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    Romano's Restaurant

    4.0 (1.1k reviews)
    Open • 11:00 am - 8:30 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Romano's Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    ROMANO'S RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Romano's Restaurant

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    Personal pizza
    Jerry K.

    Went here on Friday night for a quick date night , friendly staff and seated right away, overall food was good and flavorful, ordered pizza nd a meatball sandwich, I would rated higher but the meatballs were still not all the way heated up and in my opinion they utilized too much Italian seasoning as well pulled half of (believe bay leaf possibly)? While taking a bite , no drink menu to Order from although there's a full bar either, decent ambiance overall ok experience

    Very good menu 7/26/26
    Marcia R.

    Excellent service with Christine, she help us with 10 of us to celebrate our buddy's birthday. We gathered in house that was over 100 years it is now Resturant true fact Amazing hot fresh bread out of the oven rolls, 3 generations of family recipes!! Now wow can say this? We had house made rolls with olive oil balsamic It was heaven I ordered the Silcilan sauce it has short rib meat with fettuccine This how I make my sauce Caesar salad fresh and delicious salad dressing made in house Clam chowder coming Yes is was hot outside but the clam chowder was good they said Sea food pasta's Shrimp scallops, calmaré In a bed pasta They enjoy every bit. And we'll be back Drinks were flowing I had cream soda Minius the cream and Christine made it behind the bar. We all enjoy the food and service Christine was a add touch she was so funny Fast, and we made a friend on Saturday The staff was so nice And excellent time here because of the service we had

    Spumoni
    Michelle M.

    My favorite thing about Romano's is their Caesar Salad! Now THIS is exactly how I want my Caesar done! Such a rich and creamy anchovy dressing, yet not overly dressed. So delicious :9 I enjoyed the Spinach Tortellini with Florentine Sauce for my entire, as did my friend who ordered the same thing. It was a huge portion, so it also provided me a rather large breakfast the next morning. I think their Spumoni is home-made because it was very rich, filled with candied cherries and nuts. Almost tasted like it had liqueur in it. The dinner roles were soft and fresh. The service was friendly and attentive. And the atmosphere inside was quaint and comfy. My only suggestion would be to spiff up the outside seating. The day we went, Sunday evening, none of the outside tables looked cleaned. We were offered to sit out there, and typically I choose alfresco over inside, but it looked pretty messy with table clothes blown off, a big garbage bin in view with no trellis or plants to provide a divider, and nothing bussed or set. The outside area could be really charming, if given some care, like the inside. Otherwise, the experience was great. Whenever back in Julian, I look forward to going to Romano's again. The Caesar would be a must and I'd look forward to trying another dish.

    Garlic shrimp and scallops
    Samantha N.

    Shrimp and scallop pasta was incredible!Romantic ambiance, loved the stained glass chandeliers and glow of the candles. Service was fast and sincere. Rating 4/5 due to the Pasta Romano... It is the signature dish that is named after the restaurant itself. I would rate this dish 2/5. It is dreadfully rich, the sauce was as thick as sour cream, and it was not balanced with any heat, acid, etc. The cost to add a protein was excessive as well.

    Jay O.

    Took a little day trip to Julian with the hubby for a fun break, and after walking around town we worked up an appetite. Several locals recommended Romano's, so we decided to give it a try. I ordered the Eggplant Parmesan and my husband got the Torpedo Sandwich. Before the entrées came out, they served fresh bread, which was warm, soft, and really tasty. The portions here are huge, so definitely come hungry or be ready to take leftovers home. Both dishes were tasty and yummy. The restaurant has that cute, homey, mom-and-pop feel ..that fits perfectly with Julian's charm. The wait staff were friendly, attentive, and made the experience even better. Overall, Romano's is worth a visit if you're in Julian and craving some hearty Italian comfort food.

    Nice sausage, mushroom, olive and onion pizza.
    Sue B.

