We had such a great experience, and a huge part of that was because of Lorenzo! From the second he greeted us, he made us feel so welcome. He was kind, personable, and had such a positive energy that made our dinner even more enjoyable. He was always one step ahead--our drinks never sat empty, he checked in just the right amount, and he made sure everything came out perfectly. You can tell he truly cares about his customers and takes pride in what he does. It's not often you come across a server who makes you leave thinking, "Wow, that was exceptional service." Thank you, Lorenzo, for making our night so enjoyable. People like you are the reason we look forward to ALWAYS coming back. We hope we get you as our server again because you truly made our experience memorable! read more

The service is wonderful , the food is great ! We are treated like royalty. All Of the servers are attentive and friendly . Erika B has been our server the last zillion times we've been there . She's wonderful . One of the best ! Even when she's extremely busy , she always makes sure we have all that we need ! read more

I am extremely disappointed with our experience at El Torito on 7/1. The service was some of the worst we've ever had. Our food arrived cold, and my tortillas never came with my meal despite asking for them. What made the experience even more disappointing was that we were celebrating my dad's birthday. I informed the host when we arrived and was told to remind our server. Unfortunately, our server was nearly impossible to find, and when I finally let her know, nothing was ever done. No birthday dessert, no acknowledgment--nothing. Throughout the meal, the server had a poor attitude and seemed uninterested in helping us. At the end, she simply dropped off the bill without even saying "thank you" or checking on us. It made us feel like our business didn't matter. We left very disappointed. Honestly, the service did not deserve a tip, but we left one anyway. Unfortunately, after this experience, we will not be returning. read more

We came in for lunch today and Victor P was amazing! I also work in the restaurant industry so it's nice being treated with such great hospitality unfortunately I've had experiences at restaurants lately that turn me away from going out to dine sometimes but I know at el Torito they'll always be awesome! Thank you again! Food was also great as always it's been a minute I haven't came to el Torito but it's great to see everything is as yummy as it always has been :) read more

Victor Perez is the man!!!! He was polite quick helpful and most importantly the best customer service hands down...if you come here and you care about customer service ask for Victor Perez!!! read more

My husband and I came to Sunday brunch today and the experience was beyond our expectations. We were kindly greeted and checked in to our reservation promptly, did not even wait 2 minutes. Our server, Victor P., was attentive, knowledgeable and truly a prime example of hospitality and premier customer service. As busy as brunch was, he stopped by every 5 minutes to ensure everything was okay, remove plates and top off our mimosas. We could not be more pleased by the cleanliness, the food options and again, the level of customer service we received from Victor. We will continue to come to this location and we are absolutely pleased with our experience! read more

We were just at El Torritos yesterday in Riverside Plaza. The food quality has declined, with no flavors. I ordered fajitas, which were supposed to be carne asada steak, but the meat was so hard to chew and barely had any vegetables. They also tasted terrible. We will never eat there again. read more

Great happy hour daily from 3-9pm. Great options for their happy hour. The food was great, the servers were very attentive. It was a bit busy but the staff managed it well. Recommend coming here for their happy hour, had a great time. Despite being busy, the restaurant was clean throughout the visit. read more

El Torito - QUESO DIP Sopes Classic margarita - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Came for Sunday brunch with a friend. We made reservations through OpenTable and paid using the inKind app, which offers cashback. While brunch is on the pricier side, it was absolutely worth it. The selection was excellent, and everything we tried was delicious. Despite arriving a few minutes late, we were seated right away. Our server was friendly, attentive to keeping the table clean, and respectful of our conversation. The only minor downside was a delay in getting the check, but overall it was a great experience. I'll definitely be returning. read more

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Order nachos with beef. Check for the beef and literally, less than two ounces of meat. They re do them, of course and this time they look appealing Not like the first time. Guys need to improve your service. It's been a couple of times now that experienced not what it's expected. Especially when you add the surcharge to the bill read more

A big thank you to our server, Brianda. She made my wife, daughters, and myself feel welcomed. The service was great and she was very attentive. The food was delicious, and the overall vibe of the restaurant was upbeat, but not to the point where it felt overwhelming. We used to go to a different El Torito location, but it wasn't to our liking. Again, great service, and great food. Thank you. read more

Came to brunch with friends. Victor P. took such good care of us. He was attentive and ensuring we had all we needed. The food was so great and the Mariachi added to the ambiance. Definitely recommend on a non holiday. read more

A group of us came for breakfast on a Saturday with a reservation. Now they have a breakfast buffet on Saturday and it looked really good!! A couple of our group tried it and were pleased. I got the Breakfast Burrito with ham and the beans inside and it was delicious. My hubby had the Breakfast Combo with bacon and he said it was good. Everyone else liked the Monterey Omelette & Huevos Rancheros. The staff was friendly and let us stay to chat for quite a while. read more

