Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse

Have always loved this place for the great food and service. Unfortunately, this Saturday we went with a group celebrating my dad‘s retirement. We had called ahead asking for anything special that could be done. There was a nice note on the table when we arrived, but our waitress was less than decent. She came asking if we wanted drinks. We hadn’t quite looked at the menu yet. We said water to start and we would let her know…. 20 minutes later she shows back up asking if we’re ready for drinks yet (we had all been looking around wondering where she went, the restaurant was pretty empty) then instead of taking any sort of appetizer order or anything she goes and does the bar drinks so 20 more minutes later we’re finally getting drinks. This waitress did not tell us if there was any specials did not ask about dietary restrictions and we had already called as two people in our party do have dietary restrictions so unfortunately, they were not even brought their gluten-free bread until after everyone else had already eaten the bread that was brought to the table. The waitress finally took our order, but never came back to check on anybody. Food was delicious, everything came out great but when it came time to do desserts, she got very disappointed with us for not wanting to order and saying that we were all full and she said well that’s disappointing. Next time you have to get dessert and left abruptly tossed the check on the table when she came back, in front of my dad, who’s retirement dinner it was. She never brought the special retirement dessert we had pre-asked for she did not bring us the to go desserts that I’ve always experienced receiving every time we leave. She never even really came back to see if we were good to refill our water to do anything, I am floored that the service was like this and very disappointed that people were with us for the very first time to experience a nicer restaurant and have such poor service. Something needs to happen or this place is gonna go down quickly and by the looks of it there weren’t very many people there for a Saturday evening so it seems like this may be a new standard of service unfortunately.

My husband and I went for dinner, and it was an excellent experience! I recommend reservations, and we were seated immediately. What I noticed is that the atmosphere was not so loud that we couldn't have a conversation, which we both appreciated. We were brought water, and they asked if I would like gluten free bread which was brought immediately. These are hot, little popovers. They have a dedicated gluten free menu, and we ordered several items. We started with the tuna tartare appetizer. It was a round tower of diced raw tuna in a slightly spicy sauce sitting on top of cubed avocado, and all topped with microgreens. It was served with fresh slices of cucumber. It was delicious, and we savored every bite. We also shared a gluten free Caesar salad. Mixed with the Romaine was radicchio, and the dressing was homemade. I ordered the Blackened East Coast Cod which was on top of a mound of creamy potatoes, green beans, and topped with saffron butter. I was concerned that blackened meant it would be overly spicy, and it wasn't. The cod was perfectly cooked, and the creamy potatoes lived up to their name. The green beans were excellent, too. My husband ordered the veal tenderloin with potatoes, mushrooms, and aus jus. Although he didn't request it gluten free, it is an item on the gluten free menu. Although I was not planning to order dessert, I mentioned to our server that I didn't believe there were any GF options available. She mentioned the only GF option was mini cannolis with fresh fruit. The cannolis are made with almond flour and taste like almond cookies. The 2 cannolis are served on top of a mixture of fresh berries and tropical fruit. I asked twice if the cannolis were GF only because I was in a state of disbelief. She reassured me, so we agreed to share the dessert. It was excellent! This experience was wonderful because there was a lot of attention to detail, excellent and attentive service without being interrupted, and wonderfully cooked and flavorful cuisine. With each item that was served, they reassured me that it was prepared GF. We went there for a special occasion, and it was definitely a special experience. We will definitely return, and I will also tell all my GF friends about this wonderful experience and cuisine.

I've been a regular at Davio's Reston Row since the soft opening in 2022. Over the years, I've watched the staff and menu evolve up and down, which is typical of any business. However, this year has brought some of the most memorable dining experiences I've had anywhere. As someone with celiac disease, I've spent years assuming traditional holiday meals were in the past. Davio's proved me wrong. For Thanksgiving, Chef Edgar Mendoza prepared a complete gluten-free feast: turkey, gravy, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. It was the best Thanksgiving meal I've had in a decade. I nearly cried. On Christmas Eve, I returned for a gluten-free chicken parmesan with their incredible GF bread, plus the Christmas in the Keys mocktail—a refreshing blend I'll be ordering again. The team here is a big reason I keep coming back. Naz H. greets guests with genuine enthusiasm and knows the menu and its offerings inside and out. General Manager Donald Laing fosters a sense of community—he remembers your name and checks in without hovering. And Chef Mendoza delivers gluten-free dishes that never feel like substitutions. Dietary restrictions don't have to mean settling and Davio's understands that.