Trattoria-Pizzeria Roma Inc
Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Near North Side, Old Town1535 N Wells St
(between Burton Pl & North Ave)
Chicago, IL 60610 (312) 664-7907
- Nearest Transit:
Sedgwick (Purple Express, Brown)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
23 reviews
Neighborhood: Near North Side
"Oh Pump Room, you are taking the honors of my first five star review. Perfect place for almost all nice occasions. Yes, it's a nice, classy…" read more »
36 Reviews for Trattoria-Pizzeria Roma Inc
I wanted to give Trattoria Roma four stars but (based on my other reviews) I didn't think it would be fair. You see, I love this restaurant but only from a biased standpoint - I am partial because my friends like it and some of my friends are friends with the management. But, if I were to give a review according to the way I've reviewed some other restaurants, in an effort to stay consistent, I give this place 3 stars.
I honestly think the food is very good, I also think the prices are extremely fair I think the room is adorable. But, at the same time, if I were to visit this place without having any preconceived notions, I would probably feel like it lacked a little.
I almost always order the string bean, tomato and onion salad but I add crumbled blue cheese. The bread is always hot & the olive oil is extra virgin. The pasta is usually al dente and the pizzas are fair (could be thinner, I like super thin) but the pizza with the egg on it is the best. The best thing is the tiramisu & the espresso.
Mostly, I prefer this restaurant for a no nonsense, good meal at a great price. Oh, and of course, they serve Cosentino wines and I love their wines!
I've walked by this place a million times but never suspected what wonderful Italian food I would find just through its doors.
Trattoria Roma is a little slice of Italy in Old Town. While smallish- the close set tables add a casual air of intimacy to the place. If you go in the Summer- dress accordingly as it was a hot night and it was hot in the place. So hot, that I had to have them chill my red wine as it was just too warm to drink.
The host was extremely helpful to me as he ran around the restaurant trying to find me change for the parking meter out front. I was really surprised (and pleased) that he went to all that trouble. We did have a server change out in the middle of dinner, which felt odd but hey- they didn't miss a beat.
The menu changes daily so it is hand written and all specials are included. We chose to go with what the server recommended which was the Rolli all Trattoria and the Spaghetti along with Caprese Salad. All were delicious! But I think the best entree was the Rolli- tri colored pasta with ricotta cheese, ham, spinach and covered in a 4 cheese sauce. Can't say there were any leftovers of that dish!
Check it out the next time you are in Old Town. I'll definitely be back cuz there were other things on the menu that I wanted- but didn't get to try. And trying new things is half the fun of eating out!
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I have taken family, friends, and I even took my 84 year old Grandfather, who I am pretty sure no longer has taste buds.
This place is about as spacious as a studio apartment in Manhattan but don't let that fool you, this place is the goods.
The menu always seems to be changing, you will have about 2-3 waiters who switch off, kind of fun, kind of weird but whatever.
All of the pastas are very different and have a ton of flavor, the rosemary chicken is great and never overcooked. Also my mom's best friend who is a hardcore Bostonian who pretty much hates everything, thought the Tiramisu was the best thing she has had in a while.
Prices are very reasonable, they usually have deals on Tuesday for wine and you might find a coupon in some of the local magazines or papers.
Fennel salad??! YES! (Exclaimed in the Flaming Lips falsetto voice)
Mandy and I wanted to meet somewhere for a drink before a 7pm appointment, and she suggested Trattoria Roma, a place I'd never been before. "Great, I'll meet you there."
As usual, she was a bit late (you know I love you, Mandy!), so I decided to wait at the bar. The kind gentleman outside told me that the bar was only open on Fridays and Saturdays. *Dang!* I called her and we decided we would split a bottle of wine and an appetizer, so I was offered my choice of tables since it was early. Being a respectful patron, I chose a small two-top along the wall, which was out of the way for us anyway. And I'm glad I'd done so because towards the end of our meal the place started getting packed.
