This is 100% hands down no questions asked the best place in not only all of Rome, but legitimately all of Italy. It is run by an Italian Grandma and the moment you step into the establishment you know everything is going to be authentic and you, you aren't going to blow your budget, and you're in a true family establishment. In traveling 3 weeks total in Italy this place was far and beyond the best and you can't go wrong with anything on the menu (at least me and my friends have yet to do so). It is very unassuming, but make a reservation because from the moment dinner starts until 11pm this spot will be packed- the secret is out. read more

Recommend by a local bartender in his own restaurant and it was fantastic. Long line waiting for them to open. Our best in Roma! read more

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This place is an absolute can't miss while in Rome. Go in during their brief lunch hours and make a reservation for dinner (unless you're brave enough to call in!). Without a reservation it will be tough to get in and you will wait in line for a long time. It is absolutely worth it however, the wait staff is funny and helpful, the food is authentic and well-priced for the portions, and the atmosphere is lively! We loved watching the charcuterie plates be put together while we ate. All the meats are fresh sliced in-house and arranged by someone we fondly referred to as the "meat artist." Last but not least, someone in our group accidently left their wallet behind and a waiter ran almost a block to find us and return it after we'd left. I haven't eaten better food, or had better service, while in Italy. read more

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Family style great dinner spot! Definitely make reservations its a quick 1minute call before your travel and its so worth it! Pitcher wine is super cheap and delicious. Their specialty pasta & pizza were delicious! Be hungry, you will want to eat everything! read more

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Longest wait for a simple spaghetti more than 60 mins and the rudest waiter ever in my entire dinning history around the world. The waiter guy seems understand bit English but just response in Italian in such impatient tune and gesture. He came to me just in 60 seconds after I took seat, then asked me to order without finishing browsing the menu. Serious?! Are you doing restaurant business here? This is not brothel. After quickly asked a very basic Italian spaghetti and a glass house wine, I waited over one hour till my good patience ran out eventually. I asked and complained four times during the course and they just shroud shoulders! wtf? Is this how they response sensibly? I started to stand up and walk to the counter saying I am going to pay the wine only the the old tale begun as they became taking things seriously saying "oh it's coming blablabla..." magically 1 min later they brought on the so "expected" dish.... Frankly the spaghetti was just 6/10 nothing special and quite disappointed in terms of the waiting time... Finally they even wanted rip me off for charging the bread which was never served during my dinning from head to toe. I said to the owner or the manager lady that was the worst meal ever. I should buy lotto since so lucky to be chosen to be treated this way first time.... Not recommended at all. if you insist, good luck buddy! read more

Trattoria Vecchia Roma - tasteless plain bad dish as seen - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

Came all the way from Toronto and was told to try this place. Made reservations but showed up for open at 7pm. The pizza and pasta are phenomenal. We tried the Bucatini all'amatriciana flambé (basically pasta cooked in a cheese wheel) Must stop by! Friendly staff and top notch food!! Restaurant has free WiFi read more

Trattoria Vecchia Roma - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

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I wish I could give them a one star review!!! We got there at 10:30 and saw that 2 couples are standing outside waiting for a table. We walked in and was greeted by a tall waiter who had a long beard. As soon as we told him that we want a table for 2 in ENGLISH, he said "oh sorry full, come back tomorrow"... I was like you gotta be jocking me, piece of S**** We had walked an hour to get to that place, according to Yelp they would be open until midnight... What the heck does it mean that we are full... And not to mention some people were done with their food and were about to leave.... I was furious....No food for us there and we were very disappointed with the restaurant... They deserve zero stars... But I guess I can settle for one star for now!!!! Note to the owner: you are €100 less rich because of your stupid long bearded waiter... You should FIRE him....!!! God knows howmany people this guy declined to serve! read more

