We really enjoyed our meal at Fontina Grille. We have been looking for a restaurant where we could get a well made pizza without standing in line at Inferno. My wife tried the Al Fresco and I ordered the truffled mushroom one. We also ordered the Wild Mushroom appetizer, which was just as delicious as other reviewers say. It's one of the best appetizers I've ever eaten, and it would make a fine entrée if paired with a crisp salad. Her pizza was a better choice with the appetizer--too many delicious mushrooms, whose rendered juice made the pizza a bit too wet. Our waiter was attentive and warm, and very professional. We will be back--at 4 pm the restaurant was not too full, and we could converse in a normal voice. Try it; you'll like it. read more

A time was had. The drinks are stronggggggg. The bar was clean and the service was solid. It's really the people you go with. Me and my friends enjoyed ourselves. read more

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I normally really like this place, but the temperature of the food has became inconsistent as of late. Also found a long hair in my fries. Very disgusting. Would have called to complain, but was so tired from a 9 hour shift that left me so very tired. Just tossed the food. Will probably not go there again. Ugh like how hard is it to wear hairnets in the kitchen? read more

So here's the thing. I've known Fontina Grill has been here for a long time, but never went before last Friday night. What a mistake. I'll be back. First of all, it was a very nice evening weather-wise and their outdoor seating was pleasant and comfortable. Yes, people walk by looking at your food, but my partner and I enjoyed sipping a couple of beers on a pleasant evening. The service was great. Water glasses were filled a couple of times, and the wait staff largely "understood the assignment" with the pacing of the meal. When we sat, the staff brought us a basket of bread and a plate with olive oil/grated cheese. The bread is good, but a bit dense for me. It's especially good breaking off small pieces with the oil/cheese accompaniment. We started by sharing the appetizer Meatballs Fra Diablo. It's three really large meatballs in a tasty and spicy tomato sauce. The balls are pretty dense (meat as opposed to filler). We each had one and started feeling full. The app is $15, but there's a lot of delicious meatball there. I'll probably try something else next time for variety - the eggplant app or the calamari. For entrees, I got the eggplant parm (I always "test" a new place with the eggplant parm) and my partner got Chicken Con Broccoli. We enjoyed our entrees very much. The eggplant was not mushy at all and the pasta and sauce were flavorful. Each entree comes with a salad - we each got a side salad with house italian dressing. Salad was fresh and tasty. Honestly, with the beer, the bread, one meatball each and a side salad, we were stuffed and took well over half of each entree (and one meatball) home. The staff brought over take out boxes and, to our surprise, two foil wrappers each holding warm bread! What a nice and unexpected touch.). The restaurant (both inside and out) was crowded, but the service was very good. I can't speak to the ambiance inside, but it looks classy, but not pretentious. The restaurant takes reservations, which I'd suggest you consider on a Friday night. Oh, as far as the leftovers were concerned - excellent the next day for lunch. read more

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Always good! Have been coming here for years for various meals. Went again today for a last-minute dinner. Everything here is always solid, prices are good, and service is fast! The art is also really cool - even in the bathroom! read more

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That's one of my favorite Italian spots around here. I always go there for their tiramisu. My mini me loves their Chicken and/or Shrimp Alfredo, and I'm a big fan of their bolognese. Service is always great. They do get very busy on the weekends! read more

5.28.25 Get the penne a la vodka with Parmesan crusted chicken Milanese and thank me later. One of the best Italian dishes I have ever had and a favorite here. Portion was hearty too. I'm salivating just thinking of it right now. read more

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Just updating my last review. This time I visited in person. Beautiful warm decor. Great friendly and efficient service. My companion agreed the food was the best Italian in the area. I had fettuccine bolognese. Even the lunch portion was huge. Perfectly cooked pasta and a rich rose sauce with ground veal. Delicious. Served with fresh baked focaccia and top quality olive oil for dipping read more

Had a lovely date night here! It's a nice and welcoming place with cute two person booths along the side which is always nice. I enjoyed my meatball and ricotta pizza as well as a Caesar salad. I also ordered an old fashioned which was tasty but a little on the weaker side. Overall, a lovely place for a nice meal. read more

