We've been here several times. Maybe over 10 times. We've celebrated holidays, birthdays, and brought guests to acqua al 2. Even our foodie toddler loves this place. Foods good, my husband always gets the steak with blueberry sauce, I order different things -- some are to rave for, some are nothing spectacular but always good. read more

Let's set the stage. I'm headed down to Annapolis, as that is where my NJ-native friend has moved and decided to get married and have a family. Prior to the wedding, I get a text message "can't wait for you to get down here and try some pasta!" "Um, what in the who-where?" I thought to myself. My family sailed the ocean blue and plopped their vowel-rich-surname selves here and passed down the best carb-centric food you could ever ask for, (not to mention I live in a part of the country where the options for Italian food are almost as numerous as a town in Italy), and yet here is this newly-minted Annapolitan telling me we are going for pasta. Not crab. Not fresh seafood. Effing. Pasta. Well it is a good thing I kept my mouth shut other than to try the food, because this place was objectively delicious. The pasta is homemade, and to my knowledge that makes this place stand out in the immediate area. As I understand it, their original is in D.C. and this is their Annapolis outpost. The place was new, but I always felt like they got the right things right. The location is great, the decor is cool, and the building was an old bank. I'm a sucker for that combination of things. The waiter explained the menu to us, and was very friendly. The food came as advertised. It was delicious. They had run out of clams that day, so instead they made up a special where they put a bunch of delicious seafood over fettuccine. It was as good as anything I have had up north. The bread was good, and they give you olive oil to dip it in. They bring more anytime you ask. So. That must be it, right? Nice meal, nice people, review over? No. I went back two nights later! I was house sitting for a night, and did not feel like cooking. So I thought to myself ... "yanno ... the whole pasta thing was great, but any place that has 'bistecca fiorentina' or 'veal porterhouse' on the menu? I.gots.to.try.the.meats." Night two was great. I dined alone, but had a lovely young server (whose name I wish I could remember so she gets some credit) who walked me through the specials and made sure to check on me and ask how things were going during the meal. She couldn't have been nicer or classier. For the first course I started off with the Fusilli Lunghi alla Fiaccheraia, pasta in a spicy tomato sauce with garlic that was off-the-charts good. For dessert (ha!) I had the Lombatina ai Funghi Porcini, a locally sourced veal porterhouse with a mushroom sauce. I was full, but I finished, then washed it down with an espresso martini. Because when in Annapolis ... yeah, I don't know. Make your own rules and have a great meal. Eat here. read more

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We ate dinner here last night. The wait was originally 1 hour but got seated within 20 minutes. The service was amazing and the food was delicious. All of the employees, from the hostess, busboy and waiter were incredibly helpful and hardworking. I ordered the leek soup and red snapper. Both were delicious. Everyone in our party enjoyed their food. We can't wait to go back and try the pasta and check out the speakeasy. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

My overall rating is "meh." Walked into this place a week ago on a Saturday night. Place was packed, which led us to believe it was a decent place. We ended up getting turned away at roughly 8:30pm as walk ins due to them having reached reservation and table capacity for the night. Ok, no prob, we'll make a reservation and check it out in a week. Fast forward a week. We arrived and our table was ready. Waitress came over and presented the drink menu, and we took some time to look over. Finally settling on a signature cocktail and a glass of wine. Our table was small (2 top) and was so close to the tables next to us that we ended up conversing with the tables on both sides. As someone who was looking forward to a romantic dinner for two, this offered essentially no privacy or ability to talk quietly. They had open booths and no more reservations coming in, so could have spread us out and provided a more intimate setting, but wedged us in between other 2 tops instead. They offer bread and olive oil for the table. The bread is just slices of bread. Not warm. Not toasted. Actually somewhat cold. With a side of plain olive oil. No herbs. No Parmesan. Just boring sliced bread and olive oil. Our drinks took roughly 10 min to arrive. In the meantime we ordered the soup and an appetizer. Appetizer came out in roughly 10-15 min, and was okay. Soup never arrived, and we had the waitress take it off our bill at the end of our meal. I ordered the gnocchi, husband ordered penne with broccoli. Both were underwhelming. As someone who loves gnocchi, these were more like dumpling bites than gnocchi. They should consider pan searing them to firm up before adding sauce and plating. Probably could have had a better, more flavorful experience at Olive Garden, tbh. Had they spent as much time curating the menu and ambience as they did on the renovations and decor, this place would have a better shot. We aren't planning to give it a 2nd try. read more

