El Torito

Came here a few months ago for a friends birthday party. We had a pretty large group and they sat us in the back patio room. We had ONE server for ALL of us. That was their first mistake. Half of us never got our drinks even after asking 3 different times. The other half had to go to the bar to get them… And forget about refills. We didn’t get to order our food for over an hour and it took even longer to receive our food… If we even got anything. My husbands food never came even after letting her know 4 times. I don’t complain about service unless it’s absolutely necessary. It’s just not my thing. But I had to. I went to find the manager and let him know that our server needed help. She could not handle our entire party alone and maybe an extra set of hands can help her. He sent another waitress over and we never saw her again after the first time she came by. She took some drink orders and guess what? Nothing ever came! I was finally able to get a drink from our server but when she came, she spilled it all over and inside my diaper bag, and on my baby. She was really apologetic but I had had enough! I went back to the manager and he agreed to comp my meal… Too bad it hadn’t come yet and my husbands never came. Then our waitress took 15 minutes PER BILL (there was at least 18 of us) to ring everyone up. We had already been here over 3 hours! When my bill finally came she had charged us for my meal (which I never got to actually eat because I had to clean an entire soda out of my diaper bag and change my baby), my husbands meal (times 2) and 5 beers… He had to go to the bar for all of his beers because she never brought them! I was so pissed off I didn’t even bother to wait for the manager to comp everything, I just walked out. It wasn’t the first time I ever received awful service there (on a Tuesday too) but it was definitely the last.

Horrible service! Waited to get seated. Waited even longer to not get served. Took 20 – 30 minutes and countless strolls passed us and never once acknowledged our table or presence. Never again! You people are completely and utterly rude.

Haven’t been to an El Torito in years before this weekend, and I’m surprised the food has gotten a lot better since!
My parents love this place, for the strong drinks, the friendly atmosphere. They love trying non-​Asian foods from chain places because, hey, it’s a chain for a reason, right? (I don’t full agree with this logic but I commend my parents for trying new things! :3)
We started with some lovely drinks:
I went with the Mexican Moscule mule and my mama got the Patron special drink. Didn’t have any of hers, but my parents are tequila enthusiasts — they loved it and apparently always get it. The tequila Moscow Mule was refreshing and an awesome twist on the traditional recipe! The earthy, sweet flavor of the tequila was delicious and went well with the ginger and lime. Both drinks were priced right and were hefty! Would get again ¹⁰⁄₁₀.
For food, we all got something different to have a bit of variety ;) My sister got the macho combo, mama got the 1800 fajitas and I went with the fat carne asada burrito.
Each entrée was huge, shareable between two people. Carne asada was juicy, healthy/​heavy portions of beans and rice. The 1800 fajitas are made with 1800 tequila and come with the fresh tortillas. The macho combo was the perfect tasting platter — came with a bit of everything and it all tasted great.
I understand this isn’t authentic Mexican food, but the food tastes good, the portions are right and it isn’t going to break your wallet. Everything was between $ 10 – 17, and with the portions we were served, the prices are very justified. Service was very friendly and on top of things. We had a great dinner, left with a bellies full and a little buzzed.
Side note: the scoop of cornbread is life-​changing. I need this recipe.

Came into the bar for a beer and nachos.
The beer was served quickly and nice and cold with a lime.
The nachos were prepared correctly and tasty.
Customer service was prompt and friendly.
The issues I ran into was cleanliness.
I tried to sit down at several different tables and while they had been bussed they hadn’t been wiped and we’re nasty.
I found a table in the corner and after sitting down I noticed the wall next to me was beyond gross! It doesn’t look like it has ever been cleaned and was nearly black in spots from dirty people leaning against it… yuck!
I won’t be back because if they have an issue with cleanliness out front I can only imagine how nasty it is behind closed doors.
I attached a photo of the wall but I promise the photo looks much better than how nasty it is in real life.

My boyfriend and I were staying at the Holiday Inn which is right next door. He kept bragging about great the food had been here for awhile now so once being so closeI had to try it. It was so delicious. I ordered the cane aside plate. Before my food came they served our drinks and chips with salsa. They had this amazing dressing called cilantro lime dressing which you have to try. I wanted to pour it on everything.
I heard that they also have amazing tacos there and on Tuesday’s and that there only 99 cents. On there menu they had many specials and all the food looked so yummy it was hard to choose what to eat. Just thinking about that dressing makes my mouth water. I can’t wait to go back. Highly recommend it if you feel like eating mexican.

I come here with my friends ordered the ignited 1800 fajitas I really wasn’t expressed by it, fajitas is my favorite Mexican dish and I have had it in so many different restaurants, I was expecting better from El torito, but all l can say it was average or less than average thy didn’t even bring sour cream or hot sauce.

