Matteo's Restaurant

03/11/09

Great Murder Mystery Events!!!!!

by FoodLUVAH at Citysearch

I commented on the Murder Mystery Citysearch page, so I will do the same for Matteo's. Went to the Murder Mystery Dinner Theater they have every Saturday Night. I went on Valentines Day. Walked in to a really retro restaurant with leopard carpet and red booths. Looked really cool! I was directed upstairs to a TOTALLY different venue. Their upstairs (as their bartender explained to me) was styled after a New York Townhouse and is used for all their private parties. It was gorgeous. The room had a skylight, candles all over, full bar and an outdoor patio all lit up that was to die for (no pun intended).

The food was so incredible, and the service was incredibly friendly and very fast paced (especially for the number of people that were in attendance, which I think was 90).

The show was really funny and I did not have a clue who the murderer was. Everything about the Murder Mystery event was a blast, and Matteo's was a great place to go to. I had never been before, and cannot wait to try more of their food.

P.S. If you are ever upstairs for an event or the murder mystery thing, and have no idea what cocktail you'd like to order, just ask Jason (I think thats his name) to create something for you, and he will make you a delicious drink you have probably never heard of, or one he made up based on what you like!!!!!

• Pros: Food, Drinks, Staff and Show
• Cons: NONE!!!!!

01/05/09

Best Italian - Most Romantic!

by HermosaGirl2008 at Citysearch

My boyfriend and I recently celebrated our 1 year anniversary here. It was amazing. I highly recommend this restaurant. The atmosophere is upscale but relaxed, Our server was quick but not pushy. Delicious wine and food and great date spot.

• Pros: Great Food, Beautiful atmosphere
• Cons: make a reservation!!!!

06/15/08

Honestly (in more ways than one), a great dining experience you will have in L.A. area

by i8ricecake at Citysearch

Went here for a friends birthday a couple of Fridays ago, & we all agreed that this was one of the best places we have been to since we moved out here. I personally never heard of the restaurant but an out of town friend wanted to have his birthday specifically where Frank Sinatra dined. Not only were we treated to his booth, the food (Matteo's marinated olives, selection of cured meats called 'Affettati Misti', NY sirloin Sinatra steak, pastas, salads, desserts) was amazing, the drinks kept coming, & the one thing that made this so exceptional was the service. Truth be told, I don't think any of them were under the age of 35, but that is what it made it so much more so; you knew none of them were wanna-be actors, there was no attitude, just genuine service which is quite rare (or maybe I eat in the Hollywood area too much). We also left something behind by accident which we called later to see if it was found (& it was; cash laying under the table!) & they actually held onto this for us to pick up the following week. I would recommend this for a special occasion of any kind.

• Pros: Fantastic service, including Kevin B. the manager, good portions sizes, great background on the history of the place

03/17/08

Wonderful old Hollywood feel to the charming Italian restaurant!

by hotdonuts at Citysearch

Went to Matteo's Saturday night for our friend's birthday. We asked for special seating and were treated to Frank Sinatra's booth. The service was impeccable from the Maitre D' to the wait staff. We didn't wait for anything, and nothing was forced or rushed. The food was excellent. We loved what we ate, from the tortellini to the halibut it was all great. We will go back and encourage others who are looking for lovely old school Italian with the feel of vintage Hollywood. Thank you to the staff at Matteo's for a wonderful evening.

• Pros: Professional staff, wonderful food, great atmosphere
• Cons: Not a thing negative to say

11/18/07

A fun place to eat!

by noodle1923 at Citysearch

We were informed that Matteo's is under new management, and, wow - what a difference that's made. The decor is incredible - very old school Hollywood. Red leather booths and leopard-print carpet...it looks amazing! The booths are very private and comfortable. Management was extremely attentive and made our experience really enjoyable. Service was decent. We thought the food was good too - try the lasagna with artichoke! Never seen anything like it and is was so delicious! My one and only concern: The prices and portion sizes. The lasagna was quite small and left my husband hungry when he finished it. Luckily I had a gigantic bowl of pasta sitting in front of me, so he was able to eat half of my dinner to fill up. I had pasta with chopped tomato, basil, and garlic. That dish cost $21 - way too high for something that simple, I don't care how big the portion size was! It didn't even have any meat in it, why was it so much money? My dish also turned out to be the most expensive one on the menu, which is silly seeing as how basic it was. The kinks in the prices and portion sizes need to be altered a bit. Be patient with management - they just got there 5 weeks ago and need a bit of time to tweak the restaurant to perfection. We'll go back, but hoping they fix the pricing and portion sizes. The booths and ambience are worth it.

• Pros: private booths, ambience, decor
• Cons: portion sizes; prices for some items way too high

09/11/07

great pig night

by pinays at Citysearch

this old hollywood joint in west los angeles -- where frank sinatra used to dine -- has an awesome celebration of the swine: tuesday's pig night. for $22, you get part of a roasted pig with some side dishes that vary -- tonight, it was squash and cabbage (a-la sauerkraut). it also comes with some pretty yummy salsa verde. the roast pig is juicy -- you have to have it with the salsa verde. and there is also a piece of crispy pig skin. yum! (for lechon lovers -- it is basically lechon without the mang tomas sauce.)

the calamari is also not bad - hard to mess this up -- and this has the right crispiness.

i had the nutella chocolate cake with gelato. i thought that it was pretty yummy. the cake is not too sweet and the gelato gives it the appropriate amount of sweetness.

matteo's does not have an extensive wine or cocktail list. so i just opted for their vodka martini. i feel that with old hollywood, a martini was appropos.

overally, a good meal.

