We came here for my boyfriend's birthday and all-in-all, I would recommend this restaurant for a special night out for dinner. Pros: Sits on P Street with a unique indoor atmosphere that combines the feel of a classy restaurant with a warm and welcoming home. We were sat at the window overlooking the street. The 5-course meal came over a 2 hour period, so there was no rush out. Great explanations of each course by the staff, and it was delicious. Things to consider: Expect to spend a somewhat considerable amount on this meal; it is an experience and priced as such. The drinks are similarly expensive, we did not opt for the optional wine pairing but enjoyed a glass of wine each. Although every table was taken, the volume is low. Conversations happen at a near whisper. read more

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We went here for my fiancée's birthday dinner and it's now one of our favorite restaurants in the city. It's a typical choice-style tasting menu where you choose a dish from each of the courses. We started by sharing the antipasti that everyone gets and it was so good. The bread was perfect and the burrata was incredibly delicious. There was an excellent wine list and the staff gave great recommendations when I couldn't decide. We found a new favorite white wine! Everything was delicious from beginning to end but our favorites were the eggplant fritters, the antipasti, the wagyu (not A5 but still melt in your mouth and delicious), and the desserts. The butterscotch custard is one of my favorite desserts of all time now, and the chocolate cake with raspberry chip ice cream was incredible. Would absolutely love to come back, especially since the menu changes all the time! read more

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Dinner took 2.5 hours, which was a bit too long for my liking. We started at 5:30pm and concluded at 8pm. As others have said, the 5 course menu changes often. 1st is antipasti- we got five dishes that we both shared but we had our own burrata (yum). A person chooses one item from the first, second courses and dessert menu. And before dessert, every person gets their own cheese platter. What I ate didn't excite me enough to want to come back- the main reason for my 3 stars rating. I'm sorry to say that the cheese and the bread in the beginning were my favorites. They served the bread first, but without any plates, so we were confused, but they said we were to eat the bread with the antipasti which didn't arrive until maybe 5 minutes later with bread plates, finally. Sometimes you just want to eat the bread right away! They charge you $75 per person when making the reservation, and it doesn't go toward the check at the end, but they refunded the reservation charges the next day. The pros are: 1. Attentive service- always refilling your water glasses, describing the plates, and clearing away empty plates. 2. The restaurant atmosphere felt intimate- there aren't too many tables and I love the bread baskets on the long table in the middle in the restaurant. It feels like a quiet place for a celebration or nice date. Didn't see any kids. 3. There's a lot to eat! We went away feeling very stuffed. read more

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Perfect as always in every way. Phenomenal service, a plethora of flavors, personal attention, perfect portions. We'll continue to come back until they close...which we hope never happens. People can keep fiola and other Italian spots, we'll keep Obelisk as our top spot. read more

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What a special place. We've been a few times over the past 20 or so years and last week we had a celebratory dinner that was just wonderful. Obelisk is a unique restaurant. Chef driven, small with a dedicated small staff somehow elegant and rustic at the same time. They have done a nice job sprucing up the Jewel box of a dining room. Maybe because it was a very cold night it felt extra warm and inviting. As for the food. It's a set menu, including an array of antipasto, a primi pasta, a main course, and a desert. The food is Italian, not American Italian, but true Italian cooking. Meal starts with antipasto like burrata, olives, artichoke hearts, lardo, and octopus. We had escarole ravioli which were bitter and nutty and delicious. Duck breast was perfectly cooked with a brown sauce and artichoke hearts. Sea Bream was lucious. The chocolate cake was moist and pudding like and the crostata was crispy and buttery. The bread was over the top. Sourdough focaccia and boules. One with duck fat and prunes was fantastic. There is a small bar with excellent cocktails and a fairly pricy list of wines. In DC this restaurant is special in both the experience and presentation and fantastic in its preparation. read more

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We had our anniversary dinner here last night. Had not been for several years. Was amazing having not changed still keeping its charm. Excellent wait staff. Not pushy keeping a wondetful pace to dining experience. Original Italian dishes very well presented in perfect portions. Wine selection is excellent albeit a bit pricey but still worth it. Really nice vibe to intimate small dining room. A real hidden gem to DC dining scene. read more

Excellent overall but with just a few minor items that could be improved upon. I love the small dining room atmosphere. Very intimate. The food was absolutely top notch. It's a wonderful restaurant to celebrate something special. My only complaints were that it was very silent in the room (no background music) and it kind of felt like everyone could hear our entire convo. Also it took about 40 minutes for our first course to come after appetizers. Still, a well worthwhile experience and I cant wait to go again read more

A wonderful secluded and tranquil townhouse that serves as an intimate restaurant! Obelisk (which doesn't have a sign on its storefront) was a lovely experience. There are 3 options for each of your 2 savory courses and 3 options for your dessert. The meal starts off with a delicious bread basket (and tiny breadsticks) as well as a mix of small plates. This is followed by your pasta course (both amazing - ricotta ravioli was our favorite - see photos) and then a protein course. After this you can breathe a little before your small cheese plate (3-4 tastes) and then dessert. The wine pairings are wonderful and the service is personable! Somewhere between cheese and desert they lost us (had a really long lag) but overall we had a great experience! Come prepared with an empty stomach! read more

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We've gone to numerous special dinners here over the years, and it is always outstanding. Great service and food.

