The Matador
721 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA, 98402
The Matador Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Tacoma for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Tacoma for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Tacoma for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
721 Pacific Ave
Tacoma, WA, 98402 - Phone (253) 627-7100
- Website https://www.matadorrestaurants.com/tacoma
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Late Night
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Igor M.
Really cool looking place with moderate prices and good spicy food
(4)Blair K.
My first time at Matador, and it was so delicious! Parking is really really bad if you plan on going on friday/weekends. Be prepared to park far and walk, especially during happy hour times. I went on a saturday night during happy hour, we got seated within 3 minutes which I found surprising because they were extremely busy. Overall vibe was really nice. Dark, warm lighting with chic and cozy interior design. The waitress was friendly and asked for drinks right away. I ordered a classic mojito and for my second drink had a mango margarita. Both are a must try! perfect balance of sweet and citrus. Food: ordered the HH nachos and calamari - excellent in taste, quality, and quantity. I wanted an entree so I ordered Enchiladas Poblanos and I have to say its the best mexican dish I had. I'm not a huge fan of enchiladas, but she recommended to me because i dont do well with spicy food. It came with a good amount of black beans, rice, guac, and this heavenly herbed sour cream (i think thats what it was). I also got it with carnitas as my meat choice! one down side was our waitress was really forgetful and so SLOW. we waited so long for our checks, and little things we asked for here and there. Hence the reason why im giving them 4 stars. but overall if you want good quality drinks and some good HH mexican food then its a winner!
(4)Jasmyn J.
I've been coming here since this place opened. I love the location downtown.. The ambiance is great, nice place to meet up with friends but the food is pretty boring. Several dishes tried over the years, and I would rather eat tacos from a food truck.. Not horrible but not anything worth seeking out unfortunately. I will however make the occasional trip down here because this is a great meeting place and there is a ton of tequila! Street corn is delicious, hopefully it stays consistent!
(3)David I.
Yay, they wrote back on my review! I've been back a few times since my review, and yes, I was wrong, they do have a few Washington beers available! I'm glad they'll be getting one of the beers from across the street; but I really want them to get Ottermelon (I have it in my Kegerator); or Pancake Porter from Odd Otter Brewing (hint hint). I'm still loving the food and will keep coming back to try new things!
(4)Heather H.
Best part about this place is the margaritas. I think the food is ok, but it's over priced for the quality. I really like the bar atmosphere and happy hour. But after going there three times, I started only ordering drinks.
(3)Nic A.
One of the best happy hours in Tacoma! Great selection of Tequilas! The food is superb and the great staff are fast & friendly! I'd say the nachos are my favorite along with any of the tequilas!
(5)Jenni M.
Awesome Happy Hour! I stopped here with my fiancé before a concert at the Tacoma Dome and we took advantage of the early happy hour (4-6). We were lucky to find a seat at the bar, because the place was packed. Everyone else must have had the same idea we did! I started with the Bartender's Margarita ($8) which was ok but not my favorite. While I don't normally like sweet drinks, this one was a little too sour for me with the cranberry. My fiancé had the cucumber jalapeño margarita (also $8), which has a rim lined with chili powder, and loved it. I moved on to the red wine sangria ($8) and it was one of the best restaurant sangria's I've ever had. We decided to share the spicy fried calamari ($6 on happy hour) and the Texas sized nachos ($5 on happy hour). The flavor of the calamari breading was amazing but they could have been left in the frier for another minute - it was a little soggy. They were not lying about the Texas sized nachos. Holy cow! We ate about half and had to stop because we were so full. Apparently you can add steak or chicken but that would have been way too much food. The chips were nice and salty and house made. There were generous portions of beans, cheese, sour cream and guacamole and I appreciated that they were layered in the nachos instead of just piling everything on top, leaving a ton of plain chips. The bartenders were efficient but not the most friendly. I know they were extremely busy and trying to keep up with demand, but it would have been nice to have some friendly greetings or interactions rather than just business transactions. I don't make it to Tacoma often but when I do this will continue to be on my must-do happy hour list!
(4)Jackie G.
Happy hour and nice atmosphere. Jack who's been my bartender twice is awesome. Friendly young chap to converse with! I could end the review after that, but I won't. I can see where it would be a nice place to take a date even if not during happy hour. I went stag which has never been a problem for me, so you can always go alone and sit at the very long bar. The interior is nicely appointed and the seating is plentiful if you go with friends, coworkers or alternative small parties. I've read people complain service is slow. I want to know how busy it was for those folks, because I haven't had any problem...at least for my 2 visits the delivery was reasonable. Food is very good! Drinks good..no complaint at least my well drink and enough alcohol added. I'd call that a 'good pour'. The chips are home made..well they buy the tortilla, but they cut and fry them at the restaurant. They also make their own salsa which I find delightfully seasoned just right for my particular taste. Perfectly savory! The staff do a good job keeping the place tidy too. Oh..they have a new rewards program which is free to enter. I posted a couple of photos of which 1 of them explains what you get at a certain point of developing enough reward points. You add your tele number and email address they will send you $10 off your next visit. They promised the system is not set up to send a text to your mobile beyond 9pm. For me...that $10 off next meal is an awesome deal all by itself. Get down there and sign up! Have a nice visit!
(5)Drena S.
My happy hour has looked a whole lot better when I stop on by this place. Delicious mile high chicken nachos and street tacos with decent prices. Add their tasty sangria and my "happy" is very compete. This new renovated area is trendy, hipster and Tacoma!
(4)David B.
Came in for happy hour got the nachos.. Ate maybe 7 bites and couldn't eat anymore.. Must be the way they cook them.. I'm guessing under a heating oven but the chips were burnt and nasty.. The smell alone made me gag! I ordered the prawns cuz I was still hungry. 2 of which we're still in the casing.. The bartenders were cool the food sucked!
(3)Kita P.
I went here for dinner on a weeknight. The service was pretty slow. We waited a solid fifteen minutes before anyone came by to take our drink order. The food was pretty standard Mexican food. The guacamole was just ok. It seemed to be missing salt and lime. I ordered the mushroom & goat cheese quesadilla which was fantastic. Their tacos and enchiladas can be a bit spicy. The margarita was again just ok. Overall, this place was mediocre. Nothing to really write home about.
(3)Carolyn M.
I am usually a huge fan of the food here, particularly their gluten free food options. I was extremely disappointed with my most recent experience here. Having dietary limitations is no fun. Not for the person with limitations nor for the people cooking them. I ordered the only thing on the menu that remotely fit into the confines of acceptable foods. Quite simply, I ordered the burger with no bun, cheese, or bacon. When asked if I wanted fries or a salad I opted for the salad, no dressing, but with a side of guacamole. Easy, right?!? Well, 45 minutes and $15 dollars later, I get my carry out container with a head of chopped romaine, a greasy burger, and some greasy pepitas. Seriously?!? No napkins or plasticware were provided. Am I supposed to eat this with my hands?!? I've eaten here when it's been busier and I never waited that long for food. Nor has my food been so jacked up. If the kitchen can't make what's requested (and it was omitting items, not adding) then let the customer know. Don't let them walk away with a container of food, open it in another location, and see that their order is not what it should've been. I can honestly say the only thing I'll come back here for is the tequila.
(2)Stacy H.
yes, fine, i did just drive up to tacoma from los angeles and yes, i did just get mexican food in washington after coming up from southern california. but you know what? i'm glad i did it. el matador is pretty dang good for your average mexican (can i call it that? or is it tex-mex? whatever) place. you don't come here expecting 100% authentic flavor - if you do, i'd recommend one of those white taco truck and/or a hole-in-the-wall place that might give you food poisoning. but if you want a nice place to bring your family and/or business partners, el matador will do just fine. i liked that they have lots of different options on their menu, which range from salads to burritos to enchiladas. i also liked that they pointed out what was vegetarian, and i greatly appreciated that they allowed me to put mushrooms into my burrito instead of meat. next time i'll come, i'll be sure to scope out whether they have horchata ...
(4)Irving W.
Very good Mexican food with a flair. This is not just a taqueria. Well thought out dishes with quality ingredients and some heat. Also, they have an extensive tequila and mescal menu with varying price-points. I had a large tostada with a barbecoa and arugula topping. It was delicious. Nice atmosphere. I sat at the high-top table surrounding the fire. Would be a good place for a date.
(4)Brandy B.
Let's just talk happy hour! Such good high quality food for cheap, to pair with the yummy margaritas!! Classy environment, excellent food
(5)Tina D.
I was recommended this location by the owner "Clark" at the Pierce County Asylum. Very impressed. The flavors were amazing and excellent service.
(5)dustin g.
Decided to have a bite to eat for the girlfriends birthday. I had heard stories about the nachos forever since I love me some nachos. We decided to swing by on a Friday night after work and I left feeling less than impressed. Why? The nachos were so very meh. About a can of beans on top, a tablespoon of sour cream and guac. About two handfuls of cheese, clumped together and about half melted. Super disappointed! The chips and salsa before we got our food was more enjoyable than that. The ladies fajitas weren't bad, probably even good, but considering how bummed I was about the nachos, they seemed average at best. The only reason I'm giving this a 3 star is because the service was amazing. All of the ladies who helped us over the evening were amazing, nice, helpful and observant. They won the evening for sure! Will I be back? I highly doubt it.
(3)Lisa S.
I really enjoyed this place. It's a little pricy but not bad. The service wasn't great but I am giving them the benefit of the doubt because they were slammed. The food was great. Chips and salsa were tasty and they had a lot of vegetarian options for me to choose from which was really nice. I ended up getting the mixed veggie enchiladas. It was a lot of food and tasted great. You could tell they had fresh veggies too! A warning though... It seemed everything was spicy so if you don't like spice this isn't a place for you.
(4)Stephanie S.
There steak nachos are some of the best I've ever had as well as there Cadillac margaritas . Great experience all around. Will be coming back
(5)Janet A.
Located in downtown Tacoma and within walking distance to new distilleries. I love the atmosphere in the bar with a soaring wall of of every tequila you can imagine! Custom wrought iron, exposed brick walls, vintage pendant lighting everywhere & the fire pit table that seats many is a must on chilly nights. The restaurant provides this same feeling but in a less cozy environment. The food is spicey Mexican with a great selection And price point for every budget. The happy hour is one of my favorites with bacon wrapped, goat cheese stuffed jalapeño grilled to a crisp melting bite of heaven! The tacos and grilled garlic prawns are delish. The nachos are an insanely mountain high platter that two people will have trouble getting through. If you're into margaritas the tamarind ( I know it sounds weird) but are fantastic. All the margaritas are wonderful, in fact I don't drink them anywhere else. A super lively bar and restaurant with outside seating during warm months make this a regular hang out for me and friends.
(4)August P.
I've given Matador over a hand-full of tries now. What kept me going: Mostly good food, and especially good happy hour food. What will stop me from going again: 1. Mediocre service; most of the time there seems to be too many customers for the employees, so there is sporadic service and when you do get service you feel rushed. 2. Standards and drinks: I purchased a Mojito the other day--most of the mint was brown (I could taste the decomposition), and the limes were covered in brown splotches, as well. When I pulled the rotten mint and limes from the drink and brought them to the attention of the server, she just took them away and said she would tell the bartender. No new drink, no apology, no credit...so why should I trust ordering another drink? I was told rather rudely before this incident that they never have drink specials, and now I am drinks that don't have standards? So, for me, good jobs to the back of the house: the chef and cooks. As for the front of the house, I am not willing to have a rotten time just to get good food.
(2)Erin R.
I love going to the Matador, great ambiance!!! Reasonable happy hour food prices and the drinks are tasty too. It is difficult getting a table on the weekends, but weekdays are not too bad.
(4)Elizabeth B.
Not a great first impression. I got my chips and salsa along with my entree. I ordered a small guacamole, half the size of their salsa, and it was $2! Not a very diverse menu, and just over priced.
(3)Alex R.
I love the happy hour nachos here! They are so good! I would also recommend the bartenders margarita. Only thing "negative" I would have to say about matador is the long wait to be seated. Other than that I would recommend this place for happy hour.
(5)Chris R.
Here's the deal - the food at Matador is good. Really good. I could probably take a bath in the black bean queso and sprinkle myself with their chorizo afterwords. There's a good chance I would take their buche tacos and whisper sweet nothings into their delicious ears down by the fireside (I mean, if it wasn't awkward that I was talking to a taco). The food is good, there's no doubt about that. The Matador's problem is that their staff is really awful. I've been there 3 times, and every time I want to punch the girls at the front in the face. Sorry, I know we're not supposed to be a violent society any more, but they act like they are the coolest kids in school. "Sorry...you're going to have to wait 45 minutes...and during that time, I won't even look at you or acknowledge your existence. I don't know if you realize this, but I work at Matador, and Matador's cool, and therefore, by the associative property, I am cool. Cooler than you. So just stand at the door and I will give you looks of disdain until you're seated." Normally, I can handle a little disdain for dinner, but when the waitress also gives you a helping of condescension, it makes the dining experience poor. That's the irony - the place is good food in a terrible dining environment. I understand that everyone thinks Matador is the coolest place on PacAve, but they don't need to be snobby about it. If the waitresses are so pressed for time that they can't say anything nice then the owners need to hire more of them. Tacos with a side of smiling. That's all I want, people. Just be nice when I spend $50 bucks there and it's more likely that I'll come back.
(1)Alden C.
A very seductive and classy place in downtown Tacoma! Steve got off the train from Portland and headed downtown for a bite of supper. We were not terribly hungry so we did it simple. He had a squash quesadilla. I had the three taco a la carte plate. Steve's quesadilla tasted unique and fantastic. Definitely a menu item of further ordering when we go back. My tacos tasted great! Normally I do not like taco seasoning on my meat but whatever seasoning they had in with these tacos gave it a great rustic taste which makes me hungry for more! The atmosphere is great! It has a dark look with metallic art and animal skulls on the wall with red curtains near the window. Almost a gothic look! The service was attentive and accommodating! Looking forward to going back!
(4)Corinne M.
Ok, so this is where EVERYONE in Tacoma goes to on the weekends, and I mean EVERYONE. This place was packed, and I mean like sardine packed... Obviously a good sign, that this place has got the right stuff, and that they did. Huge shout out to the amazing bar tenders, not only can they make killer drinks, they are on top of everything. The second that I finished a drink, or water they were right there to top me off, and offer refills, and not in a vulturous, pushy way either. They were beyond great. I saw these mile high nacho's someone was eating, and I just had to have some, they were THE BEST chips, and food combination that I'd ever had. YUM, YUM. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, I was able to relax, and laugh, and enjoy myself, eat fantastic food, and drinks. I'm sure those qualities are why it was so crowded. They know what they are doing, they know what people want, and how to make them happy. The Madador has just the right amount of class, for an absolutely comfortable, fun, enjoyable, perfect dining experience. I'm not easily impressed, and my friends I'm very impressed. Fantastic, thank you!
(5)Jack W.
Used to be go to spot. But tonight we found employees at the bar paying more attention to each other than clients. Also, no wifi available? So much for the business lunch or dinner. The topper was the new $1.50 charge for chips and salsa!? In a texmex restaurant. Slipping...
(3)Ben T.
One of my favorites in Tacoma. We always bring our guest here. Its a cool atmosphere, great food that is cheap. Their burritos are outstanding and a great bar in addition gives this one a 5 star rating. I dont think you can be disappointed here.
(5)John N.
Stopped in for the happy hour after a long flight from NYC. Portions were generous and food was really good for the happy hour price. We had the nachos, salad, garlic prawns and the bacon & goat cheese grilled jalapeños. Yummy!!!!! There were not happy hour prices for the cocktails, but the margaritas were just as delicious.
(5)Michelle D.
Very good, i had the chorizo nachos so did my boyfriend. We went during happy hour, glad they have a good happy hour menu! Service was ok could have been better, until we came home to find out our togo box of nachos was pretty much just dumped in the box face down, so all my toppings were were on the bottom. We was very disapointed with that. We will be back, of course during happy hour and we will box or own food.
(4)Leslie A.
A giant group of us (20+) hit up Matador for a friend's birthday on a Saturday night. Con - we waited over an hour for a table. Understandable because it's busy but the fact that Matador still doesn't take reservations is just crazy. People love coming here for big events - just do it, Matador! Get with it on large party reservations. Pro - Annie (our server) was flat-out AMAZING. Best service I've ever had here, hands-down. She totally made the wait worth our while, kept us supplied with drinks, updated us on our crazy long wait for a table and was just super cool. We loved her! Overall really enjoy this place - great food, great drinks. Start taking reservations for large parties on weekends and you'd be a five star, Matador.
(4)Kellen Y.
I have eaten here twice now, and both times were great experiences. The first time, in ordered the chicken salad and it was honestly the best taco salad I have ever eaten. The second visit, I reluctantly tried something else and got the fish and shrimp tacos because the waitress recommended them. They did not disappoint! The drinks are great on tap as are the cocktails. Also, Matador has some outside seating which is important to me.
(4)Tajana C.
My friends and I frequented the Matador every weekend for years on end before I moved away. This is hands down my favorite place in Tacoma. The drinks are mixed perfectly every time and they are generous in the alcohol they give you. My long time favorite is their mojito. They use plenty of mint and lime and it isn't overly sweetened. You absolutely cannot beat their happy hour prices for the portions, but their lunch/dinner menu is appropriately priced too. I love the chicken quesadilla and Texas sized nachos (share these with someone, they're huge). I would warn that their food tends to lean toward the spicy side so be aware of you can't handle a little kick. It gets to be standing room only around 9pm on the weekends but there's lots of staff to serve you and the atmosphere is fun. I only wish a Matador would open up on the East Coast now!
(5)Daniel Z.
I don't frequent this area of Tacoma much, but I was out and about with a friend and we decided to check this place out. Not only where they fast and friendly, which is key for me, but they had great food. From the chips and salsa to the margarita, to the taco salad. Everything was really good. As this is a tequila bar, if you want a more casual dining experience it may be better to head down there for lunch. Bottom line: Great service, great food. I'll be going back for sure.
(4)Tawny V.
The food is fantastic. My favorite is the calamari and shrimp quesadilla (and for only $5 during happy hour, such a great deal). The drinks are alright nothing spectacular. But their service...is awful. Every time I go I'm left waiting at the door having every server avert eye contact to avoid seating us. We constantly have to ask for our refills on water/soda. And after we have everything we order we only see the server again when she brings the bill. I'd love this place if it weren't for the service. They definitely need to reboot their training of the staff.
(2)Ron h.
AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!! long story short, i ordered everything on happy hour menu except the romaine salad and did work. server was impressed. crazy delicious
(5)Abby T.
Sour Mix? At a TEQUILA BAR??? I had heard good things about this place from my friends, but was extremely disappointed. First of all, in any half decent margarita, there is fresh lime juice. I was immensely disappointed to find out that they used sour mix. Then we ordered nachos. While the toppings were tasty, there were way too many of them, and thus the chips got very soggy. I ordered the vegetable enchiladas, and honestly they were just plain bad. Because I was not pleased, I tried to get the check very quickly. Even though I had the check book standing up on the table for several minutes, every single server or manager that walked by ignored it. Maybe that's just a policy, but it's not a great one. I will not be returning.
(1)Katie O.
My sister and I popped in after going to an event at the Tacoma Dome. We were famished, and the Matador definitely took care of that. Our servings were huge, the food was amazing, and our sangrias were fruity and delightful.
(4)Arty Z.
A limited beer selection, but of course tequila is well represented. The food was top notch and very fresh - if a bit more on the spicy side than I like, but I knew it would be. Really nice space, but the service was a bit spotty.
(4)Randell A.
After reading the reviews on here my wife and I were interested in trying this place out. In arrival the ambience was very dark that I could barely see my menu. We had to wait about 25 minutes for our table which when we were finally called up we sat right next to the rear exit door so we got a cold draft every time someone came and went. We got the grilled stuffed jalapeños which we thought were really good. I ordered the braised beef tacos and my wife ordered the carnitas tacos. We both thought they were very disgusting. The sauce was way to sweet, like I was biting into a whole tomato and there was hardly any braised beef in them. I tried my wife's tacos and to say the least were worse then mine. She took one bite and refused to continue eating she hated them so much. For a high end Mexican restaurant, they are pushing out below par food. I think the taco truck around the corner would have served better food then this place, heck I would have even picked Chipotle or even Taco Bell over this place. We will most certainly not come back and will tell all our friends as well that this place is horrible.
(1)Charisse W.
If you haven't been to the matador, then I suggest you make plans to go ASAP. I am in love with this place, and their amazing TEXAS SIZE NACHOS ! *Make sure you add steak. The staff is always really nice and the food never disappoints. Also, the ambiance is perfect for date night :)
(5)Melissa H.
