i am SO so happy to say that i have finally found a legitimate mexican place in New Jersey. THIS PLACE IS AWESOME. I couldn't have asked for a better divey place to get my mexican fix. I ordered a tamale, chips & guac, a torta, and tres leches cake to go because I have no self control! The tamale was delicious and they give you a bunch of sauces to put on top. It was nice and moist, not crumbly either. The chips are home made!! and soo crunchy. Their guacamole is amazingly creamy and they will adjust the spiciness for you. I got my torta with al pastor (so happy they had it) and it was a nice mix of the rich avocado and cheese with sweet and spicy port on top. The bread tasted really fresh, sometimes tortas seem like theyre made on bricks! One of the workers recommended the tres leches cake and I finally ate it today. It is literally one of the best desserts i've ever eaten! Sweet and creamy with a nice spongy texture and the icing isn't too sweet. The place doesn't have a lot of frills inside but it doesn't matter because their food is the most authentic mexican I've found in NJ. read more

El Matador - Yummy tamale :) - Mexican Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

I went here once for a Yelp event and have since ordered take out a handful of times. At the event, I met Mucio, the owner, and his sweet mother who pretty much runs the show here. She cranks out all the delicious food, especially the mole, which I can't help but to order every time. My understanding is they don't always have it as a regular menu item, but I have yet to be let down. As someone who lived in Mexico for three months, trust me when I say this place is legit! Everything is fresh and homemade. This is the closest place to home where I can get an authentic taste of the cuisine of our southern neighbor. And of course, they have all the authentic Mexican beverages in the bottle, including Coke! Olé! read more

El Matador - Mexican Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

I came back and dined at their new location. I had the special which was the chicken with mole sauce. it took forever to come out and the chicken was overcooked and tough. I feel the price has went up and the food is not on par as they used when they were near the parkway. And to get a discount or free check-in special the owner needed me to post a pic, hashtag it, pretend to say it was the best mexican food I ever tasted. This place is fortunate that there isn't much competition nearby. read more

Food is flavorful and so yummy! I had the birria tacos. Julie took care of us and is super nice. The decor in the restaurant is so cute, 10/10 I will be back :) read more

Sooo delicious. Reasonable prices with generous portions. Extremely friendly staff. Cute decor as well! An amazing dinner. Will absolutely return! read more

Just had 3 pork tacos from there that were really delicious. They were sold out of the special of the day and they didn't have pozole :( but the meal I did get compensated for those short comings. The pork tacos were your average looking tacos but the actual tortilla was hand made and had an airy quality, there were small pieces of crispy skin (chicharon) that added nice texture to the tacos and it had great flavor. So looks can be decieving because these tacos were damn good. Overall I recommend this place if u are in the area and want some delicious tacos. I'll be back to have other items on the menu and see if the rest of the menu holds up. read more

I was here for a Yelp Elite Event back in February. The food was excellent, so I returned on a Tuesday for lunch. The food is very good, but the menu is pretty limited. It's mostly tacos, quesadillas, tostadas, and other handheld Mexican food. But still, everything I've tried was delicious. I've had the tacos dorados, tacos de chorizo, and tacos de alambre. They were all delicious, but I think the tacos de alambre were the best. The owner of the restaurant is very friendly, he checked on us frequently to make sure we had everything we needed to enjoy our meal. read more

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The place was clean and our waiter, William was extremely attentive while not rushing us. The food was very reasonably priced with generous serving. I had the burrito dish. Had to take 1/4 of my meal home with me. I gave it to my wife and her first comment was (aside from, thank you for sharing) was 'we' have to go back there for a joint meal. I agree. Only 4 stars because I felt the dish was somewhat bland. I din't recall if they provide a choice of 'flavor' and I might have chosen the 'middle' option. Otherwise, it would have been a 5 star. I've been to pricier places, of same genre, with less portion and taste. I'll share my wife's comments after our next visit. read more

Finally, a Mexican restaurant in NJ that serves delicious tacos. I'm really particular when it comes to tacos and these here are legit. I got mine with carnitas. First, I can tell the tortillas did not come from a bag. They tasted really fresh and was told they are homemade. I always worry when I get carnitas cause 9 out of 10 times the meat is dry. Not here! The pork was nice and moist and seasoned well. I also liked how the tacos were not covered with tons of toppings. They were simple, sprinkled with some onions and cilantro. Yummy. I also shared an order of carnitas tostadas. The tostadas have a lot more going on compared to the tacos but just as good. It's a fried tortilla layered with black beans, the meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, etc. If you like beans, this is for you since the beans dominate. Eating these can get messy, so watch out. The manager (owner?) was super friendly and welcoming. He brought us his special hot sauces to taste and even gave my little guy a complimentary plate of rice/beans/and tortillas. The location of the restaurant is a bit off the beaten path but it's a local spot that serves really great food. I'm definitely coming back for the tacos. read more

