El Torito — Restaurant in Marina del Rey

Not what it used to be at all. Sat at the bar, order a beer and decided to get something to eat as well. I wasn't planning to hang out at the bar and watch how the sun went down. Appro. 25 minutes later, I asked the bartender if they had forgotten about the food I ordered? He said, no sir they're just a little busy. I wonder....? Doing what? While there at the bar I'm noticing that this "one" bartender is doing the job of 3 workers or more, poor guy. I had empathy for him, back to slave years? After a while, I had to bring this issue/concern up to the Mgr. Why? Customers that came to the bar and some sitting at tables just waiting and waiting and some more waiting. Just like I did for a simple dish of food off the menu. Finally, I got to talk to Mgr. Named " Mack" mentioned to him what El Torito used to be like yrs. Back, super nice in general. This monkey got defensive when I asked him about management and quality assurance. He is asking me, ok, sir, so what's your point? For one, see, you were not listening to the message I was relating to you. Look around, how come a well known restaurants like this doesn't have that many customers? He didn't know what to say. I told him, "Let me help you out. Customer service, there is one bartender for the whole restaurant. He is also serving tables and washing dishes. What's next ?" Have him clean the bathrooms? This clown should go back to his previous job I wonder what that was ? cause as a Mgr.... He is a failure/loser. I hope the owner/s reconsider their erroneous decision they made when they hired this wanna be Mgr. I'm willing to bet my house here in Marina Del Rey that this is going to be another business closing out in this area, who likes to go to a restaurant and wait 5-10 minutes to get a beer? 25-30 minutes for a simple appetizer off their old menu? Good thing I didn't go in there for dinner. If you ever do, take a sleeping bag with you. Over all rating for this cueva (cave) 2 stars, and these are for the bartender and waiters. I felt so bad for the bartender that I ended up leaving him a well earned tip. And even told him that I'll be trying to get him another bartender job in the area. Leave this slave job for the Mgr.'s son. Bartender " Colin" As I mentioned to you while I was there at the bar that evening, Sir, Build up your selfsteem and know your value. God created human beings not machines. Even working machines get burned out after over...

Bad experience ever. after a long walk at the beach I decided to eat, so I went to El Torito which was on my way to my car. I approached young lady hostess in El Torito for a table. She was very polite and friendly. I told young lady I need table for one and I have doge with me, she responded no problem and took me to the table. 15- 20 minutes later a lady shows up and takes my order which was Fajita with beef and shrimp and steak taco. waited for an hour and 15 minutes for the food to arrive. People from next table who came long after my arrival got their food and I’m still waiting. I raised my hand to get my waiters attention a few times, finally she saw me. I asked if she could make my food to go because I have only one hour left on my parking meter. She said “let me see”She backed in 15 minutes with food which was different than what I ordered. It was beef steak only. I told where is the rest of it. she was arguing and was saying this is what you ordered. Since I was hungry and tired of waiting, I give up and said “it’s ok don’t worry, it look good. She leaves and comes back with 5 pieces of shrimps and says nothing. I asked if she could bring me water and some extra napkins” she leaves and never comes back. I asked another waiter for water and napkins and I got them right away I asked young man for manager. Manager came listen to my complain patiently and was very apologetic and asked me not to pay for dinner. My response was that with all the respect I didn’t complained to have free food, my goals is hopefully this won’t happen again to anybody else. I paid for my food, without the tips. Manger came back with a business card asked me to write my name and phone number. although I didn’t like the approach and was reluctant to give her my information, I give her my name and phone number because I was very tired and wanted to get out there.I asked her why you want my information? She said “ my manager want to talk to you. I felt hurt, depressed and disrespected. If I wasn’t depressed at home, for sure I was depressed when I got home. I was wondering why such treatment. Maybe because: I was old lady dining by myself, no fancy dress on, no makeup on, no good hair do, ….. sadly people are judge a book...

‼️AVOID‼️AVOID‼️AVOID‼️AVOID‼️

Disappointing Experience - A Great Location Wasted

I recently visited this el Torito, and I must say, it was one of the most disappointing dining experiences I've had in a long time. Despite the great location, everything else fell woefully short.

Upon entering, I immediately noticed that the restaurant seemed understaffed. It took an unusually long time for anyone to acknowledge our presence, and when we were finally seated, the server appeared overwhelmed and grumpy. Instead of the warm welcome one would expect, we were met with a curt demeanor that set the tone for the rest of the evening. It was clear that the few employees on duty were stretched thin, and their frustration was palpable.

The service throughout the meal was lackluster at best. Our server seemed more interested in rushing through their tasks than in providing a pleasant dining experience. We waited an eternity for our drinks, and when they finally arrived, they were wrong. It took another long wait for the correct drinks to be brought to our table, and by then, our patience was wearing thin.

As for the food, it was sadly underwhelming. I had high hopes based on the menu, but the dishes we ordered lacked flavor and creativity. It felt as though the kitchen was also struggling to keep up with the demand, resulting in meals that were lukewarm at best. For a restaurant in such a prime location, I expected more than just mediocre food.

To top it all off, the overall atmosphere was dampened by the evident unhappiness of the staff. Instead of a lively dining experience, the mood felt heavy and uncomfortable. It was disheartening to see employees who appeared to be miserable in their roles, as this undoubtedly affected the overall experience for customers.

In conclusion, while the location of this el torito is fantastic, the service and food fail to match. The establishment seems to be in dire need of better staffing and a culture shift that prioritizes customer service. Until significant changes are made, I cannot recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a pleasant dining experience. It's a shame to see such...