5/7/2026 We took 21 Residents from the Swan Pointe HOA to el Toro Mexican Restaurant. We were greeted by the GM, Hector. He is a supporter of Swan Pointe. We were using the big room in the back of the restaurant. Our servers were Isabella and Aracely (but is called Shellie). A lot of our residents go there to eat and knew exactly what they wanted to eat. I got some really nice pictures of the platters. I didn't really see a lot of duplication on the meals. My husband and I shared the Burrito Supremo that came with two burritos. We chose to get one Grilled Chicken and one Steak Burrito and Refried Beans and Rice. We also ordered an extra side of beans and rice. This one meal was enough for both of us. The servers were so good when the food came about knowing who got what! They checked in on us and brought refills for our drinks and cleared our dishes. We really had a good time at el Toro's and enjoyed talking. We were really relaxed and we had a couple of brand new homeowners at our dinner and even got to meet 2 family members. Robyn read more

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THE BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT!!!!! After evaluating every Mexican restaurant based on steak fajitas and quesadillas. El toro clears the competition, and makes me disappointed to eat anywhere else. Nothing compares. I0/10. read more

This place is rather unassuming and situated next to a gas station. It seemed like it would be the same generic Mexican food you get at other places like Gustavo's and El Nopal. In a lot of ways, it is and also has the characteristic speedy service. However, I will say the steak here has also been consistently tender and the margaritas are a good deal. It comes with standard chips and salsa and the guacamole is good. Definitely worth a visit. read more

The food tasted like it was out of the bag and warmed and served. The staff was fine but the food was not as good as what you could do at your own home. read more

Our favorite place! The people and food are consistently amazing here! Highly recommend.

El Toro had wonderful ambience and service, but the food was less than mediocre. Each item was store bought. I believe it was microwaved as well just by looking at the texture. read more

EL Toro Mexican Restaurant - Fish Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Highly recommended Mexican restaurant in East Louisville! The service here is always top notch and the food is amazing! I highly recommend the Pollo Loco, the fajitas, and the Cheese Queso. They have several large indoor rooms with multiple tables and an outdoor screened in area that can also seat several different groups. read more

Recently ordered carry out because this is conveniently located next to my daughter's school and queso always is a hit in our house. The staff was super friendly and they followed up when we weren't on time, which I appreciated! The chimichanga and carne asada tacos were both amazing, and the spicy green sauce is YUMMO! read more

This is my family's go-to Mexican spot. Service is excellent. The staff and management run a tight ship for a very large, often very busy place. I've tried several dishes here, have never had a bad meal, and usually take home leftovers. The menu is extensive. Something for everyone. read more

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El Toro definitely makes the list of one of the best Mexican restaurants in Louisville! I have been to this location multiple times. Over time the quality has gotten better and better. My most recent visit was great. This restaurant is located in a good spot. There is ample parking with indoor and outdoor seating available. Inside, it is clean, comfortable, and beautifully decorated. I got the shrimp cocktail, which was very fresh and tasted delicious. It had the perfect mix of shrimp, avocados, tomatoes, and seasonings. The food here is also a mix of "Tex mex" and authentic Mexican food. The service was awesome as well! Graciela was our server. She was very friendly and happy to help with whatever questions we had, which made the experience great. read more

EL Toro Mexican Restaurant - Shrimp Cocktail - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

I have been a patron of this establishment since it was originally Cork and Cleaver. I am unsure of the ownership, but have no worries. The hospitality, quality and atmosphere is why I would return. read more

Much better experiences and food at El Toro over the past year. Today we came for my husband's birthday and were able to make a reservation for 10 ppl. This is a great spot for groups, reservations or not. We were seated in the back room which is a private area and can hold a much bigger group. I ordered the burritos dinner ($12). It came with two burritos topped with white queso, lettuce and tomato. I chose ground beef but chicken is also offered. All dinners come with a side of beans and rice. My kids got the cheese quesadilla ($8) and kids cheeseburger ($4). All plates were emptied and I think it's the best meal I've had there. Chips and salsa are complimentary. The mild is fairly chunky and flavorful. The hot was disappointing. It packed a lot of heat for little flavor. For my husband's birthday the group brought out a huge sombrero and fried ice cream (free for his day). One blew a horn and the group sang. It was a lot of fun and we got a lot of good pics. The staff here is always very nice to my family. They good off with the kids, offer high fives and hugs. Our server today was amazing. She didn't forget about us in the back room and brought us everything as requested. We'll definitely be back and when the weather cools off, enjoy the patio seating. read more

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This is one of my favorite local restaurants! The staff has always been amazing, the food is good and reasonably priced!

