The Matador: Big Flavor, Big Plates, Big Personality If Portland had a spirit animal for bold food and cool vibes... it would be The Matador. Let's start with the service--superior. Not just "good," not just "friendly"... I'm talking dialed-in, on-it, genuinely glad-you're-here kind of service. The kind that makes you relax immediately because you know you're in good hands. Now the food... Bring your appetite. Seriously. The portion sizes are LARGE--like, "did I accidentally order for the table?" large. And the best part? It's not just big... it's great. Every bite delivers. And then there's the interior--funky in all the right ways. Dim, moody lighting, eclectic decor, a little edgy, a little artsy... the kind of place that feels like Portland decided to throw a party and invited your taste buds. You don't just eat here--you experience it. Final verdict: Incredible service Massive portions Funky, awesome atmosphere Great food across the board The Matador isn't just a meal--it's a whole vibe. And it absolutely delivers. read more

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what can i say - awesome weather, awesome service, awesome food and drinks and of course the complementary chips and salsa just top it all off perfectly! our group got a shrimp burrito, the tacos, and the ahi tostada. one of the best lunches that ive had in awhile! parking was fairly easy to find on the streets, and although we were seated outdoors, our server was super attentive and accommodating to us. indoor seating looked as equally spectacular, with a classic, homey bar feel. read more

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First of all, as we entered the restaurant, it was dark, and no one greeted us. Until, our host spotted us standing there, and came by to usher us to our room/seats. Our salad, salsa & chips were already on our table, and others already started eating. I was impressed by our inlaid wood tables, as was the wrought iron work. (Yesterday's Matador also had many impressive wrought iron work). Since we're here for a free seminar, we didn't have to pay for our dinner, but there three main courses to choose from. I picked the Mango-Pineapple Mahi-Mahi. Everything was fine, except (once again), the sauce had a big more tang than I expected, but it was tasty, and eatable. LOL. I can handle that! Hubby ordered the Shredded Chicken Enchilada with Poblano Cream plate, and he said everything was quite tasty. I stuffed up on my favorite: Salsa & Chips, and left my salad (which was very good), half for another meal. So was my Mahi-Mahi. I tasted hubby's chicken, and I liked it, but sadly, he won't give another bite! I also tasted his black beans, and that was also fine. It was the spices that was from my Verde Sauce (?), that could have been more mild. The lime in my meal, was too dry, no juice came out of it, when I squeezed it. As we were heading out the door, I noticed again, how dark the room, that only a candle will light up your menu, and some people, my hubby, for instance would prefer to be able to see what he's eating! Not here! If you're under 21, stay out! LOL Update: Eating my leftovers, the spices made my tongue hot, including the salad. The chips saltier in some, I have to scrape off the salt. Even my husband told me, my Matador leftover, that I brought home the day before was hot! Probably won't be back, unless they change their menus for people who don't like spicy foods. Update 2: Since we were in a meeting, surrounded by thick drapes, there's plenty of loud noises that interrupted our meeting. People dropping stuff next to us, loud chatting, and laughing. Instead of drapes, wall and a revolving door, would make the room quieter! read more

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I love the indoor fire pit by the bar. The cucumber jalapeño is my favorite, but it could definitely be a bit spicer. The beyond burrito was stuffed with bean and rice. More sauce would've been nice, but the portion of the burrito was enough for leftovers. It was definitely busy during the evening. The restaurant is dim, so if you're planning to take a photo, then be mindful of the flash! read more

