Although I'm not big on ambience, I have to say the lighting and decor were comfortable but classy. The service was impeccable and the food amazing. Burrata salad - a perfect combination of flavorful greens with creamy cheese. The grape tomatoes were a nice addition. Lobster ravioli - a bit too sweet without a chunk of lobster meat, but otherwise wonderful. Raviolo w truffles - the best dish I tried. The aroma of the truffles permeated the dish and cheese. Panna cotta - smooth and creamy yumminess! The Saba poured on top had a slightly acidic taste that added some variety. read more

The food is incredible, the servers are attentive and courteous, but the atmosphere is a little too formal for my liking. My fiance and I went to Da Marco's to celebrate his birthday. We were greeted, seated, and waited upon immediately. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about all of the dishes and recommended a few. We started with the burrata and tomatoes and an arugula salad on the specials menu. Excellent. We split the lobster and corn ravioli and it was very yummy, though the lobster was a little overcooked. My fiance got the rib eye and said it was perfect. I got the branzino fish, a fish I'd never had before, and it was delightful. It's a white fish with a delicate flavor and they cook it whole. My god. Incredible. We had a chocolate cake with cherries for dessert and it was very good. My fiance lived in Italy and said the food is authentic. He also really dug the bread. I think he ate four pieces. Although the food was superb and the service was excellent, the atmosphere is stuffy. We expected an upscale restaurant and we love to dress up and act all highfalutin, but our experience helped me realize that I prefer restaurants that are a little more relaxed. We are in our 30s and we were by far the youngest people in the restaurant. This would be the perfect restaurant to bring my parents while they're in town visiting. My dad would swoon over the elegance and the dress code, but next year I think I'll take my fiance to a restaurant with a little more pep for his birthday (e.g., Uchi, Haven, Oxheart). read more

Impeccable service, excellent decor food was good not great like I was expecting from the other reviews. The bur-rata was not fresh and tasted like goat cheese, the scampi salad had langoustines instead of shrimp like the waiter stated, in fact although he was always within arms reach he knew nothing on how any dishes were prepared. Excellent wine list, food over priced for what they're serving. read more

Da Marco - Roasted Quail, quite good - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

My husband and I went Friday night with another couple and all four of us were greatly impressed! Our waiter, Mario, really took the time to explain menu options and wine pairings. He was a great help with the wine, obviously interested in making a pairing that we would truly enjoy. Every plate we had was so delicious. My husband had a snapper dish and I had the antelope chop special with goat cheese polenta. Another diner had the sweet corn ravioli with lobster and that was easily one of the table favorites. If you are interested in a splurge and willing to take some time dining I would whole-heartedly recommend Da Marco. read more

