I sat at the bar and it was packed but still was given top service the food and drinks were amazing I loved everything!!!! read more

TORO Cantina - Birria Tacos White rice and beans Classic Marg Pitcher - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

I've been here a few times now. Wonderful margaritas. La Reina is great, and I don't love tequila. They usually have some interesting monthly specialty cocktails and there's a lot of options if you are a mezcal fan. Classic guacamole and salsa sampler are worth a splurge. As for the menu, the fajitas are one of the better things. Nice sizzling plate and plenty of tortillas and toppings. Everything else is okay- tacos, corn crusted Chile rellenos, chicken tinga enchiladas are all meh. My biggest complaint about the food is the rice and beans. Overcooked and flavorless rice, refried beans taste like nothing, and the whole black beans don't do much either. I've also tried the fried plantain side and it wasn't memorable. The tres leches cake for dessert redeems the place though- I've gotten it every time and it's quite good if you're into sweets. TL;DR: margaritas, guacamole, fajitas, tres leches are great. Rice, beans, and most of their sides/special meals I'd skip. Just needs more... flavor. read more

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Wanted to go there again, but their reservation policy is absurd. Can't reserve for more than 6 people which is ridiculous. Need to leave a credit card as a deposit. No thank you! Was going to bring my parents and sons here for dinner after having a decent meal there with a friend but I don't think it's worth the hassle. There are any number of nice restaurants in the area who haven't lost their sense of why they exist to begin with, to create an excellent dining experience for their customers. Don't get back to me with some self righteous reason for your policy, because none of it is sustainable. Customers will vote with their wallets. I'm heading to Tipsy Taco for better food and better customer care. read more

Feeling like you want to go somewhere boujee, with pretty drinks and yummy food? Toro is a great spot you will want to bring a date to, have a fun dressy night with a group of friends, or get into the insta foodie game. The vibe will make you want to share where you are and what you're eating with your social network. The birria tacos were yummy and the margaritas were delicious! The portion sizes are ok depending on what you order. It is more upscale and pricey than other Capital Mexican eateries so be prepared to spend at least twice as much as you would at other Mexican restaurants. I think Toro would be even better if they had happy hour specials. However, it's a fun cool dining experience that has a fantastic ambiance right in Albany read more

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Dry, dry. Dry. Pork tacos were super dry as was the rice and beans that came with it. All pretty bland and void of flavor. Black beans were lumped together and formed a paste like mass which sat on top of the rice which was...shocker....also very dry. Ended up trying to squeeze every ounce of lime juice out of the three limes that came with it just to add a little moisture. On the bright side...the margaritas were tasty. Just wish I had a little more to wash down my food since we never received water. read more

Service and food were excellent. I can recommend the chicken fajitas, Fresh ingredients and nicely presented with a variety of sauces making it a standout. The guacamole was also outstanding. Toro offers guests a welcoming upscale location with plenty of parking. Our served Alejandro was polite and attentive despite a dining room near capacity. We'll be back. read more

I love Toro! One of my faves. The happy hour is great. Wonderful deal with really great food. Love the Dia de los Muertos trendy decor. Always very friendly service! 5 stars!! read more

Just left Toro on Wolf Rd after a fantastic anniversary meal. It was our first time there and everything was so good. We started with the crispy tamale bites with a ranch aoli. It was nicely plated, scattered with pico de Gallo and sprinkled with cotija. My wife is not a big tamale fan but the crispiness made them hard to resist. Since it was Marg Monday, we took advantage of the margarita flight. I expected small, three sip samplings but instead we got a nice full serving of each flavor. The flights are preset, we had guava, peach and raspberry/lemon margaritas. For mains, my wife ordered corn crusted chile relleno, the goat cheese inside warm and melty, the coating crispy and the sauce flavorful. I had the chicken tinga enchiladas which were out of this world. Wonderful smokiness to the sauce and the chicken so tender. The food was so flavorful that I didn't feel the need to ask for hot sauce. To finish it off and celebrate our anniversary we ordered the chocolate pinata for dessert. Took a couple of whacks to crack the chocolate shell and spill out the contents; pineapples, raspberries, blueberries, churros and Mexican wedding cookies. Great fun presentation and the inside treats were worth it. Our server Amanda was great, not hovering but there to make sure everything was good. She was engaging and didn't try to hurry us along. The whole experience was wonderful and is definitely a great place to celebrate with elevated cuisine. read more

