Being from southern California, we love good, authentic, spicy Mexican food and there is hardly any here in Nevada BUT this restaurant is authentic and tasty. The service was great. We were never left unattended. The servers sat us quickly and although there were only two of them, they did an excellent job attending to a full house. Husband and I had lunch here around 12:30 pm on a Friday a couple weeks back. We are both super picky about our Mexican food as we were spoiled with the best Mexican food in southern CA our whole lives. We loved the chips and salsa. He got carne asada and el pastor tacos, beans and rice. I had a vegetarian taco salad. Food was epic as was the service. It's a little hole in the wall on Boulder. We drove by it so many times before biting the bullet and trying. We have found a new hidden gem and will definitely be going back for some dessert next time! Highly recommend! VERY FRIENDLY WAIT STAFF! read more

I came in here on a Grubhub pickup. Until she realized that I was a driver, the woman was smiling. I had watched as she performed the full schmooze with the man in front of me including putting on the soft eyed deference, hugging herself, and telling him to hug his mother for her. Very adorable. It worked age got the tip on his carry out order. Then her smile collapsed when I asked "Bryan C?" They hadn't started it. Not a shock. 20 minutes later a man comes out with the order and is visibly annoyed that I don't jump up and bow. Gets old Bottom rating on vibes read more

Everything! First the service sucked tonight , where were the guys that usually wait tables? Non existent! If I want food thats just thrown together, I can just go to Roberto's Taco Shop , but that's not fair to Roberto's Taco Shop ! At least Roberto's still takes pride in their craft! A rude old man trying to assist the waitress, and hurry things along with a "are you ready now?"! What an ass ! This place has gone to sh!t! Just as well , I won't be back! read more

Seems to slowly get worse every time I go there for Service. I called in and placed an order and they told me 15 minutes. I drove there for 15 minutes to get there and then sat there for 40 minutes and they only had about 50% occupancy. They just don't seem to be worried about retaining customers. Too bad because this is always been my go to for my birthday. I guess it's time to find someplace new. read more

2.5 Stars rounded to 3 stars If My Brother in Law says it was okay & the kids say it's okay. Then it's just okay! Chips & Salsa was a hit. The Jalapeño Poppers & Spicy Fried Green Beans were okay. Just be careful with those poppers, they come out piping hot. Everything else seemed mediocre. Im really picky with my Chile Relleno. I didn't love it, might have been the sauce, who knows. But I guess I was hungry & ended up eating it, since that's all I ordered. Service was okay, there was only one server. We were the only ones dining for a late dinner. Didn't wow us. Pretty casual place. read more

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Yelp review #20 of 2025 March 1 around noon This place came highly recommended, and it boasts plenty of good reviews, I'm just not sure where those are coming from, because our experience fell way short of expectations. Granted, they've been in business for a long time, but the food we got that day didn't match up at all to how others have described it. I do have to commend them on the great service, though, even if the food was underwhelming. We had some jalapeño poppers that were totally unsatisfactory, and I ordered a few other items, none of which hit the spot. It felt like one of those spots relying on canned ingredients and passing it off as authentic Mexican. As someone of Mexican descent, I was genuinely disappointed. I don't see us coming back here with the family anytime soon. read more

El Torito Cafe - Menu cover - Mexican Near Me - Henderson, Nevada

Ok so I'm a local and I always drive by this place. It stands alone and always has a good amount of cars in front so I figured the food would be pretty good. And to be fair, the food wasn't awful, it just wasn't good either. I had the Carne Asada burrito and the meat was super gritty. My wife and farther got the mango margaritas and did not like them. The portions were big and we finished our food but as a loyal Yelper I can't recommend this place read more

El Torito Cafe - Carne Asada Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Henderson, Nevada

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This restaurant is a complete hole in the wall, but it is worth it! Staff is friendly, no complaints there. Complimentary chips and salsa, can't go wrong! I ordered the soup which was very flavorful and simple. My favorite thing is the chile relleno, which as been my favorite chile relleno that I have ever had. Their sauce is different from what I had tasted elsewhere, so that's what puts them apart from others. read more

El Torito Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Henderson, Nevada

Great food and great service :)) everything way great and food was good , clean environment

The red chili was flavorful and hot. Just how I like it. Big portions and the service was welcoming. read more

