Search Your Favourite Restaurants.

Name: Trattoria Da Franco
Address: 305 S Washington St, Alexandria, VA, 22314
Telephone: (703) 548-9338
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 2.60

Trattoria Da Franco

305 S Washington St, Alexandria, VA, 22314

(703) 548-9338
Store is closed

Trattoria Da Franco Menu

Antipasti

Zucchine Fritte

Calamari Amalfitani

Lumache Alle Bourguignonne

Mozzarella In Carrozza

Antipasto Misto

Prosciutto E Melone

Smoked Salmon

PatE Di Campagna

Calamari Fritti

Bruschetta
Insalata

Insalata Di Spinach E Funghi

Insalata Verde Capriccio

Insalata Cesare

Insalata Peperonata Romana

Stracciatella Rustica

Tortellini In Brodo Di Pollo

Minestrone Alla Romana

Pasta E Fagioli

Pasta Di Lenticchie

Insalata Di Mozzarella Caprese
Pasta

Ravioli Alla Bella Napoli

Fettuccine Alfredo

Gnocchi Alla Romana

Tortellini Alla Panna

Agnolotti Alla Panna

Cannelloni Aventino

Linguine Carbonara

Penne Amatriciana

Linguine Al Pesto

Capellini Dangelo Napoletana

Pasta Ida

Lasagna Ostia Antica

Melanzane Parmigiana

Linguine Con Cozze Marinara

Linguine Alle Vongole

Linguine Alla Aragosta
Pollo

Scaloppine Di Pollo Cacciatore

Scaloppine Di Pollo Con Marsala E Funghi

Pollo Alla Parmigiana
Pesce

Calamari Alla Pescatora

Padelle Portofino

Zuppa Di Pesce Nettuno

Salmone Alla Genovese

Dentice Alla Livornese

Frittura Mista

Filetti Di Sogliola

Linguine Alla Aragosta
Vitelli E Carni

Bistecca All'italiana

Scaloppine Di Vitello Con Crema E Funghi

Osso Buco Alla Milanese

Vitello Alla Parmigiana

Piccata Al Limone

Scaloppine Di Vitello Porta Pia

Saltimbocca Alla Romana

Vitello Primavera

Veal Chop Alla Romana

Healthy Meal suggestions for Trattoria Da Franco

Antipasti

Zucchine Fritte [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Calamari Amalfitani [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lumache Alle Bourguignonne [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mozzarella In Carrozza [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Antipasto Misto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Prosciutto E Melone [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Smoked Salmon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

PatE Di Campagna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Calamari Fritti [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bruschetta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Insalata

Insalata Di Spinach E Funghi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Insalata Verde Capriccio [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Insalata Cesare [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Insalata Peperonata Romana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Stracciatella Rustica [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tortellini In Brodo Di Pollo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Minestrone Alla Romana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pasta E Fagioli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pasta Di Lenticchie [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Insalata Di Mozzarella Caprese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Pasta

Ravioli Alla Bella Napoli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fettuccine Alfredo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gnocchi Alla Romana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tortellini Alla Panna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Agnolotti Alla Panna [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cannelloni Aventino [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Linguine Carbonara [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Penne Amatriciana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Linguine Al Pesto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Capellini Dangelo Napoletana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pasta Ida [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lasagna Ostia Antica [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Melanzane Parmigiana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Linguine Con Cozze Marinara [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Linguine Alle Vongole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Linguine Alla Aragosta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Pollo

Scaloppine Di Pollo Cacciatore [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Scaloppine Di Pollo Con Marsala E Funghi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pollo Alla Parmigiana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Pesce

Calamari Alla Pescatora [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Padelle Portofino [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Zuppa Di Pesce Nettuno [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmone Alla Genovese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Dentice Alla Livornese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Frittura Mista [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Filetti Di Sogliola [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Linguine Alla Aragosta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Vitelli E Carni

Bistecca All'italiana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Scaloppine Di Vitello Con Crema E Funghi [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Osso Buco Alla Milanese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vitello Alla Parmigiana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Piccata Al Limone [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Scaloppine Di Vitello Porta Pia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Saltimbocca Alla Romana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vitello Primavera [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Veal Chop Alla Romana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Visit below restaurant in Alexandria for healthy meals suggestion.

Subway ( 6230 N Kings Hwy )

Chili’s ( 6601 Richmond Hwy )

Chili’s Grill & Bar ( 6250 Inter Parcel Rd )

Visit below restaurant in Alexandria for healthy meals suggestion.

Subway ( 6230 N Kings Hwy )

Chili’s ( 6601 Richmond Hwy )

Chili’s Grill & Bar ( 6250 Inter Parcel Rd )

Write An Anonymous Review

William T.

I am a local of Alexandria and have driven past Franco's (still can't pronounce the full name correctly) a million times throughout my life, but have never stopped in for dinner. I always thought it looked like a nice little home style Italian restaurant. Last weekend I came here with two others and we ordered various things, and shared them. I must say the food was amazing. It was more Northrern Italian cream, lemon, and pesto based type of Italian food rather than Southern Italian / Sicilian tomato sauce based food. The restaurant does look a little dated, as does the menu but I think that is what gives it some of its charm. I would come back
(4)
Charlie H.

The servers were overwhelmed, food was ill prepared and sent back. The pictures they advertise of food look nothing like what was served, minus the singer the experience was a major waste of $.
(1)
Lisa R.

Great service! Maybe I'm spoiled bc Im Italian and grew up w great food. I didn't like the plate I ordered. I would say it was substandard! Great atmosphere though
(2)
Jason M.

Note: This is really a 3.5 star review. I couldn't bring myself to round up. When the restaurant I was hoping to dine at for my birthday was closed for a "staff picnic" (what?), my fiancee and i wandered to Trattoria Da Franco, having driven by it multiple times. The space inside is very cramped, with a table blocking the path to the restrooms. We were seated at a table that was pushed up against a window A/C unit. Literally the hulking machine seemed to be resting, at least in part, on our table. In addition, it was VERY warm inside. I was beading sweat, and was wishing we took a table outside. There is (obviously) no central A/C, but the window units were switched off as well, so the air was humid and heavy. Future patrons should note what a Trattoria is. In Italy, it's the middle ground between a cafe and a ristorante - the latter being a very expensive, fine dining experience. You can usually get close to ristorante fare for a more reasonable price in a trattoria if you're willing to sacrifice things like ambiance and presentation, Trattoria Da Franco was no exception. I will say I'm surprised at all the people claiming the sauces used are from a can. My 50% italian fiancee indicated the sauce tasted like her grandmas, and being 50% italian myself I'll tell you it wasn't far off from my own immigrant grandparents sauce. I do think the prices were off. I've eaten at much nicer restaurants with superior quality food for the same prices. $9 for a flute of house prosecco. $25 for one veal cutlet and a small side of pasta. $8 for garlic bread. It was all good, don't get me wrong, but the prices are 20% higher than what, in my view, is fair for the fare. The waitress did trick us with the garlic bread. I've never been offered bread that costs money unless the waitress clearly mentioned it was an appetizer. This one didn't and it was a surprise on the bill. That's just kind of rude to be honest. My final qualm, is when we asked for the check, our waitress went missing. Not completely, we saw her drinking water and wandering around. But after 15 minutes passed we stood up and fetched her to remind her we were waiting! I don't mind a hand written check (get over yourselves if you do), but the delay in getting it was pretty poor. I advised my date to tip closer to 15% as opposed to our standard 20%, since she was deceptive about the garlic bread and want AWOL when we asked for the check. All in all the most important thing is a home run here: the food is delicious. You'll almost assuredly have sticker shock at the end of the evening when the bill comes, and the service feels like you're doing the heavy lifting yourself. But if you're craving italian, perhaps you can overlook all that!
(3)
G G.

By far, the WORST dining experience I have EVER had, period! First of all the sent us to the side of the restaurant that was empty... Very creepy! We order calamari which was stale and had a terrible fishy taste, we had the seafood linguine which was HORRID and super salty, a pizza for my toddler which was greasy and too salty, a glass of terrible cheap wine and a soda. They charged us too much as they have done to other patrons (per reviews). I HATED this place!!!! I took my husband and daughter there to celebrate his birthday and regret it with all my heart. I wish we had never set foot in this place. I am not sure where the good reviews are from, but PLEASE DON'T GO TO THIS RESTAURANT! you will be doing yourself a big favor by avoiding at all cost.
(1)
Andrew H.

Let's start with the positives. The decor in and out has the charm of a southern European country restaurant. The owners are friendly, and when we ate here, there was a lovely older couple performing standards from the 1930s and 40s. The food is flavourful, and evokes the familiar tastes of the family kitchen. But let me be abundantly clear about something: in the United States and Canada, you do NOT put anything on the table at the beginning of a meal, that has NOT been ordered, and then attempt to charge the patron for it. Moreover, you do not attempt to charge an utterly ridiculous price for it. Prospective diners should be warned that this restaurant places very mediocre garlic bread on the table when you are seated, and then attempts to charge $4.00 for it at the end of the meal. At no point are you told about this before, during or after the meal. This is a practice that is commonly found in Central and Eastern Europe, from Germany to Russia, and while this was apparently being done for years by the previous owner (Franco), the new Romanian owners may not be aware how very offensive and deceitful North Americans find this to be. I told the waiter out right that 'This is not Europe; you can't get away with that here', and demanded that the charge be removed. It was. After coming here and reading the comments of other reviewers, I will be watching my credit card statement very closely. All that being said, my wife and I will probably return to this admittedly overpriced restaurant, mainly for the entertainment, which is also an acquired taste that we happen to like. But when we do, we will do exactly what I advise all diners to do if they choose to experience this place: - Be very firm with them immediately about the garlic bread. Ask if it is free, and if it is not, demand that it be removed from the table. Do this loudly if need be, so that other patrons understand there is a problem. (The owners need to understand that this is a form of attempted theft, and not to be done in this country, where bread and tortilla chips and other things are frequently put on the table at no charge. That means they are scamming people based upon what they have come to expect in their own culture, and trying to shame them into paying for it because they have eaten it.) - Do not accept any specials without confirming the price. Some of the wait staff have apparently been there for years, and are used to what seem to be -from the previous comments here- the previous owner's practices. My wife ordered a 'special' version of something that really was not the special and was charged $7 more for it. - Take cash with you, so as to avoid any funny business with the credit card. So far, we've not noticed anything different on our bill. But obviously, no one can charge you more after the fact when you've paid in cash. We enjoy this place, even though it is ridiculously overpriced. But it could do much better, and it needs to make sure that its staff operate in an ethical manner. Without these two problems (price and pranks, let's call them), this place would have gotten four stars.
(2)
Amanda A.

