My family and I went to Toro last night for the first time in a very long time, and it was extraordinary; we'll definitely be back again soon. There were loads of options for vegetarians (which is not something I remember from our earlier experiences), I had a couple delicious vermouths, my wife had a lovely orange wine, my kids were happy, and the service was friendly. As always, Toro was packed (I think it's been packed consistently since the day it opened) and lively. What a neighborhood gem. Long may it remain. read more

They do the classics very well like the pan con tomate, tortilla española and oysters! Their more experimental plates like the uni bocadillo and bone marrow needed a little more flavor for my taste. Happy I got to try it using the Chase reserve credit! read more

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The food here was exceptional. We came on a Thursday, and it was already getting packed. I highly recommend reservations whenever possible. We ordered an order of the patatas bravas, paella, fried octopus (daily special), and the empanada. The fried octopus was insanely tender; I've never had octopus that soft, and it tasted like calamari. The empanada was crispy and flavorful, served with a wonderful sauce. Paella was delicious, with a great sausage included. My biggest gripe was the patatas bravas. We did order it "brava bomb" style, and I feel like it not bad, but it took away from the crispy texture that you would normally expect from patatas bravas. However, the pork belly that is included in this "brava bomb" was insanely crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I did have to knock the reviews down a bit based off the restaurant's lack of cleanliness. We saw 2 bugs during our meal: one small ladybug, and another huge fly the size of my thumb. I wished I had left room for dessert though, but absolutely loved the food and service here. But next time, I will make a reservation and request to sit a little further away from the door and the bugs. read more

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Came to Toro on a busy weekday night and sat outside on the patio which was fantastic on a warm evening. We enjoyed a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and tried many dishes on the menu. I have tried many tapas restaurants in the city and this is top 3! The dishes were seasoned very well and the flavors were delicious. My favorite was the setas y huevos but every dish was beyond my expectations. Will be back again to try different tapas! read more

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Toro is Boston Southend's classic! The food was incredible! I love the street corn!! The service was amazing--our server was attentive despite how busy it was. We also tried the gambas and the tortilla, and everything was seasoned to perfection. Can't wait to come back!! We came during lunch so although it was busy, it was doable! This place is fully packed after work hours! read more

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Excellent food , hard to get reservation , we did brunch Sunday afternoon Wow a great tapas bar read more

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Food was absolutely delicious! Definitely recommend the crispy octopus, the grilled shrimp, tuna crudo, and the asparagus - very well made, excellent flavors, and good portion sizes for two. The food came out very quickly. Only note is that given the popularity, it is very tight inside and can be hard to hear conversation. read more

Everyone speaks really highly of Toro but the food felt average to be honest. Maybe expectations were set too high. It felt like their dishes were fine, but most were missing a special oomph. For example, their Boquerones just tasted like normal anchovies with oil, and the bread was stale. Also the tortilla of the short rib was too hard which didnt make the bland short rib taste any better. I will say their Maiz Asado was incredibly delicious though. You could really taste that nice char from the grill and the aioli sauce was amazingly balanced. On some positive notes, their staff were really nice and the cocktails were A+! They were friendly and had wonderful attention to detail. Overall, Toro is a fun place to try maybe once? But probably wouldn't go again. For $17+ per tapas, you'd expect them to have more of a wow factor. read more

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Great food, great atmosphere & and such kind people providing amazing customer service and hospitality. Thank you for everything. read more

Toro - Tapas Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I've been interested in trying Toro since I first moved to boston in 2010...good things come to those who wait? I don't know what took me so long and it only took Michelin to nudge me to actually make a reservation! The restaurant is small but cute and very busy. We did the tasting menu and it was enjoyable as the dishes were outside of the realm of what you'd experience at at typical tapas restaurant. I love pinxhas and these didn't disappoint. The star was the pistachio flan! read more

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Toro has been on my list of Boston restaurants to try for years now and I'm so glad I finally got a chance to go. I had a 5pm restaurant and they seated us at 5. It's very cozy inside with a mix of standard tables and high top tables. Since it was the winter time, the restaurant had Christmas decorations all around which added to the cozy vibes. The service was amazing. Our server was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and had great recommendations. He was very friendly and constantly refilled our water. He also checked in on us and gave updates on timing when we cleared the food which was really nice of him. The food was also fantastic. Everything was flavorful and well seasoned. My favorite was the bone marrow dish because the flavors worked well and the bread was crispy. As a group of 3, we ordered half a paella and five tapas and that was more than enough food. Can't wait to come back here! read more