El Matador - Tostadas Carnitas - Mexican Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

I have been ordering from El Matador for some time now. Their food is delicious and very consistent in quality. Today for the super bowl, I ordered some nachos for delivery and thought they had changed their portion size as the order had significantly less nachos than usual. I called the restaurant just to inquire about changes in their portions. The young lady advised that they had not changed. Without hesitation, I was offered an additional small size of nachos and they delivered it in less than 30 minutes! This gesture shows the kind of customer service this restaurant offers. There's nothing like great food and great customer service from an establishment 5 minutes away from home!!! Thank you so much for your delicious food and your consistency in quality and customer service! Did I mention is also byob? It cant get any better than that! Highly recommend El Matador! read more

I finally made it back here outside of the Yelp event I originally went to, so I can finally leave this five star review I've been waiting on for half a year. The food is every bit as good now as it was then. Handcrafted with love by actual Mexicans, with actual Mexican ingredients, and made to order every time, this restaurant offers the only truly authentic flavors and dishes I've found north of the Mason-Dixon Line. And I've looked. Automatic 5 stars. Ambiance: No. It's mostly a takeout place, but there are a handful of tables if you'd like to eat in. Mexican music plays around you, mainly for the staff I imagine. When I left, two different speakers were playing two different songs. Wonder how that happened. Location: Right off Parkway Exit 148. If you're heading north, go past Bloomfield Avenue and it comes up on your right, I believe in two more lights (at Montgomery St.), and you can park in the back. If you're heading south, make the second left and park on the street. Very simple. Food: Try anything you like. You won't find Texican food like burritos here. If anything has mole, get it. Today, I had mole poblano enchiladas. The smoky sweetness is unparalleled. Rather expensive though ($14 I think). On the other hand, my girlfriend filled up for just $5 with a tamale and salad. For $3 you get a very nice side salad with avocado slices. I added a slice of tres leches cake at the end. Also a little expensive ($5.50), but a nice large slice drowning in condensed milk. Maybe a little too much frosting, but how nitpicky am I being? Service: A little slow if you arrive during peak times. I came for dinner, and the owner (I think, based on the Yelp event) was on and off the phone, though chatty when he wasn't interacting with customers or staff. Things took a few minutes to come out of the kitchen, such as a small dish of freshly prepared peppers and onions to add some heat to my dish, but at least it was being prepared fresh each time! I never mind waiting for that. I now have El Matador and Mac Attack as must stops when I'm in this general area. I need to start alternating. read more

I remember coming here but when they were in a smaller restaurant on the corner near the garden state parkway and it was delicious but seeing that they moved to a bigger location I was reluctant to try it. I've always seen restaurants not have that same flavor when they go to a bigger place but they sure do. I ordered food to go, I got 4 pastor tacos with onions,tomatoes and avocado. To my surprise they put some pineapple in it! Omg that sweet flavor was amazing to the spice of the meat. My guy ordered a chicken burrito minus the creama and avocado. However, avocado was still in it and a cream, so he picked out the avocado and complained for a bit but once he took a bite, he was like OMG this is amazing. So good thing they forgot to take the crema out. The tree leches was really good too, however, it was real cold so it had that weird cold taste which I kind of hate but it was still delicious. My guy picked up the food and said there were a few couples eating with wine but parking really stinks in the area so he parked in the bakery parking lot. Good thing he didn't get a ticket. read more

El Matador has the best Mexican food for great prices. I like to get the pulled pork tostadas and the guacamole is awesome. They have mole enchiladas as well, even though it's not listed. That sauce is delish. I would give it 5 stars but they don't deliver to east orange or even the border or glen ridge and east orange and they always seem to be out of horchata or something else. read more

This place has great food. The customer service is also great. Of you're very hungry or going for take out, this is not the place. They take too long for take out, so if you're in a hurry, then gonsomwpl else, but if not, food and service is great. read more

Came here with my sisters and the place was small cute and quaint. The service was really good the girls had great recommendations from the menu and were very nice!! All recommended dishes were really good loved the fajitas and the pastor tacos. The deserts were outstanding and soo tasty. Definitely will come back!!! read more

