Giovanni's Trattu serves pretty good Italian food. My friend and I both came for dinner, and we both enjoyed our meals. I had the spaghetti with meatballs. The marinara sauce the dish was drenched in was delicious! Instead of the normal liquid paste that many restaurants serve, their marinara sauce was chunky with pieces of finely chopped onion. Furthermore, the spaghetti was perfectly cooked and had just the right amount of crunch to them. However, I did feel that the meatballs could use a bit of improvement. While they were definitely good and not rubbery, they were a bit on the dry side. The service here is also fantastic. We were immediately seated and our orders were taken within several minutes. Also, the waiter was very attentive and even asked if we wanted extra complimentary bread. read more

Stopped by at 9:30. Guy sitting on front steps looking at his phone. Walked in and a guy looked at me like I had three heads. Closed earlier than hours posted. Disappointing. read more

I have been wanting to check out Giovanni's for a while and finally went in on a Saturday night. I called ahead and made reservations. I'm glad I did, because within 15 minutes of our reservations, this place was packed. It's very small, so I definitely recommend making reservations. The service was good and very attentive. The food was really good and fresh. I had the caprese salad to start and was very satisfied with it. It needed a little salt but the tomatoes, basil and mozzarella was so fresh - its just a minor gripe. For dinner, I had the pasta al forno. It was a huge portion and was piping hot. The pasta was perfectly cooked and was delicious. I really enjoyed this dish. My mom had the chicken marsala. It was very good, but not overwhelmingly marsala-y. The cut of chicken was very fresh though. For dessert, we split the lemon sorbet. It's a definitely a good size to split with another person. It was really smooth and full of flavor. The only downsides to this restaurant are more about the atmosphere. It was so extremely hot in this space that I had to go outside for fresh air, just to cool off. This restaurant is very small, so I understand that it can get overheated quickly, but for a person that is always cold, I was extremely hot. Also, since the place is small, it's very, very loud. Despite the downsides, the food was so amazing and the service was really great, that I would definitely come back and would recommend checking this restaurant out. read more

A nice little Italian place that evokes the emotion and passion of the country of Italy itself. For the appetizers, we had the garlic bread and the calamari. The calamari was decent, it didn't taste bad. The garlic bread I particularly enjoyed as I experienced the full flavour, however the crust was a bit too dry for my taste. We began our meal with a nice wine. I may not be an expert in terms of wines but that was probably the most exquisite wine I ever tasted. For my entree, I had the veal scallopine. It came with sauteed mushrooms and peppers, rigatoni pasta, and vegetables. The scallopine was pretty good, and it paired well with the sauteed vegetables and pasta. The other vegetables were okay. For dessert, we sampled the tiramisu. The flavour was really good, and the texture was lighter than air. I've never had tiramisu before, but I am anxious to try it again. The service was the icing on the cake. Our waiter was very attentive, refilling our glasses several times without asking. Before we left, they even gave us a complimentary shot of Amarreto which was really delicious. If you're craving Italian food, then Giovanni's Trattu is THE PLACE to go. The service is excellent and you will never find a better example of the glory and pride of Italy anywhere else in DC. The location is a bit hard to find, as it's underneath a staircase, but when you enter, you'll find a wonderful dining experience with servers that truly care about their customers. I for one cannot wait to go back! read more

This place is just amazing. Small and intimate - perfect for a date night. Our server (Katarina) was just lovely, very attentive and personable. The food was absolutely delicious. The best linguini with clams I've ever had (and that is my go to at most Italian restaurants). It's hard to find restaurants like this nowadays, definitely a hidden gem!! I can't wait to go back!!!! read more

Giovanni's Trattu - Bruschetta - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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As others have mentioned, this is a hole in the wall place serving good Italian food. This place is easy to miss if you don't pay attention, and then you have to step down to get to the restaurant. It is a tiny place compared to other restaurants in the neighborhood and generally more than half the tables are occupied. They have a decent selection of real Italian dishes. The dishes here are not overly cheesy nor buttery - and pasta is cooked perfectly - al dente! I generally get the rigatoni with Italian sausage, or the linguine with mussels, or the fettuccini. They do have a good selection of dessert but I never have any place in my stomach for it as the main dish is generous enough for my appetite! Service is good too and that goes well with the food :) Nice little gem in the area :) read more

