You know how the old saying goes: “The Spanish invented tapas; Toro perfected them.” Just kidding, we made that up. But truth be told, it’s not too far off the mark. There are plenty of auténtico selections on the menu and extensive drink list at Toro to conjure your study abroad days: jamón Iberico, Paella Valenciana, and Asturian cider. But then they whip out the sherry on tap, Maiz Asado, and Uni Bocadillos, and you remember you’re not in Seville anymore.

We Bostonians have enjoyed a bit of a love affair with Toro, which is anchored along Washington Street in the South End, since it was opened by owner-chef duo Jamie Bissonnette and Ken Oringer in 2005. After Matt and Ben, Jamie and Ken may comprise Boston’s most notorious bromance. This is the second of many restaurants they’ve opened together; Coppa, Toro NYC, Toro Bangkok and Little Donkey complete the current set. But as they continue to sprinkle the city with trendy spots, we keep coming back here for más.

That unyielding popularity is why Toro gets real cozy on any given night, the kind of place you should bring someone you’re excited to sip sherry shoulder-to-shoulder with until very European hours. The crowd, the din—like anything that keeps us coming back, it’s those kinks we ultimately find irresistible. Well, that and the roasted bone marrow served Flintstone-style—that’s a cow femur, split with a bandsaw and slow-broiled to yield a silky, spoonable trough of meat butter. If any squeamish dissenters in your party object, send them out to feed the meter when this one hits the table. More for you.