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SHŌTŌ Washington DC Reviews
An Italian gem!
Amazing meal. The food and service were top notch. Service friendly and professional. Beautiful restaurant. Excellent wine list. Host John insured that all went well. All 8 of us greatly enjoyed the experience!
Food exceptional as always, but the din greatly diminished the evening.
We've enjoyed Tosca since it opened during the Obama Administration. It was our 'go-to' restaurant for special occasions and to impress out-of-town visitors with the quality of the food and the reliable, attentive service. We last enjoyed Valentines Day there, remarking then that the restaurant had gotten noisier and there seemed to be larger and larger groups. Near business hotels and not far from the Convention Center, we were not surprised. Last night, for a birthday celebration, the food was as exceptional as always, particularly the "pillow" pasta and the octopus, which was perfectly cooked in a variety of sauces. The service was attentive. Since our last visit, prices had increased markedly and portions shrunk, but at least Tosca's menu prices reflect the full cost of paying the staff a just wage, without the smarmy and confusing "service fees" that some DC restaurants have imposed, often without notice. The restaurant was so noisy that it was difficult to enjoy our meal. A raucous and probably over refreshed table of six made it difficult to hear, and the host and server said they've been over to ask them gently several times to stop shouting. To little avail, alas. When we had arrived, the hostess asked "whose birthday is it?" but there was no further acknowledgment, even when we left and mentioned to the host who'd been at the podium when we came in that as long-time patrons and fans we were disappointed. Not sure that the little focaccia were worth $2 when they used to be free. Even though we are pleased that a fine restaurant in Washington's deserved downtown was doing a booming business, we'll be looking elsewhere for new special occasion places that aren't so noisy.
Over Rated
Our service at Tosca was very very good. The food was good but not exceptional. The noise level was “PAINFULL!” We cannot recommend Tosca because it is impossible to have a conversation of two people sitting two feet from each other, let alone imagine 4 people being able to hear without yelling and with a restaurant full, all customers yelling to be heard… we couldn’t wait to leave.
Overpriced small plates
Quite disappointing. I had a starter and the Branzino. Spent $100 total. The plates were so tiny that I had to go and get myself some food right after having lunch. And pretty bland food.
Not all that it is cracked up to be
Dined here to celebrate an upcoming birthday. We were warmly greeted and sat promptly. We did have a reservation and arrived 25 minutes early. This place has been on our list for quite some time. Unfortunately, our waiter seemed to be disinterested, annoyed and bothered that he was serving us. His service was not exactly attentive but it was also not dismissive. The food was just okay, nothing more and nothing less. We have had far better elsewhere. I honestly don’t see us returning but would stop short of not recommending. Hopefully others will have a better experience than we had.
Food taste amongst the Michelin Star's "Best of the best"
It was so good we were blown away. Food taste was as good as the best Michelin Star restaurants we have been to. And I mean compared with the "best of the best" (LeCinq, Joel Rubichon Paris, La Pergola, Amstel 212). On food taste alone I would say slightly better than our favorite Michelin Star restaurant in North America (Picasso at the Bellagio). Food presentation was great and so was the service for a high-end restaurant. Food presentation, service and restaurant ambience was not Michelin Star level but that is logical as to take those aspects up to Michelin Star quality would required a lot more investment and far higher operating costs (i.e., the menu prices would need to go up by at least 50%) - and I am not so sure I'd rather it not just stay just the way it is. At the end of the day I put food taste far above the other quality is of Michelin level restaurants.
DO NOT GO
Average food but the smallest portion going. Must of been 3 tiny pieces of pasta. $70 as well for 2 portions of it. Very small portions would not recommend going here
Beware of horrific waiter
My two friends and I walked OUT of this restaurant due to a horribly rude and offensive waiter (named either Ryan or Brian) before we even had the chance to order dinner. We have NEVER done that before. I worked in the restaurant business for many years, most notably for Warner LeRoy at Tavern on the Green, and am extremely patient going out to eat since I know both the front and the back of the house. I'm giving one star for the ambience. From the minute we sat at our table this waiter was caustic and demeaning. He abruptly gave us our menus, no eye contact, seemed ticked off we didn't want the wine menu, and then we didn't seem him for quite some time. He demanded we order as soon he let us know what the specials were, and then he ran away in the midst of telling us the specials, as he said he "had to go get the hot food" for another table. ??? When he returned he demeaned my friend as he asked "do you understand" the specials...and then asked my other friend why her head was down as he let us know the specials. When she mentioned she doesn't like mushrooms, he got annoyed and told her he just wasted time with us then. And when I told him we needed to think about the specials vs. the menu, he got nasty with us telling us we did not know the proper way to let the waiter know we're ready to order since the menus were closed and stacked. WTF? We never made it past the focaccia bread, which he never told us they charge for. We got up and left. The maitre'd offered us another table but we had to get out of there. We are three well-travelled friends who were looking forward to a reunion dinner. The reviews online looked so positive. This waiter shouldn't even serve people at a fast food restaurant, let alone at an upscale restaurant. At one point it felt like we were in a SNL skit, only we weren't. We went back to our hotel and ate at Bistro Bis restaurant there and had fantastic food and service. Sorry we owe you $6 for the focaccia bread...take it out of his paycheck.
