We came here after meandering through Rome on the "Heart of Rome" tour by Rick Steves, the tables were full but we were determined to have our first pasta in Rome. We ended up waiting 2 plus hours for a 930 reservation - It was worth it. I went for the Cacio e Pepe and my bf ordered the penne arribiata. The Cacio e Pepe was well balanced but light enough to devour the entire bowl. The Arribiata was also very good, but simple. I would recommend going with a classic like Cacio or a fancier meat dish. We also enjoyed the Roman Style artichoke and the Sautéed Mushroom. Both Fantastic! Let's be honest with only a few days in Rome, and so much good food every meal is precious! Don't hesitant to spend one here. Reservations recommended!! read more

Our first night in Rome, after walking blocks and blocks looking for an authentic italian restaurant, we stumbled across this. Get there early because there is only like 20 tables in the whole place and it is BUSY, and full of italians too which is always a good sign. We made reservations and came back in an hour. Had the antipasta which was amazing. Anchovies literally melt in your mouth. Then we had the tripa alla romana and the osso bucco which were both AMAZING. Had caramel panna cotta for dessert. Left very satisfied and staff was very helpful with questions and service was on point. read more

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We spent two weeks in Italy for our honeymoon. We ate out every night. All the food was wonderful. But this spot had the best food and service we experienced our entire trip. Fantastic everything. Go here!!!! read more

Hostaria Romana - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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For photos see http://greedydiva.blogspot.com/2010/08/roman-holiday-gluttonous-travels.html If it's the all time best carbonara in the world you're after, look no further than Hostaria Romana (via del Boccaccio, 1, tel: 39 06 474 5284). This simple, old school restaurant in a hide away location is quite the Roman institution. Rammed with locals wolfing down the local specialties like salty fried artichokes, marinated sardines, plate upon plate of antipasti and bowls of pasta tossed with hot sauce right before service. Hostaria Romana oozes character. From the graffiti clad walls (patrons scribble on them with texta) to the senior Papa Giuseppis waiting the tables with a glint in their eye, this was the place where, in January 2009 , while "trapped" for an extra night in Rome due to the snow storms in London (praise the Lord), we discovered the carbonara that left TPG in an awestruck silence for a good 2 days. The runny yolked egg and cheese is added to the mix of spaghetti and smoky guanciale by a waiter who looks like he's been perfecting the art since the Roman forum was built. Pure gastronomic gold. Pasta dishes are around 9 euros, and all is reasonably priced. Unfortunately it was closed randomly when we visited last week, but I highly recommend it as worth a meal (or two). read more

Most authentic dishes we had in Italy! Cacio e Pepe and Carbonara were fantastic. Arrive early as this place fills up fast during lunch time. read more

Hostaria Romana - Cacio e Pepe and Carbonara. Most authentic dishes we had in Italy. - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

The best food we found in Rome. The portions are small, in fact, small enough that maybe Historia ought to be rated 3 Euro cost instead of 2, but it's worth every penny. I left full and happy, after having the best pasta carbonara of my life. My parents got the suckling pig (amazing), and my husband got the lamb (unbelievable). Our waiter was very funny and very kind. MAKE A RESERVATION EARLY! This place fills up quickly; mostly with locals (a good sign). Get your reservation and set aside a little extra to spend on a shared dish or two. It's worth it. read more

The pasta dishes were ok - a bit salty. However the lamb roman style was fantastic. Italians really know how to cook lamb. The lamb was not gamey and was tender. Portions were generous. Just be careful since there were quite a number of small bones. On to the service. We got there at 645 and were told they don't open until 715. So we waited outside patiently in the rain. As it approached 715 more guests were arriving and we all waited patiently outside together in the rain while the employees saw us waiting outside in the rain. We were counting down the time together and went to the door at 715 and they took their time to open the door for us. So from our experience, we learned that Italian restaurants that say they open at 715 they really do open at 715. Not a minute earlier. In addition once we got in we didn't have reservations so they took us down the stairs to the back which didn't have any windows making it feel like we were in a dungeon. Unlike people who had reservations who got to sit up on top and have windows. Recommendations: Make reservations Lamb Roman style House red wine read more

