The Early Word on Rosario

Romantic Italian restaurant Rosario popped up this spring in Adams Morgan, bringing an affordable-yet-refined pasta option to the neighborhood.

Handcrafted cocktails and an impressive selection of Italian wines round out the booze selection in the intimate 60-seat restaurant located in the space formerly occupied by absinthe bar Libertine.

Chef Logan McGear hails from Smoke & Barrel in D.C.; Rosario’s name is a tribute to chef Rosario Patti, his mentor at the barbecue restaurant.

Read on to hear what customers are saying about the newcomer:

The Italian Hit News: OnTap Magazine writes, “the hip but cozy Italian eatery is turning out some excellent Italian staples, as well an intriguing array of specialty cocktails at a price point that won’t break the bank ... perfect for a fun dinner date or a group meal with friends as a prelude to a night on the town.” [OnTap]

The Hungry For More News: Facebooker Jonathan Meador reports the “only problem was the serving size for the entree was barely anything. For 16 dollars per entree I expected maybe a bit more.” [Facebook]

The Ambiance News: Yelper Ayanna B. says “the inside of the restaurant is very classy. The marble details are gorgeous and the exposed brick is quite beautiful. I love the aesthetic here.” Ryan Z. notes “the long and narrow dining room with gorgeous coffered ceilings is warm and inviting, as is the long bar that evokes a byogne [SIC] era.” [Yelp]

The Booze News: Yelper Sarah V. “really enjoyed the wine and cocktail selection, the bartenders were extremely knowledgable [SIC] and made beautiful cocktails with fresh herbs.” Yelper Ed O. ordered “a mezcal cocktail (the Run On), which was excellent. If you're a mezcal fan, try it.” And Instagrammer @cocktailandsons says “get yourself over to Rosario and enjoy a "Birth of Venus" with Cocktail & Sons 2017 Fassionola!” [Yelp, Instagram]

The That’s Amore News: TripAdvisor’s Josh M. said “fresh handmade pasta was done to perfection with bold and explosive flavors imposed on classic Italian dishes. The marsala sauce was rich and velvety, the parmigiana was moist and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.” [TripAdvisor]

The 411 News: Facebooker Lisa Ponzio says “the atmosphere is ‘cozy’ which feels European. Cocktails are well blended and tasty. The food is wonderfully taste bud friendly. No acidic flavor detected in the arrabiata!” TripAdvisor user VABlue said “the black lentil salad was awesome! But the calamari was very salty as was the meatball. Pasta was fresh and tasty, but the chicken parmigiana was bland and tough.” [Facebook, TripAdvisor]

The Baller News: Facebooker Steve Varvounis notes “the noodles for the spaghetti and meatball are homemade and fantastic. The sauce was amazing. The meatball was gigantic. I was very pleased.” Yelper Katie B. thought the serving size of her pasta Bolognese was the “perfect portion.” [Facebook, Yelp]