Finally!!! I was starting to think finding great salsa after relocating to Boise was an impossible mission. Full disclosure: I'm a Tex-Mex fan, not an authentic-Mexican-food purist. And I'm also a bit of a salsa snob. We stopped in for happy hour for the first time and started with the FREE salsa -- which, apparently, isn't always a given in Boise. It was legitimately some of the best salsa I've ever had. Then we ordered the Grande Nachos with chicken. "Grande" is not false advertising. The portion was enormous, we got completely full, and never even made it to trying anything else. I can count on three fingers the places, out of MANY attempts, where I've found truly great nachos -- and these get the #1 finger. And no, that's not the middle finger. Highly recommend everything we've had so far. We'll definitely be back to work our way through the rest of the menu. So far: winner for sure. read more

The Matador - Mexican Near Me - Boise, Idaho

See all

I frequent the Matador, however, this last Monday when I brought my granddaughter there... We waited a very long time for her Shirley Temple. And then waited a very long time for our food. By the time it arrived on our table, it was cold. I got a $10 discount off the meal. The server and the hostess act like it was my problem than theirs. I will never go back! read more

MATADOR DELETED MULTIPLE OF MY FRIENDS ONE STAR GOOGLE REVIEWS ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE THERE SO IM ADDING MY REVIEW TO THEIR YELP AS WELL. Such weird and potentially homophobic behavior from the waitstaff here last night. (My best friend i was with and her fiance are lesbians so i am not sure whether or not the staff's behavior had to do with that or if they are just normally this rude) Walked in with a group of friends for one of their birthdays just trying to find a place for a nice dinner. According to the waitlist we were supposed to be seated fairly quickly (within 10 minutes we were told) but we ended up waiting for about a total of 30 minutes. We waited patiently outside for about 20 and then decided to step inside to see what was going on. Waitstaff had about 4 tables that they were dealing with but there was honestly probably more servers than active tables in the restaurant, there was a NUMBER of open tables while we stood at the front confused since we were the ONLY people waiting. Not a glance from any of the servers, not a "have you been helped yet?" nothing. We continued to stand there as 3 servers bussed ONE table together which was just so completely bizarre and they clearly were trying to avoid acknowledging our presence. As a server herself, one of my friends was just completely confused as to how multiple servers came up to where we were standing to use the POS system and then walk off without saying a word to us. When my friend inquired with the waitstaff about why we hadn't been seated yet, she rudely said "YOURE ON THE WAITLIST SO YOU NEED TO WAIT". We went to the funky taco next door, who had us greeted & seated immediately. The Matador will never have our business and we certainly wont be recommending them to anyone, ever. FYI Matador, this seems like an ongoing issue for you with your hosts and servers being miserable people after looking at your one star reviews so you might want to do the same and do something about it before you continue losing out on business. read more

When we first walked in our hostess Luna was the best! A hostess is who you first communicate with when going to a restaurant and they set the tone for the night. Luna was so sweet and helpful! The food is always spectacular and so are the drinks! read more

Came in for happy hour with my co workers tonight. You can't go wrong with great happy hour drinks and nachos. With my new kidney, I had to get my own sides since I can't really share food with my friends. I got some chicken tortilla soup and some brussel sprouts. The nachos did look amazing but I knew it we going to be too much food for me. Soup was full of chicken, corn and tortillas. The broth was rich and savory. It could have been a tad warmer but it was still delicious. My brussel sprouts were crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. I love the sweet and savory glaze that we used! Every bite was delicious. Service was great tonight. Our server did a great job making sure our drinks were never dry. The atmosphere here is always on point. The food was fantastic as always. I look forward to coming back for another round of happy hour soon! read more

See all

We always love coming to The Matador. The food and drinks are delicious. Our server was great and offer some great recommendations. It is noisy, and they definitely maximize seating with the space they have. But the food and service are always great. read more

The Matador - Tequila menu, Chips & Salsa - Mexican Near Me - Boise, Idaho

See all

I came here while in town with a newer friend. They could accommodate gluten and dairy free so that was a bonus. I ordered a Cadillac margarita and carne asada tacos. The tacos lacked flavor but provided me nourishment. The salsa was flavorful. The margarita was also just okay. Had good service which was nice. Overall just okay. read more

Happy hour menu ! I'm a little disappointed in my strawberry mangonada it did not taste at all as it is just a strawberry margarita ! Missing the mango in the drink and the strawberry was rotten so I did but enjoy that at all . Tacos are pretty good !the flavors are good and definitely a place to hit up for a late night meal ! read more

See all

It was our first time dining here. Service was great and the food was delicious and our beers were served in frosty glasses which was a bonus. We ordered the carne asada fries and Al pastor enchiladas, both flavorful. read more

