There are some nights you know you'll remember long after they're over. This was one of them…read more My wife and I chose L'Ardente to celebrate two of the most important days in our life together: her birthday and our wedding anniversary. From the moment we arrived, we felt like our celebration mattered to the people taking care of us. The food was incredible. We started with the Duck Hunt and Cesare salad, followed by the 40-Layer Lasagna, which absolutely deserves every bit of its reputation. Our cocktails, the Arancia Rossa Margarita and Negroni Fumo, were beautiful and delicious. We finished with the Gianduja S'Mores and Pesca Arrostita, and somehow each course just kept getting better. But as good as the food was, the people are what we'll remember most. Talya was incredible. She was attentive, warm, and genuinely kind, making us feel completely at ease from the moment we sat down until the very end of the night. She made wonderful recommendations, checked on us at all the right moments, and genuinely cared that we were enjoying our night. And then there was Robin, the Guest Relations Manager. She made us feel less like guests at a restaurant and more like people being welcomed into someone's home. She checked on us throughout the evening, celebrated with us, and made sure our night felt special from beginning to end. At the end of dinner, we were surprised with two complimentary chocolate cakes, one for our anniversary and one for my wife's birthday, along with cards celebrating each occasion. Those personal touches meant so much to us and were the perfect ending to an already beautiful night. When you're celebrating the person you love most, you hope the place you choose somehow rises to the occasion. L'Ardente did that and more. The food was exceptional, the atmosphere was beautiful, but the hospitality is what will bring us back. Thank you, Talya, Robin, and the entire L'Ardente team. You helped make a day that already means the world to us feel even more special. We won't forget it.

We came here for my birthday diner and it felt like a special destination without being…read moreexorbitantly over the top! There were so many seating options inside from the pizza counter to the main dining room, bar area and back restaurant area. We moved our spot three times but they were so accomodating. The food here was delicious. As so many have shared, the must order items are the duck hunt appetizer, which is truly one of the best dishes I've ever had. For the entree, make sure you order the 40 layer lasagna. This was my favorite of all that we ordered. And finally for dessert, we had a dessert buffet! We loved the Vanilla souffle, a dish my husband said was the best meal he had since living in France. Now that is a compliment!

Filomena has been a Georgetown staple since 1983, and the history is everywhere. It's known as the…read morerestaurant that's dined presidents, celebrities, and just about everyone in between, with walls covered in photos to prove it. You can even watch the nonnas in the front window rolling fresh pasta by hand. I ordered the Linguini Cardinale, one of President Clinton's favorites and on the menu since 1983. Absolutely delicious. I also had the Vitello alla Marsala, and the portions are huge across the board. They start you off with three kinds of bread, hot and fresh, along with a pesto sauce that is incredible. To finish, they bring a choice between two different digestivos, a nice touch to end the meal. The atmosphere is dark with this pink lighting that gives the whole place a really cool feel. Service was exceptional from start to finish. This one is special, and worth seeking out when you're in DC.

This spot has been on my list for ages and finally got to take my girlfriend here to celebrate our…read moreanniversary. The inside is very well decorated but a bit dark. We started with the grilled octopus (which were alright) and the arancini that were amazing! The complimentary focaccia bread they give you is also great (pro tip - dip it in the red sauce that comes with the arancini). For our mains, we got their signature linguini cardinale and the recommended seafood carbonara. Both the pastas were cooked to perfect al dente and were very large portions with lots of seafood. The linguini cardinale deserves every single praise as each bite is rich and indulgent. We ended with the strawberry cheesecake which was good, but very standard. The space is a bit dark and can feel cramped but overall, I had a great time and enjoyed the food. Apps: Grilled Octopus and Arancini Entrees: Linguini Cardinale and Seafood Carbonara Dessert: Strawberry Cheesecake

We had a wonderful experience here! The lasagna and the calzone were both absolutely…read moredelicious--fresh, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. The service was just as amazing. Our server, Monroy, was friendly, attentive, and made us feel very welcome throughout the meal. We'll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend!

Great appetizers and pizza and a fantastic environment. Thanks you Monroy for a great service! Will…read moredefinitely be back next time we are in DC!

Came here for lunch. I think it was way early for the likes of Washington DC crowd, so for a while…read morewe had the whole place to ourselves. The decor is more of a mix of Italian Rustic and Heavy American classic giving the vibe of Italy with feel of Power typical for quite a few DC higher end restaurants. Food is top notch. Tagliere (Not quite Pizza but very close), Spaghetti alle Vongole, Hamachi Crudo, Octopus all delicious.... Lunch crowd started arriving around 12:30 which about what I was expecting and why not service is great although early lunch is a little lite on the crew but no misses, which is an excellent sign. Full bar with great cocktails and wine. I'd say visit if you get a chance.

