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Toro By Chef Richard Sandoval

3.8 (108 reviews)
Open 7:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

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Chicken & Waffles**
Chad J.

For a place that looks like it has solid food, I don't get why they are serving frozen chicken tenders for chicken and waffles. These tenders were horrible. You would think a restaurant of this status would make fresh chicken tenders. I'm giving it 2 stars only cause I had a piece of my partner burger and it was good. Service is also very mid as well.

Kate M.

Super cute spot! I was at an event at the Fairmont and some friends and I decided to swing by Toro for some apps and drinks. A beautiful bar is the focal point of the the restaurant, and luckily we were able to snag a table despite not having a reservation. Our server was so sweet and kind! To drink I ordered the mercado margarita, which is made with jalapeño-infused blanco tequila, passion fruit, lime, hibiscus & rosemary foam. These flavors all go together so well! The only downside is the layer of rosemary foam is pretty thick it takes up about 50% of the glass, and for an $18 drink you don't want half of it to be foam! We decided to get the guac for the table which was so fresh. The housemade chips that come with it were delicious too! I definitely want to come back and explore more of the menu!

Hamachi Crudo*
Angel A.

I mean... it's aight. I came here for restaurant week and the selection was very limited, even for restaurant week. The drinks here are good. The food here is only ok. They struggle with ticket times for some reason, considering it wasn't packed when we got there. If you want proof, just take a look at the dessert - that swoosh next to the ice cream isn't a cheffy finish - it's the ice cream melting and sliding around before it got to the table.

Fancy tequila in the private room
Steven H.

Went for lunch on a Wednesday and had a good experience. Moe was our server and was fantastic with recommendations and well-timed check-ins and drink top ups. Food was excellent and I found the $29 lunch combo to be an excellent setup with a salad, main, and dessert. The environment is cool and has a Mexican theme but is fancier than it is chintzy. The whole restaurant is quite large and has a sushi bar and visible grill that is the feature area during dinner service. It wasn't busy for lunch but I'd come back for dinner to see the show!

Tiphany B.

Solid food and ok service. But, it was a warm place on a freezing night in Chicago. The manager was actually the highlight... his energy was ah-mazing. Our server waa just meh... maybe he had an off night. We had the corn and cheese empanadas and then we all ordered different things... sushi, steak, short ribs, and chicken. All were tasty and hit the spot. The menu seemed smaller than the Denver location but they had some decent offerings.

Lobby
Iris P.

Happy hour done very right at Toro Golden lighting, mezcal-bar energy, and a table that did not disappoint. We kicked things off with margaritas on the rocks -- icy, citrusy, and dangerously smooth -- the kind that instantly puts you in stay-awhile mode . From there, it was all about the tacos: juicy steak tacos piled with fresh pico and herbs, and flavor-packed adobo chicken tacos finished with creamy avocado sauce and pickled red onions. Every bite hit -- warm tortillas, bold seasoning, perfectly balanced heat.And the guac? Fresh, chunky, and absolutely necessary The service was very nice I just think if I'm there for a loonies amount of time for happy hour I'd want my drinks and food a bit quicker so I could order more, this is the second time I've felt service has been MIA or super slow but overall it's a wonderful place! Toro's happy hour is one of those Chicago gems that feels equal parts elevated and cozy -- perfect for after-work drinks, date night, or just an excuse to order one more taco. We'll definitely be back!

How server handed utensils
Shey D.

My family and I were staying at the Fairmont hotel and this was the only restaurant in the hotel. We weren't super excited to start our day and had breakfast at this restaurant. When checking in, the hostess just informed us that the wait was 20-25 mins but did not take our name or the number of our party. I came back to make sure they had my name but the hostess just asked for our hotel number. This is the only $$$ restaurant that I've been to where their hostess was this disorganized. Ok, finally we are being seated, they called out our hotel number for a party of 2 and i apologized and said no, there's 3 of us. They accommodated and sat us in a bigger table. Great, thanks! On to the Server. The second we sat down, the server warned us that the kitchen is backed up 30 mins and suggested to have the buffet instead. The breakfast buffet which had the selection of mini pastries, eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes and fruit. We weren't in a hurry so we decided to order off the menu. We ordered and the server brought our coffee, we asked for utensils and creamer. After 5 mins we asked again. I left my husband and daughter to run to CVS and when I returned the food was there. Still no utensils or creamer. My husband who was in a mobility scooter was hopping around asking every server for utensils. He was told that our server will bring it to our table. At that point we were done. We had cold coffee and food. That's the kind of service you get from this $$$ restaurant. Go somewhere else that would value your money.