I don't even know where to start. I was with a party of 18 on a Tuesday night for dinner before a show at the LTA. My friend even went to the restaurant the previous Sunday night to make sure our party could be accommodated and out the door by 7:30pm for an 8pm show. I'm guessing they only planned to have our group of 18 at the restaurant and were surprised by other patrons that decided to dine there because service was just so wretched, maybe the worst I've ever experienced. The waitress took our orders, never even asked if we wanted wine, I had to flag her down for a glass, and never once came back to ask if we wanted refills. It was a constant battle all night to get her attention. I ordered my pasta with white sauce and clam entree at approximately 6:15pm, and it did not come out until 7:25pm. A table of four seated next to us 45 minutes after we arrived got their entrees before me and most of my party of 18. Fortunately for me it was decent, I would actually eat it again, but I had to scarf it down so quickly that I'm not sure if my memory from last night is serving me correctly? The night was just so horridly managed by the staff that I can never return again, even with a smaller party. The one star is awarded because they offered to split our checks. Yay. But there were errors on many of our bills, and we were automatically charged over 22% gratuity. Closer to 25%. I thought the normal charge was 18-20% for a large party? This place is so overly priced, $25 for a small portion of pasta and clams, $25 for one piece of veal with marsala sauce and some steamed vegetables, and I'm guessing $10 glasses of house Chianti (3 glasses consumed) because my total was $82, before tax and gratuity, and that is after I got it changed from the original total of $97 I was incorrectly charged. All in all, I dropped $111 for 2 people for a night I want to forget. Not a happy camper. I know large parties can be overwhelming, and our waitress was clearly overwhelmed, but the owners were there - they came out and introduced themselves- and they did not help this poor waitress at all during her apparent struggles. To top it off, I was late for the play. And it was the Fully Monty. I missed partial nudity in the first scene for this? Do yourself a favor, visit Geranio Ristorante on King St in Old Town for far better food, service and prices.
(1)
Charles S.

5 stars for atmosphere. 3 for food. Da Franco's is an old fashioned, welcoming Italian restaurant. It reflectsFranco and his personality. Located in in an old brick house on Washington St., da Franco's is cozy and lovely. A fire burning bright. Lovely wait staff. Opera playing inthe background. After the meal Franco dropped by the table to schmooze and flirt with theladies. The food is 1960s Italian. Nothing nouveau ("novo" in Italian?) here. Pastas with cream or tomato sauces. Seafood. Veal. Among the four of us we had .veal marsala, pasta filled with cheese, a pasta dish, and the veal chop. We split a chocolaty dessert. Here's the problem: the food simply did not stand out.
(3)
Dan M.

This place is in a class of its own when it comes to tourist trap and the worst a restaurant can offer. Went with my wife and two young boys after walking by it 400 times. I live a few blocks away. I'm Italian and grew up in an Italian family on southern Italian food. Place was almost empty. Food was all just Ok. Bread, plate, butter. Shut up and eat. Service was below average at best. Prices are through the roof. Bill comes on a hand written chicken scratched sheet full of mistakes. I had to have several items corrected. Owner not happy. For the price of the (finally corrected) meal, I could have entertained with a southern italian meal for 15 of my friends. I will never eat there again. Monroe's in Del Ray is much better choice.
(1)
Chris W.

Great Italian food and drinks! A historic place in Old Town! Cant wait to go back! Friendly Staff!
(5)
Jack C.

_READ the other negative reviews about CHEATING AND OVERCHARGING!!!._ Went there with a group of 5... and split the bill 3 ways: - the tip of 20% (including on the TAX) for mediocre service (had to ask twice for a coke, etc) was added automatically (most places do this for 6 or more and usually 15-18%) - not only did the split charge slip NOT mention this, but there was a nice blank line for you to add a tip... sleazy but not exactly dishonest - then the size of the bill still seemed pretty high, so, having noticed the negative reviews, I went to the manager and asked for an explanation of how a $134 bill got split into 3x$69??? .... $207 is adding a LOT more than 20% in my book. He seemed somewhat flustered, made ME add things up on my calculator, then told the waitress to fix it - I was not offered any apology, no free dessert, no discount on this or a future visit, no real excuse. Note: I specifically pointed out the previous reviews. - I have been short-changed in convenience stores, almost certainly intentionally with the clerk saying "Oh sorry" and giving the correct change IF you caught him.... this experience FELT like that, especially given other people's experiences. ---------------------- - I WILL NEVER GO THERE AGAIN! ----------------------- - and I am definitely going to check the credit card bill to make sure the initial $69 was refunded for all three of us. ------------------------- Decor was nice, Food was adequate but overpriced, even without the overcharges ($16 for a plate of lettuce??, I mean, really.) My sister says this review was accurate but that she would probably have been a little nastier. ... especially since she had recommended that we go there.
(1)
D. L.

We love this place; we keep having good experiences here on the weekends when they have incredibly talented people singing show tunes and other fun stuff. It's a small intimate place; by the end of the evening it can become an enjoyably shared evening. Very quirky, the feel of a genuine neighborhood Italian place. The food on the menu is very good, too; the crab cake special is excellent but pricy. The wine selection needs work. Most of all, though the owners and the staff are warm and attentive. The other night five tables were celebrating birthdays - and we all were part of the occasion in a very real way. That's the kind of place it is.
(4)
Will M.

I know nothing about the issues the coupon clippin and copenhagen dippin folks have had. If you're looking for the Olive Garden this is not it. What I do know is that the entrees here were superb. If you're willing to overlook the quirks of the place you will be in for a fine meal. The description I have seen given of this being like visiting your crazy italian uncle's house who knows how to cook are spot on. It very much has the feel of visiting a house as opposed to a restaurant. Some won't like that and call it tacky and cluttered. I call it charming and authentic. The highlights of all of our items were the tomatoes. Started with the brushetta that was nicely toasted and featured delicious tomatoes, capers, and onions. The onions definitely added a twist to the brushetta that me and the Wifey quite liked. Wifey had the gnocchi which was perfect. Perfectly cooked light and fluffy. The sauce was the star here. The man knows what he is doing with his tomato sauce. Growing up Italian it tasted freshly made to me but if its out of a jar then the man knows the right jar to pick. I had the chicken cacciatore and couldn't have made a better choice. Juicy, perfectly cooked chicken that was in that same delicious tomoato sauce. The cacciatore also featured peppers and other veggies that were all perfectly cooked. The sauce needless to say goes great with everything. As an Italian the true test was at the end of the meal and the bread was used to sop up the last bits of sauce. Leave no drop behind. Perfect. The wine selection is good but its mostly by bottle. With Wifey pregnant I wasn't going to be polishing off a bottle by myself. There isn't much of a selection by the glass. Essentially you just have white, merlot, and chianti offered to you. The merlot was underwhelming but not a big deal. Normally I would get a bottle and now know in the future thats the direction to go. Its also worth mentioning that the portion sizes are perfect. You will not be overwhelmed and stuffed with food here. I cant imagine you would even be taking anything home unless you ordered mutiple plates. Just the perfect amount of food to satisfy but not stuff you. A real highlight in these times of huge portions. The owner was all over the place in the little over an hour that we were there. Its definitely an eccentric establishment. You will meet him and he's a charming old fellow who knows his food. The service is good and yes, your bill will be hand written. There weren't any errors on my bill and we were not charged for the garlic bread that was offered. Its not for everyone. If you're willing to go along for the ride I recommend sitting back and trusting your driver because the man knows what he's doing. Great northern Italian fare that feels like you're eating in your Grandpa's kitchen. Will definitely be back again.
(4)
Nino T.

My wife and I have driven by this restaurant on numerous occasions and were at first excited to eat there. We ordered caesar salad (decent), calamari, seafood linguine in marinara sauce , penne amatriciana, garlic bread, and two bottles of beer. -Calamari was good, but I've had better. Presentation was non-existent. -Caesar Salad was average. It seems that they like to use old lettuce, since I saw several pieces that were brown. -Seafood Linguine was made TERRIBLE and made with IMITATION crab meat sticks, frozen (not fresh) mussels, and an assortment of other gummy seafood... The pasta was not cooked al dente and was in texture. $28!!! -Penne amatriciana was good, but I don't think they used Italian bacon; everything seemed store bought or frozen for long periods of time. -Garlic bread tasted just like Texas Toast! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teâ€¦ -Two bottles of Italian beer were awesome. Finally, I checked my credit card bill and it seems as if they have charged me twice....excellent, now I have to get these charges resolved. We will never go back there. It is perhaps the worst restaurant I have ever been to in Alexandria.
(1)
Agave B.

I am shocked, appalled even, by the reviews for this restaurant. You all need to give it another shot! We were welcomed by the most lovely lady who gave me a huge smile and pleasant greeting as if we've known each other for ages. She gently seated us (outdoors per our request as we had our truck with bikes loaded on the back...see pic) and gave us enough time to review the menu and place our orders. As we waited the owner came by to chat about the restaurant, their future plans in building up the backside and show off their incoming grapes. Little did we know his wife was the lovely welcoming lady we met earlier. The food arrived in a timely manner and we were so pleased with the home style feel and taste! The chicken Marsala was my husband's order and an absolute treat. The sauce was a perfection of sweet wine and herb, but absorbed by the mushrooms and mixed with homemade pasta? Oh my! It was simply a mouthful of delicate pleasure. I've never had Marsala sauce this good. Ever. The eggplant Parmesan was layered with slices of eggplant and cheese and something else in between that I couldn't identify. Regardless...it sat in a (flat) bowl of a creamy tomato-basil, olive oil sauce that when consumed, the harmonious flavors lingered for a bit allowing a long impressive finish. The hardy homestyle dishes left us with a first good impression of this tattoria...we'll be back and can't wait to see the completion of the backyard and fruitful grape vines planted by Franco himself.
(5)
William B.

Outstanding food!!! New ownership, and maybe the best pizza in the entire DC metro area. Was referred by a friend who didn't disappoint! Ask for Ileana, the proud owner! She will treat you great!
(5)
Stefanie J.

"This place was awful. Don't be fooled into thinking its a cute euro brunch spot. It's not. Go somewhere else! Anywhere else!!"
(1)
Herb R.

Food is excellent, but you can get an equally quality meal at many other northern Virginia restaurants for 2/3rds the price. Also a bit upset about the sales emphasis: we were asked if we wanted garlic bread with our meal; we said no, we will just have the bread that comes with the meal. They brought us the garlic bread (it turns out) and charged us $4 for the bread. Also asked for wine list; they gave us a book that had ONLY bottles of wine; no indication anywhere that they sold by the glass. Only after we said we would not have wine did waiter say, "we sell it also by the glass." I guess my chief complaint amounts to this: they treat their guests as profit centers, rather than as persons they want to entice to return in the future. Very disappointed. A restaurant with food this good should not have to treat customers in this manner.
(2)
Julia B.

My boyfriend and I were here for the first time on Sunday for lunch. The restaurant itself was not crowded around 1pm. We arrived to a man at the bar watching the game and having a beer, and a party of approximately 8 for "mother's" birthday. About 30 minutes later, a single woman came in for lunch. It was a quiet Sunday, and the wait staff (a waiter and a waitress) was very attentive to our table and everyone else. I had no problem with the service. The ambiance smacks of kleptomania, loads of self-framed pictures, plastic plants, and chotchkies that are collecting dust. Pretty typical, and not a reason to avoid the place. Our food was ok. Not great, not good, just ok. The pasta was well prepared, the veal was tender. The garlic bread was good, and the fried mozzarella with capers was probably my favorite part. I take issue with the amount of oil and grease on our plates from the pasta. Between the linguine carbonara and the gnocchi, we could have greased a bike chain. Why is this? Why can't the food speak for itself? I detected some really good stuff under all of that grease. Boy and I ended up with some serious indigestion after this meal. Also, why was the tiramisu frozen in the middle? Why aren't you making a small batch daily? The lady fingers were hard and hardly coffee soaked, so the whole dessert was not creamy as it should be. No wine list to speak of ('You want red? You want white?'...um, sure?) And the biggest issue I had with this place is that for two of us (small appetizer, 4 slices of garlic toast, two normal size pasta dishes, one small veal dish he and I split, tiramisu, a glass of wine, a glass of coke, and two espressos) came to $103 before tip!! I'm going to write that again...$103!! Neither of us had $103 worth of food. I'm sad to write this because I truly hoped for better. I hoped to find a decent, authentic trattoria. The search continues.
(2)
Kanye M.

