Commercialized but there is no denying the food is excellent. Some of the best matriciana I've had since I moved to Rome. Reservations are strongly recommended. read more

Armando al Pantheon - Matriciana - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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Unfortunately, Armando was a big disappointment. I made a reservation a week before arriving at Rome after reading so many glowing reviews... but me and my partner agreed that it did not live up to the hype. My partner got the cacio e pepe... which was lacking some flavor and tasted too much like ramen noodles to me for some reason. My amatriciana wasn't for me... I swear, I could barely find any pork cheek in there. Sauce was nothing special, just a very runny tomato sauce. Caprese salad was whatever. The only positive was that our waiter was very nice to us. I suggest you skip this place. read more

Fabulous simple traditional Roman food. Excellent service and as good as pasta dishes get.The Fettucine with black shaved truffles and the sausage with beans were great.Very reasonable prices and the almond cake was light and ethereal.A tremendous meal! read more

An enjoyable restaurant in a very touristy part of town. Just around the corner are some very touristy (and based on the menu's) kitcshy restaurants surrounding the Pantheon. I would say it's a solid 3.5. Good. Reliable and service with the brusque italian style. I can't recall what we had aside from a pasta dish or two. It is busy, we saw many people get turned away. I believe we made a reservation through our hotel front desk. In the area that we were in I would venture to say that this was likely the best bet. Before going to Italy i never understood what al dente meant and the first week I struggled with italian al dente. Now that i'm back home in Canada, i always have to ask for my pasta to be "more al dente" and even then don't find it firm enough. Clearly Italy, and actually many other countries I have travelled, have fundamentally impacted my understanding and appreciation of food. read more

This is the first place I ate at in Rome and it blew me away. The mozzarella starter was the best cheese and tomatoes I've had in my life. Plus, the cacio e pepe is exceptional. Go here! read more

Warm and friendly environment. Delicious food. Our best meal in Rome. The location makes it seem like a tourist trap, but this is a world class restaurant. Everything was delicious, listen to the waiter and get the special. It's local, fresh, and amazing. Be sure to make a reservation. It is small, and we saw many turned away. read more

For being turned away at 3pm for a late lunch bite when there were open tables, the service was clearly lacking. I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman when those boutique bitches turned her away. read more

A fabulous Roman restaurant that combine classic dishes with modern sensibility. Make a reservation. We had roman classics including artichokes, salumi, spaghetti carbonara, amatriciana, and a rigatoni with tripe. There is a range of food from vegetarian to offal. Excellent wine list. Not extensive, but filled with good wine. It was our first meal in Rome, so we may have been over-impressed, but it stood up after a week of seeking out good restaurants. read more

AMAZING! I saw this somewhere online when I was searching for the restaurants when I go to Rome and this is one of them that I can still made a reservation 2 weeks prior(but only lunch, dinner was booked for about 3 weeks ahead). The place is about 50 steps from the Pantheon from the little alley from the right side. I suggest you make a reservation before you go cuz otherwise they are most likely will turn you away. Their pasta.... OMG it's great. Both me and my husband's dish were just awesome. It's not the fancy truffle ones but they made it so good I am sure I will go there again when I get a chance in the future! We also had the chick Roman style, it's interesting that's for sure, slightly on the tougher side for my own taste but it's still pretty good. My husband drinks only red wine but we ordered the chicken(which you suppose to drink white wine with), the staff was like "let me figure out which one can do the work" LOL That was really cute and you have to appreciate the fact they take your wine & dine experience so serious!!! :D For dessert we had the Ancient Roman cake with Jelly because my husband said we already had tiramisu :( the cake is interesting but I definitely wish I got the tiramisu instead. The poppy seeds doesn't really do the trick for me. Oh well, at least now I can said I had the ancient cake with the ancient jelly with ancient poppy seeds. LOL I'll totally go there again just for the pasta! DELICIOUS~~~~ read more

Our family of five visited this restaurant and loved the authenticity, ambience and food. It's just steps away from the Pantheon and absolutely worth a visit. As they say, when in Rome... read more

