Roman's Reviews

4.3

476 of 7,064 Restaurants in Brooklyn


Reviews

Stunning Sunday Brunch

By FFV_EDWARD_III |

My wife and I had a wonderful Sunday brunch with family at Roman’s. The service was attentive and on the mark throughout the meal. The food was absolutely delicious. My wife had the ricotta-stuffed French toast and I had the egg sandwich with sausage. The other family members at the table thoroughly enjoyed their brunch selections. If you’re in Brooklyn, be sure to try Roman’s for lunch, brunch or dinner - you won’t be disappointed.

Retro vintage quirky restaurant/bar

By David B |

Roman's is situated amongst the bohemian area of Brooklyn. We had the chefs daily set menu which was awesome. Relatively expensive but quality is excellent. Service was superb, staff highly knowledgeable of the food and wine. Highly recommended.

great date spot

By Dave W |

Roman's has an eclectic menu which is always changing. The atmosphere is fun, the servers are friendly, the bar is cozy, and the food is delicious! Plus it's right on the main drag in Fort Green. A very cool spot. I highly recommend Roman's.

waited forever

By eamoo m |

went with at 5pm, so not a busy time. we ordered a pasta dish, and waited 1 hour to get the food- i could have made that dish in 10 mins max, its pasta! and a pre made sauce. very expensive average tasting dish.when i go to a nice restaurant, i expect food that i enjoy and am glad im at a restaurant-sadly itb tasted so boring, i wished i stayed at home.

Great local spot

By Tita Elvie |

Great local spot. Every visit, it is perfection. Never had a bad meal here. The service is always great too. It is a great place for a date, with family or friends.

We love Romans!

By Amari A |

Phenomenal meal, thoughtful staff, lovely ambiance! Every bite and sip was sensational, with bright flavors that left us feeling inspired and enlightened! Maitre d’ Ryan took care of us and made sure we had a delightful evening at Romans! Will rush back anytime we’re in NYC!

Overall worst place I have been in my life

By Mario_Geo |

I went there with two friends who live nearby and had passed by it many times, thinking it is a cool place. The menu was very small, but I usually like that. Except, the waitor came and started explaining the dishes one by one, describing how the dishes looked like, how they were cooked etc. That might sound nice, but it took him 15 mins to go over all kinds of details, like the fact that the carrots in the salad were peeled off at room temperature!!! Then, things start arriving, and portions are really tiny. A salad with beets and orages had 5 pieces of beets and 5 pieces of orange. and it cost 18$!! So ok, you pay a lot, portions are tiny, so one would expect them to be delicious. But no!! To our great surprise, nothing was tasty! Overall, it is the worst eating experience in my life. I hope our experience was an exception, but I do not really see how it could have been one... I would only reccomend it to people I really hate.

Great location

By Elizabeth K |

My friend and I randomly picked this place to have a beer after checking out the Brooklyn Flea (it had a sidewalk table available). I can't speak to the food, and the beer selection was kind of limited, but the people were friendly and the location is fantastic! We saw a celebrity chef walk right past us (his face is all over ads in the NY subway), and a Very Famous Actor went into the restaurant for dinner! (I casually scoped him out when I went inside to settle our bill.) So it seems to be a great spot for people watching and potential celebrity sighting, if you're into that kind of thing.

Exquisite Dinner...

By T-KYLR |

Looking from the outside you couldn't guess what a wonderful atmosphere you will find once you enter. Maybe the only aspect that renders criticism is this poor image. Food is excellent, atmosphere is very inviting, service is good, staff is very professional. Prices are reasonable. Ideal for young couples who want to have an exquisite dinner in a romantic and friendly atmosphere.

it doesn't get better than this - unless you're flying to Rome

By Robert Flynt |

Probably our favorite restaurant in ALL of NYC - and we don't even live in Brooklyn! Consistently inventive and delicious without the pretension and attitude that one so frequently has to put up with in this town in order to get a good meal. Charismatic, friendly, and deeply knowledgable staff, committed to using only the freshest and local-ist ingredients to craft a small ever-changing menu where you can almost never go wrong. Not a "traditional" italian by any stretch of the imagination, but in many ways truer to the Italian way of creating and serving a meal than restaurants that are serving more verifiably "traditional" meals. Please do not tell everyone about this place - it is hard enough to get in now as it is - and they don't take reservations. To be honest, there is a noise problem here - at least for those of us over 50 - it is all hard surfaces so it can get quite cacophonous - probably best to avoid on weekends if that matters to you. Sitting at the bar, oddly - is often the best bet.

