Tosca

Simple, but elegant setting. On the quiet side. Waiter wasn’t quite on point, but the service by everyone was top notch. We loved the wild king salmon, served seared, and the ravioli del plin (short rib ravioli) was delicious. I didn’t enjoy the squash blossom app (very fried and didn’t like the goat cheese but may be in the minority on this dish), and reminder to myself to not order blue cheese olives in my martini here. Looking forward to the next restaurant in DC.

Great wine list, service was good, the waiter was a little stuffy, but very informative and tentative. The food was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend this place $$$$$.

Great service, great atmosphere, but lackluster food, especially for the price.

May 2016: We ate here again tonight. I had the daily special — ravioli with creamy white cheese ($ 28) which oozed out when you pierce into it. It came with a mushroom truffle sauce. Flavor was good but a bit too salty. Portion was smaller than what I remembered from last time so next time I would get another dish with it. Our server told us the dish I had the last time (cavatelli alla cenere) we were here was discontinued. I hope they bring it back because it really was fantastic.
My husband had a fettuccini pasta with rabbit ragu ($ 26), similar to the scialatelli he had last time. He loved how soft the pasta was this time. We had an appetizer to share — it was a seafood «stew» with generous amounts of octopus, clams, mussels, scallop ($ 20). It wasn’t really a stew in the sense there wasn’t much liquid, but still good, just a little too salty. Our server Jose was awesome, he recommended a good Sicilian red wine to go with our meal. Even though the food this time didn’t amaze me the same our prior meal did, it’s still pretty solid and the service from the moment you walk in to the second you leave is superb. Looking forward to coming back.
From Feb 2016: We ate here last night. Love this restaurant! My husband and I shared the octopus, mussels, clam with chickpea sauce appetizer. It was small, so next time, we’d probably pick one more appetizer. I had the «cavatelli alla cenere» — it was outstanding! Creamy with ricotta and black truffles blended into the sauce. It had just the few flecks of crispy sausage and shaved egg yolks. The pasta texture was really nice too. Absolute perfection. My husband had «scialatelli» — which we both thought was fantastic. The tagliatelle pasta had a nice soft chewy texture which held to the sauce perfectly. Service is wonderful and attentive. Portions are on the small side, I think we could’ve shared a protein entrée in addition, but we ended up filling up on our bottle of wine!

Exquisite dining experience in DC! I ordered the Scialatielli with some reservation (have never had rabbit meat but figured this would be the place to try it) and was not disappointed! Sorry rabbits! Prosciutto di Parma appetizer was also spectacular, so was Panna cotta for dessert.

Had a girls’ trip to DC to go to a concert. We came up early so we could do a little shopping, have lunch and just wander around. We were looking for somewhere to have lunch and on Unilocal!Found Tosca with its great reviews.
Approaching the restaurant, we couldn’t see in, so couldn’t tell if it was open, but alas it was. Swanky is the way I’d describe the décor. My friend and I were dressed casually and I was unsure about whether we were meeting the dress code. The hostess said we were fine and not to worry.
We were sat at a 2 top close to the bar and were quickly greeted and bread was brought. After perusing the wine list, we settled on a chianiti – after all, it is Italian food. Our server filled us in on the specials, all of which sounded awesome. My friend picked a tortellini special the had ricotta and peas with a pea purée and a beet purée. I settled on a tuna crudo appetizer and the filet with kale.
I tried to pasta and was impressed with how tasty these little dumplings were. The purée perfectly complemented the pasta.
The tuna was spectacular. It was served with a salad of shaved asparagus and a few drops of spicy mustard. This was the best tuna I’ve ever had. Everything was perfectly seasoned. My Friend isn’t a fan of tuna but said she’d give it a second try after tasting this dish. It was made, by the way, with big eye tuna.
The filet was also perfect. The kale was sautéed with shallots and was super good.
For dessert, my friend ordered an espresso crème brûlée. The server made it special by adding birthday decorations and we didn’t even ask him to do it.
Tosca definitely makes the list of places to eat in DC for me. I’ll be dreaming about the tuna for months to come.

