On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Category: Tapas Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: South EndWorcester Square (Silver)
Loading...
I bumped into my cousin, had half of her cocktail spill down my leg, and didn't even care. The place was very much crowded, we were in for a minimum of a 30 minute wait ("very much on the low end," as the hostess assured me), and I was getting very hungry. And yet, I knew I was in for a treat.
The food stars aligned for me last night.
First off, the hostess was awesome. I didn't get her name because I was afraid of straight up hitting on her, but she was absolutely wonderful. Knows the food, knows the wine, made some fantastic suggestions:
-sanguinello highball cocktail : got me through my wait (albeit not THAT long) for food.
-dates stuffed with almonds and covered with serrano ham : teeny but SAVORY
-corn: it's been said about the corn before but it's essentially smothered in cheese and garlic and you will get it all over your face but you came to eat, not to look pretty
-pork belly : i didn't even feel guilty about being jewish
-empanadas : safe but delicious
Okay so there was a lot of food between the two of us. But it was more than just the amazing food - the service was out of control. I dropped my knife (naturally) and someone was over in less than ten seconds handing me a new one. Were they watching me or are they just that food?
We were ready for our check and out of nowhere our server comes and lightly places the check on our table. MIND READERS?!
I like everything about this place. It's dark, it's sexy, it has its own personality. It knows its the shit but it's like that confident, dark, sexy man you take home.
And you know he doesn't disappoint. In the bedroom or out.
I have eaten my fair share of tapas in the past few years, some good and some bad. Toro falls squarely in the middle, nothing was too offensive, but it definitely isn't the best. The dishes are best shared among 2 or 4 people.
The best item was definitely the grilled corn on the cob a.k.a. Maíz Asado con Alioli y Queso Cotija. Oh baby, the lime, aioli, and cheese took this dish from common backyard fair to truly divine. This is not the dish to order on your sexy date, trust me.
I also really loved the mussels with chorizo, I just about licked the cute little bowl they came in. Seriously, these were the freshest mussels I've eaten in 10 years. I had nearly forgotten what a truly fresh, fresh, fresh mussel tasted like.
Finally, the Datiles con Jamon was just about the perfect bite. Sweet, savory, hammy. Mmmmmm....
The items I did not enjoy included the chicken empanada, which literally tasted like a chicken finger from a chinese restaurant. Also, the pork belly dish was interesting, but didn't seem to work with the fried green tomato. Lastly, the patatas bravas were a bit boring, even with the sauce.
In terms of atmosphere, it is dark and sexy. Good place for a date, minus the corn aspect.
We've gone back about 3 times since my original review. A few things that stick out in mind:
- The whole "not taking reservations thing" but then taking reservations for some people is a bit of a slap in the face.
- The place needs better ventilation, because it gets hot and SMOKEY.
- The corn is still everyone's favorite, even if it's messier than the expressway during rush hour.
- I always order the cod fritters (glorified fish sticks) and the serrano jamon, and they always meet my expectations.
- The nantucket mule is very similar to the cranberry bog at Franklin Cafe. They are both delicious and prevent scurvy.
Another favorite of ours in the 'hood. Yes, the grilled corn is awesome. Earth-shattering, even.… Read more »
I've read some incredibly glowing reviews of this place and have been dying to go give it a try. However, I definitely did not want to wait the long wait people have been talking about. So, my friend and I decided the best time would be brunch! I called in to make a reservation - they don't take any reservations. Keep that in mind!
No wonder the waits are as horrible as I've been reading them. In addition to not taking reservations, the place is relatively small and since they're known in town for their tapas, the wait can get pretty long. So we came for brunch, and I'm happy to report that we waited 2 minutes :) I do believe that doesn't even constitute as a wait!
Anyway, right when I walked in, I noticed the decor of this place and kinda fell in love with it. Bottles of wine line the walls on both sides and there's a bar where bartenders make their concoctions that only they can. There's a board that is updated every day with their specialties as well so make sure to check them IN ADDITION to the menu that is handed to you.
The brunch menu includes your regular fair breakfast, but also the tapas! Which is what we went on since we wanted to try Toro's specialties. Between the two of us we split 5 dishes and honestly we could have eaten more, but I'm glad we kept room for dessert later :).
1. Foie Gras con Chutney de Pera - I'd heard such great things about this I had to give it a try. First, I had no idea what Foie Gras was - it's duck liver for those who scratch their heads when reading the name. All in all it was a good dish, but I wasn't that impressed. I believe liver is an acquired taste - you either like it or don't. And while I love chicken liver, I wasn't a fan of the duck one. Overall: Good, not great.
2. Atun Crudo - This was yellowfish tuna with citrus and soy and I liked this much more than the duck liver. Thumbs up!
3. Maíz Asado con Alioli y Queso Cotija - this is their house specialty! And quite filling for a tapas plate! It's grilled corn lime and aged cheese on it. All I can say is I loved this dish! I'm a fan of corn all in all, and mix that with another favorite of mine, cheese - I'm a happy camper :)
4. Escalivada Catalana - OMG. My favorite tapas of the meal, hands down. It's a burst of flavors in your mouth from the get go. I am so glad my friend decided to order this. I was skeptical in the beginning, but when I had my first spoonful....OMG. DEF A MUST for veggie lovers and non veggies alike!
