El Torito

Came in during the week for a late lunch for some tacos…read more Parking is available on both sides of the restaurant and also street parking. Walked in and greeted. Order is placed at the front counter and once ordered a number is given so server can bring it right to you. Ordered 6 Tacos $6.75 Tacos de Carne Asada with queso $ 5.25 Small Horchata salsa Bar available + fountain drinks Inside is nice and fresh with plenty of seating options for small or large groups ( No booths)

First time in a while that I've dined in, I was in the area this morning so I stopped by for…read morebreakfast. I ordered ham & and eggs and a coffee. Food was good. Not sure what time they opened but it filled up very quickly after I ordered and found a seat. Ambiance is good. Customer service is still great, everyone is always very nice. I see that it continue to be a popular place!

Las Fuentes

Substitute of chips instead of tortilla

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Mary

Tierra Caliente Tacos & Beer

Solid Mexican eatery in a very nondescript building in Northridge, Tierra Caliente brings a lot of…read morefire with some tasty food and beverages. Don't let the exterior of the building deter you from checking out this hidden gem. Once you enter, you are greeted by an incredibly friendly staff and some authentic Mexican decor. The menu is stacked with a lot of traditional staples. The food overall is simply tasty and the portion sizes are large. Prices are very reasonable for the amount and quality of food and drink. A special note is the chile relleno, any burrito, and the molcajete, which is filled with incredible chicken, steak, shrimp, cactus, cheese, and wonderfully-spiced vegetables that is perfect to share. The spices and flavor are on point and delicious. Fun atmosphere is perfect for couples and families, and a bar with a big screen TV has the latest live sporting events for those patrons. Plenty of parking in a retail lot and the restrooms are clean and well-stocked. Tierra Caliente is bringing the very best of Mexican cuisine in the area and Northridge is at the epicenter of this fire. Check them out!

The only real complaint I have is that I didn't discover this place sooner!…read moreThe decor immediately sets the tone; warm, welcoming, and perfectly matching the vibe of the staff. Our servers were attentive without being pushy, making the entire dining experience effortless. As for the food? Outstanding. Every single bite was bursting with bright, vibrant flavors that remind me why I love the Valley's food scene so much. As a chile relleno connoisseur I'm glad they didn't ruin my favor didn't dish. We will definitely be back.

Plato de Carne Asada

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Creamy Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas

Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant

3.9(119 reviews)

2.1 mi•Reseda

My hubby and I had a really nice dinner at this Mexican restaurant tonight. I ordered two tacos:…read moreone carne asada and one lengua. Both tacos arrived with a generous amount of meat; the taste was superb. He had a platillo de costillas en chile rojo (pork ribs in red spicy sauce) with a side of rice, beans, and tortillas. We got complimentary chips and salsa. He was super happy with his Mexican dish, and so was I. You definitely get that authentic Mexican family owned vibe. Everyone behind the counter was super nice and welcoming. The food was ready right away and arrived fresh and hot. We will definitely be back for more. I forgot to take pictures because we were super excited to eat dinner.

We've been coming here for almost 2 decades and still our most favorite Mexican Restaurant in SFV…read moreup to this day. Maria and the rest of the staff are always friendly and welcoming. Food is is always muy delish! It's a small hole in the wall little restaurant but their food is the best, ever!

Menu as of January 2023

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Huarache de carne asada.

Joey's Tacos

4.6(296 reviews)

2.3 mi•Reseda

There is parking in the rear. I have seen this restaurant for several years, but never decided to…read morestop by. Probably because of the business name, which was not very catchy for me. To my surprise, it's definitely worth going in. As you walk in, they have a smoothie/fresh drinks area. On the left side, they have the ordering window. Since being my first time there, I ordered several items. We ended up ordering menudo which was tasty and not fatty. It came with a side plate of spices (oregano, chile de arbol), sliced lemons, chopped onions, and cilantro. The chicken taquitos dorados (a la carte) were flavorful, tasty, and moist. There were also a bit larger than other locations. They were served on a bed of lettuce, half guacamole and half sour cream, and some cheese. Ordered Chilaquiles (verdes - choice of green or red). It came with rice, beans topped with shredded cheese, and 2 eggs (choice of over easy). It's a small place that feels like home away from home cooked meals. Overall, definitely coming back.

