Tacos El Matador
1230 Merriam Ln, Kansas City, KS, 66103
Tacos El Matador Menu
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Diabetics at Taco Bell
The biggest concern for diabetics is to find healthy food with less sugar at restaurants. The hunt for the right food becomes even more challenging for diabetics when dining at a fast food restaurant. Well, Taco Bell changes that with Fresco style. Simply ask or order an item from the Taco Bell menu in Fresco Style.
Food Suggestions for Diabetics at Taco Bell:
Crunchy Taco Supreme
Nutrition Fact: 190 calories, 11g Fat (4.5g Sat. Fat), 340mg sodium, 15g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 3g Fiber, 8g Protein
Fresco Steak Soft Taco
Nutrition Fact: 150 calories, 4g Fat (1.5g Sat. Fat), 460mg sodium, 17g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 10g Protein
Fresco Soft Taco – Shredded Chicken
Nutrition Fact: 150 calories, 6g Fat (2g Sat. Fat), 430mg sodium, 16g Carbs, 1g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 9g Protein
Fresco Soft Taco Beef
Nutrition Fact: 160 calories, 6g Fat (2.5g Sat. Fat), 480mg sodium, 18g Carbs, 1g Sugar, 3g Fiber, 8g Protein
Veggie Power Menu Bowl
Nutrition Fact: 480 calories, 19g Fat (5g Sat. Fat), 970mg sodium, 65g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 13g Fiber, 14g Protein
Bean Burrito
Nutrition Fact: 380 calories, 11g Fat (4g Sat. Fat), 1060mg sodium, 55g Carbs, 3g Sugar, 9g Fiber, 14g Protein
Mini Skillet Bowl
Nutrition Fact: 180 calories, 11g Fat (2g Sat. Fat), 430mg sodium, 16g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 5g Protein
Foods to Avoid at Taco Bell for Diabetics:
You must avoid all kinds of Drinks and Freezes at Taco Bell if you have diabetes. Almost every beverage offered at Taco Bell contains high sugar content.
High Cholesterol at Taco Bell
Fast food restaurants are known for serving high calorie, greasy food with lots of sugars. Taco Bell changes this trend by offering Fresco Style option where your favorite food item is prepared using pico de gallo as it will cut down 20 – 30 calories easily from the original meal.
Food Suggestions to Maintain Cholesterol Level at Taco Bell:
Mini Skillet Bowl
Nutrition Fact: 180 calories, 11g Fat (2g Sat. Fat), 430mg sodium, 16g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 5g Protein
Breakfast Soft Taco – Egg & Cheese
Nutrition Fact: 170 calories, 9g Fat (3g Sat. Fat), 330mg sodium, 15g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, less than 1g Fiber, 7g Protein
Spicy Tostada
Nutrition Fact: 210 calories, 10g Fat (3g Sat. Fat), 440mg sodium, 22g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 5g Fiber, 6g Protein
Fresco Crunchy Taco – Beef
Nutrition Fact: 140 calories, 7g Fat (2.5g Sat. Fat), 300mg sodium, 14g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, 3g Fiber, 6g Protein
Shredded Chicken Mini Quesadilla
Nutrition Fact: 200 calories, 10g Fat (3.5g Sat. Fat), 490mg sodium, 15g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, 1g Fiber, 10g Protein
Crunchy Taco Supreme
Nutrition Fact: 190 calories, 11g Fat (4.5g Sat. Fat), 340mg sodium, 15g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 3g Fiber, 8g Protein
Spicy Potato Soft Taco
Nutrition Fact: 230 calories, 12g Fat (3g Sat. Fat), 460mg sodium, 27g Carbs, 1g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 5g Protein
Foods to Avoid at Taco Bell for High Cholesterol:
It is best to avoid Bacon or Steak dishes at Taco Bell as such dishes contain a lot of fat. Also, try to avoid all kinds of Drinks and Freezes which are full of sugars resulting in empty calories.
Visit below restaurant in Kansas City for healthy meals suggestion.
High Blood Pressure at Taco Bell
People with high blood pressure must avoid food with high sodium levels. You can either ask the people at Taco Bell to add less salt in your food or choose the food items with less sodium content or customize your order using Taco Bell's own nutrition calculator.
