Giovanni's Trattu
1823 Jefferson Pl NW
(between N 18th St & N 19th St)
Washington, DC 20036 (202) 452-4960
- Nearest Transit:
Dupont Circle (Red)
Farragut West (Blue, Orange)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Fri 5:30 p.m.-12:00 a.m.
Sat 5:30 p.m.-12:00 a.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
15 Reviews for Giovanni's Trattu
Cozy comfy italian served outta what feels like an old family's basement. And it tastes superb and got me full... top it off wit a bottle of vino and you'll be comatose on the cab ride home... i like this place so much i wanna keep it as my lil secret amongst my friends, but if i really like 'em i'd suggest it as a nice date spot for some chick he really wants to impress. if she finds a way to hate on this place, imma tell 'em to kick her to the curb with the quickness.
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Giovanni's is just like everyone says: a quality traditional Italian family owned restaurant. Though I was surprised that the restaurant had only about 4/15 tables filled at any given time, it made the experience even better.
The food was great, I had the caprese and tortellini, while my guests had the gnocchi, fish, and veal. Everyone's meals were great and the service was decent, but with the owner, Giovanni, walking around to ensure everything was to perfection, it made up for the difference.
Finally, and this is the fifth star, as we headed out and it started to poor, Giovanni offered us an umbrella to walk to our car to which we politely declined. Definitely a good place to go and try out.
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I walked in here looking for a Cointreau on the rocks after work one day -- the place next door (Plata del Mar) didn't have it. The very sweet older man, seeing I was stressed, was generous with the Cointreau and even brought me an unbelievably delicious bruschetta without my asking. The bruschetta tasted like tomatoes were dancing around and having a party on toast, it was seriously good. On the bruschetta alone I give this place 5 stars. I also had a tiramisu which was great. They are super nice here and I hate to think they don't get enough business! Why go to some place like Luigi's or Buca di Beppo when you can be in a real place, owned by a real human being instead of a corporation, where the decor is influenced by his personality rather than focus group results? We should all do what we can to keep places like this alive. As I was walking out, I smiled at a couple standing outside and said, "It's good, you should go in!" They replied, "We know, we came here for our first date 27 years ago!"
I'll be going back this weekend for a full dinner but I have a feeling my review won't change. :)
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If you can't tell this place is spectacular simply from its name then I just don't know what to tell you except to dine here and find out for yourself. I'm a very critical person when it comes Italian food since my mother spoiled me so in the kitchen and I am proud to say that nothing but greatness comes out of the kitchen here. Order the soup of the day then move on to the cannelloni if you want pasta or the osso buco alla milanese if you're feeling more carnivorous. Ask your server to pair your meal with wine and don't forget to end with one of their fine desserts, although my favorite is their tiramisu. Buon appetito!
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I'm surprised more people aren't talking about this place, it's received 7 quality reviews from Yelpers, but hasn't seemed to have caught on. So, if you're looking for good Italian food served without pretension, I recommend heading over to Giovanni's.
I made a reservation for Saturday night, thinking that it might be difficult to get a table (I called 2 hours ahead of time). Turns out, my wife, our two friends, and I were the only customers that night. It leaves me questioning why this place doesn't do better.
The decor of the place could definitely use some updating. The pink tablecloths and lots of red brick (curiously with plaques on them) definitely don't make one want to dig into a meal. However, it does have a homey feel to it, which is nice compared to some of the cold and aloof styles that many restaurants sport these days.
Service was excellent (as one would expect for the only customers in the restaurant). The waiter was knowledgeable and friendly, but didn't hang around like a vulture. Curiously, we switched waiters about 3/4 of the way through the meal; I guess they wanted to keep their skills up.
The food here was good. As Sara L said, it wasn't the best I ever had, but it delivered what I was expecting. The appetizer of octopus carpaccio was an interesting twist for us and quite enjoyable. My wife had the penna alla siciliana, which she enjoyed quite a bit (though there could be more flavors involved). My seafood risotto was perfectly cooked and creamy, though I was given way too much to even think about finishing. Our dining companions also thoroughly enjoyed their gnocchi and snapper dishes.
My only complaint was that the dessert menu listed about eight options, but when we tried to order, we found that only three were available. Also, the prices are somewhat high.
