I always find what I'm looking for inside the grocery store and it's the closest place with Arrachera for a decent price. I recently tried their Al Pastor tacos and omggggg. They're so good!! The grilled serraño pepper was the perfect heat element to go with the tacos. read more

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Yes, go, eat the tacos! This taco stand has been a staple since I was working on Cherokee a few years ago. The stand is connected to a grocery store that also has indoor restaurant seating. It's easy to order as everything is visible on their posted menus. It is mostly outdoors and we've never gone indoors. I usually don't like to spend more than 3 dollars on a taco, but these are loaded with everything and very much worth the price (4) They are filling and the toppings are always fresh. Love them! read more

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It is kind of unfair to rate an outdoor restaurant on a beautiful Sunday afternoon but I walked over there after church and it was spectacular. La Valencina has always been a "go to" on Cherokee Street but since their extensive remodeling a number of years ago it lost some of its charm. I had never been to El Torito's stand before, other than to see people lined up to order. I had theee tacos and beer and it was perfect. One Asada and Two pastor. Their regular street tacos come with radish on the top as well as cilantro, lime and onion. The red sauce was too much for this gringo but had a lot of sneaky, deliciousness, but the verde was perfect accompaniment. On a pretty day it can't be beat and the view of the action on the street is just a lot of fun. Cheap, fast, polite and delicious. . read more

El Torito - The view - Grocery Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Delicious food at a great price! Be sure to try the taco torta, it's amazing. The service is always quick and friendly, which makes the experience even better. Highly recommend! read more

You know what's go hit Every. Single. Time? THEM TACOS ! So this a cool lil taco stand spot on the corner you can sit on the lil patio or take it to go...it's a taco stand idk it's what you'd expect it to be. They serve tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and tortas too but I've only experienced the tacos so this is more a taco review. Personally I get the steak tacos topped with cilantro, onion, cucumber, and radish. Squeeze some lime over the top with a sprinkle of salt and slap some of their red & green salsa (one of them is spicy idk which) on top. It's something special read more

El Torito - Grocery Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Back again so I thought I'd share with you guys my experience. With the weather nice asf Monday we decided to stop by and grab some tacos Togo. When we got there they had their patio open so we opted to sit in and eat. We got our go to tacos for Carne Asada tacos and four El Pastore tacos, both covered in cilantro, onions and cheese with a side of salsa Verde and sauce Rojo. The service is great. I'm not sure the name of the young man that's takes our order but when he's there, I know our order is gonna be fast flavorful and the tacos are gonna be proportional read more

El Torito - Carne Asada tacos - Grocery Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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YUMMM!! El Torito is setup right next to the supermarket and has a corner spot - there's indoor and outdoor seating. This spot is so authentic and the food is phenomenal! We went for tacos this time around, very flavorful and portions were great ($3/taco) with a few different meat options. They also had tortas and quesadillas- both of which looked amazing! The tacos come with a roasted spicy pepper and two salsas (red is spicier than the green), would recommend trying both! I liked the carnitas taco a lot and will definitely be visiting again! read more

El Torito - Al Pastor, Barbacoa, and Chicha Camarones (maybe?? Haha) - Grocery Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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The store is very dirty the vegetables seems very old and so does the meat looks like is been sitting there for the longest it even smells bad and the restaurant looks very dirty as well . read more

great price, quick service, authentic yummy tacos! i tried the pollo and chorizo topped with onions and cilantro. the chorizo one was amazing, would highly recommend! you order at a stand and then find seating. there's not a ton of seating but a quick turnover, even though we went during the print bazaar when cherokee street was super busy. will def be returning! read more

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A Mexican grocery and taco stand all in one! Lets start with the taco stand - some of the best street tacos I've found in STL. Take 3-4 Al Pastor or Asadas home per person and you're a hero! Or, enjoy them street side with an ice cold Mexican beer or coke for a local experience. I prefer the red sauce over the green, con todo. The grocery - They sell marinated al pastor and shaved steak at the meat counter, fresh cheeses, crema, fresh tortillas, Goya products, tamale husks, dried chilies, and other hard to find Latin items. Not a ton of fresh produce, but enough. Great prices on tomatillos and limes. If you're hosting a Mexican theme party, this is the place to go shopping. Make a trip to find some specialty ingredients and don't leave without taking some tacos home! read more

