Toro Kitchen + Bar

Amazing Paella and Delicious Food! We had an incredible experience at this Spanish restaurant. We tried the paella, and it was absolutely wonderful – full of flavor and perfectly cooked. The food overall was very tasty, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. Highly recommend for anyone who loves authentic Spanish cuisine!

I was hoping for more. Everything I had was good, but not great. I asked for my steak to be medium rare, was served rare. I sent it back and they just put the steak back on grill and ended overcooking it. The bacon wrapped dates was my favorite dish. Overpriced in my opinion.

This is my absolute favorite restaurant in the San Antonio area. They paella de carne is an absolute must. It’s great! The flavor, colours, live music, the garden! Everything works in this place! And then after visiting you can go to cellar an enjoy some Latino music!

This place is a complete disappointment. Anyone leaving positive reviews here has clearly never been to Spain or tasted real Spanish food. The dishes are bland, overpriced, and absolutely miss the mark. The paella was a disaster the rice was way too al dente, and they just threw two half-cooked shrimp on top. For that, they charge $40. That’s insane. The “salad” was literally a giant plate of quinoa with two lonely pieces of pepper. The jamón was nothing special at all the kind you’d pay 1 euro for in Spain. And forget about the little Spanish touches no complimentary tapas, no bread, nothing that even remotely feels authentic. When I asked the waitress if the chef was from Spain, she said yes, but honestly, I don’t believe it for a second. No one who’s truly experienced Spanish cuisine could ruin paella this badly. On top of that, the menu was dirty, with fingerprints all over it. How can a restaurant with these prices hand out filthy menus? Absolutely disgusting. Terrible experience overall. Don’t waste your time, don’t waste your money, and never come here.

I’m so glad I accidentally discovered this spot while walking downtown. The service was truly exceptional and the food was so delicious. I also loved the decor and ambiance. Good music! Below is my rating on the goods I tried: *Octopus ceviche: 4/5 - very flavorful and well prepped just a little salty *Shrimp & Chorizo Montadito: 5/5 *Pay de Queso (Cheesecake): 5/5 - hands down best I’ve had *Paella Marinera: 4/5 - great flavors but needs more protein

I went in yesterday because it was across the street from where I was staying to watch the fireworks. I didn't know what kind of restaurant it was. I was asked whether we had reservations, I did not but they sat me anyways. I sat there for about 10 minutes before I was even acknowledged, the server took my drink order. I waited probably another 20 minutes and I still hadn't gotten my drink. Another couple walked in, were seated promptly and the server went to their table immediately. I walked out. Shouldn't judge people. I'm assuming because I was dressed very casually the server didn't want to wait on me. I was excited to try paella because I've never had it. And I'm a great tipper.

The food and ambiance at Toro truly delighted in every way. I enjoyed the well made drinks and above par service also. The paella brought home top honors in my opinion - a pleasant surprise for a San Antonio based restaurant. The owners Mexican/Spanish heritage shined through in the complexity and richness of the menu offerings here. If you're in San Antonio for any reason, you must experience Toro. Please follow and find more of my recommendations on Instagram/TikTok @nickeatzworld

This location is so cozy and nice. The food is so good and tasty real Spanish dishes, the paella, Morcilla and tapas delicious flavors. The live music complete the Spanish experience. Great customer service.

Came to eat here with family, and wasn't expecting to be so impressed. I'm not a picky eater, but I spent 5 years overseas being super close with a Spanish community. The food here was the first time I've had the chance to taste certain flavors I haven't had since living there, so much so it made me cry. And then 3 musicians walked in and started playing legitimate Flamenco music (I asked for a guajiras and they were so lovely and played it so beautifully)! What a comforting experience.

We stopped for some drink super early in the day. The vibe was good. It was nice a cool, the drinks were refreshing. It's pricey but this isn't like a dive bar... it's classy. We sat at the bar, and the bartender was following the receipts to the drinks so everything was delicious. If youre picky, this might not be the best decision, but I'm sure you'll find at least one thing you'll like.