El Torito - Chilaquiles with scrambled eggs - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

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Met some friends at this restaurant. The waiter was great! He liked to joke with us and was very attentive with service. I ordered my favorite dish, the spinach enchiladas, and it did not disappoint. My friends ordered some new dishes and reported they loved their meals. The restaurant is decorated with Mexican-style decor and was very clean. I would recommend that El Torito improve their signage, as it's hard to locate the name and is mostly identified by the bull on the building. read more

I BRAG ABOUT EL TORITO TO EVERYONE! this location is absolutely AMAZING!!! everything about it! from the servers, to the managers, to the food, to the service, the ambiance, everything! my family and i have been regular customers for over five years now, and everything has been perfect since day one! Litzy and Lorenzo are our favorites! Litzy is such a kind, attentive server! her service is absolutely perfect, along with her smile that lights up the whole restaurant. also, the manager Cassandra is such a sweetheart! she introduced herself, got to know us as regulars and continuously checked on us very often. her social skills are amazing and she's EXACTLY how every manager should be, which she is PERFECT!! the food is always delicious and served hot! refills are always being filled without having to ask! chips and salsa are always served and their always offering more. we will always come here and support our favorites!!! this is our go to restaurant for a family night out read more

Food is good but service is awful. Servers are not good at checking on you. Impossible to get a refill or to ask for anything else after you order (assuming you even get to order because it takes so long to get acknowledged). We got dessert which never came. Reminded the server - finally brought it several more minutes later (it's just the sundae). We asked for additional spoons and were told it would "be a few minutes." For a couple spoons? We come often because it's close and convenient and again, the food is good, but every time we come the service is trash. read more

Victor P. at El Torito in Riverside was an amazing server! He was polite, personable, attentive, and kept the mimosas full. Great service and a wonderful experience! read more

My brother and I came here for brunch and we really enjoyed our time here. Victor Perez was very attentive and kept the bottomless mimosas coming. Everything was clean and fresh and the aguas frescas were really good too read more

El Torito used to be one of my favorite restaurants, but this last visit was so bad I will never go back to this location again. The service was rude, the food was unsafe, and honestly the whole experience made me question their kitchen practices. First problem: the chips they served were STALE and RANCID. Rancid oil is not just gross, it can actually make people sick. We told our waitress politely and she acted like we were annoying her. She said she would bring another basket and if those were bad too, she would ask the kitchen for a fresh batch. When she FINALLY brought the second basket, it was even worse. The oil still tasted spoiled and old. That means they are either reusing oil way too long or storing chips in a disgusting way. Then she drops off our so-called "table side guacamole" which was already mixed, and tasted like straight lime juice. Not fresh at all and definitely not worth $17.50. When we tried to tell her about the chips again, she snapped at us and said she was "still handing out food" at another table. She could have just said she'd be back. Instead she chose attitude... acting like we're inconveniencing her. She came back five minutes later, we repeated the issue again, and she reluctantly said she would "see if the kitchen will make a fresh batch." So why didn't she do that the first time? But, we gave her the benefit of the doubt. "Big mistake....BIG. HUGE." Finally we get a basket of fresh chips that were actually good. Then a second waitress comes over, asks us if we needed boxes (yes). And I ask for more of the fresh chips so I take it to go. I told her they made us fresh chips because our first chips were stale. She hesitates, like I asked for my meal for free. So, she brings back a basket and guess what? It was the original nasty chips we had sent back!!!!! The broken basket and the tips of the chips being gone (as I was trying to see if they were all stale) gave it away. This means they are reusing chips that were already on someone else's table. That is disgusting and a major food safety issue. I was livid and was ready to leave...they didn't care. One more thing. When my husband asked the first waitress if she had tasted the chips, she said, "I don't even like our chips." So she knew they were bad but served them anyway. That says everything. The soup was bland and the only good thing we had was the salad. The salad was REALLY good and the crispy tortilla shell it comes with was fresh. But none of that matters when you are dealing with rude staff, rancid food, and possible cross-contamination. We did not leave a tip because bad service does not deserve a reward. They charge a 4% service fee without letting you know anyways.... I should have asked for a manager but honestly I do not trust this place anymore. People deserve to know how they run this location. Reusing chips and serving rancid oil is not just lazy, it is a health risk. Eat at your own risk!!! read more

El Torito - "Tableside Guacamole" and rancid chips! Yuck! - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

The food is always hot and the place is great for enjoying time with friends. Service is always amazing..... try sitting by the windows during lunch and you might Get Jazmin.... Always attentive, keeps the glass full, and the food coming on time All waiters here are friendly and they remember you read more

El Torito - Chips and Salsa - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