I order the chicken quesadilla based off the description and pics. When I picked up the bag I knew I'd be disappointed lol all pics and description said 3 tortillas. I received one tortilla cut in 3. Not exactly what I was expecting so now I'm still hungry because I only ordered one thing based off description and pics. read more

El Matador - Mexican Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

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Tasty, authentic food with a smile! I placed a pick up order via Door Dash and it was ready on my arrival. Please note that there is a surcharge for payment processing if you use a debit or credit card... but that seems to be the norm now. read more

Amazing guac omg it was heavenly- tho make sure to confirm if there's guac that comes with your meal. We ended up ordering for the table but then each got portions with our entrees too haha so we couldn't finish it all I had the fajitas and the chicken was so tender and deliciously marinated. Love the veggies too! Would definitely be back! read more

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Amazing!! The food here is incredible, very flavorful and feels really homemade. Don't let yourself be fooled by this restaurant being empty sometimes, it will blow you away, guaranteed! read more

-complimentary chips and salsa verde -restaurant less than half the tables were filled -Took forever to take our order, we had to call the waitress twice -one waitress rushed while taking our order -Brought out the order for people who came after us before ours- we both ordered Guac -it took 25 minutes to bring out our appetizer- chips and guac, soup -entre came before app -waitress was nice and apologetic -they were out of so many things: Mexican coke, shrimp, guac (why it took forever), sour cream -food was the most BLAND Mexican food I had ever attempted to eat -I never waste food but ended up leaving my whole plate untouched -it looked so unappealing -will never come back read more

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So honestly, from the outside, this place looks like a hole in the wall but it's the REAL DEAL. The pork tostada is bomb. The guac is fresh and you can choose between mild, medium, or hot. The empanadas are so good. My cousin loves the breaded tiger shrimp tacos. Her husband loved the birria tacos. You can't go wrong here (unless you order the chorizo, that's up in the air still. When I ordered the chorizo tostada the first time, it was dry but my cousin ordered a chorizo empanada and loved it so it depends on your tastebuds? Lol) read more

Delicious beyond belief! The portions were just right, the server was very friendly, the atmosphere was relaxing and I love the theme of the restaurant. Will definitely be coming back here for sure. read more

El Matador - Mexican Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

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Our usual go to Mexican restaurant was closed. So we decided to give El Matador a shot it. Both my boyfriend and I ordered the enchiladas! LOVED IT. It was nice and crispy and tasted fresh. The mole sauce was also delicious! Portion sizes are good to last for two meals, especially the rice and beans. I have nothing bad to say about this spot. Next time I'll probs try something different! read more

El Matador - a plate of food on a table - Mexican Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

They will go above and beyond to get your order right. I appreciate that. Absolutely love their hard shell tacos. Flavors are authentic!

This is authentic stuff, delicious! My family stumbled across this place by accident, and have continued to return with new recruits (including grandma, who is a big fan). We like all of the standards, such as tacos, fajitas and guacamole. However, the chicken nachos, birria tacos and specialty sodas are big hits. I recommend that you check out this unassuming heavyweight for yourself! read more

Lo recomiendo , tinen el sazón de méxico como un caldo de rex y tamales rojos y in pozole blanco de pollo yo soy muy especial para la comida y se cómo sabe todo y si estuvo muy rico grasias un día boy a probar los tacos aver si tiñes chiles rellenos read more

Visited this place today during restaurant week so the menu was limited. A couple of good options and byob. Let's start off with the pros - decent pricing, small intimate settings, decent food Cons well.... I I understand it's restaurant week and I expected it to be a little busy, but it wasn't as busy possibly four other tables and one waitress. Second the waitress wasn't attentive. She didn't ask how was the food and if we needed anything else. Example we ordered a side of guac with our complementary stale chips. We ordered the guac as a starter with the chips and we never received it. When we asked about them the waitress said the chef was backed up and it would be coming out shortly. Then about 30 minutes later, after I flagged her down I asked about the guac again and she said "I told you that the chef was backed up and since you guys were almost finished eating your food we just didn't bring it out." That's not an excuse and if she believed we didn't want them she should've asked as a courtesy. Food- we ordered the enchiladas, tiger shrimp and the flat tacos(forgot the name). The enchiladas were good the Green sauce was even better, the rice and the beans were a little bland. The tiger shrimp was really good and well seasoned. Lastly, the flat tacos, the taco shell was a bit stale or too crispy and the pork was a little too salty. House Hot sauce was spicy but no flavor. Overall I would give this place another shot because the food wasn't terrible. The service however,needs to change read more

