We had a great experience here. We dined early, as we had evening plans, and the service was excellent. Although the weather was warm for October, we chose to eat inside as friends had warned us about insects on the patio. Our server was friendly and informative. My spinach ravioli tasted homemade, and was quite rich. My partner's seafood linguine had lots of seafood among the noodles, and the marinara sauce was an excellent choice.
Edward H
A very disappointing experience. The food is not Italian, it is horrible. The service is poor. We ordered wine, they served us an open bottle that clearly was not the wine we ordered. Then the bill came and it was doubled. This is a rip off joint masquerading as a neighborhood restaurant. In other words, a rip off. Stay clear.
MichaelE598
Family owned: excellent food, service at a reasonable price. Skip the high priced central DC foo-foo Italian spots. Travel 10-15min up Connecticut Ave to this neighborhood gem. Traditional Italian pasta, chicken and veal dishes all outstanding. And in nice weather, enjoy dining al fresco on the patio.
Eric G
My wife, cousins, and I had a very nice relaxing brunch (after a Rock Creek Park hike) on Lillies' covered porch on a morning when storms were threatening. The location was great, and accessible by Metro and car-share. The brunch menu had lots of choices, and flexible options for a vegan diet. I really enjoyed their salad, which was adorned with artichoke and palm hearts, and I had a delicious bagel with a sun dried tomato spread.
Maria C
My sisters and I were walking from the National zoo looking for a restaurant we could have a nice lunch. We came across Lilies and sat inside. Immediately we were taken by its wonderful decor, with fresh yellow rose bud on table. Service was prompt, very friendly and attentive. The food was outstanding. So much better than any average Italian restaurant!!! I will be back again next visit to DC.
Susan G.
Food was good but the service was poor and, oddly, kind of hostile. On a Saturday night, there was a single server who ignored us, had a bad attitude, and made us feel unwelcome. The kitchen closed at 9, at which time he unceremoniously brought us our bill and a couple of minutes. later turned up the lights and shooed everyone out. I won't go back, but for future reference, LiLLiES, it's nit a bad idea to give patrons a heads up that the kitchen is about to close so they have a chance to order coffee and finish their meal comfortably. Such a weird experience.
C C.
Very nice. A nice place for a date night and the service is top notch! I will return!
Evan G.
Grabbed a outdoor side table with the grandparents and baby on a busy warm weekend day. It was a perfect spot for a lazy afternoon. The calamari were well fried and crispy and the hummus was surprisingly flavorful with some nice pita. They are big on Hendricks gin and had a lot of options for those who fancy a refreshing alcoholic drink while relaxing and chatting.
Gavin R.
Nice people, nice ambiance and a nice meal ... Worth checking out, if you're in the area and in the mood for some Italian.
Erica S.
Had a great experience! We sat inside since the mosquitos were out in full force this night but it was a lovely experience. We enjoyed the seafood ravioli and gnocchi as well as some wine from the happy hour menu. They have specials almost every night of the week.
Neighborhood spot with classic Italian cuisine. Small bar area. Staff is very friendly and prices are reasonable. Unfortunately the food is pretty mediocre. Overcooked and under seasoned veggies, overcooked pasta (nothing resembling al dente) and generally lacking flavor.
Adam G.
We had a reservation for brunch on the patio. We walked inside, saw one table occupied indoors, and saw the server. She said if we wanted the patio she could not serve us since she was the only server, so we left. If the restaurant is that small, not busy, and you want to accommodate reservations on OpenTable that can specify outdoors, you should take customers where you can get it. You can also see the entire patio from inside the main restaurant to keep an eye on things.
Whitney D.
Great place for brunch. Friendly staff. The mimosas were great too. We all enjoyed ourselves.
Honestyrule1
Both of our meals were well above average. Service was very good and the restaurant was busy. Full bar and great desert menu.
Maria L.
Escaping the mosquitos and running into this cute Italian spot was a great decision. Happy hour all day on Tuesday?! ALL DAY. Count me in. Oh wait, I work on Tuesdays...! (Be responsible...) Marvelous choices for happy hour for apps and drinks. Our dishes were smashing! Bruschetta-- it does have olives. I'm not a fan of olives but this tasted really good. I could barely taste them! Lobster ravioli with some shrimp. Oh Yes, count me in. Like I said in another post-- give me all the carbs! My friend had the house white and the gnocchi with sausage. I had a bite or two as well. I love this food! We order the brownie and icecream too. Honestly, I'm more of a carb freak but this was fairly good. Gooey and rich! Come check this place out- it's close to the zoo!
