My colleague and I stopped for a late lunch ....we shared a chicken panini which was supposed to have jalapenos and pesto along with bacon. I asked for the bacon on the side and lo behold couldn't understand why my sandwich was bland only to realize the bacon was Jalapeno flavored. Anyways, I cant say I liked the food as much as the dessert. I would highly recommend the Tiramisu which simply the best in Chicagoland cant get more real!!! read more

Cafe Roma - The best Tiramisu ... straight from Italy !! - Italian Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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I came out this way for a client meeting. It's a great little spot inside and office building. It's a nice lunch option for the office workers in the area. It's not a huge place, but they do offer take out. The staff is really nice. The service is fairly quick, while not compromising food quality. It's got the vibe of an easy in and out lunch during the work day, but also serve dinner. The food: House Salad - super fresh, very delicious. Nice homemade dressing (comes with lunch) Grilled Salmon special - so delicious. Tons of veggies. Perfectly cooked salmon, nice, light and healthy TLDR: definitely worth checking out for lunch if you're in the area. They also have pizza options available. read more

Everything on their menu is excellent. The service is also excellent. we eat at a lot of restaurants, but this one always is outstanding

The food is so good!!! Never had a bad meal here. The vodka sauce is awesome!! Great choice for any meal.

We ordered pasta dishes to go. They were attractive and delicious. If you are looking for Italian that is done with love , order from or visit Cafe Roma. read more

We love Cafe Roma! They have above-average pasta and pasta. The dish that stands out for us is the mussels (appetizer). Seriously good. Get it. I think the service is a bit slower than normal and we've experienced this several times. The noise level can get high as well. Every time I've gone (always for dinner) there's a large group and that always ramps up the volume. Those things being said, we keep coming back because it's good! read more

Cafe Roma - Bow tie pesto and a sausage pizza. - Italian Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

This place is a hidden gem. It's located among office buildings, so if you haven't been there, you might have some trouble finding it. It's a smaller restaurant with a cozy vibe because of the dim lighting. There was a big dinner rush on a Friday night, so it took a bit of time to get seated. The lobster bisque had a great seafood flavor. The only thing that we missed was bread to dip into the soup. I had the shrimp diavolo pasta which was spicy and delicious with many large shrimp. We also had a beef Wellington which unfortunately was raw on the inside. The mashed potatoes were not hot either when they were served, unfortunately. The dish did come with a sauce that was just enough sweet and savory. All in all, we enjoyed the dinner and would try this place again, but we will stick to pasta dishes. read more

Cafe Roma - Beef Wellington and shrimp diavolo (in the back) - Italian Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

I've been wanting to try Cafe Roma since we moved to Elgin and I'm so glad I finally got to. I was having a serious craving for Fettuccine Alfredo and I wanted it to be from somewhere good. Cafe Roma did not disappoint. I ordered it for takeout for lunch. It tasted great and the portion was generous. It even came with a side salad that I wasn't expecting. And I must say, whatever the dressing was, it was delicious. I also ordered a side of cheesy garlic bread. It was on crusty Italian bread and it tasted homemade, although I'm not sure if it was. I will most definitely be ordering from them again. Can't wait to try out more dishes, especially the bruschetta! read more

Fabulous Italian. My mouth waters thinking about it. Vert traditional and authentic. From a proper salad to your pasta dish. Desserts are good and very Italian. read more

Had a fantastic dinner here tonight. Food was outstanding as was MacKenzie's service! There are no true Italian restaurants out this way. Really enjoyed our calamari, soup, eggplant parm and veal parm. Portions were large, pasta and marinara done to perfection. Can't wait to bring my Chicago friends here! You will not be disappointed. read more

I was super excited about this place! Came here with my dad & younger sister before my dad leaves out of town. Plus we needed some bonding time together. :) The place is cute, I like the option of sitting outside. Presentation of food - 9/10 We ordered the Mergherita Pizza 18" & the Penne Rustica. The pizza : 7/10 - NOT enough cheese. Seriously tasted like straight up Tomato Purée... WAAAY too much tomato, and not even cheese to even out the flavor. However, it is unique & the fresh basil was nice.. Pasta : 7/10 - GREAT, new flavor. The sauce was seriously extremely watery??? If the sauce was a tad bit thicker it would be DELICIOUS. Reducing the sauce would be a great option however, it's not bad watery. Just the flavor would definitely hit home run if it was thicker. Anyway; the atmosphere is nice. Nice servers. Good place to try! May or may not be back for the quick pasta. read more

Cafe Roma - Mergherita pizza - Italian Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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Hidden gem in an office complex off Randall and 90. The food is always excellent. Wait staff is friendly and attentive. I had the Chicken Marsala and my husband had the double pork chop. Both served with garlic mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies. Both dishes were excellent. read more

