If you ever find yourself in Dante's Ristorante with eight of your closest industry colleagues and a healthy appetite, do yourself a favor: lean in and trust the "super secret specials." We rolled in as a group of nine--never an easy feat for any restaurant--and somehow everything felt smooth, relaxed, and just the right amount of lively. Bonus points for the private room, which gave us the illusion that we were both very important and very well-behaved (jury's still out on the second part). Now, about those specials. "Super secret" makes it sound like you need a password and a wink--but really, you just need good judgment. I went with the fried veal chop, which arrived looking like it had its own zip code. Crispy, massive, and absolutely worth the internal debate about leftovers (there were none). I also got a taste of the pesto pasta with chicken--bright, flavorful, and the kind of dish that makes you question your own order for a brief moment. Drinks were on point, the ambiance hit that perfect balance between upscale and comfortable, and while there were a few pauses between courses, it honestly just gave us more time to enjoy the company (and pretend we weren't eyeing the next plate coming out of the kitchen). Bottom line: great food, great setting, and a place that can handle a big group without breaking a sweat. We'll definitely be back--if only to crack the code on more of those "secret" specials. read more

When the weather is nice, and even when it is not, Dante is a friendly and warm place to dine.  In sunny weather, there is an extensive covered deck and patio seating available.  In weather that is less than optimal there are also plenty of places indoors.  Either way, the service and the food of this long-time Great Falls business are sure to keep you coming back for more. For our lunch, we decided to share several dishes that the kitchen was kind enough to split and plate in the kitchen.  We started with the beet salad (insalata di bietole con pecorino) and the crab and avocado salad (Torretta di avocado e carne di granchio).  Both were light and flavorful.  Even half orders were generous.   We also shared the eggplant parmesan (melanzane parmigiana).  Again, it was so helpful to have it divided in the kitchen for us.  All of these dishes were accompanied by the delicious focaccia bread and olive oil brought to each table.  For dessert, we enjoyed a tiramisu and an affogato.  There are many other dishes from which to choose, guaranteeing that you will always have a relaxing and delicious meal.  Parking is readily available in the lot outside. read more

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First visit July 20th for lunch. Exquisite, 5 Star genuine Italian restaurant. The food from the rosemary pan bread to the Bolognese to the Egg Plant Parm brought back the fondest memories of the Tuscany/Southern Italian restaurants we have enjoyed so much. We received a warm welcoming greeting upon our arrival. Ambiance is open, with an embracing white tablecloth motif. Settings are sophisticated but not overwhelming. Both wait staff (the very personable "Illustrated Man" and Michelle) were attentive and anticipated every need. The food was divine and ample for lunch portions. Every detailed request was attended to. I will be doing dinner with my wife as the historic building (photo gallery at the entrance) is engaging, and the experience will be enhanced by the buildings charm. Our 54th Anniversary is in September and Dante's will be our celebration setting! read more

To be completely honest. The food and service here tonight, Monday sucked, we drove here from NW DC to try something different. My husband said we probably wouldn't be back. I don't get why some are 5 star reviews, the food wasn't amazing or over the top. The service for a high end restaurant wasn't good. read more

Wine, appetizer (eggplant parm), and entrees (wild boar paradise, lasagna, massage and pepper pasta) were great. The service was very good. Cesar salad.salad was 2 / 10 (creamy and bland) the house vinaigrette salad was ehh as well). Skip it - waste of $30. read more

This is a hidden gem of a restaurant. Great food, great service, wonderful menu. If you like to eat great food, this place is a must! read more

Really love this spot. Consistently awesome after so many years.. Owner is a class act.

OMG!! Although we only live a few miles away, we had never heard of this place. In searching for a new restaurant for Valentines Day, we discovered Dante Ristorante. This place is PHENOMINAL!! I had the linguine with white clam sauce, my husband had the Veal shank over risotto, and both were outstanding. My linguine with white clam sauce was one of the best I've ever had and my husband said his Lamb shanks was the best he's ever had!! I truly want to recommend this restaurant, but I'm afraid that If I do, it will become so popular that we won't be able to get reservations!! read more

The food was great and the staff was very welcoming! The restaurant has a cozy vibe and a nice menu. Would recommend for any occasion!

