Aggio
614 Water St, Baltimore, MD, 21202
Aggio Menu
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Address :
614 Water St
Baltimore, MD, 21202 - Phone (410) 528-0200
- Website https://www.volt-aggio.com/baltimore.html
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :Closed
- Mon : Closed
Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Upscale
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Frank D.
One of the best meals I've had in Baltimore. To keep this short: The cocktails and pasta were the weakest parts of the meal by far. This doesn't mean they were bad by any means, it just means that everything else was that good! The great food: -the olive bread and 2 spreads they serve before your meal -the caeser salad with oyster croutons & the beet salad were great apps - the pork loin was some of the best pork loin I have ever had -great wines to choose from - the chocolate dessert was one of the best desserts I have had. We ordered two it was that good. -the service was impeccable. This is definitely a great date night or special occasion spot if you need a change up from the prime rib or similar spots. I highly recommend it.
(4)Dawn G.
I agree with the reviews that described the experience as "meh." We were there for the first time last night for dinner. As for the service, it just fell short of what one would expect from a high end restaurant (e.g., we waited nearly a half hour after being seated before someone took our drink order and at the end of our meal when my husband went to give the ticket to the valet and when the male server went to get my coat, he just handed it to me when I expected him to hold it open for me to help getting it on -- insignificant but something you'd expect at a high end restaurant). However, our server(s) (it was tough to tell who was waiting on us) were relatively attentive, particularly with keeping our water glasses full, so I wouldn't say the service was terrible. Overall, the service was fine -- just not "excellent" like at the level of a fine dining restaurant. As for the interior/decor, I will say we were impressed. I liked the gray walls with the white upholstered chairs. It felt elegantly simple. We also agreed the movie being projected on the wall in the bar was pretty cool. However, given that the interior has a sort of L shape, you wouldn't think the place was actually nearly full from the outside. The tables in the bar area were empty while the back was full. Now for the food: unfortunately, nothing was impressive. For appetizers, my husband had the scallops and I had the warm mushroom salad. The salad lacked much flavor and the taste of the mushrooms was overpowered by the dressing that wasn't very good. The scallops dish seemed disjointed - there was sweet mixed with the salty pork but the flavors just didn't come together. I got the lasagna for my main entree, and it was terrible. I've had better microwave lasagna. The ground lamb seemed like it was (over)cooked separately and then added to the lasagna. It had the texture of pebbles. The sauce had zero flavor while the pasta noodles were undercooked. The top was burnt--it was like it was previously cooked and just reheated. My husband's rabbit tagliatelle was okay--just really salty. In fact, much of the food we had tasted over salted. Finally, for the dessert, we shared the affogato. Here's what that was: ice cream with hot espresso poured over it. Yes. It ended up being melted ice cream, and who wants soupy ice cream?? We just laughed and tried to eat what we could before it was completely soup. They brought out Nutella macaroons at the end, but those tasted like they were purchased commercially and pulled out of a freezer. The texture was far too crunchy for a macaroon. The best part of the meal was the warm focaccia bread that was brought out prior to our appetizers. In short, I doubt we'll be back. It's too bad because we were excited about this place opening.
(2)Blaine H.
4.5 Stars - I'll round up because I'd like to see more nice restaurants stick around in Baltimore. The food was great - highlights were the Lasagna, Oxtail Ragu (interesting use of celery flavor throughout the dish - people will love it or hate it), and the Meatballs. The service was very attentive, our waitress was eager to answer questions and the sommelier was very friendly and added some interesting conversation as he served our bottle. One hiccup occurred when the servers brought us our neighbors order, but that was quickly corrected and is to be expected on the second night open. The main reason for the 4.5 star is the unfinished look of the back section of the space, where we were seated...the majority of the restaurant seemed well put together (although a little dark), but we were seated in the back corner, and couldn't help but notice the popcorn, cardboard looking ceiling tiles and exposed support poles that seemed to be hurriedly painted. Not a huge deal for me, but when you're spending a good amount on a dinner you'd expect the space to match the service/food. After dinner, a must-try is the Beet Sambuca, interesting and delicious.
(5)Ellen L.
small portion, pricy food, tasty but not WOW~
(3)Karen B.
Great new choice in Baltimore. Food and service wonderful but ambience is just OK. They need to make upstairs more appropriate for price point.
(4)Maggi R.
"A Grand Birthday Celebration!" As my husband was approaching his 70th birthday a few months ago, I suggested that we celebrate this milestone at Bryan Voltaggio's new restaurant; soon to open in Baltimore. So, we waited for it to open, and on Thursday, July 3 we enjoyed a memorable dinner courtesy of Bryan and his [already accomplished] staff. The décor of this new restaurant is stunning - simple, yet elegant. We were seated in the right, rear of the dining room - which proved to be about as perfect a place to sit and quietly enjoy a romantic dinner. My husband ordered one of Aggio's signature cocktails, The King of Cool - expertly crafted by Dane Nakamura. With the knowledgeable assistance of Keith Goldston, the sommelier, we at first tasted, and then selected, a bottle of Pinot Bianco from the Alto Adige region of Italy. In addition to bread sticks on the table, we were served Parmesan funnel cakes, and some yummy homemade bread accompanied by whipped ricotta and whipped mortadella. My husband and I shared the Tuna Crudo appetizer, which was excellent! For our main courses, I had the Strozzapreti with oxtail ragu, pine nuts, celery, cara cara orange, and bitter chocolate. My husband had the Chatham Cod with faro al vino rosso, fennel, and leeks grilled over hickory wood. Both dishes were delicious! And, I cannot say enough kind things about the wait staff: Devin, our waiter, and his assistant, Dorian, attended to our every need. Unobtrusive and efficient, they made the whole experience very enjoyable. And, a big plus in our book for this upscale restaurant: the wait staff were appropriately dressed - coat and tie and no blue jeans! One of the managers, Dave, came by our table to introduce himself. In short - we were treated like royalty! At the end of our fantastic experience, we were able to tell Bryan directly how much we enjoyed our meals, and how grateful we were to him and his staff. This restaurant is a great addition to the Baltimore dining scene!
(5)N A.
I must say that after having dined at Volt (general menu and chefs table) we had really high expectations for Aggio, as all of our other restaurant experiences use Volt as our basis for comparison. With that being said, we were sorely disappointed. I thought the decor was simple, but the location probably is a deterrent for some. The service was not spectacular by any means, was definitely expecting a wait staff that was a little more refined. The bartenders were wearing ill-fitting jeans. To start off we got the tuna crudo, which was amazing and highly recommended, as well as the Caesar salad. For our entrees we chose the pork which didn't blow us away, but was still decent. Also ordered the blue crab squid ink pasta dish which was terribly bland, to put it mildly. Throughout dinner we were expecting bread service, as there were bread plates and knives, but we never received it. When we finally got our bill we noticed that there had been a ring-in for bread service. We asked our waiter what that was about since we never received it and he responded something to the effect of "that was supposed to be through the kitchen"......uhhh, ok. My overall impression was that it seemed to be the generic version of Volt- no bells, whistles, or refinement- that was thrown together to please a higher volume of people. Can't say we will be making any plans to return, nor will it be the ruler against which all other restaurants will be measured.
(2)Thomasin F.
The food here is outstanding. My husband and I particularly enjoyed the pastas. Make sure you get a couple of those to share!
(5)michael k.
Having heard so many great reviews of Bryan Voltaggio's restaurants, I was excited that he had just opened in Baltimore. Four of us went on Saturday evening. The restaurant is quite beautiful and elegant. The service was uneven, but I understand they had only been open a week, so I will reserve judgment in that area. While I hate restaurants which serve huge portions, Aggio goes to the other extreme. Even the entrees were appetizer size and way overpriced for what you got. However, everything was well prepared and tasty. The lasagna appetizer was wonderful. The wine pours were skimpy. On the way out, we were asked how we enjoyed the meal, and the comment was made that we now need to find a place for dinner. Sadly, I probably won't be back, and quite frankly I am not sure it will survive in Baltimore. I hope I am wrong, and they beef up the portions enough that you don't have to eat a loaf of bread to feel full and satisfied.
(3)Halley M.
Best Dining Experience of the Year -- Here tonight for Restaurant week, and this has to be the best dining experience I've had this year, even considering my visit to the Inn at Little Washington 4 weeks ago (more on that in a separate review). Aggio is everything I want in a restaurant: fresh, inventive cuisine, warm; attentive, but not obsequious service; a casual/hip restaurant design suitable for coming off the street in jeans after a museum visit. Highlights: the charred octopus, the citrus infused liquor they make on premise (try a flight), the service. When my friend didn't like the modernist take on her prawn dish, both our server and the manager came out to personally hear her likes/dislikes and then promptly comped us another dish. We felt heard, rather than condescended to, which is too often the experience in high end dining. We came up here from DC and I'm already trying to figure out how I can get back. (Wait, I may not have to, there's Range in Friendship Hghts). There are great chefs and there are great restauranteurs. Bryan Voltaggion imho is both.
(5)Lisa S.
The food here was fantastic! As other reviewers pointed out, the bread was superb. My group of five all ordered different dishes off the a la carte menu, and nobody was disappointed! The service was impeccable....I know some people complained that it was slow. It isn't slow- you are dining, not racing to get out the door! Tip: The back part of the restaurant has a slightly better ambiance than the front. My only complaint: After a lot of Thanksgiving eating, nobody was up for the entire six course menu. At Volt, they were more flexible about letting us order some of these dishes. However, at Aggio, we couldn't, which was a little disappointing because some of them looked delicious!!
(4)Hayley H.
Perfection We went for restaurant week, which was a great chance to try out a bunch of dishes and wines. I have been to lots of nice places for restaurant week, and you sometimes feel as if they are annoyed you are there for restaurant week and not for the regular priced menu. We did not feel that here. We got the wine pairing which was so lovely and the sommelier came and spoke about each wine and why he chose it for us which was interesting. The parmesan funnel cake was outstanding and the corn pasta was to die for. The service was impeccable. They time everything so well, the waitstaff is so on top of everything, and they really pay attention to details. My husband asked the sommelier if he could recommend any wines for us for our upcoming honeymoon in Europe. He took the time to sit down and write down some wines to try in each of our destinations. He then sent over a free dessert that they wrote "happy honeymoon" on. Which was beyond thoughtful and sweet (no pun intended). We would definitely go back, restaurant week or not. Its a great place for a special occasio.
(5)Scott M.
Aggio promises to be a top restaurant within Baltimore in the future. However, it's execution through service will keep this restaurant from becoming one of the best. Upon arrival early for an 8:30 reservation, we were asked to wait at the high tops until are table was ready. There was no interaction with anyone from the restaurant to see if we would like a cocktail or glass of wine prior to dinner. We moved to the bar upon a spot opening up. The bartender obviously overwhelmed had difficulty in keeping up with orders from the bar and staff. Eventually after 20 minutes, we were offered a menu. We were seated at 9:00 and were told the wait was due to silverware not being available at this time. Upon being guided to our table, we were left alone by our hostess in the middle of the restaurant as evidently our table still was not available. After waiting in the middle of the restaurant for several minutes, we were eventually guided by the manager to our table. Upon sitting, we were finally greeted by our server after another 10 minutes. We quickly ordered the Prix Fixe with Wine Pairing. The pacing of the meal was horrible with courses randomly coming out. The gap between the first and second course was around 30 minutes. However, the gap between the second and third course was immediate. In addition, no wine pairing was ever served immediately with our meal. Each wine either came after our meal or well before the next course. The food and wine was excellent. However, there seems to be distinct lack of communication and/or execution that is necessary of a top restaurant. We informed the manager of our concerns and he noted them. We will not be attending in the future, nor will recommend this restaurant for business until this staff can generate a change in presentation.
(2)James C.
Completely flawless meal as judged by a harsh critic. From the moment I walked in the door everything was exactly right. Great drinks, service, food, wine, and all the little extras. I'm a little drunk and running out of superlatives. Just book a table.
(5)Margaret N.
Pretty fancy Italian restaurant hidden behind power plant. Very friendly service and yummy food! I started with the octopus-nicely prepared! And my friend had the Caesar salad (love how they used fried oysters as croutons). I was pretty disappointed in the bland Rosemary bread and tasteless savory funnel cake they served us. For my main course, I opted for the scallops. Perfectly plump, seasoned and prepared. Loved loved loved the risotto underneath- cooked al-dente, just how it should be! My friend liked her chicken too, they were generous in portion! For a full recap and pictures, check out my blog: PolishednRetro.com
(5)A. C.
(7/25/2015) We came here for Restaurant Week. Usually most menus are dumbed down or cheapened for RW, but we had plenty of choices and felt well taken care of at Aggio. This menu is contemporary Italian. The Caesar Salad we had previously tried at the HOME book signing at Family Meal. We had enough people to try everything they offered off the RW menu. Seasonal ingredients were fresh, green and yellow wax beans in a simple gratin, pencil-thin green and white asparagus, charred broccoli rabe, crushed fava beans, all bright, vibrant. Best of the antipasti was the Octopus, a 5-inch and thick tentacle on fregula with smoked raisin and lemony agrumato; was somewhat chewy, but well-seasoned with a light char. The well-described (in other publications) Tonnarelli Nero (squid ink pasta with crab meat and uni) seemed overwhelmingly fishy in smell and flavor to me, but I've also never been a fan of uni (reminds me of urea). Favorite Primi hands down was the Cappellacci with Cherry Glen Farm goat cheese, Eastern Shore sweet corn, summer truffle; plump, bursting with cheese and fresh, light, earthy summer flavors. Least successful was the Lumache with lamb ragu; was heavy and we found the tomato sauce unremarkable. The Creste de Gallo with chicken sausage and hen of the woods mushrooms was savory and a simple mix, but excessively salty (we had this problem at Family Meal, too). If you have a hankering for it, spring for the Bistecca a la Florentine for two, it's a massive 2-inch thick espresso dry rubbed porterhouse, came a rosy medium rare and perfectly seasoned. The sides were also hits: casserole of cannellini beans, yellow wax and green beans, and a gratin of summer truffle gnocchi (the lightest gnocchi I've ever had, meltingly tender, not the usual leaden lumps). Desserts are desserts, deconstructed Tiramisu was a nice ice cream and mascarpone puddle (be forewarned, you may be disappointed if you're expecting traditional). I stuck with the simple Affogato, gelato and a shot of espresso, a nice ending to a really enjoyable meal. RW prices can't be beat, it was a great value.
(5)Jane M.
Food and service exceptional. While not inexpensive, value for quality and portion size of the prix fixe menu was great. Memorable dining experience!
(5)Rachel S.
Went back to Aggio's last night for the new HH specials. $7 pastas and cheap delicious cocktails. We had 5 superb cocktails, two complimentary amuse bouches, two HH pastas, and two regular priced appetizers for $70. Sounds pricey, but it's a deal considering the quality of everything. They even gave us gift wrapped homemade smores to take home as a treat. Love this place.
(5)Jenny H.
We had a very nice meal here at the restaurant, the food was OK but the service was exceptional. We came on a Thursday night before a holiday weekend so other than 4-5 parties, the place was pretty empty. They start you off with some long fennel and sea salt bread sticks which were really salty, but the fresh, warm focaccia bread served with two spreads in the beginning were delicious! They also give you some complementary parmesan fried cakes which were interesting- never had them before, kind of like dried out French fries. The actual dishes were OK. You can order half-sized pasta dishes, so I got the Triangolo (stuffed with celery root and taleggio cheese) and the Tonnarelli Nero (black ink pasta with lump crab meat and uni). The Triangolo was very thin and tasted like a smooth ricotta filling, while the Tonnarelli noodles were good, with a very strong, salty uni flavor. If you like a strong seafood flavor, you would like this dish- it's a good dipping sauce for the bread. The Chitarra, which was like their spaghetti carbonara, was good. The sauce was a bit too watery but the actual bacon pieces made the dish really good. The Fettucine with blistered tomatoes and lamb was OK, fresh noodles but not as much sauce/flavor as we would have liked. I really liked their Risotto with porcini and quail egg, but thought their Salad (with ham, peas, etc.) was really fresh, but the dressing could have used a little work. The panna cotta with the strawberry ice cream was good. It tasted like a thick yogurt with honey more than the tradition custardy panna cotta I'm traditionally used to but it was a refreshing way to end the meal. They of course came by with some complimentary bon bons made in house. The service here was exceptional and professional. The pace of the different courses was perfect (not too rushed, not too late), our waters were topped off all the time, they folded your napkin for you when you left the table, servers were friendly and prompt, and they gave you so many complimentary sides like they appreciated you being their customer. It was a great experience! It doesn't hurt that we got to meet Bryan Voltaggio at the end!
(4)Stella L.
Came in for a restaurant week for the first time and was impressed with the food and service. The impressive menus are: - The parmesean funnel cake: a nice start - tonnarelli nero: squid ink spaghetti - day boat scallops - desert menu tiramisu and affogato The rest were okay but not too memorable. I would definitely try to come back!
(5)Tony C.
It seems to me that chefs try cover up their inability to be creative with flavors by overindulging with the salt. Salt should be used to enhance natural flavors of food and herbs. This chef decided salt should be the ingredient even more than the pasta itself. The octopus, way too small of a portion, was like chewing on a rubber tire. Presented very nicely but Not cooked well at all and very disappointing for the price point paid. For a restaurant that spent so much in design and decor, the chef needs to get back to true Italian creative dishes with better preparation. Not a good choice if you are looking for a reasonably priced and well prepared meal.
(2)Sallyann Z.
When you want to wine and dine yourself, Aggio is the place to go! Apparently, this place is connected with something called Volt that my boss was excited about? My boss has worked in Baltimore for years and was surprised to have not heard of this place, but we decided to take our chances here for a nice Team dinner. Boy, were we in for a treat! As soon as we arrived, they took our coats for coat check and we got a large table for six off to the side and it felt private and cornered off. The servers were very attentive and helped us select a nice bottle of wine. Now, let's talk about the food. Every single dish wowed my party and every single one of us was pleased with what we ordered. Aggio has a small menu with appetizers, medium pastas and main entrees. Our table ordered a round of appetizers and everyone had their own pasta, which was the perfect amount of food. FREE FOOD: A small tin of crunchy breadstick was brought in as we looked over the menu. Then, a parmesan funnel cake (i've never had anything like this before and the pillowy pieces of dough were delightful) and then the fanciest salted olive bread service, accompanied by a whipped ricotta and a mortadella mousse. Three on-the-house starters? Aggio certainly knows how to woo its customers. Our table ordered the following appetizers: 1. Calamari with grapefruit and chickpeas - not fried like what was expected. I thought this dish was forgettable and would not order this again 2. Charred Octopus - more like one very large octopus tentacle that we cut it into pieces. This was expertly cooked! 3. Burrata - Finally, a Burrata dish that I enjoy. How did they do it? Cover it in proscuitto! haha I was definitely a huge fan because of that My pasta: The Tonnarelli Nero I could not pass up a dish like this that was sure to be an exotic combinations of flavors. I was nervous because the server said it was a toothsome pasta (more al dente bc of the squid ink), but I had absolutely no complaints about the tonnarelli, only that there wasn't more! While it wasn't exactly "lump crab" (more like shreds), I liked that the crab intertwined with the sauce and made every bit so scrumptious. I also had a bite of my boss's Fusilli and the sausage and broccoli rabe were wonderful! We were stuffed at this point, so no dessert for us, but we were happy to see the complimentary macaroons at the table! I do want to note that my review is biased because I did not have to think of prices (work dinner) so I might not have been as happy with the portions if I was paying. A great place for work dinners. But, overall, the food was outstanding and deserves five stars! Aggio is a suberb restaraunt and turns fine dining into an art.
