Grazie Nonna — Restaurant in Washington

I’ve had Grazie Nonna on my list ever since thefunnymomma gave it two glowing reviews, and this past Saturday, I finally checked it out with my homegirl. Let me tell you—I’ve never been to Italy, but this food definitely gave me a round-trip ticket. Let’s get into the details.

It’s D.C. You already know—metered parking everywhere. The vibes were very much “circle the block twice and pray.” But we found a spot, so the night was already off to a good start.

Our table was booked for 10:15 PM, which gave me pause since Google said they close at 10 PM. Naturally, I called to confirm, and the hostess reassured me they take reservations until 10:45 PM. Crisis averted. We arrived at 10:23, fashionably late but not obnoxiously so, and the hostess greeted us warmly before seating us at a cozy two-top by the window.

As soon as we sat down, the water debate began. My homegirl, ever the fancy one, insisted on sparkling water because she “swears by it.” Do you know how much sparkling water costs at a restaurant? $10 a bottle. But hey, hydration is key, and I’m happy to report I drank all my allotted two cups from the bottle. Growth.

The server came over to ask if we wanted starters, and we did what any good friends would do—ordered to share. I got the calamari; my homegirl went with the Caesar salad. The calamari? Solid but nothing groundbreaking. It was crispy, seasoned well, and came with your standard marinara and aioli. A “good-not-great” situation.

But the Caesar? BABY. That salad was a revelation. Fresh, crisp romaine, creamy dressing, a generous dusting of Parmesan, and crunchy breadcrumbs for texture. A sprinkle of chives added a pop of flavor, and it was all served on a vintage-style plate that made me feel like I was dining in the Italian countryside. Healthy eating that doesn’t taste like it? Say less.

When it came time for entrees, I ordered the Sunday Sauce (gnocchi), and my homegirl got the Drunken Love pizza. The gnocchi arrived first, and y’all… that first bite made me realize thefunnymomma and I have identical taste buds. The gnocchi was pillowy perfection, bathed in a rich, meaty marinara sauce, topped with fresh basil and Parmesan. It was warm, comforting, and everything I didn’t know I needed on a Saturday night.

The pizza? Stunning. A golden, blistered crust, fresh basil, and just the right amount of Parmesan. We had to put it on the neighboring table because ours was too small (a first-world problem, I know). Pro tip: eat it while it’s hot. We let it cool down while we tackled the gnocchi, and while it was still good, I know it would’ve hit even harder fresh out of the oven. Lesson learned.

Our total came to $101.06, which included a 4% surcharge (an operational fee introduced during the pandemic). Not outrageous for the quality, but definitely a reminder that fancy sparkling water adds up.

Just when we thought the night was over, we noticed a stream of people heading to the back of the restaurant. Curious, I asked our server what was up. Turns out, there’s a speakeasy hidden back there that’s open until 3 AM! If we hadn’t already booked another speakeasy, we would’ve stayed. Now I have another reason to come back.

Grazie Nonna is officially my go-to for Italian food. The quality, flavors, and overall experience were unmatched. Between the chic decor (think chandeliers, rustic touches, and candlelit tables) and the cozy yet lively vibe, it’s the perfect spot for a night out.

Trust me—book the table, order the Caesar, and take your taste buds on a trip to Italy. Oh, and maybe skip the sparkling water unless your hydration habits are bougie like...

UPDATE/REVISION

Management reached out to me after this experience and wanted to make things right. Huge props to them for taking that action, especially at a spot like this that does such high volume.

I went back in and it was like night and day. Service was prompt but not overbearing, the food was excellent, we got water quickly rather than waiting 15 minutes. Overall, things were better in every way.

And, lo and behold, with the more attentive service our check was much higher than my first experience too because we were able to order more!

The calamari here is top notch, and the Sunday Sauce will fill you up and leave a little for lunch the next day too.

This was originally a 1 star review, but upping it to 5 because the food is honestly really solid and the service was much better the second time around. Also, having management respond to a negative review and invite us back in to make things right really shows their commitment to quality service.

Give Grazie Nonna a try, because it seems like on their good days they are popular for a very good reason.

The below was my first experience. My second was much better, see above.

I had heard this was a good spot, unfortunately my experience has been the opposite.

Sat down, a little early for my reservation, at the pizza bar. No one came by for 15 minutes, despite there being many servers hanging out in little pockets. No water, no chance to order a drink or an app while waiting for the person dining with me.

We had to flag someone down to order drinks and had to recall our server after ordering drinks to get an app in at the same time (important, considering how little he was around). He came back for entrees, we asked for another two minutes to negotiate on which pizza we wanted. He didn't offer to answer any questions, and we didn't get a chance to flag him down for another 15 minutes (he did not return on his own). I had to flag him down again to order another drink.

There was a 4% surcharge on the bill at the end that is not a part of gratuity.

As someone who works in service, the whole experience was pathetic. The food was fine, but not good enough to make up for terrible service. I don't want someone to be on top of me constantly, but a minimum amount of due diligence could have had many more drinks and food on the table, a higher check, higher gratuity, and a faster table turn time.

I don't recommend this restaurant to anyone and I won't be back.

Go to All Purpose or Sfoglina for italian, at least the servers will bother to come to your...

This was an unexpected gem we discovered when visiting DC for a funeral. Our entire family (20+ adults and children) showed up at 7pm without a reservation and we were pleasantly surprised. A few of us sat at the inside bar and a few sat at the outside bar. Jen, the outside bartender recommended our two 7 year olds sit across the bar from us and ensured us she would take care of them and boy did she! They had a BLAST and totally lived their best lives chatting with other patrons - mind you, they are pretty mature. Jen was remarkable - not only entertaining them but also predicting my own needs (I was hangry, the garlic focaccia saved my life) Once the general manager found out we needed a huge table, he immediately got to work trying to make this happen (spoiler alert - he did) His commitment to his customers happiness was unmatched. The food was INCREDIBLE. We started with the burrata panzanella antipasti, and the Caesar salad. Rolled right into the Prosciutto and Peas (my favorite) and the Vongole (my husbands favorite - and he typically dislikes clams!) We also tried their meatballs and my mother and her husband got one of the pizzas. We all shared a bottle of wine. I have to say - for all of the Italian I have eaten in my life (authentic as well as chain restaurant served) this has to hands down be one of the best. Flavor was perfectly balanced and ingredients were fresh. The meatball dish was astounding - all parts (pasta, sauce, and meatballs) made in house…a rare treat. Perhaps the coolest part of the evening was when we were finishing up our meal and the general manager came over to chat - we got to know him a little bit and he extended the invite for our kids to come see something cool. I followed along and he led them into the kitchen entrance where the pizzas were being made. The man working there invited the kids to watch and assist in making a pizza - they thought it was the coolest thing ever! Thank you for a comfortable, memorable evening, a delicious homemade tasting meal in a very unfamiliar city, and the coolest hats out there! The GM and Jen truly made this experience worthwhile! Sorry I don’t have FOOD photos - I don’t eat with my eyes first, but the dishes...