Olazzo

The three of us went out for dinner at Olazzo tonight, and we were amazed at how awful it was. We ordered the fried calamari, shrimp pesto, chicken malanese, and clams in white wine sauce. We were really excited about all these dishes—and all three of us tried bites of each person’s dish because we thought only ours might be terrible. No - all three dishes were extremely bad. Paste like bland sauce, terrible flavoring, and the clam dish tasted like ocean saltwater with sand in it. Just terrible. The fried calamari was not good either. I can say with 100% authenticity that Olive Garden is much much better than Olazzo. This place should be shut down. Extremely sad excuse for Italian food.

As part of a large group, had a mediocre dinner on a busy weekday evening. The Italian bread was part of the prior day's loaf, now crumbly and tasteless, the dish of seasoned olive oil tasted bitter. The little clams on linguine in a lemon butter sauce were delightful but the sauce primarily tasted of salt. Others in my group had the chicken parmesan, the ravioli and the wild mushroom gnocchi, all of which they said were acceptable but not memorable. The servers did fine but the kitchen could not keep up and the gnocchi were finally served after the rest of us had finished eating.

My guy and I went at 8:30pm on a Saturday night and was seated right away. This place is wonderful and intimate, perfect date spot or really great catch up time with a friend. The dim lighting set the mood and the music selection was excellent, the best I’ve ever heard at a restaurant to be honest. I ordered the shrimp and crab rosé, which is a tomato creamed penne dish. The tomato taste is definitely there, I needed to add salt which made it taste better. I would say it was 7/10 the day of, leftovers were 8/10 at the house when I added more crushed red pepper. My boyfriend got FETTUCCINE ALFREDO and added grilled chicken and a shrimp and he literally cleaned his plate. I’ve literally NEVER seen him eat all his food at a restaurant like this and we’ve been together for 3 years. He absolutely loved it. Alfredo is one of his favorite dishes and he gave it at 9.8/10. The chicken was thinly sliced just like he likes it. I recommend this place hands down. We will be back and I plan to try something different. This place is a few notches above Olive Garden of course.

This place is amazing! We went a year ago today. I've never had better food in my life!!!! First time my daughter ever finished a meal at a restaurant! Service was amazing! People were great! And the town was so cute! We loved it! I can't wait to go there again!

Nice dinner. A bit warm inside and packed, but overall pleasant. I had the chicken cardinale, and it was exceptional. Highly recommend. The signature old fashioned lacked complexity, and the service was rough. In the end we were sharing a single glass of water, but the food made up for it mostly.

Overall, my experience was great. Loved the atmosphere in the restaurant and staff were nice. Fried calamari was cooked well and crispy. Not much seasoning in the batter and the marinara is a touch on the plain side (read no zestiness/spiciness). I really enjoyed my entree, Chicken Cardinale. The sauce was delicious. I was too full to try any dessert. Maybe next time I'm in D.C. Oh, there is a parking garage right around the corner so it's easy to park and walk 2 minutes to the restaurant.

Overall: 4.50. Charming Italian eatery with local feel & relaxed atmosphere to enjoy deliciously savory appetizers, entrees & desserts. Shrimp 🍤 & Crab 🦀 Rose with linguine pasta my fav—worth every carb & calorie. Crispy blackened salmon w/roasted potatoes 🥔 & asparagus so tasty. Tiramisu so yummy! Bar (stools & booths) & inside seating & tables outside (pet-friendly) to enjoy all the sights & sounds of Bethesda especially on Friday nights at the Bethesda Streetery. Great area of Bethesda to walk before/after dining. Reasonably priced based on portion size & quality. Check it out & support locally owned businesses!

Fried calamari cooked and season well diddnt need the dipping sauce. The arancini was so cheesy. I had never had this before and definitely would get again. The penne alla checca was nice dish very light for pasta. My cousin had the shrimp and crab rose, which he enjoyed. Only issue nothing came out hot

I've been coming to this family owned business for years now and they never let me down. If you like Italian food and are in the Silver Spring or Bethesda area I would highly recommend, both locations are phenomenal. My favorite dish to get is the sausage and peppers, but you can't go wrong with anything. They have great drinks too!