Overall, a good meal in intimate surroundings. I definitely recommend Giovanni's Trattu to all my fellow Yelpers
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Order the osso bucco. Do it. Both my friend and I had it, and the meat was very tender, with the juices soaked up in the polenta (mine) or risotto (his). We will definitely visit again. And the wine (Cabernet, Belmondo) was very decent, given the price.
Other unusual touches: coat service; colorful hand-painted plates covering a wall; photos of notables in the hallway to the kitchen and bathroom. Not exactly cheap, but on par with the better Italian I have had in the district.
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This place is exactly what you'd expect it to be, and in my book, that's a good thing.
You won't find anything unique on this menu, just good, standard, high quality Italian food.
We went here after reading about it on Yelp, and I was pleasantly surprised because it's hard for me to find Italian food I like outside of St. Louis, Mo., my hometown where EVERYONE loves Italian food and there's about a million restaurants to choose from.
But this place delivered. Was it the best I ever had? No. But it was good food, intimate setting and service was pretty decent, too. The only thing I would have liked was if they were a bit faster bringing the check and picking it up at the end of the night.
Also, the desserts, while good, are pricey at $8.50 a piece.
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After reading the earlier Yelps on Giovannis, I had to stop by. I couldn't find a real date *grumble* so I nabbed a mate and stopped in. It's definitely "a bit datey" as my buddy pointed out, but it's not so posh that you can't go in with casual attire. We split the Mozzarella Fritti alla Partenopea (fried mozzarella) and it was delish - very soft and lightly breaded. I had the simple and delicious Penne alla Siciliana and my buddy had the Tortellini della Zia which has veal in it so he should rot in hell. Okay, that's not nice. I take it back.
In any case, yes, Giovannis is a really nice little restaurant that isn't too hard on the wallet considering the quality of its homemade pasta (although not /all/ of the pasta is made in-house; you should ask because I didn't). For us vegetarians, it can be a little unclear where there is and is not meat or seafood, but my questions were graciously entertained so don't be afraid to ask.
Tip: call ahead and reserve the outdoor table (if you want to sit outdoors) or the table in the window - they're the two best tables in the joint.
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Wow. I live in Dupont Circle and thought I had been to every restuarant. Then I read Yelp. This restaurant surpasses every restaurant serving Italian in the circle. Everything about this restuarant is terrific. The waitstaff, the wine list and most importantly the food. The pasta was perfect, my dining partner had a beef stew over polenta that was just right. Someone mentioned that Giovanni's was a "date restaurant", not so. It's a small, comfortable, charming restaurant that I will be returning to.
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I'm so glad Yelp turned me on to this place. It was wonderful. We made reservations for 8pm on Saturday, which wasn't even necessary since there was plenty of available seating. We chose to sit outside, which was very nice, and cute. And we were serenaded by the boom-boom music of the Connecticut Ave clubs. If you want something a little quieter, then sit inside on a Saturday night.
For our wine we ordered a Super Tuscan, which is an amazing bottle. It is $85 so you may want to save it for a special occasion. For the first course we split the mussels, which were in a spicy tomato sauce. The portion was extremely generous and the mussels were perfectly done. They also do not skimp with the bread and olive oil to start.
For our entrees my boyfriend ordered the Osso Bucco (veal shank) over a bed of risotto. It was perfect. The risotto was so delicious, flavorful, and amazing. The veal was perfectly done, so tender, you only needed a fork to eat it. Yum. I ordered the Tortellini della Zia, which was tortellini stuffed with veal. I chose the spicy tomato sauce to go with the red wine, but there was an option of cream sauce or white wine sauce as well. The portion was heaping... I think there had to have been a pound of pasta on my plate. The pastas were perfectly done and the sauce was delicious and fresh.
For dessert, we ordered the cannoli. It was rich and delicious, but a little too much after all that food. I think next time I'll go for the tiramisu. To top it off, our waitress (who was awesome and straight from Italy) brought us complimentary dessert wine to enjoy with the cannolli. Overall, it was an awesome dinner. The service was wonderful, and the food was even better.
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I agree with Chris H. How are there no reviews for this place?! This is the type of Italian place you find up in New York that's hidden away and you feel special that you and only a few others know about its existence. Its hidden away on a smaller side street and lives on the lower floor of some brickstone businesses.