The place is homie. Servers are nice. Appetizers- Calamari was good, not the best I've had but decent. The Mixed Bruschetta Crotone Misto Delizia was good as well. Garlic Bread was ordinary and fresh Entree- The LASAGNA PASTICCIO DELLA MAMMA Baked meat Lasagna- Is my favorite dish that I've tried from them so far. It was very tasty!! I'm very picky with my lasagna but this was just so tasty. Perfect amount of sauce and cheese, fresh and flavorful. (wish they offered larger portions, considering its a $14 dish) FARFALLE AL SALMONE E PISELLI Bow tie pasta tossed with fresh salmon, dry vermouth peas, garlic and dill, in a light cream or tomato and shallots sauce. It was pretty good too. I recommend having it with the cream sauce. Needed a little more salt and pepper but it was fresh and salmon was a great texture. I loath when restaurants dry out your Salmon, which they did not do :-) TORTELLINI DELLA ZIA Tortellini pasta stuffed with veal with choice of cream, marinara, or fresh pesto sauce The tortellini Della Zia was my least favorite. I got mine with the marinara sauce, which had a little kick to it that I liked (wasn't enough sauce though). However I wasn't a fan of the Veal. It was my first time ever having Veal so maybe my opinion isn't a good one to go by. It had a lamb taste to it and I'm extremely particular about lamb dishes. Overall, The place seems authentic, I'm a fan of Mom and Pop Shops. The ingredients are definitely good and fresh!! Gave it 3 stars cause I like more flavor and the price are a little higher than I would like for lunch. Not a bad place at all, Its worth trying. read more

Absolutely delicious! Cozy little quaint restaurant with great food and service. I was torn between 2 dishes and the waiter actually brought me both in smaller portions. If you come to DC, stop and try it. If you live in DC, why haven't you been here yet? read more

I wish I could have tried one of every item on the menu! What we had was very good, Crostone Misto Delizia, Insalata Romana, Bucatini Alla Matriciana, Fettucini Porcini & Tiramisu. The fresh bread served before the meal was also fresh and delicious. Appetizers: Crostone Misto Delizia aka mixed bruschette. Six crostinis with two of each: mushroom, tomato & spinach. I think the spinach was both my and my husband's favorite of the different kinds. The Insalata Romana was probably the best caesar I had while in DC. Very good dressing. Entrees: Bucatini Alla Matriciana had a somewhat heavy red sauce with a little more spice than your normal bolognese. The pasta was cooked perfectly and dressed with just the right amount of sauce. Fettucini Porcini had a very strong mushroom flavor, so I would not suggest it if you just wanted a hint of earthiness. We love the flavor of mushrooms, so it was not a problem for us. Dessert: Tiramisu was homemade and served with fresh strawberry slices and whipped cream. The flavor was wonderful, however it had either been sitting out too long or had not been refrigerated long enough because it was a little runny. Atmosphere and service: the dining room was a little tight as far as seating went and when my husband went to pull his chair in when sitting down he cut his finger on a nail sticking out of the chair. Service was fair, although my empty glass was ignored but my husband was asked multiple times if he would like another beverage. It seemed a little rude to me. Overall, I would come back to this place because the food was good. Next time I might request a table in the corner on our reservation. read more

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This is a great gem. The food was great and truly tasted homemade. The service was top notch and they just made you feel welcome. We had the rigatoni and the mix seafood risotto. The portions were large and full of flavor. Try to save room for dessert and get the full experience. Full wine list available to complete any meal. It a small place and full blown Italian atmosphere. Highly recommend get a reservation to make it easier. Great place for a date night. read more

Loved this place from the minute I walked up to the front door. It is on a quiet side street off of 19th, and when we walked, felt like we were in a real old school Italian restaurant. My family is Italian, so I'm a bit picky when it comes to eating at Italian restaurants. We had literally the best garlic bread I've ever tasted. Ever. Everyone tends to overcook/burn garlic bread -- and when it starts to cool it immediately gels or becomes mushy. This was perfectly cooked and retained its original consistency even as it cooled. As an appetizer, we shared the prosciutto and mozzarella -- delicious. And, true to Italian style, it was not a HUGE plate. Perfect for two people to share. Their olive oil was excellent. For pasta, one of us got the bolognese and I got the alla matriciana. I didn't try the bolognese, but my partner really enjoyed it. I loved the alla matriciana sauce; they put a little spice in there and I don't remember having had it at other places where there's a kick to it, and I really enjoyed it. The other thing I appreciated is the portion sizes. I think there's a stereotype that Italians eat huge portions of pasta -- that's actually the Americanization of Italian (and all) food. Each dish was the exact right size, and we were definitely sated when we left -- and it was very reasonably priced. We were greeted so cordially, and treated the same throughout the dinner. We went on a Friday night (but a holiday weekend so much quieter in town). We had a reservation, but it was quiet when we showed up, which was nice, so I didn't get a real sense of whether we needed one. Shortly after, additional people started coming in, so it seems to pick up around 7:30 for dinner. It's not a large place, so I'd recommend reservations. I only wish I'd brought more people so I could have tasted more dishes! We will definitely be going back. read more