For a *very* reasonable $10, the buffet totally hits the spot. It's not a large selection, but they've wisely chosen quality over quantity. Virtually all the meats (fajita and ground beef, fajita and shredded chicken, and carnitas) were delicious, the tortillas were fresh, the rice and beans were well seasoned, and the salsas were tasty (and spicy). The only thing I found lacking was any sort of fresh vegetable (lettuce and tomatoes don't count, for different reasons...). Then again, this is Mexican food. Btw, the buffet is now offered daily (based on signage, I believe this has only recently been the case). read more

EL Toro Mexican Restaurant - Solid buffet - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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We love El Toro. We go about once a week and the service is always top notch. We enjoy the enchiladas rojas and steak burritos. The buy one get one free margarita deal is something that makes them stand out. They also have a rewards card with a point system for returning members! They also have a side room and back room that can be used for celebration dinners! The manager is an amazing person! read more

This is the WORST Mexican restaurant in Louisville...the bathroom was disgusting...the food tasted off...., I hope I don't have food poisoning...the only good thing was our waitress, she was very nice, but I will never go here again. Dirty, Dirty, Dirty!!! read more

Unfortunately, we had an unpleasant experience here. We were just in town for a trip, figured we would give this place a try with some friends. The host was friendly. I do not like leaving reviews based off just service because I understand circumstances can cause a bad interaction and not necessarily mean the place as a whole is at fault. However, our experience here was just too invasive to overlook. Our server however was not the friendliest. He argued with me back and forth three times about the menu. I was asking to make substitutions, IF possible(I understand some places don't do substitutions). Instead of listening and answering yes or no, he kept arguing with me and telling me to read the menu. Every time I tried to asked the full question he'd cut me off and use his pen to point belligerently at the menu. I have been to many chain Mexican restaurant where you are able to substitute the enchilada sauce for cheese sauce and yet here the server proceeded to rudely cut me off and tell me to read instead of answering if it was possible. The food was average. The chips were nice and crispy and the salsa was a great pair. It had a good spice which was nice! The food came out rather quick which was nice given it was quite busy. The food tasted good, nothing outstanding. On top of that, we had our baby with us who is still very young. They gave us a carrier sling so she was us against the table in the carrier. I understand people tend to enjoy interacting with babies however, we had a server who wasn't our server touch our baby on the foot twice. When nicely corrected he got rude and stormed off. And then the manager came over and touch our baby's face and head in which my husband swatted his hand away and told him do not touch. I think it's very rude for the manager and employees of an establishment to make physical contact with any customer especially a baby that isn't yours. We were all at a loss for words over how weird and disrespectful it was to touch a baby without asking. I shouldn't have to worry about my child's space being invaded while enjoying dinner at a restaurant. I think it's best if the manager and employees focus on customer service and not touching babies especially when you are not asking before touching. read more

Upon entry there was a sewerage like smell but layout was spacious enough, server was decent and food taste good and big portion size read more

Went here for a lunch buffet and it was just ok. The options weren't very large to choose from and the service wasn't the greatest Pricing was not too bad but that may explain lack of options. Taste didn't impress me either. Even the free chips and salsa were just "meh". If your looking for a good Mexican buffet for lunch I'd recommend Mango's over this place. read more

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Great authentic Mexican food with fast, friendly service in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. It's a great place to for lunch or dinner ! read more