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After reading all of my fellow Yelpers' praise for this restaurant, I was incredibly excited to visit during my last night in Rome with my mom. But the service and some aspects of the food left me feeling a little misled. We arrived at 8:30pm and were asked if we had a reservation by who I believe to be the owner or manager--he let us know it would be difficult to seat us once we said that we did not. The waiter he handed us off to explained this in a much more rude manner though we expressed we were willing to wait. He asked if we wanted to make a reservation for 10pm, we said yes after asking a few questions about whether a table might be ready earlier, and he disappeared. When he returned he looked annoyed to see us still standing there and acted as if we'd never asked to have the 10pm reservation booked. We went to see the Trevi Fountain (conveniently close by!) while waiting. Thankfully we didn't take his advice and returned early around 9:40, only find a corner table for two waiting with our reservation card on it. We were excited to get started but ended up waiting almost 10 minutes just for bread then another almost 10 minutes for our order to be taken and for the complimentary fried rice/risotto ball appetizer (which were delicious!). More and more waiting in between each of our courses. I was so disappointed to find that spaghetti carbonara seemed rushed towards the end of the evening, as it came out luke warm with a sauce that lacked its typical flavor. The roasted lamb was great, but the potatoes were fried rather than roasted as advertised and were way too salty. Then just five minutes after bringing this main course, our waiter asked if my mother was finished eating and placed his hands on her plate to take it away before she could tell him no! Overall I think he was just extremely busy and overworked as he was serving our entire section of the restaurant, but between all these mistakes our experience was soured. However, I will attest that there were many Italians eating there and that the prices were unbelievably good: we paid 35.50 euro for two glasses of the house red, one shared first course, one shared second course, and were stuffed. read more

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My experience here started off a little rough. We showed up about an hour and a half before closing and was told that there wouldn't be a chance to get seated before they closed even though there were several open tables. My girlfriend and I refused to leave and waited about 15 minutes before the host decided to seat us. Was a little upset at that point but after that we had an amazing time. The staff was very friendly and tended to our table very well. The food was amazing, especially for the price! The carbonara was the best I've had so far in Italy! Would recommend this place, 10/10. read more

No where does it say reservation required. We arrived me my wife and two year old. And were told must have a reservation or it would be around 9:30pm to eat. Which it was 7:50pm. So of course we had to leave because my two year old wouldn't let us wait this long and I refuse to wait that long too. read more

I felt that the service was slow and the food was just okay! Nothing too great! But The staff was very friendly which I appreciated!

We were lucky enough to get a reservation here based on a last minute cancellation. So call early. This restaurant was recommended to us by our hotel and it was our favorite in Rome! It operated on two seatings a night (similar to a cruise ship). My best recommendation is not to over order because the food just keeps coming. They kept bringing us samples of delicious food!! SO YUMMY!!! You cannot go wrong with anything you order; everything was delicious. Some items were prepared tableside. They brought us a lentil and sausage dish (I do not know what it was called because it was a sample they brought out to us, but ask for it... it was AMAZING!!! I'm not a lentil fan but if this dish changed that! TRUST ME ;) read more

Let's just get this out of the way right now. While I was doing trip research prior to our arrival, I read the reviews that said, "We ate here twice," and I have to admit my first thought was 'Really? With all the options in Rome, you ate there twice?' So, this review is my penance for being judgy, because we ate here twice. Our first night we had loads of appetizers and tripe and suckling pig and a wonderful time. Everything was perfectly prepared and we loved the authentic ambience, deliciousness and price. Our last night in town we were discussing options and we both admitted we really wanted to eat at Hostaria Romana again. We didn't have reservations this time, but we arrived 20 minutes before opening and begged, and our efforts were rewarded. We shared a prosciutto with melon appetizer and we each ordered pasta entrees. Gastronomically, it was a totally different experience because our mains were so different from our first visit. Everything else, though, was identical: great neighborhood feel, authentic cuisine, over the top deliciousness, terrific service, great prices. This place is truly a gem. If you are near here, you should eat here. read more

