Very good service, food was good. Efrain was a very great server, very friendly, welcoming

Had a great experience. Quick link up to plan our kids party and our server didn't miss a beat. Thank you Efrain. Also the guacamole was so delicious! read more

I'm very disappointed with my experience at El Torito during my sister's birthday brunch. In the middle of our meal, the bathrooms were suddenly closed due to a plumbing issue. There was no warning beforehand, and the staff continued seating new customers without informing anyone that the restrooms were unavailable--which is unacceptable. When I went to the front to ask about it, the young woman there had an attitude and told me I could go to "HoRito's," which is not convenient or appropriate--especially as someone who is disabled. I found that response dismissive and inconsiderate. The restroom situation lasted about 30 minutes with no clear communication or estimated time for reopening. During that time, elderly guests, children, and disabled customers were left extremely uncomfortable. To make matters worse, there was no apology, no accommodation, and no discount offered for the inconvenience. Situations happen, but how they are handled makes all the difference--and this was handled poorly from start to finish. Very disappointing experience. *2 stars for our waitress was good. read more

We went on a Friday night and had a reservation for Friday night. It wasn't overly busy and we were seated right away. We had a table with a nice view of the water. The restaurant is nicely decorated and comfortable. The service was good and food came out a little slow but that is to be expected on a busy Friday night. We ordered the following: House margarita - 5.5/10 - taste was fine but it was a little on the weak side Virgin strawberry dacquiri - 6.5/10 - nice but came in a plastic water glass, which made it kind of sad Nachos with shredded chicken - 8.5/10 - very good with fresh ingredients Mazatlan shrimp enchiladas - 6/10 - these were a little disappointing, but the rice was absolutely delicious 3 item combo - 8/10 - chili relleno (9/10), crispy chicken taco (6.5/10), tamale (8/10). The chili relleno was amazing, cheesy, and one of the best I've had. The tamale was delicious (some tamales are dry and the masa is flavorless) Banana cheesecake chimichanga - 8/10 - this was delicious The prices are reasonable and they are on in-kind. I would highly recommend. read more

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Mother's Day brunch was fabulous, it was my son and I. From the food energy and wait staff it was very good all the way around considering how busy it was! Noise level was busy for the occasion and the mariachi made the experience!. it was a great Mother's Day oh making reservations is definitely a plus otherwise the wait time is 1-3 hours read more

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The food is good, great service, and the pancakes and bottomless mimosas will always keep me coming back! read more

El Torito - Bottomless Mimosas and Pancakes my 2 favorites - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

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Love this place and have been coming here for years. The views are great and the food and drinks are even better! Efrain is the best! read more

El Torito - The macho combo - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

Quality/Quantity - Came here for Happy Hour again! Today we got the following: Asada Fries $8 - Small portions and not as good as our last visit, but my daughter still enjoyed it. Mini Tacos (4) $6 - My daughter really liked this. Good value and decent flavors. Do not expect much meat. But generous filings of beans, lol. Filled to the max. Beef Birria Taco (3) $8 - Our favorite of all the HH options. Mahi Mahi Tacos (3) $10 - My wife enjoyed it, but I thought it was just okay. A good value and of decent amounts of fish. The best part was that the fish was NOT deep fried. Wings - $10; 9 pieces. New, and got the mango habanero sauce. Actually, this dish tied for my favorite of HH options. I will get this again. And of course, a Lagunitas IPA $4 to wash it all down. It was the Lagunitas or the flight of Margaritas. But I am driving home tomorrow and did not want to mix my alcohols. Atmosphere - Good size. See previous pictures. Almost all the customers were here for HH, very few regular dining customers. Open 7 days a week from 9am or 11am to 10pm or 11pm. Many promotions - Taco Tuesdays, Sundays' All You Can Eat Brunch/Lunch. Plenty of parking. Service - The waitress was friendly and helped us right away. But she must be new, as it went downhill from there. She never came back?!?! Then only brought two of our 3 waters...? And more importantly, she forgot my beer! The manager stopped by as she noticed we looked lost, and then took our order. The food came out at a decent pace, but then no table settings. When she brought the settings, she only brought two?!?! On the bill, she only put two guests. I think we had a HUGE communication issue. Price - $53, including the surcharge + a generous tip. We felt so bad for her, as it might have been her first day and she was overwhelmed. Management is partly to blame, as I noticed she had tables on the two opposite sides of the restaurant?!?! Owner Comment - Congrats to your parent company's success, Xperience Restaurant Group, for 65 years with all your brands and with 68 restaurants. Other brands are: El Torito Grill, Chevys, Sol, Cal Mex, Las Brisas, Solita, Sinigual, Acapulco, Who Song & Larry's, Rio Mambo, The Rim, etc. read more

