Fiola Mare Reviews

Wonderful dinner in an elegant atmosphere. We loved the arugula martinis recommended to us by our highly professional waiter. Extensive wine list with something in each price range. Outstanding duck and foie gras. Boudin blanc was amazing. We loved the cheese course too. It was creatively presented and accompanied by just the right flavors. Beautiful glassware and plates.
Chatted with Chef, while listening to his son quietly play the bass in the lounge area. An evening to remember. Looking forward to our next dinner at Marcel's.

Edit: Updating previous review to include full dining perspective. We all had the special 6 course menu, which was exquisite. Everything was well portioned and timed nicely for a great evening. I especially liked that despite being a packed restaurant, you do not feel crowded in and the noise level is not overwhelming nice acoustics. The wait staff and sommelier were very knowledgeable and so thorough I could swear they were reading my mind.

The reason for the lower than stellar rating is that our reservation was made for 7:30. We arrived 10 minutes early and were told it would be a 15 minute wait for our table to be ready. Nobody came to seat us until 8:00. Between that time, nobody came to provide us an update or apologize for the delay, which honestly I don't really think is acceptable when you have made a reservation (and confirmed your attendance both online and by phone) a month in advance. It really put everyone in a sour mood at the beginning of the evening. I will say, however, that due to the seamless experience we had the rest of the evening, things did ultimately end on a high note.

Would definitely be willing to give them a second chance and would recommend, as long as you're not in a hurry to get anywhere after dinner.

Kind staff. We had the special seafood bucket for 2. However it was extremely big, and could be shared by 4~6 people. I was super excited and happy to enjoy them.

Fantastic spot on the Georgetown waterfront with views of the Kennedy Center. Definitely a splurge, but the service was on point and the food delicious. I came here with coworkers for lunch and got the mozzarella salad to start and the half portion of the lobster ravioli for an entree. The salad was gorgeous and a big portion, and the lobster ravioli was decadent. Highly recommend for a celebration/splurge meal.

Company was A++. Waiter (Bryan) was excellent. Food was very good. Shout out to Som who recomended sardinian wine. Rarely felt better parting with $$.

cannot say enough great things about this place! Each member of the staff is professional , kind . yet owning up to their own unique personalities. thank you Tom for a lovely brunch at the bar, lovely wine list and impressive well mastered food.

My experience at Fiolamare is always top notch. Funny to see one star review by Oluwaseun given I was there with family and we witnessed two people in their pajamas leaving upset after trying to secure a table to eat what looked like a takeout order. My wife and I have worked in the restaurant industry and found it comical that someone would think its okay to occupy a table where workers make their livelihood by tips. When did Fiolamare change their name to a Sbarros? Clearly these people never worked in restaurants. Guess in 2020 bad manners = racial profiling

The best ever! We celebrated an anniversary here and everything was very nice! The staff was awesome and the food was incredible! I will return!

Really expensive for a Missouri country boy but the swordfish is impeccable

Great restaurant to have a dinner before going to a Kennedy Center performance.

When the weather is nice the scene over the Potomac is amazing. Best seafood in DC.

Best seafood in D.C. Very expensive. I had the Dover Sole and it was very good. They seated us in a covered patio and it was very noise with ventilation fan. Great service and great seafood.

Seafood was divine. I was sincerely delighted with every single bite I took of the perfectly cooked and seasoned meal, even simple sides were memorable in their perfection. Our server was outstanding, she was extremely knowledgeable, pleasant, and knew what we needed before we did. She truly went above beyond to create a memorable evening. I will definitely return.

As always, a wonderful atmosphere. Super friendly and talented staff, though seemingly a bit shorthanded and feeling the strain. Also, a bit naughty to push up prices above those advertised online, and to change composition of advertised flights without clearing it with us.

