Had dinner last Saturday. As usual the food was great. Just love this place. Consistent food and service and ownership is very present and on top of everything. No corkage is a nice add on. Highly recommend!!! read more

My favourite Italian restaurant! I love that they are located in my suburb. I know I can always bring people here for delicious food. Who doesn't love a BYOB without a cork fee? Every time we walk in they are busy. I love it! Appetizers- there are so many that are delicious! Although I love the burrata, it is quite large so I tend to not order this unless we are a party of 6 or more. The grilled calamari is a staple! The sauce is unbelievable. You will definitely want to reserve your table bread for this sauce. I also love their mussel appetizer with the red sauce. There is a hint of spice and I never loved mussels until I tried this appetizer. Any of those options are a great way to start out the meal. My husband and I always order the same two things when we are there: I get the grilled salmon and my husband orders the porcini pasta spicy with Italian sausage. Although I know there are many wonderful offerings, those two are our favourite so we stick with them. The only time my husband will order something different is when they have wild boar. Please get some in soon! Don't forget the dessert! The Nutella dessert, cannoli, lemon cake, or gelato are all solid options! The service is incredible. They recognize us because we frequent often. We feel like an extension of the Via Roma Family. read more

We live across the road from via roma, so we usually order take out. This is one of the best italian places we have tried in the area. The food is priced reasonably and it tastes delicious. We usually order the pumpkin or spinach ravioli, risotto and a vegetarian pasta. We have also tried the bruschetta which is god too. We will order again from here, it is our go-to italian place in the area. read more

It's easy to miss Via Roma, tucked into a little space off of Lee Street. But it's worth the hunt. Delicious food made from scratch, hearty portions and low prices, plus, BYOB, with no corkage fee. They don't take reservations for parties under 7, so on Friday and Saturday night, be prepared to wait for a table. Bring your wine, and ask for glasses, or even order an appetizer while you wait for your table. My friends love it because there are always several vegetarian options, I love it because the vodka sauce is the best I've ever had! Don't bother trying to park on Lee St, turn onto Prairie, and go into the large municipal lot behind the buildings, follow the signs for the Post Office. There's no time limit, and you can go into the restaurant through the patio. It's a little noisy during the dinner rush when every table is filled, so don't expect a cozy, private conversation. Don't be surprised if you wind up chatting and laughing with the neighboring tables, this really is a neighborhood restaurant, everyone is friends. read more

I was so excited to see a new Italian place opening close to my home in Des Plaines. There isn't really anything like this nearby and I was so thrilled. Of course, I should have known better than to get my hopes up. First off, they are NOT open for dinner. Even so, I wanted to give it a try and was still hoping for the best. Keep in mind this place had only been open for a week but they do not have intentions of opening for dinner for at least six months. The owner (wife) was very friendly and instantly told us what an amazing cook her husband was and that she knew we would love our meal. We didn't. And we so wanted to. We really did. We liked the people so much and thought the place was really cute. We almost wanted to go in there and tel them what was wrong and what they needed to fix so that they could succeed. We'll start with the salad. I had the caprese salad and to say it was disappointing is an understatement. The tomatoes weren't even remotely ripe. They were hard and so incredibly cold. The basil looked like it had been purchased a week ago as it was wilted and browning. Not at all appetizing. For entrees, I ordered the spinach ravioli with some kind of sauce. I can't recall what it was now but it was something similar to a vodka sauce if not exactly that. Hubby ordered the carbonara. When they served his carbonara I was shocked at what I saw. The eggs were completely scrambled. My husband, who doesn't have a drop of Italian in him can make a mean carbonara and he would never serve one where the eggs were scrambled. The pasta was severely overcooked and there was no flavor to it at all. The panchetta didn't have that caramelized crunch that it should have. It was just a mess. My pasta was bleh. It was overcooked and the sauce tasted like it was from a jar. Certainly not the disaster that my husband's dish was but nothing I would come back for. I'm willing to try the place out again in a few months when they've settled things a bit. It seems like they are a young couple that thought it would be fun to start a restaurant because the husband could cook. Maybe he needs to get used to a commercial kitchen. I really hope they improve because I can't see them lasting serving things the way they are now. read more

Apparently thinking you're a foodie doesn't mean you have a palate...that being said Via Roma's meals are delicious, clean, and uncomplicated. Not the usual pasta, sauce, or minestrone. I have been introduced to dishes I have never eaten before. Yes, the ambiance is energetic but that's what happens when you run a successful business. I don't live near Via Roma, I've been there a handful of times but I find it very hard to eat Italian anywhere else. read more