Wow. A real gem in old town. I went with friends to celebrate one night. We started at the bar but once plates of food went by we had to move to a table. The piano and singing were fantastic. Ill be back!
(5)
Les D.

Man, I love reading these reviews. So much hate. So much love. I love a place that can inspire such diverse opinions. I briefly scanned the Yelp reviews before going here, and the overall rating indicated low expectations should be set. But, in its own wild, weird, and crazy way, I think Franco's exceeded mine. I always ask myself when I encounter widely diverging opinions of restaurants what the cause could be. There are two factors that I believe contribute to Franco's scores. First, Alexandria's Old Town has great restaurants. Top notch, in fact. And they draw yuppies right to the Potomac shore. But, yuppies like things a certain way. Especially in a city of government bureaucrats, surprises are detestable. Yet, walk south of the strip and into Franco and behold a place of tremendous uncertainty and lots of surprises. Walk into the front door and witness a dining room that looks like a mix between Pee Wee's playhouse and your crazy Italian aunt's dining room (the one who can't decorate, but knows how to cook). It's an oddly cozy place on a snowy night. Nice fireplace, mustard walls, and what else to even mention. But, the food. Had the lentil soup. A decent soup, but missing some aroma. Needed more onion, celery, or something. Nevertheless, a decent first course. Had the penne amatriciana for the main course. Outstanding. Pasta cooked perfectly al dente, ample sauce that was a brilliant color and rich, sweet flavor. Didn't come out of a jar, and if it did, that was some jar. Deliciously sweet, but not too much. Just a fantastic plate. My guest had the canolloni. Also a nice dish. I'd say anything with a tomato sauce is worth trying here. Garlic bread was also good. Tasted like it was pulled out of an old oven. Finished with cheesecake that was too small for the price, but you gotta have dessert. Presented a restaurant.com coupon. Forgot to present it when seated, and Franco personally came to our table to chastise me for my transgression. He muttered that he's going to stop taking those things. I think he'd been burned by poor tippers. Now, were I yuppy clientele, I would have been offended, I would have behaved well at the time and vented my true feelings on Yelp. But, no. I like my Italians spicy, and I just considered the grousing performance as part of the ambiance. What's a good Italian meal without some brooding and anger? Mama mia! Got the bill and it was handwritten with all sorts of weird charges and subtractions, but came out to about $70 with the discount, and also listed a recommended tip. That was nice of Franco! They ran my credit card and the total was $55. I have no idea where they got that number. But, I felt the meal and the experience was worth that. So I added tip to that. I think the second problem Franco's has is Italian cuisine itself. Unlike Ethiopian, Asian, or even French cuisine, everyone has a different opinion of how Italian food ought to be. The way Franco makes it is how I like it. I have to say that my dinner was one of the most interesting dining experiences I've had. Franco is a like the Jack Rebney of Alexandria restaurateurs, angry and lovable. If I had my yuppy hat on, I would have been appalled, outraged, and offended by this place. But, having my dumb farm kid attitude with me, made it so much fun. If this place was dropped on U St., in DC, I swear it would become hipster central. Whatever you do, don't take this place too seriously. Embrace the weird and eat at Franco's.
(4)
Danielle S.

I just had dinner at this restaurant at the suggestion of a friend. I had driven past it a few times (much like everyone else) and thought it would be cute to try. None of us had ever been here before, so there's no one to blame except the restaurant. To be honest, had I read all of the reviews before I went, I would not have believed them. I would have thought it was just a fluke that most people had a bad experience. But after tonight, I can add myself to that list. When I found out where we were going, I checked out the website. Quite a few spelling errors, and no prices. Annoying. Something I can get over, but worth mentioning in addition to everything else. When I arrived (first of my group), I was seated by the front of the restaurant which is right by the drafty door. There was one other table full in the whole restaurant (this particular side has a whole 10 tables - there's another half and some tables upstairs) so I asked to be moved. The waitress was accommodating which was nice. Our waitress, and at least one other member of the waitstaff, were not fluent in English. Or Italian. When the waitress cannot speak English properly, let alone pronounce the Italian dishes on the menu, there is a need for more training. The waitress was incredibly nice but there was a language barrier. When my friends arrived, we all took a scrutinizing look at the menu. Being designers, we noticed there were a few things wrong with it. One being that 'complementary bread and butter' were on a whole new line unnecessarily. Why is this important, you ask? Read on. When I was sitting alone I was asked if I wanted garlic bread. I thought there might be a charge, and didn't want to eat by myself, so I said no thank you. Once my friends arrived and we ordered, we were presented with two plates of garlic bread and some pesto oil. Our waitress did not ask us if we wanted it, but simply brought it to us. We assumed this was the 'complementary bread.' In this restaurant, never assume. Our food was fine. I was looking forward to home made pasta but I believe mine was boxed. The sauce was actually good though, despite previous comments of 'out of the jar.' Even if it was out of the jar, it was a good jar. And yes, the parmesan cheese was powdered from the Kraft tub. We had a Restaurant.com certificate. The owner told us after the meal that they no longer did these, but since we were 'such nice people' he would do it for us. He continued to explain that in order to use it we were supposed to order an appetizer, entree, and dessert, and pointed to something on the paper. I took the paper, read it, and showed it to him that it said (paraphrased) "Three Ways to Use This Gift Certificate: Order appetizer. Order an entree. Order dessert." NOT that we had to do all three. He disagreed with me, and just said that's why they no longer did them. I disagreed with him and told him that's not what it meant. That did not matter. Because we had a gift certificate, they added 20% gratuity. Though, according to the fine print at Restaurant.com , they are only supposed to at 15%. Apparently they don't read fine print. The bill actually came to about $92 (which I'll debunk in a minute) and they added $19 gratuity. Really? The bill itself was a mess. Handwritten ticket with an adding machine tape stapled to it. The first charge was $8 for the garlic bread we were not informed we were paying for. This was not removed. The next three charges were for $16.95 for three entrees, even though mine cost $12.95. (I am in no way a cheapskate, but don't over charge me.) This was fixed. The next charge was for $8.95 for a caprese salad we never had. (My friend ordered the house salad at $4.95.) This was also fixed. Then the soup for $6.95. This was basically the only correct charge. Then some other random charges which I imagine were tax. Plus that $19 gratuity. I generally pay 20% tip as a rule. I would not have willingly paid 20% for our waitress. She was nice, but that was about it. Scamming us with $8 garlic bread is not cool. I challenged the owner with our bill. He said the bread was not free and that there's a difference between the free bread and the garlic bread. He did not explain why we were not informed of this, nor why we were not offered the regular bread at any point. He then informed us he could only split the bill evenly, which means I paid $20 for a $12.95 plate of spaghetti, service that left a lot to be desired, and a forced tip. I had fun with my friends, but I will NOT go back to this place ever again. (Also, for hilarity, the website says the decor is "Atmosphere: European, romantic with a drop of wizardry." I imagine they meant some sort of 'magic' but wizardry might be right since people still continue to eat there. The restaurant was pretty horribly decorated, and looked like a Christmas thrift shop had thrown up all over it. Ok that was mean, but kind of true.)
(1)
Vivian R.

Like Les's review, the fact that there's hot and cold says something about this place. You either love it or your hate it, but there's no in between. It's a straight shooter, and when it comes to food you really can't go wrong with a place that lays it on the line like that. Then again, when the hell is there space and time for wishy washy? So I took my Baby1 to lunch today post-ballet-class, and the place did not disappoint. She had her heart set on pasta for lunch (tell me, oh feisty one, which day you do NOT have your heart set on pasta!), so I suggested we try this place. I'd passed it a million times, but either felt like eating on my own was way too indulgent, or I was hesitant to take a little one along for the ride should the place not be terribly children-friendly. This pass-by yielded me not riding solo, and with the company of one child who has been out to restaurants with me a million times over. The linguini carbonara caught my eye, and after rattling off the list of pastas to Baby1, she still came back to her favorite: gnocchi (a la romana, creamy tomato sauce on this menu). I voted the carbonara for a couple of reasons. One, I've seen carbonara done any which way but true - often, it's bacon instead of pancetta, bechamel instead of an egg-thickened sauce. Two, because Hubby loves a good carbonara, and my palate has more patience than his for bad food. It has become my adopted litmus test for a restaurant that touts northern Italian roots. We also got a wonderful lentil soup, as well as garlic bread. The garlic bread may have been just Texas toast, but it was still wonderful - thick slices lightly grilled, smothered with garlicky butter and dressed with chives. Perfect preludes to... Delectable little pillows dressed with a creamy tomato sauce. Not densely bricklike, not falling apart - chewy, hearty, spot-on. Baby1, however, allowed me only one (singular, not a biteful) gnocchi, no more. She's learned too well and tows a hard line, and her eyes did not leave the dish for a moment while she ate, lest I'd steal more than one pillow off her plate. Linguini carbonara where just the sight and smell of it told me instantly it was done right. When my first bite yielded the flavor of pancetta and not the smoky saltiness of bacon, my mind found its breath and thought, finally, someone gets it! And to couple, the texture of the linguini (Baby1 loved it too and got 2 big bites) and the sauce both were excellent indeed. Not to mention, the level of service. We arrived at 12:30 - and, granted, we were all of just 1 table there, but the waiter was gracious without being overbearing. Fireplace on? Sure. Go ahead and put your coats and bags down anywhere, we're not busy right now. And I think I lost count in the midst of my trip with the carbonara and the ongoing argument with Baby1 requesting one additional pillow of how many times the owner walked by to just look and see how we were doing, and gave Baby1 a little pat on the head. It doesn't get more Italian than that. Lamentations? Espresso seems like it could have had more body. Chairs are a little rickety, and the hallway down to the restroom is outside-cold in the winter. But this place has character and this old-agedness that isn't easily installed with the use of some old photos or books. I mean, really, Baby1 found a photo of Fabio at the front of the restaurant. Cheesy, but so was the pile of the grated nonsuch that she demanded the waiter pile onto her gnocchi. We are so bringing Hubby and Baby2 back with us next time around.
(4)
Patrick H.

