Morgana

Where to begin. This place is fantastic and so warm and inviting! The food was incredible light but filling at same time!! The bread was perfect. The live jazz added to the overall atmosphere. I cannot praise enough. I will be recommending to every guest I bartend for from now on! Cheers to the wonderful staff

What a gem for the neighborhood. We were highly anticipating the opening of this restaurant after visiting with the owners when we would periodically walk by before they opened. After our visit - we highly give this restaurant 5 ⭐️. First off, the waiters are extremely friendly and helpful with recommendations. Reservations were encouraged as we wanted to be sure to sit outside with our doggie. The food was amazing. Everyone at the table was blown away and shared each others meal. The drinks are great and come with a kick. Certainly recommend this for a nice intimate dinner or dinner with friends. BTW - the bread is amazing and portion size is great!

Amazing Place to enjoy live jazz and authentic Italian food,very cozy atmosphere, I went with my boyfriend and we had burrata, olives and bread, octopus carpaccio, squid and two delicious pasta dishes!! The cannolis with mascarpone it was delicious. Definitely I will back.

So glad I found Morgana. Delicious food, great wine, real art and a community feel. Came in for weekend jazz and keep coming back whenever I can. Great place to recharge.

What can I say, this was a beautiful surprise!!! I’ve known most of the people here back then, and to see them opening a new venue here is a treat for DC! The aesthetic is so artistic and eclectic, it feels like you’re in a film scene. There is the retro-modern feel, and it’s one of the most coolest things to see about this place. The food is definitely fantastic; you will definitely try so many unique dishes, and the food representation compliments the taste. The staff is absolutely fantastic! They make you feel at home, and it doesn’t feel like a forced hospitality vibe, as hey, they’re Italian haha… but you’ll definitely feel welcomed, and even better when you come more often. I’m rooting for this restaurant, and it’s already off on a good start!

My husband, son and I had dinner at Morgana last week and it was an amazing experience. The owners are from Sicily and make authentic Italian dishes. The food was creative, delicious and beautifully presented. They also have an extensive wine list. We had 4 delicious appetizers and two entrees. The two that stood out were the Mozzarella di Bufala w/ parma prosciutto, aged 24 months, & eggplant appetizer and the Baked Amberjack filet w/ truffled mashed potatoes and asparagus as an entree. I’ve enclosed photos below. The owner, Vincenzo, was delightful. He was very personable and we could see he was proud of his restaurant and the authentic Italian food that they serve. Morgana is a hidden gem in Adams Morgan.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Morgana and I cannot recommend highly enough. This restaurant not only has some of the most delicious ziti I have ever tasted, but also offers a fantastic selection of drinks, and top-notch customer service that made my meal even more enjoyable. From the moment I walked in, I was impressed with the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the restaurant. The decor was cozy and inviting, and the staff greeted me with big smiles and friendly hellos. I was immediately seated and given a menu to peruse. I decided to go with the ziti as my main course, and I am so glad I did. The pasta was cooked to perfection, and the sauce was rich, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. It was clear that the ingredients used were of top quality, and the dish was expertly prepared. But the ziti was not the only highlight of my meal. The restaurant also offers an impressive selection of drinks, including a wide variety of wines and cocktails. I opted for a glass of red wine to pair with my meal, and it was the perfect complement to the rich flavors of the ziti. And while the food and drinks were both outstanding, what really stood out to me was the customer service. The staff at this restaurant went above and beyond to make sure that I had an enjoyable dining experience. They were attentive, friendly, and always willing to answer any questions I had. It was clear that they take pride in their work and genuinely care about their customers. Overall, I cannot recommend this Italian restaurant highly enough. The ziti and drinks were both fantastic, and the customer service was truly outstanding. If you are looking for a great meal and a wonderful dining experience, this is the place to go.

This place is outstanding. We stopped by to have some drinks and some food and ended up staying for much, much longer. We couldn’t get enough! We had the La Bomba, calamari, octopus, a cheese plate, and dessert, it was all very good and unique. We also had a few cocktails and some wine - the Morgana Negroni and espresso martini were great. This is also one of the most thoughtfully put together restaurants I have seen in DC, from the art, the colors, to the furniture. Aside from the good food, drinks, and atmosphere, the staff is wonderful and engaging and deserves their own 5-star review. One hundred percent check this place out.

