The food was outstanding! The service was impeccable. Our waitress, Skyler guided us on our culinary journey. Highly recommend! This place will not disappoint. It's great to have an authentic Italian restaurant nestled in our neighborhood. Bravo! read more

Carbonara - Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Beautiful atmosphere, fantastic service, and the food...Amazing. Cannot wait to go back for more!!​

My son and I enjoyed dinner on the patio on a Saturday night. Skyler was our server. Food was excellent, we enjoyed the baked ziti and chicken parm which was uniquely served with sauce/melted cheese poured table side. We also had the meatballs, a cappuccino and table side tiramisu. Unique dining experience. Server was attentive and atmosphere was great. read more

Stopped in for dinner on a busy weekday evening and was served by a kind bartender. The house bread was nothing to write home about, but the sauce that came with it was flavorful and paired nicely with it. I opted for the Tortelloni Di Michael after being told it is 'out of this world' - I wasn't disappointed! The sauce was rich and decadent and the tortelloni was sufficiently stuffed with meat. I'd come back to try other dishes! read more

It was alright, but not my favorite Italian spot in the DMV area. We didn't have a reservation so there was no inside seating available; however, there was outdoor seating. It was for a party of 6 - 2 toddlers and 4 adults. The service was alright. We were seated, but the placemats were a bit dirty with old food. I asked for a new one and received a new one. After some time went by, we didn't get water and had to ask for that and bread. Another table was seated after us and they were given the complimentary bread and water immediately by our server. I felt like we had to ask him about certain things a couple of times. There was also a mishap with packaging the food and we didn't get everything we ordered when the staff packaged it for us. The starters were AMAZING! The complimentary bread was good. I loved the mozzarella "sticks" they had. The salad was decent but not great. The entrees were lack luster, not the best. They look like they would be phenomenal, but the flavor just didn't taste of high quality... not sure what was missing. However, we all felt the same about our food. We ordered: The chicken carbonara 3/5 Chicken parm (they're known for) 3/5 Ziti pasta 3/5 Drinks: Great! Overall, it's a cute spot but come for drinks and small plates (appetizers). I wouldn't recommend the food. It's better than many Italian spots, but for the pricing not up to the flavors I was expecting. read more

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Fortunately the weather was beautiful enough that we could sit outside. Taylor delivered fabulous service. The food is created with intention.... it's creative and flavorful. The lineup of espresso martinis is really nice. Go for the flight! My friend ordered a mocktail but added vodka :) Lovely presentation of the chicken parm and no wrongdoing with the Spaghetti Neri al Pesce. read more

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We have visited multiple times now and are never disappointed by Carbonara. Every dish and drink is delicious and reminiscent of our time in Florence. The famous chicken parm is my favorite--decadent with beautiful presentation. What made the experience even better was our server, Taylor. Despite an average night out, Taylor gave us exceptional service: informative, extremely charismatic, and professional. Thank you for making our night! read more

Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Delicious, delicious, delicious! Everything was good. Service was great. I was so full, and the quality was excellent! Great food for a very reasonable price! The restaurant is a bit small, tables close together, but everything was clean and they played Sinatra music throughout our dining experience! Would recommend for Italian food lovers! read more

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If you are looking for a place with great service, amazing food and drinks this is the spot. Our server Sam was great, super attentive, kind and helpful. We had the the Linguine and clams and SPICY RIGATONI ALLA VODKA. Both were packed with flavor, everything tasted fresh and honestly I love the amount of clams we got. Plate presentation 10/10. We got margaritas and honestly they know how to deliver great drinks. They know how to balance everything! The restaurant itself? Clean, organized and well maintained! Definitely recommend checking them out read more

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Came here for a birthday lunch, and while the team was sweet enough to treat us to a birthday dessert, the overall experience was pretty average. Service ran a bit slow, but our server was also working the bar, so it was understandable. Food wise, the mozzarella sticks with vodka sauce were definitely the highlight! The chicken parm had a burnt coating, and the tableside carbonara turned out a bit too salty to my liking. A cute spot for a celebratory bite, but the food and timing were just a little hit-or-miss for us today. read more

