The Matador Reviews

Absolutely wonderful, fresh, Southwestern style Mexican food! High quality and you can definitely taste the FRESH ingredients! Atmosphere was amazing as well. Definitely have to try this place out if you want to try one of the BEST places for Mexican food in Portland Oregon. This is some place that you could feel confident about taking friends who visit from out of town. You can't go wrong! Our server, Bryan, was awesome!! He made sure the order was accurate and checked back with us frequently to see if we needed anything else, and even brought refills on drinks without us having to ask for it. He also made sure to double check on my food order because of my tomato allergy to make sure I wouldn't have any issues eating the food I ordered. I have lived in the Portland area since the late '70s, and this restaurant is by far the BEST Mexican food I have ever had! The prices are very reasonable as well especially considering the fresh ingredients, high quality and amazing food, service, and atmosphere. 5 Stars hands down!!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My friend and I went, and not only did they recognize that we were in a hurry and accommodated that, but also recognized when one item wasn’t vegan and made it so for me! The waitress, Allison, caught something that I didn’t! Seriously amazing service!

Went there on a Sunday afternoon for Happy Hour. Table of eight. We arrived in drips and drabs. The place wasn't crowded. We ordered drinks, some of us ordered food. They delivered all of our drinks, save one. We had to bring it to their attention. (They didn't notice.) We asked for more chips, they never came. We had to ask again. The food portions were quite big. The best food item of the bunch were the brussel sprouts. Prepared nicely. When we got the bill, they had charged us for the missing drink twice. (Instead of giving it to us for free.) Overall, we had to track them down whenever we wanted something. Felt neglected. There's some outdoor seating on the side that was very popular the day we went. Drinks were O.K., but not great. Won't be back anytime soon.

We relied heavily on our server for recommendations and were not disappointed. She guided us through the menu and pointed out dishes for all tastes from spicy to mild. We ate fajitas, garlic shrimp, the street taco flight and the goat cheese quesadillas. All were delicious. Try the Mexican street corn for a truly authentic meal. The margaritas are a must, but don't ask for them frozen. As the sever told my daughter "only grown @$$ woman margaritas at this place honey!" Needless to say she was a "hoot" and earned a little extra on the tip for that sense of humor. The bill for four at lunch w/ drinks came to $80 (plus tip). All in all a fun affordable lunch in a funky restaurant. Definitely not your chain restaurant take on Mexican to be sure. Go eat there!

We stopped here on our way to Screen Door for margs, chips, and salsa. We loved it so much that my husband and I wished we had more days in Portland so we could have had dinner here. The margs were fabulous, they offer several GF options, the chips and salsa were tasty, and the service was good. Plus the inside just has a great vibe: a fire pit in the middle of the bar, candles everywhere, and elegantly chill. We were so happy to have found this little gem. Next trip to Portland we will absolutely be returning for a meal and more of their margs!

I had purchased a gift card for a holiday present on 12.15.23. I checked my bank statement the next day. I found that I was overcharged for the orginal amount of requested purchase. I went back to the Matador the following business day to try and resolve the oversite. Upon arrival, I spoke with a delightful/helpful staff member. I had them check the amount on the giftcard in the event that the seller may have entered in the wrong amount at the point of sale. The server confirmed the amount on the gift card was the original requested amount. I was told that the manager would need to resolve the matter, but they were not expected to arrive till later that morning .The server wrote down my pertinent information.I was told that the information would be relayed to the manager and they should get back to me. When I had not heard back from the manager by the following day, I called the premises to try and connect. I was told the Manager was at the bank and would be back in an hour or so. I relayed the information to the staff member hoping I would hear a reply back by end of "my" business day. I am still awaiting a reply. 2 thumbs down Matador. I hope my co-worker appreciates the dining experiece the gift card brings them. I won't be going back to The Matador- You can take that to the bank!-Ken

My friend and I were looking for some Mexican food while in Portland and landed here and it was best the decision ever! Everything we had was amazing! Drinks to queso to the chicken verdes enchiladas. The wait is a little long to get seated and for the food to come out, but if you get a drink from the bar and order some appetizers the wait won’t seem that long.