The location is the best for this place. We weee referred by an old friend of ours to this place. The food was of substandard and taste as I felt it lacked flavor. I ordered Salmon with shrimp with Lobster sauce. I got a well done salmon with 6 pieces of shrimp that I could taste were frozen ... the lobster sauce absolutely didn't have any taste. The others in our party liked their food , so not sure if my dish was one off ! The wine list is good and so is the appetizers . As I said , the ambiance and the team is really good. Once can spend and entire evening enjoying the outdoors. The food prices are ok. This is a one time visit . read more

Dante's Ristorante was a pleasant surprise on our journey to find great food in NoVa. The outside ambiance was beautiful, with a large patio that will be perfect for when the weather warms back up. The inside was reminiscent of an old Italian style restaurant, both charming and unique. We were taken to our table promptly, about 10 mins before our actual reservation time. The small dining room we sat in was cozy and quiet, ideal for an intimate night with a loved one or friend. We were greeted right away and ordered cocktails while enjoying an assortment of breads. We started off with an appetizer; a tower made up of crab meat, tomato, avocado and balsamic reduction. It tasted fresh and was a great start to our meal. We ordered the special, a risotto dish with scallops and lobster sauce. The risotto was tender and the scallops were perfectly cooked. The lobster sauce added a nice flavor and creaminess to the dish. The lasagna was also a solid choice. It was stacked with thin, crepe-like noodles topped with a delicious meat sauce. For dessert, we ordered the chocolate temptation, made up of chocolate cake, hazelnut cream with a chocolate glaze. It definitely satisfied our sweet tooth at the end of the night. Overall, I would rate Dante's an 8.5/10 (which is a high score in my book) for ambiance, service and our meal. We are already looking forward to our next visit. read more

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We enjoyed a fantastic meal at Dante's while visiting family in Great Falls. Attentive, personable servers. Quaint, comfortable setting. Nice size menu with a range of regular choices. as well as daily specials. I had the most delicious fettuccine with shrimp scampi. Thankfully, the shrimp was just perfectly cooked and light on the garlic. The homemade fettuccine was such a treat. Crème caramel dessert was on point. The cappuccino was an excellent punctuation mark in the whole evening. I'm already looking forward to returning. read more

Dante Ristorante - Fettuccine Shrimp Scampi - Italian Near Me - Great Falls, Virginia

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Cute neighborhood spot. During my first visit, I sat in an empty, add-on kind of space. I couldn't relax and enjoy my food because every time the door in an adjacent room (maybe to the outside) opened, it slammed so hard that the sound and shake made me very uncomfortable. It was also cold in this room. The second time I went, I sat in another room (maybe the main room), and it was cozy and nicer. The staff are nice, and the food is decent for the price. The food felt kind of homemade, which I liked. I would go back, just not to the one room I sat the first time. read more

Great Italian restaurant in Great Falls. Couldn't been more pleased with the food and the wine. Will definitely be back.

Amazing pasta, amazing service, and wonderful atmosphere. I've never had a bad experience here.

After a day of meetings my CEO brought his direct reports to dinner to unwind . For many years I have not been a fan of Italian food but that has slowly changed so now I know what to order and enjoy. This restaurant is in Great Falls very close to route 7 and Reston. Slightly tucked away in a corner you have to drive around and in as we found out when we all called Ubers to take us back home. Very nice inside atmosphere we were provided a room for of us which provided an intimate setting with a bar. For appetizers we had the calamari, mozzarella, Torretta and of course bread and oil. With green olives. All very tasty . For main courses it varied from the sole special which I had and was awesome cooked to perfection. Others had the lobster tail , veal, lamb chops . All enjoyed their food. For dessert cannoli and Pannacciulli cotta. Wine of course which accompanied the meal. Very quaint inside and I have several pictures. A definite recommend . read more