Was excited to go to the Funky Taco to grab some vegan Mex food during our recent long weekend in Boise. Sadly, they had to close early due to a plumbing issue so we went with Plan B: Matador. Easy to find a seat inside and we were able to find some Beyond picadillo-based vegan options. Started with some tasty margaritas -- it was happy hour! -- and placed our orders. My wife had nachos -- huge portion and my wife loved them -- and I had the Beyond picadillo tacos. Fast and friendly service and good drinks and food -- turned out to be a solid Plan B! read more

The Matador - Mexican Near Me - Boise, Idaho

One of our favs. However today was terrible. We got there just before happy hour started. Our chips were crumbs and dark colored as if they were cooked in old oil. Tasted rancid. They have changed the Habanero Shrimp appetizer order from six shrimp now to five shrimp with rice , same price.No crisp polenta with it anymore? Gone? Shrink flation at its best. Gone? Bad replacement. Our Entrees were the Verde Carnitas Enchiladas ....meat was super dry like jerky. Must of been yesterday's meat. Come on El Matador step it up. read more

The food? Would have liked it a bit hotter. Thank God for the bacon wrapped stuffed jalapeños!!! These savory appetizers are delicious. One order can be a meal in itself. Ambiance is dark and mysterious. I love it! read more

Great top shelf margaritas! Cool staff. Great bar to have after dinner drink. Great old building interior with full wall bar. Not loud this Wednesday evening which was nice to relax with friends. read more

have never in my life experienced such bizarrely rude behavior from a serving staff. I met up with a group of friends earlier tonight who had been already been waiting about 20 minutes by the time I got there. we were supposed to get a table within five minutes, according to the waitlist, but ended up waiting another 20-30 minutes afterward. Despite us waiting at the front host table that whole time, not once did a single member of staff ask if we been seen, ask how long we were waiting, provide an update, etc. etc. Instead, they bused tables together, and did random tasks. Most confusingly, they did all this without once even looking at us, which was obviously because they were avoiding eye contact so they didn't have to address us. It was like being in the twilight zone. Not to mention, they had three, maybe four tables to deal with. They were not packed, they were not even particularly busy, but the staff could not be bothered to even acknowledge the fact we were there. We really just wanted a drink, not a big dinner, so I sat down at the closest chair until a server came and brought a couple of us a couple waters and a menu and asked if we had been seated. I said no, we've just been next-up for an hour and don't know why no one has talked to us yet. The server then went to ask the host about it, then came back, grabbed the menu and THE WATER I WAS DRINKING OUT OF MY HAND, then said "well you just decided to sit down at a table without being seated." We left and had a positively lovely experience at the Funky Taco next door. However I will absolutely not be recommending anyone try the Matador for a nice dinner out ever again. read more

If you're looking for good Mexican food and great drinks in downtown Boise, The Matador is a solid choice. The atmosphere is lively and perfect for a night out right on 8th Street. We had the ribeye tacos, verde enchiladas, and fish tacos; everything was really good, but the ribeye tacos definitely stood out. Tons of flavor and cooked just right. The enchiladas had a great balance with the verde sauce, and the fish tacos were fresh and well put together. The drinks are a highlight here too. Strong margaritas and a good cocktail selection make it an easy spot to hang out for a while. Service was great, very attentive, always making sure we had what we needed and keeping our drinks full without being over the top. Even better, everything felt reasonably priced for the quality and location. Overall: good food, great drinks, excellent service, and a fun downtown vibe. Definitely worth a stop. read more

My boyfriend and I came in for happy hour, excited to try the food. The atmosphere seemed nice, but our experience felt a little uneven. It took a while before we were greeted, and we noticed that other parties who arrived after us were quickly served complimentary chips and salsa - something we were never offered. In fact, the table next to us received multiple refills without having to ask, while we weren't given any at all. It's not really about the chips and salsa, but more about the principle and how it felt to be overlooked. I couldn't help but wonder if we stood out for our ethnicity and skin color, which made me feel somewhat out of place. I don't usually write reviews like this, but my gut told me something was off. We were looking forward to supporting this spot, but unfortunately, we'll be heading to another restaurant on 8th Street next time. read more

Good-not great. We're we're tying different spots out sampling here and there. Ordered the coconut shrimp it was ok, a little over cooked. Loved the tequila selection and loved the knowledge our waitress had about the tequila. She was awesome and able to point me to one that I had not tried but will definitely be trying again. I'll go back for the tequila and service the food... I'll just keep it as appetizers read more

See all

The service was great, but the food was sub par. My carne asada tacos had meat that was so thin and was over cooked like beef jerky. Margaritas tasted like packaged sour mix. There are many better places to get Mexican food in the treasure valley. read more

Baja fish tacos...legit. House made "hot" sauce...legit. Skinny mezcal margarita...bang! Legitimately banging the Matador is. Great service, awesome dining space right downtown. read more

