This was AMAZING! and so quick! I got the fettucine bolognese, they cooked in in like 5 mins and it tasted like it was from a 5 start restaurant. The menu is slightly confusing but is fine once you understand the jist. Also I couldn't order online for some reason so I hope they fix that soon. Otherwise everything was 10/10. read more

Rather than trying to mix-and-match my own pasta, I went for their eggplant parm sandwich. Service was prompt and the sandwich was a lot bigger than I was expecting. I enjoyed the bread as it was lightly crispy on the outside and soft and soaked in the marinara sauce on the inside. Overall it was fine, but I mostly tasted the sauce and some cheese and not much else. read more

Cucina Al Volo - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This place gets me! If I'm hungry and I don't wanna know what I want I head straight to union market. Most of the time where those dollars are spent is with Cucina Al Volo! A quick authentic pasta dish to my specifications. I've done so many different options here and more recently. They had a Sunday dinner special that was only $20. I was very excited about that. There was Bolognese meatballs and another meat that I'm not remembering. Typically when I'm there, I'm building out a $30 pasta because I know I'm gonna enjoy myself. read more

The mix-and-match menu at Al Volo is like a challenge to try and find a combination which isn't delicious. Good luck with that, I haven't found a pasta or sauce which isn't top tier. Al Volo is like Italian soul food. Even though it's surrounded by 10 other solid choices, I always keep coming back here for the quality and the ambiance. They take orders quickly but be prepared to wait 15min for your pasta (but as my review demonstrates, it's well worth the wait). read more

Not happy. I cannot tell if the The TikTok reviews were fake or if the staff decided to be lazy with my order. See pictures for more details. I couldn't even enjoy it because it was 90 burnt. read more

Cucina Al Volo - Non enjoyable. - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This was an alright pasta dish. For $16, I got the lobster cream with fettuccine pasta. It only came with like 2 little pieces of lobster but I guess what can you expect from a little pasta place in a food hall. The cream was good and flavorful, but was really salty towards the end. read more

Cucina Al Volo - fettuccine lobster cream - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I ordered delivery from here tonight. Sad to say my family and I were completely dissatisfied with the lack of good flavor in all four of our dishes. The fettuccine, raviolis, and veggies were not just insipid, but bad. I would not recommend. read more

So y'all know I started a new segment where I'm going to DC's worst rated spots right? Well there's a spot in Union Market that's rated 2.9 stars, for food, & customer service. Could be true, or not!! Let's find out!! . Where I am: Cucina Al Volo . Location Reviewed: 1309 5th St., N.E. Washington D.C. inside of @unionmarketdc . Menu Includes: Pastas-Rigatoni, Fettuccine , Spaghetti, Ravioli, Meatballs, Chicken, Shrimp, Spinach, Subs, Salads, & Beverages. . Items Reviewed: Their Spaghetti & Meatballs (with parmesan cheese on top $12.50). PASS. I needed some more flavor in this. Salt, oregano...something. Thick pasty noodles, unseasoned meatballs, bland. I wanted this to be better. Their Chicken Parmesan Sub (with breaded chicken tenders, marinara, & mozzarella cheese, on a toasted roll $13.50). DECENT. The ingredients were there. Again I just needed some more flavor. This was bland, but edible. The San Pellegrino Limonata ($2.50). STAMP!! Always flavorful!! . Customer Service: Pass. When I got to the register to order food nobody said hello, how can I help you...anything. They were definitely busy back there, and they did say thank you once I got my food. . Online Navigation: Easy . Parking: Rough, Lot Parking/Metered Street . Recommendations: N/A . Music: YouTube-N.E. Groovers Smoke Solo 5 Stars=STAMP 4 1/2 Stars=LIKE THAT 4 Stars=DELICIOUS 3 Stars=DECENT 2 Stars=PASS 1 Star=NAH #Bigschlimsreviews read more

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Ridiculous prices for the kind of service and place is not even comfortable and enjoyable. Won't come back. Food was ok.

