First rate in every way!…read more The restaurant has a pleasant, stylish decor. It's not great on the acoustics but was not overly loud despite being completely full. Our server was perfect. Friendly, attentive, got every part of our order correct. The food was delicious too. We ordered the burrata salad as an appetizer and loved it. We got a Margherita pizza and thought that it was tasty (a little chintzy with the toppings). We will definitely be back in the future!

Closer to 3.5, I got the burrata appetizer to go and it was solid. Just a lil pricey so probably…read morewould not order again. Feel like the tomatoes and other stuff could've been roasted/caramelized more. The cheese was fantastic and so was the bread. I ordered for pick up and it was ready within 30 mins. The inside looked very nice and Italian as it should. Will need to come back and try their pizza.

What does Il Pizzico mean in English - perfection perhaps??? I know that's not what it means - but…read moreit should. This unassuming restaurant in a rather seedy strip of Rockville Pike exceeds expectations at all levels. The dining room is neutral and simple, relaxing and quiet. The service is fantastic. Honestly, there are not too many professional waiters left in the world but, the ones that remain, all work at Il Pizzico. Service is impeccable. Danny was perfect. The owner, Enzo, is charming and enlightened with his menu. When we mentioned how much we liked ramps (which Enzo had picked himself out in the woods, by the way), he went and got some pickled ramps he made for himself only (not on the menu) so we could taste. Charming. Inspired. Elegant even! My main course was ramp risotto with scallops. OMG great! The risotto was luxurious and complex and filling and surprising - all at once! I hate to throw out the word "perfect" again but this dish was in fact perfect! The rice was perfectly cooked and satisfyingly crispy at its center. Honestly, I got lost in this dish. There were other things in the risotto - onions? Scallops for sure. Green shavings (what the heck was that)? Who cares! The risotto was that good. My dish was so good that it could have been ONLY risotto and I would have loved it! The risotto was so good, in fact, that I ordered creme brulee for dessert and I don't even like creme brulee. I know this doesn't make sense and I know it doesn't paint me in a good light - but it's true. I wanted the outstanding dining experience to continue so I ordered something that I usually overlook in order to keep it going. Ok, so I do not need to say this. BUT I WILL. I highly recommend Il Pizzico. Full stop!

Il Pizzico was such an outstanding experience. From the outside, it's tucked away in the most…read morerandom little area in Rockville, so we honestly weren't expecting much walking in, but once you step inside, it completely transforms. The restaurant is beautiful with a warm, romantic, old Italian vibe. The food was great and surprisingly reasonably priced for how nice the restaurant feels. I wouldn't say it's the most mind-blowing Italian food I've ever had, but it tasted like a truly delicious homemade Italian meal. The wine prices were also fair. On top of that, our server was incredibly attentive and friendly throughout the night. Overall, such a lovely dinner and definitely a place we'll be back to again. One note: you have 2 hour limit so just be aware you may be a little rushed!

Updating my review after a visit this evening where we enjoyed two different entrees. I had the…read moreGrilled Salmon and Shrimp over Spinach with Asparagus and my partner got the Chicken Marsala. Both entrees came with a cold, fresh side salad with a tangy Italian dressing. The entrees were very good. The salmon had a nice char, but was moist and flavorful. If you like salmon with a sauce, you'll be disappointed. I like mine simple, and this is a well-prepared salmon. The shrimp (3 large) were good. The spinach had a nice garlic flavor and the asparagus was well prepared - not mushy. The chicken Marsala also was good. The Marsala was light (not thick) and somewhat sweet. Very good. Honestly, the bread service was pretty disappointing. Our last visit the bread was fine, but this basket was pretty dried out and almost seemed stale. The oil accompanying the bread had almost no cheese in it. Essentially, you dipped tasteless bread into oil. Really disappointing. I'm not going to reduce my overall restaurant score for this one thing (because the entrees were very good), but the bread service was not good. The service was good.