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We love going here for happy hour! We were going once a week, but we have been getting busy now. They have taco tuesdays where it is only $3 for a taco and they give out rice and beans too. It is such a good deal! The drinks and happy hour menu is great. Worth the price. The flautas are so warm and yummy. I love getting the blackberry margarita! The bartenders are always so friendly. We love the guy that works late afternoon. Forgot his name, but he is awesome! I also really love the chips and salsa they give us. The salsa just is so fresh and tasty! The bar is a nice chill place. They have a few TVs we like to watch some games here or just relax and talk about our days. read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

(Forgot to take pictures of the main dishes!) Service and Staff: - The staff is always nice and quick to respond to requests Food and Drinks: - Chorizo Queso Fundido: bit on the salty side, but yummy with the garlic and chorizo - Margarita: your standard Tex-mex margarita Miscellaneous: - We came at 6pm and happy hour was still going on in the bar area - There were maybe 5 birthdays when we came, so between that and the mariachi band playing, it was quite loud (just a heads up in case you're looking for somewhere quiet to dine) read more

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Last time we came to El Torito they were across the bay. It's basically a mirror image of the last location, however needing some serious upgrades on the deco, including the carpet, very run down. However, all the food is classic El Torito. The flaming fajitas seemed to be very popular, and the salsa is amazing. read more

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Came here for Happy Hour with a Women's group that I'm part of. We decided to choose this place because our is close to the Arena where we were going to see "The Boy Is Mine" tour. This place is right in the water with THE most beautiful view I've ever seen. We even got to see the sun set from our table. The establishment inside is nicely decorated as well. We were immediately seated for our group of 4..initially. However, we became a group of 8 by the end of the night. Our waitress immediately came to us and she was nice. I believed we were going to have a great experience here. We ordered from the Happy Hour menu. Our food was delicious (Chicken Flautas, Beef Burria tacos and Mahi Mahi tacos) and we all got margarita flights. Those were pretty good. There were no complaints.... However.. there were. Our waitress did not speak much English, as we came to learn AND it was her 1st week. We did not receive silverware not water. Both were asked for repeatedly. I had to go up and get out silverware because or food arrived and we had nothing to eat with our wipe out hands on.. almost 5 mins in. She also did not accommodated well the new ppl as they arrived. Some had to wait extremely long just to order (Even had to go to the bar to request someone to take the order). A person that got there not too long with us, ordered their food and drink same time as us and she still received her food late and get drank food nor come until many reminders to the waitress. The waitress did sell help to translate.. but they never even bothered to ask come check on us knowing that she was having a difficult time. When it was time to pay the bill.. she told us that someone took care of all of our drinks. We were thrilled because we had trash service, su we thought it was the manager. We were pleased. However, they then brought the bill to one of our members to pay the entire bill. It seems that when that member told the waitress in the beginning that she was going to convert another member's marg flight ONLY... she took it to mean she was paying for everyone (Although she repeated it to her several times and use hand gestures prior to the waitress walking away at that time). The waitress literally almost charged her card for everyone's drinks. That then took time to be worked out..we were a bit pissed honestly. Oh.. also additional food was ordered that never came out and how i asked for my food to be prepared was not may. I had to send it back and take the additional food off because after sitting with my food for over 1hr and not receiving the additional..I was already full. I partially reccomend this spot.. but if you do not speak Spanish..request for a full English speaking waitress. Also.. the manager came to us at some point and removed some flight holders. However? I believe he should have done a better job of monitoring here, giving her a back up because it was a larger party and none of us spoke Spanish. I feel that be dropped the back for us and her as well. read more

