Bar Roma Reviews

My friend and I went on Friday night. We were able to get a table quickly and the waitress was knowledgeable and friendly. I had the Pesce Del Giorno and it was fabulous. The scallops were probably the best I've had and the shrimp was done perfectly. On a bed of linguine was the perfect combination. My friend has the fettuccine Isabella and she loved hers as well. We each had dessert and I would highly recommend the Limone Ubriaco. Great dinner.

Consistently delicious. We have been there several times. The food is good. Service is good. Overall, Bar Roma got it right.

I really wanted to love this place - but for me it fell a bit short. Food was fine - tasty, good portions, but nothing to write home about. I did find the meatballs too big and far too dense/heavy. Service was great tho and the people super welcoming.

The pollo meatballs were very tasty, as well as the manza. Highly recommend the polenta fries and bruschwtta too!

Service was good although we never got a second round of drinks a couple of our party requested. The food however was lackluster. Two of us ordered the risotto as recommended by the waiter and it was not creamy as risotto is supposed to be. The rice was still crunchy even after the waiter took it back to fix it. Another got spinach lasagna and did not like it at all. Meatball appetizers were good and other dishes okay but really had hoped for better given the reviews.

This is a very popular local night spot and the place was as noisy as all get out. However, the food was not brilliant - just good. The service was good, but since we are non-drinkers they were happy to move us out quickly.

Looking for new go to Ilatian restaurants now that SABATINO’S is closing. This isn’t it but food was fresh, large portions and well prepared. Need more menu choices. We had one of the meatball appetizers, veal parm, and ravioli. Allyson was an excellent server. Attentive and great attitude

So, we met friends at Bar Roma on a Thursday evening and then the following Saturday evening. Both times, the food was exceptional. I had a splendid lamb shank, and the fresh mozzarella on the bruschetta is fabulous. Now, while the food was great, the service was lacking on both occasions. On the first occasion, our cocktails arrived after we had finished both appetizers, and our server almost spilled a tray of martinis on us twice. The second dinner, I ordered the dish with the Roman Gnocchi. When I asked my server why my dish was served to me with polenta, I was told that everyone makes this mistake, and that Roman gnocchi is polenta. So, if everyone makes this mistake, maybe it's a mistake on the restaurant's part. The server then made himself scarce and served the check without thanking us. Will we be back? Maybe in a few months just to see how the service compares, but if it remains the same, we'll go to one of the many other Italian restaurants in Andersonville.

The reviews are true. The place is outstanding in all respects; food, service, and ambience. We started out with the fried artichoke, which was delicious and had a kick to it. We then had the fritto misto, which was lightly breaded and included some big, juicy prawns along with the calamari. The specialty of the house is the meatballs, which did not disappoint. We had both the veal and the beef. Both the meat and their accompanying sauces were excellent. We finished with the cherry and dark chocolate bread pudding, which also came with vanilla gelato. It was pretty much over the top. Our waiter was very attentive and made some great menu suggestions, like the veal meatballs. The rustic decor with the exposed brick is charming. All in all a fantastic culinary experience. Highly recommend.

A lovely experience at Bar Roma! Food was amazing - from the appetizer to the dessert. Very nice wine selection. Our server seemed a little off that night - not describing specials without being asked, went to check on our wine selection and didn't come back. However, the people who delivered our food, cooked the food, and brought drinks were amazing. Overall a great evening!

Met a potential vendor for drinks / happy hour. They have a very nice happy hour including some drinks and apps for 1/2 price. They make a nice very tasty spin on a negroni, which we both had then switched to a white wine, don't recall which. You must try the balls, they were very good -- we had the Maiale made with pork belly and bacon. We also had an order of the Bruschette -- also very good. I look forward to trying for a full dinner.

From the service to the food it was outstanding. 10 of us for dinner and not a single complaint about anything.

