We had such a wonderful experience at Roma in Menlo Park. My mom made a reservation for 10 of us after Easter service, and everything was perfect from the start. They set up our table in a beautiful indoor-outdoor space, and with the amazing weather, the whole atmosphere felt special. The staff was incredibly warm and hospitable, and once our full party arrived, everything flowed smoothly from appetizers to the main course. Every dish was top-notch. The highlight for me was the carbonara. It's the only place I've found that truly makes it the way they do in Rome. A few years ago, I visited Rome and, like a classic tourist, ate carbonara nonstop. Ever since then, I haven't been able to find anything that compares--until now. One bite honestly took me right back. Highly recommend. We'll definitely be coming back. read more

3.5 stars. My most recent Roma experience was on the evening of Thursday, May 28, 2026. Mom was craving squid ink pasta, so she suggested this place for our dinner destination. I had visited once before and also remembered ordering take-out from them a few years ago. I wasn't super impressed by them back then, but was open to seeing if I would have an improved opinion of them. Roma ITALIAN CUISINE is a casual dining spot that serves authentic dishes at Menlo Park's main drag, Santa Cruz Avenue. They offer both indoor, comfy quarters and sidewalk seating options equipped with heat lamps. Their warm, neighbourhood vibe with white-tablecloth comfort provides a relaxed atmosphere ideal for unwinding. Mom called Roma shortly after 7:30 PM to see if they had a table for five available for us. No problem, so we headed straight to the restaurant and arrived around 7:45 PM. We were quickly seated and served iced water. Unfortunately, we had to return 1.5 rounds of the water because the glasses were dirty. Mom asked our waitress/server #1 for sliced lemon for our water to which she was told that the kitchen ran out of lemons. Interestingly, our waiter/server#2 brought out the requested slices. This was the waitress' strike #1. Roma's cuisine is more traditional than trendy, serving an array of classic Northern Italian inspired dishes. In addition to the warm, soft complimentary bread, below are what we had for dinner: GNOCCHI ($27) + grilled chicken ($11) - The green pesto looked richly tasty and the potato dumplings looked plump and pillowy. V was a fan of his dish. SQUID INK PESCATORE ($38) - Both Mom and Z ordered this PASTA, but Z requested to substitute the clams with more of the other seafoods. Initially, we were told by the waitress/server #1 that there would be an extra charge for subbing the clams, but our waiter/server #2 ensured that where was no such surcharge. Strike #2 for waitress #1. Initial misinformation aside, Z and Mom were happy with their orders. LASAGNA ($30) - Substantial in size. Chaz finished every bite with enjoyment. POLLO MARSALA ($32) - Very good. I was pleasantly surprised to finally enjoy a dish at Roma. Service kicked off with major disappointment due to our waitress'/server#1's falsifications. Mom was extremely displeased by her which was completely understandable. Thankfully, our waiter/server #2 was much more helpful and friendly. He saved our dinner experience...and my opinion of Roma did, indeed, improve. read more

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Grabbed a quick bite at one of the oldest restaurants felt like taking a history class about the town! The Sicilian server could explain each dish very well with humor. The food was quite flavorful. Sitting on the side way in a sunny day was the best way for a business lunch! read more

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Staff: 5/5 very friendly and courteous but very busy and sometimes hard to get their attention. Food: 2/5 There is complimentary bread with olive oil to start. The caprese ($12) was okay, exactly what you would expect. Guys, the seafood linguini ($38) is SMALL. The pasta is al dente with almost no white in the center. Now for my main gripe is regarding the truffle ravioli ($30). I specifically asked in advance for my ravioli to be cooked thoroughly with no white in the middle. What came out was an undercooked ravioli that was still partly raw and white as I had received in other restaurants. So I hated to do it but I had to send it back. The flavor was slightly sweet and delicious, but when I received the redo, it was still undercooked and now super salty, probably because of the parmesan that was added and the sauce being reduced. The staff was so busy I didn't even bother sending it back. For the price you are charging, this was unacceptable quality and behavior from the chef. We each had a glass of wine and this came out to be a $130+ meal before tips. read more

