We love the Matador in Meridian. Their dip flight is our favorite appetizer, the beans and queso are divine! I always get the Birria tacos for my meal and they are consistently delicious. My fiancé has had several different dishes and loves the habanero enchiladas. The service is consistent and good. The restaurant itself is very old world Mexico and the candles on the walls and tables definitely make this a great date romantic night spot. Their margaritas are also the best in town read more

Where to start? The chicken taco salad was awful. Some of the pieces of chicken were hard and chard. The salsa was horrible. If they need to buy canned salsa, try something that tastes like salsa not marinara with some onion and roasted jalapeños blended in. Bartender does NOT know how to make a virgin margarita. Up side. the waiter was excellent. Very attentive and prompt. read more

After a productive shopping day at the nearby stores, we discovered a gem of a restaurant that exceeded our expectations! The waiter was exceptional, providing prompt and courteous service. The interior design was sleek and welcoming. We opted to share the steak nachos, and what a delightful choice! The generous portion was stunning, easily sufficient for four people. Although we couldn't finish it, every bite was delicious! parking is mall parking, so that was nice too! I will definitely be back! read more

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Dined this evening at the bar for happy hour... Bartender was super AI robot - didn't necessarily get bad service, but with bartending there's such an opportunity to connect with people, especially someone dining alone. He was a robot. Ordered a salad and nachos. Salad was actually really good, but nachos were terrible - so dry. But the kicker was my whole bill was $13 and some change and I ordered a well glass of red wine like thinking 8-10 at most, right? I got the bill and the glass of wine was $15. That's my fault for not asking, but I didn't think I needed to ask... A crappy glass of wine cost more than my entire meal!l So heads up, ask for pricing. As a previous bartender, I can tell you even if you're slammed you have 5-10 seconds to actually connect with someone and it could make their whole day! I definitely don't recommend eating there during happy hour. read more

Fantastic date night w/husband. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, service spot on. Food was quick and yummy. read more

Matador Meridian - Matador Bowl w/braised chicken - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

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We recently dined upstairs at Matador in The Village of Meridian and had a fantastic experience. I didn't even know the mezzanine existed, despite having been there before. The space is stylish, moody, and comfortable with dark wood, artisan metal accents, and cozy seating. It feels upscale yet relaxed. The fire pit table downstairs by the bar adds to the edgy, intimate ambiance. The service was excellent. Our server was attentive without being overbearing, checking in at just the right moments. We started with complimentary chips and very fresh, nicely spicy salsa, and they brought more when ours ran out. For an appetizer, we got the stuffed bacon-wrapped jalapeños. They were outstanding and a must-try. I ordered the cucumber jalapeño margarita and really enjoyed it. It was cool, refreshing, and had a nice kick. For my entrée, I had the chicken habanero enchilada served with rice and beans, and it was very tasty. Overall, the meal delivered. In terms of atmosphere, service, and food, this place never disappoints. If you're looking for a great Mexican restaurant or upscale Tex-Mex spot in Meridian to take someone for a special evening out or just a fun night, I highly recommend Matador. read more

Matador Meridian - Chicken Habenero Enchiladas with rice and black beans, quacamole, pico de gallo, and ranch/sour cream sauce - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

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We have been here multiple times and have never had such bad service. We were seated and the waitress came up right away and got our drink order, which was nice! We didn't see her again for half an hour. She brought our drinks at that time which I ordered a pineapple margarita... when I took the pineapple piece off the top there was a fly IN my drink. I'm hoping it was at least drunk when it died. I had to ask for a new drink because fly isn't on my protein list. She was gone another 10 minutes or so, and in the meantime someone else brought my new drink. When our waitress came back she took our orders, this is about the 35-40 minute mark. We waited another 30 minutes and I needed to flag down the waitress and ask for an ETA on our meals. She went to check and in the time she was gone we decided to cancel our order because we had some other plans as well. This is over an hour after we had been seated. We went to the front and asked to pay for what we did get and the manager was brought up and chastised us. We hadn't complained at all, I was even nice when asking for a fly free drink. They didn't comp my drink, which was surprising, but we didn't complain. He said, "Well, they brought you a new one, didn't they?" In a really clipped tone. We aren't difficult customers at all. We are polite and always kind to staff, so this experience really was eye opening. We won't be back. I know we are just two people and won't make a difference, but looking at other reviews... perhaps we aren't alone. read more