A freaking mazing! From the octopus appetizer, to the lobster ravioli, and the bucatini this was a really great restaurant. The appetizer I ordered has a little kick to it, so if you’re into semi spicy food then I would suggest this. The picture that I took for the lobster ravioli did it NO justice. The sauce that was added to it was amazing and it wasn’t filling. I should’ve took a picture of the inside of the ravioli, next time I will though. My bucatini was great too. Head on shrimp, calmari, clams, in a spicy ragu sauce. The only complaint I would have is the portion size, a bit small, but you don’t want to stuff yourself right?
Setting: Very nice, it was a nice simple setting but elegant. Definitely would take a date here.
Noise: Quiet.
Food: Great! Not the largest portion size, just right.
Cost: $ 110 (Appetizer, two dinners and brussel sprouts)
Come Back: Absolutely.

For as upscale as this place is, it was disappointing. I ordered from the Pre-​theater menu (mon-​sat 5:30 — 6:30pm) which is 3 courses. First, I had the Chitarra which is their take on linguine and clams and it was delicious. I needed more pasta though for all the mix-​ins. Second, I had the watercress Risotto. I looooove risottos. They undertook theirs by a lot. The rice is very al denote and chewy. Flavors were good, but not near enough beef cheek. Also, I found a nickel-​sized piece of bone in my risotto. NOT COOL. They remade the remainder for me, but it was JUST as undercooked. A manager did not come over or comp anything on my meal. I almost chipped my tooth for gods sake! Nothing. The server was very apologetic and sweet, however, but this should have been handled by management. Lastly, I had the cheese plate for dessert which was nothing special.
Worth trying, but it seems overpriced for the quality.

This is a new take on Italian fine dining. White linen setting, well dressed patrons, a beautiful wine room. Great location for a business meal. Quiet enough to have a meaningful conversation. Chic enough to impress. They have starters, pasta, mains, sides and dessert. Portions are small, but delicious. I had the grilled octopus to start the lamb chops as a main. Dishes were tasty. For dessert I carrot cake which even came with a carrot sorbet. If you are looking for a fancy evening, Tosca will deliver.

I hadn’t been to Tosca in several years, but jumped at the chance to go again during Restaurant Week since it’s a little on the pricier side. It is a fabulous as I remembered, and I am not one to throw the word fabulous around very often. All our meals from the appetizers, to the main courses, to the desserts were great. The pastas were delicious, you can tell they are freshly made. The steaks for were cooked perfectly. The staff is friendly and courteous. I can’t wait to go back

Came here the night before my birthday to celebrate with my sister and our boyfriends. Love the whole ambiance of the restaurant, definitely a classy place. The service was very attentive, very helpful in explaining the menu and very kind.
We all decided to do the Valentine’s Day 3 course meal they were offering for $ 75. The only downer side was the scallop dish, Cappesanta. I assumed it was actual scallop size but not the case at all, the presentation wasn’t appeasing either… My second dish tho was the Tortelloni (maine lobster stuffed pasta, heirloom cherry tomato, braised leeks, lobster fondut) and that definitely made up for my first choice, the taste and texture was amazing. My last dish was the chocolate dessert which the staff was kind enough to combine it with a happy birthday topping. Super sweet, like the dessert. Others ordered the Lamb (Agnello) and Veal (Costoletta di Vitello) and both were very delicious according to them and me as well since they were kind enough to offer me a taste.
Overall, the experience was very memorable, we will definitely be coming back!

Great service, food, ambiance, and location! Romantic dinner venue. Quiet enough that I could hear my dinner date without her needing to speak loudly. We visited because of restaurant week but I can see myself going back and paying full price. Restaurant has a good menu selection albeit pricey.