Quaint little restaurant with 10 tables and an attentive staff. The positions are on the smaller side and I would say the food is good, not great. Very sweet little Italian joint though. read more

The restaurant was pretty full when we arrived but they were able to seat our party of 5 immediately. Great ambiance, super cute. The food was super delicious, very authentic Italian food. Staff was absolutely amazing, super friendly and kind. I highly recommend. read more

This is my families first time in DC. We were looking for Italian food recommendations and came across this place. The food is amazing!!! Great service, I will definitely come back. read more

A true blue Italian eatery. Amazing food, great service, and reasonable prices. We always come here for a lil bit of class before seeking out the exact opposite at the Improv :) read more

Don't be misled by the good reviews on this place...like we did! Probably should of walked out once we noticed how empty the place was on a Saturday night. But regretful us decided to give it a try, mainly since we were too lazy and hungry to find another restaurant. It's mediocre at best. Definitely not worth the price they're charging and the awkward waitress stares. Here's some tips if you still decide to give this place a try. Don't order the... Apple Salad - The arugula is old and the walnut is stale. Chicken Parmesan - Tasted like it came fresh from the freezer with (what I believe was canned) veggies. read more

Giovanni's Trattu - Saturday night emptiness. - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food was excellent (get the carbonara spaghetti!!) and server was hilarious and kind!!

Giovanni's Trattu used to be one of my favorite spots around the corner from my old office. I used to relish going there once a month-such a special little hideaway. The tortellini, as well as other dishes, was very good, and the creme sauce delicious. I would even hike 15 blocks back after I got a new job, in a new location-that is how much I loved their pasta. Recently, now back in the neighborhood, I had a hankering for pasta. They were the first place that came to mind. What a terribly, disappointing experience. They literally gave me an overcooked small portion of some store bought pasta and included the wrong sauce on it. This is a shame, and highly memorable, in the worst way. read more

Nice out of the way I'll school Italian restaurant. I had the pasta trio and loved the veal tortellini. Their specialty dessert is homemade Terramessu. I had their canolli. read more

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Great ravioli and great service. The server was attentive and accommodating. Homemade Italian pasta.

Fantastic Italian joint a little off the main streets. They had a good diverse menu with great Italian dishes like Bucatini all'Amatriciana which you can't get everywhere else. Prices are very fair, atmosphere is cozy, and staff is friendly. read more

I am shocked at the reviews, they are really incongruent with the quality of the food and ambiance. This restaurant may have started as an authentic family-owned Italian restaurant. It does not appear to have been upgraded since, and the old carpet smell was very prominent. Chairs are 80's plastic-covered and not in a "quaint" way. Our food came out in literally 3 minutes and the server warned us of the very hot plates.. clearly was microwaved. The mushroom sauce tasted of bullion or as if canned. I will say the staff was very attentive and nice. read more

I found this place through a quick google search of the area, and this place is amazing. Great service, excellent food, decent prices. My friends and I went once, and keep going back whenever we are in the area. Their vokda sauce is just amazing!! read more

Small space in a row house basement with eclectic decor. The food was ok, but nothing special. Two in my party ordered seafood but the place was too small and not busy enough on a Saturday night for me to feel comfortable ordering seafood. Service was attentive. Ordering wine was a little strange. Response to "what's the house white" got a response of: "It's Italian." read more

I really wanted to like this place. It was really cute and small inside and the waitress was really friendly. We ordered the garlic bread with Gorgonzola which was delicious but the entrees fell short. First, there was a blonde hair in my gnocchi (I have long black hair). I told my fiancé and he wanted to return it but I just didn't want to bother with it. It was really bland and lacked taste. It needed salt or something with a little bit more flavor like Parmesan cheese in the sauce or Gorgonzola etc. also the females bathroom smelled so awful I had to cover my nose with my shirt when I went in- it smelt like a port a potty and definitely could've used air freshner- I know the building is old but some candles or freshener could really help that. read more

