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    Bellissimo Restaurant

    3.8 (316 reviews)
    PriceyItalian, Seafood
    Closed Closed
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Bellissimo Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

    Bellissimo Restaurant Italian Restaurant Photos

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    BELLISSIMO RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Bellissimo Restaurant

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    Spicy pasta and shrimp.
    Chris M.

    Another restaurant week choice. I went with a buddy. It was amazing we found a place to park. The restaurant is small. A great place for a family get together of date with a lady. We went in and there was a wedding rehearsal dinner going on so we sat at the table near the window. No big deal..lots of happy people having a good time. The waiter comes over and gives us the menus plus glasses of water. I decide on the lobster bisque for appetizer, spicy shrimp pasta for the main course and tiramisu for dessert. After a few the bisque shows up. It's full of lobster in a tasty cream sauce. Very good. The main course shortly follows. Definitely a unique dish. Spicy sauce, fresh pasta and shrimp. The sauce is very good and shrimp compliment the pasta very well. It's on the spicy side if you order it. The pasta I didn't have room for was wrapped up and I was on to the tiramisu. It had to be home made, just sweet enough to satisfy. The waiter was very attentive, food was excellent and the location is very unique for downtown Fairfax. I recommend if you need a different type of Italian restaurant . Definitely will return with family or friends. Also a location to have a rehearsal dinner if you're getting married.

    Insalada

    A true Italian restaurant with homemade dishes such as Lamb shank and Veal Porcini. Italian sausage and Calamari appetizers are good starters. We were there in Jan. 2026

    a glass of wine and a bottle of wine
    Judy L.

    The review below is in no way a reflection on our server, Mario. He was efficient and well mannered, and did his best in a bad restaurant situation. It was 545pm. We had reservation and were seated immediately. There were 3-4 other occupied tables in the entire restaurant. We got waters right away, but had to ask for the menus after about 10 minutes. First red flag. But our wine came quickly... A lady with a heavy accent who could be a manager or owner brought out the wrong food. After we told her so, she rudely continued to slam the food in front of us and walked away. At this point, we're like: WTF! By 7pm, the restaurant was packed. With 2 servers and one young lady who was the runner, they were obviously overwhelmed. While ambiance gives off the feel of an elegant romantic restaurant, the food wasn't at all spectacular to bypass the awful experience.

    Linguini Bellissimo...amazeballs!
    Dave F.

    OK so the service is impeccable. The food was even better, OMG. We started with Prosecco and I had an Old Fashion. .lip smacking. The appetizer was caprese and my goodness it was good, combo'd with the fresh bread. OMG. My wife had the Gamberi Al Modo Mio and I had the linguini Bellissimo. My wife loved hers and the dish had 8 very large and tastey shrimp, the mushrooms were to die for..."amazing dish" in her words. My dish was even better, it was perfect! Perfectly seasoned and the mushrooms and shrimp were amazeballs! We wanted to try desert, but had no room. Next time! Thank You for the amazing service!

    Italian Sausage Con Fagioli
    Staci S.

    I ordered takeout during the Fairfax City Restaurant Week (March 6th-12th, 2023). Bellissimo actually extended the restaurant week menu to March 13th-19th, 2023 and it is the only menu items available during this promotional period where lunch is $25 and dinner is $40. I ordered the following from the dinner menu: First Course - Italian Sausage Con Fagioli, Second Course - Braised Lamb Shank, & Third Course - Dark Chocolate Mousse. Everything was well packaged for takeout and I had no fears of anything making a mess. The Italian Sausage Con Fagioli's container was serranwrapped and bagged with the container of Braised Lamb Shank before being placed a in paper bag. The Dark Chocolate Mousse was bagged separately with sliced bread before being placed a in paper bag. Everything tasted great and was cooked well. The Italian Sausage Con Fagioli didn't look as visually appealing as the rest of the courses to me since the colors of the beans and sausage seemed to blend together. I do wish the Dark Chocolate Mousse came with more slices of strawberry to balance out the richness of the mousse. Good thing I had some on my fridge! Overall, I would say the highlight for me was the Braised Lamb Shank. The lamb was tender and didn't taste to "gamey." Parking can be a challenge. Bellissimo is located in Old Town Fairfax. There is a small, nearby parking lot across the street where you can park for free. However, it is generally packed and the space is tight in terms of parking and maneuverability. If you want to park here, get ready for potential 4 to 6 point turns! Try and scope out open spots before entering the lot since turning around at the end of the row requires backing out....or a many point turn! There is also a variety of parking further away, but still walkable.

