Matt's Italian Cuisine — Restaurant in Jacksonville

If I could leave less than one star review I would. I have ordered from this establishment for many years and consistently over the last 3 years as it has always been convienent to do so living directly across street even when the food has not been constant or has gone down. Tonight I called for a take out order @ 9:15 just 2 subs needed to be made and as kids noodle and sauce all things that are typically ready within 10 minutes at Matt’s. I was denied service, when asking do they typically close early the hostess on phone had to continuously put me on hold on hold to ask owner, seeing as I live so close I have never had a issue ordering at this time. The items I order are easy and simple to make. The owner continued to tell me that they were closed. I went on to tell him how simple My order was, the hundreds I spend a week on take out from Matt’s as he could confirm if any record of custa met orders were kept. Once learning how simple my order was he quickly changed his tune to let me restart would you like carry out or delivery it would have been carry out as I asked hostess as we live exactly .2 miles across street. They would know this if they kept client records as they would see they deliver there often and have actually messed up orders before and offered credits on future meal that I have never asked them to satisfy. I asked him if hey were not open why would they have there hours as 930 on google and that I felt they needed to be updated. As if not I wouldn’t be the only one being refused service. I hope this review finds those who have had like experiences with inconsistency of food and service as well as operational hours and saves future patrons from having the same experience. If you’d like to know a great Italian place, consistent and will literally take your order a min before they close EJ’s merril road a real Italian food Family establishment. There house ranch is to die for and they have always came thru. One time at Ejs they forgot a two liter I told them not to worry about it within 15 mins driver was back with two liter talk about customer service. I hope Matt’s can take this as a example as how to treat long time patrons who are loyal to there establishment even while watching them continuously go downhill for there...

Kids Ziti; not a big deal, buts its penne, not ziti. The meatballs were good. The problem is there were only 9 pieces of pasta - yes, I counted them - and about half a pound of cheese. A pasta dish should have more pasta than cheese. Sauce was okay, but salty.

Chicken marsala; nice amount of pasta, mushroom, and chicken, and decent - but salty - sauce. They do not remove fat or tendens/gristle from the chicken.

Chicken ravioli [in alfredo sauce]; surprised to see only 5 ravioli. They were largish, about 2 bites each, but they only serve you 5 ravioli. For the price and size of ravioli, 8 would have been acceptable. Biggest problem; waaaaaaaay to salty. I thought maybe the first one was a fluke, but the second one was even saltier. Ate 2 and sent it back.

Cannoli; decent, but definitely all store bought and not fresh at all.

Tiramisu; decent flavor and portion for the price, also definitely store bought.

Cheesy bread; big lump of luke warm cheese on a sandwich roll. Dont waste your money.

For what you'll end up spending, just go to...

This is normally one of my favorite places to eat, but tonight the food was awful. It tasted like a deglazed cast iron pan. Almost like burnt plastic, except it wasn't visibly charred. We told our waitress, and she apologized and told what I believe is the manager. The manager was angry, but polite and she tried telling us that since they burn off the Marsala wine, it's going to taste like that and that it was not burnt because it was not visibly charred. We never claimed it was burnt, just that it tasted burnt (like a burnt pan sauce maybe?) I have eaten the Ribeye Marsala before, and it was fantastic, which is why I ordered it again tonight, but it was not edible. My husband had the Osso Bucco, which he also could not eat because it tasted like burnt plastic. The waitress offered to remake it but at that point we just wanted to leave and did not want to argue with the manager. So without eating but a few bites of our 20 a piece dollar meals, we paid and left. I'm very disappointed because it really is one of my favorite...