RoVino Restaurant & Bar Reviews

We went early and were able to get a table without a reservation. It filled-up quickly. Cute interior and nice staff. I had the Pasta Siciliana & my husband had the Pasta Al Sugo. Both were delicious and plentiful!

We wanted to meet up with some friends while waiting for a flight out of San Diego but not wait at the airport. This place was close enough and a very nice find. We were there during happy hour and took full advantage of it. The glasses of wine and a very nice IPA were each just five dollars. As were some very tasty flatbread’s and some of the best sautéed eggplant that I’ve had this side of Italy. Adam, our server, was knowledgeable, friendly and provided great service. All in all this is a great find.

Just been at RoVino, for what I thought should have been a quick dinner. In fact, it was not that quick, as I was captured by the coziness of the place, and the quality of food. I had delicious pasta alla Siciliana, and an equally delicious cannolo siciliano. The food was served by an extremely nice and kind young man, Giovanni Gagliani, who made this dining experience quite unforgettable. If you happen to be in Little Italy, just do not miss it ...

Omg, look no further, the Lemon Riccota pancakes were literalllyyyyy the best pancakes I've ever eaten!!! Hands down!! The manager was a little snooty, but I kind of enjoyed it!!! Would go back in a heartbeat to eat them again!

Recently visited Littel Italy and this very well located restaurant was our first stop and recommended one. Priced average, good service, clean installations. Diverse and well designed menu. Assorted menu but the ceasar salad was a surprise since was not a real ceasar... my advise is to add: Rovino’s Ceasar Salad and avoid being criticized by orthodox clients...specially being an Italian Restaurant. Pasta with good flavor, “al dente” good tomato sauce. Canioli dessert super! 👍 Artisan / San Diego Beers very good. The advise has been given in order to improve since is a very good restaurant.

My wife and I HAD to revisit Rovino's again when we were visiting our son in San Diego last week. He had turned us on to this delightful bistro on our last visit where we had a memorable dinner (I reviewed it for Trip Advisor earlier.) Our schedules didn't permit a redo for dinner, but we were able to make lunch on a beautiful day to have a meal outdoors. Tom Tarantino, the owner, was once again our gracious host and was able to guide us in choosing from the many delectable Italian dishes. My choice was to order the Insalata Rovino, which was a new addition to the lunch menu. The heirloom tomatoes, burrata cheese, red onions, arugula, and lemon herb dressing made a perfect choice for lunch on a spectacular day. I loved it! My son and I split the Pollo+ Prosciutto Tortellini because I love the way Rovino's crisps up their flavorful prosciutto. My wife ordered the mushroom flatbread and my son's friend ordered the split pea soup. Everybody was quite happy and satisfied with their choices. Best of all is the service at Rovino's! Tom and his fellow host, Vince, make your visit such a memorable experience! They are attentive, gracious, and really fun to be around. Tom, Vince, we will return!

This was my second time here. After coming here the last time I was in San Diego, I told my daughter I wanted to come back again. We got here during happy hour and It was pretty crowded, their food and wine on the happy hour is only $5 each. It was a Thursday, and after 6:00 glasses of wine are buy one get one free. Such a deal. We tried their flatbreads, eggplant and brussels sprouts appetizers from the happy hour menu and all were good, but the star of the evening was the octopus from their main menu. The polpo alla grigilia sounded very intriguing, grilled octopus leg with chorizo and canellini beans with a sauce of buffalo ranch? We questioned our server Tony about it and he assured us that although it sounded a little odd, it was actually his favorite thing on the menu. It was delicious! The octopus was so tender and chorizo and sauce just highlighted the flavor of the whole dish. I will absolutely come back here on my next trip to San Diego.

We pass by Rovini many times and decided to take the time to explore. We were seated early to get a good table. I ordered the caesar salad and the Branzino. WOW! The skin and flesh were crisp and well spiced. The vegetables and potatos were great.

We got a last minute reservation on a Saturday afternoon. We spit the Caesar Salad, hubby had the lasagna& I indulged in the pasta Alfredo with grilled chicken. My hubs isn’t a big lover of Italian food, aside from pizza, but he couldn’t stop talking about the lasagna …..he said it absolutely melted in his mouth. My pasta Alfredo was very good as well. Info we didn’t have room for desert as the salad & our entrees were more than enough food. My husband told the manager & waiter that we would be back on our next trip to San Diego…..and that in and of itself speaks volumes!! Don’t pass up this little gem!

Smallish place, but very accommodating. It started to rain (we were initially seated outside), and the staff quickly set us up in a covered outside setting behind the restaurant. The branzini (whole fish) was outstanding as was the pinsa (pizzas) The pizzas reminded me of the pizzas I had in Italy (Rome, Milan). In the same style, the dough is fermented over 75-150 hours. It is outstanding. Just ask before ordering as we mistakenly ordered a mushroom pizza instead of a pepperoni. They also have a chef's every day special appetizers that they get on a cart. It was great. Great dining experience.