This was the worst meal I've ever had in Portland! The service was somewhere between indifferent and hostile. I'm not used to people dropping a plate of food in front of me without even acknowledging me - let alone asking if there was anything else I needed. She just dropped it and walked away. Just rude. I'm truly sorry she server hates her job, but I'm not her therapist. The food was inedible. I had salmon tacos with rice and beans. I took a forkful of beans, and all I could taste was salt. Not a little salt - in fact, so much salt that there was no other taste. Then I took a bit of the taco - it was so salty that I couldn't taste anything else - not even the salmon. And guess what it took to get a glass of water - three attempts, and no one ever even look in on our table to see if we needed anything. All in all, an epic fail.

Nice high end Mexican Fare with good Margaritas. Appetizer Happy Hour hit the spot. Tacos Al Pastor and Chorizo very nice.

We were here for late lunch on a Friday afternoon, so it wasn't crowded. The service was great and very helpful at navigating their menu with regard to some unusual food allergies (always appreciated!) The chips and salsa were fresh and tasty! Our food was delicious and well-prepared. The roasted corn on the cob was amazing. We sat at an indoor table next to the wide open windows and it was a wonderful meal in a nice location on a beautiful sunny day. Tips: They have a free parking lot in back of the restaurant, or you can try your luck at street parking.

Had my birthday dinner here and had a fabulous time! My son said the Braised Carnitas were the best he had ever eaten. The Enchiladas al Pastor were excellent. The margaritas were fabulous! Atmosphere and service excellent! Would love to visit again when we come back to Portland!

I love The Matador. We've been coming here for years. They have excellent drinks and their goat cheese stuffed jalapeños wrapped in bacon is unbelievable! Everything I've tried on their menu is delicious, the staff is wonderful, and the best part it is 21 and up. No kiddos, yay!

Nachos for $5.00. Huge Two of us shared and barely made a dent. Atmosphere casual and fun. Great service. Will return

Love this place. I arrived here with my son around 9:30pm in the evening. It was so pleasant sitting around the tabletop fireplace. I ordered butternut squash tacos, the corn shells itself was a nice textured thin, the way I liked it. I can’t eat rice but they offered two side salads, I selected strawberry arugula with fresh strawberries, so good. Going back soon.

Visiting Portland, we were looking for a Mexican food sit-down near Burnside, and stumbled across The Matador. Nice bar with many TV screens, quickly seated, good beer tap selection. Chips and salsa were fresh, we ordered chicken enchiladas and Chile Rellenos, both which were great, and leftovers to take home. Service was fast and friendly. Pricing reasonable, not cheap. Already went there twice!

Excellent salsa, but a bit mild. Everything fresh and well prepared. Nice décor. Friendly and attentive staff. Good tequila selections at reasonable prices.

We just stumbled upon this place while traveling on business. parking on the street is difficult. Very busy street. But very good food and the atmosphere was good too.

Had the best Mexican of OUR lives! My Carnitas were the best I've ever had; huge and generous chunks of pork; their black beans tasted so unbelievably good....just try them! The shrimp ceviche could have done without the cucumber, but very tasty indeed. Atmosphere is warm and inviting. I can't wait to come back to Portland ant go here again!

I have been to Matador's now twice. The food is good, I get the fajitas, have tried both the chicken and the shrimp, both are very good, but the shrimp is lighter, and it is a large serving. This is a good meet up location as well, haven't had trouble parking either time, and Burnside is busy.

Ate here with a couple of buddies. Our service was great. Really enjoyed the food. Cornmeal crusted mahi mahi w poblano mashed pot’s, mex street corn and hibiscus pickled onions were excellent.

Enjoyed the Happy Hour menu and prices. Very good value. Would have given a 5 star, but we had to ask for chips and salsa after being there about 30 minutes. Seemed all other tables were given when they sat down. My husband and i both ordered the Cadillac Margarita which was to include a Grand Marnier float, but did not have. Tasted exactly the same as the house margarita. Regular menu had some interesting items that normally not found at Mexican restaurants. Will return again.

I always enjoy the food here and the service is good too. My favorite time to come is for happy hour to order the Grande Nachos. I don't know of anywhere else where you can get such a huge plate of nachos for five bucks. Excellent deal and can easily feed 2 or more. Even if you can't make it for happy hour this place is worth trying.

