Tortino Restaurant

It’s was the best food we ate in our entire trip to DC, the homemade pasta was espetacular and the service amazing. Josue the manager made as so comfortable also he gave absolutely incredible suggestions. Very fair price as well, i super recommend this restaurant to all Italian food lovers.

Located a little outside busy tourist routes, that Italian restaurant close to the upscale Logan Circle is worth visiting. Delicious in taste and aesthetically well-composed and presented, the entrèes left me in utter delight. I liked the tender grilled salmon fillet and pappardelle with deliciously cooked mushrooms the most. Solid dessert menu, very good coffee, and excellent service complete the picture of that capital gourmet spot.

We arrived on a Thursday evening without a reservation and found the place relatively calm. Opted for the linguini and octopus dish, which turned out to be delightful. The linguine was particularly impressive, paired with a flavorful broth. While the octopus was enjoyable, the portion included 6-8 pieces. The dish also featured a distinctive type of pepper that added an interesting twist to the overall experience.

Took my kids to the Tidal Basin, and we decided to make it very special by having late lunch at this cute restaurant. The food is tasty, the service is great [our waiter Josean was amazing!] and thw charm of a cozy restaurant was thw cherry on top!

Exactly what a real Italian restaurant should look, feel, sound and taste like. In the Logan district so not in the crowded streets of downtown DC. It gets packed around 6:30 and the atmosphere is loud and boisterous. People are having a good time. We had a big group for an office party so we tried all the appetizers. In particular the Portabello mushrooms, the Calamari and chick Peas, scallops and Prosciutto were all fantastic. Our group ordered a lot of eclectic dishes. The special, Red Snapper, was a hit with several people. The NY Strip looked sensational. Duck, chicken parm....this place can do it all. Closed it down w excellent desserts, Tiramisu for me and my wife. All for an incredibly affordable price considering the high quality of food and service. Will definitely go back.

Delicious seafood, good selection of wine and extremely friendly staff. They gave us lots of recommendations on dishes and made us feel at home. Definitely recommend it! Dessert was fabulous (we tried different dessert options all extremely good)!

Great Food experience and memory. Everything was Delicious. The service was Awesome.

Fantastic from appetizer to dessert!! Very attentive but unobtrusive service. The grilled salmon sambuca was delightful, with a lively valpolicella. The pour was generous. Nice ambiance, soft tasteful music that doesn’t drown your conversation. Tasteful and simple decor. Gentle but good lighting so you don’t have to bring your flashlight to read the menu. Don’t pass on the tiramisu!

ama food, thank you norvin for u serve, u know what are u doing i want to came back to try the bruch menus

The coziest hole in the wall Italian restaurant with the best service (thanks Norvin )! Having just moved to DC, I was craving a cozy meal and this restaurant had exactly what I was looking for. Definitely also helped that it was a 5 minute walk away from my apartment. All that I tried below (I'm a dessert blogger, @sowmthingsweet, so sweets always come first for me) Sowmthing Sweet Tiramisu: it's been SO long since I've had a solid tiramisu with my ideal ratio of cake to mascarpone, and level of soaked-ness Chocolate salami: this one caught me by surprise because I didn't know what to expect with the name. Ladyfingers rolled in chocolate ganache and served with mocha ice cream may be my new fave thing Blood Orange & raspberry sorbet: I cante believe I'm ranking this above the other gelatos, but these were delicious refreshing and great DF options Vanilla & chocolate gelato: felt transported to Italy Dark& milk chocolate cake: this was not too sweet making the equal ratio of cake to mousse perfect. Ricotta cheesecake: a unique twist on the classic NY cheesecake. A little more on the gritty side because of the ricotta, but overall still yummy! Mains Crab Ravioli: So delicious & I really enjoyed learning how to eat it (hold it upside down to preserve the juicy filling). I also loved that the filling had dill in it bc i think it's an underrated herb. Risotto (daily special): A delicious surprise! The Arborio was cooked beautifully with a slight chew, and the dish was heavy on the parm (but I like that). I'm not a huge seafood gal (esp if it's still in form...) so I devoured the rice & left the rest to my +1 hehe. The base was similar to the crab ravioli so maybe would try smthn different next time! Drinks Red wine: Red wine Overall, 10/10 vibes & lovely desserts. Such a busy spot with constant traffic & very cozy ambience. Definitely will be back!

a great vibe for a southern italian restaurant with efficient and kind service. thank you to our server, she was so sweet and cute!! they had a list of special items like pomodoro soup and this spinach infused seafood pasta (which i got). the pasta wasnt too heavy and actually couldve had more flavor but i enjoyed it a lot! the texture was great.

