EP True Pkwy  ·  West Des Moines  ·  Family-owned since 2020

Authentic Mexican, made with corazón.

A family-run bar & grill on EP True Parkway in West Des Moines, serving smothered burritos, enchiladas, sizzling fajitas and coastal Mexican seafood. Bienvenidos, amigos.

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Open today · 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM · 3751 EP True Pkwy
01 Our story

Two brothers, one family recipe box.

We're the Montes brothers — Raymundo out front, Marcelino in the kitchen — and we opened our dining room on EP True Parkway in West Des Moines in 2020. Between us we've got more than fifteen years behind the stove and a real soft spot for the seafood of Mexico's coasts.

It's a neighborhood spot built on one simple idea: everything cooked to order, seasoned by hand, and served like you're family at our table.

So come in hungry. Between our sizzling fajitas, the margaritas, the fútbol on the TVs and live music on Fridays, we think you'll want to stay a while.

Explore the food Visit us
The El Toreado team standing in the West Des Moines dining room under colorful papel picado, holding menus
Est. 2020West Des Moines, Iowa
The live-music stage at El Toreado with acoustic guitars, a striped serape backdrop and colored lights
02 The room

Cold cerveza, warm welcome.

The room is pure celebration — papel picado strung across the ceiling, a full bar lined with tequila, a stage for Friday-night music, and the game always on. It's the kind of place where a Tuesday can feel like a fiesta.

  • Full bar & house margaritas — plus Mexican beers and a serious tequila shelf.
  • Live music every Friday, 6–9 PM — catch the Juan & Only Show.
  • Room for the whole crew — big tables, birthdays and groups always welcome.
The El Toreado bar with branded high-back stools, a stocked tequila shelf and checkered tile floor
At the bar
Two hand-painted charro statues holding beer mugs beside the El Toreado host stand
Say hola
The El Toreado dining room with rows of dark wood tables, branded chairs and TVs
Room for the crew

Grilled to order, seasoned by hand, plated like it matters.

Fresh off the plancha
03 The food

Plates worth driving across town for.

A few of the house favorites, straight from our kitchen on EP True. The full menu runs deep — appetizers and nachos, burritos and enchiladas, seafood, vegetarian, lunch specials and a kids menu.

El Toreado house plate: grilled chicken, steak, shrimp and bacon over rice, covered in cheese dip
House Specialty · $18.99

El Toreado

Our namesake plate — grilled chicken, steak, shrimp and bacon on a bed of rice, covered with cheese dip and served with tortillas.

Burrito El Toreado topped with red sauce, lettuce, tomato and sour cream
Burritos · $15.99

Burrito El Toreado

Flour tortilla stuffed with ground beef or pulled chicken, topped with red sauce, cheese, lettuce, sour cream and tomato. Served with rice and beans.

Pollo Loco: grilled chicken with onions in cheese sauce, rice, refried beans and pico de gallo
House Specialty · $18.99

Pollo Loco

Grilled chicken breast cooked with onions and cheese sauce, with rice, refried beans, pico de gallo, sour cream, lettuce and tortillas.

Chori Burrito covered in cheese sauce, sour cream and pico de gallo
Burritos · $16.99

Chori Burrito

Filled with grilled chicken, chorizo, rice and beans, covered with cheese sauce, sour cream and pico de gallo.

Rey Quesadilla with rice, lettuce, guacamole, sour cream and tomato
Quesadillas · $15.99

Rey Quesadilla

Grilled chicken or steak with rice, lettuce, pico de gallo and guacamole, covered with our special sauce.

Classic Chimichanga topped with cheese sauce, with rice, refried beans, sour cream and guacamole
Chimichangas · $15.99

Classic Chimichanga

Flour tortilla stuffed with ground beef or pulled chicken, fried golden brown and topped with cheese sauce. Rice, refried beans, lettuce, sour cream and guacamole.

See the full menu

Prefer to browse and order? Pull it up on order online.

05 Kind words

Loved by the neighborhood.

★★★★★

"Some of the best wait staff you'll find in any restaurant. Attentive and fast. Wonderful food."

AAndy R.May 2025 · TripAdvisor
★★★★★

"Just had dinner here with my wife. Excellent dinner!! Great carnitas — came with roasted jalapeño, green onion and nopales."

SStephen M.Dec 2025 · Yahoo Local
★★★★★

"Such a happy group of people working here — it always seems like a party! Great food and live music."

RRodneyMay 2024 · TripAdvisor
★★★★★

"The food and service were great! Chips and guac, steak tacos with rice and beans, and their spicy salsa is the best."

KKelly B.Aug 2024 · Yahoo Local
★★★★★

"The chimichanga was the best I have ever had. They took great care of our whole party."

RRodney S.Dec 2021 · TripAdvisor
★★★★★

"I've never met nicer, more enthusiastic or more attentive servers in my life. Really great guac, too."

CCarolyn S.Jul 2023 · TripAdvisor
★★★★★

"A must-try for seafood and Mexican cuisine lovers!"

AAi VuongEatFuti

Read more on TripAdvisor, Yelp and Facebook.

06 Good to know

Frequently asked.

Where are you located?

3751 EP True Pkwy in West Des Moines, IA 50265. Give us a call at (515) 226-2182.

What are your hours?

Monday–Thursday 11 AM–10 PM, Friday–Saturday 11 AM–10:30 PM, and Sunday 11 AM–9 PM.

Do you take reservations?

Yes — just give us a call, or message us on WhatsApp. Walk-ins and big groups are always welcome.

Is there a full bar?

Absolutely. House margaritas, Mexican beers and tequila — plus live music on Friday nights from 6 to 9.

Do you do takeout & delivery?

Yes — order online for pickup or delivery, or find us on DoorDash and Grubhub.

Vegetarian or kids options?

Both. There's a dedicated vegetarian section and a kids menu, and we're happy to accommodate.

What kind of food do you serve?

Authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex with a seafood specialty — house plates like El Toreado and Pollo Loco, Chori Burrito, Rey Quesadilla, enchiladas, chimichangas, burritos and sizzling fajitas, plus vegetarian and kids options.

Who owns El Toreado?

El Toreado is family-run by the Montes brothers — Raymundo and chef Marcelino — who opened the restaurant on EP True Parkway in 2020.

¡Vámonos!

Hungry yet?

Order online in a couple of taps, or come grab a table and a margarita. We'll save you a seat.

Order Online Call (515) 226-2182 Reserve via WhatsApp
07 Find us

Your table on EP True.

Find us at 3751 EP True Parkway in West Des Moines — look for the black bull out front.

El Toreado Mexican Bar & Grill on EP True Parkway in West Des Moines, with a black bull statue on the front lawn and patio umbrellas
West Des Moines

EP True Parkway

3751 EP True Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 226-2182
Mon–Thu 11a–10p · Fri–Sat 11a–10:30p · Sun 11a–9p
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