Corn empanadas
Jenna C.

My friend and I saw they have happy hour specials (M-F 4-6 pm) so decided to check it out. You do have to sit in the bar area to enjoy their happy hour. For drinks, I tried a regular margarita, which was ok but I'd try something different next time. For food, we split the guacamole which was smaller than we expected but we were able to at least procure some more chips. I also tried the chicken taco and carnitas taco, which came loaded with meat (!) but the tortillas were just a little too small to hold all the goodness. Once 5 pm rolled around, we also split the corn empanadas, which were very rich! I did really like the overall decor and vibe of Toro. Service at the bar was a bit lacking, maybe an off day since the bartender just seemed distracted/out of it. For example, she gave my friend a water but forgot about mine so I had to ask for one, and she also took our menus away before even asking if we wanted to order food (which we did!). Overall, we had 2 margs ($8 each), guacamole ($12), 3 tacos ($5 each), and empanadas ($19), and our bill was ~$80 (all in).

Breakfast Potatoes, egg, Applewood Smoked Bacon
Joneice B.

Overall this place is good. I was able to dine in after a staycation with friends. As apart of my room package, I was able to order breakfast every morning at Toro. The breakfast situation at Toro seemed unstable. Never a consistent process for order or pickup. I would completely revamp this system. The food was good, enjoyed the Avocado Toast and Breakfast Burrito. Was underwhelmed by size of seasonal fruit and taste of French toast. Also on one order, the jelly with our toast was open and used, therefore we threw away out sourdough toast that morning. On to dining experience. We booked a reservation for 9:45pm as we were staying in hotel and wanted to end our night at the hotel. Upon being seated our server told us we only had 10 min to order because the kitchen was closing. Ugh, don't allow people to make a 9:45 reservation if the kitchen closes at 10pm. All in all it turned out good but we felt rushed in the moment. For dinner we shared the smoked swordfish and chips. This was fantastic and I would come back for this for sure. We also shared the short rib tacos and Esquire Mac & Cheese. The Mac & Cheese was good and the tacos were unique but not sure I would order them again. Atmosphere at Toro is great and they even have a happy hour during the week. All in all a solid restaurant. Would love to come try their cocktails, they seemed innovative.

Bar was lively during happy hour.
Ann L.

Visiting Chicago for 2 months, my husband and I are exploring different happy hour finds throughout the city. This is so far our top 1 or 2 happy hour find. The ambiance is more upscale, but not stuffy. The service was fantastic. Our server was always there when I needed something, and provided good recommendations. Toro had a margarita and taco happy hour special that we wanted to try. We had the margarita flight, and all 3 versions of the taco (beef, pork, and chicken). The margarita flights and the tacos were small but delicious. The prices were $5 per taco, and the margaritas were $20 for the flight or $8 for regular size. Tip - Just buy the regular size margaritas since it is a better value. Though we ordered about 9 tacos, we still wanted to try a regular menu item since everything was delicious. On the regular menu we ordered the Zarandeado (fish of the day was Branzino). It was the best branzino I have ever eaten anywhere. I love seafood dishes and Branzino is one of my favorites. I order it whenever it's on the menu. It was properly cooked and seasoned well. I will definitely come back before we leave Chicago, and bring friends.

Entrance
Lisa P.