Enjoyed a dinner with coworkers. I'd been here several years ago and found it good, but apparently not Yelp worthy. We enjoyed some drinks and appetizers. I ordered the tri color salad which includes goat cheese, almonds, and lemon vinaigrette on a bed of mixed greens. It was quite good. I and one coworker were disappointed that the duck breast was unavailable. She reported to a steak and I had the salmon with baby carrots, asparagu, scallions and white sambuca sauce.. Our other two friends had the special lobster ravioli. The meals came quick and mine was delicious. A very good meal that, iirc, exceeded the previous visit. Likely a 4.5 rounds to 5.

Great relaxing wonderful meal with quick and friendly service. Food is exceptional. 6 in our party and 6 wonderful entrees. The chocolate cake is a heavenly light easy way to finish the meal. If going to pick, wood seats can be a bit hard after a period of time to sit in. Our 2nd time and already looking forward to more visits in the future!

I told myself to stop eating, but couldn't. We were looking for Italian in the area on a work trip and my wife found Tortino. It was the best meal we had while we were in DC. It's sort of hidden and you wouldn't think to look for it, but if you're looking for it, it's easy to find. The atmosphere is quaint, quiet, and relaxing. We were seated immediately and the service was absolutely incredible. We had drinks within literally seconds of sitting and the service staff was quick to give us recommendations. The service here should be called out to management because it made the experience that much better. We ordered the bruschetta and Caesar salad to start. Both of these were excellent and should've been more than an indication of what was to come. For mains we had the Fettucine alla bolognese and Penne alla norcina. You could tell that these sauces were cooking for a while and cooked with TLC. We kept swapping plates back and forth and wanted to stop eating, but couldn't. If we could've been rolled out, we would've. The portion sizings were more than generous and enough to help you leave full. The only thing I'm most disappointed about is the fact I didn't have any room for desert.

I am happy to have a meal at Tortino whenever I'm in DC. Everything is delicious: drinks and wine; salads (love the tricolor); pasta (crab ravioli); fish; desserts. Cozy restaurant. Great staff.

Ive been eyeing this place for a while mow and it's very unassuming but such a great neighborhood spot. I made a last minute reservation for a Saturday and they took us no problem at all. The servers were very attentive especially given the large amount of tables they each had for a busy Saturday night. The complimentary bread was excellent and the penne with the pork sausage was excellent. I could eat a bowl of that every single day to my heart's content. Food was great, service was fast, and it was a great lowkey Italian restaurant. Im confident I could just walk in if I didn't have a reservation. Go to this place for a great homey dinner!

We decided to visit this restaurant last minute while in DC and I'm so glad we did! Hands down the best Italian food I've had to date. I can't wait to come back. Our waiter was phenomenal and made very thoughtful recommendations. We shared the lobster ravioli as an appetizer and it was so so good. My husband ordered the salmon which he liked but I would have been disappointed if it was my meal. The pastas are truly the stars IMO. I ordered the linguini and again it was incredible. The flavor was excellent and the seafood was fresh and plentiful. While some of the items were a bit on the pricey side, they were all well worth it. The inside was very quiet (too quiet to bring our 6 month old) but we sat outside on the patio and she slept in her stroller the entire time!

This quaint restaurant was tucked away, but had wonderful charm and the staff was welcoming and attentive. My wife and I sought out an Italian restaurant here in DC that was off the beaten path. My and I were pleasantly surprised how well the dishes were prepared and how flavorful they were. I had the pappardelle with grilled chicken and my wife had the linguini with shrimp, mussels and lobster tail. She had them add a spicy seasoning to perfect the flavor. Prior to the main entrees we had the grilled calamari with chicken peas, which was different from how we have experienced calamari (fried). Despite the different preparation of the calamari, it was surprisingly good. The service was excellent. Overall, my wife and I enjoyed our dinner and atmosphere of the restaurant.

