Came here last night for my friend's birthday and the vibes were immaculate. This place has been on my radar since I moved to NoVA last August and I'm glad I finally tried it and I'm excited to go back again! Since I went on a Saturday I felt compelled to do the cheese wheel experience. Where they cook fettuccine pasta inside a giant wheel of cheese. Added a protein option as well for a lil more substance as well. The dish as incredible! The cheese sauce was so rich and creamy and I def need to come back and try it with the chicken. My server told me I should ask for the chicken blackened (the chicken is $9 but if you get it blackened it's $2 extra). The price for the pasta on its own before adding a protein was competitive when you compare the portion size. Be warned that the cheese wheel experience is only available Thurs-Saturday but it's so fun! It's akin to going to a Mexican restaurant that offers tableside guac or going to a hibachi restaurant! Can't beat the show! This place is great to go for a date, special occasion, whatever! Easily one of the best Italian spots in Northern Virginia! read more

Osteria Marzano - So good! - Italian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Very yummy Italian spot! They have one of those viral Parmesan wheels that they bring tableside to prepare your pasta. Note that when you order the cheese wheel experience, there is only one choice of pasta which you can add a protein on if you want. The flavor is, exactly what you would think, extremely cheesy! This could probably be too cheesy for some people. The eggplant parmigiana is a huge portion. The tomato sauce has a wonderful roasted garlic flavor. The sauce is on the edge of being too acidic for my taste, so something to sweeten it a little I would've appreciated. The octopus appetizer was cooked perfectly and I love the char grill taste, but it could've been more flavorful. The crème brûlée has a strong vanilla flavor and is very creamy! The service was very nice. It was a bit slow at times, but I think that was because our server was also tending to a big private party in the back. But I loved how he kept the complimentary bread and pesto coming without us even having to ask for more! read more

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Ok I think I'm not the target audience and I can respect that. Being primarily gf df is hard for an Italian restaurant to accommodate and they tried... it was interesting that after doing 3 restaurant week, this was the only place that insisted the entire table has to do it- so mixed feelings on that. The salad I could eat on the RW menu was incredible ! I'd have that again with some protein. My blackberry tequila cocktail was also excellent. Where I struggled is the gluten free pasta with seafood they could make gf df was ... OK. I appreciate that food costs are crazy high now and I can't imagine how hard it is for restaurants right now !! So please know I'm empathetic. But it had 1 shrimp 1 clam and 4 mussels. The rest were calamari rings which were incredibly rubbery. The GF pasta was cooked OK but it was pretty stuck to each others. The red sauce was .. so so. Also after having had SO much seafood this week for RW it really stood out to be how strong it smelled fishy compared to allllll the other calamari / fish / oysters / hamachi crudo / dover sole / branzino / whole head on shrimp etc I've eaten over the last 10 plus days... like it substantively smelled strong and pungent. Needless to say I didn't finish it. They were kind and provided a lemon filled sorbet for desert and i appreciated that- it was a little too sweet for me and the other RW deserts seemed just Ok... I had mentioned we had 3 birthdays on deck and they saw the gift bags- so our server acknowledged it at the start of the meal that we mentioned it on the resi-but surprised absolutely nothing came of it... Then when they were lifting a sauce to remove it from the table - a lot of it spilled into an almost full glass of wine (fair to say it may have been my friends fault as she helped hand the dishes over) and we asked if they could replace it, and they just charged us for a second glass... Music was a little too loud albeit GREAT pop music selections, but appreciated the brightness of the windows. I won't be back unless someone insists but honestly people adore it here so glad they have a following :) read more

Osteria Marzano - Appetizers - Italian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

My nephews wanted to come here to celebrate their promotion to middle school. Anything for them! Didn't need a resy and they were able to accommodate us as a walk in with a party of 6 & a high chair. I've brought them here before and this was where they wanted to come to, to celebrate them tonight. One loved the cheeseburger just like my hunnie except tonight my nephew said he was disappointed with his burger. The other had a pizza and everyone loved the truffle fries. My niece and her brother also enjoyed their cheese pizza and more fries please lol I kept it simple with a veggie pizza, one sister ordered the cheese wheel pasta with shrimp and the other enjoyed the lobster ravioli...both were delicious. You can never go wrong coming here...perfect for any occasion. Happy Yelping! read more

