BEST food I have had in a long time! The taco plate was amazing. And the service was the best I have had in a long time shout out our server Cheyenne. She Checked in with us frequently, and gave lots of good recommendations definitely recommend popping in! read more

Great food. Great service. Incredible views of the Monterey Bay. My flour tortilla was hot and fresh. The chili was tender and flavorful. My wife loved her chilaquiles. Fantastic spot for breakfast. read more

Honestly, the food was amazing, but holy smokes, the ventilation at this location needs some serious improvement! I was sweating the entire time and felt uncomfortable throughout my visit. For my first time here, I wasn't expecting the dining area to be so hot and stuffy. That being said, the food was excellent, and I'd still come back for another visit. I just hope management addresses the ventilation or makes sure the AC is running properly, because a more comfortable dining environment would make the overall experience so much better! read more

Extremely Disappointing Experience I honestly don't like leaving negative reviews. I always try to look for the positive in every restaurant I visit, even when there are things that could be improved. But if I could give zero stars for this experience, I would. My family and I went to Toritos Monterrey to celebrate a special occasion because we had been there in the past and remembered it as a good restaurant. Unfortunately, I don't know what happened, but this experience was completely different. From the outside, the restaurant looked poorly maintained. The roof was covered in bird droppings. I understand that being near the ocean comes with certain challenges, but there are still ways to maintain proper cleanliness and hygiene. Once we walked in, there were flies everywhere. The floors were sticky, the tables were sticky, and the bathrooms had an unpleasant odor that was worse than what I would expect from a gas station restroom. We are talking about a restaurant. Even the menus were dirty, with dried-up food and sauce on them. The food itself was mediocre and lacked flavor. On top of everything, there was an unpleasant smell throughout the restaurant. The only reason we stayed was because we were there to celebrate as a family. I tried my best to overlook everything and not let it ruin the occasion. But honestly, this was one of the worst restaurant experiences I have ever had. I won't even go into much detail about the service because that was another major disappointment. I really hope management takes these issues seriously because this restaurant clearly needs attention when it comes to cleanliness, maintenance, food quality, and customer service. Unfortunately, I don't think I will ever return to this location. I can only hope that the Toritos locations in the Bay Area have not gone through the same decline. I'm still willing to give another location a chance, but after this experience, Toritos Monterrey was a complete disappointment. read more

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If you go to cannery Road in Monterey and you want something familiar to eat visit this El Torito location. Ask for a seat on the water. You can see sailboats and watch seals splash around in the water . The restaurant itself is spacious and towards the back you have big windows where you can see the water and you can see Santa Cruz. The food is familiar and delicious. We had the enchiladas and for dessert we had the flan. The Flan was very creamy and sweet. And just for kicks, you get two hours free parking with validation. You're welcome. :) read more

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Food was delicious service was just so-so. Slow service, no refills. A little disappointed, considering the cost of the meal. The ambiance of eating while watching sea otters was pretty cool for my 11 & 16 year old nieces visiting from Montana. But when the 11 yr old says something about the lack of attentiveness of the waitstaff - yikes!! read more

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This was an awful experience from the start. Restaurant was half empty but we still had to wait 10 mins to be seated. We ordered ice water and a coke that took a long time to come, then he forgot the coke. Came back with it 5 mins later (when u are sitting at a table 5 mins feels long) drops it off and walks away still haven't ordered! Finally after 10 mins he comes back again and takes our order. Food was mediocre I was very disappointed! I am a huge foodie and with the view of the water I was expecting an incredible experience. The chips and salsa he brought was all the crumbs from the bottom of the bag people came in after us and was served and left before we got our order just horrible service read more

The view of the ocean is beautiful if you get the window seat. There is nothing else you would visit this place for. Mexican food was good as usual. Nothing extraordinary. Avocado toast was the best dish amongst the ones we ordered. Service was very slow, our order took more than 30minutes to arrive, when only 4-5 tables were occupied. The server could not answer basic questions about the menu - saying he was new there and did not bother to find the answers. Would consider coming back if service was improved. read more

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Came here for happy hour, 3PM. We were disappointed with the service we received. We asked for a specific dessert and our waitress said she wasn't sure if they had any but never came back to inform us, nor provided a suggested alternative. We also also asked for a chip refill and she never provided it. Unfortunately, She wasn't very nice either. She stated to a customer that her coworker called in, so I'm sure she was in a bad mood and overwhelmed, but that's not an excuse. Our drinks were good. Thank you bartender! read more

El Torito - Fried ice cream - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

