Toro
Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette's lively South End tapas bar, famous for its grilled corn.
The call
Worth it if you're traveling as a couple and you're traveling solo.
Short answer
Is Toro worth it?
Toro deserves a place on most first itineraries. Go early or reserve ahead. Crowds are part of the cost.
The answer depends on your budget, time and travel style; the breakdown below shows who gets the most value.
Why
- 01
A loud, communal-table Barcelona-style tapas room in the South End, no reservations for most seats and a wait that builds early.
- 02
The energy is the point.
Is it a fit?
Go if
You're traveling as a couple
As a couple, Toro is an easy yes.
You're traveling solo
Solo, Toro is an easy yes.
Food is a reason to travel
Toro rewards a trip built around food & drink.
Think twice if
You're traveling with kids
With kids, skip Toro.
You're watching the budget
Toro can strain a tight budget. Go only when it is a priority.
You only have one day
Keep Toro only when it outranks a half-day elsewhere.
The night matters
Toro offers some nightlife, but not enough to make it the reason to go.
The plates that decide it
- Maíz asado (grilled corn) — the dish that made the place
- A run of hot and cold tapas — order broadly and share
- Treating it like a quiet dinner — the volume and seating fight that — lean into the buzz
Plan it well
- Cost
- Higher-end once the small plates add up
- Timing
- Right at opening to beat the wait
- Booking
- Limited reservations; much of the room is walk-in
- Allow
- 1.5 hours plus a possible wait
- Accessibility
- Tight, communal seating
Sources and method (3)
- A South End Barcelona-style tapas bar opened in 2005 by chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, known for its char-grilled street corn (maíz asado). toro-restaurant.com ↗
- It remains open in 2026, serving dinner from 5pm nightly (to 10pm Sun-Thu, 11pm Fri-Sat). timeout.com ↗
- opentable.com ↗