Food was abysmal. 4 meals, 2 the same. Linguine and clam sauce should actually have a sauce, not the pasta water with a few garlic cloves added. Clams were rubbery and tasteless. Bolognese should be finished with a bit of milk or cream. This was sloppy Joe-type meat sauce over pasta. Don't call it bolognese. Shrimp dish was tasteless. Nothing was seasoned properly. I don't know about the other locations but Norwalk was more than disappointing. I'll add a few stars for a lovely summer night outside. read more

Osteria Romana has been a goto of mine for years. Stopped going a few years back because my wife wasn't interested in trying it. Fast forward to last week and she was interested. Nothing bad to say. Service excellent, Food impeccable. I decided not to have my goto, chicken marsala. Instead, I got the veal scarpariello, turns out they combined their marsala sauce with a scarpariello. I've nothing bad to say, the veal, the sausage, the cherry peppers were excellent. My wife got the trout almondine. Perfectly cooked, melted in your mouth. And let us not forget the potatoes. Both of us couldn't stop taking about the potatoes. Sad to see the vespa gone, but it's still a cozy and charming place even without it. Needless to say, we will be coming back read more

We went for dinner on a Saturday and had a good time at this restaurant. The inside is classy and nice, though it's a bit compact, more like a NYC restaurant. Tables are closer together. We sat down promptly at 5:30 and it was already packed. Almost every table was full. I'm not sure whether they were short staffed but service was only ok. Our server seemed to disappear for a long time. They took our drink orders and appetizers, which took a while to come out, probably half an hour. They were solid - the meatballs were soft and flavorful, the calamari was good. You could probably skip the baked clams - they were a bit chewy and gritty. The charcuterie board or whatever it's called was fine too. When we finally put our dinner orders in, we were already about an hour into sitting down. I had the "pollo rustico," which was pretty much just chicken scarpariello, which I love. It was very good here too, with big portions. Spicy, the chicken was a bit weird - seemed to be a few pieces instead of a breast. But cooked well. My wife had the eggplant, which was excellent. The food was good, it just took forever. By the time we left, we had been there two hours for apps and entrees. I like taking my time at restaurants, but it just felt like too long, especially with a kid. read more

Osteria Romana - Pollo Rustico - Italian Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

Been there twice. Like the place. Nice ambience but noisy. Yet, each time I've been there, I got sick afterwards. Wondering about the sanitary conditions. To be fair, my wife has never had any issue after eating there. read more

My 3 stars is for the atrocious service on a a Tuesday night with one waiter, one busboy, one guy to deliver food and one guy clearing dishes. Working two sides of a restaurant, one inside the other outside proves to be a challenge and patiently waiting for someone to bring me another cocktail. It was my birthday and told them when making reservations. Other guests had the celebration cannoli, had to remind them. Overall found imperfections in execution of dishes, but I'm very critical. Mussels lacked the finesse of wine, too much butter and no fesh herbs for sauce. Large portions, perhaps only appetizers next time. read more

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One of Norwalk's best. I know when I go here I know that the food and drinks will be tasty, the service will be good, and the vibe will be right. This is a great spot for a special occasion or just having a good meal out. Salads are always very fresh and the pasta tastes homemade. read more

Osteria Romana - Eggplant Rollatine - Italian Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

Finally got a chance to visit Osteria Romana. Should've waited a little longer because besides the ambiance, the food was mediocre as well as the service. The food was a bit on the bland side without proper flavoring. Might have just needed a bit more salt. The ambiance however was clean and unique. Tall ceilings and the decor felt like you were in a tree house. Pretty cool. They also have outdoor seating with a covering in case of rain. The service itself, I felt like we were being rushed through every dish. Wish some things weren't what it was because I would've loved to have loved the place just on decor alone. read more

Osteria Romana - Italian Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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I came here for lunch to meet with my bestie on the weekend. Plenty of parking available. We sat outside since it was a nice day. The ambiance is cute and pretty aesthetic inside and out. We started with drinks, she got an aperol spritz and I got the southern blood cocktail. They were good. For entrees, we got the risotto al tartufo nero, and they were tasty. For dessert, we got tiramisu with machiatos. We had so much fun here, and the servers were very nice. read more