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Ordered take out and was ready in under 20 minutes. Location is off the beaten path in an office park and next to a hospital. Pizza was light and airy with high quality cheese. Big portion of eggplant parm. Sauce was buttery. Arincini was flakey and reminded me of a croquette from a tapas place. read more

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I was excited to try this place but it was a bit of a let down. The cheese wheel experience was really cool but don't know if I'd do it again. The pasta cools down pretty quickly and starts to become hard to eat. The mussels were not cleaned well and I was literally picking grains of sand out of my mouth every time I bit into one. The salads and mocktail were really good though. Overall it's more of a loud bar vibe than a restaurant. It's hard to carry on a conversation indoors because the acoustics aren't great and it gets pretty loud in there. read more

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Came here for a birthday dinner. Everything was great, Mac was our server and was very attentive and made sure we were taken care of. I will definitely come back here again. The food was delicious as well, the calamari was a hit. I ordered the eggplant parmesan and it was delicious as well. We ordered the cheese wheel experience and it was nice but they couldn't come into the private dining area because the cart doesn't fit through the door but they were right behind the glass door and we were able to see it. read more

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DO NOT COME HERE IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE JUDGED ON WHAT CLOTHES YOU WEAR. The server Yoko or the whole establishment is classist and will clear your table as if you don't exist! I visited this restaurant unexpectedly after being invited by a friend, so I arrived casually dressed in jeans and a plain shirt, not realizing it was a more formal, reservation-based establishment. Upon arrival, I noticed most guests were predominantly white and dressed in business casual or formal attire. Our server, Yoko, initially seated us and provided water and bread. However, after briefly stepping away for about three minutes to use the restroom, we returned to find our table completely cleared, despite the fact that we had just been seated and had not even touched the bread. This was confusing and frustrating. Yoko apologized and reseated us, but I could barely hear her. So, I asked her directly if she assumed if we left and she said yes. While I appreciate the apology, the situation felt presumptive and uncomfortable. Given that we had only been seated for a few minutes with minimal interaction, the assumption that we had left seemed unwarranted. Whether intentional or not, the experience came across as judgmental, from our casual attire. I also felt the establishment being racist because we were the only dark tanned and Asian Americans here. Yoko offered complimentary dessert as an apology, which I initially appreciated. However, when I followed up later, the offer became unclear. Instead of being able to choose from the menu, we were given a small portion of cake and ice cream to go. The dessert was underwhelming in both presentation and taste, falling short of expectations for a restaurant at this price point. The cake was similar to a low-quality dessert of any budget friendly buffets I have been to. As for the food, it did not meet expectations. While the cheese wheel dish appeared authentic, it lacked depth of flavor beyond just salt and pepper. The candied bacon mac and penne alla vodka were similarly bland. The calamari stood out as the best dish--light and crispy--while the arancini was disappointing, with a filling that tasted processed rather than fresh. Overall, the experience was disappointing. Between the initial service issue and the underwhelming food, the restaurant did not justify its pricing or reputation. I would not recommend dining here, particularly if you are expecting attentive service and high-quality cuisine. Save your money and go to Olive Garden instead. read more

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The experience was great! The restaurant was clean and the staff were pleasant. I was unable to experience the cheese wheel because it's unavailable on weekends. I ordered the Branzino and my husband ordered a seafood pasta. I ordered a side of Alfredo sauce to add with my pasta because everyone raved about it. It was delightful. And the wine from Avignon paired well. I will be back for the cheese wheel experience. read more

Osteria Marzano - Branzino, side of Alfredo sauce a seafood pasta . - Italian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

(Late review). I went here for my birthday dinner. It was very delicious and the staff were very friendly. If you're getting the fancy pasta made in the cheese wheel, make sure to stay out of the splash zone. (I may have had some cheese splash on me. The staff felt really apologetic!) The ambiance is not what one would think for an Italian location. I assumed it was on the fancier side. However, with its location in a business area and hotel, this has more of a casual vibe than a dressy one. The patrons ranged from casual to cocktail attire -- so no need to overthink what to wear! read more

We came here for my husband's 40th birthday started off with some meatballs which was super moist and the sauce made them very flavorful. We then moved to the cheese wheel experience which was also great. The pasta and flavors were amazing, some of the best pasta I've had at a restaurant. We then moved to dessert which wasn't amazing but just ok. We had their apple tart which came with ice cream. I would totally skip the crab on my pasta next time, the amount you get is terrible for the price and not to mention they do charge "extra" for anything you get blackened which they don't tell you. Other than that it didn't disappoint. It is on the smaller size and you are seated pretty close to everyone else for those that don't like tight spaces. read more