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Tasting menu was an excellent choice for our anniversary dinner! We got to try several dishes - we loved the mushroom one, artichoke dish, tuna tartare, oyster, and the flan. The food was complex in flavors and textures and presented nicely. The portions were pretty good and we did not leave feeling hungry. Service was also excellent. The staff worked seamlessly together and we felt like we were waited on by every single staff member that night. There was always someone clearing our plates, refilling our water and bread, asking if we wanted another drink. Food also came out at a good pace. They even printed out "Happy Anniversary!!!" on top of our menu which was a nice touch. It was super busy on a Thursday night so I imagine the only way to get in is via reservation. Only downside is that the music is very loud - blasting 2000s music the whole time. There is a coat rack towards the bathroom and customers were hanging their coats and bags there at their own discretion. read more

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A little slice of Spain in the South End! Pintxos and jamón were definite highlights of the meal. Sangria was delicious and the tortilla española brought me back to late nights in Madrid. The table space is tight as other reviewers say, but it's a tapas bar, so that's the vibe. And the servers are very attentive to everything going on. My only critique is that the churros came drizzled with chocolate sauce, instead of plain with a cup of rich dark hot chocolate on the side for dipping. Still delicious though! read more

After visiting, I found out Kenji j. Lopez worked here in the past. That was awesome. The vibe was fantastic. I realized that they played music that people don't know, so you can hear background tunes but not sing along. Probably to focus on your food and the people you are with. The food was expensively priced. My bf and I really only raved about the duck drumlettes and the patatas bravas. My cider wasn't great. The octopus was cooked well but I wasn't a fan of the boiled potatoes and onions with it. They could've added a different side. I would not go back on my own. The service was also mild for the price of the food. You would expect more tbh. read more

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It's been awhile since me and the wife went out to enjoy a nice little dinner. I'm glad I was able to get reservation here. Probably one of the best tapas restaurants around Boston area. Did not know what to expect in terms of food and drinks. When we got here, they were super busy already. We got here 20-25 mins early. They were still nice enough to accommodate us and seated us. When we got to our table, we were a little shock how tight the tables were to each other with the other parties. Did not bother us at all, from the staff to the customers, everyone was in such a good mood. We ordered maybe 6-7 dishes including my drink, bill turned out to be around $160ish which is totally not bad! Our favorite dish was definitely the corn elote (if requested, it can be served off the cob) and their rib eye. Actually, everything was so good. Would 100% come back to dine in again! read more

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Hubby got a reservation for dinner here for our last night in Boston. The restaurant is bursting with energy. We sat at the bar and it felt pretty cramped for me. I felt like I couldn't comfortably lift my arms up to pick up my fork to eat. We ordered the tasting menu and for drinks, I got a pucker punch which came out looking so pretty. The sourness from the raspberry foam was a surprise but the drink was so refreshing. I tried taking pictures of the food but it was a little too dim inside the restaurant. The presentation of the food was really nice and every single dish was good. However some were a little too salty for my liking and not one dish screamed out wow to me. Service was excellent and my server was so friendly. read more

Toro - Tapas Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Toro was absolutely fantastic tapas for a group night out, busy place so highly recommend reservations, but great vibes and music selection was top notch. We ordered the paella, oysters, atun crudo, pulpo a la pantxa, asado de huesos, pudin de pan, and flan. Everything absolutely delivered in terms of flavor and service was fantastic. Highly recommend! read more

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My partner and I shared the blush & bashful drink, croquetas de bacalao (salt cod croquettes), pulpo a la plantxa (grilled octopus), patatas bravas, setas y huevo (mushroom ragú), and escalivada catalana (smoked eggplant) - TASTE: 4/5 - been meaning to hit Toro and glad we finally did. Favorites were the salty croquettes and aioli + spicy tomato sauce w the potatoes! TEXTURE: 5/5 - patatas bravas and croquettes were fried nicely, and both the octopus and mushrooms were super tender PRICE: 3/5 - was particularly disappointed by the $20 mushrooms SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - small plates, as expected for tapas. Was pleasantly surprised by the large portion of patatas bravas SERVICE: 4/5 - walked in at 7:30pm on a Sunday and a couple tables were available, both inside and outside. After ordering, first plate came out 5min later and last dish was 15min later ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 - dark & moody vibes at night in a loud and lively atmosphere PARKING: 4/5 - got a street spot on Mass Ave x Shawmut Ave and walked over read more