The Matador - Beyond burrito - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Matador has a great vibe and is one of those places I really want to love, but it falls just a little short in a few key areas. First off, the ambiance is definitely a highlight -- warm dim lighting, rustic décor, and an overall cozy atmosphere that makes it an easy choice for a laid-back dinner with friends. The service was friendly, and our server checked in on us consistently without making us feel rushed, which I genuinely appreciated. The food, however, was a bit of a mixed experience. The portions are generous and the menu is full of dishes that sound amazing, but some of the flavors didn't quite match the presentation. The tacos were decent but not particularly memorable. I tried the chorizo, carnitas, and shredded chicken -- the shredded chicken was my least favorite, lacking seasoning and depth. I also ordered the Marinated Carne Asada, which looked great but tasted under-seasoned, especially considering the higher price point. On the positive side, the happy hour menu is surprisingly well-priced and offers better value for what you get. If you're looking to try a variety of items without feeling like you overpaid, happy hour is definitely the way to go. Overall, I'd recommend Matador mainly for drinks and happy hour rather than a full dinner. It's a fun spot with great atmosphere, but the food could use a little more consistency to match the vibes read more

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A true Pacific Northwest brand, the Casa del Matador chain has taken it's Tex-Mex inspired food and tequila bar has gone National with locations as far as North Carolina and along the east coast. Not to be confused with the original Matador (#1) that was a dive bar, this East Burnside location has become synonymous with food happy hours and potent margaritas. While it's far from a perfect place, sticking with the latter ensures the best chance of a quality time. Like all Matador locations, the space is large enough to house groups of all sizes. Any time is usually a good time, but the best time is in the later hours. For the last 2 hours they feature a food happy hour that includes $6-$7 appetizers, which features everything from tacos to quesadillas to queso and guacamole. I was never a particularly gung-ho about the food offered here, and I'm especially less interested given my Texas residency of the last several years. In short: this Tex-Mex is weak. But $6-7 plates at 11:00 p.m. with drinks in hand? Perfectly solid. The queso is just a bit short of an abomination. The cheese lacks runniness and needs a bit of that Velveeta texture and the chorizo portion is skimpy. While the guacamole seems fresh, it's generally less exciting since it's a ice scream scoop portion at best. The salads are surprisingly heartier than a majority of the other options, and I can't really get behind their fish tacos, brussel sprouts, taquitos, enchiladas, or majority of their platters. On the plus side, the house salsas have a nice kick and make for a good tipping options for their complimentary tortilla chips. The strengths lie mainly in the drinks, which unfortunately isn't part of the happy hour pricing. The charred pineapple margarita is an excellent one to start with and the blackberry habanero is a creative yet picante version liquid gold in margarita form. If all else fails, the passion fruit is the one that I will always fall back on. Service is always going to be a crap shoot. A majority of the folks not having the best time are usually people who have had difficult servers. The key here is to ensure a friendly staff member. While the decor and the drinks shine, the semi difficult street parking, middle of the road food, and subjective customer service puts most of the experiences squarely in the middle. ___________ (#1) R.I.P. https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-matador-portland read more

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Matador is a great spot if you're looking for a good happy hour deal for food. The deals are really good compared to the regular menu and you get a lot of food. The only thing is there isn't any drinks on the happy hour menu, they are all full price. read more

The Matador - Happy hour - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Food was good that saved two starts Terrible experience. And I do not if the restaurant or Grubhub messed up. I ordered for pickup and I was expecting grubhub to notify when the order is ready. But it stack at status "is in works" for an hour. I tried to call the matador.burnside but there was only a mailbox that "was full" and did not took any messages. After an hour I walked over and they had the order and said we never confirm with grubhub. And I asked how long it was ready since now it's cold and all mushy. The waiter ask what do you expect us to do? I mean really? They redid it (hmm) and I was not even offered a glass of water or anything while I waited. Customerservice sounds different. read more

Always a winning option, with great ambiance, great staff, and great energy. Don't miss out. read more

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Took two stars away for how hot it is inside the restaurant. Service was amazing. But the staff looked very overheated tbh I would not be wanting to be in that heat working in a restaurant either. Good food will come back maybe in winters. But in the summer season you will not find me there. read more

The Matador - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Had a lovely rellenos for lunch/ as always, perfectly cooked and presented. And enough to share for lunch today. So great food, service, and presentation. Eating here is always a treat, all around great crew! read more