Food Suggestions to Control Blood Pressure at Taco Bell:
Fresco Chicken Soft Taco
Nutrition Fact: 150 calories, 6g Fat (2g Sat. Fat), 430mg sodium, 16g Carbs, 1g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 9g Protein
Spicy Tostada
Nutrition Fact: 210 calories, 10g Fat (3g Sat. Fat), 440mg sodium, 22g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 5g Fiber, 6g Protein
Grilled Breakfast Burrito - Sausage
Nutrition Fact: 340 calories, 17g Fat (5g Sat. Fat), 730mg sodium, 36g Carbs, 3g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 11g Protein
Veggie Power Menu Bowl
Nutrition Fact: 480 calories, 19g Fat (5g Sat. Fat), 970mg sodium, 65g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 13g Fiber, 14g Protein
Foods to Avoid at Taco Bell for High Blood Pressure:
Taco Bell offers a wide range of Grande Scrambler Burritos, Crunch wraps, and Quesadillas which are high in sodium. It is important to limit the sodium intake at Taco Bell and avoid any meal with over 750-800mg sodium.
Visit below restaurant in Kansas City for healthy meals suggestion.
High Cholesterol at Taco Bell
Fast food restaurants are known for serving high calorie, greasy food with lots of sugars. Taco Bell changes this trend by offering Fresco Style option where your favorite food item is prepared using pico de gallo as it will cut down 20 – 30 calories easily from the original meal.
Food Suggestions to Maintain Cholesterol Level at Taco Bell:
Mini Skillet Bowl
Nutrition Fact: 180 calories, 11g Fat (2g Sat. Fat), 430mg sodium, 16g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 5g Protein
Breakfast Soft Taco – Egg & Cheese
Nutrition Fact: 170 calories, 9g Fat (3g Sat. Fat), 330mg sodium, 15g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, less than 1g Fiber, 7g Protein
Spicy Tostada
Nutrition Fact: 210 calories, 10g Fat (3g Sat. Fat), 440mg sodium, 22g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 5g Fiber, 6g Protein
Fresco Crunchy Taco – Beef
Nutrition Fact: 140 calories, 7g Fat (2.5g Sat. Fat), 300mg sodium, 14g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, 3g Fiber, 6g Protein
Shredded Chicken Mini Quesadilla
Nutrition Fact: 200 calories, 10g Fat (3.5g Sat. Fat), 490mg sodium, 15g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, 1g Fiber, 10g Protein
Crunchy Taco Supreme
Nutrition Fact: 190 calories, 11g Fat (4.5g Sat. Fat), 340mg sodium, 15g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 3g Fiber, 8g Protein
Spicy Potato Soft Taco
Nutrition Fact: 230 calories, 12g Fat (3g Sat. Fat), 460mg sodium, 27g Carbs, 1g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 5g Protein
Foods to Avoid at Taco Bell for High Cholesterol:
It is best to avoid Bacon or Steak dishes at Taco Bell as such dishes contain a lot of fat. Also, try to avoid all kinds of Drinks and Freezes which are full of sugars resulting in empty calories.
Visit below restaurant in Kansas City for healthy meals suggestion.
Q&A on Taco Bell
Who owns Taco Bell?
Taco Bell is a restaurant chain subsidiary owned by Yum! Brands, Inc. which controls the restaurant division of PepsiCo.
When does Taco Bell stop serving breakfast?
Taco Bell starts serving breakfast from 6 a.m. which is one hour later than other competitors. However, the restaurant chain continues serving breakfast till 11 a.m. which is half an hour later than other competitors.
When is Taco Bell happy hour?
Happy hour at Taco Bell starts from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Are Taco Bell beans healthy?
Beans are rich in protein, fiber, and minerals like iron and phosphorous. Hence, Taco Bell beans are healthy in nature. However, there are claims that Taco Bell uses a rehydrated slew of mystery ingredients instead of beans. So, simply inquire about the beans before ordering items serving Taco Bell beans.
Which Taco Bell is closest to me?
Use our Restaurant Listings directory to find Taco Bell nearby.
Which Taco Bell sauce is hottest?