Very good! Great service and nice quiet place. Loved the appetizers and breadsticks! Delicious burrata too. Not many choices but pasta is delicious! read more

Obelisk - Bread plate - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Awesome, especially gnocchi, mushroom soup, freshest fish! Freshest fish! Looking forward to our next visit!

Good 5 course meal! I liked the variety of small plates provided including various cheeses, breads, salads. This was my first time trying a 1 star Michelin Star restaurant. The service was nice and explained the different options for courses since we weren't too familar with a couple items on the menu. I tried their ravioli which was decent. It wasn't mind blowing but I enjoyed it as it wasn't too heavy as some places make. Along with the appetizer, they served a lot of small plates which made me surprisingly full. I got the lamb chop for my main course. Lamb chop didn't have much meat but was well seasoned! I wish I got more meat. The fourth course which I believe was the variety of cheeses was interesting. I enjoyed a couple bites but since I'm lactose intolerant, I couldn't really eat much of it. For the final course, I tried the panna cotta with strawberies. The panna cotta is really good! It had good texture almost like flan, and the cookie that comes with it tastes great. Overall, the experience was good but I wouldn't say the price point was worth for the flavor of food. I probably could've gone to a normal restaurant for cheaper and enjoyed the food equally. read more

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I love this beautiful restaurant. Very charming and I love the format. This was my second visit, the first was maybe fifteen years ago? Because it's pricy like that! The flurry of antipasti is the most exciting part, but the best part was the secondi (branzino for me soooo good and delicious lamb chops for dad)! A few dishes were a wee bit salty (burrata and quail pasta) and we love salt! The dessert (panna cotta) was so jiggly and good! The service was lovely. If you want a fantastic meal and your dad is paying I recommend! read more

Obelisk - Menu from 10/6/22 - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We first enjoyed Obelisk in 1988 when we moved to the DMV. We had experienced real Italian cuisine when we had lived in Italy in the late 80s. We discovered that, as opposed to formulaic Americanized Italian food, Obelisk was offering unpretentious, creative, imaginative and delicious food inspired by regional Italian dishes. It became our go to restaurant for many years. We had to curtail our visits in the past decade due to personal factors, and Covid did not help. So, after a long hiatus, we went back to Obelisk and were extremely gratified to find the same warm welcome, the same serene ambiance, the same deliciousness in the food and the same understated professional service. Green olives with fennel along with wonderful bread and the legendary breadsticks kept us going while we waited for the feast to begin. We started by sharing the delicious appetizers: homemade burrata, small tomatoes stuffed with spicy anchovies, savory tarts filled with tapenade, grilled shrimp with a delicate spicy oil (I think I forgot one). The primi of small ravioli filled with cod and a delicate lasagna with short ribs were excellent and small enough in portion size to allow room for what was to follow. We shared a delicious roast rack of pork, brined and juicy, with escarole and borlotti beans, it was so generous that we asked almost half to take with us. Three cheeses and a dab of pear jam led to the finale of cake of shortbread cookies and a light chocolate cake with minty chip ice cream. Biscotti and almond cookies to go with the espresso ended the meal. The wine list is short but has excellent choices and for liquid desert, there are neat options, including interesting grappa and amari. Service was efficient, friendly and not intrusive. The small restaurant was full but the noise was at a very civil level, everyone must have been enjoying the food. Thanks to everyone who ensured a most pleasant dinner and see you soon. read more

This was an absolutely fantastic dining experience. We arrived at 6:30 for our reservation and was seated immediately. It's a very small and intimate dining room, so reservations are definitely needed well in advance. By the time we left, the entire room was filled. We started our meal off with some delicious olives, bread, and breadsticks. The breaksticks were really good. Appetizers show up and are meant to be shared by the table. Man, the burrata was some of the finest that I have ever had. I also really enjoyed the fennel salad - very refreshing and helped open up the palette. For my primi, I had cod raviolinis with mussels and a white sauce. Wow. This was really good. BF had the ricotta ravioli with a green tomato sauce and it was also very good. For our mains, we split the suckling pig for two. The pig was so tender! We also had the roasted squab and grilled cod at the table and everything was super tasty. After mains, they bring over 3 cheeses, ranging from soft to hard and subtle to funky. By this time, I was about to burst, so I didn't have too much of mine. And finally, after so much food, the desserts came. I opted for a the Meyer Lemon cake and BF had the apple and quince tart. Both were really good - the apple was sweeter while the Meyer lemon was more subtle and tart. Service was attentive, but I did note that sometimes it did take a bit between courses. Perhaps we just eat too fast?? I highly recommend Obelisk if you're looking for a fine dining experience that's intimate and cozy. read more

