MUST EAT HERE! I was staying with some local friends in Florence who recommended this place for dinner and thank goodness they did. It was amazing. We split a Florentine steak with potatoes & beans with a bottle of house wine. Holy shit. I have never been so attached to a plate of beans in my life, and the steak and potatoes were unreal as well of course! We had such a lovely dining experience, the service was great. My favorite way to end an Italian meal is with Vin Santo & Biscotti, which did not disappoint. I would highly recommend going if you are going to be in Florence. read more

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The food was "meh" and the service was super slow and super blah. I agree with other posters that it took hours for our meal to arrive -- Two and a half hours for a family of 4, who were sharing a steak and three sides. It wouldn't have been so bad if the server had stayed on top of keeping our drinks filled. We needed to ask for drinks 3/4 times before he actually got them. He never really smiled either. The Italians in the room got their meals faster than the obvious tourists. Don't believe the hype. Go elsewhere for the Florentine steak experience! read more

Great staff, awesome, like a large family kitchen - food options are very good!! RELAX // A reservation simply means you'll get a seat at a table, after standing in a cue that forms 30-45 min prior to seating. The cue outside is self forming, and confusing. (RELAX) Everyone cues up while seeing this little tiny restaurant through the main glass door. As the cue gets larger folks begin to think others are simply cuing for a 1st come 1st serve seating. The latter arrivals (also with reservations) push past the early arrivals (also with reservations) as the late arrivals think everyone else does not have a reservation but them, while those who arrived early think all late arrivals do not have reservations as the restaurant appears to hold 1/4 the crowd that has formed. About the time the crowd tension begins to peak - the door opens with one of the staff stepping out to face "the mob". The mob then surges forward as if to score on 4th and goal while the lone staff member calmly gets the reservation name and head count - each reservation attempts to collect their crew from the scrum in front of the small door and enter. Once inside you see the extra rooms, spacious seating options and begin to relax and realize that the entire mob behind you will in fact get seated. You then hope the person(s) that pushed in front of you rudely is not seated next to you. The table staff engages, food flows, you open the bottle of wine on your table and settle in to a conversation with the strangers [now friends] that bonded in the "Crazy Italian Seating process" you just survived. Dinner with a show -- but you and the crowd are the show at the beginning -- the dinner is in fact worth the wait / effort read more

Restaurant:Il Latini Meal: Dinner Cost: 75 euro for two with mixed app, pasta, 1kg steak, 2 bottles of wine, 2 bottles water Summary: A shell of its former self. Used to go here as a child and it was very neat, with family style dinning, an almost chef's choice menu. Now its all a la carte and very inconsistent. Attention to detail is gone and this place has turned more into a tourist trap. No longer do they have the big wicker wrapped bottles of chianti, now just a generic bottle of wine with the Il Latini logo slapped on it. They sell lighters and tshirts with their name on it so take that how you will. Heard the owners brother, Giovanni had left (used to be a super nice guy who would come to your table and make sure everything was going well). Apparently there was a family fight and he now owns a restaurant down the street. I can guess what the fight was about. Service: Nice however slow and aloof. They do not have enough people. Had to ask to have our table cleaned off of the previous persons mess (half full glasses of wine, crumbs and stains on table cloth, ect.) Had to ask for bread, flag him down for wine, water, order. Service got better when I asked if Giovanni was in because I wanted to say hello for old times. The waiters were however very nice the entire time. Ambiance: Pretty full. Did not seem like they do the mixed party tables anymore. Had a table for two which was cramped between two other two person tables. Still a nice inside with the large cured hams hanging from the ceiling, but something just felt off. What they do well: The steak was good. Not the best I have had but was better than some of the random trattoria's in san lorenzo. Where they need to improve: Food and service. Not much pride in the people who work here. They seem to know this place has fallen off and it shows in their enthusiasm. The food also.... so disappointed. This was the worst pasta I had on the trip. We had the ravioli which was dismal. The ravioli that was served on the airplane may have been about it's equal. It tasted either old/frozen or store bought. The tomato sauce was definitely canned. Tips: If you haven't been, don't go. If you have and wanted to see if the old favorite restaurant is still any good, I would recommend skipping it and remembering it how it was. If you must go, try lunch or something so you don't waste a good dinner here. read more

Food was okay. I really wanted to like this place. I was incredibly underwhelmed. My Italian professor from Florence recommended this place, and I was very unimpressed. A table for 6, we were shoved in the corner of a side room, filled with Americans. Not a huge menu. Everything was just okay. I wouldn't go back on my own, or recommend to others. Check my reviews for restaurants in Florence I really do love. read more

Il Latini - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

Had an amazing experience here as we sat downstairs in the wine cellar. There was no one else but our group here so it was an nice treat away from the busy Florence streets. We had the full Italian meal from anti pasta to dolce. All the food was good but nothing that I would say necessarily sticks out. However the service was very good and helpful and I would definitely come back for the private experience and service Bottom line...come to this restaurant as it's in a good location in the city center. The cellar is a perfect place fo a quieter meal away from the Firenze crowd. You will be surprised by the great service. The food is fine but I would say that there are so many other good places that have better food flavoring and aesthetics. Th quality was worth while though Pros Reserve a spot in the wine cellar for a quieter meal The ambience is very old Italian and a great experience for this not from Florence The service is great and attentive Cons The food quality is fine but the flavoring and aesthetics is basic Careful of the steps as they are old and not great for anyone with any walking handicap read more

