My favorite authentic Mexican restaurant in the area hands down! Everything is so good! Chips with mean is a must

I have eaten their carnitas taco combination for years and never get tired of it. Also, the whole roasted chicken, with some rice, could easily feed 3 people. The line outside the door every day will tell you how popular this small takeout place has been for decades. If you want Mexican food for catered events, this may be your place to go.. Get there earlier if you want to avoid the lines and don't want to wait. read more

We've been coming to this warm and friendly market for almost 20 years now. Their carne preparada makes the best carne asada. Plus their butchers and staff are very friendly and helpful. read more

This place is a great find in an area where finding a delicious meal at a reasonable price can be challenging. As soon as you walk in you cannot escape the smells of deliciously cooked food wafting in the air! They sell a very nice selection of cooked Mexican dishes and freshly made tortillas for a great price. I tried the carnitas, carne asada, beans and rice, and they were all delicious. Also, the red and green salsas were spicy, yet, had great depth of flavor that made them perfect for the dishes they were selling. I highly recommend a stop here for delicious Mexican food that will absolutely not strain your budget. Once again, this place is a great delicious value for your hard earned dollars. I also should mention that their sister grocery store across the parking lot is also a great place to shop for anything (meats, spices, fruits, vegetables, beer,...) that is missing from the delicious meal that you are about to consume! Sometimes language can be a slight barrier, but don't let that hold you back. Just point to what you want and the very friendly employees at both locations will help you find exactly what you want. Buen Appetito!! read more

Everyone was friendly and helpful. The selection of meat was good. The pan dulce was a bonus and the bread for tortas were fresh and delicious. read more

Love this place! I came for the fresh tortillas, which are really good. I also grabbed some produce and hot sauce. Service was good.

Marinated meats were good quality and flavor. Everything in one spot that I needed for a great dinner.

Their food is amazing!! The staff super nice and I've never been let down. Alway willing to go the extra mile for their customers read more

CARNE ASADA!!! I can't speak for anything else in this market except for the CARNE ASADA and also the lovely staff. If this is where you live or maybe even 10 miles away, it is worth the trip. I was in town for the week and we had rented a beach house which luckily for us had a bar b que. To be honest I had not had good carne asada for some time now, so I figured it would be perfect for dinner and left overs for breakfast burritos. Guess what? I was right! This place has the good stuff, and though on the higher end price wise, it seems to be the going rate for good quality asada. This is the SPOT, do not doubt me! Enjoy! read more

Was hoping to find a good Latino market. No pricing anywhere on any products, old inventory, and hard to find what you need. Only if I'm desperate. read more

The Market! I needed cactus for my imagined slowed cooked tacos. My plan: study Youtube on preparing the cactus leaves, then pick up pork roast from Gelson's$$. Welp, this market helped me in both aspects. Walked in and the first thing I saw was a bright basket of already prepared cactus leaves. The really nice lady (and very fluent in English) recommended that their pork is the best. Took a couple steps over to the meat counter and picked out the best looking hunk of meat for half the cost of Gelson's. Also grabbed lime, onion and cilantro. An amazing deal and super friendly. I'll always go here for my Mexican meal ideas. read more

El Toro Bravo Market - Amazing pork roast! That's only half. - Grocery Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

We love the Carne Asada from El Toro Bravo, we have been buy from this market for over 10 years.......unfortunately this round the price was so heavily inflated we were very disappointed to pay over $12 bucks a pound. read more

A terrific find with very fair prices. Carne asada as well as pollo asada were outstanding. The guy at the meat counter as well as the cashiering staff were all very friendly and helpful. They also sell fresh corn and flour tortillas as well as masa if you want to make them yourself. read more

Picked up some carne asada here on a whim just looking for something different. We grilled it up at home and it turned out really good. The meat was tender and tasty. It's a Mexican market so definitely authentic. read more

El Toro Bravo Market - The carne asada on the grill - Grocery Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

It's been hard finding places here in HB, that make us feel comfortable to what we are used to. But, this made us bring a little comfort home! Nothing like great meat to BBQ! I would travel to do it again. It's not far at all! Thank you for being so close! We will be back again! read more