5. Hamburguesas de Kobe - I don't eat steak, but my friend ordered this for himself and LOVED it. He said it was a very close second to the eggplant and I'll agree it did look good. Plus it was a fair amount of steak as well.
The price for all the 5 dishes came out to a little less than 50 total (tip no inclusive), which is great! I loved the service as it was very attentive and look forward to coming back and trying their churros for dessert!
Toro is a bustling and hip tapas joint. It is very popular and does not accept reservation, so either arrive early or expect an hour long wait, at minimum. Many choose to wile away the time at the well stocked bar, however a perpetually massive crowd can be uncomfortably boisterous. We chose to wait outside. Luckily, the considerate staff sneaked us a few small bites to ease the aggravation of a particularly long wait.
The food itself is a modern interpretation of Spanish tapas with international influences. The menu is not extensive, but also contains no misses. Prices range from $4-$13 for each plate. The bone marrow, sweatbreads, grilled corn, and foie gras are a few of my favorites. For larger groups or heartier appetites, the restaurant offer heaping paellas serving 2-4. Their "Fresita" (strawberry, rhubarb, lime, gin) is highly recommended.
Had wanted to try Toro for some time and finally did last week. It was great.
I got the Foie Gras, Sweetbreads, Bone Marrow, and Beef Heart.
Me and my friend got seated immediately (6:30 PM) and had our plates staggered so they did not get cold.
The foie gras was delicious. It had a delicate glaze and served as one piece on a toasted piece of bread.
The beef heart was reminiscent of rare roast beef and was very tender and light.
The sweetbreads were good, I thought the glaze was a little overpowering. I'm not sure what sweetbreads taste like (and whether or not the glaze was purposely strong to hide any less than pleasant flavors.
The bone marrow was great (perhaps a tad over-seasoned) and the oxtail which accompanied it was delicious.
My friend got the olive bowl and a little bowl of cheese and both were decent (not totally wowed).
Service was good considering how busy the restaurant was, I will definitely go again to try some different treats.
So one of my buddies suggests Toro for dinner - I'm like, fantastic - I can always go for sushi... I guess a common misconception? Toro means tuna in Japanese, and Bull in Spanish! Ole!
Fan-f*cken-tastic dude. We did wait a tiny bit for a table (I forget how long, but not long enough for it to be annoying - we just stood outside in the beautiful fall night and chatted until the hostess called us in!). Beautiful space - white washed brick walls, dark wood, long tables in the middle, an open kitchen, awesome.
My friend and I, oh we love to eat. I love trying everything! So we ordered... 12 dishes. Highlights:
Foie gras served on a crisp crostini with pear and bacon chutney. Sweet Jesus, it changed my life. I haven't had foie gras so perfectly prepared in so long! It just... exploded in my mouth. I wanted to cancel everything else and just order 10 plates of it. Seriously. Everything about that little plate was sooooo f-en good.
Dates with almonds wrapped in jamon - I call this the hot date. Burnt the crap out of my tongue when I stuck it in my mouth, but it was totally worth it! I loved this. Sweet and salty and meaty. I kinda wished there was a bit more ham, but it was seriously good.
Grilled corn - by the way, it's totally on the cob. Just sayin, if you were planning on ordering this on a date. I was with a friend, so I had no problem getting cheese and all that goodness all over my face (and teeth! Why does corn always get stuck in your teeth)!
Uni sandwich - the pickled mustard seeds, I was like - wow. It was creamy and just... exploded with this awesome musky flavor. Wow. You really need to try it. It's awesome.
Grass fed beef heart - it seriously tasted like rare roast beef. Perfectly chewy, and just... meaty. With a tangy tomatoey sauce. Yum!
Veal sweetbread - I honestly don't know what a sweetbread is (something about a gland of some sort in between the heart and lungs or something? I'll have to wiki it at some point). :) But... YUUUUUUUUM. A mouthful of goodness. It's seriously like two perfect bites (great for two people!). And so good!
Blood sausage - it tasted like soondae, Korean blood sausage. Dusted with just a hint of sea salt and chili powder. Super thinly sliced.
Pork belly with escargots and pumpkin puree... it was like 75% fatty fat fat and 25% (maybe less?) of meat. SO bad for you, but SO good. And that pumpkin puree was so amazingly good, we sopped all of it up with the bread they brought us.
Smoked duck drumettes - it tasted like pork spareribs. Seriously. The smokyness of the meat just, oh, made that fatty duck taste SO GOOD.
Tuna tartare with the coconut and lime... if my perfect vacation was a dish, it would be this. Although, I do agree with one of the previous reviewers - the foam was a bit off putting. Just serve me simple dishes with simple ingredients. But still... executed very well. And it really was the taste of my perfect vacation.
Acorn fed ham - WOW. It was fatty and delicious. Seriously. I would like a pound of that for Christmas please!
Service was attentive, our water glasses were consistently filled, and we left absolutely STUFFED to the gills. Sooooooo worth it. 2 cocktails, a glass of wine, and 12 tapas set us back about $120. So... a bit pricey. But oh... seriously. So worth it.
After months of wishing, waiting, trying to find a friend who wanted to go with me, I finally made it to Toro with a friend from work. We shared a pitcher of very tasty sangria while we chowed down on stuffed dates, tuna tartare, and seasoned olives to start. I mowed them all happily and I don't even like olives! Then came duck legs, chick peas, and spiced potatoes. I feel a little bad for my friend because I think he got his hands on about 3 pieces of potato and the bowl of them was not small. Seriously, they made the meal for me. Everything was really wonderful, but these starchy little pieces of heaven with their unbelievable garlic aioli will undoubted suck me back into Toro very soon.