I went to this restaurant 7 years ago and it was a great experience. A friendly gentleman greeted all of the patrons outside and apologized for any wait and promised to get everyone in. In the meantime, he brought out cheese and wine and gave it to everyone. It was an amazing, well priced meal and I met some very interesting people at that dinner. This year, in May 2019, on a Thursday, at the front door, I was greeted by an icy woman who informed me that if I did not have a reservation, I would not be getting in and then she immediately and dismissively turned away from me. She was a real see you next Tuesday. I tried to forgive her since we showed up at 9:30pm, and I loved this place and had such a good experience last time, and so I called the next day for a reservation and was told there was absolutely no reservations open and they were not doing any standby by the same icy beach that greeted me the night before. I don't know if they sold the restaurant or sold their soul but this place is garbage now. Il Latini=Dominoes Pizza=Spago=Wolfgang Pucks=Chef Boyardee. 0 stars. Run by a-holes, patronized by a-holes. read more

Il Latini? More like Il Crapini. If you're looking to get drunk and don't care about food or wine, this is your place. Let me start by saying I knew this was a tourist trap going in. I used to eat here a lot in college ... many moons ago. But it was fun and decent enough back then. Now the space has turned into a glorified cafeteria. Food tasted like it was prepared in mass quantity - aside from a shitty review, NOTHING to write home about. We are American, and were seated as such: surrounded by drunken obnoxious tourists. Not all Americans are interested getting sloshed, but perhaps Il Latini encourages that behavior to mask the (at best) mediocre fare. I've had better ravioli from the refrigerated section at Trader Joe's. They're known for their Florentine Steak, which is admittedly good, but nothing you can't find at countless other/better places around town. The contorni was OK, nothing an unskilled home cook can't make. We were brought some desserts, then vin santo and were promised biscotti, which never arrived. Then they tried forcing limocello on us, AFTER we told them we just wanted the check and needed to leave. For the Grand Finale, they somehow screwed up and took two of our credit cards, charging us for our table and another's (their check was $495 USD). When we pointed out the mistake, the waiter essentially blamed us for the mix up and for his LOSING the other table's credit card, forced my mother to empty her purse and wallet - not once, but TWICE - to look for the other table's missing card. We were basically held hostage the entire time the waiter unsuccessfully, frantically tried to sort this out (refusing to return my mother's card to her). His final solution was to give my mother the 440 euros she was charged in cash and have her keep the charge. Wanting to just GTFO, we agreed. I can say, we will NEVER be back, nor will this place EVER be recommended to anyone by anybody in our party. Awful, not fun. Food sucked. Service was an abortion. No, no, no. read more

If you have only one meal in Firenze, this should be it. All the classic Tuscan dishes represented in one meal. Moreover, it is the restaurant of Americanized Tuscan dreams. Located on a cobblestone backstreet. Charming dining rooms with curing hams hung from the ceiling. Close tables with jovial guest all sharing endless self poured glasses of Chianti from 2L bottles. There is a menu with printed prices. IGNORE it. Allow the server to suggest sharable dishes. No fuss, unpretentious, delicious plates arriving one after another; a warm chicken liver pate cooked with sweet onions and anchovies puréed and enriched with butter, pouring off the overloaded crostini, crostini of sautéed mushrooms, plates of house cured prosciutto, a thick cut salami studded with fennel (finocchiona), piles of crusty bread, a massive deeply flavored, rare, 1.5kg Florentine T-Bone (bistecca) hanging off the plate dripping its juices on the table, sides of sautéed potatoes, spinach, white beans (all gratis when the owner saw we didn't order any but were thoroughly enjoying our steak), a plate piled until overflowing with cantucci (almond biscuits) with glasses of vin santo to dip them in. Top it off with the owner insisting on opening and pouring a bottle of moscato d'asti followed by glasses of limoncello and a to go bag of more delicious cantucci all on the house. How good your experience is depends on you. A willingness to try, truly enjoying your food, keeping it unpretentious, heck, eating the finocchiona with your fingers or licking them after gnawing on part of the bistecca bone; honestly showing your appreciation is rewarded. A 3.5 hour meal that went by in a flash. €115 for three, service included (far below the €45 pp most reviews have stated - all about appreciation). Advance booking recommended. Two seatings 19:30 / 21:30 only. The second mostly Florentine locals and will deliver the best experience if you let it. English speaking wait staff. Cash only. read more

