We came here on a weekend afternoon and sat at the bar. We had a sandwich and a pizza. Nothing was life-altering but the food was fine, reasonably priced, came quickly, and the service was friendly. I also witnessed the manager deal skillfully with a very obnoxious customer that had called in an order to another restaurant. I've also ordered from them through Postmates. Solid place to eat. read more

Service and bartender were great. The host needed a little more attention to her job. When we walked in she was busy talking and navigating which is important but I wished she had just looked up once to say hello. After standing their for 3 min she finally said hello. We had to wait exactly until 12pm to sit down which was fine. I love Matchbox, this was a great location, food was perfectly cooked and hot! And the Ginger Pineapple Mimosa was perfection as always! read more

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Lorna was the best waitress I've seen in DC. She was very attentive and patient and knowledgeable of the menu...

Food was amazing!! and service was even better- Rachel was so attentive and made sure we all had a great experience!

Very good food! Quick service. Drinks were amazing and our waitress Tarja was amazing. Definitely would recommend for a weekday lunch

I've been visiting this location for years...pre and post pandemic - never has an issue before today. We made a reservation for 6:45pm and arrived at 6:42pm and were seated immediately. We watched several servers past our table for 18 minutes without greeting us, saying a simple "we will be with your shortly", or even just placing waters on the table. The hostess even walked by himself and said nothing. After 18 minutes, a server finally came and said "well I'm sure you know what you want now". We left and decided to go else where and will no longer be visiting this location. read more

6 years ago barracks row was a fledgling destination location but has since fallen off; now lying dormant as a street full of out-dated and poorly managed dining and drinking spots. This Matchbox location reflects that trend, especially in service and quality of product. Servers seem to go through the motions and lack knowledge of the food as well as steps of service. Bartenders shy away from tippers; favoring some location off the bar. The food is made by somebody who could do a better job, but doesn't feel like it's necessary. Overall discipline is absent and its ownership and management to blame. It's a waste of time to come here. It can be better, but it's not. I used to be ok with Matchbox being ok with mediocrity, but the food was at least hot then. Today I got cold garbage and had to ask for it to be served hot. read more

Food was good not great. Drinks were A+! Milk and honey dishes are NOT the same Recipe as Original M&H. Service was superb. My Waiters name was Keith whom also happen to be our bartender I believe, made our time here very enjoyable, despite it being very busy, I could tell he had multiple tables by the way he was running around but he always made sure we had refills. Food came out on time. He checked on us frequently we never had to wait for anything. He had me and by girls cracking up all night as he was a very Funny and handsome young man. I told him we will be back! ***** read more

Great customer service at this location. The food is delicious (but a little overpriced, like everything on 8th and in DC) but they will often have coupon codes for ordering online. I ordered takeout one night late and didn't order ahead but in the restaurant. The staff were so kind to hurry my food, keep checking in on it and me. The manager came up to me and the bar tender was exceptionally kind. The food took a bit longer than they predicted (mini burgers cooking) but they were so helpful and nice I didn't even mind. Took like 18 min instead of 12. Really felt warm and cared for which is rare in customer service in dc. The food is very tasty, just wish the menu had a LITTLE more variety - more pizzas, salads, etc. We've found the appetizers are great value for money compared to other aps and tend to run large. We often order them as small meals. Aps are exceptionally good, every one. read more

One of the best experience I had in a long time eating out. Sam and CJ treated me so nice making sure I was satisfied. The service was so refreshing for me to experience. read more

Food and drinks were good but they charged me $19 for six wings priced at market. I know there's a shortage but GHEESH.

