I've eaten at Trattoria Romana on several occasions for dinner, lunch and for take-out. It has been at times, excellent, and at times mediocre, but I have never had a bad meal there. The atmosphere is as good as you can have in a strip-mall. It can be crowded and noisy at times, but never intolerable. Service is "good enough" with staff sometimes relying too much on prepared scripts. They are always polite if not occasionally distracted. It's a decent, usually safe choice for dinner though expect to be underwhelmed. read more

I'd like to re-share my July 2011 review. I'd note that I have never returned willingly. I had one work event and someone bought me lunch from there. I still don't miss this place. Good Italian isn't hard to find in RI. Do I hold a grudge? You betcha. We were there to celebrate a family birthday and that family member is no longer here. July 31, 2011 Let me begin by saying that the food is excellent if not a bit pricey for the area. In fact, Trattoria WAS my new favorite restaurant until my experience last night. We arrived for 6:30 reservations for five of us and had a great, attentive waiter. A little after an hour into our meal, the hostess ushered in a group of 32 into the restaurants side room. A couple minutes after they went in, they were all ushered back out because someone said the room was not ready. We later found out that they were 15 minutes early for their reservation. For the entire duration of that 15 minutes the owner/manager allowed 32+ people to mill around in the middle of the restaurant floor. Not just near the bar but around the main entrance to the kitchen. In fact, they were packed in so tight, we were unable to talk, servers could not leave the kitchen area, and no one in a position of authority addressed the situation. During this time drinks were frequently passed over our heads and someone began using the back of my wife's chair as a leaning post. Once they disbursed, we tried to address the situation with the manager only to find out that she is the owner as well. Here is where we go South. She did apologize for the situation but made and excuse for it as well. "They were early and I tried to get them to move. I politely asked several times but they would not listen to me" Let me call the WAAMBULANCE! You are the owner and manager and you are unable to manage a crowd in your facility? Seriously? So we stated twice that it should have been handled better. The owners response? "I already apologized, what more do you want from me?" Oh, and if she should read this, I would note that your mother should have raised you better. It is impolite to point your finger in your customers faces while you are theoretically providing an apology. When one of our party said they weren't inspired to come back, her answer? "good!" Seriously? Wonderful customer service skills. We ended agreeing to disagree because she clearly was not going to leave our table without the last word and an attempt to prove that she was right. The waiter tried to salvage it but the mood of the night was spoiled and we all felt it. We ate a decent meal and left. No one offered dessert or coffee....we were brought our check as soon as the plates were cleared. Did I feel welcome? Certainly not. Would I go back? Never. The owner's attitude was so poor and callous I will never again go to Trattoria Romana. I'm not sure if she figures that they are busy enough so who cares about a few customers or if she is simply bitchy by nature. She surely could use a significant amount of customer service training. On the final bill, they did remove 1 round of drinks as a courtesy (I had asked for 2). But in the end, there are more than enough dining choices in the area that welcome your business and treat you like a king. Try Federal Hill or D. Carlos in Smithfield. You may just avoid the worst dining experience you have ever had. I can say without a doubt that I have never been treated as rudely in a service situation. Being yelled at by the owner in front of other customers was simply beyond believable. Others did complain but not as forcefully after they saw our treatment. read more

The food and service are both as good as it gets. Friendly hostess seated up promptly, bus staff friendly, waiter top notch, front of house manager popped by to make sure everything was good. What a well trained and friendly staff! Entire staff were all well dressed. Bread was fantastic as were our two entrees. Plenty of parking near the entrance. Why go to Federal and have to deal with the parking and valet when you get a 5 star meal at Trattoria Romana. This place lives up to the hype. Amazing! The Chicken Francese was prepared perfectly. Right amount of lemon and capers. Pasta was excellent as well. Just a great dining experience. read more

Trattoria Romana - Italian Near Me - Lincoln, Rhode Island

We go to a different restaurant every Thursday night. From Fl to RI. We came to the conclusion that the trattoriaRomano is a true 5 star gem. From the fried squash flowers to the pasta frasoli, delicious. The veal chop was enough to feed 3 normal adults. As was the pork chop and even the veal parm was outstanding and huge .Our waitress was so helpful and pleasant. Just a very classy ,but comfortable atmosphere. Oh and the cocktails are to die for. My compliments to the chef and the bartender. The whole wait staff were on the ball cleaning serving watering. read more

