El Matador Restaurant in Patchogue
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Patchogue, Suffolk County, New York, US
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Site: http://elmatadorpatchogue.com/
- Monday:12–9:30PM
- Tuesday:12–9:30PM
- Wednesday:12–9:30PM
- Thursday:12–9:30PM
- Friday:12–10PM
- Saturday:12–10PM
- Sunday:12–9:30PM
This place is amazing! Food is extravagantly delicious with out being over priced. Service was excellent from the time we walked in the door until we walked out. Probably the only negative was the bathroom was cold. Everything else completely exceeded expectations. We will definitely be back.
Great place for Spanish food with an El Salvadorian flare.We went with another couple because it was equidistant to our home and we will definitely be back.The food was fantastic...enough said. The margaritas and sangria were awesome too. Lots and lots of different flavors of each to try.
Began with Happy Hour...not only was it inexpensive but the Happy Hour appetizers were delicious! We had tostone relleno, pimiento relleno and nachos. The nachos werent your regular nachos but a big crisp tortilla with chopped meat and cheese cut into 8ths like a pizza. The waitress Monica was so welcoming and friendly. She made recommendations which we were happy we followed. We then moved to our table for dinner which also did not disappoint. The presentation of the entres were very nice. Toward the end of the evening we had the pleasure of meeting the chef Juan which we thanked for his culinary talents. It was evident that this man cooked. With passion!
I have ordered from El Matador a few times over the last couple of weeks and got their family taco special each time. For $35, the special includes beans, rice, chicken, pico, sour cream, lettuce, and cheese and feeds my family of five. The chicken is seasoned well and the pico has a nice kick to it thanks to the jalepenos. It is 100% worth it.That being said... tonight I ordered the nachos (pictured) along with my family special. For $8.95, these are absolutely not worth it. There are only eight chips included and they tasted okay. I called the restaurant to ask if this was normal and got a very snappy response from who I believe was the manager. I was told that the menu indicated that this was a nacho pizza but check out their menu (screenshot and attached) and judge for yourself. I was also told that all the toppings made it worth it.I was willing to overlook the disappointing menu item but I cant overlook their poor response.
FIVE STARS. PERIODNice little place off the road. Super nice staff, unbelievably tasty food.Even the salsa and chips you start out with…. They are from a different world…If you live on Long Island or you ever visiting, it’s a must place to have a meal here. You’ll not regret it….
Terrific food. Everything we got was good. Very flavorful arroz con Pollo and tacos too. We were there during a downpour. Not many customers, so it was tough to judge the service but the waitress was pleasant and patient with us. Delicious food with great serving size was good enough for me to give it high stars.
Went here with a family, after officiating their recently deceased loved one, and this place was very terrific! They made sure everyone could be seated, the service was excellent, the food was excellent! And they offered the bereaved family members a free meal. I cant say enough about how much I love their Ceviche ...I highly recommend you going there and I plan on returning.
The food is excellent and service was very good. My family has been getting the take out meal for many months during the pandemic. The take out meal is absolutely delicious, so I was glad to have the opportunity to finally dine in the restaurant today. Not sure I want to give away the secret, but this gem is not to be missed!
Best kept secret in long island💪🏿✌🏿The food is unbelievable, layers of meticulous flavor that dances in your mouth. Everything taste so good...makes you feel bad it took you so long to find this place. So delicious. A cut above with quality food that is so delicious and the desserts. Wow. Myself and wife really enjoyed the smooth cultured ambiance, so relaxing. Family restaurant. Perfect for a date or a seat at the bar . Staff amicable, friendly and nice. Will be back . Food taste soooo good .
I don’t write reviews for restaurants. This is the best food I’ve ever had. Period.The baked clams are outlandish....The specials are ridiculous.....The take out family deals are incredibly delicious and a great dealThe fajitasThe calamariOmg!!!I truly love this place!Food cooked with love
The staff is talented and accommodating. The food is superb and the portions are generous. Excellent atmosphere and friendly staff. The chef came out and said hello to us. One of the ladies who was serving put together a fruit punch for our party that was very Innovative and delicious tasting. Kudos to her for making it a memorable night.
Great food and drinks! I ordered spicy mango margaritas and it was perfectly made to my liking. Also ordered the Calamari appetizer which came with a spicy dipping sauce which was delicious! For main course i got the special of the day which was a fresh Bronzini fried and served with 4 jumbo fried shrimp accompanied with white rice, salad and fried plaintain!! Definitely will go back for more!!!!