I am going to change my review as this visit was TER-RIF-IC. Seating at the bar was immediately and Cassandra & Brooklyn took very good care of us. Food was delish, drinks were tasty and reasonably priced (happy hour is 3pm til9pm daily) So happy El Torito has redeemed themselves. Sports on the Telly, good drinks, good food read more

Delicious Taco Tuesday with freshly made tortillas and tasty salsas, refried beans, and onions--plus chips and salsa, of course! Excellent service--thanks, Erika B.--and a great family atmosphere! read more

Great food super awesome service came in for a late lunch, and the whole atmosphere was great! Just had to add some more pictures of the food they have! read more

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Kassandra our waitress!! Wow! She just redeemed this location for me. My husband and I had not had good interactions in the past. So much so that we stopped coming to El Torito at Riverside Plaza. Sure driving to other locations was a pain in the rear but we did not want to chance bad service. Well tonight was redemption day for this location! Kassandra and Ruben made our night amazing!! UNFORGETTABLE!!! These two staff members truly define customer service at its BEST!! Ruben is very thoughtful and acknowledges customers the second we sat at the table , I was even taken off guard as I expected to not be acknowledge until 25 minutes after , like before. Then Kassandra with her sense of humor had me laughing all the time I was there. This was whole heartedly the BEST! Dinning experience I've had at this location. P.S. to the manager ... both Kassandra and Ruben could be leaders on customer service training to all employees ! read more

El Torito - Happy hour great - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

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Victor P. provided excellent service for my friend and I who were celebrating her birthday for lunch. We ordered the sampler appetizer which was a great variety of food for a late lunch. read more

If you're looking for a good restaurant to go with family or friends I definitely recommend coming here! The food is so good here that I keep coming back for more! The hostess was very kind and welcoming. It's rare nowadays to be met with good customer service. Definitely worth dining here! read more

The food was great! Definitely recommend the birria tacos. They are very attentive, but the only disappointing thing I can say was, we went when there was a special taco bar and the waitress didn't let us know about it. Since we did get tacos and probably could've been cheaper. We did hear other waiters/waitresses tell other people about it after we had already ordered. And the ambience is very nice and they play Spanish music which is nice and nostalgic. read more

El Torito - BEEF BIRRIA TACOS - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

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Toritos is conveniently located in Riverside Plaza, and after coming here a few times over the years, I finally decided to leave a review. We visited on a Friday at 1:35pm to catch their lunch specials before 2pm. Despite only three patio tables being occupied, we were told there'd be a 15-20 minute wait. At 1:55pm, I confirmed with the hostess that we'd still qualify for lunch specials, which she assured. Unfortunately, service was the low point. After being seated, we had to actively flag down our server, who had ignored more subtle cues. We ordered two El Dueno Margaritas ($17.75 each) which come with a mini bottle of Grand Marnier. While the price was fair, the drink was disappointing--overly sweet with a low-quality mix that didn't let the premium ingredients shine. The food didn't impress either. The Fajitas Chiquitas looked nothing like the menu photo--pale and a bit dry. The Chicken & Sour Cream Enchilada was equally underwhelming and lacked flavor. Ironically, the salsa may have been the highlight of the meal. With so many great Mexican restaurants in the area, it's hard to understand why this place draws such crowds. read more

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We came here about two hours before they close. The service was great, food was good and we like the ambiance. We enjoyed our meals but the competition for Mexican food is fierce out here. Overall, this is good place and I recommend it. read more

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You can check my Yelp history, I don't typically ever write bad reviews, but this experience was frustrating. I called to place an order to-go for a lunch meeting. They put me on hold for 15 minutes total (I figured they were still opening/maybe dealing with a rush. No biggie) I finally got to place my order and went to go pick it up. When I walked through the doors I saw my order to the right ready to go. I was prepared to pay but I wasn't approached by staff for about 10 minutes. After I had paid, I checked the bag and noticed they didn't include the water bottles I included ($5 per bottle, btw! You'll get em cheaper at Disneyland). I reminded staff, got the waters, and rushed out as I was close to being late to my work lunch. After I arrived at the meeting, I took out all the food items and noticed I was short one. I had to rush back to the restaurant and get it so as not to piss off any of my own customers. They included a free bag of chips, which was nice I guess. It still cost me being late to my lunch meeting. To top it all off, they keep a sign up front that says they're charging a 4% surcharge as a way to keep up with costs of labor, etc. I understand that costs of labor are increasing, but wouldn't it be wiser to adjust menu item pricing in order to avoid questions/bad feelings about a random 4% charge? And if you're charging $5 per bottle of water I can't imagine you aren't absolutely raking it in. Good luck, El Torito! I'm going to do both of us a favor and make sure I never return. read more

