Restaurant Finder
Matchbox
| Address | 713 H St., Washington, DC 20001 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (202) 289-4441 |
Rater Comments
Review by babycosette23 on December 29, 2007
I stopped by on a busy saturday afternoon, I waited for about ten minutes before being brought to a banquet on the second floor. The look of the place is very cool, sleek and modern. I ordered a cheese pizza with extra cheese. The pie was big enough to share with another person, but I put almost the whole thing away. Only quible was being seated by a family with a screaming baby. Other than that I had a good meal.
Review by ramchopps on June 11, 2007
I really like the food and ambiance of Matchbox...the exposed brick gives the whole place a cool, funky feel. For food, I've enjoyed the steak salad (desserts are also good). Unfortunately, the wait is SO LONG (especially on weekends) to get in. They take reservations on weekdays, but not on weekends and then it can take almost two hours if your party is large.
Review by Headwopz on May 27, 2007
I was very surprised that our table was ready within 10 minutes, the place was packed and I thought our wait would be longer. While the hostess did not inform us of the brevity of our wait, her failure to do so resulted in excitement when our name was eventually called. They had a wide range of beers from all over the world that were served in glasses specific to their brand which I thought was classy. Overall, the experience was urban chic on a pie.
Review by techfoodie on May 23, 2007
Dependable food, service and experience mean that the wait is worth it for this tiny restaurant (bigger than it appears from outside, thank goodness). Food is interesting, portions sizes just right, and selection of beers intriguing. Open all day, making it a good choice for events at the Verizon Center. (Side note: food choices in the Verizon Center are so dreadful nobody should consider eating there.)
Review by Miatarose on May 16, 2006
The mini burgers are good. They have gotten a little greasier since the last visit. The extra $3 for cheese on the burgers is an up sell this restaurant can do without.
The Calamari Salad is very good. The service makes this place shine.
The service is excellent. Young and energetic.
Nice selection of wine and beer. Including some you have not heard of.
Review by BackinDC on November 21, 2005
Overall, this is a very fun, hip, festive restaurant. We had to wait longer than they originally estimated due to some slow-moving guests (wait time was about 90 minutes for 4 people on a Friday night). The pizza was good - crust excellent, cheese a little heavy. And the sliders (mini burgers) were terrific! I will definitely go back to Matchbox to try some of their other offerings but during a less peak hour than Friday at 7 pm.
Review by m24679 on November 19, 2005
We love Matchbox and go about once a month. The biggest problem--long waits with nowhere to stand and wait! It's very cramped and the bar is always packed. Also, the bar is basically a walkway for servers, which causes them to have to push through to serve tables, which just makes things more difficult. Now that it's getting cold outside, standing outside is not a desireable option. Unfortunately, the weekend hostess also tends to underestimate the wait time. Once you get a table, though, Matchbox is cozy, the food is affordable and really good, and the servers are, for the most part, efficient and friendly.
Review by CobCobb on March 26, 2005
A pleasant dining experience. The mini-burgers were indeed delicious (don't insult their integrity with ketchup, which did not look or taste homemade at all). The "famous" onion rings, on the other hand, were slightly over-salted and slightly under-done. The pizza obviously had very fresh ingredients, but was kind of unremarkable otherwise. Contrary to what the previous reviewer said, Matchbox does still serve entrees. They all sounded quite good, but my party opted for sandwiches and salads. Good flavors and fine ingredients all around, although perhaps lacking in "finesse" as previously noted. Affordable wine list but not very exciting. Give it a shot, but make sure you have a party of four so your hour-long wait can end in a big comfy booth instead of a tiny bistro table!
Review by jamesbrownisdown on January 9, 2005
The reason I rated this so poorly is because Matchbox, compared to it 6 months ago, is awful. The main reason for this is the loss of their executive chef, Graig Glufling. I must say that the food has gotten increasingly worse since this, what I can only infer as, management mistake. Because of their lack of talent in the kitchen, they have taken all entrees off of the menu and only serve pizza, appetizers and sandwiches. It makes this place a less than average choice in the up and coming Chinatown area.
