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.
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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
04/07/2008 Posted by jmevans
My husband and I have been told we needed to go here for lunch. Perhaps it was just so hyped but we had decent sandwiches. Nothing to rave about. My husband said his seared tuna sandwich tasted more like there was red hot then wasabi, and mine was nothing too special. I have made better sausage sandwiches at home. We both got adult beverages -- my grapefruit mimosa was really good. We decided to order desert just to see if it was any better. We got chocolate cake with almond filling, and vanilla gelato. To are dimsay we were given a dry chocolate muffin which did indeed have almond filling, and mint chocolate chip gelato. I wish the waiter would have said they were out of vanilla. The meal was not worth the 50 dollar bill.
Pros: Has a cozy atmosphere. Nice view of sound and market. Maybe dinner is better?
Cons: lunch was over priced and service was bad.
04/07/2008 Posted by ThouShall
My partner and I had been wanting to eat here for years and finally we made it to Matt's with a few friends. The service was top-notch throughout the evening which was a pleasant surprise given some of the prior reviews posted here. The wine list was impressive with a decent selection for every budget. I tried a couple of Pinot Noirs and Cab Blends and all were very enjoyable. The food disappointed at times and at other times it was great. The smoked catfish salad was very well balanced and I thought there was a genereous amount of fish. I opted for the muscles and clams for dinner which turned out to be a mistake. I thought an ingredient had been left out because the sauce was incredibly acidic ... to the point that I couldn't eat the dish. Our server was very appropriate and cool and offered to have a new version made with butter and wine. They got the replacement dish out quickly and I'm glad I got to try the shellfish both ways. Turns out that the muscles and clams were so tasty they didn't much of anything to make them shine. My partner had the cod rellenos for an appetizer (great) and the salmon as a main course which was very unimpressive. It was cooked well but totally lacking in flavor. The pea risotto it came with was nice and refreshing but the overall dish was disappointing. One friend had the steak but I was once again surprised at the lack of seasoning. Our other friend got the black cod with muscles special and it was excellent. I was surprised that it was mostly the dishes that are consistently on the menu that were lackluster. Perhaps a bit more attention needs to be paid to these menu staples. With all the great places to go get seafood in Seattle, most likely we'll stick to some old standbys that are a bit more consistent and provide more value for the money. I'm sure we'll come back with out-of-towners every now and again ... for the amazing views, the quintissential "Seattle" vibe and to try some of Matt's new seasonal additions.
Pros: Service, Wine list, Some standout dishes
Cons: Flavor inconsistency
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