I was eager to try a new spot in Andersonville and Bar Roma did not disappoint! The portions were great, food was fantastic and the atmosphere was quaint! We had one of the many varieties of meatballs to start, then had Butternut Squash Risotto (seasonal dish which is disappointing for when I go back!) and the Apple/Ice Cream dessert. Cocktails were reasonably priced, the setting was great and I can't say enough good things about the food! Can't wait to return!

This restaurant is a fantastic addition to the Andersvonville neighborhood. I live down the street and eat at Bar Roma on the average once a week. The "balls" are amazing (especially the chicken), the pasta is delicious/fresh and the fried artichokes are a must. One of my favorite dishes is the tortelloni with squash - on the sweet side and excellent. Not only is the food consistently excellent, the service is great (Tariq is by far the best bartender - extremely professional, knowledgeable, attentive, engaging), atmosphere aesthetically pleasing (although could use noise dampeners) and the management is spot on. Carlos, the general manager, engages with the customers in a very authentic, energizing and professional/friendly manner. He is an expert in wine and is passionate about wine recommendations. He's a true asset to this restaurant. The owner is at the restaurant often and always goes out of her way to say hello. I can't say enough about this great restaurant and highly recommend to everyone. Make sure to make a reservation, it is popular!

First time here. Excellent food and service in a nice setting. Meatballs are their special appetizer treat. All the things we ordered were wonderful, but the pork chop was my favorite. A great find.

What a great find in Andersonville! Place was hopping on a Thursday night. Known for their meatballs (yes, I said meatballs), but a variety of interesting menu items.

We had take out, and the food was well prepared and seasoned and delicious. Lots of it too. The staff is friendly and helpful, and it looks like a lively attractive restaurant for eating in.

Great atmosphere good food. Excellent wine selections. Staff was delightful and knowledgeable. Would back again for dinner with family.

Food is excellent with good menu variations. Something for everyone at reasonable prices. Very courteous servers who are knowledgeable. Reasonable wine list. Will definitely come back.

Another great restaurant in the Andersonville section of Chicago. Very nice olive oil and grated cheese mix complimentary with the table. Ordered a meatball for appetizer. There are three of them, so definitely share with someone. The menu was small for both food and beer/wine, which I prefer. Cacio e pepe and bucatini amatricana were excellent. I shared some of those. Pleasant staff and great atmosphere that indeed reminded me of Rome.

We stopped in to have a quick bite before a show and had little expectations. As a Seattle resident, we are fortunate to have some of the best Italian food this side of Italy. Hard to believe, but it's true. Consequently our pallet is conditioned for authentic Italian cuisine. We were blown away with the quality and flavor of the pasta dish we enjoyed at Bar Roma. I wish I could remember the name of it, but it was killer! Our server was also friendly, knowledgeable and skillful with his wine recommendations. Our next trip to Chicago will definitely include a trip back to Bar Roma!

Delightfully welcoming staff with professional service throughout the night. Enjoyed sitting out in the patio on a gorgeous summer night with beautiful flower beds and just the right space between tables. This was our first time but definitely not our last. The wood fire grilled octopus was exceptional! Try one of the many bitters as an Apertivo! Thank you Julia.

If you are looking for a great place to meet your pals after work, choose the bar at Bar Roma. Their Happy Hour includes half priced appetizers, full size, delicious portions, and generous wine carafes. You can choose from healthy salads or splurge on cheesy pasta; the mussels were amazing too! The easy atmosphere makes it the perfect place to meet your friends and have conversations.

Don't know how old this place is, but we sat at a communal table right by the kitchen and it was nice. The food was really good and the drinks were good. My only compliant was the wine seemed to be pretty expensive by the glass for what you got. A few were priced fine, but others at 15-20 a glass, seemed a bit much. Worth the time to go and make sure you have a reservation for prime time!

