Matchbox Capitol Hill

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.

Matchbox is a restaurant where everything you order is delicious! We ordered the crab and avocado tower as well as the chicken pesto pizza, and it was amazing. I would recommend Matchbox to anyone looking for a guarunteed good meal.

Had breakfast and diner here — both very good. Highly recommended. Pizzas are excellent. The Bistro Burger was also a treat. A bit in the pricey side but well worth it.

Matchbox is truly overrated. I visited this location twice, and both times, I felt underwhelmed. The first time, I ordered shrimp and grits, and it was salty. I ate it anyway.
On the second occasion, against my intuition, I ordered the shrimp and grits again. I decided to try it again 1) because I love shrimp and grits, 2) because I thought my dish wouldn’t be as salty as the first time. Well, the second go-​round was just as salty, and I was disappointed.
The service at Matchbox was impeccable on both of my visits, but I can’t say that I would return simply because the food has been consistent — disappointing.

Brunch here is pretty good. The brunch pizza is the best value by far. Some of the other items (I’m looking at you crab-​cake Benedict) are ok, but a bit skimpy in the portions.

No complaints on this chain’s SE location! Came here for brunch without a reservation on a Sunday (at 130!) and surprisingly got the last table on the patio without an issue. Already loving this!
Our server was fast, attentive and extremely pleasant. She made sure our drinks were never lacking and that we enjoyed everything we ordered.
I had the breakfast pizza with the bloody #6– it was everything I needed to cure my hangover (and a Diet Coke, and aspirin AND all the water).
My mom ordered the club sandwich with onion rings. She was pleasantly surprised to see that they season the outside of the rings with a fresh Parmesan dusting, «I can’t believe I’ve never thought of that before!» Were her exact words. She also inhaled the club, no crumbs left behind.
My stepdad ordered the huevos rancheros and also inhaled the entire plate, «it’s got good slice, not too much but works perfectly.» Were his thoughts on the matter. I was impressed with the amount of fresh avocado piled atop his dish as well.
The only thing I wish for is that they would incorporate a bottomless beverage option for brunch! Otherwise you cannot beat simple, American brunch — especially when you can enjoy the patio in December!

I love this place. Their food is delicious and we had an excellent waiter. Although it’s no longer on the menu they still let me order the fish and grits! It’s their salmon with jalapeño butter, spinach and cheese grits. I really wish they would add this back to their menu as this was my favorite. You really can’t go wrong with anything here from their food to their drinks.

We walked the street scoping out the plentiful brunch options and ended up choosing Matchbox. We were told there would be a 30 minute wait, so we made out way to the bar for drinks. Any place that has a specific menu for brunch drinks already wins my heart. I am not a Bloody Mary drinker, but I was impressed with their assortment of Bloody Mary choices. They had 5 – 6 different options– one with bacon, one with pickles, one with bleu cheese olives, and one with a sriracha rim. Spicy! They had 4 – 5 different mimosas as well. I ordered the Palm Springs mimosa which included grapefruit juice and pomegranate liquor. Was great! I wish there were some brunch drink specials though. Come on mimosa doubles!
The atmosphere of the restaurant is nice and trendy, but there’s not a lot of space to wait with drinks unless you have a seat at the bar. Luckily, our table was ready earlier than expected. We were seated upstairs and received great service from Parker. I ordered the Bloody Mary burger with a black bean patty and ordered the cast iron cinnamon rolls for the table (just couldn’t say no!). The black bean burger was handmade and delicious. The Bloody Mary mayonnaise was to die for and was perfect on the burger. It’s served with a side of greens and was the perfect breakfast. The cinnamon rolls came with 5 rolls and were a nice treat for the table. They aren’t crazy sweet and have a distinct cream cheese taste. Pretty good!
Definitely think this is a great option for brunch in the area. Lots of selections for both sweet and savory and again, brunch drink menu!

