Al Dente

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1. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   San Francisco

   7 reviews

   vip
   2.0

   7 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   overall2food2service4ambience4

   The food is bit and miss as some other reviews agree. The pizza is ok. The tiramisu is good. The pasta, meatballs and eggplant parmesan are all poorly executed. There is nothing worth going back for.

   Report
2. NC

   NikkiC

   Chicago

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined on January 22, 2023

   overall1food1service2ambience2

   This was hands down the worst Italian restaurant. I went with three friends and none of us liked our food (it looked microwaved) and was overpriced. The service was horrible. Only redeeming quality was the cocktails, which were perfection. Will never be going back.

   Report
3. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Washington DC

   95 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   95 reviews

   Dined on January 21, 2023

   overall5food4service5ambience4

   We really enjoyed our dining experience at Al Dente last night. We appreciated the large Restaurant Week menu and the woman who waited on us was fantastic! The calamari were very good, but beware, the hot peppers are very spicy. The pepperoni pizza was also delicious.

   Report
4. CT

   CarrollT

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on January 21, 2023

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   I kept seeing so many great entrees. It was crazy hard to decide, which means we MUST go back for more!! What a great new restaurant find!

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5. KE

   KEArion

   Washington DC

   95 reviews

   vip
   3.0

   95 reviews

   Dined on January 19, 2023

   overall3food3service2ambience2

   I went here for DC Restaurant Week. While the food is good (and the special menu includes nicer items like salmon), the portion sizes are small (to American standards). And the only dessert you can have with Restaurant Week is gelato or sorbet, even in the winter, when you don't really want ice cream! Chef Geoff's is next door, and for the same $25 lunch special, you can get WAY more food (salmon isn't included, but a big bowl of shrimp scampi is!) so you have leftovers, and there are many delicious desserts to choose from. The restaurants are very close to each other, so I would recommend Chef Geoff's over Al Dente.

   Report
6. CC

   CuriousCarnivore

   Washington DC

   100 reviews

   vip
   4.0

   100 reviews

   Dined on January 17, 2023

   overall4food4service5ambience4

   Very nice lunch and great service. Parking only partially paid for by restaurant.

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7. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Washington DC

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined on January 16, 2023

   overall3food3service3ambience4

   Went for restaurant week. Server wasn’t bad, but just okay. Eggplant appetizer was mostly cheese. Salmon in lemon vinaigrette tasted plain and the vinaigrette was mostly oil, not lemon - not good at all. Bathroom needs to be fixed. Might try again (someday) to see if other menu options are better.

   Report
8. W

   Williedell

   Washington DC

   39 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   39 reviews

   Dined on January 16, 2023

   overall5food5service5ambience3

   Great to have a chance to eat at Al Dente. It shows the value of restaurant week.

   Report
9. LE

   LuvEverything

   Washington DC

   20 reviews

   vip
   3.0

   20 reviews

   Dined on January 15, 2023

   overall3food3service3ambience3

   Disappointed. Use to be much better and seems to have lost management focus. Nothing special.

   Report
10. JD

    JenD

    New York Area

    14 reviews

    2.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on January 15, 2023

    overall2food2service2ambience3

    They were out of many dishes, wines, desserts, etc! Never refilled water glasses, were hard to track down for questions and had to ask for the check by walking up front —and then we had to follow up 15 min later! Disappointing to say the least.

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11. J

    Janoux

    San Diego

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on December 24, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Always reliable. The menu is interesting and the service pleasing. Staff are attentive but not overbearing. The food is excellent.

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12. R

    Raymond

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on December 24, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    This is a great Italian restaurant with the highest quality of food and services at very reasonable price. Plenty of free street parking is around the restaurant after 5:00 pm weekdays and entire days during weekend.

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13. g

    genes

    Washington DC

    35 reviews

    5.0

    35 reviews

    Dined on December 11, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience3

    One of our favorite places to eat. Always fresh and high quality. Attentive service. Somewhat loud.

    Report
14. DB

    DanB

    Washington DC

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on December 3, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    Nice place! great quality food and nice service gets a tad loud when full and it’s prices are a tad more than should be

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15. S

    Skidder

    Washington DC

    27 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    27 reviews

    Dined on December 2, 2022

    overall1food1service2ambience3

    I ordered the chicken breast. It had no breading - which was fine, but the chicken was all gristle. Not good.