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Based on my previous experience and it was getting late in the evening I called Roma for a late reservation at 8:30 PM for three of us. My two friends were from Italy so I wanted to share with them some nice Italian food. The server was fabulous. His name I believe was Will and he was so delightful and charming and efficient. The first problem we had was when the little dish of "olive oil" came to the table with the hot bread. My Italian friend looked at that and said "that is not olive oil" I was shocked and I said I'm sure it is this is an Italian restaurant" I did not taste it but I called the waiter over and asked him what is this. He said it is olive oil. I said could you show us the bottle. He complied but he brought out a large plastic container that said canola oil on it. I told the server that canola oil is not olive oil and he said he was very sorry this is what they serve. So if you're expecting olive oil with your warm bread this is not the place. Bring your own olive oil. My salmon was delicious. Highly recommend the salmon and my friend had the penne pasta which was also delicious. read more

Roma - Fake olive oil. They serve canola oil to cut costs. - Italian Near Me - Menlo Park, California

Cute Italian spot in Downtown Menlo Park! We shared the burrata con prosciutto which was kind of small for the price. I got the pollo parmigiana which was good but again relatively small for the price. The bread was super good. Overall a bit pricy for the quantity so not sure if I'll be back read more

Roma is an excellent spot for spending quality time with friends and family. Their food is exceptional, particularly their fresh pastas, which are consistently top-notch. The staff is friendly and professional, creating a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. This has become our family's go-to place for a comfortable meal and a pleasant evening. read more

A very special experience! My mom and I found this place in the old Menlo Park area as we are passing through, spending the night nearby. Charming ambiance with high ceilings and soft lighting. We were greeted by the gregarious host. He and my mom traded details of growing up on the east coast. We ordered the bruschetta starter (yum!) and I had the pollo Marsala (best I've ever had!) and mom had the truffle ravioli. The service was attentive and very professional. The waiter jumped in to fix our slightly wobbly table. It was busy but not frantic. The host came over to check on us. The waiter was so on point. I will definitely visit again. Roma has won a loyal (though infrequent because of travel) customer. read more

On a balmy evening my partner and I celebrated her recovery from illness by dining at the Roma restaurant in Menlo Park. It was memorable. I had the best chicken marsala I'd ever had, and she enjoyed the seafood pasta dish. The gentlemen serving us were professional. I think they could tell it was a special dinner for us and were especially The ambience reminded me of Italian restaurants I'd been to on Staten Island, NYC. The Frank Sinatra songs playing made us both nostalgic. Something special for us. read more

Highly highly recommend! We saw Roma on Yelp and decided to give it a try. I am so glad we did! We sat outside under the covered patio with the string lights. They have heaters if it gets cold. The service is fabulous and the food even more so! We ordered calamari which was perfectly battered and came with artichoke hearts and green beans as well. We ordered some pastas and eggplant parm and everything was AMAZING. I can't wait to come back again and try more. read more

We went there on Friday night with family for dinner, the street was quite quiet and not many people, the restaurant was also very empty when we went there. We ordered a bunch of things and most were very flavorful 1. kids fettucine alfredo: 5/5 very creamy and exactly what kids will like 2. Chicken A la Florenzi: 5/5 this was very delicious with slightly spicy, the fettuccini felt soft and fresh 3. Chicken marsala: 2/5 the marsala sauce was quite basic and lacked flavor, don't recommend this dish Overall a nice place with good pasta read more

OMGosh - so wonderful! We stopped in on a Monday evening (just driving by and it looked enticing) and had not only a truly delicious meal, but some fun conversations with the staff! I had the Nonna's Ragu, that was just perfect. Table companion raved about their food as well. There was delightful music playing softly, and some outdoor seating. Often, it's the little things that make a difference..... they warmed the milk for the after dinner coffee! We'll definitely be going back... often! Thank you for such a pleasant experience! read more

Stopped in for midweek dinner last night after a work event. Host was warm, welcoming (and told us he was a recent transplant from New Hampshire...good to meet you, Dave!). Service was excellent - just that perfect balance of taking care of us without being intrusive. We went pastas (linguine and capellini), with salad and soup before. Food selections were hearty and tasty. Additionally, their negroni is classic and like an old friend - I'm not a fan of some attempts to "update" and change the classic Italian cocktail so I'm very appreciative of any venue that keeps this the way it was originally intended. We will definitely be back! read more

