Probably one of the worst El Torito we've been to. Understaffed, dirty, and the food is flavorless. We went on a sunday and the place was fairly busy. The one waiter was having a hard time managing all the tables so it took over 40 mins to get our food after we placed the order. Asking for refills was a challenge and once the food arrived, no one checked back again. I can't believe this location hasn't been closed yet all things considered. read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Came for brunch & it was delicious! Bottomless mimosas! Our server Connie was amazing!

Connie was amazing! Very attentive and friendly. Ask for Connie. She kept refilling our mimosas.

THE...BEST...CHAMPAGNE...BRUNCH in California!!!!!! CONNIE, you are the best. Thank you for making my important day perfect. My champagne glass was never empty!!!! People like you are what makes is even more special. read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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Muy buen brunch. La comida esta muy sabrosa. Nos atendio la mesera Mara, y fue muy amable. Muy buen tiempo. El mariachi tambien nos Encanto read more

Awful! Not only did the front lady taking names for wait times had an attitude but there was ABSOLUTELY no food!!!! No plates, no bowls or spoons. No food at all, my niece had to wait 40 mins for chicken tenders and fries. Birria had nothing but broth, bacon wasn't cooked, sausage was swimming in its grease and water. Everything looked low quality and just nasty! We didn't get our drinks until after we ate our food! They planned with the white tents to seat people outside but didn't plan with food. I would take pictures of the way the food looked but there isn't anything to take pictures of! Totally ridiculous!! read more

Came here for a birthday breakfast brunch and had amazing service from Roberto Martinez. He was very attentive clearing up plates and checking in. He also sang happy birthday and made a fun napkin hat. read more

El Torito - Napkin bday crown - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Omg our tummies are so happy! We moved to Seattle and u fortunately they do not have Sunday brunches at Mexican restaurants like they do here in SoCal. When we are here visiting we make a point to visit El Torito. Connie was our waitress - she was very friendly, personable, professional and expedient with our drinks and other items we asked for. If you're in the SoCal area hit up el torito for their Sunday brunch. Your tummy will appreciate it. read more

El Torito - Sunday brunch at El Torito. Yum!!! - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

I'm not going to kill their rating just because this one item was bad. I think I ordered the wrong item thinking it would be like Taco Bell's Mexican pizza. Boy was I wrong. The shell was soggy and soft. Very little meat mostly beans. Stay away!!! Service is always good. Ambiance is good also. It's El Torito. read more

El Torito - Mexican Pizza - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Great service Thank You Roberto for your service. The food was great birthday singing and mimosas were great read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Good chips. Tasty salsa. No service. Literally, no service. One of the hostesses sat us, brought us chips and salsa, and then crickets. Multiple servers walked by and said nothing. We read the menu. Not a word. We discussed the current geopolitical climate. Not even a "Hi, someone will be right with you" in passing. We discussed walking out but decided to give them five more minutes. Tick tock tick tock. 10+ minutes after being sat and ignored, we simply left. How far this once lively hot spot has fallen. read more

On a bright, sunny Sunday, I came here, and was pleasantly surprised by their vibe! There were skylights, and the decor was really cute! We were here for a friend's birthday, and it felt really intimate. The brunch was no slouch either. Plenty of classics, like eggs, potatoes, and bacon, but of course there was your Latin fare too: Chile Colorado, a taco station, etc! Plenty of options for even the pickiest eater! Myself? I really liked the corn cake thing, which was just like a looser cornbread that was absolutely delicious! The ceviche wasn't half bad either! I especially appreciated their menudo and sandia agua fresca (though I would have added extra lime to mine!) It was really cute too, as the servers come and sing to you if it's your birthday! read more

Great service love the mimosas . Thank you Connie for keeping our mimosas full at all time.. read more

El Torito - Mimosas - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Conni is great and attentative she is friendly and kept checking on us especially with our Mimosas Really recomend it

Came in during happy hour and were seated right away, the food was pretty good, I got sopes and birria tacos that were pretty good, The only thing that was off was our server, he had this resting bitch face so we weren't sure if he was like not happy that we were there or just like his normal day but it did make things feel meh. The location is pretty cool and chill with outside seating and across the John Wayne airport. read more

Ordered for delivery was so good and fresh! We loved the salsa too. Eveyrhjnf was fresh and delicious !!!!!