Good meal? Yes. Outstanding? No, especially for the hype and the price. There couldn't possibly be a real Italian working here. Red wine was served at wrong temp (almost hot about 75* -80* hot kitchen temp) which is just lazy or ignorant. The menu was solid but nothing I haven't heard of before. Our waiter was sweet and attentive but steak came out pretty cold. The 3 steak sampler platter is a bad value-we ordered 1 and I thought the waiter had split our plate but no just 3 small cubes. The mushroom risotto was excellent and very hot. Ambiance is very good here. We chose outside and the lively street scene was fun. read more

Acqua Al 2 - Sitting outside - Tuscan Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

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Food is great. We followed the restaurant from Eastern Market. My favorite is the speakeasy downstairs though. Cannot go wrong here. Very good Italian food. read more

Our first time visiting this new restaurant. We were quickly seated in the back dinning room and a lovely round table. The noise level in this area is much better than out in the front dinning area. Our service throughout the meal was fantastic! While the wine list is very expensive, it does include many wonderful choices. We had a delicious Tuscan wine to compliment our pasta dinners. We were celebrating a birthday and they even included a complimentary house panna cotta. read more

Get the blueberry steak and try samplers of the pasta, salads and desserts. Everything here is to die for. I travel specifically to go to Acqua Al 2 read more

I liked Acqua Al 2 and we were luckily to snag a last minute reservation on a Saturday night out in Annapolis. I was so pleased to see how many vegetarian options they had on the menu! We got the vegetarian pasta tasting ($24pp) and it came with 5 servings of pasta. It depends on the chef (and probably what is being cooked in the kitchen) on what your 5 courses will be. The people next to us at our table got something completely different! I liked the pasta texture and taste, but the options were a bit basic - just a pasta and a nice sauce but no veggies or anything exciting in the pasta. They served it on the regular dinnerware plates in a little spoonful in the middle, so it didn't feel overly nice or luxurious (more casual), but the taste was good. Would recommend checking this place out! read more

Super cool bar in the basement of an old bank. My group ordered the espresso martinis and I had the 50/50 old fashioned which was delicious. Highly recommend popping in for a cocktail if you are in Annapolis! read more

Acqua Al 2 - Old fashion! - Tuscan Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

WOW! Some of the best Italian food in the DMV. We enjoyed the appetizer special (burrata on toast with peaches); the blueberry filet mignon; the gnocchi; and the stuffed shells. Every dish was fantastic. If you're looking for amazing pasta, it's worth a visit! In addition, our server, Alice, was wonderful. We will be back soon!! read more

Food: incredible. Homemade, tasty, fresh and unique. Get the fusilli allá fiaccheraia for a spicy dish Service: I have always had great service whether it has been in a group or on a date night Ambiance: the vibes and ambience here are so needed for Annapolis. It's definitely a more fancy and destinations spot, but is it worth it OMG. I'm so happy that Annapolis has a spot like this now. read more

Fourth visit and yet another exceptional meal and experience! This place has become our go-to when visitors come to town and it never disappoints! The ambiance is amazing and our service was outstanding. This time I tried the New York strip with the mushroom sauce and it was cooked perfectly. I highly suggest getting a Gorgonzola gnocchi for the table to share! Already looking forward for our next out of town visitors so we can go back! read more

Everything about this restaurant is simply spectacular! The Food, Service and Ambiance are 6 Star worthy. I dined with a group of 10 and the staff flexed to us without hesitation and with extraordinary professionalism. The exceptional young woman who attended to us was thoroughly versed in all aspects of the menu. A member of the 'opening day' staff, she was studied in the extensive wine selection and superb cuisine. Her recommendations from starter to dessert were spot-on. Travelled to Italy on multiple occasions. Acqua Al2 is completely authentic. Its foundation is a menu prepared with "The Big Night" level of care, and respect. Add a welcoming and attentive staff, you are assured a memorable experience. If visiting Annapolis, this restaurant, in one of the most walkable and scenic neighborhoods in all of the United States, is a great addition to your itinerary. read more