Incredible food and even better service -- super polite staff and really nice ambience overall Would 100% recommend read more

A staple location in Menlo Park for classic italian food. Bruschetta was a starter for the night along with some wine. The surprising star of the early meal was the olive oil that came with the table bread. Moving on to entrees, I had a phenomenal Alfredo pasta with chicken and sausage. The inside has a down to earth feel with wine bottles decorating the walls and an old school looking bar area. The place was packed and the servers were very nice. This is the 4th time I have visited and it will not be the last. read more

Reservations were made for a party of 6 in advance for a an elderly special birthday!! We were promptly seated which was the only thing that was done in a timely fashion. Waited 1hour 20 minutes for our meal to show up. The server kept telling us the meal will be served shortly and nothing happened, another 15-30 minutes we would ask about our entrees and the same response!!! The Roma Fettuccine was too creamy, the rack of lamb was too well done, the eggplant Parmesan was bland and the service was non existent. The flourless chocolate cake was a pure chunk of chocolate, panna cotta was just OK!! Tiramisu was heavy and not light, fluffy nor authentic!! Icing on the cake was the 20% tip included in the check!! Will never be back nor will I be able to recommend them! Not sure how they have a 4/5 rating!! We saw another elderly couple just stand up and leave when their meal was served super late as well, so it was not only us!!! read more

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I was pretty disappointed with Roma given the positive reviews they had on Yelp. I went on a Saturday night with a friend and we got the carbonara, seafood pasta, and tiramisu. The carbonara was super salty and had no flavor. The seafood in the seafood pasta was not fresh and had an artificial tomato as well. The tiramisu was not bad but also not superb. The service was also really slow.. read more

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Came on Valentine's Day.The wait was about 45 minutes a lot of couples besides my boyfriend and I had reservations.We had to wait for our seatings. The food took a while to come out our waiter was amazing can't remember his name the host was such an incredible person had a great personality and was very goofy. His recommendations on the menu were super delicious.I was very happy with my dinner.Did also appreciate how the hospitality was they really kept up on making sure everything was going well.Will be coming back. read more

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I usually don't rate so low, but we went there and it was a busy night, so I knew that service was going to be slow, which is all good! I get seated and they ask for our drinks and the waiter brings out a dish with olive oil and balsamic vinegar in it. However, bread was supposed to come with it, but we did not receive bread until 20 to 30 minutes later. After a little while we began to order, I ordered the salmon and my partner order their shrimp pasta. Both were very under seasoned, and the salmon pretty much had no flavor to it. The pasta had pretty much no sauce and it was watery in the bowl. The pasta also had no seasoning. For the price of the dinner (110), it's safe to say that it was not worth it. The portions were small, and did not taste very well. For the prices on the menu, I had much higher expectations. Not only that, but for the price, the dishes are pretty simple and would take someone with a novice cooking level skill to prepare. Maybe it was just a one off night, but I don't think I will be coming back here again unfortunately read more

Great service and food and ambience....................,... The host was amazing... And our waiter was very personable... Can't wait to come back! read more

Very sweet and accommodating team! my family and i were one of the only parties on Christmas day, which made the waiting time close to none. i ordered the penne alla vodka pasta with salmon....everything was alright until i got home. mind you i had eaten nothing else before our meal.... i came home nauseas and immediately lost my lunch. my head was in the toilet on and off for hours, and i am now on bed rest.. i am still having chills and body aches hours after our early lunch reservation read more

Had a delightful Father's Day dinner with my wife and boys. First impression was meeting David on the sidewalk, he was gracious, accommodating and witty while helping my wife select a nice table out on the patio. All through the evening his warm personality and friendly interaction was immensely enjoyable. We all found our pasta entrees to be very flavorful and well proportioned. The waitstaff were attentive and considerate and we ended dinner with a tasty chocolate mousse that I particularly enjoyed. Menu changes in August and we are already planning our return trip for another yummy dinner and more engaging conversation with David. read more

We had the best time at Roma. It was Father's Day and graduation weekend! Everyone at the table enjoyed their meal. 10 satisfied customers. In addition the manager was able to fit us in at the last minute (we did not have reservations ). Thank you for making my child graduation special. (Didn't take pics we were tired and hungry) read more

