Toro
Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette's lively South End tapas bar, famous for its grilled corn.
The call
Worth it if you are traveling as a couple and you are traveling solo.
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.
Our read - 02
The energy is the point.
Our read
Is it a fit?
Go if
You are traveling as a couple
As a couple, Toro works.
You are traveling solo
Solo, Toro works.
Food is a reason to travel
For food & drink, Toro delivers.
Think twice if
You are traveling with kids
With kids, give Toro a miss.
You are watching the budget
On a budget, weigh it — Toro isn't cheap for what it is.
You only have one day
Toro is a real time commitment — fit it in only if it's a priority.
The night matters
For nightlife, Toro is hit or miss.
What to order
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
Ready to plan it?
Booking may earn us a commission. It never changes the verdict.
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 ↗