Had an outdoor reservation for brunch. Upon arrival the manager told me that although it wasn't raining (not in the forecast just cloudy) he had decided to move all outside reservations inside and led me to a table in the back. After conferring with my friends we decided we weren't comfortable inside and asked to be moved outside since not a drop had fallen. This seemed to doom our visit! Service was exceptionally slow, and food was subpar. My omelet was supposed to come with breakfast potatoes which others got, but instead mine was served with boiled dinner potatoes. Was bizarre-like they ran out. I asked the server when she finally came outside to replace and she never return or mentioned. Won't be back or recommend. read more

Okay - so a couple of years ago, I might have been a tad unfair when I reviewed Matisse. At the time, I did not have a problem with the excellent food, I had a problem with a particular server and a miscommunication about corkage fees. Well, this time around, my experience was exceptional! I was meeting clients at the restaurant for a business meeting. The evening started with a warm and friendly greeting from the hostess. I was a few minutes early for my reservation, but I was immediately shown to a cozy table in the back and promptly offered bread (warm and delicious) & olive oil (peppery and tangy). I ordered a glass of Champagne (excellent - I meant to get the name, but did not) and settled in for my guests. Once they arrived, our server came over and introduced herself and was attentive without being intrusive. I think she could sense that we were there for a business meeting and her demeanor was perfect. As was the food. I ordered the duck breast and it was perfect. It was perfectly cooked. It was perfectly seasoned. And it was perfectly proportioned. It came with a side of delicious Brussels sprouts and tender Israeli couscous. Simply sublime - one of the best duck dishes I have had in Washington, DC in a long time! At this point, I should note that I did, indeed, once again bring in a bottle of wine with me (the sore point of my last visit). The server informed me of the restaurant's corkage policy ($35) upfront and then asked me if I would like the wine decanted. She was a pro! She expertly decanted the wine and brought the proper stemware to the table. The evening progressed without a hitch. The service was thoughtful. The food was delicious. The experience was delightful. I am already looking forward to coming back and trying the Cassoulet and Steak Frites. read more

Oh, yummy. My aunt and I went for dinner and we will return! I am a foie gras snob, and I'd just been complaining about how lame the foie gras often is at restaurants that aren't Gramercy Tavern. Well, skin me alive and call me luggage! We started with the duo of foie gras and it was amazing. Then she had the rack of lamb and I had the venison. My venison was good, but her rack of lamb was out of the ballpark. I had a warm apple tart for dessert that wasn't terribly exciting and they burned my espresso, but I'm willing to forgive them since they gave me hope that other restaurants can make a decent foie gras. read more

Terrible. What a disappointment! I have been going there for years and not even was bothered that the menu rarely changed. Mr Siegfried must be absent because his cook is the pits: mussels provençale with sugar? Gazpacho that is no soup, just some stewed tomatoes, not even liquid? Please avoid this place Go to Jaleo in Bethesda for an excelent gazpacho and to the mussel place also in Bethesda for a meal to die for! LGF read more

I have eaten at Matisse twice. I enjoyed my food both times, but I thought that the food was very Americanized and not very French. This time around, I ordered the calamari, steak frites, and tea. My friend ordered the soup of the day, the chicken breast, and an espresso. The service and the taste of the food were always good. The restaurant was clean and stylish. If I still worked in the neighborhood, I would return to this restaurant once in a while. read more

So so pretty. Romantic low lights, candles, elegant space. I wish I was more dressed up. We were here recently for a farewell dinner for friends of BF. It was where they had their first date, and they gushed about their experiences there. How cute. Not cute was the service, so slow. The sardine appetizer was wonderful. Snapper was good. Scallops were chewy. A little weird that there aren't more reviews for this place. read more

