My family and I went to Toro last night for the first time in a very long time, and it was extraordinary; we'll definitely be back again soon. There were loads of options for vegetarians (which is not something I remember from our earlier experiences), I had a couple delicious vermouths, my wife had a lovely orange wine, my kids were happy, and the service was friendly. As always, Toro was packed (I think it's been packed consistently since the day it opened) and lively. What a neighborhood gem. Long may it remain. read more

I've been here twice and both times I had a good time. Food and ambiance are pretty good but has space for improvement. Firstly, many items were overcooked, including the octopus/pulpo and hangar steak. The flavor was great for both but the tentacle had gotten a tiny bit rubbery and steak was more well done than I liked. Eggplant tapa was great. I loved the lamb empanada. Paella was standard. Not too much seafood flavor and I thought the pieces of chicken seemed to not fit with the rest of the dish but rice was very well prepared. We really didn't enjoy the tuna on toast and the gambas (shrimp). Overall, some dishes were good but could be better while some were not to my liking. We were seated outside but staff were attentive. Wish there were heaters for the outside area though! read more

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The waitstaff was fine. The front of the house was not. We had a reservation for 4 but had a last minute add to make it 5. We made it clear that we would gladly crowd the table and make it work but we're told that there literally weren't enough chairs. Which was not true. At one point we were told the the add could "stand" at the table. It is extraordinary that she made this statement. It is profoundly galling. I didn't catch her name but it was a slightly heavyset woman in a leopard skirt. I am sure they this is a lively spot with a decent rep and lots of business. However, when a place starts to think that they no longer exist to serve customers but rather that customers are lucky to eat here they will quickly go down hill-- frankly a sign that it already has. Arrogance is rarely rewarded in this industry. And this place is not good enough to be arrogant. The pluses do not outweigh the minuses. Our other opted to go off on his own. We ate. The food is wildly overpriced. $9 for 2 slices of a baguette with tomato puree. I make this at home and the food cost is about $0.75. The other items weren't quite as absurdly priced but I found the pricing for the pan con tomate idiotic. The food was solid overall, not amazing. The service was okay from the waitstaff but somewhat intermittent. The experience overall left a bad taste in my mouth. I was happy when it was over. To add insult to injury they allow smoking on the sidewalk tables and the people next to us were smoking something pretty vile from a vape pen. read more

It took us forever to finally get here but I think it was worth it. Pros: The food was outstanding. Everything tasted great, from the tuna crudo, hamburger sliders, salt cod croquettes and especially the gazpacho shooters. Service was good though it was sometimes hard to hear because of the noise. Caveat- Sangria was overrated. Tasted like iced red wine. Not much going on there. Cons: Very noisy, cramped seating, and warm inside (even though I think they had AC) due to doors being open to service diners outside on the sidewalk patio. read more

Good tapas and glad we got a seat! We had to do patio seating since indoors was completely booked. The tapas were good but felt a little greasy. The service was fine but our server was a bit slow with drinks and had the whole patio so he kept forgetting about us. But over all it was a fine dining experience. read more

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Came here for dinner while visiting family and we enjoyed our experience. They were out of a few things, but I ate the following and we ordered other items (see photo): -pan con tomate, this okay, I don't love the mushy tomato that is only seasoned with garlic and salt -cheese board, love the "pickles" -patatas bravas, very good -artichoke, not for me -grilled corn, this was my favorite, creamy and tangy Service was kind of slow as they were clearly understaffed. However, the server was friendly and doing his best. I do wish they had more vegetarian options, but appreciate the pet friendly patio. The seating is right next to the street though, so cars are parking next to you as you eat. read more

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First, the Chuleta de Cordero (lamb with piquillo salsa) is now the top single bite I've ever had. Truly incredible yet simple. Like most spots in Boston you'll be sat close to others but it seems to be the norm based on our experience in Boston. Food was all great, place was busy, music a bit loud for me but not a deal breaker. Waiter was on point at first but was less attentive as the meal progressed. Food though, wow! Book this place, the food won't disappoint. 2nd favorite dish was the maiz Asado. Took photos of 5/10 dishes but all were good. read more

