It's so sad to see this place go after going there for over 25 years but all good things come to an end. Make sure to stop by before June 26th to show your support for the final time and wish this family all the good blessings for the future. Personally, I'm going to miss the shredded beef the most. It's divine and I've never found any that compare. Thank you for all the years, El Toreador! My family will miss you. read more

Amazing place at affordable price!! Loved the steak taco (so tender and flavorful); chips and margaritas were great too! Definitely will come back to this place read more

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The staff were attentive and friendly and the location is right by a large parking lot. The portions were pretty big which is nice, but I didn't find my tacos to be particularly good. I've definitely had better. read more

El Toreador - Taco Al Pastor - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

I came here with my family and we were seated right away, the server we had was very nice and friendly had offered us recommendations based on what we like. We received chips and salsa when we arrived and the chips were definitely homemade and delicious. I'm always skeptical of Mexican restaurants in the Seattle area because there aren't many good ones, the food was very tasty and the meat had very good seasoning and not greasy like you see at some places. Inside could use a little updating, some old booths and decor, but I would definitely return. read more

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A diner like Mexican restaurant in Redmond. Food is priced well with huge portion sizes. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Lots of seating in the restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They have parking but not a lot of stalls available. I got the enchilada. Huge. They also give you chips with salsa. Service can be a bit slow, but you can just flag them down. read more

El Toreador - Enchilada - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

Family run restaurant with friendly service in a historic building of Redmond. I've definitely had much better food elsewhere, but the friendly faces and fast service definitely made up for it. I had a shrimp dish, where the shrimp was super overcooked, they were pretty much rubber when I tried to eat them. Tacos were ok, very basic and all dishes came with rice and beans. The cocktail prices were surprisingly affordable and the margaritas are delicious. read more

Right when you walk in, the staff were super friendly and got us seated right away. You are served a free bowl of tortilla chips and fresh salsa right away. They even came by to refill it while we were waiting for our food. It was fresh and delicious without salt. We ordered a chicken quesadilla appetizer and double entree of pork enchilada and pork tamale. The portions were generous and about the same! It doesn't lack in quality either. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Definitely recommend this place for the food, service, and family friendly/lively ambience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

El Toreador - Pork enchilada and pork tamale entree with chicken Quesadilla Mexicana appetizer. - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

I don't know how many times I've eaten at El Toreador. Now, I live in So Cal and still return for the world's best Mexican food. The owners and staff are wonderful. Great drinks as well as food. My neighbor ate at the same table on Sunday's for 30+ years. In 2 weeks, i go to Bellevue for Thanksgiving and guess where i will visit: El Toreador! Support local business!!! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Very cute place.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service is always prompt and friendly. It's not the most authentic food, but it's tasty and very affordable for the massive portion. When you walk in you get a free bowl of chips with 2 different types of Salsa. They are not spicy but they are tasty. The chips are great. The food is your average Mexican diner and the bar area is limited on choices. We like what we ordered. I really like the Tamales. They only have one choice of meat for them (pork) but they are very good. read more

El Toreador - Bar - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Very cute and homely restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I never knew it was here until I randomly came here for a lunch one day with friends. The service was great, and food came out quickly. Bonus points for having free chips and salsa as well. Loved the Carne Asada. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Didn't love that there were a few flies going around the dining room.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was clean otherwise, though.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

El Toreador - Carne Asada - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

Really lovely local family Mexican restaurant that's been a staple in the Redmond community for years. It's not the most authentic food, but it's tasty and very affordable for the massive portion. Service here has always been very friendly- my brother has a nut allergy and the servers immediately accommodated by modifying our orders. Parking is scant, park at the nearby lot behind Half Price Books or on the street. Definitely check out if you're in the area! read more

El Toreador - 8. Enchilada and Empalmada - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

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Ordered a beef chimichanga and chicken chimichanga. The meat in the chimichangas was exceptionally well-seasoned. The beans were paired with the perfect amount of cheese. Also received a well-balanced margarita. The service was excellent, as always. read more

El Toreador - Chimichangas - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

I was craving Mexican food and my friend suggested this place which was super cute! [[HIGHLIGHT]]It definitely looks like a hole in the wall and we were seated quickly as we entered.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The server brought over chips and two types of salsa, one of which was smoky and the other one was normal salsa. While the salsas were quite fresh and flavorful, the chips stole the show! They were quite different from normal tortilla chips and were really tasty! For the main meal, I went with the chicken chimichanga which came with a side of beans, rice and coleslaw which I thought was interesting. Our food came fairly quickly after ordering which was a plus! The chimichanga was fried to perfection and had plenty of chicken in there. The rice and beans on the side were also delicious. Overall, this place was great, and if you're in the area, then stop by! read more

