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Modena

4.6

927 Reviews

$31 to $50

Italian

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Modena presents Italian-inspired cuisine that takes heavy cues from seasonal and regionally sourced ingredients. Modena balances classic cuisine with a modern approach, all enhanced by Chef John Melfi’s passionate and creative touch.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jun 10, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 28 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Cuisines
Italian, Contemporary Italian, Wine Bar
Hours of operation
Lunch Tue–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Happy Hour Mon 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Tue 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Wed–Fri 3:00 pm–6:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(202) 216-9550
Website
http://www.modenadc.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Benjamin Lambert
Catering
With advance notice, limited off-site catering is available:<br /><br />https://knightsbridge.tripleseat.com/party_request/9553
Private party facilities
Featuring high-style Milano design and ample private dining options with Executive Chef Benjamin Lambert in the kitchen.https://knightsbridge.tripleseat.com/party_request/9553
Private party contact
Dan Landau-Smith: (202) 216-9550

Location
1199 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
Neighborhood
Downtown
Cross street
12th and H street NW
Parking details
Valet available from 5pm to 10pm Friday and Saturday only pending staffing.Limited street parking is available. Ample garage parking nearby at City Center one block away on 11th ST, open 24/7.
Public transit
Metro Center is the closest metro stop, it is located at 12th and G street and our front door is one block away at the corner of 12th and H street.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

What 927 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.5Service
4.5Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

