I travel all over San Francisco and the East Bay in search of good food. When it comes to El Toro Loco, in the words of Usher, "what you're searching for is right in front of your face, but you can't see it". This little gem of a restaurant has been right in front of my face. I've lived half a block away for almost a decade. I have passed by El Toro Loco every single day but said to myself, "No way, impossible there is a decent restaurant within walking distance to my house. And while I love my town, I tend to discriminate against food and restaurants in Pacifica. My mind automatically says "I must go over the hill past highway 1 to find good food. But as with many times in life, I've been proven wrong. Simple looking place, wonderful live music to listen to. Not too loud, just right to groove to your meal to. If you go Peruvian, you go ceviche. That's a must. And while the Mojado burrito is great. Try some specialty dishes. With gas prices reaching ungodly highs, my pocket book feeling the crunch. It's nice to be proven wrong. Food. Good food, can be right in front of my face. read more

Service was great, we ordered a burrito, empanadas, and the sand which/torta options they had. My friend liked his burrito and the empanadas were good but a very small portion for what I would say is too high of a price. The sandwich I received couldn't have been drier and less appetizing. I didn't know if it was a joke. Just dry pulled pork, with a few pickled onions, and the driest bread I've ever had tried to ingest, no sauce. I don't recommend this place if you're looking for good Peruvian food or food at a reasonable price. read more

We get El Toro Loco for birthdays and special occasions -- it's that good! We love this place. Highly recommend.

Stopped by "El Toro Loco" today. Ordered the Lomo Saltado and the Tallarines Verdes con Bistec. Chef Josě did a great job on our dishes. Authentic Peruvian flavor all the way. Our host, Eduardo Sarmiento, was friendly, welcoming and very funny. He must have been a stand-up comedian in another life. I asked him if he also did the cooking and he said: "No, I'm a carpenter and my brothers don't want me in the kitchen. I told them if given a chance to learn I could probably cook as good as them....but they weren't convinced." Give "El Toro Loco" a try....you'll be glad you did. Prices are reasonable and portions are satisfying. By the way....I'm Peruvian so I know this is authentic coastal Peruvian cuisine. read more

typical latin food restaurant. i love my steak and fish taco: their mussels were good as well.. the employees were nice and greeted us right away. it was a good experience for a first timer like us my husband ordered trout with rice; my son did the cheese quesadilla and nuggets.. read more

We went on Sunday night, which turned out to be really busy. We got a table right by the door. The pitcher of sangria was good, but unfortunately my paella was not enjoyable. The seafood was rubbery, the chorizo was really hard. Not sure if it's an off night for the paella. My bf's dish (chicken with spaghetti noodle) is pretty good. In the past, we tried their taco salad, which is delicious. Will come back and try more dishes. Next time we'll arrive well before normal dinner time tho! read more

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Food was delicious. Fish in the ceviche and the rib eye in lomo saltado was absolutely delicious. Food was fresh and service was great. Food was better than most other Peruvian places I've tried. Thanks for a great dinner read more

Hey Locals, as we're going through this isolation phase, please keep in mind that we have local restaurants that still work for takeout and that this is risk free for us (CDC, Standford, WHO and many others have written a lot about why there's no risk eating food from restaurants). Our friends from El Toro Loco have a reduced but delicious menu, when you get there for pick up they'll make sure you can quickly and seamlessly go in, pay, pick your bag and head out. Very safe. I did wear gloves, knowing there was a financial transaction involving credit card, pen for signature etc). Food was - AS ALWAYS - AWESOME: we had Lomo Saltado and Fish Taco plate. Support local business - keep your kitchen closed for a day - and enjoy good food! Once we're all on the other side of this i will write a long review, because this is one of our fav go to places here in Pacifica!!! read more

Yesssss. Finally a place close by my house where I can get seafood paella and sangria! It's rare finding a Peruvian and Mexican restaurant in the city, and I'm so glad this gem is close by! The seafood paella was huge, enough to share between two hungry people. The saffron rice was flavorful, but I wish instead of adding chorizo and grilled chicken, I would have liked more seafood. The sangria is another story, I had a glass, but after the glass I felt like I could finish a pitcher myself. YAS IT WAS THAT GOOD. It wasn't too strong, but I felt the buzz afterwards lol Prices here are reasonable, but I had a Groupon, which made it even more affordable. I will be coming back for more sangria and to try the other items on the menu! read more

