Potenza Trattoria

Washington, DC, United States

3.3

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 202-638-4444
Website:
potenzadc.com
Address:
1430 H St NW, Washington, DC, DC, 20005
b/t N 15th St & N 14th St
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
560 ftMcPherson Square
920 ftBus 33
0.3 miParada del 30N o del 33 para ir al Hotel
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Bussiness info

Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Parking
Street
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes

Today

Today –
Local time (Washington, DC) 10:48 PM Friday, November 29, 2024

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday –
Wednesday –
Thursday –
Friday –
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Potenza, located in the landmark Woodward Building at 15th & H Streets, NW, serves a wide range of Italian fare with signature dishes including Tuscan bean soup with proscuitto, tomato oil & purple basil; a spicy duck sausage pizza with candied fennel. Potenza also features a bakery, which is responsible for making all the breads, pasta & desserts for the restaurant. Potenza offers an impressive list of Italian wine. Over 250 bottles are available with 17 wines by the glass & half glass, as well as 20 varieties available by the half bottle. Guests will experience lofty ceilings & an enormous floating bar which is separate from the 175-​seat restaurant. The interior is casually elegant with rustic, old world accents while the charming outdoor patio offers views of the Treasury Building and the Washington Monument.

History

Established in 2009.

Potenza is located at 1430 H Street, NW just a few blocks from the White House. Potenza is owned and operated by Stir Food Group, a moder eco-​gastro family of restaurants dedicated to providing pure and simple cuisine. Dramatic taste and style is what we love, as long as it’s served in a way that’s unpretentious and genuine. It’s a passion for all of these ingredients that makes our guests loyal.

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20 reviews of Potenza Trattoria