We had a fabulous experience this past Saturday night ....from the time we walked in and met the mate d we felt welcomed. The wait staff was attentive and knowledgeable, and the food was out of this world. If yelp allow me to give 10 stars I would!!!! read more

Went for our anniversary. Service was good, food was fantastic, and they gave us biscotti to take home for our anniversary. Fresh made pasta noodles cooked perfectly al dente. Seafood in my husband's pasta was the freshest he's had in a long time from a restaurant. I've never been to Italy, but I imagine this is what it tastes like! read more

Was very disappointed this time around. I was very excited to show my family one of my fav spots in town to eat. We ordered the salad, pasta, and steak samplers and when they were dropped off to our table we were not told what they were. It is chefs choice so we had no idea what we were eating each time. Overall service was pretty bad (filling water, checking in etc). For an upscale restaurant and the price point for food you definitely expect better service overall. The food is great. Need better service and hospitality. read more

First time here last night. Our waiter must have been new and it showed. He didn't seem to know the menu and was in a rush. This restaurant came highly recommended. There were paper place mats on the table which, for a high-end restaurant made no sense. I ordered the house made gnocchi verde as an appetizer and my wife had the beef carpaccio. The gnocchi dish was delicious. The beef carpaccio was good, but my wife noted that the shaved cheese on the salad part was hard and was shaved from the rind. I ordered the veal porterhouse with porcini mushroom sauce. The dish was very good and done right. My wife ordered scallops with a pasta in a sauce. My wife, who likes salt, said the whole dish was way too salty, which ruined the dish. The ambience was nice. We were in a back room and the main room seemed more appealing. The new waiter in our area seemed overwhelmed. It's a good thing we told him we're in no rush as it felt like we would have been served and out in 45 minutes. Overall, the food was uneven. We expected more. It was early on a Saturday night and the place was very busy, but, overall, fell short. We might give it another try and order differently but who knows. read more

Never really complain, but we were disappointed with the way the manager handled our party tonight. Server was great. Food was meh. Manager could use some hospitality training. read more

Great dining experience. Alice was an excellent server and she helped us navigate the menu. The Trio of steak was a fun way to try the different preparations . The pasta sampler highlighted the delicious pasta with vegetarian touches . I thought the bolognese was meat .'it wasn't but it was great . Nice selection of Italian wines . read more

The food, drinks, and service were top notch. Great ambiance as well. Highly recommend! We will be back!

I was fortunate to visit Acqua Al 2 recently and enjoyed the experience. Well, with one small exception, I will get to that later. Getting a reservation is almost as lucky as getting a free ticket to a Dead Show, "I need a miracle..." but alas, much like Charlie Bucket, I got my golden ticket and was provided entrance! In all seriousness, it is great that they are this busy and have worked to earn the waiting list created by those looking to visit and support this establishment. Upon entering, you feel like you have stepped through time and are in a Gatsby-era restaurant, and don't forget that there is a "speakeasy" in the basement!!! The interior design team did an exceptional job making the experience something you will remember, and I can see it as providing cause to come back to look around more (and yes, to enjoy the food). The bar area provides plenty of room to get your drink(s) and spend time with friends but is not set up for your evening hang-out bar. That is where the downstairs excursion comes into play. The staff is well trained and works as a well-oiled team supporting each other to ensure the restaurant manager and his shortcomings do not mar your experience (again, more on that later). The menu is fun and exciting and leaves everyone at the table wanting to have room for "just one more dish." The salads are fresh, crisp, and enjoyable. The variety of options will surely provide options for even the pickiest of visitors. Of note, the Assaggio de Primi (a tasting of 5 vegetarian pastas) is a must-have. It is a great way to start and a fun experience to share with the table. The drink list is fun and creative. The Negroni is one of the best I have ever had, and that says a lot!! The wine list is approachable but, again, priced accordingly. You can always buy a glass or two if you are unsure. Don't expect to come here and not pay for what you are getting. There is no price problem, but you will pay a fair price for great food and excellent service in an environment that will only enhance the experience. Now for the one challenge we had. I am not sure what role the gentleman at the front door has in operation, but he does not provide a positive experience for the customers in the facility. His mannerisms make him seem like he is doing everyone a favor by allowing them to be at the restaurant. His tone with the team he has on the floor would be that of how I would expect an inmate at Alcatraz would have been talked to. A simple smile and a nicer tone with the team would be fine. Hopefully, this will be seen as constructive and not otherwise. Overall, get in line, call a friend, and do whatever you need to do to get an opportunity to visit Acqua Al 2. You will enjoy the experience! read more

