El Toreo Cafe

Talk about real Mexican food!!! This is the place you want to eat. The food is made with fresh ingredients from their own local garden. The sauces are amazingly spiced that you will continue to ask for more. The staff’s hospitality is true to the Mexican culture: FRIENDLY with a family feel. Thank you Nicky for making us feel like a part of the El Toreo family .

We had some pretty great birria tacos (with guac, rice and beans) and chicken enchiladas -- and at a great price, especially for Old Pasadena.

Wow, what a great find! The food here was fantastic, so many options. Great service too, server was very friendly. The chips, salsa, and some extra bowl of another delicious dip were amazing and were just what we needed to quell the hunger while our mains were being prepared.

Amazing Authentic Mexican Food . Finger licking delicious. Salsa in one of kind. Great Service.

Amazing is all I can describe this place had the beef enchilada last night and today the birria taco .,. Mind blown

10/10 we were in from Pittsburgh for the Rose Bowl and Carlos was incredible, his cooks and employee Matthew showed us such hospitality. Legit the best authentic Mexican food we’ve ever experienced. If you sleep on this place you’re missing out.

What a cute little place, right in old town! The food was delicious, affordable and our waiter was so kind. I appreciate how the chef honored all my weird requests (burrito with no tortilla or rice, on top of veggies) and came up with a beautiful plate for me. I will definitely be back.

Decent spot for lunch in old town Pasadena. Food was good and served hot. Chips and salsa were nice. Service was a bit gruff but was timely. Worth a stop if you are in the mood for Mexican grub in Old Town.

Delicious! I came for birria tacos from OTMC. Stayed for don rauls special! It was def more full and hot the day I went in, but service was good, chips and salsa came fast. The green was less spicy. I liked the chips. Added some lime to them. I did a beef crispy taco, chicken enchilada and carnitas burrito. Rice was PHENOMENAL, beans were delicious too. The birria tacos and consommé was so so good! I'd never put cucumber in my taco but I definitely would again! The beef taco was also very flavorful. The relleno was well done too!!! The enchilada was ok, between the guacamole, enchilada and I wasn't a fan of how the carnitas was in the burrito, the the salsa was just ok, I took off 1 star. But foods definitely delicious. I read about Jason, and he came by my rabid and talked to me. Introduced me to the other owner as well. I'm horrible with names and forgot his (sorry guy!) but he told me I should follow them to hear about upcoming specials. They're gonna do short ribs, birria ramen, and I believe he said oxtails would be used too (but don't quote me!) I loved the fact that they introduced themselves, despite my poor memory, how flavorful the food was, and it just had a vibe that reminded me of places in my hometown. Jason said if I showed my review next time in, I'll get a free guac. It just didn't do it for me though, my guac is def better lol. All in all, great experience. Authentic food, polite service and I will be back! I never knew it was there, I definitely slept on them, but won't be doing that anymore! You won't be sorry!

Me and coworkers went out for drinks after work and had dinner at another place across the street. We were not satisfied and decided to pop in for 1 beer. The place is cozy and not too busy. But we want to support local businesses, especially long established ones who now have to fight the big new restaurants like cheesecake factory. The staff read super friendly, attentive and always ready to assist. The owner prepared super nachos, guacamole dip and chips and salsa. Food was amazing! Wish we stopped here first. Going back With our other coworkers real soon. Thank you El Toreo!

I live in Pasadena and work two blocks from El Toreo Cafe. Didn't even know it was here! I went over and ordered the Carnitas burrito ala cart. Comes with complementary chips, pico, and onions and cilantro. Dude, this carnitas burrito was huge and only cost $12.07 out the door. Comes with rice, beans, cheese, onions and cilantro inside. Will definitely be back! Shout out to Jason for the great customer service. Not sure what these people are talking about with the one or two star reviews, this place is great!

Quaint, cozy restaurant with years of history. Our server was so kind and welcoming, and the food was DELICIOUS. My boyfriend said they were the best birria tacos he's ever had, and everything reminded him of his Nana. I also loved the guacamole and how fresh it tasted. We want to come back but are wondering if they are still open? We would love to come again.

I think they've shut down their business, there were newspaper taped to the windows and door was closed during business hours.