My friends and I came pretty late to meet up for a few drinks and catch ups. I had the nachos at happy hour for the first time! To my surprised it was HUGE!! It took the three of us to finish it! I love the atmosphere at this restaurant and here around downtown.
(5)Jt G.
One of my favorite spots in Tacoma, great deals on appetizers during happy hour, and the atmosphere is smooth energetic and very unique.
(5)K Le B.
Distinctly average. The food is more reimagined Mexican food than actual Mexican food, which isn't really surprising. That being said, it's not awful, just not great. No refried beans is unfortunate. Salsa has a good flavor but no zest. Another reviewer mentions salsa of three heat levels, but I was told they only had the one brought automatically to my table. Service was adequate, but only just. The wait staff was brusque. The food was priced above what their website reflects. The bowl of chips was awkwardly cleared from the table just after I had put one into my mouth. It seemed like they just wanted my party to leave. Perhaps I don't fit their clientele. To me, this is just another downtown Pacific Ave bar for yuppies that happens to offer food and gets inflated ratings due to its heavy focus on intoxicants.
(3)Jason Y.
Delicious food, awesome ambiance, and great service by Chelsea. We will be back. Don't forget to try the braised carnitas and the cherry lime Aqua fresca.
(5)Kristina V.
I write this as I repeatedly hiccup from the spicy sauce on the fish tacos.. That's how you know it's good! Their rice that comes with them has bits of real orange in it - I thought I was the only one that cooked my orange rice that way!! Amazing. The flavor is divine. It's pretty slow this afternoon, but usually this place has a line out the door by evening. HUGE tequila selection (yes, there is an entire tequila menu). I have previously ordered their nachos, which I highly suggest sharing. They're huge! I've also had their calimari (hit or miss; I like fried calimari crunchy, not soggy), prawns (yum! Wish they came with more), and also the shrimp tacos but that wasn't by choice. I'd ordered fish. The server took it off my tab that night, which was sweet of her. Other than that one mishap, service is pretty stellar! Food is always yummy and drinks are strong. Come here.
(4)Smaly K.
I think this place is great for a night out or for happy hour. Great deals for happy hour. And I love that this place is opened late. The staff is also friendly, much better than The Matador in West Seattle.
(4)Luziano C.
I found this place out through a search on Google and then read reviews through Yelp! I was looking for a place to have my going away party as I ETS from the Army and gave this place a shot. First off, this place is awesome! The decor and vibe are laid back plus welcoming. The lightning wasn't too bright, but perfect for the vibe. The employees here were on top of their game and showed no errors! The food here is exquisite and you get what you pay for! Me and my group had almost every item on the menu and were not disappointed! The drinks were great here too and of course they had all of the regular beers too! The seating was quick and they were able to accommodate me and my group. The location was good and the parking was limited, but a parking garage car was within walking distance. The pricing was fair, but thanks to happy hour it made it all better! I would highly recommend these place for group get togethers or just a place to grab a bite and have a good time! Overall, 5/5 nothing to jib them on and will gladly return if in the area!
(5)Alban N.
Can't believe I'd been here so many times and hadn't written a review. I come here mostly for happy hour, both regular and late night. The menu is pretty awesome. I tend to share the texas size nachos. I have a dream though that some day, I'll be able to finish it by myself. Some day. The ancho chili wings are also great, as is the jicama slaw that comes with it. Just about everything on the happy hour menu is good. For normal food, I've had the burritos (regular state size) and the tacos. A bit pricey but still really tasty. I like that this location seems a bit bigger. The fire pit seating in the middle is pretty clutch for some deep conversations. Definitely recommend.
(5)Viviana C.
Walked in there with my friend around lunch time and the host/waitress immediately sat us down gave us a menu and as soon as she gave us our water we were all ready to order. She then asked for ID and we were confused and stated that we were not ordering any drinks then she mentions how its 21+ and we immediately tell her how I'm only 20. All she says after that was "Oh sorry" then walks away. Was so disappointed and embarrassed that she didn't card us from the moment we walked in there.
(1)Autumn W.
Overrated. The food is subpar. The service womps. Last time I was there I ordered a Cadillac Margarita with a salted rim. After my sip through my straw I checked the bottom of the glass for a salt lick. I was a bartender and I know how my drink should taste. While politely trying explain to my server that the drink was too salty, she snapped back "you asked for a salted rim!" Listen lady, I asked for salt on my rim, not the Puget Sound in my glass. Never. Going. Back.
(1)Klara B.
Service is average. Best nachos in Tacoma! Huge, fresh jalapenos.
(4)Judith G.
I can't believe I have never written a review for this place before! We love it here. The service is always cheerful and attentive, and even on an off day, it is better than anywhere else around the Tacoma area. The food is great (especially the steak nachos at Happy Hour for $10 with enough ingredients to feed 4 people) and the drinks are outstanding. The margaritas are delicious and they also sell flights of tequila with a variety that should please any tequila lover. It can get very crowded but that it is because it is just that good!
(5)Alex L.
They should tell you that you have to be 21 and over to even eat at the place cause tourist dont know that and we wasted 10$ on parking that we cant even use or get are money back
(1)Amanda M.
I don't know anyone who doesn't like the Matador, especially during happy hour. It kind of sucks that they don't take reservations and then the wait is roughly 20-45 minutes. Luckily, I have friends who tend to get there before me so it's not too long of a wait. The food is amazing and priced pretty cheap for the size. Of course, this is a tequila bar so most of their drink options cater tequila drinkers. I, on the other hand, am a vodka girl and every time I go there, the vodka pours have been pretty weak. I don't even think there was full shot in the drink. Service is fast and the servers come around pretty often to check up on us.
(4)Alekkz H.
I am giving this place 4 stars based on the two experiences I have had here. The first time, it was not so busy so the service was great and the food was delicious [during happy hour]. As for the second time, which was only this past weekend, the service was terrible!! Fortunately, I was only joining my friend and her friend while they scarfed down some happy hour food ... I opted not to dine in and pay for the horrible service. As for the service being terrible, the waitress was busy since the whole restaurant was packed and we had to wait 30+ minutes to get a table but.. she passed us several times while we waved our arms in the air for attention. I was sitting on the outside and I needed water... I usually don't drink a lot of water... but that night I needed some. She did not come around until we finally got her attention to pay the bill... then she refilled my water. Gross... luckily we did not need any extra service from her during my friend's dining. The food was once more great, I was not supposed to eat but my friend insisted that the portions were huge and needed me to munch on some of the food. I ordered the Texas-sized Nachos before during happy hour and it is huge. It still astonishes me just because happy hour prices tend to be linked towards smaller portions but these nachos are huge... I am not a big fan of nachos but I really like the Matador's nachos because it's so festive! I see guacamole on top, beans and cheese everywhere, and tomatoes/onions spread all across. Wow, it is a mouthful. Totally worth the $5. The Calamari... was kind of ehh. Kind of chewy... the breaded coating was... somewhat soggy like and not crispy [unless that's what their intention is...]. The other I believe were the wings. I am trying not to eat meat so I did not taste it. I did try the side cabbage [salad] that came with it and it was alright, tangy. The lighting I feel like is a bit too dark... I mean I understand the ambience and such but just a tad bit lighter would be nice, I want to see what my food looks like... when I eat.
(4)Linaya P.
Soooo good. Great atmosphere. Margaritas are a must. Love the fireplace in the middle of the restaurant.
(4)Rebecca M.
They have great margaritas and majitos. And if you come during happy hour definitely order their nachos.
(4)Amy J.
My god. What even to say? The Matador definitely deserves its place as a neighborhood standby. Dropped by on a Sunday with my mother, and the service was phenomenal. My sister had been there before but this was our introduction. I know this has been said before, but those nachos! $5 during happy hour? Worth it. And their fajitas are to die for. We didn't have any alcohol, so I couldn't tell you anything about that, but their strawberry lemonade was A+. In conclusion, definitely find your way here. Worth every dollar.
(5)Andrew A.
Matador. You are a neighborhood standby and you never cease to disappoint. Food is always delicious, service is always impeccable, margaritas are always strong and not too sweet. Please never go away. Now if there could only be more unwavering delicious standbys, I would be oh so happy. You guys could do Asian fusion or Korean right? I think it is time for the next trail resturant next store. Downtown Tacoma and Stadium has a glut of good American brewpub type food. There is a gap to be filled here for more great creative, spicy, ethic spots. Thanks for filling that role, but what's next?
(5)Paige T.
This restaurant is fantastic. The service is great, the drinks are strong, and their gluten free menu is extensive. They even mark the items that are fried in shared oil. There's always a long wait but I don't mind because it's worth it.
(5)Nikki M.
The manager sent me a gift card to attempt to make the fly situation right. I took a couple of friends in to try to give it one more shot. I'm sad to say the service was really bad. The waitress was rude and very inattentive. I'm sad to say that I won't be back.
(1)Tiff P.
Ole Ole! These matadors sit behind a large bar with their bull head mounted on the wall, their weapons of choice coming in the form of many liquor filled glass bottles. And ooooo what tasty weapons they are! The 'matadors' are pretty tasty themselves too, for those girls nights out where you need some good eye candy to accompany your cocktail. There are limited choices in downtown Tacoma, but even then, this place is mmmMmmm good. The happy hour is even better. But this place is no secret, it'll be packed on weekends so expect a wait. Friday and Saturday evenings you'll be hard pressed to find space at the bar, but the bar area is definitely better than table seating. The waitresses as well as the hostesses, are all pretty rude and we've never received great service in the restaurant area (and this is when I've come with some hot guy friends too). But the bar is a great spot to start or end your evening out. Favorite eats (are all appetizers): - Calamari - Sauteed mushrooms - Bacon wrapped jalapenos
(4)Brittany S.
everything was fantastic. food, drinks, atmosphere, service.... clean, not too loud. indoor/outdoor seating. highly recommend for Mexican food! Not greasy, very fresh.
(5)Shawn G.
We declined to pay a $5 cover to attend an evening featuring an outdoor loud rap music tent for Cinco de Mayo. The hostess called us "asses" a little too loudly as we turned to walk out, and then proceeded to apologize for her uncalled-for outburst to the people behind us and also intimated it had been "one of those nights". While I'm here, I'll note that the execution at this location is inconsistent compared to other Matador locations. I'd rather not have such a hair-trigger tempered crew handling my food; particularly at this location that may invite feedback and comment by disappointing. Tacoma Matador, you're on time out.
(1)David H.
great food, great atmosphere, great drinks. long wait around 7pm usually and they don't take reservations go earlier or later!
(5)Duyen L.
Came here with my boyfriend for dinner at around 6pm and we had a 30min wait. This was our first time here and it was a full house. Hostest was a little nonchalant. The bar was full and so was their fireplace seating area. Luckily we found two randomly placed chairs by the bathroom entrance and tried to stay out of the way of the hustle and bustle. We were seated before the 30mins, approx 15-20mins. Our waitress suggested "Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos" which was wrapped in Bacon.. um YES. I felt a little rushed by her and like she was trying to read our mind. She would cut us off and rarely made eye contact while she took our order. Didn't like that too much but still she was nice and I get it because it was a full house. After taking our order she brought back chips and salsa. My boyfriend loves good salsa and he really dug this one. Appetizer arrives, YUMM. The crispy bacon combined with creamy soft texture of the cheese was amazing! But wait there's more. It came with this herby creamy dipping sauce which was heavenly! I had to save it to eat with my main course. I ordered the "Enchiladas Al Pastor" and bf ordered the "Matador Burrito" (with Carne Asada). At first bite of my enchilada I was in love. I had a foodgasm every bite afterwards. It was soo delicious. Alone it was already soo good but with the herby sauce from our appetizer I was in heaven. The Matador Burrito was HUGE! My bf gave me a bite and I liked it but I must say I much prefer the delicious enchiladas. Our experience here with food 5 stars! The atomostphere - way too loud, busy, and seems like everyone was running around with their heads cut off. Which I get.. Friday evening, full house. Not a really good place for an intimate dinner date.
(4)Alex K.
Went in and sat down at the bar in the game 6 of the NBA Finals. pretty packed. was greeted by a friendly bartender, believe his name was Zach. he was friendly and had some good recommendations. my friend and i had the carne asada sandwich and the carne asade enchilada. both were very delicious! this place is worth a try, i think most people would like it. only think i would add is that the two meals had a little kick to them so if you dont like spicy food, ask for less sauce or jalapeño.
(5)Jessica D.
Love this restaurant. My husband and I went around 4pm on a Sunday. Be warned, they are considered a bar first, so no one under 21 is allowed. Two women with a small child behind us were turned away at the door, they seemed a little upset. But the waiter was polite when he told them why. Our waitress was very nice and prompt with everything. Their drinks are STRONG! Make sure you eat plenty of their yummy chips and salsa. Also, the spices are mucho spicey where noted on the menu. The food was flavorful and filling. It was really hard to decide what to eat because the whole menu looked so good. The design/motif of the restaurant is unique and cozy. A nice place to relax and drink with friends. All in all a great place to be. Highly recommended.
(5)Ray T.
Good food, but better service please? We tried this place out on a lazy Thursday afternoon for a late lunch. The service started out a bit on the slow side, so I was worried about the rest of the experience. After a bit of a wait, the first drinks came out out and POW! a pleasantly strong Margarita and a better than average sangria. The rest of the meal surpassed expectations... Butternut squash soup, enchiladas, and a house burrito. The large portions ensured we were bursting at the seams when we left. Though the food was great, all we could think about when we left was how long it took for our (friendly) server to bring us the complementary basket of chips and salsa. That being said, I would definitely go back for the food and drinks.
(4)Devan B.
We went to the Matador for their happy hour this weekend and were greeted and told there was about a 20 minute wait. Which was fine, we were seated and one of the ladies in my party asked if she could have a blended margarita. Apparently there isn't a blender in the place and she was told that there are no blended drinks, so we opted for margarita on the rocks instead. They were over priced, as there are no happy hour drinks, but not bad. Our waitress finally came to take our food order and when we asked for the happy hour nachos which were only $5, she asked if we would like "chicken or streak," we chose steak and about 20 minutes later, the food arrived. The food was pretty good, especially for the price and the mountain of food that arrives. The waitress brought our food and never came back to check on us. Other tables were attended too quite well, but we never had any service. When she finally came around with our check, we asked why we were charged $9 for the nachos when the menu said $5, she replied that add-ons like chicken and steak cost $4. No where on the menu we had was that indicated and she never told us that when we ordered. I asked her why she gave the option but failed to inform us of the price, and she looked at my blankly and walked away without a word. Very unprofessional and rude!! In short- I do not plan to return, the drinks were tasty, yet over priced. The food was good, but we all felt sick afterward, and the service was absolutely terrible!!!
(2)Robin C.
Every time I come here the service is always awesome! The food is amazing! Their scratch kitchen really sets them apart from anything else you can find in Tacoma! Long wait? No problem! Grab a fresh margarita at the bar and enjoy the view! The iron work and handmade tables will give you plenty to awe over!
(5)Miss M.
The bomb diggitty ! Awesome food! Not your typical "Mexican restaurant". I should have dressed better. Sexy female staff But really amazing food. The best fajitas!!!!! The steak ones omg!
(5)Mrs M.
I love everything they serve! They made Brussel sprouts taste amazing! Didn't give them five stars because as beautiful as the waitresses are most are kinda jerks. They just want your table for the next group. Like fast food. If the food wasn't so amazing I would rate them 3 stars.
(4)Marcie H.
I went to the Matador last night! It definitely gets crowded, so expect some wait time. We were lucky and able to snag 2 seats at the bar. The best part was that it just so happened that it was happy hour when we got there (Saturday from 5-6 p.m.)! Don't you just love when that happens?! Their happy hour is AWESOME!! There are tons of food options for $5, but no drink specials. We ordered the nachos which were amazing (4.5 - 5 stars...and I'm a pretty tough nacho critic), the strawberry salad which was great (4 stars) and the chicken tacos (2.5 - 3 stars) which were just okay (my least favorite of the things I ordered). The tacos were a little spicy for me, they were falling apart since so much was packed inside and there just wasn't anything special or excitingly flavorful about them. The service was just okay. That might have been because it was a Saturday, very crowded and the bartender is obviously pretty busy. So it was understandable, but it definitely took awhile each time we needed something and it wasn't like they were super friendly. Not a significant problem. Definitely stop in and check out their food!!
(4)Mike L.
My boyfriend and I loved this place. They recently changed their menu and got rid of some of our most favorite things. The last time we were here we walked out.
(2)Amy X.
Huge, seriously Texas-size nachos for $5! Well, $9 if you add meat. Late night happy hour menu (starting 10pm) is still pretty awesome. Margaritas here are bomb. Their spicy ones are very popular but if you're a spicy wimp like me, try the pomegranate or mango. Tastiest fruity margaritas I've had in a long time. Fun vibe, great for groups. Will definitely be back!
(4)Dylon B.
The matador has phenomenal service, and amazing food, they never miss a beat. Laura lee and chelsie are the greatest servers. Always making sure you are full and content. If you're looking for a recommendation I'd have to say the enchiladas al pastor. Either way, can't go wrong with the service or the food.
(5)Stephanie S.
Always like this place. It can be difficult to get in here in a Friday or Saturday night. The drinks here are some of the best. Love the Cadillac margarita. For lunch I had the verde enchiladas that come with black beans and rice. It really isn't a bad deal for lunch especially when it comes with the extras. You also get chips and salsa with the meal. There are always specials as well. I would recommend a stop by even if it's just for a margarita!
(5)Emily R.
There happy hours great. The Texas sized nachos are huge. Five dollars for that and you're good for the night. I highly suggest sharing that with someone. And of course as you would expect you can get an amazing margarita here. They have a lot of choices and they make them really well no the matter what type you try. I suggest the bartenders favorite. Will definitely be heading this again after work.
(4)Mel K.
Came in with friends , our server Maria was new but she was some of the best service I've ever had. Lived the nachos and my margarita. The happy hour menu rocks as well
(5)Jennifer V.
I go to the Matador for their Sangrias, particularly their red Sangrias. The staff is always friendly and on top of it. The ambiance is so chill and just the right type of music to unwind to after a long week of work.
(5)Jessica W.
After waiting an hour for a table and another 45 minutes for our food, you'd think the food would be hot. Nope! Out of 4 of us, 3 of our entrees were in edible because they were ice cold. Sorry, I'm not paying $20 for cold enchiladas. They ended up comping our meals but I refused to order anything else, mostly because I didn't want them to spit in my food, and because I just wanted to get out of there. This place was a huge disappointment. Overpriced and not very good quality Mexican food. I'd rather go to a legitimate Mexican restaurant.
(1)Raymond C.
Enchiladas all Pastor.
(4)Jim R.
Very nice place. All workers are nice. Service is speedy, prices are good. Atmosphere is awesome. Food is always good.
(4)Tiesha H.
Love this place! Our favorite server is Kendra! She is sweet and super attentive! My husband and I will continue to visit this place regularly!
(5)Ashley G.
Love the nachos and margaritas. This place has a fun environment for happy hour, dinner, or late night drinks.
(4)Mike V.
Love this place! Everything on the menu is good! The margaritas are strong and amazing!
(5)Aly T.
Matador is probably one of my favorite places to eat around Tacoma. Well lets be honest, i only go to tacoma for Matador. Each Matador location and service will vary, it will be a hit or miss. For myself i go to Matador for there steak tacos. Simply amazing, and i always get their surf and turf which includes a carne asada steak and habanero shrimps. Let me say that the habanero shrimps aren't for everyone so if you arent much for spicy find an alternative. The way the carne asada steak is seasoned is pretty amazing. I'll confess that i do stop by once and month and yet nothing has change my review until perhaps a very bad experience. So i am crossing my fingers that it will never happen.
(4)Sarah K.
Excellent food - laid back vibe. The service was just average...hostess was prompt with water refills, but the waitress was slow refilling alcoholic drinks.
(4)Stephen K.
Every paying customer deserves to get their moneys worth, unfortunately, the standard at this restaurant was very poor. Our waitress (tattoo name withheld) was very rude and did not seem interested in catering to us and sadly, the table next to us was showered with constant service. We were seated at a dirty, filthy table that was eventually wiped while we were seated. Utensils were left on the side of our table for us to do as we pleased. We were not offered menus until we had seated for at least 20 minutes and had to ask to see the menu. Eventually, our "enthusiastic" waitress came to take our order and that is when I almost lost my cool...I mean, its not like I am here to ask for free food!!! our waitress was either clueless or had something against Spanish and African Americans-I will leave that to your imagination. I am never returning to this establishment again. I will be sure to let my coworkers know about the services that seem to be reserved for those of the "appropriate" color.