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Really solid tapas spot! We made reservations for dinner on a Wednesday and the place was packed. I really enjoyed all the tapas but the artichoke, pan con tomate and steak were my favorite bites. I would probably skip the bread pudding next time. The service was awesome and very quick to fill our waters! read more

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Toro is Boston Southend's classic! The food was incredible! I love the street corn!! The service was amazing--our server was attentive despite how busy it was. We also tried the gambas and the tortilla, and everything was seasoned to perfection. Can't wait to come back!! We came during lunch so although it was busy, it was doable! This place is fully packed after work hours! read more

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Came to Toro on a busy weekday night and sat outside on the patio which was fantastic on a warm evening. We enjoyed a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and tried many dishes on the menu. I have tried many tapas restaurants in the city and this is top 3! The dishes were seasoned very well and the flavors were delicious. My favorite was the setas y huevos but every dish was beyond my expectations. Will be back again to try different tapas! read more

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Everyone speaks really highly of Toro but the food felt average to be honest. Maybe expectations were set too high. It felt like their dishes were fine, but most were missing a special oomph. For example, their Boquerones just tasted like normal anchovies with oil, and the bread was stale. Also the tortilla of the short rib was too hard which didnt make the bland short rib taste any better. I will say their Maiz Asado was incredibly delicious though. You could really taste that nice char from the grill and the aioli sauce was amazingly balanced. On some positive notes, their staff were really nice and the cocktails were A+! They were friendly and had wonderful attention to detail. Overall, Toro is a fun place to try maybe once? But probably wouldn't go again. For $17+ per tapas, you'd expect them to have more of a wow factor. read more

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The food here was exceptional. We came on a Thursday, and it was already getting packed. I highly recommend reservations whenever possible. We ordered an order of the patatas bravas, paella, fried octopus (daily special), and the empanada. The fried octopus was insanely tender; I've never had octopus that soft, and it tasted like calamari. The empanada was crispy and flavorful, served with a wonderful sauce. Paella was delicious, with a great sausage included. My biggest gripe was the patatas bravas. We did order it "brava bomb" style, and I feel like it not bad, but it took away from the crispy texture that you would normally expect from patatas bravas. However, the pork belly that is included in this "brava bomb" was insanely crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I did have to knock the reviews down a bit based off the restaurant's lack of cleanliness. We saw 2 bugs during our meal: one small ladybug, and another huge fly the size of my thumb. I wished I had left room for dessert though, but absolutely loved the food and service here. But next time, I will make a reservation and request to sit a little further away from the door and the bugs. read more

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They do the classics very well like the pan con tomate, tortilla española and oysters! Their more experimental plates like the uni bocadillo and bone marrow needed a little more flavor for my taste. Happy I got to try it using the Chase reserve credit! read more

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I've been interested in trying Toro since I first moved to boston in 2010...good things come to those who wait? I don't know what took me so long and it only took Michelin to nudge me to actually make a reservation! The restaurant is small but cute and very busy. We did the tasting menu and it was enjoyable as the dishes were outside of the realm of what you'd experience at at typical tapas restaurant. I love pinxhas and these didn't disappoint. The star was the pistachio flan! read more

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Toro has been on my list of Boston restaurants to try for years now and I'm so glad I finally got a chance to go. I had a 5pm restaurant and they seated us at 5. It's very cozy inside with a mix of standard tables and high top tables. Since it was the winter time, the restaurant had Christmas decorations all around which added to the cozy vibes. The service was amazing. Our server was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and had great recommendations. He was very friendly and constantly refilled our water. He also checked in on us and gave updates on timing when we cleared the food which was really nice of him. The food was also fantastic. Everything was flavorful and well seasoned. My favorite was the bone marrow dish because the flavors worked well and the bread was crispy. As a group of 3, we ordered half a paella and five tapas and that was more than enough food. Can't wait to come back here! read more