We liked the fireplace in the middle of the place with a counter table around it. Nice touch. The food was decent, even the free chips and dip were good. We had the Carne Asada Fajitas, Shrimp and vegetarian Enchiladas and Chorizo Burritos. They all tasted good. The servings are big. I could have shared my order with another person.

Boring beef steak burrito $15 and enchilada (about $13)! whole beans and sauces, just some meat, too expensive!

This is a go to Mexican restaurant for good food and drinks when you don’t want fussing kids around! They also have big booths for larger groups.

My husband and I really enjoy Mexican food. We asked at the front desk of our hotel where we should go, then trip advisor'd it. We ended up going for a late lunch since the 2 nights prior were packed. Very good food and margaritas. We also had excellent service ( John ) we took his recommendations and had nachos with shredded chicken and spicy wings. If we visit Portland again we will definitely eat here again!

The Matador is a spruced up bar with Tex-mex food and a entire menu devoted to tequila. The polished atmosphere attracts a predominantly straight, white, millennial and gen x'er crowd flocking there for margaritas and bar food. It's worth a visit during happy hour (4-6 pm daily) where enormous plates of nachos and fresh chips and salsa are a tasty and affordable alternative to dinner out in Portland. Our server was particularly attentive and the drinks and food all came out in a timely way. I'd give it about 3.5 stars and am glad we tried it, but it's not beckoning me for a return visit anytime soon.

Desperatley seeking shrimp tacos we stumbled upon this place at lunch one afternoon; simple and excellently done (my friend had beef tacos; the fool!) we intended to return to try some of their extensive selection of mescal and tequilas; seriously top shelf (yet affordable) varieties on sale here. Instead we had a couple of cokes. Service was friendly and not at all pushy (despite our anticipation that it might be - the place was very quiet for lunch). $32 including tip - great value. Highly recommended - I'm looking forward to returning.

Great place to enjoy a beer, some tequila, friendly service, good food and an awesome Happy Hour - early and late I think. Prices are good, portions are large, it is open air when it's hot and has a fireplace inside when it's not!

Whole lotta love for Beyond Burritos....out of this world! Good margaritas, nice ambiance, fast friendly service on a weekend.

First trip to Matador,resturant was very busy for a Sunday early evening. We waited about 15 minutes for a table. Food was very good,service good. Would recommend for anyone liking Mexican food.

The food was very tasty! In our party of 3, one had street tacos and wings from the happy hour menu, one had the grilled chicken breast tacos, and the vegan had Southwest Veg. Our server was great. The chips and salsa kept coming. Nice ambience. Enjoyable evening. Only down side was the difficulty finding a parking spot.

Walked into the Matador at the perfect time of day. Happy Hour! The food menu for HH is quite extensive and inexpensive. Street Tacos are a dollar a piece. They were simple and tasty. Also enjoyed the stuffed Jalapenos. We also scored, it was "Top Shelf Tuesday". So, a shot of Patron which is typically, $12 is a reasonable $6. Nice. Service was great and friendly, but not too friendly. This was a first visit, so, it was a delightful surprise.

10 of us went here for dinner. Were promptly seated and our waiter was very friendly and attentive. We had a variety of food and drinks and everything was Muy Bueno!

We love coming here for drinks. Their Strawberry Margarita is totally THE BEST I have ever had anywhere. Food is good too. Waitstaff is so so. Bartenders are always nice but some of the waitresses show a little attitude and lack patience.Hit or miss. Some are VERY nice...Great place to chill with your friends!

I enjoyed a dinner with a group of 8 friends here the other night. The drinks were delicious and I loved the atmosphere. The waitress was right in top of things and very nice. I ended up getting the street tacos for my main meal. I was having a hard time deciding what meat to select, and it's 5 different ones, so it was perfect. I was not blown away by any of them, but they were all good. The cheviche was amazing! The guacamole and the cheese appetizers were also amazing.

had a nice meal there on a Tuesday evening. Very good mexican food and had great service. The prices are mid range and had very good appetizers

We always go to the East Burnside location. We really like their guacamole and that children aren't running around. Their Taco salad is large and very good.

