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Papa Rex

4.2 (68 reviews)
ModerateRoman
Closed 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

Papa Rex Photos

PAPA REX ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Romantic
Casual
Good for kids

Recommended Reviews - Papa Rex

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Cheese pizza
JD B.

Great place for a pizza pick me up! Add a Coke and you'll be set to continue with your Roman Holiday! Ate outside and enjoyed the lively atmosphere.

Shawn W.

This place was recommended to us! It was great. The staff was friendly and fun. The waiter taught us proper Italian "Gracia"! The food was delicious. We tried several dishes as we were a party of 4. Great ambiance and great food.

Finishing our tour of Italy with a trip to the Vatican. Looking for nice place next to the hotel. Papa Rex was easily the best meal of the trip. Our waiter recommended the "special" which was Flounder and roasted potatoes. Served family style it consisted of a whole flounder split three way between me, my wife and my daughter. It was prepared perfectly, roasted in olive oils and lemon, then fileted and split onto our three plates table-side by our very friendly waiter. Drinks were Very reasonable and my whiskey pour was generous for 7€. This was easily our best meal of the trip, yet one of the more reasonable dinners of the week. We finished with a complimentary limoncello that was by far the best I have tasted, so smooth and delicious I asked if they sold it by the bottle. Unfortunately they don't. Would give six stars if possible.

Entrance
Ed S.

I found this gem on Yelp! And decided to give it a try as it was within my Alli g distance from our hotel. As we entered, we saw another couple from our hotel dining. We pushed tables together and joined them. Not 5 minutes later, a third couple came along and we moved to a larger table. Apparently, the hotel's concierge desk recommends Papa Rex to its guests. And for good reason. Upscale without pretense. Superb service. Friendly waiters who clearly enjoy sharing Italian food. My wife and I ordered Frutti de mare, pasta in a light red sauce smothered with clams, muscles and baby shrimp. Delicioso! Another ordered a T-bone steak that was perfectly prepared. It disappeared from her plate. A salmon dinner was served, along with an order of filet medallions. The salmon was superb, but the medallions were a bit disappointing. Covered in a creamy mushroom sauce, the flavor of the beef was so overpowered. For desert I went with lemon gelato. Others opted for the traditional cannelloni. Then, we're served lemoncello on the house. If you're in Rome, anywhere near the St. Peter's Basilica, Papa Rex is the place to dine.

Fish if the day
JP B.

Found this great place while walking around the west side of the Vatican. As soon as you enter we were welcomed with a display of fresh fish. We ordered the fish of the day which was sea bass . The presentation was awesome and the fish was even more and it did not disappoint. Were definitely coming back here.

Pleasant atmos
Julius G.

Great service, reservations recommended, but they are seating walk-ins. We shared the fettuccine mushroom bacon, the spaghettti bolongese, and pasta big clams squid rings and octopus. The sauces were rich, creamy & flavorful. A favorite among the tour groups because the basement is a huge dining hall just for large groups. The staff is friendly and courteous, upscale and attentive, but not hovering over you watching you eat.

Flat out the best tiramisu I've ever had.
Rob P.

When you make food yourself, you know how long it takes to cook a meal. But, most meals at restaurants have to wait for everyone else's order, so it usually takes a while. Not so at Papa Rex. Food is brought out as soon as it's done. The caprese salad was just tomatoes and thick chunks of mozzarella. Adding balsamic vinegar and olive oil made it a great side, but it was a bit plain by itself. The artichoke and ham pizza arrived in maybe 5 minutes. It had a nice char on the crust, and had balanced flavor. The ridiculously cheesy and creamy Quattro Formaggio (4 cheese) gnocchi arrived soon after. Wow, was that good. The filet was perfectly cooked and had a side of buttery potatoes. There was a lot of butter, but they were gone in minutes. By the time everyone else was done, my lamb arrived. It mostly bone and fat, but the meat that was there was amazingly flavorful, with just the right amount of rosemary. The same phenomenal potatoes accompanied the meal. The tiramisu was perfect, especially with a thick cup of dark roast Italian coffee. This is flat out the best tiramisu I've ever had. The service was phenomenal. The waiter - Stefano - was personable and attentive, and there was also an army of helping servers to deliver food, restock and he bread, and otherwise keep things humming. The meal ended with a complimentary limoncello, a strong lemon liquor. The only gripe was the toilets. The area was under construction, and none of the toilets has proper seats. This is still a phenomenal dining experience, despite the usual American expectations that all the food comes out at the same time. Definitely worth a visit.