We had a lovely dinner with friends at Morgana on a quiet Tuesday evening. The appetizers were excellent (we got the roast cauliflower and fried eggplant). Both had lots of interesting flavor combinations. For entrees we shared the Pizza Morgana (mushroom, sausage, arugula, and pecorino) and the pappardelle Bolognese. Both were tasty and my very foodie friend approved of the crust. The weakest part of the meal was the dessert. I think we got the affogato and cannoli. Both were a bit bland and the flavors of the affogato didn't quite work together. Service was friendly and efficient. The decor was a little quirky and not really my style (lots of plastic plants) and very dark, especially upstairs. Next time I think I would opt for the patio, though it is very small and on a busy street. I definitely want to go back for the happy hour.

Okay. Here me out. Because when I walked up to the non-descript building in Adams Morgan that houses Morgana, I almost walked away.... This is a prime example of "don't judge a book by its cover." The decor is....interesting. Lots of mismatched fake plants and vines outside, super dark inside. We decided to sit outside and people watch and recommend you do the same. We went for Morgana's brunch, which includes an appetizer, a first course and a dessert or side. You can also order a la carte. Being the lushes we are, we decided to get the special prosecco and juices deal for $29. The wine delivery was a pure spectacle and we loved every moment of it. The food was surprisingly delicious. Fresh ingredients, authentic recipes, and bold flavors. All in all, this place lives up to its high Yelp ranking and I highly recommend you stop in for brunch.

The food here was excellent! Probably the best Italian I've had in DC! We sat in the patio area and the ambiance was great, I felt like it was a little private area despite being on a busy Adams Morgan street. Service was very good too - staff made recommendations and explained menu items. A stand out for me was the eggplant or parmiagiana sbagliata, I loved the crispy parmiango on top. An affogato in a chocolate edible cup to top it all off was a great way to end the meal. We also ordered champagne and the waiters gave us different juices to mix it with. Overall a wonderful dining experience and another lovely addition to the Adams Morgan dining scene! Whether you come here for a special occasion or as a regular you are in for a treat.

Wow. That about sums it up (just kidding), but it is the most accurate statement I can share about the one-month old Morgana. I apologize in advance for what will be a long review, but this place is deserving of the following accolades. Celebrating my wife's birthday with our son and his girlfriend, we were excited to try what appeared to be a young restaurant with a unique Italian menu. Don't get me wrong, oftentimes new(er) restaurants have some bugs to work out, but the chef and staff at Morgana have not only gotten things figured out, oh my, they excel at the entire experience. We arrived early so we started at the bar. It is a smaller restaurant with a few tables, about a dozen seats (nice backed chairs, not your typical bar stool), an upstairs loft with tables and a small but productive space outside. How New York Italian you can get? This space nailed it. And don't take that comment the wrong way, it had a great vibe along with really interesting adornments on the wall and shelves. Like some restaurants the people watching is good, others its the environment. Morgana has both. As mentioned, arriving early meant we were still in the Happy Hour mode. This alone would make the trip in (or if we lived in the neighborhood, a weekly appointment!). Cocktails were expertly crafted with neat twists on standards from Martini's to French 75's. Of particular note, the Negroni and AMALFI Martini limoncello particularly soar! As soon as the drinks arrived a server appeared with a wonderful food apertif of 4 crostini adorned with a mushroom and ricotta spread that was truly delightful. While still wanting to sample some of the HH specials we put in for the Selection Formaggi and Salum and the pastas, Pappardelle alla Bolognese, Ziti al pomodoro, scamorza, with a basil topping. If you've read my other reviews you might recall that I don't do pork, so mentioning this to the bartender, he let me know that we would ask the chef to do only beef on the salum. Needless to say, it was a wonderful board, with just the right amount of meat, cheese, nut and fruit to accompany our cocktails. The pastas arrived as we finished up the charcuterie offering (perfectly timed, they were paying attention) and were quickly devoured. Of note, the Papadrelle Bolognese was absolutely delicious (not to say that the Ziti wasn't great either!) and both were plentify (dinner sized ready) portions. Entrees included the Spaghettone allo scoglio, the Una Sera D'estate, the Ziti alla Genovese and the Parmigiana Sbagliata. The Spaghettone was chock full of seafood including mussels, clams, shrimps, octopus, calamari and cherry tomato halves over a nicely sized tube of spaghetti The Parmigiana, well, it was the board leader in this race, sported thick sliced , lightly breaded eggplant, with seared cheese and their heavenly tomato sauce. The Ziti with tons of minced meat (bear in mind I didn't imbibe what with one of the 5 meats as pork) was a large serving, but the plate was scraped clean almost as soon as it arrived. The Salad was also unique, filling and wonderfully prepared and presented. Do not mistake this as their house or garden salad for it is too delicious to be categorized as such. While not a large salad, you would be extremely pleased. I could go on about the food, but I think at this point you'd be better off loading up the car and heading to Morgana with friends. A few final notes. As mentioned earlier the staff were absolutely fantastic! They helped us transition our drinks and food from the bar to our table, they were attentive without being overbearing and my wife wanted to mention that the Italian boys were easy on the eyes (her words, not mine). When one server noticed our table (again, being outside on the sidewalk means sometimes the ground is not level) was rocking slightly, he made a winning effort to determine which leg was not square, got a small piece of wood and got as on firm ground. As we were celebrating a birthday, a delectable and extremely appreciated Babba Flambe showed up to our surprise. Filled to the brim, we still couldn't resist the four of us devouring the Neapolitan Baba', nicely soaked in rum atop orange slices with dollops of hazelnut and chocolate sauce. Oh My! If they can maintain this level of quality, service and presence, I would say greatness in Italian food in DC has a new champ!