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So glad I heard about this hidden gem! Stopped in on Saturday night with a friend. Line was pretty long but once we ate the tacos we understood why! For 3 $ 4 bucks you get nice size tacos which are so good and very authentic. Topped with a bunch of yummy toppings. read more

El Torito - Carnitas Carnitas - Grocery Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Good price on tacos, and very kind service. The atmosphere is what you would expect for a taco stand. read more

El Torito - Grocery Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

The best tacos in Saint Louis! Yes, the place is run down and all but the staff is super nice, helpful and the food is amazing!! The flavor and tenderness if the meat is unbeatable. Feels as authentic as it could be in STL. We absolutely love it! read more

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Best Mexican food in stl. Great tacos and burrito. Absolutely loved it. Not much seating area so better to plan for to-go as it can get busy

This place is the absolute best!!! Best tacos in STL, best tacos on Cherokee. Always so fresh! No complaints.

When in Mexico . . . Oh, sorry - seems like we are in Mexico. this teeny-tiny corner open air restaurant. Barbacoa & tacos al pastor are soooo delish. Meat is done perfectly & garnished with cilantro, radishes, cucumbers, onions, and , of course, lime sections. Sauces are authentically spicy. Hasta la vista, Taco Bell - I'm forever sticking with the REAL DEAL. El Torito truly is a teeny glimpse of Mexican cuisine. Not fancy - just FANTASTIC AUTHENTICITY de Mexico - gracias! read more

El Torito - Taco al Pastor and Taco Barbacoa - Grocery Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

The cashier knew my name, knew my order, and got me in and out fast! Best tacos in town hands down!

Accidentally found this place after spotting it before walking into the Taco & Ice cream joint. Hands down best decision we made to come here instead of there. Arguably the best tacos in St. Louis. It's not a fancy restaurant with a big menu & that's the best thing about it. They made them right in front of us so they were steaming hot when we got them. Both of their salsas are amazing too with different flavors. One of my new favorite spots & the grocery store is a plus too read more

Check the expiration date before you buy from this market. We bought masa flour that is stamped with TWO expiration dates: May 6, 2020 and May 6 2021. Seems sketchy. Not sure which one applies but in either case this product was clearly expired when purchased on March 27, 2022. It ruined a batch of tamales :( so disappointing. read more

El Torito - a sandwich wrapped in a paper bag - Grocery Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Located in the old Woolworth's store on Cherokee Street, walking in is truly like being in Mexico. The first thing you see is a tiny, non-English speaking Hispanic man with a white cowboy hat and a fruit stand. Here you can get a handcut $4 fruit cup or a $6 fruit tray of pineapple, jicama, cantaloupe, mango, chili powder and other seasonal choices. On the right there is a full service Mexican market including a butcher, clothing, locally made corn tortillas, a Western Union, rows and rows of Mexican food, candy and a host of other items. On the left is Taqueria El Torito Restaurant. It's VERY casual and feels like a cross between a fast food restaurant and a cafeteria. I think they bought the seating from Subway. They specialize in authentic Mexican cuisine including killer tortas and they serve Menudo on Saturdays. Cheap! Cheap! read more

El Torito - Grocery Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Some bomb tacos here! The tacos at this place is amazing! Made fresh in front of you too! Highly recommend to all who are looking for daily priced tacos! read more

Oh my! I'd walked past El Torito more than a handful of times, but never knew what was past those frosted (and slightly scary-looking) glass doors. Now I know! This is a very authentic Mexican grocery - so authentic that I couldn't read most of the labels on the products (see, I took French in high school and college, which is pretty useless when you live in the Midwest!). As soon as we walked in, a gentleman patron asked us, "Hablo Espanol?" and we were all like, "Uhhhh... no?" Thankfully, one of the people in our group is from Dallas-Fort Worth and she was able to provide a little insight into what we had just gotten ourselves into. Here's a snipped of what you could find at El Torito: - dehydrated Mexican spices - fresh produce - a variety of religious candles - cowboy boots - kid's toys (made in China) - fresh fruit ice cream - home made tortas There's a TON of other things that you could buy here and it's sort of a mish-mash. And I didn't end up buying anything, but it's cool to just stop in and get a taste of how a different culture lives. read more

El Torito - Grocery Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

there's nothing I can say that others have not. absolutely worth the hype. best tacos I've ever had. ever. el pastor was amazing and fav.

