I know there is a shortage of servers and kitchen help but it tool two full hours from the time we ordered until the time dinner was served on a less than busy week night. Food was okay but nothing special. The manager did come to apologize and offer free dessert. Unfortunately, it was almost 10:00 and we needed to get home. read more

We love Roma Bistro and eat there often, when in town. We especially love the wedge salad, bread and oil mixes, and the Osso Bucco! Best of all, however, is their server, Amber! She loves her job and her customers and will treat you special! We LOVE her and will request her everytime! Way to go, Amber! read more

Food quality has diminished greatly over the years. We've noticed it & so have our friends.

I visited Roman Bistro with a couple of good friends this past Sat. evening at around 6:30. I normally don't get out this way too often, but my friends' house is nearby and they're frequent customers, so they invited me to dinner with them here. Given that they enjoy Roman Bistro, I was keen to check out one of their favorite haunts, so I took them up on their offer. Our visit got off to a bit of a rocky start when no waitstaff came to greet us for 10 min. after being seated, so one of my friends went to inform the hostess. At that point, a waitress came to greet us within a couple of minutes, accompanied by a manager who offered us comped appetizers. We took the manager up on this offer and got two orders of the bada bing shrimp ($13 each), which turned out to be delicious, with just the right amount of spice and a nice crunch. We also ordered drinks, with one of my friends ordering a beer, and my other friend and I ordering their specialty martinis (chocolate and strawberry blond, respectively; $8, -$1 with Yelp check-in discount). When my martini was served, I took a sip and then noticed something that turned out to be a fruit fly in my drink, so the waitress apologetically got me another one. Be forewarned that this drink must be a major fruit fly attractor, since my second drink was served without any fruit flies, but one got into it as I sipped on it throughout the meal (this time, I fished it out without complaint). For our entrees, I ordered the chicken artichoke piccata ($21), one friend ordered the flatiron steak ($23), and the other ordered the pumpkin ravioli special ($24). Additionally, each of us ordered a side of soup or salad with our meal ($4 each). I ordered the New England Clam Chowder, which was thick and had a decent amount of clam, but was rather salty. My chicken piccata, which consisted of grilled chicken breasts over linguine with capers and artichokes in a lemon butter sauce, was quite delicious, and was a big enough portion for two meals (I ate half there and the other half for dinner the next night). Because I don't eat beef, I didn't try the steak, but my friend who ordered it seemed quite satisfied with it. The star of the show, though, was the pumpkin ravioli that my other friend ordered, which she generously let me sample. The filling consisted of pumpkin and mascarpone cheese, and was rich yet seemed light and airy, and was dressed with an allspice cream sauce. If you see this seasonal item on the menu and you enjoy pumpkin, be sure to order it--you won't be disappointed! Before heading back to my friends' house, all of us ordered dessert to go. One friend and I ordered the death by chocolate ($7), a huge slice of chocolate cake with chocolate icing and shavings drizzled with chocolate sauce. Needless to say, if you're a chocoholic, this is the dessert for you! My other friend ordered a slice of the NY cheesecake topped with raspberry sauce ($7), which I didn't try but looked delicious. Despite the rocky start, my friends and I were quite satisfied with the service from our waitress, Lori Anne, throughout the meal. While I ordered more than I usually do when dining out, and I thought the price point was a tad steep, I can't complain too much, given the comped apps and drink and the slight drink discount. Based on the crowd and clientele and the casual atmosphere, it's clear that that Roman Bistro is a favorite haunt of the locals, and I can see why. read more

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I really would love to rate this place higher and I would have had I not ordered take out from here on 3/1/16 and received it in the containers that I brought to the restaurant on 2/20/16 for my baby shower. I recognized the containers because they had a sticker on them. The sticker had been ripped off, but not completely for my take out order. The leftover containers had been placed next to my gifts and were clearly intended for me to take back home NOT be used by the restaurant for their future take out orders. In addition to my stolen containers, which by the way can not be okay with the health board, the cookies and chocolate on top of my cake weren't given to me. They were either tossed out or kept by the staff. My cake was originally cut by someone from the restaurant but after that the guests had to cut their own cake. The restaurant charges $1 per person to cut the cake but didn't cut the cake. My mother-in-law had cake in one of the to go containers next to her on the table. When it disappeared she asked a waitress if they had seen it. The waitress told her she would check but when walking past my Aunt stated "I didn't steal her cake." There were also several pieces of cake left after the shower that mysteriously disappeared after the guests left. I am disappointed in this place. We've been here for dinner and have had various larger dinner parties here. I will no longer visit this establishment and will not recommend it to anyone else read more