El Torito Cafe - Breakfast burrito with red chili. Hash browns and beans were tasty. - Mexican Near Me - Henderson, Nevada

WARNING FOR DELIVERY DRIVERS/CUSTOMERS: I am a grubhub driver. Earlier tonight I did a delivery here that took them over 40 minutes to make when I arrived. I accepted the delivery and got there at 6:10PM. Every ten minutes they would say the food is almost done, just 10 more minutes. I watched as the entire place emptied and my dinner rush went by. Finally at about 6:52PM I receive the food and deliver it right around the corner for $7.58. A good delivery turned into me making less than min wage before taking off gas even. I do understand things happen but I leave these reviews because people deserve honesty. I will be rejecting all offers from this establishment in the future. DELIVERIES HERE ARE SLOW. read more

El Torito Cafe - Timestamps for proof of complaint. - Mexican Near Me - Henderson, Nevada

Easy to miss unless you're looking for it. Just off of Boulder hywy. Small parking lot that is not in the greatest condition. This restaurant is family owned, very friendly staff. Seat yourself, table or both. Nice wall murals for decor. Service is very prompt and accommodating. Serving sizes are very fulfilling and good flavor. read more

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The Mrs & I have driven past this small cafe numerous times & always talked about stopping in to try it out, but never did. Then we saw the Harris Law Firm commercial & decided to stop the next time we were close by. The service was quick & friendly. And the interior, although dated, was clean. The food was good, brought out on a very hot plate. But, honestly , it was a bit bland for Mexican dishes. read more

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Food was good. The rice was a little dry and needed more flavor. Maybe I'm just picky , but I'm mexican and I know mexican food. I would recommend this place. Try it out and let me know your experience. read more

My sister-in-law's friends raved about this place, so we wanted to give it a try. The good: excellent service, got seated right away & took our drink orders. Loved my Beef Taquitos and my BIL rated his Enchilada combo very good! The not-so-good: only 2 out of our table of 5 thought the food was very good. My hubby thought his shredded beef hard shell tacos were just OK, but I liked mine. His Chile Relleno was tasteless & so was the rice. I would definitely give this place a try, but we don't be back as a group. read more

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Why didn't anyone tell me El Torito IS NEW MEXICAN CUISINE? Well, not Pure New Mexico, but still. It's a NM food desert here now that Carlito's and Chile Addiction are gone, but you can seek some refuge at the end of Boulder Highway. We were thrilled to read the "about" text at the of the menu and to accidentally discover our most beloved cuisine hidden away in a local gem. It's definitely been Americanized over the past several decades. The sopapillas come with ice cream and the enchiladas are rolled (but they do have a fried egg available), but many dishes are pretty much New Mexican. The pork green chile is fantastic! I got a Pork Green Chile Burrito Christmas style and was reminded of the wonders and tastes of The Land of Enchantment. It was just perfect. You'll be made to feel right at home by the jolly Mexican Grandpa who tends to the dining room. We'd come here every week if it wasn't on the other end of the world from us! read more

My husband and I tried EL Torito Cafe for lunch. It is located on Boulder Highway. The restaurant has been around for 59 years. It's a mainstay, where regulars and newcomers come together for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. I've seen EL Torito via commercials with the Harris and Harris father and son law firm. The food looked appetizing. We enjoyed our lunch. My husband ate breakfast and I had the tacos with rice and beans. The food was outstanding. The tacos are the best I've ever eaten in my 58 years on this planet. We will be back to try more of their delicious food. The service is great and the restaurant is comfortable. I recommend trying them out if you're looking for a good meal. read more

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After a hike, I stopped here for breakfast. I learned of this place from two ads for a personal injury law firm that were filmed here. At the beginning of both ads, they show a quick cameo of the outside. I looked it up on Yelp and bookmarked it. The restaurant opens at 10 and I was early. When the place opened, I went in and was told to sit anywhere I wanted. I ordered coffee and it was quickly brought. I then ordered the Mexican breakfast which consists of 2 eggs cooked as you want topped with a red chili sauce. With it comes refried beans, hash browns, and your choice of flour or corn tortillas. In addition, you are brought chips and salsa. That makes for a hearty breakfast and is available all day. When the plate was brought I went to move it. DON'T! It was blisteringly hot. My server had a pot holder and she moved it for me. The hash browns and refried beans are standard. Take care not to eat too many chips! I ordered my eggs sunny side up. The eggs are covered with the red chili sauce. I tore a piece of the tortilla and used it to dip into the wonderful chili sauce. My coffee was refilled when needed and it was a good stop. The restaurant opened in 1975 and is owned locally by two sisters. Service is excellent. And for locals who may understand, the entrance to the freeway to Harris Dam is not far away. Thanks to the law firm I found a good breakfast place. read more