Excellent experience here, as expected! I've been to the Johnston location and I like this one a little more as the parking feels a little less chaotic. (We won't talk about the giant pickup truck that parked on the corner making it impossible to get into a row of parking!) The entire staff sees to really care about their work and giving guests a great experience. The food is absolutely delicious with generous portions. The atmosphere is classy yet also comfortable making for an elevated yet relaxing dining experience. read more

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I came here on mother's day with my family and they didn't complain for once. I loved the special appetizer, it was giving charcuterie in Italy. The Ciopino was so good, it had so much seafood and was well seasoned. The pasta under was soo good and the sauce was amazing. The chocolate cake was a good ending to it all. The service was pretty good for a holiday too. I liked the dimmed lights and the bathroom was very clean and aesthetic. read more

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We've visited Trattoria Romana several times during our visits to Rhode Island. This location in Lincoln is tucked away in a hillside shopping center. It has an excellent vibe and is a great "date night" location. On this visit, we started with a Calamari Fritti appetizer which was interesting in that some pieces were slightly overcooked while others were perfectly cooked. We also ordered the Clams Casino as a starter and these came out great! For dinner, we ordered a Baked Stuffed Lobster, Ciopino, and two of our party ordered Pollo Marsala. The lobster was the envy of everyone as it was done to perfection and delicious. The cioppino also was an excellent dish. Trattoria Romana does not skimp on the shellfish or calamari pieces in the cioppino and the broth is fantastic! I was disappointed to have to ask the runner for a bowl for the shells and a spoon to be able to enjoy the excellent broth. We would definitely order these two dishes again. The chicken marsala was "ok", but not over the top due to a less than savory sauce. Our server, Hugo, was personable and did an excellent job! Overall, we enjoy Trattoria Romana and will be back. read more

My neighbor and I went here for diner. Everything was perfect except for one hiccup. Kasey was our waitress and she was excellent, knowledgeable, polite and very personable. I had Bolognese which was delicious and well made. My friend loved her meal. Wonderful portions and reasonably priced. Atmosphere was great. They get five stars. Only problem which repeats itself every time I come here is the "Coffee" at the end of our meal. My friend likes it black and hot. I like cream and sugar. We both received warm if not cold coffee. This is a flaw everyone we come here. No big deal because everything else was perfect. Just a suggestion read more

We held our parents 50th anniversary dinner at Trattoria Romana Lincoln, at a table for 15 but not in a private room. The area where the table was located was in the back with just 3 other small tables in the same room, so while we didn't pay for a private room, this was a great option. Sheena corresponded with me via email starting early in the year so I could book the event, gave me guidance on appetizers and helped with ordering a cake from Montilio's inscribed with a message for our parents. Everyone had a great time, the food was delicious, and the service was fantastic. This was a great way to celebrate 50 years and the price was very reasonable for what we got. I would do it again! read more

First of all the service was a 10. Just absolutely fantastic. The manager stopped by midway to check on us, which was a very nice touch. Everyone was incredibly accommodating. The food was delicious. The decor was very comfortable. Clean, inviting, just a good time overall. read more

Trattoria Romana - Italian Near Me - Lincoln, Rhode Island

I have never had a bad or mediocre meal here! It was my moms favorite restaurant, she went often, the service is always top notch and the atmosphere is perfect. I will always love going here! read more

I have been wanting to go here for a while but in true RI fashion it was always "far" and just forgotten, but now I live in northern RI and drive by more often so finally made a visit for my birthday dinner. The inside that seems almost like outside - whatever the room we were in is - was super cute, would make such a lovely small little wedding space. Our waiter was top notch - he knew those specials like WHOA cause it seemed like a lot to remember and he told them to us just like he was casually sharing information and not rushing to get through it or nervous of missing something, I dunno it was a nice vibe. Excellent bread and oil. For dinner I got the Pollo Alla Sorrentino (because it had a lot of stuff lol) and it was soooo good. The marinara sauce is nice and light and seemed to not be super acidic. It was not chunky but not too thin and watery. Beautiful. And had enough for leftovers for a second meal the next day. I didn't take any pics because the room we were in was kind of dimly lit, but I definitely enjoyed my experience and would love to go back and try more, read more

The food is so so good and I am SO picky with Italian food. You truly can't go wrong here! And the sangria is perfection!