I got a wet carne asada burrito with a "medium" coke. Got to say, not particularly freat. The…read moreburrito was uninspired and the drink was a child's cup but about $5... The inside was odd but not bad. Apparently they sell protein drinks or something like that as a parallel side business? Might as well, I guess. Not authentic. Over priced. Don't.

Interior

Fast food Mexican with complimentary chips? Awesome!

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Menu Feb 21, 2026

Melody's Fresh Mexican Kitchen

3.9(971 reviews)

2.8 mi•Reseda

Melody's has become my favorite Mexican restaurant in the valley even when Sol y Luna used to be!…read moreMelody's portions have remained true to themselves and the quality of food is incredible. I have never tasted enchiladas that have the perfect flavor enchilada sauce! I also love their hot greasy salty chips they are always fresh! I like the Horchata as well! My mom is a huge fan of the potato tacos! Whoever this family is that runs all these joints. I am grateful to have them!

Just went to Melodys and was upset. Food was bland. Cheese enchiladas bland and lots of cheese but…read moreno flavor and chili Rellano wasn't overly flavorful as well. Use to be the place to go when alas Due tea was too crowded and never again :(

Updated art

Salpicon Tostada

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Front

Salsa & Beer

Assuming you can be seated right away, if you're in a rush and want your food in less than 30…read moreseconds, this is your place!! We still laugh about this - we literally ordered our fajitas and 2 chicken tacos and mine came out in no joke, 30 seconds and my husband's came out in 1 minute. Our friends who ordered 2 veggie burritos, theirs came out in about 3 minutes. It was unbelievable!!! And everything came out piping HOT. The biggest portions of my life. Their salsa bar is nice and love that it's accessible to everyone to get their own. We came on a Thursday at 6:30 pm and it took us 8 minutes to be seated indoors, but outdoor had ample seating. The last time I came here was at least a decade ago and now they have so many locations! I'll definitely be back sooner than that.

Had friends in today from out of town who were craving some good Mexican Food so we made our way…read moreover to Salsa and Beer! Despite it being the middle of the day and a Tuesday it was still hard to find parking and we parked on the side streets and walked. The main entrance is not well marked and we were pointed to the side door. On entering it was nice and air conditioned and we were seated quickly. Menus are on the qr codes on the table but the menu is hard to scroll through because you have to click each different items to look at and then scroll down and up. We asked for regular menus to make it easier and we were given menus that had hole punches throughout from punching out all the prices because I'm assuming prices have gone up. I hope that they could make the virtual menu a little easier to look at since i think they might be phasing out their physical menus. While we waited on our order we were given delicious chips and spicy bean dip which were excellent. So delicious. For salsa we were directed to the salsa bar. While I think the bar is cool, the tiny cups to get salsa are too small. I would have liked the bean dip sized bowl to get enough, instead of having to get several tiny cups which are hard to scoop from with the chips. I orderd the #7 which was a cheese enchilada, a crunchy beef taco, and rice and beans. My friends ordered two different taquitos plates, one orderd a fajitas plate, and the youngest got cheese quesedilla. My food was delicious but the portion was so large that I could only eat the taco and take the rest to go! Same with My friends, everyone ate maybe a 3rd to a half of the plate and then we all needed to go boxes. Overall a very delicious visit!

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Steak and shrimp fajita. Can't go wrong with the classic!

El Cancun Mexican Restaurant

4.3(88 reviews)

2.3 mi•Reseda

This was my first time trying this place and it was awesome…read more The staff was so nice and the food was amazing. They have big margaritas and micheladas so that was extra fun. Loved that there's a jukebox too

Hands down one of my favorite restaurants in all of LA. The hole-in-the-wall vibe, the Spanish…read moresports TV, the service, the delicious food. I don't even eat seafood, but I order the carne asada tacos and enchilada combo and it's just so good. The homemade salsa is one of my favorites. I just love this place, and the workers see us all the time so they know my order.

Enchiladas combination dinner

Burrito de lengua wet

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Red wet burrito

Castillo Mexican Restaurant

4.0(117 reviews)

0.9 mi•Reseda

Still one of my favorite go to Mexican food! I ordered the Rancheros Wet Burrito. It is very…read moreconsistent, the taste, the portion but the price did went up though, I paid $15+ (tax included). The service has always been great for me so far! Friendly and nice people. Ambience is the same and nothing's changed.

