I Buoni Amici
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The best place to have a delicious meal after visiting the Coliseum. Restaurant where you only find local and no tourist. We really enjoyed everything that we ordered. The seafood salad and the fish were very fresh and delicious, the tiramusu exquisite. The bread was great. Some of the servers speak English. The prices are very reasonable.
Found this place on Yelp after touring the Colosseum. For my one meal in Rome, I wish I picked a place with a nicer ambiance, or view, for example, those touristy outdoor cafes in the beautiful piazzas, but the attentive service and food here made up for it. Ambiance was a really warm and comforting break from walking around all day, like someone inviting you to take a rest in their home. We were pretty much the first customers of the day, so our server helped us with recommendations and questions. The house wine was 10 euros for the bottle, but he gave me the whole bottle and would just charge me according to however much I drank, what a great system. We started with the seafood salad, which was a mix of fresh octopus, squid, celery, olives, olive oil, probably lemon and pepper. The octopus was really fresh and tender, and this was such a refreshing dish after walking so much in the sun. Then we had the spaghetti with clams. The pasta was perfect and the clams were also fresh. The flavor was very simple, like butter and garlic. The highlight was the orecchiette with crayfish. The sauce was really flavorful, I liked the texture and shape of the orecchiette (never had that before) and the crayfish was meaty. We probably should have ordered another one of those, but we went for the pheasant instead, thinking that was something unique to order. Our server kind of hinted that it wasn't really worth it to us, "like chicken" but we wanted to try it anyways. He was right, "like chicken," nothing special. Tiramisu was good.
We walk in and are greeted by a friendly gentleman who guides us to a table and asks if we like that one or the one by the window. We take the window. Then a pleasant young man comes and offers drinks so we accept sparkling water and a bottle of white wine. Then our server, an older smiling man brings menus and shows us the antipasto buffet when we express interest in that as our starter. What a smorgasbord of flavors we experienced from the buffet-and mostly good! I tried marinated sardines (too strongly fishy and tangy for my taste), seafood salad, octopus salad, stewed squid rings, all sorts of eggplant, vegetable tortilla (frittata), cooked broccoli and rucola, smoked salmon among other things. We enjoyed these with their good bread. Normally I'd have stopped there but being on vacation I continued with pasta-linguine vongole-and it was al dente to a fault and teeming with clams. Aside from the crunchy pasta it was also too salty, and I'm the sort of gal who shamelessly adds salt to her food at the table so you understand I'm not averse to sodium. But I won't criticize the restaurant because I've come to find that lots of salt and hard pasta are how the Italians like their food. Their palates are different from my American one. I respect that. I would recommend this place for their good service, reasonably priced food and drinks (€47 for antipasto buffet, 2 pastas, bottle of wine and bottle of sparkling water), and the nice atmosphere-quaint, charming but not in a touristy, inauthentic way. Just ask the kitchen to cook the pasta longer than they normally would, to accommodate the American taste.
I had found this place online as a good Roman restaurant, somewhat near the room my wife and I were staying at on the first part of our honeymoon in Italy. We had a 15-20m wait and there was no list, basically just the honour system for those lined up around the entrance. It's pretty quaint inside, with random pictures, plates and articles on the walls, and just the feeling of being an old, neighbourhood joint. It was an all-male group of servers as seems to be de rigeur in Italy, and customers were a mix of both tourists and locals. Given the good reviews, I wanted to try some of the local fare instead of your typical pizza and pasta dishes. I went with something fresh for my wife and I to start with - insalata di pomodori (tomato salad). For myself I ordered the stracciatella alla romana (egg drop soup) and scaloppine a piacere (sliced veal). We also got a bottle of reasonably price Chianti Classico to drink. The wine came immediately, just grabbed off a nearby shelf. The wine glasses were simple, nothing more than a table glass with a tiny neck. I have the feeling no wine snobs complain about that here, unlike know-it-alls back in Canada. Our tomato salad came soon after - a bowl of halved cherry tomatoes with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. The tomatoes were very fresh and the olive oil added some depth but still kept the dish fairly simple, in a good way. I really enjoyed the soup; there was a light chicken flavour to broth and lots of floating whisps of egg with flecks of fresh basil. The eggs were super light, and I feel like they were just cooked in the hot broth. I very much appreciated the bowl of serve-your-own parmesan, which should be at every restaurant no matter the style of cooking. The veal dish consisted of three thin slices that were between deli meat and fryer steak in thickness. The sauce seemed like a simple pan sauce finished with lemon juice for a bright acidic pop. While the veal wasn't quite as tender as it could have been, the lack of steak knives in this place (and the handful of restaurants we'd been to thus far) didn't help the experience. Service was spot on - not quite up to North American standards, but the best we had so far in Rome, and the best food up to that point as well. If you're staying in the central historic district, and a little bit to the east of the Colosseum, you have to try out I Buoni Amici for a true taste of Rome.