(1)Lauren L.
When I'm in the mood for mexican food, I don't think of the Matador. When I'm in the mood for a delicious and strong margarita, then the Matador comes to mind! Don't get me wrong, their food is quite good. But they don't have the typical drenched in cheese, monster portion mexican some people might be craving. Well, unless you get the nachos. Those are some monster nachos. For a main meal, I'd recommend the steak fajitas. While the dish lacks rice which makes me sad, the quality of the steak is excellent. My favorite item is actually the free chips and salsa. The chips are freshly made, liberally salted and the salsa has a rich roasted flavor. Other than the food, the bar is really cool looking and comfortable. The key detail being that it is a bar and can become quite the meat market on weekend nights.
(4)Julie K.
I had dinner tonight at the. Matador. Service was excellent. I had the el pastor enchilada that had arugula and salsa on top. It was awesome. I also had a very interesting margarita with cinnamon . There are other unusual concoctions to try next time. I will be back with more family & friends.
(5)James Kimo L.
Happy hour is what we were after and being new to Tacoma, we decided to check out the popular ones reviewed by fellow yelpers and Matador came out as one of the tops. Easy to find on Pacific Ave, readily found street parking. We moved here from Texas and loved the chic Texan feel of the place. We were promptly seated and we had our choice of where to sit and picked the booth. Happy hour menu was pretty simple but awesome with a price of $5/dish. Bar menu was interesting too but MINUS a star for not even having drink specials...it's HAPPY HOUR..and no DRINK SPECIALS? ok..... We got the Tex-Mex spring rools and the chicken quesadilla and both were pretty good...not true tex-mex excelente but good enough...mojitos were fantastic but sucks they weren't priced for happy hour so that makes up for the great deal on the food we just ate. Total bill was therefore a bit pricier and higher than what I'd expect for a usual happy hour bill for two. I'd come again...but obviously there's plenty more happy hour options around Tacoma and looking forward to experiencing more.
(3)Amanda B.
Seriously fantastic food and drinks!!! My husband, brother in law, and myself were haning out in Tacoma and went in to try the food. I had heard great things about their HH and even better things about their nachos!! Holy cow let me tell you they are like a mountain of cheesy goodness!! Our waiter was Andrea and she was very helpful. Also helpful was her cute and pregnant manager who helped me pick the perfect margarita (helpful tip....they are all good!) After going through the list with Robin, the manager, she suggested either the Tamarind or the Cucumber-Jalapeno. I decided to try them both. The Tamarind first - WOW it was delicious sweet and very summary tasting. There was a cinnamon sugar rim that paired extremely well with the drink. Very impressive. I didn't stop there and also ordered the Cucumber-Jalapeno. That drink is to die for!! Seriously I would walk a thousand miles to have it again. It was spicy and refreshing at the same time. The salt rim was smokey from the chipotle seasoning they mix in with it and it complemented the freshness of the drink well. On to the food. They have a very impressive menu; it was hard to decide if I wanted something more Tex or more Mex. My brother in law ordered the Spicy Chicken Sandwich and he really seemed to like it. I decided on the BBQ sandwiches and they were amazing. I really liked their sauce and the coleslaw. I am a pretty good eater and there was so much food that I had to get a doggy bag. (That may also have something to do with the fact I had three of their amazing margaritas) My husband went for the Matador Burrito and that thing was huge!! We had a fabulous time there the staff was amazing and attentive and extremely helpful. I love going to a place where they get to know me a little and recommend things that they think I would like off the bat. Nobody left with any complaints. That is what gives them 5 gold stars Thanks to Andrea and Robin for a GREAT experience. We will be back
(5)Camille V.
I've only been here once, but that was enough. Albeit, it was a Saturday night, so of course it was crowded. But the music was loud, the hostess was rude. If my friend didn't want to go there so badly, I would have gone somewhere else. The only reason I'm giving it two stars instead of one is because the food was pretty good. There are other places in Tacoma that are more deserving of my business. Haven't been back since (and it was awhile ago).
(2)Eric L.
Service is mediocre and staff will be huddled around when tables are waiting. Food is tasty and drinks are well-made. Overall, I now only go for happy-hour.
(2)Zach M.
One of best happy hours for food in Tacoma. Great spot for a date night or relaxing type of night. Staff always seems to be good and attentive and venue has a nice ambience. One of my go-to spots in Tacoma and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys tex-mex and a little tequila.
(5)Elena M.
After checking out the D.B. Cooper exhibit at the WA State History Museum (excellent exhibit; go see it!), we were ready for some food. Sadly, Paddy Coyne's, our former "go to" spot in Tacoma, has closed its location there. So, we decided to go to The Matador. We have been to the Seattle locations many times, but this was our first time at the Tacoma one. It was happy hour and the place was hopping. But, we were still able to be seated immediately. The first table we were given was directly in the path of the setting sun and was hot. Very hot. Our server, though, happily complied with our request to be reseated and told us that, since the city chopped down some trees directly in front of the building, it was like an oven there. But, our new seats were out of the heat and drinks and appies were ordered. The nachos were as large a serving as we've experienced at the Seattle locations. We always get these with chicken. This time around, I think there were more toppings (of the aforementioned chicken,. And black beans. And guacamole.) than there were chips. Not that this is a bad thing. We also ordered the garlic prawns, though, and were disappointed with these. There were only five, smallish, prawns in the order, My husband expressed his surprise at the huge nachos serving and the tiny prawns serving being offered at the same price. The prawns were swimming in what I guess was a garlic butter sauce. It was crying out for some bread to sop it up, but there was none to be had. So, most of it went to waste. (But, truth be told, it was not particularly flavorful, so this was no great loss.) Still, despite our being less-than-satisfied with the prawns, everything else -- the nachos, the service, the margaritas -- were spot on. The Matador just might become our new "go to" spot in Tacoma...
(4)C J.
One of my favorite places to go in Tacoma! I always bring people here who are visiting from out of town. Relaxing atmosphere, excellent Guacomolie, Stella on Draft! Who can ask for more! Also, Happy Hour is to die for! Yum Central! :)
(5)Meredith U.
I loved our server and the customer service in general was fantastic. The food was delicious, creative, and completely satisfying. The restaurant is beautiful, and the atmosphere is inviting. As a California native, I have high expectations for my Mexican food. The Matador delivered!
(5)Tom M.
Me gusta mucho, Tacoma! Amazing food. Very cool interior and slick bar. Great selections of tequilas and tasty margaritas. Overall, I loved the ambiance, menu and food. Order the enchiladas al pastor and you'll thank me, just as I thanked my friend for recommending them to me.
(4)Valerie K.
I am reviewing their happy hour menu. We only go here for happy hour. We love their Texas nachos with chicken. Definitely my favorite nachos! Mmm... For $5 plus extra for chicken, you easily have a meal between two people. I also like their romaine salad on the HH menu. Super yummy, and generous. The drinks are very expensive, and aren't cheaper during happy hour. But, they're great drinks. The service has also always been great.
(4)Tanya B.
First time in Tacoma and The Matador. Great food and atmosphere. Our server, Kristen was so friendly and courteous that I will definitely go back next time I'm in town!!
(4)Bettina B.
My best friend and myself took her/our Mom here for her Birthday last year. It was so much fun The food was AMAZING, but we really enjoyed the drinks the most. We tried all the different margaritas but really liked the Tamarid(spell check) Margarita and the Long Islands. I've been back a few times and its always busy, but always always worth the wait. I love the bartenders here....I def look forward to the drinks, the food is just a bonus ha ha ha. Yes I will be back. Happy Hour here is mostly for the food. Cant complain though the food is outstanding. Thank you Matador, cant wait to be back.
(5)Coree C.
STEAK NACHOS. Hands down.. the best meal I have ever had. (Don't tell my mom) They are excellent.. they have become a tradition for my date night with my husband, with friends.. Just so you know, we moved to san diego for a while and I searched the entire area for a comparable nacho joint and I didn't find one. I ate a lot of bad nachos.. and the calories were not worth it. Bowing to the plate of nachos..
(5)Cateyite L.
Great, wonderful steak nachos and lovely atmosphere. Will return!
(4)Michelle C.
The nachos were good. Service wasn't anything special. Noticed the bartender, Ryan added an additional tip to my receipt, after I had already tipped in cash! Never going back to this place.. Such dishonesty!
(1)Giovanna F.
I haven't given out 5 stars in awhile! This place gets 5 because of service, food and cool atmosphere. The trifecta in Tacoma to boot. Who would've thunk?! I'm not that into asian fusion or tex mex places because I like food in its most authentic form but this place really surprised me. Came in on a late flight just in time for happy hour. $5 a plate. We ordered the egg rolls and habanero shrimp. They were small plates the perfect portion size. We also had steak nachos and the steak sandwich. YUM! The steak on both dishes was perfectly medium rare. My steak was chopped and placed between 2 brioche buns. The bread was soft and buttery and was perfect for sopping up all the different sauces on our table! Habanero sauce, the 2 that came w the egg rolls and the chipotle mayo. The shrimp was perfectly cooked. The habanero sauce wasn't as hot as I expected. I'm all about the heat! Lastly, the chips and salsa is very reminiscent of Chevy's chips and salsa. Be careful they are very addicting! The thing that made this experience excellent was the service. We sat in one of the tables in the back and it was pretty crowded on this Thursday night but we were not forgotten. My drink was re-filled at least 3x and the wait staff came by frequently (not enough to be annoying) to ask how everything was. Our waitress was very friendly and I could tell that she liked her job and that made all the difference. I may have found my favorite restaurant in Tacoma so far!
(5)Eric M.
Great happy hour and definitely a great place to bring a date for 1 on 1 talks. The noise level isn't especially too loud but not so quiet where it feels like everyone can hear what you are talking about!. Great and professional looking staff and service was on par with the look. Im a fan!
(4)Daniel M.
This is a nice place for drinks if you're out bar hopping or if you want a decent atmosphere. As for the food, it's a no-go! I'm from Southern California and I've been craving some good Mexican food up here. I read the reviews and it all looked good. Came here and the food is not up to par. I had to send an order back because if I wanted Taco Bell quality tacos, I would have went to Taco Bell and spent $5 as opposed to $20. If you tell me I'm getting shredded beef inside of a fried corn tortilla shell, that's what I expect. Not ground beef in a processed taco shell. On the up side... They have good tequila. Thank god they don't have to make that!
(2)Ashley G.
Great happy hour! I've been a bunch of times with friends and like to bring out of towners.
(4)Erin E.
Best happy hour for food! The nachos are your best bet. Bummed there are any drinks discounted though.
(5)Teresa H.
i loved the food, i loved the 'Bartenders Special Margarita, i loved the atmosphere, the decor, the prices (which are especially wonderful at lunch and runs late into the afternoon). i loved the fresh warm chips and their version of salsa is top notch! i will most definitely return. outstanding. the waitstaff was a bit lax. i had to ask for silverware, too. and extra napkins. everything is cool- the waitstaff just needs some training.
(4)Yvette A.
I can eat here everyday...but then I'd have trouble hiding my inner fat girl. I love this place because the servers are very attentive and friendly almost to the point of irritating the dog piss out of you. Love the nachos, but wait for happy hour. It's a much better deal for the same item. Not a big fan of beans and rice for obvious reasons, so I don't know if it was the cheese on top of the beans that had me scarfing them down like a mad woman or just me being greedy. Anyway, The food is great and I haven't tried anything on the menu I haven't enjoyed yet. Make sure you get extra salsa!
(4)Joshua W.
Came here for the around midnight and caught some really sweet deals during the happy hour. We ordered the calamari, (4) Blacken fish tacos and nachos and it all came to $20. The bartender was cool and friendly and even charged my phone behind the bar for me. I don't know how the regular menu is but I do recommend this place off the strength of its happy hour.
(4)Ruth W.
Food, drinks and service were over the top good!! We will be back :) ordered carnitas and surf&turf!! Try the bartenders margarita!! Amazing, lovely dinner.
(5)Angela E.
Sit outside in the summer, it's great. Been there a few times, food was good, drinks good. Servers friendly and helpful, when I am in the area I would go back.
(3)Nari H.
Great place - pretty good food, not super greasy or heavy or anything like that. I would definitely recommend their happy hour. Other reviews were right on - good place to have a good conversation without having to shout or feel like everyone can hear what you're talking about. Dress is pretty casual but you can dress up if you want. Random note: Their drapes are for show - you can't move them for shade if the sun is in your eyes, so if the sun is still out - watch where it hits your table. :)
(4)Kalia A.
Love this place! This place has great food, amazing salsa and really good drinks. Only reason I did not give this place 5 stars was because the customer service from the servers isn't that great. Usually on the weekend the line to get in is out the door, usually standing room only and the wait to be seated is always over 30 minutes.
(4)Rona L.
They have a great HH menu with cheap food, though no drink specials. Every time we go, we order a shot of the Sauza Hornitos Reposado which comes with a slice of orange dipped in cinnamon sugar (in place of a lime)...delicious and smooth! The margaritas are quite strong and refreshing. Last time we went, I also ordered the Banana Crown for dessert - almost a banana wonton type served with coconut ice cream. Service is always great when we come here. You have one waiter, but everyone comes around to refill your water, take away plates, etc. Definitely a great option of a low-key night.
(3)Carol B.
food is excellent. their black bean dip is amazing. nachos could have a little more cheese, but still freaking yummy. awesome happy hour
(4)Victor M.
I always judge a Mexican restaurant by their salsa. Here it was filled with well blended bold flavors, cool with a good consistency, but spicier than normal. This salsa's opinion was, "I need to prepare you for a new culinary experience." I concur.
(5)L. L.
Nothing but the best experiences when it comes for food, quality, quantity, and service. Wonderful for groups or just on your own. Happy Hour is one of the top in Tacoma and the standard drinks are doubles someplace else. Great environment and a good location.
(4)G K.
LOVE LOVE the happy hour. The food is great and the portions are HUGE so a must share! I currently live out of state but always make sure I include a trip to Matador whenever I visit Tacoma. I always get the steak nachos and the calamari (all to share, of course!). The calamari sauce is the best calamari sauce I've had. Also, the sangria is delish! Way better than the margs. mmmm....steak nachos........sangria.....mmmmm.......
(5)Jenny K.
Note: Only 21+ allowed. The happy hour is one of my favorite ones. The regular menu, in my experience, has been a bit pricey for the quality of food you're served. The restaurant serves one of the most delicious mojitos I've tasted! I would drink more than one when I'm there but since there's no happy hour savings on drinks I can usually afford just one.
(4)Judy M.
My neighbors and I had an impromptu girls' night. I was a little worried about going here because of some of the challenges with parking downtown. We found a spot in less than five minutes. Off to a good start. We had to wait to 40 minutes before we were seated. We waited at the bar, while the other ladies had some drinks. I decided to wait until dinner, since I was the DD. Have to pace yourself with such responsibility. Our food came in a reasonable amount of time. I ordered the butternut squash quesadillas for an appetizer, and offered them to the table. Someone else ordered nachos, and also shared. My app was so flipping delicious, the nachos looked more impressive than they tasted. In the end, I regretted sharing, as I only got one quesadilla, and I wanted to slap everyone at the table for taking advantage of my generosity. Just when I was about to do it, my entree came. Good timing, because there was about to be a smacking massacre. I ordered the braised pork. The pork was beautifully cooked. I could tell that someone had taken the time to carefully season and slow cook this pork. It was succulent and tender. Everything else on my plate was a distraction. The dish came with tortillas, but I found that they didn't allow the pork to stand out as it should. So, I ended up eating it without the tortillas, with the black beans as a side dish. I also ordered a blackberry margarita while we dined. It was good and scrong. Yes, I said, scrong, not strong. Scrong is when a drink puts some chest hairs on you. I'm glad that we talked and ate for a long time, otherwise, I would not have been a very good DD. The effects did not wear off until over an hour later. It took a long time for our check to come, but I didn't mind because we were enjoying ourselves. Otherwise, it would have been a pain. One app, one entree, and one drink later, my bill was $30. I was quite pleased. The food has clean flavors, and the drinks are tasty and scrong. This is one of those places that you should probably come when you are not in a rush, and don't mind waiting a bit. I'll be back.
(4)Cameron B.
Wish I could give negative stars. We've been here 10+ times in the 4 years we've lived downtown, and is usually pretty good. However, today was the last time we will ever spend any money for the dog food they call food. I ordered tortilla soup which was described to me in detail by the bartender. To my surprise, my tortilla soup had less than a cup of actual broth, and had POTATOES in it!?!? In what kind of bizarro world does any mexican dish, let alone tortilla soup, have potatoes in it? Not just some, it made up about half of the bowl of 'soup'. Oh, and if you like bartenders and staff that talk shit about customers openly and ignore you the entire time, this is the place for you. In the end, I feel like I made terrible life choice after leaving this place for the last time with nothing but regret, sadness and a queazy feeling with the only thing to remember it by. BARFFFFF
(1)Geneva H.
North Tacoma is a pretty neat area and this bar is a hidden gem. This is my favorite Matador out of all of the ones we have been to (West Seattle and Ballard). I love the look bar. All of the candles are really beautiful. Plus is has a great industrial look. The prices are the same as all of the other Matadors. I am always disappointed that they do not have alcohol on there Happy Hour menus, but the food is a good deal.
(5)Jessica S.
Beef empanadas were overcooked and tough to cut through. Pork pastor sandwich tasted like hot pineapple and greasy bread (literally, no other flavors). Fiancé had the carne asada sandwich, which we both agreed tasted better than mine but was nothing to write home about. Very surprised that the sandwiches are served with super plain French fries. Not some kind of Mexican seasoned potatoes or other yummy side, but very lackluster skinny French fries with no seasoning. Cadillac margarita was mostly ice and the red sangria was so-so. We went here because El Gaucho was already closed, won't make that mistake again. Our server was very nice, but didn't really say anything except "sorry" when I stated I didn't like my sandwich.
(2)Brian S.
One of my favorite places to eat. The surf and turf is my absolute favorite. Today my wife and I came for happy hour and had drinks and two steak tacos for $5. The tacos were awesome!! I'll be back for happy hour in the future!!
(5)Sean C.
Very cool restaurant with an awesome happy hour. Very friendly staff, and killer food. Atmosphere is great, drinks are great.. Parking during happy hour can be a very big struggle but it is usually well worth the frustration.
(4)Kathryn N.
I've always gone here for a great happy hour. The steak tacos are always my favorite . They have a huge nacho platter as well. I had a grilled tuna dish here and loved it. Perfectly cooked tuna and the sauce was delicious . I've drank don Julio shots here but what I crave is their peach sangria ! It's fizzy and sweet but not too sweet with just the right amount of fruit . It's perfect for a nice date, or to go with friends to hangout . It's a little dark but I love that kind of atmosphere. Friendly and attentive staff. Never had a dull bartender !
(4)Kim P.
I'm in love! Our server, food, and drinks were perfect, even with a party of seven. I couldn't have asked for more. Well, maybe more cowbell. ;)
(5)Mark H.
I love it here! The food is really good especially the ceviche. The margaritas are the best in Tacoma. Try the El Cajon is amazing. The wait staff has been consistently good and we enjoy it every time .
(4)Hanna K.
Location and ambience is great. BUT, food is as boring as can be and customer service...well...SLOW. Is their happy hour a great deal? Sure. But if you're hungry and don't want to wait 20 minutes for their waitress to bring just WATER, you better go somewhere else.
(2)Sandie L.
RESERVATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED! Even on a rainy night, this place gets a lot of action! Parking is a bit tricky with all the Ave's night eats and bars, but not too bad. Tonight, I tried the butternut quesedilla.... result: meh Interesting combination of ingrediants, but I would pass next time and tell my friends to pass on the entree as well. Perhaps if the squash was pureed and hit with some spice it might be more interesting to eat. What I do like here is their salsa! yumMEEEE! Their ice cream is very yummy as well... Overall, atomosphere is EXCELLENT, and the crowds of urban-looking peeps bring a lot of flavor-flav, but the food is meh
(3)Ness S.
You can not beat this happy hour and food!! Happy hour on the weekend too, what else could you ask for? The $5 menu is amazing. There $5 nacho plate is unbelievable, I ordered this and two other items to share thinking they'd be small since it was happy hour. Was I wrong. They were huge, I felt like I barely made a dent in it, all the fixings quac, cheese, sour cream, beans, all for $5. I was stuffed between that and the chips and salsa I was good to go . Other items tacos and quesadilla were yummy too. I tried their jalapeno margarita it was really good, not too spicy and not too sweet. There was a decent crowd there for a Saturday happy hour, but we were still able to get a seat around the cool fire pit at the bar (perfect for a date night). It appeared as though they serve happy hour throughout the restaurant not just at the bar. The location is great too if you plan to continue on to other bars or restaurants.
