I absolutely loved my experience here! Both food and drinks tasted amazing - like time was taken to make both. Service was great and restaurant was small and intimate. Will be returning! read more

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We chose Roma Cafe for our wedding anniversary dinner since Italian is our tradition each year, and the setting really did feel special. The cozy, romantic atmosphere made it easy to settle in for a long meal. Sitting by the window overlooking the street, it honestly felt like a scene out of an old romance set in a brownstone in NYC. There was so much to love about the food, too. The pasta tasted fresh and perfectly cooked, my pesto had a great balance of flavor, and both of our drinks were beautifully made. You can tell the kitchen puts care into the ingredients and preparation. Unfortunately, my husband's chicken parmesan came out undercooked. The chicken was clearly raw in the center. It was disappointing, especially on a special occasion, and food safety issues like that are hard to overlook. I do want to highlight that our waitress was outstanding. She noticed something was wrong from across the room and stepped in right away. She handled the situation with professionalism and kindness, and we truly appreciated her attentiveness. What left us surprised was that no one else came by to acknowledge what happened. With something as serious and easily preventable as raw chicken, we expected at least a brief apology or check-in from a manager. It was less about getting something for free and more about feeling taken care of after a pretty significant mistake. Overall, there were some really lovely parts of the experience, but the food issue and lack of follow-up made the night feel more mixed than we had hoped for a celebration dinner. read more

I have to say that, overall, I enjoyed my experience at Roma Cafe. My wife and I booked a reservation for a date night to celebrate some milestones in our life and were very excited - we've heard nothing but good things about Roma! Our experience unfortunately fell as bit short of our high expectations. The environment of the restaurant was hard to describe - a bit "dead" when the music wasn't playing. Weirdly the music continuously was cutting in and out (like someone was taking phone calls while playing music on their iPhone?). The service was fine - nothing to speak highly of or complain about. We ordered a "grilled" chicken Caesar salad. I don't know what kind of chicken we got, but it wasn't grilled (and was very dry). The Caesar salad, overall, was bland and unimpressive. The wine we chose and the table bread were run-of-the mill. The reason why I'm giving a four star review is that the carbonara was delicious, rich and something that I'll think about for some time. read more

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Are you open? I've been trying to contact the restaurant for three days now and goes to a busy signal. I also tried emailing and nobody gets back read more

Tucked away from the heart of downtown, Roma Cafe should be an absolute must on any foodie's trip to Portland. Set inside a historic home, the restaurant's interior makes for an intimate, quiet retreat perfect for date night or meaningful meal with loved ones. Our service was outstanding from start to finish. Probably the best we've had in the city. Welcoming, attentive and personable. Our palates were blown away by the degree of fresh, flavorful ingredients in each dish. As the vegetarian at the table, I went with the Summer Salad to start which was light and refreshing. The Ravioli del Giorno knocked my socks off though. Cooked to perfection with the right dough to creamy ricotta filling ratio. I could have licked the bowl clean with the pomodoro sauce! The meat eater at the table gave the Carbonara 5 stars as well. Roma Cafe, thank you for a wonderful date night and we look forward to dining with you again when we're back in Portland! read more

Roma Cafe - Summer Salad - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

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First off I have never been in such a quiet atmosphere for dinner! I loved it as no one had to yell across the table and I didn't have to try really hard to hear what my friends were saying. We had a very nice waiter who noted my allergies. he was very nice and helpful. We sat at a round corner table which was what we think the best seat in the house. The food was very good and smelled amazing! I had the summer salad which was Mixed Tomatoes, Watermelon, Whipped Goat Cheese, Smoked Oregano, Basil Oil. I did wish there were more watermelon in it though. It was very tasty and refreshing as a summer dish. And for my main meal I had the meatballs ( they are appetizers). And WOW they are on my top five best meatballs I have had. My friends got some of the pasta dishes and chicken Parm and the LEMON-MARSALA FRIED PORK which was Pork Loin Cutlet, Potato au Gratin, Rainbow Chard. Everything smelled amazing. For drinks we had prosecco, aperol spritz, flavored sparkling water and wine and all were great! This place to me is a favorite after only going here once. I HIGHLY recommend it!! read more

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Amazing atmosphere, amazing food! Went here for a date night and highly recommend. All servers were very nice and planning on going back! read more

Main course poorly described and unpleasant. Service excellent. Salad and dessert also good.