I can only speak to one meal, which was a daily special with a modified vegetable. But I was incredibly pleased by it. The waitstaff were very patient, conversational, and their wit matched our group--so the modesty was not masked by the sophistication. The setting was perfect for catching up in a lively but unobtrusive environment. The restaurant had lovely detail to the design and what seemed like a nice balcony to explore in summer months. I'm intrigued by their brunch after having the apple tart, which was wrapped in a deliciously flaky croissant. As a fan of French bakeries, I can imagine the breakfast to be quite palatable. Our group was tremendously satisfied by the food, and in a city with limitless options of places to eat, this is one place I would voluntarily go again! read more

Scrumptious food and lovely ambiance Terrific service Great neighborhood place as well as for special occasions Enjoy and ho read more

Excellent Father's Day brunch. Food, service and wine (by the glass) all five stars. Noise level very low. Easy conversation. First time there. Will be back. read more

Had an expensive meal there - it was fine. Were it priced more reasonably I'd give it 4 stars, but for the price I expected better. Nothing was bad, nor was it memorable. Left feeling like I paid a little too much and experienced too little. Way too many great choices in the city to come back, but if you're in the neighborhood and want a meal with a nice atmosphere, its fine. read more

I have been to Matisse for dinner with my husband several times and we have always had a wonderful meal. The service is always pleasant, professional and excellent. We find the menu is thoughtful planned. I wish there were more places like Matisse - a neighborhood eatery gem (not some mediocre chain) that reliably serves delicious meals in a tranquil, beautiful place - the decor is incredibly cozy and elegant all at the same time. Great wine list and the bar drinks are well done. I would love to have a party there... hmmm... I'm sure I'll figure something out. read more

Just had an excellent meal at Matisse. Had both the daily specials -- burratta with heirloom tomatoes and the rack of lamb, both well executed and excellent ingredients. Deserts were especially good; apple tart with honey crisps and puff pastry along with a Sauternes. (A friend at the table had the profiterole special, which I tried and also thought was excellent.) Also had a really nice Kosta Browne 2014 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, and thought the wine list as a whole had some seriously good choices (a couple Kistler Chardonnays, among other interesting options.) Overall a very very good meal that left me thinking I should eat here more often. And I will. read more

Ordered on doordash 80 dollars worth of food at 7pm, and order was confirmed. At 7.50pm received a message from doordash saying order was cancelled when I thought it would be about to be delivered. No explanation given whatsoever. Very unprofessional and left us scrambling to find an alternative on a Saturday evening. read more

It is the terrific food. I found everything right. The food and service were just right. Best veal I've had in years. Cold ginger soap was special. I never had mango ice of the flavor offered at Matisse. The noise level was quite high, and that was, I think, the particular patrons and not the acoustics or the seating. Dinner for two came in at 100 dollars without the tip. read more

The problem isn't the food, or the delightful wait staff. The problem is the reservation system. 6 weeks in advance we were told we could reserve the window table. This was a very special occasion. We arrived 15 minutes early. We were told that reservations could not be made for specific tables. Further we were told we didn't have a reservation. We were told we could be seated upstairs in 30-45 minutes. We left. My wife phoned the following week to speak with the owner. He told her in a curt manner they don't make reservations for specific tables and they can't be responsible fir reservations not made. No apology, no attempt to create a relationship for a future dining. My wife began talking about the reservation being made 6 weeks in advance. The call was disconnected. We can only assume they want no new business and former diners are less than important. We are both professionals having contact with an average of 100 people per week. We will do our best to direct prospective diners to alternate restaurants. read more

