El Toreo 2

Lest you think I'm a complete snob, I actually liked this chain Mexican restaurant in a strip mall in Northern Florida. Yeah, I know that sounds rough; But - my work group arrived late in the day and hungry at a down market chain hotel along the highway on the outskirts of Ocala. We did our customary quick perusal of the restaurant offerings nearby, and somehow ended up at El Toreo - not expecting anything special. The service and atmosphere were about what you'd expect for a strip mall, which is to say serviceable, but the food was pretty tasty, and the portions large. The one critical thing I have to say is that the giant, fancy margarita I ordered was completely devoid of taste, and as far as I could tell - alcohol, in this case tequila. As a delivery system for relaxation, I do not recommend their cocktails.

Finally found the Mexican food that makes us happy. Neat place, great service. Food does not disappoint at all. The food is flavorful. They do offer homemade sauces to spice it up. You can get them in the food or on the side. I suggest on the side. The bar had all the typical items a Mexican restaurant should offer. I've tried the house margarita and the mojito. Both were excellent. We have been here twice as of this post. Both visits were consistent. Come check them out! UPDATE 10/14/23: Service was stellar. Introduced our nephew to it, he couldn't stop raving about it. He had the shrimp chimichanga. We shared our dishes as well. The mole sauce is recommended. We have not found a dish we don't like.

The beef and chicken fajita exceeded my expectations. I found the portion large and flavorful. I was disappointed with the tortilla chips. I was hoping they'd be warm. The salsa was good and masked my disappointment with the chips. The server didn't appear to be having a bad day, which impacted my experience. She seemed overly forgetful.

Super nice place within walking distance of the Hilton. Great service. Food was incredible. We also go the pitcher of sangria, which was the highlight of the meal (the food was really good too, so that should tell you how good the homemade sangria was). I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys authentic Mexican food in a casual environment. Five stars all around!