El Toro Bravo
50 West St, Annapolis, MD, 21401
El Toro Bravo Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Annapolis for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
50 West St
Annapolis, MD, 21401 - Phone (410) 267-5949
- Website https://www.eltorobravoannapolis.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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DJ P.
I had a Grande Burrito California with shrimp. It was good. You can tell its authenticity The chips and sauce is real good.
(4)Mia L.
Oh El Toro, I wish we didn't have to part ways in a manner such as this but I can no longer frequent your establishment. This review was supposed to have been written over a month ago but it was so draining just thinking about it. I practically work around the corner from El Toro Bravo and my coworkers and I would frequent this place for lunch. They have good lunch specials at a good price and the food is pretty good, however, after an incident that occurred in early July, I will never go back again. On 6/22/15, my coworker/friend and I went here for lunch. As usual, the food was good and service was decent. My friend and I split the bill and I used my debit card for my portion of the bill. Since I had a little bit of cash on me, I gave a tip in cash. Fast forward to the first weekend in July...I was reviewing my transactions on my bank account and noticed a charge from El Toro Bravo that was for an amount over $20. Please keep in mind that their lunch specials are so cheap that you will never spend over $20, including a drink and tip unless you get appetizers and alcohol. So I dug in my purse and pulled out my receipt. After reviewing the amount on my receipt and reviewing the amount that came out of my bank account, it appeared that my card was swiped twice because it was exactly twice the amount that it should've been. When I returned to work on 7/7/15, I went to El Toro Bravo with a copy of my receipt and a copy of my bank statement. I was approached by a waitress (I think her name is Maria but don't hold me to this) and I asked her for the manager/owner of the restaurant. She asked me what was wrong so I showed her a copy of my receipt and bank statement and explained that I was charged double the amount that I was supposed to pay. She attempted to take my documents and told me to come back later on that afternoon. I told her that I would like to make a copy of my paperwork before just handing it over so I told her that I would come back later with the papers. I went back later with the same friend/coworker that I went to lunch with because she knows how to speak Spanish and I had difficulty understanding everything that the waitress was telling me the first time I went. So again, we went asking for a manager/owner and the same waitress tells us that he won't be in until the next day and that when I came there earlier, I didn't ask for the owner which was a lie. So the next day, 7/8/15, my friend and I return to El Toro Bravo again and immediately we are greeted by the waiter that served us on the day that my card was swiped twice. I don't remember his name but he was talking to us and trying to help us resolve the issue. Then the waitress from the previous day comes up to us and starts speaking in Spanish to my friend but she was speaking so fast that even my friend had difficulty understanding everything that she was saying. Eventually, the waiter explained what the waitress was saying...they said that when people use a debit/credit card and they don't leave a tip sometimes they will add like $2 on to your total. I explained that this isn't the case because my card was swiped twice. It was exactly double of what I was supposed to be charged. The waiter pulls out a wad of cash and starts to give me back the money that was owed to me. The waitress begins to chime in and tells him to keep $2 for tip. I went on to say that I did give a tip that day. She then begins speaking Spanish to my friend and says that every time we go there, we never tip. That's when things really began to go left. My friend informs the waitress that she is telling a lie. So then the waitress then tells my friend, "you come here all the time and you always tip but your friend (me) never tips". So then we both tell her that she is lying. I told her that every time I go there, I leave a tip. The waiter who was counting out the money quickly hands me the money owed to me because he could tell that the situation was beginning to escalate. My friend and I left but we were angry, disappointed, and frustrated. Honestly, as long as I got my money back, I would love to go back to El Toro Bravo but after the allegations that I never tip when I go there, I will never go back again. They won't see another dime of my money. That was just rude and disrespectful. I would also like to give warning to those who use a debit or credit card at this restaurant to please be sure to check your statements after going to this restaurant. After this incident occurred, I came on Yelp and saw a few other reviews where people were overcharged on their cards. Also, to the staff at El Toro Bravo, please understand that it is NOT a requirement that a patron of your restaurant, or any restaurant for that matter, leave a tip. However, I've always given a tip to my server when I came there. Never again!
(1)Alexandra W.
Maybe El Toro Bravo lives up to its great reputation on a different night. Our waiter brought a completely different dish from what I ordered (for the record, I requested it out loud and pointed to it on the menu, not daring rely on my spoken Spanish alone). Said dish was not only unremarkable, but bland, soggy, and lukewarm. Our waiter was inattentive and bordering on rude. I've never sent back a meal, and maybe that meal would have been the perfect first time, but you bet I didn't bother our indifferent waiter with fixing his mistake. I wouldn't discourage people from coming because of my one bad dish and one bad waiter, but I would need a lot of persuading** to come back. **If this persuasion comes in the form of two or more of their margaritas soaked in Corona, I'll see you there. The tequila menu is the restaurant's one redeeming quality, and they appear to do that right.
(1)Joe W.
Food was fine and overpriced. I think they're catering to the tourist crowd now. I'm a local and when they first opened they were great. Good prices, good food.. but that's changed now. Last visit there (last night), our waiter was overseeing no less than 12 tables at a time. He was clearly rushed and obviously annoyed at my wife's questioning of the menu. Drinks weren't refilled in any sort of timely manner (and as a former waiter, I have patience with this). All in all, I won't soon be going back. At its a shame, because before this change in attitude my family would frequent this place at least once a week. Do yourself a favor an go to Plazuelas on Route 2. Better, authentic food and much cheaper prices.
(2)Adam S.
Good, not great. They always forgot to take the sour cream off of my beans, and the prices don't compare with the deal you get at Chipotle. Not to mention the fact that Chipotle is Non-GMO, has high quality meat, etc. Just go to Chipotle at the Annapolis Mall instead. You won't be disappointed.
(3)Taylor L.
We were visitors in town for Tech Military Bowl game and wanted to celebrate our win with margaritas and Mexican food! We found El Toro Bravo and it was packed. Our group went to the bar for margs while we waited for a table. They had a cool system with their margaritas where you order a higher level and get better tequila. We ordered a level 3 or so to not get the completely fake crappy tequila. The bartender in front of our face poured a shot of the 1800 nice tequila then we saw them finish the rest of the marg with the crappy tequila!!! It was in front of our own faces and we paid extra to have our whole margarita made with the nicer tequila. This place was super busy but waiters were moving around in such a rush that it wasn't about giving good genuine service. The place didn't split checks. Overall, the food was typical good Mexican food. This place has potential but needs some work.
(2)Gary H.
We stopped here after a long happy hour at another place on West Street. We heard great things about their margaritas and food. The margaritas were very large and made to share with two or three people. Perhaps it was too late in the evening and they were shutting down the place, but we did not feel very welcome walking in the door. Eventually someone greeted us and when my partner spoke to them in Spanish, they became VERY friendly. They sat us down and helped us move our seat two other times to a better table when someone else joined us. The people dining there reminded me of a college crowd. They were wearing flip-flops and shorts. It is not a place you need to dress up for! They all seemed to be having a great time though. The main dining area is composed of booths and tables, but the bar area is huge and much better air-conditioned. It was hot as heck in the main dinning area! We ordered the soft tacos alacart and they were okay - but maybe being close to the kitchen closing time - we were gambling with the quality. The margarita was okay but not very strong. I'm not a big fan of HUGE drinks that you share with others. It had a beer floating in the top which I removed....I didn't need all those calories! The staff is very friendly and very helpful. I thought they were wonderful. This place DOES NOT take American Express. That's a downer.
(2)Ashley S.
Food is good, service not so much. It's not so bad that it would stop me from coming. But service could use improvements. Prices always seem to go up, and it was odd they wouldn't allow me to take a paper takeout menu back to my office for future take out orders. If I can't take it, why leave it out? Margaritas are inconsistent, but when they are good, they are good.
(3)Asam S.
Waiter service was horrible. Salsa was tomato sauce and when we asked for more spicy sauce he gave us this brown sauce which had no kick at all. (Did I mention that we were charged $1.60 for about 2oz. of this sauce?) Food came out and my burrito was bare bones -- no salsa, guacamole, nothing. My husband's steak tacos were overcooked with low quality steak cuts. Pico de gallo came in the same little 2 ounce bowl our salsa did. Rice and beans had no flavor. They charged us $2.00 for extra jalapeños. When asked about beers, he ran through the list without providing a separate drink menu. When we complained, he said he did not care.
(1)Ron N.
I have come to this restaurant twice and both times i have gotten the super large margaritas and Molcajete . I can honestly say if i were to drown i would want it to be in their margaritas. I mean come on they are the perfect mix of alcohol and flavor. The Molcajete this time was not as great as my previous encounter however it still possessed the flavor that i was looking for. If you find yourself around the courthouse in Annapolis during lunch stop on by because the food will treat you right.
(4)Tucker B.
Our friend was just ripped off! The server added 4.00 to her tip on the credit card. The server was the owners wife. Our friends called and all they said was "you can come pick up your $4.00!"
(1)Jim S.
Excellent food and holy shit -- order their biggest margarita.
(5)Jenn M.
I went here for lunch because the reviews I read on Yelp made it sound like the food here was better than average. I strongly disagree. The food was, in a word, terrible and the service wasn't much better. I ordered the lunch enchilada special and asked for red sauce instead of the verde sauce. The sauce tasted, well, funky (and not in a good way) and had absolutely no seasoning or spice. The beans were runny and the plate, overall, was bland and flavorless. We also ordered the guacamole. It's pretty hard to mess up guacomole, but this version had a slimy texture that made it inedible. Finally, the service. To say that the server was brusque would be an understatement. Everything felt very hurried and rushed. Even asking a basic question about the menu felt like a major inconvenience. Overall, BIG thumbs down.
(1)Karen G.
Went to El Toro Bravo for dinner last night ... just an OK experience *The service was terrible! The servers were disinterested and absent! We all wanted to order 2nd drinks but couldn't get anyone to take our order *Other reviews raved about the margaritas ... I didn't think they were great. They are big but taste like sugary store bought margarita mix *The food was OK -it came out fast and was big. The salsa wasn't great *It was a pretty young crowd in there - several bachelor / bachelorette parties and high school friend reunions - pretty loud and kind of rowdy but we were seated in the bar area so that may be why *I also think it's a bit overpriced for what it is ... $12 - $15 per entree I might give it another try but won't be running back. There are a couple other Mexican places in Annapolis that i'll try first
(2)Jonathan K.
My friends had a negative review of this place so I was skeptical in going but I actually had an awesome time here. I went with my girlfriend and we were seated in a corner booth -- given some privacy -- and started munching on the tortilla chips and salsa... which are pretty bomb. Our boy juan took care of our orders and helped us out with the margarita menu and we thoroughly enjoyed our time here. Definitely would like to come again. Just make sure you're seated inside and not out.
(5)Kim Y.
I'm an LA girl so nothing beats our Mexican food, but I really like El Toro Bravo. I loved their service and their margaritas are on point. My boyfriend and I got a pitcher, which was enough to fill each of our glasses three times over. Food was delicious and hit the spot after a long day. Try not to get full off the chips and salsa! (Though it's so good that it will be hard not to). Definitely will be back!
(5)Victoria S.
Okay, after being here a number of more times after writing my first review I'd like to pump it up a bit. The new bar section is great. It never is THAT busy. Although I think later in the evening it is. The staff have really turned around and I feel very well taken care of when I'm here. I still love their margaritas but now I have a new love for their sangria! If you're looking for a place to grab a drink with a friend, whether one or 9, I'd recommend this place. Happy hour is good and the food is definitely yummy.
(4)Louisa E.
Good fast service. They close early even on the weekends. Margaritas are strong. Queso is good and fish tacos and most plates are a ton of food. The mushroom quesadilla is very good and tastes like steak. Taco salad is good and mostly queso haha. Casual ok mexican with a nice decor inside.
(3)Drew P.
Margaritas are good, food is ok ambience is great if you sit outside. Service is suspect especially when the waiter asks for your girlfriends number when you step away.
(3)Justin O.
Just recently moved to Annapolis. Went looking for some good Latin food. Found this gem of a spot. I'm not sure how the name plays into the meal "the brave bull" but I left that place ready to take on the world with a full stomach. Had some quesadillas, sopa, and fajitas. Margaritas were perfect and I washed my meal down with a modelo especial. As simple as this sounds the salsa and chips were my favorite. I ate 3 cups of salsa and 2 baskets of chips. So tasty! Only reason I didn't go with 5 stars was because we had a view of a homeless person taking a leak across the street... Not the restaurants fault by any means. The owner immediately came out and dealt with the situation professionally. He was quite brave and very stern. He may have been the inspiration behind the name "El Toro Bravo".
(4)Nicole J.
Great Mexican food. Love the cheese used in the chili rellenos. Service is pretty fast. Chips and salsa are awesome. I visit El Toro Bravo quite often when I'm in the area.
(4)Katy R.
BEST Mexican restaurant in town!!!! The fajitas are so amazing that I've never tried anything else on the menu!! When I worked down the street from El Toro my coworkers and I had lunch here at least once a week. The salsa is the best I've had - and you can buy a container to go! Now that I live out of town I make a point to stop in for some fajitas when visiting. Servers could be a little more friendly, but I'm there for the amazing food so it doesn't matter.
(5)Carolina F.
I always been to this restaurant. I reallyy love the enchiladas mole poblano. They are to die for, everything is so good there. Starting from the guac to the queso fundido! Chips and salsa! Sooo good. I would recommended this place to anyone who is looking for just mexican food! So good! I would have gave it a 5 star but last time i went , the server was kind of rude. Maybe he is new, they need to work that out.
(4)Tamara W.
We were starving and decided to stop in for some Mexican food before continuing walking around Annapolis. Do not waste your time at this place if you have ever had decent Mexican food, it will grealty disappoint you. PROS Excellent fresh salsa Near Main Street Functioning restroom CONS Unattentive staff left us wondering where they were when all the customers they had were us inside, and two people outside??? Rude host -- this guy was totally disengaged and wanted to get us out of his hair FAST! The place was warm even though they had all the doors open, and we were treated to the free wonderful smell of exhaust fumes from the street all the while dining The food was worse than Taco Bell...the refried beans were nothing like I have ever had in any Mexican restaurant and they had a very odd taste that I could not identify...very disconcerting indeed The portions for our meals were normal to small, but the filling for my taquitos were very scant and not savory at all. The guacamole was decent, but a very scant portion. My side of rice and beans was very small and very bland, again complete with weird looking (yellow) refried beans. Overpriced food which was not good and the atmosphere was horrible. El Toro Bravo is our Toro Blando, thus, I generously give it a one star. !!ARRRIBA!! .