Delicious

By Thomasjubb |

We stumbled upon Romans whilst walking around Brooklyn. We had just landed and needed food and this place was buzzing. We grabbed a table at the back and were taken through the menu as it was rather abstract. We went with the waiter's recommendation of BRACIOLA which was amazing - very rich and flavoursome - so good. We also had a side of corn with roasted prosciutto which was also amazing. Deserts of roasted peached with vanilla ice cream and salted chocolate ice cream was almost too much to take (they were that good). All wrapped up with a wonderful fig cocktail - perfect!

I love simple menus!

By BrightonJapes |

We arrived a bit late, but luckily they had a table (given they take no bookings). The place was still quite full, though, at 9pm on a Sunday. It had a good feel about it - I bet most of the customers were locals enjoying a Sunday night out. The staff were great. Our waitress knew everything about all the dishes. As per my headline, it's a nice simple menu, which I like. Do a few dishes well rather than loads averagely. The highlight for me was the anelli with clams and lentils - the flavour was amazing. My friend had the prosciutto cotto, which was tender and tasty. It came with a gorgeous fried bread. Pudding was simple; one choice, a salted chocolate sorbet. We went for one between two, and that was the right decision. A proper espresso to finish a very pleasant evening. One thing - the wine was a bit pricey. Go for the food and the atmosphere.

Nontraditional Italian

By LadyGoldilocks |

Every dish was freshly prepared with unusual ingredients and the homemade pasta was perfectly al dente! We were dining with friends and unfortunately the place is quite noisy, so we had to shout at each other.

Meh

By John G |

Trendy Italian with good food but was not rushing back. The menu was limited and while the service was very good I didn't find anything that memorable so i can't rave about it. Others seem to love it however so maybe I have a off night.

Best Restaurant in Brooklyn

By Vilasinee |

This is my all time favorite restaurants because it has it all - great food, changing menu (daily), great bar/cocktails, great ambiance, great staff. The food here never disappoints - the chef puts great care into every dish and the owner knows the formula for the perfect restaurant that brings you back time after time.

Fabulous night out!

By JilliandeCartier |

I was in Brooklyn over the holidays with my husband, another couple and 6 teenagers. We rented an Airbnb house in Brooklyn - Fort Greene. We dined out with the kids most nights but one night we decided to leave them at the house and go out. The owner of our house had suggested Roman's as a great restaurant to visit so we went there. We walked in and it was full. The host Tom was very friendly and made sure we didn't walk out the door by offering us a drink and some hope that it wouldn't be too long. He offered to text us if we wanted to go down the street for a drink but the vibe was so fun that i had no desire to leave even if we had to stand and wait with a drink. It's not a big place, nothing too memorable about the decor but it was cozy and social and a very cool vibe. The wait was not long at all and we had a great waiter who was fun and friendly as well. The food was all very delicious and slightly unusual. The cocktails were very good as well. Portions are not huge but sufficient in size. We had some things we normally wouldn't have tried which was fun. Would definitely recommend this place, especially if you like lively small rooms with a very uptown feel.

Best Restaurant

By Vilasinee |

This is my neighborhood restaurant and I look for every opportunity to go there. Best restaurant of all times - insanely excellent food (menu changes daily, fresh ingredients), amazing cocktails and wine list, staff that's been there a long time, great vibe. Roman's has it all - go with friends, family or on a date.

Great Neighborhood Fresh Italian

By napman |

On our way home my wife and I had an early dinner with my son and his wife who live in Clinton Hills. This is one of their favorite local restaurants and the food did not disappoint. We had a couple of starters including one with ramps, the pasta and a vegetable main course for our vegetarian and a couple of deserts. Since we were driving to Maryland we didn't have wine but the wine policy encourages diners to bring your own wine. We plan to dine here again when we visit Brooklyn.

