Obelisk

I have been a big fan of this restaurant for decades. I will confess that it has been a long time since I have been there, for a variety of reasons, none of them related to the restaurant itself. I went back last night with a small group of family to celebrate my birthday. The experience was fantastic from beginning to end. It reminded me why it’s such a favorite of mine. The meal was impeccable. The service warm yet professional, The quiet, elegant ambience is such a departure from most restaurants. I loved it! I would recommend it highly to anyone who wants a special dining experience.

If you want to be pampered with food for hours while you enjoy the discussions with your friends then this is the place for you. The pre-prix menu is short. I tried the swordfish, a nice portion as the main entree. There is a lot of food, so go easy on the initial serving of bread with Burrata.

Most amazing food, wine and service! This restaurant is more of an experience rather than your regular restaurant. Rotating choice of items on the menu depending on what's available seasonally or what the chef has decided to present. Service is impeccable, bread is amazing especially the grissini. Presentation of the plates were spectacular and the wine list is very nice. The pasta course was delightful and just what pasta should be and the entrees are imaginative. Beautiful, cozy dining room. A must go of you can get reservations which are required.

I had an amazing experience from beginning to end. I got all courses along with the wine pairings, everything was good. It was a great opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and try new things as well.

I don't know why it took me so long to check out the Obelisk. From the moment you are greeted at the door you know you are in for an incredible experience. The servers know their stuff. They understand the menus and communicate effectively and succinctly. They were perfectly attentive, we never felt ignored or as if they were intrusive. There are no slouches on the menu. Everything I tried would be the star at most other restaurants, the two of us picked different items so I was able to try quite a few things. There were no misses. The menu changes regularly so what was being served when I visited won't be served when you visit. You should inquire about the menu if you have dietary restrictions. It's not a cheap meal but if you're going to spend the money you should get the wine pairing. It compliments the meal perfectly. This was one of the best meals I've had and I plan on visiting again.

we were excited to have dinner here due to the rave reviews. walking in it was a very awkward atmosphere, no music, many empty tables, lighting was bad, and just generally not cozy as expected. the wine, gnocchi and dessert were good but other than that the meal was pretty forgettable.

A wonderful dinner. Service was excellent and the food was phenomenal (the wine pairing was also wonderful). Will definitely be back for a celebration or splurge occasion!

Fabulous dinner- disappointed by surprise doubled prices for NYE... The meal here was $225 for NYE; double their normal $123. There was no indication on their website or on their reservations page that it was a special price for NYE- if I had known I would not have gone. That said, the food was delicious and absolutely worthwhile at their normal $123. Their service was attentive and adequate for their high caliber, but not especially noteworthy. The restaurant itself was extremely quiet at the first seating but the atmosphere was cozy and comfortable yet refined once other diners arrived.

We went here for my fiancée's birthday dinner and it's now one of our favorite restaurants in the city. It's a typical choice-style tasting menu where you choose a dish from each of the courses. We started by sharing the antipasti that everyone gets and it was so good. The bread was perfect and the burrata was incredibly delicious. There was an excellent wine list and the staff gave great recommendations when I couldn't decide. We found a new favorite white wine! Everything was delicious from beginning to end but our favorites were the eggplant fritters, the antipasti, the wagyu (not A5 but still melt in your mouth and delicious), and the desserts. The butterscotch custard is one of my favorite desserts of all time now, and the chocolate cake with raspberry chip ice cream was incredible. Would absolutely love to come back, especially since the menu changes all the time!

Dinner took 2.5 hours, which was a bit too long for my liking. We started at 5:30pm and concluded at 8pm. As others have said, the 5 course menu changes often. 1st is antipasti- we got five dishes that we both shared but we had our own burrata (yum). A person chooses one item from the first, second courses and dessert menu. And before dessert, every person gets their own cheese platter. What I ate didn't excite me enough to want to come back- the main reason for my 3 stars rating. I'm sorry to say that the cheese and the bread in the beginning were my favorites. They served the bread first, but without any plates, so we were confused, but they said we were to eat the bread with the antipasti which didn't arrive until maybe 5 minutes later with bread plates, finally. Sometimes you just want to eat the bread right away! They charge you $75 per person when making the reservation, and it doesn't go toward the check at the end, but they refunded the reservation charges the next day. The pros are: 1. Attentive service- always refilling your water glasses, describing the plates, and clearing away empty plates. 2. The restaurant atmosphere felt intimate- there aren't too many tables and I love the bread baskets on the long table in the middle in the restaurant. It feels like a quiet place for a celebration or nice date. Didn't see any kids. 3. There's a lot to eat! We went away feeling very stuffed.

Perfect as always in every way. Phenomenal service, a plethora of flavors, personal attention, perfect portions. We'll continue to come back until they close...which we hope never happens. People can keep fiola and other Italian spots, we'll keep Obelisk as our top spot.

We first enjoyed Obelisk in 1988 when we moved to the DMV. We had experienced real Italian cuisine when we had lived in Italy in the late 80s. We discovered that, as opposed to formulaic Americanized Italian food, Obelisk was offering unpretentious, creative, imaginative and delicious food inspired by regional Italian dishes. It became our go to restaurant for many years. We had to curtail our visits in the past decade due to personal factors, and Covid did not help. So, after a long hiatus, we went back to Obelisk and were extremely gratified to find the same warm welcome, the same serene ambiance, the same deliciousness in the food and the same understated professional service. Green olives with fennel along with wonderful bread and the legendary breadsticks kept us going while we waited for the feast to begin. We started by sharing the delicious appetizers: homemade burrata, small tomatoes stuffed with spicy anchovies, savory tarts filled with tapenade, grilled shrimp with a delicate spicy oil (I think I forgot one). The primi of small ravioli filled with cod and a delicate lasagna with short ribs were excellent and small enough in portion size to allow room for what was to follow. We shared a delicious roast rack of pork, brined and juicy, with escarole and borlotti beans, it was so generous that we asked almost half to take with us. Three cheeses and a dab of pear jam led to the finale of cake of shortbread cookies and a light chocolate cake with minty chip ice cream. Biscotti and almond cookies to go with the espresso ended the meal. The wine list is short but has excellent choices and for liquid desert, there are neat options, including interesting grappa and amari. Service was efficient, friendly and not intrusive. The small restaurant was full but the noise was at a very civil level, everyone must have been enjoying the food. Thanks to everyone who ensured a most pleasant dinner and see you soon.

We've gone to numerous special dinners here over the years, and it is always outstanding. Great service and food.

Very good! Great service and nice quiet place. Loved the appetizers and breadsticks! Delicious burrata too. Not many choices but pasta is delicious!

