RPM Italian

Wonderful experience for my husband and I's 3rd anniversary. We got the four course meal that was available for restaurant week. The food was excellent the service was great! Was exactly the atmosphere we were looking for nice, quiet enough for us to still talk and enjoy being with one another but not so quiet the atmosphere didn't feel fun. Everyone in the restaurant was chatting which told me it was a place where everyone feels comfortable and happy. Will definitely be back and recommend to family and friends.

Photos attached are by agphotography99_ on Instagram

We’ve had RPM in Vegas a couple of times and had such a great experience that we decided to check out the one here in Washington and I gotta tell you, it’s totally worth it.

This modern design that serves Italian like it’s straight out of Italy. They make all of their pastas in house and you can taste the freshness.

The service here is also top notch, we had the pleasure of having James serve us and he was truly amazing, the best of the best. He was truly a delight, really knew his stuff and was very knowledgeable and honest about every dish we asked . And he recommended the best Riesling I’ve ever had!

RPM is one of my favorite restaurants in DC. The menu seems changing seasonally
We were there on a Saturday night. The service was outstanding, our waiter was very accommodating and attentive. The prices were high but it was worth every penny for the amazing atmosphere, service and food. One can order almost any dish on the menu and be happy about it. highly recommend!

4*Shredded Brussels Sprouts
Avocado, Mama Lil Peppers: very light salad.

4.5*Zucchini Fritti with Crimini Mushroom and Lemon: it tasted much better when it was hot and crispy. I would suggest eating it right away.

3*Chicken Parmesan: the chicken was a bit dry.

4.8*Spicy King Crab with Squid Ink Spaghetti and Fresno: the portion was small, but fresh and tasty, very satisfying.

4.5*Short Rib Bolognese
Pappardelle and Rosemary: excellent!

5*Atlantic Swordfish
Red Pepper Tapenade: the best swordfish we had, tender and tasty.

5*Mediterranean Branzino
Fennel and and Salsa Verde: the cook really knew how to cook fish. It was tender and flavorful

5*Tiramisu
Coffee, Mascarpone, Cocoa: it was just great!

5*Tartufo Sundae with Hazelnut and Milk Chocolate poured on top. At first I didn’t want to order it, but it turned out to be the best dessert we had. It was a mixture of texture and flavor: soft and crunchy, cold and hot, the contrast elevated the deliciousness and experience. Highly recommend!

4.9*Chocolate Banana Trifle with
Coffee Caramel and Vanilla Cream: it was pretty big and better for sharing.

I absolutely love this place. The service is quick the food is amazing and the atmosphere is perfect. The only dish I don't care for and don't believe belongs is the fried shrimp and squid appetizer. To me it belongs at a Joe's Crab shack type of restaurant. It was underwhelming to say the least. However the spicy crab, the lobster ravioli, the black squid ink pasta, the truffle bread and the old fashioned were amazing!! Also our server Tim made our meal perfect. Thank you!!

RPM really blew me away with their hospitality and food! The minute you walk in, the vibe of the restaurant instantly wows you. Our server was super attentive. She was very kind and funny! Recommended some great dishes to us. This place really pays attention to the details and you can tell. I loved the meatballs!! A must have!

ABSOLUTELY the best Italian food. I went to the location in Chicago years ago and I was so excited to see a location in DC. Plates are small and not overwhelming. The carbonara will have you wanting more. Our waiter was the best ever and made the experience even better. I wish there was one in NYC or Philadelphia so I could come back sooner.

I visited for lunch on a Friday. I did the express lunch, starting with the artichoke, which was tender and tasty, if a bit greasy. The tagliatelle with mushrooms was delicious and a nice portion for lunch. The lemon sorbet was excellent.

Unfortunately my server was impersonal and slow. I had asked the hostess if 45 minutes was reasonable for the express lunch and she assured me it was, but I waited a long time for my server to come to the table to take my order, and then even longer for him to bring dessert. After 10 minutes of waiting and trying to get his attention, I flagged down a runner who got him to bring it out. That wait officially made me late for my next meeting. The restaurant wasn't full by any means, it just seemed like he was focused on the larger parties and not this solo diner.

The remainder of the staff were friendly and attentive and the ambience was nice. I would probably go back for lunch with a group if I didn't have any time constraints, but wouldn't make this a destination for dinner.

There are very few places in Washington, DC that I have consistently enjoyed over the last 7-8 years that I have been living in Metro DC. Without a doubt, one of those places is RPM Italian,becausebit consistently and unerringly delivers superior food and outstanding service. I have no idea, why I have not reviewed RPM in all these years (and it's such a disservice to these favorite of mine) but I am correcting it right here and now.
RPM Italian is part of the Lettuce Entertainment family of restaurants. There is RPM Seafood, RPM Steak and RPM Italian in Chicago, IL, and RPM in Las Vegas, NV, as well as other unique, excellent restaurants (in the DC/VA area, there is Wildfire Steakhouse, 2 Mon Ami Gabi French venues, and Summer House Santa Monica).
The decor of RPM DC exudes Italian understated sophistication, with muted grays, blacks and whites. As always, I sat at the bar, which I prefer over tables (years of travel have taught me the advantages of dining at a bar). I was just in time for the "Apéritif" Time (RPM'sctake on Happy Hour) which provides opportunities to try a variety of things at very reasonable price points. I must clarify that the relationship between quality and price of food and drink at RPM is amazing, whether you are ordering from the bar or from their regular menu. To begin, I had an RPM Negroni, which is so good that it was the main reason for me being there! My bartender was Momen, which was incredibly friendly and engaging. It was almost the end of the Apéritif Time (Mon-Sat, 4:00-5:30pm) so I ordered the short rib sliders (served on cute toasted brioche mini-buns) , fried artichokes (those make you feel you are in Rome !) and a mushroom, truffle and cheese pizette (a small pizza, which was so delicious that I almost forgot to snap a Pic). Everything came out hot and fresh. From the main menu, I ordered their Caccio e Pepe (cheese and pepper) pasta, which in RPM the sauce is enriched with egg yolk. This pasta is so simple yet the flavor is so complex and delicious! I also had a glass of red wine, and instead of dessert, an Italian desert wine. Yeah, I love to eat and drink, what can I say... I cannot speak highly enough about the bar service ftom Momen and Christian. These guys rock! RPM Italian has everything you may want, whether it is a night out for drinks with friends, or a romantic dinner. That is why I keep coming back (before and after pandemic). So now the deed is done, and I have honored one of my faves.