il Baretto Rome — Restaurant in Rome

Beware of This Tourist Trap Near The Vatican!

As an eager traveler, it's always disappointing when an anticipated dining experience falls flat. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened at this restaurant! My experience was so bad that I feel compelled to warn fellow tourists, particularly those from Asia.

From the moment I arrived, I was treated differently. The waiter took an unusual interest in my origins, asking repeatedly where I was from, creating a rather uncomfortable atmosphere.

The food, to put it bluntly, was subpar. But the real kicker came when the bill arrived. A 10% service fee was already included, which I paid without a fuss. However, upon receiving my change, I noticed that the waiter had kept an extra €5 for himself, insisting it was for a tip.

When I rejected this, the waiter became increasingly persistent, badgering me about whether I was from Singapore. Despite my attempts to ignore him, the hostility escalated to the point where he followed me out of the restaurant, shouting derogatory comments about Singaporeans.

It's disheartening to think that this establishment might be targeting Asian tourists or any tourists for that matter. Such behavior is not only unacceptable but also off-putting for anyone considering a visit to Rome.

I strongly discourage any tourists from dining at this restaurant. Not only is the service horrendous, but the food is also far from worth the price. Rome prides itself on its status as an international tourist destination, and as such, it should not tolerate such establishments that exploit and disrespect their patrons.

If you're considering a visit to Rome, particularly the Vatican area, I urge you to avoid this restaurant. There are plenty of other establishments that will welcome you with warm Italian hospitality and delicious cuisine. This restaurant, unfortunately, is not...

Worst experience of my life!

You may think I’m exaggerating but let me tell you my story first. We were on our way to the Vatican and our kids (10, 6 and 5) wanted a break so we went into this bar. This was at 2.45pm so it was a quiet time and there was mostly empty tables. On entering my kids saw a gelato counter so myself and the kids opted for gelato. My husband ordered coffee. On receiving our purchases a member of staff approached us and told us the gelatos had to be eaten outside and it was okay for my husband to stay inside with the coffee but myself and the kids had to leave. My husband said we would all leave together when he was finished his coffee. She got quite aggressive and called the manager which resulted in a repeat of the same conversation but he said he would call the police. He returned immediately with an armed police officer (holding a huge gun). In Ireland we do not have armed police, so this officers presence terrified my children and resulted in my 10 year old bursting out crying. This all took place in under 5 minutes. At this stage we took what was remaining of our gelato and left, with our children asking about when we were going to prison. I do want to say the police officer did not approach us and do not know what the manager said to him to get him to come into the bar but his presence seemed extreme. This was a most terrifying experience for my children and for the staff to do this to small children is disgusting and shameful. I vow that every time my children speak of this experience to review and...

It was a mistake to eat here on the last night in Rome. Before that we used to it in uncrowded, home-like taverns, away from touristic paths, but that night... We were exhausted, hungry and thirsty, so decided to have a bite here.

I ordered piadina, while my GF took tea and tiramisu. The piadina was more like... shawarma with ham and cheese. Or a rolled pancake with ham and cheese. It was dry, so I became even more thirsty. And totally uneatable. I gave up after finishing the first piece. The tea was as hot as hell. It was literally a teabag plus boiling water in a lousy touristic "I ❤️ Roma" mug. We had to just sit and wait while it cool a little. The tiramisu was probably ok, but my GF didn't finish it and I neither liked it (though I do not like tiramisu in general).

Totally ruined my impression about italian cuisine. And, I want to admit, the whole street (Via della Conciliazione) is full of such "tourist traps" that have low-quality food and service at...