Lava Room — Restaurant in Florence

UPDATE Tonight (Monday 10:32 PM), after seeing new menu items (food and drinks) that really caught my eye and made me super hungry just reading descriptions, decided to go back. I checked Google AND their website to be positively sure they were open... We get ready, drive there, walk inside to a few people at the bar, and then are told that they're closing down for the night. What's the point of posted hours?! This makes me not want to bother even giving this establishment another passing thought of trying again, regardless of how delicious anything is said to be. I'm just tired of trying and I can't rate how anything tastes if I can never get inside long enough to sit down. Left an extra star for how I remember certain items tasting.

I've been three times now. The Ramen is definitely not a Japanese type Tonkatsu with its lack of broth flavor. The egg rolls were pretty good and the bao buns (specifically the Yuzu BLT) were wonderful! I loved the texture and the flavor of the yuzu. It also pairs really nicely with the Lemon Bitbutger beer.

The latest trip I made happened to be just after 10pm, which ended up being the reason for the lack of stars. It would be nice to have listed somewhere online - anywhere - that there will be 1) someone checking for IDs at the door and 2) no variety of food available after a specific time. I came for the bao and had been looking forward to that since I discovered they didn't close before I got off work only to find I could not order them even though there were no time limits listed anywhere online nor the menu. I was told that they're still working through, which I feel should have either been decided prior to opening for consistency or at least posted updates on available items throughout the opening hours. I did add a star back since my hanger was briefly quelled by at least being able to get the gyoza that comes with a really nice soy...

Vacationing in Florence and it was so nice to find a great cocktail bar with some vegan/vegetarian food options. We checked it out our first night in town - a Thursday - which also happened to be 1/2 off sake and bingo night. Had a great bottle of cold sake (Moonstone coconut lemongrass) as well as a few cocktails and their edamame (which was grilled and well seasoned, a fun change from the standard steamed bowl). Went back on Friday and it was a bit more crowded but they had enough people working that the service didn’t diminish. We had a few more cocktails, the shishito peppers and veggie bao buns (loved both). The highlight of this place is really the cocktails for me. We had the “Feel Like Making Shrub” - loved all the subtle flavors, difficult to describe but I felt like it had sweet,sour, umami and bitter in the perfect balance; “Big Bubble in Little China” - cute presentation, they had me at tequila, grapefruit and aperol; “The Sensei” - my dates fav, he’s into any decent Old Fashioned riffs; “Fight Milk” - we both enjoyed it; “The Kaki-tail” - a little sweet, but still enjoyed it; “No Business Like Hibiscus” - my absolute fav - an Aperol 75 riff with lemon or maybe a French 75 riff with Aperol? I liked it so much I had it both nights. Luckily also very easy to get an Uber from and back to...

The best food in town. The ramen, the bao, the bahn mi, the egg rolls, everything we've tried has been phenomenal! And the DESSERTS! We would come just for a dessert. The berry bao is so so good! But the kakigori! OMG! Absolutely divine! The service is great, atmosphere is great, the music is really great! And it's even affordable! I literally usually spend more at most fast food places! (Which has gotten to me choose Lava Room more often because it's so much better!)

Also sodas and tea are free with your food with free refills. What?

I have gone right at 4 when they open and around 6 and neither was too busy. The bar crowd doesn't really get in till a bit later and there's love music shows later too. I might go one night for the karaoke!

Also I proposed to my girlfriend at the Lava Room and the bartender heard me say "she said yes" and repeated it louder and everyone cheered for us! Which is even nicer when I mention we're queer and this is a very queer inclusive space with pride flags behind the bar. It feels like all are welcome here!

I haven't had a thing I didn't love. Go today! You'll be...