Trattoria Da Lina has become our family's "special occasion" restaurant in Takoma Park, though it's…read morejust as wonderful for an ordinary weeknight when you want outstanding Italian food. It's family-owned and operated, and you feel that warmth the moment you walk through the door. The staff are genuinely welcoming, happily accommodate substitutions and dietary restrictions, and often recite the nightly specials with a delightful mix of English and Italian--usually accompanied by a compliment about your outfit or your dinner companion that makes everyone smile. We had Christmas Eve dinner there this year, and it was every bit as memorable as we'd hoped. The portions are generous enough to share or take half home for lunch the next day. I especially recommend the Chicken Marsala, Chicken Piccata, and the classic mussels, all prepared beautifully. Don't overlook their neighboring pizzeria either--it's our go-to for both takeout and casual dining. Trattoria Da Lina is the kind of neighborhood restaurant every community wishes it had.

Overall value is 3.5 - it's a bit of a splurge for a regular dinner but we were craving Italian and…read morethis was the closest. We do really like the Tacoma Park area. It's on the same block as a really nice Thai place and a nice Mediterranean spot as well. There weren't many people on a weekday night so we just walked in. Street parking is free after 7 PM. The star was the margharita pizza. And we also got a calzone, which was also really good. The texture of the crust and the little slight crunch and the sauce was really great. I wish there was more basil on the margarita pizza. There were three pieces of basil on the entire pie the pasta we got was the seafood pasta and it was a bit salty and portions are a bit small, but maybe that's the norm now? And we also got this other mushroom ravioli thing that is also pretty good but just really small. I think it was like five or six pieces of ravioli for $24. Service was fine. It was standard. The restaurant was a little bit hot during the heat wave. I wish it was a little cooler so with the four dishes altogether it was over $80 before tip for two people and we just had a little bit left over which is why I thought the value was more 3.5 than a four. That said, I'd still come back and get the margarita pizza and calzone - they're really quite good.

San Matteo is our go-to spot in our Petworth neighborhood. The food is consistently superb. Staff…read moreare always highly welcoming and attentive. The spaces are very appealing. We enjoy the rear patio the most. Kid friendly, too. What a treasure to have in Petworth. By all appearances, San Matteo is a success that's here to stay.

Dinner at San Matteo, yes please and thank you!…read more Good food and service was memorable adding San Matteo to the list of favorites. The front patio is cute and a nice spot to sit on a nice day. We entered the restaurant, pasted the bar and made our way to the back. We were pleasantly surprised with a nice outdoor feeling to dine at. We were immediately greeted by our waiter, given water and warm bread with olive oil. To kick off our meal everyone had different ideas of what they were craving so we went with three starters. PROSCIUTTO E MOZZARELLA for one. It that had the usual meat and cheese board with nuts, mini bread crackers and jam. I liked how pistachio pieces were found in the meats and cheese. [5/5] BEEF CARPACCIO which is a family favorite of ours was a must try. The tender slices of beef with arugula, with sliced capers and celery. It reminded us of our trips to Italy. [5/5] FRITTO MISTO came next. This mixed lite battered bowl of seafood goodness with a little spice delight. It had calamari, fish, shrimp, garlic, zucchini and chilies. I really liked how the batter was lite which says a lot because I love really crispy anything. [ 5/5] On to the main courses, we proceeded with different pasta noodle dishes. BUCATINI BOLOGNESE one of my favorite pasta noodles was my selection. The noodles were al dente and the sauce and meat were excellent. [5/5] PAPPARDELLE CINGHIALE was my husband's pick. The pappardelle noodles were al dente and nicely accompanied the meat with the tasty sauce. Topped with ricotta; the dish was full of flavor. [5/5] CHICKEN ALFREDO was the last pick. Not an authentic Italian dish; however, hats off to the chef for making this for our picky eater in the family. The sauce was creamy and delicious. Noodles were cooked perfectly. [5/5] Surprisingly we had just enough room for a sweet ending - an Affogato. Whoaza! The espresso was yummy; put some hair on our picky eater's chest. It had a hint of licorice flavor that was unique. Let's not forget the San Matteo Spritz. Smoky and highly enjoyable. I loved it and will order again when I return. Overall, San Matteo hit all the check boxes for our lovely family dinner. The staff were attentive and never left us wanting more water, food or waiting long. The food was tasty. It seems upscale with a casual feel. Some people were dressed for date night while others were having a casual meal with family or friends. The seating options of areas were all unique in its own way. Front patio for a nice day, from the front indoor dining area for maybe a more intimate feel, bar and table top area for a drink and appetizer going solo or with a friend; and lastly the back dining area for a a bigger group to enjoy your meal. Mixing up the dining options that suits you. I'll be back to try other dishes.