It is excellent. The management there is the best. Even when they are full, they don't get flustered and forget things. The food is great, and I would say so if it wasn't. OK the dinner menu could stand a little more rotation, but I'm happy with their selections.

The menu very good and their specials are usually excellent. They drinks are excellent and the service is usually quick. We often share an appetizer and entree as the portions are large-very large. Good value!

This is more of a Tequila bar. They have enough Tequila to satisfy any connoisseur. If you are here for the food, it's pretty much average. It's the standard Mexican fare (Burritos, Quesadilla's, etc.). The outstanding part about this visit was the service was almost non-existent. We saw the waitress only three times, take the order, deliver the order, and give you the check. Checks to see how the food was or filling of water glasses, etc was just not happening on this visit.

I've visited Portland a handful of times, and we always have to make a stop at the Matador. The vibe is great, and the food and cocktails are even better! It's a staple in my book!

To the proprietors and management of The Matador Restaurant 2424 E Burnside. I was sending off my daughter Bradi last night, back to her home in Georgia. My Son Evan recently turned 21 so we selected your dining venue with Cocktails so she could buy her baby brother a drink for the first time. I've always been impressed with the effort you invested in atmosphere, decor, and general positive vibe in your restaurants. Matador east was to get my praise for a great atmosphere, attentive staff and great food, but alas, one unhappy chap had to screw it up. As I was taking the photos to support the praise I was about to bestow, I was harshly reminded to wear a mask when leaving my table. Fair enough, I was only a couple feet from my table, no one else within 20 feet, but I get it, people are scared in Portland right now, so I gladly obliged with an apology. Some time later, another member in our party, a 50 year old kind natured, non threatening man stood and started towards the restroom which took him past the bartender, a young man in his late 20's. The bartender berated him and offered "your second warning!" For not securing his mask. I was instantly inflamed by the nature in which he addressed Rod and opined to the young man to which he threatened an expulsion. As you review your surveillance footage, you may note how he made a rather aggressive move towards our table while continuing to escalate a benign matter. I've never thrown food in a Restaurant but was nearly overtaken by the urge to introduce him to the Tres carnes I had ordered and was enjoying up to that point. He proceeded to give us a stare down until cooler heads prevailed, I hugged it out with the manager. Unfortunately, the Matador lost my praise, my respect, and my patronage eternally. Sadly, this has become a bit of the norm in inner Portland, and I'm absolutely BAFFLED at how any body in the service industry right now would not be overjoyed and greatful to have people spending money at their venue. Their "keep it weird" brand has polluted the service industry there and it's become a theme of platitude meets arrogance This isn't a cheap place, and the behavior of one malevolent young man killed the experience that so many worked hard to provide. We boxed our food, finished our one cocktail which would have been 3 (each) left a generous tip for the ones who got it right and sailed on. There were 5 in our party, do the math. As a former venue owner, manager and current consultant to the industry, I understand the inner workings of this industry and the stress we're all under given our governors recent announcements. The fellow mixing your spirits would benefit from a reminder as to who provides his most generous income and why they should be met with respect and dignity. I guess this explains why food carts are so common there now. Nice to meet you Matador, it wasn't my pleasure.

Our friend brought us here for a bite before taking us to the airport to go back to LA. Would have loved to stay for dinner. Awesome atmosphere and delicious food! Great time! Fun place!

I'm giving the restaurant a good rating even though we didn't eat there, because it was not their fault. In fact they were very gracious in refusing service. We were staying at an airport hotel with our two granddaughters ages 9 and 5. They wanted Mexican for dinner so I used the TripAdvisor search tool to find a reasonably close Mexican restaurant that was "suitable for families." I just ran the same search again to make sure, and the Matador again appeared. I read several reviews, all good, and none mentioned an adults only policy. But unfortunately, that was the case. The manager took the time to explain to me all our near by options, and we walked to a little casual Hawaiian place a few doors down that was perfect for us. But clearly its a glitch in the TripAdvisor filter system.

Met friends for happy hour...delicious & refreshing margaritas. Happy hour food choices are extensive...highly recommend the roasted brussel sprouts. Service was helpful & fast. Only drawback...parking

The Matador offers friendly service and tasty eats/drinks with perfect levels of spiciness. We've only gone off peak hours, so I can't speak to the service during busier periods. Would highly recommend the Matador quesadilla, skillet-seared fajitas, and the cucumber-jalapeno margarita.