Legit the best Italian food I had in Rome. We loved it so much we came here THREE times. It was hard to find and I guess that's the charm because most of the diners were locals with some tourists scattered here and there. However, everyone speaks English. First off, MAKE A RESERVATION. The first time we came, we came on a whim and waited 1.5 hour to get seated (and it was 8pm on a weeknight). But it is WORTH IT. Great food with phenomenal prices! Everything seems to be large-sized here, which is great. I got the bucatini all'amatriciana flambé and omg it was life-changing. They flambé it in a cheese wheel near the kitchen and we were lucky enough to be seated right beside it and I took a bunch of pics and videos that they were probably judging me haha. Anyway, bucatini was amazing, and the hole in the middle of the strand of pasta really added a texture you can't get in spaghetti. The portion doesn't look like a lot but it fills you up. The tomato sauce is amazing and they give a RIDICULOUS amount of bacon! My parents also enjoyed fish and veal, and liked that they were served simply without sauces covering the natural tastes. We also tried the mussels which are served in a tomato sauce which was really good and clams are in a white wine sauce. Bread is 2 euro and automatically applied to your bill, but considering how big-portioned and decently-priced everything else is, it's worth it. The sparkling water is 3 euro... don't fret, because it's a HUGE bottle! Remember that Italians tend to eat late so the later you show up, the more likely you'll have a wait. The waiters all look like tough guys, but they're all really sweet and especially the owner! The owner recognized us our second time and welcomed us back like family! Probably the best service I've had in a long time, let alone in Rome. We came here for the second time after getting back from our cruise, but loved it so much we decided to make a third trip to end our stay in Rome. If it's Friday (or I'm guessing, the weekend), come at opening even if you make a reservation. This place is a MUST in Rome! read more

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I have been trying so hard to eat my food for the past 20 minutes and I just cant. The pasta is tasteless! I have been to multiple Italian restaurants on my trip to Italy and this has to be the worse and overhyped restaurant I've been too. I also ordered a margarita pizza and there version of a margarita pizza is a cheese pizza, it had no oregano and basil. The best part of this restaurant was the salad. I have a better chance of getting better food at a fast food joint. If you know about authentic Italian food this is not the place for you. read more

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After reading the Yelp reviews of the restaurants around my hotel it looked like this place was one I had to at least try. After being turned away THREE TIMES due to no tables being available this restaurant had become my white whale... Finally, on my last day in Rome I was able to get a table under the stipulation that I leave by 9pm due to the pending reservations. The service was friendly and attentive. The food? Wow! Totally worth the effort! The bread was fresh baked, the pasta is home made and the sauces were outstanding. Make a reservation in advance in order to avoid being shut out. If you do make it in tell them Frankie sent you... They won't know what your taking about but it will make me laugh. read more

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If you're tired of tourist traps and ready for a local Italian spot then stop by for a bite Lady and the Tramp style. Trattoria Vecchia Roma is a VERY popular traditional Italian spot that the locals pack into every night. If you're not planning on arriving early, make a reservation at least a day in advance. Luckily I was able to swing by right at opening and picked up a table as long as I agreed to leave by a certain time. - Fantastic Pasta - Flavorful House wine - Overpriced Soda (like most palces) - Chicken dry and worth skipping - Friendly staff - Usually packed - Make a reservation! This Trattoria was recommended by a local while my wife and I were in town and because he hadn't let us down (and eats there 3-days a week) we gave it a chance. I ordered the Spaghetti alla parmigiana flambè (9,50€) that came with a creamy sauce, and healthy portions of all of the ingredients. I could slurp to my hearts content and enjoyed this plate. My wife ordered the Bucatini all'amatriciana (9,50€) that arrived with a large portion of sauce over the top of her noodles. Again, nothing but healthy portions of everything on the plate making it all well worth the price. We also had the unfortunate experience of ordering the grilled chicken which arrived dry and some lemon juice over the top the tried to rescue it. I wouldn't order that dish, ever again. Overall, the dinner was great so long as we just remember the pasta. The place is authentic as you'll find, not a tourist trap. Come dine with the locals and enjoy yourself! read more

Great food. Service is lacking. I came here to eat the house special pasta tossed in the giant cheese bowl and it did not disappoint! Probably my best meal in Rome! I got it with the giant pieces of bacon and I could literally only finish half of it. The service was definitely lacking. I came earlier so I got a seat quickly but patrons later on in the evening where not so lucky. I waited a long time for the pasta to come to me and waited a long time again to get the bill. Hot tip: maybe if you bring the bill faster then patrons would leave sooner so you can seat new patrons =) Just saying... read more

Man, this place was crowded and they still somehow made some room for us! When we walked in, I saw a bunch of people eating green noodles and I had to try it... So, I ordered pasta with pesto and sea bass. You might think it sounds kinda gross, but I swear, it was the best pasta I had during our whole visit... and we ate a LOT of pasta. As a matter of fact, that whole trip threw me off my Keto diet. I thought I was going to get through the trip with just a little carb here... then a little carb there... but no. I took one bite on the first day, then before I knew it, it was the last day and I was full on tying my arm off and shooting up pasta like heroin. Point is, this place has good pasta. On to the next review. read more