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Tasting menu was an excellent choice for our anniversary dinner! We got to try several dishes - we loved the mushroom one, artichoke dish, tuna tartare, oyster, and the flan. The food was complex in flavors and textures and presented nicely. The portions were pretty good and we did not leave feeling hungry. Service was also excellent. The staff worked seamlessly together and we felt like we were waited on by every single staff member that night. There was always someone clearing our plates, refilling our water and bread, asking if we wanted another drink. Food also came out at a good pace. They even printed out "Happy Anniversary!!!" on top of our menu which was a nice touch. It was super busy on a Thursday night so I imagine the only way to get in is via reservation. Only downside is that the music is very loud - blasting 2000s music the whole time. There is a coat rack towards the bathroom and customers were hanging their coats and bags there at their own discretion. read more

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We sat at the bar, and Mimi treated us to one of the most professional and polished bar tending experiences. We had gambas, pulpo, and paella--all delicious. We definitely would go back! read more

Food was absolutely delicious! Definitely recommend the crispy octopus, the grilled shrimp, tuna crudo, and the asparagus - very well made, excellent flavors, and good portion sizes for two. The food came out very quickly. Only note is that given the popularity, it is very tight inside and can be hard to hear conversation. read more

It's been awhile since me and the wife went out to enjoy a nice little dinner. I'm glad I was able to get reservation here. Probably one of the best tapas restaurants around Boston area. Did not know what to expect in terms of food and drinks. When we got here, they were super busy already. We got here 20-25 mins early. They were still nice enough to accommodate us and seated us. When we got to our table, we were a little shock how tight the tables were to each other with the other parties. Did not bother us at all, from the staff to the customers, everyone was in such a good mood. We ordered maybe 6-7 dishes including my drink, bill turned out to be around $160ish which is totally not bad! Our favorite dish was definitely the corn elote (if requested, it can be served off the cob) and their rib eye. Actually, everything was so good. Would 100% come back to dine in again! read more

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Hubby got a reservation for dinner here for our last night in Boston. The restaurant is bursting with energy. We sat at the bar and it felt pretty cramped for me. I felt like I couldn't comfortably lift my arms up to pick up my fork to eat. We ordered the tasting menu and for drinks, I got a pucker punch which came out looking so pretty. The sourness from the raspberry foam was a surprise but the drink was so refreshing. I tried taking pictures of the food but it was a little too dim inside the restaurant. The presentation of the food was really nice and every single dish was good. However some were a little too salty for my liking and not one dish screamed out wow to me. Service was excellent and my server was so friendly. read more

Toro - Tapas Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

My partner and I shared the blush & bashful drink, croquetas de bacalao (salt cod croquettes), pulpo a la plantxa (grilled octopus), patatas bravas, setas y huevo (mushroom ragú), and escalivada catalana (smoked eggplant) - TASTE: 4/5 - been meaning to hit Toro and glad we finally did. Favorites were the salty croquettes and aioli + spicy tomato sauce w the potatoes! TEXTURE: 5/5 - patatas bravas and croquettes were fried nicely, and both the octopus and mushrooms were super tender PRICE: 3/5 - was particularly disappointed by the $20 mushrooms SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - small plates, as expected for tapas. Was pleasantly surprised by the large portion of patatas bravas SERVICE: 4/5 - walked in at 7:30pm on a Sunday and a couple tables were available, both inside and outside. After ordering, first plate came out 5min later and last dish was 15min later ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 - dark & moody vibes at night in a loud and lively atmosphere PARKING: 4/5 - got a street spot on Mass Ave x Shawmut Ave and walked over read more

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Excellent food , hard to get reservation , we did brunch Sunday afternoon Wow a great tapas bar read more

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I'm glad we decided to go here for a birthday / end of summer celebration dinner. We reserved a patio table which I was nervous for if it got chilly but it turned out to be the right move- inside it was so loud from the crowd and the music that I'm not sure I would have been able to hear my friends. Besides the outdoor ambiance, the food was the best part. The octopus was my star of the show, perfectly grilled and paired with potatoes and garlic aioli. Whatever the sauce was that came with the shrimp was amazing, but I feel like $19 for 6 shrimp is a bit much. The bravas are very crispy and aren't smothered in sauce, which I prefer. Lastly, they were able to take the corn off the cob for us, and this dish may have gotten me to fall in love with corn! I will note the pan con tomate came on crispy bread, the type I had while in Spain was soft- but maybe to each their own. The matrimonio pintxo was fine, nothing extraordinary and a bit too salty for my liking. None of the drinks wowed me, so food definitely seems to be the focus here. Lastly the service had its pros and cons. It took forever for the server to come get our drink orders, and then quickly left before we got to put in any food. We were also never checked on by our server so we had to catch them to order more food/drinks. That said, the bussers were efficient and it was very busy that night so I understand if staff was overwhelmed (as someone in the industry) I'd certainly come back to toro for a girls night or dinner! Probably my top tapas spot in town so far. read more

