Ghibellina

Weird experience here. I found the bar tenders to be quite obnoxious. Place is too popular for its own good and the bar service was poor. But the gentleman at the welcome booth, maybe the manager?, was very helpful and once we sat down the table service was very good. Pizza was delicious.

Ghibellina has a great atmosphere and good happy hour specials. Would recommend this place as a good casual date spot or place to take someone who is from out of town. Their pizza is the best, prosecco is on tap & they also have some great bar spots for 14^th street people watching.

I’ve wanted to try Ghibellina’s HH for a long time and finally got there one Monday night right at 5. Despite warnings that the bar would be packed there was no one there and I managed to grab seats — yay! The waitress came by several times before we ordered which was great and once we put in our orders for pizza and wine the wine came out super quickly (and the price is right at HH — $ 5 a glass). Unfortunately things went downhill after that. The minutes ticked by and ticked by and the pizzas didn’t come out and our waitress was basically gone. I was getting hangry and finally my friend had to go find another waitress and ask what the deal was. Our waitress came back and apologized for the delay (which didn’t make much sense because other people had gotten there after us and had pizza before us). Before I became super disgruntled she gave us our wine on the house. Our pizzas arrived quickly after. The clam pizza (the Vongole) was terrific, possibly the best pizza I’ve had this year. That pizza alone is why this review gets 4 rather than 3 stars. The crust was delicious and perfectly blackened to my liking. The fennel pizza (the Finocchiona) was also delicious but nothing compared to the Vongole. Once I tasted them and ate all the crust my friend discarded I forgot about my hanger and was happy, with a stomach full of dough.
Random observations:
1. I understand that the pizza scissors serve a purpose but they just feel like a hipster attracting gimmick.
2. The signs for the bathrooms are written in Italian which is a top restaurant pet peeve of mine (other offenses I’ve seen in this department before are being cutesy with, like, a dog and cat on two separate bathroom doors — are these bathrooms? Am I a dog or a cat? Dogs and cats come in MALE AND FEMALE, it’s not one gender per animal). I don’t have the time or energy to figure out whether what I’m going into is a bathroom or as my friend put it «someone’s apartment, storage cabinet, etc.»
3. I watched a second date happen across from us at the bar. The blonde guy was super cute but his date didn’t look that into him. I guess not even delicious pizza and a sexy atmosphere will make strangers fall in love with you.

The happy hour is amazing here… I just wish that weekdays I got off early enough to make it for it (since it ends at 6:30). The best thing about this place though is that their amazing happy hour also takes place on the weekends!
The drinks are delicious and change seasonally. I’ve brought my family here when they’re in town and also love hanging out with friends here. Also, the pizza is such a great deal! It’s $ 7 – 10 for large personal pizza. The options are fantastic too. I just wish they had a gluten free pizza option.

GREAT deals at happy hour (3−630p weekends, 4−630p weekdays) — $ 6 cocktails, $ 8+ pizzas, not sure about the wine cost because I’m a man and society only expects me to drink cocktails and beers. Outside of the happy hour, I do not think the drinks are worth the price. Happy hour prices are at the bar only, and it doesn’t matter when you come, you’ll probably be too late to get a seat. So stand around the bar or strongarm the weakest links for their seats.
Also the bar top is entirely marble. If you’re as fascinated as I am when it comes to decorating your residence with natural stones, this place is cool to check out.

I’ve only ever been to Ghibellina for Happy hour, and I really love it. (Except their first few months open when the beers cost like $ 15 it was ridiculous.) Even though the happy hour ends at the early time of 6:30 pm, the deals are great, and I think the servers/​bartenders do a good job of accommodating the crowds.
Despite some wicked crowds and arriving around 6:15 last friday (when the weather was amazing), I managed to finagle my way into a window seat for me and my buddy. (The classic bullying of people who were clearly done and had paid. Jk, they said I could hover.)
Our waiter was awesome. We ordered two proseccos ($ 5 at happy hour), and then asked him to put in another order right before happy hour ended. Sorry if this is against policy, I wont tell on you. Around 6:40 we actually thought he forgot our sneaky order, but alas he showed up with two delicious beverages!
The pizza prices at happy hour are amazing, and who can hate on those adorable pizza scissors?!