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The hostess was very friendly! There was a bad smell (wet mop?) when entering. They have a happy hour, but it's only at the bar, which no one wants to sit at. The server asked if we were ready to order before he even brought out our water or drink. I hate feeling rushed! The chips tasted as if they have been in old oil. The Spicy margarita was slightly weak. Although they gave a large private free parking lot & great views, I was not overly impressed. The bacon-wrapped shrimp was decent. The Birria tacos were good, but definitely small and could use some more cheese. The Spanish rice was good. They have the potential to do so much better especially with this space! Add a roofftop& better drinks! read more

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Came for happy hour. First and foremost, the location is breathtaking. The restaurant itself is spacious and the views and unbeatable. Giving panoramic views of the Monterey bay, it really is worth the visit just for the view alone. We saw sea otters swimming by while we ate- so cute! The food is also amazing, i got steak tacos and they were juicy, tender and flavorful- YUM! Full transparency, we did not have good service. It seemed the staff was honestly bothered by us inquiring about happy hour prices and afterwards really did not make an effort to check in on us at all after we ordered our food. We never received refills on our waters and when we asked for the check it was flippantly handed to us ... i never like to call out bad service was its the only thing that brought this 5 star experience down to a 3 star experience. read more

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I've been to El Torito a couple of times, and since I love Mexican food, it's become one of my favorite spots in Monterey. One of the things I enjoy the most is the location, the view of the beach is beautiful and makes the whole experience even better. My go-to dish is always the Trio Fajitas, which come with steak, chicken, and shrimp. They arrive sizzling at the table and are packed with flavor. The portion is also very generous, we ordered them for two people and still couldn't finish everything. Honestly, they could easily be shared by three people. For this visit, we also ordered guacamole and swapped the traditional beans and rice for mixed veggies. The service has always been good, although this place gets pretty busy. This time we waited about 15-20 minutes for a table, but honestly, it was worth it. Great food, beautiful ocean views, and a fun atmosphere. If you're in Monterey and craving Mexican food, enjoying some sizzling fajitas while overlooking the beach is a pretty great way to spend the afternoon. read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

Went here on a Saturday for lunch. We were seated at one of their large window tables with an ocean view. They have colorful art around the place with an old-time charm to it. The service at the restaurant is not up to the mark. Our server was not helpful and got a lot of our orders wrong. We ordered the Bloody Maria with 3 toppings, but only got one of them. It was also missing the olives and celery, which are not add ons and part of the original drink. Because we had difficulty placing the order in the first place, we did not send this back because we weren't sure they'd be able to fix it. The small plates at the table were not clean; they had some sticky spots on them. We got the chilaquiles, huevos rancheros and avocado toast. The food was average-tasting. The prices are below average for that area. I would not recommend this place considering there are much better options available very close to it. read more

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Had a reservation, asked to be seated by the window if possible but was not. That's okay..But we were seated up on the second floor part and didn't receive very good service (from our waiter, Leonardo)...There wasn't silverware or napkins on the table when we were seated and it took awhile after our water and chips and salsa were delivered to get any The friendly guy running food out and a really sweet lady (bartender or bar back) that brought us another margarita flight-on her- that made the experience a little better. Our waiter was sitting down at a table where I guess employees were, on his phone and chatting. The food: salsa is delicious, chips okay, shared the queso, it was just okay (not hot enough), and the seafood trio. The enchilada was good, the chile rellenos had too much dough, and the taco was dry and tough. It was also strange that I noticed a camera above every table?? Always wanted to come here, checked it off the list and it's a one and done for us. read more

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Very disappointed. I ordered the fajitas duo- steak & chicken and a cup of corn chowder. Should have ordered a bowl of the chowder, it was great. The steak was so tough I couldn't eat it and the chicken was very dry. The only plus was the view. Probably will not visit again. Have been coming for years. read more

Came to El Torito for breakfast. Brought my wife and daughter. Service was very very slow and the restaurant wasn't even full. Took 35 min to get our food. My steak was warm and very tough to cut. My country potatoes had 10 potatoes and tons of veggies. Daughters food was also cold. Eggs were to well done. Although the strawberry cilantro soda was very good will recommend that. Will probably not be back again. But the view was great. read more

El Torito - View from my seat - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

Have you ever been somewhere that's not fancy but wants you to feel like it is .... This is it. Slow service, overpriced for the quality and taste. "Ribeye" tacos with mystery meat and sauce definitely a pass, quesadilla with added chicken ... typical fast foodish execution... 50 dollars plus! Don't be fooled this is a tourist trap with an excellent view . read more

I've been coming here for over 10 years. Ate here today.and ordered the corn chowder and fiesta platter. The chowder was so salty I had to return it. The fiesta platter had sauces over everything that made the fried items soggy. The carnitas sliders also had too much sauce. It would have been better if the sauces were served on the side. read more