This is a splendid restaurant that serves five courses of Italian cuisine. The first course was a mix of appetizers. It included the meatiest and most well seasoned clams I've ever had. There was also a large portion of creamy burrata, some beets and a very intense slice of head cheese. This was all accompanied by a variety of Italian breads. For the pasta course I chose the Tagliatelle with lamb "ragu." The tasty chunks of lamb are quite generous. For the secondi, I opted for the squab. The legs of this majestic fowl were particularly rich and flavorful and the skin was well crisped. Following that they brought out a cheese course, which was nice. For dessert, I elected to have the pear and quince crostata. The fruit of as very sweet, and the crust was flaky and buttery. They had several interesting Italian beers, both of which were malty and enjoyable. read more

Just left this place and it was such a memorable experience. For a great night with amazing atmosphere come to obelisk the servers are nice and the food is even nicer read more

Wonderful and high quality food presented in an intimate setting with great service. First rate cuisine.

I finally visited here last night after keeping it for so long on my Yelp bookmark. At first it was a bit difficult for us to find the entrance door. So it is right next door to the Afghan Kabob place. Five of us ordered and shared everything on the 5 course menu so we could enjoy them all! Started with a bottle of prosecco, Antipasto Misto which was a pleasant surprise of 5 different small plates. Burrata, Lump crab meat, farro salad, arancini and tuna belly spuma. Since the menu just says, "Antipasto Misto", when those were brought to our table one after another, I just couldn't help getting excited. Everything was excellent and I just can't say which I liked best among the five dishes. For Primi Piatti, we had the beets ravioli, the bean soup, and the tagliolini with shrimp. Shrimp and the pasta were really fresh but would have been better if they were more incorporated in taste I thought. But everything else was great. For the Secondi, we tried all three choices - the duck breast, sword fish and the pork. All were excellent. Nothing was too salty and everything was seasoned to perfection. The cheeses were very good and the desserts were very very nice. I particularly liked the melon sorbet with 3 different melons - water melon, cantaloupe and honeydew. Their wine pricing is thoughtful. They don't look like they charge 3.5 times of the actual cost of the bottle here. More like 2.5 times. The place is small with maybe like 30 seats only. So private and quiet without background music or noisy people. (At least last night) I am afraid I was the noisiest person.... I'm sorry! This is a perfect place to have very fine, fresh and healthy Italian dishes in a quiet atmosphere. Compliments to the Executive Chef Esther Lee and her staff! I think you well deserve a Michelin star when the Michelin Guidebook DC comes out this fall. read more

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An amazing dining experience. Every course was delicious and the staff was attentive without being being overbearing. This place is refined but not pretentious at all. Note - it will take you 1.5-2 hours if not more to finish your meal! read more

Obelisk - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Honestly, I am super disappointed to write this review for obelisk. We had such tremendously high expectations (especially given the price point). It could not have possibly been a bigger letdown. The antipasto and burrata courses were the highlight of our meal. We enjoyed be the small bites and were excited for the main course. Sadly, the main courses were actually BAD, as in so terrible we could barely even eat half of them. We got the supposed "wagyu" beef as the waitress told us. It did NOT taste like wagyu and it was poor quality meat. The sides were almost inedible (there was a ridiculously bitter vegetable) that neither of us liked. Our other main was the snapper which was incredibly bland and very blah. Dessert was boring as well, nothing special or noteworthy. Service was acceptable but not terribly impressive. We would definitely never come back after paying almost $150 per person (and only having one drink each). My best friend couldn't even finish his drink because he said it was absolutely horrible. What a sad waste of money! read more

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Obelisk is quite a gem in the DC restaurant scene. It's intimate with 30 seats, attentive staff, and a seasonal menu that is simple and satisfying. We came for the hubs birthday. The star of the starter course was the fava bean puree crostini. The primi dishes are amazing with scratch made pasta. Loved the tagliatelle with sea urchin sauce. For the secondi we had king salmon with a bright panzanella salad. Cheese course was brilliant. The desserts are so good. Loved the polenta crusted tart with blueberries. read more

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Obelisk has a modest entrance with no signage out front other than the small enclosed box with the handwritten menu of the day enclosed. They offer a 5 course prix fixe tasting menu, with options in each course that runs about $85.00. If you want the wine pairings add in another $55.00. If you bring your own wine they have a $40.00 corkage fee, which I find to be high. Space is small with only about 10-12 tables. The atmosphere is simple and understated. Has a huge following, therefore reservations are tight. The antipasto misti was a hit with 5 small plates included. The burrata, crab meat, and the eggplant salad were our favorites. All were good. There is enough served here to satisfy. For the primi I choose a pasta and shrimp dish. The flavors and textures melded so nicely together. My friend choose the ravoli which he loved. For the secondi we went with the red snapper and the wagu beef. Both were excellent and cooked to perfection. The cheese course was fantastic and I wrapped up the package with a fruit tart and apple crostada. Service is spot on. It was rather nice to be in a quiet place for the evening rather than the loud overstuffed places we typically find ourselves. Overall a great experience. This was our first time here. read more

