Pistones Italian Inn
6320 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, VA, 22044
Pistones Italian Inn Menu
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Appetizers
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Salads
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Pasta
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Pesci
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Steak & Chops
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Pol Lame E Vitello
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Pizza
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Steak And Cheese Sub Sandwiches
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Sides
Healthy Meal suggestions for Pistones Italian Inn
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Appetizers
-
Salads
-
Pasta
-
Pesci
-
Steak & Chops
-
Pol Lame E Vitello
-
Pizza
-
Steak And Cheese Sub Sandwiches
-
Sides
Visit below restaurant in Falls Church for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Falls Church for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
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Address :
6320 Arlington Blvd
Falls Church, VA, 22044 - Phone (703) 533-1885
- Website https://www.pistoneitalianinn.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 11
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Quiet
Good For Dancing : Yes
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Mon, Tue, Sun
Coat Check : Yes
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Anne S.
Incredible Old School Italian ambience, amazing food and top notch service! Deliciosa y fabulosa!
(5)Chris M.
Fantastic meal and superior service. I used to come here with my parents as a kid. Not sure if it's changed for the better or worse in the last 20 years but so what, I enjoyed the food, the wine and the service. I will say the atmoshphere was a bit dated. The decor looked like the last update was done in 1983 but so what, I'm fine with that. Food quality was good, wait time was minimal and I wasn't rushed. Reasonablly priced to boot. Go here, eat and get fat and happy!
(4)Rory K.
Hard to find any fault with our experience last evening. I booked a table, though needn't have worried. Cocktails were promptly served and were perfectly made - we ordered Old Fashioneds. Menu was classic Italian - something to please everyone. I ordered the seafood pasta and it was outstandingly fresh and enjoyable. Very pleasant older Italian waiter - the whole experience was classic old school Italian - wish it was closer to where I live; probably a good job it's not! And no piped music to annoy me!
(5)Mister H B.
They are still open? I thought they closed a while back! I used to work at Syms right across the street and went in there back in the 80's! Good food! Even then the decor was old! :)
(3)Aaron H.
Great live entertainment every Wednesday evening!
(4)Joel B.
The food is good, they often have live music in the bar area. The bar looks nice, but I've always been their with my wife and baby, so I can't vouch for it, other than to say it looks cozy.
(5)Ryan T.
We came here a few years ago, and had an unmemorable italian meal. I thought we would give them a second chance to redeem themselves, but alas, we will never go there again. The decor is faded, dated, and in some cases, destroyed - we sat in a booth that was covered in tape. My bread plate was dirty, and I should have taken that as a sign to leave. Our waiter served us some bread while we decided on our meal. Warm and crusty, it was the only good thing we had. My partner ordered the short ribs special and received an inch of meat that was stringy and lacking flavour. I ordered the carbonara and received a plate of spaghetti and scrambled eggs. I wasn't expected 5 star quality, but it was truly horrid. Do yourselves a favour and have a frozen tv dinner - it'll be better than what they serve here.
(1)Sam C.
I should have known better than to just order the Italian Sub as you go to deli's for that, not Pistones. I don't know why I was anticipating a sub as it was just a sandwich. It may be because I have been on an Italian Sub kick lately and I was really curious how a proper Italian restaurant would execute it. The meats were tasty and was complimented nicely with provolone but it certainly could have been bigger. My accompanying Fettucine Alfredo side was just good. I had the most fantastic Rigatoni Pescatoria brought home to me as leftovers by a family member who also swears by their Spumoni. Here's to next time trying out the Fried Calamari and getting a lesson in ordering from said family member. The decor is indeed dated but I enjoy the ambiance that creates.
(4)Jeff D.
Another fantastic lunch, this place has an awesome lunch special the best spegetii and meatballs. The service is good and fast with a nice staff.
(5)David B.
To start off it took a while to get seated and the restaurant was not busy. After waiting a bit the waiter came over and told us the specials after getting our drink order. We got our meal and the food had sat for a bit also. The waiter never visited our table until we had been done for quite some time. Thank goodness we had a coupon otherwise we would of been talking to the manager. Will not go back.
(2)Zack S.
Utterly ridiculous. I arrived at 9:20 (this establishment closes at 11) and stood by the door. The host was talking with someone completely oblivious to myself. After waiting for 5 minutes while she spoke to someone she then brought them to a table and did not even acknowledge my presence, so I left. There seems to be no care or concern for customers. In addition, the bar is, well, what can only be described as a hot mess. The light were all off, with a few cheap DJ lights flashing, and a bunch of drunk people attempting to sing. Now for the dining room? The restaurant was dated. There had been no renovation, new decorations, anything in the past 30 years. Advice? AVOID.
(1)John S.
Old school and classic Italian-American food. Food and service were both good and the old-school vibe made me feel immediately at home. (Another review said it's "frozen in time" and that's true in a very good way.) The Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett music really added to the atmosphere. Start with the bruschetta with lump crab - it's great! My first trip, I had a chicken dish that was amazing. Try the striped bass with sun-dried tomatoes and olives - it's a standout. I also tried the grilled whole branzino which was good but not as good as the striped bass.
(5)Bob A.
this place is absolutely on our RETURN list. Contrary to the reviews on Yelp, we found the food to be simply exquisite. Service was refreshingly not overbearing. Only negative is location - who can get to this place? Still, we are going to find a way.
(4)Dalila C.