Amazing! The service was great and welcoming. The food was amazing. Thoroughly enjoyed the authentic food and atmosphere.
Great service, great italian dishes, and great prices! I had the spaghetti with large clams and my husband had the ravioli to start. I ate everything on my plate. My hubby mopped his sauce up with crusty bread. For our entrees my husband got the veal cutlets with butter and lemon sauce. He actually closed his eyes with the first bite. Weirdo. I liked my Typical Roman dish but was so full from devouring my spaghetti and wanted room for dessert. My husband loved my tiramisu so I traded him for his lemon cake. Both fluffy, creamy, and vibrant flavors. So 2 first dishes, 2 entrees, 2 desserts, a bottle of water, and a bottle of chianti. The bill was $54 euro. One of the best meals we've had so far on our Europe trip and by far the best value. Everyone was very friendly. A must in my opinion.
When you are out seeing the sights in a new city, sometimes you stop in the first place you can find to grab a bite and recharge. Fortunately, a stop in I Buoni Amici provided the best dining experience I encountered in Rome. The restaurant is very small and located off a side street in the Manzoni area. My group of three arrived one hour before the close of their lunch. Even with multiple people waiting, we were worked in fairly quickly. The restaurant was absolutely packed and the staff was increasingly harried. We started things off right with a bottle of montepulciano and green salads. My wife ordered an antipasti platter that was reportedly delicious. For my main I ordered the classic Roman dish of Cacio e Pepe. The preparation varies from restaurant and family, but generally includes al dente spaghetti (or similar noodle), and pecorino cheese with cracked pepper. It's very simple as a dish, and absolutely outstanding if done correctly, which I can attest to here. The version at I Buoni Amici includes grated cheese on top of the pasta instead of cooked with the pasta. For dessert, our table sampled a number of items, including a phyllo and custard dessert and affogato. The desserts were excellent in all respects, the phyllo dish especially. The service throughout was courteous but occasionally rushed. The restaurant was filled to the max completely with locals, so it's probably a good idea to arrive early to ensure a table. Our total bill came out to €65, not bad for a meal and dessert for three with a superb bottle of wine. Stop in for a family style meal and you'll find it to be one of the best decisions you make while in Rome.
Best meal in Rome!! Found this little restaurant thanks to yelp and loved it so much we went back the next night! The first night we were a bit tired of pasta so went for the chicken de la casa & chicken lemone with vegetable soup as an appetizer. It was delisioso!!!! The soup was so fresh & tasty, it could have been a meal all by itself. And the chicken de la casa was perfecto! It had a light cream sauce with mushrooms. For desert we shared the tiramisu & a shot of lemoncello. And of course espresso to end the night. We left feeling satisfied and not stuffed. I had seen a yummy salad with shrimp & lobster, so decided to try that the second night. I ordered the seafood salad but got a plate of octopus. I probably should have pointed on the menu. I had never eaten it before but decided to try it and I LOVED it. My husband ordered the chicken de la casa again (which was even better the second night) and I tried the linguini with lobster sauce. Both excellent! I noticed a lot of people ordering the clams and wished I had tried them. Maybe we'll go back again tonight!! $$ Price was very reasonable.... 2 chicken dishes, soup, bottled water, bottle of wine, lemoncello, dessert & espresso for $45 €!!!!!!!
