Santa Lucia was almost empty, but we were dining very early, for Rome, Italy, where people often don't eat until eight or 9 o'clock at night. The energy of the waiters was apparent from the minute they dropped off the menu. They seemed to think they were above their station... and, they should be doing... I don't know what. There were heaters, to warm the outdoor diners, but... I did not know it was from the chill of the waiters. The food was good... But not great. I had the truffle fettuccine and it mostly tasted like... Butter. When I order something with truffle, I want to taste the truffle. They overwhelmed it with Butter, oil and salt. My partner had the rabbit pasta dish, which was equally disappointing. It honestly tasted like chicken bouillon... And we have no idea if that was rabbit. THE DEAL: you can stumble on unforgettable food on every corner in Rome. Go someplace else... and feel the warmth of the Italian people... not the chill of these waiters! read more

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This restaurant in a location behind Piazza Navona is an incredible find. It's lago Febo next to the bio hotel Raphael ( only vegetarian food - inetible for me even though I stay there). Lucia serves well prepared great quality food in a calm beautiful environment. I really hate to share this but the food is so good and the service attentive that I am concerned it will be discovered by the tasteless masses. Behave yourselves if you go and enjoy the food and ambiance off the insane Piazza Navona. read more

Santa Lucia - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Our our airbnb host recommended we check this place out our first night in and I was too tired to think/do my own due diligence... Your money is much better spent elsewhere. The food was extremely salty without much else flavor. Bread wasn't anything to write home about but maybe the most redeeming thing they offer at this restaurant. Shrimp gnocchetti was incredibly fishy and lamb chops were chewy af. I could have made better food at home. The one thing they have going for them is the aesthetic atmosphere but I'd much rather eat at a dingy restaurant with delicious food. read more

Santa Lucia - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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Wonderful wonderful! Yelp reviews aren't great, but take it from a Yelp Elite - this is worth a try! Great hidden location. A little pricey (with wine), so consider this as a nicer night out. read more

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Beautiful table in a place miraculously tucked in right behind Piazza Navona and away from the crowds. Good service, a little pricey but you pay for the greenery and the experience too. The food never disappoints, it's my second time there in two years, with different dishes and a delicious experience each time. read more

I always love when a waiter i could buy and sell like a Roman slave thinks he's better than me and my family. The food was overpriced but fine. but the attitude our waiter had left a terrible taste in my mouth. not one smile. Not one heart felt reccomendation. It was two hours of apathy. I've been to roma several times so i know the warm reception isn't a guarantee, but this was pathetic. Especially when my siblings and i treated my 80 year old mom to a trip to "a city you'll never forget". It's safe to say she'll remember it, for all the wrong reasons. Thanks for the worst first impression that you could ever imagine. read more

Overrated Service absolutely terrible waiting about 30 minutes before waiter came to us just dropped off menus and disappeared.. Came back to apologize that they were short staffed.. he has lots of attitude Food quality very small Portions and you leave hungry Food temperature came out cold Suggestion: try a different restaurant . read more

Food was just ok Service was not so good. Our hotel suggested this restaurant and we took the suggestion and he booked us a table. I would not come back but giving 3 stars for just ok food. read more

Have been there twice. Atmosphere is wonderful - a leafy bower neat Piazza Navona. Food was excellent- some unusual offerings. We found the service absolutely fine. When you go to Italy you should expect meals to take a while. That is how the Italians eat. Relax and enjoy! read more

The strengths here were wine selection and the burrata ravioli with red pesto. However the service was dismal and the food took forever and and day and flavor wise it was very bland. The setting is pretty but the waiter didn't even serve our bottle of wine or water. He never came by to ask if we needed anything. He was not friendly. I would not recommend. Not my favorite place in Rome. With so many places to choose I would not choose this one. read more

Santa Lucia is visually stunning - but the food and service don't live up to the great atmosphere. First, the positives: the atmosphere is gorgeous. You are eating in an elevated garden in the heart of Rome, where a scene of Eat, Pray, Love was filmed. Perhaps they have gotten accustomed to trading on that alone. Our server was disinterested, and the food was average at best. The shrimp was served carpaccio and the ravioli was inedible. If you find yourself here for something other than a drink, your best bet is the tuna - which was the closest thing to live up to this overhyped restaurant. read more

The absolute best outdoor dining area. It is nice to be raised above the busy streets and sidewalks. There was a very large group of people and the servers kept up nicely and were very friendly. BE AWARE: one lady in our party had set her purse down next to her chair legs, and it got stolen during our meal. So just make sure you keep your stuff safe. The gnocchi was delicious & so were the wines! A very memorable evening. read more

Santa Lucia - shrimp gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Beautiful place just off of Piazza Navona next to Hotel Raphael. We sat outside which is beautiful however inside is nice too! We started with the prosciutto con buffala which was perfect. For dinner we had the Chef's risotto and Tagliotini w/truffle and both were excellent. This restraint is located in a very quaint section of Rome with great food and shops and would highly recommend it. The only negative is we were charged for bread that we didn't ask for. When I brought it up there seemed to be a language barrier although I told the waiter in Italian what happened. Oh well. read more

Good food but the service was very bad. Rude, zero suggestions and acted like we were doing our family a favor by spending our money at their restaurant. Go elsewhere. A ton of better food in Rome don't get caught in a trap of people who treat you poorly. My mothers 80 birthday and they treated us like dirt. When we approached the manager nicely over the phone he was dismissive. New ownership is needed in this nice spot. If not skip for a ton of other better spots. read more