(5)Zain M.
Stumbled upon Aggio while looking for something to eat in Downtown, and boy am I glad I did. The place is a little fancy so I definitely felt underdressed just having come from the the Aquarium. They start you off with bread and a couple of dips. The mousse dip was definitely not our favorite. We ended up ordering two dishes from the Primi menu and it was just the right size. We got the risotto and the rabbit pappardelle which were both very tasty. I'd never had rabbit before so it was a great first experience. They finished up with the funnel cake which was spiced and delicious. Would definitely go back to Aggio to try other things on the menu.
(4)Maria P.
We were in Baltimore for one night and stumbled upon this beautiful restaurant. The service was impeccable, but the food, portions, and pricing left a lot to be desired. We started with the octopus, usually our favorite. When the dish arrived, we were impressed with the presentation. However, the three inch single piece of octupus (which 2 of us had to share) was rubbery and overtly salty. Not what we expected, especially for the price. For an entree we ordered pasta with chicken sausage. Again, the presentation was the best part. The dish in its entirety was over salty. The pasta was undercooked (and I don't mean al dente, it was pasty and undercooked). Another review mentioned the bread being the best part, I'll have to agree, although I also enjoyed the staff and service. All in all, not worth the price though.
(2)Tatyana M.
First time. The food was delicious, quite creative and nicely presented, but it would be nice to include more vegetables in stead of starches as an accompaniments to the protein dishes and be a bit lighter on a salt use. The service was very nice and attentive, the ambiance is intimate, the value is good. The menu on the web was much bigger in choices but not updated to the real one in the restaurant, and it makes it a bit difficult to switch from what you want to what's available. We saw some people leaving before ordering might be for this reason. Too bad for them. I think they missed a great experience, though the restaurant should take a note of that if it wants to stay in busyness. But all together it was a great experience and we'll be back.
(4)Lauren L.
Free Food: there were ..bread STICKS (as in, a gold-fish tasting, thin sticks.. think of it as some thin pencils in an aluminum holder) on the table, the waiter brought out a parmesan funnel cake (on the house), and then they brought out a delicious olive bread with some kind of whipped butter, mortadella mousse, and avocado oil. Free bread was definitely the winner here. Appetizer: I got the charred octopus with hazelnut, raisins, fregola, garlic,and agrumato. It was a super small serving and they really put the CHAR in charred. I don't know if it was supposed to be like that or the cook in the back forgot about it for three minutes too long but I would not order this creature again. My friends got the burrata and calamari (which also came with lamb??) which looked and tasted better. Definitely not worth the $15 dollars for one leg. or arm. I am not sure what octopi have. Dinner: Nom Nom Nom. I got the tonnarelli nero which is a squid ink pasta with uni, jalapeño, crab, and what felt like a pound of butter/oil. There was a party on my plate and only I was invited! Fantastic! tasting! The only problem was that this portion was more fitting for a 10 year old child than for a hungry adult. It was my BFF's birthday so they brought her out a minuscule cake, which was cute and she enjoyed the one bite of it that she could! Additionally, Aggio is in a strange location: its by Powerplant live (...i know). Decor was nothing special. Wait staff was attentive and explained what we were eating. I could not afford any wine so I can't really tell you about that. Bonus points for the bubbly water (it's free!). Overall, I had a nice meal and a pleasant birthday experience for my friend but it's over-priced for the portion sizes. This is baltimore, not DC or NYC.
(3)Niran A.
This restaurant is a cut above in the Baltimore fine dining scene. Although first impressions upon arrival weren't the best, the food more than compensates. First, the interior is a bit heavy feeling somewhat resembles a dungeon - just too many black tones, with a lot of dead space. Some floral bouquets or contrasting colors/textures would definitely make the interior more inviting. Then were the cocktails, I ordered a "King of Cool" cocktail which was whiskey based but really just tasted like cough medicine. My friend's vodka martini didn't impress either. However, the Moscow mules were refreshing and tasty. Two people in my party opted for the five course chef's tasting menu ($65), which features items currently on the menu but a double of the primi course and includes dessert as one of the courses. Portions are small, so I would definitely encourage ordering an antipasti, primi, and secondi. Promptly after ordering we received a few complimentary items to wake up the palette. First was the parmesan funnel cake, which was perfectly crispy and airy - really tasty. Then came the bread service featuring beautifully homemade focaccia with a creamy soft cheese and mortadella mousse, covered in olive oil and parsley. The bread service was incredibly good, and I don't even like mortadella. Notable antipasti were the foie terrina and beet salad. The foie terrina was a chilled preparation of foie gras with a cherry reduction, and crunchy hazelnuts for texture. The foie was also accompanied with a small frisee salad to break up the richness of the dish. It was a very tasty and clean dish. The chilled preparation was also very good considering most foie gras is served moderately warm and seared. The beet salad featured emulsified goat cheese and a pine nut brittle - also very tasty. The highlights of the meal were the pastas though. I ordered the tonnarelli nero, which was a house made squid ink pasta studded with lump crab in a slightly spicy uni sauce. The seafood in the dish was just expertly suited with the luscious al dente pasta. The dish was also not very fishy, and really just let the ingredients shine. The pappardelle with rabbit was also excellent, with the rabbit being perfectly roasted and tender. This was the first time I tried rabbit, but it really turned me on to the protein and of course the house made pasta was again excellent. Also noteworthy was the pillowy soft gnocchi with truffle butter and mushrooms. This was hands down the best gnocchi I have ever had and the accompanied ingredients were nice subtle additions. It's worth mentioning as well that me and my friend received a second complimentary primi course so that it wasn't awkward while our significant others got their third course from the chefs tasting menu. Entrees also very good, I definitely recommend the pork osso buco. The osso buco was crispy on the exterior while still being fork tender. The accompanying gnocchi alla romana was really tasty and the gremolata tied everything together - just an excellent dish. I also sampled the skirt steak, which seemed to be sous vide and then seared. Wish the portion of steak was a bit bigger but it was still delicious none the less. Furthermore, the wine list was really impressive and the sommelier steered us towards a really good Italian red from Mount Etna. Service was also very good, but as with most fine dining restaurants the meal is intentionally paced, so dinner service does take about 2 hours. All in all, this was a very memorable meal with many dishes really packing a punch with minimal flaws. Desserts and cocktails were somewhat of a miss, but like I said other parts of the meal really compensated. Props to Brian Voltaggio and his staff.
(5)Kris L.
2.5 stars (sadly) I was so excited to try Bryan's new place, after absolutely LOVING Volt. Sadly the opening night at Aggio (even while ignoring the normal service snafoos) was underwhelming. They had 2 soft openings before opening night. That being said, service was a hot mess. They brought the wrong appetizer to our table. Bread service somehow missed our table and we had to ask for it. They brought the wrong wine orders to our table. Etc etc...but hey, cut them some slack as these kinks will (hopefully) be ironed out in the future. That being aside, I was not impressed by the food! I think I was expecting a lot due to my love for Volt and I was sorely disappointed. The blue crab tagliatelle was downright bland and under salted. It's just a shame to do wrong to a crab dish in Baltimore! The veal meatballs were good but there just wasn't anything special about them. The same with the oxtail ragu...meaty and tasty, but just not unique. I can find Italian food just as good with handmade pasta in little Italy for much cheaper. The bread service (olive loaf) and table app (Parmesan funnel cake) were both heavy and drenched in oil. The one other major gripe that is a recurring theme at Voltaggio's restaurants are the barely-wet-the-bottom-of-your-glass wine pours. When dropping $15 on a glass of wine, please give me more than a fourth of a glass! I was SO excited for this restaurant to open in Baltimore, but I sadly won't be back...instead will head to Food Market, Charleston, and other usual suspects.
(3)Jeff K.
I went to Aggio for the first time last week for a group dinner and had fairly high expectations considering what I read and reviewed on their menu. We were seated on the main floor. The PRO's -food tasted fresh -snapper was prepared well -water glasses were refilled regularly -bartender was friendly and accommodating -coat check -bathroom was clean The CON's -to me, $10 valet is a bit steep, in addition to giving a decent tip -decor was very plain and screamed nothing "Italian" to me -the breadsticks provided (if you want to call them breadsticks), are pitiful and about the size of a needle -the wait staff was constantly reaching over across the table to refill drinks, placed their bodies so close you it felt as if they were all up in your personal space...having went to culinary school they teach you never to reach across someone's plate like that..I expected more from a place like this -execution was poor...with so many courses you could order something as your meal and be sitting there while everyone else is eating...it made no sense and the servers never discussed how food would be coming out -very pricey for minimal food -with a party as large as ours, the chef should have popped out to say hello to see how we liked everything Overall, this restaurant did not provide the caliber of service I was expecting...not even close. I've had some really amazing Italian food from places like this and most often from small mom and pop 'hole-in-the-wall' kinda joints. There was hardly anyone else there the night we went and I can't imagine it staying in business at this location long if this is the norm. This place has potential and could do a lot better...I'm just not certain I'd take a risk returning when my other options are less expensive, better executed and trusted from prior experiences.
(2)Christine K.
The food and drink were good, but definitely not worth the prices and the not-quite-there quality of service. The menu at the Baltimore location is slightly different from the one at the DC location, but the prices are the same. What makes the DC location worth more worth it is the impeccable service. The Baltimore Aggio? Not so much. We felt a bit neglected at times. I would definitely order the ricotta gnocchi and the Grey Ghost cocktail again. The gnocchi had a good amount of thick slices of pancetta, and the flavors were well balanced between spicy, sweet, and salty. The wild boar ragu tagliatelle was on the saltier side, but still good. The portion for this was bigger than expected. The grilled duck was good, but nothing special. The scallops were a little overbuttered, but otherwise fine. These were both dishes I could easily get anywhere else, so not too impressive. I might come back for happy hour because I liked the pastas, but overall, I don't think this Aggio's food or service is worth the $140+ for two people (or $95pp/tasting menu + $65/wine pairing). But I guess our options in downtown Baltimore are limited... Parking is pretty much limited to the valet at Ruth's Chris next door ($10 + tip).
(3)Supriya M.
I can completely see why Aggio is averaging around 3.5 stars. First, the good - our server was very courteous, friendly and knowledgable. The amuse bouche and after dinner cleaner were a great touch. The drinks were all pretty fantastic as well. Since we were celebrating a birthday, they brought us out dessert but at this point we were not sure if this was an over-compensation for the ugly which I will get to. Now the bad, the food was hit or miss. Some dishes were good, most we're too salty. For the first course, the pumpkin soup was delicious, the burrata was good and the pork terrine was meh. The ricotta gnocchi, lamb lasagna and the seafood pasta were all meh as well. For the third course, the lamb sausage and loin were good but the pork osso busco - the pork was cooked to perfection but I couldn't eat it due to its excessive saltiness. This was true of some of the other food as well. The prices were up there but the food was not worth it. Now, the ugly. There was a system problem. We waited way too long for the drinks - every time, much too long. And the third course, we waited over 20-30min between our second and third course so much so that our server got the manager involved and my husband got a free beer - which was nice but still not acceptable that we waited so long. So maybe they were overworked or there are kinks that need to be worked out. Overall, Aggio is good on paper but I would say if you're going to spend that much money, make a trip to the Charleston instead.
(3)Andy K.
Good, probably not great. Went for restaurant week, got grilled octopus which was good although the gold standard is ouzo bay in my opinion, paid $7 extra for pasta course which was good with hand made pasta and crab meat. Got salmon which was good although not knock my socks off which is probably why I'm giving it 4 stars. The Sammy Davis jr with homemade ginger beer and whiskey was really good and strong. Not bad but not a place I'd go when we want to spend $$$ for dinner.
(4)Tunaidi A.
I have become a huge fan of Aggio. Excellent food, on point service, spacious layout, and classy and modern decor. The location isn't usually great/easy for street parking, but you could also go for the $10 valet parking. On to the food: * Focaccia bread -- Infused with olives and garlic. Ricotta + chives and pistachio + secret ingredient spreads. Probably the best bread and spread combo I've ever had. I wish I could just buy these on a daily basis. * Parmesan funnel cake -- A little salty, but crispy, innovative, and very enjoyable. * Charred octopus -- Excellent and very tender. The complimentary ingredients worked wonders and brought about great flavors. * Caesar salad -- With kale and oyster croutons. Didn't know caesar salad could taste so good. The fried oysters went well with the mix. * Fusilli -- pasta with chicken sausage plus broccoli rabe. Delicious and not too creamy. * Tonnarelli Nero -- What a concoction! Squid ink pasta doused in a creamy crab and sea urchin blend. Amazing! * Tiramisu -- This was like a deconstructed tiramisu, where each ingredient was separated for you to combine in whatever portions you prefer. * Cioccolata Bianca -- Caramelized white chocolate ice cream, butterscotch, blondie... Wow... wow... sooooo good. The combo was awesomely furnished in a cup with blondie cubes mixed into the sweetness of the ice cream and butterscotch. Service, again, was impeccable. Our server checked up on us regularly and often. Our water glasses never went empty. Gosh... I'll be dreaming about that bread. Aggio, I'll be back, sooner rather than later...
(5)Teri P.
Visited with 4 other girlfriends - we like to try a lot of the menu & share dishes. We ordered 2 bottles of wine, and the Sommelier was very helpful. Service was stellar, and the house bread & spread was phenomenal, but that's about where the accolades end. We were delivered an amuse bouche of a parmesan funnel cake, which was miniscule for 5 people to barely have a crumb, but fine. For starters, we ordered the Chioggia Beets, the Marinated Sea Scallops, and the Charred Octopus. From the pasta menu, the Ricotta Gnocchi, Tonnarelli Nero (barely any blue crab, and too al dente for my taste), Strozzapreti, and the most miniscule piece of lasagna (and looked like it was the overcooked, end piece of the pan). I'm all for appropriate portion sizes, but these were really small. From the 3 choices on the entrees, we selected the chicken, which was moist, but very meh. We were still hungry, so we went with three desserts including the Pistachio in Olives (a tiny sliver of olive oil cake), Fennel cream & berries (described to us as having chocolate soil...blech), and a third dessert that I can't remember the name of - some kind of dark chocolate nugget with ice cream. Not one dish blew us away, most were just meh. And we were still hungry. We really wanted more from Aggio, and compared to Volt, it was a big let down. Sad to say, but we won't return.
(2)Jacqueline S.
Went here for restaurant week. The food was excellent but the service was poor. It took 3 hours to get out meal. However it is a good deal therefore I still would recommend for restaurant week.
(4)Teresa A.
Very happily surprised by this place and would recommend that you do not overlook it if you want great, fancy food for a special night out. To start off, the ambiance is weird, I think it is lacking a lot of personality. It is clean and plain and well boring. Grey and white, no color... nothing fancy shmancy at all. The server I don't think ever introduced himself to us, it was strictly business... whatever dude, I don't want to talk to you anyway I guess? He hardly came to us, but luckily this isn't a place where you need ketchup or something. Ok you want to know about the food?... Here is the play by play on everything we ordered: The cracker stick thingies (everyone gets these and the next two) - Were delicious! Parm funnel cake - holy salt, these were good but a heavy hand on the salt! Almost inedible, but probably a fluke for us... hopefully. BREAD SERVICE - best bread and spreads I have ever had in any restaurant... EVER, do not let yourself miss this! Scallop (I don't remember the exact name but it was a first course option) - it was 2 chopped up, chilled scallops with ice shavings of some herb seasoning mixture which was delicious. I believe it was rhubarb that was chopped finely on the opposite side of the plate in a kind of like salsa looking mound, I strongly did not like it, it was not what I would have paired with scallops which were perfectly good by themselves. 5 stars. Cesar Salad with Oyster Croutons - AWESOME, I have never had a fried oyster, but I love them raw, and these were phenomenal! The salad was quite large for what I was expecting, and covered in parm cheese and was so delicious. 5 stars! Grilled Octopus - I am NOT a fan of octopus, but my boyfriend loves it so we ordered it... and omg it was good. Perfectly cooked, not chewy at all, and tasted so fresh and delicious. The size is small, just one tentacle, but it was the perfect amount for me to try it. And the bed of couscous was delicious with it and I loved trying the dots of sauces all around the plate, each were very good. 5 stars! Oxtail Ragu - Very boring looking, nothing special. The flavor was very good. Oxtail was very good, pasta was good.. but it wasn't special enough for me to want to order it again. But if you want a meaty pasta it will satisfy. 3.5 stars. Berkshire Pork - Wow, this was unlike any pork I have ever had, it almost melted in your mouth. It was cooked to perfection and was absolutely delicious. A little bit of everything from the plate on my fork was the most perfect bite of the evening. 5, 5, 5 stars! Very worth it, our total (all of the above including 2 glasses of wine) $110 before tip. Not as bad as I thought it would be!
(5)Robert D.
Disappointing, restaurant week , we spent the evening trying to get our waiters attention. It took twenty five minutes to order a drink and another twenty five for them to deliver it. they had extremely limited menu and took waiter 20 minutes after we got drinks( one hour after arrival) to take our order. Most of meals outstanding, though two of the entries were cold. We were afraid to ask to have them heated be cause we would never see them again. Our waiters never checked in to see if everything was ok. We constantly had to ask someone to take our order, find our food, get our coffee, bring water. Service was atrocious.
(2)Laura K.
Wonderful Meal. Still thinking about the lamb fettuccine and octopus. Will be coming back the next time I am in Baltimore.
(5)Abigail R.
Only one thing surprised me about AGGIO; this place was empty on a Friday night. That doesn't make any sense - this place is great - food, ambiance and service - each get all the stars. We had Ezra as our server; he was pleasant attentive, not at all overbearing, and in fact a little funny. He also introduced us to the somm Chris. He didn't spend that much time talking to us about wine because we knew that we wanted a medium to full bodied Pinot Noir. That man really knows his wines, and even though they only have Italian wines, but found us a perfect and beautiful Pinot Nero - Abbazia Di Novacella. I loved this wine. It was balanced with some fruity notes and an incredibly smooth finish, so it worked well with all of our dishes And bottles is totally the way to go at this place - it opens up so many affordable wine options. There were three of us on this night. We like each other, so we did a lot of sharing. Three antipasti (appetizer-like plates) and three primi (small pasta dishes). They offered us a pre-fixed for all the courses, but I left stuffed and we didn't even have main courses. We had trouble deciding. Thank goodness they brought us adorable little funnel cake style appetizers made with parmesan cheese. It saved me from the HANGRY state while I made menu choices. I kind of wanted one of everything, but the table narrowed it down to 3 starters. IMG_2805 These are in no way in order of my favorite. In fact, please don't ask me to name my favorite. I don't wanna. I can't... I won't... The Sea Scallops: two large perfectly seared to a golden crisp and served with crispy, salty, fatty pork belly. I loved the addition of the tart Meyer lemon segment and toothsome wilted spinach. I still to this day can't be sure what the yummy yellow creamy dots were. I am still thinking about how well that lemon elevated all the flavors. The Burrata: This creamy mozzarella cheese comes on crostini and topped with sweet poached seckle pears and salty prosciutto. My favorite part of this was the sweet onion marmalade. This was sensational. If I remember correctly, I wanted to lick the plate. I will say, and this has nothing to do with how tasty it was, this was not the most inventive dish. The Charred Octopus: Look at this gorgeous plate. I almost didn't want to eat it, it was so pretty. Huge pieces of charred octopus sitting on top of fregola - a small Israeli couscous sized pasta - mixed with smoked raisins. I think the sauces were a hazelnut and raisin puree. Everything is then drizzled with agrumato. Anyone know what that is? Don't worry, I had to ask; it's a lemon-infused olive oil.
