Love this place! Friendly staff, cool ambiance, and every dish I've tried has been delicious. Definitely recommend for dinner or aperitivo after work. read more

Retrobottega - Taglierini with chitarra in the back - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

beautiful outside dining, comes with free complimentary bread, service was excellent and the waiters were really helpful. regarding the food, i loved it! We ordered 4 appetizers and 2 main pasta dishes to split between the 3 of us. for apps, we had the fried mozzarella balls (mozzarella in carrozza) fried artichokes (carciofi), burrata, and calamari. My faves were the mozzarella balls and the artichokes. regarding main pastas, we ordered the pappardelle (mushroom pasta) and the ravioli with the vodka sauce. these two are not pictured because we absolutely obliterated these plates and they were excellent. i have to say i'm not a huge fan of getting ravioli at restaurants, but the ravioli was by far my favorite thing i've had all night. the sauce was amazing! If I am ever in the DC area I will definitely be stopping by again! read more

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Food was absolutely spot on!! Love the concept. Keep it simple and do it well!! With the price point they offer you get to experience the plates that the Chef has mastered and stands behind. I'm not local, only here on business but if I was local I would be here on a frequent basis. Excellent food and great service. Sat at the bar and received top notch friendly service. Thanks and hope to be back soon!! Great job, I know it's not easy. My favorite was the octopus. Never had it so tender and full of flavor. Halibut crudo was great, just wish I wasn't drinking wine with the lemon vinaigrette, would pair better with a cocktail. But doesn't take away from the dish. Meatballs, sauce was so good. Meatballs a bit dense but that's being very critical, was still satisfied. Loved all the dishes and the timing of service allowing me to enjoy them all at my pace. read more

Retrobottega - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Visited as a party of 3. Delicious food. Portion size is reasonable. Good customer service. Wait time to receive our meal wasn't long. I appreciate that they were able to accommodate us without a reservation. Plus, I disliked my initial cocktail. Our waitress recommended one sweeter & switch them out with no additional charge. read more

Dined in the outside patio with family on a Monday evening. We enjoyed the fresh food, good service and friendly atmosphere We all got a variety of dishes. Standouts were the shrimp / tomato pasta in pesto sauce, focaccia bread, and the house salad and burrata caprese salad. We will be back! read more

This is a Gem of a restaurant located in a gem of a neighborhood!!! The wine selections, the food and the service are outstanding! I had the homage pasta with assuage and broccoli rabe! YUM!!! This is a new place and will become very popular!!! read more

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This place is awesome! We came in on a Saturday night and got a seat at the bar around 8. We ordered cocktails (which were awesome) and food off the bar menu ($6 per dish). We tried the meatballs, croquettes, and more. Everything was yummy. From the main menu we had grilled calamari and burrata. Both were fabulous! The service was great and the ambiance was cool. This is a great place for a cozy dinner or date night. Highly recommend!! read more

Retrobottega - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We came at peak hours and it took awhile to get our courses. My husband and I both have restaurant backgrounds, so we were understanding. However, at the end of my meal we were offered two shots as an apology. I found this pretty insensitive given that my husband wasn't drinking alcohol and happens to be newly sober. Unbeknownst to the bartender, I know, but I do think that there should be some training on not offering alcohol to someone who's not shown an interest in drinking. There also weren't any non-alcoholic beer options (not a biggie, but more and more people are looking for that option). Otherwise the food was great and the ambiance was lovely. read more

Wow.. this place was so good. I love Italian food and there aren't many places in dc that can beat this. We started off with the fresh bread, which could've been warm because I think it would've made it 50% better, but either way this was still good. I had the fish of the day, which was Seabass and a lemon risotto. It was really good! My friends had the other meals and were really happy with their choices. We ended the night with espresso martinis which were really good! read more