We wanted to support a local business tonight (were new to the area) and we settled upon El Matador. Customer service was great and accomodating during this pandemic time - the food was brought out to our car, employees wore masks and gloves. We got a margarita and white sangria and a variety of food. Everything was fresh and delicious. Presentation was also great because of the colorful flowers added on top of our dishes. Cant wait to go back again!
For the area, the food is exactly what you would expect (except the nachos - they come out like tiny pizza slices). The empanadas are traditional, and the tacos are overstuffed. The coleslaw is unique and the service staff is very attentive and dedicated. It isnt very vegetable-forward and the decor/ambiance is minimal/nil.
Since they opened in 2018, Ive driven past this restaurant four or five times everyday and only recently decided to give it a try.Part of me wants to not say how delicious the food is. Part of me wants to not mention how delicious AND stong the drinks are. I want to keep this gem hidden like a greedy miser. However, I dont want to have just found this place and see it close. It would also suck if it gets too popular but... Yes, give it a try, it is worth it.
This restaurant is a hidden gem. The food is absolutely delicious, from the porkchops to the chipolte shrimp and steak and the empanadas areaddicting. The food is always fresh. It is a family owned businessthat truly cares about their customers. Try it and you will be back for more.
Food was OK. Prices a bit high for what it is. Service was fair and had to have them correct an order mistake which they did fine. The chicken was overcooked for my taste and the lemon sauce only ok. Noise level was annoying and high with the music they play just amplified on the tile floors.
Hosted a holiday party at El Matador in their private room. I have nothing but praises for this restaurant. Emily was very helpful in helping me plan the evening and ensuring everything went smooth the night of. Chef Juan did not disappoint with his delicious food. I would definitely recommend El Matador whether for a private party or just a night out for food and drinks.
Hours say they open at 12. we got there at 1 and they were not ready to open. We waited in the parking lot for about 10 minutes. The service was fine and the margaritas were great but the meal was the worst Ive been served. The presentation was nice but the chicken was under cooked and fatty. It was not edible. Very very disappointed.
My husband and I just came back from El Matador and we are blown away . The wait staff is warm and welcoming . The white sangria we tried looked and tasted amazing . We ordered their besito Salvadoreño and did not stop to talk until our plates were cleaned. We also had their banana bread with what seemed to be cookies and cream filling that was out of this world. The food here is flavorful , drinks are cold and tasty and desserts hit the spot to perfection. You must make your way to this restaurant and experience it for yourself . We will definitely be returning.
Food was just okay. I have had so much better. Pretty over priced too. No chips on table or bread to start. Food took awhile to be served. Fajitas were not sizzling meat was dry only 3 fajitas skins very hard and crunchy not kept in steam container no sour cream or guacamole. Empanadas were like rocks nothing like i have had in the past from Mexican and Puerto Rican friends or restaurants. Atmosphere was bar like not authentic ethencity decor more basement warehouse style and very loud . First impression was not good so no plans to return. Needs improvement .
I would highly recommend El Matador. They were amazing with dietary restrictions. The chef makes everything thing to order so you know the food is fresh. We got the Pollo Al Madrid and we asked for it to be plain chicken with no seasoning . I am always nervous to do that at restaurants. The server made sure it was correct, she also had the chef make the vegetables steamed so they would be plain. I got the Mariscada and it was great as well as the Aroz Con Pollo. The amount of food they give is very generous. We will definitely be going back!
Total reviews rating 4.5
199 Reviews for El Matador Restaurant 2023:
Review №1
2022-06-24Came for a weekday lunch with my wife. The place looked empty but had good music on. The server took us to our table and brought some nachos with salsa. We ordered mango and passion fruit juice and ceviche as appetizer. The ceviche was full of shrimp but had a peculiar ketchup taste that I didnt personally like. Ordered the Matador Fajita and the last seafood entree that came with scallops, muscles, squid, shrimp and rice on the side. We loved the entrees! Very good portions. Its a great place to take your partner out for dinner.
