Your first dinner at Matt's is like a first date you hope will never end. The crown jewel of the Market-area restaurants, Matt's redefined intimate dining and personal service when it opened its 23-seat spot on the second floor of the Corner Market Building. A recent expansion nearly doubled the amount of seats, but the basics remain: a lunch counter perfect for grabbing a delicious po'boy or cup of gumbo, an inviting space with simple adornments like clear glass vases filled with flowers from the market, a seasonal menu that synthesizes the best picks from the restaurant's neighbors, and an excellent wine list. At dinner, starters might include such delectable items as Manila clams steamed in beer, herbs, and chilies; entrées always include at least one catch of the day and one good vegetarian option. And yes, there is a Matt -- he's a hell of a nice guy and is often in the restaurant chatting with regulars.
Member Reviews & Ratings:
Avoid it!
Posted by Konnektor from Seattle on 7/10/08
I think Matt's success has gone to their head; they've become arrogant and complacent, relying on their once solid reputation as an authentic place for good food and service. No more. I don't take any pleasure in writing this because I was a long time fan of Matt's since they were literally just a hole in the wall. But in the last year or so, their service, food quality, and value for the money has declined. But I continued to go there with hopes it would improve. But yesterday was my tipping point to abandoning them for good. Had lunch there and ordered the Boccadillo sandwich. I know and accept that they are not cheap but for $14, I was served a small cup of seafood chowder, and a stark-looking sandwich that's about 6" long! No attempt at presentation! BUT what sucked is, towards the end of our meal, they rudely asked us to move to another table!! They arrogantly slapped me with the lame excuse that they're "a busy restaurant and we need tables for people who have reservations"!!! We refused to move because (a) we were there with reservations too and (b) we were almost done dining anyway! But what made us defiant was simply the way we were asked; it was dismissive and wasn't even close to polite!!! I've experienced other lapses and missteps in their service before but have been forgiving about it. But after this incident, I can not earnestly recommend a place that has lost its focus on quality of food and POSITIVE customer experience! In this tight economy, you'll find better value for your $$ elsewhere! Remind restaurants like these that you as a customer make the choice and pay their bills!
FOOD: 3.0
ATMOSPHERE: 5.0
SERVICE: 1.0
VALUE: 2.0
RATING: 2.8