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I tried regrobottega for a pre happy hour before heading out for a holiday party closeby. We sat at the bar and were quickly served. The place had plenty of seating and a lot of space at the bar for a Friday. They had 10 dollar deals on some food though my friends and I got the pastas, which were great. My friends got the vodka sauce with pasta, grilled calamari, burrata ravioli and short rib pasta. The pasta was wonderful, although my friends and I did not like the calamari. It wasn't well seasoned and was very chewy. If you're in the area and in the mood for Italian place, definitely come here!!
History of Present Indulgence 32 yo M presents with spouse and friend for pre-comedy show dinner at Italian establishment on 18th Street in Adams Morgan. No reservation and sat comfortably at the bar. Physical Examination Food - This place was absolutely delicious. We started with Arancini and Prosciutto e Polenta. The arancini was fried perfectly - crispy outside, warm risotto inside, and sitting in this savory-sweet tomato sauce that I could've honestly just eaten with a spoon (and basically did using the focaccia they give with your meal - which itself was delicious too). The arancini also has ground beef in the center, which adds to the flavor and depth of what is usually just fried risotto. The polenta fries with paprika aioli were fantastic too. My only complaint is that I wish there were more of the fries because there were only 3 to go along with the large plate of sliced prosciutto. The prosciutto itself was fine. Just standard quality prosciutto. For mains, we went family-style and shared three entrees: the pork ossobuco from the secondi menu, the tagliarini with shredded duck, and the cavatelli with rabbit and fava beans. The ossobuco was cooked well, though I wish the braise flavor went deeper into the pork. The truffle mushroom risotto underneath was incredible. Rich, creamy, and the fresh lemon and parsley gremolata on top cut through all that richness perfectly. The tagliarini was delicious, but my wife and I agreed that the duck flavor was a little lost in the rich marinara sauce. It didn't feel like I was eating duck, to be honest. You could've told me that was shredded short rib, and I might've believed you. The cavatelli was probably my favorite dish - those shell-shaped pasta pieces with rabbit and fava beans in a white wine sauce that had this unique flavor I haven't tasted anywhere else. There's a mild gaminess from the rabbit, but it was very subtle. Each time I had a fava bean, it was a fun change of pace in texture and taste as I was spooning this plate down my throat. It was so so good. Portions were generous too, which made the prices feel totally worth it. We left full and satisfied. My wife had a lambrusco spritz that was deliciously refreshing, and we shared some good wine throughout the meal. No complaints. Service - The bartender was really kind and attentive. Even though we weren't at a table, we didn't feel like we were getting second-tier service or anything. They checked on us regularly, made good recommendations, and kept everything moving smoothly. I also love a service that offers more table bread without needing to be asked. And their table bread was this fragrant focaccia, so I could've eaten all of whatever they brought. Ambiance - haven't been to a ton of Italian restaurants in DC, but I loved the vibe here. Intimate, cozy, dim lighting. The wine selection was great too - enough variety to be interesting without being one of those overwhelming 50-page wine lists. I think this would be a perfect date night spot. Assessment A high-quality Italian restaurant with creative takes on traditional dishes, generous portions, and an intimate atmosphere. A strong contender for the Adams Morgan dining scene, where restaurants are lined up right next to each other, and making a choice can be a bit difficult. Plan - Add to recommended restaurant list for DC visitors - Consider for future date nights or a solo wine and appetizer moment - Return to try more pasta dishes or enjoy a happy hour
Retrobottega is currently my favorite restaurant in DC. My wife and I went there for our anniversary dinner and were blown away by the entire experience. We're not big cocktail drinkers, but we really enjoyed the Penicillina and Retro Passion. Unlike most arancini appetizers, Retrobottega's version is packed with flavor--you can clearly taste the beef and cheese filling. My wife had the bucatini, and I had the pappardelle with beef short rib. We each took leftovers home for a couple more meals. I couldn't believe how perfectly the short rib was cooked--it was fork-tender. The pasta was delicious, and the sauces complemented both dishes beautifully. We finished with the tiramisu.