Words can not describe how good food and hospitality this place has. You have to come and experience it yourself. Enough said. read more

This is one of my most favorite places in the entire world. I come here so often that they have my soda ready and waiting for me before I even come in the door. Not only are the owners absolutely wonderful, the food is amazing! My favorite dish, the penne pasta with pesto cream sauce, is to DIE for. I'm a 100% Italian so listen to me when I say this. To die for. They know I like it so much they will even make it special for me when it's not offered on the menu. What else can I say? The atmosphere is great. It's small and homey but still feels big enough to serve a large lunch crowd. It's never too loud, and the prices are so good. Especially for the quality of food that you are getting. I just love this place. It's my little home away from home. read more

Horrible service. Ok food. Not worth it. To start we stood at the door for at least 10 minutes without anyone acknowledging us. At least another 15 minutes before the server greeted us. At least another 15 minutes to get our drinks. Even when our food came out, it took 10 minutes to just get silverware as our food got cold. The food was meh. read more

Via Roma is a very quaint neighborhood trattoria in Des Plaines and is a place where you go for a good solid "home" style meal. The menu is simple and not overly ambitious, plus the daily specials, & the best part is BYOB! I've had several meals some good some not so good. Let's talk about the good. - Grilled polpo when you see it on the daily special get it. It's very tender and delicious. -Pumpkin ravioli solid dish delicate flavor sweet/savory. -Bucatini Americiana one of my favorites full robust flavor. -Cannoli-Awesome!!! The misses-Spaghetti carbonara was a hot mess....way too salty and the carbonara sauce was goopey. I would like to see them change out the pasta instead of spaghetti how about fettuccine and adding fresh peas. Spaghetti Vongole-again way too salty and left me flat, it can use a dash of fresh Italian parsley to make this dish pop. I appreciate what Via Roma is doing and overall they make good food, they just need to make sure the kitchen is consistent. A tavola a mangiare! read more

I cannot believe this restaurant has escaped me for so long. I live in des plaines and didn't find this restaurant in be to intriguing from the outside.. Wow was I wrong. To begin with its BYOB :). Our waitress was awesome. Lots of specials for her to tell yes about and she took her time to elaborate on each one. We took her recommendations and they were fabulous. Started with the fresh mozzarella , prosciutto , hearts of Palm appetizer. So very simple but incredible. Fresh bread was served with it. Fantastic. I had the mahi mahi and it was one of the best tasting I have every had. Done perfectly with a wonderful sauce with great vegetables on the side. Deserves a 10. My husband had the linguini with a spicy red sauce with clams, mussels and calamari. Perfectly cooked seafood and awesome flavor. A little kick in the sauce. We will be back soon to explore more on the menu. We went early on a Saturday. No waiting at that time, around 5:00pm but a line was starting when we left. It's a very small restaurant with a friendly atmosphere. Definitely recommend! read more

This is one of the best Italian restaurants in Chicagoland (and most definitely in Des Plaines). My husband and I visit here regularly since it is in walking distance from our apartment. The atmosphere is as if you're in someone's home kitchen. The outdoor patio is great. The first night we went there was a group of older men conversing in Italian over a few bottles of wine - AWESOME. All the dishes are delicious, I recommend any pasta dish and their fish specials. And you MUST get the burrata appetizer. Great service, comfortable atmosphere, and delicious food! read more

I love Via Roma, I drive from Naperville to eat here. Everything is homemade and prices cannot be beat! The chef (from Rome) and owner (fiance) ...Lisa, know how to do it right! Their friends and family work here and they have been in the restaurant industry for a very long time...it shows. This is a great place for groups or singles, it gets very busy so I suggest to call for a reservation! (at least for dinner) Once summer hits they will have a patio and outdoor space. You can take the train or drive, plenty of parking. I always get the green fettuccine (Spinach) with peas and prosciutto... A must try! BYOB, can't beat that. YUM i'm craving Via right now! read more