Every course was an A+. Best chicken parm I've had, without a doubt. The artichoke toast is a…read moresleeper hit; perfect balance of fat and acid. We also loved the rigatoni alla vodka. The ambiance is also excellent. Imagine if your favorite red sauce Italian place and your neighborhood dive bar had a baby. Staff was also exceptionally friendly and attentive. Service stellar. Can't wait to come back for happy hour!

A wonderful time is to be had at Little Coco's Aperitivo Hour…read more $36 will get you bottomless cocktails, wine or beer (choose from their special menu), and nibbles of garlic bread with a delicious mix of parmesan, whipped ricotta and mozarella cheeses, caesar salad, and a single meatball with polenta. That evening I had a hankering for negronis, and true to the bottomless offer, they kept them coming! No sooner than I had taken the last sip of one drink than the next one appeared. No looking around for a waiter! I was really impressed with their attentiveness. The hospitality is truly impeccable. When I gave feedback that the caesar salad was way too salty, the manager understood precisely what had gone wrong and instantly replaced it. I would have liked two meatballs rather than one, which would have felt generous, but this was not intended to be a meal, after all. We also ordered the corn and jalapeno fritters (which were probably fabulous when they were originally conceived but not currently being executed well) and for dessert a fantastic zabaglioni. Little Coco's is casual but stylish, a fun place to go, as is to be expected at all of Jackie Greenbaum's spots. Aperitivo Hour is M-F from 5-7. Highly recommend!

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!

Was greeted immediately as I came in. Staff was friendly. I…read morerequested to sit outside and they obliged. What a beautiful evening to out and about. On my way to Victoria was very helpful. I ordered their anti pasto and their pesto shrimp. All the Food was delicious. For the items I couldn't finish, they packed them up for me in a to go box. Very cute and inviting restaurant. Priced as well as you can expect in a ritzy area and well worth it:

Absolutely delicious Italian food!! We were suggested to come here for dinner by a friend and they…read moredid not disappoint! The staff - so friendly and attentive The meatballs - a must get The Chicken Parm - a must get The bread - super soft and a delicious starter at the table with ingredients ready for you to make your own dip The Rigatoni Alla Norma - this was pretty loaded with veggies so if you're into that, get it! I liked the chicken parm more though The drink/wine selection - huge selection and the Pinot Grigio was just what the doctor ordered! Inside it was super cute -- there's plenty of seating and they had the AC on which was so nice on a hot summer day Outside -- a great sized patio out front if you're looking to dine outside somewhere! Definitely check out Capa Tosta if you're in Columbia Heights!

Returned after eight years and so glad to find the same top notch service, quality of food, portion…read moresize, wines, neighborhood vibe. And they still have the squid ink linguine on the menu, squid ink pasta lover says no one in the area makes it as good as they do. We tried the coconut lemon cake for dessert, flavors hit the spot and the toasted coconut brings out coconut in various depths beyond the usual. The in house marinated Castelvetrano olives are delicious. While I love good bread, bread baskets before carb heavy italian meals kill the appetite. Olives are so much better, especially with some of the great red wines Red Hen has.

The restaurant is nestled within the community. We walked in without a reservation and the wait for…read morea table was really long, so we had dinner at the bar. Despite eating at the bar, the service was amazing and I enjoyed it even more than eating at a table. The bartender was so friendly and I enjoyed talking with him. He gave great recommendations on places to have drink after dinner. He was very knowledgeable about the neighborhood. We order the butterleaf salad and pea hummus for appetizers. The salad was so soft and the dressing was delicious, I love that it wasn't too salty. The pea hummus had a peppery/smoky smell and was very creamy. For the main dishes, we order the gnocchetti and rigatoni. The pea flavoring of the gnocchetti was too overpowering, I did not enjoy it. The rigatoni tasted way better. For dessert, we order the coconut lemon cake. The coconut flavor was very faint, but the lemon taste was strong. Delicious taste and the frosting was yummy.