Mr. Wiezban, as the young woman so eloquently explained, SHE AND HER BOYFRIEND WERE ALREADY SEATED, and were then asked to leave. As someone with prior experience in the restaurant business, you of all people should know how this is simply unacceptable. Fiola Mare, Sbarro (not Sbarros), or any establishment for that matter should understand that customer service is of the upmost importance. If providing PRIVATE SEATING to customers who have already placed a takeout order is an issue, what stops this restaurant from putting this information on their website? Something along the lines of "Guests who place an order for take out are not permitted to eat their meals in the restaurant" would suffice. Oluwaseun and her boyfriend have every reason to believe that the actions taken by staff at Fiola Mare the night of October 30th, 2020 were RACIALLY MOTIVATED, especially considering the current racial climate in our country. You should also consider educating yourself on the differences in clothing items, as there is a STARK difference between "sweatpants" and "pajamas". Our attire met the standards set forth by their dress code policy, clearly written on their website. The attitudes and actions toward Oluwaseun and her partner were absolutely unacceptable. I find it very interesting that you chose to respond to her comment as opposed to the other 1,140 reviews. Your attempt at drawing attention away from the inappropriate behavior by the employees of this restaurant, and toward a woman calmly expressing her experience, is insensitive.

Outstanding! The service was so spot on, our server was clearly educated on the menu and made wonderful suggestions, not overselling us and truly listening to ascertain what we desired from the evening.

Excellent all around! No wonder it is a Michelin star restaurant. We got the small seafood tower and it's definitely worth it. I don't remember ever having oysters and prawns so fresh before. The lobster ravioli was definitely a must even if you have to get a half portion (because it's super pricey!). Seafood risotto was amazing as well. I would skip the calamari that everyone raves about. It was good but nothing special. Great service as well. Definitely would visit again once I find a pile of cash somewhere. But seriously, I must go back.

Always top notice.. Fresh crudo, novel drinks with classic basic ingredients, highly professional service

Delicious and VERY satisfying food. Lovely feel and decor around the entirety of the restaurant.

Only issue: 1-ply toiler paper in the restroom.

Five-star, very personalized service, fantastic food, and friendly, welcoming staff everywhere. Loved it!

Great cocktails and bar service. Super uncomfortable chairs in the main room. High end seafood in cost, quality not so much.

Sooo beautiful. The view is incredible, the interior is stunning, and the food is amazing. Wait staff is friendly and extremely knowledge about every little detail of the menu items. 5 stars easy.

Great spot on water. Good lunch spot with outdoor tables.

Probably the best pasta I've had in the US. The service was fantastic. Great job by everyone. Brunch prefix includes bottomless cocktails, or not, your choice.

Fabulous setting to celebrate our 42nd anniversary. Excellent service, great menu, delicious food. We had the salt-encrusted branzino for our entree - it was incredibly moist and tasty! Take Lyft to the front door and avoid the parking hassle and the walk to/from the garage.

Okay in my humble opinion this restaurant has very few traditional Italian qualities. Take a look at the menu and let me know where ur heading. I will send work as possible.

Also the food is not typical Italian food. They are serving Deer, duck and boar ragu. Not exactly traditional Italian fare. And to make matters worse the bill will SHOCK you!!!! So I would not go back for multiple reasons, including prices, lack of options and the people are needy. Hey one to find a real Italian fare!

DON't WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!! This place was very disappointing. We called ahead to inquire about outside seating and were told there were plenty of outside tables available. When we arrived it appeared to be as we were told. The hostess told us they were clearing a table for us and it would be just a moment. Then a bunch of expensive cars pulled up and the story quickly changed. We were told the wait was now 45 minutes for table overlooking the water. We agreed to sit outside and they stuck us on the side patio where no other parties were sitting. The service was slow. The food was fair and sparse. The value was poor. No manager stopped by to see how we were doing. The servers appeared hassled and rushed. They were polite but unfriendly. After eating our sparse meals we paid about $100 per person. There are much better alternatives located right there on the waterfront.

We held an event here in a fantastic private dining room with its own terrace. The staff went out of their way to accommodate us, and both the food and the staff were excellent. Would definitely recommend it for a party or private event.

Very good attention and very advisable the place I loved seeing it

Excellent food and a good selection of wine. The location can't be beat. Elegant restaurant.