P
Peter
Atlantic City
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great restaurant and space. The atmosphere was perfect for a date night or just a meal by yourself.
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GA
GastronomeANDLush
Nashville
28 reviews
vip
5.0
28 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food is definitely love language and Modena showed all the love! We accidentally found this restaurant after finishing up a Segway tour of DC & with quick cross referencing, we lucked up. We were intrigued from the outset. The restaurant was subtlety extravagant, service was tip-top as they were openly conversant about their offerings & our meal… Burrata, Bolognese Tagliatelle, Diver scallops w/ spring herb emulsion, Spicy crusted duck w/ rhubarb mostarda (chutney) & a show stopping parmesan cake w/ balsamic sorbet. We shall visit this place every time we’re in DC! -XOXO
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E
Elbell
New York Area
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on May 23, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience3
Very excellent gluten free bread and gluten free pasta. There was a strong second hand smoke exposure as the evening went on and it s restaraunt employees were going out for smoke break and returning for service.
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S
Shorty
Philadelphia
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Petra was a wonderful server. The food was awesome. Thank you, Dan !
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A
Andy
New England
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic service and a delicious meal. Perfect evening!
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DM
DMandfamily
Washington DC
31 reviews
vip
2.0
31 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall2food4service2ambience2
I’m going to post the good and not so great aspects of our experience. My dinner friends enjoyed the crispy artichokes on a bed of lovely lemony sauce and the octopus appetizers. Then we had the lamb ragu with pomegranate which was delicious. One of us had the duck entree which was very good. My friend and I had the monkfish which was ok but needed some salt and sauce. I mentioned it several times to our waiter to no avail. The sauce served with the artichokes would have been a nice addition to the fish. However, the service at this restaurant was awful. They acted like we were doing them a favor by dining at their restaurant. We arrived early and were sat at a table right next to a baby. There were plenty of tables open though. It was ok because the baby was not loud but the man who was clearing a nearby table was horribly loud .. screetching chairs , unnecessarily loud. The first waiter told us that we must order all of our courses at the same time. He said the chef wanted it that way (basically so they can control the pace of the dinner). That waiter did not want to wait for us to decide so another waitress ended up serving us. She was good and engaging. At the end of the meal, the table directly behind us was being cleared and a glass broke which sent flying glass in our direction. The shards of glass were on our table, in my hair, on our clothes etc. no one seemed to care as they tended to the empty table instead. We needed to ask for help and the manager was clueless on how to handle the situation . In summary, the food was good except for the fish dish. The waitress should have mentioned it to the chef who should have taken the time to listen to the customer and provide a solution. The service and attitude of the staff was the worst I have experienced in a long time.
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D
Dacari
Washington DC
16 reviews
vip
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on May 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Had a wonderful dinner with my partner. The food and service are amazing. Dessert was delicious!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The meal and the service at Modena is always exceptional. The burrata was complemented nicely by the radishes. The cacio e pepe was creamy and delicious. The chef is amazing. Petra is always a wonderful server. I can’t recommend Modena more highly.
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F
Fairfax
Washington DC
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall2food4service4ambience4
We made a 7:30 pm reservation for a Mother’s Day “experience.” We had to pay for the “experience” in advance, when we made the reservation. As soon as we sat down at our table, the server informed us that they were closing at 8 pm, so we needed to get our orders placed right away. We asked why they would take a 7:30 pm reservation (not to mention, full payment in advance, for what they labeled an “experience,”) only to rush us out ASAP? No response. We went there expecting a lovely evening and a wonderful meal for Mother’s Day. Instead, we were rushed through the entire meal. They actually started shutting down and packing up everything all around us at 8 pm. It was, in a word, upsetting.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The staff was nice and friendly! Ambiance is nice food was A-1 authentic Italian
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PW
PeggysWorld
Washington DC
17 reviews
vip
5.0
17 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The best meal I've had lately in restaurants the Canoli Foie Gras, unbelievable it shadows the. Cotton Candy Foie Grass from Jose Andres! The Creme Brulee smashes the one from Imperfecto! All the other dishes were cooked to perfection and the presentation was superb. The restaurant is elegant but not stuffy, everybody smiles and makes you feel comfortable. The drinks are creative and so refreshing! Thank you Chef you made Mother's Day memorable with your outstanding dishes. Thanks Petra, Chris, Dan and Victor for your impeccable and warm service. Modena keeps being my favorite!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Loved the Mother’s Day lunch here! Food was delicious and we had a lovely time.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Chris H WAITED on us. He was excellent and knowledgeable about all the menu. The service was prompt and excellent. The portions were great. Chris was friendly and gave great recommendations. I will definitely return.
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KL
KathleenL
New England
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was fantastic. Not just the usual you expect from an Italian restaurant, but also creative dishes. I’m not an easy judge and they hit it out of the park.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Detroit
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great restaurant that accommodate a lot of dietary restrictions.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on May 7, 2023
overall2food4service1ambience3
The food was somewhat generous and had good flavors but the service was poor and mostly non existent. No talk of the specials or what was best in the menu. Our server was probably someone who did not want to be there and it was truly noticeable. Very sad since the food is good but not good enough to justify overlooking poor service! Never coming back!!!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food at Modena was excellent and so was the service ! The best part of it all was the wine sommelier, Ramon! He was so informative, kind, and a wonderful person ! He helped us choose a great bottle of wine and made sure we were taken care of the whole time ! We couldn’t stop talking about how wonderful he was after our dinner was all said and done. Highly recommend
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CC
ChrisC
Atlantic City
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on May 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food, welcoming , friendly staff s Bd best servers, Victor and Petra. Thank you for a memorable evening
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r
randyh
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on May 6, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience3
Food was marginal as was the service. Appetizer was COLD; as if it was just sitting out.. Didnt get what was ordered.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on May 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Birthday dinner. Exceptional in every way. Victor, our server was tremendous. Gluten free options including home made pasta. Go here you won’t be sorry.
1 person found this helpful
PA
PeterA
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful service. Delicious food. Nice ambiance .
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CJ
ChadJ
Chicago
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 4, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Each course was beautifully prepared and the flavors were very well crafted. Pasta is made on site daily - wickedly good.
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SD
SnoopyDiner
Dallas
2 reviews
vip
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 3, 2023
overall1food3service1ambience3
An absolute embarrassment of surprisingly poor service. Orders were repeatedly confused and required repeatedly correcting the waiter who brought wrong plates and wrong drinks to the wrong persons. The food itself was good, though overpriced and although I chose the restaurant based upon location and willingness to reserve a larger party table, I can assure you if hosting a dinner you care about its impression - eager for business or simply for an enjoyable social outing among friends - you will want to skip Modena. I will never return. Multiple professionals in our group had the exact same impression and the exact same comment about never returning. There are multiple options in the area - choose any of them for a much better experience!
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HS
HarryS
Washington DC
11 reviews
vip
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on April 29, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Modena is a very nice restaurant and very expensive but it fit what we were looking for
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TM
TraceyM
Washington DC
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on April 28, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always once of my favs. I met a few friends visiting from Cal, we has thebartichokes and octopus for appetizers, then the scallops, risotto, and duck. Everything was amazing as usual. For dessert we had the tirimisu, molten cake, and parm cake. OMG, I could have licked the plates. I've NEVER been disappointed at Modena.
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A
Anna
Washington DC
13 reviews
vip
4.0
13 reviews
Dined on April 27, 2023
overall4food3service5ambience5
Modena was a beautifully decorated restaurant with great service. The food was decent as well. My only concern was with the 3 course tasting menu that served the same salad for the appetizer and main course. When the main course arrived, it was literally just chicken and same salad I had just eaten for my appetizer. The same options should never be offered like that. When we complained, the waitress was kind enough to offer a starch on the side. A half portion of the BUCATINI CACIO E PEPE was served, which was a great complement, and should have come with the pre fixe anyway. Otherwise, all else was nice.
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M
Meag
Washington DC
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on April 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Lovely dinner. Chef Benjamin is doing wonderful work. We especially loved the crab salad!
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DS
DonnaS
Philadelphia
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on April 25, 2023
overall4food5service3ambience4
Food was delicious. We had 9 people and they would only allow 4 credit cards for payment so that was a hassle but overall, nice place with good food.
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C
Charlie
Kansas City
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on April 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Did the Four Course experience. With wine pairing. Fabulous. Too 10 of any meal we have ever had, a little pricey, but in the end worth it.
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D
Duff
Washington DC
43 reviews
vip
4.0
43 reviews
Dined on April 25, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience3
The restaurant has good food. The ambience is utilitarian. The service was coldly efficient but not engaging at all.
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CP
ClaudiaP
New York Area
27 reviews
vip
5.0
27 reviews
Dined on April 24, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent from start to finish! So lovely to find an Italian restaurant that offers gluten free pasta and bread that is homemade and excellent! Plus all the traditional options were exceptional!
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CP
ClaudiaP
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 24, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent meal, great atmosphere, great service! We were so excited to find a great Italian restaurant right in the heart of downtown DC!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The most incredible dining experience to date in DC! Victor was an amazing waiter with just the right of humor, respect, and charm. Ramon, the wine sommelier, was so knowledgeable and generous, and provided an experience of a lifetime for our family! The food was amazing! You cannot go wrong at Modena. Highly recommend !!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Richmond
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our waiter was amazing, he gave excellent recommendations.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 21, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Exceptional and creative food, attentive and professional service. The wine list was well priced
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k
kfdmcd
Charleston
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on April 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had reservations at 6pm. Excellent service by Petra, good mixed drinks and great main courses. Monk fish and seafood on squid ink chitarra were outstanding, (cod and egg yolk fettucini were so-so.) Overall, a great dinner experience for our family of 7 people.
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DH
DarleneH
Alabama
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We arrived a little early. Reservation was at 5 pm. We had drinks at the bar and had pleasant conversations with the staff. We were seated promptly. Our server was attentive and informative. Our food came out in a timely manner so that we were able to enjoy our food, never felt rushed to finish. We had a wonderful time.
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AW
AmandaW
Tampa
18 reviews
vip
5.0
18 reviews
Dined on April 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
First time in DC and amazing! Great gluten free options. I was loving our experience! Left so full and happy. Great service and great speaking with the manager. Will definitely return next trip for that delicious gluten free pasta and bread!!
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DC
DonaldC
Tahoe
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on April 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food, homemade pasta, starting with the grains. Great service.
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B
Brughaid
Washington DC
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on April 12, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience5
Food was seasonal and creative. Great accompaniments on the well curated charcuterie and cheese board. Supple meat balls. Tender gnocchi with savory Parmesan and zesty seasonal greens. Service was a bit slow but definitely attentive. It allowed me to fit all the food in. Didn’t have room for desert but they have all the Italian favorites and they looked delicious. Would have liked to see Vin Santo or Passito on the desert menu.
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Sealed or wrapped utensils used
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers

Protective equipment
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
- Staff temperature check required
- Contact tracing information collected

FAQs

Modena offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (202) 216-9550.

Modena is rated 4.6 stars by 927 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jun 10, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 28 times today

Order delivery or takeout

1199 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

Additional information

Cross street
12th and H street NW
Neighborhood
Downtown
Hours of operation
Lunch Tue–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Happy Hour Mon 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Tue 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Wed–Fri 3:00 pm–6:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Cuisines
Italian, Contemporary Italian, Wine Bar
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Valet available from 5pm to 10pm Friday and Saturday only pending staffing.Limited street parking is available. Ample garage parking nearby at City Center one block away on 11th ST, open 24/7.
Public transit
Metro Center is the closest metro stop, it is located at 12th and G street and our front door is one block away at the corner of 12th and H street.
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Executive chef
Benjamin Lambert
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.modenadc.com/
Phone number
(202) 216-9550
Catering
With advance notice, limited off-site catering is available:<br /><br />https://knightsbridge.tripleseat.com/party_request/9553
Private party facilities
Featuring high-style Milano design and ample private dining options with Executive Chef Benjamin Lambert in the kitchen.https://knightsbridge.tripleseat.com/party_request/9553
Private party contact
Dan Landau-Smith: (202) 216-9550

This restaurant now offers Takeout

Modena

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Additional information

Popular dishes

Potato Gnocchi

Bucatini Cacio e Pepe

Crispy Fried Artichokes

Menu

What 927 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing

Protective equipment

Screening

FAQs

Does Modena offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Modena restaurant rated?

Is Modena currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information