I'm told the Chinese writing on the front of Matchbox means "Traditional" in Simplified Chinese.
About Matchbox
Matchbox was the shell of a former Chinese grocery when the current owners renovated the space in 2003, and the establishment found quick success as it was named the Best New Restaurant in 2004. A second location in Palm Springs, CA came in 2005 and in 2008 they expanded the original 15-foot wide location into two adjacent buildings and opened up another Matchbox on Capitol Hill.
Matchbox has a look that is simultaneously inviting, trendy, hip, snug, and modern, the kind of place that works easily as well for a night on the town, a date night, or a casual meal with friends. Most of the clientele seemed to be youthful but not in a way that made older patrons feel out of place.
The tables are a little tight, as even after the expansion it's composed of narrow spaces. That means that if you're at one of the table tops rather than in the booths, you'll be hearing your neighbors' conversation whether you like it or not.
I was fortunate to get a seat because they stopped taking customers shortly afterwards to prepare for a private event, making the normally packed place partially empty by the time I finished.
The Food
As much as I liked the decor, my priority in a restaurant is always the food. I stuck with what Matchbox is known for, with mixed results.
The mini burgers were on par with the hype. Though I would rate Ray's Hell Burgers higher for a pure burger experience, the mini burgers (also called sliders) were delicious.
They were slightly charred on the outside, and cooked "medium" were warm, firm, yet still a little juicy. They were listed as 3.6.9 (meaning the number you can order) and it'd be easy to wolf down a plate of 9 late at night.
The onion straws piled high on them were pretty good, too. Too often onion rings are so loaded with grease that I can't finish the whole order, but that wasn't a problem at Matchbox.
I wouldn't characterize the wood oven pizza as a similar success. The 10-inch meat pizza looked pretty good, but I found the crust to be somewhat dry and not really inspiring, and I prefer my pepperoni sliced thin rather than in the thick medallions at Matchbox.
It wasn't exactly bad, but I didn't find it remarkable either. Then again, I love 2Amy's Neapolitan Pizza, which is a totally different style.
The Verdict
The mini burgers make Matchbox well worth the trip, but I didn't enjoy the meat pizza enough to want to sample other versions. The next time I go I'll probably stick to some mini burgers for an appetizer and either try one of the meat or seafood entrees, or else a sandwich.
The atmosphere at Matchbox is a nice blend between a casual, welcoming feel and architecturally interesting, chic surroundings, and is a good part of the attraction of dining at Matchbox.
Getting There
Matchbox is about half a block from the Chinatown arch, on the other side of H Street when you come out of the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro Station.
The Verdict
The mini burgers make Matchbox well worth the trip, but I didn't enjoy the meat pizza enough to want to sample other versions. The next time I go I'll probably stick to some mini burgers for an appetizer and either try one of the meat or seafood entrees, or else a sandwich.
The atmosphere at Matchbox is a nice blend between a casual, welcoming feel and architecturally interesting, chic surroundings, and is a good part of the attraction of dining at Matchbox.
Getting There
Matchbox is about half a block from the Chinatown arch, on the other side of H Street when you come out of the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro Station.
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