Went on a Saturday night, I highly recommend making reservations because they are usually very busy on weekends.
Pizza:
Got the Quattro Formaggi and added sausage, the pizza was cheesy, delicious with a thin crust. I would definitely come back for their pizza! I love that it comes with scissors to cut for yourself.
Steak:
Porcini Rubbed 21 Day Aged Black Angus New York Strip had a nice char on it but the meat was very chewy and the steak knives were not serrated so it was very difficult to cut. Also the steak was cooked inconsistently, some parts were medium rare and some parts were medium. I would not get this steak again especially for $ 36.
Beverages:
A large list of wine by the glass which I really appreciate so I can have lots of options. Tried the Amaro Flight which was fairly bitter but an interesting experience. It was enough to share between 2 people.
Dessert:
Torta di Formaggio (Cheesecake)
The consistency was creamy in texture with a velvety finish. I also loved the fruit compote of cherries on top.
Service:
Server and bartenders were very attentive and knowledgeable. Great atmosphere!

Last night I ate here with five of my friends before we went to semi. The place definitely has sort of a rustic Italian vibe and is a bit more upscale but not too formal. There’s a pretty extensive wine and cocktail list, and a beer list featuring a few Italian brews. We all really enjoyed our meals. My friend and I split our plates. I had the four cheese pizza and she had this incredible gnocchi dish with sweet potato and goat cheese. We were ALL about that one, we were definitely members of the clean plate club.
Ghibellina’s the place for a good Italian meal with friends. Make a reservation because it’s another one of those trendy-​ass 15-​table places everyone’s flocking to on Friday nights. I’ve been big a fan of all the restaurants in this area, and Ghibellina is certainly one of the better Italian joints I’ve hit in DC.

I’m not sure I have seen a better happy hour in town. They have happy hour deals even on weekends, until 6:30 — so clutch, and the deals are phenomenal. You have to sit at the bar, but they have huge, ample bar space. Many beers for $ 4, cocktails for $ 6, and sangria for $ 5, and pizzas for $ 8. Seriously a steal.
We shared a margherita pizza, which is so good. Very fresh mozzarella, with huge pieces of basil. The freshness of the cheese is really what defines a margherita, and Ghibellina’s is way above average, one of the best in town. Serious bonus points because it is served uncut with a giant pair of scissors (!). Cutting a pizza with these bad boys is unexpectedly addicting, and they work surprisingly well. They have several other pizza options on the happy hour menu, too. The rest of the menu looks interesting but is not available during happy hour.
The space is beautiful, very spacious, with great brick and dim lit décor, and a small outdoor section to boot. It would be great for a date or for hanging out with friends. I love a versatile place.
Bonus points for one of the top sangrias in town, according to my date.

While brunch is good and reasonably priced the kitchen closes at 3 and it’s more savory lunch heavy, other than a few bfast options such as eggs and sausage or French toast.
When he food came. (i got he egg dish) it was not very hot and teetering on Cold, but still ok. My friends dishes look good. Especially the pizza. So I would stick with the Italian/​lunch dinner fare. Also coffee wasn’t hot either, which is THE worst
We were there though happy hour which was a good deal and well attended. Not mind blowing but above average.
Décor and space is very cool. Service was good. Overall: not the best, not the worst