My friends and I found the Matador on Burnside on our first girls trip to Porland in 2018 - loved it! We just went back to Portland in October and of course we were at the Matador our first night for drinks and dinner. THE BEST happy hour from 4 pm to 6 pm then late night after 10 pm. We loved it so much we went back again for dinner the next night! I brag about this restaurant to whomever will listen if I know they will be in Portland.

Since we have eaten here several times, we decided to take our out-of-town guests here for dinner this past week as they "love" Mexican food! Both guys got the Habanero Steak Burrito, his wife got a burrito, and I had the Chicken fajitas. I can only speak for my dish: It was GREAT!! Excellent flavor on the chicken pieces that I got with the corn tacos shells, and the sour cream sauce that came with it, was quite delicious! It was enough to make two meals! They served us warm chips with a good salsa which we all thoroughly enjoyed. Fun evening and nice place to take guests!

We had intended to go the Screen Door across the street, but did not want to wait for an hour, and thought we would try the Matador...glad we did ! We each enjoyed drinks, a margarita, and a flight of tequila..delicious ! I enjoyed shrimp ceviche, and my wife enjoyed chicken tacos, they were both delicious. The salsa and chips were fresh and good and the service was outstanding.

Sat evening. Our group (4) sat promptly. The service went down hill from there. The first waitstaff did initial order and a check back. Then the second waitstaff showed up and announced she was taking over. Slow bar service. One of us ordered a beer when dinner ordered, showed up after the meal. Had to flag down the manager a few times to get basic needs. Food OK, but nothing special... The salsa served with the "greeting" chips was very good.

Service was great. The building and decor are beautiful and awesome with architectural details, custom metal work and wood art, exposed wood beams, open fire place/fire pit and custom wood work benches and tables, long outdoor patio with lots of mini picnic tables. Someone has put a LOT into this restaurant, the place is impressive. Too bad the food sucked. Our waitress was really sweet and didn't charge me for my plate, which I sent back after about three bites. First- the salsa was awful. She said they pride themselves in making a different kind of salsa every day, at the chef's whim I guess. It was WAY too spicy, super chunky and something was missing, it tasted weird. She brought me some verde salsa which was supposed to be milder, but it tasted worse than the first one, and I usually love green salsa. My hubby has eaten here many times and he said he's never liked their salsa, some days there's so much habanero in it it brings everyone at the table to tears. We avoided the street tacos because we'd heard they were disappointing, this from my brother who'd eaten there last week. The food arrived and my tacos (braised beef shoulder) were sitting in an orange pool of oil. When I picked it up for the first bite it peed oil for two full minutes while I just watched it amazement. It didn't even taste good, and was SO spicy I wasn't sure I could eat another bite. This was supposed to be their mildest taco. That first bite had a huge chunk of un-chewable fat I had to spit out. Even the rice and beans were too spicy to eat. Nothing on my plate had any flavor except HOT. Meat done right has great flavor of it's own, but the carne asada tacos my husband had were bland flavorless meat, he ate one and half of his tacos just because he was hungry and left the beans, rice and pico. There is a wonderful array of Mexican seasonings that aren't that hard to get right, a balance of savory, spicy, citrus, and many others but the flavors were completely off on each dish we were served, not one thing was good. We'll never be back.

Met some friends for HH and was not disappointed. Service here is always good. There are no drink specials for happy hour, but the drink prices are quite reasonable at full price. There are several food choices for only $5. As mentioned in another review the nachos are huge and good. We also had the garlic and the habanero shrimp; both were really good. The chicken wings are always good too. Overall this is a great place to meet friends to have a drink, some great food, and conversation.

A mini family reunion for lunch at 1:00 pm. No crowd, excellent food. One of the best salsas I have ever eaten and a bill at about $20 a head, all totaled. Fine experience.

Excellent tortilla soup, shrimp and mushroom quesadillas Margaritas-not too sweet! Service great. What a deal!

