Our Story
A family story, told through food
When Joe Bare married into a Korean family, he didn't just learn recipes. He learned a philosophy that would shape the rest of his life: the best food comes from the best ingredients, prepared with care, and shared with people you love.
Trained at Ruth's Chris, Joe knew premium meats and the craft of hospitality. His wife's parents had owned restaurants in Korea for decades. They taught him how to ferment kimchi properly, how to balance the heat of gochujang, how to judge when galbi is perfectly marinated.
The result was something that felt both authentically Korean and deeply personal. Not a replica of a Seoul restaurant, but a family kitchen opened up to the community.
“I'm a big believer in hospitality and service together. If you do both well, people always come back.”
Joe Bare, Owner & Chef
맛좋아 — “Matjoa” means delicious in Korean. It's the word Joe heard most in his wife's family kitchen, and it became the name of everything they built together.
Matjoa House opened in February 2020 in Clearwater. Within weeks, COVID hit. Rather than cut corners, Joe doubled down on quality. Customers noticed. They kept coming back, and they brought friends.
Over five years, 500+ reviews, and a 4.7-star average across every platform, Matjoa built something rare: a genuine community. In 2025, they moved to a bigger space in Odessa. The address changed. The food, the family, and the philosophy stayed exactly the same.
A Family Legacy
Dinner for the family
2015
Banchan, from scratch
2018
The first plate of galbi
2020
Opening week in Clearwater
2020
A full spread, five years in
2025
LA galbi, perfected
2025
Our Philosophy
Scratch-Made Everything
No shortcuts. Our gochujang, marinades, kimchi, and every side dish are made fresh in our kitchen daily. The banchan alone takes hours each morning. You can taste the difference, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
Quality Over Everything
Premium meats. Fresh ingredients. No fillers, no frozen banchan, no compromises. If we wouldn't serve it to our own family, we won't serve it to yours. That standard has never changed, and it never will.
Press
Press
Press
Tampa Bay Times
“What does a white cook know about Korean barbecue? But this is super authentic — we're well known in the Korean community.”
2025
That's So Tampa
“A dynamic blend of tradition and innovation, making it a go-to spot for Korean barbecue enthusiasts and first-timers alike.”
2025
Adam's Apple
“The selection and quality at Matjoa easily reigns supreme.”
2020