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Five stars for their valiant effort to make this first covid times outing for me a pleasure. I took my nephew to lunch. No mask drama. Everyone was complying and happy to do so. We were seated at a socially distanced acceptable table and immediately greeted by our server, Alex. We were given water and chips and salsa, standard. Mmmmm. Upon arrival you can easily scan the menu to your phone using your camera. Clever! He ordered chicken and cheese quesadillas, which is an app, enough to share but a good lunch meal in itself. I ordered the sweet potato tacos. In-house made soft shells with little cubes of sweet potatoes and grilled corn and goat cheese with a little kick for spice. Side of rice and black beans. Delicious! The service was great and super friendly. I wish they opened tad bit earlier than noon time! read more

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TORO is easily a five star restaurant. Scores on every facet. First off, social distancing and protocols are great so if you are comfortable going out, this is a great spot. I was VERY excited for the drink menu. There were 3 drinks I really wanted and I got them all (we were there a long time). First, I got the Toro Signature which was a margarita topped with salt foam - fantastic. My second drink was the jalapeño margarita. It wasn't too spicy, I would likely level up the heat next time. Lastly was up in smoke, a mezcal cocktail topped with a bubble of smoke. Absolute show stopper. The drinks are pricy but worth it. We tried everything you could dip a chip in. I wasn't the biggest fan of the guacamole's, but all 8 of the salsas were fantastic. The chips themselves were super fresh too. I would recommend the siete salsa over the guac. For an appetizer we shared the appetizer quesadilla and added lobster. Yes the picture is boring, but it was one of the best things I have eaten in a long time. Absolutely mouth watering. I would 100% get it again and again. Amazing lobster flavors and the cheese paired so well. For my main meal, I had the duck carnitas. They are a popular item and I see why. The flavor was well balanced and the duck was melt on your mouth tender. And of course, we didn't stop there. We also shared some bites of the tres leches and it was super good! So creamy and the whipped cream was so good. As a treat, we met Chef Jaime and Chef Joe. It was a fabulous experience. The tortilla press was also awesome and shown to us by Chef Joe, we even got a few hot off the press. You have to get here. I can't wait to go back. read more

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I mean it is good mexicon food but really expensive. The place looks really nice too. So it looks expensive and is expensive lol. But it beats Taco Bell lol. I was also really happy that we got to eat without having to call before. I think a reservation is probably normal I think. Dont think you have to dress up to go but you wont regret it if you do. I will go back when I can afford too. read more

We had a great experience at this restaurant. The food was excellent, and the Assistant Manager took great care of our order. Although my wife's order was initially incorrect, the staff, particularly Jenifer, addressed the issue promptly and professionally. I highly recommend this place! read more

I want to write a better review but I believe for a restaurant that survive they need repeat business. Unfortunately I don't see going back as it seems a lot of reviews are in agreement. 1) Poor training of staff. Unusually long time sitting following our order. Then our appetizer is brought out and within 2 minutes our main dishes arrive. No chance to enjoy the appetizer. Should have refused the main dish but my wife doesn't enjoy negative vibes. 2. The chicken in the main was tough as leather. Simple chicken breasts and couldn't get them right. Yes the manager was very apologetic but, I'm sorry, it doesn't make up for a lousy experience. TRAIN your staff! Check what's coming out of the kitchen! read more

Great variety of food and outstanding quality. The atmosphere is lovely. The staff were helpful to make menu suggestions.