Can't say enough good things about this place. Service was good and personable…read more The food was made fresh and was so flavorful. Pretty nice portions also. The bread melted in my mouth, I was trying so hard not to request more The restaurant itself was clean and set up nicely. Plenty of room for large parties or even just a solo outing.

I've read so many good things about this place so my friend and I wanted to check it out. In the…read moreheart of Adams Morgan, one of my favorite neighborhoods to eat in DC. It's a very mom and pop style kind of place, fancy but not overly expensive or uppidy. There were two people helping us, I believe one of them was the owner. The owner was very nice, answered questions about the menu and provided recommendations. However there was also a young boy helping us and he was a bit rude in his interactions. We came in for a late dinner and at one point he came up to us and said they're closing so we needed to pay now. We didn't have an issue with this but it could have been said in a better way, it wasn't like we were just sitting there for hours. The food was delicious! Even though I had a not so great experience with one of the waiters, I'll be back!

We enjoyed our dinner at Poplar, in which they offer an ever-changing prix-fixe menu…read more The courses included: +a Manifest Sourdough Bread - with house-cultured butter +Carosello Cucumber and Charentais Melon Carpaccio - with caperberries and Sicilian olives +Chilled Asparagus Soup - with roasted fiddleheads and pickled white asparagus +Stuffed Morels a la Normande - with spring peas, fava beans, and asparagus tips +Gnocchi alla Romana - with spring porcini, goat cheese, and summer truffle +and, a Strawberry Rhubarb Basque Cheesecake for dessert There is also an 'off menu' where you can add, or have your prix-fixe vegetarian, vegan, and/or GF! The space is intimate and cozy, and great for date nights or little celebrations. Service was super friendly and attentive, and the place does get packed! Be sure to make reservations! +prix-fixe menu +great for date nights +friendly & attentive staff

Poplar is a must have! It's a very small location so I'd highly recommend making sure you have a…read morereservation. But the food was amazing. They have a new menu each week but the choices for both food and beverage are clearly well thought out. The staff are so knowledgeable on the selections as well. I truly appreciated each element of the meal. We had a wonderful experience and can't wait to bring our friends!

Finally a restaurant in Adam's Morgan that I would actually want to come back to!…read more Food exceeded our expectations- I had the ossobuco w veal shank - melted off the bone and the only bad part about the risotto is that there wasn't enough of it! The complimentary bread was absolutely divine. One of us got the bruschetta and it was beautiful (and delicious). The space is small but doesn't feel cramped. What really stood out though was the service. We were a little early on our Resi before the restaurant opened. Rather than have us wait in the rain, the staff let us in. They don't split checks, but they did it for us anyway. It's those kinds of little gestures that really make a difference. Bonus- great leychee martini.

We were in town for the Cherry Blossoms and came up to Adams Morgan to get dinner. We weren't sure…read morewhat we wanted and stumbled upon Retrobottega. We sat at the bar, and the bartender was great. They have a nice whiskey selection, I had Redemption Rye, my wife had a Basil Gin & Tonic (very nice). She had the rigatoni bolognese, and I had two items off the all-day happy hour: Lamp Skewers and Arancini, all of which were delicious. The decor is cool, and it feels like the kind of place we'd frequent if we lived in DC.

Great service and ice cream! Perfect for a sweet cold treat while in the area. They offer a nice…read morevariety of flavors. Just be sure to pack a little patience especially when it's nice out because the line can take some time to move along if there are a lot of people.

This is a cute walk up spot to grab gelato on a hot day. After shopping in the area, we decided to…read morecool off with some gelato. They have a small menu but what they have is delicious. I got coconut while my husband had mango and coconut. It was yummy and refreshing. There is a bit of seating but not all is shaded so you may be sitting in the hot sun.