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Went here for happy hour...it's from 3-9pm! When you enter in, the left side is the restaurant and the right side is the bar/happy hour area. I got the house margarita and the corn and the corn was sooo good! The margarita was okay, nothing too strong. The chips and salsa are on the house and they refill them often. Service was okay. Huge free parking lot outside. The restrooms are upstairs and there's also one in the main entrance. I would come back here for happy hour and to see the view during the day! read more

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Food was good but service was terrible. Our server got the order wrong. I kept the steak and chicken fajitas. It was supposed to be steak and shrimp. We had no utensils and had to flag her down to get some. Server did not come back the entire meal. We were out of water, tortillas, and napkins. Even after asking for water it took her almost 10 minutes to bring it. Really wasn't crowded. read more

I went here for my friends' birthday party. We had seating near the windows where there was a beautiful view of the marina. Stunning during sunset. I ordered a three item combo of an enchilada, crispy taco and chile relleno. The food was delicious. The service was very quick and efficient. We were given three complimentary plates of flan and the wait staff sang happy birthday to my friends! read more

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The food has always been excellent here and we go back every time. The drinks are well prepared as is the food. One of our favorites is the table side guacamole and it's always fun to watch them make it to your spiciness preference. The location is also a very good location by the water which adds to the charm of the place. Our server Efrain is very personable and very attentive to us. The drinks was taking a little longer because they were busy but he made sure to come by our table to let us know it's on the way and checks in on us if we needed anything else. We had a pleasant experience. read more

El Torito - Mangonada - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

I absolutely love margaritas so I love happy hour for The flights that they have cause I could never decide which flavor that I like different days I crave different flavors. I like Mexican food some say it may not be authentic, but to me it's good and I always get the extra Corn whatever they call it but they always have good selections and I am always satisfied with the flavors. read more

I have been here a couple of times ever since 2019. My now fiancé took us here on our first date so this place holds a little sentimental value to us. I have ordered a couple things here and nothing has ever been really great or really bad. This restaurant delivers a middle of the road Mexican food experience. Usually, the service is fine and staff are very friendly. The cool thing about this restaurant is how many window seats they have for the Bay and watching all the airplanes coming in to land to Oakland. Since I'm a pilot I'm a little geeked about that stuff lol. The parking lot is enormous and although there are steps up to the restaurant, it is handicap accessible. I feel like this restaurant could get a make over and it would be a bit better overall but it will always be a place we frequent because of how our relationship started here. read more

We stopped by El Torito for a late weekend lunch and it was an alright experience. We arrived a little before 3pm, and were able to get seated pretty quickly. We were given a corner booth with a nice view of the water, and luckily the restaurant wasn't very crowded. The restaurant itself looks quite worn down, and had an old-school, homey vibe, but based on my visit, it may be useful to refresh or upgrade the restaurant furniture and fixtures. While we were given chips/salsa soon after sitting down, it took a while to order our food and we waited a little while to receive our ice waters. The chips and salsa were pretty good, and the salsa was slightly spicy with a bit of a kick. We opted to share a fajita plate with shrimp and steak along with a grilled chicken taco salad. Both items were fairly average, I enjoyed the shrimp fajita, but the strip steak tasted a bit off, and I did not enjoy the flavor. However, I did like the cilantro dressing in the taco salad, along with the grilled chicken pieces although they did overdo it with the amount of dressing. While the portions were large and shareable, I thought the pricing was a little steep. The grilled chicken taco salad was slightly over $17 and the combo fajita plate was about $24. Customer service could likely be improved, as it felt inattentive and we had to flag down servers for different requests, like asking for extra salsa. Overall, the food and dining experience was very average and did not leave the best impression. I'd possibly consider returning to try other items on the menu, but honestly, I think there may be better restaurants that serve tacos/fajitas/burritos in the area. read more