We went the the original outpost of the restaurant in Florence on our honeymoon. We came here to Annapolis (from out of town!) for our anniversary. The food was just as amazing as we remembered! The service was excellent - thanks to Jen and Sharif and Silvia for making our celebratory evening so lovely. Have a delicious meal at Acqua al Due with your loved ones, in their beautiful space. Treat yourself! read more

Our booth for two possibly maybe three but for four? Unfortunately, we were so uncomfortable that I was counting the moments till dinner was over. The restaurant was completely filled. Service was bumpy and we were forgot several times. The pasta dishes especially the rigatoni with vegetables ragu were delicious. The huge ribeye steak Disossata alla Robespierre was flavorful but difficult to cut with the table knife. Steak knives are not an option. Despite the attention the steak itself was not well marbled and certainly not a prime cut. Beautifully remodeled and decorated but not a great experience. read more

Great food and service! Ambiance was decent. Seating was a little uncomfortable but all around great dining experience.

So far, this is the best option for great food and service in Annapolis. Pros: They did a great job with the build out in this space. The food was very good and the staff were all very pleasant and attentive. The bar downstairs is pretty cool, be sure to check it out. Cons: Request seating in the front- the back dining area has a terrible acoustic problem. The music was pretty bad throughout and didn't "fit" the dining experience. read more

This place is the most "sophisticated restaurant in Annapolis- close your eyes and you could be in Meat Packing District. We had a party of 6 with a great table in the center of the room just off the 1st fl bar. Great service through the night with many spirits and wine orders. A variety of dinner items were ordered - I had the filet - blueberry reduction which was good and another guest had the Branzino which was good, also. We will go back! read more

One of our favorites in DC. Wish they were still there, but glad they found a new home in Annapolis. We've made the trip there twice now and it's been great each time. The new space is in a fun building, love the vibe. The food is just as good as it ever was. My husband gets the steak trio each time. It's really great! Fusilli Lunghi alla Fiaccheraia is my go to. read more

Outstanding!! Great date night! The food and atmosphere were superb. All pasta dishes are made in house. I ordered the Linguine Von Golle, it was delicious. So many calms!!! My husband ordered a steak. I can't remember the name but it was cooked to perfection. The speakeasy downstairs has a great vibe and good drinks. We will definitely be back. read more

We had an absolutely extraordinary dinner. From start to finish it exceeded my already high expectations. Definitely try multiple dishes and split at the table. read more

Acqua Al 2 - Caprese Salad - Tuscan Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

Delicious. Lovely service. The portions are small. The dessert tray is a perfect size for sharing, with a yummy variety of choices. Two small things I would hope they might consider: * How can an elegant restaurant not have stuffed olives for a dirty martini; * Please add craft beers to your menu! Maryland has so many great, local breweries; it would be terrific to patronize and publicize some of their offerings! read more

Had a lovely dinner here. We got a peach burrata for an appetizer, which was so good! My husband and I both got a seafood pasta special because it sounded so good and it was! It was loaded with seafood and the sauce was nice and light. The scallops were delicious! I tasted my friends penne vodka which was tasty too. The tiramisu and espresso martini were both great as well. Our server was lovely. The interior is nice, but the tables are so close together, it's a little uncomfortable. read more

Excellent food and you don't have to go far for drinks after dinner! Perfect place for a business dinner.

Excellent all around. All Food and drinks were just so good. Server very nice. Great place!