The three of us went out for dinner at Olazzo tonight, and we were amazed at how awful it was. We ordered the fried calamari, shrimp pesto, chicken malanese, and clams in white wine sauce. We were really excited about all these dishes--and all three of us tried bites of each person's dish because we thought only ours might be terrible. No - all three dishes were extremely bad. Paste like bland sauce, terrible flavoring, and the clam dish tasted like ocean saltwater with sand in it. Just terrible. The fried calamari was not good either. I can say with 100% authenticity that Olive Garden is much much better than Olazzo. This place should be shut down. Extremely sad excuse for Italian food.

Great service, went in on a Tuesday around 6pm. Party of 2 seated right away. The vibes are cozy. We got the ravioli and added chicken, and then also got the meatballs. The ravioli was delicious. The meatball dish was just okay, wouldn't order again. The bead and olive oil on the table was a nice touch and they kept it coming. We ordered a speciality cocktail which was essentially their version of an old fashion and it was so good we ordered a second round! Overall great food and experience. We both agreed we'd come again!

Several girlfriends and I met up for dinner a couple of weeks ago. They had the windows open but very little ventilation / fans and was uncomfortably warm. We started with calamari - it was good, hot and a large portion. I probably would try and different appetizer next time though. I had the fettuccini Alfredo with chicken Milanese, which was delicious. Tiramisu was traditional and excellent, and would come here just for the tiramisu (got it to go, so no picture)

Are you ready for the 411? Here we go... Are you ready for the 411? Here we go...my coworker and I were in the area for a training and decided to try out this restaurant. The ambiance was very nice and had both outdoor/indoor seating. The food was delicious and definitely seasoned well. My reason for not giving it a 5 stars is the server was rushing us throughout the whole process...rushed us to order food and then while eating wanting to take my coworkers plate when there was still a lot of food on there, as well as when we were done. I did not see any of the other servers doing that to their customers and this actually really bothered me. Great restaurant with great food but should work on their staff training on this area.

Food and service were excellent. And, it was reasonably priced. There is outdoor seating and there are two dining rooms and a small Bethesda parking lot around the corner.

Been here a few times and have always enjoyed the food and service :) My friend and I sat in a cozy booth by the bar. It was great that we came just before happy hour eneded. Our signature cocktails were $2 off as well as our bruschetta appetizer. I had the special which was delicious. Picture blackened chicken with butternut squash ravioli with tomatoes and spinach.. can you picture it? No. Don't worry, check out the pic ;) My friend had the pasta primavera which she enjoyed. My friend got the tiramisu and she didn't leave any leftovers! Our drinks were lovely, I had the Brooklyn and my friend got the espresso martini. I'll be back!

A delicious, no-frills restaurant in Bethesda! While the other Italian restaurants in this area are certainly well known, this unassuming restaurant is great! We loved our pasta and ravioli entrees. The ravioli was swimming in a delicious sauce, and the pasta had a wonderful smokiness from the chicken. Service was prompt, and the outdoor seating was nice--although this is not always the best area to be outside in... All in all, a great experience!

We have been to Olazzo many times and it never disappoints. With so many Italian restaurants in the area, this one is by far the best. Food is excellent, portions are plenty, service is great and prices are reasonable. Definitely our favorite!

My friend and I came here for dinner on a Tuesday. Since we got there around 4 PM, they were offering $2 off their wines, so I got a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon paired with the Penne Alla Checca. While it was pouring rain outside, there were some guests in the restaurant. They were also taking orders over the phone as well. We were able go be seated right away and also received fresh bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. While the server initially got my order placed wrong, they were quick to correct it and I received the Penne Alla Checca which was topped with roma tomatoes, fresh basil and olive oil with hints of garlic and salt. While a simple dish, it was tasty and a nice restaurant to get a casual bite. The atmosphere was cozy and I had a nice time catching up with my friend!