My wife and I went here for New Years Eve expecting a quaint, filling Italian restaurant. We had 7:30 reservations and when we got there we were not greeted and after we told the bartender we had a reservation, it took them about 15 minutes to seat us. That's forgivable, but a slight annoyance. The menu that night was fixed, and for $65/pp before gratuity and taxes we were offered an appetizer of lentil soup or Caesar salad, entree (salmon, veal, tortellini, or lamb), and dessert. The Caesar salad was tiny and far from filling, the salmon was not overly tasty and came only with steamed, tasteless vegetables, and the only choice of dessert consisted of a scoop of vanilla ice cream with some chocolate syrup drizzled on it and sliced almonds. I'm not a big foodie or anything, but for $65/pp a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert is just offensive. Service was also not so great, which I think was partially due to the fact that they had a fixed gratuity that was added to the $65/pp. For example, while we saw other tables with bread, we finally had to ask for it because it wasn't offered to us. Also, while we did get 'unlimited' wine, it surprisingly stopped flowing after the second glass and we had to finally ask the busboy for more wine because our waitress stopped attending our table after we got dessert. The music there was quaint and interactive, but we kept feeling pressure from the waitress to clear the table after we had finished dessert so we left before the real entertainment began. I was walking in expecting a hearty Italian meal, and I left hungry :-\ Not the type of meal I was really hoping for. I hate to say it but I won't be back.
(2)
Jennifer D.

WARNING: May run your credit/debit card twice for the same bill, then not refund the second charge!! Much like Will N (see reviewer below), I discovered via my bank statement that my credit card will billed twice for the same meal. Thinking it an honest mistake, I contacted the restaurant to explain the problem and request a refund. I received *no* satisfaction. Instead, they nearly accused me of trying to swindle their restaurant! When asked to produce a signed receipt for the second charge, they claimed not to maintain those records. Unfortunately, I had left my receipt at the table, so I couldn't provide my own evidence. Fraud aside, the food was mediocre. I make better at home.
(1)
Mike P.

I made reservations for Valentine's Day and was willing to pay $65 per person for a Romantic dinner with music and flowers. There were no flowers, I didn't hear any music (we weren't seated in the room with the music), and I left hungry and extremely disappointed. I should have been tipped off on what was to come when the waiter came to our table and abruptly said: "are you ready?" No "hello",no "my name is", or even, get this- "Happy Valentine's Day". The bread was stale. My wife's soup was bland and my Caesar's salad was watery and tasteless. My wife's salmon was also bland and the veggies were tasteless. My seafood linguini was unimpressive and the sauce tasted like it was poured out of a can. I should be writing about the veal scaloppini, which is what I ordered, but I was brought the wrong entrÃ©e and was too annoyed to turn it back after waiting 35 minutes for it. We never complain at restaurants but my wife asked to talk to the manager and when the chef (Franco I think) came out and saw we barely touched our entrees, he motioned to the other guests and said: "well there is no other problems with anyone else..." The table next to us quickly said: "Not true, ours was terrible too." A third table chimed in to say "we'll third that." The chef agreed to take both entrees off our check. (We didn't bother staying for the dessert, which looked like a scoop of vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup) The waitress/hostess who greeted us was very nice, and I can say that I've eaten there 4-5 times before and enjoyed the food. But this experience was so bad I won't be going back any time soon.
(1)
Kevin M.

Have been there multiple times and I give it 5 stars as I appreciate and its atmosphere and food. Yes it is small but I think of it as quaint. Food is delicious. Everytime I go my wife gets one of the specials and I order off the menu the gnoche is excellent. If you are looking for a non-commercial restaurant that serves great traditional Italian food (and where sometimes one of the chefs comes out and sings opera for you). This is the place to be.
(5)
HanaDC T.

I was kind of shocked to read some of negative reviews on this restaurant because I have been to this place for a couple times. I love it. The food is great. I had the best carbonara pasta since I came to the U.S. Most carbonara pasta here in the U.S. is so watery. But this restaurant makes it very thick and cheesy. Also my dad and my bf ordered some other pasta. They taste like a homemade pasta and sauce. My BF had a cup of red wine which was okay. Most Italian restaurant has a good collection of wine. But this place does not have it.
(4)
Puja K.

Great, authentic feeling Italian restaurant. The food was good and we could even order off the menu! Organization was a little iffy, we were the only folks at the place and each server asked us separately for our drink order. Otherwise no complaints and we'll be back again!
(4)
Jerry S.

A very relaxed dining experience. 3.5 Stars. Yes, the place is small. Yes, there is an AC unit in the window and it is a bit of an Olympic event to get to the restroom when the restaurant is busy. However, we have always received very good service, and the Mom and Pop feel of the place appeals to us. The food is always good, and we never leave hungry. Though this place may not be on the top 10 list of DC venues, it sure is a nice place for locals. I'm going back again and again.
(3)
Wen L.

For years I have driven past Trattoria Da Franco on S Washington St., and for years I have never had the urge to go in. Sometimes, when I'm stopped at the light in front of it, I will look at it from the outside with saddened eyes. It really looks like a old, run-down place... the kind of old place that might have some kind of "saving grace charm" because of its history and quirkiness. The plastic backyard patio furniture that makes up the front "al fresco" dining area always makes me snicker, however I find myself a little intrigued by the old Christmas lights that are draped along the enclosure year-round. Who knew that after 30-some years of living I'd finally make my way to this place? One Friday after work I was feenin' for a drink, and maybe dinner to go along with it. So I hit-up the God-sis, and she suggested the "trattoria." Now - my God-sis has the uncanny "talent" to pick and choose the most random places to grab a drink or food; some of which are hits, and some of which are misses -- but hey, we all can't bat a perfect game all the time, right? I indulged her by accident. The whole time I expected to be at one place, but she was headed to a different place altogether. After all was said and done, we ended up at the "trattoria." When we approached that afternoon, there were no guests seated outside, so we literally went up the rickety steps of the old brownstone, opened the door and peered in - hoping to hear some form of life rustling about. In seconds, we were greeted by a young woman who eventually sat us outside. The weather was perfect, so the whole al fresco thing seemed to be a no-brainer. Soon a server came out to take our order, and I was well on my way to getting my Peroni & dinner. My dish came out, and it smelled wonderful. My God-sis' dish came out, and smelled wonderful, too. Oh wait, they looked totally the same even though we got completely different dishes: some kind of food covered in a reddish sauce. Interesting. We got to it, and - to their credit - the food was pretty tasty... but the more and more we ate, the more and more we felt like we could've made this dish at home. Whatever - it's all about the experience, right? The other tables outside soon were filled with more guests, and more and more people seemed to be filtering into the space - either opting for the al fresco dining experience, or going inside (where we could hear someone practicing some pretty bad opera arias for a show that was to take place later that evening). Little by little I started to notice that all the dishes that came out pretty much looked like my dish: some kind of food covered in a reddish sauce. Uh... I am pretty sure that everyone seated there did not order the eggplant parm. Suspect. For some strange reason we were compelled to continue with a coffee drink spiked with a digestif, and by that time I felt like I was all of a sudden attacked by mosquitoes. I had been sitting there for over an hour with no incident, then all of a sudden the sun went down, and the mosquitoes got to their own dinner experience. We hurried as fast as we could to pay our bill... our way-way overpriced bill... for food that all looked the same. Positives? Food at least tasted OK, and the guy that served us was super attentive and nice. But on the other hand, I would've not wanted to pay what I did to sit on plastic chairs and tables, eating food that looked the same, and then getting mauled by blood-thirsty flying insects. Never-ever-ever again.
(2)
Carey G.

OK, I guess what one reviewer said about this being "a love it or hate it" place must be true. We LOVED it. I was there tonight for my birthday and the people were kind and fun, the food was good and the atmosphere was lovely. We spoke with the owner's granddaughter, who suggested I come Yelp about them, and I am glad I did. After dinner, we noticed that Franco, the owner, was singing with the piano in the other dining room. What a charmer! He was incredibly sweet, made me smile so hard my cheeks hurt, and sang to us, incredibly kindly. We left vowing that we needed to bring our friends back to this place. (Our favorite moment was when he laughingly yelled over to a table of family-- his own, I believe-- "Hey! Shattup! I am a'singing here!" How do you not love that? It cracked us up. It is a little pricey-- no question. Two of us for dinner (2 entrees), with garlic bread, no appetizer, a glass of wine, a cappuccino and 1 dessert came to a surprising $75.00. But the atmosphere is lovely and real, and the food clearly authentically Italian. If you are looking for gourmet fare, or cushy seating, or a swanky place, this isn't your restaurant. This is a friendly, lovely, yummy, homey hole in the wall, with fantastic personality. We will absolutely go back.... just for the singing alone!! ;-) But also, of course, for the food. (I agree the garlic bread did not knock me out.) Blessings to you guys, Trattoria da Franco. We loved you! Carey & Brian
(4)
Monica L.

Great food. It took times waiting for the food but it worth it. I will recommend all the friends if they looking for great food.
(5)
Felecia W.

This isn't the place for "fine dining". However, the food ranks with some of the best I've had in the area. The service was personable. The dining area/bar is intimate and eclectic. It feels like an Italian restaurant should feel - nothing commercial about this place.
(3)
Colleen M.

My companion and I ended our evening enjoying lattes from Cosi and trying to decide if, in a combined 56 years and travel to over thirty countries, either of us had ever paid for a worse meal. The answer? No. This place is horrid. The bread was clearly from a store and not remotely Italian, which should have been our first clue. We continued our meal with a caprise salad for me and a Ceasar for him. The caprese tomatoes weren't yet ripe, the pesto (?) was disappointing and unexpected, and the mozzarella was both old and dry. The Caesar dressing was nearly rancid. We should have left, but we did not. We hoped a glass of wine would take the edge off. Mistake. The house Cianti tasted like Manischewitz left open a week. I literally had my date pour it in a shrub to avoid offending the waitress; why I cared, I cannot say. He choked down half a glass, dubbing it 'pruno like.' We ordered a bottle of sparkling water in the hopes of rescuing our evening before the entrees arrived. The waitress poured us glasses, then walked off with the bottle before returning absent-mindedly. Our entrees arrived -- chicken marsala and a cappellini pomodoro. We knew it wasn't going to be good when we were offered cheese and pepper: while the pepper was fresh ground, the cheese was literally the dried out Kraft stuff dumped in a bowl -- lumps and all. My chicken marsala was too creamy and the mushrooms were clearly canned. It was not served with pasta or potato, but instead with some rather sad broccoli, carrots, and what I think was zucchini. The sauce did not taste like any marsala sauce I've ever had. The pasta was clearly made some ages ago, starchy and slimy. The cappellini pomodoro sauce could have been worse, but the meal was already a farce at this point. We tried to shove down some of the food in an effort to avoid offending the kitchen, but it just could not be done. We double checked our blackberries to make sure those 4.5 star reviews we'd seen online were for the same restaurant. The waitress came back and was clearly offended to see our credit card already on the table. She took it and ran it. She returned it and the receipt while removing our dishes with the help of the bus boy. As she complained and insulted us in Russian (which one of us understood) over leaving so much food on the table, I opened the bill. It was 90$ for two people -- two apps (each on the menu at about 5.00), two entrees (one was 12.00 on the menu, while the other was 20.00), two glasses of house wine, and a bottle of water. There was no itemization and no way in hell that added up properly. The apps and entrees should have added up to about 46$ before the water and wine, meaning we likely got charged about 40$ for two glasses of booze the most hardened of alcoholics would have turned down. I signed the check when I probably should have protested and asked for an itemization, but honestly, we just wanted out. Yes, we low balled the tip, but the waitress was amazingly rude, non attentive, and really shouldn't make assumptions that we're monolingual Americans who don't understand her foreign complaining regarding our inability to clean plates of slop. After reading the reviews here, I will be watching my credit card statement like a hawk to ensure they do not add even more to the bill! We left starving and poor, off to Cosi in an attempt to salvage what was intended as a romantic dinner for two at an authentic Italian restaurant. Save your stomach, save your wallet. Avoid Trattoria da Franco at all costs. ADDED: Days later, I examined my card statement. My card was charged 10$ more than I authorized. I called the restaurant and went over the bill with the manager -- who was very reasonable and polite. We discovered the bill had been 'padded' by 15$ in addition to the extra 10$ added on the tip. After about two and a half weeks of communication with the manager -- including a frustrating situation where she charged 75$ on my card, removed it, but failed to refund the extra 25$ -- we eventually sorted things out and I was refunded the amount I was overcharged. The one time I called and got the owner/chef, he was very rude and refused to help me in any way.
(1)
Ethan L.