Located in a small plaza on the corner of Wilbur and Roscoe, next to Spiceland. The driveway into…read morethe place could be a little confusing since you could enter through Roscoe (by the 7-11), around the corner off of Wilbur, but there is another drive way that has been closed off which leads there the Plaza Signage is located. I had this location saved as one of the local mom and pop restaurants that I wanted to visit since I truly enjoy local small family restaurants. No table service, but able to order at the counter towards the back of the restaurant. Once the food was served, great customer service. The young lady kept checking in on us if we needed anything else. We ordered Menudo which was a little more oily than normal, a bit bland. The meat was fatty, no hominy, and about half of the bowl had meat. Served corn tortillas and with side of cilantro, onions, chile de arbol, lime, and oregano. Also ordered a combo of Chile Colorado with rice and beans. The beef was tender, tasty rice, but the beans tasted like from a can (not homemade), and 4 corn tortillas. 2 large drinks (size of cup were the almost the size of napkin holder - A+). Overall, it was ok.

Their menu July 2025

Rancheros Wet Burrito 5/05/26

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Menu as of 5/05/2026

Tamales House

4.1(525 reviews)

1.9 mi•Reseda

Family-owned & operated

Speaks Spanish

Cold day in the Valley had me craving some warm comfort food, so I finally checked out this spot…read moreeveryone keeps talking about for their tamales. Of course I had to order the 2 tamale combo plate. I went with the Chicken Verde and Pork Chile California. First off... these tamales are HUGE. I couldn't even finish everything! The masa was super soft and moist, not dry at all, and they packed each tamale with a generous amount of meat. The salsa on the side added the perfect extra flavor too. The beans and rice were honestly so good, those were the first things I finished. Everything tasted homemade, like a true comforting home-cooked meal. Definitely recommend trying the tamales if you stop by!

I like coming here for my tamale fix…read more They have meat options and vegetarian options. There are also Mexican breakfast dishes. I like ordering #2 because you get to choose 2 tamales from the menu. The Sweet Corn was good, but I was surprised to find that it was too sweet for my taste. I don't know if the tamal was actually too sweet or if my taste buds are changing. Jalapeno & Jack cheese was so good; cheesy and not too spicy.

Pineapple Tamales

Canela con pasas( Cinnamon and raisin) Tamales

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Fresa con crema(strawberry and cream cheese)

Mas Mananitas

4.2(481 reviews)

4.1 mi•Woodland Hills

Would rate 4.5, bumped to 5 bc of service…read more Beautiful and aesthetically pleasing restaurant with even better service and palette of food. Came in last night to celebrate a friend's birthday (they have happy hour all day Mon-Wed) and was pleasantly surprised. My friends started off ordering the HH guava margaritas, which they enjoyed. I ordered the coconut margarita (not on HH) a must !!!! Not overwhelmingly sweet and tasty! We ordered and rated the following dishes: Guacamole: 9/10 HH tinga Nachos: 7.5/10 (flavor was there but most chips were burnt) HH Taquitos papas: 9/10 great flavor and sauce HH steak tacos: 7.5/10 the corn and portion of meat to the taco was very good. The steak a little well done for my liking. Enchiladas verde: 9/10 great portion honestly enough for two to share. Rice and beans were okay. Beans a bit salty and rice was a bit bland. Would definitely come back for the apps and drinks! They also have brunch which looks like fun.

I came here yesterday for a late lunch with a friend…read more It's a beautifully decorated restaurant. There are a lot of photo ops. It's definitely IG & TikTok friendly. When we got there, there was a DJ playing 80s/90s throwbacks. It was good music and vibes, but it was quite loud, we could barely hear ourselves speak. Luckily he wasn't there too long, as brunch-time was over. We ordered Mango margaritas, chips & salsa, birria tacos, tinga taquitos, elote, and chicken enchiladas with green sauce. Every single thing was delicious. I was highly impressed. This place will definitely be in the rotation. If I didn't live so far away, I would go for happy hour.

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529 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Carmen I.

