The Matador
1438 NW 23rd Ave, Portland, OR, 97210
The Matador Menu
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Address :
1438 NW 23rd Ave
Portland, OR, 97210 - Phone (503) 228-2855
- Website https://www.matadorrestaurants.com/nw-portland
- 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 : Tue, Thu, 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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Stanley T.
Casa del Matador (not to be confused with The Matador, West Burnside's dive bar) opened a few weeks ago, an expansion of a popular mini-chain of Tex-Mex bar/restaurants based in the Seattle area. Five-stars for ambiance and aesthetics - spacious and welcoming mix of booths and tables with a dramatic, sweeping bar. Beautiful inlaid wood tables, unique wrought-iron work, a variety of attractive lighting fixtures and tasteful decorative accessories make it obvious that this place was both well thought out and well done. I've been here 4 times now and I've had some very good food and service. The chili, prawns and blackened fish tacos from the happy hour menu are all good choices. You can mix and match among fillings and sauces for their enchilada selections (I had the carnitas with red chile sauce). The enchiladas are individual, recognizable entities on your plate, as opposed to the typical Mexican restaurant amorphous blob and quite tasty. The chipotle baby back ribs are cooked to perfection, though the sauce was not my favorite. I'm looking forward to sampling additional offerings. At their grand opening party we ordered the Top Shelf margarita and were disappointed. Sure didn't taste like the cocktail described on the menu. They were cheerfully replaced (by Gran Centenario Silver tequila, neat) from their menu of 75 tequila offerings. I haven't given up on them though - I plan to belly-up to the bar soon and chat with the bartender about what constitutes a margarita for this boy. Since it is not yet 01/01/09, I'll add that Casa del Matador is smoke free.
(4)Sin D.
This place has pretty good happy hour. Came here on an early Sunday evening (5ish) and it wasn't too busy. We had a party of 12 and they were able to accommodate us. I can't quite remember the exact names of the food that I ordered but they were all from the happy hour menu: the wings, calamari, romaine salad, and the tomato soup. The wings and the calamari were both 5 bucks each while I can't remember how much the other items were but they were certainly under 5 bucks. The calamari was a little salty but the wings and the salad were outstanding! I gave my soup away but I heard it was good. I ordered a Sangria (a fruit-based wine punch) and it was good. Their drinks and food come in generous portions. This is a chill happy hour place overall. An 18% gratuity was charged to our bill due to the size of our group.
(4)Gabriela V.
We came in after 9pm on a Wednesday. I ordered a shrimp salad and my friend ordered chicken fajitas, the food was terrible. My salad was over-salted and the fajitas were bland. There were a few tables with people here and there, mostly people seated with drinks and talking quietly with each other. Yet, with how loud the music was playing you'd think we were at a club. I asked the waitress if it was possible to turn down the music in our corner but she told me the owners expect a certain ambiance and won't allow the music to be turned down. Are you kidding me! Club ambiance on a Wed night. This place is a joke.
(1)Johanna L.
Well we headed here for happy hour last night and overall I was pretty satisfied. 1. Service - average to below average. Waitress and hostess were neither very personable. A couple times the waitress would drop off our drinks and then just quickly keep walking so that we had to flag her down. Not a lot of attentiveness but we never had to wait too long and it was rather busy. 2. Food - pretty tasty overall. And the happy hour really can't be beat. One of the best ones in town, food-wise. We started with the chips/guac/salsa. The chips and salsa were free apparently but the guac was $5 a pop. I'll skip this next time. It was pretty bland. I was stuffed by the time happy hour rolled around but I tried the fried shrimp tacos and the chorizo tacos. The chorizo tacos were TERRIBLE. Strangely seasoned, DRY (how is this even possible with sausage), and gristly! Will not order anything with chorizo from them in the future. The shrimp tacos however were delightful! The shrimp were crunchy and slightly sweet. The portions were huge at only $5 and $4 for two tacos per order. 3. Drinks - expensive but tasty. The highlight for me was the cucumber jalapeno margarita. Refreshing and delicious with a smoked paprika spicy rim. The mango margarita was a snoozefest but it got the job done. 4. Ambiance - The atmosphere/decor didnt bother me at all. In fact I kind of liked it. I loved the big open windows and the wooden booths. We had a great time and I can't wait to swing by again for their awesome happy hour and try the nachos that all you other yelpers are raving about.
(3)Jackie B.
The last couple of times I've come to town all I hear from my friends is "Matador Matador Matador" I've been here a few times now and I'd give it about 3.5 stars. I guess it's a little unfair that someone who regularly gets to eat homemade tamales and Fresh Mexican soup in So. Cal is writing this review, but that's how it is. The food is fine. And cocktails are great (hence 3.5 total stars). Cute ambiance, maybe if I were sitting in the bar I'd be blown away. I dunno...
(3)Tiffany C.
One of my favorite Happy Hour places. Massive plate of nachos for nothing and good stiff margaritas in pint glasses. Be warned though, it gets really damned crowded after 7:00 when the predatory brosephs emerge from their Axe soaked hiding places. The dinner menu is pretty good too. One of the better Tex Mex places I've been! Go for the fajitas.
(4)Christa A.
Checked this joint out when we were cruising around the North Side for our spot to live. We were tired, feeling a little defeated and definitely starving. I am pretty convinced that a margarita and a plate of Mexican food can fix anyone's ailments. You got a broken finger eat a taco, you just broke up with your dude slam a Cadillac margarita, someone said something shitty about you then by all means dive into a basket of chips and salsa and even if you just need a little pick me up there is nothing a burrito can't fix. This place did the trick, we had a great meal at the bar for a decent price and we were ready to get back to it. We were pumped after those rice and beans and I believe that was the day that we stumbled upon our new place.
(4)Shay R.
Cada del Matador is such a great alternative to go have food and drinks on a late Sunday evening. The food is really good and their Sangria is excellent! Atmosphere 5/5: The atmosphere is great. You feel right away that you're in a Mexican restaurant and the Fire place is definitely a plus. Food 4/5: This is not maybe the most Gourmet food you will eat but I think the food is good. Their happy hour food menu is great with different choices of Tacos, Quesidilla, Nachos, Spring Rolls. I'm giving an A+ to the amazing Texas Size Nachos with Churizos on top! The steak tacos are also really good. Service 4/5: The service is quiet good, fast and friendly. I never had a problem with the staff who are really patient sometimes! I would nevertheless give a 3/5 on the Drinks. The Sangria is definitely the best option but their glass of Malbec isn't the best unfortunately. I also think that their shots of hard liquor are smaller than other establishment but overall, it's a great place to hang out and watch a sports game with some good food!
(4)Hayden N.
I love tequila! So many different variety to choose from. Going during happy hour is the best time 4-6pm or after 10pm because a lot of the dishes are only $5. You get a large portion of food for that price, the Nacho is big enough to feed three people! I definitely enjoy the atmosphere and vibe of the 23rd location more than the one on Burnside. Great choice for happy hour!!!
(4)Bradford B.
I have to agree with a lot of reviewers. Really really bad service!!! I walked out.
(1)Jowel G.
This was our last meal in Portland before leaving for L.A. The Alphabet district was a completely different place with the sun shining and not a soul loitering outside of the bars. Matador reminded me of home, literally my home. The drama of the wrought iron, long drawn hanging drapes and the impressive tequila bar. The margaritas were good, so good that I can barely remember what I had to eat. I know I had tacos and ate every bite, the chips were freshly made and so were the tortillas that our tacos were made with. The salsa was on the hot side, but still tasty. Our server was attentive and pleasant. I enjoyed this place and would return for another round of margaritas when I visit Portland again. (Another overdue review)
(4)Miz C.
Super happy hour food. Steak tacos are huge, and delicious. I love the chipotle salt they rim their margaritas with. Late night happy hour every night is awesome.
(4)H O.
+: Love me some big windows that open up during the summer! -: Everything else is forgettable so let's change restaurants and everything will be great! !: Hello indoor fireplace! ?: Second location is so awkward.
(2)Kathy J.
We went to Matador for happy hour again last night. The food was definitely better this time but the service was still lacking. We ordered the nachos again which were much fresher, plus we ordered some tacos. I wish they would offer 3 tacos for $6 instead of 2 for $5 because while they were really tasty, the plate was just so sad and empty. We sat for thirty minutes after our plates were cleared just waiting for the bill and our credit cards to be run. The manager (?) was bringing plates out like crazy and the busser was working her butt off, but the waitress was spending all her time in the back. When the waitress did come out, she would go to all of the older people's tables first before sometimes swinging back through to stop by everyone else. I know you're working for tips but having a table get their drinks and food well before us when they arrived well after us was really frustrating.
(3)Chris H.
The food here is solid! Try the mushroom appetizer and the fish tacos. Great ambience and energy!
(4)Lia M.
Awesome service, Good food, and Good service. Intimate setting great for dates, bad for pre party dinner. Dim lighting, good food and good drinks will put you to sleep before going out! I recommend the pork tacos. Super tasty! I would definitely go back!
(4)Jesy B.
Eh. Not bad, but not great either. I spotted this place driving down Burnside in search of some grub - it looked nice and the weather worked with the wide open windows so we turned around and gave it a try. It's a nice looking restaurant but not busy on a Wednesday night so we were immediately seated. I got a Cadillac Margarita that was...ok, just kind of bland in term of other ones I've had. I ordered a goat cheese & zucchini quesadilla and the boy ordered their short ribs. Again...just ok, nothing amazing. The ribs had a lot of gristle and fat that made them unappetizing. The thing that threw me at this place was the service - our waitress seemed really confused most of the time, repeating our requests as curious questions like asking for water was a weird, difficult request. And she stared. It was a bit weird. I probably won't go back just 'cause it's not close and I wasn't totally amazed by their offerings.
(3)David H.
We usually go to the Casa Del Matador on Burnside, but happened to be on 23rd and decided to stop in for some quick dinner. As expected, the service was great, the drinks were spot-on, and the food was solid. I will continue to frequent the one on Burnside more than this one, but that's just because of location.
(4)Ima T.
If the drinks weren't so overpriced, this would be a 5 star rating. Great portions on the happy hour food at great prices. Great decor and fun fire pit in the middle of the restaurant! Pretty good service 2!
(4)Dom L.
Gluten-Free nachos? Check. Gluten-Free Fajitas? Check. Loud obnoxious Bros who wear sunglasses on their forehead? Double Check. As a local, I keep checking out Casa Del Matador. Because secretly, I *really* want to like them. But I always leave with the feeling of "meh". The prices aren't too high, but just a wee bit higher than the quality of food/drinks are worth. The decor is great, but the crowd isn't always so awesome. Lots of guys in mis-matched business suits who remind me of all those guys who majored in business at Arizona State. The best time to go? Lunch/before 4:30pm and after 10/11pm when happy hour starts again. The drinks/food is pretty consistant, okay, but not impressive. The decore really is fantastic (except those god-awful TVs playing the game), the fire pit is pretty cool, and it's lovely in the summer with the doors/windows/walls open. The music can be a little too loud sometimes. And I think the price is just a smidge, like $5, more than I want to spend. That being said, I keep coming back. Who knows. Masochistic? Extremely hopeful? Who knows. If you're visiting the area, sure it's fine. If you're a local.... well, we all know where go. :)
(2)Steve Y.
I really enjoy this place. It is a great atmosphere which is both appealing to the senses yet comfortable to be in. I recommend this place for small parties but if you are looking to hold an event there with 10-20 people forget about it. as they DO NOT take reservations.
(4)Angie H.
Time for Nachos!!!! I love this place!! Sadly I've never actually eaten dinner here, but I know people who have and they said it's great. This is one of my most favorite happy hour places. I love their drinks (favorite is the pomegranate margarita), but their food is seriously good! My food favorites: The Nachos!!! - Out of this world, best Nachos in Portland in my opinion! Tomato and Chicken Soup - Sooooooo yummy! They add fresh avocado on top, I want some right now! Tex-Mex Spring Rolls - These are so good and they're served with this creamy green sauce that I absolutely LOVE! Wings - I don't eat wings, but my husband does and he loves their wings! Quesadillas - Very good, I think we've tried them all and they're all good! Tacos - I don't get them often, but they are good! So there you have it! If you're looking for a good happy hour check out this place for sure! It's also nice and big so you don't really feel cramped. Either location is nice Burnside or NW 23rd.
(5)Katie B.
Just because we walk thru your front doors unknowing of your no one under 21 rule , doesn't give you the right to treat us like street bums looking for a free meal, especially while holding a 5 week old newborn baby, your place isn't that great, get over yourselves already and change that rule you dirty hipsters...El Suckador.
(1)David R.
This is one of the few places I enjoy going to in the area. The service is pretty decent and the set up is pretty authentic. This is not a dive bar...I repeat this is not a dive bar! No drink specials and they tend to be a bit pricey. But the Happy hour food is a great deal. The nacho's are big. Here is their happy hour menu: $4.00 Nachos Chicken Quesadilla Spicy Fried Calamari House-chorizo quesadilla Roasted tomato & chicken soup Fire House chili Romaine Salad Ancho-Chipotle Wings Tex-Mex spring rolls Chicken Tacos House Chorizo Tacos Braised Pork Tacos $5.00 Shrimp Quesadilla Habanero or Garlic Prawns Steak Tacos Beer Battered Shrimp Tacos Blackened Fish tacos I recommend everything above!
(5)Ashley C.
My friends and I went here for drinks and ended up with appetizers and drinks. We couldn't get a seat to save our lives. Every table was filled and all chairs were taken; including the floors. We orders a few margaritas to start the night. It was rather chaotic because you're too busy trying to balance a drink , a jacket, purse, while looking for a place to squeeze into. We found a place at the fireplace, and make some new friends. The design of the place made it so difficult to maneuver but we managed. In the end, we got a table and were seated after a 15-20 minute wait. By then, we were only able to eat a plate of appetizer but had to rush to the next place. I enjoy the busy flow of the restaurant, even though spacing was limited.
(4)Kristina K.
Delicious food, friendly staff and great atmosphere. We went here for the late night happy hour on Halloween and were not disappointed. The bathrooms smell like barf, but I'm not surprised because it's a tequila bar so I'm not too turned away. Maybe on our next visit, the smell won't make me dry heave my happy hour tacos. I wish the couple across from us would stop making out while we're trying to eat. That's why there's that saying: go get a room!!
(4)Stephanie K.
Came here last night after discovering that no respectable Mexican joint was taking credit cards. So I had my friend drive me all the way to the Alphabet District for some reverse happy hour. Love the setting in this restaurant. Cute people work here, equally cute people go here, and it's just laid back overall. They have a great reverse happy hour from 10 pm-1 am with $4-$5 plates. We got the chips and guac, beer battered shrimp tacos, and the blackened fish tacos. The tacos were huge and delicious and perfect after a complete day of drinking. Definitely coming back to try the margaritas!
(4)No P.
I read about bad service at this place. My experience was that the waitress payed too close attention to us....thats ok. Drinks and food arrived right away. Food: I grew up in central California a cornucopia of great mexican food...I know good mexican food. The litmus test for good mexican food is the carnitas. Their example was as good as it gets. My dates soup was a bit on the spicy side...but it is a mexican restaurant after all. Id go back.
(4)G G.
Not sure why Tex mex is so hard to pull off? My enchiladas were exceptional, the rest of the table was mixed reviews, the margaritas were terribly uninspiring & I tried 3...their "top shelf", a "scratch", and the tamarindo which only smelled tasty.
(3)Katie H.
I'm sure you know that this restaurant originated up in Seattle where they have 2 locations that look exactly like the one on 23rd. On the upside this is a great place to eat during the summer as the whole restaurant opens up to the outdoors. Also...it is officially a bar--meaning no small children allowed. (This can be good or bad depending on who you are.) On the downside....the food is WAY too spicy...and I like things spicy. So be prepared for your eyes to be watering.....and if you're trying to look all hot or have makeup on....not a good look. (Hint...don't do a first date here unless you're just drinking or ordering completely unspicy food.)
(3)Farzeen J.
Yes, this place has an amazing happy hour. And yes it has great entrees. But what sets this place is the service. We came during late night happy hour on a saturday night and it was packed! Yet the server was quick, attentive, sweet and helpful. We left happy full and satisfied.
(5)Michael R.
Almost a 5 star but not quite there! We really liked the atmosphere and the happy hour action. Our food was good, yummy jalapeno poppers, and our waitress, Tiffany from Seattle, was awesome!!! We'll definitely be back, thanks for a great time!
(4)Ben C.
Nacho Hedonism I hesitate to give this place 5 stars because I am of the Christian religion and I am pretty sure they use some sort of black magic in the production of these. Let me explain... 1. They make it to your table in 4 minutes (butter doesn't melt that fast much less cheese). 2. There's like 15 layers of chips and each of them has cheese on this. Yeah? Impossible right. Impossible by natural means. 3. The cilantro sour cream. Tastes so good the primary ingredient: SIN 4. Final price tag for this quick, toasted, melted, layered, plate of awesomeness that will feed 5?....$4.00 with NO tax. "for wide is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it..."
(5)Shane S.
We love to hit this place for happy hour, and this latest trip was for that. The nachos are huge, a perfect food choice for the table. We also got a couple of other items to share, and had plenty of food to go around for not much. They get you with the drink prices, which are a little crazy at $8 each for a Cadillac Margarita, and with everything being a little salty, one has to have a couple of them. So our tab at happy hour for three people was over $70, which doesn't seem so happy. But, as a splurge once in a while, it'd still be cheaper than doing dinner and drinks for three there.
(4)Abigail S.
The Casa Del Matador happy hour (3-6 & 10-close) is my favorite in Portland. Although no drinks are included in the HH menu, they're moderately priced and the value of the food makes up for the lack of $3 brews. The HH menu offers great $5 Mexican food with an excellent variation of both vegetarian and meat options. My personal favorites are the shrimp tacos and the Texas sized nachos (huge + ideal for splitting). You can spend around $10 a person and have a good deal of food as well as a strong drink. The only minus is that it is often very busy and the service isn't always that great. If you're not in a rush and have an afternoon or evening to have a leisurely HH, this is a great place to do it!
(4)Courtney F.
One of my favorite places to go on 23rd. Great food and great drinks!
(4)LaQueanya H.
Two words: RED SANGRIA! Ok maybe to more: WHITE SANGRIA! Lol! Generous portions! Great Happy Hour Menu!
(4)Michelle L.
I've only been here once, and I had a good experience. I nom nomed on tortilla chips and good salsa as a free appetizer. I drank a tasty, generously-sized sangria (skimpy on the fruit, but perfect for the buz). I had a DELICIOUS and unique quesadilla as my main course for eight bucks. The quesadilla had butternut squash, caramelized onions, sharp cheddar and swiss cheeses. I'm going to try and recreate it at home! The service and atmosphere were nice. I'll try Matador again.
(3)Sabrina S.
In all honesty, I was rather surprised that the ratings for the Matador were not higher. I have been to the one in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle many times, and have always enjoyed it. The Portland location is not different. I love the ambiance with the red and black decor, the fire pit, and the dim lighting. When the weather allows, this is a great place to come and sit by the wide open windows, or sit outdoors where they have ample seating. This might be considered a trendy spot due to both the clientele and the waitstaff, but it is hard to deny that the food here is quite good. The best time to come here is for the happy hour which I believe is from 4-6 and then 9-close. If you are looking for cheap drinks, you won't find them here. If you are looking for good food that won't bust your wallet, come here during happy hour. You will find delicious $4 vegetarian nachos (add meat for a dollar I believe) that will feed 2-4 people. Don't miss the Habanero prawns (hot!), and a decent selection of other cheap eats. The full price meals are also worth coming for, but of course, you aren't going to get the same deal. They have a really nice selection of wines, mixed drinks, and sangria. Great, now I am craving nachos.
(4)Jainy S.
My review is a little skewed since I came here for an event and the menu was pre-set. But! I thought the food was pretty good. The Pro's: --I liked the feel of this place. It had a polished trendy feel to it. --The chips, salsa and guac were all incredible. I could have filled up on that and felt satisfied. --I had vegetarian enchiladas which were delicious. I'd say good food for the price. The Cons's: --Not the best food you've ever had but good. Overall, definitely check this place out. It's good food at with a cool feel.
(4)brian c.
Casa Del Matador has a really cool ambiance. The windows open wide in the summer time which is really cool. They also have out door seating in the summer time. The happy hour is pretty solid as well. The drinks are very tasty and fairly inexpensive for this area. The tacos are very good, the BBQ ribs with the spicy sauce are outstanding. The chips and salsa are way way to salty. I would recommend that you try this place for happy hour before you drop the cash for a dinner.
(4)Michael V.
Last happy hour of the school year with my buddies and we decided to try this place out! --not to be confused with the one on Burnside :P Anyways, Casa Del Matador was a great place for many reasons! $5 for some incredibly delicious steak tacos that tasted so fresh with the lettuce and tomatoes. My mouth wanted more but my stomach was telling me otherwise. My friend got the fish tacos (after watching I Love You, Man) and hasn't found a better one since! Not sure about the shrimp tacos or quesadilla, but I heard they were equally amazing. We had $4 nachos and spicy fried calamari to share and they were amazing! The calamari was really soft (not chewy and tough) and perfectly seasoned, and the nachos were mind-blowing. Can't remember much about them except for the fact that 1) I kept shoveling more in my mouth 2) cheese that fell off of the plate when pulling a chip out of the wonderful mess was easily brushed off and given the five second rule, and 3) a dash of crack must've been sprinkled over the nachos. Add a glass of white sangria and you bet I was having a fantastic night! The only issue I had was that some slimy guy slipped passed us in line and stole an open booth as he waited for his mistress to arrive. I'll let it slide though, since the service was really fast and friendly! Definitely will come back for some more addicting nachos!
(4)Daniell W.
Got in. Got seated immediately at the fire pit. Amazing service. Got a good buzz off ONE top shelf margarita. Bomb nachos and spicy calamari. Fabulous atmosphere all together. And I paid less than $35 (for two people with drinks). I will definitely return and will be telling all my friends! Even better.... NO kids allowed, EVER! This isn't Red Robin, this is a great place for adults to go!
(5)Stuart B.
Great food for not much coin. Stiff drinks. Excellent atmosphere. Foodies and people that are boring rag on this place for two things, not being the absolute best food in town and being crowded/a bit of a meet market. Considering that's exactly what Matador is trying to accomplish, it gets 5/5 from me.
(5)Amanda L.
Casa Del Matador has a bit of that polished, chain-y feel, with its food, service and atmosphere, yet technically it only has a handful of restaurants in the Pacific Northwest, so we shouldn't feel too guilty about enjoying its reliable pleasures. The best thing about this restaurant is its happy hour, so check out the early evening and late-night menu with great deals on your basic Tex-Mex fare and some quite dandy house margaritas. I recommend grabbing a seat around the indoor fire-pit and making some new friends while munching a copious plate of nachos and sipping Negra Modelo. Otherwise, lunch and dinner here can be a bit pricey considering what shows up on your plate, but then again the free chips and salsa are quality. And the hand-wrought ironworks and dim, candle-lit atmosphere makes for a great chill-out spot.