No go. Portions are large! So if you're into quantity over quality this place is for you! Their specialty bucatini all'amatraciana was SALTY. As I don't eat salty food, you know most of it was left on the plate. The carbonara was over done. The eggs were borderline scrambled and the pasta NOT al dente. Dunno if it was my mistake or his, but I was given deep fried fish fillets instead of the zucchini blossoms and we were given deep fried assorted veg which I thought was ours and ate from. When I realized it wasn't I flagged down the server and he took it away, giving it to the table next to ours saying it was on the house! We got our correct starters: a bruschetta of artichoke and one of mushroom. The mushroom was definitely better. The zucchini blossoms was over battered and honestly I enjoyed the fried veg he took away before. so, avoid the blossoms but go for the assorted fried veg! read more

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Very nice place. Cozy atmosphere in a cellar dining room. Well-made typical Roman and Italian dishes .

A cool underground restaurant near the Art Museum, glad the other Yelpers led us here! The service here is great, waiters are helpful to non-Italian speakers so that was very nice. We tried a few things - and weren't disappointed - Bread was awesome - cripsy crust and soft / tasty on the inside Caprese was quite memorable - nice mildly flavored mozzarella and fresh tomatos - just a refreshing appetizer there Same can be said for the bruschetta The highlight though, was the pasta arrabiatta. The penne was al dente, and the sauce was awesome, a nice spicy peppery tomato-y flavorful kick. Spaghetti carbonara was a good dish as well - nice smokey bacon, the overall feel of it was pretty thick with a flavor that made my brain scream "EGG!" (probably wrong - so i'll keep my day job and leave the truth to Alton Brown). Final note is - we didn't finish our food. I thought the dishes would be small because Yelpers noted this as a $$ place, but I misunderstood. So - just so you're in the know - portions are not small!! =) read more

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A lovely traditional local Italian restaurant bursting full of families and salary men. Although quite big, tables filled up quickly and within minutes of opening for dinner, every table was taken up. The decor was quirky and rustic with its exposed brickwork, dark red walls, arched openings and cultural artwork on the walls. Lighting was comfortable and I enjoyed the busy atmosphere. Service was really attentive and friendly as hectic and busy as it was. They were there to offer recommendations of you need it. Better to turn up early or make a booking. Pre made starters from the counter reheated which included rice croquette, potato croquette and zucchini flower stuffed with mozzarella and anchovies. Being reheated they were thicker and heavier in batter especially the breadcrumb varieties but for the price and what they were they were really good. The rice croquette was delicious being sticky inside, flavoured mainly by tomatoes and seasoned perfectly. Ren very much enjoyed the potato croquette being creamy and thick inside, subtle cheese flavour and all very well blended and seasoned. The zucchini flower was very different being stuffed with mozzarella which made it stickier and heavier compared to the ricotta variety. But it was lovely being salted by anchovies adding umami and the stretchiness of the mozzarella was satisfying. Coda alla vaccinara A delicious mouth watering dish of braised cow's tail until they were falling off the bone. Unlike most braised cuts of beef, this was not stringy at all but incredibly tender and juicy. The braising sauce was amazing itself, full of flavour from the tail, wine, carrots and caramelised onions. As everything was slow cooked, it allowed all the flavours to infuse with the sauce which overtime thickened, clinging on to every part of the meat. Bucatini all'Amatriciana Flambè This was truly amazing although took a while to get use to the sharp pungent taste of the cheese. However the rich flavours of the salty bacon and sweet tomato sauce almost offset the cheese and as a result you get this three dimensional taste. It was delicious and very rich. Pizza Contadina A gigantic pizza recommended to us by the waiter. I'm so glad he did as it was incredible in flavours and textures. The thin sourdough with small pockets of charring gave it a lovely smokey woody taste throughout the pizza. The cheese was light which allowed the fresh sweet tomato sauce to shine. It was so juicy, umami from the tomatoes and courgettes and savoury notes from the salami. The crust was so thin it was hardly noticeable in flavour. Truly impressive. Green salad In Italy green salad is usually a bowl of plain chopped lettuce. I never knew this at first until I complained to my Italian friend. It served it's purpose very well which is to help lighten the heavier dishes with something more plain and healthier. I adored Trattoria Vecchia Roma. I wanted to come back again a few days later but sadly it was so packed and without a reservation we were not allowed in. When we went the atmosphere was buzzing yet the service and the food was still above par. A highly recommended restaurant for those looking for something more authentic to Italian cuisine and at a very reasonable price. A place mix with locals and tourists who have obviously done their research to sought this restaurant out as it is situated on a quiet side street. Just make sure you book in advance. read more

