Here we go again....I've been there twice since my last review, the food was as expected but tonight...tonight was something special. Our server was awesome. The drinks came out fast and the food WAS good at the start...2 bites in and my wife got a small metal wire in her food. It was a little less than an inch and wavy, metal, like a bristle from a grill brush in the carnitas. We let the manager know. We didn't want or ask for anything in return, that's not us, not Karen's, not looking for a free meal or discounts but they should know there's metal wires in the food. They ended up giving us a discount and a free dessert to go, but thinking about it later, if my 2 young children (3 and 7) who were with us were the ones who ate that it might have gone differently. Its fair to say this will be our last visit. read more

Great birthday party for our girl!! Thanks Isaac for a great celebration!! You're a great waiter and brought so much laughter! read more

El Torito - Isaac, our waiter!! - Mexican Near Me - Milpitas, California

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My family and I had reservations for 10 people at El Torito's in Milpitas. When we called the day of to confirm the reservation they had canceled the reservation without any notice. When I asked why they canceled our reservation they would not provide a reason To accommodate the situation they said we would be able to dine at their location in Union City. They provided an address and phone number. I call the Union City location and it was not an El Torito's Restaurant. I called the San Leandro location and they were happy to accommodate us. Safe to say my family and I will not be dinning at the Milpitas location. I would want to give them a zero star if possible. read more

I'd like to start off by saying I attended a work luncheon back in 2017 where we had the buffet and I was quite pleased with the food. Last week, my co-workers and I went back for lunch and were thinking of going for the buffet ($15.50). We didn't see anything on the buffet table like enchiladas so we opted for a la carte. We all ordered enchiladas. They ordered with the white sauce and I requested chicken enchiladas with red sauce, no rice, extra beans and cheese. It all went downhill from there. When our server was walking by after putting in our order, I asked if I can opt to have flour tortillas instead of corn. The server replied, I don't think they can. (I asked politely but knew they could). I asked if he could make the exception as I do not like corn tortillas. He begrudgingly went to the back and asked, came back out and told me they already started prepping our orders. I was shocked. He wouldn't make the exception. So I asked again and mentioned that I will not eat corn tortillas, and if he would ask the cooks to fix the order (with a pretty please). I also mentioned it had only been 2-3 minutes. He was able to fix my enchilada. However, it was not an enchilada I was expecting. Upon first bite, I had one small cube on chicken and all green onions and zucchini. I felt like they threw a soup into my enchilada. I also requested extra beans but as you can tell from my picture, they only allowed me a small serving with a few strings of cheese. I left disappointed and not valued. Our server seemed annoyed at the moment we asked for substitutions and was never to be found until he dropped off the check. I told my co-workers to go to lunch without me if they decided to go back. Yep. It was that bad. read more

El Torito - CHICKEN ENCHILADA - Mexican Near Me - Milpitas, California

Everything about this place was perfect! The food was absolutely delicious, every dish was full of flavor and beautifully presented. Our server Anna was outstanding; incredibly friendly, attentive, and made us feel welcome. The environment was warm, inviting and created the perfect atmosphere for a relaxing meal. I'll definitely be coming back and recommending this spot to everyone. read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Milpitas, California

New Bartender, should go back to basic training on how to make drinks! Had to order beer after after he blew the Margarita drink! Food is unimpressive! Not much taste! read more

As we gathered here with family for our Christmas dinner the service was not what we expected. Our service was not where it needed to be despite how big our party was. Our waiter Vicente did not attend us the way we should have been attended to. Our food took a while to come out and our drinks weren't not on point. The vibes were pretty chill not too loud the decor was pretty felt like I was in another city. I really felt like this might have been the first time for our waiter to serve a big party but I really feel like it could have went a lot better. Despite the service I was really upset and disappointed that as we all got home my brother was charged double for the bill we had just paid we paid half cash and half card with certain amounts but was charged an extra $566 dollars which was very unprofessional now my brother is stuck with no money for the holidays and a bad taste in our mouth never experience this but quite odd that if this was mistakenly done we should of been told at the restaurant not when we got home to see our debit card charged a big amount. *Everyone please be aware you know what your being charged for* read more

I'm always unsure of this place. I mean the food is good... but service lacks. I don't know why it always takes so long for the servers to check on anything. Went here on a Sunday evening with my in laws and I'm just baffled at the service. Came in to put our name down for 4 people, and then suddenly my husband's name got called but they said for 2? And called the other group after us that was for 4 people and seated them. Okay that's not right. We made sure multiple times that our party was for 4 people. So strike one. Our table wasn't clean and no silverware or plates were there... strike 2. Food takes a long time to come out. We had to flag down a different person to get us more chips... The bathrooms are unkept, it's a mess. There's no toilet paper and it's dirty. It always smells like sewage. I can't stress enough how slow the service is here. read more

