Toro Toro

Had dinner and drinks here tonight. Great drinks, delicious food and excellent service. Our server Alex provided world class service by being very attentive and making terrific recommendations. We will definitely be back!

Really enjoyed this restaurant! My boyfriend and I were visiting Washington DC this past week and we decided to stop in to see what the hype was about. We got seated right away inside near the window. Our server, Nina, greeted us within just a few minutes and gave us the run-​down on the restaurant and the food that they offer. Unfortunately, we were expecting to get a happy hour menu since we saw that they did happy hour all day on Thursdays according to the Richard Sandoval website but Nina informed us that it was only at the bar and on the patio. It would have been nice to know that for future reference, maybe put in on the website?
Regardless, we had a great time at Toro Toro. I got the passionfruit pisco sour cocktail which was to DIE FOR!!! I normally am not a person that drinks cocktails but on this night, I had 3 of these bad boys and they were so delicious! Not too sweet or too bitter. My boyfriend had the prickly pear chilcano and he said it was okay.
For appetizers we each got a salad (heirloom tomatoes and a caesar), as well as the empanada de choclo (corn empanada) and the parmesan scallops. Everything was great! I do, however, feel that there was a little bit too much burrata on the heirloom tomato salad — would request less next time.
For dinner, I got the wild mushroom flatbread and my boyfriend got the arroz chaufa (fried rice) without any meat. Again, food was fantastic!
Overall, I enjoyed this restaurant very much. The atmosphere was fun and inviting, the service Nina gave our table was excellent, and the food was just as good as we expected. Being vegetarians, it is somewhat difficult to try and find places that cater to our needs without them just serving veggie burgers or wraps but Toro Toro really hit this one out of the ballpark and allowed us to eat an array of items.

Same here early to dinner a
Friend’s 30^th. And ended up staying in their lounge area. The menu is divine, I particularly enjoyed the arroz chaufa and scallops. Their late night lounge is grown up and classy. Great ambiance, we enjoyed the specialty cocktails and the music kept us sand ing all night long. Would definitely come back!

A group of us went for their Free Flowing Brunch. We all agreed the selection was wide and great. Loved the unlimited unique mimosas (please note: the waiter will not bring you another glass until you finish everything in your previous glass).
We did outside dining which worked out because we were search a large group. Despite our setting, our waitress was always there when we needed her. Sometimes, it feels when you choose outside dining, the waiter can forget you’re even there.
I definitely recommend this place for brunch.

If I could give this less than 1 star I would. I had such high hopes for this restaurant since I really like his other brunch places but this is seriously the worst experience I’ve ever had in DC. Milena (who I’m told is the manager) was so rude to us and completely soured our perception of this place.
I made a reservation weeks ago and when I came this morning the hostess told me they were over booked and said we could sit downstairs. We’re not picky and were extremely starving so we agreed. The downstairs seems more like a club dance floor and was really dark, no tables, no servers, etc. But we were assured by the hostess that they were serving so we sat down. We waited for 15 minutes and no one came by. We tried to make the best of the situation and grabbed some food from the buffet but it was like eating in the dark. None of us could see what we were stabbing on our plates. Not to mention, we came for the bottomless mimosas and there was not a server in sight to come offer us a drink or utensils for that matter. Finally after making some unhappy faces a server came by and offered to get some bar stools for us to sit at the bar. We finally sat down to eat and they turned on the lights so we thought the worst of it was over. We started ordering long overdue drinks. The bartender (who I later found out was Milena) had the worst attitude and refused to refill any drinks when there was just a sip left. Never have I experienced this during an advertised aycd brunch… Most good places won’t even let your glass reach halfway. We’ve frequented Masa14, Zango, etc. Anyway, we were willing to work with her so we chugged the rest of our drinks so she could refill us before she disappeared again. After the second refill all of us thought the mimosa tasted more like straight oj than mimosa and we thought she may have mixed up the carafes. We asked her to pour us one from the other carafe and she claimed we had too many already and she had to «pace» us. This is the moment that I lost it. Never have I been cut off after 2 drinks (One of which I’m pretty certain was just oj) especially after I’m paying money for a bottomless brunch. This chick has some nerve. I’ve never seen such horrible service and I’m even more angry to find out that was from management. I feel bad for the rest of the waitstaff.

