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From: Brenda
Nido's is not fancy, but the atmosphere is warm and friendly and the food is good. Also, the management and staff are not Italian as some have thought.
From: Niki
best italian in frederick. cute atmosphere, a little cramped and i wish there was outdoor seating, but its all very authentic.
the white pizza is incredible, very garlicky and delicious. all of the pasta is freshly made and the difference is so obvious!
alfredo sauce has a great flavor and a perfect mix of butter and cheese - my favorite at nidos. the marinara sauce is worth taking home [they sell jars of the sauce for $6]. the portions are just right and the prices are very reasonable. the servers are attentive and friendly.
best italian in frederick for an alfredo and white pizza addict like me!
From: Wop Phili Girl
i don't even know where to begin. to put it nicely, not at all what i consider an italian restaurant. AMERICAN-italian, maybe. The bread, the oil (not even EVOO),the cheese (not parmeggiano-reggiano or romano), the sauce, the wine (served chilled??), all sub-par. I am Italian, grew up in an Italian neighborhood and this is not the Italian way of preparing food.
But, if you like Americanized Italian food, thne you may enjoy Nido's a great deal. The atmosphere is fairly nice as well.
From: S. Harwell
I spent a year in Italy and Nido's comes closer than anything else in Frederick to being a true "trattoria". The pomodoro sauces are homemade and are so like the sauces I tasted in Tuscany. The last commentor was put off by there not being anything other than oil and vinegar for a salad dressing choice. That is what they offer you in Italy. The wine is served in small tumblers and carafes - very authentic. Those who complain had better stay away from Italy. They will be sorely disappointed. Italians do not believe in the excess that Americans have become accustomed to. Bottom line - Nido's es Buon Mangiare!
From: L. Ann
I love the eggplant parmesan. Just great sauce as well! I agree that an upgrade to their serving utensils (silverware) and wine glasses would add to the dining experience. Seems always cold in there, but love the authentic atmosphere. Good meal, good service. Stands out against many "Italian" restaurants for me.
From: stacy
This restaurant is wonderful! I cone from an italian family and who says that all italians drink out of wime glasses, that is for the "americans" who are too full of themselves to realize it can still be a good wine regardless of what it is served in. THe food was amazing, the eggplant was so wonderful and their marinara sauce is perfect, not to sweet not too acidy, PERFECT. I love the atmosphere, very cozy and intimate and the service was fabulous. If you want to pay too much money for faked out "italian" cuisine then this is NOT the place for you.
From: Dan
Great Eggplant Parmesan. Of the other items sampled over the course of five or six visits the food was above average but not outstanding. But the prices are reasonable, so good over-all value. The atmosphere downstairs is nice, avoid seating upstairs.
From: Theresa
The atmospere is nice but a bit over done because the food was at best average. The marinara was thin, lacked flavor and subtance. The service was ok.
From: Anonymous
Nice place, good food unfortunately they played xmas music the entire time. On the 1st day of xmas I'll wait until January to re-visit.
From: Tom Trott, Jr.
C.Lynch, I have been going to Nidos for over 15 years. It is not a salad restaurant. -- sorry about that! :)
For a real italian meal try the baked ziti w/ sausage &/or mushrooms, it is fantastic. The eggplant and white pizza are likewise great.
I urge you to try again when you want a real italian meal!
From: Dwayne Neal
I challenge anyone to find a red sauce as good as Nido's! I love excellent red sauces but have over time become so disappointed in other restaurant's red sauces as they contrast so painfully in comparison to Nido's that I have stopped bothering. Nido’s food is on the minimalist side and does not always appeal to the "over-the-top" diner that believes more and sweeter is better. The eggplant parmesan is the best I have had anywhere. I rarely enjoy sausage but I do at Nido's, hence I order the combo (sausage – a bit spicy, meatball – a bit large, spaghetti – just right, and egg plant parmesan – perfection; I always give the meatball to my wife and she love's it). Nido’s house wine is very drinkable and is most definitely better than average. My biggest gripe is that the other posters had the audacity to complain about the servers at Nido's because of their ethnicity!!! SHOCKING!!! The staff, although not all Italian, is the gentlest, nicest, desiring to please, and inoffensive wait staff that I have generally had the pleasure to be served by. I conjecture that the disappointed guests of Nido’s that posted here have a bit of a congested palette from all of the excessively sweet sauces targeted at the average consumer. If you dine with reasonable expectations and you know the difference between a red sauce and catsup then you will be in heaven at Nido’s.