Hostaria Romana - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Antipastos are wonderful and best fried artichokes I had in Rome. Service are efficient and friendly they lost one star because of the sucking pig's skins wasn't crunchy. Price is reasonable and worth the prices they charged. read more

Very busy place! But it has it's reason! Great food with a nice environment! Great staff with great service and an appealing attitude. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because we got a little left behind due to some busy hours, but no need for a grumpy face. We were lucky to get a seat at all! We had a great time with lots of delicious food and drinks! If to come here, make reservations Highly recommended! read more

Everything was great in this family restaurant. Also, our waiter was experienced and top notch. He was my favorite waiter during our Italy stint on this trip - appropriate, no fuss, didn't spill my wine. The cacio e pepe was great and suckling pig delectable. My whole table had a great time. Definitely would come back again! read more

For our last dinner in Rome, we decided to go back to what was our best dinner here in the week, and again we were not disappointed. Great entrees, great desert, another wonderful evening of excellent service from the wait staff and got to witness some additional fun they had with ours and other tables. The staff of this restaurant really make you feel valued and appreciated, and everyone has fun. To them: thank you for another memorable dinner; it was the perfect choice for our last dinner here before returning home. read more

This place deserves every accolade it achieves. The pasta is amazing. I had the Ravioli with ricotta and spinach. The best in all of Italy. This spot might not get as much recognition, because of it's low-key location. It definitely is one of the better choices though. If you are around the colosseum area. Walk half a mile. And you will be amazed! read more

The pasta carbona here is the Best I've ever tasted. This restaurant is tucked into a side street and is a busy place. Reservations highly suggested but worth it read more

We followed the yelp but were very disappointed. The place is too crowded and the service is inattentive and disappointing. To start with we had the home made anti pasti which was perfect. Then we had 3 different pasta dishes. The pasta was made fresh and a la dante but taste too harsh. I guess, for us, it's one in a life time experience. We will go trying others. read more

I first learned about H. Romana during my honeymoon. We were in Rome and hungry and had no clue where to go. All the recommendations from the hotels looked like tourist traps so we decided to search the internet. After reading many different reviews on various sites we found H. Romana. And then we found an interesting NY Times article talking about the restaurant, so we decided to try it out. We did get there 20 minutes early to make sure we got in and by the time the doors opened there were a few more couples behind us. Upon getting seated we were not impressed by the decor. It looked a little old, both restaurant and waiters. We either found a diamond in the rough or was suckered and will now have to pay the tourist tax. We ordered the Carbonara, Osso Buco, antipasta, and Suckling Pig! Yes we eat a lot! (read my other reviews) And yes everything was AWESOME. Especially the Carbonara and Suckling Pig. I have never had Carbonara that good, and because of this restaurant, my wife and I spent a year trying to recreate the dish. We got close but it's not the same (probably because we can't find guanciale). But every time we make Carbonara it reminds us of this place and our honeymoon. Back to the food. So the Suckling Pig was to this day the best pork that I've ever eaten. And that says a lot, because I love pork. It was super soft, tender, fall of the bone, juicy meat. The skin was light and not fatty but super crispy, like a potato chip. We couldn't get enough, it was sooo good! Man I wish I could recreate that! So in the end we were stuffed to the brim and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. So if you're in Rome next to the Trevi Fountain then go check this place out. Enjoy! read more

We anticipated a better dining experience than we got. We waited all week for a rezzy, so it's VERY popular. However found that the food was mediocre in comparison to the other restaurants we've enjoyed. The price was also the most costly, and the service was slow. We waited 40 minutes to receive our check after asking for it, and watched as the host and waiters (including our own) took out all the trash before coming back to collect our check and give change. A little disappointing, so I suggest to go early not near the end of the night. We sat down at 8:30 and didn't leave unil 11:30pm! We had one course read more

I am with hotel and restaurant and guest service business for 20 years in Los Angeles and I'm so thankful to our taxi driver who recommended this place. Food quality and service are the best. I'll give them 6 stars. Roast lamb is my favorite. Price is just enough. We came here 3 times in 7 days . I recommend it highly. read more

