DinoGreat Food!!Picked Dino's as a place for a birthday dinner on a whim and from reading other recommendations. Wow, the food was amazing. I had crab fettuccine and it was simply awesome. I tried the meals of my co-diners and everything was really great. We had tiramisu for desert, and while never my favorite this was really good. Our waitress started out rough, putting in the wrong order for one of our drinks and missing one of our cheese appetizers, but as the night went on service improved and she even overheard us talking about a specific liquor and the shape of the bottle and brought over the bottle for us (it had like a drop left in it and we were really talking about the smell of the alcohol). Overall, a great experience.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMReputation metDino had been recommended to us, but it had taken us a while to actually go. It was great! Food was excellent and the staff and management was top notch. Dino has been added to our short list of favorites.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is excellent butThe food is excellent but its the wine list and the service that make me want to go back. The waiter was helpful and knowledgable. The owner came over to see how we were doing and stayed for a minute to chat about the wine we ordered. He was obviously passionate and excited about everything on the menu.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat "earthy" foodDino is a great spot that really goes out of its way to use local and organic produce. Their courses have a very clean and natural flavor set; nothing is spiced too much so you can really taste the ingredients themselves. Dino also has an incredible wine list in that they stock and rotate through some rare and unusual bottles.
My wife and I disagree, somewhat, on Dino. She is less smitten than I am, but Dino reminds me of a cross between a homemade, farmhouse-style meal and a great "crunchy" hippy spot I frequented back in California.
The restaurant does get pretty busy, so don't expect a quick in-and-out. The servers are very friendly, however, and the owner will frequently make the rounds to check on his guests.
Worth it!6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMSolid, but not wowed.Have been there three times. Food and service better before, maybe because it was Friday prime time they were a bit overwhelmed.. Will go back and give it another chance. But they need better salads.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMLarge groupWe introduced some of our Virginia friends to Dino. Our server was great working with our large group of nine people. Everyone loved the food, the wine, and the service. Thanks so much!6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMDino--always goodWe have been dining at Dino since 2006, as a couple, and with familiy and friends. It is consistently excellent, and we enjoy the staff and Kay and Dean, especially his informative and witty newsletter. Dino is the first place we go when we return to D.C.5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMBrunchGreat relaxing brunch. Good food. Wasn't crazy for the Tuscan bacon but different. Service was not the usual excellent service.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMbrunch with kidsIn addition to having some delicious food, this was definitely the most accommodating restaurants that I've dubbed at in DC. exceptionally good and attentive service. No questions asked when one of the kids didn't like their appetizer (it was fantastic, just not to her seven year old tastebuds) and complimentary replacement app was brought out within minutes. The bottomless bloody mary wasn't quite to our liking but that was switched to bottomless Mimosas without any trouble. Parents have traveled in Italy and said that this was some of the best they've had.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious food!The food was great, as it always is. We started with the fried artichokes, which are amazing; beet salad, which was very good and delicious asparagus. For the main course, the Cioppino was outstanding, the duke was very good (but with a heavy fatty skin) and the amberjack, which was fabulous. We sat upstairs, which is not as nice an open as downstairs, but even though we had a reservation we had a 15 minute wait and finally took an upstairs table just to get seated. It was probably a little quieter upstairs, as the downstairs is very noisy. All in all we enjoyed the evening and loved the food.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMA great restaurant and localeI've been wanting to try this restaurant since I moved into the neighborhood, and I was not disappointed. The service is fabulous; friendly and attentive, and the food is excellent. We sat on the patio, which is nice, but tilted. Not their fault, and they will willingly move you inside if you can't deal with it.
Two mild complaints: 1. The wine list is dominated by Italian wines, which are good, but not fabulous, but priced as though they were. Two, and this is very mild, since we were there on a Monday night, but at 930p, the restaurant started closing up. We felt like we were in the way of some of the folks getting out of there. It wasn't overt, but as they start putting tables up while you're sitting there... well, you get the message.5/20/2013 12:00:00 AMA dinner fit for a graduation!We had an excellent time at Dino. I had the boar paparadelle and the scallops. I felt like given the caliber of the food, the seasoning should have been a little bit on par--my paparadelle was slightly bland and the scallops slightly too salty, but I really enjoyed myself and thought the portions were great and the food was overall a knockout. My biggest issue with the restaurant was that we waited at least 10-15 minutes for the check, and the whole restaurant was clearing out. Less tables to serve should mean less wait time for checks, and I felt like the celebration could have ended on a high note instead of people slumped over, bored, out of conversation topics, and ready to leave.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMDeliciousGreat locally sourced Italian food, everything was good. The grilled soft shell crab was a standout, meatballs were excellent as well. The wine was reasonably priced as well, a rarity and a delight.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMfood was wonderful, even thoughfood was wonderful, even though the main coarses did not come at the same time; but service was none existent once they found out we were not interested in their wine list(or alcohol); noise level rating is cause we were seated on the 2nd floor5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways serving great ItalianConsistently great food.
Had a group of 6 for a birthday dinner and they gave us a great table - very private on a Tuesday night.