This restaurant has WOWed us a few times before so when we were in town, we were excited to book a reservation again. However, this time had issues for us. The Nonna's meatball appetizer was perfect---tender and tangy. My husband was happy with the eggplant. However, I ordered the bolognese pasta, and were both disappointed. Instead of a light homemade pasta and "wow" meat sauce that delights the mouth, the heavy noodles with too little sauce that made the dish feel dry and heavy. The breadcrumbs on the top added no value and actually detracted from the dish. I asked for some sauce on the side, but was given Pomo sauce which clashed with the dish. The waitress told me that there was a new chef since we last ate there, and we could definitely taste the difference. The whole meal experience fell apart at desert when we ordered cannolis that unbeknownst to us had chocolate filling (no thank you) and my gluten-free chocolate torte was rock hard (instead of firm and creamy like I usually enjoy it). Of course, the ambiance was stellar and wait staff was fine. However, we did take this place off our "list". :( read more

Ambiance is 10 out of 10 - very warmly lit & romantic space, perfect for winter dinners. They were out of several dishes when we went, but I ended up ordering the scallop risotto. The scallops themselves were delicious, but the risotto was so so salty. Chicken parm was delicious. The waitress was friendly and efficient but very clearly interested in wrapping up our service (was towards the end of the evening); we were asked about dessert while we still had half our meals left. read more

Roma Cafe - Scallop Risotto - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Super cute Italian cafe in Portland, ME! They were really kind and accommodating with our group of 7 :) I got the Rigatoni alla carbonara and it was really good! Perfect portion. read more

Went to Roma Cafe on a Sunday night-- we made a reservation and were seated right away (great!). We were told our server would be right over which did not happen. We sat there for over 30 minutes before we had to flag the waiter over to even order a drink. The restaurant was not busy- several tables were empty. The waiter and hostess spent more time talking with each other than waiting on tables. The service continued to be poor throughout the entirety of the meal. No one came to check in on if we wanted to order additional drinks or to refill our water glasses. We did order the crispy brussel sprouts which were phenomenal however, that was the only part of the meal that wowed. The spicy vodka pasta lacked flavor and the sauce was watery and honestly disappointing. There are much better pasta spots in Portland with more attentive wait staff. read more

Roma Cafe - Brussel Sprouts. The only thing worth coming for. - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

I love this spot! The best eggplant parm and fresh spaghetti you can get in the Portland area, I promise. It's moody, great for a date or a 2-4 person party. The service is also excellent and warm. read more

Roma Cafe - Eggplant parm and homemade spaghetti. Perfect! - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

We loved this place! Reservations highly encouraged if you plan to go on a Friday or Saturday. I think it's all through Resy and there is a 25$/person drop fee for reservations so be warned of that. The inside is very dimly lit and aesthetic. The cocktails are very pretty and the dinner and dessert menu, while not super extensive - had a couple of gems. I absolutely adored their pistachio pesto minus a few pieces of hard shell that got mixed in there. I would say if you're going to bother paying order something you couldn't make at home because it's mainly pasta dishes. The ambience and the service were wonderful. read more

Roma Cafe - Pesto and parm - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

For starters, the place is an absolutely delightful old home in a charming brood Portland. You fall in love with the place before any bit of food or sip of drink. But the food was certainly delicious. While vegetarian options are limited , no vegetarian will be disappointed. I have to say that the starters won the evening. The focaccia is not to be missed. read more

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I had an amazing experience at Roma! I made a reservation for a Sunday - definitely recommend making a res even on a slower night. I have tried to walk in before and it was too busy. I was seated right away by the big bay windows! My server Jeff was very attentive and helpful. I ordered the table bread, summer salad, and the spinach gnudi special. The focaccia was delicious and the summer salad was exceptional! Juicy heirloom tomatoes, perfectly ripe sweet watermelon and herby goat cheese was an amazing combination. I would return just to order this salad again. The gnudi was super pillowy, buttery and cheesy. I enjoyed it but was torn between that and the eggplant parm so I need a return trip for sure! I will also say this dinner was perfectly timed and coursed out. I feel like often when solo dining my plates come out too close together, but I had plenty of time to finish each course and have a breather in between. Overall fantastic meal and service. read more