This was our first stop in Rome. Very local (we were the only Americans) and the carbonara set the bar for almost every other dish we had. Everyone was ordering it. I wish I had ordered the crispy skin pork but was already full from the amazing pasta and artichokes. read more

Great food, great drinks, great service (they flirted with my wife but it was all innocent and charming ). Warm and cozy place, will definitely come back. read more

Ehh..I also don't know what the hype was about..but 3.5 rounded up. Came here seriously not knowing that I had to make reservations because I didn't have any darn internet in Europe!!!! So I couldn't read the helpful reviews ): But coming here after walking for 9 hours around the whole city, was super tiring and my boyfriend's fam were willing to wait 1.5 hours for a next open reservation. (We came at 8, but they didn't have a reservation until 9:30, literally waited). (Luckily there was open wifi from somewhere around the block, so I could see what people were ordering from this place.) Anyways, so we got the most popular dishes, the carbonara, osso musco?, tripe, and the suckling pig. None of these dishes were memorable, proof cause I literally just had to look back into my phone to see what I ate.. In my opinion, the tripe was too overcooked - it was really soft and not crunchy at all. I've had tripe crunchy all my life, so idk if this is just how they do it here but I didn't like it. Also, it was practically flavorless I had to add cheese and salt to it lol. The suckling pig was pretty good, really crispy on the outside and the inside was very tender - lots of fat in the middle of the skin and in the meat too. Comes with thick potatoes! The carbonara is what they're known for here, but I didn't care for it. But try it out! I'm guessing they use more egg here than other places from the other reviews! The musso whatever it's called (but it's veal) I believe was pretty good! It had good flavor to it, but no kick ): We also had proscuitto with melon, and omgahh the melon was so ripe and sweet! For people who like sweet and savory def. get this! I'm not a fan of sweet and savory combined, but the flavors of both the meat and the fruit really balanced each other! The panna cotta (with berries) was also delightful, as was the pineapple, and the tiramisu! Overall, it was a good dinner - not the best, and no flavor kickin' power to it ): Service was also whatever. read more

I don't just give out 5 stars. Good prices and great food. Menus in English too. Friendly staff. Free wifi. Near Trevi Fountain. Cloth napkins too! Great spot, you won't be disappointed. read more

The stars are all for the food taste and quality. The meal was delicious. I had the osso bucco fo my main meal and it was very good. Service however was bad and slow, and although they insist on a reservation, they did not even open the doors for us until 7:25 for a 7:15 reservation, leaving us standing in the cold rain. Worst of all, somebody w/o a reservation who came in with us got a better table. And this was during the slow season. read more

Great food. Great service. Awesome space. The friendly staff made us feel right at home & the pasta was cooked al dente perfectly! The Cacio e Pepe was fantastic as was the tiramisu. Be sure to grab both!! read more

We happened on Hostaria for lunch still bleary from a non stop flight. I can still taste the pillowy pumpkin gnocchi in a sage cream sauce. We came back for dinner. We were welcomed as though we'd been away for a decade, enveloped in hospitality. And that has never changed. The food is great, the service staff both professional as well as funny and kind. Bring an appetite and a pen. read more

This place had very friendly waitstaff. We did not have reservations, as we wandered in, but they got us a table nonetheless. The sea bass was perfect, the desserts great, and the carbonara was astounding! read more

Close to Barberini, intimate seating, bright and cheery with great appetizers and delicious main courses. Definitely on the must list.