This was one of the most disappointing and frustrating Restaurant Week visits ever.
First off, Tosca is not being completely honest with its RW marketing. From their website, they say, «This year, Tosca will be offering a version of our full dinner menu (with 1 or 2 supplements.).» This is simply not true. While the RW menu looks large, it’s not the standard menu at all. There’s a few holdovers, but most of the menu is created exclusively for RW, so you’re really not getting the regular menu here, despite their attempt to make it appear otherwise. Also, from the photos on Unilocal compared to what we got (and what we saw others get), the presentations and portions have been modified for RW.
Example: on the RW menu, they claimed that the lamb chop had an a la carte price of $ 42, but the rack of lamb that is normally on the menu (and twice the portion size) is $ 46. As far as I’m concerned, all the prices listed as the «regular» prices on the RW menu were pure fiction.
The service was excellent, but not enough to make up for some seriously lackluster food. The half portions of pasta, which equated to five bites, were good but not outstanding. The waiter’s glowing recommendation for a veal ragu was really just a basic bolognese sauce. It was good, but way too simple for what I’d expect from a high-​end restaurant like Tosca. In addition, our pastas arrived at our table about 5 minutes after ordering, so there’s no way they were cooked to order.
For mains, we had the beef tenderloin and the lamb chop. For being at an Italian restaurant, there was very little Italy to be found. The steak was served with butternut squash and kale chips (which really seemed more like sauteed kale). Tasted more like new American than Italian to me. The lamb chop was perfectly cooked, but I detested the licorice rub which left a horrible aftertaste after every bite. The small chop was served with a couple morsels of parsnips and two pieces of sausage.
For dessert, the missteps continued. The semifreddo, which is normally served with blood orange and grapefruit, was downgraded for RW to out-​of-​season strawberries and blueberries. It’s January and it’s snowing outside, and they are serving tasteless strawberries and hard blueberries that they probably got at the Giant.
I get it… it’s Restaurant Week. There’s more tables than normal, and you don’t want to go into the red, but if you’re going to downgrade your standards this low, then why even participate? RW was supposed to be a way for restaurants to wow new customers so they want to come back. The last thing I want to do is go back to Tosca.
Final thoughts. After my tiny pasta portion, and my tiny lamb chop, I was still starving, so I got a sandwich across the street at Pret a Manger. I recommend the California Club since it’s packed with protein, and they’re open till 10!

Yum. 4 stars and change for a great Restaurant Week dinner date night. Awesome service (Eugene? Ogin? We’re deaf, sorry for butchering your name) with Pavel and a floater to support. We received gentle reminders to not trip or fall with the step down by our small banquette table. We were defeated by that first basket of bread– rustic slices and herbed focaccia (which I preferred but he found too salty).
Cocktails are steeper than average ($ 15), tasty but not quite CR quality. Their «Manhattan Project» was more herbal than sweet, but potent on the rocks. Hot toddy was fantastic– I loved that the extra tea was served so I could doctor the balance myself… which basically yielded a bottomless-​though-​exponentially-​weakening warm beverage to sip on around the cinnamon stick and cloves. We got two apologies for how long the hand-​crafted cocktails took to arrive, but honestly the wait wasn’t that long.
Braised short rib ravioli were petite and al dente to his preference, but I couldn’t deny the savory coat of brasato sauce. The black angus tartare and crumbled quail egg made the manzo a filling appetizer. Overall, it was a rich plate with a generous amount of gelatinous bone marrow and small cubes of beef that led to the consumption of my fourth piece of table bread. Balsamic drizzle and bone marrow powder complemented the flavors nicely, with a few garnishing microgreens to cut in some fresh notes.
Lamb chop was cooked to medium as requested, and that licorice rub is crazy genius. The wedge of lamb sausage and roasted artichoke were nice, and I was all about the parsnip purée soaking up the juices. The merluzzo was a complex dish that in certain bites I loved, and other bites were a little too intense. The polenta had set and was boldly truffled, which eclipsed the moist and flakey black cod. Perfectly scaled, soft skin. I still prefer sea urchin raw.
Desserts were delicious, and this is coming from a picky sweet tooth. Each was just big enough to share between two. Espresso crème brûlée wasn’t too rich, with a light garnish of cinnamon whipped cream and a wee chocolate almond biscotti. Carrot cake was my favorite– candied pecan streusel crumbs added texture to the airy cake, with the right proportion of whipped mascarpone and a thin strip of carrot poached in simple syrup until almost soft enough to cut with a fork.
I was disappointed to see that the truffled polenta didn’t make it into my doggybag, but the floating busgirl included everything else on my plate. A block from Metro Center and metered street parking in the area if valet parking isn’t your style. Pre-​theatre and half-​bottle wine menus are a bonus. Clean bathrooms by the bar. We’re looking forward to coming back to try the things we were too stuffed to add a la carte: risotto con coda di bue, gnocchi, agnolotti, anatra, panna cotta.