I went here on the way to the airport and it had great reviews. I got to the restaurant at 2:45 and to my surprise they closed at 3pm. I should have checked but they let me sit outside on the back patio and order anyways. I got the caprese salad, and the pumpkin ravioli. The freshness of the tomatoes was amazing and the olive oil was very very good quality. I asked for some balsimic for the salad and bread and it was the nice aged kind. I asked and it was aged 5 years. Which is nice because most places will skimp on that. Then I got the ravioli and it was suppose to have a butternut squash and pesto dressing but the taste was overwhelmed with some sort of stock. I would have assumed seafood stock but the waiter checked and they swore it was chicken stock. I could not shake the seafood taste. It was just did not pair well with the ravioli and it was covered in it so made me sad I couldn't get the full taste. I am conflicted with the rating because it started off so strong and amazing and I feel if not for that stock overpowering the taste it would have been a perfect 5 stars. If I am in the area again I will have to give them another shot. But I went with 3 becuase the main entree was not very good but it was fresh if that counts. read more

Really enjoyed my dining experience at Via Roma, when I finally made it there! Went with about 6 others, so we did have to wait for a bit for a table, even with reservations, because the restaurant is pretty small. Once we got our table, the service was excellent! Our server came right over, the busboy brought bread, oil and cheese... The food was great! The only complaint, if I have one, is that while there are plenty of options on the menu, not a whole lot for a picky eater that loves Italian food. I know, sounds nuts... but if you don't like fish, don't eat mushrooms... and are on a budget, this might not be the best place to stop in and dine. The standard pasta dishes that we're all used to are not part of the menu, as I expected they'd be. I was able to find a couple of dishes I would try, but not as many as I had hoped. I'll go back, without a doubt, what I had was tasty! read more

This is one awesome local authentic Italian restaurant. This place brings together great food with friendly service. The place is operated/owned by a husband and wife team, who really care about their customers. This place gets really packed on Friday/Saturday nights, so be ready to wait in case you happen to come when it is at full capacity. Most local businesses in downtown Des Plaines do not not last long, but this is one place that will last. read more

Excellent Italian cooking chef owned and operated .I have always enjoyed the food hear since they first opened dont miss this place

Finally made it to this spot after years of meaning to go! It did not disappoint. Antipasto and fried calamari apps were delicious. I had the spaghetti carbonara (bacon) which was very creamy. The flavor was great, but a little too heavy for my taste. My friend had the rigatoni with marinara and added shrimp, which was perfect. I will get that next time since I prefer a lighter pasta. The bread was warm and very soft, yet had a nice crust. They make their own mozerella, so ask for the antipasto app, which may not be on the menu. Minestrone was so so - doesn't have a strong tomato flavor like I'm used to and prefer. The gelato for dessert was very good. After spending a few weeks in Italy last year, I've become accustomed to great Italian food and this place does not disappoint. I will be back soon, but will enjoy my leftovers first! read more

Amazing and can't wait to return! Food was great! Service was amazing (our waitress, the bussers, the manager, literally everyone! Only 1 reason for 4 stars instead of 5 - the acoustics. It was DEAFENING in there. Maybe more cloth surfaces would do the trick?? I don't know but I'll be going back regardless! Just not when I want to have an important conversation. Definitely try the stuffed zucchini flowers, and the fettuccine with baby scallops, crab, and crawfish (on special - but waitress said you can request it any time). I mean seriously delicious food! Oh and don't forget to BYOB! read more

Stopped in for dinner finally on a Saturday night and we had a great time. Service was pleasant and friendly, prices affordable and the food was delicious. They have an expanded menu for dinner that's different than lunch and worth checking out. All 4 of us had an entree, split an appetizer and brought a bottle wine. Our total was $40-something bucks. Hope people in Des Plaines take advantage of this place. read more

Fantastic food. Surely busy for a good reason. Love that it is BYOB. We had fried calamari, risotto, and butternut squash ravioli. I literally though I was back in Italy eating pasta. Thank you! read more

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I like it and would definetly go back. Was it perfect? No, cause I wouldn't say my meal was something to write home about but it was solid and tasty and I appreciate that they appeared to take some chances in their preperation that deviated from what I would expect in terms of flavors and presentation. I would've like some mozzerella on the bruschetta appetizer but it didn't ruin the flavors that were there for me. We normally don't get desert but the mood struck us and I must say that the tiramisu was more than worth the extra cost in my mind. I had one of the specials, a veal and lemon dish which as I mentioned before was passable and good but I wasn't blown away. But it was good enough that I'd happily come back. I LOVE the atmosphere and cozy feel of the place, I think its super cute with a nice intimate "family feel". Our service was fine, no complaints there and the place was actually pretty busy(we had a wait) as it was a weekend night. Perhaps they've improved from some earlier reviews that mentioned slow service? So minus one star cause I'm hard to blow away to the point that I throw out five star reviews but I love this place and hope they do well. read more

