For our first night in Rome, we discovered that the most notable restaurants require a reservation and dinner here really starts booming at 8pm. While walking along the streets of the Trevi area, discovering Rome's nightlife, we found this restaurant tucked away down one of the side streets. There seemed to be a gathering of people around and so we thought the food must be decent to create such a stir. There is nothing fancy about the outside and it doesn't appear to be large in size but when you walk in, you encounter Rome's restaurant style at its finest. They manage to pack in a ton of people in a very small space which is great as this place had a considerable wait. We didn't have reservations so the host told us to come back in an hour and a half. That can seem like a long time, but in Rome, with all there is to see, that goes quickly. We came back at 9:30 and there was still such a long line. A little chaotic when you walk in, but the key is to stand by the stairs so they see you. The host immediately saw us, remembered my name and found us a table. They brought bread and mini rice balls which were little balls of heaven! Fried to perfection with the right amount of cheese and sauce. We started with a cheese board consisting of various Italian cheeses. Great way to start the culinary journey of the evening. For dinner, we chose to share the cacio e pepe and the fettuccini with porcini mushrooms. Both with homemade pasta. Amazing! Even days later, while writing this review, I can taste the flavor of the mushrooms. The cacio e pepe was perfect. Just the right balance of cheese and pepper. Hostaria Romana nailed it and thus, began our culinary adventure of Italy. read more

Hostaria Romana - Assorted Italian cheese - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

See all

I don't get all the hype. The service was ok, the waiter spoke basic English which was a bonus. But we had mixed feelings about the food. House selection of antipasti was horrific, cheap oily and bland, tasted like deep fried a week ago. Ravioli with ricotta were ok, small plate though. The deserts were nice and they have a good selection of wines. Okish place, but not coming back! read more

See all

Carbonara was excellent! Wine was excellent! The service is so different in Rome than in America so don't be offended. Just different culture. Make a reservation, I'm pretty positive they don't take walk ins. I was very happy with my dish! My sister and my husband got the ravioli, and they wished they would have gotten the carbonara. It was just that good. I probably wouldn't go again, only because since this I've found other places with just as great of food for half the price. But I still enjoyed the experience. read more

I loved this fun and delicious place for lunch. I wanted to go back again today for dinner - it was that good and well priced. The antipasto platter for one at 12 euros was a bargain with the ABSOLUTELY BEST ricotta cheese I have ever had. The sucking pig was great, as was the cacio y Pepe and penne pasta. Just wonderful. Warm and friendly service. read more

Waited in the restaurant for 30 minutes to find out we needed a reservation despite waiters walking by every minute but none of them acknowledged us or bothered to tell us. They did not seem to care at all. I will never go back. read more

When you are eating surrounded by locals you know you are in the right place. Order the house wine, the house appetizers, and ask for recommendations for dinner. Make a reservation. Can't get one? Ask your hotel to call, they may carry more weight. The staff is great and we enjoyed our dinner. read more

Although there was so much potential for us to have an amazing and romantic dinner at Hostaria Romana, it didn't quite happen. We loved how small the 3 different dining rooms were, we loved the menu options and how this didn't feel like a tourist trap, and we loved many of the menu items we chose, but there were some rough patches that won't give Hostaria Romana 5 stars based on our visit. We arrived right around 9:00 PM and the place was packed! We did not have a reservation and after being ignored for at least 10 minutes or so, a server told us we'd have to come back at 9:30. He didn't write our reservation down, just asked me my name. We left, walked down to Trevi fountain (why is this so popular, by the way?) and then went back at 9:30 on the dot. 15 minutes later after others traipsed right through the line, said something in Italian, and were seated, we started to get pretty annoyed. The same server came by for the fourth time, but this time didn't ignore us, called me by name and said we would be seated. Culture difference here. Impressed he remembered me, but not impressed we weren't acknowledged. An American couple ahead of us felt the same way but were seated about 5 minutes before we were. The food. We had the baked cheese to start which was amazing. So was my wine from Tuscany which was only 4 Euros for a glass. Much better pricing than the US. Our entrees came. My wife didn't get the correct dish. I did. Since it took a while for us to place our order, we chose not to correct it. She ended up having Pasta Carbonara which was so dreadfully salty, she just couldn't stomach it. Though the pasta was freshly made and you can tell if the salt content would have been different, this would have been excellent. My fettuccini was also pretty salty but marginally bearable. They gave us some biscuits with our lemon gelato. The biscuits were amazing and the lemon gelato (not sorbet) is probably the best ice cream I've ever had. One of the other staff members checks in on us as we are eating our entree and his first question was whether the entree was too salty. I think something must have happened in the kitchen so I'd be willing to try this place again to see. read more