Awesome, especially gnocchi, mushroom soup, freshest fish! Freshest fish! Looking forward to our next visit!

Just left this place and it was such a memorable experience. For a great night with amazing atmosphere come to obelisk the servers are nice and the food is even nicer

Wonderful and high quality food presented in an intimate setting with great service. First rate cuisine.

A wonderful secluded and tranquil townhouse that serves as an intimate restaurant! Obelisk (which doesn't have a sign on its storefront) was a lovely experience. There are 3 options for each of your 2 savory courses and 3 options for your dessert. The meal starts off with a delicious bread basket (and tiny breadsticks) as well as a mix of small plates. This is followed by your pasta course (both amazing - ricotta ravioli was our favorite - see photos) and then a protein course. After this you can breathe a little before your small cheese plate (3-4 tastes) and then dessert. The wine pairings are wonderful and the service is personable! Somewhere between cheese and desert they lost us (had a really long lag) but overall we had a great experience! Come prepared with an empty stomach!

I love this beautiful restaurant. Very charming and I love the format. This was my second visit, the first was maybe fifteen years ago? Because it's pricy like that! The flurry of antipasti is the most exciting part, but the best part was the secondi (branzino for me soooo good and delicious lamb chops for dad)! A few dishes were a wee bit salty (burrata and quail pasta) and we love salt! The dessert (panna cotta) was so jiggly and good! The service was lovely. If you want a fantastic meal and your dad is paying I recommend!

Good 5 course meal! I liked the variety of small plates provided including various cheeses, breads, salads. This was my first time trying a 1 star Michelin Star restaurant. The service was nice and explained the different options for courses since we weren't too familar with a couple items on the menu. I tried their ravioli which was decent. It wasn't mind blowing but I enjoyed it as it wasn't too heavy as some places make. Along with the appetizer, they served a lot of small plates which made me surprisingly full. I got the lamb chop for my main course. Lamb chop didn't have much meat but was well seasoned! I wish I got more meat. The fourth course which I believe was the variety of cheeses was interesting. I enjoyed a couple bites but since I'm lactose intolerant, I couldn't really eat much of it. For the final course, I tried the panna cotta with strawberies. The panna cotta is really good! It had good texture almost like flan, and the cookie that comes with it tastes great. Overall, the experience was good but I wouldn't say the price point was worth for the flavor of food. I probably could've gone to a normal restaurant for cheaper and enjoyed the food equally.

An amazing dining experience. Every course was delicious and the staff was attentive without being being overbearing. This place is refined but not pretentious at all. Note - it will take you 1.5-2 hours if not more to finish your meal!

This was an absolutely fantastic dining experience. We arrived at 6:30 for our reservation and was seated immediately. It's a very small and intimate dining room, so reservations are definitely needed well in advance. By the time we left, the entire room was filled. We started our meal off with some delicious olives, bread, and breadsticks. The breaksticks were really good. Appetizers show up and are meant to be shared by the table. Man, the burrata was some of the finest that I have ever had. I also really enjoyed the fennel salad - very refreshing and helped open up the palette. For my primi, I had cod raviolinis with mussels and a white sauce. Wow. This was really good. BF had the ricotta ravioli with a green tomato sauce and it was also very good. For our mains, we split the suckling pig for two. The pig was so tender! We also had the roasted squab and grilled cod at the table and everything was super tasty. After mains, they bring over 3 cheeses, ranging from soft to hard and subtle to funky. By this time, I was about to burst, so I didn't have too much of mine. And finally, after so much food, the desserts came. I opted for a the Meyer Lemon cake and BF had the apple and quince tart. Both were really good - the apple was sweeter while the Meyer lemon was more subtle and tart. Service was attentive, but I did note that sometimes it did take a bit between courses. Perhaps we just eat too fast?? I highly recommend Obelisk if you're looking for a fine dining experience that's intimate and cozy.

This is a splendid restaurant that serves five courses of Italian cuisine. The first course was a mix of appetizers. It included the meatiest and most well seasoned clams I've ever had. There was also a large portion of creamy burrata, some beets and a very intense slice of head cheese. This was all accompanied by a variety of Italian breads. For the pasta course I chose the Tagliatelle with lamb "ragu." The tasty chunks of lamb are quite generous. For the secondi, I opted for the squab. The legs of this majestic fowl were particularly rich and flavorful and the skin was well crisped. Following that they brought out a cheese course, which was nice. For dessert, I elected to have the pear and quince crostata. The fruit of as very sweet, and the crust was flaky and buttery. They had several interesting Italian beers, both of which were malty and enjoyable.

Absolutely incredible! What an experience. Foodies would love this restaurant. Atmosphere is calm, elegant, special. The food and pace of it was not rushed. Yum. The service was excellent. Can't wait to go back. Put it at the top of your list.

I finally visited here last night after keeping it for so long on my Yelp bookmark. At first it was a bit difficult for us to find the entrance door. So it is right next door to the Afghan Kabob place. Five of us ordered and shared everything on the 5 course menu so we could enjoy them all! Started with a bottle of prosecco, Antipasto Misto which was a pleasant surprise of 5 different small plates. Burrata, Lump crab meat, farro salad, arancini and tuna belly spuma. Since the menu just says, "Antipasto Misto", when those were brought to our table one after another, I just couldn't help getting excited. Everything was excellent and I just can't say which I liked best among the five dishes. For Primi Piatti, we had the beets ravioli, the bean soup, and the tagliolini with shrimp. Shrimp and the pasta were really fresh but would have been better if they were more incorporated in taste I thought. But everything else was great. For the Secondi, we tried all three choices - the duck breast, sword fish and the pork. All were excellent. Nothing was too salty and everything was seasoned to perfection. The cheeses were very good and the desserts were very very nice. I particularly liked the melon sorbet with 3 different melons - water melon, cantaloupe and honeydew. Their wine pricing is thoughtful. They don't look like they charge 3.5 times of the actual cost of the bottle here. More like 2.5 times. The place is small with maybe like 30 seats only. So private and quiet without background music or noisy people. (At least last night) I am afraid I was the noisiest person.... I'm sorry! This is a perfect place to have very fine, fresh and healthy Italian dishes in a quiet atmosphere. Compliments to the Executive Chef Esther Lee and her staff! I think you well deserve a Michelin star when the Michelin Guidebook DC comes out this fall.

God this place is so fantastic. I would say 3 of the best 5 meals I have had in the last decade have been here. Ambience awesome, service awesome, food sublime.

