I still love this restaurant. The lunch special is now $18, which still seems like a good deal for what you get. You can also add on focaccia and breadsticks for $3. I just love the atmosphere. The waitstaff is always friendly and attentive. They refill your water glass often. I like those little details. read more

Sotto Sopra - Soft polenta with snail ragu - Italian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Went during restaurant week and had a great server (Brandon). Great food and great service! read more

Sotto Sopra - Italian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

We picked this bc most restaurants were closed by 8pm on a Sunday.....Hm! We got takeout tonight (adding silverware in the bag helps for us people staying at a hotel with no forks) the restaurant is beautiful in side and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I got the fettuccine Toscana....not sure why the noodles had a sea food taste...my son got fettuccine Alfredo and thought the same thing so I think it was the noodles. Anyway, atmosphere looked great, food was eh ok. read more

WOW. Such a gorgeous and intimate place in the heart of Baltimore. I took my mom for a nice Italian / fresh pasta dinner before going to a show and we could not get over how great everything was. We made our reservation pretty early for a Friday (it was an 8pm show), so were seated JUST after they had opened (they open at 5:30, we arrived at 5:45). That being said, the place definitely was PACKED by the time we left at 7:15. The pasta is made fresh and in-house - a definite requirement for when I am scoping out new Italian / pasta locations. And their pasta did NOT disappoint. Sadly, we didn't come on one of their famed "opera nights" - where they have real opera singers to please the ears of all who dine for the entire night. This happens once per month with the next 'show' on 11/19- you're welcome. They have a regular / daily special menu which of course highlights their current chef favorites, as well as their classic menu. We split the Cesar Salad - it was amazing. Then the main courses: I went with the house made fettuccine bolognese ... HEAVEN. My mom did a spinach ravioli and had zero critiques. And the wine was perfect. I honestly want to make a trip back to Baltimore just to come here again. I just might. Price was completely reasonable too - nothing extreme in my DC opinion. Service was impeccable as well. read more

Terrific restaurant, first class food and service. The place was packed tonight, first time I've seen it that busy in two years. Our party of four had to wait quite a while. The manager offered us each a glass of Prosecco while we waited. Once we were seated he sent over a lovely tray of cheeses and salami, on the house. The wait staff apologized profusely for the wait. Our meals were delicious, the service was excellent, and of course the setting is artistic and urbane. This is one of our favorite restaurants in town and we will be back again soon. read more

Amazing dinner. We went for restaurant week and I will definitely be coming back. Our server Patrick was very attentive and gave great recs for what to choose as there were so many options. I got the Chianti wine, with the calamari fritti, short rib stuffed raviolis with truffle sauce, and the cheesecake w raspberry sorbet. Every was perfect except it was so hot and kind of loud. Regardless it was somewhere I will definitely be coming back to. read more

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Sotto does not disappoint as one of the most romantic venues for a beautiful date night in the md region. Gorgeous place, nice ambiance, lovely music. They have an opera night! How sick is that?? And of course, the food ... Bronzino with grilled tomatoes was prob the tastiest freshest I've tasted. And I've tasted a lot. My date has beef rib ravioli and was pleased. The portions are generous. Goat beet salad was fresh, with crispy goat cheese balls and a lovely vinaigrette, and big enough to share. Without our request, it was split into two. The service was a little sporadic, and a bit under attentive. The prices have gone up a bit with chicken dishes in the 30s (too high imo) and pork shank @ $40. Pastas in the 30s. But our tab reflecting two entries and one app, with no desert and one glass of wine, was roughly $100. Not unreasonable and worth it for me. I recommend it for those looking to impress. read more

You simply cannot go wrong at Sotto Sopra. Every single thing we had was spot on - the food, the service, the drinks - everything. The food is imaginative. The drinks are excellent. The service is as good as it gets. No - I don't work for them, and I didn't get paid anything to write this - I'm from NY, for crying out loud! Love it, love it, love it. read more

