I came here for Sunday brunch with a day date after scouring other restaurants in Eastern Market that were all booked full. They were just opening up and we were their first customers. We walked in and sat at the bar where he ordered us $16 glasses of wine. I was like 'whoa, that's is expensive for a glass of wine!' It was extremely good. The place has an extensive wine menu with a lot of options and cocktails. For my meal I ordered the Tatlatelli Ragu. I believe it was a special that day. It looks like one of those hamburger helper items you could prep and home but far from the quality of hamburger helper. It was full of taste and wonderfully good. I loved it and whipped my plate clean considering that was my first and primary meal of the day. I am so glad we stumbled in here. Everything was so perfect right the weather right down to the last drop of sauce on my plate. Highly recommended for sure with great service to go along with it! read more

See all

Absolutely LOVE Acqua Al 2! I visited this gem back in 2015 and had the pleasure of visiting D.C. again this past week and came back for another phenomenal dinner. Their sauces are so tasty!! When you walk in the restaurant you are welcomed by a warm atmosphere and amazing smelling scents coming from the kitchen. The waiters are top-notch and all of the food is primo. I highly recommend you try it for yourself to find out how great it is. Keep up the great work guys! You should open a restaurant in San Francisco, we would love to have you on the west coast!! :) read more

Wow. Acqua al 2 was a meal worthy of Hillary Clinton. Yes we had a sighting of the former First Lady and Secretary of State. Acqua al 2 is a mini group of restaurants with the original in Florence, Italy. My friend brought me here as he said it was his favorite restaurant in dc. Now being a New Yorker, I am suspicious of favorites and the est of the country tends towards food ratings inflation. Despite initial skepticism, I was hugely impressed. To die fors. The burrata peach special (frankly I say yes to anything burrata these days). We had the pasta samplers of which the Gorgonzola gnocchi was melt in your mouth stunning and the trio of steaks. I could go on. The food is delish, its definitely worth a trip and come starved. Note prices are reasonable and the place is casual (wooden bench seating) so no need for dress up night. read more

While Acqua Al 2 has some very delicious dishes, they also have some less intricate ones that I would argue would taste similarly good if I tried to make them at home. At a restaurant like this, that prides itself on its authentic Florence menu and taste, I think they could do a better job of taking some of their pasta dishes to the next level. Food (6/10): We began with the L'Antipasto Toscano, which was a meat, cheese, and bruschetta tasting. This had so many amazing meats that I thought it was super worth it. The bruschetta was also unique and super tasty. Next we decided to go with the Assaggio di Primi, which is Aqua Al 2's pasta sampler. It only includes vegetarian pasta dishes and you don't know which five you are getting (nor do you get to pick at all). I was let down by this because I was not super impressed with any of the five that we got (I realize it's because they simply serve the extra of whatever others are ordering as their mains). The sampler was only $18 per person, which based on the portions we got of the five pastas, I did think was a great deal. We finished the evening with Acqua Al 2's Assaggio di Dolci, the dessert sampler. This was fabulous because every dessert was so rich and made to perfection. A few bites of each was also all we needed after eating so much pasta. Atmosphere (6/10): Aqua al 2 had a cozy, hole-in-the wall, family owned restaurant vibe. While I love some good dimmed mood lighting, I thought it could have been better lit in certain areas. I am 24 years old and often tease my parents for using their phone flash light to see the menu, but I was ready to bring out mine because it was truly so dark. Service (6/10): Our food came in a very timely manner, spaced out perfectly so we could finish one pasta sampler before the next came out. I thought our server could have been a bit more attentive and friendly. Disclaimer: I didn't try the steak because I wanted to focus on the pasta my first time around. I have heard amazing things about Aqua Al 2's steak so will be sure to try and update my review accordingly... Next time I go I will definitely just try a few pastas that I've heard are standouts that I didn't get to try this time around. I will take the steak route as well!! read more

See all

I had eaten here in Florence a few years ago, and thought it was great. I was very excited to see that they had a location in D.C. Much of the rustic ambience that made the Italian location so nice was similar in this location. The pasta dishes were all well prepared and the gnocchi in particular was excellent. I had actually eaten before I got there, but wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to sit at the bar and sample a few small plates. This turned into me trying the filet the trio. Probably my favorite dish there. Its one filet sliced in thirds each with a different sauce. The sauces were a blueberry reduction, as balsamic reduction and perfectly seasoned piece of steak which is grilled to perfection. I'll be back and next time with a larger party so I can try some more apps. read more

