We came here for Mother's Day brunch buffet & Julio did an amazing job as our server! Very attentive and kind. Thank you Julio for your amazing service. The restaurant ambiance was very lovely with a live mariachi! We will be back read more

Julio was great love the weekday buffet As always. Love the soup the hand made tortillas and the desserts. read more

Came in today for brunch. Jorge R was our server. He was extremely professional and attentive. Definitely an asset to the team there. Will be coming back very soon! read more

We love coming here. The happy hour deals are super especially on Mondays. Gaby- our server is so warm and friendly. We really appreciate her and her good service. Makes a Monday feel like a Sunday. Thank you! read more

Came in with my fiancé on Cinco de mayo without realizing what day it was but the service was wonderful!! Our waitress Gaby was super attentive and very friendly !! Chips and salsa never ran out:) Our food was hot and our drinks were delicious! Vine con mi prometida el Cinco de Mayo sin darnos cuenta de qué día era, ¡pero el servicio fue maravilloso! Nuestra mesera, Gaby, fue súper atenta y muy amable. ¡Nunca nos faltaron los chips ni la salsa! La comida llegó caliente y las bebidas estaban deliciosas. read more

Gloria has excellent customer service! She is friendly and attentive. I will be back to this El Torito because of her. Thank you, Gloria! read more

We love happy hour here, food is always great! Our server Jose C Is awesome! He's friendly and he's always checking on us to make sure we have everything we need, overall great service! The ambiance is great, they play good music and that along with a good margarita, well...we don't need to ask for more! read more

Went in for an early lunch with my mom and grandma. We did the buffet and food was 10/10 I got to make my own taco salad. Julio C. took care of us and gave us the best service! He was very attentive and helpful throughout our visit. Definitely looking forward to coming back!! read more

El Torito - GRILLED CHICKEN TACO SALAD - Mexican Near Me - Cypress, California

When on tuesday for the happy hour. The taco bar has exercised that you can have. My daughter got a meal. Food was good on warm. Our server gabby was very attentive. Floor and tables were clean constantly. read more

The food was great especially the mixed vegetables with jack cheese, taco, corn bread dish, chile verde -the buffet line presentation was impressive: nice, neat and well categorized. Julio was attentive and provided great customer service. I would definitely come back to this El Torito location. read more

Came for the lunch buffet. Price for food was great. Our server Julio C was attentive and friendly.

Went last night for dinner. I didn't take any pictures but the food was decent. Not great. I've been going to El Torito for 20 years & unfortunately the portion sizes are small now. Based on that, food is TERRIBLY overpriced. The service was ok & We got our food in a timely manner. The server was nice. The lighting inside the restaurant is way too dark. Had to use my phone camera light to read my menu. It's like romantic mood lighting but without the Romance. The biggest issue I had with El Torito is that they add what's called a "Surcharge" to your bill ( I added picture of check). I questioned it & the server said "it's to support minimum wage & because the food is made from "scratch". Not a very good explanation, but just know that you can have the manager take that off. I spoke to the manager & she took the surcharge off. Very disappointing that they don't have the common courtesy to at least let patrons know that they're adding an optional fee to their bill. Very deceiving. Maybe if their portion sizes were larger, I'd consider the extra fee. read more

El Torito - Dinner check with the "optional" surcharge added. - Mexican Near Me - Cypress, California

Since when is it okay to bring your dog inside the restaurant to wait for you under your table? I'm okay with a dog on a patio. But last night on Taco Tuesday I had a dog staring at me through my whole meal. I'm thankful it didn't sneeze, shake or even use the restroom. I thought about calling the health department but didn't want to be a Karen. Next time I will ask to be moved, I guess. read more

Love visiting for happy hour & sitting in the bar area. The ambiance is very lovely and service always friendly. We ordered a couple of items from their yummy happy hour menu, chicken flautas & guacamole as well as a menu dinner, veggie fajitas with a grilled chile relleno. First time getting that place and I was so happy with it. We had to treat ourselves to the bread pudding for dessert. read more