$25 for the Business Lunch. That's all you need to remember. It's a fantastic deal for a restaurant of this caliber, and easily justifies the drive from the concrete jungle of downtown to ghettoville Montrose. Unlike many other 3-course business lunches (I'm looking at you, Artista), a large majority of the items on the a la carte menu are eligible as choices, even on the pricier end. 5 stars for the food, more if I could give them. Service, a little less so. On balance, 4 stars. What I ordered: memory's a little spotty here, but here we go. amuse bouche: crostini with chickpea hummus, I think. A tasty freebie to start, though nothing exceptional. bread service: a wonderful mutigrain sourdough bread from Slow Dough, served warm with a fruity olive oil to dip. Can't beat this combo. artichoke alla giudia: a fried artichoke with a complex lime citrus vinaigrette. Served warm, and absolutely delicious with crisp edges to the edible leaves offering a neat textural contrast to the creamy heart core. Loved the herbal touch of basil and mint. roasted quail with fava beans: two (!) roasted quail, sitting on top of a tomato marinara sauce with fava beans and creamy polenta. The best entree I've had in months. Period. The quail was perfectly cooked, and incredibly tender and moist. Worth it even with the little bones that make it a labor of love. Well seasoned, with thyme and garlic. The plate arrived right out of the oven, which made it even better. white chocolate "rotolo": slice of white cake, layered on top with white chocolate, caramelized bananas, and a vanilla-caramel sauce. Shined slightly less brightly than the first two dishes, but tasty nonetheless. The cake and white chocolate were cool, almost cold, while the caramelized bananas were definitely warm, which made for an odd, jarring temperature contrast. But the flavors meshed well, and the dish was well presented. Service was generally good, if a bit slow (sit down to departure took about 1 hr, 45 minutes, and that was a solo dining experience based on a very late lunch): water refilled without prompting, dishes were served without delay, and waitstaff were generally very courteous. The inner dining room was a bit dark for lunch time. If anyone at the restaurant happens to be reading: might I suggest a few tweaks that I think can dramatically improve the customer experience. - First, provide more thorough descriptions on the menu. And no, additional words in Italian will not help. E.g., if "roasted quail and fava beans" comes with creamy polenta, that's perhaps something the diner might appreciate knowing. Better descriptions on the menu save waiters from the hassle of needing to explain and reduce customer disappointment when the food arrives. - Second, why keep around the standing specials sign that has to be hauled from table to table? Da Marco is too classy for daily specials written in chalk -- just put them on the printed menu, which is just a sheet of paper anyway. - Third, the reservationist needs a bit more training. I called ahead with two questions, each quite brief (e.g., "When do you stop serving lunch?" P.S. it's 2 pm). Mysteriously, after answering my two questions, the reservationist asked to put me on hold. I guess I could just have just hung up, but I didn't know if the restaurant needed something from me. When the reservationist came back on the line, she asked me if I wanted to make a reservation. Offering is a nice gesture, but if the person on the line hasn't asked, he/she shouldn't need to wait for the restaurant to get its shit together. - Fourth, I saw the bartender changing out of his suit and into street clothes in the entryway to the restaurant ... during lunch service. I get that no one happened to be coming in and out at that particular moment, but still it's weird. Patrons can still see you! - Fifth, the waiter abruptly left my table while taking my order because he needed to communicate a message to another patron who was leaving the restaurant. He apologized for it, but again, weird. The waiter also forgot the appetizer I ordered and had to ask me again 10 minutes later. I get things are busy, but if so, maybe writing down orders will help?? - Sixth, the olive oil that comes with the bread is amazing. But it gets a little monotonous. I saw butter on another table -- why not provide that to every table? Or better yet, a tapenade or spread. - Seventh, increase the lighting in the inner dining room. Romantic lighting is good, but save that for dinner! I know food coma is already a given for this kind of place, but no need to gild the lily (the tableside shaved white truffle service does that already, I think) ... read more

The service at Da Marco's is extraordinary! It was like being in an upscale, romantic European restaurant. The wait staff is extremely attentive. You don't "want" for a thing during your entire dining experience. My date and I never had to pour our own wine as the wait staff (and I mean staff--as in the plural sense--a TEAM of Italian men) would swiftly come by our table and pour us more wine, water, give him fresh from the oven bread, etc. The food is DIVINE!! I had the Sweet Corn and Lobster Ravioli -- which I will dream about for weeks! It was beautifully served. The pasta was fresh and served at the perfect al dente texture and practically melted in my mouth. The lobster and sweet corn sauce was a perfect pairing. My date had their homemad Pizza Margherita "Verace" and it was incredible! It was a handmade and cooked in a wood burning oven. The tomato sauce was so fresh it was biting into a ripe tomato. And the sommelier paired our meal with a heavenly 2005 Prunoto Barbareesco -- that was served at the PERFECT Italian wine cellar temperature. Da Marco's is romantic, divine and has incredible service!! read more

This is our first meetup place so me and my partner come every year. Their menu is okay. Food option is very limited. I am sad that the black truffle risotto has been taken out of their regular menu. But if you like to try some good Italian wine and enjoy the upscale atmosphere, it works for you. read more

Da Marco - Black Truffle is on the Today's Special only. - Italian Near Me - Houston, Texas