Diablo is the hottest Taco Bell sauce.
Which Taco Bell sauce is best?
In terms of popularity, the Mild sauce is undoubtedly the best Taco Bell sauce favored by Americans.
Which Taco Bell sauces are vegan?
Hot and Mild sauces are certified vegan.
Which Taco Bell has nacho fries?
Taco Bell has a habit of discontinuing and relaunching Nacho Fries. You can find the Taco Bell locations nearby to see if the Taco Bell store has Nacho Fries.
Which Taco Bell is open right now?
Taco Bell opens at 6 a.m. in the morning and stays open until 3 a.m. the next day at major locations. In New York city, the Taco Bell stores stay open till 11 p.m. or 12 midnight.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
About Taco Bell
Taco Bell is a haven for Mexican delicacies such as tacos, quesadillas, burritos, nachos, and other specialty items. Owned by Yum! Brands, Inc. Taco Bell is one of the fastest growing American chains of fast food restaurants. The restaurant operates from 7,072 different locations which are mostly run by independent franchisees and licensees.
The background story of Taco Bell is interesting and inspiring for budding entrepreneurs. The fast-food brand is the brainchild of Glen Bell, who started his first food venture as a hot dog seller in San Bernardino, California. The year was 1948. After witnessing long queues outside a Mexican restaurant called Mitla Café across the street, Bell saw the opportunity and demand for hard-shelled Tacos. He reverse-engineered the recipe and later started selling Tacos and called the venture Taco-Tia.
Later, the name changed from Taco-Tia to El Taco. Eventually, Glen Bell sold the company to his partner and opened the first Taco Bell in Downey in 1962. By 1964, the restaurant also got its first franchise in Torrance. The 100th Taco Bell restaurant was opened by 1965. PepsiCo acquired Taco Bell from Glen Bell in 1978 and the restaurant brand is currently a subsidiary of Yum! Brands which looks after the restaurant business of PepsiCo.
Healthy Food Options at Taco Bell
You may believe that a healthy lifestyle doesn't go well at a fast food restaurant. Well, that's not the case with Taco Bell. Surprisingly Taco Bell offers a variety of healthy options, thanks to the in-house registered dietician who monitors the whole menu. The dietician ensures that each item on the menu is free from additives and preservatives, colors, and artificial flavors. The dietician also ensures that the food served at Taco Bell doesn't contain high-fructose corn syrup, low sodium levels, and reduced use of partially hydrogenated oil.
More than 75% of food items served at Taco Bell falls under 500 calories. Taco Bell also features the Fresco Style option which helps the customers to maintain healthy diet plan without missing out on taste. In Fresco style option, Taco Bell switches pico de gallo with cheese, sour cream, guac, and mayo-based sauce. Taco Bell takes care of almost every health preference of its customers.
Tips for Dining at Taco Bell
Diabetics can also try other Fresco styled Taco items such as Fresco Crunchy Taco, Fresco Grilled Steak, and Fresco Soft Taco Beef. These are other healthy alternatives of Tacos for diabetics which contains an adequate amount of starch and minimum or no fat content. Switch the regular sauce or cheese with pico de gallo and you can easily reduce the sodium intake and fat content for your body. It will help maintain blood pressure levels and control high cholesterol.
Q&A on Taco Bell
Who owns Taco Bell?
Taco Bell is a restaurant chain subsidiary owned by Yum! Brands, Inc. which controls the restaurant division of PepsiCo.
When does Taco Bell stop serving breakfast?
Taco Bell starts serving breakfast from 6 a.m. which is one hour later than other competitors. However, the restaurant chain continues serving breakfast till 11 a.m. which is half an hour later than other competitors.
When is Taco Bell happy hour?
Happy hour at Taco Bell starts from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Are Taco Bell beans healthy?
Beans are rich in protein, fiber, and minerals like iron and phosphorous. Hence, Taco Bell beans are healthy in nature. However, there are claims that Taco Bell uses a rehydrated slew of mystery ingredients instead of beans. So, simply inquire about the beans before ordering items serving Taco Bell beans.
Which Taco Bell is closest to me?
Use our Restaurant Listings directory to find Taco Bell nearby.