I'll start by saying that the service was uncomfortably rushed. Some may argue "attentive", but when you read the extensive menu of basically 5 proteins combined about 200 different ways, it takes a few minutes. Never having been here, maybe the waiter could have picked up on that and made a suggestion or two. Unfortunately, the waiter had no clue after asking to take the order 3 times in maybe 8 minutes... For starters, the complementary chips and salsa were no bueno. Chips were on the thick side and tasted like they were made 3 days prior. Salsa was somewhat chunky and lacked spice. Now the order: Tamales were presented with husk attached. Red sauce on top was flavorless but added color to the dish with rice and refried beans. Unsure what meat was under the corn tamale coating. The mystery meat was bland and not spicy at all. Underwhelming. The chipotle chicken was almost inedible. Chewy, spongy chicken with onions and green peppers and two sliced mushrooms drenched in an adobo sauce straight from a can. Spicy but a little too much so that it was overpowering, and maybe in a good way hid the chicken texture. I'm sorry but I cannot come back again. I'd rather go to T-Bell 5 times! read more

Dinner was delicious tonight! We ordered take out and it was quick and hot. I went with my usual chicken chimichanga served with rice and beans. My fiancé got the chipotle pollo, he said the sauce was great. We were so full. This wasn't our first time eating here. We've dined in a couple times pre Covid. They always had really friendly service and if I remember correctly it's 2 for 1 Margaritas allll the time. So that's obviously a big pro for most. The fajitas are really good too. I know they had a couple vandalism incidents recently with all the craziness, so go check them out! They even have some tables set up outside! read more

Love the food and the $8 drink special . Two drinks for $ 8 dollars. Staff was friendly and food was great

El Toro on Shelbyville Rd tonight was the WORST experience I have had since Covid turned our country upside down. Shame on me for not leaving after we were seated like my husband wanted. Manager did not even care about our experience. Hostess sat a table of 4 with 2 menus, asked waitress for 2 more menus to find that she could not comprehend English at all. Then she ways what you drink we have Pepsi products. I ask for root beer which is a product service by Pepsi vendors to just keep getting Pepsi repeated. Not a list of drinks offered except alcohol. Then we try to order and I ask for my son's burrrito to be wet and explain I will pay extra. We order pollo loco. His burrito comes covered in cheese not red sauce and our pollo loco has no cheese which is one of the main things in this dish. Sent ours back and said we did not want anything else as the manager argues that nobody else complained. Well nobody else has taste buds apparently. And at 13.00 why would they pay for nasty dried out rice with dried out chicken on top. Not to mention half the plate was completely empty like it's a side dish not a meal. Do yourself a favor and find somewhere else if you were thinking of giving this place a chance. Apparently alcohol is what they push so you forget how nasty the food and waitstaff is. If I could give a negative star I would. read more

My daughter and I just finished eating here, and it was excellent! Our server Kely was one of the best servers I have had in long time. Not only was she an extremely great server, but she was extremely patient at my attempt at speaking Spanish. Salsa is very fresh and very good. My daughter had a chicken quesadilla with beans and rice. She is a picky eater, and she loved it. I had 7 Mares (seafood soup), and it was some of the best soup I have had in years. I have been here many times, and have never had a bad experience. Highly recommended! read more

EL Toro Mexican Restaurant - 7 Mares - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Met my friends from church for men's night out service was great and friendly the drinks were good and the food was wonderful we will be back five star excellent Mexican food Two for drinks margarita delicious with real alcohol in them that you can taste Try the chimichanga it's outside read more

Speedy service, large space for seating, and excellent food! I really enjoyed my first visit here. Everyone was so nice, the food was reasonably priced and Just all around great experience. If you are wanting to visit somewhere with great service, great food and wonderful atmosphere, this is the place! read more

EL Toro Mexican Restaurant - Street Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Best fajitas in Louisville. Hopefully one day they will brig back their buffet but until then I'll continue to order them one skillet at a time. read more

EL Toro Mexican Restaurant - Steak fajitas (only onion) - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

We did take out today. A lot of food and everything tastes amazing. This is my 2nd time here and it was amazing last time too. I did a combo meal of flauta and burrito. The portion was enough for me to have lunch and dinner. The queso is really good too. read more

Salsa was good. Service for salsa & chips was good. Chips were cold. Slow Service. "Fried" Chimichanga outside was soft, not crisp. Its chicken was like petrified wood. Margueritas were weak on the tequila. For an over $100 bill, they didn't offer or give an itemized receipt, so charges were unverifiable. Another party with us also had problems getting a receipt. Reminded me why we hadn't returned after several years. read more