I have visited this place with my wife multiple times and every time it has always been a blast! We love the service as the staff are very friendly. One time, I asked about some seafood that was listed outside as a promotion but the waiter said it wasn't available anymore. Later, he came up to me again saying that the chef will make it just for me. I typically order their pastas especially their Chicken Cardinale (see photo). It is one of their best dishes. It is great to share for two people. You won't go wrong with their other pastas and seafood pastas. I remember I ordered the chicken parmesan and it was also great. Parking is also very easy here since there is a garage closeby. They have indoor and outdoor seating. This is a perfect place for dates and also for families to get together. I highly recommend this and looking forward to coming back.

We were in town and decided to come by. The place is very cozy feeling. The staff were very tentative and made the service great. The food was amazing. I had the shrimp & crabmeat rose and it was truly delicious. The bread is freshly made and great as well. Will definitely come back when in the area.

Wow! Where do I start? I came here on a Wednesday night with my mom, partner, and my mom's colleague. The restaurant closed at 9:30 and we arrived around 8:45. I felt bad for arriving so close to the restaurant closing and thought we'd get mediocre service. Our experience was outstanding! Service was great, drinks were wonderful, and the food was phenomenal! I was very impressed and look forward to returning soon.

Are you on the mood for pasta!?This is your place! Incredible pasta and the chicken Milanese is delish!I think we have tried everything from Alfredo to the sundried tomato cream sauce. The only suggestion I have is if you get the sausage with marinara sauce make sure it's hot more than once this dish was cold or warm.The staff is very nice and they offer indoor and outdoor dining.

Friendly and quick service. The food came very quickly, too, and delicious. Looks like a good old family restaurant.

I live in Columbia, Maryland, quite a distance from Bethesda, but my nephews had a birthday today and so I went out to dinner with their family. The food was wonderful. My dish, sausage and peppers, was extremely tasty. All of the other members of my party seem to really enjoy theirs. The service was incredibly friendly and everything else was first rate. While it's not a bargain, I wouldn't be at all surprised if I returned there soon. A definite thumbs up.

Olazzo is a nice little Italian restaurant right in the heart of Bethesda. With free parking garage and the street blocked off it easily accessible. The food was great as well. Although I prefer string spaghetti pasta opposed to penne the dish still tasted great.

This is a great spot for Italian food in Bethesda. All the pastas I've tried here were simple but delicious. My favorite pasta here is probably the wild mushroom gnocchi. There isn't any meat in it but it's savory and satisfying. I also enjoyed having a glass of wine with the pastas. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating. The inside has a warm and cozy vibe. It can get busy at times, but I had a good experience here overall.

If you find yourself in the Bethesda MD area I recommend checking out Olazzo. The best calamari I've ever tasted. Dinner and bread hit the mark. Anthony had eggplant Parmesan, linguine and sausage. The sausage was amazing. There were a couple other choices I wish I had time in town to try. Very quaint neighborhood restaurant. Server was attentive and very friendly.

I came here for an early dinner on Saturday and was quickly seated. Good customer service and good food overall. Portion sizes were big. Mushroom gnocchi: doesn't come with any protein so asked for chicken. You can def taste the chicken from being charcoal grilled. Shrimp pesto: overall good but a bit oily. Wish it had a stronger pesto flavor. Shrimp & crab rose: this was my fav dish. Creamy with plenty of shrimp.

Excellent pasta and service! Even better drinks. We came during lunch and had the chicken parm and chicken cardinale. Both arrived hot and full of flavor. I had the Brooklyn martini-gin, elder flower, Prosecco and burnt lemon. Yum! Will def be back!

I'd give zero stars if I could. By far the worst so called Italian food I've ever had. I had the shrimp pesto over linguini and for about $30, I got 4 small shrimp and bland tasteless pesto sauce that left a sticky pasty feeling in my mouth. My tablemates had different dishes but all were almost unpalatable and we all left without eating more than a couple bites. The waiter never once came by to see how we were doing or ask how our meals were. This restaurant should be closed down and any positive reviews here post-Covid have got to be scams.

Highly disappointed. We Ordered a shrimp and crab rosé and the gnocchi bolognese. The crab still had shells in it and you would have to spit it out every couple bites. The gnocchi was super overcooked and was very mushy. Both entrees were overpriced, so mad we wasted our money on such horrible food. DO NOT RECOMMEND.