I go there a few times a year, and have never had anything but great food & service. Tonight I had their "slightly spicy" pasta amatriciana (I forget the pasta type), and a not-too-sweet caramel porter, both recommended by the wonderful bartender Tyler. The entree arrived before they could finish plating the salad! All wonderful. read more

Roman Bistro - Lousy shot of my food arriving almost before I finished ordering. Seriously! - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The lobster ravioli is absolutely amazing. The squid in pasta really brings out the freshness in the pasta. Spaghetti and meatballs were good as well. However, the veal saltimbocca was dreadful. Veal was leathery and awfully over cooked. Breading for the veal was poorly executed and turned out to be a slimy flap of soggy breading. For the sauce they were extremely heavy handed on the Marsala for the sauce. Would go back for the lobster ravioli alone but due to inconsistency I wouldn't venture into the menu any further read more

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Truer words have never been spoken. My family lives pretty much across the street from this establishment. For several years it stood empty. We carefully watched, hoping some restaurant would move in - preferably one that served alcohol. When it became clear a business was moving into the building, we were thrilled. After months of watching renovations and wondering what was to come, the Roman Bistro finally opened. On Father's Day, my husband, daughter, and I headed over to enjoy a nice family dinner at our newest local restaurant. I'll start with the positives. The beer list is amazing. Great selection. And the atmosphere is very attractive. As far as the food goes, it's not bad. It's nothing to write home about, but it's okay. Here's where the critical aspects of this review kick in. After selecting our meals, including ziti for our two-year-old, we waited an inordinate amount of time for our food to arrive. Our waitress had seemingly disappeared. Empty drink glasses were not refilled. If it had been a busy night this would have been understandable. But it wasn't a busy night at all. About 2/3 of the tables sat empty. Finally our waitress reappeared. She brought out a basket of cold and slightly stale bread and told us our food would be out soon. Then she dropped the bombshell: there was no ziti. Our 2-year-old's meal would not arrive with our meals. If you have a young child, you understand that can be a major issue. We asked for a mini pizza instead but the mini pizza would not be ready for about 20 minutes. Not good. Our meals came out and as I fruitlessly tried to get my daughter to eat some of my trout with shallots (best of luck getting a toddler to eat that), I lamented not going to the more casual but consistently decent Drew's down the block. Her pizza finally arrived about 15 minutes later. She enjoyed the pizza but it was too little, too late. We left feeling shortchanged, having spent a good $75 with tip for a below-average experience. On our way out, we stopped in at the beer store to get a sampler - a six-pack for $33. The beer was fantastic and the prices probably reflect PA's archaic liquor laws more than anything else. But we were feeling none too jazzed about stopping in for another meal anytime soon. Final verdict: We've been back for the occasional beer but never another meal. Maybe that's a mistake. But first impressions are everything and our first impression of the Roman Bistro left us decidedly unimpressed. read more

