The Last Margarita: El Torito Restaurant Suddenly Informs Staff That it is Closing on 3/10/24

It looks like the staff at El Torito have poured their final Margarita.

The manager of the El Torito Restaurant at 3360 Ocean Park Blvd told a customer that the restaurant will close permanently on Sunday, March 10, 2024. He did not give a reason for the closure, but said the staff had been informed by corporate that the location was closing permanently. He said that they were shocked and saddened.

"El Torito is a Mexican chain featuring burritos, fajitas and classic cocktails in an informal setting," says the corporate website. It is most famous for it's margaritas (at least I like them). The Santa Monica location is near the Santa Monica Airport in a business park, where tech companies provide their employees with lunch, taking a way a reason to visit El Torito.

Open Table

Exterior of the Open Table resaurant.

REGI started the chain in 1954. It was acquired out of bankruptcy in 1994 by Foodmaker, who renamed itself Family Restaurants, then Koo Koo Roo Enterprises, then Prandium. In 2000, Acapulco bought El Torito from Prandium. Acapulco renamed its parent company to Real Mex Restaurants in 2004 and moved the headquarters to Cypress, California. They currently have 59 restaurants.