This is the second Matador I've been to in town and I couldn't find much difference between the two. When something works I guess we should stick to it. The food was slow to come out and so were the drinks which made it a but frustrating because we were on a time limit. Other than that the food was good and the drinks were strong. read more

The Matador - Gaucho bowl. It's pretty big. - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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First time but not the last!! Holy WOW!! The queso con Chorizo is freakin amazing!! The table salsa is also flavorful and addicting, the chips that came with were warm and fresh. Had a cucumber jalapeño margarita that was well made and tasted great. Had the braised carnitas and this is probably the best carnitas I've had. My boys got the carne asada and carnitas tacos. They as well said it's probably the best they've had. They also ordered a Strawberry mangonada margarita and a dragon fruit margarita. Both tasted very good and fresh! Would definitely recommend Matador for a great dining experience! read more

Ordered delivery. Efficient and timely. Very solid Mexican food, particularly for delivery

Dined here with some friends who recommended it. I'd never been here before. It was OK - not bad, not great. Probably won't be back on my own accord. read more

I had lunch around noon on a Wed. I go out for ambience, service and food quality of course. My service was 1 star. Ivette was my server and though sweet, was no server. I had to get up and ask where my drink was, where was my food, I need my check. And it was never her I asked cause she wasn't around. The food was pretty good, but the ambience and service such that I won't be back. read more

A year later and they are still a 5 star restaurant! In fact we have added Matador East to our regular dining list but please note there is nothing regular about them! They are friendly, quick service, and the food is always fresh and full of flavor! The ambiance in both day and night is comfortable and clean. read more

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A fun spot for Mexican food and Magaritas! Loved the variety of magaritas they have on offer. The Tamarind-Ginger one was super refreshing and flavorful. The seasonal Watermelon one was also tasty. The complimentary hot chips and salsas were bangers as well. Got to try a little bit of the Chicken Chimichanga and it's delicious. Crispy through and through and super filled with tender chicken. Love how spicy the habanero salsa was as well. The plate was completed with tasty guac, sour cream, and spanish rice. Overall, a super fun spots with many locations around town! read more

The Matador - Chicken Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I don't recall where I heard about the Happy Hour specials, but forwarded them on to my sis in law and made plans to drive up from Salem to celebrate her birthday. Imagine my surprise when she revealed that her father originally opened the restaurant in the mid 2000s and that she and my brother helped run the business. Her family has a long history serving amazing food, most recently closing their famous Salem spot, Los Baez, and retiring. We arrived early and got a great parking spot and reached out to extended family who live in the neighborhood, expanding our party. They beat us there and had a table reserved, and even introduced us to the manager who also happened to be a friend. The pub height tables were the perfect size for our group and conversation. The restaurant had a special menu featuring six beautiful options for dry January with premium spirits. I ordered a Chile-Pomegranate Paloma and was blown away by how convincing it was! The spirit free reposado tequila was delicious and the drink gave a smokey sweet chile flavor. As for the food, the complimentary chips and salsa were authentic and incredible. Before filling up, I insisted on ordered almost one of everything on the Happy Hour menu; Romaine salad, Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Steak quesadilla, Grande Nachos with Carnitas, Haba Prawns, Grilled Stuffed Jalapeños, and five Street Tacos (chicken, ground beef & carnitas). The atmosphere is a modern Southwest vibe with beautiful dim lighting, a firepit table, ample bar seating and additional seating outside of the bar. I should note that the specials are only available in the bar, therefore, your party must be 21+. A large outdoor seating area is ideal for warmer weather. We made room for all the plates as the food arrived and shared amongst ourselves. My favorites were the stuffed jalapeños and Brussel sprouts. The salad was the perfect compliment to cool down a spicy palette. Dishes were served with radishes and limes. We ate until we could burst and had multiple carryout containers. Note: the Grande nachos is no exaggeration, it's massive! I couldn't have asked for a better celebration with family and have found my new favorite spot in Portland! Their menu is evidence of the heart and soul they invest in the Burnside neighborhood. The line that was formed outside and people eyeballing our table was solid proof. read more

