El Toro, a new Mexican restaurant located on 135 where Humble Taco used to be brings a high class Mexican restaurants town.

I will start with the food because that is the main draw to any restaurant. The food that I had was excellent. We started off with the chips and salsa right when seated. Their salsa was great; I liked the spice in it because it gave it a kick at the end but not too much to overbearing. I got both chicken and beef in fried tortillas for my meal with a side of rice. The chicken was a little dry by the end, but the flavor was good. The fried tortillas were crispy, and the orange rice was great as a side. The only downside is El Toro is a little bit more expensive than other local Mexican restaurants, but it does not disappoint.

The atmosphere was great. Everything seemed fun and lively. The servers and the menus were perfect. They also had a beautiful outdoor eating area that was nice for a relaxing diner experience. On the inside, the lights made everything seem fun, but the music was loud sometimes which made it difficult to talk to the other people at dinner, especially if guests arrive with a bigger group of people. On the other hand, the music was lively and helped contribute to the fun atmosphere. One thing that I think is unique about El Toro is their birthday celebration. I witnessed two birthday celebrations, including one for Greenwood student Maria Bellapart, and they both included a song with drums, cymbals, whistles, and a huge firecracker.

The decor for El Toro is exactly what I want from a Mexican restaurant. The walls are wrapped in a Mexican wallpaper that brings a high class and interesting look to the place. In the dining area, there are fun light up pictures that show iconic Mexican food. The bar in the background has light up walls on the back with many different colors placed all over the top of it. One wall is covered with four TV’s to enjoy games. In the outdoor area, there are white light bulbs hung all around for a calming area.

The service was great. I planned for six people, and they sat me immediately. For a Monday night, it was a little busy, but everything was still very efficient. As soon as I sat down, I was given the chips and salsa, and I never went without a drink. For our group, the wait time for food was only 15 minutes, which is great for the food that was being served.

My overall experience was great. This is an excellent restaurant inside and out.