Cocktail only review. This is such a fun joint with stellar ambiance!!! When you see the platters full of actual white, lit candles going up in sconces snd strewn throughout the restaurant you'll understand. We went for pre-dinner drinks and I wish it would have been darker as I am guessing the matador is super moody at night. Unique decor and a fab 70d style floating fireplace read more

Cinco de Mayo was perfect. Music was at the perfect volume and playing songs from Selena to Bad bunny, margaritas were excellent and the dip flight was tasty. Service was prompt and attentive. read more

Matador West Seattle - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I asked the bartender if we could change one of the tvs to play the kraken game. I watched the bartender ask the waiter what table asked, and then he shook his head. And I never saw that waiter again. Not sure why both tvs need to be playing the same game. Or why when the other table full of white guys asked for the UConn game and he did with no hesitation. read more

Just visited Matador after a 10 year hiatus (we moved from west Seattle to Oregon in 2015). Food and service was as amazing as we remembered it being. We use to be regulars here and always loved the huge nachos and seasonal offerings. Grilled/stuffed jalapeños were amazing, pozole was on point, and street tacos were perfect. read more

If you asked me as a pre-teen if I would go somewhere exclusively for the Brussels sprouts I would have thought you were talking to another person! But the Brussels sprouts are so good I go out of my way to go here and can hardly go anywhere else. They are sweet and a bit spicy and soft and crispy at the same time. Other things are good here too, I promise :) read more

I had the Carne asada entree. I was disappointed because the meat was very tough and gristly. Additionally the flour tortillas were fried crisp as a cracker. For hindsight, I should have sent it back but I did not want to make an issue in front of our guests. This was poor entree for $30. The service was good. My wife liked the chili rellenos. read more

It took me a decade to come back to Matador (my first experience was in Tacoma and although it was good I could never seem to get friends to try the WS location) and I'm sad it took me so long to do so. The food has been excellent and consistent between the Ballard and West Seattle locations. Ballard tends to be much more crowded all the time, so when we want to eat in a more relaxed atmosphere we go to West Seattle. The jalapeño poppers are a must! They don't burn your face off like they do at another WS joint and you can really taste the goat cheese and snappy pepper. I usually order whatever is the special of the month. $1 of each plate sold goes to St Jude. All of the specials have been excellent so far. Service can be hit or miss and we've learned to plan an extra 30 minutes for dine-in. read more

Matador West Seattle - Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

Absolutely disgusting service. We came in to have dinner and were completely ignored, then another group was seated before us that came in 10 mins after us!! Never again!! read more

Matador is my ALL TIME FAVORITE place in Seattle for Mexican food!!!! Especially their happy hour. We love both the new Ballard location & West Seattle. Before they moved in Ballard I was a regular at the old location - going for late night happy hour multiple times a month! The West Seattle location is a little further away for us, but when we're in the part of town we always stop by. They have one of the best happy hour's in Seattle, the food is always amazing, and great portion sizes! Also, HUGE difference that makes Matador stand out is the free chips & salsa. So many places these days don't do that anymore which is really disappointing... I know it's something small, but it's part of what makes Matador great, and shows they appreciate their customers!! The margaritas are all yummy, and they have a big tequila/mezcal menu. Great place for either a date night or to hang out with friends!! Highly recommended the following: * Chicken quesadilla * Matador Guacamole * Grande Nachos (they're huge, good for sharing) * Taco Salad * Grilled Stuffed Jalapeños * Ahi Tuna Tostada * Chicken Tortilla Soup * Divorciadas Enchiladas * Top Shelf Margarita - great classic marg!! * Bartender's Margarita - if you want something with reposado Tbh you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. read more

See all

Food was delicious and serving size was big enough that I had to take leftovers home (this never happens for me!) The ambiance was enjoyable and service was very good. I recommend Matador West Seattle and would go back again read more

Why is this place even a 1 star review/ it should be zero. After 3 hours waiting for our reservation to be seated, we were canceled. We arrived 9 minutes late for our 5:30 reservation,.told by the "hostess" that we were next on the list, then everyone else seated before us. I get it, we are gay. I have a husband, so did my friends. Guess the married gays are pushed to the back of the line. Now I doubt the quality of the food. Is it poison? Can't trust the "hostess", can you trust the food? read more