Went to Sotto Sopra recently for my anniversary dinner. I was excited as I've been hearing great things for quite a while now. The restaurant space was beautiful and the service was wonderful but the food was so disappointing. We had the calamari fritti, zucchini caprese, and charcuterie to start, and I got the seafood risotto and my husband had the grilled ribeye for entreés. I couldn't believe it but all the food was SO bland. It was like not a single seasoning was used let alone a sprinkle of salt anywhere. The charcuterie was good because it's cured meat and cheese that doesn't require anything extra. The calamari was more fried vegetables than fried calamari and it was served with a spicy tomato sauce and some sort of aioli for dipping but none of it had any flavor. Same with the caprese, it was even served with some sort of white sauce on top but 0 flavor. My husbands ribeye was just ok. Cooked just fine, but the horseradish sauce it is served with was so bland and you couldn't even tell it was supposed to be a horseradish sauce. The seafood risotto I ordered came with a lot of seafood in it, but just had no flavor to it at all. It was like there was no seasoning or salt used at any point. We did order the crème brûlée for dessert, that was delicious and we were served two shots of house made limoncello that we enjoyed. I really wanted to like this spot because I've heard so much hype but the meal really fell flat and was a disappointment for an anniversary dinner. read more

Fine dining, great evening. We started with the bruschetta of the day which had a nice smoky ricotta - delicious. Truly homemade pasta was wonderful as Linguini with an ossobuco ragu. He got risotto with scallops. Vegetables are sides that are ordered separately and plenty for two or three people. They have some interesting cocktails a solid wine list, both by the glass and bottle. I was offered to sample the amaro when I had some questions (nice touch because I wasn't a fan of the one, but the other was good). Service was great with enough conversation to be engaging and friendly and not too much. It was a nice anniversary dinner. read more

We came here today for a business lunch to impress some clients. We were a party of 9 and they were very accommodating (we called ahead to let them know). There was another large party there (maybe 8-10) and we were the only two tables at the time. Our waiter was great, but unfortunately the service was very slow. It was not his fault at all (he was running around the entire time going as quickly as he could) but it was a lot of people to handle alone, so it was completely understood. We were there for about 2 hours. The food was pretty great but small portions for lunch. The crunchy breadsticks were a hit at our table. The caesar salad comes as one big chunk of lettuce so you need to cut it yourself. The goat cheese salad looked awesome, definitely bigger, and I would order that as my appetizer next time. The salmon with lavender honey dish was delicious but fairly basic and not that filling. My coworker ordered the pesto gnocchi, and while he said it was amazing, it was approximately 4 bites. The pesto was more of a creamy green sauce instead of the traditional olive oil base. I would definitely recommend this place for a date. The place is nicely decorated, has romantic atmosphere, and delicious food. I would not recommend for a business lunch. read more

Everything was well prepared. Service was great. Always felt safe in relation to covid. All four of us enjoyed our meals and our appetizers. We had a great time. read more

I had a very good meal here, but not a great one. This may be splitting hairs because many of the elements of my evening were quite excellent, but a few small things kept the meal from being truly 5 star. The decor at Sotto is amazing, the service was quite good (with one tiny exception), and it has a very dark and cozy ambiance that I really enjoyed. My issue was that the food items I had just did not have a wow factor. Don't get me wrong, everything was good. But you know that feeling when you taste something and your eyes grow wide with excitement and you look at your dining partner nodding enthusiastically while pushing the plate in their direction. "You have to taste this!" written all over your face. Yeah, that never happened. And in my humble opinion the food was just a little under seasoned. The mussels were good but the broth need more oomph. The pork ossobuco was served atop a delicious mushroom risotto, and was fork tender, but in all honesty, it was a little bland. I wanted some salt (which is not present on the table for some reason) and could not get anyone's attention for about 5 minutes. I finally walked to the bar and asked for a salt shaker. This was my only service issue. A little salt kicked the dish Into play but I hate having to doctor my food. And while salt is very subject let me say for the record that I am by no means a "saltoholic"--In fact I rarely pick up a salt shaker. On the good side of things the Lobster ravioli were excellent. The pizza with prosciutto and arugula was also quite good, but I did not read correctly and didn't realize it was a white pizza (in my world pizza must have tomato sauce, bread and cheese to qualify as pizza--white pizzas don't exist), but a side of marinara fixed this nicely. read more

I discovered this restaurant from a girl I follow on social media. Her food and drink looked amazing! My birthday recently just passed and my boyfriend made reservations for us to come here on the day. Absolutely beautiful inside and because we went on a weekday it was really quiet, which we enjoyed. The wine we had was a sweet white and it was recommended by our waitress, great taste she has because we both really liked it! I ordered the honey lavender salmon and it was delicious! My boyfriend ordered the seafood risotto and he didn't enjoy his meal as much as mine but all in all we both had a really great dining experience here :) they even brought out a little cheesecake topped with raspberry sorbet and a sparkler for my birthday! I would most definitely come back again! read more

