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Categories: Italian, Pizza [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Near North Side, Old TownPrivate party room. Packages start at $23.95 per person for food. Email TromaEvents@aol.com for more info or call 312-664-7907.
Sedgwick (Purple Express, Brown)
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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I've eaten at Trattoria Roma numerous times in the last 15 years.....last night I was craving some carb lovin' so stopped in with my bf for dinner.....here's how it played out....
Food
Table Bread: Free for the table.....it was just okay.....a little hard.....but I liked that they give you your own little bottle of olive oil and parmesan cheese so I can make my little dipping sauce....which definitely helped the bread out big time.
Insalata Mista: lame, lame and lame....a big bunch of mixed greens with lemon and oil....really that was it....just a pile of lettuce....I could have done it at home for way less than the $5.95 they charged....we should have upgraded to the spinach salad for a dollar more....it apparently comes with mushrooms.....ohhhhh....ahhhhh....
Spaghetti Arrabiata: This wasn't on the menu....and what I originally asked them to do is my "go to" dish.....spaghetti bolognese/arrabiata.....but the kitchen couldn't accommodate the meat request. (There was a spaghetti and meatballs dish on the menu that they were out of....my guess is that they ran out of meat. Actually, they were out of quite a few things on the menu from the marathon-ers the night before.).....so I had them do a straight-up extra spicy spaghetti arrabiatta.....and man oh man was it gooooood! Super spicy....with little pieces of pancetta....mmmmmmm.....mmmmmm.....I threw down on that pasta.....and finished the whole damn bowl!
Chicken Cacciatore: My bf's dish.....mediocre at best....traditionally this dish should be made with dark meat that has been lightly floured and briefly pan-fried before being stewed in the sauce all day....resulting in chicken so tender it falls off the bone. Not the case here....it was a chicken breast (not pan-fried) with a cacciatore sauce over it.....maybe....and this is a big maybe.....it had sat in the sauce for a couple of hours.....but to call this dish chicken cacciatore......um no....I don't think so. Oh and to top it off....they served it with potatoes....wtf?? Rice or pasta.....end of story....period.
Service
Host...or whoever it was that sat us.....was a little rude upfront.....but our server was nice and friendly....and didn't make a big deal about my off the menu request.
Ambiance
Small space....but had a nice warm vibe to it....I see how it could get loud if it was packed.....but it was only 1/2 full the night we were there....so no complaints on the noise level.
Overall
Like I said....I've eaten here numerous times in the past....I will probably continue to do so.....because it's close to my house.....for Italian it's in the Mediocre Plus category......and it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than Orso's.....oh and they have 1/2 priced btls of wine on Monday and Tuesday : )
I came here a few months ago for lunch before a movie at Piper's Alley. Denton J. and I had a great meal. We agreed that we needed to come back again very soon!
So when we found it in the a la card pile, we couldn't resist. It seemed the perfect choice for a relaxed date on a Friday night.
Feeling decisive, I ordered us mussels and grilled portabella mushrooms. While the mushrooms were good, they weren't amazing. The mussels were awful. Teeny tiny little things that the bad boys of Hopleaf would scoff at. We didn't even bother to finish them.
The pizza is what ruined the night. The crust was far too thick to be called Roman. And the amount of cheese? Only an American would put that much cheese on a pizza.
Molto Bene! Perfetto! Bravo!
My dad & sissy were in town for a night, so we decided to have a father/daughter date in the neighborhood. After many "I don't want sushi" and "I don't want burgers" and "I don't want Mexican" we finally decided on Italian. I made the reservations for 8 & we were off!
Even though our waiter was a bit odd (personality disorder, perhaps) we enjoyed our meal from the moment we sat down. The waiter brought out our waters & bread. The bread is light & the oil/cheese/salt/pepper concoction always wins me over. My sister & I decided on the prosciutto & arugula pizza, while my dad ordered some veal dish. I ordered a caprese salad to begin with & once I took the first bite I was in heaven. The buffalo mozzarella was so fresh & so thick, not watery at all. The pizza came out & while it was a bit arugula heavy I can't complain. The prosciutto gave it just the right amount of salt, while the lettuce gave it a kick. The tomato sauce was absolutely delicious & so fresh. It is definitely homemade.