Roman Bistro is a welcome addition to Ardmore Blvd. I am happy to see more small businesses and coffee shops opening in Forest Hills. I am conflicted about writing RB's review because each time that I have gone, I have had a completely different dining experience. As a result, I'm giving it a "middle of the road" three stars. Here's a brief summation of my trips. They can be broken down to four types. CASUAL PENS GAME RB has several game-day specials like half price wings (5$ for a half dozen jumbo wings and bread), $2 Miller Lights (meh.), and select discounts on drafts/wine. Their wings are really good and huge to boot. RB has 33 drafts and more in their bottle shop. Definitely a fun place to catch the game, but I've gotten a listless vibe from the bartenders on more than one occasion. ROMANTIC-TYPE DINNER WITH BOYFRIEND Boyfriend and I used a coupon for a nice dinner one Friday evening. Our waiter (this time) was very friendly, if slightly overwhelmed by the demands of his many tables. For an appetizer, we ordered the Antipasto Plate with 'artisan cheeses and meats." This couldn't be farther from the truth. It looked and tasted like someone dumped their Giant Eagle deli selections on a plate. Avoid. The calamari with aioli was really delicious, however. We also shared a bottle of red wine from their extensive wine list. For entrees, I chose the lobster ravioli and boyfriend had the seafood special of they day. We both enjoyed our meals but 1. they took a long time to get to us. We were thinking of complaining when they finally arrived. 2. entrees are a la carte and I think for the price soup and/or salad would be appropriate inclusions. BOTTLE SHOP I've frequented their bottle shop for beers as it's a convenient walk from where I live. The prices are very reasonable (a bit cheaper than D's), but sometimes I stood at the bar forever until someone helped me with my purchase. BRUNCH Only been once but aside from a few a la carte options, they also have an all you can eat brunch. A really tasty Sunday treat! I go here often enough that I will amend my rating if the waitstaff becomes more consistent. Overall, service is really polar. Roman Bistro has some fantastic staff who are friendly and knowledgeable. But some of the others remind me of disaffected youth forced to do community service after committing a minor crime. I will be happy to give this place four stars after a few more positive dining experiences! read more

I have been to Roman Bistro a few times and I'm on their email list. Here are the things I have to say. Pros 1. It's called Roman Bistro 33...why 33 because the have 33 beers on tap. Yeah that's 33 more beers than any other Bar in Forest Hills because there are literally no other bars in Forest Hills. Having said that 33 is a pretty good number for any bar. 2. Live music at least once a week. I like live music no matter what it is. Beats Muzak playing in the background. 3.Deals every day of the week, get on their mailing list and you can stay up to date. 4. Flat Breads yummmy........ Cons 1. The Cigar/Bottle Shop next door is weak. If I wanted to pay $5 for a cheap beer I would go to a bar in downtown. The cafe bottle shops at Giant Eagle beat the crap out of their bottle shop. Conclusion It's a great place especially for being in Forest Hills. Give a try and I don't think you will be disappointed. read more

First things first, we come from Cleveland where we eat in Little Italy on Murray Hill regularly- most of those restaurants have been open and in the same family for 30-50+ years. It has become apparent to me that the Italians do not rush you through any meal. To me, this is just an Italian thing- they love their food, and love feeding others their food even more so. So the pace of the service is not as rushed as other restaurants. It is relaxed and laid back, almost like you're eating at home. I guess my point is, we never expect a true Italian meal to be any kind of 'quick'. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think I am. This is how it was tonight, the service was relaxed but not at all slow and notedly efficient. Everyone was extremely friendly from the hostess that greeted us at the door, to our awesome server Judy. I had 4 kids aged 7-18 and she was great with all of them! The food was delicious, portions huge (their Nona would be proud) and it was very family friendly. Highly recommend, and we'll be back if we are ever in the area again- thanks for all the love Judy! read more

Best spot in town! Love the food, wine, and service! My server Kayla K. was very attentive and well informed of any questions we had regarding the menu. All around the bistro is my new go to place! read more