Really enjoyed dinner here tonight. Appetizers were Delicous and the long neck clams on pasta in white wine sauce was fantastic

Good for a quick bite. Nice ambiance we got the egg plant Parmesan and then shrimp and crab rose. The rose was very tasty, the eggplant wasn't anything crazy. The service was very fast however the tables are very close together, and our waiter gave us weird vibes. He was kind of sweaty.

I have absolutely no idea how in the world this restaurant has the ratings it has. EASILY the worst Italian food I've had in the DMV after living here for six years. Complimentary bread was completely burnt, I could count the flecks of pepper on the caprese salad (there were 12), bolognese sauce was very obviously made with frozen meat. Just horrendous. To top it off, our waiter unfortunately smelled very bad. There are SO many wonderful Italian restaurants north of DC. Olazzo is NOT one of them. Avoid.

Cozy Italian restaurant with delicious complementary fluffy ciabatta bread and pasta dishes! I used to come here for lunch when I worked in the area 8 years ago. So glad I finally came back to the old stomping grounds and brought my hubby and toddler for dinner. Wish I hadn't waited so long - still as good as I remembered it!   The scrumptious pilllowy soft bread with olive oil and vinegar always hits the spot and between the 3 of us, we devoured the loaf! The house-made creamy tomato sauce in the Ravioli Rose is divine! While the cheese ravioli isn't made in-house and a bit bland, the creamy sauce really elevates the flavor and perfect for mopping up the bread! There are 6 large pieces in a serving. Some of the pastas like the gnocchi are house-made as stated on the menu while others aren't. The housemade gnocchi is loaded with a heap of mushrooms (shiitake, button, and I believe portabella). The chunky gnocchi was soft and tender, and the creamy parmesan sauce was very light and more like a soup at the bottom of the dish. The pasts dish was fun to try, but not my favorite. It was just too overloaded with mushrooms. If you enjoy mushrooms, go for it! Hubby enjoyed the Meatball Sliders and Lasagna Alla Bolognese. The meaty baked lasagna was a generous portion served in a cast-iron. The house-made Tiramisu was creamy and a bit on the sweeter side, still delicious and my tot devoured it!  It's a bummer that cappuccinos aren't available (it's an Italian restaurant, uggh!). While there is not an expresso machine, there is a full-service bar. Hubby enjoyed the Manhattan with Woodford Reserve. The restaurant does not take reservations, walk-ins only, 1st come 1st serve. Highly recommend coming here on the earlier side of dinner around 5pm. We came around 6pm and had to wait for 15 minutes for a table and just got busier even after we left. The restaurant is cozy and best for small groups up to 4, there's limited high-top booth seating and plenty of bar seating. There isn't much space for a stroller, recommend a high-chair or booster. Excited to come back and explore the other pasta dishes!

Had their calamari as an appetizer. It was definitely enough for my friend and I to munch on! It wasn't as crunchy and flavorful as I had hoped, sadly. In addition, I ended up with food poisoning the next day. I'm unsure if it is as related to the calamari, but this was the only thing I ate that day that was different than my traditional routine.

We had a great time here with friends. We came on a busy Friday evening and they staff was very accommodating. Right away we got the most delicious bread and balsamic/olive oil for dipping. We ordered the bruschetta app and the Arancini, of which the arancini is the superior option. The bruschetta flavors are somehow very muted and disappointing-- I think that came down to the lack of salt. Arancini was much better, loved the cheesiness! For mains we ordered the penne with chicken in red sauce (I forget the name), the ravioli rose, truffle and mushroom Gnocchi, and spinach/garlic tortellini. The ravioli rose and spinach/garlic tortellini were our favorites. That sauce in that ravioli is just divine -- smooth, creamy, but still light. The pieces of fresh garlic in the tortellini make the dish for sure. The penne with chicken is also very good with a sauce similar to the ravioli rose, but the chicken was over cooked. The truffle and mushroom gnocchi had beautiful, pillowy soft gnocchi but it was so overwhelming on the truffle that it was off putting even to my truffle loving family. Truffle should enhance a dish not be so strong you can't taste anything else. We had excellent service the entire meal and the majority of the dishes we ordered were great! This isn't the absolute best in the DMV or anything but it's very good for sure.