My quest for understanding traditional Roman cuisine was bolstered by this neighborhood joint. On a late friday night this place was packed. I showed up at 10.45pm and had to wait for a table. I had walked all day in the heat and was famished. I just have looked like a savage tourist since slow food was what i was having but i was consuming it like an animal. Stracciatella egg soup, saltimbocca, and scampi alla griglia was a solid meal. The server made sure i was hungry after the first two before moving onto the third. I wanted to get the langoustine pasta but i guess it was too late even for them. The space is larger than the outside indicates with years of stuff all over the walls and wine stacked everywhere. Service is pretty friendly but wary at first. Once they saw i liked the food, i was in. 4.25 stars
We happened upon this spot after touring St. John's and doing the Holy Stairs, thinking we had made a poor choice in planning. However, it was the most authentic meal we experience in Rome. So many Italians having lunch, elderly and businessmen enjoying a small buffet with great service. It's small, but comfortable and the food was top notch. I ordered lasagna (I still do not know what was in it) and my husband ordered the fungi pasta. We also had an appetizer special with delicious meat, cheese and arugula. Such an enjoyable lunch complete with vino de casa! read more
1 year ago
Wow this was amazing! A place where they only speak Italian means the food is going to be authentically good! (Not a tourist trap, locals still dine here) My Fiance said if we had this restaurant back home, he could come here once a week. I love how they display the desserts so you can eat with your eyes and choose what you want. I ordered the sautéed clams and I loved it so much I got another order. They love the pasta al denté and the vodka penne we ordered was one of the best ones! Also ordered a fish but I can't recall the name of it! Still really good! read more
Delizioso!! So good we came back everyday after having it the first time. We did dinner 3 nights and lunch once. I feel like they bless you for lunch. You see mostly locals here, and they're regulars. The restaurant is spacious but also intimate and the men serving were efficient & welcoming. Not super friendly but can tell they're very hard workers. It was located near our air bnb & worth the walk everyday. We actually looked forward to it after doing our daily activities. The workers eventually recognized us and treated us like friends. Hence the name of the restaurant- Buoni Amici = Good Friends. Plenty of wine choices and great food to go with it. The penne was missing something but good thing we ordered it with the steak as an extra dish. Everything else we had was amazing, we had it everyday & tried with one other new dish each day. No complaints! We would even get there nearly closing time, & never felt like we weren't welcomed. Almost asked them if they needed help wiping each glass & cleaning up lol There was a dessert that we seen others eating during lunch with strawberries that we were going to come back for at dinner but sadly was all gone, so I imagine it's a hit. We enjoyed the sorbetto al limone every time though! I could go on & on about this place but I'll leave the rest to your imagination. Highly recommend We'll be back on our next trip to Rome! Grazie Mille read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Highly recommend this restaurant, good quality food. This place is filled with locals for a reason. read more
1 year ago
4 years ago
The best place to have a delicious meal after visiting the Coliseum. Restaurant where you only find local and no tourist. We really enjoyed everything that we ordered. The seafood salad and the fish were very fresh and delicious, the tiramusu exquisite. The bread was great. Some of the servers speak English. The prices are very reasonable. read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
9 years ago
Found this place on Yelp after touring the Colosseum. For my one meal in Rome, I wish I picked a place with a nicer ambiance, or view, for example, those touristy outdoor cafes in the beautiful piazzas, but the attentive service and food here made up for it. Ambiance was a really warm and comforting break from walking around all day, like someone inviting you to take a rest in their home. We were pretty much the first customers of the day, so our server helped us with recommendations and questions. The house wine was 10 euros for the bottle, but he gave me the whole bottle and would just charge me according to however much I drank, what a great system. We started with the seafood salad, which was a mix of fresh octopus, squid, celery, olives, olive oil, probably lemon and pepper. The octopus was really fresh and tender, and this was such a refreshing dish after walking so much in the sun. Then we had the spaghetti with clams. The pasta was perfect and the clams were also fresh. The flavor was very simple, like butter and garlic. The highlight was the orecchiette with crayfish. The sauce was really flavorful, I liked the texture and shape of the orecchiette (never had that before) and the crayfish was meaty. We probably should have ordered another one of those, but we went for the pheasant instead, thinking that was something unique to order. Our server kind of hinted that it wasn't really worth it to us, "like chicken" but we wanted to try it anyways. He was right, "like chicken," nothing special. Tiramisu was good. read more