(5)Elizabeth D.
My husband and I had a very nice but not quite stellar meal at Aggio on a recent Friday night. The staff, both hostess and our server, were friendly and efficient, and didn't seem harried even as the dining room got bigger. I think they've been reading their Yelp comments - the server was very clear with us up front about the tasting portion sizes and what to expect, which I think was useful. I had the tasting menu and my husband ordered three dishes. We enjoyed everything we had, with one exception - when our steak dishes came out, his was nicely done, but mine was so rubbery and gray it was basically not identifiable. We had a nice evening out, and while I wouldn't rush back, I certainly would consider it a good option.
(4)Julian B.
Overall an amazing dining experience. Starting with the free Parmesan funnel cake and incredible bread with mortadella mousse :) yumness. Octopus was charred perfectly. And the pasta was all incredible especially the squid ink sea urchin dish. Must try the dessert as well. In terms of small portions, they are not huge but at the end of the meal we were stuffed (5 guys). One thing I cannot get over is the carbonara dish with pork belly. No flavor, no yolk. Confused on how a place this amazing (everything else was GREAT) can put out a "whatever" dish. Maybe off as it was a holiday but otherwise great experience. Dessert was wonderful and drinks are great as well. Probs to Alex the bartender who knows his drinks and will hook you up with what you like.
(4)Chanel S.
The octopus was like jerky, or rather like charred shoe leather. Chicken was dry. Bread was the best part. Uptight dry staff. Bathroom area needs a dehumidifier. Over priced watery risotto. Pass!! Slow service!!
(2)Sue H.
Outstanding dinner - Ezra guided us well. The halibut, pasta and calamari were excellent.
(5)Sam H.
Came here for restaurant week. Pros: Nice atmosphere, right next to power plant. Very friendly and attentive staff, despite a long delay between ordering and being served. Restaurant week menu had 2 entrees and desert for 30$ with an additional entree optional for 15$ more. The food was delicious. Very creative. I recommend the octopus. Cons: small portions. Menu was not very extensive.
(4)Stephanie B.
Quick trip to Baltimore today with my husband. We ended up at Aggio for dinner and had a decent, but not amazing experience. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could. Food was imaginative and well executed, but there's definitely room for improvement in terms of composition. For example, we had a ravioli-type dish (trianguloni?) that really needed crunch to break up the soft texture. Service is another area needing improvement. We did the chef tasting and if we hadn't studied the menu earlier in the day we wouldn't have known what we were eating. None of the expeditors explained the dishes to us and it seemed like each course was served by a different person. We mentioned the issue to one of the servers and she made a point to correct the issue. I wish I could remember her name because she was great and we really appreciated her help. My husband loved the bread service, which featured focaccia with house made mortadella mousse and whipped ricotta. When you put it all together it tasted like a bologna sandwich!! Management, please take some time to train ALL staff on your menu and how to present the dishes so if they're called on to run something to a table they can maintain the level of service expected during a fine dining experience. Or consider hiring more servers so they can actually spend time at the table with diners.
(4)David S.
After hearing rave reviews of VOLT from friends, I knew I had to try Aggio but overall, I felt it was a giant letdown. Outside of the Sommelier who was great, the service was subpar for a restaurant of this caliber and cost. It took forever for food to arrive and it wasn't just our table. Tables are all around kept looking around for where their food was. The hostess and waitress seemed to be most unenthusiastic wait staff I've ever encountered. We thought about ordering dessert and coffee but didn't want to add an hour to our meal. The decor is meh, especially the TRON inspired lights over the bar that while sitting across from for two hours, began to hurt our eyes. And the food... it was good. Not great. Not blowing your mind. It was good. I wish I would have gone back to another restaurant.
(2)David B.
In town for Army Navy game. Group of 13. Where to have a great meal with a group that size? Enter Michelle and the staff at Aggio. Greeted warmly as we came through the door. Nothing but impeccable service from Ezra and his team all eve long. First two courses served family style which allowed us to try many of the delicious options and then our pre selected entrees arrived in perfect harmony. Next time I am in Baltimore I will definitely be back. So good that Michelle received a big hug in the way out the door. Well played Aggio.
(5)Andrew H.
We had the 5 course tasting menu and wine pairing and it was excellent. The staff was great and the wine choices perfect. The charred octopus was my favorite.
(5)Trevor B.
Sadly, Aggio doesn't even stand close to VOLT, its much much sexier sister restaurant. After two amazing meals at VOLT over the past year (brunch and then Table 21), I was definitely looking forward to the expansion of Voltaggio's portfolio into B'more. Unfortunately, our recent visit to celebrate our first anniversary was quite underwhelming. The restaurant space itself is OK, but nothing to write home about. We were seated in one of the booths in the front area near the bar, and we definitely noticed a decent amount of regular vibrations whenever people were walking up and down the staircase. Normally I'd let this fly, but in an upscale place like this (w/ $30+ entrees), definitely seems like a design oversight and was a bit annoying. By far, the standouts here in terms of food are the pastas. We ordered the oxtail ragu and the blue crab pasta dishes (the menu seems to change quite often so these may no longer be on it) and both were stellar. Especially the oxtail dish, which incorporated subtle hints of chocolate and some type of orange - so good! After throughly enjoying the pastas, we were left utterly disappointed by the entree of rockfish, which was tiny, overpriced (I believe $32) and just OK. What knocked our experience down to a 2-star level (which, you may have noticed, I have rarely given to B'more restaurants) was the service. While our server was courteous and friendly overall, the timing of our meals took way too long. After experiencing some seriously impressive service/efficiency at VOLT, we were very surprised when it took close to 30 minutes to receive our entrees after the finishing the pastas (the entire dinner took more than 2 hours, without dessert!), and our waiter didn't acknowledge or explain the delays. Maybe it was just an off-night, but I don't think a restaurant that charges $30+ for entrees is allowed to have off-nights. Just sayin...
(2)Michelle P.
We knew we wanted to try this place since we went to VOLT for our anniversary dinner in June. Fun fact: Originally we were planning to check out AGGIO, but they were not opening until that Saturday...so we went to VOLT friday night. Probably one of the best dining experience of my life. Anyways, back to AGGIO! We immediately booked a table for Restaurant Week. I really enjoyed the industrial feel of the restaurant. It 's simple and it was quite cool waiting at the bar when we discovered a movie is playing on the brick wall as you walk in the doors. We loved it! Service was good. So many people are checking in on you, taking your plate, adding new food, stealing your silverware and replacing it with new ones (even though I didn't even use!). First Course: Charred Octopus - spring garlic, octopus is slow braised and charred over hardwood, smoked golden raisin, fregola, chives, agrumato. It was not what I expected! I was worried by the presentation of the octopus tentacle (literally) however it was perfectly cooked. Caesar Salad - collard greens, lacinato kale, hearts of romaine, crisp oyster croutons, scallops that have been brined and smoked, parmigiano reggiano. So on one of our first dates, Matt took me to an Oyster House. I was petrified! We did fried oysters and I didn't care for them. I have grown to appreciate oysters (3 years later) and these were fantastic! Winner goes to Charred Octopus! SECOND COURSE Ricotta Gnocchi- pancetta, red onion, chili flake, pomodoro, sarvecchio parmesan. Very similar to the Gnocchi at VOLT. Very good. Meatballs - braised in ragu pomodoro, chitarra, basil, parmesan. Very good! Couldn't get enough! THIRD COURSE - addtional 15 ---- Yes, we decided to! Why not!? Prawns - polenta from yellow corn and buckwheat, sauce fra diavolo. There are not many meals I am willing to not share...this was one of them. Amazing! Bershire Pork - loin and belly, english pea, sugar snap peas, pancetta, peach mostarda. Matt thought it was good, but the VOLT pork was on his mind. This did not meet his expectations... DESSERT: Pistachio in Olives - cake is made with the oil from castelvetrano olives, layered with pistachio cream, sorbet is the juice of blueberry and thyme, candied blueberries. Matt wasn't a fan. Chocolate- hazlenuts, marscarpone, bitter orange caramel, coffee orange gelato. Winner goes to CHOCOLATE CAKE! All in all. It is a great place to check out. I highly recommend it. Enjoy!
(5)Yi C.
Aggio summary (3.5 star): In one word, few exceptional dishes and most are good but not excellent, amazingly small portion size and very slow service with some flaws. You can check Baltimore Sun/Washington Post for a complete review of Aggio in Baltimore. Antipasti: The best dish: Caesar salad, 5 star, fired oysters were so yummy. Chioggia beets: 3 star, beautiful presentation but not very tasty Charred Octopus: 4 star, well done with good flavor, but tiny portion Primi/Pasta: Meatball pasta: 4 star, just normal meatballs in ragu sauce Cacio E Pepe: at most 3 star, a shame for it lack of flavor and tiny portion Ricotta Gnocchi: nothing interesting, 3 star Secondi/Entrees: Bershire Pork: pork lion and belly, at most 4 star, good but not excellent. For the price of $33, it is too pricy. Adding $15 to try it for restaurant week dinner, OK. Dolce/Desert: Pistachio in Olives: the smallest dessert I have seen in my life, good but not excellent. I had a dark chocolate ice cream with espresso coffee, good but not excellent. This one is not on their website menu or restaurant week menu. Service: I did not receive the dinner menu until 15 minutes after we sit down. After another 15 minutes, we got one piece of Focaccia bread with dip. Most time when the waiter refilled water in our cups, there were some water spills which was not pleasant. From beginning to the end, there was no apology for the extremely slow service. It took more than 3 hours for a dinner. We walked in at 7:15 and walked out around 10:40 pm. Spliting the checks costed about half hour.That is really slow. Hopefully the service will improve in the future.
(3)S K.
Thank you. An appropriate start to the staff who set the stage for an amazing anniversary dinner. AGGIO prepared a meal that was so good, you didn't want it to stop. The flavors were complex and memorable. I can't say enough to explain how much I enjoyed this meal and my life long partner absolutely loved hers. The staff was attentive the before dinner cocktail was entertaining, and we want to do it again. Well done AGGIO.
(5)Barbara M.
This restaurant is worthy of every star and more. The sparse, modern interior decoration focuses the ambiance onto the diners and the food. Service staff was attentive and congenial, while remaining professional. The wine steward suggested the perfect (not most expensive) pairing for our menu choice. I always appreciate a limited menu which makes decisions easier. Food was imaginatively, yet simply, prepared to allow the flavors to come through. Who knew fiddlehead fern tasted so good? A perfect evening for an intimate 40th wedding anniversary celebration.
(5)Gina R.
I am so happy that we were able to get reservations last night at Aggio. It was last minute and it was restaurant week so I was quite surprised. Upon entering the bar I was a little surprised by how bright it was. The lights over the bar are my biggest complaint about the whole experience. They were much to bright to allow for any kind of ambiance. But the bar itself was well stocked, had creative recipes and the staff was helpful and attentive. The dining room was gorgeous. Very nicely appointed. And the staff was great. It seemed like 2 or 3 people for every four top. We ordered off of the restaurant week menu, which I normally would not have done. But the selection was exactly what I would have ordered off of the regular menu. I started with the grilled octopus, which came out tender and smoky from the grill. I loved the presentation and the sauces were a perfect match. I then had the meatballs, which were served with a home made pasta. Absolute perfection! Tender, flavorful and the pomodoro sauce was the exact right flavor for the meatballs. And it was the right amount of food for me. Not too much, not too little. The dessert was a delightful olive oil pistachio cake sounded a little scary but was so good my only complaint was that it was not bigger. But I didn't need anymore - just wanted it. I loved Aggio and can't wait to go back!
(5)Meatdowntown C.
I am not really impressed with this place. I think the Sunday Supper promotion that they ran for a while was fun, but other than that, there is nothing memorable about it. The location is kind of hidden, the ambiance is goofy and the food is just meh! I love VOLT in Fredrick but Aggio has really nothing to offer.
(2)Janice C.
THE FOOD WAS OFF THE CHARTS DELICIOUS! The service was perfect. Attentive and constant service, very discretely unpretentious, well trained people from beginning to end with absolutely no neglect of any of our needs. I had the tasting menu and that was definitely a 5 star menu. My husband had the gnocchi and the rockfish, both yummy and he says worth a 5 star rating. I seriously don't want to get long winded here, but it was such a pleasure to be pampered and served so well. It is very hard to find places that spend such effort on making the diner the center thought of the restaurant. My only negative comment is that the portions are somewhat small with a very hefty price, but, to be honest, I was full when I left and so was my husband, so I cannot take away any stars for that! This is so worth going to and I cannot wait to try Volt, if I can only get a reservation earlier than 10 pm!!!
(5)Walter C.
This is what you would expect from someone on "Top Chef". The ambiance was nice kinda on the darker side but rather that than bright lights. The wait staff (Devon) was fantastic. Well paced and always on top of things without being over bearing. Started with a great Muscato Asti. App was beats prepared 3 ways. They were delicious. Next was tuna with blood orange. Also got the scallops which were prepared in a citrus bath then allowed to sit. They actually did melt in your mouth. Main courses were pasta with ox tail ragu and lasagna with lamb meat sauce. Again both dishes were amazing. Ended with rockfish and pork loin with pork belly. Absolutely amazing!!! I can't say enough about the place. It just opened and it's already a destination for great dining. Oh and try the home made 'cellas, lime, lemon, and blood orange. They are truly fantastic.
(5)L F.
Dinner last Friday with a friend. We were both buoyed by high hopes and expectations. Here is a synopsis of our experience. (It is now appropriate to begin humming the song: wasted days and wasted nights) Ten dollars to valet park. Walking into the door, we were greeted warmly and then led past the bar, through the downstairs dining area, up two flights of stairs, around a corner, and to a table against a wall. We asked nicely for a window table (room was not crowded) and our request was granted. I have seen several reviews with the interior described as minimalist, modern, stark, etc. As we made our tour from door to table, the words and experience that came to my mind were: dull, lacking personality/enthusiasm, half finished, and uninviting. One specific example: the window sill at our table was covered with tiny shreds of wood. (from a hastily completed drilling project?) We were deposited at our table along with two cocktail menus and a wine menu. I ignored the distant jingle of warning bells forming in my head and began the wait for our server. Someone arrived at our table with water. (Elapsed time since arrival - five minutes) Our server (dressed in an ill fitting suit that gave off an appearance similar to the decor - I was actually reminded of an undertaker - no offense to undertakers) arrived to take our cocktail order. (Elapsed time since arrival - 8 minutes) We asked a few questions and placed our order. He disappeared with the promise to return with our drinks. (Elapsed time since arrival - 10 minutes) We sipped our water and made idle conversation about what / if a food menu existed.... Server finally returned with our cocktails. (Elapsed time since arrival - 20 minutes) On the horizon (could I actually be hallucinating?) I saw our server coming toward the table with.....dinner menus!! (Elapsed time since arrival - 23 minutes) By this point, we actually contemplated finishing our drinks and going somewhere else for dinner. Alas, we were presented with the parm funnel cake. Interesting to look at but it was heavy and grease laden. Bread arrived with one dipping option and one spreading option. The exterior of the bread was so tough that it presented a "dental danger". (Elapsed time since arrival: 25 minutes) Server arrived and took our order. Against our better judgement (you may be thinking: what better judgment?) we opted for the tasting menu with wine pairings. (Elapsed time since arrival- 35 minutes) I have posted pictures of each course - with one exception being the pork course. The overall timing and pace as we moved through the courses was ok. However, service was disjointed and clunky - several snafus by the sommelier - including his inability to keep track of what wine we needed poured and too tired to deal with the stairs that both the downstairs dining area and upstairs dining area. The wine pairings were "just ok" bordering on "not so much" and the pours skimpy. The food was good, not great - exception being the corn filled pasta pockets, my favorite. Dessert was a laughable disappointment - worth a look at the picture...my dining partner referred to it as a pre-dessert at best. Our total bill was $200 per person. Thus, my ratings: - venue: 2 stars - service: 2 stars - food/beverage: 3.5 stars - value: 1 star - overall rating: 2 stars I will not return.
(2)Danielle G.
Ok, so we came here for restaurant week 2015 and as I'm sitting here waiting for my food I'm annoyed with the wait. I get it fine dinning but the portion aren't worth the wait. Not to mentioned they make you get the four course version of restaurant week because their three course doesn't include dinner. Never again will I come here for dinner. Drinks maybe but not to eat.
(3)Jim W.
Went there for dinner with my girlfriend and her parents. Overall, we all were extremely excited to check this place out. There were some really good parts to our experience, but overall, while not extremely negative, I'm not pining to go back. Positive: Atmosphere- laid back decor and 90s alternative classics on the radio was Pretty cool. The layout is also excellent, as tables aren't on top of each other. So-so: Food-Hit or miss. None of it was bad by any stretch, but the portions were expensive, tiny, and took forever to get to the table. We spent 3.5 hours in the restaurant and I didn't leave full. Think tapas style, but at almost the price of an entree at another spot. Bad: Service- it took nearly 45 minutes to get our drink orders in and another hour to get the first round of food. I really wanted to like this place and I think they are gunning for a "dining experience/night out". But 3.5 hours and a check in the ballpark of $300 doesn't cut it. Too many other good spots in Baltimore.
(2)Maura M.
I wanted to add a few things to Katie C's review: First, the outside signage, on both sides, is missing lights- notably, the letter "A". This should have been a red flag. Second, two out of four soap dispensers in the Ladies bath were empty. We were offered a drink upon arrival. Much later, as they were removing my now empty glass, I was offered another as an after-thought (I declined thinking I might have wine), and was never offered one again. But that's ok--for we were served so much water that there was hardly a need for a cocktail. I had the Carne Cruda- good flavor, but a bit too much truffle oil giving it a slimy texture. The Artichokes: ok. The Fusili: over-cooked, not al dente in the least, the sausage was good but the dish was too salty when combined with the ricotta salata. The cappuccino: ok- but the surprise of the frother lid, the size of a salt shaker top, found in the bottom of my cup AFTER I had finished it, was the icing on the cake of a very bizarre dining experience. The waiter was very pleasant, and chatty. He told us that Bryan busy preparing to open his new Baltimore family dining restaurant. I think Bryan should spend more time in this one and right this ship before opening another. As I have several younger children, and don't get out very often, I was looking forward to a memorable fine dining experience. Well, the experience was memorable, but not one I'd like to repeat. And it certainly was not fine dining. Sorry Bryan!
(2)Jonathan B.
