Service was great, Gilberto was very attentive and kept it fun. Food was good and we had a fun family experience.

El Torito in La Mesa is always a great experience. The food is consistently delicious, with generous portions and authentic flavors--especially the brunch . The chips and salsa are fresh and addictive, and the margaritas are perfectly made What really stands out is the service. The staff is welcoming and attentive, and Gilberto is very nice--friendly, professional, and made sure we felt well taken care of. read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - La Mesa, California

I'm happy that we still have the 1 location left in San Diego, because after that I think the closest one is Irvine. I'm not here that often, I usually come when they offer me something. My favorite thing is the corn pudding that comes with some of the entrees. It's like cornbread that wasn't cooked the whole way. I remember they came out with a bagged mix you could get at grocery stores, and we used to get that. This time I ordered the queso for $4 on happy hour, and a 2 item combo with a barbacoa taco and a chicken enchilada. It was really good, and I ended up taking half of it home. I ate it a few days later, and it still tasted good. Service was pretty fast, and Rachel my waitress was nice. They weren't super busy because it was a little before 5 on a Friday. read more

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Sat down at the bar for a margarita. Waited a few mins. A good looking couple walks in after me and sits dow. The bartender shows up with chips and salsa, walks right by me without even turning her head, gives the beautiful couple the chips and salsa and takes their order. Thanks for making me invisible. Well, the margarita at Deano's pub is way better anyway. read more

This review reflects their Sunday Brunch. For $45 per person, you get to experience El Torito's Sunday buffet brunch from 9AM to 2PM. We got there around 10AM. Upon walking in, we kind of played eye tag with a male host or manager who didn't acknowledge us right away. It wasn't until a female host, who was clearly busy running around, came over and found us a table. The layout of this place honestly feels like a maze. There are ramps, stairs, arches. It almost felt like a fever dream walking through it. There's a ton of seating though. Booths, tables, patio seating, bar seating, and it definitely looks like they can host large parties or corporate events. The brunch is all you can eat buffet style with different sections throughout the restaurant. In the main middle area, there's a taco station with meats like birria, carnitas, pastor, and pollo. There are trays of breakfast items like waffles and bacon. Lunch options like mole, chile relleno, enchiladas, and more. In the back of that section is dessert with flan, ice cream, a chocolate fountain, rice pudding, and other sweets. There's also an omelette station where a chef makes it fresh based on your ingredient choices. That area gets crowded fast. There isn't really a clear place to stand and wait, so you end up kind of being in someone's way. Near the entrance, there are three additional tables. One is more kid friendly with mini corn dogs, macaroni and cheese, chicken tenders, cereal, milk, and yogurt. Another has drink dispensers with horchata, jamaica, and another agua fresca. The third has coffee and hot chocolate. On the left side near the bar, there are three more tables. One with pozole and menudo. One salad station with pre made salads and build your own options. The last one features seafood like shrimp ceviche, aguachile, seafood soup, chilled shrimp, and more. Drinks are included with the brunch. Our server was very kind and attentive. He cleared plates quickly and checked in throughout the meal. Most of what I ate was actually really good. Standouts for me were the carnitas. Super flavorful and not dry. I made tacos with fresh onions, cilantro, and this orange crema based salsa that paired really well. The sweet cornbread was also a hit. Moist with real corn baked in. I went back for that. The salad station impressed me too. Their green, maybe cilantro lime salsa tasted so fresh I genuinely wondered if it was made in house. The waffle with honey butter was also a solid choice. Things that didn't hit the mark for me were the menudo, which felt bland and lacked depth. The chocolate fountain was fun but the chocolate itself wasn't great. The horchata tasted like sugar water. The al pastor meat was a little too salty for me. Overall, I think $45 is a bit steep for what you get. There's a lot of food and a good amount of variety, but the selection doesn't rotate much, so I could see getting tired of it. I might come back occasionally, but not often. read more

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Our waiter, Sergio, is amazing!! He's so attentive and give great recommendations!! We went during Happy Hour and the menu is great! We got a couple of drinks and some snacks!! I'm also addicted to their corn bread. I've been a fan for over 20 years!! I've taken my kids here since they are small and now they can drink. I haven't been to the weekend brunch in a while and need to come back to try it again. The place still looks the same with lively music. It's such a chill and fun place to go with your friends and family. Great happy hour prices and delicious margarita . Will come back again with my friends and family. I hope Sergio will be our server. He's the best server!! Great attitude and vibe!! Give him a raise, El Torito read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Came here on a Sunday evening and was seated right away. The vibe was cool and I liked the music but it was a little on the loud side. The salsa, guacamole and chips were on point. My main course was tasty but the crispy flautas weren't crispy. read more