Got a recommendation for this restaurant from our AirBnb host and she also helped us make a reservation for 8:30 that evening. After all the reviews we read on yelp we had some pretty high expectations and Hostaria Romana delivered on every one. When we arrived to the restaurant we were happy we made the reservation, 5-7 people had already lined up waiting for available tables due to no shows.The dining room is quite quaint so i could see why reservations were highly recommended. The party in front of us had 4 people and no reservation but were still able to make a reservation at the door; however it was for an hour to an hour and a half later. After they left my wife and i happily informed the host that we had a reservation and they asked for our name. Our reservation was quickly retrieved and we were sat promptly. Again since the dining room was "quaint" we were basically sat at a 4 person table that was separated for two parties of two. The seating was a bit tight but i managed to find a comfortable position. We glanced over the menu and saw a lot of items that we had not seen in our italy travels. Hostaria Romana specializes in traditional Roman/Italian cuisine, so you'll see more lamb and traditional meats. We also took a quick look around the dining room and a majority of the tables had two things 1. the house antipasto or 2. fried artichokes. So we knew 1 dish we were getting. Looking over the rest of the menu we decided to get one first course (pasta) and one second course (usually a meat type dish). From there we could split each course and have a little bit of both. Our waiter came shortly after we were seated with our drink orders and proceeded to take our order. He was super friendly and also gave us some suggestions. We decided on the antipasto, the cacio e pepe, and the lamb cacciatora. After a short while our antipasto came out. The appetizer consisted of fresh mozerella, marinated eggplant, marinated mushrooms, cured meats, anchovies, and a small selection of cheeses. Everything tasted excellent. The anchovies with the crusty bread was especially delightful. In addition sauteed beans were also brought out to our table. The beans looked like bbq baked beans but they had a rich tomato stewed flavor which even my wife enjoyed and she's definitely not a bean fan. After we finished the antipasto, the waiter cleaned our table and our first and 2nd courses were quickly brought out. The cacio e pepe and lamb cacciatora were equally excellent. The lamb was tender and flavorful and the cacio e pepe was perfect to compliment the lamb. Overall the food and service were excellent at Hostaria Romana. I would definitely recommend making a reservation if you plan to eat during the normal dinner rush hour. I wish we had a few more days in rome to try everything on the menu! Happy eats! read more

We stumbled upon this place after hunger had set in after walking the city for several hours. Thanks to trusty "yelp" we made a dash to this place to experience some good Italian food. Menu options is quite extensive (there really is a long list of things you can get here) including suckling pig. Great atmosphere, staff was friendly and patient. You'll find that there is a good amount of locals who eat here. read more

So we had already eaten quite a bit that day, but it was our last night in Rome and we were determined to have one more memorable meal. Hostaria Romana came through and then some. The antipasti de la casa appetizer was delicious and plentiful enough to be a meal for three in itself, particularly when eaten with the top-notch bread. We couldn't believe the amount of dishes--they just kept coming. The fried artichokes and eggplant were particularly good, as were the complimentary suppli. We also had pasta ameritriciana and chicken with peppers--both excellent. The lively atmosphere adds to the feeling that you've done the right thing in dining here. We'll have to fly back soon. read more

Food quality was very bad. First place bread was not fresh, and cold out of a fridge. Pasta was hard, and ravioli's tasted like chef Boyardee. The place is also extra small. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. read more

This may have been the best meal we ate in Rome. MAKE A RESERVATION. We managed to sneak in just before close without one at one point, but two more times we were turned away. We tried three of the pasta dishes, and all were phenomenal. It can be hard to get the staff's attention (even just to let them know you're there for your reservation!), but once you're seated the staff is kindly and helpful. Highly recommended. read more

Our last night in Rome was made perfect by having dinner here. The whole experience was wonderful. The waiters are on the ball and listen to you not just what you want but would have wanted. Our ordered dinner was amazing but the dinner was made perfect by receiving a sample of those items that we would have wanted but passed over for something else. Should I make it back to Rome we would look forward to repeating our dinner here. read more

This was an amazing place to get quality pasta and warm service! As very obvious tourists, friendly service has been a challenge to come by, but the whole staff was so incredibly helpful and welcoming. We ordered a side salad / Prosecco / Bucatini all'amatriciana / and another delicious pasta we don't remember the name of . We are going to try coming back again before we leave Rome! read more

What a great restaurant! Waiter unreal. The food authentic. I would definitely recommend this when in Rome. I found it extremely reasonably priced had anti pasta massive selection, 2 glasses of wine 2 pastas €55. Book and go! read more