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    El Toro Bravo

    2.9 (526 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    El Toro Bravo Photos

    EL TORO BRAVO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Happy hour specials
    Good for kids

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    This photo doesn't show the condition of the water pitcher nor the room.
    Juan G.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]We arrived into Truckee hungry but the fact that the house was run down should have been a red flag.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I say house is because at one time it was a house in its better days. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The exterior green flaking paint should have been another warning sign.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We walked into what at one time was an enclosed porch and seated in a converted bedroom.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]What a horrible place..[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]How this place passes county inspection is a true mystery.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] A basket of thick chips and a tiny bowl of hot sauce were placed on the table along with a pitcher of ice water. The pitcher was old, cracked and chipped.. We should have walked out but I thought maybe the food would make up for the decor, it most certainly didn't. We ordered the pork in green sauce, beans and rice with three miserable tortillas. The sauce had zero flavor and without being disgusting it looked like it had been served to a customer hours before. I opened the tortilla holder and found three luke warm tortillas that had been clipped off with a knife. Yanzi told me not to complain and I kept my mouth shut. In these difficult financial times, when every dollar counts, this is not where you should spend your money. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Maybe 20 years ago this place was nice, now it's a total and complete, well let's just say it needs a total remodel job.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    picture of the waitress disrespecting my parents on my dads 60th birthday. unprofessional and disrespectful.

    Absolutely AWEFUL experience. If I could give a negative rating, I would. We came to Lake Tahoe to celebrate my dad's 60th birthday with family visiting from England, and this was hands down the worst Mexican food any of us have ever had. And that's saying a lot because I LOVE Mexican food and eat it constantly. The meat was completely bland, the chicken was chewy and gristly, and the burritos were basically stuffed with lettuce and tomato with barely any actual filling. Save your money and go to Taco bell for a 10000% better food and at 1/8 of the price. But honestly, the service was even worse than the food. We very politely and quietly went up to the waitress and manager to explain that none of us were enjoying our meals. Instead of handling it professionally, they immediately became rude and dismissive. The waitress started making comments about how we were "from England" because of some accents and "wouldn't understand Mexican food." First of all, 6 out of 8 of us live in America and have for over 20 years, so that argument made absolutely no sense and was honestly insulting. They also tried to completely gaslight us and act like we were the problem instead of simply acknowledging that the food and service were not good. At one point they even claimed they "never get bad reviews," which is ironic considering there are multiple negative reviews online saying very similar things. What made it even worse was that she then went around talking about us to nearby customers while we were still sitting there and could clearly hear her. Completely unprofessional, immature, and uncomfortable. They also didn't even listen to our order correctly. We ordered queso that never came, and margaritas without salt that showed up covered in salt. Terrible food, terrible service, rude management, and zero accountability. Save your money and go literally anywhere else. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restrooms were also disgraceful so I don't even want to know how the kitchen cleanliness looks.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] No wonder my stomach hurt for days after. Attached is a picture of the waitress disrespecting us while my parents were sitting there respectfully trying to figure out the situation.

    Combo platter
    Jill C.

    Food was tasty but service could have been faster and friendlier, though it did get better over time. We waited quite a while for ordering and again for the food... Chips and salsa were provided at the start - and hooray - the salsa was super flavorful! We had nachos (a half plate is a generous portion!) a combo platter, a quesadilla and a chimichanga. Food was tasty. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Outdoor patio was ok - chairs weren't the most comfy but temp was great for outdoor dining.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Kaitlin W.

    This place had the best service I've ever experienced! They were extremely attentive and the second the chips or salsa started to get low they would give us a refill. I absolutely loved the salsa, but I will say it was on the spicier end if you don't handle spice well. I got the bean and cheese burrito with a side of rice and beans and the people I was with split the fajitas. I left feeling extremely full.