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Wonderful valentines dinner! We had the mushrooms to start which were perfectly done. I had the ribeye med rare and my date had the clam dish. The atmosphere was fantastic and just perfect for valentines day. We will be back! read more

Went here on a weekend evening. I had only been to this place once before, but for carry-out. What I had back then was amazing, so a friend and I decided to check them out. After checking in with the host and being seated, we got some complimentary bread that we dipped in a little olive oil and sprinkled a little cheese on it - the bread was really good. After ordering, we got some Caesar Salad (I haven't had that in ages) - still enjoyed it though. For the meal, I ordered what I had on my first visit - Crab & Salmon Rose - sliced salmon, lump crab meat, spinach, rose cream sauce, and linguine. It came in a good portion size, and I did taste everything as the menu stated. For dessert, I tried to look at some pictures on Yelp, but the one I ordered should have a sign that says this picture may look smaller than it is. I got the Bomba, described as classic vanilla and chocolate gelato, caramel center, almonds and chocolate coating. When it was placed in front of me, I thought it was big enough to feed three - it was HUGE. I don't think I enjoyed it as much as I couldn't get over the size of it and I'm not sure I was a fan of the overall dessert. I'll need to try something different next time as I'll check them out again. read more

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Great dinner! Food was so tasty and service was awesome! Nice bar scene too! We'll be back again!

This is my last time ordering from here. Spent $80+ on two entrees and one app and the food was TASTELESS. How does Parmesan crusted chicken taste like nothing?! Crunchy but like it hasn't been season or anything. The pasta in the carbonara and the sauce and shrimp didn't taste like anything. How does a specialty Italian restaurant charge this much for food that isn't seasoned and taste like cardboard?! We also weren't given our salads. Calamari was bland and slightly rubbery. I wish I could get my money back. I wouldn't recommend this place. The quality is sub par and you have better chances of food tasting better at home or at Olive Garden. read more

Fontina Grille - My receipt of my online order and the most expensive tasteless food. Tasted like unseasoned cardboard - Italian Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

We came here for a friend's birthday dinner. We made reservations ahead of time, since we were a party of 9, which was pretty easy. The restaurant itself is pretty small. The lighting was pretty dark, which I guess kinda gives you the romantic feel vibes. Our server was very nice and attentive and also offered a variety of suggestions. Everyone ordered drinks, and 3 of us shared a bottle of wine, which was overly priced. $38 for a resling that is usually $12 is kinda crazy, but what can you do. I asked about the gluten free options and decided to do the grilled chicken alfredo with gluten free pasta. It was actually so delicious. It's hard to find good gf pasta, and I'd have to say this was probably one of the best I've had. Overall, the food was good and it was a nice local place to try out. read more

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Came here with a party of 4 on a sunday evening without a reservation. The place was packed but thankfully they were able to find us a table right away. We had a great experience! We ordered the carbonara, fetuccine alfredo w/ pecan crusted chicken and spaghetti with meatballs. Each dish came with a side of either caesar salad, house salad or minestrone soup. The focaccia bread (super fluffy!!), salads and entrees were very tasty and the chicken was crispy. We also got to try the creme brulee dessert which was delicious and not too sweet (was on the house too since we were celebrating a birthday, thank you Fontina!) Our waitress checked on us frequently and the busser cleared plates quickly (this was appreciated as the tables are on the smaller side). Our waitress did forget to bring the bread so we had to ask again but it's okay as it was understandably busy. Other than that, we all had an amazing experience. Will be returning. read more

Thursday 11/21/2024 My little brother wanted to have his birthday family dinner at this spot so here I am back again with a new updated review. I was able to try the meatballs fra diablo $14.90, crab cakes $22.90, Chicken Chesapeake (comes with Cesar salad) $27.90, and focaccia bread (complimentary bread). Overall, the food experience was alright: meatballs & crab cakes were decent, chicken Chesapeake was very underwhelming (portion was small, lack of crab meat, and chicken wasn't very good), the focaccia bread was pretty decent, and the Cesar solid was cool. After multiple visits, I can definitely say the bbq chicken pizza, penne ala vodka, and most of all the steak pizza (best pizza in MD) are the best items here while everything else isn't worth it. They excel at pizza but you're better off going to Gregorio's for pasta. (Tip: every Wednesday they have a pizza deal: BOGO half off) read more

