El Toreado Restaurant Bar & Grill . EP True — Restaurant in West Des Moines

I walked into this restaurant, El Toreado this early afternoon not fancy,but surprisingly truly Fabulous!!! 😊Definitely worth trying. It was my friend and my first time. Now that we found this diamond in the ruff I am putting it at the top of my favorite restaurants. Nice thing too it just casual dress. I never give reviews about any company. However I can't say enough times how wonderful this restaurant is. This restaurant is small and humble. However the food was so delicious that it feels like a fancy restaurant. That in itself made it an extraordinary dining experience. The presentation of the food was top -notch. I am a foodie and taste and presentation is the utmost important. El Toreado did not disappoint for a second. The service was so impressive. I barely had my coat off before I got fresh made guacamole. The guacamole presentation was something I had never experienced before. A Giant bowl was set right before my eyes, a huge portion. Needless to say that I couldn't possibly finish it so I took it to go. It a good thing I didn't order appetizers because our meal was out and on the table in a flash. I was so taken back I didn't even remember to take a photo of my food like usual. That the only disappointment I experience after eating. My chicken chimmganga Superb! 😊 I usually don't order chimmgangas. I am glad I did. Our drinks were brought so quick I hardly noticed the waiter walk away to get them. Thank you for a Most Delicious Fabulous lunch El Toreado staff!!! 😋 The waiters were so friendly and kind. They treated us like friends. 😊 I highly recommend this little restaurant of deliciousness!!!🤩 Out of 5 stars I give it a solid 5 because the food and presentation of the food was impressive!!! 😍 I will be a regular customer there now. So happy to found a Good Go-to resturant when I really want some outrageously delicious Mexican food to satisfy my cravings!!! 😋 Thanks...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 — Absolutely Wonderful Experience!

We had such a great time at El Toreado Mexican Bar & Grill in West Des Moines. The food was really, really good and the staff was amazing — very polite, friendly, and accommodating.

We came with our dog, and they were kind enough to let us sit on the patio. We also had a toddler with us, and they went out of their way to make things easier — they even customized our spicy meal into a toddler-friendly version by separating it into two mild pieces and one spicy portion for us.

We ordered the House Margarita ($9.75) and the Fajita Texana ($21.99). The total bill came to $34.13 with tax, which is very reasonable for two adults and a toddler. The staff also gave us honest advice when we were about to order another large dish — they told us it might be too much food and a bit expensive, which we really appreciated.

The Fajita Texana was fantastic — full of protein and fiber, with chicken, shrimp, rice, tortillas, bean dip, salad, and avocado dip. Everything was flavorful and satisfying.

The interior is beautiful, and the patio is quiet and lovely — perfect for families or anyone wanting a calm dining experience. The hospitality here truly stood out.

Highly recommend this place — we’ll definitely be...

We had dinner here based on recommendations read. .

The booth where they sat us, the table look like it fell out of the back of a moving truck. It's a wonder it didn't have duct tape on it.

The chips and salsa. I suspect they make the chips. They had a flavor and texture of being cooked in old grease. The salsa was bland.

We ordered queso. It was good. In a very small bowl. When the bill came, $6.99. Outrageous.

We both had chimichangas. I had chicken, my friend had beef. They were good although again, I got the flavor of their being fried in old grease.

The beans and rice were good. Happy with that.

The happy hour margaritas were $4.99. They had an odd taste. I can't put my finger on it. It's the typical stuff they fix in a big bucket (probably with very little tequila) and cheap mix. They were bad. I wonder if they aren’t filtering the water. Ice.

I won't be back. For the over $30 my meal cost me, it just didn't impress me.

My friend and I discussed Mexican restaurants. I don't know that we have found a decent Mexican restaurant in Des Moines. And I have...