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I'm glad we decided to go here for a birthday / end of summer celebration dinner. We reserved a patio table which I was nervous for if it got chilly but it turned out to be the right move- inside it was so loud from the crowd and the music that I'm not sure I would have been able to hear my friends. Besides the outdoor ambiance, the food was the best part. The octopus was my star of the show, perfectly grilled and paired with potatoes and garlic aioli. Whatever the sauce was that came with the shrimp was amazing, but I feel like $19 for 6 shrimp is a bit much. The bravas are very crispy and aren't smothered in sauce, which I prefer. Lastly, they were able to take the corn off the cob for us, and this dish may have gotten me to fall in love with corn! I will note the pan con tomate came on crispy bread, the type I had while in Spain was soft- but maybe to each their own. The matrimonio pintxo was fine, nothing extraordinary and a bit too salty for my liking. None of the drinks wowed me, so food definitely seems to be the focus here. Lastly the service had its pros and cons. It took forever for the server to come get our drink orders, and then quickly left before we got to put in any food. We were also never checked on by our server so we had to catch them to order more food/drinks. That said, the bussers were efficient and it was very busy that night so I understand if staff was overwhelmed (as someone in the industry) I'd certainly come back to toro for a girls night or dinner! Probably my top tapas spot in town so far. read more

Toro - Octopus, shrimp, corn, tomato bread - Tapas Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Lovely meal! Did the chef's tasting menu and had glasses of wine here. Loved sitting at the bar and having this experience. read more

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While looking for restaurants in Boston with "Michelin potential" we happened upon this restaurant--and it did not disappoint! From start to finish, the wait staff here were very friendly and informative. For someone who had never been there, they were very patient and willing to explain each dish as well as suggest dishes that we might like to try. For the drink I chose the Verdad y Amor, because each drink included a small donation to their kitchen staff's surgery and I thought that was a nice touch. The drink itself though was delicious! I generally don't like ginger in drinks if it's too strong but this drink was well crafted and perfectly balanced and had me instantly vibing with the spanish music and atmosphere. They brought out our tapas one at a time and promptly removed the empty dishes once each one was finished. Each dish was ripping hot upon service and it was clear that it was freshly prepared. The first dish was the lamb empanada which was essentially one small empanada cut in half filled with lamb and potato with a yogurt dip. The crust was good, but it felt like too little compared to the other dishes. The next dish was croquettes de txangurro which were 3 crab croquettes topped with jalapeño aioli and lemon. These were delicious and came with just the right amount. The last tapas dish we got was the setas y huevo which as pictured was a well portioned bowl of delicious mushrooms in a sauce with an egg yolk in the center. Our waiter was even nice enough to bring bread out for dipping which i cannot recommend enough. While a little salty (depends on your salt preference) it was still really good. Finally we had the main event which was the paella (and this one was the small paella). It came with its own side bowl for the shells which was very thoughtful. They knocked this one out of the park. The rice was perfectly al dente, the seafood was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and as far as portions go i would be shocked to see what a large is because this was plenty for 2 (which is bang for buck right there!) Overall we left happy and full, and would definitely come back for seconds. Excellent, authentic, and fresh, can't get much better than that. read more

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Toro is one of my favorite restaurants for a date or to celebrate with a friend or two. It's cozy and dark inside with loud music and friendly staff. Their cocktails and menu items occasionally change, but I always have a good meal when I visit. My recent favorites were the caña de cabra pintxo and the pato con membrillo duck drumettes. read more

This is one of the best restaurant in the area. I really recommend that you make reservations ahead of times or it would be hard to get a table. Here is what I thought: Food & Drink - amazing and too notch. Decor - very modern Ambiance - it could get really loud with hip hop playing and very busy. read more

Toro - Menu - Tapas Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Having just returned from our zillionth trip to Spain, we were eager for an evening of tapas here in Boston. Toro's tapas are authentic, tasty, and well prepared. The portion size was roughly what one gets in Spain. We ordered the croquetas (A+), alcachofas (very tasty), and eggplant (ok, but not brilliant). We also tasted the goat cheese tapa, which was amazing! The service was perfect. The only problem was it was VERY LOUD. These folks really should install some sound deadening baffles/decorations. read more