Toro is a regular fave. I could absolutely live on the fried Goat cheese with honey and the Carajillo cocktails for dessert!! The ambiance is fabulous and the servers are always super attentive. Be prepared if you are ordering the paella, perfection takes time. Go before you're starving! Our fave is to order tapas a few at a time until we're full. It's like a Texas tour of Spain via your taste buds!

I have visited both this downtown location and their location at La Cantera and loved both. I would suggest visiting the downtown location for the unique feel of the restaurant with its exposed brick walls and display of wines. I have had more tapas than I'd care to count, and cannot say enough good things about them. The buy 2 get 1 tapa Tuesday is a great way to spend a Tuesday afternoon or evening with friends. Pair it with their red or white sangria and it's a wonderful social experience. I personally love the datiles al tocino & queso, panela 43, champinones lugo, and queso al horno. We have had their squid ink paella, which was delicious, albeit a bit on the salty side. The color is a deep black and provides this intriguing plating visual as you eat. The bottom layer of rice has that great crispy texture and the shrimp and squid were super tasty. The service was good at the downtown location; we had visited on a weekday morning where there was only 1 server with a few guests present so there was naturally a wait. However the service at the La Cantera location was fantastic! I can't recommend trying Toro enough.

I had such high hopes for Toro Kitchen + Bar but it seems through a series of mishaps it became a less than stellar experience. To start off some of the positives were it was easy and convenient to make a reservation through the Yelp app. Also the drinks here are top-notch. I enjoyed a Manhattan and my husband loved his mojito. It was a busy Saturday evening and we were seated outside. It was a beautiful night and there was a live band playing in the courtyard across from us. We ordered right away since we had Gov't Mule tickets next-door at the Espee and knew it would take awhile for the Paella to be prepared. What we didn't anticipate was an hour and a half and that included waiting for our appetizer. We ordered the Queso al Horno and after 45 min our waitress came out and told us they still haven't started our appetizer and would we like another choice on the house. I thought that a nice gesture and we ordered the Panela 43. It was ok but cheese was cold like it was sitting out for too long. I do understand a busy Saturday night things can get hectic but nothing other than the drinks were right. Finally after 90 min our paella came out with our original appetizer. Why did it take 90 min for a cheese appetizer to come out is beyond me and other than our server coming over once to say things were taking longer we were pretty much ignored. It was busy but it wasn't slammed. There were still empty tables outside that sat empty the entire time we were there. The Queso al Horno was a disappointment. Instead of crustini breads that come with it we got like 5 paper thin crackers which could barely hold or scoop the cheese. Unfortunately the main dish, the paella ended up being the worst part. Salty to the point it ruined the flavor of the rice and seasoning. The portion was laughable. 2 shrimp? 2 small mussels? A few sausage pieces the size and thickness of dimes? For $40? I've been to Spain twice and paella is loaded with goodies and the flavors complement each other. I've never walked away from a meal with paella hungry until tonight. Also no crustini or breads came with our paella which seemed to be standard for everyone else. I don't know if we forgotten but I'm not willing to try again. There's too many other choice in San Antonio and nothing at Toro other than the drinks wowed me.

Toro Kitchen is a gem! Their tapas are bursting with flavor and their cocktails are simply divine. A must-visit spot for anyone craving a culinary adventure. Great staff, very friendly. Very interesting, and classy vibes to dine in.

Our experience at Toro Kitchen and Bar was an amazing blend of wonderful service, lovely ambience and amazing and flavorful food. The Paella was a perfect blend of savory flavors and the other plates we ordered were a great compliment to pair with it. All of the servers recommendations were wonderfully flavorful and perfectly cooked. I highly recommend Toro Kitchen for an authentic Spanish dining experience.

