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    Obelisk

    4.2 (380 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndItalian
    Open 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Obelisk Photos

    OBELISK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Intimate
    Classy
    Dressy

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    Octopus
    Stewart L.

    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.

    Tagliatelle
    Kris L.

    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!

    Bread plate
    Faye L.

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

    Menu from 10/6/22
    Lilah S.

    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!

    ravioli
    Nikko T.

    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.

    The modest entrance to a near future Michelin Star dining room. (I think)
    Norry H.

    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.

    Chandler D.

    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!

    Burrata, amazing
    Gwen B.

    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!

    Fava bean puree crostini

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    3 years ago

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

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    2 years ago

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

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    2 years ago

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

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    Caruso's Grocery - Spicy Neapolitan Ragu

    Caruso's Grocery

    (338 reviews)

    $$

    Capitol Hill

    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.

    Osteria Al  Volo - Fettuccine Amatriciana

    Osteria Al Volo

    (599 reviews)

    $$

    Adams Morgan

    I've been coming to this lovely Italian gem for so many years. It is consistent and delicious and…read morefriendly and cozy. Their pastas are perfection. Their menu is simple and it works. We've taken out of town guests, we've taken our son, we've done takeout. One of my favorites is the bucatini with short rib ragu. I always ask for an extra side of buratta, which pair is so nicely with the hearty sauce.

    A cute little neighborhood spot. Was in the mood for pasta and decided to go on a whim on a…read moreSaturday night. It was crowded but there were still a few seats available. Found it to be a bit louder than I would've liked but I think it was because of the spacing between tables. Came toward the end of the night and got seated and welcomed right away. I ordered the polpette, meatballs to start. They were quite tasty, but the sauce was a bit watery. Think that's just because the meatballs themselves were pretty juicy. Heard the focaccia was a hit, so asked for some of that. I was told they didn't have any left. Which was weird, because then another server came and asked if I wanted bread. I'm glad I said yes because the focaccia is very fresh and was a great addition to the meal. For my main, I ordered the vodka pasta, which was very flavorful and very saucy. I love a good, thick vodka sauce and that's what you'll get here. The one part of the pasta I didn't really enjoy was the chicken inside the pasta. I think I would've preferred a grilled chicken option instead of the chicken that comes in the pasta. That being said, this place is a gem. The prices are great and the portions are hearty. The pasta is thick, you're really coming here for fresh noodles and ingredients. If you want to top your meal off just right, you'll get the chocolate lava cake. Very delicious! Service was good and staff was very attentive!

    Grazie Nonna - Green Goodness

    Grazie Nonna

    (760 reviews)

    $$

    Downtown

    This review is well overdue but has been word of mouthed to several people since coming here for my…read morebirthday in August. From the time I arrived they made me feel special and wasn't even wearing anything that said it was my birthday. I brought a cake with me and I was going to ask how much they charge for storage and they told me "Nothing, it's free of charge". They relieved me so much. Now for the atmosphere, it was so so elegant in there even thinking about it now makes me want to go back just to stare at those wax candles that creates mountains of dripped wax which is its own kind of art. Next, let's take about the mouthwatering and delicious food we had. I ordered the Vodka Sauce Pasta and it was the perfect amount of heat and flavor. I also got a side of garlic bread and it was so crispy, light, buttery, and garlicky, just like I like it. My husband ordered the Drunken Love Pizza and of course I had to try a slice and WOWWWW. That one slice of pizza had me drooling it was so yummy!! Everyone enjoyed their food and it was great time. Now, on to my cake, I'd brought candles, plates, and even a knife with me to cut the cake. To my surprise, they brought the cake out with lit candles and everyone sung Happy Birthday to me. They even cut and served the cake to us. Keep in mind, there was not a charge on the bill for this either. It truly made my birthday even more special. Grazie Nonna, you don't understand how happy you made me feel that day. Thank you so much for the love shown on my special day. I will forever tell people this story. Thank you!

    Tanta pimienta en una pizza!!!! Noooo Pedimos la clásica,…read morenos encanta el queso! Además que no nos gusta sobrecargar la comida, menos es más! Desafortunadamente, esa costumbre taaaan americana de agregar pimienta a todo es un NO absoluto para la pizza de queso El servicio es agradable y también el lugar, pero la comida es lo más importante en mi opinión y no nos gustó mucho

    Osteria Mozza

    Osteria Mozza

    (271 reviews)

    Georgetown

    Every thing was excellent. Service was great…read more We will definitely go back to OSTERIA MOZZA

    I don't like judging food due to cultural reasons and how I was brought up. I was taught to…read moreappreciate food even if it is not upto my standards. That said, being on this app and criticizing food is something of an oxymoron of me. I bring some of the most strict criticism to the fine dining experiences I part take in. Osteria Mozza has been on my list for sometime but getting a reservation was challenging till last year. I finally got to visit last night and honestly, I am impressed. This might be one of my top 20 dining experiences of all time. First of all I want to thank the staff for everything they did fr adjusting my reservation because I was running late, being kind when my guest accidentally dropped a glass and helping us clean. I really appreciate the kindness of the staff. Thank you so much. The place is beautiful. The aesthetic is a mix of old industrial ceilings with retro Italian architecture. Coming to the food. Nothing disappointed me even a tad bit. Everything was just amazing. Starting with the Mozzarella bar. The bread, the dips and the cheese. I was delighted tasting everything. I would just come here again alone for the Mozz Bar. Then the blue prawns were marinated and grilled to perfection. The presentation was 10/10 but the taste was 11/10. The oxtail pasta was delicious! I usually do not go for pasta but this honestly made me fall in love with pasta again. The whole branzino was seared to perfection. It was salty, the skin was crispy, the meat was flaky and cooked simply. There was a bed of herbs under the branzino that tasted out of this world. Last but not the least, the rosemary cake. I now know that one should only eat vanilla ice cream over olive oil. Out of this world! This is an experience worth every penny! 5/5 must go for special occasions!

    Cucina Morini

    Cucina Morini

    (187 reviews)

    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.

    I was sold on the $7 martini happy hour alone - like how can you go wrong with that kind of deal,…read morein this economy? Cucina morini was great all around- we came for the happy hour of $7 martinis but stayed for dinner as well. The martini lounge is small but with great people watching in a beautiful space. The bar seating was all very vibey - the aesthetic of this whole place is elegant and cozy without feeling too stuffy. The Morini martini and the dirty martini were definitely our favorites, though the espresso martini was solid too. Now for dinner - we knew this spot was known for its appetizers so we started with the yellow tail crudi (ricciola), the focaccia with the side burrata, and the broccolini. Each appetizer complemented each other so well - the crudo was fresh with bright flavors, the bread was airy and light and was great with the small burrata, and the broccolini was the star of the show - spicy, charred, and exquisite. I could have easily ordered just more apps but we wanted to try some pastas as well. I appreciate that they have both small and large portions of pasta. We tried the small gramigna and the larger portion of the cappelletti. I am usually a fan of red sauces but both white sauce based pastas were some of the best I ever had. Forget some of the other Italian spots in the area, this pasta was hands down amazing. Light, easy, understandable - the flavors were there without doing too much. Both portions were fantastic and a good amount for the $$. No dessert for us - I think the apps and pastas were quite enough. Service was great, we both had a glass of wine with dinner which was tasty, and the vibes were great. Will definitely be back!

    Obelisk - italian - Updated May 2026

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