Loved every bite along with the few surprises the server brought to the table. All items from the restaurant week menu were delicious, appropriately sized for the $35 three course price. Our service was excellent with helpful explanations of menu items and wine pairings. Favorite fine dining Italian spot in Baltimore after our experience. Will highly recommend to out of towners and locals.
(5)J K.
*Food was good. -Pasta portions very small - advise to order a few of the pasta dishes to share. *Service was great! Glad I went to try Aggio, but for a comparable meal in price (with slightly larger portions of pasta), I prefer Cinghiale.
(3)Sal P.
REAL. DEAL. As we wandered Power Plant Live looking for suitable grub, we were shocked and thrilled to find AGGIO! We had heard it had opened in Baltimore but hadn't know it was in this otherwise desert of delicious foods...so we popped in and grabbed seats at the bar. FIRST: Fabulous job on modern decor with warm friendly service. The bartenders were excellent and the chairs were actually really comfy (I'm usually not a fan of the low-backed). DON'T MISS - the cocktails were, uhm, YES. We had the Peter Lawford (a crisp gin refresher with lavender-colored charm) and the Gingerbeer cocktail (forgetting the name) --- with their HOMEMADE GINGER BEER. Not personally a huge gingerbeer fan but this was LEGIT...not too spicy, perfectly balanced. Both drinks were DELIGHTFUL. And then the FOOD - OH THE FOOD! We ate from the Trattoria menu at the bar (though the hostess did say we could get from the full menu) -- the Lamb Lasagna was actually perhaps the best lasagna I've ever had. Light, paper-thin layers of lasagna sandwiching a perfect sauce of lamb, basil, tomato.......such a delight. I would have of course preferred a larger portion (think a slice 1.5 inches wide and 4 inches long), but in combo with the other foods, it was plenty. The Beet salad was another keeper: naked baby beets with a tasty olive oil and vinegar, an awesome way to start a meal. The grilled octopus was perfection, rivaled only by octopus enjoyed in Greece. Then, we were running low on time and asked the bartender if they had any "fast" desserts -- so he sent a runner to the kitchen and told them to bring a panna cotta -- no, we didn't say yes, but we trusted him. Right decision: they brought out a gastronomer's delight, fresh berries resting beneath a nitro'd panna cotta -- OOOF, the ideal light, refreshing, filling dessert! And of course, they had to start with an amuse bouche AND bring out foccaccia...they make their on 'cellos (limoncello, blood orange-cello, etc)...Aggio takes their business seriously and it shows! We will definitely be back!
(5)Dh W.
The ambiance is great. Upscale yet casual feel. The food amazing!! We shared small plates - 8 plates for 4 people- hard to decide which one was best as each one was fabulous! Small portions yet we were plenty full and enjoyed each bite. The quality of each element and the creative combinations were superb. The bread and spreads were amazing- the best I've ever had in a restaurant. The wine was reasonable for the quality we picked out. The service was professional. And a nice extra touch was that we had a choice of still or sparkling water- complementary. This restaurant is pricey, and worth it! The quality and excellence justifies the cost, and I'm glad to see such a superb nationally recognized restaurant in Baltimore.
(5)Lia D.
We came here on a double-date and we enjoyed ourselves so much. We started with a bottle of Cantele Primitivo and it was absolutely delicious. I found it at Rodman's in DC, by the way, for 1/3 of the price and bought 5 bottles. So good. Anyways, we started with the fluke and the burrata. Both were delightful. They were both fresh and the flavors were on-point. I wasn't crazy about the complimentary funnel cake....I didn't think it was anything special. For dinner we ordered: Osso buco (both husbands got this, mine also ordered the tonnarelli nero pasta course. I wasn't a huge fan, but he liked it), the arctic char, and I had the scallops. Mine came with spaghetti squash, which I don't like, but let me tell you, theirs is amazing. I couldn't believe it. I tried a small bite of the osso buco and it was phenomenal. So melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I felt the food was well thought-out and perfectly executed. Our service was excellent. We came on a Saturday night in September and it was busy, but our server and others were always attentive. By the way, I loved the atmosphere! Once we try other places, we will return :)
(4)Nina K.
Anxious to try Bryan's new restaurant, plus having an occasion to celebrate, we went the Sunday of opening weekend. Where to begin. First I was surprised how much I enjoyed the space. Very simply decorated it made you forget that you just walked past Power Plant Live. We arrived early and so had a glass of wine at the bar off the very pleasant bar tender's recommendation. We sat down for dinner and immediately had a conversation as to whether we would do the tasting menu or order off the menu. As a vegetarian this typically isn't an option for me, but I was pleasantly surprised when the server said the kitchen responded they would be happy to do a vegetarian tasting menu after I requested it. So I did that and my partner ordered off the menu. He got the beets, the lobster plate and then porchetta. My tasting menu started with a beet salad, then a panzaenella salad, then sweet corn cappellacci followed by the risotto. The salads were very good, but nothing "exceptional" however my partner thought the porchetta was outstanding and I was very pleased with the cappellacci and risotto, particularly the risotto. This is the first restaurant in Baltimore that properly cooked the risotto and the chanterelles and other mushrooms were incredible. Somewhere after our first dishes, we decided to talk to the sommellier because although we enjoyed our wine from the bar, we wanted to see what the sommellier would offer us. He went to the kitchen to find out what my tasting menu would entail, looked at my partner's order and gave us two EXCELLENT wine options... we had both. They were so good and completely spot on in term of what we liked and what would complement our food. And he was the nicest, friendliest (read: non-pretentious) guy possible. We are sad he won't spend every day in Baltimore that he'll be splitting his time between Baltimore and DC. So overall, we probably would give this 4.5 stars. The food while very good, didn't blow us out of the water as some of our favorite restaurants in Philadelphia do, but we think this is intentional. If you want that adventurous out of this world experience, its probably worth the drive to go to Volt. I don't think Baltimore is ready for Volt. Baltimore needs a modern, excellent Italian restaurant and that is what this is. But believe me, the service is out of this world, and please consult with the sommelier, it is worth it. Congratulations to the staff, we can't wait to come back again.
(5)Sj S.
The service at this restaurant was TERRIBLE! We had made reservations for 8 people during Baltimore restaurant week. We had called in several days in advance and reminded them when we sat down, that we had 3 vegetarian guests and one with nut allergies. We waited 45 minutes after we initially sat down for someone to ask us what we would like to drink. It took 75 minutes from the time we sat down to get a glass of wine, not to mention any food on the table. When they finally brought out their rosemary bread, they brought out their plate of spreads. On a single small plate was a white cheese (ricotta?) blend with pistachios and next to it was mortadella (meat puree). They placed several of these around the table, without describing what it was initially. All three vegetarians ate the meat puree without realizing what it was and only after I asked, did they tell me. The pistachios were placed directly in front of the guest with nut allergies. When i complained, they said "we were very sorry" and it was the fault of the food delivery staff, not the waiter. No concessions made. This is a MAJOR problem!!! The dinner food was C+ at best. They acted like they didn't even know what to make for vegetarians. It took them so long to get dessert to us also. They were not overwhelmingly busy for that Wednesday night, but our service was atrocious. Never returning. Told all our friends the same.
(1)Bob F.
This is a great place. It is the third Voltaggio restaurant I have been to and it did not disappoint. The food was awesome and very interesting combinations. The service was great.
(5)H. S.
I'm giving this restaurant 4 stars here because 5 would be an injustice as it means it was perfect in every way and it wasn't. Most of our party ordered the 6 course tasting menu. One of our party ordered the wine pairing with it. Every one of these courses was exquisite. The wine pairing was excellent. I found the food to be beyond reproach. For the price we paid, I hoped for this quality of food and i was not disappointed. Now, if it was any other restaurant, with lesser quality food, I would probably have given it 1 or 2 stars at best. Why? Simple fact that our entire dinner from the time we sat down, until our dessert came, took a hair over 4 hours. We had 7:30 reservation where we were actually sat early at 7:15. We paid our check at 11:10. I can tell you that at 9:15, I actually posted on my facebook page that I was hungry and only 3 courses have arrived. I get that they want time for you to enjoy your food, but with the portion size they give you, 40 minutes per course, is way too slow. I've been to other restaurants where 8 or 9 courses came within 2 1/2 hours. Dinner should not last longer than that. Will I go back? I'm hesitant. Given the price I paid and the time it took to enjoy this meal, its a tossup.
(4)Amy D.
I'll start by saying that our waiter forgot about us! I've wanted to try Aggio since it opened and was looking forward to a great meal. Perhaps we started off on the wrong foot when I asked what type of virgin cocktails the offered - I was told cranberry juice and ginger beer. I'm pregnant and was hoping this was the sort of place where the bartender would know how to mix up something fun and non-alcoholic. Apparently, this wasn't the skilled bartender I was hoping for. I went for the ginger beer (which was excellent), and my husband got a fancy cocktail to start. While we were snacking on the Parmesan funnel cake we had someone top off our glasses of sparkling water with still. My husband and I typically find portions to be too much for us, and wanted to save room for dessert. We settled on two salads, a split appetizer, and two pasta dishes. I started with the mushroom salad which was just ok because there was so much salt in it. Next we split the grilled octopus, which was good, but nothing to rave about. The service was very good until we reached our pasta dishes. Our waiter, who had offered to bring my husband a glass of wine when the pasta was served forgot about us. After the pasta arrived he said he'd be right back with the wine. We sat there - in the middle of the room looking around as staff whizzed around while we tried to get their attention for almost ten minutes. We managed to get a hold of a busboy, who then got our waiter to bring us the wine. When the waiter brought the wine he did not apologize or in anyway acknowledge his mistake. This was a major bump in our meal. With these prices, we expect impeccable service. And the pasta portions were way smaller than we anticipated. After our pasta dishes my stomach was growling. We again sat and played the game of getting our waiter's attention. Finally, we split the snapper. It was good, but nothing as creative as we'd expected. After all of that we still had room for dessert. Thankfully, the dessert was delicious, but it did not make up for the bumps we'd had in our meal. And I was bummed that my decaf coffee was served with a side of milk in place of cream. I felt our bill for this meal was outrageous for what we received - $150 and that was with one cocktail and one glass of wine, and a split appetizer, entree and dessert. I will also add that the bathrooms felt like the type you'd find in a nice high school, and completely lacked any elegance. We won't be back.
(2)Phyllis P.
This is a 4 star update to a 2 star previous review on open table. I wrote a review on open table after a less than stellar restaurant week experience. Aggio invited us back for a "do over." And let me just say it was phenomenal. Delicious food paired with perfect wines and a attentive but unobtrusive service. Any business can have a bad night. A great business will overcome the bumps in the road. Bravo Aggio! Thank you for a wonderful evening.
(4)Carrie F.
Frederick is too far for this mother of two to drive and come back, so when Bryan Voltaggio's restaurant opened here in Baltimore, I was excited to try it. There were many things to like, but many things were just ok. Nothing really BLEW me away. Service: 4.5 stars. Attentive, courteous, knowledgeable and professional. Portion sizes: 2.5 stars. I get that this is supposed to be a 3-4 course offering but some of the course options were smaller than others. Pasta: 5 stars. Assuming its house made (which I assumed it was?) both of our pasta courses were impeccable. Selection: 3 stars. A small menu with not a lot of variety. A lot of seafood. Bread: 5 stars. As someone else posted, the bread is phenomenal and the home made spreads were fabulous. Innovation: 3 stars. For these prices I want to see things that haven't been done before... interesting combinations, preparations and sauces. Caesar Salad, burrata, octopus, lasagna....I have seen these many times over. Yes there were a few innovative dishes but a lot of same old--done well, mind you--but still basic. Food: 3.5 stars. I ordered the chicken cacciatore and it was just ok. Bone in, skin on, average sauce. My husband's dish was much more impressive. The appetizers were good. I am glad I went. I crossed it off my list, but we probably won't go back. Too many other spots to try and great spots to revisit (Charleston, Oceannaire, etc)
(3)Sharyn F.
This is an easy place to review. Great food, super service and valet parking which in Baltimore is pretty sweet! Loved the bread and the adorable and delicious funnel cakes. The minty pea soup was good. Fried Brussel sprouts just a tad too done but wonderful. The carbonnara and lasagna were both so good. Portions were perfect. Overall this is a wonderful restaurant and would definitely return.
(4)Joni D.
Delicious food, classy surroundings, interesting menu. The lighting in the place is a little odd and a bit bright. No piped in music and in spite of all of the hard surfaces, not too noisy. Portions are small but filling. Service was uneven: attentive but at times we were forgotten about. It took a long time for drinks to come to the table. They got confused about who was getting which dish. It's not cheap but that was expected. Not sure I'd return.
(4)Katie C.
Aggio, Aggio, Aggio - where to begin? How about with the starters? We were a table of 5 who had been looking forward to this dinner for a long time as we are huge fans of the Voltaggio Brothers and Volt was given such a terrific review. As we were waiting to order our drinks, we were given a small cup of breadsticks. Four of them to be exact. About the size of a pretzel stick (not a ROD, mind you - a STICK). Four skinny little sticks for a table of 5. OK, we shook it off and split the longest one between 2 of us. They were ok. Not delicious, but we were hungry. Shortly after that (and by SHORTLY at Aggio, think 30 minutes) came very tasty olive bread with 2 spreads. One a marscarpone/lemon zest/olive oil/salt dip and the other a mortadella/pistachio spread. Maybe we were starving, but that might have been the best thing we ate that night. Bread and bologna. Should have run to Salt. Or Woodberry Kitchen. Ugh. Moving on - I Had the Tasting Menu: CARNE CRUDA - gave to tablemate with a thing for raw beef. She said it was ok. BAGNA CAUDA - kind of a wreck on the plate and looked like leftover crudité. The failure of the tasting. RISOTTO DI FUNGHI - Not bad. Not great. Just mushroom risotto. GORGONZOLA DOLCE TORTELLETI - Highlight of the meal. Absolutely delicious, but not nearly hot enough. ROASTED LOCAL PHEASANT - Tasty. Although at this point I would have eaten the tablecloth. It was served at hour 2.5. Tepid. CIOCCOLATO E NOCCIOLA - Who can remember? It came out after I'd finished my paired wine (shocker) and while we were lamenting not driving to DC for Mike Isabella's pepperoni sauce. My wine pairings with tasting menu were spot on (when the wine actually showed up). Kudos to the sommelier for the pairing choices, but shame on him for suggesting a delicious white to our table and then disappearing for the night with the rest of the waitstaff who should have been pouring for us. Service was abominable for a top-chef caliber restaurant. Yes, our waiter was handsome. Yes, he was extremely nice. But why oh why was he bussing tables when he wasn't serving and why, at about 10pm, was every single tabletop in the restaurant empty. Not a plate to be seen, and every patron looking around to see what had happened to the staff. There were a lot of people working there. They just didn't know what to do. Or maybe the kitchen walked out and they were helping in there. Clearly it was am amateur who made my friend's cappuccino and left the metal nozzle from the frother in her cup. At least that's what she hoped it was. Thank God she isn't a guzzler. When we pointed it out the waiter kind of looked at it and disappeared into the kitchen. No apologies. Nothing. We were in a hurry to leave at that point anyway - the sun was almost up. Perhaps if the service had been better, the food would have seemed more delicious. Not the case here. Bryan Voltaggio, we all rooted for you to win Top Chef, but we will never be back to your restaurant.
(2)Nicholas R.
Very good food.
(5)Mike E.
The Chef really hits a home run all around. The food was absolutely outstanding, in every way. Complex, layers of flavor in some dishes, and allowing natural food flavor to shine with accents in others...the attention to detail, and execution were flawless. The Sommelier is also excellent and recommended an excellent wine which we thoroughly enjoyed. The one area that did not live up to the rest, was the service. It wasn't bad, but I'd definitely expect a more polished service staff to meet the level of the cuisine, particularly in an establishment from Voltaggio.
(5)Alli R.
I had high expectations for Aggio and was excited to try it, being a fan of Top Chef. I read the reviews but kept an open mind. I went with a group of 12, used the valet for $10 which I thought was convenient. It was a Saturday night and the place was dead. We were seated at a long rectangular table which wasn't ideal for a large party to socialize, but wasn't a huge deal. I found the decor to be bland and lacking in personality. When ordering from the menu, which is laid out in 3 courses, they did not explain that if you order from the third course, and others order from the second, your food will not be brought out until the third course. Everyone was eating while one person in our group had nothing, I thought that was bizarre. Also, the waiters had to constantly reach over the table to refill drinks and served the food. They had no other choice given the table setup but I had their butts pressed onto my arms more often than I would have liked. The fried dough they put on the table was super good but tiny, as were the bread twigs. As for the actual food, it was really good but super tiny portions. I had the Torteletti, which was filled with gorgonzola and had a pear and parsnip butter sauce. It was excellent but like I said, tiny. I had the Budoni for dessert, which was a cream cheese custard with ginger bread and I think cranberries. It was also very good and the portion size was great. All in all I would be open to trying Aggio again with maybe one or two other people. It's not a bad place, just needs a few things tweaked so help the service flow more easily.
(3)Julie F.
I usually read prior reviews before choosing a dinner spot, and I should have done this. As other reviewers have mentioned the lights above the bar make the atmosphere awful, make sure to sit in the dining room. I ordered the 6 course tasting menu, I will go through one by one: Parmesan funnel bite: a bit greasy not needed gift from the chef (Loss) Focaccia bread with house made spreads; excellent (Win) First course, Carne: this ribeye was perfection creamy, just a spot of citrus, flavors perfectly blended. The 2 toasts served with the carne were overly oiled and only detracted from the perfect blend. I wish this course was served without the toast or with a plain thin slice of baguette, nothing to take away the flavor! (Win) Second course: This was the "finger food " course, duck conceit, roasted and fresh vegetables. This was a good blend of rich and clean foods, the duck of course very rich against a crisp raw cauliflower bite or a charred brussels sprout. (Win) Third course: Risotto this was the worst item in the 6 course menu. Overly salty even though I am a big fan of salt and looked forwarded to this douse with the mushrooms and hard cheeses as favorites, I could not eat this I had 2 bites and quit (loss) Fourth course: Pasta, this course was almost perfect. the balsamic with the blue cheese and small pear beads all counter balanced each other nicely. I was very worried about being too heavy as this course followed the risotto, but the balance worked. (win) Fifth course: Pheasant: AGAIN too heavy with salt , I salt almost everything at home so you know this was bad. The liver (foie gras style ) was delicious, the polenta good, the pheasant 2 ways inedible, the 2 small slices that had a filling of some sort, salt! The round sausage style salt, the greens extra salt. awful. (big loss) Sixth course: Chocolate cake, nutella , hazel nuts and ricotta gelato? This is a win as I needed the ricotta ice-cream like gelato to cleanse the salt from the previous course. The dessert did have the right blend of flavors as seen in a few of the other courses. The reason for 3 stars is when the course missed the mark, it REALLY was off mark. If you take away the courses that were bad, my meal and service was 5 stars. Unfortunately it was 50% great and 50% awful and dining alone with one glass of wine a bill of $150 it should be 100% good.
(2)Elizabeth M.
Aggio was one of the best dining experiences I've had in Baltimore. I'm worried, though, that this caliber restaurant won't last in Baltimore. We went on a Sunday night and the highlights included the burrata with proscuitto, the lobster ravioli and the chicken saltimbocca. My partner's bronzino was spectacular. It was pretty empty, even for a Sunday night. Again, worries that this caliber restaurant won't make it in Baltimore.