Great atmosphere, staff that truly seems interested in pleasing, then a total disconnect on food. The menu clearly says "All of our pasta is homemade in house". Not likely. Non-homemade pasta isn't a sin (although a major disappointment when expecting it) but topping that pasta with what was clearly "straight from the jar" pasta sauce IS. Parmaesan cheese was of the powdered green can variety. They also claim that their wines by the glass are homemade. This, we had NO trouble believing, ha ha ha. I'm only giving two stars out of pity for the nice man who we assumed was the owner. He (and the waiter) clearly knew we didn't enjoy our meal and asked if we were satisfied, but to be honest we didn't even know where to start. Easier to just pay, leave and never return...
(2)
Rob R.

Headed here with the wife recently. We've had such beautiful weather lately that we decided to dine outside. Usually we'd go a little further down the street to Faccia Luna, but we stopped here. I've passed this place a least a thousand times.... always thought about dining there, but never stopped. Well, I can mark it off the list. I'm glad I went here prior to reading up on it at Yelp. Probably would have been scared away!! The food was pretty good. We had bruschetta to start.... then I had the chicken parm and my wife had the lasagna. I thought the portions were just right. No complaints in this department. The service was not as stellar. While nothing was wrong.... it certainly wasn't a high point. We did not get our drinks refilled during the meal.... then during the lengthy wait for our check, we got a two refills! A little backwards there.... nearly a whole meal with empty water glasses, then two refills in the span of three minutes while waiting for your check. Strange. And as mentioned, it took them a good 20 minutes to bring the check. I'm not a huge stickler on getting the check right away, but when a table's meal is clearly finished, the dishes have been taken away, they have declined dessert and/or coffee.... it's time to get those people a check. The price was a bit higher than what I think the meal was worth. It wasn't crazy.... but there are better values with minutes. All considered, my first experience with TDF was pretty good. The food was good, the service was passable (barely), and the outdoor setting was perfect for a nice day. I may come here again.... but will probably make sure I have cash, so I can just leave the tab at my table and leave when I'm ready. Recommend.... with some reservation.
(3)
Kelly G.

My wife and I went to Alexandria last week for a week's vacation. We ate at a different restuarant in Old Town every evening. I wish we would have known to skip Trattoria Da Franco. The ambience of the restaurant was fine, the patrons were congenial, and the owner Franco was convivial. Unfortunately the food was just average, at best. We are from Napa, California, so we are familiar with good Italian restaurants. In addition, our relatives own a restaurant in Tuscany, Italy where we have eaten many times, so we realized that Franco's was a good way down the ladder from the real thing. But that's OK, you can't expect excellence everywhere, and after all it's just a meal. What outraged me, though, was being overcharged after the fact. Our modest dinner bill, with tip, came to $65. When presented with the credit card slip by the waitress, I carefully wrote in the amount of the tip and made sure that the total came out to $65. A week later, back home, I looked at my credit card account online and saw that Trattoria Da Franco had charged me $71. That's only six dollars more than the amount I authorized, but still it's not what I signed for. I have no idea why they jacked up my bill, but this really upset me. I realize that a six-dollar overcharge is not worth pursuing. I do see from other reviews here that this is apparently not an uncommon occurrence at Franco's. All I can do at this point is recommend that you be aware that you're not going to get great Italian food at Franco's, but your bill may be greater than you expected.
(1)
David W.

I want to say up front that the food was good. However, I felt that the waitress and now the restaurant as whole was deceptive and I recommend anyone eating there to check and double check your credit card statement for the final disposition of the charge. For example, my wife ordered one pasta dish, which was $4 less than mine as indicated on the menu. When we received the bill, they both were listed as $16.95 instead of the lesser one as $12.95 on the menu. When I pointed this out (and I know it's only $4 but I always pay attention and find errors more than 50% of the time), the waitress said, "well that's an error on the menu and that it's really $16.95." I paused for a second, about to respond to that ludicrous statement when the owner overheard the interaction and said to jut remove the overcharge. After the bill was clearly changed, the waitress brought back my credit card with the charges sent thru the credit card system, it still had the extra $4 charge on it. In other words, I felt like they were going to get the money no matter what! I again pointed out that the overcharge was still in the bill so the waitress then insisted that I just pay less on the tip. I again thought that her response was ludicrous but did not have the time to continue on with the calamity. So I added the tip, which still was overly generous after the deception (15.5%). After following the transaction in my Amer. Expr. statement for a week, I noticed that Trattoria Da Franco actually charged an additional $10 to the transaction. Again, this whole experience has been unfortunate and I do not recommend going to this restaurant. I really believe that they were deceptive. If you do dine there, make sure you know what you are ordering and the prices you're supposed to pay, then verify the charges on the check, then watch your credit card statement to ensure you are charged correctly. Again, we're not talking about a lot of money here, but how often does this happen? I can tell you that most of us do not pay any attention to check when dining - if you go to this restaurant, make sure you do!
(3)
M R.

We went to this place blind, and should not have listened to the Washingtonian article that this was a "top" restaurant in the Alexandria area. They had small plates and portions for a high cost. One chicken breast and a small plate of pasta on special for $25...yeah right!! \The service and house wine were good, but the price was totally over the top! i would recommend walking up the street for better food and prices at Burtucci!
(1)
John C.

I went swimming in my Caesar Salad. Simply put. I've been to some places that went a little heavy on the dressing for their salads, but my chef decided that my salad was the one in which he should use the whole bottle. And for that, I drank my salad. Trattoria Da Franco sits along South Washington Ave, a stone's throw from Old Town. Its contemporary design and outdoor dining certainly appeals as a cuisine experience, but in my first experience with them, they missed the buck.
(2)
J W.

This was my second visit in just over two years. I had forgotten how below average it was the first time. So our waitress was clearly neither American nor Italian and the language barrier was minor but perhaps the start of the problem. We ordered a soda and a beer, garlic bread, calimari, chicken parm, and veal piccata. Dessert was a shared slice of cheesecake. That was it. $92 before the tip and there was no itemization of charges. The chicken parm was tough and ended up going to the dog but the veal piccata was quite good. After the mystery check came it occurred to me that the exact same thing happened the last time I was there. The bill was far higher than the menu prices should have indicated. Due to the language barrier and wanting to leave, we didn't feel a discussion was worth the hassle so we paid and left but it has been nagging at me ever since because it was a repeated experience. I will not go there again. I felt like we were cheated and robbed for below average everything. Although the atmosphere was quaint, it was not enough to justify all the bad that came along with it. Skip this one.
(1)
Catherine P.

We headed to Trattoria Da Franco last night for a date night. We were going to eat at the one of the King St. Italian restaurants, but the waits were too long and we decided to give this place a shot and let me just say, we were so glad we did! The ambiance is a romantic, rustic hole-in-the-wall with a warm fire in the corner (which we were able to get a table by!). We ordered the ceasar salads, both good, the tortellini alla panna, great, and the pasta carbonara, AMAZING!!!! I cannot say enough about their amazing carbonara, except go try it! It is a very rich dish, so we ended up splitting the 2 entrees, which seemed to work out well for us. The meal came with fresh garlic bread. For dessert, we had the italian bread pudding--delicious--and 2 cappucinos. The only 2 complaints we had were: 1) Live music: they had a pianist and a man singing Christmas music and while the duo was great, they gave him a microphone, and for the small restaurant space, it was way too loud. 2) Sloy service: the staff was very nice, but there were only 3 waiters serving the whole room, and it took 30 minutes to get our check. In their defense, Da Franco seems to go for an Italian, relaxed vibe and they let people take their time with their dinner. We'll definitely be going back, but if you go, GET THE CARBONARA!
(4)
Josh H.

Cute place, great wait service, makes you realize how a place like the Olive Garden is a complete waste of money if you desire something authentic.
(4)
Karis K.

It's Valentine's night and my boyfriend and I just got back from eating at this restaurant. You might ask "isn't there a better way to spend your v-day than writing a review for Trattoria Da Franco?" Not really. I wanted to write it now while the awfulness was still fresh in my mind. I have been wanting to try this place for a while - it looked like such a cozy restaurant. I made reservations for Valentine's dinner and was looking forward to a great evening. We were seated immediately and handed a "Valentine's" menu. It was a 3 course menu and unlimited wine or champagne for $65 a person. I thought it was a little pricey but I was expecting large portions and a really high quality meal. Now here's where the fun starts...it took at least 10 minutes to get our water glasses filled after we sat down. The waiter finally brought us some wine and took our order. It took at least 40 minutes to get our dinner and it was less than impressive. A couple of small pieces of veal and some steamed veggies. I felt really bad for the folks in the table next to us...they placed their order before us and got their food at least 20 minutes after us. We only had our wine glasses filled just one more time - flagging down a waiter was like trying to find a taxi during "snowmaggedon". I couldn't believe how slow the service was. It took at least 20 minutes to get our dessert after our waiter said he was "bringing it right out" and it took around 15 minutes to get our check. When we finally got our check I almost had a heart attack - it was $175! They had added in an automatic 20% tip (it did state this on the menu but I thought it was included in the $65/person). At this point I couldn't hold back any longer and complained to the waiter. He took off the tip but I was so pissed about everything I handed my boyfriend my credit card and walked out. I had to wait 15 minutes outside before he finally came out - it took that long to run the card. Okay - so I understand that it's Valentine's Day and you're busy but there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for the service and quality of food that we got tonight. I am kicking myself for paying what I did and I will NEVER go back to this place. We found out after we ordered from the "Valentine's" menu that they were offering a special a la carte menu. It was crazy expensive...a caesar salad for $11 (on a small salad plate), lasagna for $25 (4"x4" piece), about 8 pieces of cheese ravioli for $25, etc. I am still reeling from how much I spent on dinner - I could have gotten the exact same meal at Fazzoli's for around $10 - and my drink glass would always be full because I could walk right up to the coke machine and fill it myself - not wait for an MIA waiter. I apologize for the long review but I just want to make sure people know what they might be getting themselves into if they decide to head out to Trattoria Da Franco. Oh...and don't bother calling Franco to complain. He doesn't care - he flat out told me to not come back.
(1)
Lauren M.

The only positive aspect of this place is the charming atmosphere. Otherwise, the food was over priced for nothing-special-pasta that you could make for yourself out of canned sauces. The service left a lot to be desired. We were sat near a window that had a terrible draft. The house Merlot was......I'll say "fine."
(1)
Stephen B.

