This restaurant is delicious. The sauces are homemade and full of flavor. They have gluten free pasta options as well. The crab soup was really good too. The restaurant is decorated well and very clean. We ate in during Covid times, they went above and beyond to clean and keep everyone separated. We will definitely go back! read more

This restaurant is amazing!!! The food is delicious, the servers are friendly. AB is a great manager, always worried about his costumers and the quality of the food. I definitely recommend Café Roma. The food is always fresh and the restaurant also has a variety of dishes and drinks. read more

What a neighborhood gem! Ate there for the first time last Saturday. We were seated immediately and the waiter greeted us right away. We ordered appetizers and the red Sangria. Sangria was amazing! I ordered the fried zucchini. It was great and I ordered the eggplant parm. Great choice. Husband ordered the pasta fagiali and spicy sausage. He loved it. We were well attended to and plan to go back next weekend. read more

The chicken Marsala is amazing. I just wish the pasta was on the same plate inorder to enjoy the sauce all together.

Fast delivery by their own people. Food is great. Appreciate a business that had to make changes then executes ( good food delivered To your door hot !) read more

Not sure why this restaurant isn't rated higher. The food and service were outstanding, probably the beat I've had as far as authentic Italian food since moving over in this direction. It's on par with "Little Italy" in Baltimore. Our waiter was very attentive and pleasant as well. Definitely a great experience, we will be back! read more

I add our voice to say what a lovely little jewel of an authentic Italian restaurant. We've eaten there now on 3 different occasions, and I am struck by the quality, flavor, and affordability of the cuisine. First time I had the "Veal Marsala" which was super with such fresh and tender veal with a great Marsala sauce, second time I had their "pizza" and loved it, and 3rd visit I had the "Chicken Cacciatore" which was also equally delicious and moist. They do authentic fresh Italian sauces...and for desert, their "own fresh-made Lemon-cello Cake" is absolutely fantastic, light and so full of flavor. Try it and I think you'll love it as we do...a real find for this location. read more

On A Friday night the place was about 85% full. The kitchen was INEXCUSABLY slow. The marinara sauce was, at best, bland. Lacked flavor. Needed garlic The clams casino (which I always get whenever it is presented on any menu) were a reasonable rendition, except they needed to triple the garlic: as presented it too was fairly bland. The pre-dinner bread was pretty plain also. Boring. They give you olive oil to put on a plate along with some grated cheese. they should have added a little bit of garlic and a little bit of red pepper flakes to add to the mixture. Prices were fair, and parking is easy. But the food is just okay, but really not much of an experience. read more

We've used takeaway many times over the 3 months of unpleasantness. Food has consistently been good given the circumstances. Of note, they have recently raised their prices. read more

Great food and excellent service. Friendly neighborly vibe. Order the chocolate ice cream dessert! read more

Café Roma - Italian Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

Really friendly staff and Managers, same people that own Il Porto. Great Italian food!

Our family loves this place; food is great and service is outstanding. The shrimp scampi and fettuccine Alfredo are our very favorite dishes. read more

High quality, tasty neighborhood Italian restaurant with friendly service in North Potomac. Pick anything - pasta, pizza, even dessert - it's all good. A hidden gem! read more

I should have left when I was brought hot tea in a dirty cup. They quickly gave me a new cup of tea. The house dressing on our salads was flavorless. My fish was drowned in an awful broken white butter sauce and my vegetables had smears of red sauce on some of them even though nothing I was eating had a red sauce. I couldn't eat it. It was disgusting, and we will never go back. read more

Doesn't look like much when you walk past. BUT WOW! extremely delightful. good taste, our waiter was nice , plenty of parjing

