Bistro Romano has a lovely ambiance between the lighting, music, charming interior, and friendly staff. We ordered the whipped goat cheese appetizer, chicken parm, roasted pork chop, whipped potatoes, and chocolate tiramisu and everything was delicious! We were also able to order the wine pairings that typically can be added to the prixe fix menu which was such a fun and relaxed way to try new wines during our date night. I really appreciated the coat check as well. All in all, I would highly recommend for your next girl's night or date night! read more

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Went for an early Valentine's Day meal because we didn't like the tasting menu for the actual weekend. We wanted to go and be able to choose all the options rather than the limited choices of the Valentine's Day special. We ordered the Caesar salad, calamari, and whipped goat cheese to start. Then the Chicken parm and the branzino for our mains. And finished with the carrot cake and espresso gelato. The Caesar salad was very good but the lettuce was very large and it would've been nice to have the lettuce chopped into smaller pieces. The goat cheese dip was amazing and then calamari was perfectly fried and came with warm marinara. Our mains were very good and flavorful, but came out slow. We ended up taking the chicken parm to go since it took a while to come out and we had ordered several apps. The desserts were rich but good and we split and espresso martini which our server said container actual espresso rather than just coffee liquor. read more

Bistro Romano - Espresso martini, carrot Carl, espresso gelato - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Ambiance-has a traditional cozy feel. Service- attentive, excellent. Food- the appetizers were amazing. The burrata and mussels were just down right heavenly. If I had to recommend any changes, it would be as such. The burrata was missing bread. It needed a carby vessel to carry all that beautiful flavors. I'm glad I'd ordered the mussels, and used the foccia from that to scoop up the burrata goodness. As for the mussels, I wish it came out hotter in temperature but besides that. The flavors were . Mussels were succulent and cleaned well. Not salty. Quality is excellent. Flavors of the liquid was decadent. I cleaned the bowl. Period. Now moving to the entree- gnocchi. It was good don't get me wrong. The texture of the gnocchi was pillowy and pretty damn great in terms of the gnocchi world. I just felt like the sauce was alright. Just creamy and not earthy shattering as I'd hope for. Dessert of choice for me tonight was, Chocolate Tiramisu. It was good. I just happen to love the classic tiramisu and so it wasn't quite there for me. Would I recommend or come back? Yes. Yes I would. read more

This place was the perfect pre-Christmas reunion spot--and what an unforgettable experience! My best friend made reservations so we could meet up before the holidays. She flew in from Kansas City, we drove up from Frederick, MD, and this restaurant already held a special place in her heart. She has fond memories of dining here years ago with her aunties and even turned it into an annual tradition with her son. For me and my husband, though, it was our very first visit--and wow, were we impressed. From the outside, it looks like a tiny little spot. You walk into a small wine shop, then pass through into the bar area, and I remember thinking, Wait... where is the restaurant? Then you descend the circular staircase into the basement and--WOW. What an incredibly cool space. Rustic, cozy, and intimate, with gorgeous original brick walls and a clean, high-end dining vibe that somehow feels both elevated and welcoming at the same time. Our waitress greeted us with a huge smile and delivered non-stop, attentive service all night long. We ordered quite the feast: Mussels, burrata, and olives to start--then the special black truffle gnocchi, lamb chops, veal saltimbocca, and the gluten-free version of the black truffle gnocchi. Let me just say: the mussels were friggen incredible. That sauce? Fully drinkable. I could've asked for a straw. The burrata was good, but honestly, it didn't stand a chance following those mussels. ‍ We ate mostly family-style, sharing bites, and I have to say--the veal was my personal favorite. Absolute perfection. The lamb chops were a close second with amazing flavor, and the gnocchi was an all-out flavor bomb. The special version stole my heart thanks to those big, crispy chunks of lardo. And then... dessert. Even though we were completely stuffed, we somehow made room--and thank goodness we did. The tiramisu was fantastic, but the cannoli? Holy moly. And I don't even like cannoli. That alone should tell you how good it was. This is a true hidden gem in Society Hill, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Cozy, memorable, delicious, and full of character--we'll absolutely be back. read more

