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Interior - Al Dente, Washington, DC

Al Dente

4.2 (1318)
$30 and under
Italian
3201 New Mexico Ave. Suite E NW, Washington, DC 20016

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A photo of Al Dente restaurant

Al Dente

4.2
$30 and under
Italian
Tenleytown

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 10 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Good for groups
Guests can enjoy fresh house-made pasta, fresh fish and meat offerings along with Italian desserts. Al Dente also showcases Neapolitan pizza from the restaurant’s centerpiece oven.


Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Catering is by request
  • Neighborhood
    Tenleytown
  • Parking details
    Free parking weeknights after 5:00PM and all day Saturday & Sunday. 50% OFF weekdays before 5:00PM with validation
  • Public transit
    Tenleytown/American University metro stop on the red line and the N2/N4/N6 bus lines.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Al Dente.

4.2

4.2
(1318)
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Washington, D.C. Area

    Good for groups

  • Washington, D.C. Area

    Great for outdoor dining

  • District of Columbia

    Kid-friendly

  • District of Columbia

    Good for groups

  • District of Columbia

    Healthy

  • District of Columbia

    Great for outdoor dining

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Al Dente offers a "wonderful dining experience" with "delicious homemade pizza," "great happy hour deals," and "excellent service." Conveniently located near American University, it's a "favorite Italian place" in Tenleytown. Enjoy a "fun environment" with "friendly service" and "superb pizza." Ideal for family outings or casual gatherings.
1,318 Reviews
  1. Robert Gold

    Washington DC16 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Pizzas are excellent and great values during Happy Hours. Salads are good. Other food is mediocre. Calamari is a crapshoot. It is often overcooked. Best strategy is to go for the Happy Hour and get a salad and a pizza. The Quattro Stagioni and the Capicciosa pizzas are particularly good choices.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Gloria

    New York City9 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on October 27, 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Nice dinner with our grandson who attends American University. Very convenient from the school.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Terry Gold

    Washington DC2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on August 30, 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Dinner was delicious and everything was great! They even seated us away from the one louder college group which helped with the noise level .

    Is this helpful?

  4. Jeffrey Gold

    Washington DC21 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on August 14, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service is personal. Pizza and and burgers are delicious

    Is this helpful?

  5. Alexander Gold

    Washington DC2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on July 25, 2026

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    20% service fee included for a table of3? And then you leave the tip line on the check without saying anything about the “arrangement”? Really?

    1 person found this helpful

  6. Janis

    Washington DC23 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 16, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our favorite Italian place! Friendly, modern place with great Happy Hour deals. Food is excellent,

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  7. GauthamR

    Washington DC11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 14, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Easily the best restaurant in Tenleytown! Superb pizza, great service.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Maura Gold

    Washington DC2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 11, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food is always great. The happy hour menu and pricing make it a terrific value!

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  9. Jeffrey Gold

    Washington DC21 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 7, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious homemade design pizza, great happy hour. And excellent service by Dennis

    Is this helpful?

  10. Suzanne

    Washington DC2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 27, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The service was outstanding and everything we ordered was delicious. My guests and their two toddlers were treated with such care and were so accommodating to our every need. Highly recommend Al Dente to friends and family. Overall a wonderful dining experience.

    Is this helpful?

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Catering is by request
  • Neighborhood
    Tenleytown
  • Parking details
    Free parking weeknights after 5:00PM and all day Saturday & Sunday. 50% OFF weekdays before 5:00PM with validation
  • Public transit
    Tenleytown/American University metro stop on the red line and the N2/N4/N6 bus lines.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

FAQs

Yes, Al Dente is family-friendly: children are welcome, staff are attentive to little ones, and many guests pick it for family gatherings.

For lively value, head to Al Dente for happy hour, guests rave about the deals and fun atmosphere; for a quieter, more relaxed meal try a late lunch (around 1pm), when reviewers reported few customers.

Yes, the patio welcomes well-behaved dogs, and guests specifically note dining outdoors with dogs is accepted.

Yes, Al Dente offers outdoor seating: guests frequently mention enjoying the patio/terrace for lunches and spring or summer evenings.

Al Dente feels like a friendly, modern neighborhood Italian, bright, welcoming inside with vivid pops of color, a lively central bar, and a popular patio for al fresco meals.

Casual dress, comfortable, informal clothing is appropriate; nothing formal is required.

Al Dente is busiest during its popular happy hour, which guests describe as crowded and fun; late lunch visits (around 1 pm or later) are often quiet and relaxed.

Well-behaved dogs are welcomed outdoors, guests note dogs being welcomed on the patio.

Al Dente has a comfortable main dining room and a central bar, plus a pleasant outdoor terrace/patio, there’s also a take-out counter by the door.

Many guests recommend visiting for happy hour, reviewers note happy hour runs every day, and several specifically call out lively Saturday evenings.

Guests report generous servings for pizza and salads, pizzas come in six large pieces, and items like the arugula with mozzarella have been described as a big portion.

How FAQ content is generated

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Washington, D.C. Area
  4. District of Columbia
  5. Tenleytown

Make a reservation

A photo of Al Dente restaurant

Al Dente

4.2
$30 and under
Italian
Tenleytown

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 10 times today
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