( The first paragraph of this review is based on delivery via a third-service provider .... )…read more Great! Loved everything. The Wild Mushrooms with artichoke were just awesome and oh-so-plentiful, I do believe this one dish could've been a meal all in itself -- but not knowing that, I also got the Grilled Romaine because I'd never had such a thing before, and was interested in trying it. It was great! The Bowl Soup was delicious and comforting as soup is desired to be. Note on the soup: it doesn't have any pasta it in (or at least mine didn't), so if you're watching carbs or avoiding wheat, this is an excellent choice! It all came with some bread, too (that I ended up making a sandwich out of with some of the grilled romaine dish later). This was way more than one meal for me! All of it was delicious! ** Today, I fi-na-ly made it to Fontina Grille in person! It was a beautiful day to eat outside as long as there was some shade -- and so, the awning was put out just for us to lunch outdoors. There is a great selection on this menu and at lunch you can order either lunch or dinner portions. The lunch portions were certainly plentiful! The service was great, and everything was absolutely delicious! I especially enjoyed my side of zoodles. I was surprised and amazed at how well they were done -- they were so luxuriously long, it was really fun! They were also a beautiful bright green, cooked perfectly (not too hard, not too soft -- just right!), nice to twirl on a fork, and came with a really great, garlicky sauce. Mmm .... The salad greens were spectacular, the cheeses were mouth-melty, the bread at the beginning was superbly crisp on the outside and sturdy but soft enough, and chewy on the inside, the dipping olive oil with some grated cheese was excellent and helped tide me over 'til the antipasti of Wild Mushrooms came. I heard the Chilean Sea Bass in the Sea Bass Spring Salad was 'like butta,' it was so soft and easy to cut through and apparently very good. It came with salad greens, cutely-cut, skin-removed orange wedges, strawberry slices all neatly arranged around the edges, and a bit of delectably soft cheese. What can I say? Nothing was amiss! Parking was easy and couldn't be closer, with two designated accessible parking spots available right across the small street, and one not far around the corner. The ambiance outside (where we ate) was very nice. Everything was made easy. The (women's) bathroom is capacious, with a big, accessible stall and two others. The indoor dining area is very big with lots of tables. The best part of walking through the indoor area is catching a glimpse of the real fire, ready to bake! Overall, everything was totally enjoyable!

We absolutely love Mamma Lena. It's the best Italian restaurant in all of the DMV. Ever since…read morethe review in the Post, it has been almost impossible to not be crowded in any of the weekend nights. To ensure a non crowded time go on a Tuesday just after 5 pm. You get all the attention and can enjoy your food for a while without feeling guilty I taking too much time to savor every single delicious bite. We've tried almost all of the entrees in their menu and the hubbies favorite is the slowly braised short ribs. It's so flavorful. As for me and my friend, we love them all and can't just pick one dish. I do need to do shoutout to all of the different pizzas because, it is always cooked to perfection m, just enough char and the ingredients always stand out. The waiters and the greeters are mostly family and always never fail to welcome you. The bruschetta given at the start of the meal starts you out really good to the excellent food that is to come. And it's great that you're always assured of having at least two pieces per person because just one is definitely not enough. The tomatoes always taste as if it was picked from the summer garden at their peak. I love the fact that they have expanded so that you can now bring a bigger group to dine in.

Check them out recently and got the meat lovers pizza, calamari, and cannoli for take out…read more Everything was great, with the standout being the pizza, which was thin, crispy, and flavorful. The cannoli needed another shell cause it was overfilled with ricotta cream I believe (and kinda pricey for just 1 shell). Tasted good, but yeah, probably won't get that one again. They seemed to have renovated the inside when I went to pick up which made it look much nicer and bigger. Definitely a good date spot. Also added some old pics from Valentine's Day dinner (February 2020). Seems like the calamari has changed from 6 years ago. The service back then was great, and I'm sure it's still good today.

I thought this was an actual physical pasta restaurant and drove all the way to the address that…read morewas on apple maps. Why would you put an address for a place that doesn't exist?

This is such scrumptious, actually authentic Italian food. It's simple and bright and rich. The…read morepasta is homemade and is meat-y! (Meaning it's so thick and obviously scratch). Luca (the creator) is Italian, sassy, clever and kind. Oooof. It makes my heart ache for Italy - it really tastes just the same as the pasta I had when I was there.

Our first time at Gregorio's Trattoria in Cabin John found us ordering classic Italian fare. We…read morestarted with the fried calamari, crisply breaded and tender on the inside. I got the Gamberetti Fra Diavalo, aka shrimp in spicy red sauce over noodles. Delicious! Nicely cooked noodles and plump, tasty shrimp with lumps of crab meat, under a chunky, bright and spicy tomato sauce. Lots of noodles and shrimp, and plenty of remaining sauce to mop up with table bread. A tasty and filling meal, and no room for dessert this time. Just means I gotta go back, which I definitely will!