(4)Robert W.
Mmm
(5)Ben S.
The Matador is fantastic. Their food is delicious and reasonably priced. They also have reasonably priced drinks, a good beer selection, and a bunch of delicious mixed drinks. Come for the happy hour - significantly reduced prices and quesedillas that are only made for that time. The nachos are also fantastic - they have a unique smokiness that I've never tasted anywhere else. Perhaps the best aspect of the restaurant is the decor and ambiance. It is one of the hippest places in Tacoma.
(5)Brigit L.
The food and drinks are delicious, and the service and atmosphere are top notch. Perfect date spot. I definitely recommend checking it out!
(5)Mallory S.
I will keep this simple as I have eaten here MANY times. Food - 5 stars. Everything I have had is excellent. Drinks - 5 stars. Excellent margaritas, sangria and Dos Equis (lager and amber on tap). Atmosphere - 3 stars. Great space that works well with large groups. Service - 2 stars. Friendly waitresses that have no trouble forgetting about you or checking in for additional food, drinks, etc. The best value is Happy Hour from 4-6pm or 10pm-1am ($5 plates). 1 per person usually can satisfy a group of four people easily.
(4)Angie L.
We came here on a Friday night. The place was way too packed. We went to the bar and my bf ordered us a drink. Talk about overpriced!! Wow... I've been to some high end bars/lounges and the drinks were cheaper than what they charged here. Ridiculous. Anyway, about 30 mins later, we were seated. My bf ordered some enchilada dish and I ordered their chicken fajitas. The food was good. I mean, it's your typical Americanized Mexican food... meat, veggies, rice, beans, cheese, tortillas. Can't really go wrong, right? Word of advice... don't plan on getting a buzz here. It'll cost you a leg... unless you are a super light weight. Otherwise, I'd grab a drink or two elsewhere beforehand.
(3)Andrea B.
Walked in on a Saturday night. Told it was a 20 min wait. Okay, no problem. We'll sit outside and wait until an inside table was open. Hostess said we'd have to close out tabs outside and reopen inside when we were reseated, but whatever. It was a preferable option to standing in the crowded doorway. We're shown to a table outside and given menus. Which concluded them acknowledging our existence. We sat for literally 20 minutes without anyone saying a word to us. Out of the 4 outside tables, there was only one other table with people sitting. We were seated immediately outside the door. We watched the waitress come outside 3 times to the single other table. She never once said a word to us, we weren't even able to catch her attention. After 20 minutes, someone came to bring us water and then left without a word. We were done. We got up and left. As we're leaving, the waitress stands by the door waiting for us to file out and says "have a good night." it was the final straw for my girlfriend. She told the waitress how upset we were about the lack of service and the waitress told her that we weren't her table. Really? You have 2 people for 4 tables? Really? Either way, none of us well be back. Disappointing because I keep hearing people say good things. Of four of us in my party, three of us had never been to the Matador. My girlfriend who complained had been there once and was giving it a final chance. High hopes for a new girls night spot, but it's doubtful any of us will be back.
(1)Jeff F.
Went to The Matador last night and had an amazing dinner! I got the steak sandwich and it was bomb!!! The only downside is it was super busy but thats not really a bad thing though! All the staff were super friendly too! Ill totally be back there for more!
(5)Anna Banana H.
Unmatched decor and good drinks. However the food is not as authentic as some I have had but still very good. Go for tequila, margaritas and beer and a one of a kind bar and enjoy the dim candle lit atmosphere with good music.
(4)Corey H.
Shocked at the high scores this place gets. Staff was nice. I wasn't expecting authentic Mexican cuisine or anything, but dang, worse than Azteca? Drinks were nothing special either. I won't be returning.
(2)Kim H.
tamarind margarita! great fire pit! great service!
(5)Philip S.
Lunch here on 02 November. Good service and good food. A fantastic list of tequilas that I will need to try another time.
(3)Sam J.
OK.... So, we went to the Matador based on the Yelp reviews. We were seated promptly but with no real "politeness" The waitress was beautiful! Our food came, and she disappeared!! I was out of water quickly. The glasses were only about 6 ounces at the most. The chicken was quite spicy and I needed more WATER!! I could see her.. She was checking her phone and talking to co workers.. Uggh... Won't go back. Tiped 20% because my husband is the bomb like that..But really? SNOBBY ASS NOT WORTH IT
(2)Shelley R.
A friend and I decided to meet at The Matador for lunch this past Saturday, despite hearing that the service has been going downhill for a while now. I should have been suspicious when I arrived at 12:30 on a Saturday, and although there were only 3 occupied tables I had to stand out front for several minutes before being greeted, although I know the server cleaning a table saw me the minute I walked in. Once I was seated and before my friend arrived, I noticed that my feet were sitting in a puddle of soda (?), complete with ice cubes, although this was the table the server had just cleaned. I'm not talking about just a little spill, I'm talking about a puddle! When the server came back after almost 5 minutes with a glass of water and some menus I pointed out the puddle on the floor under my feet and she just looked at it and said "well, do you want to move?", and then pointed to a different section and walked away. Once I relocated myself, my friend showed up and while we were waiting for menus and drinks the two servers went to the food pick up area and while other customer's food was waiting under heat lamps to be served the girls just stood there having a conversation and complaining about the customers, laughing and criticizing not only me for moving tables, but the other customers as well. We were less than 5 feet away from them! My friend and I decided to leave at this point, and ended up having lunch at another establishment and enjoying excellent customer service and good food. I will never return to this restaurant; I guess I should have listened to the people who were telling me how bad The Matador has gotten. It's a shame, I was there on several different occasions last year and really enjoyed the food.
(1)Jason C.
This is a great nightlife spot. When I want to get people together and have a fun night out, this is where we start. Grab some cheap nachos, some strong drinks, and get ready to run around downtown for a night. This is also a good spot for pre-game. It's alright for a date night, although its not exactly romantic. If you do come, make sure you get reservations. This place is packed on Friday and Saturday nights. The food is reliably good, if somewhat conservative. Steak, chips, potatoes, greens, and a good helping of seasoning make sure you never get a bad dish. The staff are pros. They know their stuff, they look good, and they keep you happy. I always try to tip 30% or better here, and they remember me for it.
(4)Andy S.
You can't ask for much more. Delicious affordable food, cool atmosphere and attractive people.
(5)Justin S.
Great place to have some good drinks and good food. Sure you might have to wait a little bit to get seated on the weekends, but my take on that is because it's worth it. If you're looking for fast food continue down Pacific. The staff here is always very nice and attentive, great place for a Date Night or just meeting a group of friends. Only suggestion I recommend is to have someone get there early to get your group a table, but once that's taken care of just sit back and enjoy.
(4)Tim H.
Have been here twice now, once for happy hour, once for full dinner. Both times have been very good. Decent portions, consistent flavor, rockin salsa and pretty good service. But the tequila is the kicker- more selection than I've seen almost anywhere, decent pricing and good quantity.
(4)Michael K.
**Happy Hour Review** This is certainly one of the go to places for my friends who are better at mixing up the spots that they hit on weekends/random weekday drink nights. I really like how well kept the interior is, and the bar area is cool and chic, never really feeling like the local haunt that it seems to now embody for us locals (me not included normally =P ). I have to concur with several other reviews that when I find the place crowded, it is a failry big bro-storm, but that's no fault of theirs' and thus encourages me to utilize it as a starting point, generally during the 4-6 HH. The booze is pretty standard - good selection - although the lack of substantial drink specials pretty much represent the only star taken away. Again, bear in mind I'm reviewing their happy hour prowess, so if their food during normal hours is as good as their happy hour menu, the same star would not be lost. I am, however, used to cheap cheap cheap drinks when I'm eating a happy hour meal, so it is a little disappointing. Calamari - Pretty good, always a winner when I'm drinking. Portion is a bit small but that's why you order two, duh! Interesting spicy breading and a rich and creamy sauce for dipping. Can be a bit chewy with the smaller pieces but mostly spot on. Nachos - Yum! Big! Tons of flavor packed in with no shortage of toppings. Chips are plentiful and haven't been stale any of the times I've tried them. Love the salsa. Speaking with poor sentence structure. Currently want these. Fish Tacos - I think in general, I just have an unnatural lust for fish tacos, as I have never really tried one that disappointed me. No different at the Matador. Good quality fish, great seasonings, and delicious accompaniments. Everything comes together well with these and provided you aren't drinking too heavily, they're a great stand alone dinner. I really should make this place a more regular stop - Maybe I've just convinced myself... time will tell. ((Make a giant order of guacamole n' chips a happy hour item!)) Who said that?
(4)Kim P.
Great HH Menu and Fantastic drinks!!! Neither ever fail when I visit.... My favorite drink is the Tamarind, the cinnamon sugar rim adds a great YUMMY factor:) All the drinks never skimp, the bartenders at the Tacoma location are very engaging and always hook ya up!! The Nachos are HUGE, like over-flowing from the plat HUGE, add chicker or chorizo and OMG, your done! I think I have tried pretty much every dish on the HH menu, between all the visits, whether my Hubby and I go after a movie, or the ladies for a prefunk or after work with the co-workers, this place always delivers:) I have yet to order an actual "dinner" entree but have had friends order and comment highly on them. The HH menu to me is so abundant and fulfilling enough that I haven't felt the huge to change that!. The only negative thing I can say is that they get "packed" and quickly:( Depending on your party size it could take a while to get seated and forget about it on a Friday or Saturday night. But this just shows how great the place is.....
(4)David A.
Its the scene on a saturday night. Tacomas finest in full bloom
(4)Ashley B.
My husband and I went here for a Saturday date night. He didn't want to go because of prior lukewarm experiences at both the Seattle and Redmond locations, but I managed to convince him to give it another try. We were told a 20-25 minute wait when we got there around 7pm, so we sat in the corner of the entry way, near the bar (but not at it because it was already packed with people hanging around waiting to nab open seats.) We decided to prolong our starvation by not ordering an appetizer because we had no table and nowhere to put it. A waitress came to us and took our order for drinks, which were nice to tide us over while we were waiting. I enjoyed my red sangria. This wouldn't have been so bad if it didn't end up taking 50 minutes for us to be seated, without so much as an apology for the gross miscalculation in wait time. Next, I got a white sangria, of which I couldn't take more than a couple sips. Ick - it tasted like peach schnapps straight out of the bottle, and I'm even known to appreciate overly sweet drinks. Gah. We got a butternut squash quesadilla as an appetizer, which was pretty tasty but overload on the dairy. After two slices of it, I felt borderline ill from the cheese/cream overload and I couldn't manage to eat more than a few bites of my entree, a dry veggie enchilada. My husband's burrito was basically full of rice and a few shreds of chicken, topped with melted cheese. Positive components of the night: a ridiculously nice waitress (couldn't possibly complain to HER), a decent Mexican Old Fashioned, and my husband's joy derived from his moment of "I told you so." Sorry, Matador. You missed your chance for redemption.
(2)Korbett M.
The Matador's happy hour has been voted best happy hour in the Pierce County Journal, South Sound Magazine, and the Weekly Volcano has named it the best late night restaurant. From drinks to great food deals, the Matador is definitely a great happy hour hot spot. We love to stop by for the $5 mega nacho's and drink creations.
(5)B S.
Yes, there may be a long wait on the weekends, but sometimes it's worth it! I love this place. Great atmosphere, wonderful for a date night! Servers always very friendly and have great food. Keep up the good work you guys!
(5)Ryan L.
Flies, flies, flies. The place was loaded with 'em. To me ... that's gross. The ceviche was flavorless and bland, as ceviches go. I think these were farm-raised freshwater shrimp ... ho hum, no flavor. The bbq ancho wings were also lacking the heat, I expected. Chicken soft tacos were just okay ... nothing to write home about. The one thing this place has going for it ... and the reason I've always visited there before ... is the best selection of tequila anywhere around the area.
(2)Sarah E.
No kids allowed
(5)BreeMarie L.
I took my husband here for his birthday dinner. The wait was long but we went had a drink a couple doors down. When we returned our table was ready. The service was great. the food and drinks were amazing. The decor is really dark and pretty. We love this place!
(5)Mark H.
The food and drinks here are fantastic! During busy times it can be a wait. The nachos are amazing. Can't beat their chorizo either! My favorite place to grab a margarita in Tacoma.
(5)Josepi Y.
First, it's really nice in and outside, but " here comes the negative." Customer service is lacking here. A party of eight of us came here Saturday night at 430 for dinner and than to go to the Tacoma comedy club at 715pm. Like I said we showed up at 430 because they do not take reservations. The hostess said it would be about a half hour wait which is not bad, so we went and waited at the bar. Which had no room so us guys stood while the girls were able to sit. We waited an hour for our table and no one came up to say sorry are table will ready soon. I than got tiered of watching people go and people being seated that just came in. I went and talked to the hostess about this and all she could say was that its not her fault and that she was waiting for one of the bigger tables to leave. An hour and forty five minutes later I went looking for than manager. Unfortunately not the other way around. I told him that we had been waiting for a very very long time and he said well they try hard to give accurate wait times but it dose not always work out. Which I can understand but an hour and forty five min wait is crazy. I told him we are hungry and we have a show to go to. Now he did apologize but it was one of those, "I have to say this sorry" rather than truly being sorry which left me Irritated. In all this review is not about the food because we were unable to get any. But about their customer service and the lack of compassion that eight people waited around for an hour and forty five minutes only to leave hungry and upset. Obviously the eight of us will not be going back and we will be telling our friends not to bother trying. Oh and Matador by what I saw I know your business won't be hurting with out us so what's the incentive of changing. Well it's the people like us that show up in big groups because we are loyal to our friends and that shows we are loyal to the business that we go to.
(1)Lacacia C.
Probably my second favorite Happy Hour menu in Tacoma. Really inexpensive, good quality and always tasty. The fajitas on the regular lunch/dinner menu are the best I've had anywhere, I order chicken with corn tortillas for a yummy gluten free meal. The servers, hosts and bartenders are really nice and I almost always see the manager talking with guests. I know it's a tequila bar, and I love me some tequila, but the red wine selection is very decent and I almost always end up trying a few different glasses. Nice outdoor seating area has me wishing we had more sunny days to sit outside and enjoy Pacific Ave with a glass of wine or margarita. Highly recommend this place for lunch, dinner or late night drinks and they serve food until 1am. Try the Tamarind Margarita!!!
(4)Lisa B.
Love this place. Not a whole lot else to say except the bar tenders are AWESOME, its always busy on the weekends, and its a great place to grab a drink during the week days. I love the Matador in tacoma. I actually live in Ballard and there is a Matador in DT ballard- however I enjoy coming here much more!
(5)Brett E.
Excellent food, the ingredients used are very fresh, and the Jalapeños poppers are an amazing starter!! One of the few places where they aren't deep fried... Good for you Matador! If it hasn't been for the swarm of flies throughout the restaurant on a warm summer day it would have been a perfect 5 stars from me.
(4)Jay H.
This used to be my spot. I was here 2-3 times a week easy till I moved north. I love their margaritas here. I'd always get the cadillac with Don Julio Blanoc tequila. So refreshing after a long day. The big ol' plate o' nachos with chicken, braised carnitas, spicy scallops, etc... there's so much to love about the food here. I've always gotten great service here. Regardless of how busy it is I've always gotten seated quickly and been taken care of quite well. My water is constantly being filled and my drinks would be brought out quickly and replaced just as swiftly. I've been here with some fairly clumsy folks (clumsy plus booze = hilariously bad idea) who have broken glasses and plates and the staff just shrugs their shoulders and deals with it without making a scene or pointing fingers. I've never had my own drink messed up but I've had people in my group who have and their drink is always replaced for the correct one without much hassle. I really love the decor of the place. The dim lighting, iron work, bull skulls and fire pit... it really creates a unique cool atmosphere. I'm always excited when the weather is nice and the patio is open. There is some great people watcing to be had there! I'm a huge fan and can't wait for my next trip here for some braised carnitas with some chips and salsa!
(4)Jenn A.
The best margaritas you are going to find. These guys know what they are doing and they do it well. The food is ok, a little chain restaurant-ish but decent. The nachos are gigantic and for $5 during HH they can't be beat. Tacos and fajitas are both solid choices, the carne asada is tender and flavorful. I'm also a fan of the braised grape salad is a great green start to the heavy food that is served. Head down and ask for Pedro, he makes the best margaritas!
(4)Shell K.
I consider myself to be a Mexican food junkie and "salsa snob." After spending many years in Nevada, where there is no shortage of good Mexican food... Matador's HOT shrimp enchiladas are my weak spot. The shrimp is plentiful, sauce is not too hot but has a kick, the cheese is rich, and need I say more about the rice and beans? My only gripe is that I have had to ask for chips and salsa- which just seems wrong on so many levels. But then I'll order a pitcher of their red sangria and the world seems right again. We recently moved to the D.C. area and there's just no comparison out here.
(5)Johnnie W.
Great place for fish tacos
(4)Ali C.
Tonight, I received the shittiest service ever, at my first visit to this establishment. So disappointed in this place.
(1)Michele P.
Wow! What a great find! This is my new date night spot because there's no kids allowed - and this mommy and daddy like that... And not to mention the best Mexican food I've found in a loong time. The prices are right and I love the patio seating.
(5)David R.
Average at best. Carne asada, chips and sals - all average. Shrimp appetizer was not good.
(3)Jee H.
I went here recently with a work group to celebrate a birthday. As soon as you enter, the atmosphere is just pretty cool. Fire pit in the middle, bar off to the right and eating to the left and right. The chips and salsa are really good -- I could have eaten just that and I would have been happy. It was a little busy but because there was a kick to the salsa, I drank A LOT of water but the server wasn't attentive enough to really check on us about water. That was a downer. The food came through and we were a group of 6. 4 of my coworkers were really happy with their meal. One of my coworkers had the fish taco and felt that it was lacking in amount of fish and flavor. I had the pulled pork burger and the pork was a bit dry. Bathrooms were clean and spacious -- plus. I'd go here again but I would do two things differently. Ask for a carafe of water so that when I really need it, I won't be stuck drinking my own spit and I would have something other than the fish taco/pulled pork sandwich. Great atmosphere, service was "ok" but those chips and salsa...I'm telling you -- they were good.
(3)Adria M.
I love the food here, and the service has been MOSTLY good (which is why I knocked off one star.) This place rocks, so if you're not used to loud establishments: look elsewhere. The guac is awesome... the fajitas are AMAZING. I always take a tub of salsa home with me as well. If you want Mexican, please go here! Like tequila? Get Chamucas- you will never drink Patron again!
(4)Tim W.
Great Happy Hour! Went in for the late night 10-1 happy hour which had an assortment of $5 dishes. Ordered the Texas Sized Nachos and was shocked by the size. Had the sour cream on the side and two of us couldn't finish them. I also had two pork shoulder tacos that were tender and really flavorful. Staff was friendly, and wait was very minimal given the large crowd at the restaurant. I just wish I would have known sooner than my last night in Tacoma. Highly recommended for someone wanting a late night QUALITY meal.
(5)Carey K.
One of my go-to places in Tacoma. It's a Tequila bar with great food. The bar and interior are very cool with lots of sculpted iron and a circular fireplace to sit around. The servers are usually pretty knowledgeable about Tequila and if asked will pair you up with something good. Try a little cinnamon and orange around the rim of a Herradura reposado or ask the server for something else special. The appetizers rock. My wife and I love the Chipotle Chicken Wings and Ahi. The entrees are also delicious and too numerous to mention. I've never been disappointed with the food. The service is usually good and friendly. Overall Matador is one of my Tacoma faves. But be warned. This place can get packed fast especially on Fridays and they don't take reservations.
(4)Steve C.
The drinks are good and at these prices they better be. The food is ok, and at these prices that is not OK. I like the space and the menu but I expected better food and better service. We had to wait almost a hour for a table, and on purpose there is almost no place to wait comfortably, they we got over priced food and good but full priced drinks. In 2013? No, there are too many options for me to put up with this.
(2)Melissa S.
I will say I am giving this place two starts for the food and the food ONLY. The service here is horrible, they walk around like you are totally putting them out to have to help you....listen people, if you dont like customer service then I would suggest you not work customer service! I love the food here, the people not so much and the price is a little like wtf. We went for lunch, lunch I tell you and it was 75$! I mean, 75$ for 2 entrées, 1 appetizer (that consisted of only 4 shrimp) and two drinks.... And sadly, I was forced to only tip 6$ due to the horrible service all around. Based on our experience with the staff and the price, we will not be going back, which is sad, they have good food.