Great Mexican, Central American & South American grocery store with everything you can get for your cooking needs. They also have a little charming restaurant that you can eat at after a day of shopping or wandering around in Cherokee. I've been here at least 3 times, but I plan to come here more often. read more

El Torito is an authentic Mexican business on Cherokee Street with a restaurant and grocery under one roof. I've eaten tacos here during multiple trips to Cinco De Mayo (aka, the People's Joy Parade!) and stop by the grocery for items I cannot get anywhere else. I like to buy Habanero sauce, hominy, corn husks for tamales, Mexican sour cream, and cheese here. I wish it had more items in the grocery, but it does have items I cannot find anywhere else. I'll be back. read more

The tacos are sooo delicious (Al pastor is my favourite) and just $3 each! In less than $10 you can get a satisfying and tasty meal

Over the last few years, Cherokee Street has become one of my favorite areas in St. Louis. At the heart of it all sits El Torito, a Mexican grocery store. This place can easily be overlooked as you walk past, but I strongly urge you to step in to experience a Mexican food paradise. I love exploring international food stores, and I've got to say this is the most interesting one I've found in the St. Louis area. The size of the store and selection of items is surprisingly huge. As you enter, feel free to light a candle or say a prayer at the Virgin Mary shrine, then continue on to explore huge aisles packed with every kind of dried chili you can imagine. Be sure to check out the colorful piñatas hanging from the ceiling as you wander down isles filled with various types of canned beans, sauces, seasonings, tortillas and just about anything else related to Mexican food. In the refrigerated section, you will find a large selection of tortillas and Mexican cheeses. I was surprised to find a cart full of fresh tortillas made in house and chicharrón or pork rinds larger than any I've ever seen before. The butcher counter offers a nice selection of fresh meats and you can also find frozen shrimp and fish. Other aisle consist of fresh produce, juices and sodas, baked goods, various cookware, clothing, shoes and boots, veladoras (religious candles), candies and snacks. Also be sure to keep an eye out for free samples of food items on the weekends. If you're hungry, there is a restaurant/taqueria located inside the market, but I haven't sampled any of the food there yet. 5 stars for El Torito for being my new favorite market in St. Louis! It might not be impressive if you're from Mexico or Southern California, but this is as good as it gets in St. Louis! read more

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Nice Mexican grocer on Cherokee St. I only seem to get in there during the Cinco de Mayo festival but appreciate them nonetheless. I really like the notion of a cold soda on a warm day for less than a buck...hits the spot. Either side of their entrance has a food booth that they staff. Tamales are delicious but the mango on a stick is a messy proposition without a lot value. read more

El Torito is an amazing place to go for Mexican staples. I love going to El Torito and buying their ready-to-go carnitas and fresh made tortillas from their meat counter and an onion, cilantro, garlic, limes and avocados. Put it all together and you have an amazing meal of carnitas tacos with guacamole. It's a dream come true for cheap! They have a great selection of Mexican cheeses and chiles too. read more

At the corner of Cherokee and California Streets, there are three Mexican restaurants with patios, where on a nice day, everybody can watch everybody else eating. Sitting in the El Torito Patio on a beautiful May day, it reminded me of Tijuana before the drug lords made it a war zone. I will add that no one tried to sell me those little packages of gum or get me to have my picture taken next to a donkey painted like a zebra. El Torito has a pretty good reputation, so I was surprised to find it was the least populated of the three patios on that corner. The food was very good and the margaritas at least fair. Service was fine. Not sure why the crowds mirgrated to the other places - more flair, I guess. I had a lengua taco and a barbacoa tostada, which was off the menu - they only charged $1.99 for the tostada, so it was a bargain. The lengua didn't taste very fresh, unfortunately. I also tried the al pastor and carniatas tacos, which were both excellent. Their chips come with mild (red) and hot (green) salsa. They were both good, although the red salsa had the consistency of ketchup, which was just weird for me. This was my second visit to El Torito, the first being maybe 7 or 8 years ago. It was kind of meh back then, but they've fixed the place up and, apparently, hired a better cook. We really liked it. read more