I visited Il Latini for the first time in my teens. Today, it is one of my favorite restaurants in Italy. It is located in the Santa Maria Novella area close to the Arno off the trendiest shopping street in Florence, Via De' Tornabuoni. If you plan on visiting Florence, this is a must do and visiting this restaurant will give you a fun and delicious remembrance of the cuisine of Tuscany and maybe sample the amazing wines of the region here. I've dined here at least 30 times now and always come back when I'm in the area. First, there's a tradition at Il Latini that before opening its doors for supper, the entire staff breaks out in an audible song and cheer for the waiting patrons outside. It's a welcoming feeling and prepares you and your friends for the lively dining experience. When the doors open, customers are directed to communal tables -- you will be sharing a long table with tourists and residents. Then the fun starts. The menu is prix fixe unless you stray out of the menu a bit. In keeping with tradition, your waiter will tell you about the evening menu (no paper menus). Usually its a 4-5 course meal, comes with a delicious house wine for about 50 euro per person, very well worth it. Ask for their recommendations, being shy here will get you ignored, it's a very busy fun place. This restaurant dates back to the Etruscans. To experience this cooking tradition so ancient, today blows my mind to no end. When I first visited this restaurant , the layout was different. There were 2 rooms max and they had very old long communal tables, no tablecloths. We were told that these tables were used for decades maybe centuries. Today it's been remodeled to an environment which is more homey, multiple rooms, but still very fun and with great ambience. The food that comes to your table is simple and flavorful Tuscan fare, chewy crusty breads (like bark, LOL, don't ask, I've never chewed bark but the breads of the North are extremely crusty), a jug of chianti or a house red for the prix fixe patrons. There are appetizers (salumi etc), then the Pasta and followed by really good game, rabbit, stews, boar, maybe more fungi. Don't pick the Tirami Su' for dessert. Italians by now realize Americans love that dessert. So they offer this dessert by default. I say prove them wrong and explore. There are great regional dolcl (desserts) in the North like chestnut/ricotta pies, again ask what's available. And then there's the steak. The Bistecca Alle Fiorentina (for 2) is the best steak I've ever had (better than Peter Luger's even). IMHO, prime aged American beef is flavorless compared to Tuscan or Brazilian or Argentine beef. On its way to your table, right off the grill, this thick gorgeous steak is drizzled lightly with the best tasting olive oil, EVER! It's customary not to put any other flavorings on this steak. It's grass fed beef that roams the Tuscan countryside, it's amazingly good and flavorful. This steak is soo delicious, you'll notice some locals will gnaw on the bones to get the last bits of flavor, its really that good! It's also molto addicting. For an extra special treat, ask your waiter if a Poliziano winery Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is available (ask for a good vintage, they never steer you wrong), definitely go for that with this steak. I prefer this wine over the Brunellos or the SuperTuscans --- now so trendy and 'upper crust'. A good vintage of this wine has well developed tannins, a classic Tuscan red and has flavors of cherries, blueberries....... round flavors but not too bold. I think the fine-ness of this wine marries well with the bistecca in all it's glory. A bolder wine than this like a Brunello overpowers the flavors of the steak, which to me makes the steak less enjoyable. I love the food and service at Il Latini. It's the oldest restaurant I have ever been to and its got the best vibe. The wait staff know the food is wonderful and they want you to partake. It's not a snobby restaurant. Everyone who comes to Il Latini, tourist or local is made to feel at home and well fed. Then after dinner when you are sated and happy you can take a walk with your friends or loved one, all over Florence, go window shopping, try different gelati, get freakin' silly, walk along the Arno, and re-discover that life is beautiful.........! Politeness Tip: If you don't speak Italian, it's always best to attempt to speak in your best possible Italian (poorly or otherwise) to the staff here. If you dont speak it at all, you can always ask if they speak English (in Italian) and you will have a very good time with your waiter over dinner. Finally show up around 4:30/5PM after a good sightseeing day, for the first seating. There will be a line after 5PM but who cares, its gonna be a fun and enjoyable evening. It's well worth the wait. read more

Great location with friendly staff and fantastic food. Great "out of the way" place to enjoy dinner in town without the tourist bustle.

When I speak of fullness by levels there are always the following. "Happy full" "Comfortable full" "Painful full" and finally "Thanksgiving full" the epitome of fullness where you are so happy so sleepy and content. However after my stellar dining experience at Il Latini I have a level of fullness past "Thanksgiving full" it is now "Il Latini full". It's that level of fullness when happiness pours out of you the same way the wine poured in, it's the level of fullness that makes you keep eating even when you can't go on because you know it doesn't get better than this and you can't deny yourself. It's the level of fullness that makes you feel like what I assume a drug addict does when they have already taken too much but it's so good and addicting they just have to do it. That is how I felt with desert at Il Latini if I was a cow all of my eight stomachs would have been at capacity, but I just couldn't take that little spoon out of my hand. I had to keep tasting the delicious gelato on top of a fluffy pound cake drizzled in chocolate, I had to. I went with Kathryn S, you can see her account below. We made reservations for the 7:30pm seating, I heard they didn't really matter either way but I wanted to play it safe. We got there around 7 and there was already 6-8 people waiting outside. As we waited outside the restaurant, the workers inside eating their delicious dinner, a crowd formed. It seemed everyone knew the deliciousness that awaited us behind the door. I had no idea of how everyone would fit but we were in the front so I relaxed a bit. The place is family style they open the door ask how many and sit you at a table with others. Guess this how they fit the whole crowd. There is a huge bottle of chianti on the table and bread. The waiter said it's a communal bottle and drink what you like. The waiter brought us a starter; melon, prosciutto, salami (both meats sliced right there) orzo salad, crostini with chicken liver. All were great we could have been full just on that. Then the waiter asked what pastas we wanted we ordered two different so we could share, penne with bolognese sauce and then ravioli stuffed with cheese and spinach in a tomato sauce. The penne with bolognese was the clear winner but the ravioli was still fantastic. After that we were full but determined to go on since everything had been great. We got a salad and roast chicken (a big breast with a wing) to share. The chicken was soo good, I'm not sure how they roasted it or in what but I'd pay for the recipe. We ordered a Florentine special for desert, a kind of ice cream, sponge cake flan thing that was great but the waiter also brought us complementary desert wine and Almond cookies to dip into it. We sat there anxiously waiting to receive our check. The owner walks over to the tables asks the waiter what the table ordered and then makes a bill. When we tracked down the waiter and asked for our bill he poured us two glasses of prosecco and then called the "Godfather" over. After all that 55 euros for both of us! I left insanely happy and my pocket still had some Euros. Win win for me! Next time I'm in Florence I'll be back, best food I ate during my two weeks in Italy for sure. read more