(4)Bria T.
Make that 3.5 stars. Me and my SO frequent this place because we love the atmosphere and the happy hour. We've gone so much that one of the bartenders apparently wondered whether we were okay after not coming here for awhile. We always get chips and salsa (yummy and fresh-tasting) and I usually get a glass of wine and he gets some other sort of drink. The mojito and margaritas are good. They have a lot of interesting margarita flavors. We once ordered a hot toddy, though, and it was almost undrinkable. Ick. : ( A good deal of the entrees are a bit overpriced for the quality of the dish. However, we did have a steak dish (Charbroiled ribeye) and were surprised to find that it was delicious and well-prepared. The tacos are pretty basic - nothing a person couldn't make at home. The steak quesadilla is very good, and we love their chocolate cake, which is served with ice cream, caramel sauce, and a carmelized piece of banana. Yum yum!
(3)Tracy T.
Love this place! Great food and Great Drinks! Try the Cucumber Jalapeño Margherita rimmed with Chipotle Salt mix PERFECT! I always get the Ribeye, grilled and spiced to perfection. Hubby tries everything and never disappointed. TIP: Go early, say 3 or 4'ish, the place gets hoppin' later
(5)Jeff M.
A Haiku Review of Casa Del Matador: Tex Mex Atmosphere. Try to catch Happy Hour. Blackened Fish Tacos.
(4)Brian P.
Come here for the food, but if service is important you will want to go someplace else. I have been here no less than 10 times and each time the service has been subpar. The servers are slow, in attentive, and when they are at the table seem frantic and try to hurry you along. I've never had bad food here, but it's not authentic Spanish food.
(3)Ray P.
My wife and I were turned away as we had our 14 month old daughter with us... Give me a break you guys :-(
(1)Ja V.
Well, this NW chain started in Seattle and typically has a bit of a douchey clientele. I thought that would be different in Portland. Well, I can't say much about the patrons but the bartender (Namskies) sure made up for it. 1. When I sat at the bar there was ZERO hello or greeting. Personally the very least I expect from a bartender is a Hi. He seemed to be too busy chatting it up with his friends at the bar. 2. I asked for a taste of beer and felt like I asked him for a kidney. It's pretty standard in most bars now to give patrons a taste of a beer or two on tap. 3. I finally landed on a simple burger and fries, as I felt this was a pretty safe bet. The meal was fine, standard fare for a bar, not once was I asked how the meal was, if I needed anything else etc. At one point some sun was coming in through the blinds and he took a few minutes to pull out his sunglasses and pose against the bar. Why don't you spend a little less time trying to live up to a character type and focus on your patrons. Perhaps that's why you are working at Matador and not a more upscale, service oriented business. I'll chalk some of this up to immaturity as I'm guessing he's under 25, but someone at Matador should be coaching him. In summation, food was as expected, service was lackluster.
(2)Lyn T.
I made an error here. We were starving and on 23rd late on a weeknight. Mistake! The Matador won our dinner business based on low blood suger. The decor was fun, in a uber-canned Georgia O'Keffe/Day of the Dead gone wrong kinda way. I certainly see what people mean about the feel of a meat market though. The music was so loud that my dining companion and I had to yell across the table at each other, and at our server while ordering! Hey, its a bar- I get what I get. Luckily, we were just trying to dine on something better than Taco Bell. Oops. I suspect the chef saw a picture and read a recipe for Tex-Mex style food- but has yet to sample it himself. The portions were huge, the spicing was odd at best/overpowering a worst. My stomach still clenches and rebels at the thought. I remember the appy being okay, but can't remember what it was... so forgettable at best. I think I made a second mistake here, I suspect their food may be wonderful- with an ample side of Tequila seasoning ONLY! Perhaps I shouldn't bash, they are a bar... but, they left a really bad taste in my mouth. Personally though, I don't believe you should have to be drunk to enjoy your food.
(1)MaryPat E.
went here for lunch today... we ordered bacon wrapped jalapenos,butternut squash quesadilla and blackened fish tacos with black beans and rice...food was good! butternut squash quesadilla was my favorite!had top shelf margarita and it was great! :) I will go back....
(3)Katherine B.
If you love tex-mex food and tequila, this is your place. Beautiful steel and wood decorated with a center room fireplace. Truly extensive tequila list, and flights. Well informed and personable staff make this a place to stop by everytime we are in the neighborhood. My favorite place for a 100% agavae cadalliac margarita in Portland.
(5)Jeremy S.
I've been to Casa Del Matador a few times now and absolutely LOVE the Tamarind Margarita (followed by a flight of Milagro tequila) Some mighty good menu selections there, but the fajitas take the cake for me, spicy, fresh, sizzling, and worth every bite.
(5)Lavenda M.
Wow. This place has delicious happy hour. I had the wings and a chicken taco plate. Both were fabulous. Not quite spicy, but the flavor is still good. Great drinks too! *Try the Sangria.
(5)Liz W.
Great happy hour spot with tasty margaritas. This place has a really cool vibe and an eclectic mix of young professionals and older folks. Pretty cool.
(4)Jeff R.
Since coming a few years ago, I recently started spending time in the neighborhood again and decided to check the place out again. Wow their food is bad. The girlfriend and I both got different dishes, and we were both amazed at how mediocre everything was - beans and rice tasted odd at best, and entrees were the sort of bad flavor that creeps up on you; OK at first, but by the fifth bite you're not sure why you're still eating.
(2)Michelle H.
I just went to Matador today to meet some friends for happy hour for the first time. From the time I initially crept upon the location in search of parking, I could see that it was a popular place as it was very crowded. Being that the weather was agreeable at the time, people were sitting at tables outside, and the floor-to-ceiling windows were open, creating a nice open-air environment. In spite of how crowded it was, I was surprisingly able to communicate with my table mates without having to scream in an effort to overcome a certain level of noise. I attributed this to the open atmosphere of the bar/dining room. In general, Matador has great ambiance, from the fire pit, to the candle-lit bar, the warm interior colors and the open air drinking and dining experience. The happy hour menu and prices were excellent. Each happy hour food selection was only $4 and super tasty. We ordered nachos, chorizo quesadillas, and beef tacos. All were very, very good. Portions were nicely sized and everything just tasted really fresh and good. The one aspect about happy hour at the Matador that I found perplexing was that the drink options were all full-price, and they were not cheap. I prefer margaritas over tequila shots, so I opted to try a couple of different margaritas this evening. Based on the exotic-sounding names and descriptions of fresh fruit (I initially ordered a tamarind, then I ordered a pomegranate), and the prices ($7.50 each), I felt certain that I would be served one of the best margaritas ever. The tamarind margarita was different, but bland. I have eaten tamarind before, so I know what it is supposed to taste like, and this was not it. I could barely taste the tamarind in the drink. Being disappointed with my initial drink selection, I ordered a pomegranate margarita, all the while thinking....now who can mess up anything with pomegranate? Unfortunately, this drink was as bland as the first one I ordered. I could barely taste any fruit. For me, drinks here were a bit of a disappointment. Several of my table mates seemed quite pleased with their various tequila shots and beers, however...so all hope was not lost. Overall, this is a fun place to spend some time with friends. Service is friendly and attentive, and the open air environment during good weather is really outstanding. I have only sampled the happy hour menu, which I found to be excellent, but I heard from several friends that the regular dining room menu is also wonderful...with everything being tasty and good. What I feel Matador needs to work on is their margaritas. They have a full page in their menu dedicated to margaritas, so they should be able to serve a decent one that does the menu's description justice. I enjoyed my time here, so I intend to go back. When I do, hopefully the margarita situation will have improved, or perhaps I'll just need to savor the food and switch to shots and beer...
(3)Sangorama s.
Just had a business lunch here last week at the host's recommendation. It's a neat looking place - all the windows and doors were opened up giving the dark interior a much more open feel. The tequila bar looked pretty darn impressive and there's some fancy nancy southwestish looking decor going on. I had the burger and he had the ceviche(or how ever you spell that lime seafood deal). My burger was pretty good and so were the fries. I think I liked the free chips and salsa the best though. Service was nice, but slow considering the place was only 1/4 full.
(3)Kiki M.
Sunday morning and my friends and I need something to eat. After my spinning class I return to my phone and find a text saying everyone was meeting at Matador. I get to eat at a Matador in a different state?! Party time! Excellent! If you are not familiar with my reviews then you are unaware of how much of a Matador fan I am. Best nachos in the world! Best happy hour in the universe! Needless to say I was excited about visiting Portland Matador. I arrive to find my group sitting at a table near the open windows. It was an absolutely beautiful sunny spring day and Casa Del Matador is built with huge windows and they were all open creating a magnificent airy atmosphere. Am I in Mexico? The waitress comes up and places two bowls of chips and salsa at our table and hands me a menu. Never to disappoint, the chips and salsa were yummy. I browsed the menu and found a delightful choice. It was squash and goat cheese quesadilla. Since I love both items the idea of them together sparked a great interest. I ordered them and patiently waited for them to get to our table. Our food came relatively fast. The plate was set down in front of me and for some reason I assumed there would be more than four triangles. I was thinking eight would be there for me to devour but not so. No problemo. I picked one up and took a great bite. The squash and goat cheese complimented each other nicely. I was pleasantly surprised. The guacamole and sour cream that accompanied the quesadilla had a hint of lime to both of them. I continued to eat the other slices and my plate was clean before I knew it. The waitress wasn't as attentive as I thought she would be being that it was our group of six and two other people in the restaurant. I had to ask for more water but after that she was adamant about filling up my empty glass. Long story short, I love Matador no matter what city its in.
(4)Komo B.
I do love this place ..... Alot, but I do NOT recommend eating here on week-end nights, its a total meat market, and all the douchey guys from beaverton show up. Other than that , this place has a great happy hour. Also the booths here are my favorite, super comfy!! Everything on the menu is decent, my friends and I have tried everything, we are always satisfied!
(4)Jennifer C.
It was kind of funny for me to come here because I have always thought of Matador as a "Seattle (Ballard) restaurant". However, Ballard's Matador now has 4 Puget Sound locations and 2 spots in Portland. The little Matador grows up to be a famous Pac NW bullfighter...or something like that... Matador uses a lot of lovely wrought-iron decor, and they have a mix of low tables, high tables, and outdoor seating. We were lucky enough to be there for happy hour, and I started out with a great little Romaine Salad dressed in cotija cheese and an ancho-anchovy (gotta love the alliteration) vinaigrette. For some odd reason the garlic breadcrumbs made me cough, but it was still very tasty. I'm not a huge fan of fusion cuisine, but Matador's Tex-Mex spring rolls blend flavors well without getting too avante-garde. My shrimp quesadilla wasn't particularly innovative but still a palate-pleaser...all the aforementioned treats were available at happy hour prices of I believe less than $5. (Hey, and no sales tax in Oregon! :) The Matador house margaritas weren't phenomenal, but they were perfectly fine for a summery day. Our service was polite and reasonabley attentive, and I can't complain about the prices. Even though we have multiple Matadors in the Seattle area, I'd still be up for re-visiting the NW 23rd Portland venue the next time I'm in town.
(4)Alysia A.
casa del matador was basically crawling with middle aged SE portland lesbians. no really, nearly every table was packed with nacho eating, labrys wearing, salt and pepper haired lez-bee-yuns! my date and i had a decently lengthy wait as the lesbians ate and talked of whale watching expeditions and antiquing. i minded nary a bit as gorgeous date wearing hot skyscraper heels and effusive with her leo wit. we cackled our way through the twenty minute wait and then my ex SE lesbian boss walked towards us on her way out of the restaurant. she was having a gay old good time in the back room which, purportedly, was packed to the gills with guess what? MORE LESBIANS. my ex-lesbian boss' date even kissed my hand before they slipped out to "go get naughty". my date and i thought we had died and gone to black button down tucked into black slacks heaven as we attempted to peek through the velvet curtains. since we had a lot of time to kill, we idly schemed of ways to fall into the laps of dining lesbians who would feed our hungry lipstick lacquered mouths. oh yeah. casa del matador is lovely. dimly lit without being like a cave, spacious and well decorated. the service was impeccable, especially our server, amanda, who was a blonde vision. amanda was such a vision that one excited return customer just ran up and hugged her while she was taking our order! the food was well prepared and the salad with the roasted grapes was A+. great salsa and the chili was meaty and with the perfect amount of kick. while del matador was a bit on the trendy side it definitely gets points for playing joy division and for bulging with carpet munchers.
(3)Lisa E.
The BEST fajitas in town!!!
(5)Benja F.
"Bro, are you a brother? Yeah bro, Phi Delta Guy. WHATZUP!" The lunch crowd is never "too douchey". The happy hour is swell. Who really gives a crap about the frat boy quotient?! Just don't come out on the weekends and you're good. The chorizo and the margaritas make up for the douche variable. Waitresses are always chill.
(3)Eric S.
Maybe I'm just easily excited, but Matador is everything I want in a restaurant. We've been here three times now and haven't been let down. The wait staff has gone out of their way to make sure we're happy and taken care of. The atmosphere is wildly fun. It's as if you're stepping into a Salvador Dali painting. Best of all, the grub and tequila. The margaritas are almost as good as Oba's, and that speaks volumes. The seafood entrees are always creative and tasty, especially the Habanero Shrimp (that sauce is out-of-this-world!). The ribs were solid. The extensive tequila menu rocks. Loved the anejos! Here's a tip. Get there early. It will get very crowded after 6. Happy hour prices are $4 and $5 a plate. Portion size is better-than-average. Order the Nachos and the Habanero Shrimp. The nachos are rather ordinary until you're finished with the Shrimp. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the nachos and your evening just got a WHOLE lot better.
(5)Cricket F.
Late weeknight dinner...actually appetizer meal. The Butternut Squash Quesadilla was fantastic. It killed me to have to share!
(4)Lizzie V.
I went here last week and got the Lagostino Ceviche, which is basically a baby crab salad, and I had a mojito (I added agave nectar to the mojito). It was delicious and refreshing. Our waitress was delightful. It was her second day and I could not tell a bit. She was confident, helpful, and sweet. I've had the tacos and the crab cakes on a separate occasion. The tacos were good. My friend actually ordered the crab cakes and shared a few bites. They were the best crab cakes I've eaten. They were around $10 for two crab cakes. I don't know what they do to make them so good, but whatever it is, it works. They have good deals for happy hour, going there tomorrow night with a couple girlfriends, should be good.
(4)kelly s.
This place is a bit hit or miss for me- to be honest, the food isn't necessarily outstanding, but not bad either. Margaritas are generally very tasty though, and that can't be said about all those who set out to make a good one. I'm giving them 4 stars instead of the 3 I feel like they might deserve, because the ambiance is pretty good, and their windows open all around to let you enjoy your marginally overpriced, but still tasty margarita in style.
(4)John T.
What a nice find, some place that has happy hour even on the weekends. We came here last night and had lots of fun. Drinks were good. 7.50 for a top shelf margarita. plenty of bites for under 5 dollars. Where we got seated was great, the big open area we had was acually a garage and and a window garage door came to close when it got cold. What i also loved about this spot was it's away from the majority of the people which let us be loud. Definately i need to come back here again but with an empty stomache.
(4)Jason L.
This place was pretty good. Nothing to rave about - but good. I think they're pushing it suggesting they do Tex-Mex. I do love all the tequila selections (although they still don't have Clase Azul) and some of their food items. But it has mostly a chain restaurant feel. Also, I hate the fact that they don't let you bring in kids. This mostly irritates me because my kid is "trained." He's better behaved than most of my adult friends so I get grumpy when I can't bring him to a place I want to go.
(3)Wayne R.
This place is pretty nice during the summer. The walls completely open up. Service is also fine. However, having been a couple of times I will say the food is mostly bland. I have had the enchiladas and fajitas. The main items themselves probably warrant 2.5-3 stars, but the sides, the salsa and basically everything else is completely lacking in anything resembling flavor.
(2)Brendon C.
This needs to be reclassified on Yelp to a Bar rather than a Restaurant. Under 21 cannot eat at this place, even at the outdoor seating.
(1)Steve M.
Not authentic enough for me. The steak burrito I had tasted like seafood. They must use the grill for both and that makes it taste off. Not a good sign!
(2)Melody a.
Last night I was looking for a quiet spot to enjoy a drink with my very handsome favorite man in the world. Ambiance is important. I loved the iron work and the 70s style lamps, I think we had one when I was growing up. And the crushed red velvet was divine. Anyway, we arrived at about 8ish. Greeted by a waitress who looked like a clone of the other five waitresses. It was so odd. She asked if we were there for dinner. We said no just cocktails. So she said sit anywhere. Now when someone says anywhere, I assume that it means anywhere. Well, maybe not with other patrons, although I am not ever ruling that out, it can be fun. So we select a lovely table by the bar, adjacent to the open wall. Perfect on a warm evening. Well then one of the clones informed us that we were not to sit there as it was reserved for dining guests only. And she shamed us right there in front of other guests. Poor form! So we moved to the chairs surrounding the fireplace. Then we were bombarded by clones who kept asking us if we had decided. Pushy. I hate that. I came to relax, have a drink and enjoy the atmosphere. Wanting to throttle the waitresses somehow does not tend to lend itself to such an experience. When she returned again and took our order, Margaritas on the rocks, my date told her that we move dutifully. She said yes we reserve the table for diners. He quipped that he could fully understand why, given that it was late on a Sunday night and there were surely droves of patrons just waiting to come in for dinner. His sarcasm seemed to slip past her little cloned head. Its okay, I got a chuckle. I am a fan of the Margarita on the rocks. But if you are as well, remind them to go easy on the salt. I had to wipe much of it off. I am not sure that I needed six ounces of it with my drink. To be fair I will go again sometimes, likely for Happy Hour to try the food.
(2)Lindsey K.
Douche-a-licious! Like the Fergie song, but frattier. But seriously, I appreciated the wide open windows, patio seating, sexy black iron curlicue thingy decor going on. The place has sex appeal, if you like your men tanned, bleached, and clad in Oakleys. But more importantly, I don't appreciate places saying they have a happy hour, and then not discounting their drinks. It's just not cool. I agree, the happy hour food is a good price ($4-$5). I got the fried calamari and it was, you know, good. The Casa del Matador margarita ($6.50) was good, but I would say it was $4.50 good. They have a huge menu for tequila, if you're into that. I'm afraid what would happen if I did tequila shots there. I think I would magically get fake boobs and a blonde dye job and a French pedicure. Okay, so I'm being condescending and judgmental. But I'm from Texas, so I'm allowed to critique this "Tex-Mex" place and say poo on you. So poo. Just go to Taco Bell.
(2)James M.
If your drink is margaritas and you enjoy fresh nachos, this is the place for you!!
(5)Scott M.
As a fellow diner observed, their name lends itself well to the decor - and that's as far as the house of the bull fighter gets before departing from a sense of authenticity. This would be easily forgivable if the food were better, even if it didn't belong in Spain. But the food, or at least my $5 happy hour order of nachos, was medocre at best. I blame myself in part because I was so fixated on disproving the claim that their nachos were as big as texas. It turns out I was right - the nachos were big, but texas is significantly larger. I'm told that the burger and the spinach salad from the happy hour menu are quite good, and I'd have one of those if I went back again. Finally, the noise! Wow, the noise. It was very difficult to hold any kind of conversation without leaning to huddle while yelling as loud as the visiting quarterback at an Oregon State football game (black and orange 12th man, represent!). A warning to my fellow cilantro haters: the table salsa and the sour cream have a hefty amount of the green leaf of death. It is possible to get sour cream without cilantro but you have to ask for it. I'm not sure if you can get cilantro-free salsa. For the sake of ending on a good note, the happy hour menu is pretty reasonably priced and the location is great. It's right down the street from Bull Run Distillery (they make really good liquor - support local distillers!)
(2)Kimchi J.
There's a lot of pazazz here.. Attractive female waitstaff and cool interior, but when it comes to judging on the merit of the food and drinks, I give it an average C. The food and drinks are overpriced for what you get. so I only come here during the late HH. The HH food specials are pretty decently priced. The burritos and the nacho chips are nothing special, but gets the job done of satisfying my hunger. Word of caution: during the late hours, expect a slow service. They have 1 bartender and 1 server for the entire restaurant usually. I would never recommend this joint during the regular business hours. There are one too many great Mexican restaurants in town to settle for this one.
(3)Marilyn T.
The food is fantastic.
(5)Anna F.
Five stars for happy hour. Had the chips and salsa ($1.50) shrimp quesadilla ($5) and blackened fish tacos ($5). Splurged on the fried ice cream for dessert ($6). Everything was really yummy and the restaurant has a nice ambiance with candle light and large, opened windows. All in all a great meal for a steal! Tip: don't ask for red and green sauce. Your server will give you enchilada sauce and charge you 75 cents.
(5)Cory A.
I went here especially for the SANGRIA (peach) However, they no longer have it. They still have Sangria but its not the same one. I LOVE this restaurant for HAPPY HOUR. I did not care for the pork belly tacos. There was barely any meat and all fat. Although they were not horrible I wouldn't order that again. I do LOVE the NACHOS here though!!!
(3)Chelsea S.
i have been searching for skirt steak for a while and i can say this place doesn't disappoint! service was a bit to be desired.
(4)Lindsey M.
This place is great for happy hour but get here early as it fills up fast! This place was a regular spot for my crew but the service isn't great. For dinner it's a little pricy for what it is but that is the neighborhood. Great atmosphere and drinks!
(3)Jake L.
Excellent tequila selection!! Perhaps it's the fact that I got spoiled by living in LA for as many years as I did, and that I didn't request the food 'spicy'...but it just didn't have the 'kick' or 'flair' that I was hoping for. That said, the tequila selection was great, and the scene was excellent. A three star review combined with the proximity, I'll be back
(3)Jando S.