Overall fantastic experience at Morgana and I will certainly return. We sat outside for dinner, the patio was cozy and the service was very good. They were attentive and explained menus items well without being overbearing or making too many stops at the table. Most importantly, the food was delicious! We started with olives and a swordfish antipasto (pesce spada con i funghi) with bread and for mains we had pasta caccio e pepe, a margherita pizza, and filet mignon. Everyone was very happy with our meals and we even lingered over espresso and complementary cannolis offered by the staff for a very small mix up that was remedied immediately. It was clear they take pride in the food and service and was overall a great experience.

This place is outstanding. Literally a fine dining experience. We sat outside in the front patio and it was just the quaint vibes we were looking for. From the moment we sat down our server gave us a rundown of the menu and what to expect over the course of the evening. The chef started our dinner with these amuse-bouches (first time I've ever had) and they were incredible. I had a French 75 and it was delicious as well. For my main I had a seafood pasta and it was absolutely delightful. Overall the experience here was 10 out of 10.

One of the good Italian restaurants in dmv area. Even though it is relatively new compared to the other Italian restaurants in the area, the quality and the price is really good. I really like the environment and the staff are super friendly. I have been here once and enjoyed their food very much. I will update this review with more photos next time I am here.

I was walking in the district and I decided to try out this pop out restaurant. I was impressed by the ambiance and the Italian music playing, it felt different, employees speaking in Italian , I realized immediately that I just walked into the right place. I love crudos , sashimi and ceviche , I went out and tried the Carpaccio of tuna and salmon, served with grilled focaccia bread spicily seasoned. Wow the tuna carpaccio so fresh. The host at the door Vincenzo took me upstairs to the other dining room and showed me the option for private dining. The bartender makes the best old fashion, large glass, big rock and nice generous pour. I ll be back

Closer to 2.5 stars than 3. The menu looked delicious and I was super excited to try it. We had a reservation for 7:30 and were seated promptly at that time. However, it took a long time to order, and even longer to get our food - I think we got our dishes at like 9 or 9:15? It is crowded and LOUD, especially when the jazz is playing. The food was pretty good, but definitely not worth the wait. I will say that when we did get service it was great - I think they just suffered from short staffing. We got a free glass of wine and bread basket for the wait which was really nice. Reminded me a lot of restaurants in New York that have good food but terrible service. Disappointing as it's a neighborhood spot for me.

Super cute place! I loved the food, they have super fun drinks, and the staff was super friendly. If you're looking for authentic Italian food, definitely check this place out.

Attentive service and an interesting menu with fresh, well prepared food. Upstairs had a bit of a stale old bar odor to it when we arrived. But we were there early before the kitchen was active so that disappeared as soon as food took over.