Il Latini - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

Man, I wanted to love Il Latini. I loved it 12 years ago when I first encountered the boisterous, joyful experience. Did it change or did I? Some of the problem may not be totally their fault. We were seated in a small room that ended up with a birthday party of about 17 adults and 7 kids. There was also another party with a crying baby. In a small room with hard walls, the noise made for a very unpleasant atmosphere. Also, I guess I no longer want to stuff myself so much. It is a lot of food if you have their set meals. A great way to sample loads of traditional Tuscan food. Some of it was excellent, but with too much food, it all ended up feeling a bit debased. We had a sampling of cured meats, crostinies with chicken liver, others with sausage and spinach. The gnocchi with rabbit, penne with meat sauce, two kinds of Tuscan bread soup, Florentine steak, vegetables, potatoes, several desserts, wine, after dinner drinks, etc. Oh well. I guess you really can't go hoe again. read more

First of all, this place has character. You really know you're in Italy. There's a wall of old corkscrews and then you walk in the back room and there's ham hanging from the ceiling that you know will be used in your meals. You'll also receive a menu that is not in English, so ask your server. Or just trust that you know enough pasta terms that you'll be okay! I know the T-bone steak is a Florentine special, but I really wasn't able to eat what I saw being served to people. I mean, this was half of a cow they were serving! So we went with a filet, which we asked to be cooked medium rare, and probably came out on the rare side of medium. It was totally okay though, because it was really awesome. Flavorful and fresh. I also had the penne with meat sauce, which was good, but didn't compare to the steak. Pretty much the steak is where it's at in this place! The house wine is totally acceptable to order and they give you a complimentary bread basket. Win win! read more

Do not eat at Il Latini if you are American. First of all, they posted their hours incorrectly on Yelp. Then, when we tried to eat an early lunch here at 12:00, one of the waiters slammed the door in our face and told us to come back at 12:30. Do workers have manners? Not to sure. Once we returned, we asked one waiter what certain items on the menu were. At first he explained in English. Then, when he realized we weren't Italian we were treated like SECOND CLASS CITIZENS for the duration of our meal from start to finish. THE FOOD: We ordered one pasta (penne with meat sauce), one meat (chicken on the bone) and a tossed salad. Unlike the Italian natives seated next to us, the waiter slammed down all three courses on the table simultaneously. On the contrary, the people next to us who weren't speaking a lick of English, had a perfectly paced meal. Our chicken was dry. The pasta was hard, not al dente. The salad was just some lettuce leaves and tomatoes. The waiter didn't even offer us vinegar to toss out salad with (granted,he offered vinegar to the native Italians seated next to us). Finally, every other table was given biscotti and amaretto to sip on with their bill. However, we were just slammed with a receipt. By that point I was so furious I had to ask for the damn biscotti myself. This restaurant does not know the meaning of RESPECT or service. Don't give them your business. What a terrible representation of a beautiful city. read more

By far the best meal I had while in Florence. I was told there was a 7:30pm and 9:30pm seating for the restaurant. My friend and I made a reservation for 7:30pm and were told that we need to get there early. We arrived around 7:15pm and saw that a huge line had already formed outside of the restaurant. The moment the clock struck 7:30pm everyone was led into the restaurant with or without reservation. After that we were seated family style. There is one large bottle of wine and basket of bread for everyone at your table. You can have as much wine and bread as you want. We took full advantage of the all you can drink wine. We had the nicest waiter, who just keep bring us more and more food. We started with the appetizers which were prosciutto, salami, melon, orzo salad, and crostini. My friend and I were already starting to get full but were given the primi piatti of pasta. I had the penne bolognese and my friend had the ravioli. They were both incredible, but the penne bolognese was the stand out. By now we really didn't think we can eat more, but before we knew it the waiter brought us some salad and some roasted chicken. Of course we had to try it! The roasted chicken was exceptional. Even though we could hardly eat anymore we just had to make room for it. Once we were done with the secondi piatti our waiter decided to bring us a classic Florentine dessert, some biscotti, and some dessert wine. Once again we just had to try it and it was all amazing. We really could not drink or eat anymore so we asked for the check and were brought a glass of prosecco! We pleaded with the waiter that it was all too much and he said the boss insisted on us having some. So we downed the prosecco and waited for our check. The special thing about this restaurant is that the owner looks at what you ate and decides on his own how much he wants to charge you. At the end of it all we were only charged 55 euro for everything we ate and drank. I recommend that everyone should try out this place. The food, the service, everything was amazing. Next time I'm in Florence I'll be stopping by again. read more