Something has definitely changed at this location. The service is very slow now. Seems to be always short staffed as it takes forever to place an order. The bartender got my drink wrong on more than one occasion. The frozen drink machine seems to have been broken for over a year now so why have the item on the menu? The ambiance is weird as it's almost always empty during my last few visits. The food is still good. Shout out to the cooks but I will now go to another location. read more

Wrote management the following over a week ago and never received a response; posting with some sadness as a caveat emptor: Dear Sir or Madam, I was part of a party of six (plus a baby) last night at your Barracks Row location. I live close by and have visited Matchbox many times. Our intent was to celebrate an anniversary and a birthday. Toward the beginning of our dinner I took my infant daughter for a tour around the restaurant. (We had called ahead to reserve a table for six plus a high chair but were told when we arrived that a high chair was impossible; this meant I needed to hold my daughter in my arms for the meal.) We soon found the window at the back of the restaurant that looks into your kitchen. My daughter was transfixed by the fast-moving cooks doing everything they could to keep up with the Saturday night crowd. I, on the other hand, was disturbed at the obvious lack of training they had received on food safety and hygiene. Within a few minutes I saw the following: 1. A hamburger bun fell on the floor. One of the cooks picked it up and put it back on the plate, ready to go out to a patron. 2. A cook used a dirty rag (that had been used to clean several dirty surfaces moments earlier) to blot steak juice from a plate in order to make the dish's presentation look better. 3. Two cooks removed a large bin of garbage to another room, presumably to dispose of it. Neither washed his hands before returning. These observations led to our departure before ordering what was supposed to be a celebratory dessert. They also mean our chances of returning are, unfortunately, unlikely. We now lack confidence in your food safety protocols. I am writing this to give you the opportunity to upgrade your training and make things right. I do not blame the cooks for their errors; this is a management issue. I'm not sure there is a way to keep my family as a customer, but I'm sure there is a way to ensure next patrons who look through that window return. read more

I couldn't paint a better picture of customer service if I tried. I used the online ordering option to take-out for family night. I was a little nervous ordering during such a busy time but my food was hot ready and DELICIOUS. The two beautiful ladies that greeted me made me feel welcomed in the crowded restaurant. Another handsome host escorted me to the back to pick up my food and gave me excellent "eye service with a smile" (for those of you that don't appreciate customer service, that is numero uno text book bravo customer service). WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE EVERY TIME I GO but to have the same experience for take-out is phenomenal. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!! read more

Matchbox is one of my go to happy hours when in a pinch. The whole restaurant serves happy hour, and the one in Capitol Hill tends to be much quieter than the Chinatown location for happy hour. The Capitol Hill location also keeps their website up to date, which is always appreciated. My friend and I each ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc (HH $7.50), and we split Spinach and Artichoke Dip (HH $8.50) and Fire + Smoke Pizza (HH $10.50). The Spinach and Artichoke Dip was delicious, served with pizza dough, and loaded with cheese and spinach. The Fire + Smoke pizza has some spice, and it was perfect to split. All in all, a good overall happy hour experience. I don't come to Matchbox for great service, but it was fine here. read more

The arancini balls were hot and cheesy and perfectly fried. You must get their pizza as well when you eat here. Thing crust and the perfect portion (small) for one person. Service was mediocre on a Saturday afternoon, but at least the food was good! read more

AMAZING Service! This was the first time we came to brunch and it did not disappoint one bit. Food was so good and fresh! Definitely coming back for more girls brunch! read more

I've been to DC twice in the last two months, and one thing that sets it apart from other big US cities is its relative lack of hipsters. I don't have strong feelings about hipsters, but I do like the impact of a hipster population on a city's bar/dining scene. You know, the craft cocktails and the trendy pseudo-industrial decor. Matchbox was the second restaurant we went to that felt like it could've used a hipster consultant (the first was Barrel, which I liked better). The concept was casual/contemporary/gastropub-adjacent, but there was just something a little sterile and vaguely chain restaurant about the atmosphere. Maybe it's because we were seated on the upper level, which was made up of a row of booths straight out of a Chili's. I didn't dislike it or anything--in fact, it was pretty comfortable--but I wouldn't take a date, for example. I went with my husband and our friend who lives in DC. We were able to catch up at our leisure, which was nice. Plenty of space and calm for that. Service was great. We were not forgotten in our upstairs nook. I had a Bloody Mary and a Bloody Mary burger for my Sunday brunch. Both were okay. The drink was serviceable but pretty run of the mill. The burger had a lot of things I like--it came with an Angus beef patty, fried egg, "Bloody Mary mayo," cheddar, gouda, applewood smoked bacon, mixed greens, and a mustard vinaigrette, as well as a chop of lettuce/onions/tomato, on a fluffy toasted bun. I suspect it was meant to be spicy, but that was lost, and the patty just wasn't particularly juicy. It all tasted fine, but I got tired of eating it about halfway through. It's possible I ordered the wrong thing (I guess pizza is the thing to get here?), but I just didn't fall for Matchbox. I gather, though, that it's a popular DC spot, and I'm sure I'd go often if I lived in the area. It does seem like a fine place to fall back on, with a varied menu and an adaptable ambiance. read more