Love this place! The atmosphere is unique and pleasant. It's like it's been frozen in time with throwback furnishings that are somehow very clean. Much of the pasta is freshly made in house and I always try their soup of the day because it's never disappointed. I had been avoiding pistone's because of the 3 1/2 star average, but thought "hey, why not give it a shot" and I'm so glad I did! I've had many of their pastas and enjoyed them all from gnocchi in a cream sauce, linguini in veal ragu, and linguini with shrimp. All delicious and the option to do a half order is perfect when you want to make room for dessert. Desserts are good as well. My husband likes their tiramisu but it's a little too creamy with not enough punch for me. But I love their cappuccino cake and ricotta cheesecake.
(5)Josh A.
The place was pretty dead in the early dinner hour and smells a bit like it was once a smoking restaurant. The food is pretty good. The price wasn't the lowest but it is probably worth it. The biggest downsides were that some muscles didn't taste fresh and that I saw a bug in the restroom.
(3)Connor C.
This is the best italian food I've had outside of NYC. The house wine and Heavy Seas beer were also great picks for drinks.
(5)Scott S.
Entree was good. Not much outside that seemed homemade; more like pre-prepared. Not a great value. Server was slow, inattentive, and forgetful.
(3)Chandler B.
So I've driven by Pistone's a hundred times. Finally, I stopped in to see what this place was like. I'll make this short. I ordered the grilled scallops. They came quickly......microwaved or poached. Barely a grill mark. I have a feeling since it was 9:30pm, the cook turned the grill off because I was the only one eating there while about thirty 60 year old and ups were in the bar singing really bad karaoke. Ok, back to my grilled but really not grilled scallops: they came in a soupy watery lemon sauce and capers. Flavorless scallops in watery lemon soup. Cold bread, and my side of sautéed spinach parmigiana was even.......parmagianless. I won't be eating in Seven Corners any longer. One disappointment after another.
(1)Brian A.
My wife and I tried the place once. Maybe we came at an unusually bad time, but the place was pretty empty, the service was just okay, and the food was subpar. My wife's calamari tasted like rubber; she sent it back and they did bring a fresh plate which was cooked okay. I had the veal parmigiana, which oddly enough was not made with a marinara sauce, and was soggy and unflavorful. The restaurant interior was direly in need of refurbishment and redecoration, and did not convey a feeling of cleanliness. We were seating in an elevated booth, overlooking the main dining room, which was also a very strange feeling.
(2)Jihad B.
I remember coming here as a youth with family and friends and being enthralled by both the quantity and quality of every dish. I don't know if I was a dumb ass of a teenager or this place just fell far, far from grace. The calamari was equivalent to store bought, only improperly cooked as to where I would have been a little more attentive as it sat in my microwave. The Bruschetta wasn't even toasted. My main course was some mussel and pasta concoction in a garlic butter sauce. I am certain they just melted a stick of butter in water and threw in a garlic clove. The mussels were alright, I guess. There must be a senior citizen discount because everyone else in here was pushing 70. Our waiter had a thick Asian accent (Chinese I think but who can tell?) which made it hard to remember we were in an Italian restaurant. He was also rude, which is probably more important here. This place sucks.
(1)Bob T.
We went back a second time in May 2014 and Pistone's was just as good as our first visit. Good food and great service. Recommend you check out the Scenes from this classic Italian restaurant. A bottle of red? A bottle of white?
(5)KJ S.
Billy the bartender is the best! Very attentive and friendly. He gives great service and good advice on the best menu items.
(5)Roberta R.
I love the ambience here, it is very charming. I like the fact that the owner and chef is from Italy, and cooks authentic italian food. The waiter was telling me they even make the pasta from scratch. I also really enjoy the live music in the lounge area, it's fun to hang out and have a glass of wine.
(5)W C.
One of the WORST ITALIAN Restaurants I have ever eaten at!!!!! The special was barely palatable, the lasagna absolutely tasted like "GARBAGE" and the veal parmigiana was "cubed veal" that was chewy, tasteless, over cooked and had maybe a teaspoon of sauce underneath it!!!! The entire dining experience was on e of the worst I ever endured!!!!
(1)A C.
This is a great place for either an upscale family outing (out of town visitors) or just a step up for your regular Italian dinner out. The atmosphere is classy in the main dining area and the circular booths are a good bet for groups. There's also an adorable little couples table in the corner which seems perfect for a special occasion. We had a few dishes and hands down the best one was the homemade pasta carbonara. I had a mushroom ravoli which was quite passable but not on the same scale as the carbonara. My boyfriend got a chicken and mushroom dish which was kinda bland. Service seemed good. I'm not super fussy about these things. Overall a nice night out. We would good again.
(4)Asa C.
Didn't read any review, went to this place just because I wanted to chevk out a piano bar. Decor is very old, like it hasn't been updated since in the last 30 years. The food tho was absolutely the worst Italian food I've ever had. Both plates (lasagna and the first chicken dish on menu) came out like the food was swimming in water or oil. Flavor was off and it kinda felt like frozen/ microwaved food. There's a customer from arcoss the dining room talking on his speaker phone certainly didn't help.
(1)Mia N.
