Matt's in the Market
Seattle, WA 98101-2066
Phone: (206) 467-7909
- Price:
- $$
- Best of Citysearch:
- Salad 2006
- Hours:
- Mon 11:30am-2:30pm, Tue-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-10pm
Editorial Review for Matt's in the Market – by Citysearch Editors
The Scene
This is quintessential Pike Place Market--clean, quaint, stylish and literally overlooking the Market clock and Elliott Bay. Located in the Corner Market building, the restaurant's soaring space holds a handful of tables, with seating for more diners at the counter or the bar. Tables afford a view of the Market, but the counter's birds-eye glance at the chef's antics is an all-right second. Expect a lunching business crowd at lunch; later, romantic couples canoodling.
The Food
At lunch, there's a big fuss over po'boy sandwiches, either the catfish or the oyster. Dinner changes every two months; a late-spring seafood menu may feature a Moroccan sea bass tagine, pan-seared halibut and wasabi-crusted albacore. Shellfish aficionados might want to try Manila clams steamed in beer and chilies, or the Penn Cove mussels in lemon-herb ouzo broth and wild-mushroom ragout. Try the bread pudding with whiskey-caramel sauce or the chocolate espresso-stout cheesecake.
Hits: Matt's makes the most of fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from the Market, making it a great choice for your palate and your conscience.
Misses: Service can be spotty, especially when the dining room gets busy.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
ParkingSunday-Thursday nights (6pm-midnight), use the Pike Place valet, located under the clock and neon sign. Other times, try the Pike Place garage at 1531 Western Avenue.
What to DrinkThere's a short wine and beer list; all good choices.
Know Before You GoReservations are an absolute necessity most times of the day.
User Reviews for Matt's in the Market
07/10/2008 Posted by Konnektor
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!
07/07/2008 Posted by klein538
We are frequent visitors to Seattle for business and pleasure. We love all the Tom Douglas restaurants and decided to try Matts at the Market based on a friends recommendation. The decor is simple and disinteresting. It would help to add some art work and color. The sommelier was gruff and seemed annoyed at our questions regarding the recommendation of a Washington Chardonnay. The service was very poor and disorganized from the moment of taking our order through the remainder of the meal. The scallops were fresh and cooked nicely, but needed different vegetables as an accompanyment. The noise level was unacceptable, especially when the guitar player attempted to sing. The only dining room is too small for a loud speaker and low volume background music would have sufficed. I cannot recommend this restaurant until attention to detail takes place regarding service.
Pros: Fresh seafood
Cons: Poor service, Average Food Quality, Poor Ambience, Uninteresting Decor
Users Like You Also Viewed
Cafe Presse
1117 12th Ave
Seattle, WA 98122
Boom Noodle
1121 E Pike St
Seattle, WA 98122
