Germano’s PIATTINI

This was my fourth time back at Germano’s last night and I have to say the experience keeps getting better and better. I didn’t get a chance to review the last two times I went, but this time I felt the need to post about what a special night my group had.
Firstly, we arrived around 7pm and were promptly seated by a very warm (and very beautiful!) blonde. A previous reviewer mentioned that you feel like you are coming to eat at someones home upon arrival and that’s exactly how we felt. The lighting is dim and the vibe is intimate. At 7pm, the restaurant was pretty packed. I believe there was a show going on upstairs. After we were seated, a lovely waitress took over (wish I could remember her name right now) told us about the specials and gave us some wine suggestions. If you’re going to drink, I definitely recommend doing wine over cocktails. The cocktails are quite good but I feel like the wine selection here really stands out, plus pairs better with the food. We ordered a couple bottles of the Folonari Pinot Grigio and the Folonari Chianti. Both were very reasonably priced and excellent.
As for food, I ordered my absolute favorite, the Beet Ravioli, along with the grilled vegetables. The Beet Ravioli was creamy and warm, very much a comfort-​food, and the grilled vegetables were large and diverse. It came with red & green peppers, portobello mushroom, zucchini… etc. Everyone in my group loved everything. I heard rave reviews about the Warm Goat Cheese crostini. Apparently it had warm apricots and brandy inside. Also, the Stracci, which was a homemade pasta with mushroom and something else. I’m not really a mushroom lover but my friend forced me to have a bite and it was SENSATIONAL. I wish I ordered more because I was starting to feel like I maybe missed the boat on the new dishes. Oh! I also forgot to mention that everyone in my group who tried the brussels sprouts said they were the best they had ever had. Now, I wasn’t going to try those but for anyone who likes Brussels Sprouts… good to know!
Finally, we did the Bongo Bongo again for dessert. It just seemed fitting since I had it the last time ;-) Someone else in my group also ordered an Affogato (think that’s how you spell it?) which was vanilla ice cream with espresso poured on top. It smelled amazing and he said it was the best thing he ever tasted in his life. I’m so so SO glad we decided to come back. THANK YOU Germano’s for another unbelievable night.

ANOTHER AMAZING DINNER! Germano’s does it again:) I always like my grilled vegetables to begin! Last night we tried new cocktails at the bar and fell in love. The lemon drop martini was so delicious and pretty strong as well! It was a great compliment to the pappardelle. I tried the arugula salad last night for the first time and it was delectable. Thanks Germano’s staff:)

Went here for restaurant week. Great selection off that menu; plenty of food.
Tapas style Italian food. Delicious!
Stand out items: gnocchi, meatballs, and brussel sprouts!
Service: excellent. Very attentive.
Word of caution: if it weren’t restaurant week prices I would say the prices would be a little high.

I went to Germano’s to celebrate my birthday and to see some friends perform in the cabaret show. The show was sold out and it was restaurant week. Put the two together and it spelled disaster. To say the management was terribly unprepared for the situation is an understatement.
Instead of ordering the restaurant week menu, I got the grilled artichoke, polpette, and grilled octopus. The first two items were okay. Not stellar. However, the grilled octopus was «char-​grilled» to inedible and lacked the squid ink vinaigrette. Meanwhile, a friend dining next to me ordered from the restaurant week menu. By the time she got her food, the rapini was cold to the touch, the gnocchi was close to cold. The short rib was luke warm, at best, and the polenta was cold enough that it was congealed.
When I approached a house manager about the issues with our food, she seemed incredibly put off by my input. I realize that this is more people than Germano’s has probably dealt with in the cabaret area, but own up to the mistakes and move on. Don’t make me feel like I was responsible for cold food and other mishaps from the kitchen. She finally agreed to take the octopus off my tab. Overall, I paid $ 41 for some okay artichoke, mediocre meatballs, a decent but small dessert, and a terrible cocktail (that I didn’t send back because our server was scarce and so was water). Nope, never again.
Germano’s should get zero stars but the entertainment was fantastic and the servers busted their butts as best they could given the situation. Overall, I feel ill prepared management is to blame.