Transforms you to a cute cafe in Europe!…read more Food- bright, fresh, and flavorful. Drinks- nice variety of cocktails and mocktails. Space- simple and classy decor. Service-Muhammad was friendly professional and attentive. Gave great suggestions.

I found this restaurant at the last minute and boy am I glad we did!…read more We arrived at around 7:45 and the place was packed. The hostess told us we likely wouldn't sit until 9:45 so I inquired about the bar and the manager quickly stepped in to put us on a waitlist. Since the restaurant is connected to a food hall of sorts, she recommended we grab a drink there while we wait. Shortly after we got our drink, we received notification of an opening and were seated by 8:15. We had the burrata appetizer, Ragú x 2, and the seafood fra diavolo. The burrata was one of the best I've had since they serve it with pesto, pine nuts, and garlic bread. It was truly divine! The Ragú was not far behind. Incredible flavor and a generous portion. The seafood dish had a nice kick and had plenty of seafood, which is not common as of late. All dishes were also priced reasonably for the quality you received. As we sat at the bar, we had pleasant conversation with the bartender and finished our meal with a small cannoli that really sealed the deal. If you're looking for excellent Italian food in DC without breaking the bank, look no further than Caruso's grocery! However, I'd recommend reserving ahead of time because it's certainly not a secret. LOL

I picked this place as my birthday dinner with some girlfriends. I was unsure of the vibe, food etc…read morebefore arriving. The place gives cozy speakeasy vibes. We we sat down the waitress was very friendly and welcoming. She knew alot about the menu items and such. As soon as she handed me the wine menu and saw Chianti as one of the wines, I didnt hesitate to get a bottle for the table (I love Chianti with a story behind it). We ordered the Creamy Burrata, with Grilled Bread and four cheese sauce and the calamari for the appitizers. All of the appetizers were amazing and Im a sucker for grilled crushy bread. For the main course i ordered the Trout Piccata. The fish was cooked to perfection and the veggies were well seasoned. My friends ordered the chicken piccata, Caruso Alfredo and baked Cavatelli. Everything was good. Next up we ordered the butterfinger sundae, Nutella cannoli and tiramisu. The sundae base is chocolate ice cream. If you are fan of chocolate ice cream you will love the sundae. Overall great experience and I will definitely return!

I've been coming to this lovely Italian gem for so many years. It is consistent and delicious and…read morefriendly and cozy. Their pastas are perfection. Their menu is simple and it works. We've taken out of town guests, we've taken our son, we've done takeout. One of my favorites is the bucatini with short rib ragu. I always ask for an extra side of buratta, which pair is so nicely with the hearty sauce.

A cute little neighborhood spot. Was in the mood for pasta and decided to go on a whim on a…read moreSaturday night. It was crowded but there were still a few seats available. Found it to be a bit louder than I would've liked but I think it was because of the spacing between tables. Came toward the end of the night and got seated and welcomed right away. I ordered the polpette, meatballs to start. They were quite tasty, but the sauce was a bit watery. Think that's just because the meatballs themselves were pretty juicy. Heard the focaccia was a hit, so asked for some of that. I was told they didn't have any left. Which was weird, because then another server came and asked if I wanted bread. I'm glad I said yes because the focaccia is very fresh and was a great addition to the meal. For my main, I ordered the vodka pasta, which was very flavorful and very saucy. I love a good, thick vodka sauce and that's what you'll get here. The one part of the pasta I didn't really enjoy was the chicken inside the pasta. I think I would've preferred a grilled chicken option instead of the chicken that comes in the pasta. That being said, this place is a gem. The prices are great and the portions are hearty. The pasta is thick, you're really coming here for fresh noodles and ingredients. If you want to top your meal off just right, you'll get the chocolate lava cake. Very delicious! Service was good and staff was very attentive!

Came here with a friend before going to see Alanis Morissette live - best experience ever!…read more Who knew the perfect pregame to live music with Grazie Nonna. Perfect ambience! perfect food! perfect location! The food was pretty good - I love an artisan pizza (brick oven in the back)! Calamari was good - nothing crazy! Overall cute place to grab a little Italian bite!