Cannot tell you how much we enjoyed our meal here - Thank you to Micah the server who was great and a lot of fun. Had two types of meatballs - the chicken with pistachio, caramelized onion, white wine sauce, ricotta salata; and the spicy pork belly with garlic, rapini, red pepper - just a touch of spice - all were wonderful. I was expecting one large meatball per order, but there were 3! So you may end up pretty full after 2 orders, but we forged ahead with the fritto misto (Crispy calamari, shrimp, smelt, zucchini, lemon, traditional cocktail sauce), which was a bit of a letdown as there were only 2 small smelt pieces and 2 small zucchini bits, with a lot of extra little fried dough - I think we got the bottom of the fryer - but Micah came back with a small portion of smelt to make up for it. The wine is very reasonable, particularly when you realize that you are getting an 8 oz pour rather than the standard 5 oz. Finally, we were plenty sated, but Micah uttered the two words I can't resist - "bread pudding". It was fantastic - dark chocolate, vanilla gelato and cherries. Loved this meal and experience!

This is a total gem! Love the food and service (thanks Alexander). Had the special salad with farro, along with the veal and the chicken meatballs. Preferred the chicken. Also had the bucatini with slightly spicy pork cheek ragu. The plate that really knocked us out was the duck breast, grilled with mascarpone polenta (so creamy!), asparagus, and a cherry port wine sauce. One of the best dishes ever! Alexander even brought my son a birthday dessert, though we were totally sated. This place is terrific.

We were very impressed by the owner who went out her way to treat us royally. The staff was helpful, the food very good, and overall, this is a place to come and treat yourself to a great experience. We will be back.

This popular new place seems to be taking the city and neighborhood by storm. We made reservations about a week in advance to dine on a Thursday night. The interior has been completely redone and has a cool exposed brick, stylish lights, visible kitchen, wine wall, living room kind of feel. Within a few minutes of being seated, the owner Julia and her GM came over to welcome us. I was quite impressed by her hospitality and her obvious passion for the neighborhood and for good and unique food. She said that her desire is to create a true neighborhood restaurant that people will want to eat at at least once per week. I would say she is well on the way to creating that environment and this is exactly what this part of Clark street needs to extend the success of Andersonville south of Foster. On to the food. Julia explained that the meatballs are their specialty and she was right. We had 3 different varieties each with a unique taste and presentation. Both my boyfriend and I agree that our favorite is the Abbacchio - lamb meatballs presented as sliders with a delicious cheese and pickled cucumber. For our main meal, we had the Braciola di Maiale which is a pork chop with white beans and Italian sausage in a very savory sauce. They have an impressive cocktail list. We tried the Old Fashioned and it was a nice blend of spicy and sweet. Being extremely picky, my only wish would be for the large ice cube to be clear instead of cloudy. Also wish they had a couple of beers on tap - maybe select a couple good Italian beers. I highly recommend this place both for a group or for a date night.

I've been to Bar Roma twice now, both times with a party of 4 and pretty much all around the table, everyone really enjoyed their experience. The staff seemed pretty well versed in both the menu and wine list, answering questions and giving recommendations as well. Pretty good mix of American Italian will full flavor, sweet, garlic, acid etc. and more subtle Italian cooking using more interesting ingredients and a less familiar taste profile. Comfortable room, the neighborhood is easy for parking and pleasant for an after dinner stroll. Highly recommended.

On our first visit there, I had the squid ink pasta - and it was incredible. You'll get bread and olive oil for dipping, but make sure to leave space for the bountiful portions!

We arrived a few minutes before dinner was to be offered, but they made immediate accommodations. Wine offering was good and the food was outstanding!

Tonight we had one of our better Italian meals in Chicago. The portions are quite generous, the bread was oven fresh, along with our entrees, and they had fresh brewed iced tea. Our server kept our beverages full. Give this establishment a try, for good Italian. Thanks

First time here and was pleasantly surprised when we got to the dining room. You can't tell how cute it is from the outside. The waiter was excellent. He recommended spaghetti with duck meatballs and it was worth it. The broccoli, asparagus salad was nice too. Our waiter recommended bread pudding with ice cream from the dessert menu. It was served warm and excellent. The whole experience was nice. The tables were close, but you could have a nice conversation without shouting. Next time I am in town, I will be back.

Great boozy brunch spot with delicious food and a great staff! Helped with out birthday celebration and we’ll definitely be back!