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My fiancé and I dined here for our first restaurant week in Philly! We loved every dish we got, with every one being tasteful and filling. I also really enjoyed the ambiance - dark, moody, and steamy! Our waitress was great at recommendations and was very kind. read more

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Great location in Headhouse, romantic basement atmosphere, and good Italian food. My friend and I went for their $20 pasta and wine deal at the bar, but after seeing the gorgeous downstairs menu and ambiance we decided to do a full meal instead. Service was prompt and courteous! The vibe here skews older and more corporate, and the menu reflects that kind of clientele. We went with the focaccia and ricotta to start along with a Caesar salad. The bread dish was the stand out of the evening for me! Great soft focaccia creamy ricotta makes for a decadent start. Too much for two people! Delightful. The Caesar was as basic as Caesars come and, while fine, something I would skip the next time. The hugo-inspired Romano spritz was drinkable but needed soda to cut the St. Germain and tartness from the fruit. The pasta dish came out piping hot and was very much your standard bolognese. We each got a fabulous glass of Montepulciano with our pasta. I loved that the wine list focussed on Italian heavy hitters and would come back to the bar in a heartbeat for the wine. This rating really stems from the fact that there's just SO MUCH good Italian food in the city. This is a great spot for pleasing a group and for fairly specific occasions, but not one I find to be as remarkable. Thanks for the fab hospitality from the team here! read more

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Show-stoppingly delicious! Every single thing my friends, family, and I have had from this menu has been delicious. And the gluten free options are amazing, especially considering the fact that this is an Italian restaurant. Yum. read more

While I put 5 stars, it's really 4.8, but only .2 stars retracted due to the olive appetizer being hot olives instead of cold. That's just my personal preference. The whipped ricotta and focaccia appetizer was unreal. The ricotta was light as a feather and the focaccia perfectly airy yet dense, with the optimal chew factor. The ricotta lined my stomach to get me nice and ready for the seafood risotto. It was wonderful, no notes. The pleasant company I was with then shared the tiramisu and carrot cake for dessert. DIVINE let me tell you. They were moist, delectable, and perfectly balanced with a touch of sea salt. You could tell that they were made with quality ingredients and a whole lot of love. I salute you, Bistro Romano. Be back soon baby read more

Loved the wine and saltimboca. The olives were warm and delicious. Wasn't a fan of the ceasar salad. Great date spot. Service was on it and super nice and quick. Would definitely go back and big big fan. read more

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Bistro Romano is an intimate, delicate romantic experience. The overall experience was delightful. The restaurant is beautiful inside. The offer wine bottles to purchase. This is multi leveled and you are able to reserve seating in the wine cellar. We were sat upstairs where the pianist played live music. The wine was delicious. The calamari was tasty. I enjoyed my FETTUCCINE BOLOGNESE however, I will say the pasta was somewhat hard in some parts so there was a miss there. I did give 4 stars due to ambience, and attentiveness with service. Our waiter was patient and checked in constantly. They were very mild mannered in temperament however I appreciated the attentiveness. Definitely a date night spot to try out in our city. read more

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Incredible! I finally made my way to Bostro Romano. We had the Ceasar salad, the arancini balls, seafood risotto and the duck. I would highly recommend the risotto and duck, both were exceptional! read more

Bistro Romano - Duck. Amazing. Absolute perfection. - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This restaurant was such a treat! From the food to the service to the ambience, everything hit the mark. The live piano music was a cherry on top. Our server, Emily, was so wonderful. We are visiting from out of state and she, along with the other staff, were eager to give us a list of Philly cheesesteak recs. Everyone was so lovely to talk to! We got the tortellini and mafaldine pasta without crab, both were delicious! They have a dedicated vegetarian menu which was amazing. Would definitely recommend and would definitely come back! read more