The food was fabulous! The experience was mediocre!! The wait staff seemed attentive at first . . . Olive oil was brought, but no bread until we asked. Salad and main course were brought promptly . . . but then we waited and waited and waited for our dessert. It took more the .5 hrs for it to arrive after we spoke with 3 different staff (or waitress was VERY engaged with the table next to us and did not seem to notice our lack of service). The dessert was comped - but still. Could you blame on a packed house - NOT! Could you blamed on repeat customers who seemed to receive a lot more attention than we did - MAYBE. Was it because we were 2 women (who did not order drinks) - MAYBE, I hope not. I will definitely have second thoughts of returning.

Great restaurant to take your date to with good ambiance professional service and amazing food. Our waiter was super knowledgeable about the dishes and helped us tremendously with all our questions and concerns and limitations that we had.
They have tasty cocktails especially Geisha .
They were COVID cautious and super clean so feel comfortable visiting them during this pandemic. Just make sure to make reservations a day in advance since will have limited seating.

The food was very good and the atmosphere was great. Close to the water. When you see the four dollar signs next to the restaurant name online, they are not kidding. Be prepared.

i ordered their carry out due to the shutdown of businesses in dc. the price is reasonable and portion is quite large. i wish the best for their employees. i hope they could reopen soon.

We had an early 10th anniversary dinner here, and from the moment we walked in it was a special experience. We are parents from the Maryland 'burbs so I didn't want to waste our (rare!) big night out on a disappointing place- and Fiola Mare definitely did not disappoint!

The server greeted us with champagne to celebrate- only to quickly replace it with sparkling cider instead, since I'm pregnant and my husband doesn't drink! The food was incredible, as expected, and we chose the pre- theater menu which made the prices extremely reasonable for the quality. All the seafood and the homemade pasta we ordered was incredible, but the preparation was so simple that it was clear all the ingredients had to be top notch. The service was attentive without being smothering, and at the end of the meal our desserts were accompanied by a small lemon cake "for the baby." Would highly recommend for any special occasion, or if you're visiting Georgetown and want a truly excellent meal in an unfussy setting.

Always excellent service and exquisite food! Love this place.

Sorry the restaurant cant afford good air conditioning on a 93 degree day in July...would have been enjoyable but for that.

This place is very nice, our server was attentive and knowledgeable. However there is a lot about this place that I find a little rediculous. For instance the furniture is more design focused and less comfort and practicality focused. The server served water from anl ridiculous carafe on a tray. He was very poised and good but these tools he was using were difficult to use and slowed his ability to serve my group. In addition the table we sat at had a gas open flame fire in the center. I was very worried our menus would catch on fire or that someone would burn themselves reaching across the table as we shared appetizers. The food and drink were good but I was frustrated by the process involved to obtain them. As an example a member of our party asked for a cheese board. The server really needed to discuss every cheese involved in the cheese board when we really just wanted him to understand what we wanted generally and provide his best suggestion. Instead we got an overly long and complex set of choices from him. This restaurant is probably great if you are focused on the food and drink experience but it is not as good if you want to focus your attention on other members of your group and your conversation. I probably won't be going here again because this restaurant is not my style. Still I'm glad I visited and I understand why people would want to go. You would learn about foods and drink.

Great place for an anniversary. They custom printed our menus and included a note and free desert to thank us. The food is outstanding, but expect to pay for it. I had raw oysters, mussels, razor clams, shrimp, and lobster. Also, we shared the lobster ravioli. Everything was delicious. Our sommelier was knowledgeable and picked out a great wine. We also shared a dessert and had espresso. Everything was top-quality and delicious.

The food was excellent and the service great, but i can t accept the fact they are charging a 4% sanitation fees without even announcing that at arrival .

My wife and I had dinner to celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary. Our waiter Christina was kind & attentive, making us feel at home. From appetizer to desert each course had wonderful distinctive flavors & textures. This was more than a meal, it was an event to be remembered. Thank you! Jo Carol & Kevin Stephens

Paying for the view to be honest. It s a nice view though.