(5)Jenny H.
We had a very nice meal here at the restaurant, the food was OK but the service was exceptional. We came on a Thursday night before a holiday weekend so other than 4-5 parties, the place was pretty empty. They start you off with some long fennel and sea salt bread sticks which were really salty, but the fresh, warm focaccia bread served with two spreads in the beginning were delicious! They also give you some complementary parmesan fried cakes which were interesting- never had them before, kind of like dried out French fries. The actual dishes were OK. You can order half-sized pasta dishes, so I got the Triangolo (stuffed with celery root and taleggio cheese) and the Tonnarelli Nero (black ink pasta with lump crab meat and uni). The Triangolo was very thin and tasted like a smooth ricotta filling, while the Tonnarelli noodles were good, with a very strong, salty uni flavor. If you like a strong seafood flavor, you would like this dish- it's a good dipping sauce for the bread. The Chitarra, which was like their spaghetti carbonara, was good. The sauce was a bit too watery but the actual bacon pieces made the dish really good. The Fettucine with blistered tomatoes and lamb was OK, fresh noodles but not as much sauce/flavor as we would have liked. I really liked their Risotto with porcini and quail egg, but thought their Salad (with ham, peas, etc.) was really fresh, but the dressing could have used a little work. The panna cotta with the strawberry ice cream was good. It tasted like a thick yogurt with honey more than the tradition custardy panna cotta I'm traditionally used to but it was a refreshing way to end the meal. They of course came by with some complimentary bon bons made in house. The service here was exceptional and professional. The pace of the different courses was perfect (not too rushed, not too late), our waters were topped off all the time, they folded your napkin for you when you left the table, servers were friendly and prompt, and they gave you so many complimentary sides like they appreciated you being their customer. It was a great experience! It doesn't hurt that we got to meet Bryan Voltaggio at the end!
(4)Stella L.
Came in for a restaurant week for the first time and was impressed with the food and service. The impressive menus are: - The parmesean funnel cake: a nice start - tonnarelli nero: squid ink spaghetti - day boat scallops - desert menu tiramisu and affogato The rest were okay but not too memorable. I would definitely try to come back!
(5)Zain M.
Stumbled upon Aggio while looking for something to eat in Downtown, and boy am I glad I did. The place is a little fancy so I definitely felt underdressed just having come from the the Aquarium. They start you off with bread and a couple of dips. The mousse dip was definitely not our favorite. We ended up ordering two dishes from the Primi menu and it was just the right size. We got the risotto and the rabbit pappardelle which were both very tasty. I'd never had rabbit before so it was a great first experience. They finished up with the funnel cake which was spiced and delicious. Would definitely go back to Aggio to try other things on the menu.
(4)Sallyann Z.
When you want to wine and dine yourself, Aggio is the place to go! Apparently, this place is connected with something called Volt that my boss was excited about? My boss has worked in Baltimore for years and was surprised to have not heard of this place, but we decided to take our chances here for a nice Team dinner. Boy, were we in for a treat! As soon as we arrived, they took our coats for coat check and we got a large table for six off to the side and it felt private and cornered off. The servers were very attentive and helped us select a nice bottle of wine. Now, let's talk about the food. Every single dish wowed my party and every single one of us was pleased with what we ordered. Aggio has a small menu with appetizers, medium pastas and main entrees. Our table ordered a round of appetizers and everyone had their own pasta, which was the perfect amount of food. FREE FOOD: A small tin of crunchy breadstick was brought in as we looked over the menu. Then, a parmesan funnel cake (i've never had anything like this before and the pillowy pieces of dough were delightful) and then the fanciest salted olive bread service, accompanied by a whipped ricotta and a mortadella mousse. Three on-the-house starters? Aggio certainly knows how to woo its customers. Our table ordered the following appetizers: 1. Calamari with grapefruit and chickpeas - not fried like what was expected. I thought this dish was forgettable and would not order this again 2. Charred Octopus - more like one very large octopus tentacle that we cut it into pieces. This was expertly cooked! 3. Burrata - Finally, a Burrata dish that I enjoy. How did they do it? Cover it in proscuitto! haha I was definitely a huge fan because of that My pasta: The Tonnarelli Nero I could not pass up a dish like this that was sure to be an exotic combinations of flavors. I was nervous because the server said it was a toothsome pasta (more al dente bc of the squid ink), but I had absolutely no complaints about the tonnarelli, only that there wasn't more! While it wasn't exactly "lump crab" (more like shreds), I liked that the crab intertwined with the sauce and made every bit so scrumptious. I also had a bite of my boss's Fusilli and the sausage and broccoli rabe were wonderful! We were stuffed at this point, so no dessert for us, but we were happy to see the complimentary macaroons at the table! I do want to note that my review is biased because I did not have to think of prices (work dinner) so I might not have been as happy with the portions if I was paying. A great place for work dinners. But, overall, the food was outstanding and deserves five stars! Aggio is a suberb restaraunt and turns fine dining into an art.
(5)Tony C.
It seems to me that chefs try cover up their inability to be creative with flavors by overindulging with the salt. Salt should be used to enhance natural flavors of food and herbs. This chef decided salt should be the ingredient even more than the pasta itself. The octopus, way too small of a portion, was like chewing on a rubber tire. Presented very nicely but Not cooked well at all and very disappointing for the price point paid. For a restaurant that spent so much in design and decor, the chef needs to get back to true Italian creative dishes with better preparation. Not a good choice if you are looking for a reasonably priced and well prepared meal.
(2)Margaret N.
Pretty fancy Italian restaurant hidden behind power plant. Very friendly service and yummy food! I started with the octopus-nicely prepared! And my friend had the Caesar salad (love how they used fried oysters as croutons). I was pretty disappointed in the bland Rosemary bread and tasteless savory funnel cake they served us. For my main course, I opted for the scallops. Perfectly plump, seasoned and prepared. Loved loved loved the risotto underneath- cooked al-dente, just how it should be! My friend liked her chicken too, they were generous in portion! For a full recap and pictures, check out my blog: PolishednRetro.com
(5)Hayley H.
Perfection We went for restaurant week, which was a great chance to try out a bunch of dishes and wines. I have been to lots of nice places for restaurant week, and you sometimes feel as if they are annoyed you are there for restaurant week and not for the regular priced menu. We did not feel that here. We got the wine pairing which was so lovely and the sommelier came and spoke about each wine and why he chose it for us which was interesting. The parmesan funnel cake was outstanding and the corn pasta was to die for. The service was impeccable. They time everything so well, the waitstaff is so on top of everything, and they really pay attention to details. My husband asked the sommelier if he could recommend any wines for us for our upcoming honeymoon in Europe. He took the time to sit down and write down some wines to try in each of our destinations. He then sent over a free dessert that they wrote "happy honeymoon" on. Which was beyond thoughtful and sweet (no pun intended). We would definitely go back, restaurant week or not. Its a great place for a special occasio.
(5)Scott M.
Aggio promises to be a top restaurant within Baltimore in the future. However, it's execution through service will keep this restaurant from becoming one of the best. Upon arrival early for an 8:30 reservation, we were asked to wait at the high tops until are table was ready. There was no interaction with anyone from the restaurant to see if we would like a cocktail or glass of wine prior to dinner. We moved to the bar upon a spot opening up. The bartender obviously overwhelmed had difficulty in keeping up with orders from the bar and staff. Eventually after 20 minutes, we were offered a menu. We were seated at 9:00 and were told the wait was due to silverware not being available at this time. Upon being guided to our table, we were left alone by our hostess in the middle of the restaurant as evidently our table still was not available. After waiting in the middle of the restaurant for several minutes, we were eventually guided by the manager to our table. Upon sitting, we were finally greeted by our server after another 10 minutes. We quickly ordered the Prix Fixe with Wine Pairing. The pacing of the meal was horrible with courses randomly coming out. The gap between the first and second course was around 30 minutes. However, the gap between the second and third course was immediate. In addition, no wine pairing was ever served immediately with our meal. Each wine either came after our meal or well before the next course. The food and wine was excellent. However, there seems to be distinct lack of communication and/or execution that is necessary of a top restaurant. We informed the manager of our concerns and he noted them. We will not be attending in the future, nor will recommend this restaurant for business until this staff can generate a change in presentation.
(2)Maria P.
We were in Baltimore for one night and stumbled upon this beautiful restaurant. The service was impeccable, but the food, portions, and pricing left a lot to be desired. We started with the octopus, usually our favorite. When the dish arrived, we were impressed with the presentation. However, the three inch single piece of octupus (which 2 of us had to share) was rubbery and overtly salty. Not what we expected, especially for the price. For an entree we ordered pasta with chicken sausage. Again, the presentation was the best part. The dish in its entirety was over salty. The pasta was undercooked (and I don't mean al dente, it was pasty and undercooked). Another review mentioned the bread being the best part, I'll have to agree, although I also enjoyed the staff and service. All in all, not worth the price though.
(2)James C.
Completely flawless meal as judged by a harsh critic. From the moment I walked in the door everything was exactly right. Great drinks, service, food, wine, and all the little extras. I'm a little drunk and running out of superlatives. Just book a table.
(5)A. C.
(7/25/2015) We came here for Restaurant Week. Usually most menus are dumbed down or cheapened for RW, but we had plenty of choices and felt well taken care of at Aggio. This menu is contemporary Italian. The Caesar Salad we had previously tried at the HOME book signing at Family Meal. We had enough people to try everything they offered off the RW menu. Seasonal ingredients were fresh, green and yellow wax beans in a simple gratin, pencil-thin green and white asparagus, charred broccoli rabe, crushed fava beans, all bright, vibrant. Best of the antipasti was the Octopus, a 5-inch and thick tentacle on fregula with smoked raisin and lemony agrumato; was somewhat chewy, but well-seasoned with a light char. The well-described (in other publications) Tonnarelli Nero (squid ink pasta with crab meat and uni) seemed overwhelmingly fishy in smell and flavor to me, but I've also never been a fan of uni (reminds me of urea). Favorite Primi hands down was the Cappellacci with Cherry Glen Farm goat cheese, Eastern Shore sweet corn, summer truffle; plump, bursting with cheese and fresh, light, earthy summer flavors. Least successful was the Lumache with lamb ragu; was heavy and we found the tomato sauce unremarkable. The Creste de Gallo with chicken sausage and hen of the woods mushrooms was savory and a simple mix, but excessively salty (we had this problem at Family Meal, too). If you have a hankering for it, spring for the Bistecca a la Florentine for two, it's a massive 2-inch thick espresso dry rubbed porterhouse, came a rosy medium rare and perfectly seasoned. The sides were also hits: casserole of cannellini beans, yellow wax and green beans, and a gratin of summer truffle gnocchi (the lightest gnocchi I've ever had, meltingly tender, not the usual leaden lumps). Desserts are desserts, deconstructed Tiramisu was a nice ice cream and mascarpone puddle (be forewarned, you may be disappointed if you're expecting traditional). I stuck with the simple Affogato, gelato and a shot of espresso, a nice ending to a really enjoyable meal. RW prices can't be beat, it was a great value.
(5)Lisa S.
The food here was fantastic! As other reviewers pointed out, the bread was superb. My group of five all ordered different dishes off the a la carte menu, and nobody was disappointed! The service was impeccable....I know some people complained that it was slow. It isn't slow- you are dining, not racing to get out the door! Tip: The back part of the restaurant has a slightly better ambiance than the front. My only complaint: After a lot of Thanksgiving eating, nobody was up for the entire six course menu. At Volt, they were more flexible about letting us order some of these dishes. However, at Aggio, we couldn't, which was a little disappointing because some of them looked delicious!!
(4)Jane M.
Food and service exceptional. While not inexpensive, value for quality and portion size of the prix fixe menu was great. Memorable dining experience!
(5)Tatyana M.
First time. The food was delicious, quite creative and nicely presented, but it would be nice to include more vegetables in stead of starches as an accompaniments to the protein dishes and be a bit lighter on a salt use. The service was very nice and attentive, the ambiance is intimate, the value is good. The menu on the web was much bigger in choices but not updated to the real one in the restaurant, and it makes it a bit difficult to switch from what you want to what's available. We saw some people leaving before ordering might be for this reason. Too bad for them. I think they missed a great experience, though the restaurant should take a note of that if it wants to stay in busyness. But all together it was a great experience and we'll be back.
(4)Lauren L.
Free Food: there were ..bread STICKS (as in, a gold-fish tasting, thin sticks.. think of it as some thin pencils in an aluminum holder) on the table, the waiter brought out a parmesan funnel cake (on the house), and then they brought out a delicious olive bread with some kind of whipped butter, mortadella mousse, and avocado oil. Free bread was definitely the winner here. Appetizer: I got the charred octopus with hazelnut, raisins, fregola, garlic,and agrumato. It was a super small serving and they really put the CHAR in charred. I don't know if it was supposed to be like that or the cook in the back forgot about it for three minutes too long but I would not order this creature again. My friends got the burrata and calamari (which also came with lamb??) which looked and tasted better. Definitely not worth the $15 dollars for one leg. or arm. I am not sure what octopi have. Dinner: Nom Nom Nom. I got the tonnarelli nero which is a squid ink pasta with uni, jalapeño, crab, and what felt like a pound of butter/oil. There was a party on my plate and only I was invited! Fantastic! tasting! The only problem was that this portion was more fitting for a 10 year old child than for a hungry adult. It was my BFF's birthday so they brought her out a minuscule cake, which was cute and she enjoyed the one bite of it that she could! Additionally, Aggio is in a strange location: its by Powerplant live (...i know). Decor was nothing special. Wait staff was attentive and explained what we were eating. I could not afford any wine so I can't really tell you about that. Bonus points for the bubbly water (it's free!). Overall, I had a nice meal and a pleasant birthday experience for my friend but it's over-priced for the portion sizes. This is baltimore, not DC or NYC.
(3)Jeff K.
I went to Aggio for the first time last week for a group dinner and had fairly high expectations considering what I read and reviewed on their menu. We were seated on the main floor. The PRO's -food tasted fresh -snapper was prepared well -water glasses were refilled regularly -bartender was friendly and accommodating -coat check -bathroom was clean The CON's -to me, $10 valet is a bit steep, in addition to giving a decent tip -decor was very plain and screamed nothing "Italian" to me -the breadsticks provided (if you want to call them breadsticks), are pitiful and about the size of a needle -the wait staff was constantly reaching over across the table to refill drinks, placed their bodies so close you it felt as if they were all up in your personal space...having went to culinary school they teach you never to reach across someone's plate like that..I expected more from a place like this -execution was poor...with so many courses you could order something as your meal and be sitting there while everyone else is eating...it made no sense and the servers never discussed how food would be coming out -very pricey for minimal food -with a party as large as ours, the chef should have popped out to say hello to see how we liked everything Overall, this restaurant did not provide the caliber of service I was expecting...not even close. I've had some really amazing Italian food from places like this and most often from small mom and pop 'hole-in-the-wall' kinda joints. There was hardly anyone else there the night we went and I can't imagine it staying in business at this location long if this is the norm. This place has potential and could do a lot better...I'm just not certain I'd take a risk returning when my other options are less expensive, better executed and trusted from prior experiences.
(2)Elizabeth D.
My husband and I had a very nice but not quite stellar meal at Aggio on a recent Friday night. The staff, both hostess and our server, were friendly and efficient, and didn't seem harried even as the dining room got bigger. I think they've been reading their Yelp comments - the server was very clear with us up front about the tasting portion sizes and what to expect, which I think was useful. I had the tasting menu and my husband ordered three dishes. We enjoyed everything we had, with one exception - when our steak dishes came out, his was nicely done, but mine was so rubbery and gray it was basically not identifiable. We had a nice evening out, and while I wouldn't rush back, I certainly would consider it a good option.
(4)Niran A.
This restaurant is a cut above in the Baltimore fine dining scene. Although first impressions upon arrival weren't the best, the food more than compensates. First, the interior is a bit heavy feeling somewhat resembles a dungeon - just too many black tones, with a lot of dead space. Some floral bouquets or contrasting colors/textures would definitely make the interior more inviting. Then were the cocktails, I ordered a "King of Cool" cocktail which was whiskey based but really just tasted like cough medicine. My friend's vodka martini didn't impress either. However, the Moscow mules were refreshing and tasty. Two people in my party opted for the five course chef's tasting menu ($65), which features items currently on the menu but a double of the primi course and includes dessert as one of the courses. Portions are small, so I would definitely encourage ordering an antipasti, primi, and secondi. Promptly after ordering we received a few complimentary items to wake up the palette. First was the parmesan funnel cake, which was perfectly crispy and airy - really tasty. Then came the bread service featuring beautifully homemade focaccia with a creamy soft cheese and mortadella mousse, covered in olive oil and parsley. The bread service was incredibly good, and I don't even like mortadella. Notable antipasti were the foie terrina and beet salad. The foie terrina was a chilled preparation of foie gras with a cherry reduction, and crunchy hazelnuts for texture. The foie was also accompanied with a small frisee salad to break up the richness of the dish. It was a very tasty and clean dish. The chilled preparation was also very good considering most foie gras is served moderately warm and seared. The beet salad featured emulsified goat cheese and a pine nut brittle - also very tasty. The highlights of the meal were the pastas though. I ordered the tonnarelli nero, which was a house made squid ink pasta studded with lump crab in a slightly spicy uni sauce. The seafood in the dish was just expertly suited with the luscious al dente pasta. The dish was also not very fishy, and really just let the ingredients shine. The pappardelle with rabbit was also excellent, with the rabbit being perfectly roasted and tender. This was the first time I tried rabbit, but it really turned me on to the protein and of course the house made pasta was again excellent. Also noteworthy was the pillowy soft gnocchi with truffle butter and mushrooms. This was hands down the best gnocchi I have ever had and the accompanied ingredients were nice subtle additions. It's worth mentioning as well that me and my friend received a second complimentary primi course so that it wasn't awkward while our significant others got their third course from the chefs tasting menu. Entrees also very good, I definitely recommend the pork osso buco. The osso buco was crispy on the exterior while still being fork tender. The accompanying gnocchi alla romana was really tasty and the gremolata tied everything together - just an excellent dish. I also sampled the skirt steak, which seemed to be sous vide and then seared. Wish the portion of steak was a bit bigger but it was still delicious none the less. Furthermore, the wine list was really impressive and the sommelier steered us towards a really good Italian red from Mount Etna. Service was also very good, but as with most fine dining restaurants the meal is intentionally paced, so dinner service does take about 2 hours. All in all, this was a very memorable meal with many dishes really packing a punch with minimal flaws. Desserts and cocktails were somewhat of a miss, but like I said other parts of the meal really compensated. Props to Brian Voltaggio and his staff.
(5)Kris L.