Our waiter was a bit stiff at first, but warmed up towards the end. I'm definitely from the school of professional, but comfortable serving, so I'm glad he warmed up. I mean, really, two unassuming women like us wouldn't bite his head off. In fact, I wanted him to have a good time with us! He was great, though. He anticipated a lot so that it was almost as if things we wanted appeared or happened without really being conveyed. Mind reader? Magician?
The wine was delicious and the bread nice and crusty on the outside, warm and soft on the inside. We split the fennel salad. I would like to wish that more restaurants would serve fennel salads, but then how many of them would be done right? I would hate to be disappointed by bum attempts at fennel. This was beautiful. Crisp, cold fennel and red cabbage with a light, creamy dressing. Yum, yum, yum.
So, where are the Nonna Cakes?? The dessert menu reads: "Ricotta cheesecake made in the real Italian style by our Grandmother. p.s. Grandma makes it in small batches so you'll be lucky if there's any left!" WE WERE UNLUCKY. At 7pm on a Tuesday, I guess we missed out because there were no Nonna Cakes to be had. They were also missing one other dessert, but we decided on the tiramisu. Okay, so we didn't get to try Nonna's specialty, but the tiramisu was still very satisfying. It was creamy and light, not heavy like it can be in some places.
This is a very hospitable place. The entire staff was polite and on top of things. They were the crew on a ship, not just keeping it afloat, but making sure it sailed smoothly. I'm almost certain everyone on the floor staff thanked us before we left.
Next time I will try the pastas and pray that Nonna will save a cake for me. But this was a great introduction to Trattoria Roma.
By the way, we were having such a great time that we cancelled that 7pm appointment! Don't go to this restaurant if you need to be somewhere. You'll instantly feel so comfy you'll want to stay and get into your jammies.
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Good stuff - some of the better Italian I've had in Chicago. The wait staff has always been very nice to us - happy to suggest off-menu items that the chef could put together. Great atmosphere and in-keeping with the Old Town locale.
Agreed with Tiffany and Robert - somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. It's always our standby for Italian food due to its great location and solid menu. I've always gone with a larger group (at least 5 people) and we typically make reservations so we have no problem with getting seated and served. I like the fact that there is outdoor seating out front. Our service is always pretty good, sometimes bordering on slightly inattentive.
Food is always good but not anything out of the ordinary. I've had the Rolli Alla Trattoria which has a bit too much ricotta cheese for my liking (which is strange cause I LOVE ricotta), the Rigatoni All Abruzzese, and the Capellini Al Sugo Di Scampi. On one visit, a friend tried to order something she had eaten previously, but was not currently on the menu. The restaurant did there best to make it for her, although she said it wasn't quite right. I agree with Clarissa on the tiramisu, its pretty good here.
I also like the bar downstairs, which we visited once while waiting for a table. The bartender was very friendly and helped us all in selecting wines. It's a very cool feel down there, and I definitely got the feeling I was in a cave.
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I agree it is somewhere between a 3 and a 4. We live in the neighborhood and after trying to go to Topo with little success (the wait was over an hour for the 2 of us..uugghh) we walked across the street to Roma. What a gem. Everyone was very courteous, friendly, our food was served quickly, and I agree a little more quiet than Topo. Although we did have this one guy sitting next to us talking about his potential salary as an Er doctor....give me a break! I had the angel hair pasta with shrimp and scallops and that was a homerun for me. Very light and not heavy at all. The BF had the lasagna which was very tasty, but not something i personally would ever order. Definitely a good alternative if you want to try something other than Topo!
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Consistently great food & an intimate setting has kept us coming back for at least 15 years! Although we don't frequent as much as we would like, I enjoy this over Topo Gigio for the sheer fact that the late Franco started the whole Trattoria trend in Chicago 20 years ago. He was the very first and the spin-offs from his idea have been many.
The pasta with shrimp and scallops was flavorful and perfectly cooked. Pollo Romano disappeared off my husband's plate, and the mezzaluna filled with spinach and cheese was a hit with my daughter.
Wine list is excellent, and tiramisu one of the best in the city. Don't overlook this gem of a restaurant.
