Matt's Oyster Bar & Grill - bar review

Friday night, shit to do, go to Matt's? Yes. This small looking spot, located right across from Cucina Cucina on the top floor of Redmond Town Center, is packing some serious heat when it comes to food. The dimly lit restaurant, with its patented "upper-scale blue-neon" sign that most finer dining establishments front with, appears to be very posh but it is relatively affordable if you know what you're doing. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a cheap locale by any means! You can, however, eat relatively inexpensively if you just go for one course and a few drinks - which is what Kerry did. I, on the other hand, hadn't eaten all day and I ended up dropping like $60 for a glass or two of a nice Chard, a dinner speical, and a dessert; and man, was it worth it. When it comes to a local suburban dining spot, Matt's has it all: chicks, booze, good food, and TONS of high-class soccer moms and their annoying snot-nosed accompanists. I think you should most definitely stop by, and here's why:



The menu: The menu is pretty exhaustive, to say the least. Separated by course and meat (seafood / non-seafood), Matt's menu offers many different options for the hungry soul as well as the "social" eater. With so many good and extremely diverse items to choose from, making a decision is often a complex process. My best bet: go with the seafood. Matt's is an Oyster Bar afterall... seafood is what they specialize in.



The bar: Located on the right side of the dining room is the bar, and a very unique bar it is. All of the liquor is stowed underneath the beer taps, which is quite odd. My suggestion is to either have a drink in mind, or look at the drink list. The "look-at-the-bar-and-pick-your-poison" approach isn't going to get you very far here, which could propose a hinderance to the drinker that has a hard time making up its mind. Cocktails can get a bit pricey, but the beer prices aren't too bad. The bar is pretty large, too. There is bar-seating and tall-table seating in the area, but it can get pretty scarce. Just because there's people at the bar doesn't mean that you need give up hope, though. Most people at the bar are waiting for their table to get called, so just order a drink and post up next to some people that have a hostess pager and you'll be fine. If you sit along the bar, there are some pretty cool spot-lights that keep your conversation lit so you won't be left in the dark with your party.



We sat at the end of the bar. Here's the artsy lighting:



Kerry and I are hungry:



Matt's also has an open kitchen. This is good because you won't wonder where your food is coming from and what's happening to it. It can be bad, however, as it is located right in the middle of the restaurant and the scents that it emits just keep you wanting more and more bomb food. I suggest going to Matt's with a good-smelling girl, then, for your figure's sake (and for her's if you know what you're doing).



I ordered the Seared Rare Ahi Tuna Steak. It's my usual. It's fuckin' gooooood if you like rare fish. It's served over cheesy polenta with watercress and mango-pepper garnish, cherry tomatoes, and a sun-dried tomato /balsamic vinaigrette to dip the tip of your fork in to get a little pizazz. Yeah, I said pizazz. I also pack heat, so watch what you say. It's one of Matts' lighter entrees if you stay clear of all that polenta, so it definitely leaves room for dessert.



The dessert menu. I recommend Matt's Signature Hot Chocolate Souffle personally, though the ice cream rarely fails to please. This is a Chocolate Chip Espresso ice cream with cinnamon and chocolate ground into it. It was better than the first time that I got dome while riding passenger in a pickup... well, maybe not that good, but I wouldn't know...that really doesn't sound safe... you get where I'm going with this.



Matt's Oyster Bar & Grill is a really dialed spot to take a girl, a business assoc., or just chill if you wanted to take a night off from sake and karaoke. The waitstaff is good-lookin', the people are friendly, the prices are reasonable, and the crowd is fairly young. The eating area smells fantastic, which is always a perk, and there is some good music playing if you listen for it. All in all, I rate Matt's a 9/10. Although the food is generally good, it can take a while to get some attention by the waiters/waitresses on a moderately busy night. They run with a fairly small staff, so if it looks a bit busy plan on waiting a spell. The food, as I said, is excellent, and you will not leave unhappy - unless some random WSU 'ock picks a fight with you (which is what Kerry and I witnessed happen to a couple right next to us. Who fucking fights at an Oyster Bar for Christ's sake?).

Also, happy 22nd birthday to my man Sean Sweeney. He just got a job fresh out of college at Boeing as an Environmental Engineer, so give him props the next time you see him.