2.5 stars (sadly) I was so excited to try Bryan's new place, after absolutely LOVING Volt. Sadly the opening night at Aggio (even while ignoring the normal service snafoos) was underwhelming. They had 2 soft openings before opening night. That being said, service was a hot mess. They brought the wrong appetizer to our table. Bread service somehow missed our table and we had to ask for it. They brought the wrong wine orders to our table. Etc etc...but hey, cut them some slack as these kinks will (hopefully) be ironed out in the future. That being aside, I was not impressed by the food! I think I was expecting a lot due to my love for Volt and I was sorely disappointed. The blue crab tagliatelle was downright bland and under salted. It's just a shame to do wrong to a crab dish in Baltimore! The veal meatballs were good but there just wasn't anything special about them. The same with the oxtail ragu...meaty and tasty, but just not unique. I can find Italian food just as good with handmade pasta in little Italy for much cheaper. The bread service (olive loaf) and table app (Parmesan funnel cake) were both heavy and drenched in oil. The one other major gripe that is a recurring theme at Voltaggio's restaurants are the barely-wet-the-bottom-of-your-glass wine pours. When dropping $15 on a glass of wine, please give me more than a fourth of a glass! I was SO excited for this restaurant to open in Baltimore, but I sadly won't be back...instead will head to Food Market, Charleston, and other usual suspects.
(3)Supriya M.
I can completely see why Aggio is averaging around 3.5 stars. First, the good - our server was very courteous, friendly and knowledgable. The amuse bouche and after dinner cleaner were a great touch. The drinks were all pretty fantastic as well. Since we were celebrating a birthday, they brought us out dessert but at this point we were not sure if this was an over-compensation for the ugly which I will get to. Now the bad, the food was hit or miss. Some dishes were good, most we're too salty. For the first course, the pumpkin soup was delicious, the burrata was good and the pork terrine was meh. The ricotta gnocchi, lamb lasagna and the seafood pasta were all meh as well. For the third course, the lamb sausage and loin were good but the pork osso busco - the pork was cooked to perfection but I couldn't eat it due to its excessive saltiness. This was true of some of the other food as well. The prices were up there but the food was not worth it. Now, the ugly. There was a system problem. We waited way too long for the drinks - every time, much too long. And the third course, we waited over 20-30min between our second and third course so much so that our server got the manager involved and my husband got a free beer - which was nice but still not acceptable that we waited so long. So maybe they were overworked or there are kinks that need to be worked out. Overall, Aggio is good on paper but I would say if you're going to spend that much money, make a trip to the Charleston instead.
(3)Andy K.
Good, probably not great. Went for restaurant week, got grilled octopus which was good although the gold standard is ouzo bay in my opinion, paid $7 extra for pasta course which was good with hand made pasta and crab meat. Got salmon which was good although not knock my socks off which is probably why I'm giving it 4 stars. The Sammy Davis jr with homemade ginger beer and whiskey was really good and strong. Not bad but not a place I'd go when we want to spend $$$ for dinner.
(4)Teri P.
Visited with 4 other girlfriends - we like to try a lot of the menu & share dishes. We ordered 2 bottles of wine, and the Sommelier was very helpful. Service was stellar, and the house bread & spread was phenomenal, but that's about where the accolades end. We were delivered an amuse bouche of a parmesan funnel cake, which was miniscule for 5 people to barely have a crumb, but fine. For starters, we ordered the Chioggia Beets, the Marinated Sea Scallops, and the Charred Octopus. From the pasta menu, the Ricotta Gnocchi, Tonnarelli Nero (barely any blue crab, and too al dente for my taste), Strozzapreti, and the most miniscule piece of lasagna (and looked like it was the overcooked, end piece of the pan). I'm all for appropriate portion sizes, but these were really small. From the 3 choices on the entrees, we selected the chicken, which was moist, but very meh. We were still hungry, so we went with three desserts including the Pistachio in Olives (a tiny sliver of olive oil cake), Fennel cream & berries (described to us as having chocolate soil...blech), and a third dessert that I can't remember the name of - some kind of dark chocolate nugget with ice cream. Not one dish blew us away, most were just meh. And we were still hungry. We really wanted more from Aggio, and compared to Volt, it was a big let down. Sad to say, but we won't return.
(2)Teresa A.
Very happily surprised by this place and would recommend that you do not overlook it if you want great, fancy food for a special night out. To start off, the ambiance is weird, I think it is lacking a lot of personality. It is clean and plain and well boring. Grey and white, no color... nothing fancy shmancy at all. The server I don't think ever introduced himself to us, it was strictly business... whatever dude, I don't want to talk to you anyway I guess? He hardly came to us, but luckily this isn't a place where you need ketchup or something. Ok you want to know about the food?... Here is the play by play on everything we ordered: The cracker stick thingies (everyone gets these and the next two) - Were delicious! Parm funnel cake - holy salt, these were good but a heavy hand on the salt! Almost inedible, but probably a fluke for us... hopefully. BREAD SERVICE - best bread and spreads I have ever had in any restaurant... EVER, do not let yourself miss this! Scallop (I don't remember the exact name but it was a first course option) - it was 2 chopped up, chilled scallops with ice shavings of some herb seasoning mixture which was delicious. I believe it was rhubarb that was chopped finely on the opposite side of the plate in a kind of like salsa looking mound, I strongly did not like it, it was not what I would have paired with scallops which were perfectly good by themselves. 5 stars. Cesar Salad with Oyster Croutons - AWESOME, I have never had a fried oyster, but I love them raw, and these were phenomenal! The salad was quite large for what I was expecting, and covered in parm cheese and was so delicious. 5 stars! Grilled Octopus - I am NOT a fan of octopus, but my boyfriend loves it so we ordered it... and omg it was good. Perfectly cooked, not chewy at all, and tasted so fresh and delicious. The size is small, just one tentacle, but it was the perfect amount for me to try it. And the bed of couscous was delicious with it and I loved trying the dots of sauces all around the plate, each were very good. 5 stars! Oxtail Ragu - Very boring looking, nothing special. The flavor was very good. Oxtail was very good, pasta was good.. but it wasn't special enough for me to want to order it again. But if you want a meaty pasta it will satisfy. 3.5 stars. Berkshire Pork - Wow, this was unlike any pork I have ever had, it almost melted in your mouth. It was cooked to perfection and was absolutely delicious. A little bit of everything from the plate on my fork was the most perfect bite of the evening. 5, 5, 5 stars! Very worth it, our total (all of the above including 2 glasses of wine) $110 before tip. Not as bad as I thought it would be!
(5)Robert D.
Disappointing, restaurant week , we spent the evening trying to get our waiters attention. It took twenty five minutes to order a drink and another twenty five for them to deliver it. they had extremely limited menu and took waiter 20 minutes after we got drinks( one hour after arrival) to take our order. Most of meals outstanding, though two of the entries were cold. We were afraid to ask to have them heated be cause we would never see them again. Our waiters never checked in to see if everything was ok. We constantly had to ask someone to take our order, find our food, get our coffee, bring water. Service was atrocious.
(2)Christine K.
The food and drink were good, but definitely not worth the prices and the not-quite-there quality of service. The menu at the Baltimore location is slightly different from the one at the DC location, but the prices are the same. What makes the DC location worth more worth it is the impeccable service. The Baltimore Aggio? Not so much. We felt a bit neglected at times. I would definitely order the ricotta gnocchi and the Grey Ghost cocktail again. The gnocchi had a good amount of thick slices of pancetta, and the flavors were well balanced between spicy, sweet, and salty. The wild boar ragu tagliatelle was on the saltier side, but still good. The portion for this was bigger than expected. The grilled duck was good, but nothing special. The scallops were a little overbuttered, but otherwise fine. These were both dishes I could easily get anywhere else, so not too impressive. I might come back for happy hour because I liked the pastas, but overall, I don't think this Aggio's food or service is worth the $140+ for two people (or $95pp/tasting menu + $65/wine pairing). But I guess our options in downtown Baltimore are limited... Parking is pretty much limited to the valet at Ruth's Chris next door ($10 + tip).
(3)Tunaidi A.
I have become a huge fan of Aggio. Excellent food, on point service, spacious layout, and classy and modern decor. The location isn't usually great/easy for street parking, but you could also go for the $10 valet parking. On to the food: * Focaccia bread -- Infused with olives and garlic. Ricotta + chives and pistachio + secret ingredient spreads. Probably the best bread and spread combo I've ever had. I wish I could just buy these on a daily basis. * Parmesan funnel cake -- A little salty, but crispy, innovative, and very enjoyable. * Charred octopus -- Excellent and very tender. The complimentary ingredients worked wonders and brought about great flavors. * Caesar salad -- With kale and oyster croutons. Didn't know caesar salad could taste so good. The fried oysters went well with the mix. * Fusilli -- pasta with chicken sausage plus broccoli rabe. Delicious and not too creamy. * Tonnarelli Nero -- What a concoction! Squid ink pasta doused in a creamy crab and sea urchin blend. Amazing! * Tiramisu -- This was like a deconstructed tiramisu, where each ingredient was separated for you to combine in whatever portions you prefer. * Cioccolata Bianca -- Caramelized white chocolate ice cream, butterscotch, blondie... Wow... wow... sooooo good. The combo was awesomely furnished in a cup with blondie cubes mixed into the sweetness of the ice cream and butterscotch. Service, again, was impeccable. Our server checked up on us regularly and often. Our water glasses never went empty. Gosh... I'll be dreaming about that bread. Aggio, I'll be back, sooner rather than later...
(5)Laura K.
Wonderful Meal. Still thinking about the lamb fettuccine and octopus. Will be coming back the next time I am in Baltimore.
(5)Abigail R.
Only one thing surprised me about AGGIO; this place was empty on a Friday night. That doesn't make any sense - this place is great - food, ambiance and service - each get all the stars. We had Ezra as our server; he was pleasant attentive, not at all overbearing, and in fact a little funny. He also introduced us to the somm Chris. He didn't spend that much time talking to us about wine because we knew that we wanted a medium to full bodied Pinot Noir. That man really knows his wines, and even though they only have Italian wines, but found us a perfect and beautiful Pinot Nero - Abbazia Di Novacella. I loved this wine. It was balanced with some fruity notes and an incredibly smooth finish, so it worked well with all of our dishes And bottles is totally the way to go at this place - it opens up so many affordable wine options. There were three of us on this night. We like each other, so we did a lot of sharing. Three antipasti (appetizer-like plates) and three primi (small pasta dishes). They offered us a pre-fixed for all the courses, but I left stuffed and we didn't even have main courses. We had trouble deciding. Thank goodness they brought us adorable little funnel cake style appetizers made with parmesan cheese. It saved me from the HANGRY state while I made menu choices. I kind of wanted one of everything, but the table narrowed it down to 3 starters. IMG_2805 These are in no way in order of my favorite. In fact, please don't ask me to name my favorite. I don't wanna. I can't... I won't... The Sea Scallops: two large perfectly seared to a golden crisp and served with crispy, salty, fatty pork belly. I loved the addition of the tart Meyer lemon segment and toothsome wilted spinach. I still to this day can't be sure what the yummy yellow creamy dots were. I am still thinking about how well that lemon elevated all the flavors. The Burrata: This creamy mozzarella cheese comes on crostini and topped with sweet poached seckle pears and salty prosciutto. My favorite part of this was the sweet onion marmalade. This was sensational. If I remember correctly, I wanted to lick the plate. I will say, and this has nothing to do with how tasty it was, this was not the most inventive dish. The Charred Octopus: Look at this gorgeous plate. I almost didn't want to eat it, it was so pretty. Huge pieces of charred octopus sitting on top of fregola - a small Israeli couscous sized pasta - mixed with smoked raisins. I think the sauces were a hazelnut and raisin puree. Everything is then drizzled with agrumato. Anyone know what that is? Don't worry, I had to ask; it's a lemon-infused olive oil.
(5)Jacqueline S.
Went here for restaurant week. The food was excellent but the service was poor. It took 3 hours to get out meal. However it is a good deal therefore I still would recommend for restaurant week.
(4)Ellen L.
small portion, pricy food, tasty but not WOW~
(3)Trevor B.
Sadly, Aggio doesn't even stand close to VOLT, its much much sexier sister restaurant. After two amazing meals at VOLT over the past year (brunch and then Table 21), I was definitely looking forward to the expansion of Voltaggio's portfolio into B'more. Unfortunately, our recent visit to celebrate our first anniversary was quite underwhelming. The restaurant space itself is OK, but nothing to write home about. We were seated in one of the booths in the front area near the bar, and we definitely noticed a decent amount of regular vibrations whenever people were walking up and down the staircase. Normally I'd let this fly, but in an upscale place like this (w/ $30+ entrees), definitely seems like a design oversight and was a bit annoying. By far, the standouts here in terms of food are the pastas. We ordered the oxtail ragu and the blue crab pasta dishes (the menu seems to change quite often so these may no longer be on it) and both were stellar. Especially the oxtail dish, which incorporated subtle hints of chocolate and some type of orange - so good! After throughly enjoying the pastas, we were left utterly disappointed by the entree of rockfish, which was tiny, overpriced (I believe $32) and just OK. What knocked our experience down to a 2-star level (which, you may have noticed, I have rarely given to B'more restaurants) was the service. While our server was courteous and friendly overall, the timing of our meals took way too long. After experiencing some seriously impressive service/efficiency at VOLT, we were very surprised when it took close to 30 minutes to receive our entrees after the finishing the pastas (the entire dinner took more than 2 hours, without dessert!), and our waiter didn't acknowledge or explain the delays. Maybe it was just an off-night, but I don't think a restaurant that charges $30+ for entrees is allowed to have off-nights. Just sayin...
(2)Frank D.
One of the best meals I've had in Baltimore. To keep this short: The cocktails and pasta were the weakest parts of the meal by far. This doesn't mean they were bad by any means, it just means that everything else was that good! The great food: -the olive bread and 2 spreads they serve before your meal -the caeser salad with oyster croutons & the beet salad were great apps - the pork loin was some of the best pork loin I have ever had -great wines to choose from - the chocolate dessert was one of the best desserts I have had. We ordered two it was that good. -the service was impeccable. This is definitely a great date night or special occasion spot if you need a change up from the prime rib or similar spots. I highly recommend it.
(4)Carrie F.
Frederick is too far for this mother of two to drive and come back, so when Bryan Voltaggio's restaurant opened here in Baltimore, I was excited to try it. There were many things to like, but many things were just ok. Nothing really BLEW me away. Service: 4.5 stars. Attentive, courteous, knowledgeable and professional. Portion sizes: 2.5 stars. I get that this is supposed to be a 3-4 course offering but some of the course options were smaller than others. Pasta: 5 stars. Assuming its house made (which I assumed it was?) both of our pasta courses were impeccable. Selection: 3 stars. A small menu with not a lot of variety. A lot of seafood. Bread: 5 stars. As someone else posted, the bread is phenomenal and the home made spreads were fabulous. Innovation: 3 stars. For these prices I want to see things that haven't been done before... interesting combinations, preparations and sauces. Caesar Salad, burrata, octopus, lasagna....I have seen these many times over. Yes there were a few innovative dishes but a lot of same old--done well, mind you--but still basic. Food: 3.5 stars. I ordered the chicken cacciatore and it was just ok. Bone in, skin on, average sauce. My husband's dish was much more impressive. The appetizers were good. I am glad I went. I crossed it off my list, but we probably won't go back. Too many other spots to try and great spots to revisit (Charleston, Oceannaire, etc)
(3)Sharyn F.
This is an easy place to review. Great food, super service and valet parking which in Baltimore is pretty sweet! Loved the bread and the adorable and delicious funnel cakes. The minty pea soup was good. Fried Brussel sprouts just a tad too done but wonderful. The carbonnara and lasagna were both so good. Portions were perfect. Overall this is a wonderful restaurant and would definitely return.
(4)Joni D.
Delicious food, classy surroundings, interesting menu. The lighting in the place is a little odd and a bit bright. No piped in music and in spite of all of the hard surfaces, not too noisy. Portions are small but filling. Service was uneven: attentive but at times we were forgotten about. It took a long time for drinks to come to the table. They got confused about who was getting which dish. It's not cheap but that was expected. Not sure I'd return.
(4)Karen B.
Great new choice in Baltimore. Food and service wonderful but ambience is just OK. They need to make upstairs more appropriate for price point.
(4)michael k.
Having heard so many great reviews of Bryan Voltaggio's restaurants, I was excited that he had just opened in Baltimore. Four of us went on Saturday evening. The restaurant is quite beautiful and elegant. The service was uneven, but I understand they had only been open a week, so I will reserve judgment in that area. While I hate restaurants which serve huge portions, Aggio goes to the other extreme. Even the entrees were appetizer size and way overpriced for what you got. However, everything was well prepared and tasty. The lasagna appetizer was wonderful. The wine pours were skimpy. On the way out, we were asked how we enjoyed the meal, and the comment was made that we now need to find a place for dinner. Sadly, I probably won't be back, and quite frankly I am not sure it will survive in Baltimore. I hope I am wrong, and they beef up the portions enough that you don't have to eat a loaf of bread to feel full and satisfied.
(3)Julian B.
Overall an amazing dining experience. Starting with the free Parmesan funnel cake and incredible bread with mortadella mousse :) yumness. Octopus was charred perfectly. And the pasta was all incredible especially the squid ink sea urchin dish. Must try the dessert as well. In terms of small portions, they are not huge but at the end of the meal we were stuffed (5 guys). One thing I cannot get over is the carbonara dish with pork belly. No flavor, no yolk. Confused on how a place this amazing (everything else was GREAT) can put out a "whatever" dish. Maybe off as it was a holiday but otherwise great experience. Dessert was wonderful and drinks are great as well. Probs to Alex the bartender who knows his drinks and will hook you up with what you like.
(4)Chanel S.
The octopus was like jerky, or rather like charred shoe leather. Chicken was dry. Bread was the best part. Uptight dry staff. Bathroom area needs a dehumidifier. Over priced watery risotto. Pass!! Slow service!!
(2)Sue H.
Outstanding dinner - Ezra guided us well. The halibut, pasta and calamari were excellent.
(5)Meatdowntown C.
I am not really impressed with this place. I think the Sunday Supper promotion that they ran for a while was fun, but other than that, there is nothing memorable about it. The location is kind of hidden, the ambiance is goofy and the food is just meh! I love VOLT in Fredrick but Aggio has really nothing to offer.
(2)Michelle P.
We knew we wanted to try this place since we went to VOLT for our anniversary dinner in June. Fun fact: Originally we were planning to check out AGGIO, but they were not opening until that Saturday...so we went to VOLT friday night. Probably one of the best dining experience of my life. Anyways, back to AGGIO! We immediately booked a table for Restaurant Week. I really enjoyed the industrial feel of the restaurant. It 's simple and it was quite cool waiting at the bar when we discovered a movie is playing on the brick wall as you walk in the doors. We loved it! Service was good. So many people are checking in on you, taking your plate, adding new food, stealing your silverware and replacing it with new ones (even though I didn't even use!). First Course: Charred Octopus - spring garlic, octopus is slow braised and charred over hardwood, smoked golden raisin, fregola, chives, agrumato. It was not what I expected! I was worried by the presentation of the octopus tentacle (literally) however it was perfectly cooked. Caesar Salad - collard greens, lacinato kale, hearts of romaine, crisp oyster croutons, scallops that have been brined and smoked, parmigiano reggiano. So on one of our first dates, Matt took me to an Oyster House. I was petrified! We did fried oysters and I didn't care for them. I have grown to appreciate oysters (3 years later) and these were fantastic! Winner goes to Charred Octopus! SECOND COURSE Ricotta Gnocchi- pancetta, red onion, chili flake, pomodoro, sarvecchio parmesan. Very similar to the Gnocchi at VOLT. Very good. Meatballs - braised in ragu pomodoro, chitarra, basil, parmesan. Very good! Couldn't get enough! THIRD COURSE - addtional 15 ---- Yes, we decided to! Why not!? Prawns - polenta from yellow corn and buckwheat, sauce fra diavolo. There are not many meals I am willing to not share...this was one of them. Amazing! Bershire Pork - loin and belly, english pea, sugar snap peas, pancetta, peach mostarda. Matt thought it was good, but the VOLT pork was on his mind. This did not meet his expectations... DESSERT: Pistachio in Olives - cake is made with the oil from castelvetrano olives, layered with pistachio cream, sorbet is the juice of blueberry and thyme, candied blueberries. Matt wasn't a fan. Chocolate- hazlenuts, marscarpone, bitter orange caramel, coffee orange gelato. Winner goes to CHOCOLATE CAKE! All in all. It is a great place to check out. I highly recommend it. Enjoy!
