Pasadena has a new excuse for a lunchtime logjam: Cheesesteaks by Matū just opened on East Colorado Boulevard, and opening week brought a line that stretched down the sidewalk. The operation runs out of a tiny ordering window tucked beside a sibling burger counter, with a stripped-down, beef-obsessed menu. For Beverly Hills regulars, it is the Matū cheesesteak dropped straight into Playhouse Village; for everyone else, it is a fresh reason to join the queue.
The Sandwich
The headline act is the Matū cheesesteak, built from seared, chopped wagyu ribeye and sirloin, browned onions, a white Cooper Sharp chees,e and a sesame-crusted, baguette-style roll, finished with a charred long hot pepper. All that salt, fat, and heat stacks into a plush, carefully controlled richness, though the critic noted it could benefit from a bit more acidity to cut through the heft. Food critic Bill Addison still crowned it the best version of a cheesesteak he has eaten in Los Angeles, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Short Menu, Rich Sides
Cheesesteaks by Matū is keeping things tight for now. The signature sandwich is the clear focus, and the lone listed side has been potato chips fried in beef tallow. The Pasadena page on the Matū site pins the shop at 625 E. Colorado Boulevard, notes that it opened on Wednesday and confirms both dine in and to go service, according to the Matū website.
Separate Windows, Same Location
While the new cheesesteak window sits in the same alcove as HiHo Cheeseburger, they are distinct operations. Each counter runs with its own dedicated crew and maintains its own separate line for customers. The cheesesteak concept itself spun out of customer demand at the group's flagship Matū and Matū Kai locations.The rollout and the choice to plant a flag in Pasadena as part of a wider expansion were chronicled by the Observer.
A Surge Of Demand
On just the second day in business, Addison and a colleague found the tiny spot already slammed, with the line reaching the sidewalk and every seat spoken for, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. That early crush pushed the shop to scale back temporarily to a lunch-only rhythm, opening at 11:30 a.m. and wrapping up orders around 2 p.m. The critic's verdict: if you can handle the richness, the sandwich justifies the wait.
Plan Your Visit
Anyone heading over should be ready for window ordering, limited seating, and a streamlined menu that revolves almost entirely around the cheesesteak. If beef tallow chips are not your thing, it is an easy move to pair your sandwich with fries from HiHo next door. The Pasadena page for Matū currently lists broader, all-day hours and an all-day menu, so it is worth double-checking the details before you go, according to the Matū website. You will find the storefront at 625 E. Colorado Blvd., in the Playhouse Village stretch just east of Old Pasadena.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to correct operational details regarding staffing and service windows.
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