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Came here for dinner and it was not what I was expecting. My friend said they used to come to El Torito and that it was a good pick for dinner... I stopped by Saturday for dinner, and it wasn't too busy. There was a few parties here and there. We arrived and were seated right away as there were plenty of open seats. We got started with water, some salsa, and chips. The salsa and chips were probably the best part of the meal. My friend ordered a fajita combo, and I got the Macho Combo. I was actually looking forward to trying this since my friend said they used to get the Macho Combo a lot and that they remembered it was pretty good. So, because of this, I had high hopes...but they were crushed. My favorite of the items was the beef barbacoa crispy taco, as I actually finished the whole thing. The chicken tamale, Chile rellenos, and the enchilada weren't my favorites. Of the 3, the chicken enchiladas would bring my second pick, but overall, these 3 items I just didn't care for too much. The chicken tamale was all masa and no chicken. Not that I don't like masa, but the masa for this tamale was also just not flavorful and might I say a bit dry... The chile rellenos were also just okay; it was just a chile stuffed with lots of cheese. I also thought the refried beans tasted a little burnt. In the end, I had about half of everything left over since it just wasn't hitting the spot for me. My friend ordered the fajitas combo, and all I can say is that they were truly disappointed. They had fond memories of this dish, and they were a bit upset about how it had changed and was served. When the fajitas came out, a lot of the veggies were burnt, like the dish was just sitting in the kitchen for so long before it came out that the onions had enough time to sizzle and burn up before even getting to us... Maybe I came during an off day, but not only was the food disappointing, but the service was also quite lacking. We were just watching the front staff just talking in the front with the bartender and the two waiters busy running around, but never in our area. We did ask for limes when we were seated, but it took about halfway through the meal to even get the limes... it was super hard to flag down the waiters for anything, and we couldn't even get our water refilled. Even waiting to get the check and paying to leave took 30 minutes alone. Honestly, this experience was super disappointing that I don't think I'll plan to visit again anytime soon. read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Cypress, California

Usually, this is our go-to El Torito location. Out of all the El Torito spots, this is the one we normally recommend to friends and family, and we've been here many times with good experiences. That's why this visit was especially disappointing. We made our Mother's Day reservation a couple of weeks in advance because we knew it would be busy and wanted to plan ahead to avoid a long wait. We arrived on time for our 11:30 reservation, only to be told there were 21 tables ahead of us -- not 21 people, but 21 full tables. That honestly felt pretty unreasonable considering we had reserved well in advance. What made it more frustrating was later finding out that walk-ins were still being accepted and mixed in with the reservation list. In my opinion, reservations should absolutely be prioritized on a day like Mother's Day. I understand wanting to accommodate everyone, but if reservations are being delayed that heavily, then maybe walk-ins should primarily be offered patio or outdoor seating instead of taking up the main indoor dining areas that reserved guests expected to receive. We ultimately ended up seated outside on the patio. Unfortunately, it was very hot outside, the ambiance wasn't great, and overall it just didn't feel like the experience we expected after planning ahead. My wife is pregnant, so the heat made it especially uncomfortable for her. The restaurant itself also felt extremely overcrowded and somewhat disorganized. I completely understand that Mother's Day is one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants, and I do want to give the staff grace for that. At the same time, this isn't their first Mother's Day, so I do think the reservation system and customer flow could have been handled much better. The reason I'm still giving three stars is because this review is based on more than just this one visit. If I were reviewing only this Mother's Day experience, honestly it would probably be one star. However, we've had multiple great experiences here before that were genuinely five-star visits, which is why I still want to give credit where it's due. We still love this location and will probably come back because we've had many good experiences here before. I'm mainly leaving this review because I genuinely hope management takes the feedback constructively and improves the process for future holidays and special events. read more

1/24/2026 Stopped by El Torito (Cypress) recently and overall had a pretty good experience, with a couple of things that held it back from being a full 4 stars. We ordered a mix of appetizers, tacos, and drinks: * Tableside Guacamole - $14.50 (excellent) * House Margarita - $6.00 * HH Mahi Taco - $10.00 (tasty) * Flauta App - $8.00 * HH Birria Taco - $8.00 (good) * Root Beer - $4.00 First off, the tableside guacamole was the star of the meal -- super fresh, great flavor, and worth ordering if you're coming here. The beef birria tacos were good, and the mahi fish tacos were tasty and a nice lighter option compared to the heavier items. My main complaint was the house margarita. It was served in a small glass filled with ice, and honestly there wasn't much margarita in there. The flavor was fine, but the portion felt a little weak for a restaurant margarita. Overall, the food was enjoyable and I'd come back, but I'd probably skip the margarita next time (or try a different one). Solid spot when you're in the area and want dependable chain Mexican food. read more

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Gaby was our server for Sunday Brunch & was very attentive will definitely be back thanks to her. She definitely exceeded our expectations! read more

Julio was the best. excellent service provided. highly recommended. tacos were awesome read more

Mario was so great. He was on top of everything, it was a busy weekend due to Mother's Day coming up but the service he provided was 10/10. read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Cypress, California

Deysi B was the sweetest waitress and very patient with my group! She was very welcoming and made the experience delightful. Will definitely be coming back! read more

We had a fantastic time during their Sunday Brunch Our server Gaby was super friendly and on top with our drinks, she was a delight Definitely will come back soon read more

Margarita Monday $2.99 house margaritas ($3.99 for flavored). Bummed they no longer have the HH carne asada fries. read more

El Torito - Updated Happy Hour Menu (7/20/26). Bummed they no longer have the carne asada fries in the HH menu. - Mexican Near Me - Cypress, California

Thank you gabby for the great service always very attentive and welcoming love coming with my family great ambiance

Went to Brunch today and all the food was great, but the service made it worth it. Angel and Adan in the bar area made the day.