The food was great we did sit next to the kitchen but even with that it wasn't to noisy the waitress was great and we had a great time the price was right cause it was restaurant week 35$ for 3 course meal read more

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The pizza is super delicious!! Their lemonades are sooooo good! This place is a sure bet.

I am a loyal customer to Matchbox, however this was my worst experience at a Black owned establishment. not one black song i am now listen to Dolly Parton after hearing Britney Spears for the last 20 minutes... what has happened!!!! read more

Matchbox on 8th St is where you need to be...exceptional customer and great food...deep fried salmon hash is to die for!!! Shoutout to Keith and Ozzie, great bartenders!!! Major Shoutout to CJ, the epitome of customer service, the reason I keep coming back... read more

After a 2 mile walk in the hot sun- arriving was like heaven. The hostess quickly greeted us and found us a table that would accommodate an infant in a car seat. We immediately scoured the wine list and found some reasonably priced bottles. We started with a bottle of white and because the prices were fairly low we ended up getting a bottle of red for dessert. To start we ordered the ahi tuna. The presentation was gorgeous and the flavors were vibrant and fresh. There was some wasabi cream on the side and i could have eaten it like soup. The tuna itself was cold and fresh. A perfect way to cool off after the 100 degree weather outside. Our waitress was seriously awesome. She had a great personality and checked on us a respectable amount. She made food recommendations and even re-assured us that our choices were also some of her favorites. For our main course we decided to split a large pizza (among 3 of us) and a salad. The salad was good- and to our delight they split it onto different plates for us. For pizza we had the spicy meatball pizza. It was thin crust with huge meatball pieces everywhere. The flavors were spot on, and we devoured it pretty quickly. OF note- the home made ranch dressing they have is a must have for dipping your pizza slices in. For desert we split the chocolate bread pudding. It had a ton of sauce on the bottom and was served right from the oven. We left with full bellies after finishing all the wine. Overall awesome experience, we cant wait to visit again! read more

matchbox - amazing ahi tuna - Pizza Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Decent food, simple and easy... Not much more to say. The crispy chicken sandwich was the best item ordered, along with the burger, Cod, and salmon dishes. read more

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My Order was delivered without notification and left on my doorstep. Food at ground level for local critters (rats, squirrels, cats, dogs, etc.) and porch pirates. Manager blames it on delivery service they hired And which represents their business. Amazing. read more

Brad was excellent very kind knowledgeable and professional I would give him a 10 star if available.....

I sat at the bar this time. The bartender was friendly and engaging. The food was good as it has been in my previous visits. I ordered the mine burgers and my friend ordered the pizza. read more