I came for the cabaret last night and had an incredible time. The restaurant was packed and I was happily surprised at the fast service. The cabaret was wild and the food was beyond delicious. I recommend the crostini sampler, stracci (incredible pasta with a mushroom ragu) and the BONGO BONGO (I could eat a million of them)

Had a horrible experience. Waited 3 hours and still did not get our entrees, waitress even got the drink orders wrong for a party of 6. AVOID. Talked to other restaurant goers and they had to wait the same amount of time

Nice little Italian place in little Italy. Serving sizes are perfect for sharing. I recommend 3 for every 2 people. Maybe 4 if you are hungry. I really like then intimacy of the restaurant. A new dish I tried was the beet ravioli. Sounds like it would be gross, but it was really good.

Slightly confusing to enter, since you go through the bar first (and if it’s busy, nobody will take you to the dining area), but after that little hiccup, service was great.
It’s all small plates, so we got 5 plates to share (all about $ 11). We ordered the short rib, the tartufo piadina (basically like a tiny pizza with wild mushrooms, chevre, fontina and truffle oil), the spaghetti vongole (the clam juices mixed with garlic, parsley and roasted tomatoes made for a light and really delicious sauce), gnudi with brown butter and sage (basically just like fried balls of cheese!), and cauliflower (the only one that we wouldn’t order again– the pieces were kind of big and a bit crunchier than I would have liked, and overall it lacked a bit of flavor). We debated getting dessert but were so happy we did! The zeppole ($ 6) was SO good– creamy and banana-​y and paired with condensed milk and dark chocolate sauce. It was the best way to end the meal.
They offer both 3 oz and 6 oz pours of their wines, which is great for lightweights! :)

Brittany kills it. Not always smiley but great info and the food is great. Try the Tuscan red, a great pour.

My husband and I made a return trip here a couple weeks ago and were craving their delicious small plates. We arrived and were greeted by the kind host as usual. We were so excited since we were starving and ready to munch on some delicious Italian fare. Our excitement was halted by the bartender who was our server as she was very unfriendly to us. We came in around 8 on a Friday night so it wasn’t like we were showing up right before close. Anyway, we thought they were going to have their small plates menu but when we ordered the lasagna it was much larger. We also remembered loving the sauce and the texture of it. It did not have the amazing flavor it had had so many times before. We also used to love getting their grilled veggie platter which we didn’t find on the menu either. Consistency and good service are key. This was our go-​to Italian food spot since there are so many in Little Italy that try but fail. Unfortunately we are now back to square one.

After hearing about a terrible experience some friends of mine had here when in a large party of 8 about 2 years ago, I decided to give this place a shot and see if it was an off-​day for the restaurant and they just didn’t shine their best.
Bingo! I was pleasantly surprised! Their ambiance was very nice and welcoming, restaurant was very clean, staff was more than helpful, and delicious entrees await you! We had the Crespella and the Involtini Di Pollo and both were excellent when paired with a Sauvignon Blanc and Chianti, respectively.
They also didnt mind when we showed up in our Ravens gear after seeing a game in September. They probably favor the home team :)

2 stars seems harsh, but saying that this experience was A OK would be a disservice to Unilocalers. After researching a lot of places in little Italy, I’m bummed to see our experience was in such stark contrast to the majority.
While I first felt silly for making a 7:30 p reservation, within half hour most of the dining room had filled up.
The host that greeted us was super friendly and kind of made you feel like you were coming to his home for dinner. Unfortunately, the warm hospitality did not translate to the dishes we were served.
I had previously never met a plate of
veal I didn’t like… What we got here was so overcooked and bland that neither my dining companion nor I realized it was veal. We thought it was chicken! The chicken skewers on the other hand were dry and the green peppers really overpowered the entire dish. The shrimp risotto was easily the favorite, but that’s not saying much as we didn’t even finish the plate. Another dish was a mix of minced olives, something else that was so overwhelmed by olives that I couldn’t discern it, and prosciutto (again SO MUCH OLIVE that you barely notice it’s there). The Brussels sprouts were solid, but I wouldn’t add ricotta to them as that just ads mush where you want them crispy.
Overall, we kept waiting for something that was going to wow us, or at least be palatable, to appear on the table but I’m shocked to say that the best part of the meal was the freshly baked bread and the vintage plates the food was served on.

We happened upon this restaurant while looking for a place to eat in Little Italy. What an fantastic find! We were welcomed and seated immediately. Our waitress was so friendly and explained the menu (small plates) and made recommendations. Our meal was super. We had on of the meat boards with the bresaola. It was tasty. The highlight was the grilled octopus. It was so flavorful and tender. My dining companion had a second plate for dessert. I opted for the profiteroles which were light and not too sweet. A memorable meal that I will share with all my friends who visit Baltimore.