Okay on a recent visit, I guess maybe my tastes have evolved, but I did not find it nearly as good as I remember from times past, tho it had been a few years since the last time I had been...the carnitas were sadly bland on this day, we also got some chicken on the bone, which was served in what looked like a tasty verde type sauce, but that sauce turned out to be weak, as was the rice, with more blandness. Probably the roasted chicken and asada have been the better meats (maybe safest is a better choice of words) that I have tried recently, tho others have told me the ribs, lengua and buche are tasty....not sure I wanna venture into cueritas, which is some kind of pork skin, but not the same as chicharrones, according to the kitchen staff All of that aside...believe it or not, the main reason I felt an update was necessary is that the beans were ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!..I think they are the real deal made like my grandmother used to make... I think the next time I come here, I am just gonna just get a 5 gallon drum of frijoles, a bag o tortilla chips to dip, some fresh warm corn tortillas (very thick,very good) and some pico de gallo salsa, and I will be ecstatic. My racquetball partners might not be too thrilled when I play with them the next day....that's just toot bad!.... The beans alone would have garnered a much higher rating, too bad their other food is keepin it down read more

I love this place. Period. Been eating here for years and will go back as long as it is around and I can chew solid food. It is a true hidden gem. Unless you want to eat on one of the two dirty tables out front, order your food and take it someplace where you can indulge. When you go be prepared to wait in line. Look around and you will see all kinds of people waiting to get some of this goodness in their bellies from city workers, to laborers catching a meal (and eating crazy stuff like pork skin burritos), to local businessmen in suits, to people picking up cooked meats and tortillas to take home to feed the family. There is a hot case on your left as you enter full of all kinds of prepped food like enchiladas and tamales. In front of you is another hot case full of cooked meats...stuff you know and love...and stuff you might not... If you look over your shoulder as they are making your food, you will see bags of fresh tortillas and corn chips (the good thick ones). I took a friend from work there once and told him to only order one or two tacos because they are so huge. Of course he didn't listen, and had to give away that third taco. Their process for making a taco is to grab a huge piece of whatever meat you want, chop it up on the counter in front of you, place two corn tortillas in a hand, and then grab the cut up meat with the tortillas. There is so much meat in there that the edges of the tortillas don't even come close to touching. Then they ask if you want cilantro, onions, and salsa. I'm not kidding...the tacos are H-U-G-E. And the burritos? Two people would be happy spitting one of these. When they hand it to you wrapped up in foil, it looks like a silver pillow. All for like $4. Git in mah belly! When I go on the weekends I usually see the masa soaking behind the counter in huge vats...getting prepped to make tortillas and chips. Make sure you are well hydrated if you go here in the summer, as it will be sweltering inside this tiny store. read more

Before one of my BFF's up and moved to coastal Mexico, we shared many a memory that involved endless Tecates, laughter, and the fresh, sublime melts-in-your-mouth carnitas from El Toro Bravo. We always ordered the family meal and invited others over to share in the feast, cause really - it IS a feast. 2 lbs carnitas Fresh corn tortillas Garnish -cilantro, onions, and jalepenos Beans Rice Salsa Bag of Chips And all for twenty bucks! El Toro Bravo is certainly one of the best kept secrets in Costa Mesa...and offers some of the best Mexican food I've had. Their carnitas are only second to mi amiga Liz O's dad's carnitas. Great stuff and a must if you like carnitas. read more

The food is amazing! There is a cashier there is 0 customer service skills. They messed up my order and she had the audacity to tell me that if I saw I should have said something. I'm sorry I wasn't watching his every move. The people at the new location are a lot friendlier. read more

You can never go wrong with this place! I've been coming here for years and I have never been disappointed! Definitely a bang for your buck here especially when you get the pound of carnitas special! The service is always great, you might have to wait in line for a bit, depending on the day, but what do you expect? This place is the BOMB! haha read more

El Toro Bravo has hands down the best Mexican food in orange county regardless of price. The portions are great, the prices are VERY reasonable, and it is always packed. Be forewarned, there is no seating so this is really a 'take out' place but I cannot emphasize enough that this is the best Mexican food in orange county. read more

Just stopped by to pickup some carne asada and chicken... wow seasoned authentic asada and chicken never tasted so good. You gotta love places like this!!! I would recommend anyone one in the mood or looking to bbq this MDW to pick up the preseason meat!!! The price is a little up their but once you try it, you kinda forget what it costs per lbs until you go back for more read more