    Huymy N.

    This place is small. The food is nothing but amazing. It is pack with flavor. The staff are extremely friendly. This place a hidden gem in downtown Fai

    Veal Ravioli
    Cynthia Y.

    Nice little spot to try in Old Town Fairfax. (Came here during Restaurant Week). ---Appetizer--- - Tuna Carpaccio, Crostino polenta, Calamari, Italian Sausage All were good but the Italian Sausage definitely stuck out. Very flavorful. Definitely would get that or the Tuna Carpaccio again. ---Entrée--- - Veal Ravioli Very rich. Lots of meat inside. Dense and filling. After a couple I was done with it. Good to get just to try and be able to share and have something else as well. - Linguine w/ Shrimp and Scallops This was on the spot, scallop and flavor was good to me. Good balance. Out of the entrees, I preferred this one. - Pappardelle w/ Smoked Salmon Friend said it was good, but not overly impressive or anything. She preferred the linguine as well. -Braised Lamb Shank Sorry, don't have the pic! Lamb was fall off the bone good, but I wasn't a big fan because it taste too lamby. ---Dessert--- - Tiramisu: Fluffy, but wasn't a big fan because I didn't taste any coffee - Dark Chocolate Mousse: Preferred this dessert out of the ones we tried. Liked the little pieces of nuts mixed in it. - Strawberry Sabaglione: Sauce over the strawberry was fluffy/whipped, I like the texture but taste is nothing special.

    Cheesecake
    Sophia P.

    The place has an authentic feel, it's a bit small. The food is decent, the people are nice.

    Braised lamb shank
    Joseph S.

    I came here with a couple of my friends during restaurant week to give this place a try and it was alright. The menu was preset but I chose the calamari on pollenta, braised lamb shank and the tiramisu. Overall it was nothing spectacular. The atmosphere was elegant and it had a good date feeling. The calamari did not taste fresh and had a weird texture. The braise lamb was alright but again tasted like it was old meat. It tasted extra gamey but the meat was tender and fell off of the bone. The tiramisu and cheesecake were good but not good enough to make up for the appetizer and entree. Overall, I just felt that the score would've been higher if the ingredients were fresher. The staff was kind but a little slow. COVID review: staff wore masks and tables were relatively well spaced out.

    Chicken Marsala
    Amy P.

    Had Restaurant Week To Go on a snowy Sunday. They accommodated us by letting us each order what we wanted from the RW menu, even though it was To Go. My caprese appetizer was very good even tho the mozz was firmer than I like. The tiramisu was very fresh. The pappardelle ragu was plentiful and tasty even though there was more eggplant than sausage and goat cheese, as advertised. All-in-all a good value and an enjoyable meal.

    Calamari
    Julia K.

    Valentine's Day is packed at every restaurant. We had a reservation, but were sat in a tiny secluded corner away from the main dining area, even though we had a reservation. Already off to a bad start. The website was very misleading. It never said that the Valentine's Day menu would be the ONLY menu offered on Valentine's Day. We were under the impression that we'd be able to order off of the regular menu as well-we were wrong about that. Food took forever to come out. It was a 3 course meal- 1 app, 1 entree, 1 dessert per person. We ordered our apps (a Caesar salad and fried calamari). The Caesar salad had alot of pieces of brown lettuce and the dressing tasted super watered down. The calamari was good, but contained a lot of tentacles-which I do not like. After waiting 20 minutes after finishing our apps, our waitress came and asked if we wanted our desserts-we were very confused. Fast forward another 25 minutes, our entrees came out. The food was lukewarm, as if it was sitting in the window for awhile. The lobster fra diavolo pasta was incredibly spicy- our waitress said it just had a kick to it. The chicken breast was covered in a cold, mayonnaise-heavy sauce...yuck! We had had enough waiting forever for everything, so we decided to ask for our desserts to go. Our waitress checked on us maybe 3-4 times our whole experience. When we needed her, she was busy taking care of other tables. We felt disappointed and confused as to why we were sat in the corner, and knew from the beginning we wouldn't get the best service. We most likely won't be back.

    Today's special: Veal Ravioli
    Joy S.

    We went to Belissimo last night and everything was good. Mario and the team delivered exceptional service. We got the sautée calamari for appetizer with Gamberi al Modo Mío (sautée shrimp entree) a d today's special (veal ravioli) for entrée, and tiramisu for dessert. Every dish was delicious. We got to meet with the chef/owner after dinner. This is a lovely small local restaurant and I will definitely come back for more.

