Trattoria Da Lina has become our family's "special occasion" restaurant in Takoma Park, though it's…read morejust as wonderful for an ordinary weeknight when you want outstanding Italian food. It's family-owned and operated, and you feel that warmth the moment you walk through the door. The staff are genuinely welcoming, happily accommodate substitutions and dietary restrictions, and often recite the nightly specials with a delightful mix of English and Italian--usually accompanied by a compliment about your outfit or your dinner companion that makes everyone smile. We had Christmas Eve dinner there this year, and it was every bit as memorable as we'd hoped. The portions are generous enough to share or take half home for lunch the next day. I especially recommend the Chicken Marsala, Chicken Piccata, and the classic mussels, all prepared beautifully. Don't overlook their neighboring pizzeria either--it's our go-to for both takeout and casual dining. Trattoria Da Lina is the kind of neighborhood restaurant every community wishes it had.

Overall value is 3.5 - it's a bit of a splurge for a regular dinner but we were craving Italian and…read morethis was the closest. We do really like the Tacoma Park area. It's on the same block as a really nice Thai place and a nice Mediterranean spot as well. There weren't many people on a weekday night so we just walked in. Street parking is free after 7 PM. The star was the margharita pizza. And we also got a calzone, which was also really good. The texture of the crust and the little slight crunch and the sauce was really great. I wish there was more basil on the margarita pizza. There were three pieces of basil on the entire pie the pasta we got was the seafood pasta and it was a bit salty and portions are a bit small, but maybe that's the norm now? And we also got this other mushroom ravioli thing that is also pretty good but just really small. I think it was like five or six pieces of ravioli for $24. Service was fine. It was standard. The restaurant was a little bit hot during the heat wave. I wish it was a little cooler so with the four dishes altogether it was over $80 before tip for two people and we just had a little bit left over which is why I thought the value was more 3.5 than a four. That said, I'd still come back and get the margarita pizza and calzone - they're really quite good.

Craving Italian, we found this spot conveniently close to our hotel. Upon arrival, our waiter…read moregreeted us with a friendly handshake, and we were promptly seated. With both the Yelp photos and the menu to guide us, it was tough to choose. The menu prices are very reasonable. We both went with the cheese ravioli, and I had an iced tea -- the total came to just $30. The ravioli were bursting with flavor and cooked perfectly, not overdone like so many places. Service was outstanding, yet the atmosphere remains relaxed and unhurried, so don't come here expecting super-fast dining.

What a wonderful Italian-American restaurant. All the food is good and very reasonably priced. I…read morethink their veal Francese is absolutely perfect and delicious

This is a hidden gem in downtown Silver Spring. I went here recently with a few close friends. This…read moreis a great lunch spot with a great staff. I tried the jerk chicken wrap with was fantastic.

This is definitely a hidden gem in Silver Spring! It serves as a wine cafe and store. The vibes are…read morecute. I sat down for their happy hour one day in which they offer 15% off drinks and appetizers. My server was average. I ordered a riesling, which was delicious. I also ordered a salmon caesar wrap and some parmesan fries. The salmon itself was a little underwhelming in flavor, but the wrap was overall okay. The fries however were super crispy and enjoyable! I would definitely go back again to try more. I would give closer to a 3.5 if I could. I'm curious about their brunch.

Delicious lobster ravioli with boiled shrimp. Terrific bread. They gave me a complimentary tiramisu…read morefor dessert since it was my Birthday! White tablecloth ambiance but not too stuffy. Terrific service from everyone involved. I'm looking forward to going back.

we started coming here since 2017, this is one of our fav spots for Italian dinner, especially for…read morethe pizzas and pastas. Love the atmosphere, unique, homie, inviting, and lively. services always great, never fails, friendly, and attentive. large selections of wine and cocktails. prices has been slowing going up over the years, but acceptable. definitely comparable to similar restaurants. the 1 star deduction is for the consistency of the pizza dough, sometimes, the dough tasted a bit off, hard and not Neapolitan like as it should be. Overall, highly recommend by foodies of @WineDinenVacay

Mama Lucia is my personal definition of a "problem"... because once you start going, you can't…read morestop. The pizza is ridiculously good. The crust? Somehow both crispy and soft like it went to culinary school. The cheese actually tastes like cheese (rare these days), and the sauce is so good I literally order extra on the side just for dipping. Yes, I am that person--and I have zero regrets. And don't sleep on the pasta--it's just as solid. This place is not a one-hit wonder. Also, Anthony, the owner, might be the nicest human alive. He regularly gives me a free soda with my pizza, which feels like I've unlocked some kind of secret rewards program I never signed up for. I usually go to the East-West Highway location in Silver Spring because of work, but I also hit the Connecticut Avenue spot near my place in NW DC--and somehow they're BOTH consistently great. No off days, no drop in quality. Maybe it's because the owners are New Yorkers. Maybe it's magic. Either way, this is my go-to spot, and I'm not even pretending I'll stop going anytime soon.

Classic place I grew up going to. I love the garlic bread they give you to start off complimentary…read moreit's a great start to the meal every time. I went with the chicken piccata this time, but their pizza is great hot as well. The piccata was good I had never had it from here before. The service was very good, as were consistently checked in on for water refills and that our meals lived up to the standard. The restaurant has a nice Italian feel as well, but not the same feel it did when I was younger which is what brings my ranking down.