    Report
16. T

    Terry

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 24, 2022

    overall5food5service4ambience4

    Thanksgiving- nice change from the normal - and a great offering for traditionalists as well

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17. LA

    LoriA

    Washington DC

    30 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    30 reviews

    Dined on November 23, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Took grandkids for dinner and it was delicious and kid friendly

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18. KJ

    KevinJ

    Houston

    41 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    41 reviews

    Dined on November 22, 2022

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    Good food, competent service usually pretty quiet. Nice neighborhood Italian restaurant.

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19. M

    Masha

    Washington DC

    33 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    33 reviews

    Dined on November 21, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Always delicious food high quality great service amazing value

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20. ED

    EatinoutinDC

    Washington DC

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on November 1, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    Server Ivar was great, and the happy-hour choices were very good (hamburger, lentil soup and salad). Noice level was low due in part to our being outside and the fact that Chef Goeff's was having a private event and we didn't see or hear people there. Ivar brought us out drinks and food choices rapidly and we enjoyed the evening.

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21. KK

    KennethK

    Baltimore

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 28, 2022

    overall3food2service5ambience3

    Ordered fried zucchini flowers for our party of three, the order included 2 with some zucchini sticks. I ordered cacio e pepe, a dish which I don't think the chef has eaten before or certainly not learned how to prepare. It was made with rigatoni, and was watery with bare pasta and water sauce. The wait staff was very good.

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22. B

    Blue

    Washington DC

    22 reviews

    4.0

    22 reviews

    Dined on October 28, 2022

    overall4food5service4ambience4

    Excellent food. No notice by restaurant that we were celebrating a birthday. Friday night happy hour so very noisy.

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23. CF

    ColFrog

    Washington DC

    64 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    64 reviews

    Dined on October 23, 2022

    overall3food4service3ambience3

    The food was great, but multiple items that we ordered were not available. The service was decent, but our waiter did not know English well enough to communicate the items that were not available and another waiter had to come assist him.

    Report
24. MP

    MarvinP

    Los Angeles

    14 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on October 14, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    Food was authentic and very good. Personable service staff. We really appreciated the gluten free options for my wife

    Report
25. LG

    LetitiaG

    Washington DC

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 8, 2022

    overall3food2service4ambience3

    Upon arrival I told hostess we were a party of 4 not 3 as reserved. She led us to a table with 3 chairs and walked away leaving 3 menus. We stood there for several minutes before I asked a busboy for a chair and added place setting. We waited several more minutes when he came back with a chair. When the waiter came over I asked him for a menu and another place setting. He came back with a menu. We ordered. I asked another busboy for the place setting. He brought napkin utensils but no plate. When the focaccia was brought, I asked the busboy for a plate for my friend. Salads ok. Shrimp overcooked. Lasagna ok.

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26. LM

    LisaM

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 7, 2022

    overall1food1service1ambience1

    What a disappointment this was. We had to wait almost 10 minutes for the hostess to return to her station to seat us - there were 2 other parties waiting to be seated in the lobby - and another 3 lined up outside. We were seated outside, where it was quite noisy. The waiter was very polite but overworked and obviously new. The pasta dish (tagliatelle with sweet cherries and basil) was awful. I ordered a replacement pizza. They brought me the wrong pizza, after waiting nearly 30 minutes. This is not a professionally or capably run restaurant at the moment. It is in a great location - so I hope they are able to work through their issues with service and food prep. At this time, however, should you decide to go, do so with low expectations!

    Report
27. JO

    JaniceO

    Washington DC

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on October 6, 2022

    overall5food5service4ambience4

    We went primarily because of the gluten free pasta option (celiac disease). The options were delicious and safe for gluten allergy. The service was very pleasant though gf it did take a little longer than expected to get our food on a Thursday night but it gave a chance to talk and relax.

    Report
28. e

    eatwell

    Washington DC

    54 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    54 reviews

    Dined on October 5, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    Excellent lunch! Nice selections of starters and salads for lunch.