Bistro Romano - Tortellini, Mafaldine Pesto - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My wife and I came here for their valentines menu, it was definitely worth the price. The pasta was absolutely delicious, the ceaser salad was fresh and the crab on top was the perfect touch. I will absolutely be coming back to try their regular menu. Our server was nice, but there was a female server that was walking around assisting with all the tables, she was so friendly and outgoing. She went above and beyond to make sure everyone was having a good time. The only thing I could recommend for them to do different, the second floor dining wasn't as romantic as I was hoping because it was very bright in there. I would say adding currents to the wide open windows would be a great touch to help make it a little bit more romantic and relaxing. Other than that everything was great. read more

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Went here for an early Valentine's Day dinner and it was exactly what I was looking for. The ambiance is so nice and romantic and cozy. Our server was Bill and he was incredible. His service was beyond perfect and was probably the best I've experienced in Philly. The food was delicious - I scarfed down my lobster ravioli in about 5 minutes. My boyfriend had the fettuccine bolognese and it was so good as well. The manager came back to check on how everything was going and was very sweet. I could not recommend this place more! Go here for the perfect date night or a night out with friends. read more

Bistro Romano - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Celebrated my girlfriends birthday here. Great food and great service. Recommend the pork chop and veal read more

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Everything was delicious and I mean delicious. Service was top notch. From the live piano music to the low lighting of candles the ambiance was wonderful. We were recommended to give this place a try, because we were going to be in Philadelphia, by a couple we met on a yuengling beer tour in Pottsville. Very happy with the experience. Would absolutely recommend Bistro Romano. Chef's kiss! read more

Excellent service! We started with the Caesar salad, which had an excellent light dressing the gnocchi was fluffy and wonderful. The veal Ossobucco fell off the bone, served with broccolini and polenta. Absolutely perfect meal! read more

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The restaurant has 2 floors and they had a live pianist which was nice. The environment is really dark and intimate. It's a good place for family dinner or a romantic date, not really for friends to sit down and catch up in my opinion. The food was good/okay, just regular fancy Italian food. Our waiter was very nice and pleasant though. We ordered 2 dishes (chicken parm and a pasta dish) and an appetizer and the bill came up to $95 which is quite pricy. I'd recommend this place for a fancy dinner date, or celebrating a special occasion. read more

Bistro Romano - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Last night was my son's birthday and he wanted to go to a fancy Italian restaurant (he actually wanted to go to Vetri - for their $165 pp tasting menu, I said, uh, maybe when you are gainfully employed we'll go there to celebrate). Bistro Romano was an acceptable alternative for fancy but not break the bank fancy. It happened to be restaurant week so we opted for the four course $40 chef's menu, between the three of us we had: amuse bouche: ricotta on disc of bread 3/5 - not that interesting (had read that ordering bread for the table was $5 so we didn't go for it) primi: caesar salad - 3/5, lettuce leaves were a little wilted/maybe too much dressing brussels sprouts cacio pepe - 5/5, delicious, plentiful serving, but not quite sure how this was cacio pepe burrata - 4/5, tasty but significantly smaller portion than the others second course: rigatoni with pork sugo, broccoli rabe - 4/5, tasty branzino - 5/5, very generous portion of fish with roasted artichokes and tomatoes NY strip steak - 4/5, large portion, mashed potatoes were a bit overpowering with the cheese and a very small serving of not very flavorful broccolini dolci: tiramisu - 4/5, ratio of cake to cream was a bit high, so the mouthfeel was a bit dry which is unusual for a tiramisu mini cannoli trio - 4/5, shells were a bit thick/hard, chocolate chip and pistachio were good, strawberry not quite as good in comparison We also ordered: broccoli rabe - 5/5 black pepper macaroni - 4/5 (not very peppery, became a 5/5 when we added the broccoli rabe to the pasta) calamari - 5/5 - perfectly crisp, not too oily, with delicious fried sliced peppers for a nice kick - this and the broccoli rabe were my favorite dishes of the night The ambiance is lovely, we were seated downstairs in a little nook (but not the romantic cave behind us where a couple had red rose petals strewn across their table), and it was quiet enough for us to have good conversation and the service was excellent! read more