I enjoy Italian food... a lot. Rich melted cheeses, lasagna, pasta, red sauce and meatballs; what's not to like? I had never heard of Roman Bistro on Ardmore Boulevard until today- apparently I've been out of the Italian-restaurant food loop for quite some time. Roma Bistro is a large restaurant, with a seating capacity of 150. Upon entry you can't help but notice the large bar stretches half the length of the front eating area. Another, more private dining area is located past the bar, ideal for private gatherings. The décor was modern Italian; large oversized tiles decorated the floors, and real linen napkins are used on the tables- snazzy. We sat in a large booth next to the bar- a location that enabled us to keep an eye on things in the dining room. Several large flat-screen TVs were hung throughout the facility... the owners must be sports fans. Outside seating is available during the summer months. A few moments after our drink orders were taken, our waitress served us large slices of doughy Italian bread and sun-dried tomato and olive tapenade. The fluffy bread sopped up the rich mixture and creamy olive oil. Delicious. I started with a house salad with blue cheese to start. The mixed greens were fresh, bitter, and sweet- a nice combination. Yellow tomatoes, pickled yellow and red beets, shaved Parmesan cheese and red onions completed the flavorful mixture. I ordered an arugula and prosciutto pizza, my dinner companions chose the baked lasagna, and cod sandwich- sans bun. The pizza arrived in a non-traditional elongated rectangular shape. The six-sliced pie looked appetizing. In addition to the arugula and prosciutto, the surface was adorned with fresh slices of Roma tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. As I took a bite of the pie I noticed that the crust was chewy, hard, and raw on top. The dough itself lacked flavor, and didn't resemble any pizza dough I had ever had. Luckily, the toppings were enjoyable- especially the spicy arugula. The breaded cod was seasoned and properly cooked. It came with sliced tomatoes, lemon, homemade coleslaw and tartar sauce. The fish was fresh and flaky- the portion was large enough for two sandwiches. The lasagna was prepared differently. Two large strands of pasta were boiled, stuffed, and baked with sauce and cheese. The sauce was tasty, and fresh. The filling was equally as good, but unfortunately the rolled pasta that wasn't sauced was hard and unpalatable. We shared some silky-smooth salted caramel ice cream for dessert with fresh cream and raspberries. Roman Bistro is a quaint, family restaurant in a prime location. With a few menu tweaks, and an improvement in basic cooking techniques, Roman Bistro could become on of Pittsburgh's premier Italian restaurants. read more

On a less than busy, post lunch rush stop, we were less than thrilled with our visit. There were two issues with getting our order right, and there wasn't anything special about the orders... Sides and salad dressings were messed up. Simply the kitchen not reading tickets on a leisurely afternoon. One meal was fine, the other dry and with the tell tale signs of being under the lights in the window for too long. The server was attentive when flagged down but slow and scattered on her own. All of the mistakes combined mean not only will we not return, but we will be sure to discourage friends looking for a bite in Forest Hills from visiting. read more

Roman Bistro has a very nice building and is a great environment to enjoy drinks and dinner. However, they seem to still be going through the struggles of a brand new business. Their staff seems to be out of sync. Their bartenders are not very knowledgeable which makes me believe that they were friends of or related to the owners. The Kitchen on the other hand is pretty phenomenal! I ordered a "cigar" flatbread and it was amazing! (half priced during happy hour) I have not tried the rest of the menu, but it is pretty unique for the area (forest hills) and rather gourmet compared to area restaurants. I recommend Roman Bistro, I only suggest waiting 6 months from now for them to work out their staff issues. read more

Been back a few more times since last review (closest restaurant to home) and they are still serving great food but the service had really stepped it up a notch. the waiters/waitress are fantastic and go out of their way to make sure your happy and they are personable. again, the sausage gnocchi is still my favorite. keep it up! read more

We went for the prime rib dinner that they have on Saturday nights. Luckily I called earlier in the afternoon and was able to snag a reservation. The place was BUSY! But we were seated within a few minutes. Our server Amber was THE. BEST! She had 2 large parties in addition to our party of 4 but she never seemed overwhelmed and stressed. We have had her before for brunch and she was equally amazing. She really is an asset to the company. The food....awesome! I wished the calamari was a little warmer but I can overlook that. Amazing draft beer selection! The prime rib was out of this world. I ordered medium rare, my fiancé medium, and my son medium well. They all came out perfect. The veggies were good. The kids Mac and cheese for my daughter was also very good. Large portions. A little pricey but for what you get it's totally worth it. We will be back. Just love this little hidden gem in our neighborhood. read more

Roman bistro never disappoints! My absolute favorite spot for brunch, lunch, and dinner! Thank you Lisa for the amazing service tonight and for recommending the scallop dish! read more

Roman Bistro - Death by Chocolate - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Came in for brunch and it was delicious!!! Everyone was so nice! Our server Amber was awesome!! If the brunch is this good I can't wait to come for dinner! read more