I came to this place on a Friday and it was terrible.
First off when you walk in the hostess was no near to be found. They later came and ask us how many and we had a group of 11. They then made us wait for Awhile to be seated. Karaōke was going there but kids were allowed in there because there was a bar but had tables around it. Our server came awhile later and took our orders but told us all our food won’t be coming out the same time so unless we wanted to wait then we had to get our food at different times. How unprofessional is that? Really all the food came out different times. The server guy also told us the Kitchen cooks were slow and our food came out very slowly. Now we were visiting into this town on our way home and found this place. Next the server never came around, he never filled up our drinks or came to check on us. He kept forgetting our drinks when we ordered them and was very confused.
Next-​the food was terrible. The chips they brought out tasted old of oil and had been sitting forever. It was gross. The salsa tasted like it was sitting out in the heat and got formatted. My sister ordered the all you can eat tacos and he never came back to ask to see if sh wanted more he totally ignored us. Then he overcharged her on her bill and she had to go talk to them to take it off. They need more servers and better cooks in here.
Overall bad food and bad services. I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant to eat here if your hungry.
Thank you.

I do not like to review corporations but i had to review this place. I am currently eating here right now for sunday brunch and all i have to say is that this place is awesome. I dont understand all the negative reviews and the 2.5 stars. Rolando who is our waiter has been super nice and kind to us. The rest of the staff is very nice too and are very patient with customers. The food is amazing it taste really good. I mean you get hand made tortillas and custom omelettes what more can we ask. Good homemade mexican dishes. Horchata and mexican hot chocolate.
Rolando made our experience here amazing all due to him. Definitely coming back to this place. Give sunday brunch a shot. You will like it

This place is a dump!
Ugly, tacky interior that reminds me of when I visited Tijuana, Mexico years ago. This place is just as tacky, noisy, and filthy. The karaōke bar had drunken reprobates warbling off key, and the music was so loud I could feel it in the back of my teeth.
The hostess was rude and bitchy. We had a reservation made via phone, but the stupid twat kept denying it and trying to make us wait, even though my brother’s girlfriend pointed out my brother’s name and party number RIGHT THERE IN THE GUEST BOOK. We were starving, tired, and had gone to two other restaurants and received terrible reception and no service. This was the last place left, but for good reason.
It wasn’t even busy that night, yet the stupid hostess and her «Nobody gets in to see the wizard! Not nobody, not no how!» attitude made me angry. My brother, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend’s sister are also witnesses to this. The rude little bitch made us wait for ten minutes, only a few tables were taken in the dining room, and yet she seats us directly next to the table with 3 screaming babies. We sat ourselves across the dining room, away from them.
The waitstaff are lazy, rude, and careless. Toward the end of the meal, the stupid waiter stepped on my brother’s foot, and my brother told him «Ow! You stepped on my foot you idiot!», the waiter didn’t apologize. It was a totally avoidable accident. We didn’t tip as a result.
The drinks were never refilled, when all we had we were waters (which shows what cheapskates these staff are at this restaurant). The food tasted stale, and made us sick later that night.
The manager was facetiously apologetic, as was corporate when we filed an online complaint. Lying ret@rds said they would send us gift cards for compensation, but it never happened. Stay away from this El Torito. Stay away from them all. Let yourself go… out the door without wasting your time or your money, here or at any El Torito.

Very Disgusted! Came here for our son’s birthday because he chose this place. We got our food and my husband started to eat his rice. He then noticed something chewy in it and discovered it was gum! He couldn’t believe it. He complained to the manager and the manager stated «what would you like me to do for you?»
Then a few minutes later I found a plastic square bag tie cooked with my fajita vegetables!
At that point we had enough and told the manager again. He apologized. We told him we were leaving without paying and he didn’t hesitate to let us go.
We had a party of 10 and we were sitting by the kitchen. As we were getting up to leave. We heard the kitchen staff laughing.
Needless to say we won’t be going here anymore.

So first of all, I really give 5 stars, but I know that Unilocal tries not to reveal 5 star ratings unless the company pays some kind of premium.
I’ll start with frequency. Either myself, my girlfriend, my brother, or all three of us visit once every week, from out of town. We are usually welcomed by the Host, Katrina or one of the others with a bright smile. The entire staff here is so friendly and welcoming! Very warm (literally, with the great fireplaces) and inviting atmosphere. I know that you won’t find any real authentic Mexican restaurants, especially in a chain, but this location cuts it pretty close!
Christina is usually our server. She is always professional and friendly, willing to try to accommodate for any of our requests with speed. If she can’t fix it, any of the management, especially a manager we’ve come to know as «Ever,» will always come to the rescue. Great deals at the bar with «‘RumChata’ Coladas», and $ 5 house margaritas for happy hour with plenty of flavor options. The food comes out hot and fresh every time. Especially the Mexican Chicken Caesar salad, which my girlfriend orders almost every trip. The chips are fresh cut — crispy, hot, and readily available. Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas are always a hit with us! Even the cooks seem to take care in what goes out of their kitchen, as they have been known to go and check on tables.
I recently read another review from some lady who was there the same time as us. — «Anna R» made some pretty outrageous remarks about the friendly staff. I cannot emphasize enough, these are all loving, hard-​working people who aim to please and succeed. It was disheartening to read such a crude, nasty review about a restaurant I know provides quality, friendly service to the best of their ability. As someone who frequents this establishment, hers was a review which should be discredited.
El Torito West Covina, I’ll see you next week! And the one right after that!