289

2 years ago

Experience from 1/29/2025: Avoid this El Torito location at all costs (I should've listened to myself the first time). My husband and I had a horrible experience several years ago with their slow/poor customer service and hadn't visited since. We decided to give them a second chance today and WOW, some things never change. It took more than 30 minutes for our happy hour appetizers to come out on a Wednesday night when there were only a handful of guests there (I even had to ask our waitress when our food would come out). Our waitress was super dry with no personality and didn't seem to be well trained in providing good customer service. There's something inherently wrong with the way management trains the staff here. We thought there was no way things would be the same from the first time we visited, but sure enough, this visit solidified our decision to never come back. The food was also insanely spicy to the point that we couldn't continue eating, which is the first time we've ever experienced this out of all the different locations we've visited, and just made our experience even worse. It was a very disappointing dinner to say the least. We live 5 minutes away and we'd much rather go to the Woodland Hills or Sherman Oaks locations, which they should really learn from. Don't waste your time and go somewhere else. ---- UPDATE: I emailed the manager per their request and they responded that they would call me first thing in the morning the following day. That was on 3/16/22. It's now 4/1/22 and they still haven't reached out. What a joke. Never coming back here. Avoid it at all costs and go to the location in Woodland Hills or Sherman Oaks instead. ---- 3/12/2022: I've been to the El Torito in Woodland Hills and Van Nuys several times and it was my first time at the Northridge location. Very beautiful place but wow was the service absolutely the worst. We were first told that the wait time would be 20 minutes and literally got a text that our table was ready within one minute after telling us this (which is fine, just pretty misleading considering we almost went to In N Out across the street). We were seated and asked our server if we could get happy hour deals and he said we'd have to sit at the bar area, so he kindly moved us to that area. The problem is that once he moved us, no one came by our table for a straight 20 minutes. We were a party of 4 and were just sitting there waiting for someone to take our order to the point that my husband had to go to the front check in and tell someone to help us. The manager came by and said she would be right with us. After a few minutes she came by, passively said "sorry" (literally with no sense of urgency), and took our order. The food was great as always but honestly the service really needs to improve. FYl we came by on a Saturday at 3pm, so maybe they are understaffed or something during that time but even the manager's personality lacked customer service. Like I said above, l've been to other El Torito locations several times and l've never had a terrible waiting experience like this. Everyone is usually nice and friendly at other locations but this location really left a bad impression on us as far as customer service. It just seemed like they were all over the place (even from the beginning with the misleading wait time), so we got the impression that this wasn't just a one person thing but a whole team problem. Hopefully this improves. read more

James C.

5 years ago

So I've been coming to this place for a long time now. They recently did a renovation on the building to modernize it a bit (though I was a really big fan of the old layout with the trees and courtyard on the inside). I typically come here for the Sunday brunch, which is one of the only buffet-style brunch meals that I'll go out for. Seriously, for the brunch alone, this is one of my favorite places to go. My cousins came from out of town, and so of course we come here on a Sunday - they thought it was the best experience they had in CA! Last week, we came again with our neighbors, and no joke, one of them said it was the best omelette she's ever had. I'm not the biggest omelette fan, but I thought it was really good too. The pancakes were great, and the waffle station is my jam. The taco bar and soup stations are great as well. The guy serving them was really nice too. They used to have a bananas foster station as well, but I didn't see it the last time I went, so maybe I missed it or maybe they removed that, but it's one of my favorite desserts and something you never really see on menus anymore. Another review here mentioned dried meats at the bar - I doubt that would happen considering how many people they're serving, and most of the food doesn't have time to sit! I had both the asada and the al pastor tacos recently and both were not dry or overcooked. Load them up with cilantro, onions, cabbage, and the red salsa and they're a treat. Our server was really nice too, and super fast (shoutout to Erlandia for the service! She was fast and cheerful). We never had plates sitting on our table for a long time, and believe me, I make a pretty big stack of them at a buffet! We were never waiting for too long for a refresh on drinks either. The other staff manning the plating stations were friendly as well and everyone seems pretty happy considering the amount of people serve. I'm sure if there ever was an issue, it would be sorted out quickly, but all in all, a nice experience, and I have no complaints about the people there. Also, props to the chef(s) - maybe it was just the timing with the new opening, or maybe I was just lucky, but the food on the last Sunday we went was on point! Prices are reasonable as well, considering the amount of food you get - I think it might be a little on the pricier side for normal dining during the week, but the amount of food you get is pretty good (most seem to be sharable between two people if you're not overeating). Sunday brunch was about $30 per person - and that's a great price point for what you get. If I had to make a complaint, the waiting area is a bit small, and seems doubly so if you come for the brunch. Get in early, or you'll have to wait outside for a bit. They have benches to sit, so it isn't too bad, but in the CA heat, it can be nice to be indoors. Also, I can't say anything about the bar, since I rarely order drinks (and the mimosa's on Sunday are enough for me). It looked nice and clean though. Thanks again to the FOH/BOH staff for continuing to make this a really positive dining experience when so many of my other favorite places weren't able to survive the pandemic. Here's to the next few years of Sunday brunch! read more

Iona M.