This is a great place to take a date to. As its quite small the service is attentive and friendly. Also you will definitely be greeted by the happy owner when you come in. I passed by his place one time during the afternoon while he was fixing the store front and he said 'hello'. Supposedly there is also a musical trio that plays during the evening. They did not show up the night I was there, but if you go, look out for them.
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While 2 reviews for a place this good ain't great, I can see why it might be overlooked - Giovannis Trattu needs to do some more advertising to-you, because given it's basement location on a widely untravelled street in Dupont, it is very easy to overlook this place - hell, for the last 6 months I have worked 50 yards away from Giovannis Trattu and passed it on my way to MaiThai or Nooshi almost two or 3 times/week, but I first ate there yesterday at lunch! Wish I had trekked in there sooner!!!!
As my slogan indicates, I'm Italian (or partially so) and nothing beats Mama's pasta for me, but Giovannis Trattu came close, and at the very least, the names of its dishes made me think of my Northern Italian mother because there is a distinctly Northern Italian twist to this restaurant - their dishes are simple yet delicious, and very heavily focused on pasta vs. meat.
I sat with a co-worker and viewed the menu with a frown on my face because I just couldn't figure out what to eat - Veal Tortellini, Farfale (bowties) with Salmon and Peas, homemade Gnocchi, Canneloni...the list goes on!!!! Our waitress, a genuine Italian middle-aged woman came to us and asked us what we'd like, and I ordered the veal tortellini with tomato sauce, which were absolutely delicious, clearly homemade, and served in a generous portion along with tasty fresh italian bread (a clear sign of a good italian restaurant).
I agree that this would be a great date place, and all in all a diamond in the ruff, a hidden gem if you will. If you live in the Dupont/Adams Morgan/Midtown area, and you enjoy a good Italian meal, give Giovanni's a try. It's a bit more expensive than Luigi's down the street, but it's got better service, a less cheesy ambiance, and from what I can tell, more authentic food....at the very least, the head of the place is speaking Italian at Giovanni's, vs. Spanish at Luigi's....but then again, my 87 year old grandfather speaks Spanish fluently, along with 5 other languages....so who am I to judge a book by it's highly educated cover?
Bottom line: it's hard to find but worth the search. Give Giovanni's Trattu a shot and you'll be in for a Great Treat.
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This place was great. A few other commenters before me alluded to the fact that this place is little known and on a relatively untraveled street which is too bad for them but great if you want an amazing dinner in a quiet restaraunt (not to say it's deserted but it isn't pack by any means)
I had a seafood salad which wasn't your typical 'a crap load of lettuce with a couple shrimp thrown in to avoid false advertising lawsuits. It was a SEAFOOD salad. Entirely seafood . Even if you don't like seafood as much as I do, you have to salute their commitment to the idea. I then got the veal tortellini with pesto which was also incredible. My girlfriend got a regular salad and gnocchi which she was pretty thrilled with.
This place is pretty 'datey', maybe it was just a coincidence, but on the night I was there it was ALL couples.
finally, I've noticed that some girls are powerless to resist the charms of short, bald older man with poor to moderate english skills. So if you want to make fun of someone for getting all gooey over your waiter, this is the place for you.
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Our first meal at Giovanni's (which is also our _only_ meal there, so far, but we will return!) was perfection from beginning to end. It rates as one of my top three dining experiences of all times.
As others before me have said, the ambiance is intimate but not overly romantic. The waitress was always there when you needed her, and never there when you didn't want her around. A walk to the bathroom is like going down the Hall of Fame. There was just one photo after another of Giovanni in the dining room with celebrities. And yet the place had no air of pretension whatsoever.
To start, we had the kobe beef carpaccio. I had the pounded veal chop for my entree. It was fabulous. I don't remember what my companions ate, but they loved their dishes too. With wine and dessert, the bill was hefty. But I have rarely ever felt so willing to part with my hard-earned money. The entire evening was so satisfying that it was worth every penny.
Although I'm just getting around to writing this review, our visit was in August 2005. We can't wait for our next opportunity to return to D.C., and it may very well be on the strength of our memories of Giovanni's.
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I can't believe there are no reviews for Giovanni's Trattu. This restaurant is a gem, hidden away on an alley just South of Dupont Circle. The food there is fine; I've probably eaten there a dozen times over the years. One of the most interesting dishes was a carrot souffle.
The service is good, the place has that Washington quality of being small and feeling somewhat intimate. A good wine list too (for DC).
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