Let's face it. You don't go to Casa Del Matador for authentic Mexican (let alone "Tex Mex"). People come here for more than food. They're here for a good time. And depending on how the night is going, Casa Del Matador might just be the perfect venue for it. There is a bit of a corporate / franchise-y feel here. It's not exactly a Mexican casa meets dive bar, but more of an darkly lit saloon meets Carrabba's. As a result, tequila and taquito novices can approach with no intimidation and for this being their first location in Portland, they seem to have done quite well. There's even another location on the east side, which has literally the same look and feel. Let's get our drink on shall we? Margaritas, Patron shots, and Mexican beer are all available for libation lovers and lushes in training. They have specialty cocktails and various tequilas for students majoring in mezcal. The 4-6pm happy hour is extended to their food, which for $4-5 each, one can score some serious plates of mile high nachos to Tex Mex egg rolls. I like their habanero prawns, even though there are only like 2 or 3 per order. Thankfully like all good NW happy hour specials, it extends into the late evening from 10pm-1am. Happy Hour food plates aren't enough? Then dive right in for lunch / dinner, where the platters range from $10-25 each. It feels spendy for Mexican food naturally, but the "gourmet Tex Mex" tag they're pushing is a much safer alternative than having venturing out of one's way only to order in Spanish at some dive across town. Fear not gringritos, there are skillet seared fajitas ($15-17) and taco/enchilada combinaciones at your disposal. Vegetarians, portobello mushrooms are available as a filler option. Groups, you've found the right spot. They have a massive 40 seat private room and plenty of tables spaced out for you and your amigos to find some separation for a fiesta only bebidas alcoholicas can provide. Solo diners, don't be intimidated, but don't bring your laptop thinking this is a chill place to do work either. If there is a handicap, it's the service. The less than warm attitude from the staff has been the biggest deterrent since I started coming years ago. If you score a seat at the bar or just stick to the drinks + HH specials, it's more bearable than not. That aside, CDM is a decent place to get your eat and drink on for the happiest hours of the day.
(3)Joseph J.
Fine for what it is, which is basically a place that emphasizes atmosphere and hipness over genuine heart and soul cooking. It also seems like the kind of place that where results will vary in terms of service and consistency altogether.
(3)Esther T.
The worst experience with waitstaff, one of them literally PUSHED my friend over because we were "in the way". When I talked to the manager he had nothing to say except, "she didn't mean to". So when you go just make sure you know you could get assaulted and nothing will be done about it.
(1)Michael P.
Four words - happy hour shrimp tacos!
(4)Margaret P.
So the ONLY reason this place got 3 stars is the food. We sat at the bar and did not get acknowledged for a bit amd when we did it was a cold greeting asking us if we knew what we wanted. Well Kevin we dont have a menu and what are you offering. Quite simply...NOTHING The man offered nothing so I did not order a drink. We went in there for a drink! We decided perhaps food may ease the sting from the bartender. The space itself is warm and interesting, the decor is bold and there is a great elevated fire pit w communal tables. I am so upset we choses the bar! Eventually Kevin threw, literally threw menus at us and returned a good 15 minutes later to take our order. Since we had decided 10 kinutes ago what we wanted we watched him struggle w making drinks and having to refer to the menu several times to make a cocktail and then over hear him say things to the busser that I am certain he was unaware anyone else would understand. Hello douchebag, dont make assumptions about your customers and dont disguise your distaste in another language. My friend specifically stated she was allergic to tomatoes and decided against the chicken for her quesdilla as you said it was simmered in tomato sauce. She ordered chorizo instead and you cant bother to tell them not to put tomatoes in it amd do t bother to.let her know there are tomatoes in it since it is ot stated on the menu?? Really?? Since it took over 30 min to get an order of flautas and a quesedilla we didnt send it back. And NO i did not want to the white sangria i did end up ordering when we placed our food order once i could see ho long everything was going to take. After serving 5 different orders he finally asks, oh did i ever give you your sangria. No you did not nor did you give us silverware as you watched me use an excess of cocktail napkins since i did not have one proper one. Good thing we ordered finger foods, heaven forbid if not. I would have asked but that would have required being able to catch his attention from the average paced drink load he was juggling. The slurping from the ice in my empty glass of water surely was not going to do it. Never a refill and plenty of time for him to doddle about behind the bar. My very FIRST horrific service experience since being here in PDX. I go out to eat 4 times a week and this was a first. SOOOOL LAME . The food is definitely PDX take on Mexican. I am from AZ and have traveled extensively throughout all of Mexico so I know what it should taste like. There are definitely some solid dishes and a few interesting twists on a few items. I can say that the chile verde pork flautas are decent and the spicy sauce that accompanied them was solid but $9 for 3 is not exactly a good deal. Since my friend's order was jacled i gave her my flautas and ate some of her quesdilla. Aside from the fact the tomatoes could have done her in...the quesdilla itself was not half bad. Their chips and salsa were good as well. I will go back just to get a better impression because there were a few items i was interested in but i will not sit at the bar! The servers actually seemed very attentive and very nice so I will give them a shot...
(3)Tim S.
Never disappoints. Bar: Solid line-up. The spicy margarita (name?) is a lot of fun and different. Huge selection... Food: mostly excepted for a higher end mexican joint. I personally enjoy the blackened shrimp tacos and happy hour menu. Atmosphere: Excellent: The fire pit bar seats are money. Does get busy. Make reservations or have some patience
(5)Derek S.
First stop/experience of Portland for me. Took a cab directly here from airport to kill some time waiting for a friend to get off work. The lady and I shared the nachos (see pics) which were freakin HUGE. They were loaded with the normal fixings but toasted to a perfect crispness that most nachos can only dream of ever reaching. And the beer came in frozen steins. Awesome.
(4)Marcie M.
Let's talk about the fact that all I did in Portland was eat AND drink (a lot of wine). I really enjoyed this! Along with that, I encountered some LOVELY people and our server at Casa del Matador was one of them. She was incredibly sweet and happy to accommodate our rowdy CAbi girl group. She opened up the WALLS for us so we could feel like we were outside and she plugged in my cell phone in the server station b/c it was only on 4%. I thought that was amazing! She was quick, on the ball and the drinks she was servin' up were wonderful! We indulged in the house margs and guac and I scored some amazing carnita tacos. I was in food heaven! It felt like vacation but that is b/c food/service really rocked it. I truly enjoyed my experience here. I just want to put out there that while everything was good, nothing was THAT memorable and I am stingy with my stars but I would go up to 3.5 for sure and as I'm typing this, I'm going to add a star b/c I really was a fan!
(4)Michelle T.
This place is good for happy hour because for $5 a plate or drink it's easy to be pleased, I don't think you can complain about portions, how strong drinks are etc. Dinner is another story. I ordered the carnitas plate which is super tasty, however they bring you a plate full of meat maybe 6-8oz, 2 tortillas, and a smattering of guac and pico. That's like having a heaping serving of turkey with a small dollop of gravy lol. In my mind, for $14.50 you should be able to make more than one taco considering the amount of meat they serve. Really disappointed that the portions were so disproportionate, couldn't enjoy my meal without all the fixings and feeling like I'd been nickeled & dimed. Got the Chocolate Decadence for dessert which was craze amaze, you should definitely try it! Last gripe...ALL of the bartenders are men and ALL of the servers are women. Modern day caste system. I don't know why this was bothering me last night, probably because I was annoyed by my dinner lol. Go for happy hour or dessert but don't do dinner.
(2)Melanie L.
Have always enjoyed their nachos and the BF loves their wings. Have been here twice recently on Sundays and the bartender has been awesome. The first Sunday we came in we sat a table at first then moved to the bar when a spot opened up mostly due to our preference to belly up but we had been sitting for a bit an our waitress hadn't been by. The bartender got to us right away and even stuck up for his server letting us know how busy she was. Love the teamwork. Both experiences have been great.
(5)Laura F.
We left a restaurant around the corner who were above friendliness and was delighted to encounter people who get it. Smiling staff, killer house margarita ($7 bonus) and texmex as close to Austin as you will find in PDX. On the opposite side of town but I'll bet the craving for carnitas done right will overrule.
(5)Pamela P.
Stopped by for happy hour and sat at the bar. Really great bartender who resembles the lead singer for Kings of Leon. Aside from that he was very attentive. I've been here 3 or 4 times for happy hour and several times for dinner. The food is consistent and they serve a good house red wine. Definitely worth checking out.
(4)Bobby W.
To be surprised, get the Pork Al Pastor sandwich. The pork and pineapple combo was surprisingly delicious.
(4)Emily J.
Holy cow, best happy hour ever! The food was excellent, however our server Jesse was not :( she didn't smile once and was not enthused that we requested happy hour food. She also did not bus our table once. Definitely would have given 5 stars if service was a little better.
(3)Amy F.
Great happy hour joint. Love the ambiance. Awesome bar! Service is really good too. Parking can be tough but it's NW Portland, we expect that in this area.
(5)P V.
Came here with a friend on a Friday evening at 5:15 hoping to beat the crowd. No such luck...place was packed. We decided to wait for a table indoors and spent about half an hour walking down 23rd so that made the time go by pretty quick. Got lucky enough to sit around the open fire. Both the hostess and the server were very very good at their job and quite friendly. We enjoyed the guacamole and chips and their house margarita. I had the two tacos and my friend had the taco salad. Great food and crowd. We will certainly be back.
(5)Rachel R.
Aesthetically speaking, this restaurant is bad-ass, but I've never been a huge fan of their food. Except for the black bean queso dip....it's unreal, but they only have it on the menu on occasion. I'd love to see them mix up the menu a bit more often - seems like it's been the same tired number for years now. P.S. The server we had two weeks ago when we went in, was awesome. She was slammed, but made every effort to let us know she was there and taking care of us!
(3)Ashwin K.
The place has an awesome ambience especially for weekend dinners... Have not tried too many stuff but the enchiladas De fante was yummy..
(4)Valerie W.
Hmm. Been here a few more times since my last update and still not thrilled. Love the decor...super cool. Outdoor seating is a plus. Their drinks have always been fairly good. Prices. MEH. 1 star for their drinks and tasty salsa 1 star for OK service (I've definitely had some iffy service here before) I've had their mushroom fajitas...which aren't too bad. Their fish tacos I actually enjoy but feel as though sometimes they don't taste the same? I've seen the nachos...they look alright. Matador Buritto...ew. Filled with chicken, rice, and beans....the rice tasted stale and dry. There was hardly any chicken inside. Just overall not great. Too bad considering it was $10.50. On a Sunday late night we got a table right away and it was the first time I hadn't seen this place packed. What's the draw here? I've never had anything at this place that was really fantastic to keep me a frequenter.
(2)Lyric A.
Really did not enjoy the food or service, and the drinks are very pricey. Sure, they have a lot of tequila... but at the prices they charge, I'd rather drink Patron or well tequila at a dive bar.
(2)Tom M.
When eating out it's always a dilemma for us because we can never decide what we want to do. You'd think that would be easier in a town with so many choices. It's not. After an hour of deliberation, I decided I had a hankerin' for Mexican. That doesn't happen often because what you usually get is a plate full of starch. I didn't care. This is one of those weird places where there is no actual table for the host. What do you get instead? After waiting for what seemed like forever to be checked in, you wait in an area where everybody gathers and stands around, where people are trying to eat. We were told it would be about a 15-20 minute wait so we made our way to the bar. My usual request there is a Pinot Grigio since I'm pretty limited in what I can have. My partner had a beer. For $7, this was a good amount of white wine and I really appreciated that. It was also a very good Pinot. Ten minutes tops, and we were shown to our table. We were led to the area in the back which we really enjoyed because the music was entirely too loud. I think they realized it because there was a sudden decrease in the volume. Maybe they noticed my glare and general disappointment. I don't know. Blaring music is one of a couple things that can ruin a good meal for me. I come from the age of classic rock so I know what volume is. Trust me, as you get older you become less tolerant of it. The service was excellent and that alone was worth 4 or 5 stars. She was prompt, attentive, and very helpful, even in the selection process. I had the Enchiladas Roja, which came with a mild, smoky red sauce, made with roasted ancho and New Mexico chiles, tomatoes and tamarind. Wrapped in corn tortillas. My mate had a chicken Quesadilla which he said was very good. The decor in this place is fabulous. According to Matador, it's a case of old world Mexico meets a Texas saloon where you will find meticulously handcrafted tables and bar, custom fabricated iron-work, and antique light fixtures. Overall, a great experience and we'll definitely be back. The only thing that kept back the stars were the entrance and the music.
(3)Austin H.
The food was very good. I had the Texas Sized Nachos with Steak. The service however, was sub par. The waitress wasn't very friendly and didn't check on us once after we got our food.
(3)James J.
For how fancy this place is and for how much it costs, their food is incredibly generic. This particular time I had a taco plate. The rice had the texture of cardboard and a flavor that likely matched. The beans were decent. The tacos had a really nice, chewy tortilla that came straight out of a bag of tortillas from Safeway. Needless to say, it was super delicious... :-/ Hopefully next time I think I want to come here I'll visit yelp and see my review and remember why I don't enjoy this place.
(2)Jessica S.
Nachos were amazing! So were the margaritas! We had about an hour wait but it was Saturday night at 7 (what do you expect). The service was good just really slow. The food and atmosphere defiantly made it worthwhile!
(4)Elizabeth G.
I used to be a huge Matador far, but I've been disappointed lately. For one, they took drinks off the Happy Hour menu. That being said, the HH food is still great and you can't go wrong with the huge nachos for just $5. I also tried the Ancho-Chile wings the other night, and they were delicious. That same night, I ordered a Mojito that what probably the worst cocktail I've ever had. I'm not even sure there was alcohol in it. It tasted like somebody threw some limes and mint in a glass of water and called it good. Other than the lackluster cocktails, I've always had great service here and you can't go wrong with the food!
(3)Alena H.
This will always and forever be my favorite restaurant in the area-- where do I begin? Their food is incredible-- I've tried most things on the menu and was never disappointed. For example: the Texas size nachos are a big enough portion to feed a crowd. Sooooo good. I thoroughly enjoy this place whether it's a quite lunch or late evening, when it's packed with people and loud music. I am convinced they are playing my Pandora station. The manager(s)? Are pretty cool too, they let me hang out and charge my phone in the office one night, they even shared their Oreos. I left my purse there once and only remembered the next day- they kept it safe and I was once again happy to be there. Also, you can't leave before you try the red or white Sangria.
(5)Emma C.
This place has the best Mexican food in town! Awesome service and food! They have the best margaritas and the best salsa! My family and I come here at least once a month!
(5)Stephanie A.
My favorite spot for Happy Hour in all of Portland. The shrimp & steak tacos are amazing, nachos are huge, and quesadillas are equally satisfying. No drink specials but you don't have to order one for the food specials. All week 4-6 and 10-1. Great atmosphere for friends, dates, etc. no kids under 21. Dinner or lunch is also delicious. They have the best salsa I've ever tasted and it comes with dinner. I always enjoy the steak fajitas and butternut squash quesadilla . Try it, you will be pleased. If you're looking for a great date spot this place is for you. The dark mahogany wood, intricate metal art, long spanning bar and romantic fire pit set this place apart. Evenings also include an abundance of candles and low lighting. Parking can be tricky in NW on the weekends, be prepared. The place also gets packed Fri-Sun for happy hour but you can skip the wait by finding a spot at the bar.
(5)Sarah C.
**HH review only** Every day from 4pm to 6pm & 10pm to 1am; $5 menu items If you get anything off the HH menu it should be the gigantic portion of Texas size nachos. It's a platter of chips, probably the entire bag of 'em, melted cheeses, black beans, black olives, pico de gallo, & dollop of sour cream & guacamole with sprinkled chopped chives to top it off. It's a good size for two people but any more than that you'll want to order another. The only complaint we had about the nachos was the ratio of chips to toppings. Nachos never have enough toppings! There are NO drink specials for HH but I still recommend their $7.50 Red Sangria if you like sweet cocktails. Peach & mango-infused red wine & brandy mixed with sparkling orange soda is a dangerously, delicious concoction. It got busier as the evening passed but the staff remained attentive. There was teamwork between them & each were happy to help when we were in need of it. This was a nice surprise since it's so rare to see or have happen to you. The drinks were good but HH deals would've been better, the food was decent but not spectacular, & the staff was pretty awesome. Pretty sure we'll be back again.
(3)Nik O.
Great atmosphere - looks like it should be a cool tapas bar but no its just tex mex. I noticed majority of rave reviews were about their happy hour not full price meals. Adorable and sweet little Asian hostess said it was at least an hour for a table so we waited at the bar. Had some cocktails, asked bartender for menus to order appetizers but in an hour he never bothered taking our order. We had to seriously flag him down anytime we needed a new drink. I've never been to a bar where they clear empty glasses without asking if you want another. Blackberry marg was good but the sauza tequila is crap. I asked how much more it was to substitute their "top shelf" stuff hornitos he said same $8. On the bill they added $2/drink so wtf. I figured there'd be an upcharge but what a bunch of bs that I flat out asked and he said its the same price. I'm not going to argue over $2. So on to our table where the waitress also kept clearing glasses without asking about more drinks. Its like they didn't want us to spend $. Food was slightly overpriced for Mexican but not too bad. Carne asada sandwich was awesome - great flavor and tender slices of steak. Braised carnitas was fork tender but a little bland. Spicy jumbo prawn appetizer was good but you don't throw around the words jumbo prawn if you're going to serve medium sized shrimp. Really not worth $9 but not bad if its $5 happy hour Don't get the hype over this place and I probably wont be back even for happy hour. Sh*tty service will never get any better during a packed happy hour. Hopefully this isn't the best Mexican that Portland has to offer
(2)Chiemi N.
I went here for late night happy hour after Last Thursday. It's a trendy spot in NW Portland. The food items on the happy hour menu are $5. It's a good deal for the huge platter of nachos...but not so much for the cheese quesadilla or romaine salad. This place was hoppin' for a late Thursday night! The huge garage style windows were open to let in the perfect night air. Service was good. Iced tea was good.
(4)Sara D.
I am pretty sure that Casa Del Matador just wants to get in my pants. You dog, you. I mean, first it sucks me in with its sexy dark, wooden interior. The dim lighting, the fire pit table, the hot man bartender....it's all sexy. Then it offers me like 234937 different kinds of tequila....how did you know tequila is my weakness?! You are pulling out all the stops tonight...you must know I lose my inhibitions when I drink tequila. And then you serve me a margarita that will inevitably knock me on my ass. While I love me a strong margarita, you really set a new standard. And then you're like "here, try these bacon wrapped, garlic and goat cheese stuffed jalapenos". Really perfect for turning up the heat and getting the juices flowing. I mean really, how can I resist? I would like to shake the hand of whoever decided to put those on the menu. So Casa del Matador, you're kind of a sleaze-bag. And aside from the jalapenos, you're really not that original. I mean, there's plenty more of you (literally, it's a chain). But as long as you keep the tequila flowin', I'll be back.
(4)Aidan P.
I tend to be speculative about chains, as good food tends to get washed down when served over a bed of common palates and insurance-hindering food allergies. Despite the more-than-common foodie snobbery found in Portland, I do not carry the same disdain for this Tequila-bar-cum-Restaurant as a lot of my fellow citizens of Portland. I have been here twice. Once for lunch, and once for happy hour. Lunch: Despite being busy at lunchtime, service was fantastic, which is a surprise in Portland. Coming from CA, I am not overly hopeful for Mexican food in OR as I've had more than few bad experiences. Tex-mex is not my favorite, but tends to be better here than straight Mexican food. Under the suggestion by our server, both my coworker and I ordered steak; mine in enchiladas, his in the nachos. Their steak is FANTASTIC. The cut is fatty enough to be juicy w/o so much as to taste cheap. It's seasoned just right. The enchiladas were passable - not my favorite. The food was definitely Tex-Mex - but its as-advertised, so I can't complain. My coworker swears by the nachos, and he's the biggest foodie I know. Happy Hour: Bravo! The happy hour, like many of Portland's more "upscale" venues, applies to food only - but what food it is. Steak tacos are $5, and the steak was just as good as my first visit. Nachos were excellent at $4. All six of us raved about the food. The service was just as good as it was the first time - very attentive w/o being pushy or in the way. The drinks can run expensive, but what do you expect when they have a tequila selection equal to most scotch or whiskey bars. Their three page menu includes $500 bottles of the world's best tequila. I had a Corzo Reposado on the rocks which was excellent with a small squeeze of lime. My Dos Equis were large and on-draft, and my top shelf margarita was as-expected. Let's be honest - this is a tequila-bar with other stuff (much like saki bars that serve food too), so don't come here expecting anything other than what they advertise themselves as. The food is Tex-mex pub food, and like all pub food can be hit or miss. If you eat red meat, try the steak. Don't come here looking for a quirky hipster bar or a niche foodie hideout - there's a reason this place isn't on the east side. Come here for good tequila and a great happy hour menu, and you'll get exactly what you're looking for.
(4)Gene L.
Tex-Mex?! Are you f*&#ing kidding me? I have rarely liked Tex-Mex in Texas. (Trudy's being the only winner, for those of you familiar with them) Let's see what's wrong with this place: a.) Using a familiar, established name, "Matador," in establishing a eatery/drinkery... b.) Calling yourself Tex-Mex when you serve rare ahi tuna and a salad with goat cheese, pear strips, etc... c.) Hailing from Seattle and associating yourself with Texas and stealing claims to being "the Matador" (combo of the first two but different pt) I would have given this place 4 stars, but Tex-Mex?!?! TEX-MEX?! This former Texan cannot quite wrap his mind around that. Maybe it's Yelp's incorrect designation, but still I can not help but subtract points for it. The food was actually really good, the Portland double happy hour is always welcome, especially when the happy hour menu essentially lasts till late night. $4 and $5 foods well worth the price. It is borderline douchey and yuppish, but the deliver with Tequila selection and quality of food. Oh yeah, another problem: d.) Your default tequila selections are Gold? You tequila-aficionado-wannabe-idiots! Delicious food, enjoyed the drinks, hate the place for so many other reasons.
(3)Kody L.
For the longest time I avoided this place because it seemed like an over-priced, sorority girl/frat guy hangout. The prices are actually fair, but I was spot on with the clientele. Despite it all, they're avoidable because the layout is very cozy and it's easy to focus on your table. I especially love it in the summer when the windows are opened up and the whole restaurant feels nice an airy. I fell in love with the house chorizo. It's so good, so try out any dish that offers that option. Also, the happy hour nachos are a steal. You'll never finish a plate. In fact I don't think I've been able to finish it with the help of a friend -- it's such a huge portion. Everyone on here seems down on the margaritas, but I thought they were pretty good, especially if you expand beyond the house version. The service is hit and miss, but usually decent. I've had a couple times when I got the sense the server had a lot of self-entitlement issues and there's a guy who is unbearably cheesy and attentive to our needs that he needs to back off. It'd say 70% of the time we get a server we like.
(3)Becky L.
Really love this place for happy hour. Of course the nachos are the best. I've had my birthday here and it's great for groups!
(5)Daniel W.
The food and flavors are cool. The portions are bit small and the prices are a bit high. Awesome selection of tequila. When it gets busy in there though the service starts to slow down (happened on two seperate visits). Overall neat place but not my first choice.
(3)Paul T.
Casa Del Matador is my spontaneous go to spot. They don't take reservations, or allow anyone under 21. The food is consistently good, and the drinks are always flowing. If you enjoy the fiery flavor of Habanero chili peppers, try the Enchiladas Picante or Habanero prawns. Simply scrumptious.