Summed up in one sentence. Above average tapas (not great), very friendly staff, but not worth the wait at all.
They don't take reservations, which means that you should expect a *very* long wait at peak times. We waited 2.5 hours on a Friday night, for the promise of amazing food and the best tapas we would have had in recent memory. While the staff was apologetic for the wait (they must have to apologize a lot), it was downright excessive. There is very little that I would wait that long for, and unfortunately the food at Toro is just not one of those things. After standing outside for most of the night, there was no way the food could possibly live up to the expectations. And it didn't. Not even the corn. That's right, not even the corn.
Now don't get me wrong, the corn was great, but balanced with everything else, it wasn't enough to put me over the top and get me back to Toro anytime soon. The rest of the food was solid, but not as good as I was expecting. Maybe Toro was just the victim of over heightened expectations, but with the exception of the odd dish here and there, I recall having plates of close quality at Dali, Tasca, and Tapeo with less fanfare and certainly less time spent staring at other people eating before I got a chance to sit down.
The other thing that bothered me about Toro was the number of self-important south-end wanna-be hipster-yuppie types that were sucking down PBRs like they had just discovered the anecdote. I mean, are we still doing this? The ironic-cool thing with the PBR? Really? I thought this was replaced with the equally repulsive trend of wearing brightly-colored wayfarer sunglasses 24/7 and pretending it was like, totally normal and stuff. PBR is a fine beer for a backyard BBQ when you just want a real cold-one, but if you are thinking that drinking PBR in a South End tapas restaurant is elevating your level of non-temperature cool, you need be set straight. A good rule of thumb, is that if you can get a t-shirt at Urban Outfitters with a particular beer logo on it, that beer probably isn't consumed for it's quality. Or coolness anymore for that matter.
Short version is, Toro is good. It ain't great. Go on an off day, or super late on a weekend, get some corn, have a cocktail (all of which are pretty decent looking), and then go to one of Ken Oringer's better restaurants.
If you're looking for tapas, don't waste your time going to Toro. I heard a ton of good things about the place, and I really wanted to love it here, but I think I can cook better "tapas" myself.
Went on a Thursday nite @ 8:30 pm and after waiting 1.5 hours to be seated, we were told the kitchen was closing shortly after. Here's what we quickly ordered (there were 4 of us):
Olives
Tres Quesos
Tuna Tartare
Gambas al Ajillo
Short Ribs
Hangar Steak
Kobe sliders
Patatas Bravas
Maiz Asado
All in all, the best thing we ate were the olives and the cheese. And let's face it, it's extremely hard to ruin either of those. The hangar steak, which we asked for medium rare, showed up rare, and so cold that the block of butter they put on it wouldn't even melt. The tuna tartare was disgusting- we actually sent it back. It had a coconut foam on it and was so cooked through by the lime juice that it was more like seared tuna. The patatas were hot, which was nice, but not that impressive. And honestly, the corn (maiz) was good, but the aioli on it is honestly just a glorified garlic mayonnaise, and it's SLATHERED on. Seriously. It's covered in mayonnaise and cheese. I think I could make it better at home.
The portions are small, the prices are high, and the staff kinda sucks. Honestly, if you want tapas, go to Tapeo or Kuchi Kuchi.
There are no signs of recession at 1704 Washington Street on a Tuesday night. This place was packed! We were told the wait was about half an hour so we grabbed drinks at the bar. We ordered a pitcher of sangria and about 10 minutes later, a few seats opened up at the bar so we ended up having dinner there instead.
The bartenders were nice and attentive. The decor of the restaurant is cute and romantic.
Everything we ate at Toro was delicious!
Maíz Asado con Alioli y Queso Cotija - the CORN, i've been hearing about these corns for a while now. They are really good. Its the cheese & butter & that gooey mess that is on top. I wouldn't recommend ordering this on a date if you're afraid of making a mess.
Erizos en Suquet - seafood stew, this is especially delicious with the bread they serve.
Pato con Membrillo - smoked duck drumettes
Paella Valenciana - seafood paella. The paella had a lot of flavor to it, one of the best I've had.
I'll definitely be back.
3.5 stars
Bf & I shared our first tapas experience here recently. Parking warning: be prepared to do a lot of u-turns - almost all the streets are Resident Permit after 6pm.
A table for 2 on a Saturday night (8:30PM) was 1.5-hour wait, so we opted for patio seating instead. Yeahhh... it was about 45 degrees outside but honestly, it was cold only for the first few minutes of sitting. If you have a jacket, don't be discouraged to accept outdoor seating. Only problem was: tables were extremely close to each other - almost impossible to tune out others' conversations, while trying to keep your own at a whisper.
Drinks:
- Rebujito tasted yucky... like dirty water ... no me gusta.
- Tinto de Verano (red wine + lemon lime soda) ... okay
Tapas:
- Ceviche de Halibut ... alright. I've never had citrus-flavored fish before. Glad this was the first tapas served to us because it's kind of like a fish salad, served cold.
- Costilla de Buey (short rib & potato puree) ... oh so tender and flavorful & it's served in a cute, little cast iron pot
- Navaja? (razor clams) ... delicious!