Good lord, this was fantastic. Unquestionably the best meal we have had during the pandemic. This was our anniversary dinner and has been one of the best in our 10 years. All that, even as take-out! Burrata - a favorite. Lentils with cotechino were fabulous, and a delight to start our year. Were there traces of cinnamon? I'm not sure but they are definitely the best lentils I've had. Salt cod frittata was probably amazing when it was hot, but we didn't reheat; still pretty good. Puntarelle were exceptional and the pickle baby artichokes are the best I've had outside of Italy. Roasted pheasant main course with chestnut farro and escarole - all at their peak. Marjolaine for the finale... wow. Perfect balance of flavor vs subtlety. Hazelnut, a touch of buttercream, encased in a delicious chocolate shell. Paired it all with Manzoni Bianco, my new favorite winter white. The only downside was we had to do our own dishes since it was takeout. A small price to pay for a truly phenomenal meal! read more

Easily the finest cuisine in the city and is always a surprise since that day's menu is posted by the chef anew each morning. Must have been about 4 or 5 courses albeit some smaller than others, but they just kept coming. My favorite place for special occasions. Great go to spot for a great meal, but not cheap. Wrap-up: Simply delicious but be prepared to spend. read more

My husband had fed me well for every special occasion. For his 30th (and since I do finally have a grown up job), it was my turn to return the favor. I chose Obelisk after learning their tasting menu changes daily. It was a risky choice since i didn't have a clue what would appear on their menu that day. We went in keeping our fingers crossed hoping that they were serving attractive options. And we definitively were not disappointed! Antipasti - smoked swordfish, grilled stuffed sausage, grilled pepper, fried fish, and burrata. I wasn't a big cheese fan to begin with (I actually asked if I could swap the cheese course for something else) but their burrata was a life changer! Soft, creamy, and light - I ate two whole breadbasket with smear of their scrumptious burrata alone! Primi - arugula ravioli and spaghetti with clam - both pasta dishes could had been a meal on their own. Definition of perfectly made pasta! Secondi - bass and quail. My husband enjoyed his bass but didn't think it was too memorable. He wasn't a big fan of the slaw salad pairing. I, on the other hand, picked up my whole quail and attempted to eat every piece of meat off the bone. Tender, juicy - out of the world! Cheese - I'm so glad they said no to swapping my cheese course. I initially was just going to take a small bite of each but ended up polishing my plate clean! The hazelnut berry jam was the perfect compliment! Desserts - chocolate chestnut cake and rosa pudding. The cake was nutty and moist but wasn't sweet enough - perhaps should had been paired with some type of ice cream or sweeter cream? My rosa pudding was really runny and didn't have the consistency of a pudding. It was also overwhelmingly sweet - what a contrast to their cake. Overall - attractive, ever changing menu - perhaps we just came on a bad night for their desserts. Most of the dishes nevertheless were something I would definitely return for more! Service was a bit of a miss - we placed our order prior to the group of 6 next to us but they were served a whole course before us. We sat around for 25 minutes between each course. Our servers were not apologetic and offered no explanation. Ultimately, our 5 course dinner took over 3 hrs. Perhaps it was because we didn't order wine... 4 stars for food, 3 stars for service - Bad service really spoil dining experience! In sum 3.5 stars. read more

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Absolutely incredible! What an experience. Foodies would love this restaurant. Atmosphere is calm, elegant, special. The food and pace of it was not rushed. Yum. The service was excellent. Can't wait to go back. Put it at the top of your list. read more

For as much money as we spent, I should be giving this place 5 stars, but I just cannot. I was very excited to have dinner here based on everything I read. They offer a 5 course tasting menu that changes daily based upon what the chef finds interesting and fresh. But I ate there about a month ago and I cannot even remember what we had. read more

Phenomenal. From presentation to flavors to variety of flavors and food. Definitely will be back read more

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Over 5 years later, we returned to Obelisk. Although I wouldn't say the meal was quite as good as before (perhaps not providing new tastes), it nonetheless supplied a bevy of enjoyable dishes. The antipasti most enjoyed was the radicchio with a nice balsamic (?) sauce. Pasta was good with the ravioli's rich buttery sauce flavor limiting the subtle bittery arugula (some might fault the dish for being too buttery, not me). I also liked my branzino. Husband said his spaghetti was a little salty, even without the bottarga (roe). Perhaps I'm more a fan of French fromage, because the cheeses weren't that great, but came in small portions (preferred was the accompany of green tomato jam, as well as the starter of burrata). Finally, I again had the pear tart and it was as good as ever - especially the streusel topping with creme fraiche). The wine pairing was perfect in my opinion - tailored to our specific dishes. Customization here is also good in that they noted comments in the reservation about dietary preferences and ensured the antipasta misti didn't contain those ingredients. Overall, Obelisk provided a very good dining experience, all things considered. read more

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Amazing service, delicious food. The perfect hidden gem! Loved everything we ate. Perfect for a romantic date night for a special occasion. It was our wedding anniversary and they brought our complimentary Prosecco. One con: Didn't love the interior. They needed some quiet music playing. I felt like everyone could hear each other speak. read more