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So I have now been here several times and brought my husband, mom and friends in to come enjoy the beautiful taste of the Italian seaside. The food is great, the prices are perfect for trying out many different flavorscapes, and the service is always very authentic. My husband raves about the grilled octopus salad, which I have tried and I must admit, although I'm not partial to octopus, is very lovely. I love the fresh burrata, it's creamy and perfectly balanced with the tomatoes. Also, do not miss the halibut, it is a new flavor for me paired with the chips, but it's one I would not miss out on. My only complaint, and why I am not giving five stars, is because of a little bit tiffed at an experience I had last time when I came with several friends. We had ordered a bottle of wine and lots of food, so I had assumed that was why our check was so big, no big deal. But when I went to retroactively split the check via venmo the next day I realized they had charged us 60 dollars for three limoncello shots!! They had rung it up as a drink + a fee for alcohol + an additional fee for it being a cocktail-- leading it to be twenty dollars each! Maybe it's our fault for not asking the price before ordering, but none of their other drinks were anywhere near that price point. I feel as if the server snuck in extra fees for our bill and got away with it. Next time I will make sure to double-check the bill before paying. Regardless, the food is great and the bartender on weekend nights is extremely knowledgeable and helpful! read more

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This place has some nerve charging $20+ for a tiny pasta dish. This pasta is fine, but the portion is so small. In that same light, $8 for two basic rice balls is offensive. The food isn't bad. I'd actually say it tasted good, if I had to pick good or bad. But I spent way too much money to still be hungry. read more

Retrobottega is such a fun spot for date night, go out with friends, or grabbing a drink at the bar! One of the only italian spots in adams morgan, its fun to have a delicious, homemade pasta spot and rustic italian vibes. I love the interior and the staff is great. Good amount of food options, and would definitely recommend an appetizer. I will say that you should take the server's recommendation on dishes - some are MUCH better and more authentic than others (the scallop risotto is NOT worth it). Overall a good spot and great prices!! read more

Place had a nice vibe, server was friendly, and the food was very good. I had the popular mushroom pasta and it did not disappoint. Mushrooms were fresh, large and plentiful. Pasta is done slightly over al dente if that's your thing. Great taste. read more

The food was amazing and fresh. The mozzarella balls were homemade..superb... really nice date spot and very inexpensive. read more

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Service was excellent and food was pretty good! The best part is that they let us sit in the patio with our dog

Quite literally the worst service my family and I have ever had. We sat down for a special occasion, wasn't even looked at. We left as there was not a single person being attentive, we never even got service. The host was nothing but rude as well, sitting us in the most cramped part of the restaurant (don't come here w more than another person). He had an attitude the whole time. Tables next to us expressed the same frustration. Do not be fooled by what you see over the internet. The ambiance was cramped, and they blared Bon Jovi so loud you couldn't hear anyone. Not what you would think from others reviews. I've never written a review, love food, and truly am disappointed I couldn't even try the food. Sad. I was a big fan of Al Volo when I went, but consider my birthday ruined by these clowns. read more

This place is AMAZING. All the food was delicous and fresh. I highly recommend the chitarra if you like seafood. The gnocchi bologonese and vodka ravioli was so delicous. Everything came out hot and fresh. The burrata and bruschetta were so yummy. Same with the bread read more

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Food was great, as well as the ambiance and service, no complaints! To be honest, not the biggest fam of Italian, but this place got me thinking. read more

Bad drinks, food and service unfortunately. The inside smells like piss. We sat at a table inside and the smell was unbearable. We moved to the patio. I ordered a dirty martini and it was orange. Didn't taste like olive juice or alcohol, just vermouth and water and whatever they included to make it orange. There was a hair in one person's dish, I get it, it happens. We sent it back and eventually received the new dish and it was just bad (bucatini). Server never even came back to check how things were since the food was initially dropped off, I had to chase him down about the hair and just never saw him again. We were charged for all of these items. The gnocchi was good. Edit: Server gave us one dessert to split to make up for the hair in the food and it was so bad, dry and old mush. It also seemed like every table received the same free dessert and didn't eat it. read more