I had the lovely and enjoyable opportunity to dine at Tosca while in DC for business with some colleagues. A great time was had by all. It was very easy to secure reservations and is a fantastic location if you’ve been at one of the nearby conference centers. It’s also a fantastic location for sightseeing.
Service was fantastic. We came in in quite a dither. It was cold, the last day of our conference, and we were not all timely. Service and attentive detail is really what you’re paying for at a restaurant like this and we were not disappointed.
The wine list is a novel, but we all ordered by the glass for our differing tastes. Again service keep us all happy with recommendations and attention when glasses emptied. The menu was really delightful. I had the steak tartar over bone marrow and it MELTED on my tongue. I would reorder a million times. I enjoyed the lobster risotto that was perfectly prepared, at exactly the right texture, but what else would you expect. My companions were also pleased with their choices.
The bar looked packed when we arrived and I think this must be a popular place for happy hour. Most tables were occupied by other business dressed people and I think this is likely a popular place to eat after work. We didn’t see very many romantic couples dining, though there were a few sprinkled throughout. I’d come back again and again.

Be sure to ask for Focaccia bread only! That’s most definitely the one worth eating.
In terms of cost, this place is highly reasonable for the quality and amount of food you get. My husband had the Ravioli del Plin (braised short rib ravioli, brasato sauce, aromatic oil) for $ 26 and I had the delicious salmon special with vegetables of my choosing (pan-​seared cauliflower) for $ 36. The ravioli was delightful and a unique type of ravioli. My salmon was nothing to rave about, but I was happy that they did not charge extra to select the veggies I wanted from the «sides» section of the menu (which ranged from $ 9 to $ 12). We happened upon this place while out at the E Street Cinema. While definitely on the high-​end, we felt comfortable. The service was superb.
Will definitely be back to try the gluten-​free pasta.
We were pleased with their Winter News and Events, which included:
Restaurant week 2016: January 25 – 30
Valentine’s Day: 3-​course ($ 75 per person) or 5-​course ($ 95 per person) meals
Chef’s Table: $ 125 per person for watching Chef Matteo Venini prepare a creative 8-​course tasking menu in Tosca’s kitchen. For more details, email:
.

I’ll be honest, I was originally just going to give this place 3 stars — but then I saw the picture of Antonin Scalia eating here uploaded by another Unilocaler and also thought «if it’s good enough for Scalia, it’s good enough for me.» This is a rating specifically for a GLUTEN FREE pasta.
I always passed by Tosca thinking it was either abandoned, or would soon to be an abandoned restaurant. You can’t see much from the outside, and no one seems to walk in or out much. But inside, the restaurant is very elegant with fresh, crisp white table cloths, liberally spaced tables and prompt and courteous service.
Thankfully, it wasn’t warm enough to wear flip flops and shorts — otherwise, I would have felt ridiculously underdressed compared to what seemed like a crowd of diplomats and businessmen/​women. I clearly did not do my research before meeting my friend here!
I had the gluten free version of the Pici Pasta (rabbit ragu, white wine sauce and fresh thyme). The waiter gave me 2 options of having the pasta as being made of rice or corn. I’ve had rice pasta before and it tends to be rather rough and even bitter, so I tried the corn spaghetti. The fact that this restaurant had 2 options for gluten free spaghetti was a huge plus!
The Pici pasta was pretty good. The spaghetti was slightly dryer than I had hoped it would be, but still quite tasty for being gluten free. The rabbit ragu was also so very tender and well-​seasoned. The dish tasted saltier and saltier as I ate it though, so I ended up downing lots of water and being too full to finish my dish. Maybe skip the sprinkle of parmesan next time?
In all, I would return to try some of their other pasta, as well as non-​pasta dishes. The prices here are higher than the norm, but I feel it is warranted given the atmosphere and generally high level of food quality.

