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    El Matador Mexican Restaurant

    3.0 (32 reviews)
    ModerateMexican
    Open 11:00 am - 10:30 pm

    El Matador Mexican Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    EL MATADOR MEXICAN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - El Matador Mexican Restaurant

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    Chimichanga Santa Fe
    Chris S.

    Located on Lafayette near Battlefield, they have a good location with decent parking. From the outside it looks like a typical Mexican restaurant. You come into a small waiting area with the cash register, so it can get a little crowded working your way into the dining area through the line waiting to pay. Inside looks like a typical Mexican restaurant. Seating includes a mix of tables and booths. Decor is traditional, with a TV screen against one wall. Salsa and chips were brought to our table fairly quickly. The chips are standard from a bin. They were not warmed. The salsa comes in a small decanter. I think they fill them the night before and leave them in the refrigerator. The first pour into the bowl was thick, but had liquid separated out. The next pour was more uniform. Flavor is nice but no heat. Cilantro is evident along with onion pieces, but the rest is a smooth puree. Pretty average. We ordered two items from the vegetarian menu for a change of pace. The chimichanga Santa Fe was a good size and came with rice and refried beans. It also had a "salad" consisting of shredded iceberg lettuce, 1/2 slice tomato, and sour cream. It started out nice with a grilled flavor, possibly from the zucchini, but then sort of faded away. There was nothing wrong with it, but vegetarian does not mean bland. The vegetarian combo #4 was a chalupa, quesadilla, and tostaguac. It was a nice variety, but again rather bland. Service was quick and efficient. Our water was not refilled, but I didn't empty mine either. The waiter was was attentive but not obtrusive. Certainly nothing to complain about. Overall, this is a typical Mexican restaurant. There was nothing wrong with it, but nothing made out stand out either.

    The burnt piece of steak that was completely inedible.
    Sara P.

    Absolutely horrible! I'm stuck at home and ordered dinner delivered. I get my food and its inedible!! I ordered steak fajitas, it should have been called pepper and onion fajita bc there was very little steak and the few pieces that was there was so burnt they were inedible. There was no chips and salsa with the meal. There was grease dripping from the plate and there was absolutely no spice or seasoning. I will never eat at this disgusting place again!

    The front eating area.
    Sean C J.

    They have been around a loooong time. They do a very fine job with their menu, their service was spot on, the place is clean, the prices a modest, and we we're seated fast!

    Charro Beans at El Matador. They are great!
    brent s.

    I have eaten at El Matador many times over the years and have not been disappointed. Is it the "best" Mexican restaurant in the Chattanooga area? I am not sure I would necessarily say that but the food is typically very good and prepared well. The staff and owners have always been very nice to me and do a great job. One of my favorite things to order are the charro beans. Not sure they are listed on the menu but they typically have them available and are very good. So, if you are looking for a good place to eat in the Ft. Oglethorpe area ~ check out El Matador.

    Large portion kababs

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Food is great here! I love this place..very nice and clean! I come here with my family ALL the time will recommend!

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Don't waste your time or money. Hostess rude, food greasy and the wait stall nonexistent. Worst restaurant in Fort O.

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    5 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Out of all of the chicano places to eat.... Hands down fast, friendly and cute guys... Lol.

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    Review Highlights - El Matador Mexican Restaurant

    Best Mexican I have found in the Chattanooga area and some dishes are authentic instead of just blanded down to American palates.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Los Potros Mexican Restaurant

    Los Potros Mexican Restaurant

    4.0
    (89 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $

    I eat here at least once a week. Everything I have had on the menu has been excellent. The…read morepeople here are the big seller. They are all really hard working people who care about you and your experience. They work hard to take your order and get your food out very quickly. If you are looking for good food and good people, this is a must try. I know you will enjoy it as much as i do. The decor is done in a traditional fashion with agave light fixtures and hand painted morals on the walls and chairs.

    Over the holiday, we went to visit family in the area and one evening decided to try Los Potros…read moreMexican Restaurant on Ringgold Rd. The food was delicious! I'm a queso lover, so of course I had to start with their queso and chips - it did not disappoint. For my entree, I ordered the Pollo Picoso (chunks of grilled chicken and onions covered with cheese sauce and hot sauce, served with rice and refried beans - $15.99), and it was fantastic. The chicken was perfectly grilled, the sauce had just the right amount of heat, and the portions were generous. I also enjoyed a refreshing lemonade with my meal. Our server did an excellent job managing our table of 7 people, including kids, which is no easy feat. While there were a couple of minor hiccups - two orders were initially forgotten and we did find a hair in one of the meals - the way the situation was handled made all the difference. The restaurant manager stepped in immediately and addressed everything professionally and courteously. These things happen, especially with larger parties, and their response showed they truly care about their customers' experience. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, perfect for a family dinner. It had that authentic, comfortable vibe that makes you want to settle in and enjoy your meal. Despite the small bumps, the overall experience was positive, and the quality of the food combined with the professionalism of the management team has earned my recommendation.