El Torito - Chips, salsa and Fresh Guacamole - Mexican Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Always delicious, try the sweet corn, it's sure to put a smile on your face. Plenty of terrific parking. On Sunday, May 3rd, they are having an all-you-can-eat for Cinco de Mayo read more

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Haven't been here for a while we came here for the dinner service around 6:30pm and surprisingly there was no wait in line with many parkings outside right in front on Sunday evening. The music was pretty good and loud. I used my Shazam a lot and saved it to my mexican playlist. Very good place for celebration. The decor was also nice. You can tell they are about to get ready for Cinco de Mayo. The restaurant was a little too cold for my liking. The presentation was cool for the flaming fajitas. The flames went up really high. The food portion here is very generous and it tasted freshly grilled. Our server was nice and since it was my birthday she removed the dessert from our bill. Thank you for the special evening El Torito! read more

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This place had us skeptical walking in. It looked like a ghost town, not many people and then a waiter dropped a bunch of things on the floor and well we were regretting our choice. Then none of the beers my husband wanted they had since they ran out. At that point we were second guessing eating there at all but we chose to do the family fajitas and queso quemado and all the food was good! Really good! And service was really good too! The waiter was super nice. They had good music playing too! read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - La Mesa, California

10/10 no notes - great food - amazing service - gilberto is the home boy el torito give this guy a raise read more

El Torito - GILBERTO GAVE ME 10 MIMOSAS BOIIIIIIIII - Mexican Near Me - La Mesa, California

The happy hour menu had a great selection of items for reasonable prices. Got the steak and chorizo tacos and queso from the happy hour menu and then some nachos off the main menu. The service was great and they kept our free chips and salsa flowing. The free starter salsa was fresh, almost like a pico. They allow in kind for payments which is a win in my book. The food was your standard chain restaurant Mexican food, but great value overall. read more

El Torito - Steak and chorizo tacos, queso, and nachos supremes - Mexican Near Me - La Mesa, California

Wow! what a surprise! El Torito's in La Mesa was going off tonight. We showed up for dinner not expecting too much, and to our shock, happy hour was running from 3 PM to 9 PM. So of course, I had to start with a margarita flight and follow it up with a draft beer. So good. My chicken enchiladas with sour cream were delicious, and the music and ambience were upbeat and fun. Our server was super friendly, and the food came out hot, fresh, and honestly way better than my last visit. Huge difference this time around. I'm giving this place five stars for the lively atmosphere, friendly service from JORGE, excellent food, and great prices. If you're in the area and want something fun and a little different, definitely stop by El Torito's in La Mesa. read more

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My friend and I came here for the first time the other day. Happy hour is 3-9pm M-F. Everything is $10 or less & the food portions are huge. The chips & salsa are complimentary. The queso was good. I liked the mango & blackberry marg from the flight but the regular one was watered down. The jalapeño cucumber marg was strong but really delicious. The chicken flautas were good with the different sauces. One was a creamy chipotle sauce & the other was a sweet one. I had leftovers after eating lots of chips & dip. Service was ok. read more

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El Torito Review (update 10/25) - solid 3.7 Although El Torito isn't traditional Mexican food, there's still a lot to like when you dine here. This visit, I came in for a light meal--chicken tortilla soup, bottomless chips and salsa, and of course, their signature margarita. I decided to switch things up and tried the Raspberry Lemon Drop, which was part of the happy hour special. Great choice! Heads up on the tortilla soup: It's actually a vegetable tortilla soup. The bowl includes potatoes, zucchini, and squash, giving it a thicker, more filling texture than I expected. The broth itself was rich and flavorful, though if you're not a fan of cheese, I recommend asking them to go easy. I arrived around 7:30 PM on a Saturday night and was pleasantly surprised, no wait time for bar or table seating. Overall, El Torito delivers solid flavors, generous portions, and good vibes for casual dining, especially if you catch happy hour. read more

El Torito - Post demolish soup. Hearty with veggies. - Mexican Near Me - La Mesa, California

Gilberto was absolutely AMAZING. Great attitude and made the experience wonderful. Food was good and the champagne was flowing. Will be back! read more