Which Taco Bell sauce is hottest?
Diablo is the hottest Taco Bell sauce.
Which Taco Bell sauce is best?
In terms of popularity, the Mild sauce is undoubtedly the best Taco Bell sauce favored by Americans.
Which Taco Bell sauces are vegan?
Hot and Mild sauces are certified vegan.
Which Taco Bell has nacho fries?
Taco Bell has a habit of discontinuing and relaunching Nacho Fries. You can find the Taco Bell locations nearby to see if the Taco Bell store has Nacho Fries.
Which Taco Bell is open right now?
Taco Bell opens at 6 a.m. in the morning and stays open until 3 a.m. the next day at major locations. In New York city, the Taco Bell stores stay open till 11 p.m. or 12 midnight.
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Address :
1230 Merriam Ln
Kansas City, KS, 66103 - Phone (913) 677-9065
- Website https://www.tacoselmatador.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :8:00 am - 8:3
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
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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Lisa C.
One of our favorite spots in all of KC, and definitely our favorite place to go for Mexican. The physical restaurant leaves a little to be desired, but I've never had a bad experience here--- food or service. A must in Kansas City, whether you're a local or just visiting!
(5)William H.
This place is amazing. Super friendly staff. They bring you chips and homemade salsa. I highly recommend the gorditas. Get them with pastor and chorizo.
(5)Daniel Z.
Breakfast burrito with sausage had really good flavor. I've never had one with rice and beans but they were ok. The cheese dip and 3 sauces they bring out with chips are really good. My wife had pork, steak and chicken tacos. Pork was great, steak was good and chicken was not the best, we each took s bite and left it.
(4)Geoffrey G.
We've been trying to find good Mexican food nearby where we live since we moved here over 5 years ago and this is it! Can't believe it took us this long to trip over Tacos El Matador but I can guarantee we will be back many times. My wife comes from a large Mexican family and her base test of all Mexican places is their rice and beans (and theirs are amazing!) I had a Barbacoa Burrito Supreme that had a ton of meat and was delicious. I ate one of my son's tacos and it was great too. If you want some awesome, authentic, local Mexican food (and good service) then this is the place for you too!
(5)Matt K.
We have been going to "The Matador," as we call it, for several years now. Our lunch break falls at 9am, and trying to find lunch at that hour can be a challenge. Fortunately for us, Matador serves their whole menu in the morning, and it is outstanding. I regularly get their beef burrito, and it's as big as your head! Matador's burrito puts anything you'd get at Chipotle or Freebirds to shame. If you're looking for authentic Mexican food, you owe it to yourself to give this place a shot. Great value, very friendly service and just a wonderful experience every time! Don't let the outside appearance of the building deter you. This place is a hidden gem!
(5)Ray W.
This place is a diamond in the rough!! Love love love the cheese dip with chips!! The chicken burrito is the best I have ever had! It is my usual order. Seems to be family ran and very friendly.
(5)Megan B.
Oh man these are some yummy tacos. A friend recently jumpstarted a taco trend in our social circle (think tacos by the pool on hot summer days) and now we're hooked on Tacos El Matador. Simple, authentic, divine. It's a friendly little place too. They guys behind the counter already know my friend by name, and the regulars were pretty tolerant of us and our choppy (but enthusiastic!) Spanish. Go for tacos. The tamales were hit-and-miss. Haven't tried the rest of the menu, but I look forward to diving into it at some point.
(5)Teague P.
Oh my god. Today I had El Matador's tripe tacos for lunch, they were unbelievably great. I know, I know, many of you folks reading this are probably thinking "Ew, gross. What a weirdo, I will eat a tripe taco NEVER." But I swear, they were just wonderful. Not sure what kind of tripe, it didn't seem like beef. Might have been pork (but not buche - some other more tripe-y part). The delightful owner/waitress asked me how I wanted it, crispy or tender? I asked for medium-crispy, sort of in the middle which is usually safe since honestly I had no idea. My tacos arrived, full of crisp-chewy fried little morsels of salty, meaty goodness. I asked for onion and cilantro, and also some tomato - they were perfect. A little sour cream would have been good on these, but I'll have plenty of chances to test this theory. Since I may never eat anything but tripe tacos again. (Edit: Had more for lunch on sunday, still delicious, yes sour cream is excellent - I asked, they are beef but not honeycomb, something "lower down", I think we're in chitlins territory here - don't be scared, they're GREAT) (Edit: Just order them crispy, when you actually get them medium-crispy, they aren't as amazing. Still good, but I think that crispy is the best method. Pretty sure my initial order of medium-crispy was just not translated, this is not an english-first-language sort of place)
(5)Alex T.