Great service for Lorenzo - 582! Ask for him. Felt very home base & he was very humble. Very quick and food quality was 100% We are here for Mother's Day and even when it's packed and Lorenzo is running around he takes his time to check on you. Gracias Lorenzo & El Torito Team. Keep killing it. read more

My friend & I were told to lunch in the bar or there would be a 20 min wait for a table. There was one main bartender/waitress. She said she'd be with us soon. She was not. We did not get chips & salsa til we asked. I believe the basket was smaller than usual. She did not return to take our order for a long time. Meanwhile I saw others receive prompt service. I ordered a cheese quesadilla & got chicken & cheese. Plus, El Torito now adds 3.99% "service fee" to offset labor costs. El Torito has 21 restaurants in CA. That's not a "local business." read more

El Torito - Hostess desk - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

Ordered takeout from this restaurant and, unfortunately, they got one of my items completely wrong. We had ordered the chicken fajitas and the skirt steak salad. The chicken itself was white meat, juicy, and flavorful, though the portion size felt pretty small for the price point. The salsa was a highlight--clearly house made, with just the right amount of spice and a fresh, chunky texture that stood out. While the quality of the food was solid in parts, the combination of the order mix-up, small portions, and very high prices makes it hard to justify ordering from here again. read more

El Torito - chicken fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Riverside, California

We celebrated my grandma's birthday at El Torito and it was such a wonderful experience! The service and food were both amazing. Our party kept growing throughout the meal as more family members joined, and the staff was incredibly accommodating and kind about adjusting our table each time. The brunch options were fantastic with both sweet and savory choices. My personal favorite was the omelet bar it was fresh, delicious, and made exactly how I wanted it. They also had great kid-friendly options like fries and mac and cheese, which made the little ones very happy. The service really stood out. The staff kept our champagne glasses filled and were attentive without being intrusive. I also loved that they had aguas frescas available for guests to serve themselves, which meant no waiting around for refills. And the sweet bread selection was a perfect touch to round out the meal along with their chocolate strawberry fountain and ice cream. Overall, it was a great place to celebrate a special occasion. The ambiance of mariachi singing and dancing in the back also added special element. Excellent food, wonderful service, and a very accommodating team. We'll definitely be back! read more

I've been coming to El Torito for 15+ years. The service from Fernanda was great, the food was good, but the 4% dining fee is extremely annoying. It's not a credit card processing fee, it's another charge for merely visiting a beloved restaurant. read more

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We have gone to El Torito many times and had good experiences, but the Father's Day buffet was the worst ever. We had a large group, so we thought the buffet would work out best so that everyone could try whatever they liked and we could eat basically at the same time. Unfortunately, a lot of the food was lukewarm, dry, crusty, burnt, and rice in the desserts was hard/not fully cooked. Everyone was disappointed at a premium price for this special buffet. The server was wonderful for drinks and clean up. Our reservation was 2 hours before the end of the buffet time so we were surprised by the condition of the food presentation, somebody dropped the ball with food prep and presentation. Our Father still had a good time, but we would never do a buffet at this location again. read more

Great food, service Given by Brooklyn. We were seated outdoors on a hot day and she made sure we had ice cold water and drinks coming! read more

Food was great. We drove from Menifee to come and eat El Toritos chile relleno. My dad's fav. Our waitress Pascuala was professional, and was going over and beyond to make our experience great. Only minus from this experience was that the food took a long time to come out. Turns out they have a change in shift and there was only one cook back there. By the time we got our food we had filled up on chips and salsa. Which are amazing by the way. I miss their vegetarian enchiladas which were removed from the menu I came to find out. Ambiance was chill. read more

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Zero stats, third time in a row. Place used to be decent but now this place is horrible. 30 minutes in, barely got our drink order in and I guess they no longer have kids menus. Had to go to the bar to ask for chips and salsa because it wasn't offered by our waitress. Was told they've been out of salsa all day, it's barely being made and ready. Funny, the other tables had salsa and chips. Never got it anyways 30 minutes in, drinks aren't even being made. How do we know this? We are sitting at a table in the bar. Hey but the bartender is chilling. 35 minutes in and we just left. No drinks made, no water, no chips, no salsa. Third time the service has not only been horrible but it down right sucks. Skip this place, go somewhere else. I love their el dueno margaritas but that's not worth the poopy service. No, they were not busy. read more

We arrived at 6:00. We were told to seat ourselves and were handed menus. After 15 minutes with no one acknowledging we were there, I found a manager. (Others who were seated near us did the same.) He apologized that they were short staffed. We ordered an appetizer that arrived luke warm. It was tasty, just not the right temperature. Our entree was the classic fajitas. They were good but arrived with no guacamole. The rice was actually cold. Not warm, cold. Very disappointed. We were offered 10% off by the manager. Maybe it was an off night but at $66 for dinner, rethinking if I will ever go back. read more