Top 10 in Brooklyn

By James N |

My wife and I go at least once a month. The food is always fresh. The flavors are always interesting and balanced. We love the servers because they always help us find some good dairy free options. Always a small menu that changes everyday. The kind of place you can try something new or different. Highly recommended. BONUS: one of the best dairy-free desserts of all-time...Mast Brothers' dark chocolate sorbet. Amazing!

Good Service, Meh Food, LOUD

By D.A.Wagner |

This was my first time here with family. I loved the beets, oranges with pistachios appetizer. But it was downhill from there. The farro and snap pea salad was just okay. My pasta with guancale and snap pea was too sweet. My daughter's spaghetti with chicken liver, again, too sweet. Total for dinner with drinks was $275 with tip. Way too much for not so great food. The big surprise was, when I looked up Romans on Yelp, the ratings are considerably lower. In the past 4 years, they have never broken an average rating of 4 and have spent a lot of time rated at a 3. I expected better. This is just another one of those loud restaurants where I can't hear my dinner mates without asking, "what?" all the time. If the food was better, I might not have cared about the noise.

Lovely and tasty restaurant

By ehebertdaly |

Very fresh, tasty and innovative twists on Italian food. Sharing plates is common. We had a great time. The place is small, so reserve or be prepared to wait/share a table or sit at the bar.

Wow!

By winnie |

My son and I ate there and I was so impressed! We had the warm olives as an appetizer. Really good. Cocktails were yummy; the server went the extra mile to find just the right ingredients for mine. Our entrees were also delicious: ravioli in broth and a pasta dish. Not a huge menu, but with quality like this, who cares? Highly recommended.

Another gem on DeKalb avenue

By mh-bklyn |

When strolling DeKalb on a warm evening be sure to grab a table outside at Roman's -- the fresh food, preparation and presentation will make it a dinner to remember.

Get there early!

By displaycase |

A group of 4 of us got to Romans 530 on a Sunday and luckily got a table right away. We ordered family style: a couple of salads/vegetables, pasta, and main entrees. The noteworthy ones were the little gems (very spring-y) and cod fish served with skin. A cozy must try spot if you are in the neighborhood. And willing to eat early since they don't take reservations

Poor service

By Sean D |

I took my wife of four years to this restaurant, a place I usually love because the food is always delicious. Unfortunately, that is the only positive aspect I can mention. Having worked in the hospitality industry for over 30 years, I can honestly say that poor service is something I absolutely cannot stand. During my career, I always emphasized to my staff that even the best food in the world can't make up for bad service—because if the service is lacking, guest won't come back to experience that food again. On Friday, June 6th, I arrived at 4:30 pm to drop off an anniversary gift, hoping they could bring it out with dessert for my wife. An older lady setting up outside told me rudely that they didn’t open until 5 pm. I understood and said I’d return. When I came back at 5 pm, I spoke with what appeared to be the manager or maître d’, who was pleasant. I left my gift and explained that I would like it brought out with dessert, and that they could choose the dessert. Fast forward to 9:30 pm, and we are seated at our table. Our first server was a lady I remembered from my previous visit, when she was a bartender. We ordered drinks—a glass of wine for my wife and a beer for me. The wine arrived quickly, but my beer took five more minutes. We also ordered olives as an appetizer, which, I am not exaggerating, took a full 30 minutes to arrive. For those unfamiliar with proper timing, appetizers should typically be served within 5-7 minutes, and mains within 10-12 minutes. We then asked the server when our mains would arrive. She explained that the chicken and fish dishes we ordered take longer to prepare. At this point, we had been there for 52 minutes, and still, no mains. I ordered another round of drinks. While my wife’s wine was brought out promptly, I had to wait another five minutes for mine, despite seeing it sitting at the bar. I understand that no restaurant can be perfect every time, but it was disappointing that the staff, knowing it was our anniversary, chose to provide such poor service. As someone who has owned restaurants and managed some of the biggest establishments in NYC, I always made sure our guests knew they were appreciated—whether it was with a glass of champagne, a small gesture, or acknowledgment. It’s not about expecting freebies but about setting your establishment apart. Unfortunately, after mentioning our special day to the server, she did not improve her service. At the end of our meal, she brought out my wife’s gift, but no dessert was offered. Honestly, I don’t see myself returning, and I doubt the owners or managers even care about the experience we had. It’s a shame because this place has was one of my favorites but the poor service marred the entire evening.