A very cute and unassuming spot tucked away on N street. Some of the small plates are hit or miss but the stand outs are the scallops and Burrata. You can pass on everything else (grilled mushrooms and octopus were mediocre) Stars of the show for me were the penne alla norcina which was creamy tomato packed and meaty and the lamb Osso buco which I was initially hesitant about (I'm a purist here) but won me over almost instantly. Finally some honorable mentions include the braised lamb ravioli and the seafood linguini. Overall, if you're looking for a sweet and friendly Italian night out, you won't go wrong with Tortino!

I found this gem last weekend when searching for an intimate Italian restaurant in DC. I enjoyed the food and service so much I came back a second time within the same week. The first time was for a quiet early dinner when they opened at 5pm. I was the only guest for the first 45 minutes and then 2 other parties arrived. I was taken care of by Pedro, who was so friendly and attentive. He made great recommendations. I had originally come for the crab ravioli, but he sold me on the seafood linguini instead. The apps and entree were amazing and so was the fresh bread basket. I enjoyed my meal with some wine. It was a quiet and peaceful solo dinner. The second time, I came back for the crab ravioli and opted for the grilled octopus appetizer. It was after 8pm on a Saturday and the place was packed. They had multiple large parties. I opted to sit at the bar instead of the sole table left by the door. Pedro engaged in chit chat with me throughout the night while still managing the tables. Food and service once again didn't disappoint. I think I've found my new Italian restaurant home!

I would probably not go back due to salty entrees We got the calamari for an app and then the seafood pasta and another penne pasta with sausage (forgot the name sorry!) The calamari was pretty good - calamari was soft and there were bits of crunch which added nice texture. Think the flavor was overall solid. Both pastas were too salty. It was hard to eat, which is a shame because the pasta textures all were great! Tasted fresh and had a nice chew to them.

One of the better meals I've had in DC in a while. In particular, the cauliflower soup with crab was outstanding. Service was attentive, informative and gracious. On point. The place itself is old school in a good way. It was packed on a Tuesday night, but not loud. Really worth returning.

I have now visited this restaurant twice and received impeccable service and food on both occasions. It is rare that I find myself so carefully savoring every bite of a meal. On my first visit I enjoyed the braised lamb ravioli in a red wine reduction that highlights the delicate sweetness of the lamb. On this second visit, I had the penne allá norcina--a rich and filling dish that I took home leftovers from to enjoy tomorrow. I finished off this visit with the fruit panna cotta, which was light, fresh, and just sweet enough. The restaurant staff are all incredibly attentive, but not overbearing. Each time I raised my head, ready for a new menu, or with a question, someone was there almost immediately. The remainder of the time I was left to peacefully enjoy my food and book uninterrupted. I will continue to frequent this delightful neighborhood gem.

Cute little gem. The bread is fresh and tasty. I tried the crab ravioli, braised lamb ravioli and the seafood alfredo. They were all pretty good but the flavor of the lamb ravioli made it the more enjoyable if the ravioli options. The seafood pasta was good, note they were flexible and allowed me to swap in baby scallops. The menu has a nice variety of options. On popular nights, make a reservation as it's a very intimate venue with limited seating.

There weren't many vegetarian options on the menu but the waiter said they could do a vegetarian penne alfredo ala primavera that was pretty good.

While on business in Washington, I will looking for a really nice italian place with great food and atmosphere...and I found it. On 11th street NW you find the very unpretentious brick building, you step down and enter a space that is warm and inviting. The food choices were not extensive but the quality was excellent. I have spinach salad, crab meat ravioli and a bread pudding desert and all were just great. In many ways this is a "neighborhood place", and it gets busy with businessmen and couples and a wide range of folks for dinner. Service was very much "old school" and spot on through the meal. While not inexpensive, the food quality is worth the extra cost so treat yourself.

This was OUTSTANDING! The ambiance, the food, the service...this was not a fluke. They were phenomenal from beginning to end, I question any poor reviews. Not pictured - the grilled scallops, we ate it before I grabbed a photo. My wife was planning our return trip while we were eating, lol. EVERYTHING is superb, proteins were cooked to perfection. The lamb came with a blueberry reduction. WHAT?!?! AH-MAZING!