I would give this place 3.5 stars if I could. To be honest, I was a little hesitant going into my reservation after seeing the black and white reviews online, but I wasn't disappointed, nor was I blown away. I ordered the spaghetti alla maracina and my husband ordered the carbonora, we both liked mine better. I am a total saltophile and agree with some reviews that it was a bit salty, but I didn't hate it. Other reviews are right about charging extra for the table bread (and it's not very good). The staff was nice and responsive, no issues there. I lived in Rome for some time and have since made multiple visits but this was my first time trying it. Overall I am glad I tried it, but think if you miss out on this place it's not the end of the world. read more

All the food was really good. The Roman-style tripe was great, as was the carbonara. The highlight for me was the spaghetti, all'aglio, olio e peperoncino. It is pretty spicy, but is just the right level for the dish. The bruschetta with a quail egg & black truffle was OK. Probably don't need to do that. For dessert, the Torta Antica Roma was a great end to the meal, especially paired with a dessert wine. Reservations are highly recommended. read more

I made a lunch reservation for our trip because the restaurant was already booked for dinner. I saw this restaurant featured on many articles and described as a must in Rome. The food did not disappoint. The eggplant parmesan appetizer was divine. Then I had the cacio e pepe, which I have never ordered before so I cannot compare it to others, but it was everything I expected. A great cheesy and pepper flavor. The portion was huge so you could share with others. My dad ordered the sausage special of the day and said they were the best sausages he had ever had. Overall, I would definitely return to this restaurant. read more

Armando al Pantheon - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Cl-aaa-ssy. I was really expecting this to be a tourist trap but it kept popping up on all the foodies' lists that I had to give it a try. Boy am I glad I did! The bruschetta and mozzarella was so good. The toast was just slightly charred, the tomatoes ripe and sweet, the mozzarella firm and oh so mozzarella-ey. My caccio e peppe was cooked to perfect al dente. And their take on tiramisu, although different and a bit surprising with chocolate chips, was delicious. The service was also very attentive. read more

I finally found really good food in Rome! You need a reservation, but when you do get in they treat you like a diner, not a tourist. The environment was sedate but alive, the wait-staff competent and polite, and the food really well done. I had a special of anchovies and chickory which was other-worldly, and a main of Trippa alla Romana, the best I've had anywhere, with just the right amount of tomato base, not smothered like at other restaurants. But the absolute best dish was my friend's lamb chops. I don't what they did but the lamb melted in my mouth. Everyone at the table was satisfied. So, I guess I give it a good review! read more

I was brought here by a local Roman to experience real, authentic, Roman cuisine. We had to make reservations hours in advance for our party of three. I wouldn't recommend any parties larger than six...and you better call ahead! You are in good hands with the house red wine and whatever specialties the house recommends. I opted for the spaghetti carbonara along with a special calamari and olive oil dish, served with the red house wine and finished with a sweet grappa. The location, ambiance (steps from the Pantheon), and authenticity cannot be beat. I will be back in the future with friends and family. I can't recommend this gem more highly! read more

First night in Rome, thought it would be a great experience to dine at Armando's. As soon as we get in the door, the waiter says no. We proceed to ask politely if there's a table available for 5. He says no, no table yet there's empty tables around him. As soon as we walk out a group of 6, a group of 2, and a group of 3 get seated right away without any reservations. No matter how good the food might have been, the service was terrible. The waiter was rude, inconsiderate, and ignorant. read more

I absolutely love this place! You have to make reservations because it does get busy. We ordered the caccio e pepe and the Spaghetti a la griscia and they were both amazing. I cannot stop thinking about the caccio e pepe, a must order! read more

Horrible. Grumpy waiter. Served me BAD wine. I questioned it, they said that's how wine is from that region. Uh huh. Left it untouched, was charged for it. MEDIOCRE food at best. assorted meats appetizer...ordinary, I could have got it at a grocery store in the US. Osso buco special...over salted mushy pea topping...yuck. Cacio e pepe...much better elsewhere. Skipped dessert, couldn't wait to leave this dump. Tourist trap. read more