El Toreador - Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

I went back a couple of times within the last year and the food was decent but not as good as it had been years ago. I'm not sure if the chef has changed or what, but it was noticeable. The service was still good and it's still a solid place to eat. read more

I was raised on SoCal Mexican food so I wasn't expecting much here but even with lowered standards, I found the food pretty bland and disappointing. And it really just didn't look appetizing at all. I got the Single Dinner Baja Fish Tacos (everyone at my table can verify that I ordered it), the waiter got my order wrong and added a taco, then charged me for it. I didn't notice because nowhere on the menu does it say that single dinner means single taco (for $14, you would think it would come with more). I really don't mind paying more for a meal but I do not appreciate being deceived into paying extra for a meal I did not order. Everyone in my party of 10 agreed that the food was mediocre and we will not be returning. I suggest folks look elsewhere for acceptable Mexican cuisine in the greater Seattle area. read more

El Toreador - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

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The staff was really nice but being from Los Angeles and being Mexican the food just was not at the quality I am use to it was kinda white washed to be honest but the service is good read more

I'm staying at the Residence Inn about a block from this restaurant, and wanted some Mexican food. I ordered queso fundido and the Toreador (one rolled taco and one green sauce enchilada). My brother ordered the enchilada and empalmada dish. The server was incredibly familiar-- he had such quotes like "and you want the guacamole with that, obviously" when checking whether we wanted each item. He also checked to make sure we knew there was chorizo in the queso. They gave us free chips to start with two different hot sauces. Both were tasty- the red one especially so because it had a flavor that wasn't common in Mexican restaurants I've gone to. The queso was delicious and the chorizo wasn't crazy oily. The main plates came after we were already satiated, and they were HUGE. We ate anyway because it looked and smelled so good. Everything was delicious and made quite well, the ingredients tasted pretty fresh. My only complaint would be that the chicken in the empalmada was a bit tough. We each had enough leftover for at least another half a meal, which was pretty nice! When I'm craving some delicious (and cheap!) Mexican food, I'll be back for sure! read more

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Super shocked at the high reviews here. Because of them, we decided to try this place. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The moment you walk in the door, a sewage smell hits you. It does not dissipate on the way to your table.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The tables are greasy, the menus are greasy, there is salsa splattered on the wall.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We sit down and are brought drinks immediately, the plastic cup still has a lip print on it from the previous user. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The carpet is tattered with patches everywhere, and the smell is nauseating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The final straw for me was the server popping over and saying "can I get you drinks?", to which we say could we have a moment? We were honestly deciding if we wanted to eat here or not at this point. The server gives a bit of an eye roll and says "okay, I'll be back in 5 mins to take your FULL order" and hustles away. We decided to leave. If the front of the house looks the way it does and smells the way it does, my confidence in the cleanliness of the kitchen and freshness of the food is not very high. Two stars for a nice greeter at the door and easy parking close by. read more

Always good. Service is friendly and the prices are reasonable. Our go to Mexican restaurant.

Cosy Mexican that has been around since the 1980's. Was recommended by family friends and we drove a fair distance into Redmond to try it and we were not disappointed. Enchiladas, burritos and chile relleno were full of flavor and tasted freshly made. It was more traditional comfort food than high-end and that was what we came for - lots of flavor, rich sauces, melted cheese and refried beans. Service was fine, nothing exceptional but perfectly adequate and the food portions were generous and prices reasonable. Would definitely recommend - we left happy and full. read more

El Toreador - a neon sign on the side of a building - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

I came here on a Thursday afternoon around 4:30 with two friends. We got seated very quickly and our server Wayne was super nice and attentive. Give that man a raise! My friends got combo dinners which were $16 and I got a single dinner which was $13. Portions are generous so I feel the price is definitely worth it. I like how all combos (and most other things on the menu) come with the coleslaw, rice, and beans. Great place! Will be back!!! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Also nice ambiance![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

El Toreador - Enchilada single dinner - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

El Toreador has been in Redmond since 1980, 42 years young. Finally, I went to eat there. Oops. Their Mexican food is the old fashion reliable type. Huge platters, with most main courses in one third of the platter, generously smeared with refired beans another a third and rice on the last third. Honestly, it's predictable in a good way. We went on a Saturday night at about 7pm. There was a line to be seated, with perhaps 4 groups ahead of us. The line moved surprisingly quickly. The staff truly hustles and moves fast delivering drinks, food, and more. It's rather impressive to watch them function. The Food: Carne Asada, $22.00 - 4.5 Stars Carne Asada has to be the best Mexican meat dish ever. Hubby can never say no to this. Despite inflation, I thought their portion is reasonable for the price. Prawns A' la Diabla, $17.50 - 3.5 Stars They made a mistake when they delivered my dish to me. It was a different prawn dish that didn't have the spicy (diablo) sauce on it (it was a Prawns Mojo de Ajo). They offered to give me the hot sauce separately, which I accepted. Honestly, I knew it was a poor replacement. Anyone who cooks knows that it's very different to infuse the flavor while cooking it versus pouring the sauce on top afterwards. In this case, I had the added problem that the prawns and veggies portion was cooked, seasoned, and salted to be Prawns Mojo de Ajo, then I pour and added sauce (more salt) on top. Not a good idea. I ate some and took most of it home to modify and tone down. (I chose not to complain; I don't like wasting food and I also don't want to make it difficult on a family-owned business.) Even with this mistake, I can see myself returning. Their chips are freshly fried, and their salsa is good. read more