Came here bc I found this through OTM and I was making a delivery nearby. Parking took a while to find on the street but that's bc I was driving a big delivery van. Awesome little spot! I had 2 birria queso tacos that were delicious!! Tender birria and melty cheese dipped in the consomé was great! Their fresh in house made chips and salsa was great as well, perfect amount of heat. Met the owner (Jason) and he was super inviting and chill to talk to. My server Nikki was also very nice and cheerful. Great service and food! Not from the area but next time I'm in town I'll definitely stop by

I stopped in for a quick snack today, and got 1 carne asada taco. I was given complimentary chips with two salsas, and my taco came with homemade potato chips. I had a great experience and will be back to try the carnitas :)

THE LANDMARK EL TOREO CAFE IN OLD TOWN PASADENA HAS REOPENED ... BUT 3-9-22 The El Toreo Cafe opened on Fair Oaks Ave, 100 feet south of Colorado Blvd. in 1947. Two years ago, COVID forced its closure & I thought it was gone forever. It's not. The original family of owners sold it during the pandemic. The new owners kept much of the original flavor: The brown booths, the original sign out front ... and best of all, those huge posters they've had since at least the early 60s of Aztecs, and Mexico City - and of our presidents, the then-current one at the time in a big pic in the center: JFK! SADLY, their legendary amazingly hot & oh-so flavorful green-based salsa has been totally gringo-ized: It has zero heat ... and zero flavor! In fact, they now make it without any chilies - NONE. NOT ONE! This is for tourists out from Iowa & Nebraska. AND the awesome chips they used to make have been replaced by cutsy green & red colored chips. Tourist chips. THE FINAL INSULT: 48 years ago, in 1974, the longest-serving waitress (server) taught me how to drink Tecate beer with lemon & salt - out of a can! 40 years later, on separate occasions, that same gal taught my friends how to do it! ALAS, she's gone - and so are Tecates in a can! Boo! You do NOT drink Tecates con limon y sal out of a bottle! This wonderful, sacred ritual MUST be accomplished out of a can. UNLESS the new owners also make their magical hotter n hell green based salsa WITH chilies & with their former good old fashioned homemade brown corn chip, washed with A CAN of Tecate with lemon & salt you put on top of the can, on the lip ... THEN our beloved El Toreo Cafe will indeed be a happy memory, like the long-gone Burger Continental on Lake Ave in Pasadena & Tokyo Lobby in the now-gone Lucky shopping center on Las Tunas in San Gabriel - and a bunch of really great eateries that are no longer here.

I'm so conflicted..I waited outside because theres no ramp for a wheelchair user to enter. And I could pop a wheelie but it's still super high..I was patient I even paid with cash because there POS system was not working..when I opened my food it was literally rice beans and a OVER EASY egg. I paid 12$ for what I thought was chorizo? And to top it off the rice and beans were cold. So not chorizo? And not wheelchair accessible

Pasadena local here and sad to say I had never been here until today. What a mistake ! My girlfriend and I had an incredible experience. The move is the carnitas or birria- you won't be sorry, it transported me to my nana and papas dinner table. It was THAT good. Everything came out hot and fresh. Salsas were on point. I guess you don't exist for 50 years by having bad food lol Carlos, the manager, was so friendly and genuine. He chatted us up and recommended what to get. Made us feel comfortable like we were in someone's home. I think a lot of places try and create what El Toreo organically possesses. Excellent food, fantastic service, great vibe. El Toreo reminded us why we love restaurants. We will be coming back again and again.

It's a little hole in the wall that's bigger than it looks from the outside. The booths were clean and comfortable. Our server was really nice to us and made us feel welcome. The carne asada burrito was amazing and more than enough to feed two people. It's a massive burrito so be prepared to bring home leftovers. The tortillas chips were good too even without the salsa.

Stopped in for a lunch and enjoyed the food. No A/C in the dining room so it was a bit too hot for comfort. Food was well prepared and served hot. Service was fast but not very friendly. Prices are reasonable, especially for Old Town Pasadena.

Food is ok, not great. The service was great. My only issue is that it is too dark and it needs deep cleaning it smells like urine.

Came to try the birria ramen on a cloudy day. It was good and would come back for it. They were playing the Mexico game so it was pretty fun. The waitress was super friendly.