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Aundrenee is probably the last person you'd want running your establishment. We spent quite a bit of money here and never encountered her before and let me tell you she is going to drive customers away. I had two margaritas and started to feel sick because of how much mix was in it and my Friend told me when I came back they cut us off. Mind you we weren't getting anymore anyways so why the rudeness and the audacity to bring up OLCC. Little does she know we know the guidelines ourselves and have our own handler's license. Then insisted we pay our bill and leave, I had to come back for her info because I was in such disbelief with her professionalism . I will be reaching out to you Josh. (Owner) read more

The Matador - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I went here for a birthday lunch with my aunt and a friend. When I initially approached the building, it looked like the restaurant was closed. As I approached the door, the restaurant was opened. Our server was attentive and patient, making sure we had all the chips and salsa!! She checked on us often to make sure we had what we needed, but it didn't feel forced or fake. The ambiance was nice. The inside lighting was low and it set a good mood. I ordered the Brisket Tacos. They were delicious. Matador's salsa is amazing too! I'll be back again. read more

The Matador - Ribeye Tacos, Rice, and Beans. It was delicious!! - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I feel like this is what Americans think Mexican food actually is... but isn't. The rice was hard and not cooked, inedible. The beans have no flavor. The skirt steak was poorly prepared and super chewy but the flavor had potential. read more

The last three times we have visited this place we have never seen the same faces, lots of turn over!! Drink service is extremely slow and the servers are not attentive, the least a server can do is keep a soda glass full, not here, I actually had to raise my voice to get the attention of 1 of 2 servers to refill a soda, apparently she wasn't our server and I got stink eye from her the rest of our meal, very uncomfortable, they seem to be very understaffed all the time, iffy at best if we will go back!! read more

Went for happy hour! Quick service, solid drinks and plenty of food for the price. The atmosphere is comfortable.

The host was rude and mean mugged us the whole time we were eating crazy work man just want to have a good Saturday dont come here plus they over salt the chips read more

The Matador - Over salty chips is crazy - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

$29 for two small pieces of carne asada, cooked very well done. Looked up the photo of the dish afterwards and had a good laugh, not sure how the cook or food runner thought our dish was acceptable. Worst food experience I've had at Matador in the few times I've been here. Service was non existent(often the case, made up by the food always being good,) by the time our server came around to check on food I just decided to eat because I didn't want to cause a fuss. People across from us already had to send their food back and weren't happy with what was returned to them so I decided it wasn't worth the hassle but at this point I don't think I'll return. read more

I came here for lunch with my daughter..it was pretty busy for a cold, rainy Monday! Upon first entering the restaurant, I was dismayed that all the chairs looked hard. In my old age, I really appreciate cushioned chairs. Even the bench seats in the booths were hard wood. I sat on my jacket for a little cushion for my tush. Also, street parking, we had to park down a couple blocks and around the corner. Later we learned there is a small parking area, we kept seeing cars drive between the buildings. I was in the mood for a salad. My daughter wanted to try the bean dip. Chips and salsa was plentiful, while we looked over the menu. I ordered an iced tea, and it was just the way I like it. My daughter got a tall beer of some sort. We decided to get the bean dip and we each ordered taco salad..mine with beyond beef. There were a few veg options that could be made vegan. The bean dip came about 30 seconds before our salad. We should have opted to not get the bean dip at that point. This was more of a 3.5 star experience for me, but the waitress was so nice and attentive that I bumped it up to 4 stars. read more

We ordered the street taco appetizer, and we appreciated that they let us pick three different meats. We got chicken, carnitas, and chorizo. The chicken and carnitas were ok. The chorizo was lacking in flavor. We wouldn't have recognized as chorizo by the taste. We asked for extra salsa, and we were charged extra for it, which we thought was odd for a Mexican restaurant. The paella was flavorful, but the meats themselves were a little lacking. We did order a watermelon margarita that wasn't on the menu, and they made it for us, which was very nice of them. Overall, we found the restaurant to be too dark. They dimmed the lights further as we were deciding what to order, and we were struggling to read the menu without using our phones. We also feel that being able to see the food properly as you're eating enhances the experience. read more