Dining al fresco - assisted by torches :) - at Acqua Al 2 is the way to start Spring, I felt spoiled. Outstanding food, perfectly timed service, friendly hosts, friendly waiters, even friendly bussers made the evening very relaxing. But it all costs a bit. The little bar inside is all about Italian wines yet still offers two taps for us beer lovers. That night it was Peroni and Virginia's Port City IPA, the IPA really hit the spot, $8 each. Bread comes with a dish of plain olive oil but just ask for hot pepper flakes if that suits you (it sure suited us), they brought a heaping dish right out. The bread basket is a folded-down paper bag, never saw that before! I succumbed to our waiter's suggestion of house special salad: burrata cheese on perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes, yummy soft cheese that's not quite mozzarella, perfect vinaigrette dressing that I mopped up with bread, great. But, uh, $14. My unindicted co-conspirator got the Insalata Finochio, a wonderful mix of shaved fennel and radicchio with loads of grated parmiggiano, a deal at $8. Vegetarian rating: 5 stars absolutely, every single primi patti (first course pasta) looked 100% veg. The house special pasta assortment is $15/person for 5 courses (min 2 people), every single selection is all veg, I highly recommend it just be sure to ask for the spicy one, that was the very best. So we split that pasta variation. Small dishes of pasta followed one another in moderate succession - never rushed, but we never ran out of food either. Orecchiette with broccoli in cheese sauce .. penne in vodka sauce .. risotto with perfect mushrooms .. rigatoni in thick eggplant sauce .. and finally spaghetti in a spicy roasted tomato sauce .. are you drooling yet? We had exactly the right amount of food, not stuffed, happy to have tried so many flavors. Finally we gave in to yet more temptation, this time the dessert variation which is four perfect tiny desserts for $12: tiramisu, cheesecake, flourless chocolate cake and the piece de resistance, panna cotta scented with passion fruit .. wow and I'm not even a dessert person. read more

See all

Very delicious and apparently authentic Italian food! A friend and I visited for lunch on a Sunday and sat outside (it was a beautiful day). The service was fantastic throughout and they accommodated us well. My friend, having recently been to Italy, opted for the gnocchi. A wise choice, as it looked delicious! I opted for the Assagio d'Insalate trio salad, which came with three types of salads: Caprese Salad (sliced tomato and imported buffalo mozzarella, topped with basil and drizzled with olive oil, salt, and pepper), Insalate Mista (spring mix, cherry tomatoes, raddichio, and walnuts), and Insalate Finnochio (shaved fennel with pine nuts, radicchio, parmigiano olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper). All 3 salads were delicious, though they were a bit on the smaller side and weren't quite as filling as I'd hoped for. I did love how authentic that buffalo mozzarella tasted. The restaurant is very close to the the market area of Eastern Market, so my friend and I were able to wander around the outdoor and indoor market after our meal. Overall, very lovely! Great atmosphere, decor, neighborhood, and food. I'd highly recommend it for lunch. read more

See all

I have NO BUSINESS eating dairy, but italian's ALWAYS worth the suffering. ESP good Italian. Had a great time last night. I keep forgetting what I ate but it was tomato-y, and supposed to be spicy (plus I have a pic). I wish it was spicier... Everyone was very friendly. I sat in a weird spot, although I think that was my date's doing more than anything else, plus sometime's it's nice to sit in the front window and people watch, or be window dressings and entice people to come in (they owe me a cut for my hard work). Food was great, service was fine, the waiter had a plethora of info to share with us (always makes me feel like I'm in class), atmosphere was very 'winery,' and a little 'rustic,' and most importantly, everything seemed CLEAN. *bonus sidenote, one of the best lemon drops I've had. Rosemary was a nice touch. read more

Acqua Al 2 - Something with tomato and spice - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Went here last night for dinner on recommendation from a friend who ate at this restaurant in Florence. Sat down to hear another group coming out discussing how this was "the best meal ever". Ordered the penne vodka and Florentine steak -both were delicious and will be recommending this restaurant to anyone in the area. read more