Made a reservation at Bar Roma due to its location to the theater we were going to. Food was delicious and staff was very nice. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in the area & highly recommend trying it!

Our group of seven ate here before attending the Chicago Magic Show right down the street. Our server Audrey was very accommodating knowing we had a show to catch. The restaurant had a cozy, welcoming atmosphere with a bar on one side and a separate section on the other side for the main seating. I enjoy the open kitchen in a restaurant. I had the Bucatini all'Amatriciana which was delicious. The tender meat in the dish was complimented by the one of the best pasta sauces I've had. My only complaint was that I would have liked more pasta. I tried the meatballs that one of our group ordered. The meatballs were also delicious, although I didn't care for the goat cheese that was on top. Overall, there was a good selection of entrees and appetizers on the menu. There was a nice bar section as well. I could definitely see coming back here.

Superb Italian restaurant in a wonderful neighborhood in Chicago. The food was spectacular, service impeccable, and the atmosphere was charming.

We arrived at 8PM for an 8:15 reservation. The place was packed. Full of all kinds of folks. We were seated in 20 minutes. Not bad for such a crowd. I honk may had come to the happy hour earlier. Later, it became evident, we could have walked in at 8:45, maybe but 9 for sure and just sat down. Menu has long list of Italian plates. Pastas were great across our table. I split an 18 oz Ribeye steak with my son, and we split another pasta plate. Steak, while not a prime steakhouse type steak, was fabulous. Perfectly cooked, seasoning was wonderful. Very much in a Florentine tradition where they feel they have the best beef in the world. Nice wine list. Enjoyable evening all around. Great neighborhood restaurant.

My wife and I ate dinner here on August 13, 2018. Our food and drinks were great. Our server, Charles, was nice.

I live in the neighborhood, have watched this place change names many times. Currently its Bar Roma. What a fantastic experience. Great food, home made pasta ( no really), the most attentive staff, a 5 star plus. This is a must place to dine in Chicago. Don't miss the experience, have a great dinner at Bar Roma. (Don't go thru open table, give em a call.) We will be back..

Very authentic Italian food. We had appetizers and dessert - the gelato was excellent Great cocktails

Had a great meal here with daughter and her in-laws. We didn't have a ton of time because we had tickets to the Magic Lounge just down the street. Our waitress was right on top of it and we got our food quickly and were out the door in just the right amount of time. They had a fried green tomato caprese salad as one of the specials that night so hubby and I split one. Wow! It was fantastic. The fried green tomatoes were perfectly cooked, crispy, tart, sweet and salty all at the same time. They worked even better than I had expected with the fresh mozzarella and balsamic vinegar. Loved it and wouldn't hesitate to order again. For my main course I had the Pappardelle con coda alla Vaccinara, - wide ribbon noodles with oxtail ragu. It was really tasty. The homemade noodles cooked perfectly and the oxtail ragu a great meaty sauce without being to heavy or greasy. I really loved the dish but son with the hollow leg was there and was still hungry after he finished his meal so I gave him what I had left on my plate. About half. Then hubby shared his lasagna with me. Might have been the best lasagna I have ever had. When we go back, I don't know where to begin on the menu, seems like everything is great!

I was visiting chicago and met up with an old friend at bar roma, based on some reviews i read. it's was excellent. it has a very cool and hip vibe with an outside dining area. the menu changes seasonally and they offer specials. i had the short rib ravioli in a Chianti sauce. wow, it was delicious! the martinis were also quite good. i would definitely recommend a visit and well worth the trip from downtown. it can get busy so i made a reservation using "open table".

Food is absolutely delicious. The service is great. Atmosphere is nice. Highly recommend to experience.

My experience at Bar Roma continues to be my worst dining experience in Chicago. There are way too many better restaurants in this city. Don’t bother with Bar Roma.

Had a wonderful anniversary dinner at Bar Roma. Highly recommended Frito Misto appetizers, lasagna entree. Parking is on-street and can take a few minutes to find a spot. Reservations accepted but not required.