I’m really confused about the high ratings here. This was an elegant restaurant, but the food was nothing out of this world and extremely overpriced.
I ordered a cocktail, and they were out of the ingredients for it. So I ordered a different one, which was fine.
My fiancé ordered the lobster-​stuffed tortelloni for $ 34. He received four pieces of stuffed pasta that were about the size of a small dumpling. While they were good, we were a little perplexed about the value. Is it really appropriate for each small dumpling cost us $ 8.50? I’m not one of those people who thinks a huge portion size is necessary to get a good value, but this was beyond the pale. They were tasty, but not $ 8.50 per piece tasty.
I ordered the butternut squash agnolotti for a slightly more reasonable $ 26, and I got a full plate of the stuffed pasta. Mine was good, but needed a smidge of salt, and there was none on the table. I didn’t want to come across super-​gauche for asking for salt, so I ate it without the salt. However, I think a chef should only leave the salt shakers off the table when s/​he is extremely confident in the seasoning of the food. And again, for the value of a vegetarian pasta dish, $ 26 is still too high.
This place would be fine for a meal if its prices were anywhere near what I would expect for a plate of pasta. As-​is, it’s way too expensive for what it is.

The food was incredible, and service was impeccable. We have been here twice and both experiences were superb. They were very accommodating to my husband’s food allergy, offering substitution suggestions without us even having to ask. The restaurant’s décor is upscale and very clean. It is the best Italian restaurant in DC by far.

Want to know if this is legit Italian food?
At the table next to me for lunch sat Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Don’t worry loyal readers, I’m uploading a grainy stealth-​picture for ya’ll.
I’m really debating if I need to post any more beyond that, but for those who might not have the same Italian-​American respect for him as I, the food here is rock solid. High quality ingredients. I got the veal ragout which was a great blend of flavors accompanying homemade linguini. The homemade pasta was a little al dente for my taste but I also understand I just like my pasta a bit softer. An extra minute in the water and I’d be in heaven. Impeccable, first-​class service by our waiter.
As a heads up, this is definitely a place that is smaller on portions. I always like to know when I go in if I should get a starter or not, here I definitely would start with a soup or salad.

After a disappointing Old Ebbitt meal, I was really excited for Tosca as it was our last night in DC and coincidentally my pasta night prior to running the Marine Corps Marathon the next morning. Our sightseeing ran a little bit long, so we unfortunately had to go in our grubby clothes, which I’m sure was frowned upon by the hostess when we arrived. I mean — I was wearing bright green/​pink tennis shoes. Ooops.
From start to finish, everything we ate, everyone we experienced — it was all great. Everything on the menu really does look so good and the waiter was really helpful in making recommendations and narrowing down our «well, I could go for 1 of 5 things…».
It’s been a while since we ate here (October), but after glancing at their menu — these are the things I remember, and they are all fabulous. I’d definitely order any of these again: zuppa (potato and leek soup with clams!), agnolotti (butternut squash stuffed pasta), tortelloni (maine stuffed lobster pasta), costoletta di vitello (veal chop), and of course the prosciutto di parma to start. I mean, how could you not start with prosciutto at an Italian joint? That would be blasphemous.
But really, everything was yummy — I only wished we hadn’t walked in there like such bums, but kudos to the staff for not being judgy because we definitely didn’t skimp on our meals!

My experience here was not the greatest. I heard about this place through different people and magazines and I was really excited to try it out, but the place just did not meet my expectations. I went with my boyfriend to celebrate our 3 year anniversary and it did not feel that special. We’re college kids, so when we walked in the receptionist gave us this look like we did not belong there (we were dressed properly). He then placed us in a seat near the entrance (even though there were other seats around) and walked away without asking us about how we felt about the location.
The atmosphere in the restaurant is not that friendly. The place is crowded and the tables are near each other, so there’s not a lot of room for privacy. We sat in between two larger tables and both parties were being quite disrespectful with their remarks about us and about their seat locations. They just kept complaining about how they should have gotten better seats because of their «status».
For some reason I felt threatened by the service? It felt like they just wanted to get rid of us as soon as possible. The waiter basically picked my entrée because according to him everything I wanted was not good and then every 5 mins or so he would come around and ask us if we’re doing fine or not (he just wanted to see if we were finished). The waiter didn’t even offer us a dessert menu. I had to personally ask for it. The whole entire time I just felt rushed and pressured. How can you enjoy your food in this situation?
The food was delicious, but overly priced. I just didn’t feel like the price justified the food. The place is fancy. but in my opinion if I could go back, I would just go to a cozier Italian restaurant where I can actually enjoy my food. It was a new and fascinating experience coming here, but I don’t think I will be coming back in the future.