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Been coming here for almost 25 years .... Always great food and great service .... One of the only places you can still go and expect it to taste just like the last time .... read more

Food was old but the service was great don't go early because the food is not fresh the chips were cold and the food was cold

A few things stop me from giving it more than 4 stars and really the rating is a 3.5. I saw this place on a tv ad and thought it looked cool so if we were ever deep in Henderson we would check it out. It's a cute cafe but definitely needs some cleaning on the booths. Service was good and place wasn't crowded during a lunch rush on Saturday. Got a recommend for the green chili pork burrito and went with that. Chips and salsa on the table is typically expected at a Mexican place like this and they had it however the chips were not good and the salsa was just ok. Burrito came out and the green chili with the pork was really good. I wonder if they did the pork a barbacoa style if it would be better with a little sweet to go with the green chili? Anyway, rice and beans were also good and I normally don't go for beans. Here is my rub...they charge 4.50, FOUR AMERICAN DOLLARS AND 50 AMERICAN CENTS!!!! For a freaking soda. That is highway robbery. They also charge a fee for credit card usage and offer that bs cash discount if you pay cash. Listen, you guys are already overpriced for what it is. While it was good, two entrees and one kids meal with three drinks should not be $80 with tip and you should not be charging some bs credit card fee when you are ringing out nearly 100% profit on fountain drinks. Like I said, food and service was good. Probably would not be back for a while due to how far away it is but also it's too expensive for what it is. read more

ate there 3 times last week.... best mex food bar none. Gia is always attentive....will go back this weekend. referred it to DINER DRIVEINS DIVES!! read more

Terrible server, no greeting, just are you ready? Got drink refills from busser, food took longer than it should have, then was over cooked and hard. Never got a check, no prebus table, finally got up and went to register. Was told how much our bill was and had to ask for receipt. Parking lot is not lit up so be careful in the dark. read more

This place was terrible. Looks very authentic on the inside but the food was the opposite. The chips and salsa were straight from a bag and jar. The food was completely white washed. It was horrible and I'm upset my husband and I wasted our money here. read more

What didn't go well, it's always great and we enjoy dining here. It's authentic and my family has loved this place for 25 yrs. I'm a native and we are big fans of this family owned business and we will continue to give them our support . Great food, yum and really good service! read more

Just not up to a high or even average standard. Terrible chips no flavor, no effort, I hope they pull it together because if they try it can improve but its simply not good. Better employees needed and better cooks or shut it down. Not even close to say flaming fajitas. The food tastes like no one cares. As a former Michelin star chef my advice is see if you can make great chips and salsa and do not charge for them read more

They have been in business 50 years. Their parking lot is garbage but their food is delicious. The inside is clean and cute. Great staff.