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This is my go to hands down for authentic Peruvian food. You're bound to see everyone here and most likely will need to be patient if you come at prime meal times. The kitchen is bustling, laughter and chatter from local patrons. Since my fiancé has moved to the East Bay with me, we don't get over here as often as we'd like. But when we do, it's always a treat, especially if the "Mother" of the restaurant is there. She's so friendly and loves seeing you enjoy her food. Often she will make a recommendation. We love the lamb! Definitely order the yuca fries to share and any other entrees, make sure you come hungry. The portions aren't for the faint of heart. The menu boasts a choice of comfort foods that are hearty but also a solid selection of lighter fare including excellent seafood. I love everything from the lamb, paella, tacos and Mexican plates. Nothing fancy or pretentious, just genuine people and super yummy food. Oh and don't forget to leave room for the Tres Leches if they're serving it! read more

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Peruvian FOOD IS ALWAYS ALL SO GOOD! ....especially here at this establishment! Get treated to live music on weekends read more

This place is one of my favorite places in Pacifica to eat. They are so awesome, I ordered an item that's not on their menu but they made it for me and my coworkers. Tacos de Lomo Saltado! Yumm! We are super satisfied and recommend this place to anyone who is craving Peruvian, Mexican and Seafood! read more

El Toro Loco - Tacos de lomo saltado ;) - Mexican Near Me - Pacifica, California

If it would of allowed no stars, that is what this place would of received, I eat out all the time and this is the second review I have ever felt compelled to write because I feel out of necessity to warn whomever wants to eat "Mexican" food here. I am assuming It is basically their use of Peruvian ingredients in trying to make Mexican food is the only way I can explain it. My friend was having surgery this morning so I wanted to treat her to a nice dinner last night, no words can express the food, all I know is it is "NOT" Mexican food and they should not advertise it as Mexican food! BAD, BAD, BAD!!!! ..... on another note I don't know what Peruvian food is to taste like, so if you line Peruvian food it may be considered good - it is as mentioned just not Mexican food. Terry read more

Amazing cozy place with nice staff. Get the ceviche and beef heart appetizers. You'll love it.

This unassuming little spot is now a favorite for dinner with my mother. Tucked away in Pacifica, it draws a local crowd and often has live music. It's a family-owned place, and some of the servers are a little gruff, but others are very sweet. Good service usually matters a lot to me, but for the quality and taste of the food here, I'd honestly be willing to serve myself. There is typically a short wait as this place is popular, but service is pretty quick as soon as you sit down. They start you with chips and salsa, which is great because you're hungry by the time you sit down and it's delicious. Favorites here are the lomo saltado (AKA the only Peruvian dish that anyone can name off the top of their head), the lamb special (which the owner recommended), and the fish in the garlic butter sauce. Each dish is super flavorful (even the rice is good, and I'm Asian so that should mean something) and of epic proportions, so we get to go home with leftovers. They mentioned that they're opening up a second restaurant that is an extension of this one just down the street "soon," so hopefully that will do away with the wait time. Can't wait! read more

El Toro Loco - Lamb special, apparently popular in Peru and came highly recommended by the owner. Meat practically fell off the bone and sauce was awesome! - Mexican Near Me - Pacifica, California

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Wow wow wow! My husband and I randomly picked this restaurant looking to eat Mexican food and we ended up ordering Peruvian dishes: Bisteck a lo pobre and Lomo Saltado. The infusion of flavors in the meat, sautéed onions perfectly fried egg and the fluffy white rice were perfect!! Excellent food and reasonably priced!! read more

El Toro Loco - Bisteck a lo pobre - Mexican Near Me - Pacifica, California

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Pacifica doesn't have many restaurants but many of them are places that you MUST go to. This is one of those places, their Mojado Burrito aka wet burrito, is their main attraction but their other Peruvian plates are also a must try when coming here. The restaurant is cozy, warm, and have a spot for live music. After trying out their menu, you can move onto their specials, which I recommend the Paella and Second De Cordero. read more