4 years ago

We came in for a birthday party on Sunday brunch (I know I know, bad time to get a table for 12 people!), but the manager Richard really helped us out and managed to put a few tables together for us. A few of us decided to get the all you can eat brunch (which was pretty great, with a few unexpected items - pancakes anyone???), but the regular Mexican dishes were pretty great as well. My mother (birthday girl) was especially happy with the service, and she never had a few minutes without a mimosa if front of her! All the waitresses who helped were fantastic! Early was super nice and attentive to our group even if there was a mistake on one of the meals. She offered to replace it for us right away (I guess the chef accidentally put pork in the omelette but I can't eat that). Even when it started to get really busy, she always came to refill our water and make sure everyone was doing great. She even brought a short stack of pancakes with berries and all for my little brother! He was so excited when she gave it to him. Nothing better than making a kid's day! The food is pretty great and the tacos were amazing. The sweet corn cake could be a dessert by itself. There was also an ice cream bar (with bananas and some sugar?), not sure what its called but it tasted great and something you don't see too often. My mom and I shared a mescal (not sure this is it, but it's a smoky alcohol) mango margarita and I was surprised at how tasty it was, but I don't think that's a drink for everyone. Presentation on everything was great though and really fit the atmosphere. Price was OK, about $30 for each brunch, but you definitely get what you pay for, there's so much to try that I don't think you could even eat one of everything. We want to shout out the other staff too (Ariana and Diana) who helped everything move quickly and effortlessly. These days you go to a place and people just ignore your group, but the staff was ON TOP of everything for our group. We'll be back again! read more

Jason W.

7 years ago

We went to El Torito On Tampa Ave for dinner on Easter Sunday about 3pm. There was no one around, which should have been our first clue, but we always loved the locale in Valencia till they shut down, so in me and my spouse went. It was just the 2of us. We were charged $68.65 for two sour cream enchiladas dinners which I sent back three times. I ask for mild rice and beans and one of the cooks put jalapeños all in the rice, beans and enchiladas even after I sent it back a second time. The first time, they just left the meal sitting there and brought it back ten minutes later. The waitress brought it back and went laughing with two other girls off to the side of us. They had no idea that even with the blonde hair I am fluent in Spanish, so when I caught the drift I called her back and spoke in Spanish to make it mild and send it back then bring me the manager. The manager never showed up to our table, and it was 25 minutes before the meal came back again, without me having one bite. I left the meal and she still billed me for it, said it was their policy, because it was sent back twice. If you are Caucasian, be very careful, it was a big joke to them, my diet can not handle that level of spice and every other El torito had always made the guacamole mild, the dinner request mild, this place had no leadership and the waitresses were running the asylum. Plus she kept the change from my cash that I gave to her. I know it was .35cents but a thief who steals all the change from thirty to forty customers picks up an extra 40 bucks in tips. Theft is theft. I will never grace that establishment again and wrote to corporate, plus as a writer, I am requesting a blog article against the levels of theft appearing at restaurants in L.A... this is not my first or fifth encounter, and I have heard tons of stories from waitresses pocketing monies but not putting them into the Computer system, by saying the food was sent back but charging the customer anyway. UNBELIEVABLE read more

Jada R.

10 years ago

Ok so I normally don't write reviews but I gotta my experience at this particular el torito because I was a regular at the one in Valencia but it got shut down so we started going to the Sherman oaks one but the few times I have gone to this location I have to admit the food is superb but the customer service is in need of a makeover the hostess were ok we waited about twenty minutes give or take the taco lady had no personality, the waiters were never around but then my experience changed when I went to the banana loca station and met the gentleman by the name Freddy and I must say his customer service skills were above and beyond he knew his stuff from what the actual desert was to how it was prepared by the way I must say not a fan of bananas but the truly a must sure it a lot of sugar but it's ok for a cheat meal ;) but the best part was how he engaged with me and my daughter she just loves how he made her feel like she wasn't just some kid asked about our day, and how we were and it just felt very welcoming more people need to pick up on his talent he was very pleasant I even tried to tip him and wouldn't accept it which made me want to give him a few extra bucks more because of how well he took care of us he even brought my mother a banana fosters to our table which was extremely kind because she has a hard time moving around with her cane so my experience started off with feeling like maybe I should go somewhere else but ended up leaving feeling glad that I didn't so thank you Freddy I will be seeing you next Sunday (btw you guys should really consider having this guy not just on Sunday's his energy is positively contagious) read more

Teresa B.