Wow - such an interesting experience going there last night (on Good Friday). My family went on a whim when we stumbled across this from reading other Yelp! reviews and I liked that it seemed to lean into New Mexico styled Mexican food. Arriving to see it first hand, and driving down the "so worn it's almost a dirt road" paved driveway, it's charm is absolutely helped by it's hole-in-the-wall out of the 60's look. Granted, El Torito Cafe will celebrate it's 50th anniversary in 2025, but the structure has this great older "look", kind of like if you built a restaurant from the rectangular cinder-block old snack bars that you used to see at an old-timey Drive-In Movie theater. This is not a bad thing mind you...it's almost straight out what you'd expect to see in a real life version of Radiator Springs from Cars! The interior doesn't disappoint either, well worn naugahyde semi-circle red booths along with a number of tables let you know that they haven't replaced what works (and perhaps that keeps their prices reasonable). Shabby chic! Nothing dirty or untoward mind you - just, well, lived in! Starting out with Chips and Salsa, I'm definitely that C&S fiend that eats way too much and forgets to make room for dinner but no regrets ..they were on point. Tasty salsa served in a large vessel that you don't have to ask to get refilled every ten chips (I'm looking at you Casa Don Juan) and chips that have that tiniest bit of softness when you bite to remind you that they're homemade. Lovely - and before we could finish the basket, our server was already refreshing both for us. Nicely done and thoughtful! Onto the meals, my daughter who just wanted a bean and cheese burrito was thrilled to know that when El Torito does it smothered in Red Sauce, she could choose Mild, Regular, or Hot red sauce. That's awesome and she went for the Hot. She was beyond happy with the end result. I tried the sauce as well and it wasn't like blow-your-head-off hot for the sake of being hot but rather, a nice slow building hot that was really just nice and flavorful and not overly crazy or gimmicky. My wife had the shredded beef chimi with regular red, and given the New Mexico way of doing things, lots of orange cheese melted everywhere. Yum. You would never outwardly know the burrito had been fried with all the sauce and cheese, but she noted you get that nice crunch underneath and the beef was a bit crisped while still being moist and flavorful instead of dry or tough. I had the Green Chile Pork burrito and it came as you see in my pic, with some spiciness to it but nothing overwhelming and I loved how you got actual diced Hatch green chile in and around the burrito. The pork was shredded and lean...nothing where you take a bite and you get something rubbery or a "bad piece" that turns you off. Just deliciousness and as they recommend it as one of their specialties, I would do the same if you prefer green over red. Rice was completely floof, and you always want floof rice so good on them. The beans were tasty as well. A+ on the rice and beans we all had. So - food was good...prices were extremely reasonable and there was character to this old place for days. What else can be said? Service. None of this matters if service is lacking. Let me share a quick anecdote. Again, we were there on Good Friday, got there at 7pm and they closed at 8pm. Meals took a while to make (not lightning fast or alarmingly slow- just a normal unrushed pace and that's perfectly fine as we were thoroughly enjoying eating our weight in chips and salsa). Point being, we were finishing a bit after 8pm. At 7:55pm, a group of at least 8 people came in asking to be seated. 5 minutes before closing (!) and I'm sure the kitchen would have liked to close up but the staff completely welcomed them in like family, no attitude, no worries, just seemingly totally happy to provide food for them. It made an impression on OUR family as we witnessed this. We thought, what an amazing way to treat their customers and I think that speaks volumes about this business and why we will definitely be coming back. True 5 stars (at least) for this first visit to a wonderful family owned restaurant. Thanks! read more

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I have been driving past this place for years and its curb appeal never made me want to visit. The outside gives off this greasy hole in the wall vibe where shady road weathered truckers hang out. Ha ha. After much frustration with local Mexican places we decided to give it a try. I'm glad we did because we had an excellent experience. The food was fresh and delicious and the salsa kept coming. I appreciated just the beef tacos. Simple but done well. No wonder this little joint has been a Henderson fixture for years. read more

The food is always very good the staff are very nice food is hot and lots of it. Place is clean and tidy Getting to be my favorite place for mexican food read more

Excellent food, decent prices ands very generous portions. Family owned and staff is sweet and courteous.

I've known about El Torito Cafe for a while but, to be honest, I thought it had closed. The access road and parking lot are pretty rough. The building looks as though it has beem there forever. And the last time I tried to check it out, they truly were closed. Maybe it was just a day off but I wasn't sure. I just chalked it up as someplace that I missed out on. I wrote it off. Then came the Richard Harris Law Firm commercials featuring this little cafe on the edges of town. This series of local TV spots showed me that I had another chance. I decided to stop in for lunch. The idea was to get a one item plate with a tamale. Then I figured I would order a 2 item plate and take home some leftovers. My order consisted of a tamale (only beef available) and a shredded beef soft taco. While waiting for my lunch I munched on the cusotmary and complimentary chicps and salsa. The chips were a little on the stale side. A few minutes in the oven would have crisped them back up a little bit. The salsa, a good sized bowl of it, was very tomato forward but had a nice spice. It grew on me and soon it was all gone. Just in time for me meal to arrive. The beans, rice and tamale were on one very hot plate. The taco was on its own plate. I went in for the taco first. It was simple. Two corn tortillas with shredded beef, lettuce and cheese. Nothing more. Nothing less. The meat was good but could have been hotter like the other place. But eating it first allowed it to stay somewhat warm while the other plate cooled. I tried a few bites of the beans and rice next. The beans were still blazing hot. The rice was fine. The tamale was what I was there for, though. It was more of what I was looking for when I searched for a tamale earlier in the week. Still not the best I've had. Too much masa and not enough beef the ratio could have been better. The sauce had a deep rich toasted flavor with a mild chili punch. It was kind of viscous though. Helpful to keep it on the tamale but a mouth feel I was not expecting. It was not a disappointing tamale. Still not 100% of what I have been searching for. El Torito Cafe is not fancy. Its not trendy. It is a cafe. Friendly staff serving homey food and a fair price. This is about as close to the style of Mexican food I grew up with in SoCal. Something that is hard to find in the Las Vegas valley. So that was nice. I'll have to remember this place for those times that I want a taste of home without going home. read more

