Toro Loco

Fast, friendly service with weird decor and average Mexican food. But more importantly, no alcohol. Which, for me, knocks one star off automatically.

Having lived in Vegas for so long I forget that Wheelersburg is dry. Had I remembered this important tidbit of information before plopping my butt down in the heavily duct taped red vinyl booth, I would have opted for one of their other locations in Portsmouth or New Boston, where the alcohol is plentiful. But I didn't remember. So it was at this location where I sat with my party of six on Memorial Day, during prime happy hour time, with a glass of water.

The most remarkable thing about this establishment is the staff. We were warmly greeted upon walking in the door and immediately given our choice of seating. Our beverages came quickly along with two baskets of warm chips and salsa. The server happily took my camera for a group photo while we waited for food and offered to take another if we weren't happy with the first.

The food arrived in two waves, hot and freshly prepared to our specifications. The prices were great, less than $80 with a 20% tip for a party of six, and the portions large. We walked out with more than one to-go box. Which were, unfortunately, styrofoam. The "green" revolution has not yet hit the tri-state area.

The most visually appealing dish was the pineapple fajita. It was basically a chicken fajita skillet served piping hot in a hollowed out pineapple half, covered in melted cheese. Beautiful. I ordered the vegetarian fajita which was a pleasant surprise on the menu. It was good, but a little over cooked for my taste. I like my veggies with a little bite to them. These were less firm than I had hoped for. The tomatoes were mushy and didn't hold their shape but were instead cooked to a blob consistency.

Oh, Toro Loco, what can I say about you? You are located in a flashy silver diner, the old 50's Americana decor still intact with a few Mexican flairs thrown in. You are quirky, you are fun, you are cheap, you are delicious. If I could marry a restaurant then it would be you who I would live in blissful matrimony with for as long as I live.

Toro Loco is a small-town local chain that I've ate at as regularly as possible since I was 16 years old. There's quite a few of them scattered around the Portsmouth/Wheelersburg/Ironton areas and the one located in Wheelersburg is my favorite. The people who run and work at Toro Loco are Mexican and sometimes there can be a language barrier depending on how much English your server knows and how much Spanish you know but, they are all very friendly and always have someone on hand who can answer any questions you may have. I've never once had a bad experience with the service.

But, good service and friendly hard-working people aren't the only ingredients when it comes to running a successful restaurant. TL has some amazing food. You get as much free salsa and chips that you want and the tortilla chips are fried fresh and aren't anything like the super salty things we get in bags at the grocer. The salsa is a thin salsa bursting with fresh tomatoes, cilantro, and onions. I always add a little habenero hot sauce to mine to make it spicy and then chow down. I seriously usually go through two baskets of those super fresh and delicious chips and salsa. It's just that good.  

TL also has the most amazing cheese dip. It's made from some white mexican cheese & it's mind-blowingly delicious. Forget about any other cheese dip/queso you have ever have in your life because TL's version blows all of those out of the water. I strongly recommend the Queso con Chorizo. The price has gone up about a dollar since I was 16 but, 5.25 for a huge appetizer of their cheese dip topped with deliciously spicy and fatty chorizo is still a darn good deal.

As for entrees at TL they have a fairly large combination of more authentic Mexican dishes and Tex-Mex favorites on the menu. Some of my personal favorites would be the carnitas, beef steak y camarón, and the mole. Most of the entrees are 7 to 10 dollars and for the quality and amount of food you get that is an amazing deal.

The guacamole here is a pretty smooth consistency with some tiny pieces of red onion flowing through. It's delicious and great with their meat dishes but, it's not like the guacamole you eat at your friend's house on game-day that is loaded with tomatoes and a million other things that have no place being in guacamole. Still, give it a try, I'm sure you'll love it just like I do.  

Oh, Toro Loco, I really just can't say enough good things about you. You are my favorite restaurant, you have never let me down, you've always been there for me when I've been sad, I miss you when I'm gone, and I hope you stick around forever.

Nice friendly service.  Clean.  Free chips and salsa.  Good Americani-style Mexican food at a reasonable price.