Terra Mare has been around for a while and has a big menu offering. I stopped by to grab a…read morepepperoni pizza to go. The pizza came out piping hot and I ate it immediately, very solid pizza! They are thin crust and tastes more like authentic Italian pizza. The pepperoni were buried in a good amount of cheese, but you can definitely taste them. Good amount of toppings and crisp on the crust. Mine was slightly burnt in the edges, but I didn't mind. Service was good and staff were friendly. I would definitely recommend the pizzas here and price was good too for Italian-styled pizza!

First time trying this place and went simple with a cheese pizza. It was so salty, I choked down…read moreone piece and threw the rest out. Was hoping for a better experience!

Needing to try a new spot because I've run out of places to review.. Lol, I looked through my…read moreBookmarks and WALA, there was Acqua Bistecca staring right at me. Going in, I knew the restaurant was gorgeous but pictures don't do A.B. justice. As soon as you enter, you see the semi-circle velvet seating, the intimate booths and this amazing bar display. I immediately had a snap a picture! Early as usual, I started off at the bar where they have a nice HH menu. I tried one of the recommended cocktails that was very good. The calamari was BANGIN! My friend schooled me and said it was tempura style which was why it tasted so good. Well, other restaurants need to take notes.. For real! Once we were done at the bar, the lovely hostess led us to our booth for dinner. We kept it simple, I had the Delmonico Ribeye sliced and she had the Branzino. She's a hard critic, much harder than me and she had to admit, both meals were BOMB!! Prepared perfectly, we both agreed.. We'll be BACK! Acqua Bistecca is a hidden jewel in upper upper NW Washington, DC, in a small newer living/shopping area with garage parking just footsteps away. If you're looking for a new slick spot to dine with a dope atmosphere, this is absolutely the place to be!!

Average food and overpriced doesn't add up when there are so many better choices in the District…read more If you're spending north of $300 for a meal, you want to hear angels singing. Not happening here. Not even close.

Love to come to this restaurant - we've been multiple times. Upon arriving there are a few parking…read moregarages nearby and currently some of the Bethesda parking garages are free for certain times on Sunday. Signage for restaurant is visible. A host greeted us and guided us to a table. I want to caution this is a very dimly lit restaurant (we were there around 7PM on a Sunday night) and there is a slight incline in the floor leading into one of the other rooms but there is a rug placed down in that area that somewhat helped show it was there. Service was great and attentive. Menu clearly outlined the food and drink options. Pricing seemed fair for area and quality of food. Our server asked if we were interested in additional details such as adding cheese or asking for refills. We had fresh bread and dressing delivered to us upon sitting down. Silverware was neatly wrapped and looked clean. I ordered the sausage and peppers - it was delicious. I had leftovers and the server kindly placed them in a to-go container in a bag that was hooked to the table conveniently out of the way. My fiancé reheated the leftovers upon my return home and he enjoyed the leftovers! I thought it was also a cute touch that the server check presenter had the name of the restaurant as well!

What an amazing lunch!…read more I'll start by saying I have been to Olazzo before, but today's lunch was special. I was introducing my girlfriend and my mom to each other. The host was so friendly and helped get us seated in a booth, and very shortly after seating we were greeted by our server Josh. Josh was very polite, and I felt good vibes before the food ever hit the table. He recommended their special, a trout on pasta dish. The entree had a very generous portion of fish, and our server made sure to drop off everything we needed to accompany our food, extra cheese, water refills, he was attentive and took great care of us. Next time I dine at Olazzo, I'm going to be looking for Josh!

Cafe Via Roma is a new Ethiopian cafe with an Italian twist. The cafe is intimate but spacious…read moreenough to host a larger group. When I walked in I immediately thought about hosting a writer's retreat here in the summer. The menu is a mix of pastries, sandwiches, and other hot foods. I got to try the smoked salmon bagel which was delicious, a biscoff inspired ice latte which I'm going back for and another sandwich that was great! My friend had the tiramisu caramel latte which she is still raving about! The owners were supper sweet and bright our food out right away.

I enjoyed my leisurely visit. Brought to my table, salmon with dill and cream cheese on a hot bagel…read morewas yummy as was my voluminous and stiffly-foamed cappuccino and chocolate-in-chocolate muffin. I stayed, listening to the soft music and the distinctive (London neighborhood?) accent from a nearby table while making good headway in my overdue library book. I look forward to returning!

Had lunch at Caruso Grocery and overall had a good experience. The food was tasty, and I ordered…read morethe Gnocchi alla Genovese, which was really good and flavorful. I have a shellfish allergy and also don't eat pork, so unfortunately there weren't a lot of options for me to choose from.... We also tried the Oreo cheesecake. It was good and had a nice flavor, but it was a little too sweet for my taste.

I had no idea they had a location in Bethesda, which is perfect because this spot has been on my…read morelist to try! This time, I didn't dine in--I placed a to-go order, and the young lady at the front was super nice and welcoming. I ordered the Caruso Alfredo, which is made with truffle butter. I tried it in the car and was immediately disappointed that I didn't dine in because WOW--the pasta was fresh, and the truffle butter was a hit! It's such a simple dish, but it has so many amazing flavors packed into it. Easily a 10/10 and definitely going to be my go-to order, especially as someone who is semi-picky. The restaurant has plenty of seating, along with an outdoor bar and seating area. Everything was clean, and I loved the old-school, unique pasta-house feel of the restaurant. I definitely can't wait to go back--and next time, I'll be dining in!