    We're back in Julian again for our anniversary and we always come to Romano's. The first night, we had our usual pork chops. It was too cold to go anywhere our second night so we called in in order for a sausage, mushroom and olive pizza, Caesar salad, and a dinner salad. We ran down and picked it up and brought it back to our Airbnb. It was very good. Everyone is always so nice at Romanos. We've enjoyed supporting them over the last 30 years.

    Yummy dessert accompanied with delightful moka pot coffee.
    De G.

    We went here for our super late anniversary dinner, This hidden gem did not disappoint. We enjoyed delicious Sicilian style food and the ambiance was wonderful. Super quaint! The service was excellent. Our waitress and Joe both waited on us and helped us make the best decisions. We were feeling a bit adventurous and ordered what they recommended. Joe also surprised us with a yummy dessert for our anniversary and delicious Moka coffee to boot. We will certainly be back! Thank you for helping us celebrate our anniversary dinner. UPDATE: Okay, we stopped by here for a second time for a quick early dinner (same week) and it was delightful once again. We sat on their quaint patio with our dogs this time. It was very peaceful. Could hear many different birds and the church bell. We received a huge surprise when some angel who blessed us with paying for our dinner. Wow, what a special surprise!!! We do not know who it was, but what sweet act of kindness. We will certainly be paying it forward. Thank you to whoever you are and may God bless you immensely!!! Thanks again Joe for a wonderful meal and visit as always! You're the best!! We stay here in Julian around 3 or so times a year for a good couple of weeks. We will surely be back again and again when visiting the lovely town. :)

    The "Creamy Pesto"
    Tim S.

    The "Creamy Pesto" Pasta is tied with one other restaurant as the best Pesto Pasta ever had in my life!! It gives you a good taste of both their sauces. Amazing service by Alex our waitress...the nicest person we encountered at Romano's.

    Such a great and cool spot for a nice dinner!
    Yesi C.

    Wow! We found ourselves in Julian and thanks to Yelp we found this restaurant and we actually went twice in one week! And we live 2 hours away. The food and service is that good! I got the eggplant parmigiana and it was phenomenal. Honestly if I lived closer I'd go every day lol. We were told there is usually a line but luckily we went on a Wednesday and Sunday and were sat right away. If you're looking for food Italian food and are close by (or don't mind driving) definitely recommend!

    Best Cesar ever!!! Get it! I dream of this salad!
    Monica P.

    Hands down our favorite place to eat in Julian! Parking is in the streets where you can find it but there is a lot diagonally across the street next to the church. They have a QR code to add yourself to the waitlist inside just scan it. Worth the wait. In peak season it can be 30 minutes to an hour wait. Order the Cesar Salad! Great pizza, great lasagna great fettuccini. Pork chops in that garlic cream is heaven. The pesto is not our favorite ask for butter for your bread. The place is always warm with a fire inside. The servers seem a bit stressed they need training in just bring calm and smiley. But the food is so darn good! We are forever custoner

    Creamy Pesto! Added broccoli and chicken! Amazing!
    Jonathan M.

    What better way to cap our lovely weekend in Julian than by indulging in delicious, authentic Sicilian/Italian cuisine. This cozy cabin with candlelit dining tables was just the intimate yet relaxing setting we had hoped for. The service was great, especially considering how busy the place got from the time we were seated up until we left. That being said, the only downfall was that some of their highlighted menu items (zucchini frittata, Spiedini, tiramisu) were unavailable due to lack of product. Nevertheless, the food was great and we'd definitely come back!

    Salad that comes with pastas.
    Nunya B.