My cousins and I ate here around 8pm on 5/27/18. They live in Portland and eat here often. This was my first and last visit. Shawn (or Stephen I cannot remember his name) was our waiter and he was missing in action. After he took our order, we didn’t see him again until about 30 mins later when he brought our food. After he brought our food, we didn’t see him again until I had to track him down and ask for our bill. The restaurant wasn’t busy and our order was very simple, 3 street tacos, 2 shrimp tacos, and veggie quesadillas. The food was just okay. Because the service was so bad, I cannot recommend this place. Also, it’s very dark and I had to use my phone to see my food. Street parking is available. You must be 21 or older to eat here, no kids allowed. There are a lot of restaurants in the area and I suggest eating elsewhere. The okay food did not make up for the horrible service. Never again!!!

Being a Californian, I grew up on Mexican food! While visiting a friend in Portland last year, she said, "You will love this Mexican restaurant, it is what we were used to in California". I live in Maine now, and I do not get good Mexican food any where in the state, so far any way....so she knew I was going to love this place! This year my husband and I landed in Portland, picked up my friend and headed right over there! The atmosphere is so interesting, vivacious and colorful, so it enjoyable just to sit and observe. The service has always been excellent - informative regarding ingredients, observant, and timely. The food is always fresh, prepared well and tasty. Some of the dishes are unique, I do not know if they are authentic to the Mexican tradition, but all dishes I have tried have been delicious. Their carnitas pork is sooo good, but then that is my weakness!

We had good food, lovely ambiance, but without question, the highlight for the evening, as far as The Matador was concerned, was our waitress Sadie. She was absolutely one of the sweetest waitresses I have personally ever had. Sadie served us so graciously and kindly and with accuracy! I hope your boss reads this review....you deserve a raise dear Sadie! Thank you for your kindness :)

We came here for dinner tonight and we both had as our entrees the Baja fish tacos which were panko crusted and then fried mahi mahi with cabbage slaw in small flour tortillas. The tacos came with Mexican black beans and rice which were also quite tasty. The fish tacos were VERY good as were the lightly salted tortilla chips we were given prior to our meals. Both the chips and the salsa were delicious! Before we could even ask, the server came with another bowl of chips which we turned down as we knew we wouldn't be able to eat our entrees with more of those wonderful chips and salsa! We thought our server, Bradley, did a nice job and we appreciated his service tonight. I would say the only problem we had with eating here was the parking situation as two condo buildings were built right next to the restaurant since we last ate here, and the many parking spaces that used to be available are now gone, leaving only 9 spots that I counted for Matador and Tusk next door. And the street parking is atrocious as people who live in the neighborhood ALSO have to park somewhere!! We parked about 5 blocks away as we just happened to find a small spot where we could leave the car.

Our group of 10 had an excellent experience. The waitstaff were outstanding, efficient and friendly. The food was delicious and we tried items from both the happy hour and regular menus. Quality of food was quite high, and portions generous, even on the happy hour menu. Prices were extremely affordable. We all were amazed at this experience and will happily return.

I've been to The Matador before and it's never what I want it to be. The best thing about it is the open fire in the bar area. It's warm and inviting. The bar is impressive especially their tequila selection. However the bar staff is never very friendly or engaging. The place is always crowded, but the staff aren't great at clearing tables quickly and seating new people. They also just aren't that friendly either. The food is OK. Nothing great and nothing horrible. So, it will continue to be a last choice when other better places fall through in that area.

I went to Portland for an appointment and decided lunch would be nice before heading home. This place was next to a shop I went to and looked very intriguing. Interior was warm and inviting with windows that looked out over the street. I had a pork chili that had 3-4 kinds of chilies in it with very tender chunks of pork. No beans. Just to die for flavor. The salsa that came with the chips was also very good. This is a tequila bar and restaurant, but alas as I had a 65 mile drive ahead of me I didn't partake in any tequila. They had an impressive lineup of brands and types though, so I will be back to try some and try more dishes too. Well worth your time! Visited July 2014

We had surprisingly huge and delicious HH salads with a bomb cilantro dressing. The bean queso was very tasty, but the house margaritas were exactly what the Dr ordered. I would come here every weekend if I lived here. Good service too.