We have eaten here only a couple of times. Each time the service is slow and it's like they don't want to serve us. We tried again tonight. We stood at the front waiting to be sat close to 5 mins with tables open and no one even to greet us. Then when sat was very short with us stating they would be with us. The waitress walked by went and talked to another customer for another 5 mins still not coming by to even get our drink order. We got up walked out. The waitress just looked at us and smiled. Don't even say anything. I would not and will not go back. It's sad because we are locals and want to go to local places. read more

My wife, me, and our two children first dined at El Torito in 2002, we have been regular customers since. Today we went to the restaurant for brunch with a friend who is in their early 80's. The service was provided by familiar staff and the food was very good, as it always is, we paid the bill in cash, left a 20% tip, and left, walking our friend to her car as the parking lot is uneven. We had been chatting for a couple of minutes when one of the longstanding staff, who took our order and our payments, came out, walked partway towards us, pointed at me and shouted, "Did you pay me?" I was appalled, baffled, embarrassed, and insulted in the same moment. My answer was "of course, I paid you cash at the table" our friend confirmed as much as she was sat with us and saw me pay. I told the server that I had paid her cash and told you want I didn't need any change. At that point she said, I remember now, and walked back inside. I will never return to El Torito because of what happened, if I was going to "dine and dash" I would hardly do it in the company of someone in their 80s, and then stand chatting in the parking lot. What disappoints me most is that the staff member has served me for 20 years, she recognized us when we arrived, and then was more than comfortable following me out to accuse me of not paying in front of a dear friend by shouting across the parking lot at me. This from a restaurant that features heavily in advertisements for a local personal injury lawyer read more

WHOO HOO! the BEST MEXICAN FOOD in the Valley!!!!! We've lived here 10 years and just heard on El Torito Cafe ~ Very simple clean interior with typical artwork on the walls. It does not look that big however we saw a large room for overflow or private parties~ Large parking lot needs abit of work but it's FREE All the staff were sooooo nice & accommodating and the food runner is hysterical, but I will let you discover that on your own . Nice menu with loads of options for everyone's favorites and a full bar too Our dishes were all WONDERFUL, all 3 of us commented how DEELISH our meals were ~ This is our new GO~TO Mexican Restaurant, out on Bolder Hwy so it's a bit of a hike but worth the drive ~ read more

Great food & great customer service by everyone who works here. I always get the green chili smothered enchiladas or smothered burrito. I'm from Colorado and I'm used to the hatch green chili. This is the closest thing you'll find here in Vegas. Try you a "Freddy Style" Michelada w a nice cold Modelo while you enjoy the food... I'll be back soon! read more

Great food! Great service! The restaurant is older but is still family owned and a great place for dining with friends or family!

Traditional Mexican food that was beyond good! The pork green chili enchilada was the best I've ever had! It was the birthday dinner for one if my friends and they treated her like royalty. read more

From the attorney commercial our interest was piqued. I had the Mexican Breakfast with a side of bacon and my wife had green chili pork combo. I thought the food was good, despite my medium eggs were way undercooked and I didn't get my bacon until after I was finished. The refried beans were really good and the tortillas were okay but didn't seem to be made on-site but I could be wrong. read more

We went on a Sunday, service was terrible and food very below par, just not what it used to be, sad!!!