Two words: Truffle pasta. Da Marco is just as authentic as it sounds. From the food to the service to the atmosphere, everything here reminded me of the wonderful meals I had in Italy! The small details like the chalkboard specials for the night actually being written on a chalkboard and brought around individually to each table before ordering, and the charming accents of the friendly waitstaff, took me back to the small cafes I loved in Venice, and it's those details that make me want to go back here over and over again! As I mentioned, the service was wonderful. Patient, attentive, and full of charm, our servers kindly made sure that our entire party was happy from the beginning to the end of our meal, and went the extra mile to really be sure that we all walked away full of food and fun memories (definitely a rare thing when dining with a large crowd of 10+). The menu has a little bit of everything from traditional dishes like pasta with marinara and meatballs to unique seafood and meat entrees. The best part of our meal, though, was the truffle pasta course (which our entire table partook in). It was finished tableside with thin, angel hair noodles, and it was outstanding! So light, but so rich, and the shaving of truffles at the end is dynamite. It's not something to make your meal out of, but it is something that is not to be missed as a light course or appetizer to share. I had a fresh pasta dish that was delightful, with a tomato-based sauce and super fresh pasta (loved it), and my husband had the lasagna - which he raved about in between just about every other bite until there were no more bites to be taken! The portion sizes for the pasta entrees were not too big, but in comparison to the meat and some of the seafood dishes (the whole fish dishes were definitely meant for 2+ people to share, but were expertly prepared and almost too pretty to eat...almost!). I would recommend splurging on a few courses (like a salad and pasta course before your entree course), if you are going to be sharing a bigger item as your entree, but if you are unsure, just ask your server! I am sure he will be happy to help (and that gives you another chance to hear that accent and feel like you are in Italy all over again). Parking is valet, and there are plenty of fun places to grab drinks either before or after your meal, some of them within walking distance. Overall, Da Marco got high marks in my book...taking me back to a country that I love, and away from all of this frizzy, swamp-like humidity! Cheers! read more

Service & food = 5 stars. The gnocci with wild boar sausage, the black truffle risotto and the porterhouse all executed to perfection. Only negative IMO is the tables are packed in very tight. Best Italian restaurant in town. read more

Everything was absolutely perfect. I had the opportunity to go during lunch. Two of us ordered the business lunch, which is a great deal, and the other ordered a la cart. We all started with the asparagus soup (soup of the day) and shared a lobster ravioli. The soup was creamy and had small cheese filled ravioli inside. The lobster ravioli came with a generous amount of lobster. I ordered the fish of the day and it was cooked to perfection. Crispy on the sides, but soft and flakey. It was served with a salad. Everyone at the table enjoyed their meal, and the service was super. read more

See all

Came here on Valentines day for a special night with my lady. I needed a place that seemed fancy and special since it was the anniversary of our first date. I scoured Yelp and settled on Da Marco. Yelpers, you did not disappoint. The decor was quaint and pleasant, the hostess was courteous and prompt, and the waitstaff was top notch. Being that it was Valentines day, they had a limited menu, but it still had plenty of delicious looking options. My date raved about the pasta with shaved truffles, and the braised short ribs. I enjoyed the scallops, sweet corn ravioli with lobster, and the red snapper. Overall, I couldn't be more pleased with our experience. It is a bit pricey to add to my normal dining routine, but for a special occasion, it was just perfect. read more

Our dinner reservations were for 5:45 on a Saturday night for a party of two. We were seated right at 5:45 in the side room off the main dining room. Ambiance: The restaurant is located in a beautiful old bungalow in the heart of Montrose right on Westhiemer. You might be able to find street parking earlier in the evening, but there is a valet on hand in a gated parking lot. Once you enter the restaurant, you feel as if you are walking into someones home. The air smells of fresh truffles and fruity olive oil (note: they sell their specially made olive oil). There is a main dining room and a smaller room off to the side. The restaurant is nice and inviting, nothing formal or stuffy. Very comfortable atmosphere. Service: Our server was fantastic. He was well versed in the menu as well as the specials. Each dish when delivered had a full description. He split everything for us at the table. Service was attentive and thorough. Normally, I do not like to order all the courses at once because the kitchen will send them out to quickly. We went ahead and ordered everything at the beginning and our dinner was nicely spaced and we never felt rushed. Plates were cleared promptly, new silverware laid in between each course, water glasses refilled, everything was on point. Food: The food here is fantastic. The freshest ingredients you will find at any restaurant in Houston. You can feel that great care goes into selecting the perfect high quality components for each dish. Preparation is simple, seasoning is minimal, the chefs really let the beauty of each ingredient shine. There is the regular menu and the specials. Da Marco brings the board of specials to every table and describes each of the dishes. Each of the evenings specials are notated with an asterisk. Bolognese over crostini - amuse bouche Grilled Octopus with orange, potato and peppers. Beautiful dish and everything was perfectly prepared. The octopus was grilled and extremely tender. Get this, especially if you have never had octopus. *Hamachi with creme fraiche, caviar and a salad of radicchio and pear. Very fresh hamachi paired perfectly with a fruity, crisp salad. *Squid ink pasta (made in house) served with a jumbo head on shrimp, parmesan and light tomato sauce. This was my favorite dish of the night. *Rabbit roulade stuffed with fresh black truffle and served with an arugula and hearts of palm salad *Ruby red trout with mussels, pancetta and tomatoes served with brocollini Short rib with burrata risotto. Perfect dish for a cold evening, rich and creamy. All the desserts were extremely light and fresh. Bundino di Limone with limone gelato. Panna Cotta with grape Caramel cake with pistachio gelato Dark chocolate covered grapes, cocoa covered dark chocolate and shortbread cookie coffee Value: Outstanding. $182 for all the items listed above. Very high quality ingredients in a lovely atmosphere. This is a restaurant to take people to who appreciate beautiful ingredients prepared perfectly. read more

