Ninnella

Two friends and I went for a glass of wine at the bar. The restaurant isn’t very big, but there were probably four occupied tables in the whole restaurant. As I walked toward the bar, a man walked toward me and clearly he worked there. I told him I would like to sit at the bar, but he said, «No room.» He pointed to a table. «Sit there.» My friends and I took our seats at the table. Maybe ten minutes elapsed by the time anyone came to the table. When we told the waiter we just wanted wine, he left one menu for three people. He took his time returning to take our orders. He took his time getting our orders to the table. And then, the pour. I swear he poured about three fingers’ worth of wine in each glass. Very very very stingy for $ 12/​$ 13 glasses of wine. Had to wait a long time for the check.
On such a slow night, it was a shame to suffer through such unfriendly service.

Food was good, portion sizes were extremely small for the high prices charged. The service wasn’t very good, waited a really long time to find the waiter to pay the bill. The bread served were small crunchy toast slices you would normally find a piece of cheese sitting on top of, not the typical warm, fresh, delicious Italian bread you would hope to find at a DC Italian Restaurant. Skip it…

For an $ 80 meal (two entrees, one app, no drinks), I expect much better than this.
A tip to diners: sit indoors. Outside was cute, but we were swatting at mosquitos and flies throughout our meal.
A tip to Ninella: if all you have in the restaurant is seriously stale, chewy baguette slices from the grocery store, skip the bread plate altogether. Bring out 4 olives or something.
Things got better after that off-​putting introduction. The crab appetizer was good — it let the crab speak for itself — but not great. The spinach gnocchi with vegetables was excellent. The halibut had little flavor and was overcooked.
This would have been a fine meal from a cafeteria, but it was a serious disappointment for what was intended as a nice date.

Great neighborhood gem. Food was very good and the informal staff was excellent. I will be back

We stopped in for a drink to check the place out and the wine was HORRIBLE, a Malbec by the glass. And I don’t usually complain about wine. But what was worse was the attitude of the man who served us. He didn’t seem too happy we were there let alone only ordering a drink. Kind of a cool atmosphere but I’ll do with out the arrogance and rudeness. Won’t be going back.

Sigh… I really wanted to like this place because it’s so cute and is so close to our house. Also, the service was decent. But the food… Tsk tsk… The food was mediocre, to say the least. All three of us got pasta dishes, and they were all pretty disappointing. My bolognese pasta still had running water in it, and the sauce was bland, nothing special. My fiancé got seafood with spaghetti — tasted like it came straight from the frozen aisle if your typical grocery store. Our friend got the trout — but they brought out the crab pasta dish instead. No problem, honest mistake, he decided to just eat it instead of returning it. It was, well, crabby, but that was about it. And portions for all three dishes were tiny, especially for how much they charged…
If you are up for good Italian, walk the extra blocks to Aqua Al 2 or Lavagna.

I love this neighborhood spot. The food is homemade and delicious, the service attentive and kind, and the view of the park lovely. It needs more business! Seriously – I eat here often (I live 4 blocks away) and can’t figure out why it isn’t always full of neighbors. Make it your spot. And have the burrata and the crab tagliatelle.

Food is ok, maybe bc I just move back from Europe in a month. It shd be $$$ not $$. I don’t think I will go back unless I don’t have other options. Really not many restaurants here.

We had the Maryland crab pasta and special calamari/​scallop and gnocchi dish and they were both incredible. The appetizers and salad were equally delicious. To top it off with bread pudding and tiramisu was a real treat.
This is the authentic Italian experience with a waitstaff that is kind and on point. High level and fancy.