We came cross this little side restuarant on a stroll. When we arrived there was a couple waiting to be seated... a few locals walked and walked by us and sat at what looked like their usual table, or available seating for two. We were a party of four, so had to wait to be seated. It seemed like a place locals came, maybe businessmen and friends. We had a cheese platter and prosciutto / melon appetizer... very abundant and tasty. The melon was so amazingly fresh and delicious. The house wine was awesome. Very good. For lunch we tasted a variety pastas, including the penne arrabiatta, carbonara. My penne was great... perfect al dente... best we had entire time in Rome. We ordered a side of steamed spinach and artichoke... the food was amazing. The pastas were fresh and delicious. When we told them how much liked it they suggested coming back for dinner. Sadly we didn't make a reservation. When we called later in day to make one, they were booked for that night and next. We asked our concierge to see if they had anything available. When we mentioned the restaurant she didn't seem optimistic... and the were booked. Seems popular because it's not overly geared for tourist. The prices were sooo reasonable we had to double check the bill. Nothing after this restaurant measured up... read more

Worst meal in Italy!! Unfortunately this place is a tourist trap. The high reviews I can't understand except that it's a restaurant probably only frequented by tourists. I speak Spanish & Italian and I didn't hear any locals. Sorry, but true. I was looking for a good dish of a pasta called " Cacio & pepa. It's served with a cheese called Pecorino & pepper. The dishes they served was a really bad version that any italian would send back. It was disgusting. I paid for the meal after only taking two bites and left. Why waste my appetite when in Rome. I went back to my hotel and found a place that was good and near. read more

The best food I have eaten so far in Rome, and one of the best meals of my life. I just love love loved this place! We ordered gnocchi with Gorgonzola and mushrooms - best gnocchi of my life. We also ordered the lamb cooked Roman style - meat was falling off the bone tender. The carciofi Jewish style was delicious and the spinach was great too. We were treated like kings and had a phenomenal meal that blew us away. I would definitely stop here when in Rome. read more

See all

Our first night in Rome we decided to try this place. We didn't have reservations, but walked over an hour before they opened. The door was locked, but a waiter was setting the table & opened the door to talk to us. We made a reservation for 7:30. We returned at 7:30 to find quite a few people waiting to get in. We were glad that we had talked to someone to secure a table. We were seated downstairs in a room. It filled very quickly with diners. There was interesting graffiti on the white walls & ceiling. It was warm & cozy with all the tables filled. Everything we ordered was yummy. I ordered soup and pasta carbonara .My husband ordered salad and the saltimboca romana. Our waiter brought a complimentary bean dish to our table. Everything was outstanding. Unfortunately we were too full to try dessert. read more