There should be a law dictating that everyone has birthday tours. I have been eating so well for a week straight and fortunately for me, my friends don't mind forking over boatloads of $ to allow me to celebrate in style. One such night landed me at Obelisk, which is a high end Italian inspired restaurant. To say Obelisk is discreet is a massive understatement. The address is really of a large building that houses numerous restaurants. Obelisk does not have a large sign or marking to indicate its presence. On its door is a 8 x 11 paper sign that has the name typed out. Oh the mystique! Practically speaking, folks should do what I did and just call if you can't figure out which door to go into. Once you finally arrive, you're seated in a very elegant and quaint medium sized dining room. It has a homey and relaxing feel that along with their color scheme and mini tree, seems to really fit as a concept. The restaurant offers a tasting menu that has a small number of options. The menu is handwritten, which speaks to the constantly changing dishes. In a nice gesture, I was given one of those menus to take with me, which is great because there's no way I would have remembered everything I had. Speaking of great gestures, the staff was so pleasant and accommodating. They really make customers feel at home, which again fits very well with the décor and concept. I tried Burrata, Swordfish Belly, Arancini, Salad, Pici with Lamb Ragu, Lobster Soup, Black Bass with Chickpeas, Fennel and Romesco, Cheese Plate, Baba Au Rhum with Pineapples and Whipped Cream and Butterscotch Custard. Burrata is a cheese that was topped with seasoning and olive oil. It was subtle, creamy and stringy, all of which made for a fun and interesting start to the meal. The Swordfish belly is like a hybrid play on sashimi and carpaccio. Absolutely delicious! The swordfish, while thinly cut, retained a firm texture, which is also due to it being a fatty fish. It was also very well seasoned, which brought out the natural flavors. The arancini and salad were both tasty dishes but paled in comparison to the swordfish belly. The Pici with Lamb Ragu was a definite highlight. Pici is like spaghetti except the noodles are thicker. They were perfectly prepared and a excellent pairing with the hearty ragu. Now, I'm no ragu expert, but this was some amazing stuff. The depth and intensity of the flavors was impressive and addicting. The lamb was so tender. The Lobster soup was an interesting dish. The pairing was more like lobster meets vegetable or minestrone soup. The lobster was very tender and had a hint of sweetness. The broth had a mild tomato-ish flavor but the texture was odd, a bit gelatinous. Tasty soup. The Black Bass came with other items but there was no doubt what the star was. Such an amazingly prepared fish, it was moist, tender, well seasoned. Although it wasn't the biggest size, somehow it satisfied me. Don't get me wrong though, I'd gladly eat 10 more of it. The chickpeas brought a different flavor and texture to the mix, but was otherwise unspectacular. The romesco was a unique pairing with the fish but because it tasted like cocktail sauce, seemed to work. The Cheese plate consisted of barilotto, canestrato and raschera. Not bad, especially for those who take their cheese seriously. I've never been one to pay much attention to cheese plates and in fact, would much rather have a more meaningful dish instead. The Baba Au Rhum with Pineapples and Whipped Cream dessert is definitely visually appealing. The sweet bread/profiterole is soft and pairs very well with the cream and rum sauce. The pineapples add some texture and acidity. I have to say though, way too much rum going on here. This dish could make an alcoholic relapse, that's how strong it is. On the other hand, the Butterscotch Custard was an exercise in restraint. The custard was mildly flavored, and had just the right balance of being firm yet creamy. The butterscotch also shines through but does not overpower. Great way to end an magnificent meal, along with the small candy plate that was given at the end. Another bookmark goes DOWN! It was truly an honor to dine here and have such a delicious experience. Given that I ate at Komi the previous night, the comparison of the two naturally comes to mind. Not only is Obelisk a better quality meal in my opinion, you also get more value for your money since it's almost half the price ($75 pp) of its competitor ($135). As much as I love a free meal, I'd be willing to spend my own money to come back here. Now that's saying something! read more

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After dining at Obelisk it's easy to see why yelpers rank it the best restaurant in DC. In a word: superb. The prix-fixe menu consists of five courses, three of which you choose. The antipasti comes rolling out after you make your choices and really starts the meal off on a high point. On the night we went the highlights included exceptionally fresh Burrata cheese, lightly battered fried shrimp and amazing grilled Italian chicory which continues to occupy my mind weeks after the meal. Were it not for the loud commentary of the tanorexic bridezilla seated next to me my birthday dinner would have been absolutely perfect. Still, for the most part, the hypnotic flavors delivered by the kitchen were enough to drown out her incessant whining. With only 36 seats in the dining room, it's best to think ahead when making a reservation. If you're still wondering whether or not Obelisk is the right restaurant for your special occasion - birthday, anniversary, hard fought re-election bid, graduation, passing the bar - wonder no more. Obelisk is a place worth celebrating, whether you've got a good reason or not. read more