We love this restaurant and love coming here!
They have fantastic Italian food. They cater to gluten-​free and vegetarians/​vegans. The food was delicious. I had the trout with quinoa which was fantastic. Others had the fresh MD crab pasta, and the special for the night: sea bass with three kinds of gnocchi. There were five other entrees wanted to try. We had gelato and chocolate mouse for dessert. They had a good wine list, and a couple of good scotches.
What I love most about this place is the neighborhood intimate vibe. They have outdoor seating which looks out on Lincoln park. They are one of the only restaurants within a half mile. This will be our go-​to date night spot. I think this place is fairly new so they are not too crowded yet. We were able to get a reservation for five on a Saturday night. It wasn’t too crowded, but you may want to take advantage of that now as I imagine the word will get out.
We came here for my father-in-law’s birthday dinner. Without us explicitly asking, they brought out a dessert with a candle. It was sweet of them.
The dining experience is great. As I mentioned they have nice outdoor seating. We sat indoors. It is a townhome hardwood floor feel. A good mix of class, intimacy, and casual dining.
We had a great time and we will definitely be back!

The location right on the corner near the park is beautiful. The food was great. The staff was very nice and the owner came by our table to say hi.
But it was empty. I have no idea why, but this spot should be slammed.
I can’t wait for it to warm up so they can put out the sidewalk tables and have some white wine al fresco.

Absolutely delicious with an incredibly attentive, but not invasive, staff! I got the vegetable soup, which was pureed and perfectly seasoned. The risotto was delightful. My friend got the tagliatelle bolognese, which he enjoyed. We finished our meal with tiramisu and chocolate lava cake — yummy! Finally an authentic Italian restaurant in DC. Will definitely return!

I have yet to go to Europe (unless five hours in a Russian airport count… I swear I’m not Edward Snowden) but I can only imagine that sitting on the front stoop of Ninnella, overlooking Lincoln Park, is about as close as you can get to a countryside Italy café within the District lines. The feel is laid back and the views are of greenery and old row homes. Couple that with personalized and attentive service and it’s a calming, refreshing and romantic experience.
Ninnella is probably the closest restaurant to our house yet it’s somehow taken us this long to go for our first visit. The menu is a bit small, though supplemented by a short list of specials (an appetizer, a salad and an entrée the evening we dined). It’s in such a residential area that it doesn’t have the foot traffic –or patronage– of nearby H St or Barracks Row, but don’t let that fool you, it’s still food worth trying. On a Friday night nearly all of the outdoor seating was taken but not a soul sat inside, a true testament to what good weather we’ve had this July. The wine menu came in a rather large book but we passed, saving ourselves for the good wine at home that would be consumed post-​dinner on the swing in our yard.
While you wait for your first items you have bread to munch on. The bread is fine but the dip makes it outstanding. This isn’t your normal oil and basalmic, it’s kicked up a notch by ground pepper and hot pepper flakes. Had our appetizer not arrived so soon, I surely would have asked for a second helping. Next we had the calamari ($ 10) which was very fresh. I have an aversion to chewy foods and the fact that I enjoyed it meant it didn’t have the texture of frozen seafood. It could have been fried a touch longer but the flavor and texture of the squid itself made up for that. I had the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese ($ 16) and Justin had the trout ($ 20). Both had great flavors and were cooked perfectly. The sizes are smaller by typical American standards but that’s not to say that they were too small. The portion size left us enough room for an appetizer and dessert, though I can see how the price point ($ 14 – 20 for pasta, $ 18 – 26 for fish/​meat) could leave some diners a bit wanting. The tiramisu was just right to finish our meal at the end of the night — neither too sweet nor too boozy, and with a light, airiness to the mascarpone.

I was really expecting to like this place right at the edge of Lincoln Park on Capitol Hill. From the outside, it reminds me of a very traditional neighborhood trattoria frequented by locals in Italy. Serivce is friendly and fast.
But the food was just all kinds of sadness. The waiter started things off with a bread plate, which consisted of three of the saddest slices of bread that was just begging to be put out of their misery. The dip was olive oil with what I initially thought was balsamic vinegar, but I realized that it was a mound of black pepper at the bottom of the dish.
For appetizier I had the diver scallops with potato and onion veloute and balsamic reduction. The scallops were tiny and watery and they were expertly hidden by a mound of microgreens. The veloute had an odd and off-​putting texture, closer to mashed beans instead of creamy mashed potatoes.
For the pasta, i had the basil tagliatelle with crab which the server recommended. What I got was decent tagliatelle cooked just right, crab that really lacked any sort of sweetness or freshness, all swimming in a clearish broth/​sauce that was loaded with black pepper and topped with chopped zucchini, snow peas, bell peppers and tomatoes. I should have known better and not order something so clearly out of season, but the lack of any seasonal flavors kind of made the entire dish just… sad.
Everything plus tips came to about $ 45, with no wine. Suffice to say that the food was not worth even a third that. I would try it again in case tonight was just an off night, but the steep cost would probably give me second thoughts.