(1)Amanda S.
This place was fine. I had a fried chimichanga lunch special, which was tasty, although it didn't taste super fresh or amazingly delicious. For it's price, it was great! My margarita was nice and big, but it did not taste like it was made from scratch. The service was okay, although our server did not speak English well, and her boss (possibly the manager or owner?) was not very friendly.
(3)Antonio C.
By far my favorite Mexican food in the Annapolis area. I love their fajitas, margherritas, burritos and the ambience is perfect in my opinion. I have been to El Toro Bravo about a dozen times now and have yet to have a bad experience there. I highly recommend you try them if your downtown.
(5)Nicole M.
Cool friendly place for the most part & Food prices were okay . I got the nacho burrito which wasn't too appealing in my opinion but taste wise wasn't bad . Waiter was friendly .. But when asked if me & friends could have separate checks, he became rude about it & stated we can only take 2 transactions from 2 of us only
(2)Andrew B.
The food was delicious with an authentic feel. The food was delivered quickly, and the staff was continually checking on us. Reasonably priced food and beer for a quick lunch.
(4)Eric G.
If you're looking for a good Mexican restaurant in Annapolis, I would consider El Toro Bravo. The food and service is usually pretty decent and has improved over the years. It can be on and off, the drinks are usually served very (too) strong, and the price of beer can be steep. We return every now and then as we haven't had a terrible experience here. There aren't many great Mexican spots in Annapolis to begin with, but you can't go wrong with coming here. Try it out.
(3)Jen M.
Sitting on the sidewalk is the way to go. It was a thousand degrees inside and they won't turn on the a/c for some reason. As we joked, I don't need a facial while taking delivery of my fajitas at the table so turn on the damn air! Food is good. Service is a bit rushed to take your order but then almost non-existent after you receive your food. This place is way, way overpriced for what it is. All you have to do is look at what they charge for side dishes and you will catch my drift...
(3)Clint S.
This is one of my favorite Mexican food restaurants in Maryland. There aren't many good ones in MD but this is one of them. They have a huge variety of items to choose from. Great salsa too. It gets packed on the weekends. Their service is fast and attentive even when packed. I do get the feeling they want you to go shortly after finishing your meal when it is busy. It doesn't bother me but it might bother others. They don't take reservations anymore either. They are located near some decent bars and there's a parking garage nearby which is convenient.
(4)Kristen B.
We love this place. Fast and friendly service. The new bar is a great addition and has cut down on the crowding. The food is always good. Favorites include queso fundido, fajitas (with the special request hot sauce) and bean tostada. The beer is impossibly cold and the tequila selection is pretty darn good.
(5)Janice R.
We have loved this place for years. And, apparently others agree. They have expanded into the next door. So they now have a nice bar where you can eat, which they did not have before. I like the typical tex mex food. Their chili rellenos are never disappointing. Their refried beans are creamy and I never leave a bite. Love their salsa and chips and the fact I can get a side order of cilantro and jalapenos. Love their pork carnitas and their spicy shrimp dish. Uh, can you tell I like SPICEY (my stomach doesn't always feel the same the next morning). The staff is mostly family and they will get to know you after several visits and they make you feel like family. OLE!
(4)Melanie C.
It's been a long time since I've had good Mexican food and El Toro Bravo did not disappoint! The food was fresh, tasty, hot and yummy! We ordered Seafood Fajitas, Fish Tacos and ice cold Corona Lights. Service was impeccable and the chips and salsa could have been a meal on it's own for me! Refried beans didn't taste heavy or weighed down with fat and cheese. The guacamole was super tasty and the scallops in the fajitas were cooked to perfection. So glad we stumbled upon this place! So delish!
(5)Lisa H.
A friend and I stopped in for lunch. Service was fast and efficient throughout the meal. We tried the guacamole to go with our chips and salsa--delicious. I had the burrito Colorado and that was tasty. Real steak for the beef took it up a notch from regular ground beef. The refried beans were lighter than most places but that was a plus. Tables around us had HUGE margaritas that looked delicious but since I was driving I decided to stay sober!
(4)Kimberly M.
10 years ago this was the best Mexican food around, not the case anymore. They have expanded and the fajitas taste like the packets you buy in the grocery store. The margaritas are watered down because they make them in bulk. The cheese dip is still bangin, so kudos to the bravo for still being able to melt cheese. That's about it, btw if you remember the taco loco from back in the day they will still make it for you but it's not as good. Don't waste your time, go to Chevys.
(1)Victoria W.
Meh. Happy hour margaritas were good. Chips and salsa were just okay. Both the tamale that I had and the taco were a disappointment. There's not really any outside seating- except for three small tables. One of which, there is a tree constantly hitting you in the head. Not the most enjoyable experience, obviously. I'll not be back.
(2)Dawn R.
It's hard to find good Mexican food around here! Maybe I've just been spoiled by some of the fantastic food in Texas, California, and even Kansas City, but so far all my explorations here in Maryland have left me feeling.......blah. With all of that said, I guess El Toro Bravo is probably the best option I've found. The place is always packed, so I may be in the minority with my mediocre review, and there are some things they do really well. The salsa is pretty good....just enough heat to make it interesting, and I am a fan of their margaritas. The beans & rice are good, but nothing to get excited about. My son's a big fan of their chicken chimi, and their enchiladas are OK for burritos......yes, I know the difference, and although they CALL them enchiladas, they're actually burritos (corn vs flour, folks!) Tasty, but not what I'm looking for if I want enchiladas. But considering the lack of options around here, if I'm really craving Mexican food, they'll get my business. They don't suck, they just don't amaze.
(3)Kathea S.
We eat here often. Yes, you'll have a wait on a Friday or Saturday after about 7pm. Worse in the summer. That's okay though. We've always had good service. The staff are nice and tease us about our bad spanish. We always enjoy the food. The mole enchiladas are plate lick worthy. The prices are fair. Tip: Keep checking back in on your table. And don't wander too far away.
(4)Victoria S.
Not good. Probably one of the most disappointing meals in a while.
(2)Samantha F.
Our first night in Annapolis and we had a hankerin' for sushi. Sushi you ask, I know you thought this was a review for a Mexican joint. Well, yes, it is...but initially I wanted sushi. On our walk down Main Street Annapolis we noticed a very busy El Toro. Well sushi went out the window and in walked the margarita. I was given a number and we sidled up to the very busy bar which had glasses the size of a small fish bowl filled with many varieties of margs. I went standard, rocks, salt, booze. Eh, it was a mediocre marg. Seriously....can it be that difficult to make a good one? Watching all the food wiz past me while I waited for my table, my mouth watered. Did I mention I heart Mexican food? We got our table and I opted for the veg. fajitas and the man went w/ a classic combo: burrito, enchilada, tamale. The salsa was okay, nothing special, the spicy salsa was good and smoky. The food came and the fajitas were okay, except I was given flour tortillas. I probably could have asked for the corn, but they were so busy I didn't want to be a bother. The man really enjoyed whatever seasoning they put on their beef, but the tamale was a disappointment. Not really very tamale-esque. El Toro Bravo...you're they only Mexican restaurant this town has got so I suppose you'll have to do. Get a better margarita and find out what a tamale really is. OLE!
(2)Suzanne L.
There was absolutely nothing worthwhile about this restaurant. The margaritas are from a mix, the tortilla for my taco salad was burned and served to me that way. I sent it back. There is no ambiance whatsoever. Skip this place.
(1)Dan R.
Whatever this place is, it is not Mexican food. Worse than Taco Bell, at five times the price. And what's with the $6 bottles of crappy beer? We had a terrible experience in every respect- from service to atmosphere to food quality. The staff was impersonal at best. The place was packed and they were swamped, I got it, but that's no excuse. They were rude to us. It all started with the seating procedures. As a party of two, we waited 45 minutes while they seated group after group that arrived after us, including large and small tables. By the time we finally got seated, a group of three that had arrived just after us had been seated, eaten, paid and left. Bottom line, they do not seat people in order of arrival, despite all the booths being essentially the same size. I don't know what the food was, but it's not Mexican... and it might not actually be food. We ordered six different items ranging from enchiladas to burritos to beans and rice to quesadillas. The flavors were bland, sweet and nothing like I had ever tasted before. We weren't sure what we were even putting into our bodies. The beans tasted nothing like beans, I think they had cinnamon in them. Gross. Low quality, terrible flavors, and I was up all night with an upset stomach afterwards. The atmosphere- loud, crowded, hectic and stressful. Small tables were overflowing with people, shouting and drunk off oversize margaritas. That's probably the only reason anyone has to come here.
(1)Randy F.
This place is blah. Bad service, the food was bland and high prices. I'd recommend Taco Bell over this place and I'm from Southern California and love Mexican food. Avoid.
(2)Athey G.
Disappointed. I do usually do Mexican but this place came highly recommended. The margarita was all mix , had to return it. The vegetarian dinner A tasted and looked like liquid re fried beans. I won't return
(2)Ali M.
The margaritas were great. We were seated right away. The waitress was friendly. But the food....just wasn't that good.
(2)Heidi S.
El Toro Bravo gets three stars mainly for the margaritas - the margaritas are delicious, but the enchiladas (which are my go to) leave much to be desired - maybe it's the sauces I'm not sure. The prices are reasonable, but the flavors are kind of just kind of m'eh - I've had mind blowing mexican food and this? Is not it. The location is great though, and the margaritas are amazing and very generous on size. Service is touch and go, I've had really slow service and like last night, the service was pretty decent (par for a slow night though). If you're looking for great mexican food in Annapolis? Check out Sin Fonteras or Jalapenos. If you want something with a great location to go bar hopping after? El Toro is the safe bet just keep expectations low.
(3)Melanie V.
Whenever I want Mexican, I go to El Toro Bravo. The margaritas are perfect and the food is amazing!
(4)Tim M.
I hear so many locals rave about this place - I guess it depends on what kind of experience you are looking for. If you're looking for authenticity keep looking. If you're looking for that kind of 'Mexican' food that will fill you up for a small amount of beans then this is one of those places. I've read lots of these reviews and many mention how 'authentic' it is - clearly those reviewers have NOT been to Southern California, New Mexico, Arizona, or for that matter South of the Border. Because El Toro doesn't even TRY to be truly authentic - if they did they'd offer Pozole, Machacha, Picado, Ceviche Tostones and Tortas for one instead of burritos, tacos, and fajitas which are really not authentic at all. Having said all that I agree that they make great margaritas - but I've had great margaritas all over Annapolis - if you use real lime juice and the proper tequila you get a great margarita. I wouldn't benchmark a restaurant on a drink item.... The food here - as it is - which is largely a trumped up Taco Bell menu with Mexican styled music playing in the background, is ok. It is no different at all than Plaza Garabaldi in Glen Burnie, and La Fiesta and Plazuelas in Edgewater. It is not the same as Mexican Cafe, Chevy's, Baja Fresh, or Chipotle as these are different styles of 'mex' food. As I'm not a fan of Americanized faux-Mexican cuisine, which El Toro is, I can't rate this highly as yes - I've had better. The food here doesn't taste bad, the service isn't bad, and the experience isn't bad (the lines can be). It just isn't the type of place I patronize. If you want REAL Mexican food you're going to have to leave the area pretty much HOWEVER over the years we've gotten a lot more options nearby; these are Marithitas (El Salvadoran), Sin Fronteras (Oaxacan/Peruvian/Mexican), and Jugilitos (BEST street style tacos around - they even have tongue and cabeza!) to name a few. All three of these are infinitely better than El Toro... Not remotely humbly submitted this day, D. Food Snob, Ph. D.
(2)Jen L.
Fish Tacos were fantastic! I need to actually come here and have a sit down meal! Instead of meeting my friends here and stealing one of her tacos. Will be back for a more thorough review!
(4)Sophia B.
Great tex mex. Simple, not overpriced, and they make enormous margaritas too. Always willing to accommodate whatever drinks I make up with minimal strange looks
(5)Linda D.
New bar area is great! After living in Dallas for 8 years I became a bit of a Mexican food snob, and this place is the best Mexican food in the area so far. Enchiladas were so so so good! Service was excellent as well
(5)Chris R.
Great place for lunch. The specials are a good value, I often get out of here barely breaking $20. The food is authentically flavored. Wait staff is very attentive, and the chips and salsa are delivered immediately (and refillable if you ask). Highly recommended for a quick, delicious lunch downtown.
(4)Phil B.
The ambiance is fun and El Toro Bravo has redeemed itself to me. I would recommend to friends. The food is solid - the rice and refried beans were great - although the steak tacos were OK. However, the combination of great service and atmosphere bumps up my rating. The staff is super friendly, and the beer selection has every Mexican brew you can think of.
(4)Jamie D.
So...let me preface this by saying that El Toro Bravo was the ONLY Mexican joint I would go to back when I was a dirty heathen that thought I hated Mexican food. Their Quesadilla Rojas was the only thing I would get. Now I have been dragged from my cave and been given culture, my mouth is now making up for lost time and ALL I WANT IS MEXICAN ALL THE TIME EVER. So I've been shoving my face full of some pretty awesome Mexican up in Philadelphia and came home and realized "If Toro Bravo was the only place I would eat when I didn't eat this stuff....holy crap. I must try something now." I ordered a mango margarita and carnitas tacos. It took a really long time for our food to come out and what I got was NOT carnitas tacos. It was a big carnitas wrap thing....kind of looked like an enchilada, but was only full of sweet sweet pork. I took a bite and decided I didn't care, this shit was delicious and I was totally eating it. I can't speak to the authenticity of the food, but it was delicious. Service was extremely slow on a Monday night when they weren't busy at all. It took a noticeably long time for the maragaritas and waters to come out, then food to come out, then another forever-feeling time for the check to get to us. After waiting at least 15 minutes for the waitress to come back for the check, I just went inside and handed it to her. So my order was wrong and the service was too damn slow, but the food and drinks were really delicious.
(4)Nina U.