Visited here with the family last night. We are massive foodies -- we live to eat, and are always on the lookout for fine eating establishments. My wife had already lunch here before and thoroughly enjoyed it so she wanted to try it out for dinner. Very pleased to say that we were not disappointed one bit -- this is the best place I've eaten at for a long time. I arrived before my friend and from the moment I stepped in was made to feel so welcome and special I thought I walked into a three star Michelin restaurant, and this carried through my entire experience. The atmosphere was utterly friendly. We started at the bar and then we sat down in our table for an extremely pleasant gastronomic experience. I ordered duck, which was beautifully tender, full of rich savour, wild rice and Brussels sprouts complemented the dish perfectly, very deep in flavour. My friend ordered the soft shell crabs -- wow. The dishes were such beautifully presented works of art, it almost seemed a shame to eat them -- almost. But eat them we did and there wasn't a speck of food left by the time we finished. I don't normally write reviews but my Monday evening here was so enjoyable I felt utterly compelled. We were already planning our next visit before we finished our mains! Thank you all very much! read more

WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND. Better to spend your money at La Ferme up the street or any other fine french establishment in DC. To piggy back on a few other reviews here.. our experience was horrible. I was there for a birthday celebration that was anything but ...given the awful service and abysmal response from management to address the issues. Our issue was not just with the service but the wait times, the disappearance of our waiter, being ignored, not being asked if we wanted beverages over and above the bottle of champagne offered. Not to mention we never got a chiller for our bottle even after repeatedly asking for one. The entree was truly awful and was returned to the kitchen only to be replaced by something barely passable. One sometimes just gets tired of complaining. The manager did nothing when we complained in person. She gives the word 'excuse' a new meaning. We sent multiple emails to the owner.. resorting to faxing it to the restaurant to get a lukewarm response from the owner asking to to return for better service. Seriously - is he off his rocker? Why would I want to give you another chance to take my money (not a cheap restaurant) and face the potential for another disastrous evening. "Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback regarding your dining experience at Matisse.As the Manager mentioned to you when you spoke as you were leaving the evening of November 3rd - it is certainly not a regular occurrence for us to receive negative feedback at Matisse. Although it is unfortunate that your experience was a negative one - we are using your feedback as a learning opportunity to improve and perfect our service. I have researched all of your comments and have taken the appropriate measures to improve and correct the flaws you experienced while dining with us- in addition, your server that left prematurely and did not communicate the standing of your meal to the team has been appropriately reprimanded. We look forward to seeing you again, please let me know if there is anything we can do to make your experience an enjoyable one. Best Regards, Fritz Siegfried." My response: Dear Mr. Siegfried; Thank you for your response to my email regarding my concerns about an exceptionally disappointing experience at your establishment. It is appreciated. In response to you email, I agree it was unfortunate, however I do think the experience was a bit beyond negative. I would have expected that your manager would have been empowered to remedy the situation by refunding the cost of the meal or other such remedy given we did not get the food service or experience we expected. She noted as much and said had she known earlier she may have been able to but did not seem to be able to follow through on her offer perhaps because she wasn't empowered to do so. At some point excuses are simply pointless especially ones that have a "shrug my shoulders - c'est la vie" attitude. In writing of my experience, it was my hope that you would have taken these concerns more seriously, since as the owner it is your reputation at stake. Had a patron received this level of service in an establishment I owned, I would not only be mortified, I'd be thinking of ways to change their opinion - not only to prevent damage to my own reputation, but out of genuine desire to want to improve. Your response gives me great pause as it seems all of the actions taken reflect 'staff correction' and none towards improving the diner's - let alone our - experience. Whilst I thank you sincerely for your invitation to return to Matisse for a better experience, given this lukewarm response to my concerns, I sincerely doubt either my friend Ms. Baptiste or I will be back to dine at your establishment and certainly would not feel comfortable recommending it to our colleagues or friends who often reach out for suggestions. read more

Check that - the menu doesn't change at ALL. We've been there several times now and the experience keeps going downhill. The last time we went, we had French toast and eggs benedict. The French toast was drowning in the creme fraiche and there was lipstick on the syrup container (an espresso cup). We asked for the hollandaise on the side for the eggs benedict, so of course the dish was covered with it. Our coffee was refilled exactly once despite being empty most of the time. Despite the restaurant not being very busy, the service was completely indifferent, as usual, and just plain stunk. I hate to say it, but we've tried everything we're interested in on the menu, service and food are pretty lacking, and there's nothing that makes us want to return here again. read more