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Kevin L. personally recommended Giovanni's Trattu, so I had to go. The only question was "when?" A one year anniversary seemed right, so I gleefully skipped over to DuPont with my girl in hand, eager for a mind-melting Italian feast. My expectations were high, to say the least. Ambiance: I was very pleased by the humble decor. Snooty doesn't get me drooling. English basements seem to make for cozy restaurants. The atmosphere was great, save one tragic flaw: The phone is set to earth shatteringly loud. The house telephone devastates the restaurants environment and needs to be muted or removed. -1 star for putting a super-loud phone in a very small space. (possibly minus 2 for making that mistake in such a nice restaurant) Service: Impeccable. Our glasses stayed full all night. Our questions were answered knowledgably. The support staff was almost invisible. The only complaint I have is that we weren't told what dishes the kitchen was out of. I was quite devastated to be told that my 1st pick was unavailable. PLEASE!!!! When you don't tell your customers what is sold out when they sit down, you're gambling with their happiness. -1 star for letting me down the hard way. Appetizers: We both ordered the tortellini soup, stuffed with veal. These tortellini are possibly the best I've ever had. The pasta was tender and hearty. The noodles were wrapped very tightly around the filling. Oh, and the filling! The veal bits were tender delicious bites of heaven. The broth had great flavor, simple but delicious. My only complaint was the salt. I'm pretty sure there's more salt in the soup here than even the cheap kinds of canned stuff dare to contain. By the end of the bowl my tongue was numb from over-exposure. Still, the soup was fantastic. While eating my soup though, I noticed the flies. Fruit flies?! In January? In a nice restaurant? On the table? Near my soup? Utterly inexcuseable. If the food hadn't been so good, I would have been in fits. -2 stars for the flies, +1 for surpassing my expectations on the tortellini. Dinner: Our orders of gnocchi with tomato sauce and beef stew over polenta came out in good time. The stew was exciting. Perfectly tender bites of beef fell apart just after biting. The polenta was smooth & rich. It was just dry enough to soak up a bit of the beef stew's gravy with each forkful. Again, the dish had a stunning amount of salt in it, but otherwise was exactly the mind-melting dinner I had come for. +2 stars for the stew. The Gnocchi were very tender and well prepared. They came covered in a tomato sauce with fresh basil. The basil was extremely delicious and that's something I've noticed area restaurants seem to skimp on, so I was quite pleased to get the good stuff. Unfortunately the tomatoes were lackluster. The tomato base was very disappointing and although it was passable, it didn't live up to the rest of the meal. Desert: We didn't get there! Our entrees were huge. We had already enjoyed a bottle of wine. It was time to call it a night. The next time I come, I'll certainly save room. As long as we're talking about the food, I'll happily give Giovanni's 4.5 stars, my only concern being gratuitous amounts of salt. They could just put some on the table... it's not like salt has to cook in. Some of us want to live past 30. The flies really worry me, though. Flies in winter don't speak very well about the kitchen's cleanliness. it's not like they're buzzing in from outside. read more

Terrible! The pasta was over cooked, the main entree of sole and pasta were flavorless, and the carrots served with the meal were overdone. The bread was stale, and the service, although friendly, was extremely slow. read more

*** 4 1/4 stars*** What a HIDDEN GEM of a restaurant! As I've been reemerging from this cocoon of new motherhood, I've been trying to live an adult-ish life again (which includes meeting up with other beings taller than 2' and partaking in meals which do not involve my mommy parts... and if they do, that's a WHOLE other topic which probably shouldn't be discussed on Yelp! Sorry, I'll go back to my PG-13 review). I was lucky and happy to find myself in the company of our beloved Mr. Yelp himself, Kevin L. I told him where I needed to be for work that day, and I let him work his Yelp'in magic for our lunch plans. He came up magically with Giovanni's Trattu, and thank goodness he did! It would be easy to miss this quaint spot. In fact, I've passed this little street many times, and I didn't think there was anything of interest outside of Fuddruckers there - and actually, Fuddruckers doesn't hold my interest, so I thought it was just a passageway of little importance. How wrong was I? I took a few steps down into their space, and I found myself transported to a neighborhood restaurant in Italy. It isn't fancy, but their service made me feel like I was at a fine dining establishment. And the food - oh, the food! I took a bite of Kevin's pasta, and it melted in my mouth. I ordered salmon, which was cooked perfectly. I knew I had to visit again. So I did! I made another trip back the following week with a couple of friends from work, and we all ordered different pasta dishes, and each one got us "ooh and aah'ing" several times throughout our meal. I want to describe them more, but it's too close to lunchtime now, and writing this review is actually making me unbearably hungry. Excuse me as I wipe off my keyboard before I make my way to lunch... maybe at Giovanni's again? read more