Overall: good ambiance, but $$$ does not reflect the food.. good to try once because so many ppl talk about it but would not come back Ordered: Duck leg: tasted like mini turkey legs with bbq sauce paella: lots of seafood, but not much seafood taste (my friend liked it because he normally doesn't like paella and this did not taste like one lol) octopus: okay the octopus was p darn good, very well cooked and the sauce was amazing Tip: make a reservation for non counter top for more comfy seats, limited seats since it was mostly bar top read more

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Boston definitely has a lot of Spanish/Basque restaurants of which I have tried ~4. This was definitely not the top, but not the worst, either. We tried the tuna crudo, which came with beets that I personally don't like. We also got the artichoke and the potatoes, the former of which was my favorite. I did catch two small hairs in my plates, but willing to overlook in case it was my own. In comparison to a similar concept place i've reviewed here before, I thought the vibes were a little more intense. I love a lively wine bar, but the need to scream my sentences to the rest of my party was REAL. We also were packed in a little bit like sardines. Our server was INCREDIBLE. The wine list was tricky but he was so kind and he paired us with wines that perfectly matched our usual preferences (and very generous pours too), so at least 1 start is dedicated to him. read more

Being from Spain I really try to give the most reliable review knowing that it might be difficult to find the same quality as when you eat in Spain but in this case I just think Toro is very overrated and crazy overpriced. We got jamón ibérico (it wasn't 100% ibérico), some pintxos: ventresca (not the best quality ventresca), morcilla (who puts piquillo pepper with morcilla? I could barely taste the morcilla because the pepper is so powerful, also because the morcilla piece was tiny) and txistorra y padrón. We also got gambas al ajillo (ok), croquetas de bacalao (2 croquetas for $16 is mind blowing), and patatas bravas (probably the best out of what we ordered even thought the brava sauce could be spicier). The wine selection was good and the service was veeeery good so that was a plus! read more

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Food is consistently good here. We got a table outside this time and ordered a few different dishes - enjoyed the crab croquettes, eggplant, and seafood paella (sans chorizo). My friend enjoyed the bone marrow. Mixed views on the butternut squash with harissa - I liked the crisp but it was either roasted too long or the harissa was too overpowering that there was a slight bitterness to the dish. Server was efficient, food came out quickly and waters were always filled. Enjoyable dinner. read more

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I had a very good dinner here. I got the blush & bashful to drink and it was very tasty. The food was delicious also I loved everything - patatas bravas, eggplant dip, grilled octopus, and duck. The octopus was not at all rubbery and it was very nicely charred! Overall great tapas. My only qualm was with the service because of how many times they asked to clear our table while we were still eating. And I don't think they heard our response one of those times because they did take a plate away when food was still on it. Probably an honest mistake but I wanted to include this note. read more

Toro - Tapas Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Food: the food was really good. I found the Gambas and the Paella delicious and most memorable from Toro. The gambas has a creamy tomato cream that went really well with the shrimp. The paella sauce was also really good. The croquettes de bacalao was good too. The fried lemon that came with it was a surprising addition to the dish that I really liked. Service: The service was good too. Everyone was kind and willing to help. Ambiance: I really liked it that there were a lot of families there. The decoration was also pretty nice. It felt very cozy with the candle lights. read more

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Food is delicious! Service was great too. However given the price point and multiple-dish style of serving the space is quite cramped. That being said really enjoyed the food. read more

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Toro tends to get very busy during peak dinner hours, so I'd highly suggest making a reservation in advance. We managed to secure a table the evening before (it was a weeknight). The atmosphere is lovely, featuring romantic, real candles on the tables. However, the music selection was a bit surprising--not Spanish, if that's what you'd expect. The tables are also tightly packed together, and if you're seated on the bench side, moving during the meal can be tricky without disturbing nearby diners. We had our hearts set on the paella vegetariana and ordered it right away. The menu notes that it takes about 30 minutes to prepare, so we knew it would be the final dish served. Along with the small paella, we were advised to choose about two tapas per person. Our picks were the tortilla española, patatas bravas, maíz asado, and bruselas. The tortilla española was on the smaller side--just a slice--and it was served cold, which we found odd and somewhat disappointing. On the bright side, the rest of the food arrived steaming hot, especially the patatas bravas, which were hot enough to burn your mouth! I particularly enjoyed the bruselas and would recommend them for any vegetarians. The maíz asado was a pleasant surprise--absolutely phenomenal. It's a must-order! The sauces were so delicious that they made you want to lick your fingers, though it's a challenge to eat it gracefully. By the time the paella arrived, we had already finished the tapas, and I was feeling quite full. In hindsight, we probably could have skipped one of the small plates. The paella was served with lemon wedges for squeezing, though the rice was so hot that handling the lemon required caution. The bottom layer of rice was beautifully crispy, so be sure to give it a good stir before digging in. Overall, I thought the paella was decent--though perhaps the vegetarian version doesn't shine as much as the paella valenciana might. Even though we were stuffed, we couldn't resist ordering the churros con chocolate. The churros were heavy on the cinnamon, and I found them just okay. The service deserves special mention--it was excellent. The staff regularly refilled my water, which is something I truly appreciate, and they checked in on us at just the right intervals. When leaving the table to use the restroom, a server promptly came over to fold the napkin. I was also impressed by how quickly they packed up our leftovers to-go. Overall, I'd highly recommend Toro for an enjoyable evening out! read more