Food: We stuck to the happy hour menu and ordered many small dishes to share amongst our group. The Brussels sprouts were by far everyone's favorite! The habanero shrimp was pretty good too but the shrimp wasn't cooked well and didn't come out of the shell (I'm guessing it was over-boiled). The chicken quesadillas were mid, felt like they came off a kid's menu. We were surprised to find a whole chicken bone in ours as well. Probably would not re-order if we came here again. Fish tacos were decent, but lacked flavor. They could use a better sauce for them. Drinks: I usually love the margaritas that the Matador in Tacoma makes. Perhaps the two bars use different recipes because the drinks here definitely didn't meet our expectations. We ordered: Smokey margarita - too strong Cadillac margarita - perfect Mangonada margarita - lacked flavor, felt like we got a regular margarita with a splash of chamoy Service: Not sure if we came during a busy night or if the establishment was understaffed but we often had to raise our hands to get the servers attentions. This was truly frustrating to when we weren't seated far from the kitchen and could see the servers chatting it up in the back. Food didn't take long to come out though which was good. Ambiance: They were playing good music the night we came (90s-2000s throwbacks). Lighting at night is very dim though so we have to pull out our phone flash to be able to read the menu. This might be nice if you have a date night but if you have terrible eyesight be warned. read more

Matador West Seattle - Chicken quesadilla with a whole bone in it - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I enjoy dining at the Matador. This place offers a relaxed atmosphere serving up one of the best margaritas I've ever had. I love their ooey gooey nachos loaded with toppings! The Matador is my go-to spot when meeting up with friends for happy hour or dinner. Service is friendly and attentive. read more

See all

Great decor and good vibes! Super nice staff as well. The food was delicious along with our watermelon margarita. We finished all the food expect the taco salad. Halfway through, I no longer felt interested in the salad. Surprising for me. I felt like it was missing another component that would've tied the dish all together. Tip: Come during the Sunday market. There were lots of open tables. And, after your meal, you can walk around and look at all the vendors. read more

The red and green enchilada (christmas enchiladas is what I call it) is delicious! The sauce, the flavors, with the chicken are truly blended well! I have been back four times for it, safe to say it's consistent! You have the option for 2 or 3, but I need to get the 3 each time!!!! The queso is gritty and I'm not a fan of gritty queso! The chips are freshly made - warmed. Doesn't matter they're good!! read more

The happy hour menu is awesome! I love the nachos and typically add chicken. It's delicious and unbeatable for the price. Enchiladas and fish tacos are also very good. read more

The matador sucks and the customer service is beyond rude and the manager was especially rude to me and my date when by the time we got our food it was cold and I had a hair in my food read more

See all

This is one of my West Seattle favs! Happy hour daily from 4 to 6 and again 10pm to late. I usually go for a Blood Orange Marg, quesadilla and the Habo Shrimp which are super tasty with some heat. For dessert; I'm a fried ice cream fan and the Matador version is top notch. Ambiance, awesome and the service, also awesome! read more

The food was very satisfying. Portions were large and the vibes inside were fun. Our waitress was nice and we got to sit right away on a Friday evening. Would come back for sure. read more

Here is an honest review from an honest wallet. Been here a couple times and left generally satisfied. Staff and management seem more interested in hanging out and talking around the food that is coming out of the kitchen. Sat their for 20 minutes and watched my habanero shrimp going cold. Asked staff to make again because they had brought it to the table and was cold. Went for happy hour and had the worst bartender ever. Like I said earlier. Everyone is just chatting it up and not paying attention to anything coming out of the kitchen. What ridiculous is having a management staff that is actually doing the same thing. Not caring and letting food go cold and just talking it up and having a great time not taking care of the customer. Won't be back. To the Manager. Bro you are lame. Control your staff and focus on the mission. Good food , good service... you fail at both!! read more

Some of these reviews are wack. Love this place. Not to die for Mexican food but they have the best salsa. Love it. Lots of garlic, some spice and chipotle flavor. The staff is also great. They have a decent happy hour and it's a great location. Thanks for being great although your hh nachos can go back to $5 lol read more

Looks like I've been going to this place for 8 years now. It's always a go to bar for my friends and I for many reasons: * Great food and even amazing affordable HH options. Nachos is always top notch. Quesadilla, the Habanero Shrimp and the stuffed jalapeno stands out! * Strong and tasty drinks. They're not stingy with their alchohol without compromising the taste of the alchohol. * Beautiful decor. Looks mysterious and welcoming. Bathroom are always kept clean. * Welcoming staff that always checks in thatbyou are doing good without over doing it. If they keep it up, looks like I will keep coming back for another 8 years. read more

Matador West Seattle - Cheers!!! - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

happy hour is my fav here! huge portions & delicious flavors. our service is always so good too- deff a go to spot for me (: you gotta try to the nachos!! read more

Matador West Seattle - Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos, steak nachos, crispy tacos - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I really wanted to like this place but the food was mediocre and sooo over priced. The table we sat at was so small I felt squished the whole time lol. The waiters didn't seem to know what they were doing and tried to drop off appetizers we didn't order TWO times. I'm so sorry but save your money and go to authentic Mexican restaurant. read more

