| Address | 1801 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Mon-Thur, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri-Sat, 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun, 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m. |
| Phone | (703) 276-2627 |
| Fax | (703) 276-0723 |
I thoroughly enjoy their prosciutto, Gorgonzola, and mozzarella pizza. It's a delicious combination. The salad is sort of plain and lacking in the dressing department, however the pine nuts are a nice touch. Our waiter was very attentive. He also helped me chose a wine to go with my pizza. I would definitely return.
My fiancee and I have been going to Il Radicchio for a long time. Last night, for the second time in a month, we were treated like trespassers by the new manager (please tell us he's not a new owner). I don't know who this guy is, but he yells at staff in front of customers and treats them like second-class citizens. He follows basic questions about wait times with snide remarks and looks at people waiting in line as if they're interrupting his day. He's uncouth, apparently has zero experience in the restaurant industry, and is generally a mean person. The staff looked helpless to intervene. They were run ragged because this nitwit can't run basic table sections. I hate to say it, but Il Radicchio may have lost two good friends. We left before he could figure out how to seat anyone standing with us in line.
If this new guy, who wears the same red jersey-like shirt every time we've seen him, is the new owner, than adios il radicchio, we don't like being treated like that. If he's just a manager, then I hope the owners read this review and others and fire this terrible person before he sinks their restaurant.
Not much to look at from the outside, has outside cafe-style tables if weather is not too humid! Inside reminds one of and old family place. Decent service, free bread was a little stale but good virgin olive oil & balsamic vineager to dip. Caprese [mozz cheese & tomato] was delicious...very fresh ingrediants and decent portion. Pizza, while not NY-style good, was excellent with very fresh everything. Very enjoyable pizza. Was a little pricey for the informal ambiance but perhaps the quaity and freshness of the food justified the higher cost. I'd go there again!!
Service was not good, esp. for mid-week at a neighborhood joint -- waited 5 minutes after we were seated for water when there were only about 7 other tables going; not told specials until prompted; bread didn't come until we had received our entrees; waitress was pushy when it came to placing our order. The food was passable -- my dining partner said "I just don't get 9$ for pasta I could have made for 50 cents at home without enough sauce" but my Caeser salad with grilled shrimp (3 of them) was fine and the dressing was very tangy. The tiramisu, ordered as an offering to my dining partner who was souring quickly on the place, did win it some points -- excellent.
The food is wonderful. The ravoli in pistachio cream sauce is outstanding and what we come back for. We have enjoyed in with both the lobster ravioli and the spinach/artichoke. The penne with chicken is also very good. My complaints have to do with the service. We have been several times and the service is very uneven. Only occasionally is it decent, the rest of the time we feel ignored. If it weren't for the excellent food, we would not return.
The service is HORRIBLE. If the waitstaff wasn't too busy talking to each other in the lobby they might notice that your glass might be empty or that you need a refill on the pasta. They could also try using a little personality. The food though, is what brings us back. One of the few places in the metro region you can actually get a decent Italian dish without taking a second mortgage out on your home. If you are not a people person, then you'll probably love Il Radicchio. The rest of us will just have to bear with the staff.