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Today was the official opening of Matchbox on Capitol Hill! I didn't think I was going to get to come today, but I was cut last minute from work! I arrived around 2030 and found that in true Matchbox style, it was packed. I immediately advanced to the host stand to put my name down. I was given a plastic Bingo ball that said B12. Cute. They call your bingo number and your name when your table is ready. Mary arrived shortly after and we stood in the front near the host stand and door to make sure we wouldn't miss being called to be seated. Being the Asian Tourist I am known to be, I had my camera in hand and was attempting photos but it was kind of hard with the very low light and lots of people walking around. As I was taking a photo, a rather tall gentleman approached me with his own Nikon SLR in hand. He turned out to be Perry, the owner and was curious about my taking photos; perhaps I was from a magazine? Sadly not. But it was cool talking to him; we exchanged cards and I told him about my budding photography career and also mentioned Yelp. I told him I had actually just planned a brunch for the other location but since this one is now open, we are shifting it to here. He explained that they actually won't be taking reservations for brunch but if our larger party arrives early, we should be fine. (YAY!) He welcomed me to walk around the place while I waited and take whatever photos I desired. (DOUBLE YAY!!) When I walked around, another one of the managers/owners(?) approached me about my photo taking and thought I was from a magazine (if only!) and wanted to chat with him. So that's my intro, here's my breakdown::: HOSTESS/RECEPTION: Seemed to have a good handle on the large crowd and got people seated as quickly as could be expected on opening night. We waited a little over an hour for our table which was basically what they projected. As I mentioned before, the Bingo balls are a cute concept, but Perry said he wasn't sure how long that would last. Apparently during the "friends/family" event, they found balls bouncing on the floor everywhere. One of the hostesses asked me about my photography and I gave her my card! (Yay for potential clients) BAR: Beautiful wood bar, fully stocked with everything a bar should have. Lots of TV's, ample seating, attentive bartenders. Impressive, really. We got martinis while we waited but they didn't seem to fill the glass very much. The Berry Blast at the Chinatown location was purple, if I recall correctly. This one was pink. Still absolutely delicious and could probably drink at least 5 of them if I wasn't becoming so poor. LAYOUT/DECOR: It seems to be a bit more spacious than the Chinatown location. You just don't feel quite as cramped or tight. There's an upstairs (which is where we were seated) and the main dining room area as well as a few booths just below the balcony. It's very cozy and the lights are low. Thus, making it hard for really good photos, but it's a wonderful ambiance. FOOD/SERVICE: Our server was a girl named Liz and she was great. I got another martini and Mary got wine. Mary got the crabcake sandwich whereas I got the mini-burgers. I got pizza last time I was at a Matchbox so it seemed only fitting that I get sliders this time; no pickles, add gorgonzola. Ahh everything was great. They did however, forget to add my gorgonzola, but that is totally forgivable. We flagged Liz down and she was off to get it. The burgers were cooked to a perfect medium and tasted fresh and juicy. I ordered 6 and only ate 3. The other 3 are currently in a box in my fridge and will make a great snack tomorrow. Too full for dessert - but it was tempting. BATHROOM: Surprisingly small. I dunno, I guess I was expecting something a lot bigger than two stalls and one sink. Nothing fancy about it; it's a bathroom. It smelled nice though and it did have one of those crazy fast air dryers for your hands. I can appreciate this, being a hostess at a restaurant where I have to go into each individual bathroom and empty the garbage cans filled with paper towels. This does simplify it a bit. CROWD: Maybe I notice it because I'm short, but the crowd this evening seemed to be on the really tall side. I felt like I was straining my neck sometimes looking up to talk to people. But overall, it seemed like a Capitol Hill crowd (shocking, I know); lots of young professionals, well-dressed and ready to wind down from a long week of work. CONCLUSION: Overall, for having just opened, Matchbox really has their stuff together. Service was fantastic and the food came out in a timely manner. It's a known fact that when most restaurants first open, service can be spotty, food will get messed up or come out slow, etc... but they had none of these problems. Matchbox Capitol Hill was very well-prepared for their opening and I cannot wait to return for brunch! read more

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Had the best ever experience here...in 10 years because of Bryan. So attentive and engaging. Yummy food, GREAT service. :)