My wife and I arrived in Florence after a long day of driving from Switzerland, including a disappointing stopover in Milan. It was late, and we were tired and hungry. Fortunately, we are staying at a "bed and breakfast" where the host, Alberto, is awesome at providing advice about the city. He said that he has eaten at Il Latini since he was little, and they have a second dinner seating at 9:30. Since it was almost that time, we walked over. I speak some Italian, and I let the host at the door know that we didn't have a reservation. "No problem. Five minutes." Everyone without a reservation got the same response, and it seemed to be pretty accurate. Once we were seated and started looking over the menu (I was able to follow most of it), we saw some good options. In just a few minutes, waiters whizzed by and dropped off a bottle of still mineral water, a bottle of the house red wine and a basket of bread, all without asking. We decided the water and wine were good ideas (and ended up costing 1 euro and 8 euros respectively), but the bread is a problem - my wife is allergic to gluten. When our waiter came a few minutes later, I started with "Parla inglese?" to which he replied, "Sure, if you like." I explained the gluten problem, and he understood completely; apparently the owner's daughter also has celiac disease. He took the bread away and recommended some safe options. We had prosciutto and salami for antipasti (yummy, and lots of them), minestrone for primi piatti (amazingly good), and we decided to share the roast chicken and a side of spinach for the main course. The chicken wasn't that great - a little dry - but still not bad. The spinach, on the other hand, was delicious. For dessert, we split a panna cotta with thick chocolate sauce. Oh yeah! And our waiter insisted on sending us a couple of glasses of Moscato on the house. For the service alone, this place deserves five stars. They were so good about the gluten problem. The food was wonderful as well, especially the minestrone and the panna cotta. We might go back to Il Latini before we leave Florence; it was that good. Oh, and our total check was just 57 euros, which we thought was fantastic for everything we got. read more

This restaurant was a real treat. The best dining experience of our Italy vacation. Showed up around 7 with a reservation for 2 and got a little scared because of all the hype outside, but once the doors open we were seated pretty quickly. Shared a table with tourists, locals and solo business diners. We told the waiter we wanted to try everything and this is what we got. First course: prosciutto, salami, barley salad, chicken liver pate on crostini. second course: gnocci with rabbit. third course: roast meat platter with a side of spinach. dessert: panna cotta with strawberries. We also had endless chianti, limoncello and almond cookie w/ dessert wine. In retrospect should have gotten the Florentine T-bone but can't turn back time. The waiter gave us a bottle of Il Latini Chianti to take home. It always pays to dress up a little and tip well! What a fun night. read more

Crowded, cafeteria atmosphere with only subpar food and service. My friend and I made a reservation for 9:30 at night for a Saturday and it was a good thing we did. When we arrived, five minutes before our reservation, there was a giant crowd outside the restaurant. The hostess told us it would probably be about 15 minutes but much to our delight it only took 3! Upon walking into this place, the main room looked nice with slabs of meat hanging from the ceiling. As we were lead further in we were surprised by the size of this place. We past through three rooms, decent in size, and arrived in a bland white room with little decorations and tables packed as closely together as they could be. Beyond that, there were still two other rooms we didn't walk through! By the size and the amount of people, it felt like a cafeteria from when I was in elementary school. It was so crowded and the host lead us to a table that was still dirty. The poor bus boy was running around, trying to clear everything and set things up as quickly as possible. This is definitely not a place to come if you want a quick meal. It took 10 minutes just to get the menu. Once our table was mostly set, he brought over a basket of bread, but no oil even though most other tables had it. We didn't feel like asking so we let it go. We tried eating the bread plain, but it was not good that way. We ended up saving it for our pasta. My friend and I decided to split the Ricotta and Spinach Ravioli for 9 euros. We were afraid that they were going to charge us a split plate charge, but when I asked they said "we are not cruel!". That made me laugh. The ravioli was alright; it was slightly under cooked and the sauce tasted like jarred sauce, but adding Parmesan made it much better. Portions are definitely much smaller in Italy, half a serving was 4 average size ravioli. We also ordered the Florentine Steak (Fioretine Bistecca) to split for 50 euros. What a crazy price for steak which was mostly bone to begin with! And in the end they ended up charging us 60 euros since it was 1.2 kilograms! I definitely think they ripped us off and for something that wasn't even worth it. I have had better steak in the US for significantly cheaper but I kept telling myself "it's for the experience". They cut the steak in half in a way where we had to choose who got the bigger half and who got the tenderloin. I guess that's a fair trade. I ended up taking the bigger half but I gave some more to my friend. It was cooked rare just how I wanted, but it was a little too cold in the middle for my taste. The steak was super think so I can imagine it would be difficult to maintain that rare aspect while having it heated through. My friend and I were definitely full after finishing the steak. She was very satisfied, having never experienced steak before, but I was left a little disappointed. There was so much hype for this steak but it was just okay and super expensive. I would not come back for this. On top of the food, we ordered their cheaper house wine where the bottle was 7 euros total, but we didn't even drink half yet they charged us 4 euros. The difference doesn't really matter in hindsight but the waiter told us earlier that if you drink half it would only cost 3.50. This is part why I feel they ripped us off too, probably because they knew we were tourists. At the end of the meal when we asked for the check the bus boy/waiter brought us a "present" consisting of biscotti and dessert wine. Reading previous yelp reviews, I read that if you eat their "present" they actually charge you 7 euros. So when he brought it out I asked "is this included" and the guy hesitated saying "...it's a present" and walked away, we were suspicious. My friend and I didn't touch it. Actually, we waited for the check and once we paid for our overpriced steak we tried our "present". The biscotti was actually very flavorful and not as dry as we expected. Dipping it in the drink was not the most pleasant, but it was an experience none the less. The bus boy was nice, but there was this other overseeing guy that came off a little to strong. When we had empty plates at our table this guy basically yelled at the bus boy to clean it off faster. Poor guy. All of the food came at a reasonable wait, but there wasn't anything superb about the service. If anything, they all seemed very rushed and it was hard to get their attention. You should see the amount of plates these people stack on their arms! It's crazy. One guy even dropped some. I'm sure this is a daily occurrence here. Overall, I don't think I'm going to spend the money on anymore steak in Florence after this excursion, but if I was, l would go somewhere different. Too expensive for okay steak. And by the size of the place I feel like they probably cut a lot of corners when it comes to the food, so it didn't seem very authentic. Also, I didn't like the ambiance and lack of friendliness that you can get at other Italian restaurants read more