Osteria Marzano - Apple tart - Italian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

It's a pizza night. SO ordered the SPICY HAWAIIAN: Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, pineapple, VA ham, and fresh jalapeños and for me, PEPPERONI & SAUSAGE: Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, parmigiano, and homemade sausage with mushrooms and jalapeños. UE delivered within 30 minutes. Both pies were hot and delicious. read more

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Always fun and great experience at the granite bar top ! Love the happy hours with Mike, Miguel, and Noah. Great service, food, and drinks...especially Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita!! read more

Delicious food and generous portions! Our waitress was friendly, attentive, and happy to answer all our questions. Every dish we ordered was well-prepared and full of flavor. They've got a large bar area with happy hour deals running all week, so no surprise it was packed. The interior isn't overly fancy, but it's comfortable and gets the job done. I was honestly surprised by how large the portions were but I definitely had enough for leftovers the next day, which is always a bonus. It's great to see more solid dining options popping up in NoVa. It really feels like you don't have to deal with the hassle of driving into DC just to find good food. My only complaint is that the cheesecake didn't have crust on the bottom. Idk when or why restaurants have started to remove the crust but please stop. Cheesecake without the crust isn't good. read more

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I appreciate the dining areas for larger parties and the staff are on point. It had been a little while since my last visit and I brought a friend with me to experience the cheese/Alfredo wheel. Cool experience to do once but the pasta gets cold quickly and it loses all its creaminess. We also ordered the pei mussels which were so gritty and sandy. The broth was lively and fresh. I would love shrimp in that instead. Drinks and appetizers were good. All in all, for that price point I'd come for drinks and appetizers. FYI. The main bar area can be quite loud. read more

We celebrated our anniversary here, and everything was fantastic! The food was absolutely outstanding--the cheese wheel is an absolute must-try, and it was hands down the best fettuccine I have ever had. On top of the incredible meal, the service was highly attentive for our special occasion, and the pricing was very reasonable for the quality. The only downside was the seating arrangement. The tables felt a bit cramped and were located close to the bar, making it a bit too noisy for a romantic dinner. Despite the tight space, the phenomenal food and service made our celebration memorable. We will definitely be back! read more

Great pasta! Really kind staff that were fantastic, amazing service. Will be back. Pasta was so good. read more

Osteria Marzano - Italian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

My family and I had dinner at Osteria during Happy Hour and it totally hit the spot. The place has a cozy, welcoming vibe, perfect for a relaxed night out. We ordered the Pizza and meatball sliders off HH menu which tasted super fresh and homemade. Service was friendly and laid-back, and our bartender recommended great drinks that matched perfectly with the food. Prices are fair for the quality, and you definitely get your money's worth. Overall, a great spot if you're craving real Italian comfort food. I'll definitely be back! read more

The aesthetics of this place is amazing this one perfect place to come during lunch or for a date. I think they take walk-in's. The RSVP is recommended the server that I had was amazing. She was training someone also. This was a typical lunch date, just me and my son and my wife. My son had the spaghetti and meatballs. I had the penne à la vodka pasta. My wife had the blackened shrimp Alfredo. All three of these dishes was exquisite for dessert. We had the apple tart which was a special that day was also exquisite. This is a restaurant to be considered a hidden gem because of where it is located. But I will be back , to witness and enjoy the Cheese wheel‍ read more

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Upscale Italian restaurant tucked away in a strange location (the ground floor of an office building in a hospital building complex) Although the place is upscale, and the prices reflect that, it does not feel stuffy at all Large bar area with a bunch of tables alongside, and a small dining room as well. Apparently they also have outdoor seating too, but it was both dark and rainy when I went so I wasn't able to see it Menu is very large, and they also have a rotating list of specials as well, but their signature dish is their pasta cooked in a large wheel of cheese. They also have a comprehensive wine list and a few cocktails. I came here for dinner on a Friday night with my GF. Even though we made a reservation beforehand we were still seated in the bar area, but we didn't mind at all. In fact, I think we preferred this My GF and I did not enjoy the cocktails that we each got, but apparently they are constantly changing their cocktail options. All of our food was great, and the portions were very large, but it took a very long time for us to get our food. Apparently, since I got the cheese-wheel pasta, since they only have one cheese-wheel, and since this dish was very popular, we had to wait for it to be available. This being said, and giving them the benefit of the doubt for this, I also had to flag down our waitress (who was very friendly I will admit) in order to get boxes for our food when we were done and to get the check as well. Very tasty complimentary bread & olive oil. We also got a charcuterie board that was huge and delicious! read more

