TORO Mexican Kitchen Restaurant

What a nice little spot in the heart of the Pearl! I came here for some tacos, and ordered their barbacoa tacos. They were quite greasy but super delicious. The salsa does have a little kick and the guac was delish. When I arrived around 7:45, it wasn’t that busy and service was super quick. I’d totally recommend this spot!

We were excited that something was going into this long vacant space, as we live a few blocks away. We arrived promptly for our reservation and were seated quickly. We did not interact with anyone else for another 15 minutes and almost walked out. Our server, Austin, was very cheerful and took our drink and appetizer orders. Very quickly after that he took our entree orders, which arrived well before we were done with our appetizers. One of the employees tried to take our ceviche away before we were done. The mains were sitting on the table for five to ten minutes before we were ready for them. Austin returned while we were eating our mains to tell us about dessert. We told him we were still eating our entrees, but he told us that he was going to tell us about dessert anyway. My conclusions: 1. The food was three stars, but the overall experience was easily my worst restaurant experience in Portland in 2023. 2. Staffing seemed to be plentiful, but the training and polish are not there. There were two hostesses that had little to do (and did little). There were staff in the bar area doing little. 3. Initial contact and explanations for delays was lacking, but once service began, it couldn’t have been more rushed. If the goal was to turn over the table as quickly as possible, the restaurant is doing a fantastic job. If the goal was a finely paced meal, that was poorly done. 4. All of the doors were open, but the noise level inside was uncomfortable. 5. The men’s room was embarrassing. The stall I went into was clogged. I actually tried to unclog it to no avail. 6. We were never asked for feedback, which we would have happily supplied diplomatically and constructively. The restaurant is salvageable with training of the staff, but I’m not anticipating that this will happen. My best guess is that this will be a short term venture followed by another long vacancy.

The catch of the day was Mahi, and it was delicious. I added the Mahi to my octopus plate. The octopus had a good char to it. Would definitely get it again. The server we had was nice and helpful with suggestions. We started with the appetizer plate (not pictured) empanada, taquito, queso, guacamole, and chips and salsa. It was a good amount for 4 people. The bone in porch chop looked good and was gone before I could snag a bite. Camarones Mojo De Ajo was ordered by another in our party, and she said it did not disappoint. Drinks specials were tasty. We made reservations, but probably didn't need them.

We came for the first time during Portland Nacho Week. Their nacho is delicious (though not a regular menu item) and the chicken empanadas were also great. Nice variety of cocktails. It was over 90° outside yet the restaurant remained cool inside. Nice atmosphere and comfortable seating. Came back another time for happy hour and definitely recommend!

Underrated restaurant! Walked in on a Friday night, no reservation and seated right away. There was 3 other tables in an otherwise pretty empty restaurant, especially compared to Janken across the street which was packed with a wait out the door. Chris, our server, was excellent! Super prompt and very nice. Not sure where all the poor reviews about service are coming from. Food was definitely a surprise. Everything we tried was very tasty, well balanced and fresh flavors. We got the Chicaron de Pollo (crispy chicken skins) and Chorizo + Potato empanadas to start. Next for mains the Pulpo a la Parrilla (octopus) and Enchilada de Res (braised barbacoa). Then ended the meal with a very succulent flan dessert. Food came out within 15 minutes, and perfectly cooked. Octopus is hard to cook on its own, but the octopus here (three large tentacles) was grilled to perfection, tender and juicy with a nice char on the outside. Additionally to the dishes being well presented, the serving sizes were generous. For two, it was plenty of food if you're hungry and even have leftovers to take home. The ambiance and décor was bright, simple and modern, yet comfortable and pleasant. A highly worth it dining experience at just over $30/person (before drinks). Having also been to Janken across the way, we actually prefer this restaurant for its incredible value and less pretentious vibes and will definitely return. Highly recommend giving it a try!

Chill vibe on a February Thursday night. Enchiladas de Pollo con Lima were great as well as the house margarita. Recommended and will come back again. Great service.

This place is delicious. I discovered it during nacho week and had to come back because the nachos were so good. All of the flavors they use across their menu are very consistent and delicious. They have an extensive cocktail list. LOVED the Elixir (lychee) and the passionfruit cocktails the most. Great vibes inside and wonderful staff.

Visited this place on business trip with colleagues and customers. I enjoyed everything what this restaurant has to offer. Drinks were excellent, food was delicious and service was attentive. Restaurant itself is nicely decorated. I can highly recommend octopus. It was very well prepared and fresh.