Came for some Mexican food but would definitely enjoyed the ceviche the most here. El Toro is located next to another taco restaurant in Pacifica that is often closed early, so we opted for this one. Parking is super easy. While I thought this would be a casual place, there's actually staff that direct you to a table and take your order. The Saturday night we came in there was also a pianist-flute duo playing jazz which was pretty nice. After hearing about how good the fish burrito was here, I decided to give that a try (without sourcream). The burrito had really fresh fish. I thought there could have just been a tad more salt and some texture (cole slaw maybe?) in the burrito since the beans, fish, and tortilla were all so soft. I also got the ceviche, which was probably my favorite. It is a kind of expensive, but comes with generous chunks of fresh fish tossed in lime, cilantro, and other toppings. Not sure what all of the kernel-looking toppings were, but they added good texture to the ceviche! Overall, I thought the service and food here were pretty good. I have had some better meat burritos in Daly City/SF for a bit cheaper, but I would definitely come here if you were a seafood dish lover! read more

Amazing food and hospitality!! The hosts and servers are so friendly and took the time to talk to us about Peru and interesting things about their life! The food is very very delicious! The Yuca fries and the side sauce is very tasty and crispy. Perfect. The shrimp dish (Camrones a la Diabla) and quesidilla are amazingly cooked deliciousness! This was an accidental find and we will definitely come back! PS: do try their Tres Les Ches! It gives you a very nice homely warmth feeling! read more

Horrible food. My coworkers and I all orders take out. All the burritos were blah, everyone complained. My salad was horrible I have no idea what the dressing was supposed to be, but it was some flavorless white stuff. The empanadas were tiny, 2 of them cut in half, microwaved and served with a louie dressing. I truly cannot express how bad it is. I am constantly amazed at what people will eat. read more

I have been to the previous location numerous times. This is my first time to the new location. I do like the atmosphere better. Food wise, in comparison to pre-pandemic, I was disappointed. The Acapulco "Super" burrito was dry and bland, nothing special. The shrimp taco was delicious; however, I thought it was kind of expensive ($4.95, with only 3 shrimps). The veggie burrito, I didn't try, but was told it was average, nothing special. Not to be nick-picky, but I was charged $10.95 for the veggie burrito. The menu at the restaurant said $9.95. The server said it was incorrect and should be changed. Well, I looked on the website. Still not changed. read more

We had a Groupon for this restaurant that they would not honor just because we wanted food to go as we had somewhere to go that day. I tried to explain that we still were ordering the same food that we would have if we dined in the restaurant. They still did not care. They just lost out on $35 worth of business and lost a repeat customer. Sad. read more

I would go back here just to chat with Eduardo again. His hospitality and accommodating attitude is endearing and genuine. I had a shrimp super burrito. I planned on just eating half there, and taking the other half for leftovers but I ended up devouring 90% of it, it was so delicious. Make sure to ask for some of their salsas on the side. I poured some over my burrito, and I'm still dreaming about it. The place itself is very simple and unpretentious. Just solid, delicious food and a great staff. Thanks, Eduardo! read more

Always a 5! Came back on a visit, had Alcopolco burrito with carne asada. Sangria yum as usual. They are busy so remember good food is worth the wait! read more

Have been going to this wonderful restaurant for a couple years now and in their new location (our first time today), it is still GREAT. Our waiter was Cesar. He was at our table immediately with menus and chips and salsa.(Very fresh chips and a wonderful thick, tangy salsa ). Ordered the Fajita Combo Plate and it was delicious . Met the owner ,Jose, and he was so delightful to talk to. He really cares about the restaurant, the food being served and his employees. This is a MUST GO TO RESTAURANT!!! read more

Very good food. We had the paella and shrimp taco plate. Both tasted great. The service is also great.

The food is good but the food comes out too late. The food tastes very coast and they don't have lunch specials are not on the weekends.

The whole kit and kaboodle about the restaurant is super awesome very very very accommodating friendly peaceful I totally love this restaurant El Toro loco the food was very very delicious good quality food all together meat vegetables fries the company was great read more

Everything was fresh and delicious! The Pisco Sour was yummy and the food and ambiance, love music, kind service and true care from the Chef and owner. We will make a point to come through Pacifica again on our way through the peninsula to visit again. Couldn't recommend more! read more

The service was excellent, food was good and reasonably priced! There's ample parking too!