Fettuccine with bacon and mushrooms
Sol M.

This place is so delicious! When we arrive in Rome 15 days ago. We stopped for lunch and it was amazing. Today is our last day in Rome before flying back to America. We had to stop here for lunch one last time. Papa Rex did not disappoint! It was amazing just like the first time. So glad we stop one last time. I'm in love The staff was very polite and helpful.

Carbonara

Food was excellent! Service was flawless! Ambiance was amazing! Highly recommended! The server was a pro, food was quick and wine was great!

Table'o food
Charles M.

Great Italian seafood restaurant outside the main tourist areas. I've eaten here multiple times and have always been satisfied with the food quality. Friendly staff (that speaks English) and great for groups. Prices are reasonable and chef specials almost every night.

Austin J.

Wonderful service. We were looking for a restaurant that would take 28 people. They were happy to accommodate our large group. We ordered several appetizers: mussels, ham with focaccia bread. They were large servings enough to have leftovers. Everyone in our group ordered many different dishes: Soup, roasted potatoes, salmon, pizza, steak, pasta dishes and much more. Our waiter was outstanding so personable with a wonderful personality. If ever back in Rome we will definitely be eating here again.

Pesto fettuccini

This is one the best restaurants I've tried in Rome!!! Amazing pizza and pasta and they gave us complimentary wine!

Five cheese

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4 years ago

Food was bussin service BUSSIN Roman "ambiance" not that important cause it's all bussin

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7 years ago

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7 years ago

Gennaro was wonderful and food was great! Excellent value for portions. Very friendly to us on our first visit from USA.

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10 years ago

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9 years ago

The staff was very friendly. The cannelloni was awesome! I would go back here - the next time we are in Rome

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7 years ago

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8 years ago

The food was excellent. One of the best meals I had while I was in Rome. And the service was excellent! You won't be disappointed.

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Page 2 of 2

Papa Rex Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - Papa Rex

Our waiter was very kind to us, and to be honest the first Italian here in Rome to be nice to us as American tourists!

Mentioned in 26 reviews

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Su e Giu Cucina Romana

Su e Giu Cucina Romana

4.6(233 reviews)
1.6 kmPrati
€€

Food was great staff was very friendly. They helped my wife and I pick out delicious meals. Really…read moreenjoyed our time here!

Review # 1200 After…read moresome shopping on the Via cola Di Riemzo, we were ready for lunch. This spot was a Yelp find. We arrived just before they opened at 12:30. We asked for a table outside and the kind lady asked us if we had a reservation (oh oh). We didn't. No problem as we took our pick of one of the tables. Two levels inside with a small Bar in the back. Before we knew it, outside seating was full and inside also filled up-a good sign. We ordered a liter (ended up being too much but when in Rome...) of their house Red and enjoyed it. For starters, we ordered the Fried Artichokes (thick breading and will order the Roman style with garlic/vinegar next time), fried Zucchini and Suppli-Cacio Pepe. The Suppli was delicious and was enjoyed the most. For main, it was Pasta Carbonara (Guanciale )-Proper carbonara and the streak of not having a bad version of this dish in Rome continues. The sliced Beef with mushrooms was also delicious -super tender and thin pieces of beef (medium rare as requested). We asked if the Tiramisu was house-made. Our server answered, "yes, and I am the one who makes it." How could we not order after that?! One of the best Tiramisus we've had. Perfect balance of coffee dipped lady fingers with cream-delicious! Our Server was kind, attentive and full of hustle -she was covering a lot of ground. Don't miss this Gem if you are in the Prati district.