We heard so much from several friends about this restaurant and we decided to give it a try Overall we weren't impressed at all we were standing for 25 minutes with jo area to sit as the bar was full and no seating area is available at the location ; the place is small and although they have a dress code attire all the waiters seem to be running around and very stressed out I felt uncomfortable as we were standing and several waiters passed us with heavy trays full of food pushing themselves around us 3 times the restaurant manager came to the podium and no once he greet us or offer us a sitting place Menu is small I ordered the artichoke and it was honestly very bad super sweet and no meat on it then I ordered the ravioli with corn and lobster they were alright and then I ordered the meat they brought me both plates at the same time and I send the meat back ; the waiter brought back my meat and it was burnt I didn't ordered dessert Once the bill came I was charged for the meat although I had one piece of it ; the either said the chef said I should pay for it as I had half of it I ho estoy said I didn't but ok I'll never come back They don't have a full bar just wine I honestly wouldn't come back read more

See all

One of the best Italian places in Houston! Pricey, so not for every day dining, but special occasions. You should also dress nicely. They don't have common Italian dishes, but unique and sometimes exotic ingredients. Again, excellent for special occasions. read more

We had a reservation dinner here for our anniversary. We've been trying to give it a try for a long time now and I'm glad we did. Upon arriving, there is complimentary valet available for all the guests. The restaurant is pretty small but has its own character and coziness. They serve a bread and a spread that I believe is liver. (Which was not my thing :( ) Moving on with the food. We ordered black truffle risotto, pretty tasty! I enjoyed every bite and I'm glad its not much because It will be very hard to finish it since its very fulfilling. The other half and I shared it and finished it all. I also ordered the margherita pizza and he ordered their veal chops. He loved his entree and mentioned about it being so flavorful. Our server was very polite. Has an accent! which makes the place feel more authentic. I'm a sucker on that ;) I will definitely come back here again. I went here for dinner and the noise level was low and a cute place to bring a date. read more

I especially love this restaurant, the food was good to perfection. I will definitely come back!! We tried octopus salad, corn ravioli with lobster and braised short ribs with risotto. Their risotto was the best i have eaten. read more

Solid quality restaurant. The grilled octopus was really good. A place that I would want to revisit. read more

See all

Excellent dining experience. Had the grilled octopus, a pasta dish, the lamb, and chocolate creme brûlée. They have a good wine menu, but if you read these reviews Da Marco--more Nebbiolo, Nero d'avola, primitivo, and grenache. And educate the diners about after dinner drinks. read more

I have to say that this might be the absolute best restaurant I've been to in Houston. I loved it so much. My reservation was at 830 but I got there late so my friend had it moved to 845 with no problems from the staff. When we finally got there we ordered wine by the glass at the bar while we waited for our table to be ready. We were seated after a couple of minutes and attended to promptly. Our waiter came and talked us through the specials and we chose the lamb chops for an appetizer(this was fantastic, might have been my favourite meal of the night, I know this is fine dining so the portions are small but I wish this had been more, it was so flavourful, I was really taken aback by how much flavour it had. For the main, my friend got the snapper while I got the spaghetti with sea urchin(52$). The snapper was freaking amazing. I loved it. At first I loved my spaghetti but after a couple of bites it really gets extremely fishy. It became tedious to eat really. We also got a bottle of red wine for our meal. I have to say the waiter brought out tasters for us so that we'd make an informed decision on the bottle of wine we got. This was such a good dinner. The price was about 200$ for the both of us, really not bad for night fine dining. Definitely recommend! read more