My go to restaurant when visiting San Diego! We make sure to come here every single time. I'm from the east coast and the food here tastes exactly like the Italian food from back home. Everything is so clearly homemade and delicious!! Literally still thinking about the chicken parm. The service is fantastic - Luis & Frank always go out of their way to say hi to us and you can tell they really appreciate their customers and want to give them a special experience. I know there are a ton of Italian restaurants to try in this area and, after trying many of them, I can guarantee this one is far ahead of the others!

After hearing so many great things about this place, I decided to make it my Birthday Dinner spot. It small and cozy. The family that runs it is there. Regulars are greeted warmly. The food was outstanding. It truly tasted like I was in Florence. It brought me back there and few places do. I will definitely go back! And it’s only a walk away from my home! Lucky me!

Ok ..I am staying in downtown San Deigo, so I check yelp reviews for a great Italian restaurant. This one has 5 stars. So I call and make reservations. We were seated out near the door, which had plastic walls protecting you from the cold outside. We ordered wine and also ordered food. After 25 minutes, I finally got our waiters attention and asked about our drinks. He apologized and left to check. 10 minutes later he brought our food, but still no wine! I was totally not impressed with the lasangna . Didn’t stay for desert.

The staff at Rovino are absolutely amazing. Everyone is friendly and helpful. They solicit feedback. Then, the food!! Everything tasted so fresh and flavorful. Perfectly prepared. We had the tri-color cauliflower (a meal for one person) and the sea bass special. Recommend getting reservations, although we didn't and had relatively short wait. Have us time to enjoy a wonderful glass of wine selected by the owner. Save room for dessert!!!

We ate here on our last night and were very happy with the service and food. From the wine to the arachini balls everything was delicious. I would highly recommend the half roast chicken. Perfect little italian restaurant with a lovely atmosphere.

Wonderful service, fresh and delicious food in an intimate setting. Great variety of food offerings that will please anyone's palate. Will definitely be going back.

Had a great meal ...always a good time here. Wonderful service and good food. Had the best swordfish ever! Loved the lasagna and would highly recommend it. Great ambiance and nice cozy atmosphere.

The food was excellent at this restaurant and the pasta dishes were great. However, what impressed me the most about Rovino was the service we received. We had taken a friend to dinner and she thought her meal was good, not great. The manager of the restaurant stopped by our table to ask about our meal. We told him the food was wonderful. Our friend told him that the fish dish could have had more flavor. Without any hesitation, he subsequently brought her a complimentary pasta dish for her to try. He did several other things to make us happy including bringing us a complimentary dessert. I have never been to a restaurant that responded as well to a situation like this. We will be back for several reasons. The food was great, the service was outstanding and both the manager's attitude and approach were priceless.

Nice selection of italian dinners, variety of pasta dishes. Good service. Tasty wine selections. Excellent Tiramisu!

This is our second visit to RoVino and certainly not our last. The first one was several months ago and it was with eight people. Each one of us raved about the food and service and I had good intentions to do a write up but never did. Tonight I won’t let this pass by. This restaurant is exceptionally good, not only the flavorful food but also the superb service. Tom, one of the owners, is observant, ready to please, yet very professional. Adam, our waiter, made excellent recommendations not only with the wine but also the menu. Speaking of the menu, there are just the right amount of items to tease you with, to want you to come back for something else next time. It’s a really good menu, varied too. Tonight was a birthday celebration with four of us. You would think we wouldn’t order the Brussels sprouts for our app, the cavolini croccanti, but we gave in and were glad we did. The crunchy sprouts have crispy prosciutto, glazed walnuts, toasted pine nuts, parmigiano cheese and “saba”, never heard of that before but learned some consider it to be a poor man’s balsamic. They were so tasty. We then split two salads, the arugula and iceberg. Both were very good. We each had a different main dish ranging from pasta (the pappardelle with peas, cream, shallots, and Romano cheese), to salmon on delectable rice, to a skirt steak cooked to perfection with amazing chimichurri, to the divine scampi in a butter, garlic, white wine and caper sauce on linguini. They were all delicious. I have never seen a more gorgeous presentation of the salmon with different colors of roasted cauliflower, including a bright purple, on top, giving the appearance of flowers. If you even have room for dessert, the coconut lemon cake is killer. Tom was so generous and spiffed us with some yummy desserts. RoVino is a lovely place to dine and you leave feeling full and very satisfied.

We were able to get a table for 2 inside. Just after we were seated, a table of 16 obnoxious grown men sat down. They were screaming and swearing with no regard for anyone in the restaurant. The waiters apologized but offered no compensation. We weren’t offered Parmesan cheese until half way thru dinner but by then the meal was cold. My ravioli meal had no taste. Look elsewhere.

My daughter from San Francisco came down to visit us and decide to have dinner before she get back home. My wife and younger daughter ordered salad which turn out to be very good, my son-in-law ordered Lasagna that turn out to be excellent selection, my self ordered house special pasta which very good and my old one order Cacio E Pepe which her comment was excellent, she compared her food with what she were eating in Italy. All in all, the service is very attentive and the food are excellent.

