Mateo

We had a couple well made cocktails, but should have had more to compensate for the meal we were served Overcooked mussels with flavorless broth. Fries - their signature item, were just ok - some were soggy and undercooked. Undercooked(raw) peas. Overcooked and undercooked eggs (on plates that came out together) Pork belly that looked more like fatty pork shoulder to me. Poor waitstaff - took forever to get drinks/wine. For $70/head, it was awful Pros: Interesting drinks, I hear the burger is good Cons: Poorly cooked food more

I have been enjoying lunch and dinner at Mateo for several years. What a wonderful experience it has been establishing a relationship with a neighborhood restaurant. Whether it be Petaluma chicken and french fries (poulet frites), or whole roasted European sea bass (loup de mer), Mateo has been a restaurant that has introduced us to seasonal, local and the highest quality ingredients. Additionally, Mateo has been a stellar model and innovator in gracious service. The wine selection and beautiful cherry wood bar make Mateo a restaurant experience not to be missed. Pros: Food, Ambience, Wine more

I had high hopes for Mateo, but I was sadly disappointed. First of all, we had an 8:15 reservation but were seated about 20 minutes late. We were seated at a dark table and not offered a candle until our meal was almost over. Once our waiter arrived, we were offered bread but the bread never made its way to our table. Our dishes of lamb and pork chop came quickly and were quite good, but I was given only a butter knife for my pork chop. We were brought dessert menus, but after waiting for 20 minutes for someone to take our orders we decided to simply ask for the check. The inexperienced staff and poor service really took away from the overall experience. In retrospect, we should have stuck with Upstairs at the Kitchen's tasting hour because this was pretty disappointing. Pros: Good food Cons: Poor service, inexperienced staff more

The food was quite good, although the portions were small. This is not a four-star restaurant, largely because of the kitchen, which was slower than molasses in January. We arrived before 5:15 p.m. on a Saturday night and received our entrees at 6:46 p.m. This sort of slowness is not acceptable. We both felt the portions were better - larger for sure - when we ate the previous night at a chain restaurant (Perkins) in Lakewood. (Even a person at the next table complained about the speed of service.) Pros: Excellent Food, especially salads and desserts. Cons: Glacial pace of service, noise, reservations don't seem to matter, we still were at a lousy table. more

Just had my first visit. While there was a great wine list, server was unable to recommend a specific wine for my order. VERY noisy and difficult to carry a conversation with my table guest. Will not return as there are better restaurants for the money in Boulder (Flagstaff). more

Mateo is a wonderful place for couples or small groups. It has the feeling of NY-style small and trendy spot, meaning that it is small and crowded. However, Mateo's wines and interesting food bring me back to the things that I love about the small and crowded spots in NY. It is an experience, best not rushed, to be enjoyed. Pros: wine, atmosphere, service Cons: desserts (non-dairy), pricy more

Having just gone to Mateo after a long absence, I have to say, they just keep getting better! Their menu has developed in sophistication and selection. Each course has many delicious options and luckily, the person I went with ordered different items than I did, so we got to try a wide variety of the offerings. Everything we tasted was beautifully presented and the flavors were delicious and happily suprising. The great part was pairing wines with the courses. Their wine list is accessible for those of us who love wine but are not well versed in the complexities of the world of wine. Also, the staff is excellent at recommending pairings. Ah the staff...they do a fantastic job of being there when you need them and not when you don't. And as always, the atmosphere was just plain sexy. Thank you, Mateo! Great work! Pros: Food, Wine List, Atmosphere more

I love this place! The food is fresh and not fussy. They change the menu with the seasons and it is nearly always fabulous. There are several great wines to try and they have pie crust mastered for their various crostatas, tarts etc. Everything sparkles from the glassware to the candles and the severs, particularly al and arturo amke you feel like an old friend. Not to be missed! Pros: Fresh, Friendly, Inviting more

The setting is casual at Mateo (exposed brick and duct work, waitstaff in jeans) but the food is all business. We started with a well prepared and interesting House Pate with a savory chutney and crostini. We also had to try an order of the house frites because they smelled so wonderful. For our entrees we tried the Lamb Loin Chops with Flageolet Beans (chops were well seasoned and the beans a little al dente) and the Pork Tenderloin with Potato Puree, Baby Carrots and Golden Raisin Chutney (the pork was cooked perfectly, the potatoes and carrots were excellent, but I wasn't crazy about the chutney). For dessert we sampled the Vanilla Pot de Creme (very good). We found the wine list a little pricey. The dining room was packed but our server Arturo was a joy. Pros: Service, Fresh Ingredients Cons: Pricey Wines, Parking more

Mateo is a great time - the food is amazing, the staff knowledgable, and nice atmosphere. What really stood out for me was our waiter. He was so great! I had a salad (watercress with hazelnuts - amazing) but my boyfriends entree (lamb i think) came with mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes are my favorite, so I tried some of his. They were some of the best mashed potatoes I'd ever had - the waiter noticed that I liked them so much, and that my boyfriend was getting a little frustrated at me eating them all off of his plate - and brought out a little plate of mashed potatoes for me on the house! That really made an impression - great staff, great food! Pros: great staff, great ambiance more

The atmosphere in this small restaurant is alive and exciting--paticularly on friday and saturday nights. Staff is amazingly knowledgable and the wine list is both diverse and full of great values (we noted a few wines that we had seen at other restaurants--but at far lower prices). And then there's the food. Sublime. Delecate, fresh salads, an array of creative entrees and desserts second to none (not to mention the cheese tasting!)... GO NOW and Go often!! Also a great place for visiting friends and relatives. Pros: service, food, wine list more

Mateo is a wellcome addition to the Boulder food scene. Excellent wine list, excellent food. Highly recomend it! Pros: Food, Wine list, frendly service more