I've traveled enough to know that service in Rome operates differently than back home, and I…read moregenuinely make allowances for that. This was something else entirely.
We had a reservation at 8pm and were seated promptly -- a good start. Then nothing. Twenty-five minutes passed without a single staff member approaching our table. We had to flag someone down, who initially brushed us off before eventually returning. Wine came quickly once ordered, but food didn't arrive until 9:45 -- over an hour after ordering. In that time, we watched two other couples leave without ever being spoken to, and a third ordered drinks, waited, and walked out.
When our drinks ran dry, staff walked by multiple times without a glance. When we finally caught someone's attention, the response was a dismissive "yeah yeah, one second." That kind of attitude wears thin fast.
The food was fine -- not bad, not memorable. Bruschetta, eggplant parmigiana, and white lasagna were all acceptable, but nothing came close to justifying the wait or compensating for the experience. The wine list is impressively extensive, though navigating hundreds of options via QR code in dim lighting is its own challenge -- a printed list would go a long way.
Maybe we caught them on a bad night. Maybe they cater primarily to locals and tourists aren't a priority. Either way, Trastevere is full of excellent options where you'll feel welcome. I'd walk down the street before returning here.
