Nova Europa

Review summary

1. C

   Craig

   Washington DC

   3 reviews

   3.0

   3 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 2

   We dined here for the first time for Valentine's Day. As such, the restaurant was busy and perhaps explains why everything wasn't as good as it could have been. TheRack of Lamb and Steak were both cooked very well and filling. The Potato Leek soup seemed watered down and bland to us and more could have been done with the seemingly boiled vegetables. What was most disappointing was the crab stuffed mushrooms which was actually very good except for the shells. This was crazy and included an almost 1" piece of claw shell in one of my wife's mushrooms. Of the six pieces of mushrooms she had, she pulled shell out of five. I only had two small pieces of shell in mine. When we showed the waitress, she did apologized but didn't seem all that interested in it and no member of management even stopped by. We went to Cafe Europa to try something new thanks to Open Table but pretty sure we won't be returning.
   

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2. H

   Harve

   Washington DC

   6 reviews

   5.0

   6 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   We are frequent guests. The service and food are always excellent. We took advantage of the special Valentine Menu. We thought it offered a lot choices and was a great value.
   

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3. A

   Angela

   Washington DC

   6 reviews

   3.0

   6 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 5

   The server we had couldn't have cared less. Very disappointing to hear another server fully energetic and engaged. Ours was unfriendly and never checked on us. Not just us but his other tables. We would go back but he can't be the one who serves us. Our Valentine's Day wasn't as expected.
   

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4. S

   Sara

   Washington DC

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on 12 January 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Nice ambiance, lots of variety on the menu, and great weekly specials.
   

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5. L

   Liz

   Washington DC

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on 1 January 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   We've been dining at this hidden gem regularly for 20+ years. It's our absolute go-to for multigenerational gatherings and special occasions. We do takeout on occasion. They also have a great early bird menu that is available until 6:30 on weekdays. Don't be fooled by the vintage decor and classic menu. The food is excellent every time, and the specials are always different and wonderful. My favorites are any of the fish dishes (menu or special), the caldeirada, and the chicken Marsala. The lamb dishes are always perfectly done as well. I've never had anything that didn't leave me wanting to lick the plate. For dessert the pasteis de Nata (Portuguese custard tart). And a carafe of Portuguese red wine tops it off great! The staff is gracious and friendly and flexible about substitutions. If you're looking for delicious and expertly executed classic cuisine, this is the place for you!
   

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6. C

   Carson

   Atlanta

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 31 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Very attentive staff, they were very accomodating with fixing any issues we had. Nice atmosphere, good food options, they have a bar but beer selection did seem a little limited.
   

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7. J

   Joseph

   Washington DC

   19 reviews

   5.0

   19 reviews

   Dined on 20 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   What a treasure this long time neighborhood restaurant is. Portuguese, French and Italian classics, lovingly prepared and reasonably priced. Look for the octopus dishes, the sardines, and the Portuguese sausage. Perfect place to go after a walk in Brookside Hardens
   

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8. K

   Keith

   Washington DC

   11 reviews

   4.0

   11 reviews

   Dined on 18 December 2024

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   This was our first time and was for a birthday. Our host/owner/head chef was very gracious to walk us through the menu and they sang Happy Birthday to my wife with a candle in a slice of cheesecake. Overall, it was a very nice experience with very good food.
   

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9. E

   Elizabeth

   Washington DC

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on 18 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great hidden gem, great food, great service with a down home feeling. Highly recommend!
   

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10. G

    Gregory

    Washington DC

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on 14 December 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4

    We've always enjoyed this restaurant but this particular visit fell short of past experience. We got there early so it was not crowded and no apparent need to hurry. However, our waiter did not offer any specials which we heard later being offered to other patrons. We only saw him when he took our order and gave us the check. A separate server brought our food, which didn't seem up to the standard we had experienced before. We did appreciate the free Amaretto aperitif.
    

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