October 2012... On my first trip to Italy, I relied on Rick Steves' book to get me around Rome. On my last evening in the city, Hostaria Romana was on his list and it did not dissappoint. I got there few minutes before they opened for dinner and people were already lined up. The space was cramped as was everything in the city and there was a lot of grafitti on the walls, quite unique. Luckily I got a table cuz it was packed after a few minutes of sitting and line ups when I left. I have to say that Hostaria Romana made one of the most memorable meals of my trip... Nay... My life! And I'm not exaggerating... Well... Maybe a little. But it was pretty Epic! To this day I still dream of my meal hoping to recreate it at home or find it at a restuarant in Toronto - still searching. My meal: - complementary lentil stew... It was so simple but flavour is really good... This was only the start?! - what made it EPIC... Spaghetti Carbonara... All I can say... HOLY FOODGASM! Proper al dente pasta, you won't see one bit of scrambled egg and the salt of the panchetta pops in your mouth. I am drooling while I write this. - finally, when in Rome... I had to get the Veal Saltimboca with a side of spinach. Nice and juicy, anything with pancetta hits the spot! I only wish I had been there a few days earlier, so I can come back to eat there every night. Definitely on my permanent list of restaurants to re-visit and rave about to anyone and everyone. read more

We went here following the recommendation of other Yelpers and were not disappointed! We went in around 930 on a Wednesday night and were told it would be a 45 minute wait. We decided to make a reservation for the following evening at 9:30pm (our choices were 7:30 or 9:30). When we arrived we were seated in about 15 minutes. The ambiance of this restaurant was very cozy and homey. The tables were all packed together and along with the tourists there seemed to be many Italian residents. The staff spoke English fluently. We ordered the house antipasto platter, osso bucco with mushrooms (funghi), and the crispy pig with potatoes. The antipasto platter is like bother I have had before, there was such an assortment of items and it was the first time I felt like I was not eating in a restaurant that catered specifically to tourists. The platter contained baby fish, salami/pancetta, mozzarella, grilled eggplant, beans, and an egg cake sort of thing with zucchini. Both of our main entrees were well prepared also. DHs osso bucco was polished off with no problem and he also stole a good portion of my crispy pig (no worries, he bought me gelato to make up for it). The crispy pig was succulent and tender and the skin has just the right amount of crisp. We also appreciated that Hostaria Romana did not break the bank. With the USD being pretty weak to the Euro, the prices here were very reasonable! Give this place a shot if you are anywhere near the area! read more

See all

Antipasti enough for 4. Best carbonara I have ever tasted. Bacon was crispy right. Make a reservation if you can.

We ordered their specialty, Spaghetti Carbonara and wanted to try the Spaghetti with clams. The carbonara is unique with its delicious creamy egg texture with bits of smoked ham. Spaghetti with clams was also delicious with the simpleness of garlic and olive oil. Service was attentive! On the house, we received riceballs and a sample of spaghetti. We loved the riceballs, so delighted to try this traditional delicacy. These pasta dishes were very filling but that didn't stop us from ordering a second dish. We also ordered grilled steak and fried mix of seafood. Both entrées were hearty and each can be shared. We ended taking the leftovers to go. Overall, this is popular spot with locals and tourists sharing the space. Be sure to make reservation. The tables are closely packed together but that's part of the charm of dining here. read more

Hostaria Romana - Spaghetti with clams and the popular Spaghetti Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

I dream about this place since coming home from Rome. It was by far the best meal while I was there. They made sure everything was sans glutine for me too. Just go. You won't regret it. read more

1st Tip.... Get a reservation. Hoteria Romana is just a couple blocks west of Piazza Baberini on a small side street. This area is flush with various eateries but this is the place that seems to line em up outside - both locals and tourists. Tried to get in on two separate occasions by walking in off the street and got shut out. Made a reservation for the following evening and was seated right away by-passing the line of annoyed non-planners. What I learned in my week in Rome is that most restaurants have their own take on pretty much the same menu items. What makes this place unique is that - besides the old favorites - there are some unique items that the others don't offer. Suckling pig, tripe, heart and other local Roman favorites accompany the standard tourist fare. That alone is worth the trip. When in Rome ... as they say. As great as the meal proved to be (we had the Suckling Pig), the real highlight is the Panna Cotta dessert. You will be doing yourself a disservice if you don't leave room for this along side an espresso. read more

Had a great evening here with my wife and 2 kids. Giuseppe was an excellent waiter and helped us have a great evening. Glad we had reservations. read more