Obelisk is a little quirky. There's no website and barely any information online about the location and menu, which changes daily. After reading about the rave reviews, we took a chance on this matchbox of a restaurant. I'm happy we did. We had a grand time with great food. After we successfully fought rush hour traffic from Manassas to Washington D.C., we couldn't find the restaurant at all. The internet only contained some vague reference to a valet service at the place but that is a complete lie. We stopped in front of a random hotel nearby and asked the valet, who said we could valet there (for an absurd $19 but it is D.C. what are you going to do) and the restaurant is actually half a block away. The restaurant is located in a random apartment building, on the second floor. The only sign is a tiny, computer-printed sign on the bottom left hand corner of the entrance door. This better be good! The restaurant is tiny, probably only 10 tables with 2 seatings per night. It's a comfortable place with warm service. The menu changes daily, and it's basically only 1 prix fixe menu at $75. There was a flurry of antipasti: Olives. Buratta, salt, pepper, olive oil. Fresh and delicious. One of my favorites. Tomato gelee. I usually hate gelees but this went well with the buratta. Squid stuffed with pistachio; hard boiled eggs. Very good. Haricot vert with cured mackeral tobiko. Ok. The tobiko was surprisingly mild in flavor. Fried balls. Forgot what was in it but it contained some melty cheese. Like. Secondi: Gnocchi with pesto and pine nuts. Very good. House made wheat spaghetti with sardines, garlic, tomato. Very good. The spaghetti had an interesting, rough texture. Primi: Grilled quail. Simply grilled with salt and pepper. You'd think it'd be kind of sinewy but it was actually as fatty as quail can get and juicy. Veal chop for 2. Very good. Sea bass. Very good. Excellent seared skin. Desserts: 3 cheeses with fig jam. Soft sheep's cheese (mild), hard goat (my favorite of the 3-nutty and sharp), and another soft goat (tasted like an unpleasant, rancid blue). The fig was good with the hard goat. Flaky dough things over cream thing with blood orange ice cream. This thing had a fancy name that I can't recall. It was really delicious. Wine pudding with lid of caramel and pistachio; rhubarb. You wouldn't think it, but it was excellent. Thrown in with the brittle, it was super tasty. Chocolate cake with mint cream. One of the best chocolate cakes I've ever had, incredibly delicate and moist. The mint was nice. Petit fours. Chocolate covered almonds, hazelnut biscotti, raspberry jellies. All delectable. Coming from a dearth of decent Italian food in Hawaii, I thoroughly enjoyed this simple, rustic Italian meal. The quality of the ingredients was superb. I'd come back the next time I'm in D.C. read more

Wow. Obelisk is easily one of the best places I've eaten in DC, maybe even my life. There is barely a sign in front of Obelisk- I walked by once without even seeing it! The inside is small and consists of only 11 tables. As for ambiance, you feel as though you could be in Italy eating in a friend's living room. The decor is minimalist yet classic, there is no music, and you just hang up your coat by the door. You will need a reservation to eat here. It is $85 per person for the tasting menu and they can graciously accommodate vegetarians. :) I've done many tasting menus where the dishes are small and not overly satisfying. Obelisk was the complete opposite. The food was never-ending. The meal took 3.5 hours to complete if that puts it into perspective! In addition to the items you pick from the menu, the kitchen brought tons of small plates which were all really frickin' good. I was full before the main dish even came out. The hand-written menu changes daily so it probably doesn't make sense to review each item I ate. Some noteworthy items though- -The bread, which is baked in-house. So much fluffy and crusty goodness. -The burrata, which is a soft, creamy piece of mozzarella. It was hands down the best mozzarella I've ever eaten. -The pasta. It is all made fresh (obviously). I had it in both ravioli and square-edged spaghetti form. It was cooked perfectly- just the right level of al dente and wonderful flavor. -The cheese plate with fig jam. This fig jam was amazing. -The profiterole. Just the right texture and the cream inside was bomb. Overall, it was an amazing food experience. I left here 5 pounds heavier with an appreciation for excellent Italian food. I finished every single item put in front of me (with minimal help from my parents). read more

I Loved the execution of the food at Obelisk, but I probably will not return here for $85 per head (I posted a picture of the handwritten menu). What impressed me most about this place was that everything we tried was perfectly prepared and seasoned, from pasta to salad to meat... everything! It is one of those very few places that can season food to perfection. It uses quality ingredients to bring out the best and freshest taste without using too much herbs and seasoning. I would recommend Obelisk to those who like clean taste-perfectly prepared food. If you are expecting something more innovative and unique, then this place is not for you. For example, I ordered grilled pork chop as my entree. The server recommended medium rare, but I asked mine to be cooked medium since I felt uncomfortable eating medium rare pork. (Note: Medium park chop comes out pretty pink, so if you don't like pink pork, then you should order yours medium well-done). My pork was again cooked to perfection and it was delicious. A huge chunk of meat that was tender and seasoned perfectly. But that was about it. The dish would have shined more if it came out with some special sauce to enhance the meat flavor, but again I really think that Obelisk only focuses on bringing out the truly simple but wonderful raw flavor of the ingredients. In conclusion, Obelisk might be worth giving a shot, but for me it is not a place where I want to go back over and over. As a tip, food portions are huge here!!!!!!!! You will get over stuffed like thanksgiving turkey by the time you finish dinner. read more