El Torito - FAJITAS DUO - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

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Came here for the Sunday all you can eat brunch and was honestly surprised by the food here. The tradition Mexican dishes like the mole and tacos (amazing handmade tortillas) were some of the stars for me. Their menudo was decent, and the omelette station was a plus. Made to order and you can add various toppings (beware the portion is pretty huge). Really enjoyed the flan and churro pancakes as well. Overall this place was a 4/5 for the vibes and food. Service was also very good, our waitress checked in on us multiple times and offered to refill our mimosas as well. Would rec if you're in the area and want a Sunday brunch by the water. read more

In the 80's & 90's El Torito was one of the only Mexican restaurants we patronized. The restaurants had an upscale & fun ambience. Food & drinks were consistently good. Through the decades many branches closed in the Bay Area closed. We rediscovered this one in San Leandro after a drop off at OAK. We arrived in time for Happy Hour which is 3pm - 9pm daily. The HH menu had our faves - Beef Birria Taco (3 for $8), Guacamole & Chips ($6), Mahi- Mahi Tacos (3 for $10), & Street Corn ($4) Food was just as we remembered - delicious & flavorful! Fish was grilled to perfection. Guac was fresh. Beef Birria was hearty. The corn was creamy & tangy. Can't decide what to drink? I got the Margarita Flight of Blackberry, Mango, & Signature. Each paired with the tacos well. It was refreshing. Perfect Summer drink. The servers were attentive, friendly, & attentive! So happy to find El Torrito again! read more

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Great place for happy hours!!! Service was great in the bar area. They have a small happy hours, but was very good and cheap!!! worth every penny!!! We were here on a Tuesday night, they had a mariachi band playing which can get very loud. We had Paloma for drinks which was very good. For we ordered Mahi Mahi Tacos, Street Corn, Queso Dip, Beef Birria Tacos, Asada Fries, Mini Steak & Chorizo Tacos, everything was very good with good flavors. All that for under $81.00 plus tip. Happy Hours everyday!!! read more

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It's been awhile since I reviewed El Torito's. Been going here for years. It's next to the water view and can see the airplanes landing into Oakland airport strip. The restaurant hasn't changed decor though. Floors are old and mats are sticky but for some reason, I really like this place compared to their Milpitas location. Here there is plenty of parking, service is faster and food is still good. Been coming again more lately as I like their salad. We always sit by the window. ManuelM has been our server the last two times we came here within the month and he has given really great friendly service and beyond. It's nice to be serviced without getting their attention. The other staff are friendly as well. Love their flight drinks and margaritas. They have weekday happy hours from 3p to 9pm, which are pretty long hours than most. I love their Mexican Cesar and fajita plates. Just the Cesar dressing I love it on everything. Salsa and chips are good. Their bar section is very big to accommodate a party. You can also rent a section for parties. We will be coming back here still but I think it's time to change at least the bench seats, since they're torn or bent, old smelly carpet and stick mats need to go. It's time to be replaced. It's been here since they opened long ago and they are starting to smell. I still recommend this place. [79R,2025] read more

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Nice spot for Mexican food and cocktails at the San Leandro Marina! We popped in one night for dessert and a nightcap after having dinner at Horatio's, which is just down the way at the Marina. This place left a good impression on us, and we have been back a couple of times since. The staff is always very nice and hospitable. The first time we visited, it was getting close to closing time, and we were still welcomed in and not rushed, which I appreciate. First, this is a great spot from which to watch planes at Oakland Airport just across the water. I love watching airplanes - see my review of OAK - so this is a big plus for me. The restaurant has extensive food and beverage options, and the menu itself is glossy and attractive, like it's been redone very recently, which is nice. I can't stand old, crusty menus that look like they've seen more years than I have. The Mexican bread pudding we had the first time we were in was yum, and came with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. I would order this again. They also have an extensive cocktail menu, and will customize your margarita or other drink of choice to your liking, i.e. less sweet, which is my preference. Another shout-out to the nice staff for taking good care of us and the rest of the clientele. We'll see you again, El Torito. read more

El Torito - Mexican Bread Pudding - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

I had an amazing time at this restaurant. I had a taco and enchilada and refried beans. And so much other stuff. The service is amazing from walking in to sitting at the table, all the way to leaving. Let's talk about the ambiance, the open windows with the view of the water and airport!!! The beautiful California sunshine coming through for perfect pictures!!! Ask for Giselle for the perfect drinks!!! She will definitely hook you up on great recommendations! read more

