Excellent service, excellent food!
Dotting and knowledgeable staff. I would highly recommend to anyone for a cozy romantic dinner for those looking for something different. We had the wild boar pasta and duck lasagna.... phenomenal
This weekend was my third trip to Dino's Grotto for brunch. My first visit was a rough start, and I think it could be attributed to sitting downstairs with an inexperienced server. Second time at bat, the food and value scored a home run. The flexibility of the kitchen is commendable considering the quantity of people that pack in on the weekends in the Shaw gem. This weekend we were seated in long-tenured Texas-native Kelly Ann's section. She so effortlessly served us in a conversational manor it was as if we were all enjoying a meal at a friend's house. Whether on a date or entertaining a large group, it's hard to beat Dino's Grotto, one of our favorite places in town. Treat yourself to the octopus or the buratta to start, you will never go wrong. The duck or steak and eggs are always a huge hit too. Ask for Kelly Ann and she will greet you with a huge Southern welcome and will certainly make sure that you don't see the bottom of your glasses. Thanks again team for a great brunch!
Fantastic mushroom parpadelle pasta. Half portion perfect size for hungry female. Service could be faster but pace felt authentically Italian (took off a star for this)
The food here is really good, honestly. Best lobster pasta I've ever had. You're gonna pay for it, but it's worth it. Shaw is home to a fantastic Italian place.
Great booze, creative food and always friendly staff.
Went for happy hour on a Wednesday and it was pretty good. Enjoyed the cocktails but honestly they were nothing special considering it was "speakeasy night". Food was decent but the tacos were the best part which is odd considering it's an Italian restaurant. Bartender was attentive but not overly pleasant. Overall a 4 star experience mostly because of the solid prices for DC.
One of my favorite local spots! The happy hour can't be beat--includes great deals on cocktails and food (try the deviled eggs!) I also appreciate Dino's because it is very family-friendly. They offer a very sophisticated kid's menu. We had a great mother's day dinner there and they were very accommodating with a large group of us.
I'll admit, I was surprised. I undersold this place from the unassuming exterior and no prior mentions of it from an Italian friend in the area - but suffice it to say, I'll be mentioning it to them. I ordered the boar pasta, which was perfectly spiced and cooked, and had such great flavor. The red wine paired really nicely (the white wine I tasted was also delicious). Our server was friendly (despite the complicated and demanding set of diners at a nearby table) and attentive, and the dining room was cozy in, again, a surprising way (who'd have thought dorm room string lights were a nice companion for exposed brick and misc photographic prints). I want to come back some time and try more.
Went here (the downstairs level) on a casual first date and it was a good choice. The wine was lovely and the tapas were good (though not too much in the way of veggie options). The decor was unpretentious, and the bartender was friendly and provided good service. I would happily go again.
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Unpretentiously great.
I took the family here on New year's Eve for dinner while we were visiting on vacation. They had a better selection for a gluten-free person, like myself, then I would have expected. The service was good,and the owner was often nearby checking on us. He was friendly and understated how good the place was. It was a fixed priced evening, as New year's often is, but he offered our special needs daughter a child's menu to save us money.
Several of the items surprised me. The wagyu sirloin steak was truly exceptional. It may be the best sirloin steak I've ever had. It was tender and juicy with a great beef flavor. My wife and son had pasta dishes and raved about them as well. I am unable to have gluten or dairy, but the owner made sure that I had some glazed pears for dessert, which were a good choice.
I ordered Kay's Manhattan, which is a dry vermouth version. It was well crafted, and I was encouraged to try a boulevardier, which is difficult to make, as it usually comes out a too bitter. I was, once again, pleasantly surprised and how well-balanced it was. It had that perfect balance of bitter and sweet with rich flavor that a good whiskey drink should have.
For last-minute recommendation, in a town that gets a lot of foodie tourism, I was amazed to find that this last minute reservation yielded such an exceptional experience. If I were local, this would be a regular stop for me.
Excellent food, tasty drinks, and attentive service. I will be back again.
Big fan of Dino’s after my first dinner there recently! We made a reservation for a group of 10 on a Saturday night several days in advance and the restaurant was very accommodating even though they had another group of 10 the same time. Super cool layout that feels like a warm living room vibe in a row house. Very chill noise level, can be a little loud because it’s small but it was super great for conversation. Bar area downstairs would be better if you wanted loud/music/a more casual vibe.
We loved the half size wine pours, the starter bread & olive oil, and the large portion sizes of the entrees (large portions made sense given the pretty high entree prices). We loved the burger, the steak (biggest piece of steak I’ve seen!), the roasted chicken, and the amberjack fish with beets. Pastas were also a hit and more affordable, very filling.
We didn’t order dessert but I want to come back and try the olive oil gelato sometime!
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