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We originally went here for dinner but it was too crowded and we didn't have a reservation, so we went back for lunch the next day. Highly recommend a reservation no matter what meal or time you're going. The house pasta was recommended by our waiter and it was amazing. I was here in April and I still vividly remember what I ate. The pizza looked good as well. A great spot for lunch or dinner, but make a reservation. Our service was good, wine was cheap, and they split the bill for us. read more

Without a doubt the best place for pizza and pasta in Rome! It's our go to place every time we visit rome. Well worth the queue! read more

Trattoria Vecchia Roma - Truffle Carbonara - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

Amazing food in Rome! I had Prosciutto and Spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino. It was delicious! The atmosphere was cozy, service was friendly and worth with the price. I give them 5 stars! read more

Trattoria Vecchia Roma - Spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino - very tasty! Spicy just about right - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

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This place was recommended by our tour guide and is very close to our AirBnB. The food is the best we have had in Roma. I highly recommend the house special. read more

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My sister and I went here for dinner tonight based on Yelp reviews and a recommendation from our hotelier and honestly wish we would have gone anywhere else. The only reason that this is not a one star review is because the food is alright, but everything else about our experience at Vecchia Roma was awful. We made a reservation for 9pm over the phone, but when we arrived, the host seemed to have no idea who we were. He had to call over another staff member and shuffle through about a dozen reservation slips ("You sure it's not for Kate? I have one for Kate.") for several minutes. When he finally found our name, he just turned and began walking away and then, when he noticed we weren't following (because he'd given us absolutely no indication we should), turned back around and rolled his eyes at us while going, "Come on, come on, this way!" After being seated, we had to wait over 20 minutes for a waiter to even acknowledge us, despite being right next to the kitchen. The staff here seem to be more interested in "socializing" (read: drinking) with the local regulars than doing their jobs. Even the people next to us noticed how long we'd been sitting and tried to help us flag someone down. The waiter who finally took our order was drunk (stunk of beer) and had to be told three times what we wanted. (While pointing at the menu: "Spaghetti parmesan." "Eh?" "Spa-ghe-tti par-me-san." "Spaghetti what kind?" "....Parrrrremesaaaaan. The special?") We ordered .5L of wine as was listed on the menu, but only received .25L. While waiting for our food, I caught 3 gnats buzzing around our table and shooed away a half dozen more (never a good sign.) The tomato bruschetta was soggy when it arrived, like it had been sitting for a while. We were dining on a night that was over 80F/27C outside, and the place was packed. All indoor seating and underground, so the temperature inside was probably about 90F/32C. I had to fold up my paper menu to fan myself and saw 2 or 3 other tables doing the same. I also saw about 5 people telling staff "It's so hot in here, can you do anything?" Despite the place clearly having ducts and vents for A/C running through the dining room, they all just shrugged and said sorry, no can do. My sister and I ordered the house specialties, the spaghetti parmesan flambè and americiana flambè. The only upside to the flambè is the show that comes from stirring it inside the cheese wheel - there's absolutely no difference in taste. And yet, they did this in the back, out of sight, and only brought the finished plates out to the table. I understand if it was busy and they weren't able to do it tableside for each order, but I'd have appreciated a warning, since that was the whole reason we came. What a disappointment. By the time the food arrived I was dripping in sweat and couldn't stomach the hot food. The few bites I ate of my dish (the americiana) were very salty and overwhelmingly bacon-flavored. I couldn't taste the pasta or any tomato or cheese at all. My sister finished her spaghetti slowly, having to take multiple breaks to gulp down water. We sat picking at the pasta, swatting flies and complaining about the heat for 30 minutes until our drunk waiter reappeared and offered to box it up as takeaway for us. On top of all of this, they charged us 2€ for the bread basket with no warning. Literally, someone threw it on the table as they went past with no chance to refuse, then charged us for it. Avoid, avoid, avoid, or if you absolutely must eat here, save yourself the time and hassle and just get takeaway. read more

