The Red Hen may honestly be the best Italian place in DC hands down. The vibes are perfect for date night with a dark ambiance and lovely candles set on the table. The food was delicious. While the cocktail drink was a bit too strong for my taste, it was still lovely presented. The salad was delicious and helped cut into the heavy pastas. The pastas were all spectacular and the pork chops were so tender and juicy. The desserts were immaculate. The tiramisu is a must get when you come here. The berrry crumble cake was a special of the day so not sure if they'll have it year-round but if it's being offered, please get it because it is just the perfect amount of tartness and sweetness. All in all, the experience was great and will definitely come again!

The tuna crudo is so delicious. Great service and atmosphere. Can't go wrong with pasta.

Superb in every way. HARD 2 get a reserve - we went 2 the bar. Vegans stay home. Meat service was like the recently-deceased Urban BBQ, except not as mountainous. Service was what you used to come to expect. Quiet. Civilized.

Was in DC a few weekends ago, and we had an amazing meal here! Highly recommend if you're looking for some solid Italian food. Service was great, and the food was delicious. They have some core items on their menu, as well as a few more seasonal dishes that rotate out. When my friend first came here, she had a frito ice cream that she swears was the BEST dessert, but sadly it wasn't on the menu this time around. Now is this a "must eat" spot for DC? I can't give you the local perspective myself, but I'd definitely make sure it's at least on your list. If you plan to give The Red Hen a try, you'll definitely want to try and secure a reservation, as it seems to get booked up pretty fast.

Red Hen Planned ahead and got an early weekday dinner reservation here - word to the wise and do the same, as these reservations book up quick! Small cozy and warm, this is a sweet restaurant for a rustic and romantic dinner, or even for just a drink if you can snag a bar spot. Though their menu of cocktails does not include an espresso martini, they made a delicious one (or 2, or 3, ...) Started with the whipped ricotta crostini which was incredible - I should have ordered 10 of these (cannot go wrong with any form of cheese to start your Italian meal tho). We split the mezze rigatoni with fennel sausage ragu and the grilled beef short rib. The meat was fall apart and melt on your mouth, and the pasta sauce was perfectly garlicky! Yum! We had no room left for dessert ... until the table next to us ordered a delicious looking tiramisu. Save room for this. It was WOW! Finally, the service was friendly/average. Our waitress checked in on us when she could, but was busy hustling around and the bar was hopping! There were a lot of employees running around but we were served quickly and efficiently, not too much time or space for chit chat. I know they change their menu seasonally - I would love to come back and try more. Now I understand why this place is in the top of everyone's list!