Great food and good service, a winning combination. I would return. The salad dressing and the pasta was all homemade. I would love to try another pasta. read more

Really good food, fresh top shelf ingredients, everything is well paired. The place is cute and it looks like they have a really nice outdoor patio (it was raining when we went.) Very romantic. They have a really intriguing six course price fixe dinner menu that we would like to go back for. I was very impressed! Unexpected location in the Crystal-Clean building right at 90 and Randall Road. Now let's get this straight. I like this place. A lot. You should go here. But if you want to hear my issues with this joint read on... I do not understand why restaurants need to find new and creative ways to make ordering food difficult. I shouldn't have to ask "now how does this work? What do i do?" When entering from outside, you have to walk through the dining area, behind the bar and wait in line in a dead-end little hallway. They have one or two specials on letter-sized easels which you can see while waiting in line. But you'll have to wait until you're at the register to see the whole menu because it's Scotch taped flat to the counter. You'll pay up front, which is fine - maybe it gives you the feeling it's going to be less expensive or faster. But here's where they really get creative. Order a drink and you'll get some little vague slips of paper. Once you're done paying you'll walk out back out of the dead-end hallway and find a table. Now, wait for your waitress so you can tell her again what you want because the slips of paper aren't specific. Then your waitress will tell the owner behind the bar your drink order. It was a very slow process -- but I must say -- I've seen some goofy ordering processes but these little slips of paper top everything in terms of creativity. I'm afraid my next and final issue is really small, picky and I'm sure you'll think it's dumb -- my wife thinks I shouldn't even mention it but I'm going to anyway. We were served a very fresh and delicious salad with homemade croutons and a tasty vinaigrette. However the silverware was the least expensive form of stainless steel available (its called 18-0) and is prone to having a chemical reaction with vinegar, causing a bad taste. It's that "set your teeth on edge" taste I'm sure you may have experienced. This problem could easily be solved by changing the salad dressing recipe. So there you have it. Solid four star place. Bring a casual date or a client. read more

Cafe Roma - Italian Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

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Based on the other reviews we must have been here on an off night. We arrived in the middle of a shift change so service was incredibly slow (eventually got much better). We ordered bruschetta and cappellini pomodoro; the bruschetta looked and smelled amazing, but the bread was thinly sliced and got soggy by the time it reached the table. The pasta was soooooo overcooked. It was like a ball of dough with a heavy sauce on top instead of a light tomato sauce. We'll probably try this place one more time before giving up on it, but I'm sure it won't be anytime soon. read more

Stopped in for a business lunch last week and I liked the Cafe. It's a smaller eating area but I think it serves the building well. I started off with a salad which was easily devoured in seconds. I had the farfalle chicken lunch special, which was surprisingly good. The chicken looked like a small portion but it was actually filling. Also grabbed a peach iced tea (I believe this is from Europe??) - this blows all other beverages away! read more

I recently had dinner with a friend at Cafe Roma. This was the first time I dined there, and simply finding Cafe Roma was extremely difficult. Cafe Roma is clearly marked on my GPS, and visually I expected a single restaurant building. But as I drove by in an industrial and hotel area, there was no signage indicating the restaurant's location. I drove by it and had to turn around to stop the car and look on my GPS again. It turns out the restaurant is located inside an OFFICE BUILDING. To the owner of Cafe Roma - put up some signage. You do not even have your restaurant's name on the office building or the front door. Once inside the staff was kind and for dinner most of the tables were filled quickly. The menu was fairly priced, for an Italian restaurant, I expected a basket of fresh warm bread with olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Instead they served a water glass with very hard and dried up seasoned french fries. they were better than nothing, but very disappointing. However, my main dish of lemon chicken with mashed potatoes and asparagus was excellent. The side salad of lettuce although very plain (No tomato, onion, cucumber, olive, etc.) was fresh. For desert I had the chocolate cannoli. It was tasteless. I will be going back to Cafe Roma (Now that I know WHERE it is) and try another entree in the future. read more

Soup is home made and delicious! Food is flavorful and fresh! Atmosphere is chill and cozy.