- Patatas Bravas ... home fries at its best! But where was the spicy tomato sauce!? :(
- Atun Crudo (yellowfin tuna) ... mehh. I've had better.
A couple mishaps: I'm a little suspicious as to why our tapas came out abnormally fast (literally, within a few minutes). I (stupidly) forgot to check Yelp before going, so we didn't know what to order. Kind of shocked that when we asked our waiter for tapas recommendations, he did not mention the Maíz Asado (grilled corn) at all. So we missed out!! :( ...maybe it was his sneaky plan to get us to come back!
For 2 people, we easily spent over $75! Eeps. Also, just checked the website: a 20% gratuity is added on parties of 6 or more... whoa. But the huge selection is a plus (they just added a tiny flap of more tapas to the menu). In the end, Toro gave us a good impression for our first tapas experience.
I have mixed feelings about Toro. The Maíz Asado con Aioli y Queso Cotija is an outstanding dish. The wine was marginal. The paella while delicious, only covered the bottom of pan & was very greasy and somewhat salty. We also ordered the morcilla, which was not exactly what I remember morcilla to look like no less taste like. Then again, there was so little morcilla and so thinly cut that it would take a grandmaster of taste to be able to taste it.
Let's talk about the service. One of the hostesses was very friendly and accommodating. However, Kim was once again disagreeable and unaccommodating. We've been to Toro before just to check the place out & both times she acted as if she owned the place & as if she was doing us a favor. Kim is without an ounce of graciousness & rude. Bussers were all very nice and helpful but the waiter wasn't very attentive.
My husband and I stopped here our first night in Boston. I'd read the menu online before arriving and was excited to see it was just down the street from our B&B. I have to admit we were pretty disappointed. We knew to expect a crowd since they don't take reservations but since we arrived so late we didn't have to wait long.
The food just wasn't all that good. The hot green peppers and queso mahon were the highlights but they aren't incredibly difficult dishes. The patatas bravas had very little sauce although they were fried well. I have to disagree with the raving reviews of the corn, too. There was so much aioli it was just disgusting. I tried scraping it off but couldn't get nearly enough of it off the corn to taste good. Plus, the corn was way overcooked. Some of the other dishes we tried were okay but nothing spectacular.
I could see coming back here for some of the peppers, cheese, and some drinks but there are much better places for dinner.
We got very very lucky and a friend knows the owner - so we got a reservation on a weeknight at 730.
This place is hands-down amazing. First off, make sure to get a peron - a very fun way to drink blended wine and champagne, which turns into a fun way to get really drunk really fast (when combined with glasses of delightful and fruity sangria).
The dishes - oh the dishes. Foie gras - velvety and smooth, served over a delightful crisp toast. The corn - so good we ordered two orders of this - is hands down the only way I want to eat corn from now on. The proscuitto wrapped figs - sweet and salty, perfect balance. I could keep naming off dishes and be long winded and go dish by dish - but seriously, you should already be putting on the shoes, grabbing your keys, and heading out the door for Toro.
And lets be honest - don't expect to penny pinch here. We ended up with two pitchers of sangria, around 8 plates, and a peron for about $200ish for four people - but the experience, atmosphere, food, and drink are all hands down the most fun and best tasting you'll have in boston for tapas experience.
LEGIT. LEGIT as fuck.
ORDER these dishes NOW!:
Maiz Asado con Alioli y Queso Cotija (Grilled corn with alioli, lime, espelette pepper, and aged cheese)
- The BEST dish EVER!! my voice cracked after eating this....if i smoked, i would have fired up a cigarette and bought this corn a bottle of champagne for what it did to and for my taste buds. The roasted taste of the corn combined with the creamy alioli sauce and the best tasting cheese i've ever tasted makes this one of my all time favorite dish. I would go back to order only this dish.
Asado de Huesos (Roasted bone marrow with radish citrus salad and oxtail marmalade)
- absolutely delicious! Gelatin fat consistency, a tinge of saltiness, and great spread on the house bread.
Vientre de Cerdo (Crispy pork belly with fried green tomato and smoked maple crumble)
- The crisp charred crust of pork belly with the soft fatty middle and tasted great with the sweetness of the fried green tomato.
sweetbread (the thymus (throat sweetbread) and the pancreas (heart or stomach sweetbread))
-sweet and salty interplay. tender chewy texture. must try this dish!
Boquerones (White anchovies in vinegar and olive oil)
-great texture and flavor balance. The bread soaks up the oil & vinegar along with balancing out the saltiness of the anchovy. simple ingredients that perfectly compliment each other.
GOOD dishes, but can do without if working on a budget:
Costilla de Buey (Rioha braised short rib of beef with armagnac soaked prunes and pommes puree)
-tender and well-seasoned short rib, sweet prunes, and creamy potato.
Pulpo Asado (Grilled baby octopus with chorizo, coco beans, carrots, and charred pepper vinaigrette)
-I don't remember much of this dish, but i do remember that the octopus was tenderized in the cooking process while still maintaining an underlying chewiness that makes eating octopus enjoyable.
Coctel de Gambas (poached Maine white shrimp with horseradish, cilantro, tomatos, and avocado)
- large shrimps in a creamy sauce. It was good, but was overshadowed by the other dishes, so i don't recall much about this dish.
Churros w/ chocolate dipping sauce
- it's a churro. A little denser than what can be found on a churro cart at a carnival, but nothing more.