Found this place via Yelp, little did I know it was less than 100 feet from our front door. HINT: Make reservations or come early and be prepared to wait. We got in without a reservation, but we also got here by 7:00 and that is early by Italian standards. The place is small and cute, the wait staff work hard at getting the food out in a timely manner. My wife and I both ordered the spaghetti all carbonara, the reviews were not wrong. it was full of flavor and cooked perfectly. (I never knew that I had been overcooking my pasta my whole lifetime) Overall a great little place to eat! read more

Despite the swooning reviews, Hostaria Romana is not special. I lived in Rome 30 years ago and visit frequently. This is a standard Roman restaurant with somewhat inflated prices. The servers are fluent in English and other languages. But almost no Italians eat here, which tells you something. The walls are "decorated" with graffiti by people from all over the world. That tells you something else. The food is good, but not swoon-worthy. Compared to similar restaurants, the menu is limited to a relatively small selection of Roman basics. Don't expect anything unusual or interesting. But HR does good preparations of these common dishes. If you're in the neighborhood and want better food for the same price, try La Fontana. It's also popular with visitors and has a English-fluent staff. But the food is much more diverse and interesting. Then there are places with great Roman food for much less money, places where Italians eat. Sorry but I won't be posting those places on Yelp. read more

This is the best place we ate at in Italy on our 9 day stay. Make a reservation and make sure you go, can't be beat. We went to "fancier" and more pricy restaurants on the trip, but none compared to the food quality here. Excellent. read more

One of the best Roman food that I ever tasted in Roma and excellent price. Fill like at home... read more

See all

One of the first places we ate in Rome, but it turned out to be one of the best! I recommend coming here with reservations, as Hostaria Romana is on the smaller side. I actually wasn't particularly hungry, so my family split a lot of dishes. I ordered the spaghetti ala carbonara specifically and ate some mixed antipasti and roast kid (i.e. goat). We received free arancini (fried rice balls) before and biscotti after our meal. First: this was one of the best antipasti plates I had in Rome. Everything was seasoned fantastically, and it all tasted quite fresh even though everything was prepped to serve. The arancini was alright, but hey - how often do you get free stuff in Rome? The carbonara was good, but what made it excellent was the bacon garnished throughout the dish. The piece of bacon were more akin to lardon, and they were perfect little crisps of pork and fat and man I can dream about eating it now. The goat was a LOT more tender than I thought it would be, and it even came with a side of roasted potatoes - very solid second course. The biscotti were a perfect way to end our meal - light, crunchy, crumbly, not too sweet. We had a charming server, and I never felt like service dropped as the restaurant got busier. Also, if you need testament to how good this place is, there was a lone dapper Italian gentleman sitting at the table next to us, and he had an entire meal for himself: mixed antipasti, spaghetti, roast pig, and the biscotti cookies. Turns out my foodie idol is an Italian man living in Rome, geez. read more

We had a horrible time finding food in Rome and this was our last hope of trying good Italian food before we went home. Thankfully this restaurant did not disappoint. We started with the mixed antipasti platter which was excellent. The mozzarella was to die for. My mom and sister went with the famous carbonara which was perfection. The bacon pieces crackled in our mouths. I had a tubular pasta (forgot the name) covered in Pecorino cheese, bacon, and pepper. It was also delicious (a bit too al dente) but still really good. It doesn't look like a large portion at first but the rich flavors you become full fast. The service was also superb. Highly recommend coming here. read more

Hostaria Romana - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

See all

As recommended by Rick Steves' book, we came in here trusting his judgement. The place did not disappoint! I had the BEST roasted lamb and potatoes ever... Really! My wife had the bucatini all' amatricina, and it was very good as well. Great prices, paid €43 for the meal including half a bottle of Chianti. read more

Hostaria Romana - Roasted lamb with potatoes. Excellent choice for lamb lovers!!! - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Beyond charming. Authentic food. I am definitely going back! Staff were courteous and helpful and the ambience was lovely. Delicious meal and evening! read more

