Macelleria Roma — Restaurant in Mexico City

Really a marginal experience. They seated us in the lackluster upstairs dining room. Walls were bare and the music was too loud, giving it more of a frat house vibe than an upscale Italian restaurant.

We ordered the risotto shrimp bites as an appetizer and they were good but nothing to write home about. The bottle of wine we ordered was Peninsula red from Valle de Guadalupe. I know Guadalupe is Mexico’s premier wine region, but it is not known for great wine when compared to regions such as France or Napa, so my bar was not set high. Upon uncorking, the cork began to disintegrate to no fault of the waiter’s. However, my remedial understanding of wine is that a cork that easily falls apart is a quick indication of a bad bottle of wine. Surely the waiter would know this - Apparently he didn’t. I didn’t say anything and the wine was as expected - mediocre.

Moving on, the main course was certain to be excellent, it has 4.5 stars. I ordered the Pappardelle Marcelleria. Presentation was lackluster, but it had to be bursting with flavor. The pasta was al dente, but some of the dish was cold upon my first bite! “Did they microwave it?” I thought. Alas, the meal was cheaper than marginal Italian would have been in the states, but I was still bummed.

Don’t let this review make you think Mexico City is only for Mexican fare. We had a delicious bowl of ramen the evening prior, but we did indeed find that Mexican food and flavors shined during our...

Some of the worst service I’ve ever received. Made a reservation for 9:30 and was there in time. Not seated til 10:10 because the manager/captain kept giving tables to his friends. We also reserved a seat for the outside area and were seated in the absolute back near the kitchen where it was SO hot. No one came to our table for about 10-15 minutes and after several times mentioning it and 10 minutes later, we were moved to a table outside. We mentioned that we would like something, honestly anything, on the house as a sort of apology for the absurd service, and our waiter Omar agreed to give us a bottle of wine on the house, great! Food was solid, especially penne arrabiatta but every step of the service was poor, it’s like I had to train the staff. Finally, when the check comes, nothing is taken off the bill. I explain to the manager all the issues we had and said we wanted something off and he just looks at me and goes “why??” At that point it was kinda funny. He agreed to take 20% off the bill, okay. Then, when I decided to be nice and give a decent tip to Omar I asked for change (it would’ve been like a 28% tip otherwise) and he laughed and said no change for me because he has to feed his family and then actually refused to give me change. I was absolutely blown away by this horrendous 2 hour...

Marcellaria Roma has mastered the art of luring you in from the sidewalk. We weren’t looking for creamy pasta spun inside a cheese wheel, but once they started cooking it right on the street the smell did all the convincing. The tables filled quickly, and before we knew it we were seated. Service was genuinely attentive, the atmosphere comfortable without trying too hard, and the presentation of the pasta show on the street is clever marketing at its best.

The food itself was a mixed bag. The pasta was exactly what you expect when you see the wheel trick—decadent, rich, and heavy—but it leaned too far into buttery richness, even for a dish that’s supposed to be indulgent. It didn’t have the balance or subtle lift that could make a heavy pasta dish feel worth every bite. That said, we added prosciutto to one of the pastas, and the quality of the meat was excellent. It elevated the dish noticeably, turning what felt like a three-star food experience into a four-star one.

In the end, you get what you came for. If you want creamy wheel pasta made with flair in the middle of the street, this is the spot. It’s good, not great, but the experience itself is fun enough to be...