We had a great experience here. The complimentary bread was delicious. I got the pappardelle with Wild mushrooms and it was packed with umami flavor and the butter sauce was very unctuous. My wife got the gnocchi and she love it, the sauce had a lot of flavor. The service here was exceptional as well. We would definitely go back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Maddie Frimodig
Simply amazing. The food was incredible and the service matched that. The vibe of the restaurant is so cozy and felt like I was in Italy. We had the lasagna and ravioli and both agreed it was the best we ever had! Big thank you to the server as well. We wil definitely be going back!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Daniel Cullin
I‘m not one to take the time to leave a bad review at a restaurant, however, I feel compelled to do so after a genuinely terrible experience.1. Waited 25 minutes to be seated (had an 8 PM reservation and were seated at 8:25), only to be seated directly next to the open kitchen — hot, uncomfortable, loud, claustrophobic. I‘m fine with open concept kitchens, but given such a small space, you get to enjoy your meal alongside the entirety of both the back and most of the front of the house staff!2. Appetizers were mediocre, at best. Tomatoes in caprese were unripe, sour, and hard. Arancini was decent, if underseasoned.3. Entrees were truly terrible — I had the rabbit pasta and my partner had the clam spaghetti. Both noodles were UNDERCOOKED (*not al dente) and extremely salty — server tried to insist to the contrary.TL;DR 0/10 awful food, awful atmosphere, server did not disclose that 25%+ gratuity/service charge was included and tried to pass it off as if it wasn‘t. 2 drinks + 2 apps + 2 entrees ended up at $143. Have actually no idea how this place has managed to trick people into thinking it‘s any good. Avoid.
Laila Salaam
I have never in my life left a review but this experience was so bad I feel obligated to. Had to wait until 8:25 to be seated for an 8 pm reservation and got seated in a table so close to both the wall and the kitchen it made me absolutely claustrophobic. Food came out slow and pasta was severely undercooked and over-salted. The spaghetti clam dish has a lame excuse for a butter sauce. Will not be returning.
Laura Speakman
We loved watching the kitchen prepare our food. It is abundantly clear that they are the utmost professionals. The food and service was fantastic. Thank you for a wonderful experience, and see you again soon!Kid-friendliness: Family friendly and welcoming environment!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Truffle Mozzarella
Neal Obermeyer
The food is delicious and the vibe is super fun.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hannah H.
Retrobottega offers Italian fare, but they also host pop-up events, live music, and have HH specials.I had this place for a very long time, and I was excited to check this place out with a friend - we knew that they were popular for their apps, but we also ordered some entrees to share:+Bruschetta - a crostino with baby heirloom tomatoes, basil, and balsamic, and a crostino with homemade sausage and Taleggio; this was good, but kind of hard to share, as it's difficult to cut; will need to consume quickly, as the crostino can get soggy +Charred Octopus - with cannellini beans, grape tomatoes, and pistachio romesco; wasn't a fan of the cannellini beans, but the octopus was grilled well and was tender+Bucatini - with guanciale, sharp pecorino, black pepper, and egg yolk; definitely on the saltier end with the guacialo and the pecorino; pasta could have been more al dente+Ravioli - with a burrata filling and dressed in a vodka sauce; the vodka sauce was creamy; the filling could have been more inside the ravioli+Pappardelle Beef Short Rib - prepared with beef short ribs and beef stock; pasta was slightly gummy; the beef rib was large and it was definitely a presentation in its own right!Service was friendly, and the place was cute and cozy - I really liked the tile flooring.Limited street parking available in the area.+cute decor+friendly service+limited street parking available
Elly B.
Pasta was phenomenal you could tell it was handmade. Only complaint would be the service. Waiter forgot to refill our waters so many times and it was very odd to come check in for reservation
solosian
It was a fine experience, but not amazing. It's good to treat this place like Italian tapas and get a bunch of small things to try. It very much felt like going out to eat in a restaurant in Greenwich Village, which--if you have gone to a restaurant in Greenwich Village on a busy night -- is not necessarily a compliment. The service wasn't bad, just a little too quirky for us. This could be a great option for the right person, that person just wasn't us.
Daniela Sibelle Senabre de Bei
Restaurant with a very good atmosphere and service, the menu is limited but the dishes are delicious. The service at the bar was excellent as well as at the tables. The guys at the reception were very attentive and helpful. It has a good atmosphere.
I miss the owner Matteo, he passed too young last year. But the food and authentic Italian atmosphere remains a top service to his legacy. When you have guests in town, bring them here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Christy Palma
This restaurant is located inside of a butcher shop. As you pass through a narrow hallway you come upon a beautiful countryside view. Highly suggest any of their red meat dishes!Parking: Park just down the hill in the paid parking lot
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Maggie A.
Wow! How in all the years of living near Adams Morgan did I miss going to Retrobottega? Such a cute, cozy Italian place. My sister was craving Italian, and while we would normally go to Al Volo Osteria around the corner, she specifically wanted a seafood pasta. Really glad we went here. I ordered the oxtail lasagna - hefty and satisfying. The tiramisu was pillowy soft. This is a great spot for a small group of friends or a date night.
Carolina S.
Stopped in randomly for a late night dinner after some holiday bar hopping and was pleasantly surprised by the food and staff! Both were really great and I plan on coming back here. We sat at the bar and it was perfect. We started with a couple of drinks and then each had a pasta dish so delish!
Amanda Hu
Amazingly fresh pasta made by hand. The restaurant is a bit small and cramped but the food here is delicious. I really liked the short rib pasta and my friends liked the squid ink pasta and clam pasta.
We had a great experience here. The complimentary bread was delicious. I got the pappardelle with Wild mushrooms and it was packed with umami flavor and the butter sauce was very unctuous. My wife got the gnocchi and she love it, the sauce had a lot of flavor. The service here was exceptional as well. We would definitely go back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Simply amazing. The food was incredible and the service matched that. The vibe of the restaurant is so cozy and felt like I was in Italy. We had the lasagna and ravioli and both agreed it was the best we ever had! Big thank you to the server as well. We wil definitely be going back!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I‘m not one to take the time to leave a bad review at a restaurant, however, I feel compelled to do so after a genuinely terrible experience.1. Waited 25 minutes to be seated (had an 8 PM reservation and were seated at 8:25), only to be seated directly next to the open kitchen — hot, uncomfortable, loud, claustrophobic. I‘m fine with open concept kitchens, but given such a small space, you get to enjoy your meal alongside the entirety of both the back and most of the front of the house staff!2. Appetizers were mediocre, at best. Tomatoes in caprese were unripe, sour, and hard. Arancini was decent, if underseasoned.3. Entrees were truly terrible — I had the rabbit pasta and my partner had the clam spaghetti. Both noodles were UNDERCOOKED (*not al dente) and extremely salty — server tried to insist to the contrary.TL;DR 0/10 awful food, awful atmosphere, server did not disclose that 25%+ gratuity/service charge was included and tried to pass it off as if it wasn‘t. 2 drinks + 2 apps + 2 entrees ended up at $143. Have actually no idea how this place has managed to trick people into thinking it‘s any good. Avoid.
I have never in my life left a review but this experience was so bad I feel obligated to. Had to wait until 8:25 to be seated for an 8 pm reservation and got seated in a table so close to both the wall and the kitchen it made me absolutely claustrophobic. Food came out slow and pasta was severely undercooked and over-salted. The spaghetti clam dish has a lame excuse for a butter sauce. Will not be returning.
We loved watching the kitchen prepare our food. It is abundantly clear that they are the utmost professionals. The food and service was fantastic. Thank you for a wonderful experience, and see you again soon!Kid-friendliness: Family friendly and welcoming environment!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Truffle Mozzarella
The food is delicious and the vibe is super fun.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Retrobottega offers Italian fare, but they also host pop-up events, live music, and have HH specials.I had this place for a very long time, and I was excited to check this place out with a friend - we knew that they were popular for their apps, but we also ordered some entrees to share:+Bruschetta - a crostino with baby heirloom tomatoes, basil, and balsamic, and a crostino with homemade sausage and Taleggio; this was good, but kind of hard to share, as it's difficult to cut; will need to consume quickly, as the crostino can get soggy +Charred Octopus - with cannellini beans, grape tomatoes, and pistachio romesco; wasn't a fan of the cannellini beans, but the octopus was grilled well and was tender+Bucatini - with guanciale, sharp pecorino, black pepper, and egg yolk; definitely on the saltier end with the guacialo and the pecorino; pasta could have been more al dente+Ravioli - with a burrata filling and dressed in a vodka sauce; the vodka sauce was creamy; the filling could have been more inside the ravioli+Pappardelle Beef Short Rib - prepared with beef short ribs and beef stock; pasta was slightly gummy; the beef rib was large and it was definitely a presentation in its own right!Service was friendly, and the place was cute and cozy - I really liked the tile flooring.Limited street parking available in the area.+cute decor+friendly service+limited street parking available
Pasta was phenomenal you could tell it was handmade. Only complaint would be the service. Waiter forgot to refill our waters so many times and it was very odd to come check in for reservation
It was a fine experience, but not amazing. It's good to treat this place like Italian tapas and get a bunch of small things to try. It very much felt like going out to eat in a restaurant in Greenwich Village, which--if you have gone to a restaurant in Greenwich Village on a busy night -- is not necessarily a compliment. The service wasn't bad, just a little too quirky for us. This could be a great option for the right person, that person just wasn't us.
Restaurant with a very good atmosphere and service, the menu is limited but the dishes are delicious. The service at the bar was excellent as well as at the tables. The guys at the reception were very attentive and helpful. It has a good atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
I miss the owner Matteo, he passed too young last year. But the food and authentic Italian atmosphere remains a top service to his legacy. When you have guests in town, bring them here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This restaurant is located inside of a butcher shop. As you pass through a narrow hallway you come upon a beautiful countryside view. Highly suggest any of their red meat dishes!Parking: Park just down the hill in the paid parking lot
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wow! How in all the years of living near Adams Morgan did I miss going to Retrobottega? Such a cute, cozy Italian place. My sister was craving Italian, and while we would normally go to Al Volo Osteria around the corner, she specifically wanted a seafood pasta. Really glad we went here. I ordered the oxtail lasagna - hefty and satisfying. The tiramisu was pillowy soft. This is a great spot for a small group of friends or a date night.
Stopped in randomly for a late night dinner after some holiday bar hopping and was pleasantly surprised by the food and staff! Both were really great and I plan on coming back here. We sat at the bar and it was perfect. We started with a couple of drinks and then each had a pasta dish so delish!
Amazingly fresh pasta made by hand. The restaurant is a bit small and cramped but the food here is delicious. I really liked the short rib pasta and my friends liked the squid ink pasta and clam pasta.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5