Pretty restaurant right on the bay. It's nice that it has a parking lot and you can get your parking vouched. The restaurant can be loud Food is pretty decent - got a hibiscus guava margarita Service can be good depending on who you get. It can be pretty slow depending on how busy it is! read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

Incredible views (especially if you like bird watching), friendly service, and solid enough food. Parking was easy, but it's also not bad to just waddle over from your hotel if you're staying on Cannery Row. Took awhile to get seated even though they weren't particularly busy and the interior feels a bit run down. But for the views, service, and really great flan -- a great time! read more

Review El Toritos -- 9/6 Unfortunately, El Toritos isn't as good as it used to be. The texting system was delayed, and by the time we arrived from the bar area, they had given our table away, which was frustrating. On the positive side, bartender Carlos had a great attitude and made an amazing Cadillac margarita. He also poured an ice-cold Modelo and provided great service. Our server, Javier, was not very friendly, but there were a few details that stood out. The tortillas came wrapped in parchment paper, which felt a little unusual. Overall, there were some bright spots, especially Carlos, but the experience wasn't what we've come to expect. Not very good anymore. read more

Great happy hour, great view! You can't beat the view. Our sever Debbie, was top notch, fantastic- worked so hard and was so friendly. Food was decent, and it was nice to see an El Torino thriving. read more

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Great margarita. Get the plain signature one, the flavors are too much. Didn't like blackberry at all. The mango was decent. The plain signature one was the best. The jalapeño poppers were okay. The cheese quesadilla was decent. The biggest negative was that their rice and beans are not vegetarian. This is an easy fix and I hope they become more inclusive in future. Because of this issue couldn't try any main course out here. Pity, since this place has beautiful views. This is the only place I have seen that serves green salsa that is boiling hot!! read more

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This review is based on a DoorDash experience. I ordered the Mucho Combo which includes a chili rellano, chicken and sour cream enchilada, tamale, taco, beans and rice. When my order arrived half was missing. I called the restaurant and was told it was still there sitting on the order up tray cooling off. The portion of the order I did receive was very good. All three items were full of flavor. However, they had cooled off fast. In conclusion, I would consider eating here someday. Just don't order through DoorDash. read more

El Torito - The half of my Mucho Combo that was delivered - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

This restaurant is a must hit, they have a great scenic view. The food was very yummy. They give you chips and salsa when you get seated at the table. I had the two shrimp tacos and a mahi mahi taco, in addition to the tacos there was a corn cake, Mexican rice and seasoned beans. The food was delicious, I would recommend this restaurant. read more

Was looking forward to trying this place because my parents LOVE it. Unfortunately, when we came today on Mother's Day, the manager completely mishandled the entire day. Not only did we have to wait an entire HOUR WITH RESERVATIONS, but a car BLOCKED US INTO OUR SPOT in their parking lot. When I called a tow truck company they said the restaurant needed to call on my behalf. I tell the manager this and what does he do? He gives me attitude and tells me no, he is not calling them because it's bad for business, and says he will find someone to move from in front of us to let us out (because the car blocking us in was from behind). Instead of apologizing (e.g. a simple, "So sorry this happened, let me see what I can do!) and agreeing with me that the car was in the wrong, he gave me attitude and excuses! Wtf? Why would you give me attitude? That set me off and is, guess what? Bad for business. You completely mishandled that. Luckily someone who worked there moved from in front of us to let us out, but nothing of sincerity came from the manager and even after I told him several times, "My attitude isn't with you! I'm not upset with you!" (he wasn't being polite and I didn't want there to be a misunderstanding), he still proceeded to give me attitude and excuses! Okay well NOW I do have an attitude with you. Are you for real? You're gonna give me attitude after making us wait an hour for our RESERVATION?! Instead he says, "Well we had 1200 reservations today." Okay and? That's my problem how? You're gonna give me attitude because someone blocked me in why? Make it make sense. Here's the thing, if you have reservations, your customers shouldn't be waiting AN HOUR. That's on YOU. That means you have poor time management because there are signs saying each party has 1.5 hours. So kick them out after an hour and half. That's on you! Manage their time! Don't accept parties without reservations on holidays! It was a sh** show today. If you have good time management you could've avoided this mess. And then the cherry on top was your attitude when I was blocked the F in! Are you kidding me? Never coming back. Doesn't matter if the view and food is great; this was an awful experience (other than our wonderful server and bartender) and the manager's attitude was the last straw. Enjoy this video of the inconsiderate dumbass blocking my car in (which I only took because of the manager's attitude towards me). Could have easily been kind and I would've been writing a different review (was going to give 3 stars due to ridiculousness of wait). All you had to do was be professional; so the video I posted (that's now viral) is straight up on you Mr. Manager for being rude AF to me for no reason. Guess in the end I was worse for business than you just calling the tow truck. read more