This place is very quaint and the food is delicious! Make a reservation, it gets packed. I ordered the house special amatriciana that is all over this Yelp page for being tossed in a cheese wheel in front of you, and was disappointed that they just brought it to me plated, but it was so tasty I didn't care! My husband got the ghnocchi Gorgonzola and it was very rich, a cheese lovers paradise! read more

Trattoria Vecchia Roma - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

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Found this place on Yelp...to late in the day for a reservation. We walked over and found a short line at about 630 for a 7PM opening. Stood in Line and we were seated outside as soon as it opened. The service was great and the food fantastic. It was so good we met friend there the next night. Same approach...got in line at 615 this time as we were four and we got a seat inside. Same great experience. This place is a must when visiting Rome. read more

Amazing restaurant . Best food we have had in Italy. Please call for a reservation or you will not be able to get a table. We are sitting here now and there have been tens of people rejected. Trust me it's worth it. Please get the spaghetti special of the house . Amazing they make it out of a giant block of cheese ! read more

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Decent food, good carbonara, bad service. If you have the time to wait for your food all day and want to feel ignored, come here. And if you want pretty good carbonara, come here. read more

Had a really bad experience there tonight. It was busy, I get that. I can excuse long wait times and maybe a little less check in form our server. But the host who was a young male was horribly rude, frazzled and super unprofessional. He definitely treated us like we were a nuisance. When we got there we were standing awkwardly for about 5 minutes in front of him before he even looked up. And when he did, he didn't say anything so I greeted him and asked for a table for three. All he said was "Reservation?". I said we didn't have one. And before I could say anything else he walked away. A couple minutes later he came back and told us to move out of the way and wait against the wall. No hello, no welcome. When I asked about how long he said "I don't know. Maybe 10 maybe 30 maybe an hour". What? I used to be a host and have been working in service industry for over 8 years. He was so disorganized and was feeling the pressure and seemed to be taking it out on whoever walked through the door. We decided to wait because the food looked good. 15 minutes in he comes up to us telling us he's all booked for the night and won't have anything available. We say ok and continue to wait, untrusting of what he says because there was obviously multiple tables getting ready to leave. 5 minutes later he seats us, three people, at a two top where I had to sit super uncomfortable between another table and ours. It was horrible. We tried to switch with an open table next to us but as soon as our waitress starts moving our stuff, he ran over, yelled at her and told her no. We saw he was making a lot of guests angry from his poor hosting. Definitely ruined the experience and although the food was good we won't be back and won't be recommending. read more

Our favorite Restaurant in Rome! Delicious food in every aspect! Service was great feel at home. Great wine as well.

Ordered the meat and cheese tray, bread and one of their spaghetti dishes. First things came out quick. For some reason the pasta dish took over an hour to get to me, some mistake in the kitchen or something probably which is fine. When it finally got there, I said thank you, she said "ok" and I ate. It wasn't too good, it was a little watery and just didn't have much flavor. It also annoyed me that I never got any apology for it taking over an hour to get to my table, just a "sorry it took so long" would have been good. So, based on the pasta not being impressive for Italy's standards and nobody acknowledging the error in my pasta taking an hour, I'm giving them two stars. read more

This restaurant just blew me away! It's a must go if you're ever in Rome! Make a reservation over the phone - super easy you can do it for within 24hrs if needed. We went here twice in our three days in Rome! The whole place is bustling with people and waiters - it's so facinating to see how quickly the waiters move and work but they somehow are always so friendly, poliete, and have time for you! I'm a vegetarian and I don't eat cheese - I was a little worried going in because the waiters didn't really speak English and the place looked very authentic, but our waiter was so accommodating! I got the Spaghetti Alla Puttenesca with no anchovies and no cheese. Our waiter suggested that it would be better with those things but told me it was my choice. It was the best pasta I've had in Italy! My husband (also a vegetarian) had the Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe and also though it was amazing. Somehow the cheese and spaghetti felt light, creamy, and so tasty! We got some apps (only one Euro each but they only give you one portion). The Bruchetta All'Aglio was so heavenly - definitely a must for garlic lovers. And the potato croquette was a little bland...so wouldn't recommend that. The house wine was only 3.5 Euros for half a liter. We've been in Italy for a week now, and I haven't seen those prices anywhere else! We finished the dinner off with some delishous tiramisu and only paid 30 Euros for the whole meal (this place is cash only though!). We came back the next day to try more wine and more desserts. We had to wait about 30 minutes for a table since we didn't make a reservation but the waiters are extremely friendly and I didn't mind waiting and watching how quickly they all moved around the restaurant! Everyone has a smile on their face and everyone leaves full and smiling! Best dining experience in Italy! And best pasta I've had in Italy! read more

