Set your expectations for an overall enjoyable eating experience and you will be thrilled you found el toro bravo. It is not the best at anything except when put all together if enjoyment is what you are after. By far the best cold mugs for your beer and if not really crowded ask for a new mug for every beer.

Homemade food is always a pleasant experience when the chef knows what they're doing. El Toro Bravo is a great place to go for Mexican cuisine. The stuffed sopapilla was unique and delicious. Their homemade salsa is to die for. Fair warning: they don't have a liquor license and do not serve margaritas. Some might think that strange for a... More

After reading such great reviews and being a lover of Mexican food I was very excited to try this place. Went here for lunch and there were definitely a few tables. The waitress was very polite. The food- the food was okay, not bad but not spectacular either, I was expecting to be blown away. The retried beans were gOod... More

This place is a rare and unexpected find. Located in a strip mall on the way to Siesta Key it stands out when you are greeted by the owner during dinner. Everything is cooked fresh and has a clean taste. Be careful - you can actually overeat here without knowing. Most Mexican food begins to get heavy in minutes -... More

Had lunch here yesterday. The place was mostly full of very happy people, most of whom appeared to be regulars. All of them were consuming huge platefuls of food. We ordered beer and sangria (alas no margaritas) and our own huge plates. My wife ordered the vegetarian chimichanga, which she said was superb. I had a combination which was equally... More

I live 20 minutes away, but this is my 'goto' place for a good meal. 1. Food - The food is southwestern with just the right amount of heat and flavor. Unlike other Mexican restaurants in the area, the plate presents well without being a gooey mess (see Mi Pueblo). The basket of chips is tasty and crispy with a... More

Our favorite Mexican restaurant closed down several years ago (Jose's in Clearwater). Since then, we have been in search of its equal. This was the highest trip advisor rated Mexican restaurant in Sarasota so our expectations were high. We were not in love with the menu choices but the Guadalajara Platter sounded good. My wife and I both ordered it.... More

We found this place via Trip Advisor and a lot of good reviews. We were not disappointed. Owner/chef was very attentive and assisted his staff with every facet of the operation. His involvement extended to every table. Highly recommend this place - located in a small stip mall. Seating is limited and they have call ahead.

We had been in Sarasota for the week and were in the mood for Mexican. We read the reviews on tripadvisor and wanted to see for ourselves. What a lovely little surprise in a little strip mall area! We did not have reservations, but luckily seating was available for six and we were waited on quickly by friendly staff. Ana... More