TO DIE FOR! I was in Arlington last weekend and was lucky enough to snag a last minute reservation. So so so worth it! From the drink presentation to the quality of the food and service, everything was amazing. The manager personally was walking around serving bread and water. We asked a bunch of servers their favorite dishes before landing on the famous chicken parm and pasta à la Michael. Both were so so good! The drinks were brought out beautifully and tasted great as well! The highlight was definitely the mousse cake we had to end the night. Overall, 1000/10 and I can't wait to go back again! read more

Carbonara - CHICKEN PARMIGIANA ALLA VODKA - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Amazing food and great experience! Our family had a great time trying out the chicken parmigiana, spaghetti and meatballs and seared octopus. Service was good. And the decor was nice too. I'd definitely recommend it. read more

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Terrible pasta, annoying flies landed on us, sticky utensils and greasy tablemats...not even the complimentary bread was good! My expectations were high because of all the accolades they have, but this was so disappointing. The bacon wrapped shrimp oreganata was bitter and lacked dimension - all I tasted was salty bacon. The carbonara was also one-dimensionsal and over-salted. While I appreciated the sauce's velvety texture, I couldn't finish the pasta because of how undercooked it was. Some pieces were straight up hard and inedible. I was underwhelmed by the presentation, too. My experience was made worse with all the huge flies flying around us. I had to swat away flies every few minutes. Super uncomfortable. The one star is for the service - they were kind and attentive, but I wouldn't come back and do not recommend. read more

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Believe the hype - this place is totally worth it. Get the carbonara at least once for the pomp snd circumstance of it all. The gnocchi is a seriously underrated dish. Solid drink selection with a few non alcoholic options too. Everything is delicious. read more

Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I live less than a mile from Carbonara and I'm a huge Italian fan, yet today was my first time going. I came for lunch with my mom and it was delicious and filling! Alex, our server, was knowledgeable and attentive without swarming. Everything came out at good timing and we were able to eat without feeling rushed. I'd love to sit countertop service one day! read more

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Once again I find myself here. After a month married, my wife and I wanted to do a mini celebration. What better place than the best restaurant in our neighborhood. We head over around 6p, no res. Seated immediately outside. I double up this time...tortelloni di michael AND the bucatini carbonara. I've gotten both items before but you know, when in Ballston. As always, amazing service, amazing people, amazing food, amazing vibes. We had a small chat with the outside manager and he was great too. Our server even tossed us a tiramisu on the house to celebrate the occasion. Love this place and can't wait to go back. read more

Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Not that great of an experience. Service was quite slow for a 2/3pm sit down. Our server also happened to be a bartender and thus things were pretty slow I think. My wife and I sat down, it took 15min to get water. Another 15min to get bread. The appetizer and bread came out at the same time. Mozzy sticks with vodka sauce was great. Chicken Parmigiana alla vodka breading was burnt. I ended up peeling the breading off of it to eat it. Carbonara table side wasn't exactly table side due to the way seating was. Very salty, thick, noodles under done quite a bit, lukewarm. Confirmed for me that presentations like this are kind of gimmicky and its more for show than taste. I sat at a table for 2 with a white wall with layered -ish bricks/levels. Due to the texture of the wall, you can see dust, old small splatters of food, etc. A flat wall has the advantage of being cleaned and wiped. Just a small thing I noticed. They did give a free birthday slice which was great. I do appreciate that. Although it was watery cake, like bread in water. read more

Carbonara is one of the hottest reservations since they opened a few years back and you can never get a resy on short notice. The wife reserved a few months back so we were finally able to make it. Love the vibe with old school Frank Sinatra tunes being played. There is also patio dining and an open bar area for al fresco dining/drinking. You must order the Chicken Parm and the Bucatini Carbonara. We are big Chicken Parm fans and their rendition is legit...the chicken is pounded thin and fried nicely and then they pour the cheese and sauce over it tableside. Nice show. The Bucatini is an even better show as they roll over the cheese wheel and light the cheese on fire...then take perfectly cooked Bucatini pasta and coat it with cheesy sauce in the wheel. Fire... Carbonara reminds me of the old school, red sauce joints of my childhood in Brooklyn. Solid, tasty Italian American dishes without the pretentiousness of more "fancy" Italian restaurants. We plan on being regulars...assuming we'll be able to get a reservation. read more