This is a small quaint place. The service is excellent, servers are very friendly and helpful. The food is outstanding, absolutely delicious. Everything has that authentic Italian taste to it . If you are Italian - you will also love this restaurant. It's BYOB, which is wonderful. Many people bring their own wine, which is nice touch to see everyone enjoying wine with bottles on nearly all of the tables. The only downside is it can be a little noise-y, but not a deal-breaker. (Deducted 1 star for it being a little bit louder than I would have prefered). Between this and Olivetti's (bad everything), this is by FAR the superior Italian restaurant all the way around - food, service, ambiance, everything. I can highly recommend this restaurant! read more

The service it great. The food tastes good. The food I can tell fresh but the portions are a bit smaller for my liking. There is free parking in the back (IDK if that's normal, but I value free parking). Its crowded which speaks well of the restaurant but something to consider if you are going with group. read more

On a quick stopover in the Chicago suburbs, we happened to stumble upong Via Roma and couldn't be happier. Besides the food and the casual and cozy atmosphere, the other highlight is BYOB with no corkage fee, Yep, you heard right! There is something to be said about bringing in your favorite wine or adult beverage (we saw a table with a soft sided cooler full of beer). With no additonal cost, it's even a bigger perk. Now onto the food. I opted for linguine and claims in a white wine sauce. It was exactly what I was looking for. Briny, garlicky with perfectly cooked noodles. My girlfriend went with wild boar pasta. While it was served with more of a lighter cream sauce, it still hit home on all levels. On a chilly fall night, it hit the spot. My daughter opted for the gnocci. It was solid but I've tried other dishes that were a little more delicately prepared. While not gummy, the gnocchi were a bit dense. If I lived in the area, this would be a weekly spot for us to visit. They don't take reservations so best to arrive early. read more

Headed in on a weeknight and it was hustling and bustling in this little spot squeezed between shops. We got started off with fresh and warm bread with oil and parmesan. The captures salad, minestrone soup and gnocchi primavera were part of our order. The gnocchi were soft as pillows and the squash & zucchini were flavorful and it was made spicy, as requested. The server was apologetic that it was busy and she'd gotten delayed getting us menus. All staff was friendly. The server even brought us more bread as food service was taking some time. The cafe ambiance was nice. The food was good. It's a hidden gem! read more

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Went with a group of 13 for dinner. From the good quality olive oil to the authentic Tiramisu it was a big hit. The server was fantastic as was all the staff. Bravo! read more

This is a little gem in Des Plaines... Food is not perfect, but its pretty good. Service is fantastic, everyone is very friendly and accommodating. It's a BYOB place with NO corkage fee (thank you!). Prices are very reasonable and I feel as though the portions are just right--not tiny, but not overwhelming. We enjoyed the Grilled Calamari for an appetizer--very fresh and a great garlic taste! All of us had veal, lol, and while it was good, I felt as though my Saltimbocca wasn't prepared the way I am used to. I have usually had it where the prosciutto is encrusted into the veal, and this time it was just on top. It was not bad by any means, I am just used to it the other way. We washed down our dinner with a FANTASTIC cannoli :) As others have said, I love the cozy feel of this place--it is very sweet and we really enjoyed our double date here. read more

I love their linguine and clams plate. My family and I would always go there for my birthday.

Limoncello cake....you complete me. We were searching for a place to meet friends where we could eat and socialize near Des Plaines and found Via Roma on Yelp. (Thanks again Yelpers!) It was intimate and casual with the perfect noise level to carry on a conversation. It was still hopping at 8 pm when we arrived but we were seated and greeted graciously after a few minutes. There are so many places to go with fantastic Italian food all around Chicago, but Via Roma has earned my business for their perfect storm of excellent food, sincere and pleasant service, and at least my idea of an excellent atmosphere. All four of us had specials, appetizers, dessert and coffee we BYOB'd some beer and ciders, but many tables had brought a bottle of wine or two. An excellent value for around $65 a couple. Please give your money to those who love what they do, Americans who love freedom patronize small local businesses! read more

We have been at Via Roma on Saturday at 6 pm, almost all tables were filled but no line. Burrata antipasto was huge and amazing- we shared it with several people. Fried calamari - good but lacking salt, better with sauce. My entree was ravioli with ricotta and spinach, added shrimp- delicious, sauce was rich and balanced. My husband's homemade pasta with porcini mushrooms was tasty but sauce needed more salt. Dessert- chocolate gelato, rich, creamy, smooth, just awesome. We were sitting at the patio, the metal table was not the most comfortable but created a rustic feel. Great find for us! read more