I went here based on a quick google search. It seems to be a family owned Italian restaurant that opened up recently this year. I went with a friend this past Sunday evening. There was plenty of seating inside and outside, but we decided to sit at the bar. They offer a complimentary crostini, which was good. We ordered a few drinks and then ordered the meat board as well as two entrees. We received the cheese board instead of the meat board, but they quickly rectified it and brought it out after our entrees came and deducted it from our bill for the misunderstanding. The meat board was big and delicious. The entrees were equally great - I got a spaghetti bolognese in an eggplant and my friend got the seafood pasta. Last but not least, we had the rum cake for dessert and it did not disappoint.If you're sitting at the bar, they cook it in front of you. We also ordered a couple glasses of wine which were very good. And finally, we ended with limoncello. Overall, I'm very happy that this has opened up nearby and will be frequenting this for dinner.

Made my way over to Morgana from a nearby hotel. Upon entering I was warmly greeted and after testing inside vs outside, chose the inside bar. This is a small artsy room with a touch of class. Then came the appetizer...seared scallops were flat out some of the best I've ever tasted! Throw the freshly baked bread in the mix and wow! Upon the recommendation of the staffers, I went with the seafood pasta and again, was not disappointed! Delicious cocktails and excellent service rounds out a great dining experience! I'll be back again before I leave!!

Fantastic place. A smallish two story interior reminiscent of a cozy jazz club. Friendly staff. Had calamari, scallops, eggplant for appetiser. All great, but scallops were phenomenal. Has two pasta dishes for main course. A bit pricy for pasta but man they were good. Definitely a must for a special night.

Food - the menu is overpriced but it has some good items on there. Smaller pasta menu than you might expect, fairly seafood focused. The ziti alla genovese was quite good though. Service - attentive, happy, speaks Italian. Interesting ambiance inside. Would be a great place to just grab a drink and a snack if anything on the menu was affordable. Overall a good place to have in the neighborhood, but I don't think it will be able to compete with Retrobottega just a block away. It's about $9 more for a pasta dish and the menu is more limited.

Great new spot in Admo worth checking out! Extensive cocktail list, great salads and antipasti and unique mains. The staff is super nice and very attentive without coming across pushy or making you feel rushed!

We had 8 different dishes and 3 different cocktails. Interesting variety of dishes with authentic flavors of Italy. I'm serious ...Everything was amazingly delicious. Dine here before it gets too popular. It's only 3 weeks old today.

We stopped by Morgana for the soft opening, then came back again a few days later once they had the full menu. We absolutely loved it and it's a wonderful addition to the neighborhood!! We've brought our toddler both times, and not only is Morgana upscale-ish, it's also super family friendly. We met the owner and his wife, who are lovely and inviting. And both times the chef has sent something a little special out for my little one which was such a personalized touch. The cocktail list is extensive full of classics and some creative twists, plus a large wine list. The menu manages to be completely different than the other Italian restaurants in the neighborhood (which I also love!) and it's really thoughtful. As a group, we split the burrata with fresh bread and it was fantastic. In addition to the menu, the service is personal and friendly, and the decor is cozy but classy. Overall, we're excited for this new option and can't wait to be back!!

Food was great! Service was ok. I think the two owners or managers were arguing in Italian pretty loud. Otherwise, I would go again.

Ordered tonight for the first time with Uber eats. I was hopeful because of the reviews, however it didn't meet my expectations. I ordered the seafood pasta. There were no mussels, clams, octopus, or calamari in mine; just shrimp. Aside from that the pasta was ok but the shrimp was a little over cooked and bland. The pear salad was interesting but a little warm from sitting on the pasta. I may give another try in the future.

This restaurant is INCREDIBLE. The owner is a gem. The food is beyond delicious. The service was excellent. There was live jazz which was fantastic. Lovely environment. 100/10 recommend! Will be back!!!

This was my second time at Morgana, and all I can say is WOW. I would easily put this place in my top 5 of all the restaurants in DC. The food is absolutely incredible and the owners are very involved in the day to day ( it's not being run by some corporate restaurant group like most other DC restaurants). You can tell they are extremely passionate about the quality of the food, drink, and service. We all ordered something different and each dish was better than the last. My order came out later than the others, but the owner was incredibly kind and fixed the issue immediately. We also loved the soft lighting and jazz music. They have a local jazz band in there on the weekends, which pretty much seals the deal for my partner and I. Even without the incredible setting and ambience, the food and drink stands out on its own.