This past Friday was my first time and I wasn’t impressed at all.
I came for lunch and the buffet looks good Picanha, fried rice, sausage but honestly don’t even try.
But they have other good choices like cheese fruits and charcuterie. I’ll give them some credit for that.
Service… Mmmmm the busboy was more attentive
Overall
I have to go for dinner and give me a second chance

La Bomba the dessert is the only surprise and totally worth the experience, I would just have that for an afternoon break. It has variety of ice cream and others, covered in the chocolate. When it explodes, you would have the good stuffs on the table. Someone in my team when finished the dish, joked if he can lick the table… lol. No worry, they have plastic cover for this dish, so would be just lick the cover. It is that good.
The appetizers are not very cost effective, as we tried 6 – 7 different dishes, every single one is small not even consider shareable. We have to cut it into half or three to have a tiny bite.
Service is ok and if you are getting into happy hour, there are crowds enjoying it by the bar, could’ve somewhat noisy if you want to have a private setting.

I’ve wanted to come here for some time and I finally got the chance last week for happy hour.
Roses:
I really like the décor – we sat downstairs and the lighting was dim, which works if you’re at the bar, I don’t know if you were planning on sitting at a table. The bathroom is cute with fur on the doors – that’s something you don’t see every day!
We both ordered the corn masa empanadas with Oaxaca cheese and chimichurri. Three come with each order and they were pretty tasty and filling.
Also, their happy hour lasts until 8:00 p.m. – most places end happy hour at 7:00 p.m.
Thorns:
The service was kinda slow – it wasn’t that busy.
I ordered the prickly pear chilcano and I couldn’t taste the ginger ale or lime juice and it was just too sweet for me.
The corn masa empanadas were probably filling because they were super greasy. Now, I know empanadas are deep fried but the amount of oil oozing out was a bit much. When I was cutting it in half, I could see the grease pool to the top. I suspect that the temperature of the oil wasn’t hot enough – if it’s not hot enough, you end up keeping food in the fryer longer which will absorb more oil.
All in all, I would be willing to give this place another try – maybe for brunch or dinner.

I love this spot (it used to be Tuscana West). Been on several occasions for brunch and happy hour. Both are totally worth it. Best to make a reservation for brunch even if for a small party. The downstairs of this place is amazing and I never noticed until recently (it’s only open Wednesday through Saturday). I really love the décor here — even the bathroom is nice!

What started out as an unexpected adventure became a dazzling weekend brunch surprise.
My mom and I were initially out for brunch at another restaurant who was promoting all you can eat oysters. Unfortunately, when you say «all-​you-​can-​eat-​oysters,» DC goes mad. Let’s just say it was jam packed, more packed than the oysters still sitting in their containers.
So off we went to look for another nice brunch spot. Nearby? Toro Toro. Oh look, they have oysters too! Oh look, they have the bloody mary’s my mom has been craving. Perfect, let’s go there!
Ah, all you can eat brunch for $ 29, and $ 35 with unlimited mimosas? Yes. Yes. Yes.
Here’s why Toro Toro’s brunch selection is just that much better than many of the brunch buffet spots I’ve been to: the selection is superb. A platter of charcuterie? For brunch? Why yes please, and thank you. Also, oysters are there! So by all means, have your unlimited oysters. Everything else? A nice selection of small bites, with many surprising flavor.
You can also find your regular brunch selection like scrambled eggs, bacon, and omelette bar. But don’t miss out on the crazy selection in their main buffet table!
Usually a restaurant would skimp on creativity and quality for a brunch buffet, but not here, not at Toro Toro. Expect the same quality dishes are their dinners, and expect to leave extremely full. Don’t forget to grab a cup (or two) of coffee on your way out, and of course, bite on the nice selection of sweets.
The staff are very friendly, and really quick with making sure our tables are clean and our water (and mimosas) are filled. I’m a huge fan of their bathroom. So fun! The sink is connected to the men’s bathroom, very fitting with the place’s sort of dark, fun, but sexy vibe.
Can’t wait to Toro Toro again next time!