The service was quick and friendly, the decor is unique, and the environment very clean. I would go for specific dishes in particular. don't got when you're really hungry because it is a bit pricey.
***Beware: Wait time could be an upwards of over 1.5 hours if going during peak times.
Why you should go:
You can spend $4. If you think it sucks, leave.
I finally had my first dinner at Toro and it definitely blew my mind away. We were told that there was a long wait, although we tried to beat the rush hour by arriving by 6. We decided to sit outside to avoid the wait and it worked out just fine.
We went with the #1 crowd pleaser cliche and got the Maiz Asado con Alioli y Queso Cotija (grilled corn), because like all cliches, you can never get enough of it--we end up getting two orders! We also got the Corazon a la Plancha (Grass-fed beef heart with romesco), Lengua con Lentejas y Salsa Verde (Smoked beef tongue with lentils and salsa verde), Pato con Membrillo (Smoked duck drumettes with quince glaze) and Patatas Bravas (Fried potatoes with alioli and spicy tomato sauce), Chorizo and tripe.
My favorites were definitely the corn, beef tongue and the duck, highly recommend! I am dying to visit again so I can try a variety of the seafood dishes. For those people made a funny face and walked away when finding out that there's gonna be a 45 mins wait, I gotta say, "you are missing out!"
GO TO TORO!
This is a review for the brunch.
I love going to toro for brunch. First off, I love having…
Read more »
No reservations & you may have to wait a while for a table- esp. if you're a 2+ party. Also, the service is always terrible.
But the tapas are delicious! Favorites are:
Maiz Asado
Foie Gras with Pear Chutney
Datiles con Jamon
Tortilla Espanola
Pato con Membrillo
This is not the place to go if you are not a patient person. Luckily for me...they had seats outside that they didn't have a wait for! On the inside of the restaurant the people were stacked in like sardines. Crazy.
We braved the cold to eat here, and I would say...it was sort of worth it. I loved the Frois Gras with Pear Chutney, the Hanger steak as well as the Blood Sausage. A few plates we had that I'd pass on if I revisited, the Pork Rillette (which really just reminded me of tuna fish...but the sauce it was served with was wonderful), the Marinated Queso which was bland and uninteresting and the duck.
Overall I liked the food. I'm a big fan of tapas, but I did think some of the dishes were too small. For instance the Pork dish only had one small piece of bread with the pork on it...it should have been two. After all these are sharing plates. The hanger steak portion size was great...except that we got two orders(one came to us accidentally) and they were totally different portion sizes. The duck legs were also generous portions.
I wasn't impressed with the service either...but they were really busy and it was Saturday night.
A few tips:
They don't take reservations, come ready to wait.
Ask them to stagger your plates...we got everything at the same time...and things got cold before we had a chance to get to them.
Ask for your check well before you actually want it to ensure you'll get it in a timely fashion.
Overall it's a good place.
Attention Spaniards (or people that wish they were Spanish *cough* me): this place has calimocho! When I tell my friends it was all I drank when I was in Spain, they look at me funny because the recipe is coke and wine. Weird, right? Except that it's awesome and toro is bold enough to put it on their cocktail list. Friends laugh and first dates are born at Toro with their always happening restaurant (read: always crowded, so prepare to wait as they don't take reservations). The tapas are fantastic. From Spanish favorites like chorizo, empanadas and tortilla to the truly inventive like bone marrow and pork belly with escargot. You'll never get bored here with their extensive and creative tapas menu. Tapas range from about $7-$12 and you should order 2-3 per person - money well spent, I assure you. Ole!
Definitley check out Toro!
I like tapas because it's fun to share food and you get to try so many things. My favorite was the mini lobster roll- I can't remember the proper name. Everything was delicious though! The dates, yellowfin, pork belly, mini burgers and duck are all worth trying.
The atmosphere is cute- good date place for sure. We were also seated without a reservation much sooner then I expected for a Saturday night.
I could write a novel about how good the place is - but I think 261 people beat me to it. I would say that this place needs to change it's name to "Wait" because you'll be doing allot of waiting and watching if you get here after 5 PM on a Friday or Saturday. Our group of 4 was about 1:15 at 6pm on Saturday. Food is AWESOME - try the marrow and the clams!
Worth every minute of the wait....
A special note to those sitting in the middle aisle: Expect to be fighting off the standing-room-waiting-tools who take your seat when you go to the bathroom, elbow your back on a regular basis, or slide their beer onto your table as if this were a pizza joint in college-town USA. For every time this happens savor an extra 5 minutes of tapa's to pass a little karma back their way.
I took my boyfriend here on Saturday night for dinner. I knew they didn't take reservations, so we got there early and put our name in. It still took an hour for them to seat us, but we went down the street and had some wine at a little Korean wine bar. When we came back, we still had to wait for about 10 minutes, but the place was so packed that we had to wait outside (in the rain). The place was packed, so although it was October and pouring rain, we had to sit at an outdoor table. This was not ideal. We were at least covered by the awning, but we were cold and getting wet.
The food, however, was absolutely amazing. The grilled corn was TO DIE FOR. The duck was melt-in-your-mouth. Everything was fantastic. We got 6 tapas between the two of us and it ended up being too much food, but it was all so delicious! The prices were very reasonable as well. Love this place and would definitely go back despite the wait...next time I'd hope for a table inside though.