Came here with some colleagues, the ambiance was really nice and we had amazing service. Even though there was a large group of us the server was so attentive and had a great sense of humour. Sadly I didn't enjoy the food as much.Maybe I just made a bad choice as it all looked amazing but my gnocchi was way too spicy for me and swimming in chilli oil which made it a bit soggy and gnocchi is meant to be a bit firmer I think. Overall a nice evening out, prices around $20 for a pasta dish and $4 for a coke. Not cheap but not too expensive just whish I'd been able to enjoy the food a bit more

We stumbled on this spot the first day it opened a couple of years ago and devoured the beautifully cooked branzino. Back for another round and the branzino tasted even better, moist and fresh on top of orzo sprinkled with roasted tomatoes. Excellent and friendly service. Resetvations a must!

We arrived early on a Saturday for lunch with our daughter and were seated in the cozy dining area. Antonia (one of the owners) was our hostess and server. Her warm welcome and pleasant demeanor made us feel as we had been welcomed into her home for a family meal. After we ordered, Antonia brought us a basket of bread and a sample of the caprese salad which was made with heirloom tomatoes and delicious. Our entrees were flavorful, smelled great, and looked beautiful too! The brined/roasted chicken with vegetables looked like it could be on the cover of a food magazine. Our daughter ordered the Lasagna Toscana and said it was just as amazing as the last time she visited. The Pasta Siciliana (tomatoes, diced eggplant, burrata, & basil) was one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had. The black and white decor of RoVino was a playful mix of trendy and elegant pattern and texture topped off with an appealing wall mural of vintage black and white family photographs. We will definitely be back on our next visit to San Diego. The big decision (after seeing their Sunday breakfast menu) will be if we go for breakfast or lunch....or maybe both! P.S. Great cappucino too!

Being Italian and from NY ...its rare I write a review on any Italian restaurant in San Diego... in Calif it seems most rstrnts put a modern spin on tradional dishes....or the sauce is so thick .....the aftermath will kill you.... ROVINO WAS DIFFERENT.....Finally someplace I could recommend.... today Lunch was soo good.... RoVino is a new small intimate restaurant located on Kettner (between hawthorn and grape street) ....not many tables however they have inside seating n outside patio seating with white tablecloths....and a bar.....very nice decor...Reservations a must for dinner....they also have Happy Hour....Italian wines... The menu is the same for lunch n dinner...exception... no sandwiches on dinner menu....everything looked good.... All my favorites on the menu....its a Sicilian menu....not a huge menu but what they offer is great.... I Couldn t decide what to order..... so I decided to share plates with my cousin so we can have a variety of foods to try.... We started with appetizer...eggplant involtini.....highly recommended. ...could have been a meal by itself.... next we shared..... porchetta(CRISPY pork) flatbread w carmelized onions and balsamic vinegar....scrumptous....their specialty is the Porchetta....and perfectly cooked...next ... we shared a pasta w peas in a great creamy sauce topped with crisp bacon....We couldn t get enough....WE WERE.full to the core.....we didn t want dessert but found out they make their own cannolis...yes the shell n filling w citrus fruit...they had choices w chocolate chips or cherries but we went w the traditional citrus....very good filling n light shell......reminded me of my grandmother receipe....we couldn t eat another thing....but the owner....so gracious brought us a homemade tiramasu (so typical Italian eat,eat)....unfortunetly we couldn t eat it all...I think it was the best I've tasted.....they are so proud of the food....I just love it... The prices are reasonable, portions large,great service.....I will be back over n over.... I have no affiliation w this rstrnt but I finally feel I found my little gem Italian rstrnt....and felt they need praising.....its family owned that use their mothers receipes....if you go there....let them know you saw this write up on Trip Advisor....

I cannot say ENOUGH about this little cozy jaunt in Little Italy! All I can say is "Che Scoperta"!!!! When you walk in, you just feel "at home". It's a tiny little spot. Not loud. Not crowded. The kind of place you want to take a first date, or have dinner with a girlfriend, or a co-worker, to talk about the deals of the day. The interior is exquisite. The wallpaper. The rustic meets italian vibe. The fresh flowers, the welcoming essence....Everything is "perfection" after a long day... I have found myself several times at RoVino, over the course of the past many months, with co-workers from Seattle, where our HQ is located. It's the perfect spot, after a long day of meetings, close to the SD Airport that you can go, and still make your flight after appetizers and a bottle of wine. The food and service are nothing but impeccable. I found management to be especially endearing and "customer obsessed" (one of our Amazon Leadership Principles)...going above and beyond (Vince, the Manager) to satisfy my "one off needs" to find that peculiar kind of cheese that was on the charcuterie board appetizer, after our visit, so I could present it as a gift for one of our executives...he came through. This is the kind of place you will visit again-and-again....like the old Cheers bar where "everybody knows your name" but with a very upscale flair, fine wine, excellent and exquisite food options, and a "southern down-home feel" all wrapped into one! (I am from Dallas after all, so I had to throw that in there....because it's the truth!). :) I'll be back Vince and Friends! :)

From the moment we walked in the waiter was so attentive and helped us create a memorable experience . The food was so goog I don't know where to start. I thought I was at an Italian Trattoria in Tuscany. What a treat!!