I really want to find my go-to Mexican joint in Annapolis! Buttttttt....I'm still looking. Hit up El Toro Bravo today while at the First Sunday (of the month) Arts Fest in downtown Annapolis on West Street. The place was slamming so it had to be good! It smelled good when I walked in and the menu looked awesome. Unfortunately the screaming baby in the next booth killed the excitement. Then the full glass of salsa picked me back up. And the bean burrito- eh it was pretty good. Enchilladas? Wished they had been wrapped in corn tortillas instead of flour. The tortilla soup was good but definitely resembled a stew instead of a soupy soup. The rice and beans were good too. Nothing crazy exciting but it was a good lunch meal and break from the outside heat.
(3)Erin D.
If I could give zero stars I would. He made my boyfriend get up and figure out who ordered what at the register. Out of the two things we ordered. It's extremely loud. Plus they let wayyyyyy too many in their so called lobby. Had to be a fire hazard. The food is over priced compared to other Mexican restaurants in AACo. The wait staff says nothing to you until he gives you your check. Making up for the lack of words earlier in the meal. When he came up to the table he says "what do you want?" The food wasn't worth it. I can keep going, but I'll stop. Just like I'll stop going to this place.
(1)Eddie D.
Good Mexican food. Nothing mind blowing, but what Mexican cuisine is? Have not been disappointed with any of the dishes we have tried, from fajita's to tacos to chili rejenols. What's really good are the margarita's. Strong and sweet and delicious. Drink two and be prepared to walk them off through the streets in Annapolis. Or drink one "large" and take a taxi home. Typical decor, nothing fancy. Lots of naval students the last few times we've been in. A fun place to go with friends for a good meal. Service is good. Waiters are friendly and attentive, and have always refilled our chips and salsa on the house.
(4)Cristin S.
I had to give this place 5 stars, even though we stopped in for a snack and some drinks and that's it. Primarily because we ordered the 'big-as-someone's-head' margaritas -- they were strong, they were delicious, and damn, they really WERE big as someone's head. They came in this margarita glass that could have been a bird bath. But they were GOOD. Well worth the money. Since they were working so well, we had to get something to eat. So we ordered the nachos. They were exactly like the nachos that a Mexican restaurant by my house serves, so I immediately loved them. They were really delicious. I'm hoping to come back to Annapolis when the weather is warmer, hopefully for a family vacation this summer, and am very eager to come back here.
(5)Nikki R.
I was so disappointed by our experience this evening. My husband and I have loved this restaurant for years, but haven't been in since the expansion. The waiter had to take our order for two glasses of water, twice. We were brought the wrong food, then when we got our food, mine had sour cream on it. The waiter said no problem, and took it back. What they did is scrape the sour cream off and put some new tomatoes on top. Both my dish and my husband's were cold. Very cold. He said no problem, and brought then back. All they did was put them under the warmer. I told them mine was still cold so they brought me another plate that was luke warm. I ended up not eating it and the waiter took it off the bill since I didn't touch it. Serving me cold food, after raising their prices, is unacceptable. We won't be back anytime soon.
(1)Cristina G.
I would really give this restaurant 3.5 stars! Ventured into this restaurant after a long day walking in the heat. El Toro Bravo (Angry Bull) is a good place to get those minerals back into the system after sweating all day. The chips were warm and thick...just the way I like them and the salsa was a bit on the tomato-y side. We asked for the hotter salsa and mixed it in with the mild one and it made all the difference in my mind. I had the Number 1 combo....2 enchiladas, 2 taco and beans. The food was tasty...just not very exciting. But the good part was the margarita! I had the 32oz beast of a drink and it was good! Would I go back? Sure.... if in the area.
(3)B. M.
I've never had anything that wasn't delicious from here. Staff is friendly too. It's just a tad bit expensive but not enough to keep me from going there for lunch every other week. The queso fundido and taco salad are my favorites.
(4)Winnie K.
Margaritas were good and nicely sized. Be warned - the large is more like a big gulp. We shared the mixed fajitas - very good (not greasy like some places). A lot of meat, peppers, onions. One random sad tomato slice. It only comes with 2 tortillas and 4 extra are $1.50. Most places just give you extra tortillas on the house. They also forgot our rice, even though the menu said it came with it. The server was a little abrasive - it was busy and he wanted us to rush but didn't actually say to rush. It was a really busy Saturday night and they way they seat people was just confusing. One of my friends says she goes there for lunch a lot and they are fantastic then. Still giving them 4 stars because of the food and drinks.
(4)Dana P.
I have no idea what I just ate. We tried this place on a busy Friday night. They give you a number when you come in, but if you are a party of two, be forewarned -- every large party (even if it's just three people) will be seated before you, no matter when they arrive. This would make sense, if there were smaller tables and larger tables. But it's all booths. We watched a party of seven that arrived at least half an hour after us get seated ahead of us, in a booth that was the same size as the one we eventually got seated in (after we complained). The staff were rude and abrupt. The food is really, really disgusting. The combo that I ordered had a mushroom quesadilla that was inedible. It was just a store-bought flour tortilla filled with a greasy scoop of dripping wet mushrooms -- that's it. No sauce, nothing to even try to help you get it down. My combo also came with a spinach burrito, which sounded intriguing on the menu. You might imagine that, as a burrito, it would have typical burrito ingredients, with spinach incorporated in some interesting way. This would be a logical conclusion for anyone who has ever eaten Mexican food to make. But the spinach "burrito" was -- you guessed it -- ANOTHER foul store-bought tortilla, this time stuffed with spinach, and nothing else. This one came drenched in a red sauce that tasted like heavy cream, sugar, and ketchup. We left extremely confused about what we had just eaten. It is certainly not Mexican food. It's more like what would happen if a toddler were to be left alone in the kitchen with a set of random ingredients. Both meals got us sick later that night.
(1)Kelli K.
I work in the building next to El Toro Bravo so 15 steps and I am there. The close proximity is definitely a factor but the food is pretty good. Lots of stuff on the menu and well priced.
(4)Charles H.
I've come here for lunch three times during the summer while working in Annapolis for a couple months and it gets the job done for lunch, but not much else. Selection: the selection is huge, there's about 4 pages of choices. If you're feeling Mexican food, you'll probably find something that sounds appetizing. Food: the food is mediocre. On all three occassions, the refried beans were salty and I decided not to finish (I usually finish everything). The first time I ate here I ordered a chicken dish lunch special and the accompanying vegetables were burnt. The next two times weren't as bad. For the prices, charged the food is wanting. Can't say I tried the margaritas. The rationale to why I come here is usually: I didn't bring lunch and I really feel like Mexican food. if there was a Chipotle here, this place wouldn't come to mind.
(2)Keith L.
For those that like crappy Mexican food come here. For those that appreciate really good, fresh and tasty Mexican food, dont step foot into this dive. If you are ignorant to the delight real Mexican food has, then this place will be heaven. Imagine McDonalds and Taco Bell making a "nicer" restaurant......yep...thats right...its THAT bad. This is the place to get wasted on Margaritas and actually believe the food is good. Go to Chevys and you will even get better Mexican food and thats NOT a compliment.
(1)Christopher S.
We had a craving for Mexican after having a few drinks down the street and it was getting late. You just do not have great choices for Mexican fare in Annapolis or even within a 10 mile radius. If you desire good Mexican food, this is the place. Excellent Margaritas and nice choice of imported beer. The waitstaff is very good, friendly, attentive and funny. The Nachos are top nacho and you can order them so many different ways. The pork carnitas is really good and this was pointed out by Micki's review. Their salsa blows me away, perfect amount of hot stuff and very flavorful. Its a small, popular place with a nice vib going on. I recommend this restaurant for the best Mexican meal in Annapolis. Very good price/value relationship.
(4)Kelly L.
My husband and I went there for a nice night out and there was a slight wait when we got there. We decided to go to the bar and get a drink while we waited. We walked back to the hostess stand and noticed people who came in after us were being seated. I asked how much longer it would be (we had been there for about 45 mins by now). The hostess said maybe about 20 mins. A little while later, a lady sitting next to me asked how long we had been there. I told her about an hour (which is what it was by then) she said well u guys are probably next cause we got here about 20 mins ago and the girl told us 30 mins. About 2 minutes later they were sat... Not us! My husband asked if I wanted to leave. I told him let's give them about 10 more minutes. The hostess came by and asked how many were in our party, for the 3rd time, we answered 2. She then walked right next to us and sat a 2 top that had been waiting for less then 20 mins. This place is ridiculous! We ended up walking out and will never eat there!! I would say again, but we're were never sat to begin with!
(1)Maseeh R.
Always walked by this place and never noticed it, but I'm glad I did... It's really good. I had a dog with me so I sat outside and tied it up, and to my surprise they brought out treats and a bowl of water, and proceeded to treat him like a king. Very nice gesture from the hilarious and mischievous staff. I stuck to the less "authentic" food and I wasn't disappointed. Large margarita was the size of a young adult's head. No, really. As big as a teenage girls head. Thick and salty tortilla chips and a generous jar of salsa to start. White cheese queso dip - YUM (mix it with the salsa for a weird textured yet delicious dip). Chicken and beef quesadillas were awesome, simple and tasty. I'll have to try something a bit more adventurous next time given their HUGE menu. I'm sure that'll be soon.
(5)John S.
Very friendly restaurant with an exceptionally large Mexican food menu. Prices are right. I had the best seafood burrito ever.
(5)Anne F.
We used to go here for happy hour for margarita and salsa/chips purposes. You can always get a margarita as big as your head here. Very serious. The food is tasty enough, but nothing to write home about. Come for the 'ritas. This is a big place for the party crowds of Naptown, so be warned! On warm nights, you might even have to wait. The staff is great fun and always up to the demands of the crowd. Sometimes, they will throw in some stuff for free. Full of bull heads and Spanish language TV. If you are young, get your butt over there! Now!
(4)Elizabeth S.
The servers are friendly and the food is fantastic. The margaritas...YUM! The margarita glasses are the largest I've seen since Ma Crosby's in Acuna, Mx. I'm definitely a fan but you should get there early on the weekends b/c the place fills up quickly!
(5)Jennifer R.
My husband and I ate here on our last night in Annapolis. We were both very pleased with the whole experience! Once we were seated we immediately received chips and salsa, which were both outstanding. We placed our order, which was brought out to us very quickly. Both of us were very satisfied with our meals! We're not experts, but it seemed authentic enough to us. The price was what I would expect for a local Mexican restaurant. It was very busy, but the entire staff were friendly and accommodating. All of the waitstaff were attentive to all guests, as well as their own tables. Example: two other servers asked if we wanted more water when they were walking by. The margaritas are excellent, as well!
(4)Patrick O.
Great service and great food. The prices are reasonable. Every time I go, I am never disappointed. Chilaquiles are good as are the fajitas. Very quick service.
(5)Lawrence S.
Delicious Mexican food and good selection of (albeit expensive) Mexican beers. I had stuffed poblano peppers, and my companions had quesadillas and tacos. The meat and cheese were both heaped inside and the rice+beans were quite tasty. The food came out really, really fast -- and hot. Otherwise, though, our waitress disappeared for a little while. And it's a little more pricey than I would have expected.
(4)Lisa C.
Ate here last summer & food was good. Tonight, we left because of the rudeness of host /manager. A number was thrown at me without a word, & I watched them seat several parties while waiting for my husband & son to park the car. Only I after said something, was I rudely told I could not be seated until they were in the door. It would have been nice if this had been mentioned when I walked in. I was tired & hungry. Getting settled & ordering a drink in the 5 minutes I was alone would have been nice. Instead we found another Mexican restaurant off the beaten path. In my mind, it doesn't matter how good the food is if the people are rude.
(1)David A.
This small quick table turning restaurant in downtown Annapolis is authentic, cozy, and has excellent food. The menu is huge with limitless options. I ordered the fajitas which were some of the better I've ever had and cheap -lunch special under 9 bucks. The kid's menu options are solid, albeit a tad pricey. Margaritas were very big and very good! I definitely recommend this restaurant.
(4)Chris B.
I've been living in Los Angeles for over 15 years, so I was not expecting to find decent (much less good) Mexican food in Annapolis. El Toro Bravo proved me wrong - and that's no bull. I had an all-meat burrito with carnitas, which was tender and flavorful (a bit more spicy than most Mexican places). I washed that puppy down with a refreshing rocks margarita. My companions enjoyed their meals as well. The service was excellent, and the prices were fair.
(4)Melody D.
Extremely Rude!! I went to this restaurant with several friends and we ordered drinks and dinner. First there was a long black hair on my friend's salad. We alerted the waiter and his said, "we do not have hair in our kitchen". We asked him to please replace the salad and he rudely complied. One of my friends is allergic to alcohol and she ordered a virgin pinocolada. After she drank about half of the drink she began to turn extremely red and her throat felt like it was closing up. We asked for the waiter and he continued with his previously rude behavior so we asked for the manager. He said he was the manager. My friend pointed out that his name tag indicated he was a server and asked again for the manager. He refused to get the manager. The owner was standing not far from our table. I decided to go and speak to the owner and while walking over to him the waiter repeatedly tried to stop me saying, "Where are you going. What do you want?". Ignoring him, I walked up to the owner and told him that our friend had been served alcohol when she ordered a virgin and explained that she is allergic and he replied, "Then why did she drink it?". I responded, "because she thought it was a virgin drink." He asked me again, "Why did she drink it?" I said, "Do you know what a virgin drink is?" He said he did but that he did not like the way I was talking to him. Meantime, my friend's throat was swelling and her face was extremely red. The owner did not show the least bit of concern. He never once asked if she was OK. He never went over to the table to check on her. They quickly served us the bill but did not charge us for the virgin drink. I posted my experience on Consumerist with a picture. Our waiter saw me taking a picture of the outside of the restaurant and ran out the door with a thumbs up to pose for the picture. This could have been a serious medical situation and fortunately after feeling sick and drinking lots of water my friend was eventually OK. This kind of behavior from any restaurant is unacceptable and is most atrocious coming from an owner. The food? It was OK. Nothing special. I have a feeling the waiter brought back the same salad plate that had the hair on it. Really nasty place. I DO NOT RECOMMEND!
(1)Katrina W.
Great for a night out with friends for yummy margaritas. My favorite item on the menu was their queso fundido. The combination of spicy chorizo and melted cheese is amazing along with a slight sense of guilt afterwards.
(3)Guy F.
The Best Mexican place around here. It's awesome. Get the Frozen Rita with the corona in it.
(5)Jillian T.