If I could give a zero I would. I went to union market with my sister and recommended this place because I've eaten here before and she loves pasta. After ordering food and waiting 15 mins for one pasta dish, the food had a long strand of HAIR. After telling my sister to go back and show them, the staff just stood there not saying a single word. My sister said you guys can just remake it but one minute later she lost her appetite and ask if she could just get a refund, no remake is necessary. They told her she had to email the company and take a picture of a QR code if she wanted a refund. I've been working in the hospitality industry for 5 years, working front and back of the house. The POS system they are using can easily do a refund or void a transaction (I've worked with this system before and done refunds for past customers. When I went to confront them, I was just told to take a picture and someone will get back to me. I don't know how that would work especially since I've already left the establishment and it's not guaranteed that I will even get a refund. On top of that, they took the pasta and threw it away as I was taking a picture.... Extreme unprofessional staff, they didn't give a single shit even while making the pasta before contaminating it. Never coming back here again, 25 bucks for one pasta and I can't even get decent service. read more

Service - they seemed exhausted and tired, they cooked in front of you. They didn't seem to have team work/communication. I was patiently waiting for my food and had to watch others get rung out before receiving my food while it just sat there until after they were finished. Ambiance - in a great place where other food vendors are located. So many options here! Great seating areas too. They made pasta in front of you which was cool. Location - in a great area easy to find! Food - I had the spaghetti Bolognese, it was kind of watery. I wouldn't get this again. The flavor was okay not rich/hearty enough for me. The spaghetti was freshly made and was delicious. Wish i tried a different sauce. My friends ended up going to other restaurants in union market and enjoyed their food! Next time id be interested in trying the thai food. read more

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I come here for a quick to-go dinner all the time at Union Market whenever I want an Italian pasta dish. I would recommend getting the fettuccine Alfredo dish with shrimp only. I've tried it with chicken before and it honestly didn't hit the same... not quite sure why but yea that's my recommendation. I've also tried the carbonara which is good as well, but they kind of skimp on the sauce a little bit. On the other hand, their service is great. They're always very kind and quick with getting the food together. I would suggest coming to Union market on a less busy day so that you get your food more quickly. read more

This is a staple of Union Market. The pastas and sauces are made fresh daily. The service does require a bit of a wait, as their menu is cooked to order. It's located inside the bustling Union Market, so parking and seating is a battle. The atmosphere is very casual as it's located inside of a food hall. The vodka-less and fettuccine is a delicious combination. read more

Cucina Al Volo - Vodka-less sauce and fettuccine with garlic knotts - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Nah don't get sandwiches here. Eggplant over summer, chickwn pesto in fall, chicken parm here in winter. (Not sure why i got a sandwich here every season lol) but they all were over cooked And gross. I'm blown id love a good hot italian sandwhich. Staff was hella nice tho. read more

Cucina Al Volo - Chicken Parm Sandwich - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My all time favorite place to eat in union market! Great pasta that they make fresh! I get the rigatoni noodles with red sauce and add some pesto. I add chicken and mushrooms. It's always a hit. One time the noodles did taste me stale and I took the pasta back and kinda got an attitude. Uhm why are you mad at me because your noodles are stale? But definitely way more food experiences that bad. The lady who normally works the register could definitely be friendlier. I often feel like she has an attitude but ignore it because I'm not there for her I'm there for the pasta. But that's why it's not five stars. read more

Cucina Al Volo - Fresh Rigatoni with pesto, chicken and mushrooms - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Solid chicken Parmesan. It's decent. It has a good flavor just could use more seasoning. read more