Cute little authentic Italian hole in the wall restaurant. The food was great, the lamb shank was delicious. Service was good, our waiter was attentive and did a great job of suggesting a wine when they were out of the one we wanted.

Quaint little neighborhood spot with a definite East Coast vibe. I loved the atmosphere, and the company of my dining companion, a fellow foodie who calls me her "big sister". It was great to catch up with her and break bread together. Tortino's bread is some of the best bread I've had. My only complaint is I wish they would have served the olive oil with some Italian herbs as well as a sprinkling of Italian herbs. Their food was good, just not great. We shared the seafood salad to start, and then I had the pasta dish with scallops and calamari, with a cream sauce, spinach and grape tomatoes. The quality of the fresh pasta was very good. The seasoning of the sauce was incredibly bland, and there was no salt or pepper on the table for me to doctor the flavor of the dish to my liking. The prices were fairly reasonable, and they had a nice wine list and full bar. The service was adequate, neither outstandingly good nor memorably bad. I'm still in search of the perfect Italian meal in this area of DC.

We recently visited Tortino for the first time and were nervous about arriving so close to closing. The service was attentive and timely, we had no issues finishing our meal in about an hour. This is the kind of place where you can have a quick dinner, if needed, or feel welcomed to savor your time and conversation with company. Our server Norvin was so kind and knowledgeable, we made sure to get his name again before leaving to highlight him in this review. The entire experience, from the intimate setting, low lighting, quiet opera playing, and the well curated menu all felt like the most authentic Italian I've seen in this area- and I grew up here! My photos do not do their food justice! This is my first review on yelp and it is well deserved. Bravo, Tortino.

Great authentic paste, and good service. Had a special BD decoration Tiramisu (Its Americanlised flavor, sweeter and less espresso flavor, but its still good.) highly recommended Italian restaurant.

Excellent food. Service was impeccable. The ambiance was quiet with an elegant feel. The only thing I didn't like was having to extract mussels and clams from their shells, but that is just a personal thing.

Had dinner here while in DC. What a lovely place to eat. It is an easy walk from the Penn Quarter area. The place is smallish and very cozy. They have a lovely music playlist that makes you feel like you're in an Italian cafe. The service was great- seems like a team that works well together. We had the special octopus app and a few things on the regular menu. I had the Linguini loaded with sea food- it had the best flavor and perfect broth sauce- it was delicious!! My son had the chicken and mushroom pasta which was also great! The best pasta I've had in awhile. We will definitely come back!

Small Italian restaurant in downtown DC. It was close and within walking distance to the Marriott hotel I stayed. Nice atmosphere and good service with really good Italian food. I had the night's special which was penne pasta with a spicy red sauce. Great meal!!

The service was good, but the food was overpriced and unexceptional. Not a fan of the "fair wages" surcharge. Pay your people a living wage!

After looking for places to eat and being ignored or just flat out lied by other places, we decided let's try here. The hostess greeted us as we walked in and checked to see if she had availability. It was at 9:45 pm when we arrived on a Saturday and thankfully there was a table for us with no wait. Our waiter was courteous and offered us water to start along with some bread and told us the specials of the day. We decided to try the menu items and I ordered the beef carpaccio along with the bolognese and they did not disappoint. The service was great and fast, I would like to add that it would have been better if we all had been served some olive oil in our small plates for our bread. We just got a small plate that we shared between the three of us and it wasn't enough. The restaurant is small but cozy and parking can be tricky during the day but plenty of it at night. Overall, I'm looking forward to visiting again!

Great Italian cuisine. Chef has remained consistent over the years never disappointing! This restaurant remains in my top 5 list of area restaurants. The duck, the pastas, the veggies, and seafood are scrumptiously delicious. I can never get enough of this place.

Very delicious! I wish I could eat here every day. Service and ambience were both above average as well.

The food was Amazing service was okay! We had a few of the specials which aren't on the traditional menu. We started off with the mushroom soup and the grilled octopus and lots of delicious bread. For entrees we had crab ravioli, lamb ravioli, and the ricotta cheesecake. The food tasted like a true Italian meal and was made with so much love! Even though our server wasn't the nicest we feel this place deserves 5 stars simply for the amazing food. The waiter was a bit dry and treated us poorly! He seemed bothered that we kept ordering bread after we said we'd pay for it - I mean it was just that good. Also, we did arrive at 8:30 and stayed till 9:40. We understand they close at ten but we felt a bit rushed. The other employees were extremely nice.