My wife is a major foodie and for her to say that this is her favorite restaurant in San Diego says a lot. She originally took her relatives who were visiting from Spain here and had an amazing meal/experience. Thus, she ended up taking me there and needless to say, I was not disappointed. Located in Little Italy, this place is quaint and is all about quality. We have been there multiple times now and everything has been absolutely delicious. Do yourselves a favor and give this place a try....you will not be disappointed!

Wonderful little restaurant family own and run serving excellent Italian food with a very good wine list. Highly recommended for a reasonably priced home style restaurant.

As we all know , little Italy on India st in San Diego is a Mecca for Italian restaurants. But i decided to dine on Kestler st , at Rovino ristorante. It’s a quieter street , and I was happy to dine at this place. But before I went in , I had to call my cousin peppú for his approval . And I made the right choice . From the eggplant involtine, and the Brussels sprouts , to the branzino served whole , with sautéed vegetables and the excellent cannoli served at the end on the meal, I must say , it was an excellent dining experience. And thanks to Tom, the host , who did a great job taking care us. Great job .

We had a wonderful evening at RoVino's in Little Italy / San Diego. The food was outstanding and the service was unbelievable. The owner Tommy was friendly, fun and was on top of everything. He made the 4 of us feel like we were the only people in his restaurant. If you are in San Diego and looking for a great place for dinner this is a must.

Excellent place to have dinner, classic meals and great service with some options for children! ! ! Definitely come back again and again! ! !

Very small family owned restaurant on Kettner not too far from the airport. Food was delicious, and for the party of 3 included spaghetti Bolognese, an eggplant dish, and Cioppino, the last on special and was some of the best I've ever had. Service was extremely attentive, A nice wine list, all Italian. All 3 just had an enjoyable time, because service, food, and price were all top notch.

Rovino was recommended to us by a waiter in another establishment, when we said we wanted to try a restaurant in Little Italy. We did not have a reservation, but as we dine early, there was no issue getting a great table. It is a smaller restaurant, with tables inside and on the patio.The decor is great. Service and the food were excellent. And the cannoli was superb!

My wife and I had lunch here. We started with the Arancini. It was delicious. My wife had the house special lasagna and it was mushy. I'm guessing it was over cooked or recooked too many times. I had the Branzino. It was delicious. We will probably not go back because there are so many other places to try in Little Italy that are better.

I'm Italian born and raise in what is now called Little Italy in San Diego. And being Italian I'm a little reluctant to go and eat Italian food out. But, We've been hearing about this new place called "Rovino" and it was fantastic!! Small bistro style restaurant it's like being in the streets of Florence Italy. To start the owner Tom brought us out a huge board with fried calamari, fried shrimp and fried zucchini with the most delicious spicy marinara sauce. The calamari were cooked perfectly! Very tender just floured and fried no heavy breading. They were great! I had pasta with sweets peas in a light cream sauce and my wife had pasta with eggplant. Both dishes were to die for. The owner Tom recommended a great bottle of Italian wine and we ended the night with a delicious Cannoli. The right combo of sweet and creamy just like Mama use to make. I highly recommend "Rovino" for Great Italian food and the best service in Little Italy.

Met long lost friends for dinner. Convenient parking next door on the corner. Appetizer arancini and calamari fritti enjoyed by the table. Each entree had the same side dishes (roasted potatoes with roasted vegetables - super delicious). Each person has a different entree. Steak - swordfish - sea bass and chicken. We shared 2 cannolis and we were stuffed. The atmosphere was relaxed and accommodating. We were there for 5 hours and never felt rushed.

We have been back several times, mosty for dinners and are treated like old friends. We returned several time for the Banzino, crispy skinned opening up to tender white fish along with roasted potatoes and mixed green. Just really flavorful and moist! The rotisserie chicken is so moist and flavorful, I have a hard time ordering anything else. Deliscious flat breads and salads all generously portioned are accompanied by a reasonably priced wine list. Their paring dinners which they are now offering have been a treat, not just for the food and wine, but the familial atmosphere of the place. The tiramisu is worth a mention because the taste and visual matched my highest expectations of that dessert. This is a local treasure.

QUICKIE REVIEW A nice spot for a date night. FOOD This is what I tried: -pollo flat bread -pasta al sugo PARKING No. Street parking is what you are looking for. Flatbread was ok; a little on the crispy side. Pasta was good. Using the pasta sauce on the flatbread turned out to be a good combination. SERVICE Good. Waiter came and checked on us often and made sure we were good. PRICE Roughly $40 for two. TIP/OTHER THOUGHTS Make reservations. I came without reservations at 6 pm and got literally the last table that was open as everything else was reserved on a Saturday night. They are located literally next to a bar. You can enjoy some adult beverages either before or after your meal if what is at the resturant does not suit you.

Fantastic food and wine! The service was the best we had on vacation. Eight people in our group, which was a problem at most places, not here.

Good menu. Very romantic and inviting location. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Food was amazing. Definitely worth trying out.

Delicious food, high quality ingredients, and an amazing wine list. We started with the arancini, heaven! Lasagna is to die for. We also had the roasted chicken which is served with roasted vegetables. It was amazing. Love that the recipes come from the owner's family.