My dad said the veal was unbelievable. In fact, he said it's the best Italian meal he's had since we were in Italy. After consuming an entire bottle of wine he also promised to take us back to Italy, so you're all my witnesses k?
The prices are completely reasonable & the wine list is small, but offers a nice selection of wines ranging from $25-$40. I will most definitely be back & cannot wait to try all the dishes. Yes, I said all.
Ciao!
I visited Trattoria Roma because I have the "A La Card" restaurant gift certificate cards, so I decided to give it a try- I'm so glad I did. I had the sausage, onion and marscapone cheese pizza, and let me tell you- their pizza crust is absolutely amazing. Its thin crust but not too thin, and it has some delicious flavor. My friend ordered the Margherita Pizza, and it was good as well- I'm telling you- it's all about the crust! I had leftovers and heated them up in the oven the next day, and it was still wonderful.
For dessert, I had the fruit tart. It has a layer of lemon custard inside, and it was one of those desserts where you close your eyes, and you just can't say anything. That dessert left me speechless.
We sat outside, and it felt like a quaint, neighborhood-type spot- very comfortable. You can come in and be casual and feel at home. Another plus was that the prices are reasonable. You can't beat that!
I'll be back!!
Nonna me now! Nonna means Godmother in Greek (have to work the Greek into every piece I write, it's in my blood) but in Italian, it stands for grandma. Well, grandma, keep it up. Love the homemade NONNA CAKE which is a real moist cake with Ricotta cheesecake in it even though they call it cheesecake (it's not like your typical cheesecake). Authentic cappuccino. Hope I can sleep tonight.
Now for the food: Grilled calamari cooked to perfect tenderness with a wonderful buttery sauce. Spaghetti with huge shrimp and bay scallops. OMG! I'm in heaven.
Hubby is not so adventurous. He stuck with Caesar salad and margarita pizza and it was OK. Nothing to write home about. Then again, you go to an Italian restaurant, you order something with seafood and PASTA! YUMMMMMM! What does he know. He, my friend, is no Italian.
1/2 off bottles of wine on Mondays and Tuesdays is a huge plus too! Too bad I just started some antibiotics. No alcohol for me, weep-weep.
Service is decent. The bus boys are super efficient and make up for any server lags. I'd go again. Bring my momma who loves calamari. Hubby, meh, that's OK. He can stay home that night.
Atmosphere: I like it, it's a bit noisy but it just reminds me that I'm alive, have my hearing and I'm having a good time.
Bomba me baby! Yummy chocolate and vanilla gelato covered in hard chocolate. OK, I started this… Read more »
I ate here with a large group of friends. All the pastas were bad. Also, there is a high corkage fee of $15 per wine bottle. We have never been to a BYOB place were the corkage fee is this high. We didn't understand why the place advertises itself as a BYOB place if the corkage fee is this high. We spoke to the owner about this and she was very dismissive. We will never go to this place again.
The grilled calamari was exactly how I'd been hoping it would be... oh so good. I ordered the pasta scampi with shrimp and scallops. The scallops were yum. My boyfriend got the whitefish and it was so wonderful that I could not stop helping him eat it. We did not save room for dessert which was a huge shame because it really looked like we were meant for each other from what I saw. Can't wait to go back and start with the cheesecake and coffee.
I had a pasta dish this time, and it was not good. I could have made something better at home. The pasta was tasteless and sticky. I found out that it's not a good place for Italian because homemade pasta tastes much better. I will go to a place that makes their own pasta next time!
They also had nothing vegetarian, every pasta dish had meat in it, so I requested they replace the chicken in the pasta dish with mixed vegetables, server said no problem- but they were big grilled and blackened pieces and did not go with the pasta at all. One of the people I was dining with ordered a rolled pasta dish, and it was cold on the inside, ick! This place is competely run of the mill, only full because it has a good location. It's not much better than Olive Garden.