I'm sorry. I just can't get behind this place. I've tried and tried, stopping back multiple times. But the food isn't fresh and every time I sit down I feel like someone is rushing me out the door. It's just not that good. And there are few things I love more than Mexican food so I really want it to be good. But consistently cold and mediocre food just isn't going to cut it.
(2)Stan R.
We were a little unsure of our choice to eat here today since we are Mexican food snobs from Southern California and are a little dubious when we find Mexican food outside of the Southwestern area. However, we were very pleasantly surprised to find this was a pretty darn good Mexican dining experience. My wife and I ordered two different combo plates, but both included chili rellenos (our favorite and our gold standard for good Mexican food). I am pleased to say that their chili relleno was one of the best we have had anywhere. It was stuffed with what I think was likely a jalapeno cheese sauce and spinach. It was just excellent. My tostada and my wife's chicken taco were also very good. The beans were OK and the Spanish rice was unexceptional (but very few restaurants seem to excel in this area). The chips were fresh and tasty, and the salsa was awesome. Thanks to Yelp, we once again found a terrific place to dine.
(4)Jennifer W.
You gotta roll flip your R's when you say it. El ToRo BRavo! Seems like I get myself talked into things. Ofen, one of those things is margaritas. When we asked our server for water to start with, with the most serious look on his face, he said they didn't have any water, that the water was broken. We laughed, of course, but he didn't back down. So, we ended up ordering margaritas... which we were going to do anyway. The thing about this one is that it was literally a lake of margarita. Forest creatures could've skied across it. It was huge. And very yummy. He never did bring us any water. I didn't feel like venturing too far out for this meal, so I played it safe with a chicken quesadilla, rice and beans. You're going to think I'm crazy, but I liked the fact that this quesadilla was a little smaller than the ones I've had in Georgia at Chepe's or Cinco. I actually could eat all of it and still enjoy about half of the rice and beans. The chicken in the quesadilla was really very juicy and tender, not overcooked like some quesadillas I've had. The atmosphere reminded me of Mexican restaurants you find in San Antonio, with lots of tile work, simple decorations and pastel colors. I did notice that the lighting was bright which seemed unusual since most restaurants lower the lights at night... you know, mood lighting or whatever. With the 10-minute wait time included, we were finished with dinner in just under an hour. Near the end of the meal, service began to wane and it was a little harder to get our waiter's attention. I guess he was too busy upselling other customers to the grande margarita. (I did drink every last drop, by the way.)
(4)Nan G.
This is a fun place right on West Street. My daughter loves it and says she could eat here every day. I went for the first time the other day for a quick dinner. The prices are good the food is decent. We had beef quesadillas, chicken tacos with rice, guac and refried beans. The chips are warm and crispy. Their salsa is flavorful. We got in shortly before the crowd. It filled up quite quickly for a Monday evening. The wait staff was hustling around. The service was very quick and friendly. I highly recommend this place. Happy hour seems like the best choice for this restaurant.
(4)Dave K.
I only ate here once - but the going gets rocky when you are from Southern California and you're trying to find good Mexican food in Maryland. I had chicken enchiladas and was totally satisfied. The chicken had green chilies in it and the sauce was good. The price was right, the service was friendly, the chips were crisp - what more do you want?
(5)Edward C.
It's been a while since I've written a review and there's nothing like horrible Mexican food to help me get over my writer's block. First off: no horchata. What Mexican restaurant does't have horchata? A good sign you may be in for some horrible Mexican food. The good news is they have a good selection of Jarrito's. I ordered the huevos rancheros and my buddy ordered the enchiladas. The food came out pretty quick. I got into my eggs and they weren't runny... at all. Instead of over-easy I got fried-hard. Not a good thing with huevos rancheros. It also came out with the white paste (which I am assuming is supposed to be the refried beans) and rice. The best part about my meal? The rice! It was pretty epic, but that's sad at the same time. I got a spoonful of some of those refried beans and apparently got a spoonful of salt instead. Lesson learned: it's not refried beans. It's salt pudding. After that I decided I was done and so was my buddy. His enchiladas were rolled up turds in corn tortillas. The chips were stale and the salsa tasted like a can of Pace Picante Sauce or ketchup. I can't really tell the difference. You're better off at Chevy's... and that's sad.
(1)Erik M.
It seems like when El Toro opened several years ago the food was both better and cheaper, but that could just be through the rosie lens of time. In any case, the food isn't great, it's decent, but the portions are good, and the service is fast. El Toro is a great place to enjoy lunch with a friend in downtown Annapolis when you've got to be someplace else in an hour, say the legislature, city hall, or an appointment with clients.
(3)Nick C.
best fajitas ever! and a cool ambiance
(5)Leah S.
My favorite Mexican place in the area! I recommend the Seafood Chimichangas - amazing! The rice and beans aren't so great, but the salsa is good and they have white queso dip which is hard to find around here.
(4)Jennic M.
El Toro Bravo is standard food- nothing outstanding but decent and yummy for a Mexican food fix. The atmosphere and location is what brings me back again and again.
(4)Philip G.
This place has pretty good Mexican food, huge margaritas, and really good service. If you are looking for good Mexican food in Annapolis check out this place.
(4)Brian R.
I can't understand why this is the only Mexican restaurant in downtown Annapolis, I mean it was absolutely packed with a line out the door when we were there. I will say they really have the place down to an art, getting people in, served, and out with surprising efficiency. Not much in the way of service, and the food was typical tex-mex, nothing too special, but tasty nonetheless. Decent selection of latin beers and tequilla as well.
(3)Hetty W.
3.5 Disclaimer: my girlfriends and I were STARVING when we got here, so the review has been adjusted accordingly. That said, the bright decorations and busyness of the restaurant caught our eye as we were wandering down West St. towards the waterfront. We ate around 7PM on a Friday night and didn't have to wait long at all, although I did notice a decent-sized crowd gathering outside as we were eating our dinner. Food was typical tex-mex. They do fill you with chips and salsa on the house--chips were great! Served warm and tasted fresh. They leave a little carafe of salsa at the table which is great for me because I usually run out of that stuff before I hit the bottom of the chip basket. I got the chimichanga with chicken and beef tips. It was basically meat wrapped inside a tortilla with a couple of diced tomatoes and onions, all topped with sour cream and guac (toppings were great!) The chicken was not very flavorful at all, it tasted almost like it had been boiled or something. Definitely stick with their beef. Atmosphere was loud and busy--we were sitting right next to a bachelorette party that had NO problem with volume at all. Service started out great, and then we had to wait a pretty long time for our check. You'd think they would want to pick that up ASAP, but I guess it was starting to get really packed as we wanted to leave. All in all, it hit the spot for us and we left completely full. Don't know that I'd go back though, especially with all the other great restaurants in town.
(3)Keith C.
This place is AWESOME for authentic mexican food that is reasonably priced. The only downfall of the place is the location is small and on the weekends you need to wait quite a bit of a time to get seated. However, the carnitas are moist pieces of pork with all the usual side items to put on your flour tortillas. The sopapillos are huge and lovely puff pastry with lots of honey and whipped cream to cool it off. We went on a Monday and were seated immeadiately and with only a few other couples eating at the time, it made for a great dinner before a concert at the Ram's Head Tavern, which is right across the street. If you are craving mexican or want to try a mole sauce dish, this is a GREAT place to visit.
(5)Steve L.
We live in Annapolis and El Toro Bravo is our favorite stop for Mexican food. I'm a fan of their pollo ranchero and fajitas. My peeps love the fajitas, chimis and burritos. Can't go wrong. Consistently delicious and friendly, right there on West Street in Annapolis, walking distance from anything downtown, the State House, courthouse, shops, all that. The place is kinda small but it's fun and features two brave toros' heads that peer down from opposing walls. That freaks me a bit but a coupla cold margaritas or cervezas helps.
(4)MICHAEL U.
The Chillaquiles are awful, what a shame!
(2)Michelle S.
I was in Annapolis for almost 8 weeks for work and ate here a lot. Really good, affordable mexican food, served by friendly and attentive servers. They also have about 45 kinds of tequila and giant ass Margaritas.
(4)Daniel C.
Just moved to Annapolis and was looking for a Mexican restaurant within walking distance, near downtown, so this was the natural place to try out. To begin, the atmosphere is awful, the interior needs some serious remodeling and gave us bad vibe from the start. The booths are uncomfortable, covered in tacky 70's style vinyl and create a claustrophobic feeling. The waitress we had barely spoke English, which considering probably 95% of the clientele that would frequent this restaurant are non-Spanish speakers, you would think that would be a requirement. We ordered a pitcher of margaritas on the rocks for 25 bucks that came out in a cheap, clear plastic cafeteria-style water pitcher. The margaritas themselves were nothing special, about as good as cheap tequila with crappy mixer, definitely no fresh ingredients. Further, the pitcher was overloaded with ice, presumably to rip me off as much as possible so as to conserve their alcohol and maximize profit. One of my dining companions ordered a vegetarian burrito with no cheese, and of course because the waitress didn't understand him, it came with cheese. I had three pork tacos, which weren't horrible, but nothing to brag about. It came with a side of rice which was overcooked and flavorless, and the refried beans were horrible. When my dining companion complained to the waitress about the burrito having cheese and not being able to eat it, she agreed to remove it from the check. But of course, when the check came it was still on the bill. This was, after waiting about 20 minutes to get her attention. Needless to say, we will never be going back - I will sacrifice the convenience of walking and get in the car to find another Mexican place.
(1)Stephanie O.
Our favorite Tex-Mex Around! The Margaritas are AMAZING and we take all of our out of town guests here. The ambiance is a bit loud for the romantic at heart, but if you are looking for a great time and good food it is worth the wait!
(4)T H.
Best in Class - Annapolis, MD. Fast, friendly, fresh. A good place for fajitas and a margarita.
(4)Sean R.
Best authentic Mexican food in Annapolis. Large selection of beer and huge margaritas available. Good Vegetarian options as well.
(5)Justin L.
Worth the wait. Some of the best meals I've ever had.
(5)Jeff W.
Very bland overall, made for the folks who don't eat much Mexican. Although it's good enough and prices are decent for the location.
(2)Ian G.
I have been going to El Toro Bravo for a while, not out of any great love for the place, but because it is a serviceable Mexican restaurant in a convenient location in Downtown Annapolis. The food at all of the basic Annapolis joints (Ramshead, Federal House, etc. etc.) tastes exactly the same, so it is good to try something different. The food is flavorful, but not fresh - and picking anything past the basic Mexican fare is a risk. I agree with the other poster - go to DC for chillaquiles - not quite there yet. The chips and salsa are excellent, however. The booze is well done - I can say that the Margarita's are the best in Annapolis.
(3)Cameo S.
I wish I could give it no stars. This is the worst Mexican and probably restaurant experience we've had in a long time. Don't go. Make the drive to Mi Casita in Crofton, Mi Hacienda in Bowie or Plaza Garibaldi in Glen Burnie. The staff was inattentive, even with very few people there. We had to wait about 20 minutes to get eye contact enough to ask for refills. They pour coke and root beer from a pitcher--incredibly flat drinks. The food comes out incredibly hot, I think to mask blandness. The beans and rice are among the worst I've had. It seems they open up a can of mixed vegetables to put in the rice--I mean lima beans, peas, and corn. That is unheard of at Mexican Restaurants in Arizona and California. My wifes Chilaquiles tasted off. When we were brought our check, the server just put it on the table and walked away. No eye contact, no thanks for coming, no "how was everything". Just bad food, bad service, and its difficult parking near the restaurant as it is. Last time we gave no tip in years. Make the drive to Plaza Garibaldi. You'll probably get better parking and faster service anyways. I don't understand how El Toro Bravo is related to the Plaza Garibaldi chain of restaurants. I don't know if the ownership is different--Maria vs Jose Aguirre or is it management or training.... But the menu, food, and service is in complete contrast.
(1)beckie h.
my all time favorite restaurant in annapolis! the drinks are strong, the food is authentic & inexpensive and the staff is delightful - they will remember your face after 2 or 3 visits.
(5)Lynn F.
Avoid this restaurant at all costs unless you want to suffer severe heartburn caused by eating your meal at lightning speed. The servers practically throw the food on the table and then they and the buspersons hover like vultures waiting to snatch up a plate the minute your fork rests. My companions and I were scared to put our forks down lest our plates be whisked out from under us. The food itself is acceptable, neither outstanding nor awful. The chips are a little thick and as a result, chewy. The fried ice cream was horrible and should be avoided at all costs unless you want to experience the pleasure of stale and soggy corn chips, passing for the crispy coating, surrounding a frozen hunk of ice cream and surrounded by whipped cream. After the bill was brought we were practically stalked by the waiter and another person who I presume was either the manager or an owner, clearly in an attempt to get us to pay up and move along. We were not seated at the table more than an hour, an hour and a half at the most, which has to be close to the average turnover time for a 4-top. I can only assume that this restaurant is less about hospitality and more about volume volume volume and don't let the screen door hit your backside on the way out.
(1)Amanda S.
This place was fine. I had a fried chimichanga lunch special, which was tasty, although it didn't taste super fresh or amazingly delicious. For it's price, it was great! My margarita was nice and big, but it did not taste like it was made from scratch. The service was okay, although our server did not speak English well, and her boss (possibly the manager or owner?) was not very friendly.
(3)Antonio C.
By far my favorite Mexican food in the Annapolis area. I love their fajitas, margherritas, burritos and the ambience is perfect in my opinion. I have been to El Toro Bravo about a dozen times now and have yet to have a bad experience there. I highly recommend you try them if your downtown.
(5)Nicole M.
Cool friendly place for the most part & Food prices were okay . I got the nacho burrito which wasn't too appealing in my opinion but taste wise wasn't bad . Waiter was friendly .. But when asked if me & friends could have separate checks, he became rude about it & stated we can only take 2 transactions from 2 of us only
(2)Andrew B.
The food was delicious with an authentic feel. The food was delivered quickly, and the staff was continually checking on us. Reasonably priced food and beer for a quick lunch.
(4)DJ P.
I had a Grande Burrito California with shrimp. It was good. You can tell its authenticity The chips and sauce is real good.
(4)Mia L.