This restaurant is AMAZING! The food is incredible, the staff is wonderful, and the owner Tom is truly a GEM. I am a flight attendant and came here during a layover; I can honestly say it is now one of my favorite restaurants in the world! You HAVE TO get the brusselsprouts; the best I have ever had in my life! And don't skip the cannoli! Eating here was truly the highlight of my trip to San Diego, it was just a really nice experience. From the authentic Italian vibe & family recipes, to Tom's obvious passion for his restaurant, food, patrons, and employees, I never wanted to leave! They have a great happy hour M-F, 3-6 with $5 apps and wine. The house red is DELISH! I can't say enough good things about this place; I can't wait to bring my husband to San Diego and take him there! It is a perfect date spot and as close to the real thing in Italy as it gets!

We were first time walk-ins late on a Saturday afternoon, when there wasn't a seat to be had at the tables. A family of four, we took stools at the bar, and we're so glad we did. The owner, Tom Tarantino, and staff were accommodating and engaging in conversation with both us and our young teens. We were immediately well cared for despite the busy time. To say we were treated like family is an understatement. Better to say that were invited in by relatives who opened their doors, welcomed us like long lost childhood friends, inquired about our children's accomplishments and goals, made us feel special, then offered the bounty of their menu, all in an effort to please us. And the feast placed before us did not disappoint. The octopus appetizer was magazine photograph worthy in its beauty and taste. The elderflower spritz and the Italian white matched beautifully with balanced flavors of the brussels sprouts and the crispy texture of the Arancini that we enjoyed as appetizers. For dinner, we then shared two entrees; the perfectly rare ribeye generously salted and peppered with broccoli rabe to done-ness (not overdone-ness), the yellowtail fish special with luscious chanterelles and caviar sauce was so delicate. We saved just enough room for canolis that were so velvety to the palate. We inquired about reservations for the future, and were asked to reserve well in advance for peak hours. We will return, and we wish RoVino continued success, both at their Kettner location, and any future expansion. Thank you again to RoVino for a wonderful evening.

My husband stopped by for appetizers and 1 bottle of wine..our waiter was efficient but not the most friendly fellow...anyhow-I am not sure if I will return...prices were too expensive for me and my husband. It is a small restaurant in the heart of Little Italy in San Diego.

We had a wonderful dinner at RoVino. The food, wine and dessert were outstanding. We enjoyed the warm and inviting atmosphere of the restaurant. Great staff and service! The owner Antonia came over to say hello to our family. This is a casual restaurant with five star food. We would definitely return to RoVino for an enjoyable Italian meal in the near future.

What a wonderful restaurant....they also recently opened up a location in the East Village that is just fabulous...Service and food are consistently great....Love It!!!

Visited for late lunch at 1:50 restaurant was empty, only a person (I think he was the host, manager or owner) sitting at one table chatting with somebody that also works there (I think a Chef or kitchen staff). Anyway, perfectly quiet as I like it, nice music, ambience, food came just right away (expected since I was the only in the restaurant) I ordered something simple and easy to prepare "Pasta Bolognese". Pasta was in need of those additional 10 secs to be al dente and not undercooked. The Bolognese sauce was just ok, nothing impressive which is the reason I didn't even finished half of the dish. Service was good but not great for a restaurant with only one customer in. Anyway not so bad experience, a solid well deserved 3. PD. There was an annoying fly going around, I think it comes with the "partially outdoors" experience?

This little restaurant is located in Little Italy in Downtown San Diego. We were lucky enough to grab lunch here on a Saturday afternoon. We had a pasta special that was excellent. The staff was outstanding and could not have been more friendly. I would definitely recommend this restaurant but you will to make reservations.

My son lives in Little Italy and has been raving about this new restaurant in San Diego named Rovino. There are so many magnificent restaurants to choose from in Little Italy so we were happy to try out this new eating adventure. WOW! What a gem! My wife and son had the Pollo Arrosto (rotisserie 1/2 chicken,) and I had the Pollo + Prosciutto Tottellini (and was the prosciutto crispy, just the way I like it!) Very affordable entrees and the intimate dining atmosphere (no loud music!) was memorable. Definitely get reservations when visiting San Diego, you won't be disappointed. And the owner, Tom Tarantino, is sure to make your evening an exceptional dining experience with his easy conversation.

Two pasta dishes were ordered for lunch. Cheese ravioli and scampi with linguine. First we were the only people in the place because it was a weekday and it was 2pm. The service was still fantastic and the people were nice and attentive. The scampi was perfectly cooked and the pasta was fresh. So was the ravioli. The issue was that the pasta in both dishes was gummy. The scampi dish had an overwhelming amount of sauce. We didn’t complain because there was nothing that could be done but I wouldn’t go back. I don’t understand serving food this way. This restaurant was highly recommend by a local.

This place serves very good Italian food. I had the lasagna which I understand is one of the Owner's Mother's special recipes. It was good. I like my pasta al dente; I'm pretty sure the noodles were made fresh that day. My friend's pasta was also good; the noodles were very soft. I liked the arancini. It was filling and tasty. I would go back to RoVino and try different dishes.

VERY popular, because the food is great, the prices reasonable with a great wine list. Parking is a challenge take a cab or Uber. One other item to know. There is NO bathroom in the restaurant. Ask the waiter to get you the 'code' for the door on the bathroom down the street. Peculiar. Yes, but the bathroom with the restaurant's name on it is immaculate, just a bit of a walk.

