El Toro Restaurant — Restaurant in Banff

Yes, we left things too late in Banff, on New Years Eve. My wife called around and due to a cancellation, we got lucky to get a 6 PM reservation down the street from where we were staying. We come out here every year at this time and try to sample as much of the local cuisine as we can. The décor was Mexican flavored with decorations for the season. Things did look a bit dated, but were comfortable for our party of eight. After all, we were glad to be able to get a place that late, and could take a party of that size. The waiter and staff were attentive, but missed a few chances add to our bill as they didn't come around as frequently as they should for drinks, or to check if anyone wanted anything more. I didn't dock them for that as they were so polite and willing to please that we could have asked them instead of waiting to be asked, if we really needed to quench our thirst. A quick appetizer of garlic bread and Calamari before the main course, in my case a 6 oz Sirloin, with mashed potatoes, and a side of mushrooms. There were veggies included as well but I left them off tonight. The steak was more than 6 oz and had a light gravy that added to the taste. Cooked perfectly, and complimented by some of the best mashed potatoes I have had in a long time. Mushrooms were a perfect compliment and every member of our party had nothing but good to say about a variety of more traditional Mexican fare. There was room for desert and our choice took some time to prepare, but the Lava cake, strawberries, ice cream, and whipped cream were a perfect shared finale to the meal. Not only were we all pleased with the food, but when the bills came there was no complaints about the value as the food was good, filling, and comfortable. We all left with a Happy New Year from the staff. Few small changes and I think that El Toro would become a much more popular stop on Banff Avenue as more come to taste the food. I have no problem recommending this restaurant to those that want something both familiar...

I would say this restaurant leans much more towards Portuguese/Spanish than Mexican which Google states.

This is an absolute gem. Close to best western hotel where I was staying which is out of the main tourist area. I cant understand why this place isnt packed every night out of word of mouth and reputation alone. Staff are amazing from the manger to all the servers and bus people. Saif served me the first night and it’s amazing to see younger staff putting everything into their profession. The manager Pramod handled the second night and was excellent.

The atmosphere is unassuming. Music was nice. Decor could use a bit of an upgrade, but with food and service this good, no one will care about a perfect atmosphere at the end of the night. And maybe it’s just going for a traditional theme that speaks to the owners more than me.

First night I had lamb shank with a really subtle couscous side. Never really liked couscous before this. Wish I could have gotten the recipe

Lamb was cooked to perfection and seasoned perfectly. Not salty, just nice seasoning. Again, lamb shank isnt my favourite cut since it often lacks flavour that comes from lamb fat, but this is a rare exception. The Lamb flavour wasnt overpowering but still very much present. Vegetable selection was great and complemented other flavours perfectly.

Finally, staff worked hard to get my Martini perfect. Had a Rioja…top one on their list which was also a decent one. I’ve had the other (Muga?) before, and not a fan of that one. So top one was a nice surprise and also went well with Lamb.

Everyone here from the chef to the manager to the waiting staff deserves a raise. They need to promote this place as a premier restaurant destination in Canada, much less Banff.

Thanks to all of you staff. I haven’t eaten this well in a long time. Even in Montreal where I live you wont...

We had a wonderful time here, first time visitors. We will definitely be back! The service was exceptional, from the moment I called to make a reservation. My supper companion (my mom♥️) has a hearing disability, so we always request a table away from the fray. The manager Pramod answered the phone and was incredibly genial and efficient in telling us exactly the table he had in mind.

When we arrived, it was perfectly located, and, although the music in our area was a little loud, he let us know that he would be able to turn it down if we needed. which we did request after sometime, and the request was met with efficiency and warmth, like all of our service interactions.

We very much enjoyed the food. Both of us have traveled to Spain and love tapas, so we were delighted to order just from the tapas menu, with churros for dessert. (The churros are very tasty - coated in cinnamon and sugar, unlike Madrid where they are quite plain, but frankly I prefer the sweeter variety!)

For supper we shared the marinated olives, scallops, stuffed portobello mushroom, grilled vegetable stack (which was more of a spread than a stack, but delicious anyway), and manchego flambé. All items were very tasty.

If I had one request to the chef, it would be to experiment with creating a thinly sliced roasted vegetable stack with a bit of feta spread between layers, similar to a dish from Ten Foot Henry in Calgary. Either way it’s a knife and fork endeavor for diners… but the presentation and blending of flavours is quite nice that way.

For a Wednesday evening, the atmosphere was lively and fun; our booth seats were comfy; and we liked the playful vibrant colours. Not the fanciest spot by any means, but the warmth of the staff and the jovial atmosphere more than makes up for that. Highly Recommend!

Thanks to all at El Toro for a...