Really enjoyed the atmosphere here. I sat at the bar so the bartender was very attentive. The restaurant was very clean and covid friendly They had barriers at the bar every two seats They also offer outdoor seating with shade read more

TORO Cantina - Quesadilla with chicaron - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

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Food is good or very good/great. Service is still learning and on both visits - both our server(s) and runners struggled and were not impressive or keeping up. The 'hostess' part of this place always mystifies me. There seems to be 6 hostesses or more and they still seem to be confused and unorganized. Kitchen is very slow and servers and kitchen made several mistakes during both our dinner visits. Overall, good or great food, but at the price point, it left me feeling underwhelmed both visits. They ask? "Is this your first visit dining with us?" and then not much is different regardless of your answer. Our original server on 2nd visit asked and then said she would save the spiel until everyone in the party arrived and our 2nd server - after the hostess moved us to a different section - asked but then didn't say much. Our 1st visit was the same. Asked, but then no details or difference. We were excited to order the salsa Siete both visits and when it was brought out by the runner - no explanation and no chips left to use with it. Hard to believe it is Very unorganized but plenty of staff visible. We attempted to order the guac sampler and queso fundito the 2nd visit only to be told - no avocados available for the night and then the queso arrived about an hour later after ordering - totally unacceptable. I don't like to be negative or overly critical in reviews, but honestly, both visits felt like a soft opening or a friends and family night. We had to ask for napkins multiple times both visits. a big pet peeve of mine and so simple. Food is good, but servers and hostesses are very green. I'm patient and like a slow paced meal - but both visits were way too slow of a pace. I don't believe you can dine there in less than 2 hours - and when we arrive at 5, or a Sunday, that's certainly not prime time. read more

TORO Cantina - Lobster Quesadilla. Never was told what the dipping sauce was. - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

We came for our wedding anniversary dinner. The ambiance of the restaurant was outstanding. We ordered steak and chicken fajitas. Chicken fajita was better than the other but still both were delicious. The waiters were extremely helpful. I appreciate restaurants that stretch the menu when necessary to please their customers. The churros were the best I've ever eaten, and even though I run a patisserie, I still dream of their churros. read more

Fun atmosphere and great service. Went with a large group and had a great time but I was not blown away by the food. Chips and salsa were great, sangria was good, plantains were delicious, but the steak was overcooked in the carne asada tacos. Interested in trying other stuff, especially dessert! read more

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If good Mexican food, delicious salsas and a good Mexican chef is what you're looking for, this is not it! The food was . On a scale of 1 to 10, it was a 2. The search for good Mexican food in Albany continues. So far 0 for 5. read more

We came here for dinner on a Thursday night and had a great experience. The interior is bright and modern and the restaurant itself is a very fun place to be. They have an impressively large list of tequilas and many cocktails to choose from. They provided chips and salsa when we sat down and the salsa was excellent. They also have several styles of guacamole on the menu, including a sweet and spicy option. Our entrees (carne asada tacos and braised beef tacos) were both great. We'll definitely meet friends here for dinner in the future! read more

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We've tried to go to Toro a couple of times (spur of the moment), to no avail. So, being adults, we thought to get a reservation to see what all the hubbub is about.... Said, it's well worth the effort and time if you like Mexican food with imagination. The wife and I pregamed the Bills playoff game (Go Bills) on a frosty night by trying a couple drinks and working our way around the menu. The drinks, the Mez Skull I tried was sublime while my wife had a glass or two of red wine she said was great. The food - we got a selection of tacos that ranged from interesting and awesome to, that was OK in Chipotle kind of way. We had the lamb tacos (amazing), Braised beef tacos (very good), carne asada tacos (acceptable) and sweet potato tacos, (meh). We shared a side - sweet potato with chorizo sausage, goat cheese and creme - Oh My God. Winner. Service was good on a busy Saturday night with prices that were reasonable for all we had. We'll be back to try some other items out and the churo bar dessert which looked amazing. If you like Mexican food, definitely give it a whirl... read more