Have been eating here for 10+ years and never left a review...so here goes. We ate here today and it was just ok. They have new ownership and the service and food have both suffered. First, the server who greeted us was rude. She put in my order even though I only asked if they had potato tacos because I didn't see them on the menu. Then when my wife asked for waters she brought only 1 with no straws. She did bring another when asked. She then brought 2 Modelos with no glasses even though other tables had glasses. Oh well, I guess she just needs practice. Now the food. The chips and salsa were just ok, a little watery and not much kick. The carnitas tacos were not very good although my potato tacos were better than average. The beans and rice were not good at all. The beans were covered with cheese and the rice was sticky. One of our ways to judge a Mexican restaurant is by the quality of the salsa and the beans. Neither here was anything to write home about. It's sad that we have lost another of our 'go to' eating places but we probably won't be back. Try it if you must..you may think differently.

Food was good and arrival quickly. I ordered cheese quesadilla. My wife ordered 3 taquitos . Everything is fresh. Good customer service. Great place for lunch date with wife.

Always love chicken molé enchiladas here! It's a spot you would miss even walking by but you'd be remiss to pass it! Definitely go in. Small, family owned, good food. Anytime I'm near Pasadena I make a point to stop in.

Came in for lunch and had just a great meal. Had the two hard tacos plate one beef and one chicken and both were awesome. They also have this cilantro salsa that was the bomb. They remodeled the place from what i last remember and the new decor and layout is very welcoming. Will be my go to spot for great Mexican food in old town.

This restaurant has been here since the 40s! Great hole in wall Mexican food. First time here , at lunch on a Sunday.. not crowded, mostly regulars.. we felt we were eating at a friends house. Very friendly staff, food tastes like my mother in law made it. Started off with comp. chips and salsa, 2 salsas, one traditional pico de gallo, other interesting tasty salsa made with green onions, jalapeño and maybe lime. I wanted Pacifico on tap. They were out, settled for Modelo. Had to wash our hands, given a key , bathroom is out thru the kitchen, in to a alley turn right open the green door. Told you . Hole in the wall.. Actually clean bathroom in a alley. :) I had chili verde w/ beans and rice. Delicious! All tasted freshly made, perfect green sauce., I ordered menudo, to take home. Delicious. Only they didn't give me onion, cilantro, oregano like most places do, but had it for dinner .. delicious. Wife had huevos ranchero, she devoured it. Also got Aguachile, which was freshly made. Delicious fresh veggies along with shrimp in zesty lime / jalapeño juice. So good. Prices are actually cheap for Pasadena . The service was great. The girl helping us was great. 4 large screen tvs, playing the dodger game. We definitely will be back.

I had a chicken and beef taco combo and the meat on both was bad. The worst was the red and green salsas with chips. We couldn't eat them! I looked at the family across from us and they looked like they were experiencing the same. Won't be going there again. Stale food.

Delicious and authentic food and friendly service! We had menudo and birria and it was excellent. One of the few cute and cozy "hole in the wall" restaurants in the area. 10/10.

Worst Mexican food I've ever had. Ordered a chicken taco. It was so plain, had tomatoes and lettuce which is not authentic. Chicken burrito was flavorless. Find something else to eat.

This place is amazing the food, portion size, and price are all great. It wasn't crowded at all which is surprising considering how good everything was! I had the Don Raul Special that included beef that was delicious and melted in my mouth. If you are in downtown Pasedena I highly recommend this hole in the wall!

I've lived in Pasadena since 2014 and somehow just finally came here. I wish I had come way earlier! The food is great and can't be beat for the price. Our server was very attentive and friendly. You can tell this is a family owned business which makes it even better to support. Go and get the Guadalajara taco!

Birria cheese tacos! Amazing food, great service, loved the michiladas, one of the best chili rellenos I've ever had.

A decent spot for some authentic Mexican food if it's not to go. I found the price to be a little steep for my quick little take out order and not worth the $11 for the burrito I got. It's a small little establishment with a homey feel, not your average taqueria. Here you can sit down and be waited on which can be nice. I had the Chile Colorado "El Toreo" burrito and although I asked for it dry, it came out wet. I found the entire burrito to be the same flavor. Basically soaked in a red sauce that strongly resembled enchilada sauce out of a can, and lacking spice. It was plentiful in meat, which tasted delicious in the moments the sauce didn't overwhelm the bite. Nice texture and big chunks, but way too wet for me with that sauce... one other complaint was someone put ranch dressing on my shredded lettuce and guacamole....kind of ruined the authentic taste and burrito and reminded me of a ranch Dorito chip. Parking is scarce but up the block you can find public parking at $1 every 20 min.