El Matador - Mexican Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

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I tried the enchildadas in green sauce they were yummy ! I wanted mandarin orange Jarittos, they were out. They called and offered Guava Jarritos, I don't drink anymore but that sounds like it would great with white tequila. The quesadillas and chicken fingers (REAL CHICKEN) nice golden fries. My daughter wanted her FRIES right away. I love this place. I need to eat at their restaurant one day I heard it's LIT. read more

Food is great. My wife love the Spicy camarones. Kids love the tortas. Just few tips on the tacos, make sure to heat up the tortilla in the comal or plancha without oil. It gets hard to quick. Also service needs improvement. Short lady needs training on her costumer skills read more

El Metador has the most authentic Mexican food I've tried to date, this includes many restaurants in and around New York City. I came here on the recommendation of a fellow Yelper Dexter V., and my life has been changed forever. My friend Dexter was raving about the homemade mole sauce here so I figure why not give it a try. The mole sauce here is extremely flavorful and has a wonderful little spice kick at the end. It is gentle enough for the most delicate of palates but diverse enough for the most experienced taste buds. According to the owner, there are 27 ingredient in the mole sauce and it takes him and his mother the whole day to cook it to perfection. We ordered the enchilada, tacos, trace leches, flan, horchata, and no one was disappointed. In addition, do you have this amazing ghost pepper sauce that you can request that can be put on anything from your entrée to the tortillas. Bottom line, if you want real authentic and incredibly delicious homemade Mexican food El Matedor is the place to be. read more

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Not sure what changed in the past few months but the food is amazing. It's gotten so much better.

I liked this small inviting place. Options for vegetarians were available in every category. Portions are huge and delicious :) Got to meet and chat w Mucio, owner of this place. He made me try pickled ghost peppers made by his mom--WOW, let's just say if you can't handle the spice don't dare trying them! Mucio is very nice and treats his guests like family. I enjoyed their guacamole and green sauce that came with the chips. I will be going back here and will be bringing friends. Special shot out to my friend Dex for introducing me to this place! read more

El Matador - Mexican Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

Excellent Birria Tacos. Truly, the best ones i ever had. I've had them in several places and they are by far best to none. Not to mention the staff were extremely kind, helpful and provided great service. They also play great music and the vibe was awesome. Recommend for sure i'll be going back many time read more

After continually coming here, I'm left with a consistently and satisfying meal each visit. Toastadas, enchiladas, the quesadillas, the tacos have all been deliciously superb. The prices are good as are the portions which I can't complain about. The service is good too, and I have to give credit to the cooks who perfectly hit the mark with the meals pretty much every single time. The new location is also a big step up, much more room and easier to park, and just looks better overall. Also the encouragement to BYOB is more welcoming here. The owner seems to always be around to personally greet and promote the menu which is for good reason and likes to hear feedback, all while being a real cool dude. This for me continues to be THE place to come for Mexican food, and I'd recommend coming here to see what it's all about if you haven't, especially at the new location. read more

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Seriously, I think I may have manifested this place, that's how badly I wanted to find a legit local Mexican restaurant. THIS. IS. IT. Everything is homemade from scratch from the most adorable little lady (Mucio's mama) and THAT, my friends, is the key. This stuff is made with the same love that she puts into the food she cooks for her family. That kind of thing just can't be replicated, bagged, or store bought. We checked in and got free tostadas; we chose chorizo, which was so flavorful and spicy and with the freshness of the lettuce and tomato, and the savoriness of the queso, it was perfect. For entrees, we shared the tacos dorados, which had incredible crunch and softness at the same time. The fillings were piping hot and topped with fresh lettuce, tomatoes and queso and serves with refried beans the way they're intended to be (perfect consistency and flavor). We also shared the chilaquiles verdes, which were my personal favorite. Spicy, crunchy, and fresh, like a Mexican lasagna with tortillas, avocado, lettuce, queso, and salsa verdes. I would literally eat myself to death if someone kept serving me these. Mucio, the owner, is so nice. He chatted us up a lot, told us about his story, his intention with the restaurant, his family, and the future. His service was incredible, and made sure we had everything we needed. He even gave us a sampling of some super hot salsa his mother was toying with out back. I'm obsessed with this place. Can't way to go back! read more

