Paolo’s Ristorante

I really, really wanted to love Paolo’s. Unfortunately, we had a terrible experience tonight. It’s my birthday, so we brought our two dogs over to have a nice birthday dinner. I’d been wanting to come here for a couple years and just hadn’t made it over. When we arrived, I asked before being seated of dogs were allowed. The staff said yes and seated us. Several staff members (who were all lovely) came to pet our pups and promptly got us a bottle of wine. The server was attentive and great. Halfway into our wine and before we ordered, a man came over and asked us gruffly if our dogs were service dogs. We said no because they aren’t. He then informed us that dogs aren’t allowed and we could not stay. Our waiter came back and apologized. We let him know it wasn’t his fault and tipped him well before leaving.
Sadly, it ruined a nice birthday dinner. I don’t think we will be back on the simple fact that even if dogs aren’t allowed, there is a better way to handle that situation with much more tactful customer service.
The staff was lovely though.

Dirty, ugly, bad service and worse food. I would have never gone to this place on my own. I had to come here with a group to have breakfast brunch and had to eat the worse scrambled eggs and potatoes.
So if you have the choice to not come here and if you want a good carnivore place head across the street straight to historic Martin’s Tavern.
Sorry for the bad review, I never review downwards but I had to.
Do my advice is to stay away from this place until they get their act together

Great place for brunch. The chicken parm and the pizza were both near perfect. The mimosas could’ve been a little stronger. The breadsticks were out of this world.

The food is amazing! The steak has amazing flavor and all there foods taste amazing. But the service is slow and the waitress brought the wrong drinks. The waiters don’t seem to care much about you but the food does make up for it.

The worst service and products I’ve ever tried in a Italian restaurant. This is far from a good Italian. The service spilled food on us several times and the pasta was a bad mix of multiple pastas. This a big disapointment, defenitelly the management needs to re-​think on its service and food strategy and treat their customers like they deserve for the price their paying.

Food was easily five stars: my braised pork risotto with brussels sprouts was amazing!
Service was one star at best: our waiter was nice enough, but it took SO long to get served. We were waiting for water refills, to order, etc for a LONG time, looking around the restaurant, clearly ready to speak to somebody, and nobody would come for ages.
The restaurant is very pretty and the food is very good, but the service was just absurdly slow.

Disgusting service. My friend and I arrived for happy hour and sat at the bar where there was a bit of a mess. The two bartenders seemed busy although the restaurant wasn’t packed and the two other customers at the bar had been served. We sat patiently and quietly while they rushed past us. When one of the bartenders (a blonde woman) finally made some sort of eye contact with us, my friend asked for a napkin so we could clean up the crumbs in front of us. The bartender tossed a bunch of napkins at my friend. Still only concerned with ourselves but slightly put off, we wiped up the mess when the bartender (who was somehow annoyed about us minding our business and asking for napkins) blurts out that she’s really busy right now and that we can move a few seats down the bar if we don’t like the mess.
1. We’re legitimately sitting there, not saying anything to you, not even being rude or complaining about the lack of service.
2. We also did not comment on the fact that you got mad and tossed a bunch of napkins at my friend, clearly upset because she has to do YOUR job.
3. Who are you talking to? We’re not idiots. We know we can move down the bar, however, we decided to sit in THAT specific spot. You don’t catch an attitude and tell us to move down because you somehow can’t manage to make drinks for the patrons of your deserted restaurant.
We didn’t even bother ordering anything. We left the restaurant and went somewhere else for happy hour (Thunder Burger, great place, GREAT service). Apparently, Paolo’s has a problem with poor service and doesn’t seem interested in addressing these issues. My suggestion? There are so many other great places in the area to check out, don’t waste your time here.

Brunch here is fantastic. Especially on holidays. They often add extra perks. Recommend the peach Bellini to drink.

Great customer service I’ve come here many times and have had a great experience every time. All the servers are on point and have great knowledge of the menu and can always answer my questions. The price of the food is appropriate for the quality. The restaurant itself is really cute and in a good location in Georgetown.