The location was interesting. My husband called to make reservations but didn't realize there was a restaurant and an express restaurant? No one told him on the phone there was any difference so we ate in what looked like a diner. It was nice, but not what we originally anticipated. The server was kind and very patient with us. We had a large party and she was on point, never missed a refill for an empty cup and pre-bussed the table so we didn't have plates infront of us the whole night. My husband had the bolognese and my biggest regret was not getting it too. It was creamy and the pasta was tender and delish! I got the chicken Francese and it wasn't my favorite dish in the world, it was OKAY, not worth getting again. But that bolognese - id move mountains for. I ended my meal with the carrot cake, which was good in flavor, loved the amount of shredded carrot in it and the cream cheese frosting was a good consistency. My only 2 complaints for lack of 5 stars were it was far too cold in the restaurant we all needed jackets, and I feel like my bones hurt for hours after leaving. Secondly, one of the bussers had overly full hands and dropped a knife with pasta sauce on it (from someone else in our party's plate) on my mother in law and it got sauce on her brand new white jacket. It would have meant a lot for at the very least her coffee or something small to be comped as this was a server error. read more

Trattoria Romana - Carrot cake - Italian Near Me - Lincoln, Rhode Island

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A definite hit. This is our go to for work dinners when teammates travel to see us and the Trattoria didn't disappoint. Great service from all it waitress. Personable and attentive: dynamic combo. Even on a Tuesday, restaurant seemed busy. Wonderful vibe of intimate and cozy without trying too hard. Place was warm and inviting. I had the pork chop with fluffy mashed potatoes and nice kick with vinegar peppers, delicious! Highly recommend! read more

Trattoria Romana - Costoletta Di Maiale - Italian Near Me - Lincoln, Rhode Island

My wife and I took our best friends here last night for their tenth anniversary. I haven't had a meal like this in quite some time. EVERYTHING was fantastic. The atmosphere was comfortable yet lively with a packed bar and dining rooms. Our server was the consummate professional: helpful, attentive, and affable (if only I could remember her name!). She took our drink order, and we were quickly served fresh crusty bread and olive oil. We never felt rushed or abandoned. I had the fra diavolo special which was amazing, with tons of fresh seafood and the perfect amount of spice! My wife had the piccata which she enjoyed immensely. Our friends had the chicken Marsala and the stuffed veal chop special respectively. The servings were bountiful and everything was served piping hot. Tutto e stato buonissimo! For dessert I had fresh biscotti with espresso. My wife enjoyed the bread pudding and our friends had the tiramisu. We ate everything. This experience was thoroughly enjoyable and I look forward to our next visit! read more

All of our dinners were delicious. Veal Parm, Chicken Parm, Bolognese and Ravioli's. Service was attentive and genuine. It was the perfect place to eat before our show at Bally's! read more

A usual place I go to, the food is always great when I come here. The bread service always tastes fresh and it's delicious with the oil. The servers are always so attentive. Came here for a quick bite to eat during my lunch break and they accommodated. Loved our waitress, she had black curly hair and glasses and it was her birthday! The drinks were good, I don't think I was expecting the watermelon sangria to be on the bitter side but it still was so refreshing. If the weather is nice, i highly recommend the outdoor seating. They have a very comfortable outdoor patio. read more

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I was really disappointed with the service from the busser, whom I believe his name was "Chace", during my visit with my family, He seemed inattentive and did a poor job keeping up with the tables. For a restaurant with this reputation I expected much more professional and attentive service read more

Staff is warm and friendly. Atmosphere was elegant. The food amazing!!!! Portions are incredible and our waiter was very professional and knowledgeable. We love a good sense of humor with waitstaff and he scored an A+. The only thing I would change is the music playing. It was EDM music - I would have preferred piano music or Italian music. Thank you for a wonderful experience. read more

Trattoria Romana - Rack of lamb - Italian Near Me - Lincoln, Rhode Island

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Make reservations. This restaurant is so good it is always full. There is plenty of parking. Tables are comfortable and private to have a romantic dinner. Drinks are amazing and special. Food prepared to perfection. Great staff for all your needs. read more