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I found myself in Norwalk this evening looking for a place to eat. I used to work here for 20+ years but not since the pandemic. I remembered that one of my favorite Italian restaurants is here. It did not disappoint even after 5 years. Great food and service. I would have had a pasta dish but sadly, I have to be gluten free so I tried the Pollo al Prosecco which are chicken cutlets with a grated cheese crust. Simply delicious. The big surprise was the vegetables on the side. It a very Italian style the star in it was the escarole! I love escarole. They were sautéed with just a bit of garlic and wine that brought out the flavors with out overpowering them. And the potatoes, perfection. The decor is lovely, not too dark making it just a wonderful restaurant. My wife and I enjoy the sister restaurant they have in Monroe which serve many of the same dishes with the same high quality. read more

This place is hidden but I am so glad we found it. Everything here was absolutely amazing. We came here after moving my son out east and he's been here a couple times since if that tells you anything. To start we ordered the Calamari Fritti and the Polpetine. Now I've been making meatballs for 40 years and these were memorable! For the main course, our table shared the Pappardelle alla Bolognese, Fettuccine alla Carbonara, Vitello al Fior di Latte, and the Linguine alle Vongole. Everything was perfect. That bolognese sauce drove me nuts and I've been trying to replicate it since. The place was beautiful and cozy and one of the best osterias I've been to. I can't wait to come back. read more

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Very normal environment. The food was good enough. We enjoyed of: - Meat and cheese platter. - salmon dish - chicken with mushrooms - great French white wine Although there are some other comments to make: - The plate where was our fried calamari big and there was so little calamari that it almost looked like someone ate from the plate and we got the leftovers. - Desert- créame brûlée was so sweet that it was impossible to eat it, we were 5 and no one could eat it after one try, so for that only 1 . read more

Osteria Romana - Cream brûlées that 5 people couldn't eat after first attempt!!! - Italian Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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This restaurant continues to be top tier. They were able to accommodate a last minute birthday dinner. The food and service are always excellent. Everyone loved their meals. I feel like they've upped their dessert game too! This restaurant is consistently good and one of the best in the area. read more

We had a tasty dinner last night. I ordered Veal Florio, wich came with plenty of mushrooms and a delicious sauce. Yet, something was off. When the check came, it showed Veal Florio. When I questioned the server whether this was chicken. She confirmed after checking with the kitchen and adjusted the bill to reflect chicken at some $5 cheaper. I like to think this was an honest mistake, but next time, which will come, I will ascertain at ordering whether this will indeed be veal. read more

Osteria Romana offers delightful Italian cuisine . Inside its beautifully designed interior with an impressive display of wines, perfect for a relaxed meal. I stated with fresh bread with warm olive oil with roasted garlic - a simple yet incredibly satisfying start. Then crisp Caesar salad, perfectly dressed with a generous shaving of parmesan. Very very good. The pasta dish, a bolognese, in a rich red thick sauce along with the pasta cooked andante was perfect. Excellent. To round out the meal, the dessert, The apple tart ,was warm and flaky served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel, was a sweet ending along with the double expresso. Overall, Osteria Romana provides an excellent dining experience. The food is delicious and clearly prepared with care, the service is attentive, quick and respectful. Whether you're seeking a casual lunch or a special dinner, Osteria Romana delivers on all fronts, offering a taste of Italy. Highly recommend you give it a visit. read more

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The good is - we had a wonderful dinner last night. Food, waiters, all good. I left my umbrella w/ hostess behind her lectern when I first arrived, as we left the restaurant I had forgotten my umbrella. I called twice today and spoke with two different women, asking if my umbrella was there, they apparently didn't look and didn't care to look and never got back to me. My umbrella is pink w/ Betty boop on it. Easy to notice. I decided to drive there tonight to see if anyone had found it. To my avail when I walked in it was exactly where it was left behind the lectern against the wall. I asked to speak to the manager. The hostess there tonight was extremely rude to me. Told me to move as the entrance area was for customers- I told her I was a customer. She was unnecessarily RUDE and when I called her out on it she argued back to me. So... they never bothered to look, period. The mgr was nice and remembered us being there. I think the owners really need to speak to their help (those two women) mainly the Bitch hostess tonight about being more courteous and kinder to customers. read more