10 years ago

My husband and I went to El Torito in Northridge today. I was disappointed with the service. There were a table of 4 young girls sitting in front of us and although the server provided very good service to them she provided no service to us whatsoever. Thereafter, when the server never took our order my husband went to the bar and ordered drinks and returned with them to our table. Meanwhile the server not only took the order of the young girls in front of us, she brought their drinks including water and returned to ask them if they wanted anything else before returning with their food. Subsequently, when the server failed to take our order I went to the bar and ordered our food and another drink myself. Thereafter when nobody brought our food I proceeded to inquire at the bar about the ordered food. Finally, the manager had someone bring out the food and later the drinks. All the while the server assigned to our table continued to help the 4 girls at the table near us. Further, more disappointing than the service was the fact that nobody brought the check either and when I went to the bar and requested it the woman at the bar listened to my request for the bill but responded to everyone who made requests after me including a server who needed drinks before providing me with the bill. I can only conclude that El Torito would prefer a younger crowd and not senior citizens. read more

Cindy M.

2 years ago

My experience at El Torito this evening was a tale of two parts. Upon arriving at around 6 pm, my family and I were left waiting for about 10 minutes as the hostess was nowhere to be found. When she finally appeared, she seemed rather nonchalant and indifferent about our extended wait. If I could rate the hostess individually, I would give her 0 stars. Her lack of professionalism even resulted in a group leaving the restaurant. However, our experience took a turn for the better once we were seated. Our server, a tall young man named Neelo (or at least that's what it sounded like), provided outstanding service throughout our meal. He was attentive, friendly, and ensured that our needs were taken care of. What impressed me the most was how he discreetly asked if the children in our group could have their dessert, making sure they didn't overhear the conversation. As a parent, I truly appreciated this thoughtful gesture. Neelo's service continued to be impeccable as he checked on our table every 5 minutes to see if we needed anything. If I could give him a million stars, I would! His kindness and genuine care for our dining experience were evident and commendable. Despite the disappointing start, our evening was ultimately salvaged by Neelo's exceptional service. I would highly recommend seeking out his section when visiting El Torito. Kudos to Neelo for a job well done! read more

Lottie T.

102

15 years ago

The food is the only reason I am not rating this place as a one star. The chips were great as was the salsa. My Mexican Chicken Caesar salad was good, and the Macho Combo I believe that my dad had was pretty good as well. Food was okay. The first downer was that my dad ordered a margarita very specifically, and instead of making it as they said, they gave him a shot glass and the margarita separate which was fine. it only meant he had to mix it in himself, but he asked specifically for it to be not how it was so... eh. The biggest downeer was our server who seemed to be ignoring us. On more than one occasion, before we'd even finish ordering or talking, he'd run off to talk to another table. It wasn't as though they were packed or anything like that either. He was just far more attentive to quite literally every other table but ours. He would ask, "Can I get another margarita for you?" My dad replied, "No, but I'll have a-" And before he could finish his sentence, our waiter walked right off. It was quite rude and happened more than once. We waited for quite some time for the check and had to ask someone else who was not our waiter to go get it as well as a box for our unfinished food. I don't think I'll be going back any time soon. read more

James G.

5 years ago

Hey, don't really leave revviews for restuarants in this area. I came here with my brother because we were visiting family from out of town for Christmas. We came here for Sunday brunch after service and we both ordered the buffet. The talb e we were at was a little on the smaller side (it was just two of us), but maybe thats because we both had so many plates on the table! Service was good and you place an order for you omlette with the waitress (Early was great and brought us some great hot choclate). The food is great (pancakes were amazing but you had to order directly from your server). Let me tell you there are some really good Mexican restaurants in TX and this really hit close to home. It's not a hole in the wall kinda place but the huevos racheros was really good and the tacos had handmade tortillas. Al pastor is the bomb! They had a banana dessert too (not sure what its called, but it has a caramel sauce and ice cream and they make it to order) which was really awesome. We paid around $30 per person for it, which is pretty reasonable if you're hungry and didnt catch breakfast. Overall a pretty good spot and we'll definitly be back next time were in town to visit with my family. read more

Christian I.