Probably the worst Mexican food that I've experienced! This place used to be great authentic dishes my an elderly coupe but I guess they it after pandemic and I was fooled to give it a try and what a big mistake. Service us awful and food taste stale! Stay away from this place if you care about hour health and money!

Group of 5 came in for lunch. Loved the atmosphere and the food. Staff was great had the Beef Tacos.

Nice mom and pop style joint. I tried the crane asada quesadilla special just before closing time on Friday night. The grandmotherly server brought my a basket of chips and two types of salsa to start. I think the salsas were chipotle and green onion based. QUESADILLA- It was loaded with cheese and carne asada. It was maybe like a half an inch thick and was made freshly. The center of the plate came loaded with a thick, dense helping of sour cream and guacamole, on top of a small bed of chopped lettuce. The entire dish came out to be roughly $10 after tax and tip. I quite enjoyed it!

If I can give this place no star, I would. The service was so terrible and the OWNER himself was racist to my family and I. We wanted to support their grand opening as we saw it on Aaron Sanchez's Instagram page and we're already close by. We got there at around 230pm when the event was supposed to start at 3pm so we can get our wristbands and get a table. Around 250pm, a guy came out to take photos and we asked them what time it will open. They just mentioned that it will actually happen across the street and inside it's just going to be Aaron and the mayor first. So we went across the street and after buying our wristbands the lady told us we were actually good to go on the other side (main restaurant) so we went our way over there just to get kicked out by the owner because he said the mayor will have to go there and it's already packed and we can just go later and told us to go back to the bar across the street. So we went back and the lady and the guy who was working the tacos said that we should just go during the ribbon cutting. About an hour later the ribbon cutting started so we headed back over there. When they are finally letting people in, when it was our turn to go, THE OWNER HIMSELF PUT HIS ARMS OUT AND BASICALLY DID NOT LET US IN AND LET EVERY WHITE PERSON BEHIND/AROUND US AND SAID "WE'RE FULL CAPACITY" whilst still letting people in. It was SUPER disrespectful for someone to especially who went out of their way and BOUGHT four wristbands for $80 to support YOUR business and got NOTHING out of it.

Old school since 1959. I love this old relic because it's like walking into a time warp. They bring complimentary chips and salsa, but the three different salsas are not good. We ordered a bean & cheese burrito and a chicken dorado taco which both plates come with a simple side salad. The beans most likely came from a can, they also need a better quality flour tortilla. The taco was decent but it wasn't white meat as the waitress had stated when we ordered it. There's room for improvement but I suggest the cook head down to ELA and get some kitchen tips for a more successful outcome. I want this place to survive the ever changes atmosphere of Old Town.

Came for the grand opening with the new owners, and wow, soooo gooood! The event was great, but the food is what will bring me back! The fish ceviche was on point, the chili relleno was very good too. Great location, authentic Mexican food, friendly staff, can't wait to visit again.

My partner and I have been seeking out an authentic Mexican restaurant. We have been gravely disappointed time and time again. A lot of places are just trendy and lack in flavor. This place was beyond our expectations (and the prices are just right). Especially after reading some iffy reviews. I am not a person who writes reviews often, but I have to let the community know of this place. Especially since it's a mom and pop shop. First we were greeted by a super friendly waitress, she brought us chips and salsa. Salsas were delicious and she brought us a spicier one too. I ordered cheese enchiladas plate with rice and beans . My fiancé ordered a birria taco and a Chile verde burrito Mojado or "wet". Let's just say there was nothing left on our plates. You can always tell how good a Mexican restaurant is by their salsas, rice and beans and this place did not disappoint. Not to mention the decor is super cute and reminded me of some aspects of my home growing up. My partner and I can't wait to come back !