Acqua Al 2 - Penne Vodka - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

This place is beautiful on the inside and kind of rustic. Very small bar in the front with a friendly attractive Latin bartender. He makes a damn good martini. I also got a Manhattan and that was good. We dined in and I ordered the mushroom pasta not sure what it was called but it had too much of a mushroom taste to it. Sounds funny to say that but you really have to like mushrooms to get it. The best part of my meal was the dessert which I had the tiramisu! It's sooo creamy sweet and sexy! The waiter didn't speak good English or was mumbling either way, we never could make out what he was saying. They give you bread before your meal with oil. It's good and soft but cold. I require warm bread. read more

See all

I was excited to try this place since I live in Baltimore and expect that DC would be better in quality. I appreciated the service and the atmosphere, but the food was just OK. (I lived in Italy and am a NY Italian so I have high expectations of my Italian food.) My husband and I got the veggie past sampler, sampler sampler and dessert sampler. All of the dishes were blah. The stand out was the tomato sauce which was excellent. The red pepper pasta was outstanding. The spinach balls were also very good, mostly because of the tomato sauce. Everything else was one dimensional with flavor. Even the dessert sampler was OK, nothing stood out and I left most of the dessert on my plate and I LOVE dessert. On a total side note they brought out bread and it wasn't even warm. It came in a paper bag?! Not sure what that was about, cant remember getting bread in a bag in Florence. Honestly, next time I will skip DC and stick to Cosima and Lupa in Baltimore which has much better food and better prices. I am over the DC snobbery when it comes to food. DC better watch out because Baltimore is coming up to get you! read more

My husband and I were visiting DC from Chicago and were told to check this restaurant out. We actually went to Italy last summer and never made it to the Florence location, but had been told wonderful things. We made reservations on Open Table for 6:30pm. The restaurant was pretty full at 6:30 so I knew it was going to be a great meal. To start, we ordered the risotto and spinach balls and also ordered the charcuterie meat plate (I mean, go big or go home, right?!?) Anyways, we hadn't eaten lunch that day because we were traveling on a plane so we were starving!!! Nonetheless, we weren't disappointed. We cleared the appetizers no problemo! My husband doesn't really eat anything spinach related and he loved it! The sauce is amazing and so fresh. The charcuterie plate was nostalgic; we felt like we were back in Italy! Yum. My husband ordered Chilean Sea Bass (the special) and I ordered the filet mignon (dressed in blueberry sauce). My husband's Sea Bass was tender and delicious. It was cooked over vegetables and it was extremely tasty. I don't even like Sea Bass and I would order it next time! My friend wasn't kidding when she told me to expect an amazing steak. I ordered the steak medium and it was cooked a little longer than I liked. It came out more medium/well but I thought it was still delicious. We both licked our plates clean! I Originally, we weren't going to get dessert (we were stuffed), but we decided to walk back to our hotel after our meal was finished so we indulged! We ordered the caramel mousse and OMG, it was to-die-for. Every bite was amazing and the dessert was made to perfection! The dessert was small, so sharing with my husband didn't seem too bad after all:) You won't be disappointed! Excellent dinner. read more

See all

Wow, our daughter said she ate at this restaurant in Florence Italy and it was fantastic. Well she was correct in her evaluation. The pasta trio and the salad trio accompanied with the filet minion was the way to go. We tried two types of filet, the blueberry filet and with balsamic sauce. Both were great, but the blueberry sauce elevated that steak to the top. We had the ricotta cheese spinach balls and the carpaccio tuna. They were very tasty as starters. We met the owner and he was cordial and took some time to give us the history of how he decided to open a place in DC. I would say this was one of my all time favorites! read more

Amazing food, service and ambiance! I ate way too much here because I couldn't stop stuffing my face full of the delicious food here. Everything was delicious from the bread to the cheesecake. I had the green salad to start. It was very good. Fresh greens and a light olive oil dressing. My next plate was rigatoni with eggplant and cheese in a very nice but light red sauce. More orange than red actually but very tasty. My main course was the filet done in a balsamic reduction sauce that was beyond what I could describe other than delicious. Perfectly cooked medium rare as requested with potatoes and spinach as sides. I ended this perfect meal with what was one of the best cheesecakes I've ever had! In summary, give this spot a try. You will not be disappointed. Especially if you have what I did read more