Review №2
2022-07-20So where do I start when I went to a restaurant and actually had an absolute perfect meal.Tonight my family and I went to El Matador in Patchogue. Its been a few months since Ive been there and whenever I go I like to try different things tonight was no exception.Lets start with alcohol, it was good tonight. I had something called a Michelada... I hope Im spelling that correctly. It is a Mexican beer mixed with spicy hot sauce Im guessing Mexican seasonings and tomato juice. I had absolutely never heard of it but asked the waitress what she recommended and that was her go-to. After she brought it and I drank most of it I said I hope it was a little bit spicier and she said that normally it is but they dont like to make things too spicy not knowing people can handle it. She said next time order it with spicy and she will make it spicier.My wife had not one but two strawberry margaritas. Again the waitress recommended half sugar half salt rim and it was out of this world she said.We started the meal with an appetizer. This appetizer was a stuffed plantain filled with cheese and chicken and it was just so good.Kenny stepped outside of his comfort zone tonight. We are very proud of him because on his own he ordered a chicken fajita. It came in the sizzling plate and he actually put like real ingredients in it. I half expected him to dig through and just put chicken but there was a little bit of everything in it and it was absolutely beautiful.Gabby got chicken Mexican street tacos. The tortillas look fresh and homemade and Gabby said they were on the thinner side so they were a little messy. My daughter does not care about getting messy so she thoroughly enjoyed them. A lot of times you worry about the chicken being dry but it was moist and flavorful and so good.My wife ordered besito salvadoreno. Is it traditional Latin dish, grilled top sirloin steak served with a fried egg avocado chorizo sweet plantains and a side of rice and beans. The steak was cooked perfectly and the treat so had enough spice to be comfortable but not bland at all.And my dish I left mine to last because there are so many things I want to tell you about this dish. Visually it was not the most colorful dish but taste wise the flavors exploded in my mouth. I had chuleta frita. Boneless pork chop 3 pan seared boneless pork chops sauteed and onions and a light brown sauce. I got a side salad and sweet plantains. Next time I order this dish I would probably forgo the salad and ask for double plantains. They are out of this world good. The light brown sauce Im going to be honest and say I wish a loaf of crusty Italian bread came with. I would have stopped up every ounce of that sauce. It was so tasty. I dont know if thats an Italian thing alone or if people of Spanish heritage would do the same but oh my God it was amazing I had to restrain myself from picking up the bowl and drinking the sauce. It was honestly that good.
Review №3
2021-06-19The perfect whole in the wall joint! It’s a small place off of a busy road but it’s perfect. A decent bar and perfect happy hour options to choose from. The food is amazing and so are the drinks. Perfect place to grab dinner or even sit at the bar and watch a game!! 10/10
Review №4
2022-06-12El Matador is a pleasure and the food is fantastic! We come here often and i must say the service is great! Emily and her team are very accommodating and attentive. The drinks are strong and tasty. The food here is always delicious, we have never had a bad meal. This place is our #1 go to restaurant! If you havent been here yet, put it on your list! You wont regret it!
Review №5
2020-08-31Just go here. Friendly attentive staff. Absolutely delicious food and the passionfruit sangria is to die for! I never knew this place existed and only by accident saw it on the side of rt112. Well Im glad for mistakes because this is now one of our favorite restaurants! If you like dessert, the tres leches cake is also amazing. Go, you will not be disappointed!
Review №6
2022-06-15Services was grade A, my waiter was very hospitable & professional. The food spoke for it self, the presentation was beautiful while the the steak was juicE and flavorful.This restaurant is true to its words a diamond in the ruff! But thats not the best of it!! After I ate my food I had the pleasure of speaking to the 👨🍳 of this wonderful establishment. Its a fresh breath of air to meet someone who has a passion for what they do, a passion to create & and express so beautifully what he loves about cooking. As you observe from the picture his presentation is on point. The Salsa & the Picante are made from scratch and you taste the effort thats put in to everything. This review doesnt express how wonderful my experience was here & I plan on visiting more! O yea ask for Ingrid as your waiter!!
Review №7
2022-07-02Been here a couple times, the food is alright. I had the New York strip steak that came with the pico de Gallo. The combination is not it. The plates look very pleasing to the eye, but they are alright. 2nd time I ate the sol, mar, plate. Shrimp, chicken and steak on the same plate. Weird combo too and not very tasty. 3rd time I tried the paella Valenciana. The flavor was good but there was no rice at all. It was over killed with all the sea food and meats. I think they should work on portions and variety in flavor. It all tastes the same.
Review №8
2022-05-09The food was okay . The attention was very good 👍 but I don’t think is a 5 star restaurant is more like a 3 It needs more food selection on the menu plus small portions for the price
Review №9
2019-06-30This is an amazing little gem. Family owned and operated. Service was extremely friendly and everything we ate was amazing. Atmosphere was nice, artwork really cute and charming and the authentic music was perfect and uplifting. We had the Mango Sangria, Croquettes de Jamon (so simple yet incredible), Plantano Relleno (amazing pairing of flavors), Street Tacos, Paella, Tres Leches and Strawberry Shortcake. We didnt have a single thing we did not declare delicious. It was a culinary experience and eating here felt like we were on a mini vacation. Highly recommend.
Review №10
2020-02-15Clean and welcoming. I had the salmon and it was tasty and nice size portion. Rice was just the way I like it. My wife loved her meal, I grab a piece of her steak. It was well flavored! Nice friendly staff. Well be going back.