What a beautiful and romantic restaurant! This review is way overdue as we went for Valentine's Day (weekend). We opted to go on a Saturday night to avoid a pre-fixe menu and have more time with no work. The place was packed but the service was spectacular. It is so beautiful inside, definitely a place you want to dress up for - which I love an occasion to do so! The wine list was extensive, and the server was very knowledgeable. I had a Branzino which was served whole, deboned and with a great lemon garlic sauce. You will need to order sides if you have a big appetite, or a big salad to share. My husband had a steak entree with green beans and new potatoes. I can't remember the name, it was a special. If you're looking for a special occasion restaurant, this is the place. The fish was spectacular, and I hear they change their menu often. read more

It's a great Italian restaurant in the lower Mt Vernon area. Their choice of meals and wines is among the top ones I have seen in Baltimore and the food is quality is quite good. While not on par with some other restaurants competing in the upper dining (I personally find Brewer's Art or Petit Louis Bistro better food-wise), they make up with opera-themed evenings and a cozy, welcoming interior perfect for a romantic date or a night out with friends. The staff is very friendly and can easily advise you in case of specific preference/food allergies or wine pairings.They have ample vegetarian options as well, which are all of good quality. Overall this is a solid value, both for food and for service, although some dishes price is a bit eyebrow-raising for what it is (pasta carbonara, looking at you here). read more

Came here during restaurant week. The food was good, but it didn't blow my mind. My husband had the pumpkin soup, which he really liked. I had a salad that was pretty good. I had the curry mussels and that was also pretty good. My husband had some kind of pasta that he said was decent - I understand they make their pasta in-house, so we expected to be impressed... not so much. We had the hazelnut chocolate mousse for dessert which was very good. Solid meal, but I wouldn't drive to Baltimore again to have it. We did enjoy the experience though! read more

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Came back here last night for the first time in about 8 years. Still really good with a large menu plus at least 7 special entrees and pastas. Good wine without a huge markup as well. We had the Pork Ossobuca special and the Salmon from the regular menu. Both were very good and the salmon was cooked nicley. Will have to put this one back into our regular rotation. My only compliant is that the awesome tiramisu was too small to share! read more

My husband and I recently dined at Sotto Sopra to celebrate Valentine's Day. It just so happens that we are also expecting our first child so we called ahead to ask the restaurant to do a special dessert gender reveal for us! They were really excited about helping us out and it turned out even more amazing than we'd expected. The manager Lindsay was delightful and took great care of us throughout dinner even though it was already a very busy night. She made sure we had a semi-private table and checked on us multiple times before the big moment to see that we were enjoying our food and had enough to drink, etc. We had an 8pm reservation but we waited at the bar for a few minutes while our table was being prepared. My husband had a gin-based drink which he loved and the bartender made me a pineapple-based "mocktail" - delicious! For appetizers, we shared the Portobello Caprese which was amazing - the mozzarella was so creamy - and the Fried Calamari - also phenomenal. The calamari has these thin slices of candied lemon mixed in which I've never had before but I loved and they give you two dipping sauces. Both were portioned to share. For dinner, my husband had the Pork Ossubucco which came highly recommended by our server (who was also very good - great sense of humor). It's a huge portion and we even had leftovers which almost never happens. I had the Foie Gras Gnocchi which was also a server recommendation and it did not disappoint! (Side note: I've also been to Sotto Sopra for Restaurant Week and they do a fabulous job then as well.) For dessert, we shared the Molten Lava Cake with Vanilla Gelato - that was delicious but I was way more excited about the grand finale - the gender reveal! We had provided the envelope with the gender to the manager when we arrived for our reservation and, along with dessert, they brought out a second plate with a sparkler and "It's a Boy!" spelled out in caramel and chocolate syrup!! Aside from a delicious meal, we had no idea what to expect when we asked Sotto Sopra to help us out with our request but they really went above and beyond to make it really special for us. Not only is this a great anytime date-night restaurant, I highly recommend this place for Valentine's Day, Anniversaries, or anything else you want to celebrate in a special way. We will definitely be going back again soon! read more

Always a great time when we dine here! Our favorites include the squid ink pasta and the fried artichokes. It's our special occasion spot, and we love taking friends for dinner. read more