(4)Jennifer L.
A great friend of mine was talking about this place none stop. So finally I went with her!!! I had a great time, food was wonderful, and so were the drinks! Not to mention the good looking men that were there! So yes I will go back!
(4)Grey W.
I've only been here for their happy hour which is amazing. The nachos and the shrimp tacos are my favourite. The service has been ok, nothing amazing, but decent. It can get crowded and noisy on the weekends, so if you want to hear who you're talking to be sure to come on a weekday.
(3)Amber H.
Terrible customer service. Rude. Never checked in on how we were doing and waited so long for the check, we just paid inside. She did come to clear our drinks once, stuck her finger in the glass before asking if we were done, which it was not. And our 2 vodka lemonades were $17. Kind of outrageous. I haven't been back to see if it really should be a one star, though the atmosphere has some potential. Just some of the worst service.
(2)Haley O.
Three Words: Happy Hour Nachos. One more word: Margarita.
(4)Adam P.
I've been there 2x now, so it's clearly not all that bad! There are two great things about the Matador 1. It's open late, even on school nights (Mon-Thurs) 2. The late night menu (and happy hour menu) is both rich in content and VERY EASY on the wallet. My 2 complaints 1. Have yet to drink a decent glass of wine there 2. The regular menu is just like the late night menu except is 3x the price... more pro's: great fire round table centerpiece thingy good for making conversation if you are new to the city. Mood lighting. Service was friendly as well, and accommodating. I got take out and while I waited the server brought me a glass of water! fish taco's: spicy-flavorful-yum chicken chili: hearty, correct mix of meat/beans/chili rice: decent! Guacamole: not bad. Coming from SoCal I'm a pretty tough audience. beans: I little uninspired - great beans have a little pool of melted cheese over them. These didn't, but were otherwise decent Wine (by the glass): Tried the Shiraz, and the Pinot. The Shiraz was awful - tasted like a $4 Cabernet (that is: easy to drink, but not full bodied, spicy, or earthy). The Pinot was watery - like maybe literally with a bit of water added. :-(
(3)Penny F.
nachos are amazing. blackberry margarita is amazing. great happy hour.
(5)Damon P.
Think of that crappy Chevy's Mexican food chain and multiple that experience by 100!! Casa Del Matador is just that and in the Pearl. A great Tex Mex restaurant in the Pearl without breaking your wallet is nice. The house margaritas here are a great deal for 6 bucks. They taste great and have plenty of kick. I've had the chicken and shrimp fajitas, and the taco platter. Both are really good. Maybe its because I haven't had any seriously good Mexican food since leaving Eugene about a year ago, but this place gets it done! Beware of the bar at times, one time to bartender spilled a margarita on myself and my girlfriend. But they gave the drink to us on the house, which was a nice gesture. The atmosphere is borderline fire and brimstone with a hint of Yuppiness. I have had the same waitress every time which is nice, since the service was good. Would recommend for good food and good drinks for a reasonable price.
(5)Erica B.
I have been drinking spicy margaritas ALL over town and their Cucumber Jalapeno Margarita just one my heart. "I do" Cucumber Jalapeno Margarita, through good times and bad, till death do us part. Love.
(5)Jacob G.
Casa Del Matador is the best place for Happy Hour....every day from 4-6 and then again from 10-12pm I believe. Great food, great atmosphere...In the heart of NW Portland...who could ask for anything more....
(5)Emily S.
Greatest happy hour ever. Delicious food. Service is okay, but not great- hence the -1 star.
(4)Adam S.
I passed this place several times since it recent opening and was curious what the inside was like. From the outside it kind of reminds me of a sports bar which is crazy as the inside is nothing like a sports bar (minus a couple of TVs). The inside is clean with black and red walls. It has the Spanish styled steel accents and funky 70's-ish lighting. Overall the atmosphere was very laid-back and nice. The bar had a very warm feeling and I could see myself just coming in for drinks. As we sat down we were quickly brought some chips and salsa. I have said it before and I will say it again one of the quickest ways to my heart is warm chips, and these were nice and warm. The salsa was mild but had a nice smokey taste that I swore was chipolte but they told me it was jalapeno. I ordered one of the specials a braised pork sandwich. My friend ordered a carnitas plate. They have Dos Equis on tap so I order one of them my friend a bartender's margarita. Although I was skeptical based on earlier review of the margarita, but it was pretty good, not great for a place that is called Casa but definitely drinkable. When we received the food I realized the braised pork in my sandwich was the exact same pork that my friend ordered. I was shocked as I knew I could steal a taste I would have never ordered the same meat. After eating the sandwich it didn't really matter with a huge portion of fries the meat was tender and the aioli sauce that came with it added a nice punch to the sandwich. My friend's looked good as well but I didn't try it as again it was the same meat. Service was good. Food was good. I will try this place again especially for their happy hour as they have a 4-6 and a 10-1. By the way I would have given this 1/2 more stars. UPDATE - Love the happy hour, good food, cheap, no great drink specials but nice people and good service. Prices are about 4 bucks per item and the nachos are huge and the tacos are filled with a lot of meat.
(3)Chris J.
This place is AMAZING! From the decor, the crowd, the drinks and the food - holy crap, the FOOD IS AMAZING! Wait staff is wonderful, atmosphere is buzzing, the lighting is smooth. Top notch place - and probably my favorite Portland restaurant so far! Oh, and the tequilas! Don't get me started...
(5)michele f.
We went for HH and ate well for cheap. Like others have said, the nachos are several layers deep and covered in fixins. BF had the chix tacos and thought they were delicious. Happy Hour is good for food deals only, no specials on drinks. They have a wide selection of tequilas and their service was great. We ate at a Seattle location a few weeks ago and dinner and drinks were delicious there as well. Decor is pretty cool and it would be a good place to take out-of-towners like your parents. Many vegetarian options on the full menu.
(4)Kimberly E.
The regular menu is a bit overpriced but I love happy hour here. Happy hour 4-6, 10-close. The steak tacos and nachos are mouth watering! The sangria is delightful!
(4)Penny S.
$4 chicken nachos during happy hour that are big enough to feed 2 or 3 or 4 skinny people?!?!? YES! the house margarita $7.50 is delcious, you don't need to upgrade. When it's slow service can be sparse but when it's busy they are on it!
(4)Kris J.
A missed exit on the freeway was what brought us here (how the hell does that happen when I have lived here all my life). I really wasn't expecting much, other than to overpay, which we did. I had the enchiladas picante with carnitas. It was actually pretty good. A lot of heat but not so much that I couldn't eat it. The wife got the steak fajitas, also very tasty. The chips and salsa were above average. Really the only two things keeping this from being a 4-star for me would be the price and our server (she made us feel rushed while taking our order and then we waited 10 minutes before she picked up the check).
(3)Sara V.
We went here the other day with some friends for dinner and drinks and was quite impressed. The food was fabulous! The drinks were tasty and strong and the wait staff was friendly and very attentive. It was a bit expensive but definitely worth the price. We plan on going back! Oh, and of course the decor was awesome, black and red motif with bull skulls all over the place!
(5)Green A.
This a great place for Happy Hour. My boyfriend and I have been coming here for over a year and have left satisfied every time. In the summer they have these large open windows that makes you feel like you're dining outside (they also have outside seating if you want to be completely outdoors) and in the winter they have a large open fire pit in the middle of the restaurant with seating around the pit for that cozy feel. All the dishes I've tried during happy hour has been wonderful, especially the romaine salad, the pork and fish tacos and calamari. The only dish I didn't like here was the nachos, only because they give you a lot of beans and I'm not a fan of beans. If you like beans, you'll love this dish! It's enormous! They are generous with their portions and the service isn't too bad.
(4)Bill E.
I mostly love the Matador, except when the douche and doll crowd takes over on weekends. During off-peak hours, it's a great place to enjoy one of the best happy hours in town. The $4 nachos can feed 3 or more. I especially love the Matador when Malia is our server; she's fun and very good at her job.
(4)Renee O.
I've never had a bad experience here. The atmosphere is AWESOME, the wine pours are heavy, and the service is great. I recommend the fajitas and their enchiladas. If you want a fun place to go with a small group - or a happy hour - this is the place. Everyone will be able to find something they will enjoy on the menu.
(5)Alaa K.
Decent food. Disgusting customer service. Been here a couple times and it lacks in every way...if u can help it go anywhere else. Old rice and irrelevant waitstaff :/
(2)Jeremy G.
The Matador on 23rd was very interesting. It had fantastic decor and atmosphere and very good service. As a tequila bar, it had a great looking drink menu but we did not have any. The food was very disappointing. My wife had a burrito, which had weird seasonings on the filling. I had 3 enchiladas, which were okay but came with more lettuce than meat. The best part of the meal was the salsa that came with our chips. Overall, Matador would be a great place to hangout and get drinks with friends, but I would not recommend them as a great place for dinner.
(3)Daniel M.
I really enjoy this place. We have been a few times and I can say that the food is consistently good. The beer selection is decent and the mixed drinks are solid. The sandwiches are wonderful. Overall a great place to grab a bite to eat and sip on a drink.
(4)Em L.
I was frustrated with the service during my last visit. The waitress at our table was incredibly slow, to the point that we actually thought the hostess was our waitress for awhile. (The hostess was very on top of things). During our time in the restaurant there were long stretches where we were entirely ignored. When we finally managed to place drink orders, however, they ended up coming after the food because they had been lost. The food itself was delicious, and the drinks were fine. It was mainly the poor service that made my experience so unplattable. This is not a restaurant I plan on returning to.
(2)Jesse R.
Love this place. Great margaritas, great happy hour. Staff is always friendly and efficient. Great tacos and Nachos. Fun place in the summer too!
(5)Dashya K.
So I went into this restaurant with high expectations. A coworker told me this his favorite place on 23rd st. I went at lunch and I should have gone for dinner. It was good but service was rough and food was out slow. If I had more time I wouldn't have cared but their lack of caring for lunch hour rush made this tough. I enjoyed my beef tacos, but the rice and beans were weird. Chips and salsa also good.
(3)Woo K.
Damnit Matador, you get me every time. I jump with glee when someone asks me where I want to go for drinks and happy hour food. My mouth starts salivating at the thought of the delicious cucumber jalapeno margarita they have for 5 dollars. What was that you say? Cucumber what? Yah, I know... it's weird, but it's GOOD! It's got the refreshing hint of cucumber, but then it stabs at you with that extra spice. Then they add tequila and some margarita mix in there? Heaven. Drinks wise, you really can't go wrong here. I've tried all of their margaritas and can say that I have been happy with each one. FOOD! Obviously the nacho is a hit. I always make sure to order the fish taco's and wings. I think I'd order the whole menu if I could, and have myself a beautiful feast. I've also had dinner there, but I feel that this place is more worth it in the happy hour aspect. Great vibe, great food, awesome drinks, and good music. All around a place you can't go wrong with. Cheers to the matador!
(4)Erin K.
I just went here for drinks and dessert and it was fantastic! Wonderful margarita and pumpkin flan (sort of like a lighter pumpkin pie) with a delicious ginger cookie crust. i loved the lighting and cozy booths. The Mexican Old fashioned (made with tequila) was also wonderful and strong.
(4)Thomas S.
Rude Manager! I would like to start off saying that this is my wife and I favorite restaurant we usually eat at the Pearl district one once a week. We have gone during peak hours and happy hour. Well usually we get more food than we can eat and take the rest home naturally. Well last Saturday on the 13th of July we came in for drinks and food around 10:30 with friends to show them how good the food and drinks are. We ordered nachos and then decided on getting tacos. I took a couple bites and asked for a box I was full. Then the manager Robert came up and spoke to us how we should not ever order happy hour food if we cant eat it because its at happy hour price I told him I was full and why would that matter what price I paid for it. We did not go there to get food to go at happy hour so whats the difference? He continued to be rude and said if you don't like the rules then don't come into a bar at happy hour! We all were so upset he was extremely rude and it rubbed your future customers the wrong way, they said forget that place! We talked to our waitress about it and she apologized and was very sweet and she also was surprised he said that and said this new manager Robert was new. The end of the story is we are sad to say we will never come back after that experience. I like to pay for services that respect people no matter how good or bad they are. Good Bye forever Matador
(1)Rebekah V.
Best happy hour fish tacos of anywhere, hands down. Any other time of the day, forget about it. Terrible. But happy hoir tacos are something else. Their sangria is pricey but worth it and their nachos are giant and delicious.
(4)Paige J.
I'd give this a 5 star rating if it weren't for the customer service. I definitely recommend going here (and getting the enchiladas verde!!) but don't expect your server to come check on you. This was one of my favorite places to eat in Portland, but the service is pretty crappy. The environment is really cool and they play good music. It has a Spanish-euro flair. The rice and beans are really good. The tequila selection is excellent. The chips and salsa are great!
(4)Karrie S.
This place has a gorgeous atmosphere and location. It has an outstanding variety of tequila. However, the service was lacking as our appetizer was forgotten and we weren't checked back on for drink refills until we were finished with our meal. The food was disappointing as well. The chips were stale, the salsa was just ok. We ordered Shrimp Ceviche for an appetizer but didn't get it. We ordered Tacos Al Pastor and Tacos Buche for our meal.The corn tortillas were dry and hard, the fillings barely warm. Might return with a designated driver for another try, but only because the atmosphere was so cool and the tequila choices.
(3)john A.
My wife loves to celebrate her birthdays here, the food is good and the drinks are as well. For the most part the staff has been very attentive, given the fact that they are usually jam packed on the weekends. I love the atmosphere, especially on really nice nights when they open up the bay Windows. They have a huge selection of tequila. You can't go wrong with a margarita, but my wife loves the red sangria too.
(4)N K.
The food is pretty good in terms of happy hour but I've seen the normal menu and I wouldn't pay more then 5 bucks for the food. Chelsea is an awesome server simply because she's nice and kind to my friends and I always, even if she had a long night. There are a couple others that are amazing to but unfortunately I cant remember their names. However one server works who I've noticed works Thursday nights(she is asian/Hawaiian, but not the short one) has been extremely rude to us and clearly see's us as a nuisance because our group does not order alcoholic beverages or something. Last night we were there and I really felt we were unwelcome and unwanted..
(3)Ling H.
For a Thursday night at 11PM there were only about 3 other groups when we entered. We beelined for the open semi-circled table with a fire pit in the center. The ambiance here is one equivilant to stepping foot inside Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro's bar if they were still together with bull skulls hanging on the walls with red and black paint/tapestries. Interesting... --------------------------------------------- Mango Margarita- 2 stars. You can barely taste the mango, which I knew before I ordered. White Sangria- 3 stars: It tasted almost like water though towards the end. -------------------------------------------- I wish I had more room in my stomach for their happy hour food menu though. The food here looked like it had a Southwestern twist to it.
(3)Jed S.
Drinks are a bit expensive and service seems slow. The food is usually pretty good, but regular menu items are a bit over priced. On the up side there is great ambiance. In any other city this would be an amazing place, but in Portland it is mediocre. Update. I feel Casa has improved a lot in the last few years.
(4)George J.
Awesome burritos and huge nachos. Great service, especially for a Saturday. We were a large party of 12 and waitress did a great job serving us.
(4)Cindy I.
Had tenderloin tacos here the other night. The steak was very tender and flavorful. It did have a little kick to the marinade. I only wish they took the extra step and made their on tortillas like some other Mexican restaurants in town. Loved sitting outside one a warm night. Very good fresh strawberry margarita. Very good service, she was friendly, checked in and answered all my questions when I was trying to decide from the big menu. It was too loud inside so I was glad to be outside so we didn't have to yell to have a conversation. So one star off for that.
(4)Adrienne M.
Everything tastes amazing but do not eat here if you are allergic to soy. Everything fried, including those amazing chips, are deep fried in soy oil. I learned the hard way. Good bye, happy hour Texas sized nachos!
(4)Sharon M.
Went to Matador for lunch, and ordered my favorite dish - the zucchini quesadilla. I love all the flavors, and it is just enough food. I shared with my husband and he ordered the Rojas enchiladas with chicken, which was also very good, but not as good as my quesadilla. No margaritas today because it was lunchtime and too early for that, but our server never let my water glass get empty and my husband got a refill on his diet coke. I am not on 23rd very often, but when I am, this is one of my food spots.
(4)Jill P.
Five stars for margaritas/decor - can't speak to the food. We missed happy hour, so ordered from the main drink menu. Margarita with cranberry and grand marnier float for me; cucumber/jalapeno margarita with chipotle salt rim for hubs; tequila flight for Friend 1; sangria for Friend 2. All were great, but the cuke margarita was by far the best. And the fact that the margs came $8 for a pint was just crazy, from a New York perspective. Also: I love that they went all-out on the decor.
(5)LA to PDX ..
Didn't love it. :/ Went with a group of four so got a good selection to sample, all pretty lackluster in some way or another. The general issue of this place claiming to be "Tex Mex" allows them to get away with replacing traditional ingredients with their Americanized cousins, which doesn't necessarily equal good nor healthy in today's world. My fish tacos were seated among oversized tortillas so I felt like I was eating mouthfuls of bread with nothing else until midway down. Also why not corn for fish tacos instead of flour tortillas? Eh. Waitress was a lil bit bitchy, that's ok, we liked her anyway. The beans and rice that came with my tacos was nizzasty. The rice was hard and overcooked like I got what stuck to the sides of the rice cooker rather than them turning the rice regularly. The beans were dry too, not fun. Eh. Some weird TexMex spring rolls. If I promise to remember the Alamo can I forget about these? Eh. Some super crazy nachos that didn't have enough toppings for the chips. It doesn't cost that much more and leaves your customers with a good impression if they don't feel like they overpaid. The atmosphere was playful and artsy in a Chris Angel/biker/banker fashion sensibility. Just not a cool or fun experience, we all left a little grumpy because of our food I hate to say. That speaks volumes. That's not cool dudes.
(2)Tiffany M.
I've been here twice now with friends, and each experience was okay, but nothing to write home about. The best thing about this place is the Texas-size nachos; the serving is so huge that my friend and I together couldn't finish one plate of nachos. The margaritas are good, but come with a lot of ice, so it feels like you're not getting much. The waitresses I've had have been great and friendly, but the hostess is inattentive and unwelcoming. The wait can be quite long during happy hour, and it seems no matter where you stand to wait, you're encroaching on the other diners' space. It can also be quite loud at times. Overall, good food and drinks, I just wish the atmosphere was more enjoyable.
(3)Amanda M.
Had drinks and dinner last night and was pretty impressed. Glad we got their early because around 6 on a Tuesday there was a line out the door. Margaritas were great with some fun options (jalapeño cucumber anyone?) and my black been burger had great flavor. Go early & get happy hour here! Will be back when I'm back in town.
(4)Deja A.
Came here last night around 10p for happy hour & also to celebrate a friend's 21st bday. The place is very nice, good atmosphere. They played reggae music most of the night which I LOVED. But.. the servers/waiters were horrible!!!! In the beginning it was okay then our server stopped passing us or when she did she didnt even look at us or check on us. We waited over 20 minutes and just ended up asking a different waiter if we could order more drinks. After she said 'oh well I need to get your waiter." It was only then did our waiter come back. No, "oh I'm sorry I haven't checked on you guys" but just standing there with her pen and paper waiting for us to place our orders. When she finally came back with our drinks. They weren't even what we had ordered. So we had to wait another 5 minutes or so then finally got another waiters attention whom went and told our waiter then she appeared saying "oh, I got your drinks wrong, I'll be back." Like really, there were NO "I'm sorry, my mistake," NOTHING. She finally brought the right drinks and after we were done we had to flag a waiter down because we had waited for a good 25 minutes or so after she had handed us our drinks. We wanted to just leave. So we got our separate checks. My boyfriend and I spend $65 dollars for an order of Texas nachos, order of quesadillas, 4 drinks and 2 patron shots including a 18% gratuity tip. It was one of the worst restaurant customer service, I've ever had. The drinks weren't anything special, they didn't offer blended margaritas. (Thumbs down) The only time she came back fast was when we were paying our check at the end of the night. She came back soooo fast besides that we had barely even seen her the whole night until having to get the attention of almost every other waiter in the restaurant. I will not be coming back!! It wasn't worth it.
(1)Rebecca R.
Nice open air. Been here a couples times food is good. Atmosphere is cool. They have an awesome selections of tequilla.
(4)Blair C.
I was a Matador fan for a long time and things have been going down hill lately. Steak tacos are my go to and every time I go in the portion seems to get smaller and not nearly as mouthwatering as they used to be. Sad because it was always an easy stop if I was going crosstown. Atmosphere remains, but they really need to get the food situation sorted out.
(2)Reid I.
Casa Del Matador is a very nice place. The atmosphere is very calm and sophisticated but that's the best thing going for it. I went during happy hour so I can only comment on the happy hour menu but the food we received was fairy good. The best deal is the nachos, for $4 you can't go wrong. The other dishes were fairly unspectacular and there are no drink specials so don't be shocked when you look at the happy hour menu. In the end it's just a nice place to relax with friends, but the value is lacking.
(3)Scott L.
Happy hour nachos are awesome!
(4)Natalie B.
Great food (happy hour is one of the best), great drinks, great service...perfect spot for a girl's night, date night, brunch on Sunday...I just keep going back and keep leaving a satisfied customer...
(5)Aaron D.
Good Nachos and good service, nice atmosphere. Worth a stop!
(3)Amanda C.
Went here on a Sunday night, completely dead. Bartender was very unfriendly and uninterested. When I asked for his advice on which one of their many margaritas he liked best, he seemed annoyed and unenthusiastic. I forget which one I ordered.. it was decent, but over priced and under-boozed. Ordered the mushrooms, which were good but some overcooked. The bread that accompanied them was also burnt. We decided to leave and go down the street to a less fancy Mexican restaurant where we could get more authentic food, for cheaper prices, with people who are genuinely glad you are there. Maybe the east side location is better, but this one is a pretentious bust.
(2)Melissa E.
Quite good. A little pricy, but the atmosphere is fun. I hear the happy hour is good, so I'll be back next to check that out.
(3)Mike G.
We dropped our daughter and some friends off at the Central game and went looking for dinner and drinks. We saw this place and had to try it! It feels like home inside....very comfortable, a bit on the noisy side but it adds to it. The drinks are very good, crab cakes are the best and entrees were excellent. The service was fantastic too....go try it! Get salsa and hot salsa too/
(4)Emily W.
