El Torito happy hour runs Monday–Friday from 3–7 p.m. in the Cantina at participating restaurants. The current menu starts at $4 for Street Tacos, Queso Dip, a Signature Margarita, or a Pueblo Viejo shot. Larger appetizers reach $12, including wings, Camarones a la Diabla, and two Beef Birria Tacos.
The weekday menu below follows El Torito’s current food-and-drink promotion. Separate weekly deals and local weekend offers have their own rules.
Table of Contents
Quick answer: Visit a participating El Torito Cantina Monday–Friday, 3–7 p.m., for $4–$12 food and drink specials. A standard Signature Margarita is $4, fruit flavor adds $1, draft beer is $6, and a Margarita Flight is $10. Confirm your restaurant’s participation before visiting.
El Torito happy hour food menu
These are advertised happy hour prices at participating El Torito locations. Local menus and participation can vary; tax and gratuity are extra.
| Food | Options or Portion Listed | Happy Hour Price |
|---|---|---|
| Street Tacos | Chicken or carnitas; ask about the serving count | $4 |
| Queso Dip | Happy hour appetizer | $4 |
| Jalapeño Poppers | Happy hour appetizer | $8 |
| Sliders | Carnitas or beef | $8 |
| BBQ Chicken Quesadilla | Chicken quesadilla | $8 |
| Crispy Flautas | Happy hour appetizer | $10 |
| Guacamole & Chicharron | Guacamole with chicharron | $10 |
| Wings | Buffalo, mango habanero, or ghost pepper BBQ | $12 |
| Camarones a la Diabla | Shrimp dish | $12 |
| Beef Birria Tacos | Two tacos | $12 |
The $4 Street Tacos and $12 Beef Birria Tacos are different listings. Only the birria item gives a two-taco count on the current promotion, so check the Street Taco portion when you order.
For sharing, Queso Dip is the least expensive listed appetizer. Sliders and the BBQ Chicken Quesadilla are the next price tier. The menu gives a choice of carnitas or beef for sliders but does not publish a serving count.
Wings have three sauces. Camarones a la Diabla is the shrimp option; its name refers to a spicy preparation. If you are sensitive to heat, ask your server about the sauce rather than choosing by price alone.
Margaritas, beer, wine, and shots
The drink list includes margaritas, selected shots, draft beer, and house wine. The discounted Signature Margarita is a separate choice from the Watermelon Hibiscus and Jalapeño Cucumber Margaritas.
| Drink | Details | Happy hour price |
|---|---|---|
| Signature Margarita | Standard flavor | $4 |
| Signature Margarita with fruit flavor | $1 flavor add-on | $5 |
| Pueblo Viejo Shot | Tequila shot | $4 |
| Draft Beer | Ask which drafts and serving size qualify | $6 |
| Strawberry Rodeo | Named drink on the promotion | $6 |
| House Wine Line 39 | Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon | $6 |
| Caramel Apple Shot | Selected shot | $8 |
| Watermelon Candy Shot | Selected shot | $8 |
| Watermelon Hibiscus Margarita | Selected margarita | $8 |
| Jalapeño Cucumber Margarita | Selected margarita | $10 |
| Raspberry Sage Lemon Drop | Selected cocktail | $10 |
| Margarita Flight | Signature, mango, and blackberry | $10 |
The flight includes three named flavors, but the current promotion does not specify their individual pour sizes. Ask about the portions before treating it as three full margaritas. Draft brands and sizes should also be confirmed at the Cantina.
There is no discounted nonalcoholic-drink category on this happy hour sheet. Guests who prefer alcohol-free drinks can ask about the regular beverage menu while ordering discounted food.
Happy hour times and weekend rules
| Day | Current general happy hour schedule | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 3–7 p.m. | Participating Cantina |
| Tuesday | 3–7 p.m. | Participating Cantina |
| Wednesday | 3–7 p.m. | Participating Cantina |
| Thursday | 3–7 p.m. | Participating Cantina |
| Friday | 3–7 p.m. | Participating Cantina |
| Saturday | No Saturday window on the current general weekday promotion | Confirm locally |
| Sunday | Separate local/Sunday offers may apply | Confirm locally |
The current general promotion is a weekday offer. Do not assume an older “every day, 3–9 p.m.” schedule applies to your restaurant.