El Torito - Watermelon mimosa - Mexican Near Me - La Mesa, California

We came for happy hour and only got the food from that menu. The restaurant wasn't busy by any means but it took longer than we would've liked for us to get our food. It felt like they only had one server working for the entire restaurant. When our food got here, the chicken wings were micro sized, maybe one bite off each wing. I got a horchata, carne asada fries, and elote. The horchata was the best part, the fries were kind of sad compared to other Mexican fast food places. Fries not crispy, and the topping relatively bland. The elote was incredibly oily, flavor was alright. My favorite part was the chips and salsa/guac. The guacamole tasted fresh and was very flavorful as was the salsa, chips perfectly crisp and salty. Restaurant itself is very cute and decorated nicely, however when we went the lights kept flickering, which was mildly annoying. read more

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I can't say enough good things about this place. The all you can eat brunch is absolutely amazing. If you are lucky enough to have Gilberto as your waiter you are in for an absolute treat, he is super attentive and a pleasure to be around 10/10 recommend brunch with Gilberto! read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - La Mesa, California

We went here for Father's Day brunch recently after not having had an El Torito brunch experience in many many years. This day was not much different than what we remembered from our Rancho Bernardo days, plentiful food, great service and constant flow of champagne. Everyone was hustling including the leads of the team. For their brunch period, it does get awfully crowded and tight in the central serving area. Being a smaller footprint, this was to be expected. Everything was replenished promptly and the quality of the food was certainly acceptable. Our only surprise was the bill, which for four of us, exceeded two hundred dollars. A little bit of a sticker shock, but I was glad to have enjoyed the experience. A lot of reminiscing on this day. read more

El Torito - Interior - Mexican Near Me - La Mesa, California

I love this place. It's clean and big and everyone is friendly and the food is freakin fantastic. The brunch buffet + bottomless mimosas on the weekend are what dreams are made of. And, though I have always loved coming here, I've never had a standout server until we had GILBERTO. He was the best and a true delight and brought us special stuff and I just adore him. I will ask for him every time from now on and you should too!! read more

Great atmosphere by the bar with football and music on. Great service and a wonderful place to take the family. Best fish tacos I have had all year and $10 on happy hour! read more

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Well earned 5 Stars! I don't even want to leave this review in fear of it getting crowded now for brunch. Gone are the days of El Torito in Mira Mesa. I was a frequent visitor for their Sunday brunch. I knew there was one last location in La Mesa, I just discovered that this location offers brunch on Sundays. The food did not disappoint! Everything I tried was so good. They have a taco station that includes several meat choices like birria, carnitas, pollo, carne asada and el pastor. Omelette station. Ceviche, cocktail, and aguachile. So good! Several food stations and all of it tasted like authentic Mexican cooking! Chef's kiss. Price is not bad $39.99 which includes unlimited mimosas. Customer service was excellent. I believe her name was Amanda. She was so personable! She kept the champagne flowing and checked on us the whole time we were there. We got there early (they open at9:00am) but by the time we left it was getting crowded. It's a pretty big location so plenty of seating. read more

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Nice and clean with very professional servers, we were here Saturday early eve, Happy hour options are great love it, Margarita flights appetizers delicious haven't been to el Toritos in many years I enjoyed it, I will come back to take advantage of the happy hour specials . Thank you. read more

We love this location! The food is great and fast! Ask for Gilberto, he is the BEST! We will be back soon.

They are always so friendly here. Like the Mexican causal vibe too. This is the last El Torito in San Diego. This burrito is huge and so delicious. I didn't know it had mushrooms in it which I loved. Going to come back for the happy hour. read more

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Our family and friends have a standing weekly dinner at El Torito, and the absolute highlight of our experience is Gilberto and Ramon. They are simply phenomenal! Week after week, they go above and beyond to make us feel not just like guests, but like family. Their attention to detail, kindness, and energy make every visit special. We've dined at many places, but the consistency, warmth, and genuine care that Gilberto and Ramon show us is unmatched. They're the reason we keep coming back, and honestly, we can't imagine our weekly dinner anywhere else. El Torito is lucky to have them, and we're so grateful for the joy they bring to our evenings! 10-07-25 Our family and friends have a standing weekly dinner at El Torito, and the absolute highlight of our experience is Gilberto and Ramon. They are simply phenomenal! Week after week, they go above and beyond to make us feel not just like guests, but like family. Their attention to detail, kindness, and energy make every visit special. We've dined at many places, but the consistency, warmth, and genuine care that Gilberto and Ramon show us is unmatched. They're the reason we keep coming back, and honestly, we can't imagine our weekly dinner anywhere else. El Torito is lucky to have them, and we're so grateful for the joy they bring to our evenings! read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Food is awful but service is amazing and drink specials are great! Just very bland food but we wanted to give this old chain place a try. Def will come back for drinks only read more