I don’t want to be «that guy,» but Tosca is severely overrated, and I wasn’t much of a fan.
Tosca is a somewhat famous Italian place smack in the middle of D.C., making it somewhat popular if only by location alone. The ambiance is high-​end but somewhat simple and a bit crowded, meaning that it doesn’t have the coziness of its non-​Italian competitors in the area. Prices are definitely on the high end, as one might predict for a place that gets a lot of recommendations in newspapers.
The food here is good, but not particularly mind-​blowing. I relied on reviews on here and went for the Risotto All’Arogosta — that is, lobster risotto. I found it tasty and well-​cooked, though perhaps a bit uninteresting in execution and severely lacking in meat. I could tell the pasta was high quality, but not to the point where I would feel like the trip to Tosca was worth the effort. For dessert, I tried the carrot cake, which was both minuscule and underwhelming. I feel like both dishes were only marginally better than what I could make out of various packages at home.
The service here is, to say the least, overly aggressive and almost insulting. Service was overly attentive in that sort of «hurry up and get out of here» sort of way, right up until I actually wanted the check (they disappeared, I had to flag some random waiter down). My waiter didn’t even actually take my order — a random dude in a suit did, without giving his name, what his position was (was he another waiter? a manager?), or why the sudden change was made. Whoever he was, he was rather pushy about weird things on the menu, and toed the line of outright rudeness at one point. I’m not exactly a dude with an eggshell personality, but there’s something deflating about eating at a place that makes you feel so affirmatively unwelcome.
I’d like to believe that my experience at Tosca was unusual — it seemed like they were busy, and maybe it was just an off night — but it was uninspiring enough to ensure I’ll never recommend it. There are far too many interesting and high-​end culinary experiences in the DC/​MD/​VA area — it makes no sense that Tosca gets the attention it does.

ATMOSPHERE: Elegant and classy
SERVICE: Waitress was very knowledgeable… when she was paying attention to us that is. She seemed very distracted and took a while to come back to our table to ask us for our drink orders. All the while, she spent a good ten to fifteen minutes chatting with the table right next to us.
FOOD: The Autunalle salad was FANTASTIC. It had a grilled nutty flavor with a tasty crunch from the nuts sprinkled on top. The goat cheese was a great addition. The Bucatini pasta was interesting. The pasta resembles really long macaroni (so basically tube pasta). It is described as being a spicy tomato ragu sauce but I’m pretty sure they forgot all spices for this dish. This was the mildest «spicy» sauce I’ve ever had. It wasn’t very tasty either so I wasn’t a fan. I was actually extemely disappointed and I didn’t even bother finishing it or taking it home, despite how expensive it was. I’m curious now about the other items on items taste but I prefer Filomena when it comes to tasty Italian.
DRINKS: If you go for drinks and you like cocktails I recommend the Montenegro mule — very good!
Overall experience: Not a fan and I’ve had better. Staff seemed to be more attentive to you if you were Italian, haha.

You can’t buy good taste. For that kind of money, I expected much better. I liked the focaccia bread though.
Appetizers
— The charred octopus was cold and so tough I had the impression I was chewing on rubber bullets. The smokiness of the eggplant mousse was unnecessary as the octopus was super charred: It was smoke on top of smoke. Some acidity would have been welcome here. The freshness of the burrata was however a good idea. It prevented me thinking I was eating cigarette butts.
— The arugula salad was so overpriced it left a sour taste in my mouth. Oh wait, that was the lemon dressing: far far far too acidic. I should have mixed the salad with the octopus.
Mains
— Seafood spaghetti special: The pasta was nice and al dente. The seafood was too scarce. The sauce was overly sweet.
— Chilean Seabass: the fish was nicely cooked but the dish was bland. The liquorice aioli and the sunchoke flan were tasteless.
Desserts
— Espresso crème brûlée. The coffee was overpowering but I guess I should have expected that.
— Panna cotta: it was really dense, stiff and compact. Not good.
Last thought
On the bright side, it is probably better than Vapiano… Or is it?

