El Torito - Irvine

4.6 (456)

$30 and under

Mexican

18512 Mac Arthur Blvd., Irvine, CA 92612

About this restaurant

Good for groups
Great for brunch
Neighborhood gem

The authority in great Mexican food for more than 65 years. Offering a memorable experience to make each guest feel like family.

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

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Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mexican
Hours of operation
Brunch: Sunday: 9:00am - 2:00pm; Lunch: Monday - Saturday: 11:00am - 3:00pm; Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 3:00pm - 10:00pm, Friday & Saturday: 3:00pm - 11:00pm, Sunday: 2:00pm-10:00pm
Phone number
(949) 833-8230
Website
https://www.eltorito.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Catering
Bring the flavor of El Torito to your office or off-site event! We can accommodate groups from 10 to 10,000 and everything in between! Enjoy Taco Bars, Fajita Bars, Enchilada Bars & much more. Order online or call 1-888-TORTILLA. https://www.eltorito.com/catering/
Private party facilities
Show your friends, family, and co-workers how to throw a real party. Book one of our rooms, patios, or semi-private dining areas for your next celebration, event, or meeting. Choose from Plated Menus, Buffet Menus or Mix & Match your favorite individual Trays. Inquire online or call 1-888-TORTILLA. https://www.eltorito.com/private-events/
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Location
18512 Mac Arthur Blvd., Irvine, CA 92612
Neighborhood
Irvine
Parking details
Public Lot
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at El Torito - Irvine.

4.6

(456)

4.7Food
4.6Service
4.6Ambience
4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

El Torito in Irvine, now closed, was cherished for its "delicious food" and memorable experiences. Guests appreciated the attentive service, especially during "fun Sunday brunches." While some noted service delays, the restaurant's vibrant atmosphere and "great food and service" were highlighted. A beloved spot, it will be "greatly missed."