Happy hour here is the best! Anna Maria and Giovanni are always so sweet and attentive, and they truly make the experience special. The food is amazing, and the margaritas are even better. If you haven't been here yet, you're definitely missing out! read more

When we came it was super packed even though we had reservations for a party of 8 we waited for about 40 minutes. Parking was also packed waited for a while to get one. The food was good some were okay. It was super busy and packed.Did enjoy the mimosas.They took a while to come to us to surprise my mother in law for her birthday song. Enjoyed the options they had.Will come back to see if I have a better experience the next time I come. read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Milpitas, California

The Sunday brunch buffet, particularly was good. Make sure to get the tasty tacos and delightful omelets from the corner stations. The food quality was good, and the staff contributes positively to the experience with their friendliness. The venue itself is nice, and was a pleasant dining atmosphere. However, it's worth noting that the restaurant can become quite crowded, and the ambiance can be occasionally distracting by the sound of popping balloon animals. It's supposed to be a feature aimed at entertaining children but which can detract from the overall peacefulness of breakfast for others. read more

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Sandy was the best! We would come back just for her, she made the experience for my family & mom on her birthday so great!!!

Amazing service! Our server was Anna! She ordered our food before getting our drinks to make sure our food comes quick.. she was very friendly to my family and had lots of patience.. definitely recommend going here if your craving some shrimp tacos or fajitas! Delish food and great service! read more

Best place to celebrate my wife bday , Isaac was an amazing server. Everything went great

Their grilled chicken is always cold. I've ordered their street tacos and taco Tuesday buffet four separate times- in two years. Always cold! El Torito, please make sure your grilled chicken is heated thoroughly. read more

Horrible experience during dinner time on Saturday. We had a reservation and were seated 30 minutes after the reservation time. I get that things can get busy, but no update or apology. We got to our table and it was dirty and missing 2 chairs? Had to wait another 5 minutes for the table to be wiped down and 2 of my friends had to stand awkwardly as they waited for chairs to be brought over. The service was terrible. The waiter kept interrupting us as we ordered and then would have us repeat the entire thing over again. We ordered 2 drinks and water, 2 with no ice. We only received ice water. After asking 3 times, we gave up. The food took almost an hour to come out and it was barely warm. The carnitas tacos were so oily we couldn't eat the tortillas because they were soaked in grease. We asked for the Carne asada burrito to come without sour cream or cheese on top and it was incorrect when we received it. Our server was absent the entire time. Over 2 hours wasted on bad food and service. Also the restrooms are disgusting. 2 of the women's stalls were clogged and the working one did nit have toilet paper and there was so much garbage on the floor. I will never come back here. read more

Maria our server was amazing and very attentive. We had an amazing food and was seated very quickly for a party of 25. Definitely recommend this restaurant at happy hour for bottomless mimosas read more

I've been coming to this El Torito since I was a kid, so it's always been a special spot for me. Unfortunately, my recent visit was a little disappointing because of the way the hosts handled my reservation. I specifically booked a reservation for standard seating. When we arrived, the host started walking us to the bar seating area. I told him we had reserved standard seating, but he kept insisting that "standard seating" means anywhere in the restaurant. That makes no sense, considering the reservation options are clearly listed as bar seating, outdoor, and standard. Obviously, "standard" should mean the regular indoor dining area, right?! I took his word for it in the moment, but it still felt off. Later, after checking online, I confirmed that standard does in fact mean indoor seating. Mistakes happen, I totally understand that, but what really bothered me was the demeanor and attitude of the two hosts (a younger gentleman and an older gentleman). Instead of acknowledging the mix-up or saying something like, "We'll get that situated," they doubled down and gave me nonsense explanations. If I wanted a high-top bar seat, I would've asked for it. A little honesty and professionalism would've gone a long way here. Other than that, the servers here are amazing and the food was delicious as usual! read more

Antonio was the best server ever!! Food was great and the vibes were immaculate. Can't express how much I loved Antonio. Thank you!!!!

We went during happy hour and the food/ drinks were great. The service was excellent, Anna is very friendly and a great server!