TORO Cantina - Mez Skull drink.... Really good - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

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Great hidden gem!! Food and service were wonderful!! Alana, my bartender, made my last-minute-business-trip so enjoyable with her fun personality and amazing skill at her craft! My new favorite place!! Gracias!! read more

This was the fourth restaurant I stopped at - two only take out and one a huge line. I was on vacation and more than starving. I got a quick seat at the bar and Robert the bartender was super nice and attentive! Great classic margarita. My sweet potato tacos were good but I'd really want a more savory mushroom one. The habanero sauce-was yum! Chips and salsa free and plentiful. I'd come again. read more

TORO Cantina - Sweet potato tacos. The habanero sauce is delicious - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

Very underwhelming. Taco salad with shrimp: $25 gets you a good sized salad with a large tortilla shell, a healthy portion of shrimp and a fair amount of guac (not as much as Chipotle gives you, but still pretty good) Now for the disappointment: plain old romaine, no other kinds of greens, and the shrimp was overdone a bit. Not a bad meal, just expecting more for what I paid. read more

My wife picked this place to go out to eat for date night. They willingly complied on the phone to our request for a patio seat and when we arrived it was obvious why: it was the last table left, right in the sun with no umbrella, and it was hot. Apparently most of their umbrellas are broken. You have been warned. We asked to be seated inside and they complied with that too. The interior was very loud, with dark colors, and in a style that was a nice change of pace from the garish dayglow colors in most Mexican restaurants. That being said, the music was much too loud to be enjoyable. Our waiter was attentive and constantly kept our water filled and our other requests met. He was busy with other tables too but was very friendly. They all were, actually. Free corn chips and excellent salsa were provided. The chips were not homemade, which was disappointing, but I really enjoyed the salsa. It was very thin, so there were no large bites of onion. My meal, which was pork tamales, was very good. I enjoyed my food including the cilantro rice and beans. My wife had chicken fajitas sans onions and peppers and she got a lot of food still, though only a few tiny tortillas (which seemed odd to skimp on those in a Mexican restaurant yet still offer unlimited tortilla chips). Her chicken was seasoned well though a bit dry... and in all fairness, had it come with the onions/peppers it likely would have been a different story. The churros cart was a fun way to end the meal. Served in a metal push cart that, it held four long churros and three sauces (raspberry, dulce de leche, and a dark chocolate sauce). The sauces were tasty and it was fun to create different combinations. Word to the wise: the chocolate is very strong. Not included were plates and silverware, which I think were mandatory. The cart is fun but not terribly functional and it was awkward to not be able to see into the actual bins. The prices weren't cheap, but it definitely felt like an upgrade over the typical Mexican restaurant. I have no idea if anything was "authentic" but I hardly care about such things. I want to enjoy the food, and I did. But if I come back, earplugs will be a must. read more

During the covid pandemic, I have been exceptionally hesitant to dine indoors. In fact, I think Toro is the only restaurant I've eaten in indoors in since this all began. The first visit to Toro, last summer, I was impressed with their precautions. Tables were spaced far apart, all staff wearing masks property, masks required of all customers not seated. Went for a second time recently (August 2021), and outdoor dining was sadly closed because rain was expected. I reluctantly agreed to sit inside (as we had a rare babysitter and didn't want to miss our window for kid-free time). Although the hostesses and our waitress were masked, and they kindly seated us in a table a good distance away from other patrons, **the young man who brought our chips and salsa was not wearing a mask.** I was deeply uncomfortable with this. When servers (or bussers) who are handling food are unmasked, it leaves me strongly believing the back of the house staff preparing our food are also likely unmasked. I believe unmasked food handlers is completely unreasonable during this new rise in covid cases (country-wide, but specially now in Albany County). Sadly, as Toro is not requiring masks of the employees who handle patrons' food (or at least not enforcing it), I just I do not feel comfortable returning to Toro -- one of the few places I had originally felt were taking good precautions -- until we've beaten Covid once and for all. read more

