Amore da Roma — Restaurant in Detroit

I know it's long but they deserve it.

OK, I have to say that I believe there is a big difference between "old school" restaurants and "new school" restaurants. I think both have their own pros and cons. Roma Cafe definitely falls into the "old school" category. The location is near the Detroit eastern market with the old house appearance and as others mentioned, you can almost feel the old gangsters that hung out here years ago. Wouldn't be surprised if there are some secrets in the walls that we will never know, and probably don't want to know. I'm sure you can look up some juicy history on the restaurant.

Approaching the restaurant you will see the red and white striped awnings that make you feel like you have arrived at an traditional Italian restaurant. They offer complimentary valet but you can also park on the street if it's available. On weekends the area gets busy due to the Easter Market. There is a big tradition for some people to head to eastern market for a few hours then over to Roma for dinner and a few cocktails.

The wife and I went on a Saturday for lunch. When we arrived (about 11:30am) there was only a few tables of people there. We used the valet even though there was parking spots close by. It was snowing and I also like to support anything that's complimentary (yes we tip good). We were seated quickly by a nice older woman that probably has worked there for years. Waiter was prompt. We ordered a drink and some waters that the waiter got quickly. All the staff we encountered were very nice and willing to help out in any way possible. I heard they have a free shuttle to the Red Wings game but did not confirm.

Food: When seated you will get good basic Italian bread. It's basically a loaf of round bread sliced in half the long way and they place it crust up so it doesn't get stale quickly. The temperature is cold so I assume its kept in a cold room or fridge. NO it's not the "new school" warm bread sticks with oil and garlic, just good old fashioned Italian bread. Which style is better...depends on the person. I like both. The wife ordered spaghetti with meat sauce and I ordered the Lasagna. Both meals were over $10 and did not come with any soup or salad. That's quite surprising to me. I would think at least a house salad would be provided. There was a couple next to us that was ranting about how good the salad they ORDERED was. We wouldn't know. To be honest we weren't even asked if we wanted a salad or soup. My wife liked her spaghetti and had some to take home. My lasagna came on a hot baking plate, was good size, and had lots of cheese. The meat sauce was good and meat was ground small with no big chunks. The lasagna was what I would think from an old school grandma from an Italian background. There was no fennel, no sausage, and no veggies in the Lasagna. It was noodles, sauce, and cheese... just the way I like it!! I was surprised how fast the meals came. It was less than 5 minutes which to me means it was already in the oven waiting to be served.

We had the Tiramisu for dessert and my wife and I really liked it. I'm not a huge fan of Tiramisu but I couldn't stop eating it myself. We aren't pros at dessert options so not sure how this compares to other Tiramisu.

Go give it a try just remember it's all about the traditional Italian feel in a...

Was very excited to try this restaurant after reading reviews, so I made a Valentine’s Day reservation for my wife and I. Unfortunately, this was such a disappointing experience. First, I’ll say the host and hostess were very friendly and accommodating. The atmosphere is pleasant and unique, and what was expected for one of the oldest restaurants in the city. Our server, I believe his name was Sam, took our drink orders (a Pepsi for my wife and a glass of Pinot Noir for myself) and then we were provided water and bread. A few minutes later he came to get our food order. We ordered their garlic bread to start, gnocchi for my wife, and I ordered their $60 ribeye special. Their entrees come with soup, which my wife tried to politely decline as she usually does. Sam was beyond insistent that she try their soup, and despite saying multiple times that she was not interested he brought her out a cup of it anyway. No big deal, but unnecessary and it was wasted. After a little while, our ENTREES show up at the table. No drinks. No garlic bread. Sam was so concerned about us trying the soup that he forgot to ring in our appetizer (he admitted this). I asked him about our drinks and he blamed the bar, saying they only had one bartender working. I did not see the bar, and I’m sure he could’ve poured a Pepsi and glass of wine if the bartender needed help, but I find it hard to believe that an established restaurant would schedule a single bartender on a busy night like Valentine’s Day. While we waited for our drinks and garlic bread, we got started on the entrees. The ribeye special should not have been close to $60. This steak was slightly better than what a diner would sell. It came with half of a potato. $40 would’ve been too much for this plate. Im not expecting Prime & Proper level steak for $60, but this was a sad looking plate. He quickly came back with our drinks and then brought the garlic bread a few minutes later. Then, I guess as an attempt to make up for it, he brought us a salad that we did not want. Neither of us wanted a salad at that point, and our table was now full of plates, but he would not accept no for an answer. So the salad sat there. Until he came back 10 minutes later and insisted we try it, moving it to the center of the table now. I took a couple of bites just to have him stop. After forgetting to ring in an entire course and bringing us our drinks after the kitchen had time to cook an entire steak, I was expecting something other than a free side salad. Take the drinks off the bill. Or the garlic bread. Or both! Nothing. Our final bill was $110 for a Pepsi, an $11 glass of wine, garlic bread, gnocchi, and an overpriced steak with a piece of potato. Based on the value and service we received tonight, I’ll have a hard time recommending this...

Decided to check out the oldest restaurant in Detroit, Amore Da Roma.

We made reservations for 6pm although we were running a little late due to weather and poor planning on our end. They were super understanding and assured us it was not a problem. The service here is absolutely outstanding! I could not have asked for better hospitality, and Tommy was our amazing server. Everyone here makes you feel so welcome and at home.

Walking in you feel like you stepped back in time. It was simple and cozy. You can’t go wrong with any of their cocktails, I had a Manhattan, and everyone including myself enjoyed their drinks. Prior to our entrees, we all started off with some of the best Minestrone and Roasted Red Pepper Soup I’ve ever had personally.

I decided on the Filet Minion cooked rare, the Lamb Chops cooked medium and Parmesan Encrusted Salmon were ordered by the two next to me which made it very easy to sneak a bite or two of each. The Filet was cooked perfectly, and was solid. No complaints here. The Lamb Chops that my friend ordered medium ended up coming out well done. Our waiter Tommy gave no fuss about it and brought out a new order which was then cooked perfectly, and was delicious! Things happen and hopefully someone in the kitchen got to enjoy the previous plate. The Salmon was huge and very delicious as well.

Ordered but not pictured are the Lasagna and Veal Parmesan. Those were the two that really stole the show. The Lasagna was so so so cheesy and the red sauce was to die for! The Veal Parmesan will more than likely be my order next time, absolutely outstanding. We all got a side of Fettuccine Alfredo which was also some of the best I’ve had.

It was safe to say we were all way too full for dessert, starting off with a generous serving of complimentary bread and butter is just as much a blessing as it is a curse. Overall between the history, the service, and the food, this place will definitely be added on to rotation. Thank you so much Amore Da Roma for an...