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We had a family dinner here when we were in town. The service was unbelievable. Paulo was our server and he took care of our every need. From the Caesar salad to the filet mignon to the amazing tiramisu, nothing could've been more perfect. Restaurant is set in a darling old house that has been renovated. I would highly recommend if you are in the Great Falls area to try out this amazing restaurant. read more

Every December I look forward to our holiday party hosted at Dante's. My favorite part to this restaurant is the friendly and hard working staff. All staff members are passionate with their service and never forget to ask how we are doing. There's not a moment I don't get food or drinks offered. The environment is very cozy and fitting to the dishes. The LAMB CHOPS ARE TO DIE FOR; So perfectly seasoned and cooked at the perfect temperature. Lastly, I wish I had photographed their desserts, but the panna cotta is a dessert I've been dreaming of since I had it. The softest and creamy texture balanced well with the berry purée. I definitely see myself coming back and would love to take my family there. Thank you for another amazing experience! Shout out to our bartender that night for entertaining us and making all of my aperol spritzers. read more

Dante Ristorante - Catered buffet plate. - Italian Near Me - Great Falls, Virginia

Best pasta, ambiance and service. Was not impressed by wine and the music last night was not great. Overall 4 star and want to give it another shot read more

Dante Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Great Falls, Virginia

Great food and outdoor space. Loved the seafood stew, pappardelle w boar ragu, and the chef is happy to make special meals for kids like linguini alfredo or spaghetti with meat sauce. Large outdoor space. Also excellent free focaccia to start. Will return again soon! read more

I was invited to attend a birthday dinner here. Multiple course meal that included appetizers, main course and dessert. Pasta and bolognese was excellent - I highly recommend. Appetizers were delicious too - I highly recommend the scallops wrapped in bacon. Wait staff were attentive to our needs and kept our drinks full and made sure all the served food and dining room accommodations were to our liking. Will come back here with the Family. read more

A sleeper in NOVA-- very tasty, super charming, great service. We will be back. Great outdoor space, nice wine list, fresh traditional items read more

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This restaurant is a hidden gem. The restaurant itself has a rich history and is beautiful. I had dinner outside and the view of the courtyard was really nice. The food was delicious, I ordered the lasagne and it was so good. The service was wonderful. The entire staff is kind, professional, and attentive. The prices are what you would expect to pay for quality food and service. I look forward to returning and trying other dishes. read more

Always delicious. I'm a regular, so I love that they greet me by name. They obviously select the highest grade meat from their suppliers. I have never had a bad filet here. Yum. read more

Dante Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Great Falls, Virginia

Its a dying restaurant. The food, the decor, the food - none of it was good. Like eating bad Italian food at your waspy grandma who doesnt believe in seasoning. It's overpriced and seriously underwhelming. Sad, cause 20+ years ago it was quite good read more

The room we reserved was very small and the food was very average, the 3 stars is for the gentleman who served our table, he was nice.

I honestly do not understand the hype. Service was good. It stops there. My chicken was literally like rubber, I ordered Chicken Parm. The bottom was so tough I couldn't cut it. My caesar salad was wilted and greasy. The waiter was wonderful, the rooms are pretty. the food ehhh. read more

Excellent ambience, food and service. Went a little time ago for an occasion. The vegetarian food options were super

One star off for not great ambience and service was super fast but not enough to sit and talk for awhile. I feel like also this place is more pricey than what it is. Most of the food was pretty good tho! Homemade focaccia was awesome, so tasty and soft. Crab tower app was not as fresh as I wanted it to be and the avocado was kind of browning. The pasta however was awesome! Shared a sample of the spinach ravioli which was in awesome sauce but was not exactly vodka sauce, it was lighter. The lobster pasta was good but the lobster wasn't as tender as I wanted it to be. The pasta itself was really good though. The lamb chops were pretty plain and could use a lot more seasoning. So some things here are awesome and others are just ok! read more