I wanted to love this little restaurant just off of Lincoln Park on Capitol Hill; it’s predecessor, The Park Café, was amazing! Ninnella did not live up to The Park Café’s standard. I ordered the filet mignon and my wife ordered seafood pasta and both were not good and bland. So disappointing.
The pluses of this place is the location, the service, and $ 5 margs. Other than that, go to Rose’s Luxury on Barracks Row instead.

4 Star Service, 2 Star Food.
Arrived around 7:30 on a Friday night. Place was bustling, but we didn’t have to wait for a seat. Atmosphere is great, you can hearing each other talk without being able to hear your neighbors. The décor is understated yet charming. Service was friendly and helpful. I got a glass of wine I didn’t care for, and they happily recommended another. The meal was very well timed, which is important to me. I felt like I always had what I needed but wasn’t rushed or bugged. Definitely a cute neighborhood spot, I just wish I liked the food…
We started with the arugula salad with salted ricotta. I was expecting a soft cheese, but it was just sort of grated on top. The salad was fine, but certainly nothing special. My husband got the Hand Made Tagliatelle in a Traditional Bolognese Sauce. The pasta was cooked to a nice al dente, but the whole dish was just sort of bland. I could make far better at home for ¼ the cost. I ordered the Pan Seared Duck Breast with Carrot Pasta and sliced Figs. I was expected «carrot pasta» to mean spiralized carrots, which I was excited about. What came out was just a bland spaghetti. The duck was extremely fatty, and I think I maybe found three small fig slices. Overall, a disappointing dish.
The cost is slightly cheaper than the competition… We paid $ 90, tip and tax included for beer, wine, an appetizer, two entrees and a coffee. Not cheap, but would be more at most places in D.C.
Unfortunately, I won’t be back, which is a real shame because the place really is so charming and the service so good! I’d probably even overlook it if the food was even just a 3, but that’s not so…

About a 2.5: My husband and I were in the area so we had an early dinner here. We were the only ones there that were dining in, but that was a-​okay! The restaurant itself was small and cute, with the nice shades, the ceiling fans, and the fireplace that was by the front. One of the owners of the restaurant was there (not sure if he is one of the 2 brothers that is mentioned on the website), and our server was nice and friendly. I did ask the owner how long the restaurant has been around, and he stated that it was about 26 – 27 years. They had dishes such as the Spaghettini ai Frutti di Mare (hand made spaghetti with mussels, scallops, shrimp, tomato confit, zucchini in a saffron sauce), Parmiggiana di Melanzane con Fonduta di Mozzarella di Bufala (baby eggplant parmiggiana, mozzarella fondue with tomato coulis), oven baked trout, salmon filet, lamb rack, and pan seared duck. We were given a plate of soft bread with a little cup of olive oil/​balsamic vinegar/​chili flakes. For our entrees, I had the squid ink special with lobster and tomatoes, while my husband had the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese (which is hand made tagliatelle in a traditional bolognese sauce). I am a huge fan of squid ink pasta and I really liked the portion size as it was not in abundance but a perfect amount — the pasta was cooked al dente, which was great, but I felt as if both of our dishes were more on the bland side. I can see that the restaurant wanted to emphasize the flavors of the pasta itself with the ingredients — I appreciated the freshness of the lobster bits, the tomatoes, and the pasta. I was a little disappointed that there was only a small amount of lobster, considering the price of the dish. The bolognese sauce was meaty and hearty, but more on the bland side. Definitely an Italian restaurant that makes their dishes a light fare, rather than being overly indulgent. I would like to try out their other specialty dishes if I were to go back.
+al denta pasta
+less-​than-​flavorful meals
+friendly staff

