Amazing experience from start to finish! The service was outstanding, and every single staff member was incredibly friendly and welcoming. Special thanks to Berna, our server, who was attentive, kind, and made us feel truly taken care of, and to Jorge, the manager, who clearly runs the place with professionalism and genuine care for the guests. The food was absolutely delicious -- full of flavor, well prepared, and served fresh. You can really tell the cooks take pride in their work. On top of that, the prices are very affordable for the quality you get, which makes the experience even better. The bartender also deserves a big shoutout for the excellent drinks -- perfectly made, refreshing, and clearly crafted by someone who knows what they're doing. Overall, this place delivers great food, great drinks, and exceptional service. I highly recommend it to everyone looking for a fantastic dining experience. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

OMG! When I say the absolute Best Mexican food restaurant in North Carolina...this is the place. The atmosphere was clean, waiter Andres was so attentive and kind and food was so Delicious! I live on the south side of Charlotte NC and going forward when I want some Authentic Good Mexican food.....I will travel to Cornelius NC! read more

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This is my second time her in the last six days. The ambience is one of authentic Mexican decor. The customer service is top tier from the moment you open the door. The food is very good and tasted well, along with the cocktails. They will definitely see alot more of me read more

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Stopped in on a whim as we normally frequent other Mexican restaurants in the area but have been disappointed by the service recently, so glad we gave this place a shot! I really enjoyed the ambiance of the restaurant, it felt laid back and not overly bright or overwhelming. Comfortable seating and a super nice outdoor patio. The bar had a wide selection and the prices weren't bad. Only let down was that they didn't have Don Julio reposado at the time. Food was super generous portions and very tasty. Had a nice range of items to choose from, I'm excited to go back and try different things! Overall would recommend! read more

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El Toro is a solid option if you're in the area and craving Mexican food. It's large and casual enough to bring the whole family or even just to grab Margaritas at the bar. I had the Mojarra which is a giant whole fried tilapia that comes with rice, refried beans and a little salad. It was good but my mojarra was slightly burned/overcooked (see photo). Transparently, I was STARVING so I still ate it and mostly it enjoyed it - though it was EXTRA crispy. As far as what I tasted - their rice is delicious. Texture was perfect and very flavorful. The menu is pretty ample so I'd say there's something for everyone on the menu - kids included. I actually got to try the dessert as well - I really like the churros. They came out warm with a scoop of ice cream. Our server was helpful and we got served food pretty quickly. It very much gives family owned vibes here. I think they can improve by not overcooking the fish entree and small improvements to the service. I'd return - and hopefully next time to try some of their margaritas. There's some fun-looking cocktails on the menu! read more

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Service was wonderful. Food was delicious and the drinks were on point. We came to celebrate a friends birthday and were very impressed.

Bethany and I had lunch at El Toro Mexican Grill and Bar today. We were rewarded with very good food, drinks, and service. We lived in Dallas, Texas for many years so the first question at a new, Mexican restaurant is, "How good is their Margarita?" They make a good margarita! Not too sweet, a little tart, very drinkable. Their chips and salsa, another lynchpin for a quality Mexican restaurant, are also good. We added aside of queso and poured some salsa in it. This option is definitely worth trying. For our entree, we decided on fajitas with chicken and steak plus flour tortillas. The fajitas (an order for two) were heaped on plate that included chicken, steak, peppers, and onions. We were both served plates with guacamole, sour cream, rice and refried beans. Our flour tortillas were filled with everything described. They were sooo good! The interior of the restaurant is clean, well lighted, and comfortable. The service was always pleasant and the servers checked on us regularly. We highly recommend trying El Toro Mexican Grill and Bar. read more

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Tacos were sooooooo good they caught me by surprise like a deer in headlights. The green hot sauce hits too. Let's TACO bout it!!