From: Art B
Great food at a good price, if the weather is nice try for seating in the outdoor area in back. A regular place for me to get italian food. I just wish they had spaghetti carbonara!
From: BW In Frederick
Go for a romantic candlelit dinner for 2 on a weeknight. Get the Italian dinner for 2, their eggplant is the best anywhere. Been about 5 times and never been disappointed. This is not fancy or like a chain, more like neighborhood Italian. Highly recommended and appropriately priced.
From: C. Lynch
We visited Nidos based on some of the reviews that we read on this site. We were EXTREMELY disappointed. While the ambience is nice, the food is very average.
The garden salad was small and only offered oil and vinegar as a dressing choice. The tortellini tasted like it was store-bought and was served in a thin and somewhat tasteless sauce. Our side order of garlic bread included to thin pieces of toast with a little butter and fresh garlic.
I encourage you to go elsewhere, as Nido's is certainly nothing special.
From: Jeanette R
I can't believe the comments from Greg. I lived in New York City for years, I have no complaints about this restaurant at all.
As I previously left a comment, the sauce is excellent. My mother in-law and sister in-law (italian - also from New York City originally) loved this place, thought it was very authentic.
Since when is it a law that only Italians can own italian restaurants?
From: ld
I found Nido's very charming. Their service was very good; and the servers were most pleasant. The eggplant was definately worth getting again. The price was a little high for a family of five; but, I would recommend it highly to couples or groups of friends who might be sharing the cost with each other.
From: Sam Vitale
I'm responding to Greg who posted a rating in October 2005, you're nuts. This is a very fine Italian restaurant. The food is all very authentic, and by the way, that "tumbler" is the same size that wine is served in many "real" italian restaurants (in Italia) that aren't catering to Americans. In regards to your questioning the heritage of the staff "Greg", I can assure you that they are Italian. That is far more then I can say for the mutitude of Spanish speaking waiters & cooks that service the cafeteria like restaurants of NYC's Little Italy.
- ciao
From: Sean
The building was charming but could use some touch paint here and there. Also, the presentation (wine cirafe and glasses) was pretty lacking. But the house wine was very good, the white pizza appetizer excellent and the baked ziti w/ sausage was perfect. The waiter was very kind and helpful and appeared to be Italian. Not that it makes any difference but a review on this page seemed to suggest otherwise.
From: Becca
Good food and very reasonably priced. The service is great and the ambience is very relaxing. Not the BEST food I've ever had, but if you're looking for a low-key night for a reasonable price, I'd definately recommend it!
From: ilovegoodfood
We enjoyed pasta here recently. It is an fairly inexpensive restaurant. The-wine-in-the-tumbler thing was kindof tacky, but wine is wine, I guess. Another reviewer questioned the italian-ness of the staff. Everyone there was definately speaking spanish. The atmosphere does remind me of restaurants in Italy - close tables, cozy dining rooms, etc.
From: Z
Excellent American-Italian food. Good service and a strange seating/hosting arrangement that makes it even more fun.
From: Anonymous
This place was great. The food was awesome, the waiter was very helpful, and the building itself was beautiful.
From: Greg
I dont know where the people who wrote the previous comments have eaten Italian food, but this place in no way deserves 5 stars... particularly the "white pizza".
My benchmark for italian food is the resturants in little Italy in NY with a smattering of small Italian resturants in my travels where the Italian (as in from Italy) owner greets you at your table… I don’t normally write reviews, but this one was so far off the mark, I felt I must, as I was really looking forward to a nice italian dinner that night.\n
My ranking of Nido's resturant is based on the following:
1. No one working in the resturant, the evening I was there, was Italian... was told by some other patrons that the owner is not Italian as well.
2. The house red wine that I ordered was served to me in a quite small tumbler instead of a wine glass. When asked about it, the waiter responded "in America.."
3. Most of the food names were all in listed by there ingredients instead of their Italian names. Again asked the waiter about why no italian names... again the repsonse "in America.."
4. The white pizza was cheese on bread and very flavorless... in fact, the guest in my party who had this "pizza" unscrewed the black pepper lid and dumped a bunch on it as well as added red peppers to give it some kind of flavor.
5. I had the baked chicken in white sauce that had baked chicken with a few seasonings on it and some noodles on the side.. no white sauce to be found and the chicken was moist but boring.
6. Another of my guests had the chicken cacciatore.. after he was finished, I sampled the sauce and it was one step better than Ragu... quite bland.
After discussing our experience with my guests, I gave this resturant a generous 2 stars... which leads to another question... how did the Olive Garden get a 4 star rating on this web site?
I hope this review helps this resturant provide a more authentic italian experience to its patrons in the future... Best Wishes.
From: Megan
I love this restaurant and have been enjoying their italian food for years now. The waiters are so friendly and the atmosphere is authentic italian. I love it!
From: Darrell
Great food, moderately priced and cozy atmosphere! The best Italian place in Frederick!
From: J. Musumeci
I have becoem a semi-regular - at least once or twice a season, and should make it once or twice a month! This a quintessential Italian dining experience - the lineage of the famed white pizza rtaces back to A.V.'s in DC, and the sevrice here is as friendly and attentive as at any restaurant I have ever patronized!
Perfect atmosphere, great, if simple food, and a good house red in grape jelly glasses - what more could one ask for?
Perfect atmosphere
From: holiday
Best white pizza and baked ziti around! Drive 40 minutes at least once a year to make sure we get to go! Great service too!
From: CK
We have searched the world for baked ziti that compares to Nido's and there is none better anywhere! This is the place to go for Italian cuisine in Frederick!
From: LAE
Great food and a wonderful atmosphere! Love the wine carafes.
From: Bonnie
The best Italian restaurant in Frederick. Great Eggplant Parmesan. Their White Pizza is to die for. Yum!! Love that garlic.
From: Anonymous
What is it with the sauce? It's beyond description. Coupled with Nido's efficient and friendly staff, most reasonable prices, low key ambience and a pitcher of their house wine and a good companion (or perhaps a half-carafe without the good companion), a veal piziola dinner is unbeatable.
From: k101
Great food wonderful atmosphere!! I brought my girlfriend here for dinner and afterwerds walked to the winebergcenter for a concert,it was perfect!
From: Patti
The best Italian restaurant in town. The sauce is incredible! There are no competitors!
From: Jeanette R
Moved to Frederick almost 2 yrs ago and always wanted to eat at Nidos. We finally did last night and we were quite pleased with everything. The sauce was delicious. We plan on going back with the entire family.
From: Jimmy Carl Black
Yummy and traditional Italian food. Attentive service from friendly, eccentric waiters.
From: M.Lee A.Moyer
Their special of mushroom ravioli is rather good. It's actually the best mushroom ravioli I've had. The white pizza is worth purchasing, though I didn't notice a particularly long wait. Their tomoato sauce is light, and a tad tart, but also peppery. They sell their sauce in jars, and if it's like what you get at the table it would be well worth it. Definetly a recommendation. Prices are good as well.
From: Anonymous
One of the best restaurants I've been to in the DC Metro area, the staff are wonderful and the food is fantastic! No matter what you order or how long it takes, it is ALL worth it!
If you order the white pizza, be prepared for a wait, but it's well worth it!
From: Anonymous
Intimate. Charming. Authentic. Nido's is the best kept secret in Downtown Frederick. The quality, service, and price make Nido's a must for Italian dining fans!
From: JP Hermes
Comments on this restaurant?
Great food & service.
From: Ann
Truly some of the best italian food in Frederick. Prices are good and food is exceptional....
From: Brenda
Nido's is not fancy, but the atmosphere is warm and friendly and the food is good. Also, the management and staff are not Italian as some have thought.
From: Niki
best italian in frederick. cute atmosphere, a little cramped and i wish there was outdoor seating, but its all very authentic.
the white pizza is incredible, very garlicky and delicious. all of the pasta is freshly made and the difference is so obvious!
alfredo sauce has a great flavor and a perfect mix of butter and cheese - my favorite at nidos. the marinara sauce is worth taking home [they sell jars of the sauce for $6]. the portions are just right and the prices are very reasonable. the servers are attentive and friendly.
best italian in frederick for an alfredo and white pizza addict like me!
From: Wop Phili Girl
i don't even know where to begin. to put it nicely, not at all what i consider an italian restaurant. AMERICAN-italian, maybe. The bread, the oil (not even EVOO),the cheese (not parmeggiano-reggiano or romano), the sauce, the wine (served chilled??), all sub-par. I am Italian, grew up in an Italian neighborhood and this is not the Italian way of preparing food.
But, if you like Americanized Italian food, thne you may enjoy Nido's a great deal. The atmosphere is fairly nice as well.
From: S. Harwell
I spent a year in Italy and Nido's comes closer than anything else in Frederick to being a true "trattoria". The pomodoro sauces are homemade and are so like the sauces I tasted in Tuscany. The last commentor was put off by there not being anything other than oil and vinegar for a salad dressing choice. That is what they offer you in Italy. The wine is served in small tumblers and carafes - very authentic. Those who complain had better stay away from Italy. They will be sorely disappointed. Italians do not believe in the excess that Americans have become accustomed to. Bottom line - Nido's es Buon Mangiare!
From: L. Ann
I love the eggplant parmesan. Just great sauce as well! I agree that an upgrade to their serving utensils (silverware) and wine glasses would add to the dining experience. Seems always cold in there, but love the authentic atmosphere. Good meal, good service. Stands out against many "Italian" restaurants for me.
From: stacy
This restaurant is wonderful! I cone from an italian family and who says that all italians drink out of wime glasses, that is for the "americans" who are too full of themselves to realize it can still be a good wine regardless of what it is served in. THe food was amazing, the eggplant was so wonderful and their marinara sauce is perfect, not to sweet not too acidy, PERFECT. I love the atmosphere, very cozy and intimate and the service was fabulous. If you want to pay too much money for faked out "italian" cuisine then this is NOT the place for you.
From: Dan
Great Eggplant Parmesan. Of the other items sampled over the course of five or six visits the food was above average but not outstanding. But the prices are reasonable, so good over-all value. The atmosphere downstairs is nice, avoid seating upstairs.
From: Theresa
The atmospere is nice but a bit over done because the food was at best average. The marinara was thin, lacked flavor and subtance. The service was ok.
From: Anonymous
Nice place, good food unfortunately they played xmas music the entire time. On the 1st day of xmas I'll wait until January to re-visit.
From: Tom Trott, Jr.
C.Lynch, I have been going to Nidos for over 15 years. It is not a salad restaurant. -- sorry about that! :)
For a real italian meal try the baked ziti w/ sausage &/or mushrooms, it is fantastic. The eggplant and white pizza are likewise great.
I urge you to try again when you want a real italian meal!
From: Dwayne Neal
I challenge anyone to find a red sauce as good as Nido's! I love excellent red sauces but have over time become so disappointed in other restaurant's red sauces as they contrast so painfully in comparison to Nido's that I have stopped bothering. Nido’s food is on the minimalist side and does not always appeal to the "over-the-top" diner that believes more and sweeter is better. The eggplant parmesan is the best I have had anywhere. I rarely enjoy sausage but I do at Nido's, hence I order the combo (sausage – a bit spicy, meatball – a bit large, spaghetti – just right, and egg plant parmesan – perfection; I always give the meatball to my wife and she love's it). Nido’s house wine is very drinkable and is most definitely better than average. My biggest gripe is that the other posters had the audacity to complain about the servers at Nido's because of their ethnicity!!! SHOCKING!!! The staff, although not all Italian, is the gentlest, nicest, desiring to please, and inoffensive wait staff that I have generally had the pleasure to be served by. I conjecture that the disappointed guests of Nido’s that posted here have a bit of a congested palette from all of the excessively sweet sauces targeted at the average consumer. If you dine with reasonable expectations and you know the difference between a red sauce and catsup then you will be in heaven at Nido’s.
From: Art B
Great food at a good price, if the weather is nice try for seating in the outdoor area in back. A regular place for me to get italian food. I just wish they had spaghetti carbonara!
From: BW In Frederick
Go for a romantic candlelit dinner for 2 on a weeknight. Get the Italian dinner for 2, their eggplant is the best anywhere. Been about 5 times and never been disappointed. This is not fancy or like a chain, more like neighborhood Italian. Highly recommended and appropriately priced.
From: C. Lynch
We visited Nidos based on some of the reviews that we read on this site. We were EXTREMELY disappointed. While the ambience is nice, the food is very average.
The garden salad was small and only offered oil and vinegar as a dressing choice. The tortellini tasted like it was store-bought and was served in a thin and somewhat tasteless sauce. Our side order of garlic bread included to thin pieces of toast with a little butter and fresh garlic.
I encourage you to go elsewhere, as Nido's is certainly nothing special.
From: Jeanette R
I can't believe the comments from Greg. I lived in New York City for years, I have no complaints about this restaurant at all.
As I previously left a comment, the sauce is excellent. My mother in-law and sister in-law (italian - also from New York City originally) loved this place, thought it was very authentic.
Since when is it a law that only Italians can own italian restaurants?
From: ld
I found Nido's very charming. Their service was very good; and the servers were most pleasant. The eggplant was definately worth getting again. The price was a little high for a family of five; but, I would recommend it highly to couples or groups of friends who might be sharing the cost with each other.
From: Sam Vitale
I'm responding to Greg who posted a rating in October 2005, you're nuts. This is a very fine Italian restaurant. The food is all very authentic, and by the way, that "tumbler" is the same size that wine is served in many "real" italian restaurants (in Italia) that aren't catering to Americans. In regards to your questioning the heritage of the staff "Greg", I can assure you that they are Italian. That is far more then I can say for the mutitude of Spanish speaking waiters & cooks that service the cafeteria like restaurants of NYC's Little Italy.
- ciao
From: Sean
The building was charming but could use some touch paint here and there. Also, the presentation (wine cirafe and glasses) was pretty lacking. But the house wine was very good, the white pizza appetizer excellent and the baked ziti w/ sausage was perfect. The waiter was very kind and helpful and appeared to be Italian. Not that it makes any difference but a review on this page seemed to suggest otherwise.
From: Becca
Good food and very reasonably priced. The service is great and the ambience is very relaxing. Not the BEST food I've ever had, but if you're looking for a low-key night for a reasonable price, I'd definately recommend it!
From: ilovegoodfood
We enjoyed pasta here recently. It is an fairly inexpensive restaurant. The-wine-in-the-tumbler thing was kindof tacky, but wine is wine, I guess. Another reviewer questioned the italian-ness of the staff. Everyone there was definately speaking spanish. The atmosphere does remind me of restaurants in Italy - close tables, cozy dining rooms, etc.
From: Z
Excellent American-Italian food. Good service and a strange seating/hosting arrangement that makes it even more fun.
From: Anonymous
This place was great. The food was awesome, the waiter was very helpful, and the building itself was beautiful.
From: Greg
I dont know where the people who wrote the previous comments have eaten Italian food, but this place in no way deserves 5 stars... particularly the "white pizza".
My benchmark for italian food is the resturants in little Italy in NY with a smattering of small Italian resturants in my travels where the Italian (as in from Italy) owner greets you at your table… I don’t normally write reviews, but this one was so far off the mark, I felt I must, as I was really looking forward to a nice italian dinner that night.\n
My ranking of Nido's resturant is based on the following:
1. No one working in the resturant, the evening I was there, was Italian... was told by some other patrons that the owner is not Italian as well.
2. The house red wine that I ordered was served to me in a quite small tumbler instead of a wine glass. When asked about it, the waiter responded "in America.."
3. Most of the food names were all in listed by there ingredients instead of their Italian names. Again asked the waiter about why no italian names... again the repsonse "in America.."
4. The white pizza was cheese on bread and very flavorless... in fact, the guest in my party who had this "pizza" unscrewed the black pepper lid and dumped a bunch on it as well as added red peppers to give it some kind of flavor.
5. I had the baked chicken in white sauce that had baked chicken with a few seasonings on it and some noodles on the side.. no white sauce to be found and the chicken was moist but boring.
6. Another of my guests had the chicken cacciatore.. after he was finished, I sampled the sauce and it was one step better than Ragu... quite bland.
After discussing our experience with my guests, I gave this resturant a generous 2 stars... which leads to another question... how did the Olive Garden get a 4 star rating on this web site?
I hope this review helps this resturant provide a more authentic italian experience to its patrons in the future... Best Wishes.
From: Megan
I love this restaurant and have been enjoying their italian food for years now. The waiters are so friendly and the atmosphere is authentic italian. I love it!
From: Darrell
Great food, moderately priced and cozy atmosphere! The best Italian place in Frederick!
From: J. Musumeci
I have becoem a semi-regular - at least once or twice a season, and should make it once or twice a month! This a quintessential Italian dining experience - the lineage of the famed white pizza rtaces back to A.V.'s in DC, and the sevrice here is as friendly and attentive as at any restaurant I have ever patronized!
Perfect atmosphere, great, if simple food, and a good house red in grape jelly glasses - what more could one ask for?
Perfect atmosphere
From: holiday
Best white pizza and baked ziti around! Drive 40 minutes at least once a year to make sure we get to go! Great service too!
From: CK
We have searched the world for baked ziti that compares to Nido's and there is none better anywhere! This is the place to go for Italian cuisine in Frederick!
From: LAE
Great food and a wonderful atmosphere! Love the wine carafes.
From: Bonnie
The best Italian restaurant in Frederick. Great Eggplant Parmesan. Their White Pizza is to die for. Yum!! Love that garlic.
From: Anonymous
What is it with the sauce? It's beyond description. Coupled with Nido's efficient and friendly staff, most reasonable prices, low key ambience and a pitcher of their house wine and a good companion (or perhaps a half-carafe without the good companion), a veal piziola dinner is unbeatable.
From: k101
Great food wonderful atmosphere!! I brought my girlfriend here for dinner and afterwerds walked to the winebergcenter for a concert,it was perfect!
From: Patti
The best Italian restaurant in town. The sauce is incredible! There are no competitors!
From: Jeanette R
Moved to Frederick almost 2 yrs ago and always wanted to eat at Nidos. We finally did last night and we were quite pleased with everything. The sauce was delicious. We plan on going back with the entire family.
From: Jimmy Carl Black
Yummy and traditional Italian food. Attentive service from friendly, eccentric waiters.
From: M.Lee A.Moyer
Their special of mushroom ravioli is rather good. It's actually the best mushroom ravioli I've had. The white pizza is worth purchasing, though I didn't notice a particularly long wait. Their tomoato sauce is light, and a tad tart, but also peppery. They sell their sauce in jars, and if it's like what you get at the table it would be well worth it. Definetly a recommendation. Prices are good as well.
From: Anonymous
One of the best restaurants I've been to in the DC Metro area, the staff are wonderful and the food is fantastic! No matter what you order or how long it takes, it is ALL worth it!
From: Elizabeth
Comments on this restaurant?
Superb food, wonderful, friendly service, fabulous atmosphere!
If you order the white pizza, be prepared for a wait, but it's well worth it!
From: Anonymous
Intimate. Charming. Authentic. Nido's is the best kept secret in Downtown Frederick. The quality, service, and price make Nido's a must for Italian dining fans!
From: JP Hermes
Comments on this restaurant?
Great food & service.
From: Ann
Truly some of the best italian food in Frederick. Prices are good and food is exceptional....