Decent, but did not live up to my expectations. Tosca had been on my bookmarks list of places to try for a while and it’s been on many a «Top DC restaurants» list I’ve seen. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed with my meal. I visited by myself for lunch and ordered the gnocchi (unfortunately they didn’t have any of their famed ravioli options listed on their lunch menu that day). The gnocchi was tasty and filling, but it was a darker color and of a heavier consistency than I’m used to. It left me with a strange feeling in my stomach and feeling way too heavy.
The service was very nice, but I felt a bit like a zoo animal as I was eating because there were about 10 waiters just standing around various parts of the restaurant and looking at me as I ate. It was a bit uncomfortable. I’m sure if I visited during more busy time (I was one of the only people in there around 11:30am on a weekday) and with a dining companion, I would not have felt so odd and stared at. Haha.
That being said, given the accolades this place has received and its convenient location in downtown DC (near Metro Center metro station), I would be up for trying it again in the future.

Easily the best Italian I’ve had in DC. Leaving aside the DC part, it’s just phenomenal. And by giving it five stars, I’m not grading on a curve because I’ve lived in DC too long to remember what real Italian is like. Want proof? My dad, still a New Yorker with easy access to real Italian from divey to high end, also loves Tosca.
Tosca is really not my kind of restaurant. It is far too stuffy, too formal, and too old DC for my taste. I’m really not into white tablecloths and uniformed waitstaff. But the food is so good I love it anyway.
Everything I have ever eaten at Tosca has been excellent, but their pasta is by far their strong point. They have all sorts of other delicious things, but it always seems like it’s a wasted opportunity if I get something other than pasta. I’ve done the half order of pasta with a main dish instead a couple of times, but I just end up feeling cheated out of eating more of their pasta.
The service is also very good, which is rare in DC. Rarer still, it’s quiet. Lots of comparable restaurants are deafening, but Tosca is positively tranquil.
It’s quite expensive, but I think the price is fair for the quality and service. And their three course pre theatre early menu for $ 40 is a good deal.
The one downside? Their beer list is laughably terrible. I assume it’s on purpose to force you to order wine.

DC food was disappointing, and Tosca definitely did not try to pick up the slack.
The focaccia bread in our bread bowl was literally bread dipped in oil — it’s almost an excuse to dip stale bread to make it taste better. We ordered the scallops and uni as appetizer which was good but nothing compared to the juicy large ones I get in New York or Hawaii — actually quite unmemorable. Unmemorable is probably the best way to describe the rest of the meal. From the vegetables to the pasta, everything was good but not great. And the tiramisu was just tiramisu… don’t understand why people rave about it.
I remember that in 5^th grade, I was once told «If you want to be great, pretty good, is in fact pretty bad.» Hmm…

We went for our 12 year anniversary dinner, very late and found the staff to be accommodating and attentive, despite ordering the tasting menu almost exactly at 9:30 pm when they stop taking orders for that. The one thing that was annoying was getting carded. I know that’s such a little thing and not something that can be helped but I hate getting carded when I’m dropping $ 400 for a meal. Odds are I’m over 21.
The tasting menu was very good, and I can’t think of anything that I regretted ordering! Stand outs were the foie gras, gnocchi, and salmon. 6 courses was a lot of food, though so take that into consideration when choosing between 4 and 6.

If anything, you should consider this place for excellent customer satisfaction. Our server Kurt was well informed, kind and great. They have a huge selection for wine, a few cocktails and full bar. The experience is very nice overall, the staff works in a perfect team work mentality.

3.5 stars. Really the main reason I cannot give Tosca five stars is that the price point is just too high for what it is. Came on Valentine’s Day evening. The service was truly impeccable from the hostess to the waitress. Everyone was extremely pleasant and attentive. A very professional and well trained staff. For Valentines day, they had a special four course menu. I got the scallops, lamb ragu pasta, veal chop, and the tiramisu. Everything I ordered was really delicious and beautifully prepared and presented. My boyfriend got the lobster risotto and the turbot fish, though, and I must say his choices were lackluster compared to mine.
Overall this is a nice place for a business meeting or nice evening out, but the ambiance is lacking a little. It’s very plain inside. It really was an enjoyable meal but the main problem with this place is the price… the four course dinner was $ 95/​person, which is steep. While the food was good, it wasn’t $ 95 good. The food was good but not exactly memorable.