(2)Mrs. G.
Great atmosphere, yummy drinks, delicious food! My Husband and I went here on a friday night. The place was packed.. but still one of the servers came over and asked if we would like to order a drink while we wait to be seated. I had expected to wait unnoticed and ignored until until we reached our table, so I was surprised at the customer service. Everyone we encountered was friendly. Great wait staff. The food and drinks were great! The portion sizes are huge. I was so full. I ordered the Carnitas plate. I couldn't finish it... but I wish I could have. It was so good. They aren't afraid of using spices either! My Husband ordered the Carnitas Enchiladas Picante... and it was spicy! If your can't take heat... order something a bit milder... But if you like spicy this is right up your alley. Order a margarita and you can't go wrong... try a flight of tequila... if you feel a little more adventurous... ;) Have fun.
(4)Hannah L.
I might as well rate this place, seeing as how I'm here practically every Tuesday for the past 8 months. I could go on and on about all the tequila, but that's not why I come here. The food is excellent, the decor is classy without being uptight, the bartenders/waitstaff are awesome, and I can get all this delicious food in a great atmosphere served by cool people until 1am. You physically can not go wrong picking anything off the happy hour menu, even the damn salad is good. The steak tacos and shrimp quesadillas are my personal favorites. The few things I've tried off their regular menu have also been quite scrumptious. When I say the bartenders and waitstaff are excellent, I mean that besides being friendly, professional, and pretty aware of what's going on, you sense that they kinda like The Matador too. I don't really see it as a chain because the staff isn't jaded, pretentious, or trapped in conversation quotas. I mean, it's a job, but it's not that hard to believe they'd come in on their day off to eat/hang out, which personally I love in a business. The Matador is swanky without being tacky or snooty, and can make a damn fine drink.
(5)Jamie M.
This is my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. Sure it isn't super authentic, but the portions are generous and the flavors are fresh - the salsa and guacamole especially. The place gets very busy weeknights as well as on the weekend but it is worth the wait. They offer to-go orders Sunday - Thursday so that may be the way to go if you don't have the time to wait for a table. Another bonus of this place is that they don't allow anyone under 21 in, which means no screaming children - huge bonus. Great ambiance, decent prices, great drinks & food!
(4)Wendy H.
"The Matador" High quality yuppy bar, excellent service, good food and on a Sunday afternoon - space. Sunday afternoon, after a week in bed with tonsilitus I needed to get out but nothing strenuous. While Ill I'd seen "10 things I hate about you" a tacky film starring Julia Styles and Heath Ledger that features the fabulous Stadium high school in Tacoma. I decided to check-out the Stadium highschool. I parked outside the Matador and stopped in for a fantastic bowl of soup, a large glass of nasal clearing Pinot Noir and a chat with the Barman. The Barman was wonderful, an ex-marine killing time while he decides what to do next with his life. Handsome and chatty, very customer focussed. Evidently the owners had made the bar and tables, inlaid curved wood, themselves specifically designed for the venue. It was impressive. The food was really good, the prcies were a bit steep for my taste. You are paying for environment and service. The barman told me that they are heaving with beautfil people on Friday and Saturday night. Sunday lunch time they are spacious and pleasant, which was lucky because I really wasn't up to heaving. I'd definitely go again, I want to expereince heaving.....
(3)Amanda M.
HAPPY HOUR. While drinks are not on happy hour, some food is. I challenge you to find equally as yummy nachos for the same price anywhere else. You will probably fail. Margarita-$7, Nachos-$5, Dinner and a drink $12. Totally awesome! But don't try to come half hour before happy hour ends and assume you'll get in in time for happy hour... Totally possible, but don't assume it.
(5)Michael W.
SHOT, SHOT, SHOT, SHOT!!!! Who wants some tequila? I DO!! This place has the most extensive tequila menu that I have ever seen and they are all good options. If you don't know what kind of tequila you like, well then I may suggest just getting a flight just so you can try a couple. As far as a restaurant, this place is legit. It has one of the best happy hour menu and some of the best prices for their happy hour that I have seen at a more "upscale" nightlife spot. This place is always packed on the weekends and the wait can be as long as an hour. Well worth the wait though. Whenever people want to go out on a Friday or Saturday, the Matador is the first place that comes to mind!!!
(5)Kristin K.
I love the Matador at non-peak hours. They have delicious butternut squash quesadillas, and their Bartenders Margarita is perfection. I also love their enchiladas and tacos. I've also heard great things about their pulled pork sandwich and mahi mahi. The service is great, especially at lunch. It's definitely a trendy place, where the beautiful like to see and be seen. Fridays and Saturdays are pretty packed, mostly just standing room but it's always pretty quick to get a drink. This is a place I like to take friends from out of town, and is also good for special occasions though reservations are recommended.
(4)Laura P.
I hadn't been to Tacoma in forever so I was pleasantly surprised when my friend and I found out there was a Matador near the Tacoma Dome (We were going to a concert, obviously) Luckily we were just in time for Happy Hour! Our eyes were bigger than our appetites but how can you pass up a menu full of delicious selections for only 5$ each?! Chicken Quesadilla, steak tacos, romaine salad & ancho chipotle wings.. SO good, and I highly recommend the wings. They're not something you would think to try at a Tex Mex place because ultimately you go for the tacos or nachos, but trust me - try them out next time. I can't forget the awesome Margaritas - unfortunately drinks aren't available for HH but they have a great selection of different Tequila's and signature cocktails.
(4)Casey M.
The food is great. The drinks are great. Sadly they don't take reservations and it can be hard to get in. Likewise it can be packed and loud. I have had to go elsewhere for dinner multiple times due to long waits.
(4)Corianne B.
The best nachos I've had, ever. And I'm on a wordwide mission to FIND the best. :) After 10pm (Happy Hour!), order the Steak Nachos... they come fully loaded and are just so amazing. I'm actually a little emotional just thinking about them. xoxo
(5)Barb K.
Love this place! Braised carnitas is my favorite dish. The salsa is always excellent. Had the pollo con limon last night...excellent!
(4)Janice S.
I decided to give the Matador a second chance. The first time I came here was for their popular HH on a Sunday night. It was very busy and we had to wait about 20 minutes or so for a table to open up as we had several people in our group. We had the chicken nachos, fish tacos and the calamari. None of these dishes really wowed me though. I ordered the Top Shelf Margarita which was pretty strong. I was very impressed with their margaritas because they didn't skimp on any of the ingredients. So I returned here a second time only because I was craving some Mexican food ( yea, I know this ain't no authentic Mexican joint!) and there were a bunch restaurants closed for the Easter holiday. This time I was hoping the entrees would be better than the appetizers. I ordered the Enchildas Picante with steak. The picante sauce was actually spicy which I appreciated. I didn't care for the black beans so I didn't touch it at all. I prefer refried beans. The enchiladas were so so; I've had a lot better and bigger enchiladas than these. My friend ordered the chicken mole tacos and asked for all the ingredients to come separate so he can put it together himself. This was probably the saddest looking plate of tacos I've ever seen. Frozen, diced chicken breasts, raw Onions, sliced beets with a side of mole sauce and sunflower seeds. But no beans and rice? No guacamole or pico de gallo? I feel sorry for taking my friend here for the first time. I had the Top Shelf Margarita here again and thank goodness they were consistent with the margaritas. I would come here again mainly for their drinks and complimentary chips and salsa. They charge you $5 for their guacamole. Keep in mind that you have to be 21 and over to dine here.
(2)Michelle M.
We have been here many times- great food and service. Last night we had dinner with friends for my husband's birthday. It was terrible service and bad food! The manager, Justin, was wonderful! He took the poor meal's charge off of our bill and gave my husband a gift card to return. Any restaurant can have an off night, but Justin's customer service saved the day and 4 customers.
(4)Emerson S.
My FAVORITE Happy Hour around (for food). I frequent the Matador Happy Hour a few times a month. Everything on the menu is so delicious! You can get any of the following items for only $5.00: - 2 delicious tacos with your choice of meat (I always get steak) - Quesadilla with your choice of meat (shrimp or chicken for me) - Chicken tomato soup - Matador chili - Calamari - HUGE plate of Nachos - Garlic or Habanero Prawns - Tex-Mex Spring Rnlls - Ancho-Chipotle Wings - Romaine Salad I always order the Steak tacos and shrimp quesadilla. You can't beat it for only $10. This place is definitely very popular. Parking can be tricky and there may be a wait for a large party. It's definitely worth it though. Oh and one more thing. The entire Matador is 21+ only.
(5)Hannah H.
Love the atmosphere and style. The happy hour is excellent and is from 4-6pm and 10pm-1am. I go with the skinny margarita, it has less sugar and tastes even better then the normal version.
(4)André U.
The food is all right bit very overpriced and the drinks are sub-par. Add this to generally incompetent service and it makes it a place to avoid. Plenty of excellent alternatives elsewhere in the city.
(2)Karina V.
Great HH starting at 10, come here once a week w/ friends to catch up. Love the food, although I'm a little hesitant on their calamari- it's a hit or miss. Steak tacos and nachos are always a plus! The vibe is definitely laid back and people mind their own bussiness. Love it.
(4)J E.
I really liked the decor. I was with a party of four. It took a really long time to get chips and salsa. Our waitress was just slow enough to be annoying but not to the point of incompetency. I was pleasantly surprised how good the ceviche was. I had tacos al pastor. I am not sure what the gooey sauce was but they were miserable. The drinks were tasty but on the expensive side for the size. Overall I was not impressed and probably won't come back. I think the idea is good but am not sure they taste their own food. Maybe it was an off day?
(3)Golden X.
This place is great! We always go late, on the weekends, so it's always packed and we're alway a bit buzzed, but the service staff is on it! I'll give them ALOT of credit for dealing with people like me when I'm a few good drinks in! The orders all always right and the food is on time and good. This place rocks!
(4)Crysta S.
Ambiance: Not bad. If you think to yourself, "Hey, it's a Friday night around 10 and I want some cheap and delicious nachos in a place where I can get a table and hear my friends speak," you may find yourself disappointed on the last two counts. But any other time, go check it out. The happy hour menu is pretty meat-friendly, but you can get the nachos (have I mentioned the nachos yet?) without meat, and for five dollars, why wouldn't you? (Seriously. Go get them. Now.) The regular menu is also pretty meat-happy, but you can make it work if you're veggie-only. The staff is great; there's a blond gal with big eyes and a crazy smile who will make your night if you're lucky enough to get her. She's hilarious. I also had a gal the other night who agreed with me that when you get a giant pile of nachos, a tiny ramekin of sour cream is bullshit. She actually said that. It's dark and smoky (in an ambiance way, not a nicotine way); there's a little fire pit that you can sit around; there's plenty to eat and drink. If you want to stand around on a Friday night, head on over. If not, go any other time and order a plate of nachos for me.
(4)Shannon S.
FANTASTIC, I repeat, FANTASTIC happy hour!!! Pork tacos and nachos are great!!!!!! You must go... At least for happy hour. Inexpensive with a nice environment!!!!
(5)Veronica S.
The atmosphere was nice but the food was just Meh okay. I've definately had better. Nothing to write home about.
(2)Morgan C.
Definitely go there for the happy hour. The nachos rock but at other times its really spendy for what it is. I liked their steak with asparagus when I ate there for dinner but it was reeeeeally spicy like they rolled everything in red pepper flake. Definitely stick with their happy hour.
(3)Sean C.
Pretty good. The food was good, the service was friendly and good, but during happy hour the only thing on special is the food and no drink specials. That would be my only complaint. The decor is nice, if you can sit at the fire pit you are doing well. This is a pretty chill place to grab a drink any night of the week. You have to try the nachos and steak tacos, they are excellent!!!
(4)Dave R.
Cool place, had great service, and awesome habenero shrimp. Nacho were big and tasty. Good visit.
(4)Marvin P.
The late happy hour.........BOMB!!!!!!
(5)Grace S.
I'm a fan. I had been to The Matador years back and over the past few weeks have been twice. I love the atmosphere - the lighting, the decor and thank you for not blasting music! I can actually have a conversation with my friends. The bartenders are cool, friendly, professional and drinks are quality. Happy Hour just as others have mentioned is great. Can't beat their $5 menu! If your looking for a nice place to meet up with friends or bring out of town/state family/friends this place is a great option.
(5)Scarlett S.
This is one of the coolest places in TacTown. Long velvet curtains, wood countertops, and the Victorian exterior accents. I love the dark goth vibe it has going on. Plus I can park my scooter on the sidewalk just outside and not worry about getting hassled by meter nazis. The food is excellent. Tapas are great. Get there before 5 and there are good deals. Drinks too! Great place to hang with friends any night.
(4)SugarLips S.
This place has GREAT bartenders and as many have said the margaritas are yummy. However I wasn't too impressed with the menu or the wait staff, since the decor is so amazing I figured the would've been a more unique one. It's loud but not too loud the dim lighting and decor are a fabulous touch, the wait staff seemed a bit slow, but it was very busy when we went on a Friday evening. I would go again, but would likely just go for the drinks and chips with salsa.
(4)Jeff B.
Very surprised to see reviews of it being too expensive. Fantastic value...on and off the HH menu. Taste wise, outstanding...especially the sauces, which is a great indication of some serious work in the kitchen. Service can be a bit slow sometimes, but don't forget, this is a bar that happens to serve great food...it's not an upscale restaurant where you would demand the best service. I've never been disappointed here.
(5)John D.
Never will ever go back to Matador again. Decided to stop in for the fabulous Happy Hour I keep hearing about. Walked in with a buddy of mine and headed to the bar, found a table in the back of the bar. Was there a few minutes and was greeted by whom I thought was the server but ended up being the hostess. She explained to me that there was only open seating "at the bar" which was full of people. I said, " Ok, is this table reserved?" she replied,"no" I then asked if there was a wait for sitting at this table in the bar? No she said. (The dining room was about half full) She said that she could seat us there..... Confused at this I asked her why I couldn't sit at the table in the bar. She replied by saying that if 4 people came in that wanted to sit in the bar it would be better. WTF? She never asked if anyone was joining us and proceeded to try and sit me and my buddy in the restaurant area..... I walked out. Unbelievable. I have been involved in the industry for over 26 years now and have never ever seen just horrible decision making.. Glad you are doing so well in this economy Matador that you can turn away extremely generous guests......
(1)Elisa R.
Everything at The Matador is delicious. If I didn't live 20 miles away, I would be here a couple times a week. The happy hour includes a nice selection of tacos (chicken/steak/shrimp/pork) on tasty homemade tortillas. Also staples on the HH menu are: chicken wings, garlic shrimp, and tex-mex rolls. Soups and Chillis are rotated seasonally. The drink menu includes every possible Margarita variety, and a delicious white peach sangria and red sangria. The beer selection is plentiful, but the wine selection is comprised of bulk restaurant wines, nothing special stands out. The decor is gorgeous. The iron work at the bar was clearly custom, as are the lush velvet drapes, and textured paint.
(5)Kristin S.
I love happy hour. I love wine. The happy hour food here is great. The happy hour wine is not, because there is no happy hour wine, or at least any wine with happy hour pricing. They do not discount any alcohol at all, which I kind of thought was the point of happy hour? The waitress explained to me that the wine is not discounted because they have an 8oz pour. I beg to differ. Just because it's in a giant glass, it's still only 1/4 full... and the glasses aren't 32oz... Besides that, the atmosphere is good and fun, people actually go here all week, i.e. it's not a ghost town on a Wednesday like a lot of other places around here, and so far the service has been good. I would be giving it 5 stars if they offered a true 'Happy Hour' with drink specials...
(3)Marcus T.
Muy bueno happy hour (although there aren't any drink specials) and usually friendly service. Well actually I take that back, the service is hit or miss. I've had a couple "miss" servers who clearly seemed like they did not want to come to work that day. The food is pretty much perfect. Oh the nachos. My dear. Unforgettable. This place is downtown so it's a good place to check out before walking to other bars.
(3)Katerina H.
My favorite place for happy hour!!! Good prices, amazing food, always a fun atmosphere:-)
(5)Jim S.
This place is great. The atmosphere is lively and the food is terrific. I would recommend the fish tacos to anyone.... might be the best I have tried so far. They have a great ba to hang out at while waiting for a table, or you can eat right there at the bar. We WILL be back again and again.
(4)Angel S.
We love the Matador! The margaritas are delicious and generally...STRONG! The food is the best Mexican in town. Their picante sauce is amazing on anything and HOT. The atmosphere is perfect. The music always on point. The lights are dim at night for a really great moody feel, and it's 21+. It is seriously a great date night restaurant. The only thing I would suggest is to not be afraid to be picky about where they try and seat you. You're very likely to be seated by the door, which is not a great place, so let them know and they'll usually accommodate. Also, don't expect any help from anyone, but your waitress (who might disappear and be replaced without your knowledge, until you ask). Hostess's in particular are not helpful at all and will remind you that what you're asking is someone else's job. Niice. But all in all... when we're looking to go out to celebrate or for our favorite dinner, this is where we go. :)
(4)Tyson P.
Salsa is great, very different than other Mexican food in town. Definitely a tex-mex twist. Go during happy hour (see pic).
(5)Z T.
Great happy hour....lots to choose from at a great price. The tequila menu is the best Ive seen. I had a tamarind margarita made with Cazadores Blanco. It was really refreshing although I could have done without the sugared rim. My friend and I ordered HH food, drank amazing cocktails, and enjoyed the sunshine via the outdoor seating. This little gem made me one happy Tequila snob.
(5)Andrew K.
I've gotta say this is some of the more authentic type of mexican food. What I found funny about the staff is that I didn't see one that was Mexican (to me a good restaurant is full of employees from that culture), so when I first noticed this I thought this was not going to be good, but I was wrong. They also have quite a Tequila selection, actually they even have one that is about $300 a shot, never seen something like that but I hope it'd taste good for that price. The portion sizes are a little smaller than what I'd get at chain Mexican restaurants but the taste is spot on.
(5)Eric K.
Matador was A-OK. It's definitely a cool looking bar with a nice interior. It also had a relatively young and well-dressed crowd the night I was there. I had the chicken tomato tortilla soup which was pretty good actually for a soup. I also had the chicken quesadilla which, well, wasn't so good. It could have been something I picked up at Costco and heated myself. The tea was not so great with the last 10% or so of the drink being very bitter. Overall I wouldn't say this is a bad place but it isn't great either. If you want to get out and be around a bunch of people this may be the place for you. But if you want great food and cocktails there are other places like 1022 South and Red Hot in the area.
(3)James W.
If you've noticed, I dig the short and sweet reviews. I won't disappoint with this one. Food: B (excellent nachos but pass on the prawns) Service: B- Cost-to-Quality: C- (no happy hour drink specials makes me muy triste) Great ambiance and the location is nice, but when I go to the Matador, I leave feeling duped.
(3)Ana B.
Been here only once, I was drawn to this place because it looks so good from the outside and when you walk in the decor is very posh and sexy you just want to sit and try everything on their menu. I was dissatisfied with their food, we ordered some chipotle chicken wings and you couldn't taste the chipotle first of all and the wings were dry as if they've been sitting under the warming lamp for 20 min. can't remember what else we ordered but I guess that should say it all. Prices were high for what you get. I wanted to like this place. Also parking around that area is a pain in the arse. I'm giving 3 stars instead of 2 because of something that was brought to my attention by another reviewer, the place is 21 and over.
(3)Erin K.
Came for lunch, and everything on the menu looked amazing. Had the crab cakes and the pozole... and was underwhelmed. I am thinking maybe the food sounds better than it is... It also took 90 minutes to have lunch here; the food took over 45 minutes to get to the table after we ordered, with not a word from the waitress during that time. I would not come again for lunch because I had to use 30 minutes of vacation to make up for the work-time I missed on a lunch that was unexciting :(
(2)Cece P.
My colleagues had planned a dinner/happy hour here 2 days ago, since I was in Tacoma for work just for a few days. It was a party of 10, they do not take reservations but we were seated immediately in a corner booth big enough to seat all of us comfortably. Appetizers we're $5 for happy hour and we ordered a bunch. Nachos, tacos, wings etc. Surprisingly very good. For drinks, I ordered a regular margarita and it was very good as well - the amount of alcohol in it was just right. If you really like the taste of tequila, order the top shelf margarita, it comes out slightly bitter. Dinner, I ordered the flank steak-medium. The steak came with mushrooms on top, veggies on the side and mashed potatoes. This was delicious, perfectly cooked and juicy. I just wished it was bigger! The servers here were very attentive and very nice. The bill was paid and we even hung out for another hour or so. They didn't rush us out. I do have to agree with the other reviewers that their dinner menu can be a bit much approximately $12-$25 per dish. Great place to come come for happy hour, you will be leaving the restaurant full and tipsy!