The food is hideous and they messed up my Hendricks and tonic TWICE. How does one even do that? Food is wayyy overpriced for the quality.
The manager wore red sauce all over her shirt which indicates the general sloppiness of the whole place.
Patio is nice on a sunny day but I wouldn’t come back.

I am a little conflicted about Paolo’s because I’ve had very different experiences every time I come here. The breadsticks and olive tapenade is a classic of course, but I’ve been here quite a few times in the past three years and I’ve noticed a decline in the quality control (and general quality) of the food here. What really grabbed me the first time is their amazing happy hour menu, which has shrunk significantly to what it is now. Also, the service varies greatly from great to a waiter saying that the house wine was not available and offered me a glass off the normal wine menu at happy hour price which he then did NOT honor and gave me a lot of sass.
Honestly, it’s really a flip of the coin on what you will get when you come here, but at least the breadsticks and olive tapenade are as good as ever.

Its pasta is awesome. All my friends love the foods. Breads for appetizer are delicious. I prefer the booth area. Balcony area is little bit cold during winter.

Oh my god. Such amazing pasta here! This place is adorable. I also love how the doors open up and you can technically sit outside. Must visit!

Paolo’s is an old standard of Georgetown that is stolid and reliable, especially if you know what to order. The happy hours here are fantastic with tons of cheap drink and food specials all of which are filling and tasty. Also the complimentary breadsticks and olive tapenade are downright addictive. It’s a great place to eat when you don’t feel like exploring something new and just need to grab a meal somewhere somehow. There are definitely better Italian restaurants in the city but because of its steadfastness Paolo’s makes the cut.

I used to work a block away so came here quite often with varying results. sometimes the food is AMAZING. Generally however it is very seriously doused in oil. I really prefer this as a lunch spot and really only go until the smokers start to amass on the doorstep. It has a crowded but tasty and fun Happy Hour as well.

We kept asking each other if this restaurant was a joke. I will lead you through the evening’s events.
We were seated quickly on a Friday night. It was nice out and the windows and doors were open letting in the night breeze. Good so far…
We were seated directly next to a family with three children, one of which was yelling at the top of their lungs and another that broke a plate. This was not the restaurant’s fault, but it does add to the «experience.»
Our waitress came to the table and asked for our drink order. We both ordered something off of the specialty drink menu provided by the restaurant. I ordered the «Alfie» and the waitress looked at me and said «What is that?» I told her it was listed on her own menu and her answer was that the menu changes so often that she doesn’t know what is on it.
When she came back to take our order she commented on my toenail color, red, and said it reminded her of her own toes. She had hurt one of them and it turned purple but now it was the color of my toenail polish. Yes, she was telling us about her injured toes at dinner.
Once she the appetizers came out we let her know that we wanted to take our time at dinner and not be rushed. As they had empty tables we felt this was an ok request. She looked at us blankly and said «so how long do you want to wait». We told her we would let her know. Soon after we were told by a different waitress that our original waitress had to leave. Ok, waitress #2. She was very sweet, but I feel she was VERY new. She apologized for every thing she did. When we ordered a bottle of wine she brought it over and said «I have to confess, I am not good at opening wine.» Then she got another waitress to do it, waitress #3. We at dinner and a waiter dropped a glass that shattered on my foot and around our table. Again I don’t really fault them for an accident, but when something like that happens you comp something on the bill. THEN, our original waitress, that «had to leave» came by our table to see what we had ordered. What?!? Didn’t she have to leave?
We finished dinner and then waited another 20 minutes to receive our bill, by yet a different member of the wait staff, #4.
As far as the food goes: the tortellini appetizer and the polenta appetizer were amazing. I had the Fettucini Carbanara which was entirely too rich and heavy. My husband had the Lamb Parpadelle, which he said was ok, but nothing special. We ordered the profiteroles and tiramisu for dessert. I wish we had not. The profiteroles were like rocks. I am used to profiteroles being cream puffs but these were served as rock hard ice cream sandwiches. They could barely be cut much less chewed. The tiramisu tasted like nothing.
Overall, we will not be back. The restaurant looked like it was going to be an upscale restaurant. The prices were set for an upscale restaurant. The food was not great and the wait staff was comparable to a Denny’s. I recommend going ANYWHERE else if you find yourself in Georgetown.

