Matt’s in the Market
Pacific Northwest · Seattle Waterfront, Seattle
Restaurant in Seattle, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Market-Driven Counter Dining
Chef
Matt Fortner
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
Matt's in the Market sits above Pike Place Market and earned a spot on Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in North America list in both 2023 and 2024. Chef Matt Fortner runs a market-driven Pacific Northwest menu that changes with what's available below. Booking is easy relative to Seattle's harder tables, midweek lunch is the quietest, most considered way to experience it.
About Matt’s in the Market
Matt's in the Market, Seattle: Pearl Verdict
You'll pay mid-range prices for a Pacific Northwest kitchen that earned a spot on Opinionated About Dining's Leading Restaurants in North America list in both 2023 and 2024 (ranked #379). That's a meaningful credential for a room above Pike Place Market, it sets a clear expectation: this is not a tourist lunch stop or a casual fish counter. Matt's is a serious, ingredient-led restaurant where the daily menu reflects what's available steps away in the market below. If that format appeals to you, book it. If you want a prix-fixe tasting arc with matched wines and a full production kitchen behind it, look elsewhere in Seattle.
The Experience
The room is small, the ceilings are low, at dinner the energy runs warm and close. Don't come for a quiet conversation on a Friday night; the ambient noise level sits firmly in the lively category once the dining room fills. Lunch, particularly midweek, runs calmer and gives you a better shot at a considered meal with actual audible conversation. If atmosphere matters to your booking decision, lunch Tuesday through Thursday is the sweet spot.
The location is the context here. Sitting directly above Pike Place Market means the kitchen has access to some of the most direct farm-to-table sourcing in Seattle, chef Matt Fortner has built a menu around that proximity. The Pacific Northwest cuisine format at Matt's is market-driven rather than tasting-menu-structured; you're choosing from a focused seasonal menu rather than following a set progression. That distinction matters: this is not a narrative arc experience in the vein of Lazy Bear in San Francisco or Smyth in Chicago. It's a tighter, more immediate expression of what's in season right now, which suits the explorer diner who wants to eat the place rather than eat a concept.
For comparison at the top end of that format, The French Laundry in Napa and Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg offer the fully choreographed tasting experience. Matt's is a different proposition: lower stakes, more accessible, more directly tied to a specific place and season. That's a genuine strength, not a consolation.
Sunday is the only day without dinner service, the restaurant closes at 2:30 pm on Sundays. If you're planning around a weekend in Seattle, Saturday lunch is the most practical entry point, you get the market buzz without the Friday-night noise ceiling. For a fuller picture of what else is worth your time in the city, see our full Seattle restaurants guide, alongside our Seattle hotels guide and our Seattle bars guide.
Within the Pacific Northwest cuisine category, Matt's shares company with Sweedeedee in Portland and OK Omens in Portland, both worth knowing if you're moving through the region. In Seattle specifically, Archipelago offers another angle on ingredient-driven Pacific Northwest cooking if you want a direct comparison on the same trip.
For a restaurant of this profile and OAD standing, that consistency is the thing you're buying.
Know Before You Go
- Address: 94 Pike St #32, Seattle, WA 98101 (above Pike Place Market, third floor)
- Hours: Monday–Saturday 11:30 am–2:30 pm and 5:30–10 pm; Sunday 11:30 am–2:30 pm (no Sunday dinner)
- Booking difficulty: Easy, reservations are direct to secure, though dinner slots fill faster than lunch
- Ideal time to visit: Midweek lunch for a quieter room; Saturday lunch if you're visiting on a weekend; avoid Friday and Saturday dinner if noise is a concern
- Awards: Opinionated About Dining Leading Restaurants in North America, Ranked #379 (2024); Recommended (2023)
- Cuisine: Pacific Northwest, market-driven seasonal menu
- Chef: Matt Fortner
- Price range: Mid-range (specific pricing not confirmed, check current menu at reservation)
How It Compares
See the full comparison section below.
Explore More in Seattle
- Our full Seattle restaurants guide
- Our full Seattle hotels guide
- Our full Seattle bars guide
- Our full Seattle wineries guide
- Our full Seattle experiences guide
- Archipelago
- 1415 1st Ave
- 1744 NW Market St
Planning details
- Hours
- Monday: 11:30 am–2:30 pm, 5:30–10 pm · Tuesday: 11:30 am–2:30 pm, 5:30–10 pm
- Location
- 94 Pike St #32, Seattle, WA 98101
- Reservations
- Book on OpenTable
- Website
- mattsinthemarket.com
- Phone
- (206) 467-7909
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Matt’s in the Market feels like a market-driven neighborhood anchor: refined without being fussy. The dining room sits above Pike Place Market, and the menu literally reads like the day's catch and produce from the stalls below. That supply-chain lens keeps the cooking quietly confident—restraint and seasonality let primary ingredients carry each plate. The result is approachable sophistication: a restaurant that can earn trade recognition while staying plugged into a local, everyday clientele. Expect an ingredient-first, Pacific Northwest sensibility that privileges freshness and thoughtful technique over flashy signatures.