Lol. This place is not that bad. I was wary because of the reviews. There is a kind of musty smell, like an elderly person's house or mothballs or something, when you first walk in though, but it disappears after you get situated. I guess it's because it is an older establishment or maybe they just need to update their carpets [?] My husband is from Brooklyn, and he said it reminds him of the old Italian restaurants in NY. I actually liked the brick walls and decor. It's very dark in there, but it has a certain ambiance. We had a huge and cozy booth that looked like a Disney World ride and my son went nuts. It being Christmas time, the place really felt like we were in Little Italy in NYC enjoying an Italian meal. I was expecting 70s decor with wild floral prints, but it's more like 90s and I really like the booths. The food was extremely good. We ordered the calamari, which was just ok. Nothing fantastic, but the entrees were pretty good. This is the first time I have had eggplant parmigiana that was not just one slice of eggplant like at Olive Garden or Bertuccis. Their's was like 4 to 6 layers. It was so good and not mushy. My husband's veal parmigiana was also very good and the meat tender and not hard and chewy. The tiramisu was also very good and in it's own individual cooking dish. Our service was very fast and quick. No slow service here, but there were not that many people on a Monday night around 5 pm. This place is pricier than your average Italian chain, but I liked the food well enough. I am just mad that we didn't come here for Christmas Eve when it would be more festive with more people and the special menu I saw posted on the door on the way out!
(4)Elizabeth B.
My husband and I tried this place after always driving by and wondering about it. The interior is super cool and retro. We are really into mid-century stuff, so we were pretty excited. I felt like I was in Mad Men or something. We sat in a big cushy booth and it was very romantic. We had a really nice dinner. The bread was good and they served it with a homemade black olive tapenade that was amazing! We ordered a really good bottle of Dolcetto wine. I tried the linguine pescatore which was a huge plate or seafood and linguine in a really nice wine and garlic sauce. It was a ton of seafood for the price. I couldn't even eat all off the mussels. My husband had the veggie pasta, which was tasty but not too exciting. We had a big side of garlic spinach which was really good. We tried the tiramisu for dessert. It lacked flavor and was mostly whipped cream. We really liked the service. It was old fashioned, where they leave you alone, but are still available if you need them. He was polite and served the wine correctly. One note: the bar area was crammed full of grey-hairs singing kareoke, which was pretty funny at points. The restaurant only had a few other tables that night. if you are looking for fast service and a hip trendy place, this place is not the one for you. If you are looking for a cool throwback place with good food, romantic atmosphere, and no pretentiousness, this is your place.
(4)Jacqui M.
I love this place. Not to get too cheesy on you guys but Billy Joel's song Italian Restaurant always pops into my head when I step in the door. It feels like MY Italian restaurant. First of all, the outside is always lovely. They always have tons of beautiful flowers. The inside is a little...shall we say...tacky. But it's kind of a nice tacky. Mostly it's fine, a little worn, but fine. The only thing that is glaringly tacky are the fake flowers and beads. But I digress.... The service is lovely. The elderly gentlemen who have waited on us there are always warm and knowledgeable. The food is lovely. My favorite so far has been the gnocchi. It was so rich! The atmosphere is lovely. It's dimly lit and ,to me, feels romantic. I like this place because it's not trying to be something it's not. It is a simple Italian restaurant that does what it does well and gosh darn it I like it!
(4)Joanne S.
True to reviews, ambience is old school and lovely, service is family-oriented and personal. That said, the food....marinara mussel appetizers tasted like mussels boiled in bland vegetable soup...pasta with shrimp in white wine sauce was more like pasta drowned in oil...pizza was like a microwaveable one (cheese was rubbery)...even spaghetti and meatballs wasn't great.
(2)Kim R.
First time going to this place. I will never return. The service was absolutely terrible. The food was bland. I'm still sitting in the restaurant as I type this .... Waiting for 25 mins now for my check. I was so excited to check this place out . Quite sad that it was such a horrible experience.
(1)Laura V.
Absolutely great food and service! The lasagna was amazing which is a feat since I'm normally very picky about how it's mad. I will definitely be coming back!
(5)Marina R.
I wonder why I never wrote a review for Pistones! The food is always amazing. The service is always great. Their chicken parmesan the best one I ever had, my husband is absolutely in love with their cannelloni. The decoration well is the same since the 70's I guess, but it's part of it's charm. I always feel super young when I go there, most of the patrons seems to be 50/60+ years old. Give it a try you won't regret it.
(5)Kirk K.
Thanks to restaurant.com , we found out about this restaurant. They provide gluten free pasta, which was a big perk for our party due to a gluten allergy. The service was friendly and quick. We would definitely recommend to friends!
(5)Stacey P.
I love this place. The bartenders are so nice and attentive. The food is very good - definitely try the Petto di Pollo and the Eggplant Parmesan (fantastic). The caprese salad is delicious as is the sauteed spinach. And they put prosciutto on the bruschetta... genius. The dining room feels very "Godfather," very 1950's gangster hangout. They also have a great wine selection. If you are hosting a group they have a very nice private party room downstairs. I've started recommending this place to friends because they never disappoint. Telle and his crew do a great job!
(5)J L.
I regret not dining here sooner. Food is fresh and truly the best Italian food I had in the Tyson's Corner area. You do feel like time came to a stop when you enter. The decor is something from the 70s. In fact, this restaurant has been around for 40 years. Growing up in the area, I've always pass by this restaurant tons of times, but for some reason never had the urge to try. I'm glad I tried it this past Thursday. Our waiter served up the best whole grain bread with butter and olive spread. My husband had the linguini crabmeat pasta with tons of fresh vegetable. I had the eggplant parmigiana (baked, not fried) with a side of 3 very big meatballs. Both dishes were not oily and salty like most Italian food. We came out of the restaurant feeling full, satisfied and guiltless. This restaurant is truly a hole in the wall! I hope it'll be around another 40 years!
(5)Curtis M.