Tortino's ambiance is one of its strongest assets. The intimate setting is perfect for a quiet dinner or a romantic evening out. The décor is simple yet tasteful, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that makes you feel right at home.

4.5 stars, but I'm giving it 5 because this place has the BEST seafood linguini ever!!! The pasta was soooo flavorful, and the texture was perfectly al dente and bouncy. The portion was generous, and there was a lot of seafood too. Crab ravioli was actually a bit disappointing. 3.5 stars for that dish... Good crab meat, but the ravioli pasta itself didn't impress me. The pasta didn't taste fresh, and the sauce tasted watery and thin--not very flavorful. Definitely pales in comparison to the linguini. Assorted gelato (coffee & chocolate. No vanilla as it was out) was good--nothing special though. Good service. Classy ambience inside, but we ate outside, as the weather was nice.

Tortino has my Italian-food-loving heart. I almost don't want to tell anyone about how good it is because I want to keep it my little secret, but here I am writing a review. Could not recommend more :)

I was really looking forward to trying Tortino Restaurant after my first glance at their pics and them having a 4 star rating. The overall experience from service to ambiance was great; however, the food fell a little short for me. I went in with pretty high expectations and was hoping for a meal that would blow me away. That unfortunately was not the case. In my opinion it was just average. The biggest miss was that the majority of the dishes lacked flavor. We were having to add salt to each dish we ordered. On a positive note, everything was cooked well. We ordered the scallops appetizer. Came with 2 nicely cooked scallops that were atop of a vegetable medley. We also started with the spinach salad, which was nothing special. Would have liked to have seen a bit more flare to this one. For our entrees I went with the lamb shank and my friend ordered their risotto special, that came with shrimp and a half lobster. Both entrees were just ok. Although the food was not a win for me, the service was great. We loved our waiter. He was very friendly, attentive, and was able to answer all of our questions about the menu. Another thing to note is it got busy Saturday evening after 7pm. When we arrived at 6pm for our reservation there weren't many people there. However right around 7pm folks started pouring in. Overall not a horrible experience, but definitely wasn't the amazing Italian food experience I was hoping for.

Fantastic dust breast recommend medium to medium rare, chicken Parm and the short ribs with risotto. TOP NOTCH!! Great little find, and reasonably priced.!

Food was terrific. The menu is interesting. The ambiance is lovely. Unfortunately, the service was awful.

Hard to get above a 3.5 here. All of the food we've tried is fine - but nothing I'm dying to come back for, just a very average Italian meal. Drinks and service are similar. The carpaccio was the highlight of the meal

Tortino's is one of the few Italian restaurants that I like within the DC city limits ;) This has been a quest of mine for over 5 years now. Meal Quality: For an appetizer I ordered a spinach, goat cheese, and tangerine salad which was light and refreshing on s hot day. For my entree, I ordered their Pan Seared Duck breast which was a bit crispy and accented in Barolo wine sauce and delicious figs! I paired it with a fine Sangiovese wine. The accompanying vegetables were a bit crunchy and could have used a bit of seasoning for more flavor but they were good nonetheless. Now, their desserts were even more outstanding! I cant recall the name but I ordered this hazelnut dessert that blew my mind and paired it with a 10year port wine! Oh hot damn goodness! Aesthetic Appeal & Atmosphere: The restaurant is located on the ground level of an quaint DC home where they play nice music and the sounds of the city are drowned out inside so you can pleasantly enjoy the experience. The interior decor is warm and formal. Service: Pedro was my waiter and he was exceptional. Originally from Mexico, he displayed Old World Charm even though being from the New World. RATINGS: Meal Quality: 5 Aesthetic Appeal & Atmosphere: 5 Service: 5

My coworker & I are in the DC area for a business conference and craved Italian cuisine. We were more than satisfied with the food and customer service. She had the crab ravioli and I dined on the linguine with Lobster, Mussels & Jumbo Shrimp. Both dishes were delicious and satisfying. We ended our meal with strawberry and mango sorbet and chocolate gelato. Both of which tasted as if they were made that day in the restaurant kitchen with love. The meals definitely were made with love. I cannot say enough about the food and service. Both are excellent and I plan to return during the next conference. The atmosphere is quaint and like home. If you are in the area and craving good, authentic Italian cuisine, PLEASE try Tortino Restaurant. You will not be disappointed!