I enjoyed my meal at Tacos EL Matador. The food is good (but not great), and the prices are also nice though slightly higher than similar places nearby. I had carnitas and asada tacos, both of which were tasty. Others at my table had tamales (average) barbacoa tacos (quite good, probably the star of what we ordered), and beans and rice (good but nothing unusual). Overall, the food just isn't quite as flavorful as what I'd expect from an authentic Mexican place. Everything I had here is good, it's just not as amazing as I'd like. Tacos El Matador also suffers from being near several places, like Bonito Michoacan, that serve up insanely good food for a slightly lower price. If I'm going to drive 20 minutes to KCK, I'm going to get the most bang for my buck.
(3)Matt E.
Seeing as "tacos" is right there in their name, I should have just stuck with those, but alas I didn't. And while my singular lengua taco was quite good indeed, my subpar burrito brings Tacos El Matador to a solid 3 stars. When I checked into the business, the Yelp app asked me if this place is a dive. That's certainly not the case, but it is a pretty blue collar, family run (i'm guessing, at least) business. Super casual, with an incredibly friendly staff. There were a couple of hiccups because of a language barrier, but nothing that wasn't easily fixed. We all really liked the two waitresses that helped us out. Though there are around 8 different protein optionsh, all four of us ordered a pastor burrito, and because of the shockingly low price (around $4.50) , we assumed that it would be small and also ordered a side taco (mine lengua). Turns out, they're just crazy inexpensive and we had a huge burrito to deal with. All of the ingredients are inside and then the burrito is cut in half, which stirred a debate on how exactly one eats it. Half the table went with "pick it up and eat it Chipotle style" while the other half used knife and fork. Ultimately we decided knife and fork won. But while the portions are ample, unfortunately I just didn't like my burrito. The major strike was that it included lettuce, and since it was inside with all the hot ingredients, I found it limp and seriously unappetizing. I also wasn't a huge fan of the pastor itself, though I'd gladly go back and try it again in a taco to make sure. The tacos cost $1.60 each, so that wouldn't be much of a gamble if it turned out I just don't care for the meat. They're very plain and traditional, two corn tortillas with your meat plus white onion, cilantro and a wedge of lime. They're pretty much perfect. Serious value for the money and a friendly staff. In fact, after tying that sentence I feel obligated to push them up to four stars. I'll go back, just not for a burrito.
(4)Katherine D.
We went here with some friends the other evening for a nice taco/burrito fix. I have to say that I wasn't blown away but the food was good. Not outstanding, but good. I have a lengua taco (my first!) and it was quite tasty and quite affordable at $1.50. I also had a pastor burrito, which was huge! It ran about $5.95 and was solid. I enjoyed it, but my burrito expert friend was not so impressed. All in all, decent joint but I am not sure I would traverse out of my way again for a burrito. Tacos, however, I might!
(3)David M.
Went there for lunch first time today. Had chorizo taco, a pork taco and asada gord. All excellent and the prices were very inexpensive. Very friendly and attentive service. It may not look like much on the outside, but it's what's inside that counts! I found a new fav place less than 2 miles away!
(4)Alex D.
Just average. Wasn't great wasn't horrible. I had 4 different tacos. Meat was bland on them all. Thankfully the had good salsa to help.
(3)Andrew K.
Love the tacos, love the owners, love the fact that $20 feeds a ridiculous number of people. The husband and wife that run this place are very nice. They produce great food, some of the best al pastor tacos I've had since moving to the area. Haven't tried the tortas or other menu items, and while I am curious, I am more curious about how many more tacos I can eat. Turns out, I can eat a lot of tacos.
(5)Josh B.