Word to the wise: the business located at 739 19th St. is NOT the place with the tacos -- this address a market with the same name. The tortilleria is in the same plaza, at 745 19th St. It's towards the back, in the building next to the market. I'll be posting my review to the page for that location shortly. read more

A nice little grocery store where you'll find stuff you can't find in any other Mexican stores for example Yucca. The only negative things about it which I give it 4 stars is the prices. read more

I had to mark Stephen T's "review" funny just because I had trouble finding the place as well. My friend and I walked into the Mexican market, which also appears to be called "El Toro Bravo". We scoped out the market for a few minutes then left bewildered. We almost got back into our car, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw the restaurant. So yeah, it's a small disheveled place with two doors. It wasn't clear to us which door to go into first, or what the proper procedure was. Order at the register and pay like at Pinkberry, or go past the food and order, then pay, like at Panda Express? It's the latter. The menu is fairly scarce, and is not representative of what they have to offer by any means. Look around at what other people are eating to get an idea. My friend ordered a carne asada burrito, which a fellow patron "quoted" as being $3 and some change. He couldn't really speak English, so he used his fingers to show us how much his own burrito cost. My friend's burrito actually ended up costing about $5 for my friend. Since there's no pricing listed anywhere that we could see, we just accepted it. I ended up getting one carne asada taco and one chicken taco for $2 each. On to the food. I liked the carne asada. It was soft, but maybe a bit chewy. The chicken by comparison was just ok. It's very possible though, that because we took it to go, by the time I ate the chicken, it had cooled considerably, and it may not have tasted as good as it could have. Anyway, overall, the price, quantity, and taste is pretty good. I'd definitely come back to try some more. Actually, I never did return, nor have I ever felt a strong need to. read more

I went to El Toro Bravo yesterday and I just wanted to clarify that this Yelp entry is actually for the grocery store, NOT the tortilleria, which is where the deli-style Mexican food the reviews are about. (There is a review for this on here under "El Toro Bravo Tortilleria", so give your 5 stars there!) I myself actually went into this grocery store and only saw the raw meat counter and no apparent hot food in sight, which threw off my appetite, but my friend was able to ask the lady at the register who was really friendly and told us it was around the corner =) So, this "review" is based on the few minutes I was in the store: aisles are very narrow/claustrophobia inducing and the large raw meat counter came with a strong raw meat scent. It looked like they were stocked on a lot of Mexican grocery staples, but I didn't really browse through. Your basic small, local tienda. read more

Excellent meat for tacos but they have very little selection when it comes to salsas, tortillas, and extras to put on your food.

Just moved to the area was looking for a good carne asada place. This place blew all the other places out the water. Their pollo asada was amazing too. read more

Man.. These people are very loving. Every time I come in with my mom, they have nothing but open hearts and thoughts. When I come in I sometimes talk it up with them in Spanish, they smile, and I smile too. The carne is the best. don't forget to grab some salsa and / or chips on the way out. that salsa is on point! read more

My favorite food to serve when I host a party is a build-your-own burrito bar. To provide a little extra pizzazz, I cook the meat myself on my grill and serve a huge selection of ingredients from El Toro Bravo Market and the El Toro Bravo Tortilleria next door. First, I start at the Tortilleria. I buy big portions of the rice, retried beans, fresh chips, corn and flour tortillas and three kinds of salsa. Their Flavors are just amazing and their chips are super thick and crunchy. Then, I head over to the market for crema (like sour cream), queso (crumbly cheese like Parmesan) marinated carrots (muy authentico) and the best pre-marinated chicken and beef you ever had. Soaked in Onions, Coca Cola and orange juice (so I'm told), their pollo asada and carne asada are super high quality, always fresh and really easy to cook. The beef cooks in 4-5 min and the chicken takes about 12 minutes since it's a lot thicker. Grill it up fresh and you look like a pro chopping it up in front of your guests for soft tacos and burritos. Totally love this place. read more

