The Matador

My first visit there, and very disappointing.
One bowl of chips/​salsa between 8 of us, so we had to keep passing around the table.
The waitress was not knowledgable on the beer, and then ended up ordering me the wrong one.
I ordered a burritos and asked for the least spicy sauce (the waitress told me it should be the Verde sauce). The burrito was so spicy, probably the spiciest sauce they have.
We had finished our meal, but the waitress failed to clear empty plates from the table, even after 30 minutes of finishing.
Slow, bad service, and all 8 of us will not be going back. 2 stars because the atmosphere is good.

We started out a «grown up date night» here, with a flight of Blanco tequila and a few happy hour specials. They brought us chips and salsa, and we ordered 4 chicken tacos (we did two at a time as we weren’t sure how big they were at the first order).
The atmosphere during happy hour was casual and not packed, The service team seemed calm and steady and seemed to be helping each other out. We sat at a table and ordered a flight of tequila. The server was a bit lost but said she had just come back from vacation and was getting back into the swing. The chips and salsa they started us with were good. The salsa is a great fresh tasting mix with a nice mellow spice. The flight was a solid blanco serving mix, but we would have ordered more had the serving size been a touch more generous (they were barely a swallow each for all three «shots») and if they had a «make your own» flight option or at least another Blanco option.
The chicken tacos were good. Fairly spicy, and small, but two each plus the chips and salsa was a solid app to start the night, and the tequila flight was a good choice. For two, it’s not a way to get «buzzed» but they tasted good. A palate cleanser type option (a bit of citrus, etc) would have kicked it up a notch. Flight was $ 18.50, a la carte tacos $ 1.50 ea.
Overall we decided we wanted to come back and try lunch or dinner, and maybe a mixed drink. Normally we enjoy a great beer but their beer options were basically non-​existent.
Atmosphere was good, service was solid, food was solid. We look forward to coming back to explore more and hope they update their flight offerings a bit.

Love it. Love it Love it.
Great staff. Great and unique décor. Friendly staff and delicious dishes.
This is just a great place with easy access and you won’t be disappointment.
The bar could use a little updating and more staff that do indeed work very hard.

Nothing too amazing! Had the street tacos which were a little over-​priced. I really like the atmosphere, and the outside seating. The waitstaff was very attentive. Maybe next time I will stick with my go-​to burritos.

This is my favorite restaurant in Boise.
But after being told a 30min wait, and waiting 90 min for 2people on a first date who were blocking our table of 12 to leave. we joined them.
Nice?
No.
Appropriate?
No.
Required when 12 people are hangry and have been waiting 60min longer than we were told.
Yes.
Fix your policy Matador.

If you’re looking for good food and decent service, skip this place. The service is particularly terrible, our waitress tried to up-​sell us everything and when we declined she seemed annoyed. None of the staff made eye contact when we tried to get their attention. They brought out our food while we didn’t have any silverware, when I asked for it she didn’t seem to think it was a big deal and then took so long that I had to get up, walk the back of the restaurant and ask for napkins and silverware. Even when I went back there to get my own silverware the waitress there didn’t hand it to me, she said she would bring some and even then took at least five more minutes while we sat there. The food was cold by then, and wasn’t even good. They put zero effort into seasoning their beans or rice, even though they’re side dishes they should put care into it. These were flavorless.
I’ll never go back here.

If you are ever in Boise much sure you stop by and check this place out! Food is excellent!

Yeah, no.
First of all, not a place you can have a decent conversation across the table, it’s VERY loud inside. Looking for an authentic Mexican restaurant in Boise has proven impossible, and I think after this meal, we are really done trying.
The Mexican food here is American style whitewashed, from the chips & salsa to the torta and «street tacos». Ordered the carne asada tacos, which came out as dry chunks of cold meat on cold tortillas and a little pico on top. Cold rice. Room temperature black beans. Lucky for us, the waitress’ water pitcher was stationed right next to our table: we filled our own water glasses with it 4 times. Yikes. Service was very slow for a mid-​week evening, waited over 30 minutes for an appetizer, about the same for the check to arrive as well. Never once did we feel taken care of.
Of our party of 4, we all agreed we wouldn’t be back to Matador. So many other restaurants near by to try. Fail.

I’ve eaten here a bunch and this place is slowly going down hill… Getting comfortable. 14.50 for two small tacos and rice and beans. The food is becoming meh and inconsistent. Still no happy hour drink specials. Boo. Poor Boise.