Since losing their executive chef, who truly made Matchbox what it is (including last year's best new restaurant by the RAMW), the food tastes different and there is less care and finesse that goes into their limited selection of dishes. I hope they get their act together soon and make the necessary improvements in the restaurant. In the meantime, I will be spending my time...and money at another more worthy, well-run establishment.
Review by brooketj5 on November 9, 2004
The appetizers and salad were great. The pizza was good, but takes second to Pizza Paridiso. I don't know that it is worth the hour plus wait.
Review by rudlinse on September 30, 2004
After relentlessly searching for a good restaurant to take friends for a Birthday celebration, we decided on this place. Everyone was very pleased and loved the food. The menu had too many appealing things to choose from. One warning, the place is TINY, so be prepared to wait....especially if you have a big group like we did. Thankfully, they have plenty of great drinks to choose from and a suprising amount of good beers on draft. I highly recommend the chicken pesto pizza and the BBQ shrimp wrapped in bacon are out of this world. I have to say, my friends and I felt like we had "discovered" a fabulous new retaurant...although I am sure most people feel that way about this place. :)
Review by JunieB on September 13, 2004
Matchbox is a little pricey for what it is: a design your own pizza place. However, the mini burgers found on the appetizer menu and the interesting assortments of beers make this a place to visit at least once. The mini burgers are hands down the best item on the menu and the onion strips lightly dusted with parmesan that accompanies the burgers are worth a visit alone. Dinner could be done on the visiting intern's budget if 2 people share a pizza and keep to domestic beers. Or, do what I'll do next time, just order mini burgers and refuse to share.
Review by Michelle95 on September 9, 2004
Having lived in NYC for several years, I have high standards for pizza. My 5 friends and I waited only a minute to get our table (once we had all arrived), surprising for 7 pm on a Friday. Then again, it was Labor Day weekend. The small bar quickly filled with people on dates or waiting for a table on one of the upstairs two floors. We tried 3 pizzas, 2 we made ourselves, and one was a specialty pizza. Being able to make our own was a plus for our food-challenged group. The pizza crust was thin and had a pleasant crunch to it, but all the pizzas were a bit too spicy (perhaps too much pepper in the sauce?) Although hesitant to order deserts, a chocolately cake and bread pudding were big favorites, while the green tea ice cream was a good palate cleanser between the two. I would go back for an easy night out with friends.
Review by booth on July 10, 2004
A very attractive setting in a fixed up old downtown building, but overcrowded and WAY too expensive for basically bar food -- burgers and pizzas. $14 for a burger? Really? And it wasn't really anything all that special. Nonetheless, very very busy, even on a Wednesday night.
Review by DGLevi on May 25, 2004
I love Matchbox...the pizza is pretty good. the mini burgers and onion straws are excellent. the atmosphere is one of the best in DC. but they keep it cold- bring a sweater! enjoy - they have all types of food to enjoy!
Review by syfanning on May 21, 2004
I have been interested in trying Matchbox for quite some time now, but have never done so because it looked so small and I am extremely claustrophobic. I finally decided to swallow my fears and try it. I was pleasantly surprised at how the designers managed to make a 15-foot wide, three story building into a comfortable restaurant.
While waiting for a table, we sat at the bar to have a drink. They offer a nice selecion of imported beers on tap, including, Delerium Tremmens, Maredsous Double, and Chimay - to name a few. Their wine list is designed with reputable and well-known wines that are reasonabley priced. Most wines are available both by the glass and bottle.
We started with shared appetizers: a plate of the mini burgers and the Mozzi Carozzi - a fried dish of an Italian bread and mozzeralla cheese. The burgers are served around a mound of shoestring onions crisps and a side dish of ketchup. The burgers, despite their size are cooked to a perfect medium temperature and are mouthwateringly delcious. The Mozzi Carozzi was much bugger than we anticipated, but we were glad of it as the dish was outstanding. The bread and cheese were tender and nicely spiced.
Matchbox is known mostly for their wood-fired pizzas, so naturally, we had to try one. We opted to create our own pizza, rather than have one of their specialty ones. The crust is delightfully thin and crispy - cooked to perfection in the wood burning oven. The ingredients and toppings are all gourmet, blending together to turn your every-day pizza into a symphony in the mouth. Even though we were absulutely full, we had to finish every last slice of pizza.