Very enjoyable
Very nice restaurant with attentive service, food and wine excellent.Our vegetarian friend who had food allergies was looked after extremely well. We had our best meal here during our trip.
Amazing Italian restaurant
Beautiful restaurant. Creative menu and excellent wine list. The food was excellent; scallops seared perfectly, veal chops cooked to perfection. Service professional and friendly! Whats not to love!
First and lasting impressions.
We were precisely 10-11 minutes late for our reservation. FYI, good restaurants give a 15 minute grace period. When we walked in, two people were manning the hostess stand. A man and a woman which I'll refer to as Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum. We were told that our table was 'given away to a walk in' and that we would have to wait 15 minutes. I protested and Twiddle Dee answered with 'I should have called'. Wow...is this a test? 25 minutes later, we were escorted to a back room full of empty tables. Really? The waiter tried his best to make things right, the food average. But the evening was too sullied at this point. As we left, Twiddle Dum loudly yelled a fake good bye as we vowed to never return.
$200 per person before tip but meh
The menu sounded delectable but in practice fell short of the mark. The pasta vongole had wonderful clams but the pasta itself was overly al dente, aka stiff. The seafood platter (a warm salad) had amazing seafood but the absence of any seasoning left us feeling disappointed. The service was attentive and friendly.
Tosca's ugly underbelly....the owner's temper
My company recently hosted a private event at Tosca (we frequently do). The food and service are great but this time I experienced a different side of Tosca. I witnessed the owner, Paolo Sacco, completely berate and humiliate a staff member. He was in the staff member's face yelling vulgarities. The man has an ugly temper and treats his staff in the most disrespectful manner. It was painful to watch. That experience changed our opinion of Tosca. We will not support a business who's owner believes it's ok to humiliate people and is inconsiderate of a person's dignity and humanity.
Great fine dining experience
On a short holiday in DC and dropped in for an early meal before going out on an evening tour. We reserved online through OpenTable which all worked fine. We were in a bit of a hurry but the service was quick and attentive. The food arrived quickly, despite the restaurant filling up rapidly around us, and was absolutely delicious. Other reviews have occasionally been critical of the service, but that was not our experience. There was a remarkably high number of staff working the room and our server and her colleagues were friendly, attentive and above all, quick. We were under a bit of time pressure I suppose our only gripe that we didn’t have longer to enjoy it all. This is very fine Italian dining and does have a price tag to match, but I think in this case you get what you pay for. Highly recommended if you’re done with burgers, steaks and cheese with everything and you want something a bit special.
Very good food, average service
Returned here for dinner with my family after having lunch here in the summer. The food was very good - the beef cheeks were tender and flavorful and my wife loved her risotto. The service was just average- our waiter wasn't the friendliest and that marred the experience. Charging for rolls - per piece, no less - is just obnoxious.
First class Italian restaurant
Classy, expensive, great food and informed staff. Two had brinzano (Mediterranean sea bass) which they said was great. I had lamb, which was one of the best I have ever had.
Delicious food & drinks & a couple of little glitches
We had a delicious meal at this sleek, modern restaurant. Drinks, a glass of Brunello wine & an Aperol Spritz, came quickly and were very good. We started with the tiny focaccia rolls and loved them. Our appetizer, a Burratta pear fennel salad with a sprinkling of pomegranate was delicious, but, I thought, a bit light on the pomegranate seeds (16). I like pomegranate. My husband had swordfish with roasted cauliflower and loved the fish and it's sauce. I had the Brasato di Manzo, slow-braised Waguy beef cheeks with polenta, Royal Trumpet mushroom & Barolo sauce. The meat looked like a softball of beef and it was phenomenally tender and tasty. The polenta and Barolo sauce were perfect and artfully drizzled around the plate. The grilled Royal Trumpet mushroom was inedible. It was completely flavorless and so tough I could not chew it. I actually asked the waiter what it was, thinking it could not be the mushroom. I still think it was something else. But the beef was amazing. I will dream of it. We had sorbet and the Panna Cotta with caramelized figs for dessert. The sherbet , 3 small scoops, was perfect. The Panna Cotta itself was so smooth & creamy but the tiny figs were burnt/charred on the outside instead of being grilled or even caramelized. Our waiter was attentive but did not respond to the comment that the royal trumpet mushroom was hard & inedible. We also noticed that the host & waiter kept glancing at the two top tables along the wall where we sat toward the end of our dinner. They wanted all the tables to turn over as quickly as possible, a rushed feeling that doesn't lend itself to fine dining. (Maybe extend the dining hours.) We were seated close to other diners, but that just made for some nice conversation. The drinks & food were delicious with the exception of the hard mushroom or whatever it was and the burnt figs. Still, at a very pricey restaurant that's enough for a 4 instead of a 5 rating. With the state of the post pandemic restaurant scene in the area, I'd still recommend this place.
Really disappointing.