Cucina Al Volo - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

If you see a long line here, don't let that deter you from ordering. It's worth the wait! The menu is pretty simple: pick your pasta, sauce, and additional toppings. You can watch them cook your pasta right in front of you, or walk around Union market and be tempted to buy more food while you wait LOL. The pasta always comes out perfectly al dente and tastes sooo good. I ordered the beef bolognese sauce the first time I came here, which was good, but then I tried the vodka sauce and I've never ordered anything else ever again. It may seem pricey to pay ~$16 for a simple plate of pasta, BUT the serving size is huge and I usually split it into two meals so it's super worth. Actually, even if it was one serving size, it would still be worth it because it just tastes so freakin good. Def my go to spot at Union market! read more

Cucina Al Volo - Rigatoni with beef bolognese - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Its been a hit or miss for me. It does take a long time to get the food. So if you want something quick. This isn't it. I got the beef bolognese rigatoni. It was dry and hard to chew. There wasn't anything special. I like more of the creamier pasta. I like how they make their pasta and sauce. It taste so fresh . Also, this pasta is average price within the markets. I would come back read more

Cucina Al Volo - Beef bolognese Fresh Rigatoni - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place was so yum and in the middle of the Union Market food hall. I split the sandwich and salad with a friend, and the photos are the halved portions (aka you get a lot of food). The salad was delicious, there was only one piece of mozzarella but it was salty and gooey. The tomatoes were very fresh. The sandwich was amazing - definitely was fresh bread and the pesto was great. It definitely hit the spot and I would come back! read more

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So delicious and fresh!!! Friendly and a super fun atmosphere! Excited to try more on the menu! P.S. the vodka-less sauce is totally worth it!! read more

Cucina Al Volo - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Pretty disappointed with my dish here. My spaghetti with tomato sauce, meatballs, burrata and assorted veggies (which cost around $30) came out over-cooked and mushy. I wouldn't have cared so much if I paid half that price. But given that the pasta itself was so expensive, I would've expected a higher quality dish--or at least one where the noodles didn't instantly break. Gave two stars as opposed to one because the Alfredo pasta that my husband ordered was better. read more

Came here for the first time. I honestly couldn't pick. Asked for the employee's favorite. Being disrespectful to my bank account, I was like why not. So I got the lamb ragu with fusilini pasta ($17!!!!). SOOOOOOO GOOD!! pasta was slightly more undercooked than I prefer but only slightly. Still AMAZING! WILL be back for more! read more

Cucina Al Volo - Lamb Ragu with fusilini- YUUUMMM - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Cucina Al Volo is an amazing build your own pasta shop. I ordered rigatoni with vodka sauce, chicken, and veggies. The portions are big and worth it for the price, and the sauce is perfectly flavorful without being overly salty or oily. I will definitely return. read more

Cucina Al Volo - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I went back today and service is the same but the quality went down. My wife had the squid ink pasta (an extra $5) and the lobster sauce ($16). The pasta where undercooked, not al dente, undercooked and the lobster sauce had no lobster taste. As for mine, the meat sauce had almost no meat. This is the second time that the lobster sauce is tasteless despite the high price and the first time the meat sauce had almost no meat. This is no way to run a business: cutting costs by cutting out the food you pretend to sell. This is too bad as the original taste when we first went was fabulous despite the very high price. read more

Horrible not a real pasta place. Noodles dry no real toppings, light sauce with heavy sprinkle cheese on top which dries out the pasta. Today was my first time ever at Union Market, it will most likely will be my last. I spent $28 dollars for uncooked shrimp and sauceless pasta. I didn't like the cashier she was uninterested in helping or talking loud enough for me to hear. She don't like her job and that makes both of us! Then had the nerve to sell Parmesan cheese in a little cup for $1.50. Please Stop! And the whole Market saying they don't have tomatoes but then I see some in a salad that they serve. Yeah ok. You guys got me this time won't be a next! I really don't want to give no stars but you have too to write an review. read more

Cucina Al Volo - Dry dry dry dry look like rice! Shrimp undercooked just horrible! $28! For What?! - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