This is a lovely neighborhood restaurant. Happy Hour is Monday through Friday with half priced wine and appetizers. This popular restaurant accepts reservations and if one lives in the neighborhood, one is sure to run into friends . It is a wonderful find! The chicken meatballs , bruschetta, zucca tortellini in a buttery sage sauce, salad with pears and candied nuts — well what can I say? Best to share food and order other pastas to try! The desserts were heavenly— pumpkin creme brûlée and gelato affogato ! We will keep coming back to sample the menu! Call and make reservations!

This is a very nice Andersonville restaurant that I have been to several times without disappointment. The cuisine is standard Roman but also somewhat creative. It’s a comfortable place to socialize and because it’s south of Foster, parking is very easy.

Had a great dinner. The service was fantastic, the selection was great and everything was delicious. My spouse is from Italy and we spend a lot of time there. This is very much like a cool Italian trattoria you would find in Italy. The pasta was melt in the mouth good and the entree was cooked perfectly. Great selection of Italian winds and Italian cocktails too

Great cocktails, amazing service and awesome food! Our server made some great recommendations that made the experience even better. Everything was well prepared and very tasty. Can't wait to go back.

After years of wanting to go, I finally made it to Bar Roma during Andersonville’s Restaurant Week back in March. It was the first time for the other two members of my party as well. I arrived first and was greeted by one of the hostesses. After being told that my table wasn’t ready (I was early), I was shown an area by the bar in which I could wait. They seem to have quite a few hosts, and more than one of them made sure that I had been addressed/helped, which I appreciated. A short while later I was shown my table and later joined by the rest of my party. Our sever, Julie, was very friendly as was the other staff we encountered. The restaurant seemed very busy, but the staff seemed very attentive and quick to react to anyone’s, well at least our, needs. I remember looking up at one point to see if I could find someone to ask a question and one of the hostesses was by our table in an instant. We never had to wait for water or too long for our food despite the level of activity in the restaurant. I ordered the pre-fix menu and Julie (and the chef) were very accommodating to a substitution I requested due to a food allergy. Often, when you have something substituted, you seem to get less, but in this case, it seemed like they gave me more than what my companions had in their meals! I had their basic “insalata”, hand rolled cacao e pepe ravioli (with chicken for me), chicken parmesan, and bread pudding with gelato for dessert. Again, it was Restaurant Week so the portions were small as expected, but everything was very tasty. Between the great service and food, I definitely look forward to another visit. It was upscale food and service without the upscale stuffy atmosphere. I see why they’ve been in the area so long.

Excellent selection of items accompanied with unlimited champagne. We had a reservation (large group) and Bar Team B took very good care of us. Frittata's, eggs benedict w/salmon or spinach ~ just a couple if the selections that you could choose from. The meals were very reasonable and both the food & service were excellent.

We visited on a Friday night at about 7:00 with some friends of ours who live in the area but had not yet been able to try this place. The restaurant was a part of a dining week in Chicago, so we knew it could be busy. We were told they had no available tables without a reservation, but that we were welcome to seats at the bar when they became available since happy hour had just ended. We were extremely blessed/fortunate as 2 different groups left 4 seats at the corner of the bar right by the host area within 5 minutes. My wife and I prefer dry red wines, so we each ordered a glass of their Montepulciano ($14), which is an 8 oz. pour and comes with a small glass in addition to a carafe with the remainder of the pour that didn't fit in the glass. It was an excellent accompaniment to our meals. We had eaten a late lunch, so we only ordered pasta entrees from the menu. The service at the bar was extremely prompt without being pushy. They quickly fulfilled our drink orders and our meals arrived in what seemed like less than 10 minutes. The house bread they brought out was very good and excellent for collecting the sauce from our dinner plates. My wife ordered Cacio e Pepe Ravioli e Gamberessa ($24), which tasted AMAZING! It was Rosa's house made ravioli filled with ricotta, pecorino, parmesan and fresh black pepper. It was served with sauteed shrimp. It would be difficult to return and not order this dish. I ordered Ricotta Gnocchi ($22), which was also very good. It included hand rolled ricotta dumplings with asparagus, pine nuts and a sage butter sauce. I very much enjoyed the combination of flavors. The serving sizes were not huge, so this isn't a place you come to for quantity necessarily, but the quality of our meals were outstanding. Our friends indicated that they intend to return very soon.