Major disappointment. We'd passed TdF a thousand times and always meant to go in -- it looks like such a great place from the outside. But after finally trying it last week, we won't be back. On the plus side, the dining room is sort of pleasantly crowded and has a lot of personality, and the service was very friendly, if a bit disorganized. But the food was just a mess. We had four different entrees and everything was tasteless, sloppily presented, and totally unappetizing -- like something you'd get on a school cafeteria line. Plus, it all arrived cold. Given the fairly high prices and less-than-ordinary food, this place definitely doesn't rank as one of Alexandria's great restaurant finds.
(1)
Mickey S.

Never again, food was extremely overpriced and I even heard a microwave go off right before they brought us our food out. The place is old fashioned and feels like an Italian restaurant but the food was poorly prepared. Nothing memorable about the place. I would go somewhere else.
(1)
art f.

Overpriced. How this place ever made the Washingtonian Cheap Eats is a mystery to me. The decor is dark and shabby. NEarly empty when we went - now I understand why. In the VA burbs you can get a much better Italian meal at Argia's, Cafe Roma, Il Radicchio, Bebo - to name a few.
(2)
Eye P.

I've never done a review but this place created so much fury and rage I had to. First off people who gave this place anything over one stars just doesn't know the difference between good and bad food and they should never open a restaurant or have friends over for dinner because if they do they will get zero star reviews and lose their friends! I had to by default give this place 1 star, but they need to actually put yellow tape up around that restaurant because what they are serving is actually unlawful. That food was nasty, they gave us thawed out slimy crab cakes, gnocchi that was like chewing gum, the dressing on the salad tasted like saliva with a hint of yuck, they asked if you'd like garlic bread and then that's on the bill and it was more like two week old Texas Toast, I understand that it's in Old Town and people want to give it a chance, blah blah blah but they really need to close down and give someone else a shot or call Gordon Ramsey. DON'T EVER EAT THERE unless you lost all of your taste buds and won't know the difference anyways
(1)
d b.

Awful, plain and simple. There is nothing positive to say about the food. In addition to the poor quality and taste, the dipping sauce for the fried calamari was COLD and the Parmesan cheese was like sawdust. Avoid this place unless you like wasting your money.
(1)
The B.

Bad experience, the owner yells at the employees in front of his guests, the restaurant is dirty and need of a lot of TLC. The food is below average, but still expensive. We do not recommend this place, especially with so many better places on old town, don't be fooled by the outside charm and cheap hanging lights.
(1)
Al H.

Wow - what a disappointment! From the old, unkempt premises to the chef with a dirty apron, we had 2 basic pasta dishes that were served on cold plates and tasted less desirable than frozen dinners. Garlic bread was simply "Texas toast" with some butter and garlic salt - billed to us as $4.95! The house salad at $8.95 was fresh but miniscule, lathered (not tossed) in dollops of a cream dressing and the plate removed when finished but the dressing laden fork placed on a butter dish for reuse. Service overall was confrused, They could use an extensive redo.
(1)
Jamie W.

HORRIFIC in every sense of the word. My husband and I went to use our coupon from restaurant.com . When we got there, the menu had a note on it saying $25 coupons were no longer accepted. So naturally, even though our coupon was not expired, we asked our waitress about using our coupon before we ordered. She went in the kitchen and came back telling us we could use it as long as we made a $50 purchase, which was in the coupon's fine print anyway, so we ordered our drinks and entrees. Our food came out and no sooner than we take our first bites the owner comes out telling us he won't accept our coupon, only give us back the money we paid for it. I was furious considering we asked ahead of time and now can't leave because we've already eaten part of our meals. To top it off, they had the nerve to include the automatic 20% tip included with the coupon. Terrible business practices, terrible service...we won't be going back.
(1)
Susan M.

Do yourself a favor and DO NOT even think about going to this rip off place. While the food was fine it does not compensate for being cheated. I'm sill too upset about the experience there last night to go into great detail but if you read the reviews of others who were "taken" you will get the idea. We also had a Restaurant .com certificate and we also, regretfully, ended up signing the bill just to get out of there. We could have been good customers. Clearly that is not where he interest of the owner lies
(1)
Will N.

A month later and after I contacted the Commonwealth Attorney and Alexandria's Consumer Affairs, I was refunded the second charge on my credit card. For my efforts, I was repeatedly threatened with a lawsuit by Trattoria da Franco, so it cost me more than $56 of effort to get my $56 back. If this was an honest mistake on Franco's part, then I apologize to Trattoria da Franco for accusing them of ripping off customers. If this wasn't an accident, I'm not sure why I had to get the City involved to get my money back.
(2)
Lena M.

Most authentic Italian restaurant in the DC area, at a reasonable price. Great service, food and atmosphere. No one in my group had any complaints!
(5)
Jeffrey A.

Excellent food. Great atmosphere. Our favorite Italian restaurant in NOVA (so far...6 months). Converted townhouse. Charming but tables are close together. Might want to check it out first if you want to have a romantic dinner. It will be romantic for some but there is little to no privacy. Service is excellent. Can't wait to try opera night. Highly recommend. You can make reservations online through OpenTable.
(4)
Dave C.

I took my girlfriend here a little while back - my food was good, she didn't like it as much - but I now know why there are "hot and cold" reviews. The reason I am giving it one star is because they actually scammed us multiple times during our trip there. I found this place by searching for restaurants on Restaurant .com - It was a sponsored result, it looked like a good Italian place, so I paid for a gift certificate and booked a reservation for that same evening. When we get to the restaurant, one of our menus had handwritten at the top "We no longer accept $25 gift certificates," so I asked the waiter about it. I showed him my certificate; he looked at it and said "oh, well this is one of the new ones. We accept the new ones, we just don't accept the old ones." It was a little awkward, but since he said that he would accept it, we were good. We then ordered - I got the Penne Amatriciana pasta ($16.95), my girlfriend ordered the Cappellini with red sauce ($12.95) but substituted penne pasta (for which they charged an extra $4, without telling us- so it was $16.95 on the bill). They asked if we wanted bread, we said sure - he said if we wanted garlic bread, we said ok (he did not mention it was an extra $4 - but whatever). We also ordered a cheap bottle of red wine ($28.95). They brought out the food, mine was good, my gf's was ok, and we asked for the check. Here is when the first scam happened: The total bill (before taxes, tip, etc) was $7 more than the food we ordered (looking at the receipt, the total was $7 more than adding up the items from the receipt - $73.85 vs $66.85, what it should have been - then tax and tip were added, then the $25 gift certificate was reduced off the final price). We bring it up to the waiter, and he brings out the owner (who rang us up). He proceeds to lecture me about how it is not added up wrong; it is done on a machine and therefore cannot be incorrect. I ask him to please add it himself, and see that we have been overcharged. After 2 minutes of back and forth, he says "FINE, I will check with a calculator" - he adds it up twice, and comes up with a number $7 less than the check both times. Then he starts saying how cheap I am because I am arguing about "just a few dollars," which upset my girlfriend who said that he was being very rude to his customers. He and her go back and forth, and he ends up shouting, so the whole restaurant can hear "GET OUT OF MY RESTAURANT YOU LITTLE B****." So then I angrily tell him he has no right to treat her like that, that she deserves an apology, and that no one we know will ever eat there again. We have never been so disrespected and embarrassed at a restaurant, by the owner no less. Needless to say, a horrible dining experience, which put us in a bad mood for the rest of the night. A week later, I check my credit card statement - I get a charge from this place that was $25 higher than the bill I signed. Outrageous. I called Restaurant .com and told them what happened - they apologized and gave me a free certificate. I let the credit card company handle the restaurant, and they got me the $25 back. This place is run by a dishonest, rude individual. If you go there (which you shouldn't), double check both your bill and credit card statement, or be prepared to get scammed. Edit: Not sure why this got listed as a "fake review." This experience was real, and I hope people take note of this review before going there. Looking at the other fake reviews, this place would have at most a 2 star rating, def not a 3 star.
(1)
Susan B.

great group, cute lil trattoria, picturesque twinkling outside nook, lovely evening - all the ingredients for a smashing time. We made a reservation for a midweek later dinner for 6 - which was fine then, but once we arrived at said time, the staff seemed less than thrilled we were there, and gasp! wanting to sit outside on one of the last nice evenings of the year - but we simply ignored them and went on our merry way. Nestled into our seats and ordered a round of mixed drinks and Peronis - which were slow to be served, but stiff. As the rest of the group trickled in we ordered a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc - it was crisp and delicious. Next was a bottle of red (which kind has slipped my mind), probably had a bit too much, hence my not so specific recount of the drinks and the meal to come. The waiter did a great job helping us pair options, and giving us some free pours of chianti to pass around and sniff and sip and ooh and ahh over. We forced all the boys to try the red, which they silently poured into surrounding potted plants - kidding, but two out of the three still aren't grown up enough to love it, so we had some glasses to finish off - and I was up for the challenge. We ordered the fried calamari as an appetizer and I was hooked once I saw they included the tentacles - huge tentacle fan - no silly chewy rings for moi. Each of us were able to have a small couple of plates while chatting. For my entree I chose a combination of the calamari salad, and the tomato and mozzarella salad. Both were subpar, but I admit I did not go all out Italian for the meal, so my opinion is skewed due to my sissy salad combination - but regardless, I have had better of each. The rest of the table ordered a variety of pastas - from red sauces, to seafood filled noodles, to carbonara - which everyone raved about. No one came close to finishing any of the entrees, so i got my chance to taste them the way I secretly prefer pasta (cold the next AM right from the to-go box) and it was indeed delicious. Franco made multiple cameos through out the meal, and we even managed to snag a photo with cut out Franco, complete with his wooden arm doing a faux grabbing my roommate's butt. she liked it. The one main downer was a few days after the fact. We were a large group, so they tacked on gratuity. The boys added a bit extra, but I guess the staff took it upon themselves to add more once we left? Two return trips to straighten out the extra charges later, the charge still remains after assurance from manager that they would immediately remove the additional, never validated by the owner of the card, charge. My recommendation is to use cash and eat there early - otherwise, Franco and his crew may rob ya blind.
(2)
Josh D.

Great little place. Especially during the summer because you can take advantage of the outdoor seating. We met Franco, the owner, and he was a very nice guy. They have a large menu with multiple dishes to choose but I always have to judge an italian restuarant by how they make their lasagna and meatballs. I picked the lasagna and it was great.
(4)
Mathna J.

"Eek! Methinks not", understates the treatment we received from the waitress at this overpriced pit. I give it 0 stars, the house red wine is undrinkable the atmosphere is as crowded as a free greyhound bus to Atlantic City with odors to match. The evening started out being seated in a hallway blocking the egress to the toilet. There was not even enough light to read the menu so the witless waitress offered us a flashlight. Really? , she offered us a "flashlight". For these prices she should have offered to act out the menu while tap dancing. When we protested to the flashlight she had a busboy climb on a ladder to turn on the emergency exit light. Now, my wife and I are very accommodating people but by now our good nature had been exceeded. Luckily we made our way over to Del Ray Cafe, where our experience was quite the opposite. Please heed our advise and spend your hard earned money at a restaurant who will appreciate your business.
(1)
Jennifer S.