I'm currently sitting in Morgana...let me just say this place is a literal slice of heaven. the service is beyond. The atmosphere...beyond. The servers and chef..... I just asked if I could pay rent to live here. Basically you should come to Morgana. It is a dream. As an Italian American I approve.

Cute little Italian place in AdMo! The burrata with mushroom dish was amazing, and their charcuterie boards were excellent! Wonderful staff as well. :)

Everything we ate was excellent. The eggplant was light and not greasy, the salad of arugula and thinly sliced pears was marvelous, meatballs and papparadelle satisfying, tasty but not heavy. Excellent service also. Perfect affogato to end the evening. Compliments to the chef and staff!

I've eaten here a few times in the last two months. The staff's positive energy is a force unto itself. The food is among the best in DC of any cuisine and a class leader. Drinks and service are tops. Among the rare handful of restaurants in DC to achieve "consistent" excellence. Outstanding value as well!

Food is a 5; service is a 4, noise is a 1. Piped in music is loud, even when you ask to turn it down. Then there was an amplified jazz band and we gave up trying to talk with each other. Food is wonderful, service could be faster with drinks and bread but everyone is understaffed these days. I would come back in a heartbeat if I could hear my dining companions (and I have very good hearing)

My client was excited to try the dining experience and I inquired about their gluten-free options. The owner (I presume) has assured me that my client will be given an amazing experience despite the diet restriction. My client said that the food was excellent, however the service and vibe were a little weird. And the gluten thing was a bit challenging. Hopefully they can provide better service for people who have dietary restrictions!

Worth visiting this brand new restaurant on Columbia Ave. Great food and service. The perfect neighborhood Italian spot!

My wife and I have had exceptional food both visits we have made. Service is great. Lovely addition to our neighborhood.

Food was good but took almost an hour to get it after ordering, including the appetizers (we were a party of two and ordered pasta dishes), and this was with the entire upstairs being empty. Barely got our waters refilled. We began thinking the waiter forgot to put in our order or something, but noticed tables around us also waiting a really long time. Atmosphere was tense amongst the staff and towards the patrons, and as we were getting up to leave there was someone yelling loudly in the kitchen, not in English so we couldn't understand what was being said exactly, but clearly angry and the other staff shushing him. We were happy to be leaving.

I wanna start off on a positive note, the food here is delicious. I got the carbonara and it was one of the best i've ever had (if not THE best). The downsides were that the server rarely checked on us causing us to be at the restaurant for almost 3 hours (the place was empty). The worst part - the restaurant reeked. bad. I couldn't tell if there was a sewage leak or something but I couldn't get over how bad the smell was. Overall, i'd definitely Uber Eats their food to my place.

Such a great dining experience! Their family-style chef's menu was delicious, and the service was fantastic. Will absolutely be coming back!

Just enjoyed a great HH at Morgana in Adams Morgan. Friends had already discovered this new gem in the neighborhood. Italian food just delicious, great ambiance, very reasonably priced, and a charming and attentive waiter who was happy to answer our questions about their experience bringing this great little restaurant to a block along Columbia Rd that has seen its share of departures lately. Three cheers for Morgana - we will all be back. Check it out!

What a terrific, off the beaten path find! I rarely leave reviews, but wanted to be sure others find this place, as it's a terrific addition to the neighborhood. Don't skip the vegetables--the broccoli rabe was delicious (and very generously portioned), the tomato salad was exciting and interesting. Eggplant Parm was delicious and, again, very different--angel hair and Bolognese baked into the cheesy goodness and presented beautifully. All the pastas are made in house, and they brought a beautiful starter bite with some sort of delicious pear something and ricotta to start. While the storefront is unassuming, the food and service are terrific and reasonably priced given the complexity and portions. So glad to have it in the neighborhood --highly recommend!

terrible. Wouldn't let us in for one drink. Said it was all full. Place is a bunch of losers. Take it or leave it.

We cannot say enough about this wonderful restaurant. They accommodated us for a 30th high school reunion last minute and all of us had a fabulous time. The drinks, the amazing food and most of all the incredible hospitality made it a memorable evening for us. THANK YOU to Nando, Alessandro and all of the staff from the SR Class of 1993. We will be back!