Wow! Everything they do here is so good! Meatballs are outstanding (had the chicken and the beef - sauces are great). The pappardelle with oxtail ragu is melt-in-your-mouth. The veal parm was a bit firm (overcooked?) And the bread pudding - warm, with dark chocolate, banana, chocolate & vanilla swirl gelato - OMG!! Katie the server was absolutely terrific too. Thanks for a great meal.

We had a terrific meal here. Delicious food, friendly service, casual ambiance. We had the Frito Misto seafood appetizer, Chicken Marsala, Rosa's Ravioli (House made butternut squash ravioli), and Fettuccine Isabella (Squid ink fettuccine, calamari, shrimp, mussels), with the "Tirami su...su...su...su..." dessert. Everything was perfectly prepared and fairly priced, we'll definitely come back.

It's great to see a wonderful Italian "bar" in the neighborhood in a place that's been vacant for years. The makeover is outstanding. From the moment you walk in, past the long expansive bar, past the lounge seating, past the long community table in front of the kitchen, to the front of the restaurant opposite side of the bar; you get a great vibe! The cocktails are unique, delicious and fun. I can't recall the name, but I had one with honey in the name and it was so refreshing! The food is so flavorful. How about sweetbreads in meatballs? I thought they were delicious. If I hadn't read the sweetbreads were in the meatballs based on the menu, I would've never known. Mmmm. I will warn you that the pasta is cooked al dente. If your not used to it that way, you may think it's undercooked. All the dishes the six of us had were very good. The servings are fair size, but not gargantuan like you might find at standard "American" Italian restaurants. They are truly more Italian sized. The only negative is it's LOUD in the restaurant. Nothing to absorb the sound so when you have the cackling high pitched female near you, you can't hear your friends at your own table. So when in the Andersonville neighborhood, this is a great new place.

Terrific place. Great food, wonderful wait staff and reasonable prices make this place a top notch restaurant. All the pastas were spot on, appetizers were also good.

When those big glass doors are open to the street on a Saturday night, Bar Roma feels festive, and it's easy to have conversation throughout dinner. Everyone enjoyed the food--vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters alike. The eggplant parmesan got particular raves from our group. Friendly service and a birthday treat too!

I had the opportunity to visit here back in March. We came for drinks and appetizers. We sat at the bar. The bartender was very knowledgeable and helpful and the owner was delightful. The wine was good and the appetizers were fabulous. The whole menu looked great. The atmosphere was very cozy and comfortable.

Sunday night dinner. The lasagna and a dish made with paparelle noodles were the hit. I had a chicken and Brussels sprout dish, Brussels sprouts were undercooked. Eggplant parmigiana was good but a little dry. Service was good. Drinks were excellent. Parking is not so good.

We went for brunch on a Sunday based on the reviews I had read and were somewhat disappointed by the food. The staff was friendly and the service was good but we found the food just average.

4 of us had dinner before the Magic Show next door. Perfect thick pork chop and polenta. With a little asparagus to go along with the olive oil and parmesan the meal was wonderful. As is typical in Chicago, the beer selection is weak and the waiter knew little about them. When we waited at the bar, I didnt enjoy the seemingly sticky concrete bar top, but service was prompt. And the atmosphere was not too loud like some restaurants. Overall, a nice choice to which I will go back.

We visited before seeing a show at the Chicago Magic Lounge (highly recommend!). The restaurant was busy, but we were seated promptly at the bar. The bartender was very good-- friendly, welcoming, and gave us excellent recommendations for menu items. We had gnocchi (traditional style-- not potato "footballs") and meat lasagne, both were very good. The fresh warm bread before the meal was delicious, and served with olive oil and fresh-shaved parmesan. We'll definitely be back!