Update: We came with three other couples this evening, a Friday. We had reservations for 4:30 and were sat right away. First off, Elena H was our server and she did a fantastic job. She was patient with our group of seniors and gave us great service. Water glasses filled at the halfway point, drinks, appetizers, and entrees brought out in a timely manner. Textbook excellent for a busy Friday evening. Everyone enjoyed their food. The chips were warm, crunchy, and flavorful. The salsa has some heat but not too much and was delicious. My wife had the carne asada and loved it. I had the Gaucho Bowl with shrimp; it was ample and very tasty. One of their happy hour specials was nachos and the plate was piled high and we could not finish it, such a great deal. I'm sure we'll be back. read more

Service was horrible. We had a small group at dinner time & there were a handful of people in the restaurant, so you'd think it would be pretty easy to be served & have good food. Our food was burned-- when we told the server, she seemed incredibly annoyed, took our food, & never returned. Super weird how we never had a manager come to the table to apologize or "make it right" or redo anything (I've worked in the restaurant industry & this is typical protocol). We barely saw our server & we had to ask the hosts for refills, to go boxes, & checks since our server kept disappearing into the kitchen & never came back. It took so long to leave when we had such a bad experience. I wish I could remember the name of the server, but we never saw her. Sadly, this was my first time here & I don't think I'd come back. read more

We used to love it here. They were one of the only places you can get vegetarian beans at a Mexican restaurant. They have changed to refried beans with lard, Manteca, aka animal fat. So now the vegetarian options are even more limited. We had birthday parties there anniversaries but I'm not sure we will continue. I mean maybe if they make the zucchini tacos a regular item and make it easier to switch out to vegetarian options but I'm not sure. read more

great food! i got the fajitas with chicken and steak, the steak was the better protein. i also subbed the black beans for rice. the drink was okay, not horrible but i don't order a second one. also not pictured was the free chips and salsa. we had to sit outside because it was full, and it was pretty windy. but still a nice and spacious patio. plus it was very loud inside and outside was much more quiet. our server was very nice and attentive. read more

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No reason this place shouldn't be higher reviews. Every time I go the food is great, vibe is good and servers are good.

We have been to Matador a number of times and experienced good food and service. This visit I ordered something new. The Ribeye Tacos. The first few bites of one of the tacos was unpleasant. I picked out and tasted individual ingredients from the taco and when I tried the Ribeye meat it was terrible. It was sour tasting and I had to spit it out. I informed the server this taco is not good. The response was " sorry about that" and walked off. I reluctantly paid the bill and left. My bad, I shouldn't have paid for it. read more

Matador Meridian - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

This used to be a go to for my girlfriend and I. However, the very first experience we had there wasn't good, we gave it another shot because the food was OK and came to like the place, except for our last experience, which is definitely going to be our last experience. Mostly due to the service, it was absolutely horrendous. Super long wait for a waitress to get our drink order and then our drinks. There was a fly in my date's Margarita. Then after being ignored forever, they finally took our order and ignored us for another 30 to 40 minutes. Unfortunately, we had somewhere to be and didn't have over an hour to wait for our food. I offered to pay for my margarita and the guacamole we ordered. However, they charged me for both margaritas, which I thought was a little strange since my girlfriend had a fly in hers, something that she pointed out to the waitress when the drinks were dropped off. When I asked about it, since I thought it was fair that they would comp that, the manager just gave a short, well they brought you a new one didn't they!?! I was a little taken back and said OK, I am happy to pay for that, but this is our last time here. With the food just being so so, that is absolutely gonna be the last time we go here. read more

Worst experience. Didn't even make it to a table. Got there at 4:45 to get on the "wait list"...asked the hostess if we should stay and she said "no, now that I know you're here we'll put tables together (we had 15 for a birthday). She said to come back at 5:15 when we did she told me my wait was now 45 minutes longer and she couldn't hold the tables. Thank god for The Yardhouse. Totally disappointed in Matador. I'd give zero stars if possible. read more