Since moving to Pacifica El Toro Loco has become our go to place for an easy dinner or lunch away. One of the reasons is the convenience of walking there from home. But we also like the place and their food. The first time we went to El Toro Loco sure defined a lasting impression: Shortly after moving to Pacifica we decided to try this place and die the walk-in. To our surprise the restaurant was packed and there was music. So we put our names on the list and went for a walk to the Pier and back. Getting back to the restaurant in time not to lose our table we realized that this wouldn't be a regular evening at El Toro Loco. It was Peruvian Independence Day. There was traditional music, the daughter of the owner was dancing and they served some drinks. Needless to say that not every visit is as exciting, but it's never empty when we go there. The food is a great mix of Peruvian food, that is a bit more pricey than the Mexican food they serve. I enjoyed both very much and like the simple but high quality food they serve throughout the menu. The staff is friendly and often are a bit overwhelmed with the number of customers. Great place if you're looking for a simple meal in a honest place. read more

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Waited 30mins for the girl working to come and take our order. No acknowledgement whatsoever from her or the owner or whoever else was "working" read more

Been here a couple of times. It's a small establishment and every weekend this place can get busy. Parking is easy to find. As for othe food it's just ok. The burrito was dry and didn't taste that great. The server was not friendly. Seems like he was friendly if you speak spanish. We asked for more water because the burrito was dry but he never came back. We asked for our check but it never came also. My wife had to pay at the counter. Next time we come here I'll make sure my spanish is on point. read more

First time here Everything was good Pollo a la española Bistec a lo pobre Y salchipapas so so But the sangria was super good read more

We had late lunch today with my friend and sister and had a great time. Good food and great sangria. Eduardo was such a nice guy and made us laugh. We would definitely go there again. read more

There was nothing I didn't like about this place. It's a little local, hole in the wall spot in Pacifica that has a family environment and great food. We came here around 6 pm on a Saturday night and got seated right away. Our table decided to split a pitcher of their sangria, which was a great choice on our part because the beverage was perfectly sweet and tasted like fruit juice. However, having a couple of glasses would give you a nice buzz. They give you some house chips and salsa to start - the salsa was pretty good and I couldn't help myself from snacking on these chips throughout the meal. Our table also ordered a plate of the Yuca fritters and calamari to split. I've had yuca fritters at other places and they tend to be sort of dense and flavorless, but the ones at El Toro Loco were perfectly crispy and light, and came with a nice green sauce that had a kick to it. The calamari was also perfectly fried, not too oily, and had a nice aioli dipping sauce on the side. The boyfriend has been coming here since he was a kid and always raves about their Mojado burrito, so of course I had to get one when I came here. Their burrito is HUGE - I could only eat half of it and it made for a nice lunch the next day. The burrito is dripped in their special sauce and melted cheese and is loaded with guac, sour cream, cheese, rice and carne asada on the inside - heaven. Our staff was very friendly and you can tell this is a spot that a lot of locals frequent, as the owner recognized a lot of the patrons and was making friendly conversation with everyone. They also had a guy come out and start playing xmas music on his keyboard. All in all, a great environment for some good food and good conversation. read more

El Toro Loco - Mojado Burrito - HUGE - Mexican Near Me - Pacifica, California

What a gem in Pacifica! I've been here a few times now and the food always tasty. They know how to cook a ribeye! I highly suggest the lomo saltado with the ribeye, yucca fries, and the cebiche mixto. My other favorite that isn't always on the menu is the tallerin verde which is pesto pasta with a huge ribeye on top. The owners are down to earth and are always making sure everyone is enjoying their food. Only downside is that it closes by 5pm on Sunday's which are usually family dinner days. We just make El Toro Loco our lunch date! read more

El Toro Loco - Steak a la pobre - Mexican Near Me - Pacifica, California

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Food is decent but check to make sure you're not overcharged. Mexican burrito is decent sized, not oily, meat is flavorful. However, some time after leaving with my take out, I realized I may have been overcharged. For my take out order, after tax, one regular burrito (meat, beans, rice, salsa) came out be to slightly under $12, when the published cost was $9.95. Tax of slightly under 10% should lead to under $1 tax, so the total cost should only be $11 max. Either the initial price of the burrito was overcharged or some other fee (mandatory tips?) was added on, both of which I don't appreciate. read more

Horrible -- the veggie tacos literally had frozen vegetables inside of them that were lightly cooked and had no seasoning -- see photo. The shrimp taco had 3 tiny pieces of shrimp and nothing else. Service was rude. Not worth it. read more

El Toro Loco - Veggie taco - Mexican Near Me - Pacifica, California

This place is great! They just moved to a new building on three months ago which is about a block and a half down from the old location. This Ceviche was excellent! The Lomos Saltados was also very good! They changed their salsa recipe. Before they had no spice at all. Now it has the perfect amount of heat! Enjoy! read more