Love the neighborhood feel of this hopping joint, nestled in the mecca of foodie paradise... wanna try them all but nostalgia usually wins out since hubby has been coming here since the 80's. SOLID for comfort Mexican food. The complimentary chips and two flavor salsa alone is one of the main draw of this place! Their red sauce is unlike any other. Very addicting! I wish they offer free refills on the chips they are thick and still hot from the fryer it's super craveable. They probably would refill if you ask. Hubby is a little sad they no longer serve crab enchiladas but camarones mojo de ajo from the specialty menu did not disappoint. The huge shrimp and mushrooms looked and tasted amazing! Their sides were all superior. Their beans, rice and tortilla were all solid. All flavorful and home made flavors. $19 My number 15 super combination with my pick of tacos, flauta, and pork burrito was packed with goodies. The burrito was filled with tender pork smothered in green chiles verde sauce. $18.50 Service was quick don't be afraid to wave them down for refills when they get busy. They aim to please. Thought it was nice the waiter asked to make sure the fried pepper I ordered on the side had the right level of heat. They can be bland or knock your socks off spicy!! Great chips and dips, two amazing dinners, a coke $2.75 and virgin pina colada $3.50 all came under $50 before tip! For times of inflation, we found ourselves a mega deal. Love the jolly rancher finisher too! Will be back! read more

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Delicious salsa with chips comes complementary! Ordered burrito, enchiladas and tostadas. As usual a hearty meal and good service. read more

El Toreador - Chicken burrito - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

Best authentic Mexican food in Redmond and on the Eastside. We've been regular customers since 1989. Now our children take their children to El Toreador. read more

El Toreador - El Toreador Mexican restaurant, Redmond WA - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Wow!!! I been looking for a home style feel and just all around delicious Mexican restaurant since the beginning of the year.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Well I am happy to let you know that I have found the perfect spot! Run don't walk here for some amazing Mexican food! Matt was my server and he was amazing. One of the chefs Luis was also so helpful and recommended all my eats. So much to try so I will definitely be back and try other options. read more

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We decided to have Mexican for dinner on a lazy Sunday evening. So we headed to Redmond downtown and tossed a coin between the Matador and El Toreador and decided on ET :D We ordered their Margaritas (Classic and Mango) and the Mango was simply delicious. We also ordered their Chicken Taquitos and a Combo plate of Burritos and ChimiChanga. The food was delicious while the server was bit grumpy and curt. I hope they understand the food will taste better if you serve your customers with a smile :) read more

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This is a hidden gem in terms of food the enchilada has one of the best cheese pulls that I have ever seen and the waiters are kind and it is super affordable. read more

I dined here again and loved every moment of my dining experience. The restaurant is casual, and it has a mom-and-pop feel, which I love. The staff are quick to seat you and provide you with chips, salsa, and a beverage. The menu has recently been updated, so no more crab enchiladas due to inflation. Insert sad face. But, it gave me an opportunity to try the chicken verde enchiladas. The food is fantastic and the servings are so huge for the price!! The flavors are great, and I love the enchilada sauce. I'm not always a big fan of restaurant style rice and beans, yet I always enjoy the ones served here!! I can never finish my order. It makes for great leftovers. I encourage everyone to come here for great food. read more

El Toreador - Chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

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*Carne asada 4/5 *Enchilada and taco 4/5 *chips and dip 3/5 *margarita 4/5 *service 6/5 (fast as hell) -carne asada ask for rare if you want perfect medium rare. Our waiter told us that and it turned out perfect. Plenty of meat, moist, well seasoned, and not too chewy. Small amount of rice and beans though. Normally there's more than enough of those two. -enchilada and taco we're both good and a portion was fair. The taco was not soggy and the meat, shredded beef, in both of these was soft and tender but also flavorful. Plenty of rice and beans on the plate as well. -chips and dip or extremely spicy. Spice level would be four stars out of five. Fresh salsa and chips were hot. -normal margarita was delicious. wasn't overpowering with the alcohol but you could still taste that there was some in there. Good restaurant will definitely be coming back read more