A small restaurant with rustic Italian food- pasta, fish, chicken, and pizza. It has faux walls… Read more »
This is one of my favorite restaurants. I've been here more times than I can count, and I have had maybe one or two "OK" meals. Everything else has been good to excellent.
The servings are generous, but not overly huge. The quality of the food is very high, and everything is usually very tasty. The menu is hand-written and then photocopied. I am not sure if it changes daily or what, but the selection is always fresh. Despite not being very big, there are always multiple things on the menu that sound good to me and it's tough to make a decision! They do a standard brushcetta and a special one that is always changing. They always have several pizzas, pastas and entrees. They are accommodating of special requests; if there is a chicken dish that is not boneless, they'll gladly make it with boneless chicken breast if you ask. The prices are in line with what you get.
The service is generally pretty good. The staff is friendly but professional, and they're not attitude-y or stuck up.
Now, the downsides: There can be a long wait for a table sometimes, especially on the weekends. In fact, last time I tried to go they said 2.5 hours! Needless to say, I went somewhere else. But that was uncharacteristically long for them, so I don't penalize them for it. The upside of the waiting is that they have three bars (main dining room, coach house and upstairs). The other downside is that the main dining room is VERY loud and VERY crowded. I don't really like to eat down there. Insider tip: Ask to get seated upstairs. Same food and service, but more spacious and less noisy.
Atmosphere: Very Loud
Service: Lousy
Food: Tasty, but not outstanding
It was busy for a Wednesday because it was the first nice day in a long time, so Old Town was hopping. I live pretty close and had tried other various Italian restaurants and decided to give this one a try. This one does not compare, especially to Topo Gigio, which has awesome service and great Italian food.
When we got seated, the bus boy brought out water and bread, but there was no silverware or plates on our table so we asked our server for some. She never brought them and we had to ask the bus boy. We had every intention of ordering wine and pasta, but after the poor service, we decided to just order pizza and get out of there.
Needless to say, the pizza was good. We ordered the Cheese and Basil pizza and the Sausage, Onion, and Marscapone Cheese. The latter pizza was really delicious. Our server never came back to the table until we were asked for our checks.
All in all, I will order the pizza for takeout (a pizza only cost $10), but I won't be dining in anytime soon.
Met one of my bffs here for dinner last night. It was dreary out and I needed some cheering up, and this place did the trick and then some. It has a casual yet authentic (from what I can tell) Italian vibe. It is also quite 'cozy" with very few seats. I could hear everything everyone else in the restaurant was saying and vice versa I'm sure, but whatever.
I had the pizza with onion, sausage, and MASCARPONE cheese. When I go back I might have to order the same thing again...it was that good. My friend got the fettucine with chicken, which he enjoyed. For dessert, we got the "Bomba" which is like gelato encased in chocolate shells, arranged in a martini glass with whipped cream. I also tried their homemade Limoncello ($6 for a teeny glass, but very worth it). Everything I tasted was delicious and I totally enjoyed every moment of the experience there. The owner was super nice too. Will def return to Trattoria Roma.
I am never all that enthusiastic about Italian food but this place is pretty solid for a middle of the road restaurant. The bread they serve is warm which is always a good start to any meal. Such a simple thing, but surprising how many restaurants serve cold bread. The cabbage salad is really tasty and light. I have tried a few of their pizzas and they are all good. The panceta with arugula is especially good. Their pastas are ok, but nothing to write home about.
Service is good and prices are reasonable for the most part. For good no frills Italian food, this place delivers.
Classic, warm and tasty trattoria.
I have to bust out the fiver.
We had a larger group of 9 people and luckily thought to make a reservation. Good idea, since the dining room isn't the most spacious.
The service was FAN.TAS.TIC. And I'm not just saying that because he was a dreamboat. Bread basket service, drink refills, any extras, you name it we got it.
I personally started with the arugula salad (arugula-chompin elitest here, thanks) which went perfectly with the light lemon dressing and fresh black pepper. For the main event I built my own pizza with garlic and broccoli (I may be weird, but broccoli is fantastic on pizza), which was perfect. I tried my friend's Margherita and it was amazing as well.