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So many places to eat at Arlington but this is a MUST. Went for lunch and the food was amazing. We started with the clams, which were brought to your table steaming. Then we had the chicken parmigiana, which was seasoned perfectly. We also had the pasta made at your table side with the cheese wheel. Everything was amazing. Alex was our server, and he made our experience even better. It's a not a huge place, but the ambiance is quaint. Highly recommend. read more

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On my birthday month, we went here to celebrate! The interior was nice and I enjoyed the complimentary pastrami by the entrance. They provided bread which was a nice starter. My favorite was the pasta that came fresh made in the cheese wheel and my girlfriend's favorite was the seafood pasta. We ordered the lava cake ice cream dessert and the staff gave us complimentary birthday tiramisu which was sweet. read more

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Omgggg this was amazing!! We had the fettuccine bolognese which was so so flavorful, and the chicken parm with gnocchi which was out of this world. The chicken was so crispy and perfectly cooked. Portions were huge!! The chicken parm came with two big cuts of chicken, and I only ate half my fettuccine. They also bring out delish bread with some sauce options while you wait! read more

Carbonara - Bread - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Carbonara was put on my radar by a close New York friend who said we should check out this Italian restaurant for its viral vodka sauce chicken parm. We had the pleasure of being served by Cody who really knew the menu in and out and was really helpful in making our dining experience outstanding. We started with mussels in white wine which were terrific, they were clean tasting with a rich and delicious sauce. We had the "viral vodka chicken parm" for our entree. They serve a plate table-side with a naked crispy chicken cutlet and your pasta and then they pour à la vodka sauce with melted cheese over the chicken. It's really a terrific presentation and the dish is nicely presented. The chicken cutlet was thick and juicy, the crust was crispy and the sauce was thick and delicious. If you want to be part of the hype then give it a try for yourself. read more

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First time dinning at Carbonara. We were seated at the first table, in full view of the kitchen and prep area which made for an interesting experience. To watch all the chefs and their support staff working together preparing the incredible dishes was an exciting prelude to enjoying a perfect dinner. Everything our group ordered was excellent- meatball parmigiana egg rolls for an appretizer, spaghetti and meatballs, Pollo piccata, etc. The staff was the best, one of the managers (Victor) circulating the room and interacting with patrons. Our waitress (Gizem) asked if this was a special occasion, it was Kevin's birthday and surprised us with a "Happy Birthday" slice of cake, candle and all! Amazing way to end a very special dining experience. Thank you Carbonara! read more

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Loved it! Went for happy hour and just got a seat at the outside bar. The vibes were perfect! Their happy hour menu is actually great. No so many cocktails but many spritz's and a good amount of food. The meatball eggrolls were fantastic. And then the chicken parm tenders were good, the sauce being the best part. The espresso martini flight is super fun too! read more

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FINALLY got to try Carbonara after quite some time! Initially, we tried to get a reservation for dinner but could only find lunch availability due to popularity. We were seated quickly and brought bread to munch on while looking over the menu. We found the bread to be hard and lacking flavor unfortunately. We both had a Spritz to sip on. I had the lavender lemon and it was beautiful and delicious! My friend had the Aperol Spritz and she enjoyed it! Followed by my meal the spicy rigatoni, which was to die for!!! We finished with a dessert espresso martini. The waitress told me that their s'mores espresso martini was a favorite so I selected that. The presentation was wonderful! My biggest complaint would be how small the table was, and how close you are sat to others. read more