I was on business travel and was looking for places to eat and Toro popped up. I made reservation for 6:30pm for our group. When we arrived, there was one other table dining. This should've been a flag since it was peak dinner time and no one was there. We thought, maybe people don't go out to eat on Sundays in Portland. We were seated promptly and the waiter was friendly, and honest with his opinions. Got our drinks quickly. I ordered the hibiscus cocktail and that was really good. We started off with apps for the table. We ordered the Plato de apertivo, all of the ceviche on the menu, and the carne asada tacos to share. The Plato de apertivo was good. The ceviches were ok, not the best. Felt like they added too much lime. The tacos were good, they used homemade tortillas. For entrees, we all ordered our own plate. I ordered the special, Chile relleno and it wasn't the best. No flavor to it. Three of the guests had ordered the Ala Parrilla grilled steaks combo. All of the guests had ordered medium rare to medium and all of the steaks came out rare. Two steaks were sent back and came back out medium-medium well. One of the guests has a dairy allergy and had mentioned to the waiter no dairy on his entree or even on the apps that we ordered. It seemed like the waiter either forgot or didn't care about the allergy when he was told about it. Not sure if the restaurant is brand new and staff is still learning. Overall, food was so bland and badly prepared.

This place was horrific ! It was beautiful inside , Waitstaff was great . The food was so bad ! Chicken with some sort of peanut butter sauce ? Black beans that were blended .. just awful ! White rice that was so bad . Chips that tasted Not nearly as good as Doritos ! So pitiful ! Never again

- The restaurant is cute and in a great location - It was mostly empty, and while the server was very nice, we maybe saw them twice during our whole dining experience - the guacamole was soooo salty with little other taste - we ordered the veggie enchiladas and it didn't really taste like an enchilada? The peanut sauce was sweet and didn't really go with the rice and beans in the dish and the overall meal sorta fell flat in terms of taste

We stopped in for a bite and cocktail. What we got were fantastic cocktails and the a fabulous Ensalada Verde! Marlon made the drinks perfect and the kitchen impressed us with freshness and love in the salad! Of course the vibe was super chill and hip! We'll be back!!!

I would say the experience was around 4.3 stars.... But because some of the weird reviews on here, I am rounding up. We were greeted by possibly the manager right away and sat in our choice of booth. Very polite and prompt service from him. Ambience - cute modern Mexican vibe. I travel to Mexico a few times a year, not just to coastal towns. TMK gives me a similar vibe to a restaurant in the Guadalajara financial area or the up and coming TJ financial area. Tip to management - lower the lights and add candles to your tables. It is WAY TOO bright for dinner. Service - above average for Portland. Our server was very sweet and very prompt. I have zero complaints on service. The food - quite tasty. We ordered more than a few items. Chips, salsa, guac, queso + ceviche to start. All great with the queso being a little too close to a jar/can. I still ate it. :) Then we ordered chicken empanadas, a chop salad and the beet salad. Empanadas were AMAZING and the salads were very fresh and tasty, albeit a little overdressed. Then we decided to try the chicken tortilla soup. This was SO salty, but had so much potential with the fresh ingredients. For dessert we tried the ricotta doughnuts! Another win. Perfectly balanced with cinnamon and sugar. YUM! Drinks - all I can say is try as many as you can. The spicy marg was SPICY and oh so good. Prickly pear marg, not too sweet and well balanced. Mango marg - fresh and tangy. Go to the happy hour (4-6p) and you will be very happy!

very excited about this new spot in this area - I can tell it has so much potential! The ambiance is perfect - from well chosen music to very open space to a bright space. The menu was also very impressive and I wish I had a bigger appetite when I came - that said - the Chorizo empanadas were incredible! I tried to Santorini cocktail - it was pretty good but I wish it wasn't as sweet and slightly stronger. Service was pretty good too! I'm looking forward to coming back in the future.

First impression was that it was very modern, clean & bright. I liked the vibes! All staff were very nice. Since they had opened less than a week when we went, I knew coming in there would be some wait time in between which was fine. A brand new restaurant usually has a few kinks to work out. I got the Passionfruit cocktail & my partner got the Mango cocktail. Both were good drinks! For an appetizer we got the Taquitos with beef. Everything about it was delicious. I got the Carne Asada Tacos that came with rice & beans. The corn tortilla were made there I believe & they were tasty! Not greasy at all. The carne Asada was cooked perfectly! It was soft & tender. Seasoned well. My partner got the Enchiladas de Res with beef which he enjoyed as well. Cute place to try especially once it stays nice out!