Cherokee Street has no shortage of Mexican restaurants and stores, as any resident already knows. I am finishing up a review from a couple visits a few months ago. Service: 2.5 stars Food: 4 stars I feel the service was a little lacking during my visits, although the food was fairly tasty. I recall waiting a fair amount for service throughout one visit when the restaurant was not busy. One visit, I sat at the bar. The other time, I sat at a table. Both times had similar service, with the visit where I sat at the bar I felt there was little excuse for the poor service with so few patrons. My server spent most of her time on her phone when I had drinks needing to be replaced, etc. I am not normally the biggest fan of margaritas, but I will admit they make a tasty margarita. Their chips are also fresh and tasty. As far as food, I recommend the tacos al pastor, carnitas, chorizo, and barbacoa. The hours are also somewhat frustrating, as they close very early compared to many other restaurants I prefer on Cherokee. I should have looked on yelp during my most recent plan to visit, as I did not remember they close at 8:00. read more

These are the beat tacos on the southside! They are fast yet tasteful! The customer service is also great. I would truly suggest you stop by! read more

My most recent cookbook purchase is Diana Kennedy's The Art of Mexican Cooking. The cookbook is intense... full of complex dishes. But before starting any of them, you have to go on a scavenger hunt to find the ingredients. Luckily, I've been to El Torito before and remembered they have a large selection of dried Mexican spices. I easily found the ingredients I needed, plus a few other items for my Cinco de Mayo party. You can pick up your own pinata, packs of tortillas, chicharones, prayer candles, and cowboy boots here. read more

Mas Chips, and cheap good Mexican food is all I can say about El Torito! Everyone in the area said this is the place to go! On a street with a Mexican dive on every corner, we went with what the locals were saying! I dig that they do NOT use lard in the beans so little old Vegan me can enjoy the taste of the south while in the Cherokee area of St. Lou! I had Veggie Burrito which was big, and beautiful, and full of all the right stuff! It filled me up and down and all around! They kept the chips coming as fast as we could eat them too! Staff and place were all super nice! Our waitress kinda bailed on us when it was time to pay but then we realized that we needed to go up to the counter and pay! Good spot to eat Mexican on a street with so many options! read more

You want fresh rendered pork lard? I know you do. You can get it here. Fresh masa, too. Mmmmm. Tamales! Giant selection of hard-to-find Mexican foodstuffs. Say no more. read more

I love this place! Cherokee street is one of the few places in St. Louis that I can get truly authentic Mexican food :) The tacos are all great and their little buffet always has some great items! This is my favorite taqueria in the city. read more

Down on the Latino/art-freak western half of the Cherokee Street strip, El Torito is a self-contained universe of foodstuffs and dry goods from south of the border. There's no better way to describe its fantabulous array of awesomeness than to do the checklist. Step inside past the window displays featuring mustachioed and bare-midriffed mannequins to discover: - An occasionally manned fresh fruit cart immediately inside the entrance - A sheer cliff of Goya products, including approximately 74,000 types of beans (mad props for carrying the low-sodium varieties of the black beans and garbanzos) - A whole aisle of nothing but hot sauces and salsas, as well as, strangely enough, sriracha - Fully staffed butcher shop, complete with non-gringo friendly meats such as head, tongue, intestines, and big-ass chicharrones in a display case. - A dude selling homemade barbacoa from a small makeshift stand right in the middle of the dry goods area - More votive candles (including ones for the Angel of Death) than one ever thought could exist - Mexican football jerseys for kids and adults - Housewares, including pots, pans, and cleaning supplies - A cooler jam-packed with every Jarritos product made (the fruit flavored mineral water is ace), Mexican Cokes, and the full range of Boing! brand juices and nectars - Spices and dried chiles everywhere, along with weird bulk junk like dried, whole shrimp - Fresh fruits & veg, some basic stuff like tomatoes, limes, onions, and lettuces, plus a lot of harder to find items like poblano peppers and cactus leaves - A bewildering array of ginormous breads, cookies, and Mexican sweets, of both the candy and baked good varieties - Gaucho-centric jeans, western wear, and cowboy hats - A Western Union transfer station - Taking up the western 1/4 of the building, a full-service, sit-down taqueria! It's only open on weekends, and even then it doesn't quite adhere to its set hours, but still. Check it out on Sunday around noon when it's full of folks watching football matches, eating menudo, and hanging out with friends and family. There's a full bar, too, as well as a small jukebox stocked with Norteño CDs, but it never seems to be on. It's worth checking in on a regular basis, as El Torito has a tendency to constantly carry new stock (and discontinue your old favorites). But that's just part of the charm, making every weekend (and you really must go on a weekend afternoon to get the full effect) a new adventure to look forward to. read more