I'm a little conflicted with this review. There were things I liked that I would come back for again, and other things were a miss. Loved that you get bread with your meal with a choice of olive oil/cheese or butter. It's a nice touch that I guess is going out of style with most restaurants. I ordered garlic shrimp for an appetizer. Really disappointing. I guess I expected garlicky, buttery, sizzling shrimp. This version is more like shrimp in a white sauce of some kind. Not much garlic, and I was disappointed in the taste - I was expecting to be able to sop up all the garlic butter with my free bread, but that was a nope! Hubby ordered their Café Roma antipasto which he enjoyed very much, but it kind of felt expensive for what it was. For mains I ordered the chicken marsala and hubby ordered the seafood platter with red sauce. Honestly, both mains would have served two people. The chicken marsala was very nice with tender chicken and a nice marsala sauce that was not too heavy. My side of spaghetti with red sauce was a disappointment. While the red sauce was tasty, the spaghetti was way over-cooked which gave more of a gummy mouth-feel than I prefer. My husband loved his dish. His pasta was cooked well and the seafood was plentiful and fresh. For dessert, I couldn't decide between the tiramisu and their chocolate mouse cake. The waiter pointed me in the direction of the chocolate mouse cake and I am forever grateful to him for his recommendation. Amazing! I would go back (every night) for this alone. All in all we definitely ordered too much food and would probably consolidate and only order one main course on the next trip - to save room for the chocolate mouse cake! I wouldn't order the shrimp again but the seafood platter and chicken marsala were worth coming back for. Service was good, parking aplenty, pretty much what you would expect from a local red-sauce neighborhood restaurant. read more

Yesterday I went to Cafe Roma and had dinner with my wife and friend. I ordered the rockfish and a bunch of appetizers. When my fish arrived it had a fried and burned taste to it. I asked for the manager after one bite and asked if he wanted to taste to make sure he understood why I was complaining. He gave me a funny look with an attitude like I said something. I asked him to bring out a branzino fish instead and it took them another 45 mins to cook that fish. Not once did anyone come and apologize for the wait. I have been coming here for about 12 years now and this will be the last time. At least the branzino was good that is the only reason I have another star. read more

Best little Italian gem in North Potomac/Darnestown/Gaithersburg. Family and I are regulars. Haven't tried a bad dish yet. Excellent food and small mom and pop feel. read more

We had no reservations, there were five of us and the place was crowded but we were seated very quickly. That was fortunate because shortly after we were seated more people arrived and began waiting outside. We were waiting for out fifth to show so we ordered appetizers. The fried zucchini as great and the stuffed mushrooms were just as good. When our fifth arrived we ordered. The food came quickly and everyone enjoyed their meal. The Chianti by the glass was quite nice. The only reason I'm not giving a 5-star rating is because the bread was very disappointing. I expect an Italian restaurant to have hard crunchy crusted bread. They did not. It was almost a sliced white bread! They served it with olive oil (great!) and butter. Oh so disappointing! read more

This place before the name changed was very delicious, but now the pasta is very mushy and the sauces are salty and greasy. Not the best place to eat. read more

I've been to this restaurant many times, it's usually very good. Tonight I ordered veal saltimboca , Which I've had many times, but instead I was served chicken Saltimboca. I didn't raise a fuss but I politely pointed out the error in the manager insisted that I had veal instead of chicken. As politically uncorrect as it is, I know the difference between veal and chicken. This is not veal. Keep in mind, I wasn't looking for a free meal... I was just looking for a good Italian dinner. They didn't charge me for it but I left the restaurant feeling like I had done wrong. In hindsight I can honestly say that it wasn't very tasty to begin with. I think they need to step things up a bit to compete. Again not a terrible experience but not what I expected on a Friday night. read more