It is a lovely space but difficult to hear conversation at your own table. My main issues were food and service. We dined late so while it was still busy, it wasn't packed. It took a server 15 minutes to even come to our table and then another 20 for our glasses of wine to arrive. All this time, there were several staff standing right behind us. Either they don't have a good team system or those folks just didn't know how to check in on customers. Also noted what others have-tables not being bussed for a very long time. Not a good look when tables are so close together and the dirty dishes are left. When we placed our order for shared app and two pastas the server was visibly irritated. I guess she didn't like the tip calculation since we didn't order the expensive steaks (I'm veg). App came out overcooked on the outside and cold in the center. Husband had the ragu pasta which had a strange flavor. Too much fennel, a bit of a curry/spice flavor? My risotto was Ok. A bit gummy and lacking seasoning. Overall we won't be back and we are locals. Too bad. Main St could have used a solid performer. read more

This is a very hip place.I sat at the bar in very uncomfortable stool The bar tenders were friendly and helpful.I had outstanding spinach and ricotta manicotti. The other dishes looked great but I would recommend a reservation and sit at a table.There is a cute pub downstairs but steps are steep and no elevator available. This restaurant is mostly for younger couples and difficult for handicapped diners. Parking is a distance away. read more

The food is excellent . The Ambiance is very nice but there is a serious service issue. Hopefully the service issues can be worked out.

I love this place. Originally visited the Florence venue and then went several times to the DC location before it relocated to Annapolis. Love the vibe of the Annapolis location and the food is consistent across the locations. Our waiter was lovely and attentive. We ordered a number of their speciality cocktail drinks - the Italian version of spicy margarita was the table favorite and one of the old fashioned variations came out a little funky and they corrected it immediately. We started with the pasta sampler - do not miss this! Especially enjoyed the pesto gnocchi, the vodka penne and the mushroom linguine (or bucatini). The rotini with an arribiatta had a bit too much basil for me and not any spice, and we have no idea what the last one was - because they didn't explain it properly and it came after the secondi meat dishes were served. They could have done a better job timing it out. Also recommend you do not order per person for the pasta sampler - order less than the number of people you are because you'll want to leave room for other things. The eggplant parm app was phenomenal! The bread kept flowing to soak up all the different sauces. Our secondi dishes were the steak sampler - do not miss the blueberry filet - either in the sampler or as a full entree. It is a huge not sweet surprise. It is one of the reasons I keep coming back to this place. The balsamic reduction filet is also another not to miss dish. In our sampler we had a third steak with parm and some lemon - it was also delicious as it focused more on the cut of meat and less on the accompanying sauces. Have also tried several other steaks here and the last night the ribeye with the capers were underwhelming compared to everything else. Rounded the meal out with sautéed spinach - yum - and asparagus (too Woody/fiber-y) for me. Despite a few misses this time, this place is an amazing and I will continue to come back in the future wherever it is located. read more

We ordered the five vegetarian pastas to share between two. Each pasta was saltier than the next. It tastes like they make their pasta with nacho cheese. Wish i took a picture for this review. There was a thick film of the nacho-cheese esk sauce on top of the pasta. We also ordered wine, burrata, and steak which were good. Our server was kind and the ambiance was nice. read more

I hate to see this be a missed opportunity. The ambiance is very nice but we were a party of 5 and were squeezed into a round table that was much too small for 5 people. maybe would have fit 4 suitably. The carpaccio di manzo is not traditional to the US - it was mostly a plate of arugula and parmesan with about 6 quite small slices of thinly sliced beef. Normally you would have a plate of large slices of beef with a little arugula and parm on top. There are 17 pasta dishes on the menu...and only one of them has meat in it. There is a beef Ragu pasta, and one with clams. all others are vegetarian. So I ordered the beef Ragu, and while the pasta itself was well cooked the sauce had way too much nutmeg in it. It almost tasted like curry. My son had the rigatoni contadina, it also had a strange taste and lacked umami. It lacked a tomato-y flavor. I have been here 2 times now, it's not terrible, but the pastas definitely need some help. Needs fat, salt, and soul. The service was okay on a Saturday night, a little slow but gracious. read more