Best place for dinner in WDC. Excellent service. Requires reservation well in advance.

Amazing seafood and service. We sat outside when it started raining. We were covered and chose not to move to the bar, which was getting crowded. They treated us great to make up for the weather, which was not their fault. I can't wait to try the owner's other restaurants.

Masterful Italian fare.. simply put the superior quality of the food and service staff.. a must return to

A bit overpriced... very nice location, old school brasserie type service.

Having dinner there... what a nice restaurant...

The taste are very good... seafood are fresh.. like it so much

Definitely nothing impressive. Food was lackluster except for the appetizers, which were decent. And the service was certainly nothing special. Did not feel like I was in a Michelin starred restaurant. I would not recommend This restaurant.

. We had a large group of people. Quick and friendly service.

It would have gotten 5 stars but the front of house staff we somewhat disorganized. We went for our anniversary and once we actually were given the table we wanted we had a great experience! Definitely get the Lobster Ravioli and the other pasta dish as well! Pro tip, you can get half portions and try them both. Also, do NOT skip the dessert.

Holy cow was this expensive. Very upclass and great food. Worth the cost? Nah.

Absolutely amazing!! From the moment you make a reservation, the staff is extremely welcoming, service was outstanding and the food wonderful. Along with a lovely view of the river

Staff was super friendly and accommodating and the food was among the best I have eaten in DC so far

Great food and my waiter recommended one of the best desserts I've ever tasted.

I like the food, I like the restaurant, But the last time I went I did not like the service, from the hostess who was rude and the server who served us. And I can not believe they can not make a lemonade without sugar. I can not drink sweet drinks and the waiter told me that they can't make it. Unbelievable

Very hearty Italian food. I would classify in the top 10 in the district.
The location makes the setting that much better.

Food was less than average, overprice really for the amount and quality if the food. I had great service and the atmosphere is amazing. Wont eat the Halibut again.

The service was absolutely impeccable. That you for an awesome experience. Food was delicious

Food was very good! Service was amazing. The Sunday brunch is a good deal. Very pleased.

Best Sunday's brunch ever. Romantic location and phenomenal food. AAA trained stuff, they know what they are doing for sure. Special thanks to Denis for warmest greetings and explaining specials. We will come back soon.

Love the food here but accidentally canceled my reservation. When I called to see if we could still be accommodated 5 minutes later, I got a horribly rude hostess who didn't answer my question. So disappointed because my in-laws were in town. If you're going here, make sure you've planned to arrive early and remember they close between lunch and dinner.

Highly recommended Seafood reastaurant! Good mood near river and park, fency interior, nice service, little but expensive price

Indeed lovely good and the experience is on point. The staff is prompt but not intrusive.

If it were only a little less expensive if eat here every day...

Great food, great service, perfect spot for a special occasion.

Really good food and service, their website asks to wear jacket but it was actually pretty casual for the patio, specially for these beautiful days. Sea food was extremely fresh!! Highly recommended!

The brunch menu needs improvement
Horrible now

The food was amazing...I seriously haven't had a meal like that in a while. But what made this experience really great was the waiter, Ben. We had so much fun with him. He was professional, knowledgeable, but most of all fun. He pick up on our sence of humor and took off with it. Thank you for a truly wonderful experience.

Excellent service, and the overall dining experience was outstanding!

Fine dining at its best! I went there for a birthday dinner and the ambience, service, and food was top notch. Our server, Roxy, was amazing and very attentive and anticipated our needs and took care of everything. I can't comment enough about how good this place is and how much I can't wait to come back again. Their wagyu carpacchio, seafood tower, and the seafood brandito was just. So. Good.

Superb, elegant, Italian feeling...love food, ambiance, service and doppio espresso!! Love it...!!

Absolutely the most phenomenal brunch I've ever had. Amazing wait staff and great atmosphere. You never feel rushed or clostraphobic with crowds. An amazing place for brunch (pricey at 75 dollars). It does get you unlimited amazing breakfast cocktails, an appetizer, entree, and dessert. Crab cakes are to die for... And do not sleep on the breakfast pastry baskets!