The BEST mushroom gnocchi I've ever had. The ambiance is also really nice with dark wood and folky music.

BETHESDA STREETERY! Incredible simple Italian dish that is my go-to dish: PENNE ALLA CHECCA Diced Roma Tomatoes | Fresh Basil | Olive Oil | Garlic | $14 (you can add shrimp) Amazing OLD FASHIONED drink!

The service and ambiance was 5/5 stars but the food makes me give this place 3/5 stars. I ordered pasta with rose sauce and shrimp and crab which was $29 and it had zero flavor to me. I had to add black pepper, red pepper flakes and salt for me to even be able to eat any of it. The bread was good at least. The waiter couldnt have been nicer, I will say that again. Maybe I just ordered incorrectly.

Decided to try out Olazzo last night so got some dishes delivered. Everything looked so good when the food arrived, but it definitely had to be reheated. I'm assuming the experience would be better at the restaurant so next time I would dine in! We got arancini and calamari (not pictured) as appetizers and baked penne, linguini with clams, and tortellini in rose sauce as entrees. All of the items were decent, nothing crazy, but the tortellini was definitely the best. I've been disappointed before by getting tomato cream sauce at other restaurants, but was so pleasantly surprised Olazzo's was really good!

We went last night and we're definitely impressed by the food. The bread and olive oil they bring out is nice and fluffy and just very tasty. We ordered the garlic bread with mozzarella and that came with some marinara sauce. That was delicious! I kept telling myself to stop eating the bread but it was so good and the sauce perfect. I ordered the chicken cardinale because I saw on Yelp it was highly rated and I could not agree more. The chicken was juicy and the batter not overwhelming and the tomato cream sauce was really top notch. Ryan got the alfredo with grilled chicken and penne and that was a huge portion of chicken! He enjoyed the sauce. The only reason I am not rating this 5 is because of the service. It started off well and we got our food quickly but we sat with pretty empty plates for around 30 minutes before our waiter acknowledged us again to take the food and bring the check. That was not how we wanted to end the night. We'd definitely go back because the food was that good.

Soooo yummy. Had been craving good pasta lately and Olazzo delivered. Service was OK- our server was running a little behind and forgot my drink, but took it off the bill. One of the dishes was cold, but still phenomenal. The chicken cardinale is FANTASTIC. The bread is amazing. I was so stuffed. Atmosphere is cute. Free two hour parking not far from the restaurant and plenty of options for seating. Outdoor, bar, high top, and regular tables. Not too pricey, 3 of us ate for under $70 with an appetizer! Will definitely be returning.

The food is so delicious! I'm thinking of going back this week just to eat the crab & shrimp pasta again

Absolutely recommend this Italian spot. The atmosphere inside is great, and the waiters were all wonderful. I had the chicken cardinale (milanese) and it's my new favorite Italian dish. The drinks were also very flavorful (and strong)-- I look forward to coming back!

Best pasta in Bethesda! Shrimp & crab Rose is my favorite. The staff is always friendly and great vibes.

Food : The calamari was crispy and flavorful! One of my favorite places for calamari! The 2 pasta were very creamy and rich, however, the creaminess made me want something either spicy or pickled on the side! The shrimp pesto was good, however I wish it had a stronger pesto taste. The crab and shrimp rose was definitely better, and it had lots of crab which was great. The portion sizes are good. Also their bread is delish! Service : Everything came out pretty fast! We had leftovers and they gave us extra bread and marinara to take home!

The pasta is amazing as always! Our waitress was extremely sweet. My personal favorite was the shrimp pesto! A great date spot! I can see why it's always so busy.

Great food, staff and service. Clean and inviting. Nice bar. Personable table staff. Nice little place.

