Matilda

Contributor

Citysearch

The Scene
The two-room Matilda glows behind storefront windows--all candlelight, blond wood, chrome accents, celestial colors and artful wall hangings--on a quiet pre-Belmont bustle corner. Clean-cut, casual 20- and 30-somethings pack booths and bolted-down furnishings throughout the bar. Down perilously steep metal stairs, the subterranean Baby Atlas beckons with an edgier atmosphere: Bold, disparate wall hangings and plush couches clutter the tiny den of cool.

The Draw
The juke at the main bar's back provides unobtrusive national and local pop-rock, from Coldplay to Caviar; two pool tables also complement the genial socializing. Both upstairs and downstairs bars offer plenty, including a dozen drafts, bottles and cans, and 13 wines by the glass, though cocktails and martinis dominate weekends. A wildly eclectic food menu mixes standard and upscale choices for appetizers, salads, sandwiches, flatbreads, entrees and desserts. Service is friendly and solid.