    It has been over a decade since I've been to Julian. Hubby and I went this weekend, the drive up their is so beautiful. While most of the restaurants are over croweded in the main street, this little spot is located off the main street. Whatever the wait is for this spot, is well worth it. We hadn't had a good Italian dish in such a long time. Portions are pretty hefty too. We started with a salad that came with our pasta. This is no small side salad folks. It had mushrooms, artichoke, cheese, salami, pepperchini and other goodies. It was a full side salad. We then ordered the mussels as an appetizer which is like a whole mean for one person, we shared it but next time we agree to get our our , that is how delicious this plate was. This mussels dish was the best thing ever! Mussels came in a what seemed like olive oil, butter, garlic, lemon juice and parmesan. If you order this, same your table bread to dip into this delicous garlic, parm oil dip. Hubby even wanted to bring the leftover sauce lol. Romano's needs to turn this into a pasta dish too :) By the time our main pasta dish came, we where already stuffed. I had the Spinach Tortellini w/ Florentine sauce and he had the Lasagna al Forno, a pretty hefty size. So we basically just drove up there to eat at Romano's. So next time we visit, we will make sure to get extra dishes to go. We will be back, pretty soon.

    Pesto
    Ella R.

    Split and was great portion! Nice service. Free bread, was decent. Music a bit weird.

    Spinach tortellini- i liked the sauce, but it was a little salty and a little heavy

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    Ma D.

    Awww thank you!!’

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    2 months ago

    Ordered the white sauce on the Deluxe Pizza with a glass of red wine! Its the perfect pairing!

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    Thanks Scott!!! It was someone’s house!

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    3 months ago

    10/10. I think about the food I had here often. I want to make the 2hour drive all the time. It was amazing.

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    Love to hear it! Thank you

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    Romano's Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Romano's Restaurant

    Do you deliver about a mile away?

    Sorry, we cannot deliver unless it’s a catering order. Please call the restaurant if you’d like to place an order for pickup. Thanks!

    Is Romano's reopening outside dining this week. And, if so, are there heaters outside?

    We are currently open for outdoor dining as of 2/11/21 and we have heaters available. Due to ever-changing restrictions, please call us to ascertain what we are able to offer. Thank you!

    Hello, is your business pet friendly?

    Diners with pets can be seated on one of our two patios.

    Are there many menu choices for those who must eat gluten-free?

    We have some excellent gluten-free options. For appetizers, The mussels, shrimp cocktail, and antipasto platter (requested without frittata) are gluten free. The chicken cacciatore, chicken piccata, salmon piccata, and sausage, peppers and onions… 

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    Catania

    Catania

    4.5(1.4k reviews)
    42.1 mi•La Jolla
    •$$$
    Happy hour specials
    Rooftop seating

    Absolutely delicious food with incredible service and a great view. We came here for a birthday…read moredinner during a very busy week, and it was the perfect respite from the craziness! Our favorites were the duck pasta and tomato and burrata appetizer, but everything was delicious. Highly recommend sharing everything family style - you'll want to try as much as possible! In addition to the great food, everyone here was amazing. For one, our server accidentally put in an appetizer that we didn't order, and instead of taking it away, they gave it to us as a complimentary treat. They also explained everything well, packed things up for us as we went so that we had room for new dishes, and gave a full sized cheesecake slice as the complimentary birthday dessert. Overall, I will absolutely consider coming back to Catania for any special occasion, or just a delicious meal!

    We stopped by Catania on Sunday evening because my family and I wanted to have dinner there…read more Unfortunately, the experience started off on the wrong foot the moment we walked in. The hostess was a short young woman with straight dark hair. She gave us a cold, unfriendly, almost hostile look and quietly mumbled, "Please wait." There was no smile, no warmth, no "Hi" or "Welcome" -- just a very dismissive attitude. We waited for a bit and then watched her chatting casually and comfortably with other guests. It was hard not to notice the difference in how we were treated, and honestly, it just felt uncomfortable and unnecessary. This is La Jolla, and for a restaurant at this level, we expected a basic level of hospitality and professionalism. Instead, the whole vibe was off from the moment we walked in. So we decided not to stay and simply left. First impressions matter, and unfortunately ours was a very bad one. Hopefully management takes a look at the front-of-house experience, because people absolutely notice these things. Wishing Catania the best.

    Photos
    Catania - For more restaurant recommendations follow my Instagram page @cozinhacombossa

    For more restaurant recommendations follow my Instagram page @cozinhacombossa

    Catania - Prawn was tring to eat my noodles

    Prawn was tring to eat my noodles

    Catania - For more restaurant recommendations follow my Instagram page @cozinhacombossa

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    For more restaurant recommendations follow my Instagram page @cozinhacombossa

    Eugenio Italian Ristorante - Introducing Chef Eugenio to San Marcos!