Phenomenal. From presentation to flavors to variety of flavors and food. Definitely will be back

Obelisk is quite a gem in the DC restaurant scene. It's intimate with 30 seats, attentive staff, and a seasonal menu that is simple and satisfying. We came for the hubs birthday. The star of the starter course was the fava bean puree crostini. The primi dishes are amazing with scratch made pasta. Loved the tagliatelle with sea urchin sauce. For the secondi we had king salmon with a bright panzanella salad. Cheese course was brilliant. The desserts are so good. Loved the polenta crusted tart with blueberries.

Obelisk is a favorite. In fact, it was the last place I ate at before eating in restaurants became impossible. A few months ago the started doing take away, including a complete menu, similar to their pre-Covid menu. We ordered dinner for two, one vegetarian, and one regular. Let me tell you it was amazing. By ordering two menus, we could split everything and had many unique tastes. There were 6 anti pastas, two of which were fried balls (arancini and eggplant) that reheated very well in the toaster oven. 4 unique small salads, followed. The pastas were both gnocchi, one with a lamb Ragu, and one with a smooth, rich tomato sauce. The entrees were a half a chicken - crispy skin reheated in the toaster oven, and a pasta dish, with chickpeas and carrots. Dessert (OMG, YES!) was a pineapple tart, with ice cream, and a torta Milanese, with caramel sauce. Bread and butter is provided. A note on what I needed to do - the pastas come as cook your own, with excellent instructions. I chose to reheat using my toaster oven and microwave, as I thought benefited the course. I used a lot of our plates, and served things in 6 courses, which made it like a restaurant experience. That was my choice - the packaging is such that (except for the pasta, you could have just nuked and eaten. I enjoyed making a celebration priced meal like a celebration. Highly recommend this experience. Let's keep our best restaurants going.

Honestly, I am super disappointed to write this review for obelisk. We had such tremendously high expectations (especially given the price point). It could not have possibly been a bigger letdown. The antipasto and burrata courses were the highlight of our meal. We enjoyed be the small bites and were excited for the main course. Sadly, the main courses were actually BAD, as in so terrible we could barely even eat half of them. We got the supposed "wagyu" beef as the waitress told us. It did NOT taste like wagyu and it was poor quality meat. The sides were almost inedible (there was a ridiculously bitter vegetable) that neither of us liked. Our other main was the snapper which was incredibly bland and very blah. Dessert was boring as well, nothing special or noteworthy. Service was acceptable but not terribly impressive. We would definitely never come back after paying almost $150 per person (and only having one drink each). My best friend couldn't even finish his drink because he said it was absolutely horrible. What a sad waste of money!

Obelisk has a modest entrance with no signage out front other than the small enclosed box with the handwritten menu of the day enclosed. They offer a 5 course prix fixe tasting menu, with options in each course that runs about $85.00. If you want the wine pairings add in another $55.00. If you bring your own wine they have a $40.00 corkage fee, which I find to be high. Space is small with only about 10-12 tables. The atmosphere is simple and understated. Has a huge following, therefore reservations are tight. The antipasto misti was a hit with 5 small plates included. The burrata, crab meat, and the eggplant salad were our favorites. All were good. There is enough served here to satisfy. For the primi I choose a pasta and shrimp dish. The flavors and textures melded so nicely together. My friend choose the ravoli which he loved. For the secondi we went with the red snapper and the wagu beef. Both were excellent and cooked to perfection. The cheese course was fantastic and I wrapped up the package with a fruit tart and apple crostada. Service is spot on. It was rather nice to be in a quiet place for the evening rather than the loud overstuffed places we typically find ourselves. Overall a great experience. This was our first time here.

Good lord, this was fantastic. Unquestionably the best meal we have had during the pandemic. This was our anniversary dinner and has been one of the best in our 10 years. All that, even as take-out! Burrata - a favorite. Lentils with cotechino were fabulous, and a delight to start our year. Were there traces of cinnamon? I'm not sure but they are definitely the best lentils I've had. Salt cod frittata was probably amazing when it was hot, but we didn't reheat; still pretty good. Puntarelle were exceptional and the pickle baby artichokes are the best I've had outside of Italy. Roasted pheasant main course with chestnut farro and escarole - all at their peak. Marjolaine for the finale... wow. Perfect balance of flavor vs subtlety. Hazelnut, a touch of buttercream, encased in a delicious chocolate shell. Paired it all with Manzoni Bianco, my new favorite winter white. The only downside was we had to do our own dishes since it was takeout. A small price to pay for a truly phenomenal meal!

A-mazing!! Food, service, ambience were excellent. There were 5 courses, each one was so thoughtfully and deliciously prepared. Bread and breadsticks alone were to die for but you had to be careful not to eat too much because there was so much food! The first course alone was a feast. If you are looking for an intimate dining experience with lots of attention from the staff and enjoy a leisurely meal with little surprises here and there coming your way, this is a must try! Will definitely coming back again and again. From the first bite of the breadstick with the homemade burrata to the last bite of the grapefruit granita with fennel ice cream, this was indeed a fine dining experience in an un-pretentious setting.

For as much money as we spent, I should be giving this place 5 stars, but I just cannot. I was very excited to have dinner here based on everything I read. They offer a 5 course tasting menu that changes daily based upon what the chef finds interesting and fresh. But I ate there about a month ago and I cannot even remember what we had.