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I agree with Tiffany: somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, but I'll give it 4 because of the location. I was there on a few occasions, mostly for dinner, and once for lunch. Always liked the food: typical Italian Trattoria food, as the name suggests. I had carpaccio and various choices of pizza; it all tasted fresh and authentic, although I missed the spicy olive oil that you would usually find with pizza in Italy, France or Belgium. The crust on the pizza could be a little thinner, but that's a matter of personal taste. I have only eaten there when they had the little patio open; no idea how it is inside.
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Went there Friday night. Beautiful weather so there was a bit of a wait for an outside table. We had a drink at O'Brien's across the street for 20 mins, and when we checked back, our table was ready!
One of my friends is Italian, and this is the only Italian restaurant that her parents approve them eating at.
We ordered arugula salad, dressing was not too oily with strong hints of lemon. 2 pizzas-pizza crust was super thin and crisp, 4 season pizza was truly good! Tomato and blue cheese. Mussels with marinara-we asked for the sauce to be spiced up with red pepper and they made it really good. Capellini with shrimp and scallop-really good, perfectly sauteed shrimp and scallop tossed with garlic, tomatoes and clam juice. One of us went off the menu and requested penne with arrabiata sauce and they made it happen.
I would definitely go again to sit outside and enjoy the last bit of warm weather.
I first came upon Trattoria Roma on NYE for dinner. I had the steak and broccoli which immediately became my favorite dish here. I have gone back twice and have gotten that dish on every occasion, so my 4 stars is really a review of that entree. (Yes, I shamelessly haven't tried anything new here).
The wine is good, I like the olive oil and the sauce that the broccoli and steak comes in is awesome. My friend had the veal and spinach and gave it high praises.
The service is fine and I like sitting out on the Patio. Couple of other bonuses: There is a coupon book circulating in the Gold Coast and River North which allows for 'buy one entree, get the second one free'. And on Mondays and Tuesdays, all bottles of wine are half off.
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I went here on Sunday for the fist time. It was around 3:00, a girlfriend and I stopped on our way home from the beach...hoping the sun would break from all the clouds (what chased us from the beach!) we sat on the sidewalk, had a bottle of red wine...which was good. We had the grilled calamari to start, also good and then we had the scallop and shrimp angel hair pasta and the chicken (some kind of sauce...) with grilled vegetables. The food I thought was very good. The service, I have to say...some of the best I've had in a while. They weren't busy at all...that may have been a factor but regardless it was a very enjoyable time (the sun came out, that helped). I would def. go back...maybe on 1/2 off wine night ( i think Tues and wed?). Try it out. Good people watching too!
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we had such a pleasant evening here!
attentive and delightful servers, fabulous food, good wine, EXCELLENT calamari - we were so so pleased!
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I'll give Trattoria-Roma two stars for the great location...One would think how much better can it get when you are sitting outside on a patio in the midst of Wells with a chilled glass of a great wine? Well, that's about all this has...Went here about a week ago to celebrate a girlfriend's recent engagement...As we sat down excited and starving on the patio, our frazzled and less than cordial server hastily dropped menus off...We ordered a white wine and for the next two hours, he didn't refill our wine, didn't place it in a container to be chilled, and just seemed annoyed in general....This place has average Italian food, less than stellar service, and not soo affordable prices...I won't come back....
I came here for a friend's birthday dinner, and the food was incredible! The table bread was warm, the atmosphere was clean and fun, and the service was great. My only tip is to order something that's not on the menu if it's what you're really craving. I did that and got exactly what I wanted.
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Okay, I have never had a bad experience here. I first came across it when they donated some pizza to an event I was working at, back some 5 or 6 years ago. The pizza was great, so I tried it out. Amazing experience. I do wish the pizza was cooked in a wood burning oven, but c'est la vie. The calamari is incredible!!! I always order it. Every pizza I have had is great, and a number of hte pastas too. Plus, they have a wonderful outdoor partio in the front that is just great for some private time, or people watching on Wells. I love it here for its total casual attitude and really simple food.