Had a reservation and came for a family dinner. Plenty of parking on the right of the restaurant…read more(the left is the grocery store parking lot). For apps we ordered calamari and a charcuterie board. They served various types of bread with house marinara sauce. The bread was lovely - just be mindful not to eat too much to not get too full before the food comes! Calamari was battered and fried nicely - not chewy at all. It was served with the same house marinara sauce as the bread basket. Wouldn't get the charcuterie board again for the price. I ordered the lamb chop and asparagus special. Lamb chops were cooked perfectly. My only qualm was that the fat could have been trimmed more. The asparagus came out burnt! I asked for less char and they provided another side free of charge. The clam linguine was VERY buttery. A good portion of clams with NO sand but the dish had a scary amount of butter at the end. The tiramisu was a lot lighter than what I was expecting. Would have preferred a more intense espresso flavor and cocoa powder on top. There was also an interesting addition of cinnamon or nutmeg (warming spice) that I didn't care for.

The service is good as well as the ambiance of the restaurant. The plates are relatively small for…read morethe price but the flavors are delicious. I tried the salmon with quinoa and it was one of the best combinations I've ever had. Also, the crap dip was really good. Recommended if you would like to try new flavors but be mindful of the portions since they could be small depending on what you order.

I visited Botanero for a Saturday morning brunch. While the overall ambiance of the restaurant is…read morelight and airy, the tables are somewhat cramped together, so know that you won't have an abundance of elbow room. That aside, the staff was very friendly, attentive and helpful, and I loved the bossa nova covers of 90s songs playing in the background. I ordered the ham & bacon omelette, which was very good and fresh. It's essentially filling (virginia ham, bacon, arugula, red pepper, caramelized onion and white cheddar) wrapped in a thin layer of scrambled egg, which I was very happy with. The omelette was served with a side of home fried potatoes that were seasoned perfectly. I will definitely visit again in the future.

Thank you to Caruso's Grocery for hosting my granddaughter's 16th birthday dinner. A huge shout out…read moreto Patrick, the event coordinator from Caruso's who helped me in every aspect of planning this special event. The food was delicious. The group was given a choice of appetizers: meatballs, basil and tomato caprese salad, dinner salad, or garlic bread. Each of the appetizers were better than the next. The girls shared the meatballs, garlic bread, and caprese salad. Thank you to our server for bringing out gluten free bread for one of our guests with a gluten allergy. Our main dishes was the shrimp scampi,which was full of flavor and so tasty. There were several of us who ordered the shrimp scampi and you could hear a chorus of oohs and aah's. We loved every bite. I am pleased to share that Caruso's has gluten free pasta for guests with gluten allergies. And, the gluten free pasta was scrumptious. The birthday girl had chicken parmigiana and a side of spaghetti. She really enjoyed her meal. Another, guest had the penne pasta and she loved hers too. There portions were very generous. We also had a guest order the Caesar salad with shrimp. It came out with dressing, when the dressing was supposed to be on the side, but our waiter was quick to remedy that. The ambiance is lovely and reminds me of my grandmother's home in Little Italy. It is old world Italian with comfortable seating. I know it was a busy night, but the one fly in our ointment was our server. There was too much of a lag between courses, and main dishes came out of the kitchen at different times. Also, our gluten free guest had to sit and watch while others ate cake because her ice cream sundae was no where to be found. It finally made it to the table, but I felt badly for this young lady. I know our server was swamped with guests. Hopefully, next time a large party is on the schedule, they can lighten the load for that server. All of the girls had a good time including the birthday girl. So, I am reminded of the saying, it all works out in the end. Thank you, Caruso's.

Came here recently for lunch Sunday. They have two sections inside and we sat in the bar area. You…read morecan order off both of Caruso's and Owen's food menus. Bar area is very chill. Food was very good! To start, we tried the Garlic Bread Quattro Formaggi which was so flavorful they even had fresh garlic inside the bread. We got two pasta dishes: Chicken Parmigiana and Spicy Neapolitan Ragu, both generous portions, very well flavored and overall delicious! Our cocktails were great too. Tried the Lemon Ricota Donuts--they were just okay, a bit too doughy for my preference.