So we came specifically for the cheese wheel experience for our son to enjoy...as we had enjoyed in other restaurants. I am sad to say the taste was wasn't it. Too strong of alcohol...almost as if it wasn't cooked down enough. The texture was amazing and EVERYTHING else was phenomenal...we had the beef carpaccio and arugula salad and I had the lambchops which was divine. My husband had the limmone pasta. You can taste the freshness of the pastas and everything was perfect but, I was saddened by the cheese wheel. Burn off the alcohol more... Overall great place and our server Stephanie was magnificent. I can't give 5stars due to the taste of the pasta. read more

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Delicious food and awesome service! We hosted my parent's 50th wedding anniversary dinner here and the server was attentive, funny and kind (he put up with all my dad's 'dad jokes - and there were A LOT). We sat in a semi private room and ordered many different dishes, including the cheese wheel pasta. Everyone enjoyed their food and the atmosphere and service. I would definitely come back again! read more

Service is excellent - attentive and helpful and the first compliment I give when I talk about this place. Food: We were celebrating a birthday with a group of 6 and wanted the cheese wheel experience- we got that and more! The calamari and the table side bread were both delightful! The Boar Ragu was rich and delivered over the thick noodles. Our friend had the Truffle pasta and the chef shaved them right at the table into the dish. Not a skimpy portion either. In fact, everyone had plenty of food to take home. The cocktails were unique and tasty ... collectively we sampled over half of them - I preferred the smoked old fashioned with chocolate ....it works, trust me! read more

The food was amazing. It exceeded my expectations. I love flavor and spice. I also like interesting ingredients. So when I saw their squid ink pasta that was a must try. It was perfect. I also enjoyed the steak on the risotto. The staff were friendly and very knowledgeable. Very helpful if you are indecisive like I am. I do admit, in the beginning I struggled to just pick one. Everything on their menu seemed like something I would enjoy. Ambiance was great as well. I truly have no complaints this is one of the better dining experiences I've had over the last few months. 10/10 recommend and will be returning for more. read more

Osteria Marzano - Squid ink pasta with Maine lobster and spicy marinara sauce (sorry I don't remember the specific name for the dish and sauce!) - Italian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Amazing! Got a lobster pasta and there was a ton of lobster meat! Everything came out super fast, almost too fast haha. We were out of there in under an hour. I almost wished it came out a little slower so we could've had a longer date night like an hour and a half. We ordered apps and dessert too and only took 45 min and we left! Everything was amazing though and will definitely be coming back read more

Went there for good food and I got that. Fast service and always made sure we were all taken care of. Very nice environment and lowkey. 10/10 read more

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Came here for dinner during restaurant week. I had the mahi mahi for my entree and it was realllyyyy good. Sometimes fish can be tricky but they got it right! read more

Osteria Marzano - Mahi Mahi - Italian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Our server was amazing, gave us great recommendations. I got the chicken parmigiana and it was delicious. Overall very nice ambiance. read more

Osteria Marzano - Chicken Parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I'm not exactly sure how this was our first visit. Unless we knew where we were going, we wouldn't have found the restaurant. It's in a commercial office space. You would even miss the door in the building if you weren't paying attention. This was the day after Valentine's and they were completely booked. Thankfully we found seats at the bar. We had a few HH drinks, yes even on Saturday (4-6). The bartenders were quick with recommendations. We ended with the cheese wheel experience and a seafood pasta dish in a lobster butter broth. I'm not too proud to say that I got it all up with the bread! This is a great date night spot or a good hang after work. There was even a large birthday group hanging out during our time there. We will return when we are back in Alexandria. read more

Osteria Marzano - Italian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Mid food and mid service. Lot of little things wrong that ultimately equalled a below average dining experience. If you want REAL Italian food skip this spot, if you want romance skip this spot. If you need a quick bite and you're not picky about quality or service this fits the bill. Better Italian food and service at other restaurants with a similar or lower price tag. read more