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A cute little Italian spot on Congress Street. You have to be looking for it or you might miss it. There's a small bar and two distinct seating areas. One a little more casual, and one far more intimate and romantic. Service is excellent and with a smile. The house wines are lovely and there's a nice cocktail list. The menu is small, but there's something for everyone, and they make all their pastas in house. They had an appetizer special tonight that was mushrooms sautéed in garlic butter and Gorgonzola. It was absolutely fantastic. We also split a Caesar salad that was crisp and fresh. I had the Bolognese and hubby had the carbonara. Both of them were excellent, but it might be the best Bolognese I've ever had! We finished with the limoncello tiramisu and mini cannoli. read more

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we found it to be overpriced, red sauce tasted like it had come from a can, the salad had a few radishes three strips of carrots ans a lot of lettuce very disappointing read more

Overall had a good experience here, definitely torn between 3-4 stars for this review. The space is amazing, it's an old house and the dining room is warm and cozy, great ambience. Service was initially aloof, host took some time to get our table ready, but we were still seated pretty close to our reservation time. They have a good wine and cocktail/mocktail list, we all enjoyed our drinks. Since we were a large group, we ordered a few appetizers to share, they were tasty but portions were very small. We would have ordered more had we known sizes were small. Entrees were overall good, but again, portions small. I ordered the ravioli special and there were 7 raviolis in the dish. My friend said her bolognese was very under-seasoned, had to request salt/pepper. We did have an issue with one dish, they did take this off the bill immediately which was appreciated and they gave us desserts for free. The desserts were good, standout for most was the flourless chocolate cake which was very decadent, I'd probably skip the cannoli next time, nothing too special. Service definitely improved throughout the meal, overall food was good, but why I am leaning towards 3 stars is because Portland is such a foodie town. There is better Italian food in Portland from my experience, but I do think this restaurant is worth a stop. read more

Okay - the ambiance is great and the food was equally so - it just wasn't for me I guess - idk... I might go back. I just.. felt like the portions should be bigger? I left not hungry - just also not full. Service was fine. Our glass wasn't clean but they fixed it. We had a reservation and it still took them a while to seat us, but that's fine. Idk - they did have carbonara! read more

Horrible service horrible food. Everything is priced way too high. You get better chicken Parm at a gas station and the carbonara is absolutely disgusting. I'd rather drink sewer water. read more

Terrible food and service. No attention to details. No cheese, salt or pepper on the table. Bread was bad. Chicken parm was not edible. My husband couldn't cut through with a knife. My carbonara was dry. The ambiance was poor. Way overpriced for mediocre comfort Italian food. read more

Try the tiramisu bomb! The food is great, the atmosphere is nice and calming. Friendly and professional staff. Overall a great experience.

Living in a town like Portland Maine affords access to many great restaurants. Some are new and some have history. Que the Roma Cafe. The Roma was established in 1924 and has seen a lot of ownership and had its highs and its lows. Welcome to the recent high. Italian done right is a simple glorious art. Not over spiced, but rather a balanced dance of the taste buds. Recently back from a trip to Italy, I'm always on the prowl for an authentic Italian restaurant. All aspects of the dinner were spot on. The service, the atmosphere, and most importantly - the food was spot on. If I closed my eyes / I was dining in Florence. I had the Ravioli Del Giorno - the picture on the website had me sold even before I got called in. Safe butter with pistachio crumbles. I mean says no to that. The sauce was perfect and did not over power the delicate ravioli. read more

I wrote a review for Roma 5 years ago after numerous amazing experiences. The food, the ambiance, the service...you couldn't beat it. Eager to show my partner the magic of Roma, we went one weeknight after I got out of work, and of course the ambiance is still amazing being that it is located in an old historic building. It has a rustic charm that perfectly sets the mood for a rustic Italian meal. Also a plus, it is connected to Bramhall, which is a cocktail bar located in the lower-level of the building. We made a reservation, and I requested to sit at the bar if possible. They quickly and eagerly sat us at the bar where we were greeted by our server, who was fantastic and answered our questions and provided some recommendations. I will say, many of the staples of Roma are no longer on the menu. They used to have a gorgonzola alfredo which was out of this world, and they also used to have a spicy pasta dish (I forget the name of it) that had chili oil which was my absolute favorite, but that was also off of the list. Nonetheless, I was eager to branch out and try something new. We started with the brussel spouts, which were very good. It came with lemon ricotta and hazelnuts. The brussel spouts were perfectly crispy! For our meals, my partner got the rigatoni carbonara and I got salsiccia and zucca. Portion sizes were airing on the smaller side for the price point, which I recognized as a drastic difference compared to the last time I came. My partner's carbonara was...fine. We have certainly had better carbonaras at other places, and my dish was also just okay. My dish lacked seasoning and there just wasn't the great depth of flavor that I was used to previously. All of that said, I was really disappointed. To me, Roma lost the magic it once had. The price point didn't match the portions or quality of the entrees, and unfortunately there are other pasta establishments in Portland that have popped up that I would say have a higher quality in comparison. I don't see the reason to come back to Roma. read more

