Toro

Review summary

1. DS

   DanielS

   New York City

   3 reviews

   1.0

   3 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 1

   Toro.L – A Fishy Disappointment in Carmel I wanted to like Toro.L. I really did. Tucked away in Carmel-by-the-Sea, a town known for its charm and (one would assume) refined taste, I had high hopes. Surely, a sushi spot here would outshine the middling joints scattered across Monterey, right? Wrong. Let’s start with the sashimi—specifically, the salmon, which arrived with those unappetizing brown bits that whisper, I’ve seen better days. The yellowtail “carpaccio” was another mystery. Thick, clumsy slices of hamachi lounging in a cuddle puddle of what I can only describe as seasoned confusion—no oil, no finesse, just a sad side of fishy seaweed salad. Carpaccio? Not even close. The tempura? Actually good. But no amount of crispy, golden perfection can save a meal when the star ingredient—the fish—is phoning it in from the depths of disappointment. Final verdict? Don’t go here. Save yourself, and your palate, the heartbreak.
   

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2. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Los Angeles

   6 reviews

   5.0

   6 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   Toro is one of the few Japanese restaurants in the US that preserves the taste of amazing fish by not bathing it in sauces. That’s what you get with the freshest fish. It doesn’t need to be hidden behind sauces. The staff were attentive, courteous and quite pleasant to all customers. This was my second visit and the experience is as consistent as it was a year or so ago. Exceptional all around.
   

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3. K

   Karen

   San Francisco

   3 reviews

   5.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on February 25, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Every year I have a celebration meal in honor of my mom’s birthday. Her favorite food was sushi and sake!! Can’t go wrong with that.
   

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4. KS

   KellyS

   Washington DC

   7 reviews

   5.0

   7 reviews

   Dined on February 16, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Sushi was delicious, the menu inventive with plenty of traditional choices, too. The service was exemplary from start to finish, with the helpful and knowledgeable sommelier and server making it extra interesting and fun.
   

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5. K

   Kristoffer

   West Palm Beach

   3 reviews

   3.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on February 15, 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 5

   Service was accommodative. We were seated earlier than our anticipated reservation time. Food was just decent. Nice for a fusion place but bad for Japanese food. The forgot to place the soy sauces Rice tasted bad. But meat dishes and seafood tasted delicious. Overall 3/5.
   

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6. D

   Dana

   VIP

   Los Angeles

   3 reviews

   5.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on January 30, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   Amazing! Highly recommenced. Outstanding creative food
   

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7. B

   Bo

   Central Coast

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on January 26, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   Wonderful spot, great food and pricing. We will definitely be back!
   

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8. DK

   DennisK

   Sacramento

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on January 26, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Had a wonderful time for our anniversary. The drinks were really delicious and the sushi was amazing. Definitely recommend this restaurant.
   

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9. S

   Sandra

   VIP

   San Francisco

   9 reviews

   5.0

   9 reviews

   Dined on January 20, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   A perfect meal! Everything was fantastic - from the well chosen decor and tableware to the beautifully presented and delicious food. Our server was kind and attentive; she made our two schoolaged children feel welcome and grown up. I will definitely come back.
   

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10. J

    Jon

    Phoenix

    16 reviews

    2.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on January 19, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5

    Just seems like they didn’t have the ability to keep up with the crowd that was there. We were sat in the back area and waited for about 10 minutes before being greeted. Drinks and apps were ordered right away. Drinks came out really late. Ordered three rolls when the drinks arrived. Apps took 40 minutes, rolls were delivered about 30 minutes after that. Refill on the bar drinks were forgotten and then comped, which was nice, but the whole experience was disappointing due to the slow kitchen and bar. Server was very nice.
    

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