Acqua Al 2 - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Best steak I ever did have. Sorry St. Elmo's! The Blueberry and Balsamic were amazing! read more

Acqua Al 2 - Blueberry Steak - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Really surprised at how good this place was. Did a little homework before eating there for a business lunch, so I knew the balsamic steak was the thing to get. The reviews dont lir, it really is the item to get! Another gentleman at the table had spicy pasta and raved about it. Good service & excellent value for the price. read more

Acqua Al 2 - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Acqua Al 2 has temporarily become a provisions store in the wake of COVID-19. Their online ordering form allows for delivery and I was able to get all the staples I needed (milk, eggs, onions, garlic, herbs) plus some delicious dried pasta! Their communication via email and text was clear and prompt and the delivery was hassle-free. Thank you for all that you're doing for the community at this time. read more

This place was super yummy. Came here during a recent visit to Eastern Market; what an adorable little place! Here's what I loved: - super clean - amazing service & friendly staff - Italian comfort food at its best - close to metro (1 block) - outdoor seating - moderate prices - great for groups/dates/etc. - cozy ambiance - cool bathrooms (only one though and if you don't read Italian you may accidentally go into the wrong one.. haha) Would definitely recommend this place to anyone who loves Italian. read more

I had no clue this was a chain that could also be found in San Diego! W00t! =D I'm going to have to visit that location next time I'm down there =d I got the steak sampler and I have to say, the blueberry steak was definitely my favorite. What a weird combination, but oh so delicious =d Who would've thunk??? I also got the burrata appetizer with the honey and grapefruit instead of the drizzle of balsamic and mmmmmm that was so good! Their burrata wasn't all that it could be though. It was more of a mozzarella than a burrata but I didn't mind, I have a great way to dress my burrata now =D Can't wait to try it at home and show my friends =d~~~ read more

Rustic decor (incl spacious bathroom), delicious food, great service. The plates mounted on the walls are little out of place. It reminds me a little of New York's Palm's cartoons on the wall - which is better. Men are mostly in suits, small time bureaucrats and lobbyists? Karl Rove would fit in perfectly -:) Loved their foursome dessert - bit of each, four kinds. Awesome. Great food and service. We went there last time in DC and didn't want to wait. Glad we made it this time. read more

Absolutely fantastic steak! The blueberry steak and the balsamic steak are incredible. If I could lick the plate I would! The pasta dishes are heavy, but authentic Italian and a nice compliment to the steak to mix it up. Make a reservation if possible. The place gets very crowded in the evenings and not a whole lot of standing room/bar room to wait for a table. read more

There is an extensive tasting menu, but unlike other restaurants, you can choose only parts of it. We skipped the three salad part since I had salad for lunch, and started with the five pasta tasting menu as an appetizer. After viewing the numerous pasta dishes, there were some we obviously would not like and others we would want. She said we could request one and mention ingredients we do not like. We indicated no bell pepper (there were two pasta dishes with that) and no goat cheese Our one request was the Fusilli with artichoke. It came out first. We were dead on because it was creamy and delicious. I could just order that in the future and be content. The second pasta was a pumpkin Sauce and was good. The third was a Gnocchi with Gorgonzola sauce. This was my second favorite and it melted in my mouth. The third was an eggplant with tubular pasta. Good. And lastly a vegetarian in a red sauce. Also good. For my main dish, I got their signature filet mignon with blueberry sauce. This was to die for. It cut so easily and the sauce so flavorful. I highly recommend it! I also got a side of beans which were tasty. We finished with the tasting of desserts. It included four different delicacies. In order of deliciousness: the tiramisu- it was classic and worth every calorie. The coffee soaked lady fingers and creamy marscapine shined through. Second best was the panna cotta. So thick yet creamy yet tart enough to satisfy the dessert craving. The last two were forgettable. The chocolate flourless cake was boring and the cheesecake had an off taste. The tables are close together and the atmosphere cozy. I liked the low lighting. read more