Matchbox is a wonderful spot for an amazing and reasonably priced dinner. I'm only sorry I didn't go there sooner.
Review by emilygersh on May 20, 2004
The best thing at Matchbox are the mini-burger appetizers, available in various portion sizes. Served with delicious shoestring fried potatos, this can be a meal in itself. The martini list is fun and inviting. The place is hard to get into most nights, but worth the wait.
Review by linzb9 on May 19, 2004
While I didn't expect a 45 minute wait on a tuesday night, it's not the restaurant's fault that its popular. The hostess wasn't overly friendly, and we did have to wait quite a while before being served at the bar. However, once we got seated our servers were friendly and efficient, the food was delicious, and we all had a great time. The mini-burgers to start are fabulous, and the pizzas are crisp and delicious. Just be sure to talk to your server because a few are on the spicy side.
Review by rebeccaleescott on May 18, 2004
This was my second trip to Matchbox, and I continue to be impressed. It's the best pizza I've had in DC, and, although I've yet to stray from the pizza menu, the sandwiches and tiny burgers look fantastic. The servers are friendly and helpful, and the ambience is just cool enough (although I could do without the Urban Outfitters soundtrack).
NOTE: Matchbox does not take reservations and gets very crowded during evening hours. It's worth the wait, though, so sidle up to the bar and enjoy the anticipation.
Review by kelly on May 8, 2004
Despite their brick oven pizzas being the main draw, the mini burgers at Matchbox *must* be ordered. You can share them as an appetizer as intended, or if you weren't in the mood for a pizza, an order of the mini burgers alone could easily be your meal.
My pizza was great as usual, and as I've learned from experience, you are best off ordering one of their pizzas off the menu. If you must build your own, I suggest just one topping, two as an absolute maximum, as they tend to be extra generous with the toppings, over-doing it in fact and potentially making for an extra greasy pizza.
We were seated almost immediately at a table on the mezzanine, which tends to get really loud. After it being even louder than I remembered from a previous visit, in the future if the wait isn't too long, I will definitely ask for a booth on the top floor as it is a much quieter and more enjoyable experience, especially when dining just for two.
Review by sfisher75 on May 4, 2004
Nice new Bistro in Chinatown. We arrived at 7:00 pm and were seated within 10 minutes. Matchbox specializes in pizza and has a great brick oven. They have other entrees, but do not seem to put as much effort into them as they do the pizza.
Service was fast and curteous. Overall great place to get together with friends.
Review by sandituck on May 1, 2004
What a great spot for a casual lunch or dinner. The servers are high-energy, and the food variety is terrific. We had a spicy meatball pizza, which was actually spicy! Perfect! The beer is cold, and they offer a terrific selection of draft and bottled beer. I will return often. As a matter of fact, I think I'll head that way now. Yum.
Review by stacelaine on April 12, 2004
The angus beef mini burgers are what we came for and were pretty disappointed when they came to the table with burned buns and an overcooked interior. Judging from the fact that we were one of about four parties taking up space on all three floors of this restaurant, we assumed the kitchen wasn't so overwhelmed with orders that such slipshod work would make it past quality control. Our waiter was upbeat, but then again, he had few options for tips that day. Somewhat of a disappointment for a place we had come to enjoy.
Review by lbgeho on February 10, 2004
DC has a plethora of choices for pizza, so pizzerias here cannot expect to succeed at par. Matchbox has what it takes to make it: an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere, excellent house drinks (the flavor-infused vodkas are AMAZING!), and tons of love devoted to each product in each kitchen. Yes, Matchbox has two areas where food is produced, the downstairs pizza oven and the upstairs kitchen, and both create magic. Appetizers and desserts proved to be brilliant salutations to the meal. The pizzas, the main draw, consist of quality ingredients and a thin-enough crust, which nicely strikes a balance between chewy and crisp. The only thing that lagged to par in this establishment was its waitstaff, which may be a bit too laid back to please tough service critics. The narrow restaurant may make some diners feel claustrophobic (hence Matchbox), but it can leave a BIG positive impression.