We've enjoyed Osteria for many years and it saddens me to say that things have declined there recently. My order of bolognese was nearly meatless--- closer to marinara than bolognese. Also our bill was filled with extra charges for sharing salads and mains and an inexplicable surcharge for my manhattan. Overall a disappointing showing from such a reliable restaurant read more

Norwalk has become a convenient location to meet our Connecticut friends - and Osteria Romana proved to be an excellent choice! The place seemed crowded when we visited for lunch on a Saturday afternoon in May but we were seated and attended to immediately. Wine was offered and ordered, a couple of appetizers appeared promptly and we proceeded to lunch. Well portioned and flavorful salads, well prepared and served chicken dishes and courteous and helpful staff. Very enjoyable visit - and we'll be back. read more

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Really horrible takeout order last night , and I've been eating here for almost ten years , maybe more and have always had a consistent dinner and this was awful. Antipasto was stale , including the microwaved entrees . They were nauseating and no flavor at all . Idk , this was not good read more

Came tonight with a party of 8. While the food was good, I will say it felt extremely cramped inside. The server wasn't very attentive (had to keep asking for things like water, bread, etc). One thing that particularly irked me was that we were sat at a long table and the acoustics were horrible. When she was taking our order, she stood at one end of the table and we all "shouted" our orders to her. Felt very uncomfortable. However, when she collected the menus, she would walk around the table, so why the need to yell our order in the first place? I could feel the woman sitting behind me at another table, as our chairs were touching and just really felt like everyone was packed in like sardines. Food was OK. Some food was spot on, some tasted bland (consensus of the group). read more

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Good was good. Date night on a Tuesday. Place wasn't packed. Service was smooth. Felt like the waiter was rushing us to order but paid it no mind. Food came out good, drinks and shot was a perfect way to end the night. The music was nice and the atmosphere was very smooth. Loved the feeling. A must check out place if your ever in the area. read more

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2.18.22 I've been coming here for a handful of years. This is some of the best meat sauce I've had in and around Connecticut. I usually order it with the home made linguini. It is superb. Linguine bologonese is the winner dish here. The service is incredible. They're always so accommodating friendly and kind. The Italian bread is also fresh light and airy. Such a great smell/aroma. The restaurant is always very clean and immaculately set for service. They're located on route 1 and there's a large parking lot. Easy access to and from. They are very open to substitutions when needed. The owners are very nice. I've also been to their other location in Monroe but I've had much better experiences and better meals at this location. read more

Great Service. Great food. I get the mushroom risotto. Love it. My wife gets chicken franchese which is not on menu. Loves it. Disappointed finding out they use vegetable oil instead of olive oil. I like the roasted garlic that they bring out with the bread but, I noticed the oil it was in was vegetable oil not EVOO. Poor taste and not healthy at all. I realized they are trying to save money but, in my opinion an expensive Italian Restaurant should know better. I was told that they do drizzle a little EVOO on the garlic but, no sign of it in my opinion. I will go back because it really is good food but, will ask for butter for the bread and hope it's not margarine. read more

Osteria Romana - Mushroom Risotto - Italian Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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such a delight at Osteria Romana. we had their special salad ( delish) with cranberries, nuts, and cheese. shared a meatball appetizer. Very good. my husband had their parpadelle , always delicious. we also had eggplant lasagna roll ups, very good. They have a good sauce. Even better was the attentive service by our waitress. A delightful evening. read more

Nice local business, decent food and good service. The decor is a bit dated but I don't do for the wallpaper! Haven't had a bad dish yet!