See all

Get the scallops. They are the best I have ever had and it's one of my most favorite dishes. The octopus in my opinion was not chewy enough although it's quite flavorful. I ordered the lobster ravioli but it wasn't satisfying in terms of taste. Their sea bass was to die for, a must try. Overall, a good dining experience considering we were there for the New year's eve dinner. Minus one star because of the price - $600 for 3 people. read more

Da Marco is my favorite restaurant in Houston at the moment. This is the real deal folks...no cheap American-imitation Italian food here like you find in so many other places. Fresh, scratch made pastas and properly spiced and cooked meats topped with impeccable service in a cozy and accommodating atmosphere. Oh, and the desert...if I could eat their lemon cake every day for the rest of my life I would be fulfilled. Ps. they will cook a lemon cake for you for special occasions! read more

Truffle truffle give me more. Black truffle risotto is heavenly. Maple leaf duck is also very good. Sweet corn ravioli is good but not must have. Panna cotta is very good. Nothing truly memorable so missing a star. read more

I was looking forward to this "pay-up" dinner all week....Rezos at 9 pm which meant I was supremely hungry by the time we sat down at the table...very intimate and it's fun to get all gussied up for dinner... One thing I will say is that having a late rezo seemed to make our waiter rush us and I do not agree that the service is impeccable here as expressed in other reviews We had a dish of bruschetta to start off with a type of anchovies meat sauce on it, quite good... The olive oil they use to dip the bread in was very pure and light For appetizers we had the beef tenderloin ravioli, superb.... Most of the tables by us kept ordering the truffled ravioli and the great thing about the dish is that the truffle smell permeates the room and when you smell it, there is nothing else you want to order... the dish was amazing!!!! read more

This is the best restaurant in Houston. Is it cheap? No. No it is not cheap. As noted by others, probably mostly a special occasion restaurant. But if you're willing to spend some money, this is the best meal in Houston. UPDATE: Wife and I went back last night. Restaurant had a half-dozen empty tables (this was at 640). We were shown to a sad two-top right in front of the hostess stand. I politely asked if we could have another table. The hostess replied with a disdainful sneer. This was their only seat. Unstated but obvious implication: I was lucky to be given ANY seat, given how clearly unsuitable we are. (Both of us dressed up, btw--not like we're wearing cut-offs and flip-flops). I pointed out the copious number of empty seats. No, she said (eye-rolling, weary) those are all reserved. (For IMPORTANT people). We decided to leave. (still being very polite). On way out I asked same hostess for the table number of the seat they had tried to give us. This way, next time when I made a reservation I could specifically ask not to be given the bad seat. (This is something I do often at restaurants by the way). Weary eye-roll. No, she explained (in the same tone one might use to address a child who'd just soiled the rug), they did not 'give out' table numbers. That's not how 'their reservation system works.' How gauche of me to even ask! I guess when your food is great you can get away with treating customers like dirt, but I wish that weren't the case. There is nothing so infuriating as a petty person who's been given more power than they deserve. Their current hostess is rudeness personified. Give this place a wide pass. read more

What can I possibly add to the rave reviews...except to pile on! Dined here with a large group of eight. The staff added an extra person seamlessly and without a fuss. The pasta with winter truffle was outstanding as always and the entrees...grouper ravioli and the sliced prime beef steak... won the day. We had two large format bottles of wine and the panna cotta is sooooooo good. Yeah...the tables are close but adds to the energy of the room. Love this place, menu is creative and centers on the best of the best seasonal ingredients. Always a special treat to dine at this lovely restaurant. read more

Wonderful Being going for many years Always great food, wonderful ambience and service Highly recommend read more