Amazing "Maryland" Italian food! So many options to choose from and they have rockfish and sea bass that you cannot usually find at Italian restaurants. My parents and I went fifteen years ago and my father with a rental car he rented for our next day for my cataract surgery at Hopkins in Baltimore thought it would be a good idea to drive my wife and here. We were treated by wonderful staff and were sat at one of their many tables in this large restaurant space with wonderful ambiance that is the right volume for conversation. We dared the amazing Wild Mushrooms appetizer, the Rockfish Salad, the Sea Bass Salad, and the Ravioli Rosé. Everything was so delicious and the food came out fast. This is by far the best Italian food I have had in the region outside of Georgetown in DC and Little Italy in Baltimore. read more

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Deceptively named, this place is more a solid Italian restaurant than a grille, but the food is great and the staff is really good. They have a nice menu with classic Italian fare, pizza, unique combinations and sandwiches. It smells awesome when you walk in and being served fresh focaccia right off the bat doesn't hurt! Lunch portions were plenty big and so were the kids meals. Our waiter was personable, made good suggestions and easily adapted our order for exactly what we were looking for. (I can't turn down a blush sauce!) It was very good and in a cute part of town. Check them out! read more

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Went in on a Friday night and while the place was packed, the food & service were excellent! Food was awesome. Went to celebrate my daughter's 18th birthday on a Friday during Lent & she specifically requested mussels. She got what she wanted & more. My eggplant rollatini was packed with flavor, and I opted for angel hair instead of spaghetti. Everyone's food was great - grilled salmon, cheese ravioli, shrimp & crab Aurora. We ended the feast with a birthday cannoli the server brought out. My son already wants to go back. read more

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Stopped in for dinner while on a business trip. I sat at the bar and the servers were super attentive. I wanted half the things on the menu and asked the barman which of two was better. He did not disappoint. The grilled salmon on pasta with a lemon white wine olive oil sauce was amazing! Seemed like everyone at the bar knew each other so definitely a locals place. The ambiance was upbeat and lively but also they left you alone if you didn't engage. Only suggestion I couldn't find a bar hook where I was sitting so maybe add some! Over all a great place for dinner. read more

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Another amazing dining experience tonight with my friend celebrating my retirement after 27 years! The food was excellent (I had the ravioli with crab and she had the eggplant with spaghetti). Our waiter was great and the manager Ali was so gracious and pleasant! I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes good Italian cuisine! I experienced Italy and this place is right up there with their wonderful food! Some of the best in this area for sure! read more

Fontina Grill is my go-to for homestyle Italian classics. The food is consistently delicious, from the pasta to the chicken parm, and the portions are generous. The service is always friendly and attentive. A solid choice every time. read more

We had lunch after golf and the food was very good. I think they share tables so after an initial greeting and drink order it took a bit to order, but it wasn't terrible. Food was very good read more

Of course fontina grill has great food, especially the fish and pasta dishes and their salads. But note that they also have excellent authentic wood fired pizza. A very nice place to eat but they also do a great job of carry out. read more

Fontina is a great little gem. Happy hour offers cheap drinks and a great selection of appetizers at a discounted price. The servers are always friendly and attentive! Their patio is in a great location it's the best for any hot summer day, a great location for after work drinks. Do not think that just because I started by saying this place is great for happy hours that it stops there, this is also a great place for your family dinner or a date or even just for yourself if you are feeling like some good pasta! I highly recommend the penne a la vodka! read more

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My boyfriend and I went on Sunday, and our waitress was very attentive. Although she was busy, she consistently checked in on us to ensure everything was to our liking. The food was delicious!- definitely try the Meatball Fradiablo and Lobster Ravioli! My only suggestion to the restaurant would be to inspect their tableware more carefully, as two of ours had broken edges and some felt greasy and dirty on the sides. read more

Fontina Grille - MEATBALL FRADIABLO - Italian Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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My family went here for dinner and we really enjoyed it. This place seems to be busy on the regular so we made a reservation. The staff is very friendly and our server was very attentive. I ordered the ravioli with crab meat, two of our party ordered lasagna, and one ordered fettuccini Alfredo with chicken. Overall the food was very good, except that the chicken in the fettuccini was way over-cooked to the point that the edges were dry and crunchy. Ambiance was nice-casual and comfortable, but the tables are a bit small and close together. All that said we enjoyed our meal and will come here again. read more