TORO Cantina - Lamb Barbacoa Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

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Wow is this place awful Had chicken fajitas and the chicken was so tough, I couldn't chew it - they don't give you rice and beans with it and the guacamole was like paste - there is no way they made it themselves. And they n top of that I wanted a refill on my iced tea and they wanted to charge me - can't stand restaurants that charge money on iced tea refills. Stay away read more

Love the interior, vibes, cleanliness, and most importantly food! The margarita with the salt foam and tajin was the best margarita I've ever had (and I've had a lot!) I stopped by for a quick bite and never even heard of this place. Only concern was bartender (super nice) ignored us for the first ten minutes. It was an uncomfortable wait and I actually insisted that the barback put in our order. We almost left but wanted to give a chance because people get busy. It was overall wonderful after that! The bartender acknowledged not seeing us for a while but we understood. I'm bringing my twin here the night after for our birthday dinner. Can't wait! The tuna töstada was awesome!!! I wanted it to be 5 stars but both times I went, it was very difficult to get wait staff attention. We sat for an uncomfortable amount of time and spent hours there because our server didn't check in on us enough. The dinner tonight my sister first then I went to the front desk to say we wanted to order our food. The food was outstanding and I appreciate the manager walking around, very pleasant. The piñata was incredible and the perfect birthday surprise for my twin. We got the up in smoke, salty foam margarita and a delicious quesadilla. The piñata was so good we ended up ordering a cart of churros.the three dipping sauces were incredible. I don't typically like chocolate but I couldn't stop with this one! The dulce and berry dips were also tasty. Also- hand written cards that said happy birthday when we walked in. Super sweet and much appreciated! Excellent food, very cool ambiance, wonderful experience, just need more attentive service and it's out of the park for toro! read more

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came here for a birthday. got a complimentary margarita and dessert for the birthday girl. it's good food. the shrimp tacos and salsa were flavorful. waiter was kind. also, we asked for hot sauce. the waiter brought 2 - a house sauce and a chefs sauce. both were good but, i def recommend the chefs sauce because it was spicer and more flavorful in my opinion. and the decor is pretty, spacious tables as well. read more

TORO Cantina - shrimp tacos - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

Wow what a disappointment! $17.95 for 3 small beef tacos that had very little flavor and were mushy. Chicken Quesadilla $19.95!! No value and poor quality. Queso was tasty but also overpriced. Server was nice but service was subpar. read more

My daughter and I ate at Toro last evening, and we not only enjoyed a delicious dinner, but our waitress, Genavieve, was just amazing! She was helpful, knowledgeable, efficient, and genuine. We also spoke with the manager, Jenn, who was kind, caring, and concerned that everything was just right. These two lovely ladies made our evening special, and we left with smiles on our faces.​​ read more

The food at Toro is very good. Seasoned well, flavorful, taste fresh. The problem is, there isn't enough of it. It other words, the price doesn't match the portions. I left feeling hungry and didn't feel like the price of my Shrimp and Chicken Fajitas were worth the $21.99 price point. There wasn't even enough chicken and shrimp to fill all 4 of the tortillas they give you. My wife enjoyed her enchiladas but again they were a tad small. Idk if I would return. Atmosphere was nice, service was good. Just left feeling... unfulfilled. read more

TORO Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Albany, New York

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Having lived in the Southwest for many years, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of choices. I was pleased with the flavors. However, I do wish it had been more spicy. Prices were reasonable! I'll definitely be back! read more

We came here for the first time, walking in the view was amazing and the food was delicious! It was definitely 10/10. The service was great! They were attentive and frequently checked on us to make sure everything was ok or if we needed anything. read more

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always great service and good food! Great for a group outing. We love the guac, margs and queso is amazing. Entrees are good but wish they brought back the rice bowls! read more