Fabulous place we stumbled upon for lunch. Very cool decor; modern but also homey. The owner waited on us and was super nice. Excellent food. Wonderful wine. Lovely to sit at sidewalk table. Service attentive but not overly so. You can linger; no rush. Would love to go for dinner sometime. Will definitely return.

We met up with friends in San Diego to celebrate the holidays. We decided to spend some time in Little Italy and made reservations for dinner at RoVino. We had a fabulous dinner, great service and a warm homelike atmosphere. The bar tender recommended a red wine for us to try that was superb. This restaurant is a great find!

I knew this was going to be a good meal when we were greeted by the hostess/owner and she took care of getting us water and bread because all the staff was busy. The 4 of us started out sharing the tagliere plate which had a wonderful mix of meats, cheeses and olives. 1 of our group that the Gnocchi Rovino which he announced was perfect, light, perfectly sauced, with just a slight touch of heat from the chiles. Two of us got the Cacio e Pepe, which is such a simple dish that is extremely difficult to prepare properly. This was the best example I have had at any restaurant anywhere. Our 4th diner had the Lasagna Toscana, which he pronounced as very good. Unfortunately because the rest of us were raving so about our dish, he admitted that it was not the best lasagna he had ever had but I think he was suffering from envy over our choices. The service was smooth and unobtrusive, and there were a number of excellent wine choices both by the bottle and by the glass. Interestingly enough, we walked by the restaurant the next day on our way back from brunch and the owner recognized us, stopped us to say hello and wanted to know again how we enjoyed our meal the night before. That attention to detail was evident throughout our meal.

Rovino = Amazing Food and Service with Gentleness and a Smile So Frank Anctil is the chef of the century. He has the grit, the savvy, and revolutionary recipes which will blow you away. Now let's talk about the food. Delicious, savory, unique, satisfying. And the choices. Anything from a huge portion of a rostisserie chicken, premium Cut steak and grilled spicy sausage to fish of the day to vegetarian Sugo pasta. Every single menu item including Black Truffle Cacio Pepe which if you love truffle it is irresistible. I want to go on and on yet what I suggest is get over to Rovino at 2034 Kettner Blvd, San Diego. You have Never had food like this. And the service well it is simply irresistible especially Angelina and Evan. Kind, polite and so accommodating! And Chef Frank is a wonderful human. And his beautiful hostess is intuitive and focused on seating you in the best location for your evening of scrumptiousness! Oh and don’t forget the annual Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners Frank carefully plans and cooks. It's just yum all year long. And always surprises in their lovely desserts and cocktails and wine.

Excellent pasta .Eddy our Walter is a gentleman. You find it in the little Italy . 👍 3 blocks from mts trolley.

We were looking for a local restaurant foe our last night in SD. Great food and service, no cimplaints. Wveryrhing we ordered was perfectly cooked and seasoned..well done. The dessert a delicate treat. Thank you and well done.

Great to get a table on the front was a balmy night. Ordered a salad to share and the rotisserie to share, along with the not so conventional bottle of wine for 2. After a fortnight in California I am really of the mindset that wine drinking is like smoking...not only do the waiters without exception not know how to pour and seem to believe it’s bloody soda water. No decorum in being a sommelier stateside, never mind as U.K. drinkers we suck it up. However having half a bottle of wine in the glass at one time seems a tad greedy... the service was cordial and swift. Along with the water refills which left us well hydrated. As for the food all absolutely tasty and although portion sizes of ample sufficiency, certainly not normal US sized. We sampled dessert which was great too so overall a lovely evening, just noted to management less haste in service. But hey this is American where everything is fast lane. Do try it if you can.

There was a problem with our reservation which we made through Open Table, but the owner handled things perfectly, and we both agreed, this was the best meal of our trip. When we are back in San Diego, we are going to come back to this restaurant! Both of our entrees were excellent and the service was perfect. It is a small place and not too many tables, so a reservation is needed.

My husband and I decided to try RoVino for lunch, a recently opened restaurant in Little Italy. It's a small, comfortable, tastefully decorated sit-down restaurant with indoor/outdoor seating. The wine menu includes many affordable Italian wines, Tom, the co-owner, helped us pick a lovely Nebbiolo. The lunch menu listed sandwiches, salads,and a smaller lunch size rotisserie chicken. We were also able to order off the dinner menu which included pastas and flatbreads. Tom encouraged us to try the the Carni Miste (1/2 chicken, grilled sausage, porchetta, roasted potatoes, vegetables) for $28 which feeds 2-3 people. His suggestion was excellent. The rotisserie chicken was moist and flavorful. The porchetta, roasted pork, was outstanding, and the sausage was very tasty. The fresh carrots and green beans rounded out the meal nicely. The dish was more than enough and we had leftovers to take home for another meal. We were too full for RoVino's homemade cannoli, but I hear it's delicious. We will definitely be returning to this lovely new addition to the Little Italy restaurant scene!