I want to love you, Matador. As the only table service establishment on this 8^th St. stretch that serves anything other than New American, I want you to be great! The atmosphere certainly points to a potential for greatness — the interior is all warmth and coziness, with wrought-​iron sconces and beautiful wood tables and massive booths. The patio is a great spot in the summer, too.
The entrees have yet to strike me as anything special, despite returning several times hoping to have my mind changed. The shrimp enchiladas were disappointingly wimpy in size, while the contents of my beef burrito on another visit were braised heavily in a tomato concentrate of some kind, so that the tenderness of the meat was totally overpowered by the overwhelming presence of paste. The rice and beans provided on the side of each meal routinely gives the impression of having sat on the stove for too long, rendering them near flavorless and hard.
They do better with their appetizers and happy hour menu. The nachos are MASSIVE and are probably my favorite dish here when topped with the carne asada, but they’re constructed to be top-​heavy. They need better cheese and guac distribution throughout if they truly want us to dig into the veritable mountain of chips provided.
Other standouts include the queso fundido and the wings — both worth it if you don’t mind a little mess. All of these dishes are available on the happy hour menu from 4 – 6 daily. It’s a great option for assembling an early dinner with some tasty small plates, but there are no drink specials. Considering that there’s stiff competition in that department from several of their neighbors, this is a huge missed opportunity. The drinks themselves are pretty good, with a wide range of flavors that are off the beaten track enough to warrant the price tag once in a while. I really dig the blood orange margarita.
All that said, I’d come back for a margarita and the stellar house salsa if the mood really strikes. But I wouldn’t go out of my way to have dinner here when there are so many better options in the area.

Stopped in for drinks. I loved the atmosphere and the bartenders were great. I wished I had tried out the food but definitely a great bar atmosphere.

My wife and I ate at The Matador on our way through Boise a couple of nights ago. We’d picked it because it was open late (it was a bit after midnight at the time) and the reviews were solid…
We were definitely not disappointed! The food was excellent and service was solid despite it being 0 dark 30. I’ve no complaints, and if I ever find myself in Boise again, I’ll be stopping by. Highly recommend The Matador.

Well I really like this place! I’ll be moving out here very soon, and I can tell that I will be a regular when I move out here. The drinks are very good and the prices are great!

Both times I’ve eaten here I have gotten very ill afterwards because of the food. If you like tequila then it’s great for drinking though and the restaurant itself is beautiful! Just do not eat the food!!!

The Matador is one of the hottest spots on 8^th Street, bringing a tex-​mex flair with an upscale environment that a date or work get-​together group could enjoy. Don’t go expecting traditional Mexican or to be seated right away (unless you get in before the rest of the crowd), but DO go for great food and an awesome environment. With a daily food happy hour, it’s hard to beat (except, of course, if they also had a drink happy hour!)
Food: The food has always been good at Matador. Whether at this location or The Village Casa Del Matador, you’ll hit it right if you’re looking for tex-​mex. I have ordered the queso fundido (seasonal) and it was very, very cheesy but needed salt. I’ve also had the beef burrito with verde sauce, which was big and very good. We hear the chicken burrito is a popular choice and will try that next time. It seemed similar to a Chipotle or Q’doba style burrito. Both items, plus chips and salsa, were more than enough for the two of us to share. Also, the nachos are great! The Green Chile, a soup with a side of tortillas, comes in a very big portion (perfect!) with grilled flour tortillas. While it needed salt, the flavor and chunks of pork were very good!
Drinks: n/​a
Atmosphere: Very nice and seemingly upscale, compared to most other Mexican or tex-​mex spots in the area. Think like an upgraded On The Border. It gets VERY dark in there at night, so don’t try to take photos of your food (lesson learned from this photo-​taking foodie!). We loved the dim ambiance and dressy vibe. The fire pits are also awesome… don’t sit too near if you get hot easily.
Service: Very good & knowledgeable service. Ask them about tequila… they know it all! Our drinks were always refilled and server always had a smile!
Happy Hour Offerings: Daily food happy hour from 4 – 6. Top Shelf Tuesday, where tequila over $ 12 is half off! Add to a margo or cocktail and you’ll be a happy camper.
Healthy Hack: Green Chili or Tortilla Soups are really good!
Tips: n/​a

I love their décor (iron work), it’s pretty & not too over the top. We had their Crispy Fried Calamari, Grande Nacho, Grilled Carne Asada, Carne Asada Enchilada Picante, Carne Asada Burrito & Braised Carnitas. The crispy calamari is just so so, the grande nacho is big but nothing too extraordinary. I really like their Enchilada Picante! It’s has roasted habanero chiles, red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, orange & cream in it. Sure it’s spicy but I just love spicy food! The spicier the better!:))) We also order 3 kinds of drinks, I don’t remember the name of them. Good food, good drink, good atmosphere, good service & we’ll be back!

The happy hour food is excellent. We ordered nachos grandes, and they lived up to their name. A large platter piled high with black beans, melted cheese, guacamole, and sour cream took some serious effort from three of us. Belts were loosened, pants were unbuttoned, New Years resolutions were discarded. No sacrifice was made in quality. The toppings were bountiful, none of that nonsense where the last 30 chips are bone-​dry with no goodies left.
If I had known of the magnitude of these nachos, I would not have ordered more food. Both my tacos came just as I was swearing that I would never eat again. Both the carnitas and al pastor tacos were big and beautiful, like the nachos. The al pastor taco was my favorite, with juicy steak chunks, lettuce, tomato, and jalapeño.
The nachos and the order of two tacos were each $ 5, which is madness for what you get. Food-​wise, Matador gets my vote for best happy hour in Boise.