Great little Italian spot in Adam's Morgan! The food was great! I ordered the fried seafood appetizer of shrimp, calamari and fish that came with a marinara and a garlic aoli. Delicious and fried to perfection! And I ordered the carbonara! Super good! Portion sizes were good and shareable. They even offered to split the pasta into 2 separate dishes for easy sharing. Good wine selection! Very cozy place! Can't wait to go back and try more dishes!
Great spot with yummy food and drinks! My friend and I sat at the bar for Happy Hour where we had wonderful service! My friend and I had the cocktail of the day which was gin-based and sooo refreshing! We split the fried artichokes which comes with a delicious sauce. I had the ravioli which was also tasty! Would definitely come back!
Tasty appetizers and wonderful entrees. This was a great place to get a few different plates and share with a group! The artichokes were unreal- who knew that the vegetable could be made to be so good!
Phenomenal! I absolutely loved Retrobottega. Everything we had was top-notch and we genuinely loved each dish. The octopus was perfectly cooked, the burrata perfectly tasty and the carpaccio was amazing. Service was impeccable with very friendly wait staff and host staff. Ambience was great as well as it was the perfect blend of lively but intimate enough to have conversation at the table. I totally understand why this place is rated so well I would recommend it to anyone looking for good Italian, not only in Adams Morgan, but in DC in general. Next time I'm in the area I will definitely be making a stop at Retrobottega.
Came here to dine alone, the ambiance was great! I always walk by and have been wanting to try for awhile. I think I would enjoy it more with a friend, since they have a lot of shared plates and focaccia for the table! Would love to come back for their happy hour and a cocktail. I had a whiskey sour which was delicious. I ordered the short rib pappardelle, it was cooked and seasoned wonderfully. I finished my meal with an espresso, which had a gorgeous crema, I was very impressed and might stop by just for a cup.
Little casual Italian spot in Admo! Very cute and cozy. They've got a $10 all-day cicchetti menu at the bar. Food and drinks are reasonably priced with cocktails around $14-16 and wine by the glass $11-16). Highlights were the fried artichokes, calamari, basil fusilli, and tiramisu-- so good! Service was also very friendly. I would definitely go back!
I love it here! It's a bit pricy for pasta, but if you try it, you'll understand why! The restaurant is always busy and the service is great. I've had the bucatini, lasagna and fettuccine. A little about each dish: Bucatini: If you like carbonara, this ones for you! It's delicious. also, the pasta is thick and chewy. Lasagna: can't go wrong here. Lots of meat and huge portion. Fettuccini: My #1 fav here! It has shredded duck meat. Also, something about the tomato sauce is just so fresh. Bonus if you sub the pasta for bucatini. Bucatini pasta has a hole in the center. It's thicker than a fettuccine.
Seriously one of the best value and tastiest meals I've had in DC so far. I had the duck Taglierini and my guest had the Pappardelle Stewed Short Rib. His meat was fall-off-the-bone and smelled delicious. Mine was similarly tasty and the serving sizes were more than generous. The total cost for these dishes after 20% tip was $70.20. Service was quick. We were seated without a reservation (Tuesday night around 6) quickly. The restaurant was fairly empty. It was just 10-12 minutes from our order to its delivery. Moderate noise from the street and other diners, but still quiet enough to have a private conversation. I would take a business meeting here again.
daydreaming of when im coming back here. I forget what the app is that I got (pictured) - but it was one of the most yummy thing's ive ever had in my entire life. holy crap. the pasta was great, the service was great, location and vibe is PEAK. mushroom pasta was good but ill try something different the next time -- but again THIS APP!!!!! WAS SO SO SO GOOD.
