Where to begin? The entire dining experience was without peer! The dining environment was reminiscent of corner cafes in Paris or off the beaten track Trattorias of Rome. The decor is established modern and pleasing. The various art works in the place are eclectic, eccentric, and interesting. The musical selection was subtle and understated and complimented the environment without distracting in any way from the experience. The service was also peerless. Observant, attentive, and, most important to me, nearly transparent! No hovering! Just supremely competent! Finally and most importantly, the food.. stunning! The three of us covered most of the terrestrial options and all were outstanding. My son's chicken dish was, as he put it, at that perfect moisture level- neither overcooked and dry nor undercooked and runny! The flavor was also top drawer. The filet exceeded the expectations I reserve for dedicated steakhouses. A subtle seasoning and cooked to perfection. Rare for us. The lamb chops were among the best I've eaten in decades! All dishes were served attractively plated and complimented with sides that were truly complimentary to the main. Finally, the dessert selections were both outstanding. The Mousse was dark and dense- I know some prefer fluffy mousse but I'm not one of those. The tiramisu was amazing and this is coming from a guy who has NEVER had a tiramisu he liked! Again, the subtlety was the key! A perfect combination of complimentary flavors. Oh! And the espresso reminded us also of Italian Espresso from the streets of Rome. We have absolutely nothing to complain about! In short, the best possible meal I could have imagined for a mid spring evening.
Rogelo Lara
Food is OK and service, but I got the check when I didn't ask for it, with no chance to order dessert or another drink, I think it was very rude.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 1
Zach Stillman
Some of the best service I have ever had. Combine that with terrific food, and this place is one of the top Italian Restaurants in all of DC. I highly, highly, highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
diana popa
Great Italian restaurant! home made pasta… home made deserts… amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michael Overturf
Great food, excellent Italian.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Carpaccio Di Salmone, Pasta Al Nero, Ravioli
Alec Chamberlain
If you enjoy long waits, confusing bills, treacherous stairs, flavorless food, and surprise ingredient shortages, then by all means, La Tomato is the place for you. But if you value your time, taste buds, and sanity, you might want to steer clear of this culinary catastrophe. Consider yourself warned!Wheelchair accessibility: I would not call this place wheel chair accessible it was very small and tight.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Oliver CH
Non-welcoming hostess - arrogant waiter.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Natasha W.
Short version: La Tomate has that "je ne sais quoi" factor - something about the ambiance, the windows, the pleasant seating areas - and the food is quite decent. It may not be top-of-the-line but it's very good, and the prices are reasonable when you consider that wait staff also need to pay rent and eat. We used to eat here quite a lot when we were dating, but once we did the typical thing - got married, had kid, moved to the burbs - we didn't get back till recently, when we decided we needed to visit our old favorite date spot. So we did lunch. We always appreciate places that are open in mid-afternoon as it's extremely pleasant to show up when it's not busy - keeps the decibel level low. A nice plate of ravioli at 3:30 pm really hits the spot! Tiramisu was also excellent and I enjoyed the caesar salad. Service by and large was excellent - only complaint is the absence of salt and pepper on the table. We did ask, but it never materialized. I get that many places have stopped providing mills or shakers as I guess they get stolen... so I've started carrying those little paper envelopes of salt and pepper in my purse!! But my husband asked for a lemon wedge for his entree - it never came either. So service could be notched up a bit without hurting anything. Dinged them a star for that. We'll definitely be back. We prefer places like this - unpretentious, no yuzu foam, no deconstructed anything, just good food, nicely prepared, in a pleasing atmosphere that doesn't require shouting to have a conversation.
Rofel Flores
Great food and great service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anna W.
Our party enjoyed our dining experience here! We all enjoyed our meals. I do wish that the dinner portions were a bit bigger and that they had a more extensive cocktail menu, but I was really happy with the taste of the cacio e pepe. Our servers were pleasant and the ambiance was great!
Went there with a group of friends for a Sunday brunch. The waiter talked us into trying the Buono Buono Brunch since there were four of us. We decided to give it a shot, and we could not have been more pleased with our decision. We were worried about there, being too much food with the seven courses, but each course had the right amount of food for each of us. We left, feeling satisfied, not stuffed.The presentation of everything was great and the flavors were excellent. While I’m not a huge fan of Italian food, this would have me coming back for more. I would highly recommend this for a Sunday brunch of a party of four or more. You won’t be disappointed.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jennifer Safko
If you’re looking for an authentic Italian experience coke here! It is the best food, best service, and best limoncello around. If you don’t try their tiramisu you will be remiss.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tiramisu, Bolognese
Andrew Reid
Very pleasant place, good variety on the menu, and very good specials.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ervin Santiago
Always a classic. Decades coming and always leave feeling like it's the first time. Reserve in advance and leave room for dessert.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
PeterH
The experience was first-rate from beginning to end. My wife and I were warmly greeted and quickly seated. We shared an appetizer which was excellent. Each of us gave high marks to our entrees--I devoured my pork and fig special. We enjoyed our meals with a red wine that was a special that evening. And the service crowned the experience--efficient, friendly, and helpful.