The fiancée and I decided to have a night out on the town and landed at the hip spot Toro on a busy Friday night. The rest of this review is divided into three sections: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
The Good:
The Sangria was fantastic. And the food, once we were able to get a seat was delicious. The sweetbreads were definitely a favorite along with the Empanadas and the serrano ham. At this point, I'm sad to say that while I remember being very happy with the food and wine I cannot remember the actual dishes as the rest of the scene overwhelms my memory for better or worse. I would definitely recommend the place again based on just the food and the sangria, but..
The Bad:
It took us forever to get seated. We didn't have a reservation, fair enough. But when the hostesses start playing good hostess/bitchy hostess with you, you've been standing around too long. We asked for first available inside or outside and were originally told 45 minutes which stretched out to an hour and a half with most our interactions unfortunately coming with the bitchy hostess. After more than an hour, the "good" hostess brought us some complimentary appetizers. Yet made it seem like it was compliments of the chef and something she was doing for everyone not because we had been standing around waiting for a table that seemed like it was never going to come. We managed to go through an entire carafe of (yummy!) sangria in the time we were waiting with just the two of us. The bar area was packed like teen girls at a Jonas Brother's concert. At one point I felt I was crowd surfing in order to get our sangria from the bar. Alas, dear hostess, do you just not know how busy you are to give people a real estimate of how long they're going to have to wait around? Or are you just too cool to really care about managing your customers expectations? Its proven that if you manage expectations customer service is a breeze. You tell me 2 hours and I wait 1, I'll be grateful. You tell me 45 minutes and I wait 46, I'm gonna be pissed. Simple math.
The Ugly:
This place is filled with douchebags and skinny chicks with big heads hanging on their boney bodies. It was infuriating and sad at the same time. Infuriating to listen to dumbass guys "ironically" drinking PBR at a really nice restaurant talk about douche-y things EXTREMELY LOUDLY RIGHT NEXT TO YOU and sad to see malnourished women feign caring at anything the douchebag has to say why eyeing a plate of Morcilla like a man stranded on a desert island eyes water.
Be ready.
Went there on a Thursday night and arrived around 6:30, there was already a 45minute wait. But it wasn't bad outside so we got a glass of wine and waited outside. We could have ate outside right away, but it was a bit chilly for that so we waited for a table. Definitely worth the wait.
I thought it was a cozy atmosphere. Good for socializing, but hard to get a table for a large group. Food - Presentation and Tastes all good!
We had
Froie Gras - my first time trying this, was scared to taste it, but it was actually pretty good.
Bone Marrow - this was good, but not spectacular.
Grilled Corn - it was heavenly. Must order on the menu.
Rioja Short Ribs - This was okay, good nothing special.
Fried Potatoes - Common dish in spain, great for picking at.
Jalapeno Peppers with Sea Salt - good starter snack, could use a bit more sea salt.
Garlic Shrimp - Good stuff, the bread was good with the sauce that was on it.
Paired it all with a bottle of Bierzo. EXCELLENT.
The one star gives away that we were not happy with our dinner at Toro at all. It was restaurant week and late on a very busy Friday night. Despite the deal of the restaurant week menu, the portions were small and the sangria was terribly overpriced. So not much of a deal at all. Some of the tapas were pretty good, but all in all, the quality was pretty dismal. If you have had churros in Spain, do NOT try them at Toro. You will be very sorry (they also come just with a bit of chocolate sauce and not with a hot chocolate).
The atmosphere was not great and it was incredibly LOUD with music cranked up to an unnecessary level. Not a good place if you actually want to talk to the people you go out with.
It does not seem that there is a single tapas place in Boston that is good and has the price to match. Dali is overpriced, Solea is better but out in Waltham. I would recommend Estragon over Toro and Dali anytime, but it is also too expensive for what you get - and I am sorry, I just have to compare it to Spain.
I'll be trying Tasca in Brighton next. Maybe that will be a find?
Instead of braving a 2 hour wait, I braved the cold to eat here. The food was good, especially the hanger steak that was DELICIOUS. The service left much to be desired although it was freezing so I could understand why he wanted to stay inside. Some of the items, I would not get again: the marinated mahon cheese, the pork rillette special. All in all, I'd come back on a weekday when I can make a reservation.
I came here last Friday for a work luncheon. Not expecting a restaurant to be very crowded at noon on a Friday, we didn't even try to make a reservation. We were in for a surprise. It was extremely crowded and we couldn't even find a table so we all sat at the bar which meant that the people farthest from the corner of the bar were a bit excluded from the conversation.
The highlights here are the tapas. We had a plate of shrimp in a sauce that was so delicious several people used the bread for the table to mop up the last bits of sauce on the serving plate. I also enjoyed their salads. The vegetarian option, with a nice bit of cheese in it was delicious. The Atun salad was also good with large pieces of high grade tuna. Others in our party feasted on the bone marrow and enjoyed it greatly. IMO, the cheese plate was not that fabulous. The cheese could be better quality and more varied. There was too much of an emphasis on Manchego and manchego-like (hard) cheeses. Service was better than I expected with our server bringing us fresh silverware for different courses. He also replenished our bread basket without us having to ask. Prices are reasonable, especially if you are coming with a large group and can order a lot and try everything. The atmosphere is a bit crowded and noisy so if you're looking for a quiet time out, look elsewhere. Also, I agree with others below. Do not order to corn dish on a date. While delicious, it is impossible to eat without getting cheese sauce all of your face and fingers. I look forward to going back.
