Orange County’s Legendary Taco Tuesday Pick Up Bar Closes
It was the quintessential Southern California party place, pick-up bar disguised as a restaurant in an upscale mall near the beach.
And it played its role like a conqueror for a quarter of a century.
But now, the legendary El Torito Grill in Newport Beach’s Fashion Island is closing. The Irvine Company basically tripled the rent and Real Mex told El Torito to jump. It’s last Taco Tuesday is July 31, and it’s going in style with a big bash. And the VIP list is not just full, it’s “exploded,” says one of the organizers.
A lot of the long-time regulars are going and the bar is having specials all night with a band on the patio. “It’s going to be a blowout,” said one of those long-time regulars, “after 26 years of facilitating many children being conceived in the parking lot.”
It’s a funny line but it’s true, and it was all fueled by margaritas, beers and a few tacos on a single night of the week. Its Taco Tuesdays were legendary, and singles migrated, mingled and made out there in a weekly ritual. Long before there was a “Desperate Housewives of Orange County,” there were the desperados of El Torito’s Taco Tuesday.
In the annals of partying, the phrase “all good things must come to an end” certainly applies. It’s just a tough drink to swallow when it actually happens.
But in the case of El Torito’s Taco Tuesday, we should all hold up a margarita and give the place a big cheers for being so good for so long.
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