4 years ago
The food here is absolutely delicious and the staff is very welcoming. The vibe is very chill, and there's great lighting...low enough to be intimate and bright enough to read a book. I had the charred octopus, and it was fantastic. For my entree, I had the spaghetti with clams and it was so good. I'll definitely become a regular at this place: it's giving too 3 Italian spots in D.C. read more
I loved everything about my experience here! The service was fantastic; our server was Ariana and she was the best, so sweet & checked in with us a lot & made great suggestions for us! The drinks, apps & entrees were delicious. Everything came out in a reasonable time frame (not too quick, not too long). The wait staff kept our water glasses full & even continually dropped off glasses of ice because we asked for it at the beginning of dinner! They also played several TTPD songs which was so fun! :) read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
Pastas are yummy here! Came here on a Saturday night and ordered three pastas to be split between 2 people. We weren't crazy hungry but im here for the variety/pasta sampler. Portion sizes are decent so you don't need to order more than one pasta per person i just really enjoy pasta and can take down a lot of it. You can get the cicchetti or like the small snack apps for other food. We got the taglierini, cavatelli with rabbit, and the papparadelle with mushrooms. Originally i was set on doing spaghetti with clams and papparadelle with third one as wild card but switched after seeing another table's order. I wanted a red sauce but the lighter/brighter color like the way the ravioli sauce looked. The gnocchi dish looked good but that red sauce is darker. Our server said the taglierini was a house special/classic and it had red wine but was still lighter and he did not steer us wrong. That ended up being my favorite/the cavatelli. Normally im not a short pasta person but the other table got it and it looked really good and when i asked server what i should get between oxtail lasagna, spaghetti with clams, and cavatelli he said the cavatelli. Again a good choice! I hate when servers are like well those are really different so depends what you're in the mood for like DECIDE FOR ME, and i will judge you if your choice is bad baha jk on last one I'm indecisive and accept the consequences!!! Pastas all had great texture. Really liked flavor of taglierini and cavatelli and they come out nice and steaming hot! Was fun to people watch and see admo bustling again with lots of patio and outdoor seating! read more
Retrobottega is absolutely delightful!! This is a smaller restaurant, and quite popular, so RSVP ahead if possible. We were sat almost immediately, and enjoyed our spot out on the patio. We made it in time for happy hour, and enjoyed our wine for 8$ (and heavy pours). We had a few appetizers, like the burrata caprese (so good, with fresh pesto at the bottom) and arancini (only two but large and filling). We did order the calamari- FYI it is NOT fried, but they are pretty clear on the menu about this. We also tore through a few baskets of the fresh bread. For dinner, I had the Pappardelle short rib. WOW. The meat fell right off the bone, and the sauce was rich. It was a generous portion and I honestly don't know if I could bring myself to order anything else off the menu in the future, since I loved it so much! I love this quaint little Italian spot and can't wait to come back. read more
2 years ago
Loved our experience here tonight! Service, food, and ambiance were all 5/5. We started out with free focaccia bread that was soft and warm. For my entree I ordered the seafood pasta that came with plenty of fresh seafood and delicious squid ink pasta. It was flavorful without being overly salty or oily. The service was great as well. Our food came out quickly and our server always made sure our waters were filled. Would definitely return. read more
2 years ago
3.5 Hubby was looking for Italian, so I figured we give this Yelp favorite s try. The restaurant is in the heart of 18th street, the quirky/funky main drag in Adams Morgan. If you walk up the block of townhomes converted to storefronts will probably miss the place. We found it, sandwiched between an Indian restaurant under renovation and a psychic joint-where the psychics were out trying to get customers finishing their meals. Atmosphere- we out outside which was a nice, albeit tight space. The service- the waiter and other staff were nice. Waiter didn't come to the table quite as often as I wanted him to, but he was accurate and wanted to please. He came to give us the check but forgot to ask if we wanted dessert-tiramisu. When we asked he smiled and brought it promptly. It was a good, smallish slice. The food-my sea bass was