Roma Cafe - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Wow! I don't even know what to say about this place, it was so fantastic. I rarely give out 5 stars and you really have to impressive me for this to happen and Roma did it! From the start you walk in to this old historic house with this amazing cozy atmosphere. It's the perfect date night place but also great to go with friends. They have candles everywhere to set this perfect vibe. The service was outstanding. We got a bottle of delicious wine. Then the food!!! We got two appetizers, the mussels and the Caprese. They were fantastic and even the table bread was perfect. Then I got the Halibut and it may be the best fish I have ever had, it was seasoned perfectly and paired amazing with the risotto. My friend got the pesto pasta and she said hers was incredible to. Everything coming out of the kitchen looked to die for. A must try in Portland! read more

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Honestly, was really dissapointed by this experience. We were very excited about this new to us restaurant for our anniversary and it just kept getting worse. Our appetizers and drinks were forgotten multiple times, one of our entrees was so salty that it was inedible, and one of our entrees was incorrect. Definitely don't think it's worth the trip! read more

We dined on a night when the kitchen was short-staffed. We were informed in advance, but chose to risk it. Special birthday night, after all. Roma managed to pull off three-course prix-fixe dinner, with choices. Service (Mary) and food were excellent. Delicious watermelon salad, and two great pasta entree choices. Bravo! read more

My party of 4 made reservations for a Sunday evening at 5pm. When we arrived we were able to get on street parking close to the restaurant, without too much trouble. When we were seated, we were literally the only people in the place for at least 30-45 minutes, so don't be afraid to just pop in if you want to check it out. For appetizers, we began with the MEATBALLS and SUPPLI AL TELEFONO. For $15, we were a little surprised to see just 3 average sized balls. Coming from an Italian family, I'm used to lots of garlic and onion flavoring and these did not meet that standard. They were just okay. We planned to try Roma because we saw online that they offered CACIO PEPE SHOW (Spaghetti Tossed in Parm Wheel Table-side). We were disappointed when the waiter said "Yeah, we've had a lot of people come in asking about that but it's not on the menu anymore". Why hasn't the website been updated then? Begrudgingly, we all picked out different entrees: Chicken parm, mushroom ragu, Rigatoni All Roma (carbonara style), and chicken milanese. Those of us who ordered the chicken parm and milanese were both pleased with the flavor and the serving size, specifically the friend chicken portion. My sister who had the carbonara felt that the pasta didn't have as much sauce on it as she'd like (drier than usual). I got the mushroom ragu and I was less than impressed. This dish just tasted like a basic spaghetti sauce with mushroom mixed into it and my best guess is that this was not fresh pasta. Fresh Parmesan cheese would have been welcomed, but there was none offered. I thought that was staple for Italian restaurants. Even Olive Garden offers that. Overall, when I compare other Italian restaurants and the price point, I feel like they aren't stacking up. If I could give half stars, my true feeling is a 3.5. Above average in some areas, but not consistently across all dishes, or standing out in any way from competitors. read more

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The food, service and atmosphere were all amazing. Highly recommend. We will be back again.

Roma does NOT get the hype it deserves. It has some of the best, if not THE best Italian food in Portland (yes, even with rivals such as Solo Italiano and Via Vecchia in play). Their menu is simple, and they offer old-school Italian eats (meatballs, pasta, and cannoli oh my!). Although I can only speak to their Burrata Salad (complete with strawberry, arugula, olives, honey, and basil) and Rigatoni Alla Carbonara (exactly as it sounds), I can confidently say both were delicious and well worth it. Same goes for their Ravioli Del Giorno. I can't remember for the life of me what it was, but it left a lasting impression on my tastebuds. The service was great as well. What makes Roma Cafe so special, in my opinion, is the historic building the restaurant has found its home in. Dubbed the Rines Mansion, it is a charming brick building in the West End with a spacious interior reminiscent of an elegant Italian grandmother's house, complete with chandeliers, fireplaces, and bookcases filled with bottled wine. The walls are lined with candles and antique photographs, making for a romantic and memorable experience. Roma Cafe is a severely underhyped must-try! read more

Have come back a couple of times lately because I was in the neighborhood and you can always get in, but I'm gonna have to give this a permanent four stars and stop reviewing as the service is always great, the food mostly good but a bit hit and miss, and the ambience works for me. read more

Roma Cafe - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Service was great braised rib was gross over done maybe not so fresh very fatty and chewy on some mashed potatoes small portion for $31 and the server recommended it read more

Delicious meal and lots of food. Unique and historic space. Loved the drinks as well.