Fontina Grille: Where Dining Becomes an Art Form! If excellence could be served on a platter, Fontina Grille would be the Michelin-starred sculptor behind it. From the moment I walked in, I felt like royalty who somehow stumbled upon the holy grail of Italian restaurants in the DMV. I'm never going anywhere else, because clearly, this place was crafted by the pasta Gods themselves. Now, let's talk about Declan. This man is not just a waiter--he's a hospitality virtuoso, a maestro of LEGENDARY service. Declan served with the kind of confidence, precision, and charm that one would expect only in dreams or in five-star Italian dining halls on the Amalfi Coast. His attentiveness was nonplussable (and yes, I dare you to try and outdo it). I wouldn't be surprised if he moonlights as a diplomat or a secret agent because his service was that smooth. Jennifer, his right-hand helper, deserves a standing ovation. She made everything seamless, adding warmth, grace, and an extra sparkle to an already stellar experience. I'm convinced they have some secret handshake, a dance of synchronized efficiency and care. It's like watching a beautiful duet--where plates and glasses are the choreography and customer delight is the standing ovation. The food? Oh, bella vita! I had a salad so fresh, it may have whispered compliments back at me. My friend's pasta dish was a carb-laden poem--tender, flavorful, and divine. Each bite was a crescendo of Italian bliss. Clearly, the kitchen staff channels their inner Da Vinci every time they plate a dish. If this restaurant were a movie, it would sweep the Oscars. If it were a song, it would top the charts. If it were a unicorn, it would be the kind that sprinkles magic over your life. To Declan, Jennifer, and the entire Fontina Grille team: Grazie mille ! And "Un milione di grazie." You made me feel special, seen, and incredibly grateful. Never changing. Ever. IN SUMMARY: **Fontina Grille is, without question, the pinnacle of Italian dining--an experience of unparalleled excellence. Every detail, from the service to the cuisine, resonates with authentic passion and flawless execution. Simply put, it is the *apex* of EPIC Italian culinary artistry and the finest I have ever encountered. ** You become alive when you have gone to Fontina Grille - or maybe you will even become a unicorn ITALIAN MAGIC PIXIE DUST WILL FOLLOW YOU FOREVER read more

Fontina Grille - Unicorn illustrating pasta flowing - Italian Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

We ordered the Fettuccine Bolognese and Eggplant Parmesan off of Fontina's lunch menu for lunch takeout. The prices were $15 for the fettuccine and $17 for the other. Fettuccine bolognese was simply AMAZING. For $15, the portions were beyond generous. The meat and the sauce were spot on. The creaminess just worked. The fettuccine itself had excellent texture. The dish tasted great even after a twenty minute drive! The eggplant Parmesan was okay. The eggplant was nice and the cheese was not bad. The spaghetti and the sauce were pretty average. We're definitely going back for the fettuccine bolognese and so should you! read more

Fontina Grille - Fettuccine Bolognese and Eggplant Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Food was above expectations and the service was thoughtful and continuous throughout the meal. The Ambience could be a changed in the removal of one less table in the areas they have six tables as it is a bit crowded. Soften the floors and walls to reduced the noise of ppl talking. Hardwood floors and bare walls carries the sound. Still a rare gem in MoCo and I give it a 5 based on price, service and quality of food. read more

I've gone to Fontina Grille a few times over the past three months because I love it so much! I've always only ordered pasta for an entree, but I recently also tried their meatball appetizer and eggplant Parm. Their meatballs are super thick/solid. They're drowned in a sweet marinara sauce that tastes so fresh and tomatoey. I definitely recommend the carbonara (doesn't taste eggy at all!) and bolognese. Every entree comes with a salad or soup side, which is also super nice. I always feel like I get a mini multi-course meal (and for under $20!) read more