I love coming to Bistro Romano. It's in Head House Square and in a nice cozy spot. Service here is slower - though, I think is appropriate because it mimics true Italian dining where you are given time to eat and chat. The food is amazing - I highly recommend the Grilled Swordfish, Pan Roasted Pork Chops, and the Garganelli. read more

Bistro Romano - Brussels Sprouts Cacio E Pepe - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Basement provided very nice ambience for intimate date night. Food was delicious as well as the wine, with great selection. Very well priced for the quality. Overall great place and would recommend. Pictures include lobster risotto, black pepper macaroni, crème brûlée and tiramisu. read more

Bistro Romano - crème brûlée and tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Really really cool restaurant. Feels like you're in an old European restaurant. Food is also great and the servers are excellent. Our server was Harry and he was a really nice and knowledgeable guy read more

Our son introduced us to one of his favorite Phili restaurants. WOW !!! The entire night was spot on from the ambiance, wine, entrees, to dessert. We can't stop thinking about this dinner. Can't wait to return. read more

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Booked a reservation for 630PM. They were very quick at seating us and getting our drink and food order, which was nice. Unfortunately we didn't see our waitress for another hour after that. Coincidentally we didn't get our food for another hour either. An actual hour, 60 minutes. I watched her check on every other table except ours, probably because she didn't want to answer why our food hadn't been brought out yet. I had to stop her and ask her for a glass of wine to get through the wait. Not sure what happened, I'm assuming she forgot to put in our order or something because everyone around us got their food (and the waitress) before us. Insanely bad service. The hostess with the long dark hair was also extremely dismissive and rude. Such a shame because I enjoyed the food. Won't be back because the service and the hostess were both so off-putting. read more

Very romantic date night place for some Italian. The lighting is dim inside and there is a candle at each table. The menu is also great - they have a good selection of pastas! Prices are slightly on the higher end so expect to pay around 30$ per entree. The mussels ($15) I got were delicious and would definitely recommend. The staff are also super nice. Our waitress came by and checked in on us and made sure everything was good. The manager also stopped by to make a bit of conversation and check in! Location is also great. Stop in for dinner and walk around the area for a cute stroll. read more

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This was my first time coming here, and I've got to say it won't be my last time. I came here for a special date with my girlfriend and it didn't disappoint at alllllll!! The food was delicious. I love seafood, so we ordered the mussels as an appetizer. They were so flavorful. The bread they are served with was the cherry on top. For our main course, I ordered the gnocchi, and she ordered the fettuccine bolognese. Both were so good. I personally am a sucker for anything truffle, so the gnocchi was the best between the two, in my opinion. It was just so soft and rich. The service here was exceptional. We were taken care of. Our water never went low, and when my girlfriend wanted to make substitutions (like she always does), they were really cool about it. The manager even came and stopped by our table! That's never happened to me before. It really gave this place an even more personal touch. The vibe here is rustic, Italian, romantic, and classic. I really like it. It's dim and it's perfect for a date. Ended up paying $73 before tip for the 3 things we ordered. Didn't get any drinks. read more

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Pretty empty on a Friday night, much appreciated. Server was knowledgeable. Octopus was grilled to perfection- fingerling potatoes were a nice added touch. Garganelli was tasty. Caesar salad was not good. The dressing had a balsamic twang to it.. read more

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Bistro Romano, do not sleep on it! In a residential neighborhood, amazing spot, atmosphere, food and cocktails. A quick rideshare from the campground in NJ, well worth the trip! read more