(4)Chantelle E.
Great place!! I love the decor and the ambiance, and the peach sangria and nachos are to die for. This is one of my favorite places in tacoma. The only reason for the missing star? The one time we decided to order dinner, the meals, all 3 were a let down.
(4)Alysha P.
I am a Happy Hour regular here. Love their HH menu, the regular menu looks good too, and based on the food and drinks I have had during HH, I am sure that it is great, but a little pricey. Great atmosphere, especially in warmer weather.
(4)Kelly M.
Don't get me wrong, this is an excellent place to take advantage of well-priced, tasty happy hour food ($4 & $5 items every day). But full price? No thanks--it's not that fab. And while the flavors in the food are great, there isn't much in the way of heat--and I like it hot. The ambience is wonderful and I love it in the summer when the windows are open. The service is attentive, but not authentic---somewhat automated. And the waitstaff is all female, all beautiful--makes me wonder if there's a second string of less desirables washing dishes in the back. Off the regular menu, I must say I've enjoyed the pork carnitas--very tender. The spicy calamari is a delicious appetizer, too. I wish the food and service matched the overall vibe. They are not living up to the potential.
(3)Daniel G.
Matador is a good, high class bar. It gets a tad busy so get there early to ensure yourself a seat (especially on the weekends). The drinks are a bit pricey, but the service is good and they have a decent happy hour. It wasn't a place I wanted to hang out all evening, but I did enjoy their nachos and margaritas. Additionally, they have a HUGE selection of tequila. All in all, a good establishment.
(4)Philip K.
I've been to the Matador on a few occassions, both in Tacoma and in Ballard. Some times it's a great experience and other times, not so much. The carnitas tacos plate is the way to go. One might think that $11 for two tacos and some rice and beans is a bit pricey and I wouldn't disagree. The beans and rice aren't the best but also not bad. The tacos are very good and the carnitas had the perfect texture. I don't know if my experience was better because I had a tall mug of Negro Modelo with a slice of lime in it but I'm guessing yes. Either way, I left with a great feeling of satisfaction. So for this visit, I give it 4 stars. What I don't like about Matador is the fact that they won't seat your group unless everyone is there. I get that you don't want to give a table to 1 or 2 people who are waiting on 4 more people. But we went here one night with 12 people and we had 9 people there and they wouldn't seat us. We drink like fish so if you give me and my 8 friends a table while we wait for the last 3 to show up, I guarantee you, we're not drinking water until they show up. On that visit, I'd give it 3 stars. The next thing that I don't like is that they are a "21 and over" only restaurant. Rather pretentious in my book. We went to the one in Ballard with my in-laws and their 3 year old son. they refused us entry because their son wasn't 21. Seriously?!? If your servers can't see that a 3 year old clearly isn't going to order a drink or they can't determine that a 3 year old shouldn't be served alcohol even if he orders one, you have a huge problem. I don't get the reasons for this age requirement and wish it wasn't this way. I'm sure they have their reasons but I can't imagine what it would be. On this visit, 1 star because we were refused service. Based on my most recent visit, I'd recommend this place. Based on my past experiences, I might just be indifferent.
(4)Paul O.
I can consistently recommend this place to friends and family. Everyone loves the decor and raves about the food. I first met the Matador in one of the Seattle locations and was thrilled to find one in Tacoma. On this trip we order the Chipotle Wings (from the large Happy Hour menu), Dungeness Crab Cakes "Fresh crab cakes lightly browned then served with coconut pineapple cream sauce", Braised Carnitas "Slow-cooked pork shoulder with orange, allspice, cinnamon and bay leaves. Served with rice, black beans, tortillas and all the fixings", and the Green Pozole. Service was great, considering the place was at capacity. Each was a unique explosion of flavor at a fair price! Again, The Matador did not disappoint!
(5)James S.
Great food and great crowd. Let me know if anyone going take the $120 1.5 shot.
(5)Lyn P.
Great atmosphere (especially on the patio) and an awesome happy hour twice a day. The $4 and $5 appetizer menu has a little something for everyone. Loved their red sangria.
(4)Kilo S.
Ive been quite a few times...if you can make it for happy hour I would highly suggest it as it can be a little pricey for what you actually get...so go during happy hour and its worth it. I enjoy the atmosphere more than the actual food. The chips and salsa are very good however. Ive never had a problem with service it Is generally decent even when its packed...The drinks aren't very strong or that tasty so I would skip em and get drinks elsewhere...
(3)Justin D.
I stopped by the Matador for the first time last night. I didn't have anything to eat so my review is based on the look of the place and the service. I thought the design and layout was cool. Dark wood and lots of candle light gave it a cool feel. The service knocked the rating down a bit though. It was a Saturday night so I can't be too critical I guess. However it did take quite a while for someone to come over and take our initial drink order. The next few rounds varied in time. Sometimes she was on top of it and other times we wondered if she was ever coming back. I'm sure I'll be back and I'll have something to eat next time. Update to folllow....
(3)Mandi M.
We love this place! Awesome atmosphere. The food is delish! They have the best happy hour in town, although it is just food deals, no drink specials (kinda weird!). The carne asada is the BOMB ... seriously a must try. The drinks are really good ... a little spendy, but I guess you get what you pay for. Service has always been good for us.
(5)Ari B.
Since moving to Tacoma, I have become a frequent customer at the Matador. I generally order off their $5 Happy Hour food menu (available 4-6pm, 10pm-1am), which rarely disappoints. Their tacos, nachos, and chili are all especial favorites. I haven't ordered a whole lot off of their regular menu, so I can't speak to it. They also have a fabulous selection of tequila and tasty drinks. Service is generally quick and accommodating, even when the crowd starts to build. Would definitely recommend!
(5)Jay B.
Yummy. Great margaritas. great food. I loved this place. Parking was tricky. Don't forget to pay to park in the street or it will cost you $25 for a ticket. I saw alot of tickets given out on a Friday night. The city of Tacoma has these little tiny pay to park signs that even the municipal court personnel agrees are too small and many people get tickets because they don't see the itty bitty signs. The signs are so hard to see that the merchants have to put a big sign in their windows to warn the patrons. Still for some reason people are not accustomed to paying for parking and it shows. Really sucks for the merchants because I think it hurts the business downtown. I guess the current city council members were not around in the 70's and 80's when downtown Tacoma was a ghetto ghost town and you couldn't pay people to go down there.
(5)Craig F.
What can I say? A jewel in the rough. I had driven past this place for awhile and never stopped in. Finally, on a recommendation from one of my wife's co-workers, I read the reviews on yelp and gave it a try. Amazing. The happy hour nachos for $5 are a meal in themselves. I recommend spending a couple of extra dollars and getting the steak on them. Real Carne Asada, not some cheap sirloin thrown on top. Drinks are reasonably priced for DT, but they don't skimp on the liquor like a lot of places do. Their homemade salsa is also amazing, if you get the nachos, be sure to get a side of salsa for those naked few chips at the bottom of the pile. Atmosphere is classy but cool, dark and warm. If you are going for happy hour, get there early. A Sunday is the only time I've been there that it wasn't packed.
(5)Jason H.
We have to put our visit in context. We left the Van Halen concert slightly buzzed and got back to our room at 11:30. There was no other food option at the time so we walked down and each paid the 10 dollar cover. They were having a Cinco De Mayo party so they were busy. We sat down and listened to the thump of the DJ's music. We are in our 40's so I was assuming everyone else would be turned off. As it turned out we enjoyed the beat as we were eating our chips and salsa waiting for our food. The server was attentive even though they were busy and was very friendly and energetic. Let me just say that the food, service and general atmosphere paid for the cover. I will be back if we find ourselves in Tacoma again.
(4)Melissa H.
This place has awesome atmosphere. You won't feel like you're in a nerdy novelty restaurant just because you're getting tex-mex. No one will jump out and sing happy birthday to you in a sombrero. If, on the other hand, you're looking for a sophisticated restaurant with fantastic carne asada, come to the Matador. I was very impressed and so glad that I had leftovers the next day. The prices are similar to other tex-mex places, but the quality is a huge step in the better direction. I don't drink, but saw a drink menu with about 6 different kinds of margaritas on it. Looked yummy!
(5)Caleb B.
Pros: Amazing happy hour food. Amazing atmosphere. Great Tequilas. Cons: Loud. Cramped. Expensive. Always a wait.
(4)Malia B.
I first went to the Matador in Ballard maybe 5 years ago and had a strong first impression. The atmosphere was busy with a good mix of the hip and social, but not obnoxious - you could still have an intimate candlelight conversation with friends. The menu is fresh and creative: tomatillo enchiladas with sautéed mixed veggies. WOW! The best thing I have ever eaten! Although the mixed veggie is not on the happy hour menu, it's always the Happy Hour at $4-5 that draws me in. EVERYTHING will exceed your expectations - except the Tex-Mex spring rolls. For that I vote 1star to be polite. Don't get me wrong, I love Tacoma and all but... the vibe here is not as fluid. The mood can and will swing from Costco food court to swank lounge to Spanaway tavern and back again. Other than that, the food is excelente. Oh, one more thing. I called to order 1 regular priced dessert to go and the hostess said, " Most certainly." Then someone else got on the phone and said, " We don't take to-go orders at happy hour. WE ARE TOO BUSY." I know, that's why I wanted my food to go.
(3)Lindsey G.
Definitely as good as it gets!! Wow - awesome atmosphere, great service, great bar, and AMAZING FOOD! We had the crab cakes and they were to die for, and for dinner I ordered the chicken tacos. Absolutely delicious! My tastebuds were dancing! Would definitely recommend this place!!!
(5)Grindy S.
Exceptional restaurant. Fresh salsa and the best pulled pork sandwich in Tacoma, if not Western Washington.
(4)Madeline C.
Best blackened Ahi tuna!!! And I love the salsa and chips...
(5)Jessica S.
Love this place, but for some reason I prefer the Ballard one. I think it is the open windows during the warm months and then the atmosphere is just different at this one. The food is good though and they have a great late happy hour. Get the nachos they are beautiful, cheap and there is no way you alone could finish a plate. If you can, go to the Red Hot and run the gauntlet. I'd love to find your name there next time I go!
(4)Noel J.
Had a few drinks here with some friends. It was a pretty lively joint. Good selection of tequila (we had a couple shots of Aha Toro Reposado, which is always nice). Managed to accidentally break a glass by... picking it up. The waitress says that's the second time that's happened that evening, so maybe they should invest in better glassware =) Still, a good vibe for Tacoma. I'd come back, as the drinks were good.
(4)Kirun M.
I have come here twice and the first time it was pretty good...the second time makes me never want to go back. The good: margaritas, seared ahi, short ribs The bad: prices, ceviche (SO bad), sangria (too sweet), tacos-shrimp and fish (blah), rice (bland), beans (bland), service (blah) Did I mention that it's expensive?
(2)Annie B.
- Great atmosphere - Great HH menu: lots to choose from for $5 - Calamari's not consistent though - White Peach Sangria is amazing - Regular menu items are all good also - Crave their food all the time
(4)Julie S.
It's where to go when the HH ends at Pacific Grill. If you're looking for a big sharable dish on the HH menu - go with the nachos.
(3)Marimo A.
This is the second best Happy Hour I've been in Tacoma. They're cheap ($4-5), have varieties (not just french fries and sliders. Calamari, all kinds of tacos like shrimp and pork, salad, etc.) and generous portion. Sometimes happy hour meals are tiny but I assume they serve their regular portion regardless of cheap price. Don't expect anything authentic. This is a very Americanized Mexican food. Quality isn't so bad at all. Tacos have lots of lettuce and tomatoes, and you won't feel so bad thinking you ate unhealthy bar food again. You can take your friends, family, date...maybe after the meal you can go to Ruston Way for a beautiful walk! It's very close, probably a few minutes drive.
(4)Marshawn B.
Great place I think! Good food spicy options yummy drinks!!! Now if it's your first date or someone you really like this place can be a very sexy sexy place big dark deep Booths. -need I say more-
(4)Ted P.
Awesome happy hour deals. No bull -- though you may have to fight your way to a seat on a Friday or Saturday evening. The tacos were substantial which offset only getting two on the $4 plate -- but the nachos were huge for $4 and they were good on top of it all. Now that I've been here and experienced good, cheap happy hour eats, I'll be back. And soon. (note, also, according to their website, happy hour doesn't start until 4 pm -- unlike what was said in a previous review, though I don't know which is right =)
(4)Michael F.
Great late night happy hour. Good ambience! Nice outdoor seating. Peach Sangria and Mojjito were best I've had. Huge Nachos. Tends to attract some douche bag guys, but it's down in that new hip area of tacoma so hard to avoid.
(4)Rachael E.
Eaten here before. Was average. Now we just got seated out of order because it appears we weren't fancy looking enough. Lets not be smug Tacoma. Totally rude and ruined our meal.
(2)Kyle H.
Great place for a friday nooner-or-sooner. Cool atmosphere and the best 6.50 margarita i have ever had (Matador Margarita) I dont think they even stock bad tequila here, so cuervo or pancho villa lovers, stay away! The food is usually pretty exelent, chips and salsa are ok, i think the salsa is store bought though. Its a little pricey to eat here for lunch but i have never had a bad meal here. When they say spicy they mean it! And the female waitstaff is very attractive and friendly! Parking can suck, and the one time i came here on a weekend evening i was sorry i did. Too crowded and too hipster for me.
(4)Jennie D.
I've been here a few times during happy hour and dinner. They have some good deals on small bites during happy hour, but no drink specials :( The fajitas and enchiladas are good, but the rice and beans on the side seem like an after thought. I don't understand why the chef would put so much effort into making delicious entrees, only to add tasteless rice and beans similar in taste and quality of most Mexican restaurants. The place gets crowded on Friday and Saturday nights, so expect a wait or eat at the bar.
(3)Meegan N.
As good as it gets!! My take on The Matador is more of a Brazilian - Mexican style. Their salsa is the best in Tacoma! The Maragarita's (even if they don't come blended) are amazing, so many flavors to choose from they should have a card you can mark off :) From the fajitas to enchiladas you can not beat this intense of flavors that fill and grab your taste buds!! I could eat here every day of the week! The presentation of the entrees are very nice, the atmosphere is awesome, always amazing service and no children allowed!!!
(5)Becky N.
This is somewhat of an upscale mexican joint, very hip. The decor was nice. The food was good, but not great. Although, I did enjoy their tex-mex spring rolls and their nachos are piled high. If you like tequila and are in the Tacoma area, this is the place to be. Their tequila collection is impressive with over 90 varieties to choose from. I'll come back to try other items on the menu.
(3)Eric Z.
Great BBQ pork sandwich, and bacon wrapped, goat cheese stuffed jalapeños.
(4)Mel G.
I had the opportunity to live in Austin for 5 years, and the enchiladas I ordered didn't really taste like Tex-Mex. They were still pretty good, nonetheless, but not really what I was expecting. The restaurant itself has a great ambiance -- it'd be a nice place to go on a date, for sure.
(3)Anna M.
The happy hour here is pretty good, and you get quite a bit of food but I wouldn't come here any other time really. Yeah, you can call me cheap because I am but I'm picky about my tacos.
(2)Marie S.
My boyfriend and I went here tonight to have a nice date night. We were seated and were brought water. Then we ordered the chili, grilled japlenos, steak tacos with mango and pineapple salsa, and tex mex rolls. We were then brought chips and salsa. The salsa upon taste was well, bland. Very bland. Which is odd, because how does someone mess up salsa? We brushed it off and hoped the food was better. Our dishes came out quickly and looked great! But that is pretty much where it ended. The chili tasted funny and not at all tasty. The grilled japelenos were stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in bacon. You would think bacon would be impossible to ruin, but it did not taste right and I could not taste the delious bacon flavor. The goat cheese was very strong and I could only stomach eating one. The steak tacos were three mini corn tortillas with chopped steak, mango, pineapple, onion, and japelenos. Problem was, the menu said mango and pineapple salsa. There was NO mango and pineapple salsa. There were salsa ingredients, but not actual salsa. If I went to the store and asked for mango salsa, I would have received salsa, not chopped mangos....The tacos were just very bland. The tex mex rolls tasted like mush. All in all the food was just bland, tasteless, and just not worth the prices. We barely ate our food and the waitress came back and asked how we were doing. I told her we would like the check. She asked if we needed boxes and I said no, because the food was not very good at all. She did not look very pleased and started clearing the plates. I apologize and she then asked me what was wrong with the food, was it too spicy? I know I should have not been offended, but I was. I think it was her tone and the fact of my boyfriend and I love spicy food!! and I would rather be it be TOO spicy than what we received. I then retorted with no, the food was too bland. (well it was!) She was not rude, but was obivously angry. She ended up taking 75% off the bill, but just seemed relucant and mad. She never apologized or try to ask if we would like something else, or what she could do to make us happy. Anyone who knows us, know we do not complain and would rather just pay than make a fuss, but the fact that the food was SO horrible and expensive, we had to say something. All in the end, I really do not understand the fuss about this place, regardless of the food, the service alone ensures us never coming back and not recommending this place.
(1)Tom J.
Just came back from a nice dinner. Great service, above average food,good prices EXCEPT for one thing. We asked for a small ramekin of sour cream as ours ran out with one of our entrees. We found a $1.00 charge on our bill! Asked the server about it she said yea crazy huh! She did take it off the bill but if you corp guys read this .....come on!
(3)Ms T.
First off, I'm not a fan of scallops, never have been. But the person I was with ordered them at the Matador and they were absolutely to die for! I love shrimp and we ordered shrimp too, but I was so hooked on the scallops, I paid little attention to the shrimp, which was also yummy btw. Everything had a spicey bite to it and I must say it is the best bar food I've ever tasted. The drinks were really good and I was a bit tipsy coming out of there, and I'm not much of a drinker either. And of course, well, that Chris is awesome! Great guy, always willing to take care of his customers and a superb bartender/manager.
(5)Michelle F.
Gotta love the happy hour specials! The food is amazing and the drinks never disappoint. It gets really crowded around both happy hour times though, so be prepared to wait if you are looking to go during one of those times.
(5)Michael R.
Great envioronment and service.
(4)Sam H.
If It's nice, make it twice!!! :) ha ha first time actually picking up a drink here. Here's what I have to say when you are standing at the bar on a friday night... You really have to wait to get your drink refilled!!! it was actually pretty ridiciously awesomely fast!!! Almost to a point it felt like the bartender left the whiskey bottle in front ready to pour out our drinks. "it also have something to do with like 3 different guys walking at 3 different times ordering the same drink" but... he was cool about it and was happy to mix it up!!! I have to say it was interesting to see a girl behind us make a scene by yelling at some dude/dudette but... as soon as the yelling stopped we all moved on... ANd NACHOS... ha ha while a pile of goodness. Recommended. I do here this place is a tequila bar... and have to admit I haven't tried their tequila variety... but i guess i'll make it an agenda for next time. Next time matador... next time on one of my rare days off!!!
(4)James W.
Great decor. some of the food is excellent but not all of it. The happy hour can't be beat...especially the nachos! Had a good bartender the first time but didn't catch his name. Another time, Stephanie was my server ... She rocked! It was really busy for lunch but she never got harried, was friendly and we got good attention. I had the steak sandwich. That was delicious and I'll have it again. I had some chicken quesadillas during happy hour the time before and they were just okay.
(4)Angela H.
My review is great not because of the food, but because of the way management handled a problem we encountered upon visiting. Chris took the time to listen to our concerns handled them profession, and made me feel comfortable enough to return to this location at a later date. Heard good reviews from friends and family, look forward to visiting again. Good customer service is key to any environment, because food can be obtained almost anywhere"
(4)Caitlin G.
I stumbled into the Matador one Sunday afternoon when India Mahal was closed...it was good, but I hadn't thought about it since. However, when my parents informed me that their favorite bartender, Dominic, had started working there, I knew I had to try it again. When a friend recently came into town, we decided to check out the happy hour. Though it does not include the drinks, the food is amazingly cheap and you get so much! Plus, their red sangria is amazing and worth the fortune you'll spend on several glasses. I recommend you drop by during happy hour, I don't know if my income could handle regularly-priced entrees. Ps. Is it sad that my parents have a favorite bartender?!
(4)Jacob R.
The Matador in Tacoma has been known for very poor service. I have experienced it and heard many many stories about the poor service. The food is decent, some dishes lack flavor. The Happy Hour is a good value and they are open late.
(3)Nikki G.