No registration required
Place rating: 4
West Windsor, NJ
Excellent calamari, delicately fried with underlying olive flavor; chicken ravioli was outstanding; tiramisu was very traditional, light and moist. Service was hip and friendly and helpful with recommendations. Would definitely return.
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
Also during Restaurant Week 2012, I hit up with the inimitable Samantha G. of Vegas on the fly one day after work (read: no open table points, oh well…). Can I just say it was great? Yes, it was! Seated at the bar, we originally only planned to take advantage of their happy hour specials. In the end, I ordered the salmon over wild rice risotto, tiramisu, and several glasses of wine. Wow. This spot is either closed now or closing soon. So you missed out.
Place rating: 1
Las Vegas, NV
Ugh. Talk about phoning it in. Unfortunately, this place has taken a major turn for the worse. Perhaps it is the impending closure?
Whatever the reason, my last experience here was horrible. Food, service, all of it horrible.
We were promptly seated, but then no one came by or even acknowledged us. After 20 minutes, I had to go back to the hostess stand and ask if we had been improperly seated or something. The hostess went and found a waitress who finally did come over, barely said «hi», offered no apology for the wait, filled our water glasses and left. The hostess then had to search her out again to get her to come back and take our order. This process continued all evening.
We ordered two of our regular favs — the pesto pork and the rigatoni. Did the chef quit or something? They neither looked nor tasted anything like previously. In fact, they were both barely edible. Both were completely lacking in flavor.
In sum, I was sorry to hear about this place closing and wanted one last meal here. I regret that I even bothered. Now my memories of Potenza will be forever tarnished.
Place rating: 5
Washington, DC
I’ve been back several times since I posted my original review and it’s always been great. My sister and I took my dad and step-​mom for dinner several months ago and they haven’t stopped raving since. And my fiancé proposed to me just a few blocks away in Lafayette Square after a delicious dinner here. I’m sad to hear that it may be closing — please say it ain’t so!
Place rating: 4
Sterling, VA
Potenza is a solid casual Italian place in the city that serves up some great food.
I like the interior layout and décor — it’s got a breezy, Tuscan-​ish feel to it, which I like. You can even sit at a table near the kitchen/​ovens and watch the pizzas get fired up. That brings me to my next point: the pizza. The pizzas here are oblong shaped, which is cool and a nice break from the traditional rounds and slices you get everywhere else. The quality of the dough is good, and it’s not too thick, not too thin. The styles and toppings are quite good and reflect real Italian taste combinations. Other dishes, such as the pastas and seafood, are very good as well, and my friends typically order those. Pricing is very reasonable for a midtown restaurant near the White House, so it’s great for patrons. Service is generally helpful and good, so no complaints there. Go check it out for a reliable Italian standby if you find yourself in the area.
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
The food was spectacular! I had the lamb pasta special which was terrific and then for dessert, my girlfriend couldn’t finish her chicken ravioli, so I finished it as well! Amazing! The calamari we had to start was also amazing!
My only, seriously, ONLY complaint, was our server, a nice woman named Amber, had our meals served but then we had to wait for the cracked pepper and Parmesan! She made up for it leaving a lump of some of the most amazing Parmesan ever! Will definitely go back!
Place rating: 2
Alexandria, VA
I will give Potenza 2 stars for two things — the wine list and the atmosphere/​décor.
About our experience:
First, let me say that if you walk into a so-​called Italian restaurant and the servers are wearing shirts that say ITALIA in huge letters — it is probably not an authentic Italian restaurant.
We started with the calamari as our appetizer. It was very greasy and did not have much flavor. For dinner, I ordered the Sopressata Pizza and my husband ordered the chicken ravioli. The pizza was so salty I couldn’t stand to eat more than two tiny little pieces. My husband found the ravioli to be OK but thought the portion size was very small.
We have had the opportunity to travel to Italy and eat real Italian food. Potenza offers very mediocre Italian food and the prices do not match the quality of the food. We will not be returning here.
Place rating: 4
Chicago, IL
Potenza is located just a block from my office, and is often my place of choice for a fancier lunch.
I’ve had the whole array of lunch foods offered at Potenza, and was actually most impressed with one of the vegetarian pizzas. However, I would also suggest any one of their pasta dishes. The pasta comes out perfectly al dente. Portion sizes are pretty big, so many lunch eaters end up taking something home (or falling asleep at their desk due to food coma later, which is what happens to me: P).
Please if they offer you a seat at the «chef table» take it. It’s basically a bar seating like arrangement where instead of facing a bar tender, you’re facing the chefs in the kitchen and watching them cook. It’s great to watch all the cool things they do, and watch them make your food! It’s like lunch and a show. I definitely recommend it!