I just can't stay away from this place! The scallops are truly heaven. A classy restaurant serving delicious food frequented by classy people. A real gem. read more

Food was pretty good, but overpriced. I tried to host a private event here and rather than get a price break for bringing a couple dozen guests, they were trying to charge 50%+ more than their regular dinner menu rates. It doesn't make much sense to me, especially when you consider that several notable DC establishments quoted me significantly lower pricing. Their response when I brought this to their attention, "That's our standard pricing. Best of Luck." So much for friendly neighborhood restaurant. read more

I love love love this place! I have eaten here for Sunday brunch twice now and it has been fabulous both times! The bread is fantastic...but don't fill up on it because you definitely want to save room for the meal. If you are going for something light, I definitely recommend the Warm Tomato Soup with the Matisse Salad. The omelet with goat cheese and mushroom got rave reviews from my fellow diners. Service is great too...it's a perfect place to bring out of town guests or just to go with your significant other (or your girlfriends) for a wonderful, relaxing meal in a beautiful enviroment! read more

Great food and pretty good service make this a nice place for a dinner with friends or family. I liked the menu options and the layout is nice. Try to sit at a table away from the outside doors when sitting upstairs; it is drafty and cold. Do order the baby brussel sprouts as a side dish and the apple tart is great for dessert! read more

I love Matisse. The beautiful, romantic atmosphere of the restaurant alone makes this place worth a visit. Most of the time I come here for dinner, but I've also been for their Sunday brunch, which is equally fantastic. The food here is so wonderful, and the portions are sized to satisfy, not to overwhelm (so often a problem at most American restaurants). They also have a quality wine list, and most servers seem to know which wine pairs perfectly with each dish on the menu. The only negatives about Matisse are the high prices and occasionally slow service during peak hours. Otherwise this is quite the "diamond in the rough" of your typical Tenleytown restaurants. read more

Went here for Sunday brunch on a recommendation. I had the omlette with goat cheese and mushrooms. It was phenomenal; I ate the entire thing. My friend had the eggs benedict and seemed to enjoy those as well. Their coffee was really good as well and the service was quite friendly and attentive (it was very empty, perhaps that's why). I'd definitely return. Only thing I didn't like, their potatoes. read more

Five of us had an exemplary meal last Saturday night [mid-March 2019]. Duck breast, chicken, beef, gnocchi, were standouts, as was the service and ambiance. Matisse is a neighborhood gem - we'll be back! read more

The restaurant is beautiful--something that seems somewhat rare to experience these days. The service was very professional and attentive. The food was good. We came for lunch for a special occasion and definitely want to come back for dinner. read more