See all

this is perhaps the best Italian restaurant in DC. I have thrown huge private dinner parties here and I have had dinner with a small group of friends here, and i have had several dates here. It's a great place for a special occasion and a great place for a meal, no special occasion necessary :) The staff is warm and friendly, and the food is out of this world. I know its famous for the blueberry steak but the balsamic is really my favorite. I also love the steak with porcini mushrooms. omg! yums! my friends swear by the Melanzane, i love both of the Cannellonis, they are like a hug for your tummy and amazing in the winter/ when its cold outside. The Tagliatelle al Ragú is divine. The only thing i would avoid is chicken-- not because it isn't good but because there are so many better things on the menu! i also love the seasonal desserts and salads! also, there are private dining spaces AND a speakeasy upstairs, its just a wonderful and classy place. you will never regret going here. read more

3.75 stars from this hungry yelper! The single best thing I've tried on this menu is their grapefruit and burrata salad. It's big enough to share, but frankly you won't want to. Segmented red grapefruit (which means only the inside membrane / pulpy parts are sliced) surround a generous mound of delightfully creamy burrata (think mozzarella cheese with a creamy center). They drizzle the whole thing with a touch of honey and dot the plate with pine nuts. The entire thing is heavenly. Their pastas and entrees are like Hungry Man Italian meals. They're delicious in taste, but boy can they get heavy. For this reason, I suggest you order a variety of things and share amongst your table. There is often a wait due to the popularity among locals, so reservations are strongly encouraged. The last time I tried walking in, we had to sit at the bar which due to their really small and wobbly stools wasn't a great experience. read more

Acqua Al 2 - Grapefruit and burrata salad - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Love this place! I went on a recommendation from the girl. She tried the original location over the pond and was excited to see them in The District. And after trying them for the first time a few months ago I can see why. I get the same thing every time which goes against my rules however how do you pass up a steak with a blueberry reduction sauce. Yeah not going to happen. Anyhow we've recommended several friends here and they've loved it. They have another location in southern California. Make reservations, it gets packed. read more

Acqua Al 2 - Fantastic food! - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Had dinner reservations for restaurant week on a Sunday night, and the restaurant was pretty packed. It's located right across the street from Eastern Market, and there was plenty of street parking available. The restaurant itself is dimly lit, romantic, but had a home-y feel. It's a nice date night spot, but also good at accommodating larger groups. initially, my bf and I were planning on participating in Restaurant Week, but I didn't like the appetizer options and there was a supplemental $10 for the steak mains, so we ultimately decided against it. We ended up sharing an appetizer, a pasta, the trio of steaks, and the dessert sampler, and it ended up being a better deal than the restaurant week menu anyway. the APP: we ordered the risotto and spinach balls (I forget the exact name), and they were a lot richer than I thought they'd be but they were super flavorful and the tomato sauce was so YUM. Overall, really good, but not sure if i'd order it again because it was pretty heavy... maybe try the tartares next time. PASTA: ordered the Rigatoni alle Melanzane which was actually surprisingly impressive. Simple, but delicious. The sauce was a tomato based sauce with eggplant, which i was kind of hesitant about at first, cause I tend to veer away from eggplant, but was really really good. The portions are generous for the price, but not overwhelming STEAK: so on the first page of the menu, there is something called "TRIO OF STEAKS". get it. don't think, dont browse the menu, just order this. Chef's selection was basically two of the three of the steaks on the restaurant week menu. Filet mignon with both blueberry reduction sauce and another with a balsamic. The third was a simple filet with arugula base, lemon wedge, parm & grape tomatoes. We couldn't decide which one was the best because each of them had a complete different taste profile. The blueberry reduction one was definitely the most unique, and the sauce wasn't overly sweet but balanced the steak well. The balsamic one was definitely more tart in comparison, but in the best way possible. And the last one was good because you got to taste the steak. It was lightly seasoned and cooked perfectly. OKAY so after all that, we decided to get dessert. But we couldn't decide which one so we got the sampler. The sampler comes with the first four desserts on the menu, and no you don't get the option to choose (i already asked :)) it includes the tiramisu, panna cotta, cheesecake, and some hazelenut chocolate mouse crunch thing. OVERALL, everything was so good. And a good balance of chocolate and tart. the cheesecake could definitely be skipped, but the bf noted that the tiramisu was the best he's had (brownie points for acqua there). The hazelnut crunch bar thing was also a highlight in the dessert. For $12 I thought the dessert was very much worth it. FINAL THOUGHTS: I wouldn't say the restaurant is cheap, but for the value i think it was well worth the price. Our bill came out to be a little over 80 for the two of us which includes an app, a pasta, STEAK AND dessert. 100% recommend solely based on taste, and the service was equally as awesome. The staff was attentive, patient when I asked my millions of questions, and also friendly. If it wasn't all the way across town, I'd definitely stop by more often. read more