I had Obelisk classified as an "oldie but a goodie" since it has a great reputation--starred reviews--and has been in DC for seemingly forever. Finally got my chance to try last Friday and can confirm that the raves are well-deserved. The service and food were both excellent. For a place with $$$$ attached to it, Obelisk is very accessible. There's nothing stuffy about this restaurant, which I really appreciate. On their website, they said of their dress code: "Whatever you're comfortable in is fine with us." That's my kinda place! I want relaxed but elegant settings and great food, and Obelisk delivers all that. The restaurant occupies the upper level of a Dupont Circle row house and probably seats no more than 50 people at a time, if that. Obelisk's smaller space creates a very intimate feel, making it perfect for dates and other special occasions. Unlike other area restaurants, Obelisk only serves a five-course meal, no a la carte dining. They can make tweaks to the menu for pescetarians and vegetarians but not vegans. Let them know about your dietary restrictions when making the reservation. Tom N. told them I was a pescetarian, so the servers were very mindful of that throughout the evening. Our main server identified pescetarian-friendly dishes on the menu, either ones that contained no meat or that could be modified. The things I enjoyed that night (well, everything. here are the details): Amuse-bouche #1: Homemade burrata bathed in olive oil. Creamy deliciousness. So wonderful. Simple and comforting. Amuse bouche #2: Arugula and sardine salad. Just way salad should be--simply seasoned, not overly sauced, and super fresh. The crouton-like bits of fish complemented the greens really well. Amuse-bouche #3:Marinated shishito peppers. Someone described eating shisito peppers as "playing roulette." Pretty accurate. Luckily for us, these peppers were mild and sweet. Amuse-bouche#4: Radish, red onion, and botarga salad. Mixing rich and salty seems to be a common technique employed by the chefs, and it also worked really well in this dish. The snappy radish slices and the simple marinade worked well with the buttery yet briny fish roe. Amuse-bouche #5: Shrimp crostini. This was a superlative dish. The sauce was perfect, not too salty, just right. The head-on shrimps were hugeeeeee. I just couldn't ask for more. Primi: Fava bean ravioli with chives. Despite being a pasta dish, the ravioli was rather light and the fava bean and chive stuffing was a winning combination. The sauce wasn't cloyingly rich. Secondi: Black bass with clams and asparagus.This dish usually comes with guanciale (similar to salami), but they removed it for me. I definitely wasn't missing out on anything. The fish was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Its accompanying sauce was delicate yet flavorful. The clams were sweet and the asparagus was as fresh as could be. Formaggi: We were offered three types of cheese: cow, sheep, and buffalo. The buffalo cheese was akin to brie, which I love. Accompanied by a lovely jam, the cheeses, smeared on their fine bread, were delightful. Dolci: Fiore di latte custard with almonds and balsamic vinegar. I never was a flan kinda gal, but this dessert made me think twice. Eggy and decadent. I would order this again. He ended his meal with chocolate cake served with pistachio ice cream and cherries. Yum! Very, very good. I also sampled his primi, lobster soup. Awesome! Huge chunks of lobster in a chunky soup, not a bisque. Obelisk takes fresh ingredients, some not native to Italian cuisine, and treats them in Italian ways. Their food is simply seasoned and prepared yet elegant and very satisfying. The servers' timing was really good. Dishes came out steadily, but we never felt like we were being bombarded. Plates were cleared as soon as they were emptied; glasses were refilled without us ever having to ask. The servers were happy to explain things to us and also checked on us often enough but not too much that it became annoying. Obelisk may be considered a very expensive restaurant, but it's totally worth it. I feel like you get more than what you pay for. Will be coming back for sure.

My girlfriend and I went to this establishment tonight; we had high expectations based on these yelp reviews and they were met. We had various antipasti prior to our first course. These included the burrata, an extremely creamy and fresh cow's milk cheese, an egg dish, arugula salad, pesto crostini with shavings of cheese, and fried sardines with a lemon wedge. All these antipasti in tandem worked well together. I especially enjoyed the burrata since it was so fresh. It spread on the provided bread with great ease. The bread itself was incredibly soft, albeit not warm, and an item we had many pieces of. Also the novelty of the long bread sticks was welcomed and they tasted great as well. For our first course we selected the tagliatelle with was done with black fungus and pancetta. The noodles were in long strands, cooked to the perfect doneness and had a delicate taste to them. All the components of the dish worked well with each other and had a great mouth feel. For the protein, my girlfriend selected the duck accompanied with spinach, raisins, and pine nuts. She stated that the duck was juicy and fatty skin of it was crispy and delicious; the sauteed spinach was light and not heavy. I selected the boar chop with wilted greens; the flavor was there, but the chop was too tough for me. I was fighting to chew the meat which I sliced from the chop. I didn't want to finish the boar dish since I opted to in my mind to request the 3rd protein offering, which was the mediterranean sea bass with tomato and clams. I waved down our server to let this happen as a supplement to the meal. This protein selection was far superior; I was quite pleased with the moisture level of the fish and that the flesh was fork tender with its crisped skin. The clams in their broth worked well with the tomato and fish. For our next go-around, I will definitely opt for the seafood offering. Aferwards, we were given the cheese course which consisted of a hard cow cheese. semi-soft cow cheese and soft sheep/goat/cow blend. The fig jam that came on the dish was enjoyable as well. As for the dessert, we picked the meyer lemon tart and the chocolate polenta cake. Both desserts were divine. The chocolate polenta cake had an incredibly smooth mouth feel with just the right amount of chocolate intensity; it was accompanied by an orange crème anglaise with wedges of blood oranges. The lemon tart's filling was very soft and mildly sweet, with its shell having a buttery finish. The lemon ice cream that accompanied it was creamy and delicious. The evening finished with candied blood orange, a cocoa truffle, and a nutty mini-biscotti. I was very pleased with this meal outside of the boar chop which was saved by my additional selection of the fish course. Had I not tried a different protein course, this review would have been a definite 4 stars. We will definitely be back.

Over 5 years later, we returned to Obelisk. Although I wouldn't say the meal was quite as good as before (perhaps not providing new tastes), it nonetheless supplied a bevy of enjoyable dishes. The antipasti most enjoyed was the radicchio with a nice balsamic (?) sauce. Pasta was good with the ravioli's rich buttery sauce flavor limiting the subtle bittery arugula (some might fault the dish for being too buttery, not me). I also liked my branzino. Husband said his spaghetti was a little salty, even without the bottarga (roe). Perhaps I'm more a fan of French fromage, because the cheeses weren't that great, but came in small portions (preferred was the accompany of green tomato jam, as well as the starter of burrata). Finally, I again had the pear tart and it was as good as ever - especially the streusel topping with creme fraiche). The wine pairing was perfect in my opinion - tailored to our specific dishes. Customization here is also good in that they noted comments in the reservation about dietary preferences and ensured the antipasta misti didn't contain those ingredients. Overall, Obelisk provided a very good dining experience, all things considered.

Amazing service, delicious food. The perfect hidden gem! Loved everything we ate. Perfect for a romantic date night for a special occasion. It was our wedding anniversary and they brought our complimentary Prosecco. One con: Didn't love the interior. They needed some quiet music playing. I felt like everyone could hear each other speak.