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Pretty good mexican food in the Redmond area. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Good service and has a kid friendly menu.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

This place came recommended by a friend so we were very excited to try it but it was such a disappointment. For the city/state which refuses to open restaurant for indoor dine in because of covid; I was surprised to see a restaurant serving used canisters for salsa. This didn't bother me and is in no means the reason fir my poor rating but talk about double standards Washington. The poor rating is because of the bad service and ok food. We were not that hungry so decided to order combination plates and the waiter initially thought it was just for one person but as soon as he realized it was not he almost snatched away the menus from us without asking if we want to order or look at something else. Then after the meal was served I saw him stopping at other tables very happily asking about their meal but not to us. I do not appreciate this attitude when we were giving them business no matter how big or small. We ordered guacamole which was ok. The enchiladas was cheese only which almost lacked flavor without the green sauce .. I had tostadas ordered along with enchiladas which was ok as well. I wouldn't stop by this place next time just because of their service. PS: if you are new to this place then the parking lot gir this restaurant is on the back side next to homegrown but not in the same facility. It took me like 10 mins to figure this out and when my husband asked them about it they kept on saying the same facility as homegrown which was completely false. read more

El Toreador - 6. Tostada and Enchilada - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

I'm writing this review just for the churros. Yep. That's all I've eaten from here, and they were EXCELLENT. I was having a pregnancy craving and Yelp search told me this place had churros. I couldn't find them on their online menu, but called to ask, and a very friendly man on the phone told me he could have an order ready for me in 5 minutes, which was perfect because I was sitting at the park around the corner. My dreams were fulfilled when I arrived for my take out box. My churros were ready: piping hot, crispy, generously cinnamon sugar dusted, AND (bonus!) cream filled!!! Six short pieces, probably equal for 3 regular sized churros, for $5 plus tax and you betcha I tipped. Worth every penny. I'll be back, friends! read more

Service was fine, but the food was extremely disappointing. The plate of enchiladas, rice, and beans had absolutely zero flavor, I may as well have eaten a plate of water. I had to add salt and salsa to everything to give it any flavor. The salsas provided to the table were okay, the chunky salsa had more flavor, but the chips had no salt at all. The margarita was very strong, so at least that's a positive. read more

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Last week El Toreador in Redmond posted that they will feed any family in need during these tough pandemic times, so I gotta support them for supporting the community. Tonight, we tried: - Dungeness crab enchilada, 5/5 (so much crab!!!) - Chile relleno, 4/5 - Chicken fajitas, 3.5/5 - Chicken enchiladas verdes, 4/5 Each dish came with vegetarian refried beans or pinto beans, rice, and coleslaw.  They also loaded us up with a small mountain of chips and 8 containers of salsa -- we'll be eating that for days. I love that they are a family-owned Mexican restaurant that has been in Redmond for 41 years, wow! They also take covid protocols seriously and even carefully disinfected the pen before handing it to me to sign my credit card slip.  What a gem in the heart of Redmond. read more

El Toreador - Chips & salsa; Chicken fajitas, 3.5/5; Chile relleno, 4/5; Enchiladas verdes, 4/5; Dungeness crab enchilada, 5/5. IG: @take.a.bite.with.me - Mexican Near Me - Redmond, Washington

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This restaurant has good Mexican food. We have eaten here several times while visiting family. The service is good and the staff is friendly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The decor is nicely done.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

This restaurant has a lot of things going for it. Service was very fast and attentive. Chips and salsa was delicious with plenty of refills. We ate 3 basketfuls while waiting for our main dishes. All the dishes tasted fine. The only real negative is that my fajitas were cooked with worchestersire sauce. I was genuinely confused as I was eating it. It was salty and meat was overcooked but also -- worchestersire sauce for fajitas?? Strange combo. But the positives really did make up for it so I'm giving this place a 4. Don't expect anything too authentic but definitely solid on "comfort Americanized Mexican food." read more

Great Mexican food at great prices! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great chips, excellent food, small bar area![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Try it out! read more

Note that this place is located in downtown Redmond, so parking may be hard to come by during peak hours. The restaurant does have about 8 parking spots allocated in the back, but they are usually taken. The best option is to park at the nearby QFC and walk over. Once inside, the service is prompt and professional. The food is served within 15 minutes of ordering. Meanwhile, there are chips and salsa to munch on. I ordered a steak fajita with flour tortillas. The entrée came with a side of salad and beans, which were pretty good. The fajita itself was 3 stars because it was over seasoned. Overall, it was a positive dining experience. read more

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We have been here as a family twice now and will make it our go to place to eat out. The location is very convenient, the food is fantastic, and the service is always great. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very family friendly for our toddler as well.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more