Can’t believe I didn’t get pizza! I fought every urge and went against my nature and ordered something other than pizza. I really love pizza, but I digress. This was a good meal. Although, I had to deduct a point for not serving hot bread. I don’t understand restaurants that just serve cold bread with olive oil. Italian seasoning would help. I had sangria, which was pretty good. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. She made good recommendations and was very responsive when we requested anything. The salad was excellent. Bleu cheese with sliced apples provided a very creamy, earthy balance to the tangy vinaigrette. The Tagliatelle Al Rag was a hearty, meaty dish. Excellent for the colder weather days when you need food that will stick to your bones. The pasta was a little overcooked for my taste, but the flavor and portion size was on point. For dessert, the Crostata Al Cioccolato E Nocciole was a rich, silky end to a solid meal. The hazelnut crunch and swiss meringue were the perfect complement to the cake. I definitely want to return to ghibellina to try out the pizza and other drinks. Definitely recommend this place.

Delicious and well price happy hour!
I came here with my sisters and her friends for happy hour, upon arriving in Washington DC. We ended getting two pizzas, and beer/​wine. The Salsicce E Cipolla was delicious — I loved the sausage and it had a perfect spice as well. The crust was okay in my opinion, so I definitely left that part on my plate as I gobbled down the sausage. We also got the Finocchiona, with light cheese, which was also really delicious. For $ 9 on most of their happy hour pizzas, this place is a steal.
One thing I wish they had was bigger bar surface, it is so tiny, the pizzas could barely fit on the table. Otherwise a great experience. Our bartender/​waiter seemed a little annoyed as well, which definitely could be improved on in the future, but I do understand hoards of people ordering happy hour pizza’s 15 minutes before it was over. Overall, great ambiance, okay service, and delicious food! I’ll be back in the future.

So, I haven’t lived here very long and sort of have an unwritten rule about going to places more than once or twice… until now. When it comes to Ghibellina, I have broken this rule repeatedly– no shame. This place is astounding. Not only do they have a fantastic happy hour but they have great food. I mean like authentic, Italian pizza that you cut with scissors, handmade delicious pasta, and very easily splittable appetizers. Plus, the drinks are fabulous as is the service. Next time you find yourself near U St Corridor/​Logan Circle area, do yourself a favor and go check out Ghibellina. I promise, you will not regret it.

I had been meaning to try this place for quite some time and I’m glad I finally did. Its typically a pretty crowded place, especially on weekends, but we went on a relatively quiet night. Its reasonably priced, has a fun atmosphere, and the food is solid.
Most importantly, Ghibellina has ridiculously great olive oil. Like scary good, like you could come here just for the olive oil. No need to get an appetizer, just get lots of bread and all of the olive oil. As for the main meal, I had the tagliatelle al rag (beef ragu) and loved it. Hearty meal with great flavor but not too heavy. Savory meat jumbled with well-​cooked al dente pasta. I haven’t tried much on their menu but I’ve certainly enjoyed what I have.

I grew up in a house where we ate a lot of pasta. Not because we were poor, but because it’s good and it’s easy and it’s a good thing to eat as a family. We rarely went out to Italian restaurants, so now as an adult I treasure the opportunity for an immersive Italian dining experience, but Ghibellina isn’t that.
The m.o. is not tradition, which is fine. But there is such a thing as «too much chic». The bathroom mirrors, for example, are slicked with such a dense patina that you can’t see your reflection. I don’t get that. And the whole «let’s take our front windows out and put in a terraced bar of spiffy diners directly facing and slightly above the street» is almost… imperialist. Even for 14^th. This is complemented by the cryptic logo printed on each page of the menu and painted onto the bare brick walls inside, which reminded me a lot of that insignia on all the movable crates in certain levels of Tomb Raider 2.
But I digress. Of course a place like this is going to be pricey, but I was seriously dismayed by the portions. I ordered a gnocchi that was $ 17, one of the cheaper entrées. It’s not enough to say «I left hungry»: rather, I worried that if I let one morsel fall to the floor, I’d leave hungry, and waste a dollar. In such a situation you end up seeking hidden notes and nuances in each bite that perhaps aren’t there at all: the sauce was a bit bland, the texture a bit too creamy.
A rush hour drive into and through D.C. did not start my experience on the best footing. Circumstance aside, the food and drink did not impress, and moreover, a restaurant should always be a refuge in some sense, no matter what you’re paying. I didn’t dig the vibe at Ghibellina. The shotgun space doesn’t allow for much elbow room and on weekends the bustle is intense. The playlist was all aggressive, razor’s edge techno, never settling into a groove. And those bathroom mirrors. For someone who spills as much as I do, a sheet of bruised iron was not what I wanted to see above the sink. As far as reconciling with tradition goes, that is a good place to start.