We attended Sotto Sopra for the opera night to celebrate a dear friends birthday. As a completely untrained and uneducated person to opera, I thought the singers were lovely! Great timing and presentation. The 5-course fixed menu for the evening was delicious and filling (mixed green salad, risotto with corn, mushrooms, and sage brown butter, peach sorbet palette cleanser, halibut with gnocchi and slaw, and panna cotta with strawberries). I have Celiacs which can give me some anxiety eating out but our server Derek communicated all concerns to the kitchen and smoothly substituted options for my allergies. He was wonderful and professional; we all thoroughly enjoyed our time. The ambience is definitely more posh than my usual haunts in the city (Bmore native), but I hope to visit for an upscale date night in the future. Bravo! read more

My friends & I went here last year. Everything we had, we loved. I still can't get over how amazing that creme brûlée was. Definitely go there hungry & order appetizers, a meal, dessert, & wine! read more

Elegant restaurant for celebrating special events and enjoying an indulgent meal. I came here with my company to celebrate its birthday. Our table shared calamari and a small charcuterie plate while waiting for the entrees to come. My squid ink pasta was very delicious - it was mixed with generous chunks of seafood and just the right amount of a savory mushroom cream sauce. To anyone considering trying squid ink pasta for the first time, it really doesn't taste significantly different from other seafood, cream-based pasta dishes I've tried. The squid ink colors the pasta black, and provides an understated salty, umami flavor to the dish if anything. And according to this Livestrong article, it could have nutrition benefits to offer (https://www.livestrong.com/article/490032-what-are-the-benefits-of-squid-ink/). I ordered a glass of Vermentino to enjoy with my food, a light white wine. The raspberry sorbet and cheesecake dessert was absolutely gorgeous and delightful. I didn't order dessert at first because I was so full, but totally caved upon hearing my coworkers rave about the cheesecake. No regrets on giving in to peer pressure (; Definitely recommend this place for anyone looking for fine dining experience in Baltimore. read more

Food here was amazing! The desert was excellent and the staff and atmosphere here was perfect! Highly recommend! read more

Sotto Sopra - Italian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Always consistently have an great experience here. Eight of us out to dinner. Reservation was on time, service by Derick was exceptional, and the food was perfect. We had the meat and cheese board to start, had the fettuccine bolognese, gnocchi, strip steak with chimichurri, the squid ink pasta, short rib ravioli. Everything was cooked perfectly as ordered and DELICIOUS!! Didn't even have room for dessert. Thank you to Derick for giving us some nice recommendations and being on your game!! read more

Delicious! Quite the little italian experience in Baltimore. I highly recommend the prosciutto as well as the pumpkin sacchetti pasta dish. Service is great and the atmosphere is very relaxing and romantic. The focaccia is also enjoyable. Worth the price I tried to recreate the dish at home and blogged it on my blog here: https://labellavitajlf.wordpress.com/2015/11/09/sacchetti-di-zucca-con-amaretti-bechamel/ read more

Sotto Sopra - Pumpkin Sacchetti - Italian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Excellent, elevated Italian in a cozy and romantic joint. Big fan of the fresh pastas and unique takes on classic dishes. The proteins are wonderful, especially their pork dishes. read more

SOLID 4.5 stars. I'm trying to save 5 for flawless, which is hard to come by. The first good sign came with the call to check availability. The hostess was friendly, helpful, and inquisitive. "We have a table now, but it's by the live jazz band. Is that ok?" Now, I do hate not being able to converse, so I hem and haw. Hint is taken, we are offered a table somewhat removed from the entertainment, and we agree to arrive in 20 minutes. The second good sign comes when we walk up. There is a sofa on the sidewalk. Group photo! After that the goodness piles up fast and furious. Attentive service by our table staff as well as the bartender. Terrific timing with ordering. Excellent food and cheerful accommodation of our several vegetarians. Good advice with the wine. Oh, and the gnocchi. I was once advised that the greatest compliment of a gnocchi is to call it "pillowy." The gnocchi is so pillowy, I could imagine dying of delight, and finding myself lying comfortably upon great soft piles of it in heaven. Then, finally, the cheese, chocolate pistachio creme brûlée, chocolate lava cake, and Glenmorangie, made a very good dessert finish. The slight flaw was that our server was mildly underinformed on the wine list. She should send the bartender over when unsure of a question or its answer. The space is high-ceilinged and elegant, and not too crowded. The bar looked welcoming for a cocktail or overflow. This would be a great location for all but the most formal of events. And, the final good sign was, the jazz was perfect. read more