A GEM in Brooklyn - or anywhere

By ebean |

Roman's is turning into my go-to for dinners out. The cooking is consistently excellent and the service is attentive and always with kindness. The bread is fantastic and definitely order some warmed olives to start. We haven't had a dish we didn't love - from Pacheri pasta with arugula pesto to a fantastic chicory salad with parm and spectacular octopus on black rice. So many other choices. It's not a huge menu but plenty to pick from and you can share. The wine list is eclectic but that's their thing and they'll help you through the choices. They make an excellent cocktail also. Such a keeper.

Always fresh!!

By Mallory H |

Not your average Italian restaurant! As the menu is never the same, the Chef gives another fresh look of what has to come. All the subtleties that you can find in each plate is just so ahhh!!! A must try.

Not just for hipsters

By Barbara S |

While I am sure that this is a destination restaurant for a certain type of foodie hipster (at least the appearance of the diners suggests that), it is also a great go-to neighborhood place to eat at the bar and enjoy creative cooking paired with thoughtfully selected and unusual wines served by an extremely knowledgeable staff.

Occasion Place

By Suemallory |

This little gem in Brooklyn is one if the finest eateries around. Every night the menu is different, All the food is garden to table fresh and seasonal. The service is as outstanding as the food.There is a full (small in size) bar. Romans is very small so reservations are a must.

great meal

By ann p |

my son lives in greenpoint and suggested this italian restaurant in fort greene. The limited menu changes daily, the wine list is unique and brilliant. we shared every plate--- including two starter pastas, a wonderful appetizer with a poached egg, and superb brined roasted half chicken + kale that easily fed 3 people. i think the dessert was an amazing chocolate sorbet--house-made. i used to cook in my own restaurant---these folks really know what they are doing. check them out.

Fresh, local ingredients everyday

By Vivian G |

What a wonderful meal! The staff is great at guiding you through the menu which is helpful as it changes daily. I recommend eating family style here. We shared several dishes and loved every one.

Wonderful lunch at Roman's

By Cindy S |

Decided to visit the Brooklyn Flea and when we asked a friend where to have lunch they told us to come to Roman's. What a great choice. Very different menu featuring lots of fresh herbs and vegetables. Went with 4 people and since we couldn't decide what to order, we decided to share all the dishes, and they did not disappoint. Would have never expected the diverse and interesting menu from the looks of the place. Truly enjoyed our lunch and cocktails and look forward to returning next time we are in the area.

Excellent food & ambience

By Peroskar |

Enjoyed a phenomenal dinner from start to finish. Through the capable guidance of the staff we enjoyed starters, pasta, wine and dessert, all of which surprised and delighted us. Simple, yet delicious and delicately balanced flavors. 100/100. Oh lord.

Excellent

By Beefy604 |

The restaurant is small/cozy. We like to sit outside. Basic menu changes every day. Food is consistently great and the staff accommodating. Cocktails are well done. One of our favourite spots.

Brilliant food & Friendly Staff

By Roy R |

Dinner at this busy and popular Brooklyn restaurant was a delight! The dishes were interesting, unique and executed to an exquisite perfection. Even a seemingly simple pasta dish was a feast for the tastebuds. The restaurant staff was welcoming, knowledgeable and prompt. The wine pairings were on point and the aperitif and digestif coctails rounded out the evening nicely. Kudos to the chef & staff at Roman's!

Our favorite haunt.

By Angela M |

We live in the neighborhood and go here almost once a week -- it's that delicious. They have a new menu every night and everything they make is amazing. The service is excellent. It can get a little loud and crowded, but if you go early, you can get a table with out waiting. Sometimes we sit outside, but be aware that it's right in front of a bus stop, which is not ideal. But the food is definitely worth the bus fumes!

One of the few places I order chicken out.

By A R M |

Roman's is a great place to let the "mixologists" take you on a tour. The food and drinks are really good. I rarely will order chicken out for a good meal but theirs looked too good to pass up.

Homey, hearty, welcoming

By moschofilero |

I love Roman's. I wish it was in my neighborhood. They have lots of great vegetable dishes, often some kind of melted cheese grooviness, roasted fish and meat - its unfussy and delicious. Only thing I hate here, that's always on the menu, is the salted chocolate sorbet - while I usually love this combination, I find this iteration heavy handed, and they do tend to push it at the end of the meal ( I ordered once, and then had forgotten by the next visit and had it again - just not happening for me!)