Beyond and beneath any reasonable standard of "awful". We waited A GOOD HOUR for our meal to arrive. We actually saw other parties arrive well after our order was taken, and get their meals BEFORE ours arrived. One (smallish) bread basket was offered for a table of 10; more was requested but none was forthcoming. The pasta was probably made on site, but the tomatoes were straight out of a can (in an Italian restaurant? INEXCUSABLE). We had to get up, confront the waiter, twice, before we got our bill. If I had had exact change, the tip would have been ZERO (in retrospect, I'm sorry I just didn't walk out, thirty minutes into this debacle). With so many excellent restaurants right there in Seven Corners, we haven't the foggiest just how this establishment remains in business.
(1)Curt J.
They finally got a new sign so don't be afraid to go in here. This is one of my top ten places in DC. Put on your slim Mad Men suit and prepare to step back in time. I have taken friends and clients here who said they drove by it for 10 years and never thought twice it.......and then BAM, I have them hooked. The food is spectacular. I recommend the eggplant parm for first timers as it will blow you away. Super nice staff that are true pro's. EVERYTHING I have had here is good. I spoke to the owner once and asked him about the sign and he said that his focus is on the food and ingredients. He finally took my advice and got the new sign. no worries though, I KNOW the food will not change. This place deserves to be packed every night.
(5)Richard O.
3 May 2012 I'd like to suggest your trying Pistone's Italian Restaurant at Seven Corners. Actually named Pistone's Italian Inn, but not really an inn as they have no rooms to let. The name is confusing; one bartender there told me that hardly a day goes by without someone phoning for over-night reservations. Anyway, Pistone's is a diamond in the---not rough, well-adorned. The cuisine is excellent at a reasonable cost. Telle Bonoduce, the chef-owner was culinary-schooled in Abruzzo, Italy, his home country. His dishes are as fancy as they are delicious! --Richard S. Otto
(5)Chris S.
Dinner at 8:00 on Saturday night. This place was a Howard Johnson's when I was young, but for the last 40 years I've driven past it's current incarnation as Pistone's. Nobody ever recommended it to me in all those decades, so I never stopped in. Based on the quite mixed reviews here, I would not have checked it out. But there's always some lingering curiosity: How could a bad place, isolated away from the nearby shopping center, no foot traffic, stay in business if they didn't have something going on? It's not like you can accidentally wind up at this restaurant. The service was very slow and inattentive, disappearing for 10-20 minutes at a time. It's a small dining room and there are multiple waiters and a number of tables are open; I can't imagine where the waiter kept disappearing to. There was no sense that anyone cared, in fact the entire establishment seemed to have some mildly hostile undertone that I couldn't put my finger on. My appetizer was the daily soup ($6), which was turkey. It didn't have many ingredients or much taste, and there were sharp pieces (???) in it. At some point, some cold sliced bread and a little frozen butter appeared. I could have opened some Campbell's Soup at home; it would have been better. My main course was the Veal Marsala, which came with a few baby carrots. Not a lot of food, and not particularly tender nor flavored, but edible. It came with a side of mashed potatoes that were good and creamy (although totally bland). For dessert I ordered a cannoli (one for $6). It took yet another 20 minutes to come out. It was mushy and not good. The total was $35.78 but it was hard to get the check. The first time, the waiter came by to see if I was done, and I said, "Yes, and I have a coupon". 15 minutes later, he reappeared, having totally forgotten. He asked again if I was ready for the check, and came back with it another 10 minutes later, and he ran like hell away from me. So another 10 minutes go by, and he reappears. For the third time: I have a coupon. Well, we don't do those. OK, get me the manager please. Waiter comes back. No, the manager will not come to the table, but he's "over there" (gesturing in some vague direction). I go hunt the manager down. He already knows why I am seeking him. Manager explains that my "Restaurant.com" coupon will not be honored as they have no way to process such a thing. He's not nice. I leave the exact change for the bill. ( Restaurant.com is allowing me to exchange my coupon.) Several commenters have mentioned the really bad SNL-like flat-note vocal entertainment in the adjoining bar area (that you hear quite well in the dining room). Yes, it really is like that! I thought it was only a skit on SNL in the 80s. One last thing. As mentioned by others, the dining room does have a funny smell. I purposefully inhaled when I first walked in and didn't smell it. But after about 10 minutes....Yes. The carpet in the dining room makes the whole place "smell like ass". I am guessing they haven't cleaned since 1974 when they opened.
(1)D V.
Wonderful place. I just had the best veal parm ever. I love the interior - it has a real old school feel to it. The service is excellent. I can't wait to go back. I drove past this place for 6 years and finally tried it. So glad I did.
(5)Noyb U.
We visited this Falls Church icon for the first time after more than a decade living here. How sorry we are for not patronizing it sooner. This place is a break from stereotypical chain Italian restaurants. They're fine, but it's nice to dine at an old school, long-established family Italian restaurant with subdued, elegant decor. In one word: Mature. So this is a really nice place for a date, event or business meal. I had the Rigatoni Pescatora and my spouse had Salmon salad. The presentation had the WOW factor. Absolutely ridiculously delicious with ridiculous portions of seafood (mussels, clams, shrimp, and scallops) compared to EVERYWHERE else I've dined on similar dishes. I don't know if I'll order anything else when we return here. And the side salad with a perfect oil and vinegar dressing was entree-sized, too.
(5)Jamie C.
Nothing special and awful service on top of that. I believe it might have been due to handing over a living social coupon, I did witness our server visiting other tables more frequently. We were seated outside on a Saturday night immediately however that's prob bc its closer than bringing us inside. The menu did not show up until more than 15 mins of being seated and after I had gotten up to get it on my own. While the mare misto appeared appetizing in actuality it was not. There were also several little fruit flies buzzing about, one sky dived into my glass of wine.