I hesitated to go in at first; the whole world seemed to be in there. But I have grown to like this Matchbox location over the past couple of years and now enjoy its hubbub.
The pizza is – most importantly – pretty darn good. I think theirs is a competitor with 2 Amys and Menomale to a certain extent. Yes, yes, I know, Matchbox is not serving an authentic Neapolitan-​style pizza that precisely follows a certification, but, hey, it’s right in there.
My go-​tos: fire and smoke; prosciutto and black mission fig; and matchbox meat.
Also, an incredible beef short rib soup is served here as a rotating special, and the dessert menu can offer some decadent indulgences, so don’t neglect to check out the non-​pizza items.
I find the layout encourages a certain jovial atmosphere. As you enter, there is long bar that can accommodate a lot of folks with TVs nicely placed about. If counter-​seating is undesirable, there are several dining rooms, on various levels, that can handle all manner of groupings quite easily. Anybody and everybody can be accommodated, and the wait staff is very hospitable.
I see young and old in here; both are comfortable in this milieu. This speaks volumes. Who doesn’t like a flavorful slice at any age?

We went to Matchbox tonight & the meat pizza was as good as ever. We’re big fans of the sliders with tasty onion straws, too. Our waiter, John, was pleasant & efficient as well – not ever member of the waitstaff is.

Super satisfying and a great pick for almost everyone!
Matchbox is a great choice for almost any occasion– quick lunch, lunch with co-​workers, a date, family dinner with kids, meeting for dinner with a large group… anything!
Their menu isn’t cheap, but it isn’t expensive and they offer many ordinary menu items at top-​notch quality. Their pizza is very delicious, and probably my favorite in the neighborhood (…but &pizza is opening on 8^th street soon!). They have delicious burgers, and I recommend the bloody mary burger.
The space and setup is nice, and they have a bit more room than many of the small restaurants nearby… but they do utilize every inch and you may feel like you are dining with the strangers next to you.
For those looking to have a drink they have a nice cocktail list and offer a good happy hour deal.
Overall, Matchbox is a very solid restaurant and you will not be disappointed leaving!

I consider myself a total pizza snob, and a proud one at that. Matchbox ALWAYS consistently meets my expectations! Their pizza is just that damn good!
I also love the vibe and atmosphere of Marchbox. The crowd is always happening and vibrant.
They alway offer great fast and friendly service.
Each location brings their own different elements so definitely give them all a try. They are also constantly adding new things to their menu which means each time you go there’s always something different to try.
Their cocktails are super delish and they have great options for wine.
Matchbox is a great place for a casual first date or a fun night out with friends.
Make sure you grab a box of matches on your way out! ;)

The staff here are wonderful and accomodating. We needed power and WiFi to continue working over dinner and they went above and beyond. (Shout out to Julie for being awesome!)
The food, wine and dessert were similarly awesome. I had a black bean pattie sandwich then we split amazing dessert (you can’t go wrong with the donuts).
We left pretty happy and full of amazing food.

We heard a lot about matchbox so we decided to try it today. We went around brunch time and it was very busy. We got one of the last booths.
We ordered the French onion soup to start out with and it was hot and delicious. I ordered my daughter the elbow macaroni. It was a huge portion. Definitely worth the $ 6. I ordered a small matchbox meat and my husband ordered a burger. The soup and my daughter’s meal came out fast, but we had to wait over 40 minutes for our pizza and burger (cooked medium). Way too long. We had to ask our server how much longer. He came out with the pizza and told us the burger would be right out.
My husband’s burger came out a few minutes later, but it was still annoying to wait that long for our meals and start eating them separately.
The food was delicious but having a one year old we can’t wait that long for a meal.
Matchbox was a good meal, but if your starving you may want to go somewhere else.

Sometimes on weekends, there’s a long wait. Not much you can do about that, but now you know.
Matchbox is my fallback pizza place. This is the case for three reasons:
1. The space is nice. I appreciate a nice atmosphere and attractive décor.
2. The beverage list is diverse enough to suit most of my friends and out-​of-​town visitors (without being overwhelming or too «hipster»).
3. Last, but definitely not least, the Prosciutto and Black Mission Fig. It’s one of my favorite pizza (ever) and it’s the only one I get nowadays. Plus, I’ve yet to have a friend not like it too.
Overall, Matchbox isn’t a standout for me, but it is a safe bet.