Two Words: Bloody Beer I took one for the team today with the Brunch Bunch and I had the Bloody Beer, which is a PBR tall boy and bloody Mary mix. Yes ladies and gentlemen and very classy drink. I am almost embarrassed to say how delightful it was. So GOOD! It is also the cheapest "Mary" drink on the menu at 5 dollars, so drink up. I had the prosciutto and Gruyere waffle sandwich. YUM-O as the annoying Rachel Ray would say. It was beautifully plated and had a couple rasbperries and some melon on the side. Shawn G was also a smarty and ordered this delicious dish. I love this location as much as the China-town one. A must go to place. read more

matchbox - Classy! - Pizza Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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My experience at Matchbox is one that exceeded my expectations. I am not the one who dines at Italian/American restaurants, and especially not ones that cost more than $15 per person per meal. These kinds of restaurants, in my experience, have little to offer for vegans, and just cost way too much. But somehow, Matchbox outdid themselves and didn't get caught into the unfortunate "I will never eat there again!" folder. I would've never decided to eat here, but one of my co-workers is moving back to Australia after temporarily working in DC for 2 months. This was going to be our last dinner together, and a last "hoorah!" before she leaves for her home island half way across the globe. Another person in our group suggested this restaurant, and I, not wanting to let the group down because of my dietary needs, figured I could talk to the waiter about customizing my meal and agreed on dining here. We made a reservation for 4, but ended up bringing along another person. "No problem!," they said, and seated us at a table for 6. We were a pretty diverse group as well, 2 from Australia, 2 from California, and 1 from Connecticut. Our waiter, Everitt, was prompt the entire night, paying close attention to our orders and needs. He got us water, he recommended beer, (I ended up getting the "Flying Dog" Lager, which was full of flavor, and delicious!), and answered all my questions. Their wine list is extensive, and they have a nice selection of local beers, as well as your usual favorites. They even break down cocktails between "girly" and "manly" which opens up the debate to the gender roles that drinks play into...BUT we understand where they're coming from and I'm gonna let them go on that one. (I love 'girly' drinks, don't judge me!) The menu itself is not vegan friendly at all. Only 1 appetizer was vegetarian, and there was a vegetarian sandwich, and a few vegetarian pizzas. However, everything had some form of milk or cheese in it. After long deliberation, I got the small pizza, with tomato sauce, roasted garlic sauce, and wild mushrooms (no cheese). Everitt made sure that he got my order correct, and that no mistakes would be made. Our meal came out and it looked amazing. Even my friend's burger with onion rings, and my other friend's proschiutto pizza looked really good! The verdict? Their woodstove ovens always give their pizzas a nice crunch and slight burnt crusts which I enjoy. The garlic sauce mixed with the tomato sauce was absolutely delicious, and you wouldn't even miss the cheese. Mushrooms were piled and were present in every bite I took. I wish the crust was a tad bit thicker, as it was almost as thin as paper, but that's a personal preference. Everyone enjoyed their meal, and everyone devoured their pizza. I usually have to take my food home, but this pizza was so good, that even finished off the entire thing! Of course, Everitt came around to make sure everything was going great, and our plates were picked up promptly. And of course a little dessert menu was conveniently placed at the corner of our table when we finished our meals. I usually never have dessert, but we were celebrating! So I ordered the strawberry sorbet, my Australian friend ordered the molten chocolate cake, and another friend ordered the chocolate chip bread pudding. Everything looked soo good. My sorbet was soft and creamy, and tasted like real strawberries! The molten chocolate cake was thick and oozed chocolate in every bit. The bread pudding was a generous serving, which was filling, sweet, and a bit savory. Even when the bill came, we paid with 5 different credit cards, and not a single mistake was made. My entire experience here was great from the moment we walked in to the moment we left. I felt welcomed, and I ordered great food that worked with my dietary needs. Even though it's a lot more money than I'm use to spending, it was certainly worth it for the experience and service I received. read more

This is the worst location in DC. The sloven, lazy hostess would not seat me, even with a reservation. Do not waste your money here.