We were lucky enough to get a late lunch table for 2 today for a fantastic meal. We took the advice to consider the specials of the day and we were not disappointed. We shared eggplant Parmesan appetizer and it was wonderful and not fried like we usually get in US. The special of the day was Ox Tail and it was hearty, complex and delicious. This combined with the Thursday special of gnocchi Gorgonzola made this a special meal. The wait staff were accommodating and welcoming. read more

Michelin rated and I see why. Amazing food, great service, and intimate atmosphere. What more can you ask for? Be sure to make a reservation as there's limited space and they fill up quickly (several walk ins were turned away, reservations required). Prices are fair to boot! I'd HIGHLY recommend this place. read more

Amazing! Sadly I got side tracked and didn't make a reservation until my last day in Rome. Started off with a glass of red wine and the mozzarella and artichoke. Artichokes and in season and absolutely "Heaven" on a plate. Followed with the Spaghetti all'aglio, olio e peperoncino which was divine. Finished with an espresso and delicious cake. Next trip I can easily see myself eating here at least once a day. Travelling solo and not only was the food outstanding but the kindness and service were outstanding. read more

We were recommended this place by our tour guide for the Vatican and I have to admit were a bit skeptical based on it being so close to the Pantheon; how could a restaurant so close to a tourist destination be a true authentic experience. Boy were we wrong. We had excellent service and were immediately told the specials for today; black rice with seafood and porchetta for anitpasti, and lasagna (roman style) for primi. I had heard enough and ordered everything. My husband ordered the traditional pasta dish of this region armatriciana that we didn't even see on the menu but were told we had to order. You can tell the chef enjoys making this food and the passion that goes into it. Everything was delicious! The place is fairly small so in prep for your trip to Rome make a reservation around the time you will visit the pantheon as it's on the street to the right when facing the columns of the pantheon! Enjoy!! read more

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First and last dinner in Rome. Armatriciana (Spaghetti alla Matriciana ) was ordered both times. Puntarelle was seasonal treat along with the artichoke, which was great. Claudio (co-owner) was working hard in the kitchen with the intensity that I like to see in a chef. We both shared the eggplant Parma, which was excellent. The wine list required some expertise in what to order, but it had the ones you will want. My wife ordered the Guinea-fowl with boletus mushroom and black beer, which was truly a taste experience worthy of an excellent kitchen. She also selected the Fresh pasta with asparagus, toasted pine nuts and pecorino di Moliterno cheese and it was thankfully shared. The first night I ordered the lamb chops and I would have preferred Abbacchio a scottadito baby lamb. I had the Osso Bucco, which they were out of the first night that was a tad small, but covered with a pea and brown sauce that was very good. For dessert my wife had the outstanding Ancient Rome cake, which the German couples next to us rated higher than the Tiramisu' all'Armando. I had a Sambuca (con la mosca, which means "with the fly") with Espresso with our new German friends at the next table. I have not been able to lower this restaurant to only 4 stars, but there are some simple improvements that I would recommend. read more

Simple review: 1. Food is just ok. Nothing worth talking about. 2. The service is poor.

Stopped by here for an amazing lunch while our sightseeing in Rome and had a delicious meal done right. We ordered the Spaghetti a la Griscia and the Osso Buco. Both were amazingly delicious. For the pasta, it was cooked perfectly al dente and the sauce had the perfect taste to it. The portion was right-sized and overall this was a really successful dish. But the Osso Buco really stole the show. It was perfectly cooked and absolutely as tender as could be. The bone had amazing marrow that was also perfectly delicious and we could have licked the plate clean if it wasn't so impolite. They have several good half bottles of wine on the menu -- perfect for two people over a quick meal midday. Add to all this the impecable service and I'd highly recommend this establishment. read more

Honestly, some of the best pasta I've ever had. The simplicity of it all was what makes this restaurant extraordinary. The flavor though not complex, were something that just can't be replicated in the U.S. Very enjoyable. We had the pasta alla gricia and amatriciana as well as the lamb. Everything was fantastic. Lamb was quite fatty but presumably typical. A little overpriced but worth the atmosphere. Definitely a go to if you have the means for a nice night out. Be sure to make reservations. read more