My boyfriend and I came here looking for cheap happy hour drinks, not realizing that the hour(s) of happiness apply to edibles rather than drinkables. We went in anyway and had a great time even though, as Cheapy McCheapersons, we were looking for something cheaper. I had 2 tamarind margaritas, and they were pretty good, although strangely enough the 2nd one tasted a lot stronger and a lot less like tamarind (some people would take more liquor..but I love tamarind and it was greatly missed in the second drink!) Eventually we got hungry after singing along vigorously with the Muzak that was playing and kind of sort of making fun of the Ed Hardy-wearing crowd mentioned in the previous review by Wendy S... yes, we are a-holes.. so we ordered some $4 nachoes. They were awesome!! Black beans, onions, cilantro... other good stuff.. and huge! After two really good sized margaritas and those nachoes I was set for the night and pretty glad we decided on this place, even if the decor and music are kind of silly.
(4)Brian G.
Possibly the best Happy Hour in the city. I have yet to find anything on the HH menu that is not delicioso. The food is fresh and tasty and well portioned. They make their own chorizo and the chorizo quesadillas are muy bueno. Comfortable atmosphere with the fire pit and lots of candles. Open air in the summer. The only thing preventing the fifth star is the lack of drink specials and the slow table service. Sit at the bar, quick service there.
(4)Stephen C.
Since I can't give 4 1/2 stars, I suppose I'll round up and give it 5. If only they had drink specials during happy hour, I would consider this the best happy hour place in Portland. Even still, it's pretty darn good. The food in general is great. It's fresh and lighter than your average mexican restaurant. But if you want something a bit heavier, try the nachos, best in the city. And it may sound strange, but the cheeseburger is actually really good. I come to Casa del Matador because I really enjoy the atmosphere. Every matador is pretty much the same, decor-wise. It's a nice, large, open room of dark wood and wrought-iron accents. The atmosphere is relaxed and usually low-key. This place is the best on a sunny spring or summer day, relaxing with a couple of friends or a loved one, drinkin a margarita or sippin on one of over 100 different tequilas, and finishing up a plate of shared happy hour plates. Whether you're on 23rd in Portland or up in Ballard, Seattle, you'll get quality for sure.
(5)Laura H.
I was impressed by the cool Spanish retro design of this spot. The open outdoor feel was also very nice on a beautiful day. The service was a bit slow but friendly. I was unimpressed by the food. It was very lackluster and disappointing. I was also very put off by the very old burnt coffee that I was served at the end of my meal. Come on people, this is Portland. You shouldn't be serving up what tastes like day old coffee. Too bad really, this spot has potential to be something very great.
(2)Wendy C.
No: the OTHER Matador. This place was all sexy with its red and black and ironwork and cow skulls and candles and Dia de los Muertos paintings and mood lighting. The fish taco was an excellent example of a gringo fish taco. Charred fish on a flour tortilla with like some sort of spicy vinaigrette. I'm not bashing, I like me a good gringo fish taco. The shrimp taco was forgettable. The chips were hot and greasy. The salsa had some kick. The prices seemed in line. What's taking this place from a four to a three star is the margarita. I've had better (and gotten a better buzz) from the $2 margs at Chipotle. The crowd seemed to be all orange-tanned college girls being taken out to dinner by mommy and daddy. If mommy and/or daddy is buying, I say give it a shot!
(3)Stephanie W.
Just so-so. We had the chicken quesadilla, spinach pear salad, and the Tex-Mex spring rolls. The quesadilla and salad were just ok, nothing to write home about. The spring rolls were pretty good, but only comparable to bar food really. The decor is cool and the service was just ok. I had their sangria to drink and it was good. It's a fairly big place, so appropriate for larger groups.
(2)Blaine W.
Mediocre. Good location, lots of potential, but the food is just blah. Nothing special here. If you want to know what this place COULD be, check out Mamacita on Chestnut St in the marina in San Francisco. Same idea at matador, but completely blows it out of the water in all categories.
(3)Liliana G.
edible... just barely. ok, it's not THAT bad. kinda expensive for what you get and the flavors aren't that bueno. everything i've tasted has this weird sweet undertone that i just don't get. also the service is kinda slow.
(2)Poor R.
I had my bday here last weekend with 14 friends.The service was slow,orders got mixed up.We were double charged.We paid our tab,giving generous tips(not knowing we'd already paid 18% gratuity).We were then told an error was made on our tab &we had to pay significantly more,but we still weren't mad & paid that also.But the last straw was as we were leaving the bar,the manager runs up to us & yells at us,accusing us of walking out on a bar tab of $10, embarrassing us in front of all& the tab wasn't even ours. I just tossed him a $20 & said I hope his atrocious behavior was worth it, because we will never go there again. We spent $4-500 there & then were accused of walking out on a $10 tab?? The next day, we went through our charges & found we were over-charged $100. Learn to add ppl & don't bite the hand of generous customers who are trying to spend $ in your establishment.Won't be going there again.2 thumbs down!!
(1)Erin O.
ok, i do have more to say. it's more along the lines of "things you should know" really. - this place is classified as a bar. they may serve food, but the underaged will not be allowed in. do not bring them here! - the giant windows open up to the street. which is cool, but not so cooling while it's still hot out. if you're trying to escape the heat, this is not the place. - the vegetarian options. What vegetarian options? be prepared to eat nachos. (which are good. i liked the nachos. i do not like the salads. they sound good but they aren't good. just eat the nachos.) - always crowded. which may or may not be your thing. just throwing it out there.
(3)Jayson F.
Great southwestern food. Meals are less than $20, beers are $4, and drinks are less than $8. The atmosphere is nice. Great if the weather is nice outside. They have large windows that slide away and make the restaraunt one big patio. Portions are huge. Definitely go for the happy hour. You can order a plate of nachos and fried spicy calamari for $4 each and it'll be more than enough for two to eat. I live close by and will be going back frequently for happy hour. I didn't give it a 5 star rating because it isn't amazing. The service and food are great, but it does feel more like a poshy chain restaraunt versus a local gem. Very good place to take a date if you want affordable chic.
(4)Jean T.
Didn't do it to me this time. Food a ok nothing too fantastic. Texas style nachos are huge but lack substances and I would skip it for a party of 2 planning to have a meal afterward. Would be perfect for 4 , 5 people, otherwise it makes you loose your appetite. The rest of the food made me feel like what you find at chili restaurant with a bit more of an upscale feel, so if you're looking for that true Tex-Mex food it's not gonna happen. Drinks are decent and reasonably priced with a great assortment of margarita. I would have given it 4 stars at that point after all we are far away from Texas so you can't expect too much. The part that spoiled the evening the most was a customer at the bar that was more than half past drunk and should have already been sent on his way. Not very pleasant experience especially when it's obvious so I'm taking another star as I'm wondering why management hasn't been involved at that point and he was still sipping on his drink. The other lost star was after we moved from the bar to a table , our waitress was absent for a long time. We later found out that she was sick so she excused herself and had another waitress helping her until she felt better. That part was understandable. Also it was nice not to be left alone without service, we found it pretty awkward that our second server was showing her cleavage by leaning her chest on the table every time she brought food and drinks. Made me feel being right between Hooters and a strip club. A little bit more than the first one and not enough of the second one. Believe me this was not necessary. The server's arms were long enough to reach anything on the table and we didn't look like a couple that needed that kind of attention. $145.00 later for 2 people after we use our passport dining card, you think you would expect a bit more than that.
(2)Dan B.
I would give 3 or 4 stars. I only had their happy hour fish tacos, and they were pretty darn good. The fish was blackened and very tasty. Fish tacos are often defined by their Baja sauce, and the ones I ordered had a melody of white cheese and red sauces, almost too much sauce. If I remember correctly (had a few Manny's Pale Ales) there was pretty much only sauce and fish inside. But this worked -- they were extremely tasty. Actually might be the best happy hour fish tacos I've had, though I have MANY places yet to try. I will go here again and drink less next time.
(4)Sarah R.
I'll give it to Matador, you've got a great spot and seem to always have a packed house. The service, meh. Especially when you ask to pay for your two margaritas so you can skip out of happy hour and end up with a $100 dollar check for the table... Thankfully they split that and I went on my merry way. The happy hour food was completely dripping in grease, I would suggest drinking your kcals instead.
(3)Abbie H.
A great location in the Pearl to have some yummy Mexican food and great drinks. The happy hour prices are fantastic and it's a good atmosphere for chatting. The sangria is really yummy! I was here kind of during an odd hour on a weekend so it wasn't very crowded. Service was good and overall a recommended place to eat/drink.
(4)Leesha P.
I have been going to the Matador for well over 6 years! It is/was one of my go to Happy Hour spots. But over the last year or so Matador has been making too many changes to what I think made them a great place to frequent. My latest gripe is with the Red Sangria! They changed the freakin' recipe. What was once a delicious, smooth, strong (although I will admit I am a light weight) drink, is not nothing more than generic fruit punch. Why, Matador why? When you have a winner why change it? Cost? Matador should have done exactly what they did with the yummy Texas Nachos on HH menu. They didn't get rid of the nachos or change the recipe, they just upped the price from $4.00 to $5.00. The nachos are still a steal and still really yummy (even though I think they have been tinkering with these as well). I bet no one blinked an eye at the increased price. Likewise, I would rather pay more for the old Red Sangria then to pay any money for the horrible fruit punch version. After my waitress confirmed that the Sangria recipe had changed I sent back my drink and settled for a margarita. I am sorry this review is not more comprehensive, but I am really upset about the Sangria and that is really why I am giving it a 2.5 stars. My overall rating would probably be a bit higher. Please bring back my RED SANGRIA!
(2)Heather P.
get the nachos and jalepeno margarita!
(5)Graham E.
Everything that use to be good about this restaurant has been stripped away. What once was a routine stop for me has now sadly been crossed of my list permanently. This place use to be good but whatever the new management has decided to do has completely ruined it. They changed the size of their drinks (thinking no one would notice slightly smaller glasses), no longer have some of their drinks, upped their prices and the overall quality of the food and service has vastly gone down hill. Not only that but they all of a sudden started to charge you for the chips and salsa that THEY ask you if you want and used to be free. If you ask them about when they started charging they will lie and tell you they always have, "but that most waitresses use to just not charge even though they were supposed to." If you're going to nickel and dime people atleast fess up to it...
(1)Phuong B.
I love this place! It used to be my go to spot for happy hour as they have one of the best nachos and margaritas in town! Service is a hit and miss, but they have a nice fire pit in the middle of the restaurant so you can relax and enjoy the moment while waiting for service.
(4)Dian K.
Came here for early happy hour to join some friends there. There were quite a few choices on the $5 HH menu. Some are better deals than others, check out their normal menu for comparison. But generally speaking, you're saving between $1-4 per item. The bonus though, there's no drink minimum. Although it's hard for some of us to pass on the various margaritas they have to offer. The pomegranate one seemed to be a hit on our table. The place was quite big, so it's perfect for small gatherings and the waiters were pretty flexible in adding seats to our continuously expanding group. They split checks without a bat in the eye too. The food, however, were just ok. I wouldn't go out of the way here just to eat their food.
(3)Jai K.
The main reason we came here was because I had a friend in from out of town who wanted to sit by a fireplace and have dinner. The request was made around 0830 on a Sunday night. I couldn't find a whole lot of options so we settled on Matador. We thought we would have a good chance of snagging one of the seats by the fire and we did. However, our happiness was short-lived because the music was so effing loud that it literally ruined any possible enjoyment of our meal. It was not even 9 pm on a Sunday night yet they had the volume set as if this were a bar for twenty-somethings on a Saturday night. I know I'm showing my age, but still, I came here for a meal, not to have my eardrums battered. I couldn't even talk to my friend without yelling even though she was right next to me. Of course they couldn't lower the volume because the levels are set by "Corporate". Which is yet one more reason to try to avoid eating at corporate owned restaurants. I don't care if the food or drinks were any good because the dining experience was completely ruined by the audio assault. Ugh, no fireplace is worth that torture.
(1)Evelyn S.
Location, location, location. They've got the best location for some of my other activities which means that we go here because it is convenient, the Happy Hour has a nice selection of $5 plates and you don't have to order a cocktail. Last night I chose the Shrimp Quesadilla, it was good and priced right at $5. I would not have been happy if I had ordered it at the regular price. The servers are attentive and never let our water glasses stay empty. They had no problem with our table of four growing into a table of 7. They also split our checks without us asking. The reason I can't give it more stars is that the food is just not all that wonderful. The calamari is overly herb flavored while the salsa is on the bland side. I'll be back unless it goes downhill, but girl can hope it will get better, maybe it's time for a new corporate chef to join the team.
(3)Sarah L.
Got the steak fajitas, they were delicious! However, I split them with someone and it wasn't quite enough food for two people. Luckily, someone else at the table got fish tacos that came with a huge side of rice and beans which I ate. I'm from out of town and came with friends here, but would definitely come back if I lived here!
(4)Tamara S.
Love their margaritas! The chipotle mushrooms were delicious. Only gripe is that is can get crazy busy and feel super crowded with the layout. Otherwise, great dinner in a great location.
(4)karla m.
The alambré tacos are amazing!!! Its Hard to find a place that actually has skirt steak and this is heaven! I hope they place this on their menu permanently!!
(5)Tiffany M.
Growing up in Southern California I was spoiled with some pretty amazing Mexican food. And while Casa del Matador doesn't necessarily live up to the authenticity I so desire (and the Pacific NW so lacks), the dishes I have ordered here are bold and flavorful. The veggie habanero enchiladas were delicious and not so spicy that the flavor was lost and the zucchini quesadilla is a grilled bit of heaven. Their happy hour drinks and food list is extensive and well priced. They have seven or eight margarita choices, and their red sangria is very good (not too sweet which can ruin a good sangria). This place is especially lovely in the summer months when they open up the giant windows.
(4)Steve L.
Our first visit January 24 impressed us very much. Excellent service from Kaelene(sp?) The meals were excellent. Flour torts seemed home made. Mmmmmm. Only criticism is the place is somewhat noisy, loud music. But the quality of the food, customer service, along with very reasonable prices more than make up for that. We look forward to another visit.
(4)Julie C.
This is a bro's moist dream, where the adequately mixed margaritas flow like overpriced sweet and sour and the "Texas-sized" nachos could feed a small country's starving population for days while Def Leopard's "Pour some sugar on me" radiates out into the succulent night. It's open late. The happy hour food selection is good. I love the ancho-anchovy caesar salad. I really dig the wrought iron and skulls.
(3)Ryan A.
I was trying to think of why to give this place anything less than a five star review and I couldn't think of a reason. That's kind of how I am, I love giving out good reviews, but if there's anything that holds you back, you're going to get called on it. However, when a place that is this busy doesn't get upset that you don't know how many will be in your party (+/- 1) . . . no . . . not "not upset" . . . nearly happy about it . . . you're starting off on the right foot. So, we're waiting for one, or two or no one to show up. This means drinking and chips, right? We were never left without chips and drinks, and given how tasty both are, I couldn't have been happier. One of my favorite drinks in the world was the blackberry margarita at Manzana. Now that Manzana is long gone (and the margarita even longer gone), this is a very suitable replacement (really, probably better than Manzana's). Chip and drink round complete . . . on to the main course! What did I have? Forgive me, I'm having a not-as-good-as-Matador's margarita as I write this. I know I didn't want to stop eating it . . . oh yes, the enchilada. Oh my god, it was good. I ordered it with habanero sauce, which was the tastiest mistake I've ever made. I got used to the heat, but it was hot. I'm not used to a restaurant following through when they say something is hot. My lips burned, but they burned with amazing flavor. Don't worry, if you want something that won't burn your mouth out of your head, they offer that too. I think this is the best Mexican (or whatever version of Mexican they call themselves - aren't they all something different?) restaurant in town. Well . . . maybe not the best, but the best that isn't bad (that's Burrito House - please don't ignore my review of this place for liking Burrito House). Oh! I almost forgot the best part! This place doesn't know that its prices are way too low. Shhhh . . . don't tell them!
(5)Lauren S.
If people used hashtags on Yelp, my Casa del Matador tag would be #dumb. I went here one Thursday and our food just wouldn't ever come out. I was so hungry and ate ALL the chips and salsa. Then I was sad because I wasn't hungry for my dinner. Our server must have apologized a thousand times for the wait. I felt bad for her because she was really nice and overly apologetic, but her apologizing almost got annoying. When the food finally came out she came over a few minutes later and said: "Oh good, you got your food! If you didn't have it yet I was gonna scream! blah blah blah again I am so0o0o0o sorry... can I get you anything else? Another margarita?" I said "is it complimentary?" She goes "Uh, No. Unfortunately not..." really? The check came and we got nothing comped...not even my date's bud light. I just thought it was dumb they didn't comp us SOMETHING even when prompted, or bring us a tiny little desert or something. I realize it's not Red Robin and we weren't gonna leave with pockets full of fake money that we can bring back and redeem at their restaurant, but any little thing would have been nice. Oh the food's alright here.
(2)Courtney K.
Toro! Toro! Ahhh, I didn't know Tex-Mex/Mexican could be this tasty this far north. It's definitely not authentic Mexican but that is what makes is so good. The "Texas Sized Nachos" with chicken were ginormous but yummy. They probably should have been called "Alaska Sized Nachos." To assuage my carbo-loading guilt, I also had some of the Romaine Salad and Ceviche. The salad had nice flavor and was not overrun with anchovy after taste. The shrimp and avocado ceviche which was very average in my opinion. The shrimp didn't have much flavor and the avocados were somewhat firm with little taste. Maybe I'm spoiled by living 30 miles from the Avocado Capital of America, or maybe they were just out of season. I love the decor at Casa Del Matador. Its definitely very bullish and fuego themed. Red velvet on the ceilings is ok by me! I think part of the draw to Casa Del Matador could be the huge windows that open up to the sidewalk and create an almost-outdoor-urban-shiek dining experience. In Portland when the weather is nice I can see where this would be the spot to be. As a San Diegan who enjoys that 12 months out of the year, I am less impressed by it.
(4)Jerlyn A.
I don't think I can come back here...I got food poisoning coming here after a Blazer game one Friday night. Great atmosphere...but I will never view the food the same. Caused me more time in the bathroom than I would have liked.
(1)Sarah G.
A coworker of mine heard I was visiting Portland and highly recommended this place for drinks. We ended up in this part of Portland around lunchtime, and as luck would have it they were open for business. Score. We ordered a couple margaritas, which were amazing. I remember having a hibiscus one of some sort, which was amazing and tart -- perfect for a summer day. I ordered shrimp tacos, and my waitress brought out magi tacos, but I was too hungry to send it back. It was really good, although I wish I'd gotten to munch on the shrimp. The chips were great though, and my pal had a salad which was superb. This looks like a place that would be fun at night, but for the day it was nice and airy.
(4)Brian Y.
Me and a few coworkers came here for some food and drinks after work tonight. Our server Chelsea was fantastic. She was super friendly and helpful! Definitely one of my favorite servers ever! The happy hour nachos are huge and great especially for only $5. The margaritas are also fantastic!
(5)Jonelle O.
So we only ended up here because it was the closest downtown restaurant open late on a Sunday, but it was perfect. They have happy hour all day and night on Sundays so we ordered nachos, veggie rolls, romaine salad, and something else I can't remember. Each was around $5. The nachos were great! I usually don't like black beans, but it worked really well on these GIANT $5 nachos. We were able to sit around a little indoor firepit, too, which made for a nice ambiance. The people who were sitting a few chairs down from us were worthless human beings, but that's not the restaurant's fault. OR IS IT? The highlight for me, however, was the white wine sangria. I've been trying to find something similar back home in San Diego but haven't been able to. It tasted like it had pineapple or pineapple juice in it and was the most refreshing drink I've had in a long time. I'm going to make my own white wine sangria with pineapple, that's how much I'm craving it. I can't wait to visit my bestie in Portland again so I can force her to bring me back here so I can get wrecked on pineapples.
(4)Sean C.
Portland, OR. Where the Happy Hour concentrates more on appetizers and delicious bites and not on cocktails (it's a state ordinance). Spicy Shrimp Prawns wags my dong, Spanish Chile hums my willy. Dim lights and loud Spanish techno tracks, not a place for conversation. #pithy
(3)Annie T.
Fantastic happy hour (food). Unfortunately, no happy hour drinks. Decent selection of tequila! We were blessed with luck getting the worm in our glass of mezcal!
(4)Marc W.
Wife and I stopped in Friday afternoon for some eats and drinks. A bit early for happy hour though. What a cool looking place. They had the garage-door sized windows opened and the lovely cool breeze was blowing through. Huge tequila selection. I had a couple of the Bartender Margaritas and honey had a house margarita. Mine were delicious although the pink tint from the cranberry juice splash was surprising. I had two. The house Margarita was a bit sour though. Wife had the pork soft tacos al pastor. Good. I had the enchiladas al pastor. Very tasty meat but the corn tortillas were a little dry. Usually enchiladas are soaked in sauce. I did enjoy the fresh greens that were thrown on top. The food was not outstanding. But the drinks were tasty. There are many other items on the menu of interest and the decor and location is great. I saw the happy hour menu had lots of yummy items. So I'll be back.
(3)Cindy F.
I went for the late night happy hour..this place was busy but I was able to get a seat quick by the fire pit which was nice..I love the atmosphere..the happy hour is reasonably priced..Drinks are good..I didn't try the food but the nachos smelled and looked amazing. I will be coming back to try it!
(3)Kari G.
Apparently if you cannot prove if you're over 21, you're not even allowed in the building, and will very rudely get escorted out. When my family first arrived before the end of happy hour/dinner time, the hostess asked if we were all 21- yes. No one is lying here, which is the most frustrating part. My mom and I ordered 2 drinks for ourselves while my 21 year old sister was in the bathroom. When she returned, she just ordered water because she had forgotten her ID and the waitress insisted she need to show her ID anyway. She showed her a picture of her license she had just taken on her phone just in case she was to forget it/need the number. The waitress rolled her eyes and said she had to get the manager. The manager, a sassy young woman, approaches and asked to see the picture. She immediately said that the picture would not suffice since it could "easily be altered" and was actually "probably really dangerous to have if your phone was to get stolen, cause you identity also would be". My mom tried to explain that she just sent her the picture and that a year or so ago, I used a picture of my passport at a restaurant down the street to get a drink (not to even be in the building) and that worked fine! And that no where on Yelp or anything says that this place is only a bar, but she proceeded to tell us that it was more of an "adult restaurant because kids aren't allowed". She said my sister had to leave the building while we finished our drinks, or since we had like, 2 sips, they could be on the house.. And then she took them away off the table. Had I not been with my family, I would've knocked over a glass of water (or finish my free marg) for this arrogant jerks service and explanation of why she had to leave, even if she didn't want a drink. We're across the street at Pastini enjoying each other's company- finally. Never again.
(1)Claudia L.
