Good food, but they are really bad with water service. What is up with that?! I mean really! I need water! The lack of refilling my water glass brings down the quality of this place significantly, because I asked several times before they refill it. Without refreshing water, I cannot even eat the food, so I sit there waiting. That is very poor service. 3 times now. This time I got enough water & had attentive service. I was happy

Have been here several times and always enjoy the food. This time, the green chicken enchiladas were delicious!

This place was solid. The fish tacos were really good, and we enjoyed the margarita pitcher. Fun and interesting inside decor really added to the experience!

Great food. I went there while growing up in this city with family ,later with friends , then with my kids, and again with my husband. The food has been delicious through my life and the staff are exceptional. It was so good to enjoy their special food and atmosphere made with the love I remember from the 60's , they have been their since 1957.

This is a tried and true go-to for my boyfriend and I when we are looking for a delicious place to eat in West Portal. Yummy Mexican food that is really reasonably priced. They bring you house made tortilla chips and house made roasted salsa. Both fresh and delicious. The salsa is spicy HOT, so be careful. It's not for the faint of heart. The entree portions are huge. The decor is super fun and festive. I could seriously stare at all the colorful chachkis for hours. The staff is really friendly and attentive. They make you feel really welcomed. Lastly, it can get busy here, especially at dinner time. There may be a wait, but it's definitely worth it.

The salsa is so flavorful but not for the faint of heart... ask for the verde sauce. I absolutely love this place, the food is tremendous, always hot. I've had the almanecer, albondiga soup, Mission burritos and each one keeps me coming back. The food is seasoned well but not salty, always fresh ingredients. Ask for Sheldon or Aaron and they'll treat you right. A must in the West Portal area

This is a good place to get Instagram photos. Portion is big but the food & service is just ok. Always busy though.

I haven't dined here for over 20 years. Mexican dishes are not my favorite food but my spouse loves it. So, we tried it again and I have to admit it was good with large servings. Service was good too with very reasonable prices. One cannot beat the decor with so many fun items to enhance your dining. It was a fun evening and we we return soon The Negra Modelo draft beer was a perfect addition.

Beware: the folks here told me that THEY DON'T KEEP TRACK OF THEIR GIFT CERTIFICATES. Most restaurants keep track of their certificates at least with the serial number. THEY SAY THAT THEY DO NOT. I know this because I visited there today, Saturday, way ahead of taking my family to an anticipated dinner on Sunday; I had received a $50 gift certificate from my sister for my 77th birthday. (We used to go to El Toreador when we were in school uniforms.) This morning, I could not find the certificate, but I had a picture of it that I had taken along with other gifts. My name appears on the certificate and a serial number and an issuers signature (Looks like Esperanza). Today, I went to the El Toreador to see if they would honor the certificate via the image with all the information so visible. The young man attending was apparently suspicious and wanted to know where the original was. "Lost in my house", I re-explained. I asked if they didn't keep track of the serial numbers. "We can't do that!", he said. Another employee or manager joined in and told me to leave. The young man spoke to my sister (the purchaser) on the phone and immediately brought up my behavior as an issue rather than the question of the accountability of the gift certificates. The two folks there tried to force me out of the restaurant and made reference to my age. Fifty dollars is very little money for me to go through the trouble of defrauding El Toreador and causing disruption. I had wanted to take my family of four there on Sunday night. For this I could have spent a lot more than $50. This is all a shame because I have some childhood memories of the place. It's also a shame because they are keeping my sister's 50 dollars.

Good food and big portions. I think the price is good. Not as cheap as a regular taqueria but this place definitely have another level. The ambiance is very nice and colorful. Really makes you feel a little bit in mexico. Though the music is much modern and not so mexican. Totally recommend it.

Super fun Mexican restaurant with good service, great food and the best decor in West Portal. A firm family favorite that we keep coming back to. Prices are good, the servings are plentiful and the complementary red pepper salsa is to die for. Highly recommended.

Delicious salsa roja with the tortilla chips. I ordered a carne asada burrito and the asada was perfectly seasoned, charred, with a slight lime flavor. The only concern was the rice and beans ratio to carne asada was too high, likely an effort to keep costs low due to the high beef cost. The price for the burrito was also insanely high priced ($18.99). Bizarre ordering process as they do not wait tables. There is a window outside, but it was closed so we walked in. The checker kept his back to us while inside when ordering. Friendly customer service for what it is.

This used to be our go-to Mexican in the hood. While it was never particularly authentic, it was affordable and of consistent quality, and the house made salsa is to die for. Well, the affordable part is over. Dishes that used to be $14 are now $20. That’s bad enough, but last time we went there, we were “greeted” with a brusque “anywhere you want”, no more. Then we sat outside for five minutes and nothing happened. We got up and left and may not be back. Very, very disappointing.

Very Good 😊 I adored their Rice and Beans (which is important to me!) Ordered the 3 item plate crispy shredded beef taco, chicken enchilada, and a ground seasoned beef tostada. The chicken enchilada was a delight as was the crispy beef taco 🌮 the tostada was what it was supposed to be but nothing extraordinary. Would go again:)

The Toreador is not bull! Sorry. I couldn't resist the joke. The Toreador has been around for what feels like ages, because it feels like I've been going there, for ages. The food is ALWAYS reliable, well cooked and plentiful. I can NEVER leave this place without feeling totally full. Price wise, the Toreador is exceptionally reasonable.

Normally I don't think of going to taravel for Mexican food but I decided to come on a lark because I wanted to try this place that's been around for as long as I can remember. The food is filling and they give you a great value for your money which makes this a great choice if your looking for a festive atmosphere for a fun date night or just an affordable dinner in this area. I will probably come here again when I'm in the mood for a burrito and I don't want to drive all the way to the mission.