We’ve searched far and wide for our «go to» Italian restaurant. We’ve found it… from the fresh house bread/​olive oil to the crisp salad. to the melt in your mouth ravioli… everything was suburb!
…great cozy feel and old Italy ambiance as well.

Went on a Friday evening with a larger group. The door was opened for us and we were greeted immediately. Our table was waiting for us and the upstairs dining room was 70% full when we got there, and by the time we left at 830 we were the last group there. There was a cabaret going on in a room next door that had a lot of people in it for that.
But for an assuming looking restaurant, the food was fantastic! Everything was delicious and you could tell fresh and homemade. A number of us got the spaghetti and kobe beef meatballs, and I got a ravioli special. So good! Everyone enjoyed their meals and we will definitely be back!!!

Simply impeccable. OMG. Our group throughly enjoyed the service AND the amazing food. Everything we ate was divine. We all shared food since we wanted to show each other how our mouths were dancing with joy with what we ordered. Everything is good. Nothing will disappoint. I can’t even begin to list the items we ordered. There is just too much. Please eat here and you will never forget it. I specifically asked for a meal that will make me want to slap my mama for being so darn delicious. They succeeded. Please forgive me mom.

Walked in on a Wednesday afternoon in September at 4 pm, sat at the lower level wine bar and ordered from antipasti menu with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Met the namesake owner and his wife, Cyd, both wonderful and very down to earth people. The bartender and my waitress were also very friendly and helpful.
My meal: Carciofi alla Griglia (grilled artichokes, olio d’oliva, vin cotto), and Grilled Peaches (wrapped in prosciutto and rosemary in a balsamic reduction). These were both excellent. The artichokes were perfectly grilled, toothsome and lightly dressed so that classic artichoke flavor could shine. The grilled peaches were amazing, and with the Sauvignon Blanc it was so delicious.
Great service. Great people. Great food.
They are participating in a fun street art festival in October, called Maddonari Street Painting Festival 2015. Check it out!

Amazing Italian food!!! Was able to get food at 10 pm on a Saturday night when not too many restaurants in the area are open or serving food anymore, and am I glad we went here! I had the spaghetti with clams and the tomato sauce and it was to die for. The sauce was full of flavor like it’s been cooking for a couple days and the clams were tender and not chewy and also plentiful! They had spinach and ricotta stuffed ravioli in a sage butter sauce for special that night; the noodles were the perfect al Dente and the flavors were perfectly savory and seasoned just right. The alcohol is reasonably priced and they will give you free bread with olive oil if you ask for the bread! Our waitress was very sweet and attentive too! I would definitely come back here to try the other dishes!

M and I wanted to try Joe Benny’s but there was a 2 – 3 hour wait… So we found this restaurant on Unilocal with 4.5 stars nearby and decided to eat here instead. At first we were doubtful because on a Friday evening it was very empty. But our doubts were soon cleared away because their food is awesome!
M got the creamy gnocchi — I’ve never had such soft gnocchi in my life! I usually don’t like them because I find them too dry but not here. I got the linguine with lobster sauce and that was delightful as well. There is something special about their noodles. I still want to try Joe Benny’s but this place is a solid backup. Jk I would come back!

As my fellow Unilocalers have mentioned, the tartufo bianco pizza and the parmesan truffle fries are wonderful! All of the pizzas on the menu are personal size and tend to be very cheesy. The tartufo bianco had a very pungent mushroom taste, so if you’re not a fan of funghi, you probably want to order something else but I personally loved it. Definitely not your average fast food pizza joint pizza.
Germano’s is a tapas style restaurant, where they have many small plates that you can order and share. They also have separate entrees (bigger versions of the small plates) that you can order. My friends and I just got separate dishes, which was more than enough food for us. Compared to some of the other restaurants in Little Italy, Germano’s Piattini stood out a little more due to its dining concept as well as a menu that seemed to have more diversity than the typical Italian dishes.
The restaurant was also surprisingly big with lots of different rooms — all with great décor and paintings. The staff was also very friendly and brought us as much bread and olive oil as we wanted. Some of the bread was foccacia style topped with some roasted tomatoes — scrumptious! It did take a little time for us to get the check but besides that I had no issues.