I consider this an accidental ivy-covered gem. We were initially drawn over by the charm and quaintness of this authentically European feeling rowhouse restaurant with its lighted trees and outdoor seating. We were lured in when we stepped inside to take a closer look - the fireplace, the live piano, tables adorned with roses, lace curtains, all the candlelight (I'm such a sucker for romance) begged for more investigation. We hadn't even read a menu when we decided to dine with them, but instead saw a passing server with what was to be someones dinner. We were hooked. Some may argue that the decor borders on the cheesy - whatever. The food is delicious. The decor doesn't taste nearly as good. One look at the menu and it appears to be very traditional northern Italian fare. This is true, but don't mistake traditional for bad. The food in this restaurant is about perfecting the execution of what's on the menu, not about coming up with the latest pop rocks sauce for your pasta. Don't be shy about asking the ever friendly and attentive service for their recommendations and definitely check out the specials! To start, the zucchini fritters are delicious with lemon - for the main course, I tend to favor the pasta dishes, as all the pastas are housemade. On a sad note though, save room for dessert....elsewhere. Desserts here are more expensive than you will find even at expensive restaurants and really do not live up to the price tag. Oh, and if you are shy about your birthday, don't let the owner know you are there celebrating -- otherwise he'll surely come out and sing to you in Italian!
(4)
lonnie a.

the carbonara was great the bolognese sauce was lacking great service not very accessible but manageable has parking which in Alexandria is a rarity good tiramisu has the feel of a family tratoria interesting antipasti left full alittle pricey but that goes with the location still a good value a very pleasant experience most accommodating worth a return trip to taste other entrees
(3)
Steve A.

I read some of the other reviews, and wondered if I had eaten at the same restaurant. My two visits to Franco's were fantastic. I felt like I was back in Europe. The atmosphere is truly transforming carrying me back to small family run affairs where everything is good, and a house wine is actually drinkable. The service is amongst the most friendly you will find. The staff was helpful with everything from appetizer selection to recommendations about the neighborhood. Franco's has a little bit of a disorganized feeling about. It is not the letter perfect place where every fold is perfect and every action is timed. It is a little chaotic and has a buzz about it that only adds to the feeling of a family run Italian restaurant run by real Italians, not pretenders slinging pasta and cheese sauce strained through a sieve of generica strip mall hell. The food is probably the most authentic Italian food in Alexandria. It smells your Italian grandmother's kitchen only better. Franco's probably is not for everybody. But if you want authentic Italian food in a fun atmosphere served by geniunely nice people, give it a try.
(4)
David S.

Some of the worst Itanian I've had in a long time. The food had little taste and was not made from scratch. The service was not only poor, it seemed that the wait staff really didn't care if you like it or not.
(1)
Brooke S.

Overpriced un impressive food and the service was awful. The service was awkward, we were never asked if we wanted drinks and the server changed during the meal. Our order came out wrong and We asked for our check 3 times before it finally arrived after a 25 min wait. For a $70 meal with no drinks we have had better at a chain restaurant for $30 with drinks. Not impressed and very disappointed.
(2)
Chris F.

Echo all the negative comments. Food was poor, service below average, and the dining room cramped. Went once and will never return.
(1)
M M.

AWFUL!!! Terrible service. Mediocre food. Overinflated prices.
(1)
Jen M.

This was the worst restaurant experience I've ever had. We went there as a family and while the pasta was edible, the soup and salads were not. The waiter didn't seem to care that most of our food remained uneaten.
(1)
Candice M.

I am completely surprised by the negative reviews. I'm a full blooded Italian from New York and by far, this is the closet thing to authentic Italian food I have found in this area. I guess if your idea of good Italian food is "endless salad bowl and breadsticks" your best bet is to stick with the Olive Garden. I however loved the atmosphere as well as the food. Franco was so sweet and mingled with all diners. Even sang with the piano player. It felt like I was dining with family or hanging out on Mulberry Street. This will definitely be our go-to Italian restaurant. The only reason I am giving it 4 stars out of 5 is because it IS on the pricier side. If it was a bit cheaper, I'd be dining there more often. To note: I had the Veal Saltimbocca and DH had the Pasta Carbonara. We had the Mozzarella en Carozza for an appetizer and it was the best I've had in years!
(4)
Adam F.

NOTE: The food was actually OK, portion size was slightly smaller that average, luckily we had ordered an appetizer and had some bread. Nicely located on S. Washington Street in Old Town... they had nice seating outside that we would have used if it wasn't nearly 100 degrees out.. Wait staff was friendly. My biggest problem with this restaurant is that they automatically included a 20% gratuity (party of 2); and according to the restaurant it was: "because we had a coupon". So just note that if you have any type of coupon ( Restaurant.com , Groupon, etc.) they will automatically include 20%. I would have given that anyway, on the full bill prior to the discounted price but it just didn't set well with me. I wont go back... and... they should at least tell you in advance if that is their plan...
(2)
Heather J.

I was honestly shocked and a bit offended by some of the negative and low reviews. I have been a customer of Trattoria Da Franco for 6 years and I have never experienced anything close to what those people are saying. I know Franco's heart is to ensure customers are satisfied with the food and service. None of those people mentioned speaking to Chef/Owner (Franco) regarding the supposive "bad service and food" they just trashed talked the place like it was just some dump. Well it certainly is not, walking into Franco's feels like stepping into a familiar place you have been before in Italy. It is truly rare to feel that authentic vibe and tradition most restaurants fail to provide. My favorite time to go is on Opera Night! He has different sopranos and tenors from Kennedy Center. Truly a blessing. My favorites dishes include Linguine Carbonara, Tortellini alla panna, Pollo alla Parmigiana, Scaloppine Di Vitello con Crema e Funghi, Piccata Al Limone, Pasta Ida, Ravioli alla Bella napoli, Mamma's favorite pizza, Pizza Primavera, Pizza Margerita, and Ham & Cheese Calzone. Table Chianti is always smooth and great to share with a friend or loved one.
(5)
Stephanie C.

I've been to this restaurant at least 4 times and I have never been disappointed with the service or the food. My favorite thing is the house red wine - it takes like the real Italian wine my great grandfather used to make when he first moved to the States from Italy. I just love it. As for the food, I have tried to Chicken Piccata, the Eggplant Parmigiana, and Fruit del Mar. Each was delicious. I also tried the Canneloni, but it was not my favorite dish because of the unique spices that almost sweetened the meat. The garlic bread is fantastic and I always order the Antipasto that includes a wide selection of meats. Natalie is normally my server and she is attentive and helpful, filling my water glass whenever it empties and offering recommendations when I can't decide between items on the menu. Although the price is expensive for a full meal with wine, it is comparable to other restaurants in Old Town. Whenever I have family come to visit, I bring them here because I can count on great wine, great service and great food.
(5)
Paul M.

Wow, I'm shocked that the rating on Yelp is so low. We went to dinner last night for our anniversary and it was great. I had the agnolotti and my wife had the carbonara. We were both so enamored with our meals that half-way through we switched plates. I will definitely go again and we've added this to our list of places to bring friends and family that come to visit.
(5)
Stephen T.

I never had a bad meal in five years. The food is absolutely extraordinary. Very quaint and very traditional Italian food. Food is made fresh. The best pasts in my life. I would never go back to Olive Garden after eating in Da Franco's I am now a regular.
(5)
Suzanne L.

The menu is plentiful. The owner will serenade you. Service personal and quaint. Be prepared to sit and take your time with your meal. It's a personal experience with family/friends.
(5)
Ben R.

Mediocre (at best) food at high prices with surprisingly inattentive service given the size of the place. The bill doesn't itemize, so I'm pretty sure we were overcharged. Two stars, since as far as I know, no one got food poisoning.
(2)
Karen B.

Came here bc we bought a groupon: $49 for one appetizer, 2 entrees, 2 glasses of house wine and a dessert, only to find out that they run a special Mon-thur for 2 entrees and wine for $29.99. Also Found out that the groupon did not include any seafood or veal entrees. When we ordered the proscuitto and melon appetizer we were informed that wasn't included either. Garlic bread was an up charge even. Potion size was small and it was the detest carbonara I've ever had. My fiancÃ©, who was a cook at Olive Garden said, "I've even had better Italian at Olive Garden." The kicker was that they charged us regular price for our extra wine that should've been charge at happy hour prices and they included a 20% gratuity on a party of 2.
(1)
Mark W.

This is the WORSE place to dine in Alexandria and we recommend that you AVOID it at all costs. This is a very shady restaurant with a very questionable reputation. The owner does not care about the business, it's atmosphere inside and out, it's rundown and dirty; "charming" it is not. The "management" are not professional. You will definitely get ripped off. For a start; the skunk like odor from the bar; is where they fill up premium liquor with a dirty "water like" substance or cheap booze. If you are purchasing a bottle of wine, be sure to ask {although; you shouldn't have to} that it be opened in front of you, because we discovered along with other guests on several visits that they fill the pricier expensive wine bottles up with cheap box or jug wine. The service couldn't get any worse and unprofessional. The ONLY authenticity here; you won't get what you paid for and be overcharged because your final check will be padded; deliberately !
(1)
Mike D.

Overpriced and bad service. Asked if we would like $4 garlic bread with no mention/offer of the complimentary bread. No drink prices on the menu and a glass of champagne was $13. Cold draft through restaurant. Food was good, not great.
(1)
Mike S.

We're full and pleased! I would say if you're vegetarian - give it a go. Vegan - well hey u got spaghetti or Zpizza! I think coming here for appetizers and a glass of wine would be divine. I took photos of those! The meals weren't anything to write home about. The garlic bread was drenched in butter and bread I don't think is baked fresh as it came out sliced. The marinara was good but not something that made it stand out from the rest. So the appetizers and possibly desserts (just ordered). I didn't get a coffee with my tiramisu because I haven't oddly enough found an Italian place with a good latte. Parking is on the street. I really can't knock the stars for that since this is common in Old Town, AX The dessert: Presentation looks great (uploading pic after review). A little small but I suppose this is old town! Ok so mouth orgasm! That will conclude this review folks ^_^ The groupon was $49 plus we added a dessert and appetizers taking us to $99 (gratuity automatically added). It was delish! Will come back for apps or even better, dessert! :)
(3)
Peggy B.

Went on a quiet late afternoon. The service was great. We ordered a Caesar salad. The server recommended adding avocado and shrimp which we did. It was delicious. Got sole with capers and white wine and pasta Primavera. Both also very nice. Vegetables are not overcooked and the fish was moist and tender. In all, we had a relaxed and delicious early dinner.
(4)
Martin C.

Horrible experience! I decided to give this place a try and it was the worst culinary and monetary decision ever. At first glance it looks like a great mom and pops joint it reminded me of my time in Europe however once you sit down and begin looking around you will notice how filthy the place actually is. Please save yourself the pain and just listen. The menu they will show you is not current with their prices and specials so be prepared to be surprised. We ordered the veal and the frutti do Mare with 2 glasses of wine and our bill was $120...... Because they charge for the bread, water and service fee. You will not get and itemized bill as their cash register is outdated and they do everything by hand so good look making sense of it. The food (sea food and veal) was bland and chewy as if it was old the sauce however was pretty decent but it was to overpower the low quality ingredients. Their house wine is 7.99 a glass but save yourself the pain it is the worst tasting wine in the world; I would much rather drink Franzia than the overpriced garbage they serve. Olive Garden is a five star establishment compare to this place, you can take what I just told and ignore it but don't say you weren't warned........
(1)
Eric R.

