Very happy and friendly staff, food is mostly adequate, drinks are very weak Good for groups. read more

I use to like this place, and this is the only reason why I am giving it a 1 star. The food has completely DETERIORATED!!! Don't waste your time stopping in for a pleasant meal. BAD...BAD! Mexican Rice...doesn't taste authentic, it taste more like Chinese Fried Rice Jalapeno Bacon Wrapped Shrimp...is so TERRIBLY SPICY! it's not edible Service was ok, not great. I think one server for the entire happy hour area. But then again there was hardly anyone. In fairness, she was courteous. SAD! read more

I had a party of 40 set up in a very small banquet room. The capacity said 60 but there was no way we could even fit another body. My guests were constantly having to stand up during their meals for someone to pass or move out of their chairs. I had a few bodies standing because of the lack of space. We had 1 server assigned to a party of 40. I am in no way complaining about his work. He tried his very best to accommodate everyone with drinks, however, it was taking more than 15 minutes to get a soft drink to some of my guest. Our server decided to take on alcoholic beverages from individual guests as well. I think that was too much work for one person to take upon themselves. As a former server, I know that it takes more than one server to take on such a large party. As for the food, at 18.99 a plate, I was expecting better quality of food. The meat was extremely fatty and the tortillas were not worth the extra 50 dollars. For the large amount of money that was spent, I am very dissatisfied w the food and service and will probably not hold another lunch at El Torito. read more

beto and the manager rick delivered great service during our co workers sunday brunch!

I went in today and I tried out the shrimp fajitas I gotta say it was really good the shrimp was cooked on point. Also I got served by a nice young lady by the name of sunshine, yes sunshine nice service she knew the whole menu she told me the recommendations what's popular and what not great atmosphere and vibe. I'm gladly to say I'll be coming back again to this joint. read more

Came here randomly after going to party city. Surprisingly good food and kids meals. Had the fajitas that come flaming and the kids meals came with an ice cream sundae which was a nice touch. Beers on tap were cold and good too. Would recommend it if you're in the neighborhood. read more

Me and my friends came to El torito for happy hour and discovered we just missed it!!! I showed the lady in the front, on my phone that it said it ended at 8:00! She explained to us that that was the happy hour for their sister restaurant El Torito Grill!!!! She then said come on in and I'll honor it for you since you had a misunderstanding!!! We were so grateful! Then the service was really good and everyone was attentive.... Multiple servers checked on us, I think a manager even asked how we were doing, and our server was very friendly and patient and I'm so upset I can't remember her name !!! We are very satisfied customers and we will be back with even more friends! Thank you El Torito for a great dining experience! read more

I went for Taco Tuesday and I was very excited for the taco bar that they set up on Tuesday at the bar. I had gone before and the food and service was great. However, yesterday was just the worst. They didn't have a huge crowd and service was SLOW. We waited for over 10 minutes and we finally got a server. Service was slow all around because we weren't the only table that was having issues. We got our order taken but I had to go and walk up to ask for napkins and silverware. Getting our drink took some time . I expected better service for it being at the bar and the Taco bar Tuesday that they offer. Expect to wait and I so hope that they were ALL just having an off day. read more

Great service :) Food was delicious and very speedy service. Our server Beto was very friendly! Will definitely come back!

I love dining at the Pasadena El Torito! The food tastes good savory and the service is high quality in spite of the low prices. They make me feel right at home each time I come. A great family atmosphere and smiling faces are everywhere! read more

The facility was quite attractive and we were seated quickly. The menu options were very good and our order of beef, shrimp and chicken fajitas was brought out quickly. The food was decent, though the chicken and beef were a bit tough. The beef had lots of gristle. The rice and beans were good as were the grilled onions and chilies. It was ok, not great. read more

The food here has a great selection for all ages and group sizes. Service was fast and friendly. They say our group of eight fast and easy considering we were eating with 4 children. This is a very family friendly place with a great selection and dessert bar. Would recommend this place to anyone especially with children read more

The place was horribly messy. The staff was not attentive at all. Then they were rude o top of that. Food & drinks took forever. And we had to clean our own table being we waited almost 20 mins for them to bus the table, that we were told to go find for ourselves... read more