Friendly waitress. Spanish tapas is def not a San Antonio, TX places one would associate with. But we've been to Spain and like tapas & paellas. Also wanted our little kiddo and grandma to try something different. All the tapas were super salty. Paellas was very good. Would've given them 4 stars, except the minor subpar experience in which we were asked: "you want more bread to soak up those sauces" and we said: "oh yeah, sure". Not expecting that they would actually charge us for it.

Cool vibe, loved the music and low lighting. The menu offers a lot with vegetarian, pescatarian options. We ordered a few tapas from their HH menu and a pitcher of sangria. The papas bravas were crispy and had a nice salsa to dip in. We also had the pulpo frituro (fried octopus) not on HH and didn't think it was worth the price. It was pretty chewy. We ordered a classic paella, which comes with chorizo, chicken, shrimp, mussels. I DID enjoy however, it is very salty so just be prepared for that. We sat in the "private" wine room after making a reservation for our anniversary. Servers came in 5+ times grabbing bottles, reaching over us, and one even almost dropped one on our table and just giggled and walked away awkwardly. It's definitely a weird set up. Our server was nice, attentive, and apologetic that we had so many interruptions.. we prob won't request a private area next time since it was probably the opposite of private and quite annoying that people were reaching over our heads for bottles for other customers lol

The seafood paella was absolutely amazing! It was paired with the sangria. That was also amazing! Service was great establishment is beautiful!

The inside of this restaurant is so cute, definitely reminded me of when I was in Spain. We tried some tapas and got the squid ink paella, and both were delicious! Only thing I would note was that the squid ink paella was a bit on the salty side, but it was still delicious nonetheless. We got the small paella and split it between me and my boyfriend, and that plus three tapas was a good amount of food for us.

This is a neighborhood favorite! I love meeting up with friends here for the great food, drinks, and relaxed atmosphere. The service is usually pretty friendly and prompt as well.

If a good friend was visiting and he just wanted me to take him to 1 restaurant. This would be on the list of candidates. I would also take a date. Toro is an amazing restaurant with very authentic Spanish tapas and paella. I've never had a bad dish there. If you are getting a paella I would order that first as it takes a bit longer. End the night with a carajillo and you won't be disappointed. Service is slow but not in a bad way. similar to what you would expect in other countries. They tend to let you enjoy your food and it will be on the longer side in terms of time spent there. Spending longer here won't be a problem though, the ambiance is very cute. And there are live performances every now and then.

I know we were just at Toro but we went to the downtown location with family! We arrived a bit early so we enjoyed a cocktail before our table was ready. The Gin Bar selection was intriguing so I went with the one with cucumber and Hendrix! So refreshing. The bar and restaurant are small, but we are in downtown San Antonio where historic buildings are being renovated to offer us amazing dining experiences. At the table, We started with the chef's board. The Ibeico and Serrano Hams on the same plate secured my opinion that Iberico Jamon is superior! There was a great selection of olives, cheeses and salamis as well. Of course we did Tapas and wine, all amazing but they were flying out so fast I did not have time for pics with my family reaching! we ordered the Toro Paella and it was perfect. Ulysses took amazing care of us and ensured we did not run out of food or wine. Honestly have fallen in love with Toro. I guess I have to try the last location to celebrate my birthday in February!

Outstanding music, food, and wine. Convenient walk from River Walk and downtown hotels.

Based on the reviews and food pictures, I expect it will be a nice lunch. Unfortunately, the taste didn't match my expectation. Grilled beef is not that tender since it's not from filet mignon, baked scallop with peppers and cheese is okay, but this small plate will cost you over $30. We also ordered small size paella with sea food only, it's freshly cooked, but the portion of the seafood is small, mostly rice and green beans. And it was too salty for me. The atmosphere and service is great, looks like a place you can hang out with friends. For people who are looking for great food, you can pass this one. It looks good but not tasty in your mouth.

Delicious food and friendly service. We came for lunch and ordered the garlic octopus and I had a Mediterranean salad. The octopus was borderline chewy but the flavor was absolutely delicious. My salad was fresh with large shrimp and a lot of citrus notes. I'm glad there was only 2 diced olives so it didn't overpower the delicious dish. Would recommend!