    Food was really good we got two wet burritos green and red sauce and kids quesadilla and it was well portions and the service was fast and the lady was very polite and kind

    Chicken fajitas were NOT sizzling as advertised. Tasted and felt like they started cooking the vegetables while the chicken was still raw in the skillet. Two other people I tried to eat with ordered burritos, they were both basically 80/20 bean to protein ratio. Recession indicator or do they just not care about the ramifications of cutting costs? Maybe the US Government will baithem out because those fajitas had more oil than the Middle East. I do not recommend this place if you are looking for authentic Mexican food. Guacamole was store bought along with the other salsas. Felt nice to support someone's sinking ship of a dream tho

    Chicken nachos

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

    Loved it here like always ! Food was amazing! The service was amazing! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Loved where I was seated ![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

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    1 year ago

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    trini r.

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Great food great people. Coming here for 30 years. Amazing shrimp dishes. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Local atmosphere[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

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    8 months ago

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    7 months ago

    Love, love, love El Toro Bravo!!!! Great food. Great staff. Always on top of their game Thank you Trini, Mike, Val and Martina!!!!

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    1 year ago

    Lovely meal, [[HIGHLIGHT]]great new place mat redesign[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], but they did not give us any birthday dessert...

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    3 years ago

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    trini r.

    Where is the better place? I wanna try it

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    Page 1 of 14

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    COMO

    COMO

    3.6
    (384 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    A few great things about this place. We were lucky to get a table quick during lunch time on the…read moreweekend. They really serve their drinks and food with fresh ingredients. The fish tacos tasted delicious with the combination of salsa and toppings on it. However, the fish was overcooked and my friend's corn tortillas were not pan fried enough and she had food poisoning from the chicken tacos. Shrimp tacos were amazing and i love how they had a thick hot sauce which looked like the diablo sauce. My mango sin mocktail was delicious as well. The shrimp quesadillas were great. My daughter enjoyed it! The server is pretty nice, but a bit slow because they only have one or two when they are very busy.

    We came here on a midweek for a late lunch after exploring the quaint downtown Truckee…read more We chose to be seated outside so we can still people/ dog watch while devouring our food and enjoying the fresh air. Service is on point: friendly, fast and attentive. And that means a lot as we were close to getting HANGRY. Ordered Baja Fish Tacos and husband had carne asada which were seasoned and cooked to perfection. Husband needed another serving of tacos as the serving seemed small for him but it was perfect for me. They are kid friendly and offer kids' menu. I also enjoyed their refreshing mocktail: hibiscus fresca and crunchy churros paired with chocolate and caramel dip. Bathrooms are clean and well stocked, however they didn't have a baby changing station. Other than that, it was such a great casual dining experience. We would definitely be back!

    Photos
    Fish taco
    Fish taco
    Fish taco, special for fridays $2 each
    Fish taco, special for fridays $2 each
    Menu 1 of 2

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    Menu 1 of 2
    La Mexicana

    La Mexicana

    4.2
    (582 reviews)
    10.8 mi
    $$
    25 years in business
    Locally owned & operated

    If you're in Kings Beach and craving legit, no-frills Mexican food, La Mexicana absolutely…read moredelivers. Easy 5 stars. The fish tacos were LOADED with large pieces of deep-fried fish. They were excellent. Like, the kind where you pause mid-bite and nod. The enchiladas were exactly what you want after a long Tahoe day: cheesy, saucy, and piping hot in the best kind of way. Comfort food perfection. Everything tasted fresh and made with care. A couple quirks to know going in: * Beware the green salsa. It is SPICY. Do not mistake it for guacasalsa. It's actually spicier than the red salsa and has some serious kick. * Chips aren't free and only come in one large size, so plan accordingly if you're just looking for a small side. Overall, fantastic food, generous portions, and totally worth the stop. We'll definitely be back next time we're in town.