This is my 2nd time coming here and this time was not the best. The service was not good, it was so hot inside and I had to ask them to turn the air on. We got the mussels to start off and more than half were empty or closed. The food was good, but nothing to run back for. I think the service was just not good and we were trying to pay and cash out but it took forever to get the server, we had to ask the host to find them. probably won't go back.

Stopped by here on a Sunday night for dinner with my mom who was craving some Italian food. It was a very cozy spot with friendly service and delicious food. I got the risotto special which was a short rib risotto--the short rib melted in my mouth and the risotto was cooked perfectly! I even got two meals out of it because the portion was very large. My mom got the lamb ravioli which was also delicious. We even got complementary bread which is always a plus in my book. Overall, I would definitely recommend checking this place out!

Absolutely incredible Tuscan style Italian restaurant in Logan Circle! Service was impeccable, ambiance was *chef's kiss*, and the food was to die for! We were a fairly large group, but everything ordered was brought quickly and with care. I highly recommend the saffron taglierini for a pasta entree. The cream sauce is impeccable! For dessert I had the semifreddo, which was delicious. My only regret is not trying the homemade limoncello. Definitely will be back! Also, thank you to the staff for helping my family and I celebrate my grandfather's 92nd birthday with that surprise dessert, and for singing him happy birthday. He absolutely loved it!

Estuvo bueno, yo me comí una pasta con mariscos y la verdad estaba muy rica. El pan estaba bueno lastima el aceite de oliva q si estaba flojo. De postre pedimos un postre con chocolate que hacen ellos ahi, y la verdad estaba muy rico e interesante con ese helado encima. El servicio nos atendió pedro, un mexicano muy atento y servicial. En general muy bien!

Visited on a Friday evening and had an outstanding experience. Attentive service & really calm environment. The pan-seared scallops were so delicious we had to order more; steak was also cooked to perfection. Highly recommend!

Tortino is a treasure! Based in the bottom of a townhouse, you would not expect such amazing food. Everyone I've ever taken to Tortino has loved it. Some of my favorite dishes are below. Apps: 1. Beef Carpaccio 2. Scallops - only comes with 2 scallops but they are cooked perfectly and come with beautifully roasted veggies in a sauce to die for. Pasta: 1. Fettuccini Bolognese- I don't typically go for red meat sauces but this one is to die for. The sauce is delicate yet balanced and sticks so well to the noodles. Must try! 2. Braised Lamb Ravioli- deep flavor and tender lamb. Matches beautifully with the mushrooms and wine reduction sauce. You will not be disappointed 3. Crab Ravioli- Light but filling! My bf almost always orders this and never regrets it. Everything here is so good it is hard to choose what to order. But whatever you get, you will not leave hungry or unsatisfied.

Always a great experience! I took my mother there for Mother's Day dinner, me and her. She is very picky but really enjoy the experience and the food. She raved about her Branzino and the wine pairing. Anytime she raves about something, it is really good.

Visiting from Boston we found this place to be close to our hotel and we are so happy we gave it a shot! We love our Boston North End Italian food and although it didn't live up to our local hometown favorites, the place is definitely worth checking out. The place was crazy busy for a Sunday night with a line out the door - make a reservation! We started with the burrata which was very good but a little different being served with red peppers instead of tomato's. The bread was delicious. I ordered the goat cheese gnocchi and my man got the bolognaise, I am going to be honest - the server I think forgot to put our order in so we waited for over an hour for a meal after the app was served (we were told they were making a fresh batch), yet many things were forgotten through out the night, drinks, oil, etc. Again, one server in a crazy busy restaurant its understandable that this is going to happen. As far as the food, my gnocchi was good but I didn't taste ANY goat cheese at all which was disappointing. I can't say I was blown away by it. A cute quaint romantic place, we will always support local. Bravo!

Locked up on Tuesday 3/26 at 12:00 noon - should have been open, per YELP. Disappointed.