The ambiance, sangria, and tapas are all you need to have a great experience here. Our server was so well versed with the menu and incredibly patient and helpful. The Queso Cabra Frito (fried goat cheese) melts in your mouth. The Queso Al Horno had the most incredible basil flavoring and came in a much larger portion than the goat cheese. The octopus was tender and the garlic oil it was in was sooooo yummy. However the paella (which they claimed was the best in SA) was so salty and sad we had to send it back. It was $34 for a skillet of rice with just a few pieces of sea food sprinkled on top. It was not even edible, sadly. The server said the chef tasted it and agreed it was horrible, so hopefully it was just an off night. So in my opinion stick to the tapas! They do not disappoint!

The people are so kind and we're very nice. The atmosphere is great and the two private rooms they have look amazing. The selection of cured ham is unique and far better than you would find elsewhere. I am a bit of a pulpo snob, and while good it was a bit tougher than would allow for an all out 5. The Camerones were good, but I feel they could use an aoli drizzle or a little extra acid. Small criticisms for a place I highly recommend if you are in the area. The other offerings in town feel too corporate and ordinary, this place feels real and the diners felt like locals that came because they know where the food was authentic and the people were true to themselves. If you have never tried the Spanish liquor 43, please do yourself a favor. The mild sweet flavor was a nice ending. As I didn't know what to expect, I had it on the rocks, but I think it would be fine neat. I am not sure when my path will bring me back to San Antonio, but Toro would be a reason to return.

I went for my birthday this year and it was so delicious the food and desserts and service was amazing.

The food at this Spanish restaurant is quite authentic and tasty. I was there on a culinary tour and they served us about 80% of the menu items. The Jamon selection alone was very impressive from jamon iberico, to Belota jamon, each featherweight slice was unctuous and packed with flavor. Their paella was very good, but some of us wished that there was more succarat, or pan crust. A host of "montaditos" were served, these are little bread slices mounted with things like steak and morecilla (blood sausage) with some piquillo peppers.,there were stuffed peppers, there was a quinoa salad with tiny bits of diced cucumbers & tomatoes that was very tasty. Everything they served us including the cocktails were fantastic. I highly recommend this outstanding outpost of Spanish cuisine.

We had tapas, and I was so pleasantly surprised! The food wasn't just good - it was decadent! We had the mushrooms with Spanish chorizo, the steak tapas, the scallops with truffles and Parmesan cheese, and fried goat cheese drizzled with honey. We couldn't resist trying dessert - we just couldn't stop eating the Torrijas, a decadent, slightly less sweet Spanish version of tres leches. It was Saturday night, so they had a live Spanish classical guitar trio that really set the mood. This one is absolutely worth coming up from the River Walk to street level for!

Definitely one of my favorite spots downtown. If it's not for the Spanish acoustic music then what else. Oh yeah. The food. The tapas are great. EVERYTIME I go I say I'm going to get the paella's but I'm never that hungry. Definitely great service always. What can I say. It's always a great time and you would enjoy it.

Amazing tapas, live entertainment and drinks. Not much more to say than that. Great place for date night or to impress out of town visitors

Toro's food and service is amazing. This place is great for a date night. Service is attentive during down periods but occasionally takes a moment to come and check the table. The food is amazing. We've had a variety of the tapas. My personal favourite is the Queso al Horno and the Huevos Rotos. The tablado del chef is a good mix of meats and cheeses that's good with a sangria. The toro paella is also delicious, very filling as well.

One of my favorite places in the Downtown area. The Paellas are big enough for two to share. My friend and I came here and ordered the smaller portion of Seafood Paella. It was big enough to fill both of our bellies and some to take home. I do recommend coming early if you're an octopus lover like myself, they tend to run out of the Pulpo Galleo. The ambiance transfers you over to Spain with lowly dimmed lights, music, and a display of their wines and cured meats. The service was extraordinary, the waiter was well versed about the menu and let us know that paella does tend to take longer to prepare.