I recently discovered this place although I drive past it on a daily basis. I finally meandered in last week after a long day at work. I was not dressed appropriately for the place at all or looking for a large pricy dinner but Da Marco welcomed my boyfriend and I in with welcome arms despite our bedraggled look and complete inability to understand the Italian menu. I can't comment on the parking situation as we walked. The service was extremely available but not agressive. The sommelier helped me pick out a "non-oakey" red without sneering at my lack of intelligent wine terms. I ordered the fried asparagus appetizer and it was tangy and light, nice but probably not something I would order again. From there, I took the bartender's suggestion and one large ravioli stuffed with cheese, a fried egg, and topped with truffles arrived. Divinity on a plate! I have never been a huge fan of "Italian" food but now I feel that I had just not been dining at the right places. I can't wait to go back and have this dish and others again. I finished with the warm chocolate ricotta served with iced coffee chips that was equally divine. The whole place left me in a state of buzzed happiness. read more

Da Marco is one of Houston's best! In fact I think it's a tie for best restaurant in Houston in my book. I dined again on Saturday, and it was amazing. They sure do live up to all their stellar reviews. The service is always excellent. They are right on point with everything and the transitions are smooth as silk. And the food - it's fantastic and among the very best. The salad made with taleggio and pear has to be the best salad I've ever had. I would go just to eat the salad alone. It was tasty and refreshing - everything you would want a salad to be. The tuna carpaccio is another not to miss - truly delicious. I believe everything on the menu, in fact, is phenomenal. Da Marco is definitely not to be missed!!! And if you have been there before, definitely go again. read more

This is the only place where I can find Iberico Pressa. Perhaps the best restaurant in Houston, as I have been frequenting it for the past 3 years. The food is perfect and every bite is full of life! read more

Unforgettable experience! Our server and his assistants were spot-on. My lobster was phenomenal and the truffle pasta created absolute silence at the table. Complete enjoyment. Thank you for the moments. read more

The food was absolutely outstanding along with the service. We were, however, not happy being seated in a private area for our 1st anniversary with a birthday party celebration with 16 people we didn't know. Felt very uncomfortable and awkward. Only a sorry from the waiter. Sad. read more

I made a reservation for 7 people for lunch at 1:30. I double checked with restaurant knowing they closed at 2:00 and was assured that it would be no problem. We felt from the time we walked in -when we were very casually greeted by the maître d' that we were not welcomed. Very unfortunate since we were celebrating a birthday and looking forward to dining here. Unless you know management or are a regular, don't come here. Can't blame service personnel...it's all management. The table ordered Aperol Spritz from the menu. I asked for an additional shot of Aperol because I felt my drink was lacking and was told, they were out. No wonder my drink was lacking. How do you have an item on the menu and run out at lunch. Only a matter of time.....the end read more

We ejoyed eating there for a special birthday celebration, several years ago. Brenda read more

One of the best Italian places in Houston! Pricey, so not for every day dining, but perfect for special occasions. You should also dress nicely. They don't have common Italian dishes, but unique and sometimes exotic ingredients. Again I would recommend for special occasions. read more

Fine food, it's good but not spectacular which is required for a $300-400 dinner. Don't mind paying that if it's worth it and special. The food lacked flavor and imagination. Need to freshen the menu, seem stuck in time. No hard liquor? The headline is pomp and circumstance. Nice atmosphere. I compared it to Sorrento just down the street which is clearly a 5 and same higher priced option. read more

My girlfriend and I were visiting from Austin and went to have dinner at Da Marco and were treated in the most racist and disrespectful way! Background: my girlfriend is black and I'm latinx. We had reservations already. By the time we got there we were greeted in a cordial way by the valet and then proceeded to the hostess. We checked in and the hostess, who seemed to be a teenager, told my girlfriend that her outfit was not appropriate to the dress code. We were perplexed. She was wearing a summer dress that reached her ankles... what the hell??? She suggested putting a jacket on to my girlfriend. I was livid. That is so inappropriate of her to suggest that as if she needs to cover her cleavage. She didn't want to show us to our table and kept saying there's nothing she can do. We were incredibly frustrated and asked for the manager. Everybody in the restaurant was looking. The manager came and apologized and showed us to our table. So wtf was up with the hostess? But at this point the whole experience had been so uncomfortable. Then I realized that I was wearing ripped jeans and the hostess never made a comment about that but only about my girlfriend's dress, and my jeans style were in the not allowed list. The waiters were trying to amend the situation but my girlfriend and I got up and left. What a sour and uncomfortable situation. Never came back read more