Been here a few times. Food not bad but not superb for the price. Wait staff always pissy though. We had a friends going away party there one night, yes we had a lot of people but we were all in the back and buying a lot. Staff purposely ignored majority of us all night. Easily and $800 tab between all of us combined and we all would have tipped well. One waitress literally grabbed and almost empty mug from our friend he started to ask for another and mid sentence she walked off and rolled her eyes. Really you expect a tip on that? Will not be visiting this restaurant/bar again and neither will the 15 other people that stayed and witnessed the "FINE" form of the waitstaff that night. I am giving it two because the time before at lunch our waitress was the one exception to the pissy rule. She was on top of her game.
(2)Jimmy S.
service was fair,food was ok at best ,had the beef tamales ,they were very tough and dry .potao-leek soup was very green and had chunks of very hard bacon in it.I've been to the one in west seattle and loved it ,but didn't care much for the tacoma one.
(3)Chris M.
Great restaurant! I went to happy hour and had the garlic shrimp and also chicken nachos. The prices were good, portions were large and the staff was friendly. I'd come back again!
(4)Jim G.
This is a good choice for happy hours with groups and also dinner and drinks! Happy hour food runs $5 to $6. Drinks around $6 or $7. I usually get the house margarita or mojitos. A couple of those will definetly have you set for a while. Happy hour food is standard tacos, nachos, but also tex-mex spring rolls and calimari. Its fun to get a few plates and share them as a group! Happy hour runs from 4-6. Regular dinner is kinda spendy but swanky. Good steaks and other entrees; decent wine selection. Would make a good date spot. Later at night, the atmosphere changes a bit over to college bar/hangout with louder music (seems different from the Seattle locations). You've been warned if you go later at night. They've got a patio when its warm out!
(4)Jess S.
While I was expecting this place to be sort of "eh" or subpar, in the way that seems to accompany over-hyped places with "excellent happy hours" adored by the hip young professionals. Maybe my stars level is related to the fact that I had lunch here - a business lunch - and we were seated promptly at a lovely table, we had fast, unobtrusive service, our food was much, much more delicious than I would ever expect from one of the only vegetarian options on a meat-heavy menu. Something like "grilled veggie quesadilla" in Tacoma can go so, so wrong, but this plate was a delicious little miracle. I was full but not so stuffed I needed an afternoon nap. All around, I was pleasantly surprised and wouldn't hesitate to repeat the experience. I could see how this place could be obnoxious around bar time, but it's really quite delightful as a lunch alternative.
(4)Chris F.
I go there specifically for their wings. I went yesterday and had...once again, their wings. It's hit or miss. When it's a hit, they are by far the best tasting wings I've ever had. They literally fall-off-the-bone! Amazing. It's about 5 hits, 3 misses, and 1 total miss, they weren't even cooked all the way. It's frustrating....especially when yesterday I went all pumped up expecting a HIT, and I ordered two plates and scored a miss. Wasn't that bad, but certainly didn't compare to when there awesome. There margarita's are always good.
(4)Kevin S.
I've only been here for Happy Hour, several times too. I think the prices are great, the food is incredible and everytime I've been there, the service has been incredible. I noticed some of the other posts addressed the service, but I have to say, I have always been WELL taken care of. Accurate and speedy.
(5)Mike H.
The best thing about this place is the happy hour, good choices at a good price, I recommend the nachos. The regular price menu is waaaayyyyy to expensive for what it is, funny how a delicious $5 happy hour item doesn't taste so good when it is $12. The service is kinda meh, definitely spotty at best. I think the management is more into hiring girls with looks than actual skills. Someone else said it here but I agree, this place is good but it could be sooo much better, definitely underachieving.
(3)Anthony M.
Smokin great deal on happy hour. Had a few shots and margaritas with my GF and her friend....we all ate and drank ..BILL 80$ Had shrimp, pork, carne asada tacos, for three ppl 15$...and shared a halibut ceviche 9$ Tenoch Reposado 11$..and a marg was perfecto.
(5)Monica A.
While the regular menu can be a bit spendy, happy hour rocks! Although be prepared, there are no healthy options. :)
(3)John P.
The food is great! Happy Hour is AWESOME! I love the diablo prawns... But let's just say the service really sucks... I think this place might hire strippers from De Ja Vu. While they are all really great to look at, they have no clue what they are doing and no sence of customer service.
(3)Kristi L.
I have meet coworkers here for drinks after work, and yes they do have a nice cheap happy hour menu full of flavorful items. I've had the calamari - good, the nachos - good as well but they can be a bit to salty sometimes, and my favorite is the taco's ...I crave these fresh and simple tacos ..they are soooo yummy and simple. They have a large selection of Tequila's (tequila bar) and a sampler that you can order. Some fun twists on classics like their house margaritas and a "white" sangria. We didn't have any dinner plans this past valentines day so I thought of the Matador. Its always a nightmare to try to find a place to eat on Valentines day at the last minute...if you don't make reservations somewhere. I thought of the Matador, since my fiance had not ate there before and its downtown Tacoma (hoping this would keep the crowds at bay some what). We showed up around 5pm and had to wait approx 35mins to be seated. There were chairs at the bar opened so we took a seat while we waited for our table. The bartenders are very pleasant and the drinks were good. approx $8 for a Mojito and flat screens to watch the game on while we waited. We were seated and the service was great. They brought us chips and salsa and we ordered the BBQ chicken wings as appetizer, they were good. I ordered the rib-eye which was great and the garlic mashed potatoes were full of flavor! My fiance ordered the filet mignon which had a wicked cherry sauce that packed some heat! I must say the whole experience was great, we both commented that it was the best valentines dinner we have had in 10 years...other than when we make dinner at home ;-) ...Oh we also shared the coconut flan sprinkled with the yummiest cinnamon for dessert and it was delicious. Notes: Casual attire (jeans and shirt or dress it up, mix of both there and there is a mix of both young and old crowds. The atmosphere is dark and candlelit and fun.
(5)Julianna H.
We had some delicious enchiladas at The Matador in Tacoma, Washington. I love the rough hewn wraught iron pieces, candles, and deliciously rich atmosphere! The flat iron steak was more like a nice cut of ribeye! Muy Delicioso!
(4)Rachael L.
Came here for lunch on Sunday, looking to try something new. The food was amazing. I had the butternut squash quesadilla and it was spectacular. Large chunks of squash with smoky grilled onions and cheese. Add the awesome guacamole that comes with it and I was stuffed!! It was a little awkward to eat (I had to use a fork to scoop up the stuff that fell out) but what do you expect from a quesadilla? Damn it was good. Other food at the table: carnitas and enchiladas rojas. It all looked amazing. They serve their entrees with whole black beans, which I love (and got to eat some of). The carnitas were spicy and the pork was tender and lean. Beautiful plate. The enchiladas looked good also. The plates were full of food. We brought home remnants from each plate. It wasn't busy while we were there, and I think our server was the only one working, but things kept moving. I'm definitely going to be visiting some of the other Matador locations soon!
(4)Scott I.
Great food! The steak tacos are awesome. The place has a great ambiance and great prices. The drinks are still full price during happy hour though.
(4)Rick B.
Great food, great happy hour. They have great servers starting with Chelsie, Rachel and Lexie and great bartending.with Zach and Tyler. We've been here a few times. Always had a great experience.
(5)Chelsea Laine H.
Have been here a few times (good place to go for NYE too!) and it's always been very good, one of the best Mexican places in Tacoma for sure. One thing I appreciate is they don't appear to use sugary syrups in their cocktails! There are so good items for vegetarians (mushroom fajitas, vegetable enchiladas etc). Their chips and salsa are pretty decent too! The nachos are incredible- nom nom nom. Service has always been pleasant and friendly and the atmosphere is nice for a night out. Wait can be up to 45min on busy nights/times so plan ahead.
(4)JASMIN F.
I was taken here for lunch by a co-worker and had the blackened fish tacos, which were pretty tasty. The chips and salsa are not quite authentic, but very addicting. The atmosphere is nice, dark, candlelit w/ bones from Bulls everywhere.. cool. We wanted to try HH so we went last night. I really wanted to get a feel for the place and fill up so we ordered 5 different things off there HH menu. Taco's were OK. I had the blackened fish and steak. The meat was nice and tasty yet I did not like the lettuce they used.. almost spinach like. The Habenaro Shrimp were delish and true to there name, very HOT! Fried Calamari was good, nothing spectaular as was the dipping sauce. Shrimp Quesadilla was good, although I could not taste any shrimp. Overall good food, good drinks (a little on the spendy side since no HH specials) and I felt like I had to break the bartendar in to be somewhat social and nice.. at first he did seem a little irritated at the world, but eventually came around as was very attentive and helpful as well as not so bad to look at.. wink wink.. But for $4 or $5 for all appetizers during HH, it was overall a good deal and I would go back again.
(4)KC O.
Love, love, love the late night happy hour! The nachos are great, even better after a few drinks! I also love the spicy fried calamari it has the right amount of breading and is very tender! Yum! The drinks are decent also. This place is a nice addition the the ever improving downtown Tacoma!
(4)duane m.
This place has it put together... The Matador is neither cheap nor expensive... unless of course it is happy hour then it is a poor man's dream... steak tacos for $4 keeps me coming back late at night. Usually a good crowed with good service even when busy. The menu has some interesting tex mex dishes, I have not found anything I don't like. I do wish it wasn't 21+ during the day, so I could bring my family.
(4)Mark H.
Good but not great. Location, service & atmosphere are good as is the food, however, there are several Mexican restaurants in town with much better & less expensive food & drink.
(3)Tigris W.
Hostess and servers are so very rude. We never even sat down to eat because it was sooooo bad. The worst we have ever been treated at a restaurant. The place we wound up eating/drinking said they hear the same complaint all the time. It is too bad. The decor is really cute. :(
(1)Mary S.
This is my favorite restaurant south of Seattle. The food is amazing: tastes great, pretty original, nicely plated, and well-priced. You could probably run up your bill if you ordered alcoholic beverages however, especially if you ordered from their huge tequila list. The atmosphere is hip and trendy, but I don't recommend this restaurant if you care alot for ambience, since it's pretty loud inside. The dining room is fairly small, which is aggravated by the fact that it's always packed. The last time I went was on a Friday night and my husband and I waited about 15 minutes or more for a (very awkwardly situated) table. At all times, there was a huge crowd of people waiting for a table by the door. The waitress actually remembered us, even though it had been months since the last time we came, and she was extremely friendly, so it was a great experience despite the crowd. Overall, I definitely recommend the Matador.
(5)Toby P.
We met a couple of friends for dinner here tonight. As mentioned before, this is not a traditional Mexican-American restaurant so expecting such might leave one disappointed. We arrived early and had no problems getting a table. The atmosphere was comfortable, if a little dark and the service was excellent. We started with the fried calamari and seared ahi tuna appetizers, both good but nothing exceptional. The chips and salsa were good, though these came out after our appetizers. I ordered the carne asada which comes with sides of corn and garlic mashed potatoes, (OK?). I ordered this medium, first try was well-done, which they fixed quickly. To my dismay, the marinade reminded me more of a teriyaki glaze. My wife ordered the pork carnitas, which were tender and juicy, but too salty. We would probably steer clear unless it was for happy hour and margaritas!
(3)Naomi B.
1 marked down star for rude staff - 1 star down because of a fly in my steak - 3 stars for good mojitos - cheap happy hour menu - nice for tacoma
(3)Sean V.
ok i,m very sari to write this bad review of this place yesterday i was out shopping for a gift for my gf bday and found this beautiful modern restaurant ,so i called and they didnt take resos .so i figured we have dinner give it a try,odd thing was that only waitress no waiters so there going for a new concept.me i prefer a waiter or someone who has experience and has a great personality.ok me and kj showup about 6 ish get a nice table next to a window just luve the decor .so we start with the tex mex spring rolls that i liked but kj didnt care for them said there were greasy.filled with chicken and corn blackbean i liked them.she had a sangria i had a aus shiraz split a romaine salad that the romaine was wilted .we wanted a bottle of wine but the waitress did not ask us or try to upsell .she basically took out order we got the apt then a few mins later the salads and ontop the entree that ruin my gf bday.her entree was the green enchil carnitas that was just a mess chessy and the rice was cold and tasteless .the best spanish rice is at el guadalajara on 6th ave sari but for these highend prices the food way awful.reminds me alot of masa ,anyways the pluses the busboy was spot on great service,the manager was very professional and nice.the waitress took the dishes off out ticket,but the big plus is the decor and the energy this place has matador can be great restaurant but it need to get the food right and really i dont care who serves me waiter or waitress service service service.an undertrain waitstaff cant takedown a restaurant.but we will give the matador another try because the manager
(1)b l.
so i've to this location about 3 times and it just gets worse every time. The staff is always incredibly rude, the drinks are over priced and i'm over the attitude. I will say that their happy hour is great for the price, so if you can deal with a rude staff go there. Beware of your change when you get it back though. They didn't give me all of my change so that small amout they decided to keep ended up being a tip. Sad them and their bad attitudes.
(1)Matthew R.
Having lived in San Diego for over 10 years I sorely miss well prepared Mexican food. Now the Matador is not traditional Mexican, its better. The Tex Mex spring rolls with the jalapeno dipping sauce are creative and tasty. The fajitas and enchiladas are wonderful as well. All the items on the menu use fresh, quality ingredients and considering the quality the prices are very reasonable. If you are a sangria or mojito fan you must try because these are both winners as well. The downside is the Matador is a bar, its loud and you will wait a while for a table on a Friday night. But if you can leave the kids at home you will enjoy this experience.
(5)chrystal s.
my favorite happy hour. the nachos and tex-mex rolls are delicious. mango margarita all the way baby!
(5)Janette R.
When I think about Matador, I think Atmosphere, Steak Nachos, Tequila, Candlelight, Awesome bar... then I think... I need to go there again! Matador works well for simple drinks at the bar or larger groups around the corner table or fireplace. I've been there more times than I can count, and I keep going back. Sometimes the service is a little less than spectacular, but I can overlook that while partaking in some of the Steak Nachos or the Tex-Mex Spring Rolls. Happy Hour pricing can't be beat! I'm a fan!
(5)Angelina A.
Great Happy Hour! Friendly service!
(4)Molly C.
I wouldn't come here for dinner, but I would for drinks and apps. The food is okay--pretty generic Tex-Mex, things like Southwestern Egg Rolls and nachos. The tacos are not that good, compared to taqueria standards. The food, in general, is overly spicy--as in hot. I like hot food, but not here. The drinks are pretty good, and they have a nice selection of tequila. The bar is a fun place to hang out.
(2)Jes L.
I absolutely LOVE this place! The food is so delicious no matter what you order! And the drinks are really good. And the service is always friendly and helpful no matter when we go!
(5)damian d.
Went for a lunch and ordered: Chipotle Mushrooms - spicy and yet so good, a very good dipping sauce Ancho Chile Wings - average size wings with a kick Spicy Mexican Shrimp - Fresh and tasty; try both sauces Chile Rubbed Mahi Mahi - Tasty fish tacos; the slaw can use some seasoning to kick it up a notch Mexican Street Corn - Roasted corn on the cob Mexican style; a good side dish or snack Setting and atmosphere are great for a date. Price is reasonable, a few bucks more than Antojo per dish.
(4)Adam P.
Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Nachos Awesome happy hour, but the Nachos are worth itm $5 veggie nachos. Huge and delish. Tequila bar. Craft beer is okay with Mac & Jacks available. Parvis Street Blvd.
(5)Erik K.
Great nachos, great margs. Subpar hostesses/seating. Overpriced unless you go for HH.
(3)Madeline S.
I've been to The Matador a few times for their late night happy hour, because you just cannot beat those food specials! The food is cheap and plentiful, but every other aspect is pretty mediocre. I usually get their Texas-sized nachos (true to the name) but they are pretty salty, so be warned. I'm not sure if it's the black beans or the chorizo (my boyfriend got chicken nachos, and claimed they were pretty salty as well) but they were almost inedible the last time we were there. The chips and salsa for $2 is a great deal! If you miss the delicious garlicy salsa from the old Chevy's Tex Mex restaurant, then you have to try The Matador's salsa. It is spot on, and so amazingly garlicy and smokey that I can almost still taste it the next day. Their drinks are also pretty good, but there aren't any drink specials during happy hour. I've tried their cocktails and their shooters, and if you have some extra money to spend, I would definitely try some of their featured drinks. As far as the service goes, it's nothing to brag about. As you can see from a few others' reviews, it's usually pretty slow, but whatever, 3 stars all around!
(3)June C.
Always a great place to go. Beautiful ambiance, food is always on point, service is as quick as can be for an always crowded place. Habanero sauce is the best on everything.
(5)Wella A.
Three chicken tacos with pineapple salsa was the special and I opted for it for lunch on our way back home from the San Juan Islands. I didn't think the chicken had any faste to it. I enjoyed my husband's plate with the carnitas instead. I also liked their basket of fresh chips and salsa.
(3)Michelle H.
My friend and I decided to go the Matador for our friend date. To start with the hostess was not at the station for over 5min. I was waiting patiently to get my name on the list and people walked in and stood in front of me... Super annoyed!! So when the hostess finally showed up, she said it was 45-60 min wait; normally that is fine except she failed to mention that there were seats at the bar with a full menu. So I went and called my friend to see if we wanted to wait or find something new for a dinner place. We decided to check the bar...tons of seats open! So I sit down, and another couple sits in the seats next to me (waiting for my friend) and the waitress assumes we are all three together for our whole meal! Even after my friend showed up and we ordered our own bowl of chips.... So we ordered our food, I ordered Pork Tacos Al Pastor, but was given Braised Carnitas. When I asked her about it she told me I got that I ordered... So I said "oh" and ate the very bland soggy slightly cold pork carnitas. Our waitress was not very useful, she was rude to another server right in front of us. And we had to refill our own waters! So overall I was very disappointed in the food and service and will not be back and will tell others of my experience.
(1)Mark A.
The happy hour food is excellent. I highly recommend the steak tacos, chicken quesadillas, and the nachos!
(5)Johnnie D.
Nice ambiance, great drinks
(4)Stephanie L.
I love this place! Great atmosphere, delicious Mexican fare, excellent drinks, and very friendly staff. Briana is my favorite waitress! :-) I'm a fan for life!
(5)Nate F.
It's one of my favorite restaurants in Tacoma! The ambience is great. Not too many spots that attracts what I call the "young and beautiful" crowd in Tacoma but also welcoming to all types of people. Large drink selection, the nachos are a great happy hour option. I love em! The wings are good too. Definitely a perfect place to take a date out to or just go grab some drinks with your friends after work. I don't see a reason not to give it a 5.
(5)Jacquelyn R.
Naomi is the best waitress I have had in Washington! The drinks are amazing and not over powering yet still strong.
(5)Kimi H.
First time going to the Matador and I have to say was not impressed at all with the service. The service was horrible. First of all our waitress thought my friend and I were with amother couple ( that's 4 people) that were seated next to us at the bar. Which at first can be understandable because we all sat down at the same time. We had to tell the waitress several times that we were not together. After the 4th time, she seemed like she finally understood. Our dinner came and what I ordered was tasty. My friend however, her order was all screwed up and when she asked our waitress about it, the waitresses basically told my friend she was wrong. She didn't bother to double check the menu. She flat out told her no in a round about way. Throughout our meal she was not very attentive nor did she check on us to see if everything was ok or if we needed anything. My glass of water sat empty for 15 minutes with no sign of our waitress. As I looked around for her, I spotted a water pitcher on the wall/railing that separated the restaurant part from the beginning of the bar area. Still no sign of our waitress and in need of water, I got up and refilled MY OWN WATER. As I was about done refilling my water, our waitress comes up and finally asks if everything is ok or if we needed anything else since "you have your water now". The tone of her voice was not very nice. One would think that after seeing your customer refill their own water that you would make sure that doesn't happen again. Well, I guess I was wrong. I had to refill my water 2 more times after that. When it came time for our waitress to bring us our checks, she once again asked if the 4 of us were together and on the same check. Once again we had to tell her that we were not together. She brought my friend and I our check on one check. . Didn't bother to ask if we wanted it split. We both put our credit cards in the checkbook and it wasn't until she went to run our card did she come back to ask if we wanted our bill split up or evened out. We asked her to split our bill and we paid our bill and left. Needless to say if I return another time, I'll be sure to find out who my waitress is before I'm seated.
(2)Torree M.
Location is great and it seems to be a hot spot on the weekends But don't expect to be seated right away Actually the hostess asked us to check back with her in 15 min for a table... Wow isn't that your job Being from so cal I will say our food is bomb and the food here was sub par Rice totally lacked flavor and the staff is lacking in professionalism for sure... Salsa was really good tho
(3)Erin H.
