Ristorante Calliope — Restaurant in Rome

I want to start by saying that my family and I had every intention of giving this place 5 stars... The food was great. The prices were reasonable. The staff was friendly. The atmosphere was nice. The restaurant looks nice and the restrooms are very clean. My family and I are here for a week and even discussed that we should just eat here every night, it's right up the street from our AirBNB which would be perfect to dine at each evening after a long day of visiting the city. Upon arrival, we were treated with a glass of complimentary sparking wine, and then we were given a tasty little deep-fried snack before our meal. I kept saying wow this place is nice. Then our food came, it was very tasty. We all loved our dishes. Bread was also served with our dinner. We were quite full when we finished. We did not want dessert but everything was so good and the staff was great so we decided to order it to go even though the price seemed a little high compared to most places. So after all of that, why would I rate this place only 3 stars..... I am a firm believer in honesty and integrity. After I received the check, I felt deceived. The bread they served with the dinner, we were charged 8 Euros for... see Pane in the attached picture. We were not asked for this it was just brought out, so we assumed it came with the meal. Also, the water Aqua. I had asked for a bottle of water but was charged for 2. I didn't quite catch it until I replayed it in my head. When they brought out the water, they poured our glasses for us, and he walked away. Our glasses were not even half full. He returned and put the bottle on the table. My wife had a few sips of her water, and it was empty . When she went to fill her glass, I noticed the water bottle looked quite full. I figured it was because they barely filled our glasses. I think what really happened was they filled each glass only half full then brought out a new bottle, which is why we were charged for 2. When I asked about the 8 Euro charge for Pane, the waiter said it was a service charge, but clearly, after translation, it is for bread. And they claim we had 2 bottles of water.... so be it. I would have easily purchased 2-3 bottles of water. We had spent the previous week in Venice, and we know this is the norm, and we drink a lot of water. But to sneak it in is not called for. Same with the bread or service charge, whatever you want to call it. I would have paid for bread. And I would have tipped well more than 8 Euro. My advice to the owner.... You don't have to pull this stuff to make a few extra euros. Your food tastes well and you can easily charge a few more Euro for the meals. No one would complain. The Tiramisu is slightly overpriced, and the Tortino Cioccolata is a very small portion for 7 Euro. Adjust the prices down for the desserts and increase the price of your meals. Get rid of the service/bread charge and just ask your guests if they would like another water... No one is going to drink just one bottle and will say yes to another bottle. Oh, and 5 Euro for a Coke? That is my fault as I didn't even look at the menu for that, but just about every place in Venice and Rome charge 3-4 Euro for that. Again, the food was great, but I won't be eating here again for the remainder...

Absolutely spectacular! Every plate was gorgeous - beautifully and creatively plated with colorful fresh foods. Each course was delicious and perfectly cooked and seasoned. We were each given a complimentary amuse bouche to start and limoncello at the end of our meal, which was a nice touch. Our server was very nice and attentive and spoke English. We went with his recommendations and got the octopus carpaccio starter, prawn and pistachio pasta first course, and grilled squid second course and shared them between the two of us. The octopus was fantastic and came with a delicious bread assortment. The pasta was very good, with a smear of squid ink for plating color you can choose the blend into the sauce for more intense flavor. But the highlight was the grilled squid, which was so tender and delicious in its simplicity with a squeeze of lemon and perfect level of saltiness that I could've eaten another plate. It was all satisfying, but not overly filling, and we had room for coffee (good) and shared a dessert. The pistachio semifreddo was TO DIE FOR. I would've licked the plate if there were less people there, and I definitely ate more than my half! I can't think of a dessert in recent memory that I've enjoyed more. Not too sweet, perfect texture blend with the semifreddo, chopped nuts, and fresh whipped cream... Heavenly. The restaurant wasn't crowded at about 7:30pm. It had lovely linens and upscale table settings and glassware. Our waiter sat us in a quiet place behind a partition that created a romantic setting for my husband and I, and other couples were at similar small tables in quieter surroundings, but there were also families enjoying a relaxed evening meal. The prices were very affordable for high quality food. The menu had English descriptions and options divided by land and sea, which worked well for me as a pescatarian. There were some meatless options on the land side. Altogether an absolutely lovely meal that I would go back for regularly if I lived here....

Wonderful culinary gem off the beaten path (most clients are Romans). My family were in Rome, Naples/Pompeii and Florence for 10 days and ate in many places. This was our family run "dinner spot" night after night and we were never disappointed! When we arrived in Rome, we needed a few hours before our apartment was ready and Giovanni helped us grab our luggage and put it in the restaurant for a late lunch and was very considerate and helpful. The family whom we all came to know is warm, welcoming and wonderful to experience. Remembering our favorites and wine choices almost immediately. The food was exceptional with the chef taking particular interest in local meats and produce. Nightly specials were all market-fresh from the seasonal porcini mushrooms to the lobster pasta and fresh fish choices. Everything on the menu is wonderful, cooked to perfection and presented aesthetically pleasing and professionally. The atmosphere is clean and organized inside and out. The artichoke "Jewish style" was a nightly favorite as was the gnocchi. The meats are perfectly cooked and flavorful and the grilled calamari or the mixed fried seafood plate are wonderful choices. There are usually some complimentary prosecco or appetizers depending on the chef's choice of the day - and of course, limoncello after dinner. Do your traveling party a favor - and get to this place once or twice (or more!) You will NOT be disappointed and will enjoy authentic Roman cuisine. Thank you Calliope for consistent, top-quality cuisine in a great...