Everyone else at the table seemed to thoroughly enjoy their dishes, and I heard the lasagna was a smash. The night ended with free tiramisu (happy birthday to ME!) and then as a complete surprise our cute server brought lemoncello shots for the whole table.
Great, great way to start a night.
Amazing, amazing, amazing. We've been to Italian all over the city and this is by far my favorite for homemade pasta, great service and great variety. A truly wonderful experience.
Officially my new favorite Italian in Chicago. Hands down. Sucks to be you, Mia Francesca. We had a party of 9 (luckily we made reservations) and were seated immediately. The service was phenom. We were constantly receiving bread basket after bread basket, bottles of vino, water refills... anything our little hearts desired.
Everyone at our table was beyond satisfied with their meals. From entress of pizza to rigatoni to fettuccine to lasagna... it spelled nothin but bliss in our bellaaayys. I was able to savor the margherita pizza (FRESH FRESH basil and FRESH FRESH MOZZARELLA that brought me back to the glorious summer I spent in Italia) and the Fettuccine Salmone. My mouth is watering just thinking of it hitting my lips.
We, of course, had a quarter of a century birthday to celebrate. We threw our hands in the air for Miss Erin M's anniversary to the world with complimentary shots of lemoncello and a delicious tiramisu dessert. Fkn fantastic if you ask me.
I'll be back soon for some feasting. Being an 8 minute walk from my apartment, it's really a gem! :)
I'm going to have to agree with everything Ms. Erin M. has said in her review below. We were part of the same dinner group and everything about our evening was fantastic.
Go here with a date or a group of good friends (make a reservation) for a special occasion and you'll love it. The majority of the group was going to The Second City afterwards (me included) and I couldn't bare to think my lasagna would go to waste so I made my friend take home the leftovers!
I can't wait to make my boyfriend take me again!
Solid, classic Italian food. The place isn't much to look at. Only about 10 tables, plus a small outdoor seating area. They take reservations, which I would recommend, since there's so few seats.
The service was great, they had way too many servers for the tiny place, but I'm not complaining! The menu changes weekly, so I can't accurately comment on menu items too much. However, I will say their lasagna was the best I've had, and there's a good chance that's a staple item for them.
The wine situation is worth mentioning. They have a full bar and a smallish wine list. You can also BYOB, but there's a $15 corkage fee for each bottle. Their wine list, while small, is pretty good, and bottles range from $25 - $35. So frankly, I'd recommend skipping the BYOB unless you have a bottle you are absolutely dying to bring.
One other thing - they are closed on Mondays. I went on a Sunday night, and this meant that they were out of a number of things. I would recommend going earlier in the week for sure.
This is a really great spot for an intimate date. Its pretty small but the food is worth the cramped quarters. Great Italian food and huuuuge portions. Don't expect the servers to have any wine knowledge though, they were pretty clueless when I asked for a recommendation.
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!
Tried this place last night. I don't really understand the rave reviews. I had the scampi and my boyfriend had a chicken with capers dish. I would give the food 2 stars. The food was ok. I mean, the food was definitely edible, but very basic recipes. Neither of our dishes blew me away. Also, for a $60 tab, I wish the main course came with a small salad.
The service would get 5 stars. Our waiter, I think his name was Julio, was very friendly and attentive. Our dishes also came out very quickly. In addition, the restaurant gets another star for half price bottles of wine on Tuesday nights. They also have BYOB with a $15 corking fee. We thought about getting a bottle of wine from near by Galleria, but we ended up buying a bottle of wine off their menu, which was very reasonable on half off night. It is nice to have that choice.
It is a cozy place, but overall, I just don't think I'll be back.
This is a great quiet little spot, perfect for a date with that special someone, or in my case, my mom. We went here last week and had a wonderful dinner. We got a Brazilian white wine and it was delish.
The food was excellent, I ordered the lasagna& I was very impressed.
My mom got this really good tortellini soup, it tasted great, homemade broth, not too salty, yum.