We walk in and are greeted by a friendly gentleman who guides us to a table and asks if we like that one or the one by the window. We take the window. Then a pleasant young man comes and offers drinks so we accept sparkling water and a bottle of white wine. Then our server, an older smiling man brings menus and shows us the antipasto buffet when we express interest in that as our starter. What a smorgasbord of flavors we experienced from the buffet-and mostly good! I tried marinated sardines (too strongly fishy and tangy for my taste), seafood salad, octopus salad, stewed squid rings, all sorts of eggplant, vegetable tortilla (frittata), cooked broccoli and rucola, smoked salmon among other things. We enjoyed these with their good bread. Normally I'd have stopped there but being on vacation I continued with pasta-linguine vongole-and it was al dente to a fault and teeming with clams. Aside from the crunchy pasta it was also too salty, and I'm the sort of gal who shamelessly adds salt to her food at the table so you understand I'm not averse to sodium. But I won't criticize the restaurant because I've come to find that lots of salt and hard pasta are how the Italians like their food. Their palates are different from my American one. I respect that. I would recommend this place for their good service, reasonably priced food and drinks (€47 for antipasto buffet, 2 pastas, bottle of wine and bottle of sparkling water), and the nice atmosphere-quaint, charming but not in a touristy, inauthentic way. Just ask the kitchen to cook the pasta longer than they normally would, to accommodate the American taste. read more
2 years ago
I had found this place online as a good Roman restaurant, somewhat near the room my wife and I were staying at on the first part of our honeymoon in Italy. We had a 15-20m wait and there was no list, basically just the honour system for those lined up around the entrance. It's pretty quaint inside, with random pictures, plates and articles on the walls, and just the feeling of being an old, neighbourhood joint. It was an all-male group of servers as seems to be de rigeur in Italy, and customers were a mix of both tourists and locals. Given the good reviews, I wanted to try some of the local fare instead of your typical pizza and pasta dishes. I went with something fresh for my wife and I to start with - insalata di pomodori (tomato salad). For myself I ordered the stracciatella alla romana (egg drop soup) and scaloppine a piacere (sliced veal). We also got a bottle of reasonably price Chianti Classico to drink. The wine came immediately, just grabbed off a nearby shelf. The wine glasses were simple, nothing more than a table glass with a tiny neck. I have the feeling no wine snobs complain about that here, unlike know-it-alls back in Canada. Our tomato salad came soon after - a bowl of halved cherry tomatoes with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. The tomatoes were very fresh and the olive oil added some depth but still kept the dish fairly simple, in a good way. I really enjoyed the soup; there was a light chicken flavour to broth and lots of floating whisps of egg with flecks of fresh basil. The eggs were super light, and I feel like they were just cooked in the hot broth. I very much appreciated the bowl of serve-your-own parmesan, which should be at every restaurant no matter the style of cooking. The veal dish consisted of three thin slices that were between deli meat and fryer steak in thickness. The sauce seemed like a simple pan sauce finished with lemon juice for a bright acidic pop. While the veal wasn't quite as tender as it could have been, the lack of steak knives in this place (and the handful of restaurants we'd been to thus far) didn't help the experience. Service was spot on - not quite up to North American standards, but the best we had so far in Rome, and the best food up to that point as well. If you're staying in the central historic district, and a little bit to the east of the Colosseum, you have to try out I Buoni Amici for a true taste of Rome. read more
7 years ago
4 years ago
7 years ago
7 years ago
Amazing! The service was great and welcoming. The food was amazing. Thoroughly enjoyed the authentic food and atmosphere. read more