It's more of the idea than the execution. A friend invited me for an early dinner and the service was very not good. I was really excited when I arrived because I had already previewed the menu, but the server was already being aggressive towards my dinner date and it was tense from the outset. We ordered drinks, but the bar was out of Mezcal so the server ran across the street to get a new bottle (we waited 15 minutes for drinks after ordering them). We ordered the calamari which was served with no silverware; it was okay. For the entrees we both ordered the seafood spaghetti and after ten minutes the server came back to tell us that they could only make one serving of the dish. So, I ordered the spaghetti but they were out of something else. I said that I wanted Angel hair pasta with red sauce and meatballs, which wasn't on the menu, but it's what I got-mediocre red sauce, good meatballs. The aggression hit a peak at the check when my dinner date inquired whether a discount would be applied to our meal because of the mishaps with our ordering. The server yelled at my friend for refusing a comped drink or dessert in lieu of a discount--zero cool points. I had never been and will likely not return. I should mention there were ZERO other customers, so the service being so terrible is really disappointing.

Wonderful food, great wine selection, and fantastic service. Would definitely recommend - upstairs ambience is also adorably romantic

Fantastic place in Adams Morgan/DC, particularly for business travelers and families from the nearby hotels. The food is terrific and it's very obvious the staff is appreciative. Another wonderful asset for the community.

Greeting - Amazing Service- On point and Attentive Food -Outstanding Dessert- Perfection Atmosphere- Beautiful decor and personal touches throughout the restaurant It's refreshing to go out for the evening and experience food that's crafted perfectly. This new addition to the community is elegant and friendly with a touch of excitement from the eclectic menu. We will return again and again.

A gem! Morgana is really special. Simultaneously super elegant and super cozy. Wonderful food and drinks and the chefs and servers and whole staff are gloriously next-level kind and warm and welcoming and knowledgable and passionate and enthusiastic. Have already been back several times and very excited to come back again and again!

A much needed addition to the neighborhood, making up for the loss of Los Campaneros, Mintwood, Pops. This is a real restaurant, not a limited version of street food like most of 18th St, with an affordable eclectic menu of many small dishes as well as entrees. All delicious. As well as a beautifully appointed space. And the staff couldn't be more welcoming and friendly. My new favorite restaurant!!

What a great addition to Adams Morgan! We went for Appertivo and service, dishes, and drinks were all very good. It's the best cheese and charcuterie plate I've had in the neighborhood.

Great food and the waiter was excellent and made very good recommendations. We will be back

My friends and I stumbled on Morgana late last night and ended up having a perfect evening. The staff and chefs were friendly and enthusiastic. The anduja was delicious and the drinks were great. The music upstairs was disco and created a great atmosphere. We will definitely be back!

Three dinners at one of Adams Morgan's newest restaurants, Morgana, in the last two weeks. The food is exquisite. The service is incredible. The wine list is vast and interesting. And the ambience is groovy and warm. Highly recommend if you're looking for a truly authentic and delicious Italian meal. (Super accommodating to kids too.) Morgana is now at the top of our list! Our goal is to work our way through every item on the menu. What a fantastic addition to the neighborhood.

Our reservation was at 5:30pm, and we weren't seated until 6pm. While the pasta was very good, this restaurant is unable to accommodate serious allergies. We told our server multiple times that we have a severe nut allergy, and it was listed under our reservation. We ordered an appetizer from the menu that did not list any nuts. When it arrived at the table, we noticed that there appeared to be pine nuts on the dish. When we asked the server if there were nuts, he said that they were just "breadcrumbs". We didn't feel comfortable eating the dish, and the manager then alerted us that there were in fact pine nuts on the dish. We felt very uncomfortable trusting the kitchen for the remainder of the meal. The manager questioned why we didn't want the same dish without the nuts and asked us if we had informed the server of the allergies. We felt dismissed and unsafe. The pasta was good, but we will not be returning.

A wonderful evening at Morgana in Adams Morgan with friends! Super fun atmosphere, delicious food (Cipolla Sotto Sale!!! one of the favorites of the plates we had), fantastic service from Nando, Alessandro and the rest of the staff. Chef Domenico greeted all of us at the table during dinner. A great addition to the neighborhood. Hope to be back many times in the future!