A great option for covid-dining. SERVICE 5 AMBIANCE 5 FOOD 5 VALUE 5 OVERALL 5 Outdoor Dining - Yes. Retrobottega was already one of my favorites because of their consistently attentive service, but now with expanded "parklet" dining area, there is more space between tables outdoors. I highly recommend: Fried Artichoke appetizer Risotto balls appetizer For dinner: CHITARRA - Squid ink pasta, white wine, clams, mussels, squid, shrimp. Manicotti - Stuffed baked pasta with spinach and ricotta Wine and drinks solid. The dining experience is elevated because the servers really know their stuff Matteo (co-owner and very hard working server) really cares about his guests and all the food. I appreciate Matteo and his vision & tenacity for the restaurant. Remi (Remy?) our server for the night was well versed on the entire menu and provided great recommendations. Wish there were a few more vegetable-forward dishes for vegetarians. Enjoy! read more

Retrobottega has the absolute best bread I have ever had. You could make a meal on it but don't because the rest of the food is sooo good. The flavors of the octopus appetizer are amazing. I had the ravioli wow!!! The short rib is also amazing as are the scallops and risotto. The wines are great too! A hidden gem for sure !!! read more

Very small portions given to you for dinner, so not really something you can split with another person. The scallops were fantastic and the clams were good as well. I would skip the octopus as it didn't taste very fresh. read more

We enjoyed the food and excellent service. I enjoyed a glass of Barbara and was delighted at the wine by the glass menu. Service was prompt and efficient. Highly recommend this place! read more

Great small spot on the Adams Morgan strip with quality food and service. Happy Hour draught Peroni was only $5. One of the best Italian restaurants I have been to in D.C. Keep up the greatness! read more

Retrobottega - Burratta with cherry tomatoes and pesto - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Truly one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. The food was absolutely delicious. What really elevates the food experience though is the staff. They were attentive and so kind. This is the kind of place you go to twice in a single trip. read more

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This Italian restaurant in Adams Morgan is worth all of the five stars on this app and more! My friends and I went here for my birthday yesterday, and let me tell you, it was SO GOOD.Everyone loved their food (I had the Pappardelle Beef Short Rib and it was so tender that you can cut it with a spoon) and the refreshing vino. The atmosphere was perfect and the staff went above and beyond to make my birthday dinner fantastic. I am still dreaming about that tiramisu. I am coming back here for sure! Thank you much Retrobottega. read more

Retrobottega - Chitarra - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The food is authentic and delicious. The ambience, fun and comfortable. The staff are warm and professional. LOVE this neighborhood eatery

I was excited to try Retrobottega because of the Al Volo connection, and it didn't disappoint. We had tried to get a table a few weeks ago and it was too busy, but we made a reservation in advance this time for the patio. Nice ambiance and the owner was so so friendly. Good service as well too, although if anything it felt like the waitress came by every 2 minutes. I got the bucatini carbonara which was fine, but my friends got the gnocchi and the ravioli which were both amazing. Will definitely come back, especially since they're one of the few places that takes outdoor reservations! read more

Retrobottega - Bucatini - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

So yummy. Must get the fried mozzarella balls, artichoke hearts, and calamari. The complimentary bread is amazing. So fluffy and flavorful. Also wonderful service. 10/10 would recommend and am definitely going back soon read more

Retrobottega - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was decent but overpriced for the quality and portion size. Pasta was a little too al dente but the meats were cooked well. The ambiance of the restaurant was super cool. The waitress was a little cold and apathetic. Would not recommend the cheesecake. read more

Great good! We were in town for just a couple of days and so glad we found this gem. The hubs had pappardelle with short ribs (a tomato based sauce) and I had buccatini amatricianna. Both were exceptional. Good service, friendly and professional. If we lived in this neighborhood it would absolutely be a regular haunt for us. read more