Obelisk - Menu 11.7.14 - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Very delicious menu. We went on a Friday night. On weekends, it's 88 dollars for a four course menu including pasta, entree, cheese course, and dessert. They also serve a variety of small bites to begin the meal. We ordered drinks a la cart and skipped the wine pairing but the prices and selection was very reasonable. Dinner for two with two drinks each will run about $300 including tip. Our small bites included shrimp Croquette, Buffalo mozzarella, bread basket, sautés asparagus, tomato bruschetta, and a purée of tuna belly over pork. We enjoyed all of it except the tuna belly purée with pork and anchovies. For the pasta course we tried the gnocchi pesto and pasta with scallops and breadcrumbs in a butter sauce. The gnocchi was melt in your mouth and possibly one of the best I've had. Scallops were cooked to perfection. The butter sauce needed something to give it a wow factor but the breadcrumbs were a nice crunch to the dish. Our entree options were salmon, squab, and a steak dish. We tried the squab and steak dish. I would say I would pass on squab but it was my first time. Steak was cooked perfectly. For our cheese course we enjoyed three types of cheese with a homemade chutney. Decent selection but presentation lacked. Dessert we had the chocolate chocolate chop ice cream and panda cotta with berries. Both were executed nicely but was missing any wow factor. Mediocre at best. Service: we were seated promptly and our server was very sweet and accommodating. She answered all the questions and made our evening enjoyable. Atmosphere: quaint rowhouse and cozy atmosphere. romantic. Con: while the food was good it didn't leave me wanting to come back often or a wow factor I was hoping for. The timing of the dishes needs to be worked on. We sat for 15 min between our starters and pasta with nothing at our table and another 15/20 min before our entrees. We were seated at 8:30 but didn't get our main course til after 10 with cheese and dessert course still remaining. For dessert and cheese course we had to request that it be speeded up and they did honor our request. The time between food and courses was just too long that we got tired. For my birthday they did place a candle on the panna cotta I ordered but would have been a nice gesture if they went over a courtesy glass of Prosecco or a drink I ordered since it's a preset menu and I'm already paying for the dessert. I would say the food is a solid 3.5-4 but not more than that. Staff friendliness was a 5. read more

This was probably one of the best meals I've ever had. (Sorry Mom, your lamb curry is still pretty high on my list). At $140/person for the tasting menu + wine pairing, you expect (and demand) greatness, and this place certainly delivers. While I was lucky enough to not have to pay for this meal, I wouldn't have minded if I had. The process of dining at Obelisk involves making reservations well in advance and choosing your dining mates well. This will be a 3 hour experience at least and you want to select eating buddies that will order a variety of dishes so that you may greedily sample all of them (and the amazing wines that are paired alongside). The establishment itself is unobtrusive and humble as is evidenced by the "sign" out front, which is merely a piece of computer paper with Obelisk written on it. (Some might think it's pretentious, I think it's charming. If you're confident that your food speaks volumes and you don't need a flashy sign, then power to you). The interior is a simple living room sized dining area with 12 tables maximum. The lighting is dim and the atmosphere is of a private dining experience. As you know by now, the menu is hand written and changes daily. While I know there is no point in painstakingly enumerating my thoughts on the food, I shall do it anyways. (Keep in mind, as the night goes on, it becomes harder and harder to remember the names of any dishes, as you become tipsier and tipsier with the ridiculous amounts of wine and champagne you are consuming...). Antipasti round 1: - Cheese: I have no idea what this cheese was called but it was deliciously soft and coated in a spiced olive oil. YUM. - Cauliflower: These people know how to make cauliflower the most memorable dish of a night. It was crispy, buttery, scrumptious heaven. I could have eaten this over and over! In between each course was a champagne and/or wine--all of which were fantastic. My favorite probably being the desert wine served at the end. (I'm in the process of requesting the wine menu, because it was AMAZING). Antipasti round 2: - Tangelo salad: I've never been a huge fan of salads as meals, but I could have made this salad the only thing I'd eaten that night and walked away a happy woman! - Clams: This item disappeared quickly amongst our group of 4. Sour and savory goodness all around! - Pork head balls: Fried, creamy deliciousness. It's a crime they only serve enough for 1 per person :( Primi: - Watercress ravioli with walnuts: OH EM GEE. I almost didn't share this one with my dining mates. I cannot stress enough how delicious and decadent this ravioli was. Each bite was almost too much to handle. It's good that this is a smaller portion size. You might just pass out from the goodness. - Tagliatelle with chanterelle mushrooms: My beau ordered this and it was superb. I'm not the biggest fan of mushrooms, but the flavoring was done so well that this dish was definitely a TKO! Secondi: - Black bass: This was probably my least favorite dish of the night. It was very simple and had a nice fresh taste. The bass was a little plain for my taste. However, the shishito peppers on the side were fantastic! The veggies certainly made up for the plain flavoring of the fish. - Duck breast with pear mostarda: *Swoon.* This was the ABSOLUTE BEST DISH OF THE NIGHT. My beau owes me so hard for making him order this. Duck is an amazing meat in its own right, but the pear mostarda combo was ridiculously and shamefully good. I ate more of his food than I probably should have. Formaggi: - I'm in love with La Tur! All three cheeses were delicious, but La Tur is a treasure. They were served with a walnut jam which was just the perfect pseudo-sweetness to pair with the cheese. Dolci: - Pineapple polenta: And polenta does it again--shows its diversity. How ingenious and delicious! - Orange panna cotta: This dish is somewhat similar to flan...but dare I say it...better?! Once again, beau owing me for suggesting he order this. Small sweets: Fruit jellies and almond and chocolate biscuits. YUM! This was truly an unforgettable night! read more