Dessert?! Yes, please!
I’ve been to Toro Toro for dinner once a couple of years ago and loved it.
However, what keeps me coming back? The La Bamba dessert!
Whenever we have friends in town, my partner and I love to bring them here and we always get giddy about how they will react to the dessert.
Last night was no different. We brought two friends who were staying with us from out of town and we knew we had to bring them here. The service, per usual was good. They laid down the sheet for the dessert to make its show, and our friends became slightly curious what may happen next.
For those who have gotten the La Bamba, I won’t ruin it for you, but the dessert was delicious. Our guests who have different taste pallets than us, both agreed how tasty all the flavors of chocolate, sorbet, and sweet sauces came together.
Seriously. Always leave room for dessert when you’re dining here:).

The Quick: Get the tuna tacos! Very trendy and sexy, modern Latin/​Peruvian infused restaurant. Perfect for a small meal before a night out.
The Details: This place must turn into a club at night, because everything about it seemed trendy and seductive. I was actually shocked how great the food was. We ordered a few tapas to split, which I recommend doing. The tacos were by far the winner, but we enjoyed everything we ordered. Overall a treat.
The Damage: A drink each and a few small plates came to ~ $ 70 total before tip

Was here last night and kind of loved it.
We drank cava and ate the ceviche, salmon app (can’t remember the name), mushroom flatbread and the lomo saltado empanada. After the 4 tapa dishes we were pretty full and unfortunately there was no room for dessert :-(
Everything was top notch and the ambiance/​décor was right. Awesome date venue or cool place to hang with friends after work.
They’ve got an awesome view of McPherson Square park if you sit near the front windows and it’s pretty metro friendly if you don’t feel like dealing with parking.
The only qualm was the music… Justin Bieber??? Really? Something about that doesn’t seem very Pan-​Latin, lol.

My favorite spot for brunch! Today was busy but Alexandra who is an exceptional server and hostess was able to make things happen and got us seated relatively quickly. That was greatly appreciated as she always makes us feel welcomed and does her best to accommodate us. She even suggested the sopa de malanga which was superb and as rich in flavor as any seafood bisque you can think of! I was throughly impressed as malanga root brings me back to my childhood memories and I haven’t had a dish with malanga in any mainstream restaurant like toro toro. Thanks again for superseding my expectations once again! This place will never disappoint! Xoxo! Buen provecho!

Toro Toro was a fun place for dinner. We had several tapas (small) options each. My friend tried and really liked the Korean BBQ ribs, which fell right off the bone. The Mac and cheese had a little kick, but was otherwise solid Mac and cheese. The crunchy shrimp was excellent as well. The best though, was the limo saltado empanadas. They were full of flavor and the guacamole was a perfect combination and compliment to the cheese and meat in the center.
I don’t drink but my friends said the mojito and Margarita were outstanding as were the 2 glasses of red wine they enjoyed. Overall it was a great night out.
The toughest question was 2 or 3 dishes. 3 was a large meal, and for average eaters 2 would probably suffice.

Drinks were good but the appetizers & service have alot room for improvement.
I went Saturday night for the Happy Hour to have a business meeting and to enjoy some time with friends afterwards. The bartender took a while to take our orders & bring us our drinks… even the water. Ha! When we (3 ppl) asked for silverware & a cloth napkin to eat with, he put 1 fork & knife on a plate & grabbed the small paper cocktail napkins. HA! Really!
The HH prices were pretty good ($ 5 – 8 drinks & appetizers) but the food didn’t taste so great. The Korean Chicken Wings were over sauced & over seasoned, making them salty & not enjoyable. The Guacamole was a bit bland for a Spanish place. The plantain chips were greasy & a bit old. The chicken tacos looked good but just taste okay. The truffle fries & the drinks were good & a few months ago we came for dessert & that was good. It safe to say, if we come back it would be just for dessert & drinks.

