Cafe Italia - Arlington

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1. FC

   FCfromArl

   Washington DC

   19 reviews

   vip
   2.0

   19 reviews

   Dined on July 15, 2016

   overall2food2service5ambience2

   Very disappointing, mediocre experience at best. Service was good, food just fine and ambiance nonexistent. Would not recommend or go back - too many other choices in and around Arlington.

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2. H

   Hame

   Washington DC

   41 reviews

   vip
   4.0

   41 reviews

   Dined on July 6, 2016

   overall4food4service4ambience4

   It's an unpretentious neighborhood trattoria that's been there forever. The prices are reasonable and the food is traditional American Italian - nicely prepared and served in a low-key and friendly manner. Dinner salad and bread are included with your entree. The calamari fritti is perfectly cooked. It's a great local standby for regular dining and is also great for a group or a family dinner.

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3. MC

   MarlaC

   Washington DC

   50 reviews

   vip
   4.0

   50 reviews

   Dined on June 23, 2016

   overall4food4service4ambience5

   Love the old charm of this restaurant. Have been there a few times and enjoyed it every time.

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4. f

   fm110

   Washington DC

   33 reviews

   4.0

   33 reviews

   Dined on June 17, 2016

   overall4food4service4ambience4

   After visiting the competitor across the street one month prior, this return visit reassured me that this was our go-to Italian restaurant on 23rd St. The staff was friendly, the food was very good, and overall we enjoyed our dinner on the covered patio. We look forward to our next visit.

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5. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Washington DC

   24 reviews

   2.0

   24 reviews

   Dined on June 10, 2016

   overall2food2service3ambience3

   Typical Crystal City tourist restaurant. Have seen this place busy on numerous occasions so I've been wanting to try it. The lobster bisque tastes like it was frozen, my pasta meal tasted a bit bland. Service was quick and great.

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6. WB

   WillB125

   Washington DC

   41 reviews

   vip
   1.0

   41 reviews

   Dined on June 8, 2016

   overall1food1service4ambience3

   The house wines (Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio) were very nice. The chicken Marsala was awful as was the chicken piccata. Just barely edible. Friendly service but we will not be returning.

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7. D

   Dianne

   San Francisco

   9 reviews

   4.0

   9 reviews

   Dined on May 25, 2016

   overall4food4service5ambience4

   Great go to place with a small group. Casual but good service and dependable food.

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8. AK

   AlanK

   Washington DC

   457 reviews

   vip
   3.0

   457 reviews

   Dined on May 15, 2016

   overall3food3service5ambience2

   Food was good, service was great!

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9. KT

   KateT

   Washington DC

   124 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   124 reviews

   Dined on May 10, 2016

   overall5food4service5ambience5

   Waitress Glenda tool good care of us. She made good recommendations that were very tasty - the F. B. I. and the bolognese. The home made Italian salad dressing was good too. Another successful meal at Cafe Italia!

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10. J

    Jack

    Richmond

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on May 8, 2016

    overall5food4service5ambience5

    Very friendly. Yolanda the hostess made you feel like a long lost friend . There was nothing to complain about. The waiter was very attentive. Good place to go to.

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11. BG

    BillyG

    Washington DC

    10 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on May 7, 2016

    overall4food5service5ambience3

    My wife and I couldn't decide on lunch locally, so we checked the Open Table app and found Cafe Italia with good reviews a short 15 minutes away in Crystal City. It had been pouring rain and there weren't many folks out and about yet. As a result, we were only the second table in the restaurant. We sat out on the closed in patio area, to enjoy the nice temps (finally) and despite a leak in the roof nearby, still had a pleasant experience. The food was terrific and the waiter's attentiveness was prompt, but not overbearing. They offer a fixed price multi-course lunch, but we chose to order off of the menu starting with a basket of freshly baked bread and bruschetta plus salads with a great house dressing. For entrees, a calzone and chicken piccata were plentiful and well prepared. We look forward to another visit soon.

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12. SW

    StephanieW

    Washington DC

    42 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    42 reviews

    Dined on May 6, 2016

    overall2food3service2ambience2

    Our party of 4 got there on time and were seated in a fairly empty restaurant. We ordered after about 5 minutes (our choice as we were debating on appetizers). Then we waited over 40 minutes for our meals. We did not order anything complicated (2 salads and 2 pastas). The bread was mediocre, the soup too salty, and the calamari too chewy. The raviolis were amazing...but that was it.