Cyndy's BOTTOM LINE: Delivers basic Italian dishes but I was not transported to Italy. We have dined here before and I decided to choose this restaurant over so many others. I canceled my reservation elsewhere and came here. On previous visits we would always get escorted to the worst table of the entire empty restaurant. It happened again like clock work! This should be a sign. I immediately felt remorse on coming here! The ambiance feels uncomfortable like a touristy restaurant. This is what we ate: 1. Carpaccio di Bresaola - Thin slices of air dried, top round beef, topped with a bed of arugula, cherry tomatoes and shaved parmesan cheese. Good bresaola. 2. Strozzapreti al Radicchio Rosso - Fresh ricotta cheese and spinach balls hand-rolled and baked in our house-made tomato sauce , radicchio. Tasty, great tomato sauce, creamy. 3. The special of the night red snapper. Two cute little pieces of snapper, cooked well. Nice goldem brown outside. High price point. 4. Hubby hand the hand made pasta with mushrooms and asparagus. Delicately made well cooked. The preparation lacked soul, it was bland and the mushrooms were sparse and with no flavor, the asparagus was ok. I asked for salt to add some flavor. 5. Tiramisu - excellently done! Mascarpone cheese nice and creamy. A bottle of Falanghina. read more

See all

Came for restaurant week and ended up ordering from the regular menu instead. We did this because the options on their normal menu just looked absolutely fantastic and we did not want to miss the chance to try them. We ended up ordering the 5 vegetarian pasta tasting menu, which is chefs choice and also an appetizer. To start, this was definitely enough food for 2 very hungry people. For the appetizer we has the Strozzapreti al Pomodoro, which I recommend to everybody. Very similar to the concept of a meatball but this consists of ricotta and spinach and is simmered in a super tasty tomato and parmigiana sauce. We were using the bread at the table to soak up every last drop of this sauce, it was that good. The balls were very tasty and moist, each bite had layers of flavors due to the seasoned ricotta and spinach. My only critique of this dish was that it lacked texture. It was creamy all the way through, and I was craving some crunch, or even a bit of acidity to balance it out. As for the pasta sampler, our chefs choice consisted of a bechamel and orecchiette with zucchini, fusilli with porcini mushrooms, rigatoni with eggplant in a tomato sauce, penne with a red pepper sauce and a pesto risotto. When ranked with 1 being the best and 5 my least favorite, I would go fusilli, orecchiette, rigatoni, penne and then risotto. The flavors of the fusilli and porcini were mind-blowing. The entire dish had an earthy, umami taste from the mushrooms, and the pasta was cooked perfectly. I added some crushed red pepper for some heat, and totally loved this dish. The orecchiette was outstanding. The bechamel sauce was the right consistency, and coated every bit of pasta and zucchini. It had a mild parmigiana flavor, which was not too overwhelming. It was an extremely refreshing pasta dish. The red sauced dishes were good, but not amazing. I did not taste or see anything unique about them, but the sauces and pastas were cooked very well. The risotto was my least favorite since the flavor profile was one dimensional. I wish some pine nuts had been added to contrast the creamy texture, or some acidity to balance out the fat. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. The service was fantastic and extremely helpful in explaining what we would like on the menu. read more

I've been here a couple times and really like the food. Some of the complaints I've read do ring true, but think the food is still worth it. I really like the vegetarian pasta sampler where they bring you and your date 5 different no meat pastas. All the flavors and sauces where really good and diverse. And it's nice to have a constant flow of new food coming for you and your partner. The sample sizes are a little small so you may want to add a salad or other appetizer to. I've always gotten reservations first and seated right away. It does fill up quick and is not huge. I like the dim light and the ambiances but agree it can get a little loud and the seats are a little closer together then I would like. I've always had good service and plan to go again. Its great date place, especially if one or both of you are vegetarian. read more