We had the calamari, shrimp pasta, steak strips, and moscato. All were amazing! The strips of steak are still being talked about in my family. Its not a kid friendly place but the kids were welcomed. We chose to teach the kids about "fine dining and manners" and they had so much fun learning and "being fancy". We will go again next time we're in SD.

I reserved this restaurant from Louisiana for an Italian family rehearsal dinner. Rovino well exceeded our expectations. Owners are wonderful and easy to work with. Most surprisingly, the food is EXCEPTIONAL, the bartenders and wait staff make you feel at home. I wish we lived in San Diego just so I could visit this place for great Italian food at least once a week. Anyone that visits will not be disappointed.

Recently enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Ravino. Excellent service, terrific cuisine and a great wine list. Highly recommend

Everything was perfect!The Caprese salad was fresh. The Arancini were just like being in Sicily. The rotisserie meats were so juicy and well seasoned. Simple perfect demonstration of food. My wife had a bolognese sauce on her pasta that was a rare artform. Don't hesitate to experience this restaurant before you have to wait two hours to get in once it gets discovered

I had a super romantic dinner date to remember at RoVino. Laura was our charming server. We started out with fancy Italian malty beer and fancy wine. I had two taste pours of beers and picked my favorite. Then we had salads in metal plates that are covered in porcelain. We had classic Italian fish soup and a risotto dish. The music was classy and at just the right level so that complimented the mood and did not compete with conversation. The dessert selection was superb. We stood up and walked over the bakery shelves across the room. Every dessert taste is as good as it looks. I had tiramisu. At the end of the meal, the owner Antonia walked over and chatted with each table for a few minutes. She shared that owns another restaurant but this is her new project. She works in a team of co-owners who pour their hearts and souls into the project. It shows. I recommend going here.

Had a night to kill in San Diego and tried Rovino's. I had a skirt steak cooked perfectly served with their spin on a chimichuri sauce. Very flavorful. A good wine list with more Sicilian wines than I've run across in a US restaurant. The caveat i would add is that the meal was served on a cutting board. While this meant for a great looking presentation, I had trouble corralling my roasted carrots(which were also cooked perfectly}. All in all I recommend Rovino's for a good, satisfying experience.

Was looking for a very good Italian restaurant in San Diego's Little Italy while avoiding the many mediocre, tourist traps on India Street (aka Gaslamp North)....found one in RoVino. Located on Kettner Blvd, across the street from Kettner Exchange away from the know less tourists and restaurants that cater to them. RoVino offers indoor and outdoor dining. I ordered the focaccia and Bolognese pasta. The bolognese sauce was excellent with a sweet, pungent flavor and the noodles were perfectly cooked. Added a nice glass of Valpolicella at a very reasonable $12 per glass. Thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Mentioned that to one of the managers who proceeded to comp me a tiramisu. Would definitely return.

Had a delicious dinner: salad had a nice light dressing, the flatbread was delicious and our entrees were fabulous. Tiramisu and lemon cheesecake to die for. We didn’t have a reservation so we ate at the bar. So fun! Delightful waiters and talked with the owners. Highly recommend

We visited Rovino during summer vacation and had a memorable experience. We especially enjoyed our table visit from Antonia, whom we would have loved to have her stay longer and share another glass of wine with us. The service was on point and not a detail was overlooked. Choosing pasta or chicken was tough but you couldn’t go wrong with either choice. Everyone in our party loved their entree but we all saved room for dessert. I recommended Rovino to several friends that also had wonderful experiences there and thanked us for the tip. We plan on returning to Rovino during our Thanksgiving visit to San Diego. As a matter of fact, we will always make Rovino a stop on our San Diego trips.

Yet again, a wonderful dining experience at RoVino!!! This most recent dinner here validates their consistent quality of food, presentation, excellent attentiveness and service throughout. Having dined here at least four times, I can attest to their uniformity and reliability. This past week, a group of six of us dined together, and shared many starters....first their "Special Antipasto" flatbread, not listed on the menu, which consisted of artichoke hearts, Sicilian and black olives, fried eggplant, tomatoes, and Romano cheese. Delicious, and everyone savored every bite!! We then shared the Eggplant Rollatini, which I've had before and loved as well. Rich tomato sauces atop the eggplant. Next up for the starters were the Calamari and Arancini. The calamari were both the ring and the tentacles, served with a densely flavored tomato sauce. While I normally do not order Arancini, as I haven't been impressed with them elsewhere, these were outstanding!! These Sicilian Rice Balls are made with meat and cheese, and we were fighting amongst ourselves who would devour the last bites! While most of the table ordered items that I've had and enjoyed before, including the famous hearty Lasagna, $18 and Pasta al Sugo, $22, other items ordered by the table included Bistecca, $24, Pollo Arossto, for which the restaurant is known, $22, and the Grand plate of Mixed Grill, $35 (really enough for two, or three). We shared bites, and we argued with each other which was our favorite, they were all so good. For desserts, I previously made a special request of Tom, one of the owners, to have the special Baked Cassata available, as I truly love this semi-sweet and moist cake, and wanted to share with my friends. In addition to the two slices for the table, we also ordered cannoli, Boston Cream cake, and their unique Strawberry Prosecco cake. Not surprisingly, there were no desserts unfinished. We shared two glasses of their # 22 Visciole Cherry infused sweet red wine. Visciole (a.k.a. Morello) cherries are naturally tart cherries from southern Italy were a perfect complement to our dessert. A most memorable dinner and everyone exclaimed this is their new favorite Italian restaurant in Little Italy.

