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    El Toreador

    3.9 (488 reviews)
    ModerateMexican

    El Toreador Photos

    Business Info

    EL TOREADOR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - El Toreador

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    Burritos
    Cristi C.

    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.

    Enchilada
    Linda W.

    A diner like Mexican restaurant in Redmond. Food is priced well with huge portion sizes. Lots of seating in the restaurant. 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.

    Pork enchilada and pork tamale entree with chicken Quesadilla Mexicana appetizer.
    Mei Jie W.

    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. Definitely recommend this place for the food, service, and family friendly/lively ambience.

    Bar
    Whitney R.

    Very cute place. 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.

    Carne Asada
    Declan H.

    Very cute and homely restaurant. 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. Didn't love that there were a few flies going around the dining room. It was clean otherwise, though.

    8. Enchilada and Empalmada
    Katie P.

    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!

    Chimichangas
    Tiffany

    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.

    Chimichanga
    Aparajita S.

    I was craving Mexican food and my friend suggested this place which was super cute! It definitely looks like a hole in the wall and we were seated quickly as we entered. 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!

    Toreador
    Julia Z.

    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!

    a neon sign on the side of a building
    Dean L.

    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.

    Chicken burrito

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

    Enchilada single dinner
    Joey C.

    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!!! Also nice ambiance!

    El Toreador Mexican restaurant, Redmond WA

    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.

    Camarones Prawns Mojo de Ajo amazing $19

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    1 year ago

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

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    Ask the Community - El Toreador

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    This place never misses. It's one of those special places that I think about all the time…read more I have been going here since I was a kid and love the vibe. It feels very Redmond/part of the community and is a great place for a casual meal, though the food does also hold up pretty well for takeout. The staff is great. A lot of people who work there have worked there for years and years, and it's nice to see this kind of employee loyalty. All the servers are kind and happy to be there. I go 10-12x per year and have never once had a bad interaction, or even one that was anything less than joyful. Their food is incredible. So much flavor, fresh food, delicious. My go-tos are the cheese enchiladas and the shrimp tacos. Both perfect to me. They make their own salsas and the green salsa is so good that I generally buy it in bulk when possible. The food and salsas have been consistently delicious every time I have been. Never an off meal. Lot's of options for dietary needs too- lots of gluten free, vegetarian, dairy free, etc. I have also gotten catering from them and it's amazing and well loved. They put a ton of care into everything. This will forever be my favorite restaurant in Redmond!

    Ooba made us fresh yummy burritos, kept warm wrapped in foil. Bottomless salsa and a 4oz bag of…read morefresh fried tortilla chips accompanied our dine-in orders. With fast service, a good location off the Sammamish River Trail, and handy bike parking in front, we must return in summer when tables outside in front on a warm early evening would make pleasant dining. Simple menus help a restaurant run better, but for a place big enough for thirteen or more tables plus takeout, the menu is limited. Our sunny midwinter late Friday afternoon-evening found the place almost empty with one other table and three takeouts. A more varied menu with other Mexican favorites might draw a larger crowd. It's def underrated.

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