"Sweet spot, Pablo"! is the comment or feeling expressed when those who have a desire for the REAL GOOD stuff and can get over their WASP-selves to mingle amongst friends/ neighbors on our west side. Patience and a smile is all you need to bring home the BACON. Traditional market and kitchen provides FRESH ready to eat meals for picnic to watch sunset from the Bluffs (End of W. 19th St.) Or to take to a gathering, but only if you want to impress. Ans Dads here is your spot for surprising the kids and giving Mom a night off. All the prep and flavor is done for you. Assemble and eat! May I recommend Negra Modelo. I don't often drink beer but when I do, I drink Negra Modelo! 'You stay thirsty My Friend!' read more

First time in and it was great!! Carne and Pollo was perfection!! Home made chips and tortillas were amazing!!! This place is great and the real deal! read more

Ok just to clarify based on the address posted here on Yelp this is the Market not the place that sells the cooked food or the infamous tacos and burritos. So I came in to get some Crema fresca basically Mexican sour cream. MUCH MUCH better than regular sour cream. Super cheap and tasted fresh and sweet. Loved it. They have Argentinian creama. got try that next time. But everyone loved their crema and made the tacos from El Toro Bravo tortilleria so much better!!! read more

Been going to El Toro since I was a teenager, this was when the Gabachos of costa mexico thought they were going to get stabbed for being in this shopping plaza. Now you have to deal with the idiotos strugging to figure out the menu and where do I sit down.....Know what you want, make it fast.....Dining area is called the sidewalk JACK! Still love the food and the surroundings....Carnitas plate with all the sides...Finish it off with a Hawaiian at Jugos Alcalpulco!!!!! Duro! read more

I came here on Cinco de Mayo to get supplies for the evening after reading other reviews. They were out of marinated chicken when we got there, but were in the process of making more, so we wandered around and got other things in the mere 3 minutes it took for a guy to butcher 50 lbs of chicken. I have only a few things to say about this place: The chicken was amazing, and super cheap ($1.99/lb!). The tortillas were fresh and soft and didn't come apart. Their fresh salsa was spicy and delicious and also super fresh. And the little woman at the register was super nice. If you like authentic Mexican, go here. If you're wondering just how authentic this place is, they have TWO kinds of tripe for sale. read more

Dirty as hell but some of the most spectacular food my taste buds have tasted in a long time. I do not consume alot of mexican food but some how this place has got me hooked like an abusive boyfriend you can't let go of, you keep on coming back for more. Its cheap and you get alot for you money. If this place was in LA it will probably get an F in filth and an A in yumminess. read more

I found this place on Yelp and let me tell you, the corn tortillas are the best I've ever had. I know, I know, can corn tortillas really be that different? The answer is YES! They are soft and fluffy and delicious. And... they're cheap! I think a bag of around 50 corn tortillas is under $2. Check this place out! read more

Really like this place and feel like you could not get more authentic than this. What a hole in the wall, and is in the worst part of town. But if you are looking to feed a family and do not have alot of time. (Great especially, if you just got off of work and you have two kids asking WHAT'S FOR DINNER?" This is the best place to remedy for that..... 2 lbs, a pack of tortillas and 2 liter of soda for $19.97, could feed up to 6-8 people. I did this last minute for my daughter's surprise Birthday party and it was a hit!!! They also give you plenty of onion, cilantro and salsa. There is no place to eat there, so really it is just a take out. and if you can't wait there are benches for a quick bite. Don't be shy if you are not spanish speaking, they generally are friendly and pointing does wonders, they will get :)- read more

!!!Bravo!!! This place is as legit as it get's! This is the review for the grocery store...not the restaurant. The meat's were juicy and well marinated. I got a pound of chicken breast for $1.99!! You can't even buy a cup of coffee for 1.99!! The meat cooked up sooo good....and I got a pound of marinated (chopped) carne asada! for only $3.99! Say goodbye to Ralph's and HELLO BRAVO MARKET! read more

Redefines "hole in the wall". Excellent food, great prices. I bought two carnitas tacos, the 8oz guacamole and their bag of chips for 11$. Everyone in line was buying their chips and/or their corn tortillas, which are made right there behind the register. There's no seating; the store only fits maybe 10 people total inside. This my go-to, south of the border place. Have fun. Also to Joy F., carne fries are over at Alberta's (west on 19th). 24hrs over there too. read more