The corn and wine could bring me to tears it is just that good. Love the atmosphere almost as much as the great menu.
Hope you don't mind waiting forever to have dinner...but if you do, try it for lunch.
One of my favorite meals. The restaurant is bustling, but not so loud you can't have a conversation. They don't take reservations, so we had to wait a looong time for a table, but the hostess gave us complimentary bruschetta while we waited.
The meal was well worth the wait. It would be tough to review every dish for tapas, but suffice it to say that they were all excellent. Highlights were the foie gras, the kobe beef sliders, the jamon de la quercia (acorn fed ham), and the corn with aioli and cotija. It's pretty rare to eat 10 or more dishes (with friends) and be thoroughly impressed with the thought and effort that went into every one, but that's how I felt after leaving.
Meh and Ehhhhhhhhhhhh are two very good ways to express how I feel about this place.
Both of my friends weren't too impressed by the Mollejas or the Foie Gras con Chutney de Pera. The Maíz Asado con Alioli y Queso Cotija La Especialidad de la Casa was definitely the best dish there. The Escalivada Catalana was surprising good. The hummus was mediocre. Other than the spicy tomato sauce, the Patatas Bravas was forgettable. And the Croquetas de Bacalao was not flavorful at all. We were told by a disgustingly rude hostess that the wait was going to be an hour and a half to an hour and forty-five minutes and if I really had to wait that long, the food would TOTALLY not be worth it. We decided to suck it up and fare the 40 degree weather and sit outside. It was freezing, but it turns out that nothing on that menu would have made that wait worthwhile so it's a good thing we did. The waiter was pretty nice, we felt bad he had to come out and wait on us. They did bring us hot water so that was cool. This place is comparatively cheap for Tapas and other than that horrible horrible hostess who needs to get checked, the place is really posh and aesthetically pleasing. The food is fair for its price. But really, if there is a long wait, just go somewhere else.
1 word: SABROSA! I have gone here several times over the past 2 years, and it never ceases to disappoint. It long ago replaced Tasca as my go-to Tapas place that I bring visiting friends and family to. I usually start with the Foie Gras Chutney and the Stuffed Dates (sooo good and surprisingly easy to make at home).
Then, I ALWAYS get the maiz asado (the most delicious combo of grilled corn rolled in garli aoili and then dipped in cheese-- this is not as easy to make at home, but it is possible). Then we usually get the cod croquets, the patatas bravas, and either the duck drumbettes or the braised short rib (VERY GOOD).
The only mistake we ever made was ordering the salt crusted Mediterranean Sea bass-- it was a full fish, crusted in a salty dough and baked-- the dough was too salty to eat, and the flavor of the fish wasn't worth the work it took to get to it.
The cocktails were great-- favorites are 'la granada', the 'carmelized caipirhinha', and 'verdad y amor'. Be careful though, they do include eggwhites in a lot of the cocktails, so if you don't want that, make sure to tell your server.
Overall atmosphere is great-- crowded but in classy way. Staff is pretty awesome too-- I love to speak (albeit broken) spanish & they always oblige me. I wouldn't go here in a group of larger than 4 people EVER-- it makes it almost impossible to snag a table.
One of those fashionable date spots that pervades the South End. Order a glass of wine, get a few tapas or a bunch. Some of the plates are super, others average. Popular and won't take reservations. A good dinner for sure, but there are other spots I'd rather go for $50 a mouth.
Yellowfin tuna with citrus and soy - raw and perfectly seasoned.
Flank steak with red onion marmalade - delicious.
Tuna tartare with coconut milk and lime - nice and subtle, but covered with an offputting coconut foam. I hate the whole foam concept.
Uni sandwich - The toasted baguette slices and other accoutrements overwhelmed delicate, silky uni. Could hardly taste what I was eating.
Smoked duck rillettes - these big ducky drumsticks kind of disappointed me. The meat was dry and the sesame sauce sweet and one-dimensional.
Patatas bravas - Generous but unremarkable portion served with aioli and a smoky red sauce. Husband actually commented that they tasted like bbq potato chips.
Tongue with lentils - like a St. Patty's corned beef all dressed up.
Special of pork belly with fried green tomato - Crispy, fatty and smartly paired with the cornmeal(?) dusted tomato.
Grilled corn - slathered with soured cream, lime, cilantro, chili and cojito cheese. Very tasty, and a good value at two ears for $6. But as it happens, this month's issue of Cook's Illustrated has a recipe for Mexican grilled corn that turned out nearly identical - husband said better - to the version we had at Toro. It was easy - you too can make the corn at home!
I went here for a date on a recent Sunday night. I had heard all good things about Toro, so I had high expectations - I wasn't disappointed. To begin with, as you've probably heard, there's almost always a wait here. Sunday night was no exception. We arrived at 7pm and were told there would be a 45 minute wait. It turned out to be an hour. However, once we sat down, the server immediately brought out a hummus plate "on the house."
The red sangria is delicious, as were all the different plates of food. Definitely get the corn dish, messy and wonderful!
The only negatives (minor ones) are the following:
Long wait
Small and sort of cramped seating
Only good for small groups of people, no more than four.