Toro - Octopus, shrimp, corn, tomato bread - Tapas Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

After visiting, I found out Kenji j. Lopez worked here in the past. That was awesome. The vibe was fantastic. I realized that they played music that people don't know, so you can hear background tunes but not sing along. Probably to focus on your food and the people you are with. The food was expensively priced. My bf and I really only raved about the duck drumlettes and the patatas bravas. My cider wasn't great. The octopus was cooked well but I wasn't a fan of the boiled potatoes and onions with it. They could've added a different side. I would not go back on my own. The service was also mild for the price of the food. You would expect more tbh. read more

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Toro was absolutely fantastic tapas for a group night out, busy place so highly recommend reservations, but great vibes and music selection was top notch. We ordered the paella, oysters, atun crudo, pulpo a la pantxa, asado de huesos, pudin de pan, and flan. Everything absolutely delivered in terms of flavor and service was fantastic. Highly recommend! read more

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Lovely meal! Did the chef's tasting menu and had glasses of wine here. Loved sitting at the bar and having this experience. read more

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While looking for restaurants in Boston with "Michelin potential" we happened upon this restaurant--and it did not disappoint! From start to finish, the wait staff here were very friendly and informative. For someone who had never been there, they were very patient and willing to explain each dish as well as suggest dishes that we might like to try. For the drink I chose the Verdad y Amor, because each drink included a small donation to their kitchen staff's surgery and I thought that was a nice touch. The drink itself though was delicious! I generally don't like ginger in drinks if it's too strong but this drink was well crafted and perfectly balanced and had me instantly vibing with the spanish music and atmosphere. They brought out our tapas one at a time and promptly removed the empty dishes once each one was finished. Each dish was ripping hot upon service and it was clear that it was freshly prepared. The first dish was the lamb empanada which was essentially one small empanada cut in half filled with lamb and potato with a yogurt dip. The crust was good, but it felt like too little compared to the other dishes. The next dish was croquettes de txangurro which were 3 crab croquettes topped with jalapeño aioli and lemon. These were delicious and came with just the right amount. The last tapas dish we got was the setas y huevo which as pictured was a well portioned bowl of delicious mushrooms in a sauce with an egg yolk in the center. Our waiter was even nice enough to bring bread out for dipping which i cannot recommend enough. While a little salty (depends on your salt preference) it was still really good. Finally we had the main event which was the paella (and this one was the small paella). It came with its own side bowl for the shells which was very thoughtful. They knocked this one out of the park. The rice was perfectly al dente, the seafood was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and as far as portions go i would be shocked to see what a large is because this was plenty for 2 (which is bang for buck right there!) Overall we left happy and full, and would definitely come back for seconds. Excellent, authentic, and fresh, can't get much better than that. read more

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Toro is one of my favorite restaurants for a date or to celebrate with a friend or two. It's cozy and dark inside with loud music and friendly staff. Their cocktails and menu items occasionally change, but I always have a good meal when I visit. My recent favorites were the caña de cabra pintxo and the pato con membrillo duck drumettes. read more

Great food, great atmosphere, amazing service. The staff is always so kind and attentive. Thank you always for your hospitality. read more

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This is one of the best restaurant in the area. I really recommend that you make reservations ahead of times or it would be hard to get a table. Here is what I thought: Food & Drink - amazing and too notch. Decor - very modern Ambiance - it could get really loud with hip hop playing and very busy. read more

Toro - Menu - Tapas Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Good: goat cheese, empanada, shishito peppers Not good - pan con tomate... not sure what kind of tomatoes or olive oil but we had 1 bite and set it down. Happy they comped it for us. Cute environment outside seating but odd music lol read more