    Photos
    The owners' town in Mexico.  Wall mural.
    The owners' town in Mexico. Wall mural.
    Chips and salsa
    Chips and salsa
    Pollo Picoso

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    Pollo Picoso
    El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant

    El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant

    4.4
    (18 reviews)
    6.9 mi

    My first time here. In a strip mall behind DDonuts so parking is good. Getting in and out on East…read moreBrainerd road is tricky with traffic. Fist, I was impressed with the quality and quantity of the food. I ordered a burger with chorizo. It was huge and very good, messy but good. The person with me had a chicken quesadilla and it was big. He comes all the time an loves it. I was also impressed with the cleanliness of restaurant and rest rooms. They had a bar to sit at with draught beer (+1) and I think it had a full bar but not sure. The waitress was friendly and service was good. This is my new favorite restaurant. I was told on Friday and Saturday after six the place is packed.

    My wife and I love to find new places to eat. We decided to get Mexican food for lunch and my wife…read morefound this restaurant on Google. It doesn't have any real flashy decor, it's very humble in it's atmosphere and setting. But where it really show off it's greatness is in the food and the service. Our server was "Excellent"! Very helpful with our order and because of our dietary needs we were very specific on what we wanted and didn't want. She made it all happen and when it did, OMG the food was so good (the salsa could have used more cilantro, but I'm nit picking at that) and there were very reasonable portions for a very reasonable price. I know of at least 3 other places in the vicinity of this restaurant that are not only higher priced for what you get (very little), but the food is bland and poorly prepared and/or a poor quality of ingredients that make the food undesirable. This place has got it's act together and does it well. We will be visiting them many times in the future. They are truly worth your time to check out and get good value for your money. Hope this helps :)

    Photos
    El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant
    Enchiladas Tapatias
    Enchiladas Tapatias
    El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant

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    Wood Oven Kitchen

    Wood Oven Kitchen

    4.2
    (20 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    The wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza? Phenomenal. Crust so good it deserves its own fan base…read more But service is a gamble--some staff are great, others act like you've interrupted their mop break. Mopping seems to be their favorite pastime. Industrial floor cleaner aroma while you eat? A given. Asked to sit in a certain section but was told it was unavailable due to mopping--only to watch a couple and a Latin family get seated there minutes later. This has happened more than once, and it's hard not to notice the pattern. Drinks? $3.99 across the board, from fountain soda to Jarritos. To-go orders come with a "convenience" fee. Tip with a card? Another surcharge, and the servers don't even get those tips directly. Pizza: worth the hype. Everything else? A mess, literally and figuratively.

    Located at the end of a small strip mall, it is on the small side, but they pack a lot into the…read morespace available. Parking is pretty decent for the area, with at least one handicapped space right in front of the entrance door. Walking in was surprisingly cozy, with wood on the walls and muted colors for the seating. We were greeted on entry and seated quickly. Seating is a mix of tables and booths. Our waitress left menus and took our drink order as we sat down. The menu is rather extensive. The primary cuisine is Mexican, but they also offer traditional recipe pizzas as well as chicken wings. Many dishes are cooked in a wood fired oven. Our drinks came quickly, and we still needed time to make our selections. After a few more minutes, our waitress returned and we placed our orders. We did not receive any salsa and chips for the table, which was a bit surprising for a Mexican restaurant. We decided to order their homemade guacamole to start. The appetizer came out in maybe five minutes. The portion was much smaller than expected, and the guacamole was bland. It needed a good addition of both salt and garlic to improve the flavor. In addition, the chips were straight from the bag, without even being warmed. The food took about ten minutes or so to be brought to the table. The Pollo a la lena is two wood fired pieces of chicken, along with salad, refried beans, and rice. It also comes with your choice of wheat or corn tortillas. The chicken was tender and juicy, very well spiced with additional flavor from the wood oven. The refried beans are not the typical gray mush but actually have noticeable black beans. The rice was typical, but included corn, peas, and carrot pieces for additional flavor. The salad included crisp lettuce and diced tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos. The corn tortillas are made in house and compared well to the other components of the dish. I would absolutely order this outstanding dish again. The pollo loco was another good dish. The ratio of chicken to rice was good, and the amount of cheese was less than typical, which allowed more of the other flavors to come through. The asada torta was also good. The ingredients were plentiful compared to the bread, and everything seemed fresh and very flavorful. Even the french fries were well made. The chimichanga was the least liked dish, but still tasted good. It was prepared well and had a nice cheese topping. On it's own it would be a good choice, only suffering in comparison to the other outstanding dishes. One word of caution: the salsa accompanying the pollo a la lena and the torta is surprisingly spicy. The heat is deceptive, coming on slowly and lingering awhile. Although I was surprised at first taste, I included it in every bite of chicken, so it is addictive. Based on this visit, I definitely want to try more options from the menu, especially the pizzas.

    Photos
    Wonderful, clean atmosphere
    Wonderful, clean atmosphere
    Wood fired pizza
    Wood fired pizza
    Wood fired pizza

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    Wood fired pizza

    El Matador Mexican Restaurant - mexican - Updated July 2026

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