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After a demanding work week, the last thing I felt like doing was going out. Sensing I needed a lift in spirits, my date suggested we try, once again, to get into Carbonara. He joked that the fourth try would be the charm, and even though I didn't believe we'd actually get seats, I went along with the idea. The restaurant was bustling when we arrived. Walking in was a treat in itself. I loved seeing the fresh pasta being made and watching beautiful plates of food being whisked past us to eager diners. Then, to my surprise, we found two seats at the bar! Once we settled in, I began to relax and enjoy the smooth sounds of a singer performing classic Frank Sinatra standards. It created the perfect atmosphere. The drinks were excellent, and refreshingly not tiny. Our bread basket arrived soon after, and the focaccia I had with olive tapenade was chewy, flavorful, and deeply satisfying. My date ordered the spicy rigatoni alla vodka with chicken, which was delicious. But I have to say, I out-ordered him with my chicken parmigiana alla vodka. The preparation was impressive: the chicken had a beautifully crispy sear, the mozzarella was melted separately, and then the molten cheese was poured over the chicken tableside. Watching it happen made the dish feel even more special--and it tasted incredible. My only disappointment is that I wanted to try the meatballs and the Bucatini Carbonara but both had pork in them. It would be nice if the restaurant offered pork-free versions of those dishes. The food was amazing, the vibe was lively, and the whole evening turned my mood completely around. I skipped dessert only because I had happily eaten so much of my dinner. Five stars all the way! A wonderful experience and absolutely worth the wait. read more

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This time when I went back it was Wine Wednesday where they had either a red or a white bottle for $35. The red was a blend and not worth the money so if you do go for Wednesday opt for the white. I also got the tortelloni di michael and while it was great with the tasty meat, the portion itself was small and was not filling. I would go with another dish if you are hungry. read more

I was quite busy over the past few years. I had no idea about Carbonara being in the top of the list restaurants in the USA. I was able to come by during the week when it was not too busy. I still made a reservation just in case. They are located in Ballston and there are street parking spots nearby. There is a lot of natural light inside from the windows here. The servers and staff are all attentive and prompt. I tried the chicken pharm in vodka sauce. I liked the cheese that was served on top of the chicken. I think the portion size was small, but it is on the more affordable side compared to Filomena. The pasta was cooked al dente and the sauce was a little bit on the sweeter side. I have heard rumors that the popular items on the menu are only worth trying. Not sure if that is true! The bread they served was very dry and I didn't bother eating any more than a few bites. I can see myself coming by more since this is a solid place to get pasta. read more

Carbonara is not just a restaurant to eat excellent food but an experience. We were able to snag a last minute reservation as we wanted to try the Bucatini Carbonara Table Side as that is a dish the are know for. Started with the Meatball Parmigiana Egg Rolls which were good but the best app was the Baked Clams. Our table ordered the Carbonara, Bolognese and Ziti Primavera. Each dish is made with fresh pasta which steps this place apart. During the meal the Manager Ethan ensured we were enjoying ourselves and if we needed anything else. We throughly enjoyed the dishes and moved onto a dessert of Cannoli's & Cookies & Cream Gelato. The restaurant is very modern and from our entry through dessert we were treated like family. Highly recommend make reservations in advance as Carbonara is very busy. read more

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There are winter nights when stepping outside feels like a negotiation with the wind. And then there are nights when you land at Carbonara snag an outdoor table, and realize you have outwitted the season. The heat lamps were working overtime, wrapping the patio in a soft halo of warmth. The service was impeccable. I truly wish I could remember our server's name because he deserves a standing ovation. His enthusiasm while describing the specials was not rehearsed or rushed. It was thoughtful, almost storytelling. You could tell he believed in every dish he mentioned. He was juggling a lot of tables, yet somehow made each one feel like the only one. And the support staff moved with speed and grace, refilling, clearing, checking in. The whole team functioned like a well tuned orchestra. You can absolutely tell this place cares about service. Now the food. Stunning. The crab ravioli was rich and delicate at once, almost like a luxurious crab cake tucked into silk. The clams were briny and bright, the kind that demand extra bread so nothing goes to waste. ANNNND they had a delicious mocktail menu!!! I loved the espresso martini sans booze. But the true spectacle was the carbonara. It arrived with a massive cheese wheel that was set aflame, a brief, theatrical burst of firelight that turned heads across the patio. Then the pasta was swirled directly inside, soaking up all that molten, nutty goodness. It was dinner and a show, and the flavor absolutely delivered on the drama. Warm patio, flawless service, unforgettable pasta. Winter can keep trying. We will be back. read more