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With all the Italian places up in this piece some get lost in the shuffle.
Don't lose this one! Though it is not my fave for ambiance and/or service, the food is FANTASTIC. I am not a big "pasta" girl but I love what I ordered last night - Rotini with ground sausage and mushrooms. I don't even like mushrooms (I pick around them, kind of challenging, yet fun). The pasta was PERFECT and the meat was sooooo good. For dessert our party split the chocolate gelato (heaven) and the tiramisu (excellent). The menu changes often and I heard the lasagna is amazing. I will be back fo shizzle.
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Listen up other "Trattoria Roma" reviewers... in the words of Bill Lumburg, "I'm going to have to, sort of, disagree with you." This place sucked. We went there on a special occasion unfortunately, and it was one big joke by the end of the night. Our waiter was the RUDEST man alive. Rude to the point that we were just cracking up right in his face because we could not believe the things that he was saying/doing. The cherry on top was the hair in everyone's food. Yes, every dish had hair in it. Way too many good Italian places to put up with this shithole again.
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This Italian gem has tasty pizza and fresh ingredients. There is a very classy but cozy ambiance to the restaurant~ from the attentive servers to their handwritten menu which contains a wide variety of fish, chicken, and pasta. They have plenty of tables out front. I was extremely impressed when after my glass of wine tipped over after a wind gust blew the table cloth up and the waiter brought me another complementary glass~ even though the other one was almost empty. I definitely recommend this restaurant and can't wait to go back!
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Food was good. They change their menus everyday, so you can pretty much tell them what you would like to eat if you don't find something you like on the menu itself. The atmosphere is nice. It's small and cozy inside. I found the food lacking a bit of flavor. I felt like the food was missing taste and was in need of something. The bruschetta is amazing as well as the calamari. You should definitely go if you are planning to eat a lot because the portions are very large. I felt like I barely touched my food.
The service was really nice, that was a plus. Don't know if I would go back in the future. I am sure there are Italian restaurants with better tasting menus
Two and a half stars, maybe. There was just nothing very spectacular about this place. The inside isn't really adorable, it's really just cheesy. Fake frescos and whatnot. Our service was indifferent, at best.
And the food? Enh. The mozzarella was some of the best I've had on a caprese, but that restaurant should be ashamed to send tomatoes out of the kitchen like that. So pink they were almost perfect for a baby shower. This is a restaurant that changes its menu every day? Take the caprese off in Feb, man. Unless you've got the goods. The main dishes were only so-so. I had the Valentine's day heart-shaped ravioli, with veal and mushrooms. Bland. Couldn't tell there were mushrooms in it. My boyfriend had the lasagna, and it was pretty crappy too. Boring tomato sauce, less than stellar seasoning.
The desserts were okay. I would recommend the ricotta cheesecake, which tastes homemade and is delightful. But Sam had the chocolate mousse, which was actually a cake, and a dry, sort of boring one at that. He didn't finish it, which is saying something, because he's a dessert fiend.
All in all, I'd have to say that I would never go back, and I can't understand the rave reviews.
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Good tasty Food, Good service (ask for Danny or Raul) recommendations: Capellini Scampi (The Best angel hair pasta in town with Prawns), The Bistecca (NY steak, the sauce is amazing.. ) and for Dessert ... just ask for the Frutti di Bosco (a cake with berries.. the best!)
Great pasta and bruschetta. Only complaint ~ why did my Vongole have less pasta than everyone else? Pride and my (missing) waistline conscience told me to shut up.
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I like Trattoria Roma much better than the popular Topo Gigio across the street. Their menu is small, but they change it up quite a bit and everything is awesome. The last time I went here I had a veal dish and it was the best veal I"ve had in a long time. I agree with Laura O that the tables are a little close together, but overall I think it's a lot quieter than Topo and some of the other Italian restaurants in Chicago.