I woke up this morning thinking about something I ate last night. At Matchbox. This is what life is about! Shame on me for just now giving this place a go. I mean, I have eaten almost *everywhere else on this strip--from hot spots Belga and Cava (repeatedly)-- to newcomers Senarts Oyster & Chop House and Chesapeake Room--to more under-the-radar spots, like Las Placitas, which is Matchbox's neighbor... But I've been been deterred by Matchbox as I was under the impression they only/mainly served pizza! What a mistake! Love the venue. Warm, relaxed, kid-friendly but still refined enough. The menu was certainly not only pizza and the other offerings were creative and appealing. There were several specials of the day that also sounded lovely. One of those I started with: THEE lobster and avocado sliders. OMG. Lightly toasted and buttered buns with huge pieces of claw meat and fresh avocado and not much else (I think there was a very light/unimposing sauce but it was perfect). These are what are still on my mind today. They were awesome and I was tempted to order another plate of this. My entree was similarly stand-out. Pan seared salmon that has was a bit crispy on top, topped with a citrus-herb butter and served atop a bed of creamy cheese grits and perfectly sauteed spinach. The dish was phenomenal. It played perfectly. Service was attentive and my little girls were given pizza dough to occupy them. This entertained them for the entire visit. Well, until the 2-year-old decided to hurl hers from the second-level of the restaurant where we were seated. Yeah. Don't wanna go there right now... The restaurant had a diverse crowd: peeps at the bar, peeps on dates, peeps out for a romantic dinner and then peeps out with children. But they had a little system going where all of the tables with kids were pretty much contained to the second floor, so all were happy! Because of this and the noise level, I'm going to flag this place as 'OK for Kids.' Very nice experience! Impressed! read more

matchbox - Pizza Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Yes, the miniburgers are real good but don't freak out over them or anything. They're obviously Matchbox's proudest accomplishment with their "3.6.9" plastered everywhere, but the pizza is what's really worth bragging rights. My faves are the flat-iron steak, proscuitto white and the fire & smoke. This location is great because it's not as much of a madhouse as Chinatown - you can actually get a table. Service was mostly absent but delightful when we had it. Get your Ge-NOSH on with the "coffee and doughnuts" dessert - it's to die for (say with "joisey" accent)! read more

matchbox - mini burgz - Pizza Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Now that I've been to both the Capital Hill and Chinatown Matchbox I can tell you honestly that the Capital Hill location is far better. Not only do I like the location more (not really as busy and much more aesthetically appealing), but the service is 10 times better. Yes this could be a bias based off singular experiences, but the shabby service my sister and I received from the Chinatown location compared to the stellar service my friend and I received at Capital Hill is note worthy. Chad, sir, you took wonderful care of Carla and I. Thank you. I hope your manager reads this and rewards you! On this recent trip I decided to finally try the famous slides. Holy moly! Why did I wait so long? Not only were they cooked to a perfect medium (a pretty difficult thing to achieve when cooking a slider), they were very flavorful and had a great burger-to-bun ratio. The only thing I would change would be the cheese. I asked for gouda, and did get what I asked for, but could only tell by looking at it. I didn't really taste it and neither did my friend. Perhaps use a different type of gouda? or maybe I'll just ask for something different next time. We also ordered the prosciutto and black mission fig pizza. I'm happy my friend wanted something other than a meat pizza. I get tired of most individual's lack of adventure with food. Her excitement was refreshing. Now we'll be about to hang out again. :) The pizza was great. There were just enough toppings on it, and just like the sliders, the ratio of crust to toppings was spot on. The roasted garlic spread that acted in place of the traditional tomato sauce was killer. I ordered to drink Matchbox's blood and sand. Yum. Oh yum. Pour it in a bathtub and soak in it while you sip it through a bendy straw yum. Do you need more? Sorry, I don't know you that well. Just go get one for yourself and create your own delicious fantasy. ;) read more