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I should've rated this a long time ago. I have been going there since it opened. The food has always spot on. Can't say a negative thing. We get takeout from there quite often. Being Italian and used to homemade sauce, I must say their gravy is very good. You won't be disappointed. read more

Good food with really nice sit down area. Friendly service and bar fully stocked w the good stuff. read more

Trattoria Romana - Lunch special - Italian Near Me - Lincoln, Rhode Island

The food was horrible and the meatball was $18. It was disgusting You need real Italian chefs in your kitchen read more

This is our go-to spot for Italian when we don't want to venture to Federal Hill. And quite honestly, is a lot better than many places downtown. The staff is always super friendly and the food is always consistently delicious. We like to do date nights here and love sitting at the bar, or if we are with other couples, enjoy the lively (but still intimate) dining room. We order take out at least a couple of times a month and they always get our order right and the food is packaged well and always hot! Definitely worth the trip if you aren't local to Lincoln. read more

Food, service was great. We enjoy the pleasant atmosphere. The waitstaff is, as always, very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.

Everything was wonderful from the jalapeño margarita, delicious bread and atmosphere is very warm. Details were definitely on point. I had the Chicken Marsala which was a huge portion but the dish itself was light. The bolognese was also perfect. Crab cakes for starters were some of the best I have had. Hopefully we will come back when in RI read more

I frequently visit this restaurant and have given other reviews in the past, but wanted to provide this review, because my lambreview that's why lamb chop special was absolutely amazing! As usual, everyone's food was amazing, service good (very busy tonight) and the ambience always amazing read more

The lamb and chicken Marsala were delicious. The bread was good and moist inside and crispy outside. The oil to dip your bread had too much of a balsamic taste. Need to tone it down a bit. The homemade bread pudding was excellent! Highly recommend this dessert. The waitress was incredible as far as service and how she memorized every special without hesitation. The room had nice murals on the wall and it was quieter than the dining area where the bar is. read more

Trattoria Romana - Homemade bread pudding with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and caramel drizzle. - Italian Near Me - Lincoln, Rhode Island

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What happened to their meatballs??? While visiting RI, I always try to stop in at the Trattoria Romana in Lincoln RI. On this occasion, the colonel was not dressed to the nines, so I ordered a meatball sandwich at the Trattoria Express. FOUR TINY MEATBALLS, on a huge torpedo, for $18. And I paid at the counter before it was made so of course I tipped as well. WTF has happened to the quality control at this joint. Friendly service is the only reason this review isn't ONE star. Ripped off. Colonel Ingus doesn't bestow the "messy face of happiness" to the Trattoria Express. read more

We were able to snag last minute reservations o Friday night at 7:30. Parking is free and plenty of it. We arrived and were seated promptly. The server informed us if specials (in detail which was nice). We opted to try the seafood stuffed mushrooms. There was for and moderately priced at 18.95. They came out lukewarm not hot and my husband asked for them to be reheated ( this happens quite often as he likes his food burn the roof of your mouth hot). She returned them hot and I have to agree they were much better hot. We were served fresh warm bread and olive oil, mixed with red pepper and balsamic. It was delicious. I ordered the Rigatoni Alforno for my main dish, my husband opted for chicken parm with mashed potato's. The portions are huge. I took half of mine home. The meatballs and sausages in my dish were delicious. I wish the ricotta was on top rather than mixed in with the San marzano sauce but I still really loved it. My husband really enjoyed his chicken parm but didn't love the mashed potatoes. They came out lukewarm and he said they were bland. Overall I love it here. Delicious food, amazing service and cozy atmosphere. read more

Trattoria Romana - Italian Near Me - Lincoln, Rhode Island

My friends and I enjoyed the ambiance, service and exceptional authentic Italian cuisine!! My husband said it was the most hot and delicious homemade pasta he's ever eaten. The bread reminded me of my Italian grandparents' - so delicious!! I ordered the red snapper special over parmesan risotto - out of this world delicious! Would definitely dine here again! read more

Trattoria Romana - Red Snapper over Parmesan Risotto served with a J. Lohr Cabernet - Italian Near Me - Lincoln, Rhode Island

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Food was great, service was outstanding. Will definitely be back! We were a party of 10 and the waiter did a fantastic job!