Best For
Matt’s suits both weekday lunches and dinner outings for locals and visitors who prize fresh, market-driven seafood. The restaurant runs a split lunch-and-dinner format and pulls from a broad neighborhood audience, so it works for casual midday meals as well as more considered evening dining. Its serious-but-accessible stance makes it a natural pick for date nights and small special occasions when you want thoughtful cooking grounded in peak-market ingredients rather than a set, long-standing signature menu.
Ordering Tips
Because the menu is built around what arrives from Pike Place Market each morning, your best ordering tactic is to ask staff what came in that day and choose dishes highlighted for freshness. The kitchen emphasizes letting primary ingredients do the work, so favor the market selections—seafood stew, fresh oysters, or whatever fish appears on the menu—over contrived preparations. Expect the lineup to change frequently; treat the menu like a running inventory and lean on servers to point out the standout, just-landed choices.
Planning details
Hours
- Monday
- 11:30 am–2:30 pm, 5:30–10 pm
- Tuesday
- 11:30 am–2:30 pm, 5:30–10 pm
- Wednesday
- 11:30 am–2:30 pm, 5:30–10 pm
- Thursday
- 11:30 am–2:30 pm, 5:30–10 pm
- Friday
- 11:30 am–2:30 pm, 5:30–10 pm
- Saturday
- 11:30 am–2:30 pm, 5:30–10 pm
- Sunday
- 11:30 am–2:30 pm
Location
Also consider
Also Consider
- Canlis; New American, New American
- Joule; New Asian, New Asian
- Kamonegi; Soba, Soba
- Maneki; Japanese, Japanese
- Walrus & Carpenter; New American - Seafood, New American - Seafood
Restaurant context
If your benchmark is Canlis, you're comparing very different propositions. Canlis is Seattle's full-production splurge; higher price point, longer booking lead time (3–4 weeks minimum), and a formal service arc that Matt's doesn't attempt to replicate. For a special occasion where service polish and a complete evening experience matter, Canlis wins. For a food-first meal at a more accessible price with easier booking, Matt's is the stronger practical choice.
Walrus and Carpenter competes more directly on the seafood-and-market-sourcing angle, but operates as an oyster bar rather than a full-service kitchen. If raw shellfish and a casual format are what you're after, Walrus and Carpenter is the call. If you want a cooked, composed Pacific Northwest meal with OAD-level credibility, Matt's is the choice. Joule and Kamonegi operate in different cuisine lanes entirely; Joule for New Asian with a Korean backbone, Kamonegi for handmade soba; so the comparison is less direct, but both carry their own OAD recognition and are worth booking on the same Seattle trip if your schedule allows.
Maneki, Seattle's oldest Japanese restaurant, is the contrast on ambiance and history rather than cuisine type. If you're deciding between them, the question is whether you want a market-driven Pacific Northwest kitchen or a decades-deep Japanese dining room; they're not competing for the same meal occasion. For the explorer diner building a multi-day Seattle itinerary, Matt's handles the local-sourcing angle while Maneki handles the cultural depth side of the ledger.
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Matt’s in the Market guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Matt’s in the Market
| Venue | Cuisine | Booking Difficulty | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt’s in the Market | Pacific Northwest | Easy | 2026 OAD Casual in North America Recommended2024 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #3792023 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Recommended |
| Canlis | New American | Unknown | 2026 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #65Star Wine Lists 20262026 Relais Chateaux Restaurants2026 Wine Spectator Grand Award2025 Food & Wine Global Tastemakers Top Restaurants · #22025 Robb Report 100 Greatest American Restaurants of the 21st Century · #212025 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #64World's Best Wine Lists 20252025 James Beard Award Semifinalists |
| Joule | New Asian | Unknown | 2026 OAD Casual in North America Recommended2025 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #3612024 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #4862023 OAD Casual in North America Recommended2022 James Beard Awards |
| Kamonegi | Soba | Unknown | 2026 OAD Casual in North America Recommended2025 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #1192024 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #1312023 OAD Casual in North America Highly Recommended |
| Maneki | Japanese | Unknown | 2026 OAD Casual in North America Recommended2025 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #3772024 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #4012023 OAD Casual in North America Recommended |
| Walrus & Carpenter | New American - Seafood | Unknown | No published awards |
Comparing your options in Seattle for this tier.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Matt’s in the Market handle dietary restrictions?
Dietary accommodations can vary. Flag restrictions in advance via the venue's official channels.
How far ahead should I book Matt's in the Market?
Book at least a week out for lunch and two weeks out for Friday or Saturday dinner. The room is small, which means dinner fills fast and walk-in chances are slim on weekends. Sunday is the only day without dinner service, so if your schedule is flexible, a weekday lunch gives you the best shot at a last-minute table.
Is Matt's in the Market good for solo dining?
It works well for solo diners, particularly at lunch. The counter seating and compact room make it less awkward than a sprawling dining room, the weekday lunch window runs 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, giving you time to settle in. An OAD-ranked kitchen at a solo table is a reasonable trade-off if you want serious Pacific Northwest cooking without committing to a group booking.
What should I order at Matt's in the Market?
The kitchen under chef Matt Fortner runs a Pacific Northwest focus, which in Seattle means the menu tracks what's moving through Pike Place Market below. Prioritise whatever is listed as a daily special or market catch; that's where the kitchen's proximity to the market actually pays off. Avoid anchoring to a specific dish before you arrive; the menu shifts with supply.