Our first trip to Italy and we relied on yelp reviews to find some great places. This one did not disappoint. The suckling pig was incredible and the panna cotta was nothing short of magical. Word to the wise, make reservations or be waiting by the door when they open. Also, and this is to taste, the carbonara is good but salty due to the high quality cheese. My other ding is the house white wine, not so good. The service, staff, atmosphere, etc. were all great and a huge stand out in the city center dominated by tourist traps. read more

20 February 2012. I returned last night from a quick 4-night visit to Rome. I dined twice at Hostaria Romana (and I ate there back in 2010). It's one of my favorites in Rome. While it's a mixture of locals and tourists, the food is very good. My first night I ordered the 10 euro antipasti platter. You can check out what's being served, as it's all on display in the front dining area. I was shocked at how large the portion was!! I couldn't eat it all. Everything was delicious! The antipasti included: Mozzarella, fritatta, eggplant, zucchini, beans with onions and garlic, pickled mushrooms and artichokes, roasted red peppers, fried onion half topped with bread crumbs. you can have this as a meal or share with someone. I also had the roasted lamb with potatoes. With my meal I had a 1/2 bottle of white wine. I received complimentary biscotti so I ordered a glass of vin santo. I also received a shot of limoncello. Total bill: 38.80 euros. I had a good time chatting with two of the waiters and even the owner came over to see how I was doing. Warm up to the waiters and they warm up to you. My second night (18 Feb) at H. Romana started out a little disappointing, not because of the restaurant but the obnoxious and very loud tourists sitting behind me. They didn't give a crap about the other diners in the room. I should have asked to move. In any case, they finally left and I could enjoy the evening. The owner had greeted me warmly and the two waiters looked happy to see me. As much as I wanted the antipasti again, I knew it would be too much, so I skipped the starter and ordered the osso bucco (14 euros) along with a side of spinach (5 euros). While waiting, one of the waiters came by and was surprised I didn't have any food in front of me. I told him I was just waiting for my dinner. He came back a minute later with a small plate of antipasti (eggplant, pickled fish of some sort, and mushrooms and artichokes). I've made osso bucco before but this one was excellent! The meat was so tender you don't need a knife. I'll have to remember to cook mine longer. The spinach has been sauteed in olive oil, garlic, and salt. Also very good. This time I ordered a 1/2 liter of house wine. Total bill: 25.50. I'm heading back to Rome in November and will return to Hostaria Romana! read more

See all

I wanted to like this place. I really really wanted to like this place. Alas, the problem can be summed up in two words: Too salty. read more

We went here following a strong reccommendation. The tables are put really close to each another, but overall the place is cosy. Me and my friend tried the antipasto insalata caprese (mozzarella and tomatoes) - okay but nothing special, pasta carbonara - tastier than anywhere else we tried in Rome (it's usually overly salty) and tiramisu for dessert - delicious. Quite a good choice for dinner, reservation is needed. read more

See all

Can't. Stop. Smiling! Hostaria Romana has me floating on a carb cloud of happiness. Our waiter had an affectionate sense of humor and treated us like favored regulars. My feeble attempts at Italian seemed to be appreciated. The pasta was perfectly al dente, the Cacio e Pepe was delicious in its simplicity and the carbonara was the best we've had in Rome! We tried one of each of the artichokes, giudia and romana. Get em both!! Hostaria Romana is called old school and I'm wholly on board with continuing my education! read more

We had one night in Rome, passing through from the Vesuvius area to Tuscany, and this night was blessed with the luck to hit up Hostaria Romana. Led by good reviews, we headed down around 6pm. We were unknowingly early, however happened to catch a waiter setting up tables for the evening, and made a reservation for 7:15pm, when the restaurant was to open. Lucky us! After killing time at the ice cream joint up the road watching the Italy/Costa Rica World Cup game and sharing a lemon granita, we returned, and a crowd had formed! Apparently this place was popular. For good reason too. We loved the Spaghetti Carbanara, the ravioli we had was good as well, and the ample house white wine was tasty accompaniment. I have found these kind of small run restaurants to be my favorite in Italy. read more

