by Nick Coons

I've been visiting this restaurant on and off for the past few years and always enjoy the food and service. The interior is extremely colorful, and even food service in the bar is fast and pleasant. The ingredients in the complimentary salsa taste fresh, and the chips are kept warm until serving.

The portions are served on oversized plates, to help contain messy eaters I suppose. They have a little "scoop" of some sort of sweet cornbread mixture that comes with every meal. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if they increased the portion of this small side.

From what I remember, they don't have direct access to the soda fountain in the bar. They need to actually go to the dining area for refills. Because of this, the bartender will usually get a pitcher of whatever fountain drink you order and keep it with him. Unfortunately, this can cause your next refill to be flat. Don't be afraid to tell them if your soda needs replacing; they'll happily take care of it.

El Torito is located at 6200 N. Scottsdale Rd. in Scottsdale.

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