The Black Toro

First time at The Black Toro and must say we were not disappointed! The venue is quite cosy and has a nice ambience, although seating was a little bit cramped for my liking.
For all those Mexican lovers this is a place to try for all its divine flavours! We chose to go with the banquet without dessert and had the potato and chorizo croquettes, waygu beef sliders, the spicy pulled pork tacos and some curly fries with chipotle mayo (although not very traditional mexican, the chipotle mayo was delicious). The pulled pork taco was so amazing we had to order another serve! For our main we had the quesadilla which was outstanding! Overall a great experience. We were definitely satisfied and although the dessert menu looked mouth watering we could not fit anything else in!
The cocktails were also delicious. Service was very efficient and the staff were quite friendly especially at such a busy time of the year!

I discovered Black Toro a few years ago when I was searching for sophisticated Mexican food as a birthday treat for my partner. I’d never been a fan of ‘traditional’ (mass market) Mexican but felt convinced that there must be something that could bring his love of Mexican together with my love of gourmet food. Voila! Since then I have eaten here quite a number of times and the quality has been consistent. Thankfully the menu changes only subtly so we can still get our favourites of potato & chorizo croquette and the delicious salmon with avocado, whilst sampling some new items from time to time. The pork tacos are a little spicy but worth the heat for the fabulous flavour.
Only downside is that the restaurant is a bit on the small side and tables are compact and closely situated. Otherwise, it’s great and service is friendly and attentive.
Go for the banquet without dessert. You’ll probably be too full to fit it in but its no more expensive to add it on later!

Hike to Glen Waverley to celebrate mum and my birthday at Black Toro. The venue is not too big, there was 10 of us plus a pram and it was a little cramp.
The food was delicious, some of it has spices which the kids couldn’t eat. We had the potato & chorizo croquette, grilled corn, beetroot salad, wagyu beef sliders, spicy pulled pork tacos, toro fried chicken, fries, lamb shoulder and the amazing dessert tasting plate.
The Hispanic taste is there but it feels like it is catered for the Australian public. What blew m mind was the dessert, there was so many components to this plate; there was deconstructed peanut butter cheesecake, chocolate brownie, coconut panacotta, caramel flan and berries. The kids and adults all love this and we thought we were too full for dessert, we thought wrong.

I had a great experience the last time I dined at The Black Toro, so I had been looking forward to getting back there again. The usual recommendation is 3 – 4 small plates and one large to share between 2 people, but this time we chose to do a more tapas style meal and went with lots of small plates, beer and frozen margaritas. Everything was good, as expected. We chose a few different tacos, fried chicken, ceviche, and some salads. My favourite was actually the roasted cauliflower. The service was friendly and attentive, the food came out promptly, but we were not overwhelmed with too many dishes at once (bonus points for that).
A good place to catch up with friends.

Ok I admit it. I am one of those peeps that tends not to leave Zone 1. I know, I know. It’s terribly narrow minded. But occasionally, I am introduced to a place in Zone 2 that makes me travel back. The Black Toro is such a place in The Glen hood.
Once upon a time, this area was full of the nebulous pasta joints, Pancake Parlour and tumbleweeds. But these days, it has excellent Southeast Asian cuisine and pockets of awesome restaurants like The Black Toro.
First of all, the service is excellent. Prompt, efficient but still friendly. They look after you and take the time to explain the menu.
The wine list is extensive and there is enough pino to keep any Spaniard happy.
The Spanish food is delicious and there is a range of tapas and raciones you can choose from. There is some serious talent in the kitchen here. We dined on pulled pork tacos, wagyu beef burgers, avocado and salmon, croquettas and edaname. All of it was delicious.
But I would have to say, the standout dish for me was the deconstructed dessert platter. You can order a board that contains a sample of all the desserts on the menu — sorbet, peanut butter cheesecake and salted caramel brownie being amongst the more drool-​worthy ones.
The peanut butter cheesecake — I repeat — the peanut butter cheesecake WAS AMAZING. Smooth, creamy and delicious. Accompanied with chocolate shards and vanilla ice cream, it was an excellent way to end the meal.
I consider this a destination venue and would happily travel to Zone 2 to dine here again. If that’s not endorsement, I don’t know what is.

Food was great but they refused to allow us to split a bill of $ 100 each. If I wanted this service I would have gone for pizza.