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Nice place. Food and service was excellent I'll be back soon. I ate few days ago and I came back few years for the same food read more

I got the rigatoni carbonara. It was okay nothing special. Best thing about it was the price $6.50! Comes with bread, cheese & oil. Okay food. Cheap prices! Cute place. Pretty tiny. BYOB Street parking in the front. Parking lot in the back. read more

This place is awesome! I contemplated not posting this because I don't want a bunch of people going here. I decided that I couldn't do this to the excellent owners and staff. Via Roma is a delectable BYOB Italian restaurant. I have been there 3 times and each time I had something different. The veal meatballs and spaghetti are outstanding. Plus the best part, BYOB. If anyone is looking to boost their business in the suburbs, go BYOB. read more

Sorry this review was so long in happening, you know it's good when you remember everything about it and vow to return every time you go back to Chicago. I was there this summer on a business trip with my hubby. If you read my reviews you know I can't eat anything with soy (vegetable oil included) and canola. Well, I could but then I wouldn't be feeling very well for a few days. :p Makes it tough and rules out the chains. So here's the story: (Short version: the food is excellent). Long version: Flew into Chicago late on a Tuesday night, rented a car, will most likely never do that again. We were starving, busy day didn't eat and everything was about to close. Called all these restaurants, (usually stick with farm to table and Italian as they can accommodate in some cases) frantically searching...and thankfully after seeing all the stars and having a good feeling about this place a very kind person answered the phone and said, "of course we can accommodate, like it was no big deal." Now sometimes they really can and sometimes the kind person doesn't know. This kind person happened to be the owner's wife and she knew every ingredient and was very proud of their food. I exclaimed "we're coming over now, tell us what to eat and we'll eat it!" We offered to get it to go as they were closing soon and we could be there in 15 minutes. We got there and there was one table left, they saw our frantic faces and offered us a table and said "forget about to go would you like to eat it here?" We jumped at the chance to eat warm freshly made food. Oh, how it exceeded our expectations!!! We chatted a bit and found out why, turns out the owners husband is from Rome, this is why it truly tasted like the Italian food we'd grown up with. The ingredients were chosen carefully, the carbonara was divine. She introduced me to a still water that they carry from Italy and now I'm hooked on it - Fiuggi. The salads were so fresh, they are strong on local sourcing. They make many things to order. We ate every single meal there and felt fantastic, no bloated stomachs not a good sign food wise. We now look forward to returning to Chicago for business, we will stay out near there restaurant and wish them all the best. We also enjoyed their staff, like attracts like. A great bunch, if I lived there, I'd be eating probably 2 meals a week there at least! Their food can't be compared with other food it's too good, this is an attempt to do so: Spaghetti Carbonara 10 stars on a 5 star scale!! We had to order it for every meal. Risotto Crema Di Scampi 7 stars on a 5 star scale. Tortellini Pomodoro 8 stars on a 5 star scale. Caprese 7 stars as they used fresh tomatoes Calamari Griglia 7 stars Bruschetta Rucola solid 8, as we ate it and loved it! Our leftovers even tasted good the next day. :) read more

I love this little gem! I wasn't that impressed with their gluten-free options (4 risotto dishes). But...I got the risotto crema di scampi and it was PHENOMENAL. SO GOOD. Best meal I've had in months. I love how cozy and small this place is. And the service was very friendly. Get more GF options and I'll give 5 stars!!! read more

Flew in to O'Hare for a business meeting. Gathered colleagues here the night before. Was so excellent I returned the next night. Service is genuine, friendly, old fashioned I'd even say. Food is fantastic! A+ all the way!! I'm trying to save room for dessert!! read more

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It's getting harder to get a table as Via Roma continues to deliver the best Italian around.

Authentic Italian Food. Have been coming to Roma for several years. Love that is BYOB. Love the larger space. Very welcoming restaurant. You are always greeted and service is on point! Thanks Via Roma! read more

I had heard some good things about this restaurant as well as the fact that they are often crowded with a wait, so I grabbed an opportunity to stop in for a late Tuesday lunch when it was fairly quiet. I opted for the penne puttanesca which was nicely done with olives, capers and some anchovy; not too much or too little, which made for a good dish. Also decided to try the pistachio gelati and am I glad I did. This was a generous portion with a ton of flavor and a nice dollop of sweet whip cream on top. Service was pleasant and prompt. I plan to return. read more