It's hard to find good casual Italian food, but this place surprised me in all the right ways! For $12.50, you get a huge portion of pasta with sauce and it's piping hot and fresh! The rigatoni I got was super fresh, al dente, and perfectly prepared. The vodka sauce was freshly made and seeped through the noodles in every crevice which made it so enjoyable to eat. I wish I could eat this everyday, cuz I've failed to make this good of Vokda sauce at home. Would highly recommend as an option in Union Market! read more

Cucina Al Volo - Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I went to visit around 7 pm 9/25 and I ordered the spinach ravioli with Alfredo sauce. I got took a bite and there was plastic in my ravioli.. absolutely disgusting. Apart from that when I showed the guy working the review my number for the order he handed me complete wrong dish if looked similar so I took a bite of it only to realize the dish had meat in it (I'm vegetarian so this is a big deal to me). Menu is veg friendly but after my experience, I won't trust it read more

Cucina Al Volo - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The prices aren't displayed anywhere, it's a complete mystery until they ring you up and you're about to pay. By that time, it's too late to change your mind. The black squid ink pasta was undercooked and still had a chewy texture. It also didn't have much flavor. The sauce was what saved this dish. The vodka sauce and tender chicken were a delicious combo and were the only flavorful things about this pasta place. read more

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Time: November 2022 Place: I went on a Tuesday night around 7pm, so there wasn't a lot of people there. This restaurant is more of a food stall in a bigger indoor marketplace (Union Market). The marketplace has a bunch of other food stalls. All of the food stalls look very aesthetically pleasing, clean, and new. The interior of the marketplace was a nice, modern and clean look, with plenty of windows and seating. The Union Market has a chill and comfy atmosphere that is great for a quick meal or a gathering with friends (especially when everyone has different cravings). There was a parking lot outside and the area is within walking distance to the metro. Food: I loved the idea of a customizable pasta dish! I love the shape and feel of pappardelle noodles, but few restaurants have this noodle type and even fewer restaurants have it in a sauce & ingredient combo that I like. I think back to times where I'd actively wish that I could ask the chef to customize another pasta dish with the pappardelle noodles. This place has answered my wishes. Despite being customizable and giving off the vibe of a fast-food, create-your-own meal, the taste was amazing. - Pappardelle noodles with Wild Boar Bolognese Sauce + Burrata: The noodle texture was great! It was chewy and not too soft. The sauce was a little watery, but it didn't affect the taste-- which was a savory, fresh tomato flavor. The portion size was filling and there was plenty of shredded boar meat to go with my pasta. I was not wowed by the burrata though, it just came from a plastic tub like something you could get from Target. It did not taste creamy or whipped enough. I would recommend you save the $3 and try a different topping. Overall, I was really surprised with the taste of the food! The taste was of restaurant-tier quality without the fuss of the sit-down dining ritual (which is nice when you have time). I also loved the idea of a customizable pasta, so I can get just what I like! I just went last week and I'm already thinking about this place again. It's affordable pasta that doesn't skimp on the taste. Highly recommend!! read more

Cucina Al Volo - Pappardelle with Wild Boar Bolognese and Burrata (add-on) - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Fettuccine was super fresh, had great bite! However, Beef Bolognese was bland. Large serving size and only cost $16! Will definitely be back to try other sauces and pastas. read more

Cucina Al Volo - Fettuccine Beef Bolognese - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We created our own pasta and finished the whole thing. The pasta tasted fresh and and it was delicious read more

Cucina Al Volo - Fettuccin Fresh Fettuccine Vodka Sauce 16oz Build your cooked pasta dish - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We got the Wild boar bolognese on fettuccine and it was good but not great. I think it was a good portion and the presentation was nice but just wasn't as flavorful as I hoped. I would definitely want to try something else though and will give it another chance if I end up here again! read more

This pasta was awful. There was literally no sauce on it and the chicken tasted like old rotisserie chicken. I don't know how the rating on here is as high as it is. read more