This place is a hidden gem on Cherokee. Living in Benton Park, one of the few missing amenities is a great local grocer. My ideal place doesn't have to be a grandiose mecca, just local, fresh, and reasonably priced items. I plan major shopping trips to Trader Joe's and the like to buy the majority of my food, but love to be able to walk to get those forgotten and supplemental items. El Torito has been on my list for a while. My friend recently had an amazing fiesta with all the food from there, and it was like eating at a delicious local cantina in Mexico! I wanted to see for myself, and we needed a few items for dinner last night, like butter, lemons, limes, and basil. We rounded up the doggies and took the 2-mile round trip walk, a good length to count as exercise as well, but not be too far to go for groceries and haul back bags. You can't see inside El Torito, so we did walk right by before quickly noticing our mistake. BF waited outside with the dogs. This is the only thing that kept me from getting lost in this place! First, it is so big, the same size as a Trader Joe's or Aldi's type space. There is a dairy counter, butcher, and fresh bakery, with all things Mexican like chihuahua cheese, chorizo, and tres leches cake. Delicious sweet and spicy smells are abundant. There is a whole aisle of Mexican spices, dried herbs, and other interesting items (bag of dried shrimp, anyone?). Lots of beans, canned goods, Mexican sodas & juice, a snack aisle, and more. There are plenty of traditional American foods as well, so it works for general needs, too. In addition to the grocery, there is a section with toys, clothing, and various accessories from Mexico. I can tell they are traditional and authentic from my past travels. The produce aisle is limited and targeted mostly towards Mexican style cooking with fresh product and great deals on items like limes, cilantro, avocado, garlic, tomatoes, prickly pear, tomatillo, plantains, coconuts, etc. I got everything I needed except the basil, plus a few extra goodies. Fresh coconut cookies? Yes, please! A small disappointment was spicy pumpkin seeds, or pepitas, that were stale and inedible when opened. Also, I bought a package of butter thinking it was four sticks and it was really a big one pound block, but I will certainly survive. I think it serves a lot of the Mexican restaurants on Cherokee, so the bulk portions make sense. The folks working in the store were very courteous and patient as I tried my mediocre Spanish speaking skills on them. I appreciate the practice anywhere I can get it! read more

This place was another stop on my tamale run with my buddy yesterday. Starting at 9:30 on Saturday mornings, you can get fresh hot tamales for $1.00 a piece. That's right for $1.00. The tamales had pork with green salsa. It was delish! Not toooo spicy. Just perfect. I was confused because I thought green salsa was spicy. Totally opposite here. No need to place orders in advance. Just come here & get them. They have plenty. read more

Simply the best. I wish I could live here! I love to cook so when I am feeling like making anything Mexican this is my stop. The have great produce, especially avocados for super cheap. Their meat is also really good and they will butcher it in the Mexican fashion when you buy it so you don't have to. They have all the hard to fine ingredients include just about every dried chile you could imagine. You can also buy carnitas already cooked. Pair that with fresh tortillas and salsas in the deli case and you have no need to go to a taqueria. This is a great Cherokee staple. read more