Very delicious menu. We went on a Friday night. On weekends, it's 88 dollars for a four course menu including pasta, entree, cheese course, and dessert. They also serve a variety of small bites to begin the meal. We ordered drinks a la cart and skipped the wine pairing but the prices and selection was very reasonable. Dinner for two with two drinks each will run about $300 including tip. Our small bites included shrimp Croquette, Buffalo mozzarella, bread basket, sautés asparagus, tomato bruschetta, and a purée of tuna belly over pork. We enjoyed all of it except the tuna belly purée with pork and anchovies. For the pasta course we tried the gnocchi pesto and pasta with scallops and breadcrumbs in a butter sauce. The gnocchi was melt in your mouth and possibly one of the best I've had. Scallops were cooked to perfection. The butter sauce needed something to give it a wow factor but the breadcrumbs were a nice crunch to the dish. Our entree options were salmon, squab, and a steak dish. We tried the squab and steak dish. I would say I would pass on squab but it was my first time. Steak was cooked perfectly. For our cheese course we enjoyed three types of cheese with a homemade chutney. Decent selection but presentation lacked. Dessert we had the chocolate chocolate chop ice cream and panda cotta with berries. Both were executed nicely but was missing any wow factor. Mediocre at best. Service: we were seated promptly and our server was very sweet and accommodating. She answered all the questions and made our evening enjoyable. Atmosphere: quaint rowhouse and cozy atmosphere. romantic. Con: while the food was good it didn't leave me wanting to come back often or a wow factor I was hoping for. The timing of the dishes needs to be worked on. We sat for 15 min between our starters and pasta with nothing at our table and another 15/20 min before our entrees. We were seated at 8:30 but didn't get our main course til after 10 with cheese and dessert course still remaining. For dessert and cheese course we had to request that it be speeded up and they did honor our request. The time between food and courses was just too long that we got tired. For my birthday they did place a candle on the panna cotta I ordered but would have been a nice gesture if they went over a courtesy glass of Prosecco or a drink I ordered since it's a preset menu and I'm already paying for the dessert. I would say the food is a solid 3.5-4 but not more than that. Staff friendliness was a 5.

Very cool concept with changing menus daily however we thought the execution could have been better for the price of the meal. Ordered a bourbon based cocktail which was ok but mostly forgettable. For the appetizers the eggplant crostini's and the shishito peppers were delicious. I went with the head on shrimp pasta for the second course. Nice marinara based dish with pasta cooked just right. Shrimp was juicy and tender. For the main dish I tried the veal and it was good but was basically just meat and a side of broccoli rabbe. Good flavors. It expected a bit more for the 90$ tasting menu price tag. This was followed by a cheese course and a dessert course which were largely forgettable. DC seems to have a love affair with overpriced Italian food. For the 140$ per person we paid for drinks and dinner I would expect a lot more then what we got. As a side not the vegetarian tasting was excellent according to our friends. For the money I would consider RPM or Sfoglina over this.

This was one of the best meals I've had in DC. Excellent service. Great wine pairings with each course - recommendations made by our sever.

This restaurant was average. For a place that has been around for 30+ years, I would expect high quality dishes. The price was not appropriate for the quality of the food. It was classic Italian food, but not executed like authentic Italian food. Nothing was impressive and the pairings of different elements of each dish did not pair well. For example, the dessert pairing of pistachio and pomegranate did not work. The pistachio ice cream would've gone better with the caramel sauce, and the pomegranate with the chocolate cake. It was apparent that things were fresh, so there's that. There was nothing distinct about any of the dishes. They were all very bland, no dish was memorable. The ambiance is cute and the service was good. We noticed a couple parties knew the staff, so we were excited about a good place people came back to. But as we ate we couldn't help but be confused as to why people went back to the performance of food quality and price.

Nice atmosphere, tasty italian. Bit expensive. You need reservation and It is bit difficult to make reservation. The restaurant is closed on Sunday and Monday.

Easily the finest cuisine in the city and is always a surprise since that day's menu is posted by the chef anew each morning. Must have been about 4 or 5 courses albeit some smaller than others, but they just kept coming. My favorite place for special occasions. Great go to spot for a great meal, but not cheap. Wrap-up: Simply delicious but be prepared to spend.

My husband had fed me well for every special occasion. For his 30th (and since I do finally have a grown up job), it was my turn to return the favor. I chose Obelisk after learning their tasting menu changes daily. It was a risky choice since i didn't have a clue what would appear on their menu that day. We went in keeping our fingers crossed hoping that they were serving attractive options. And we definitively were not disappointed! Antipasti - smoked swordfish, grilled stuffed sausage, grilled pepper, fried fish, and burrata. I wasn't a big cheese fan to begin with (I actually asked if I could swap the cheese course for something else) but their burrata was a life changer! Soft, creamy, and light - I ate two whole breadbasket with smear of their scrumptious burrata alone! Primi - arugula ravioli and spaghetti with clam - both pasta dishes could had been a meal on their own. Definition of perfectly made pasta! Secondi - bass and quail. My husband enjoyed his bass but didn't think it was too memorable. He wasn't a big fan of the slaw salad pairing. I, on the other hand, picked up my whole quail and attempted to eat every piece of meat off the bone. Tender, juicy - out of the world! Cheese - I'm so glad they said no to swapping my cheese course. I initially was just going to take a small bite of each but ended up polishing my plate clean! The hazelnut berry jam was the perfect compliment! Desserts - chocolate chestnut cake and rosa pudding. The cake was nutty and moist but wasn't sweet enough - perhaps should had been paired with some type of ice cream or sweeter cream? My rosa pudding was really runny and didn't have the consistency of a pudding. It was also overwhelmingly sweet - what a contrast to their cake. Overall - attractive, ever changing menu - perhaps we just came on a bad night for their desserts. Most of the dishes nevertheless were something I would definitely return for more! Service was a bit of a miss - we placed our order prior to the group of 6 next to us but they were served a whole course before us. We sat around for 25 minutes between each course. Our servers were not apologetic and offered no explanation. Ultimately, our 5 course dinner took over 3 hrs. Perhaps it was because we didn't order wine... 4 stars for food, 3 stars for service - Bad service really spoil dining experience! In sum 3.5 stars.

Obelisk has been on my to-do list since about 2010. Well and of course I forgot about it for awhile. But I finally went for my birthday this year and all I could say was...WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG!? Our reservation was at 9pm on a Friday... later than I'd normally dine as I'm usually passed out by that time on a Friday night but with the help of a venti coffee at 430PM, I made it. Ha. We were greeted at the sliding door after hanging our coats with, "Griffin?" -- yep. That was us. I mean, I think we were the only party to be seated at this hour but it was nice that they knew the reservation name without having a host stand to use as reference. The prefix dinner is $85/person and entirely worth it. There is the antipasti, the primi, secondi, formaggi and dolci. I couldn't have been more happy to find a plate full of dreamy burrata kicking off the meal -- generously drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper. Paired with the 2 foot long breadsticks protruding from the breadbasket - it was seriously heaven. The remaining items in the antipasti course were blistered shishito peppers, delicate scallop crudo with fennel and suckling pig fritters. So awesome. For my first course, I had the tagliatelle with artichokes, guanciale and breadcrumbs. It was perfect. My dining partner has the arugula + ricotta ravioli with pine nuts. It was tasty but I preferred my pasta dish to his. For mains, he had the branzino and I had the beef culotte. The beef was a perfect medium rare and was paired with some spinach and radicchio. The cheeses were of course delightful. And dessert - we split the chocolate cake + caramel whipped cream (omg) and I had the pineapple thingy. Service was stellar throughout. Everyone was so kind; they made sure we were properly hydrated with full water glasses or had a wine refill. By the end of our meal, I was sufficiently stuffed and was already plotting a return visit. I can't wait to go back.

