Somewhat upscale Italian restaurant with a large menu of fantastic dishes that come in substantial…read moreportions Both a downstairs and an upstairs for seating I came here for dinner with my family, and we tried a variety of the dishes here, all of which were fantastic. Our waitress was very friendly as well, and the food came out very quickly. It does get a little loud inside, but nothing too crazy

Came here for dinner tonight and shared a beet salad (antipasti), El padrino (pizza), and pistachio…read moregnocchi (pasta), and tiramisu + one scoop of pistachio gelato (dessert). The beet salad was amazing although a little light on beets. The buffalo mozzarella on top was delicious and we spread it over the salad like a poached egg which had a nice contrast to the bitterness of the fresh arugula base. The pizza was our favorite dish. The crust was amazing and the fresh basil really put it over the top. The gnocchi pasta was great in itself), I would have liked something to cut the cheesy/pistachio sauce/flavor a bit. Maybe a touch of tomato sauce. The tiramisu was certainly made fresh in-house (as confirmed by the server) but we actually thought the pistachio gelato (also made in the house) was the better of the two desserts. Will definitely come back here to try more items on the menu.

When my niece requested Italian for her birthday I knew just where to take her for her birthday…read more While it's hard to snag an early dinner reservation before 9PM, I've been there plenty times solo and was able to secure a single seat at the bar.That place is busy, welcoming & warm and well worth it! The hospitality and service is top tier. When celebrating a birthday they greet you from the host stand with a happy birthday! We started with the Roasted Garlic Caesar and the Garlic Bread Quattro Formaggi both super tasty and flavorful. For dinner went with the Spicy Neapolitan Ragu, my personal fav, which is hearty and full of flavor and the Caruso's Alfredo that's creamy with wild mushrooms and truffle butter. My picky 19yr old left with her heart and stomach full and impressed with Caruso's! It was my pleasure to introduce her and happy to add another fan gal!

Love this place for some good old Italian! Chicken parm was absolutely ginormous and had a good…read morebalance of sauce and tomato. The ragu was perfection. The perfect mixture of umami and tang. They also used bucatini noodles and I feel like not many restaurants do that and I just love how it absorbs all the sauce. Bread was delicious as always, but the cheese was just okay. Honestly I feel like the bread tasted better with the ragu sauce. Potatoes were exactly what you would expect - herby and slightly cheesy. Vibes in there are perfect - like an old style Italian homey restaurant. Service took a little while but they were also busy.

Service - Wonderful! The server was so attentive and came by often. He helped with making decisions…read morefor the table based on the items we have already ordered! Duck Hunt- MUST GET!! The ravioli was aldente but the cheese foam was the star! The funk of the cheese foam coats your mouth with the explosion of flavor. Cesare Salad- Twist. A minty, lemony twist to a classic. It was a wonderful addition to the table to share among 3 people for a starter Gamberi- Delicious. The prawns were well cooked and the sauce was deeply seasoned. If you are opposed to having a "face" on your food, this is not for you Lasagna-Classic done right. 40 layers of delicious short rib with a pile of freshly shaved parm on the side!! This is the dish you come back for each and everytime Zucca- Rich. This was rich and deep with flavor. This would be a wonderful second day dish if taken home. The pasta soaked up even more of the flavor from the sauce!! Dover Sole Piccata- Light. This was a large portion for the amount of other food on the table. If ordering for just 3 people, you will end up with too much. This was a nice light option if you didn't want to have a heavy meal. Wished the potatoes were a little crispy to give a different texture of the dish Vanilla Soufflé- MUST GET!! Who ever said vanilla is boring is dead wrong! The soufflé was custardy and melts in your mouth without the eggy taste or smell On to my next adventure...

This was my first time visiting this restaurant and I can't wait to visit again…read more Everything was absolutely delicious. They even elevated the traditional ceaser salad and made its citrus notes dance on your pallet differently. I purposefully tried all the viral items, arancini, 40 layer lasagna etc and they lived up to the hype. The ambiance, and service were equally satisfying. If I lived in the area, it would be my weekly go to.

i wish we had this in california, BIG PORTIONS AND ABSOLUTELY IMPACTFUL!!…read more- a lot of sauce for the portion of noodles -flavorful -cheesy

Nostra is a nice and cozy neighborhood gem. Our family made same day reservations and they were…read morenice enough to accommodate us for dinner. We were off to a good start with the tangy and fresh Greek salad. My husband and shared the chicken marsala. It worked for us but wouldn't say it's a sharing portion. The Marsala sauce was smooth, little peppery and slightly sweet the way you would want. Slathering it all over made up for the chicken that could've been better. The Marsala was better than my daughter's piccata that had the same issue with little tough chicken and a too-sour sauce. The subtle sweet and citrusy flavor of the Lemonchello cake was so good. Had a little envy noticing other people's red sauce items like bolognese and chicken parm. These looked great and would be back to try. Service was friendly and the place is cute but no frills.