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This place is a 10 out of 10 -- but definitely book a reservation ahead of time! Everything we had was so good. We started with the espresso martini flight (s'mores, pistachio, and tiramisu). The s'mores was our least favorite, but the pistachio and tiramisu were delicious. For appetizers, we got the calamari. I personally would've liked it a little crispier, but my date thought it was great. Of course, we had to order the chicken parm -- and wow. They pour the alla vodka sauce tableside straight from the pan, which makes the whole experience even better. It was truly amazing. I ordered the King of the Sea linguine. It had huge chunks of lobster, which was impressive. The shrimp wasn't super flavorful on its own, but it was good dipped in the sauce. For dessert, we tried the cheesecake crème brûlée. It was alright -- I was really hoping to crack into that crème brûlée top myself! Shoutout to our server, Cepheus. We were very indecisive, and he was extremely helpful, giving great insight and personal recommendations that really helped us choose. Also -- the portions may look small in pictures, but they are actually huge! We will definitely be back! read more

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I've been wanting to try this restaurant for a couple of years, and after a few twists and turns, we finally made it--and it was absolutely worth the wait. We attempted to come back in January, but my birthday reservation was accidentally booked for the wrong weekend, so we had to pivot and make other plans. Fast forward to now, and the long-anticipated visit exceeded every expectation. The parking lot was full, so we parked in a nearby garage and took a quick three-minute walk to the restaurant. As soon as we arrived for our 2 p.m. reservation, we were warmly greeted and promptly seated. The restaurant was buzzing with happy diners, and everywhere you looked there were beautiful plates of pasta making their way through the room. Our server, Julia, was fantastic--attentive, knowledgeable, and happy to explain the menu and offer recommendations since it was our first visit. We started with the mozzarella in carrozza, and wow. This was hands down the BEST fried mozzarella I've ever had. Each piece was massive, perfectly fried, and the vodka sauce took it to another level. For my entrée, I went back and forth between the viral chicken parmigiana alla vodka and the tableside bucatini carbonara, but the chicken parmigiana won--and it did not disappoint. It was absolutely delicious, packed with flavor, and looked just as good as it tasted. My boyfriend ordered the spicy rigatoni alla vodka and cleaned his plate completely. We finished with the pistachio ricotta dusted cake for dessert. It was light yet rich, and the perfect palate cleanser after all that vodka sauce goodness. Overall, 10/10 experience. Social media did not deceive us--amazing food, amazing service, and a meal we'll be thinking about for a long time. We will definitely be back. read more

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Yummy, yummy!!! Saw this place on Tik Tok and made a reservation for myself and my date to experience! Service was top tier! Warmers upon entry which is so nice with this extremely cold weather! Pasta is all homemade and your plate comes out piping hot and fresh! Sooooo good!! We had a pleather of options! Apps consisted of arancini balls and the bacon wrapped shrimp oreganata! Both were good, especially those shrimp! We of course grabbed the chicken parm and I had the king of the sea linguine cardinale which was packed with fresh seafood! Scallops, mussels, shrimp and lobster! The sauce was so good and not too heavy, which is what I was looking for! Definitely plotting to revisit when back in the area! Thank you, Carbonara!! read more

Carbonara - CHICKEN PARMIGIANA ALLA VODKA King of the sea linguini cardinale - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Excellent service and great food. This place is upscale Italian restaurant. The best way to get a table is my putting yourself on the waitlist. read more

Carbonara - CHICKEN PARMIGIANA ALLA VODKA - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