The Firehouse Chili Burrito and Steak Fajitas are EXCELLENT takeaway dinners! Before the pandemic, I used to go to Matador for the nachos. At the moment, I don't feel comfortable dining in, and I didn't think the nachos would travel well. But I'm glad I decided to try something new because the chili burrito is my new favorite thing!!! Online ordering was really easy and quick, and I picked up the food just 30 mins later. Everything was ready and packed nicely in compostable boxes. Huge portions, as usual, and everything was fresh and warm. Perfectly cooked (not overcooked) meat, generous amounts of toppings, and so much flavor. read more

Honestly they had me at the front door!! Stunning Rod Iron Entrance LIVE! Super friendly staff, hostess sweet and bubbly. Seated me a my girlfriends. Immediately got us drinks and appetizers. Gave us ideas for great items to share. Nachos Rock, Mahi Mahi tacos YUUUUM! Enjoyed it so much came back with my mom her man and my husband. They did not disappoint. None of them had eaten there but will all make a point to come back!! read more

Great late bight happy hour. We usually order the steak nachos and shrimp tacos. The food is great and affordable. There's also a fire pit that we like to sit by. The music + great service makes a great environment. read more

Inattentive service from bar, burger was not worth $17 at all. I guess being from Texas my burger taste has high expectations. Wasn't even asked how the food was just "are you done?" Over priced food and lackluster service, i will say however that the restaurant itself is nice if that means anything. I'm usually a great tipper but they met my $5 tip minimum. read more

I had never tried this place pre-Covid 19. I had a major craving for a margarita and didn't feel like getting a pre-made mix at the grocery store or figuring it out from scratch myself. Matador lets you order single (or bulk) servings to go so I gave it a go. You do have to purchase food with it. As of 7.26.20 they were open for dine in, but I didn't have a companion to go with so I opted for takeout. I ordered online and picked up, super convenient. Single servings of margaritas come in a small bottle, which I think can be repurposed as a hot sauce bottle if I ever decide to make any. It also comes with limes and salt or Tajin to rim your glass, depending on the margarita. I learned that using the lime to rim the glass will make the salt/tajin stick better compared to using water. House Margarita $9.50: Yes. This hit the spot. I got the Top Shelf as well just to compare. I had them on separate nights rather than side by side, but I didn't recall any major difference. I am no alcohol expert though. I'll probably just stick to house next time as it makes little difference to me. Lime and salt rim included for takeout. Top Shelf Margarita $13: It was good, but as mentioned above I didn't detect a difference from the house margarita. Lime and salt rim included for takeout. Smokey Margarita $10.50: This was pretty good, but I think 8/10 times I would choose house over this. Lime and tajin rim included for takeout. Watermelon Margarita $10.50 (seasonal): On the online order it system, watermelon was only available as a party pack. When I picked up in person, I asked if there were plans to make single servings available for order. They said they can make it if you call it in, it's just not online. They were willing to make me a bottle on the spot which was very nice. Tl;dr if you see a seasonal drink on the main menu that's not on the takeout menu, just ask if they can make one to go for you. This turned out to be a little too strong for me, so I'm glad I just tried a single size. It did not come with lime or rim, maybe because I ordered on the spot. I did try it with the extra tajin I had, but don't think it paired well. Tortilla Chicken Soup $9 for bowl: I mean soup is technically food right? I do think the price for portion seems a little high, but I actually did get full with this, one margarita, and chips and salsa so it makes for a nice meal. The soup had a bit of a kick to it and was really tasty. The toppings are packaged separately for to go (plenty of cheese, tortilla strips, lime). Chips and Salsa $2.50 to go: I was curious if chips only would count as food for an alcohol order, but added the soup to be safe. The salsa was OK. I prefer the roasted types like the medium salsa at Chipotle and the salsa at Chevy's (not real Mexican places I know. Don't @ me). The chips were on the thicker side, and I just have a preference for thin. Still finished the whole thing though. I'd probably still go to a hole in the wall or food truck if I crave Mexican food, but if I want margarita and soup I'd definitely order here again. ***** My Star Ratings: 1 Star - Terrible. Just thinking about it makes me angry. 2 Stars - Meh. Unlikely for me to return. 3 Stars - OK. Open to coming back, but wouldn't go out of my way to. 4 Stars - Yummy! Will definitely return if I haven't already. 5 Stars - AMAZING!!! Would plan my day or even a trip around eating here. read more

See all

I've been to this place once and got take out a few times from here. Service was spot on (even during a rush), she took care of us and was always polite and helpful. The food is insanely good here. The nachos are prob best in town, and their shrimp in a cream sauce (can't remember the name) are one of my fav dishes to get from any restaurant around here. Overall this place offers great service, great food, and a great atmosphere. read more