Ground zero for people watching. A cluster of Latina Kardashian wannabes. A gaggle of Flamenco fanatics. The place was packed and the service was fast, friendly and fun. The food was Insta-ready but I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars. Our paella tasted somewhat processed but was still very edible. The pan tomate had way too much tomato on it. You can't mess Jamon Iberico and that was divine. The torrijas for dessert were the winners! Yummy. The wine list was great and we had trouble choosing. There's a table for two in the wine room and it's ideal for a romantic date. You can still hear and see the Flamenco musicians, but you enjoy just the right amount of sound buffing. The live Flamenco music was seriously good and really added to the atmosphere. Parking can be a problem as Toro is downtown. I'd go again!

Fantastic tapas and ice cold beer. I love the solomillo y morcilla and the patatas bravas. The ambience is nice and the service is good. It's a nice relaxing spot for a late night dinner.

Will update Friday ;-) Last two times, years ago it was awesome (food & service &ambiance)

Great service! Loved the ambiance in the evening! Pitcher of sangria was perfectly sweet!

Wonderful Tapas, I had the Morcilla, Spanish blood sausage, and the Pulpo al Ajillo, calamares in Garlic sauce. The dessert drink Carajillo was awesome and a spectacular presentation.

2nd time having dinner here in 3 days-food was OUTSTANDING again!!!! Marcos and Gabriel are fantastic. Service is impeccable. Thank you Toro Kitchen & Bar.

I love when a friend says "we should go to Toro" :) Toro is such a move! The inside of the restaurant is a cute and cozy space that celebrates Spain. I've consistently had great service at Toro! I love to get their sangria (pro tip: go to happy hour and get a full pitcher for $15!) They have a menu full of tapas and paella to choose from. I love a family style type of restaurant where you ordered a bunch of small dishes and try a little bit of everything! I'd also recommend their sister restaurant, Cuishe for good authentic Mexican food in St. Paul Square!

We stopped here for the first time and were pleasantly impressed. The montaditos we had were very tasty and the wine bottles are reasonably priced. We sat at the bar and were promptly served. Will be back next time we're in San Antonio.

This was an incredible experience overall. The feeling of this restaurant is a bit dark; however, it was still enjoyable. We ordered the queso Al horno and the Serrano y oveja as the appetizer. Both delicious apps. We also ordered the Sangria pitcher, a bit strong but a delicious taste. And of course, the famous paella. Absolutely delicious! We tore it up. The server was attentive and helpful throughout the experience.

We've been here a few times, the food is very good every time we visit, as is the service. I wear hearing aids and the inside dining noise levels make it impossible to hear conversations on busy nights so we always opt for outside seating and try to come when it's less busy.

Ever since I went to Spain, I've wanted to experience some authentic Spanish food. Well, Toro does a decent job at it. You definitely have to try the Jamòn Iberico de Bellota. It'll just melt in your mouth and you want be disappointed. My party and I ordered multiple tapas along with a nice bottle of wine. The service was where it kind of missed the mark. It took over an hour to get our queso with little to no apology or offer to remove it from the check. This was pretty frustrating and kept the spot from moving to the next level for me - especially because of the price that you pay. The ambiance was excellent. It is not too dark and can be quite a romantic date. Overall, I would come back and give the service another shot. Till next time, Toro!

Loved everything about this place! Such a great tapas bar. I definitely want to come back and try other things. It's so cute inside, the service was great, the drinks were delicious. The paella was incredible!!!! I want to try all the others they have. The calamari was also some of the best I've had. I definitely recommend this place!