In general, I like Trattoria. But, the New Year's Eve experience they put on was an amazing rip off. It came out to $300 for three people. It was to include a salad, an entrÃ©e and a dessert with bottomless champagne or house wine. That would be acceptable if we had any kind of service. We only saw our waiter once. We never received our salads, and when we at least asked for our dessert, we were told "Hey, I brought you some wine. You should be happy. We are busy." That comment alone will keep me from coming back. Happy New Year.
(1)
Kelly H.

The service here was terrible, and the food was mediocre AT BEST. We went here because we were going to a show at The Little Theater. After we were done eating and our table had been cleared, it took our waitress 25+ minutes to get our check. She walked by our table multiple times, and I even made eye contact with her, the credit card was on the table, and she continued to ignore us and not bring us our check. We barely made it to the theater on time. The restaurant was dirty and cramped. I could have eaten off the plate of the people sitting at the next table over. I used their restroom, let me just say, I've been in gas stations that have much nicer facilities. If you're going to spend money on having dinner, do yourself a favor and skip this place. There are a million nicer places in Alexandria.
(1)
Harold S.

4.5 stars! Great atmosphere, great food. We got the calamari for appetizer, veal with pasta, and fruite de mare. Great taste, good service, highly recommended.
(4)
Brenda K.

Borrowing the words of David W: I want to say up front that the food was good. However, I felt that the waitress and now the restaurant as whole was deceptive and I recommend anyone eating there to check and double check your credit card statement for the final disposition of the charge. For example, my husband ordered the veal chop "special". We specifically inquired about the price before ordering and were told that it was $39.95. When we received the bill, it was priced at $45.95. We also were surprised to find that we had been charged $4.00 for the bread that we had been "offered". Once the pricing error was pointed out, we actually had to request that the bill be adjusted to remove the overcharge. After the waitress took the bill (a list of prices, all described as FOOD, stapled to the scrawled order) she brought back my credit card with the charges sent thru the credit card system, it still had the overcharge on it, so we paid less on the tip. When reviewing my monthly credit card statement from Chase I noticed that Trattoria Da Franco actually charged an additional $20 to the transaction! While we truly enjoyed our food and the fun atmosphere I do NOT recommend going to this restaurant. I really believe that they were deceptive. If you do dine there, make sure you know what you are ordering and the prices you're supposed to pay, then verify the charges on the check, then watch your credit card statement to ensure you are charged correctly.
(2)
Rich A.

I came in for late lunch on a Sunday. There was only one other table. I like the small, quiet atmosphere. Perhaps they could have turned down the Redskins game a bit. The owner was kind but was doing other work while waiting on us. He didn't offer a bread basket like he should have. We ordered a pizza and linguine carbonara. The pizza was pretty decent. The crust was a little thicker that I would have liked it, but I could taste the ingredients. The carbonara could have been good, but the egg was scrambled. I've never been served carbonara w/ eggs that overcooked.. Nothing stood out in service or food. Perhaps they're better when it's not so slow. But I certainly wouldn't consider coming back here again where there are much better options nearby.
(2)
Andrea D.

I absolutely love this place! I was there with my friends to celebrate my bday and the food was delicious! We ordered 2 large pizzas and 2 pastas which turned out to be amazing. The waiter was very patient and friendly with us, even though we kept making him come back to take our order. The environment is very family oriented. You either sit at the bar (which is separated from dining area) and get drinks with friends or the dining area. Faccia Luna made me feel like I was back in Europe. I definitely recommend this restaurant for those looking for a place with good pizza, pasta or wine. You won't be disappointed.
(4)
Albert J.

I would basically echo Jason M's review from 2012: the food - especially the sauce - is excellent. With my roots, I'm a tough judge but I have to admit that the chow here is a cut above. That said, the prices and service are questionable. Regarding the former, exactly as Jason mentioned, they like to pull a fast one with the bread. They don't provide complimentary Italian bread (which is a major red flag) and then offer to bring garlic bread . .. that they charge you handsomely for. Moreover, the prices on the whole are a bit high. Regarding the latter, the service isn't bad but is uneven. Even if not busy, the servers wander off inexplicably at inopportune times. The quality of the food makes it an overall four-star but I'm probably rounding up from a 3.5.
(4)
Kurt J.

I love this place!!! The carbonara is super good, probably the best I have ever had. There are occasionally singers, which is a lot fun too.
(5)
Mark C.

This is my girlfriend's favorite restaurant and it is high up there on my list. Bob, the owner is a fantastic guy and is often in the dining room chatting up patrons. I had a pesto ravioli last time I was there and it was amazing. The pizza is also very scrumptious. If you do desert, I suggest the gelato. It will not disappoint!
(5)
Joseph M.

It's divey, hasn't been renovated in years and reminds me of a gypsy version of Tiffany's Tavern on King Street. Sure each dish is overpriced but just by a few dollars, the service isn't phenomenal, but the food is tasty and I loved the Texas Toast garlic bread! It was romantic and eclectic and we loved it! Try it out for dinner. Not trying to knock some of the other reviewers, but this isn't the classic "hole in the wall spot", and a 5 star michelin chef isn't parked in the kitchen. It is what it is. What exactly do you expect when there's Christmas lights and a wooden 5 foot Luigi character sign sitting out front? C'mon guys..
(4)
Gio D.

Below average Italian with above average prices. Walking in it looks and feels quaint and cozy. Although after a little while, you realize the service isn't that great and the food is even worst. It goes from quaint and cozy to check please real quick.
(2)
Caitlin Y.

After eating here today I read a bunch of the reviews just out of curiosity because I truly feel this place deserves better than a 2 star average but it is what it is. I stumbled on this place because my hairdresser across the street was running late by an entire appointment so I had about an hour to kill. Its not often that I get afternoons off to enjoy myself so I figured why not treat myself. It was about 3pm so the place wasn't busy at all (odd time to eat a meal) but it had a charming feel and outdoor seating and it was sunny out so I figured I couldn't ask for more. The waiter was quick to allow me my choice of seating and to bring me a menu and water. The current owner Bob came out and we chatted a bit about Italy and the menu. On his recommendation I started with the parmesan asparagus and a glass of Chianti. The asparagus was superb but it is season for it so there is no reason for it not to be. The red sauce on the dish was divine, I found myself making sure to mop all of it off the plate with the tender little shoots. Then I had the Salmon which was perfect, light flaky, melt in your mouth in this amazing yellow lemon, caper sauce but not cream based which made it even lighter and more delightful. I couldn't get enough and quickly cleaned my plate. The side of vegetables was perfectly cooked and a large portion of broccoli, carrots and asparagus which was surprising most places don't put asparagus in mixed vegetable side due to cost. I was left alone to enjoy my meal in peace. The quiet atmosphere left me thinking about being in Italy with my mother. After I was done eating Bob came back out and we chatted more about the building, its old built in the 1800's so he's run into some issues updating it because it falls under historical building code. He wants to open a cigar bar but isn't allowed to change the ventilation etc, so they are thinking about opening up the back, which has a little grape arbor. Chatted about good cigars, food, drank some limoncello which was fantastic, a little hint of rosemary to it. The old owner "Franco" showed up and he sat to chat with us as well. I've never felt so welcome and at ease dining alone somewhere. The atmosphere was perfect, good conversation but not obtrusive to my meal. Its not the cheapest place around to eat but the food was worth it. I'll definitely be going and taking my friends. All in all I was pleasantly surprised to find this place.
(5)
Nathaniel B.

The food here is amazingly good. And for the price, You can't beat it. They have a dinner special for two at a grand total of $30 which includes antipasto, wine and two entrÃ©es. The tiramisu was delicious, fresh and boozy which is how a good 'misu should be and the server, Natascha was prompt, personable and more than polite. I'm not sure what there is to complain about. It's not a fancy place by any stretch but the patio and food more than make up for any fading glory.
(5)
C F.

We did not enjoy our meals at this restaurant at all and the bread they served was stale. It was very pricey for what they are serving. There is no children's menu and the waitress said she could make whatever they want which basically means your 2 children splitting an adult entree which is pricey. I have experienced much better food and service close by in Alexandria.
(2)
Ann H.

Never again!! Our family of 4 ( 2 adult children) ate at this restaurant because we had tickets to the Little Theatre of Alexandria and it was within walking distance. We were seated at a table right next to the door which was left open - it was a beautiful spring evening so that was OK with me. That is, until I saw a few small ants crawling on the table. The waitress took our order and asked if we would like the regular house bread or the garlic bread. Of course, we said we would like the garlic bread and then she told us there would be an additional charge, so we opted for the regular bread. We had Caesar salads which were just OK - the salad was not very cold and they put much too much dressing on 2 of them and the flavorless croutons were soggy and not crisp. My daughter and I split an order of cannelloni which arrived only lukewarm and was stuffed with a no flavor mash of meats and topped with an equally flavorless sauce. My husband ordered the lasagna and my son had the chicken parmesan and they found their dishes to be mediocre at best, The waitress never came back to check to see how our meal was, otherwise I would have asked to have my dish re-microwaved so it would be hot. She eventually showed up asking if we wanted dessert or coffee and we said no, she disappeared and we never saw her again to give us the check - my husband had to get up and look for her. Especially disappointing since we had told her early on that we had an 8:00 show we needed to get to at the LTA. The restroom on the main level is unisex and was disgusting - broken floor tiles, dirty grout, sticky floors, old fixtures. I've been in nicer gas station restrooms than this one! My husband ventured upstairs and the restroom up there was a similar situation. I figure if they keep their restrooms in this shape, what in the world does the kitchen look like?!! Owners need to spend some money on this place, get some new decor, get a deep cleaning, new dishes and glassware - everything looked old and grungy. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!!!
(1)

Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.

Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.

Address : 305 S Washington St
Alexandria, VA, 22314
Phone (703) 548-9338
Website https://www.trattoria-dafranco.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:30 am - 9:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

Claim Restaurant

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.

WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES

Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online

Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.

Search Your Favourite Restaurants.

Trattoria Da Franco

305 S Washington St, Alexandria, VA, 22314

Trattoria Da Franco Menu

Antipasti

Insalata

Pasta

Pollo

Pesce

Vitelli E Carni

Healthy Meal suggestions for Trattoria Da Franco

Antipasti

Insalata

Pasta

Pollo

Pesce

Vitelli E Carni

William T.

Charlie H.

Lisa R.

Jason M.

G G.

Andrew H.

Amanda A.

Charles S.

Dan M.

Chris W.

Jack C.

D. L.

Will M.

Nino T.

Agave B.

William B.

Stefanie J.

Herb R.

Julia B.

Kanye M.

Les D.

Danielle S.

Vivian R.

Patrick H.

Jennifer D.

Mike P.

Kevin M.

HanaDC T.

Puja K.

Jerry S.

Wen L.

Carey G.

Monica L.

Felecia W.

Colleen M.

Ethan L.

Rob R.

Kelly G.

David W.

M R.

John C.

J W.

Catherine P.

Josh H.

Karis K.

Lauren M.

Stephen B.

Mickey S.

art f.

Eye P.

d b.

The B.

Al H.

Jamie W.

Susan M.

Will N.

Lena M.

Jeffrey A.

Dave C.

Susan B.

Josh D.

Mathna J.

Jennifer S.