Somewhat upscale Italian restaurant with a large menu of fantastic dishes that come in substantial…read moreportions Both a downstairs and an upstairs for seating I came here for dinner with my family, and we tried a variety of the dishes here, all of which were fantastic. Our waitress was very friendly as well, and the food came out very quickly. It does get a little loud inside, but nothing too crazy

Came here for dinner tonight and shared a beet salad (antipasti), El padrino (pizza), and pistachio…read moregnocchi (pasta), and tiramisu + one scoop of pistachio gelato (dessert). The beet salad was amazing although a little light on beets. The buffalo mozzarella on top was delicious and we spread it over the salad like a poached egg which had a nice contrast to the bitterness of the fresh arugula base. The pizza was our favorite dish. The crust was amazing and the fresh basil really put it over the top. The gnocchi pasta was great in itself), I would have liked something to cut the cheesy/pistachio sauce/flavor a bit. Maybe a touch of tomato sauce. The tiramisu was certainly made fresh in-house (as confirmed by the server) but we actually thought the pistachio gelato (also made in the house) was the better of the two desserts. Will definitely come back here to try more items on the menu.

When my niece requested Italian for her birthday I knew just where to take her for her birthday…read more While it's hard to snag an early dinner reservation before 9PM, I've been there plenty times solo and was able to secure a single seat at the bar.That place is busy, welcoming & warm and well worth it! The hospitality and service is top tier. When celebrating a birthday they greet you from the host stand with a happy birthday! We started with the Roasted Garlic Caesar and the Garlic Bread Quattro Formaggi both super tasty and flavorful. For dinner went with the Spicy Neapolitan Ragu, my personal fav, which is hearty and full of flavor and the Caruso's Alfredo that's creamy with wild mushrooms and truffle butter. My picky 19yr old left with her heart and stomach full and impressed with Caruso's! It was my pleasure to introduce her and happy to add another fan gal!

Love this place for some good old Italian! Chicken parm was absolutely ginormous and had a good…read morebalance of sauce and tomato. The ragu was perfection. The perfect mixture of umami and tang. They also used bucatini noodles and I feel like not many restaurants do that and I just love how it absorbs all the sauce. Bread was delicious as always, but the cheese was just okay. Honestly I feel like the bread tasted better with the ragu sauce. Potatoes were exactly what you would expect - herby and slightly cheesy. Vibes in there are perfect - like an old style Italian homey restaurant. Service took a little while but they were also busy.

Brand new restaurant in DC and this is hands down the best food on H Street. This is my first time…read morehaving Filipino-Italian fusion and Chef Mang Eton does not miss! I absolutely love the idea of ordering lumpia with my aperol spritz in one place. We started with some focaccia and lumpia. The lumpia was made to perfection with a nice crunch and a delicious sweet chili sauce to dip in. My brother and shared a pasta and an entree: Chicken Cannelloni With Cream Sauce and Lechon Porchetta With Peppercorn Sauce. The Cannelloni was rich in flavor and I can taste the Filipino influence in the sweet and savory combo of the chicken along with the cheese and cream sauce. The lechon was my absolute favorite. The meat melted in my mouth with a nice crunch from the fried skin. The rice had some flavoring on it that complimented with the lechon. Chef shared how he had 100+ people in line at his Annendale restaurant that morning waiting for his lechon so I was so ecstatic to experience it right here in DC. I mentioned it was my brother's birthday and Chef came out with a candle on our tiramisu. This was a traditional tiramisu and was soaked and delicious. Cannot wait to be back to try their happy hour and more items on their menu!

Filitali I recently opened at Hiraya's old location on H St as a Filipino-Italian restaurant. With…read morea wide range of options, you can order lumpia and lechon as well as pasta and cannolis. The service is great and the owner is friendly and personable, and each dish I've tried has done a great job of blending Italian and Filipino cuisine. The lechon porchetta and the chicken cannelloni were a couple of my favorites.

