Best authentic Italian food for a great price. Fast and excellent service. Family ran restaurant…read morethat made me feel right at home. Strongly recommend!

I found pappardelle at Dal Grano's once and that says all you need to know. Papardelle are wide,…read moresoft, flat pasta noodles that I first had in Rome decades ago. Growing up Italian stateside, I never knew about this light, wavy pasta dish. So pappardelle pasta is like some rare delicacy and I love it. This pasta dish is not easy to find unless it has been popularized in the Italian dining scene, recently. How can I explain this pasta? Papardelle are not thick like butter noodles, but instead they are thin yet wide. And at Dal Grano's, they must be experienced to be savoured. Do call ahead, because they might just have them made. Dal Grano's is a neighborhood place. We love how when you are dining, they actually talk to you and are friendly. There are a few other places around Mclean proper which I wish were more overtly warm and hospitable, in this way. All of Dal Grano's pasta is homemade and delicious. It's definitely great for carryout pasta or a diner-style environment with a homemade pasta lunch or dinner. I don't think they deliver or work with any of the delivery services. You just call and pickup. The butternut squash ravioli is tender and flavorful. We have probably have gotten different versions of their ravioli every time. Outside of the papardelle, I'm all in for their rich squid ink pasta when it's made. I don't go there enough to know if it's always available. They have over 50 homemade pasta combinations to choose from and a big freezer case of food to take home. My biggest issue with Dal Grano's is when I see all of the pastas in the serving bowls presented to order and cook, I want to buy them all at once. I know it sounds tacky, but they make me yearn for a pasta buffet there just so that I can taste all of the variations. Alas, if we were in town more we'd just need to go more often to taste all of their selection. There's only one other restaurant that does Italian this well and it's around 15 minutes away in Falls Church. But even that fabulous Italian restaurant does not compare with the amount and selection of homemade pastas at Dal Grano's.

I've visited this North Italia before and had another great experience. I've also been to their…read moreReston location as well. I will say, I think I like this location a little more. This time, my fiancé and I decided to try multiple appetizers and everything was excellent. We ordered the White Truffle Garlic Bread which is what we get every time. The bread is crispy on the outside while still staying soft and not too hard throughout. The flavor is always amazing and we love the ricotta that comes on top. We also tried the Italian Meatballs. They were very good, flavorful, and comforting. Lastly, we had the Little Gem Caesar with added chicken. It was fresh, well balanced, and a great addition to the meal.

The roasted artichoke was fantastic. Perfectly cooked. The roasted lemon accompaniment, perfect…read more The mayo on the side didn't work. I also had the recommended short rib. Omg. It was perfect. The review said it would be creamy and I didn't understand that but the rice truly was perfectly creamy. And the vegetables were so good you actually wanted to eat them. And then meat, tender and perfect, seriously great. And then the garlic butter shro And that's when it stopped. I made reservation reservations and said there was a birthday. No one noticed. We ordered the artichokes and cocktails first. We were almost finished with the artichokes before we got the cocktails. Same with the wine. The food was wonderful, but I really wish I had had my wine during the entire dinner entrée. So kudosto the chef. And that's about it.

My family surprised me with a birthday lunch to Carbonara. Every meal our waitress Caitlyn…read morerecommended was in point . The impeccable service and delicious food made my special day perfect. From the fried mozzarella in whatever that special sauce was to the chicken parm, everything was EXCEPTIONAL.

the octopus appetizer was fantastic.....!!! service was…read moreexcellent, a must try if you are in the mood for Italian

This is a great place to eat. The food is good and the atmosphere is calm and inviting. The…read moreowner is super nice and goes the extra mile to make your experience delightful.

Fantastic food and service. They took the time to ask you questions and make recommendations to…read moreyou. Highly recommend!

Soft-Shell Crab Francese with linguine is a comforting Italian-American classic packed with bold,…read moresatisfying flavors. The lightly pan-seared crab is finished in a buttery lemon and white wine sauce that is rich, vibrant, and indulgent. The sauce delivers plenty of citrusy brightness and savory depth, making it a perfect match for the linguine, which soaks up every drop. While the dish is delicious and well executed, both the sauce and seasoning lean slightly on the salty side, occasionally overshadowing the crab's naturally sweet, delicate flavor. Having sampled soft-shell crab prepared in Japanese, American, and Italian styles throughout this season, this Francese rendition ranks among the more flavorful interpretations. Still, Japanese-style preparations remain the benchmark, allowing the crab's freshness and subtle sweetness to take center stage with greater elegance and restraint.

I first heard of The Italian Oven around the time that the owner of Esposito's restaurant in…read moreFairfax was being forced to close her restaurant. This was due to the landlord telling her she had two weeks to close her place, as he intended to put a car wash in its spot. I kept an eye on this story. That's how I discovered that Maria Esposito ended up working at her cousin's restaurant, The Italian Oven. Thus, the place had been on my radar, and finally, we got there. We were here on a Saturday for an early dinner. The place was almost empty at the time, so we were told to pick whichever table we wanted. We chose a booth that was by a window. The place does have an Italian restaurant ambiance, complete with checkered green and white tablecloths. Our server was prompt in getting to us. We gave him our drink orders. I had water while my husband had a Heineken Zero. At that time, we placed our appetizer order, which was fried zucchini. Their menu is overwhelming. It was tough trying to figure out what to try. Finally, I decided to try their spaghetti aglio e olio, and my husband had spaghetti with Italian sausage. We both chose to have side salads. The salads had a nice creamy, garlicky dressing. However, they also had an overabundance of button mushrooms, as well as pickled beets. I'm no fan of either of these items, so my husband gladly took them from my salad. As for the zucchini, we got spoiled after all those years of having it at Esposito's. The Italian Oven's version was a close second to Esposito's. My spaghetti aglio e olio was well seasoned. It contained plenty of sautéed garlic, just enough olive oil, and a sprinkle of black pepper. The spaghetti was cooked al dente. My husband liked his dish.