2.5 stars. I live around the corner and finally decided to try this place based upon the reviews. Essentially, this is "anywhere Italian" lacking only the red and white tablecloths in a tiny little place that is waaayyyyy too loud. The decor is incredibly tacky. They have cheap pottery all over the walls and brass nametags tacked on to brick. At first it looked like memoriams to those who had died from eating there, but then my GF pointed out that a few were celebrities that we were fairly sure had survived the experience. As noted, its extremely loud in there, mostly because it is small, built in a basement and the ceilings are extremely low (I'd guess 8.5"). Its a very small place and was pretty filled on a Thursday night. Most of the patrons are older (60s) and seem to have been going there for a very long time. Most of the servers are in their 60s too. You'd think this would be a good sign, except when you realize what a dismal food town DC used to be back then. The food is very, very basic. It is not fancy, it is not inventive, and the flavors are not particularly strong. Its not bad, but there are many, many places that are much, much better than this. Al Tiramisu offers the same homey style of a restaurant and rustic Italian fare, but does every element of it much, much better and is only about 6 blocks away. The wine list flat out sucks. It is one page with about 10 choices of red and 10 of white. Our wine was quite vinegary -almost undrinkable- when I tasted it and, when I complained, our septuagenarian waiter seemed completely nonplussed and told me to air it out a while. Ultimately, it did improve some with air to the point we could drink some (but not enjoy it or ultimately finish the bottle), but frankly I doubt he would have made it right if we had stuck to our guns and asked to send it back. Finally, the service was not good at all and there really was no reason for their lack of attentiveness. They were well-staffed and the place was small. We could see them standing idly with blank expressions. We had to repeatedly flag waitstaff for very basic things like to bring a wine list, to take our orders, bring the check, etc. They didn't do many things right and they did a lot of things very, very wrong. All told, it wont be an awful experience, but it wont be a very good one and the opportunity cost is that you could have had a much, much better experience in the same area of town for the same price. read more

I met up with a friend for dinner here on a Friday night. Like many other reviewers, I agree that it's tucked away in a little basement and was a little hard to find. But the vibe of the exterior was quite cute! Upon coming in, the place smelled a little odd. It wasn't entirely off-putting, but something smelled strange. Luckily, the smell of the food was able to take it off my mind. After ordering, we got some bread for the table, but in my opinion, it was a little chewy, like it had sat out for a little bit. My friend got the chicken parm and I got the Bucatini with sauteed onions, prosciutto, and tomato. Both dishes were good! They were comforting and certainly hit the spot, but i didn't feel like I was blown away. Overall, the service was good but a bit slow. The food wasn't fantastic, but certainly good enough that I'd consider going back for a casual dinner. It was a bit quiet for a Friday night, but don't let that deter you. read more

You know I really wanted to like this place. . . And I do (hehe I crack myself up, admit it you chuckled too ;-). No other place reminds me of that romantic scene from Lady and the Tramp more than Giovanni's Trattu. . . Down to the red and white checked table cloth!! Small, hidden, climb down some stairs to a lower level kind of place, screams homemade Italian cooking. GET. THE. CARBONARA. It's a simple dish to make but not everybody can make it well (myself included. . *sad face*). Obviously if I am yelling at you in CAPS to get it, this place does it well. . . Very well indeed. Tender al dente pasta, creamy yet not overwhelming sauce, hint of salty succulent pancetta. Sigh I do not know about you but my tastebuds are in the mood. Add a touch of wine and let the magic and sparks fly for the rest of the night. read more

