Floriana — Restaurant in Washington

This place is a over-priced dump! We made the unfortunate choice to have Valentine's dinner at this place and it was a choice we wish we never had made. The set menue had big ambitions with a five-course meal and a nice selection of wines. But reading the menue was unfortunately our best experience of the evening. Even before ordering we could watch one of the waiters taking another guests napkin and killing a cockroach on the wall above their table. Unfortunately we didn't take the hint... The starter (a beet and goat cheese bruscetta) was a stale and chewy piece of white bread with some canned beet cubes and crumbs of goat cheese on it. Completely bland and lacking in any flavor. The following pasta was also chewy with pieces of equally chewy pieces of low-grade chicken and tomato sauce that tasted like it came fresh out of the can. On of us ordered the chicken for a main course and this is also how the waiter presented it when he served it. However it was pink and fatty and very much looked like beef or veal, (that none of us eat). We asked another waiter and he again claimed that it "was chicken", but after some questions from our side, promised to check with the kitchen. Came back and confirmed that it was in fact veal. We were offered to get the right dish, but considering the long wait and that they already tried to sell the veal off as chicken two times, and the other main course consisting of a minimal "lobster tail" accompanied by a grainy and extremely salty pure of some kind we decided to just have the dessert, and get out of there. Bad move on our part again. Was served a grainy and dry red velvet cake and a very average chocolate mousse (that was deceptively similar to one from the nearest supermarket freezer). Asked for the bill, and (considering the quality of the establishment) were not surprised that we had been charged for the chicken we never got. The restaurant was full of young couples celebrating Valentine's and the restaurant is very small with tables tight together, so we decided not to make a big fuzz about it, not to ruin their evening. We can afford to have a bad restaurant experience now and then. We just don´t go back, but we feel really sorry for the many young couples that made this their restaurant of choice for a romantic Valentine's dinner. When we left, there were no apologies, no "thank you and goodbye". Nothing. Just a very audacious guy (owner?) at the door doing his best to avoid eye contact. This was $300 that we definitely will spend somewhere else next time! We suggest anyone else...

A true gem - authentic Italian restaurant tucked away in a quaint row home. So glad our friends took us here and finally discovered it! The cozy restaurant is bursting with flavor and reminiscent of the Osterias in Italy.

I love how the complementary Tuscan bread comes with olive oil and basil - true pesto. We enjoyed the bread basket, not a crumb was spared.

The creamy Burrata with sweet potato puree was divine and paired well with the bread. The plump burrata was so soft and juicy that it melted in my mouth. Hands down the best burrata I've had!

The Butternut Squash was another crowd-pleaser. The squash was well seasoned and the goat cheese and greens added nice flavor.

The tender Burrata Ravioli with juicy mushrooms smothered in creamy pesto sauce was delicious! The al dente ravioli with creamy cheese filling, tender mushrooms, and basil white sauce blended well together with lots of flavor. Every piece was delightfully devoured leaving a nice clean plate. My guy friends all thoroughly enjoyed their hearty meat pasta dishes as their plates were also left clean.

The Tiramisu was tasty, but not a stand-out. We were all stuffed from the bread, apps, and entrees that we didn't save room for dessert. I would skip the tiramisu and go for the Chocolate Bomba next time.

The 1/2 price bottle of wine and Wed and Sundays is a steal! We got a delicious bottle of Chianti Classico for $26 (normally $52). The service is attentive and polite.

One weird thing to note - the bathroom is on the 2nd floor, above the restaurant. Go upstairs, not downstairs! There's a little bar downstairs in the basement by the same owners but not part of the restaurant (different menus and drinks). I wondered downstairs before climbing up a couple flights of stairs to the restroom - getting those steps in!

Definitely make a reservation a week or so in advance. There's only a handful of tables and seating for like 25 people. We were lucky and got a reservation on Super Bowl Sunday a few days in advance (didn't want to painfully watch the underdogs team get defeated by the Pats). Glad we made the right choice to enjoy some fine Italian dining instead!

Can't wait to be back for some creamy Burrata and scrumptious...

Neither my Husband or I considered Italian food one of our top favorite cuisine, but after coming to Floriana’s, that has definitely changed. Everything about our dinner was perfect! The location is fantastic, only a 5 min walk from our hotel. The restaurant was cozy, romantic, clean, and welcoming. I loved the decor and the feel that I was eating at someone’s house. The service was amazing. Always had water on my table, our orders did not take more than 15 minutes to arrive, the waiter was not constantly interrupting, but made sure we were taken care of. Their menu has a great variety of options without feeling overwhelming. They have a great array of wine to choose from by the glass or bottle and also have a cocktail menu. I went for the sangria and it was absolutely delicious. My husband had something with bourbon that I can’t recall the name of now, but equally as good and strong! Now the food. Best bread and pesto! I had their yellow tomato soup for appetizer and it was chefs kiss! Best Risotto I have ever had! I like to consider myself a self-made chef and have cooked risotto many times, but this risotto was out of this world. Portion was generous, flavor was to die for and texture was amazing! Every bite was a bit of a high, fireworks of flavor and texture in your mouth! My Husband ordered the lasagna and again, absolutely delicious. Great portion, housemade pasta, mozzarella, and sauce! You can taste the freshness and the amazing flavor in every bite! We were also very thankful fof the nice anniversary surprise at the end of our meal with on the house champagne and dessert. Delicious bubbles and we had the berry sorbet which was the perfect light sweet end to a carb heavy meal. All in all, we did not want to leave and were actually the last to leave in the dining room. I wish I lived in DC, just so I could come here every week! I spent hours looking for a restaurant for this special day and I am so happy to have chosen Floriana! Best Italian...