I give l'ardente 5 stars and the 3 g's: Gorgeous, glamorous , and glorious. I was solo dining and…read morefelt so well taken care of. The waitress I had was so sweet and their guest service coordinator constantly checked in with a warm attitude. I got the focaccia and was between the girasoli and spaghetti pomodoro. I am so glad I went with my waitresses recommendation and got the girasoli! It was unlike any pasta I've ever had. Similar to a ravioli, but has a veggie puree opposed to cheese on the inside. The leek and lettuce within the lemon butter sauce was to die for, and the girasoli itself was pleasant and unforgettable. The focaccia was also SO FLUFFY. The outer crust was not too crunchy and just right. The inside is so glamorous but also feels Italian. Very clean, nice and spread out, and overall a fabulous vibe. If I'm ever back in DC, this is on my list of restaurants to be coming back to!

I think I am in "my finally" season - trying all of the things I have been meaning to get to…read more Ever since L'Ardente opened in 2021, I've wanted to try it. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to while I lived in DC, because to be honest, I never got in an Italian mood. Now that I no longer reside in the DC area, I use every visit to eat my faves and occasionally a new spot. So, after another popular (and cheaper) Italian place closed before I could finish my delivery order, I spotted L'Ardente. I ordered the famous Lasagna - their 40-layer specialty - with short rib sugo, truffle mornay, and Sottocenere Cheese. The truffle mornay added a smooth, melty, creamy cheese sauce. It is good, but I am not sure if it is worth the hype at $40 lagnasa. I think the cost is built into the work but not the flavor profile. I think the meal is better without the sauce - it made it too salty with it.

i wish we had this in california, BIG PORTIONS AND ABSOLUTELY IMPACTFUL!!…read more- a lot of sauce for the portion of noodles -flavorful -cheesy

Nostra is a nice and cozy neighborhood gem. Our family made same day reservations and they were…read morenice enough to accommodate us for dinner. We were off to a good start with the tangy and fresh Greek salad. My husband and shared the chicken marsala. It worked for us but wouldn't say it's a sharing portion. The Marsala sauce was smooth, little peppery and slightly sweet the way you would want. Slathering it all over made up for the chicken that could've been better. The Marsala was better than my daughter's piccata that had the same issue with little tough chicken and a too-sour sauce. The subtle sweet and citrusy flavor of the Lemonchello cake was so good. Had a little envy noticing other people's red sauce items like bolognese and chicken parm. These looked great and would be back to try. Service was friendly and the place is cute but no frills.

Martini Hour alert!…read more First, I think that the martini hour is absolutely genius! It runs from 5-7pm and the selections of martinis were perfect. Ambiance: the restaurant is beautiful but note that martini hour takes place in a small bar area with limited seats. Nonetheless, you can grab a few friends and make this a moment as you enjoy those perfect martini selections. Bites: there weren't much to eat at martini hour so we moved to the general area afterwards to enjoy some food. Service: the staff was amazing and very accommodating. Shoutout to Nesto, the best bartender around! Martinis: Morini Martini: I absolutely love this drink. It was crisp, refreshing, and had a little bold flavors from the white pepper. I absolutely loved this drink and would get it again Sicilian Martini: another fav! Think summer time refreshing with a hint of sweet and citrus burst from the mandarin and lemon Espresso Martini: this drink was another great selection. Freshly brewed and perfectly prepared. I loved it Least favorite: Cala Rossa. I only disliked the drink because it was very sugary and I don't really enjoy sugary drinks. Food: Rigatoni: this dish was divine! And quick note, the smaller plates were perfect serving sizes. But back to the dish. The pasta was cooked al dente and the lamb ragu was soooooooooooooo good! No seriously, it was absolutely divine. Perfectly seasoned and rich in flavors. Other members of my party enjoyed their dishes: Cappelletti and Paccheri Alla Norma, both were described as absolutely perfect. Excellent evening, great service, incredible food and perfect drinks! What's not to love about this place?! I'll be back!

So this place is a go-to for pasta lovers- either in person or delivery. The large portion is a…read moremust! Even to have leftovers! One of my favorites pictured here is the squid ink pasta in a spicy sauce with blended shellfish. The bread crumbs on top, shellfish and pasta have the best texture combination. The red pepper perfectly compliments the dish. My other go- to is the gramigna- the white sauce with pepper and sausage is a very tasty dish. I truly appreciate their homemade pasta! For apps- can't go wrong with the burrata. The service was impeccable and the atmosphere chic casual.