As others have said, you wouldn't imagine a place like this would be so near such a tourist icon, but I was very pleasantly surprised. It's somewhat hard to get a table day-of, but we called a day in advance and found a table at 10:00pm. The food is just wonderful - expertly made and wonderfully flavored. The Italians to pasta right! Next time I'm in Rome, I'm going to time my visit to the Pantheon right before my reservation at Armando! read more

Duck was really dry, the grouper was really dry. The only good thing was the lentil soup. Spent 73 euro on food that was worse than 5 euro Burger King. read more

Tight spot with good food. Wouldn't try coming here with more than 4 people. Make reservations as it was quite busy. The roasted veal was mediocre, but the oxtail and gnocchi were great. read more

Reservations are a must for this place because it's small. Really nice typical Roman food. Service was ok (sort of the typical Roman treatment), but the sommelier was fantastic and served us the best bottle of wine during our entire trip in Italy for less than 30 euros. Loved the cheesy egg drop soup and eggplant parm, the cacio e pepe was some of the best that I had, and I had the sweetbreads special and it was great! read more

One of the best meals of my life . Only daily specials of egg plant Parma and sausage with garlic and spinach . Wow. So simple so good . Lovely tiramisu cake and the grappa on the house . Hard to get better in Rome with perfect lovely service in Rome . Thank you Claudio . read more

Incredible restaurant!! Seriously the best pasta we've had in Italy so far! We started with the mozzarella and artichoke appetizer and had the caccio e Pepe and the Ravioli Armando. The caccio e Pepe was perfection!!! We also ended up ordering the lamb chops, honestly after sharing 2 pasta dishes we could have skipped the lamb. We were lucky enough to arrive right as they opened for dinner and get a table, but it's a very small restaurant so make a reservation. They turned away so many people while we were there. If you can get a reservation, definitely try this place! You won't regret it! read more

Two nights in a row, our last two nights in Rome, wow!! It's hard to know where to begin, but if you can get into this place it's well worth your time and money in Rome! read more

Excellent food, great service. My biggest mistake, dining here for my very first Italian meal. It set the bar far too high. Haven't been to a resturant tht has tickled my tastebuds the same way! read more

Truly Roman dining experience in a quiet, tucked away Via near the Pantheon. Courteous staff serving truly delicious food. So good that my family and I had dinner twice at Armando's during a one week visit to Rome. Bravo Chef! Marie S. read more

Great spot just next to the Pantheon. Perfect spot for a leisurely lunch. Reservations a must.

Don't let the location near the Pantheon fool you--this place is a quiet refuge from the tourist craziness, with excellent service, fair prices and great food! I had an amazing egg-drop soup to start, which was memorable, and then the Matriciana--the sauce was a bit mild for my taste, but the pasta itself was a revelation! Tiramisu was great, too, even though the portion was a bit small. A wonderful experience overall... read more

We went based on an article our granddaughter found siting this restaurant as having the best pasta in Rome....we had to go!! We've had pasta all over Italy and Sicily in many locales....this was not the worst but not the best by a long shot, just plain overrated. Service? lacks, they take the order, serve food and clean up, not much conversation or checking to see if you like it, etc. We do know there is a game they play with reservations, it does depend on who you are, who you know and if you are a tourist or not. Would not recommend at all...too many other places that serve a lovely meal and not cost 150e for 4 people to eat pasta and not that special local meats as an appetizer. We had carbonara (really quite disappointing after all the hype) and pasta with chicken gizzards. read more

We went to this place because it was well recomended, but unfortunately we had a very disapointing experience. The starter, Mussarela di Buffala, was hard and dry, from a low supermarket quality; The beef with salad was too cooked, which made it dry and hard; The gnochi was ok, but the truffel spagetthi was the worse ever. Despite the food, the service was awful. The waiters kept on pushing us to order, claiming the kitchen was going to close, took our plates before we finish eating and kept welcoming people in even when we were leaving. read more