I got my food to go, so there was no Love put into it. The food was tasteless. This was during Mother's Day weekend. There were a lot of people there. I do not understand how and why because of the lack of flavor. Service was meh. The place look nice, but don't let that deceive you. If you want some Mexican food with flavor, this is not your place. read more

We went in last Sunday as a party of 12 and Jaquelin waited on us, I would say we were not the easiest table to wait in and she did a fantastic job by attending to our needed. Love the corn that comes on the side of the plate. Had a great experience, wish they did the buffet all day Sunday. read more

First time coming for breakfast here. Food was delicious and fresh. IMELDA our server was great! Thank you all for your great service! read more

Maria was the best waitress ever. She handled our big party of 13 with ease and grace! Thank you Maria!!!! read more

El Torito - Soroptimist Sierra Pacific Region ladies! - Mexican Near Me - Milpitas, California

Everything was great! We had reservations and were seated promptly. Issac was our server and we had nine people for a birthday party. The service was exceptional. The food was excellent. We were able to have conversations. That's a bonus these days. The ambiance was great! read more

Came here for a birthday brunch on Saturday morning! Maria was super friendly and attentive with our bottomless mimosas! Great environment and super yummy food! They sang happy birthday to our friend read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Milpitas, California

To be honest, I went to El Torito because I saw an ad on Facebook. It was for their lunch buffet and I am all for, all you can eat tacos! As soon as it hit Monday, I rushed over there almost at opening time and there wasn't any lines which is good because I got seated right away. I haven't been to El Torito for many years but I will definitely be coming back. Service was exceptional. My server, was always checking up on me and making sure everything was fine. I was dining by myself because everybody else works on a Monday. I did the lunch buffet and it costs only $14.50. What a great deal especially with all the inflation that is happening right now. Some of the things that you will find here include freshly made tortillas, protein like steak, grilled chicken and carnitas. They have tostada shells, rice, desserts, soup of the day, salad and more. Totally totally totally worth it! I actually want to go back already like maybe tomorrow haha but I have to work. The lunch buffet runs from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday just in case you were wondering. Before I left, the line did get longer and it does move slow because the staff does the serving for you. But it is all you can eat so eat all the tacos that you want, the enchiladas that you want, that tostadas that you want and so much more. Enjoy! read more

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This place was awesome! We went during happy hour so we ordered the guacamole for $6 and the queso for $4 which was super cheap! And both were delicious! We also ordered the margarita flights which was just filled with juice but still good! read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Milpitas, California

Sunday Funday! Never get a chance to enjoy a good brunch let alone a Sunday, so for me I felt like a "winner" and I've heard so much reviews about the brunch, a few years ago, it wasn't so great, but I'd have to say now, it's worth your $ and you cannot complain cause they legit have Bottomless Mimosas and our waiter was on it, he kept the refills coming even before our glasses before they went empty. Even though it seemed like he was the only waiter in our little dining area. Kudos to that guy for his patience & trying to be on top of all the tables in a timely manner. Located in a plaza with lots of parking but, you might have to park a little ways to walk but, no issues. For the poly folks, all you gotta say is Buffet & We In Like Gin! read more

Got a ton of e-mails and updates that the El-Torito lunch buffet was back and only $14.50 which made me super excited. When I got the chance, I went on a weekday to see how it was. [[ Pro's ]] 1.) Price - $14.50 is a steal for an AYCE buffet especially with inflation nowadays. If you like the food at El Torito, you won't be disappointed by the quality and decently good selection. I ended up getting around 3 plates of rice, beans, and tacos (carnitas was my favorite out of the bunch). Super delicious and really filling. 2.) Servers were attentive at the buffet line and the bar where we sat since it was so packed. They even still offered us the complimentary chips like they normally do which is a nice touch. [[ Con's ]] 1.) Buffet Line. The buffet in the past was a self-serve type so you can come and go as you please and get what you want. They changed that recently where you wait in line for two people to help you put the items on your dish. Due to how packed it was, you could wait a while to get your food. I hope they go back to self-serve as that was much faster and more free-ing. 2.) Re-stocking of items. The Enchiladas seemed to go very quickly and was slow to refill. Out of the 3 times I went in line, 2 of the times they were out and I had to wait in line again later on to get them. Hopefully they can see the demand is strong and cook more enchiladas during this time. [[ Overall ]] Again for the price of $14.50, I still think this is an amazing deal. As long as you can expect to wait a big longer, it should still be good! read more

Angel Is the best server very attentive always on top goes the extra mile to make ur dining the best read more

The chicken fajitas were bomb as usual! However, instead of $33/ea. they were on sale for $10.99 same portion amount! The service we received by Angel was amazing! Especially, after a hard days work, it's nice to have great & hot food & sweet personalized hospitality! Always a good time at Milpitas El Torito's! read more

El Torito - Chicken fajitas & Guacamole.....yummm - Mexican Near Me - Milpitas, California