This is a great neighborhood restaurant, family owned and operated. Charming and spacious dining room as well as lovely outside seating. We love their caesar salad and pastas...haven't tried many of the meat dishes yet. Slightly pricey for what it is, but not out of line with other local neighborhoods. Definitely give it a try for great Italian food! read more

Roma has a nice outdoor covered patio with heat lamps and also a nice indoor set-up. Was surprised to see the teriyaki steak on the menu at an Italian restaurant but the meat was cooked well. The seafood linguini was delicious as too! Homemade Meatballs ...$18 Beef Meatballs served with mozzarella cheese and fresh basil over tomato sauce. Linguini Seafood ...$28 Prawns, scallops, rock shrimps, clams, mussels and fresh seasonal fish in spicy marinara sauce. Marinated Teriyaki Skirt Steak ...$45 With garlic mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables topped with onion rings. read more

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We made reservations the night before only upon their assurance is that they would set aside a private room for us. When we arrived , there was no private room for us and our waiter said that he had no knowledge of our request. Someone is lying. If we had not received their assurances that there would be a private room we would not have made the reservations read more

My husband and I have frequented Roma many times over the years and even though the service was always good, a few months back we decided not to return because we just didn't think the food was that great. About a month ago I read on NextDoor that Roma had a new menu and management team, so we decided to give it another try this past Saturday. So glad that we did - the food was excellent! My husband had the Chicken Florenzi and I had Pollo Marsala and we both cleaned our plates. My chicken was tender, served with fresh broccoli, spinach and mashed potato. The marsala sauce was light yet very flavorful. We look forward to returning again soon! read more

Wanted to like this place...really did. Our servers were amazing But our meal total was $120 with tip for two entrees and a salad and two waters....insane. The salad was delicious great Caesar. But my husbands chicken parm was tasteless and tasted almost like it had been frozen and defrosted like a TV dinner and was served with a few pieces of veggies and mashed potatoes (not pasta?). My capellini was a simple dish with a red sauce and the sauce tasted burnt and off. we were starved after a day of travel and just ate it and went on our way but for that quality and price point...won't be back. read more

Such great food! Authentic Italian. Cute area, staff and manager very friendly, highly recommend.

Sidewalk cafe with lots of angels in the ceiling ( previous owners?) . Kind of nice. Got the Caesar salad-pretty good but no cracked pepper offered. Draft beer was cold and tasty but had to ask twice to get it. Meatballs were flavorful but the sauce a bit sweet for me. Homemade pasta excellent. read more

I tried the pesto penne pasta (I had customized it). The portion size was toooo much for me - equivalent to two meals lol. But it tasted really good and was accompanied with 4 slices of bread!!! Wow! Worth the bucks and the pasta and sauce were egg-free. read more

4.5 stars! A very nice place to celebrate a wedding anniversary! Quiet, nicely decorated - relaxed ambience and attentive staff. We shared a Caesar salad sans croutons with a couple of nice anchovies on top. Nicely dressed and I do love those anchovies! We also tried two pasta dishes with the GF penne substituted. The GF pasta was cooked perfectly. I really enjoyed my Roma version with a light garlic creme sauce and sun dried tomatoes, bay scallops and shrimp. Hubby got the chicken with spicy marinara sauce. We treated ourselves to a shared creme brulee and decaf capp. The brulee was the thinnest layer I ever seen served so the custard part got a bit overheated from the caramelizing of the top but it did eventually cool down..if they filled the dish a bit more that would solve this issue. The cappuccino was surprisingly good = our barista there definitely knew how to work the expresso machine! I would definitely be interested in trying more dishes here. Very fair value for portion size especially now where everything seems to be skyrocketing! read more

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Hidden gem. Looks too formal for kids from the outside but it's actually great for kids - staff is always super friendly and they nicely make kid versions of the entrees. Nice quality but not super expensive either. read more

We've been here now about three or four times and it is our new favorite Italian restaurant. Aside from the food, the staff are lovely. It's such a pleasure to speak with them and deal with them as they are helpful, funny and responsive. That's a shout out to both Lara and Rodil!! As to the food, their caprese is generous with mozzarella and is very tasty. I am a spaghetti Bolognese kind of girl and theirs is excellent. My husband goes more for the chicken Marsala, which he says is delicious. Also had great reviews of the grilled salmon and last but not least, the affogato for dessert. The olive oil mix that comes with bread is, per my husband, the best he's ever had. read more