Oh El Toro, I wish we didn't have to part ways in a manner such as this but I can no longer frequent your establishment. This review was supposed to have been written over a month ago but it was so draining just thinking about it. I practically work around the corner from El Toro Bravo and my coworkers and I would frequent this place for lunch. They have good lunch specials at a good price and the food is pretty good, however, after an incident that occurred in early July, I will never go back again. On 6/22/15, my coworker/friend and I went here for lunch. As usual, the food was good and service was decent. My friend and I split the bill and I used my debit card for my portion of the bill. Since I had a little bit of cash on me, I gave a tip in cash. Fast forward to the first weekend in July...I was reviewing my transactions on my bank account and noticed a charge from El Toro Bravo that was for an amount over $20. Please keep in mind that their lunch specials are so cheap that you will never spend over $20, including a drink and tip unless you get appetizers and alcohol. So I dug in my purse and pulled out my receipt. After reviewing the amount on my receipt and reviewing the amount that came out of my bank account, it appeared that my card was swiped twice because it was exactly twice the amount that it should've been. When I returned to work on 7/7/15, I went to El Toro Bravo with a copy of my receipt and a copy of my bank statement. I was approached by a waitress (I think her name is Maria but don't hold me to this) and I asked her for the manager/owner of the restaurant. She asked me what was wrong so I showed her a copy of my receipt and bank statement and explained that I was charged double the amount that I was supposed to pay. She attempted to take my documents and told me to come back later on that afternoon. I told her that I would like to make a copy of my paperwork before just handing it over so I told her that I would come back later with the papers. I went back later with the same friend/coworker that I went to lunch with because she knows how to speak Spanish and I had difficulty understanding everything that the waitress was telling me the first time I went. So again, we went asking for a manager/owner and the same waitress tells us that he won't be in until the next day and that when I came there earlier, I didn't ask for the owner which was a lie. So the next day, 7/8/15, my friend and I return to El Toro Bravo again and immediately we are greeted by the waiter that served us on the day that my card was swiped twice. I don't remember his name but he was talking to us and trying to help us resolve the issue. Then the waitress from the previous day comes up to us and starts speaking in Spanish to my friend but she was speaking so fast that even my friend had difficulty understanding everything that she was saying. Eventually, the waiter explained what the waitress was saying...they said that when people use a debit/credit card and they don't leave a tip sometimes they will add like $2 on to your total. I explained that this isn't the case because my card was swiped twice. It was exactly double of what I was supposed to be charged. The waiter pulls out a wad of cash and starts to give me back the money that was owed to me. The waitress begins to chime in and tells him to keep $2 for tip. I went on to say that I did give a tip that day. She then begins speaking Spanish to my friend and says that every time we go there, we never tip. That's when things really began to go left. My friend informs the waitress that she is telling a lie. So then the waitress then tells my friend, "you come here all the time and you always tip but your friend (me) never tips". So then we both tell her that she is lying. I told her that every time I go there, I leave a tip. The waiter who was counting out the money quickly hands me the money owed to me because he could tell that the situation was beginning to escalate. My friend and I left but we were angry, disappointed, and frustrated. Honestly, as long as I got my money back, I would love to go back to El Toro Bravo but after the allegations that I never tip when I go there, I will never go back again. They won't see another dime of my money. That was just rude and disrespectful. I would also like to give warning to those who use a debit or credit card at this restaurant to please be sure to check your statements after going to this restaurant. After this incident occurred, I came on Yelp and saw a few other reviews where people were overcharged on their cards. Also, to the staff at El Toro Bravo, please understand that it is NOT a requirement that a patron of your restaurant, or any restaurant for that matter, leave a tip. However, I've always given a tip to my server when I came there. Never again!
(1)Alexandra W.
Maybe El Toro Bravo lives up to its great reputation on a different night. Our waiter brought a completely different dish from what I ordered (for the record, I requested it out loud and pointed to it on the menu, not daring rely on my spoken Spanish alone). Said dish was not only unremarkable, but bland, soggy, and lukewarm. Our waiter was inattentive and bordering on rude. I've never sent back a meal, and maybe that meal would have been the perfect first time, but you bet I didn't bother our indifferent waiter with fixing his mistake. I wouldn't discourage people from coming because of my one bad dish and one bad waiter, but I would need a lot of persuading** to come back. **If this persuasion comes in the form of two or more of their margaritas soaked in Corona, I'll see you there. The tequila menu is the restaurant's one redeeming quality, and they appear to do that right.
(1)Joe W.
Food was fine and overpriced. I think they're catering to the tourist crowd now. I'm a local and when they first opened they were great. Good prices, good food.. but that's changed now. Last visit there (last night), our waiter was overseeing no less than 12 tables at a time. He was clearly rushed and obviously annoyed at my wife's questioning of the menu. Drinks weren't refilled in any sort of timely manner (and as a former waiter, I have patience with this). All in all, I won't soon be going back. At its a shame, because before this change in attitude my family would frequent this place at least once a week. Do yourself a favor an go to Plazuelas on Route 2. Better, authentic food and much cheaper prices.
(2)William W.
My aunt chipping a tooth on a rock in her burrito and the wildly unprofessional manner in which the situation was handled was the last straw for me. After several years of being a regular customer, I will not be returning. Had the rock issue not happened, I would probably give the place three stars. The food is decent if uninspired Tex-Mex. Standard "Taco Bell" menu items are done pretty well, and the mole sauce is nice, but don't expect anything that isn't a variation of chicken/beef with cheese, tortillas, and crema Mexicana. It's about on par with Chipotle. While there are individual servers who are very friendly and quite good, in general the staff seems amateurish. Service is inconsistent. The way that the wait staff would sometimes try to hurry you through your meal and out the door or ignore you and hope you'd go away became something of a running joke with my wife and I. Several of the servers seem to try very earnestly but just don't have any training. El Toro's main draw is that it's located downtown. There are much, much better Mexican/Latin American/Tex Mex places in Annapolis ( Jalapenos and Sin Fronteras spring to mind ) but El Toro is the only one downtown, making it a convenient place to meet friends before going out for drinks. But dat rock doh. My wife and baby daughter met my aunt and her friend for lunch. Everything, including the service, was fine until my aunt bit into her burrito and cracked a tooth. She removed a half-inch square piece of rock. When we mentioned this to the server, it was pretty clear he was out of his depth--possibly a language issue--and so we suggested to him that he get a manager. Another server came out to explain that there wasn't a manager in the building. Then--and, this too could have been a language issue--he began to explain to my aunt that sometimes rocks wind up in beans and you have to remove them. This is where everything went south. Hard. The idea that he might be in some fashion blaming my aunt for not checking her burrito thoroughly for rocks sent her friend into orbit, and, following a bit of a back-and-forth, demanded to see the owner. The waiter told him he wasn't there. After repeatedly demanding that the waiter either call the owner or give the owner's number to us and being denied, he eventually went back into the restaurant. At this point, my aunt hadn't received so much as an apology or an expression of sympathy, never mind an offer to comp the check or anything else. He did suggest that if she didn't feel well she could always go to the hospital. Yep. About fifteen minutes later he returned with a business card showing the number of the restaurant and told my aunt that she could try calling later in the week when the owner might be in. Predictably, this did not go over well, and provoked another angry response from my aunt's friend. Still no expression of sympathy or regret, no offer to comp the meal, and no offer to cover any dental expenses. After a minute or two of the server refusing to put us in contact with the owner or even a manager, he returned inside, where he hid for another thirty minutes before sending our original server out with a bill for around $100. We informed him that we would not pay and did not intend to leave until we spoke with either a manager or the owner. We waited another twenty minutes to no avail, then left. Needless to say, we will not be returning. Even if there weren't much better alternatives in the area, this sort of treatment is completely unacceptable. Having spent about ten years in the restaurant industry, waiting and in the kitchen, I understand how difficult it can be and I'm very sympathetic, but this betrays a deeper lack of attention to service and total lack of respect for customers. The situation could have been resolved positively in minutes had someone taken a little bit of initiative: apologize, comp the check, make an honest effort to contact a manager or an owner, and if no one is available, take down my aunt's information and promise to put her in contact with someone as soon as possible. Bonus points for asking her to forward a copy of any dental bills she incurs.
(1)Adam S.
Good, not great. They always forgot to take the sour cream off of my beans, and the prices don't compare with the deal you get at Chipotle. Not to mention the fact that Chipotle is Non-GMO, has high quality meat, etc. Just go to Chipotle at the Annapolis Mall instead. You won't be disappointed.
(3)Taylor L.
We were visitors in town for Tech Military Bowl game and wanted to celebrate our win with margaritas and Mexican food! We found El Toro Bravo and it was packed. Our group went to the bar for margs while we waited for a table. They had a cool system with their margaritas where you order a higher level and get better tequila. We ordered a level 3 or so to not get the completely fake crappy tequila. The bartender in front of our face poured a shot of the 1800 nice tequila then we saw them finish the rest of the marg with the crappy tequila!!! It was in front of our own faces and we paid extra to have our whole margarita made with the nicer tequila. This place was super busy but waiters were moving around in such a rush that it wasn't about giving good genuine service. The place didn't split checks. Overall, the food was typical good Mexican food. This place has potential but needs some work.
(2)Gary H.
We stopped here after a long happy hour at another place on West Street. We heard great things about their margaritas and food. The margaritas were very large and made to share with two or three people. Perhaps it was too late in the evening and they were shutting down the place, but we did not feel very welcome walking in the door. Eventually someone greeted us and when my partner spoke to them in Spanish, they became VERY friendly. They sat us down and helped us move our seat two other times to a better table when someone else joined us. The people dining there reminded me of a college crowd. They were wearing flip-flops and shorts. It is not a place you need to dress up for! They all seemed to be having a great time though. The main dining area is composed of booths and tables, but the bar area is huge and much better air-conditioned. It was hot as heck in the main dinning area! We ordered the soft tacos alacart and they were okay - but maybe being close to the kitchen closing time - we were gambling with the quality. The margarita was okay but not very strong. I'm not a big fan of HUGE drinks that you share with others. It had a beer floating in the top which I removed....I didn't need all those calories! The staff is very friendly and very helpful. I thought they were wonderful. This place DOES NOT take American Express. That's a downer.
(2)Ashley S.
Food is good, service not so much. It's not so bad that it would stop me from coming. But service could use improvements. Prices always seem to go up, and it was odd they wouldn't allow me to take a paper takeout menu back to my office for future take out orders. If I can't take it, why leave it out? Margaritas are inconsistent, but when they are good, they are good.
(3)Asam S.
Waiter service was horrible. Salsa was tomato sauce and when we asked for more spicy sauce he gave us this brown sauce which had no kick at all. (Did I mention that we were charged $1.60 for about 2oz. of this sauce?) Food came out and my burrito was bare bones -- no salsa, guacamole, nothing. My husband's steak tacos were overcooked with low quality steak cuts. Pico de gallo came in the same little 2 ounce bowl our salsa did. Rice and beans had no flavor. They charged us $2.00 for extra jalapeños. When asked about beers, he ran through the list without providing a separate drink menu. When we complained, he said he did not care.
(1)Ron N.
I have come to this restaurant twice and both times i have gotten the super large margaritas and Molcajete . I can honestly say if i were to drown i would want it to be in their margaritas. I mean come on they are the perfect mix of alcohol and flavor. The Molcajete this time was not as great as my previous encounter however it still possessed the flavor that i was looking for. If you find yourself around the courthouse in Annapolis during lunch stop on by because the food will treat you right.
(4)Tucker B.
Our friend was just ripped off! The server added 4.00 to her tip on the credit card. The server was the owners wife. Our friends called and all they said was "you can come pick up your $4.00!"
(1)Jim S.
Excellent food and holy shit -- order their biggest margarita.
(5)Jenn M.
I went here for lunch because the reviews I read on Yelp made it sound like the food here was better than average. I strongly disagree. The food was, in a word, terrible and the service wasn't much better. I ordered the lunch enchilada special and asked for red sauce instead of the verde sauce. The sauce tasted, well, funky (and not in a good way) and had absolutely no seasoning or spice. The beans were runny and the plate, overall, was bland and flavorless. We also ordered the guacamole. It's pretty hard to mess up guacomole, but this version had a slimy texture that made it inedible. Finally, the service. To say that the server was brusque would be an understatement. Everything felt very hurried and rushed. Even asking a basic question about the menu felt like a major inconvenience. Overall, BIG thumbs down.
(1)Karen G.
Went to El Toro Bravo for dinner last night ... just an OK experience *The service was terrible! The servers were disinterested and absent! We all wanted to order 2nd drinks but couldn't get anyone to take our order *Other reviews raved about the margaritas ... I didn't think they were great. They are big but taste like sugary store bought margarita mix *The food was OK -it came out fast and was big. The salsa wasn't great *It was a pretty young crowd in there - several bachelor / bachelorette parties and high school friend reunions - pretty loud and kind of rowdy but we were seated in the bar area so that may be why *I also think it's a bit overpriced for what it is ... $12 - $15 per entree I might give it another try but won't be running back. There are a couple other Mexican places in Annapolis that i'll try first
(2)Jonathan K.
My friends had a negative review of this place so I was skeptical in going but I actually had an awesome time here. I went with my girlfriend and we were seated in a corner booth -- given some privacy -- and started munching on the tortilla chips and salsa... which are pretty bomb. Our boy juan took care of our orders and helped us out with the margarita menu and we thoroughly enjoyed our time here. Definitely would like to come again. Just make sure you're seated inside and not out.
(5)Kim Y.
I'm an LA girl so nothing beats our Mexican food, but I really like El Toro Bravo. I loved their service and their margaritas are on point. My boyfriend and I got a pitcher, which was enough to fill each of our glasses three times over. Food was delicious and hit the spot after a long day. Try not to get full off the chips and salsa! (Though it's so good that it will be hard not to). Definitely will be back!
(5)Louisa E.
Good fast service. They close early even on the weekends. Margaritas are strong. Queso is good and fish tacos and most plates are a ton of food. The mushroom quesadilla is very good and tastes like steak. Taco salad is good and mostly queso haha. Casual ok mexican with a nice decor inside.
(3)Justin O.
Just recently moved to Annapolis. Went looking for some good Latin food. Found this gem of a spot. I'm not sure how the name plays into the meal "the brave bull" but I left that place ready to take on the world with a full stomach. Had some quesadillas, sopa, and fajitas. Margaritas were perfect and I washed my meal down with a modelo especial. As simple as this sounds the salsa and chips were my favorite. I ate 3 cups of salsa and 2 baskets of chips. So tasty! Only reason I didn't go with 5 stars was because we had a view of a homeless person taking a leak across the street... Not the restaurants fault by any means. The owner immediately came out and dealt with the situation professionally. He was quite brave and very stern. He may have been the inspiration behind the name "El Toro Bravo".
