El Torito
| Address: | 5 Monarch Bay Dr, San Leandro, CA 94577, USA |
| Phone: | +1 510-351-8825 |
| Rating: | 3.9 |
| Working: | 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–11PM 11AM–11PM 9AM–10PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 9
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Nathan Delaney
We had been craving some Mexican food after spending 2 weeks in Europe so thankfully we found this place only a few minutes from the Oakland airport. Pulling into the place we were somewhat concerned since the parking lot is huge and there were few cars, that being said it was also commute hour at 5pm. This restaurant has a killer location right on the bay near the marina. The staff was very friendly and on their game. We ordered a few dishes and they came out fairly quickly. I had the Burrito Especial since I was really craving just a fairly simple burrito. My dad had the Carnitas which came out on this massive plate and looked delicious. Unfortunately I cant recall the other two orders we placed. Overall it was pretty good, it was cooked perfectly and seasoned well enough. That being said it was somewhat just run of the mill American - Mexican food. The burrito was great, but compared to the more authentic Mexican food Im used to at home, it wasnt anything to write home about. The carnitas my dad got were pretty good, nice and juicy with just a but of crispiness. Sadly I have to say in terms of the food the highlight was probably the sweet corn they had as a side. So the food isnt particularly special, but it was cooked perfectly which unfortunately I dont see often enough. The location is pretty killer. Hard to beat the view. The staff was all very friendly and quick to refill any low beverages. I wouldnt go here so much for the food, although it looks like they have some cool daily specials, but for the experience. Given their proximity to the airport Ill probably be back next time we fly back in through Oakland.
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adam toy
Most people would probably say El Toritos is just like Chevys since both serve Mexican food, thats where the similarities end. El Toritos offers IMO, a much more authentic Mexican presentation. The carne asada street tacos we had, were served with actual cubes of beef. Close to 1/2" squares. Chevys tend to be smaller cuts. The salsa fresco was good. The tomatoes were ripe and onions crisp. The fried zucchini stayed crispy from start to finish. Oh, and the mango chipotle dipping sauce? I want to put that on everything now! Sorry, I cant offer much opinion on the bar drinks, as I rarely have any alcohol, but looking at what was being served. The drinks looked to be of good portions and festive. No one seemed to complain about their bar drinks. PROS: for this location, plenty of parking. Good menu choices. Flavorful offerings and decent portion sizes. Ambiance and decor felt like the times I visited Cabo San Lucas. Coupons can be found every so often in the local paper. CONS: perhaps it was a staff scheduling problem but service was lacking. The window table we chose still needed to be wiped down, as the table next to ours still needed to be cleared the whole time we were there. Took at least 5 or more minutes before we decided to find some help. We had to initiate our drink refills. A few flies were buzzing against the inside of the window. Not on the food mind you. OVERALL: would I return? Yes but only if there were coupons or incentives. We had one entrees, three appetizers, two soft drinks for $40. This may be par for many of you, but for my tastes, there are other options in this cost range.
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Danny Lopez
Mal servicio, tuve que esperar 25 minutos para que tomarán la orden y 1 hora para que la llevarán, la comida no servia, cuando me dieron fruta para mi hija las fresas estaban con un lado negro y cuando le pregunte a la mesera me dijo que ya no tenían por eso me habían dado esas, la carne estaba dura como la zuela de mi zapato no la pudimos comer, no les recomiendo este restaurante es mejor que vayan a comprar tacos a una lonchera y estarán más satisfechos que este lugar. Tambien voy a llamar al departamento de salud para que les hagan inspección más frecuentemente..
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Aaron Basharain
This place is the epitome of American "mexican" food. It isnt terrible, the happy hour prices are decent and there are a couple good dishes. Service is usually friendly but slow because they get pretty busy. The tacos on taco Tuesday arent really that cheap and are not anything special. I can get $2 tacos that are much better from most taquerias. Regardless it is a fun place to come with a group and get some decent sized margaritas for $5 and have some okay food. I never used to come here before living within walking distance and I have to say that is the only reason I go and will continue to go. This restaurant is not particularly worthwhile to go out of the way for. However, I would recommend trying it for yourself especially during the happy hour times which goes until 7pm everyday.
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Charlene M
Went there for the Sunday brunch buffet and it was pretty good. Their omlette station was a suprise. It was 26 dollars, but includes bottom less Mimosas. It has a wonderful view of monarch bay, and on clear days you can see SF. The view was very pretty, even got to see planes land at Oakland airport. The food itself was better than most buffets outside of Vegas, and my favorite thing was their sweet corn. The enchiladas were really good as well, it just sucked that they get cold since its not in a warmer. Also their tacos are really good, I had a carne taco, but I have to admit the tortilla is was a bit thick.
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Debi Brini
Food is nothing special. It is all about The View, Drinks, Chips, Salsa and Guacamole I have to credit them for Singing Happy Birthday and a nice Flan presentation. Hire more Servers during your Rush time. Or train the ones you have to be more efficient. We ordered Shrimp and Chicken Fajitas to share. Where were the Red and Green Peppers? ? I think we may have had one piece that looked green. What was that piece that tasted like a potato. Is that a new Food Fad? ☆☆ Again it is all about The View ☆☆ 《Ill say one thing they do have a good Happy Hour. Or at least a Rowdy one.》
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nancy malagon
La atención en la recepción es poco cordial, la comida es mas o menos buena, pero la razón por la q le doy 3 estrellas es que los platos y cubiertos están mal lavados :( tienen reciduos de comida pegada, lo que si estaba delicioso era el pozole, pero le falta mejorar en bastantes puntos
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Lucio Rafael
It is a good option in San Leandro for those that like Mexican food. It is open daily: - Mon-Fri 11 to 22h; Sat: 11 to 23h; Sun: 9:30 to 21h. With nice and cheap meals the restaurant also offers good service. The waitress was very careful and diligent. I recommend Family Style Fajitas: Serves easily up to 4. Steak, Large Shrimp, Chicken and Carnitas Fajitas served with rice, refried beans, guacamole, sweet corn cake and choice of tortillas. DELICIOUS! Another good option is Carne Asada & Shrimp. Very good. In addition, if you are staying at Marina Inn hotel you get 20% discount!
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James Walker
Got here at 9:10pm. Got seated in the back of the restaurant next to the kitchen. Waited 23 minutes to get water. 27 minutes before we could place a food order. Not cool. The waitress just explained to us that the server for our section went on break and didnt tell her that he was going on break or that there were people waiting for service. Hmmm. Weve been here basically a 1/2 hr. how long are the breaks here ? I hate leaving bad reviews. But I feel this one was necessary. I hope management sees it and cares enough to fix these kinds of problems. Not coming back any time soon.