Went for dinner on Friday. 1st strike the server had a attitude. I asked for water and the water had a horrible after taste so I returned it. 2nd strike, ordered my meal and was asked, "Would you like a cup of soup or salad WITH IT?" I said soup. When my friend ordered his meal, he was asked if he would like to ADD ON a soup or salad. When I realized what had happened I went to look for the server to ask her to remove the soup because I didn't want a additional charge. I was told that it was already entered and put it on my table. 3rd strike, soup was luke warm straight from the kitchen!! Manager came by at that time and when I mentioned the luke warm soup, he just shook his head. 4th strike, when my meal arrived my pasta was one HUGE BALL of dough!!! Everything else was good and tasty. When I mentioned that to the server, they never made eye contact just looked down!!! Needless to say I didn't eat the pasta. We like this retaurant and have had good experiences there with their Sunday Brunches and dinners, so this was upsetting. read more

I really enjoy this place. So far... my favorite is the beet salad. I can't stop getting it!!! I've also had the poutine, bada bing shrimp, and Italian wedding soup. All were decent. Bada bing shrimp was just OK. I wouldn't order it again though. The bar is this place's asset. Bartenders are great! They have an awesome beer selection here with the ever enticing mystery beer! It's not one of my go to places in the area for casual food. read more

What they said re service! I was actually so angry from waiting for service from a surly bartender who insisted on correcting our nomenclature on our drink order that I almost walked out. My Mother had wanted to bring me here so I took a deep breath and TRIED to order. Meatball sandwich in Pittsburgh should be pretty safe, right??? Me, "Can I have a small salad instead of fries?" Surly bartender, "No." REALLY??? Food arrives quickly ergo one star. Food was absolutely horrible! My mother had the blackened prime rib sandwich. I had the meatball hoagie without salad. Both were bland and tasteless. The manager asked us how it was and I told her. She credited us for the meals which was appreciated but doesn't save the poor service and bad food. read more

Waited 15 minutes at the bar. No waters, no menu. Followed by some excuses about how crazy busy they were (even though there were open seats at the bar and no wait for a table). It IS Friday at 1:12pm. Who'd have thought people wanted lunch. Left without ordering. read more

We went there for brunch and I had a pleasant time. The furnishings and ambience were comfortable and there was plenty of room to move about. Service was decent but i think a few minor tweaks could really improve it. For instance, perhaps they are understaffed, but it wouldn't hurt for the server to at least make eye-contact or some kind of contact with the table so we aren't sitting there wondering what is going on. But on to the more important stuff - the food. The brunch had a nice variety of options including an omelet bar, lots of breakfast sweet breads like cinnamon rolls, pancakes, french toast,etc. Their smoked salmon was a nice touch and tasted fresh. Their lunch options were a bit more meager ... including linguini in a pesto sauce, baked fish, chili, and perogies. As we were there before 11 perhaps they change the brunch menu as the day progresses. Breakfast or lunch, the dessert selections were great. I highly recommend the oreo rice-krispy treats and the chocolate chip cookies. Also, the bacon and sausage were a step-up from traditional breakfast meats. Either way, I thought it was a fair deal for $13 although I was a little surprised that coffee was additional but I liked that they didn't go crazy on the price. Coffee was $2. A few quibbles ... Brew the coffee stronger - it looked like tea in the cup and one creamer turned it milk-like Set the toaster to go a little darker - i realize that this could be difficult or that perhaps the user is to adjust it Add a few lighter options, including more fruit, yogurt, etc. I look forward to going again. read more

We have gone in for drinks four times. Each time was worse than the last. Bartenders surly and rude every time. Customers should not have to try to engage the help - it should be the help making customers feel welcome. Asked for the beer glass to be full on one occasion and was told "that's how we pour". That's okay, we get it. Other establishments want our business. Sad that yours doesn't. read more

I ordered a strawberry salad as a togo order. When i got home I noticed they gave me blue cheese instead of goat cheese, they did not put the walnuts on my salad and they gave me balsamic vinaigrette and Greek (I think it was Greek, that's what it tastes like) dressing instead of the yogurt vinaigrette. I've never ordered to go from roman bistro before but it definitely isn't the way to go. Check your food before you leave or just eat in... read more