Cucina Al Volo - Alfredo pasta - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I got 2 pastas: Pasta Meal Deal (favorite pasta and sauce) Smoked Paprika Pappardelle: long wide egg pasta infused with smoked paprika *with beef bolognese sauce: ground beef with carrots, onions, celery, and tomatoes $13 -Pappardelle pasta was a little too sticky, didn't taste any smoked paprika -bolognese sauce was tasty liked that I could taste the carrots and celery Fettuccine Plain: Thin long egg pasta *with carbonara sauce: bacon, egg and cheese with a touch of heavy cream $13 -loved the homemade texture of the Fettuccine, tasted chewy and eggy -carbonara sauce was a bit broken and oily but I didn't mind, the weird thing to say is that there was too much bacon (is there such a thing?). I wish either the pieces were smaller or the fat was rendered a little more because after finishing the pasta there was a tonnnnn of leftover bacon. Portions were solid and for a casual pasta spot the price point was right on. read more

Cucina Al Volo - Fettuccine Plain: Thin long egg pasta with carbonara sauce: bacon, egg and cheese with a touch of heavy cream $13 - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is a Vegetarian Review The pasta was good and felt high quality! Unfortunately, the alfredo sauce was watery and almost unseasoned. It ruined the whole dish because pasta ain't any good without a tasty sauce on top. And it was so expensive!!! Like $25 for that basic dish. Plus a "breadstick" which was pretty good, I'll admit. Tho it was advertised at $3.50 and I saw later on that they charged me $5.50. Same old story at Union Market: overcharge and underdeliver. read more

Amazing, fresh pasta made at a stand inside of Union Market. Definitely a great place serving restaurant-quality food in a small stand. They showcase all of their fresh pasta noodle options (4 types of noodles of different variations) and many sauces (10+). It's an easy process just picking a type of noodle and a sauce and they whip it up right in front of you. Food: Smoked paprika pappardelle with wild boar sauce (special) - a Delicious combo of fresh wide pappardelle noodles with a large scoop of wild boar sauce on top. The wild boar sauce was a tomato-based sauce with tender wild boar meat that is a similar texture as pulled pork. It was a super filling, but very satisfying meal. Shared this with my girlfriend and we ordered one other dish from another stand, but we could've just split this and have been fine. Pricing is pretty good for this high-quality fresh pasta and the amount. It was around $15-16, but definitely would be $20+ at any restaurant for the same dish. If you go to union market and love pasta or even like it a little, you must go to this stand because it is fresh, amazing pasta! It will definitely be on my list whenever I go back to union market. read more

Came here for the first time and honestly took me a while to make up my mind on what to get. This place is great, because you can literally make your own pasta dish in whatever combinations you want. You can pick your own protein, pasta, and sauce. I thought it was a very unique and fun experience. I ordered the grill chicken & rigatoni pasta with vodka sauce and had no expectations, but it was SOOO good! The portion is huge too, literally have half left over and ate it for lunch! Definitely recommend this place if you are in the union market area. I would totally go back again to try out some other pasta combinations. Pasta is very fresh and al dente, not bad for only $16. read more

Cucina Al Volo - Grilled Chicken & Fresh Rigatoni Pasta w/ Vodka Sauce - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The eggplant parm sandwich is foul. There is no flavor whatsoever, probably the most bland sandwich I've had in awhile. Save your time and money to go to A. Litteri right around the corner. They are half the price and 100x better for a sandwich. The service was fast, but not personable whatsoever. Busy ambiance in the market makes the places seem better than they are. Wayyyyy too overpriced. read more

Cucina Al Volo - Eggplant Parm - Pasta Shops Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Fresh pasta! Located in Union Market, we noticed all the delicious pasta and sauces. They have a deal, if you buy 1 fresh pasta and sauce, you get another pasta free. Their pastas are so fresh and only need to be cooked for a few minutes. The cashier was super friendly and helpful. This is a great place to grab a bite to eat or to take some fresh pasta home. read more

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Nice pasta, Al Dente! I suggest parm and chili flakes on the side to add once you sit. Portions are generous considering the price of the pasta build. read more