    Report
29. AS

    AmyS

    Washington DC

    6 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on October 4, 2022

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    The food was delicious and the service was prompt and friendly.

    Report
30. C

    Chrismi

    Washington DC

    30 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    30 reviews

    Dined on September 30, 2022

    overall2food5service3ambience4

    I gave another chance to Al dente for the second time with my two kids, but this restaurant is not for us. Since we leave close, I will order and pick up the food and not dine in. Even my kids said that they don't want to go back there. Very disappointed 🙁

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31. A

    Alice

    Washington DC

    25 reviews

    3.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on September 26, 2022

    overall3food2service4ambience3

    Four of us dined at Al Dente. Unlike some poor reviewers, I found the service to be very good. We were asked if we wanted a drink no fewer than THREE times within the first five minutes of our being seated. (We were not a drinking party, but eventually two of us ordered a glass of wine.) The food was OK. I had salmon on a patty of potato and crab meat. I would not order it again. The salmon was undercooked, and the potato and crab meat combination did nothing for me. I was treating the others in my party, so they had no "complaints" about the food. The squash blossom appetizer was not worth the price. Only two squash blossoms were served.

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32. JG

    JoyG

    Washington DC

    30 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    30 reviews

    Dined on September 24, 2022

    overall4food3service4ambience4

    I have been to Al Dente before and had the Branzino before with spinach. This time it did not have the flavor it has had in the past. It did not have much flavor, I'm sorry to say. Service was very good. I'm wondering if there's new management or a new chef or maybe Roberto Donna is not involved anymore. We were happy we could get outside seating. The bread wasn't as good as I remembered either. I remember them having focaccia, but they didn't have it this time.

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33. GD

    GwenDCG

    Washington DC

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 24, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We sat outside - good food and nice service

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34. C

    Chrismi

    Washington DC

    30 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    30 reviews

    Dined on September 23, 2022

    overall3food5service3ambience3

    I went there with my two young kids. I had a reservation for outside, but it was very cold, and the usher helped us to find a spot so we could order and go back home with the food instead of dining in. We waited for more than 45 minutes to get the food. People who arrived at the same time were served more than 30 before us. My 4-year-old son went by himself to tell the manager that he was hungry and he wanted to eat. I hope that it’s not like that every Friday.

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35. N

    Nancy

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 20, 2022

    overall4food4service5ambience1

    The food and service is always very good. Happy Hour is a really good deal. Although we were seated outdoors, each time the door opened a strong smell of bleach/ cleaner came from indoors.

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36. CL

    CarolL

    Washington DC

    5 reviews

    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 17, 2022

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    Always a great meal!

    Report
37. MU

    MarginallyUseful

    Washington DC

    149 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    149 reviews

    Dined on September 3, 2022

    overall5food5service4ambience3

    Great food, reasonably priced, very pleasant overall. Have gone back here many times, the Caesar salad, pizzas and pastas are all excellent. Service is good. The outdoor tables are more pleasant than inside, but inside is OK. Overall, perhaps not worth a long trip, but if you want a reliable and very good place in northwest Washington, this is a great option.

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38. GS

    GSCMJOE

    Washington DC

    242 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    242 reviews

    Dined on September 2, 2022

    overall4food4service4ambience3

    Dinner for 8 at Al Dente was flawless. Great wine list and mixed drinks, salads, appetizers were fresh and had a genuine Italian taste. We had 8 different entrees and we shared...all were served at the correct temperature and had a fresh and home cooked taste. The pasta, made in house was to die for...my fettucine alfredo with chicken was excellent. Prices will not break the bank, superb service.

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39. M

    Mike74

    Washington DC

    14 reviews

    3.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on August 28, 2022

    overall3food2service3ambience3

    We had the pizza, and this style is not to my liking. Very thin, tough crust that was hard to chew. Toppngs (pepperoni and cheese) were a little greasy. Could only eat 2 slices, my partner only one. The chairs are hard, thank goodness I always bring my own cushion. Central pizza fire does make n attractive setting, but would not go back.

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40. p

    pmar

    Washington DC

    20 reviews

    4.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on August 20, 2022

    overall4food5service4ambience4

    Food was terrific as usual. Good value particularly during restaurant week.

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