NOOO! They got rid of the tomatillo bloody maria mix! It was my favorite and now they only have two tomato ones (one spicy, one regular).

One of the best meals I’ve had in a while. I had an Open Table giftcard and made a reservation for Saturday night. It seems to get more crowded the later it gets because of the lounge.
We hesitated before getting the Toro Toro Experience, but I was so happy we did! It’s basically unlimited appetizers and a plate full of a lot of meats, which is also refillable. Got to try a lot of foods I don’t normally eat. Pretty much loved all the appetizers, octopus wasn’t really my thing but my boyfriend liked it. The smoked tasting, hamachi and tomato heirloom were my favorites. Scallops only come with 2, so we got an extra order of that. You really gotta pace yourself if you do the whole experience. By the time the meats came we were pretty full, but enjoyed it nonetheless. They cut the meat in front of you and put them all on a sizzling plate. Chicken is super tender and I don’t like shrimp but my boyfriend said it was one of the best he’s had. Least favorite was the sausage. I regret not leaving room for dessert, but I’d definitely go back!

Pan-​Latin cuisine. I had been wanting to try this place for the longest time and Restaurant Week was the perfect opportunity to do so! Conveniently located by the McPherson Square metro stop, this place was easy to locate.
First impression walking in– LOVE the high ceilings. The place has a sexy yet sleek and classy feel and there was plenty of seating available. It was Happy Hour upon our arrival– their house cabernet was perfectly bodied and just $ 5!
Now the main event. For dinner I selected:
First Course
Causa Toro Toro– Tuna tartare atop a potato «cake», slice of avocado, and rocoto (a type of pepper) aioli. Simply delicious. Perfect bite-​sized portions and the components worked so well together flavor-​wise, it was clearly well thought out.
Complimentary bread rolls– Tasty. They were puffy and slightly crisp on the outside and soft inside. It worked well with the pico de gallo on the side.
Second Course
Grilled Brazilian Style Picanha Steak– Cooked PERFECTLY (medium rare of course) with a bit of fat left on. It was juicy and so flavorful, I hardly used the side sauces provided (chimichurri and chipotle BBQ). The portion was just right.
–Side: Sauteed Baby Kale– Nicely cooked, but a bit salty.
Third Course
Chocolate Tres Leches– I was disappointed. The cake itself was dense as opposed to light and spongy. It ended up tasting like an overcooked brownie that was left out for days. I am quite fond of tres leches cake and chocolate so I thought that this dessert would have been everything of my dreams. Sadly it fell way short. The chocolate ice cream and meringue on top was delicious though and helped salvage it a bit. It left me wishing I chose the mango cheesecake.
Our server was very friendly and the courses came out in a timely manner. We ended up talking for a bit longer than expected and weren’t rushed.
Overall a great experience. I may come back to try their regular fare.
PS– Their bathroom stalls have real cowskin décor!
PPS– Apparently there is a lounge downstairs for dancing.

Happy Hour Review
I was a bit disappointed with my recent visit to Toro Toro, while the place looks amazing, nice sleek and sexy vibe, the service, food and drinks were a letdown.
While the happy hour drink prices are good, the drinks themselves aren’t the best. The mojito and caipirnha were overly sweet and yes I know both drinks are designed to be sweet but there is usually a nice balance which didn’t happen with the bartender there.
Service was also poor, staff was inattentive and unresponsive, had to wave down someone just to get the bill. After ordering a drink they just seemed to disappear even though I was in a prominent spot in the bar area. Also addressed people who came in well after me before I was allowed to place an order.
Food was another let down, the nachos weren’t very tasty at all. Meat was sparse and also flavorless. I’ve had more appealing nachos at movie theaters.
Quite the letdown.