This is one of my top 3 favorite places to come eat when I'm in Newport! Super family oriented great service ( Yanet is a really good waitress) I love that they have a little bit of everything for everyone!!! 10/10 read more

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Had Sunday today, our waiter was Roberto , very nice, friendly and attentive. We never had to ask for champagne, when our glasses got below half full he was there to fill them. Came by around every 10 minutes to ask if we needed anything. Every waiter should give service like Roberto. Thank you Roberto, you made our brunch that much more enjoyable. See you on our next visit, Father's Day. read more

We came to El Torito for brunch to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday, and we had a great experience. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was lively, and everything felt well organized. A special thank you to Roberto Martinez, who was an excellent server, very attentive, friendly, and made sure our celebration went smoothly. He really helped make the day feel special. We would definitely come back for another brunch celebration. read more

Early Thanksgiving with friends. Our server, Roberto Martinez, was amazing. Good times! read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Jerry was so amazing so attentive literally never had to wait for anything. I enjoyed the food so much the endless brunch is a must do! I really love this location never super busy but the ambience is always nice with the mariachi band walking around. read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

Went here on March 14 for happy hour. Now, I can excuse a fair amount, but the quality of service was astoundingly bad. About 40 minutes after seating and four requests to get water. I ordered from the happy hour menu and received my order relatively quickly. My wife, however, was left without her order, and she received her food about 20 minutes after I finished mine. Now, I was told that the kitchen was slow due to two large groups. However it's painfully clear that the restaurant is barely staffed with about two servers splitting the most active part of the restaurant outside of the two large groups. I'm not sure if we chose a bad time or if this is a sign that this El Torito will go the same way as its former neighbor, closing down due to complete incompetence. I did see the manager, who appeared INCREDIBLY flustered and appeared as if he was in crisis mode. There was also another poor soul who ordered and never got her food even after about an hour. Ultimately she left after asking for a check because she never got her meal. (For those interested it was ultimately comped and given to her before she left). Maybe this was piss poor timing on my part, but while I think the value for the happy hour menu was pretty good, and the waitstaff is friendly, I worry that the waitstaff won't last long with this much dysfunction with the kitchen. Edit: another party next to us ALSO ordered, appeared never to get their food and also left after asking for the check. read more

Amazing service, shout out for Mr. Roberto Martinez! The food is great and Mr. Martinez definitely made my day! Such a pleasure to have a wonderful meal and to make a new friend! read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

I used to frequent the various El Toritos frequently. The one closest to me in S OC closed. The trek up to Irvine isnt always welcomed because of traffic but if you can here during Happy Hour or Taco Tuesday's you'll enjoy it. The happy hour menu has enough options that a big group of people will have a great time. Margaritas here are pretty good as well and you get a good serving size for the price. Taco Tuesday's are $3 a taco. There is chicken, asasa, and a few other choices I don't remember. They also fill the plate with rice, beans and/or corn. It's a great environment to hang out with your friends after a work day. The staff is pretty nice and there is always plenty of seats. Right across the airport as well so if you land during traffic hours, stop by for a cheap and yummy bite. read more

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Great service! We came in to celebrate a birthday. There were 4 of us. It was busy and we were in the lounge during happy hour. Connie was our server and she was fantastic. Just wanted to leave her a shout out because she did such a great job! read more

Always a good experience for their Brunch! Service is excellent with lovely servers. The ambiance wasn't overwhelming. Our server Connie was so sweet!! Called me "mija" which reminds me of my grandma and family. read more

Waiting.... And waiting and waiting... Finally I'm noticed by the bartender only after waiting at a table forever.. five stars anyway. I really try not to leave shitty reviews. Yes, you can get over it. All it takes is a Coors Light at 11am read more

El Torito - Bathroom wall - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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Amazing service, loved the food and especially loved their birria tacos! The ambiance and vibe of the restaurant was wonderful as well!

Best Sunday buffet brunch! I don't know why more places don't do this anymore. We used to love going to the one by our house in Westminster. Roberto was our server and he was spectacular. He was so pleasant and attentive, truly the way service should be. They have a huge selection and it's all delicious and fresh and reasonably priced will definitely be back! read more

The service here is great. We came during lunch and sat outside on the patio are service was very prompt and suggestive. He mentioned that there was a margarita that was on happy hour and instead of getting the more expensive upon I opted for that one it was delicious and I ordered about two more. My husband ordered the chimichanga and loved it. I opted for bacon wrapped shrimp and absolutely hated it. It taste very weird. I wasn't aware that the flavors were going to be so strong. I was not a fan at all. My husband ended up eating at the next day. I'll come back for drinks, though it's directly across the street from the airport and a nice vibe. read more

El Torito - Sitting outside checking out the menu - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

We had the pleasure of having Roberto Martinez as our server. Very good service and made us feel Very welcomed. Thank you for being so attentive and nice. He will be back! read more

Chips and salsa were the only highlight of our meal.. we came for happy hour but everything was too salty for me and my friends taste. plates and cups were dirty, our server didn't even check in on us at all during the meal and gave bare minimum but was checking in on his other tables read more