    Solid We stop by…read morethis hole wall in call La Mexicana/ grocery store after Sand Harbor Beach to pick up some street style tacos togo. We ordered a total of 7 tacos and one tacos plate that comes with 2 tacos and rice and beans. Each tacos was $3.99 each. Don't let the price fool you like i did. Their street style tacos are a lot bigger then what we are use to in LA and very generous with the meat. You can definitely make 2 tacos with one. As for the meat we ordered the Asada, Pastor,Lengua, Buche and Cabeza. The pastor was just ok but the rest of the meat was delicious. Their salsa are were fantastic with a kick and they have 4 different types they give you. Ask for extra red salsa. Service was friendly and simple. You order from the outside and they'll call you number when it's done. Overall, food was solid and satisfying.

    Photos
    All of our breads are made fresh daily on premises
    All of our breads are made fresh daily on premises
    Bread right out of the oven
    Bread right out of the oven
    Ready for the oven!

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    Ready for the oven!
    Old Town Tap

    Old Town Tap

    4.3
    (985 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    Full service, sitdown restaurant in a casual atmosphere. Indoor, outdoor and bar seating. Good luck…read morewith finding public street parking if you're there during a popular time. If I recall, parking is free after 6pm, which is when we went. Fast and friendly service! All their food items are meant to be shared. We got 4 items split between 4 adults and it was enough. Not stuffed by any means, but definitely weren't hungry after. Curds, brusselsprouts, sausage and kale mac, and meatball pizza. Other than the brusselsprouts, which were too large so that the middle of them had no flavor, the rest was bomb. Loved the other dishes so much!

    Old Town Tap used to be one of my favorite places to stop whenever I was in Truckee, but the last…read moretwo visits have been a disappointment. The quality of the food, and the care that used to go into preparing and presenting it, has completely fallen off a cliff. During my most recent visit this week I noticed that much of the kitchen staff seemed to be different from the team I've seen over the past few years. The pizza was genuinely disappointing. The crust lacked flavor, the toppings were sparse and it felt like something that had been rushed out of the kitchen with little attention to detail. Even the presentation was careless, which was surprising because this restaurant used to take pride in what they served. It's frustrating to see a place that I used to recommend decline this much. I really hope the upper management takes a look at what's happening to the restaurant because the Old Town Tap I used to enjoy no longer seems to exist.

    Photos
    Old Town Tap
    Mushroom pizza
    Mushroom pizza
    Help wanted cocktail

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    Help wanted cocktail
    Truckee Brewing Company - Restaurant

    Truckee Brewing Company - Restaurant

    4.1
    (226 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $$
    Established in 2022
    Family-owned & operated

    Delicious food and warm and friendly people!…read more Had dinner here tonight. Ordered a beet salad, meat lovers pizza and a flight of beer tastings (4 flavors) First off the Server was wonderful! Very warm and very friendly to talk with. She was always checking on me to make sure my water glass was full and how b my meal was. Super nice person!! The beet salad is "To Die For!" The dressing on this fabulous! So tasty it's addicting! The beets, candied walnuts and cheese mixed with the arugula was such a fantastic and delicious combo! I'd drive 4 hours just for this salad! The all meat pizza is delicious! The tangy tomato sauce is a very welcomed change of flavor when compared to other pizzas. The sour dough crust is a welcome change too! Very tasty with the tasty meat toppings! The beer flight I had was delicious! I liked the first one a lot! I'm not a very big drinker but I liked the first one. The stout is very delicious too with a fairly strong coffee flavor. All the beers were very yummy! Great ambiance to just hang out all day or night long passing the day drinking tasty beer and eating delicious food! Please see the pictures below and let your eyes do the feasting!!

    I had a honeymoon period with TBC when I was coming mostly for the burgers. The burgers are great…read more But I gave up eating beef and things have been a bit mixed since... GREAT: wings, fries, beet salad NOT GREAT: Fish and chips (they're fish sticks) chicken parm sandwich (they're chicken tenders), pizza (sure is a pretty pizza oven though) Also, the dining room is small, and too often the setting for employee drama played out in full view of customers. Maybe schedule a team meeting and hash it out there? Things don't usually improve when the employees are more self-involved than they are concerned about customers. That's not why we visit.