We recently dined again at Ninnella as a last minute «What should we do for Friday night dinner?» decision. I’m happy to report that the menu has improved with a greater variety of meat dishes (duck and lamb). We split the burrata salad and both enjoyed the boar tagiatelle. The burrata was a creamy delight and the pasta was perfect. Also, we drank a lovely bottle of pinot for not a lot of bucks. Generally, they have a good, mid-​range wine selection at reasonable prices.
What I loved about Ninnella hasn’t changed — the service and the food. I also noticed that, as a neighborhood spot, its clientele includes young families, groups of older folks in the neighborhood, and young couples on a date. This mix creates a nice atmosphere in the small dining room.
I also enjoy the fact that we can show up on a Friday night without a reservation and quickly get a table for two. Once the word gets out, this will likely change.

This place kills it. A legit Italian restaurant that serves wonderful pasta. This is the very one that I’ve been searching for the past 3 years. I ventured through at least three to four 4* restaurants in Little Italy in Baltimore, I’ve tried highly touted places in DC such as Tortino, but this beats it all. As a matter of fact Ninnella creams 95% of 4*+ Unilocaled rated Italian restaurants in NYC. I’d dare to say that this place is better than the highly acclaimed Ai Fiori (a 1* Michelin) in NYC. Yes it’s that good and yes thank you Venu N. for finding the absolutely best and most mindblowing Italian pasta I’ve tried in the DC area.
What’s so special about this place? The pasta, the pasta, and the pasta. As a matter of fact, I’d avoid everything here but the pasta. What do I like about this place?
1. Perfect Al dente pasta. I tried this 3 times and every single time they cook it perfectly. It’s sligggggggghtly undercooked making it extremely chewy and bouncy all over the mouth. I never understand why it’s so damn hard for Italian restaurants to do this. It does not require magic or Top Chef level skills!
2. Homemade pasta. The noodles are home made. Believe it or not. It’s quite hard to find home made noodles at DC restaurants and they taste 100X better than processed pasta.
3. Sauce, the sauce, the sauce. Creamy garlic sauce with hints of olive oil. It’s not salty, very flavorful, and extremely well balanced and seasoned.
4. The black squid ink pasta. This is a special item that’s not regularly on the menu but if it’s offered as a special. GET IT. You won’t regret it. If this is off the menu, take the spaghetti with seafood.
This place is a very down to earth place. Nothing is too fancy. It’s never crowded and the customers seem to be from the local area. The portion sizes are a bit on the smaller end. I would say that the pasta would complement an additional meat dish. I’ve read irate reviewers complaining about the portion size. Eh. If portion size is your problem you’ve always got the option of going to Olive Garden. With this kind of food, I don’t think I have the stomach to complain especially when the quality is this good. I’ve waited and searched way too long for some place like this and portion size isn’t going to deter me from becoming a regular here.
As for staff (especially the owner), they seem to be a bit reserved. I’d be surprised if they’d get a crowd following at this restaurant in the near future simply because of this reason.
Anyway, for my final words (and my first review of the year), I strongly suggest sticking to the pasta ONLY. That includes desserts, appetizers, meat dishes. Hope you get the hint :)

Finally, a restaurant in this space that I would go back to again and again! I have been waiting for this for years, since it’s only a couple blocks from my house. The housemade pastas are fresh, tasty and perfectly seasoned. The lazagna is perfect — not too heavy and just the right portion so I don’t feel like I have to feed everyone at my table. The butternut squash and lamb ragout make this dish one that you won’t want to share either!
Like a traditional italian restaurant, all the pastas are tasty and exciting.
If you want more protein, the steaks and lamb chops are first rate.
And the service is first rate from two of the nicest professionals on the Hill. See you again soon, guys!