Toreo - Palatine

It used to be my favorite restaurant until Portofinos came along and changed everything. I visited over 40 times, and they knew me very well! read more It used to be my favorite restaurant until Portofinos came along and changed everything. I visited over 40 times, and they knew me very well!

I imagine the service is good for regulars, but for newcomers like us, it fell short. The hostess wasn't very accommodating when we requested to switch to a dif... read more I imagine the service is good for regulars, but for newcomers like us, it fell short. The hostess wasn't very accommodating when we requested to switch to a different table in a mostly empty restaurant with just one server. After we were seated, another couple who seemed to be regulars arrived and were attended to right away. The server spent about five minutes with them, taking their drink and appetizer orders, before coming over to us. The food was decent, but the rice was on the dry side. Unfortunately, no one checked in on us until I waved someone over to ask for more napkins. Even then, they didn’t inquire about how we were enjoying the meal, which made it seem like they didn’t care. I might return if I'm in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way to revisit.

The food here was pretty good. Huge servings! I had the chiles rellenos, and I was full after eating half of it! I'm not too big on Mexican food, but I liked th... read more The food here was pretty good. Huge servings! I had the chiles rellenos, and I was full after eating half of it! I'm not too big on Mexican food, but I liked this a lot. The one thing that annoyed me: they sat my parents and me in one of the booths, but it seemed too small for us with our winter jackets and bags. Other than that, it was alright. Plus we were able to use a Groupon!

Some of the standout dishes include the steak options made with skirt steak, particularly the carne asada and its various versions. The chiles rellenos are also... read more Some of the standout dishes include the steak options made with skirt steak, particularly the carne asada and its various versions. The chiles rellenos are also quite impressive. Additionally, the shrimp dishes are exceptional; my personal favorite is the Shrimp Diabla, along with the tilapia variations. On the downside, the traditional Mexican-American items available at lunchtime tend to be rather uninspiring. While service has been inconsistent in the past, it has improved significantly lately and is now quite proficient.

I think I'm giving this review 2 stars to many. Saturday night and not a single person in the joint. Ordered a Budweiser and they were out of as I found out all... read more I think I'm giving this review 2 stars to many. Saturday night and not a single person in the joint. Ordered a Budweiser and they were out of as I found out all domestic beer. Server was quite rude and not very helpful. Food was expensive and mediocre at best. Needless to say I won't be returning.