Trattoria da Lina — Restaurant in Takoma Park

Delicious authentic fresh Italian food in the DMA area. Brings me back to my honeymoon in Amalfi Coast. Definitely worth the trek over the river from McLean, VA.

The Fusilli alla Lina with stewed eggplant really hit the spot! It was my favorite dish in Amalfi and never had a dish like that in the U.S. The chewy al dente Fusilli noodles were divine and unique as long twisted noodles like Gemelli rather the traditional corkscrew shape. It paired well with the fresh crispy chunks of eggplant stewing in marinara sauce and oozing with cheese.

The Eggplant Parmesan was a generous serving with layers of fresh juicy fried eggplant (prepared earlier that shift) was scrumptious and delicious. If I had to pick between the pasta or the eggplant parm, I would go with the Fusilli because it also has eggplant, best of both worlds!

I wasn't a big fan of the Tiramisu. While it was served in the traditional Italian form of a cup rather than the Americanized cake, the chocolate cake topped with a mound of whipped cream and cocoa powder really missed the mark. Where were the lady fingers soaked in expresso and mascarpone cheese? I threw in the towel 1/2 way through. Skip the dessert and save more room for the main course!

The complementary bread was cold - would have been nice to serve it warm. The spicy olive oil was interesting, but didn't quite pair well and a side of olive oil and vinegar would have elevated the bread. It's a free app, so can't have too many complaints here!

The staff was great and let me sample a Pinot Noir Impero and another Italian Nero red wine (don't remember the exact name) that was more fuller-bodied and flavorful with notes of spices. While I chose the Pinot Noir, I appreciated the recommendation to try the other wine.

There's no outdoor table seating. You can get carry-out and sit outside at the small square tables, but there's no service. While it wasn't that busy on a bustling Sat night with people trickling in, I'm glad I made a reservation.

Will definitely come back for the Fusilli with stewed eggplant-...

Regarding to the service, we are taken aback by the scene that the owner/ manager did to us when we had already left the restaurant. We didn’t want to tip that much as we found the food was not good enough, and also because we didn’t know (they never mention this) that we’re supposed to mandatorily give at least the 30% of the bill. Being said this, once we left the place, the owner/manager ran madly towards us and literally yelled at us in the middle of the street because he thought that it was an insult what we tipped. He adopted an humiliating attitude by trying to make us feel dumb for not wanting to tip the 30% of a food that was not even the best. If they are expecting people to pay whatever they want them to pay, they should be at least clear from the beginning. We do understand if he wanted to clarify what is expected in terms of tips in his restaurant. However, a rude show like that is not acceptable. And we felt humiliated with that scene, even some people walking around us were looking at that scene. I would not recommend to go to this place as the service and food are not good enough, and the manager is really disrespectful. There are way many and better options in the area which are going to value your money.

Now, regarding to the food. We really expected better based on the comments, but unfortunately that’s fake. First of all, food was not the best. We ordered a carbonara,and it was more pasta than pancetta in a small portion. The tiramisú is so far the worst I have tried. I have had the opportunity to try original Italian restaurants, and trust me this is not good. Even if the owner (or whoever is the rude man who manages the place) is Italian, he might not be entitled to own an Italian restaurant. In addition, the place is expensive for...

We originally planned to go to a different restaurant, but the wait was too long, so we audibled to Trattoria da Lina. I'm no stranger to an old rustic Italian spot, so we decided to give it a try. The restaurant was completely empty when we walked in, so there were no issues getting a table. The service was initially prompt, and the specials were explained. We were seated where I could see the kitchen, and I saw one of the staff put some food in a microwave, which should have indicated what was to come, but we decided to see for ourselves. I chose the rabbit, and my girlfriend went with the gnocchi. It's all downhill from here, but I'll explain the issues with both of our dishes.

The rabbit was dry, and tasted odd. I'm not sure if it was freezer burn, or if the rabbit was cooked ahead of time and reheated in the microwave, but the price certainly didn't match the flavor. The sauce it was in tasted of something you might get in a school cafeteria; it was absolutely dreadful. My girlfriend's gnocchi had a gluey consistency, and the bolognese sauce was over seasoned to the point of being bitter. As more people came in for dinner, we had a difficult time getting our server's attention, and we had to walk up to the bar to get our check. I try my best to find the good in every restaurant I visit, but this was a terrible dining experience.

If a restaurant is charging this much for these dishes, they need to be good, and our food simply wasn't. I hate wasting food, but we left with barely anything finished on our plates. For an establishment that's been around since 2017, I expected much better than what we were served. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to anyone, even...