The Matador is a tasty and delicious option for anyone having cravings of delicious Mexican cuisine late at night, and have higher respect for their stomach than to go to a taco shack or fast food.
The Matador may be a franchise with 8 total locations, but it hasn’t grown too much to the point where quality has sharply declined. My girlfriend and I have been here 3 times now, and have had positive experiences every time. The food has been delicious, and the prices are quite fair. If you can, I highly suggest going here during happy hour, for although it gets quite loud, the prices are hard to beat! The Nachos are a steal of a deal, and were surprisingly bigger and more well seasoned than we expected!
Their entrees have been delicious as well from what we have tried so far. Perhaps nothing exceptional, but definitely nothing disappointing. This is a higher end modern Mexican-​american restaurant, and when you accept it for what its target is, it nails it.
The prices can be steep at times for what you are getting, but as suggested, this can likely be avoided by sharing some apps during happy hour!
Their tequila selection is not only large, but also fair. If you are someone that enjoys trying new tequilas and enjoys breaking down the difference in flavors and ages, this place can offer you a wide variety.
Overall I would say the service is great, not perfect at times, but still great. For as busy as that place gets on the evenings, it is an impressive feat the serve the amount of food, and drinks all while maintaining quality to so many. Our food always arrived hot, and always tasted great.
Prices on the food could possibly be slightly lower for the amount, but I think the atmosphere and the late night experience come at a price. We had experienced some loud nights here, making it difficult to talk, and also had one evening with a long wait for a table. I do believe that these experiences were not the norm, but perhaps still a moderate occurrence.
I will be returning soon! This place is so wonderful on the weekends, and great with groups and friends! Matador manages large crowds well overall and makes for a fun and exciting place to get good cocktails and good appetizers!
Cannot wait to try more off of their menu!
Cheers.

The Matador has changed quite a bit over time. For instance, in the past, they served chips and salsa complimentary, even if it was happy hour. Now? You have to pay for chips and salsa… happy hour just got sad. Granted, it’s only about $ 2 to add it but I don’t really care for it when places start to nickel and dime you. Service is also pretty hit or miss depending on who is working. Sometimes I have gone in and the hostesses are really great about seating/​wait time, even if the party is big. Other times, the hostesses have seemed like the last thing they wanted to deal with was making seating work. They may not want to deal with the headache, but I doubt the manager/​owner would want a big money-​making party turned away (or the server who is instantly going to get 18% tip, whether service was stellar or not). Generally, the waitresses are very friendly and accommodating, so you just need to survive a potentially unpleasant initial encounter to enjoy your time!
On a more positive note, tequila is my favorite and Matador makes some of the best margaritas in town. They’re strong, they’re delicious, and they’re at a price point you would expect for a restaurant. The happy hour nachos are a steal! Giant portion for half the price, I’m good with that :) Only downside is sometimes they burn the outside chips and no, they do not offer to correct it, with the exception of throwing extra chips at you (but the best part of nachos is having the cheese soften/​melt into the chips…). It does not happen often, but because it doesn’t happen often, it’s unfortunate to be told that it’s the result of ensuring the cheese on the inside melts. Apparently there are other ways to make that happen without burning chips. Think it depends more on who is preparing it. Atmosphere overall isn’t bad, but the set-​up is a bit awkward and can lead to some tight squeezes to access the bathrooms in the back of the establishment. It is also a bit loud, so hearing people across the table may be difficult. In any case, this is my favorite place to go when I’m craving some nachos and drinks!

When I’m downtown, I’m usually a man in a mission and I have a set outline for what I need to accomplish. It’s usually 1. Beer 2. Errand. 3. Beer. Every now and again I’ll step outside my normal playbook and audible I to a new place. I’ve been in Matador several times in the past and have had a good time for the most part. This time no different.
I had the Flank Steak with Mole, which I didn’t know was the kind of brown chocolate type sauce. It wasn’t my cup of tea by any means and I won’t order it again, but that doesn’t mean the dish wasn’t craftfully done. It was a solid dish. Just make sure you know what you’re getting in advance.
I don’t really go for Mexican good so late at night either. That was also my bad. If you can, go during HH. The same stuff is way cheaper.
The restaurant was clean. Thane the bartender was cool, and the Top Shelf Margarita was definitely tasty. I guess all I could say is know what you want before you order it. If you want great Mexican food and great booze, then go to matador.
** IF YOU HAVE A COSTCO GIFT CARD, VERIFY ITS AMOUNT BEFORE HAND. WHAT COSTCO TOLDY WAS $ 50 WAS REALLY ONLY $ 37.99!!! BEWARE OF THE COSTCO DEAL!!!