Dining at this establishment is truly an experience. Beautiful space all around. A coworker and I tried breakfast on this visit and it was pretty good. Tres leches pancakes, creme bruleed french toast, good bacon and fresh squeezed orange juice with RE-fills. We were encouraged to try the swordfish dip but it wasn't available during breakfast. Made it my business to plan a return trip during lunch hours of course. Decided to grab a bite before heading to the theater. Not only did the restaurant change their weekend hours, they launched a bottomless brunch menu that started today at noon. Guests were not allowed to enter until ten minutes after the original opening time. I smile but patience is thinning, I do have a matinee to attend. I was seated and offered tap or sparkling water. I chose tap. I was given the drink menu and opted for something light and refreshing. The hostess apologized for me having to wait. My server apologized for me having to wait explaining that today was the first day of their bottomless brunch for 55$ It was just me and although the idea of brunch sounds good, I am here for the swordfish dip. Well, I am the weakest link concerning food. I went for the bottomless brunch AND the swordfish dip. Food just kept coming out and it was all good. Pulled pork baos, I could only eat one. Fresh edamame with peanuts, greek yogurt parfait, steak skewers, corn and shrimp enchiladas with red sauce, shrimp cocktail, delicious swordfish dip with chips. I am stuffed like a pig. Then comes a vanilla latte and two desserts which I take a small bite of each. Very grateful to my server whose name escapes me as well as the GM Jerry for checking on me. He also apologized for me having to wait and took care of my drink AND the swordfish dip. Thank you, I will return with friends. I have to try those empanadas my table neighbors were raving about.

Fish Tacos
Melissa C.

10/10! Came here twice for breakfast and lunch and had a fantastic experience both times. Toro is located inside the Fairmont Hotel, so it's a convenience place for hotel guests and travelers to come in and sit for a meal. However, because of this I believe the prices are inflated a bit since most guests are there for business and paying with their corporate card, so the menu is a bit pricy in my opinion. But the food, service, and ambiance were great. My waiters were both very kind and helpful, and knew the menu well. My food came out quickly and everything was hot and tasted great. For lunch I did the "quick comida" which was a soup or salad, entree, cookie, and drip coffee for $28. Really great price considering just one of the lunch entrees alone was about $20. I had the fish tacos and they were amazing! Very well seasoned and prepared, and did not taste fishy at all. Came with a slaw and Chipotle aioli that made me want to keep eating. The cookie also deserves an honorable mention because it was so soft and was the perfect touch to end a meal. Disappointed I didn't get to try their dinner menu, but this just gives me another excuse to come back!

Jacqueline L.

AMAZING. Everything we ordered was great. The service was good and the ambiance was cool. Definitely recommend!

Beautiful bar

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Toro By Chef Richard Sandoval Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Toro By Chef Richard Sandoval

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Havana Grill

Havana Grill

3.9
(1.1k reviews)
0.6 mi
$$

i've been craving good cuban food since moving to arizona where it's very hard to find. havana did…read morenot disappoint. the guacamole, ceviche, and tostones were all fantastic. the garlic dip and mojo with the tostones were perfect and just added to how perfectly the tostones themselves were cooked. my husband ordered the sandwich cubano which was soooo delicious along with the crispy latin fries. i ordered the churrasco... wow. juicy, tender, perfectly seasoned. paired with all of my favorite things- a light citrusy salad, fried yucca, and plantanos maduros. we paid $240 for a steak the night prior at a very high end restaurant, and i enjoyed this one more. our server was very attentive despite being slammed and serving several tables. it was a hot and humid day and the air must've gone out, but they had backup air conditioner units that cooled the space off eventually. i didn't mind the short stint of heat- it made it feel like an authentic havana experience

This place was amazing!…read more Came in a few weeks ago to grab dinner with friends, and was easily able to get a reservation same day on a Saturday night at 7 PM. From the very beginning, we were taken care of very well. We were quickly seated when we got in, and our server was very attentive. The restaurant was jampacked too, I'm surprised we were able to get in so quickly! The food was delicious; for dinner I had the pollo a la cubana which was so good. Our server had mentioned to me that this was his favorite item on the menu, and I could not agree more. The chicken was perfectly cooked, and very juicy. Great vibes in the restaurant too, very upbeat feeling here. Everyone was very friendly, and the music added a very tropical feeling. Overall great time and would happily come back.

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Interior
Interior
Half Guacamole
Half Guacamole
Sitting curbside, super cute scenery.