Matador claims to be a "TEX-MEX" (Texas-Mexico) fusion restaurant in Portland. Being Portland a big city with a diverse population and tourism, Matador should be globalized about ID checking. My husband, 23 year old daughter, her 26 year old boyfriend visiting from Mexico and myself went for drinks, but had to leave because the dense manager would not accept a Mexican government issued Id for the young man. He wanted to see an American Id. What a stubborn manager would do this? Has he traveled at all? Does he realize that if you are foreign you travel with your own nationality documents? What a limited brain he has. If you're mexican your documents are mexican if you're Italian your documents are Italian, and so on... On another note, Matadors tequilas don't do them any justice, they are limited and overpriced. And your restaurant theme is not even Texan or Mexican, it is Spanish. No wonder your employees' lack of global perspective. Never coming back or recommending this place at all.
(1)Kim K.
I've been back to Casa del Matador a few more times, solo for lunch. Nam is always bartending and he's stellar. He knows the menu and makes great recommendations, He's attentive and fun conversation too. I'll now go back just to have him make me killer margaritas. It's almost a shame I'll be back to work soon. No more day drinking. ;-p
(5)Mallory K.
This used to be a frequent spot of mine (SE Location though) and I think they have some of the best margaritas in town but the experience at this location was below par. We went on Sunday at 2 pm so the place was not packed at all. Service was rather slow, meaning I got my margarita at the same time as my food. I ordered a carnitas burrito and it came out as chicken. The manager happened to be the person who came by to ask how everything was and I told her that it looked like the meat was incorrect. Her statement was not "I am sorry, let me fix this for you" it was "well the pork has been really light in color lately, and your ticket said pork. I will double check what they put in there." The burrito did indeed have chicken in it and it was replaced but it seemed like it was more of an inconvenience. Like I said, love this place and will keep going back but I 100% prefer the SE location to the NW location mostly because of service.
(3)Teresa R.
First time in Portland and the local wanted to take us to a "mexican" restaurant, knowing we are from San Diego, California, where NOBODY can beat San Diegan Mexican food. I wouldn't call this "Mexican" food, but more of Americanized Restaurant Mexican food. We started out with chips and salsa, nothing special. Next we had the "SPICY" Fried Calamari... SPICY??? Not really. It wasn't even mild, again nothing special. It really tasted like Calamari sprinkled with a little bit of chili powder and cumin. The "Spicy" calamari also had breaded red bell peppers. I ordered the Citrus Shrimp Ceviche and Tortilla Soup.. Again, nothing special. It was alright. It supposedly came with Serrano chili's, but I think they took the seeds off because there was no spice to it either. Tortilla Soup was a joke. It barely had any soup. The soup was sitting under a bed of thinly sliced potato chips and shreded chicken. They really need to add more soup, or put it in a bigger bowl. I think I had about 4 sips of the soup and then just had all toppings. We had 2 waitresses which were all friendly. We did encounter two others that weren't our waitresses--- one of the waitresses seemed pretty stuck up. She was the full Vietnamese waitress. The half Filipino and German waitress however was super friendly. The reason I am giving this place 3 stars is because their white wine sangria's tasted really good and because this place seemed to be poppin with a good crowd of people. Will definitely not come here again though.
(3)David J.
Our server was Heidi, and she was fantastic. She was upbeat, not rushed and attentive. She regularly checked in on us, with out seeming intrusive. We were planning on dinner but arrived during happy hour. The happy hour menu was terrific so we ordered from it. Food is good and fairly priced. Salsa is not the best. A salsa make over is in order.
(4)Amanda S.
I'm from Texas so let me be clear- this is NOT tex mex. Don't judge tex mex based on this restaurant. However, I enjoyed the atmosphere of the place. First- the salsa was FANTASTIC- I'll come back just for the salsa, and it's what made me give it 4 stars. The black bean queso was also good. The real star is the margarita- another reason it got 4 stars. I ordered the chicken tacos for my entree. The tacos were ok and had a good amount of spice, but the rice and beans were completely flavorless. Go here for the margaritas and the salsa.
(4)Izzy N.
This place can be packed especially on a sunny scorching day, but I like how the place's windows are opened up for the air and sun to come through. I didn't eat their food but came here for after dinner drinks after a sucky visit at sushiville. Their cocktail menu is limited to margaritas and sangrias but I liked my tamarindo. Wasn't as stiff as I would of liked. Being asian, I love me some tamarind. They do have a huge selection of tequila. A great casual place for average cocktails and good conversation.
(3)Rob P.
The greatest and largest $4 happy hour nachos you will ever find!
(4)Renee B.
Great happy hour! I've only done lots of aps to share type of dining here but the food is really good - and a great price during HH. Highly recommend the nachos! Margaritas are great, unfortunately no drinks on special during the happy hour but still well worth it. Great aptmosphere, on a nice night it's great because they open the huge windows so you feel like you are sitting outside. We'll be back!
(4)Stephanie S.
I really like the decorative metal art throughout the restaurant and enjoy sitting with friends around the firepit table. I think the food is ok - nacho sizes are huge! I like the sangria but think they water it down with fruit juice. The place is always crowded though - probably because it has great open windows to people watch.
(3)Edward J.
This place reminds me one of those fancy chain restaurants in LA... So this place is from Seattle, not LA. The design of the store has that velvet room meets the Cinco de Mayo feel. Pretty neat. But the food, not that great. My friend and I got lunch there once. I got the vegetarian tacos with rice and beans. The rice and beans are good, but I didn't like the tacos. Tasted blend and a bit greasy. The chips and salsa are greasy too. Its got that commercial taste to it. Nothing authentic or special about it. I guess Matador is more of a place for tourists and out of towners. I would just grab Mexican food at Por Que Nor.
(3)Chad S.
What a great experience! The food is fantastic and the atmosphere is warm. I have had several meals at Casa Del Matador and each time they exceed my expectations. They are in my top 5 list of restaurants that I like most.
(4)Lauren C.
This place has an amazing happy hour for food - chicken quesadilla for $4, and it's a meal-sized portion too. My friend had the nachos and it was enough food for the whole table. Their drinks are pretty good too. I've been for dinner too and got the steak sandwich which was not bad.
(4)Rozlyn R.
This is truly a vampire's dream hangout at night, what with the late dinner service and decor. I love the summer when all the windows open out to the street.
(4)gregarious c.
the waiter (michael) was affable, but being served our appetizer moments before our check was a bit Ben Butt.
(1)VOID V.
Casa Del Matador has one of the best late-night happy hour menus in town. Starting at 10PM you can enjoy various tex-mex dishes for a small fistful of dollars. I never eat nachos, they seem to be something dreamt-up by a Bud drinking football fan whose version of fine dining is an asphalt parking lot full of fellow jersey clad and beer-gutted hoi polloi on any given Sunday, what with tortilla chips drenched in cheeses, beans, guacamole and ghastly sour cream. Not at Matador. A member of our party decided on "Nachos", and I went ahead and dove in. Smoky pulled pork, tasty and firm black beans, and crisp tortilla chips. There's a nice seating area around an indoor chimnea style fire-pit where one can enjoy some cocktails and snacks with fellow imbibers. The Mojitos are made to order and the margaritas can be made with an assortment of fine tequilas. The bar itself is unique for Portland with its votive candles surrounding twisting metalwork flames. It's obviously handcrafted and quite original, and gives a modern, steampunk touch to traditional Mexican folkloric iconography. The ambient and non-direct lighting with emphasis on candles and flame creates a cinematic cantina style environment in the otherwise stuffy region that is NW 23rd. I wouldn't call the establishment "corporate" as there are only a handful of locations in the NW. Not all good places can be independently owned and operated, and not all small chains are bad by virtue of being small chains. Casa del Matador still pays attention to detail and does not scrimp on ingredients. I wouldn't pay the prices at normal dining hours, but the late-night happy hour is just too good to pass up.
(4)J M.
We came here for New Year's Eve, and it was a disaster. The good: -The food was decent. I love Mexican food, and this place delivered flavorful, authentic tex-mex (and the portions were pretty large). The bad: -The waitress messed up my food order, even after I repeated it to her twice and double-checked to make sure she had it right. -After the first round of drinks, most of our drink orders came back wrong. My last drink was a poorly made, lukewarm margarita with ice and no salt. Yuk. -It took them forever to clear our dirty plates, refill water, etc. -In general, the staff had a bad attitude. I know it's New Year's and you would rather be out partying with your friends, but come on...don't make us feel bad about it. The ugly: -Things got unpleasant when it came time to leave. The waitress told us she'd call a couple of cabs for our large party. She came back with a confirmation that the cabs were going to take 30-45 minutes. Ok, it's a busy night, we understand...no big deal. We have a drink, hang out, wait for the cab. An hour later, no news had arrived, so we go to manager to see what's up with the cab 'stich. Apparently, our waitress bounced after we paid the bill and the manager didn't know anything about a cab. Not cool. We are a little upset and all somewhat tipsy. Instead of calming us down, apologizing and offering to help remedy the situation, the (poorly trained) manager gets in our face and tells us we're overreacting. An argument ensues. The whole night is soured. If you are going to offer to help your patrons get a cab, follow through with it. If you don't feel like you can follow through, don't offer. We would have been fine to track town our own transportation, but we ended up waiting around for an extra hour for nothing. Not Ok. I can't give them a 1.5 (the food being the only redeeming factor), so I guess they get a 1. On another night, I think our experience would have been better. Nonetheless, the staff had a bad attitude, and probably would have been somewhat unpleasant on any night.
(1)Keith C.
I just recently moved to portland, and I used to go to matador all the time when i was still in seattle, so i was really excited to know that there is one close by. And when i went there, everything was exactly like how i remembered it, minus the familiar faces i knew but oh well. The only thing i want to comment is the fried calamari was a little off the first time i went there but seems to be a one time thing. Definitely a good place to go to.
(4)ToriDawn S.
THE FIRE IS HOT. really hot, i mean i took off my jacket and was about to overheat. the couple sitting next to us had shifted their chairs about a foot back into the isle. they apparently frequent the place and said that it normally is not that unbearably warm, but our poor little waitress couldn't figure out how to turn it down. but besides the fact that i left with a sunburn and heatstroke, i really enjoyed the place! i thought it was very cute, the service attentive, and most of the food to be quite tasty. i had a margarita, the seared ahi, a broccoli app, and my friends shared the nachos. and talk about nachos, you could have fed a small african country with one plate! not surprisingly, three friends and ten minutes later even the crumbs were gone. i loved my ahi, the marinade was excellent, and the green apple slaw was great with the fish. next time ill pass on the broccolini though, nothing special and the oil and crappy feta overwhelmed the dish and left a funny taste in my mouth.
(4)PJ D.
I do like the food here but the entire place is considered a bar so we couldn't bring our infant son here at 4pm in the afternoon. LAME!
(1)Dennis K.
Sunny Sundays are a treat at this NW restaurant as their very large windows open, letting in the sun and breezes. While not a gourmets delight, the food was good and in large portions and seemed to emphasize the upbeat atmosphere of the restaurant. The tacos tasted fresh and flavorful, the salad bright and tasty, and the drinks (one of the 20 or so tequillas offered) interesting. Our server cute and energetic with a smile that seemed genuine, she was attentive enough but not too much. A nice summer place that deserves a lingering early dinner.
(3)Silvia G.
This place has the worst service, although the food is okay as far as Gringo'ed Mexican food goes. After ordering food and drinks, food came out first and the flight of tequila came never. When we were almost done with our food, I told the server to forget the flight of tequila since it was taking so long and I figured she was not bringing it anyhow. She was really rude and said that it was at the bar and she was bringing it now, and I told her it had taken too long and to forget it. She said she had to bring it out because it was already poured and I told her it was too late, that she needed to take it off the bill. She insisted that she couldn't and I had to get a manager involved, who took it off the bill. If it was a special margarita or something, I could have understood (maybe), but seriously if it takes you half an hour to bring out some straight up tequila, then your service is just plain bad.
(2)Colin M.
The enchiladas are bomb. The happy hour nachos with meat are amazing...huge portion for $8. I hit up this place on the regular.
(4)Katherine V.
Good for happy hour. The tamarind margarita was delicious and the peach one was pretty good as well. $5 nachos are huge and a great deal. The garlic shrimp (also $5 from the happy hour menu) only had 5 shrimp. They were good, but $1 each for shrimp that were probably farmed and imported from some foreign country that might not have certain health and quality checks isn't really worth it. But maybe they were wild shrimp...who knows... Anyways, the food is better than the service. Each time our waitress checked by our table she often left before we could order more food or drink. I understand it was a busy Saturday night but it was weird how quickly she showed up, said "Is everything going okay?" and then literally turned around before we could respond. Also, getting the check and having her come back and run it was a long process. My boyfriend actually got up to go and find her because it felt like she had forgotten about the table. Our group was also seated by the door where we met freezing blasts of winter air each time someone opened the door. This wasn't too bad, but combined with the tons of people huddled by the door waiting for tables it felt like we were seated in the waiting area and not the restaurant. Would have been great to have been by the fire but it was understandably very busy. Show up before 10pm before the crowds show up for happy hour.
(3)Brooke G.
A good margarita, but a little on the sweet side. Food is pretty good, but nothing I crave or would write home about. Nonetheless, we end up hear a couple times of year for happy hour, which is a great value. And I love the fire. It's so cozy and warm.
(3)Dani G.
I feel like happy hour would be worth it, but if you're a foodie don't waste your time. Mediocre food and terrible service. The kitchen is small and sections are huge so you must consider that, but it still sucks. All the ladies that work there are aesthetically pleasing for sure. The knowledge of food and beverage is pretty horrendous as well. Nice lighting and atmosphere, played lovely music as well. Stopping by for a quick drink or happy hour snack is all I would recommend for here. All locations are like this. Sorry matador.
(2)Jacob K.
This is a place you go to for the atmosphere, not the food. It's not that the food is bad, it's just so completely lackluster yet priced like its not. I've been here a few times and everything about the food is average, not terrible, not great - average. So why not 3 stars? Tonight my sister ordered a soft taco platter and the plate with the toppings had barely a tablespoon of guac, sour cream and cheese. It was laughable that they gave her around 5 tortillas with enough accoutrements for one taco at best. When we mentioned it, the waitress brought more yet it wasn't until I got home and looked at the receipt when I realized we were charged for it. Super lame. I'm sad NW 23rd is becoming a place full of pretty restaurants that are so lacking where it matters most: quality food, but as long as idiots like myself keeping giving them money then I guess it's what we deserve.
(2)Mike R.
Seems like a great place. It is quite crowded.
(3)Msc C.
Great happy hour food.
(3)Amy A.
Casa Del Matador is a pretty popular place among my friends. We meet here for lunches, happy hours, and the occasional dinner. I haven't ever had an "amazing" meal here, but the drinks are quite good and the atmosphere is great. In the summer they open up the walls and make it an open-air venue which is awesome. Even in the winter, the place is dimly lit with an industrial-classic feel to it. It can get pretty loud, but not too loud for conversation. The booths are good sized, which makes it easy to fit a big group (we had 7 people in one booth last night). The servers are always attentive and witty. I've never had poor service here! If you like tequila, they are knowledgeable enough to guide you to the perfect shot or the perfect margarita. This is a great place for a low-key date or a night out with friends.
(4)Tracy D.
The food is consistently good and tasty, but the atmosphere really makes it. Great for a little romantic date near the fireplace or for a group of girls looking to catch up over some yummy American-Mexican dishes and margaritas. Also nice that it is conveniently located near bars and shops on 23rd Street.
(5)Blake B.
I was in town for work and a friend lives in Portland so we met up for dinner here based on recommendations from his co-workers. The decor was pretty cool with a nice, big bar and fire pit away from the bar. We ended up ordering margaritas to start off. My friend wanted to try the mojito but asked the waitress her thoughts on them and she recommended the margarita instead. Instead ordering entrees, we just shared a bunch of appetizers. I think we ordered too much food but it was really good. We got the grilled stuff jalapenos which had a really good kick, citrus shrimp ceviche (love ceviche), Texas sized nachos which are massive and we could have just made a meal off of them and butternut squash quesadilla. I'm not a fan of butternut squash but you couldn't taste it too much which made it really good. Cool spot that I'd recommend trying out.
(4)Kristine L.
Let me start by saying the portions were HUGE! We had a party of 8. Nachos-feed at least 2 (get the chorizo!) Fish tacos were fresh seafood The best dish of all though, my guy got the special of pork shoulder mole. It was spicy, but not on fire, with a bit of a smokey flavor. So delicious. Now for the booze! Surprisingly, no one got tequila shots. The Top Shelf Margarita was the same price as the Cadillac..go with the top shelf! But after trying my friends red wine sangria, THAT is the drink I would recommend the most. Barely tasted the wine. The main issue we had was, not enough silverware/napkins were given to us and had to ask a few times. Also 1 person in our party didn't get their order taken and the service was a bit slow. Overall, we may go back for happy hour but probably not for a "night out"
(3)Brittany H.
The appetizers were tasty, good drink selection, and I appreciated the free chips and salsa. However, I feel that a Happy Hour should consist of lower priced drinks....that's the premise of happy hour, right?
(3)Jennifer C.
Sat at a table in the bar area around 3ish so it's a slow time of the day and I realize as a server you're busy getting stuff done to be ready for the dinner rush but the bartender who waited on me was really bad. I had to repeatedly go up to the bar and ask for more water. No, I was not slamming the water down in record time, I was drinking it at a regular pace. I was only served water that was tepid with no ice (I finally asked for ice the second time I went up for more water ). The food took FOREVER to come out and I only ordered the bean queso and the pastor sandwich, both of which were excellent but I think I can find food that is just as good with much better service at this price range.
(2)Meleana G.
New management has brought Matador way down hill. I had the weakest and most watery margarita that I've had in Portland even after I asked my waitress to take it back to the bartender. When we asked for more tortillas, the waitress brought them out and didn't want to wait for us to make room for them so she just set them down on my personal belongings that were on the table and just walked off. After several bad experiences, Matador is marked off of my list of places to eat in PDX.
(1)Brittanie M.
Some of my favorite nachos in Portland! They have a great happy hour where nachos are only $5! And they are HUGE! 3-6pm and even late night, 10pm-close daily. Awesome! And really good margaritas. Atmosphere is pretty casual but nice. But go on a weekend and you are bound to see dressed up folks, especially ladies that maybe got confused and thought they were going to Portland City Grill. One time while I was eating my dinner here, there was a group of 3 ladies dancing right in front of my table. Pretty awkward considering we're at a restaurant, there's no DJ, and people are eating dinner...but it made for a hilarious dining experience.
(4)Brian S.
Would love to come here more often. Great happy hour and the food is really good, especially for the price. Haven't had anything bad here yet.
(4)Daniel C.
I am definitely a fan of Matador. I love the atmosphere, the bar, the fireplaces, the service, and the food isn't too shabby either. I like meeting up here with some buddies before hitting the dirty streets of NW Portland, usually to cause a ruckus, I'll be warming up here. They sometimes have a pretty ridiculous wait time to get a table for 4 or more people. Something like 30-45 minutes usually. That's ok, because the bar is open seating, and sets a great vibe to mingle and hang with friends. The fireplaces are a hit, especially during the colder months, its great to get out of the cold and huddle around the fire with a nice cocktail. The service here has been great for me every time. They are a fast, attentive, and friendly crew from my experience. Also, not too bad to look at usually. Always a plus. The food might seem a tad overpriced at times, depending on what you order, but it's pretty tasty and well worth eating in an atmosphere such as theirs. You try it and tell me if I'm wrong. I would come here with friends, a casual date, or for business. You can't go wrong here.
(4)Mike J.
The only reason I marked it down is the drinks were watered down. Nice restaurant with an awesome Carne Asada. Their beef is to die for. Good food all around and very good service.
(4)Esther S.
I'm from LA so while visiting Portland my friend insisted that we needed to try this place. To my surprise it was delicious.. All the food was so good. We came during happy hour. We had the Tacos, al pastor & the carnitas. In my opinion the carnitas tacos tasted better then the Al pastor tacos.. We also had the stuffed Jalapeños, strawberry salad, chicken tortilla soup, chips and salsa & the best corn on the cob. Our server was Monique, who was very sweet & delightful. We had a couple of laughs, she definitely provided great customer service.. Their host were not the greatest but overall it was a great experience
(5)Kristina M.
I was in town from Boise and met my sister and mom at The Matador for lunch. We have a Matador in downtown Boise, and I love it, so I figured it'd be a great place to stop in. My mom was seated when we got there. It was a weekday afternoon, so the place was pretty empty. A few tables of quite guests, served by a couple of slow-moving waiters. Our waitress, Kristeen, welcomed us with lackluster enthusiasm. My mom and I ordered margaritas. I went with a mango margarita, and it hit the spot. For lunch, I ordered the taco flight (I believe it was on a special menu). It was okay, but nothing to right home about. One of them (I couldn't really tell them apart, and our waitress didn't bother to distinguish them) was way too spicy, and one was very bland. My mom also got the corn as a side; I don't remember the name of it. It, too, was on a specialty menu. I thought it was overly spicy and heavy on the cilantro. My mom couldn't eat it because of the spicyness. Our waitress was not friendly and very nonattentive through our meal. Because of this, my mom only tipped her 10% ($4, which is not the worst we could have given her). BUT GET THIS. When my mom received her credit card statement, Kristeen (our waitress) had taken the pleasure of DOUBLING her tip. I don't believe an extra $4 is enough to make a big fuss about, but the amount of integrity she had to lack to do that is! I could not believe that a waitress would do something like that, jeopardizing not only her own image, but that of the restaurant's as well. I imagine she thought my mom wouldn't even notice. How dirty. My mom called and spoke with the manager, who was happy to reverse the charge. I don't normally use social media to complain about wait staff, because I know it can be a shitty job, but I fully hope that she gets reprimanded for her actions.
(1)Chandler H.
Matador, Matador, Matador. Right as I walk in I am immediatly touched by an older, obviously drunk, mother who mutters something under her breath as the host seats us. Walking in immediatly its loud, and busy. Waiters are busting their butts from table to table. We are seated and already enjoy the ambiance, the darker colors of reds, blacks and golds cover the walls. Candles are lit at every seat. I order the carne asada fajitas and a strawberry magarita. The drinks were on the stronger side, and the food was tasty. The grilled steak had charcoal marks on it, and you could taste it in each and every bite. All and all Matador is a tier above normal mexican food, for the price you get its quite tasty and high quality mexican cuisine.
(4)Bill K.
Very disappointing. We enjoyed our drinks and snacked on chips n salsa for more than 45 min... And our meal still didn't show up???? We sat at the bar and the bartender was a great guy, he kept apologizing. We ordered some guacamole w/out onions. Instead we rcvd a quarter of an avocado... Yep, that's it. Still waiting for our dinners? We should probably leave now??
(2)David F.