This is my wife's and my favorite spot. They take incredible care of their guests. The experience is spectacular, as is the cuisine, which is prepared expertly. You may wait to be seated; understand that going in, and it is because of the dining experience provided, the incredible courses, and the desire of the patrons to linger over the meals -- likely because they are sated and glowing.

Eight years later, I'm still amazed by the quality of Obelisk. I've been there a number of times now and am never disappointed. In anything! The prix-fixed menu gives you ample choices without overwhelming you. I also know that I can order unusual dishes (like squab most recently) and get the same impeccable level of quality. I love the antipasto before the first course and there always seems to be something inventive about even the most traditional dishes. I had chocolate cake and ice cream the other night and the flourless cake was light and fluffy and the ice cream was full of mint flavor and fruity chocolate bits. I really just can't say enough nice things about this restaurant and the people that work there. They are the perfect blend of professional and unassuming. This is a high-end restaurant that's not snobby, and frankly the best value I've found after eating out extensively at some of the best restaurants in DC. If you need to take someone out to dinner and guarantee them a good meal, you should look no further than Obelisk.

I came to dine with a group of friends a while back for my birthday. The restaurant is really hard to find because it doesn't have big signs or clear directions. The only thing telling me I was in the right place was the obelisk engraved on the wall. Like the introduction on their website, it is a small establishment. There were a couple of tables and a serving table in the center. I loved how they just took breadsticks out of a vase in the center table and placed them on your table. The food they had was pretty good. They start you off with a selection of appetizers and cheese. Passing around the food really gives you a homey feeling. For pastas, the gnocchi with lamb ragu was simply amazing. If you see that on the menu, it's definitely worth a try. For the second main course, they had branzino or veal chop for two. The veal chop requires a lot of chewing so if you like you steak medium rare or even rarer, it might not be a good choice. The branzino was good and had the exact texture I was looking for. For dessert, everybody at my table unanimously ordered the lemon tart except for me. I had their flourless chocolate cake. I guess I had a very high expectation for the cake because I have previously had some pretty spectacular flourless chocolate cakes. This one, though, was not baked as I had hoped and was too dense. The sweetness level was right but to be honest, it was too average. Interestingly, although my friends didn't appreciate their lemon tarts, I actually thought it was really good. The citrus provided a great finish to the meal. But overall, I'd say their dessert isn't really their strong suit. So a couple of friendly reminders: -The menu was a bit hard to read because everything was handwritten in a fancy font. -Portions for each course seems small but they are more than enough to fill your belly. -And be prepared, their five course dinner really takes three hours to finish!!

There should be a law dictating that everyone has birthday tours. I have been eating so well for a week straight and fortunately for me, my friends don't mind forking over boatloads of $ to allow me to celebrate in style. One such night landed me at Obelisk, which is a high end Italian inspired restaurant. To say Obelisk is discreet is a massive understatement. The address is really of a large building that houses numerous restaurants. Obelisk does not have a large sign or marking to indicate its presence. On its door is a 8 x 11 paper sign that has the name typed out. Oh the mystique! Practically speaking, folks should do what I did and just call if you can't figure out which door to go into. Once you finally arrive, you're seated in a very elegant and quaint medium sized dining room. It has a homey and relaxing feel that along with their color scheme and mini tree, seems to really fit as a concept. The restaurant offers a tasting menu that has a small number of options. The menu is handwritten, which speaks to the constantly changing dishes. In a nice gesture, I was given one of those menus to take with me, which is great because there's no way I would have remembered everything I had. Speaking of great gestures, the staff was so pleasant and accommodating. They really make customers feel at home, which again fits very well with the décor and concept. I tried Burrata, Swordfish Belly, Arancini, Salad, Pici with Lamb Ragu, Lobster Soup, Black Bass with Chickpeas, Fennel and Romesco, Cheese Plate, Baba Au Rhum with Pineapples and Whipped Cream and Butterscotch Custard. Burrata is a cheese that was topped with seasoning and olive oil. It was subtle, creamy and stringy, all of which made for a fun and interesting start to the meal. The Swordfish belly is like a hybrid play on sashimi and carpaccio. Absolutely delicious! The swordfish, while thinly cut, retained a firm texture, which is also due to it being a fatty fish. It was also very well seasoned, which brought out the natural flavors. The arancini and salad were both tasty dishes but paled in comparison to the swordfish belly. The Pici with Lamb Ragu was a definite highlight. Pici is like spaghetti except the noodles are thicker. They were perfectly prepared and a excellent pairing with the hearty ragu. Now, I'm no ragu expert, but this was some amazing stuff. The depth and intensity of the flavors was impressive and addicting. The lamb was so tender. The Lobster soup was an interesting dish. The pairing was more like lobster meets vegetable or minestrone soup. The lobster was very tender and had a hint of sweetness. The broth had a mild tomato-ish flavor but the texture was odd, a bit gelatinous. Tasty soup. The Black Bass came with other items but there was no doubt what the star was. Such an amazingly prepared fish, it was moist, tender, well seasoned. Although it wasn't the biggest size, somehow it satisfied me. Don't get me wrong though, I'd gladly eat 10 more of it. The chickpeas brought a different flavor and texture to the mix, but was otherwise unspectacular. The romesco was a unique pairing with the fish but because it tasted like cocktail sauce, seemed to work. The Cheese plate consisted of barilotto, canestrato and raschera. Not bad, especially for those who take their cheese seriously. I've never been one to pay much attention to cheese plates and in fact, would much rather have a more meaningful dish instead. The Baba Au Rhum with Pineapples and Whipped Cream dessert is definitely visually appealing. The sweet bread/profiterole is soft and pairs very well with the cream and rum sauce. The pineapples add some texture and acidity. I have to say though, way too much rum going on here. This dish could make an alcoholic relapse, that's how strong it is. On the other hand, the Butterscotch Custard was an exercise in restraint. The custard was mildly flavored, and had just the right balance of being firm yet creamy. The butterscotch also shines through but does not overpower. Great way to end an magnificent meal, along with the small candy plate that was given at the end. Another bookmark goes DOWN! It was truly an honor to dine here and have such a delicious experience. Given that I ate at Komi the previous night, the comparison of the two naturally comes to mind. Not only is Obelisk a better quality meal in my opinion, you also get more value for your money since it's almost half the price ($75 pp) of its competitor ($135). As much as I love a free meal, I'd be willing to spend my own money to come back here. Now that's saying something!