This is a really great classic Italian spot! They have a lot of standard pastas and the portions are solid. We got the chicken parmesan, meatballs and the arancini. The meatballs and arancini were both delicious and the red sauce is perfect. The sauce on the chicken parm was cheesier than I preferred but still a very solid dish overall! Would recommend this place if you're looking for a family restaurant type atmosphere read more

Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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We started with the fritto misto and meatballs, and both were delicious. For our mains, we ordered the spinach agnolotti, lobster pasta, tortellini, and the restaurant's famous bucatini carbonara. Every pasta dish was outstanding. You can truly see and taste the care that goes into making the pasta from scratch. Honestly, I couldn't find a single flaw with any of them. The bucatini had the perfect chewy, springy texture, while the tortellini was rich, decadent, and coated in a beautifully flavorful sauce. Each dish felt thoughtfully prepared and well-balanced. The restaurant is understandably very popular, so it gets quite busy. The indoor dining room has an interesting layout but feels a bit cramped for the number of guests. If you're visiting on a pleasant summer day, I'd definitely recommend requesting an outdoor table--it makes for a much more enjoyable dining experience. Our server was incredibly patient while we took our time looking through the menu and deciding what to order, which we really appreciated. read more

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Personally I'd probably give the food 3.5 stars. I did do take out so possibly the presentation is better in the restaurant. Things they did well: frito misto was very tasty, had a good crunch and calamari was soft and tender. The chicken parm was very good. Great portion, tender chicken and I did like the pasta that came alongside. The broccolini was a highlight. Tender and flavorful. Negatives: The pasta sauce was very basic. I was hoping for something better than say Maggiano's but unfortunately it's just all right. Meatballs were not good at all. To be honest, they basically tasted like frozen meatballs you can get anywhere. And finally the arancini was also a bust. I've had arancini from Palermo, Sicily so maybe I'm biased but this is not made correctly and also is not flavorful at all. None of it made sense- the inside mixture, peas too hard, and barely any Arborio rice? It just tasted like cornmeal. Would skip it. I guess I was just expecting more after reading some of the reviews. So I guess I'm still searching for a better than ever Italian place in Northern Virginia.... Search goes on! read more

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I was a bit skeptical going to Carbonara because it has been all over Instagram, but it was actually incredible. To start the dinner they offer you a piece of prosciutto before walking to your table. They give you free bread for the table that was so good, I had to stop eating it so I'd have space for the meal. I went with a group, so we shared a bunch of items. I loved the chicken parmigiana, which they topped with cheese at the table. The spicy rigatoni was one of the best that I've had, it had a good kick while also having good flavor. The Caesar salad had chunks of Parmesan and pancetta, definitely an elevated Caesar salad. The service was great, and the food came out quickly. Highly recommend making a reservation early because they book out. I will be back! read more

Carbonara - ITALIAN CRÈME BRÛLÉE CHEESECAKE - Italian Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I love this place. I've been twice and the food and drinks are really good. The decor is also super cute and zero complaints about the service. One of my favorite Italian options in the area. Highly suggest checking it out. read more

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If you're looking for amazing Italian food that also comes with experience this is the spot! I attempted to make reservations but it was fully booked so took our chances walking in and was accommodated! I don't believe they have parking so plan to find street parking or maybe a garage. Located in the Ballston area of Arlington. When walking in we discovered the restaurant was decked out in Christmas decor, super nice! It was perfect for photos and I loved that and you can find it throughout the restaurant creating a festive vibe. We ordered a new appetizer which was fried calamari, shrimp, and scallops. We had the famous Chicken parmigiana à la vodka. It was crispy, flavorful, and cheesy! They put the hot cheese with sauce on top of the chicken at the table so you know it was served hot. We added shrimp to it which paired really well! It was a nice serving of chicken and pasta. We also had the bucatini pasta which came with ham which was crispy and salty. It was finished with a flame cheese wheel at our table. Our server was attentive, friendly, and helpful. Will definitely be returning to this one and add it to your list for a nice dinner experience! read more

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