DO NOT GO HERE. We sat down at 8, our food order was not taken until 9. My fiancée ordered the same (bucatini) as me but I got the gluten free noodles. They came out looking identical. After waiting 15 minutes for the waiter to come back around, he then argued with me telling me he was PRETTY SURE that it was gluten free. I said no way they can make gluten free bucatini noodles, he's like oh no it's supposed to be spaghetti if it's gluten free. So he finally takes it back to the kitchen. In the time it took to remake my meal, the rest of my dinner party finished their meals. I will say everyone was very hungry at this point because we had to wait so long to order so maybe they ate a little fast but their plates are cleared before I even get my pasta. They bring it out and I have my fiancée try a bite to confirm that it tastes different than hers, it does so I start to eat. On my third bite I feel a different shape of noodle in my mouth so I have to spit it out. They do not care that they glutened me and refuse to remake or comp the dish a second time. I was tempted to argue longer but then needed to RUN HOME because of the aforementioned rogue gluten noodle. Do not go here oh my god. read more

The owner, Mateo, has created a 5 star Italian restaurant experience at affordable prices. My friends and I ordered the burrata caprese to share, and it was devoured in seconds. I ordered the lasagne with oxtail, and it was fresh and delicious. Not to be that person, but it definitely reminded me of my meals in Italy that have been sorely missed. This will be my go-to Italian spot from here on out. Thank you, Mateo! read more

Although they were short staffed this eve, Josh and the rest of the team provided excellent service, cocktails and food! Do yourself a favor and try them out.. such an enjoyable menu and experience! read more

Super friendly staff and excellent fresh pastas & ingredients! Will definitely be back. read more

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Two weeks ago, I made a reservation for my birthday dinner at here over the phone for a party of 10 (since the online system only allows bookings for parties of 6 or fewer). The gentleman on the phone was nice, assured me this was fine and that I had a reservation for 10/9 at 9pm. I even received an email after our call confirming this. The day before my reservation (10/8) I confirmed our reservation via text. I arrived 10 min early for our reservation and spoke to a male bartender. He asked for my name and if I had a reservation, I gave the details and waited. While waiting a female server also assisted us, asked about our reservation, etc. I explained the details again and let her know the bartender was also aware and possibly working to get our table ready. Maybe 5 min later, myself and the first guest to arrive were taken to a table of two, which we quickly explained to the man showing us our table we are a party of 10 with a reservation. He told us to go back to the bar and wait, which we did for 30 min. As my guests started to arrive we all stood at the bar waiting as I explained to 4-5 servers/bartenders/staff we have a reservation for 9pm. At this point it was 9:20, it was clear there was no table for us even after I made a reservation WEEKS in advance. The only highlight of retrobottega was the female bartender who was very friendly and clearly wanted to make our experience better by helping us at least order drinks while waiting 30+ min for our /reserved/ table. read more

We loved Retrobottega. Their lasagna was seriously top notch.. so rich and satisfying. We happened to score a place at the bar, the place was packed. Bartenders were excellent and overall we had a great meal. Tiramisu was the perfect end. read more

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This is easily my new favorite place. Authentic Italian food, shareable (or not), happy hour and friendly service. What's not to love? The food is exquisite, truly. This is my 4th time here and the owner, Mateo, is a charming young man and clearly knows his cuisine. read more

Retrobottega - Artichokes with caper aioli and cod croquettes. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I came to Retrobottega based on the recommendation of a friend in addition to the numerous five star reviews it has received on Yelp. In my opinion, this restaurant has earned each of these stars. My companion and I arrived at around 9:30 on a Thursday, and decided to sit at the bar. The first drink that I had was the Amaro Smash- one of their signature cocktails (not pictured) followed by a martini. Each drink was well- balanced and delicious. Now, time for the food! We ordered several of their small plates; the fried truffle mozzarella and the grilled lamb skewers were standouts. We also ordered the beef carpaccio which was perfectly fresh and tender (the shaved Parmesan was mouthwateringly delicious). We ended the evening with Nutella mousse (light, airy, and not- too- sweet) and two shots of amaro. It's hard to remember a dinner experience in recent memory about which I wouldn't change a thing. This place achieved that. I will be back. read more

Retrobottega - Martini! - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Highly recommend visiting Retrobottega if you're craving Italian food! Stopped in to celebrate a birthday and sampled a few of their dishes, every single one was delicious The staff was kind, attentive and made our night out really special. read more