Food: OK. Nothing incredible, and my fiancée found something to her vegetarian liking on the Prix Fixe menu for Valentine's Day (I had the less than spectacular Filet Mignon). Dessert was tasty, and the wine list - as noted in previous reviews - was impressive. So, too, was the decor, less the cheesy helium filled pink/red/white balloons atop the spiral staircase in the upper dining room. But...I've had better service "dining" at chain restaurants. Applebee's, perhaps, comes to mind... Not the standard Saturday evening out, I made reservations for 10 pm at Matisse on Valentine's Day. Granted, the 10 pm start time meant that the wait staff was likely tired from a day of serving lovers and anxious to head out the door. That meant, at least, that our order was taken promptly. Unfortunately, that was the only good mark I could give the waiter. A few notes: 1) This is hardly a big deal, but he wrote down the orders. While ensuring accuracy, for a guy who only had responsibility for four tables (the others had already ordered and were at various stages of their dinners), I expect more from a pompous, French-accented waiter. Especially considering the Prix Fixe menu afforded only limited choices. Good waiters remember, without the aid of pen and paper, the orders of their table long enough to get over to the wait stand and enter them into the computer. Further, his 'system' failed him as he seemingly delivered the wrong plates to the table behind me. (I heard them, along with a third table of diners, mumbling about the poor quality of service). 2) After taking our order, I didn't see him again. I poured my own wine (and sparkling water). All. Night. Long. I don't mind occasionally topping off my own glass - and have done so, much to the chagrin of waiters in far nicer restaurants than Matisse (DC, NYC, London, and elsewhere). But this guy poured the first glass and then disappeared. If I buy a nice bottle of wine, I think it appropriate for the waiter to notice when my glass gets a little empty. I think he may have shown up to deliver our food, but I definitely recall seeing the bus boy more often. Otherwise...he was gone. I take that back. He did show up twice more. First, to deliver the appetizer. Rather than stepping around the table, he stood next to my fiancée, and reached across her to deliver my plate. She leaned back so as not to get any of her lipstick on his sleeve. Then, a minute after my lovely lady stood up to go to the ladies' room, he promptly delivered our main courses. He had no idea as to what to do with the napkin that she had carefully placed on the table in front of her, so he put the plate directly on top of it. As the folded napkin prohibited the plate from lying flat, I moved it before he reached across (again) the table to hand me my food. It wasn't his fault that she has a bladder the size of a pea. And that my food got cold while waiting for her to return is not the issue, either. He was just genuinely confused as to what to do with the napkin. Suggestion: I've gone to buffet-type brunches at various hotels and the wait staff inevitably jumps at my napkin - whether placed on the seat or on the table - and refolds it for my return. That would have been nice. So, too, would have delivery from the left (or is that just my old school waiter training acting up?). 3) Lastly, and this is getting far too long, not once during our evening did he ask about our meal. Not once. He almost forgot to ask if we wanted coffee at the end of the meal (perhaps hoping we'd vacate the table). I had to call him over once because he turned off the heat (and it was FREEZING sitting next to the window). I know. They were in a hurry to go home, but the USG found that using temperature swings was inappropriate for enemy combatants. How is it OK to use such enhanced interrogation techniques on clientele of what is so desperately trying to be an upscale restaurant? On our way out, nobody asked about the quality of the meal. Nobody was at the coat check rack. Nobody thanked us as we walked out the door. Nobody. The short of it: If Matisse didn't have the ability to maintain service past it's normal business hours (I know, it was Valentine's Day...and offering one more hour brought in quite a few more tables, and some additional revenue - not to be scoffed at during the current economy), then don't stay open past normal business hours. Unless this is the kind of service that they always offer? When I dine at such a place, I expect better service. Maybe the European-minded wait staff is OK with European-minded (read: 5-10%) tips? I won't go back - though the goat cheese omelet for brunch sounds pretty darn tasty... read more

Matisse is THE BEST food in a fine dining classy atmosphere you can have in DC! The staff are very nice and friendly. read more

Excellent! I can be critical of restaurants, especially if the food is mediocre; however, Matisse did not disappoint. The atmosphere is elegant yet inviting. The food is not only delicious, but beautiful as well. Moreover, we were delighted with our service throughout the evening. I live nearby in Cathedral Heights and have decided to put Matisse on my list of go-to dining venues! read more