Acqua Al 2 - OMG, grilled peaches and cheese!!!! - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Blueberry steak was a fantastic approach to a steakhouse filet! Basaltic filet was amazing as well. Pasta is fresh made and the ingredients are fresh and yummy! Service-very attentive and nice. Pass on the sweet-not that they are bad but nothing to speak about. Can't wait to go back! Price- very reasonable for what you are getting. Apps $15, seconds (ie pasta-$20) and meat entrees and specials $32. read more

Acqua Al 2 - Trio presentation of steaks - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

We had such a great experience at Aqua al II for restaurant week this year. The lunch menu can be such a great deal depending on what's offered. Here, it was a steal with the ability to select an appetizer, entree and desert for $22. We both had the caprese salad for starters- fresh basil and mozzarella with beautiful plump tomatoes. My boyfriend had the blueberry steak for lunch and I had the classic pasta. The blueberry steak was so unique and delicious and the pasta was mouthwatering and on par with much of what we've had in Italy. For dessert we had the cheesecake and tiramisu and couldn't help but nearly kick the plates clean. I would love to come back soon for dinner and try out more of the menu! read more

See all

I loved this place! I went for lunch with two other friends. We ordered the Pasta Sampler and it was perfect! It was done by chef's choice so we didn't have to decide one thing. All 5 types we got to try were fabulous! We had - pasta vodka, pasta with zucchini and tomato garlic sauce, Gorgonzola gnocchi, pasta with tomato and eggplant sauce and finally a spicy tomato sauce. Our favorites for #2 and #5. For our entrees I got the Parmesan Eggplant - cheese and tomato goodness My friend got Port Chicken with the most amazing port sauce I have ever had. It was sweet and rich. My other friend got the Blueberry sauce Filet Mignon - very unique dish and quite delicious. The steak was cooked perfectly and was so tender. All in all, I will definitely go back and bring friends! Plus its right in Eastern Market, so we went on Sunday afternoon and then walked around the market afterwards. Great afternoon. read more

Acqua Al 2 - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

During our recent trip to Wasthington, D.C., we happened to ask Steve at the Corner Bar of The Old Ebbitt if he had any recommendations. Luckily, he told us that if we were in the mood for Italian food we should try All'Acqua 2! Even on a Wednesday, the dining room and bar areas were near capacity; reservations recommended!. We started with very delicious Negroni cocktails, followed by the Assagio trio of salads and the Tuna Carpaccio. There are several Assagio items from which to choose, including salad, starter, entree, dessert, etc. We decided to order other interesting items, but we would choose ALL of the Assagio options on our next visit! My Spinach/Ricotta Cannelonni were excellent; perfectly cooked with well balanced flavors and textures. We also enjoyed the Chicken Breast in Mushroom Sauce and the fish special which was perfectly cooked Sea Bass on a bed of grilled vegetables. Dessert was the Assagio "sampler" with Tiramisu, Chocolate Tart and Pannacotta which went very well with our housemade Limoncello! We had a great meal and were served by the very friendly and informative Gregory. We can't wait to return for a repeat performance! read more

I can not say enough good things about this place. First introduced to Acqua Al 2 in Florence which was delicious and so excited when I got back to the US to hear they had one in DC and it is as good as the one in Florence. Have been here numerous times and they never disappoint. Definitely get the pasta sampler and the blueberry steak! Best meal ever! Pasta sampler is 5 different pastas of the chefs choice- different every time but always delicious. Blueberry sauce on the steak is like nothing I have ever had. Also delicious olive oil for the table! Huge thank you to Cherif and the chefs last weekend when we came for dinner. Cherif had great wine suggestions and the bottle we chose was delicious. Also was my birthday celebration and being lactose intolerant, the kitchen was extremely accommodating with our pasta sampler so I could enjoy! read more

See all

Good italian food for the region!! Caters to vegetarians and pastas and sauces are fresh. The chef is amazing in helping with dietary restrictions. Service and atmosphere was good. Lets put it this way, its a good place to eat but nothing I would crave on a cheat day if that helps. Portion sizes are average. Bread comes out in a paper bag basket never seen that one before. By all means not an Italian food expert but having been in New york I have had amazing Italian food so comparatively its average. read more