(2)Adam B.
It's been many years since I had been to eat at Pistones Itanlian Inn. My past experience was not good. However, my recent trip along with kids was terrific. The place is in good shape and feels very comfortable. It really is a warm place to have a family meal. The food was taste and met my expectations. The value is also very good. The service, while not excellent, was fine. Overall, I recommend this local restaurant. I, for one, will be back more often. It's open late and is very convenient. BTW, it was plenty of parking! Enjoy and give Pistones a second chance. You will be glad that you did.
(4)Sara W.
First of all I kind of like the 70's Mafia movie decor in this place. That way I can pretend that I am in Godfellas or something. Sometimes, there seems to be random bad but amusing karaoke going on in the bar. I am only giving two stars based on our last experience. Prior to the last experience we got great food and good service. They had lobster for awhile and we would go because my mother loves lobster. I would get different pastas and my kids liked it there. They also had good desserts. We used to go here every other month up until 6 months and then stopped going. We stopped because of a few issues. First off they didn't have the lobster, so my mom ordered lasagna. It tasted SWEET and gross. Everyone at the table that sampled it agreed. The service was very poor. When we complained nicely about the lasagna and asked that it be taken back, they took it back but still charged us for it. Maybe sometime in the future we will get the courage up to re-try this place and my mind will be changed back to what it was and I will give it 4 stars.
(2)Kate B.
5 stars because I want to help up the average from 3.5 even though it's obviously not a gourmet place or anything. Really, really good place - don't be afraid to go here! I grew up in Arlington and have lived off of Sleepy Hollow Rd. for nearly the past five years, and I still only just managed to make it here for the first time last night. My husband grew up in Falls Church and recalled that he had been here maybe once. But now that we've been and experienced it for ourselves, this is going to be our new go-to Italian place - especially when it's after 9pm on a weekday and we still need to eat (they are open about an hour later than most restaurants around here). It doesn't try as hard as Argia's, and the prices are a bit lower. The service was amazing (not slow at all as some other reviewers have mentioned). The piano bar was incredibly charming and really not bothersome from the main dining room. Plus who doesn't want to watch a bunch of old people dance to cheesy Xmas music? And most importantly, the food was delicious. The gnocchi is excellent and the spaghetti carbonara very good - quite eggy, if you like that (I do). The leftovers made a great lunch today. And that olive/anchovy tapenade that comes out with the bread... I would buy that by the jar.
(5)Dawn S.
My husband and I go to Pistone's about once every three weeks. It is a neighborhood staple for us. The food is outstanding, and like other reviewers, we are big fans of the eggplant parmesan, cannoli, and gnocchi. We also particularly like some of the appetizers, the smoked salmon and calamari. And can't resist sharing a tiramisu for desert. We quite enjoy the atmosphere - it does remind me (in a good way) of Italian restaurants I would have gone to with my grandparents, with Sinatra often playing on the sound system, or the piano bar in the background. The fresh bread with olive tapanad served before every meal is a nice touch.
(5)Seema G.
I found out about this place through Living Social and kind of wish I hadn't as this place was not worth it. The outside of the place and the sign has the look of a truck stop motel but I figured it might have been a hole in the wall type place. The inside was dark and dingy and just felt like a smoky bar and not in the good sense so we decided to sit outside. Service was utterly slow and the waiter barely stopped by. The food was not bad but nothing that would make me want to come back to suffer poor service for.
(2)Donita H.
I've been to this place for dinner once and drinks twice. It is a throwback to old school Italian in every sense. The food is fantastic (half Italian here, so nice to see that there's obviously someone Italian in the kitchen), prices very reasonable for the quality (stuffed lobster was huge and orgasmic), with old world style; half expecting the Rat Pack to walk in. There's a piano bar, and if you want to feel young, go into the piano bar (I'm in my 40's and felt like the youngun). The bartender (forget his name) is cute, friendly and accommodating. This is a great place for a special occasion or a treat for a loved one (mom or grandma). I have never seen the place crowded and not sure why.
(4)Chris D.
Pistone must be Italian slang for the time period that encompassed the movie Casino. I'm not kidding when I say walking through the double-doors of that ominous white building is like stepping right into Scorsese's materpiece. Everything you expect is there. From the Captain & Tennille duo singing in the bar... to the waiter that's obviously been working there since he dropped out of high school 40 years ago... to the booths and menus that were around when Jimmy Carter was elected president. If it wasn't so classically stereotypical, it would be creepy. (Okay, it was still creepy... but also entertaining.) The food itself was impressive in that everyone expected it to suck and it didn't. I thought for sure everything was going to be so very obviously frozen, but as best as I can tell, it was made in-house. Nothing was stuff you'd tell your friends they had to to try, but pretty much everyone cleaned their plates so it couldn't have been all that bad. What's more, I heard more than one person comment that the prices were relatively reasonable. I honestly don't know what else to say about you, Pistone's. Just tone down the creepiness factor enough so that I don't feel dirty after I leave and I'll give you more stars. Or... maybe just keep on trucking until your style is hip again. If that happens, I promise I'll come back and write an update.
(3)Fouad A.
Let me begin by saying that I am not 100% qualified to write a negative review because I have only been to PII once recently. But everything was 10th rate, including the service. To sum up, this is a 10th rate restaurant that puts on airs. Formerly, they had an excellent salad bar with respectable entrées. No more. I ordered spaghetti and my wife ordered canneloni. Both were without character.