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Sitting curbside, super cute scenery.
Tzuco

Tzuco

4.2
(826 reviews)
0.7 mi
$$$

Stopped in for a quick happy hour at the bar…read more The restaurant is huge! There is plenty of outdoor covered patio seating and indoor seating as well. The bar had ~16ish seats I think?  I got the carajillo. It was a great cocktail - a little sweet at times but also nicely balanced with the tequila.  The roasted Hamachi collars were so yummy! What a steal for happy hour - I felt like there was so much delicious fish. The lime/honey BBQ sauce the fish came with was nice and tarte and flavorful.  The server was nice and great about reading the room and my vibe of not wanting to be bothered at the time.  It'd love to come back here for  a full dinner or brunch based on what I tried at happy hour!

Probably wouldn't come back…read more Our table was not ready on time and we had to wait a little before we got sat. It wasn't super busy and got busier towards the end of our meal. Moody lighting but seemed like it was popular for family dinners. Service was okay. But he should have told us before we ordered that a couple of things were out. Not something we expected on a not very busy Thursday night. I ordered the dragones margarita which is $25 and was supposed to come with a caramel used roasted pineapple. Well he brought it out and decided to tell me then that they were out of the pineapple. If I had known, I would have ordered something else. For food we got a few things. The Tlacoyo and Teresa were so good. Definitely recommend these. Unfortunately, I can't recommend anything else. We got the tuna ceviche because they were out of the hamachi. Definitely would have preferred hamachi. The tuna was ok/kinda meh. Tried the lobster tostada and it was just a tad too heavy on mayonnaise or whatever aioli it was mixed in. The mussels were good, but I did not care for the chorizo in the mix and the huge slice of toast it was served with was IMPOSSIBLE to cut or tear apart. For dessert we got Maíz. It was TINY and just did not have enough flavor. If we were to come back, would only get the Tlacoyo and Tetela. Otherwise, skip.

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Entrance decorations for Day of the Dead Celebration
Entrance decorations for Day of the Dead Celebration
Cochinita Pibil | Guerrero-style pork shank, black bean purée, pickled red onions, habanero salsa. Served with tortillas.
Cochinita Pibil | Guerrero-style pork shank, black bean purée, pickled red onions, habanero salsa. Served with tortillas.
Doña Margarita | Don Julio tequila, Dos Hombres mezcal, grapefruit and lemon juice, agave syrup.

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Doña Margarita | Don Julio tequila, Dos Hombres mezcal, grapefruit and lemon juice, agave syrup.
Boleo

Boleo

4.0
(236 reviews)
0.7 mi
$$

Happy hour on a Saturday? Sign me up!…read more We landed on Boleo as our option for early dinner for four of us before a tango concert and performance because it's South American, and we love a theme. We never expected happy hour to be relevant for us, but our wonderful server pointed it out. Since none of us had tasted pisco before she brought us a pisco sample to try. Three of the four of us ordered pisco cocktails, and they were great! The chilcano is a pisco variation on a Moscow mule. I'm not a big fan of mules, but I liked the chilcano a lot. Whenever I'm back, I'll probably go for the pisco sour, which one of our party had and also really enjoyed. The arroz chaufa was a nice satisfying dinner that wasn't too heavy for the early hour. The loma saltado and vegetable saltado were both very much enjoyed as well. Flan was just okay. The orange was a wonderful touch that probably saved something much too custardy for me to think of as flan. Service was absolutely great. Everyone we interacted with was super professional and easy going. We didn't know what to expect for the space, and when we arrived before sunset, it felt weird how bright it was in there. After sunset, the whole space felt a lot more swanky. Prices are a good value, even apart from the happy hour offerings. This is a great option for pre-show dining in the loop.

Cool covered rooftop. They sometimes have live music which was nice. Got pretty busy and loud…read more.. could barely hear the server. Everything we tried was good but not great. I think it is a bit overpriced overall. The lomo saltado was my least favorite. Heavier on the soy sauce taste than typical lomo saltado. The guacamole needed a little more salt/flavor. For dessert we got the mango cake. It was meh. Would not order it again. Everything was just forgettable.