Review by Lucan12 on February 3, 2004
Overall I think I liked Matchbox. It was different. I like the cool square matchboxes near the door. It was pretty crowded but manageable since there are 3 floors. The waiter seemed a bit new and didn't know the specials that well, but oh well. I was a little perturbed that my "House Cabernet" ended up being $9 when I got the check, but I guess it was my own fault for assuming and not looking at the wine list and ordering something more in my price range. The pizza, Q Special, was good but lacked a little zing. I like gourmet pizza joints and this one is in my neighborhood. I am confident enough in the place that I will be back to try another. It also seems like a cool place to meet someone for a drink in the "Chinatown" area.
Review by nobska19 on January 6, 2004
matchbox (yes, I think it's supposed to be all lowercase) has become a "neighborhood" favorite for me and my b/f... although it's a decent hike from our Logan Circle condo to the restaurant's Chinatown location. Despite the hike, we seem to eat at matchbox a couple of times a month. Prices are reasonable, there's a great selection of beers on tap (try the Jever when the weather warms up), and a full bar complete with specialty cocktails, martinis, and house-made fruit-infused vodkas.
The obvious thing to eat here is the pizza. It's good -- really good. Think Pizzeria Paradiso crossed with some authentic New York-style flavors. The crust is yummy from the wood-burning oven, and there are a plethora of toppings available for you to create your own pizza if the ones listed on the menu don't appeal. Extra garlic and anchovies are free if you want them added to your pizza (I love anchovies and my b/f loves garlic, so this works out well for us). The Spicy Meatball pizza is quickly becoming our favorite, but they are all great.
Not a pizza fan? You're in luck, because matchbox prepares some other great meals outside of the wood-burning oven. For starters, the mini-burgers appetizer is out of this world and comes with addictive fried onion wisps, although I find I have to order them rare for them to arrive medium rare. Skip the burger as a main course; it's not nearly as good as the mini burgers. I'm also a big fan of the Simple Salad either as a starter or a main course.
The ambiance is modern, sleek, and cozy; the bar has 3 plasma TVs over it showing sports and/or movies; the music is 18th Street Lounge-ish and unobtrusive.
My only complaint with matchbox is the service, which, although it has improved tremendously as the waitstaff gains experience, is still pretty unpredictable and sometimes downright frustrating. The servers on the main dining room floors are generally more competent than those in the bar area, so if you want a pleasant meal, I suggest avoiding the bar. Despite the erratic service, we're still devoted customers, so matchbox is clearly doing a lot of things right.
Review by GenieDC on December 30, 2003
I've never made it upstairs past the bar at Matchbox -- each time I've come there to eat, there's been a 15- to 20-minute wait for an upstairs table, but an open table for two in the bar area, so I've gone for immediate seating over further exploration. The food here takes time, and lunch always seems to take longer than I'd planned, but it's worth the wait every time.
My favorite thing to do when there with two people is to order the mini-burger appetizer and a large pizza to share. It's more than enough food, but it allows a sampling of what Matchbox does best. The mini-burgers are rare and juicy, and the tangled pile of onion straws that comes with them are delicious on their own or piled on the little burgers. The pizzas are excellent, with crisp, thin crust that's just salty enough, although some of them tend to be slightly oily. They're delicious, though, and easily managed with an extra napkin.
Review by jessi.a on December 21, 2003
The restaurant has the feel of a cool neighborhood hangout in Greenwich Village in NYC. We ordered specialty drinks from the menu and they were very reasonably priced, as well as original and tasty. The calamari was kind of a small order and could have been a little less soggy. But it wasn't overcooked, as is often the case with calamari. My friend ordered the spicy meatball pizza and really enjoyed it. I had the roasted pork special and was very impressed, since this is more of a pizza and burgers place. The side dish of fingerling potatoes, asparagus, and roasted red peppers had many flavors which melded together well. The waiter was attentive and kept the drinks refilled or renewed. Overall it was an excellent experience, and I would definitely go back.
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