This place was the absolute most abysmal meal I have had in the whole of Italy. Straight trap the reviews are a LIE. The meats were tough, no marbling. The drinks had no alcohol in them. We paid the check promptly and left. Skip this place and find anywhere else. read more

Fantastic outdoor patio seating area. Wonderful on a nice day or evening. We came here for dinner on a recommendation from the hotel. Had a caprese salad with Prosciutto and Mozzarella to start. Very tasty. Had grilled prawns and potatoes for main. Also tasty. Had some nice wine to wash it down. Very lovely place for a nice dinner or lunch in Rome. read more

I was so disappointed in this restaurant, and I had been very excited to try it. It is true that the outdoor setting is gorgeous. Be aware, though, that the outdoor heaters are only at one end of the patio, and at the other end the evening can be quite chilly. The food would be subpar in the US; for Rome, it was terrible. I asked the waiter to help me choose between two dishes, and I ordered the one he recommended. The sauce was very greasy, the dish was flavorless, and some of it was ice cold. When the waiter asked me how I liked it and I told him, he smirked and said, yes, he wouldn't order it. When I pointed out that he had recommended it, he said only as to which of the two I had asked about. I was stunned that there were apparently at least two dishes on the menu that the staff viewed as inedible. The service was similarly disappointing. Perhaps it was because I was a woman dining alone, but flagging down a waiter for a cold drink or the check took forever. I only had two nights in Rome, and I'm sorry I wasted a dinner opportunity on this place. read more

Food a mixed bag. My husbands pasta was pretty good. My veal tasted like cardboard. Snooty condescending waiter who ruined the dinner experience. I would not waste another euro at this place. Even if the waiter didn't like Americans perhaps, the food was not nearly as good as other places nearby who were much friendlier. read more

The terrace garden is worth every penny to come here. The food is excellent and the ambiance romantic and lovely! I come back each time I go to Rome (twice a year). read more

Do you remember that moment when Julia Roberts in "Eat Pray Love" ordered food for all of her friends in Italian... That's Ristorante Santa Lucia where only Romans eat! It is seriously good Italian food!!! We were lucky to get a table in the peaceful courtyard! Best restaurant I have been to in Rome perfect setting great food superb wine certainly a memory maker! read more

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The best restaurant in Rome hands down. Small intimate setting with excellent service. The truffle pasta is delicious!! read more

Great Food and Service with a wonderful outside sitting area. I highly recommend this place.

Lovely place. We foundt his place on accident one night. Sat outside and really enjoyed our meal. The have traditional items, and newer items. Service was good. Wine selection was good. Food was tasty. read more

They have the best Panna cotta I've ever had in my life. I went here when I was 14 and I still dream about the food at this restaurant. We also had the tiramisu and chocolate cake which were to die for on top of an amazing meal. read more

No eatery on the piazza Navona qualifies as a true culinary pleasure; they are all tourist traps with subcontinental hawkers bidding you to enter. Off the piazza Navona is this lovely restaurant. It's a little pricey, but the food is excellent. I do recommend that they lay off of the Barry White 8-track replay. read more

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The terrace is quite awesome. I like the wine and the food. The quality is good but I think the prices are a little too high. Anyway I really enjoyed everything. read more

Santa Lucia - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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Walked by many times and finally tried it last night. Walked in and got a table and food was close to the worst that I've had in Rome, and expensive at that. This is probably the first time I've accidentally walked into a crappy tourist trap restaurant in Rome. read more

Went there twice last week while we were in Rome. It was a very pleasant dinner. We had explored a few upscale restaurants and decided that this place deserves a second visit. The outdoor seating area is elevated with lots of trees - nice, quiet, and lovely. Both the quality of food and the service exceeded our expectations. The diners are mostly Italians instead of tourists....a must visit if you are ever in Rome. read more

Never again. Charming outdoor space at the far end of Piazza Navona. Over-priced, small portions but the worst part was the total lack of attention by the staff. Timing of the meal was a disaster all the way up to trying to get the check. With so many other choices in this area, do yourself a favor and pick one of those. read more

Excellent place. You immediately perceive the difference between this place and many other "touristic restaurants". The waiters are not angry all the time, they do not hurry you, you may even see a smile in their faces. The price is a bit high but well worth it. El vino de la casa is good enough but they have a wide variety of wines. Food was very tasty. I recommend it highly, I will come back for sure if there is a chance. read more

This was one of our top two restaurants on our trip to Rome. We had the fried appetizers, the spinach/orange salad and split the steak with the delicious truffle sauce. The sauce makes your mouth water. The raised terrace was a good way to escape the busy tourist feeling. We will be back! read more

Santa Lucia - Their cozy / romantic raised patio. - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! Very relaxing, amazing food. I'm salivating just thinking about it.

This is a lovely locale for outdoor dining. No traffic roaring by. Raised "Triangle" for outdoor seating. Top half of "Triangle" better than base half. Today, Easter Sunday, the food and service were mediocre. So, conclusion, Location: 'A'. Food: B -/C+. Service: B-/C+ We have been several times in the past and, correctly or incorrectly, had this restaurant on a pedestal. We will likely not return. read more

The oxtail was fantastic! Friendly service and perfect atmosphere for two or groups. The house wine was also a favorite. Must try if you're in Rome! read more

This was the perfect oasis for lunch on a sunny afternoon. Food, service and location were all excellent