Elite 23

233

235

537

4 years ago

I recently had the opportunity to dine at El Torito, a casual and comfortable Mexican restaurant located in Northridge. The restaurant has a warm and inviting atmosphere, with a decor that is both classic and cozy. The menu features a variety of classic Mexican dishes, including tacos, burritos, and enchiladas. I tried the chicken fajitas, which were sizzling hot and served with fresh and flavorful toppings. The sides, including the beans and rice, were also delicious. The drink menu is also noteworthy, with a great selection of margaritas and other Mexican beverages. I tried a classic margarita, which was the perfect refreshment on a warm day. The service was friendly and attentive, with the staff being knowledgeable about the menu and offering great recommendations. They made sure I had everything I needed for a fantastic dining experience. Overall, I highly recommend El Torito to anyone looking for a casual and comfortable Mexican dining experience. Whether you're in the mood for a classic dish or simply looking for a great margarita, this is the place to go. The food, drinks, and atmosphere are all top-notch and you won't be disappointed. read more

Corey B.

4 years ago

Came here for a family lunch (Sunday brunch?) last week and lwas surprised by the amount of food we got. The place was crowded so we had to wait for like 45 minutes and we were a pretty big group- about 15 people. Shoutout to the hostess too( I think her name was Erica) who was able to put together a few tables because some of the older people in our group were getting restless. We sat down and the server reocmmended the cilantro cucumber margarita, which was ok, but I'm going to stick with a michelada.... anyway the brunch was great and the tacos were bomb. Out server Eirlandia was on top of everything with the pancakes (pretty good stuff) and omelettes too. Our group can sometimes get a little rowdy but she took care of us without attitude. We never had to waiot for more mimosa's too which made my mother pretty happy! Did I mention the tacos are good? The woman making fresh tortillas made them super good...I might come back for these alone! Anyway, it came out to be about $35 per person, not bad for sunday brunch but maybe a little expensive for normal lunch. I think we'll be back for the brunch again soon. read more

Carlos M.

9 months ago

We celebrated a friend's birthday at El Torito's Sunday brunch, and the experience was absolutely outstanding from start to finish. The buffet was impressive--an endless variety of options, all fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. There truly was something for everyone, and everything we tried was delicious. The service elevated the entire experience. Roberto was phenomenal--friendly, attentive, and always one step ahead. Our mimosa glasses were never empty, which made the celebration feel extra special and carefree. Joseph, the manager, was equally impressive. He checked in on us multiple times and genuinely made sure we were happy and enjoying ourselves. To top it all off, the team helped make the birthday celebration feel personal by bringing out a small cake with a candle for our friend, which was a thoughtful and memorable touch. Between the incredible food, exceptional service, and warm, celebratory atmosphere, El Torito was the perfect place for a birthday brunch. We will absolutely be back and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable brunch experience. read more

Yvette S.

6 years ago

Today's lunch was amazing. It was my brothers 19th birthday so my family & i wanted to try a new restaurant and we decided on el Torito because some family friends suggested it & let me say, we don't regret it one bit !!! My party ordered the fiesta plate for our appetizer it was so DELISH. My server, Mario, was amazing he never forgot about us and was on top of our order. He was back and fourth, we know he was busy but he made our visit an awesome one. The manager was so nice and sweet she came to our table to see if we were doing fine and asked if we wanted a flan ((that's the dessert they give for birthdays, that's amazing!!!)) but we were full already so we said no at first but then she asked if we wanted it to go so we can eat it later on in the day & we ended up saying yes. It was a little bit busy when we came in for lunch so I'm surprised our food came out fairly quickly. I will be coming back for future lunches, I will try the buffet next time. It looked so yummy. read more

Jon C.

4 years ago

great service. Came in with a huge family - they put 20 seats together for us to eat (it was a Thursday so it wasn't too busy and we sat down waiting about 15 mins). we basically ordered everything on the menu including the kids meals for the little ones. Had some drinks with family and some friends I hadn't seen in forever! Tableside guac is OK, I've had better but it was still fresh no no problems there. Wifey says the blackberry margarita was pretty good, personally I'll stick to a michlada myself. Had nachoes as an appetizer and it was pretty loaded, and the shrimp enchiladas were *chef's kiss*. Kids meals were OK, pretty standard stuff nothing special (hot dogs and chicken tenders). I think they liked our food more than their own. Great spot to hang out with family and very kid friendly. Shoutout to our waitress Eirlandi who kept up with us the whole time (we ordered a lot to drink!) and she was super nice to our kids. Can't wait to come back here again! read more

Maye L.