Cucina Morini is an excellent place for solo dining. I secured a last minute reservation for a…read morespecial Memorial Day Morini Monday for myself. Not saying that dining companions are distracting, but I felt like I could fully experience the flavor of both the Taglioni Neri and Gnocchi, both half portions at $10 each, better on my own. When the dishes came, I saw that the sauces were both red and feared they would taste too similar. After one fork full of each, they are quite clearly distinct. The standout in the Neri were the shellfish for me. Even though they were small bits, the pieces tasted fresh. In the Gnocchi, the saltiness of the prosciutto, though not overwhelming, paired well with the basil sauce. I finished a little more than half of each plate before boxing it up for a small lunch the next day. The service was great and the tall ceiling and windowed dining room provided a nice atmosphere. It was a cloudy and rainy Memorial Day, but I wondered what the sunlight looked like shining through those high windows. How lovely a space they have created to enjoy fine Italian dining in.

Martini Hour alert!…read more First, I think that the martini hour is absolutely genius! It runs from 5-7pm and the selections of martinis were perfect. Ambiance: the restaurant is beautiful but note that martini hour takes place in a small bar area with limited seats. Nonetheless, you can grab a few friends and make this a moment as you enjoy those perfect martini selections. Bites: there weren't much to eat at martini hour so we moved to the general area afterwards to enjoy some food. Service: the staff was amazing and very accommodating. Shoutout to Nesto, the best bartender around! Martinis: Morini Martini: I absolutely love this drink. It was crisp, refreshing, and had a little bold flavors from the white pepper. I absolutely loved this drink and would get it again Sicilian Martini: another fav! Think summer time refreshing with a hint of sweet and citrus burst from the mandarin and lemon Espresso Martini: this drink was another great selection. Freshly brewed and perfectly prepared. I loved it Least favorite: Cala Rossa. I only disliked the drink because it was very sugary and I don't really enjoy sugary drinks. Food: Rigatoni: this dish was divine! And quick note, the smaller plates were perfect serving sizes. But back to the dish. The pasta was cooked al dente and the lamb ragu was soooooooooooooo good! No seriously, it was absolutely divine. Perfectly seasoned and rich in flavors. Other members of my party enjoyed their dishes: Cappelletti and Paccheri Alla Norma, both were described as absolutely perfect. Excellent evening, great service, incredible food and perfect drinks! What's not to love about this place?! I'll be back!

Service is great! Wine is great! The carbonara not so good very bland the bruschetta was nothing…read moreelse than bread with tomato.

On March 13, my husband and I went with another couple to celebrate birthdays. Three of us have…read morebirthdays within a week of each other! The restaurant is lively and the food and service were great! We ordered a charcuterie appetizer and shared an order of fantastic cacio e pepe, made tableside in a huge Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano (can't remember which one) cheese wheel. For the mains, we each ordered separate items including lamb and branzino. Christian was our waiter and he took very good care of us. Before we left, the three birthday celebrants were gifted a signed cookbook! A super nice gesture. We are definitely looking forward to our next visit. I'm sorry I did not take any photos.

This is a great little place - probably the oldest of old school barracks row establishments…read more It's been 20 years since I've eaten here. After a bunch of times saying "we should go back to trattoria Alberto" we stopped by today we arrived about 1230 on a Monday and the streets were empty. We were seated immediately. Bread and water were complimentary, and the bread came with whipped butter, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. My wife had the chicken piccata and I had the chicken Parmesan. Both meals were tasty and super fresh. The service was the star of the show today. If you're looking for something different on 8th street check it out!

I've been going to Albertos for years and it's easily in my top 3 Italian restaurants in DC. The…read moreservice is always fantastic, delicious food, and generous portions. My favorite dish is the chicken piccata with pistachio cake for dessert. The dining room is nice and reservations aren't required to get a seat. These dishes also travel well if ordered for pickup/delivery.

Good food, good vibes and great service. It tends to be busy but if you don't mind a wait they can…read moreusually fit you in! Get the green goddess pizza, sounds like a strange combo but it's delicious

Chicken Parm was delicious and loved the atmosphere. It was a little loud inside, so would make a…read morereservation to sit outside.

Food was amazing and so fresh. Ordered Bronzino, Lamb Chops, spring mix salad with green goodness…read moredressing, potatoes, Ragu Pasta and sautéed kale. Ohhh the drinks! Fresh fruit is used for all the drinks and we got the Kiwi martinis and Dusse cocktail and both Everything was very authentically Italian recipes! Price was high for the portion size but we ordered enough to get full and so worth it because the ingredients were fresh! Server was great too, had great recommendations and very attentive. Excited to go back.