This is a great place! Great food and great service! Luis, the manager, is always very friendly and accommodating. Every time we come here, we're welcomed with excellent customer service and a great atmosphere. Highly recommend! read more

The food was good--especially the wings--and the salads were definitely the highlight of the meal. Manager Luis provided excellent support and genuinely tried to correct the issues we experienced. Overall, my sisters had a wonderful time. While the service as a whole was disappointing, there was one young lady who truly stood out. She was incredibly sweet, clearly very young, and although she didn't speak much English, she made every effort to help and ensured our experience felt welcoming. The ambience was okay, but in a restaurant like this, the atmosphere really comes from the company you're with. With the right group of friends, you can always create a great vibe. read more

El Torito - My leftover I took home CHIPS AND SALSA and CRISPY FLAUTAS was ok could have been more crispy wings was good BEEF BIRRIA TACOS - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

Food was great and service was fantastic. Efrain was very attentive and friendly and ensured everything was excellent.

Efrain was great server!!!, food good mariachis nice view awesome, BUT Surcharge really, COVID IS OVER, outside of restaurant could use a good power wash, put those surcharges to work.. read more

A wait of over 3.5 hours ! Being told when tone is up that it's even longer ! Mind you over the group amount ! COMMON SENSE! Give us the next 2-3 tables !!!! JUST UNACCEPTABLE! read more

What an amazing way to start Mother's Day. Yuliana our waitress was very friendly and attentive. We were a big group (20) and she was not nervous at all and always with a smile on her face. We will be coming back again. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY read more

Was here for a wedding dinner and it was lovely! I loved the area, the staff (Lily and Sylvia), the food and the strawberry lemonade! Felt like a vibe to be close to the water too! Will definitely be back here for a cute date with dinner by the water. read more

They served me cold tacos and when I asked for a refund they offered to recook the 3 tacos I had left after eating one and deciding I'm not ok with cold reheated tacos. This place is still only still in business due to location. read more

Went for birthday and had poor service The lady never asked us if we wanted more drinks or refills The place only had 5 tables running with 3-4 waiters read more

Food was yummy, ambience was stunning on the water, and the servers (shout out to Sylvia and Lily) were so helpful! They had a smile the whole time during a wedding reception. Would come back again 10/10 read more

Perfect place for a summer sundown supper. Our waiter MANUEL serviced in a friendly warm manner. He gave us recommendations, specials, listen how we wanted our order and even tempted us with dessert. Come during the weekdays during sunset for breath taking marina bay views. See you soon again El Torito, thank you! read more

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Xmas day brunch buffet was a real treat! Service is great, with refills of mimosas and clearing of plates. The omelette station (you can opt for an egg white omelette if you want), a slice or two of tri tip or ham, taco fixings with fresh made tortillas, and so much more. A quick mashup of kids Mac and cheese plus carnitas from the tacos on top! Don't sleep on the Mexican hot chocolate, located near the front door. Overall, a great holiday experience. read more

Friendly service. Good Happy Hour. Unfortunately none of the food was good and we've had the Happy Hour flats before. They were not crunchy and seemed old this time. And the carne asada burrito was just gross. Hardly any meat and that was a good thing because the few pieces we had were all fat and gristle. Might try Happy Hour again because everyone has a bad day, but after this food experience might not... read more

Lamentablemente mi experiencia no fue buena. El servicio fue deficiente. El guacamole estaba congelado y amarillo, dando la impresión de no estar fresco. La comida no tenía sabor y las micheladas no tenían picante ni sabor. No regresaría ni lo recomiendo. Unfortunately, my experience was not good. The service was poor. The guacamole was frozen and yellow, giving the impression that it was not fresh. The food lacked flavor, and the micheladas had no spice or taste. I would not return and do not recommend this place. read more

El Torito - Mexican Near Me - San Leandro, California

Clean Quick service Nice friendly Good amount of food Fair price Drinks were flowing Had like 5 bottles Had a good brunch with friends with a good view of the water read more

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