We came across this place by accident, not realizing it was a hidden gem. Carlos greeting us like we were life long customers & made us feel very welcome. The shrimp taco were awesome kudos to chief. Overall the food was great& the serves was awesome. Come check them out. Definitely we'll be back

This place is literally a hole in the wall and such an amazing find! I grew up hanging out in old town and have never known this place to exist. In fact, I seriously would not have found the front door if I had not called my friend who was already inside to guide me. When I was looking for this place from the sidewalk, there was no signage that I could easily see so it was hard to find. It's a door, right next to Wokcano FYI for anyone else feeling like Harry Potter trying to look for Platform 9 3/4. I ordered cocido, beef stew with vegetables and comes with your choice of tortillas for about $10. It was AMAZING...SO GOOD!! I also tried my friend's menudo which looks and tastes pretty much the same as my MIL's...DELICIOUS! Another friend ordered a taco and maybe an enchilada and said her meal was just okay. I'm definitely coming back to try other items on the menu. And can I rave how unbelievably CLEAN the restroom was? To get to the restrooms, you have to go through the kitchen into a trash alley (stinky), and so you're going to think the restrooms are crappy gas station quality but oh nooooo... it was freaking SPOTLESS and CLEAN! If the wonderful lady who runs the place can keep her restrooms clean, it makes me feel so much more comfortable eating from her kitchen. I will be back. Parking: free street parking on weeknights after 8pm but please read the signs. There's also a parking garage across the street that's free for the first 90 mins

This place is definitely a hidden gem worth checking out. Their food is amazing! We happened to stumble upon this place by accident while scoping out places to eat. The inside isn't too fancy but that's how you know it's gonna be GOOD! The owner (the female I'm assuming) is extremely sweet and hospitable. She told us she's been there for 80 years! Holy cow! The food was amazing! We had the Chile verde burrito which was smothered in sauce and cheese! UGHHHHH YUM! The flavors were great and the burrito itself definitely was not stingy. I could barely finish half. But leftovers for lunch? Why not! We will definitely be back and back again for our fix of Mexican food!

Wow! What a delicious meal! I had a birria Taco and it was fantastic. The consomé was superb and complemented the beef taco perfectly. The staff was incredibly kind as well and made me feel very welcome inside. A great experience! A strong recommend from me!

We were so excited to walk into El Toreo under their awesome neon sign. And they delivered on the best food as well as the best neon in Pasadena. Carlos was so kind and attentive. We had the special (short ribs) on his recommendation and he even let me mix in carnitas to my chilaquiles. The best dish there! The chilaquiles sauce was the best I've had! Truly want to make this our regular spot! See you soon!

Friendly staff and family oriented! The birria tacos are the best! The ipa was flavorful and inexpensive.

Well after an unsuccessful attempt of trying to eat at Copa Vida, I decided to take a stroll and landed on El Toreo. The first thing that caught my attention about this restaurant is that it had that old school Mexican restaurant feel. Dining Room: Nothing special, a few pictures on the wall with about 12 tables or so in the entire dining room. Menu: The menu had a wide selection of options; as well they a few specials that were offered as well. Service: The service was spot on; as no one else was in the restaurant beside one other table. They were very quick bringing drinks, and the food to the table. Food: I reallly wanted to like this place, but meh at best. First, the chips that are served with three different salsas tasted very stale, as they tasted as they been sitting for a while. My entree I ordered the special Shrimp Enchiladas which presentation was amazing as it was your classic old Mexican food.. A HUGE PORTION! The taste was good, but not amazing! The shrimp was very small, so it tasted as if I was eating more of a cheese enchilada then a shrimp enchilada. Overall, food was just ok at best, probably would not return.

Was in the area and noticed this place brought the family and gave it a try it was well worth it , the food is amazing service was great and inviting, drinks are good and the price is good for the quality of food you get portions are good as well . A must try

Oh my gosh. How have we not know about this gem in Pasadena until now. It was soooooo good. And some Mexican beers you dont usually find. Prices were very reasonable. Service excellent. Portions generous. Food amazing.

Food was best. Best Horta tacos I ever had! Service was great. Food came out fast and mood was really great! Ambiance was the best. I highly recommend!

Food and service are amazing. Try the birria it's top notch The service was nice and Brenda helped us with choosing items. I also tried the Pozole which was awesome. As well! Great local spot for authentic Mexican food.

The food was delicious and fresh. The enchiladas, the mole, and the agua chiles were fire. I will be coming back to taste other dishes on the menu.

One of the worst restaurants I have EVER BEEN TO the birria tacos are so disgusting and soggy for 6 birria tacos 38 dollars it's not worth going here

The food is so delicious it is like your eating at your grandma's house. Prices are great and you are satisfied with every bite

Really excellent Mexican food. The food here is really fresh and so delicious, highly recommended.

Delicious Mexican favorites, very friendly staff; I'm glad this place it open again. Very quaint and affordable little restaurant in an area where there is lots of pricey restaurants; I highly recommend this establishment