We haven't had an experience like we did the other day. The employee that was seating did need some pep in his step or to be more people friendly. Greet your guests. But our waiter did make up for it all. We had jorgé and he was the it waiter. The ambiance was great. The music and the place was popping. The food also didn't disappoint. All delish and hot. The service was top tier. Make sure you ask for Jorge. read more

Took my dad who is 92 to El Torito for his birthday yesterday on Valentine's Day. We had a reservation and we're seated fairly fast. The server came and took our meal and drink order which was very nice we ordered our food which was which was very very good at the end. They came and sang my dad happy birthday for his birthday, which is very nice and they gave him a sombrero to take home with him. Thank you for the nice evening for my father and a great atmosphere at the restaurant my dad was very happy with his dinner read more

Great happy hour menu and big bar area! Went for dinner and had mahi mahi tacos (happy hour menu), tortilla soup, and my son ordered burrito off the menu. Good service, outside patio, and great happy hour options. read more

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We came in for brunch on a Sunday and Our server Gaby was great. She was very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. Kept asking if we needed anything and cleared out table of plates in a timely matter. read more

We came in for a late afternoon lunch and had a great experience today. Angel was our server and he was friendly, got our orders perfectly, and provided space for us to eat, but always came back at the right time to refill our chips/salsa, give us napkins, and all the right containers for our leftovers. He also didn't make it awkward when we mentioned we had a promo for table side guacamole and did a great job making it. He really made us feel comfortable, like a tío you look forward to seeing at family gatherings haha. Our food runner was also friendly and inviting. We enjoyed all the food we ordered, which included: - carne asada/enchilada combo - macho combo - margarita flight - table side guacamole - banana chimi for dessert Everything was great, but the standout items were the guacamole and margarita flight, which is especially good if you're indecisive about a particular flavor. Our favorite was the mango, very refreshing and had a nice flavor combo with the tajin. We also enjoyed all the natural light and the booths were clean and comfortable. Definitely recommended! God bless! read more

El Torito - Margarita Flight - Mexican Near Me - Cypress, California

Mother's Day brunch was a very nice time thanks to our server Julio. He was very attentive and super generous. The food was amazing, sweet corn made it to my plate every time. The restaurant was busy but the vibe was full of love. The mariachi made it extra special. read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Cypress, California

Save your money, don't go specially for brunch. After making a reservation many months ago for mother's day brunch, not only they did not honor my time but still waiting and hour after my reservation. Over packed, not organized. Got to see the buffet and the food did not look appetzing. Had to leave the place. Will never come back to this chain. Very dissapointed read more

Mario was fantastic! We came in for the lunch buffet during a very busy lunch rush, and he was attentive, friendly, and constantly hustling. Even with the large crowd, we never felt overlooked and were completely taken care of. Great service--thank you, Mario! read more

Review for El Torito Great service and delicious food! There's a wide variety to choose from -- ceviche, pozole, omelets, and much more. Arturo, our waiter, was fantastic, always keeping our champagne topped off without missing a beat. To our surprise they had mariachi band that made the ambiance lively and happy. We'll definitely be coming back! Thanks El Torito for making my special day a great one!! read more

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Another wonderful brunch with the family! Fresh fruit and foods and the desserts and always great! Our server Mario M. was a great server and very friendly. Always checked in on us and topped our drinks. Ambiance is always great and full of laughter and family friendly hospitality. read more

El Torito - Mimosa Time! - Mexican Near Me - Cypress, California

Absolutely great for a Taco Tuesday Night! $3 tacos with a choice of 4 meats. Parking lot was packed; but, we only had a 25min wait!!

First of all Merry Christmas As expected this placed was packed, we only waited about 20min before we got seated. Today our service was Sal he was great thanks. The food not so good. I had the trio tacos and by the time they arrived they were cold. I didn't complain it's Xmas n probably and under staffed. Dessert was good read more

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Great food, music, bottomless champagne and excellent service from Carolina! Thank you!

After driving around trying to find a place to eat, we ended up at El Torito, and I'm so glad we did. From the moment we sat down, Raul took such great care of us. He was warm, attentive, and genuinely kind, it honestly felt like we were at a family gathering. He checked in at just the right times, made great recommendations, and went out of his way to make sure we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves. The food itself wasn't our favorite, but the guacamole and Jamaica were absolutely delicious and definitely standouts. That said, we didn't even mind, the service completely made the experience. The ambiance was also perfect for winding down after a long day, relaxed, welcoming, and just what we needed. What really stood out was how much Raul cared. You don't come across service like that very often anymore, and it made a lasting impression on us. We're not even from the area, but we will absolutely be back, and we will definitely be asking for Raul. Thank you for the hospitality, kindness, and for turning a simple dinner into such a memorable experience! read more

Had the best time here today! Gaby our server was super attentive and kept on coming to our table asking if we were okay. She is the best. The whole staff is great. So is the FOOD!! read more