(1)JOHN C.
Thursday night 12/5, I paid $6.75 for a 'house' martini at the Carlyle Grand in Shirlington. Tonight, Pistone's charged me $11.45 for the same drink, Won't make that mistake ever again. OUTRAGEOUS!
(1)Damien G.
I went here last night for VDAY Good: Food, Surf/Turf Great!!!! Bad:SLow service
(4)Natalie C.
The only reason why this place got 2 stars was because the wait staff was very attentive. My friends and I went to the place by a suggestion from someone that worked at at the hotel that we staying in. Well the food was NOT to my liking at all.. Very bland . No season at all. Under cooked.. I don't have any good words for the food here. I sent my food back which was the chicken crepes I believe it was called. Very disappointed!!
(2)Sheila W.
Reading over some of the reviews blows my mind...I consider myself pretty worldly and eat out 3x a week. Twice a month finds me at this place because I never have a bad meal. The place is welcoming, and the menu varied..The owner keeps his customers happy and he makes them feel at home. Yes it is old world but quiet and thank heaven for that. Some reviewers hit the nail on the head but some were very unkind....I am always bringing people there as you can hear each other talk. The piano bar has had regulars for years and the atmosphere happy...Parking is a dream and the prices very reasonable. The food is fresh and prepared well. I have been going there for many years and I appreciate the old world charm The flowers on the outside patio were beautiful all summer long...I have only good things to say thanks for listening sheila W Lake Barcroft resident
(4)Linda W.
I was impressed with the taste and the presentation of our plates of pasta, tonight! We got the chicken canneloni and the rigatonni with the seafood...I was amazed at the variety of seafood that came with my rigatonni and we got olive tapenade with our bread when we asked and delicious salads and a good portion of wine with each pour : ) We are going back!
(5)Sarah S.
I went here last night for the first time since the 70s, and the choice to go was a good one. The food was delicious, portion sizes were good, and the service was great. The decor is definitely old school, but hey, who cares, when the food and service are so good. No one in our party had the mussels, but they must be good, because almost every other table around us had at least two plates full. The Chicken Parmesan & Spaghetti Carbonara were delicious!
(4)Bob D.
Not retro but dated and worn out. The place smelled like ass. We assumed from the carpeting in the main dining room. Food was passable but overwhelmed by the pervasive bad smell.
(1)Michael M.
If you want to feel like you just landed in North Jersey and have a inkling you might get wacked while you wait for your dinner then you came to the right place! I've driven past it countless times and always see cars in the parking lot. So Charity and I decided... its time to give it a try and we were in a real hunger for some good italian food. I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs and was impressed to say the least we had bruschetta and house salads garlic bread and split a dessert (the cheesecake is not bad but not great) the only thing I would say needed to be improved was the variety but everything we had was great I will be going back to try more items on the menu in the near future.
(4)Ryan K.
The food was good enough, the atmosphere is definitely throwback 70's/80's Italian but the service was definitely spotty at best. Had a hard time getting the waiter to come back and give me the check...
(3)Healey S.
3.5 stars. Pistone's... what an unusual place this is. As others have said, walking into Pistone's is like stepping into a time warp. I went on my first visit a few weeks ago. The outdoor seating leaves a little to be desired; it's right at Seven Corners so it feels a little exposed. I don't blame Pistone's for that since when it was originally set up there were likely a lot fewer cars on the road. I don't know that I would have enjoyed myself as much sitting inside though because it was INCREDIBLY loud in there thanks to some interesting live music. It might be a little muted in the actual restaurant seating area; I hope so anyway. Anyway, the food was pretty decent. They're generous with the bread and the portions are more than is needed. The place definitely has its own vibe. I kept expecting Martin Scorsese's mother to come out with a big pot of meatballs and yell at me to watch my language and eat more. I will likely come here again next time I have a hankering for Italian food... perhaps on "country music night" (or not). I don't think Italian food should be made fancy and expensive and for that particular cuisine prefer to stay as far away from chains as I can (no offense to Maggiano's or Olive Garden fans; it just doesn't appeal to me). I think Pistone's will be a nice option when the mood strikes for a nice, local and established place.
(4)Vanessa P.
I dated someone whose Mom always raved about this place... per her suggestion, I had the surf and turf (mind you, this was almost 4 years ago). I remeber the steak being good but the lobster being not everything I thought it should be for my first time trying lobster.... Used to have live entertainment here... kind of a family feeling in the place. Not bad, but not great. Parking and location are awkward, but not something that can be easily changed.
(3)F H.
Pistones was sold a few years back and lost its special real Italian kitschy touches. The new owners struggled with the restaurants simple concept and removed several endearing items, especially the grandiose salad bar and I mean grandiose. It appears anything like the old Pistones no longer exists-- simple southern Italian with warm service and abundance.
(1)Mariam R.
I've lived in NoVA my entire life and remember driving past this place, wondering how it seemed to stick around for so long when the parking lot never seemed full. I finally wandered in 3 years ago. I've been here a handful of times with the husband and we're fans. We've had the filet, pork loin, prime rib, pasta, the salad bar - and desserts. Never once have we had a bad meal. The food has always been delicious, the service has been great. On the weekends, the parking lot looks packed in the evening. I know they have something different for bar entertainment every night.
(4)Valentine N.