Great service, great italian dishes, and great prices! I had the spaghetti with large clams and my husband had the ravioli to start. I ate everything on my plate. My hubby mopped his sauce up with crusty bread. For our entrees my husband got the veal cutlets with butter and lemon sauce. He actually closed his eyes with the first bite. Weirdo. I liked my Typical Roman dish but was so full from devouring my spaghetti and wanted room for dessert. My husband loved my tiramisu so I traded him for his lemon cake. Both fluffy, creamy, and vibrant flavors. So 2 first dishes, 2 entrees, 2 desserts, a bottle of water, and a bottle of chianti. The bill was $54 euro. One of the best meals we've had so far on our Europe trip and by far the best value. Everyone was very friendly. A must in my opinion. read more
When you are out seeing the sights in a new city, sometimes you stop in the first place you can find to grab a bite and recharge. Fortunately, a stop in I Buoni Amici provided the best dining experience I encountered in Rome. The restaurant is very small and located off a side street in the Manzoni area. My group of three arrived one hour before the close of their lunch. Even with multiple people waiting, we were worked in fairly quickly. The restaurant was absolutely packed and the staff was increasingly harried. We started things off right with a bottle of montepulciano and green salads. My wife ordered an antipasti platter that was reportedly delicious. For my main I ordered the classic Roman dish of Cacio e Pepe. The preparation varies from restaurant and family, but generally includes al dente spaghetti (or similar noodle), and pecorino cheese with cracked pepper. It's very simple as a dish, and absolutely outstanding if done correctly, which I can attest to here. The version at I Buoni Amici includes grated cheese on top of the pasta instead of cooked with the pasta. For dessert, our table sampled a number of items, including a phyllo and custard dessert and affogato. The desserts were excellent in all respects, the phyllo dish especially. The service throughout was courteous but occasionally rushed. The restaurant was filled to the max completely with locals, so it's probably a good idea to arrive early to ensure a table. Our total bill came out to €65, not bad for a meal and dessert for three with a superb bottle of wine. Stop in for a family style meal and you'll find it to be one of the best decisions you make while in Rome. read more
11 years ago
Best meal in Rome!! Found this little restaurant thanks to yelp and loved it so much we went back the next night! The first night we were a bit tired of pasta so went for the chicken de la casa & chicken lemone with vegetable soup as an appetizer. It was delisioso!!!! The soup was so fresh & tasty, it could have been a meal all by itself. And the chicken de la casa was perfecto! It had a light cream sauce with mushrooms. For desert we shared the tiramisu & a shot of lemoncello. And of course espresso to end the night. We left feeling satisfied and not stuffed. I had seen a yummy salad with shrimp & lobster, so decided to try that the second night. I ordered the seafood salad but got a plate of octopus. I probably should have pointed on the menu. I had never eaten it before but decided to try it and I LOVED it. My husband ordered the chicken de la casa again (which was even better the second night) and I tried the linguini with lobster sauce. Both excellent! I noticed a lot of people ordering the clams and wished I had tried them. Maybe we'll go back again tonight!! $$ Price was very reasonable.... 2 chicken dishes, soup, bottled water, bottle of wine, lemoncello, dessert & espresso for $45 €!!!!!!! read more
My quest for understanding traditional Roman cuisine was bolstered by this neighborhood joint. On a late friday night this place was packed. I showed up at 10.45pm and had to wait for a table. I had walked all day in the heat and was famished. I just have looked like a savage tourist since slow food was what i was having but i was consuming it like an animal. Stracciatella egg soup, saltimbocca, and scampi alla griglia was a solid meal. The server made sure i was hungry after the first two before moving onto the third. I wanted to get the langoustine pasta but i guess it was too late even for them. The space is larger than the outside indicates with years of stuff all over the walls and wine stacked everywhere. Service is pretty friendly but wary at first. Once they saw i liked the food, i was in. 4.25 stars read more
12 years ago