I visited this restaurant on a Saturday evening with friends. The ambience was decent. However, it…read morewas so loud that I couldn't hear the people next to me, including the waitress. Which made for a very interesting experience. It felt like she would just come by and smile at us in the middle of our conversation conversations, and I don't know if she actually asked anything each time she came. The service in general could've been wayy better. We ordered pizza and then pasta and when we asked for a box, we were made to box up our own food and we were just given a huge pizza box that took up 80% of our table and the waitress walked away. I don't know if I was expected to just hold the pizza box while sitting at a small table and trying to eat my pasta, but there was absolutely zero consideration given to where I was supposed to put this large pizza box on this small table when we still had half of our meal coming to the table. The waiter also didn't pay attention to any dietary restrictions or allergies, and offered zero guidance on that. Also, we were told that there was a time limit for where we were sitting despite they're being several tables open the whole time we were there. For the food, I really enjoyed the food- Italian salad, pizza with the hot honey, and Alfredo pasta. But everything else really dampened the experience. If I were to go back, I would either order takeout, eat outside, or come another day when it wasn't so loud, and have a different waiter.

stopped in for drinks yesterday and ended up staying for a couple hours because the drinks were…read moregreat and the bartender Mac is awesome! he was so nice and knowledgeable about the menu. will be coming back for sure!!

This is one of our go to places whenever we are in Georgetown, it never disappoints! The inside of…read morethe restaurant is absolutely stunning. We have ordered everything from prosciutto + melon appetizer to steaks and pasta, everything is always prepared perfectly and the service is excellent. Will be back often!

classy and cute italian restaurant near the convention center -- my boyfriend and i came by for a…read morelate lunch while visiting the city. we were seated pretty much immediately in a spacious round booth and were introduced to our server -- tim deserves a special shoutout, super friendly and accommodating, and great at talking up the menu and each dish we chose. between the two of us, we ordered the whipped ricotta and wild blossom honey focaccia to start, with the prosciutto tortelloni and lobster fra diavolo as our mains. the focaccia was a perfect balance of lightly creamy and slightly sweet with the bread (not too dry or hard, and easy to spread). the pasta was advertised as made in house, and certainly was delicious and bouncy enough to be believed. sauces were balanced nicely and pleasantly complimented their pastas appropriately. we finished off with the pistachio gelato -- gelato is apparently made in house as well with a machine in the back, and was soft and creamy, paired with a strawberry that was nicely gelatinous and almost a highlight of the dessert. we definitely wish we could come back a lot more often if we lived in the area.

This is hands down one of the best Italian restaurants in DC. I either visit or get delivery quite…read morefrequently. The ambiance is 10/10- perfect for a celebration, date, or chic dinner. The service has always been remarkable. For starters, the meatballs are exceptional - they taste like my Italian grandmothers! My family from out of town even has me freeze some and take them when I visit! The whipped ricotta and honey has also been a go-to. For dinner- I will forever be in love with their lobster ravioli. Fresh pasta, huge chunk lobster meat, and a lobster claw piece in the sauce. Totally worth it for the price! My other favorites are the squid ink pasta, and mama de pandi's pomodoro! I am super picky about sauce, and hers is one of the best! Again, pasta is home made and perfectly al-dente! My family members love the papperdelle ragu! Last week, I tried the pasta with scallops and wild mushrooms! Again, exceptional! The one miss for me was the vodka sauce, but that's because I think I like everything else so much! The mini donuts for dessert are a must-get!

Cucina Morini is a delightful dining experience that truly lives up to its reputation, especially…read moreduring martini hour. With $7 martinis available from Monday to Sunday in their cozy lounge, it's an ideal spot to unwind with friends. I sampled several cocktails and found each one to be exceptional, but the standout for me was the Cala Rossa a sweet yet refreshing delight. After enjoying our share of martinis, our appetites kicked in, prompting us to check for a table. The staff was incredibly accommodating, allowing us to sit at the bar. We indulged in their pasta offerings, opting for the Capelletti and Rigatoni, both of which were delicious and perfectly cooked. Cucina Morini combines great service, delicious food, and a vibrant atmosphere, making it a fun visit for anyone looking to enjoy a fantastic night out.

Cucina Morini is an excellent place for solo dining. I secured a last minute reservation for a…read morespecial Memorial Day Morini Monday for myself. Not saying that dining companions are distracting, but I felt like I could fully experience the flavor of both the Taglioni Neri and Gnocchi, both half portions at $10 each, better on my own. When the dishes came, I saw that the sauces were both red and feared they would taste too similar. After one fork full of each, they are quite clearly distinct. The standout in the Neri were the shellfish for me. Even though they were small bits, the pieces tasted fresh. In the Gnocchi, the saltiness of the prosciutto, though not overwhelming, paired well with the basil sauce. I finished a little more than half of each plate before boxing it up for a small lunch the next day. The service was great and the tall ceiling and windowed dining room provided a nice atmosphere. It was a cloudy and rainy Memorial Day, but I wondered what the sunlight looked like shining through those high windows. How lovely a space they have created to enjoy fine Italian dining in.