NO NO NO !!!! I went there for my Birthday with my family...I had no choice!!!(what a Birthday Celebration, right?! Sigh) Well, the inside feels old and crowded.....and a bit D-E-A-D. The menu was not extraordinary...just order what I was able to eat. Well the food was worst than frozen food. I mean any "debutant" in cooking could have done better! I forced myself to eat my seafood pasta just because I was hungry. Everyone in my family was just disappointed in their dishes and I didn't even bother to order a desert for my birthday! I just wanted to leave...well I had a nice pleasant surprise as soon as I came home...my food came back up! Yes, it did...my stomach didn't even want to digest it! I drive by it everyday and look at it with despise!
(1)Kristen J.
I had really high hopes after reading other reviews, and I've lived literally less than half a mile from the restaurant for 3 years and had yet to try it. But, I was really disappointed. The prices were a little high in my opinion. I had the linguine special with jumbo lump crab meat. The noodles that came out weren't even linguine! But, besides that, I felt the dish overall didn't have much flavor and the vegetables were over cooked. I did have an excellent dirty martini, though, and the salad was great. In the future, if I were to go back, I will simply sit in the bar, which seems to have tons of character, and get a cocktail, salad and maybe just a side of spaghetti.
(2)Derek H.
Just returned from a wonderful first dining experience at Pistone's. A quiet Monday night but the food and service were excellent all around. Starting off with a pair of reds, cab sav and pinot noir by the glass, we decided to share a garden salad and caprese salad. We opted for the small portions of fettuccine in a veal ragu and pene rigate for the meal. All the food was timed just right and the service was attentive without being overbearing. Great ambiance reminiscent of a number of notable Italian places I've been to in Queens and Brooklyn. I will definitely be headed back.
(4)Katharine G.
We went with a coupon and it was great. Mussels, salad, chicken parmesan, spaghetti and meatballs, great chopped olive dip for the bread. Interesting wine menu. Don't love the 70s decor or its location in the mess that is Seven Corners, but the food is so good we will be back.
(5)Tim S.
My wife and I go to Pistone's about once a week, and spend way too much money on alcohol (and food). But, we have a great time and love the regulars patronizing the bar. We always sit in the bar, as that is what we prefer, plus Bill is a great bartender. The crowd is on the older side, but the stories you hear are ones to cherish. The place could use some remodeling, but hey, that's part of the places characters. We highly recommend the white pizza, the chicken parmigiana, chicken Marsala, and the burgers!
(4)John S.
Been here before and enjoyed it, but tonight the restaurant was having a roach invasion. Moved to another table, but found a dead insect on a plate and bolted.
(1)Brenda F.
I have a hard time finding restaurants with good gluten FREE food. Recently I was speaking with the head chef at Pistone's about my predicament and he assured me that I could order gluten FREE meals at his restaurant. So -- I went in to check it out. I asked the waiter to let the chef know that I needed a gluten free meal and ask what he could offer me. The chef personally came out to my table, asked me what types of food I prefer and fixed me up a most delicious meal! A couple of weeks later we were having a lunch meeting at my office and I decided to contact Pistone's and see if they could perhaps cater a gluten FREE lunch for our meeting. I was impressed with what showed up! A delicious gluten free meal including pasta and dessert! The rest of the meeting attendees had no idea that it was gluten free until we were finished and they were all raving about it! The pricing is standard for an upscale restaurant. All of the food is prepared fresh and seasoned just right. I'm sure we will be using them for our gluten free needs many times in the future!
(5)Kimberley W.
Ah Pistone's. This restaurant is like a woman who was really beautiful in her youth but refuses to admit that she's aged. Instead of being a good looking older woman she's a parody of what she once was. Imagine Miss Haversham or Bette Davis as Baby Jane. We walked in and I noticed the bar stinks but as we moved into the main dinning area the smell went away and I was relieved for a few seconds. The decor is ghastly. The banquet seating is the color and appears to have the spongy texture of a cow's intestine and every chair I looked at was heavily stained. They've seen a lot spilled drinks over the years or Bladder Incontinence Anonymous must hold their meetings there. How hard would it be to clean the chairs, reupolster the chairs or buy new ones? THe chairs look like they were new in the 70s so the owners have clearly gotten their money's worth out of them. I was not comfortable.It just felt dirty. Now about the food: it's excellent tasting. However, it was not worth paying nearly $50 for two people in that nasty smelling, old run down atmosphere. It especially wasn't worth when I vomited it up the next morning. I love me some Italian food but I'll go to Olive Garden or CiCI's pizza ten times in a row before I cross the threshold of this place again.
(2)Laine S.
This place is old school...in a good way. The decor is straight out of 1979, but the place is well-kept and clean. The service was exceptional for the NoVa area, which we appreciated. The salads were fresh and sizable. Same for the entrees - very tasty and large portions. Probably one of the better cannoli I've ever eaten! We'll be back.
(4)Mickey C.
Great food. We had the calamari which was succulent and properly prepared, not like rubber at most Italian restaurants. I had the spaghetti and balls which was properly spiced and a good portion. My wife had the lasagne which she said was excellent. The prices are modest. This restaurant has been around for at least 60 years and continues to provide a great hideaway, good food at a great price, and great service.
(4)Anson P.
Whoa, how badass is adding a business to Yelp that has been around for at least 20 years. For serious, this place has been around forever and I must have passed by it for the last 20 years of my life without going in. Hell, I even went to high school not too far from here. This restaurant is almost like that homeless person you know is there but choose to ignore for whatever reason. Seeing as how my friends are all punks with various excuses as to why they can't do dinner ("I am still at work", "I have to eat with the wife", "I live in a different state"), I was forced to eat alone. Punks, the lot of them. In any case, the meat eater in me decided to order the prime rib with a side of fries. The prime rib was decent and reminiscent of the prime rib once served at Orleans House. The meat was covered in au jus on the plate and served with a side of horseradish. Sadly, there was more gristle than I would have cared for. The fries were pretty tasty. The bread that they served before the meal came with butter and crushed olives. That was unique. The place looks a lot better than how it looks from the outside. The inside looks like an old school Italian style restaurant, the kind that you'd see in Goodfellas. The bar area has live music, and the walls are thick enough that it doesn't affect the dining area. The dining area is also not very big. The service was pretty good. For the time being, I'll give it 3 stars until I go back and see how the Italian food is. Also, for those of you looking for a salad bar, I asked the waiter and he said that they offer the salad bar everyday 11 am-3 pm.
(3)K G.
I have been to many restaurants that were old and ,well creepy but this on is off the charts. Even in the heart of Deep South ,new Orleans I had never seen anything like this. Even by old school standards this place is run down. It reeks of sleeze ,cigar smoke and bad food. A server staff and a chef just as sleazy to go with it. The chef has a German accent straight out of a horror movie. Avoid at all costs unless you have a taste for the morbid!
(2)Michael K.
You really need to order the prime rib. Pistone's is what most of Northern Virginia lacks: an establishment that didn't get established yesterday. A restaurant with character, not image. It's friendly, it's a place you can absolutely and completely see yourself being a regular.
(4)Peter M.
This place is like a time warp. Walk through the door and find yourself transported to 1981. Settle yourself into a comfy booth and enjoy the bread and excellent olive dip. Order the petto di pollo and be treated to a large flattened bird, topped with generous amounts of prosciutto and mozzarella. Or get the seafood rigatoni and enjoy a massive saucer of pasta and plump scallops, shrimp and mussels. At $14 you get what you pay for. Martinis arrive in a birdbath and are appropriately muddied with a splash of olive juice. Room for desert sir? Fuggedabout it. The entree was huge!
(4)athena z.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in the area. Great place has a great bar tender and not over crowded. I love the authentic menu and and the waiters are very nice here. Truly a great place
(5)Matthew P.
I was out on a run to Home Depot, planning to hit Vapiano's on the way back to Rosslyn. I saw Pistone's and thought "hey, I'll try something different." When I went in, it was like walking into a De Niro movie: dark, brick, wood paneling, old posters, a cozy little bar, Sinatra playing. It basically felt like an Italian supper-club out of the 1960s. Sat down and ordered a Caesar salad and the spaghetti carbonara. I asked if they had any specialty cocktails, and all the waiter could think of was the "Italian margarita". Had one, and it was actually pretty good: a basic margarita but with limoncello in place of the lime juice. Note though that it packs a good punch, as it substitutes a liqueur for fruit juice. I honestly haven't had much carbonara before, but I was basically pleased with what I got. I was at first horrified that the bread came with margarine instead of butter (who does that these days?), but thrilled that it also came with a tapenade made of kalamata, anchovies, and parmesan. Just slightly oceanic without being too fishy. Overall not the kind of place I'd use as a go-to, but it was a really neat old-school dining experience, basically un-ironic retro. Worth dropping in to try that out once.
(3)Christopher h.
Love this place! This is an oldie but goodie- very kitschy- don't come here expecting glamor- think Sopranos down home Italian.
(5)M G.
I had lunch at Pistone's Italian Inn yesterday. I was not impressed. I had initially considered the salad bar that looked nice but was not anything special. When I learned that it was $14, I decided that it was too pricey. I ordered the crab cake sandwich. It was full of crab but was on a roll that was quite dry and overly toasted. There was tartar sauce on the side but it did not moisten the sandwich enough. I ordered the side of fettuccine with white sauce. The sauce was very creamy and rich. However, the creaminess was not a plus as it was better described as runny. The server was very nice and the ambiance was also nice. However, for lunch, it was too expensive for what I got.
(2)James L.
I like this locally owned place. It is friendly, the service is good, and I enjoy the live music in a neighborhood bar. We recently tried the Salmone Affumicato: (Smoked salmon served with fresh mozzarella cheese, onion, capers and olive oil), as well as the Tortelloni (a seafood pasta), and both were very good, as was a reasonably priced Australia red wine.
(4)Lindsay S.
let's put it this way, for those of you who wrote a bad review for this place, you apparently do not have an italian grandmother, or know diddly squat about home cooked italian food. this place is what i have been looking for in NoVa. def a sopranos feel. you walk in and it's like you've stepped into some 1970s mafia hangout. which is fine by me. hubby and i tried this place tonight for the first time per recommendation of some friends, after driving by it every day for the past year. i am sad it took me so long to give it a shot. bread was yummy, with a nice olive tapenade to go with. as i always do the first time i try a new italian place, i ordered straight up spaghetti and meatballs. you have to judge places like this on their sauce. i was not disappointed. tasted like my grandma's. the meatballs were homemade. i sopped up the remainder of the sauce with more bread. enough said. alas i was too stuffed for dessert. next time that is on the list. don't be fooled by the empty parking lot, or empty interior, this place is a hidden gem. i can't wait to go back!!
(5)M H.
A strange place, scarily empty on a Friday night but actually the eggplant parm was pretty good. The bar there seems to be more happening than the restaurant. Can you say Karaoke? It's one of those places I'd probably not go to again, but if, for some reason, I had to go, I wouldn't be that bummed. Good luck finding your way into the parking lot!
(2)