I had my last supper here. ...last supper before my back surgery, that is. I had to stop eating and drinking by 11pm so post-Yelp Elite event, we had to be quick in finding a place to get dinner. Giovanni's was literally around the corner from Public so we came here. We strolled in around 9, I think and were immediately seated, greeted and acquired drinks. For starters, we settled on the calamari and the mixed bruschetta plate which turned out to be excellent choices. Tender, crisp calamari with a delightful tomato dip. The bruschetta was also quite enjoyable. For my entree, I had the pasta combination plate of gnocchi with pesto, lobster ravioli and pear tortellini. Overall, each bite of pasta was okay but they were kind of bland flavors. On the upside, you do receive a decent portion of each. I believe I ended up taking most of the gnocchi home (which did taste good 2 days later, heated up). As for the other entrees, I can't remember what was ordered except for Dad. He got the rabbit stew and from the looks of contentness on his face, I'm guessing it was good. The service was very pleasant. Our server was really nice and attentive but not overly so. As was the busboy who had to repeatedly fill my waterglass. Giovanni's is a cute spot for a date or a casual lunch or dinner. I wasn't blown away by my meal but perhaps was a function of not choosing the best item on the menu. I'd be happy to return and check out other menu options. read more

I agree with Chris H. How are there no reviews for this place?! This is the type of Italian place you find up in New York that's hidden away and you feel special that you and only a few others know about its existence. Its hidden away on a smaller side street and lives on the lower floor of some brickstone businesses. This is a great place to take a date to. As its quite small the service is attentive and friendly. Also you will definitely be greeted by the happy owner when you come in. I passed by his place one time during the afternoon while he was fixing the store front and he said 'hello'. Supposedly there is also a musical trio that plays during the evening. They did not show up the night I was there, but if you go, look out for them. read more

Wow. Where do I begin? Today is Mother's Day and I made the wretched decision to spend the evening at dinner with my family at Giovanni's Trattu. We had 6:00 reservations and arrived nearly fifteen minutes early, so we were seated right away. The waitstaff were all very amicable and the ambiance was pretty run of the mill Italian trattoria. I actually entertained the thought that this could be "our new spot" in the DMV area. I have a bad habit of jumping the gun. We ordered drinks, mine was a special frozen pineapple rum drink that was heavy on the ice, good on the pineapple juice and very stingy on the rum. I can't even say I tasted a hint of rum. But I sure was charged for the rum. Chalk one up for Giovanni. We placed our order for appetizers, the meat and asiago cheese tray and fried calamari. We would've dove right in if it hadn't been for the caked on risotto that was on my husband's fork (that no one at our table had used) and the dried pasta sauce on my fork (again, I hadn't touched it since we sat down). We looked at the forks with disgust and then looked at our waitress who said, "Oh. I'll take those". Ya think? We started in on our apps, which where okay, nothing to write home (or on Yelp) about. And thank God we did, because we were in for a wait for the entrees. And wait we did. For a half hour we waited. In all fairness we were given our orders of garlic bread (read, meager slices of baguette with spread, sprinkled with parsley and granulated garlic and toasted), but since we made it a point to tell our waitress to bring it out with our entrees, the bread sat there growing cold and stale before our eyes. About twenty minutes in, our waitress noticed the natives (us) beginning to get restless and walked over to say, "your food is coming, I'm so sorry). Note: if you have to apologize, you know you're wrong. Fix it. When we hit the thirty minute mark, I could feel my blood pressure rising so I gave my husband a look that prompted him to call over the waitress to ask where our food was. Her reply? "They are making it right now. I'm so sorry" um...what where "they" doing for the past thirty minutes? Now, this restaurant had two four tops and one three tops at the same time as our party of four. Two of the tables where working on their dessert courses by this time, so it wasn't like the kitchen was slammed. Being a formally trained chef, I can gauge the amount of time entrees should take and on no planet should we have been waiting this long for entrees. Another waitress who seemed to have some sort of authority came by the table and tried to engage us in small talk, even going so far as to speak with us in Spanish when she found out we were Hispanic. No dice, Chino. Not interested in chit chat. Interested in food. Finally after FORTY-FIVE minutes of waiting for our entrees, the waitress brings them out. It took my husband two gritty mussels and one taste of his frutti di mare pasta to push it away. Now, if you knew my husband, you'd know he can ingest just about anything and be fine. It takes a special kind of nasty to make him push food away. After I tasted it, I understood why he was rejecting it. I don't know what kind of talent they have in the kitchen, but it takes skill to produce a tomato sauce that lacks tomato flavor. Seriously, the pasta tasted of seafood juice and red pepper flakes. My osso buco was "meh", un trimmed and underseasoned. The risotto it was served atop tasted like it had cheez-whiz mix into it, and my children's penne with meatballs was, "if we eat it will we get dessert?". Seriously, my foodie kids were just using it as a negotiation tool. We asked for our check and you'd like to think the waitress would run, grab it and usher us out. Nope. Instead she brings over a piece of tiramisu and says, "here's a dessert on the house for the trouble". Yeaaaah. The same dessert your website says you're giving to all Mothers on Mother's Day? The same dessert I saw you give to the table next to us saying it's a complimentary dessert for Mother's Day? Good looking out. It was a pretty decent tiramisu though. So another ten minutes later we finally get the check, pay it and walk out without even a goodbye from the staff. My, how things change when a restaurant screws up. You know, Giovanni's has loads of nameplates on the walls of their restaurant, I suppose to make you feel good about eating at a joint where Placido Domingo and Cristina Aguilera have patronized. Here's the thing, I don't care if Jesus Himself sat in your place, if the food is non-existent or indelible, why would anyone return? I've eaten in Sicily, Rome, NYC and countless other places and have never experienced that type of service or quality of food. Heck, I've had better Italian food in El Paso, Texas! Consistency wins customers. You only have one shot to make a great first impression.unfortunately you blew it (and Mother's Day dinner) with us. read more