(5)Gina R.
I am so happy that we were able to get reservations last night at Aggio. It was last minute and it was restaurant week so I was quite surprised. Upon entering the bar I was a little surprised by how bright it was. The lights over the bar are my biggest complaint about the whole experience. They were much to bright to allow for any kind of ambiance. But the bar itself was well stocked, had creative recipes and the staff was helpful and attentive. The dining room was gorgeous. Very nicely appointed. And the staff was great. It seemed like 2 or 3 people for every four top. We ordered off of the restaurant week menu, which I normally would not have done. But the selection was exactly what I would have ordered off of the regular menu. I started with the grilled octopus, which came out tender and smoky from the grill. I loved the presentation and the sauces were a perfect match. I then had the meatballs, which were served with a home made pasta. Absolute perfection! Tender, flavorful and the pomodoro sauce was the exact right flavor for the meatballs. And it was the right amount of food for me. Not too much, not too little. The dessert was a delightful olive oil pistachio cake sounded a little scary but was so good my only complaint was that it was not bigger. But I didn't need anymore - just wanted it. I loved Aggio and can't wait to go back!
(5)Janice C.
THE FOOD WAS OFF THE CHARTS DELICIOUS! The service was perfect. Attentive and constant service, very discretely unpretentious, well trained people from beginning to end with absolutely no neglect of any of our needs. I had the tasting menu and that was definitely a 5 star menu. My husband had the gnocchi and the rockfish, both yummy and he says worth a 5 star rating. I seriously don't want to get long winded here, but it was such a pleasure to be pampered and served so well. It is very hard to find places that spend such effort on making the diner the center thought of the restaurant. My only negative comment is that the portions are somewhat small with a very hefty price, but, to be honest, I was full when I left and so was my husband, so I cannot take away any stars for that! This is so worth going to and I cannot wait to try Volt, if I can only get a reservation earlier than 10 pm!!!
(5)Walter C.
This is what you would expect from someone on "Top Chef". The ambiance was nice kinda on the darker side but rather that than bright lights. The wait staff (Devon) was fantastic. Well paced and always on top of things without being over bearing. Started with a great Muscato Asti. App was beats prepared 3 ways. They were delicious. Next was tuna with blood orange. Also got the scallops which were prepared in a citrus bath then allowed to sit. They actually did melt in your mouth. Main courses were pasta with ox tail ragu and lasagna with lamb meat sauce. Again both dishes were amazing. Ended with rockfish and pork loin with pork belly. Absolutely amazing!!! I can't say enough about the place. It just opened and it's already a destination for great dining. Oh and try the home made 'cellas, lime, lemon, and blood orange. They are truly fantastic.
(5)L F.
Dinner last Friday with a friend. We were both buoyed by high hopes and expectations. Here is a synopsis of our experience. (It is now appropriate to begin humming the song: wasted days and wasted nights) Ten dollars to valet park. Walking into the door, we were greeted warmly and then led past the bar, through the downstairs dining area, up two flights of stairs, around a corner, and to a table against a wall. We asked nicely for a window table (room was not crowded) and our request was granted. I have seen several reviews with the interior described as minimalist, modern, stark, etc. As we made our tour from door to table, the words and experience that came to my mind were: dull, lacking personality/enthusiasm, half finished, and uninviting. One specific example: the window sill at our table was covered with tiny shreds of wood. (from a hastily completed drilling project?) We were deposited at our table along with two cocktail menus and a wine menu. I ignored the distant jingle of warning bells forming in my head and began the wait for our server. Someone arrived at our table with water. (Elapsed time since arrival - five minutes) Our server (dressed in an ill fitting suit that gave off an appearance similar to the decor - I was actually reminded of an undertaker - no offense to undertakers) arrived to take our cocktail order. (Elapsed time since arrival - 8 minutes) We asked a few questions and placed our order. He disappeared with the promise to return with our drinks. (Elapsed time since arrival - 10 minutes) We sipped our water and made idle conversation about what / if a food menu existed.... Server finally returned with our cocktails. (Elapsed time since arrival - 20 minutes) On the horizon (could I actually be hallucinating?) I saw our server coming toward the table with.....dinner menus!! (Elapsed time since arrival - 23 minutes) By this point, we actually contemplated finishing our drinks and going somewhere else for dinner. Alas, we were presented with the parm funnel cake. Interesting to look at but it was heavy and grease laden. Bread arrived with one dipping option and one spreading option. The exterior of the bread was so tough that it presented a "dental danger". (Elapsed time since arrival: 25 minutes) Server arrived and took our order. Against our better judgement (you may be thinking: what better judgment?) we opted for the tasting menu with wine pairings. (Elapsed time since arrival- 35 minutes) I have posted pictures of each course - with one exception being the pork course. The overall timing and pace as we moved through the courses was ok. However, service was disjointed and clunky - several snafus by the sommelier - including his inability to keep track of what wine we needed poured and too tired to deal with the stairs that both the downstairs dining area and upstairs dining area. The wine pairings were "just ok" bordering on "not so much" and the pours skimpy. The food was good, not great - exception being the corn filled pasta pockets, my favorite. Dessert was a laughable disappointment - worth a look at the picture...my dining partner referred to it as a pre-dessert at best. Our total bill was $200 per person. Thus, my ratings: - venue: 2 stars - service: 2 stars - food/beverage: 3.5 stars - value: 1 star - overall rating: 2 stars I will not return.
(2)Danielle G.
Ok, so we came here for restaurant week 2015 and as I'm sitting here waiting for my food I'm annoyed with the wait. I get it fine dinning but the portion aren't worth the wait. Not to mentioned they make you get the four course version of restaurant week because their three course doesn't include dinner. Never again will I come here for dinner. Drinks maybe but not to eat.
(3)Jim W.
Went there for dinner with my girlfriend and her parents. Overall, we all were extremely excited to check this place out. There were some really good parts to our experience, but overall, while not extremely negative, I'm not pining to go back. Positive: Atmosphere- laid back decor and 90s alternative classics on the radio was Pretty cool. The layout is also excellent, as tables aren't on top of each other. So-so: Food-Hit or miss. None of it was bad by any stretch, but the portions were expensive, tiny, and took forever to get to the table. We spent 3.5 hours in the restaurant and I didn't leave full. Think tapas style, but at almost the price of an entree at another spot. Bad: Service- it took nearly 45 minutes to get our drink orders in and another hour to get the first round of food. I really wanted to like this place and I think they are gunning for a "dining experience/night out". But 3.5 hours and a check in the ballpark of $300 doesn't cut it. Too many other good spots in Baltimore.
(2)Sal P.
REAL. DEAL. As we wandered Power Plant Live looking for suitable grub, we were shocked and thrilled to find AGGIO! We had heard it had opened in Baltimore but hadn't know it was in this otherwise desert of delicious foods...so we popped in and grabbed seats at the bar. FIRST: Fabulous job on modern decor with warm friendly service. The bartenders were excellent and the chairs were actually really comfy (I'm usually not a fan of the low-backed). DON'T MISS - the cocktails were, uhm, YES. We had the Peter Lawford (a crisp gin refresher with lavender-colored charm) and the Gingerbeer cocktail (forgetting the name) --- with their HOMEMADE GINGER BEER. Not personally a huge gingerbeer fan but this was LEGIT...not too spicy, perfectly balanced. Both drinks were DELIGHTFUL. And then the FOOD - OH THE FOOD! We ate from the Trattoria menu at the bar (though the hostess did say we could get from the full menu) -- the Lamb Lasagna was actually perhaps the best lasagna I've ever had. Light, paper-thin layers of lasagna sandwiching a perfect sauce of lamb, basil, tomato.......such a delight. I would have of course preferred a larger portion (think a slice 1.5 inches wide and 4 inches long), but in combo with the other foods, it was plenty. The Beet salad was another keeper: naked baby beets with a tasty olive oil and vinegar, an awesome way to start a meal. The grilled octopus was perfection, rivaled only by octopus enjoyed in Greece. Then, we were running low on time and asked the bartender if they had any "fast" desserts -- so he sent a runner to the kitchen and told them to bring a panna cotta -- no, we didn't say yes, but we trusted him. Right decision: they brought out a gastronomer's delight, fresh berries resting beneath a nitro'd panna cotta -- OOOF, the ideal light, refreshing, filling dessert! And of course, they had to start with an amuse bouche AND bring out foccaccia...they make their on 'cellos (limoncello, blood orange-cello, etc)...Aggio takes their business seriously and it shows! We will definitely be back!
(5)Maura M.
I wanted to add a few things to Katie C's review: First, the outside signage, on both sides, is missing lights- notably, the letter "A". This should have been a red flag. Second, two out of four soap dispensers in the Ladies bath were empty. We were offered a drink upon arrival. Much later, as they were removing my now empty glass, I was offered another as an after-thought (I declined thinking I might have wine), and was never offered one again. But that's ok--for we were served so much water that there was hardly a need for a cocktail. I had the Carne Cruda- good flavor, but a bit too much truffle oil giving it a slimy texture. The Artichokes: ok. The Fusili: over-cooked, not al dente in the least, the sausage was good but the dish was too salty when combined with the ricotta salata. The cappuccino: ok- but the surprise of the frother lid, the size of a salt shaker top, found in the bottom of my cup AFTER I had finished it, was the icing on the cake of a very bizarre dining experience. The waiter was very pleasant, and chatty. He told us that Bryan busy preparing to open his new Baltimore family dining restaurant. I think Bryan should spend more time in this one and right this ship before opening another. As I have several younger children, and don't get out very often, I was looking forward to a memorable fine dining experience. Well, the experience was memorable, but not one I'd like to repeat. And it certainly was not fine dining. Sorry Bryan!
(2)Dh W.
The ambiance is great. Upscale yet casual feel. The food amazing!! We shared small plates - 8 plates for 4 people- hard to decide which one was best as each one was fabulous! Small portions yet we were plenty full and enjoyed each bite. The quality of each element and the creative combinations were superb. The bread and spreads were amazing- the best I've ever had in a restaurant. The wine was reasonable for the quality we picked out. The service was professional. And a nice extra touch was that we had a choice of still or sparkling water- complementary. This restaurant is pricey, and worth it! The quality and excellence justifies the cost, and I'm glad to see such a superb nationally recognized restaurant in Baltimore.
(5)Lia D.
We came here on a double-date and we enjoyed ourselves so much. We started with a bottle of Cantele Primitivo and it was absolutely delicious. I found it at Rodman's in DC, by the way, for 1/3 of the price and bought 5 bottles. So good. Anyways, we started with the fluke and the burrata. Both were delightful. They were both fresh and the flavors were on-point. I wasn't crazy about the complimentary funnel cake....I didn't think it was anything special. For dinner we ordered: Osso buco (both husbands got this, mine also ordered the tonnarelli nero pasta course. I wasn't a huge fan, but he liked it), the arctic char, and I had the scallops. Mine came with spaghetti squash, which I don't like, but let me tell you, theirs is amazing. I couldn't believe it. I tried a small bite of the osso buco and it was phenomenal. So melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I felt the food was well thought-out and perfectly executed. Our service was excellent. We came on a Saturday night in September and it was busy, but our server and others were always attentive. By the way, I loved the atmosphere! Once we try other places, we will return :)
(4)Nina K.
Anxious to try Bryan's new restaurant, plus having an occasion to celebrate, we went the Sunday of opening weekend. Where to begin. First I was surprised how much I enjoyed the space. Very simply decorated it made you forget that you just walked past Power Plant Live. We arrived early and so had a glass of wine at the bar off the very pleasant bar tender's recommendation. We sat down for dinner and immediately had a conversation as to whether we would do the tasting menu or order off the menu. As a vegetarian this typically isn't an option for me, but I was pleasantly surprised when the server said the kitchen responded they would be happy to do a vegetarian tasting menu after I requested it. So I did that and my partner ordered off the menu. He got the beets, the lobster plate and then porchetta. My tasting menu started with a beet salad, then a panzaenella salad, then sweet corn cappellacci followed by the risotto. The salads were very good, but nothing "exceptional" however my partner thought the porchetta was outstanding and I was very pleased with the cappellacci and risotto, particularly the risotto. This is the first restaurant in Baltimore that properly cooked the risotto and the chanterelles and other mushrooms were incredible. Somewhere after our first dishes, we decided to talk to the sommellier because although we enjoyed our wine from the bar, we wanted to see what the sommellier would offer us. He went to the kitchen to find out what my tasting menu would entail, looked at my partner's order and gave us two EXCELLENT wine options... we had both. They were so good and completely spot on in term of what we liked and what would complement our food. And he was the nicest, friendliest (read: non-pretentious) guy possible. We are sad he won't spend every day in Baltimore that he'll be splitting his time between Baltimore and DC. So overall, we probably would give this 4.5 stars. The food while very good, didn't blow us out of the water as some of our favorite restaurants in Philadelphia do, but we think this is intentional. If you want that adventurous out of this world experience, its probably worth the drive to go to Volt. I don't think Baltimore is ready for Volt. Baltimore needs a modern, excellent Italian restaurant and that is what this is. But believe me, the service is out of this world, and please consult with the sommelier, it is worth it. Congratulations to the staff, we can't wait to come back again.
(5)Amy D.
I'll start by saying that our waiter forgot about us! I've wanted to try Aggio since it opened and was looking forward to a great meal. Perhaps we started off on the wrong foot when I asked what type of virgin cocktails the offered - I was told cranberry juice and ginger beer. I'm pregnant and was hoping this was the sort of place where the bartender would know how to mix up something fun and non-alcoholic. Apparently, this wasn't the skilled bartender I was hoping for. I went for the ginger beer (which was excellent), and my husband got a fancy cocktail to start. While we were snacking on the Parmesan funnel cake we had someone top off our glasses of sparkling water with still. My husband and I typically find portions to be too much for us, and wanted to save room for dessert. We settled on two salads, a split appetizer, and two pasta dishes. I started with the mushroom salad which was just ok because there was so much salt in it. Next we split the grilled octopus, which was good, but nothing to rave about. The service was very good until we reached our pasta dishes. Our waiter, who had offered to bring my husband a glass of wine when the pasta was served forgot about us. After the pasta arrived he said he'd be right back with the wine. We sat there - in the middle of the room looking around as staff whizzed around while we tried to get their attention for almost ten minutes. We managed to get a hold of a busboy, who then got our waiter to bring us the wine. When the waiter brought the wine he did not apologize or in anyway acknowledge his mistake. This was a major bump in our meal. With these prices, we expect impeccable service. And the pasta portions were way smaller than we anticipated. After our pasta dishes my stomach was growling. We again sat and played the game of getting our waiter's attention. Finally, we split the snapper. It was good, but nothing as creative as we'd expected. After all of that we still had room for dessert. Thankfully, the dessert was delicious, but it did not make up for the bumps we'd had in our meal. And I was bummed that my decaf coffee was served with a side of milk in place of cream. I felt our bill for this meal was outrageous for what we received - $150 and that was with one cocktail and one glass of wine, and a split appetizer, entree and dessert. I will also add that the bathrooms felt like the type you'd find in a nice high school, and completely lacked any elegance. We won't be back.
(2)Jonathan B.
Loved every bite along with the few surprises the server brought to the table. All items from the restaurant week menu were delicious, appropriately sized for the $35 three course price. Our service was excellent with helpful explanations of menu items and wine pairings. Favorite fine dining Italian spot in Baltimore after our experience. Will highly recommend to out of towners and locals.
(5)J K.
*Food was good. -Pasta portions very small - advise to order a few of the pasta dishes to share. *Service was great! Glad I went to try Aggio, but for a comparable meal in price (with slightly larger portions of pasta), I prefer Cinghiale.
(3)Rachel S.
Went back to Aggio's last night for the new HH specials. $7 pastas and cheap delicious cocktails. We had 5 superb cocktails, two complimentary amuse bouches, two HH pastas, and two regular priced appetizers for $70. Sounds pricey, but it's a deal considering the quality of everything. They even gave us gift wrapped homemade smores to take home as a treat. Love this place.
(5)Sj S.
The service at this restaurant was TERRIBLE! We had made reservations for 8 people during Baltimore restaurant week. We had called in several days in advance and reminded them when we sat down, that we had 3 vegetarian guests and one with nut allergies. We waited 45 minutes after we initially sat down for someone to ask us what we would like to drink. It took 75 minutes from the time we sat down to get a glass of wine, not to mention any food on the table. When they finally brought out their rosemary bread, they brought out their plate of spreads. On a single small plate was a white cheese (ricotta?) blend with pistachios and next to it was mortadella (meat puree). They placed several of these around the table, without describing what it was initially. All three vegetarians ate the meat puree without realizing what it was and only after I asked, did they tell me. The pistachios were placed directly in front of the guest with nut allergies. When i complained, they said "we were very sorry" and it was the fault of the food delivery staff, not the waiter. No concessions made. This is a MAJOR problem!!! The dinner food was C+ at best. They acted like they didn't even know what to make for vegetarians. It took them so long to get dessert to us also. They were not overwhelmingly busy for that Wednesday night, but our service was atrocious. Never returning. Told all our friends the same.
(1)Bob F.
This is a great place. It is the third Voltaggio restaurant I have been to and it did not disappoint. The food was awesome and very interesting combinations. The service was great.
(5)H. S.
I'm giving this restaurant 4 stars here because 5 would be an injustice as it means it was perfect in every way and it wasn't. Most of our party ordered the 6 course tasting menu. One of our party ordered the wine pairing with it. Every one of these courses was exquisite. The wine pairing was excellent. I found the food to be beyond reproach. For the price we paid, I hoped for this quality of food and i was not disappointed. Now, if it was any other restaurant, with lesser quality food, I would probably have given it 1 or 2 stars at best. Why? Simple fact that our entire dinner from the time we sat down, until our dessert came, took a hair over 4 hours. We had 7:30 reservation where we were actually sat early at 7:15. We paid our check at 11:10. I can tell you that at 9:15, I actually posted on my facebook page that I was hungry and only 3 courses have arrived. I get that they want time for you to enjoy your food, but with the portion size they give you, 40 minutes per course, is way too slow. I've been to other restaurants where 8 or 9 courses came within 2 1/2 hours. Dinner should not last longer than that. Will I go back? I'm hesitant. Given the price I paid and the time it took to enjoy this meal, its a tossup.