Place rating: 3
Woodbridge, VA
Who doesn’t love Italian food? Potenza does it very well. The food gets FOUR stars from me, however, I’m giving a THREE star rating because of the lack of service.
While the waiter was very nice and great with recommendations, he was very busy and it took him a long time to get me my second glass of Lemon-​Basil lemonade, which is very refreshing and so yummy (so good I wanted another). It took him so long to bring it that I was pretty much done with my meal by the time I got it.
My friend and I got the calamari to start, which was great — breading was light & calamari perfectly cooked. For entrée, I ordered the Mezzelune con Pollo Affumicato, which is described as smoked chicken filled ravioli, tomato parmesean sauce, house-​made mozzarella and crispy celery leaves. The smokiness of the chicken was great — the dish was awesome. I would have preferred vodka sauce instead, but the waiter told me it couldn’t be substituted.
Overall, really good lunch, but quicker service would’ve made it even better.
Place rating: 3
Washington, DC
I came here on a first date and it was definitely a good choice. We got there earlier than our reservation time (7PM on a Thursday) and were able to be seated right away.
We were seated in one of those booths that are pictured on their website. Honestly, it was kind of awkward because the booth is very long. If you sit on either side, you are too far away from each other. We were basically sitting at the rounded corners of the table and still had to turn our heads or bodies to see each other.
We did the whole shebang here. Started with cocktails (mmm…bellini) and an appetizer. We got an Italian meat and cheese dish which was very large and great to share. It came with a variety of dipping sauces and accompaniments (I believe apricots?), which gave it some punch.
For dinner we shared a bottle of wine and had different entrees. I got
Mezzelune con Pollo Affumicato (I adore ravioli) but I would say it was only okay. I have more fun eating the ravioli I boil on my stove and cover in butter and parm, honestly, but I’m a picky eater.
For dessert we (read: I) had gelato, which of course was wonderful.
All in all a really pleasant experience and I’d definitely go back – I would just pick a different entrée next time.
PS: Make sure to take a trip to the bathroom – it’s very nice!
Place rating: 1
Clarksburg, MD
Heated up my leftovers yesterday in anticipation of a mid-​studying meal.
My first three bites of the remainders of the meat balls all included ground-​up bones! I was too disgusted to finish, and definitely pissed that such an expensive meal could be so poorly executed.
If I had discovered those bones while I was at the restaurant… they would have certainly gotten an earful.
This place has lost my business for good and I strongly recommend patrons go elsewhere if they’re in seek of quality Italian food.
Place rating: 3
Sonoma, CA
Had dinner here alone a few weeks ago. The staff was very friendly, and made me feel pretty welcome. I sat at the bar and had bolognese, which I thought was just «okay» (the noodles were homemade, which is great, but, too dense for me, and I like a heavier sauce than I got). They have a nice wine list, and I started with a glass of rose then switched to beer. They have Great Lakes beers on tap, which was a treat, a treat so nice that I proceeded to be the «solo drunk» at the bar reading my Kindle and talking to long distance friends on the phone.
I was surprised by one thing — they brag about the bakery here but they don’t give you bread with your meal. I thought that was really odd.
I’d try something different next time, but, a nice place regardless. They also have outdoor dining, and the bar wasn’t *too* packed on a weekend in the evening.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Have been here twice for lunch now.
In terms of starters, I have had the Arancini (fried risotto balls stuffed with cheese and boar sausage) and a special of Clams w/​prosciutto butter and breadcrumbs. The Arancini was ok, but I have had better at other places. The flavor was just a tad bland. The clams were excellent. They presentation was really innovative (bread board covered in salt, dotted with the baked clams). The clams were absolutely delicious, the
prosciutto butter gave them a savory meaty flavor.
For entrees, I have tried both the meatball and chicken parmesean paninis. What can I say? I love sandwiches. First off, panini is not quite the right word as they were not pressed, sandwich is perhaps more accurate. Second, both were very good. Good renditions of classic italian sandwiches. Meatballs were tasty, tender and just juicy enough. Chicken parm was sliced thin the way I like it, with a healthy amount of quality mozzarella and just the right amount of sauce. The bread was well toasted had a good density (important in a sandwich!) in both cases as well. Finally, the sandwiches come served with a good size helping of thin, crisp and DELICIOUS potato chips, lightly dusted with Parmesan.
I really like the décor of the place, not too flashy, but definitely not stuffy. Service was good, and one of the two visits, the waiter was extremely knowledgeable about the menu, and gave good recommendations. Speed of service was fast, just as I would hope in downtown for lunch.
Since I work right around the corner from this place, I anticipate many return trips. In future visits, I look forward to trying some of the delicious looking pastas and pizzas that my companions have enjoyed.
Place rating: 3
Austin, TX