Small Italian restaurant a little off ofthe main road -- probably not something you'd normally notice unless you've walked te street or heard about it from someone else. The food was mediocre, "random seamless" quality italian food. Nothing particularly great or horrible. Sadly, the service was pretty bad. I was one of the last tables there and I felt very rushed out. Sad end to my DC trip =( read more

I'm surprised more people aren't talking about this place, it's received 7 quality reviews from Yelpers, but hasn't seemed to have caught on. So, if you're looking for good Italian food served without pretension, I recommend heading over to Giovanni's. I made a reservation for Saturday night, thinking that it might be difficult to get a table (I called 2 hours ahead of time). Turns out, my wife, our two friends, and I were the only customers that night. It leaves me questioning why this place doesn't do better. The decor of the place could definitely use some updating. The pink tablecloths and lots of red brick (curiously with plaques on them) definitely don't make one want to dig into a meal. However, it does have a homey feel to it, which is nice compared to some of the cold and aloof styles that many restaurants sport these days. Service was excellent (as one would expect for the only customers in the restaurant). The waiter was knowledgeable and friendly, but didn't hang around like a vulture. Curiously, we switched waiters about 3/4 of the way through the meal; I guess they wanted to keep their skills up. The food here was good. As Sara L said, it wasn't the best I ever had, but it delivered what I was expecting. The appetizer of octopus carpaccio was an interesting twist for us and quite enjoyable. My wife had the penna alla siciliana, which she enjoyed quite a bit (though there could be more flavors involved). My seafood risotto was perfectly cooked and creamy, though I was given way too much to even think about finishing. Our dining companions also thoroughly enjoyed their gnocchi and snapper dishes. My only complaint was that the dessert menu listed about eight options, but when we tried to order, we found that only three were available. Also, the prices are somewhat high. Overall, a good meal in intimate surroundings. I definitely recommend Giovanni's Trattu to all my fellow Yelpers read more

I'm so glad Yelp turned me on to this place. It was wonderful. We made reservations for 8pm on Saturday, which wasn't even necessary since there was plenty of available seating. We chose to sit outside, which was very nice, and cute. And we were serenaded by the boom-boom music of the Connecticut Ave clubs. If you want something a little quieter, then sit inside on a Saturday night. For our wine we ordered a Super Tuscan, which is an amazing bottle. It is $85 so you may want to save it for a special occasion. For the first course we split the mussels, which were in a spicy tomato sauce. The portion was extremely generous and the mussels were perfectly done. They also do not skimp with the bread and olive oil to start. For our entrees my boyfriend ordered the Osso Bucco (veal shank) over a bed of risotto. It was perfect. The risotto was so delicious, flavorful, and amazing. The veal was perfectly done, so tender, you only needed a fork to eat it. Yum. I ordered the Tortellini della Zia, which was tortellini stuffed with veal. I chose the spicy tomato sauce to go with the red wine, but there was an option of cream sauce or white wine sauce as well. The portion was heaping... I think there had to have been a pound of pasta on my plate. The pastas were perfectly done and the sauce was delicious and fresh. For dessert, we ordered the cannoli. It was rich and delicious, but a little too much after all that food. I think next time I'll go for the tiramisu. To top it off, our waitress (who was awesome and straight from Italy) brought us complimentary dessert wine to enjoy with the cannolli. Overall, it was an awesome dinner. The service was wonderful, and the food was even better. read more