Went on a Thursday night and place had a great crowd enjoying the tapas, drinks and desserts. Went with some good friends and ordered some drinks from the bar. For our food, we got the Patatas Bravas (Flash fried potatoes with spanish brava sauce), Huevos Rotos (French style potatoes with a fried egg), Panela 43 (Grilled panela cheese with Licor 43 honey), Champiñones Lugo (Sauteed mushrooms with butter, cilantro, garlic and spanish chorizo) and Fritura de Pulpo (Lightly fried galician octopus pieces, salted and served with aioli). My favorite was Huevos Rotos and the Fritura de Pulpo. The fries were soaked with the fried eggs in a delicious oil. For dessert, we got the almond cake with ice cream while sipping on Licor 43 that was a sweet end to a perfect night listening to music and dancing, while enjoying a festive environment with a lively crowd.

Stopped in walking by since i was staying at a local hotel. Why not it says happy hour... well there is no happy hour the bartender was just like well i don't know what to tell you. Service was mediocre at best. I sat at the bar and the bartender was on his phone most of the time. Didnt even offer to grab me a drink just grabbed a water. Guess ill go down the street. I had just grabbed appetizers for "happy hour".

Wife and I loved this places and will definitely go back. Everything had rich deep flavors and we enjoyed the great friendly service.

Muy rico las tapas excelentes el pulpo la paella to muy delicioso la sanguínea la sanguia el pulpo me encanto

It pains me to write this review, but I feel the need to. First, the food here is great. I've eaten here a couple of times and really enjoyed it. However, I'm very disappointed with the experience I just had. We made reservations for 7PM earlier today and we had family meeting us. In the reservation, we specified we wanted indoor seating since it's currently 104° outside. It's 6:20PM, less than an hour before our reservation and we just got a call telling us they don't have indoor seating available. So yeah, less than an hour before our reservation, they tell us our options are to cancel (with no time to make a reservation elsewhere) or sit in 104° heat. If they had called us earlier, I would've understood but this is just very poor service and I'm not sure I'd be willing to give them my business in the future. It's a shame too since we really enjoyed our other experiences. Edit: Also, there was no willingness to find us a solution. If they would've offered to see if they could seat us later or checked with their other location to see if they could squeeze us in, I would not be writing a bad review. What we got was just "sorry for the inconvenience".

Great food and drinks. Phenomenal service even during a busy evening. 10/10 would recommend

Toro is one of our absolute favorite places to eat in San Antonio. Tapas bars are hard to find here and this one is excellent. Most times we can't decide what to get so we order ALL the things! The paella is wonderful! And we always start with tapas of course. Some of our favorites are : Dátiles al Tocino & Queso Queso de Cabra Frito Croquetas de Jamon Serrano This past time we went we had a rather new dish with Brie-like cheese and I think I'm still having dreams about it. I believe it was w Queso Al Horno. So good!

I love Mezcal and they made an amazing drink sooo good! The service was amazing and our server Jose was amazing took his time to explain the main and answer all of our questions! and the Carajillo The espresso alcoholic drink was the best!

The wine was great, we ordered a Murillo Reserva from 2016 for a really good price. Even though I'm spanish and I'm really picky with my Spanish food I can say that the paella marinera was better than I expected. Better than some paella that I've had in spain. Rice was cooked perfectly and there was a fair amount of seafood on it. Croquetas and bravas were also pretty good. Service was good even though it took them a bit to attend us but the server dulce was really nice .

We decided to sit outside, and the ambience was great. The weight staff is very hard to hear they speak mostly Spanish, but that was totally fine. We were able to get our drink orders in and our food. It all came out at a decent time. The only thing is, the food is a six out of 10 total I was not impressed by anything and for the price I would hope that it would better. The calamari was very rubbery. The tacos were missing a sauce and the spicy like garlic potatoes, were very garlicky and very mushy. The paleta was fine- dryer than I hoped.

Toro is very good with delicious food and tasty drinks. They also have a speak easy downstairs with amazing drinks.

Our server was superb and we gave him free reign to keep whatever tapas and paella coming he recommended. Couldn't find one the entire party didn't love. I am the only one who didn't care for the paella as a favorite. Reservations were easy to get. Drinks on point. Prices are very reasonable. Great spot!