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Service is great! Our waitress was the kindest and we really appreciated that! The food was not the best. We ordered some of the seafood pastas and starters. Overall they smelled & tasted too fishy, briny, and off- as if they weren't fresh or just went bad. I love seafood but this was meh. I'm just glad I didn't feel sick the next day. read more

We enjoy coming here - my parents especially. Food Have always enjoyed my meals here, though I really just need a basic pasta bolognese to be happy. Everyone that we've taken here is a repeat customer. They do have gluten free penne if you need it. Prices Reasonable for the neighborhood Service Always good *except* one visit most recently where we were seated outside and we felt like they forgot our order... it took 45 min for a penne bolognese and seafood linguine... they told us it was because they had so many takeout orders, but in my book that's not an excuse. I would have appreciated at least an apology and in some cases a comped dessert or some small act of valuing our business. Normally this would bump my review down to 2 stars... but this was inconsistent with every other time I've been here. But left a really poor taste in my mouth!! Seating They have a well covered outdoor patio area with heat lamps for those who prefer outdoor seating. There have been a few times during warmer weather where we've been able to get a large round table indoor next to their open window for an indoor outdoor experience. read more

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Came here on a Sunday night. Got the following: - spaghetti Bolognese: yummy, great flavor and sausage was great! - risotto with salmon: decent, but lacking in flavor overall. Not horrible but didn't wow me. Service and ambiance is nice. Might come again for the atmosphere and try other dishes. read more

Roma - Italian Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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I understand restaurants can become busy and fall behind on wait times ... but when a reservation is set to 8:15PM (Outdoor) you shouldn't be seated at 9:15PM even after consulting the Manager countless times and he just shrugs you off. We were sat down finally with other parties but unfortunately did not receive any menus not even utensils yet everyone else did. Manager personally handed out the menus to 3 other parties and left us empty handed. Wish I could review the food but we left due to poor service - guess it depends a lot how you look like. Recommend Italian Bros. At Los Gatos instead read more

When in Roma, bring your best comfy sweater and biggest appetite. As soon as I walked in, I was enamored with all the lights and beautiful xmas tree. My family and I gathered for a birthday dinner during the holiday season -- great spot during this time of year! The service was excellent and the food was incredibly fresh. We particularly loved the charcuterie spread we ordered as an appetizer. Perfect for a group of 5 adults. I was even impressed by how smooth the transitions were from ordering to appetizers to our pasta dishes. My rigatoni and sausage was in the smaller portion side, but it was delicioso! *muah* What's not to love! read more

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I have been wanting to try out this restaurant for quite some time but it is a bit of trek for me. That said, I found the perfect opportunity to do so - my wife's birthday. The restaurant staff was incredibly courteous in getting us a large table (8) and then when people canceled they accommodated and pared it down to (6) without issues (I called 3 weeks in advance to make reservations and this place does get busy - so plan ahead for larger parties). The food was outstanding, here is what we ordered: Apps * Fried Calamari: We got this for the table to start and they were very well seasoned (not too salty and not too bready). Mains: * Chicken Parmesan: My older son is super picky and all he eats at an Italian restaurant is this dish. He finished all of his meal but left his veggies which were cooked well and were tasty (I had them). The tomato sauce that came with this meal was EPIC (I had some)! * Seafood Paella: I made the mistake of ordering a Seafood Paella at an Italian restaurant like this (I will not make this mistake again). The paella was nothing to write home about - very fishy. Sorry but I would pass on this dish! * Grilled Salmon: My father-in-law gets this usually and his fish looked great and he said that it was cooked well. It was embellished with veggies which looked great. * Mediterranean Prawns: My mother-in-law ordered this dish and I was instantly jealous of her as it not only looked delicious but beautiful as well (very good sized portion). * Penne with Chicken (add broccoli): My wife got this dish as she was in the mood for something "simple" and she said that it was delicious. The tomato sauce at Roma is RIDICULOUSLY good... * Kids Spaghetti and Meatballs: My younger son got this and he finished it completed - that is a sign of a good Spaghetti and Meatballs in my opinion. read more

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