(4)Nicole J.
Great Mexican food. Love the cheese used in the chili rellenos. Service is pretty fast. Chips and salsa are awesome. I visit El Toro Bravo quite often when I'm in the area.
(4)Katy R.
BEST Mexican restaurant in town!!!! The fajitas are so amazing that I've never tried anything else on the menu!! When I worked down the street from El Toro my coworkers and I had lunch here at least once a week. The salsa is the best I've had - and you can buy a container to go! Now that I live out of town I make a point to stop in for some fajitas when visiting. Servers could be a little more friendly, but I'm there for the amazing food so it doesn't matter.
(5)Carolina F.
I always been to this restaurant. I reallyy love the enchiladas mole poblano. They are to die for, everything is so good there. Starting from the guac to the queso fundido! Chips and salsa! Sooo good. I would recommended this place to anyone who is looking for just mexican food! So good! I would have gave it a 5 star but last time i went , the server was kind of rude. Maybe he is new, they need to work that out.
(4)Tamara W.
We were starving and decided to stop in for some Mexican food before continuing walking around Annapolis. Do not waste your time at this place if you have ever had decent Mexican food, it will grealty disappoint you. PROS Excellent fresh salsa Near Main Street Functioning restroom CONS Unattentive staff left us wondering where they were when all the customers they had were us inside, and two people outside??? Rude host -- this guy was totally disengaged and wanted to get us out of his hair FAST! The place was warm even though they had all the doors open, and we were treated to the free wonderful smell of exhaust fumes from the street all the while dining The food was worse than Taco Bell...the refried beans were nothing like I have ever had in any Mexican restaurant and they had a very odd taste that I could not identify...very disconcerting indeed The portions for our meals were normal to small, but the filling for my taquitos were very scant and not savory at all. The guacamole was decent, but a very scant portion. My side of rice and beans was very small and very bland, again complete with weird looking (yellow) refried beans. Overpriced food which was not good and the atmosphere was horrible. El Toro Bravo is our Toro Blando, thus, I generously give it a one star. !!ARRRIBA!! .
(1)Eric G.
If you're looking for a good Mexican restaurant in Annapolis, I would consider El Toro Bravo. The food and service is usually pretty decent and has improved over the years. It can be on and off, the drinks are usually served very (too) strong, and the price of beer can be steep. We return every now and then as we haven't had a terrible experience here. There aren't many great Mexican spots in Annapolis to begin with, but you can't go wrong with coming here. Try it out.
(3)Jen M.
Sitting on the sidewalk is the way to go. It was a thousand degrees inside and they won't turn on the a/c for some reason. As we joked, I don't need a facial while taking delivery of my fajitas at the table so turn on the damn air! Food is good. Service is a bit rushed to take your order but then almost non-existent after you receive your food. This place is way, way overpriced for what it is. All you have to do is look at what they charge for side dishes and you will catch my drift...
(3)Clint S.
This is one of my favorite Mexican food restaurants in Maryland. There aren't many good ones in MD but this is one of them. They have a huge variety of items to choose from. Great salsa too. It gets packed on the weekends. Their service is fast and attentive even when packed. I do get the feeling they want you to go shortly after finishing your meal when it is busy. It doesn't bother me but it might bother others. They don't take reservations anymore either. They are located near some decent bars and there's a parking garage nearby which is convenient.
(4)Kristen B.
We love this place. Fast and friendly service. The new bar is a great addition and has cut down on the crowding. The food is always good. Favorites include queso fundido, fajitas (with the special request hot sauce) and bean tostada. The beer is impossibly cold and the tequila selection is pretty darn good.
(5)Janice R.
We have loved this place for years. And, apparently others agree. They have expanded into the next door. So they now have a nice bar where you can eat, which they did not have before. I like the typical tex mex food. Their chili rellenos are never disappointing. Their refried beans are creamy and I never leave a bite. Love their salsa and chips and the fact I can get a side order of cilantro and jalapenos. Love their pork carnitas and their spicy shrimp dish. Uh, can you tell I like SPICEY (my stomach doesn't always feel the same the next morning). The staff is mostly family and they will get to know you after several visits and they make you feel like family. OLE!
(4)Melanie C.
It's been a long time since I've had good Mexican food and El Toro Bravo did not disappoint! The food was fresh, tasty, hot and yummy! We ordered Seafood Fajitas, Fish Tacos and ice cold Corona Lights. Service was impeccable and the chips and salsa could have been a meal on it's own for me! Refried beans didn't taste heavy or weighed down with fat and cheese. The guacamole was super tasty and the scallops in the fajitas were cooked to perfection. So glad we stumbled upon this place! So delish!
(5)Lisa H.
A friend and I stopped in for lunch. Service was fast and efficient throughout the meal. We tried the guacamole to go with our chips and salsa--delicious. I had the burrito Colorado and that was tasty. Real steak for the beef took it up a notch from regular ground beef. The refried beans were lighter than most places but that was a plus. Tables around us had HUGE margaritas that looked delicious but since I was driving I decided to stay sober!
(4)Kimberly M.
10 years ago this was the best Mexican food around, not the case anymore. They have expanded and the fajitas taste like the packets you buy in the grocery store. The margaritas are watered down because they make them in bulk. The cheese dip is still bangin, so kudos to the bravo for still being able to melt cheese. That's about it, btw if you remember the taco loco from back in the day they will still make it for you but it's not as good. Don't waste your time, go to Chevys.
(1)Victoria W.
Meh. Happy hour margaritas were good. Chips and salsa were just okay. Both the tamale that I had and the taco were a disappointment. There's not really any outside seating- except for three small tables. One of which, there is a tree constantly hitting you in the head. Not the most enjoyable experience, obviously. I'll not be back.
(2)Dawn R.
It's hard to find good Mexican food around here! Maybe I've just been spoiled by some of the fantastic food in Texas, California, and even Kansas City, but so far all my explorations here in Maryland have left me feeling.......blah. With all of that said, I guess El Toro Bravo is probably the best option I've found. The place is always packed, so I may be in the minority with my mediocre review, and there are some things they do really well. The salsa is pretty good....just enough heat to make it interesting, and I am a fan of their margaritas. The beans & rice are good, but nothing to get excited about. My son's a big fan of their chicken chimi, and their enchiladas are OK for burritos......yes, I know the difference, and although they CALL them enchiladas, they're actually burritos (corn vs flour, folks!) Tasty, but not what I'm looking for if I want enchiladas. But considering the lack of options around here, if I'm really craving Mexican food, they'll get my business. They don't suck, they just don't amaze.
(3)Kathea S.
We eat here often. Yes, you'll have a wait on a Friday or Saturday after about 7pm. Worse in the summer. That's okay though. We've always had good service. The staff are nice and tease us about our bad spanish. We always enjoy the food. The mole enchiladas are plate lick worthy. The prices are fair. Tip: Keep checking back in on your table. And don't wander too far away.
(4)Victoria S.
Not good. Probably one of the most disappointing meals in a while.
(2)Samantha F.
Our first night in Annapolis and we had a hankerin' for sushi. Sushi you ask, I know you thought this was a review for a Mexican joint. Well, yes, it is...but initially I wanted sushi. On our walk down Main Street Annapolis we noticed a very busy El Toro. Well sushi went out the window and in walked the margarita. I was given a number and we sidled up to the very busy bar which had glasses the size of a small fish bowl filled with many varieties of margs. I went standard, rocks, salt, booze. Eh, it was a mediocre marg. Seriously....can it be that difficult to make a good one? Watching all the food wiz past me while I waited for my table, my mouth watered. Did I mention I heart Mexican food? We got our table and I opted for the veg. fajitas and the man went w/ a classic combo: burrito, enchilada, tamale. The salsa was okay, nothing special, the spicy salsa was good and smoky. The food came and the fajitas were okay, except I was given flour tortillas. I probably could have asked for the corn, but they were so busy I didn't want to be a bother. The man really enjoyed whatever seasoning they put on their beef, but the tamale was a disappointment. Not really very tamale-esque. El Toro Bravo...you're they only Mexican restaurant this town has got so I suppose you'll have to do. Get a better margarita and find out what a tamale really is. OLE!
(2)Dan R.
Whatever this place is, it is not Mexican food. Worse than Taco Bell, at five times the price. And what's with the $6 bottles of crappy beer? We had a terrible experience in every respect- from service to atmosphere to food quality. The staff was impersonal at best. The place was packed and they were swamped, I got it, but that's no excuse. They were rude to us. It all started with the seating procedures. As a party of two, we waited 45 minutes while they seated group after group that arrived after us, including large and small tables. By the time we finally got seated, a group of three that had arrived just after us had been seated, eaten, paid and left. Bottom line, they do not seat people in order of arrival, despite all the booths being essentially the same size. I don't know what the food was, but it's not Mexican... and it might not actually be food. We ordered six different items ranging from enchiladas to burritos to beans and rice to quesadillas. The flavors were bland, sweet and nothing like I had ever tasted before. We weren't sure what we were even putting into our bodies. The beans tasted nothing like beans, I think they had cinnamon in them. Gross. Low quality, terrible flavors, and I was up all night with an upset stomach afterwards. The atmosphere- loud, crowded, hectic and stressful. Small tables were overflowing with people, shouting and drunk off oversize margaritas. That's probably the only reason anyone has to come here.
(1)Suzanne L.
There was absolutely nothing worthwhile about this restaurant. The margaritas are from a mix, the tortilla for my taco salad was burned and served to me that way. I sent it back. There is no ambiance whatsoever. Skip this place.
(1)Randy F.
This place is blah. Bad service, the food was bland and high prices. I'd recommend Taco Bell over this place and I'm from Southern California and love Mexican food. Avoid.
(2)Athey G.
Disappointed. I do usually do Mexican but this place came highly recommended. The margarita was all mix , had to return it. The vegetarian dinner A tasted and looked like liquid re fried beans. I won't return
(2)Tim M.
I hear so many locals rave about this place - I guess it depends on what kind of experience you are looking for. If you're looking for authenticity keep looking. If you're looking for that kind of 'Mexican' food that will fill you up for a small amount of beans then this is one of those places. I've read lots of these reviews and many mention how 'authentic' it is - clearly those reviewers have NOT been to Southern California, New Mexico, Arizona, or for that matter South of the Border. Because El Toro doesn't even TRY to be truly authentic - if they did they'd offer Pozole, Machacha, Picado, Ceviche Tostones and Tortas for one instead of burritos, tacos, and fajitas which are really not authentic at all. Having said all that I agree that they make great margaritas - but I've had great margaritas all over Annapolis - if you use real lime juice and the proper tequila you get a great margarita. I wouldn't benchmark a restaurant on a drink item.... The food here - as it is - which is largely a trumped up Taco Bell menu with Mexican styled music playing in the background, is ok. It is no different at all than Plaza Garabaldi in Glen Burnie, and La Fiesta and Plazuelas in Edgewater. It is not the same as Mexican Cafe, Chevy's, Baja Fresh, or Chipotle as these are different styles of 'mex' food. As I'm not a fan of Americanized faux-Mexican cuisine, which El Toro is, I can't rate this highly as yes - I've had better. The food here doesn't taste bad, the service isn't bad, and the experience isn't bad (the lines can be). It just isn't the type of place I patronize. If you want REAL Mexican food you're going to have to leave the area pretty much HOWEVER over the years we've gotten a lot more options nearby; these are Marithitas (El Salvadoran), Sin Fronteras (Oaxacan/Peruvian/Mexican), and Jugilitos (BEST street style tacos around - they even have tongue and cabeza!) to name a few. All three of these are infinitely better than El Toro... Not remotely humbly submitted this day, D. Food Snob, Ph. D.
(2)Jen L.
Fish Tacos were fantastic! I need to actually come here and have a sit down meal! Instead of meeting my friends here and stealing one of her tacos. Will be back for a more thorough review!
(4)Sophia B.
Great tex mex. Simple, not overpriced, and they make enormous margaritas too. Always willing to accommodate whatever drinks I make up with minimal strange looks
(5)Ali M.
The margaritas were great. We were seated right away. The waitress was friendly. But the food....just wasn't that good.
(2)Heidi S.
El Toro Bravo gets three stars mainly for the margaritas - the margaritas are delicious, but the enchiladas (which are my go to) leave much to be desired - maybe it's the sauces I'm not sure. The prices are reasonable, but the flavors are kind of just kind of m'eh - I've had mind blowing mexican food and this? Is not it. The location is great though, and the margaritas are amazing and very generous on size. Service is touch and go, I've had really slow service and like last night, the service was pretty decent (par for a slow night though). If you're looking for great mexican food in Annapolis? Check out Sin Fonteras or Jalapenos. If you want something with a great location to go bar hopping after? El Toro is the safe bet just keep expectations low.
(3)Jamie D.
So...let me preface this by saying that El Toro Bravo was the ONLY Mexican joint I would go to back when I was a dirty heathen that thought I hated Mexican food. Their Quesadilla Rojas was the only thing I would get. Now I have been dragged from my cave and been given culture, my mouth is now making up for lost time and ALL I WANT IS MEXICAN ALL THE TIME EVER. So I've been shoving my face full of some pretty awesome Mexican up in Philadelphia and came home and realized "If Toro Bravo was the only place I would eat when I didn't eat this stuff....holy crap. I must try something now." I ordered a mango margarita and carnitas tacos. It took a really long time for our food to come out and what I got was NOT carnitas tacos. It was a big carnitas wrap thing....kind of looked like an enchilada, but was only full of sweet sweet pork. I took a bite and decided I didn't care, this shit was delicious and I was totally eating it. I can't speak to the authenticity of the food, but it was delicious. Service was extremely slow on a Monday night when they weren't busy at all. It took a noticeably long time for the maragaritas and waters to come out, then food to come out, then another forever-feeling time for the check to get to us. After waiting at least 15 minutes for the waitress to come back for the check, I just went inside and handed it to her. So my order was wrong and the service was too damn slow, but the food and drinks were really delicious.
(4)Nina U.