    Delicious warm bread :) a great start to any meal!
    Cristina D.

    Not to be dramatic, but this was maybe my favorite Italian food experience in the US. I am frequently in Italy, and think this stands up to restaurants in Italy, as well! My partner and I opted for the 5 course vegetarian chef's tasting menu, and the food was nothing short of incredible. Amazing value, service, and food. You will absolutely not be disapointed, and this is a great restaurant worth venturing outside of DC for, that beats all Italian restaurants in the district, in my book. Pros: Amazing food: I cannot emphasize how incredible the food was here. The five courses that I had included a creamy carrot soup, delicious spinach based salad, indulgent mushroom stuffed ravioli, gnocchi with assorted vegetables, and then a dessert option of chocolate mouse and cheesecake. Each plate was truly better than the last. The pasta was made to perfection, and the sauces were zesty, flavorful and delicious. I was truly overwhelmed by how delicious the food was-- I have to say that my personal favorite was the gnocchi, however it was a tight competition because all the plates were genuinely so good. Ambiance: The setting is cozy and intimate. The tables are set up close to one another, and you feel like you are eating amongst family. Italian themed art decorates the restaurant, as do pictures of the presidents and famous DC folks who have dined here over the years. Framed reviews of the highly rated food adorn the walls as well, reminding you of the strong reputation of this restaurant, as well. Top notch service: The service here is amazing. Food comes out quickly, you feel that the staff absolutely prioritizes you. The staff is incredibly friendly and able to make recommendations on the food, as well. Amazing portions: Portion size is really generous here-- I was definitely expecting smaller plates for a 5 course meal, but each plate was genuinely nearly the size of an entree-- I struggled to eat all of the food just based on the quantity, but it was so good that I could not resist. Incredible value: The 5 course vegetarian menu is $85, for 2, which was an amazing value, given the quantity and quality of the food! No cons at all! This was probably one of my favorite dining experiences in the DMV area to date.

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    Excellent food, the attention was perfect! The best cannoli ever, the crab ravioli was exquisite . The tiramisu taste perfect

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    Bellissimo Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Bellissimo Restaurant

    Is this place kid friendly?

    Seriously doubt it. They are hardly even adult friendly.

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    Dolce Vita Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar - Lasagna

    Dolce Vita Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar

    3.8(586 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    Service was fast and great considering it was a Saturday. Parking was very minimal but there is a…read moreperson that can help park your car. The environment was nice but we had a baby and did not see many children or a children's menu. The food did not take long to arrive and had great flavor but felt it was missing something. Overall, it was great and we look forward to going back!

    Many times, over the past years, we've driven by Dolce Vita, but we never went there for a meal…read more For us, Esposito's was where we went for Italian food. A couple we've befriended told us they lived in Fairfax for several years. They are big fans of Dolce Vita. We were told that a reservation is necessary as the place is popular. We decided to finally try Dolce Vita this past Saturday and reserved a table for an early dinner. When we got there, the place was practically empty. We were seated at a four-top table and were told that they had hosted a large party earlier in the day. They were still rearranging the dining room when we arrived. The staff was friendly and efficient. During our meal, the manager checked on us more than once. Alas, there is no sign in the dining room indicating where the restrooms are, so we asked the server for their location. Sadly, we weren't impressed with the food. We started with a bruschetta appetizer and also ordered some garlic bread. When the bruschetta arrived, it was very attractively presented. It consists of: "roasted garlic, tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella". The bread was tough and chewy, with little garlic flavor. We've had bruschetta before, and it was made with fresh tomatoes. I picked up a piece, bit into it, only to have half of the toppings fall on the table. The fresh mozzarella was basically 4 thin, small slices that one adds to their serving rather than a sizable ball of mozzarella. There was also a small pile of microgreens that were meant to be added to the bruschetta, an unusual addition. I ended up cutting up the bread, which wasn't easy. Nothing like having to fight with one's food. For my main course, I chose "chicken piccata," which consists of "pan-seared chicken and broccolini in a lemon, caper, and white wine sauce". The chicken breast was well prepared, moist, and tender. The sauce was fine, although I wished it had more capers. As for the broccolini, it was barely cooked at all, not even tender crisp. Again, I had to fight with a menu item. My husband chose to have "baked ziti bolognese al forno" which consists of "ricotta, tomato sauce, beef bolognese and mozzarella." He found part of a bay leaf in the dish. The dish was very cheese-forward, and the cow had walked through it, leaving very little of itself behind. In conclusion, we don't plan to return as it was rather disappointing.