After dining at Obelisk it's easy to see why yelpers rank it the best restaurant in DC. In a word: superb. The prix-fixe menu consists of five courses, three of which you choose. The antipasti comes rolling out after you make your choices and really starts the meal off on a high point. On the night we went the highlights included exceptionally fresh Burrata cheese, lightly battered fried shrimp and amazing grilled Italian chicory which continues to occupy my mind weeks after the meal. Were it not for the loud commentary of the tanorexic bridezilla seated next to me my birthday dinner would have been absolutely perfect. Still, for the most part, the hypnotic flavors delivered by the kitchen were enough to drown out her incessant whining. With only 36 seats in the dining room, it's best to think ahead when making a reservation. If you're still wondering whether or not Obelisk is the right restaurant for your special occasion - birthday, anniversary, hard fought re-election bid, graduation, passing the bar - wonder no more. Obelisk is a place worth celebrating, whether you've got a good reason or not.

Obelisk is a little quirky. There's no website and barely any information online about the location and menu, which changes daily. After reading about the rave reviews, we took a chance on this matchbox of a restaurant. I'm happy we did. We had a grand time with great food. After we successfully fought rush hour traffic from Manassas to Washington D.C., we couldn't find the restaurant at all. The internet only contained some vague reference to a valet service at the place but that is a complete lie. We stopped in front of a random hotel nearby and asked the valet, who said we could valet there (for an absurd $19 but it is D.C. what are you going to do) and the restaurant is actually half a block away. The restaurant is located in a random apartment building, on the second floor. The only sign is a tiny, computer-printed sign on the bottom left hand corner of the entrance door. This better be good! The restaurant is tiny, probably only 10 tables with 2 seatings per night. It's a comfortable place with warm service. The menu changes daily, and it's basically only 1 prix fixe menu at $75. There was a flurry of antipasti: Olives. Buratta, salt, pepper, olive oil. Fresh and delicious. One of my favorites. Tomato gelee. I usually hate gelees but this went well with the buratta. Squid stuffed with pistachio; hard boiled eggs. Very good. Haricot vert with cured mackeral tobiko. Ok. The tobiko was surprisingly mild in flavor. Fried balls. Forgot what was in it but it contained some melty cheese. Like. Secondi: Gnocchi with pesto and pine nuts. Very good. House made wheat spaghetti with sardines, garlic, tomato. Very good. The spaghetti had an interesting, rough texture. Primi: Grilled quail. Simply grilled with salt and pepper. You'd think it'd be kind of sinewy but it was actually as fatty as quail can get and juicy. Veal chop for 2. Very good. Sea bass. Very good. Excellent seared skin. Desserts: 3 cheeses with fig jam. Soft sheep's cheese (mild), hard goat (my favorite of the 3-nutty and sharp), and another soft goat (tasted like an unpleasant, rancid blue). The fig was good with the hard goat. Flaky dough things over cream thing with blood orange ice cream. This thing had a fancy name that I can't recall. It was really delicious. Wine pudding with lid of caramel and pistachio; rhubarb. You wouldn't think it, but it was excellent. Thrown in with the brittle, it was super tasty. Chocolate cake with mint cream. One of the best chocolate cakes I've ever had, incredibly delicate and moist. The mint was nice. Petit fours. Chocolate covered almonds, hazelnut biscotti, raspberry jellies. All delectable. Coming from a dearth of decent Italian food in Hawaii, I thoroughly enjoyed this simple, rustic Italian meal. The quality of the ingredients was superb. I'd come back the next time I'm in D.C.

Wow. Obelisk is easily one of the best places I've eaten in DC, maybe even my life. There is barely a sign in front of Obelisk- I walked by once without even seeing it! The inside is small and consists of only 11 tables. As for ambiance, you feel as though you could be in Italy eating in a friend's living room. The decor is minimalist yet classic, there is no music, and you just hang up your coat by the door. You will need a reservation to eat here. It is $85 per person for the tasting menu and they can graciously accommodate vegetarians. :) I've done many tasting menus where the dishes are small and not overly satisfying. Obelisk was the complete opposite. The food was never-ending. The meal took 3.5 hours to complete if that puts it into perspective! In addition to the items you pick from the menu, the kitchen brought tons of small plates which were all really frickin' good. I was full before the main dish even came out. The hand-written menu changes daily so it probably doesn't make sense to review each item I ate. Some noteworthy items though- -The bread, which is baked in-house. So much fluffy and crusty goodness. -The burrata, which is a soft, creamy piece of mozzarella. It was hands down the best mozzarella I've ever eaten. -The pasta. It is all made fresh (obviously). I had it in both ravioli and square-edged spaghetti form. It was cooked perfectly- just the right level of al dente and wonderful flavor. -The cheese plate with fig jam. This fig jam was amazing. -The profiterole. Just the right texture and the cream inside was bomb. Overall, it was an amazing food experience. I left here 5 pounds heavier with an appreciation for excellent Italian food. I finished every single item put in front of me (with minimal help from my parents).

I Loved the execution of the food at Obelisk, but I probably will not return here for $85 per head (I posted a picture of the handwritten menu). What impressed me most about this place was that everything we tried was perfectly prepared and seasoned, from pasta to salad to meat... everything! It is one of those very few places that can season food to perfection. It uses quality ingredients to bring out the best and freshest taste without using too much herbs and seasoning. I would recommend Obelisk to those who like clean taste-perfectly prepared food. If you are expecting something more innovative and unique, then this place is not for you. For example, I ordered grilled pork chop as my entree. The server recommended medium rare, but I asked mine to be cooked medium since I felt uncomfortable eating medium rare pork. (Note: Medium park chop comes out pretty pink, so if you don't like pink pork, then you should order yours medium well-done). My pork was again cooked to perfection and it was delicious. A huge chunk of meat that was tender and seasoned perfectly. But that was about it. The dish would have shined more if it came out with some special sauce to enhance the meat flavor, but again I really think that Obelisk only focuses on bringing out the truly simple but wonderful raw flavor of the ingredients. In conclusion, Obelisk might be worth giving a shot, but for me it is not a place where I want to go back over and over. As a tip, food portions are huge here!!!!!!!! You will get over stuffed like thanksgiving turkey by the time you finish dinner.