My mom also got the margherita pizza, which was simple and delicious.
The atmosphere was cozy and intimate, it was a great place to have nice long conversations, the tables were kind of close together but we didn't mind. The waiter was very nice and attentive.
I will definitely come back here!
Trattoria Roma is a family-owned very small restaurant that has the feeling of a real Italian Trattoria. Laura Zalloni is the owner and is there running the show. The food is excellent -- Franco lives on.
My cousin and I celebrated her 21st birthday at Trattoria Roma. I called ahead and made a reservation for 7 pm on Friday just in case it would be packed. The outside seating area was packed, but the inside was empty. We opted to sit inside, but I was a little irritated that the girl who took my reservation didn't ask for my preference. Both the interior and exterior are very cute and intimate. But I definitely would have preferred an outside table on a nice June day. On to the food... My cousin ordered the mushroom ravioli, and I ordered the rigatoni with sausage. Both dishes were excellent. They were served quickly and were delicious. I ordered a glass of red wine, which was excellent. Our service was great, prompt but not intrusive. I would definitely go back to Trattoria Roma, but next time I want to try the pizza!
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.
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.
This was my second visit to Trattoria Roma and both were wonderful experiences. The menu changes daily and found the food the best Italian in the area. I was especially pleased at how fresh all the dishes tasted. yummeeee! Everything was perfect from the moment we walked in. will be back for more.
It's a little tight. You can definitely hear conversations of the people next to you. But overall, food was solid Italian, priced well. Service was good.
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.
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.
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 have been enjoying dining at Trattoria Roma for several years now. Some of the major complaints I have heard are that the tables are cramped and on crowded nights the restaurant is noisy, but at this stage in my life I am enjoying it and find that it is some of the charm of the establishment. The waitstaff is good enough given the size of the check and talking to the owner is always a plus. I have never felt rushed at the end of a meal. All of the food I have ever seen or tasted have been visually appealing. I usually get some sort of pizza and salad along with a beer or two. If there is one gripe about the restaurant it is that some of the other dishes are a little too salty and buttery for my pallet. However, if you are sensitive to these ingredients, some consulting with the waiter can help you avoid these. The scene is not quite as good as Topo Gigio, but the food is slightly better and a few bucks cheaper. Overall, I love going here and plan to go back soon.
What a great ma and pa place.
I LOVE SAUCE. AND BOY DO THEY LOAD IT ON !!
Everyone was so friendly here. And they have a wood burning oven.
I've been here a few times and think the only dishes that are out of this world are.
What ever Ravioli of the day and the salmon alfredo. both dishes are very tasty. everything else. your on your own
This is a great place for a casual, low-key, and intimate dinner! Tables are somewhat close together but not uncomfortable, and the decor fairly simple. Service is always great (when waiting for pickup, being offered a place to sit and something to drink) and the food delicious. Although I have had a few of their pastas and appetizers, I'm a sucker for their thin crust pizza. Yum!
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.
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.
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.
Everything I've eaten at this place was extremely mediocre. Even though I am a stupid American from the Midwest I know that clams and mussels are not the same thing and should not be interchangeable.
I have never tried the Pizzas which I'm told are their signature items so my review may be slightly ignorant.
I do not understand how Old Town restaurants can continue to operate being as unimpressive as they all seem to be.
The service was good(not great) and the prices seemed fair.
I was a bit disappointed with this place, but perhaps I chose poorly. The restaurant is pretty bare bones, decor wise. But the service was good. We ordered half-priced bottles of wine on Monday and Tuesday. For my first course I ordered the bruschetta. It was my favorite thing I ate there. I ordered the ravioli of the day, which was mushroom. What came out was a gloppy mess, totally over sauced with tomato cream sauce. The raviolis themselves didn't taste home made. My other dining companions enjoyed their pork chops and chicken. So maybe the secondis are better than the pastas? I don't know. I should have ordered pizza. For dessert was got the vanilla and chocolate gelatos. They were fine. I wouldn't go back.
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.
Football season specials
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Yelp Special for new…
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Restaurants
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