Such a great place for dinner! Went on a Friday night after a movie so the wait time was long. I used the time to look through the menu to narrow it down to what I wanted to order. Since we came from the movies we skipped on ordering any appetizers. We ordered two bowls of chicken tortilla soup, poblano burrito, and habanero burrito. All the items were delicious. The chef accidentally put sour cream on the poblano burrito when it was ordered without out so that came out a little later than the rest of the food but not by much. I was worried it was going to take awhile but it didn't. The habanero burrito was sooo good. I was expecting it to be spicy but it wasn't overly spicy. Burritos are big so took left overs for lunch the next day. Service was really good and the ambiance is nice but can be a little loud with the music. read more

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My wife, daughter, and I went to the movies then tried the restaurant for the first time. The chips and salsa were great. Fresh, and some kick. I had the chicken taco salad. It was incredible and fresh. The lettuce was crisp, beans were fresh and warm, and the chicken was cooked and juicy. Our server was incredible as well. read more

Matador Meridian - The chips and salsa. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

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What can I say about this place? The food quality was top notch, taste was on point and presentation was it absolute best. The staff was friendly, polite, and courteous. I will definitely recommend this place to anyone. I usually do not order the enchiladas in non- traditional Mexican restaurant, but this place definitely met my expectations. Let's not forget that the atmosphere there was calm but the same time was upbeat. read more

Have enjoyed the food at this restaurant for the past year but today was a disappointment. The Wagu fajitas used to be amazing but today they were tasteless and tough. I'm not even sure if the meat was Wagu but at the upgraded price over the regular fajitas, not worth it. I'm done with this restaurant. read more

Where do i begin, the unfriendly greeting by host, the long wait time to order once we were sat, the poor service by the staff, the small (tiny) portions, the over priced food that doesn't give you options, the disengaged server, the rude unprofessional staff, starting with the Sunday Manager arguing with me for my underwhelmed portions and lack of satisfactory explanations., impersonal wait staff. No veteran discount or adjustment on price for average tasting food, filling the plate with means and rice with tiny main portions of dish. Terrible experience will Notbe returning and i recommend that you don't consider this wanna be Mexican restaurant for any meal plans!! Very disorganized and unprofessionally ran place ive been to, i hope it get replaced by an authentic Mexican restaurant because at this rate its just a waste of space aling with the rude woman who is the sunday manger! TERRIBLE! read more

Matador Meridian - Restaurant - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

I am only give this place a 3 star for the chips and salsa as well as our service...like any Mexican joint I rage 1st by the chips and salsa these were very solid with great homemade salsa. Wish I would've just filled up on these. Plus the service was excellent but the food was blah blah.... My fajitas were so bland and the chicken tater like the chicken was precooked. Plus for $25 the portion was pretty skimpy. My wife ordered the pastor seasonal tacos and to be honest they were not good at all. If you have ever had traditional pastor this was a huge disappointment. Plus while eating my wife found a long piece of hair in her food. So with the fact these weren't very good and the hair she was very dissatisfied. Inside the restaurant is very modern and cool and it's too bad because the 90's grunge music playing with the inside decor vibe this was very hopeful. This is now our 2nd attempt at this restaurant while the 1st attempt was at their downtown location. Both experiences have left me disappointed and it's too bad. For overpriced Mexican this wasn't worth it at all. I would've much rather drove up to Nampa to Mesa Taco or Amano in Caldwell. read more

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The food was very bland almost as if they're scared to season the food I had the steak tacos and it was not great. Service was decent the ambiance is pretty good nice interior. But yeah just bland food nothing special I would go somewhere if you're looking for authentic Mexican food. read more