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    Elyse - Almond Macaron, Cured Trout, Parisian Caviar, Cauliflower Puree

    Elyse

    4.7(29 reviews)
    0.9 mi

    This is the best restaurant in N.Va. Food - 10, Service - 10, Wine Pairings- 10, Front of the House…read more- 10, Ambience - 10, Value - 10, Execution - 10. Wife and I sat at the Chef's Counter for a truly wonderful meal last night. The menu is exceptional, five courses, several with two options, and the progression was just perfect. We really loved all of the dishes, but for sure the ravioli with wild asparagus and ramps is one I will remember for a long time. The octopus was also a memorable dish, and the poussin was complex, layer after layer of flavor and the salt level was so good...just perfect food, perfectly executed. Oh, and shout out to the owner's dad, who is in his 90s and makes the bread, a rich sourdough, served warm, that has a 50 year old starter at its essence. Yum. We did the wine pairings and I def recommend. Some really good wines, curated from small vineyards globally, matched perfectly and well presented. The sommelier nailed it. We also just loved the service. Nice touches pre arrival, they are expecting you when you arrive and there's a lovely personal touch and welcoming feel. The ambience is warm, and you can hear and talk and it does feel like you're at a dinner party with friends and family. Finally, shout out to the chefs and servers. Knowledgable, conversational, and charming. We really enjoyed the Chef's Counter and the entire experience. Kudos to Chef Jon Krinn and his family for creating this masterpiece of a restaurant. It is Michelin star worthy, and we cannot wait to go back.

    Hats off to the incredible team at Elyse. I mean every experience we have had there has been…read moretop-notch and I can't believe I haven't reviewed them once yet! I mean shame on them because they deserve some seriously high praise. And honestly, they pulled out all the stops for their recent New Years Eve dining experience - I'm talking caviar, white truffle, A5 wagyu, a custom cocktail (because they know I like gin and yuzu) and a painfully decadent dessert - What a way to send out 2025! I mean, honestly, the meal was exquisite and so perfectly executed. Each dish is crafted with a passion and care for food that absolutely shines. I mean the Foie Gras (sp??) - I don't even really like the stuff, put the way they sauteed it, put it on top of some sort of savory cake and slathered it with this balsamic gastrique - it was like bacon and pancakes smothered in maple syrup just amplified to 100. Bottom line: I would eat this every day (and amplify my weight by 100 too). The snow crab, I don't know if it's the care in selecting the product or the techniques used to prepare it (probably both ), but they packed so much crab flavor into that dish! And the dark chocolate cheesecake, it was magic that can make something so dark, so bold, so rich feel so light when you are eating it. This was just one specific meal here, but I am surprised and delighted every time we get the privilege to dine at Elyse. It's not just the food, it's the atmosphere and the attention of the staff. They remember details from your previous visits, any special notes from your reservation and really tailor the experience to you, making it all that much more special on your special night out

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    Hamrock's Restaurant - Lobster bisque

    Hamrock's Restaurant

    3.6(415 reviews)
    0.1 miOld Town Fairfax
    $$

    Party of 4 made with a reservation. Food: fried chicken…read morebreast, mashed potatoes and crunchy large diced spicey carrots) was well prepared and presented. Service was very good. Would have preferred a different table - not in a corner facing a wall.

    Probably would not come back. The appetizers we got were good but the entrees were not great, with…read morethe exception of the butternut squash risotto (best dish). Appetizers: - bread basket which came with popover bread was delicious -- this made us hopeful! The bread was soft and fluffy - crispy brussel sprouts - not bad - rosemary garlic fries - nice and crispy Entrees: would recommend the butternut squash risotto. The risotto was deliciously cheesy and savory! We also got the montegro fried chicken salad which was decent but not amazing. It came with a nice Dijon mustard sauce. Items we would not recommend: - crispy tofu with coconut rice = big block of tofu, uncut. It was also not very crispy at all but rather mushy and unseasoned. The rice was ok but could not redeem the unusual tofu serving The waitstaff was friendly but service was very slow; our poor server was running around taking care of many tables so our food came out pretty late; we had to ask for our last dish to be packed in a to go box because it ended up being really dark out (we sat out in the patio area). There is indoor and outdoor seating with a connected parking lot. My favorite items were the butternut squash risotto and the bread basket! I would avoid the tofu. My fiancé's parents also did not particularly enjoy their dishes (meatloaf, pork chop--both were quite dry).

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    Bellissimo Restaurant - italian - Updated May 2026

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