The Matador - Shrimp & Chorizo Paella Skillet - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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The Matador is a NW chain restaurant and it shows. The best I can say is that it's like a TGI Friday's for Tex-Mex food. You should also check out my prior review as it's funny and we had a unique experience, to say the least. At the time, we were not impressed at all. Fast forward several years and it felt like time to give it another go and also to update my review. As I stated in my former review, the crowd at this place is odd, like they made a wrong turn on their way to Tigard, or grabbed some money from Mom and Dad, and then drove into the city. We were fortunate to get a booth right away as the place was super crowded. The interior was very dim, which did add a cozy, nice vibe, and the furnishings are attractive. There are also a couple of small TV screens, which adds a slight sports bar feel, but it wasn't super intrusive. We did have to use our cellphone flashlights to read the menu and saw other tables doing the same. Our cocktails were well mixed and strong. For an appetizer, we chose the Haba Prawns. It says on the menu that you can make them less spicy, but we forgot too, which is on us. My husband loved them. I thought the sauce was delicious, but it was way, way too spicy for me. I could only eat two prawns and then drank most of my water, still felt like my mouth was on fire. Our server seemed to be new. He was very nice and polite, but kept forgetting things. My husband specifically told him he didn't want the enchiladas divorciadas, he wanted the southwest enchiladas. When dinner arrived, guess what, it was the enchiladas divorciadas. The woman who brought our food, who seemed like she might have been a manager, apologized and had them make new ones. She also brought us a couple of gift cards for the inconvenience, which we thought was very kind and great customer service. For dinner, I had the nachos with chicken. My platter of nachos was humongous! Two or three hearty eaters could eat this. And while they were beautiful, the taste was not there, they were quite bland. I've actually had Matador's nachos once before, when I met some friends who were eating there, and they were bland that time too. I guess I was hoping they had improved. Once my spouse got the correct enchiladas, he said they were very good. Our server forgot to bring me a to go box and I had to ask again. Then he forgot the receipt we requested until I shot him a look across the bar, where he appeared to be doing...nothing. We were later questioning the quality of their ingredients as about an hour after we got home, both my husband and I said we felt really bloated and overly full. To be fair, it's an okay place. If you are looking for decent food and a fun atmosphere, Matador will fill the bill. Just don't expect anything amazing. read more

The Matador - Haba Prawns, delicious but fiery. - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We started coming back to the Matador last summer, pleasantly surprised by the better quality of food and beverages. Unfortunately, the quality has changed once again recently. Chips taste oily/stale and drinks are watered down. Ordered dinner tonight delivered with chips and salsa...chips were once again oily/stale and salsa was missing. So hard to find consistency here so it's back on the "no go" list for us. read more

Matador, a real bull fighter. This establishment feels and looks like a place where real matadors eat after a bullfight. I went at night with a couple of friends during happy hour. And the ambiance was very dark with candle lights. It didn't bother us especially because we were hungry. The margarita was tasty and a fantastic match with the nachos, tacos and quesadilla. Overall, a cozy vibe with some comfort food. It was an excellent experience and will definitely try again to get something from the main menu. read more

I really liked the place and the vibe, it has very lively atmosphere. I really like the food and their drinks. The tequila drinks were really amazing. The service is attentive and friendly, contributing to the warm and hospitable atmosphere. read more

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I love this place .One they are open late so me and my friends could hang out there some time, second the food is good and reasonable price, my husband love Mexican food so i had to go there almost every week and the last reason made me love to go back is Eryn who is the bartender; she is super sweet, professional, i never see her upset even some time it was very busy and customer gave her a hard time. She is very special, she also made me a drink which is not on the menu @Tamarind whiskey sour! Omg! It was so yummy. Eryn you are the best! Love you smile and your service very much read more