Came here last week with two friends and we had a lovely dinner. Restaurant offers valet parking, which was a huge plus for us, as it started raining heavily shortly after we were seated. The inside of the restaurant is so cute, I loved the decor, and the waitress we had was great; she was very friendly and answered all of our questions. Appetizers were really good and my spinach ravioli was delicious, I'd definitely get that again. They had live music when we were there, which I normally hate, but it wasn't ridiculously loud, so I could enjoy it and still have a conversation with my friends. read more

I love Sotto Sopra, it's one of my mainstays. I went recently for lunch with a friend on her way out of town, the lunch menu is great and they offer a price fix option which is a lot of fun and a pretty good deal. We both got the specials, leek curry risotto and butternut squash soup which were both fantastic! Lunch is pretty casual and usually quiet so it's a nice place to stop for a nicer than average lunch. read more

Sotto Sopra - Leek curry risotto special - Italian Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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When can I go back?? Scott, Scott, Scott. All day long. He is hysterical and attentive and supports all my menu decisions. Inside joke, hope he reads this. He immediately asked if it was a birthday or anniversary or if there was anything he could do to make it a special night. Actually, yes there was as we had ballet tickets and needed to be out the door in 1.5 hours. He said he would (and did) ensure that happened so we could eat without worrying. We ordered fun drinks that we a pleasure to read through and discuss all the different combinations. Mine had grapefruit and was served in a flute and I loved it enough I ordered a second one. My app was one of the cheeses, parm, and served with a real Honey the Poo honey stick and honey. It was a perfect compliment to the tanginess of the cheese. Good pairing! We said we would split the truffle soup special and they kindly brought it out in two bowls. Wow, it was culinary delight and we could have had two bowls each of that creamy goodness. My wife's custom ordered risotto was so good that when she got up to go to the bathroom, I was caught red-handed stealing some from her plate. Literally another diner was walking by and caught me. But did I stop? No! She's pees fast and I needed to belly-up that stuff, asap. My pappardelle was good, although when were were here before it was better. Too much sauce and not a true al dente. I wonder if it was just an off night, because last time THAT was the dish we were fighting over. No time or room for dessert so we will be back when not in a rush. And Scott is working! read more

How many hundreds of times have I passed Sotto Sopra? Quite a few, as I grew up in and around the city and have spent countless afternoons serving at Our Daily Bread, admiring Greek sculpture at the Walters, and poring over tiny bright distractions at Beadazzled. In short, it's absolutely ridiculous that I was turning 32 the day I entered Sotto Sopra for the first time. It was my birthday, so I suppose I should have expected greatness from the beginning, but still, I was wowed at every turn by the top-notch service at this gem of a restaurant nestled in downtown Baltimore. As it was a Tuesday night, the atmosphere was quiet and only a few tables were occupied, one by a large party at a round table in the center. It was just enough noise to cover our private conversation: we felt lost in our own little world, tucked away next to a gorgeous mirror and free to laugh and talk all evening. The first surprise came just as I was about to order a cocktail. My husband informed our server, a charming but professional Eastern European girl, that he had called ahead to reserve a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne. I had never tried it before, but as a lover of all things French, it was a fantastic and decadent birthday surprise! Very impressive that they stock wine from this venerable house. For our first course we ordered the full plate of cured meats: prosciutto, speck, bresaola and two kinds of salami. For the price ($18) it was an absolute steal of the highest quality ingredients: paper-thin slices of earthy, smoky meats, crunchy breadsticks, olive oil and pickled vegetables (ever eaten a caper the size of your thumb? Incredible!) My husband, who loves pasta and lobster, took one look at the lobster ravioli and put the menu down. I tasted them, and they were incredibly rich and well-crafted, thin sheets of homemade pasta filled with buttery, sweet meat and floating in a rich vodka sauce. My own entree, though, was transporting: I ordered the grilled whole branzino, which was grilled with herbs and lemon confit. Our amazing server deboned it tableside using two spoons (she said she learned how from a YouTube video!) and I was in ecstasy with every bite: crispy rosemary, chewy tart lemon peel, and meltingly tender fish in each bite. I ordered asparagus on the side; it was a perfect accompaniment. I stopped before I wanted to and enjoyed the rest straight from the fridge for lunch the next day -- it was wonderfully intense as a cold dish. I know our server brought a chocolate treat for my birthday, but I can't remember what it was -- again, way over the top for a Tuesday! Once a year, I guess, it's okay to get a little crazy. Just make sure you pick a venue as perfect as Sotto Sopra in which to let it all hang out. As we sipped the last bubbles of our handpicked vintage, I felt deliciously grown-up and at ease: this is the way dining out was meant to be. read more