Walked up off the street, seated outside and great attention from the team. The grilled Artichoke Appetizer was very good...the Olive Tapenade and Lemon Aioli were great complements Ice Berg Wedge Salad was well presented...we enjoyed the Lemon Aioli as a dressing Pasta Bolognese was the entre' of choice. Well seasoned and nice lunch size portion. This was a pleasant lunch on a beautiful Smile Diego afternoon

Loved my grilled Branzino - cooked to perfection and spiced with lemon thyme with the most yummy orzo. Not to be missed if you like fish. Two of the men split the frilled meat platter - the chicken was so moist and they loved their selection. Lasagna was good and our GFers LOVED the pasta they made and the flatbread was GF. The crust was awesome. They also offered GF bread. The owner appeared and was conscientious about our satisfaction. Wine was good and VERY affordable. Ordered the Barbera (around $55) and the Montepulciano. Very happy with selections. Alfred was our waiter and was very attentive. All around a very nice experience that we went back a second time. I did not like the chicken ravioli (I think that's what it was) - very rich with lots of cheese and I couldn't find or taste the chicken. I would definitely go back here again. Top: Go to Craft and Commerce first for a cocktail and walk the 4 blocks to Rovino. Make a reservation at Rovino for sure. The banquette table near the bar is nice but you can also sit outside.Aren't I helpful??!!

Unfortunately, the restaurant is located downtown near a parking lot where homeless have a spot to use as a restroom. The area smelled like urine and after pointing it out to the staff they cleaned up as best they could. In reality, I'm guessing this is not the first time this has happened and the staff should be on the lookout so the customer does not have to bring it to their attention. We had a party of 10 so we kept the reservation knowing it would be impossible to find another restaurant on such short notice. The food and service were both good. The location and overall experience could be better.

My family has dined at Rovino twice since it's opening and the food and service have been excellent. The rotisserie chicken was moist and tender, the Porchetta, ( pork roast),which my wife loved, was perfectly cooked. and I would highly recommend our Arancini appetizer, ( fried rice balls filled with ground beef, peas and cheese). My family have tried four pastas, Sugu,( Traditional tomato) Bolognese, (meat sauce), Siciliana, ( sauteed eggplant) and the short rib pasta, which were all authentic. Being of Sicilian heritage, I've eaten many cannoli's during my lifetime, from Italy, Sicily, New York and Boston's famous Mike's Pastry, however the cannoli I ate at Rovino, might be the best I've tasted. The restaurant is small and seats less than 50 guests, including it's outdoor sidewalk seating, so wait times can be long on weekend nights, however I liked it's intimate setting and the decor was beautifully designed. Rovino is reasonably priced , delicious and a great addition to San Diego's Downtown and Little Italy's restaurant communities.

Made reservations to this quaint place. The staff greeted us well. However, we have had MUCH better dinner experiences at other places in Little Italy for the same price point. The Caesar salad was a little sparse, the bread was served cold and dry, and the Lasagna was bland and mushy. The hazelnut dessert was very good though. Overall, given the choice, I would recommend other restaurants over this one.

I was in town for business and my colleague and I came here for lunch as it was close to our hotel (HGI). I have a wheat allergy and had a GF pizza and it was so dang good, I'm pretty sure I checked about 4 times to make sure that I was actually eating a GF crust and not a regular one. We took our entire work group (5 of us) the next day for lunch and we were all super impressed. I went with the GF pizza again because it was that good, and the rest of the group had pizza and salads and everyone raved about it. It's a small restaurant, but so charming and decorated well. Service was good and all the employees were super friendly. Great spot for a great meal!

I went out to lunch with some friends, and one of them suggested RoVino. I am Italian and very picky about my Italian restaurants, but after taking a look at the menu decided it was worth a try. We were greeted warmly and seated at our chosen table. The waiter was very solicitous and brought our drinks immediately. The owner also came out to greet us. We shared several appetizers and entrees. My favorite were the roasted Brussels sprouts and the lasagne. The service was impeccable and the food truly excellent: flavorful but not too heavy or greasy, the sin of many Italian restaurants. I declined the dessert but my friends had cannoli, cheese cake and tiramisu and they all loved it. We definitely will be back.

Our friends read something online that said how amazing some of their desserts were so we decided to stop here after eating elsewhere just for dessert. Between the 4 of us we orderd 5 of them. Overall I would say that they were decent. Our favorite was the cannoli cake.

A beautiful end to a great evening with friends. We ordered the aranchini balls, which were amazing, as a starter, some fabulous redone, and a mix of pastas and flatbreads. It did not disappoint . Cosmo and Katherine gave outstanding service. A lovely relaxed evening, thank you . San Diego lived up to expectations

The restaurant is relatively new. We had lunch there and the food was fresh, the service was top notch and the price was right. I had the marinated half chicken with vegetables and it was cooked perfectly. My colleagues had salads or sandwiches which were great. The portions are ample!