Ristorante La Perla of Washington

It was New Year’s Eve. A sold-​out evening for Chef and his team at La Perla. My guest and I elected to sit at the bar. Even with all tables filled, the wait time for our food was minimal. Chef Testa gives special attention to each detail presented within the food creations. The atmosphere is welcoming, and I recommend it especially for special dinners and celebrations. Might I suggest the veal for your next visit… «Next» because you will go back again. Bön appetit!

We’ve loved this restaurant for years, dating back to when it used to be in McLean, VA. The menu has choices for every taste. We chose to have our New Year’s Eve dinner here and weren’t disappointed. I had the pappardelle del presidente — lobster, shrimp and crab over fettuccine in a champagne cream sauce and it was just delicious. My husband had one of the specials (patacca something) which involved veal, lobster, and shrimp over pasta in a lemon cream sauce and he loved it. There’s a nice selection of appetizers, and we had a few. The service was great — our server, Jose, was attentive without hovering.
It’s not inexpensive — it is DC, after all — but definitely worth it.

Christmas Eve was amature night at La Perla. The waitress could not get our order right and the food was just okay. Expected a lot more for the price. And. .. valet parking was manned by one person. Was crazy. Not what I would expect from a prominent restaurant like this one.

The place is definitely very touristically decorated and a bit kitschy… kind of like a Disney version of Italy (although not quite that bad).
However, the food was pretty on point. Standard Italian, nothing too crazy. No particular dish really stands out in memory, they were all vaguely well executed. There are other places I’d much rather go, but if you’re looking for Italian near the Kennedy Center pre– or post-​show, it’s a decent choice. It has the prices to go with the Kennedy Center crowd as well.
I’d give it 3.5 stars if I could.

Very good food the spaghetti à la carbonara was maybe the best I’ve had since leaving Italy. The Gelati was delicious as well

Pasta malafemmena was delicious on homemade noodles. Our server was very professional, attentive and gracious without being annoying. The ambiance is a bit on the tacky side and they could have better Italian bread. All said it is worth a try.

Been there twice. Once in 2011 and 2010 when I stayed at four seasons hotel in Georgetown. I still remember the food how great the food was even now. Also this place can be very romantic if you bring your girlfriend or wife. Very convenient if you are staying at four seasons hotel in Georgetown.

I had the fillet of sole
For my entrée — simple but excellent. Service was very good.

I’ve been coming to this establishment since my first visit to D.C. in 2010. I just had the pleasure of dining there this evening, and it was superb. Started with the antipasti misti, then the lasagna, and finished with the kiss of Napoli dessert. All three courses were excellent, and our lovely and charming server, Jenna, is a true professional. I can’t wait to come back!

Super kind staff! Our waiter took such great care of us. They are very not-​busy during the lunch times. Quiet atmosphere for great work-​meeting-​luncheons.
I had the bongole pasta. Delicious! (A tad bit too salty for me — but it’s fine). Would also recommend their salmon salad. The atmosphere was great, would return again for outside seating on a beautiful day.

I have had dinner and lunch here a number of times. I was not too sure what to think, but I feel I can give a pretty adequate review now.
The restaurant itself is very classy and the location is amazing. When you enter, you see certificates/​awards and pictures of celebrities/​politicians that have eaten here. The décor and atmosphere are both pretty nice.
The food is ok. I have never walked out loving my meal. First, the menu is HUGE! It is a bit overwhelming. I have tried a number of their pasta dishes. Their pastas do not taste like they are made in house and never taste authentic. Very ordinary. Pasta dishes lack flavor and depth. I don’t have a better way to describe the food.
The service is strange. The staff always smile and greet you politely. BUT they are very awkward most of the time.
First, You have to repeat what you say often for them to understand you. Whether it be a question or you placing your order, you just have to repeat. Maybe, it is my luck, but there is often a language barrier OR perhaps they are just not interested in what you have to say. This could very well be the case, as there have been occasions where I have had to remind them of what I had asked for. Multiple times.
Secondly, you feel like you are being stared at the whole time. It is not a place where you feel comfortable sitting for hours. I understand perhaps if they wanted to tend to their guests in a timely manner, and fulfill their requests without delay, but this is simple not the case here. They are not attentive, and at the same time they stare. You find yourself feeling like you are being looked at during the entire course of your meal. It is just uncomfortable.
La Perla gives an image of Italian food at it’s finest. In my opinion, it is simply not. Both food and service need attention. I would also suggest specializing and eliminating items off the menu.
I would only recommend going here if you are in the area and want a nice place to sit and have your meal. That is usually how I have ended up here.
They are local, so I wish them well and hope they pay serious attention to both their food and service.

This was delicious with impeccable service. It’s expensive, but totally worth it. I had the classic meat lasagna, beautifully made sauce and pasta cooked to perfection. You can probably skip the calamari as an appetizer. But I also tried the trout, and pesto pasta. All divine. The service was great. Kwame the host, is so polite and gracious. And it has a great location. It’s really worth your money. And the ladies restroom is gorgeous.