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The bottom line: One of the best restaurants I've ever visited, anywhere. Consistently delicious, wonderful staff, simple but elegant decor. Although we have been to Obelisk before for special occasions (engagement dinner and birthdays), last Friday my wife and I returned to our beloved Obelisk. We had a late reservation, so we were hungry and excited as we settled into our seats in the sparsely decorated dining room. As we were seated, a member of the friendly, knowledgeable and unpretentious wait staff served some toasted, oiled and salted almonds. To start, we ordered glasses of Prosecco (crisp and refreshing) and settled in to make our menu choices. After we had chosen, along came the fabulously textured house-made bread. One bread was more moist and spongy and one a bit more airy. There were also two-foot tasty bread sticks. WINE Dolcetto D'Alba-A delicious light body red with dark cherry accents. ANTIPASTI MISTI Burrata-Soft, creamy and flown in frequently from Puglia, Obelisk's burrata is served simply with extra-virgin olive oil, fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper. Salt Cod Fritatta-The slightly salty fish balanced well with the sweet egg in these 3/4 inch high cool wedges of eggy-salty goodness. Tomato Salad-Three large thick slices of red and yellow heirloom tomatoes (and a few halved cherry tomatoes). Topped with torn basil, olive oil, fleur de sel, pepper and a lovely aged balsamic (tis the perfect season to enjoy tomato goodness). Fried Sardines-A perfectly crispy tempura-like crust. Moist inside and complimented by a lemony green sauce. Porchetta-A slice of roast suckling pig. Crispy skin edged on the inside with tender meat. It was stuffed with a concoction of ground meat, offal, herbs and spices. PRIMI Me: Suckling pig agnlotti with spinach and sage-A plateful of lovely fresh made pillows of pasta stuffed with (what I assume to be) the aforementioned ground pig. Topped with sauteed spinach and a rich pork/sage broth. Wife: Arugula ravioli with walnut butter 5 (or 6) fluffy ravioli filled with fresh arugula and in a light but rich walnut butter sauce. SECONDI Me: Striped bass with chantrelles and pancetta-A perfectly cooked piece of bass on a large bed of the freshest chantrelles I have ever tasted. The crisp and salty pancetta brought out the rich forest-buttery chantrelle flavor to compliment the fish. Wife: Quail with chard, pine nuts and golden raisins-The quail was rubbed with vin santo which sweetened the skin and matched so well with the sweet raisins and slightly bitter chard. FORMAGGI w/ fig jam Pecorino Stagionato-a triangle of rich, firm, flaky and pleasantly gritty sheep's milk cheese. Bonrus-A creamy soft cheese (sheep and cow blend). Not too much of a barnyard fragrance. Taleggio-Soft and creamy with a not unpleasantly strong smell. DOLCI Wife and I: Chocolate cake with caramel sauce-Light and rich chocolate cake swimming in a mouthwatering sea of salted caramel (and some chocolate) sauce. SMALL SWEETS Chocolate mint truffle-tasted of freshly picked mint (and rich chocolate, of course) Biscotti-Not too crisp biscotti tasted like they had been soaked in sambuca. Raspberry geleé-Tart, sweet and sad (because it was our last bite of the night). It was a fabulous meal, great service, and we will be back. Thank you Obelisk! read more

Very cool concept with changing menus daily however we thought the execution could have been better for the price of the meal. Ordered a bourbon based cocktail which was ok but mostly forgettable. For the appetizers the eggplant crostini's and the shishito peppers were delicious. I went with the head on shrimp pasta for the second course. Nice marinara based dish with pasta cooked just right. Shrimp was juicy and tender. For the main dish I tried the veal and it was good but was basically just meat and a side of broccoli rabbe. Good flavors. It expected a bit more for the 90$ tasting menu price tag. This was followed by a cheese course and a dessert course which were largely forgettable. DC seems to have a love affair with overpriced Italian food. For the 140$ per person we paid for drinks and dinner I would expect a lot more then what we got. As a side not the vegetarian tasting was excellent according to our friends. For the money I would consider RPM or Sfoglina over this. read more