(4)Phyllis P.
This is a 4 star update to a 2 star previous review on open table. I wrote a review on open table after a less than stellar restaurant week experience. Aggio invited us back for a "do over." And let me just say it was phenomenal. Delicious food paired with perfect wines and a attentive but unobtrusive service. Any business can have a bad night. A great business will overcome the bumps in the road. Bravo Aggio! Thank you for a wonderful evening.
(4)Yi C.
Aggio summary (3.5 star): In one word, few exceptional dishes and most are good but not excellent, amazingly small portion size and very slow service with some flaws. You can check Baltimore Sun/Washington Post for a complete review of Aggio in Baltimore. Antipasti: The best dish: Caesar salad, 5 star, fired oysters were so yummy. Chioggia beets: 3 star, beautiful presentation but not very tasty Charred Octopus: 4 star, well done with good flavor, but tiny portion Primi/Pasta: Meatball pasta: 4 star, just normal meatballs in ragu sauce Cacio E Pepe: at most 3 star, a shame for it lack of flavor and tiny portion Ricotta Gnocchi: nothing interesting, 3 star Secondi/Entrees: Bershire Pork: pork lion and belly, at most 4 star, good but not excellent. For the price of $33, it is too pricy. Adding $15 to try it for restaurant week dinner, OK. Dolce/Desert: Pistachio in Olives: the smallest dessert I have seen in my life, good but not excellent. I had a dark chocolate ice cream with espresso coffee, good but not excellent. This one is not on their website menu or restaurant week menu. Service: I did not receive the dinner menu until 15 minutes after we sit down. After another 15 minutes, we got one piece of Focaccia bread with dip. Most time when the waiter refilled water in our cups, there were some water spills which was not pleasant. From beginning to the end, there was no apology for the extremely slow service. It took more than 3 hours for a dinner. We walked in at 7:15 and walked out around 10:40 pm. Spliting the checks costed about half hour.That is really slow. Hopefully the service will improve in the future.
(3)S K.
Thank you. An appropriate start to the staff who set the stage for an amazing anniversary dinner. AGGIO prepared a meal that was so good, you didn't want it to stop. The flavors were complex and memorable. I can't say enough to explain how much I enjoyed this meal and my life long partner absolutely loved hers. The staff was attentive the before dinner cocktail was entertaining, and we want to do it again. Well done AGGIO.
(5)Barbara M.
This restaurant is worthy of every star and more. The sparse, modern interior decoration focuses the ambiance onto the diners and the food. Service staff was attentive and congenial, while remaining professional. The wine steward suggested the perfect (not most expensive) pairing for our menu choice. I always appreciate a limited menu which makes decisions easier. Food was imaginatively, yet simply, prepared to allow the flavors to come through. Who knew fiddlehead fern tasted so good? A perfect evening for an intimate 40th wedding anniversary celebration.
(5)Katie C.
Aggio, Aggio, Aggio - where to begin? How about with the starters? We were a table of 5 who had been looking forward to this dinner for a long time as we are huge fans of the Voltaggio Brothers and Volt was given such a terrific review. As we were waiting to order our drinks, we were given a small cup of breadsticks. Four of them to be exact. About the size of a pretzel stick (not a ROD, mind you - a STICK). Four skinny little sticks for a table of 5. OK, we shook it off and split the longest one between 2 of us. They were ok. Not delicious, but we were hungry. Shortly after that (and by SHORTLY at Aggio, think 30 minutes) came very tasty olive bread with 2 spreads. One a marscarpone/lemon zest/olive oil/salt dip and the other a mortadella/pistachio spread. Maybe we were starving, but that might have been the best thing we ate that night. Bread and bologna. Should have run to Salt. Or Woodberry Kitchen. Ugh. Moving on - I Had the Tasting Menu: CARNE CRUDA - gave to tablemate with a thing for raw beef. She said it was ok. BAGNA CAUDA - kind of a wreck on the plate and looked like leftover crudité. The failure of the tasting. RISOTTO DI FUNGHI - Not bad. Not great. Just mushroom risotto. GORGONZOLA DOLCE TORTELLETI - Highlight of the meal. Absolutely delicious, but not nearly hot enough. ROASTED LOCAL PHEASANT - Tasty. Although at this point I would have eaten the tablecloth. It was served at hour 2.5. Tepid. CIOCCOLATO E NOCCIOLA - Who can remember? It came out after I'd finished my paired wine (shocker) and while we were lamenting not driving to DC for Mike Isabella's pepperoni sauce. My wine pairings with tasting menu were spot on (when the wine actually showed up). Kudos to the sommelier for the pairing choices, but shame on him for suggesting a delicious white to our table and then disappearing for the night with the rest of the waitstaff who should have been pouring for us. Service was abominable for a top-chef caliber restaurant. Yes, our waiter was handsome. Yes, he was extremely nice. But why oh why was he bussing tables when he wasn't serving and why, at about 10pm, was every single tabletop in the restaurant empty. Not a plate to be seen, and every patron looking around to see what had happened to the staff. There were a lot of people working there. They just didn't know what to do. Or maybe the kitchen walked out and they were helping in there. Clearly it was am amateur who made my friend's cappuccino and left the metal nozzle from the frother in her cup. At least that's what she hoped it was. Thank God she isn't a guzzler. When we pointed it out the waiter kind of looked at it and disappeared into the kitchen. No apologies. Nothing. We were in a hurry to leave at that point anyway - the sun was almost up. Perhaps if the service had been better, the food would have seemed more delicious. Not the case here. Bryan Voltaggio, we all rooted for you to win Top Chef, but we will never be back to your restaurant.
(2)Nicholas R.
Very good food.
(5)Mike E.
The Chef really hits a home run all around. The food was absolutely outstanding, in every way. Complex, layers of flavor in some dishes, and allowing natural food flavor to shine with accents in others...the attention to detail, and execution were flawless. The Sommelier is also excellent and recommended an excellent wine which we thoroughly enjoyed. The one area that did not live up to the rest, was the service. It wasn't bad, but I'd definitely expect a more polished service staff to meet the level of the cuisine, particularly in an establishment from Voltaggio.
(5)Alli R.
I had high expectations for Aggio and was excited to try it, being a fan of Top Chef. I read the reviews but kept an open mind. I went with a group of 12, used the valet for $10 which I thought was convenient. It was a Saturday night and the place was dead. We were seated at a long rectangular table which wasn't ideal for a large party to socialize, but wasn't a huge deal. I found the decor to be bland and lacking in personality. When ordering from the menu, which is laid out in 3 courses, they did not explain that if you order from the third course, and others order from the second, your food will not be brought out until the third course. Everyone was eating while one person in our group had nothing, I thought that was bizarre. Also, the waiters had to constantly reach over the table to refill drinks and served the food. They had no other choice given the table setup but I had their butts pressed onto my arms more often than I would have liked. The fried dough they put on the table was super good but tiny, as were the bread twigs. As for the actual food, it was really good but super tiny portions. I had the Torteletti, which was filled with gorgonzola and had a pear and parsnip butter sauce. It was excellent but like I said, tiny. I had the Budoni for dessert, which was a cream cheese custard with ginger bread and I think cranberries. It was also very good and the portion size was great. All in all I would be open to trying Aggio again with maybe one or two other people. It's not a bad place, just needs a few things tweaked so help the service flow more easily.
(3)Blaine H.
4.5 Stars - I'll round up because I'd like to see more nice restaurants stick around in Baltimore. The food was great - highlights were the Lasagna, Oxtail Ragu (interesting use of celery flavor throughout the dish - people will love it or hate it), and the Meatballs. The service was very attentive, our waitress was eager to answer questions and the sommelier was very friendly and added some interesting conversation as he served our bottle. One hiccup occurred when the servers brought us our neighbors order, but that was quickly corrected and is to be expected on the second night open. The main reason for the 4.5 star is the unfinished look of the back section of the space, where we were seated...the majority of the restaurant seemed well put together (although a little dark), but we were seated in the back corner, and couldn't help but notice the popcorn, cardboard looking ceiling tiles and exposed support poles that seemed to be hurriedly painted. Not a huge deal for me, but when you're spending a good amount on a dinner you'd expect the space to match the service/food. After dinner, a must-try is the Beet Sambuca, interesting and delicious.
(5)Julie F.
I usually read prior reviews before choosing a dinner spot, and I should have done this. As other reviewers have mentioned the lights above the bar make the atmosphere awful, make sure to sit in the dining room. I ordered the 6 course tasting menu, I will go through one by one: Parmesan funnel bite: a bit greasy not needed gift from the chef (Loss) Focaccia bread with house made spreads; excellent (Win) First course, Carne: this ribeye was perfection creamy, just a spot of citrus, flavors perfectly blended. The 2 toasts served with the carne were overly oiled and only detracted from the perfect blend. I wish this course was served without the toast or with a plain thin slice of baguette, nothing to take away the flavor! (Win) Second course: This was the "finger food " course, duck conceit, roasted and fresh vegetables. This was a good blend of rich and clean foods, the duck of course very rich against a crisp raw cauliflower bite or a charred brussels sprout. (Win) Third course: Risotto this was the worst item in the 6 course menu. Overly salty even though I am a big fan of salt and looked forwarded to this douse with the mushrooms and hard cheeses as favorites, I could not eat this I had 2 bites and quit (loss) Fourth course: Pasta, this course was almost perfect. the balsamic with the blue cheese and small pear beads all counter balanced each other nicely. I was very worried about being too heavy as this course followed the risotto, but the balance worked. (win) Fifth course: Pheasant: AGAIN too heavy with salt , I salt almost everything at home so you know this was bad. The liver (foie gras style ) was delicious, the polenta good, the pheasant 2 ways inedible, the 2 small slices that had a filling of some sort, salt! The round sausage style salt, the greens extra salt. awful. (big loss) Sixth course: Chocolate cake, nutella , hazel nuts and ricotta gelato? This is a win as I needed the ricotta ice-cream like gelato to cleanse the salt from the previous course. The dessert did have the right blend of flavors as seen in a few of the other courses. The reason for 3 stars is when the course missed the mark, it REALLY was off mark. If you take away the courses that were bad, my meal and service was 5 stars. Unfortunately it was 50% great and 50% awful and dining alone with one glass of wine a bill of $150 it should be 100% good.
(2)Elizabeth M.
Aggio was one of the best dining experiences I've had in Baltimore. I'm worried, though, that this caliber restaurant won't last in Baltimore. We went on a Sunday night and the highlights included the burrata with proscuitto, the lobster ravioli and the chicken saltimbocca. My partner's bronzino was spectacular. It was pretty empty, even for a Sunday night. Again, worries that this caliber restaurant won't make it in Baltimore.
(5)Dawn G.
I agree with the reviews that described the experience as "meh." We were there for the first time last night for dinner. As for the service, it just fell short of what one would expect from a high end restaurant (e.g., we waited nearly a half hour after being seated before someone took our drink order and at the end of our meal when my husband went to give the ticket to the valet and when the male server went to get my coat, he just handed it to me when I expected him to hold it open for me to help getting it on -- insignificant but something you'd expect at a high end restaurant). However, our server(s) (it was tough to tell who was waiting on us) were relatively attentive, particularly with keeping our water glasses full, so I wouldn't say the service was terrible. Overall, the service was fine -- just not "excellent" like at the level of a fine dining restaurant. As for the interior/decor, I will say we were impressed. I liked the gray walls with the white upholstered chairs. It felt elegantly simple. We also agreed the movie being projected on the wall in the bar was pretty cool. However, given that the interior has a sort of L shape, you wouldn't think the place was actually nearly full from the outside. The tables in the bar area were empty while the back was full. Now for the food: unfortunately, nothing was impressive. For appetizers, my husband had the scallops and I had the warm mushroom salad. The salad lacked much flavor and the taste of the mushrooms was overpowered by the dressing that wasn't very good. The scallops dish seemed disjointed - there was sweet mixed with the salty pork but the flavors just didn't come together. I got the lasagna for my main entree, and it was terrible. I've had better microwave lasagna. The ground lamb seemed like it was (over)cooked separately and then added to the lasagna. It had the texture of pebbles. The sauce had zero flavor while the pasta noodles were undercooked. The top was burnt--it was like it was previously cooked and just reheated. My husband's rabbit tagliatelle was okay--just really salty. In fact, much of the food we had tasted over salted. Finally, for the dessert, we shared the affogato. Here's what that was: ice cream with hot espresso poured over it. Yes. It ended up being melted ice cream, and who wants soupy ice cream?? We just laughed and tried to eat what we could before it was completely soup. They brought out Nutella macaroons at the end, but those tasted like they were purchased commercially and pulled out of a freezer. The texture was far too crunchy for a macaroon. The best part of the meal was the warm focaccia bread that was brought out prior to our appetizers. In short, I doubt we'll be back. It's too bad because we were excited about this place opening.
(2)Maggi R.
"A Grand Birthday Celebration!" As my husband was approaching his 70th birthday a few months ago, I suggested that we celebrate this milestone at Bryan Voltaggio's new restaurant; soon to open in Baltimore. So, we waited for it to open, and on Thursday, July 3 we enjoyed a memorable dinner courtesy of Bryan and his [already accomplished] staff. The décor of this new restaurant is stunning - simple, yet elegant. We were seated in the right, rear of the dining room - which proved to be about as perfect a place to sit and quietly enjoy a romantic dinner. My husband ordered one of Aggio's signature cocktails, The King of Cool - expertly crafted by Dane Nakamura. With the knowledgeable assistance of Keith Goldston, the sommelier, we at first tasted, and then selected, a bottle of Pinot Bianco from the Alto Adige region of Italy. In addition to bread sticks on the table, we were served Parmesan funnel cakes, and some yummy homemade bread accompanied by whipped ricotta and whipped mortadella. My husband and I shared the Tuna Crudo appetizer, which was excellent! For our main courses, I had the Strozzapreti with oxtail ragu, pine nuts, celery, cara cara orange, and bitter chocolate. My husband had the Chatham Cod with faro al vino rosso, fennel, and leeks grilled over hickory wood. Both dishes were delicious! And, I cannot say enough kind things about the wait staff: Devin, our waiter, and his assistant, Dorian, attended to our every need. Unobtrusive and efficient, they made the whole experience very enjoyable. And, a big plus in our book for this upscale restaurant: the wait staff were appropriately dressed - coat and tie and no blue jeans! One of the managers, Dave, came by our table to introduce himself. In short - we were treated like royalty! At the end of our fantastic experience, we were able to tell Bryan directly how much we enjoyed our meals, and how grateful we were to him and his staff. This restaurant is a great addition to the Baltimore dining scene!
(5)N A.
I must say that after having dined at Volt (general menu and chefs table) we had really high expectations for Aggio, as all of our other restaurant experiences use Volt as our basis for comparison. With that being said, we were sorely disappointed. I thought the decor was simple, but the location probably is a deterrent for some. The service was not spectacular by any means, was definitely expecting a wait staff that was a little more refined. The bartenders were wearing ill-fitting jeans. To start off we got the tuna crudo, which was amazing and highly recommended, as well as the Caesar salad. For our entrees we chose the pork which didn't blow us away, but was still decent. Also ordered the blue crab squid ink pasta dish which was terribly bland, to put it mildly. Throughout dinner we were expecting bread service, as there were bread plates and knives, but we never received it. When we finally got our bill we noticed that there had been a ring-in for bread service. We asked our waiter what that was about since we never received it and he responded something to the effect of "that was supposed to be through the kitchen"......uhhh, ok. My overall impression was that it seemed to be the generic version of Volt- no bells, whistles, or refinement- that was thrown together to please a higher volume of people. Can't say we will be making any plans to return, nor will it be the ruler against which all other restaurants will be measured.
(2)Thomasin F.
The food here is outstanding. My husband and I particularly enjoyed the pastas. Make sure you get a couple of those to share!
(5)Halley M.
Best Dining Experience of the Year -- Here tonight for Restaurant week, and this has to be the best dining experience I've had this year, even considering my visit to the Inn at Little Washington 4 weeks ago (more on that in a separate review). Aggio is everything I want in a restaurant: fresh, inventive cuisine, warm; attentive, but not obsequious service; a casual/hip restaurant design suitable for coming off the street in jeans after a museum visit. Highlights: the charred octopus, the citrus infused liquor they make on premise (try a flight), the service. When my friend didn't like the modernist take on her prawn dish, both our server and the manager came out to personally hear her likes/dislikes and then promptly comped us another dish. We felt heard, rather than condescended to, which is too often the experience in high end dining. We came up here from DC and I'm already trying to figure out how I can get back. (Wait, I may not have to, there's Range in Friendship Hghts). There are great chefs and there are great restauranteurs. Bryan Voltaggion imho is both.
(5)Sam H.
Came here for restaurant week. Pros: Nice atmosphere, right next to power plant. Very friendly and attentive staff, despite a long delay between ordering and being served. Restaurant week menu had 2 entrees and desert for 30$ with an additional entree optional for 15$ more. The food was delicious. Very creative. I recommend the octopus. Cons: small portions. Menu was not very extensive.
(4)Stephanie B.
Quick trip to Baltimore today with my husband. We ended up at Aggio for dinner and had a decent, but not amazing experience. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could. Food was imaginative and well executed, but there's definitely room for improvement in terms of composition. For example, we had a ravioli-type dish (trianguloni?) that really needed crunch to break up the soft texture. Service is another area needing improvement. We did the chef tasting and if we hadn't studied the menu earlier in the day we wouldn't have known what we were eating. None of the expeditors explained the dishes to us and it seemed like each course was served by a different person. We mentioned the issue to one of the servers and she made a point to correct the issue. I wish I could remember her name because she was great and we really appreciated her help. My husband loved the bread service, which featured focaccia with house made mortadella mousse and whipped ricotta. When you put it all together it tasted like a bologna sandwich!! Management, please take some time to train ALL staff on your menu and how to present the dishes so if they're called on to run something to a table they can maintain the level of service expected during a fine dining experience. Or consider hiring more servers so they can actually spend time at the table with diners.
(4)David S.
After hearing rave reviews of VOLT from friends, I knew I had to try Aggio but overall, I felt it was a giant letdown. Outside of the Sommelier who was great, the service was subpar for a restaurant of this caliber and cost. It took forever for food to arrive and it wasn't just our table. Tables are all around kept looking around for where their food was. The hostess and waitress seemed to be most unenthusiastic wait staff I've ever encountered. We thought about ordering dessert and coffee but didn't want to add an hour to our meal. The decor is meh, especially the TRON inspired lights over the bar that while sitting across from for two hours, began to hurt our eyes. And the food... it was good. Not great. Not blowing your mind. It was good. I wish I would have gone back to another restaurant.
(2)David B.
In town for Army Navy game. Group of 13. Where to have a great meal with a group that size? Enter Michelle and the staff at Aggio. Greeted warmly as we came through the door. Nothing but impeccable service from Ezra and his team all eve long. First two courses served family style which allowed us to try many of the delicious options and then our pre selected entrees arrived in perfect harmony. Next time I am in Baltimore I will definitely be back. So good that Michelle received a big hug in the way out the door. Well played Aggio.
(5)Andrew H.
We had the 5 course tasting menu and wine pairing and it was excellent. The staff was great and the wine choices perfect. The charred octopus was my favorite.
(5)