I was in DC for a work conference. My boss, who was traveling with me, asked me to look up some places that we might go grab some dinner at one night. After some research, we settled on Giovanni's. Finding this quaint little restaurant was simple enough. Even though it's situated slightly below street level, it was well marked and parking was actually very easy. As we entered, I quickly discovered it was much smaller than I had imagined, but luckily there was room. My boss and I were seated near the front at a small 2-seater table. The guitarist strumming softly on his classical guitar next to us felt oddly out of place. The music was nice, don't get me wrong. It's just that he was singing in Spanish at an Italian restaurant. Oh well, c'est la vie! On to the food - I had Spaghetti Carbonara. A tasty dish that I often order at a new Italian restaurant to see how it stands up to the best Carbonara I had once in Italy. This version missed the mark on serving it with the egg on top. It was either completely missing, or had been cooked in prior to serving. None-the-less, it was still quite good. I finished of the meal with a delicious tiramisu - one of the best I've had in some time! In the end, Giovanni's Trattu is a great place to grab some Italian fare in the DC area. Most of the dishes are priced reasonably at around $15-$25, with some going up to $30 or so. About what you'd expect at a nicer Italian restaurant in this area. Check it out for yourself - it's safe to say you'll be quite satisfied with your experience! read more

Giovanni's is a great little find just south of Dupont with a cozy ambiance and family-run restaurant feel. The service is completely charming and friendly, and the space is tight but accommodating. For the level of food you're getting, it is quite pricey, but that's what you live with if you're eating in Dupont. Highlights of the meal were the excellent service, kobe beef carpaccio, the tasty Montepulciano offered by the glass, and the Tiramisu that perfectly capped off our meal with a heavenly cloud of sweet fluffy goodness. Don't go expecting an elevated culinary experience-- go knowing that you'll be getting a heartwarming, romantic, satisfying meal and stepping out of the name-dropping hustle and bustle world of DC for a few sweet moments. read more

While 2 reviews for a place this good ain't great, I can see why it might be overlooked - Giovannis Trattu needs to do some more advertising to-you, because given it's basement location on a widely untravelled street in Dupont, it is very easy to overlook this place - hell, for the last 6 months I have worked 50 yards away from Giovannis Trattu and passed it on my way to MaiThai or Nooshi almost two or 3 times/week, but I first ate there yesterday at lunch! Wish I had trekked in there sooner!!!! As my slogan indicates, I'm Italian (or partially so) and nothing beats Mama's pasta for me, but Giovannis Trattu came close, and at the very least, the names of its dishes made me think of my Northern Italian mother because there is a distinctly Northern Italian twist to this restaurant - their dishes are simple yet delicious, and very heavily focused on pasta vs. meat. I sat with a co-worker and viewed the menu with a frown on my face because I just couldn't figure out what to eat - Veal Tortellini, Farfale (bowties) with Salmon and Peas, homemade Gnocchi, Canneloni...the list goes on!!!! Our waitress, a genuine Italian middle-aged woman came to us and asked us what we'd like, and I ordered the veal tortellini with tomato sauce, which were absolutely delicious, clearly homemade, and served in a generous portion along with tasty fresh italian bread (a clear sign of a good italian restaurant). I agree that this would be a great date place, and all in all a diamond in the ruff, a hidden gem if you will. If you live in the Dupont/Adams Morgan/Midtown area, and you enjoy a good Italian meal, give Giovanni's a try. It's a bit more expensive than Luigi's down the street, but it's got better service, a less cheesy ambiance, and from what I can tell, more authentic food....at the very least, the head of the place is speaking Italian at Giovanni's, vs. Spanish at Luigi's....but then again, my 87 year old grandfather speaks Spanish fluently, along with 5 other languages....so who am I to judge a book by it's highly educated cover? Bottom line: it's hard to find but worth the search. Give Giovanni's Trattu a shot and you'll be in for a Great Treat. read more