My girlfriend and I went last night to celebrate our one year anniversary. I chose to go to Da Marco's based on the positive reviews of the food. Given it was a Tuesday night, I figured I did not need reservations. We live walking-distance to the restaurant so we just walked right in. The hostess told us that she would be able to get us a table without a reservation and we were seated promptly. I was surprised to see how crowded it was on a Tuesday night. I was prepared for a great dining experience until our waiter showed up. We were dressed appropriately for the occasion although I didn't go all out. I didn't expect the need to be decked out in a blazer and gold Rolex but maybe that would have made the waiter treat us better. After we sat down, we had a wine menu in hand from the bar (we waited there for about one minute before being seated). Not once did he ask my girlfriend about wines, nor did he explain the wines. The specials board was brought over to our table and he didn't explain any of the dishes nor did he even give us any recommendations. It was almost as if he was being rushed at our table. No rapport, nothing. After we order, I noticed the waiter going to the other tables conversing with them, asking how the food is and him talking about what he liked and disliked. Wine recommendations etc. Then I noticed him doing it to another table. My girlfriend still had her wine menu and was not planning on ordering wine if he didn't ask. She was angry and I told her maybe the waiter was busy. It wasn't until a new couple sat next to us, and the same waiter explains everything from the specials to the wine, with recommendations and politeness/patience we realized he was looking down on us. (It was very blatant. I'm normally a very patient person when it comes to service. I've never complained to a manager about someone on the waitstaff before in any restaurant and his behavior prompted me to do it without hesitation). My girlfriend and I are Asian, so we look young (we are in our mid twenties). It seemed like the average age of the patrons in the restaurant were in their late 40's to early 50's. I said something to the manager, and immediately the manager started to serve us and ask us about the wine/describe the food. The manager made it up by giving us complementary dessert (white truffle gelato....that was intense) while making sure the waiter knew we were not happy. If it wasn't for the excellent manager and tasty food making our dining experience better, I would absolutely tell people not to go here. The prices aren't bad for the quality of ingredients used. You would think the waiter would realize that we were willing to spend money when we were buying some of the most expensive things on the menu, yet he was still indifferent. Aside from the snobby waiter: The food was excellent. As mentioned before, the prices are not that bad for the quality of ingredients used. We ordered the black truffle risotto (18 dollars) and the fish Carpaccio with foie gras (18 I think). The lamb with cumin yogurt was a little dry and definitely not to the caliber of the other food we had. The white truffle pasta was to die for, they were generous with the white truffles and the pasta was all infused in truffle oil (85 dollars) and wonderful cream sauce. The white truffle gelato was surprisingly pungent. It was even stronger than the pasta. It also had a white truffle shaving on top. It was definitely the highlight of our dinner. If it wasn't for our waiter, I'd go back as a regular (especially because we can walk there). Given our belittling experience, the only way I would go back is on a special occasion thanks to the save by the manager. I'd give Da Marco's one last chance, but if we go back and feel like we're looked down upon again, I'd never ever go back. When I dine, I like to eat and am generous. While I thought about giving our waiter a five dollar tip, I ended up tipping almost 50% and wrote on the check "DO NOT DISCRIMINATE" I hope he realizes that you shouldn't ever judge a book by its cover.. even when the cover is NOT shorts and a t-shirt (that's how I felt how he saw us). EDIT: So I checked out my credit card statement and I noticed that the manager decided NOT to charge me for the generous tip I gave to the waiter. This is above and beyond what I expected and am really suprised how the manager went out of his way to make up for our experience. Da Marco's... I'll be coming back. Only because of the awesome manager! read more