Service is great! Wine is great! The carbonara not so good very bland the bruschetta was nothing…read moreelse than bread with tomato.

We recently had dinner at Olio e Più in DC and it was one of those rare spots that feels equally…read moreperfect for adults and kids. The atmosphere is beautiful without feeling stuffy, and the staff made our family feel so welcome from the moment we walked in. The endive salad was light, refreshing, and honestly such a nice balance to the rest of the meal. The salmon was cooked perfectly with the crispiest skin, and even our kids kept stealing bites off our plates. Which says a lot because they can be VERY opinionated food critics. I always appreciate restaurants that manage to feel elevated while still being genuinely kid friendly, and Olio e Più absolutely delivered. Great food, family-friendly energy, and a spot we'll definitely be going back to.

This is a great little place - probably the oldest of old school barracks row establishments…read more It's been 20 years since I've eaten here. After a bunch of times saying "we should go back to trattoria Alberto" we stopped by today we arrived about 1230 on a Monday and the streets were empty. We were seated immediately. Bread and water were complimentary, and the bread came with whipped butter, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. My wife had the chicken piccata and I had the chicken Parmesan. Both meals were tasty and super fresh. The service was the star of the show today. If you're looking for something different on 8th street check it out!

I've been going to Albertos for years and it's easily in my top 3 Italian restaurants in DC. The…read moreservice is always fantastic, delicious food, and generous portions. My favorite dish is the chicken piccata with pistachio cake for dessert. The dining room is nice and reservations aren't required to get a seat. These dishes also travel well if ordered for pickup/delivery.

Good food, good vibes and great service. It tends to be busy but if you don't mind a wait they can…read moreusually fit you in! Get the green goddess pizza, sounds like a strange combo but it's delicious

Chicken Parm was delicious and loved the atmosphere. It was a little loud inside, so would make a…read morereservation to sit outside.

Food was amazing and so fresh. Ordered Bronzino, Lamb Chops, spring mix salad with green goodness…read moredressing, potatoes, Ragu Pasta and sautéed kale. Ohhh the drinks! Fresh fruit is used for all the drinks and we got the Kiwi martinis and Dusse cocktail and both Everything was very authentically Italian recipes! Price was high for the portion size but we ordered enough to get full and so worth it because the ingredients were fresh! Server was great too, had great recommendations and very attentive. Excited to go back.

This is such a cozy neighborhood spot in the Navy Yard area, which seems to be increasing in chain…read morerestaurants by the minute! Thank goodness for Ama for adding back some character to the area with its North Italian charm! My friend and I ordered the rabbit stew, which was delicate and tender. It was served with a thick slice of sourdough bread which we used to sop up the tasty tomato and fennel based stew. I don't see rabbit much on menus these days, and this was a unique dish that pleased the palate! We also ordered artichoke and lemon for appetizer, and an al dente spinach and cheese ravioli, which was recommended by our server. For dessert we shared a caramel pie a la mode, which was a little overly sweet. Everything was nicely done, but in small portions. My only complaint was that my friend and I were still hungry after two main dishes and an appetizer! I like how light the dishes are, but they could use a little more heft portion-wise (and this is coming from someone who doesn't eat huge meals usually - so that might be saying something). Or perhaps add on an extra dish and get more than you think. Ama seems to have good happy hour deals and they also have a cafe/coffee side of the restaurant that opens at 8 a.m. At a quick glance of the menu, you'll get a sense of the restaurant's whole ethos. They stand for many idealistic values, including a menu that was approved by integrated nutritionists. Hopefully these values are sustainable to maintain! Everything is organic, with no seed oils or refined sugars - not even in the dessert! Even their cookware is plastic-free and PFAS-free. They also go into a few paragraphs about their state of the art water filtration system on site for all cooking/drinking. Beyond the health of the food/drink for customers, they extend this healthy mindfulness to their employees, offering full health insurance benefits to all their employees (with a ~3.85% health wellness charge to customers). Even with the extra charge, our overall bill wasn't too high for two people. Hopefully Ama continues to adhere to all their promises and values. Would love to come back to support again. Restaurant margins can be super slim these days, so I'm glad they don't cut corners.