Not the type to leave reviews, but I had such a pleasant experience. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. Incredibly intimate. Our waiter Matt was incredibly personable, really made the experience what it was. And the food was incredibly prepared. The chef is from Rome and it showed. All around 10/10 and will be coming back whenever I get the chance. read more

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A stylish yet homey neighborhood gem with creative drinks, Authentic Italian quinine, and an attentive and professional staff.

I have to start out my review by saying I grew up and went to school in Philly which has great Italian restaurants. My guess is that this place is inconsistent and based our experience, and sadly mediocre at best. Ambiance wise the building is breathtaking a period restored Victorian with elaborate woodwork and paneling, and our server was excellent, attentive and sweet. First of all all the appetizers sounded delicious. The meatballs were bland and under seasoned the focaccia served with them did not stand on its own. It was spongy almost like angel food, rather than having a good crust and chewy with a soft interior. The Brussels were served with a lemon ricotta but deep fried-- they were crying out for a light glaze or acidic sweet sauce and fresh chopped herbs to balance, the ricotta and nuts it was too heavy. One special pasta with shrimp lemon peas and mint had no discernible traces of lemon or mint or pea both in flavor and in the dish visually and the whole thing was a SALT LICK. The bolognese was undersalted and lacking in acidity and very chunky with large bits of meat. Good bolognese should be silky smooth and tangy, savory, herbaceous, and have the sweet depth of the carrot and onion. We mixed the two $25 entrees together to try to salvage our meal and make it edible. Each dish was underwhelming. All the pasta on the menu were dried. I'm not sure if they make or offer any fresh pasta in house as part of their regular menu offering. You can tell whoever is at the helm of the kitchen staff here has no clear direction or appreciation for Italian food. Marcella Hazan's recipes would be a good place to start. read more

As you can see from the pictures, we have eaten here in person in the past. Most recently we got take out for new years Eve...cuz toddlers and pandemic. IN THE PAST, eating IN the restaurant was an amazing experience. Excellent staff. Delicious food. Generous portions and reasonable (for size/quality) prices. NO COMPLAINTS. That said.... pandemic life has changed a lot for all of us. For whatever associated reasons, this food was not the calibur I expected when I chose to place an order. We only got enough for my wife and I to have, cuz like I said...toddlers and pandemic. The wings app tasted middle of the road at best. Fully coated in sauce and cooked all the way thru, but very meh and slightly dry. My chicken parm on taggliate was surprisingly disappointing. The chicken was overcooked and there was no sauce on the noodles DESPITE being underneath the chicken. I gave 80% of the noodles to my wife to add to her meal. I gave 30% of the chicken to my large pups as a "treat". My wife said hers was also not grand. Edible and more filling since she had bonus pasta from mine, but not the quality we agree we are used to from Roma. I chose to believe that once dine in service can normalize again, going there in person will be the 5 start experience we remember. We know everyone is doing their best in this poop storm world, so we know this isn't a typical experience. read more

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5 of us had dinner there this week. The service was impeccable, attentive but not intrusive. The food was absolutely delicious! The fried brussel sprouts as an app was SO good. Everyone ordered a different entree and gave it a 5. Highly recommend. Oh! And there is parking behind the building. read more

I am indecisive on how I feel about Roma. I took my boyfriend there for his birthday and we really liked the atmosphere and our server was very nice. I got the bolognese, which was fairly good, but my boyfriend wanted to try something different, so he asked the server for her recommendation. She recommended a walnut pesto pasta, so he ordered that, but it was really gross. We typically like pesto, but this one tasted like there was something wrong with it. He ate it anyways because he felt bad complaining, but he was really sick that night and the next day. We called the restaurant and told them what happened and they said multiple people had complained about that dish and asked for our contact info to make it up to us, but never got back to us. Other than that, we had a good experience and would probably give it another try. read more