    Photos
    Truckee Brewing Company - Restaurant
    Beet Salad + chicken with bleu cheese instead of goat cheese. Delicious. Generously sized.
    Beet Salad + chicken with bleu cheese instead of goat cheese. Delicious. Generously sized.
    12" MARGHERITA PIZZA

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    12" MARGHERITA PIZZA
    Shadyside Lounge

    Shadyside Lounge

    4.5
    (135 reviews)
    13.0 mi

    We've been wanting to try this place out for months and we're glad we finally did! The service was…read moregreat, the food was amazing, and the live music and lively atmosphere lent to the amazing experience we had. This place is busy for a reason and the wait is worth it. We came in as Walk-ins and despite the fact that there were 17 parties on the reservation list before us, we still were able to be seated and within 25 minutes. Our server Caroline was quick to get our orders in and as first time visitors, she made excellent suggestions to make our night unforgettable. To start, we had two drinks off the menu, the Whiskey Mango Foxtrot and the Spicy Cucumber Mar-tini. Both were excellent, and the marg-tini had an especially good japalepeno kick, which is what I was looking for. We're normally old fashion kind of drinkers but the Whiskey Mango Foxtrot had excellent flavor and was well balanced, with what tasted like a Tajin mango. The real star of the show was the food though. The server wasn't joking when she said the nachos are best shared with two people, and I even opted for the guacamole. The carnitas were buttery tender and the cheese sauce tasted gourmet and incredibly flavorful. I definitely recommend these! They were probably some of the best nachos I've had, and this is coming from someone that's lived in Santa Barbara for 5 years! Next up was the burrito bowl, and the first thing that comes to mind is: generous! We're used to spending $25 an entree in the city and still leaving the restaurant hungry, but not here. The chips were fresh and crispy and truly taste hand made. The birria beef was amazing and tender and flavorful, and the pickled onions and vinegar sauce was the chefs kiss on an altogether amazing dish. We're so glad to have finally made it over here! Bottom line, this restaurant is worth checking out if you're in the area. It's packed with locals every night, but don't let the long wait times dissuade you, they under-promise and over deliver. These are the best drinks and food with Mexican flare this side of the Sierras, and will become a staple during our visits to the area. If you appreciate good food, drinks, and an amazing mountain atmosphere, you owe it to yourself to put Shadyside Lounge on your short list of places to try, I know I did and the only regret I have is not coming here sooner!

    I think I just found the best casual dining spot on the West Shore, hands down. Shadyside serves…read moresome of the most craveable Mexican food I've had! Everything tasted fresh, well-seasoned, and thoughtfully put together. We ordered two encharitos, one with the beef birria and one with the chicken. Both were fantastic, but if you're deciding between the two, get the beef birria. The enchilada sauce is absolutely to die for, and the rich, tender beef put it over the top. The carnitas burrito was incredibleeeee. It was packed with the perfect ratio of carnitas, beans, rice, and all the fixings, so every bite had a little bit of everything. The carnitas were cooked perfectly. It was super tender with great flavor and seasoning. I'm already craving it again. We also started with the guacamole, which was fresh, chunky, and generously portioned. For drinks, we had the House Margarita, the Scratch Cadillac, and the Smoking Gun. The margaritas were refreshing and well-balanced, but a little light on the tequila. The Smoking Gun, on the other hand, had a great spirit-to-flavor ratio. It's definitely smoky (as the name suggests), so if you're a mezcal fan, you'll probably love it (like me!). Service was great. Our waitress was young, incredibly sweet, attentive, and happy to accommodate a few special requests. Just be prepared to wait. It's a small restaurant that's clearly popular, and for good reason. The atmosphere is cute and lively, though it does get pretty loud. That didn't bother me at all, but it's worth mentioning if you're looking for a quieter dinner.

    Photos
    Bar
    Bar
    Guac and chips and salsa
    Guac and chips and salsa
    Margarita

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    Margarita

    El Toro Bravo - mexican - Updated July 2026

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