What began as a father’s dream to work closely with his family and share his culture has blossomed into a chain of 14 Mexican restaurants across the Dayton area, with even more new concepts in the works.

El Toro, a locally owned Mexican restaurant, first opened its doors on Limestone Street in Springfield in 1999. According to Enrique Alvarez, El Toro’s district manager, the Munoz Family, who owns El Toro, came from humble beginnings. Federico Munoz, the family’s patriarch, worked in the strawberry fields in California. Then, inspired by a relative’s decision to start a restaurant at a time when Mexican food was scarce in the U.S., Munoz sought to bring authentic Mexican cuisine to American tables, sharing his homemade recipes.

Munoz’s journey in the restaurant industry began in 1989 at El Matador in Virginia, where he learned the ropes of cooking and restaurant management. He then moved through several other Mexican restaurants and eventually became part owner of El Ranchero in West Virginia, a venture started by one of his nephews.

“He started gaining experience in all these restaurants and began teaching his kids how to work in the kitchen,” Alvarez said. When they decided to open a second El Ranchero location, Munoz helped his children become part owners. However, as opportunities scattered the family, they began discussing a business that could keep them together.

“Munoz dreamed of a family-owned business where he could keep his family close,” Alvarez explained. After scouting locations in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Kentucky, they found the perfect opportunity in Springfield to make their dream a reality.

“With the profits from their first location, they invested a little extra and opened the second location in Bellbrook in 2001,” Alvarez said. “The community in Bellbrook welcomed them with open arms, and the second location was a bigger hit.” Profits from the first two locations were reinvested into a third location in Mason in 2002, which eventually moved to Beavercreek.

El Toro continued to expand, with new locations in Vandalia, Huber Heights, Dayton, Beavercreek, Springfield, Englewood, Springboro, and Centerville. Alvarez attributes their success to building strong relationships with customers and consistently reinvesting in the business.

“They live within their means and reinvest everything into the next project,” Alvarez said. “They felt the Dayton and Springfield areas were ideal for building their community.” The Munoz Family, consisting of five brothers and one sister, remains actively involved in the restaurants today. Four brothers—Samuel, Adalberto, Juan, and Sergio—are especially present.

El Toro has exciting plans to continue expanding across the Dayton area, driven by the same family spirit and dedication that started it all.