Roman Bistro - I started eating it before I took a picture... I was already home and was not going to drive back to complain. - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I've been here twice - once for lunch and once for dinner. Overall...it's really good...and I'm not easy to please. Lunch was with some buddies after a round of golf. I had a big ol' burger that wa s done right and generously smothered with onions, nushrooms and blue cheese. Delicious...and the variations that my buddies ordered were all met with hearty approval. Dinner the other night was with two kids and a mom...I ordered a pasta dish from their pasta night options. My boy had spaghetti and the others split some wings and fries. The waitress was attentive, the food was great, and the cost wax much less that I'd have thought. Nice touch was the free dessert for the birthday mom after a play at spin the wheel. I have to admit, I came in with some preconceived notions - figured this place was an overpriced attempt at high class in a middle class neighborhood. Turned out it's an excellent restaurant that gets it right. Well done! read more

We celebrated our son's graduation from CMU with a wonderful meal and great service. My son ordered the prime rib and it was very tender and prepared just right. My wife enjoyed the salmon, and I had Chicken Marsala. This restaurant exceeded our expectations in ever way! read more

What a menu and the best service ever! The food was not only delicious but presented beautifully. It was my birthday and I felt so important! Not only did they bring a tall stemmed wine glass with a sparkler to recognize my birthday but also treated us to a limoncello! Very classy and welcoming restaurant and we will be sure to go back. I highly recommend this restaurant and will make a point to experience their Sunday brunch. read more

An awesome pit stop for my husband, 9 month old baby, and I! We saw that we could make a reservation through the Yelp app, and let the restaurant know that we would be coming in very late (9:30pm) with our 9 month old baby. We had the caprese salad and shared a chicken Marsala entry. Our server Sharon was able to help us entertain our baby (we suggest adding a side dish of childcare to the menu). We'll come back when traveling through Pittsburgh! read more

Great Sunday brunch. A really good value for the selection offered. Be causious of the after church croud around 1230. They fill the place up and are generally really slow in the buffet line. The staff are really friendly and I have yet to have a bad meal here. read more

Great spot in forest hills! I recommend happy hour for their half off apps. I highly recommend their burgers. We went for dinner and our server, Tyler, was wonderful! He went above and beyond taking care of us. He was definitely the best server we ever had at romans. Thank you to Tyler for making our dining experience better. read more

Very nice restaurant, food was great (big portions though), server was very polite and knowledgeable. Great experience so we will be back! read more

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I really want them to do well. Every time I've been here, it's a bit of a mixed bag. They weren't packed tonight, but kitchen was backed up. We had a reservation for a large party, but couldn't be seated until at least half the party was there. I thought that was a little odd, since we had a reservation and the table was ready. There were plenty of open tables, were they going to seat someone in hours. We were directed to the bench behind the piano as a waiting area. They still have all this "legalize marinara" merchandise everywhere, and maybe I just don't get it. Marinara is already legal, it's just sauce. Do they mean it to be read as marijuana? It's just a little weird. Not bad, just weird. I've had nice meals here, that are sometimes too salty. The bread and oils are great. The menu is extensive, perhaps too much so. I suspect, but don't know for sure, that the stuffed pastas and ravioli are not made on site. read more

The staff here is always so friendly and helpful! Plus the food is amazing! The Bada-bing shrimp is so so good! read more

Roman Bistro - Bada-bing shrimp is AMAZING! - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Fantastic Italian Food, we have dined in New York City as well as Rome and Nursia and we were both very impressed with the food and service at Roman Bistro. Our server Nikki was fantastic, very attentive to the needs of our table and was extremely friendly. The appetizers (Caprese Salad and Bruschetta) were excellent! We also tried to Chicken Marsala, the Salmon and the shells - our table was highly satisfied with all of the entrees. We will be back again and we certainly recommend this restaurant for great service, a fine wine selection and excellent Italian food. read more

We appreciated our server Tyler's attentiveness. It would have been 4 stars if there were no fruit flies and better music (no Muzak) in the background. The cauliflower crust pizza was great! read more

The hostess was unwelcoming as she exclaimed we could not sit in a certain booth because it was reserved. She went on about how that booth was reserved frequently as if we should have known. This place gets worse and worse every time we go. The service has always been pretty awful. I would spend your money elsewhere. read more

On our first visit. My wife and I loved the food, ambience, and service. Greg greeted us like family and helped us through the vast menu. Thank You Greg and Roman Bistro. We'll sr you soon. read more

Excellent food and accommodating to my food allergy! Very satisfied customer and will be returning.