Il Colosseo — Restaurant in County Westmeath

Claimed as best Italian food in town however I would say thats overrated. Went to celebrate special ocassion with wife & kids. Panna Kota(desert) and bruchetta was best part. Veg pizza was average and Margareta for kids was real challenge to bite. Stone hard for kids that we ended up ordering additional pasta to fill up. Service was average and perhaps due to busy time in December. French fries were so little my kids played counting it. I don't mind quantity since it varies with place.

Here comes the main part for my 1 star that bothered me - staff asked how did we like the food and I shared feedback about Margareta(along with other good food). Felt they ask for feedback just to listen fantastic. Couldn't even listen we didn't like pizza and arrogantly repeated -we make best pizza in town. If it was hard, that's how we make it and that's how pizza gets baked. Moment they made us feel like we ate pizza first time.

Ambience is nice and I have had good food here in past too and usually go there on ocassions. Probably not next, where feedbacks are not valued and attitude is arrogant. Rest all best things get aside...

Myself and my husband went for dinner tonight, brought drinks up form the bar and we were questioned, were they to be put on the bill. Meal started off with starters which were fine no faults. Then to the main I ordered a fish dish which I've had many times before, the waiter said he knew which one I wanted.....ten mins later out came a dish I'd never seen nor had before. Another waiter came I explained and said he KNEW WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR, low and behold out comes another dish and yes the wrong one again all this time the husband's food was under a grill being kept warm only to come back to him cold....medium rear steak under a grill is still being cooked . The manager came the third time after been called which I asked him about the dish I ordered on my to be told it was off the menu ages ago. He told us he would be be back left us sitting for twenty mins, until we went to him we just paid for our wine and starters and left. Very bad customer service tonight. Never had a problem with food here before, it will be awhile before we're back or...

Our "go to" restaurant in Athlone. Some of us have specific dietary requirements, but the chef and the staff have always been able to accommodate our most cumbersome modification requests without an issue (when we learned that our boy is intolerant to dairy, the chef got plant-based cheese and composed a delicious, dairy-free pizza just for him!).

This is also one of the very few places we've been to where, after dining, my coeliac wife has not felt unwell. This goes to show that the chefs really understand allergies, intolerances, cross contamination, etc. Their food in general is great (love their fried salmon!), their wine selection comprehensive and staff knowledgeable.

It can take a bit of time for the food to get prepared, but this is a good thing, as you can be certain the kitchen is not rushing it, taking their time with each modified order, which is paramount for people with allergies. Simply allow 15 minutes extra compared to what you'd normally allow.

Can't see coming anywhere else for the...