I have to say that their eggplant parmesan is probably my favorite! Its thick cut amd full of flavor. Many other places have too much breading and you are basicslly eating breading. Here, on the other hand, you actually taste the eggplant and iys delicious. Also, their friea are so good that I'm tempted to orser another order. The few meals that ive had here have been delicious. Tge food takes a while to prepare but it is worth the wait! read more

Cafe Roma - Eggplant sandwich - Italian Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

Have been going to this place for years! The food is always fresh and just amazing. The chef/owner, Frank, can be seen hustling whether it's doing at catering run, running the kitchen or just saying hello to those in the dinning room. The prices have gone up a bit but that's ok - again the quality of the food is well worth the price. read more

First time visit - wish we had come here sooner. Lovely spot in a quiet, out of the way, area. Excellent food, service, and ambience. Ordered a couple of basics: rigatoni and chicken with vodka sauce, and spaghetti and meatballs. Large portions, steaming hot and lightly seasoned - both delicious dishes. Nice selection of wine and drinks. Our server, Karla, was friendly and attentive - there was a lot of teamwork amongst the staff which was nice to see. Will definitely return and recommend. read more

Stumbled upon this place for a business lunch in Elgin. Great location right off Randall Road tucked in an office complex on the north side of I 90. Very simple interior with a friendly staff. Food is excellent. I had the clams and linguine which were fabulous. My guests had the wraps and tuna salad and nothing left on the plates. Finished with a cappuccino and light dessert. I would recommend you arrive before noon to get a table, everyone knows how good this place is. read more

Because of the times I just did a carry out. I got the linguine & mussels and my wife got the pan seared sole. It was excellent. I will definitely be back for more! read more

A hidden gem! Food is beyond delicious so don't let industrial office park setting fool you. Got off the menu recommendation; pesto farfalle and I added in sausage! Deeelish! read more

I am so impressed with the food at Cafe Roma. I have eaten here twice now and both dishes (Chicken Marsala and Chicken Parmigiana) where incredible and I am not exaggerating. I grew up in an Italian neighborhood and both dishes sent my mind reeling through time to eating in that neighborhood. Ads abuse the word "authentic" so I hesitate to use the word but this is REAL Italian. Wherever you live, do yourself a favor and take to time to eat there. read more

Though the restaurant is kinda hidden from public view. The service here is incredible. The hostess was extremely sweet on entry and the food it has lots of flavor and taste delicious. The pricing is extremely good for the quality of food they offer. Will be returning! I ordered the vodka pasta which was recommended by our waitress sara! read more

Cafe Roma is the Italy in the suburbs. Their food is delicious, filled with taste. We ordered 3 dishes, mussels as an appetizer, pesto chicken Alfredo and a cold cut sandwich. Delicious to say the least, each main dish comes with a salad or soup. I personally wasn't a fan of my sandwich and I wouldn't say it is their fault, I was just unaware that it was a cold cut sandwich, which I am not a fan of. The taste was beyond flavorful, which made it a 5 star sandwich knowing that if it was warm would of made it a perfect sandwich. The Pesto Chicago Alfredo was delicious, and the mussels were to die for. Overall, a great time. The pricing is about average for the portion size. I would say expensive if you didn't realize how big the portion of food provided is. Great place, a must try in Elgin. read more

Cafe Roma - Delicious chicken sandwich - Italian Near Me - Elgin, Illinois

Love the food. Hate the noise. My friends won't go back with me because of it, so I went alone for an early lunch and other than a group at the bar, I was the only customer and it was still deafening! What a shame. read more

Just an update... So, we're eating here often for lunch and yes, it's always fresh and good, but it's become too routine. It's time to mix it up with a few new entrees. As someone else mentioned the serving staff doesn't seem friendly -- I think they're very overwhelmed when it's lunch hour and they are so busy. They could really expand to take up an entire suite on the first floor. Or...open a small 2nd location in downtown Elgin (it's neeed... EPH is getting needing a little competition!) or bring it to Randall and go where the Borders was in the Commons! Expansion is needed for the customer's sake, but maybe the owners are super-pleased with the way things are, and that is OK! Love the greens' salad dressing. Sweet, but overpowering and light. Thanks for all you do and we're glad you're staying open! read more

Great food. Terrible service. My servers name was Courtney and she was extremely unfriendly and mean to my friend and I. Although the food was good she gave us a very bad dining experience, honestly probably the worst I've ever had.. maybe we will come back and just request a different server. Hopefully she does not work there by that time. read more

Located off the main roads and a pain to find. I agree with previous review that they have a very convoluted way of ordering, etc. Big BUT is its worth the abbreviation or adventure because the food is very good for the price. Heck, it's very good at any price. Wish they were open on all week nights. Bravo to the chefs read more

This place is exceptional. Really. I come here from Chicago. Pasta is great, so is service. Highly recommended!