I really want to find my go-to Mexican joint in Annapolis! Buttttttt....I'm still looking. Hit up El Toro Bravo today while at the First Sunday (of the month) Arts Fest in downtown Annapolis on West Street. The place was slamming so it had to be good! It smelled good when I walked in and the menu looked awesome. Unfortunately the screaming baby in the next booth killed the excitement. Then the full glass of salsa picked me back up. And the bean burrito- eh it was pretty good. Enchilladas? Wished they had been wrapped in corn tortillas instead of flour. The tortilla soup was good but definitely resembled a stew instead of a soupy soup. The rice and beans were good too. Nothing crazy exciting but it was a good lunch meal and break from the outside heat.
(3)Erin D.
If I could give zero stars I would. He made my boyfriend get up and figure out who ordered what at the register. Out of the two things we ordered. It's extremely loud. Plus they let wayyyyyy too many in their so called lobby. Had to be a fire hazard. The food is over priced compared to other Mexican restaurants in AACo. The wait staff says nothing to you until he gives you your check. Making up for the lack of words earlier in the meal. When he came up to the table he says "what do you want?" The food wasn't worth it. I can keep going, but I'll stop. Just like I'll stop going to this place.
(1)Eddie D.
Good Mexican food. Nothing mind blowing, but what Mexican cuisine is? Have not been disappointed with any of the dishes we have tried, from fajita's to tacos to chili rejenols. What's really good are the margarita's. Strong and sweet and delicious. Drink two and be prepared to walk them off through the streets in Annapolis. Or drink one "large" and take a taxi home. Typical decor, nothing fancy. Lots of naval students the last few times we've been in. A fun place to go with friends for a good meal. Service is good. Waiters are friendly and attentive, and have always refilled our chips and salsa on the house.
(4)Cristin S.
I had to give this place 5 stars, even though we stopped in for a snack and some drinks and that's it. Primarily because we ordered the 'big-as-someone's-head' margaritas -- they were strong, they were delicious, and damn, they really WERE big as someone's head. They came in this margarita glass that could have been a bird bath. But they were GOOD. Well worth the money. Since they were working so well, we had to get something to eat. So we ordered the nachos. They were exactly like the nachos that a Mexican restaurant by my house serves, so I immediately loved them. They were really delicious. I'm hoping to come back to Annapolis when the weather is warmer, hopefully for a family vacation this summer, and am very eager to come back here.
(5)Nikki R.
I was so disappointed by our experience this evening. My husband and I have loved this restaurant for years, but haven't been in since the expansion. The waiter had to take our order for two glasses of water, twice. We were brought the wrong food, then when we got our food, mine had sour cream on it. The waiter said no problem, and took it back. What they did is scrape the sour cream off and put some new tomatoes on top. Both my dish and my husband's were cold. Very cold. He said no problem, and brought then back. All they did was put them under the warmer. I told them mine was still cold so they brought me another plate that was luke warm. I ended up not eating it and the waiter took it off the bill since I didn't touch it. Serving me cold food, after raising their prices, is unacceptable. We won't be back anytime soon.
(1)Cristina G.
I would really give this restaurant 3.5 stars! Ventured into this restaurant after a long day walking in the heat. El Toro Bravo (Angry Bull) is a good place to get those minerals back into the system after sweating all day. The chips were warm and thick...just the way I like them and the salsa was a bit on the tomato-y side. We asked for the hotter salsa and mixed it in with the mild one and it made all the difference in my mind. I had the Number 1 combo....2 enchiladas, 2 taco and beans. The food was tasty...just not very exciting. But the good part was the margarita! I had the 32oz beast of a drink and it was good! Would I go back? Sure.... if in the area.
(3)B. M.
I've never had anything that wasn't delicious from here. Staff is friendly too. It's just a tad bit expensive but not enough to keep me from going there for lunch every other week. The queso fundido and taco salad are my favorites.
(4)Winnie K.
Margaritas were good and nicely sized. Be warned - the large is more like a big gulp. We shared the mixed fajitas - very good (not greasy like some places). A lot of meat, peppers, onions. One random sad tomato slice. It only comes with 2 tortillas and 4 extra are $1.50. Most places just give you extra tortillas on the house. They also forgot our rice, even though the menu said it came with it. The server was a little abrasive - it was busy and he wanted us to rush but didn't actually say to rush. It was a really busy Saturday night and they way they seat people was just confusing. One of my friends says she goes there for lunch a lot and they are fantastic then. Still giving them 4 stars because of the food and drinks.
(4)Melanie V.
Whenever I want Mexican, I go to El Toro Bravo. The margaritas are perfect and the food is amazing!
(4)Linda D.
New bar area is great! After living in Dallas for 8 years I became a bit of a Mexican food snob, and this place is the best Mexican food in the area so far. Enchiladas were so so so good! Service was excellent as well
(5)Chris R.
Great place for lunch. The specials are a good value, I often get out of here barely breaking $20. The food is authentically flavored. Wait staff is very attentive, and the chips and salsa are delivered immediately (and refillable if you ask). Highly recommended for a quick, delicious lunch downtown.
(4)Phil B.
The ambiance is fun and El Toro Bravo has redeemed itself to me. I would recommend to friends. The food is solid - the rice and refried beans were great - although the steak tacos were OK. However, the combination of great service and atmosphere bumps up my rating. The staff is super friendly, and the beer selection has every Mexican brew you can think of.
(4)Dana P.
I have no idea what I just ate. We tried this place on a busy Friday night. They give you a number when you come in, but if you are a party of two, be forewarned -- every large party (even if it's just three people) will be seated before you, no matter when they arrive. This would make sense, if there were smaller tables and larger tables. But it's all booths. We watched a party of seven that arrived at least half an hour after us get seated ahead of us, in a booth that was the same size as the one we eventually got seated in (after we complained). The staff were rude and abrupt. The food is really, really disgusting. The combo that I ordered had a mushroom quesadilla that was inedible. It was just a store-bought flour tortilla filled with a greasy scoop of dripping wet mushrooms -- that's it. No sauce, nothing to even try to help you get it down. My combo also came with a spinach burrito, which sounded intriguing on the menu. You might imagine that, as a burrito, it would have typical burrito ingredients, with spinach incorporated in some interesting way. This would be a logical conclusion for anyone who has ever eaten Mexican food to make. But the spinach "burrito" was -- you guessed it -- ANOTHER foul store-bought tortilla, this time stuffed with spinach, and nothing else. This one came drenched in a red sauce that tasted like heavy cream, sugar, and ketchup. We left extremely confused about what we had just eaten. It is certainly not Mexican food. It's more like what would happen if a toddler were to be left alone in the kitchen with a set of random ingredients. Both meals got us sick later that night.
(1)Kelli K.
I work in the building next to El Toro Bravo so 15 steps and I am there. The close proximity is definitely a factor but the food is pretty good. Lots of stuff on the menu and well priced.
(4)Charles H.
I've come here for lunch three times during the summer while working in Annapolis for a couple months and it gets the job done for lunch, but not much else. Selection: the selection is huge, there's about 4 pages of choices. If you're feeling Mexican food, you'll probably find something that sounds appetizing. Food: the food is mediocre. On all three occassions, the refried beans were salty and I decided not to finish (I usually finish everything). The first time I ate here I ordered a chicken dish lunch special and the accompanying vegetables were burnt. The next two times weren't as bad. For the prices, charged the food is wanting. Can't say I tried the margaritas. The rationale to why I come here is usually: I didn't bring lunch and I really feel like Mexican food. if there was a Chipotle here, this place wouldn't come to mind.
(2)Keith L.
For those that like crappy Mexican food come here. For those that appreciate really good, fresh and tasty Mexican food, dont step foot into this dive. If you are ignorant to the delight real Mexican food has, then this place will be heaven. Imagine McDonalds and Taco Bell making a "nicer" restaurant......yep...thats right...its THAT bad. This is the place to get wasted on Margaritas and actually believe the food is good. Go to Chevys and you will even get better Mexican food and thats NOT a compliment.
(1)Christopher S.
We had a craving for Mexican after having a few drinks down the street and it was getting late. You just do not have great choices for Mexican fare in Annapolis or even within a 10 mile radius. If you desire good Mexican food, this is the place. Excellent Margaritas and nice choice of imported beer. The waitstaff is very good, friendly, attentive and funny. The Nachos are top nacho and you can order them so many different ways. The pork carnitas is really good and this was pointed out by Micki's review. Their salsa blows me away, perfect amount of hot stuff and very flavorful. Its a small, popular place with a nice vib going on. I recommend this restaurant for the best Mexican meal in Annapolis. Very good price/value relationship.
(4)Maseeh R.
Always walked by this place and never noticed it, but I'm glad I did... It's really good. I had a dog with me so I sat outside and tied it up, and to my surprise they brought out treats and a bowl of water, and proceeded to treat him like a king. Very nice gesture from the hilarious and mischievous staff. I stuck to the less "authentic" food and I wasn't disappointed. Large margarita was the size of a young adult's head. No, really. As big as a teenage girls head. Thick and salty tortilla chips and a generous jar of salsa to start. White cheese queso dip - YUM (mix it with the salsa for a weird textured yet delicious dip). Chicken and beef quesadillas were awesome, simple and tasty. I'll have to try something a bit more adventurous next time given their HUGE menu. I'm sure that'll be soon.
(5)Kelly L.
My husband and I went there for a nice night out and there was a slight wait when we got there. We decided to go to the bar and get a drink while we waited. We walked back to the hostess stand and noticed people who came in after us were being seated. I asked how much longer it would be (we had been there for about 45 mins by now). The hostess said maybe about 20 mins. A little while later, a lady sitting next to me asked how long we had been there. I told her about an hour (which is what it was by then) she said well u guys are probably next cause we got here about 20 mins ago and the girl told us 30 mins. About 2 minutes later they were sat... Not us! My husband asked if I wanted to leave. I told him let's give them about 10 more minutes. The hostess came by and asked how many were in our party, for the 3rd time, we answered 2. She then walked right next to us and sat a 2 top that had been waiting for less then 20 mins. This place is ridiculous! We ended up walking out and will never eat there!! I would say again, but we're were never sat to begin with!
(1)John S.
Very friendly restaurant with an exceptionally large Mexican food menu. Prices are right. I had the best seafood burrito ever.
(5)Anne F.
We used to go here for happy hour for margarita and salsa/chips purposes. You can always get a margarita as big as your head here. Very serious. The food is tasty enough, but nothing to write home about. Come for the 'ritas. This is a big place for the party crowds of Naptown, so be warned! On warm nights, you might even have to wait. The staff is great fun and always up to the demands of the crowd. Sometimes, they will throw in some stuff for free. Full of bull heads and Spanish language TV. If you are young, get your butt over there! Now!
(4)Elizabeth S.
The servers are friendly and the food is fantastic. The margaritas...YUM! The margarita glasses are the largest I've seen since Ma Crosby's in Acuna, Mx. I'm definitely a fan but you should get there early on the weekends b/c the place fills up quickly!
(5)Jennifer R.
My husband and I ate here on our last night in Annapolis. We were both very pleased with the whole experience! Once we were seated we immediately received chips and salsa, which were both outstanding. We placed our order, which was brought out to us very quickly. Both of us were very satisfied with our meals! We're not experts, but it seemed authentic enough to us. The price was what I would expect for a local Mexican restaurant. It was very busy, but the entire staff were friendly and accommodating. All of the waitstaff were attentive to all guests, as well as their own tables. Example: two other servers asked if we wanted more water when they were walking by. The margaritas are excellent, as well!
(4)Patrick O.
Great service and great food. The prices are reasonable. Every time I go, I am never disappointed. Chilaquiles are good as are the fajitas. Very quick service.
(5)Lawrence S.
Delicious Mexican food and good selection of (albeit expensive) Mexican beers. I had stuffed poblano peppers, and my companions had quesadillas and tacos. The meat and cheese were both heaped inside and the rice+beans were quite tasty. The food came out really, really fast -- and hot. Otherwise, though, our waitress disappeared for a little while. And it's a little more pricey than I would have expected.
(4)Lisa C.
Ate here last summer & food was good. Tonight, we left because of the rudeness of host /manager. A number was thrown at me without a word, & I watched them seat several parties while waiting for my husband & son to park the car. Only I after said something, was I rudely told I could not be seated until they were in the door. It would have been nice if this had been mentioned when I walked in. I was tired & hungry. Getting settled & ordering a drink in the 5 minutes I was alone would have been nice. Instead we found another Mexican restaurant off the beaten path. In my mind, it doesn't matter how good the food is if the people are rude.
(1)David A.
This small quick table turning restaurant in downtown Annapolis is authentic, cozy, and has excellent food. The menu is huge with limitless options. I ordered the fajitas which were some of the better I've ever had and cheap -lunch special under 9 bucks. The kid's menu options are solid, albeit a tad pricey. Margaritas were very big and very good! I definitely recommend this restaurant.
(4)Chris B.
I've been living in Los Angeles for over 15 years, so I was not expecting to find decent (much less good) Mexican food in Annapolis. El Toro Bravo proved me wrong - and that's no bull. I had an all-meat burrito with carnitas, which was tender and flavorful (a bit more spicy than most Mexican places). I washed that puppy down with a refreshing rocks margarita. My companions enjoyed their meals as well. The service was excellent, and the prices were fair.
(4)Melody D.
Extremely Rude!! I went to this restaurant with several friends and we ordered drinks and dinner. First there was a long black hair on my friend's salad. We alerted the waiter and his said, "we do not have hair in our kitchen". We asked him to please replace the salad and he rudely complied. One of my friends is allergic to alcohol and she ordered a virgin pinocolada. After she drank about half of the drink she began to turn extremely red and her throat felt like it was closing up. We asked for the waiter and he continued with his previously rude behavior so we asked for the manager. He said he was the manager. My friend pointed out that his name tag indicated he was a server and asked again for the manager. He refused to get the manager. The owner was standing not far from our table. I decided to go and speak to the owner and while walking over to him the waiter repeatedly tried to stop me saying, "Where are you going. What do you want?". Ignoring him, I walked up to the owner and told him that our friend had been served alcohol when she ordered a virgin and explained that she is allergic and he replied, "Then why did she drink it?". I responded, "because she thought it was a virgin drink." He asked me again, "Why did she drink it?" I said, "Do you know what a virgin drink is?" He said he did but that he did not like the way I was talking to him. Meantime, my friend's throat was swelling and her face was extremely red. The owner did not show the least bit of concern. He never once asked if she was OK. He never went over to the table to check on her. They quickly served us the bill but did not charge us for the virgin drink. I posted my experience on Consumerist with a picture. Our waiter saw me taking a picture of the outside of the restaurant and ran out the door with a thumbs up to pose for the picture. This could have been a serious medical situation and fortunately after feeling sick and drinking lots of water my friend was eventually OK. This kind of behavior from any restaurant is unacceptable and is most atrocious coming from an owner. The food? It was OK. Nothing special. I have a feeling the waiter brought back the same salad plate that had the hair on it. Really nasty place. I DO NOT RECOMMEND!