My family has frequented this restaurant for over 25 years and the food has remained pretty much the same since ownership recently changed. It's one of our go-to places, but after tonight we may not go back for a very long time. We had 4 adults and a 1 year old. We were seated fairly quickly, but they did not give us menus. After 5 minutes or so of no one coming over to the table we finally waved someone down to bring us menus. Our drink orders were taken and we immediately ordered food for the one year old to get it as fast as possible (minestrone soup, which is already made in the back and should come out fast). We had to ask the waitress about the soup after 10-15 minutes of waiting and when she brought it out she put the steaming hot bowl directly in front of him. He's 13 months old... it doesn't take a genius to know that's not the best idea. He immediately stuck his hand in and burned it in the hot soup despite my best efforts to move it out of the way as quickly as I could. Great start to the meal - a crying and hurt baby. The restaurant had been busy when we arrived and slowly everyone left and we were one of only a few tables left. 40 minutes at the restaurant and still no food, no visit from the waitress to apologize for the wait, no refills on drinks - we were totally ignored. We even went to the bar and asked for a refill on one drink and they promised to bring it to the table. It never came. Maybe she was embarrassed from the soup incident, but the way to make up for it is not to ignore us! We had to wave her down and ask where our food was and she said she would check. 20 minutes later (a full hour at the table) and no update and no food. We attempted to flag her down but she saw us and walked away. Finally, the baby could wait no longer and lost it, so my husband had to take him to the car. We had to ask for the food to go and it still took another 10 minutes to come out and THEN we had to ask for the check. When we looked at the to go food it was clear they got our order wrong, but at this point with an upset baby we could wait no longer to get it resolved. One of the 4 entrees was not included, so I guess they figure if they comp your bill for the price of one entree they don't have to include it?? That's not how that works, folks. Thanks for nothing, Cafe Roma. We have never had such a horrible dining experience here and I think we will be looking for a new Italian restaurant to frequent that provides at least some basic customer service. read more

I've been here now three times. And I've ordered seafood, pork and chicken dishes. All were outstanding! The prices are quite reasonable and the sauces are all delicious. I would highly recommend. And the service has always been very good. read more

This is a neighborhood gem! From the amazing food, to the fabulous ambiance, to perfect service! Can't wait to go back!

Really was disappointed on the Friday before Christmas. Ordered the whole flounder, but someone had salted it!! The manager basically told us (we had 2 flounder on the table-both salted!) they don't make the fish with salt - basically ignored the fact that someone in the kitchen could make such a mistake. Hey we are all human! Very unfortunate, since it was a very generous portion and cooked perfectly (nice and moist). Oh, and the Caesar dressing seemed like it had been diluted - very weak flavor. White pizza, check; wine, check; tartufo, check; fish, meh; dressing, meh; manager, meh; waiter, very good (42% tip for him). I really want to give the kitchen another chance, but after that treatment, it will be a long while read more

I have no complaints about anything else I have eating there and since March i pretty much use a meal delivery service 3 or 4 times a week. This day I ordered and received the veal parmesan. When it came and I opened it it did not smell good, it smelled like vinegar. I thought maybe they used vinegar in the sauce so I gave it a try but it was terrible. Maybe people don't order veal a lot so it gets old or maybe it was just their recipe but super disappointed and it cost nearly $30 after the delivery and $4.00 driver tip. Just a warning for future diners. Maybe the chicken is better. read more

So happy to see Cafe Roma move into the neighborhood! We've been huge IlPorto fans for years and Cafe Roma is under the same management. We just devoured a carry out order of chicken Marsala, baked ziti and white pizza. Delicious! As good as IlPorto but much closer. Couldn't be happier. Also, Cafe Roma has a full bar. Italian Pines only carried beer and wine. Welcome Cafe Roma!! read more

I am a plus-sized person dining out with someone with a disability. The restaurant never got more than half-filled the entire time were there. Couples walked in without reservations and were given tables for four. We were seated at a table that offers very little space for me. I decided not to distress my guest by making a point of it. Then the host decides the answer is to turn the table 90 degrees, which he does without my saying I want it. Now I am embarrassed on top of irritated. My guest enjoyed her cocktail but found the eggplant Parmesan hard to cut. The cheese was part of it because it was very gooey. The eggplant was thinly sliced and breaded, but tough to slice. I had the linguine with white clam sauce. It was bland. The clams had more flavor than the white sauce. Sauce was pasta water-bland. It was cold. I added cheese but it didn't melt. The host returned and asked if I was upset about the table. I asked him to go away. Too little, too late. We won't be coming back to be treated as if our comfort wasn't important.. read more