First of all - I love El Toros and I've been eating here for years. Great food, friendly staff. However, recently my friend had a birthday there, and part of the restaurant's celebration (along with sombreros, maracas, and singing) they reached around and wiped whipped cream on the birthday person's face. I've heard that's a tradition... but not one she wanted done to her by a stranger. Not on her birthday, when she'd done her makeup. Not when it gets in her hair and embarrasses her. The staff involved were all young and maybe didn't realize how upsetting that could be, but still, I was very upset by El Toro's celebration going too far and I'm much less likely to return because of it. read more

I love this place. Came in twice over a weekend, and they bent over backwards to help my gringo ass figure out what my taste buds like. Sit at the bar for a personable experience. Everyone is friendly and customer service is #1 for them. 5/5 read more

We found this place cause it was within walking distance of our hotel. We ordered take out. The was not what we expected. It was decent at most. The burrito my wife got was not that flavorful. It was very bland tasting. The fajita I got with the steak, chicken, and shrimp was not that great. The shrimp tasted a little fishy, and they only have two tortillas for the meal. Which is not enough. The rice and refried beans were bland and had no flavor what so ever. read more

Have been several times now...food has been pretty good; the service however not so good. Everyone seems to disappear and you're left waiting for anything you may need. read more

This was a delicious restaurant, great lunch specials, and they were kind and accommodating of our puppy! Highly recommend!

Food is always delicious- homemade. However salads could use more lettuce...lunch Taco salad was really skimpy on lettuce, I don't think there was a cup of lettuce in taco shell. read more

Stopped in for dinner one night. Husband got the super enchilada plate and it was fantastic. Great flavorful enchilada sauce- shredded beef was definitely the standout filling. I had enchiladas blancas - the shrimp were delicious, but it was too much cheese for me. Great guacamole and I love that they offer a small portion which is just right for 2 people. read more

El Toro Mexican Grill and Bar - Super enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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Checked out El Toro today for lunch . I got the ala cart 2 beef burritos and a draft beer. The waiter had a great attitude and checked on me often. The service was prompt as well. They gave me a house hot sauce that had chipotle in it . Really good. The music was Cuban salsa which was fun to listen to.Only reason why I didn't give 5 stars is when I got the bill there was an up charge for paying by card of 3.0% and the burritos on the menu were priced 6 dollars and on the bill I was changed $6.99. IDK if I will be back. read more

El Toro Mexican Grill and Bar - Ground beef burritos that cost $6.99 when listed on menu as $6.00. - Mexican Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

This was my first time at this restaurant. Food and Server was awesome. I will be frequenting this restaurant often.

OMGoodness -- the naked burrito is the BEST tasting dish I've had in a long time!! Their waitstaff is friendly and quick to serve up chips, salsa, and drinks. They are great with kids, too. read more

Solid, reasonable Mexican food. Great service. Food is more flavorful the. Your typical "cheap" Mexican spot. Will definitely be back

Came one day for lunch and was met with very friendly service! Tried the pork carnitas and a horchata at the server's recommendation. Portion size was alright and price was around $13, which was a little higher than I was expecting for a lunch special. Chips came out warm and the horchata was tasty! Overall, recommend! read more

El Toro Mexican Grill and Bar - Lunch pork carnitas - Mexican Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

Authentic tamales. The pork was good but the chicken tamale was outstanding. The service was prompt and attentive and the ambience was interesting read more

Based on a recommendation from a Facebook group, I gave this place a try. The recommendation was that they had authentic Mexican food. Maybe that's true. But flavor was one thing that was lacking on our visit. The restaurant is actually very large on the inside with plenty of seating, and plenty of spacing. We visited on a Friday evening and were seated immediately. That is a plus! The only drawback seems to be the tile floors and the acoustics of the large area. It was so loud I had a small headache when we left. Our food was just ok. I live in Lincolnton, so I found it wasn't worth the drive when you can get basic Mexican food pretty much in any city. But I'm always on the hunt for that diamond in the rough. Unfortunately, El Toro is not it. We tried Arroz con Pollo, Pollo con Crema and a combo with a chicken chimichanga and chile relleno. All were fine, but very basic. The salsa tasted like tomato sauce. The cheese dip was good, but that's hard to mess up. We tried two desserts: Fried Ice Cream and Tres Leches Cake. Both were ok. Mexican food seems to be very polarizing and people like what they get used to I think. I'd definitely go back again if I was in the area and had friends wanting to go, but I wouldn't choose it myself. read more

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Forget about it. Just sat down to eat and I crush Mexican food on the regular. The service is OUTSTANDING and our server David totally worked his butt off. Seriously, the food was great but they were RUNNING to get us served. We are locals and overwhelmed with how awesome this was. Thanks El Toro Respectfully, El Toro Blanco read more

El Toro Mexican Grill and Bar - Mexican Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