We came in on a Friday at 5:30 and it was a beautiful day in April so everyone was out and about. The restaurant was 30% full when we arrived and we did have a reservation so it was easy. Food delicious. Favorites are the Trio de Ceviche and the Beef Taquitos! I could eat those all night :) Our server was fine but actually everyone else we interacted with either serving the dishes or drinks were genuinely warm and welcoming. It started to get very busy but they didn't miss a beat! Love the ambiance. Very light and bright and makes you want to get a drink! My favorite cocktail is the Passionfruit and my husband enjoyed the Hibiscus. The Mango cocktail was good but felt too sweet after having the Passionfruit one. Oh! If you make it in from 4-6pm for happy hour, house cocktails are $10 instead of the normal $14

10/10 - from a picky Mexican who loves Mexican food. The food was amazing we can't wait to come back!!! We shared the app that has a variety of the foods, we also got chicken enchiladas and asada tacos. For drinks we got a beer and the Mango cocktail, it was also happy hour so we love a discount. The food was amazing, the service (Chris was our server) was fantastic! The ambiance was great too, such a big restaurant. We will be returning with friends and family. My only only complaint (I'm just serious about my food) is that the asada was a little harder then I would have liked but honestly other then this it was a perfect meal and experience.

Decided to head downtown for date night! I made a reservation on Open Table. Found the address but the door was locked. I called the restaurant and they said I needed to walk around the corner down the "street closed" area and they were first up the stairs! Inside was chilly AC so we opted to sit on the patio. We ordered drinks, Valencia for husband and Rosemarita for me. The Rosemarita was the clear winner. So. Good! We were hungry so we started with the Queso Fundido. For entrees I got the Enchilada de Pollo con Lima and husband got the Carne Asada. Wrapped up the meal with dessert: Flan and Bread Pudding. Left very full and happy!

I really enjoyed the food and drinks here. Lots of favor and the drinks were strong. The waiter was friendly and attentive. It's definitely a must try place in Portland

Order: Guac & Salsa; Two Tacos (Carne Asada) with rice and beans. Drink: Mango Margarita Pros: The ambiance and the decor are top notch. Its bright and the vibe is amazing. The bartender was amazing with the drinks. The managers also very very helpful and responsive to week one of their opening. The chips were very buttery yum! The carne asada was seasoned so well and tasted really really good. The queso was really really good. However, they need to take them big ol tomatoes off. It makes no sense and adds nothing to the dish. They were just in the way. Cons: While the managers were responsive, service was sub par. We didnt receive refills on drinks, we waited for our food for a minute, and then before we got our food we were told they ran out of rice and beans. Its odd as rice and beans are typically a staple for Mexican food. I was really looking forward to the rice and beans. Instead we got an extra taco. The barbacoa was disappointing. It had no seasoning or flavor and it was underwhelming to say the least. When ordering I was unable to mix and match tacos. I had to get two of the same tacos. My friend order another set of tacos and we were able to switch 1 of our tacos. I would have been ticked off if I got the Barbacoa though. The tacos were plain with onion and cilantro on a corn tortilla. The salsa was on the side. Honestly, I have had better tacos for 1/2 the price and more toppings. They have one vegan option so my friend found it hard to create a meal. And it became worse when they ran out of rice and beans. Keep in mind it was Cinco de Mayo. The guac was missing something! It was heavy on the lemon/lime and cilantro. Not the best guac that I've had This place has a lot of potential but they have to work out the kinks.

Great chips and salsa and happy hour pricing!! Patio seating is nice and shaded. Not sure why it's always empty this place has some decent food. Just don't love the ceviche. Tacos however are very good

Service was good. Hostess was friendly and staff was accommodating. Bathrooms were clean. I would give it a 4.5 star rating on those things. But for food... I would say a 3. Food was single dimensional and bland. The Ceviche did not have enough citric acid/lime for curing and flavor. Salad had a crazy amount of cheese and dressing was bland. Traditional Mexican food has light cheese...not over abundance. Maybe they are trying to taylor to general American palette? At any rate, lots of other more authentic Mexican food in town. Bummer, as we like the location and the friendly staff.

Had an excellent meal here last night; the swordfish was cooked perfect and the portion was very nice. 10oz steak. Salsa and cocktails were also excellent - I didn't try any tacos but my buddy said his were really good too. Will def be back 4.5 stars overall, but bumping to 5 because new restaurants need the support

Their trio ceviche is one of my favorite dishes in the Pearl. Their drinks are also pretty good. I hope this place sticks around.