456 Reviews

L
Leanna
Orange County3 reviews
1.0
Dined on June 6, 2026
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
OpenTable failed to say that this place was closed
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C
Cindy Gold
Orange County11 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 31, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
So sad you’re closing. So many good memories here. You will be missed
El Torito - IrvineResponded on June 1, 2026
We are so sad to be closing, and we will miss you too. Thank you for sharing your memories and for all the support over the years. Your visits helped create so many special moments; they have meant the world to our team and to the neighborhood. We are truly grateful for you.
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g
gina
Los Angeles4 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 31, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
End of an era. Thank you for decades of wonderful memories and great food. El Torito will be greatly missed.
El Torito - IrvineResponded on June 1, 2026
Thank you for sharing this bittersweet note. We are truly honored to have been part of your life for decades. It means so much to hear that our food and gatherings helped create lasting memories. We will miss serving you and are grateful for the years of support and fond remembrance.
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D
David Gold
Palm Springs52 reviews
3.0
Dined on May 24, 2026
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Sat us outside, no server came to us but went to tables around us. Went to reservation desk and requested to be moved inside, said we would have to wait 20 mins. Finally got seated. Our server inside was very nice. Food was ok. Restaurant is in need of some love.
El Torito - IrvineResponded on May 29, 2026
We are sorry you were seated outside and waited while other tables were served. Thank you for telling us you asked to be moved and that your server inside was very nice. We are also sorry the food and the condition of the restaurant did not meet expectations. We appreciate the feedback and hope you will consider giving us another try.
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A
Amaya Gold
Unspecified1 review
5.0
Dined on May 24, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I had such a fun time at Sunday brunch. The food was so delicious and everyone was so attentive, especially manager Luis. The location was so cute and fun I really enjoyed!
El Torito - IrvineResponded on May 26, 2026
Hello Amaya, Thank you for joining us for Sunday brunch! We’re so glad you enjoyed the food and that our team made you feel well cared for. We’re happy the location and atmosphere felt cute and fun. We appreciate your kind words and look forward to welcoming you back soon.
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P
Pamela Gold
Orange County5 reviews
1.0
Dined on May 23, 2026
1. Overall 1
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 2
The restaurant was not crowded. We ordered drinks and 20 min later asked where our drinks were when the waitress came to take our order. We wouldn't order without drinks first. It was 10 more minutes before we got our drinks. Two of us ordered margaritas with tajin on the edge. Both were salt. One of us specifically ordered a scotch old fashioned and the waitress wrote that down saying no problem. He got a bourbon old fashioned. It was very loud, especially with 2 waiters reconfiguring tables and dragging the chairs across the tile floor the whole time! The second drink round was not quite right either and took a long time. The food was okay but took a long time to get. In between things we never saw our waitress come to the table until we finally tracked her down to ask for the check.
El Torito - IrvineResponded on May 24, 2026
We're sorry to hear about your experience. We apologize for the long waits, the delayed and incorrect drinks (including the Scotch old fashioned and the Tajín rims that were salted), and for the noise from table reconfiguring and chair scraping. We appreciate you telling us these details. We hope you might visit again.
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A
Angela Gold
Unspecified8 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 17, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great place to get a home cooked meal Service was on point
El Torito - IrvineResponded on May 21, 2026
Thank you for the kind words! We're glad you enjoyed a home-cooked meal and that the service was on point. We appreciate you taking the time to share this. We look forward to welcoming you back for another comforting meal soon.
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A
Angela Gold
Unspecified8 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 16, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food and service Fajitas shrimp was delicious so was the jalapeño cucumber margarita
El Torito - IrvineResponded on May 17, 2026
Thank you for the lovely review! We're so glad you enjoyed the shrimp fajitas and the jalapeño cucumber margarita. It means a lot to our team that both the food and the service hit the mark. We appreciate you taking the time to share this, and we hope to welcome you back soon for another great meal.
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L
Lesly Gold
Los Angeles9 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 16, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was great my server was very attentive i had an amazing time
El Torito - IrvineResponded on May 24, 2026
We are very happy to hear that you enjoyed your visit with us and that service was amazing. Looking forward to see you back
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a
adele
Orange County4 reviews
2.0
Dined on May 10, 2026
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
It really wasn’t anyone at the restaurant fault, but El Torito recently closed two locations in Orange County and told everyone with reservations to go to the one in Irvine so you can imagine how crowded it was, and then our 1145 reservation made us wait until almost 1 o’clock till we finally got a table, and then a lot of food not available. You had to wait until they made more. They would bring the meat out not fully cooked have to take it back. I waited like 1520 minutes for a waffle that my mom wanted, not like the Mother’s Day that we’ve had in the past there, But again not the restaurant fault that El Torito corporation did that to them, our server tried to do the best he can to keep up with everything, but it was a mess, and on top of that we found out that this Irvine El Torito will be closing on the 30th
El Torito - IrvineResponded on May 11, 2026
Hello Adele, I would like to sincerely apologize for the unfortunate experience you had at our restaurant. This does not reflect the level of service and hospitality we strive to provide to our guests. We would greatly appreciate the opportunity to make this right. I will send you my email Privately. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention, and we hope to have the chance to restore your confidence in us. Best Regards, Karolina Torrez
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Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mexican
Hours of operation
Brunch: Sunday: 9:00am - 2:00pm; Lunch: Monday - Saturday: 11:00am - 3:00pm; Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 3:00pm - 10:00pm, Friday & Saturday: 3:00pm - 11:00pm, Sunday: 2:00pm-10:00pm
Phone number
(949) 833-8230
Website
https://www.eltorito.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Catering
Bring the flavor of El Torito to your office or off-site event! We can accommodate groups from 10 to 10,000 and everything in between! Enjoy Taco Bars, Fajita Bars, Enchilada Bars & much more. Order online or call 1-888-TORTILLA. https://www.eltorito.com/catering/
Private party facilities
Show your friends, family, and co-workers how to throw a real party. Book one of our rooms, patios, or semi-private dining areas for your next celebration, event, or meeting. Choose from Plated Menus, Buffet Menus or Mix & Match your favorite individual Trays. Inquire online or call 1-888-TORTILLA. https://www.eltorito.com/private-events/
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Location
18512 Mac Arthur Blvd., Irvine, CA 92612
Neighborhood
Irvine
Parking details
Public Lot
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.