Customer service was great and they were quick, ordered take out on their website and got the lasagne. The lasagne was really good, right amount of cheese, perfect amount of meat, and soft. Definitely will try dining in person as the restaurant looked very nice read more

Osteria Marzano - Lasagna Alla Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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After visiting Osteria I doubt I can have Alfredo at O.. G... again. I'll get to that. This is a spot in an inconspicuous location that's literally perfect for a great restaurant. The interior reminds me of a laid back 80's jazz club. Like a spot you want to hang just for the drink. Even busy we could have a conversation without raising our voices over others and clattering dinnerware. The calamari was tinder and fried perfectly with just the right amount of seasoning. Now let's get to the cheese wheel, WOW! It was aged perfect to perfection. So much flavor I now know why there's no salt and pepper on table. The wait staff is patient and very attentive. So if you want great Italian food do your taste buds a favor and try Osteria Marzano. read more

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I ordered $80 (with tip) of food from this restaurant on Door Dash. It was the most bland and almost inedible food I've had in a long time! If the food had cost like $30 I'd just chuck it up as a loss... but it was $80 (in this economy) and it was awful! read more

I love this place! They have a cheese wheel pasta that's one of the best pastas I've ever had. Getting here is a little interesting, because the restaurant is located in a big office building. The interior is really nice though and doesn't feel like you're in a corporate office building. We loved the cheese wheel pasta and the burrata which had really fresh tomatoes. The service and wine list are also really solid. I can't wait to come back for that cheese wheel pasta! read more

I haven't been to this restaurant in 6 years, but food has definitely gone downhill. I had eggplant parm and it was terrible and overpriced. I've had a better eggplant parm at small Greek diners in the area. It was four tiny pieces of eggplant which were undercooked and cold with little cheese and lots of sauce to cover everything. It comes with too much cheap spaghetti The place was loud with loud music and loud people. Service was good I'm not going back read more

We have been wanting to try this restaurant for a while and it was was a great experience. There was three of us plus our toddler and we all really enjoyed the food. The server was great and accommodated our little one. The bruschetta was absolutely excellent and each of our pasta dishes were great. We will definitely be back! read more

This place was AMAZING! The food was everything. We did the cheese wheel experience where they make the Alfredo on top of a giant wheel of Parmigiano and I got it with the blackened shrimp and blackened salmon and that made it even better. I had a blackberry margarita that wasn't too sweet and full of syrup which made it really nice. All in all, I definitely liked it and will come back. read more

Osteria Marzano - "Cheese Wheel" experience Alfredo with blackened salmon and shrimp - Italian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I heard this place had cheese wheel pasta so I had to come try! Started off strong with some great appetizers that were fresh and flavorful. The entrees on the other hand were a different story. The risotto was great, cheese wheel pasta was just ok (very one dimensional) and the carbonara did not taste like carbonara at all. Desserts were just mediocre as well. The service was great and the chef personally came out to check on us. Overall, the cheese wheel was a cool experience and there were some gems. Apps: Polipo (grilled octopus) and Mussels in Garlic and White Wine Entrees: Seafood Risotto, Carbonara, and the Cheese Wheel Pasta Dessert: Creme Brulee and Apple Tart Drinks: Old Fashioned and Falling Amalfy read more

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Came here for happy hour and wow do they have a great happy hour. Cocktails, beers, and bites all for less than $10 each! I got the lemon drop martini, arancini, and calamari from the happy hour menu and they were all delicious. We also ordered off the dinner menu, we got short rib sliders (YUM) and I got the clam linguine for dinner. The linguine and the white wine sauce were fine but wow the clams were cooked PERFECTLY. I did try my boyfriend's candied bacon mac and cheese and the homemade orecchiette was so good. Definitely will get a homemade pasta next time. read more

Osteria Marzano - Linguine Alla Vongole - Italian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The vibe of this place is insane! Great for a date night or ladies night. I enjoyed the Penne Alla Vodka. I also ordered the Aracini which could've used a little more flavor in my opinion. The Fall into Almafy cocktail was delicious and refreshing. And they can make a good sidecar! The service was great. Several others ordered the cheese wheel experience which was cool to watch. I definitely have to find a way back to this hidden gem read more

Osteria Marzano - Penne Alla Vodka with Shrimp - Italian Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia