Latest reviews for Restaurants in Rome, Italy

L'Osteria - Great food, shame about the underhanded service by secondexpress

secondexpress — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:48:18 +0000

Review by secondexpress

Rating: 2.00

Phone: +39 06 32 11 14

Website: http://www.gusto.it/

Tags: italian, expensive, gastro pub

We went to this place after reading a review in Time Out Rome. The idea is nice - a tapas approach to Italian food so you can either order big dishes, or lots of small dishes for a very reasonable â¬2 to â¬3 each.

First of all, the good news. The place is clean, the food is excellent and the wine list extensive.

The bad news â¬ the service. We arrived and explained to the waiter that we wanted to go for the small dishes approach. He agreed and seated us outside - nice view, shame about the rat running around in the street - and gave us menus. As we chose, he came over and advised us that we should choose five items each because the portions were fairly small. No problem.

Then he came to take our orders. We told him what he wanted, and he told us that we couldn't have the small dishes because we were sat outside. What on earth? Never mind, we ordered main dishes instead and a â¬17 bottle of wine.

He then told us that the wine was unavailable (all of a sudden, his English which had been excellent up until that point became non-existent) and promised a different bottle. He then came back with a completely different third bottle and never once thought to mention that it was MUCH more expensive than the bottle we had originally requested. The wine was nice, but it seemed a very very underhanded way of making extra money from us.

Another way of making money was to bring us bread before we ordered, without any comment, and then charging us for it.

Oh, and so was adding a FIFTEEN PERCENT service charge to our bill, in a city where tipping is (according to Time Out) typically of the order of 5%.

On top of this, they got our order wrong!

Would I go back? Well, the food and wine were good but the whole experience was so patchy and above all underhanded that I frankly would advise anyone against going here.We went to this place after reading a review in Time Out Rome. The idea is nice - a tapas approach to Italian food so you can either order big dishes, or lots of small dishes for a very reasonable â¬2 to â¬3 each.

First of all, the good news. The place is clean, the food is excellent and the wine list extensive.

The bad news â¬ the service. We arrived and explained to the waiter that we wanted to go for the small dishes approach. He agreed and seated us outside - nice view, shame about the rat running around in the street - and gave us menus. As we chose, he came over and advised us that we should choose five items each because the portions were fairly small. No problem.

Then he came to take our orders. We told him what he wanted, and he told us that we couldn't have the small dishes because we were sat outside. What on earth? Never mind, we ordered main dishes instead and a â¬17 bottle of wine.

He then told us that the wine was unavailable (all of a sudden, his English which had been excellent up until that point became non-existent) and promised a different bottle. He then came back with a completely different third bottle and never once thought to mention that it was MUCH more expensive than the bottle we had originally requested. The wine was nice, but it seemed a very very underhanded way of making extra money from us.

Another way of making money was to bring us bread before we ordered, without any comment, and then charging us for it.

Oh, and so was adding a FIFTEEN PERCENT service charge to our bill, in a city where tipping is (according to Time Out) typically of the order of 5%.

On top of this, they got our order wrong!

Would I go back? Well, the food and wine were good but the whole experience was so patchy and above all underhanded that I frankly would advise anyone against going here.

La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali - Fantastic restaurant near the Colosseum by boris

boris — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:24:50 +0000

Review by boris

Rating: 5.00

Website: http://www.latavernadeiforiimperiali.com/

Tags: italian

The area by the Colosseum and Roman Forum is famous for tourist trap rip-off restaurats but this great taverna, situated down a small side street is a wonderful place to try out some good Roman food at a reasonable price. Best tip: ignore the menu and try whatever the daily special is.The area by the Colosseum and Roman Forum is famous for tourist trap rip-off restaurats but this great taverna, situated down a small side street is a wonderful place to try out some good Roman food at a reasonable price. Best tip: ignore the menu and try whatever the daily special is.

Wine Time - Veni, Vedi, Vino! by Gavroche

Gavroche — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 01:09:21 +0000

Review by Gavroche

Rating: 4.00

Phone: +39 066875706

Website: http://winetime.it

Tags: italian, lively, good value

Being French I love my wines and on a short trip to the Eternal City, I walked almost randomly in this restaurant located on a tiny square not too far from the Vatican City.

I did not think this restaurant had anything unique until I was handed the wine list! A fantastic selection coming from all over the Peninsula!

And the food, then? Simply delicious. The menu is a mix of traditional and fine Italian Cuisine.

What was also amazing is that this place was almost empty went I walked in. An hour later, it was packed by classy Romans waiting patiently for a table.

I guess I was just fortunate to have a table in this great place.

Finally, it is possible to buy the wine you had for dinner with a 10% discount!Being French I love my wines and on a short trip to the Eternal City, I walked almost randomly in this restaurant located on a tiny square not too far from the Vatican City.

I did not think this restaurant had anything unique until I was handed the wine list! A fantastic selection coming from all over the Peninsula!

And the food, then? Simply delicious. The menu is a mix of traditional and fine Italian Cuisine.

What was also amazing is that this place was almost empty went I walked in. An hour later, it was packed by classy Romans waiting patiently for a table.

I guess I was just fortunate to have a table in this great place.

Finally, it is possible to buy the wine you had for dinner with a 10% discount!

Trattoria Pizzeria Ristorante - Excellent quality and professional service! by jennipenni

jennipenni — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:12:53 +0000

Review by jennipenni

Rating: 5.00

Tags: italian, lively, romantic

This restaurant was a few meters from our front door. It was upmarket, inside and we had to try it out! I am unsure of it's name, but if you look at the street address, there is only one restaurant it could be, so it is easy to find.

We ended up coming here twice as we thoroughly enjoyed it. We tried a good variety of their pizzas and pastas, and enjoyed them all, especially the pizza! It's all in the simplicity of it.

The pizza I had, had big pieces of spinach draped over the smoked ham, and was delicious. Tangy tomato flavours mixed with some gentle herbs. Just yummy.

It is a bit expensive, but was a thoroughly enjoyable dining experience, from the caring and very efficient waiters (something which, sad to say, Rome does lack somewhat), to the exquisite food and ambiance.This restaurant was a few meters from our front door. It was upmarket, inside and we had to try it out! I am unsure of it's name, but if you look at the street address, there is only one restaurant it could be, so it is easy to find.

We ended up coming here twice as we thoroughly enjoyed it. We tried a good variety of their pizzas and pastas, and enjoyed them all, especially the pizza! It's all in the simplicity of it.

The pizza I had, had big pieces of spinach draped over the smoked ham, and was delicious. Tangy tomato flavours mixed with some gentle herbs. Just yummy.

It is a bit expensive, but was a thoroughly enjoyable dining experience, from the caring and very efficient waiters (something which, sad to say, Rome does lack somewhat), to the exquisite food and ambiance.

Cave di S. Ignazio da Sabatino - Cave di S. Ignazio da Sabatino by jennipenni

jennipenni — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:01:32 +0000

Review by jennipenni

Rating: 4.00

Phone: +39 06 6797821

Tags: italian, lively, romantic

This is a stylish yet simple restaurant in one of Rome's prettiest little piazzas.

We were more than happy to follow the recommendations of the waiter, who knew the menu backwards.

He took our orders without writing anything down too, but we did get what we ordered, so that was fine.

We were sitting in an enclosed area, with a hedge around us, so weren't gaped at by the tourists walking past, which made it more intimate and enjoyable.

The house wine - the Rosso Novello, was excellent. My cheese spinache pasta was delicious too, simple ingredients (which is how Italian food should be), with a yummy tomato flavour.

They have an excellent selection of hot and cold antipasti (including a whole, huge ricotta from which you are invited to help yourself) and simple but reliable pasta and meat dishes to follow.This is a stylish yet simple restaurant in one of Rome's prettiest little piazzas.

We were more than happy to follow the recommendations of the waiter, who knew the menu backwards.

He took our orders without writing anything down too, but we did get what we ordered, so that was fine.

We were sitting in an enclosed area, with a hedge around us, so weren't gaped at by the tourists walking past, which made it more intimate and enjoyable.

The house wine - the Rosso Novello, was excellent. My cheese spinache pasta was delicious too, simple ingredients (which is how Italian food should be), with a yummy tomato flavour.

They have an excellent selection of hot and cold antipasti (including a whole, huge ricotta from which you are invited to help yourself) and simple but reliable pasta and meat dishes to follow.