Alright folks let's face it, nobody likes long wait times and I don't care who you are. Nobody! However If you have a small incling of patience you should, for lack of a better way to put this, suck it up when you go to Toro.
The food was fantastic. My friend and I ordered six different tapas to share: The Sweet Grilled Corn, Salt Cod Fritters, Duck, Tuna Tartare, Kobe Mini Burgers and one of the shrimp dishes (the one served with the red chili strings on top).
We thought all of the food was incredible, robust in flavor and memorable although my favorites were the corn, Mini Kobe Burgers and the Duck. The Mexican cheese they use on the corn was so tasty I asked my server where I could buy it from. Uhm...Wow! The marinade on the duck legs gave it that sweet almost-terriyaki feel which just made it so damn good. And the Kobe Burgers were some of the best I ever had. Perfectly grilled and bursting with flavor.
The Salt Cod Fritters were sort of just standard but the aioli they used on them certainly gave it a nice tart flavor. The Tuna Tartare was slightly bland but still, there was something about it that would make me order another one the next time I go.
The service was good. At first I didn't know who the server was but after my hibiscus-infused tequila cocktail with ginger & lime came about I don't think it mattered all that much.
The wine list has some good options on it and the cocktail menu is very nice, though a little heavy on the gin (is someone sleeping with Hendricks over there)?
All in all it was great to fantastic. The nice little patio table made it even all that much better on a beautiful-weathered night. Toro comes with my recommendation.
Toro is perhaps one of the finest gems in the South End. Once again, my trusty Yelpers did not lead me astray. I love the variety and creativity that go into a tapas restaurant. Small dishes with big, bold flavors rank these types of restaurants at the very top of my gastronomic lists.
We arrived relatively early knowing full well they don't accept reservations. There were plenty of available tables, but we opted for seats at the comfortable bar and were warmly greeted by the outgoing and friendly bartenders.
They offer quite a selection of tasty and mouthwatering tapas, ranging from $5 to $15 each. We settled on:
1. Jamon de la Quercia - yummy thin slices of porky heaven
2. Anna's Empanadas - piping hot, crispy pockets of finger-licking goodness
3. Mejillones (mussels) - fat and luscious in a chorizo soup of love
4. Asado de Huesos (bone marrow) - rich and flavorful with a dab of euphoria
5. Pato con Membrillo (duck) - tender and delectable
They also offered an extensive wine and what looks like a fantastic and unique drink menu. However, there are no beers on tap. No biggie.
I highly recommend Toro, both for its food and laidback ambiance. Service is fast and efficient. I do recommend coming early in order to avoid long wait times. Note to drivers: meters need to be fed until 8pm at this end of Washington Street. Oh yeah, they have free WiFi. Bonus!
Get your arse to Toro. It's that good and that ain't no bull.
I've been to Toro twice. My first experience was with three others and we were able to have a satisfying meal for only $15 a person! I was so impressed because the food was more complex than a common $15 dinner. Like everyone else has said, the corn was amazing. Love the $1 PBR tall boys! The cocktails didn't follow the same price range, but the Fresita (strawberry rhubarb drink) was a tasty start.
The second time was during Restaurant Week, but we didn't want to do the Restaurant Week menu, but apparently that didn't matter, we were forced to eat off that particular menu when the couple next to us was able to order off the regular menu. The hostess was incredibly rude to our group for no apparent reason from the moment we arrived. Thank god our waiter made up for her pretentious attitude.
The corn was a must have again of course. The Patatas Bravas (amazing homefries) are a great option for those who aren't into taking "risks" with their tapas. The garlic shrimp is a treat, the sauce is great for dipping your complimentary fresh bread. Pan con tomate was a great surprise, the tomato spread was impressive!
The dates were just ok, I've had better bacon/ham wrapped dates before. The poached shrimp was kind of like a boring shrimp cocktail that boasted an avocado presence which I could not find in the actual dish when it was in front of me. The empanadas were ok, slightly greasy and a bit meager on the sauce.
Didn't enjoy the churros, they were lack luster in comparison to the flavors of the other elements of the meal. The chocolate/chili sauce was nice though.
I would recommend the white sangria. It comes with apples and leeche - first time having this fruit, it was amazing and really made the taste of the sangria.
If it wasn't for the rude hostess, this place would have gotten 5 stars.
I'm not sure I can say anything new that the 248 yelpers before me haven't already said...
In brief, the food is fantastic! I can still taste the AMAZING corn and the heavenly empanadas. The vibe of the restaurant was a lively, neighborhood get together. My husband loved the food but after he discovered the $1 PBR his night was complete!
The menu is extensive and impressive! I'm looking forward to the day when we can brave the wait, again, and discover some more favorite tapas, pinchos and drinks!
I went to Toro with a friend the other night. We had a pitcher of Sangria that got better with every sip. We also had "Anna's Empanadas" which very crunchy and tasty. Too bad I wasn't more hungry because there was a lot on the menu that looked great. We got there early on a Sunday but by 8pm the place was jammed packed. Definitely a great place for groups.
Neighborhood: South End
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: South End
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: South End
Category: Tapas Bars
Neighborhood: South End
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Category: Tapas Bars
I've lived near the South End for three years and…
Restaurants in Boston that get me excited to be…
Cuz there are so many damn amazing eateries. Lucky…
This list is a work in progress, but it will be…
I've been eating my way through the South End and…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
Only the best restaurants end up on this list.…