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The ambiance at Bistro Romano especially over the holidays is amazing. It felt very quaint and romantic even though we were unable to get the wine cellar table. For appetizers we got the mussels and the focaccia with whipped ricotta. Both were very good but I wish the bread wasn't burnt. It was still good but I had to pick off the burnt edges. The whipped ricotta was amazing. The mussels were in a rich garlicky tomato broth that we are with a spoon once the mussels were gone. For entrees we split the lasagna special, I got the tortellini stuffed with goat cheese and my husband got a short noodle pasta with sausage and a cream sauce (can't remember the name). The tortellini was our favorite of the three. Unfortunately the lasagna was tiny and also burnt. For this caliber of a restaurant I wasn't expecting them to bring out burnt food. The sausage pasta was good but the pasta was a bit too chewy. For dessert we both got their special butterscotch pudding to go which caused some confusion because they weren't sure how to package it to take to go. It was pretty disappointing. Not sure if they just didn't include everything it would have included if you ordered it in the restaurant but it was just sort of run of the mill pudding. Maybe we had our hopes up and have been spoiled by the budino at Barbuzzo. Overall still a very good meal but I think some things could be improved. read more

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Everything turns up mid here. The wife and I came here for restaurant week. We were looking forward to the vegetarian options and also trying out their wines. We were able to find decent parking close by which was nice since it was a colder evening and the closer to the restaurant, the better! It's an easy find with clear signage on the street. Inside it's rather spacious, there's a seating area on two different levels, a full wine bar to purchase from, and also a piano - how cool! We were seated in the lower level, and our waitress was great in providing options for us to choose from that we're vegetarian friendly. We ended up ordering both on and off the restaurant week menu which was nice as it allowed for us to have more variety. As the food came out, we started to eat away. I found our beet salad pretty mediocre and nothing too exciting to write home about. The meal we chose was a pesto pasta dish for myself, and my wife chose the vegetarian ravioli, and for dessert we selected the pistachio tiramisu. Overall the service was great and very attentive, I just found the food rather dull and uninspired. The flavor of the dishes were so-so and I didn't care too much for the dessert. No return trips planned but maybe we'll surprise ourselves and give it another chance! read more

I met a friend after work for a quick meet up to try the Pasta E Vino on Wednesday and Thursdays. The special includes the pasta of the day and a glass of house wine for $20 + tax and tip. The hostess greeted me as soon as I walked in. The special is only served in the bar area. Both bar seating and some tables are available. The restaurant has a beautiful bar. The vibe is old school Italian. The bartender came right over and offered us water. He was very personable. I had the House Chianti and my friend had the white. Both were good. Only one pasta option is available. This week it was Gnocchi Alla Vodka. The gnocchi was pillowy. The sauce had a nice tomato flavor with a bit of spice. It was delicious! We asked if bread was available. The bartender brought the bread but didn't tell us we would be charged $5. The bread was good but we probably wouldn't have ordered it. We debated about dessert and decided to split one. We were so happy we did! The chocolate torte was amazing-very chocolaty! The ricotta whipped cream, strawberries and Black Sea salt made it very unique! The service was very good and quick without being rushed. I will be back to try more of the pastas! read more

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We have visited Bistro Romano multiple times, and it is always fantastic. The atmosphere is so comfortable and the staff (especially Sean at the bar) are so welcoming and social. The food is delicious. Favorites are the Caesar salad, warm olives, chicken parm, and black pepper pasta. Such a cozy restaurant - we highly recommend Bistro Romano. read more

Amazing dinner find at the last minute on a rainy weekend. Food was amazing. We enjoyed all our dishes. There was a delay with the pork chop but the staff took care of us by comp'd glass of wine and appetizer to hold us over while we waited. The service is great and the place is impeccable. read more

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We came here for their monthly wine tasting event and it was such a good time!! One day a month they host a wine event where you get to try 30+ different wines throughout the world and it's poured by experts that know everything about the wine. At the end of the event, you have the chance to buy your favorite bottles to take home with 50% off and they even let you stay for dinner in the restaurant with 10% off your check! The event was extremely busy, so I think we may go to the earlier time slot next time since the 730 was sold out and crazy. The only other thing I would say is the event was a lot of going back and forth between white and red but I don't think it's possible to organize it in a different way. After the event, we did stay for a bite to eat and got the mussels and truffle gnocchi! Both were to die for and helped us sober up before going home! Would highly recommend and will be returning for a full meal. read more

