoxication and never once were we acting in a manner that would warrant such actions from their employees. Very disappointed by this experience.

    Photos
    Casa De Pico
    Pico's Chimichanga
    Pico's Chimichanga
    Mochisimos Taquitos

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    Mochisimos Taquitos
    La Posta De Acapulco

    La Posta De Acapulco

    4.4
    (288 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $

    Saw an instagram review and wanted to check out this place. I had the California burrito and it was…read morereally good, one of my favorites so far. The service was quick and friendly. The ambience is your typical home-in-the-wall kind of place...clean, comfortable, but minimalist. I'd rather go to a place like this where the primary focus is the food.

    I've always come to this restaurant because the food is good…read more However, on certain nights they say they only accept cash, and I had a concerning experience: I was charged $60 in cash, but when I asked for a receipt, the total showed $48. Tonight, the same employee again said it was cash only and that the machine was down when I asked why this happens on certain nights. However, he later proceeded to let me pay with a card, which made the situation feel inconsistent and unclear. I recommend being cautious and double-checking your total, especially if paying in cash. Siempre he venido a este restaurante porque la comida es buena. Sin embargo, en ciertas noches dicen que solo aceptan efectivo, y tuve una experiencia preocupante: me cobraron $60 en efectivo, pero cuando pedí el recibo, el total era $48. Hoy, el mismo empleado volvió a decir que solo aceptaban efectivo y que la máquina no funcionaba cuando le pregunté por qué en algunas noches es así. Sin embargo, después me permitió pagar con tarjeta, lo cual hizo que la situación se sintiera inconsistente y poco clara. Recomiendo tener precaución y revisar bien su cuenta, especialmente si pagan en efectivo.

    Photos
    Menu
    Menu
    #10
    #10
    Sore front

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    Sore front

    El Torito - mexican - Updated July 2026

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