Under the same management as Il Porto. Very good Italian food. We've been going to Il Porto for years and Cafe Roma is very much on par with it. We will be going regularly. read more

Loved this place! The food was phenomenal and the service was superb. I unfortunately can't recall our server's name but he was a kind young man and very attentive. I will definitely be returning! read more

Used to love this place, but when they duplicated a charge on my credit card, and I asked for a credit, they were totally unresponsive. Been waiting since February.... read more

My favorite place for great food and superb staff. Try the great sangria for a nice start. They serve the very best bread. Suggest the billy salad or and a white pizza as a starter or a full meal. So many great regular items Saltinbacca, Tortellini, Spinach Manicotti, Grilled Salmon, and their specials are always a treat. The service is fantastic - professional and friendly. read more

Picked up 2 orders or clams with linguine in white sauce. The entrees were very bland. There was no flavor at all. We hope there was a mistake in preparation cause it can't be the way it is prepare normally. read more

I ordered a white pizza, ravioli and calamari for take out. The white pizza was hard and stinky and tasted like bad cardboard. The ravioli was cold and tasted like it came out of a can. More than half the calamari was fried tentacles instead of squid meat. When going to pick up no one greeted me and the man who finally gave me the order was rude. Overall, not a good experience. read more

Café Roma - Calamari - Italian Near Me - Gaithersburg, Maryland

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New ownership and now serving cocktails in addition to wine and beer. It's about as authentic an Italian restaurant as Olive Garden, but not as good. Watery, weak sauces, bland bread, don't inspire or please. Polite servers and staff make it tolerable. Last,the large open room is lacking any warmth (ambience, not temperature). read more

Cafe aroma is incredible the food is fantastic and the new owners have expanded the menu and now serve cocktails and the service is impeccable. Love this restaurant read more

Dinner was delicious tonight. Fresh and a good selection on the menu. Service was super friendly and host was welcoming.

Great service! The short rib ravioli with mushroom sauce and chocolate cake were delicious! I can't wait to go back!

Café Roma used to be Italian Pines, now under new ownership, new wait staff, but has retained the same chef from what I was told by my waiter. This is a nice little neighborhood Italian restaurant with neighborhood friendly prices, basically this is a mini clone of Pines of Rome in Bethesda. I say that because the chef worked for that establishment for quite a long time, the menu isn't as extensive, but Café Roma does pretty much cover all of the traditional Italian dishes. I just recently had dinner here, I ordered the chicken parmigiana with linguini, the chicken was tender, breaded lightly, good seasoning, the right amount of cheese, fresh flavorful marinara sauce, and the everything was cooked properly. The dish was very enjoyable. I have eaten here quite a few times over the past few years, the chef is pretty consistent with the quality of his dishes, so I pretty much know what to expect from the kitchen. The bread basket is slightly different as they're lightly toasting it, so it's served warm with butter, olive oil, and grated parmigiana cheese. The white pizza is not on the same level as the Pines of Rome though, I believe not enough Fontina cheese is used when ordering with cheese, and the pizza could be baked a bit longer, they do offer the extra cheese option. So basically Café Roma is a nice neighborhood friendly Italian restaurant which is reasonably priced considering the quality, consistency, and size of the portions being served. The dining room is very comfortable with a nice table arrangement, looked freshly painted, and has a low key casual neighborhood feel to it with some Italian themed art work. The bathrooms are nice and clean as well along with the dining area. The service is good, friendly, and attentive. Come over to the neighborhood, and give Café Roma a try. I think you will be happy that you did! read more

Great white pizza, the best I've had in Gaithersburg so far. The lasagna was okay, nothing special, very light on the cheese (some people may like that?) Definitely good for scratching that italian food urge. read more