Comfortable delicious neighborhood Italian!

By Morris |

I only I wished I lived in the neighborhood where Roman's is located; I would certainly dine there at least once a week if I did. My daughter and son-in-law do live nearby so they frequent Roman's. Every single dish and drink we had was fresh and delicious. Although the menu is limited, if you stay long enough you can probably be lucky enough to enjoy everything on the menu, every dishes is outstanding.

Disappointing, but has potential

By Daniel D |

There were some very good qualities to this restaurant, but it was an overall disappointment. The vibe and the atmosphere were energetic. A great scene! The smells coming from the kitchen foretold of a great meal coming. The first course (fave) bean spread with crusty bread was a good start. Creamy, luscious and nothing short of heaven. I followed that with Paccheri Amatriciana, with the sauce perfectly prepared and with great flavor. However, I only had 7 pieces of paccheri on my plate and at $14 for the dish, that was $2 per microscopic pieces of pasta. Seriously??!! If you are going to serve that small amount, I would switch it to a deep low bowl so it looks like more. I mean this is pasta (cheap to serve) so throw a few more pieces on the plate. The next meal I had was braciola, which I waited for with such anticipation. It was nothing like I had ever had, and wish that I did not ever experienced this version. Usually when I have had it, it is a succulent piece of rolled meat with herbs, cheese and pine nuts. this was an overcooked log of mincemeat that was so dry no matter how much sauce you dredged it in to make it succulent. I could not force it down my throat so I just left it on the plate. The meal, combined with the inattentive service left me wishing that I just continued on and did not stop at this place.

Favorite neigborhood restaurant in Clinton Hill

By Kit |

This is my neighborhood favorite. The best so far along Dekalb and Myrtle. They serve different menu everyday and ingredients are fresh. They have hits and lows. It really depends on individual's pallets. The menu are explained one by one and servers suggest good pairing of wines. We tried by both walking in and with reservations but I suggest do your reservations prior to ensure seating specially if more than two. I love the melon with prosciuttos as appetizer and I loved the pasta with mixed herbs and tomatoes. I do not like the bruschetta and I agree it tasted like a burned toasted bread dipped over an olive oil. The servings are small and main dish costs more than $25 dollars each servings. The place is small but I really like the vibe. Locals do eat here. You can reach Romans through subway C and stop by Clinton-Washington Avenue Station and use exit at Washington Avenue. Walk a block and turn left via DeKalb Avenue.

Italian bistro in the Ft. Greene

By JeanG |

Upscale Italian food with a very intriguing menu, "locally sourced" food, and intriguing wine list along with creative cocktails. Though I and my two companions enjoyed EVERY dish, the noise made conversation difficult. Yes, there is a lot of energy in this small, and perhaps a bit crowded space, but we would definitely return. Expensive.

Stunningly consistent excellent fare

By Al |

OK: so this is our 'go to' place, and has been for three years since we moved near here. Romans is deservedly popular and consistently excellent, although the summer menus are the best. Utterly fabulous salads and - for the adventurous - a rich, salted chocolate dessert. Great wines chosen by the in-house team, frequently including a range of unusual and compelling reds. Daily sweet and sour cocktail. And a fun if noisy vibe. No bookings: you need to wait for a table (and often have to, though they tend to be accurate in their timings of when one will come free). Go try...

Romans

By Alison S |

We had heard good things about this restaurant. It looks very nice and the staff are very friendly. It's a tad pretentious. Small portions on the expensive side. The first course wa ok but the Bruschetta was some sad pieces of burnt toast dipped in garlic olive oil . It wasn't worth eating. The main course was truly awful. A salad with dried crumbs and salt and a ragu which also consisted of salt. A tiny portion. For four of us with wine we paid just under 200 dollars . All I can say is to make good food you need more than a small portion and a high price ,,,,, after all you can't make silk from a sows ear or more to the point, a pork ragu from a salt cellar.

Always interesting

By LittleRicky |

The eclectic menu is never what you think you want but always tasty and imaginative. Never left unsatisfied. The beer selection is not great though.