We tried El Toro for the first time for lunch. The lunch menu is pretty big and pretty reasonable. I had the chicken fajitas. They were good. Unfortunately, both my husbands and my rice and beans were served cold. The fajitas were hot and so was his tamale and enchilada. I guess they must have plated the rice and beans and then waited for the rest of the food. That was a bummer. The chips were good but the salsa was way too mild. I added Tapatio to my salsa just to add some spice. Service was ok, could have been better. read more

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First, the important things in Nov 2020: ~Is there any outdoor seating? Yes, there were 7 tables on the outdoor patio. ~Cool - will they let my well-behaved dog join me on the patio? No problemo, ours was graciously welcomed. ~Was staff masked up? Every one of them that we saw! If you're underwhelmed by the oversized, sickly-sweet, watery margaritas with no discernible taste of tequila that you find at many Mexican restaurants then you need to stop by El Toro for their Top Shelf Margarita. We've tried probably every Mexican restaurant at the lake and El Toro's Top Shelf margaritas are simply the most superior. Be sure and eat something while you're having one though, they pack quite a punch. And maybe pick a DD from your table if you end up having more than one because they're muy delicioso! You HAVE to ask for the Top Shelf ones though. Service on our most recent visit was pretty darned impressive on a busy Friday night with beautiful weather. Our service was prompt and attentive and we were checked on by more folks than just our server. Salsa and chips arrived immediately. Chips were fresh, salsa has a little more oregano then I prefer which is somewhat common with Mexican restaurants, I kind of like to taste cilantro in the salsa too. We ordered the Burrito Texano ($13.99 a large flour tortilla with grilled chicken, grilled steak, large shrimp, peppers, onions, tomatoes, black beans and pick alongside lettuce, sour cream and shredded cheese.) It was a huge portion but it was so good, especially the steak, that I managed to eat every bite. (I had to soak up the Top Shelf margarita!!). My husband got the Steak a la Mexicana ($15.99 grilled ribeye steak with sautéed onions and mushrooms topped with jack and served with rice and beans). Not the greatest cut of steak ever but still tasted good and he easily finished his meal. The night was so pleasant he ordered dessert since I was still slowly working my way through my huge, delicious burrito. Churros $6.99 here are freshly made - four fried strips of dough filled with seasoned apples and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Served over vanilla ice cream, caramel, and the richest, creamiest, house made whipped cream you can imagine. So thick you could stand a spoon in it. Their whipped cream is the bomb.com. Our female server was attentive, didn't need to write orders down, checked back frequently, pleasant and intelligent. We were also checked in on by two males at least three times. We never felt unnoticed or ignored. Tables took awhile to be bussed but I imagine that is because they are at reduced capacity due to COVID so there wasn't a hurry to clear tables. Tables inside were well spaced between diners. We'd gotten into a rut with the Mexican restaurants closer to us but I feel like I need to head back to El Toro again much more frequently - we left with happy hearts, full bellies and a happy dog. read more

El Toro Mexican Grill and Bar - Burrito Tejano $13.99 (steak, chicken and shrimp). Very, very good. - Mexican Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

We've been here a few times and the food has been good each time. This visit I ordered the tacos, which thankfully you're able to mix and match 3 different tacos instead of 3 of the same one. The menu reads as "street tacos" but they were definitely a little bigger than any street taco I've eaten. Don't get me wrong, that is NOT a complaint!!! You get your money worth and more because they also load them up with meat. My only complaint is that the guacamole could have been seasoned a little more. There isn't a lot of Mexican restaurants that we've found (yet) with good food that isn't too westernized or fuaion, so check this place out if you're in the area. read more

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If you want incredible food and ambiance don't think twice run to El Toro! My family and I love this place and they are SO kind and friendly. I forgot my sunglasses and they stored them for me until I returned for them. We can't get sit to go back! read more