It’s pretty smart (and convenient) having your sister restaurant down the street because then when your original brunch location (Ted’s Bulletin) is crazy busy, they can direct you here, where there was no wait at all.
There’s a more upscale feel here and I was a little worried their price point would be a lot higher than Ted’s, but it turned out to be reasonable.
I could’ve ordered everything, but went with the crab cake benedict with bacon, a perfectly poached egg, greens and a side of potatoes all resting on a chipotle hollandaise. I don’t think the photo does justice on the size of the crab cake. It was really satisfying. If my meal is any indication, I don’t think you can really go wrong with anything on the brunch menu.

I’ve always been a fan of Matchbox! Great food and great ambiance always makes for a great time :)
I’ve been to the Chinatown and Merrifield locations, but last week was the first time I dined at this location. Given that it’s close to where I work, we came here for an employee lunch with my coworkers.
I ordered the sliders (6), medium, with two of every cheese (gorgonzola, mozzarella, and gouda) and comes with delicious parmesan onion straws– Highly recommended dish! It’s delicious, filling, and great to share. The onion straws are divineee. Although this time they were a bit on the salty side, but it was forgivable given that the tasty sliders came out just right. I also ordered the tuna tartare served with taro chips. It was had a great texture and worked well with the wasabi sauce that it came with.
They are especially known for their pizza, all house-​made and unique and comes in two sizes (10″ and 14″). Prosciutto white pizza (sans olives) is a favorite of mine, but their Matchbox Meat (pepperoni, spicy sausage, crispy bacon) is also a big hit.
The service was great, they accommodated to our group of 14+ people and they served us quickly and any refills/​requests were fulfilled in a timely manner.
Always a good time at Matchbox!

First off — be certain to make a reservation beforehand! I visited this location during my recent visit to DC; previously, I had been to their first location near Chinatown.
Went for brunch. The ‘veggie frittata’ was delicious — though if it had been accompanied with a single dollop of sour cream (I know, very random) = perfection! My brunch companion ordered the ‘fresh fruit waffle’ and he stated to be pleased with it; I had a few bites of a waffle (fluffy!) and some of the fruit = yum! We also ordered mimosas!
At one point, I inadvertently dropped my fork onto the floor… And a second later (out of nowhere), a friendly staff member presented himself to the table with a clean /​replacement fork = talk about service!
Lively atmosphere — with a bar on the ground floor. Afterward (as we exited with stuffed bellies), we were grateful to have beaten the crowd (as we noticed a number of patrons awaiting to be seated)…

So most restaurants don’t get 5 stars from me but this place, very impressive. I’ve eaten at the chinatown location so I went in with less than perfect expectations. Everyone from the hostess to the server were very nice and personable. Maybe it was my energy but they made my day.
I ordered the crab cake and oh em gee! It melted in my mouth. It was probably the best crab cake I’ve ever had and I’m a connoisseur. Love the ambiance, love the dessert, love the experience.

Brunch Review:
Surprisingly, a great alternative should you find yourself with an hour and a half wait at Ted’s on the weekend. In fact, lots of restaurants are pretty busy during brunch in this area, so should you find yourself unsure of your options you can feel confident that Matchbox will deliver.
Since the space is rather large, there was no wait an plenty of seating when we rolled up around 11:30am on a Sunday without reservations. Although the brunch menu is limited, there are more than enough traditional (with a twist) breakfast/​brunch items to choose from as well as a plethora of options from their all day menu.
We ordered the Brunch Pizza which looked a little busy for my taste topped with eggs, sausage, onion, pico de gallo and drizzled with chipotle sour cream. We ordered the smaller of the two sizes which was still more than enough for one person to share, although not as nearly daunting as it looks. The crust is thin and crisp with a marinara base, so it’s still very much pizza-​like and not as heavy as I anticipated.
My mother ordered the Banana Bread French Toast which is much more like a delicious dessert in my opinion but it was plentiful and filling. I don’t really have an intense sweet tooth so after a few bites I was more than satisfied, but beware that this will more than satisfy those sweets lovers out there.
They also have a fun list of cocktails and Bloody Marys for your drinking pleasure, so po’it up!