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Beautiful view!
Beautiful view!
Boleo
Chicago Restaurant Week 2024 menu @veefoodlife

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Frontera Grill

Frontera Grill

3.9
(2.8k reviews)
0.6 mi
$$

Bib-gormand Mexican restaurant that shares a location with it's sister restaurant (which has had a…read moreMichelin star for over a decade) I was with a group of 6 friends on a Saturday night when we wandered by this place, and the smell drew us in. We were very fortunate in that they were able to fit all of us in last-minute without a reservation The menu is on the pricer side, but there are tons of options that apparently rotate every couple of weeks. My party and I tried the chips + guac and quesadilla app, and I got there Oxacan carne asada dish. It was all solid. I especially appreciated that they offered unlimited corn tortillas that we could use to make our dishes into tacos. Both indoor and outdoor seating

I first ate at Frontera in 1989 and although not exactly a "regular" I have continued to return…read moreagain and again, as well as to Topolobompo the sister restaurant next door. The food is always first rate, service good, atmosphere lively and drinks are top notch. It doesn't seem as innovative as it once was, not because the food isn't as good but what was once revolutionary, has since been copied/imitated by restaurants in every city in the country Last night we shared the tasty ceviche trio, the duck carnitas and the wonderful tortilla soup. The mezcal margaritas hit the spot, everything was perfectly prepared. Recommended!

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Back room, additional eating area at the bar
Back room, additional eating area at the bar
Duck carnitas
Duck carnitas
Pork shank

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Pork shank
Xoco

Xoco

4.1
(4k reviews)
0.6 mi
$$

This place is a gem! I stopped in on a cold afternoon and ordered the pozole. I hadn't had pozole…read morein years but it was a family tradition growing up, and this bowl hit me right in the heart. It was absolutely delicious! Perfectly balanced, and packed with flavor. The service was outstanding, and the made-to-order churro was the perfect sweet finish. Do yourself a favor and order the dirty horchata if it's available--it was phenomenal.

It was a decent meal but not the best I've had, and definately not for Chicago. It's tucked away…read more(ten min walk from magnificent mile). Their guacamole is pretty good and can come loaded with a lot of toppings. I recommend getting them on the side so it's not overwhelming the flavor of the guac itself. The chips were a little stale and extra hard. I had the crispy eggplant griddle and it was good. I could have used a little more spice but the side of salsa verde helped. The churro sundae was the best part of the meal. We also tried the plantains for dessert (simple but pretty good). I did the pineapple spicy marg which was their seasonal one and it was also pretty good. Friends got their steak which looked good. And their pozole looked the best. That's what I would try if I came back. Their service was aggressive... clearing plates as people hurriedly grabbed the last bite off of them, interrupting conversations. But they did check back on us frequently. It's a little small and the footprint is a little awkward. We got the one table for our larger group (10) and needed the reservation to add some predictably into the night. Was it good? Yeah, decent. Would I go back? It's not a no, but there are other more magnificent places in the area. It's Chicago after all.

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Kitchen
Kitchen
Woodlands mushrooms in mole taco
Woodlands mushrooms in mole taco
Pepito (barbacoa) Torta

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Pepito (barbacoa) Torta
Cafecito

Cafecito

4.2
(2.1k reviews)
0.7 mi
$$

I'd never had Cuban food before until I came here. I got a fried tilapia platter which came with…read morerice and a spinach salad. I genuinely cleaned this plate off. The spinach had a kind of sauce with it that when mixed with the rice and fish tasted absolutely divine. The plantains were perfectly fried. My friend got the pork sandwich which she also enjoyed. We also got two vanilla lattes which were very good. This place has both indoor and outdoor seating. We opted for outdoor because the weather was nice but the vibes were good inside as well. They have a pastry counter indoors that looked good. I would highly recommend making a reservation because the place was packed on a Thursday morning! In the future I would bring friends and family here.

I saw this place was close to my hotel, so I decided to give it a shot. I noticed they had a lot of…read moregood options, but I decided to stick with the pollo chimichurri. My food was ready within minutes and while I was hoping for a mouthful of flavors, I got anything but. The chicken wasn't really seasoned. In fact, it was lukewarm and bland. The plate could have gone without the tomato's as it made the maduros mushy. The plate itself was rather meh and I was pretty disappointed. Also, I was expecting the chimichurri to already be on the chicken and not for me to have to add it myself, especially considering I didn't get very much. Maybe they had an off day or I just chose the wrong dish.

Photos
Seating area
Seating area
Still on point.....steak, eggs annnnnd coffee
Still on point.....steak, eggs annnnnd coffee
Cafecito

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Toro By Chef Richard Sandoval - latin - Updated July 2026

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