From the moment our group (of 6) walked in it was like we were an inconvenience. After calling ahead and seeing if we needed to make a reservation for a group and they said no need "come on in" We were excited for our dinner. Food was great! Good prices and great portions. But customer service was no where to be found. Eyes were rolled by multiple employees when asking for a table. The initial employee that noticed us walk in had the worse look on her face and ended up being our server. Our group was kind, fast to order and ready to tip 20% since we were a big group. The first words that came out of her mouth had a bad tone and made us all feel like an inconvenience. "Summer" the waitress made it so awkward and miserable Julianna was the host. Understanding that some people have bad days and maybe we caught her on a bad day... her attitude kept doubling down. Passive aggressive behavior, comments and fake kindness the whole time. At the end of our dinner we asked for some assistance and yet again we were an inconvenience for this server. All of us felt uncomfortable and ended up asking for a managers number. Not to mention it was one of our guests bdays and no special dessert or anything. Maybe this isn't something to expect here but it added to the negative experience we all had. Not coming back to this location again and grateful for the AMAZING service we ended up getting dining at a restaurant across the street at Red feather lounge. read more

Food was AMAZING! The server was very sweet and accommodating of my dietary restrictions. The mocktail was also very delicious and comes with a refill! The place was dimly lit and perfect for a late night dinner. read more

The Matador - Roasted Chile Rellenos w/ beyond picadillo & Matador quesadilla & prickly pear mocktail - Mexican Near Me - Boise, Idaho

I'm visiting the area and we needed a place to eat mid shopping spree and stumbled on this spot. The front entry way was intriguing to us immediately. One thing I personally wasn't fond of was how dark the lighting was inside. For a date night it would be perfect. I tried the verde chicken burrito and it was absolutely delicious. We also had the queso con chorizo which was a 5 out of 10, nothing terrible but it wasn't amazing either. I would return and try more of their menu if I'm ever in the area again. read more

The Matador - Mexican Near Me - Boise, Idaho

Food and drinks were great. We had a great family dinner. Service was also good and will be back.

Along with a TV showing sports, Bob Ross' the joy of painting was on another TV. I've never seen anything other than football or basketball on at a bar so this separated the Matador from every other bar I've ever been to. (Personally I don't follow sports so I appreciated that something I find more entertaining was on.) The bartender was also very friendly and provided excellent customer service. I'd definitely come here again to enjoy the ambiance and a refreshing drink. read more

The Matador - Bob Ross - Mexican Near Me - Boise, Idaho

Insane to just ignore a group on a slow Monday night, but with service that poor there's not point in even considering this place.

Great service, consistent food. Drinks and the bar are AMAZING. Highly recommend:) try the Baja tacos. Fire! And the michilada beer with corona read more

The Matador - Baja fish tacos. Tacos, were great! Rice was good. Michalada drink was great! - Mexican Near Me - Boise, Idaho

This place is located centrally in the popular 8th restaurant row. We were greeted immediately and led to a table. We were given a happy hour tent card, wine and cocktail list, seasonal specials, and the standard menu. I felt a bit like I was back in school with all this reading in front of me lol. The menu is actually well conceived and offered a spread of the Mexican dishes we typically expect (tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc). The server was quick to supply drinks and take our food order The food was actually very good. The chimichanga was creamy and the fish tacos quite delicious. They served the rice and beans with the chimichanga over a habanero sauce. Be warned, this is spicy. As a lover of spice and Thai food I was caught off guard by the heat in this sauce. You have been warned The downside of this place was the ambiance for me. It is quite loud. I suppose that is to be expected in a bar but I was sort of expecting more of a restaurant than a bar. The chairs were hard and became uncomfortable after about 15 minutes. I suppose that helps to turn the tables. And my final disappointment was that after the food came the waitress was impossible to flag down. She barely even glanced at us. It took a good 10 minutes to flag her down for a box. Then she brought the check and walked away before I could ask if I could tap to pay. Another 5 minutes later I flagged her down again and tapped and paid Overall I give the food very high marks 4 out of 5. But the atmosphere and service and seating eroded my good experience and turned it into an average evening. read more

The Matador - Chicken Chimichanga - Mexican Near Me - Boise, Idaho

See all

Our first time here and we enjoyed it. I had the surf and turf and it was really good. The habanero shrimp made me sweat, it a good way. The atmosphere and vibe was cool. The service was good, our waiter was very friendly. read more

The Matador - First time here - Mexican Near Me - Boise, Idaho

I have been here about 4 times now and the service I receive is terrible. The wait staff is not attentive at all and seems not to care if I get helped. I have tried to be very patient, yet I wait for at least 20 minutes if not longer for the server to ask if we would like a starter or to order. This is very frustrating as I have seen the staff have greater involvement with other parties where they go and see them 4-5 times before they ever check in. In addition the staff hasn't checked in through out the meal at all and getting a check seemed nearly impossible. It is getting to the point where I am not willing to put up with it and will happily find somewhere else to eat read more