The only complaint that I have is whe we do BYOW ( bring your own wine - no corkage fee) on Tuesday - we always feel a bit like a second class citizen for not ordering their wines ( which are great)
Seems like if you are going to offer a special be gracious about it
We love the place and will keep going back5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMDiino's fine, especially for brunchDino's monthly e-mails notify of special events and especially for what is most current and fresh. Thus they are fabulous for vegetables and also very good on meats.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMI had a pre-fixe menu on Mother'sI had a pre-fixe menu on Mother's Day. The portions were adequate enough to keep me from stuffing myself. The appetizer I ordered, pasta with a ground wild boar sauce, was heavenly. The fish was cooked to a perfect condition. And, the dessert, a small apple "pie" was perfect. (A clever concoction.) The only down-side was the lamb kabob ordered by my wife: it came out originally undercooked, and was reheated which helped to dry it out.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMalways a "special occasion"My wife an I often dine here alone or with other family or friends ( including,once or twice, toddlers). We have developed full confidence that each time we go to Dino we can expect that the meal and overall experience will be remembered as special. The food is incomparable in many respects and the attention of the staff and owner are notably friendly and sincere. The wine list can be intimidating, but plenty of helpful advice is amiably offered.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMa great mouthwatering meal!Once again, we had a wonderful meal at Dino's- always consistently delicious and interesting menu and wine options. We try to stop in each time we are in DC visiting our daughters (which is quite often!). This time, we had the pleasure of talking with Dean about our upcoming trip to Italy (Dean- you will be getting an email from us with questions!). My only regret is that we will not be in DC for the May 23/24 vegetarian tasting menu! We are looking forward to returning to Dino's for another great meal.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGood food!!Dino is a fine, popular restaurant with great food and an interesting and changing menu. We greatly enjoy going there.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMEat hereAnd ask for a table upstairs
Great pastas , great fish.
Fabulous wines - at all price ranges
Skip the desserts - not worth e calories
Get some cheese instead5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMSmall, lively atmosphere withSmall, lively atmosphere with indoor and outdoor dining. Huge, interesting wine list. Excellent food with and Italian twist. Wait staff was wonderful, attentive but not pushing us. Will definitely return.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMFresh italianThis was our third time at Dino's. Each time the menus were interesting, the food creative and delicious and the service was great. I love the fresh pasta here and tonigh, we tried the cheeses as recommended by our server which were great. Lamb stew was wonderful, as was apple pancake.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious dinner for a specialDelicious dinner for a special birthday celebration!5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGood Italian at moderate pricesDino DC is the sort of Italian place that doesn't serve pizza. So it's already starting out well. The food is quite tasty, and the prices are in the upper-mid range ($8-12 appetizers, $20 for a full plate of pasta). Recommended if you have a bit of cash to spend and want to get some nice Italian food.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMWe are always tempted to sayWe are always tempted to say this is a "wonderful neighborhood restaurant," and it is. But it is also just a wonderful restaurant. The food is fresh, well prepared and interesting. The wine list is amazing. Service is sometimes not as smooth as it might be, but the wait staff is generally friendly and attentive. I'm not sure whether to say the vegetables, the pasta or the fish are the best part, but they are all terrific. We had soft shell crabs last night -- perfect.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMFresh crabsWent specifically because they had just gotten in the first crabs of the season. Pasta was probably my favorite of the three dishes. (Crab meat with pasta, crabcakes and soft shells) Children's menu is one of the best deals for families with kids. Also took advantage of the wine discount on Sunday night.. This is the type of restaurant that can be all things to all people. Fine dining, but still kid friendly.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMNot the best meal I've everNot the best meal I've ever had at Dino (that honor belongs to a positively transcendent polenta with mushrooms, sage, and gorgonzola earlier this winter) but nevertheless right up there. Two of our party were vegetarians, and we particularly appreciate the wealth of meatless options on the menu. In fact, the kitchen prepared one appetizer without prosciutto to oblige us. Food, wine, and service were all excellent, and the host met our request (made at the time of reservation) for a relatively quiet table. I'm lucky to have Dino in my neighborhood. It'd be worth a trip even if it were across town.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMWinning Italian in Cleveland ParkI haven't been to Dino's in many years, even though it's in my neighborhood. Their participation in the Food and Friends Dining for Life event lured me back. Although the fried calamari appetizer wasn't the best, I enjoyed the Caesar salad. My friend loved the burrata and her half-portion of pappardelle pasta with ragu. Our server was attentive, friendly and prompt. The dining area is pleasant and warm. I'll pay closer attention to the messages on the neighborhood list serve.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious food and great happy hourGo early and sit at the bar for great happy hour prices, inventive cocktails, a good craft beer list, and attentive service. The close, 6-8 seat, semi-circular bar provides an intimate setting and almost begs you to talk to fellow patrons or ask the bartender about the nuances in the beverage you're experiencing. It's great to enjoy a craft brew for $3 and plentiful olives at the bar before being seated for dinner. The extensive menu includes several compelling vegetarian options along with meat dishes. Our server was knowledgable, friendly, and helpful in recommending her favorites, showing genuine enthusiasm for the food. Hadn't been to Dino in a while, and I'm determined to become more a regular.