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El Matador Mexican Restaurant

3.1 (33 reviews)
ModerateMexican
Open • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

EL MATADOR MEXICAN RESTAURANT · YELP ASSISTANT

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El Matador Mexican Restaurant Photos

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EL MATADOR MEXICAN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids
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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3 months ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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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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9 years ago

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7 years ago

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4 years ago

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7 years ago

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5 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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12 years ago

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11 years ago

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9 years ago

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9 years ago

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12 years ago

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15 years ago

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18 years ago

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13 years ago

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9 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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13 years ago

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10 years ago

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11 years ago

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Ask the Community - El Matador Mexican Restaurant

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.”

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Little Coyote - Steak Fajitas

Little Coyote

4.2(129 reviews)
5.4 mi

Ok, this is my wife and I, most favorite restaurant! She owns a popular spa in Ringgold, and we get…read morea lot of couple having date days/nights, celebrating anniversary, or one's birthday, ect. and I NEVER miss the opportunity to attempt to steer them to my fave, Little Coyote!! I've spent over 30 years in the Restaurant Industry, and what they accomplish at their restaurant is no small feat!, I assure you! I've had something different to eat each time, different beverages each time, and have had a different server each time, o ly thing is we sit in the same booth( behind take-out entrance), and it seems that just our spot. So everything different, food , beverage, server, and to just crush it everytime!!?? Please understand again how hard that is to do! These people care!, have set a standard!, and in my opinion have set the bar for the entire region. The atmosphere, aroma coming from the kitchen, knowledge of the service staff!!( this is a big one, because if you server can't make knowledgeable, informative, and descriptive suggestions?, then they're just an order taker, different server each time and each they gave us a tour of the menu that had our mouths watering and wanting to try everything! I think our server's name was Jarrod?, if wrong Im sorry buddy, cause you were fantastic. I wish i could describe every dish, on every occasion, but it's just too overwhelming and I could never do them justice, so I'll just share some pics.(as always I tear into the 1st couple items that hit the table before I realized I hadn't taken a Pic! Sorry for that, but when you go you'll understand) https://quickshare.samsungcloud.com/k5FZyCK3VuGW

We had a fun meal. Our focus was on the small plates which we ordered and shared - 4 in total, but…read moreplenty of food for our date night. The selections were both interesting and traditional - a combination of old Oaxacan classics and modern Mexican faire. Plenty of opportunity to broaden your gastronomic range! Liberty, our server, was fun and engaging and full of helpful hints. We dined outdoors and the weather was perfect for it. Great view of the incline railway too. Overall our experience was muy excellente!

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Little Coyote - Inside view

Inside view

Little Coyote - Smoke oxtail chili ..different style of chili

Smoke oxtail chili ..different style of chili

Little Coyote

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Los Potros Mexican Restaurant - That's a BIG michelada!!

Los Potros Mexican Restaurant

4.0(90 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
Los Potros Mexican Restaurant - The owners' town in Mexico.  Wall mural.

The owners' town in Mexico. Wall mural.

Los Potros Mexican Restaurant - Chips and salsa

Chips and salsa

Los Potros Mexican Restaurant - Pollo Picoso

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Pollo Picoso

El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant - Chips and salsa

El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant

4.5(22 reviews)
6.9 mi

We're Traveling from Ohio on business. This restaurant had great reviews so we decided to try…read more It's a nice, simple restaurant back in a strip behind some other businesses- so you may not see it from the road. Decor is simple, but plenty of seating and even plenty of large tables for large groups. We were seated promptly and given salsa & fresh warm chips right away. Salsa is something we're particular about. This was great salsa! A little more cilantro than I prefer, but still edible for me. The heat was perfect- between a mild & medium- maybe closer to medium, but didn't make my mouth burn after eating a bunch. The tortilla chips were white corn, thin and crisp. Not salted, so I salted each of mine before dipping in the salsa. Also, they bring a bottle of salsa and 2 bowls, so we each had our own bowl for double-dipping. We both ordered chimichangas. He ordered the ground beef, I ordered shredded chicken. They came with cheese sauce poured over, and served with refried beans that also had a little cheese melted on top (I really liked that!), Spanish rice, and a pile of shredded lettuce with pico, guacamole & sour cream. I really liked how the chimichanga was just a single one and wasn't too huge. It was still more than I could eat! But I'd rather have a reasonable size meal at a reasonable price, instead of a huge meal for a huge price, that you could never finish. I ate 1/2 the beans & rice and maybe 1/3 of the chimichanga. That was a very good chimichanga. It was packed with meat! And the meat was juicy & tender. I loved the cheese sauce on top. Our server was working very hard to serve quite a few tables. It took him a while to take our order after bringing our drinks. Because he also had a huge party of 20, that he was serving. He was nice and our food came out very soon after we ordered. The next time we travel here to Chattanooga, we plan to come back!

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.

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El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant
El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant
El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant - Front of store

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Front of store

El Matador Mexican Restaurant - mexican - Updated November 2026

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