Il Marchese - Osteria Mercato Liquori — Restaurant in Rome

Oh gosh where to even start. By far the most disappointing meal we have had during months in Italy.

The carbonara was so salty it was inedible. We left at least 2/3 of the dish uneaten which no one even bothered to ask about. It was particularly noteworthy as the waiter bragged that other places often don’t make carbonara correctly when my friend asked about whether it was a good choice. We asked for a glass of red wine several times that never came. At least three different waiters knew we wanted the wine but we were still unable to get it We were informed there was no white wine by the glass which blows my mind as most of the tables were drinking wine and it’s a very typical request Our plates were slammed on the table with total disregard. The cutlery was placed on the wrong sides of our plates. It’s a very basic thing that normally happens correctly at every restaurant. We would have looked past this on it’s own but combined with everything else it just reemphasized the total incompetence of the wait staff They brag about having one of the largest Amaro selections in the world but gave us attitude about trying to order a glass of Amaro before our food was entirely finished. Keep in mind we had been unable to get water or wine for an hour despite desperately flagging people down and asking them. At that moment we really just wanted any kind of liquid to get the overly salty carbonara flavor out of our mouths. Our first waiter seemed very impatient and then suddenly disappeared for the remainder of the night. Before leaving he told us the kitchen would close soon but it was okay to order dessert at the end. The next waiter we managed to flag down to ask where our missing wine was didn’t seem interested in checking on the wine but instead told us we should have ordered dessert because the kitchen was closing. This was before our main courses had even come The waiter highly recommended the steak. We ordered it medium rare and it came extremely rare which we could have looked past but it was also not properly salted. It came on a tiny plate with raised edges so that it was impossible to cut because the knife couldn’t reach the food. Half of the tiny steak plate was covered in iceberg lettuce with no seasoning or oil and vinegar offered The wait staff spent the entire meal loudly preparing silverware and plates for the following day while ignoring our need for water, wine, salt, etc. One person expressed that they wanted dessert but the waiter was too busy correcting us for wanting Amaro too early in the meal to even hear or follow up on it When we complained after paying that the meal was extremely disappointing, the wait staff giggled audibly for several minutes before coming back and offering a paltry €10 in cash back when we clearly had tons of uneaten food and numerous other complaints I literally had to go to the bar to ask for the check since our waiter had left the restaurant after our appetizers and there was no...

I’ll preface this review by saying that the food was great and really enjoyed everything that we ate, but everything else left a lot to be desired.

We were quickly shown to a table but didn’t receive food menus — instead very expensive aperitivi menu (Aperol spritzes at €13 the cheapest — nothing against that, just for context). Waiter came over and asked if we wanted anything. Seemed like we had to order a drink before getting any food menus so we asked for wine menu; took a few minutes to come. Ordered a Verdicchio (I know a fair bit about Italian wine and know this to be a good one). Priced at €28 — one of the cheapest ones but, hey, we’re on a bit of a budget and forking out at this more expensive restaurant for our final night in Rome. Told that the Verdicchio is finished; they bring over a Greco di Tufo as an alternative. I know that Greco is a more expensive one but don’t think much of it. They assure me that it’s very similar (as we learn, not in price). Anyway, ultimately we found out that this is a €40 bottle of wine (€12 more expensive than what we originally ordered — enough difference to raise concern I would think, especially when that wasn’t communicated to us). Then finally, the food menus come over.

Food comes — all good; pasta very nice and tiramisu equally good. But then the bill arrives, it comes armed with a lady and a card machine and I don’t have much time to look at it before the machine is pushed towards me. Assume all is ok (as it usually is), and a quick glance at the menu tells me the wine is more expensive than we ordered (but I had already feared that and it was really nice so happy to pay the extra). Pay the bill, over €100 for 2 people. Look back at the bill (and I’ll admit this is my bad for not checking sooner) but learn that they have charged us €4 for water despite us telling them 3 times we don’t want it, and €3.50 each for some bread that was automatically given to us at the beginning. A shame really.

Looking back, stuff I could have avoided. But it felt like too nice of a restaurant to raise a fuss at the time, and it was over so quickly that I hadn’t even realised I was paying almost €20 extra. Food was really good though, so just left the restaurant feeling annoyed that our experience was soured in other ways. Hopefully this can be remedied somehow and avoid happening again...

A True Roman Gem – Where Tradition Meets Elevated Dining We were referred to IL MARCHESE by a charming little bar across from the Forum called Angelina, who told us it was the most authentic Roman dining experience in the city. They weren’t wrong. From the moment we arrived, our evening was perfectly curated by our incredible waiter, Fabrizio.

This wasn’t the typical “let me tell you what you should have” approach. Instead, Fabrizio engaged us in a genuine conversation about what we were in the mood for, then effortlessly crafted a five-course journey — each dish paired with the perfect cocktail or wine. His recommendations struck the ideal balance between tradition and creativity, delivering an epic gastronomic experience from start to finish.

The atmosphere at IL MARCHESE is inspired by the film Il Marchese del Grillo, blending the soul of a classic Roman tavern — warm, simple, and true to its roots — with the elegance of a noble’s salon and a cocktail bar that could hold its own anywhere in the world. Every detail, from the ingredient quality to the presentation, reflects a love for both authenticity and refinement.

In a funny twist, another couple from our cruise (who had ended up just 150 feet away from us earlier that day) was seated right next to us. They had also been referred — by a completely different local tour guide! Clearly, the locals know this is the place to go.

If you see a one-star review, take it with a grain of salt — some people simply don’t understand how to savor a meal like this. IL MARCHESE isn’t just dinner; it’s an experience. And if you’re lucky enough to have Fabrizio guiding you, prepare for one of the most memorable meals of your life for a very reasonable price! Get ready to indulge in what the Italian is called Scarpitta meaning to mop...