This restaurant for the last few years has been our favorite. The food is always top notch, the service is great. We do prefer to sit at the bar and they have put up plastic dividers between every two seats which works out well during these times. We just had our anniversary dinner there and we were running late that day and they moved and still held our bar seats for us. We live over an hour from here and its well worth the ride. Its very romantic here, even at the bar and I love going here each and every time. I hear they have a new location in Mansfield which would be closer to us. read more

Trattoria Romana - Burrata board. A perfect appetizer for sharing - Italian Near Me - Lincoln, Rhode Island

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Absolutely amazing dinner here tonight. Started with warm bread and oil; split the meatball and it was delicious. I got the fettuccini Alfredo and hubby got a veal dish. Both 10/10. Finished off with the cannoli which was also phenomenal. Will be back read more

We dine at Trattoria Romana every time when visiting RI. The food is superb, presentation, exquisite, and service top notch.

I came here for the bolognese because a friend had posted and it looked delicious. It did not disappoint and I believe it was only $21. The caprese salad was good. The gave you thick slices of tomato which I wish that would also match the mozzarella. I did not like the calamari. read more

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We went to Trattoria in Lincoln on Valentine's evening. Our friends had veal parm and the other had chicken parm. They both said the sauce tasted like it was just dumped on top with a can of cheap tomato sauce. I have to say that I am very disappointed that our friends had a bad experience. Also we had a couple of steaks. If we had known they were going to cost $50 each, we'll. And the one flower and a big I f 4 chocolates for $25 was a bit over the top. I know it was Valentine's Day but really! You won't see us returning ​ read more

Took my boyfriend to the Johnston location for his birthday. The air conditioner was on full blast so we froze. Then the waitress was a moron couldn't remember bread napkins salt or pepper. I bought an ice cream cake with candles and a happy birthday sign and told her to put it in the freezer when it's time for cake they put one candle no sign and a melted cake. Huge disappointment! read more

I really wanted to enjoy this visit, and some parts were VERY enjoyable. It was a Saturday night ... pretty busy in the restaurant ... and the waitress came to describe the specials. Very well trained (to this point) - she had them all memorized and was fairly knowledgeable about the preparations. At this point we were very excited because the specials sounded amazing! I have an allergy and couldn't use the oil for the delicious homemade bread, the waitress was VERY nice and made up a special version just for me - BIG points! At this point I shoudl mention that I don't mind spending a decent amount for a meal, as long as it's worth it, and I LOVE great service and will tip huge for that. I ordered a standard veal parm, and $30 might seem a little high, for the portion size and with the high prices these days, i won't complain about that. She ordered one of the specials with lobster tail and shrimp (was $68) ... so for that price the expectations were pretty high. The homemade pasta was a big hit, but the fact that the lobster was clearly previously frozen, and just about impossible to remove from the shell made for an awkward and not pleasant eating experience. The waitress brought a "lobster cracker" with a bowl for the shells ... that would be useful if they were lobster claws perhaps, but completely useless for a tail. For a $68 entrée, the lobster shoudl be fresh in my mind! Also the wait staff and busboys were missing for about 8-10 minutes after the meals were delivered by a food runner (who dropped the plates and ran away, never asked if we needed anything, etc), so i sat there while my pasta and veal were getting cold by the minute waiting for the server to offer grated cheese, fill my water glass that had been empty for about 15 minutes. I finally had to get up and walk to find a manager and ask them to send someone by - which they did. The coup de grâce was close to the end I asked for a small (half glass) refill on my soda so i can finish the meal. Granted I wasn't drinking wine or an alcoholic beverage at this point, but we did have 2 glasses of $16/glass wine before that, when i get the bill (was over $200) ,,, they charged me an extra $3 for the 2nd partial glass of soda. Now I really don't care about the $3 , but the nickel and diming after we purchase $200 of other items, to then tack on $3 for a few squirts of soda that cost them less than a nickel just rubs me the wrong way. Granted, if everything else was great, I wouldn't have cared, but this just piled on the rest of the evening. We tried their sister store on the other end of the mall (pizza and subs) that was just fine. I don't think we'll be returning soon for this kind of service at that price tag. read more