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Hands down one of the best meals we had in Italy this recent trip. I studied abroad in Rome for 6 months back in 2006 and this past summer my husband and I went to Venice, Florence, Positano and Rome. Il Latini came highly recommended by friends and at first I was a little skeptical given some of the Yelp reviews calling it a tourist trap (which it is 100% not) and the fact that there were some Americans sitting by us (lots of Italians began trickling in later), but Il Latini was hands down one of the BEST meals we had on our trip besides Chez Black in Positano. Our waiter Filippo was incredible and the whole meal was just outstanding. We ordered the house appetizers which came with chicken liver crostini, barley salad, prosciutto, salami and melon and it usually comes with caprese but they had run out. Chicken liver crostini was incredible and was something unlike anything I have ever tasted and was equally as good, if not better than, the liver crostini at Animal in LA. Next, we got three pastas- gnocchi with rabbit ragu, penne with meat sauce and ravioli with the freshest tomato sauce you will ever eat. Seriously, the pastas were so unbelievable perfect- al dente, homemade, and flavorful. It TRULY doesn't get better than a meal at Il Latini. Hands down a meal you will not be disappointed, you will leave extremely full and it only gets really expensive if you order the Florentine steak because our meal with all the appetizers, three pastas and wine came to 50 Euro which ended up being $64 US. This is not a tourist trap but a genuinely incredible family run restaurant that you should have no hesitation going to if you ever make it to beautiful Firenze. Can't wait to go back one day. Grazie Mille! read more

This is a tourist trap. It was on our "must visit" list, however making a reservation for 7:30 is useless. We came up at 7:20 to a line full of Americans and Asians crowding the door, it was almost as if a celebrity was there. When they opened, exactly at 7;30, the crowd surged forward, very impatient bunch of people. We finally got seated but felt like we were herded to a tiny table surrounded by people. The waiter didn't take time to accommodate, and rushed us through our ordering process. We started with wine, which he just opened. Most restaurants will let you sample the wine, they just cracked the bottle- you have to pour. We order two antipasti's, they came to our table within 25 seconds, way to quick. They were good. The waiter didn't take time explaining the Italian only menu, which turned out to be very broad. Almost everything is based on locality, and seasonality, meaning, I ordered penne strascicate and got literally Penne pasta with ground beef. Very American Italian. The pasta course took maybe 1 minute after ordering to arrive to our table, we were rushed so fat we wouldn't enjoy our wine and pasta. Following that, we were forced a second dish, which I urged to decline based on the experience so far. On the whole, or you are looking for a "traditional experience" where you can take your time; this is just another tourist spot. It's sad, but it is a reality. Our meal cost about 60€, fair price for mediocre food. read more

Oh my goodness, the food here was out of this world good! I definitely recommend the steak, it is GIGANTIC and enough for two people (word of caution - you must like your steak rare because that's how it comes, but it is the best steak I have ever had). You will leave this place stuffed. The price for the two of us was about $120 USD, but it was well worth it. This was by far the best restaurant that we ate at while visiting Italy (we stayed in Rome, Florence, and Venice). If you come to Florence you HAVE to eat here. You will not be disappointed. read more

Il Latini - What remained of our GIGANTIC steak. We just couldn't finish it, but it was the freshest tasting steak I have ever had! - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

This is one my absolute favorite restaurants, literally, in the world. I visited first when I was a child on a family, vacation, then again monthly when studying abroad in Florence. And i plan to go back every time i get to visit Italy. My personal favorite item on their menu is the pappa al pomodoro, which is a tomato-bread soup. A dish that was created to use yesterday's old bread, but then turned into an italian staple. Good luck truing to finish it, it's very filling. read more

Highly recommended for anytime you may be in Florence. Why? Food - We arrived and didn't even get a menu - the server just came up and said "you want some uh meat and cheese?" - Sure why not? " you want some up ragu?" - Sure why not? - " you uh want some Chianti?" - Sure why not - and so they night went on - 5 courses, some grappa a bottle of wine and limoncello later - (mind you this is a total of 3.5-4 hours later) - the server came over to us with his boss and tallied the "bill" - a piece of paper with a number on it. Less than 90 euros for two. For all that. Are you joking me?? And how was it - you ask? I was stuffed and drunk off delicious italian food. A win all around and I didn't need to make one decision for myself - the perfect kind of holiday when you know all the food coming out to you will be absolutely delicious. That being said, this American guy and his gf visiting the "Motherland" for the first time made a point of grabbing a menu and trying to order in Italian. And spend the entire night salivating at our table and asking "wait, whats that?". So my advice - plan to make this your big meal of the trip (you can always reduce the price by passing on a course or two or not taking the drinks) and let the servers tell you whats good. You won't be disappointed. Service - We were on holiday. They came over here and there to bring us our food and it took a bit to get everything together by the end of the night - but we were left mostly to our own devices to sit and enjoy each other's company! read more