I have dined here with my father many times ever since I was a child. The staff is quite friendly and attentive, the decorating is simple and charming, and the many different rooms make it quite quiet. The outdoor area has some lovely little fountains. The background music is mostly classical/opera. Everything about the place feels very classic and not kitschy like I find many Italian restaurants to be. Food is always delicious and presented excellently. Definitely one of my favorite places to go out to lunch. read more

So.... we've been to this restorante a number of times in the past. Cozy spot with ambience and a usually attentive staff and an above average vino liste. But the small bites seem to be uninspired. The salade Cesaer was frankly a gunky oily mess. It was obvious that anchovies were at best rationed or not there altogether. There was absolutely no flavor. Seasoning was forgotten or simply just put on by someone who has a a cinder hindered palate. This place prides itself on old school dining experience and a solid slow paced old country Italia feel and that still remains, but these days it is all about the food too. At some point the regulars are going to age out. plain and simple. The concentration seemed to be all on the entrees leaving appetizers and salades uninspired and mailed in. I hate to say this but a number of basic chains make a more flavorable 1st and 2nd course than what was experienced this particular night. Maybe a bad night? Hmm... could be? or simply hoping that the alcohol takes over and allows one to forget that I just paid for a pricey flavorless salad and appetizer. Such a shame because with a better tasting menu this place would be more memorable. It does have ambience and such a solid wine selection. My guess is that this place is resting on its laurels as one of the only games of its variety in town. But long term this may make it a dying breed. Shame. read more

Everything was excellent! Will be returning real soon with my partner. The atmosphere was so relaxing and nothing was forced on you.

Local spot with great service. Food is wonderful and priced reasonably. Wine list is priced fairly and they let you enjoy your evening. Would go back anytime. Easy, non pretentious with quality. ENJOY!!! read more

Update: The past two visits have been excellent and above par. Adorable restaurant in Great Falls... Skip the chain restaurants for this local Italian restaurant. Nice place to take family. The menu options are pretty substantial, and the prices are very reasonable for the quality and portions. The fried calamari is excellent- crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Their crabmeat-topped rockfish, seafood pasta, and Osso Bucco are my choices. read more

Wanted to go somewhere close for a birthday dinner and ended up picking Dante Ristorante. We ordered the calamari, shrimp risotto, prosciutto salmon, lasagna, and ravioli. All the dishes were fresh and were delightful. Im guessing it was because it was a week night but the food came out very quickly. Service was very friendly and attentive as well. Portions are not huge but are relatively filling and the bread seems to be made in house. Definitely would pick this place over a chain Italian restaurant. read more

Dante Ristorante - Risotto, salmon, ravioli, and lasagna! - Italian Near Me - Great Falls, Virginia

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Perfect atmosphere in their outside area. We went tonight for my wife's birthday with friends. The food and service were both amazing. We will definitely be coming back. read more

Dante Ristorante - a piece of chocolate cake on a plate - Italian Near Me - Great Falls, Virginia

Not good food, waitress spilled wine all over my friend. Also we had to constantly ask for water and were missing napkins and silverware. Food was boring and tasteless. The crème brûlée was very runny and not cooked all the way. There service and food definitely not a high end restaurant. The restaurant was dirty and fly was in my food. Waitress almost spilled my buddy food on him. She just had really shaky hands. read more

Some of the best wine and food in Great falls . Great friendly staff . The patio is awesome on a warm night with the live music in the summer. read more

What can I say, hmmm... well, this was our first time here. My wife and myself came here for Valentines Day and I have to say this place was awesome! The food and service was top notch. Miriam, our waitress was an absolute jewel. We will be coming back again and again. If you want to celebrate a special occasion with that special someone, this is the place to do it. read more

Dante is a very delicious and authentic Italian restaurant! They have a variety of different noodles, pasta's, and Italian dishes. They also have a fine selection of beverages ( alcoholic and non). The staff are friendly and attentive, always refilling our drinks and asking for anything else. I usually get the chicken Parmesan, which is fabulous, hands down 5 stars! I recommend you try this and the gelato, which some of the best I have tasted! All in all, we come to this fine establishment quite often and will 100% will be returning! read more