My boyfriend and I dined here for our one year anniversary. They put out rose petals and an anniversary card, which is so sweet! We sat at a high top upstairs because there was no room for a table downstairs when we booked. I've seen how romantic it is downstairs, so next time I'd like to go back to sit in the main dining area. However, have a piano bar on Friday and Saturday nights, which was romantic and still perfect for our night out! The service was great, and our waiter was very attentive. We tried the chef's tasting and everything was delicious! This was what we had: Burrata: 4/5-delicious as-is but would have loved some more flavor incorporated, maybe if the balsamic was on the top instead of bottom, I could have caught the taste more. Ravioli: 5/5 this roasted corn ravioli was delicious!! It was sweet and the flavors of the dish went really well together. Rigatoni: 5/5 OMG sooo delicious! The pork was tender and the sauce reminded me of my mom's homemade recipe. Definitely recommend. NY Strip Steak: 5/5 soooo tender! Like a filet!! I would definitely recommend as a main dish. I don't like brussels sprouts but these were cooked really well. I also loved the sauce in this dish and basically licked it clean. Chocolate Panna Cotta: 3/5: I might be a little pickier about dessert, but I didn't finish this one. I wish the chocolate flavor was a little more rich and I couldn't get away from the strawberry puree. My boyfriend ate the whole thing and the rest of mine, though! Addition: Side of Brussels sprouts: 5/5 absolutely delicious! Like I mentioned, I'm not a fan of Brussels sprouts but what they did here was down to a science. The side of sprouts were tossed with lemon juice, oil, and Parmesan. Definitely something I'll try to recreate at home. These were given to us as an extra because one of our courses was slightly delayed. Drinks: Romano Spritz: 3/5 I expected this drink to be served on ice but my mistake because it comes out more like champagne/a mimosa. Tastes like a liquid raspberry! It was too sweet to get another but still enjoyed it. Old Fashioned: 5/5: my boyfriend got one and it was very strong. He seemed to enjoy it, though he also did not get another. Cabernet Savignon: 5/5 this was smooth and buttery. It was a great pairing with our meal! I would have gotten another but this lasted me the entire rest of our meal. Limoncello: 5/5 enjoyed at the end! This place is romantic and has such delicious Italian food. I'm happy it has been a Philly staple of mine over the years. Keep it up, Bistro Romano! read more

Bistro Romano - Anniversary card/rose petals, burrata, corn ravioli, Rigatoni Bistro, MY Strip Steak, Limoncello - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Our dining experience was amazing. Service was spot on and the food was delicious! Our server recommended that we pick two appetizers and a first and second course to share. It was more than enough. I I would love to share photos, but they didn't turn out well enough to do the food justice. The ambience was clean and inviting. We sat in the piano bar area which was also romantic.Our experience cost us about $120 including a cocktail for each of us and it was well worth it. Can't wait to visit again. read more

We went to Bistro Romano looking for some outstanding Italian cuisine, and they did NOT disappoint! The ambiance wasn't too fancy, but it was inviting and warm.  Service was exceptional - both our waitress and the wine steward were very helpful and friendly; we got solid recommendations from both that enhanced the quality of our dining experience. The food was both solid and satisfying; we very much enjoyed both the Ravioli and the Gnocchi.  Portion sizes were more than generous :-) I wouldn't hesitate to return! read more

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To preface, my family and I used to come here all the time for holidays to celebrate as this resturaunt has a wonderful ambiance and reliable food. However in my recent experience, the service was incredibly rude with a very dismissive server who esssentially never came to check in on us and when we did leave, she hunted us down to make sure our card had "run through". The food was mediocre and also gave my entire family diarrhea. Unfortunately, we will not be returning. read more

It's been a year and that's way to long. The best gnocchi in the country with prosciutto and a black truffle cream sauce...squash blossoms w/ ricotta and scamorza, herb vinaigrette and citrus aioli. I love this place read more

Bistro Romano - Lamb t bones - Italian Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Very delicious and authentic Italian dishes been coming here for years. I am a chicken Parm guru and they make a delicious one here the pasta fresh and the seafood delicious. read more