We just left Tosca for our anniversary dinner. We have been coming to Tosca for many years and have always had a fantastic dinner. It did not live it up to its past performance. Service was slow and inattentive and the food was not good. Sad to say but I got the gluten free pasta all vongole and it had NO taste and the pasta was gummy. The clams had no taste. The waiter rolled his eyes when I asked for some cheese. It took forever to get a second a glass of wine. We left without dessert because it too too long to get attention. I clearly left half of my GF pasta in the dish but no one asked if I wanted to take it home or if there was a problem. Very disappointing and I think the manager should contact us. Reservation under John M for 12/9/22 at 7:15 Dietary restrictions: Gluten free pasta was gummy and had no flavor. Supposed
Fabulous Food In Fabulous environment!
Fabulous flavors that were totally surprising! Hazelnut and Pear soup and HOMEMADE noodles like my granny used to make!!!! Rustam our server was attentive and professional and Jonathan at the entrance was very hospitable!! This is a Must try in DC! You will LOVE it!
Excellent
had the focaccia bread, delish, had the Agnolotti del Plin, was very tasty. Loved the knoll for desert. Service was professional and prompt. Ambiance was upscale
Our best dining experience in DC...
We are from Yountville, California...Tosca delivers an exceptional dining experience. We were greeted warmly by Wine Director John. He recommended a Super Tuscan and that exquisite bottle set a very positive tone for our evening. We began w/tuna + scallop + heirloom tomato apps. All exquisite. We then proceeded with clam pasta + short rib rav. Paired w/our Tuscan blend beautifully. We ended with a classic Tiramisu. John's professionalism + expertise helped make our evening special..
Upscale Italian With Service to Match
My wife and I went with my sister and brother in law for dinner. We had gone many years ago and enjoyed it. My sister and brother in law go often. The space has been redecorated since we last were there. It seems less staid and brighter than I remember. The waitstaff is as attentive as ever. The service is great from the moment you walk in the door. The food was excellent. For appetizers, everyone but me had gazpacho. It was memorable. I had the tuna, which I enjoyed, but was not as memorable. For entrees, my wife had the pasta special, which utilized fresh tomatoes. She loved it. I finished it and agreed. My sister had the branzino. It was a filet and very tasty. A good light dish. My brother in law had the braised beef. It was a hearty size and he enjoyed it. We started with the focaccia, which we all enjoyed. Dessert was excellent. My sister and I shared tiramisu. My wife loved the panna cota. Special mention should go to the Aperol Limoncello Spritz, which my wife and sister loved.
Connect with users posting reservations for SHŌTŌ Washington DC
AppointmentTrader is a community-driven platform where users can exchange their reservations or leverage their personal relationships with SHŌTŌ Washington DC. Buyers can make informed decisions using automated seller ratings, which reflect past transactions and reliability.
Each posting on AppointmentTrader shows you which user submitted it and along with that provides a trackrecord of that user which indicates how much experience
the user has and how many percent of their transactions resulted in them issuing a refund.
If there is no user posting that fits your schedule, you can bid on your preferred time.
Let's say Peter has a great morning and decides to take his three friends to SHŌTŌ Washington DC at 6 PM the same day.
He checks the restaurant's website and sees that no reservations are available. He then looks at the SHŌTŌ Washington DC page on AppointmentTrader, but finds that there are no user postings either.
That's where the community-driven bid process comes in.
Peter can place a bid on AppointmentTrader, which serves as a reward for any community member who chooses to work on securing the reservation. AT then notifies experienced users who may be able to help.
Step-by-Step Process
1.) Setting a Reward (Bid)
* AppointmentTrader uses historical data to recommend a reasonable reward amount for securing a reservation - let's say $100.
* Peter really wants to go, so he increases the bid (or reward) to $200.
* At this stage, the reservation does not exist yet.
2.) A Community User Picks Up the Bid
* DistinguishedTree58, an experienced AT user, has a strong track record of successfully securing reservations and low refund requests, they receive a notification about Peter's bid.
* DistinguishedTree58 picks up the bid, meaning they will now work on securing the reservation.
* Peter can now talk to DistinguishedTree58 for any questions Peter may have as DistinguishedTree58 user fills the bid.
3.) Finding the Reservation
* DistinguishedTree58 now uses their connections at SHŌTŌ Washington DC to secure the table.
* If they successfully get the 6 PM table for four, Peter receives a confirmation that the reservation has been secured.
* If DistinguishedTree58 fails to secure the reservation, the bid is returned to the pool so another user can try.
4.) Payment & Protection
* Once the reservation is secured, DistinguishedTree58 receives the $200 reward which is credited to DistinguishedTree58's AT balance, where users manage their own funds and can withdraw via available payout options such as bank transfer, PayPal, or Zelle.
* Peter can now enjoy the dinner with his friends at SHŌTŌ Washington DC!
* As with all transactions on AT, disputes and no-show fees are handled through the platform's community-driven resolution system. Users with a strong track record are incentivized to fulfill bids successfully, and community members can report issues to maintain trust in the marketplace.