Arrived at Matador and greated by a friendly hostess. We had 5 adults, 1 child, and an infant. We were seated in a booth that was rather small, but it was somewhat busy so we understood. Our server, who was also curtious and friendly came buy, took our drink order and we asked her where we could put the babies stroller and she showed us. As we were trying to detach the seat portion from the stroller a man approaches who works at the restaurant, we assume a manger, and in a very unfriendly tone told us we could not leave the stroller there. We explained that we are just trying to get the baby out and into the cramped booth. He then leaves when another approached right after he left, also assuming a manager, who was even more unfriendly then the first guy and he told us to move the stroller. Great managerial skills for both of these rude individuals. As far as the drinks were concerned all were very good. The food then came out and it was average at best. We were hoping that we would have an enjoyable evening, but between some less than friendly staff and very average food we will not be back. read more

We love this place. Have gone dozens of times and today was no exception on greatness. One of the best Happy Hour menus in town as well with excellent food, portions, and prices. Chips and salsa is just bomb! Great service, cool atmosphere. Love this place! read more

I'm new to this restaurant and stopped for an early dinner while I was in the area. I ordered the Matador bowl with carnitas, which was very delicious. The chips and salsa were also great. read more

Matador Meridian - Matador Bowl - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

Wait was reasonable, busy but staff managed well. Wait service was timely and friendly. Food was quick and very good. Ambience was a tad noisy, but tolerable. read more

Food- par - by the way par is not good or bad it's what's expected. Ambiance- lip out birdie, fun - almost made it. Service. (Only the Meridian location on Monday, slow evening, I get it) Bar tender and wait person are eating their dinner at end of bar. I needed service but their hunger came first was my perception. cool, no worries only two people at bar. Service was a bogey. Do better. Strike one, everyone gets three strikes. So I will try again. Management always needs to strive for excellence. This is not fast food. Location should not allow you take your foot off the pedal. Take out the driver and let the big dog eat. read more

I love the atmosphere in matador, it's such a great vibe. The food is pretty good as well and always comes out super fresh and tasty. I love the drinks here a lot and how many options they have for tequila mixed drinks. read more

Matador Meridian - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

It was a Tuesday night. Movie Night at the Village and normally we run not walk to the Yard House for their awesome Happy Hour specials but this night we decided to do something different. We wandered into the Matador. It was our first visit and the star of the evening goes to M'lissa R. M'lissa was so cheerful and friendly. She directed us to the Happy Hour menu where we found the Tuesday Taco deals as well as Guacamole, and spirits. She was super-understanding of me being a Vegan and let me know that the Beyond Picadillo Tacos did have cheese on them. I had a feeling but I was not sure. STORYTIME If you are in Mexico, and you get street tacos, they will never get cheese on them. Putting cheese on street tacos is a very GRINGO thing to do and that sums up Matador. BACK TO THE REViEW But, let's get back to M'lissa because she was is fully deserving of 5 stars. My companion had the Cucumber and Jalapeno Margarita. It's stunning to look at and packs a wallop. I'm not sure how the bar manager makes his statement because there is some overpouring going on if you know what I mean. We entertained the Chips and Salsa. Both were very gringo but okay. My wife had to add a little salt to the salsa to enhance the flavors. The Guacamole came out with Chicharrones and Pico De Gallo. Beautifully presented. { See my pics } but the Guacamole was lacking in flavor. It tasted as if it came out of a bag. I do appreciate that M'lissa made sure that the cheese on the Guacamole was on the side. Another A Plus for her service. Our tacos arrived shortly thereafter. Look, it's a super good deal. 5 Tacos for $8. but even my Beyond Picadillo Tacos were lacking in flavor. I did eat all my tacos and I do appreciate that there was a plant-based offering but there are just some subtle changes that the kitchen can do to enhance the flavors of their menu offerings. They were missing garlic, salt. and just a dash of cumin. Matador does not offer any spicy salsas. Cholula is the extent of the spicy. #gringomexicanfood The Matador was packed with patrons but no one looked like a Matador. It's unfortunate as M'lissa's service was one of the best I have had in Meridian, but the food quality is simply made for patrons who prefer no seasonings and bland representations of classic Mexican dishes. #gringomexicanfood Will I come back? I would like to and I hope I can sit in M'lissa's section while I have some chips and salsa and a beer or two while I keep my expectations in check. Here's my Star breakdown M'lissa's Service - 5 Stars Vegan Options - 4 Stars Atmosphere - 3 Stars Food Quality - 2 Stars Price of the Food - 4 Stars Price of the Drinks- 2 Stars read more