    Eugenio Italian Ristorante

    4.7(641 reviews)
    35.1 mi
    •$$$

    I'm going to graciously award Eugenio a 5th star. First thing brought to the table was "the best…read moreoctopus I've ever had!" This title was briefly held by Kavos Taverna in Mykonos, Greece where I visited last year. Good job Eugenio. The octopus was unbelievably tender and super flavorful. Food was excellent. Variety was enormous (huge menu). Execution was pretty spot on. I made a comment at the table, "Eugenio certainly knows how to cook" as everything brought to the table was full of flavor, texture, plentiful and well seasoned, although the prosciutto and mushroom pizza was less than desirable. The pie had ham instead of prosciutto, and the overall pie, I would not order again. Much better pizza elsewhere (very, very nearby along Lake San Marcos). Service was good, but not without flaw. We waited until the entire supper was consumed, yet waited and waited for the not really very good, (I think it was a "special") short rib onion soup of sort to come out. We never got our beet salad. Eugenio's food was that good. Lots of flavor. Lots of texture. Not without the hiccups as most kitchens experience. Try it out. Get reservations because it is very small inside and out. I've got a feeling we will be having more Italian food here. Cutely decorated inside too. CritDicks

    What a little gem- I would say "hidden" but it was jammed last night. My husband said let's try…read morethis place in a strip mall... I was curious but this was over the top- I feel like I immediately stepped into another world. It smelled amazing, had fantastic service and menu was huge! Will be back and bringing friends- thank you for having us!

    Photos
    Eugenio Italian Ristorante - Decor

    Decor

    Eugenio Italian Ristorante - Decor

    Decor

    Eugenio Italian Ristorante - Handmade pasta!

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    Handmade pasta!

    Trattoria Da Sofia - Salmone

    Trattoria Da Sofia

    4.6(488 reviews)
    36.5 mi•Kensington
    •$$

    The restaurant is beautiful. Typical italian food, the best in San Diego. Mario, the founder of the…read moreplace, is very kind. Service is very quick and friendly.

    Very nice return visit here (#3), after a more disappointing 2nd visit. They didn't have the…read morepistacchioso last time, which I'd loved - and the patio can be cold in the fall/winter, since they only have a few heaters which are not that strong. But we came back on a warm July tonight and had an amazing time. 1. Even though the city is hot: their patio was breezy! I almost wished I had a jacket. 2. Nino was a super server, extremely nice and also funny. 3. Pistacchioso is back! YUM. They're using a different pasta noodle than when I had it last year, but it's the same delicious taste. 4. Sweetie got the chicken parm, which he said was excellent - but also, the portions are too big here! (yes, it makes us tempted to overeat - but we need to stop ourselves & take the rest home!) 5. Comp bread and pasta sauce is still good 6. Because their patio is so breezy, I decided even to get the soup of the day, which was tomato basil (with cream). It was very tasty. 7. Sweetie got a salad with spring mix, walnuts, grapes, pears and blue cheese. I had some walnuts and they were yummy. Only mild disappointment: the hugo spritz, which is my go-to when nothing else is tempting me, was a little watery. It still tasted like a hugo spritz, it still got me buzzed, but the flavor was extremely muted (that's the only way I can describe it). So I'd love for them to tweak the proportions in the recipe. But I still liked it and it was nice to have instead of the Amore cocktail (which is delicious, but gone after 4 sips, instead of the spritz, which I could sip on all meal). Anyway, super time. And we'll be back!

    Photos
    Trattoria Da Sofia - Overview

    Overview

    Trattoria Da Sofia - Truffle Fries

    Truffle Fries

    Trattoria Da Sofia - Smoked old fashioned

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    Smoked old fashioned

    Romano's Restaurant - sandwiches - Updated September 2026

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