Definitely coming back here when I'm back in Roma! The appetizers, entrees, dessert and wine here are all incredibly phenomenal! Their tiramisu is rich in flavor and the best I've ever had, their crostini is perfect and their egg noodles are fresh and delicious. Our waiter was very friendly and chose the perfect red wine to compliment our meal and made suggestions according to what we were looking for. We tried two different crostini: one had eggplant and pesto on it (my husband does like eggplant but loved this) and the other one we tried had mozzarella and prosciutto on it. Both incredible. read more

Walked in without a reservation on a very busy friday night. They were very accommodating and seated me promptly. I ordered the deep fried zucchini flower stuffed with mozzarella and anchovies (the batter was still a bit doughy on one end but it was tasty 3/5). The server recommend a deep fried rice ball filled with mozzarella. That was very good (4/5). For main I had the house specialty bucatini all'amatriciana - a great choice! Very flavourful and a large serving. Pasta was perfectly cooked. (4.5/5) It was a bit on the heavy side as there's tons of fatty bacon pieces and cheese in it. Come hungry. All the staff were friendly and attentive on such a busy night. Recommended. read more

Trattoria Vecchia Roma - Bucatini all'amatriciana - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

Seems to be a place for young people who love their pizzas! Our mixed seafood was bland and the thick piece of octopus was tough and tasteless except for the grilled Mark's! Our fried appetizers were unappealing and our Italian wait person insisted we order for two for both our appetizers and entrees. Not a place for a quiet dinner too! read more

First things first: There are at least two places in Rome called Vecchia Roma. This is the one on Via Ferruccio, near Piazza Vittorio Emanuele (Near the Termini Train Station). Not easy to find, but VERY worth it. DO NOT CONFUSE THIS WITH ANOTHER PLACE!!! I spend 5 to 6 months in Italy every year, and often dine in Rome.... and have been doing so for 27 years. That said, read this carefully: THIS PLACE IS THE BEST RESTAURANT I HAVE FOUND IN ROME, PERIOD. It is away from the tourist zone (thank god), and it services mostly locals (HINT!). When you are here, you want one of two things: Buccatini all'amatriciana or Spaghetti all a carbonara. Both will be the best you have ever had, and no matter how hard you try while in Italy, you will never have better, period. read more

Seriously Yelp? We decided to leave after the very polite Asian couple at the table next to us worked up the courage to ask about their order and were condescendingly told 'pasta takes 8-minutes to cook'. Their point however was that they've been waiting over an hour since ordering. The waiters and staff basically brushed them off. Since we were 40-minutes into waiting ourselves, we took the leave option. I saw this playing out all across the restaurant. This place is a farce built around a one dish gimmick. I don't know how people live in this city and put up with such bad service (I'm not really that impressed by Rome so far, can you tell?). The only upside was that they comped us all our wine once we decided to bail. read more