I will probably never come here again. For starters, as a New Yorker, I know my pizza. I know my brick oven pizza. While the cheese used here is of great quality, the crust was burned. Not crispy either, more like inedible. The mixed fried seafood tasted good. The real reason I will never come back here is misinformation. We arrived here at around 4:30 on a Monday. I asked our waitress if they have happy hour specials. She said no. The next day I checked their website and it clearly lists the happy hour specials… Like discounted pizzas at the bar. Why didn’t she explain that to us, when I asked her? Also, we were served «bottled water.» We totally saw them refilling the bottle straight from the faucet. I give it 2 stars for the layout, love that I can see the kitchen and the exposed brick.

Thank goodness we found this place on a Saturday night in DC. Every establishment we tried was crowded and loud, but this place was only moderately crowded and the noise level was so much better.
We sat at the end of the bar and were treated so nicely by Sean and Lauren. They took the time to describe things and give opinions. They seemed to truly enjoy their jobs.
I think we stayed there for two hours.
The bar stools were kind of the most uncomfortable I’d ever sat on, but otherwise, cool place!

Ghibellina = bomb ass Italian food. Everything I tried here did not disappoint.
Funghi Misti — super flavorful garlic-​y mushrooms
Costolette D’Agnello Alla Griglia — I love me some lamb dishes and this one was tender, juicy, and cooked perfectly. Portion size was also larger than I expected.
Vongole Pizza — My favorite dish of the night. If you like clams/​seafood you need to order this. The clams, white wine, and olive oil meld with the cheese on this pizza to perfection. I could probably just come here again, eat only this pizza, and be happy with the meal.
Service wise, our waitress was very sweet, prompt, and made very good recommendations. Definitely had a great dinner here and would come back.

Ghibellina made a fan of me during my recent visit. I came on a Saturday night and the place was packed, the restaurant is narrow and long but isn’t a overly large place so it fills quickly on busy nights. There was slight issue during my wait to be seated as the hostesses gave away my table to somebody who came after me, she apologized and claimed it to be an accident, so it wasn’t a huge deal.
The wait staff was friendly and accommodating, he made sure I had everything I needed.
The food for the most part was excellent, I was able to try three different options, the only one that wasn’t a big hit was the Fritto Misto, which is a collection of fried polenta cubes, mixed vegetables, lemon slices and other various seafood options. While the items were fried nicely, there wasn’t much flavor in the items themselves and was a bit of a let down.
My second item, the Funghi Misti more than made up for my initial letdown. This is sauteed mushrooms, cheese, garlic and onions served over polenta if you want it. This was well made, a large portion and delicious. Mushrooms were cooked perfectly and the ingredients blended well for a awesome plate.
I finished with the Napoli pizza, there pizzas are light, fire oven cooked and filled with fresh flavors and ingredients. This was the biggest highlight of my visit. They have a variety of specialty pizzas but also have build your options, sure to meet any pizza lovers needs.
My visit was excellent and I look forward to a return visit in the near future.

Nice spot to visit with friends. We’ve been here a couple of times. They have a vast wine selection.
During my last visit, we had drinks at the bar as we waited for our table.
I came here with an appetite! I had the halibut and it was ah-​mazing! I highly recommend that dish.
P. S. ~ the pizza here has a special touch; they give you scissors to cut your pizza. I think that is pretty cool.