Five stars says it all! I have been there 3 times now the first just to sit at the bar and enjoy some small bites and they were all phenomenal. The garlic infused oil with different breads was simple and delicious. The Bartender, Michelle, was an excellent host adding t the whole experience even the owner came out and spoke with us had a drink with his staff. A dinner there was a delight, the food choices are broad I had the salmon that night and it was perfectly cooked and sauced. The wine list is extensive so you are sure to find something to your liking. With reservations they originally were going to put us in the overflow "outdoor" room, it was cold and I requested they seat us inside and they were quick to accommodate. The interior was beautifully decorated first for the Christmas season and then for Valentine's Day. It's a beautiful little gem with excellent food and service to match. It's on the moderately expensive side but what a great place to enjoy some wonderful food with a caring and attentive staff! read more

3.5 out of 5.0. My last review here was from 2014 and we used to love coming here frequently over the years for business dinners and for ourselves. Last night was good but disappointing as the food here is usually very, very good. I had made reservations and the hostess seated us right by the kitchen. I was literally looking into the kitchen head on. Since it wasn't crowded I asked for a different table, and we were shown to a table outside, which was nicely air conditioned. My watermelon mojito was pretty and very good. My clams oreganta were tasty but wet. They would have been perfect if crispy. The Chicken Cardinale was a huge portion and quite good. The sauce was rich with great flavor. The roasted potatoes were again wet, no crispness to.them at all. My husband had the spiedini which was overdone. The veal martini was a very small portion compared to my chicken entree. It was also wet and not crispy at all. The sauce was very thin and bland. So we may wait a while before going back and trying them again. No longer our go-to spot. read more

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Without any hyperbole whatsoever, I have to say that this is one of my favorite restaurants anywhere. It is a place where I love to have important meals: I've had numerous Valentine's dinners with my girlfriend; it was the first dinner out I had with my girlfriend and my parents and it was the first place I ever met my girlfriend's parents. It's a restaurant where you can create indelible memories. One of the reasons is the wonderful hospitality of the staff. They always make you feel so welcome. Remember the old tagline from a bland national chain: "when you're here, you're family"? That's really the vibe at Romana; you truly feel like you are dining among friends and family. Kudos to them for creating such an inviting atmosphere! But of course, the real star of the show here is the food. They start you out with a tasty dish of bread and olive oil. Appetizers are plentiful; this time we opted for the meatballs and sauce. If you are going to get chicken or fish for dinner, this is a nice way to get in some beef. Definitely recommended. My girlfriend got chicken Marsala. I find the sauce for this dish at Romana to be very lush. For myself, I opted for the chicken parm. I've gotten it now twice in a row . . . but it's THAT good. With a simple dish, preparation is the key, and they nail it. In the past I've opted for the ragu several times; an easy recommend. No room for dessert this time because the meal was such a sizable portion, but definitely try the Creme brûlée if you see it on the menu. I adore Osteria Romana to the moon and back; give them a try! read more

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Yeah, my uncle and aunt took us out to this place because it was highly rated on Yelp. None of us had actually been here before. The food here was a mixed bag in terms of quality and taste. The appetizers like the Calimari and the clams were quite good. However, the pasta and the entrees left much to be desired. I'm a huge fan of pappardelle, and the dish here was uninspiring. It tasted like they used store-bought sauce on the pasta. You can get better pappardelle at Sorelle's back in the bay. The venue was very nice. Lovely decor with a rustic, vintage kind of feel. Definitely a nice place to eat at for special occasions. The service was hit or miss. It was friendly but extremely slow. Not the best. For my money, this place is a nice place to eat at with average tasting food. Not my favorite Italian restaurant overall. read more

Great food at reasonable prices. Hard to finds these days. It's one of our favorite go to places for dinner read more