I went to Da Marco over the weekend; the food and service were incredible. The attention to detail and the feel of the dining room is extraordinary. I loved it. I had to knock it a star because of my table, it's taken me a few days to think about it and to write my review. I will get to that later; I want to rave about the food because that's what I went for. My wife had been here a couple of times so she thought since it's my birthday and I had never been here before, she was taking me here. She had made it to Da Marco once for lunch and one other time for dinner with her girlfriends and every time all she could talk about was the food. They brought out the olive oil for dipping and I could smell it as it was placed on the table, it was so aromatic and delicious. I was tempted to just drink it from the dish. On to the first course, we had the Sweet Corn Ravioli with Lobster. The lobster sitting in the center of the ravioli was cooked perfectly, it wasn't chewy or tough and the homemade ravioli was outstanding. Next came out the Black Truffle Risotto. Is there anything better than truffles? Wow! This was amazing; every bite was a real treat. Then came the main course, my wife ordered the Whole Roasted Fish and I ordered the Hereford Ribeye. The fish for the day was Branzino. The Branzino is a sea bass but mostly found in the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean Sea. Since the fish is from warmer waters it tends not to be as butter or oily as what most people are used to hearing is sea bass, a Chilean Sea Bass which comes from the Pacific and much colder waters. It is still very mild and flakey; I would compare it more to Red Snapper. It was delicious. The dish came with fresh sauted spinach, oven roasted potatoes and roasted fennel. It was all phenomenal. I order the BEEF...more specifically the ribeye. I had ordered medium rare and when it came out it looked charred. I was very worried, but I cut into the steak it was perfect, crispy on the outside and juicy and rare on the inside. The ribeye came with fingerling potatoes mixed with goat cheese and a side of roasted red pepper and olives. Dessert we couldn't get to fast enough, we ordered a lemon pudding cake with lemon gelato. The cake was super moist and delicious and homemade gelato. We also had brought to the table Creme Brule with Blood Orange sorbet. The Creme Brule was nothing special, but the Blood Orange sorbet was delectable. The wine list was impressive and reasonable; we ordered a bottle of Umbria Chardonnay and of course finished the night off with an espresso and cappuccino. We had two people in our reservation. If you have never been to Da Marco, as you enter into the restaurant the back wall, there is a booth the length of the wall. They have a bunch of 2 tops lining the wall and obviously they can make them into 4 tops if they need to. Well on this evening they were all 2 tops and sort of crammed together; people getting up had to literally move the table to get in and out from the booth. This set up is fine for a lunch, but for dinner where most people want the experience and or are celebrating a special occasion this is not what I was expecting. The table to my right complained about his experience all evening. He sent back his appetizer pasta twice, the first time it was too salty and the second time his pasta was not cooked properly. He complained about his Black Truffle risotto having too much cheese in it. His comment was "it might as well be cheese whiz with black truffles". The person he was with was a business peer, she was pretty and I guess he was trying to impress her. Oh and how can I forget this one, to his dinner companion " the best thing on this table is that spinach that came with your fish". He kept kicking my wife every time he crossed his legs. He alone almost ruined my whole experience; in the end we got a good laugh out of it. Plus the food and service helped. My experience with upscale restaurants, they know their restaurant is a destination and a experience to be had. They will typically ask if this is a special occasion and set up the reservation accordingly. I did not make the reservation, but I have called numerous 5 star restaurants for reservations and I am asked all the time "are you celebrating something special this evening". Maybe I'm not being fair but I'm docking it a star. I will be back to Da Marco. I saw so much food that I need to taste, the lamb chops, the short ribs and the veal. I cannot wait, but I will be sure to request a different table at the time of the reservation. read more

The horrible service here completely takes away from the great food. Ordered the sweet corn ravioli with lobster, which was absolutely delicious. The sweetness of the corn complements the chunks of lobster meat. Got the short ribs with burrata risotto, which was also really good... I still prefer Just Dinner's short ribs! To start off, for the specials, the servers don't have any of it memorized, and instead choose to roll around a small chalkboard stand. The writing on the stand looks like a 5-year-old's chicken scratch. Not what you would expect from a high-end restaurant. When it was time to take our orders, the server kept asking everyone "what else?" as if we all should have ordered a 5-course meal. It was extremely obnoxious, especially since not everyone wanted to order that much food. Maybe this is how they're trained, but it comes off as rude and pushy. Doesn't seem like we were the only ones with a bad experience with the service, so I'm not sure why nothing is being done about this. While the food was really good and everyone loved what they ordered, all we will remember Da Marco for was the awful service rather than the food. My friend had an even worse experience. He visited Da Marco at a separate date, and his table had a few questions about the menu. Their server actually got so annoyed after two questions that he walked away from the table without even answering the final question and without taking their orders. They had to request a different server for the rest of the dinner. Unbelievable and completely unacceptable. read more

I have been here many times and will not go back. I took friends instead of using this for client dinners. Rude waiter, poor food, bad atmosphere in outside dining. Clearly when I came with my 11 year old daughter instead of 4 men dressed in suits, I was labeled as someone not worthy of sitting in the nicer inside area. Really disappointing. read more