Food is outstanding - tasty and different than I've had anywhere else. Highly recommended if you want really great Mexican. Atmosphere is trendy but nice if you like art nouveau. Our only beef was with the music, It sounded like we were in a dance club instead of a restaurant. Not a wonderful atmosphere for an intimate dinner, or a date, but really fantastic food if you don't mind sparkle and glitz and club music. read more

Right from the beginning you know you're in for a treat. The place is insanely beautiful and open. So much too look at but you can see the whole place. From the hostesses to the waiters to even the bus boy who asked us if we needed anything while he was there - the staff is on point! Our server Brett was awesome on a totally chill level. He gave good advice on starters and drinks and went out of his way to ensure we had a great night. We started with the chips and salsa like everyone BECAUSE ITS FREE! But we also had the taquitos which were super delicious and just enough for two. Then for entrees we had the enchiladas and I had the fajitas. Both were above expectations! Drinks were everything too. We started with an "up in smoke" and a "fuego" (spicy Rita). Let me tell you what ... damn. Not to mention the smoke bubble popped before I got the perfect insta shot and my man Brett hooked it up and got the gun and did a second bubble table side. Brett = #servicepimp. Then me and the wife split a tequila flight with the special toro cask patron which was superb. Wish we had saved room for desert because the table next to us had the tres leches cake but unfortunately I couldn't have had one more bite. Great job Toro staff! Such a fun atmosphere, all I saw were smiles and you made our date night special! read more

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My husband and I were having such a nice evening I didn't take photos! Everything was fresh and full of flavor. Our server was Mya great~ she was attentive and not overbearing. The manager Jennifer stopped at our table and she was lovely as well. And over all A plus experience. read more

This restaurant is elegant and well-designed. However, our group asked if the check could be divided in any way to make payment easier, and we were told no. Therefore, my one friend spent a long-time calculating the amounts owed and collecting methods of payment. This is the first restaurant I've been to, in a long time, where no accommodations were made to divide checks for the guests--even dividing the checks for each half of the table was not offered. The refusal to accommodate our payments was upsetting. Also, some guests were unhappy with their food and a couple sent their plates back. Finally, my group was not allowed to sit at our table until everyone arrived, even though the table remained empty the entire time we were forced to wait. Not a great experience.... read more

Holy crap is this place good! I made reservations for a Friday night and the earliest they had was 8 o'clock, which was expected because they've become super popular since opening. When we arrived, we were seated immediately. The space was beautifully decorated and the bar looked really nice! We were handed two menus: one food and one cocktail menu. For drinks, I ordered the People's Margarita and it was fantastic. I also tried the hibiscus margarita too, which is made with hibiscus aqua Fresca and I found it to be too watery. For appetizers, we tried the guacamole sampler and chicken empanadas. Both were fantastic! The guacamole sampler came with classic, smoky with pork belly and fruity with pineapple. I couldn't decide which one I liked more! The empanadas were so fresh and came with two large ones in an order. For entrees, my boyfriend and I split the appetizer size quesadilla with lobster, a side of sweet plantains, duck tacos and pork tacos. The quesadilla was packed with cheese and lobster meat -- it was fantastic! I also loved the sauce that came with it. The plantains were perfectly cooked. As for the tacos, two small ones came in an order and you could upgrade it to a meal with rice, beans and a salad for $5, which we opted not to do since we ordered a ton of food. The tortilla was incredibly fresh and though we thoroughly enjoyed both, the pork was our favorite. We couldn't skip dessert so we ordered the churro cart and tres Leches cake. The churro cart is adorable and comes with chocolate, raspberry and caramel dipping sauce. I'd highly recommend it for a large group. The churros were good but nothing to write home about. As for the tres Leches cake it was so good! It came topped with fresh berries and was a really generous portion size. Overall, we were blown away with everything and are so happy to have such a great Mexican spot close to home. Our server was incredibly friendly and offered recommendations throughout the night. Definitely make reservations and come hungry! read more