This is such a cozy neighborhood spot in the Navy Yard area, which seems to be increasing in chain…read morerestaurants by the minute! Thank goodness for Ama for adding back some character to the area with its North Italian charm! My friend and I ordered the rabbit stew, which was delicate and tender. It was served with a thick slice of sourdough bread which we used to sop up the tasty tomato and fennel based stew. I don't see rabbit much on menus these days, and this was a unique dish that pleased the palate! We also ordered artichoke and lemon for appetizer, and an al dente spinach and cheese ravioli, which was recommended by our server. For dessert we shared a caramel pie a la mode, which was a little overly sweet. Everything was nicely done, but in small portions. My only complaint was that my friend and I were still hungry after two main dishes and an appetizer! I like how light the dishes are, but they could use a little more heft portion-wise (and this is coming from someone who doesn't eat huge meals usually - so that might be saying something). Or perhaps add on an extra dish and get more than you think. Ama seems to have good happy hour deals and they also have a cafe/coffee side of the restaurant that opens at 8 a.m. At a quick glance of the menu, you'll get a sense of the restaurant's whole ethos. They stand for many idealistic values, including a menu that was approved by integrated nutritionists. Hopefully these values are sustainable to maintain! Everything is organic, with no seed oils or refined sugars - not even in the dessert! Even their cookware is plastic-free and PFAS-free. They also go into a few paragraphs about their state of the art water filtration system on site for all cooking/drinking. Beyond the health of the food/drink for customers, they extend this healthy mindfulness to their employees, offering full health insurance benefits to all their employees (with a ~3.85% health wellness charge to customers). Even with the extra charge, our overall bill wasn't too high for two people. Hopefully Ama continues to adhere to all their promises and values. Would love to come back to support again. Restaurant margins can be super slim these days, so I'm glad they don't cut corners.

Morena, Kayu, where to begin? I had the most delicious rice bowls and ube lattes at Morena's grand…read moreopening (Kayu's cafe). I liked that the drinks were simple yet distinct. They were all $5.50, except the bilo bilo matcha ($6). There were five options: *ube horchata latte *bibingka latte (salted egg caramel) *sampaguita latte (jasmine) *buko pandan latte (coconut pandan) *bilo bilo matcha They also have teas, cocktails, and two mocktails. I tried the burnt coconut chicken and BBQ beef rice bowls. The meat tasted as if it came right off the grill, with great marination. Both dishes also come with papaya atsara, which adds a bold pickled flavor to the mix. I'm excited to do some work here this weekend. Kayu also has great food, and becomes Morena on Saturday and Sunday (9 am-3 pm).

My friend and I tried the Kayu's "Salo Salo" 3-course dining experience for 65 per person last…read moreSaturday evening. When we arrived, there weren't many other diners, but it got busy pretty quickly. Our server wasn't the most available (given how crowded it was) and our food came out slower than we'd like (~25 minutes between courses). SOURDOUGH BOMBOLINI This was a small sourdough roll topped with a thin slice of prosciutto, finely-shredded manchego, and black truffle cream. This was quite good with the earthy truffle flavors, fatty and savoriness from the prosciutto. This felt more of an Italian appetizer than Filipino, but still enjoyable. TUNA & WATERMELON Is it tuna or watermelon? It was hard to tell at first glance since both are deep bright red and cut in a similar shape. The sauce surrounding it was a coconut vinaigrette paired with some herb oil. Overall, found it a bit too sweet, especially the watermelon pieces. I thought it was okay, but my friend really enjoyed this appetizer. CRAB NOODLES I think this is supposed to be pancit-inspired, but it tasted more like a an Asian-inspired pasta since it didn't have that smoky stir-fry flavor I was expecting. This was prepared with crab and peas and topped generously with salmon roe(?) with slightly spicy chili(?) sauce. Overall, a bit bland and felt like it was missing an oomph. LA BELLE FARM CHICKEN The potato gratin was my favorite, perfect potato texture with a good amount of cream and garlic. The roasted asparagus were meh, almost like it was there to fill up the plate. The chicken was roasted and seasoned simply -- juicy for the most part, but again, nothing unique. The pastel sauce on the side was savory and a nutty, which elevated the dish a bit. GRANITA This was more of a frozen dessert fruit cup with cantaloupe granita, jackfruit, strawberries, and mangos. The mangos were definitely not in season, as they were really hard. The jackfruit tasted like it was from a can. The fruity syrup tasted artificial and strange. Unfortunately, we both did not enjoy this dessert. UBE HALAYA CHOCOLATE This dessert was more unique with an ube mousse (shaped like an egg) with dry, thin vermicelli-like noodles wrapped around like a birds nest and adorned with edible flower petals. The presentation was beautiful. The ube flavor was pretty strong and the mousse was smooth. Overall, this was quite good and definitely one of the stronger dishes of the night. While there was nothing wrong or particularly bad about the food, I did find the flavors underwhelming and unimpressive. I wasn't feeling a lot of excitement throughout the meal. My friend enjoyed the food, so it's probably more of a personal preference. Overall, it was expensive (~$85 after tax and tip) for the quantity of food received, so I'm unlikely to return.