Photos
Su e Giu Cucina Romana - Inside

Inside

Su e Giu Cucina Romana
Su e Giu Cucina Romana

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Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale - Interior

Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale

4.7(57 reviews)
1.0 kmPrati

Yes, it's worth the wait if you go there early. We stood in line at 12:30 on a weekday, as in,…read morelunchtime. We were 2nd in line and waited about 30 minutes. I would wait longer. I had possibly the most amazing chick food pasta a girl could imagine. Girls know what girl food is. The pasta in Italy is just better -obviously. But then put all sorts of girl flavors on it like Lemon and Orange, just lightly enough, zest with a small hint of cheese-..... omgosh. Yes, yes, and yes. Need my hubs to replicate at home. He is going to be busy trying to perfect this. Tagliatelle with orange and lemon parmesan. This was it. It was the best. Everything else we ordered was amazing as well. Wait outside. They don't have a sign telling you to wait, no server telling you to wait. You wait out there, wondering if you're in the right place, but then people stand behind you and you're like - oh! I'm here. This is the place. There are possibly 4 tables inside. It's small. I read about them being rude- we did not have that problem. In fact, they made a mistake and we kindly let them know we ordered something else- they corrected it and were nice about it.

After a long morning in the Vatican (there is sooo much stuff!), we were on the verge of hangry…read moreand thanks to Yelp, decided to check out BPA (way too long to spell out!). So happy we did as this place definitely delivers. There is seriously like 8 tables in the dining room so expect a wait in line but trust me, it's worth it. We waited outside for about 25 minutes. They do take your order while in line so the wait for food (once you do get a table) is abbreviated. Out of the world pastas and the pistachio tiramisu is seriously out of this world. Inexpensive table wine rounds out a great meal. This is the type of place I love to go to. It's quaint, zero pretense and delivers on its food. A great find!

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Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale - Amazing pistachio tiramisu

Amazing pistachio tiramisu

Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale
Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale

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Da Romolo Alla Mole Adriana - Carbonara

Da Romolo Alla Mole Adriana

4.7(96 reviews)
1.0 kmPrati
€€

Our Vatican tour guide recommended this spot to us so Lisa and I were on the hunt. Upon arrival we…read morewere graciously greeted and taken to our seats right away. Our kind waiter bright over water, bread and breadsticks. No olive oil, no butter just dry. For our lunch I decided on the cacio e Pepe and Lisa opted for the ragú. Both were delicious. For dessert we were told the owners mom made lemon cake so that was a no brainer. It was fabulous and paired well with espresso. Our waiter also brought us Amaro. It's a licorice like liqueur enjoyed as a digestif. Definitely an acquired taste that reminded me of Aguardiente. Overall the service and staff were exceptional and I would return if ever in a Vatican City again.

At the recommendation of our Vatican tour guide, we visited for an impromptu lunch on a Friday…read moreafternoon. Lorrisa ordered the cacio e Pepe and I ordered the Spaghetti all' amatriciana. We were both satisfied with our selections. Our meals started with bread service, both fresh bread and packaged breadsticks. We didn't receive any olive oil which might be the norm in Italy. For dessert, we opted for a slice of their featured lemon torta. It was enjoyable and we paired it with espresso. Finally, our server offered us a popular digestivi - Amaro. It reminded me of Jägermeister and I wasn't a fan. But I appreciated the hospitality and kindness of his gesture. In summary, we left content and with full bellies. Our server did a great job and the manager or owner acknowledged us and seemed to appreciate our business. All in all, this lunch was a positive experience.

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Da Romolo Alla Mole Adriana
Da Romolo Alla Mole Adriana - Fillet Steak grilled medium

Fillet Steak grilled medium

Da Romolo Alla Mole Adriana - At the bar

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At the bar

Papa Rex - roman - Updated May 2026

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