After a stressful day we stopped by for dinner and some drinks and everything was amazing!! The best part was our server Gilberto!! We will definitely come back just because of his hospitality/service!! read more

UPDATE! (Spoken in the Unsolved Mystery voice) - RIP Robert Stack. Happy hour. Yes, happy hour here is pretty good, and definitely affordable with deals on drinks, tacos, elote cups... probably a few other things, I don't know. Brunch. I love the champagne brunch here, it's bottomless and sitting at the bar is my favorite. My advice is to make a reservation if you're not going to be sitting at the bar, especially on holidays. Here are a few brunch "secrets" - At the taco station, you'll see them making your tacos with corn tortillas. Ask for flour and they'll hook you up - Pancakes. Yep, they have them, you just have to tell your server and they'll make them and bring them out Download the InKind app on your phone and you'll start collecting cash that you can spend when paying your bill. Pretty good, eh? read more

El Torito's did it AGAIN! This is the 2nd-year we've held our Family Christmas Luncheon there and they did not disappoint! Special thank you to, Elizabeth (& Ivan)!! read more

El Torito - Elizabeth (Left) at El Torito's - Mexican Near Me - La Mesa, California

Gilberto was very enthusiastic and helped make my boyfriends birthday super special with his wonderful energy! Will definitely be coming back :) read more

Overall I'd give today's meal choices all together a strong 8.5 out of 10 only because the Birria shells weren't crispy/crunchy and the Carne Asada Fries tasted like old chopped up Carne Asada a little dry and not to my liking. The Chicken Flautas Were Bomb!! The Steak & Chorizo Tacos Also Were Bomb!! Birria Tacos Were Solid But Just Make The Shells Crunchy/Crispy. The Margarita Flights Were All Good Except The Original One Lol. Other Options Were Mango With Tajin Around The Rim & Blackberry With Black Salt Around The Rim. Both Were BOMBAY!!! All Choices Were From The Happy Hour Menu!!! Props To Mr Pedro The Server.. read more

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My wife her friend and myself visited this location and was served by Michael who was fantastic!

Food was good and affordable! Gilberto was hilarious witty and great service was amazing and ambiance was welcoming, will be back!!! - local filipino friends read more

I was pleasantly surprised with the food, service and most of all prices for their happy hour. Met friends here on a Tuesday night and there was no wait for a table and quickly attended to. The restaurant was occupied but neither full nor empty. The happy hour is from 3-9 every day people! Unheard of! I enjoyed the food and cocktails. Also recently came with a large party reservation for Sunday brunch buffet. It was about $35 per person with mimosas. The buffet had breakfast, lunch and dessert items. Appreciate they do online reservations too. I hadn't been to this chain for years but will happily return soon. read more

El Torito - Grilled Chicken Sopes - Mexican Near Me - La Mesa, California

Ghio did a phenomenal job assisting us. We had a reservation. We should've a bit late. He went above and be gone by assisting us. I had two screaming babies. And Gio helped us out. A lot was very cooperative. Assisted us was very kind and extremely sweet. It makes me wanna come back because the customer service is so phenomenal and the food was extremely delicious. They went above and beyond the staff. By assisting us. read more

The food was well enough and came out quickly, but the service was extremely barebones. Not sure if they're understaffed, but tables were left dirty all around us, the soup I got was incorrectly priced on the menu, the host wasn't at their post for about 5 minutes when we came in, and wait staff inattentive. Definitely not enough bang for the buck. read more

We came here our first night in town for happy hour. We sat at the bar and they gave us chips and salsa. The salsa was a bit spicy , which I don't mind. I got the margarita flight which was more sweet than anything but cute. I also got the mini tacos which came with 4. It was beef and chorizo tacos and they were really good. There happy hour specials were good for the price and I left full and happy. Would recommend for happy hour read more

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Brought some friends to El Torito for Sunday Brunch. The food quality and variety was amazing - from the taco, sope, and empanada bar, to the chilaquiles, chiles rellenos, rice, beans and so much more - plus an amazing variety of delicious desserts. Gilberto was the best server - friendly and attentive - give that man a raise or promotion, please! Will definitely be back! read more

El Torito was an amazing restaurant and the food came out fast and was delicious. Our waiter was the star of the show, his name was Gilberto. He put smiles on our faces every time he stopped by and was very helpful. The building was also very clean and well kept read more