There are lots of restaurants on Burnside, and when we walked by, we drawn to how good the food smelled. The restaurant has a pretty atmosphere with a fire table and it did smell like nice good and camp fire. The salsa has a smokey flavor and relatively no heat, which made it perfect for my Mom. We both had the enchiladas, and you can specify the sauce, filling, and tortilla type. The roja enchilada was delicious and served with fresh avocado on top, and the creamy poblano enchilada was velvety and sinfully good. The beans are black and unlike many black beans I had, these were well seasoned. The rice has a citrus flavor and is a bit spicy, but I loved it. We decided on iced tea instead of all the fabulous sounding drinks, and the tea was fresh and with a slight hint of tropical flavoring. I would eat here again in a heartbeat and look forward to coming back.

I've eaten at Matador on E. Burnside numerous times and have always enjoyed the food, though I always wish the music was just a tad quieter so I could hear my friends easier as we chat. Last night, though, was a real disappointment, as I took family and friends to dinner at Matador after telling them that it was excellent food and service. The quality of the food is not in question--it has always been fresh, tasty, and well-presented. Usually the service has been above average to excellent as well. However, last night, we had a waitress who clearly seemed to not like her job. Our order was taken, we received our appetizer, we eventually received napkins, plates, and silverware after asking for it. My three companions' meals were served after a reasonable wait, but my meal wasn't. I thought they'd bring it out next, but it didn't come. We tried to make eye contact each time the waitress came into our part of the restaurant, but she never looked our way. Finally, my daughter stood up and walked into the main part of the restaurant to catch her attention or the attention of someone--just as our waitress walked into the kitchen. My daughter said she saw her. We waited at our table while others around us were served their meals. We finally were able to get our waitress over to our table and asked about my meal. There was no apology, nothing. She went to the kitchen, came back out a few minutes later and said it would take a few more minutes (for shrimp tacos, that's all). Again, no apology for the wait. We watched as others were continued to be served. Finally, a full 20 minutes after my friends' meals came and after they were done eating, my tacos arrived. There was never an apology, i.e. "Sorry for the delay," or "I forgot to put your order in, I'm so sorry," or anything...something would have been nice. It just felt that we were bothering the waitress. Eventually we got our check and left, but for the first time in a long time I left only a 15% tip rather than a 20% or greater. We were polite and patient customers and I left disappointed in the service. I still will eat at Matador, but I hope the waitress is in a better mood and that the servers are attentive to their customers, noticing when someone's meal has been delayed and finding out what the problem is.

Came here for lunch with my podna on a Tuesday. They have a very comfortable restaurant with a pleasant patio and excellent service. We were brought chips and salsa upon being seated and were offered beverages. My partner really liked the salsa and I thought it was only okay. We ordered the queso fundido to start and were unfortunately very disappointed with it. We were excited to get a Tex-Mex version of queso that is a true rarity in Portland, but instead got a lumpy/watery flavorless gobby yellow goo. Both of us passed on eating it and the server actually removed it from our bill. The mahi mani chile tacos were pretty tasty and the man thought the rojos enchilada was also good. He really liked the beans and rice as well. I thought they were good, but nothing special. We will definitely not go back to this joint for a meal again, but would definitely go for happy hour.

I've been to the Madador a few times and always have the enchiladas (verde & roja) both are fabulous. I've had the calamari and the mushrooms, each appetizers and I highly recommend both. Each time I have had excellent servers, tonight Molly was our server and on a busy night she was great, drinks came fast and our food came out in a timely manner. Did I say how much I love the salsa, I wish I knew the secret, but I think it's the best in town. It's a busy place and for good reason but I've never had much of a wait. Prices are reasonable

We arrived here about 3:30 in the afternoon. They seemed to be low on staff as we waited at the door for a bit and they were eight of us waiting. We were seated in the bar but then later one of our party has to show ID to be able to search there. Waitress was extremely slow getting to us. She took our order verbally then one person has questions so I guess she lost her thoughts so we all were asked to reorder as she wrote it down. The beans and salsa were too spicy for some of us

We came in after a work event on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The Nachos here are my fave! Also ordered bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers. Some of the members in our party had an issue with incorrect drinks, the server immediately took them away and came back a few minutes later with the proper drinks. A 4-star review became 5 due to their handling of the situation. Oh, and LOVE the decor here! Happy Hour is most excellent, though we were a few hours too early for that.