5 years ago

This afternoon we enjoyed brunch, and were delighted. The staff was great! I would like to recognize the following staff for their amazing customer service skills: The hostess is great very welcoming her name is Danielle The waitress was excellent, always making sure that we had everything we needed, checking on us frequently Her name is Frania The table bus gentleman made sure our table was free of empty plates, very welcoming and professional his name is Gerardo A waitress named Eva always with her big smile and positive personality always makes me feel so welcome Cocktail waitress Rosie is always sweet and very Kinder After coming here for years I met Victorio He is an amazing dedicated hard worker. Gloria what can I say she is the best I am so happy that she is progressing with her career She is a wonderful, loyal and extremely honest person, always very welcoming Thank you all for being the reason I continue to come back.... read more

Jeannette M.

5 years ago

Great place. Cozy corners where I met with a few work associates for lunch on a Thursday afternoon. Didn't want to eat too heavily so I went with the shrimp fajitas....Wow! The food was great and drinks were top notch (of course I went with the cadillac Margarita!) Next time I might try the bacon wrapped shrimp as well. Nice atmosphere and we were seated pretty quickly even though it got crowded pretty quickly. We wanted a patio seat but couldn't get one because it was full at the time -finally some nice weather here in CA! Waitress Early was really nice and attentive too, it would have been great to come on a night off and have her as our server, thanks Early! Location is nice too, but parking can be a little trouble when there's a lot of people because of the Chik fil A next door, but otherwise a really pleasant experience. read more

Edwin M.

5 years ago

If you haven't been, what are you waiting for??? We had an awesome, fun time!! I came here with my wife and 4 yr old daughter. We had the Carnitas and Fajitas Supremas. Delicious! But what made the difference were our server and our bartender. Eirlandia and Mario (respectively) were the dynamic duo! It was great convo from the start and Mario even went as far to come over and get to know my drink preference to curate a special margarita. It was nothing but laughs the whole time that we were there. My wife, daughter and I and the best time that I have ever had at El Torito, and I've been a customer since 2002. I go to restaurants, not for the food but for the experience, and we got a damn good one here. I would recommend this place to anyone, but you have to go when Eirlandia and Mario are there! read more

Maria C.

1 year ago

I had such a wonderful experience at this restaurant! From the moment I walked in, the staff made me feel welcome and taken care of. The service was attentive without ever being overbearing--the manager moi checked in at just the right times, gave helpful recommendations, and made sure everything came out exactly as ordered. The team worked seamlessly together, and you could tell they genuinely cared about providing a great dining experience. Little touches--like promptly refilling drinks, remembering small details from our order, and making sure we were comfortable--really stood out. Along with the delicious food, the excellent service truly made the evening memorable. I'll definitely be coming back and recommending this place to friends and family! read more

Rebecca S.

5 years ago

We are new to the area and decided to try El Torito. It wasn't that bad of a wait, about 20 minutes for 2 people at 7pm on a Friday evening. I tried the watermelon margarita and it did not come with the extra shot of grand marnier as advertised. The house happy hour margarita was bigger and honestly better for half the cost. ($6 compared to $12) The chicken and cheese enchiladas were just okay. The chicken didn't seem hot, like the food was sitting out for awhile. I would give it 2/5 to be honest. My mother had the Sizzling chicken enchiladas and she wasn't impressed either. We were overall a bit disappointed. The service was great. The waiter made sure we had everything we needed, he started a conversation with us and got personal. Which was nice. read more

Sebastian J.

4 years ago

My waiter Miguel was a very kind generous man, for the duration of the time I was eating Miguel would come by and check on me and my party, making sure I was okay and even taking plates whilst having 4 in his hands, he would absolutely fall In the top 5 waiter experience for me and I can say he would for many others, Miguel was a sharp clean man with the most dress code approved and yet flashy outfit, he really showed me and my party why we should keep choosing this location over any else and how good this management is at hiring workers, he is a very professional waiter and deserves more than words can say, I can't help to describe Miguel at this northridge location but I have tried my best with words. read more

El Torito - mexican - Updated September 2026

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