A little slice of Spain in the South End! Pintxos and jamón were definite highlights of the meal. Sangria was delicious and the tortilla española brought me back to late nights in Madrid. The table space is tight as other reviewers say, but it's a tapas bar, so that's the vibe. And the servers are very attentive to everything going on. My only critique is that the churros came drizzled with chocolate sauce, instead of plain with a cup of rich dark hot chocolate on the side for dipping. Still delicious though! read more

Overall: good ambiance, but $$$ does not reflect the food.. good to try once because so many ppl talk about it but would not come back Ordered: Duck leg: tasted like mini turkey legs with bbq sauce paella: lots of seafood, but not much seafood taste (my friend liked it because he normally doesn't like paella and this did not taste like one lol) octopus: okay the octopus was p darn good, very well cooked and the sauce was amazing Tip: make a reservation for non counter top for more comfy seats, limited seats since it was mostly bar top read more

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Great food, great atmosphere & and such kind people providing amazing customer service and hospitality. Thank you for everything. read more

Toro - Tapas Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Being from Spain I really try to give the most reliable review knowing that it might be difficult to find the same quality as when you eat in Spain but in this case I just think Toro is very overrated and crazy overpriced. We got jamón ibérico (it wasn't 100% ibérico), some pintxos: ventresca (not the best quality ventresca), morcilla (who puts piquillo pepper with morcilla? I could barely taste the morcilla because the pepper is so powerful, also because the morcilla piece was tiny) and txistorra y padrón. We also got gambas al ajillo (ok), croquetas de bacalao (2 croquetas for $16 is mind blowing), and patatas bravas (probably the best out of what we ordered even thought the brava sauce could be spicier). The wine selection was good and the service was veeeery good so that was a plus! read more

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Food is consistently good here. We got a table outside this time and ordered a few different dishes - enjoyed the crab croquettes, eggplant, and seafood paella (sans chorizo). My friend enjoyed the bone marrow. Mixed views on the butternut squash with harissa - I liked the crisp but it was either roasted too long or the harissa was too overpowering that there was a slight bitterness to the dish. Server was efficient, food came out quickly and waters were always filled. Enjoyable dinner. read more

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Having just returned from our zillionth trip to Spain, we were eager for an evening of tapas here in Boston. Toro's tapas are authentic, tasty, and well prepared. The portion size was roughly what one gets in Spain. We ordered the croquetas (A+), alcachofas (very tasty), and eggplant (ok, but not brilliant). We also tasted the goat cheese tapa, which was amazing! The service was perfect. The only problem was it was VERY LOUD. These folks really should install some sound deadening baffles/decorations. read more

If you want food with flavor or any sort of depth, go elsewhere. Tried all the recommended dishes and not one was anything memorable. No outstanding flavors. No wow. For the price, you get incredibly small portions. I get that it's a tapas place but even for a tapas place it's small. Plus the atmosphere is horrible. You're seated at a counter with blaring 90s dance music. Can't talk, can't hear. Terrible. Would not recommend. read more

The staff was very rude and condescending. When we were being seated at the bar, I politely asked if we could shift over because the bar was entirely empty and they sat us next to the only two other people at the bar. The bartender replied: "No, you're going to sit here. You people are always trying to make up your own rules." As someone that worked in the service industry for many years, this was totally uncalled for. Food was overhyped, much better tapas in Boston read more

Boston definitely has a lot of Spanish/Basque restaurants of which I have tried ~4. This was definitely not the top, but not the worst, either. We tried the tuna crudo, which came with beets that I personally don't like. We also got the artichoke and the potatoes, the former of which was my favorite. I did catch two small hairs in my plates, but willing to overlook in case it was my own. In comparison to a similar concept place i've reviewed here before, I thought the vibes were a little more intense. I love a lively wine bar, but the need to scream my sentences to the rest of my party was REAL. We also were packed in a little bit like sardines. Our server was INCREDIBLE. The wine list was tricky but he was so kind and he paired us with wines that perfectly matched our usual preferences (and very generous pours too), so at least 1 start is dedicated to him. read more