Ristorante Roma

Had the sausage and mushroom tomato sauce pasta. Just a really solid dish, the flavors are not fancy just very sincere and made with care. The appetizer was the parmesan beef salad. Anothe reviewer complained about the strong lemon flavor. But they are on crack. The lemon dressing augments the tanginess of the beef and thin slices of parmesan perfectly. Dining partner has the gnocchi and i tasted it. Wow, a rich spectrum of cheese and cream starch, not overly garlicky. Very rich but not overpowering with just one flavor. The bread and olive oil balsamic vinegar accoutrement is also high quality. This piece of the meal is key because if the bread is not perfect it would let the other food down. For dessert the tiramisu is Smoooooth. Not a huge dessert guy but i liked it. Tried the canoli too, im sure its good but i dont like highly sweet stuff like that. As for the ambience it works. Its very intimate meaning, one small room overlooking 12th street, just a few flourishes on the walls and the kitchen is right there. Really for food like this that is handmade you dont need a lot of presentation. Its not fancy just good. And thats exactly the mood of the place. I hope this place stays like this forever. Good job owners! more

I really like this little place! My friend and I had dinner before an event, and the gracious waitress was prompt and accommodating with our order, so we could dash out at exactly 6:30PM. However, there was no compromising with the food preparation. Our meals were delicious. Seating is limited, so if you have a group of 6 or more, I'd call ahead for reservations. The restaurant is a convenient walking distance from the Smart Park on 10th, so if you want to be leisurely, you don't have to worry about a ticket. I've already recommended Ristorante Roma to the organizer of the Portland Lunch Club so I'll be back soon. (and often!) more

We celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary here and the entire dinner and servers were excellent. We selected this restaurant because it was one of the best rated on City Search and it did not disappoint. My husband had the filet Mignon and I had the ravoli Bolognaise, including Minestrone soup and dessert (Tiramisu), all prepared to perfection. The bread had a real nice crust and was a bit chewy - wonderful. We loved the entire experience and definitely will return. more

delicious , great service and very authentic. My favorite italian food place in portland. Fantastic! more

LOVE this little hole in the wall - YUMMY good. No better than that, PERFECTO! Seriously - i swear the chef jumped of the plane from Rome yesterday. The quality and flavor was the best i've had since i was in Rome. GO! Pros: Perfect flavor - this is the real deal Cons: atmosphere is so so more

My boyfriend and I went to Ristorante Roma tonight for dinner. We got there around 8 and were immediately seated. For appetizers we both had salads and the homemade minestrone soup. The soup was AWESOME! We could tell that it had been made fresh and was bursting with flavor. For dinner I ordered a simple penne with spicy tomato sauce and my boyfriend ordered the pesto with green beans and potatoes. Both were excellent. This is our new favorite restaurant, and it is very reasonably priced as well. I also like the fact that it seems to be family owned. Before you spend your money at a mediocre chain Italian restaurant, try this place out. You won't regret it! We'll be coming back very soon. Pros: Best Italian food I've ever had Cons: None! more

Ristorante Roma's is the top notch authentic Italian spot in Portland as far as we are concerned. \r We had the most wonderful lunch here. My husband who travels extensively all over the world and loves\r to try gourmet food. He was highly impressed with the authenticity, the attention to detail and overall execution was superb ! The chef's signature is not just excellence, but that he truly understands cooking is an art form . \r Pros: Cozy, local, easy parking in structure or on street more

My boyfriend and I discovered this place a couple of years ago and now we always go for anniversaries and birthdays. It's incredibly cozy and romantic. Authenticity is really the word here--amazing food and a family-run vibe. It's reasonably priced, especially for a ""go to special occasion restaurant."" I'm not sure what the guy below me was talking about? Perhaps he ate at a different restaurant. Pros: Great food, good service, awesome atmosphere, Never a wait more

I thought it was a sure thing coming here being that all the reviews were 4 and 5 stars. Either these reviews are bogus or the people just don't know what good food is and/or have low standards.\r \r I'll try and be as specific as I can here. We started with appetizers. The caprese was lackluster. The carpaccio was drowned in lemon juice and your lips puckered just eating it. Would you like a side of raw beef with your lemon juice? More proper would be to have a lemon wedge on the side so the patron can decide how much they want.\r \r The restaurant consistently brought entrees to one member of tables around us and not the other. The other person was left waiting for theirs to arrive. I know I'd rather have my dish fresh than have it waiting and getting cold while my friend's dish is finalized, but the kitchen can plan ahead to have them come out at the same time.\r \r Both pastas came with far too much cheese on top. There's something about a good pasta where even when you're full, you still want to just keep eating and eating it. This X factor was quite absent from these dishes. My rigatoni was supposed to feature pecorino romano cheese and the mountain on top just seemed like a basic parmigiano-reggiano.\r \r Other notes:\r The silverware was cheap. Cafeteria-style utsensils would be one way to put it. Not the kind of thing you would find at a fine dining establishment. Besides cooking, our server was doing everything (hostess, server, and busser). Pros: cloth napkins Cons: everything else more

The food here is excellent, lots of great choices. It appears to be family run with the husband in the back cooking and the wife in front waiting tables. Be prepared for dinner to take a while especially if you order salads and dessert . It's definitely worth the wait, just don't go if you have some place to be. Coffee is great too! Pros: Delious Food Cons: Slow service more