Comida boa na medida. Pratos não são exagerados no almoço. Serviço ruim. Banheiro sujo

I had fond memories of visiting Paolo’s back in 2006; maybe it was the nice, patio weather or maybe I had a less discerning palette in my early 20s, but I used to think this was such a great place. Cut to 2015…
I visited with my boyfriend on a Friday afternoon and we were seated in the window. We ordered a couple $ 14 cocktails, which I will say, were executed perfectly and were delightful. Of specific mention is the Sgroppino: vodka, prosecco, mint, and a drop of lemon sorbet. Tasted like heaven.
I ordered the nicoise salad, which was listed to have pepperoni in the salad, along with tuna and anchovies and olives. After placing our order, we noticed it was hard to get a hold of our waiter throughout the whole meal. We soon realized the woman who initially took our order was actually the bartender, which is why service was practically non-​existent. The «breadsticks», or whatever they were, served at the table were inedible. But very nice tapenade.
Once our food came, I realized that this couldn’t have been the salad I ordered; it looked pitiful. No pepperoni, wilted, iceburg lettuce, and the tuna was not a nice tuna steak, it was a spoonful of TUNAFISH. Like from a can. How unappetizing! Really, I generally will eat anything but I had to practically choke this salad down. About 15 minutes into our meal, after I was pretty much just picking at the salad, a different server finally shows up and asks how everything is. I mention the lack of pepperoni. She comes back and says it was a misprint on the menu. O… K…
Whatever ended up happening, I am satisfied that she removed the salad from our bill, but pepperoni or not, that salad was NOT appetizing. So while I did enjoy my cocktail and I appreciated the server for finally coming to check on us and removing the item from the bill, I was overall unimpressed with the quality of the food. I would reccommend this place for drinks only but you’re better off going next door to Martins for a better menu.

Paolo’s is nothing spectacular, which makes it hard to stand out and compete with the seemingly endless assortment of Italian «ristorantes» in DC. But like so many others here in Georgetown, the place was packed with a line out the door for dinner, even at 9:15pm, so it must have at least a somewhat significant following. Either that, or just a convenient, inviting corner spot on Wisconsin. Or maybe it’s the lively Italian music that transitions into blasting Top 40 hits halfway into the night…
+ambiance of an unassuming European open-​air café… floor to ceiling movable glass windows and patio seating!
–our waiter was nice with a great personality, but unfortunately messed up our order: Caesar salad came tossed with dressing and capers unlike requested
–a tad bit slow service
+noisy, vibrant atmosphere
+complimentary tapenade!!! Bread was meh

On a rainy evening we stumbled into Paolos for dinner. The hostess and wait staff we kind and happy to see us. The waiter was extremely helpful and checked on us frequently.
The food was good, nothing amazing but certainly good and warrants 3 to 4 stars. The staff and ambiance make the restaurant a solid 4 stars.

Great great greatttt food and service. I couldn’t be any more happy with this place.
I went twice — once for my sisters birthday and another for my friends birthday. Both times I enjoyed.
The food is incredible and authentic. No Americanized Italian here.
To begin they give you homemade breadsticks (which are very crumby and messy) and some homemade tapenade. AMAZING!!!
We ordered fried calamari — which had pieces of fried basil and red chili peppers and cherry peppers in the mix, it also comes with fresh half lemon to squeeze on top and fresh marinara. Definitely one of the best clan aria I’ve had.
Next up was pizza — eh very oily but It was good. Had to pat down some of the oil on my pizza. And their margarita pizza isnt all that. Definitely bland and plain. As for the sausage pizza that wasn’t really good either. I do reccomend their white pizza though. So cheesy and delicious.
Next up was chicken fettuccini — which isn’t on the menu but my sister requested it. This was great. Love the crispy cheese on top.

My friend and I had a nice lunch sitting outside and were very pleased with our Paolo’s salad.