Sunday and waterfront locations
El Torito has a separate Sunday page advertising Cantina drinks from 9 a.m. to close and appetizers from 2 p.m. to close. Those offers use a different menu from the current weekday sheet, so call your location to confirm whether it is running the Sunday promotion.
Redondo Beach, Marina del Rey, and Monterey have separate menu pages, and El Torito flags schedule differences at these restaurants. Use the El Torito location directory and confirm the day, hours, and menu with that restaurant—especially for a weekend visit.
Other weekly deals
El Torito also advertises weekday deals outside the standard happy hour menu. Choose the offer that matches your visit; the presence of two promotions does not establish that their discounts can be combined.
| Offer | When | Advertised deal | Key condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margarita Mondays | Monday, all day | $2.99 margaritas; fruit flavor adds $1 | Participating restaurants; dine-in, including bar/Cantina; no takeout or delivery |
| Taco Tuesday | Tuesday, starting at 4 p.m. | $3 made-to-order tacos | Participating restaurants; steak, chicken, carnitas, or al pastor |
| Kids Eat for $1 | Wednesday, all day | $1 kids meal for children 12 and under | Purchase of an adult entrée required |
For a standard margarita, Margarita Monday’s advertised $2.99 price is lower than the regular $4 happy hour price. Confirm which margarita qualifies when ordering.
Tuesday’s $3 taco-bar offer lists steak, chicken, carnitas, and al pastor. It is separate from the $4 chicken-or-carnitas Street Taco listing on the happy hour menu.
A happy hour appetizer is not automatically an adult entrée for the Wednesday kids deal. Ask which adult meal qualifies before planning a family order around that discount.
How to plan your order
Examples of food-and-drink totals
Using the weekday prices, Queso Dip plus a standard Signature Margarita totals $8 before tax and gratuity. A BBQ Chicken Quesadilla plus a $6 draft beer totals $14. Two Beef Birria Tacos plus a $6 house wine total $18. These are totals for separate menu items, not advertised bundles.
If you want to compare another Mexican restaurant, the On The Border happy hour menu has its own food, drink, and location rules. For a different bar-food selection, see our Bar Louie happy hour guide.
Seating, takeout, and dietary needs
The general happy hour offer is advertised for the Cantina. Ask the host where the special menu is available before sitting in the main dining room. Do not assume that online ordering carries the same discounted prices.
The current food sheet warns that shared kitchen equipment and preparation areas can cause allergen cross-contact. Tell your server about food allergies before ordering. Queso, poppers, quesadillas, and other dishes can contain dairy or additional ingredients not shown in their names.
The current happy hour sheet does not give calories for these portions. Regular-menu nutrition figures may use a different serving size, so ask for information that matches your actual order.
Frequently asked questions
What time is El Torito happy hour?
The current general offer is Monday–Friday, 3–7 p.m., in the Cantina at participating locations. Some restaurants and separate weekend promotions use different schedules.
How much is an El Torito happy hour margarita?
The standard Signature Margarita is $4. A fruit flavor adds $1. The Watermelon Hibiscus Margarita is $8, and the Jalapeño Cucumber Margarita and Margarita Flight are $10 each.
Does El Torito have happy hour every day?
The current general food-and-drink promotion is weekdays. El Torito also has a separate Sunday offer, but you should confirm its availability with your restaurant rather than assuming the weekday menu runs all weekend.
Is El Torito happy hour available in the dining room?
The general happy hour is advertised in the Cantina. Margarita Mondays has separate terms that include the restaurant and bar/Cantina. Ask about seating for the particular offer you want.
Are El Torito happy hour tacos $3 or $4?
The weekday happy hour sheet lists Street Tacos at $4, with chicken or carnitas. The separate Taco Tuesday promotion advertises $3 tacos beginning at 4 p.m., with four meat choices.
Is this the same menu as El Torito Grill?
No. This guide covers El Torito at eltorito.com. El Torito Grill and independently operated restaurants with similar names may have different menus and specials.
