RPM Italian

I took my girlfriend here, and we had an amazing experience! From the moment we walked in, we didn't wait long to be seated. The dim lighting gave the place a moody, classic vibe--almost like a scene from The Sopranos. The ambiance was warm and welcoming, setting the perfect tone for our meal.Our waitress was knowledgeable about the menu, which made ordering easy. I went with the lamb chops, cooked perfectly to my liking, and absolutely delicious. She ordered the branzino with broccolini and loved every bite.Overall, we had a fantastic time and will definitely be back soon!

This review reflects my experience dining out with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that requires me to maintain a diet free of gluten (including cross contact).SERVICE: 5/5 starsDRINKS: 5/5 starsFOOD: 5/5 starsAMBIANCE: 5/5 starsVALUE: 3/5 starsOVERALL RATING: 4.5/5 stars (rounded up for Yelp rating)I would recommend RPM Italian to anyone seeking a solid, consistent, high-end Italian restaurant that can accommodate a variety of food sensitivities, intolerances, and allergies. Seven friends and I visited RPM during the winter 2025 Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week. To begin, we enjoyed aperitivo hour at the elegant restaurant bar; the happy-hour deal is well worth arriving prior to 6:00 PM ($7.00 for a healthy pour of white wine). When our table was ready, our party moved to the main dining room for dinner. As it was Restaurant Week, some ordered the three-course dinner ($55.00 for an appetizer, entrée, and dessert); others ordered à la carte.As I have celiac disease, I was not sure if I could order from the Restaurant Week menu; the hostess who seated us informed me that the kitchen could accommodate the full three-course menu despite my inability to eat gluten. As I was not starving, I opted for the cacio e pepe (with gluten-free fettuccine pasta) and spicy broccolini. Both were flavorful, well-seasoned, and filling; a wooden allergy flag was placed in both dishes. As the portions were large, I brought half of each order home for a future meal. The kitchen was well versed in managing allergies; I did not experience side effects from gluten exposure or cross contact.To accompany my dinner, I enjoyed the aperitivo hour pinot grigio and two Madras cocktails. All three drinks were excellent; well-proportioned, generous pours, and perfect companions for my dinner.RPM Italian allows bills to be split using a QR code on the table; all restaurants should adopt this model, as it reduces burden on the server (who was excellent!) and allows for splitting checks easily. A 3.5-percent service fee was applied to our bill prior to adding tax and tip; no automatic gratuity was added to the total.I'll return to RPM Italian soon; it's Heaven for those dining gluten-free.

Bad food and completely overpriced. Every dish that called for marinara sauce (chicken parm/meatballs/etc), the sauce tasted like it came straight out of a can. Shaved Brussels sprout salad (not good). The only decent dish was the tiramisu.

Sebastián was our waiter he was very professional and knowledgeable with wines and had great recommendations. Try the squid ink pasta and the steak selections are divine. Moderately priced. Upscale environment. Nice people watching. We sat in the bar area but are told the dining room is a different yet also very nice experience

I want to preface this review by saying I have acid reflux so red sauces are generally a no for me. I also have a gluten sensitivity so pasta is kind of a no for me also. With all that in mind, why was I at an Italian restaurant you ask? For a birthday dinner. I don't order expensive items at BDs because the check is always a mess so I kept it small. My review will be more service based and of course for my Anti-pasta order. RPM is dark, and I mean DARK. Even the bathroom was so dimly lit you could barely see yourself in the mirrors. We had around 12 people for this birthday dinner and I was surprised at how small the tables were. There was barely any space for our menus plus plates, plus drinks and any personal items. The busboys did a great job at coming and clearing plates quickly but it didn't help as we were eating. I ordered the fritto misto (shrimp, calamari, garlic aioli) - 5/10. It came with two large shrimp with the head on but they fried it with the shell on the tail and the head which didn't make sense to me. It was hell picking through it and made the initial bite unpleasant as I didn't know the shell was still on. And of course having the pick through it meant losing the texture of the fry so it was pointless. Also, there was more vegetables than calamari. I took a picture of what was left after I ate the calamari and (attempted) to eat the shrimp for $22 I expected to get a full serving of calamari, not 6 pieces. Service overall was ok I guess, for the price point of the menu I expected them to be a bit more attentive. I didn't have a water to start my meal and asked several times for water to no avail. I also asked for more aioli to eat the leftover veggies and didn't get that either. They add 20% gratuity for groups so it was unfortunate that the service was lacking. I had my go to lemon drop and that was decent I don't know if I'd make my way back to RPM just based off the service. There were menu items I'd definitely want to try and my group thoroughly enjoyed their meals so maybe I'd try with a smaller group.

I came here for my birthday - The squid ink pasta was so good, I just wish the portion was a bit bigger! Service was great and I love that my table was secluded yet our server checked on us frequently! Though it's a bit dark the ambiance was very classy!

RPM Italian offers a cozy and intimate dining experience with its dimly lit dining room, perfect for a romantic evening. The ambiance, however, could benefit from a more fitting soundtrack. The background music felt more like something you'd hear in a mall, which didn't quite align with the warm, intimate vibe the restaurant tries to create. The food was good, with flavors that felt authentic and well-prepared. While the pasta had a bit of a stiffer texture, the overall taste was still enjoyable.The service was exceptional. The staff was attentive, friendly, and ensured that every need was met, which really enhanced the overall dining experience.RPM Italian provides a solid dining option with great service, a cozy setting, and flavorful dishes, but the music and the pricing feel out of sync with the overall experience.

Delicious, well prepared food. The gluten-free menu is among the best for Italian in the DMV and has been for several years. The service is usually great. Good training but can be spotty in checking in. A couple times I've waited too long for a check or a small request. The ambiance is great for dates and business meetings. Not for reading things though! It's dimly lit with waiters in white jackets and open with moderate decibel level. One of my favorites for Italian. Steak was great also. Would love it if they brought back the cauliflower with hazelnuts and hot, sweet peppers!

Service - excellent, attentive (but had unnecessary wait to get seated*)Ambiance - loud, cafeteria like in room where we wereFood - high quality but nothing exceptionalTruffled Garlic Bread - lots of dusted parmesan, very slight truffle taste, bigShaved brussels - said to be rather fillingBranzino - perfectly cooked, nice sauce (vinegary kick) with shaved vegetables really complementing fishTiramisu - okay, light on the expressoRPM Cheesecake - I don't really like cheesecake, but I liked this (only wished for more cherry sauce/more sweet fruit flavor to balance the heavy cheesecake)*hostess didn't ask if everyone in the party was here (both of us were) so we didn't get seated, she later apologized when we inquired about the wait

This place was absolutely phenomenal and I already want to go back! There was a slight point off only cause it was loud and service was great but not excellent although it was Friday night so it's expected to be busy. My sister in law got a Caesar salad l, which was unusual looking but she seemed to enjoy. I got the shrimp scampi and she got the mushroom risotto. Overall, I'm definitely giving this place another try. They also have a massive but crowded bar inside in case you can't get a reservation, although expect it to be very busy around the weekend time.