Fontina Grille - Italian Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Lackluster at best. The evening started off great. The host was fabulous, and the dining room was beautiful. We were brought bread and olive oil with powdered parmesan in it. The olive oil tasted high quality, and I thought that was a good sign. The bread tasted of nothing and was very unremarkable. The appetizer of crab/artichoke/spinach dip was a wow. It came to us still bubbling with a warning that it was hot. This is where the good ended. When our caesar salads came, they tasted of water. You don't have to have my culinary background to know if you try to dress wet lettuce, it will not grab onto any flavors. I took two bites and stopped. It was not worth eating. It seriously tasted of nothing more than water. I could not taste the dressing, yet it was visible. There were no shavings of parmesan, just a sprinkle of powder. The croutons tasted of nothing. I have never had a caesar salad taste of nothing before. I told the waiter, and this is when the good service part of the evening ended. He told me I was wrong, and that the lettuce was wet because of putting too much dressing on it. If he was correct, then that means their caesar dressing tastes like nothing more than water. He also had an attitude about it and brought me a to-go caesar when I said I didn't want anything in place of the salad I was sending back. He made a point to show the dry lettuce in the to-go container and how he put the dressing on the side so I wouldn't have to endure "too much dressing" again. Talk about tone-deaf. I specifically stated the salad tasted like nothing. How would using less dressing fix that? I tried not to let his attitude ruin our evening. All the other service personnel were great. Our waters were always full. Our dishes always taken away. My daughter said her fetuccine alfredo was good. My eggplant parmesan was not. They should rename it eggplant mozarella, because there was no parmesan on it. The sauce tasted of nothing. No garlic. No salt. Nothing. So bland. So very bland. The only parmesan to be found was the powdered parm they brought to the table, so I tried to improve my dish by adding a bunch of that, but it was still so boring. Honestly, other than the olive oil and crab dip, the experience here was completely disappointing, and the waiter was so off-putting. We won't be going back. That said, the place got pretty busy around the time we were leaving, and their loyal following seemed quite pleased. So they don't need me to love them or to revisit ever again. They have plenty of yelps to support what they are doing. That's why we tried it. But if you want your food to taste like something, stick to the crab/spinach/artichoke dip as an appetizer and then go somewhere else for your entree. read more

The best Italian food in the Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown area by far. Fresh seafood, great chick or veal dishes and wonderful pasta entrees. Even dessert was taste, and the alcohol was good too. Oh, and a spectacular wine list. All meals include a homemade house or Caesar salad or a cup of hot soup. The prices are very fair and the ambiance is quiet and engaging. read more

We have been regular customers of this resto. My husband and I were seated right away however it took a while before we were greeted and for someone to get our orders. The customer next to us (2 tables) arrived after us and were approached first and got their orders. When our food came, parmesan cheese were not offered which we normally were used to someone offering it to us when our pasta arrives. While we were eating, our server didn't come by to check how was our food or how we were doing. Which again we were used to when we come here. We love the food regardless, but I think our server just needs to be more attentive and pay attention to details. Thank you and we will still be back! read more

Great place for lunch in the village. We had wonderful service and enjoyed the AC during the summer. The chicken piccata was delicious and light. The grilled chicken sandwich was enjoyed by my wife and the fries were light and perfectly fried. Nice coffee as well. read more

Fontina Grille - CHICKEN PICCATTA - Italian Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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I went to the bar and tried to order a glass of wine. I hand the bartender my state ID, to which he to takes it and leaves to talk to some other waiters. He comes back and says they cannot serve me because my ID states I'm under 21. I did get the ID when I was 19, so it states the date when I turned 21, which has well since passed. I point this out to the bartender, and then he states it's a fake ID since it's vertical. I do not understand how a bartender could have never seen a vertical state ID that wasn't a drivers license, but they decided to kick me out anyway. And for the record, I was able to stop by the liquor store next door and they sold to me without any issue. read more

Great food and great service and great ambience - all with good prices! Fontina has been an anchor restaurant in King Farm for decades, and I have enjoyed it for decades. Never had anything I didn't enjoy there. read more

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My son has come up to see me and my sister suggested we go to Fontina Grille. I loved the outside lights right away. It was sons 7ish when we got seated. Server got our drunk orders right away. And then brought out some bread and okl read more

it is a nice cozy local Italian establishment. We ordered carbonara,chicken brunello?, eggplant collating. Fast service as well. We will be back to try other things on the menu. read more

Fontina Grille - Italian Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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Always delicious with large portions, including salads. Great service and wonderful patio area.