Great ambiance and a spot accessible from many Downtown DC locales — our hotel included (hence our choice). The décor is pleasant, bar area is well-​designed, and the vibe is right (not too loud, not too quiet, just enough «action», and not too cramped).
Menu choices are varied enough to where you’ll have a difficult time deciding what you want to order. Not a tremendous number of choices for the vegetarian. The bread basket served early on is quite fantastic.
Cocktail, beer and wine menu aren’t anything to write home about, but just enough to please the palate. Cocktails are a bit pricey.
Service is average. It seemed they were understaffed and having a difficult time keeping with the night — and to be fair, it was quite crowded.
Potenza is ideal for a small-​ish group (4 – 6), but I wouldn’t recommend it for a group any larger. You’ll easily spend $ 40-​$ 50 a person here.
Place rating: 3
Silver Spring, MD
Enjoyed two meals here in the last month. Both were very good. Not blow your mind, «this place is awesome» good but solidly good. This last time I enjoyed the Zuppa di Funghi e Lenticchie (green lentils, cremini mushrooms, crispy baguette) and the Pizza alla Salsiccia Dolce
(fennel sausage, broccoli rabe, roasted garlic, ricotta salata). IMHO, Potenza is a little pricey for what it is — food that is good to very good and décor and style that is distinctly homey not fancy.
Place rating: 3
Houston, TX
Beautiful looking restaurant and bar. Came here with a large group and the service was deliberate yet inconsistent and knocks the ranking down from the generally good food. The waiter forgot my initial glass of water and then later my cider when serving drinks as he was wrapped up in serving samples of wines to my dinner companions in order to entice them to buy a bottle.
As for food, my manicotti and lentil soups were excellent and the manicotti was a bargain compared to the other selections on the menu. A general survey of the table revealed that the food was hit or miss. Gnocchi with lamb ragu sauce earned raves but the braised beef tortellini was derided. Same with the specials. The Tuesday special rack of lamb earned mediocre marks while another person enjoyed her scallop special.
Place rating: 3
Bethesda, MD
In my many years of participating in DC Restaurant Week, I had always gone out only for lunch. Call me cheap if you like, but I prefer pragmatic.
It took a bad workweek and a friend’s promise to treat to finally get me out for a RW dinner. Potenza is not a place I’d run back to, nor did I find the RW menu to be a fantastic deal, but overall I had a good meal. None of my dishes were above or below average. I had the calamari for starters (too big for one person — a very generous portion), the butternut squash gnocchi with ragu (not as flavorful as I expected) and the canoli (did not care for the fruit pieces in the cream).
Service was very good (our waitress was friendly and knowledgeable and my water glass was never empty), as was the bread basket.
The noise level in the restaurant is very high, so this is certainly not an idea romantic date night pick.
But they get bonus points in my book for having a large restroom and each stall having a European style lock which indicates whether the stall is vacant or occupied, and for also having a coat check right at the hostess stand.
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
I went here for restaurant week with my sister (you can choose from the entire menu). Ended up spending $ 80 anyway… on lunch. This was mostly our fault, we each got cocktails (which were good) and my sister wanted to try the «truffle cauliflower» (which was bad).
The carpaccio and the mussels were very good. The entrees, veal and monkfish, were a little too aggressively salted. I feel bloated just talking about it now.
Regardless, this is my favorite upscale italian restaurant. Sometimes you just get tired of the crap at Olive Garden, the ridiculous portions at Maggiano’s, and the strange cheese smell everywhere else.
Place rating: 3
Philadelphia, PA
A 3.5. I’m a fan of Potenza. Its one of my go-​to business lunch spots. Its a casual, quality, sit-​down meal in downtown DC. I take clients here when I dont want to over-​spend but I do want to offer a bustling DC-​scene. It also has a pretty good happy hour scene.
Is it the best italian food I’ve ever had? Certainly not. But the pasta dishes are creative and reliable. The rissoto balls with boars sausage and provolone are a good starter.
I havent tried the gilato/​bakery but it is worth noting that there is a «sweets» store attached to the restaurant.
Place rating: 5
Zürich, Switzerland
I give 5 stars regardless my disappointment on bombolini.
Freshly baked bread and affortable price and tasty italian sweets.
–Breakfast pizza: What a deal. Freshly baked about 12″ thin crust pizza LOADED with proscuitto, fresh mozzarella cheese and 3 JUMBO organic eggs and arugula. My kind of pizza to start a day!
–Bombolini: not a donut. more like freshly baked sweet soft-​bun:)
–Complimentary basket of bread: Refilled. a few different kinds of bread with breadstick. Two thumbs up.
–Dessert: You can get all from the bakery to-​go if you are full.
* Canoli: VERY GOOD. only $ 2, Must try.
* Crème horn: Must try, if you like silky butter crème (have you tried italian butter cream? not thick frosting you see on most cupcakes). Very good. $ 2
** Bar offers VERY ‘Recession proof’ price (see menu in Photos) food from 4pm till closing. Drinks are around $ 9 but made of top-​shelf liquor. Feel like getting off work early to head over to Potenza? Me too!