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13. SD

    SDMike

    San Diego

    20 reviews

    4.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on May 5, 2016

    overall4food4service3ambience3

    This little neighborhood gem was nice. The service was good, and the food was typical Italian comfort food. Nothing spectacular, but then again, nothing to walk away from neither. Was rather disappointed by the dinner salads - some lettuce and shaved carrots on a plate. That said, when I'm in Arlington, I won't hesitate to visit again. Beware - the tables here are bunched up really tight; really tight!

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14. LV

    LoveVeganFood

    Philadelphia

    29 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    29 reviews

    Dined on May 5, 2016

    overall2food2service3ambience3

    Cafe Italia had a cozy ambiance and good service, which made up for the mediocre food somewhat. We ordered garlic toast to start and it was very bland ; it had very little garlic and tasted like plain toast. The bruschetta was skimpy and disappointing - each piece of toast had one grape tomato sliced in two in addition to bland mozzarella cheese. Two people in our party ordered the fettuccine alfredo and said it was too milky and liquidy. The pasta puttanesca, however, was good - flavorful and satisfying. For dessert our party ordered the almond cake which was ok and the creme brulee which was disappointing. Overall, the food was disappointing and I would not recommend this restaurant.

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15. t

    tawniedawnie

    Jacksonville

    21 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on May 4, 2016

    overall3food3service3ambience3

    It was OK for a moderate priced restaurant. They had plastic tablecloths w cloth napkins no wine list to speak of. Your average local Tuesday night pizza place

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16. R

    Ruth

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on April 29, 2016

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    Nice location, nearby accessible parking, staff friendly. My only complaint would be the time we had to wait for the food. It took a pretty long time. Food was good.

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17. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on April 9, 2016

    overall4food5service5ambience4

    The server was great, very patient with our large group and we had a child

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18. LL

    LLPooh1

    Chicago

    12 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on April 2, 2016

    overall4food4service5ambience4

    met friends for dinner, we are both out of towners. Food was delicious, great little area. Waiter was so friendly and nice.

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19. T

    Thomas

    Washington DC

    40 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    40 reviews

    Dined on April 1, 2016

    overall4food5service5ambience3

    The Waiter was very nice!! The food was delicious .

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20. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    4 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on March 18, 2016

    overall2food1service3ambience2

    Except for the house dressing this place was B.A.D.

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21. B

    Brent

    Anchorage

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 14, 2016

    overall4food5service5ambience5

    Portions were small but very tasty and deli sous. Will try again

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22. D

    Ditty

    Washington DC

    59 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    59 reviews

    Dined on March 14, 2016

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    Excellent lunchtime specials. I make a special trip there sometimes.

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23. E

    Edward

    New York Area

    40 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    40 reviews

    Dined on March 7, 2016

    overall3food4service2ambience2

    Odd place, desperately in need of a renovation. Decent food, but service that has all the quirks of a family-run place with little of the charm. This entire strip of "old Arlington" is stuck in the past and gentrification is passing it by.

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24. JP

    JoseP

    Washington DC

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on February 22, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Delicious food,.I love Italian food

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25. SC

    SoCo

    San Antonio

    8 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on February 20, 2016

    overall1food1service1ambience1

    We did not enjoy anything about our dinner. Found it greasy and service and ambiance did nothing to make up for it.

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26. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 13, 2016

    overall1food1service1ambience2

    Worst place I've ever been. I'm not one to give a review of a restaurant and definitely not a bad review, but the overall experience at this place was bad. I reserved a table two weeks in advance and got there and they forgot to reserve my table. The host and the wait staff weren't on the same page as far as seating. I ordered veal and it was the fattiest piece of veal I've ever seen, and the dish I order had a clear description of not having mushrooms and when I received the food it was covered in them. The tables were too close together so when the couple next to me got up they knocked over a wine bottle in my lap, after that my appetite was gone so we paid and left very disappointed in the overall quality of this restaurant.

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27. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 13, 2016

    overall5food4service5ambience4

    It's a great neighborhood restaurant that I've been eating at for the last 15 years and hope to continue to eat there for another 15.

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28. KT

    KateT

    Washington DC

    124 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    124 reviews

    Dined on February 9, 2016

    overall4food3service5ambience3

    We had not been to Cafe Italia in quite some time and decided to go for dinner. We were not disappointed. We had chicken Parmesan and chicken piccata that came with the house salad - both tasty. Our waiter was attentive and quick and very welcoming. The meals were reasonably priced too. As we left everyone said good bye. The restaurant has an old, and old fashioned, feel to it that we like - a little on the dark side (as in lighting not Star Wars) which we also like. Now that we have returned after several years away we will be back far more often.