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Their ahi tuna salad is pretty tasty, but the service was very slow. I was completely ignored for the better part of 15 minutes when I first went into the restaurant and there were probably only 10 other customers there at the time (it was fairly early into the weekday lunch hour). As I was in somewhat of a hurry, I finally flagged someone down to order my food. I ordered the ahi tuna salad, which was fresh and healthy and definitely a filling enough amount. It came with romaine, spring mix, red onions, carrots, red peppers, peanuts, wonton strips, soba noodles, daikon sprouts, sesame seeds, and a ginger-soy vinaigrette. I love love loved this salad and it's the only thing saving this review from 2 stars (since the service was so bad). I love Matchbox as a chain generally (the one in Chinatown is superb and consistently gets 5 stats from me), but the Capitol Hill location isn't the best. I'll stick to the one in Chinatown (and the one soon coming to Pentagon City) in the future. read more

matchbox - Ahi Tuna Salad - Pizza Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The runner delivered our calamari to the wrong table. Despite the fact the other tables waiter was there the mistake wasn't corrected for several minutes. I guess the other diner thought they gave away free calamari? When they realized their mistake they brought it to us and asked us if we wanted it redone. We said no, figuring they would have just brought it back to the kitchen and put it under a heat lamp before bringing it back to us. Additionally my partner ordered the fish and chips...3 small fish sticks that were mostly breading. I think it is embarrassing for a restaurant to serve that. I shared my plate with him because it was such a pitiful plate they gave him. No way we are going back. read more

Overrated and prefab. There are too many good restaurants in DC to waste your time on this one.

I've really come to love Matchbox. I've had happy hour, lunch and dinner a few times and it was a win each time. I decided to round out my experience with brunch. While I usually visit the Chinatown location, I wanted to experience brunch at the Capitol Hill location. With a reservation, I wasn't disappointed. Delicious as expected. I got the shrimp and grits. The shrimp were flavorful, not overpowering with seafood seasoning, but not bland-- just right. There were bits of chopped andouille sausage topping the dish, adding some flavor. The grits had great taste and consistency. My dad got the crab cake benedict (no english muffin). The crab cake was wrapped in bacon and served with their brunch potatoes. So good! They had flavorful mimosa options that I loved ($8-10, no bottomless option ladies). Because I love onion rings and I enjoyed an order I had before, I had to have a side of them. These were not the same onion rings I got from the Chinatown location. These were more tempura like, but the fried batter was lighter, more fluffy. I didn't enjoy them. Parking is rather iffy, so have walking shoes if you have to park a few blocks away. Otherwise, Eastern Market metro is the closest stop (still have your walking shoes), Uber or the Circulator will get you here. Overall, it was great eats in the city. We have plans to come back for the brunch pizza! I look forward to the Pentagon City location to open! read more

A group of 8 of us made reservations for 12:15pm today and we arrived on time. We placed orders for 8 entrees and a few appetizers. There was a long wait before the appetizers arrived -at least 45 minutes. Four of the eight entrees arrived 15-20 minutes later. The waitress didn't notice that a full half of our table was missing our entrees and simply left to attend to other tables. A few minutes later someone flagged down the manager; he apologized and took the orders of the people who had missing entrees. The waitress came back to our table and rather than apologizing, said, "ok, here's the explanation" and then blamed the situation on the food runners delivering the missing entrees to the wrong table. Then she said, and here's the kicker: "I hope you all didn't have any problems with my service--not my fault." Maybe she thought this would earn her a full 20%, but she was mistaken. She would have gotten a bigger tip, and perhaps some empathy, from us had she owned up to the situation rather than blaming someone else for stretching what should have been a 45 minute lunch to nearly two hours. At the end of the meal the manager comped a few appetizers but our bill was still close to $200--a huge sum for how bad of an experience this was. As for the food--it was average, nothing great. Someone sent back the shrimp and grits dish, and my pizza crust tasted like cardboard. For an uninteresting but safe pizza bistro menu/restaurant go to Red Rocks, instead, which is essentially the same type of restaurant as Matchbox but is better across the board, from food, to service. I'm never coming back here again, and based on her attitude, today's server might be right behind me through the exits. read more