I love quesadillas. They are easy to make, everyone loves them (well, almost everyone!), and they are full of cheeseeeeeeeeee. Cheese may not always agree with my stomach, but I love it all the same. Last night I ordered out from one of my favorites, The Matador. It was both an old and new adventure as Matador is my classic favorite, but I have never been to this location nor done takeout. The quesadillas were spot on and as delicious as usual. I ordered the Carne Asada and they were perfectly cooked. I really enjoyed the sprinkling of cilantro on top. I also ordered chips, which are a must especially at Matador. I ordered two orders because I was not sure of the size. I probably ordered too much, but LEFTOVERS! One order of chips was a brown sack lunch bag worth! I was not able to finish one order let alone dive into the second. The order I did start to eat was a bit overdone and not ideal, but still good. I am hoping the second bag is better though I have not looked yet. One thing convenient about ordering is I did the whole thing online and set a time. It was waiting for me when I arrived. On the flip side, I don't know for how long it was sitting, especially since I arrive early for my time slot. When I arrived home, it was warm, not hot. One of the perils of takeout. Chips, especially chips and salsa, are one of the foods that has challenged me in the past and I think challenges many of us. Eating tortilla chips feels endless, especially when they keep arriving warm and fresh. One of the things I have learned over time is that I can have as many chips as I want and that is okay though maybe I should not fill up too much before the rest of the food arrives! I can always tell the server to stop bringing chips. If I am home, maybe I make loaded nachos for dinner. Either way, chips are delicious and it is okay to eat them and enjoy the hell out of them. And enjoy the rest of my chip order I will! Accessibility: Matador has both Gluten Free and Vegetarian options. Ordering can be done online or over the phone. read more

Matador West Seattle - Carne Asada Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I love the Matador and it's happy hour is always an enjoyable outing for me. This particular happy hour it was a little less than spectacular. I sat at the bar and the barkeep was a lady with numerous suggestions I decided on the Street Tacos, red Sangria, and Stuffed Jalapeños. I'd never had the Street tacos so I got one of each flavor. I'd have to say the Carnitas was my favorite flavor and the impossible my least favorite( tasted distinctly like a soy bean). The grilled Jalapeños are a repeat offender on my plate when I come to Matador so it was a bit of a let down when it arrived in front of me lukewarm and charred to the point where all I could taste was goat cheese and ash. The highlight and happiness that never fails at the Matador had succumbed to a temperature check. The red sangria was a delicious surprise though, loved it. read more

See all

Limited but excellent happy hour. Chips and salsa served immediately are excellent. Why can't all salsa be this favourable?! Tacos were very good and filling. Service was friendly and quick, and the decor has a cool Spanish vibe. read more

Matador West Seattle - Matador, West Seattle - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This is my go to HAPPY Hour place in West Seattle! Due to COVID-19, I haven't visited in awhile. Took the opportunity to go this past Monday and it made me happy! Food was good, drinks was good too, but could be a little stronger, ambience is always cool and location is perfect! read more

See all

Good food, consistent service, great happy hour and tequila Tuesday!!! Street tacos, romaine salad and street tacos are always good!

When for late happy hour. Sat at bar for 10ish minutes and wasn't even asked if I wanted a glass of water. Wasn't busy. Other people got service though. read more

Gave grubhub a try and ordered thru them. Ordered: the chips & salsa and the family fajita for 2 with skirt steak. The steak is a little chewy but flavored well. I am impressed with their packaging of their food. Everything is presented very well. Unlike some restaurants that doesn't care. read more

See all

Happened to drop in on a cold Thursday afternoon for a bite and a beverage, and Matador did NOT disappoint! Sat at the bar today, close enough to the warm fire nearby to keep us warm, to be welcomed in by Dane our bartender/server. They just happened to have released a seasonal menu that was mouthwatering! We opted for the roasted mushroom tacos, the chili, and the queso con chorizo. The tacos did not disappoint! Washed them down with some ice cold Negra Modelo, and a shot of a really nice, smooth tequila called One Two Three, I think.... Dane was a breath of fresh air in West Seattle where we aren't accustomed to someone being so warm and welcoming and willing to actually chat with his customers. (Sorry West Seattle, but a frosty reception is sadly the norm) we will definitely be back to Matador on Tuesdays for the tequila specials! Thanks Dane for making our afternoon so enjoyable! read more

Matador West Seattle - New seasonal menu. - Mexican Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This place has one of the best happy hours ever, and I love how it's offered twice once in the evening 4-6pm and again 10pm to close. The service is a hit or miss, but the food is delicious! I highly recommend the nachos, or the haba prawns for happy hour. Definitely a go to spot. read more

The service was good the decor and ambience was really awesome as well. Chips and salsa plus waters were on the table immediately and they never ran out which is always a positive. The chorizo queso was yummy but not quite as melted as you'd expect, like it maybe had not been heated up enough or cooled down too quickly. Drinks were good and the food menu was really large, lots of options. Only complaint is that it was pretty expensive for what it was but I would definitely go back. read more