My girlfriend had talked about wanting to go to Casa Del Matador for quite awhile, and we finally made it over there last night. I really dug it a lot. I was immediately captivated by the facade, and wrought iron decor. The same goes for inside, where there is a fire roaring (with an adequate exhaust fan, thankfully), more wrought iron decor, and a general rustic feeling. As far as food, we shared the $5 nachos, and I also got 2 carnitas tacos for $5. So often when you get nachos, all the good stuff is on top of too many plain chips below. Thankfully, they layered up and they were real good throughout! I was impressed by the flavor of the juicy carnitas, and size of the tacos. They claim Tex Mex, and for sure live up to it with big plates, low prices and good flavors. (see photos) For drinks we both had a Top Shelf Margarita, opting to go with the Hornitos x Patron vs Sauza, as we both feel there's a big difference between well and more expensive tequila... While it goes down, and the next day, haha. The margaritas weren't super special, but were good. I'll probably try the sangria next time. I recommend going during happy hour, as their menu is pretty extensive and the ambiance is good!
(5)Jenny P.
Anna and I wanted to sit down. We've had a little project today, and enchiladas sounded good. The service was impeccable with chips and salsa placed at our booth as we sat down. There were quite a few people in there for lunch- some drinking margaritas and some beer but the noise level was fine. The salsa had that super smoked taste that I don't care for but some do- I use chipotle peppers but not in that quantity and I got the enchiladas verde for lunch. The tomatillo sauce was on the sweet rather than 'zingy' side and it just wasn't my thing. Anna got some chicken sandwich she was perfectly happy with. All in all a mediocre experience that could change into a good one - say, if you had a bunch of drinking pals and you were there at night. The fireplace is gorgeous even if the long horn skulls are over the top. How many Texas long horn skulls does a restaurant really need anyway? I love 'em but they were everywhere. The guacamole needed a bit more lime ( kinda bland) but the chips were crispy and fresh- the rice was the standard orange stuff. For over $30 I really wish I could say it was better, but I can't. Still, the customer service was excellent and it was very clean. Take your Grandma.....
(3)Dana C.
We went to Matador after a friends theater show and it was perfect. The drinks were delicious and strong, and the food was wonderful. We all shared a nachos and then I also got the shrimp quesadillas during happy hour and it was so delicious. The atmosphere was also really great! I am going back to Portland to visit friends again in a few weeks and I hope we find time to stop at Matador again for so
(5)Alex C.
This place is great. Delicious flavor combinations across the menu. Friendly wait staff and an extremely well stocked bar. This is tequila central. Be sure to check out tequila Tuesdays. Every Tuesday night (I think starting at 7) they offer half priced tequila on all shots priced $12 and over. And that includes some crazy private stock stuff that goes for over $100 a shot. Bartender makes great drinks as well. Definitely worth a visit. P.s. for Costco members they have gift cards ($80 for $100) for Matador. So don't miss out on the savings.
(5)Jessica N.
We missed happy hour which it sounds like is the big draw, but we came here on the 4th and had a nice meal except for a very weird service fall out at the end. Sat at the bar for drinks. One small thing is the wine comes in very thick glasses. Just makes it seem clunky vs having a nice glass of wine. The hubs and I both ordered off the seasonal menu. His taco tasting plate was an awesome portion of 5 tacos for $11. I had the chipotle shrimp salad which was tasty. Neither was anything to write home about, but good food at decent prices. Chips and salsa were also quite tasty. We were there for about 2 hours and didn't see our server/bartender at all for the last half an hour. Which is weird because we were sitting AT the bar....we had to ask another bartender to refill our water and then after much waiting flagged down the other bartender to get our bill. He then got the code to get our bill from our original bartender who didn't bother to come out to give us our bill. Just seemed bizarre. If he was doing a shift change or something I would think he would come out to tell us.
(3)Shelby N.
Love the fresh cadillac margaritas! They are light and refreshing without all of the extra sugar that normally results in an upset stomach. The atmosphere is warm and inviting with the dim lights and the large fire pit in the center of the restaurant.
(4)Kirstyn S.
My boyfriend and I decided to grab a bite to eat late at night, and this place was hoppin'. We were lured in by the happy hour menu, and were not disappointed. The food deserves five stars: we ordered two mushroom tacos and the nachos grande, and both were full-size and delicious, and with our non-alcoholic beverages, our bill was less than twenty bucks. My only qualm was the amount of time we waited for someone to greet us when we walked in, because it felt like we were standing up front for quite a while. But that's no deterrent, an we will definitely be going back!
(4)Cathy C.
Very good food. Loved the open windows and decor. Beautiful, romantic setting with the low lighting. Queso dip was very good. A little on the noisy side. Would def come back when in Portland.
(4)Michael G.
I give two stars because after 10:00pm the service here is terrible. This is the third time I have came after 10:00pm and have not received service until after 1:00am so they can refuse happy hour. We had to ask the bartender if we could seat ourselves. For being a "nicer" place to eat on 23rd I can not believe this place on the late.
(2)Johnathan W.
Love the service here at night and I have never been here for lunch. Happy to say the device doesn't drop off for lunch. I wish the chips had more salt but they are always good. Got the burrito and while it was filling l I wish the burrito had cheese on the inside instead of on top of it. Still great!! Great place for great bite to eat!!
(4)Khoa N.
My gf and i both came here because we crave the fried calamari there during happy hour and just the great happy hour menu they have. We usually get the chicken quesadilla and the braised pork tacos with fried calamari as appetizers. It was a slightly busy night with tables getting filled up with all the huge sliding windows all open because it was a warm night. The environment was very mellow with the sound of customers conversing under dim lighting. Our hostress brought us to our seats and our waitress came to help us out pretty quickly. Our food and drinks came at a reasonable time and we chowed down pretty quickly, once we finished eating, our waitress was having a chat with other customers near where we were sitting, after that she brought us our check. When we had place our card into the tab we waited...and waited for about 15 minutes for her to come back to charge us. We saw her going back to her friends at the table near us and just talking for days...other tables were getting anxious to leave as well because she seemed to have our side of the restaurant to serve and neglected everyone while talking to another customer at another table. This is the only time this has happened and the other times we have gone the service was fine so thats why its only 4 stars. TL:DR great happy hour with a waitress that couldnt care less to finish up her tables
(4)Elyse C.
So far the food is great. A strawberry auga fresca and queso fundito (cheese dip with chorizo). So so good.
(5)Sara W.
Really love the ambiance of this place! Came in at 5:30 on Thursday in the midst of happy hour. I lucked out because I was meeting people who already had a table, but it didn't seem like the wait was super long for those who weren't so lucky. First off: their house margaritas as delicious! Seriously one of the best I've had. I definitely recommend getting one :). Complementary chips and salsa are delicious as well. Inside tip: I thought the salsa was great, while my dining companion thought it was too spicy. Guess it's a spiceyness preference. We ended up staying for dinner too; I ordered the blackened fish tacos. They were good, nothing to write home about though. I would have preferred them in corn tortillas however. 2 fish tacos, beans and rice for about $13. Not too bad I think. Overall take away: really cool place to come for a margarita and a taco during happy hour. Nothing special, but a nice option in the neighborhood.
(3)Alexander B.
Officially, this place is my new favorite spot for Mexican food. Super good. A bit pricy, but the food and atmosphere make up for the extra cost.
(5)Shannon S.
I can't believe it has taken me so long to write a review for my favorite Mexican spot in Portland! I've been several time and I'm going to keep coming back! Great Food! Great Drinks! Great Service!
(4)Anthony K.
3.5 to 4 stars... Value = Excellent on all except the $5 side of guac! C'mon Food= Tastey Service= Average Date spot rating = 7 out of 10 I ordered the ribeye which wasnt exactly what I was expecting but it tasted good. My lady ordered the braised carnitas which I would totally order if I went back. The rib eye was a pretty thin cut. It was a pretty good value for what it cost.$22 It wasnt exactly paired with what was my favorite sides but I devoured the entire plate. The carnitas will definitely leave you satisfied. My gf took home almost half of it, as it was a generous delicious serving size. We had it the next day with some Torts... yummy leftovers! We had 4 margaritas and a beer, side of guacamole, 2 dinners and we had a meal under $100. Which pefectly we had $100 in gift cards. Including tip... Perfect! The drinks are super good. Try the cucumber jalapeno margarita. My only gripe would be the server. She talked super fast and it didnt seem like they wanted us to relax. I like to take my time, order a drink, get my drink, look at the menu, and then order. Not feel like im being raced through so they can sit another customer. SLOW YOUR ROLL! Other than that. Good place to eat. Happy Hour menu looks awesome too.
(4)Shannon R.
Went here on a Sunday at noon. The place was pretty empty, which was nice. It was my first time here so I had no idea what to expect. The chips and salsa were amazing!!!! I'm pretty sure I ate my weights worth. I then ordered the house margarita which was large, but also full or ice. It was strong and delicious. For lunch I ordered the spinach salad which was pretty good, very basic. I can't wait to go back for more chips, salsa, and margaritas! Yummy!!!
(4)Kristin J.
I haven't eaten here too many times, but of the times I have the food has been pretty consistent. Not great, but not bad. Pretty middle of the road. I decided to try the butternut squash quesadilla during my last visit and it was pretty good. Not a tremendous amount of choices for non-meat eaters, but still okay. FYI: It does get busy on the weekends and they do not take reservations.
(3)Stacy C.
Nachos... best in Portland! One order EASILY serves two. Roasted jalopenos are pretty tasty as well. Both red and white sangria are nice. Sitting outside on a summer day is great or inside by an open wall Fireplace bar is comfy as well
(3)Laney K.
I was in town visiting and a friend of mine brought me to Casa Del Matador. The Spicy jumbo prawn garlic chile butter was so memorable I am dreaming about the day when I can visit Portland again. The sauce was so incredibly flavorful - savory but a little sweet and tangy with a kick. Sooo delicious. Their nachos are also really good. Great for sharing since the portion is huge.
(5)Kristi C.
Solid four stars, leading the way...the atmosphere & ambiance. Background music is just loud enough to enjoy, but won't impede your conversation. Great date location & great service too. I thought the margaritas were plenty strong. I've read some reviews that they felt they were a bit watered down, I didn't find that to be the case. Pazole (shredded pork version), was light and a bit citrusy. My new go-to place for happy hour!
(4)Bryan C.
The waitress said "I am going to bring you chips and guacamole" and I said "OK". I didn't expect that this meant "hey I am going to charge you $5.00 and it is not on the menu". I hate when places try to scam you like this. The service wasn't good, the music was too loud, and we were the only ones in the restaurant. The food was alright, but everything else ruined it for me. UPDATE: So the saga continues... I purposely left a low tip and they overcharged me!
(1)Crystal M.
Solid. Solid every single time we come. If it's a birthday, happy hour, lunch dinner anything. The steak is awesome - steak NACHOS that is ! This is our "go to" when we want nachos. Amazing every time. And I don't know what people are saying about watered down drinks... Maybe the restaurants you go to over pour. All the margaritas are amazing and sooooo delicious. It's the perfect blend of sweet and cocktail.
(5)Christine C.
So today I went into casa del matador with my friend and I've been here to this location several times. Today however after we ordered our food and it came out there was a BLACK HAIR in our food!!!!!!Ew and when I brought this to the attention to our waitress she asked if I had a pet..... umm ok?!? No I don't have pets I replied and she was so nonchalant about the whole situation as if this had happen before, I always try to be nice about situations like this but this was definitely gross
(1)Phil J.
This is a wonderful place to meet with friends and have a cocktail. I would suggest nachos from the happy hour menu. Service is pretty good prompt with drinks and food. Be ready to wait for outside seating or larger groups. The restaurant itself is specious with big windows that open to bustling 23rd on a nice day.
(4)Renee B.
Stopped in before a concert when the place we had planned on going had a super long wait-best accidental restaurant stop we could have made! First, service was fabulous! Holly was super sweet and very helpful with my mom (who was in a wheelchair). She checked on us multiple times without going overboard. And the food. The salsa was delicious and had a great smoky flavor. Three of us each ordered different enchiladas and they were all out of this world. Lots of tender, well-seasoned meat in perfectly cooked tortillas. The guacamole, salsa and cream on top were amazing and could probably make cardboard taste good. Will definitely stop in again next time I am in town!
(5)Shawn C.
I love Matador and I go often. That said, the food is decent and happy hour makes it better. The nachos are amazing, during happy hour...... The drinks are decent once you get them, not great, decent AND the service SUCKS. I'm pretty sure they ensure bad service. It seems a requirement, if you work there you MUST provide bad service. The servers are all oddly HOT women and the bartenders are strange men.....Clearly what they are doing is working, they are busy, always. Should you go, yeah...will I go back....yeah.....its just annoying. Pro Tip; Go during the summer, sit outside or by the open windows, great people watching. During the winter, sit by the fire!
(2)L L.
I have been going to The a Matador for a few years now and always enjoy my 2 favorite things there. The cucumber jalapeño margaritas and the enchilada verde vegetarian. There are very few veggie options and I am always quite content to get that since it always has been delicious. Last night was a disappointment. They have omitted the veggie medley and substituted it with button mushrooms and cheese. With whole button mushrooms and not even Crimni mushrooms which are way more tasty! I can't imagine I will want to go back when my partner wants her steak. It's obvious they are stream lining the menu to go "corporate" with their many chains and all but their attention to flavor and detail have in the past stood them apart from the many other great food choices in Portland. I am sad. I mean seriously, whole button mushroom enchiladas?! Does that even sound good to you?! Seems like they don't give a damn anymore because they have ambiance. Bla! Not enough. When we drop $120. for margaritas and dinner I expect to be food satisfied not just tipsy.
(2)Danielle W.
I have never had a bite or sip here that I didn't absolutely LOVE. I mean, me gusta mucho! :) This spot along NW 23rd has it all - a weekly afternoon and late night happy hour, a variety of tasty fresh margaritas, healthy and nonhealthy options, huge portion sizes, an indoor fireplace, and outdoor seating. Even the walls retract upwards (like old-school garage style) to let in fresh air - that is, when it isn't raining in Portland :P Most recently, I ordered a Bartender's Margarita and taco salad. I was in heaven. The taco salad came in a crispy bread bowl, the veggies were crunchy, the guac was creamy, and the pulled pork had a hint of cinnamon and a bit of kick. What a surprise. The drink was yummy too - a bit of a twist with a splash of cranberry and Grand Marnier. I've also been here with large groups and for smaller dinners. I've never encountered any problems at all! Our server was fabulous. Even though we were sitting outside, she was around often. I never saw the bottom of our chip bowl or my water glass. We were able to enjoy the sun, people watch, and fill up on good food. I do wish I lived in walking distance so I can go more often, but I'm sure I'll be back!
(5)Kyle R.
Great atmosphere here. The walls were open when we went and had a nice outdoor feeling. I ordered the Taco Salad and it was beyond amazing. Also great selection of IPA's on tap that we liked. Service was a little slow, but we were enjoying a lazy afternoon, so that didn't bother us! If you like American-Mexican food, you'll like this place. I could see an intimate date here, or meeting with a group of friends.
(4)Donald W.
Love it! Great food and the atmosphere is sooo cool! Staff is friendly and professional... It looks like a 30 something hangout, but we loved the energy there.. Seemed busy on a late weeknight so it must be thought highly of by others too...
(5)Taylor M.
A for atmosphere F for everything else. Watered down 9 dollar margaritas, guacamole out of a bag, and dry meat in the tacos.... Yeah, find somewhere else!
(1)David P.
We came in for lunch and had a great time too. All of us starving the options and portions were generous. We enjoyed the salsa tremendously. We started off with calamari as an appetizer, great choice fried not greasy, not too chewy and delicious! I think it was chipotle sour cream that came along with several of our dishes and the calamari. We needed additional servings of that condiment for sure. I ordered the Shredded Enchiladas Rojas with black beans and couldn't even finish all of the rice or beans. But enjoyed the main so much I probably would have ordered a third one a-la-cart if I could possibly stomach any more food it was so yummy. Drinks were delicious we ordered more than each even at lunch in a Saturday. Mojito started us off. Our service was very personal and attentive even to our demanding appetites, and expectations as patrons. We spent the afternoon remembering our entrees while watching the Ducks game back at home.
(3)Kristy W.
Cool atmosphere. Decent food. Great margaritas. Happy hour menu was generous. Service was slow, but it was a Friday night too so, understandable.
(4)Marissa M.
Loved the enchiladas poblanos and my other half got the fajitas which were really good. Service was great. We sat outside and it was nice to have that option on a Friday evening with no reservation.
(5)Stacy P.
3.5 Stars This Northwestern locally owned chain restaurant provides a good dinning option on 23rd Ave. Casa Del Matador's decor can best be described as sleek decor. The red and black walls with tons of interesting cast iron-work and a long horn above the bar definitely suits the name of the restaurant. While the ceilings are high and could have been left as industrial, I love the fact that they took the effort to mask that and place red padded boards the length of the ceiling as to help with not only the overall theme, but noise level. The large windows allow for Casa Del Matador to take on a whole different feel when they are opened. The inside/outside dining experience is provides a more relaxing environment. If the weather is nice, they do have additional tables outside. The menu has a nice variety of items to chose from. I was impressed that they actually had a gluten free menu that took their regular menu and highlighted the way to request the items so that they could be GF. The braised beef tacos with corn tortillas was messy, yet filling lunch option. The sauce was a bit runny and easily spilled out of the shells. It was definitely spicier than I had initially anticipated. The annatto rice was just ok. It was a bit over cooked and dried out. Over all, the service and food was good. It is certainly on the list of restaurant to return to when on the NW 23rd Ave area. Two key things to note: - You must be 21 years of age to enter -The chips that they serve as a starter are not truly GF. They are fried in a mixed fryer and have been cross contaminated.
(3)Suki S.
I love the atmosphere of this place, it always has a happy feel to it. I'm only at the burrito and the enchiladas here and both were very mediocre, but with good drinks and amazing company who cares.
(3)Luke S.
I love this restaurant! Their strawberry margaritas are to die for! I always get the fajitas and they're delicious every time. The restaurant has a cool atmosphere too. If you're looking for a fun night out I highly recommend Casa Del Matador! The lines can get long, though, so I recommend either going early or late to avoid the rush.
(5)Jason F.
This has become a staple of mine. Glad I went back and gave them a second chance. Last time I was there I saw the waitress who made my first experience less than stellar apologizing to the table next to mine; maybe she should find a job that better suits her. The food is really good and, aside from the one bad waitress, so is the service. The cucumber jalapeño margarita is awesome.
(4)Katie P.
Awful evening! Waited two hours for a table, then another hour for my meal. When it arrived it was completely wrong!
(1)Michelle S.
Ehh, I can't think of any reason to return here. Lunch service is slow. Perhaps hire more servers? I had a cocktail which was pretty good and an ok burger. I asked for some blue cheese dressing for my fries (yes weird I know). First time ever I've been charged for it. It came in one of those thimble cups no less. On my bill it read "dressing side $1.00"
(2)Amy L.
Wow. We wandered up the street after wine and appetizers and struck gold on a Friday night at casa del matador. Eventhough the place was packed and our service was so fast. The women who work here and were at the bar were all hot ....and they even had good poppin music ! A lot of places in Portland play music that makes you want to call your grandma to see how she's doing? This was fun. The potions were huge! And we still can't believe the entrees are 10-15$??? Awesome.
(4)Rebecca N.
You're a chain, but you have the most rockin'est piles of $5 happy hour nachos. The best day I've spent in Portland so far wound down on your sidewalk, eating aforementioned nachos, drinking your very acceptable blood orange margarita, throwing chips at my dog, and enjoying the warm sun setting and Portlanders emerging from their winter gloom. Dinner service? Eh kinda too proper for my tastes. But happy hour? Exquisite. You done good, Senor Matador.
(5)AnneBri I.
Geez Louise, go get some Texas size carnitas nachos and margaritas, will you already? We drive over an hour to experience marvelous happy hour and sitting outside.
(5)Mathew E.
We sat outside on one of the most beautiful Portland days ever. It was happy hour. Their happy hour is food only, but it really doesn't matter. The food portions are very generous. I got two steak tacos and a huge chicken nacho. Together only $10!! Also, The patron margarita is amazing.
(4)Janice L.
I love the atmosphere and frequently enjoy happy hour here. Already craving the nachos again and I love their drinks! Got a red sangria and a delicious margarita :)
(4)J E.
Make sure to ask if salsa is hot today, it varies :) AND - hey, you are only a few blocks from the fabulous New Renaissance Bookshop - go check it out - you will be delighted you did. Great gifts! Candles, crystals, all things metaphysical!:)
(5)Katie G.
All the food is so flavorful! My favorite is the fish and shrimp tacos. The margaritas are a must! The only downside is that if there is more than one or two people waiting for a table it starts to get a little chaotic feeling. Since there is no waiting area its like you're table is being invaded by waiting guests when you sit front of house.
(4)Erica D.
Service...nice but iffy. Food decent but black beans are bland as f***. husband had to go to the bar to pay our bill. fun times. our bill was about $89. you'd think we would get a little better service, yeesh.
(3)Gina A.
I have a friend who always wants to go here & though I try and suggest other places, this person likes this place. WTF? Why?? HHOUR: The Portland location of this small chain of restaurants looks alright inside. It's kinda dark with lots of mirrors for people who like to look at themselves. They have lame happy hour hours from 4-6 pm and 10-1 am and no drinks on the HH menu! Do they have slow service? OH, HELL YAAAS - they've got that every night for you crazy bastardos who love to wait for no good reason. FOOD: If you like your food on the EXTRA spicy side, go for it and choke that taco down. I don't so I'm pretty much limited to some salads. Last time I had the Braised Grape Salad. It was edible, not spicy and gluten free so there's that glowing recommendation for you. COST: That meatless salad and a glass of wine was 17.50 plus tip. 25 WORDS OR LESS SUMMARY: CHAIN TEX MEX BAR FOOD SERVED UP IN A MOODY ATMOSPHERE IN THE PEARL FOR PEOPLE WHO JUST LIKE TO GO SOMEWHERE IN THE PEARL.
(2)Michael P.
If you go to Casa Del Matador you must, I repeat, must get the spicy margs. My fiance and I are spicy margarita fanatics and so far these have been our favorites. The chili salted rim compliments the drink perfectly as does the dark dim atmosphere at night. That being said I would most likely recommend casa for large groups as it can get pretty loud especially on the weekends so don't expect a romantic candlelit dinner. Service for the most part has always been good. For the sports fans out there, I believe there are 3 or 4 flat screen tvs nestled up against the bar wall so fear not of missing that blazer game. Also not that anyone cares but I think the bathroom sinks are cool.
(5)Julia C.
I used to like this place but not now. The last 3 times I've come in the food and service have been terrible. The bartenders seem to be very high on something. Do yourself a favor and go next door to southland whiskey kitchen. The food and service is much much better there!
(1)M C.