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I loved the tapas style.. you get to try a lot of options in the perfect portions. The shrimp, potatoes were the stand out. Very good and seasoned well. The steak and corn tapas were also enjoyable. I sat at the bar so that allowed us to get quick attention. Even for a Monday night, it was busy so the bar seating was a plus. I will say, the churros dessert came out cold and a little stale. Other than that, the food was good enough to come back for, the drinks were well made and the price point was okay. I would recommend and try it again. read more

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This is a nice restaurant for tapas. The food was excellent, but the prices were very high for the amount of food provided. To eat enough to be full, you would have to spend a substantial sum. It's a common problem for Tapas restaurants in the US, so its not unusual but still annoying. read more

I rolled up at 8 and the place was bustling; on a Tuesday. Great sign. The ambiance is intimate (votives aid in this) and the energy is lively. I sat at the bar (last 1 of 2 seats) and the team took great care of me; there were two behind the bar which made for an easy ratio of team : patron. Wine and cocktail selection is on-point. The food. I ordered the Besugo Crudo special (very good), Filete a la Plantxa (pictured - perfectly cooked but one can find a better value at Chipotle when you consider the flavor and portion of this). I wrapped up with the Empanada which was decent; the yogurt sauce had great structure but lacked flavor (almost Lebanese in recipe). Net: decent food but pricey for the portion size. read more

Toro - Filete a La Plantxa - Tapas Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

So glad we ventured out of the area where we were staying to try this fun and delicious spot! We had great service from and conversation with Devo at the bar and would definitely come here again if we were local. Everything we had was good! The must-haves, from our order, are the Setas y Huevo ($19), the Pato con Membrillo ($14), and the Filete a la Plantxa ($21). The pintxos ($7-$8) were great little bites to start us off, and the Idiazabal with quince ($10) was a great way to end the meal! read more

What a fun and lively place for dinner! So many of the dishes sounded fantastic. We started with some pintxos and made for a great first bite to start off our meal. The duck drumsticks were juicy, filled with flavor and delicious. The hanger steak coupled with the mushrooms were a perfect match. The mushrooms were a bit salty but I like them that way. The corn dish functioned as a nice dessert since we were starting to get full. Great experience and would certainly go back if we lived in the area. read more

Toro is one of my favorite Spanish tapas restaurants in Boston! Super cozy and bustling restaurant that gets super busy so def get a reservation. Loved the holiday decor this year. Highly recommend the gambas (shrimp), patatas bravas (potatoes), and the basque cheesecake. Also ordered the maiz asado (corn) and seafood/meat paella but wasn't super impressed by these. read more

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We had a Rez for 5pm and were sat immediately. Straightaway, the sever brought us waters and shortly after they took our drink order. I ordered the "verdad y amor" and my bestie ordered the "Oaxaca to Rio." We ordered the pan con tomate, dates with bacon, cheese and ham plus quince cubes with fresh bread, cod croquettes, patatas bravas, and the empanada. Everything was super delicious per usual. The vibe is lively and the music puts you in a good mood. Cannot wait to go back. read more

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Having been to Spain this past year. It truly is one of the tapas spots that transports you to there. You will have to pay for it of course as their dishes are not cheap. So you get quality ingredients and well executed delivery of the tapas. You can get wine in the fun porrón drinking pitcher if you dare try it. Not the cheapest way to practice before you go to Spain, but I haven't see any other places that do this. If you know, please let me know. read more