Honestly an overall disappointing experience. We were in the area visiting friends and decided to stop in because a friend had been wanting to try it. I don't know if they were having an off night or what, but things did not go well and did not impress. We had a party of 6 and were seated right away but it took nearly 30 minutes to get our order taken. It then took another 40 minutes to get our food, and the entrees and starters all came out at the same time. The starters were all hot while several of the entrees were cold. My sandwich specifically was cold and soggy, it also was not made correctly and I couldn't eat it due to an allergy, which I had let the staff know about when ordering. It had taken so long to get everything I didn't want to wait another 40 minutes for a replacement so I let someone else in the party eat it and just ate my starter. No one ordered alcohol but 3 of us got sodas, 2 Root Beers that were bottled and 1 fountain Coke, the Root Beers were flat and the Coke was good but during the whole time we were there I was only able to get 1 refill because the staff kept forgetting to put it in, and the last time we asked about it they replied with 'oh yeah, it's been sitting at the bar, someone just forgot to grab it'. I'm hoping they were just having an off night because the menu looked great and the things we got that were hot were very good, but I don't know that we will be back. read more

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Having just moved from Tucson AZ (close to mex/us border) we were a bit apprehensive about trying a Mexican place. We had been spoiled by the many regional varieties of delicious food available to us. But...it had been weeks since we were able to chill and rest. Truth be told we also wanted a drink and didn't want to walk far to get it. So, we made our way to Matador. It looked cool and dark. Not dungeon dark, just ample mood lighting. Plus I got to try out a new feature on my iPhone camera. The pics are included.The Decor was a mix of rustic and Spanish. We were seated promptly. After about 5 min the waiter came for our order. He was friendly and fast. They had hip hop music you'd hear at a club going loudly but not so loud that you couldn't hear each other. Think if a decent restaurant married an upscale club. I got the Spanish sangria and my wife the blood orange margarita. I only drink a few times a year so when I do, I want it to be great. Matador succeeded. I even liked the margarita and I usually dislike them. We also got street tacos. They were decent. The free huge bowl of chips and salsa were a welcomed treat. The prices seemed reasonable to us. Overall great experience. 100% recommend. read more

The Matador - Blood orange margarita and Spanish sangria. - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Honestly, I'm surprised to see that this place doesn't have a higher rating! I've come here many times over the years, and it's always been a good experience. Great food, great service, no long wait times, and free chips and salsa when you get to the table (which c'mon--everybody loves that!) The decor is fancy enough for a date, but also casual enough to just go out for a drink with a friend or with family. This place is always a solid choice for any occasion. I highly recommend the Cadillac margaritas, nachos and the vegetarian quesadilla! I really wanted to include some pictures of the food in this review, but I do admit... the lighting of this place is very dark, as noted by many other reviewers. This spot could maybe use another lightbulb or two, but I wouldn't say the lighting is a dealbreaker. Except maybe it would be for grandma. Don't bring grandma here. read more

The Matador - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Great tequilas and definitely try the bacon wrapped jalapenos! Highly recommend. Great ambiance. Table inside by the fire pit is great when chilly. Nachos and guac are great. read more

This was their ceviche... they also got our second round of drink orders wrong, ambiance is cool. Food mid at best. Drinks are good (when they get them right) read more

The Matador - Ordered ceviche....wtf is this this is no shrimp an some slices of fish??? - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I loooooove matador! The food is always on point, love the ambiance, it's usually pretty dark with lots of candles. Service is hit or miss. Happy hour is an amazing deal. I love that they have rotating specials. Their elote is so fire tho I wish they kept that as an app year round. read more

Overall excellent Mexican spot with traditional menu in a cool setting. Came in early afternoon and the staff was attentive and friendly. Had the prawn tacos which were excellent - fulfilling and delicious. There was also a good selection of beers and drinks for my friends. Tried a sip of the rose sangria which was a nice change of pace. read more

The Matador - Prawn tacos - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon