This was our first visit to a local Italian restaurant in/at Bethesda row. Nice atmosphere. Service was very attentive.
The food was above average in general - we tried two appetizers, two main dishes and a desert.
There was a special on the menu - corn and crab agnolotti that was excellent. Zucchini appetizer was savory. The crème puff was also excellent. However, lamb shank didn’t impress.
Solid 4 star
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Candice Grizer
We had an amazing time. The food was delicious and the service was exceptional.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
robyn parks
Service impeccable. Food is amazing. Decor fun, comfortable and inviting. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gabe Seiden
Wonderful birthday experience at Aventino! We love Red Hen but this was our first time to Aventino and it did not disappoint. Food is creative and well-executed. Service is attentive, friendly, and on-point. Portions are large - particularly the dessert. Atmosphere is elegant but hip. Only possible negative is the noise. It's loud and would not recommend for those hard of hearing.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michael Melendez
Wonderful Experience at Aventino! Emma was fantastic! She gave great recommendations that really elevated our meal. Her service was attentive and friendly, and she kept the conversation warm and genuine throughout the evening. The pacing of the meal was just right, and overall, it was a great experience. We’ll definitely be back—thanks to Emma for making our night so enjoyable!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amanda Cropper
It takes a lot to drag me out to the suburbs. Bethesda is not exactly something you put on your to-do list when you live in the city already. This place was worth it, though. Everything was excellent, and the prices were about what you would expect for nice places in this area (aka expensive but not laughable.) The one exception was the wine list, which was extremely expensive and absolutely not worth the money. Stick to cocktails or a couple glasses of wine.
The dish that caught me most off guard was the risi e bisi (risotto with peas). Every risotto I've ever had in a restaurant was disappointing: too dry, too stodgy, too pasty, not flavorful, etc. This, though....omg I'm still thinking about it. Daily. First of all, this is the first time I've been to a place that actually uses acquarello rice. That's commitment! Carnaroli and arborio are fine, but this rice is another level. Secondly, the texture was absolutely perfect. The peas popped. Just get the dish.
The other standout was the squash blossom appetizer. Just absolutely perfect texture and flavor.
All three pastas we had were on point (spicy pork sugo rigatoni, rabbit parpadelle (white-wine based, very light), and spaghetti al limone with caviar.
We didn't have any mains or dessert; the weather was just too hot.
Service is on point. Not stuffy, not too many interruptions, etc.
Alright, Aventino. I'll bother with Bethesda again. For you.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Drew Renberg
Aventino is easily one of the best places I’ve been to in Bethesda. The service is top-notch, and the atmosphere always hits the right note. I first met Joe behind the bar, and he’s been a standout ever since. One of the reasons I keep coming back. There isn’t a drink he doesn’t know how to make, or at least come impressively close, even if they don’t have the exact ingredients. His recommendations are always on point.
The food is fantastic too. The menu gets refreshed every so often, which keeps things fresh. It’s a popular spot, so definitely consider making a reservations.
Highly recommend this place if you're looking for great food, great drinks, and even better service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Yameliz Rodriguez
Mirna was our server at the bar!!!! She was amazing loved her energy! We started with the calamari which was perfect! Crunchy and fresh! After we had the pappardelle and the rigatoni amazing! Perfect portions and amazing flavors! Just amazing overall! We had a classic chianti buy the bottle you save more money! For dessert we had the ricotta cheesecake which was fresh and amazing. Overall one of the best restaurants. Miran again made our night amazing as a great server!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
GK H
We ordered the cavaletti which was incredibly salty and inedible. A friend ordered the rabbit which had bones in it and caused injury. None of us had more than a bite or two of our dinner. Waiter was so busy that we couldn't even ask to send the food back and ended up having to pay the full bill. Incredibly disappointing - do not recommend.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Dipak Oza
A very nice restaurant in Bethesda downtown. Vegetarian choices are limited, but excellent food quality. The staff is very attentive and courteous.
Very nice for a quiet brunch on a midsummer afternoon. Excellent service. Food was good.
One of our party of four had a strong craving for pizza from next door, but could not order it. Why not? (Both sides of the place were empty at 1 pm. We were the only customers in the downstairs dining area.)
Asked about dinner for another evening, specifically that fabulous fried whole Branzino which I had loved on previous visits. No longer on menu, not even for ready money. Oy!
One of us got a small piece of hake on meh spinach for brunch. A bigger piece of fish on spaghetti would have hit the spot.
We splurged on a couple of their 75 cent micro cookies! :-) :-)
No saccharine available, only Stevia, so I skipped coffee.
Lose that small print 3% upcharge Aventino. Just raise your prices on the menu, and stop nickel and diming people. No one is going to notice if an entree goes from $33 to $34. But we do notice that annoying 3% footnote.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Paul Rivera
Food was tasty. Meager selection of entrees, meager portions, way overpriced, nickel and dime charges ($5 for 3 pieces of plain focaccia bread), plus an undisclosed 3% surcharge - just because. Service was fine. Tryin too hard to be bourgeois, but succeeding. First and last time for me. Mamma Lucia is better.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Edward Leopold
Nice place, but limited menu and the pricing vs. quality was way off. We paid $42 for the braised lamb entree and it was dry and just not a 4 star level meal. Their salad was good, and the past dish we had, Cacio E Pepe, was ok. The bill was about $160. We had one cocktail and no dessert. Just too pricey for the quality, as mentioned before.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Laura Anzalone
This literally just happened. We came out here for the first time with some family who were in town for the week. We made a reservation, we were seated, we ate and talked, and everything was lovely. Nice and attentive staff, good food. Everything was fine up until the last 10 minutes of our evening. The manager came by and asked us if we enjoyed our meal, and we said everything was great. Then she said “okay glad to hear it, now is the time where I need to ask you to leave to make room for our next table.” They had just served us dessert about 10-15 min prior. We had just paid the bill and tipped to the total amt of $560. She sent her servers over to take our water. They took my dessert while I was still eating, and also tried to take my coffee and wine. I’m honestly still in shock and so flipping angry. This was our first time at this restaurant, and we were just thinking what a nice place to take friends, we will come here more often. Nope! I’ve never been asked to leave a restaurant in my life. Also it’s Wednesday night. If you’re thinking this is Friday Saturday and we were just hogging the table, absolutely not. If you’re thinking maybe we were rude and loud, I assure you absolutely not. For the first time in my life I wanted to confront the manager on the way out like a Karen, but she’d escaped somewhere to the back and let her staff take the fallout, and I wouldn’t have said anything to them because they were super nice. But we won’t be going back there literally ever, even though we live close enough by. So freaking rude, I cannot believe it. And it was so obvious we were almost done. That’s the absolutely wild part. Two almost empty glasses of wine left, a couple waters, 1/2 a remaining dessert being eaten, and the check signed barely 5 min prior. Hopefully they get some more professional managers in the future cause this woman was unreal. I feel bad for her staff. Wednesday night, June 25, 2025.
Darren Gersh
Our first time visiting Aventino and it exceeded expectations. The food was memorable. Fresh, inventive touches, spectacular desserts. Highlights: chickpea ‘panelle, ‘ w/whipped ricotta, pizza rossa, and rigatoni with braised pork. The parfait and cheesecake were lovely too. The staff are justifiably proud of the food and enthusiastic.
This was our first visit to a local Italian restaurant in/at Bethesda row. Nice atmosphere. Service was very attentive.
The food was above average in general - we tried two appetizers, two main dishes and a desert.
There was a special on the menu - corn and crab agnolotti that was excellent. Zucchini appetizer was savory. The crème puff was also excellent. However, lamb shank didn’t impress.
Solid 4 star
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
We had an amazing time. The food was delicious and the service was exceptional.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Service impeccable. Food is amazing. Decor fun, comfortable and inviting. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wonderful birthday experience at Aventino! We love Red Hen but this was our first time to Aventino and it did not disappoint. Food is creative and well-executed. Service is attentive, friendly, and on-point. Portions are large - particularly the dessert. Atmosphere is elegant but hip. Only possible negative is the noise. It's loud and would not recommend for those hard of hearing.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wonderful Experience at Aventino!
Emma was fantastic! She gave great recommendations that really elevated our meal. Her service was attentive and friendly, and she kept the conversation warm and genuine throughout the evening. The pacing of the meal was just right, and overall, it was a great experience. We’ll definitely be back—thanks to Emma for making our night so enjoyable!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It takes a lot to drag me out to the suburbs. Bethesda is not exactly something you put on your to-do list when you live in the city already. This place was worth it, though. Everything was excellent, and the prices were about what you would expect for nice places in this area (aka expensive but not laughable.) The one exception was the wine list, which was extremely expensive and absolutely not worth the money. Stick to cocktails or a couple glasses of wine.
The dish that caught me most off guard was the risi e bisi (risotto with peas). Every risotto I've ever had in a restaurant was disappointing: too dry, too stodgy, too pasty, not flavorful, etc. This, though....omg I'm still thinking about it. Daily. First of all, this is the first time I've been to a place that actually uses acquarello rice. That's commitment! Carnaroli and arborio are fine, but this rice is another level. Secondly, the texture was absolutely perfect. The peas popped. Just get the dish.
The other standout was the squash blossom appetizer. Just absolutely perfect texture and flavor.
All three pastas we had were on point (spicy pork sugo rigatoni, rabbit parpadelle (white-wine based, very light), and spaghetti al limone with caviar.
We didn't have any mains or dessert; the weather was just too hot.
Service is on point. Not stuffy, not too many interruptions, etc.
Alright, Aventino. I'll bother with Bethesda again. For you.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Aventino is easily one of the best places I’ve been to in Bethesda. The service is top-notch, and the atmosphere always hits the right note. I first met Joe behind the bar, and he’s been a standout ever since. One of the reasons I keep coming back. There isn’t a drink he doesn’t know how to make, or at least come impressively close, even if they don’t have the exact ingredients. His recommendations are always on point.
The food is fantastic too. The menu gets refreshed every so often, which keeps things fresh. It’s a popular spot, so definitely consider making a reservations.
Highly recommend this place if you're looking for great food, great drinks, and even better service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mirna was our server at the bar!!!! She was amazing loved her energy! We started with the calamari which was perfect! Crunchy and fresh! After we had the pappardelle and the rigatoni amazing! Perfect portions and amazing flavors! Just amazing overall! We had a classic chianti buy the bottle you save more money! For dessert we had the ricotta cheesecake which was fresh and amazing. Overall one of the best restaurants. Miran again made our night amazing as a great server!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We ordered the cavaletti which was incredibly salty and inedible. A friend ordered the rabbit which had bones in it and caused injury. None of us had more than a bite or two of our dinner. Waiter was so busy that we couldn't even ask to send the food back and ended up having to pay the full bill. Incredibly disappointing - do not recommend.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
A very nice restaurant in Bethesda downtown. Vegetarian choices are limited, but excellent food quality. The staff is very attentive and courteous.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Very nice for a quiet brunch on a midsummer afternoon. Excellent service. Food was good.
One of our party of four had a strong craving for pizza from next door, but could not order it. Why not? (Both sides of the place were empty at 1 pm. We were the only customers in the downstairs dining area.)
Asked about dinner for another evening, specifically that fabulous fried whole Branzino which I had loved on previous visits. No longer on menu, not even for ready money. Oy!
One of us got a small piece of hake on meh spinach for brunch. A bigger piece of fish on spaghetti would have hit the spot.
We splurged on a couple of their 75 cent micro cookies! :-) :-)
No saccharine available, only Stevia, so I skipped coffee.
Lose that small print 3% upcharge Aventino. Just raise your prices on the menu, and stop nickel and diming people. No one is going to notice if an entree goes from $33 to $34. But we do notice that annoying 3% footnote.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Food was tasty. Meager selection of entrees, meager portions, way overpriced, nickel and dime charges ($5 for 3 pieces of plain focaccia bread), plus an undisclosed 3% surcharge - just because. Service was fine. Tryin too hard to be bourgeois, but succeeding. First and last time for me. Mamma Lucia is better.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Nice place, but limited menu and the pricing vs. quality was way off. We paid $42 for the braised lamb entree and it was dry and just not a 4 star level meal. Their salad was good, and the past dish we had, Cacio E Pepe, was ok. The bill was about $160. We had one cocktail and no dessert. Just too pricey for the quality, as mentioned before.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
This literally just happened. We came out here for the first time with some family who were in town for the week. We made a reservation, we were seated, we ate and talked, and everything was lovely. Nice and attentive staff, good food. Everything was fine up until the last 10 minutes of our evening. The manager came by and asked us if we enjoyed our meal, and we said everything was great. Then she said “okay glad to hear it, now is the time where I need to ask you to leave to make room for our next table.” They had just served us dessert about 10-15 min prior. We had just paid the bill and tipped to the total amt of $560. She sent her servers over to take our water. They took my dessert while I was still eating, and also tried to take my coffee and wine. I’m honestly still in shock and so flipping angry. This was our first time at this restaurant, and we were just thinking what a nice place to take friends, we will come here more often. Nope! I’ve never been asked to leave a restaurant in my life. Also it’s Wednesday night. If you’re thinking this is Friday Saturday and we were just hogging the table, absolutely not. If you’re thinking maybe we were rude and loud, I assure you absolutely not. For the first time in my life I wanted to confront the manager on the way out like a Karen, but she’d escaped somewhere to the back and let her staff take the fallout, and I wouldn’t have said anything to them because they were super nice. But we won’t be going back there literally ever, even though we live close enough by. So freaking rude, I cannot believe it. And it was so obvious we were almost done. That’s the absolutely wild part. Two almost empty glasses of wine left, a couple waters, 1/2 a remaining dessert being eaten, and the check signed barely 5 min prior. Hopefully they get some more professional managers in the future cause this woman was unreal. I feel bad for her staff. Wednesday night, June 25, 2025.
Our first time visiting Aventino and it exceeded expectations. The food was memorable. Fresh, inventive touches, spectacular desserts. Highlights: chickpea ‘panelle,
‘ w/whipped ricotta, pizza rossa, and rigatoni with braised pork. The parfait and cheesecake were lovely too. The staff are justifiably proud of the food and enthusiastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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