The Matador in downtown Boise nails it. Bartender Margarita mixes killer seasonal margs--fresh, strong, dangerously good. Happy Hour deals are a wallet's dream and the portions? Massive. Come for the drinks, stay because you accidentally ordered enough food to cater a block party. read more

The Matador - Fire pit table inside - Mexican Near Me - Boise, Idaho

See all

Exceptionally friendly staff, always on top of refilling waters and checking in without being interruptive. Vibe is nice, low lighting and comfy while cool. Food is great and extremely reasonable 2 of us shared an order of nachos and shredded beef enchiladas and barely made it through one item. read more

Our family came to Boise for college visit for our daughter on her spring break. We are from SoCal so not really expecting amazing Mexican food. We were blown away with the service and quality of food. The dip flight was a huge hit! Fish tacos Rib Eye tacos and carnitas were also amazing. Loved and Cadillac Margarita as well. Hopefully we will be back many times over the next four years. read more

Very nice!! First time visiting. Food very delicious and waitstaff courteous, friendly and knowledgeable.

I wish I could say my son and I enjoyed our meal here. The restaurant itself wasn't very busy and our server was nice enough, but for some reason they decided it was a good time to pull out the power tools and do some light remodeling. We could barely enjoy our conversation, let alone the food with the shrill cry of their tools going off in the hallway. It wasn't even actual construction! Just what I can assume was one of their managers taking a grinder to the women's bathroom door! I understand modifications need to be made some time, but would it not be more appropriate to take care of these things before your customers come in? Very disappointing read more

Haba Shrimp... Inwoukd rendezvous with you any time any place. As much as it would hurt, I want to bathe in your sauce and enjoy every painful moment. Bottle that and sell it please, bht be sure to offer nationwide shipping so I can have it wherever I may be. Yes. This app and happy hour special is 100% worth it. Cocktails were also solid, but maybe a bit on the sweeter side for me. I tried a Smokey pineapple margarita (I think that was the name) and enjoyed it with my meal. The mezcal and pineapple were a good combo and it was perfect to quench the heat of the Haba shrimp. It was a larger drink, which made it feel a bit less boozy to me. We opted for the scallop and bacon taco. In theory it sounded good, but execution left us wanting a lot more. The scallops are small bay scallops, which have the sweetness but lack the tenderness of larger scallops. The Smokey bacon wasn't strong enough to stand up to the sauces and other garnishes. The thing that saved this taco was the addition of the... HABA sauce! If I could, I'd rate this a solid 3.5. I want to give it four because we had great service and good drinks, plus a standout dish, but the other food really left me wanting more. read more

The food was terrible, the service was terrible. The only thing that I can say is they were nice to people with dogs. Before I even put the last spoon in my mouth the waitress put the check on the table. The food was basically cold , it just seemed that nobody cared about anything. Also if you don't like the taste of raw garlic in salsa don't touch it . read more

I tried this 8th Street location and it seems much better than the one in Meridian. It was late after the BSU football evening game and happy hour (food only) had just started. They close at 1:00 AM in this vibrant section of downtown Boise, which is a huge positive for the area. I was astounded at the tequila menu; there were probably 200 different labels offered so if you are an aficionado this is your place! But I'm not so we just settled for some food. The nachos are a great value during happy hour but you will be charged more for anything other than ground beef. They are still a good value and they were delicious! I ordered the Roasted Squash & Black Bean Soup, a fall special and wow was it delicious as well; a very hearty soup with some shredded beef in it as well and it really hit the spot on a chilly night. The wait staff was fairly attentive although the waiter seemed like he did not want to be working that shift. I felt sorry for him; who knows what was going on in his personal life. But check them out sometime. Its a little loud but that was expected during happy hour. And some will not like the hard bench seating. We enjoyed our experience here, however. read more

The Matador - Mexican Near Me - Boise, Idaho

See all

Service by Jacob F was the best. He was attentive, friendly and he took all orders without writing anything down. The ambiance was very pleasant on the inside with patio seating outside as well. Food: Great! Guacamole was chunky with the right seasoning. Street tacos - tried all five selections - were perfect. Soft flour tortillas with plenty of filling. Quesadilla with carne asada was wonderful. Fire roasted corn esquites was delicious. The red salsa and the two green sauces are great. Only complaint was the first round of chips were crushed and too small to dip but Jacob brought out new larger chips. A will come back. read more

Quesabirria tacos, big ole plate of nachos, chicken tortilla soup, and coconut shrimp... so. stuffed. We shared everything and enjoyed it all! Our waitress gave us a tip: come on a Tuesday for Top Shelf Tuesday. We'll be back! read more

love coming here, they have the best margs, enchiladas and taco salad!! ambiance is great too!