This place is LEGIT! Old school Italian, people speaking Italian all around you, platters bigger than your face and a few mama mia here and there and you have it. Staff doesn't speak much English and it's okay, super nice and welcoming. We ordered the tagliatelle bolognese, clearly fresh aldente pasta, delish, and the ossobucco, omg holy bone marrow. I almost licked my plate, sucked my fingers and ordered another round. Tables surrounding us ordered bunch of antipasto and we should have done that too because they aren't more that €10 and you can feed the entire building :) Highly recommend this restaurant, it's not a touristy place, it seems like an institution in this part of Rome and I loved out meal and experience! Ciao! read more
11 years ago
My friend and I had one of the best meals here during our Rome trip. The food was so amazing we couldn't stop eating! We ordered the seafood risotto and the spaghetti with clams and large seafood and crab combination platter along with mussels. Everything came out hot and steamy and in very generous portions. Everything we ate there was delicious! We finished the night off with panna cotta that was so simple yet so delicious. The restaurant was fairly busy and there were not many people who spoke English there- that's how you know the food will be good. I can't wait to go crack to Rome again and eat here again! read more
10 years ago
This was a great little family run Trattoria. Where we had spinach cheese soup, linguine with mixed seafood some crusty bread and olive oil. And a couple desserts. Food was exceptionally good very reasonably priced. read more
3 years ago
8 years ago
I have to say after trying to go to 34, the service here is superb. The servers are very nice and the restaurant feels homey. The food here is good, but the seafood risotto was definitely undercooked. The grilled mixed fish dish was perfect and well balanced. The lamb pork chop were yummy but could of had more meat, less bone. The raviolis were homestyle spinach. The best dish in my opinion was the appetizer, the calamari is amazing!! Would definitely visit again. read more
7 years ago
This was such a great find in Rome. We luckily found this place near our Airbnb on the first night and tried it out. We ate there 3 times during our week stay because it was that great! I had the cacio e Pepe and it was delicious!! The tiramisu is delicious I can't wait for our next trip to Rome we'll definitely come here again. read more
11 years ago
I'd definitely come back here. Service, food and price were all just simply excellent. DRINKS: I ordered a house wine but it came in a regular bottle. Really generous amount. I was afraid they were going to charge me for an entire bottle I didn't order but they didn't. It seems like they put house wine in regular 750ml bottle? SERVICE: This looked like a family run place. Very friendly and recommended dishes in English. DECOR: Homey atmosphere. Very much like going to a place where everyone knows your name. FOOD/PRICE: Reasonable and great portion. Antipasti we had were - cured fish and cured meat. Both great with wine. We then had grilled fish and prawns, seafood risotto, vongole spaghetti. All Just amazing, esp seafood risotto with tomatoes. Al dente and plenty of sea flavor. read more
8 years ago
Very good food and reasonably prided!! Highly recommend the seafood pasta and tiramisu for desert. Ordered the house wine and it was descent. read more
7 years ago
The funny thing about Rome is it's difficult to find a good Italian restaurant, I kid you not. The city is run to serve tourists and I have to feel bad for the locals because where would you go to find a restaurant that tailor to your authentic Italian taste without breaking your bank. After having another horrific experience at a tourist restaurant, I was fed up and determined to search hard for a good local restaurant. Boy did we find one!. I Bouni Amici (but the front also says Hostaria) was filled up with the local Italians eaters, great price and good food. There was a long line after we took the last table. We had calamari, risotto and linguine with clam, some appetizers and a glass of good white wine (took some pictures but after we ate half of it ... sorry). There is a condiment bar and I saw one customer kept going there to get more stuffs. No one else did so I'm not sure if it's open or you pay separately extra for it. Our entire meal costs €46 which is incredibly cheap for Rome. read more
4 years ago
12 years ago
7 years ago
9 years ago
The food here was excellent and the service even better. We had the grilled vegetables, mixed grilled seafood platter, and the veal in lemon sauce. Just writing the dishes makes my mouth water again. Definitely a must try if you happened to be near this part of town while in Rome. I really hope to be able to return one day soon. read more
7 years ago
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More info about I Buoni Amici
Via Aleardo Aleardi 4
00185 Rome
Italy
Esquilino
Directions
06 70491993
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Review Highlights - I Buoni Amici
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9 reviews that are not currently recommended
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