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMAll-pork pris-fixe, yum!The Mangalitsa pig was a revelation! Pork without fat & flavour bred out. The 'tasting' menu brought more than tastes; the first two courses were especially wonderful, and the dessert was interesting -- wish I'd left more room.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is excellent -- outstandinThe food is excellent -- outstanding baby artichokes and salads to start, cioppino that is fabulous and terrific homemade pasta. Excellent desserts. We loved every bite. Room is a little loud, but that's the only thing wrong with this place.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMA wonderful rustic ItalianA wonderful rustic Italian restaurant! All the food and drinks were excellent with an amazing wine list. We will be back every time we visit DC.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways good, hearty, and noAlways good, hearty, and no corkage on M-W is a real bargain. Has never let me down. Fresh pastas to die for.4/1/2013 12:00:00 AMTasty rustic italian fromTasty rustic italian from local and sustainable sources.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWent for late night snackWent for late night snack after event at Kennedy Center. Fast shuttle from Kennedy Center dropped us off right across the street. Perfrect limited menue of pizza, wings and salads. Great food, great atmosphere.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was excellent, theThe food was excellent, the server was very attentive, and we had an excellent experience. The only challenge was choosing what to order - we'll just have to come back to try some more things next time!3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMTotally Delicious!!We had a 8:15pm reservation & due to trouble parking, we didn't arrive until going on 9pm. We were welcomed as if we walked in at our reservation time without waiting any additional time. We were seated and attended to right away. Since it was Passover season we decided to try some of the Passover dinner selections along with regular menu items. All of our food was absolutely delicious: Matzah Ball Soup, Chopped Chicken livers w/Matzah, Meatball & Duck Leg Confit Salad. Entrees were the special Lamb Stew, Lasagna, and the Cioppino which were all amazing choices. We finished with some wonderful desserts and house made cello suggested by our amazing waiter Michael, who made our evening very enjoyable. We will definitely be back!! Yummy!3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMLove Dino's. Love to takeLove Dino's. Love to take out-of-towners there since it is good and not pretentious. The service did get a little spotty as the restaurant got busier, but still got excellent guidance on wine. Thought it was great they had passover options; and my gluten-friend visitor appreciated the labels on the menu.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMUnmatched quality and variety!I was at Dino for two meals last week (lucky me!) – if I had been in D.C. for three nights, it would have been three meals. Dino never fails to please, from the superb wine list to the locally sourced, ultra-fresh food. The menu changes virtually daily, not just seasonally, and there are items you simply won't see elsewhere, both in terms of sheer variety and unmatched quality. I'm simply a huge fan of Kay and Dean's wonderful restaurant – long may they wave!3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMBrunch with Expert VariationsBrunch at Dino was, for a second time, delicious. My only complaint was having to ask for water and bread well after we had been served our drinks, when it should have been noticed that we had been skipped over. Service was otherwise excellent. I tried the house corned beef hash and it was scrumptious. Highly recommended.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMOne person in our party thoughtOne person in our party thought the food was too spicy and sent her dinner back. It was replaced with fettucine alfredo, which she loved. her complaint was that she had specifically asked about spicyness when she ordered because she has dietary restrictions and was told it wouldn't be spicy. I think she had ordered the duck canelloni. Everything else was great.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMBetter than ever!I really think this is one of the best restaurants in the city!3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMBest of the BestI could eat here every single night. This is an absolute - go to - place. Food is simply amazing. Servers are so lovely and knowledgable.3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was my second time visitingThis was my second time visiting Dino's. My first experience was great. The food was superb and the wait staff was awesome! As a result, I suggested Dino's to my husband and a friend. This time the wait staff was still awesome but the food was not tasty at all. We started off with calamari. It was bland and a little greasy. I ordered the scallops and they were swimming in orange butter. There was so much butter that I couldn't eat the vegetables that accompanied the dish. My husband ordered the duck breast and he said it was fatty. I didn't want to sample it since he was picking to find edible meat. My friend ordered meatballs and spaghetti. She said it was okay. I don't know what happened this time. Maybe Monday is not a good night to go.3/4/2013 12:00:00 AMgot there a bit early andgot there a bit early and they were able to seat my group. We bagan with drinks which were all good. As always, they have a great wine selection. Meatballs as starters were Excellent as always!!! Dinner with my friends were short ribs, salmon, and fish stew all the dishes were outstsnding. great place.2/23/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect casual neighborhoodPerfect casual neighborhood place with really great Italian food Wonderful interesting pasta dishes. The ONLY dish I didn't like was a tasteless swiss chard appetizer Otherwise you can't go wrong here2/17/2013 12:00:00 AMRun, Don't Walk to This GemMy favorite Italian in DC. I never tire of the delicious, yet non traditional lasagna. The wine list is a thing of wonder. Excellent food at very reasonable prices. Can't be beat!1/23/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat cocktails, an upscaleGreat cocktails, an upscale Manhattan-Perfect! A special type of Cod fish was the high light. Great flavors, service is always great and very helpful.11/23/2012 12:00:00 AM