Good location next to train station so easy to get to from the city. Great service and responsive staff. Japanese fried chix amazingly crunchy and the aioli divine, the grilled corn, pork tacos and peanut butter cheesecake are on the ‘get it again’ list. the Salmon, sliders and chips were average and we won’t order again. lychee martini delish (but u must like sweet drinks which i LOVE).

My new favourite restaurant in glenny. Excellent ingredients, nice staff and well presented and creative food.
Bring someone over to impress and live a little with some Mexican and also proprietary dishes.

«Everything is better in a tortilla.» That’s how ex Ezard Sous Chef, Garen Maskal jokes as part of the idea behind his Hispanic-​themed and first restaurant, The Black Toro.
Nestled amongst a plethora of Asian restaurants alongside the thriving Kingsway strip, The Black Toro was established to bring something different to the Glen Waverley area that the locals could still appreciate.
Maskal’s menu delivers a WOW factor that clearly shows off his creativity and outstanding technique on the plate. One must start with a cocktail and then graze through a list that will surely excite all taste buds. The idea behind the menu is to order a couple of poco plates to share like the sexy Wagyu beef sliders with toasted brioche, pickled cucumber and cheese and the contemporary mezcal cured salmon, avocado purée, smashed coriander meringue and salmon roe before moving onto the grande plates. And if you still have room, desserts like a refreshing sorbet with freeze dried, candied and fresh mandarin pieces will have sweet tooths united.
Expect to be taken aback by the grafittied feature wall of a bucking bull as you dine amongst a romantically lit, narrow room decked out in dark timber tables and chairs where a moreish love awaits you.

The food, staff and atmosphere were all amazing. We had the banquet, it is great value for money and you won’t leave hungry!

FINALLY… I good casual restaurant in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne.
I love asian food, but I am glad to find something in Glen Waverley that ISNT asian and is good.
Now, the food:
Guacamole and Corn Chips: A staple in any mexican influenced restaurant and it doesnt dissapoint. Beautiful guac with the right amount of coriander and chilli.
Grilled Corn Cob: Personally, I believe it equals or betters Mamasita’s famed corn. its a must order.
Potato and Chorizo Croquettes. I love them! My wife on the other hand is not a fan… but doesnt hate them either.
Mezcal Cured Salmon. Beautiful… fresh and really good quality.
Pulled Pork Tacos. Fairly standard fare… but nothing at all wrong with them.
Lamb barbacoa: On previous visits we have stuck to the smaller plates. This time we went with a main to share and I have to say it was really good. A real surprise. It was tender, full of flavour and melted in your mouth.
Deconstructed peanut butter cheesecake. I do readily admit that I am a sucker for a peanut butter dish. This is just fantastic and one of the highlights of the meal.
Chocolate Brownie: Another highlight. A nice warm crusty brownie on the outside and a soft gooey centre makes it almost like a «flat fondant» than what I would call a brownie. The ice cream offsets the richness of the chocolate and the wonderful salted caramel popcorn really adds another layer of texture to a great dessert!!!
A previous review was critical of the wait service at the restaurant and when we first went here I had to agree. I found them helpful, but not that knowledgable. However… as the restaurant has settled in and found their groove, the service has improved out of sight. The staff’s knowledge of the menu is much better and matches the ever improving quality of the food.
If they keep improving like they already have, they will become legend on this side of town.
TIP: If you are going in a group, always book the later sitting so you can really enjoy the food without having to shove it down your throat.

Food is okay but service is terrible. Have never experienced such rude attitudes from staff.

ohh YEAH! went to the soft opening last night and sampled a few items. the décor is pretty minimalist (thank god there wasn’t a goddamn sombrero in sight) but nice overall. the menu has about 15 small plates and about 5 mains, i think.
we had:
pulled pork taco (2) — delicious, although a bit dry. i ordered a side of chipotle mayo that i slathered on.
wagu slider — the meat was a little too heavily spiced for me, but the husband loved it.
vegetarian empanadas — tasty, though lots of dough. husband liked the spinach sauce that came with it.
zucchini & corn fritters — saaaahhh good. so fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside and full of flavour.
next time we’ll try the lamb barbacoa and the peanut butter cheesecake. can’t wait for them to open officially!