We had a great experience here. We dined early, as we had evening plans, and the service was excellent. Although the weather was warm for October, we chose to eat inside as friends had warned us about insects on the patio. Our server was friendly and informative. My spinach ravioli tasted homemade, and was quite rich. My partner's seafood linguine had lots of seafood among the noodles, and the marinara sauce was an excellent choice.
A very disappointing experience. The food is not Italian, it is horrible. The service is poor. We ordered wine, they served us an open bottle that clearly was not the wine we ordered. Then the bill came and it was doubled. This is a rip off joint masquerading as a neighborhood restaurant. In other words, a rip off. Stay clear.
Family owned: excellent food, service at a reasonable price. Skip the high priced central DC foo-foo Italian spots. Travel 10-15min up Connecticut Ave to this neighborhood gem. Traditional Italian pasta, chicken and veal dishes all outstanding. And in nice weather, enjoy dining al fresco on the patio.
My wife, cousins, and I had a very nice relaxing brunch (after a Rock Creek Park hike) on Lillies' covered porch on a morning when storms were threatening. The location was great, and accessible by Metro and car-share. The brunch menu had lots of choices, and flexible options for a vegan diet. I really enjoyed their salad, which was adorned with artichoke and palm hearts, and I had a delicious bagel with a sun dried tomato spread.
My sisters and I were walking from the National zoo looking for a restaurant we could have a nice lunch. We came across Lilies and sat inside. Immediately we were taken by its wonderful decor, with fresh yellow rose bud on table. Service was prompt, very friendly and attentive. The food was outstanding. So much better than any average Italian restaurant!!! I will be back again next visit to DC.
Food was good but the service was poor and, oddly, kind of hostile. On a Saturday night, there was a single server who ignored us, had a bad attitude, and made us feel unwelcome. The kitchen closed at 9, at which time he unceremoniously brought us our bill and a couple of minutes. later turned up the lights and shooed everyone out. I won't go back, but for future reference, LiLLiES, it's nit a bad idea to give patrons a heads up that the kitchen is about to close so they have a chance to order coffee and finish their meal comfortably. Such a weird experience.
Very nice. A nice place for a date night and the service is top notch! I will return!
Grabbed a outdoor side table with the grandparents and baby on a busy warm weekend day. It was a perfect spot for a lazy afternoon. The calamari were well fried and crispy and the hummus was surprisingly flavorful with some nice pita. They are big on Hendricks gin and had a lot of options for those who fancy a refreshing alcoholic drink while relaxing and chatting.
Nice people, nice ambiance and a nice meal ... Worth checking out, if you're in the area and in the mood for some Italian.
Had a great experience! We sat inside since the mosquitos were out in full force this night but it was a lovely experience. We enjoyed the seafood ravioli and gnocchi as well as some wine from the happy hour menu. They have specials almost every night of the week.
Restaurantji Recommends
Neighborhood spot with classic Italian cuisine. Small bar area. Staff is very friendly and prices are reasonable. Unfortunately the food is pretty mediocre. Overcooked and under seasoned veggies, overcooked pasta (nothing resembling al dente) and generally lacking flavor.
We had a reservation for brunch on the patio. We walked inside, saw one table occupied indoors, and saw the server. She said if we wanted the patio she could not serve us since she was the only server, so we left. If the restaurant is that small, not busy, and you want to accommodate reservations on OpenTable that can specify outdoors, you should take customers where you can get it. You can also see the entire patio from inside the main restaurant to keep an eye on things.
Great place for brunch. Friendly staff. The mimosas were great too. We all enjoyed ourselves.
Both of our meals were well above average. Service was very good and the restaurant was busy. Full bar and great desert menu.
Escaping the mosquitos and running into this cute Italian spot was a great decision. Happy hour all day on Tuesday?! ALL DAY. Count me in. Oh wait, I work on Tuesdays...! (Be responsible...) Marvelous choices for happy hour for apps and drinks. Our dishes were smashing! Bruschetta-- it does have olives. I'm not a fan of olives but this tasted really good. I could barely taste them! Lobster ravioli with some shrimp. Oh Yes, count me in. Like I said in another post-- give me all the carbs! My friend had the house white and the gnocchi with sausage. I had a bite or two as well. I love this food! We order the brownie and icecream too. Honestly, I'm more of a carb freak but this was fairly good. Gooey and rich! Come check this place out- it's close to the zoo!