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DeCarlo's Restaurant, Washington, DC

DeCarlo's Restaurant

4.8 (640)
$31 to $50
Italian
4000 Cathedral Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 2 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
Lucy DeCarlo created DeCarlo’s Restaurant 40 years ago bringing the warmth and love of the Italian tradition to her restaurant. DeCarlo’s aims to be your home away from home and is a wonderful retreat from the demands of the city!

DeCarlo’s Italian Restaurant is the ultimate expression of a charming neighborhood restaurant! It is considered a local secret, where you can almost always hear Sinatra or Bocelli playing in the background. DeCarlo’s represents a dining experience where you can relax, talk, and enjoy a wonderful meal. The ambiance is a timeless feel of elegance – yet casual. DeCarlo’s is devoted to providing you personal attention with the highest standards of quality.

Join us in the main dinning room, Terrace Room, or alfresco on our patio. DeCarlo’s is the perfect setting to join friends and family. The menu features a diverse selection of Italian favorites and daily specials. DeCarlo’s feeds the body and soul!

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, American
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Daily 11:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Melvin Orellana
  • Catering
    We offer a variety of menus for on-property and off-property catering events! Please contact Susan DeCarlo at decarlosrestaurant@outlook.com.
  • Private party facilities
    DeCarlo’s Restaurant would be honored to host your next event! We offer private and semi-private spaces for up to 50 guests. Working with our team, you’ll be able to help create a memorable experience for family, friends and/or coworkers to enjoy. Buon cibo, buon vino & buoni amici!
  • Neighborhood
    Tenleytown
  • Cross street
    In The Westchester Building. Third Entrance on Right. Flag Pole in front.
  • Parking details
    Off-Street Parking <br />Complimentary Garage Parking
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine

What 640 people are saying

DeCarlo's Restaurant reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
DeCarlo's Restaurant offers a nostalgic 1930s ambiance with "old world charm" and well-spaced tables for engaging conversations. The "new menu is great," delivering "delicious food" consistently, complemented by "polite and efficient" service. It's a "go to place" with "excellent food" and "quiet atmosphere," perfect for intimate dining experiences.
640 Reviews
  1. Joanna

    Washington DC10 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 25, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    DeCarlo’s continues to delight diners with its 1930s interior that makes it a pleasant change from modern restaurant devoid of the acoustical trappings that make conversation barely possible. The renowned breadsticks are no longer gratis. Too bad, because they would have been a nice compensation for our accommodation of being waited on by a very sweet waiter in training and other delays before our food was served. As with old standbys, meals are not what they once were. An arugula salad lacked punctuation and the chicken piccata could just as easily been cooked in my toaster oven. However, management is as hospitable as it has always been, allowing one in our party to redirect the menu by having the risotto side for a main course with shrimp added, all a a reasonable expense. Although we skipped dessert we, were rewarded with a joyful parting exchange with longtime owner, Lucy DeCarlo. A memorable time was had by all on this holiday weekend! We look forward to our next visit.

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  2. Sundance

    Washington DC1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is a gem - really nice ambience, delicious food, quiet and engaging space. Highly recommend.

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  3. Seth VIP

    Washington DC38 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 21, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Bravo! Our server was so polite and efficient. And he remembered me from the "Yuna Street Days" of DeCarlo's! Keep it up!

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  4. Byron VIP

    Washington DC19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    I have a standing reservation every Tuesday evening. I really enjoy the new menu, the chef has outdone herself.

    Is this helpful?

  5. bridget VIP

    Philadelphia County26 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Kate was an excellent waitress. Enjoyed her service.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Byron VIP

    Washington DC19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The new menu is really great. I am slowly ordering each dish and it doesn't disappoint. We have a standing reservation there every Tuesday evening.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Judith

    Washington DC11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 20, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Gracious dining room, friendly wait staff, good food, and reasonable prices. Definitely a great value.

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  8. Byron VIP

    Washington DC19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is my go to place to dine. I really like the new menu. It's always a good experience.

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  9. Charles VIP

    Washington DC11 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 7, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    A mixed experience. Nice ambience, attentive and pleasant owner, but the food and service were disappointing. The surly waiter -- he's always that way, I was told -- failed to deliver my grilled shrimp salad with the dressing on the side, despite my asking him twice for it that way. They did promptly remove and replace the dish with a correct version. Two pieces of shrimp had sections of hard, inedible shell on them, and two pieces of bread were stale. Overall, an okay experience, but I'll consider the place a convenience (I live in the building) rather than a go-to destination.

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  10. Byron VIP

    Washington DC19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We alway have a great experience here. The new menu is great.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

DeCarlo's Restaurant does offer delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. DeCarlo's Restaurant also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (202) 363-4220.

DeCarlo's Restaurant is rated 4.8 stars by 640 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Washington, D.C. Area
  4. District of Columbia
  5. Tenleytown

Make a reservation


Booked 2 times today
Google Map for DeCarlo's Restaurant

4000 Cathedral Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016

Additional information

  • Cross street
    In The Westchester Building. Third Entrance on Right. Flag Pole in front.
  • Neighborhood
    Tenleytown
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Daily 11:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, American
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Off-Street Parking <br />Complimentary Garage Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Melvin Orellana
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    We offer a variety of menus for on-property and off-property catering events! Please contact Susan DeCarlo at decarlosrestaurant@outlook.com.
  • Private party facilities
    DeCarlo’s Restaurant would be honored to host your next event! We offer private and semi-private spaces for up to 50 guests. Working with our team, you’ll be able to help create a memorable experience for family, friends and/or coworkers to enjoy. Buon cibo, buon vino & buoni amici!
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