excellent! Great flavor and very well grilled. Came on a bed of yummy risotto. Hubby ravioli was okay, but nothing to rave about. He should have opted for the parpardelle-which I noticed many people order. Looking around at others plates- squid dish looked great, short rib looked awesome, fried mozzarella appeared crisp and hot! Wine list was okay, not extensive. Didn't try any cocktails. Hubby ordered a regular coffee with dessert, but didn't realize it was going to be espresso. It was strong, with very good flavor, but you don't get much. The owner or manager takes pride in his place you can tell. Overall a solid experience. Points down for the ravioli, the construction right next to us, and the women trying to read our palms. If in the area, I would come again for that sea bass! read more
2 years ago
AMAZING spot for drinks and food! We spilt a bottle of wine and shared 2 apps and an entree. The service was also great and we enjoyed the vibes of the whole place. 100% would eat here again. read more
Loved this quaint Italian restaurant! We were running quite late to our reservation and called to inform the restaurant and they kindly held our table for us, which we really appreciated. It is a pretty small space but it is charming and our server was wonderful. My friend and I each got a glass of the house red wine which was a generous pour for the price. For entrees we had the short rib beef Pappardelle and the Strozzapreti (pesto, tomato, shrimp based dish). The pasta I believe is all homemade in house at the restaurant and you can definitely tell. Both entrees were delicious and I absolutely LOVED the short rib Pappardelle. It was a pretty generous portion as well - a ton of meat, right on the bone. I enjoyed it so much that it would be hard choosing another pasta dish next time, but I don't think you can go wrong with any of the pastas. Definitely a solid spot and would for sure return again! read more
Service- 5/5 Food- 4/5 Ambiance -4/5 The only reason I didn't give the food a 5/5 was because the desserts were awful! They only had 2 options and we got both of them. The tiramisu was mushy and tasted just like whipped cream- not authentic at all, and Nutella mousse was grainy and lacked Nutella flavor- I was so disappointed because I had high hopes especially after everything we had eaten prior. I truly hope they improve their desserts here because the food was phenomenal and service was great! read more
1 year ago
Thank God, finally a great Italian spot! A friend and I came here on my birthday for an early meal. We made a reservation ahead of time to ensure we'd get a spot outside, and so glad we did. The outdoor seating area is a great place to eat and drink on a nice day. The servers are very attentive - but not in an annoying way. The wine list is *chef's kiss* perfect. I started with a delightful rosé to pair with my appetizer - fried mozzarella with truffle oil. I mean, it's a fancy adult cheese stick and it's delicious. For dinner, I had the manicotti. You can tell the pasta is homemade. It's in a red sauce that's robust and thick. Sometimes red sauce makes me feel sick, this one did not. I also tried the ravioli in vodka sauce with burrata filling. This was like "buttah." So creamy and effortless. Such a great dish. This is great place for wine and food. There's also happy hour pricing as well. So, definitely check it out. read more
What a stunner! From the moment we walked in we were impressed with the look of this place. It has a modern yet old timey classic vibe. It's a shotgun style restaurant with a bar up front with a few tables and then more tables for dining upstairs near the open concept kitchen. I made a reservation and so we were promptly seated-which, to be fair, we were the only people in there at 6PM on a Sunday. We placed our drink orders and I felt my cocktail was a great value and presented well. Service was very prompt at first when we were the only customers, about 45 minutes into our meal with an additional 4-5 tables seated, it became impossible to get our waiter's attention. He disappeared from where everyone was seated. Kind of strange, since we weren't the only table looking for him but it took me about 15 minutes to get a to go container. This is why I docked them a star. Otherwise, the food here was delicious! I felt my entree of the oxtail lasagna was the best dish at our table followed closely by the meatballs and the fried mozzarella. I actually cut the lasagna in half and ate the rest for lunch the following day. The arancini wasn't bad, but not the best. Additionally, Two of us were interested in the chicken Florentine, but alas they were out. Bottom line: I'd go back again to sample more cocktails and have the lasagna again! read more
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Rolando F.