My lady & I went to The Matador for the first time on a Wednesday night around 9:15pm. We choose this spot for the late night happy hour they served darting at 10pm. As soon as we walked in we were welcomed by a nice young lady who offered us a nice booth near the bar. The restaurant was somewhat busy and the serving staffed all looked busy working with guests but still where very attentive to us during our stay. Once our waitress met us and was patient with us as we combed through the menu. She got our drinks out to us right away and gave us a quick suggestion as we waited for late night happy hour. We ordered the Nacho appetizer and this thing was a MOUNTAIN of nachos and goodies! No regrets btw, but something a group of 4 could easily enjoy! Lol! As we worked on this Mt. Hood high mound of Nachos we took a moment to look around the restaurant and admire the decorations and the lighting. I mentioned to my lady how I really liked the candles all over the restaurant but would hate to be the guy that's tasked with lighting them all before service and blowing them all out at the end of the night! Lol! We reached happy hour time and choose to get the tortilla soup which my lady loved and I got two of the street tacos. Everything had great tastes and we barely could finish the happy hour items we got because of the nachos we had. We highly recommend anyone wanting a great atmosphere along with great service at a reasonable price to come out and check out The Matador!

The name and decor tempted us. The menu however was disappointing but only because my wife and I are not great fans of Mexican food. What we did have in terms of salads was tasty however.

After a day of shopping and strolling through the city, stopped in for some hydration and eats. Friendly staff and good food. Icy cold margaritas and a mountain of nachos was just what was needed to finish off the day. All the food coming out of the kitchen looked fresh and delicious. Would be a great place to end your work week!

To start with, their Margaritas are EXCELLENT. We drank the house and blood orange ones. The appetizers, chips and guac were great and the service was quick even tho packed! The meals we all had were excellent. The only drawback is the place does get loud and there are definitely parties of young adults celebrating!!! We'll definitely be back.

Notice the taco has no cheese, gucamole, herbs, spices, with just the minimal, so the place has a big bar variety of mezcal agave tequila, which means this is basically a place to get drinks first then food without much on the latter

VERY large tequila selection. Great happy hour menu. Great service! Its convenient to the screen door and honestly you could be just as happy going here as you would be at screen door.

We have been here many time typically for happy hour but got a wild hair up the dairy-air and decided to come here for lunch. Ok guys the agave chicken sandwich blew my socks off! Service was superb and ambiance sweet!!!

This was excellent Mexican food at great prices! The service was outstanding and the margaritas were the tops. Had the layered nachos and there was enough for three people. They were fabulous!

Great food super fast service. Wonderful margaritas. Worth a visit. Food is always great. And the staff are very friendly. Which is hard to find in Portland restaurants.

The food is good, the service was great and the cocktails were fabulous. When they say spicy l, they mean it. I had the spicy flank on chabatta...very good but very spicy. I recommend it.

If you want some great mexican food this is the place. The items on the menu are always great and never disappointing. If you want to sink your boat order the nachos, better yet order them on the happy hour menu for just $5.00 and it is a meal. Great bar with a wind selection. Atmosphere is fun and the staff works hard at trying to please you.

After a play, a large group of us went here for the late night happy hour. We were not disappointed. Tacos, nachos, quesadillas, it was all very good and at great prices! They did a super job with all of us even though the place was busy. Definitely will go back.

Once again a great meal and Margaritas at The Matador. Always very fresh and very friendly. It's clean and run the way a good restaurant should be. OUTSTANDING !

Go for Happy hour they have great Brussels sprouts. We had two servings The other happy hour food was good. Our server was helpful and kept the drinks coming without being forceful.

The Matador used to be a favorite spot for me and my family, but the quality of food and drinks has really declined over the last couple of years. The flavors of the food and drinks are quite bland and underwhelming these days. Service is just ok.

We’ve been here many times, and we love this place, although on our last visit we were a little disappointed. On this visit we felt they were back to there old high standards. The street tacos were delicious, chips and salsa great, stuffed jalapeños outstanding, and the queso very good. Service as always was very good.