Italian food heaven - best meal we had in Florence. A real icon of a place that is in many guide books but does not disappoint. 2 sittings and they just bring out the food. It tastes great and the service was good. Just go with the flow. We did have really amazing company but a really good place to eat. Make sure you book. read more

Yummmmm, that is all. Just sit down and you're taken care of, let the servers tell you what to get and how it works. Just let the food happen to you, bring your appetite and share the table's Chianti with your neighbours. Excellent for buzzy atmosphere and big groups - guaranteed good times and great meat! read more

Il Latini was recommended to us by 3 different people. They have 2 seatings, 7:30 & 9:30. We called ahead and asked for a 9:30 seating. We arrived at 9 and it was immediately obvious that Il Latini follows the Italian tradition of not being very organized. Reservations mean nothing. There is no waiting list. It is crowded, Florentine mayhem. 2 couples that arrived after us were seated before us. Don't let some of the reviewers fool you, everyone there was a tourist (American), no locals. The food was average at best. To be honest, one of the most disappointing meals we've had in Italy. We were served an appetizer of cured meat, melon, and sun dried tomatoes which was nothing to write home about. I've had better, In fact, the free continental breakfast at our hotels have been similar. The waiter recommended a couple of things for the first course. I had the recommended penne in meat sauce and my wife had the recommended ravioli. Ravioli was good but the penne was nothing special. Again, I've had better. The house wine was just OK but we were in Tuscany and Umbria before Florence so maybe I had some pretty high expectations. If you want an authentic experience, avoid it. You are better off just stumbling into some place that you think looks good. You are paying for the reputation and the atmosphere. read more

This place left CB and I happy to be in Italy, happy to be alive, and wanting to live another day just so that we can go back here. We were seated quickly at a table for four with another dad and daughter from Turin. They bring the bottle of wine out and the four of us start to be fast friends. We had an entire menu of items from the starters, the first course and a whole bunch of meat for the second course. Lots of veggies, pasta, meat, wine - yea I put up a good fight but there was no way we could finish everything. Then came the dessert and the liquor sand they send you off home with a bottle of their wine. CB and I are headed back to Florence just to eat and experience il Latini again. read more

Ok, I'm going against the crowd on this one, and this will show why I'm just a smug, elitist eater. It Latini is "ok". Nothing great about it, its just received a lot of press and been in a lot of guidebooks, so vacationers hit it up and it stays popular. Steak Florentine -- OK. About middle of the road. Experience? Above average. Very cool, felt european, feels like the local favorite diner that everybody knows about. But strictly rating for food, you can do MUCH MUCH better than Il Latini. read more

This place should have 5 stars across the board. Anyone who voted bad is a tasteless baboon. Cane here during my trip to Italy. Everything was fantastic from the minute you walk in where you are served wine and some prosciutto and cheese while you wait. Then there's the "we don't have a menu but here's 12 courses of everything we like to cook" thing going on. Unlimited wine helps to, all in family style sitting with others on a bench read more

This was highly recommended by a friend. Perhaps because I had high expectations, it was a disappointment. Ordinary food, so so service, nothing special. read more

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Amazing Florentine steakhouse. This is THE place to order one of the dishes Florence is known for, their huge porterhouse/t-bone steak. Also tried the side dish of beans in tomato sauce (Florentine speciality) and tomato soup appetizer. The atmosphere is completely different than what I expected coming from American steakhouses (Butcher & Singer, Del Frisco, Barclary Prime etc.). No pretense and very simple. Focus of the quality of the food. Despite having a fair amount of internationals there were just as many locals. A definite recommendation. read more

We just followed the trip advise went to there, the waiter gave us the Italian menu and recommend the the steak initially. We actually want to eat the famous steak tonight, however, the most important that is the steak was very hard to chew, although the inside of the meat was full of blood and looks like raw. Apart from the food, the most memorable was the service, it was hard to describe that feeling, because we are adult and eaten countless steaks before, but the waiter treated you just like "you are a NAIVE people". In a word, we really want to finish the dinner as soon as possible and escape from there quickly. Such a disappointed experience. read more

After reading several reviews I have to start with... Guess what, fellow Americans and other travelers, things don't always work in other places the way they do at home. Go with the flow. Relax a little. And yes, there are *gasp!* tourists here. People like you. People unlike you. There are also locals. Don't believe me? There's a little selection up top where you can click to see reviews in Italian. Florentines rave about and have complaints about this place just like the rest of us. I, however, have few complaints. Do these things and you have a better chance of feeling the same: Have your hotel make your reservation, and do it in advance. Arrive hungry. Famished even. Expect to pay some money for this meal, and relax about it. If you are on a budget and will worry about the cost of every item, don't come here. You're paying for not only the food, but for the experience, and for trying something new you can't get at home. Arrange to sit outside in the back patio if you can. This happened to us by chance, and I'm so glad that it did. Trust me. Also, you might be seated right next to people you don't know. This is an adventure, after all! Order the Florentine Steak, expect it rare. It's awesome. It's enormous, so share it if you want to. Get something else if you have a problem with this, or don't come here. As for the rest of the food, it was a haze of soup and meats and pasta, etc. It was all good. Just communicate with your server(s), and ask questions if you don't know what to expect. Be happy and be nice, and you can expect the same in return. Our service was great. They joked around with us, flirted a bit. It was all really fun and they really helped make the night. Overall, this was one of the best and most fun meals I've ever had. read more

