7. Da Mimmo

One word...HORRIBLE!!!
It started off good...free parking. But that was the one and only highlight of this "fine" dining experience. When we walked in....at 6pm....there was only one other couple dining. That should have sent up the red flags right away. But NO...we forged ahead....having been told that this is the place to go for great Italian. Our waiter was very pompous and arrogant and absolutely had no personality or likability. In fact...he seemed disgruntled for having to wait on us at all. They only sell wine by the half or full bottle. Well that doesn't work for the DD who would like to have ONE glass of wine w/ dinner. So no wine for the hubby. So on to the half bottles for me....the selection is horrible. If all you can offer is some over priced below average half bottles of wine....then just forget it...you might as well sell it by the glass. We ordered the salad special.....salad was fresh and looked appealing...but the dressing was tasteless and bland. But little did we know...that would be the highlight of our meal! Sadly we weren't allowed to finish it because we were immediately served the entree course. I wanted homemade pasta...waiter recommended the Tortellini w/ the roasted red pepper sauce. I like al dente noodles....but these weren't even cooked. And the taste...the sauce tasted more like a gravy you would serve w/ turkey at Thanksgiving then a sauce appropriate to be served over homemade pasta. My spouse took one bite and apologized to me and offered up his entree. His wasn't much better. His red sauce had a burned taste and odor....and the quality of the tomato products they use....sub par.....I use San Marzano at home....theirs were more like Giant generic brand. I was quite perplexed at the sliced American cheese they melted over the top of his chicken?! REALLY? You have got to be kidding! Sliced American cheese is not considered fine dining. Oh and the "fresh" Parmesan cheese....yeah....not freshly grated....try OUT OF A JAR! I am no chef...but I NEVER serve Parmesan cheese out of a jar at my home. The waiter didn't check back to see if we liked dinner....nor did he ask how we liked it when he came back for our full plates. And NO...we don't complain at restaurants....if my plate came out bad to begin with.....I don't want it back after they have had the opportunity to "fix" (or spit in) it! We just don't come back. So I guess by now...we should have known to forgo dessert....but hey....who can really screw up dessert? They can! Tiramisu....bland and tasteless. And with the dessert....they brought the check! No checking back to see if we liked dessert.....or wanted coffee or an after diner aperitif....just the bill. Were they trying to force us out quickly? We were the only couple seated in the entire dining room! Wasn't like they needed our corner dining table! I can't believe this restaurant has as many awards as it does. Everything was HORRIBLE! If you are thinking of dining here....DON'T DO IT! Go to Filomena's in Georgetown....now that is some good quality Italian! Oh and when you burn pasta sauce....THROW IT OUT....DON'T serve it! A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT and not worth the calories and huge expense.

Would not go there again! Food was good but way overpriced (should be shown as $$$$) I am not one to eat at budget restaurants and will pay well for superb food with superb service in a place with great atmoshere. This place provided none of that. Server had haughty, snobbish attitude. Did not want to sell wine by the glass, only by bottle. We deferred. Then, during our meal, he brought us what we thought was a complimentary glass of wine-only to be charged $9 per glass on bill! What a short-sighted way to turn-off potential repeat customers!

I would not reccomend this restaurant. Food is extremely over priced. Garlic bread is $8.00 an order. All of our entrees were $45.00 or more...