Came today for Sunday brunch, Complementary mimosa were good. Food was good nothing spectacular but decent. Ordered coffee it was cold had to send it back for a fresh cup.

First off the food was good. Service not so good. Served cold coffee, had to go to manager to get a hot cup, with him joking about the cold cup being last weeks. Ordered got our food and never saw the waiter until ¾ of the way through our meal, when I asked for more salsa and more hot coffee. Salsa was fetched coffee not.
Took our credit card and didn’t return for 10 – 15 minutes. I had to ask for my bill and card back at which he said «oh oh ok» and pulled it out of his apron. Now we would have understood if the restaurant was busy but there were only 4 other tables in our section. We were give. Excuses like «oh he’s in the back cleaning up «and «he’s been promoted from bus boy to server.» Sorry those are excuses that don’t fly with people who eat out once a week. Thanks we will never go back!

I brought Mom here for the Sunday Brunch, I’ve been here a few times on a Sunday and I have to say I love it. From the bottomless mimosa’s to the taco bar and everything in between it is awesome. There was always someone to take my empty plate, and refill my glass. The food was fresh and delicious. Not sure if some of the negatives about Brunch is because of coming later in the morning but we came at 10am a great time as it begins to fill up around 11am so if your a late riser I can’t tell you how it is when it’s packed, but if you can get your butt up a little earlier I can tell you it is worth it, and you get to spend the rest of your day doing something to work it off… or not.

Went to sunday brunch with my friend, we choose this place instead of our typical LA brunch spots. Food is decent but by the time we got to our 4^th mimosas glass the manager said he could not serve more than 3 drinks every 2 hours to one individual. I understand this alleged «law» is protect patrons from duis however clearly we’re not intoxicated nor were we driving. I have come to this location multiple times and never had an issue with the amount of mimosas served.
I will never come here again. I would advise all patrons who would like to have a good time not come here either as it is not mimosas friendly.

The moment is finally here. Taco Tuesday is officially done at this location. I went today around 530pm usually it’s packed and most of the time you can’t even find a table. Today it was dead. The waitress didn’t even explain the new fish tacos or the fact that tacos are no longer 1.50, they are now 1.99. This is a huge increase considering a couple years ago it was 1.00. I will now go elsewhere because I think it’s just ridiculous. If you want to call yourself Taco Tuesday you have to be willing to lower the taco prices which is typically offset by people buying drinks. I’m pretty sure there will be decline in Taco Tuesday sales because of this increase, people rather buy drinks at a restaurant where the food is still decent quality but retains a low price.
Bye bye taco Tuesday @ El Torito

I FOUND A TOOTH IN MY FOOD!
Please avoid this restaurant at all costs.
I ordered a plate to go yesterday evening, and as I was eating my food I felt some hard object (what I initially believed was a hard bean or piece of corn). When I spit out my food, there was a tooth with a filling. Absolutely disgusting.
No it wasn’t my tooth.
I’ll never eat here again

I realize his is a chain restaurant, but this location in Covina is great… It’s great because of the fabulous people they have working for them.
Every time I come for Sunday brunch, Cindy greets me with a smile and remembers my name. Yes, my name – wow! It’s nice to walk up to out my name on the list and hear, «Good morning DJ, it’s great to see you. How many will it be for today?» This young lady deserves a raise!
Next, there are three very amazing servers. If you have a choice ask for Ricky, Gervacio, or Carolina. Ricky is the man! I’ve had some of the others, they are good, but if you want fabulous then specifically sit in their section. I realize I might be shooting myself in the foot since they will be busy and I won’t get to sit in one of their sections, but hey, we are friends, right?
The food is what you would expect. I generally only come for Sunday brunch. It’s a reasonable price for an omelet bar, taco bar, salads, variety of Mexican food dishes, deserts, and let’s not forget sautéed bananas with ice cream (too bad they don’t add a splash of tequila anymore).
This is a great place for brunch… Although it can be noisy, but that’s because people are having so much fun here!

Not sure why the rating for this place is so low! The food here is decent and the portions are massive. The coconut pineapple margarita is really freaking good. The pineapple entirely masks the taste of the tequila which was perfect for my alcohol sensitive taste buds.
If you think you’re gonna get fast service here, you’ve got another thing coming. This place says it would show you their Latin service and friendliness. And that includes it’s slow pace. Just give yourself a decent amount of time if you wanna dine here.

Thank you lord for this blessed brunch!!!
I wish i have a bigger belly to fit all this Delicious food. It is an overwhelming sight to see all the awesome Mexican food.
Buffet buffet buffet on sundays rule!