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I agree with Elizabeth that when it comes to Italian in Old Town I tend to choose Topo Gigio. However, my friend and I decided to mix things up a little tonight and try Trattoria Roma instead. It was much better than I remembered from my previous visits! I got the angel hair pasta with shrimp and scallops and it was SO good. I tried some of my friend's Maui Maui and that was pretty good as well, although the angel hair pasta was definitely the way to go. The service was very good (the food came out in about 10 minutes) and it was a great place to have a conversation because it's not loud like many of the other Italian restaurants in Chicago. After tonight's experience I may be going to Trattoria Roma more often.
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Not as good as Topo Gigo across the street, but still good. It's a really cute, quaint atmosphere although can get a bit loud at times since the tables are so close together. The menu isn't huge, but I always find something I like here.
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I just went to this quaint, cute, italian restaurant in Old Town. I found the service to be excellent as well as the food. It is very fresh and different. I think they change their menu daily or weekly (not sure), but they can pretty much make you anything you want. Definitely a good date place.
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This restaurant is so cute! It's pretty small, but they open up the patio when it's nice out. The food is delicious and the service is really good. I recently went to dinner here before second city and they had us in and out since they knew we were trying to catch a show.
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I live nearby and agree that this place tends to get overlooked. But every time I've been here I've been pleased with the experience. Last night my mom and I decided to grab the only open patio table when we were walking by after a movie. After we'd sat down (and were digging into some yummy HOT fresh bread) we were pleasantly surprised to learn that all wine bottles were half price on Mondays and Tuesdays! The menu, which changes daily, is pretty simple. But I have to give them credit, they do simple really well. Last night my mom ordered ordered a pork chop with a portobello mushroom sauce and garlic mashed potatoes, and I had capellini with shrimp, scallops and cherry tomatoes. I wasn't expecting to be blown away by either of them, but both were incredibly flavorful and very generous portions. Our total tab was $60 and we'd enjoyed a bottle of wine that normally costs $45--a great deal!
Take advantage of the half-price wine nights for a nice casual dinner, especially if you live nearby and if you can sit outside and enjoy the Wells Street atmosphere.
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Trattoria Roma is an adorable Italian restaurant located in the heart of Old Town. The portions are gigantic and the food is good, although it's hard to pick Trattoria Roma over Topo Gigio since it is right across the street. The restaurant itselt is cute but the tables are way too close together which makes for an awkward meal when the place is crowded - you can hear the entire conversation from the people next to you!
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I would say 3.5 instead of 4 stars. It is a little inconsistent, but quite good for some simple Italian food. (The table bread ROCKS!) What I like about Roma is that you can basically order whatever the hell you want--menu or not-- and they'll make it for you (which I love because although their menu changes all the time, I still can't eat cheese and need some special alterations to meals). The service is usually quite nice and offers a pace where while they don't want you out of the restaurant in a minute, they know that you're probably on your way to something "happening" in the area. I am a little unimpressed with their wine list, but I don't favor Italian wines. Also, as many reviewers said, it's cramped and a little claustrophobic feeling. But, if you're cute and sitting at the table by yourself on a not-so-busy weeknight, your adorable waiter may just bring you a complimentary shot of Lemoncello like mine did. Too bad for him, I'm married...
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Very tasty pizza, definitely fresh. This place is as small as they come, but the service is pretty good and it makes you feel extremely cozy. I will definitely keep it on my return list.
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We went here on a date before a Second City show - the food and the service were both very good, and the dessert was delicious... I didn't like how close together the tables were though - the small size is nice, but it gets so loud when it's busy, so it does make it a little awkward when everyone can hear each others' conversations.
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I love this place! I have lived in Old town for years and would highly recommend this over Topo Gigio across the street. The food, service and staff are excellent. If its not on the menu they can still make it. without blinking an eye.
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I have been going here since they were a tiny byo down the street. Topo is good for the scene but Roma is where it's at for the food! As several people mentioned, they will make you ANYTHING. The close tables make it more authentic, like a trattoria in Rome. They make you feel like family and there prices are fantastic.
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this is an enjoyable place as well, but i must say that i prefer topo gigio which is only a block away, so im not sure ill be back, although i saw a couple pizzas go by that looked very tasty, and they do offer take out.
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