Came in on a Friday night for the first time. The place was crowded but the atmosphere was great. Waited at the bar and ordered the Top Shelf margarita...delicious!!! Waited about 20 minutes to be seated. The food was great, waitress was very attentive and overall a great place to go out with friends and enjoy some margaritas. Oh...there is seating available around a fire pit next to the bar but that's part of regular seating not bar seating. Enjoy!
(5)Jay S.
Great happy hour. I suggest the shrimp quesadillas and the steak tacos...epically good for the price. I come here lot, but usually enjoying myself so much that I forget to check in. Yes - that good!
(5)Tim M.
Always great
(4)Mike W.
My attitude about Casa Del Matador has changed a lot in the last six months. The menu is smaller and they update their specials more often. The HH portions are more than generous, the bartenders get your drinks out quickly, and the servers are all quite nice. Some pretty tasty treats: Braised beef tacos Tortilla Soup Nacho that is definitely made for sharing. Pork Colorado *I think it was called* was a special and it was really effing good. The service as stated above is friendly, however, it can be a little hit or miss. Last night our food came out within 3 minutes of putting our order in. Maybe a little too quick? Another time when I was here I got up form our table and fetched my drinks off of the service station myself because our waitress disappeared. I've been here quite a bit and those are the extremes. I never have had a problem when we sit at the bar though and the food and convenience make this place an easy go to for us.
(4)Andrea K.
Love the food. The Hacienda Pie was to die for. It was a special they aren't making anymore. I hope they being it back. The music is way too loud and it's hard to talk. The atmosphere other than the loud music is great. The fried ice cream is amazing.
(5)Anne + Steve L.
We couldn't get into the Screen Door, so we walked across the street to try the Casa Del Matador. My wife started with a Patron Margarita, while I had a beer. The beer selection was not impressive at all, especially for Portland. My wife's margarita was just mediocre as well. Based on the photos from other yelpers, we decided to split some nachos. The nachos were big. They were loaded. There was plenty of guacamole, cheese and beans. Lots of bang for your buck. Just not a lot a flavor. All in all, just average.
(3)Tasha H.
best. happy. hour. ever. matador has been one of our favorite go-to happy hour spots for many years, we seriously love it. the food is incredible, happy hour is a heck of a deal, margaritas are to die for. whether we're sitting outside or next to one of the big open windows in the summer, or cozied up around the fire in the winter, this place never disappoints. order anything off the happy hour menu, except the fondue, which I have to admit isn't that great, or the enchiladas verde or braised carnitas for dinner. YUM.
(5)Connie P.
For the most part I do really like this place, but if your not sitting directly at the bar service is really slow my husband waited 20 minutes before someone came and then when I got there it took awhile as well. Drinks aren't as good as they used to be. We used to frequent here quite a bit the glasses are smaller and drinks are weak for what you pay. I mean happy hour ended up being over 60 dollars !
(3)Shannon K.
I really love this place! After living in LA for 7 years, I've gotten used to having great Mexican food whenever I want it. Then I moved to Portland and couldn't find anything to come close to what I had in LA. I'm not the type to eat at a "hole in the wall" type of place, and a lot of Mexican places are like that. I like a little more quality and upscale-ness in the places I eat, because I like good quality and well-sourced food and ingredients. I finally found my go-to Mexican place in Portland in Casa Del Matador. I love the super thin and tasty chips they give you to snack on while you wait. I love the super delicious and flavorful salsa that comes with those super thin and tasty chips. A word to the wise, the salsa does give you garlic breath the next day, so watch how much of it you eat. I always order the Portabello fajitas when I go there...I can't seem to bring myself to try something else. Let me say that every ingredient you get, from the sizzling veggies to the beans to the tortilla wraps, is elevated. You can taste that each item has been well thought out and intentionally flavored rather than just having someone slap down some beans and sour cream on a plate. I'm a big fajita person and I've never had fajitas this good anywhere else. My husband always orders the fish tacos when we go and he feels the same way about his meal and I do mine. Oh, and their iced tea is really good too. You would think it isn't hard to make a glass of unsweetened iced tea, but it is considering how rarely we find a good flavored one. I would highly recommend giving this place a try!
(4)Mark M.
Best nachos I have ever had. Great vibe/ambiance, great people and might I add diverse too, good service and one of the only places in the city that stays open late. It's almost as if when there, I'm not in portland at all.
(5)Jeff P.
My wife and I have enjoyed this restaurant numerous times in the past. We went there for a special evening recently, and were so utterly disappointed we walked out. After being seated at our table, we were given menus, etc. After looking at the menu, I asked our server if we could please have the dinner menu, as this was surely the lunch menu. Listed tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc. The server said that this was the dinner menu. The dinner menu used to be made up of numerous great Mexican dishes (also know as "Meals"). Being hungry, we both order enchiladas. They were obviously frozen, as when they arrived, they were ice cold. Sent them back to the kitchen, only to have them come back cold still. At this point we were so upset/mad that we left without eating. Paid for our cocktails, and the manager never offered apologies, please come back, etc., etc., etc. What a dump this place has turned into. LOL, was a Friday night and I was surprised when we got there how empty it was. Now I know why. Go to Taco Bell folks, at least they serve hot crappy food.
(1)Sabrina D.
Matador is one of my favorite restaurants in Portland, but last night we had a work happy hour where over 40 people came and went within a 3 hour period. Our waitress, Lex, was flexible, polite, attentive and friendly. She was able to give everyone separate checks, and was accommodating when more people arrived than planned. This girl juggled everything perfectly, and did it with a huge smile on her face. Thanks, Lex, for being so wonderful and making our work happy hour so fun!
(5)Maria F.
I always order the chicken verde enchiladas! They are so good! Went during happy hour and the boyfriend ordered the wings, they were bomb! Not spicy at all! He ordered a burger, but I think they do Mexican good better! Good service, lots of candles, nice fireplace!
(4)Maria N.
No bueno -- our drinks were majorly watered down and I could barely taste the alcohol. Poor service -- our server kept hounding us with "Can I get anything else for you?" and she was clearly wanting us to leave so she could seat new people at our table and make more tips. The irony is if their food & drinks weren't so bland we would have gladly ordered more lol. Fail. It's beyond me why this place is popular -- bland food, uninspired drinks, rushed service. No thanks.
(2)T R.
The only reason it gets two stars is the location. Do not sit at the bar. The service is terrible. We asked for menus, silverware, a refill of wAter (that never came) and the check. Awful. Food = meh.
(2)Kiona M.
First time here. The food was pretty good. Friendly staff. One of your bartenders looks like Superman.
(5)Andrew S.
Solid place for happy hour. Good prices and excellent drink options. Hip atmosphere with a lot of room to feel comfortable and move around. When going during happy hour I recommend the nachos. All in all, it's a great place to grab a quick drink or sit down for a nice meal.
(4)Alex M.
Just got denied to eat here because we brought our 3 month old baby with us because of some new liquor license law... Totally didn't understand what she was saying about it.. So I guess we will never be trying it.
(1)Chris M.
Great food even better service. Mike the bartender is extremely knowledgeable and makes great drinks. This place is a must if you want good Mexican in Portland.
(5)D E.
Food was great but hard to justify the price...would give a 5 star if the price was a little more reasonable. Ordered the top shelf margarita and taco dinner (2 tacos, rice & beans) for $19. Ouch. That said, the staff was friendly and attentive but will not be going back.
(4)Sarah B.
A long day. The need of a cocktail. A Margarita exactly. Enter: Lex. The scene instantly changed from stressful aftershock to revel. She made a great recommendation for the braised beef tacos. When I tipped my drink over from animated conversation (the Margarita was working), she cheerfully cleared it away and refreshed it. The next time we're in the mood for great Mexican food at The Matador, we'll ask for Lex.
(5)Heather D.
Best taco salad ever! Spicy, but not too hot with a really tangy dressing. The enchiladas are always a perfect go to if you're not certain what to get. Fresh chips and salsa... Seriously. So good! We were there at 7pm on a Saturday night. We're talking peak dinner time, people. Even worse, it was a perfect October evening. Everybody was out! We had a short wait relaxing at the bar with a few cocktails until our dinner was ready. So easy! Huge open windows gave the crowded restaurant an airy feel and kept the temperature tolerable. It really was a perfect choice. We will definitely be back! Tip: the dim lighting makes this a great date night location!
(4)Shane S.
Lex was amazing! Thank you canada for this wonderful person. She was attentive, easy going & super funny. She's hands down the best server that I've had. Thank you for such a wonderful experience & lots of laughs.
(5)Allen K.
You'll have a tough time finding a better happy hour than this! All the happy hour dishes are $5 each and super tasty. The glutton in me enjoys their nachos the best: the plate consists of an entire Tostito's bag amount of tortilla chips, plus it's loaded with a mound of chicken, beans, cheese, guac, sour cream and salsa on top. I think I finished the whole thing once but had a stomachache after. I just imagined all those little tortilla chip shards poking away at my insides, ouch :(
(5)Danny G.
Best happy hour menu. The $5 nachos and fish tacos were the best! Great atmosphere and staff as well.
(5)Marisa I.
Great wine, romantic atmosphere, good food, check it out! I had the grilled zucchini, roasted bell peper, and goat cheese quesadilla, which was excellent, and a glass of Malbec. They have a nice big round table in the bar with a fireplace in the middle, very cozy in the winter. The happy hour food is also really good. I recommend the nachos.
(4)Adriana R.
Never coming back here again. Not authentic, not fresh, not good. I ordered the enchiladas and they tasted like it was made with Kraft Easy Cheese with sweet candy taste! Yuck! My black beans were bland and the rice was over cooked and stale. The nachos were bland, the meat had no flavor and looks like the chips come out of a bag. Plus the waitress was rude. The only good thing about this place is the decor. That is not enough to bring me back. I'm going to have good authentic real Mexican food now. Bye matador! Never again. #sorryButNotsorry
(1)Amy L.
I prefer real authentic Mexican food for cheaper prices.....than this place.....
(2)Laura N.
Remember when I said this: "They have a hell's-angels-meet-up-at-a-bull-fight feel -- like a corporate chain trying not to be a corporate chain...the interior looks like a motorcycle gang crashed into the Hollywood set of Zorro and stole all of the props for decoration..." I was willing to forgive. I was willing to overlook the flare for the dramatic, flamed chrome art, wrought iron madness, bull skull above the bar, fire pit of flaming doom, Indiana Jones meets Satan riding a Harley. Because my heart does backflips for Tequila. Hell, I'll show you a backflip in the parking lot after a shot or two. And the bartenders can truly mix 'em. But I can't forgive rude service. Not forgetful, not new-server mistakes, just flat out rude. Huffy-puffy, "OMG you're only ordering drinks and appetizers?," no chips, no drinks, no where to be found, rude. We took our celebration elsewhere. Pronto.
(1)Jenni L.
One of my favorites for a unique happy hour in Portland. I've been here with friends several times and am impressed with the food and drink selection. Everything I've had has been delicious, cheap, and WAY more than we could ever eat. The wings are extrordinarily spicy, but gives you a great reason to order that extra tequila shot. The salads are really good, with a light lime vinnagrette on top, the quesadillas were superb and the nachos were monstrous and delicious. A great place to go with friends to enjoy a margarita or ten.
(5)Holy-foo' X.
As I mentioned in the review for the similarly-named "The Matador", I hit these two places back-to-back one recent weekend, deliberately, b/c both received Yelp raves for Best Nachos in Town. I love that both places are open late every night, and their respective grills are open till at least 0100. And that's right about where the similarities end. I found staff @ the Matador to be pretty friendly and engaging. The Blondie @ Casa, however, behaved as though her entire countenance would crack and crumble to the earth, if the corners of her tautly-drawn mouth drew even slightly upward, in the vague direction of a smile. The Cynic in me finds such behavior bizarrely reassuring, telling me that all is right in the universe. The rest of me, however, is perplexed and put off by the snootiness. These flib-gibs DO realize their tips are affected by their attitudes, don't they? Maybe they're too busy calling in sick and abusing Family Leave to care...... I found that the clientele @ Casa was of a slightly older and higher class than The Matador, and parking access was decidedly easier. But Casa del Matador is to Tex-Mex, what PF Changs is to real Chinese. Don't make a fool of yourself confusing this for las comidas autenticas.... The prices, for menu items I directly compared w/Matador, were more expensive across the board @ Casa. The steak chunks adorning the nachos, for example, were superficially impressive, but the toppings on the whole were easily engulfed by the plain tortilla chips in the mix. In sum: While I would be more inclined to take a date I was actually trying to impress to Casa (if this and Matador were my only two options), I would still take the cheaper, more massively awesome nachos @ The Matador. Ole!
(3)Monique N.
I absolutely love the hh hour hear... The only bad thing is that none of the drinks are happy hour prices.. but all your favorite meals are.. Great atmosphere and great people. Yesterday when we were there they had all of the windows open so it was a nice breeze and sun the entire time. THen when your finished you can just walk it off in the NW 23rd area... great place to go for girlfriend day out!
(4)Laura C.
About 30 if us came here for a birthday party yesterday. Being that our group kept growing and growing, our server gave us a private room at the back. The table - which seated about 20 - runs along a giant windowed wall, that they'd opened for us. Being that it was beautiful out, the soft breeze felt wonderful and it couldn't have gotten better had they pushed our table out onto the sidewalk. She (our server) also let us all pay separately (including using our credit cards). Refusing to do so can often turn a nice time into a stressful ending. She was awesome and well deserved her 18% tip (mandatory for a large group). Casa del Matador serves happy hour on Sundays. How great is that?? we all ordered a gazillion items, so the server was kept busy - but made a great tip from our table. I prefer their happy hour quesadilla's but the nacho is sooo large, it feeds 3 or 4 people. You can't beat that! Lastly, the place is really beautiful. The decor is Tex Mex meets Madrid or Barcelona. I love the warm feel - especially from the fire place in the middle of the restaurant in the winter months. I split early - so I don't know how much more chaotic it got for our server - but I had a fantastic time while I was there and will definitely be back!
(4)Diego S.
This location isn't as good as the other Matadors out there - I've been to 3 locations in Seattle area and always receive great service and food. This wasn't the case here, it seems like our waitress was too busy w/something else she was very unattentive. I only had one drink because I could barely get her over to the table. I found a hair in one of my plates of food! Grossed me out!
(2)Natalie P.
GREAT place to hang with friends for late night happy hour. Great margaritas, super spicy food, and a great atmosphere. The server was a little out of it and seemed like she didn't know what was going on but it was fine and the experience was great. The happy hour food choices were great and HUGE portions. The romaine salad is extremely spicy and that's GREAT because I love spicy food, but if you are not a fan of spicy food this is not the place for you. The margaritas are perfectly made, if you love margaritas this is the place for you. They have big tables that can accommodate big groups which is great for me and my friends because we all like to go out together. The habanero shrimp were delicious in a spicy creamy sauce, not as spicy as I expected but still gave a little zing. The nachos were cheesy and piled high with toppings which is what is expected when ordering nachos but sometimes is a let down at OTHER places but not this place. I love this place and will definitely go back and recommend to friends. Cheap food, good drinks, and a fun place to laugh and hang out with friends.
(4)Sean K.
Note: This review is only for the happy hour menu. My friend and I went there at 9pm expecting our friend to be there. Our friend was not there and little did we know that happy hour starts at 10pm, not 9pm. We had already gotten a table and the waitress asked us what food/drinks we wanted. Wanting to wait for our friend AND take advantage of the happy hour, we told her that we are waiting for our friend and will order later. An hour later, our friend finally comes! Although we sat there for about an hour drinking water, our waitress was really nice and understanding. Mind you, this was friday night at around 9pm, which means there are a lot of people waiting to be seated. Regardless, our waitress was cordial and respectful. Service was great and we even had a short friendly conversation with the waitress too. We ordered three things from the happy hour menu: nachos, wings and spring rolls. The portions for the wings and spring rolls were little small but the nachos was HUGE! At the end, we barely finished the food we ordered. Margarita was pretty good and I will make sure I try other drinks on the menu next time i'm there. Great atmosphere and would be a perfect place for guys to hang out with their friends to watch sports games and have some drinks. (nachos is must)
(4)Karen E.
I've never seen such an extensive Tequila menu before and especially a shot of Jose Cuervo Anniversario for $300.00. Of course when our very friendly waitress came over that's the first thing I asked her, if anyone's ever ordered it? Nope, and she's been there a couple years. So you'd probably get a plaque or a special spot to sit in front of the over the top fire pit if you do order it. We elected not to. Instead my Happy Hour companions and I had standard drinks (at the standard price) and ordered off the appetizer menu. Everything was great. Two orders of shrimp, habanero and garlic. Both were super and the sauces were tasty. Calamari, eh, I've had better and it didn't taste fresh. Huge plate of nachos and I read later there's a gluten free version, should have ordered those so I could eat them. Inviting atmosphere, great waitress and good food and drink make this a spot I'll come back to for sure. We were there on a Thur night and the place was packed when we left so Happy Hour here is a huge hit. Get the $300.00 shot!
(4)Rebecca C.
My experience has been wonderful service, amazing food, fantastic atmosphere, the best bartender margaritas! I would absolutely recommend the place.
(5)Kristine M.
5 stars for their HAPPY HOUR food. I've never bought a drink here (their drinks do not go on special during happy hour so I usually eat here then go somewhere else for drinks) but I come in all the time for their happy hour food. Delicious, inexpensive, and did I mention it was yummy? Texas size nachos - only $5 (TEXAS SIZE) enough to share with at least one other person. Ok, to be honest this place gets 5 stars purely because of the nachos. the tacos are also super yum (I think u get 3 for $2 or $3) oh, and they have regular happy hour (I think 4-6) and late night happy hour (after 10pm)
(5)Ochonueve R.
My wife and I are huge fans of the Matador ever since discovering it in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. Everything has always been wonderful at the aforementioned location and Portland's other location. However, this afternoon, my wife and I had a rather annoying experience. My wife and I were inside at a table having drinks for about an hour or so when a waitress that was not our own said to the table behind us that they could have our table when we left for the night. Unfortunately, the group led by the 38 year old birthday girl with a poor tattoo removal session, proceeded to give my wife the death stare every few minutes while announcing to her group that they would absorb our table once we left. This made it a little uncomfortable to enjoy our conversation and drinks. When she started seating guests are our table that was when we got up and just paid our bill and left. Our waitress had no idea this was going on and apologized but the damage was done. The bar was only about 40% full. Not sure why they couldn't have been moved to another spot or perhaps made a reservation. We definitely felt like our business wasn't appreciated and will not be back to this location. And for the Birthday 'girl'. I hope at least one of the gifts you receive tonight will be tact or patience. It certainly was all about you this afternoon.
(1)M G.
This place has the worst service of any restaurant or bar I have ever been to in my life. My friend and I came in a while back on a pretty slow night, and went up to the bar to order a drink. I asked a question about happy hour prices and the bartender snapped at me, rolled his eyes, and emitted a very unnecessary drama-queen sigh. I'm sorry, but you're a bartender. You work in customer service. Part of the job description is answering the same questions many times in the same night. I'm a cocktail waitress, I say the same things over and over to the point of hysteria but unlike this douche bag I keep a smile on my face because IT'S MY JOB. And I want tips, which must not mean much to this guy. And the attitude didn't stop there, culminating in him literally throwing the check at me when I asked to close my tab and then storming away without saying a word. Now, I frequent plenty of places in Portland with the whole "too cool for you" vibe and it usually doesn't bother me, but I can't put up with being treated like a complete piece of s**t for absolutely no reason. Save your money and your time, don't go here. Casa del Matador will be out of business before long if they keep hiring staff like this, which is a shame because it has the potential to be a nice place. On the other hand, I didn't tip a bartender for the first time in my life and so I saved about ten dollars. Thanks for the first, Matador.
(1)Scott P.
Great sunny Portland weekend. Everyone was out and Matador was packed. They have a great space for warm weather eating. All the windows open up and there are outside tables. The positives: mean margarita The negatives: The hostess should have gone home for the night. She was just not what I come to think of as a good hostess. The crowd was a bit much, see or be scene sort of crowd. And the food just was not good. I would guess this to be a chain restaurant and it reminded me of a Baja Fresh or a Chevy's. 3:00 am I ran to the toilet and knew the Matador was not happy. Sorry Matador you are just not cutting it for me.
(1)Julia H.
It pains me to write this negative review. I have been a big fan of this location on NW 23rd since it opened; I'm totally obsessed with their steak tacos and wings. And really anything on their late night happy hour. It's a great place to see a game, meet friends, cozy up to the fire and I have always enjoyed their food and they play great music! However, their cleanliness standards have pushed me to my limits. When you sit at the bar, make sure you're as far away from what I think is there wine bottle recycling bin as possible. The smell will turn your stomach. The sink in the women's bathroom has a nice layer of sludge on it, that all but blends into the color of the sink, especially with the low light. BUT my final straw was dirty wine glasses. The last glass of wine I ordered had multiple lipstick smudges and big greasy fingerprints on it. When I noticed it (after taking a few sips no less) and pointed it out to our server, she promptly brought me a "new" glass of wine. Except the glass was almost as dirty as before. The lipstick was removed but the greasy fingerprints seemed to be in the exact same places. So I'm faced with two conclusions: either she wiped the lipstick off and brought the dirty glass back to me, or all their glasses were equally dirty that night. This is a health risk and a terrible experience for the customer. I can forgive a dirty fork here and there, but this goes too far. And while I'm on the topic, if you're going to offer wings on your menu, offer towelettes. And if you have entreess that are around $20, spring for real napkins. I'm sad to say I will not be back. I will miss the tacos, but not the grime that the low lights are hiding. Or simply reinvent yourself as a dive bar, then I would expect the grime!
(2)Emily C.
Cadillac margaritas didn't taste or feel like they had any tequila in them. Nine dollars a glass is too much for what amounts to a lime-flavored wine cooler. Chips were stale if plentiful. Calling it "queso" is generous--a bowl of beans with some stringy, tenacious cheese--and it tastes worse than it looks. Even the rice somehow manages to be bad (and is clearly instant). The Braised Carnitas doesn't hold back--truly an enormous pile of bland, unseasoned shredded pork. Happily, the tortillas were inoffensive. With so many great option in a town like Portland, there is absolutely no reason to ever eat here.
(1)Bethany J.
We've been here many times and have always enjoyed the food, drinks, service and ambience of this place.
(5)Venerable V.
I like this place. Came here right at 10pm which begins their late happy hour and got some taco plates - blackened fish and braised pork. So good! Washed it down with a Dos Equis Lager in a frosty mug and soaked in the cool July evening. Attentive, friendly service and a laid-back ambiance. I'm all in.
(4)Allie R.
I can only speak to the happy hour menu, but I just love this place. It does get busy as happy hour gets rolling, so I always come early to snag a table. I've always had outstanding service here, and my girlfriends and I love their margaritas and nachos.
(4)