Where to begin? The entire dining experience was without peer! The dining environment was reminiscent of corner cafes in Paris or off the beaten track Trattorias of Rome. The decor is established modern and pleasing. The various art works in the place are eclectic, eccentric, and interesting. The musical selection was subtle and understated and complimented the environment without distracting in any way from the experience. The service was also peerless. Observant, attentive, and, most important to me, nearly transparent! No hovering! Just supremely competent! Finally and most importantly, the food.. stunning! The three of us covered most of the terrestrial options and all were outstanding. My son's chicken dish was, as he put it, at that perfect moisture level- neither overcooked and dry nor undercooked and runny! The flavor was also top drawer. The filet exceeded the expectations I reserve for dedicated steakhouses. A subtle seasoning and cooked to perfection. Rare for us. The lamb chops were among the best I've eaten in decades! All dishes were served attractively plated and complimented with sides that were truly complimentary to the main. Finally, the dessert selections were both outstanding. The Mousse was dark and dense- I know some prefer fluffy mousse but I'm not one of those. The tiramisu was amazing and this is coming from a guy who has NEVER had a tiramisu he liked! Again, the subtlety was the key! A perfect combination of complimentary flavors. Oh! And the espresso reminded us also of Italian Espresso from the streets of Rome. We have absolutely nothing to complain about! In short, the best possible meal I could have imagined for a mid spring evening.
Food is OK and service, but I got the check when I didn't ask for it, with no chance to order dessert or another drink, I think it was very rude.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 1
Some of the best service I have ever had. Combine that with terrific food, and this place is one of the top Italian Restaurants in all of DC. I highly, highly, highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great Italian restaurant! home made pasta… home made deserts… amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food, excellent Italian.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Carpaccio Di Salmone, Pasta Al Nero, Ravioli
If you enjoy long waits, confusing bills, treacherous stairs, flavorless food, and surprise ingredient shortages, then by all means, La Tomato is the place for you. But if you value your time, taste buds, and sanity, you might want to steer clear of this culinary catastrophe. Consider yourself warned!Wheelchair accessibility: I would not call this place wheel chair accessible it was very small and tight.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Non-welcoming hostess - arrogant waiter.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Short version: La Tomate has that "je ne sais quoi" factor - something about the ambiance, the windows, the pleasant seating areas - and the food is quite decent. It may not be top-of-the-line but it's very good, and the prices are reasonable when you consider that wait staff also need to pay rent and eat. We used to eat here quite a lot when we were dating, but once we did the typical thing - got married, had kid, moved to the burbs - we didn't get back till recently, when we decided we needed to visit our old favorite date spot. So we did lunch. We always appreciate places that are open in mid-afternoon as it's extremely pleasant to show up when it's not busy - keeps the decibel level low. A nice plate of ravioli at 3:30 pm really hits the spot! Tiramisu was also excellent and I enjoyed the caesar salad. Service by and large was excellent - only complaint is the absence of salt and pepper on the table. We did ask, but it never materialized. I get that many places have stopped providing mills or shakers as I guess they get stolen... so I've started carrying those little paper envelopes of salt and pepper in my purse!! But my husband asked for a lemon wedge for his entree - it never came either. So service could be notched up a bit without hurting anything. Dinged them a star for that. We'll definitely be back. We prefer places like this - unpretentious, no yuzu foam, no deconstructed anything, just good food, nicely prepared, in a pleasing atmosphere that doesn't require shouting to have a conversation.
Great food and great service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Our party enjoyed our dining experience here! We all enjoyed our meals. I do wish that the dinner portions were a bit bigger and that they had a more extensive cocktail menu, but I was really happy with the taste of the cacio e pepe. Our servers were pleasant and the ambiance was great!
Restaurantji Recommends
Went there with a group of friends for a Sunday brunch. The waiter talked us into trying the Buono Buono Brunch since there were four of us. We decided to give it a shot, and we could not have been more pleased with our decision. We were worried about there, being too much food with the seven courses, but each course had the right amount of food for each of us. We left, feeling satisfied, not stuffed.The presentation of everything was great and the flavors were excellent. While I’m not a huge fan of Italian food, this would have me coming back for more. I would highly recommend this for a Sunday brunch of a party of four or more. You won’t be disappointed.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
If you’re looking for an authentic Italian experience coke here! It is the best food, best service, and best limoncello around. If you don’t try their tiramisu you will be remiss.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tiramisu, Bolognese
Very pleasant place, good variety on the menu, and very good specials.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Always a classic. Decades coming and always leave feeling like it's the first time. Reserve in advance and leave room for dessert.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The experience was first-rate from beginning to end. My wife and I were warmly greeted and quickly seated. We shared an appetizer which was excellent. Each of us gave high marks to our entrees--I devoured my pork and fig special. We enjoyed our meals with a red wine that was a special that evening. And the service crowned the experience--efficient, friendly, and helpful.