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29. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    25 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on January 30, 2016

    overall3food2service4ambience2

    Went to Cafe Italia for a friend's birthday. Made a reservation and called when we were running a few minutes behind. The woman who answered didn't know what I was talking about and was extremely confused. That made me nervous. The lobster bisque was over salted. The bread was clearly purchased and not made. The entrees were bland. The wine was nice and a great deal. Our waiter was fantastic! Loved the service. Disappointed in the food.

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30. W

    Woody

    Washington DC

    41 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    41 reviews

    Dined on January 27, 2016

    overall5food4service5ambience4

    Old Italian rustic inn type place.

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31. C

    Cookie25

    New York Area

    23 reviews

    4.0

    23 reviews

    Dined on November 14, 2015

    overall4food5service5ambience4

    This is a charming Italian restaurant off the beaten path with excellent food and service !

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32. e

    erinc

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 7, 2015

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    The service was outstanding and the food was delicious. We arrived early and were warmly greeted, seated quickly, and the servers were extremely attentive.

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33. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on October 17, 2015

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    I used to frequent this restaurant quite a bit then the new owners were too worried about opening a second location everything went down hill from there. We had friends coming into town requesting Italian so I decided to go back and try cafe Italia. Oh my gosh they brought back Billy's the chef from the old owner and food is back to where it was. Javier our waiter was exceptional with his service and glad to see this little gem coming back.

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34. CW

    CWIMER62

    Washington DC

    7 reviews

    2.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on September 19, 2015

    overall2food2service2ambience2

    If you are looking for great Italian food, I recommend you look elsewhere. The food is okay (not bad) but nothing to write home about. The service is decent but again, nothing to write home about. That said, Café Italia is a place I'd go to again but I'm sure there are better options in the area.

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35. t

    tigerlily20190

    Washington DC

    13 reviews

    3.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on June 12, 2015

    overall3food4service1ambience3

    We went to Café Italia after a service at Arlington Cemetery. it was quite early only just 5pm yet my order was forgotten. it could have been prepared several times by the time it was actually brought. Although the waiter apologized, there was no enumeration. I would have expected something. All others in my party were finished eating by the time I was served. Very poor service. The food was ok by the time it came, but by then I was pretty aggravated.

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36. B

    Biztravlr

    New York Area

    83 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    83 reviews

    Dined on May 5, 2015

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    Its been a while since I've been here. I travel for business and stay in this neighborhood. I enjoy this old style neighborhood restaurant. Reminds me of those basic unpretentious Restaurants where families and friends old eat when growing up. Interesting decor. I'll be going back again and look forward to trying other menu items

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37. FF

    FoodFan

    Washington DC

    156 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    156 reviews

    Dined on March 10, 2015

    overall4food4service4ambience5

    I have dined here several times and have always enjoyed the experience. The food is quite good and the establishment has a mom & pop feel to it. The prices are reasonable for hearty portions. I recommend the lasagna. The service is always good, even if I grab something to go and wait at the bar. Highly recommend an occasional visit.

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38. k

    kittkatt65

    Washington DC

    10 reviews

    3.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on December 20, 2014

    overall3food2service2ambience4

    The place is cozy (tables are a little tight). I was annoyed that we stood for 10 minutes before being acknowledged and seated. The food is mediocre. I have the chicken marsala and had to bring it home to add some seasoning. It was very bland. My companion had the chicken carbonara and the chicken was so dry and overcooked it was not edible. The pasta was ok, but again lacked seasoning, just very bland. The highlight was the Crema Caramel for dessert. Sweet and creamy. It is a good spot for a quick glass of wine and dessert. Also the karaoke was top notch. Real singers, with real talent and personality.

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39. EJ

    EdwardJGerety

    Washington DC

    90 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    90 reviews

    Dined on November 25, 2014

    overall4food3service3ambience5

    This little place has a lot of character and wish it was only located on Crystal Drive, so that it was not such a walk. The food was outstanding and the service was ok. Our waiter was not on top of it the entire time but the owner/manager filled in rather well. This is also not a place to come for a little snack as the food portions are well-sized and if you walk out hungry it is YOUR fault. Overall, I will return!

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40. K

    Kitty

    Washington DC

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 7, 2014

    overall4food4service3ambience3

    Good food. Very busy. ************************ ************************

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