I am so glad I found this place! I have been in KC for almost 2 years now and was unable to find a great mexican restaurant. I stumbled onto this place by reading the review by other users and decided to try it. The food is absolutely amazing! I got 4 tacos, 2 carnitas and 2 lengua with rice and beans. It was a lot of food, I probably shouldn't have eaten it all, but I did. The prices are very reasonable, the tacos are around $1.50 a piece so you can go crazy. I will definitely be going back to this place! I feel I should note that this place is truly authentic mexican. This is not americanized, however I am sure that they have americanized items on their menu. If you are looking for some truly authentic mexican then this is likely your place.
(5)John S.
excellent restaurant. tripe tacos were the best me and my son have had in many years, the steak, carnitas, lengua, buche and chorizo were great. we recommend this restaurant if you crave real Mexican food.
(5)Mark D.
This place is awesome! We had Tacos al Pastor, they were great! Also, a Barbacoa Tostada. The meat was well cooked and tender. Spiced just right. The salsas were very good. And very friendly.
(5)Mike A.
Tried the pastor and barbacoa tacos. The pastor were not great, the berbacoa were pretty good. Nice sauces and tortillas and good, thick chips cooked in lard. Very friendly service and unassuming space
(3)Adam B.
An excellent family-business that serves quality Mexican food. Their guacamole is the best! The Ground beef is very greasy however. I recommend the chicken or carnitas
(5)Lea R.
This place is Awesome! We go there atleast once a week. Our favorite is the Taco Salad and the Torta. The staff is nice, the prices are cheap, and the food is excellent!
(5)Meg L.
Its not the nicest place, but the servers are all very nice, fast, and the carnitas tacos are sooo killer!!! I get carry out all the time, and each taco is wrapped in tin foil so it stays moist and yummy.
(4)Fernando L.
Still good food. The tripas in the tacos a bit salty but fine. I had tacos (2 Carnitas, 2 Tripas, 2 Lengua), Carnitas Torta, side of beans, 2 Mexican Coca Colas- all for just $20. Big portions on the tacos. The meat was tender and juicy. The tripas were fried just right. Still recommending this place. Don't let all the construction on Merriam Lane keep you from going.
(5)Tresha G.
I first visited here a few years ago after being taken to the farmers market on the corner. I instantly became of a fan of the barbacoa tacos. I would travel all the way over here just for a carryout. Until the barbacoa just kept getting overly salty. One day I just said no more. Even roomie got on the phone (it was a carryout) and complained to them about the salt. Fast forward to now. I was talked into venturing into the flea market. Afterwords, I asked roomie to give the o'Matador another go. They have breakfast foods and its the reason for being open at 8am. However working nights, roomie and I like our dinner for breakfast. You can order anything at anytime here. We got our chips and all three salsas. I actually made my own by mixing the red with some green for spice. Roomie opted for the more spicy one. The chips were a little on the too salty side. oh no... not good. I ordered my trademark barbacoa taco and a taco burger just in case. My taco was wonderful as coming the first time when I came here. Even the little double corn tortillas were great and not breaking. Roomie got barbacoa, al pastor, and asada tacos and a barbacoa gordita with a horchata. She was not thrilled with the horchata, but I liked it. We both feel in love with the al pastor tacos too. The asada tacos were not for me. Her gordita was yum too. We eneded up getting 3 barbacoa and al pastor tacos to go also. We popped them in the toaster oven for late lunch and they were great once again. There were several other patrons coming in after we got our order. It was good to see all the other foods off the menu. Even one elder man was making the menudo look good and I don't even like that stuff. One teenager ordered a cheese burger. We just shook our heads. ahhh teenagers... lol As long as they can keep the salt low on the meat, this will be my favorite stop again.
(4)Amy W.
I would love to write a long, glowing review of this place, but I ate so much I'm now in a food coma. If you're craving some really tasty authentic tacos, this is the place to go. Easy, casual, cheap and so, so good. I'm usually a fan of tacos al pastor, but my favorites here were the barbacoa. I haven't tried them ALL yet...but I will be back! Also, my husband had some damn good enchiladas. Go eat here.
(4)Lisa R.