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Okay, attended the Elite Event here last month and had to pay them another visit. After all, they're going to be on their A game for an Elite event but what about when their customers are just regular folks? After eating there twice, it's abundantly clear why they hold the title of best Mexican restaurant in NJ. It's not like I've eaten in all of them, it's just that I can't conceive of anyone else's food being any better. Yeah, it's that good. Price wise, they violate the more expensive is better mantra because not only is their food spectacular, it's also pretty damn cheap. On the minus side, you might have to wait a while to be seated. Saturday night around 8, there was about a 45 minute wait. But folks, I'm here to tell you that it is WELL worth it. BYO tequila and they will hook you up with a perfect Margarita, as well. My only advice is that no matter what you order, finish with the Tres Leches. The perfect finish to a wonderful meal. Kudos. read more

I think the place used to be a deli and now its converted to a restaurant. Its nothing fancy just a few Mexican decorations but what counts is the food. The owner was there he was friendly . the food was delicious , pure Mexican food. i had the stake tacos and were yummy, also the stake with rice and black beans. again very good. theres parking in the back at the entrance of the driveway theres an arrow with the words Tacos. thought that was cool. read more

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HOLY GUACOMOLE! Okay, so the guac probably isn't holy, but it is fantastic. I would have never guessed that a little gem like this could be found in the middle of Bloomfield. Unassuming though it looks, this place serves THE BEST Mexican food I've ever had. Scratch that. This place serves one of the best lunches I've ever had. 3 carnitas tacos = $8. The bomb. Served simply with some onions, cilantro, sliced radishes, and cucumbers. I like ordering the guacamole ($7, with house made chips) and scooping it on top of the tacos. That guacamole is creamy, fresh, and unlike any other guac I've ever tasted. I want to order this combo again and again. Tacos dorados ($9?). Served with beans and rice. The beans are amazing, and normally I don't even eat beans. The deep fried tacos are like Mexican egg rolls... and I say that because I am Asian and I love egg rolls. The fresh tomato and avocado on the top seal the deal. Tostadas ($8-9). Tried the steak and the pulled pork. Both options are good, although I prefer the pulled pork, which is juicy and delicious. But honestly, all of their meat is cooked perfectly and seasoned just right. Cemita (Mexican sandwich) with chorizo ($8?). Amaaaaazing. The chorizo is homemade and it is delicious. The sandwich is huge and also has a nice layer of generous cheese in it. Tres leches cake ($5.50). I don't even like sharing this. It is so good. It is light and airy and just sweet enough. It tastes like angel's tears. Because if angels tasted this, they would cry with joy. I've loved every single thing I've tried here and I am happy to convert all my friends to El Matador fans. To address one things mentioned in some of the other reviews, I honestly think food here is pretty fairly priced. Mucio, the owner, runs the front himself. His mom does all the cooking, and they clearly put a lot of love into their business. My only one teeny tiny complain is that they don't serve any water in a glass or anthing, so if you want some, you need to buy it bottled or get a soda, but that's a small issue. I can't wait to come back here again! read more

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"The best or nothing" is Mercedes Benz's signature slogan. But I truly believe El Matador Mexican Deli should have every right to bear that title as well...at least when it comes to authentic and delicious Mexican food. When I say this place has been on the radar of many Yelpers just take a look at the hugely positive reviews this humble establishment has garnered. Mucio and his mom are the individuals responsible for the magic. And that's what this place is--simply magical! The menu is simple and few but do not fret because everything that is listed there is made with the utmost care and the freshest ingredients. I've tried their huaraches, tacos dorados, tostadas, and chicken mole! And unless my palate doesn't know what it's talking about this place is as close to having authentic Mexican dishes without traveling to Mexico--none of that Tex-Mex generic cooking but actual Mexican gastronomical goodness. Their masa in their huaraches is perfectly done and the toppings are phenomenal. The tostadas are crispy and flavorful and the tacos dorados are filled and rolled to perfection. But the chicken mole is what will blow your pants off! Now mole is very hard to get right. The delicate flavor balance along with the right amount of heat separates the mole wannabes with the true original. El Matador does mole proud! I wish the very best of El Matador and Mucio. If they keep this level and quality of food I know they'll have many more success in the future. As for us Mexican food aficionados we're lucky that there's a place where we can get some Mexican food fix. Mercedes Benz may use it as their slogan but for El Matador "Lo mejor o nada" fits perfectly. read more

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This is my go to Mexican food place. We ordered Chicken Enchiladas with Mole Pablano sauce. The Mole sauce is cooked to perfection with the perfect amount of heat and flavors. The corn tortillas were fresh and had perfect amount of moisture. The chicken was cooked to perfection. Overall one of the best enchiladas I had so far. They also serve complementary chips and salsa. They serve verde salsa with crushed jalapeños. The salsa is so good, it is difficult to stop eating. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

El Matador - Chicken Enchiladas with Mole Pablano Sauce - Mexican Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

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