We had a group of seven dine in on a week day, and I was surprised how busy the restaurant was for a Tuesday evening. When we were first seated, it was a little slow to get drinks and appetizers ordered, but after the appetizers arrived, the servers kept up with our drink orders and the entrees came out on time. We ordered appetizers for the table - Spiedino alla Romana, Tagliere Casareccio, Vongole Oreganata and Calamari Fritti. We definitely overdid it on the appetizers because we all took our entrees to go. The appetizers were good - the Spiedino alla Romana is a meal in itself. Cheese stuffed bread that is battered and fried? The calamari was good but my favorite were the clams. I ordered the Salmon Munier with a side of broccoli rabe. The salmon was delicious but I could not eat much of the entree because I ate too many appetizers! My husband ordered the Pollo Rustico and said it was delicious. But again, he had to take his home too. Very good dinner. I hope to return! read more

A really inviting space with delicious food. The service was wonderful and went above and beyond to ensure our party was comfortable and happy. I'm not much of a wine drinker but the other guests I was with (one of whom owns a vineyard on Long Island) gushed over theirs. I had the most delicious clams casino I have ever enjoyed and fettuccini carbonara what was so perfect it was practically an etherial experience. This was everyone's first time here and we all said that we are going to have to make this a regular spot for girls night out. What a gem we stumbled upon! read more

Wow! I don't know how I missed Ossetia Romana all these years. Somehow came across them on Yelp last night and couldn't believe I missed a place with such great reviews. So of course we had to give it a try, and sure enough it lived up to its reputation. Unfortunately I somehow didn't capture the chicken parm (uses another name on the menu). Everything was awesome. Their sauce was just mouth watering, the lasagna completely out of this world, had us making mooning sounds at each bite! I plan on multiple future visits and posting more as I try new dishes and dine in. read more

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We went a few weeks ago with friends for a late lunch to enjoy happy hour with drinks to be half price. my wife after her lunch got very sick with food poisoning . to make matters worse the bill came and the drinks were not half price. We questoned are waiter and she told us they were not well drinks . No where was it identified that only well drinks were included duing happy hour. Needless to say we will never be going back. The food was nothing special. Very bad experence. read more

Went here last week with a friend. Very nice atmosphere and the service was very good. The meatball appetizer was very tasty but the problem came with my entree. I ordered the veal parmigiana and after trying to cut it with a regular knife I had to ask for a steak knife but unfortunately that didn't work either. I had to send it back .... Now my friend is eating by herself. They made a second plate for me and that was much better however I took a couple bites and took the rest to go. read more

I ordered the butterfly trout and didn't like it, therefore I didn't finish half the meal. There was no attempt to rectifying the issue with an offer of trying another dish. The server didn't smile and just did her job. read more

Osteria Romana - Butterfly trout, potatoes and mixed vegetables. - Italian Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

Very nice atmosphere, excellent service, friendly and helpful wait staff. Caprese was outstanding with fresh buffalo mozzarella. We had absolutely delicious seafood stew (soups de pessche?) and a simple but very tasty pasta bolognese. Will return. read more

My boyfriend and I have been coming here for years and we've always been pleased with the service and excellent food. I've had the veal Marsala, chicken piccata, and chicken parm and they have all been excellent and big portions. Their creme brûlée is delicious so make sure you leave some room for that! We just went last night and I wanted to note how great our server, Eduardo, was. We all loved our wine that we had with our meal and wanted to know the names of the wines we had so we could purchase some of our own (side note: their house wine is also great and you can't beat the half carafe deal). Not only did he bring out a bottle of the wine for us to take a photo of but he also showed us a cool app on our phones and helped us get onto the WiFi so we could download it right then and there! This type of service is above and beyond and so appreciated. We weren't rushed through our meal and we were there for almost two hours on a busy Saturday night. This place gets packed on the weekends -- make sure to call ahead for a reservation! read more

Super good service And the T Bone steak........... Out of this world!!! Very good Super good Good meat and good cook Equal super good read more

Service was top rate. Food was tasty, well presented, at the right temperature & Seasoned perfectly. If the restaurant is very busy, it can get noisy & hard to hear dinner Companions at your table. Outdoor dining is delightful. read more

A gem of a restaurant anytime I visit my head office in Norwalk and every time I eat here. Delicious menu, exquisitely crafted cocktails, friendly and attentive staff. It's a great place solo, with that friend or special someone, or even with groups. Well done Osteria Romana!! read more