06/28/07

Better than this? Foget about it

by koshertaco at Citysearch

What a place...Who else around town is going to have a night's feast all about meatballs? This place, that's who. In a city that has it's share of fusion...it's nice to see a classic establishment that truly relishes in it's classic past...both in food and in ambiance and in it's future that may not be so classic. The menu blends both traditional dishes and daring concepts that surprise the palate and excite the senses. The service is excellent and the new management makes you feel like you're at home. You're encouraged to try something new; be daring...after all, if these walls could talk; the stories that they would tell you would excite you as much as the food. Leo, the venerable bartender is great...from great drinks and even better stories you'll always want to come back just for the bar. They just started a late night happy hour, which makes this place totally accessible, even if you had a bad day at the track. $3 dollar wells and beers from 9pm to 11pm...and if you're daring, order a negroni...a classic gin drink that has been almost forgotten., but not here; and that's the point! For the real experience, get there early, relax at the bar...then, go sit in the Sinatra booth and then, back to the bar...in the words of Frank "The Best is Yet to Come!" Cheers and I'll see you soon at Matteo's

• Pros: the little old lady that makes the pasta fresh every other day...what other place does that?
• Cons: parking...then again, they have lifts that make more room in the back; again where do you find that?

06/22/07

Hands down the best restaurant experience in metro LA

by highlife5 at Citysearch

With former Rocca (Santa Monica's) chef Don Dickman's arrival to LA-institution Matteo's, the restaurant is on my top 5 list for the city. My wife and I recently dined there on a Friday evening after a show at the new Landmark. The service, old-school atmosphere and Dickman's spectacular regional Italian food/menu--from the fish, to the meats, pastas, vegetables and everything else was mind-blowing. This is no bulls))t. We eat at some fancy joints in town, and this is our new spot. The stuffed veal chop with proscuitto and asagio wowed in a savory, sauce, flavorful but not heavy, and the salmon was similarly expertly prepared, with a light lemon butter and fresh corn and mushrooms. Creative desserts got a writeup in the Times, and the Nutella cake that Dickman bright from Rocca still hits home. If you are a chicken parm and red sauce kind of person, you can still get that, too. The service, both from the new manager/host Rob, who treated us like royalty but with a welcome familiarity and our waiter, also himself a chef was such a delightful change from the anonymous greeters and rushed BS from bitchy actors at 99% of 3rd Street/Beverly Blvd/Melrose, Santa Monica (read--Grace, Jar, Ago) and other LA establishments, where you are pretty PO'd you just blew $200 on attitude and ordinary chow. Dickman and the Matteo people know their food, and this chef f---ing knows how to cook it. Upstairs is a big private room and an outdoor deck. Sunday nights are special dinners and the restaruant just brought the big roaster over from Rocca to do some even more inventive pork and game dishes. Wherever you live in LA and you want some real atmosphere with top drawer cuisine, you have to come here, or revisit it to see the new stuff. I've never written a single review of any restaurant, even the ones all the foodie mags cream over, and this meal and experience was the first that motivated me to tell everyone on every guide site about what a gem this place is.

• Pros: food, hosting, service, drinks, the whole flavor
• Cons: There's only one of these

06/20/07

Now this IS a restaurant

by crtamb at Citysearch

Now this is an amazing place. Everything from the food and drinks to the host and waiter were fantastic.The wine list had a great variety of Italian wines and the bartender who has worked there for 30 years will regaile you with tails of the old hollywood greats who onced dined there. If you are looking for a different way to eat Italian..look no further. This place has an amazing variety on the menu. It still has the old classics that you can get everywhere, BUT it has an innovative and delicious modern italian cuisine that you can't find anywhere esle. Try the stuffed duck or aparagus milanese. FINALLY!! No more same old! The one thing Matteo has that most restaurants in LA lack, is tradition they haven't let go of, just belnded it with a new twist. Still the same mohagany design with red booths and leopard print seats. Charming and elegant. I don't know who else ahs dined there but the prices can't be beat. Try to go for a nice dinner in Hollywood sometime where they treat you like sh** and max out your credit card. Matteo's doesn't look to gouge and push you out...they look to entertain. Move over Sunset and Hollywood Strip....you're tired..Matteo is back and taking the lead...it's competitors haven't got a clue.

• Pros: food, ambiance, friendly, experience
• Cons: Service could be punched up a little, had to wait for drinks, etc. No big deal

12/01/06

Old-school Italian spot where Sinatra's mojo fuels a clubby New York vibe.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Scene
Nancy Reagan look-alikes in St. John knits and hipster couples fill the lipstick-red and leopard-print booths lining this big, loungelike room. The big round tables are either surrounded by young Industry folk or expensively dressed families with well-behaved children in tow. Conversation buzzes at a pleasant volume, barely drowning out the Sinatra tunes humming softly in the background.

The Food
Start with cocktails, scampi (worth ordering for the bread-dipping potential of its garlicky sauce), and fried mozzarella with marinara, then dive into chopped salads or Caesars tingling with anchovy and garlic. Rich fettuccine Alfredo, veal Marsala, chicken Parmesan, and an oddly dry osso buco dominate the menu, but lighter choices include flavorful pasta with chicken, tomato and artichoke; seafood pasta in clear tomato broth; and broccoli salad (broccoli spears drizzled with olive oil, lemon, and garlic). Coffee and an ultra-fresh cannoli--a crisp shell filled with cinnamon-scented cream, chocolate, and pistachios--will fly you to the moon.