EL Toro Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

I know, 5 looks high, but today, it was well deserved. Our server, Rocino I believe is correct, was great. We had Enchaladas Rojas with Chorizo from the lunch menu. Very, very good, loved it. Chips and salsa were good but the salsa was totally mild. A small ding there. The frozen Margaritas were great. We will be going back. : ) read more

I've been here multiple times and have not been disappointed. It is a mid priced, casual Mexican restaurant. The service has been swift and nice each time. It is a large space with multiple dining areas throughout. Queso is spot on. This most recent trip I had ceviche and was very satisfied. read more

Looking for a cheap date night? Fun with friends before a night out? Or just a place to take the family to unwind? Regardless of what your plans are, El Toro offers the best of the best. They have a fantastic menu with the basics to their specials. The margaritas are PERFECT (did I mention they're two for one?!). El Toro has options for everyone and it's honestly been a favorite of mine for years. The staff is very friendly, too! I recommend this place to everyone who comes out to the Middletown/Douglas Hills area. read more

just now NEW Horrible experience, as soon as we got there they gave us a bad attitude. They were rude and rushed ... they over charged us and instead of saying "it's better to get the oEder of 3 tacos for $12 , but instead they charged us $9 for 2 extra tacos and $6 for 1 taco . We felt so rushed and food was just horribly served . A lot was missing in our plates . Just a horrible experience. DO NOT RECOMMEND AT ALL!!!! read more

AMAZING SERVICE AND FOOD. I asked the server what the best app was, and instead of up selling and lying, he told us the queso.. And it was FANTASTIC. The salsa and food was fresh .The guamole was so fresh as well.. We will be coming back and soon.. read more

EL Toro Mexican Restaurant - AMAZING - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Mediocre at best. Everything was bland. Everything was cold. I'm surprised with how busy this restaurant is; el Nopal in Middletown is much better. read more

I went to the restaurant on a busy Friday night. I didn't feel like dining in so I placed a to-go order at the restaurant. I ordered the chicken fajita quesadillas (~$14) and refried beans (~$3) for dinner. It wind up rounding up to about $20. Honestly, the food was okay to slightly disappointing, even more so considering the price. I don't know how this place has so many good reviews. The quesadilla lacked the cheesiness taste at all (I didn't feel like I was even eating a quesadilla - more like flour, a little cheese and a lot of chicken). Food is supposed to be more than the sum of its parts. Sadly, it didn't taste that way. I will say that I am from Texas so I might have a higher standard, but I've eaten at other good Mexican restaurants here and this was not it. Disappointed and sadly still craving the taste of a legit quesadilla. read more

My coworker and I had a great experience at El Toro today! We were happily greeted by Hector and he seated us right away. We ordered, ate our food, paid, and walked out of the door in less than 45 minutes. You just can't beat it! Chips and salsa were great and my lunch was yummy! We left satisfied. I'll be back! read more

EL Toro Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

We had a neighborhood gathering at the restaurant last night in honor of a friend's 50th birthday. The staff set us up in the back room, allowed us to decorate, and took great care of a very large group (30 people) with ease. They even sang when bringing out the large cake we provided. The staff is very sweet and attentive. The food is quite tasty as well. I ordered a fajita quesadilla and ate every bite. My friend ordered the shrimp tacos and also cleared her plate, which is not something she does often. We shared a pitcher of mango margaritas, which was a great deal for $17...a full pitcher plus 2 glasses that came out full as well. While waiting we enjoyed the chips and salsa, and the salsa is fresh and homemade. Yum. Overall, the place did a great job taking care of us, and I was impressed. I'll bring my husband back with me next time and see if I can break his singular dedication to El Nopal. read more

I've been coming to el toro since I was a little girl. The food is never mind-blowingly great but you can count on it being reliably good. The service is always polite and speedy. The restaurant is clean and I enjoy their outdoor patio. 2 for 1 margaritas every day of the week, no matter the time. I will say that I'm not impressed by the complimentary chips and salsa...I know it's free and all but I also know they can do better chips and better quality salsa ...I mean come on, where's the authenticity? Last night I had the beef chimichanga and my mom had the enchiladas supremas. We we enjoyed our meal, as usual, and will return. read more

EL Toro Mexican Restaurant - Beef Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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