Very nice decor and quite a romantic setting. I brought my girlfriend here for valentine's day and she agreed that the decor and setting was ideal for such an occasion. The menu was price-fix for the occasion with 4 courses including desert, soup and an appetizer and main entree @ $75 a person. The FOOD: The soup (lobster bisque) came in a shot glass, that is all you got. It was too salty (even for soup) and tasted a bit fishy making me feel like the lobster used was not that fresh either. It was not bad, but it was by no means good lobster bisque. Luckily the bisque was the worst part of the meal. Next came the 2nd course. I got the ahi tuna which was wonderful and my girlfriend got the arugula salad. She was disappointed with the salad, there was not much to it other than a few hazelnuts and 2 small slices of grapefruit. Basically the salad was no more than lettuce, even the dressing was scare. Next came the main course, which was the saving grace. I got the rockfish and it was some of the best I had had in quite some time. It was cooked and seasoned to perfection. My girl opted for the duck, which was also very tasty. 4th course, desert. I am not a desert fan so I just got the vanilla gelato and it tasted like plain vanilla ice cream to me. My girl got the raspberry meringue tart which was out of this world. It came shaped in a heart for V-day along with a slight red tint to the meringue to suite the occasion. Service: Overall the service was average. The place was not busy at all, so there would be no reason for it to be slow and everything came out in a reasonable amount of time. One thing however REALLY bothered me. We were the youngest couple in the place and I watched as the manager went to EVERY table except ours to ask how everything was, he literally just ignored us. We were also the ONLY table not to be offered any fresh cracked pepper, and I ordered seafood for crying out loud!!! That really bothered me, especially in this price range. This is a good restaurant, don't get me wrong. The Rockfish was some of the best I have had. But the mediocre soup and service @ $75 a person is inexcusable, especially when the place was half empty. Thus, I cannot give this place more than 3 stars. read more

Good food, competent service and pleasant surroundings. But it's not cheap so save it for a special occasion. An oasis in the otherwise culinarily deprived Tenleytown area. read more

I went to Matisse last night and thoroughly enjoyed it.. The setting was simple, elegant, and relaxed. The service was warm and well-paced. We started with a bottle of wine that the waiter suggested--it was excellent--and a special of heirloom tomatoes and mozarella. That appetizer, though simple, was prettily and elegantly presented, while being casual too. It came with herbs and a wonderful balsamic. The bread (and olive oil--or ask for butter) was high quality. I had the duck from the usual main menu--it was cooked perfectly and had a wonderful sauce plus an accompaniment of wild rice/grains/fruits and Brussels sprouts. My friend had the steak from the specials list--it was delicious and came with very, very, very good fries. Simple, pleasureable--a wonderful place for an evening out, a celebration, friends from out of town, or even business. read more

Hadn't been to Matisse in years and was so delighted to find it again. The place is warm and lovely. We had excellent service (they even waited until we were all finished before clearing the table---that rarely happens even at much more expensive restaurants). And the food was really good. It was a bit more expensive perhaps than it's worth but the overall experience was so nice, I will be going back again soon. Brava! read more

Really enjoyed the food here. Not cheap. Sort of in an out of the way location, but definitely worth a visit. Very attractive inside.

The interior design is romantic and elegant. I Took mental note that it can be an ideal venue for special events. For lunch, I had a chilled tomato basil soup and a Lobster salad, which came with a grilled half lobster with mixed greens. While the portions look small, they are actually filling. The price is not cheap but the atmosphere and food give the feeling that the money is well spent. read more

Perfect lunch. Delicious fish accompanied by perfect salad and asparagus--all included in the price of the entree. Service was excellent too. Definitely coming back more often. read more

I have been here multiple times and it has always been fantastic. Good food for the price, and better food in comparison to other comparable local NW DC options. Extensive wine selection with fantastic service and knowledgeable staff to provide recommendations and perfect pairing suggestions. The manager and servers are true pros, and their experience shows. Highly recommend the brunch as well, with delicious options at relatively reasonable prices. Will be coming again next year! read more

Delicious food, excellent service. A lovely restaurant with that neighborhood feel, but yet fine dining.

Great meal, excellent service, beautiful restaurant. What more could we have asked for? The strip steak was A-mazing, as was our wine - a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (one of the special selections for the evening,) and our dessert - a meringue tower filled with hazelnut ice cream and whipped cream.. SCRUMPTIOUS. I can't wait to go back. Matisse is definitely my new favorite restaurant. read more

Matisse has to be one of the most consistent products in DC. Good wine and fantastic food. I literally cannot remember having a bad meal there in the past 15 years. read more