I recently discovered this place while I was in the area for work. I had some time between appointments and used my GPS to see what was around for lunch. I speak Spanish and love Mexican food, so I love exploring new Mexican restaurants. From the outside I knew the place could be hit or miss, but food from places that look like a "miss" tends to be good anyway. I was not disappointed when I got inside. The place was very clean and service was good. I had agua de jamaica (my favorite Mexican drink...besides Corona), chips and salsa came with my lunch, and I had a gordita. Everything was tasty. I'm glad to see that others love this place too.
(4)Sharon D.
This is my weekly (and sometimes more) delicious mexican food place. I can go on and on and on about how amazing the food is here. My absolute favorite is the barbacoa tacos. Delicious shredded beef spiced to perfection with cilantro and onion on a corn tortilla. The pastor is wonderful too but is heartburn inducing. Sometimes when I am really hungry and want to change it up I go for a torta with asada. The torta here is the creamiest sandwich I have ever had with a trifecta of avocado, sour cream AND beans with your choice of meat. Holy shit yes. I have never had a bad meal here and the family running this place deserves so many more loyal customers. Flavor magic happens here daily.
(5)Joel S.
Growing up in the Midwest, I make no claims to be a Mexican food expert. All I know is that KCK never ceases to amaze me with these little hole-in-the wall taco joints. IMHO, El Camino Real takes first prize, but Tacos El Matador easily moved into second place upon my first visit. The fact that it's five minutes from my house is also a definite incentive to return. My standard ECR meal is a torta al pastor and horchada, so I ordered the same item here for a comparison. The pastor here is quite different - this was probably done in an oven, compared to the massive hunk of slow-cooked pork on a spit at ECR. But it was still delicious - the marinade was really flavorful. It was served with avocado, tomato, mayo and queso blanco on a really good soft bun. The lady got beef fajitas with rice and refried beans. She took a bite of the beans, her eyes got really big... "Oh my GOD this is good!" I had a bite and sure enough, these suckers were unbelievable: creamy and almost sweet. The chips were fairly standard for this kind of place. I wished I had asked for some hotter salsa. We got the standard stuff - red and verde - which were both nearly heat-free even though the flavor was good. All in all service was friendly, the food was very tasty and quite inexpensive. I saw on another review they do breakfast, so I will probably be checking that out and updating soon. I do love me some breakfast tacos.
(4)Joe H.
I've been back to Tacos El Matador, and I now know that the pastor is pastor and not carnitas. I have a feeling they just got my order wrong the last time. This really is a great establishment, and I highly recommend it. The service and food are both outstanding. I still haven't tried the gyro, but it is on my list. I don't know that it will be as good as the rest of the food. I'm just intrigued that they have one.
(4)Dave L.
Not much to look at from the outside, but El Matador has a very pleasant, bright and colorful interior. The tacos here are fantastic, particularly the carnitas. They serve them Mexican style on double corn tortillas with onions and cilantro. The red salsa is a really great accompaniment to chip and tacos alike. It is not pico, but rather a thinner chile-based sauce. You'll love it. I can't speak for the American lunch fare but they do offer burgers, chicken, tenderloins and other diner hallmarks.
(4)David A.
I'm always looking for joints that have actual authentic tacos: corn tortillas with meat, onions and cilantro. El Matador has some tasty tacos that fit the bill nicely. It's a shotgun-style building with an awesomely retro interior. Multicolor vinyl booths line each side of the place, and paintings of matadors cover the walls. You'll get some tasty, authentic Mexican fare including Mexican breakfast, which not enough places offer. They offer some gringo fare like burgers and stuff but I haven't tried them, nor do I plan to. My personal favorite menu item are the gorditas, thick, freshly made masa tortillas topped with tons of tasty ingredients. Their gorditas are the best I've had in town, hands down. Filling-wise I usually opt for barbacoa or carnitas, both of which are always super tender and flavorful. The staff is always very friendly and attentive, and the food is authentic and fresh. So next time someone suggests you get some food from Taco Bell, On the Border, or T.J. O'Mexican's Jalapeno Jamboree slap that fool in the face and tell him to drag his sorry carcass to Tacos El Matador.
(4)ILoveyou L.