El Torito was really busy when we arrived for Sunday brunch, and there was a queue at the door (always a good sign when people are waiting, in my experience!). After you give your name, they will text you when your table is ready. We waited (61) minutes for a table, but it turned out to be worth it! NOTE: They offer coffee and hot chocolate while you are waiting. They have a good selection of food to choose from, and everything we tried was good. They also offer unlimited mimosas. Our server prepared our mimosas, and he was very friendly and checked in on us regularly, even with a busy patio area. This was our first time, and our server mentioned that Sundays was always very busy. Now we know why! read more

El Torito - Patio area. - Mexican Near Me - Milpitas, California

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Came in to have dinner with my fiancé and friends! We were seated quickly and greeted by Ana who was our server for dinner. Service was beyond amazing, drinks and food were bomb! Ana was totally attentive and everything went smoothly! Definitely will be coming back and hopefully we see Ana again!!! read more

El Torito - Classic Paloma!!! Delicious! - Mexican Near Me - Milpitas, California

Food was amazing, have absolutely no notes on the service, and overall a great sit down meal. Our waiter, Antonio, was the best! Would definitely pay them a visit whether it's for their bottomless or just a nice sit down meal read more

Food is amazing, service was very quick and good. Angel was very responsive and he took good care of us. He also got the servers to come and sing happy birthday very enthusiastically for my daughter's birthday! read more

TLDR: Don't go for lunch during the holidays. Poor vegetarian options As my Indian vegetarian friend says, in the Bay Area, there's only 3 other cuisines that do Vegetarian right, aside from Indian: Thai, Italian, and Mexican. So normally, when I go to lunch with my friend, we usually pick Mexican... because of the delicious veggie options for my friend, and also because both our wives don't really like Mexican food. But my friend and I, well, we love it! (Spoiler alert: But not this place!) I'm sure you've seen this place... it's in one of the main centers of Milpitas. There's the Good Safeway (TM) nearby, there's the delicious Feng Cha there... and Indian supermarket, and of course, the holy grail of Shopping Center fast food restaurants... CHIK-FIL-A! I'm a signature member. I love CFA! So, we were running out of places to try, and I half-heartedly suggested El Torito. I've been there long long ago, and it was ok... I thought it heavily americanized. To my surprise, my friend said 'Yes!' Now, we decided to meet at 11:45a to avoid the lunch crowd... which we did. But this was the last day before Xmas weekend, and there were at least TWO if not THREE holiday parties there. Despite the fact the restaurant had many open tables, we still had to wait 15min for a table. And then, when we sat... we waited... 15 minutes for our server to come take our order. Luckily our nachos came out fast. We dove right in because we were SOO hungry by this time. The nachos were "vegetarian" friendly, which I guess they took it to mean, put random vegetables in there... like diced squash? We both ate around the squash strips to get the small guac and sour cream and salsa. It wasn't bad. My friend looked at the menu, and was appalled at the lack of vegetarian options. I suggested he try to ask for a burrito, but make a vegetarian. Well guess what he got.... If you guessed a burrito with strips of squash in there... well, you've been paying attention! He had maybe 3 bites of it, and he was done. I had the chicken burrito. It was super mushy... slathered in salsa and cheese. It was pretty damn unappetizing as well. Everything was just soft and mushy. I like burritos that I can hold in my hand, that have freshly grilled meats in savory juice and crunchy lettuce to add some texture to it. This was like eating baby food. I ate about half before I just gave up. And no, we didn't take any of it home. BTW, our nachos came out fast, but we had to wait at least another 20 minutes for our burritos to come out. And then we had to wait another 10 minutes to get our check. Wait wait wait. Come if you like to wait! read more

AVOID AT ALL COSTS. Date of Visit: 8/19/2023. I honestly would give this place negative 0 stars if I could. We were in town and decided to visit here during the dinner hour with my family only to be very disappointed. The table we were seated at had food on the ground underneath, and crumbs on the table and chairs we were seated in. The appetizer chips brought out tasted like it was left overs from another table. The food itself, I have nothing good to say. I made the mistake of ordering the taquitos which were not crispy but soggy. The waitress seemed less than interested in making sure our experience was good or memorable. We always leave a tip and definitely feel this tip was not earned. I recommend that the management invests in better staff, cleaning and food quality. read more

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I love going to this place for the Sunday brunch buffet. You have to go early otherwise there's a long wait. My favorite item was the tacos and they make their own tortillas! Isaac was a fantastic server and though it was busy, he kept our table clean and our mimosa glasses full. Great service! read more

We came here for breakfast buffet and it was amazing. Food is definitely delicious, if you are looking for real traditional Mexican cuisine this is the place to go. Serve is a 10/10 they never let out drink run dry always ask before they take out plates away. I highly recommend El Torito. read more