If there were ever a restaurant in need of a Gordon Ramsay intervention, this would be it. The food was drenched in sauce to the point where any actual flavor seemed to have surrendered. The rice was passable, but the beans came with an unexpected sour note that no one asked for. The restaurant itself had a noticeable odor, which it seemed to combat by simply propping the door open--an ambitious but ineffective strategy. Unfortunately, the issues didn't stop there. The floors were dirty, the furniture showed signs of rust, and the windows (at least the ones within reach) were decorated with bird droppings. To top it off, I witnessed a homeless man decline food offered by two patrons leaving the restaurant. In hindsight, that might have been the most reliable review of all. Given the location, the experience was especially disappointing. read more

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The absolute best Mexican food with a beautiful ocean view! Weekends can be busy, it's best to make a reservation beforehand. They have a private paid parking lot. Staff is great, this restaurant is family friendly and can be loud. Bathrooms are clean. They have a buffet on weekends as well. Definitely try them out if you are in the area!!! read more

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Before leaving for the airport stopped in again + had lunch. There was three of us so we had Grande Fiesta Platter appetizer, Buffalo tenders,crispy Flautas, Nachos Supremos + cheese Quesadilla. Just enough to get us home. Pretty sure it was the same waitress as before. She's a sweetheart + efficient. Skipped the bloody Mary, but mom had one + my sister had a Pina Colda. The views from the restaurant are outstanding. read more

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Wow, this is the best restaurant we've been to during our travel to California! Daniel the waiter was so nice and welcoming. We loved every bite! read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

Marco our bartender was awesome. Great place to get a drink and a great view of the ocean.

We loved our efficient server Daniel! The food is consistently great decade after decade. Free parking is always appreciated. Our group of eight was no problem for the well seasoned team used to Saturday night crowds. We did have a 4:15 PM reservation, which helped us get in and out. Thanks, El Torito! read more

Excellent chicken flautas! March 9th, 2019 was visit and review.. never finished posting. read more

Dinner with a view!!! The food came out fast & flavorful! The portions were generous, and the service was very attentive. The atmosphere was very warm and welcoming! I'd definitely come back again for both the food and the overall experience! read more

El Torito - Plate 1: CARNE ASADA & SHRIMP Plate 2: 2 ITEM COMBO (Cheese Enchilada & Chicken Tamale) - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

We had high hopes for El Torito in Monterey, but unfortunately our visit didn't go as planned. We made a reservation 1.5 hours ahead, confirmed it over the phone, and specifically requested a booth by the window (since my wife is pregnant and can't sit at high tops for long). We arrived on time but still had to wait another 15 minutes, and despite the request, we were not given a window booth. The host didn't communicate very well -- perhaps just tired by that time of day -- but it set a rough tone for the evening. From the outside, the restaurant wasn't very welcoming. The building had bird droppings all over the roof, which immediately gave off a neglected vibe. We were drawn in by the online photos showing nice views, but once inside, the atmosphere felt more chaotic and run-down. Guests were yelling and cursing loudly with kids around, which made it uncomfortable to settle in. Food was another disappointment. What we ordered was either too oily or lacked flavor, and we couldn't even finish our meals. It really felt like we failed our dinner that night. The frustrating part is that this place has so much potential -- the location is prime, the building is large with its own parking, and it could easily be elevated into a polished, destination restaurant. Instead, it feels cheap and run down, which is a shame given the setting. read more

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This location does a mediocre job with food & service. The table guacamole is not table side & very small portions. The table side fajita salad is not table side & it the chicken was not made fajita style. I have gone to other locations that are much better. read more

I would give it 0 stars if I was able to. Terrible experience. I went there over the weekend, my wife and I got our drinks in paper cups while the rest of the restaurant was getting the regular plastic clear cups. When we questioned the waiter, Leonardo, he had the audacity to ask "Is the soda going to taste different if it's in a paper cup?". Then we got our chips and salsa and it seemed like they had given us the bottom of the bag like you guys can see in the picture. Then to top it off the host came to us asking if we could move our son's high chair because she was going to sit other people in a table behind us. She put him there in the first place and then asked me to move him somewhere else. After I asked for our tab, we saw the host who sat us down in the beginning, Leonardo our server, and another server murmuring in a group and then turning and looking towards our table making us feel extremely uncomfortable. 0/10 customer service read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

Jessica has been AMAZING tonight! We came in with two over tired preschoolers and she was so patient and gracious with us and made sure we had a good experience. We would LOVE to get her again read more

Loved this place! Beautiful view and tasty food. I would recommend this spot. Great happy hour deals & friendly staff. read more

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Forgot our chips. Drinks were okay but not strong. Food was served cold. Took a long time