Amazing, You have to have a knowledge of what authentic mexican food is, to truly appreciate this place. I had the lingua, the tripe, and the bucha tacos. Amazingly prepared with just diced onion and cilantro, served with a wedge of lime. I topped half with their picante salsa, and the other half with the salsa verde, both are great. I will return again and again
(5)Chamberlain H.
Went here very recently for the first time. The Gorditas appeared to be a selling point, but I wanted to be the judge of their street tacos. Ordered two pastor, one asada, and one barbacoa. If I had just ordered the soft corn shell stuffed with only onion and cilantro, I would have been quite impressed. The fillings that I chose, however, left much to be desired. The pastor marinade was way too salty to enjoy the crisp, yet tender pork goodness. The asada, on the other hand, was exceptionally bland and a little tough. The barbacoa was easily the most satisfying filling and had that tender, melt-in-your-mouth quality. I realize that judging chips and salsa is kind of lame, but their chips were extremely stale. Slowly ate them while craving Ninfa's flour tortilla appetizers. I'll give it another try (for the Gordita's), but it didn't blow me away when comparing and contrasting it to the other KCK Mexican hotspots.
(3)Jennifer B.
Went here with boss. Ordered meal, ate it and it was so good we ordered a second set of food before we rolled out to the car. Excellent food and price. I raised my eyebrow at first just because of the location and appearance but I knew better than to judge without tasting.
(5)Shannon L.
OMG - These authentic tacos are heavenly!! The tacos are topped with just two things: cilantro and chopped onion and they are just sooooooo good. I personally like the carne asada and the carnita tacos, but I'm sure they are all good (honestly I'm not quite brave enough for the tongue or stomach tacos). The salsas that come with it are also outstanding (green tomatillo is spicy and delicious). The place is a little hole in the wall, but definitely worth a trip.
(5)Laura F.
Was in the area and very hungry. Yelp to the rescue! I had trouble getting here due to construction on Merriam Lane, making the required left hand turn impossible. I really wanted some tacos, so I did a few detours and finally arrived. It is a very modest place, not a lot of curb appeal, but still felt homey and welcoming. I walked in, and was seated in a booth. I was the only one there, but it was a weird time (around 2pm). I expected a quick serve atmosphere, but actually did have a server. I was first served by a nervous-looking, but polite young man who brought my water and chips & salsa. I ordered one beef tongue taco and one carnita taco. While eating my chips, I noticed a young woman come in, who brought my tacos when they were ready. She was friendly and attentive. The beef tongue was amazing. The soft taco shells were definitely the best I've ever had. The carnita tacos were also very good. Both types of meat were very flavorful and perfectly spiced. I would definitely classify this place as a "hole-in-the-wall", but the best food often comes from these types of places. I look forward to returning!
(5)Nate C.
First time here. Pretty small place, maybe 10 or so booths. Came on a hot July evening and it was a little warm inside, with one AC window unit working overtime. Still cooler than outside though. The hostess/ server was very pleasant and seemed to be working pretty hard to keep customers happy and the place cleaned up. On to the food... Chips are average, a bit salty. The salsa comes in squeeze bottles and is pretty soupy. They have a mild, hot, and verde. The mild is decent tomatoey with a bit of spice, the hot has a nice kick, but none have much of an herbal flavor. I ordered a chicken torta. The chicken was very succulent, with a bit of spice (chipotle?). The torta roll was decent, if just a bit dry. All components- meat, avocado, tomato, lettuce, mayo, beans were in excellent balance, resulting in an excellent torta experience. Overall, solid.
(4)Chris T.
This is one of the few places I've been able to find that serves menudo daily. The large bowl is $6.50 and it comes with a side of tortillas. I also ordered two lengua tacos and the meat was tender and they provide a good helping per taco. If you're craving menudo and you don't want to wait for the weekend, check out Tacos El Matador. This place is casual, family run, and the service and food are amazing.
(5)Chris W.
Best street tacos ever!!! 10 different styles, $1.60 each and they are all delicious. Great guac too. Big bowl for $3.25. Absolutely can't beat it. Do not judge a book by its cover. The restaurant is very unimpressive from the outside, but I promise you the service is excellent and the food is authentic and amazing. Check out the photo I posted too.
(5)