El Torito is the perfect Sunday brunch spot--sunny ambiance, attentive staff, and a menu that delivers comforting, flavorful hits from start to finish. The pastries and huevos rancheros shine, the mimosas sparkle, and portions keep you satisfied without slowing the vibe. A reliable, feel-good weekend choice. read more

El Torito - All my favs - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

We would always come to this El Torito. We love going to the brunch. And when we heard that it might be closing down we decided to go one last time for Mother's Day. We understand that it's going to be busy and figured the staff would be having a hard time with difficult customers. But it was so frustrating when having a reservation and then getting there and having to wait an additional 40 to 50 minutes. Once we got there, they told us that brunch would last a little longer. We were happy about that because that's what we wanted to do for our last time there and when we got up to get our food, there was barely any food left. There wasn't a lot of food and at a certain time there was no plates so there was a lot of people just standing around waiting for plates. There was no workers coming out with food. I don't know if they were understaffed in the kitchen, but one would think for Mother's Day You plan accordingly or don't take many people in especially on a busy holiday. Also the price was really high. I don't know if it's because it was Mother's Day but it was $45 a person we thought it was kind of a scam being that there was barely any food or drinks took forever to get there and we ended up paying about four or $300. We were disappointed that our last experience there wasn't a good one. We loved going here all the time and yeah it was very disappointing and we weren't the only ones that were disappointed. read more

Gerardo truly made our experience at El Torito phenomenal. From the moment we were seated, he was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and attentive. He kept our table well taken care of the entire time and never missed a beat. Gerardo went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves, and his positive attitude really stood out. He's the kind of employee that elevates the whole restaurant experience. El Torito is lucky to have him! This is hands down the best place you can go to to enjoy a quality plate (or couple) read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

We're always helped by Jose whenever we come in, and he truly makes every visit a great experience. He's a wonderful, patient, and dedicated server who goes above and beyond for his guests. Jose is always very attentive to all of his tables, making sure everyone feels taken care of without ever making you feel rushed. It's clear he really cares about providing excellent service. We always look forward to coming back because of him! read more

Wifey and I live in an area of California (Central Coast) that is sadly VOID of El Toritos. We've been fans since the early 1990's and have never been disappointed. Following a trip to San Diego County, upon our return we were passing through Irvine and found this El Torito. Curbside appeal was nice, right across from the John Wayne Airport and plenty of parking. Upon entry, we were contacted by quite the dynamic & capable hostess. Literally simultaneously, she greeted Wifey and I, was tending to a customer at the counter for pick-up and answered the phone professionally. Wow! We were seated under the care of server Yaneth, who along with supporting personnel, knocked out our appetizer, drink and food orders in no time. We also noted the interior of the El Torito was well kept & clean. The food was on par, with fresh corn tortillas, excellent (with a kick of hot jalapeno) salsa, and outstanding table-side prepared guacamole, with a requested little hot edge that was delivered perfectly. I ordered the street tacos & Wifey dined on sour creme chicken enchiladas. Our rice, beans, aforementioned tortillas were superb, as well as the quality of the meat; lean and ideally seasoned. Everything on our plates complimented one another for a fine dining experience. I also cannot say enough positive things about the collective staff: Treated us like royalty. This was arguably the best El Torito we've been to, and I kinda wished we didn't have to head back to the Central Coast El Torito void... El Torito Irvine, thank you, until we meet again!!! read more

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We walked to El Torito from Hilton for Happy Hour and it was amazing! Manny C was so attentive and patient with all our requests, additions. He was great answering any questions we had on various dishes. Atmosphere was welcoming with lots of space and variety of seating options. The Street Corn dip was really good too as was all the food pictured. Guac was free with sign up for rewards! read more

El Torito - Homemade guac was so good! The margarita flight was such a deal for happy hour. All 3 were delicious and unique! - Mexican Near Me - Irvine, California

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Came here for the Sunday brunch with my family. It was so good! Best all you can eat brunch with many different food options! All the foods have a very unique taste and are super delicious!! The service was great also, very quick and attentive server. He had a great personality which made our experience even better. Also mimosas are INCLUDED with the all you can eat brunch! Some places charge you extra for mimosas but not here! Definitely worth my visit! read more

We've been coming here for decades, and it's incredibly disappointing to say this will be our last visit. The service has deteriorated significantly. Servers appear unhappy and disengaged, as though guests are inconveniencing them rather than being welcomed. There is no sense of hospitality. The floors were visibly dirty, and the overall condition of the restaurant feels worn, outdated, and neglected. It no longer reflects the pride or care that once defined this location. It's genuinely sad to see what this place has become after so many years of loyalty. read more