Went here originally to check out the nachos for nacho week, and a friend and I ended up enjoying a drink as well out on their patio. Their outdoor seating was very nice, and their drinks were very good. This place is a little more upscale (it's in the pearl), so expect drink prices to reflect that. The nachos were good as well, although I would definitely go again to try other things on this menu. The only reason I didn't give this place 5 stars is because our server seemed a little bit standoffish towards us, even though we weren't dressed inappropriately or acting out of the ordinary. Definitely killed the vibe a little for us but not enough to ruin the night or anything. Will definitely be back.

Everything we had was so good! I just wish we could order à la cart. The tacos were so good but the rice and beans had no flavor. I would of preferred more tacos. The rib eye (OMG ) perfectly cooked, chicken taquitos were amazing as well as our drinks. There were so many things I wanted to try that I went back with a friend a couple days later. The beef taquitos are delicious, and pozole was very good too but wasn't served hot. The service was great but both times I went there wasn't much people eating. The restaurant is very open with lots of seating inside and outside. It's a nice summer vibe.

The first time we ate here the food was good not great. We decided to give it another try last night and the food was delicious. I'm so glad we gave this place a second chance. I really like the atmosphere and sitting in the roomy booths. Cocktails are good and they have a great happy hour menu.

Prime location, Amazing Service! BTW bartender makes a mean Old Fashioned! We enjoyed two kinds of salsa, 3 different ceviches and the best guacamole I've ever had! Staff was very friendly and provided prompt service. We also had empanadas - delicious! We were in a room in the back for a private event - it is a great space for a big family gathering or a birthday party! Highly Recommend!

Love the atmosphere with the decor and music at just the right vibe. Food was great too. My husband had the beef stew and it was excellent. Great service too.

Everything about this place was amazing! I was greeted as soon as I arrived and provided with the option of a table or booth while I waited for my friend to arrive! We ordered chips and salsa for appetizers and the salsa was really delicious! My friend ordered the ceviche, and I ordered enchiladas! The enchiladas were really good! they were covered in a lime flavored sauce that was really tasty! For dessert we ordered flan and the apple crumble! I love flan and this was by far the best non-homemade flan I have ever had! Everyone who worked here was extemely friendly! The service was excellent, the ambience was great and the food was flavorful! The only downside is parking! I assumed parking may be tricky so I took Lyft, but my friend had to circle around and finally parked in a garage down the street! If you are looking for a new restaurant to try out, check out this place!

Only open a week and we have been there TWICE! The food is delicious - this is defiantly the place where you want everyone in your group to get something different so you can taste it ALL!! The Hibiscus cocktail is my favorite and Eric loved the ElCamino. They knocked it out of the park on this one!

We went on the restaurant's second day of opening. Overall the service was good, just slow. I'd give the food 3.5 stars. Ambiance is nice, indoor outdoor concept. Pass on the mocktails, they just taste like watered down juice. The guacamole was good, but not exceptional. I always like a little hint of pomegranate seeds / pepitas to elevate a simple side like guac. I like how we could order the queso fundido without the chorizo. The queso has a smoked cheddar base, so it's a different flavor. You can't really go wrong with cheese though so it was good! The chips don't seem to be house made, which was a bummer. The guac is great to put on the tacos. We were handed the ceviche trio without an explanation of which ones they were, so we kinda guessed. Even when we asked, they didn't seem to know. The ceviche was okay, not amazing. The carne asada taco was very good! House made corn tortillas, and the meat itself was lean, and full of flavor! We apparently had a choice of salsa but were never told and never received salsa. It's a bummer that you can't order 1 order of each taco...you have to order a set of 2. I wanted to mix and match so I could try a beef, barbacoa, fish, and chicken taco but they wouldn't allow it. The shrimp empanadas were also delicious! They weren't spicy but that's okay because my spice tolerance isn't too high anyway. We enjoyed the empanada and the taco so we decided to add onto the order. We added beef empanadas and barbacoa tacos. We waited 45 mins and still never received the food. After 50 min, we asked to please remove the two add-ons as it was approaching hour 2 at the restaurant. The management apologized and said they're trying to work out all the kinks as it's only the second day of opening and there are technology issues, the kitchen is backed up, staff communication issues. As a courtesy, the management gave us a complimentary dessert: the bunuelo. We appreciated the gesture but it was too deep fried, so you only taste the oil and not the pastry itself. Everyone was kind so we will probably come back in the future.