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Matador never disappoints us. Went there for happy hour. Ordered a few frozen Margaritas. Wrong ones showed up but the order was quickly corrected. Got the street tacos, Brussel sprouts and habanero shrimp. Each was perfect. The shrimp was mega spicy and certainly not for all palates. Totally recommend this location. Easier parking than at the 8th street location in Boise. Attentive service. read more

Food is awful, service is horrible. Waste of money. Overpriced Mexican food that isn't even good. They just mask everything with spice.

The food is always good and I have never ran into any issues with service. You can always sit at the bar anytime.

Went to Matador after seeing a show Saturday night. We were greeted by the hostess and seated immediately. Our server was friendly and attentive. The carnitas street tacos were pretty good and we've always enjoyed the atmosphere. Why the three stars? I mentioned the good but there was one big surprise with the bill and the restaurant's policy for using coins as change. Matador doesn't give coins for change to cash paying customers. We presented our cash payment to our server with cash bills and the change. She asked if we needed change back and I said yes. I used a larger denomination bill than the actual check amount and the coins and expected to receive a twenty dollar bill in return. Upon returning our server gave us nineteen dollars and returned our change. She said Matador rounds up the bill and doesn't give or take coin change. I was stunned. She told us it was restaurant policy. I did some research and found out that this practice is totally legal. A bit surprising and seems unethical especially since we were not informed of this policy when presenting our payment type. We found out after she closed out our check. Too bad, it spoiled what was a pleasant experience in Matador. read more

Food, service, and outdoor patio are all awesome. Really enjoyed my time here. I appreciate the portion sizes as I was full after one taco and few bites of rice and beans. read more

Matador Meridian - Baja Fish Tacos Mango Margarita - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Meridian, Idaho

We went on a Friday night. Hostess said it would be about 45 minute wait so we ponied up to the bar. We ordered our drinks, took a few sips and our table was ready. I had the Baja tacos which were really good. The black beans and rice that came with them were bland. Just want ala carte tacos next time. Wife had pork belly tacos and they had a kick. super spicy. she loved them, but would order something different next time. Overall, dinner and experience was good. read more

Matador bowl with Carnitas was phenomenal! Highly recommend you sit at the fireplace table. You never know who you're gonna meet across from you a.k.a. cigar lounge Owner Josh very cool couple. read more

Haven't had such a poor experience dinning on a long time. Everything that I ordered was not made per the menus description. My drink a strawberry magonada, was supposed to come with tajin and chamoy dressings. All I got was a glass with some kind or strawberry syrup and a lime. No biggie maybe the forgot..... second one exactly the same. Then or ordered the carne asada plat with garlic chili shrimp. What I got was plain barley cooked shrimp and 2 chunks of flavorless steak. When I told the waitress her response was would you like some sauce... and proceeded to bring me the most awful sauce on earth. No apologies or offer to correct it. The money spent was not worth it at all and we will no longer bee going back. read more

Popped in here for a quick bite and drinks on a Friday evening before going to the movies and it was great! We ordered the brussels sprouts and they were fantastic! And if you sit at the bar, make sure you meet Mayra. She's the sweetest, she's funny, she works her butt off and we would come back just to hang with her again! Love this place and will be back! read more

Food is good just not what I would say is authentic Mexican food. This place is definitely for those who want to feel like it's Mexican but don't actually want Mexican food but Mexican American. read more

We had the best server! M'lisaa was so sweet and gave EXCELLENT recommendations. I had the chicken flautas and my SO had the Baja fish tacos. Both were huge dishes that came with rice and beans so plenty to eat. Go hungry. Our drinks were also super tasty. Strawberry tequila lemonade. Excellent summer drink. Our water was refilled. Our chips were refilled too. Plenty to eat, excellent wait staff. Highly recommend sitting in M'lisaa's section! read more

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