I've only eaten here once and it was nothing special, but what do you expect from a whitewashed version of Mexican food. Service was nothing special either. My review today is solely based on their service for Cinco de Mayo 2020. While I understand the difficulties and pressure associated with COVID19, one would think they would have been better prepared for the amount of business they had today. As someone who lost a really great job because of these circumstances, I have joined the gig economy and have been delivering for some of the food service companies. I singled out the Foothill Blvd area of Hastings Ranch, thinking I would pick up many local deliveries for El Torito and Chipotle. I immediately picked up three deliveries for El Torito, but when I arrived, I found the restaurant in a state of disarray and a lot of disgruntled customers. There were so many people waiting and wondering where their orders were that social distancing was non existent. I wont go into all of the details, but my first two orders were missing items. I had to travel back to the restaurant to explain the problem, then travel back to the customers to correct the orders. On the third order, I called the customer to confirm the order before I left to ensure I had everything, and guess what, yes, one item was missing. I'm glad I called before leaving to avoid another trip back. Each time I arrived back at restaurant, it was more crowded and more out of control, with many customers who's orders were wrong. One lady at the front desk was extremely rude to me. When I explained to her why I had to return to the restaurant to fix their mistake, she got annoyed with me and yelled at me that she couldn't do anything because I did not have the order in my app anymore post delivery. Regardless, an itemized order was never in my app since the customer called the order in directly to the restaurant for delivery. She didn't seem to care and walked away from me. I have two recommendations for you. First, set up a pick up area for all of your third party delivery services. Make sure each service's area and all orders are clearly marked. This way, drivers can easily and quickly pick up their orders. You can also have someone man this area to ensure the correct order is picked up and also be available to mitigate and resolve any issues. Second, set up one of your dining areas as a waiting area, set up for social distancing for customers picking up their own orders. As your customers arrive, if their order is not ready, have them wait in your waiting area, with each spot numbered. Keep track of your customers by name/order number and make note of it in your POS, Excel, Word, white board, paper, whatever works best for you and is scalable. Better yet, make better use of your parking lot. Number your spaces. As customers arrive, have one of your employees assist them. Have them park in a space, then note that space as described above. As orders become available, deliver them to thir cars. This way,, no one has to go inside and won't have to worry about social distancing. It's safer for you and your employees. If you need an example of a company who does this well, check out your neighbors, Best Buy. If you still need help, i'm available to consult for you. In a non-COVID world, I'm an operational and strategy ninja. What you did today is alienate your customer base and wasted their time. You also created a horrible experience for your third party delivery partners. Anyone who picked up from your restaurant today lost a lot of money because of all the time they waited for orders and correcting mistakes you made. Planning is an important daily exercise for every business. Failing to plan, is planning to fail. Today you epically failed. read more

The best service the best bartenders, Serena Alvarado is absolutely amazing!! Sunday brunch is best while watching football ball. Happy hour is great! Will always be back. read more

I normally only come on taco Tuesday which is fantastic. I went to El Torito on cinco de drinko and I was so disappointed. First the cantina was playing crappy hip hop music (hello? It's a Mexican joint on a popular Mexican drinking day!! Would it kill you to get Mariachis?!?!) second the service was the worst ever. They were way understaffed. Our server took forever. She was rude because she was overwhelmed. I will never come here for anything other than taco Tuesday. The food was good and the only reason for two stars. read more

It was so bad! Were to start. The service was pretty bad. The server took our drink order. Then never came back with our drinks! The restaurant wasn't even busy! The I got my food. A cold enchilada covered in what tasted like spagetti sauce and an over cooked taquito. This thing was so hard I thought I was about to break my teeth on it. The rice and beans were eatable, just barely. Hypothetical Scenario: If I was on a deserted island and the only thing on this island was this restaurant. I would eventually eat there again. Only after I got sick of eating coconuts and sea snails. read more

Delicious, great place to watch football and feast on nachos , taco, and wings, which were fairly large, can't beat their specials

First timer here at El Torito and all I can say is AMAZING SERVICE & FOOD!!! Our server Randy was amazing !!! Such a great atmosphere to be at for brunch !!! read more

We came around 10:30am , wait wasn't long at all we waited about 15mins . The waiter sat us down , didn't get her name but she was very nice , they servers us our drinks right away . Friends & I got mimosas (bottomless) which is always great ! The food was great , the service was great . Definitely coming back & def recommending to family & friends ! read more

El Torito - Happy Hour - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

Ricardo, our server, was phenomenal! I had a really long day in the office and Ricardo just turned my day around. I went with some coworkers and his customer service and friendly personality made our experience at this location exceptional. He was really attentive and made sure we were well taken care of. We will definitely be coming back to this location again! read more

Came in with my family monday night around 7pm Server vianca was super sweet and on top of things. She came with chips and salsas prepared with waters without us even asking, but we were all super parched. Service was amazing food came out all prompt and what not. The fajitas were the best and table side guac was so delicious I had no idea you could sit in the patio so I will definately come to happy hour and bring my dogs I will come back because of good food and service thanks vianca My fam was satisfied read more