Well, I just moved here from San Francisco, CA last July only to be thus far very, VERY disappointed with the food in Oregon. Eating at Ristorante Roma turned that disappointment into joy, by providing, honestly the best italian food I have eaten ( I have not been to Italy), and a tie for first on filet mignon...the other restaurant is the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, CA....honestly it was just as good, if not better! The chef cooked it to a TRUE medium rare, which almost NEVER happens when you go to a restaurant. The clams were fantastic and I don't even usually like clams....I am so glad we found this place, and I guarentee to you, not only will not be disappointed - you will be PLEASANTLY surprised at the prices. Chiao! Pros: Absolutely adorable... quality service and food! Cons: NONE whatsoever! more

I swear the same thing happened the first ten times my wife and I ate at Ristorante Roma: there would be only one other table with people and they would be saying the same thing we were. ""It tastes like the food we had in Italy"" or, ""It is just like the trattitoria in Florence"" or, ""It is just like that bistro in Rome."" We took eveyone we could there and they all said the same thing. \r \r Word has gotten out and the dining room is now full, although we still have been able to walk in and get a seat every time. And the food is still very good and the prices very reasonable. The big changes are the chef's wife's English has improved, and their son has been born and gotten older, and the wine menu has gone from 6 bottles to 20. But be warned: if you loved Italy and the food there, this place will make you want to go back, possibly forever. Pros: Pasta, Appetizers, wine, essperesso, desserts, price. Cons: You will want to move ot Italy. more

The food is amazing!!! My family and I went here and everybody loved their dinner. The atmosphere is simple, but nice with seating for maybe a maximum of 30 people. The service was excellent...... very attentive and very authentic. The location is not in the trendiest neighberhood, but it's right in the heart of downtown. The prices are very reasonable as well, with most main course dishes running from $12-$17 or so. I highly recommend this resaurant to everybody. Pros: Food was amazing and reasonbly priced Cons: Nothing worth mentioning more

We've been there on a couple of occasions. Each time we've been with different friends and we all enjoyed each experience. Friendly, authentic people serving delicious, authentic food. We highly recommend it for moderately priced, delicious Italian cuisine! Pros: Several small table, good for intimate meals or small groups Cons: Wouldn't seem appealing for large groups or kids. more

I moved to Pdx from Italy last year and this place is the best among the italian restaurants in pdx.\r it is really authentic and the food carefully prepared.\r portions are big and the service is very friendly. the cost is not high.\r \r in two words: go there :)\r \r Pros: everything more

I used to live in Italy and this reminds me of the little places I used to go almost every night. Everything is fresh and delicious and the Husband and wife team who own it couldn't be friendlier. The Insalata Roma was fantastic; you can tell that the Parmesan was sliced just before it was served. My boyfriend had the Fileto and it was the best steak I've tasted in Portland, hands down. I'm getting that next time I go. I had the pan seared seabass. It was flaky and perfectly cooked.\r \r Run to this restaurant. We went on a monday and it was very empty. I will be returning often. Pros: the FOOD. more

I just spent 20 minutes writing a review, only to have this program somehow lose it. So, I'll be brief this time. I lived in Europe for 15 years, my parents were born in Italy, and I am not easily impressed with restaurants that say they serve authentic Italian food. They very often serve good Italian-American food. This place is just like you'd find in Rome. Because it is authentic, some people have a problem with it. ""What, no spaghetti and meatballs?! No Linguine Alfredo? No cheese on my spaghetti with olive oil and garlic? What kind of an Italian restaurant is this, anyway?"" It's a REAL Italian restaurant, and thank goodness for that! There are plenty of items on the menu that will satisfy anyone with functioning taste buds. You can try the Spaghetti Carbonara, for example, for a filling winter meal. The owner/chef and his wife are there most every night, and they are a lovely, friendly couple. The room is cozy and the lighting is soft. It kind of reminds me of the restaurant in the first Godfather movie, where Michael whacks the police captain and the rival mobster. But don't worry, no such drama is in store for you here. Only great food at reasonable prices. In sum, you can't go wrong with this place. Please don't tell too many others, or I won't be able to get a table easily anymore!! Pros: Food is prepared according to true Roman standards Cons: none that I've experienced in over a dozen visits more

A cozy little spot that serves up fabulous italian fare. The menu is varied and it's all delicious. The proprietors, Alex and Nergen are delightful, savvy people who appreciate good food and genuinely want you to enjoy your meal. My favorite restaurant! Pros: If you like Italian, you'll love Restaurant Roma Cons: There were none more

If you like great authentic Italian food and decor this is the place for you. Romantic .....the restaurant is small.... but that is a plus...a step back into Italy! We enjoyed everything about it. The staff and the owner are very nice and helpful. The menu had some great choices for reasonable prices. We can not wait to try more of the menu. \r They had a booth at the Festa Italiana this year but you really need to checkout the restaurant and its full menu. It is at 620 SW 12th right across from the front door of the Old Pres Church. \r Enjoy!\r Mike S\r more

Roma's may not be in the limelight, but if you are looking for excellent quality and authentic Italian cuisine, it is superb! The atmosphere is slightly more of a deli style and is not necessarily like a fine dining restaurant, but is well worth the experience. I ordered the Gnocchi, which was out of this world and reminded me of gnocchi I had tried when I was in Rome last year. My sister was craving authentic Alfredo sauce, and although this was not on the menu, the chef quickly made some to go with her pasta. Again, she had never found a place locally that made a truly authentic Alfredo sauce. The staff is friendly and the service excellent. Well worth the experience and a return visit Pros: Excellent quality food more