Keeps Getting Better I have been coming to El Toro every now and then and all I can say, it keeps getting better. I've also been to events catered by them and they do a great job there as well. My most recent visit was several weeks ago when my wife and some of her friends went to a show at the Belk Theater so I had to fend for myself. Thought a bit and decided on El Toro. Walked in and was promptly seated at a nice table off to the side. Menu, chips and salsa and my beverage order was there in record order. As I looked over then menu, I sampled the Chips and Salsa, Great way to start off dinner. Chips were nice and fresh and still hot. Salsa had a fresh spicy taste that was refreshing. By this time, I had decided on the Monster Steak Burritto. I know I referred to it as a Giant in the picture I posted by Giant does not go far enough. The official name in the menu refers to it as Monster Steak Burritto. Monster it is because it covers all of one plate with a little room left over for the guacamole, the pico de gallo and the salad. The flavor is great with a good balance of cheese, meat etc. Steak is good although a bit overcooked. Considering how little they charge for it, one of the best values in Cornelius or anywhere else in the area. Service is great and Atmosphere is excellent as well. Great place to unwind with a cold Corona and Lime, Marquerita or what ever. Beware the sweetened tea because like most places around here, way too much sugar. Order 1/2 and 1/2 instead and you will find it to be still a bit on the sweet side. Good place for solo dining or for large groups. Works either way. read more

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Good tasting food and large portions. Fast and friendly service. The menu has a good assortment of Mexican food

I love this place! Great authentic Mexican food with great service. The menu is pretty extensive so there is something for everyone. Favorite enteé so far has been the carne asada street tacos! They are amazing, it comes with 3 tacos rice and beans. The street corn is also the best I've had in the area. The margarita is a must! They have perfected the mix to the point you do not taste the tequila, which is dangerous. Thursday is their margarita special night. The employees are always friendly and the service is fast, I highly recommend this place! read more

Has gone down hill. Not the same. Prices are up and takeout is wrong when we get home. Not the same. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else. Poor service and quality. read more

I discovered this hidden gem shortly after moving to Cornelius. Tucked away in a little plaza off of Catawba it's easy to miss. My bar for Mexican food is high - the generic fare I've found so often in the area is nowhere to be found in this restaurant. Every single menu item I've tried has been excellent, with options I've never seen this far east. Enchiladas Poblano with a perfect mole sauce is my top pick. Birria tacos are always on point. Margaritas are large and delicious. Staff is always friendly (Andrea is a gem) and the ambiance is fantastic. Don't hesitate if you're craving a great Mexican food experience. read more

Favorite Mexican restaurant. Great margaritas. Fajitas are perfect. Unlimited chips.

What I consider one if not THE BEST Mexican restaurants in Cornelius. Never had a bad meal here. The food, service, staff are always very consistent in being great. read more

Everything here is awesome! Service is awesome and food is wonderful! All the employees are very nice. Service is very quick.

Food is okay and a bit over priced. Service is very nice and seems they have a ton of regulars! Good for a quick spot. read more

The servers are fine, however the food has changed dramatically since change in the management team. I ordered a fajitas salad - I received a tiny amount of shredded lettuce with a liquid serving of fajitas. It was more soup than salad. My husband ordered enchiladas and they were stiff and flavorless. Three years ago this was the place to go but not anymore. read more

This is my new go-to for Mexican! We have been there twice in the past couple weeks, always on point and delish! The very large seating area, both inside and outside and the large bar area makes for an excellent experience. They can accommodate very large groups with no problem! The place is always full of families. We have always ordered Burrito Grande and Chimichanga's. Look at my photos, the serving size is huge. I always order carnitas and my wife always orders chicken, so good. We always pay the extra buck for the Macho Chimi, that adds guac, sour cream and pico-----fresh and awesome. The staff has always been great. Order a pitcher of margarita, we get the Cadillac- which is top shelf and around $25. FYI - have a DD, because the margaritas will kick your ass. Thank god for my 18 son........ read more

Quick, cheap, good. They have a very extensive menu, but you're sure to find many great options to keep you coming back for more. The lunch menu highlights some of their best dishes. Seriously, in a hurry? You can get in and out in half an hour, if needed. It is a large restaurant, so it can look empty, even with 50 people in it. They have a great covered patio, to enjoy when weather permits. i personally like the tortilla soup, the nachos, the chicken & spinach, or a good ole quesadilla. Variety, for sure. Enjoy! read more

El Toro Mexican Grill and Bar - Chicken soup...wonderful!! - Mexican Near Me - Cornelius, North Carolina

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No prices on the menu, $18 burrito is why. Food tasted off and bartender kept pressuring us to order more beer. Couldn't leave fast enough honestly. Tab was nearly $60 before tip for 2 burritos and 3 corona bottles. I wouldn't come back or recommend. read more