Ok. Found it to be pedestrian all around, was expecting more. Wine list by the glass was lacking, salads were standard, I got the sole, it was just ok. Maybe an off night?.

Absolutely the best. Enjoyed so much our dinner. True Italian experience. Our service was excellent. A bit pricey, but a true value. We had the snails and beef carpaccio as appetizers. Man the best carpaccio I have ever had. We had the seafood lasagna and broiled seafood. Both were excellent. Also received a warm greeting at the table from the chef. Such a wonderful evening in DC. Don’t miss this place, a true gem.

Food is excellent, great taste, Although the restaurant décor is not the greatest, the food is really good.
Prices are really high, but you won’t be disappointed for the great food.
Excellent option for an special occasion or when you want to have a great authentic Italian food.

This restaurant is a combination of classic Washington DC and your typical old school Italian restaurant. The menu is overwhelmingly long. The food was good, not great but the service was excellent. The only pastas that are made in-​house are the gnocchi, ravioli, and lasagna sheets. Any other pasta is not made fresh, it is imported. I had the seafood lasagna. It was pretty good, although I would not order it again because there are so many other things to choose from. It had very large pieces of seafood; in particular I remember huge pieces of scallops. I had a bite of the veal parmesan and it was tasty. I also had some of the grilled grouper which was overcooked and dry. The gnocchi with marinara was the highlight of the meal. Not sure if I will come back, too many other great places. *TIP — Valet for only $ 6.00*

La Perla declines from good to less than average.
We’ve visited La Perla several times over the last ten years but our most recent visit may be our last. Service and quality of food have declined radically.
Once known for outstanding service, I would graciously rate it now as «poor.» Staff is inattentive and slow. We had to ask three times for ground pepper. All the while, Chef Testa cruised around the restaurant like he was walking through the Matrix.
Once terrific dishes arrive at the table lukewarm, with toasted-​looked edges of pasta that’s been under a heat lamp too long back in the kitchen.
It’s my opinion that La Perla is dying a slow death through complacency. It’s a tired and boring restaurant despite a high-​priced menu.
Of note — it is now okay to dine at La Perla wearing ball caps and cargo shorts.

What an unexpected treat! Came into DC for business and a group of 4 went out on a Saturday night. Bad us we did not think to make reservations. Stopped at two places that were recommended to us but without reservations they would only seat us at the bar (despite on clearly having a plethora of empty tables). Notice La Perla and walked over expecting rejection again. The host was quite gracious, took a quick look around the dining room, and offered to squeeze us in. How lucky for us because we had a relaxed pleasant meal with excellent service and food!
We were amazed by the large variety of choices and the uniqueness of many of the items. Three of us started with Caesar salads that were crisp, tasty, and well dressed with a yummy garlicky traditional dressing. Two order the lobster ravioli and raved about is taste. I ordered the seafood lasagna which was loaded with fresh seafood, bubbling with melted cheese, and oozing with creamy goodness. Portions were more than adequate. Two of us has dessert enjoying key lime pie and this heavenly creation called Kiss Of Naples which was a perfect vanilla ice cream in a hard chocolate with warm chocolate sauce. The perfect dessert for this ice cream lover!
At the end of the meal the chef came over to speak with us — he was sweet and personable. The meal ended with complimentary limoncello drinks.
We LOVED this gem that we found by accident. I read other reviews were people complained about prices — our bill for four was slightly over $ 200 with salads, entrees, dessert, and two drinks a piece. That’s much less than we anticipated and is more than reasonable.
Thank you LaPerla for squeezing us in, not rushing us, and giving us a night to remember!

La Perla is grossly overpriced Italian food in a stuffy, geriatric atmosphere. If that appeals to you, by all means be my guest and have a ball. If you actually have your good senses then please go to any of a number of other good Italian restaurants in DC.
My friends and I had no problem getting a table on a Friday night (apparently everyone else got the message and stayed away). I ordered a lobster ravioli, which was just ok, but priced at $ 25 was simply highway robbery. My girlfriend ordered the gnocchi (priced at $ 19), which I’ll admit was not bad and thus saves La Perla from the dreaded one star review.
Simply because La Perla sits on the outskirts of Georgetown does not make this restaurant a destination and does not justify the exorbitant prices for mediocre Italian. Go elsewhere Unilocalers.

Wonderful food! We started with the mozzarella di bufula caprese which was delicious. The olive oil and seasoning went really well with it.
The white bread was very soft and chewy, but I try not to eat too many carbs when I’m going to have pasta in a few minutes. I had the spaghetti malafemmena and it was the perfect flavor of marinara, seafood, and capers. The portion was so large that I had to take some home. We tried the Riesling which was a bit heavy for my liking, but I don’t drink that much normally anyway.
My fiancé had the zuppa di pesce which he said was the best he has had. The scallops were super tender in it. Overall the portions were big and well worth the price.
We browsed the photos in the entryway when we were waiting for the valet. The chef had taken photos with his famous guests including Leonardo DiCaprio and Pierce Brosnan! Super cool! Then we turn around and the chef was standing right behind us and shook our hand! So awesome! We’re practically celebrities: P