We had a large group - 15. The owner was very supportive and reached out after we made reservations to cover details. A real nice touch. The food and service was great. The waitress was wonderful. The food was excellent and reasonably priced. The restaurant is located in a large commercial building and the signage is small. Have the address on your GPS. It was our first time at Cafe Roma and we highly recommend this restaurant. read more

I have worked in the same building as Cafe Roma, lovingly dubbed in my office as "The Roma," for a few years now, but I have never taken the time to write a proper review. Shame on me. The Roma is simple, unassumingly located on the bottom floor of an Elgin office building. Open for lunch on weekdays and dinner on Thursdays and Fridays, Roma's demand might outweigh the supply. What do I love about the Roma? I love taking a break to grab lunch from Roma, where I am always greeted with a smile from one of the employees, all of whom seem proud of the cuisine they serve. On a regular weekday, I try to keep it simple and order one of the daily soups. This is no ordinary soup. Chef Frank and his staff manage to turn ordinary soups like cream of mushroom and broccoli cheddar into masterpieces. Green and red Thai curries, Thai noodle soup, and vegetarian chili are departures from the Cafe's Italian menu but it is a welcome and delicious surprise. The soups are reasonably priced to include a piece of the Roma's dangerously addicting garlic bread and a house or Caesar salad. When I'm looking for something a more generously sized, my go to is the Eggplant Parmesan. Unlike any other version of this traditional Italian dish, the eggplant is presented in thick cutlets, crunchy and flavorful, with a side of tasty pasta. I also have loved anything that comes with the Cafe's vodka sauce. The food is phenomenal- fresh ingredients, deliberate and exact flavors, and innovative renditions of world classics- and I would rank the Cafe's offerings among the best in the Chicago area. My only sincere grievance is that the Cafe isn't open everyday of the week and weekend for lunch and dinner. The food is worth the wait, if you go when it's busy, but the staff's commitment and pride in Cafe Roma makes it even more enjoyable. The ambiance is intimate and warm. Don't miss this hidden treasure! read more

We called Cafe Roma on Friday to cater a funeral luncheon on Monday. They were not open on Mondays. They called us back and said that they would bring a couple people in to cater for us. That was amazing. The food was so good and service was above and beyond!!! Cannot wait to try this restaurant again! read more

Cafe Roma is tucked away in an odd office building. And it's worth going to find. Soups are phenomenal (they will give you a sample to try), salads fresh and giant, pastas al dente. Handmade pizzas are totally sharable. I have yet to have a bad meal here....OHHH and you get a piece of cheesy garlic toast with entrees. What you do is order at the front counter by the register. You get a number and poker chips depending on what you order (chips are for drinks and soup). Then you sit at a table and a server will stop by and fill drink orders. They will also bring out your entrees when they're ready. Service can be scattered. Sometimes it takes a long while to get your food. But because it's really good REAL food (ie made from real ingredients) it's worth dealing with. FYI they're not trying to ruin your lunch, it can get crazy busy and they're just trying to keep up! read more

I ate lunch here I believe over 2 years ago... the place is very clean...with a concise menu...I had bow ties with broccoli i believe...very good... I didn't like the layout...get in line...only to reach a dead end...and have to go back past the line to a dinning area..with little or no staff... I sat at the little bar/espresso station...with a lot of potential there...they do have a liquor license...so you can have a drink or wine.. Like Marc b. states you pay ahead of time...which is fine...but I finished my meal..and I wanted to stay and have an espresso and finish my crossword...There was no staff to come out and check on me..".how are you doing can I get you anything else?" and if they did..was I supposed to get back in line..lose my spot at the bar...just to get a ticket, to go back out to the dinning room so I can wait around for the waiter to make me a coffee? is that the same for desert? is it just a cute cafeteria? IDK... but i digress.. I would say go for lunch, heck maybe even dinner...but why...the location is obviously aimed at the business lunch crowd from the neighboring offices... it is, what it is...a cute, clean restaurant in an industrial park... read more

It's a Hidden Gem*** This place is in a random location inside of an Office Building. The service is outstanding, the Host and Waitress is super friendly and gives a Positive Vibe that rubs off on others. Food and Presentation is far exceed my expectations. I ordered the Chicken Limone and Crabcake, best, juiciest chicken I've ever had and I've had some pretty good chicken. 2nd best chicken for me is Havana 1957 in Miami, okay back to the topic. The portion size was decently generous. I'm for sure coming back and am recommending this place to you and your friends. read more

Food is bland, disappointing. Have not eaten in the restaurant, have only had take out but after 4 different experiences, I have never been impressed. read more

Absolutely delicious. We have enjoyed lunch at Cafe Roma many times, as well as dinner, the special wine dinners as well as a catered party. We find the owners so friendly and receptive to our special requests. The food is outstanding - the Vodka Chicken pasta is our craving - and we seem to order it in some way, each time we visit. Salads are fresh, with a delicious dressing and toppings, and desserts are to die for. We love Cafe Roma! read more