Great and convenient to hit a nice Mexican restaurant got a real nice attentive worker named Sunshine who was sweet warm and welcoming and hard working. Lots of parking and decent decor inside. read more

We had lunch today at El Torito and really enjoyed it. The service was good and prompt, our waitress (named Mona ,) was on whatever we needed and was kind when doing so . I myself enjoyed the Crispy Flautas throughly, lived up to their name- crispy and full of flavor, I would definitely consider getting the dish again. Also the signature flan- is the bomb!! It is so good and creamy and goes quick!! (definitely my favorite dessert from here.) read more

Serena was the best server thusfar. Very kind, very professional, and very attentive. 5 service.

Awesome restaurant! Excellent and attentive service!! Ernesto was super kind and helpful.

Best brunch buffet ever!! Thank you Richard for my first ever banana foster it was so delicious. Thank you Jonathan your service was so great. The food is amazing it is worth trying! And the best part is the bottomless mimosa! read more

We love the taco Tuesday buffet in the bar! 2.99 tacos and endless sides! Our server Ashley was great! read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - Pasadena, California

Ok, seriously the El Dueno margarita is the best you'll ever find! If you call ahead, make certain you ask for ASHLEY. She is fabulously and brutally honest about everything from drinks to food. Some servers pretend...Ashely shoots straight from the hip and her recommendations are FLAWLESS, especially if you don't know what you want! The BBQ burrito chimichanga is the best I've ever had...Ashley makes the best guacamole. If she's not there...I come back when she is! And Oswaldo (the manager is very cool) let him know any special needs, he gets it done STAT!!! read more

The service here was pathetic. We were sitted for about 15 minutes before a server came to get our drink order. It was not a busy night, there were about 12 customers in the restaurant. The behavior was just bizarre. This is my last time visiting el torito. read more

Came in for Sunday brunch. I am very pleased that Beto did not allow my mimosa glass go empty. He was very attentive and cleared our empty plates away quickly. Make sure you leave room in your belly for the banana fosters made by Richard, they were divine. I totally recommend this place for Sunday brunch. read more

Amazing service! Ashley was great, checked up every 5 mins and food was perfection. For sure coming back.

The food was good and my margarita was delicious also my sever Crystal was such a sweet girl thank you, your the reason for this review great customer service read more

This place is a big place and plenty of parking. My favorite here is the sweet corn that comes with your meal. The guacamole is yummy and everything else is yummy. Why is it only three stars, it's a chain restaurant, pricing is high for Mexican food. We like going to family own restaurants to help support them in the community. That doesn't mean we don't go to chain or corporate owned places. This place is yummy, just not the place that is on my bookmark. read more

We came to celebrate my grandmas 79th birthday. Our server Ashley was great. She was friendly and attentive without making us feel rushed. We will definitely be back. read more

6.99 for a kids meal and 1.99 for drinks. Un real. Pizza is a 1.00 frozen pizza. Server was nice but if your getting the all you can eat taco Tuesday be prepared to wait wait and wait then what is a surcharge for??? This time next year im sure this will be vacant read more

El Torito is the place to be on a Monday night. We visited the restaurant on 1/30/17 and Rafael R served us well. He was professional, kind and he made it his duty to make our time enjoyable. He recommended the Sliders which were awesome. His service was a 5+. This man deserves a raise and promoted to manager and trainer of future servers. I Will continue to visit El Torito, Thanks Rafael R, Claudia and Guest, Al and Candi read more

Best brunch options ! Ernesto was our server & he's super nice & attentive. Brunch has so many choices, you can spend hours here.

This spot is awesome, They treat us so good!Serena is the best happy hour host! Thanks Veronica, cantina crew is the best!!

I've grown up coming to this El Torito for brunch, birthday parties, happy hours etc. I have invited so many different guests to this location. After a night of going to other Mexican restaurants that had long waits, I thought of this place. It was just my mom and I this time around. I was 10 minutes away down the street. I called to ensure there wasn't a wait. The man on the phone assured me there was not a wait and we would be seated as long as we arrived quickly. Upon arrival, there was a full parking lot and guests waiting outside. When we walked in there were about 20 guests in the waiting area. The man I talked to over the phone was at the front and told us there would be a 25 minute wait. I didn't get his name but he had a ponytail. I even informed him that I had called on the phone and asked, so it was very clear that he lied. I will NOT be returning to this location and I will encourage everyone I know to avoid this location as well. If I could give this place 0 stars I would. read more