The more I go to this restaurant the more I like it…read more The food is good and they have a Happy Hour 3-5 pm for 30% off, Monday through Friday and includes alcoholic beverages. It's a great incentive to go early. The staff is friendly and tries to be accommodating. For example, I wanted my drink a little sweet. The waitress said she was making it and yes, she made it sweeter. It was very good. This seems to be a neighborhood go to place. Very family friendly. I've already been here several times in the last month or so. I meet friends there and they too enjoy it.

Voted best pizza in Arlington…read more Boy did they have huge shoes to fill with that accolade. I came in expecting to be Wowed by their pizza and it was just alright for me. I made a mistake and didn't realize this was a fork and knife establishment. I picked up my pizza and all the toppings fell off. But to be honest... even with "fork and knife pizza" the toppings should not be goopy and slippery. Does the best pie and Arlington hold like that on the regular? Nothing special about the toppings either. The crust and dough were the best part of this experience, but an amazing pie, should have all component's complimenting each other. Is it decent pizza? Yes. Best pizza in Arlington? I don't think so.

After hearing so many great things from friends, we took my wife and toddler to Thompson Italian…read morefor a midweek dinner and it did not disappoint. We had a great table overlooking King Street, which made for a wonderful setting. We ordered the focaccia, rigatoni, roasted carrots, and more. Everything was delicious and reminded us of classic New York Italian cooking. The chef even came out to greet us, which was a thoughtful touch. We also loved that they offer both dine-in and takeout. We'll definitely be back. Be sure to pay for parking if in the back, there is a parking attendant ready to issue a ticket.

Where do I begin? I had the most wonderful experience at Thompson Italian, the service was…read morephenomenal, my party never had to wait for waters to be refilled or search for cutlery as it was replaced almost immediately after each dish. All of the food was fantastic, for appetizers the meatballs and garlic bread stood out for me. The coco joy desert was also absolutely phenomenal it was also vegan which made my lactose intolerant self very happy. The absolute star of the show for me though was the roasted chicken. This entree was one of the best things I have eaten this year, the sauce was a perfectly balanced tangy and herby addition to the crispy chicken. My meals were accompanied by their Sangria and Espresso Martini (which has a decaf option!). The drinks were delicious and they also have an extensive wine list which the rest of my party thoroughly enjoyed. The restaurant is stunning and has a mix of tables and booth seating with lots of natural light streaming in. This is definitely the place to come for a date, girls night or just to treat yourself!

I love this place so much because I usually don't like Italian food, but this place has the best…read morecalamari and very good pasta. The place is always packed because of how good the food is.

Service was great. We were easily accommodated when we requested to move to a different table…read moreaway from the door ( it was cold and damp and every time the door opened cold wind blasted inside, even with the double doors). It was much appreciated. As for the food it was hit and miss. Our husbands had the short rib raviolis and-although it was flavorful, there was not enough meat inside the raviolis nor were there enough raviolis to justify the price tag. Since the sauce was extremely flavorful I forced my husband to share some of the skimpy sauce to dip my pizza crust on it. Luckily the guys had enough of the wonderful fried mozzarella and bread to not be grumpy. One tip that our whole party agreed on was that the sauce was better suited if it was paired with chunks of lobsters instead of of the stuffed short rib raviolis. I was happy with size of my thin crust pizza and it was way more than I could eat. However, I am not sure if I was actually ok with how the ingredients were divided jn the quarter a fourth of the pizza contained olives ,another fourth was the mushrooms, ,another fourth was the prosciutto and for the life of me I could not remember the fourth ingredient. I'm still ponedering whether I am a fan of this. My friend had the Marguerite pizza and she was extremely satisfied with it. As to the place itself, it's nothing fancy, it's just your typical pizza place in a strip mall. It's just ok. One thing I noticed about it is the dim lighting, but to be fair it's a normal complaint for most eating establishments. We all had to break out our IPhone flashlights to read the menu. I wish most eateries would have a dimmer switch by your table so that when you are ordering, there is sufficient lighting as you read the menu and when done can be adjusted to mood lighting. I noticed most of the upper forties and up patrons did the same thing as us when ordering.

Came here for lunch. I think it was way early for the likes of Washington DC crowd, so for a while…read morewe had the whole place to ourselves. The decor is more of a mix of Italian Rustic and Heavy American classic giving the vibe of Italy with feel of Power typical for quite a few DC higher end restaurants. Food is top notch. Tagliere (Not quite Pizza but very close), Spaghetti alle Vongole, Hamachi Crudo, Octopus all delicious.... Lunch crowd started arriving around 12:30 which about what I was expecting and why not service is great although early lunch is a little lite on the crew but no misses, which is an excellent sign. Full bar with great cocktails and wine. I'd say visit if you get a chance.

Transforms you to a cute cafe in Europe!…read more Food- bright, fresh, and flavorful. Drinks- nice variety of cocktails and mocktails. Space- simple and classy decor. Service-Muhammad was friendly professional and attentive. Gave great suggestions.

stopped in for drinks yesterday and ended up staying for a couple hours because the drinks were…read moregreat and the bartender Mac is awesome! he was so nice and knowledgeable about the menu. will be coming back for sure!!

This is one of our go to places whenever we are in Georgetown, it never disappoints! The inside of…read morethe restaurant is absolutely stunning. We have ordered everything from prosciutto + melon appetizer to steaks and pasta, everything is always prepared perfectly and the service is excellent. Will be back often!