I had such a great day out and about in Bethesda with my hubby and our little dog and wanted to end the night with a good meal. Unfortunately it started to rain so we were weary about being able to find a last minute dining accommodation that allowed dogs and had a covered patio. We got lucky with Olazzo! We were able to book a reservation and arrived within 10mins. They had our table ready and we were famished so we got to ordering apps and drinks to kick the night off. My husband had been craving calamari for days so this was the first thing we ordered. We also ordered the meatball slides and the arancini. Our apps were delicious and I have to say kudos on the arancini. It was really good. My husband is a bit biased when it comes to that because we got the pleasure of enjoying various arancini types on a trip to Sicily years ago and he can also make arancini. He was very satisfied with the ones at Olazzo. For dinner I ordered the crab and shrimp rose which was a tomato, cream pasta with lump crabmeat and jumbo shrimp over penne. I asked for them to make it spicy so they garnished with red pepper... Just the little kick that I needed. My dish was so good, I wanted to order another one for the road! They grilled chicken for my dog so she could enjoy her meal. She was really happy with it. My husband ordered the penne primavera which he enjoyed. We ordered several rounds of cocktails and had a blast at Olazzo. When the weather gets better out we will definitely be back so we can enjoy their front patio again.

Went here for HH! The appetizers were a bit disappointing. Friend and I agreed the dates were so bitter! Would skip next time. However the pasta was amazing! Vongole had so much flavor and cooked perfectly! Tiramisu and coffee to end the meal

All in all a great dinner- the food was well prepared and delicious. There were several vegetarian options, a definite plus. The salad I had was a little pricey, but not the usual iceberg lettuce with a pale tomato. Also, the bread was yummy. My husband did say his linguine and clams had too much lemon, not enough spice, but the linguine was perfect. The service was good and the atmosphere was excellent, low lighting which I prefer. I give this place high marks.

Let me start this review by saying that I was not expecting the experience I got there at all. Want to know why? Wanted to try Olazzo out for a while and went there in a hurry. The place doesn't take reservations but was packed. Found a seat inside a were immediately greeted by this kind gentleman who brought freshly baked bread for us, gave us great recommendations and just had a very kind/generous smile all the time. The appetizer was obviously calamari and the portion was huge. The taste was absolutely delightful. The entrees were amazing. You can tell by the very first bite that this food is made with a lot of love. The portions are massive and you can tell that this place is not only looking for profits but they are also looking to give their customers the best taste and value for their money as well. This is a simple Italian place but the food is better than a lot of fine dines I have been to. A solid 5/5 because they deserve it.

This small restaurant was not what i expected. From the outside it looks so dark and looks like a typical bar. But don't let the place fool you! their food are AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS. I ordered everything from the pictures below. Also the customer service was very good! So shoutout to Brian he was on top of everything, making sure we get everything we need. I will Definitely visit this place again once i'm back in this city. I travel from Colorado and Im a foodie person myself i highly recommend to others.

Ordered delivery on Sunday and it was fantastic. We had a variety of dishes which arrived quickly, were hot and tasted great. Portions were generous too. Their tomato cream sauce is a specialty and I can see why it's delicious! We will definitely order again and probably dine in too. Highly, highly recommended!

Do not go to Olazzo. The place is crowded, dark, and loud. You'll sit for 15 minutes before talking to staff about even ordering something to drink then every wait time after will be long as well. The food was ok at best. My friends meat balls tasted like they were frozen before hand and warmed up. My lasagna was unimpressive and my other friends food she said was nothing special. On top of this, the food was expensive. After eating our mid food, we went to Hip Flask and had an amazing time there.

Great service! Tasty food! Right temperature and good ambiance Our food was exactly what we ordered. Fresh and well made.

My friends and I ordered Mozzarella Neapolitan as our appetizer and ordered Fettuccine Alfredo, Chicken Cardinale, and Ravioli Rosé as our entrees to share. Mozzarella Neapolitan was very refreshing and light and the roasted red peppers were especially good. All the pasta dishes were good too but if I had to choose a favorite, it would have to be the Chicken Cardinale. I loved the creamy rosé sauce and the grilled chicken was delicioso. The only downside was that we requested to be seated outside (because the weather was amazing) and we were seated at one of the tables on the asphalt road. The round table on that side of the road was way too big for our group and the chairs were also very light and it just felt very temporary/portable. I wish the atmosphere was a little bit better, but other than that the food was great!