An old friend who used to live in DC was in town the other day for a few days and apparently had begun craving the Matchbox sliders as his plane landed on the tarmac so insisted I meet him at the venue, located in Chinatown.  Although I had ordered takeout from Matchbox in the past this was the first time I had an opportunity to experience the venue.

Cost – $$

Service – B+
It was a little chaotic when we first got there but they seemed to be doing a good job managing a pretty substantial crowd.  Our waiter was pretty affable and helped create a light atmosphere.

Food – C

The sliders are pretty good but I was surprisingly dissatisfied with the pizza.  It was great at first when it was fresh out of the stove but every minute that passed made it seem greasier and less enjoyable.  It was a shocker because I could remember being really wowed by the pizza the first time I tried it but this time, the post-food experience reminded me a bit of how I’ve felt after eating an Adams Morgan jumbo slice.

Decor – A-
Matchbox’s hardwood floors and exposed brick create a slick, modern interior that is probably one of the reasons Matchbox manages to draw such numbers.

Feel – A-
Matchbox just feels like a cool place to relax and have a pretty laid-back meal.  It was a beautiful Friday afternoon when we headed over there and we were seated in a booth upstairs by the window.  Chinatown was full of life and I could have hung out there for the entire day if it wasn’t for the unpleasant, greasy feeling I had after eating the pizza.  Pizza aside, the place is definitely still a hot spot and well worth the visit for a small gathering of friends are a quick bite to eat with your significant other on a weekday evening.

Matchbox is located at 713 H Street in NW.  They can be reached at (202) 289-4411.

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