My wife and I had been in Rome for about 4 days and this was our last dinner before we headed off to Venice. We Yelp'd this and realized it was only 2 blocks from our hotel. Funny thing, I Yelp'd Spanish food (I was getting tired of lasagna, pizza, and chicken) and this restaurant came up as #1 on the list. It had great reviews, 4.5 stars, and 1 Euro symbol, which really caught my eye. So we arrived at about 7:20pm, they open at 7:00pm, and it was off the beaten path of where tourists (like ourselves) would normally hang out. This restaurant was on the corner, just a door with a sign over it and didn't look that big. We entered and went down a flight of stairs to the restaurant. It was huge down there. There was another family of tourists already eating dinner and very few locals. Tables were open easily. First thought was, this restaurant was not that good because it was empty. As it got closer to 8:00, the restaurant had filled with about 60% tourists and 40% locals. By the time we exited the restaurant, there was a line waiting from the front host, up the stairs, and out the door. When we got outside, there was even more people out there. First recommendation, get there early to avoid the lines. Finally, what we ordered. This was not a Spanish restaurant. Purely Italian. I thought in my mind, "ok, at least it had great reviews". For an appetizer, we shared 3 different bruschetta's. Olive, garlic, and pomodora. The olives were excellent, I'm gonna have to try making those at home, the pomodora was great too, must be because the tomatoes are more flavorful here in Italy, and the garlic was, let's just say I could make it at home, but don't get me wrong, I make great garlic bread too. It was all too good. Now the main course. So my wife and I ordered the restaurants specialty, Spaghetti all a Parmigiana flambé for her (vegetarian spaghetti) and the Bucatina all'amateiciana flambé for me( spaghetti with bacon). This was hands down the best spaghetti I have ever eaten, even in Little Italy, back home in San Francisco, and my mom's recipe (sorry mom). Mine came with thicker than normal noodles, with a reddish-orange color meat sauce. There small slices of bacon mixed in as well. My first bit and I was in food ecstasy. The sauce was extremely flavorful, with a great smoky aroma. Now, it was served really hot, but it tasted soooo good. I added some red pepper to mine. They didn't have the regular red pepper flakes Americans are used too but actual dried real peppers. I chopped them up and mixed them in with my spaghetti. I also added a small amount of chili oil that my wife got for her dish. She didn't have the smoky aroma to her dish so I assuming it was from the bacon. Presentation was spaghetti in a bowl. Not much to it, but it was definitely a 5 star meal. My wife only finished half of her bowl, and that was a lot. I actually ate all of mine and wiped up all the sauce with bread. Yes, it was that good. We also had a 1/2 liter of wine, 2 bottles of still water, side of bread, 3 bruschetta's and 2 specials, total cost: €32.50. Our other meals have cost us an average of €50. I just wished I had found this restaurant earlier. We definitely would have come back. I've also posted some pics of our meals. read more

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What is going on in the world of Yelp? How is this place so well reviewed? I have your answer - you're middle aged, from bumble fudge America, and think Buca Di Beppo is authentic. The pasta sauce came from a can and the experience was lack worthy. The caprese salad tasted like it came from the Safeway deli counter. The house "specialty" bucatini all' amatriciana was gross. Overcooked pasta, salty sauce, and terrible flavors. I would have enjoyed Chef Boyardee more. If you want me to blend in with the others review. DON'T GO HERE! Correction, if the town you live has more varieties than a Maggiano's you're going to hate it!! (double exclamation's to blend in) P.S. I poop on this place. read more

Made a reservation for this place. Take a cab over to the place and stand in the stairwell for 5 minutes waiting for a host or waiter to greet me. Was never acknowledged. Realized the host was standing in the back of the restaurant. I say I have a reservation and the woman says, "No, no more. We are closed". Oddly the restaurant was entirely full, so the restaurant was not closed AND I had just made a reservation. After a couple minutes of arguing with the lady she finally said, "Ah, you are the one that called"... As we were talking to the woman, one of the waiters/cooks walked by us and kicked something into the kitchen, muttering probably some obscenity in Italian. Kind of strange of I do say so myself. She then proceeded to sit us down in the back-most, stinkiest part of the restaurant. She put a table together for us - no napkins or cups. Waiter came by and took our order and NEVER got us any cups for water, nor any napkins. We had to ask another waiter at least 5 times to get us these things, in which we had to resort to quickly drinking the wine in our glasses in order to use them for water. The other waiter kept coming back to our table pretending like he forgot what we needed... how hard is it to bring some water cups and napkins? Food finally came out - the only redeeming thing I can say about the food was that the spaghetti was perfectly al-dente. The sauce and meat was actually not that good. I've had plenty better-tasting sausage coming from a grocery store. Upon leaving the restaurant, I obviously had a sour-look on my face. Our waiter saw me and said, "smile". Sorry - I can't smile for a restaurant that has TERRIBLE service and food that apparently, from all of these reviews, should make up for it - but was actually very disappointing. I do not recommend this restaurant, especially later at night when the staff is grumpy. read more

We stopped here for dinner and it was amazing. Everything that we had was in the Roman style and delicious; none more so than the special of Bucatini Amatriciana Flambè. This was the main that everyone selected and no one came away disappointed. For antipasti I would recommend either the zucchini or the cod. Both were a good size to start and very well done. read more

The pasta here is the best I had during my stay in Rome but the service was really bad, I would have rate this place higher but I couldn't stayed our waiter! I don't know maybe because we don't speak the language but they should treat and respect all their customer! But I'm willing to come back and eat here again when giving a chance read more

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