(1)Katrina W.
Great for a night out with friends for yummy margaritas. My favorite item on the menu was their queso fundido. The combination of spicy chorizo and melted cheese is amazing along with a slight sense of guilt afterwards.
(3)Guy F.
The Best Mexican place around here. It's awesome. Get the Frozen Rita with the corona in it.
(5)Jillian T.
I'm sorry. I just can't get behind this place. I've tried and tried, stopping back multiple times. But the food isn't fresh and every time I sit down I feel like someone is rushing me out the door. It's just not that good. And there are few things I love more than Mexican food so I really want it to be good. But consistently cold and mediocre food just isn't going to cut it.
(2)Stan R.
We were a little unsure of our choice to eat here today since we are Mexican food snobs from Southern California and are a little dubious when we find Mexican food outside of the Southwestern area. However, we were very pleasantly surprised to find this was a pretty darn good Mexican dining experience. My wife and I ordered two different combo plates, but both included chili rellenos (our favorite and our gold standard for good Mexican food). I am pleased to say that their chili relleno was one of the best we have had anywhere. It was stuffed with what I think was likely a jalapeno cheese sauce and spinach. It was just excellent. My tostada and my wife's chicken taco were also very good. The beans were OK and the Spanish rice was unexceptional (but very few restaurants seem to excel in this area). The chips were fresh and tasty, and the salsa was awesome. Thanks to Yelp, we once again found a terrific place to dine.
(4)Jennifer W.
You gotta roll flip your R's when you say it. El ToRo BRavo! Seems like I get myself talked into things. Ofen, one of those things is margaritas. When we asked our server for water to start with, with the most serious look on his face, he said they didn't have any water, that the water was broken. We laughed, of course, but he didn't back down. So, we ended up ordering margaritas... which we were going to do anyway. The thing about this one is that it was literally a lake of margarita. Forest creatures could've skied across it. It was huge. And very yummy. He never did bring us any water. I didn't feel like venturing too far out for this meal, so I played it safe with a chicken quesadilla, rice and beans. You're going to think I'm crazy, but I liked the fact that this quesadilla was a little smaller than the ones I've had in Georgia at Chepe's or Cinco. I actually could eat all of it and still enjoy about half of the rice and beans. The chicken in the quesadilla was really very juicy and tender, not overcooked like some quesadillas I've had. The atmosphere reminded me of Mexican restaurants you find in San Antonio, with lots of tile work, simple decorations and pastel colors. I did notice that the lighting was bright which seemed unusual since most restaurants lower the lights at night... you know, mood lighting or whatever. With the 10-minute wait time included, we were finished with dinner in just under an hour. Near the end of the meal, service began to wane and it was a little harder to get our waiter's attention. I guess he was too busy upselling other customers to the grande margarita. (I did drink every last drop, by the way.)
(4)Nan G.
This is a fun place right on West Street. My daughter loves it and says she could eat here every day. I went for the first time the other day for a quick dinner. The prices are good the food is decent. We had beef quesadillas, chicken tacos with rice, guac and refried beans. The chips are warm and crispy. Their salsa is flavorful. We got in shortly before the crowd. It filled up quite quickly for a Monday evening. The wait staff was hustling around. The service was very quick and friendly. I highly recommend this place. Happy hour seems like the best choice for this restaurant.
(4)Dave K.
I only ate here once - but the going gets rocky when you are from Southern California and you're trying to find good Mexican food in Maryland. I had chicken enchiladas and was totally satisfied. The chicken had green chilies in it and the sauce was good. The price was right, the service was friendly, the chips were crisp - what more do you want?
(5)Edward C.
It's been a while since I've written a review and there's nothing like horrible Mexican food to help me get over my writer's block. First off: no horchata. What Mexican restaurant does't have horchata? A good sign you may be in for some horrible Mexican food. The good news is they have a good selection of Jarrito's. I ordered the huevos rancheros and my buddy ordered the enchiladas. The food came out pretty quick. I got into my eggs and they weren't runny... at all. Instead of over-easy I got fried-hard. Not a good thing with huevos rancheros. It also came out with the white paste (which I am assuming is supposed to be the refried beans) and rice. The best part about my meal? The rice! It was pretty epic, but that's sad at the same time. I got a spoonful of some of those refried beans and apparently got a spoonful of salt instead. Lesson learned: it's not refried beans. It's salt pudding. After that I decided I was done and so was my buddy. His enchiladas were rolled up turds in corn tortillas. The chips were stale and the salsa tasted like a can of Pace Picante Sauce or ketchup. I can't really tell the difference. You're better off at Chevy's... and that's sad.
(1)Erik M.
It seems like when El Toro opened several years ago the food was both better and cheaper, but that could just be through the rosie lens of time. In any case, the food isn't great, it's decent, but the portions are good, and the service is fast. El Toro is a great place to enjoy lunch with a friend in downtown Annapolis when you've got to be someplace else in an hour, say the legislature, city hall, or an appointment with clients.
(3)Nick C.
best fajitas ever! and a cool ambiance
(5)Leah S.
My favorite Mexican place in the area! I recommend the Seafood Chimichangas - amazing! The rice and beans aren't so great, but the salsa is good and they have white queso dip which is hard to find around here.
(4)Philip G.
This place has pretty good Mexican food, huge margaritas, and really good service. If you are looking for good Mexican food in Annapolis check out this place.
(4)Jennic M.
El Toro Bravo is standard food- nothing outstanding but decent and yummy for a Mexican food fix. The atmosphere and location is what brings me back again and again.
(4)Brian R.
I can't understand why this is the only Mexican restaurant in downtown Annapolis, I mean it was absolutely packed with a line out the door when we were there. I will say they really have the place down to an art, getting people in, served, and out with surprising efficiency. Not much in the way of service, and the food was typical tex-mex, nothing too special, but tasty nonetheless. Decent selection of latin beers and tequilla as well.
(3)Hetty W.
3.5 Disclaimer: my girlfriends and I were STARVING when we got here, so the review has been adjusted accordingly. That said, the bright decorations and busyness of the restaurant caught our eye as we were wandering down West St. towards the waterfront. We ate around 7PM on a Friday night and didn't have to wait long at all, although I did notice a decent-sized crowd gathering outside as we were eating our dinner. Food was typical tex-mex. They do fill you with chips and salsa on the house--chips were great! Served warm and tasted fresh. They leave a little carafe of salsa at the table which is great for me because I usually run out of that stuff before I hit the bottom of the chip basket. I got the chimichanga with chicken and beef tips. It was basically meat wrapped inside a tortilla with a couple of diced tomatoes and onions, all topped with sour cream and guac (toppings were great!) The chicken was not very flavorful at all, it tasted almost like it had been boiled or something. Definitely stick with their beef. Atmosphere was loud and busy--we were sitting right next to a bachelorette party that had NO problem with volume at all. Service started out great, and then we had to wait a pretty long time for our check. You'd think they would want to pick that up ASAP, but I guess it was starting to get really packed as we wanted to leave. All in all, it hit the spot for us and we left completely full. Don't know that I'd go back though, especially with all the other great restaurants in town.
(3)Keith C.
This place is AWESOME for authentic mexican food that is reasonably priced. The only downfall of the place is the location is small and on the weekends you need to wait quite a bit of a time to get seated. However, the carnitas are moist pieces of pork with all the usual side items to put on your flour tortillas. The sopapillos are huge and lovely puff pastry with lots of honey and whipped cream to cool it off. We went on a Monday and were seated immeadiately and with only a few other couples eating at the time, it made for a great dinner before a concert at the Ram's Head Tavern, which is right across the street. If you are craving mexican or want to try a mole sauce dish, this is a GREAT place to visit.
(5)Steve L.
We live in Annapolis and El Toro Bravo is our favorite stop for Mexican food. I'm a fan of their pollo ranchero and fajitas. My peeps love the fajitas, chimis and burritos. Can't go wrong. Consistently delicious and friendly, right there on West Street in Annapolis, walking distance from anything downtown, the State House, courthouse, shops, all that. The place is kinda small but it's fun and features two brave toros' heads that peer down from opposing walls. That freaks me a bit but a coupla cold margaritas or cervezas helps.
(4)MICHAEL U.
The Chillaquiles are awful, what a shame!
(2)Michelle S.
I was in Annapolis for almost 8 weeks for work and ate here a lot. Really good, affordable mexican food, served by friendly and attentive servers. They also have about 45 kinds of tequila and giant ass Margaritas.
(4)Daniel C.
Just moved to Annapolis and was looking for a Mexican restaurant within walking distance, near downtown, so this was the natural place to try out. To begin, the atmosphere is awful, the interior needs some serious remodeling and gave us bad vibe from the start. The booths are uncomfortable, covered in tacky 70's style vinyl and create a claustrophobic feeling. The waitress we had barely spoke English, which considering probably 95% of the clientele that would frequent this restaurant are non-Spanish speakers, you would think that would be a requirement. We ordered a pitcher of margaritas on the rocks for 25 bucks that came out in a cheap, clear plastic cafeteria-style water pitcher. The margaritas themselves were nothing special, about as good as cheap tequila with crappy mixer, definitely no fresh ingredients. Further, the pitcher was overloaded with ice, presumably to rip me off as much as possible so as to conserve their alcohol and maximize profit. One of my dining companions ordered a vegetarian burrito with no cheese, and of course because the waitress didn't understand him, it came with cheese. I had three pork tacos, which weren't horrible, but nothing to brag about. It came with a side of rice which was overcooked and flavorless, and the refried beans were horrible. When my dining companion complained to the waitress about the burrito having cheese and not being able to eat it, she agreed to remove it from the check. But of course, when the check came it was still on the bill. This was, after waiting about 20 minutes to get her attention. Needless to say, we will never be going back - I will sacrifice the convenience of walking and get in the car to find another Mexican place.
(1)Stephanie O.
Our favorite Tex-Mex Around! The Margaritas are AMAZING and we take all of our out of town guests here. The ambiance is a bit loud for the romantic at heart, but if you are looking for a great time and good food it is worth the wait!
(4)T H.
Best in Class - Annapolis, MD. Fast, friendly, fresh. A good place for fajitas and a margarita.
(4)Sean R.
Best authentic Mexican food in Annapolis. Large selection of beer and huge margaritas available. Good Vegetarian options as well.
(5)Justin L.
Worth the wait. Some of the best meals I've ever had.
(5)Jeff W.
Very bland overall, made for the folks who don't eat much Mexican. Although it's good enough and prices are decent for the location.
(2)Ian G.
I have been going to El Toro Bravo for a while, not out of any great love for the place, but because it is a serviceable Mexican restaurant in a convenient location in Downtown Annapolis. The food at all of the basic Annapolis joints (Ramshead, Federal House, etc. etc.) tastes exactly the same, so it is good to try something different. The food is flavorful, but not fresh - and picking anything past the basic Mexican fare is a risk. I agree with the other poster - go to DC for chillaquiles - not quite there yet. The chips and salsa are excellent, however. The booze is well done - I can say that the Margarita's are the best in Annapolis.
(3)Cameo S.
I wish I could give it no stars. This is the worst Mexican and probably restaurant experience we've had in a long time. Don't go. Make the drive to Mi Casita in Crofton, Mi Hacienda in Bowie or Plaza Garibaldi in Glen Burnie. The staff was inattentive, even with very few people there. We had to wait about 20 minutes to get eye contact enough to ask for refills. They pour coke and root beer from a pitcher--incredibly flat drinks. The food comes out incredibly hot, I think to mask blandness. The beans and rice are among the worst I've had. It seems they open up a can of mixed vegetables to put in the rice--I mean lima beans, peas, and corn. That is unheard of at Mexican Restaurants in Arizona and California. My wifes Chilaquiles tasted off. When we were brought our check, the server just put it on the table and walked away. No eye contact, no thanks for coming, no "how was everything". Just bad food, bad service, and its difficult parking near the restaurant as it is. Last time we gave no tip in years. Make the drive to Plaza Garibaldi. You'll probably get better parking and faster service anyways. I don't understand how El Toro Bravo is related to the Plaza Garibaldi chain of restaurants. I don't know if the ownership is different--Maria vs Jose Aguirre or is it management or training.... But the menu, food, and service is in complete contrast.
(1)beckie h.
my all time favorite restaurant in annapolis! the drinks are strong, the food is authentic & inexpensive and the staff is delightful - they will remember your face after 2 or 3 visits.
(5)Lynn F.
Avoid this restaurant at all costs unless you want to suffer severe heartburn caused by eating your meal at lightning speed. The servers practically throw the food on the table and then they and the buspersons hover like vultures waiting to snatch up a plate the minute your fork rests. My companions and I were scared to put our forks down lest our plates be whisked out from under us. The food itself is acceptable, neither outstanding nor awful. The chips are a little thick and as a result, chewy. The fried ice cream was horrible and should be avoided at all costs unless you want to experience the pleasure of stale and soggy corn chips, passing for the crispy coating, surrounding a frozen hunk of ice cream and surrounded by whipped cream. After the bill was brought we were practically stalked by the waiter and another person who I presume was either the manager or an owner, clearly in an attempt to get us to pay up and move along. We were not seated at the table more than an hour, an hour and a half at the most, which has to be close to the average turnover time for a 4-top. I can only assume that this restaurant is less about hospitality and more about volume volume volume and don't let the screen door hit your backside on the way out.
(1)Victoria S.
Okay, after being here a number of more times after writing my first review I'd like to pump it up a bit. The new bar section is great. It never is THAT busy. Although I think later in the evening it is. The staff have really turned around and I feel very well taken care of when I'm here. I still love their margaritas but now I have a new love for their sangria! If you're looking for a place to grab a drink with a friend, whether one or 9, I'd recommend this place. Happy hour is good and the food is definitely yummy.
(4)Drew P.
Margaritas are good, food is ok ambience is great if you sit outside. Service is suspect especially when the waiter asks for your girlfriends number when you step away.
(3)