Sotto Sopra was packed when we went but we were underwhelmed by the food and the drinks. The salad was extremely bland and I always order salads at "nice" restaurants because making them at home is trick. Well I could have made a better one myself so I regret ordering one. The pasta we ordered was also extremely bland and disappointing. The prices were considerably high. Opened in 1997 the place desperately needs a makeover as it reeks pretentiousness. read more

What a disaster. Italy, as a country, should be offended. Husband and I took a special trip up to Baltimore to celebrate my birthday with a good Italian dinner, a night at a nice hotel, and a trip to the aquarium the following day. I did a fair amount of research into the trip, especially when it came to chosing a place to eat. I was sure we would wind up eating in Little Italy, but Sotto Sopra came very highly recommended, especially for the gnocchi, which I specifically inquired about. I should have gone with my gut and eaten in L.I., as we did the following day (and had an outstanding pizza). Perhaps the problem was we went on a Sunday night, fairly close to closing time (our reservation was for 8:30, we arrived about 8:20), when the head chef obviously wasn't there. (Not that that's a reasonable explanation, mind you. Food and service should be consistent, no matter what.) The place is fairly nice on the inside, though I found it neither warm, nor inviting. The attire is noted to be "dressy", but one would not be out of place in jeans and, in fact, I felt a little out of place in a dress with my husband in a dress shirt and nice slacks. We were seated right next to another occupied table, which I always find a little weird when there are plenty of open ones around, though I understand it's for the ease of the waitress (of which there appeared to only be one). It should be said from the start that our waitress was AH-MAZING and, really, the only good experience we had with the place (well, that and the wine). She was very helpful and friendly and attentive without being hovering, which I appreciate. She also told us immediately what was no longer available from the menu (which was quite a lot of things, actually, but nothing we'd planned on ordering) and offered to help with our wine choice. She was truly fabulous and I desperately hope she gets to work on busier nights so she can make the tips she deserves. The olive oil and house-made bread started was okay. Bread was soft but too salty for my taste and the olive oil, while well seasoned, was in an almost minuscule quantity. We also only had it for mere moments before our appetizer arrived. That was the fried eggplant with ricotta and fresh cherry and grape tomatoes. While the tomatoes were delicious and the ricotta was very nice (and I normally don't like it), the eggplant (which should be the star) was astoundingly meh. Sliced too thin, battered in unseasoned panko, and cooked too long. Also, it was served with tiny little sharing plates that portions didn't fit on (though our waitress did rectify that). Our dishes arrived. Portions are appropriately sized, not American-sized, so some may feel they are too small. Our problem wasn't with the size, but with the quality. Husband got the ricotta gnocchi with peso creme sauce and I, after some debate, ordered the grouper served with gnocchi, butternut squash purree, and veg slaw. My puree was very smooth and the fish, though painfully under-seasoned, was cooked well. Veg was fine. Gnocchi was a little overcooked, but acceptable. Husband's gnocchi, however, was NOT acceptable. Overcooked and mushy. He sent it back, something he almost never does. I can't imagine the looks on our faces when the waitress *brought it back*, basically telling us that the chef said it was cooked correctly and did we want it back or want something else? *blink* *blink* I'm sorry, what? NO. No no no. You do NOT bring back a dish a customer has sent back. I don't care if it was cooked properly (which it certainly wasn't), the customer doesn't want it. Cook it again or cook something else. Period. (Also, you think I want my dish back after you've eaten off it? And yes, I know it was theoretically tasted before it was brought out, but this feels very different.) At least the waitress had the decently to look ashamed at what the chef was making her do. It got sent back (again) and husband ordered the ravioli as a replacement. While waiting, we watched a busboy turn away a very well-dressed man who had just had a taxi drop him and a couple he was entertaining off at the restaurant. It was about 8:40 at that point, but the chef had decided to close the kitchen early and wouldn't reopen it. We exchanged very surprised looks with another table at this. (It also explained why the chef didn't want to cook something else as a gnocchi replacement - he'd decided he was done.) Ravioli came back, also overcooked, but husband ate it just the same. To his credit, he bit back a snarky "I don't know, ask your chef" when the waitress asked how it was. In an attempt to make up for the experience, the waitress brought us a scoop of "burned honey" gelato. (We'd hemmed and hawed over ordering it, but decided not too, though we did express our curiosity.) It was decent, though did have several ice crystals in it. In short, astoundingly disappointing. read more