Great looking decor/style! The doors were open to the few outdoor seating, but there were an unbelievable amount of flies inside!! Thankfully they did not bother us at the table though. Fast service. Drinks arrived quickly. SOME OF THE BEST JALAPEÑO POPPERS!!! Finally - not deep fried! They were stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in bacon, lovely cilantro/ranch style dipping sauce. Even the presentation salad they were on was lovely! I had the red sangria, very tasty! My BF had the shredded chicken enchiladas which were great. I had the blacked fish taco plate. I must say it wasn't the best I've had (I've had a hankering for fish tacos all week) the tacos were covered in the black bean run off, not that I didn't expect this to be a messy eat but it made the tacos slippery! And there was a green salsa that, while tasty, completely covered up the flavor of the fish and sauce. This made me sad, the green verde sauce was also on the chicken enchiladas, my BF said it was also good but over powering. Covering up all the yummy-nes! Next time I'll ask for it on the side, but I'll be back for the jalapeño app!
(5)Cassie H.
I absolutely love this place. Happy hour is the best. You have to try their steak tacos, habanero shrimp, shrimp or chicken quesadillas , their drinks are great as well. As being a part of the restaurant industry o I understand how much stress restaurant workers go through, but the workers here give you the best customer service possible- from hostess to servers to bartenders. I haven't experienced a bad service from here yet and I've been here w lot of times!
(5)Mackenzie R.
nachoooooos! get them. that's all.
(5)Justin A.
Amazing food and would highly recommend to anyone in the area! Make sure you arrive early though because there are no reservations and the wait could easily be over an hour during certain times of the night!
(4)Alexa B.
I'm so upset, this is the day I have been dreading. Matador is now a corporation ran by the Ram CEO. This should speak volumes! I've been coming here for 10 years and I came for lunch today and everything has changed. For starters, the guac now has tomatillo. Okay ya, cut the stuff guac is made out of...AVOCADO! No more Brussels, which were a hidden gem on the menu. No more San Pedro. They raise the prices and for the first time they feature something that is tequila on their "feature sheet." I'm heartbroken, I can't even explain it. Love the staff, hate the new changes!
(1)Anna Z.
Food is amazing delicious as always! I always get the Texas sized nachos and the ancho chili chicken wings! Yummmmy. Service wise can be bumped up at notch, thats why I rated this place a 4 otherwise it would be 5, the waitress we had was not so friendly, the Matadors located in west Seattle has a more friendly casual environment, this specific location in Tacoma is the same but more uptight. I will be returning though, like I said, food is amazing! Also I love chili rellenos!!
(4)David H.
Matador does not meet the hype people give it. The food is good, the ambiance is very nice, and the mezcal selection is great. However the service there is ridiculous, the staff seems more concerned about how they look than how they do their jobs. I've walked out rather than wait several times because there is nowhere to wait but awkwardly in the door way or stand outside.
(2)Kathleen C.
Don't miss this place! Ordered the braised pork carnitas, kind of a make-your-own pork taco plate. Great margaritas, good service, nice atmosphere. Yummy! Wish I lived in Tacoma so I could be a regular.
(5)Reema S.
LONG WAIT times to get a table. We waited about an hour on 3 different occasions. They really could increase the number of tables if they reorganized. But besides that downside, they had good alcohol options. Their sangria is awesome. Food is delicious with good spice level. Great Spanish cuisine.
(4)Joseph H.
My review is only of the bar. Came in at the end of a week night for a few drinks and the service was amazing. The bartender was point with everything and made sure he explained the very large stack of tequila bottles. I can't remember the amount of different types of tequila they had on hand but I can't imagine anyone who could try all of them in one sitting or maybe even a couple. It was pretty awesome to the point that I am not a fan of drinking tequila but I was compelled to try few that the bartender served up. Will b back to try the food just be aware this place is rarely empty other then when it first opens so plan ahead
(4)Mike E.
Wow! Fantastic. Stumbled across Matador one night while on a business trip, so good I came back the next night. I like spicy hot and you should too if you are coming here. Dinner the first night was carne asada. It was great, made with marinated skirt steak. Second night was grilled bacon wrapped jalapeño (abt) and spicy calamari. The cucumber jalapeño margaritas were awesome. Loved the chipotle/salt rimmed glass. My only knock was the salsa, just not to my taste. The service was outstanding.
(5)Kelsey S.
We've been coming to Matador for happy hour for years and love their nachos and tacos. However, lately, the tacos have been VERY spicy. I love spicy food but it's almost too much and by the time you get to the second taco it's hard to taste anything. They might have possibly changed their sauce or pico de gallo? Either way, I plan to get both of the side next time and be cautious. Needless to say, it's very disappointing to have one of my favorite meals ruined by too much spice.
(3)Daniel C.
Getting back from a business meeting, decided to stop by an old stomping ground for lunch. Sadly, the food order was way too salty and too much lime. Ceviche was aweful. Tacos ordered were the special and they were salty and lacked flavor. Sadly, I will not be returning to this location. The only good thing was the service, too bad the kitchen really, really let them Terra down.
(2)Jennifer R.
There's not an option for no stars or I would have selected that. So. I had extreme high hopes for this place. The previous reviews, pictures of the food, I was just excited. So we drove 25 minutes from close to North Fort Lewis to arrive to a 45 minute wait, which is ok, I don't mind waiting. Well, 20 minutes go by & 2 girls come in & start hugging & talking to the hostesses, and are immediately sat without a wait. I'm assuming they were friends who gets lucky to not have to wait like everyone else does. About 5 minutes later, the hostess noticed me looking at her & then immediately sat us. She took us to the back of the restaurant, by a back door that employees kept walking in & out of, and literally next to the bar opening where my seat was 2.5 feet away from a trash can. It was SO dark we couldn't see anything, especially our menu. The server was friendly, but clearly a rookie or severely undertrained. We did order our drinks & she didn't bother to ask about an appetizer, then walks off, so I had to get her attention to order one. She returns a moment later, takes our food order. About 5 minutes later, our wrapped jalapeño app comes out (which was tasty), she brings us no plates, no napkins, no utensils. But instead returns to the table within 3 minutes with our dinner order. Do I really have to ASK for a fork?? Are you serious?? Well. Then we begin eating our meal that is practically re-frozen because we were practically sitting on top of the back door & were trying to eat our appetizer. And is all I'll say, is if there are actually any real Hispanics that eat there, they have to be high to think that this is good Mexican food. The tacos are soggy because the cook got sauce happy with their terrible overly sweet garbage. The pork had no flavor, the rice was bland & dry. The beans were super runny & again tasteless. No way I could let my mouth taste anymore than 2 bites I have been tortured with already. My husbands food was just as bad. So the server decides to avoid our table four times while tending to the other tables, as our drink glasses are empty, & bar employees walking past me & seeing my FULL plate but never asking me if everything was ok. So, then we have the kitchen staff rolling out the trash out of the side exit, and the guy gets the bar trash & hits me with the full, disgusting can. I can't even get over how terrible this was. Too dark, the music was too "club like", and just overall the worst in life. I'll eat at Taco Bell before I would come back here, even if they paid me.
(1)Brandi M.
The service started off a little rocky, but my waitress was awsome and the food was pretty good over all.
(4)Maggie E.
One of my favorite places to go out to! The service is amazing and so friendly! The food is delicious! It has a great atmosphere whether you go for late night Happy Hour or you go in the afternoon for lunch. Prices at Happy Hour are unbeatable for the food you get! LOVE the Matador!
(5)Eeeeestar T.
I'm in love with this part of T-town--charming, artsy, quiet--which is how Portland used to be before angsty young hipsters started going there to retire. Anyway, the Matador is a great little spot for tequila (my poison of choice) and munchies. I had the Cadillac Margarita with mezcal and it was a smoky masterpiece. The Chingon shot was a perfectly smooth, fruity elixir in which to drown our first-world sorrows. And I still dream about that chorizo queso, which had the perfect amount of heat and grease to complement the healthful virtues of all the liquor we ingested.
(4)Julia F.
Very mediocre margaritas. They were clearly made with a low-quality mix which was either store-bought or straight off the Sysco truck. It's rocks-only even for the fruity varieties (strawberry, mango, etc.) which is fine but 20 seconds in a blender can often redeem an otherwise-crappy marg. Not much atmosphere but what do you expect from a chain?
(1)Amanda M.
Good food and super interesting margarita options. Never had anything that wasnt tasty. Service was a little lacking, especially after having a fairly substantial wait. Will return.
(4)bill r.
I use to love this place but something has changed. The food and service was very poor today. Waited for ever to get service. Order took long and had to beg for drinks. Both our dishes were very salty. Could not finish our food. Hope things changes for the better soon.
(1)Shannan H.
They have a great selection of tequila and always provide a fun atmosphere. Service has always been great, never any mixups.
(5)Christina D.
the Happy Hour menu is great! Kendra is my server most of the time and shes very nice and knows the menu very well. My friends and I love this place!
(5)Chris B.
Good bar, great tequila and drinks selection, wasn't at all impressed with the Ribeye... My fault for ordering a steak at this kind of place, but I've eaten here before and the tacos and other items are good. Definitely more of a "singles" or "out with a group of friends" type atmosphere.
(3)Amber B.
I come here often, and almost always for the happy hour nachos! $5 delicious nachos can't be beat! They are big enough to share, and even then we often don't finish it all. Generally, they are almost always pretty quick with service and the employees are friendly. I am not always impressed with the beer they have on tap, but usually there is at least one really good beer. It is mostly the generic bud light, mannys, mac and jack etc. It gets pretty loud in there, sometimes have a difficult time hearing people across the table talk. Also pretty crowded. If you go on a busy night, either plan on waiting or getting there early. I have never had a bad experience here though. It is one of my favorite spots in Tacoma!
(4)Steve P.
Fun place to eat and drink with friends and to take out of town guests. I had one not so positive experience and the Manager, Justin rectified it immediately. Local, passionate company where the customer definitely comes first.
(5)Amanda S.
The Matador is my favorite place to eat and drink in Tacoma. I love love love their decor. The atmosphere at night is wonderful. They have excellent margaritas with real fruit. They have amazing delicious nachos, bean dip, quesadillas, tex mex staples with their own twist! I have never been disappointed by anything at Matador.
(5)Erin H.
10 of us met at Matador for Happy Hour on Jan. 6 and we got fabulous service. Unfortunately, I don't remember any names of servers, but so many helped that it would be difficult to catch them all. Thanks for always being a dependable choice with great food!...Erin
(5)Amber M.
Not bad at all. We ordered the black bean queso as an appetizer and I would definitely recommend it! It had all the right flavors, and It was the best thing I ate there. Not to say my appetizer wasn't good, I had the shredded chicken tacos, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. The only thing was that it was very crowded when we came, and the tables are very small and very close together in my opinion. Service was very satisfactory, considering it was busy. All in all, I would definitely come again.
(4)Magnetic R.
wet shreaded chicken burrito was good. the red cabbage slaw wasn't good. It was a little to vinegary for my taste. The server was nice.
(4)Douglas K.
Great place to go on a date night. The wait for a seat took an hour, but that gave us time to enjoy a few drinks. Once we were seated, let the amazing food begin. Chips and salsa...great. Stuffed Jalapeños....the best ever. Enchiladas...yum. Fajitas...wow. The bill....great price for great food. I truly think they make their money at the bar while everyone is waiting on tables. Our bar tab was more than our dinner, but I wont complain because the atmosphere is great and we enjoyed the wait.
(5)Lacey G.
So sad to write this review. I have been coming to the Matador almost every week for their happy hour food for nearly a year, I have loved it in the past and order the same thing every time. The service has always been wonderful and service quick. The last month or so I noticed that my food tasted kinda off, asked the server and found out they had a new chef and had changed much of the menu. I went in tonight and ordered the GARLIC prawns and the calamari. The calamari was good, though I miss the old dipping sauces, the prawns on the other had....lame. When the waitress asked how they were, I told her they were waaayyy to spicy for me, I have ordered them for months and couldn't eat them tonight, she offered to have a new one made for me .They came back and I was really upset that the only difference was that they had WATERED DOWN, literally just dumped a bunch of water to the sauce, super disappointing. I asked my friend to try them to make sure I wasn't just super exaggerating and he agreed. Granted when my server asked if they were better I told her they were fine, it wasn't her fault and obviously the kitchen was not interested in fixing the sauce for me. So sad...I don't think we will be returning again, wonderful servers and if you like super spicy food you will probably like it.
(2)Nicole P.
After an altercation took place with the front desk, the manager Justin took great care of me and did everything he could to remedy the problem.
(4)Jeff B.
NACHOS!!!! I think my wife is starting to get tired of my weekly "Sooooo you want to hit up the Matador's HH for some nachos?" Get used to it - $5 for a mountain of nachos big enough for two means she will continue to hear it on the regular (do yourself a favor and add the steak to the nachos - they use high grade meat and it shows). Coming from California i needed to find my go-to Mexican food spot, and this is it. Ambiance/decor is awesome with a cool fire pit table off the bar. Staff is always speedy and happy to serve - people working here seem genuinely happy to work here. Bartenders are excellent - again being from California I'm partial to a good margarita, and its nice coming to a place that isn't afraid to make a 'rita where you can actually taste tequila. I even ordered a an Irish coffee once (don't ask) and even that was delicious. I have nothing bad to say about the food or the staff, from my multiple visits. There is a reason this place is often packed.
(5)Sophia W.
Stopped in for a quick lunch with my husband! Service was really fast..our server was helpful with the menu and explained the dishes in detail. We ordered the blackened fish tacos and braised beef tacos...they were both delicious!! The salsa that they give with the chips is super fresh and spicy...but good spicy!! All in all we had a great lunch and and as we left the place was really buzzing!! They have good happy hour specials and hopefully next time I'll try their margaritas!!!
(5)Angelica S.
Food: Spicy fried Calamari, Pork Verda Flautas, Matador Burrito and Braised Pork Sopa Drinks: Red Sangria & Top Shelf Margarita Food & drinks were excellent, Service was also good. Pork came out tender and flavorful an the hand-made corn cake it came on was delicious. The Matador burrito was second to none. No taco bus could compare(From my fiancés point of view) We will definitely be coming back!
(5)Lee R.
Excellent happy hour food specials with excellent tasting food. Get the nachos! They would earn 5 stars and more frequent visits if they had drink specials.
(4)Sarah K.
Happy hour is a must try and totally affordable. Their nachos are huge and delish. They have sopes that are soooooo good. Excellent ceviche, taquitos and everything I've ever had was good. Cool late night atmosphere too.
(5)Anthony S.
I've now been here twice during their "Happy Hour" that doesn't feature ANY drink specials....WTF???? I've never been to a Happy Hour anywhere, that didn't have some sort of drink specials. The two things that this place does having going for it during their "FOOD ONLY" happy hour, is their Steak Tacos and Texas Size Nachos, both of which are very good. That is the reason why I came back, even though they don't have drink specials during Happy Hour. Did I mention that they don't have drink specials during Happy Hour????? WTF????? One other thing I noticed both times, was that this place seems to be way over staffed, which isn't always a bad thing, except when they tend to stand around the bar area and chat with each other, rather than tend to their customers. This occurred during both trips here.
(2)Sonny S.
Nice restaurant atmosphere for a couple or a small group. Not very good for large groups because the walk way space is small. The restaurant has a waiting list when you walk in. At least 20 minutes on a semi busy day. Not sure on weekends or holidays. The service was good. Everything was on point with refills and the food. I'll return.
(4)Bianca W.
We have been customers ever since we moved to Tacoma. We love this place! The food is consistently great, so is the service. We love the happy hour deals and you can`t go wrong with bottomless chips and salsa. The nachos are divine!
(5)Adam J.
This is a fun and clean spot to hit. They have a great burritos and a fantastic habanero sauce that is to die for. Friendly service with a smile is also a plus. They have good food overall and some great drink options. I recommend anything with jalapeños in itThey are a bit on the $$ side but its a nice treat.. Also check out their other restaurants in the Seattle area!
(4)Dii D.
I've been looking for the BEST restaurant & this is it! The Texas sized nachos are amazing. The meat tasted like actual Texan fajitas! The drinks are super good & strong. Perfect place, had a New Year's candelight dinner there! Got lucky to find a table for 2 at 12am.
(5)Christian 1.
Best nachos, drinks and tamales ever!!! For a good price also. :) I'm going back soon!
(5)Pat J.
Very nice place at a reasonable price! Had a great time here tonight with my date and a couple of friends. The place is packed! Usually a good sign, although I prefer to not have to deal with crowds. In this case, it was worth it! Will return! I will warn you, however, that the kitchen is a bit slow. Pretty understandable considering the crowd.
(4)Faith P.
Yummy great drinks but calamari is terrible you have to try the bacon warped goat cheese jalapeño yummy. Best happy hour in tacoma
(4)Haley B.
I was stopping through Tacoma and stopped randomly for a cocktail and a bite to eat. I was SO happily surprised by this place. My drink was strong, delicious, and cheap! I think i made it just in time for happy hour ;) I also had some jalapeno appetizer filled with goat cheese. I think I was giggling aloud, they were so good! I will be traveling from Olympia for this place. Yum!
(5)Ana L.
Had the most pleasant time here yesterday evening! My boyfriend and I ordered items from the regular menu and happy hour menu. First off, the tamarind margarita here is amazing and it had a cinna sugar rim?! Soooo good! I had the chicken enchilada verdes and the bf had the steak tacos. Both were good portions and great tasting. For dessert we decided to try the churros and paired it up with a shot of one of their old aged tequila (as suggested on the dessert menu) Definitely a great pair! I've never had tequila so smooth and meant to sip, it was delicious. I'm giving this place 5 stars because our bartenders Alex and Pedro (hopefully I got their names right) were awesome and super helpful the whole time. Thank you guys for the lovely experience! We'll definitely be back whenever we're in Tacoma :)
(5)Shayna R.
Love it here! They always do their best to find us a table. I once had a long hair in my calamari and I've never seen a place be so apologetic- they bought our whole lunch, which I didn't need or expect. But it just goes to show they care about their guests. The only reason I took off a star is that we have a two year old so we often get to-go food (because it is so freakin' good!). When we call to order they always have to check and see if they can fit our order in. I just wish they would take the order regardless, since we are wanting to spend our money there. I get it though- they are busy. Would highly recommend to anyone!!
(4)Bryan H.
Just want to say that this is a great restaurant! Great food, really amazing atmosphere with the iron work and table tops. Have to give it up for the manager tonight and we didn't even stay once we found a 2 hour wait for a table. Being Cinco De Mayo there was a cover charge to get in and we paid the $5 each to get in only to find the waiting list too great to sit down (for my bday dinner). We asked for a refund for our cover only because we weren't going to join in the festivities and were told the rule was no refund. I was the dick that had to play hardball and protest giving up money just to walk in and walk right back out. I was ready to walk after a short annoying conversation to make my point and the manager called me back to refund my money. That is the democratic application of "rules" that I respect, keeping me coming back to throw down real money when the joint isn't completely packed. Well done!
(4)Nikki M.
The sangrias are tasty every time!! My favorite is the white peach. Taste like an adult Capri Sun! No joke!!! Fruity and boozy! Just like I like it!!! Yum!! Oh and do yourself a favor and order the nachos!!!! Huge portion for just $5. Gigantic portion!
(5)Owen C.
Came here for happy hour. Had 2 margaritas, fish tacos, enchiladas al pastor. Ambiance: 5 - I love the feel of this place. great looking bar, decor is simple yet effective, and the fire added a nice touch. Only complaint was that it was hot as Hades but luckily I had a tee shirt on under my long sleeve. Service: 4 - Great staff, very friendly and most seem to be fairly experienced. However you can be forgotten if they get busy, which seems to be pretty often during happy hour. Food: 5 - Fair warning, they spice their food the way it is meant to be spiced. So if you like it mild you better let them know. My fish tacos were awesome, very fresh, a great starter. The enchiladas al pastor were even better. It's always nice to find a place that can still execute a good enchilada plate. Bar: 5 - I typically don't like to buy margaritas at bars, I find them to be way too loaded down with sugar, in an attempt to mask the taste of the shitty tequila they used. Not the case here, the two I had were well balanced so that I could still taste each element. The bartender I had obviously knew his way around a drink Overall value: 5 - In terms of good food/good drinks/good price, this has to be one of the best happy hours I've done while in Tacoma.
(5)Erik F.
Good food, HORRIBLE music. Can't relax with terrible rave music blasting in the background. Drum machines and stupid, repetitive bass are not conducive to a relaxing meal. Turn down the suck!
(3)