The two stars are really only for the service. The wait staff was friendly and very helpful, but what reviews do not tell you is that unless you're someone who loves meat, all kinds and lots of it, this isn't the place for you. We went expecting to have some good Tuscan dishes other than the meat and that was not what we got. Pasta was flavorless and just not tasty which was our mistake in expecting it to be. Those who got the steak loved it but really not the best meal all together. Very touristy as well which is quite easy to avoid in Florence if you know you're way around. read more

I didn't feel like having steak so I ordered grilled rabbit. Maybe the steak is as good as the other reviews rated but my food was only worth one star. It was like having to bite on a rock of salt - meat was hard as rocks and was super salty. Didn't even finish half of it and wanted to leave the restaurant as soon as possible, because -- The waiter serving my table is worth zero star. He is like a real world sculpture, no talking, no caring about how we liked the food. The only thing he did was rushing us to order and bringing us the check. This is unfortunately a tourist trap. The appetizer and side dish were nothing better than what I had at other random restaurants here in Florence. Avoid it if you can. read more

I am really impressed with how well this restaurant markets. Prior to leaving for Italy, a coworker who has italian roots recommended this place; then while on the plane I was reading the inflight magazine that also recommended this place. Then of course trip advisor has great reviews for this place. 3 solid mentions meant that we had to go. Getting there it was evident this place serves 100% tourists and it is a well oiled machine. The waiters are very used to being busy and serving tourists. they are efficient and slightly abrupt (they are churning people in and out after all). They are also comfortable with upselling and are clearly all seasoned vets of this environment. The place is much larger than you expect and it churns out standard run of the mill food. I would say the food is consistent and good. As an example of the clientele, in the cramped seating area to our left was an American couple and to our left was a German couple. Behind us were more Americans and in front were East Asian travellers. I can confidently say this is not the best restaurant you will try in Florence. It is crowded and service is brisk. It's a good restaurant to go to if you don't know where to go and you want to feel comfortable with other tourists and be assured that waiters speak english and do this all for a reasonable price point. read more

By far the very best Time I had over dinner. The staff and family there were delightful and the wine and food never stopped. We were a table of 6 and there was a line out side when the doors opened and it was soooo worth it. I can not say enough good things about the food here. We each had a different main and shared everything. there was not one bad dish to be had. We will be back and make reservations! I have to say there were a few ladies at our table that ended up with huge crushes on the waiters. GOOD TIMES. read more

We went here off of several recommendations. We made a reservation for 7:30 as we were told that there were 2 seatings - 730 and 930. We arrived at 715 and there was a huge line of people, some who had reservations, some who did not. When the doors opened at 730 everyone started pushing their way towards the door, nervous about getting in. Let me first say that the restaurant is HUGE and they let everyone in. I wish I made the reservation and showed up late around 745 or even closer to 8pm because I hated the cattle call and the aggressiveness to get inside. It felt like they do it on purpose to make you feel lucky to be seated. The food itself was good, simple, rustic, and hearty. My lamb was a bit salty but otherwise everything was good and prices were very reasonable. The service wasn't great - it is the first place in Italy where the waiter did not pour our wine for us. The menu itself is more limited than I thought - my wife does not eat meat and there was only 1 vegetarian pasta on the menu and no seafood. Overall I'd give the food 3.5 to 4 stars, but it seems like every hotel in the area has a deal here and they recommend the restaurant. It felt a little bit like a tourist trap, but the food was good. For me however, I'd recommend going to a restaurant owned by the brother of this restaurant owner called - L'osteria di Giovanni. read more

Make sure to show up at 7:30 or 9:30 reservation seating if you want the real Latini experience! While we really didn't need reservations on the evening we dined, I can easily see how this ristorante books up and turns people away when necessary. When we arrived early (7:15) for our reservation, a crowd had gathered outside looking in as the staff sat around chumming and watching the numbers grow. Closer to opening, an American guy arrived and said "Is this the line?" and quickly formed for much of the crowd. When they opened the doors, the line quickly broke apart and people rushed forward. Diners started calling our the number in their parties and their names, but the host guaranteed us everyone would be dining and not to worry. Once inside, I realized why this was probably comical to the staff--seeing the craziness of the crowd and how unsure people were of getting in. Staff was great and while I wish I had known more about the family style meal seating, we still enjoyed ourselves. I believe we could have requested a menu, but I don't think we really knew what was going on. For the following 2 hours, our waiters brought out multiple appetizers, offered us a variety of pasta or soup, followed by the entree selection, and then dessert WITH biscotti, grappa, a floral white wine (loved this the most) and can't forget the limoncello. When we return to Firenze, we will probably request a menu when visiting Il Latini--but we definitely enjoyed our last dinner in Italy, and we have them to thank! read more