Took a trip out to baltimore this past weekend. DC Italian restaurants have failed me, so I thought, let me check out Baltimore before I officially give up on all of them in the area. Well Sotto Sopra did not disappoint at all. It is right in the Mt. Vernon area of the city. I made a reservation the last minute and they had a table. When the boy entered he looked at me in awe because the place had a very romantic ambience to it. Server was great, wine was affordable and amazing. I had the seafood pasta and the boy had the ravioli. We did not talk while eating which means we were enjoying our food :D. Cheers. read more

I love everything about this place! The decor, the friendly knowledgeable staff, the food presentation, the cocktail menu and the amazing creative menu! We went here for my birthday dinner. I like full bodied white wines that are not too oaky or dry. Our amazing server found me the perfect glass. (unfortunately, I don't know what it was.) We started with the Crostini del Fungi and Calamari appetizers. Both appetizers were nice size portions. The CROSTINI were THE BEST I have had since being in Italy. A wonderful assortment of wild mushrooms with truffle oil served on thick grilled doughy italian rustic bread, served with a creamy lemon sauce. The lemon sauce was so light and perfect that I wanted to lick the plate! The Calamari was served with more of the yummy lemon creme sauce and a marinara sauce. It was lightly battered and cooked perfectly. When they brought out our Caesar salads, I thought they brought us the wrong thing, but to my surprise, the salad was hiding underneath a crispy filo dough hut. The caesar salad wasn't as garlicky as I like, but it was still very good. I tried THE RILKE Cocktail - herby cucumber gin goodness - I can't wait to go back and have another! For entrees, my husband had the seafood ciopinno and I had the parpadelle with mushrooms and pork in a bolognese sauce. Both dishes were perfect. The seafood stew was a huge bowl filled to the brim with shellfish and wonderful tomato broth and more of that yummy crusty bread for dipping. All of the pastas are homemade at Sotto Sopra. My dish was wondeful - fresh ingredients, cooked to order and perfect. Our 6 YO had a half order of pasta with fresh roasted tomato sauce for dinner. I was so happy that they would allow a half order for a child. This is the first time we have gone out for something "fancy" and she has enjoyed the food! I would say that this place is appropriate for well behaved kids. If you have picky eaters or spastic wild children, don't come here. It isn't often that I so LOVE a server, but the lady that served us was the coolest chick ever. She knew so much about the food, the wine list, and was super super cool. When I think of our special night, I am left with a smile because of the fantastic experience the server created for us. (wish I could remember her name.) read more

First I have to say that the service Allison provided was outstanding! She had great energy and recommendation on menu options. I went on a Wednesday and loved the live jazz. My food was really good by I have to say the sauteed calamari was top notch and very fresh. My mom had the chicken fennel and sausage and said it was very tasty. The owner is from Italy and regularly males trips and incorporates that into menu choices which I liked. The ambiance of the space was romantic but also chill for just friends and was comforting yet sophisticated. read more

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Sotto Sopra was our favorite place to eat, we went on Saturday night to celebrate our wedding anniversary and we didn't enjoy the food at all, 1 goat cheese salad, grease goat cheese balls, old arugula, fennel not crispy. 2 Risotto fruto di mare, poor quality fish( salmon belly with shells) dead mussels, and my wife enjoy the spinach ravioli. In general sotto sopra is not a good place to go anymore, I don't know if they change the Chef or if they are making so much money that they don't not care any more. read more

We went to Sotto Sopra for my birthday. I cannot say enough good things about this restaurant. We easily got a reservation on a busy Saturday night. The restaurant was doing a brisk business, but the service was still very fluid. Each member of our party ordered a different item and each was cooked and presented perfectly! I also recommend that you try some of the house cocktails. They are inventive and delicious! Affordable Valet parking makes the dining experience painless : ) Definintely worth the trip! read more

My husband and I LOVE this place. He found it during Restaurant Week, and we've been regulars ever since. The chef/owner, Riccardo, knows his regulars, and always tries to say hi when he sees them in the restaurant. Even my super-finicky-about-his-Italian-food dad was pleased. There are often special events like opera night, wine tastings, etc. For these, and on weekends, it's really important to get a reservation. It fills up quickly! read more