If you read the other reviews, it's well known that this place gifts you various tasty starter foods and has awesome ox tail (called cow tail in the menu) but what you may not know is that this restaurant also has superb and super fresh fish!! The grilled fish was the best we've had in Rome. It was on display at the entrance of the restaurant when we walked in and when craving seafood, this is the best you can get. The waiters played a joke at first and after asking if we wanted them to fillet the fish, they brought out a beautifully displayed fish bone (the kind you'd see cartoon cats eat and then pull back out) with a full head and tail but no meat ... Viola! He says, and sprinkles some olive oil and pepper on top and with a flare, turns on his feet and leaves. The next waiter was there before we could finish laughing with the actual fillet dish. Such fun!! read more

See all

Our fourth night in Rome and we finally find an excellent place to dine. It was busy, but with reservations we were seated right away. They brought us a fried rice ball with cheese inside of it and it was wonderful. (We had one the night before at another place and this was way better). We ordered the spinach and cheese ravioli and split the dish... It was amazing. They brought out lentils with lamb, and again it was amazing...my main dish was the roasted suckling pig and it was tender and flavorful. I went to order a sweet white wine and it was suggested by the waiter to try a sweet red. I'm glad I took his suggestion as it was perfect with my meal. We suggest anyone to try this restaurant. We wish we would have found it sooner.... At least we were able to get a sample of excellent authentic Italian food!!! read more

What appears to be the owner of the place is a real dick. We went there around 8 and he told us to come back at 9:30 and when we came back, there was a line of people who have been told the same thing. When the guy in front of me asked for the table this person told him "you don't have reservation" so the guy told him that the reason why he came back is because he told him to come back at 9:30 and the reply was "sorry but you don't have reservation". We all left. read more

I've been there multiple times and it has never disappointed me. If you're ever by the trevi fountain or near the Spanish steps you have to eat there! Make sure to book if you can or prepare to wait. Plus make sure you order the suckling pig MMMmmm heaven in a hog. read more

We had our first meal in Rome at this restaurant. Thanks to Yelp we were not disappointed. Excellent food and great service await you. Most restaurants in Rome close around 3:30 and open again for dinner around 7:30. Although we arrived late, about 30 min before they closed the staff were happy to have us eat lunch. They didn't rush or hurry us through our meal. We had a plate of classic house appetizers. This was cheeses, spicy sauteed vegetables, roasted eggplant, spicy coppa, and salami. We skipped the second and went straight to our entrees. ossobucco and chicken parmigiana. Both were excellent. We had espresso for dessert and our waiter gave us a few pieces of homemade biscotti made with dates. Wow. Perfect start in Rome! read more

Really good food. It's usually busy, so I recommend making a reservation. Pasta dishes here are great, and the also have good lamb.

We came here after meandering through Rome on the "Heart of Rome" tour by Rick Steves, the tables were full but we were determined to have our first pasta in Rome. We ended up waiting 2 plus hours for a 930 reservation - It was worth it. I went for the Cacio e Pepe and my bf ordered the penne arribiata. The Cacio e Pepe was well balanced but light enough to devour the entire bowl. The Arribiata was also very good, but simple. I would recommend going with a classic like Cacio or a fancier meat dish. We also enjoyed the Roman Style artichoke and the Sautéed Mushroom. Both Fantastic! Let's be honest with only a few days in Rome, and so much good food every meal is precious! Don't hesitant to spend one here. Reservations recommended!! read more

This is probably the best Italian food I've had during this trip in Rome. I especially liked the terrace fully covered (I went in February) and the amazing appetizers. As main meals, we had osso bucco and veal. It was tasty, very well cooked. You can feel the chef if truly a "chef"! read more