Thank you so much for your feedback Kim,…
All the food was fantastic, the atmosphere was warm and very cozy. I would definitely recommend trying this place out for a girls night or a date! The wait staff was very kind and helpful and even gave us dessert on the house. read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
Amazing service! Pappardelle was amazing!! Must Try. Arancini and Fried Mozarella Balls were great too. We also had the Duck and Bucatini. Bucatini was a little salty, but a great experience. We asked for a box to pack the Foccacia, and they gave us EVEN MORE to take home! Loved this place and the friendly servers!! read more
5 years ago
I almost walked past this on first glance, but I'm so glad I stopped! It was super easy to make a reservation and it was very crowded inside. It felt like a neighborhood spot and the waiters clearly knew a lot of people that arrived. On to the food! We started off with the fried mozzarella and arancini, which were both super flavorful and not too too dense. Our waiter, Nando, was super accommodating and made sure that the mushroom paparadelle was dairy free for my friend. I shared the short rib paparadelle with my other friend. They were super great and split it into two plates before it came to us. The short rib was perfectly cooked and plentiful for both our plates. The cheesecake for dessert had a wonderful flavor but an oddly crumbly texture, so keep that in mind if you order it. I will definitely be returning and enjoying the red wine and cozy vibe! read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
Probably some of the best Italian food I have had in a while. Started off with focaccia bread and it was warm and fluffy. The olive oil was nicely flavored. The fried mozzarella was equally delicious. Warm and fresh and underneath was a tangly tomato sauce. The manicotti was fine. The spinach and ricotta stuffy was smooth and flavorful. The waiter was very nicely and adjusted to our dietary restrictions. Plenty of seating, good music and well lit. read more
If you're in the area and looking for solid Italian food, Retrobottega is a great choice. I liked being able to make reservations online, even in the fully enclosed street tables too. Our waiter was courteous and accommodating, and made good recommendations. He was very familiar with the menu as well, and never seemed to judge me *too* hard for ordering multiple waves of their delicious house focaccia bread and olive oil. We started with several cheeses, which are a flat rate of $7 each. You get quite a bit of cheese, which is delicious spread on crostini or the house bread. When it was time to order entrees, I went with the pappardelle with beef short rib. It was both visually stunning -- with it's large bone-in short rib -- and delicious. read more
Retrobottega never misses!! I brought my parents who were visiting from out of town and they loved it. My mom loved her Negroni to start and I enjoyed a really yummy pineapple mocktail (dry January probs). Always get the Arancini for an appetizer. I had the spaghetti with the garlic sauce and clams and it was incredible. My mom had the ravioli which is filled with burratta- insanely good. My dad had the Strozzapreti which is a thicker noodle with a pesto type sauce. He liked it, but preferred the spaghetti and ravioli over his meal. The short rib pappardelle is an all time fave of mine, but I'm so glad I tried something new this time! Can't wait to come back to this fantastic spot in AdMo!! read more
1 year ago
5 years ago
So good. Great service and great food. We had small plates and entrees and charcuterie. Everything was excellent. Service was outstanding and the atmosphere was nice. Can't wait to return. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
I came here with work colleagues tonight and everyone agreed it was a delicious dinner! We thought the bruschetta appetizer was very tasty. I had the scallops risotto for dinner and the risotto was perfectly cooked. The space was nice and the server was friendly. Oh, and everyone enjoyed their drinks as well! read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
I was able to take my girlfriend to rettrobodega for our anniversary dinner. I have never been there before but I have heard a lot of good things about it. It is a very authentic Italian restaurant located in Adams Morgan DC. All in all my experience was pretty good the food was delicious. The only thing that was offputting was our waiter didn't come to the table within 15 minutes of us sitting down. I had to call on another person (Giacomino) in order to get service and he did an amazing job hosting us which I was very pleased about. Shout out to Giacomino. read more
3 years ago
Great ambiance eating on the patio on a Saturday night. Not too noisy but a great ambience! The food was delicious and reasonably priced as well. The staff were all considerate and friendly! read more
More info about Retrobottega
2435 18th St NW
Washington, DC 20009
Adams Morgan
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(202) 450-5219
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http://retrobottegadc.com
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Ask the Community - Retrobottega
How warm is the seating at the patio during winter? Is it heated? Is it bearable?
Are customers allowed to bring their own wine? What is the uncorking fee?
Hello Kristen, thanks for reaching out. There is a cork fee of 15$ per standard size bottle (75cl)…
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Retrobottega - tapasmallplates - Updated September 2026
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