This was probably one of the best meals I've ever had. (Sorry Mom, your lamb curry is still pretty high on my list). At $140/person for the tasting menu + wine pairing, you expect (and demand) greatness, and this place certainly delivers. While I was lucky enough to not have to pay for this meal, I wouldn't have minded if I had. The process of dining at Obelisk involves making reservations well in advance and choosing your dining mates well. This will be a 3 hour experience at least and you want to select eating buddies that will order a variety of dishes so that you may greedily sample all of them (and the amazing wines that are paired alongside). The establishment itself is unobtrusive and humble as is evidenced by the "sign" out front, which is merely a piece of computer paper with Obelisk written on it. (Some might think it's pretentious, I think it's charming. If you're confident that your food speaks volumes and you don't need a flashy sign, then power to you). The interior is a simple living room sized dining area with 12 tables maximum. The lighting is dim and the atmosphere is of a private dining experience. As you know by now, the menu is hand written and changes daily. While I know there is no point in painstakingly enumerating my thoughts on the food, I shall do it anyways. (Keep in mind, as the night goes on, it becomes harder and harder to remember the names of any dishes, as you become tipsier and tipsier with the ridiculous amounts of wine and champagne you are consuming...). Antipasti round 1: - Cheese: I have no idea what this cheese was called but it was deliciously soft and coated in a spiced olive oil. YUM. - Cauliflower: These people know how to make cauliflower the most memorable dish of a night. It was crispy, buttery, scrumptious heaven. I could have eaten this over and over! In between each course was a champagne and/or wine--all of which were fantastic. My favorite probably being the desert wine served at the end. (I'm in the process of requesting the wine menu, because it was AMAZING). Antipasti round 2: - Tangelo salad: I've never been a huge fan of salads as meals, but I could have made this salad the only thing I'd eaten that night and walked away a happy woman! - Clams: This item disappeared quickly amongst our group of 4. Sour and savory goodness all around! - Pork head balls: Fried, creamy deliciousness. It's a crime they only serve enough for 1 per person :( Primi: - Watercress ravioli with walnuts: OH EM GEE. I almost didn't share this one with my dining mates. I cannot stress enough how delicious and decadent this ravioli was. Each bite was almost too much to handle. It's good that this is a smaller portion size. You might just pass out from the goodness. - Tagliatelle with chanterelle mushrooms: My beau ordered this and it was superb. I'm not the biggest fan of mushrooms, but the flavoring was done so well that this dish was definitely a TKO! Secondi: - Black bass: This was probably my least favorite dish of the night. It was very simple and had a nice fresh taste. The bass was a little plain for my taste. However, the shishito peppers on the side were fantastic! The veggies certainly made up for the plain flavoring of the fish. - Duck breast with pear mostarda: *Swoon.* This was the ABSOLUTE BEST DISH OF THE NIGHT. My beau owes me so hard for making him order this. Duck is an amazing meat in its own right, but the pear mostarda combo was ridiculously and shamefully good. I ate more of his food than I probably should have. Formaggi: - I'm in love with La Tur! All three cheeses were delicious, but La Tur is a treasure. They were served with a walnut jam which was just the perfect pseudo-sweetness to pair with the cheese. Dolci: - Pineapple polenta: And polenta does it again--shows its diversity. How ingenious and delicious! - Orange panna cotta: This dish is somewhat similar to flan...but dare I say it...better?! Once again, beau owing me for suggesting he order this. Small sweets: Fruit jellies and almond and chocolate biscuits. YUM! This was truly an unforgettable night!

This was a great place! Expensive, quality food, great atmosphere, nice dining experience. You got a nice variety of small bites and plates throughout the meal. Small, slice of a restaurant. I would estimate a capacity of maybe thirty people at once. I came with my girlfriend here when I was in town. One quirky thing I liked: there's a table in the middle with a large centerpiece and had baskets of bread and large pieces of cheese from which the wait staff cut bread and also the cheese course. Not something Ive seen before, so I thought it was pretty cool. First course was a large variety of appetizers. Burrata, arrancini ( similiar to it, but called something else), olives that I actually enjoyed, some grilled meat, some other stuff that I can't quite recall. Pasta course, I got gnocchi and gf got some tagliatelli. Gnocchi was soft and even in texture, like a savory gourmet marshmallow. The tagliatelli was ribbony and buttery, without any bite to it. Main, a duck breast and branzino (or some white fish, don't quite recall ). I haven't had branzino often, but it's a largely straightforward, inoffensive fish so wasn't very excited by it, but it was well cooked and had a nice char. The duck breast was juicy with a nice fat cap. Well done, classic. Cheese plate was classic combo of soft, creamy, hard European cheeses. They were good, but can't quite remember their names. It came with an eggplant jam as an accompaniment, which was really good on top of being kind of unconventional. Looked it up and it's a thing, kind of a sweet relish. Dessert: not really a dessert person, but got a chocolate cake to see how they do it, gf got a pastry with ice cream. Was not achingly sweet, definitely centered on the cocoa element vs the sugar. All in all, a great dining experience. Italian tasting menu and courses, wasn't feeling bloated as heck at the end. Really expensive, but not necessarily overpriced. If you're feeling like a special dinner, this is a great place. Not quite good enough for me to choose this place over a new restaurant of similar style and price point. There are always so many new restaurants to try, so I consider it an impossibly high bar but I'd highly recommend it.

This was our second visit to Obelisk; we went this same time last year (also for my boyfriend's birthday). When making the reservation, I again let them know that we are both pescatarian & I can't eat shellfish. Unlike last year, they knew upon seating us of our dietary requests, and the server immediately began informing us of which options on the menu would be appropriate. Again, they bring a variety of great dishes for the Antipasti Misti course, along with bread and butter. The farro (believe it was with butternut squash) was my favorite, my boyfriend really liked the fried shrimp, and we both enjoyed the roasted peppers (and I may be forgetting a dish). And he got two servings of the burrata, since I don't like cheese! For the first course (Primi), we couldn't order the cranberry bean soup as she told us it had a pork-flavored broth, or the rabbit dish, so that left us with the sweet potato ravioli. But it certainly wasn't settling for anything, as that ravioli was fantastic in its sage brown butter sauce!! For the Secondi course, we each ordered the pompano, although I ordered the rapini and potatoes as the accompaniments, since I don't like lima beans. It's great that the chef is willing to make these accommodations, and we both really enjoyed that dish, especially as the fish was cooked perfectly. Of course, my boyfriend thoroughly enjoyed the cheese course (although he couldn't finish both his and mine; he had to leave room for dessert!). As for dessert, we both got the pear pie w/vanilla ice cream...the same dessert we had last year and still enjoyable. And they were nice enough to put a candle in his when they brought it out. Overall, this is a great dining experience. It can be a little limiting, as far as menu choices, if you have certain dietary restrictions. But as they offer corkage, we love the chance to bring our own bottle of wine and enjoy a leisurely dining experience with great food in a cozy setting.