I don't think there one bad thing I could say about Acqua Al 2. This restaurant was highly recommended to me by one of my best friends! I saw they had a gilt online and decided to give it a try. The gilt offered Choice of one antipasti or insalate to share, Choice of primi piatti to share, Choice of one secondi piatti per person, and Choice of one dessert to share. I ordered the buffalo mozzarella. This was the only dish I bought was average. If I had to nitpick, I would be nice to have more tomatoes. The mushroom risotto was probably the BEST risotto I've ever had! The dish was so flavorful and had so much depth with a nice earthly note from the mushrooms. The rice was cooked perfectly! I ordered the blueberry sirloin steak and my boyfriend had the Petto di Pollo ai Carciofi (Chicken breast sautéed with Italian artichoke hearts). The server accidentally put my steak into the system wrong so I ended up getting the Blueberry filet mignon steak (Filetto al Mirtillo). I was worried that the blueberry may make the steak too sweet as I prefer more savory foods. But the steak was cooked perfectly and the blueberry steak really enhanced the steak. I can see why everyone raves about it! The chicken was also cooked very well. Finally, I had the panna cotta with passion fruit. The panna cotta was rich and light. I loved the passion fruit sauce. I absolutely loved this restaurant. The decor is really cute. Really great restaurant for all occasions, date night or big groups. I can't wait to go back and try more dishes! If you are visiting D.C., I'd say you have to come here and try the blueberry steak! read more

See all

My hubby took me to celebrate Mother's day. We came here on Sunday lunch time. We had a reservation and mentioned in a call that we needed for a high chair for my baby. When we got there, all high chair was taken. We had to wait for a high chair. I was annoyed by that. Other than that, Pasta was nicely chewy with flavorful pasta sauce. Overall, I enjoyed the food. read more

An incredible, delicious, and intimate restaurant! On a recent trip to Florence, I walked by an Acqua al 2 after having been to the DC location. Although I did not eat there in Florence, I was pleased to find out that the restaurant I'd loved so much in DC was the same owners as this one in Florence. An incredible Tuscan restaurant, their pasta sampler is really incredible. At a minimum of 2 people, they size the sampler according to how many people there are. In other words, they bring out the dish of pasta one at a time in the amount of portions as there are people at your table and serve it divided evenly among everyone's plates. I can't remember off the top of my head what pastas were offered the night we went, but I remember that they were all incredible and all 3 of us were extremely pleased. Pasta is fresh and delicious, and the amounts of each pasta are enough to satisfy the taste of each, but are small enough to be able to eat the 5 pastas. Would definitely return and again do the pasta sampler (although I've heard good things about the rest of the menu). read more

My boyfriend and I were walking around Eastern Market one Thursday evening and decided to try Acqua Al 2 for dinner. They were fully committed but were able to squeeze us into two bar seats facing outside - which was perfect. They were pretty busy so we weren't able to catch the names of the server, bartender, or manager that were taking care of us but the service was perfect. They were very informative, patient, and hospitable. Bravo. The food was amazing - we started with a baked ricotta and spinach appetizer that was so flavorful I almost ordered another. We split two pasta dishes, I got a mushroom marscapone dish and my boyfriend got a parsley basil gnocchi. We devoured both. Lastly for dessert, we got the homemade cheesecake and I ordered the chamomile tea. So delicious! I overheard many people say they were regulars here and I can see why. I can't wait to come back! read more

Acqua Al 2 - Window seats - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great place for lunch or dinner. Such a lovely ambiance wood interior. Has a nice restaurant feel with coziness and warmth of someone's home. Great for romantic date nights too. We came the day after Vday and there were still roses on the tables. Lunch hour was fairly busy, but not crowded. Lunch menu prices are fantastic. $22 for 3 course. We tried the Caprese salad, asparagus soup, rigatoni pasta, blueberry steak, tiramasu, and the chocolate cake. I think the highlight for me was the Caprese salad. The tomatoes were fresh and the mozarella was refreshing, delightful, delicious. One of the best I've had. They're famous for their pastas and you just know they're crafted by masters in the kitchen. I would love to come back and try their pasta samplers. Everyone was talking about the blueberry balsamic steak so I wanted to try. I'm more of a savory steak person. This one was on the sweeter side but very unique and still good. The meat was a bit chewy for me though. My chocolate cake was scrumptious tasted like a giant ferrero rocher. I would've eaten it all if I didn't eat an entire box of ferrero rocher last week. The tiramasu was also good if you like coffee. Would like to come back read more