Awesome new addition in the Pearl. We've been to Toro three times now and had great experiences at each. Chips and salsas are delicious with several to choose from. Margaritas are special works of art with a full page of tequilas on the menu. I enjoy the tacos and my bride usually gets the enchiladas. The purple purée potatoes are a must and the carrots as a side item are a nice compliment. Service each time has been wonderful. Nice happy hour cocktail discounts. Comfortable and modern space with indoor outdoor dining available. Can't wait to go back.

The food and environment don't match. Seems like it's trying to hard. Food is expensive relative to quality. Nothing was terrible but neither was it well executed.

Happy Mother's day too me. Came here for mother's day dinner with my partner and my 4 year old. As the server sat us and took our order he commented that he would get the order in quickly because he knew we had limited time before my kid had a meltdown. Fast-forward to mid meal when he scolded us for using the spoon he gave us for my partners soup(that wasn't yet served) to serve the civiche. After we already requested our check we overhear him making sure that it's ok to seat the people behind us because of the child at our table. Appling behavior especially on mother's day. Food was nothing to write home about either.

Brought my partner here on first Thursday in the Pearl. I read about this place and have been looking for a New Mexican spot in the neighborhood. Highly recommend, they're still very new, just opened in last few weeks so they're still tightening up their menu and logistics of the menu. Ordered fried chicken skin, tuna ceviche, half chicken dish and octopus - all amazing. Will come back soon... also service is everything!

13 dollar guac. 13 dollar guac. 13 dollar guac. 13 dollar guac. 13 dollar guac. 13 dollar guac. 13 dollar guac. 13 dollars for guac Three days later: Ok, so I was at another restaurant nearby and their guac is 12. So, maybe it's just inflation outpacing the prices im used to! Wanted to update to spare the restaurant from unjustified backlash Guac at toros is good

I would take off another star (if I could) because the service was SOOOOO S.L.O.W. to get our drinks, to take our order, to bring our food, to get a to go box. But the food was really good and so were the drinks. Ceviche, the swordfish daily catch (highlight of the meal) , steelhead, carrots, asparagus. All delicious. The wine list is a bit lacking but definitley stick to the great, inventive selection of cocktails. This week it the last for patio dining (on a beautiful night) but inside is nice as well.

Very troubling experience. One table had people other than us. Server was pleasant but definitely a very strange vibe was happening at the restaurant . Where is the owner? Show up and take responsibility for your business , hire a chef, be proud of your space. Something very odd is happening here that has nothing to do with food. Very creepy. I won't be back. Sad..

Nice restaurant inside and out. Our party of 3's experience started great: taquitos, 3-type ceviche, chips n salsa w guac, margaritas...all really good! Then came soup. Hmmm. Wow, SUPER salty!!! How in the world can the chef not have tasted it? One spoon and it was impossible to detect any of the probably delicious flavors in it, the salt was just so overpowering! Set it aside and finally got the waiter back. 30 yrs of exp in restaurants, so I tried to be discreet and quietly asked him to have the chef taste it. Waiter said "let me guess, too salty?" Then, no apology or any sort of sign of regret on behalf of the restaurant. Just a promise to remove it from the bill, which he did. ....but, he knew it was bad, and presumably the chef knew too, and they still let us order it and somewhat ruin the experience? What? Why? Main entrees, including enchiladas, amazing. Dessert of flan and banana cream pie also amazing. Before going, checked out reviews and found multiple comments about fish being over cooked. Seems like chef isn't paying attention somehow, even tho multiple people are giving feedback. Would've been a five star, except for the salt soup and the waiter's very bland response!

Great vibe and some of the best food in town! The dishes are packed with flavor and the octopus is dynoooomitte!!

Had a reservation on a Friday night AT 945pm. Arrived a few minutes earlier than resy. No greeting or acknowledgment from the bartender. There were only 5 patrons at the bar and in the entire restaurant. There was a cook in the back that looked like he was cleaning up and maybe management that was cleaning a trashcan. This person looked up but didn't make eye contact. We stood in the front for about 6 minutes and then walked out. This is probably the worst experience we've ever had. Will DEFINITELY NOT COME BACK OR RECOMMEND THIS ESTABLISHMENT.

Aguachile and camarones were amazing. Really original drinks. Super friendly staff and happy vibe. Reasonable prices.

Classy Mexican kitchens aren't common and this place was so great for a Friday night out. The craft drinks are delicious, the swordfish and ceviche were perfect, and the service was top shelf.

Best Mexican Food I have had in Portland! I tried it out the 3rd day they opened and have gone back twice more. Each time the service was super friendly and helpful. The location and atmosphere is really cool on a part of the blocked off 13th. What a great addition to the Pearl!