Fiola — Restaurant in Washington

For such a renowned restaurant, our dining experience last night was a total letdown.

Our server appeared miserable and upset from the moment we sat - and especially when we informed him we weren't planning to drink.

He disappeared and left us alone for 30 minutes before we could flag him down to take our order.

My mother in law was first to order and went straight to naming her entree. Our server appeared even more agitated and asked "no appetizers!?"

Our appetizers were served in a timely fashion but we sat around for another good 45 mins before the entrees were served. No apology, no explanation. Service itself deserves at most 1 star (for the busboys who refilled our water)

Food - we shared the foie gras, a full entree sized lobster ravioli, and ahi tuna as starters. The foie gras was the winning dish of the night - can't even find words to describe it. Just get it! Lobster ravioli tasted like mushy wonton and only came in 4 pieces? Honesty I can't believe this was their most popular dish. Ahi tuna - way too citrusy and absurd amount of tomato, I would skip.

Main courses Brodetto - my brother in law and I each ordered this. We agreed that it had a generous amount of seafood but the broth itself added nothing to this dish.

Veal pappardelle - the pasta was way overcooked to a point it was made impossible to fork. And did they not drain the pasta before adding the veal ragu? There was a layer of pasta water towards one side of the dish - bland, mushy mess

Spaghetti Negri - extremely salty, again the pasta was overcooked. The spaghetti morphed into one giant glob.

Steak - my father in law only eats steak well done and stressed on this when placing his order. The steak was at best medium. He didn't touch his steak two bites in.

Desserts Ricotta donuts - thank goodness for this dessert. Generously sized donut holes with mouth watering raw honey ice cream - could def use bigger scoop!

Chocolate mousse - very rich and more dark chocolatey than expected. Good but nothing memorable.

Overall - I honestly am appalled and embarrassed by the service and food we received - can't believe we waited and saved this restaurant to bring my in laws to. It was a total nightmare (well actually the foie gras and donuts were heavenly),...

I finally treated myself (and my partner) to dinner at Fiola, and I can honestly say—this was more than just a meal. It was a memory. We started the evening at the bar, which is part of the experience, and honestly, I loved that. It helped ease us into the night with a lovely apéritif and a few small bites that set the tone perfectly—elegant but warm, detailed without being stiff. We chose the 9-course tasting menu for our anniversary, and from the very first amuse-bouche to the last sweet bite of dessert, everything felt like it was crafted with heart and intention. I still think about that scallop—seared just right, sitting in a delicate olive oil and chili blend that made the whole dish sing. The lamb ravioli came in these beautiful little square parcels, almost too pretty to eat (but trust me, we did). What stood out just as much as the food? The service. Every staff member we interacted with made us feel welcomed and seen. Our main server, Tony, somehow struck the perfect balance—attentive, kind, and knowledgeable without being overbearing. They even brought out a surprise dessert for our celebration, with a handwritten note from the chef. It's those little touches that make an experience feel personal. The ambiance is romantic, intimate, and perfect for special moments. You’ll find couples on dates, friends reconnecting, and even solo diners enjoying a quiet, upscale evening. And if you're into wine—this place is a dream. Their collection is world-class, and the team really knows how to pair. Pro Tip: After that kind of luxurious meal, I wanted to keep the night relaxed and elevated. So I swung by PullUpDC on the way home to grab some top-shelf flower. Their selection is always 🔥, and it was honestly the perfect way to wind down after a night like that. If you're into high-quality cannabis with great vibes, PullUpDC is the spot. Think of it as the Fiola of D.C.'s cannabis scene. All in all, Fiola gave us an experience I’ll be recommending to anyone looking to celebrate, indulge, or just feel taken care of for a few hours. It’s not cheap, but if you’re going to splurge,...

Went for the yurt village experience. First time at Fiola. Here's my take:

Pros: the food was very good and service was exceptional (minus a few Covid-19 concerns). They brought me 2 blankets (more on that later) which I took home. The yurt itself was adorable and we sat on comfy chairs. They provided music with an Amazon Alexa and we really appreciated that. It was truly a unique experience. The policy was a 2 hour limit but it took longer than that and they did not rush us. They also sent us home with a coffee cake for breakfast the next day,which was a nice touch.

Cons: It was cold and windy out and the heat source for the yurt is a heated light that hangs from the top of the yurt over the center of the table. There was no heat on the floor so my husband, who is tall, felt a lot of heat on the top of his head and my feet and ankles were quite cold. I didn't know what to expect for how it would be heated but I recommend wearing some warm socks and shoes. Even though they let us go over the time by about 30 minutes it still moved at a quicker pace than I would prefer for a $500+ meal for 2. The value for the cost was not quite what I have experienced at other restaurants for a similar price.

Covid protocol: I have stopped eating at restaurants indoors and was excited for a safe way to dine out during this time while staying warm. I'm sure that serving yurts in the windy cold, having to zip and unzip the door while managing plates and drinks is quite a challenge and they did that well. However, there were at least 5-6 different people in and out of the yurt during the course of the night. They all had the same masks and almost all of them were half on their noses. Our server had to keep pulling his up throughout the night. In the end, I do feel that we put ourselves at an unnecessary risk since we spent so much time in a very small space, without a mask as we ate around various employees whose masks were ill fit. Hopefully we are no worse for the wear but only time will tell.

I really look forward to going back post covid and am glad we got to try the...