Pierluigi — Restaurant in Rome

A Disappointing Experience That Fell Far Below Expectations

I’ve been visiting Rome regularly for over ten years and have enjoyed everything from local trattorias to Michelin-starred gems. Sadly, this recent visit was one of the worst dining experiences I’ve had in the city, and it was made all the more disappointing because it came from a supposedly fine dining establishment.

My father, uncle, and I arrived for our reservation directly after a day of sightseeing. Admittedly, we were in casual day clothes and perhaps not dressed to match the restaurant’s formality. But from the moment we were shown to our table, it was clear the staff had already judged us. We were seated in a high-traffic walkway, and my father’s chair was repeatedly bumped and kicked, without apology or acknowledgment.

Service throughout the evening was cold and perfunctory. The sommelier was particularly dismissive, offering no explanation for his wine recommendation despite our interest in understanding his selection. It felt like we were being rushed through the entire experience, as though our presence was unwelcome and the staff were keen to turn the table as quickly as possible.

To the restaurant’s credit, the food was beautifully plated. However, the flavour combinations were confused and did not live up to the visual promise. Texture, balance, and taste were lacking across the board. For a restaurant of this calibre, it simply wasn’t good enough.

It’s important to stress that the cost wasn’t the issue. We were more than happy to pay a premium for great food, service, and atmosphere. What left a sour taste was how evidently we were treated based on our appearance, rather than as valued guests.

If you’re considering dining here, be aware: appearances matter more to this establishment than hospitality. Unless you’re dressed the part, don’t expect warmth, service, or culinary finesse. There are far better restaurants in Rome that will treat you with respect, serve exceptional food, and provide a memorable evening, regardless of...

Disappointing. Probably the best word to sum it up. From reading a lot of reviews this place has lost its lustre, and it is hard to argue.

The restaurant we were looking forward to most in our trip was equally the most frustrating for a variety of reasons. Firstly, whilst not bad, the service was brisk, indifferent, and lacking in any warmth or passion for the restaurant. Felt very much like you were on factory line. Secondly, the food itself fell flat. For a restaurant with a seafood speciality it was highly disappointing. The langoustines I had to start with were mildly undercooked, and did not feel particularly tasty either. The John Dory for the main was cooked as the chef recommended and was ok, but nothing more. Thirdly, I had ordered a local wine for the main, and at €60 it was among a plethora of wines at a similar price across the menu (min was €40, plenty from €40-80 plus lots of more higher end ones too) but the sommelier seemed offended I did not seek his advice - largely because we were just after a specific white to share with our food and didn't want to burst the wallet. The wine was fine, the disdain was not.

Finally, and this is the kicker, the cost of the meal was €400 - which is absolutely fine, but the bulk of the cost was split on the cost of the John Dory and Langoustines. €15 per 100g for Langoustines and €12 per 100g for John Dory was absolutely fine, however if you are telling me that the 2 langoustines I ate weighed 300g and the John Dory we shared between 2 weighed 1.3kg which the €48 and €156 charges implied, then I am in the wrong game.

Absolutely no problem with spending decent money on good food, and this is pretty standard for a meal in London these days, but this felt very much like it was an opaque tourist tax applied and the quality of the cooking, lack of warmth in the service, and general atmosphere made it definitely not worth the money. Plenty of better places to eat, which we did, in this...

This restaurant was recommended by a friend who lives in Rome since 20 years. I am working in the wine business and I have been with my family in the best restaurants all over the world, from small little restaurants to most of the 3 stars Michelin restaurants. So, I know what good food and good service is and clearly this restaurant was one of my worth experience! Let me explain you why: When I called 4 days ago to book a table, the lady said that they were fully booked on Sunday night but she managed to get a table at 7.30PM for us. When we arrived, the restaurant, inside, was half full and when we left at 9.15PM, it was still half full...Already a lie! We got a table of 4 people inside the restaurant and the service was horrible! We felt so uncomfortable and not welcome at all! - The head sommelier was looking at us like "Why are you taking you so long on the wine list".... Sorry, We are in the wine business and like to spend some time on the wine list to see what they have (it's always super interesting to see a wine selection). When we decided on the wine bottles, they didn't have it anymore and he came back with another older vintages (to trap us like tourists). So we told him that we would make another wine selection and we looked so upset, stubborn and angry! When we mentioned our food selection, the waiter said to us "that's it.... you are not taking more that this". We said to him that we were not hungry but to be honest, we were upset and almost felt like living this restaurant. At the end of the diner, we asked for the check and the waiter said "would you like to tip charged on your credit card or cash"? How can even asked us about a tip when the service was awful, cold, unfriendly and not welcomed???? if you are foreigners like us, visiting Rome, please don't go to this place where they treat...